Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Fast Lightweight 3D Separable Convolutional Neural Network with Multi-Input Multi-Output for Moving Object Detection

Advances in moving object detection have been driven by the active application of deep learning methods. However, many existing models render superior detection accuracy at the cost of high computational complexity and slow inference speed. This fact has hindered the development of such models in mobile and embedded vision tasks, which need to be carried out in a timely fashion on a computationally limited platform. In this paper, we propose a super-fast (inference speed-154 fps) and lightweight (model size-1.45 MB) end-to-end 3D separable convolutional neural network with a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) strategy named “3DS_MM” for moving object detection. To improve detection accuracy, the proposed model adopts 3D convolution which is more suitable to extract both spatial and temporal information in video data than 2D convolution. To reduce model size and computational complexity, the standard 3D convolution is decomposed into depthwise and pointwise convolutions. Besides, we proposed a MIMO strategy to increase inference speed, which can take multiple frames as the network input and output multiple frames of detection results. Further, we conducted the scene dependent evaluation (SDE) and scene independent evaluation (SIE) on the benchmark CDnet2014 and DAVIS2016 datasets. Compared to stateof- the-art approaches, our proposed method significantly increases the inference speed, reduces the model size, meanwhile achieving the highest detection accuracy in the SDE setup and maintaining a competitive detection accuracy in the SIE setup.
Quantitative analysis of medium-chain polyhydroxyalkanoates in bacterial cells via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: classical method revision and optimization

Abstract A classical method of polyhydroxyalkanoates characterization via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry provides a fast, stable, and reproducible method of identification and quantification with high precision. However, the structure of currently applied internal standards differs from polyhydroxyalkanoates monomers potentially leading to analysis accuracy loss. To optimize the conventional analysis process for medium-chain-length-polyhydroxyalkanoates we suggested salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzoic acid) use as a much more appropriate internal standard for polyhydroxyalkanoates quantification. A number of organic solvents of different nature and properties were considered as more suitable alternatives to the traditionally used chloroform. Cell culture of Pseudomonas helmanticensis was used as a medium-chain-length-polyhydroxyalkanoates producer for primary experiments, Pseudomonas putida and Cupriavidus necator were used for method verification. We showed that more frequently used benzoic acid as an internal standard is not very suitable for medium-chain-length-polyhydroxyalkanoates analysis. It was found that 2-hydroxybenzoic acid is a much more appropriate internal standard and provides highly accurate polyhydroxyalkanoates estimation. Following optimization of the sample treatment parameters has shown that using dichloromethane as solvent providing better analysis sensitivity, as well as improves its eco-safety and economical aspects. The method developed in this study was successfully verified and can be used to evaluate polyhydroxyalkanoates productivity of bacterial cells of different taxonomic classifications.
The Research on Distribution of Lead-Time Demand on the Basis of Multivariate Higher-Order Markov Chain

Inventory management is an important part of supply chain management: inventory shortages could result in reduced delivery speeds and response speeds while excess inventory could lead to increased inventory and operating costs. Therefore, finding ways to efficiently control inventory has become an issue companies are most concerned about. Choosing a proper inventory management method based on the lead-time demand distribution fitted from historical data has become the key criteria to solve this issue. However, it is difficult to determine the lead-time distribution based on the limited amount of historical data directly. Thus, the method this report introduces uses a multivariate higher-order Markov chain to reconstruct historical data in order to expand the amount of data used to fit the lead-time distribution of demand, which is significant for inventory management.
ISSR primer screening for analysis of genetic diversity among Scutellaria tuvensis (Lamiaceae) populations

Using the Diamond DNA kit, high quality nuclear DNA was isolated from dry leaves of the endemic species Scutellaria tuvensis. The selection of primers for ISSR analysis of genetic polymorphism of natural populations is described. During the experiment, 22 primers were tested, their effectiveness was assessed on a point scale. When assessing the primers, the number of reproducible amplified DNA fragments, the clarity and brightness of the obtained fragments, and only distinctive bands were taken into account. As a result, 10 ISSR markers were selected that are the most informative for assessing the population diversity of the species.
Does Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy Alleviate Urban Haze Pollution? Empirical Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China

As a comprehensive environmental regulation, the low-carbon city pilot policy (LCCP) may have an impact on haze pollution. The evaluation of the effectiveness of LCCP on haze pollution is greatly significant for air pollution prevention and control. Taking LCCP as the starting point, in this study we constructed DID, PSM-DID, and intermediary effect models to empirically test the impact and mechanism of LCCP on haze pollution, based on the panel data of 271 cities in China from 2005 to 2018. The findings show that (1) LCCP has significantly reduced the urban haze pollution, and the average annual concentration of PM2.5 in pilot cities decreased by 14.29%. (2) LCCP can inhibit haze pollution by promoting technological innovation, upgrading the industrial structure, and reducing energy consumption. Among these impacts, the effect of technological innovation is the strongest, followed by industrial structure, and energy consumption. (3) LCCP has significantly curbed the haze pollution of non-resource dependent cities, Eastern cities, and large cities, but exerted little impact on resource-dependent cities, Central and Western regions, and small and medium-sized cities. (4) LCCP has a spatial spillover effect. It can inhibit the haze pollution of adjacent cities through demonstration and warning effects. This study enriches the relevant research on LCCP and provides empirical support and policy enlightenment for pollution reduction.
Genetic Identity, Diversity, and Population Structure of CIP's Sweetpotato (I. batatas) Germplasm Collection

The in trust sweetpotato collection housed by the International Center of Potato (CIP) is one of the largest assemblages of plant material representing the genetic resources of this important staple crop. The collection currently contains almost 6,000 accessions of Ipomoea batatas (cultivated sweetpotato) and over 1,000 accessions of sweetpotato crop wild relatives (CWRs). In this study, the entire cultivated collection (5,979 accessions) was genotyped with a panel of 20 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to assess genetic identity, diversity, and population structure. Genotyping and phenotyping of in vitro plantlets and mother plants were conducted simultaneously on 2,711 accessions (45% of the total collection) to identify and correct possible genetic identity errors which could have occurred at any time over the thirty plus years of maintenance in the in vitro collection. Within this group, 533 accessions (19.6%) had errors in identity. Field evaluations of morphological descriptors were carried out to confirm the marker data. A phylogenetic tree was constructed to reveal the intraspecific relationships in the population which uncovered high levels of redundancy in material from Peru and Latin America. These genotypic data were supported by morphological data. Population structure analysis demonstrated support for four ancestral populations with many of the accessions having lower levels of gene flow from the other populations. This was especially true of germplasm derived from Peru, Ecuador, and Africa. The set of 20 SSR markers was subsequently utilized to examine a subset of 189 accessions from the USDA sweetpotato germplasm collection and to identify and reconcile potential errors in the identification of clones shared between these collections. Marker analysis demonstrated that the USDA subset of material had 65 unique accessions that were not found in the larger CIP collection. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first report of genotyping an entire sweetpotato germplasm collection in its entirety.
Study of Normally-Off AlGaN/GaN HEMT with Microfield Plate for Improvement of Breakdown Voltage

In this paper, we introduce a new type of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with microfield plate (FP). We use Silvaco-ATLAS two-dimensional numerical simulation to calculate the performance of conventional HEMT and HEMT with micro-FP and analyze its principle. By studying a new charge balance method provided by HEMTs and micro-FPs, the physical mechanism of FP adjusting the HEMT potential distribution and channel electric field distribution is analyzed. The new FP structure consists of a drain field plate (D-FP), a source field plate (S-FP) and several micro-gate field plates (G-FP) to improve the output characteristics of HEMTs. By adjusting the distribution of potential and channel electric field, a wider and more uniform channel electric field can be obtained, and the breakdown voltage can be increased to 1278 V. Although the on-resistance of the HEMT is slightly increased to 5.24 Ω mm, it is still lower than other reference values. These results may open up a new and effective method for manufacturing high-power devices for power electronics applications.
Including Condition into Ecological Maps Changes Everything—A Study of Ecological Condition in the Conterminous United States

In 2021, the Biden administration signed an executive order to protect 30% of American lands by 2030. Accomplishing this ambitious goal in the U.S. requires understanding the relative contribution of public and private lands toward supporting biodiversity. New approaches are needed because existing approaches focus on quantity of habitat without incorporating quality. To fill this need, we developed a 30 m resolution national habitat condition index (HCI) that integrates quality and quantity measures of habitat. We hypothesized that including an evaluation of the quality of habitat at landscape scales, both in conservation-focused preserves and working lands would provide a better assessment of the value of geographies for conservation. We divided the conterminous U.S. by major land cover type and into natural and cultivated lands and then spatially mapped multiple anthropogenic stressors, proximity to aquatic habitat, and vegetation departure from expected natural disturbance regimes. Each map layer was then scored for site impact and distance decay and combined into a final national index. Field observations providing scored relative ecological conditions were used for HCI calibration and validation at both CONUS and regional scales. Finally, we evaluate lands by management (conservation versus working lands) and ownership (public versus private) testing the value of these lands for conservation. While we found regional differences across CONUS, functional habitat was largely independent of protection status: working lands provide clear habitat and other values. These results are relevant for guiding strategies to achieve the U.S. 30 by 30 goals. Where similar data exist in other countries, analogous modeling could be used to meet their national conservation commitments.
Factors’ Influencing Users’ Perceptions on Workplace-Based Formative Assessment

Workplace-based formative assessment (WBA) has met with mixed reactions from users in postgraduate medical education. Users’ perceptions about WBA tend to be negative. Consequently, its learning value has yet to reach its full capacity. In this study, we explored which factors influence users’ perceptions about formative WBA. We conducted a constructivist grounded theory study with focus groups in the interuniversity General Practitioners’ Training in Flanders. Focus groups were administered online and asynchronous due to COVID-19. The main questions of the focus groups were open-ended. In total, 3 homogeneous focus groups with trainees (n=6), trainers (n=7), and supervisors (n=9) took part in this study. Data analysis followed the stages of open, focused, and axial coding. Three predominant categories of factors were identified in the data: (1) users’ engagement and agency in the assessment progress, (2) users’ conceptualization about their own role in the curriculum, and (3) users’ trust and their relationship with each other. These categories are interrelated in a mutual way. Negative users’ perceptions were more prevalent, when users faced barriers in one of these three categories. By mapping the factors influencing users’ perceptions, our findings might facilitate changing the negative perceptions about workplace-based formative assessment and improve its educational value in medical curricula.
A taxonomic revision of the genus Eriobotrya Lindl. (Rosaceae)

A comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus Eriobotrya (Rosaceae) in Southeast Asia, the Himalayas and Western Malaysia were carried out. All published names or referrable to Eriobotrya were studied and discussed here. Thirty two species and nine varieties are recognized, of which five species and one variety are endemic to China. One species (E. grandiflora) is redescribed, one new hybrid (E. × balgooyi), and four new combinations, E. bengalensis var. intermedia, E. bengalensis var. contracta, E. petiolata var. glabrescens, and E. elliptica var. victoriensis, are proposed here. Four names are reduced to synonymy, and seven names are typified. Two names, E. platyphylla, and E. merguiensis, are listed as dubious species, and nineteen names are excluded. In addition, the taxonomic treatment, key to the species and varieties, distributions, habitat ecology, phylogeny, taxonomic notes, and records of specimens examined for each taxon are given.
Discrete Environment-Driven GPU-Based Ray Launching: Validation and Applications

In this work, the Discrete, Environment-Driven Ray Launching (DED-RL) algorithm, which makes use of parallelization on Graphic Processing Units, fully described in a previous paper, has been validated versus a large set of measurements to evaluate its performance in terms of both computational efficiency and accuracy. Three major urban areas have been considered, including a very challenging scenario in central San Francisco that was used as a benchmark to test an image-ray tracing algorithm in a previous work. Results show that DED-RL is as accurate as ray tracing, despite the much lower computation time, reduced by more than three orders of magnitude with respect to ray tracing. Moreover, the accuracy level only marginally depends on discretization pixel size, at least for the considered pixel size range. The unprecedented computational efficiency of DED-RL opens the way to numerous applications, ranging from RF coverage optimization of drone-aided cellular networks to efficient fingerprinting localization applications, as briefly discussed in the paper.
Synthesis of Niobium-Alumina Composite Aggregates and Their Application in Coarse-Grained Refractory Ceramic-Metal Castables

Niobium-alumina aggregate fractions with particle sizes up to 3150 µm were produced by crushing pre-synthesised fine-grained composites. Phase separation with niobium enrichment in the aggregate class 45–500 µm was revealed by XRD/Rietveld analysis. To reduce the amount of carbon-based impurities, no organic additives were used for the castable mixtures, which resulted in water demands of approximately 27 vol.% for the fine- and coarse-grained castables. As a consequence, open porosities of 18% and 30% were determined for the fine- and coarse-grained composites, respectively. Due to increased porosity, the modulus of rupture at room temperature decreased from 52 MPa for the fine-grained composite to 11 MPa for the coarse-grained one. However, even the compressive yield strength decreased from 49 MPa to 18 MPa at 1300 °C for the fine-grained to the coarse-grained composite, the latter showed still plasticity with a strain up to 5%. The electrical conductivity of fine-grained composite samples was in the range between 40 and 60 S/cm, which is fifteen magnitudes above the values of pure corundum.
Zakat for Economic Empowerment (Analyzing the Models, Strategy and Implications of Zakat Productive Program in Baitul Mal Aceh and Baznas Indonesia)

Sustainable wellbeing is one of the goals of zakat distribution whereby the poor (mustahiq) are not only able to survive by having the basic needs fulfilled, but also are able to work and fulfill his needs and his family independently. The mustahiq independency is important to solve the problem of inequalities in society, marginalization, unemployemnt and poverty. This can only be achieved if zakat is able to used as a means for economic empowerment of the poor that would increase their capacity and enable them to become enterpreneur and hence able to fulfil their needs by themselves. This article attempts to observe various zakat productive programs initiated by zakat institutions in Indonesia and also analyze their implications in empowering the poors and increase their level of wellbeing. The case study in this paper is Baitul Mal Aceh and Baznas Indonesia.
SURABAYA

Tides is a phenomenon rise and fall of the sea water periodically due to moon and sun gravity. Tides able to raise ocean current is called a tidal current. A tidal current influence the transport of sediment contained in the waters. The process of the deposition of sediment in the waters can affected the shape of topography at the base of waters, one of them is called silting up. The silting up of the sea waters can cause problems if there is in port waters, especially in the ways of shipping and port ponds. The depth of the sea no longer in accordance with the draft of the boats can cause a ship crash. Hence, it needs maintenance the depth of port waters territory by port authority.In this research, done modelling the flow of sediment material due to a tidal current to know the location where happened the largest depth changing in order maintenance the depth in port waters. Modelling the stream and the flow of sediment done in a numerical simulation on tides and grain size parameter. Based on the result of modelling, the largest sediment material flow happened in the estuary of Kali Semampir at coordinate (693905,38; 9204010,30) when the tides is high, with solid flux value 0,000584 m3/s. While the greatest of depth waters change in port ponds Zamrud with the change equals 0,9 m, so that it needs waters depth monitoring in this area routinely.
Genome Characterization of Bird-Related Rhabdoviruses Circulating in Africa

Rhabdoviridae is the most diverse family of the negative, single-stranded RNA viruses, which includes 40 ecologically different genera that infect plants, insects, reptiles, fishes, and mammals, including humans, and birds. To date, only a few bird-related rhabdoviruses among the genera Sunrhavirus, Hapavirus, and Tupavirus have been described and analyzed at the molecular level. In this study, we characterized seven additional and previously unclassified rhabdoviruses, which were isolated from various bird species collected in Africa during the 1960s and 1970s. Based on the analysis of their genome sequences obtained by next generation sequencing, we observed a classical genomic structure, with the presence of the five canonical rhabdovirus genes, i.e., nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), glycoprotein (G), and polymerase (L). In addition, different additional open reading frames which code putative proteins of unknown function were identified, with the common presence of the C and the SH proteins, within the P gene and between the M and G genes, respectively. Genetic comparisons and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that these seven bird-related rhabdoviruses could be considered as putative new species within the genus Sunrhavirus, where they clustered into a single group (named Clade III), a companion to two other groups that encompass mainly insect-related viruses. The results of this study shed light on the high diversity of the rhabdoviruses circulating in birds, mainly in Africa. Their close relationship with other insect-related sunrhaviruses raise questions about their potential role and impact as arboviruses that affect bird communities.
Definition differences and internal variability affect the simulated
Arctic sea ice melt season

Abstract. Satellite observations show that the Arctic sea ice melt season is getting longer. This lengthening has important implications for the Arctic Ocean's radiation budget, marine ecology and accessibility. Here we assess how passive microwave satellite observations of the melt season can be used for climate model evaluation. By using the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble (CESM LE), we evaluate the effect of multiple possible definitions of melt onset, freeze onset and melt season length on comparisons with passive microwave satellite data, while taking into account the impacts of internal variability. We find that within the CESM LE, melt onset shows a higher sensitivity to definition choices than freeze onset, while freeze onset is more greatly impacted by internal variability. The CESM LE accurately simulates that the trend in freeze onset largely drives the observed pan-Arctic trend in melt season length. Under RCP8.5 forcing, the CESM LE projects that freeze onset dates will continue to shift later, leading to a pan-Arctic average melt season length of 7–9 months by the end of the 21st century. However, none of the available model definitions produce trends in the pan-Arctic melt season length as large as seen in passive microwave observations. This suggests a model bias, which might be a factor in the generally underestimated response of sea ice loss to global warming in the CESM LE. Overall, our results show that the choice of model melt season definition is highly dependent on the question posed, and none of the definitions exactly matches the physics underlying the passive microwave observations.
Wheels of change: Impact of bicycles on female education and empowerment in Zambia

We study the impact of an innovative conditional kind transfer program in rural Zambia that provides a bicycle to a school-going girl child. A total of 100 schools were randomly allocated to one of two treatment arms or a control group. We will estimate the causal impact of receiving bicycles on education and empowerment outcomes. Findings from this study will not only provide a clear understanding of the impact of reducing the distance cost to school for girl, but also address the larger question of whether or not such an asset transfer has an impact on girls’ empowerment, a question of immense policy interest for both developed and the developing world.