Data Augmentation in Human-Centric Vision

This survey presents a comprehensive analysis of data augmentation techniques in human-centric vision tasks, a first of its kind in the field. It delves into a wide range of research areas including person ReID, human parsing, human pose estimation, and pedestrian detection, addressing the significant challenges posed by overfitting and limited training data in these domains. Our work categorizes data augmentation methods into two main types: data generation and data perturbation. Data generation covers techniques like graphic engine-based generation, generative model-based generation, and data recombination, while data perturbation is divided into image-level and human-level perturbations. Each method is tailored to the unique requirements of human-centric tasks, with some applicable across multiple areas. Our contributions include an extensive literature review, providing deep insights into the influence of these augmentation techniques in human-centric vision and highlighting the nuances of each method. We also discuss open issues and future directions, such as the integration of advanced generative models like Latent Diffusion Models, for creating more realistic and diverse training data. This survey not only encapsulates the current state of data augmentation in human-centric vision but also charts a course for future research, aiming to develop more robust, accurate, and efficient human-centric vision systems

Evidencing sensemaking: a speech act theory study of metaphors in organizational mission statements

This study explores how metaphors deployed in university mission statements demonstrate the sensemaking process of organizational reality. One hundred thirty-two mission statements collected across the University of North Carolina system comprise the textual source of analysis for this study. Austin and Searle's speech act theory is employed to intertextually identify metaphors, which are then analyzed in line with Weick's framework of sensemaking. The elements of the sensemaking process are evidenced in hierarchical metaphors: (i) environment-screening: "environment as change (organizations as positioned, time-pacer, and wind-catcher);" (ii) enactment: "enactment as changer (the university as a plate of loose sand, professional, and mission-setter);" (iii) selection: "organization as relevance-maker (the university as teacher, researcher, server, strategist, and goal-hitter);" (iv) retention: "organization as retainer (the university as value-keeper and role-player (center, community, leader, and leader-preparer);" and (v) remembering: "organization as rememberer (the university as history-defender and principle-observer)." Together, they comprise metaphors we make sense by. By vividly framing forms, such metaphors enrich our knowledge about the organizational reality, the mission statements, the association of teaching, research and service, the relationship between the sensemaking elements, and the heuristic and ongoing nature of sensemaking

Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward ultrasound screening for breast cancer among women

BackgroundSeveral obstacles can hinder breast cancer screening. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward ultrasound screening for breast cancer in women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited women who visited the breast specialist clinic of Zhongshan City People’s Hospital (a tertiary hospital) between August 2022 and April 2023 through convenience sampling. KAP scores ≥70% were considered adequate.ResultsThis study enrolled 501 participants. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice levels were 8.56 ± 1.81/12 (possible range 0–12, 71.33%), 29.80 ± 2.71 (possible range 8–40, 74.50%), and 32.04 ± 3.09 (possible range 8–40, 80.10%). Senior high school education (vs. junior high school and below, coefficient = 1.531, 95%CI: 1.013–2.312, p = 0.044), bachelor’s education and above (vs. junior high school and below, coefficient = 5.315, 95%CI: 3.546–7.966, p < 0.001), housewife or unemployed (vs. employed, coefficient = 0.671, 95%CI: 0.466–0.966, p = 0.032), and a history of breast ultrasound (vs. no, coefficient = 1.466, 95%CI: 1.121–1.917, p = 0.005) were independently and positively associated with knowledge. Knowledge (coefficient = 1.303, 95%CI: 1.100–1.544, p = 0.002) and monthly income >10,000 (vs. <5,000, coefficient = 4.364, 95%CI: 1.738–10.956, p = 0.002) were independently and positively associated with attitude. Only attitude (coefficient = 1.212, 95%CI: 1.096–1.340, p < 0.001) was independently and positively associated with the practice. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was used to estimate causality among KAP dimensions, showing that knowledge directly influenced attitude (β = −1.090, p = 0.015), knowledge did not directly influence practice (β = −0.117, p = 0.681) but had an indirect influence (β = 0.826, p = 0.028), and attitude directly influenced practice (β = −0.757, p = 0.016).ConclusionWomen in Zhongshan City had good knowledge, favorable attitudes, and active practice toward breast ultrasound screening for breast cancer. Women’s characteristics associated with a poorer KAP were identified, allowing for more targeted interventions

Alternate partial root-zone irrigation reduces bundle-sheath cell leakage to CO2 and enhances photosynthetic capacity in maize leaves

The physiological basis for the advantage of alternate partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) over common deficit irrigation (DI) in improving crop water use efficiency (WUE) remains largely elusive. Here leaf gas exchange characteristics and photosynthetic CO2–response and light–response curves for maize (Zea mays L.) leaves exposed to PRI and DI were analysed under three N-fertilization rates, namely 75, 150, and 300 mg N kg−1 soil. Measurements of net photosynthetic rate (An) and stomatal conductance (gs) showed that, across the three N-fertilization rates, the intrinsic WUE was significantly higher in PRI than in DI leaves. Analysis of the CO2–response curve revealed that both carboxylation efficiency (CE) and the CO2-saturated photosynthetic rate (Asat) were significantly higher in PRI than in DI leaves across the three N-fertilization rates; whereas the N-fertilization rates did not influence the shape of the curves. The enhanced CE and Asat in the PRI leaves was accompanied by significant decreases in carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) and bundle-sheath cell leakiness to CO2 (Φ). Analysis of the light–response curve indicated that, across the three N-fertilization rates, the quantum yield (α) and light-saturated gross photosynthetic rate (Amax) were identical for the two irrigation treatments; whilst the convexity (κ) of the curve was significantly greater in PRI than in DI leaves, which coincided with the greater CE and Asat derived from the CO2–response curve at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 1500 μmol m−2 s−1. Collectively, the results suggest that, in comparison with the DI treatment, PRI improves photosynthetic capacity parameters CE, Asat, and κ of maize leaves and that contributes to the greater intrinsic WUE in those plants

The double inhibition of PDK1 and STAT3-Y705 prevents liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

As a key glycolysis enzyme, the significance of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. This study revealed that the prognosis of CRC patients with high levels of PDK1 was poor, and PDK1 knockdown significantly reduced liver metastasis of CRC in both nude mice and immune competent BALB/C mice. When combined with cryptotanshinone (CPT), an inhibitor of STAT3-p-Y705, the liver metastasis was further inhibited. PDK1 knockdown obviously increased reactive oxygen species level in anoikis conditions and subsequently resulted in an elevated anoikis, but the combination of PDK1 knockdown and CPT showed a reduced effect on anoikis. Based on this discrepancy, the adherence ability of CRC cells to matrix protein fibronectin was further detected. It showed that PDK1 knockdown significantly decreased the adherence of CRC cells to fibronectin when combined with CPT. These results suggest that inhibition of PDK1 can decrease the surviving CRC cells in blood circulation via up-regulation of anoikis, and inhibition of STAT3-p-Y705 can prevent it to settle down on the liver premetastatic niche, which ultimately reduces liver metastasis

Fault diagnosis of T-type three-level inverter based on bridge voltages

Multilevel inverters have been widely used in various occasions due to their advantages such as low harmonic content of the output waveform. However, because multilevel inverters use a large number of devices, the possibility of circuit failure is also higher than that of traditional inverters. A T-type three-level inverter is taken as the research object, anda diagnostic study is performed on the open-circuit fault of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices in the inverter. Firstly, the change of the current path in the inverter when anopen-circuit fault of the device occurred, and the effect on the circuit switching states andthe bridge voltages were analyzed. Then comprehensively considered the bridge voltages,and proposed a fault diagnosis method for a T-type three-level inverter based on specificfault diagnosis signals. Finally, the simulation verification was performed. The simulation results prove that the proposed method can accurately locate the open-circuit fault of theinverter device, and has the advantage of being easy to implement

Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Control Based on Bacterial Foraging Improved Particle Swarm Optimization

swarm optimization; Bacterial foraging optimization; Permanent magnet synchronous motor; Direct torque control Abstract � Consider each particle of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) as a bacteria individual, we use the bacterial foraging optimization (BFO) to improve the local search ability of Particle Swarm Optimization. The application of the novel algorithm in permanent magnet synchronous motor direct torque control is introduced. The simulation results show that the new algorithm has some distinct advantages over the PSO control and the conventional PI control. It can effectively reduce the torque ripple of permanent magnet synchronous motor; enhance the robustness in dynamic process and improve the stability in the running state. 1