Solar Power Plant Detection on Multi-Spectral Satellite Imagery using Weakly-Supervised CNN with Feedback Features and m-PCNN Fusion

Most of the traditional convolutional neural networks (CNNs) implements bottom-up approach (feed-forward) for image classifications. However, many scientific studies demonstrate that visual perception in primates rely on both bottom-up and top-down connections. Therefore, in this work, we propose a CNN network with feedback structure for Solar power plant detection on middle-resolution satellite images. To express the strength of the top-down connections, we introduce feedback CNN network (FB-Net) to a baseline CNN model used for solar power plant classification on multi-spectral satellite data. Moreover, we introduce a method to improve class activation mapping (CAM) to our FB-Net, which takes advantage of multi-channel pulse coupled neural network (m-PCNN) for weakly-supervised localization of the solar power plants from the features of proposed FB-Net. For the proposed FB-Net CAM with m-PCNN, experimental results demonstrated promising results on both solar-power plant image classification and detection task.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, 4 table

Effect of Air or Medium Temperature on Occurrence of Leaf-yellow-spot in Chrysanthemum 'Seikou-no-makoto'

Leaf-yellow-spot, a physiological abnormality occurring in leaves of several chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) cultivars is a very serious production problem in Japan. High temperature or high irradiation are possible physiological factors, which may lead to leaf-yellow-spot. In the present study, effects of air or medium temperature on the occurrence of leaf-yellow-spot in 'Seikou-nomakoto' were investigated. The nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of leaf-yellow-spot increased with increasing day/night temperature. The nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of leaf-yellow-spot of plants grown on 30°C night air temperature were smaller than those grown on 25°C or ambient night air temperature. The days to first occurrence of leaf-yellow-spot showed no differences among medium temperatures. As occurrence of leaf-yellow-spot was not affected by root zone temperature, we recognized that occurrence of leaf-yellow-spot was promoted by high temperature or solar radiation on shoot, especially leaf. Occurrence of leaf-yellow-spot was reduced by long period high temperature and/or high solar radiation as plant growth reduced. Therefore, we thought that occurrence of leaf-yellow-spot was promoted by environmental condition as plant growth would promote.キク（Chrysanthemum × morifolium）‘精興の誠’の葉身で発生する黄斑に及ぼす気温および培地温度の影響を調査した．昼夜温を40/30℃，35/25℃，なりゆきの3区で栽培した場合，昼夜温が高いほど生育は抑制され，黄斑の発生は早くなったが，黄斑発生度は40/30℃区と比較してなりゆき区で高くなる傾向がみられた．夜温を30℃，25℃となりゆき区で栽培した場合，黄斑発生度は30℃区と比較してなりゆき区で有意な差がみられた．生育が抑制されるほどの長期間の強光や高温は黄斑発生を抑制させたことから，生育が旺盛な環境条件における外的要因により黄斑発生は助長されると考えられた．地下部の温度は黄斑発生に影響しなかったことから黄斑発生は地上部，特に葉身部位の高温により助長されることが明らかになった

Storage and allogeneic transplantation of peripheral nerve using a green tea polyphenol solution in a canine model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In our previous study, allogeneic-transplanted peripheral nerve segments preserved for one month in a polyphenol solution at 4°C could regenerate nerves in rodents demonstrated the same extent of nerve regeneration as isogeneic fresh nerve grafts. The present study investigated whether the same results could be obtained in a canine model.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A sciatic nerve was harvested from a male beagle dog, divided into fascicules of < 1.5 mm diameter, and stored in a polyphenol solution (1 mg/ml) for one month at 4°C. The nerve fascicles were transplanted into 10 female beagle dogs to bridge 3-cm right ulnar nerve gaps. In the left ulnar nerve in each dog, a 3-cm nerve segment was harvested, turned in the opposite direction, and sutured in situ. Starting one day before transplantation, the immunosuppressant FK506 was administered subcutaneously at doses of 0.1 mg/kg daily in four dogs (PA0.1 group), 0.05 mg/kg daily in four dogs (PA0.05 group), or 0.05 mg/kg every other day in two dogs (PA0.025 group). Twelve weeks after surgery, electrophysiological and morphological studies were performed to assess the regeneration of the right and left ulnar nerves. The data for the right ulnar nerve were expressed as percentages relative to the left ulnar nerve. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify the sex-determining region of the Y-chromosome (<it>Sry</it>) and β-actin to investigate whether cells of donor origin remained in the allogeneic nerve segments. FK506 concentration was measured in blood samples taken before the animals were killed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The total myelinated axon numbers and amplitudes of the muscle action potentials correlated significantly with the blood FK506 concentration. Few axons were observed in the allogeneic-transplanted nerve segments in the PA0.025 group. PCR showed clear <it>Sry</it>-specific bands in specimens from the PA0.1 and PA0.05 groups but not from the PA0.025 group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Successful nerve regeneration was observed in the polyphenol-treated nerve allografts when transplanted in association with a therapeutic dose of FK506. The data indicate that polyphenols can protect nerve tissue from ischemic damage for one month; however, the effects of immune suppression seem insufficient to permit allogeneic transplantation of peripheral nerves in a canine model.</p

Urinary Retention as an Initial Symptom of Acute Meningo-Encephalo-Radiculitis in Epstein-Barr Virus Infection

A 48-year-old man presented with urinary retention followed by disturbance of consciousness, areflexia, ophthalmoplegia, muscle weakness, and atrophy. Epstein-Barr virus DNA by PCR was positive in his cerebrospinal fluid. The cerebrospinal fluid revealed elevated myelin basic protein and an oligoclonal band. Magnetic resonance imaging showed high signal intensity in the pons, basal ganglia, and cerebral white matter on T2-weighted imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging. His consciousness, ophthalmoplegia, and muscle weakness almost full recovered. In this patient, the inflammation is thought to have begun as sacral radiculitis, and then extended to encephalitis, and brachial and lumbar radiculoneuritis

Long-Term Follow-Up of 12 Patients Treated with Bilateral Pallidal Stimulation for Tardive Dystonia

Tardive dystonia (TD) is a side effect of prolonged dopamine receptor antagonist intake. TD can be a chronic disabling movement disorder despite medical treatment. We previously demonstrated successful outcomes in six patients with TD using deep brain stimulation (DBS); however, more patients are needed to better understand the efficacy of DBS for treating TD. We assessed the outcomes of 12 patients with TD who underwent globus pallidus internus (GPi) DBS by extending the follow-up period of previously reported patients and enrolling six additional patients. All patients were refractory to pharmacotherapy and were referred for surgical intervention by movement disorder neurologists. In all patients, DBS electrodes were implanted bilaterally within the GPi under general anesthesia. The mean ages at TD onset and surgery were 39.2 ± 12.3 years and 44.6 ± 12.3 years, respectively. The Burke–Fahn–Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS) performed the preoperative and postoperative evaluations. The average BFMDRS improvement rate at 1 month postoperatively was 75.6 ± 27.6% (p < 0.001). Ten patients were assessed in the long term (78.0 ± 50.4 months after surgery), and the long-term BFMDRS improvement was 78.0 ± 20.4%. Two patients responded poorly to DBS. Both had a longer duration from TD onset to surgery and older age at surgery. A cognitive and psychiatric decline was observed in the oldest patients, while no such decline ware observed in the younger patients. In most patients with TD, GPi-DBS could be a beneficial therapeutic option for long-term relief of TD