StRDAN: Synthetic-to-Real Domain Adaptation Network for Vehicle Re-Identification

Vehicle re-identification aims to obtain the same vehicles from vehicle images. This is challenging but essential for analyzing and predicting traffic flow in the city. Although deep learning methods have achieved enormous progress for this task, their large data requirement is a critical shortcoming. Therefore, we propose a synthetic-to-real domain adaptation network (StRDAN) framework, which can be trained with inexpensive large-scale synthetic and real data to improve performance. The StRDAN training method combines domain adaptation and semi-supervised learning methods and their associated losses. StRDAN offers significant improvement over the baseline model, which can only be trained using real data, for VeRi and CityFlow-ReID datasets, achieving 3.1% and 12.9% improved mean average precision, respectively.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, CVPR Workshop Paper (Revised

Programmable site-selective labeling of oligonucleotides based on carbene catalysis

Site-selective modification of oligonucleotides serves as an indispensable tool in many fields of research including research of fundamental biological processes, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. Here we report chemo- and regioselective modification of oligonucleotides based on rhodium(I)-carbene catalysis in a programmable fashion. Extensive screening identifies a rhodium(I)-catalyst that displays robust chemoselectivity toward base-unpaired guanosines in single and double-strand oligonucleotides with structurally complex secondary structures. Moreover, high regioselectivity among multiple guanosines in a substrate is achieved by introducing guanosine-bulge loops in a duplex. This approach allows the introduction of multiple unique functional handles in an iterative fashion, the utility of which is exemplified in DNA-protein cross-linking in cell lysates. The methods for investigation of DNA-binding proteins require site-selective chemical modifications to be introduced into oligonucleotides. Here, the authors report a chemo- and regioselective method for the modification of unpaired guanosines in single- and double-stranded oligonucleotides, based on Rh(I)-carbene catalysis

Effects of education on low-phosphate diet and phosphate binder intake to control serum phosphate among maintenance hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Background:For phosphate control, patient education is essential due to the limited clearance of phosphate by dialysis. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials about dietary and phosphate binder education have been scarce. Methods:We enrolled maintenance hemodialysis patients and randomized them into an education group (n = 48) or a control group (n = 22). We assessed the patients' drug compliance and their knowledge about the phosphate binder using a questionnaire. Results:The primary goal was to increase the number of patients who reached a calcium-phosphorus product of lower than 55. In the education group, 36 (75.0%) patients achieved the primary goal, as compared with 16 (72.7%) in the control group (P = 0.430). The education increased the proportion of patients who properly took the phosphate binder (22.9% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.087), but not to statistical significance. Education did not affect the amount of dietary phosphate intake per body weight (education vs. control: -1.18 ± 3.54 vs. -0.88 ± 2.04 mg/kg, P = 0.851). However, the dietary phosphate-to-protein ratio tended to be lower in the education group (-0.64 ± 2.04 vs. 0.65 ± 3.55, P = 0.193). The education on phosphate restriction affected neither the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score (0.17 ± 4.58 vs. -0.86 ± 3.86, P = 0.363) nor the level of dietary protein intake (-0.03 ± 0.33 vs. -0.09 ± 0.18, P = 0.569). Conclusion:Education did not affect the calcium-phosphate product. Education on the proper timing of phosphate binder intake and the dietary phosphate-to-protein ratio showed marginal efficacy

Plastid evolution: gene transfer and the maintenance of 'stolen' organelles

Many heterotrophic organisms sequester plastids from prey algae and temporarily utilize their photosynthetic capacity. A recent article in BMC Genomics reveals that the dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuminata has acquired photosynthesis-related genes by horizontal gene transfer, which might explain its ability to retain 'stolen' plastids for extended periods of time

Revisions to the Classification, Nomenclature, and Diversity of Eukaryotes

This revision of the classification of eukaryotes follows that of Adl et al., 2012 [J. Euk. Microbiol. 59(5)] and retains an emphasis on protists. Changes since have improved the resolution of many nodes in phylogenetic analyses. For some clades even families are being clearly resolved. As we had predicted, environmental sampling in the intervening years has massively increased the genetic information at hand. Consequently, we have discovered novel clades, exciting new genera, and uncovered a massive species level diversity beyond the morphological species descriptions. Several clades known from environmental samples only have found their home. Sampling soils, deeper marine waters, and the deep sea will continue to fill us with surprises. The main changes in this revision are the confirmation that eukaryotes form at least two domains, the loss of monophyly in the Exavata, robust support for the Haptista and Cryptista. We provide suggested primer sets for DNA sequences from environmental samples that are effective for each clade. We have provided a guide to trophic functional guilds in an appendix, to facilitate the interpretation of environmental samples. This revision of the classification of eukaryotes updates that of the International Society of Protistologists (Adl et al., 2012). Since then, there has been a massive increase in DNA sequence information of phylogenetic relevance from environmental samples. We now have a much better sense of the undescribed biodiversity in our environment (Pawlowski et al., 2012; de Vargas et al., 2015). While significant, it still remains a partial estimation as several continents and soils in general are poorly sampled, and the deeper ocean is hard to reach. This new data clarified phylogenetic relationships and the new information is incorporated in this revision