Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hyper-pixel-wise Contrastive Learning Augmented Segmentation Network for Old Landslide Detection through Fusing High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images and Digital Elevation Model Data

As a natural disaster, landslide often brings tremendous losses to human lives, so it urgently demands reliable detection of landslide risks. When detecting old landslides that present important information for landslide risk warning, problems such as visual blur and small-sized dataset cause great challenges when using remote sensing data. To extract accurate semantic features, a hyper-pixel-wise contrastive learning augmented segmentation network (HPCL-Net) is proposed, which augments the local salient feature extraction from boundaries of landslides through HPCL-Net and fuses heterogeneous infromation in the semantic space from high-resolution remote sensing images and digital elevation model data. For full utilization of precious samples, a global hyper-pixel-wise sample pair queues-based contrastive learning method is developed, which includes the construction of global queues that store hyper-pixel-wise samples and the updating scheme of a momentum encoder, reliably enhancing the extraction ability of semantic features. The proposed HPCL-Net is evaluated on the Loess Plateau old landslide dataset and experimental results verify that the proposed HPCL-Net greatly outperforms existing models, where the mIoU is increased from 0.620 to 0.651, the Landslide IoU is improved from 0.334 to 0.394 and the F1score is enhanced from 0.501 to 0.565.
A Novel Lockable Spring-Loaded Prismatic Spine to Support Agile Quadrupedal Locomotion

This paper introduces a way to systematically investigate the effect of compliant prismatic spines in quadrupedal robot locomotion. We develop a novel spring-loaded lockable spine module, together with a new Spinal Compliance-Integrated Quadruped (SCIQ) platform for both empirical and numerical research. Individual spine tests reveal beneficial spinal characteristics like a degressive spring, and validate the efficacy of a proposed compact locking/unlocking mechanism for the spine. Benchmark vertical jumping and landing tests with our robot show comparable jumping performance between the rigid and compliant spines. An observed advantage of the compliant spine module is that it can alleviate more challenging landing conditions by absorbing impact energy and dissipating the remainder via feet slipping through much in cat-like stretching fashion.
DISH: A Distributed Hybrid Optimization Method Leveraging System Heterogeneity

We study distributed optimization problems over multi-agent networks, including consensus and network flow problems. Existing distributed methods neglect the heterogeneity among agents' computational capabilities, limiting their effectiveness. To address this, we propose DISH, a distributed hybrid method that leverages system heterogeneity. DISH allows agents with higher computational capabilities or lower computational costs to perform local Newton-type updates while others adopt simpler gradient-type updates. Notably, DISH covers existing methods like EXTRA, DIGing, and ESOM-0 as special cases. To analyze DISH's performance with general update directions, we formulate distributed problems as minimax problems and introduce GRAND (gradient-related ascent and descent) and its alternating version, Alt-GRAND, for solving these problems. GRAND generalizes DISH to centralized minimax settings, accommodating various descent ascent update directions, including gradient-type, Newton-type, scaled gradient, and other general directions, within acute angles to the partial gradients. Theoretical analysis establishes global sublinear and linear convergence rates for GRAND and Alt-GRAND in strongly-convex-nonconcave and strongly-convex-PL settings, providing linear rates for DISH. In addition, we derive the local superlinear convergence of Newton-based variations of GRAND in centralized settings. Numerical experiments validate the effectiveness of our methods.
A Transfer Learning Approach to Minimize Reinforcement Learning Risks in Energy Optimization for Smart Buildings

Energy optimization leveraging artificially intelligent algorithms has been proven effective. However, when buildings are commissioned, there is no historical data that could be used to train these algorithms. On-line Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms have shown significant promise, but their deployment carries a significant risk, because as the RL agent initially explores its action space it could cause significant discomfort to the building residents. In this paper we present ReLBOT - a new technique that uses transfer learning in conjunction with deep RL to transfer knowledge from an existing, optimized and instrumented building, to the newly commissioning smart building, to reduce the adverse impact of the reinforcement learning agent's warm-up period. We demonstrate improvements of up to 6.2 times in the duration, and up to 132 times in prediction variance, for the reinforcement learning agent's warm-up period.
Geproci sets and the combinatorics of skew lines in $\mathbb P^3$

Geproci sets of points in $\mathbb P^3$ are sets whose general projections to $\mathbb P^2$ are complete intersections. The first nontrivial geproci sets came from representation theory, as projectivizations of the root systems $D_4$ and $F_4$. In most currently known cases geproci sets lie on very special unions of skew lines and are known as half grids. For this important class of geproci sets we establish fundamental connections with combinatorics, which we study using methods of algebraic geometry and commutative algebra. As a motivation for studying them, we first prove Theorem A: for a nondegenerate $(a,b)$-geproci set $Z$ with $d$ being the least degree of a space curve $C$ containing $Z$, that if $d\leq b$, then $C$ is a union of skew lines and $Z$ is either a grid or a half grid. We next formulate a combinatorial version of the geproci property for half grids and prove Theorem B: combinatorial half grids are geproci in the case of sets of $a$ points on each of $b$ skew lines when $a\geq b-1\geq 3$. We then introduce a notion of combinatorics for skew lines and apply it to the classification of single orbit combinatorial half grids of $m$ points on each of 4 lines. We apply these results to prove Theorem C, showing, when $n\gg m$, that half grids of $m$ points on $n$ lines with two transversals must be very special geometrically (if they even exist). Moreover, in the case of skew lines having two transversals, our results provide an algorithm for enumerating their projective equivalence classes. We conjecture there are $(m^2-1)/12$ equivalence classes of combinatorial $[m,4]$-half grids in the two transversal case when $m>2$ is prime.
State Approaches to Simplify Medicaid Eligibility and Implications for Inequality of Infant Health

Along with the late 1980s Medicaid expansion for pregnant women and children, states implemented multiple reforms to reduce administrative burdens and facilitate access to Medicaid and prenatal care. We use National Vital Statistics birth data from 1985 to 1994 and a difference-in-discontinuities approach to compare the effectiveness of these reforms for improving infant health and access to prenatal care. Results indicate that combinations of reforms to reduce administrative burdens increased Medicaid enrollment and improved infant health nearly as much as Medicaid expansion. In most cases, these reforms yield larger benefits for racially and socioeconomically marginalized mothers, but targeted reforms could better address unequal barriers and further improve equality. Benefits of the reforms are larger in states with more physicians per capita, particularly for marginalized mothers. Overall, results suggest that combined policy responses to reduce multiple burdens at the same time are needed to address unequal barriers.
Fault tolerant funnel control

A new approach to adaptive fault tolerant tracking control for uncertain linear systems is presented. Based on recent results in funnel control and the time‐varying Byrnes‐Isidori form, we introduce a low‐complexity model‐free controller which achieves prescribed performance of the tracking error for any given sufficiently smooth reference signal. Within the considered system class, we allow for more inputs than outputs as long as a certain redundancy of the actuators is satisfied. An important role in the controller design is played by the controller weight matrix, which is a rectangular input transformation chosen such that in the resulting system the zero dynamics, which are assumed to be uniformly exponentially stable, are independent of the new input.
The analysis of usefulness of locations on the basis of spring barley trials

Summary The purpose of breeding experiments is to predict the best yielding lines to be registered. Unfortunately, the results obtained in different locations and years are often different. The main objective of this study was the evaluation and choice of experimental locations. The methods used included ANOVA, Andrews’ curves, PCA, cluster analysis, coefficients of usefulness and heritability coefficients. The experimental data are derived from prepreliminary and preliminary breeding experiments with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), malting and fodder, conducted in the period from 2008 to 2013 at six experimental stations in Poland. The results showed that some of the locations were similar in respect of the analyzed coefficients, while some locations were unique. The most valuable locations were indicated as those which have the greatest contribution to the interaction and the greatest usefulness (the lowest joint usefulness coefficient). This is because, at the last stage of new variety cultivation, when new varieties are to be registered, they are evaluated in more variable experimental environments.
Matrix Function Optimization Problems Under Orthonormal Constraint

We investigate the matrix function optimization under the orthonormal constraint on the matrix variable. By introducing an index-notation-arrangement-based chain rule (I-Chain rule), we obtain the gradient of the cost function and propose a revisited orthonormal-constraint-based projected gradient method to locate a minimum of an objective/cost function of matrix variables iteratively subject to orthonormal constraint. To guarantee the convergence the proposed method, existing schemes require the gradient can be represented by the multiplication of a symmetrical matrix and the matrix variable itself. This condition has been relaxed in this paper. New techniques are proposed to establish the convergence property of the iterative algorithm. Simulation results show the effectiveness of our framework. This paper allows more extensive applications of matrix function optimization problems in science and engineering.
A guide to conducting systematic reviews of clinical laboratory tests

Abstract Clinical laboratory professionals have an instrumental role in supporting clinical decision making with the optimal use of laboratory testing for screening, risk stratification, diagnostic, prognostic, treatment selection and monitoring of different states of health and disease. Delivering evidence-based laboratory medicine relies on review of available data and literature. The information derived, supports many national policies to improve patient care through clinical practice guidelines or best practice recommendations. The quality, validity and bias of this literature is variable. Hence, there is a need to collate similar studies and data and analyse them critically. Systematic review, thus, becomes the most important source of evidence. A systematic review, unlike a scoping or narrative review, involves a thorough understanding of the procedure involved and a stepwise methodology. There are nuances that need some consideration for laboratory medicine systematic reviews. The purpose of this article is to describe the process of performing a systematic review in the field of laboratory medicine, describing the available methodologies, tools and software packages that can be used to facilitate this process.
A new approach to prostate cancer screening

Abstract Prostate cancer screening based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing has been a matter of controversy. Although screening for prostate cancer was effective in reducing mortality, it resulted in overdiagnosis, which translated into unnecessary treatments and numerous adverse effects. As a result, recommendations from scientific societies became increasingly restrictive. In the recent years, new approaches to prostate cancer screening have been proposed. These new approaches are aimed at solving the controversy between widespread screening vs. no screening, and reconsidering PSA testing as a screening tool with a good benefit/risk balance. In this context, the European Association of Urology submitted a proposal to the European Commission for prostate cancer screening to be performed as a function of baseline PSA concentrations. The European Commission recently recommended the implementation of organized prostate cancer screening programs for men aged ≤70 years based on PSA values in combination with follow-up magnetic resonance imaging.
Experimental investigation of performance of tri-layered magnetoelectric composites under thermal environment

The presence of coupling between electric and magnetic fields attracts various applications for magnetoelectric (ME) materials such as magnetic field sensors, energy harvesting devices, multiferroic motors, etc. ME effects are produced due to transfer of strain through bonding of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic constituent phases. ME effects are significantly affected by various parameters such as the constituent phases, geometry, connectivity schemes, etc. In the present work, a trilayered ME composite is made by sandwiching a ferroelectric material between two ferromagnetic materials at the top and the bottom. ME composites were made by varying the volume fractions of the ferromagnetic material. This work primarily focuses on understanding the temperature dependence of sensing characteristics and coupling factor of ME composites. With this in mind, initially the temperature dependent behavior of individual constituent phases are experimentally investigated. Experimental investigation reveals that the sensing characteristics and coupling factor of ME composites are significantly affected by the operating temperature and the volume fraction of the constituent phases.
Mathematical Model of the Dynamics of A Piecewise-Continuous Dislocation Loop: Stiffness Analysis and Selection of Numerical Methods

An analysis of the mathematical model of the dynamics of a piecewise-continuous dislocation loop is carried out. It is shown that it has pathological stiffness. Due to high stiffness and large dimensionalityof the model it has been proved that the currently used numerical Gear method is inefficient in the implementation of this model (which is confirmed by test experiments). The paper provides an overview of numerical methods suitable for solving stiff ODE systems. As consequence of the review, it has been found that numerical methods ParSODE and PETScare most effective in the implementation of the mathematical model of the dynamics of a piecewise-continuous dislocation loop.
Accurate and robust PISO algorithm on hybrid unstructured grids using the multimoment finite volume method

ABSTRACT This paper presents a novel numerical model for incompressible flows on unstructured hybrid grids by combining the pressure-implicit with splitting of operator (PISO) algorithm and volume-integrated average and point value-based multimoment (VPM) method. Implementing the spatial discretization of VPM to the PISO solution procedure results in a novel formulation that is unconditionally stable and superior in numerical accuracy and robustness in comparison with the conventional finite volume method. The present VPM/PISO formulation provides a numerical framework of great practical significance that well balances the numerical accuracy and algorithmic complexity. Numerical verifications demonstrate that the present model can significantly improve numerical accuracy. Moreover, the numerical dissipation is effectively suppressed, which shows a great potential for simulations of high-Reynolds number flows.
Therapeutic angiogenesis by transplantation of autologous bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with peripheral arterial disease

Recently, the effectiveness and safety of therapeutic angiogenesis by transplantation of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) to ischemic limbs have been reported. We investigated whether transplantation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PB-MNCs) would also be as effective as BM-MNC-transplantation in patients with peripheral arterial disease. BM-MNC-transplantation into unilateral ischemic limbs was performed in five patients, and both BM-MNC and PB-MNC-transplantation into bilateral ischemic limbs (BM-MNCs into severe ischemic limbs and the same number of PB-MNCs into contralateral less ischemic limbs) were performed in five patients. The number of CD34 cells in PB-MNCs was ~100-fold less than that in BM-MNCs, while PBMNCs secreted substantial amounts of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) during a 24-hour incubation. There was no increase in the serum VEGF levels by BM-MNC-transplantation alone, while there was a significant increase in the serum VEGF levels after transplantation of both BM-MNCs and PBMNCs. Two weeks after transplantation, the anklebrachial index and transcutaneous oxygen pressure were significantly increased in BM-MNC-transplanted limbs, while there were no significant increases in these parameters in PB-MNC-transplanted limbs. In conclusion, autologous transplantation of BM-MNCs represents a new and promising strategy for clinical application designed to revascularize ischemic tissues, but there were no definite therapeutic effects of transplantation of PB-MNCs.
Brain Expression of CPB2 and Effects of Cpb2 Deficiency in Mouse Models of Behavior

BACKGROUND Procarboxypeptidase B2 (proCPB2 or TAFI) is a zymogen that after activation cleaves C-terminal basic residues from peptides or proteins with many identified targets. A splice variant of CPB2 has been found in the brain lacking essential residues for its carboxypeptidase function. The aim was to determine CPB2 expression in the brain and effects of CPB2 deficiency (Cpb2 -/-) on behavior. MATERIALS AND METHODS Behavioral effects were tested by comparing Cpb2 -/- mice in short-term (open field and elevated zero maze tests) and long-term (Phenotyper) observations with wild-type (WT) controls. RESULTS Long-term observation compared day 1 (acclimatizing to novel environment) to day 4 (fully acclimatized) with the inactive (day) and active (night) periods analyzed separately. Brain expression of CPB2 mRNA and protein was interrogated in publicly available databases. Long-term observation demonstrated differences between WT and Cpb2 -/- mice in several parameters. For example, Cpb2 -/- mice moved more frequently on both days 1 and 4, especially in the normally inactive periods. Cpb2 -/- mice spent more time on the shelter and less time in it. Differences were more pronounced on day 4 after the mice had fully acclimatized. In short-term observations, no differences were observed between Cpb2 -/- mice and WT mice. Brain expression of CBP2 was not detectable in the human protein atlas. Databases of single-cell RNAseq did not show expression of CPB2 mRNA in either human or mouse brain. CONCLUSION Continuous observation of home-cage behavior suggests that Cpb2 -/- mice are more active than WT mice, show different day-night activity levels, and might have a different way of processing information.
Contextualizing Pathological Gaming - A Proof-of-Concept Study

In 2013, “Internet Gaming Disorder” (IGD) was proposed as a formal disorder, by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). We present the results of a qualitative interview study wherein we apply a screening tool to “gaming professionals”. We compare our subjects’ perception of their own gaming habits, with how they are scored by a questionnaire and discuss where and how they differ or overlap. Our results indicate that screening tools designed to measure game addiction may not measure what they are intended to measure. Questionnaire items that are not properly contextualized may over-pathologize otherwise healthy players without appropriate context. The context of the individual’s everyday life is crucial to understanding and evaluating their relationship to gaming. We argue, that decontextualized questionnaire items are insufficient to gauge whether a given behaviour is problematic and if those problems are best understood as an addiction or something else.
Pulse-to-Pulse Correlation Effects in High PRF Low-Resolution Mode Altimeters

In this paper, we revisit the pulse-to-pulse correlation properties of nadir-looking pulse-limited altimeters, with the objective of determining the effect of the partial correlation of radar echoes transmitted at much higher rate than the conventional pulse repetition frequency (PRF). This is particularly relevant for the Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission. The pulse-to-pulse echo power autocorrelation shows much shorter decorrelation times toward the trailing edge of the waveform than those observed for range gates close to the leading edge. At high PRFs this creates a significant variability in the statistical properties of the range gates in the 20-Hz multilooked waveforms. By processing an extensive data set of CryoSat-2 Synthetic Aperture Radar mode data in a pseudo-low resolution mode fashion, we determined that despite the fact that at higher PRFs the noise in the estimation of geophysical parameters is reduced, significant sea-state-dependent biases are also introduced during the retracking process, which are particularly relevant for sea surface height and significant wave height. Those biases will need to be appropriately accounted for when integrating Sentinel-6/Jason-CS data in a climatological data record.
Detection of Cardiac Arrhythmias using SVM Classifier

ECG (Electrocardiogramis a critical non-intrusive clinical instrument for the finding of heart diseases.Thediscovery of cardiovascular arrhythmias is a testing assignment since the little varieties in ECGsignals can’t be recognized decisively by human eye. Heart arrhythmias are ordered utilizing Discrete Wavelet Change (DWT) and Double Tree Complex Wavelet Change (DTCWT) procedure.The DWT highlight set involves measurable components extricated from the sub groups got afterdeterioration of QRS complex signs up to 5 scales while the DTCWT highlight set includes waveletcoefficients removed from the fourth and fifth scale disintegration of QRS complex signs. The twoarrangements of elements are affixed independently by two different components (Maximum and minimum) separated from the QRS complex sign of each cardiovascular cycle. These capabilitiesare autonomously grouped utilizing a Support Vector Machine taking into account back spreadcalculation. In this work, 3 sorts of ECG beat (Normal Sinus Rhythm (N), Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and Supraventricular (S)) are characterized from the 48 records of MIT-BIH arrhythmia database.The trial results show that the DTCWT system groups ECG beats with a general affectability of94.78%.
Video motion magnification based on Laplacian-Riesz pyramid

We propose a faster method for video motion magnification, which can make imperceptible motion visible for human eyes. Motion-magnified videos produced by our framework are of comparable quality to those produced with Riesz pyramid, but our method has higher computational efficiency. We use median filter to eliminate the grid noises at motion area edges. Experiments show our method is effective and efficient.