Learning Raw Image Denoising with Bayer Pattern Unification and Bayer Preserving Augmentation

In this paper, we present new data pre-processing and augmentation techniques for DNN-based raw image denoising. Compared with traditional RGB image denoising, performing this task on direct camera sensor readings presents new challenges such as how to effectively handle various Bayer patterns from different data sources, and subsequently how to perform valid data augmentation with raw images. To address the first problem, we propose a Bayer pattern unification (BayerUnify) method to unify different Bayer patterns. This allows us to fully utilize a heterogeneous dataset to train a single denoising model instead of training one model for each pattern. Furthermore, while it is essential to augment the dataset to improve model generalization and performance, we discovered that it is error-prone to modify raw images by adapting augmentation methods designed for RGB images. Towards this end, we present a Bayer preserving augmentation (BayerAug) method as an effective approach for raw image augmentation. Combining these data processing technqiues with a modified U-Net, our method achieves a PSNR of 52.11 and a SSIM of 0.9969 in NTIRE 2019 Real Image Denoising Challenge, demonstrating the state-of-the-art performance. Our code is available at https://github.com/Jiaming-Liu/BayerUnifyAug.Comment: Accepted by CVPRW 201

Bayer-Macr\`i decomposition on Bridgeland moduli spaces over surfaces

We find a decomposition formula of the local Bayer-Macr\`i map for the nef line bundle theory on the Bridgeland moduli space over surface. If there is a global Bayer-Macr\`i map, such decomposition gives a precise correspondence from Bridgeland walls to Mori walls. As an application, we compute the nef cone of the Hilbert scheme $S^{[n]}$ of $n$-points over special kinds of fibered surface $S$ of Picard rank two.Comment: 23 page

Searching Eyes: Privacy, the State, and Disease Surveillance in America – By Amy L. Fairchild, Ronald Bayer, and James Colgrove

Review of Searching Eyes: Privacy, the State, and Disease Surveillance in America – By Amy L. Fairchild, Ronald Bayer, and James Colgrov

Stock price responses on the German suspension of genetically modified maize

This note investigates the effect of the German governments' decision to suspend the cultivation of genetically modified maize on the stock returns of involved companies. Moreover, the first announcement to investigate a ban as well as a court decision rejecting Monsanto's lawsuit against the suspension are considered. This study is motivated by the expectation that these decisions have consequences beyond the small German market for genetically modified maize. An event study is used to evaluate the economic impacts on stock returns of Monsanto, Bayer and BASF. We find slight evidence that stock prices of Monsanto and BASF responded negatively to the German suspension of genetically modified maize.Event study, Bt maize, Monsanto, Bayer, BASF, GM crops

A new modification of the chiron ACS assay for total prostate-specific antigen achieves equimolar response characteristics and improves the detection of prostate cancer

Nonequimolar-response assays for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are criticized for overestimating total PSA in some men without prostate cancer (PCA), and underestimating total PSA in some men with PCA. We recently studied three nonequimolar-response PSA assays that had undergone modifications. While two of the studied assays achieved equimolar-response characteristics with improved areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC), the modification of the Chiron ACS PSA assay (ACS PSA2, Chiron) failed to achieve this. Recently, the ACS assay underwent another modification (ACS PSA, Bayer), which we investigated. Sera from 305 men (155 without and 150 with PCA, PSA greater than or equal to2 and less than or equal to30 mug/l, TandemE) were measured using both modifications of the ACS assay and equimolar-response reference methods (TandemR free and Tandem E, Hybritech). Molar response relative to the reference method and clinical performance (comparison of AUCs) between the previous and new ACS assay modifications were studied. The new modification of the ACS assay (ACS PSA, Bayer) achieved equimolar-response characteristics but reported lower values (average 10%) than the Tandem E assay. Compared to the previous modification (ACS PSA2, Chiron), a 3% improvement in AUC (p=0.01) was found. Using results of the redesigned equimolar-response assay (ACS PSA, Bayer), we calculated that 6 of 155 men without PCA in this sample set could be spared unnecessary biopsy compared with the previous nonequimolar-response assay (ACS PSA2, Chiron) without missing additional PCA (90% sensitivity). These data provide additional evidence for clinical advantages of equimolar-response over nonequimolar-response PSA assay formats

Twice Binnable Color Filter Arrays

Pixel binning enables high speed, low power readout in low resolution modes, and more importantly, a reduction of read noise via floating diffusion binning. New, high resolution CMOS image sensors for mobile phones have moved beyond the once-binnable Quad Bayer and RGBW-Kodak patterns to the twice binnable Hexadeca Bayer pattern featuring 4x4 tiles of like colored pixels.Pixel binning enables high speed, low power readout in low resolution modes, and more importantly, a reduction of read noise via floating diffusion binning. New, high resolution CMOS image sensors for mobile phones have moved beyond the once-binnable Quad Bayer and RGBW-Kodak patterns to the twice binnable Hexadeca Bayer pattern featuring 4x4 tiles of like colored pixels. In this paper we present the non-intuitive result that Nona and Hexadeca Bayer can be superior to Quad Bayer in demosaicking quality due to degeneracies in the latter's spectrum. Hexadeca Bayer, nevertheless, suffers from the weakness of generating Quad Bayer after one round of binning. We present a novel twice binnable RGBW CFA, composed of 2x2 tiles capable of 4:1 floating diffusion binning, that is free from spectral degeneracies and thus demosaick well in full resolution and both binned modes. It also has a 4 dB low light SNR advantage over Quad and Hexadeca Bayer in the full resolution mode, and 6 dB SNR advantage in both the binned modes.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures. Initial versio