Particle filter vehicles tracking by fusing multiple features

Real-time and accurate vehicle tracking by Cameras and Surveillance can provide strong support for the acquisition and application of important traffic parameters, which is the basis of the traffic condition evaluation and the reasonable traffic command and dispatch. To deal with difficult problems of vehicle tracking research in a complex environments, such as occlusion, sudden illumination change, similar target interference and real-time tracking, measures are taken as follows. Firstly, the existing color local entropy particle filter tracking method is improved. The symmetry of information entropy is used to overcome the tracking failure caused by large-area occlusion. Secondly, the SIFT feature tracking method is improved to enhance real-time performance and robustness. Thirdly, two tracking methods were combined according to their characteristics, aiming at effectively improving the quasi-determination and real-time performance of vehicle tracking. Fourthly, Kalman filter was used to predict the motion state of vehicles. According to the SIFT characteristics and license plate information of vehicles, the exact position of the lost target vehicles is quickly located. It has been verified by experiments that our method has effectively improved the accuracy and real-time performance of vehicle tracking in complex situations.publishedVersio

Simultaneous Detection of 14 Sweeteners in Pre-prepared Dishes Using High-performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry

In response to the existing methodological gap in direct analysis of sweeteners in ready-to-eat dishes, a novel HPLC-MS/MS-based analytical platform was systematically developed for simultaneous determination of 14 synthetic sweeteners (including acesulfame-K, saccharin, sucralose, etc.) in complex food matrices. This methodology was validated through multi-phase optimization involving matrix-matched calibration, gradient elution protocols, and triple quadrupole mass spectrometric detection. The samples were extracted with 80% methanol-water solution (pH3) under ultrasonic conditions for 10 minutes, followed by centrifugation at 8000 r/min for 5 minutes at 4 ℃. The extraction process was repeated once, and the combined extract was concentrated by rotary evaporation. The concentrated liquid was then diluted to 100 mL, and 5 mL of n-hexane was added. After vortexing for 2 min and purification, the sample was analyzed. The separation process was facilitated by an ACQUITY HSS T3 chromatography column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 μm), employing a gradient elution technique with two mobile phases: (A) 5 mmol ammonium acetate in 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and (B) 5 mmol ammonium acetate in 0.1% formic acid methanol solution. For detection, the electrospray negative ion multiple reaction monitoring mode was utilized. The analysis revealed that the 14 sweeteners exhibited strong linear correlations within their respective concentration ranges, with R2 values consistently exceeding 0.999. The detection limits spanned from 0.02 to 4.30 mg/kg, while quantification limits ranged between 0.07 and 14.33 mg/kg. During spiking tests conducted at concentrations of 1.0, 50.0, and 125.0 mg/kg, the recovery rates of the samples fell within the range of 86.2% to 107.1%, accompanied by relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 10% (n=6). This method demonstrates effective purification, straightforward operation, and high sensitivity, ideal for rapid detection of 14 sweeteners in pre-prepared dishes

The Efficacy of Acupuncture on Anthropometric Measures and the Biochemical Markers for Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Background. Many previous studies have shown the potential therapeutic effect of acupuncture for metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, most of these studies were limited by short durations of observation and a lack of sham acupuncture as control. We designed a randomized controlled trial, used sham acupuncture as the control, and evaluated the efficacy over 12 weeks of treatment and 12 weeks of follow-up. Methods/Design. The study was designed as a multicentre, parallel-group, randomized, double-blinded trial. 40 patients were randomly assigned to two groups: treatment group (treated with acupuncture) and control group (treated with sham acupuncture). Outcomes were measured at 4, 8, and 12 weeks and 3 months after treatment. Results. 33 participants (17 in acupuncture group and 16 in control group) completed the treatment and the follow-up. Decreases from baseline in mean waist circumference (WC) and weight at the end of treatment were 4.85 cm (95% CI [2.405,5.595]) and 4.00 kg (95% CI [1.6208,4.4498]) in acupuncture group and 1.62 cm and 1.64 kg in control group (P<0.01). The changes in mean glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and blood pressure in acupuncture group were greater than the changes in control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion. Acupuncture decreases WC, HC, HbA1c, TG, and TC values and blood pressure in MetS

Therapeutic potential of Chinese medicinal herbs stimulating osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in osteoporosis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a common and complex chronic metabolic disease with an increasing incidence rate, which has markedly increased the human health burden worldwide. The predominant cause of OP is an imbalance between osteoblasts (OB) and osteoclasts (OC). Studies on the correlation between bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and OP have indicated that BMSCs-induced OB differentiation is an important pathway for bone tissue renewal. Chinese medicinal herbs have been used for centuries to treat various types of OPs because they are safer and more effective. The in vivo and in vitro experiments have confirmed that these herbs or their primary phytochemicals may exert therapeutic effects by stimulating BMSCs differentiation, which restores OB and OP balance, inhibits adipocyte differentiation, exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, regulates the immune system, etc. This review summarizes the research on how Chinese medicinal herbs or their primary phytochemicals treat OP by stimulating BMSC differentiation and provides a scientifically reliable basis and perspective for their future clinical application

Impact of Health Information on Health-Related Behavior Change of Patients Living with Chronic Diseases

This study examined the health information-seeking and use behavior of patients with chronic diseases to support a change in their health behavior. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews and recruited fifteen patients with diabetes (ranging from twenty-five to seventy-five years of age). Thematic analysis was conducted using the NVivo software and five themes were identified under medical and lifestyle management context, including topics of health information needs, information sources, health behavior change/non-change, barriers for information seeking, and influencing factors for information use. The results extended Wilson’s Information Behaviour Model Wilson (1999) by addressing the important role of information needs, which serve, as more than a task to achieve, to ferment a context for the consequent information seeking and use. Two-thirds of the interviewees neglect topics such as disease knowledge and risk avoidance due to interviewees’ incomprehensive and misled understanding of the disease. Instructiveness of information is reported by the participants to influence their information use in behavioral changes, regardless of the trustworthiness of the information. Nearly half of the interviewees cannot apply health information to change their behavior due to perceived health conditions, absent family support, insufficient social support, and partially covered social security. This study contributes to health information behavior studies by proposing a theoretical model of change in health behavior supported by information seeking and use in a comprehensive context-sensitive process and offers implications for customized health information services

Research Self-balancing UAV Takeoff and Landing Control System Based on Quadruped Robot

Abstract Aiming at the advantages of UAVs in field survey and search as well as their difficulties in taking off and landing in poor ground environment in the field, a simple self-balancing UAV take-off and landing control system based on a quadruped robot is proposed. Firstly, the simple physical model of the system is established and the mathematical analysis is carried out. Secondly, the inverse kinematics of the single leg model is derived. Thirdly, the attitude sensor is used to measure the attitude angle data of the system platform, and the Kalman filter is used in the software design to filter the attitude angle data, and the PID control algorithm is used to control each leg joint. Finally, The design is simulated by MATLAB and experimentally analyzed, and the test results meet the design requirements.</jats:p

Towards Sustainable Shipping: Joint Optimization of Ship Speed and Bunkering Strategy Considering Ship Emissions

Maritime regulators are closely monitoring the progression of green shipping, and liner companies are seeking strategies to meet tough ship emission rules. To reduce the operating cost while conforming to the increasingly strict environmental regulations, the study first constructs a mixed-integer nonlinear optimization model. Subsequently, the nonlinear parts in the objective function and constraints are transformed into linear forms. Thereafter, the model is applied to the Asia&ndash;Europe route of the CMA CGM Shipping Company to find the planned speeds and bunkering strategies for container liners sailing in expanded emission control areas (ECAs) that will be implemented in the future. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to examine the influence of bunker tank capacity and fuel price difference on the operating cost, carbon dioxide emission, bunkering strategy and planned sailing speed. The study contributes to determining the optimal tank capacity and developing bunkering strategies at different fuel price differences. With stricter policies, operators must strategically choose refueling ports, adjust refueling amounts, and optimize planned sailing speeds based on ship and route data. The proposed approach provides a solution to the contradiction between compliance with environmental regulations and cost-effectiveness of shipping companies and is of great significance for promoting the sustainable development of the waterway transportation industry