Crafting Training Degradation Distribution for the Accuracy-Generalization Trade-off in Real-World Super-Resolution

Super-resolution (SR) techniques designed for real-world applications commonly encounter two primary challenges: generalization performance and restoration accuracy. We demonstrate that when methods are trained using complex, large-range degradations to enhance generalization, a decline in accuracy is inevitable. However, since the degradation in a certain real-world applications typically exhibits a limited variation range, it becomes feasible to strike a trade-off between generalization performance and testing accuracy within this scope. In this work, we introduce a novel approach to craft training degradation distributions using a small set of reference images. Our strategy is founded upon the binned representation of the degradation space and the Fr\'echet distance between degradation distributions. Our results indicate that the proposed technique significantly improves the performance of test images while preserving generalization capabilities in real-world applications.Comment: This paper has been accepted to ICML 202

Characterization of U(VI) Sorption-Desorption Processes and Model Upscaling

The objectives of the overall collaborative EMSP effort (with which this project is associated) were to characterize sorption and desorption processes of U(VI) on pristine and contaminated Hanford sediments over a range of sediment facies and materials properties and to relate such characterization both to fundamental molecular-scale understanding and field-scale models of geochemistry and mass transfer. The research was intended to provide new insights on the mechanisms of U(VI) retardation at Hanford, and to allow the development of approaches by which laboratory-developed geochemical models could be upscaled for defensible field-scale predictions of uranium transport in the environment. Within this broader context, objectives of the JHU-based project were to test hypotheses regarding the coupled roles of adsorption and impermeable-zone diffusion in controlling the fate and transport of U(VI) species under conditions of comparatively short-term exposure. In particular, this work tested the following hypotheses: (1) the primary adsorption processes in the Hanford sediment over the pH range of 7 to 10 are surface complexation reactions of aqueous U(VI) hydroxycarbonate and carbonate complexes with amphoteric edge sites on detrital phyllosilicates in the silt/clay size fraction; (2) macroscopic adsorption intensity (at given aqueous conditions) is a function of mineral composition and aquatic chemistry; and (3) equilibrium sorption and desorption to apply in short-term, laboratory-spiked pristine sediments; and (4) interparticle diffusion can be fully understood in terms of a model that couples molecular diffusion of uranium species in the porewater with equilibrium sorption under the relevant aqueous conditions. The primary focus of the work was on developing and applying both models and experiments to test the applicability of "local equilibrium" assumptions in the modeling interpretation of sorption retarded interparticle diffusion, as relevant to processes of U(VI) diffusion in silt/clay layers. Batch isotherm experiments were first used to confirm sorption isotherms under the intended test conditions and diffusion cell experiments were then conducted to explore the diffusion hypotheses. Important new information was obtained about the role of aqueous calcium and solid calcium carbonate in controlling sorption equilibrium with Hanford sediments. The retarded interparticle diffusion model with local sorption equilibrium was shown to very successfully simulate diffusion at high aqueous concentration of U(VI). By contrast, however, diffusion data obtained at low concentration suggested nonequilibrium of sorption even at diffusion time scales. Such nonequilibrium effects at low concentration are likely to be the result of sorption retarded intraparticle diffusion, and strong U(VI) sorption in the low concentration range

Super-Resolution by Predicting Offsets: An Ultra-Efficient Super-Resolution Network for Rasterized Images

Rendering high-resolution (HR) graphics brings substantial computational costs. Efficient graphics super-resolution (SR) methods may achieve HR rendering with small computing resources and have attracted extensive research interests in industry and research communities. We present a new method for real-time SR for computer graphics, namely Super-Resolution by Predicting Offsets (SRPO). Our algorithm divides the image into two parts for processing, i.e., sharp edges and flatter areas. For edges, different from the previous SR methods that take the anti-aliased images as inputs, our proposed SRPO takes advantage of the characteristics of rasterized images to conduct SR on the rasterized images. To complement the residual between HR and low-resolution (LR) rasterized images, we train an ultra-efficient network to predict the offset maps to move the appropriate surrounding pixels to the new positions. For flat areas, we found simple interpolation methods can already generate reasonable output. We finally use a guided fusion operation to integrate the sharp edges generated by the network and flat areas by the interpolation method to get the final SR image. The proposed network only contains 8,434 parameters and can be accelerated by network quantization. Extensive experiments show that the proposed SRPO can achieve superior visual effects at a smaller computational cost than the existing state-of-the-art methods.Comment: This article has been accepted by ECCV202

An Efficient Spectral Element Model with Electric DOFs for the Static and Dynamic Analysis of a Piezoelectric Bimorph

An efficient spectral element (SE) model for static and dynamic analysis of a piezoelectric bimorph is proposed. It combines an equivalent single layer (ESL) model for the mechanical displacement field with a sublayer approximation for the electric potential. The 2D Gauss-Lobatto-Legendre (GLL) shape functions are used to discretize the displacements and then the governing equation of motion is derived following the standard SE method procedure. It is shown numerically that the present SE model can well predict both the global and local responses such as mechanical displacements, natural frequencies, and the electric potentials across the bimorph thickness. In the case of bimorph sensor application, it is revealed that the distribution of the induced electric potential across the thickness does not affect the global natural frequencies much. Furthermore, the effects of the order of Legendre polynomial and the mesh size on the convergence rate are investigated. Comparison of the present results for a bimorph sensor with those from 3D finite element (FE) simulations establishes that the present SE model is accurate, robust, and computationally efficient

Aqueous Complexation Reactions Governing the Rate and Extent of Biogeochemical U(VI) Reduction

The proposed research will elucidate the principal biogeochemical reactions that govern the concentration, chemical speciation, and reactivity of the redox-sensitive contaminant uranium. The results will provide an improved understanding and predictive capability of the mechanisms that govern the biogeochemical reduction of uranium in subsurface environments. In addition, the work plan is designed to: (1) Generate fundamental scientific understanding on the relationship between U(VI) chemical speciation and its susceptibility to biogeochemical reduction reactions. (2) Elucidate the controls on the rate and extent of contaminant reactivity. (3) Provide new insights into the aqueous and solid speciation of U(VI)/U(IV) under representative groundwater conditions

A genetic variation map for chicken with 2.8 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms

We describe a genetic variation map for the chicken genome containing 2.8 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs). This map is based on a comparison of the sequences of three domestic chicken breeds ( a broiler, a layer and a Chinese silkie) with that of their wild ancestor, red jungle fowl. Subsequent experiments indicate that at least 90% of the variant sites are true SNPs, and at least 70% are common SNPs that segregate in many domestic breeds. Mean nucleotide diversity is about five SNPs per kilobase for almost every possible comparison between red jungle fowl and domestic lines, between two different domestic lines, and within domestic lines - in contrast to the notion that domestic animals are highly inbred relative to their wild ancestors. In fact, most of the SNPs originated before domestication, and there is little evidence of selective sweeps for adaptive alleles on length scales greater than 100 kilobases

Efficacy of Chuanxiong Ding Tong Herbal Formula Granule in the Treatment and Prophylactic of Migraine Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese herbal ChuanXiong Ding Tong herbal formula granule (CXDT-HFG) for migraine patients with “the Syndrome of Liver Wind and Blood Stasis.” Methods. 150 migraine patients were recruited and assigned randomly in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to receive CXDT-HFG (n=99) plus necessary analgesics, or placebo (n=51) plus necessary analgesics for 16 weeks (12 weeks’ intervention and 4 weeks’ follow up). Outcome measures included migraine days, frequency of migraine attacks, analgesics consumption for acute treatment, and the proportion of responders as well as the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and intensity for pain. Results. Compared with the placebo group, the CXDT-HFG group showed significant reduction in migraine days and attacks frequency at week 12 and follow-up period (P0.05). Conclusion. CXDT-HFG was more effective than placebo in decreasing days of migraine attacks, frequency, VAS scores, and relieving pain intensity for migraine patients

SHON expression predicts response and relapse risk of breast cancer patients after anthracycline-based combination chemotherapy or tamoxifen treatment

BACKGROUND: SHON nuclear expression (SHON-Nuc+) was previously reported to predict clinical outcomes to tamoxifen therapy in ERα+ breast cancer (BC). Herein we determined if SHON expression detected by specific monoclonal antibodies could provide a more accurate prediction and serve as a biomarker for anthracycline-based combination chemotherapy (ACT).METHODS: SHON expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in the Nottingham early-stage-BC cohort (n=1,650) who, if eligible, received adjuvant tamoxifen; the Nottingham ERα- early-stage-BC (n=697) patients who received adjuvant ACT; and the Nottingham locally advanced-BC cohort who received pre- operative ACT with/without taxanes (Neo-ACT, n=120) and if eligible, 5-year adjuvant tamoxifen treatment. Prognostic significance of SHON and its relationship with the clinical outcome of treatments were analysed.RESULTS: As previously reported, SHON-Nuc+ in high risk/ERα+ patients was significantly associated with a 48% death risk reduction after exclusive adjuvant tamoxifen treatment compared with SHON-Nuc- [HR(95%CI)=0.52(0.34-0.78), p=0.002]. Meanwhile, in ERα- patients treated with adjuvant ACT, SHON cytoplasmic expression (SHON-Cyto+) was significantly associated with a 50% death risk reduction compared with SHON-Cyto- [HR(95%CI)=0.50(0.34-0.73), p=0.0003]. Moreover, in patients received Neo-ACT, SHON-Nuc- or SHON-Cyto+ was associated with an increased pathological complete response (pCR) compared with SHON-Nuc+ [21% vs 4%; OR(95%CI)=5.88(1.28-27.03), p=0.012], or SHON-Cyto- [20.5% vs 4.5%; OR(95%CI)=5.43(1.18-25.03), p=0.017], respectively. After receiving Neo-ACT, patients with SHON-Nuc+ had a significantly lower distant relapse risk compared to those with SHON-Nuc- [HR(95%CI)=0.41(0.19-0.87), p=0.038], whereas SHON-Cyto+ patients had a significantly higher distant relapse risk compared to SHON-Cyto- patients [HR(95%CI)=4.63(1.05-20.39), p=0.043]. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that SHON-Cyto+ was independently associated with a higher risk of distant relapse after Neo-ACT and 5- year tamoxifen treatment [HR(95%CI)=5.08(1.13-44.52), p=0.037]. The interaction term between ERα status and SHON-Nuc+ (p=0.005), and between SHON-Nuc+ and tamoxifen therapy (p=0.007), were both statistically significant.CONCLUSION: SHON-Nuc+ in tumours predicts response to tamoxifen in ERα+ BC while SHON-Cyto+ predicts response to ACT