Search

3D feature descriptor plays an essential role in 3D computer vision as it is a pre-requisite step for many 3D vision applications. Despite there exists many 3D feature descriptors currently, they are mostly represented in floating representation, resulting costly computation and storage. In this paper, we propose a 3D binary local feature descriptor, Binary Rotational Projection Histogram (BRoPH), aimed at compactness of representation and efficiency of computation. BRoPH is generated directly from point cloud by turning the description of 3D point cloud into a series binarization of 2D image patches. The exploited local reference frame promotes the construction efficiency meanwhile maintains repeatability and stability, the multi-view mechanism and integration of density distribution and depth information employed in BRoPH complement each other and enhance its descriptiveness, and the multi-scale extension of Center-Symmetric Local Binary Patterns (CS-LBP) provides an efficient and compact way to generate binary string. We compare BRoPH against several representative descriptors on public datasets and demonstrate that it achieves about 14 times more compact, 28 and 4 times more faster in terms of describing and matching time respectively, than the average performance of the compared floating descriptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-throughput and low-cost quantification of the nutrient content in crop grains is crucial for food processing and nutritional research. However, traditional methods are time-consuming and destructive. A high-throughput and low-cost method of quantification of wheat nutrients with VIS-NIR (400-1700 nm) hyperspectral imaging is proposed in this study. Stepwise linear regression (SLR) was used to predict hundreds of nutrients accurately (R2 > 0.6); results improved when the hyperspectral data was processed with the first derivative. Knockout materials were also used to verify their practical application value. Various nutrients' characteristic wavelengths were mainly concentrated in the visible regions of 400–500 nm and 900–1000 nm. Finally, we proposed an improved pix2pix conditional generative network model to visualize the nutrients distribution and showed better results compared with the original. This research highlights the potential of hyperspectral technology in high-throughput and non-destructive determination and visualization of grain nutrients with deep learning. • VIS-NIR hyperspectral imaging accurately predicts 220 nutrients in wheat grains. • Derivative processing of hyperspectral data improves model's predictive accuracy. • Stepwise linear regression outperforms other models in predicting nutrient content. • Characteristic wavelengths are primarily in the 400–500 nm and 900–1000 nm regions. • Improved pix2pix deep learning network effectively visualizes nutrient distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the frequent use of traditional Chinese herbal medicine by women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the absence of robust evidence for taking Chinese herbs in accordance with different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes (including 'Kidney Yang Deficiency syndrome' (KYDS), this study was designed to investigate the metabolomic characteristics of follicular fluid in PCOS patients with KYDS. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect follicular fluid data from 100 infertile women participating in in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols, including 33 patients with KYDS in PCOS and 67 healthy women whose partners showed male factor infertility. Novel SWATHtoMRM metabolomics method was used for providing the broad coverage and excellent quantitative capability to discovery the human follicular fluid metabolites related to PCOS with KYDS. Based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), an analysis platform of follicular fluid (FF) metabolomics was established; and the changes in 2 groups of metabolic profiles were observed by principal component analysis (PCA). Significant changes were identified in follicular fluid for example; phenylalanine, tryptophan, hemolysis phosphatidyl choline chloride, linoleic acid, oleic acid, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, vitamin D, and 28 other metabolites. The biochemical changes involved 12 different metabolic pathways, including metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids, and biosynthesis of bile acids. Our results will provide a more objective and scientific understanding of the KYDS of PCOS. According to our study, FF metabolomics will not only constitute an important tool with which to study TCM syndrome theory, but will also provide an experimental basis for the use of Chinese herbal medicine to treat individuals with PCOS with KYDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste incineration power projects (WIPP) may face suspicion and resistance due to potential environmental and health risks. Information behavior has become a crucial way for residents to manage the risks. By integrating the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model with the protective action decision model (PADM), the study develops a four-stage model that incorporates information acquisition and perceived benefits to understand the determinants of residents' information behaviors regarding WIPP. A total of 1726 respondents were interviewed. The results indicate that 77.5 % respondents frequently use social media. Of the twenty-five hypothesized paths, twenty-one were found to be significant. Information acquisition from social media plays a larger predictive role than that from official media. Perceived risks, benefits, and knowledge positively predict information sharing, systematic processing, and information seeking, respectively. Perceived knowledge has the strongest direct influence on information insufficiency (β = 0.24, p < 0.001) with the explained variance of systematic processing being the highest (R2 = 0.51). Interesting, the relationship between information insufficiency and information sharing, as well as between relevant channel beliefs and information sharing, are negative. Theoretical insights into extending the PADM and the RISP model are provided, as well as managerial implications for risk communication about WIPP. The research framework for residents' information behaviors regarding waste incineration power projects. [Display omitted] • This study integrates the RISP model and the PADM to present a four-stage research model of information behaviors. • Information acquisition from social media plays a larger predictive role than that from official media. • The more residents are aware of the project, the more they realize it provides more benefits and poses fewer risks. • This study provides managerial implications for risk communication about WIPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, controller design for high-order descriptor linear systems based on requirements on tracking performance and disturbance rejection is addressed. The proposed controller is composed of a decoupling controller and a disturbance term observer. When designing the controller, a new tracking performance index is first defined, which reflects the desired modes of tracking error of the closed-loop system. Based on this index, a decoupling controller with a disturbance term is derived. A disturbance term observer is then designed to estimate the disturbance term. Stability is proved for the closed-loop system and it is shown that the speed and shape of response of the closed loop tracking error can be conveniently regulated with only two parameters; furthermore the closed-loop system has robust disturbance compensation property. The attitude control of a spacecraft is used as an example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the controller. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To track multiple objects through occlusion, either depth information of the scene or prior models of the objects such as spatial models and smooth/predictable motion models are usually assumed before tracking. When these assumptions are unreasonable, the tracker may fail. To overcome this limitation, we propose a novel online sample based framework, inspired by the fact that the corresponding local parts of objects in sequential frames are always similar in the local color and texture features and spatial features relative to the centers of objects. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed approach works robustly under difficult and complex conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]