An improved image segmentation algorithm for salient object detection

Semantic object detection is one of the most important and challenging problems in image analysis. Segmentation is an optimal approach to detect salient objects, but often fails to generate meaningful regions due to over-segmentation. This paper presents an improved semantic segmentation approach which is based on JSEG algorithm and utilizes multiple region merging criteria. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is encouraging and effective in salient object detection

Magnetostructural Transformation and Magnetoresponsive Properties of MnNiGe1-xSnx Alloys

The martensitic and magnetic phase transformations in MnNiGe1-xSnx (0 \leq x \leq 0.200) alloys were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and magnetization measurements. Results indicate that the increasing Sn substitution in MnNiGe1-xSnx results in (i) decrease of martensitic transformation temperature from 460 to 100 K and (ii) conversion of AFM spiral to antiparallel AFM strcuture in martensite. Based on these, the remarkable magnetic-field-induced PM/spiral-AFM and FM/AFM magnetostructural transformations and, large positive and negative magnetocaloric effects are obtained. The magnetoresponsive effects of MnNiGe1-xSnx alloys are enhanced by Sn substitution. A structural and magnetic phase diagram of MnNiGe1-xSnx alloys has been proposed.Comment: 3 pages and 4 figure

Badanie wstępne ekspresji i wartości klinicznej oznaczenia czynnika wzrostu pochodzenia płytkowego BB, czynnika indukowanego hipoksją-1α i receptora chemokiny C-C typu 2 we krwi obwodowej w patogenezie choroby Gravesa-Basedowa

Introduction: Platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) plays an important role in the development of GD (Graves’ disease). However, it is still unknown whether PDGF-BB is expressed in peripheral blood and whether the expression of PDGF-BB contributes to GD. We aim to study the expression of PDGF-BB, hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α and C-C motif chemokine receptor (CCR)-2 in peripheral blood of patients with GD and explore its effect and potential mechanism in pathogenesis. Material and methods: 41 patients with GD (GD group) and forty-five healthy people (control group) were chosen. The concentration of PDGF-BB and HIF-1α in peripheral blood specimens were detected and compared between the two groups. The expression of CCR2 in macrophages in the peripheral blood specimens were examined using FCM (Flow Cytometry). Results: Both PDGF-BB and HIF-1α were expressed in human peripheral blood from the two groups. Compared with specimens from healthy people, there were statistically increased concentrations of PDGF-BB and HIF-1α in the GD group (P < 0.05). The proportion of CCR2-positive macrophages in peripheral blood in the GD group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: CCR2-positive macrophages may induce the expression of PDGF-BB through HIF-1α signal, and the high expression of PDGF-BB may be involved in the pathogenesis of GD.Wprowadzenie: Czynnik wzrostu pochodzenia płytkowego BB (platelet-derived growth factor BB, PDGF-BB) odgrywa ważną rolę w roz­woju choroby Gravesa-Basedowa (Graves’ disease, GD). Jednak wciąż nie wiadomo, czy PDGF-BB ulega ekspresji we krwi obwodowej i czy ekspresja PDGF-BB przyczynia się do GD. Badanie przeprowadzono w celu zbadania ekspresji PDGF-BB, czynnika indukowanego hipoksją-1α (hypoxia inducible factor-1α, HIF-1α) i receptora chemokiny C-C typu 2 (C-C motif chemokine receptor-2, CCR-2) we krwi obwo­dowej pacjentów z GD i zbadania wpływu tych cząsteczek i potencjalnego mechanizmu ich działania w patogenezie choroby. Materiał i metody: Do badania włączono 41 pacjentów z GD (grupa GD) i 45 osób zdrowych (grupa kontrolna). Stężenie PDGF-BB i HIF-1α w próbkach krwi obwodowej oznaczono i porównano między grupami. Do pomiaru ekspresji CCR2 w makrofagach krwi obwodowej zastosowano metodę cytometrii przepływowej (flow cytometry, FCM). Wyniki: W obu grupach badanych stwierdzono ekspresję PDGF-BB i HIF-1α we krwi obwodowej. W grupie GD odnotowano istotne statystycznie wyższe stężenia PDGF-BB i HIF-1α niż u osób zdrowych (p &lt; 0,05). Odsetek makrofagów CCR2-dodatnich we krwi obwo­dowej w grupie GD był istotnie wyższy niż w grupie kontrolnej (p &lt; 0,05). Wnioski: Makrofagi CCR2-dodatnie mogą indukować ekspresję PDGF-BB za pośrednictwem sygnału HIF-1α, a wysoka ekspresja PDGF­BB może odgrywać rolę w patogenezie GD

Expression analysis of OsbZIP transcription factors in resistance response by the rice blast resistance gene Pi36-mediated

Plant basic leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins play an essential role in the genes expression and regulation in higher plants. They have been shown to regulate diverse plant specific phenomena, including germination, floral induction and development, seed maturation, photomorphogenesis, biotic and abiotic stresses. Resistance response mediated by the rice blast resistance gene Pi36 is a typical signal transduction, in which 12 OsbZIP genes were differentially expressed by microarray analyses. To understand the potential function of OsbZIP genes during the defense responses against rice blast, the expression analysis of these OsbZIP genes, in response to the blast fungus inoculation and the related defense signal molecules induction, were further conducted using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Our data indicates that among the 12 OsbZIP genes, the expression level eight tested genes were differentially regulated and maintained to 96 h points post inoculation in rice resistant and susceptible cultivars during Magnaporthe oryzae infection, and all of them were also significantly up-regulated by one or several kinds of exogenous plant hormones stresses. Although, these genes were induced only at early time points (1 to 24 h); it is evident that the OsbZIP genes may be involved in different signaling pathway, and play potential important functions in the defense response to rice blast.Keywords: OsbZIP transcription factors, rice blast, resistance response, plant hormones stresses.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(34), pp. 5294-530

PBGen: Partial Binarization of Deconvolution-Based Generators for Edge Intelligence

This work explores the binarization of the deconvolution-based generator in a GAN for memory saving and speedup of image construction. Our study suggests that different from convolutional neural networks (including the discriminator) where all layers can be binarized, only some of the layers in the generator can be binarized without significant performance loss. Supported by theoretical analysis and verified by experiments, a direct metric based on the dimension of deconvolution operations is established, which can be used to quickly decide which layers in the generator can be binarized. Our results also indicate that both the generator and the discriminator should be binarized simultaneously for balanced competition and better performance. Experimental results based on CelebA suggest that directly applying state-of-the-art binarization techniques to all the layers of the generator will lead to 2.83$\times$ performance loss measured by sliced Wasserstein distance compared with the original generator, while applying them to selected layers only can yield up to 25.81$\times$ saving in memory consumption, and 1.96$\times$ and 1.32$\times$ speedup in inference and training respectively with little performance loss.Comment: 17 pages, paper re-organized