A Generative Adversarial Network for AI-Aided Chair Design

We present a method for improving human design of chairs. The goal of the method is generating enormous chair candidates in order to facilitate human designer by creating sketches and 3d models accordingly based on the generated chair design. It consists of an image synthesis module, which learns the underlying distribution of training dataset, a super-resolution module, which improve quality of generated image and human involvements. Finally, we manually pick one of the generated candidates to create a real life chair for illustration.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, accepted at MIPR201

A Dual Stealthy Backdoor: From Both Spatial and Frequency Perspectives

Backdoor attacks pose serious security threats to deep neural networks (DNNs). Backdoored models make arbitrarily (targeted) incorrect predictions on inputs embedded with well-designed triggers while behaving normally on clean inputs. Many works have explored the invisibility of backdoor triggers to improve attack stealthiness. However, most of them only consider the invisibility in the spatial domain without explicitly accounting for the generation of invisible triggers in the frequency domain, making the generated poisoned images be easily detected by recent defense methods. To address this issue, in this paper, we propose a DUal stealthy BAckdoor attack method named DUBA, which simultaneously considers the invisibility of triggers in both the spatial and frequency domains, to achieve desirable attack performance, while ensuring strong stealthiness. Specifically, we first use Discrete Wavelet Transform to embed the high-frequency information of the trigger image into the clean image to ensure attack effectiveness. Then, to attain strong stealthiness, we incorporate Fourier Transform and Discrete Cosine Transform to mix the poisoned image and clean image in the frequency domain. Moreover, the proposed DUBA adopts a novel attack strategy, in which the model is trained with weak triggers and attacked with strong triggers to further enhance the attack performance and stealthiness. We extensively evaluate DUBA against popular image classifiers on four datasets. The results demonstrate that it significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art backdoor attacks in terms of the attack success rate and stealthinessComment: 10 pages, 7 figures. Submit to ACM MM 202

Spontaneous breaking and re-making of the RS-Au-SR staple in self-assembled ethylthiolate/Au(111) interface

The stability of the self-assembled RS–Au–SR (R = CH₂CH₃)/Au­(111) interface at room temperature has been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in conjunction with density functional theory (DFT) and MD calculations. The RS–Au–SR staple, also known as Au-adatom-dithiolate, assembles into staple rows along the [112̅] direction. STM imaging reveals that while the staple rows are able to maintain a static global structure, individual staples within the row are subjected to constant breaking and remaking of the Au–SR bond. The C₂S–Au–SC₂/Au­(111) interface is under a dynamic equilibrium and it is far from rigid. DFT/MD calculations show that a transient RS–Au–Au–SR complex can be formed when a free Au atom is added to the RS–Au–SR staple. The relatively high reactivity of the RS–Au–SR staple at room temperature could explain the reactivity of thiolate-protected Au nanoclusters, such as their ability to participate in ligand exchange and intercluster reactions

Linkages between stomatal density and minor leaf vein density across different altitudes and growth forms

Water supply and demand in leaves are primarily determined by stomatal density (SD, water demand) and minor leaf vein density (VLA, water supply). Thus, covariation between them is essential for maintaining water balance. However, there is debate over whether these two traits vary in a coordinated way. Here, we gathered SD and VLA data from 194 species over four altitudinal gradients, and investigated their relationships across all species, growth forms, and different altitudes. Our findings demonstrated that SD and VLA were positively associated across all species, independent on plant phylogeny. Moreover, the reliability of this SD-VLA relationship increased with altitudes. Although the stomatal number per minor vein length (SV) remained stable across different altitudes and growth forms, the positive SD-VLA relationship was found only in shrubs and herbs, but not in trees. Differently, a strong coordination between total stomatal number and total leaf vein length was observed across all species, trees, shrubs and herbs. These findings suggested that coordinating stomatal number and minor vein length within one leaf, rather than stomatal and vein density, may be a common choice of plants in the fluctuating environment. Therefore, to explore the relationship between total number of stomata and total length of leaf veins seems to better reflect the linkage between stomata and leaf veins, especially when covering different growth forms

Deployment Optimization of Connected and Automated Vehicle Lanes with the Safety Benefits on Roadway Networks

Reasonable deployment of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) lanes which separating the heterogeneous traffic flow consisting of both CAVs and human-driven vehicles (HVs) can not only improve traffic safety but also greatly improve the overall roadway efficiency. This paper simplified CAV lane deployment plan into the problem of traffic network design and proposed a comprehensive decision-making method for CAV lane deployment plan. Based on the traffic equilibrium theory, this method aims to reduce the travel cost of the traffic network and the management cost of CAV lanes using a bilevel primary-secondary programming model. In addition, the upper level is the decision-making scheme of the lane deployment, while the lower level is the traffic assignment model including CAV and HV modes based on the decision-making scheme of the upper level. After that, a genetic algorithm was designed to solve the model. Finally, a medium-scaled traffic network was selected to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm. The case study shows that the proposed method obtained a feasible scheme for lane deployment considering from both the system travel cost and management cost of CAV lanes. In addition, a sensitivity analysis of the market penetration rate of CAVs, traffic demand, and the capacity of CAVLs further proves the applicability of this model, which can achieve better allocation of system resources and also improve the traffic efficiency. Document type: Articl

The effects of tensile and compressive dwells on creep-fatigue behavior and fracture mechanism in welded joint of P92 steel

The creep-fatigue interactions on the long-term service damage of P92 welded joint were investigated on the tensile and compressive holdings with a series of applied strains, respectively. The local mechanical properties including hardness, elastic modulus and creep resistance of welded joint were uncovered using nanoindentation. The features of fracture morphology and internal defects after CF tests were studied by scanning electron mi- croscope. Based on the characteristic of microstructural evolution and the variation in local mechanical prop- erties, holding type effects of creep-fatigue interaction on the local creep behavior and fracture mechanism of the welds were systematically investigated

Spatial distribution and diversity of the heterotrophic flagellates in the Cosmonaut Sea, Antarctic

As predators of bacteria and viruses and as food sources for microzooplankton, heterotrophic flagellates (HFs) play an important role in the marine micro-food web. Based on the global climate change’s impact on marine ecosystems, particularly sea ice melting, we analyzed the community composition and diversity of heterotrophic flagellates, focusing on the Antarctic Cosmonaut Sea. During the 36th China Antarctic research expedition (2019-2020), we collected seawater samples, subsequently analyzing HFs through IlluminaMiSeq2000 sequencing to assess community composition and diversity. Notable variations in HFs abundance were observed between the western and eastern sectors of the Cosmonaut Sea, with a distinct concentration at a 100-meter water depth. Different zones exhibited diverse indicators and dominants taxa influenced by local ocean currents. Both the northern Antarctic Peninsula and the western Cosmonaut Sea, where the Weddell Eddy and Antarctic Land Slope Current intersect, showcased marine stramenopiles as dominant HFs species. Our findings offer insights into dominant taxa, spatial distribution patterns among heterotrophic flagellates, correlations between taxa distribution and environmental factors, and the exploration of potential indicator taxa