Neural Distributed Image Compression Using Common Information

We present a novel deep neural network (DNN) architecture for compressing an image when a correlated image is available as side information only at the decoder, a special case of the well-known distributed source coding (DSC) problem in information theory. In particular, we consider a pair of stereo images, which generally have high correlation with each other due to overlapping fields of view, and assume that one image of the pair is to be compressed and transmitted, while the other image is available only at the decoder. In the proposed architecture, the encoder maps the input image to a latent space, quantizes the latent representation, and compresses it using entropy coding. The decoder is trained to extract the common information between the input image and the correlated image, using only the latter. The received latent representation and the locally generated common information are passed through a decoder network to obtain an enhanced reconstruction of the input image. The common information provides a succinct representation of the relevant information at the receiver. We train and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach on the KITTI and Cityscape datasets of stereo image pairs. Our results show that the proposed architecture is capable of exploiting the decoder-only side information, and outperforms previous work on stereo image compression with decoder side information

Neural distributed image compression with cross-attention feature alignment

We consider the problem of compressing an information source when a correlated one is available as side information only at the decoder side, which is a special case of the distributed source coding problem in information theory. In particular, we consider a pair of stereo images, which have overlapping fields of view, and are captured by a synchronized and calibrated pair of cameras as correlated image sources. In previously proposed methods, the encoder transforms the input image to a latent representation using a deep neural network, and compresses the quantized latent representation losslessly using entropy coding. The decoder decodes the entropy-coded quantized latent representation, and reconstructs the input image using this representation and the available side information. In the proposed method, the decoder employs a cross-attention module to align the feature maps obtained from the received latent representation of the input image and a latent representation of the side information. We argue that aligning the correlated patches in the feature maps allows better utilization of the side information. We empirically demonstrate the competitiveness of the proposed algorithm on KITTI and Cityscape datasets of stereo image pairs. Our experimental results show that the proposed architecture is able to exploit the decoder-only side information in a more efficient manner compared to previous works

An investigation on cardioprotective potential of Marrubium vulgare aqueous fraction against ischaemia-reperfusion injury in isolated rat heart

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of aqueous fraction of Marrubium vulgare hydroalcoholic extract on cardiac parameters in ischaemic-reperfused isolated rat hearts. Materials and methods: The aerial parts of the plant were extracted with methanol 70% by maceration. The water-soluble portion of the total hydroalcoholic extract was prepared with liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). Afterwards, the antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoids content of the aqueous fraction were determined. In order to evaluate the effects of the aqueous fraction on cardiac parameters and ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, the Langendroff method was used on male Wistar rats. Harvested hearts were cannulated immediately to the Langendroff apparatus and subjected into 30 min regional ischaemia and 2 h reperfusion, either by a modified Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB) solution or enriched KHB solution with plant extract (10, 20, 40 μg/mL). Results: The aqueous fraction was found to be a scavenger of DPPH radical with RC50 value of 47 μg/mL. The total phenolic and flavonoids content of the fraction was 6.05 g gallic acid equivalent and 36.13 mg quercetin equivalent per 100 g of dry plant material. In addition, 40 μg/mL of Marrubium vulgare aqueous fraction significantly decreased infarct size in comparison to control group. All doses considerably reduced the total ventricular ectopic beats during 30 min of ischaemia. The extract at dose of 40 μg/mL noticeably decreased the arrhythmias during the first 30 min of reperfusion. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated aqueous fraction of Marrubium vulgare possesses a protective effect against I/R injuries in isolated rat heart

Oxidative stress and its association with ST resolution and clinical outcome measures in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective: Reperfusion of ischemic myocardium generates oxidative stress, which itself can mediate myocardial injury. So, in this study, we investigated the level of oxidative stress markers and its association with clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Results: As indicated in the results, Post MI (Myocardial Infarction) heart failure was significantly higher in the group A (11 vs 4, p = 0.047). Complete STR (ST-segment resolution) was observed to be significantly higher in the group B (36 vs 17, p = 0.006). The SOD (Superoxide dismutase) and GPX (Glutathione peroxidase) levels were significantly higher in the group B compared to the other group (1547.51 ± 328.29 vs. 1449.97 ± 246.06, p = 0.019 and 60.62 ± 11.95 vs 57.41 ± 10.14, p = 0.042). The levels of GPX and SOD were shown to be directly related with complete STR and post PCI (Percutaneous coronary intervention)TIMI(Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) flow 3 in the group A (p = 0.002 and p < 0.01, p = 0.005 and p < 0.02, respectively). © 2020, The Author(s)

Mental health of people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 outbreak: A prospective cohort and cross-sectional case–control study of the UK MS Register

Background: People with MS (pwMS) have had higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general population before the COVID-19 pandemic, placing them at higher risk of experiencing poor psychological wellbeing during the pandemic.Objective: To assess mental health and its social/lifestyle determinants in pwMS during the first wave of the outbreak in the UK.Methods: This is a community-based, prospective longitudinal cohort and cross-sectional case-control online questionnaire study. It includes 2,010 pwMS from the UK MS Register and 380 people without MS.Results: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores of pwMS for anxiety and depression during the outbreak did not change from the previous year. PwMS were more likely to have anxiety (using General Anxiety Disorder-7) and/or depression (using Patient Health Questionnaire-9) than controls during the outbreak (OR:2.14[95%CI:1.58-2.91]). PwMS felt lonelier (OR:1.37[95%CI:1.04-1.80]), reported worse social support (OR:1.90[95%CI:1.18-3.07]) and reported worsened exercise habits (OR:1.65[95%CI:1.18-2.32]) during the outbreak than controls.Conclusion: Early in the pandemic, pwMS remained at higher risk of experiencing anxiety and depression than the general population. It is important that multidisciplinary teams improve their support for the wellbeing of pwMS, who are vulnerable to the negative effects of the pandemic on their lifestyle and social support

COVID-19 in Multiple Sclerosis: Clinically reported outcomes from the UK Multiple Sclerosis Register

Background: In March 2020, the United Kingdom Multiple Sclerosis Register (UKMSR) established an electronic case return form, designed collaboratively by MS neurologists, to record data about COVID-19 infections in people with MS (pwMS). Objectives: Examine how hospital admission and mortality are affected by disability, age and disease modifying treatments (DMTs) in people with Multiple Sclerosis with COVID-19. Methods: Anonymised data were submitted by clinical teams. Regression models were tested for predictors of hospitalisation and mortality outcomes. Separate analyses compared the first and second ‘waves’ of the pandemic. Results: Univariable analysis found hospitalisation and mortality were associated with increasing age, male gender, comorbidities, severe disability, and progressive MS; severe disability showed the highest magnitude of association. Being on a DMT was associated with a small, lower risk. Multivariable analysis found only age and male gender were significant. Post hoc analysis demonstrated that factors were significant for hospitalisation but not mortality. In the second wave, hospitalisation and mortality were lower. Separate models of the first and second wave using age and gender found they had a more important role in the second wave. Conclusions: Features associated with poor outcome in COVID-19 are similar to other populations and being on a DMT was not found to be associated with adverse outcomes, consistent with smaller studies. Once in hospital, no factors were predictive of mortality. Reassuringly, mortality appears lower in the second wave

Para-infectious brain injury in COVID-19 persists at follow-up despite attenuated cytokine and autoantibody responses

To understand neurological complications of COVID-19 better both acutely and for recovery, we measured markers of brain injury, inflammatory mediators, and autoantibodies in 203 hospitalised participants; 111 with acute sera (1–11 days post-admission) and 92 convalescent sera (56 with COVID-19-associated neurological diagnoses). Here we show that compared to 60 uninfected controls, tTau, GFAP, NfL, and UCH-L1 are increased with COVID-19 infection at acute timepoints and NfL and GFAP are significantly higher in participants with neurological complications. Inflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-12p40, HGF, M-CSF, CCL2, and IL-1RA) are associated with both altered consciousness and markers of brain injury. Autoantibodies are more common in COVID-19 than controls and some (including against MYL7, UCH-L1, and GRIN3B) are more frequent with altered consciousness. Additionally, convalescent participants with neurological complications show elevated GFAP and NfL, unrelated to attenuated systemic inflammatory mediators and to autoantibody responses. Overall, neurological complications of COVID-19 are associated with evidence of neuroglial injury in both acute and late disease and these correlate with dysregulated innate and adaptive immune responses acutely

Para-infectious brain injury in COVID-19 persists at follow-up despite attenuated cytokine and autoantibody responses

To understand neurological complications of COVID-19 better both acutely and for recovery, we measured markers of brain injury, inflammatory mediators, and autoantibodies in 203 hospitalised participants; 111 with acute sera (1–11 days post-admission) and 92 convalescent sera (56 with COVID-19-associated neurological diagnoses). Here we show that compared to 60 uninfected controls, tTau, GFAP, NfL, and UCH-L1 are increased with COVID-19 infection at acute timepoints and NfL and GFAP are significantly higher in participants with neurological complications. Inflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-12p40, HGF, M-CSF, CCL2, and IL-1RA) are associated with both altered consciousness and markers of brain injury. Autoantibodies are more common in COVID-19 than controls and some (including against MYL7, UCH-L1, and GRIN3B) are more frequent with altered consciousness. Additionally, convalescent participants with neurological complications show elevated GFAP and NfL, unrelated to attenuated systemic inflammatory mediators and to autoantibody responses. Overall, neurological complications of COVID-19 are associated with evidence of neuroglial injury in both acute and late disease and these correlate with dysregulated innate and adaptive immune responses acutely