Online Map Vectorization for Autonomous Driving: A Rasterization Perspective

Vectorized high-definition (HD) map is essential for autonomous driving, providing detailed and precise environmental information for advanced perception and planning. However, current map vectorization methods often exhibit deviations, and the existing evaluation metric for map vectorization lacks sufficient sensitivity to detect these deviations. To address these limitations, we propose integrating the philosophy of rasterization into map vectorization. Specifically, we introduce a new rasterization-based evaluation metric, which has superior sensitivity and is better suited to real-world autonomous driving scenarios. Furthermore, we propose MapVR (Map Vectorization via Rasterization), a novel framework that applies differentiable rasterization to vectorized outputs and then performs precise and geometry-aware supervision on rasterized HD maps. Notably, MapVR designs tailored rasterization strategies for various geometric shapes, enabling effective adaptation to a wide range of map elements. Experiments show that incorporating rasterization into map vectorization greatly enhances performance with no extra computational cost during inference, leading to more accurate map perception and ultimately promoting safer autonomous driving.Comment: [NeurIPS 2023

One-Drop Self-Assembly of Ultra-Fine Second-Order Organic Nonlinear Optical Crystal Nanowires

In this study, we propose a one-drop self-assembly method, which proved capable of successfully preparing 4-N, N-dimethylamino-4′-N′-methyl-stilbazolium tosylate (DAST) single-crystalline nanowires (NWs). The apparent roughness of the DAST NWs was determined to be less than 100 pm by using a high-resolution atomic force microscope, indicating their ultrafine quality. The DAST NWs also exhibited excellent nonlinear optical properties, including two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation, which could enable the production of low-cost, low-power-consumption wideband wavelength conversion devices. Thus, the described method may provide a new avenue for organic NW fabrication

Causal associations of genetically predicted gut microbiota and blood metabolites with inflammatory states and risk of infections: a Mendelian randomization analysis

BackgroundInflammation serves as a key pathologic mediator in the progression of infections and various diseases, involving significant alterations in the gut microbiome and metabolism. This study aims to probe into the potential causal relationships between gut microbial taxa and human blood metabolites with various serum inflammatory markers (CRP, SAA1, IL-6, TNF-α, WBC, and GlycA) and the risks of seven common infections (gastrointestinal infections, dysentery, pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, bronchopneumonia and lung abscess, pneumococcal pneumonia, and urinary tract infections).MethodsTwo-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using inverse variance weighted (IVW), maximum likelihood, MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR-PRESSO.ResultsAfter adding other MR models and sensitivity analyses, genus Roseburia was simultaneously associated adversely with CRP (Beta IVW = −0.040) and SAA1 (Beta IVW = −0.280), and family Bifidobacteriaceae was negatively associated with both CRP (Beta IVW = −0.034) and pneumonia risk (Beta IVW = −0.391). After correction by FDR, only glutaroyl carnitine remained significantly associated with elevated CRP levels (Beta IVW = 0.112). Additionally, threonine (Beta IVW = 0.200) and 1-heptadecanoylglycerophosphocholine (Beta IVW = −0.246) were found to be significantly associated with WBC levels. Three metabolites showed similar causal effects on different inflammatory markers or infectious phenotypes, stearidonate (18:4n3) was negatively related to SAA1 and urinary tract infections, and 5-oxoproline contributed to elevated IL-6 and SAA1 levels. In addition, 7-methylguanine showed a positive correlation with dysentery and bacterial pneumonia.ConclusionThis study provides novel evidence confirming the causal effects of the gut microbiome and the plasma metabolite profile on inflammation and the risk of infection. These potential molecular alterations may aid in the development of new targets for the intervention and management of disorders associated with inflammation and infections

Diseño de 1600 ML de adoquinado, ubicado en los barrios: anexo a la villa Victoria de julio, Antonio Mendoza y Rubén Ulloa; en el casco urbano de Tipitapa, municipio de Managua

El desarrollo de nuestro país se basa en elementos fundamentales, como: agricultura industria, ganadería, comercio, turismo, etc. Pero el factor determinante entre estos es el sistema nacional de transporte es decir: transporte terrestre, transporte aéreo, transporte marítimo, etc. el cual es el enlace principal para el desarrollo de la sociedad. En Nicaragua el transporte terrestre es el más utilizado por la población, y debido al aumento de la movilización de vehículos con motores más potentes por las vías, obliga a la modernización de la infraestructura vial, permitiendo un tránsito más seguro y eficiente. El incremento de la red vial está vinculado directamente con la economía de nuestro país, pues su papel es primordial en las actividades que se realizan a diario en los diferentes sectores que aportan a la economía nacional. Actualmente la construcción de nuevas vías de comunicación, rehabilitación de carreteras y mejoras de los caminos ya existentes debe ser una necesidad para los gobiernos, ya que constituyen un componente fundamental para el bienestar y desarrollo de la sociedad, además su diseño debe adoptar las condiciones necesarias para obtener una obra de calidad; cumpliéndose en el todos los principios y normas correspondientes al diseño de carreteras. El presente trabajo denominado ‘‘Diseño de 1600 ML de calle, ubicados en los barrios: Anexo la Villa Rubén Ulloa, Villa Victoria de Julio y Antonio Mendoza localizados en el casco urbano de Tipitapa, municipio de Managua’’. Muestra en su contenido los estudios, métodos y normas aplicables para elaborar: el diseño geométrico de la vía, diseño hidráulico y de la estructura de pavimento, tomando en cuenta las especificaciones correspondientes al diseño de carreteras en Nicaragua

Measuring global ocean heat content to estimate the earth energy imbalance

The energy radiated by the Earth toward space does not compensate the incoming radiation from the Sun leading to a small positive energy imbalance at the top of the atmosphere (0.4–1 Wm–2). This imbalance is coined Earth’s Energy Imbalance (EEI). It is mostly caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and is driving the current warming of the planet. Precise monitoring of EEI is critical to assess the current status of climate change and the future evolution of climate. But the monitoring of EEI is challenging as EEI is two orders of magnitude smaller than the radiation fluxes in and out of the Earth system. Over 93% of the excess energy that is gained by the Earth in response to the positive EEI accumulates into the ocean in the form of heat. This accumulation of heat can be tracked with the ocean observing system such that today, the monitoring of Ocean Heat Content (OHC) and its long-term change provide the most efficient approach to estimate EEI. In this community paper we review the current four state-of-the-art methods to estimate global OHC changes and evaluate their relevance to derive EEI estimates on different time scales. These four methods make use of: (1) direct observations of in situ temperature; (2) satellite-based measurements of the ocean surface net heat fluxes; (3) satellite-based estimates of the thermal expansion of the ocean and (4) ocean reanalyses that assimilate observations from both satellite and in situ instruments. For each method we review the potential and the uncertainty of the method to estimate global OHC changes. We also analyze gaps in the current capability of each method and identify ways of progress for the future to fulfill the requirements of EEI monitoring. Achieving the observation of EEI with sufficient accuracy will depend on merging the remote sensing techniques with in situ measurements of key variables as an integral part of the Ocean Observing System

Halosteric Sea Level Changes during the Argo Era

In addition to the sea level (SL) change, or anomaly (SLA), due to ocean thermal expansion, total steric SLA (SSLA, all change to the existing volume of ocean water) is also affected by ocean salinity variation. Less attention, however, has been paid to this halosteric effect, due to the global dominance of thermosteric SLA (TSLA) and the scarcity of salinity measurements. Here, we analyze halosteric SLA (HSLA) since 2005, when Argo data reached near-global ocean coverage, based on several observational products. We find that, on global average, the halosteric component contributes negatively by ~5.8% to SSLA during the 2005–2015 period, and reveals a modest correlation (~0.38) with ENSO on the inter-annual scale. Vertically, the global ocean was saltier in the upper 200-m and fresher within 200 to 600-m since 2005, while the change below 600-m was not significantly different from zero. The upper 200-m changes dominate the HSLA, suggesting the importance of surface fresh water flux forcing; meanwhile, the ocean dynamic might also play a role. The inconsistent pattern of salinity trend between upper 200-m and 200 to 600-m implies the importance of ocean dynamics. Our analysis suggests that local salinity changes cannot be neglected, and can even play a more important role in SSLA than the thermosteric component in some regions, such as the Tropical/North Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and the North Atlantic Ocean. This study highlights the need to better reconstruct historical salinity datasets, to better monitor the past SSLA changes. Also, it is important to understand the mechanisms (ocean dynamics vs. surface flux) related to regional ocean salinity changes

Decadal Ocean Heat Redistribution Since the Late 1990s and Its Association with Key Climate Modes

Ocean heat content (OHC) is the major component of the earth’s energy imbalance. Its decadal scale variability has been heavily debated in the research interest of the so-called “surface warming slowdown„ (SWS) that occurred during the 1998⁻2013 period. Here, we first clarify that OHC has accelerated since the late 1990s. This finding refutes the concept of a slowdown of the human-induced global warming. This study also addresses the question of how heat is redistributed within the global ocean and provides some explanation of the underlying physical phenomena. Previous efforts to answer this question end with contradictory conclusions; we show that the systematic errors in some OHC datasets are partly responsible for these contradictions. Using an improved OHC product, the three-dimensional OHC changes during the SWS period are depicted, related to a reference period of 1982⁻1997. Several “hot spots„ and “cold spots„ are identified, showing a significant decadal-scale redistribution of ocean heat, which is distinct from the long-term ocean-warming pattern. To provide clues for the potential drivers of the OHC changes during the SWS period, we examine the OHC changes related to the key climate modes by regressing the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) indices onto the de-trended gridded OHC anomalies. We find that no single mode can fully explain the OHC change patterns during the SWS period, suggesting that there is not a single “pacemaker„ for the recent SWS. Our observation-based analyses provide a basis for further understanding the mechanisms of the decadal ocean heat uptake and evaluating the climate models