Benchmarking Vision-Based Object Tracking for USVs in Complex Maritime Environments

Vision-based target tracking is crucial for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to perform tasks such as inspection, monitoring, and surveillance. However, real-time tracking in complex maritime environments is challenging due to dynamic camera movement, low visibility, and scale variation. Typically, object detection methods combined with filtering techniques are commonly used for tracking, but they often lack robustness, particularly in the presence of camera motion and missed detections. Although advanced tracking methods have been proposed recently, their application in maritime scenarios is limited. To address this gap, this study proposes a vision-guided object tracking framework for USVs, integrating state-of-the-art tracking algorithms with low-level control systems to enable precise tracking in dynamic maritime environments. We benchmarked the performance of seven distinct trackers, developed using advanced deep learning techniques such as Siamese Networks and Transformers, by evaluating them on both simulated and real-world maritime datasets. In addition, we evaluated the robustness of various control algorithms in conjunction with these tracking systems. The proposed framework was validated through simulations and real-world sea experiments, demonstrating its effectiveness in handling dynamic maritime conditions. The results show that SeqTrack, a Transformer-based tracker, performed best in adverse conditions, such as dust storms. Among the control algorithms evaluated, the linear quadratic regulator controller (LQR) demonstrated the most robust and smooth control, allowing for stable tracking of the USV. Videos and code can be found here: https://muhayyuddin.github.io/tracking/

Hearing Performance and Soft-Tissue Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Ponto Surgery and Local Anesthesia in Children with Unilateral Craniofacial Malformation

Introduction Minimally invasive Ponto surgery (MIPS) enables the installation of percutaneous bone-anchored hearing implants (BAHIs) with a drill guide through a hole punch incision. Despite being well established for adults, there is a lack of studies in the literature regarding its use in pediatric patients

Ship Formation and Route Optimization Design Based on Improved PSO and D-P Algorithm

The rapid development of the global shipping industry and the changes in complex marine environments have put forward higher requirements for ship formation and route optimization. The purpose of the research is to improve the efficiency and accuracy of ship formation and route planning through improved algorithms. Based on this, a ship formation model combining improved particle swarm optimization algorithm and a generative route optimization method based on improved Douglas-Peucker algorithm are proposed. The particle swarm algorithm introduces dynamic adaptive parameter adjustment and the cross mutation strategy of genetic algorithm, while the Douglas-Peucker algorithm integrates density-based noise application spatial clustering algorithm to improve model performance. The test results show that the total navigation distance of the allocation path generated by the ship formation model is 605.3 meters, the calculation time is 31.8 seconds, and all ships can be accurately allocated to the target point. When the number of iterations is 1000, the route optimization model has a route coverage rate of 95.9% on the training set, an average error of 30.5 meters, and a computation time of 45.9 seconds, achieving zero collisions. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm outperforms traditional methods in accuracy and stability of formation target allocation and route planning, especially under complex sea conditions, and can significantly reduce computation time and errors. The research provides a new technological means for optimizing ship formations and routes, which has certain application potential and practical value

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells exhibit distinct characteristics in bone marrow and blood of individuals with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Antitumor immune surveillance is the key feature of tumour progression and response to treatment in various malignancies, such as lymphomas. Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are bone marrow (BM)-derived cells with potent suppressive properties, implicated in T cell inhibition and tumour dissemination. In Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), circulating MDSCs constitute the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, while the contribution of BM MDSCs in disease pathogenesis remains elusive. In the present study we aimed to evaluate both the frequencies as well as the molecular signatures of MDSCs in blood and BM from newly diagnosed DLBCL patients prior to treatment initiation and from age matched healthy donors. Circulating levels of total, monocytic (M-) and polymorphonuclear (PMN-) MDSCs were found increased in DLBCL compared to healthy control, while in DLBCL patients the BM MDSCs were significantly increased compared to blood. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significantly different molecular fingerprints to characterize circulating and BM M-MDSCs, implying that MDSCs exhibit their function with distinct mechanisms depending on the anatomical compartment. Despite that MDSC frequencies did not demonstrate any significant correlation with disease characteristics and outcome, our findings propose that gene expression profiling should be evaluated for their potential prognostic impact. Overall, the findings presented here, provide new insights in the immunosuppressive networks that operate in DLBCL and importantly propose new molecular mechanisms expressed by BM MDSCs which may be explored therapeutically

4-Aminoquinoline as a privileged scaffold for the design of leishmanicidal agents: structure–property relationships and key biological targets

Leishmaniasis is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases, with more than two million new cases annually. It is endemic in several regions worldwide, representing a public health problem for more than 88 countries, in particular in the tropical and subtropical regions of developing countries. At the moment, there are neither approved vaccines nor effective drugs for the treatment of human leishmaniasis for any of its three typical clinical manifestations, and, importantly, the drugs of clinical use have several side effects, require complex administration regimens, present high cost, and are ineffective in many populations due to pathogen resistance. Moreover, beyond the pharmacological exigencies, there are other challenges concerning its parasitic nature, such as its great genetic plasticity and adaptability, enabling it to activate a battery of genes to develop resistance quickly. All these aspects demand the identification and development of new, safe, and effective chemical systems, which must not only be focused on medicinal chemistry and pharmacological aspects but also consider key aspects relative to parasite survival.In this sense, the quinolines and, in particular, 4-aminoquinoline, represent a privileged scaffold for the design of potential leishmanicidal candidates due not only to their versatility to generate highly active and selective compounds but also to their correlation with well-defined biological targets. These facts make it possible to generate safe leishmanicidal agents targeted at key aspects of parasite survival.The current review summarizes the most current examples of leishmanicidal agents based on 4-aminoquinolines focusing the analysis on two essential aspects: (i) structure–property relationship to identify the key pharmacophores and (ii) mode of action focused on key targets in parasite survival (e.g., depolarization of potential mitochondrial, accumulation into macrophage lysosome, and immunostimulation of host cells). With that information, we seek to give useful guidelines for interested researchers to face the drug discovery and development process for selective and potent leishmanicidal agents based on 4-aminoquinolines

A holistic approach is needed for women with an inflammatory arthritis in the different phases around pregnancy; the results of the CAPRI study

IntroductionWomen with inflammatory arthritis (IA) face significant challenges throughout preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum phases, including concerns about disease management and medication safety. The Reproductive Rheumatology care pathway at Erasmus University Medical Center integrates specialized care from rheumatologists and specialized nurses to address both medical, nursing, practical and emotional needs during these phases. This study evaluates patient satisfaction, identifies unmet needs, and explores opportunities for enhancing support within this integrated care model.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. We designed a customized questionnaire for women 18 years and older who were treated following the Reproductive Rheumatology care pathway and had given birth between 2019 and 2021. These women were invited to fill in the questionnaire. The survey assessed satisfaction with care, challenges experienced, and information needs across preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum phases. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used for data analysis.ResultsParticipants reported high satisfaction with care, rating rheumatologists an average of 8.8/10 and specialized nurses 9.2/10. While 78.9% experienced no major issues, some faced problems such as managing disease flares and difficulties around conception. Information needs varied by phase: preconception needs focused on medication safety and fertility, while pregnancy and postpartum concerns included disease management and emotional support. Specialized nurses were pivotal in offering personalized care and practical advice.ConclusionThe integrated Reproductive Rheumatology care pathway effectively supports women with IA through their reproductive journey. Despite high satisfaction, improvements could be made in personalized care and addressing challenges related to confidence and help acceptance. Future research should investigate the long-term impact of such care pathways on reproductive outcomes and patient well-being

Interprofessional approach to personalized medication management and therapy optimization in IBD care

A considerable number of patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are required to manage extensive polypharmaceutical regimes, which significantly elevates the risk of drug–drug interactions. Also, the disease’s impact often leads to the consumption of additional self-medication by the patients such as naturopathic remedies to alleviate disease-induced suffering and nutritional supplements to compensate for malabsorption syndromes inherent to the condition. There is a well-established consensus that polymedication coupled with unregulated supplementary intake can jeopardize the safety of drug therapy. Despite this, pharmaceutical co-supervision—proven to mitigate adverse drug events and enhance patient adherence to treatment—is generally lacking in routine clinical settings. Furthermore, the assessment of individual therapy adherence, a crucial predictive factor for therapeutic outcomes, is frequently suboptimal. In response to these issues, this study implemented an interdisciplinary approach wherein a team comprising medical and pharmaceutical professionals conducted a comprehensive survey coupled with a medication review for patients attending an IBD outpatient clinic. Employing an IBD-specific questionnaire alongside the patients’ documented medication regimens enabled the identification and subsequent discussion of current therapeutic concerns and potential medication-related risks during follow-up consultations. This intervention aimed to bolster individual patient satisfaction and enhance medication safety, ultimately fostering sustained success in IBD management

Circulating miRNA-486 as a novel diagnostic biomarker for right ventricular remodeling

ObjectiveClinical practice currently faces a significant shortfall in specific biomarkers needed for diagnosing right ventricular (RV) remodeling in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). While small noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators of RV remodeling, the biomarker potential of serum miRNAs in this process is little known. This study systematically screened and identified candidate serum miRNAs as potential diagnostic biomarkers for RV remodeling in PH patients.MethodsPulmonary artery banding (PAB) was performed in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and RV modeling was measured by echocardiographic and histological analyses 4 weeks after surgery. High-throughput miRNA sequencing of serum samples was performed to profile differentially-expressed miRNAs (dif-miRNAs) and preliminarily screen candidate miRNAs. The diagnostic power of the candidate miRNA was further validated in 100 patients [20 with adaptive RV pressure overload; 20 with maladaptive RV pressure overload; 20 with left heart failure (LHF); 19 with left ventricular hypertrophy and 21 controls].ResultsPAB rats exhibited severe RV hypertrophy, fibrosis and enlargement of RV cardiomyocytes compared with sham group. MiRNA sequencing analyses revealed 19 dif-miRNAs (12 upregulated and 7 downregulated) between the two groups. Among the 12 upregulated miRNAs, miRNA-486 exhibited highest elevation in PAB group and was supposed to be the candidate biomarker for RV modeling. Serum miRNA-486 levels were lower in control and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) patients compared to PH patients, and significantly higher in maladapted RV patients than in adapted RV patients. Serum miRNA-486 was significantly higher in LHF patients compared to controls, but still significantly lower than in PH patients. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, serum miRNA-486 was a good predictor of RV maladaptation in PH patients (cut-off value 3.441, AUC 0.8625), which was not significantly different from B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Elevated serum miRNA-486 levels (≥3.441) were associated with reduced TAPSE/PASP ratios and increased BNP levels.ConclusionsSerum miRNA-486 has the potential to be a valuable noninvasive biomarker for diagnosing RV remodeling in patients with PH

Transcriptomic and physiological analyses reveal that cytokinin is involved in the compound leaf development of alfalfa

Alfalfa is one of the primary forages, and its yield is largely dependent on the development of its leaf. In this study, to elucidate the mechanism of compound leaf development, we isolated and examined the alfalfa phenotype Chuancao No.7, exhibiting five leaflets. The agronomic traits of the Chuancao No.7 including the leaf blade area, leaf/stem ratio, total fresh weight, and dry weight showed significant increases compared to those of the wild-type. Analyses of forage quality traits indicated significant differences in crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude fat (CF), water-soluble sugars (WSS), carbon content, ash composition content, and phosphorus content between Chuancao No.7 alfalfa and wild-type. Transcriptomic profile analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes were identified in the cytokinin (CK) signaling pathway. Both exogenous treatment and endogenous CK content detection indicated that cytokinin played a key role in the development of the alfalfa compound leaf. These results serve as a valuable resource for optimizing the forage quality and exploring the excellent germplasm of alfalfa

Linking workplace digitalization to work engagement: evidence from China public sector organizations

PurposeThe construction of “Digital Government” has greatly facilitated the workplace digitalization in the public sectors of China. Workplace digitalization has become a pervasive phenomenon in modern organizations, including the public sector. Existing research on the impact of workplace digitalization on individual behavior has yielded conflicting results, making the impact of workplace digitalization on employee work engagement remains a subject of debate and investigation. Based on the transactional theory of stress, this article aims to examine how workplace digitalization influences government employees’ work engagement through different appraisals (i.e., challenge and threat) and the moderating role of a personal trait (i.e., digital literacy).MethodsStructured questionnaires and a three-wave research design were used to collect data. A total of 290 employees from public organizations in Guangdong Province, in China, participated in the study. SPSS and MPLUS were used to analyze the data using the latest bootstrapping and process macro techniques.ResultsThe results show that workplace digitalization can produce both beneficial and detrimental impacts on work engagement of government employees via challenge and threat appraisals, respectively. The digital literacy of government employees was confirmed to moderate the impacts of perceived workplace digitalization on stress appraisals (i.e., challenge and threat).ConclusionOur study proposes a theoretical framework that explain the mixed impacts of workplace digitalization on government employees’ work engagement via challenge and threat appraisals. It also offers practical suggestions to public sector and managers on how to balance the challenge and threat aspects of digitalization in the workplace