Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distributed UAV Swarm Formation and Collision Avoidance Strategies Over Fixed and Switching Topologies

This article proposes a controlling framework for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to integrate the modes of formation flight and swarm deployment over fixed and switching topologies. Formation strategies enable UAVs to enjoy key collective benefits including reduced energy consumption, but the shape of the formation and each UAV’s freedom are significantly restrained. Swarm strategies are thus proposed to maximize each UAV’s freedom following simple yet powerful rules. This article investigates the integration and switch between these two strategies, considering the deployment environment factors, such as poor network conditions and unknown and often highly mobile obstacles. We design a distributed formation controller to guide multiple UAVs in orderless states to swiftly reach an intended formation. Inspired by starling birds and similar biological creatures, a distributed collision avoidance controller is proposed to avoid unknown and mobile obstacles. We further illustrated the stability of the controllers over both fixed and switching topologies. The experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the framework.
Association of handgrip strength with anthropometry of a Brazilian healthy adolescent sample

The importance of dynamometric and anthropometric information for industry is known; however, few studies have investigated the relationship between anthropometry and handgrip strength (HGS) in adolescents. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of anthropometric variables with the level of HGS production in adolescents. Participants were 541 adolescents aged 12–16 years from a public school in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The behavior of the following variables was examined: the ability to generate HGS, age, total body mass, height and hand dimensions (hand width, hand span, hand length). The results showed an increase in the ability to generate HGS in adolescence and a significant difference between the genders from 13 years old, where boys generated higher HGS values. Correlations between HGS and total body mass and the hand width stood out in both genders, indicating a greater association.
The synergistic antibacterial effect and inhibition of biofilm formation of nisin in combination with terpenes against Listeria monocytogenes

This study was to investigate the synergistic antibacterial effect and inhibition of biofilm formation of nisin in combination with terpenes (carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, citral and thymol) against Listeria monocytogenes. The bactericidal ranking of terpenes combined with nisin was carvacrol > cinnamaldehyde, citral > thymol. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nisin and carvacrol when used together was determined to be 0·1563 mg ml−1 + 0·0195 mg ml−1 (nisin at MIC/2 + carvacrol at MIC/16). The addition of nisin at MIC/2 + carvacrol at MIC/2 caused more decrease in membrane potential than carvacrol or nisin at MIC individually. The decrease rates of hlyA and plcA gene expressions caused by nisin at MIC/2 + carvacrol at MIC/2 were significantly higher than those caused by carvacrol or nisin at MIC individually (P < 0·05). Nisin combined with carvacrol showed the highest inhibition activity to the formation of L. monocytogenes biofilm on stainless steel and lettuce. The inhibition effect of nisin at MIC/2 + carvacrol at MIC/16 was significantly higher than that of nisin at MIC/2 and carvacrol at MIC/16 (P < 0·05).
Refining our understanding of metal bioavailability in sediments using information from porewater: Application of a multimetal biotic ligand model as an extension of the equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmarks

The equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmarks (ESBs) derived by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in 2005 provide a mechanistic framework for understanding metal bioavailability in sediments by considering equilibrium partitioning (EqP) theory, which predicts that metal bioavailability in sediments is determined largely by partitioning to sediment particles. Factors that favor the partitioning of metals to sediment particles, such as the presence of acid volatile sulfide (AVS) and sediment organic matter, reduce metal bioavailability to benthic organisms. Because ESBs link metal bioavailability to partitioning to particles, they also predict that measuring metals in porewater can lead to a more accurate assessment of bioavailability and toxicity to benthic organisms. At the time of their development, sediment ESBs based on the analysis of porewater metal concentrations were limited to comparison with hardness‐dependent metals criteria for the calculation of interstitial water benchmark units (IWBUs). However, the multimetal biotic ligand model (mBLM) provides a more comprehensive assessment of porewater metal concentrations, because it considers factors in addition to hardness, such as pH and dissolved organic carbon, and allows for interactions between metals. To evaluate the utility of the various sediment and porewater ESBs, four Hyalella azteca bioassay studies were identified that included sediment and porewater measurements of metals and porewater bioavailability parameters. Evaluations of excess simultaneously extracted metals, IWBUs, and mBLM toxic units (TUs) were compared among the bioassay studies. For porewater, IWBUs and mBLM TUs were calculated using porewater metal concentrations from samples collected using centrifugation and peepers. The percentage of correct predictions of toxicity was calculated for each benchmark comparison. The mBLM‐based assessment using peeper data provided the most accurate predictions for the greatest number of samples among the evaluation methods considered. This evaluation demonstrates the value of porewater‐based evaluations in conjunction with sediment chemistry in understanding toxicity observed in bioassay studies. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1335–1347. © 2021 SETAC
Serological and molecular survey of tick‐borne zoonotic pathogens including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in wild boars in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan

Abstract Background Miyazaki Prefecture is one of the hotspots of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) cases and related deaths in Japan since 2013 and other pathogens of tick‐borne diseases (TBDs). Japanese spotted fever and scrub typhus are also endemic in this region. Objectives A total of 105 wild boars, hunted in 2009, were serologically examined as sentinels for TBDs to indirectly demonstrate the potential hazard of ticks transmitting pathogens to humans in the studied area. Methods The collected blood and spleens of the wild boars underwent serological and molecular tests for SFTSV, Rickettsia japonica (Rj) [antibody to spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) were tested by using species‐common antigen], and Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot). Results Seroprevalences of SFTSV, SFGR, and Ot were 41.9%, 29.5%, and 33.3%, respectively. SFTS viral RNA was identified in 7.6% of the sera, whereas DNA of Rj or Ot was not detected in any sample. In total, 43.8% of the boars possessed an infection history with SFTSV (viral gene and/or antibody). Of these, 23.8% had multiple‐infection history with SFGR and/or Ot. Conclusions The high prevalence of SFTSV in wild boars might reflect the high risk of exposure to the virus in the studied areas. In addition, SFTSV infection was significantly correlated with Ot infection, and so were SFGR infection and Ot infection, indicating that these pathogens have common factors for infection or transmission. These data caution of the higher risk of SFTSV infection in areas with reported cases of other TBDs.
Abdominal aortic calcification, cardiac troponin I and atherosclerotic vascular disease mortality in older women

Objective Examine if two inexpensive measures of atherosclerotic vascular diseases (ASVD), abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) provide complementary information for 10-year ASVD mortality and all-cause mortality risk in older women. Methods 908 community-dwelling women without prevalent ASVD (≥75 years) were followed-up between 2003 and 2013. AAC and plasma hs-cTnI measures were obtained in 2003. AAC was assessed on lateral spine images using a semiquantitative method (AAC24). Linked health records were used for mortality outcomes. Results Mean±SD age was 79.9±2.6 years. 276 (30.4%) women died during follow-up, including 138 (15.2%) ASVD-related deaths. AAC24 and hs-cTnI were independently associated with ASVD and all-cause mortality (p<0.001). The cohort was dichotomised into four groups: (1) low AAC24 (AAC24: 0 or 1) and <median hs-cTnI (n=163, referent), (2) moderate-extensive AAC24 (AAC24:>1) and <median hs-cTnI (n=280), (3) low AAC24 and ≥median hs-cTnI (n=148) and (4) moderate-extensive AAC24 and ≥median hs-cTnI (n=317). Compared with the referent group, a stepwise increase in relative hazard (HR (95% CI)) for ASVD mortality was seen at 2.39 (1.05 to 5.46), 3.18 (1.35 to 7.79) and 5.38 (2.44 to 11.85), respectively. A similar associations were observed for all-cause mortality, at 1.58 (0.99–2.52), 2.38 (1.46–3.89) and 3.02 (1.93–4.72), respectively (all p<0.05). Conclusion Higher AAC and elevated hs-cTnI were associated with higher risk of ASVD mortality and all-cause mortality, independent of each other. Stratifying by moderate to extensive AAC and elevated hs-cTnI identified women at very high risk. Further studies investigating whether combining factors may improve risk prediction are needed. Trial registration number ACTRN12617000640303.
Role of Social Support and Spouse Abuse in Low Birth Weight: A Case–control Study from Puducherry, India

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. In addition to medical/clinical risk factors, various socio-demographic factors also have an impact on birth weight. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the association of antenatal social support and spouse abuse during pregnancy with LBW in Urban areas of Puducherry. Materials and Methods: A community-based case–control study was conducted in Puducherry. Mothers of 100 LBW infants and normal birth weight infants in 2016 were studied. Functional Social Support Questionnaire and Index of Spouse Abuse scales were used. Conditional logistic regression for matched pair studies was done for multivariate analysis. Results: Mean (± standard deviation) age and education of the study participants was 25.6 (±3.5) and 8.28 (±3.6) years, respectively. The proportion of girl child was 59% and 43% among cases and controls, respectively. Mothers with higher perceived social support (odds ratio [OR] = 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4–0.7) had lesser odds of LBW. The odds of LBW was 3.6 (adjusted OR [aOR] = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.3–9.9) times and 6.9 (aOR = 6.9; 95% CI: 1.5–31.9) times greater among mothers who experienced nonphysical abuse and had pregnancy-induced hypertension respectively and it was statistically significant after adjusting for child's gender, social support, and parity. Conclusions: The presence of nonphysical abuse during the antenatal period increased the risk of LBW. The awareness should be created in the community to prevent maternal exposure to abuse.
Gustatory Cortex Is Involved in Evidence Accumulation during Food Choice

Abstract Food choice is one of the most fundamental and most frequent value-based decisions for all animals including humans. However, the neural circuitry involved in food-based decisions is only recently being addressed. Given the relatively fast dynamics of decision formation, electroencephalography (EEG)-informed fMRI analysis is highly beneficial for localizing this circuitry in humans. Here, by using the EEG correlates of evidence accumulation in a simultaneously recorded EEG-fMRI dataset, we found a significant role for the right temporal-parietal operculum (PO) and medial insula including gustatory cortex (GC) in binary choice between food items. These activations were uncovered by using the “EEG energy” (power 2 of EEG) as the BOLD regressor and were missed if conventional analysis with the EEG signal itself were to be used, in agreement with theoretical predictions for EEG and BOLD relations. No significant positive correlations were found with higher powers of EEG (powers 3 or 4) pointing to specificity and sufficiency of EEG energy as the main correlate of the BOLD response. This finding extends the role of cortical areas traditionally involved in palatability processing to value-based decision-making and offers the “EEG energy” as a key regressor of BOLD response in simultaneous EEG-fMRI designs.
The ‘squalene route’ to carotenoid biosynthesis is widespread in Bacteria

Squalene is mostly associated with the biosynthesis of polycyclic triterpenes. Although there have been suggestions that squalene could be involved in the biosynthesis of carotenoids, functionally and evolutionarily related to polycyclic triterpenes, evidence of this ‘squalene route’ in nature was lacking. We demonstrate that planctomycetes synthesize C30 carotenoids via squalene and that this ‘squalene route’ is widely distributed in Bacteria. We also investigated the functional roles of hopanoids and carotenoids in Planctomycetes and show that their protective functions under stress conditions are complementary. Our evolutionary analyses suggest that the C30 carotenoid biosynthetic pathway is the most ancestral, with a potential origin in Firmicutes or Planctomycetes. In addition, we propose an evolutionary scenario to explain the diversification of the different carotenoid and squalene pathways. Together, these results improve the evolutionary contextualization of these molecules. Likewise, the widespread occurrence of the squalene route in bacteria increases the functional repertoire of squalene.
Pounds D scene modeling for autonomous mobile robot self-location using passive landmarks

Considers the problems of finding the location and orientation of a mobile robot using an image taken by a CCD camera carried by the robot. The naturally occurring landmarks used are the corners of the room extracted from the line image of the 3D indoor scene. The location and orientation of the vehicle is calculated by perspective information of the landmarks in the scene of the room where the robot moves. This system and some experiments to demonstrate the performance of its components are described. <<ETX>>
FOG COMPUTING ARCHITECTURE, BENEFITS, SECURITY, AND PRIVACY, FOR THE INTERNET OF THING APPLICATIONS: AN OVERVIEW

To overcome the problem related to cloud computing such as high latency and to increase the efficiency of data processing, Fog computing was proposed and implemented close to IoT devices. This structure helps these devices to meet the requirements of location awareness and low latency, which can not be met by cloud computing. Many benefits, applications, and security and privacy issues were discussed in the literature for Fog computing. This paper provides an overview of all these aspects to provide the reader with a holistic understanding of Fog computing. More focus is given to the security and privacy issues in our discussion since these issues may hinder organizations from implementing Fog computing. The findings of this paper show that a few studies that discussed empirical findings of using Fog computing and many questions related to security and privacy issues are ye to be answered in future research.
A HYBRID METHOD INTEGRATING A RANK-BASED ANT SYSTEM ALGORITHM WITH INSERT AND SWAP ALGORITHM FOR THE CAPACITATED VEHICLE ROUTING PROBLEM SOLUTION

This study focused on solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP). Here, the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is generalized. The two problems are highly related, and solving them is the key to solving many optimization Problems and applications in real life, particularly in the field of transport and distribution. The hybrid Rank-Based Ant System (HAS (cid:2928)(cid:2911)(cid:2924)(cid:2921) ) Algorithm that is presented in this research, relies on the principle of combining insert and swap algorithms, with the aim of improving tours and reducing transmission and distribution costs. To test the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid algorithm, the results of the study have been evaluated with the results of the standardized CVRP, in addition to comparing the results with those obtained in other studies. The results of the comparisons proved that the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of finding optimal solutions, is better than those of other algorithms to find optimal solutions.
Creating a Randomized Residential Cluster Using Neural Network Method

Along with the city growth around the world, residential cluster also grows as a more preferable choice of housing. The high amount of residential cluster makes it inevitable for each cluster to looks the same with the other cluster. This paper will try to develop an idea so each cluster will look different. Index Terms—Artifical intelligence, computing, neural network, residential cluster.
MCM-D and direct module attach for RF applications

Next generation wireless communications terminals will demand the use of advanced component integration processes and high density packaging technologies in order to reduce size and to increase performance. In this paper, an example is presented of a highly miniaturised VCO function for a 2.45 GHz wireless LAN radio system that illustrates the use of such component integration processes and packaging concepts in an RF application. An MCM-D substrate technology has been employed in this work for passive component integration and a packageless direct module attach (DMA) concept has been devised and implemented for module-to-next-level interconnection. The MCM-D technology employed is reviewed and the DMA concept introduced. The design, performance, thermal characteristics and reliability of the DMA technology are described. The application of the MCM-D and DMA technologies in a wireless LAN RF function is then presented.
Pyroelectric Nanogenerator Based on an SbSI–TiO2 Nanocomposite

For the first time, a composite of ferroelectric antimony sulfoiodide (SbSI) nanowires and non-ferroelectric titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles was applied as a pyroelectric nanogenerator. SbSI nanowires were fabricated under ultrasonic treatment. Sonochemical synthesis was performed in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles. The mean lateral dimension da = 68(2) nm and the length La = 2.52(7) µm of the SbSI nanowires were determined. TiO2 nanoparticles served as binders in the synthesized nanocomposite, which allowed for the preparation of dense films via the simple drop-casting method. The SbSI–TiO2 nanocomposite film was sandwiched between gold and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. The Curie temperature of TC = 294(2) K was evaluated and confirmed to be consistent with the data reported in the literature for ferroelectric SbSI. The SbSI–TiO2 device was subjected to periodic thermal fluctuations. The measured pyroelectric signals were highly correlated with the temperature change waveforms. The magnitude of the pyroelectric current was found to be a linear function of the temperature change rate. The high value of the pyroelectric coefficient p = 264(7) nC/(cm2·K) was determined for the SbSI–TiO2 nanocomposite. When the rate of temperature change was equal dT/dt = 62.5 mK/s, the maximum and average surface power densities of the SbSI–TiO2 nanogenerator reached 8.39(2) and 2.57(2) µW/m2, respectively.
Some contemporary challenges of teaching agriculture at a university- a perspective from Reading, UK.

Agricultural Higher Education is presently facing many challenges. Whilst many subject areas have attracted increasing numbers of students in the last decade, the overall “pool” of agricultural students is static if not declining. Against this background there are a high number of agriculturally related courses at both colleges and universities. This paper considers Agricultural Higher Education in the UK, focussing at four levels; the provision of courses; the curricula; and the learning experience and the issue of quality in Higher Education. Although it is essential that institutions respond to the rapidly changing agricultural environment, the maintenance and provision of high quality education is essential. In many institutes this may require the increased recognition of good teaching practice as well as research.
Reviewing Power quality issue through BFO-Fuzzy Controlled DVR mechanism

Among the power quality problems like sag, swell, harmonic etc, voltage sag and harmonic are the most severe disturbances in the distribution system. To overcome these problems the concept of custom power devices is introduced lately. One of those devices is the Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR), which is the most efficient and effective modern custom power device used in power distribution networks. Keywords— DVR, STATCOM, BFO Fuzzy controller
Eigenbased modeling of nonhomogeneous airborne radar environments

Space-time adaptive processing generally requires estimating a covariance matrix to compute the adaptive weights. Intrinsic to this process is an assumption that the environment is homogeneous, supplying a sufficient quantity of independent and identically distributed samples to train the adaptive filter. However, measured data analysis indicates the airborne radar environment can appear quite nonhomogeneous. This paper considers simple descriptions of nonhomogeneity, demonstrates measured data is nonhomogeneous via analysis of multichannel airborne radar measurements (MCARM) data, and discusses a means to excise outliers from covariance matrix estimation.
Biophysical feedback of forest canopy height on land surface temperature over contiguous United States

Forests are considered important in the mitigation of climate change. Biophysical effects of afforestation and deforestation on land surface temperature (LST) have been extensively documented. As a fundamental variable of forest structure, however, few studies have investigated the biophysical feedback of forest canopy height (FCH) changes on LST at large scale. This study is designed to investigate the impact of FCH changes on local land LST and clarify the biophysical processes controlling LST change from 2003 to 2005 over the contiguous United States, based on satellite observations. To this end, one satellite-based FCH product is selected, and the space-for-time approach, together with the energy balance equation, is applied. Results show that for different forest types, namely evergreen forest (EF), deciduous forest (DF), and mixed forest (MF), taller forests present a greater net cooling effect (0.056–0.448 K) than shorter forests at annual scale. The increase in net radiation and sensible heat flux was less than the increase in the latent heat flux when FCH classes converted from shorter to taller, resulting in annual net cooling effects. Furthermore, the cooling effect of EF is stronger than that of DF and MF, whether for tall, medium, or short FCH classes. Multiple regression analysis reveals that the changes in biophysical components can effectively explain the LST change during the growing season. Our findings provide a new insight for forest management decision-making with the purpose of mitigating climate warming.