KinD-LCE Curve Estimation And Retinex Fusion On Low-Light Image

Low-light images often suffer from noise and color distortion. Object detection, semantic segmentation, instance segmentation, and other tasks are challenging when working with low-light images because of image noise and chromatic aberration. We also found that the conventional Retinex theory loses information in adjusting the image for low-light tasks. In response to the aforementioned problem, this paper proposes an algorithm for low illumination enhancement. The proposed method, KinD-LCE, uses a light curve estimation module to enhance the illumination map in the Retinex decomposed image, improving the overall image brightness. An illumination map and reflection map fusion module were also proposed to restore the image details and reduce detail loss. Additionally, a TV(total variation) loss function was applied to eliminate noise. Our method was trained on the GladNet dataset, known for its diverse collection of low-light images, tested against the Low-Light dataset, and evaluated using the ExDark dataset for downstream tasks, demonstrating competitive performance with a PSNR of 19.7216 and SSIM of 0.8213.Comment: Accepted by Signal, Image and Video Processin

Efficient generation of human primordial germ cell-like cells from pluripotent stem cells in a methylcellulose-based 3D system at large scale

Background The mechanisms underlying human germ cell development and infertility remain largely unknown due to bioethical issues and the shortage of experimental materials. Therefore, an effective in vitro induction system of human primordial germ-like cells (hPGCLCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) is in high demand. The current strategies used for the generation of hPGCLCs are not only costly but also difficult to perform at a large scale, thereby posing barriers to further research. In this study, we attempted to solve these problems by providing a new 3D culture system for hPGCLC differentiation. Methods The efficiency and relative yield of a methylcellulose (MC)-based 3D hPGCLC induction system were first compared with that of a conventional U96 system. Then, we examined the gene expression of germ cell marker genes and the key epigenetic modifications of the EpCAM-/INTEGRINα6-high cells from the 3D MC induction system and the U96 system via quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence. Finally, the reliability of the MC-based 3D hPGCLC induction system was evaluated via the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from the testicular cells of one patient with obstructive azoospermia (OA) and followed by the subsequent differentiation of iPSCs into the germ cell lineage. Results In the present study, we demonstrated that the 3D MC induction system combined with low-cell attachment plates facilitated the generation of hPGCLCs at a large scale. We found that the hPGCLCs generated via the MC system shared similar characteristics to that via the U96 system in terms of the gene expression profiles, germ cell-specific markers, epigenetic modification states and cellular states. In addition, hPGCLCs from iPSCs derived from one OA patient were generated with high efficiency via the present 3D MC induction system. Discussion The in vitro induction of hPGCLCs from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs)/human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has significant implications in exploring the underlying mechanisms of the origin and specification of hPGCs and the epigenetic programming of the human germ line as well as treating male infertility. Here, we developed a simple and efficient 3D induction system to generate hPGCLCs from hESCs/hiPSCs at a large scale, which facilitated the study of human germ cell development and stem cell-based reproductive medicine

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Study on the Influence of Aggregate Roundness of Reclaimed Asphalt Mixture on Its Road Performance

The utilization of reclaimed asphalt mixture, which combines old asphalt reclaimed material (RAP) with new aggregate, holds significant environmental benefits. However, the road performance of this mixture can decline due to the degradation of the old asphalt components. In this study, the shape characteristics of both old and new aggregates were analyzed using IPP6.0 software. Notably, the roundness of old aggregates within the 9.5–16 mm range exhibited the most substantial wear. Consequently, an investigation was conducted on the road performance implications of incorporating 30% RAP and its associated impact on aggregate roundness. The research findings indicated that there was minimal disparity in roundness between new and old aggregates within the particle size range of 4.75 mm to 9.5 mm. Nevertheless, as the proportion of old aggregates exceeding 9.5 mm increased, the recycled asphalt mixture exhibited reduced low-temperature and high-temperature performance, as well as diminished water stability

Effect of High-Entropy Spinel Ferrite (Mn_0.2Zr_0.2Cu_0.2Ca_0.2Ni_0.2)Fe₂O₄ Doping Concentration on the Ferroelectric Properties of PVDF-Based Polymers

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based dielectric energy storage materials have the advantages of environmental friendliness, high power density, high operating voltage, flexibility, and being light weight, and have enormous research value in the energy, aerospace, environmental protection, and medical fields. To investigate the magnetic field and the effect of high-entropy spinel ferrite (Mn0.2Zr0.2Cu0.2Ca0.2Ni0.2)Fe2O4 nanofibers (NFs) on the structural, dielectric, and energy storage properties of PVDF-based polymers, (Mn0.2Zr0.2Cu0.2Ca0.2Ni0.2)Fe2O4 NFs were prepared via the use of electrostatic spinning methods, and (Mn0.2Zr0.2Cu0.2Ca0.2Ni0.2)Fe2O4/PVDF composite films were prepared via the use of the coating method. The effects of a 0.8 T parallel magnetic field, induced for 3 min, and the content of high-entropy spinel ferrite on the relevant electrical properties of the composite films are discussed. The experimental results show that, structurally, the magnetic field treatment causes the originally agglomerated nanofibers in the PVDF polymer matrix to form a linear fiber chain with different fiber chains parallel to each other along the magnetic field direction. Electrically, the introduction of the magnetic field enhanced the interfacial polarization, and the (Mn0.2Zr0.2Cu0.2Ca0.2Ni0.2)Fe2O4/PVDF composite film with a doping concentration of 10 vol% had a maximum dielectric constant of 13.9, as well as a low energy loss of 0.068. The high-entropy spinel ferrite (Mn0.2Zr0.2Cu0.2Ca0.2Ni0.2)Fe2O4 NFs and the magnetic field influenced the phase composition of the PVDF-based polymer. The α-phase and γ-phase of the cohybrid-phase B1 vol% composite films had a maximum discharge energy density of 4.85 J/cm3 and a charge/discharge efficiency of 43%

Optimization of Synthesis of Biomorphic Cellular Iron Oxide from Wood Templates

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Hierarchically porous ZnO with high sensitivity and selectivity to H2S derived from biotemplates

International audienceHierarchical porous wood-templated ZnO has been successfully synthesized using Lauan and Fir woods as template through a simple hydrothermal bioinspired approach. The template type and calcination temperature in the preparation process have a large effect on the morphologies and porous structures of ZnO according to FESEM, TEM, mercury porosimetry and N2 adsorption investigations. The gas sensing performances of wood-templated and non-templated ZnO were investigated using H2, CO, H2S, NH3, Formaldehyde, Methanol, Ethanol, Acetone, and Isobutene. The article studies the effects of wood template, calcination temperature, and working temperature of gas flow on the gas sensitivity and selectivity in detail. It is revealed that wood-templated ZnO has excellent sensitivity and selectivity to H2S due to inheritance of wood's hierarchical porous structure. The sensing response to H2S of Fir-templated ZnO is about 5.1 times higher than that of non-templated ZnO. Fir-templated ZnO calcined at 600 °C, has the best sensing properties including the highest gas sensing response, the highest selectivity coefficients of H2S and the shortest response and recovery time. The selective sensing mechanism has been discussed from some key aspects, such as gas properties, gas–solid reactions, grain size and hierarchical porous microstructures

Gas Sensing Properties of Biotemplated Porous ZnO

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