Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Object SLAM With Robust Quadric Initialization and Mapping for Dynamic Outdoors

Object SLAM is a popular approach for autonomous driving and robotics, but accurate object perception in outdoor environments remains a challenge. State-of-the-art object SLAM algorithms rely on assumptions and are sensitive to observation noise, limiting their application in real-world scenarios. To address these challenges, we propose a novel object SLAM system that utilizes a quadric initialization algorithm based on constrained quadric optimization, which does not rely on planar assumptions and is robust to partial observations. Additionally, we introduce an automatic object data association algorithm capable of detecting motion states while associating objects across frames. To further enhance the accuracy of the quadric mapping, an extra thread is used to refine the ellipsoid parameters within a local sliding window composed of keyframes. Our system utilizes a joint optimization framework that optimizes camera poses, object landmarks, and point clouds in the local mapping thread for further global optimization while maintaining a consistent map. Experimental results on the real-world KITTI dataset show that the proposed system is more robust and significantly outperforms current state-of-the-art methods in quadric initialization and mapping in outdoor scenarios. Moreover, our system achieves real-time performance, making it suitable for practical applications.
Accurate and Efficient Simulation Models for Power Electronics Transformers Based on Series-Connected Active Unity Power Factor Rectifier Modules

This article contributes an efficient simulation technique for input-series output-parallel multilevel power electronics transformers based on active unity-power-factor rectifiers as building blocks. The technical motivation of the work comes from the fact that the computational burden for the simulation of these technologies tends to become unaffordable as the number of modules grows when using commercial software blocksets. This article presents a new method to drastically reduce the simulation complexity by simplifying the switching rules: In a three-phase circuit, each phase zero-crossing condition is implemented by a single and simple algebraic rule, so the complex calculations for determining the conduction state of each single diode are removed from the model. The computational enhancement and accuracy of the proposed technique are proved by experimental verification using a single-phase single-cell prototype together with multiple simulations of full-scale systems of different sizes.
Bayesian credit ratings: A random forest alternative approach

ABSTRACT Cerciello and Giudici (2014) proposed a Bayesian approach to improve the ordinal variable selection in credit rating assessment. However, no comparison has been made with other methods and the predictive power was not tested. This study proposes an integrated framework of random forest (RF)-based methods and Bayesian model averaging (BMA) to validate and investigate the ordinal variable importance in evaluating credit risk and predicting default in greater depth. The proposed approach was superior to the Cerciello and Giudici method in terms of predictive accuracy and interpretability when applied to a European credit risk database.
DIRECT OPTIMALITY THEORY : REPRESENTATION AS PURE MARKEDNESS

I present a model of phonological representation which represents morphemes in terms of constraint violations rather than strings of segments or root nodes. The formalism allows representation to be uniform throughout the phonology, mandates permanent underspecification of unmarked structure, derives the linear order of segments within a morpheme, and allows representation and evaluation to be conflated. Marked types of morphology (infixes, circumfixes, zero affixes; subtractive, reduplicative and templatic morphology) are represented in exactly the same way as roots. The markedness of such morphology is argued to follow from the high ranking of the violated constraints in question. *
Copolar and cross-polar radiation of Vivaldi antenna on dielectric substrate

The copolar and cross-polar radiation patterns of the Vivaldi antenna on a dielectric substrate are calculated and validated by measurements. The method involves a two-step procedure. The electric field distribution across the antenna slot aperture is calculated first. The radiated fields are then calculated, using Green's functions. The continuous exponential tapered shape is approximated by annular linearly tapered sections. The conical transmission-line theory and a variational method yield the electric field in each section. The radiation calculation is based on closed-form expressions for the dyadic Green's function of an elementary electric field source in a conducting half sheet. Both copolar and cross-polar radiation patterns of the Vivaldi antenna are calculated by integrating the Green's functions weighted by the electric field distribution over the antenna aperture. The effect of lateral truncation is taken into account by defining weighting patterns. The method is validated by original measurements and limitations of the model are discussed. Antenna directivity and sensitivity are calculated.
with guidelines for initiation of aripiprazole

Results In themixed-effects repeatedmeasures analysis, improvement from baseline onthe Scale of Prodromal Symptoms total scorewas statistically significant by the first week.No participantconverted to psychosis and 13 completed treatment.Neuropsychologicalmeasures showedno consistent improvement; meanweight gainwas1.2 kg.Akathisia emerged in 8 participants, butthemean Barnes Akathisia Scale score fell to baseline levels by the finalvisit.Adverse eventswere otherwiseminimal.
High resistivity in undoped CdTe: carrier compensation of Te antisites and Cd vacancies

In this paper, we focus on the high resistivity of intentionally undoped CdTe, where the most prevalent defects are Cd vacancies and Te antisites. Our calculated formation energies lead to the conclusion that the Fermi energy of undoped CdTe is at midgap due to carrier compensation of Te antisites and Cd vacancies, which explains the experimentally observed high resistivity. We use density functional theory with the hybrid functional of Heyd, Scuseria and Ernzerhof (HSE06) and show that the proper description of the native defects in general fails using the local density approximation (LDA) instead of HSE06. We conclude that LDA is insufficient to understand the high resistivity of undoped CdTe. We calculate the neutral and double acceptor state of the Te antisite to be intrinsic DX-centers.
Imprecision nutrition? Duplicate meals result in unreliable individual glycemic responses measured by continuous glucose monitors across four dietary patterns in adults without diabetes

Background: Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are being used to characterize postprandial glycemic responses and thereby provide personalized dietary advice to minimize glycemic excursions. However, the efficacy of such advice depends on reliable CGM responses. Objective: To explore within-subject variability of CGM responses to duplicate meals in an inpatient setting. Methods: CGM data were collected in two controlled feeding studies (NCT03407053 and NCT03878108) in 15 participants without diabetes capturing 948 meal responses in duplicate ~1 week apart from three dietary patterns. One study used two different CGMs (Abbott Freestyle Libre Pro and Dexcom G4 Platinum) whereas the other study used only Dexcom. We calculated the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for each 2-h post-meal period and compared within-subject iAUCs using the same CGM for the duplicate meals using linear correlations, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland-Altman analyses, and compared individual variability of glycemic responses to duplicate meals versus different meals using standard deviations (SDs). Results: There were weak to moderate positive linear correlations between within-subject iAUCs for duplicate meals (Abbott r=0.47, p<0.0001, Dexcom r=0.40, p<0.0001), with low within-participant reliability indicated by ICC (Abbott 0.31, Dexcom 0.16). Bland-Altman analyses indicated wide limits of agreement (Abbott -31.4 to 31.5 mg/dL, Dexcom -32.3 to 31.6 mg/dL) but no significant bias of mean iAUCs for duplicate meals (Abbott 0.1 mg/dL, Dexcom -0.3 mg/dL). Individual variability of glycemic responses to duplicate meals was similar to that of different meals evaluated each diet week for both Abbott (SD_duplicate = 10.7 mg/dL , SD_week 1 =12.4 mg/dL, SD_week 2 =11.6 mg/dL, p=0.38) and Dexcom (SD_duplicate = 11.8 mg/dL, SD_week 1 =12.2 mg/dL, SD_week 2 =12.4 mg/dL, p=0.80). Conclusions: Individual postprandial CGM responses to duplicate meals were unreliable in adults without diabetes. Personalized diet advice based on CGM measurements in adults without diabetes requires more reliable methods involving aggregated repeated measurements.
Ionothermal synthesis of activated carbon from waste pet bottles for dye waste water treatment

The production and use of poly-ethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in packaging have increased significantly. Thus, PET bottles have become a significant plastic waste with environmental problems. Currently, the conventional methods for producing activated carbons (ACs) from waste PET are unsustainable, complex, and unfeasible. As a result, ionothermal synthesis (IS) of waste PET bottles impregnated with choline chloride-urea (CU) deep eutectic solvent (DES) was carried out in order to prepare ACs. The obtained ACs were characterized using XRD, CHNS Elemental analysis and FTIR. The as-prepared ACs were effective as adsorbents for dye adsorption from dye waste water. Specifically, the AC obtained from pristine waste PET bottles (956 mgg−1 at 100 ppm) displayed higher adsorptive capacity compared to the ACs obtained from CU-DES impregnated PET flakes (550mgg−1 at 100ppm). Even though it was expected that the use of CU-DES required no post-synthesis washing or higher temperature treatments might be required to improve the adsorptive capacity of the ACs obtained from IS.This research work established that the synthesis of AC from abundant waste PET bottles using a sustainable and facile method could facilitate its commercial application. Also, this work represents the first attempt to produce activated carbons from PET using low temperature annealing in the presence of limited air, instead of the usual pyrolysis.
Acceleration of the Analytic Function Expansion Nodal method by two-factor two-node nonlinear iteration

A nonlinear iterative scheme is developed to reduce the computing time of the Analytic Function Expansion Nodal (AFEN) method and is applied to three test problems, including a mixed-oxide fuel problem. The new nonlinear scheme is based on solving two-node problems and using two nonlinear correction factors at every interface instead of one factor, as in the conventional scheme. The use of two correction factors provides higher-order accurate interface fluxes as well as currents, which are used as the boundary conditions of the two-node problem. The numerical results show that this new nonlinear scheme reproduces the same solution as that of the original AFEN method and that the computing time is significantly reduced in comparison with the original AFEN method.
Supplementation of Javanese Long Pepper Extracts into Sucrose-Free Hard Candy for Improving Antibacterial Activity against Streptococcus mutans

Hard candy was made from the mixture of sucrose, glucose, and water. However, the excessive intake of sucrose can cause serious dental problems such as dental caries. Sucrose in hard candy formula is replaceable, using xylitol with the calory content of 40% lower than sucrose, while it also supresses the bacterial growth of Streptococcus mutans causing dental caries. Hard candy functionality is improved by addition of Javanese long pepper extracts containing various chemicals such as alkaloid, saponin, and piperin found up to 4-6%, and they exert antibacterial activity. This current work characterized the quality (i.e., color, pH, solubility time, sensory) of sucrose-free hard candy supplemented with Javanese long pepper extracts, and evaluated the antibacterial effect against Streptococcus mutans causing dental caries. The experiment followed a non-factorial completely randomized design consisting of different proportions of xylitol and glucose: 0:50, 30:80, 35:85, and 20:90, carried out at triplicates. As a result, the higher concentration of xylitol positively affected the characteristics of sucrose-free hard candy, including color, pH, and sensory properties. In addition, the concentration of xylitol showed positive impact to inhibition of Streptococcus mutans.
Optimization Algorithm of Multi-Level Discrete Fuzzy Neural Networks for Solving Global Stability

To solve the problems of low adaptability for mutative external environment existed in the theory of fuzzy sets and the disadvantage of failing to obtain eventual relationship among the fuzzy sets existed in the model of neural networks, this paper proposes a multi-level discrete fuzzy neural networks model which has the “if-then” rule of fuzzy inference system. The essential stability conditon of the model is analyzed . The model uses Hard C-Means (HCM) clustering to obtain fuzzy neural networks' eventual relationship among the fuzzy sets and applies evolutionary algorithm to optimize the model. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed model.
The evaluation of supply chain risk management on smallholder layer farms

The layer farming has been a vital element in our economy as the sector does not only provide large number of employments for smallholder farmers but also supply food provision that support our national’s food security and dignity. However, this sector is prone to risk as high uncertainty lies on the production of eggs. Market price volatility, food scarcity, extreme weather, soaring price of raw materials are some risks that can disrupt the sustainability of the supply chain of egg productions. It is essentially important for smallholder farmers to incorporate risk management approach in their egg productions. This research employs a supply chain operational reference (SCOR) and house of risk (HOR) methodology to identify, assess and evaluate the inherent risk that lies on egg productions managed by smallholder farmers. HOR phase I were able to identify 25 risk events and 45 risk agents, while HOR phase II were able to identify 4 risk agents which represented 20% of ARP score. Finally, this research was able to propose 4 preventive actions (PA) to mitigate the risk of egg productions by smallholder farms.
Situation awareness of emergency response centre personnel during chemical incidents: an interview study in a Swedish context

Objectives If a chemical incident occurs, the emergency response centre (ERC) personnel are the first that are notified. They need to quickly attain situation awareness, based on the information from the caller, in order to dispatch the correct emergency units. The aim of this study is to examine the situation awareness of the personnel working at ERCs—how they perceive, comprehend, project and act during chemical incidents. Methods Semi-structured individual interviews with 12 participants from the Swedish ERCs were performed. The interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. Results Three categories of responses were identified. Responses focused on the complexity of identifying chemical incidents, the importance of ensuring the safety of citizens and personnel of emergency organisations and the situation-based dispatch of organisations. Conclusions The correct identification of the chemical incident and the involved chemical by the ERC personnel are necessary in order to notify, inform and dispatch the correct units, as well as to ensure the safety of citizens and emergency personnel. More research is needed about the dichotomies of the ERC personnel needing as much information as possible for everyone’s safety versus their responsibility for the safety of the caller as well as between using emergency dispatch index interview guides and trusting their gut feeling.
Integrated Flow Field Calculation of Combustor and Inlet in Variable Flow Ducted Rocket

AUSM arithmetic and King boron particle combustion model have been efficiently implemented to numerical investigate integrated combustion chamber and inlet for variable flow ducted rocket. The effect of the ducted rocket performance from increscent gas flow was investigated. Numerical results indicated that the increase of gas flow reduced performance of ducted rocket with fixed inlet. The rocket thrust is enhanced, yet special impulse descends and flight of missile is reduced. In order to improve the performance, several importance factors, such as flight trajectory and air flux should be calculated synthetically and inlet design point should be selected and optimized reasonably for inlet design of variable flow ducted rocket.
Single-Level Endoscopic TLIF Has Decreased Surgery Duration, Blood Loss, and Length of Hospital Stay While Achieving Similar 1-Year Clinical and Radiological Outcomes Compared With Conventional Minimally Invasive TLIF

Background This study presents a single surgeon’s experience comparing 1-year outcomes of endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (E-TLIF) vs minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) in an Asian population. Methods Retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent single-level E-TLIF or MIS-TLIF by a single surgeon in a tertiary spine institution from 2018 to 2021 with 1-year follow-up. Inclusion criteria for both procedures were degenerative disc disease with grade I or II spondylolisthesis and mild to moderate central canal stenosis. Clinical outcomes assessed included surgery duration, blood loss, and length of stay. Patient-reported outcomes assessed included the visual analog score for back pain and lower limb pain, Oswestry Disability Index, and North American Spine Society Neurogenic Symptom Score. Radiographic parameters assessed included segmental lordosis, posterior disc height, listhesis, and the presence of cage migration or subsidence. Results Twelve E-TLIF and 34 MIS-TLIF patients were identified. E-TLIF had shorter surgery duration (165 ± 15 vs 259 ± 43 min for E-TLIF and MIS-TLIF groups, respectively; P < 0.001), reduced blood loss (83 ± 75 vs 181 ± 225 mL; P = 0.033), and decreased length of stay (1.8 ± 0.9 vs 4.7 ± 2.9 days; P < 0.001) compared with MIS-TLIF. E-TLIF and MIS-TLIF patients had significant improvements (P < 0.05) at 1 year in all patient-reported outcomes scores and radiographic parameters assessed. Both E-TLIF and MIS-TLIF patient groups also had similar postoperative patient-reported outcomes scores and radiographic parameters. No complications were recorded for E-TLIF, while MIS-TLIF had a case of dura tear and another case of meralgia paresthetica. There were no instances of cage subsidence, cage migration, or implant loosening in either group at 1 year. Conclusions Although the study size was limited because E-TLIF is a relatively new technique in our institution, 1-year results demonstrate that E-TLIF can be a safe and efficacious option that achieves clinical and radiological results similar to MIS-TLIF with the additional benefits of decreased surgical duration, blood loss, and length of hospital stay. Clinical Relevance The results of this study support the effectiveness and potential advantages of endoscopic TLIF compared with MIS-TLIF. Level of Evidence 3
A Novel PMVK Variant Associated with Familial Porokeratosis

Background: Porokeratosis is a rare chronic progressive hypokeratotic skin disease, possibly related to the mevalonate pathway. Variations in four enzymes, including phosphomevalonate kinase (PMVK) may alter this pathway, ultimately leading to porokeratosis. Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify the causative gene variant of porokeratosis in a Chinese family and investigate its population frequency and pathogenicity. Method: In this study, Sanger sequencing was used to identify the gene variant causative of porokeratosis; its population frequency was investigated by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 4 patients and three normal individuals as well as in 100 normal unrelated controls; finally, the pathogenicity of the mutation and the associated structural changes were predicted. Results: We identified a novel heterozygous missense variant, c.207G>T (p. Lys69Asn) in the PMVK gene. This variant was found in all patients but not in the normal individuals in this family or in the 100 controls. In silico analysis indicated that the variant was pathogenic; p.Lys69Asn changed the length of the α-helix and the hydrogen bond pattern compared with the wild-type protein. Conclusions: The novel variant c.207G>T (p. Lys69Asn) in the PMVK gene was the causative variant in this porokeratosis family. This finding provides further evidence for the genetic basis of this disease.
Salvage radiotherapy in relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma after failure of CAR T-cell therapy

Despite the success of CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR T)-cell therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), there is a need for effective salvage strategies post-CAR T-cell therapy failure. We conducted a multi-institutional retrospective study of patients who relapsed following CAR T-cell therapy (axicabtagene ciloleucel [axi-cel] or tisagenlecleucel [tisa-cel]) and received salvage therapies (radiation therapy [RT] alone, systemic therapy alone, or combined modality therapy [CMT]). A total of 120 patients with post-CAR T relapsed LBCL received salvage therapies (RT alone, 25 patients; CMT, 15 patients; systemic therapy alone, 80 patients). The median follow-up from CAR T-cell infusion was 10.2 months (interquartile range, 5.2-20.9 months). Failure occurred in previously involved sites prior to CAR T-cell therapy in 78% of patients (n=93). A total of 93 sites were irradiated in 54 patients who received any salvage RT post-CAR T failure. The median dose/fractionation were 30 Gy (range, 4-50.4 Gy) and 10 fractions (range, 1-28 fractions). The 1-year local control rate for the 81 assessable sites was 84%. On univariate analysis, the median overall survival (OS) from the start date of RT was significantly higher among patients who received comprehensive RT versus focal RT (19.1 months vs. 3.0 months; P=<0.001). Twenty-three of 29 patients who received comprehensive RT had limited-stage disease. Among these, there was no difference in median OS among the patients who received RT alone versus those who received RT followed by additional therapies (log-rank P=0.2). On multivariate survival analysis, achieving PR or CR post-CAR T (hazard ratio =0.5; 95% confidence interval: 0.3-0.9; P=0.01) was independently associated with superior OS. Our findings suggest that RT can provide local control for LBCL relapsed post-CAR T-cell therapy, particularly in patients with limited-stage relapsed disease treated with comprehensive RT.