4,406 research outputs found
CGIntrinsics: Better Intrinsic Image Decomposition through Physically-Based Rendering
Intrinsic image decomposition is a challenging, long-standing computer vision
problem for which ground truth data is very difficult to acquire. We explore
the use of synthetic data for training CNN-based intrinsic image decomposition
models, then applying these learned models to real-world images. To that end,
we present \ICG, a new, large-scale dataset of physically-based rendered images
of scenes with full ground truth decompositions. The rendering process we use
is carefully designed to yield high-quality, realistic images, which we find to
be crucial for this problem domain. We also propose a new end-to-end training
method that learns better decompositions by leveraging \ICG, and optionally IIW
and SAW, two recent datasets of sparse annotations on real-world images.
Surprisingly, we find that a decomposition network trained solely on our
synthetic data outperforms the state-of-the-art on both IIW and SAW, and
performance improves even further when IIW and SAW data is added during
training. Our work demonstrates the suprising effectiveness of
carefully-rendered synthetic data for the intrinsic images task.Comment: Paper for 'CGIntrinsics: Better Intrinsic Image Decomposition through
Physically-Based Rendering' published in ECCV, 201
Human monoclonal islet specific autoantibodies share features of islet cell and 64 kDa antibodies
The first human monoclonal islet cell antibodies of the IgG class (MICA 1-6) obtained from an individual with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus were cytoplasmic islet cell antibodies selected by the indirect immunofluorescence test on pancreas sections. Surprisingly, they all recognized the 64 kDa autoantigen glutamate decarboxylase. In this study we investigated which typical features of cytoplasmic islet cell antibodies are represented by these monoclonals. We show by double immunofluorescence testing that MICA 1-6 stain pancreatic beta cells which is in agreement with the beta-cell specific expression of glutamate decarboxylase. In contrast an islet-reactive IgM monoclonal antibody obtained from a pre-diabetic individual stained all islet cells but lacked the tissue specificity of MICA 1-6 and must therefore be considered as a polyreactive IgM-antibody. We further demonstrate that MICA 1-6 revealed typical features of epitope sensitivity to biochemical treatment of the target tissue which has been demonstrated for islet cell antibodies, and which has been used to argue for a lipid rather than a protein nature of target antigens. Our results provide direct evidence that the epitopes recognized by the MICA are destroyed by methanol/chloroform treatment but reveal a high stability to Pronase digestion compared to proinsulin epitopes. Conformational protein epitopes in glutamate decarboxylase therefore show a sensitivity to biochemical treatment of sections such as ganglioside epitopes. MICA 1-6 share typical features of islet cell and 64 kDa antibodies and reveal that glutamate decarboxylase-reactive islet cell antibodies represent a subgroup of islet cell antibodies present in islet cell antibody-positive sera
Revealed cardinal preference
I prove that as long as we allow the marginal utility for money (lambda) to
vary between purchases (similarly to the budget) then the quasi-linear and
the ordinal budget-constrained models rationalize the same data. However, we know that lambda is approximately constant. I provide a simple constructive proof for the necessary and sufficient condition for the constant lambda rationalization, which I argue should replace the Generalized Axiom of
Revealed Preference in empirical studies of consumer behavior.
'Go Cardinals!'
It is the minimal requirement of any scientifi c theory that it is consistent with
the data it is trying to explain. In the case of (Hicksian) consumer theory it was
revealed preference -introduced by Samuelson (1938,1948) - that provided an
empirical test to satisfy this need. At that time most of economic reasoning was
done in terms of a competitive general equilibrium, a concept abstract enough
so that it can be built on the ordinal preferences over baskets of goods - even if
the extremely specialized ones of Arrow and Debreu. However, starting in the
sixties, economics has moved beyond the 'invisible hand' explanation of how
-even competitive- markets operate. A seemingly unavoidable step of this
'revolution' was that ever since, most economic research has been carried out
in a partial equilibrium context. Now, the partial equilibrium approach does
not mean that the rest of the markets are ignored, rather that they are held
constant. In other words, there is a special commodity -call it money - that
reflects the trade-offs of moving purchasing power across markets. As a result,
the basic building block of consumer behavior in partial equilibrium is no longer
the consumer's preferences over goods, rather her valuation of them, in terms
of money. This new paradigm necessitates a new theory of revealed preference
Transfer operator approach to ray-tracing in circular domains
The computation of wave-energy distributions in the mid-to-high frequency regime can be reduced to ray-tracing calculations. Solving the ray-tracing problem in terms of an operator equation for the energy density leads to an inhomogeneous equation which involves a PerronâFrobenius operator defined on a suitable Sobolev space. Even for fairly simple geometries, let alone realistic scenarios such as typical boundary value problems in room acoustics or for mechanical vibrations, numerical approximations are necessary. Here we study the convergence of approximation schemes by rigorous methods. For circular billiards we prove that convergence of finite-rank approximations using a Fourier basis follows a power law where the power depends on the smoothness of the source distribution driving the system. The relevance of our studies for more general geometries is illustrated by numerical examples
Solar wind interaction with comet 67P: impacts of corotating interaction regions
International audienceWe present observations from the Rosetta Plasma Consortium of the effects of stormy solar wind on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Four corotating interaction regions (CIRs), where the first event has possibly merged with a coronal mass ejection, are traced from Earth via Mars (using Mars Express and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN mission) to comet 67P from October to December 2014. When the comet is 3.1â2.7 AU from the Sun and the neutral outgassing rate âŒ1025â1026 sâ1, the CIRs significantly influence the cometary plasma environment at altitudes down to 10â30 km. The ionospheric low-energy (âŒ5 eV) plasma density increases significantly in all events, by a factor of >2 in events 1 and 2 but less in events 3 and 4. The spacecraft potential drops below â20 V upon impact when the flux of electrons increases. The increased density is likely caused by compression of the plasma environment, increased particle impact ionization, and possibly charge exchange processes and acceleration of mass-loaded plasma back to the comet ionosphere. During all events, the fluxes of suprathermal (âŒ10â100 eV) electrons increase significantly, suggesting that the heating mechanism of these electrons is coupled to the solar wind energy input. At impact the magnetic field strength in the coma increases by a factor of 2â5 as more interplanetary magnetic field piles up around the comet. During two CIR impact events, we observe possible plasma boundaries forming, or moving past Rosetta, as the strong solar wind compresses the cometary plasma environment. We also discuss the possibility of seeing some signatures of the ionospheric response to tail disconnection events
Variability in spine radiosurgery treatment planning - results of an international multi-institutional study
Background: The aim of this study was to quantify the variability in spinal radiosurgery (SRS) planning practices between five international institutions, all member of the Elekta Spine Radiosurgery Research Consortium. Methods: Four institutions provided one representative patient case each consisting of the medical history, CT and MR imaging. A step-wise planning approach was used where, after each planning step a consensus was generated that formed the basis for the next planning step. This allowed independent analysis of all planning steps of CT-MR image registration, GTV definition, CTV definition, PTV definition and SRS treatment planning. In addition, each institution generated one additional SRS plan for each case based on intra-institutional image registration and contouring, independent of consensus results. Results: Averaged over the four cases, image registration variability ranged between translational 1.1 mm and 2.4 mm and rotational 1.1° and 2.0° in all three directions. GTV delineation variability was 1.5 mm in axial and 1.6 mm in longitudinal direction averaged for the four cases. CTV delineation variability was 0.8 mm in axial and 1.2 mm in longitudinal direction. CTV-to-PTV margins ranged between 0 mm and 2 mm according to institutional protocol. Delineation variability was 1 mm in axial directions for the spinal cord. Average PTV coverage for a single fraction18 Gy prescription was 87 ± 5 %; Dmin to the PTV was 7.5 ± 1.8 Gy averaged over all cases and institutions. Average Dmax to the PRV_SC (spinal cord + 1 mm) was 10.5 ± 1.6 Gy and the average Paddick conformity index was 0.69 ± 0.06. Conclusions: Results of this study reflect the variability in current practice of spine radiosurgery in large and highly experienced academic centers. Despite close methodical agreement in the daily workflow, clinically significant variability in all steps of the treatment planning process was demonstrated. This may translate into differences in patient clinical outcome and highlights the need for consensus and established delineation and planning criteria
On stable higher spin states in Heterotic String Theories
We study properties of 1/2 BPS Higher Spin states in heterotic
compactifications with extended supersymmetry. We also analyze non BPS Higher
Spin states and give explicit expressions for physical vertex operators of the
first two massive levels. We then study on-shell tri-linear couplings of these
Higher Spin states and confirm that BPS states with arbitrary spin cannot decay
into lower spin states in perturbation theory. Finally, we consider scattering
of vector bosons off higher spin BPS states and extract form factors and
polarization effects in various limits.Comment: 38 page
The genome and transcriptome of Trichormus sp NMC-1: insights into adaptation to extreme environments on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has the highest biodiversity for an extreme environment worldwide, and provides an ideal natural laboratory to study adaptive evolution. In this study, we generated a draft genome sequence of cyanobacteria Trichormus sp. NMC-1 in the QTP and performed whole transcriptome sequencing under low temperature to investigate the genetic mechanism by which T. sp. NMC-1 adapted to the specific environment. Its genome sequence was 5.9 Mb with a G+C content of 39.2% and encompassed a total of 5362 CDS. A phylogenomic tree indicated that this strain belongs to the Trichormus and Anabaena cluster. Genome comparison between T. sp. NMC-1 and six relatives showed that functionally unknown genes occupied a much higher proportion (28.12%) of the T. sp. NMC-1 genome. In addition, functions of specific, significant positively selected, expanded orthogroups, and differentially expressed genes involved in signal transduction, cell wall/membrane biogenesis, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and energy production and conversion were analyzed to elucidate specific adaptation traits. Further analyses showed that the CheY-like genes, extracellular polysaccharide and mycosporine-like amino acids might play major roles in adaptation to harsh environments. Our findings indicate that sophisticated genetic mechanisms are involved in cyanobacterial adaptation to the extreme environment of the QTP
Atypical blood glucose response to continuous and interval exercise in a person with type 1 diabetes: a case report
BackgroundTherapy must be adapted for people with type 1 diabetes to avoid exercise-induced hypoglycemia caused by increased exercise-related glucose uptake into muscles. Therefore, to avoid hypoglycemia, the preexercise short-acting insulin dose must be reduced for safety reasons. We report a case of a man with long-lasting type 1 diabetes in whom no blood glucose decrease during different types of exercise with varying exercise intensities and modes was found, despite physiological hormone responses.Case presentationA Caucasian man diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for 24 years performed three different continuous high-intensity interval cycle ergometer exercises as part of a clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02075567). Intensities for both modes of exercises were set at 5% below and 5% above the first lactate turn point and 5% below the second lactate turn point. Short-acting insulin doses were reduced by 25%, 50%, and 75%, respectively. Measurements taken included blood glucose, blood lactate, gas exchange, heart rate, adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, glucagon, and insulin-like growth factor-1. Unexpectedly, no significant blood glucose decreases were observed during all exercise sessions (start versus end, 12.97 ± 2.12 versus 12.61 ± 2.66 mmol Lâ1, p = 0.259). All hormones showed the expected response, dependent on the different intensities and modes of exercises.ConclusionsPeople with type 1 diabetes typically experience a decrease in blood glucose levels, particularly during low- and moderate-intensity exercises. In our patient, we clearly found no decline in blood glucose, despite a normal hormone response and no history of any insulin insensitivity. This report indicates that there might be patients for whom the recommended preexercise therapy adaptation to avoid exercise-induced hypoglycemia needs to be questioned because this could increase the risk of severe hyperglycemia and ketosis
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