Robust phase unwrapping algorithm based on Zernike polynomial fitting and Swin-Transformer network

Phase unwrapping plays an important role in optical phase measurements. In particular, phase unwrapping under heavy noise conditions remains an open issue. In this paper, a deep learning-based method is proposed to conduct the phase unwrapping task by combining Zernike polynomial fitting and a Swin-Transformer network. In this proposed method, phase unwrapping is regarded as a regression problem, and the Swin-Transformer network is used to map the relationship between the wrapped phase data and the Zernike polynomial coefficients. Because of the self-attention mechanism of the transformer network, the fitting coefficients can be estimated accurately even under extremely harsh noise conditions. Simulation and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the outperformance of the proposed method over the other two polynomial fitting-based methods. This is a promising phase unwrapping method in optical metrology, especially in electronic speckle pattern interferometry.

OffFog: An Approach to Support the Definition of Offloading Policies on Fog Computing

IoT devices deployed in Smart Cities usually have significant resource limitations. For this reason, offload tasks or data to other layers such as fog or cloud is regularly adopted to smooth out this issue. Although data offloading is a well-known aspect of fog computing, the specification of offloading policies is still an open issue due to the lack of clear guidelines. Therefore, we propose OffFog—an approach to guide the definition of data offloading policies in the context of fog computing. In order to evaluate OffFog, we extended the well-known simulator iFogSim and conducted an experimental study based on an urban surveillance system. The results demonstrated the benefits of implementing data offloading based on OffFog recommended policies. Furthermore, we identified the best configuration involving design decisions such as data compression, data criticality, and storage thresholds. The best configuration produced at least 76% improvement in network latency and 5% in the average execution time compared to the iFogSim default strategy. We believe these results represent a significant step towards establishing a systematic decision framework for data offloading policies in the context of fog computing.

Impact Forces and Energy of Flow-like Landslides Against Protection Barriers: a New MPM-validated Empirical Formulation

Full understanding the interaction mechanisms between flow-like landslides and the impacted protection structures is an open issue. In fact, while researchers have used several approaches, from experimental to numerical, it is true that the adequate assessment of the hydromechanical behaviour of the landslide body requires both a multiphase and large deformation approach.This paper firstly proposes a conceptual framework for a specific type of protection structure, namely a rigid barrier fixed to the base ground. Two different approaches are proposed: i) an advanced hydro-mechanical numerical model based on Material Point Method is tested in simulating the whole complex landslide-structure-interaction mechanism(s), ii) a more simplified empirical model is casted to estimate the impact force and the time evolution of kinetic energy. The calibration and validation of the empirical formulation are pursued, respectively, based on the MPM numerical results, and referring to a large dataset of field evidence for the peak impact pressure. Finally, the performance of the newly proposed empirical method is compared to the methods available in the literature and its advantages are outlined.

The radio continuum perspective on cosmic-ray transport in external galaxies

Radio continuum observations of external galaxies provide us with an excellent outside view on the distribution of cosmic-ray electrons in the disc and halo. In this review, we summarise the current state of what we have learned from modelling such observations with cosmic-ray transport, paying particular attention to the question to what extent we can exploit radio haloes when studying galactic winds. We have developed the user-friendly framework spinnaker to model radio haloes with either pure advection or diffusion, allowing us to study both diffusion coefficients and advection speeds in nearby galaxies. Using these models, we show that we can identify galaxies with winds using both morphology and radio spectral indices of radio haloes. Advective radio haloes are ubiquitous, indicating that already fairly low values of the star formation rate (SFR) surface density ($\Sigma_{ \mathrm{SFR}}$ Σ SFR ) can trigger galactic winds. The advection speeds scale with SFR, $\Sigma_{\mathrm{SFR}}$ Σ SFR , and rotation speed as expected for stellar feedback-driven winds. Accelerating winds are in agreement with our radio spectral index data, but this is sensitive to the magnetic field parametrisation, so that constant wind speeds cannot be ruled out either. The question to what extent cosmic rays can be a driving force behind winds is still an open issue and we discuss only in passing how a simple iso-thermal wind model could fit our data. Nevertheless, the comparison with inferences from observations and theory looks promising with radio continuum offering a complementary view on galactic winds. We finish with a perspective on future observations and challenges lying ahead.

Optimum Seeking of Redundant Actuators for M-RCM 3-UPU Parallel Mechanism

The singularity problem brings troubles to the design and application for the parallel mechanism. Currently, redundant actuation is one of the useful methods to solve this singularity problem. However, faced to the numerous joints in a parallel mechanism, how to make a quantitative criterion of seeking the most efficient joints added actuators for letting the mechanism passes through singularity is a necessarily open issue. This paper focuses on a 2R1T 3-UPU (U for universal joint and P for prismatic joint) parallel mechanism (PM) with two rotational and one translational (2R1T) degrees of freedom (DOFs) and the ability of multiple remote centers of motion (M-RCM). The singularity analysis based on the indexes of motion/force transmissibility and constraint shows that this PM has transmission singularity, constraint singularity, mixed singularity and limb singularity. To solve these singular problems, the quantifiable redundancy transmission index (RTI) and the redundancy constraint index (RCI) are proposed for optimum seeking of redundant actuators for this PM. Then the appropriate redundant actuators are selected and the working scheme for redundant actuators near the corresponding singular configuration are given to help the PM passes through the singularity. This research proposes a quantitative criterion to optimum seeking of redundant actuators for the parallel mechanism to solve its singularity.

Same: structural sources of anaphora and relativization

This paper offers a unified view of the structures giving rise to anaphora and relativization within same-expressions. Taking as a point of departure the proposal that indices occupy syntactic positions in anaphoric DPs (Schwarz 2009, Simonenko 2014, a.o.), I examine the open issue of how anaphoric modifiers, particularly same, are predicted to interact with this proposed structural complexity. Based on the morphosyntactic behavior of definite descriptions with same, I argue that indices may be housed in DP structure in different ways. I argue moreover that the behavior of same in both anaphoric and non-anaphoric contexts supports the view that same is syntactically an equative degree head (Alrenga 2007, Oxford 2010), whose selectional properties are mirrored in a range of equative constructions. Finally, I propose an analysis of as-relatives selected by same that accounts for their alternation with anaphora, and offer a comparison with restrictive relatives.

Transfer of Clinical Drug Data to a Research Infrastructure on OMOP – A FAIR Concept

Generating evidence based on real-world data is gaining importance in research not least since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Common Data Model of Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) is a research infrastructure that implements FAIR principles. Although the transfer of German claim data to OMOP is already implemented, drug data is an open issue. This paper provides a concept to prepare electronic health record (EHR) drug data for the transfer to OMOP based on requirements analysis and descriptive statistics for profiling EHR data developed by an interdisciplinary team and also covers data quality issues. The concept not only ensures FAIR principles for research, but provides the foundation for German drug data to OMOP transfer.

Role of the family in the spiritual formation of Karol Wojtyła

The Wojtyła family is a special family which, in God's plan, is an example of heroic faith, hope and love. The Pope's parents were his role model and the perfect foundation for his journey to holiness. Prayer and the sacraments were a means of union with God. They fulfilled God's will by living in the spirit of the Gospel and total devotion to Mary - Totus Tuus. Following the life and pontificate of John Paul II, the above article shows and illustrates the influence of parents on Karol, the future pope. Therefore, it is a great inspiration for families, educators, and caregivers who are nowadays looking for original, charismatic authorities that will inspire and lead them to the right path. In 2020, when the 100th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s birth was celebrated, on May 7, the Episcopate consented to the commencement of the beatification process of Karol and Emilia Wojtyła by the Archdiocese of Krakow. Thus, the Holy See was asked to start the process at the diocesan level. The initiation of the beatification process of Pope Wojtyła's elder brother Edmund remains an open issue. He died in 1932, taking care of his sick patients at the hospital in Bielsko. Edmund received the title of Doctor of Medicine at the Jagiellonian University on March 29, 1930. The beatification committee was established in 1997. Karol Wojtyła's family did not differ from the average Catholic family of that time. What distinguishes this family today is Love and Faithfulness to God and people. Devotion, service and humility. Holiness is a gift that the baptized receive with the first sacrament. As such, this gift should be nurtured and developed in the Catholic Church community through sacramental life and a life of prayer. The Wojtyła family is an example of fulfilling God's will in everyday life. It abided with God and continues to do so.

On community structure validation in real networks

Community structure is a commonly observed feature of real networks. The term refers to the presence in a network of groups of nodes (communities) that feature high internal connectivity, but are poorly connected between each other. Whereas the issue of community detection has been addressed in several works, the problem of validating a partition of nodes as a good community structure for a real network has received considerably less attention and remains an open issue. We propose a set of indices for community structure validation of network partitions that are based on an hypothesis testing procedure that assesses the distribution of links between and within communities. Using both simulations and real data, we illustrate how the proposed indices can be employed to compare the adequacy of different partitions of nodes as community structures in a given network, to assess whether two networks share the same or similar community structures, and to evaluate the performance of different network clustering algorithms.