Polarimetric SAR image semantic segmentation with 3D discrete wavelet transform and Markov random field

Polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) image segmentation is currently of great importance in image processing for remote sensing applications. However, it is a challenging task due to two main reasons. Firstly, the label information is difficult to acquire due to high annotation costs. Secondly, the speckle effect embedded in the PolSAR imaging process remarkably degrades the segmentation performance. To address these two issues, we present a contextual PolSAR image semantic segmentation method in this paper.With a newly defined channelwise consistent feature set as input, the three-dimensional discrete wavelet transform (3D-DWT) technique is employed to extract discriminative multi-scale features that are robust to speckle noise. Then Markov random field (MRF) is further applied to enforce label smoothness spatially during segmentation. By simultaneously utilizing 3D-DWT features and MRF priors for the first time, contextual information is fully integrated during the segmentation to ensure accurate and smooth segmentation. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conduct extensive experiments on three real benchmark PolSAR image data sets. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method achieves promising segmentation accuracy and preferable spatial consistency using a minimal number of labeled pixels.N/

Collaborative actuation of wireless sensor and actuator networks for the agriculture industry.

This paper investigates the deployment of collaborative estimation and actuation scheme of wireless sensor and actuator networks for the agriculture industry. In our proposed scheme, sensor nodes conduct a local estimation based on the Kalman filter for enhancing the estimation stability and further transmit data to the actuator nodes under a multi-rate transmission mode for enhancing the overall energy efficiency of the wireless network. Considering the mutual effect of related clusters, a collaborative actuation scheme of actuator nodes is integrated into our proposed scheme for improving the estimation accuracy and convergence speed. With an accurate estimation of the changes in the environmental parameters, combining the fuzzy neural network with the PID control algorithm, the actuator exerts reliable control over the environmental parameters. Performance evaluations and simulation analysis conducted based on the effects of temperature demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme in controlling the greenhouse environmental changes for in the agriculture industry.N/

Analysis of hemagglutinin-mediated entry tropism of H5N1 avian influenza

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Avian influenza virus H5N1 is a major concern as a potential global pandemic. It is thought that multiple key events must take place before efficient human-to-human transmission of the virus occurs. The first step in overcoming host restriction is viral entry which is mediated by HA, responsible for both viral attachment and viral/host membrane fusion. HA binds to glycans-containing receptors with terminal sialic acid (SA). It has been shown that avian influenza viruses preferentially bind to α2,3-linked SAs, while human influenza A viruses exhibit a preference for α2,6-linked SAs. Thus it is believed the precise linkage of SAs on the target cells dictate host tropism of the viruses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We demonstrate that H5N1 HA/HIV pseudovirus can efficiently transduce several human cell lines including human lung cells. Interestingly, using a lectin binding assay we show that the presence of both α2,6-linked and α2,3-linked SAs on the target cells does not always correlate with efficient transduction. Further, HA substitutions of the residues implicated in switching SA-binding between avian and human species did not drastically affect HA-mediated transduction of the target cells or target cell binding.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that a host factor(s), which is yet to be identified, is required for H5N1 entry in the host cells.</p

Haze, public health and mitigation measures in China: A review of the current evidence for further policy response.

With rapid economic development, China has been plagued by choking air pollution in recent years, and the frequent occurrence of haze episodes has caused widespread public concern. The purpose of this study is to describe the sources and formation of haze, summarize the mitigation measures in force, review the relationship between haze pollution and public health, and to discuss the challenges, potential research directions and policy options. Haze pollution has both natural and man-made causes, though it is anthropogenic sources that are the major contributors. Accumulation of air pollutants, secondary formation of aerosols, stagnant meteorological conditions, and trans-boundary transportation of pollutants are the principal causes driving the formation and evolution of haze. In China, haze includes gaseous pollutants and fine particles, of which PM2.5 is the dominant component. Short and long-term exposure to haze pollution are associated with a range of negative health outcomes, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, mental health problems, lung cancer and premature death. China has paid increasing attention to the improvement of air quality, and has introduced action plans and policies to tackle pollution, but many interventions have only temporary effects. There may be fierce resistance from industry groups and some government agencies, and often it is challenging to enforce relevant control measures and laws. We discuss the potential policy options for prevention, the need for wider public dialogue and the implications for scientific research

The multiplexed light storage of Orbital Angular Momentum based on atomic ensembles

The improvement of the multi-mode capability of quantum memory can further improve the utilization efficiency of the quantum memory and reduce the requirement of quantum communication for storage units. In this letter, we experimentally investigate the multi-mode light multiplexing storage of orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode based on rubidium vapor, and demultiplexing by a photonic OAM mode splitter which combines a Sagnac loop with two dove prisms. Our results show a mode extinction ratio higher than 80$\%$ at 1 $\mu$s of storage time. Meanwhile, two OAM modes have been multiplexing stored and demultiplexed in our experimental configuration. We believe the experimental scheme may provide a possibility for high channel capacity and multi-mode quantum multiplexed quantum storage based on atomic ensembles

MicroRNA-223 ameliorates alcoholic liver injury by inhibiting the IL-6–p47phox–oxidative stress pathway in neutrophils

Objectives Chronic-plus-binge ethanol feeding activates neutrophils and exacerbates liver injury in mice. This study investigates how recent excessive drinking affects peripheral neutrophils and liver injury in alcoholics, and how miR-223, one of the most abundant microRNAs (miRNAs) in neutrophils, modulates neutrophil function and liver injury in ethanol-fed mice. Designs Three hundred alcoholics with (n=140) or without (n=160) recent excessive drinking and 45 healthy controls were enrolled. Mice were fed an ethanol diet for 10 days followed by a single binge of ethanol. Results Compared with healthy controls or alcoholics without recent drinking, alcoholics with recent excessive drinking had higher levels of circulating neutrophils, which correlated with serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). miRNA array analysis revealed that alcoholics had elevated serum miR-223 levels compared with healthy controls. In chronic-plus-binge ethanol feeding mouse model, the levels of miR-223 were increased in both serum and neutrophils. Genetic deletion of the miR-223 gene exacerbated ethanol-induced hepatic injury, neutrophil infiltration, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulated hepatic expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and phagocytic oxidase (phox) p47phox. Mechanistic studies revealed that miR-223 directly inhibited IL-6 expression and subsequently inhibited p47phox expression in neutrophils. Deletion of the p47phox gene ameliorated ethanol-induced liver injury and ROS production by neutrophils. Finally, miR-223 expression was downregulated, while IL-6 and p47phox expression were upregulated in peripheral blood neutrophils from alcoholics compared with healthy controls. Conclusions miR-223 is an important regulator to block neutrophil infiltration in alcoholic liver disease and could be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of this malady

Deciphering the miRNA transcriptome of breast muscle from the embryonic to post-hatching periods in chickens.

peer reviewed[en] BACKGROUND: miRNAs play critical roles in growth and development. Various studies of chicken muscle development have focused on identifying miRNAs that are important for embryo or adult muscle development. However, little is known about the role of miRNAs in the whole muscle development process from embryonic to post-hatching periods. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of miRNA transcriptomes at 12-day embryo (E12), E17, and day 1 (D1), D14, D56 and D98 post-hatching stages. RESULTS: We identified 337 differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) during muscle development. A Short Time-Series Expression Miner analysis identified two significantly different expression profiles. Profile 4 with downregulated pattern contained 106 DE-miRNAs, while profile 21 with upregulated pattern contained 44 DE-miRNAs. The DE-miRNAs with the upregulated pattern mainly played regulatory roles in cellular turnover, such as pyrimidine metabolism, DNA replication, and cell cycle, whereas DE-miRNAs with the downregulated pattern directly or indirectly contributed to protein turnover metabolism such as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism and biosynthesis of amino acids. CONCLUSIONS: The main functional miRNAs during chicken muscle development differ between embryonic and post-hatching stages. miRNAs with an upregulated pattern were mainly involved in cellular turnover, while miRNAs with a downregulated pattern mainly played a regulatory role in protein turnover metabolism. These findings enrich information about the regulatory mechanisms involved in muscle development at the miRNA expression level, and provide several candidates for future studies concerning miRNA-target function in regulation of chicken muscle development

Use of Xinfeng capsule to treat abarticular pathologic changes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

AbstractObjectiveTo observe the influence of Xinfeng-capsule (XFC) on abarticular pathologic changes (APCs) and other indices of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and explore the mechanism of action of XFC in improving such changes.MethodsThree-hundred RA patients were divided randomly into a treatment group (n=150) and control group (n=150). A normal control (NC) group (n=90) was also created. Changes in cardiac function, pulmonary function, anemia indices and platelet parameters of RA patients were measured. Curative effects of the two groups were compared, and comparison carried out with the NC group.ResultsIn 300 RA patients, late diastolic peak flow velocity (A peak) was much higher (P<0.01) and early diastolic peak flow velocity (E peak), E/A, and left ventricular fraction shortening much lower (P<0.01) than those in the NC group. Vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity in one second, forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), maximal expiratory flow in 50% of VC (FEF50) and FEF75 were lowered remarkably (P< 0.05 or P<0.01). Platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) increased markedly (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and hemoglobin (Hb) level decreased significantly (P<0.05). After XFC treatment, the A peak and PLT and PCT were much lower (P<0.05), and E/A and the number of red blood cells as well as Hb level were much higher (P< 0.05), as were FVC, MVV and FEF50 (P<0.05 or P< 0.01), in the treatment group than those in the NC group. Total score of pain and swelling in joints, uric-acid level and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level were much lower, and superoxide dismutase level as well as the number of CD4 + CD25 + regulation T cells (Treg) and CD4 + CD25 + CD127-Treg were much higher (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in the treatment group than those in the NC group.ConclusionRA patients with pathologic changes in joints also suffer from lower cardiac and pulmonary functions and from parameters of anemia and platelet factors. XFC can improve the symptoms of RA patients, ameliorate their cardiac and pulmonary functions and reduce the parameters of anemia and platelet factors. XFC lowers the immune inflammatory reaction to improve APCs in RA patients