250 research outputs found
Simple to Complex Cross-modal Learning to Rank
The heterogeneity-gap between different modalities brings a significant
challenge to multimedia information retrieval. Some studies formalize the
cross-modal retrieval tasks as a ranking problem and learn a shared multi-modal
embedding space to measure the cross-modality similarity. However, previous
methods often establish the shared embedding space based on linear mapping
functions which might not be sophisticated enough to reveal more complicated
inter-modal correspondences. Additionally, current studies assume that the
rankings are of equal importance, and thus all rankings are used
simultaneously, or a small number of rankings are selected randomly to train
the embedding space at each iteration. Such strategies, however, always suffer
from outliers as well as reduced generalization capability due to their lack of
insightful understanding of procedure of human cognition. In this paper, we
involve the self-paced learning theory with diversity into the cross-modal
learning to rank and learn an optimal multi-modal embedding space based on
non-linear mapping functions. This strategy enhances the model's robustness to
outliers and achieves better generalization via training the model gradually
from easy rankings by diverse queries to more complex ones. An efficient
alternative algorithm is exploited to solve the proposed challenging problem
with fast convergence in practice. Extensive experimental results on several
benchmark datasets indicate that the proposed method achieves significant
improvements over the state-of-the-arts in this literature.Comment: 14 pages; Accepted by Computer Vision and Image Understandin
Generating Human-Centric Visual Cues for Human-Object Interaction Detection via Large Vision-Language Models
Human-object interaction (HOI) detection aims at detecting human-object pairs
and predicting their interactions. However, the complexity of human behavior
and the diverse contexts in which these interactions occur make it challenging.
Intuitively, human-centric visual cues, such as the involved participants, the
body language, and the surrounding environment, play crucial roles in shaping
these interactions. These cues are particularly vital in interpreting unseen
interactions. In this paper, we propose three prompts with VLM to generate
human-centric visual cues within an image from multiple perspectives of humans.
To capitalize on these rich Human-Centric Visual Cues, we propose a novel
approach named HCVC for HOI detection. Particularly, we develop a
transformer-based multimodal fusion module with multitower architecture to
integrate visual cue features into the instance and interaction decoders. Our
extensive experiments and analysis validate the efficacy of leveraging the
generated human-centric visual cues for HOI detection. Notably, the
experimental results indicate the superiority of the proposed model over the
existing state-of-the-art methods on two widely used datasets
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Fast Ionic Diffusion-Enabled Nanoflake Electrode by Spontaneous Electrochemical Pre-Intercalation for High-Performance Supercapacitor
Layered intercalation compounds NaMnO (x = 0.7 and 0.91) nanoflakes have been prepared directly through wet electrochemical process with Na ions intercalated into MnO interlayers spontaneously. The as-prepared NaMnO nanoflake based supercapacitors exhibit faster ionic diffusion with enhanced redox peaks, tenfold-higher energy densities up to 110 Wh·kg and higher capacitances over 1000 F·g in aqueous sodium system compared with traditional MnO supercapacitors. Due to the free-standing electrode structure and suitable crystal structure, NaMnO nanoflake electrodes also maintain outstanding electrochemical stability with capacitance retention up to 99.9% after 1000 cycles. Besides, pre-intercalation effect is further studied to explain this enhanced electrochemical performance. This study indicates that the suitable pre-intercalation is effective to improve the diffusion of electrolyte cations and other electrochemical performance for layered oxides, and suggests that the as-obtained nanoflakes are promising materials to achieve the hybridization of both high energy and power density for advanced supercapacitors.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog
Water management affects arsenic and cadmium accumulation in different rice cultivars
Paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food and one of the major sources of dietary arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in Asia. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of four water management regimes (aerobic, intermittent irrigation, conventional irrigation and flooding) on As and Cd accumulation in seven major rice cultivars grown in Zhejiang province, east China. With increasing irrigation from aerobic to flooded conditions, the soil HCl-extractable As concentrations increased significantly and the HCl-extractable Cd concentrations decreased significantly. These trends were consistent with the As and Cd concentrations in the straw, husk and brown rice. Water management both before and after the full tillering stage affected As and Cd accumulation in the grains. The intermittent and conventional treatments produced higher grain yields than the aerobic and flooded treatments. Cd concentrations in brown rice varied 13.1-40.8 times and As varied 1.75-8.80 times among the four water management regimes. Cd and As accumulation in brown rice varied among the rice cultivars, with Guodao 6 (GD6) was a low Cd but high-As-accumulating cultivar while Indonesia (IR) and Yongyou 9 (YY9) were low As but high-Cd-accumulating cultivars. Brown rice Cd and As concentrations in the 7 cultivars were significantly negatively correlated. The results indicate that As and Cd accumulated in rice grains with opposite trends that were influenced by both water management and rice cultivar. Production of 'safe' rice with respect to As and Cd might be possible by balancing water management and rice cultivar according to the severity of soil pollution.Paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food and one of the major sources of dietary arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in Asia. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of four water management regimes (aerobic, intermittent irrigation, conventional irrigation and flooding) on As and Cd accumulation in seven major rice cultivars grown in Zhejiang province, east China. With increasing irrigation from aerobic to flooded conditions, the soil HCl-extractable As concentrations increased significantly and the HCl-extractable Cd concentrations decreased significantly. These trends were consistent with the As and Cd concentrations in the straw, husk and brown rice. Water management both before and after the full tillering stage affected As and Cd accumulation in the grains. The intermittent and conventional treatments produced higher grain yields than the aerobic and flooded treatments. Cd concentrations in brown rice varied 13.1-40.8 times and As varied 1.75-8.80 times among the four water management regimes. Cd and As accumulation in brown rice varied among the rice cultivars, with Guodao 6 (GD6) was a low Cd but high-As-accumulating cultivar while Indonesia (IR) and Yongyou 9 (YY9) were low As but high-Cd-accumulating cultivars. Brown rice Cd and As concentrations in the 7 cultivars were significantly negatively correlated. The results indicate that As and Cd accumulated in rice grains with opposite trends that were influenced by both water management and rice cultivar. Production of 'safe' rice with respect to As and Cd might be possible by balancing water management and rice cultivar according to the severity of soil pollution
Bivalves and microbes: a mini-review of their relationship and potential implications for human health in a rapidly warming ocean
Heatwaves have become increasingly frequent and intense, posing a significant threat to the survival and health of marine bivalves. The temperature fluctuations associated with heatwaves can cause significant alterations in the composition and quantity of microbial communities in bivalves, resulting in changes to their immunological responses, gut microbiome, oxidative stress levels, and other physiological processes and eventually making them more susceptible to diseases and mass mortalities. This is particularly concerning because some of these bivalves are consumed raw, which could represent a risk to human health. This paper provides an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the impact of marine heatwaves on bivalves and their microbial communities, demonstrating the intricate relationship between heatwaves, microbial ecosystems, and bivalve health. Our analysis highlights the need for additional research to establish the underlying mechanisms of these reactions and to develop appropriate conservation and management strategies to limit the impact of heatwaves on bivalves and their microbial ecosystems
Impacts of marine heat extremes on bivalves
As the global ocean continues to experience the consequences of an increase in the frequency and intensity of heat waves, the trend is expected to persist into the 21st century, with a projected tripling of heat waves by 2040. This phenomenon poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems and the survival of marine organisms, including the ecologically and economically vital bivalves. Bivalves are vulnerable to harm from heat stress at various levels of biological organization, and their growth can be negatively impacted by high temperatures, potentially leading to mass mortalities and posing a threat to ecosystem quality and food security. In light of these concerns, this review aims to provide a comprehensive examination of the effects of heat stress on bivalves. It summarizes the physiological and biochemical changes that bivalves undergo in response to extreme heat events and offers an overview of the strategies they employ to mitigate their impacts. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of bivalve responses to heat stress is crucial in order to fully appreciate the impact of these events on these organisms. This review synthesizes the current knowledge on heat stress in bivalves and highlights the importance of further research in this area. By providing a comprehensive overview of the physiological and biochemical changes that bivalves experience during heat stress and the strategies they use to mitigate its impact, this review aims to support the development of more effective approaches to minimize heat stress in bivalves
Effects of 8-Week Hatha Yoga Training on Metabolic and Inflammatory Markers in Healthy, Female Chinese Subjects: A Randomized Clinical Trial
We aimed to determine the effects of an 8 wk Hatha yoga training on blood glucose, insulin, lipid profiles, endothelial microparticles (EMPs), and inflammatory status in healthy, lean, and female Chinese subjects. A total of 30 healthy, female Chinese subjects were recruited and randomized into control or yoga practice group. The yoga practice included 8 wks of yoga practice (2 times/wk) for a total of 16 times. Fasting blood samples were collected before and after yoga training. Plasma was isolated for the measurement of lipid profiles, glucose, insulin, EMPs, and inflammatory cytokines. Whole blood was cultured ex vivo and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Pam3Cys-SK4. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated for the measurement of TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression. Yoga practice significantly reduced plasma cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, insulin levels, and CD31+/CD42b− EMPs. Cultured whole blood from the yoga group has reduced proinflammatory cytokines secretion both at unstimulated condition and when stimulated with Pam3Cys-SK4; this might be associated with reduced TLR2 protein expression in PBMCs after yoga training. Hatha yoga practice in healthy Chinese female subjects could improve hallmarks related to MetS; thus it can be considered as an ancillary intervention in the primary MetS prevention for the healthy population. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-IOR-14005747
Indium Tin Oxide@Carbon Core–Shell Nanowire and Jagged Indium Tin Oxide Nanowire
This paper reports two new indium tin oxide (ITO)-based nanostructures, namely ITO@carbon core–shell nanowire and jagged ITO nanowire. The ITO@carbon core–shell nanowires (~50 nm in diameter, 1–5 μm in length,) were prepared by a chemical vapor deposition process from commercial ITO nanoparticles. A carbon overlayer (~5–10 in thickness) was observed around ITO nanowire core, which was in situ formed by the catalytic decomposition of acetylene gas. This carbon overlayer could be easily removed after calcination in air at an elevated temperature of 700°C, thus forming jagged ITO nanowires (~40–45 nm in diameter). The growth mechanisms of ITO@carbon core–shell nanowire and jagged ITO nanowire were also suggested
SILAR BiOI sensitized TiO2 films for visible light photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and 4-chlorophenol
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