CNN based Learning using Reflection and Retinex Models for Intrinsic Image Decomposition

Most of the traditional work on intrinsic image decomposition rely on deriving priors about scene characteristics. On the other hand, recent research use deep learning models as in-and-out black box and do not consider the well-established, traditional image formation process as the basis of their intrinsic learning process. As a consequence, although current deep learning approaches show superior performance when considering quantitative benchmark results, traditional approaches are still dominant in achieving high qualitative results. In this paper, the aim is to exploit the best of the two worlds. A method is proposed that (1) is empowered by deep learning capabilities, (2) considers a physics-based reflection model to steer the learning process, and (3) exploits the traditional approach to obtain intrinsic images by exploiting reflectance and shading gradient information. The proposed model is fast to compute and allows for the integration of all intrinsic components. To train the new model, an object centered large-scale datasets with intrinsic ground-truth images are created. The evaluation results demonstrate that the new model outperforms existing methods. Visual inspection shows that the image formation loss function augments color reproduction and the use of gradient information produces sharper edges. Datasets, models and higher resolution images are available at https://ivi.fnwi.uva.nl/cv/retinet.Comment: CVPR 201

IMPROVING AIR QUALITY IN HANOI, VIETNAM : STUDY OF FINE AND COARSE PARTICLES

Joint Research on Environmental Science and Technology for the Eart

Operation and results of a vegetable market information and consultation system in Vietnam

This report presents the operation and results of a vegetable market information and consultation system (MICS), set up between 2002 and 2005 in Hanoi, to address marketing problems faced by vegetable farmers. A MICS is a market information system (MIS) combined with debates organised among farmers, traders, and development agents to reach common visions and strategies on marketing. Information collected in the first years relating to indicators of origin and supply deficits was disseminated to farmers and extension agents through newsletters and consultation meetings. The process then focused on making daily prices available, as requested by the farmers. The system was based on a network of contact traders and dissemination was by television. The workshops made it possible to reach a consensus for market opportunities arising from periods of supply deficit for some vegetables and how to take advantage of this situation, especially for tomatoes and cabbage imported from China during the rainy season, which presented some quality differences compared to the local products. With regards to price information, the majority of farmers and traders, surveyed by a quick-impact appraisal, stated they had access through television on a regular basis and that they used price information mostly to bargain with traders. Back up for a permanent ''safe'' vegetable producer and trader association was one of the outputs of the MICS. Our experience shows that price dissemination was easier to sustain (with the involvement of the public sector) than the consultation workshops, generally due to low local capacity in terms of meeting facilitation and the present weakness of extension services and sector organisations. (Résumé d'auteur

Phân tích chi phí-lợi ích của đồng đốt sinh khối với than: Trường hợp nhà máy nhiệt điện Ninh Bình

National audienceĐồng đốt sinh khối với than là công nghệ tận dụng sinh khối để phát điện với mức chi phí thấp hơn rấtnhiều so với việc xây dựng nhà máy điện sinh khối. Đồng đốt giúp giảm bớt tác động của nhiệt điện thanđến kinh tế, môi trường và xã hội. Việt Nam có tiềm năng phát triển công nghệ này do có tiềm năng lớn vềsinh khối cũng như do Việt Nam sẽ tiếp tục phát triển các nhà máy nhiệt điện than trong vòng 2 thập kỷ tớitheo như Quy hoạch điện mới nhất.Trong số các công nghệ đồng đốt, đồng đốt trực tiếp là công nghệ phù hợp nhất đối với điều kiện Việt Namhiện nay. Mặc dù tỉ lệ đồng đốt thấp nhưng chi phí chuyển đối thấp nhất và có thể tận dụng hầu hết cácloại sinh khối. Việt Nam có nguồn sinh khối dồi dào, đặc biệt là nguồn phụ phẩm, phế phẩm nông nghiệp.Đây là các nguồn sinh khối nên được cân nhắc sử dụng trước tiên cho đồng đốt. Viên nén sinh khối cũnglà một lựa chọn tốt cho đồng đốt xét về các đặc tính kỹ thuật cũng như nguồn cung trong nước. Tuy nhiêngiá cả của viên nén chưa thực sự cạnh tranh được với than cũng như với nguồn phụ phẩm phế phẩm nôngnghiệp.Hiệu quả về mặt kinh tế của đồng đốt sinh khối với than sẽ cao hơn tại các nhà máy có các điều kiện nhưsau: sử dụng lò đốt than, tiếp cận được với nguồn cung sinh khối ổn định và có mức giá cạnh tranh, có giáthan cao, có các điều kiện ưu tiên về thị trường cũng như cơ chế đối với sử dụng năng lượng tái tạo vàgiảm rác thải. Việt Nam nên bắt đầu thí điểm với các nhà máy nhiệt điện than nằm tại các vùng có trữlượng sinh khối cao, thuận lợi cho việc thu gom và vận chuyển sinh khối, sử dụng than nhập khẩu có nguồncung than không ổn định và giá than cao như Vĩnh Tân 2, Duyên Hải 1, Long Phước 1...; hoặc các nhàmáy sắp hết thời gian khấu hao như Ninh Bình, Uông Bí hay Phả Lại 1 để tận dụng cơ sở hạ tầng sẵn có.Phân tích trường hợp đồng đốt 5% rơm với than tại nhà máy nhiệt điện Ninh Bình cho thấy đồng đốt đãmang lại hiệu quả kinh tế cho nhà máy trong điều kiện không có cơ chế chính sách hỗ trợ cho đồng đốtcũng như chưa có thị trường cacbon và doanh thu từ bán tro xỉ than. Mặt khác, lợi ích mà đồng đốt đemlại cho xã hội cũng như môi trường là rất đáng kể, đặc biệt là đối với người nông dân và sức khỏe cộngđồng. Các lợi ích này, nếu có cơ chế chia sẽ hợp lý sẽ có thể hỗ trợ cho nhà máy áp dụng đồng đốt đạthiệu quả cao hơn về mặt kinh tế

Socio-economic impacts of co-firing in Vietnam: The case of Ninh Binh Coal Power Plant

International audienceCo-firing biomass with coal is a relatively low-cost technology to utilize biomass for electricity production compared to dedicated biomass power plant. Co-firing could help to reduce the negative impact of coal power plants to economy, environment and society. Vietnam has potential to develop co-firing base on the abundant of biomass resources and because Vietnam will continue to build more coal-fired power plant in the next 2 decades as stated in the latest National Power Development Plan.Among the co-firing technologies, direct co-firing is the most suitable for Vietnam context. Despite of low biomass ratio, direct co-firing offers low investment cost and could utilize most of the biomass feedstock. Vietnam has huge biomass potential, especially the agriculture and forestry residues. These biomasses should be considered first as feedstock for co-firing. Biomass pellets is also a good choice in term of technical features and local supply. However, the price of pellets is not yet competitive with coal or agricultural residues.Economic benefit of co-firing would be higher in the plants that has following features: assess to stable biomass supply, biomass price competitive with coal, incentives and support in term of market for renewable energy utilization and waste reduction. Vietnam should start experimenting co-firing in the coal power plants that located in the area where biomass resource is available, easy to collect and deliver to the plant, using imported coal such as Vinh Tan 2, Duyen Hai 1, Long Phuoc 1…; or the plants that are soon or already depreciated such as Ninh Binh, Uong Bi or Pha Lai to utilize the existing infrastructures.The case study of co-firing 5% rice straw with coal in Ninh Binh Coal Power Plant shows that co-firing could bring benefit to the plant owner in the condition that lack supporting mechanism for co-firing as well as with the absent of carbon credit. Farmers and workers that work in biomass supply chain also benefit from co-firing, especially farmers. In addition, co-firing provide significant positive externalities, in which the most notable is health benefit from reducing air-borne pollutants. Greenhouse gas emissions reduction adds a small part to the overall benefit of co-firing

Effects of yeast extract and methyl jasmonate on the enhancement of solasodine biosynthesis in cell cultures of Solanum hainanense Hance

In this work, the effects of the elicitors methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and yeast extract (YE) on the growth and solasodine production of Solanum hainanense cells were investigated. The results showed that various concentrations of MeJA (50-250 µM) and YE (1-4 g/L) have different eliciting influences. The increase of solasodine content induced by the elicitation of 3 g/L of YE and 50 µM of MeJA at the beginning of cell culture was about 1.9- and 1.3-fold, respectively, as compared with that of the non-elicitated cells. In general, YE (biotic elicitor) was more effective in enhancing solasodine production than MeJA (abiotic elicitor)

Humibacter ginsengiterrae sp. nov., and Humibacter ginsengisoli sp. nov., isolated from soil of a ginseng field

Two novel Gram-staining-positive bacteria, designated DCY60T and DCY90T, were isolated from soil of a ginseng field in the Republic of Korea. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed the two novel strains were closely related to members of the genus Humibacter with greatest similarity to Humibacter antri KCTC 33009T (98.8 and 98.4 % for DCY60T and DCY90T, respectively). The predominant menaquinones present were MK-11 and MK-12. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C17 : 0 and summed feature 8 containing C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c. The DNA G+C contents of strains DCY60T and DCY90T were 62.8 and 66.8 mol%, respectively. The peptidoglycan of both strains contained the amino acids ornithine, 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine. The cell-wall sugars of strain DCY60T comprised glucose, galactose, rhamnose and xylose, while strain DCY90T contained glucose, galactose, rhamnose and ribose. The major polar lipids of both strains were phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified glycolipid, and an unknown phospholipid. On the basis of the phenotypic analysis strains DCY60T and DCY90T represent novel species of the genus Humibacter, for which names Humibacter ginsengiterrae sp. nov. (type strain DCY60T = KCTC 33520T = JCM 30079T) and Humibacter ginsengisoli sp. nov. (type strain DCY90T = KCTC 33521T = JCM 30080T) are proposed

Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Factors and the Investor\u27s Efficient Frontier

Master of Finance Program - Simon Fraser Universit