Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feature-Based Direct Tracking and Mapping for Real-Time Noise-Robust Outdoor 3D Reconstruction Using Quadcopters

In this work, we focus on real-time 3D reconstruction or localization and mapping for outdoor scene using an aerial vehicle called quadcopter. Quadcopter provides the advantages of high flexibility and wide view field in spatial movement. However, existing feature-based and direct methods (using dense or semi-dense approach) are not suitable for outdoor environment, in which multiple challenging scenarios arise such as lighting variance, jittering views, high-speed and non-smooth flight trajectory. The main reason is that the existing methods rely on the assumption of brightness constancy across multiple images and only raw pixel intensities are employed for direct image alignment. In order to tackle these scenarios, a novel method called Feature-based Direct Tracking and Mapping (FDTAM) is proposed, which i) incorporates an efficient binary feature descriptor into direct image alignment module to tackle the challenging scenarios, such as drifting issue under lighting variance problem; ii) applies semi-dense approach to obtain high reconstruction quality; iii) provides a framework with low computational complexity for real-time reconstruction. Compared to other state-of-the-art feature-based and direct methods, our proposed method is shown to tackle the challenging scenarios and improve the accuracy and robustness even in CPU (rather than GPU) platform.
Exotic states of diatomic molecules and methods of their description

Various methods for representation of electronic states in diatomic molecules basing on experimental spectroscopic data are critically compared. The technique of pointwise inverted perturbation approach (IPA) is indicated as the most suitable in case of states characterized by potential energy curves substantially different from the Morse potential. Recent developments of this technique are presented. Our understanding of the energy structure of diatomic molecules is based on the Born-Oppenheimer approximation which takes advantage of the large disparity between the electron and nuclear masses in order to separate the electronic and nuclear coordinates. The motion of heavy nuclei can be assumed as slow compared with that of light and consequently very mobile electrons. The electronic wave functions adjust instantaneously to the positions of the nuclei and determine the potential well in which the nuclei vibrate. For separate electronic configurations diabatic potential energy curves governing the motion of the nuclei are thus obtained. However, the diabatic curves can intersect whenever potential energies associated with two different electronic configurations become equal for a given internuclear distance. Depending on the strength of the coupling between the two electronic configurations, the molecule passing through the crossing region may either remain in the original electronic state or jump to the other configuration. In the latter case the coupling can be taken into account by constructing the adiabatic potential energy curves, which change from one electronic configuration to the other along the crossing. The shape
Extending the Use of Instrumental Variables for the Identification of Direct Causal Effects in SEMs

In this paper, we present an extended set of graphical criteria for the iden- tification of direct causal effects in linear Structural Equation Models (SEMs). Previous methods of graphical identification of direct causal effects in linear SEMs include methods such as the single door criterion, the instrumental variable and the IV-pair, and the ac- cessory set. However, there remain graphical models where a direct causal effect can be identified and these graphical criteria all fail. We present a few of these examples, and presents an extended set of graphical criteria which uses descendants of the cause variable as "path-specific instrumental variables". The results can be used to identify the direct causal effect as long as an certain conditions based on an extended set of graphical criteria and the identifiability of other causal effects are satisfied.
Zero SIC Based Rate Splitting Multiple Access Technique

In rate splitting multiple access (RSMA), all users first decode a common-stream (CS) by treating all private-streams (PS) as interference. After that, successive interference cancellation (SIC) is performed to remove the CS, and each user will then decode its PS by treating other users’ PS as interference. Although RSMA achieves a better management of interference compared to non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), it still has partial interference while decoding CS and requires perfect SIC for decoding PS. In addition, with increasing users, the interference level and SIC interactions also increase. To overcome these issues, this letter proposes a novel quadrature-RSMA (Q-RSMA) technique that removes the requirement of SIC to decode PS. In addition, Q-RSMA offers interference-free detection of CS. This work determines the closed-formed optimal solution of the formulated non-convex optimization problem to maximize the sum-rate of Q-RSMA. Moreover, the proposed Q-RSMA is compared with RSMA, NOMA, quadrature-NOMA techniques. Comparisons show that Q-RSMA reduces decoding latency, provides better interference-management, and is more spectral and energy-efficient than other techniques.
Detection and Localisation of Farm Mangoes using YOLOv5 Deep Learning Technique

Fruit detection and localization in its real environment is a very challenging task. There are multiple factors such as occlusion, shadows and varying light conditions that make this task very tough. YOLOv5 object detection and localization model was used to perform this task due to its high inference speed. The model was trained on Google Colab using a 150 image dataset of mango fruits in the farm. The developed model detects and localises the farm mangoes with a mean average precision (mAP) of 0.434 and F1 score of 0.57 at a confidence of 0.876 during training and validation. The model was able to detect and localize the field mangoes with 94.3% accuracy from the test images. The model proved its adequacy for the real-time detection of the farm mangoes using the recorded video with an average accuracy of 80.76%. From the results, it can be stated that, the developed deep learning model is a useful tool for the yield monitoring and harvesting using robotics.
The vocalization of the red junglefowl is a signal of body size and individual health

Abstract Bird songs are considered a sexually selected trait that can reflect the individual health of males as well as the vitality of potential mates and their competitors. Vocalization features should, therefore, be related to parasite load and body condition. Here, we performed a thorough acoustic analysis of the display calls of 9-month-old sub-adults and 18-month-old adults of pasture-raised red junglefowls Gallus gallus. We investigated whether the calls of pasture-raised red junglefowls can indicate body size and body condition, in addition to the influence of parasitic infection intensity on the expression of sexual traits. We found that frequency-related syllable parameters were significantly positively correlated with wing length in adults, whereas body weight was independent of both the frequency and temporal parameters of calls. In addition, we correlated parasitic load with the expression of sexually selected traits and discovered a positive association between the intensity of parasite infection and wing length in sub-adults, independent of vocal parameters. Overall, the results suggest that the vocalization of red junglefowls may convey reliable body size information, which will facilitate further studies of different vocal parameters in the transmission of bird vocalizations.
Stress Distribution Pattern in Zygomatic Implants Supporting Different Superstructure Materials

The aim of this study was to assess and compare the stress–strain pattern of zygomatic dental implants supporting different superstructures using 3D finite element analysis (FEA). A model of a tridimensional edentulous maxilla with four dental implants was designed using the computer-aided design (CAD) software. Two standard and two zygomatic implants were positioned to support the U-shaped bar superstructure. In the computer-aided engineering (CAE) software, different materials have been simulated for the superstructure: cobalt–chrome (CoCr) alloy, titanium alloy (Ti), zirconia (Zr), carbon-fiber polymers (CF) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). An axial load of 500 N was applied in the posterior regions near the zygomatic implants. Considering the mechanical response of the bone tissue, all superstructure materials resulted in homogeneous strain and thus could reconstruct the edentulous maxilla. However, with the aim to reduce the stress in the zygomatic implants and prosthetic screws, stiffer materials, such Zr, CoCr and Ti, appeared to be a preferable option.
A Water Extract from Chlorella sorokiniana Cell Walls Stimulates Growth of Bone Marrow Cells and Splenocytes

A water extract derived from the isolated cell walls of Chlorella sorokiniana (C. sorokiniana, Chlorella water extract, CWE) was analyzed for the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-related material via the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay and evaluated for its growth stimulation effect on the bone marrow cells and splenocytes in vitro cell cultures. The extract contained low levels of LPS-related material, and a mass spectrum suggested that the extract contained many components, including a low level of a lipid A precursor, a compound known as lipid X, which is known to elicit a positive response in the LAL assay. Treatment with the CWE dose- and time-dependently stimulated the growth of mouse bone marrow cells (BMCs) and splenocytes (SPLs). Treatment with the CWE also increased specific BMC subpopulations, including antigen-presenting cells (CD19+ B cells, 33D1+ dendritic cells and CD68+ macrophages), and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but decreased the number of LY6G+ granulocytes. Treatment with the CWE also increased cytokine mRNA associated with T cell activation, including TNFα, IFNγ, and granzyme B in human lymphoblasts. The present study indicates that the cell wall fraction of C. sorokiniana contains an LPS-like material and suggests a candidate source for the bioactivity that stimulates growth of both innate and adaptive immune cells.
COVID-19 Intensive Care—Evaluation of Public Information Sources and Current Standards of Care in German Intensive Care Units: A Cross Sectional Online Survey on Intensive Care Staff in Germany

Backround: In February 2021, the first formal evidence and consensus-based (S3) guidelines for the inpatient treatment of patients with COVID-19 were published in Germany and have been updated twice during 2021. The aim of the present study is to re-evaluate the dissemination pathways and strategies for ICU staff (first evaluation in December 2020 when previous versions of consensus-based guidelines (S2k) were published) and question selected aspects of guideline adherence of standard care for patients with COVID-19 in the ICU. Methods: We conducted an anonymous online survey among German intensive care staff from 11 October 2021 to 11 November 2021. We distributed the survey via e-mail in intensive care facilities and requested redirection to additional intensive care staff (snowball sampling). Results: There was a difference between the professional groups in the number, selection and qualitative assessment of information sources about COVID-19. Standard operating procedures were most frequently used by all occupational groups and received a high quality rating. Physicians preferred sources for active information search (e.g., medical journals), while nurses predominantly used passive consumable sources (e.g., every-day media). Despite differences in usage behaviour, the sources were rated similarly in terms of the quality of the information on COVID-19. The trusted organizations have not changed over time. The use of guidelines was frequently stated and highly recommended. The majority of the participants reported guideline-compliant treatment. Nevertheless, there were certain variations in the use of medication as well as the criteria chosen for discontinuing non-invasive ventilation (NIV) compared to guideline recommendations. Conclusions: An adequate external source of information for nursing staff is lacking, the usual sources of physicians are only appropriate for the minority of nursing staff. The self-reported use of guidelines is high.
Disproportionate investment in Spiralin B production limits in-host growth and favors the vertical transmission of Spiroplasma insect endosymbionts

Significance Most insects harbor bacterial endosymbionts within their tissues, which have major impacts on their physiology, ecology, and evolution. We investigate mechanisms that regulate such interaction between the fly Drosophila and its natural bacterial endosymbiont Spiroplasma poulsonii Melanogaster Sex-Ratio Organism (MSRO). MSRO grows in the fly hemolymph and is vertically transmitted across generations. We show that Spiralin B has major impacts on these two key features: while being involved in vertical transmission, its massive production monopolizes essential amino acids and impacts bacterial growth in nutrient-limited conditions. Our work illustrates that a single bacterial protein can couple key aspects of an endosymbiont lifestyle (its ability to proliferate in host tissues and to be vertically transmitted), thus maintaining the interaction over evolutionary timescales.
A New Investigation into the Molecular Mechanism of Andrographolide towards Reducing Cytokine Storm

Cytokine storm is a condition in which the immune system produces an excessive number of inflammatory signals, which can result in organ failure and death. It is also known as cytokine release syndrome, CRS, or simply cytokine storm, and it has received a lot of attention recently because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears to be one of the reasons why some people experience life-threatening symptoms from COVID-19, a medical condition induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection. In situations where natural substances can be exploited as therapeutics to reduce cytokine storm, the drug development process has come to the rescue. In the present study, we tested the potentiality of Andrographolide, labdane diterpenoid targeting several key cytokines that are secreted as a result of cytokine storm. We used molecular docking analyses, molecular dynamics simulations, and pharmacokinetic properties to test the stability of the complexes. The compound’s binding energy with some cytokines was over −6.5 Kcal/mol. Furthermore, a post-molecular dynamics (MD) study revealed that Andrographolide was extremely stable with these cytokines. The compound’s pharmacokinetic measurements demonstrated excellent properties in terms of adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Our research revealed that this compound may be effective in lowering cytokine storm and treating severe symptoms.
Full-Wave Simulation of Body Absorption due to Radiated Fields at GHz Frequencies

La exposición humana a radiaciones no ionizantes en alta frecuencia se ha vuelto común debido a la gran cantidad de sistemas que operan en ese rango, tales como teléfonos celulares, redes inalámbricas de datos y sistemas de comunicación en general. Modelar el impacto de este tipo de radiaciones es importante debido a los potenciales riesgos a la salud humana a corto y largo plazo, así como para la definición de límites de seguridad. Desde la perspectiva de la simulación numérica, esto es una tarea difícil debido a que las longitudes de onda asociadas son mucho más pequeñas que la dimensión típica del cuerpo humano, lo que resulta en un requerimiento de discretización muy fina de los modelos geométricos, con una consecuente alta demanda en los recursos de computación y largos tiempos de ejecución. En este artículo se estudia la factibilidad de realizar simulaciones de onda completa para estimar el campo electromagnético absorbido en alta frecuencia, hasta 10 GHz, con solucionadores numéricos de propósito general y geometrías con tamaños relevantes en relación al tamaño del cuerpo humano. Geometrías simples son analizadas, definiendo las propiedades del agua fresca para su región interna. Tres diferentes métodos son evaluados: el método de integración finita (FIT), el método de elementos finitos (FEM) y el método de los momentos (MoM), con la intención de determinar la convergencia del resultado y los recursos computacionales necesarios en cada caso. Los resultados indican que a 10 GHz se torna difícil realizar dichos análisis con un recurso computacional moderado (hasta 64 GB RAM), pero algunas aproximaciones podrían ser explotadas debido a que la penetración del campo en ese rango de frecuencias esta principalmente acotada a la región cercana a la superficie del objeto.
A Comparative Metabolomics Approach for Egyptian Mango Fruits Classification Based on UV and UPLC/MS and in Relation to Its Antioxidant Effect

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a tropical climacteric fruit that encompasses a myriad of metabolites mediating for its nutritive value, unique taste, flavor, and medicinal uses. Egypt is among the top mango producers worldwide, albeit little characterization has been made toward its fruits’ chemical composition. This study aims to assess metabolites difference via comparative profiling and fingerprinting of Egyptian mango in context to its cultivar (cv.) type and/or growth province. To achieve such goal, hyphenated chromatographic techniques (UPLC/MS) and UV spectroscopy were employed and coupled to multivariate data analysis for Egyptian mango fruits’ classification for the first time. UPLC/MS led to the detection of a total of 47 peaks identified based on their elution times and MS data, belonging to tannins as gallic acid esters, flavonoids, xanthones, phenolic acids and oxylipids. UV/Vis spectra of mango fruits showed similar absorption patterns mostly attributed to the phenolic metabolites, i.e., gallic acid derivatives and phenolic acids showing λmax at ca. 240 and 270 nm. Modeling of both UPLC/MS and UV data sets revealed that cv. effect predominated over geographical origin in fruits segregation. Awees (AS) cv. showed the richest phenolic content and in agreement for its recognition as a premium cv. of mango in Egypt. Results of total phenolic content (TPC) assay revealed that AS was the richest in TPC at 179.1 mg GAE/g extract, while Langara from Ismailia (LI) showed the strongest antioxidant effect at 0.41 mg TE/g extract. Partial least square modeling of UV fingerprint with antioxidant action annotated gallates as potential contributor to antioxidant effect though without identification of exact moieties based on UPLC/MS. The study is considered the first-time investigation of Egyptian mango to aid unravel phytoconstituents responsible for fruits benefits using a metabolomics approach.
On-the-Spot Decision-Making System of Basketball Game Based on Data Mining Algorithm

Modern competitive basketball has developed into a skilled international competitive sport. The situation in basketball is changing rapidly. At the same time, tactics are one of the main factors affecting game performance in athletic basketball. Whether the athletes successfully use the techniques and tactics in the game or not will often become the decisive factor for the outcome of the game. Therefore, it is essential to grasp the situation of basketball games, to study the technical and tactical rules of basketball competitive games, and to provide scientific support for the daily technical and tactical training of competitive basketball and technical and tactical decision-making during the game, which is an important way to improve the level of basketball competition in China. As a decision support technology, data mining plays an important role in decision support systems. This decision-making method is closely related to the amount of data, the way of organization, and the structure of the organization. Based on this, this study studies the improved Bayesian algorithm classification algorithm in data mining, and it also reorganizes and restructures the large, intricate, and unorganized data from the database of the system according to the decision-making demand. After a series of data processing processes are completed, the latest data organization mode is obtained, and new data correlation information is found from it, by finding the relevance of knowledge in the decision support system of the database-based relational database management system, and presenting the implicit structural information in the data to provide users with more accurate decision-making information. Finally, in the investigation and analysis of the on-site decision-making system of basketball games, it is found that 48% of sport coaches think it is very helpful, indicating that the system has merit.
A Parallelized sharp-interface fixed grid method for moving boundary problems

The primary objective of this thesis is to develop a general computational framework to perform large scale moving boundary problems in fluid mechanics. The interactions of moving entities with fluid flow are common to numerous engineering and biomedical applications. The novel computational platform developed comprises of a) an efficient fluid flow solver b) an accurate and easily implemented unified formulation to capture the interactions of the moving bodies with the flow and c) parallel execution capability to enable large scale computations. The above features are formulated and implemented in a computer code, ELAFINT3D. The current thesis demonstrates the accuracy, efficiency and robustness of this framework. The performance of ELAFINT3D on distributed memory systems is also presented. Finally, this framework is employed to simulate a series of large scale, three-dimensional moving boundary problems involving complex interfacial motions and flow phenomena. These numerical experiments establish the strengths of the current tool. Abstract Approved: ____________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________ Title and Department ____________________________________ DateApproved: ____________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________ Title and Department ____________________________________ Date A PARALLELIZED SHARP-INTERFACE FIXED GRID METHOD FOR MOVING BOUNDARY PROBLEMS by Saikrishna V. Marella A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa