Occlusion-Aware Depth Estimation with Adaptive Normal Constraints

We present a new learning-based method for multi-frame depth estimation from a color video, which is a fundamental problem in scene understanding, robot navigation or handheld 3D reconstruction. While recent learning-based methods estimate depth at high accuracy, 3D point clouds exported from their depth maps often fail to preserve important geometric feature (e.g., corners, edges, planes) of man-made scenes. Widely-used pixel-wise depth errors do not specifically penalize inconsistency on these features. These inaccuracies are particularly severe when subsequent depth reconstructions are accumulated in an attempt to scan a full environment with man-made objects with this kind of features. Our depth estimation algorithm therefore introduces a Combined Normal Map (CNM) constraint, which is designed to better preserve high-curvature features and global planar regions. In order to further improve the depth estimation accuracy, we introduce a new occlusion-aware strategy that aggregates initial depth predictions from multiple adjacent views into one final depth map and one occlusion probability map for the current reference view. Our method outperforms the state-of-the-art in terms of depth estimation accuracy, and preserves essential geometric features of man-made indoor scenes much better than other algorithms.Comment: ECCV 202

String theoretic QCD axions in the light of PLANCK and BICEP2

The QCD axion solving the strong CP problem may originate from antisymmetric tensor gauge fields in compactified string theory, with a decay constant around the GUT scale. Such possibility appears to be ruled out now by the detection of tensor modes by BICEP2 and the PLANCK constraints on isocurvature density perturbations. A more interesting and still viable possibility is that the string theoretic QCD axion is charged under an anomalous U(1)_A gauge symmetry. In such case, the axion decay constant can be much lower than the GUT scale if moduli are stabilized near the point of vanishing Fayet-Illiopoulos term, and U(1)_A-charged matter fields get a vacuum value far below the GUT scale due to a tachyonic SUSY breaking scalar mass. We examine the symmetry breaking pattern of such models during the inflationary epoch with the Hubble expansion rate 10^{14} GeV, and identify the range of the QCD axion decay constant, as well as the corresponding relic axion abundance, consistent with known cosmological constraints. In addition to the case that the PQ symmetry is restored during inflation, there are other viable scenarios, including that the PQ symmetry is broken during inflation at high scales around 10^{16}-10^{17} GeV due to a large Hubble-induced tachyonic scalar mass from the U(1)_A D-term, while the present axion scale is in the range 10^{9}-5\times 10^{13} GeV, where the present value larger than 10^{12} GeV requires a fine-tuning of the axion misalignment angle. We also discuss the implications of our results for the size of SUSY breaking soft masses.Comment: 29 pages, 1 figure; v3: analysis updated including the full anharmonic effects, references added, version accepted for publication in JHE

Microbial fuel cells: a green and alternative source for bioenergy production

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) represents one of the green technologies for the production of bioenergy. MFCs using microalgae produce bioenergy by converting solar energy into electrical energy as a function of metabolic and anabolic pathways of the cells. In the MFCs with bacteria, bioenergy is generated as a result of the organic substrate oxidation. MFCs have received high attention from researchers in the last years due to the simplicity of the process, the absence in toxic by-products, and low requirements for the algae growth. Many studies have been conducted on MFC and investigated the factors affecting the MFC performance. In the current chapter, the performance of MFC in producing bioenergy as well as the factors which influence the efficacy of MFCs is discussed. It appears that the main factors affecting MFC’s performance include bacterial and algae species, pH, temperature, salinity, substrate, mechanism of electron transfer in an anodic chamber, electrodes materials, surface area, and electron acceptor in a cathodic chamber. These factors are becoming more influential and might lead to overproduction of bioenergy when they are optimized using response surface methodology (RSM)

Live-cell imaging of alkyne-tagged small biomolecules by stimulated Raman scattering

Sensitive and specific visualization of small biomolecules in living systems is highly challenging. We report stimulated Raman-scattering imaging of alkyne tags as a general strategy for studying a broad spectrum of small biomolecules in live cells and animals. We demonstrate this technique by tracking alkyne-bearing drugs in mouse tissues and visualizing de novo synthesis of DNA, RNA, proteins, phospholipids and triglycerides through metabolic incorporation of alkyne-tagged small precursors

Novel Protein Kinase Signaling Systems Regulating Lifespan Identified by Small Molecule Library Screening Using Drosophila

Protein kinase signaling cascades control most aspects of cellular function. The ATP binding domains of signaling protein kinases are the targets of most available inhibitors. These domains are highly conserved from mammals to flies. Herein we describe screening of a library of small molecule inhibitors of protein kinases for their ability to increase Drosophila lifespan. We developed an assay system which allowed screening using the small amounts of materials normally present in commercial chemical libraries. The studies identified 17 inhibitors, the majority of which targeted tyrosine kinases associated with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors, G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), the insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGFI) receptors. Comparison of the protein kinase signaling effects of the inhibitors in vitro defined a consensus intracellular signaling profile which included decreased signaling by p38MAPK (p38), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and protein kinase C (PKC). If confirmed, many of these kinases will be novel additions to the signaling cascades known to regulate metazoan longevity

Quantifying Inactive Lithium in Lithium Metal Batteries

Inactive lithium (Li) formation is the immediate cause of capacity loss and catastrophic failure of Li metal batteries. However, the chemical component and the atomic level structure of inactive Li have rarely been studied due to the lack of effective diagnosis tools to accurately differentiate and quantify Li+ in solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) components and the electrically isolated unreacted metallic Li0, which together comprise the inactive Li. Here, by introducing a new analytical method, Titration Gas Chromatography (TGC), we can accurately quantify the contribution from metallic Li0 to the total amount of inactive Li. We uncover that the Li0, rather than the electrochemically formed SEI, dominates the inactive Li and capacity loss. Using cryogenic electron microscopies to further study the microstructure and nanostructure of inactive Li, we find that the Li0 is surrounded by insulating SEI, losing the electronic conductive pathway to the bulk electrode. Coupling the measurements of the Li0 global content to observations of its local atomic structure, we reveal the formation mechanism of inactive Li in different types of electrolytes, and identify the true underlying cause of low Coulombic efficiency in Li metal deposition and stripping. We ultimately propose strategies to enable the highly efficient Li deposition and stripping to enable Li metal anode for next generation high energy batteries

Autonomic Modulation and Health-Related Quality of Life among Schizophrenic Patients Treated with Non-Intensive Case Management

Schizophrenia is associated with autonomic dysfunction and this may increase cardiovascular mortality. Past studies on autonomic modulation of schizophrenic patients focused on inpatients rather than individuals in a community setting, especially those receiving non-intensive case management (non-ICM). Besides, autonomic modulation and its association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population remain unexplored.A total of 25 schizophrenic patients treated by non-ICM and 40 healthy volunteers were matched by age, gender and body mass index; smokers were excluded. Between the two groups, we compared the individuals' 5 min resting assessments of heart rate variability and their HRQoL, which was measured using EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D). Patients with schizophrenia were assessed for psychopathology using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS). We examined the relationship between heart rate variability measurements, HRQoL scores, PANSS scores, and other clinical variables among the schizophrenic patients treated by non-ICM.Compared to the controls, patients with schizophrenia showed a significant impairment of autonomic modulation and a worse HRQoL. Cardiovagal dysfunction among the schizophrenic patients could be predicted independently based on lower educational level and more negative symptoms. Sympathetic predominance was directly associated with anticholinergics use and EQ-5D using a visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS).Patients with schizophrenia treated by non-ICM show a significant impairment of their autonomic function and HRQoL compared to the controls. Since the sympathovagal dysfunction is associated with more negative symptoms or higher VAS score, the treatment of the negative symptoms as well as the monitoring of HRQoL might help to manage cardiovascular risk among these individuals. In addition, EQ-VAS scores must be interpreted more cautiously in such a population

Dynamic Disorder in Quasi-Equilibrium Enzymatic Systems

Conformations and catalytic rates of enzymes fluctuate over a wide range of timescales. Despite these fluctuations, there exist some limiting cases in which the enzymatic catalytic rate follows the macroscopic rate equation such as the Michaelis-Menten law. In this paper we investigate the applicability of macroscopic rate laws for fluctuating enzyme systems in which catalytic transitions are slower than ligand binding-dissociation reactions. In this quasi-equilibrium limit, for an arbitrary reaction scheme we show that the catalytic rate has the same dependence on ligand concentrations as obtained from mass-action kinetics even in the presence of slow conformational fluctuations. These results indicate that the timescale of conformational dynamics – no matter how slow – will not affect the enzymatic rate in quasi-equilibrium limit. Our numerical results for two enzyme-catalyzed reaction schemes involving multiple substrates and inhibitors further support our general theory