Scribble Hides Class: Promoting Scribble-Based Weakly-Supervised Semantic Segmentation with Its Class Label

Scribble-based weakly-supervised semantic segmentation using sparse scribble supervision is gaining traction as it reduces annotation costs when compared to fully annotated alternatives. Existing methods primarily generate pseudo-labels by diffusing labeled pixels to unlabeled ones with local cues for supervision. However, this diffusion process fails to exploit global semantics and class-specific cues, which are important for semantic segmentation. In this study, we propose a class-driven scribble promotion network, which utilizes both scribble annotations and pseudo-labels informed by image-level classes and global semantics for supervision. Directly adopting pseudo-labels might misguide the segmentation model, thus we design a localization rectification module to correct foreground representations in the feature space. To further combine the advantages of both supervisions, we also introduce a distance entropy loss for uncertainty reduction, which adapts per-pixel confidence weights according to the reliable region determined by the scribble and pseudo-label's boundary. Experiments on the ScribbleSup dataset with different qualities of scribble annotations outperform all the previous methods, demonstrating the superiority and robustness of our method.The code is available at https://github.com/Zxl19990529/Class-driven-Scribble-Promotion-Network

CA1-projecting subiculum neurons facilitate object-place learning.

Recent anatomical evidence suggests a functionally significant back-projection pathway from the subiculum to the CA1. Here we show that the afferent circuitry of CA1-projecting subicular neurons is biased by inputs from CA1 inhibitory neurons and the visual cortex, but lacks input from the entorhinal cortex. Efferents of the CA1-projecting subiculum neurons also target the perirhinal cortex, an area strongly implicated in object-place learning. We identify a critical role for CA1-projecting subicular neurons in object-location learning and memory, and show that this projection modulates place-specific activity of CA1 neurons and their responses to displaced objects. Together, these experiments reveal a novel pathway by which cortical inputs, particularly those from the visual cortex, reach the hippocampal output region CA1. Our findings also implicate this circuitry in the formation of complex spatial representations and learning of object-place associations

Identification of the shared gene signature and biological mechanism between type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer

Background: The correlation of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with colorectal cancer (CRC) has garnered considerable attention in the scientific community. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between these two diseases are yet to be elucidated. Hence, the present investigation aims to explore the shared gene signatures, immune profiles, and drug sensitivity patterns that exist between CRC and T2DM.Methods: RNA sequences and characteristics of patients with CRC and T2DM were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. These were investigated using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to determine the co-expression networks linked to the conditions. Genes shared between CRC and T2DM were analyzed by univariate regression, followed by risk prognosis assessment using the LASSO regression model. Various parameters were assessed through different software such as the ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, AND SSGSEA utilized for tumor immune infiltration assessment in the high- and low-risk groups. Additionally, pRRophetic was utilized to assess the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in both groups. This was followed by diagnostic modeling using logistic modeling and clinical prediction modeling using the nomogram.Results: WGCNA recognized four and five modules that displayed a high correlation with T2DM and CRC, respectively. In total, 868 genes were shared between CRC and T2DM, with 14 key shared genes being identified in the follow-up analysis. The overall survival (OS) of patients in the low-risk group was better than that of patients in the high-risk group. In contrast, the high-risk group exhibited higher expression levels of immune checkpoints The Cox regression analyses established that the risk-score model possessed independent prognostic value in predicting OS. To facilitate the prediction of OS and cause-specific survival, the nomogram was established utilizing the Cox regression model.Conclusion: The T2DM + CRC risk-score model enabled independent prediction of OS in individuals with CRC. Moreover, these findings revealed novel genes that hold promise as therapeutic targets or biomarkers in clinical settings

Static coupling effect of a two-degree-of-freedom direct drive induction motor

Two-degree-of-freedom motors are capable of producing linear, rotary, and helical motion, and thus have widespread applications in special industries. In this study, a new concept- static coupling effect is studied in the two-degree-of-freedom direct-drive induction motor (2DoFDDIM). The proposed approach is based on the image method and the three-dimensional (3D) finite-element method. The image method model is established to analyse its reasons and predict the main effects, which are then verified by the proposed 3D finite-element static coupling model and experiments. The induced voltages and currents are produced in the static part and induced torque or force is obtained, even though the static part is not energised. It is concluded that the static coupling effect increases with the supply frequency and is influenced by the stator winding configuration. Thus, the existence of the static coupling effect is confirmed, which must be taken into account in future optimisation and precise control of the 2DoFDDIM

The Study of Corrosion Behaviors of Carbon Steel Weldments and Their Inhibition in Simulated Pore Solution Using Multi-Electrode Array Technique

A multi-electrode array sensor was developed to study the corrosion behaviors of carbon steel weldments and the effectiveness of the NaNO2 inhibitor in carbonated pore solution. The sensor can simulate a complete weldment, and the measurement results can match well with the coupon immersion test. The galvanic corrosion between the weld area, heat-affected area, and base metal area, as well as the effect of nitrite corrosion inhibitor on the weld area, were observed by measuring the open circuit potential, coupling potential, and galvanic current. The results show that corrosion is likely to happen around the weld metal area and its adjacent heat-affected zone. The intensive galvanic currents can accelerate the localized corrosion, while NaNO2 can inhibit it

CA1-projecting subiculum neurons facilitate object-place learning.

Recent anatomical evidence suggests a functionally significant back-projection pathway from the subiculum to the CA1. Here we show that the afferent circuitry of CA1-projecting subicular neurons is biased by inputs from CA1 inhibitory neurons and the visual cortex, but lacks input from the entorhinal cortex. Efferents of the CA1-projecting subiculum neurons also target the perirhinal cortex, an area strongly implicated in object-place learning. We identify a critical role for CA1-projecting subicular neurons in object-location learning and memory, and show that this projection modulates place-specific activity of CA1 neurons and their responses to displaced objects. Together, these experiments reveal a novel pathway by which cortical inputs, particularly those from the visual cortex, reach the hippocampal output region CA1. Our findings also implicate this circuitry in the formation of complex spatial representations and learning of object-place associations

Calcium Phosphate-Reinforced Reduction-Sensitive Hyaluronic Acid Micelles for Delivering Paclitaxel in Cancer Therapy

For addressing the dilemma of in vivo stability and antitumor effects of micellar drugs, novel organic and inorganic hybridized nanoparticle, that is, hyaluronic acid-mineralized micelles, are designed to efficiently deliver paclitaxel (PTX). The resulting micelles exhibit excellent drug loading (30.6%) and entrapment efficiency (87.8%) for PTX with a small size (134.8 nm). Notably, the dual-sensitive release of PTX-loaded mineralized micelles is obtained in the conditions of 40 mM GSH and pH 5.0, whereas release is slow in the physiological environment. With favorable cell uptake, mineralized micelles show decent tumor accumulation, which corresponds to their significant targeting capacity from the observed real-time images. Compared with Taxol, PTX-loaded mineralized micelles show a lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration value (0.025 μg/mL), higher cell apoptosis rate (23.5%) in MDA-MB-231 cells, lower systemic toxicity to nude mice, and more potent in vivo tumor inhibition (1.57-times higher than that of Taxol (<i>p</i> < 0.05))