Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SwinSTFM: Remote Sensing Spatiotemporal Fusion Using Swin Transformer

Remote sensing images with high temporal and spatial resolutions have broad market demands and various application scenarios. This article aims to generate high-quality remote sensing image time series for feature mining of the growth quality of traditional Chinese medicine. Spatiotemporal fusion is a flexible method that combines two types of satellite images with high temporal resolution or high spatial resolution to generate high-quality remote sensing images. In recent years, many spatiotemporal fusion algorithms have been proposed, and deep learning-based methods show extraordinary talents in this field. However, the current deep learning-based methods have three problems: 1) most algorithms do not support models with large-scale learnable parameters; 2) the model structure based on convolutional neural networks will bring the noise to the image fusion process; and 3) current deep learning-based methods ignore some excellent modules in traditional spatiotemporal fusion algorithms. For the above problems and challenges, this article creatively proposes a new algorithm based on the Swin transformer and the linear spectral mixing theory. The algorithm makes full use of the advantages of the Swin transformer in feature extraction and integrates the unmixing theories into the model based on the self-attention mechanism, which greatly improves the quality of generated images. In the experimental part, the proposed algorithm achieves state-of-the-art results on three well-known public datasets and has been proven effective and reasonable in ablation studies.
Efficient Traffic Estimation With Multi-Sourced Data by Parallel Coupled Hidden Markov Model

Traffic congestion estimation in arterial networks with sparse GPS probe data is a practically important while substantially challenging research issue. The effectiveness and efficiency of the existing GPS probe data-based traffic estimation models are largely limited due to the following two challenges. First, due to the low sampling frequency of GPS probes, probe data are usually sparse, especially for some road links not located in the central urban areas. Second, due to the very complex temporal and spatial dependencies among the road links, the variable space of the existing traffic estimation models is huge. It is time consuming to get an accurate estimation of a large arterial road network with thousands of road links. To address the abovementioned issues, this paper proposes to extract traffic event signals from social media and incorporate them with GPS probe data to alleviate the data sparse issue. We first collect traffic-related posts that report various traffic events, including traffic jam, accident, and road construction from Twitter. By considering the GPS probe readings and the traffic event tweets as two types of observations, we next extend the conventional coupled hidden Markov model for integrating the two types of data to obtain a more accurate estimation of traffic conditions. To address the computational challenge, a parallel importance sampling-based electromagnetic algorithm is further introduced. We evaluate our model on the arterial network of downtown Chicago. The experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the model in both effectiveness and efficiency.
Dynamic D2D Communication in 5G/6G Using a Distributed AI Framework

This paper focuses on D2D communication for 5G/6G in dynamic environments where the D2D network topology changes through time due to D2D Devices’ mobility. Specifically, we consider a scenario within the coverage area of a Base Station (BS) serving a number of User Devices (UEs), with variations in speed and direction causing changes in the D2D network topology, either via direct connections or via D2D single-hop or D2D Multi-hop paths. Based on this scenario, we formulate a problem aiming to maximise the total Spectral Efficiency (SE) whilst minimising the total Power Consumption (PC), by selecting the best transmission mode that the D2D devices will operate. In order to address the aforementioned problem, the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Solution (DAIS) plan proposed in our earlier work and designed for static environments is extended to consider the mobility (i.e., speed, direction and indirectly link distance change) of the D2D Device, targeting the dynamic creation of stable and efficient clusters and good backhauling links towards the gateway. The enhanced DAIS performance is comparatively evaluated in terms of SE and PC against selected variations in UE speed and direction, changes in the link Transmission Power (TP), and an increase in the number of Devices in the D2D network. Overall, the results obtained demonstrated superior performance of enhanced DAIS over all the other related investigated approaches (i.e., Distributed Sum Rate (DSR), Single Hop Relay Approach (SHRA), Distributed Random (DR)), in terms of Spectral Efficiency (SE) and Power Consumption (PC). Also, the ability of enhanced DAIS to react and adapt quickly and efficiently to D2D network topology changes, with reduced signalling overhead and control delay in responding to changes, shows that it is a well-poised approach to be used in a Dynamic D2D Environment.
Analysis of Device-to-Device Communication over Double-Generalized Gamma Channels

In this paper, performance of a device-to-device (D2D) communication system is analyzed over double-generalized Gamma (dGG) fading channels. The dGG is a generic distribution for modeling double-scattering fading conditions. Co-channel interference (CCI) caused by various wireless devices in the system is also considered. The CCI fading channel is assumed to be Nakagami distributed. Analytical expressions for important statistical metrics, i.e. probability density function (PDF) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) of signal-to-interference ratio (SIR), are presented. Based on these statistical parameters, expressions for the outage probability, channel capacity and symbol error rate (SER) of the D2D communication system are presented. The performance of D2D system is then discussed and analyzed with the help of numerical results with arbitrary channel fading, path-loss and interference conditions.
Magnetic Skyrmion Phase in MnSi Thin Films

xvi List of Abbreviations and Symbols Used . xvii Acknowledgements . xxiv Chapter
Gamification in mobile applications: The case of airports

ABSTRACT This paper examines the parameters that can lead to the acceptance of smartphone gamified applications concerning the airport. A questionnaire survey was conducted, where travelers were asked to express their needs and requirements, when accessing the airport or using its facilities. Logistic regression methodology is used to analyze the acceptance of such applications and the willingness to pay for them. In addition, a multivariate probit model is developed to investigate the factors that affect the frequent use of the application. Economic rewards appear to have a significant impact on the users' acceptability towards using a smartphone application for airports. Findings from the statistical modelling show that people who travel rarely and those who would like to have assistance when at the airport are more likely to use such an application. Furthermore, indoor navigation and information about the airport's services are important features of the application and the willingness to pay.
Evolutionary and Gene Expression Analyses Reveal New Insights into the Role of LSU Gene-Family in Plant Responses to Sulfate-Deficiency

LSU proteins belong to a plant-specific gene family initially characterized by their strong induction in response to sulfate (S) deficiency. In the last few years, LSUs have arisen as relevant hubs in protein–protein interaction networks, in which they play relevant roles in the response to abiotic and biotic stresses. Most of our knowledge on LSU genomic organization, expression and function comes from studies in Arabidopsis and tobacco, while little is known about the LSU gene repertoire and evolution of this family in land plants. In this work, a total of 270 LSU family members were identified using 134 land plant species with whole-genome sequences available. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that LSU genes belong to a Spermatophyta-specific gene family, and their homologs are distributed in three major groups, two for dicotyledons and one group for monocotyledons. Protein sequence analyses showed four new motifs that further support the subgroup classification by phylogenetic analyses. Moreover, we analyzed the expression of LSU genes in one representative species of each phylogenetic group (wheat, tomato and Arabidopsis) and found a conserved response to S deficiency, suggesting that these genes might play a key role in S stress responses. In summary, our results indicate that LSU genes belong to the Spermatophyta-specific gene family and their response to S deficiency is conserved in angiosperms.
High-Accuracy 3D Gaze Estimation with Efficient Recalibration for Head-Mounted Gaze Tracking Systems

The problem of 3D gaze estimation can be viewed as inferring the visual axes from eye images. It remains a challenge especially for the head-mounted gaze tracker (HMGT) with a simple camera setup due to the complexity of the human visual system. Although the mainstream regression-based methods could establish the mapping relationship between eye image features and the gaze point to calculate the visual axes, it may lead to inadequate fitting performance and appreciable extrapolation errors. Moreover, regression-based methods suffer from a degraded user experience because of the increased burden in recalibration procedures when slippage occurs between HMGT and head. To address these issues, a high-accuracy 3D gaze estimation method along with an efficient recalibration approach is proposed with head pose tracking in this paper. The two key parameters, eyeball center and camera optical center, are estimated in head frame with geometry-based method, so that a mapping relationship between two direction features is proposed to calculate the direction of the visual axis. As the direction features are formulated with the accurately estimated parameters, the complexity of mapping relationship could be reduced and a better fitting performance can be achieved. To prevent the noticeable extrapolation errors, direction features with uniform angular intervals for fitting the mapping are retrieved over human’s field of view. Additionally, an efficient single-point recalibration method is proposed with an updated eyeball coordinate system, which reduces the burden of calibration procedures significantly. Our experiment results show that the calibration and recalibration methods could improve the gaze estimation accuracy by 35 percent (from a mean error of 2.00 degrees to 1.31 degrees) and 30 percent (from a mean error of 2.00 degrees to 1.41 degrees), respectively, compared with the state-of-the-art methods.
Design of Optimum Portfolio Scheme Based on Improved NSGA-II Algorithm

In the financial industry, it is of great significance to study the multiobjective portfolio optimization for obtaining a reasonable investment strategy. This paper designs the financial portfolio scheme based on the multiobjective optimization algorithm that is based on the framework of the NSGA-II algorithm. In order to introduce convergence information, aiming at the actual problem of the portfolio, the mixed individual coding mechanism with asset information expands the application of the multiobjective evolutionary algorithm in portfolio optimization. The portfolio scheme obtained is effective, which is helpful to improve the decision-making efficiency of financial investors and enriches the application of modern financial theory.
A systematic validation of the Empathic Handover approach guided by five factors that foster empathy in design

Abstract This study aims at validating the transferability of the Empathic Handover approach, which we originally developed for the co-design process of a dementia simulator. We argue that empathy in design is operationalised using five factors: emotional interest, sensitivity, self-awareness, personal experience, and mixed perspectives. This heuristic proved useful in systematically comparing the empathic capacity of design students using the Empathic Handover and traditional user research approaches. Our comparative study indicates that the Empathic Handover approach enables designers to develop empathy with vulnerable users they did not meet in person (both people with dementia and people who mourn). Additionally, the study enables us to develop an elaborate notion of the working mechanisms of empathy in design as well as practical improvements to the Empathic Handover approach.
Pennelliiside D, a New Acyl Glucose from Solanum pennellii and Chemical Synthesis of Pennelliisides

Acyl glucoses are a group of specialized metabolites produced by Solanaceae. Solanum pennellii, a wild-type tomato plant, produces acyl glucoses in its hair-like epidermal structures known as trichomes. These compounds have been found to be herbicides, microbial growth inhibitors, or allelopathic compounds. However, there are a few reports regarding isolation and investigation of biological activities of acyl glucoses in its pure form due to the difficulty of isolation. Here, we report a new acyl glucose, pennelliiside D, isolated and identified from S. pennellii. Its structure was determined by 1D NMR and 2D NMR, together with FD-MS analysis. To clarify the absolute configuration of the acyl moiety of 2-methylbutyryl in the natural compound, two possible isomers were synthesized starting from β-D-glucose pentaacetate. By comparing the spectroscopic data of natural and synthesized compounds of isomers, the structure of pennelliiside D was confirmed to be 3,4-O-diisobutyryl-2-O-((S)-2-methylbutyryl)-D-glucose. Pennelliiside D and its constituent fatty acid moiety, (S)-2-methylbutanoic acid, did not show root growth-inhibitory activity. Additionally, in this study, chemical synthesis pathways toward pennelliisides A and B were adapted to give 1,6-O-dibenzylpennelliisides A and B.
Compacte vlakke-golfgeleiderkoppelingen in silicium-op-isolator Compact planar waveguide spot-size converters in silicon-on-insulator

An optical chip is a planar component in which a light signal is guided by optical waveguides and in which light can be processed in various ways and for various purposes. Examples are splitting a light beam into its separate wavelengths, absorption of the light for sensor applications, modulating a high-content data signal onto a light beam, etc., all offering the possibility for cheaper and better optical systems. In these chips often connections occur between waveguides with different widths. Traditionally these connections are realized by long coupling sections having a linear or parabolic shape when viewed from above. If we want to shorten these coupling sections to gain precious chip surface area, innovative shapes should be applied. A general shape for an innovative coupler is proposed in this work and is optimized in various ways leading to a good coupling efficiency. In these simulations an in-house eigenmode expansion method, CAMFR, is used both for two- and three-dimensional waveguide calculations. At the optimization side, a successive line minimization and a standard genetic algorithm are successfully applied. Different initial assumptions for the shapes of these couplers can, after optimization, lead to similar structures, confirming the value of the applied methods. After simulation, a selection of optimized structures is realized in the material system silicon-on-insulator. For this manufacturing, standard deep-UV lithography with an illumination wavelength of 248 nm, normally used in the creation of CMOS chips, is applied. Optical measurements on these optical coupling structures confirm the calculated coupling efficiencies and lead us to the conclusion that couplers between planar optical waveguides with a different width can be shortened if, instead of the conventional linear or parabolic shapes, more complex structures are applied.
Brain Structural and Functional Alterations in Multiple Sclerosis-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review

Fatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS); it influences patients’ quality of life. The etiology of fatigue is complex, and its pathogenesis is still unclear and debated. The objective of this review was to describe potential brain structural and functional dysfunctions underlying fatigue symptoms in patients with MS. To reach this purpose, a systematic review was conducted of published studies comparing functional brain activation and structural brain in MS patients with and without fatigue. Electronic databases were searched until 24 February 2021. The structural and functional outcomes were extracted from eligible studies and tabulated. Fifty studies were included: 32 reported structural brain differences between patients with and without fatigue; 14 studies described functional alterations in patients with fatigue compared to patients without it; and four studies showed structural and functional brain alterations in patients. The results revealed structural and functional abnormalities that could correlate to the symptom of fatigue in patients with MS. Several studies reported the differences between patients with fatigue and patients without fatigue in terms of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes and brain atrophy, specifically in the thalamus. Functional studies showed abnormal activation in the thalamus and in some regions of the sensorimotor network in patients with fatigue compared to patients without it. Patients with fatigue present more structural and functional alterations compared to patients without fatigue. Specifically, abnormal activation and atrophy of the thalamus and some regions of the sensorimotor network seem linked to fatigue.
On the MIMO Capacity With Joint Sum and Per-Antenna Power Constraints: A New Efficient Numerical Method

We propose a semi-closed-form solution to the problem of computing the capacity and optimal signaling for a Gaussian MIMO channel under a joint sum power constraint (SPC) and per-antenna power constraint (PAPC). Existing efficient solutions to this fundamental problem are only applicable to some special cases: multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, or full column rank MIMO channels with sufficiently high transmit power, or full-rank optimal signaling. For the general case, we present an efficient numerical method to solve the considered problem which does not make any assumptions on the rank of the channel matrix or the maximum transmit power. To achieve this, the considered problem is transformed into an equivalent minimax problem. We then exploit the special structure of the minimax problem to derive a closed-form solution based on a concave-convex procedure (CCP)-like algorithm. Extensive simulation results show that our proposed algorithm outperforms the existing solutions in terms of complexity and generality.
GLP-1R activation is a key pathway to alleviate the metabolic disorder in L02 cells

Background Glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1) has been shown to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism in the liver by promoting insulin secretion. However, the direct regulation of GLP-1 on liver glucose and lipid metabolism was still controversial, due to the presence of GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1R) in human liver has not been determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of GLP-1R in L02 cells (normal human hepatocytes), and to explore the direct effect of GLP-1, on hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. Methods The insulin resistance (IR) cell model with metabolic disorder was constructed using FFAs (including oleic acid and fructose) to simulate the metabolic syndrome caused by high-fat and high-fructose in modern diet. Results The results showed that GLP-1R is expressed in L02 cells, and reduced in L02 with IR. The RNA interference experiment of GLP-1R suggested that GLP-1R activation decreased glycogenesis and increased intracellular glycogen content via AKT pathway independent of PI3K, and increased fatty acid oxidation and decreased lipid accumulation via AMPK pathway. Conclusions These results indicate that GLP-1 could directly regulate hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism by activating GLP-1R, which could be potential therapeutic targets. GLP-1R activation leads to reduction of gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis via PI3K-independent AKT pathway and AMPK pathway.
A wideband base station antenna with reduced beam squint

This paper presents the design procedure, theoretical analysis, and experimental results of a novel wideband dual-polarized base station antenna. The proposed antenna consists of four electric folded dipoles arranged in an octagon shape that are excited simultaneously for each polarization. It provides the ±45° slant-polarized radiation that meets all the required specifications for base station antenna elements. Experimental results show that the proposed dual-polarized antenna has a wide bandwidth of 46.4% from 1.69 GHz to 2.71 GHz with ≥ 15 dB return loss. Across this wide bandwidth, the variations of the half-power-beamwidths (HPBWs) of the two polarizations are all within 66.5° ± 5.5°, port-to-port isolation is > 30 dB, the cross-polarization discrimination (XPD) is > 20 dB and, most importantly, the beam squint is < 4° with a maximum 10° down-tilt.
Perspectives of Science Teachers on the Use of ICT Facilities in Secondary Schools Biology Teaching

Recently, the use of ICT tools in teaching-learning has increased rapidly. The main objective of the research focused on the perspectives of teachers on the use of ICT tools and their effects on biology teaching. This study followed a quantitative survey research design. Altogether 55 biology teachers were selected from all the community and institutional schools of Siraha district where the science stream is running in classes 11 & 12. The data were collected through closed questionnaires and analyzed by using SPSS software like t-tests, mean, standard deviation and significance level. The data showed that almost all schools had minimum requirements of ICT tools. The majority of teachers had good knowledge about MS-applications, social sites and social media platforms, except one third didn’t know about it. Although the majority of biology teachers had poor practice about the use of ICT integrated in the classroom and they didn’t realize their pedagogical effects. Teacher’s level of qualification, ICT qualification and style of teaching etc., the independents were significantly associated with teachers ICT knowledge and ICT effects dependent factors. It is expected that the outcomes of this research provide proper information and suggestions to those who are responsible for integrating new technologies in school teaching particularly biology subjects.