Performance evaluation of building detection and digital surface model extraction algorithms: Outcomes of the PRRS 2008 algorithm performance contest

This paper presents the initial results of the Algorithm Performance Contest that was organized as part of the 5th IAPRWorkshop on Pattern Recognition in Remote Sensing (PRRS 2008). The focus of the 2008 contest was automatic building detection and digital surface model (DSM) extraction. A QuickBird data set with manual ground truth was used for building detection evaluation, and a stereo Ikonos data set with a highly accurate reference DSM was used for DSM extraction evaluation. Nine submissions were received for the building detection task, and three submissions were received for the DSM extraction task. We provide an overview of the data sets, the summaries of the methods used for the submissions, the details of the evaluation criteria, and the results of the initial evaluation. © 2008 IEEE

Circulating microRNAs as novel biomarkers for diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells that is insufficient to maintain blood glucose homeostasis. Autoimmune destruction of β cells results in type 1 diabetes mellitus, whereas conditions that reduce insulin sensitivity and negatively affect β-cell activities result in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Without proper management, patients with diabetes mellitus develop serious complications that reduce their quality of life and life expectancy. Biomarkers for early detection of the disease and identification of individuals at risk of developing complications would greatly improve the care of these patients. Small non-coding RNAs called microRNAs (miRNAs) control gene expression and participate in many physiopathological processes. Hundreds of miRNAs are actively or passively released in the circulation and can be used to evaluate health status and disease progression. Both type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus are associated with distinct modifications in the profile of miRNAs in the blood, which are sometimes detectable several years before the disease manifests. Moreover, circulating levels of certain miRNAs seem to be predictive of long-term complications. Technical and scientific obstacles still exist that need to be overcome, but circulating miRNAs might soon become part of the diagnostic arsenal to identify individuals at risk of developing diabetes mellitus and its devastating complications

Feeding diets with malic acid may increase growth performance without affecting food efficiency of Japanese quails

Antimicrobial feed additives such as organic acids have made a great contribution to the profitability in the poultry and also provided people with healthy and nutritious poultry products. This study was performed with growing quails to evaluate the effect of malic acid (MA) on performance and some digestive tract traits of Japanese quails (JQ)