Feature Representation Learning with Adaptive Displacement Generation and Transformer Fusion for Micro-Expression Recognition

Micro-expressions are spontaneous, rapid and subtle facial movements that can neither be forged nor suppressed. They are very important nonverbal communication clues, but are transient and of low intensity thus difficult to recognize. Recently deep learning based methods have been developed for micro-expression (ME) recognition using feature extraction and fusion techniques, however, targeted feature learning and efficient feature fusion still lack further study according to the ME characteristics. To address these issues, we propose a novel framework Feature Representation Learning with adaptive Displacement Generation and Transformer fusion (FRL-DGT), in which a convolutional Displacement Generation Module (DGM) with self-supervised learning is used to extract dynamic features from onset/apex frames targeted to the subsequent ME recognition task, and a well-designed Transformer Fusion mechanism composed of three Transformer-based fusion modules (local, global fusions based on AU regions and full-face fusion) is applied to extract the multi-level informative features after DGM for the final ME prediction. The extensive experiments with solid leave-one-subject-out (LOSO) evaluation results have demonstrated the superiority of our proposed FRL-DGT to state-of-the-art methods

Burden of liver cancer due to hepatitis C from 1990 to 2019 at the global, regional, and national levels

BackgroundLiver cancer due to hepatitis C (LCDHC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and the burden of LCDHC is increasing. We aimed to report the burden of LCDHC at the global, regional, and national levels in 204 countries from 1990 to 2019, stratified by etiology, sex, age, and Sociodemographic Index.MethodsData on LCDHC were available from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) study 2019. Numbers and age-standardized mortality, incidence, and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates per 100,000 population were estimated through a systematic analysis of modeled data from the GBD 2019 study. The trends in the LCDHC burden were assessed using the annual percentage change.ResultsGlobally, in 2019, there were 152,225 new cases, 141,810 deaths, and 2,878,024 DALYs due to LCDHC. From 1990 to 2019, the number of incidences, mortality, and DALY cases increased by 80.68%, 67.50%, and 37.20%, respectively. However, the age-standardized incidence, mortality, and DALY rate had a decreasing trend during this period. In 2019, the highest age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) of LCDHC were found in high-income Asia Pacific, North Africa and the Middle East, and Central Asia. At the regional level, Mongolia, Egypt, and Japan had the three highest ASIRs in 2019. The incidence rates of LCDHC were higher in men and increased with age, with a peak incidence in the 95+ age group for women and the 85–89 age group for men in 2019. A nonlinear association was found between the age-standardized rates of LCDHC and sociodemographic index values at the regional and national levels.ConclusionsAlthough the age-standardized rates of LCDHC have decreased, the absolute numbers of incident cases, deaths, and DALYs have increased, indicating that LCDHC remains a significant global burden. In addition, the burden of LCDHC varies geographically. Male and older adult/s individuals have a higher burden of LCDHC. Our findings provide insight into the global burden trend of LCDHC. Policymakers should establish appropriate methods to achieve the HCV elimination target by 2030 and reducing the burden of LCDHC

Discovery of first-in-class inhibitors of ASH1L histone methyltransferase with anti-leukemic activity

ASH1L histone methyltransferase plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of different diseases, including acute leukemia. While ASH1L represents an attractive drug target, developing ASH1L inhibitors is challenging, as the catalytic SET domain adapts an inactive conformation with autoinhibitory loop blocking the access to the active site. Here, by applying fragment-based screening followed by medicinal chemistry and a structure-based design, we developed first-in-class small molecule inhibitors of the ASH1L SET domain. The crystal structures of ASH1L-inhibitor complexes reveal compound binding to the autoinhibitory loop region in the SET domain. When tested in MLL leukemia models, our lead compound, AS-99, blocks cell proliferation, induces apoptosis and differentiation, downregulates MLL fusion target genes, and reduces the leukemia burden in vivo. This work validates the ASH1L SET domain as a druggable target and provides a chemical probe to further study the biological functions of ASH1L as well as to develop therapeutic agents

exactquantumscatteringstudyofthed2sds2reaction

The quantum scattering dynamics calculations are carried out for the exchange and abstraction processes in the D(~2S)+DS(~2Π) reaction by the time-dependent wave-packet (TDWP) method. These calculations are based on the high-quality ab initio potential energy surface of the reacting system. The reaction probabilities and integral cross sections are obtained in the collision energy (Ecol) range of 0.0-2.0 eV for the reactant DS initially in the ground state and the first vibrationally excited state. We take the Coriolis coupling (CC) effect into account and present the comparison between the CC and the centrifugal sudden (CS) approximation calculation. The dynamics results show that the initial vibrational excitation of DS enhances both abstraction and exchange processes except that it has little effect on the abstraction cross section in the high energy region

Potential Energy Surfaces for the First Two Lowest-Lying Electronic States of the LiH2+ System, and Dynamics of the H+ + LiH reversible arrow H-2(+) + Li + Reactions

Two new potential energy surfaces are established for the ground and first excited electronic states of the LiH2+ system, which are important for the astrophysics-related H+ + LiH+ and H+ + LiH reactions. The ab initio energy points are calculated using the complete active space self-consistent field and multireference configuration interaction method with aug-cc-pVQZ basis set. At each state, more than 40000 energy points are calculated. The spectroscopic constants of the diatoms and the topographical characters of the new surfaces are examined in detail, showing good agreement with the available literature results. The reaction probabilities, integral and differential cross sections, and rate constants for the H+ + LiH reversible arrow H-2(+) + Li reactions are obtained by performing quantum dynamics calculations, and compared with the previous literature results. The reaction mechanisms are discussed in detail. It is shown that the new surfaces can be recommended for the dynamics study of the H+ + LiH+ and H+ + LiH+ reactions and other research including LiH2+ based rovibrational spectra and cluster dynamics

exactquantumscatteringstudyofthed2sds2reaction

The quantum scattering dynamics calculations are carried out for the exchange and abstraction processes in the D(~2S)+DS(~2Π) reaction by the time-dependent wave-packet (TDWP) method. These calculations are based on the high-quality ab initio potential energy surface of the reacting system. The reaction probabilities and integral cross sections are obtained in the collision energy (Ecol) range of 0.0-2.0 eV for the reactant DS initially in the ground state and the first vibrationally excited state. We take the Coriolis coupling (CC) effect into account and present the comparison between the CC and the centrifugal sudden (CS) approximation calculation. The dynamics results show that the initial vibrational excitation of DS enhances both abstraction and exchange processes except that it has little effect on the abstraction cross section in the high energy region

DOX/IL-2/IFN-γ co-loaded thermo-sensitive polypeptide hydrogel for efficient melanoma treatment

Melanoma has been a serious threat to the human health; however, effective therapeutic methods of this cancer are still limited. Combined local therapy is a crucial approach for achieving a superior anti-tumor efficacy. In this paper, a chemo-immunotherapy system of DOX, IL-2 and IFN-γ based on poly(γ-ethyl-L-glutamate)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(γ-ethyl-L-glutamate) (PELG-PEG-PELG) hydrogel was developed for local treatment of melanoma xenograft. The drug release process of this system exhibited a short term of burst release (the first 3 days), followed by a long-term sustained release (the following 26 days). The hydrogel degraded completely within 3 weeks without obvious inflammatory responses in the subcutaneous layer of rats, showing a good biodegradability and biocompatibility. The DOX/IL-2/IFN-γ co-loaded hydrogel also showed enhanced anti-tumor effect against B16F10 cells in vitro, through increasing the ratio of cell apoptosis and G2/S phage cycle arrest. Moreover, the combined strategy presented improved therapy efficacy against B16F10 melanoma xenograft without obvious systemic side effects in a nude mice model, which was likely related to both the enhanced tumor cell apoptosis and the increased proliferation of the CD3+/CD4+ T-lymphocytes and CD3+/CD8+ T-lymphocytes. Overall, the strategy of localized co-delivery of DOX/IL-2/IFN-γ using the polypeptide hydrogel provided a promising approach for efficient melanoma therapy

Characterization of chicken interleukin-9 receptor alpha chain

ABSTRACT: Interleukin-9 receptor alpha chain (IL-9Rα) is the ligand-binding subunit of IL-9R that plays roles in IL-9-mediated allergy, inflammation, infection, and tumor immunity. While mammalian IL-9Rαs have been extensively investigated, avian IL-9Rα has not yet been identified and characterized. In this study, we cloned chicken IL-9Rα (chIL-9Rα) and performed a phylogenetic analysis, analyzed its tissue distribution, characterized the expression form of natural chIL-9Rα. Phylogenetic analysis showed that chIL-9Rα has less than 25% amino acid homology with mammalian IL-9Rαs. The chIL-9Rα mRNA was abundantly detected only in heart and mitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore, 4 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against chIL-9Rα were generated using prokaryotic recombinant chIL-9Rα (rchIL-9Rα). Using anti-chIL-9Rα mAbs, natural chIL-9Rα expressed on the splenocytes of chickens was observed by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and its molecular weight of 51 kDa was identified by Western blotting. Overall, our study reveals for the first time the presence of IL-9Rα in birds, and provides immunological tools for further investigating the roles of chIL-9 in diseases and immunity

Potential Energy Surfaces for the First Two Lowest-Lying Electronic States of the LiH₂⁺ System, and Dynamics of the H⁺ + LiH ⇌ H₂⁺ + Li + Reactions

Two new potential energy surfaces are established for the ground and first excited electronic states of the LiH₂⁺ system, which are important for the astrophysics-related H⁺ + LiH⁺ and H⁺ + LiH reactions. The ab initio energy points are calculated using the complete active space self-consistent field and multireference configuration interaction method with aug-cc-pVQZ basis set. At each state, more than 40000 energy points are calculated. The spectroscopic constants of the diatoms and the topographical characters of the new surfaces are examined in detail, showing good agreement with the available literature results. The reaction probabilities, integral and differential cross sections, and rate constants for the H⁺ + LiH ⇌ H₂⁺ + Li reactions are obtained by performing quantum dynamics calculations, and compared with the previous literature results. The reaction mechanisms are discussed in detail. It is shown that the new surfaces can be recommended for the dynamics study of the H⁺ + LiH⁺ and H⁺ + LiH⁺ reactions and other research including LiH₂⁺ based rovibrational spectra and cluster dynamics