Context-Patch Face Hallucination Based on Thresholding Locality-Constrained Representation and Reproducing Learning

Face hallucination is a technique that reconstruct high-resolution (HR) faces from low-resolution (LR) faces, by using the prior knowledge learned from HR/LR face pairs. Most state-of-the-arts leverage position-patch prior knowledge of human face to estimate the optimal representation coefficients for each image patch. However, they focus only the position information and usually ignore the context information of image patch. In addition, when they are confronted with misalignment or the Small Sample Size (SSS) problem, the hallucination performance is very poor. To this end, this study incorporates the contextual information of image patch and proposes a powerful and efficient context-patch based face hallucination approach, namely Thresholding Locality-constrained Representation and Reproducing learning (TLcR-RL). Under the context-patch based framework, we advance a thresholding based representation method to enhance the reconstruction accuracy and reduce the computational complexity. To further improve the performance of the proposed algorithm, we propose a promotion strategy called reproducing learning. By adding the estimated HR face to the training set, which can simulates the case that the HR version of the input LR face is present in the training set, thus iteratively enhancing the final hallucination result. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed TLcR-RL method achieves a substantial increase in the hallucinated results, both subjectively and objectively. Additionally, the proposed framework is more robust to face misalignment and the SSS problem, and its hallucinated HR face is still very good when the LR test face is from the real-world. The MATLAB source code is available at https://github.com/junjun-jiang/TLcR-RL

A Novel Fluorescent Sensor for the Sensitive Detection of Mercury

AbstractMercury pollution is a widespread danger to human health and environment. To developed a effective method for mercury detecting is in high demand. This work demonstrated a novel bright fluorescent molecule DPDTC for the sensing of mercury. The approach was mainly based on the mercury-induced fluorescence turn-off of DPDTC. The probe was prepared by a simple method and exhibited high fluorescence. The fluorescence of DPDTC was very stable and immue to photobleaching. Results showed that DPDTC was a promising tool for mercury detection. Moreover, DPDTC could be immoblized on a paper to prepare an simple and portable sensor which expanded its real application

Trends in and Predictions of Colorectal Cancer Incidence and Mortality in China From 1990 to 2025

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has emerged as a major public health concern in China during the last decade. In this study, we investigated the disease burden posed by CRC and analyzed temporal trends in CRC incidence and mortality rates in this country. We collected CRC incidence data from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Volume XI dataset and the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of CRC by sex and age, from the 2016 Global Burden of Diseases Study. We used the average annual percentage change (AAPC) to quantify temporal trends in CRC incidence and mortality from 1990 to 2016 and found the ASIR of CRC increased from 14.25 per 100,000 in 1990 to 25.27 per 100,000 in 2016 (AAPC = 2.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.29, 2.39). Cancer cases increased from 104.3 thousand to 392.8 thousand during the same period. The ASIR increased by 2.76% (95% CI 2.66%, 2.85%) and 1.70% (95% CI 1.64%, 1.76%) per year in males and females, respectively. The highest AAPC was found in people aged 15–49 years (2.76, 95% CI 2.59, 2.94). Cancer deaths increased from 81.1 thousand in 1990 to 167.1 thousand in 2016, while the ASMR remained stable (−0.04, 95% CI −0.13, 0.05), A mild increase (AAPC = 0.42, 95% CI 0.34, 0.51) was found among males and a significant decrease (AAPC = −0.75, 95% CI −0.90, −0.60) was found among females. Between 2016 and 2025, cancer cases and deaths are expected to increase from 392.8 and 167.1 thousand in 2016 to 642.3 (95% CI 498.4, 732.1) and 221.1 thousand (95% CI 122.5, 314.8) in 2025, respectively. Our study showed a steady increase in the CRC incidence in China over the past three decades and predicted a further increase in the near future. To combat this health concern, the prevention and management of known risk factors should be promoted through national polices. Greater priority should be given to CRC prevention in younger adults, and CRC screening should be widely adopted for this population

Feasibility and safety of one-stage sacral laminoplasty with autologous sacral laminar reimplantation fixed by absorbable fixation clamps in direct microsurgical treatment of symptomatic sacral extradural spinal meningeal cysts

IntroductionSacral laminoplasty with titanium mesh and titanium screws can reduce symptomatic sacral extradural spinal meningeal cysts (SESMCs) recurrence and operation complications. However, due to a defect or thinning of the sacrum, the screws cannot be securely anchored and there are also problems with permanent metal implantation for titanium mesh and screws. We propose that sacral laminoplasty with absorbable clamps can provide rigid fixation even for a thinned or defected sacrum without leaving permanent metal implants.MethodsIn the direct microsurgical treatment of symptomatic SESMCs, we performed one-stage sacral laminoplasty with autologous sacral lamina reimplantation fixed by absorbable fixation clamps. Retrospectively, we analyzed intraoperative handling, planarity of the sacral lamina, and stability of the fixation based on clinical and radiological data.ResultsBetween November 2021 to October 2022, we performed sacral laminoplasty with the absorbable craniofix system in 28 consecutive patients with SESMCs. The size of the sacral lamina flaps ranged from 756 to 1,052 mm2 (average 906.21 ± 84.04 mm2). We applied a minimum of two (in four cases) and up to four (in four cases) Craniofix clamps in the operation, with three (in 20 cases) being the most common (82.14%, 20/28) and convenient to handle. Excellent sacral canal reconstruction could be confirmed intraoperatively by the surgeons and postoperatively by CT scans. No intraoperative complications occurred.ConclusionsOne-stage sacral laminoplasty with absorbable fixation clamps is technically feasible, and applying 3 of these can achieve a stable fixation effect and are easy to operate. Restoring the normal structure of the sacral canal could reduce complications and improve surgical efficacy

Two Evolutionary Histories in the Genome of Rice: the Roles of Domestication Genes

Genealogical patterns in different genomic regions may be different due to the joint influence of gene flow and selection. The existence of two subspecies of cultivated rice provides a unique opportunity for analyzing these effects during domestication. We chose 66 accessions from the three rice taxa (about 22 each from Oryza sativa indica, O. sativa japonica, and O. rufipogon) for whole-genome sequencing. In the search for the signature of selection, we focus on low diversity regions (LDRs) shared by both cultivars. We found that the genealogical histories of these overlapping LDRs are distinct from the genomic background. While indica and japonica genomes generally appear to be of independent origin, many overlapping LDRs may have originated only once, as a result of selection and subsequent introgression. Interestingly, many such LDRs contain only one candidate gene of rice domestication, and several known domestication genes have indeed been “rediscovered” by this approach. In summary, we identified 13 additional candidate genes of domestication