Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multisensor fusion for marine infrastructures’ inspection and safety

Periodic inspection and maintenance of marine infrastructures are essential to ensure the safety and uninterrupted operation. Accurate localization and pose estimation of the remotely operating underwater vehicle is of prime importance to conduct any robotic marine intervention. A generic visual-inertial registration framework is proposed here to estimate the drift-free rotational and translational pose of the underwater vehicle that can be directly fed to the high level vehicle controller. Underwater image formation model based image enhancement technique along with the pose estimation module is the key of the proposed G-VINS algorithm. The theoretical formulation along with the experimental results shows the robustness and the applicability of the proposed method in marine environment characterized by different level of turbidity.
HIV Self-testing and Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in 23 US Cities, 2017

Key Points Question Who is using HIV self-testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the US? Findings In this cross-sectional study of 6563 MSM who reported HIV testing in the past year, 7.7% reported HIV self-testing within the past year. Self-testing was more common among younger MSM with higher socioeconomic status and those who reported sexual identity disclosure. Meaning The findings of this study suggest that efforts to expand HIV self-testing among MSM may need to focus on reaching vulnerable subgroups, including those with lower socioeconomic status and who have not disclosed their sexual identity.
Quasi-One-Dimensional Metallicity in Compressed CsSnI3.

Low-dimensional metal halides exhibit strong structural and electronic anisotropies, making them candidates for accessing unusual electronic properties. Here, we demonstrate pressure-induced quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) metallicity in δ-CsSnI3. With the application of pressure up to 40 GPa, the initially insulating δ-CsSnI3 transforms to a metallic state. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy indicate that the starting 1D chain structure of edge-sharing Sn-I octahedra in δ-CsSnI3 is maintained in the high-pressure metallic phase while the SnI6 octahedral chains are distorted. Our experiments combined with first-principles density functional theory calculations reveal that pressure induces Sn-Sn hybridization and enhances Sn-I coupling within the chain, leading to band gap closure and formation of conductive SnI6 distorted octahedral chains. In contrast, the interchain I.I interactions remain minimal, resulting in a highly anisotropic electronic structure and quasi-1D metallicity. Our study offers a high-pressure approach for achieving diverse electronic platforms in the broad family of low-dimensional metal halides.
Ultra-low Power Analog Recurrent Neural Network Design Approximation for Wireless Health Monitoring

Recently, the trend of analyzing physiological mark-ers for health tracking using wearable sensors is on the rise. However, due to the small size of these wearables, battery-life is of paramount concern both because of user-experience and the continuity of monitoring. Unlike the heavy mobile devices, which can be packed with powerful batteries, wearable sensors cannot, therefore, in this paper we present an ultra-low power analog design for physiological signal processing showing the potential of operating without battery or just by storing energy in the capacitors. In this work, a brand-new concept of an all-analog Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) is presented. An analog oscillator is designed to serving as the timing signal to trigger and sequence the Resistive Processing Units (RPUs) crossbar array and analog memory in a feedback loop. We evaluate the performance via an ECGs and breathing database labeled with diseases. The results show the analog RNN can classify the disease in a training accuracy of 95.57% and test accuracy of 94.16%. The architecture of our RNN consists of 200 LSTM cells with an embedding dimension of 500.
Shapes of Spectral Line Bisectors for Cool Stars

The shape of the line bisector for the prototype spectral line Fe i λ6253 was measured for an array of 54 stars on the cool half of the HR diagram. These bisectors are given in tables along with their errors. The classic C shape is shown by only a rather restricted range in effective temperature and luminosity. The detailed change in bisector shape with effective temperature and luminosity is documented more precisely than in previous work. The most blueward point on the bisector changes its height systematically with luminosity and can be used as a luminosity or gravity discriminant. The wide range of bisector shapes contains significant information about the velocity fields in the atmospheres of these stars, but extracting that information may require extensive modeling.
Assessment of Risk of Exposure to Leishmania Parasites among Renal Disease Patients from a Renal Unit in a Sri Lankan Endemic Leishmaniasis Focus

Leishmania donovani causes both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis (CL and VL) in Sri Lanka, where chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney transplant recipients’ (KTR) geographical areas overlap. This study aimed to determine the risk of exposure to Leishmania infection among renal patients. This cross-sectional study in a renal unit assessed clinical symptoms and signs of CL and VL in recipients of blood/kidney or immunosuppressives. Sera were tested with Leishmania-specific DAT and rK-39 ELISA. There were 170 participants. A total of 84.1% (n = 143) were males (CKD: 101, KTR; 42, mean age 45) and 27 were females (females: CKD: 23, KTR: 4, mean age 39 years). Recipients of blood transfusion/s within last 2 years: 75.9% (CKD: 115, KTR: 14), on immunosuppressive therapy: 34.1% (CKD: 13, KTR: 45). Two CKD patients repeatedly showed clear positive titres (1: 12,800 and 1: 3200) with Leishmania-DAT and another two (CKD) became marginally positive with rK39-ELISA. Prevalence of anti-Leishmania antibodies: 2.4% (4/170). All four patients were clinically asymptomatic and were recipients of recent blood transfusions. Attributable risk of exposure to Leishmania infection through blood transfusions was 0.032, OR 2.99 (95% CI = 0.16 to 56.45, p = 0.47). Therefore, routine screening of kidney/blood donors and CKD and KTR patients in Sri Lanka may not be necessary.
Gamma-Tocotrienol Modulates Total-Body Irradiation-Induced Hematopoietic Injury in a Nonhuman Primate Model

Radiation exposure causes acute damage to hematopoietic and immune cells. To date, there are no radioprotectors available to mitigate hematopoietic injury after radiation exposure. Gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) has demonstrated promising radioprotective efficacy in the mouse and nonhuman primate (NHP) models. We determined GT3-mediated hematopoietic recovery in total-body irradiated (TBI) NHPs. Sixteen rhesus macaques divided into two groups received either vehicle or GT3, 24 h prior to TBI. Four animals in each treatment group were exposed to either 4 or 5.8 Gy TBI. Flow cytometry was used to immunophenotype the bone marrow (BM) lymphoid cell populations, while clonogenic ability of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) was assessed by colony forming unit (CFU) assays on day 8 prior to irradiation and days 2, 7, 14, and 30 post-irradiation. Both radiation doses showed significant changes in the frequencies of B and T-cell subsets, including the self-renewable capacity of HSCs. Importantly, GT3 accelerated the recovery in CD34+ cells, increased HSC function as shown by improved recovery of CFU-granulocyte macrophages (CFU-GM) and burst-forming units erythroid (B-FUE), and aided the recovery of circulating neutrophils and platelets. These data elucidate the role of GT3 in hematopoietic recovery, which should be explored as a potential medical countermeasure to mitigate radiation-induced injury to the hematopoietic system.
On universality of geometrical invariants in turbulence—Experimental results

Experimental results on probability distribution functions (pdf’s) of full dissipation e, enstrophy ω2, and enstrophy generation ωiωjsij in two different turbulent flows: turbulent grid flow (Reλ=74) and turbulent jet center (Reλ=880) demonstrate the possibility of universal behavior of the pdf’s of these quantities.
Electron cyclotron harmonic wave acceleration

A nonlinear analysis of particle acceleration in a finite bandwidth, obliquely propagating electromagnetic cyclotron wave is presented. It has been suggested by Sprangle and Vlahos in 1983 that the narrow bandwidth cyclotron radiation emitted by the unstable electron distribution inside a flaring solar loop can accelerate electrons outside the loop by the interaction of a monochromatic wave propagating along the ambient magnetic field with the ambient electrons. It is shown here that electrons gyrating and streaming along a uniform, static magnetic field can be accelerated by interacting with the fundamental or second harmonic of a monochromatic, obliquely propagating cyclotron wave. It is also shown that the acceleration is virtually unchanged when a wave with finite bandwidth is considered. This acceleration mechanism can explain the observed high-energy electrons in type III bursts. 31 references.
A Fixed-Frequency Beam-Scanning Leaky-Wave Antenna Using Phase and Amplitude Control for Millimeter-Wave Applications

A new type of fixed-frequency beam-scanning leaky-wave antenna (LWA) in Ka millimeter-waveband is developed in this article, based on dual control of phase and amplitude. The antenna consists of a groove gap waveguide (GGW) and 80 perturbation units. Each unit contains one patch and a pair of H-shaped slots. By controlling the state of a slot with p-i-n diodes, the phase of the radiated field from each unit can be switched between two opposite phases, called “1” state and “−1” state, while the magnitude of the radiated field remains unchanged. In addition, the radiation strength of each unit can be also turned off to provide amplitude control. The main principle for beam scanning is based on the phase compensation to the perturbation units on the surface of the LWA, combined with 1-bit amplitude control to achieve lower sidelobe levels, so the principle is different from that of the existing fixed-frequency beam-scanning LWAs. The entire antenna structure relies on GGW transmission to reduce dielectric loss in millimeter-waveband, and shows good characteristics of scanning angle and realized gain. In the measurement, a high peak gain of 16.8 dBi and a large beam-scanning range over 110° are achieved.
Hierarchical Analog and Mixed-Signal Circuit Placement Considering System Signal Flow

Placement is a critical step in layout automation for analog and mixed-signal (AMS)-integrated circuits (ICs). It determines the proximity of devices and influences the wiring topology, significantly impacting post-routing parasitics and coupling capacitance. Existing analog placement techniques mainly focus on geometric constraints in analog building blocks. However, there yet lacks an effective way to consider the system-level signal flow for sensitive AMS circuits. Leveraging prior knowledge from schematics, we propose considering the critical signal paths in automatic AMS placement. A multilevel analog layout automation flow is further developed to reduce manual efforts in synthesizing hierarchical AMS circuits. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed framework with a 22.8% reduction in routed wirelength compared to state-of-the-art AMS placer and a 10-dB improvement in the signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) for an ADC.
Quantitative Evaluation of Microstructure to Support Verification of Material Properties in Line-Pipe Steels

Federal rule changes governing natural gas pipelines have driven operators in the United States to establish materials verification programs (MVP) for pipelines that lack reliable records. One component of a successful MVP is the use of nondestructive testing (NDT) to assess pipe properties in situ. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) augments traditional NDT with quantitative analysis of pipe microstructures. The microstructures are acquired non-destructively by surface replication, and are quantitatively evaluated to assess the ferrite grain size and fraction of pearlite. To support interpretation of the data, PG&E has compiled a database of steel line pipes for which microstructures from both destructive cross-sections (cutouts) and in situ surface replicas have been evaluated, and for which mechanical test data are available. The database is currently comprised of more than fifty pipe samples with manufacturing dates between 1931 and 2017, and a variety of grades and seam types. This work presents a comparative analysis of the different methods used by PG&E to quantify pipe microstructures, and shows that microstructures from surface replicas are generally consistent with those from cutout cross-sections. In addition, semi-quantitative correlations between micro structure and mechanical properties are presented. The data suggest a correlation between grain size and the ductile-brittle Charpy V-notch (CVN) transition temperature, and an inverse correlation between fraction of pearlite and the upper-bound of the CVN upper-shelf energy. In addition, the analysis shows that grain size can provide a lower bound on the manufacturing year (vintage) due to the advent of steelmaking practices that produce refined grain structures. By themselves, the observed trends can provide semi-quantitative bounds for these properties; however, the predictive value of the microstructural assessments may be improved by the development of more sophisticated algorithms that consider additional information, such as composition and hardness.
FPGA enabled accurate angle-power matching method in MEMS mirrors-based structure light projection system

Three-dimensional (3D) measurement based on structured light is widely applied in the diverse fields of industrial detection, face recognition, reverse engineering, and so on. Compared with typical dynamic structured light fringe projection system using DLP or DOE, the system based on MEMS mirror has the advantages of small size, low cost, no optical magnifying lens, no need for focusing, and a large field of view angle range, which can achieve sub-millimeter or even higher accuracy. In MEMS mirror-based system, structured light patterns are formed by matching the mirror angle and laser output power and accurate identification of the angle is key point for achievement of a high pattern quality. There is a big challenge in identifying the MEMS mirror’s angle since the pulse signal for driving the mirror is very narrow, around 20 ns. For meeting this requirement, a high speed and accurate FPGA is utilized to observe the narrow pulse signal of the MEMS mirror and simultaneously control the laser power output, generating precise sinusoidal fringes. A 250 MHz clock frequency for observing pulse signals position based on logic voltage comparison under an LVCMOS33 standard, successfully identifying the narrow pulse signal. This ensures a high accuracy of the light patterns. Total harmonic distortion (THD) is used to evaluate the sinusoidal property of the structured light patterns and results verify that the THD of the MEMS mirror structure light projection system controlled by FPGA is less than 5%.
Student Perceptions of the Flipped Classroom in College Algebra

Abstract The flipped classroom approach was implemented across three semesters of a College Algebra course. This paper is part of a larger design and development research study and focuses on student perceptions of the flipped classroom teaching approach. Qualitative methodology was used to describe how students perceived the instruction of their College Algebra course. Findings indicated that students felt that the teaching approach enabled them to ask more questions in class, the course components worked together to foster increased student learning, and the course design facilitated self-paced instruction.
Removal of Pb2+, CrT, and Hg2+ Ions from Aqueous Solutions Using Amino-Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles

In this paper, a circular economy approach with the adsorption and desorption of heavy metal (HM) ions—i.e., lead (Pb2+), chromium (CrT), and mercury (Hg2+)—from aqueous solutions was studied. Specific and selective binding of HM ions was performed on stabilized and amino-functionalized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3@NH2 NPs) from an aqueous solution at pH 4 and 7. For this purpose, γ-Fe2O3@NH2 NPs were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), specific surface area (BET), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), EDXS, and zeta potential measurements (ζ). The effects of different adsorbent amounts (mads = 20/45/90 mg) and the type of anions (NO3−, Cl−, SO42−) on adsorption efficiency were also tested. The desorption was performed with 0.1 M HNO3. The results showed improvement of adsorption efficiency for CrT, Pb2+, and Hg2+ ions at pH 7 by 45 mg of g-Fe2O3@NH2 NPs, and the sequence was as follows: CrT > Hg2+ > Pb2+, with adsorption capacities of 90.4 mg/g, 85.6 mg/g, and 83.6 mg/g, respectively. The desorption results showed the possibility for the reuse of γ-Fe2O3@NH2 NPs with HNO3, as the desorption efficiency was 100% for Hg2+ ions, 96.7% for CrT, and 91.3% for Pb2+.
Insecticidal Activity of Jatropha Extracts Against the Azalea Lace Bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Hemiptera: Tingidae)

Abstract We assessed bioactivity of ethanolic extracts from 35 species of Jatropha L. against an ornamental plant pest, the azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott). Jatropha extracts were prepared by air-drying stem, root, or whole plant material, grinding the tissue into a fine powder, adding 70% ethanol, and then vacuum filtering the contents. Emulsions included the extract diluted to the desired concentration in de-ionized water and 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Treatments involved pipetting 20 µl of emulsion onto three adult lace bugs in each well of a 96-well microtiter plate. Treated wells served as replicates for each of six extract concentrations and were arranged according to a RCBD. Extracts of Jatropha clavuligera Müll. Arg. and J. ribifolia (Pohl) Ballion from 0.06 to 0.50% were the most acutely bioactive with bug mortality exceeding that of the positive control – azadirachtin, a terpenoid and chief active ingredient in neem oil. At 1.00%, extracts of J. clavuligera, J. ribifolia and azadirachtin killed 100% of bugs within 3 hr. Jatropha clavuligera induced the lowest LC50 and ranked first in insecticidal potency based on ≥98% of bugs dying within 3 hr. Extracts of J. curcas L. , J. gossypiifolia L. , J. excisa Griseb, and azadirachtin were equally bioactive; although after 3 hr, the three Jatropha species killed bugs faster. When compared with DMSO, all extract emulsions were bioactive against adult bugs. Thus, active ingredients in a new biopesticide could be sourced from the stem, root, or whole plant extracts of at least five Jatropha species.
Effect of Paste Fluidity and Paste-to-Aggregate Ratio on the Strength and Permeability of Porous Mortar from Manufactured Sand

Many places in the world suffer from a shortage of river sand because of population growth and environmental protection, and people have to replace river sand with manufactured sand (M-sand). In this study, M-sand was adopted as aggregate and the effect of the mix design (paste fluidity (PF) and paste-to-aggregate ratio (P/A)) on the properties of porous mortar was investigated through a combined experimental, statistical and response surface method (RSM). By including variations in both P/A (0.16–0.26) and PF (160–200 mm), the method was utilized to develop ANOVA models and construct response surface and contour lines. The experimental results revealed that the compressive strength of the porous mortar increased by 62.3% to a value of 34.1 MPa while the PF increased to 190 mm from 160 mm at a P/A of 0.20, and the water permeability coefficient was 7.2 mm/s under the same conditions. In addition, the ANOVA analysis of the measured properties revealed a strong interactive effect of the paste-to-aggregate ratio and paste fluidity on the porous mortar properties, and the developed relationship models between the variables and responses were accurate. A porous mortar with a compressive strength over 30 MPa and a permeability coefficient over 7 mm/s could be conveniently designed by RSM. Additionally, the compressive strength of the porous concrete reached more than 40 MPa at a P/A of 0.26.
Molecular dynamics study of size effects in the compression of metallic glass nanowires

Molecular dynamics simulations have been employed to investigate the mechanical response to uniaxial compression of metallic glass nanowires with radius in the range between 1 and 6 nm. It is found that the mechanical behavior of nanowires, based on the activity of shear transformation zones, is affected by size effects. The nanowires in which the largest number of shear transformation zones involve only bulk atoms exhibit a behavior similar to that of bulk systems. When a relatively large number of shear transformation zones can also involve surface atoms, the mechanical response of the nanowire changes. It seems in particular that atomic volume effects determine the loss of correlation between consecutive atomic rearrangements. As a consequence, shear transformation zones are no longer able to exhibit an autocatalytic dynamics. The mechanical response of the nanowires with smallest radii is correspondingly different from the one of other nanowires.
First confirmed location of Carcharhinus signatus in Puerto Rico

Abstract A new location record for the night shark, Carcharhinus signatus, is reported for Puerto Rico. DNA barcoding was used to confirm the photo identification of a shark captured incidentally by a small-scale commercial fisher. The adult female night shark was recovered from a depth of 330 m entangled in hook and line gear used in the deep-water snapper and grouper fishery. This record is the first confirmed sighting for Puerto Rico, increasing the shark species reported for the island and supporting its range up to the Mona Passage in the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Spin reorientation transitions in Pt/Co/Pt films under low dose Ga+ ion irradiation

An elegant route for tuning the magnetic anisotropy of ultrathin Co films by Ga+ ion irradiation is presented. The magnetic anisotropy of a Pt/Co(2.6 nm)/Pt film is first changed from in-plane to out-of-plane by uniform low dose Ga+ ion irradiation at 30 keV. When increasing the dose, a second spin reorientation transition toward the sample plane is also evidenced. This could be a way to design magnetic nanowires with perpendicular anisotropy, embedded in an in-plane magnetized environment, either by irradiation through a mask or focused ion beam. Tentative explanations on the origin of these two successive spin reorientations are proposed.
Kinetostatic Modeling of Tendon-Driven Parallel Continuum Robots

Tendon-driven parallel continuum robots (PCR) consist of multiple individual continuous kinematic chains, that are actuated in bending utilizing tendons routed along their backbones. This work derives and proposes a Cosserat rod based kinetostatic modeling framework for such parallel structures that allows for efficiently solving the forward, inverse and velocity kinetostatic problems. Using this model, the kinematic properties such as reachable workspace, singularities, manipulability, and compliance of tendon-driven PCR are studied in detail. Experiments are conducted using a real robotic prototype to validate the derived modeling approach. Overall, a median pose accuracy of 4.9 mm, corresponding to 3.4% of the continuum robots' lengths, and 6.2$^\circ$ is achieved. The median of the model's computation time results in 0.51 s on standard computing hardware. Fast computations of below 100 ms can be achieved, if an appropriate initial guess for solving the kinetostatic model is available, making the model suitable for a range of different applications including optimization or control.