Toward Globally Optimal State Estimation Using Automatically Tightened Semidefinite Relaxations

In recent years, semidefinite relaxations of common optimization problems in robotics have attracted growing attention due to their ability to provide globally optimal solutions. In many cases, it was shown that specific handcrafted redundant constraints are required to obtain tight relaxations and thus global optimality. These constraints are formulation-dependent and typically require a lengthy manual process to find. Instead, the present paper suggests an automatic method to find a set of sufficient redundant constraints to obtain tightness, if they exist. We first propose an efficient feasibility check to determine if a given set of variables can lead to a tight formulation. Secondly, we show how to scale the method to problems of bigger size. At no point of the process do we have to manually find redundant constraints. We showcase the effectiveness of the approach, in simulation and on real datasets, for range-based localization and stereo-based pose estimation. Finally, we reproduce semidefinite relaxations presented in recent literature and show that our automatic method finds a smaller set of constraints sufficient for tightness than previously considered.Comment: 18 pages, 20 figure

3-T MRI and clinical validation of ultrasound-guided transperineal laser ablation of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Background: Transperineal laser ablation (TPLA) of the prostate is a novel, mini-invasive option for men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Our aim was to assess the impact of ultrasound-guided TPLA regarding urodynamic improvement and sexual function, monitoring clinical data, postprocedural complications and imaging findings at 3-T multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. Methods: Forty-four patients aged ≥ 50 affected with moderate to severe LUTS (International Prostate Symptoms score ≥ 12) due to benign prostatic obstruction and refractoriness, intolerance or poor compliance to medical therapies underwent US-guided TPLA between May 2018 and February 2020. Clinical measurements included PSA, uroflowmetry, sexual function assessment (using the International Index of Erectile Function and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire-Ejaculatory Dysfunction short form) and quality of life questionnaire. Adverse events were evaluated using the Clavien-Dindo scale. Volume changes were measured by MRI and automatic segmentation software during 1-year follow-up. Registration: NCT04044573 – May 5th, 2018, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov Results: MRI assessed the changes over time with a 53% mean reduction of adenoma volume and 71% of the ablated area, associated with clinical and functional improvement and resolution of LUTS in all cases. Five of 44 patients (11.3%) had urinary blockage due to clots and required re-catheterisation for 2 weeks. The overall adverse event rate was 7%. Conclusion: US-guided TPLA performed as a safe, manageable and effective treatment for LUTS. It could be considered an alternative effective mini-invasive procedure to standard treatments for BPH in the outpatient setting

Characterization of atmospheric aerosol size distributions at the Izaña station connections to new particle formation at a high altitude

Understanding the process of New Particle Formation (NPF) can help us both to protect human health and to fight climate change. On the one hand, nanometric particles can enter the lungs and penetrate into the blood circulation and cross the blood-brain barrier. On the other hand, they can act as cloud condensation nuclei, thus altering the properties and distribution of clouds, and interact with the solar radiation. Despite recent advances in the instrumentation to detect newly formed particles, the mechanism of NPF and the participating precursors are still under investigation, especially at high-altitude and mountain sites reaching the free troposphere. In fact, not only the instrument maintenance is complicated by the low atmospheric pressure there, but also the identification of the NPF events may be challenging due to the complex local topography affecting the spatial extent of the phenomenon. For example, changes of air mass can occur during daytime due to the transport of gases and particles from the lower altitude. To investigate NPF in marine free troposphere, we performed a three-month long measurement campaign between April 2nd, 2022, and June 27th, 2022, at the high-altitude mountain station of Izaña (2367 m a.s.l.), on the island of Tenerife, Spain. The observations included high time resolution size distribution measurements of particles with a diameter between 1.2 nm and 533 nm and of atmospheric ions with a diameter between 0.8 nm and 38 nm, which were detected using a Neutral cluster and Air Ion Spectrometer (NAIS), a nano-Condensation Nucleus Counter (nCNC), and a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). After classifying the daily aerosol size distribution data into NPF events and non-events, the influence of the boundary layer dynamics to the process was explored. We compared the time evolution of the size distribution surface plots to the trends of meteorological variables and boundary layer tracers (i.e., black carbon, CO, and water mixing ratio). The results show the importance of the air masses from vertical transport on the process of NPF (an example is shown in Figure 1). We, thus, investigated the typical conditions under which NPF was detected. Furthermore, the role of ions in the NPF process will be investigated. We will also show the growth rates and formation rates for sub-10 nm particles in Izaña, which are important to understand the potential mechanisms that promote the gas-to-particle conversion above the marine stratocumulus layer. The role of the precursor vapor sulfuric acid to NPF will be discussed as well

MicroRNAs, miR-154, miR-299-5p, miR-376a, miR-376c, miR-377, miR-381, miR-487b, miR-485-3p, miR-495 and miR-654-3p, mapped to the 14q32.31 locus, regulate proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in metastatic prostate cancer cells

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Electrooptical Characterization of New Classes of Silicon Carbide UV Photodetectors

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