Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optical Correlator based Optical Flow Processor for Real Time Visual Navigation

Autonomous visual navigation, i.e. determination of position, attitude and velocity (ego motion) by processing of the images from onboard camera(s), is essential for mobile robots control even in the presence of GPS networks, as the accuracy of GPS data and/or the available map of surroundings can be insufficient. Besides, GPS signals reception can be unstable in many locations (inside buildings, tunnels, in narrow streets, canyons, under trees, etc). Up to now most of the practical visual navigation solutions have been developed for ground robots moving in cooperative and/or well determined environment. However, future generations of mobile robots should be also capable of operating in complex and noncooperative 3D environments. Visual navigation in such conditions is much more challenging, especially for flying robots, where full 6DOF pose/motion should be determined. Generally 3D environment perception is required in this case, i.e., determination of a local depth map for the visible scene. 3D scene information can be obtained by stereo imaging; however this solution has certain limitations. It requires at least two cameras, precisely mounted with a certain stereo base (can be critical for small vehicles). Due to fixed stereo base the range of the depth determination with stereo imaging is limited. A more universal solution with less hardware requirements can be achieved with optical flow processing of sequential images from a single onboard camera. The ego motion of a camera rigidly mounted on a vehicle is mapped into the motion of image pixels in the camera focal plane. This image motion is commonly understood as image flow or optical flow (OF) (Horn & Schunck, 1981). This vector field of 2D image motion can be used efficiently for 3D environment perception (mapping) and vehicle pose/motion determination as well as for obstacle avoidance or visual servoing. The big challenge for using the optical flow in real applications is its computability in terms of its density (sparse vs. dense optical flow), accuracy, robustness to dark and noisy images and its real-time determination. The general problem of optical flow determination can be formulated as the extraction of the two-dimensional projection of the 3D relative motion into the image plane in form of a field of correspondences (motion vectors) between points in consecutive image frames.
Big Business Lobbying in Japan: The Case of Central Bank Reform

The political activities of the business community in Japan have not received the scholarly attention they deserve. Because of the paucity of information and the lack of serious studies, the nature of the political power of Japanese business is poorly understood. The popular notion that big business is influential in politics is quite correct, but just how the influence is exercised, or how much influence can be brought to bear in a particular field of policy, or what conditions limit or augment business influence are far from clear. This paper seeks to single out some of the important conditions affecting the impact of business influence in Japanese government and politics. The case approach is used, and the case is the abortive effort toward central bank reform. Even though this episode concerns only a small portion of the government machinery and the single field of monetary policy, it nevertheless demonstrates the methods commonly employed by business to reach decisions within its own group, the competition with others encountered in persuading the government to act, and the strength of bureaucratic forces resisting change. The simplicity of this case is an advantage in depicting the conflicting groups and the influence they were able to exert. Later studies may reveal more of the pattern of business action on other economic problems and in other areas of government and politics. The bank case showed the great influence of group and personal loyalties as well as the power of one of the government ministries.
Cresceptron: a self-organizing neural network which grows adaptively

Cresceptron uses a hierarchical framework to grow neural networks automatically, adaptively, and incrementally through learning. At every level of the hierarchy, new concepts are detected automatically and the network grows by creating new neurons and synapses which memorize the new concepts and their context. The training samples are generalized to other perceptually equivalent items through hierarchical tolerance of deviation. The neural network recognizes the learned items and their variations by hierarchically associating the learned knowledge with the input. It segments the recognized items from the input through back training along the response paths. <<ETX>>
Trans-spliced leader addition to mRNAs in a cnidarian

A search of databases with the sequence from the 5′ untranslated region of a Hydra cDNA clone encoding a receptor protein-tyrosine kinase revealed that a number of Hydra cDNAs contain one of two different sequences at their 5′ ends. This finding suggested the possibility that mRNAs in Hydra receive leader sequences by trans-splicing. This hypothesis was confirmed by the finding that the leader sequences are transcribed as parts of small RNAs encoded by genes located in the 5S rRNA clusters of Hydra. The two spliced leader (SL) RNAs (SL-A and -B) contain splice donor dinucleotides at the predicted positions, and genes that receive SLs contain splice acceptor dinucleotides at the predicted positions. Both of the SL RNAs are bound by antibody against trimethylguanosine, suggesting that they contain a trimethylguanosine cap. The predicted secondary structures of the Hydra SL RNAs show significant differences from the structures predicted for the SLs of other organisms. Messenger RNAs have been identified that can receive either SL-A or -B, although the impact of the two different SLs on the function of the mRNA is unknown. The presence and features of SL addition in the phylum Cnidaria raise interesting questions regarding the evolution of this process.
Survivorship Care Planning in Colorectal Cancer: Feedback from Survivors & Providers

The Institute of Medicine recommended that all patients receive survivorship care plans (SCPs) post-treatment to improve quality of follow-up care. However, little is known regarding how survivors utilize SCPs and the congruency between providers’ and survivors’ perspectives. Feedback from colorectal cancer survivors (in receipt of a personalized/individualized SCP) and oncology providers was obtained via interviews. Survivors noted SCPs benefits of reduced duplicative procedures and cancer worry with the synthesized treatment information. Providers noted billing/reimbursement and time investiture (for form completion) as potential barriers. Further investigation of SCPs is warranted regarding utility prior to widespread adoption in follow-up care.
Research on passive meander-lined radio frequence identification tag antenna on ultrahigh frequency

For dealing with the problems such as small size, omni-direction, transmission distance of passive RFID tags in the radio frequency identification system of Internet of Things, a new passive meander-lined dipole UHF-band tag antenna has been proposed. The resonance characteristics are simulated and tested physically by the finite element method. Experiment results show that it has many apparent advantages at the size, direction and distance, which are fit for application in Internet of Things.
Zur diagnostischen Kompetenz von Lehrkräften bei der Identifikation begabter Schülerinnen und Schüler

the extent to which teachers can identify gifted students has been controversially discussed. In this study both the reliability and criterion validity of teachers’ assessments in identifying intellectually gifted students were examined. 429 students were rated by their teachers and objectively tested on their general intelligence, vocabulary and speech comprehension, understanding of mathematical connections, and creativity. the results show teachers’ assessments to be reliable, however they lack in the discrimination between different domains of giftedness. regarding linguistic and mathematical giftedness teachers’ assessments provided fairly valid results and also incremental information beyond scholastic achievement. teachers’ diagnostic performances were weaker when trying to identify students scoring high on general intelligence and did not exceed the accidental level when regarding creativity.
High productivity bioethanol fermentation by immobilized Saccharomyces bayanus onto carboxymethylcellulose-g- poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) beads

Abstract Crosslinked graft copolymers of CMC with N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (N-VP) were prepared in different grafting yields. Saccharomyces bayanus was immobilized in the graft copolymers of carboxymethylcellulose-g-poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (CMC-g-PVP) for ethanol fermentation. The effects of grafting yield, initial glucose concentration, and crosslinker concentration on the yield of ethanol process was investigated. Ethanol production increased when percentage of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone in the graft copolymer was increased. The maximum concentration, productivity, and yield of ethanol were 98.78 g L −1, 8.23 g L −1 h −1 and 0.494 g g −1, respectively. Reusability of the immobilized yeasts was found that the materials can be used seven times without losing their activity.
Efficient Degradation of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol Requires a Set of Catabolic Genes Related to tcp Genes from Ralstonia eutropha JMP134(pJP4)

ABSTRACT 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) is a hazardous pollutant. Several aerobic bacteria are known to degrade this compound. One of these, Ralstonia eutropha JMP134(pJP4), a well-known, versatile chloroaromatic compound degrader, is able to grow in 2,4,6-TCP by converting it to 2,6-dichlorohydroquinone, 6-chlorohydroxyquinol, 2-chloromaleylacetate, maleylacetate, and β-ketoadipate. Three enzyme activities encoded by tcp genes, 2,4,6-TCP monooxygenase (tcpA), 6-chlorohydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenase (tcpC), and maleylacetate reductase (tcpD), are involved in this catabolic pathway. Here we provide evidence that all these tcp genes are clustered in the R. eutropha JMP134(pJP4) chromosome, forming the putative catabolic operon tcpRXABCYD. We studied the presence of tcp-like gene sequences in several other 2,4,6-TCP-degrading bacterial strains and found two types of strains. One type includes strains belonging to the Ralstonia genus and possessing a set of tcp-like genes, which efficiently degrade 2,4,6-TCP and therefore grow in liquid cultures containing this chlorophenol as a sole carbon source. The other type includes strains belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, or Sphingopixis, which do not have tcp-like gene sequences and degrade this pollutant less efficiently and which therefore grow only as small colonies on plates with 2,4,6-TCP. Other than strain JMP134, none of the bacterial strains whose genomes have been sequenced possesses a full set of tcp-like gene sequences.
Proposal of a Single Nano-Magnet Memory Device

We propose a non-volatile memory device using ferromagnetic (FM) contacts fabricated on a channel exhibiting spin-momentum locking observed in diverse materials with spin-orbit coupling like heavy metals and topological insulators. The writing is enabled by the current induced spin–orbit torque, which has been used previously to switch the storage layer of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The reading is enabled by a relatively lower current-induced spin voltage measurement through the FM contact, which is high or low depending on the magnetization direction for a particular current direction. This new read mechanism significantly reduces the fabrication difficulties compared with MTJ-based designs. Simpler interconnects and control circuits can be used, since both read and write currents share the same path. Our proposal offers on-cell reference voltage generation with a normal metal contacton the channel at thesame position as theFM, which is expected to improve the performance in a large array. The estimated read signal based on available materials is smaller compared with MTJ, but the noise is also expected to be smaller in our metallic device compared with those involving tunnel barriers.
Antiphase dynamics and polarization effects in the Nd-doped fiber laser.

The response of an Nd-doped optical fiber laser to modulation of the pump power reveals that the polarization of the laser light plays an important role in the linear and nonlinear dynamics of this laser. Experiments have been carried out under pulsed or sinusoidal modulation of the pump power as well as in the continuous-wave regime. Most of the observed phenomena may be interpreted in the framework of a theory of the two-mode laser in which each mode is associated with one polarization eigenstate of the laser. Effects such as the appearance of slow modes and antiphase behavior have also been observed
The Importance of Acidification in Atopic Eczema: An Underexplored Avenue for Treatment

Atopic dermatitis is a form of dermatitis commonly seen in children and adults. Its pathophysiology is complex and is centered on the barrier function of the epidermis. An important aspect of the skin’s barrier is pH, which in turn affects a number of parameters such as the skin flora, protease function, and mediators of inflammation and pruritus. Normal pH for non-neonatal skin is acidic and ranges from 4 to 6. Skin pH in atopic dermatitis patients is often increased into the neutral to basic range, and the resulting cascade of changes contributes to the phenotype of atopic dermatitis. Therefore, the maintenance of normal skin pH remains an important topic in understanding and treating atopic dermatitis. This article will review skin pH and its impact on normal barrier function, pathological pH changes in atopic dermatitis, and the therapeutic considerations related to restoring and maintaining pH balance.
A Study of How Individual School Characteristics Affect School Performance

According to the Georgia Department of Education, over 20 billion dollars are spent on public education in Georgia every year. Knowing this, it is critical to understand what factors have the largest impact on student performance in order to budget money efficiently. Standardized test scores are used as a measure of student performance and compared to personnel and demographic information to determine the most impactful components. Both simple and multiple regression analyses are utilized to ascertain the relationship between standardized test scores and these variables. The analyses show many metrics that intuitively should be impactful have little to no correlation, and the percentage of students who qualify for the “Directly Certified” program, a poverty alleviation program, is the most significant.
Modal Analysis of Currents Induced by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Gradient Coils

In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), gradient coils are switched during fast current pulse sequences. These time-varying fields interact with the conducting structures of the scanner, producing deleterious effects such as image distortions and Joule heating. Using a multi-layer integral method, the spatiotemporal nature of the eddy currents induced by the gradient coils is investigated. The existence of the eigenmode is experimentally demonstrated by measuring the magnetic field and the time decay constant of a typical unshielded z-gradient coil and its interaction with a conductive cylinder. An effective current tailoring is achieved using the characteristic eigenvalues of the conducting domain-exciting coil system. The method can be used to understand and mitigate undesired effects of eddy currents in MRI.
Systemic and upper and lower airway inflammation at exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

RATIONALE In addition to pulmonary involvement, stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with nasal and systemic inflammation. Although exacerbations of COPD are associated with increased pulmonary and systemic inflammation, determinants of the systemic response remain obscure, and nor is it known whether there is nasal involvement. OBJECTIVES To investigate upper airway, lower airway, and systemic inflammation at exacerbation of COPD. METHODS We sampled sputum, nasal wash, and serum from 41 exacerbations (East London cohort) for analysis of pathogenic microorganisms and inflammatory indices (sputum/nasal wash leukocytes, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, and myeloperoxidase; serum IL-6 and C-reactive protein). Values were compared with stable COPD. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Exacerbation of COPD is associated with greater nasal, sputum, and serum inflammation than the stable state. At exacerbation, inflammatory markers were highly correlated within nasal wash and serum (all r >/= 0.62, p < 0.001), but not sputum. The degree of upper airway inflammation correlated with the degree of lower airway inflammation (e.g., nasal wash/sputum myeloperoxidase; r = 0.50, p = 0.001). The degree of systemic inflammation correlated with the degree of lower airway inflammation (e.g., serum IL-6/sputum IL-8; r = 0.35, p = 0.026), and was greater in the presence of a sputum bacterial pathogen (29.0 g/dl C-reactive protein difference, p = 0.002). We did not find relationships between the upper airway and systemic compartments. CONCLUSIONS Exacerbation of COPD is associated with pan-airway inflammation; the systemic inflammatory response is proportional to that occurring in the lower airway and greater in the presence of a bacterial pathogen.
From the track to the ocean: Using flow control to improve marine bio-logging tags for cetaceans

Bio-logging tags are an important tool for the study of cetaceans, but superficial tags inevitably increase hydrodynamic loading. Substantial forces can be generated by tags on fast-swimming animals, potentially affecting behavior and energetics or promoting early tag removal. Streamlined forms have been used to reduce loading, but these designs can accelerate flow over the top of the tag. This non-axisymmetric flow results in large lift forces (normal to the animal) that become the dominant force component at high speeds. In order to reduce lift and minimize total hydrodynamic loading this work presents a new tag design (Model A) that incorporates a hydrodynamic body, a channel to reduce fluid speed differences above and below the housing and wing to redirect flow to counter lift. Additionally, three derivatives of the Model A design were used to examine the contribution of individual flow control features to overall performance. Hydrodynamic loadings of four models were compared using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The Model A design eliminated all lift force and generated up to ~30 N of downward force in simulated 6 m/s aligned flow. The simulations were validated using particle image velocimetry (PIV) to experimentally characterize the flow around the tag design. The results of these experiments confirm the trends predicted by the simulations and demonstrate the potential benefit of flow control elements for the reduction of tag induced forces on the animal.
Simple Nonvisual Interaction on Touch Tablets

In this paper, we compare different designs for a touch tablet interface to support a simple, repeated task with high visual load in itself. A user-centered approach was applied throughout the development. Expert users were involved in the analysis, design and evaluation of an application for time tracking in a production planning environment. In a lab user study, touch gestures and multi-touch input outperformed screen buttons in terms of visual demand, while error rate and efficiency remained stable. A subsequent expert evaluation in the wild confirmed these results. This shows that for repeated tasks with high visual load, more complex touch interaction may be preferred than simpler but widespread techniques. 1 Simple Interaction In many everyday situations, we do not need complex and powerful interaction with the devices around us, but would rather prefer simple and non-distracting input. For example, when controlling a music player while walking or driving, we might well accept a small set of commands, such as play, pause, skip and volume, if they in exchange can be issued blindly and let us keep our eyes on the road. We studied a similar situation in an industrial environment where production planners need to track work times and rate work quality in the subsequent steps of an assembly line. Their goal is to achieve a better overall distribution of the available time and thereby improve overall quality. The task can be characterized as particularly time-constrained with high visual demand. In such an assembly line, each worker is assigned a specific task, which is performed in iterations and in turn consists of steps. Production planners capture the times needed for each step and the quality of work in order to adjust the scheduled times to fit the workers’ capabilities better. In our case, production planners still used a stopwatch, pen and paper to record the single steps, which took about 10 seconds each. For each step, the quality was then rated on a scale from 80% to 120%. The results are analyzed to possibly improve the iteration. In the course of making this entire process digital, the interface had to be designed Simple Nonvisual Interaction on Touch Tablets 2 to best fit such a repeated simple interaction. The main focus of the users should lie on the process they observe, while interaction has to provide as little distraction as possible.
Observation of pre-breakdown emission sites and breakdowns of vacuum gaps under short-pulsed testing

Emission activity of the stainless steel cathode under 200 kV, 50 to 200 ns voltage pulses was studied with the use of a 4-channel, 12-bit ICCD camera. The gap was formed by a bulk cathode and a thin-foil titanium anode. Both the cathode and anode surfaces were cleaned and polished preliminary by means of electron-beam treatment in the mode of short-time surface melting in vacuum. Observations gave a ground to tell about prebreakdown emission sites of two kinds that are stable emission sites (SES's) and unstable ones (UES's), which are different in behavior and in ability to initiate breakdowns. SES's were recognized on the cathode at relatively low electric field strengths (at 0.55 MV/cm in average). Close to 1 MV/cm, UES's start to be recognized in images. An UES's pattern is changed from shot to shot without breakdowns. Often, breakdowns occur in spatial locations different from UES's recorded in the previous shot. The results obtained could be of interest in study of pre-breakdown and breakdown phenomena at extremely high electric fields in vacuum.