CG-DIQA: No-reference Document Image Quality Assessment Based on Character Gradient

Document image quality assessment (DIQA) is an important and challenging problem in real applications. In order to predict the quality scores of document images, this paper proposes a novel no-reference DIQA method based on character gradient, where the OCR accuracy is used as a ground-truth quality metric. Character gradient is computed on character patches detected with the maximally stable extremal regions (MSER) based method. Character patches are essentially significant to character recognition and therefore suitable for use in estimating document image quality. Experiments on a benchmark dataset show that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in estimating the quality score of document images.Comment: To be published in Proc. of ICPR 201

The progress of clinical research on the detection of 1,5-anhydroglucitol in diabetes and its complications

1,5-Anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) is sensitive to short-term glucose fluctuations and postprandial hyperglycemia, which has great potential in the clinical application of diabetes as a nontraditional blood glucose monitoring indicator. A large number of studies have found that 1,5-AG can be used to screen for diabetes, manage diabetes, and predict the perils of diabetes complications (diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiovascular disease, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic pregnancy complications, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, etc.). Additionally, 1,5-AG and β cells are also associated with each other. As a noninvasive blood glucose monitoring indicator, salivary 1,5-AG has much more benefit for clinical application; however, it cannot be ignored that its detection methods are not perfect. Thus, a considerable stack of research is still needed to establish an accurate and simple enzyme assay for the detection of salivary 1,5-AG. More clinical studies will also be required in the future to confirm the normal reference range of 1,5-AG and its role in diabetes complications to further enhance the blood glucose monitoring system for diabetes

Identification of Dominant Spoilage Bacteria in Chicken Feet with Pickled Peppers and Analysis of Their Spoilage Capacity

The dominant spoilage bacteria in chicken feet with pickled peppers were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing technology and isolated by the traditional culture method to evaluate their spoilage capacity by back inoculation. The results showed that the dominant genus identified was Bacillus, and four dominant strains were identified including B. methylotrophicus, B. velezensis, B. subtilis and B. safensis. All these strains were able to produce protease and lipase activity. Among them, B. safensis showed the strongest protease activity (51.19 U/mL), while B. methylotrophicus showed the strongest lipase activity (3.75 U/mL). The pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value of the samples inoculated with each of the four Bacillus strains were higher than those of the uninoculated control group, indicating that all four Bacillus strains had spoilage capacity. This study will provided a theoretical basis for preventing and controlling the spoilage of chicken feet with pickled peppers and extending its shelf life

Rewiring carbon flow in Synechocystis PCC 6803 for a high rate of CO2-to-ethanol under an atmospheric environment

Cyanobacteria are an excellent microbial photosynthetic platform for sustainable carbon dioxide fixation. One bottleneck to limit its application is that the natural carbon flow pathway almost transfers CO2 to glycogen/biomass other than designed biofuels such as ethanol. Here, we used engineered Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to explore CO2-to-ethanol potential under atmospheric environment. First, we investigated the effects of two heterologous genes (pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase) on ethanol biosynthesis and optimized their promoter. Furthermore, the main carbon flow of the ethanol pathway was strengthened by blocking glycogen storage and pyruvate-to-phosphoenolpyruvate backflow. To recycle carbon atoms that escaped from the tricarboxylic acid cycle, malate was artificially guided back into pyruvate, which also created NADPH balance and promoted acetaldehyde conversion into ethanol. Impressively, we achieved high-rate ethanol production (248 mg/L/day at early 4 days) by fixing atmospheric CO2. Thus, this study exhibits the proof-of-concept that rewiring carbon flow strategies could provide an efficient cyanobacterial platform for sustainable biofuel production from atmospheric CO2

Challenges and pathways of low-carbon oriented energy transition and power system planning strategy: a review

This paper provides an overview of the challenges and pathways involved in achieving a low-carbon-oriented energy transition roadmap and power system planning strategy. The transition towards low-carbon energy sources is crucial in mitigating the global climate change crisis. However, this transition presents several technical, economic, and political challenges. The paper emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach to power system planning that considers the entire energy system (including both physical and information systems and market mechanisms) and not just individual technologies. To achieve this goal, the paper discusses various pathways toward low-carbon energy transition, including the integration of renewable energy sources into current energy systems, energy efficiency measures, and market-based and regulatory strategies encompassing the implementation of regulations, standards, and policies. Furthermore, the paper underscores the need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to energy planning, taking into account the socio-economic and political dimensions of the transition process. In addition, the paper reviews the methodologies used in modeling low-carbon-oriented power system planning, including both model-based methods and advanced machine learning-assisted solutions. Overall, the paper concludes that achieving a low-carbon-oriented energy transition roadmap and power system planning strategy requires a multi-dimensional approach that considers technical, economic, political, and social factors

Blockade of IL-33 signalling attenuates osteoarthritis.

Objectives:Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis characterised by cartilage degradation, synovitis and pain. Disease modifying treatments for OA are not available. The critical unmet need is to find therapeutic targets to reduce both disease progression and pain. The cytokine IL-33 and its receptor ST2 have been shown to play a role in immune and inflammatory diseases, but their role in osteoarthritis is unknown. Methods:Non-OA and OA human chondrocytes samples were examined for IL-33 and ST2 expression. Novel inducible cartilage specific knockout mice (IL-33Acan CreERT2) and inducible fibroblast-like synoviocyte knockout mice (IL-33Col1a2 CreERT2) were generated and subjected to an experimental OA model. In addition, wild-type mice were intra-articularly administered with either IL-33- or ST2-neutralising antibodies during experimental OA studies. Results:IL-33 and its receptor ST2 have increased expression in OA patients and a murine disease model. Administering recombinant IL-33 increased OA and pain in vivo. Synovial fibroblast-specific deletion of IL-33 decreased synovitis but did not impact disease outcomes, whilst cartilage-specific deletion of IL-33 improved disease outcomes in vivo. Blocking IL-33 signalling also reduced the release of cartilage-degrading enzymes in human and mouse chondrocytes. Most importantly, we show the use of monoclonal antibodies against IL-33 and ST2 attenuates both OA and pain in vivo. Conclusion:Overall, our data reveal blockade of IL-33 signalling as a viable therapeutic target for OA

Female Resistance to Invading Males Increases Infanticide in Langurs

BACKGROUND: Infanticide by adult male occurs in many mammalian species under natural conditions, and it is often assumed to be a goal-directed action and explained predominately by sexual selection. Motivation of this behavior in mammals is limitedly involved. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used long-term reproductive records and direct observation in captivity and in the field of two snub-nosed langur species on the basis of individual identification to investigate how infanticide happened and to be avoided in nonhuman primates. Our observations suggested that infanticide by invading males might be more accidental than goal-directed. The invading male seemed to monopolize all the females including lactating mothers during takeovers. Multiparous mothers who accepted the invading male shortly after takeovers avoided infanticide in most cases. Our results conjectured primiparous mothers would decrease infanticidal possibility if they sexually accepted the invading male during or immediately after takeovers. In the studied langur species, voluntary abortion or mating with the invading male was evidently adopted by females to limit or avoid infanticide by takeover males. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: The objective of the invading male was to monopolize all adult females after his takeover. It appeared that the mother's resistance to accepting the new male as a mating partner was the primary incentive for infanticide. Motivation analysis might be helpful to further understand why infanticide occurs in primate species