Optimization of ROI-based LiDAR sampling in on-road environment for autonomous driving

학위논문 (석사) -- 서울대학교 대학원 : 공과대학 전기·정보공학부, 2020. 8. Hyuk-Jae Lee.Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) 센서는 최근 로보틱스와 자율 주행을 비롯한 여러 분야에서 사용되고 있다. 이런 LiDAR 센서는 다른 센서보다 낮은 해상도가 특징으로, 효과적인 샘플링 알고리즘을 설계하는 것이 필수적이다. 자율 주행에 적용되는 LiDAR 샘플링 알고리즘의 경우 도로의 복잡한 환경에서도 강인하게 높은 품질로 reconstruction을 하는 것이 목표이다. 이를 위해 현행 ROI 기반 샘플링 알고리즘은 시멘틱 정보를 이용하고 있다. 하지만, 객체, 도로, 배경 등에 따른 sampling rate는 지금까지 충분히 논의되지 않았고, 이로 인해 종합적인 reconstruction 품질이 저하될 수 있다. 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해, 본 논문에서는 객체, 도로, 배경에 따른 sampling budget ratio를 도출할 수 있는 방법을 제안한다. 이 방법은 객체, 도로, 배경의 특성이 샘플링 이전에 선행 지식으로 주어져 있다는 가정을 이용한다. 제안하는 sampling budget을 적용한 결과, 현행 알고리즘보다 객체에 대한 mean-absolute-error (MAE)는 최대 45.92% 감소하였을 뿐만 아니라 전반적인 MAE 또한 3.36% 감소하였고, 도로에 대한 MAE는 오직 54.18% 감소하였다.In recent years, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors have been applied in several situations, including robotics and autonomous driving. However, LiDAR sensors have relatively low resolutions. Therefore, it is imperative to design an effective sampling algorithm for LiDAR sensors. To manage complex on-road environments, conventional ROI-based LiDAR sampling algorithm utilizes semantic information to achieve robust and high reconstruction quality. However, the ratio between sampling rates of objects, roads, and background areas is not thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the overall reconstruction quality may be degraded. To address this problem, this study presents a proposed method to examine the sampling budget ratio between objects, roads, and background areas, under the assumption that characteristics of objects, roads, and background areas are known prior to sampling. Experimental results depict a significant reduction in the mean-absolute-error (MAE) of the object region, road region and overall region by up to 45.92%, 54.18% and 3.36% under the proposed method, respectively, compared to the conventional method.Chapter 1. Introduction １ 1.1. Overview １ 1.2. Light detection and ranging sensor LiDAR sampling １ Chapter 2. Background ４ 2.1. Definition of a sampling problem ４ 2.2. Oracle Random Sampling ４ 2.2.1 Sampling Model ４ 2.2.2 Oracle Random Scheme ５ 2.3. ROI-based LiDAR sampling algorithm ６ Chapter 3. Proposed method ８ 3.1. Analytical method ８ Chapter 4. Experimental results １５ 4.1. Dataset １５ 4.2 Quantitative evaluation １６ Chapter 5. Conclusion ２０ Appendix ２１ References ３１ 초 록(Abstract in Korean) ３２Maste

Two new records for the flora of Vietnam: Sonerila (Melastomataceae) and Erycibe (Convolvulaceae)

Two recently discovered species from Phu Quoc National Park in southern Vietnam, Sonerila bokorense S.H. Cho and Y.D. Kim (Melastomataceae) and Erycibe citriniflora Griff. (Convolvulaceae), provide new records for the flora of Vietnam. For each species a taxonomic description is presented, together with information on their distribution, habitat and ecology; color photographs of both species are also given

How Digital Natives Learn and Thrive in the Digital Age: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

As a generation of ‘digital natives,’ secondary students who were born from 2002 to 2010 have various approaches to acquiring digital knowledge. Digital literacy and resilience are crucial for them to navigate the digital world as much as the real world; however, these remain under-researched subjects, especially in developing countries. In Vietnam, the education system has put considerable effort into teaching students these skills to promote quality education as part of the United Nations-defined Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). This issue has proven especially salient amid the COVID−19 pandemic lockdowns, which had obliged most schools to switch to online forms of teaching. This study, which utilizes a dataset of 1061 Vietnamese students taken from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s “Digital Kids Asia Pacific (DKAP)” project, employs Bayesian statistics to explore the relationship between the students’ background and their digital abilities. Results show that economic status and parents’ level of education are positively correlated with digital literacy. Students from urban schools have only a slightly higher level of digital literacy than their rural counterparts, suggesting that school location may not be a defining explanatory element in the variation of digital literacy and resilience among Vietnamese students. Students’ digital literacy and, especially resilience, also have associations with their gender. Moreover, as students are digitally literate, they are more likely to be digitally resilient. Following SDG4, i.e., Quality Education, it is advisable for schools, and especially parents, to seriously invest in creating a safe, educational environment to enhance digital literacy among students

Sero-epidemiological status and risk factors of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Northern Vietnam

Background: In Vietnam, few studies have determined the epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women and no routine prenatal screening is in place. This study was conducted to evaluate the seroprevalence of this zoonotic parasitic infection in pregnant women in Northern Vietnam and to assess the association with awareness, risk factors and congenital toxoplasmosis. Methods: Approximately 800 pregnant women were included in the study from two hospitals, one in Hanoi and one in Thai Binh province, which is known to have a dense cat population. Serological immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) detection was performed to estimate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and sero-incidence of maternal and congenital toxoplasmosis. In addition, a survey was conducted about awareness, clinical history, presentation of signs and symptoms relating to toxoplasmosis and to detect biologically plausible and socio-demographic risk factors associated with toxoplasmosis. Associations with seroprevalence were assessed using univariable and multivariable analysis. Results: The mean IgG seroprevalence after the full diagnostic process was 4.5% (95% confidence interval(CI): 2.7–7.0) and 5.8% (95% CI: 3.7–8.6) in Hanoi and Thai Binh hospital, respectively, and included one seroconversion diagnosed in Thai Binh hospital. Only 2.0% of the pregnant women in Hanoi hospital and 3.3% in Thai Binh hospital had heard about toxoplasmosis before this study. Conclusion: Since the percentage of seronegative, and thus susceptible, pregnant women was high and the awareness was low, we suggest to distribute information about toxoplasmosis and its prevention among women of child bearing age. Furthermore, future studies are recommended to investigate why such a low seroprevalence was seen in pregnant women in Northern Vietnam compared to other countries in South East Asia and globally

Antibiotic Resistance Profile and Methicillin-Resistant Encoding Genes of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Bloodstream Infection Patients in Northern Vietnam

Background:  Evaluating the antibiotic susceptibility and resistance genes is essential in the clinical management of bloodstream infections (BSIs). Nevertheless, there are still limited studies in Northern Vietnam. AIM: This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance profile and methicillin-resistant encoding genes of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) causing BSIs in Northern Vietnam. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was done from December 2012 to June 2014 in two tertiary hospitals in Northern Vietnam. Tests performed at the lab of the hospital. RESULTS:  In 43 S. aureus strains isolating, 53.5 % were MRSA. Distribution of gene for overall, MRSA, and MSSA strains were following: mecA gene (58.1 %; 95.7%, and 15%), femA gene (48.8%, 47.8%, and 50%), femB gene (88.4%, 82.6%, and 95%). Antibiotic resistance was highest in penicillin (100%), followed by erythromycin (65.1%) and clindamycin (60.5%). Several antibiotics were susceptible (100%), including vancomycin, tigecycline, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin. Quinolone group was highly sensitive, include ciprofloxacin (83.7%), levofloxacin (86%) and moxifloxacin (86%). CONCLUSION:  In S. aureus causing BSIs, antibiotic resistance was higher in penicillin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. All strains were utterly susceptible to vancomycin, tigecycline, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin

Antibiotic Resistance Profile and Diversity of Subtypes Genes in Escherichia coli Causing Bloodstream Infection in Northern Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Evaluating the antibiotic susceptibility and resistance genes is essential in the clinical management of bloodstream infections (BSIs). But there are still limited studies in Northern Vietnam. AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the antibiotic resistance profile and characteristics of subtypes genes in Escherichia coli causing BSIs in Northern Vietnam. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was done in the period from December 2012 to June 2014 in two tertiary hospitals in Northern Vietnam. Tests were performed at the lab of the hospital. RESULTS: In 56 E. coli strains isolating 39.29 % produced ESBL. 100% of the isolates harbored blaTEM gene, but none of them had the blaPER gene. The prevalence of ESBL producers and ESBL non-producers in blaCTX-M gene was 81.82%, and 73.53%, in blaSHV gene was 18.18% and 35.29%. Sequencing results showed three blaTEM subtypes (blaTEM 1, 79, 82), four blaCTX-M subtypes (blaCTX-M-15, 73, 98, 161), and eight blaSHV subtypes (blaSHV 5, 7, 12, 15, 24, 33, 57, 77). Antibiotic resistance was higher in ampicillin (85.71%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (64.29%) and cephazolin (50%). Antibiotics were still highly susceptible including doripenem (96.43%), ertapenem (94.64%), amikacin (96.43%), and cefepime (89.29%). CONCLUSION: In Escherichia coli causing BSIs, antibiotic resistance was higher in ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and cephazolin. Antibiotics was highly susceptible including doripenem, ertapenem, amikacin, and cefepime

The Role of Serial NT-ProBNP Level in Prognosis and Follow-Up Treatment of Acute Heart Failure after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

BACKGROUND: After coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, heart failure is still major problem. The valuable marker for it is needed. AIM: Evaluating the role of serial NT-proBNP level in prognosis and follow-up treatment of acute heart failure after CABG surgery. METHODS: The prospective, analytic study evaluated 107 patients undergoing CABG surgery at Ho Chi Minh Heart Institute from October 2012 to June 2014. Collecting data was done at pre- and post-operative days with measuring NT-proBNP levels on the day before operation, 2 hours after surgery, every next 24 h until the 5th day, and in case of acute heart failure occurred after surgery. RESULTS: On the first postoperative day (POD1), the NT-proBNP level demonstrated significant value for AHF with the cut-off point = 817.8 pg/mL and AUC = 0.806. On the second and third postoperative day, the AUC value of NT- was 0.753 and 0.751. It was statistically significant in acute heart failure group almost at POD 1 and POD 2 when analyzed by the doses of dobutamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline (both low doses and normal doses). CONCLUSION: Serial measurement of NT-proBNP level provides useful prognostic and follow-up treatment information in acute heart failure after CABG surgery

The 80-year development of Vietnam mathematical research: Preliminary insights from the SciMath database on mathematicians, their works and their networks

Starting with the first international publication of Le Van Thiem (Lê Văn Thiêm) in 1947, modern mathematics in Vietnam is a longstanding research field. However, what is known about its development usually comes from discrete essays such as anecdotes or interviews of renowned mathematicians. We introduce SciMath—a database on publications of Vietnamese mathematicians. To ensure this database covers as many publications as possible, data entries are manually collected from scientists’ publication records, journals’ websites, universities, and research institutions. Collected data went through various verification steps to ensure data quality and minimize errors. At the time of this report, the database covered 8372 publications, profiles of 1566 Vietnamese, and 1492 foreign authors since 1947. We found a growing capability in mathematics research in Vietnam in various aspects: scientific output, publications on influential journals, or collaboration. The database and preliminary results were presented to the Scientific Council of Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM) on November 13th, 2020