SOL-NeRF:Sunlight Modeling for Outdoor Scene Decomposition and Relighting

Outdoor scenes often involve large-scale geometry and complex unknown lighting conditions, making it difficult to decompose them into geometry, reflectance and illumination. Recently researchers made attempts to decompose outdoor scenes using Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) and learning-based lighting and shadow representations. However, diverse lighting conditions and shadows in outdoor scenes are challenging for learning-based models. Moreover, existing methods may produce rough geometry and normal reconstruction and introduce notable shading artifacts when the scene is rendered under a novel illumination. To solve the above problems, we propose SOL-NeRF to decompose outdoor scenes with the help of a hybrid lighting representation and a signed distance field geometry reconstruction. We use a single Spherical Gaussian (SG) lobe to approximate the sun lighting, and a first-order Spherical Harmonic (SH) mixture to resemble the sky lighting. This hybrid representation is specifically designed for outdoor settings, and compactly models the outdoor lighting, ensuring robustness and efficiency. The shadow of the direct sun lighting can be obtained by casting the ray against the mesh extracted from the signed distance field, and the remaining shadow can be approximated by Ambient Occlusion (AO). Additionally, sun lighting color prior and a relaxed Manhattan-world assumption can be further applied to boost decomposition and relighting performance. When changing the lighting condition, our method can produce consistent relighting results with correct shadow effects. Experiments conducted on our hybrid lighting scheme and the entire decomposition pipeline show that our method achieves better reconstruction, decomposition, and relighting performance compared to previous methods both quantitatively and qualitatively.</p

Sensitization of Glioma Cells to Tamoxifen-Induced Apoptosis by Pl3-Kinase Inhibitor through the GSK-3β/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Malignant gliomas represent one of the most aggressive types of cancers and their recurrence is closely linked to acquired therapeutic resistance. A combination of chemotherapy is considered a promising therapeutic model in overcoming therapeutic resistance and enhancing treatment efficacy. Herein, we show by colony formation, Hochest 33342 and TUNEL staining, as well as by flow cytometric analysis, that LY294002, a specific phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, enhanced significantly the sensitization of a traditional cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent, tamoxifen-induced apoptosis in C6 glioma cells. Activation of PI3K signaling pathway by IGF-1 protected U251 cells from apoptosis induced by combination treatment of LY294002 and tamoxifen. Interference of PI3K signaling pathway by PI3K subunit P85 siRNA enhanced the sensitization of U251 glioma cells to tamoxifen -induced apoptosis. By Western blotting, we found that combination treatment showed lower levels of phosphorylated AktSer473 and GSK-3βSer9 than a single treatment of LY294002. Further, we showed a significant decrease of nuclear β-catenin by combination treatment. In response to the inhibition of β-catenin signaling, mRNA and protein levels of Survivin and the other three antiapoptotic genes Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1 were significantly decreased by combination treatment. Our results indicated that the synergistic cytotoxic effect of LY294002 and tamoxifen is achieved by the inhibition of GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway

Clinical significance of vasculogenic mimicry in human gliomas

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is known as non-endothelial tumor cell-lined microvascular channels in aggressive tumors. We have previously found the presence of VM in high-grade gliomas. In this study, we aimed to identify VM patterns in gliomas and to explore their clinical significance. Tumor samples as well as their detailed clinical/prognostic data were collected from 101 patients. Vasculogenic mimicry in the glioma samples was determined by dual staining for endothelial marker CD34 and periodic acid–Schiff (PAS). Tumor samples were also immunohistochemically stained for Ki-67, VEGF, COX-2 and MMP-9. The association between VM and the clinical characteristics of the patients were analyzed. A Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests were performed to compare survival times of the patients. Vasculogenic mimicry was present in 13 out of 101 samples. The higher grade gliomas had a higher incidence of VM than that of lower grade gliomas (P = 0.006). Vasculogenic mimicry channels were associated with the expression of COX-2 and MMP-9 (P < 0.05). While there was no association between the existence of VM and the sex, age and preoperative epilepsy of the patients, or expression of Ki-67 and VEGF. However, patients with VM-positive gliomas survived a shorter period of time than those with VM negative gliomas (P = 0.027). Interestingly, in high-grade gliomas, the level of microvascular density was lower in VM positive tumors than those VM negative tumors (P = 0.039). Our results suggest that VM channels in gliomas correlate with increasing malignancy and higher aggressiveness, and may provide a complementation to the tumor’s blood supply, especially in less vascularized regions, which may aid in the identification of glioma patients with a poorer prognosis

Facile One-Step Microwave-Assisted Route towards Ni Nanospheres/Reduced Graphene Oxide Hybrids for Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensing

In this work, a facile one-step microwave-assisted method for deposition of monodisperse Ni nanospheres on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets to form Ni-rGO nanohybrids is discussed. In the presence of hydrazine monohydrate, Ni nanospheres are grown onto rGO sheets using nickel precursor and GO as starting materials in ethylene glycol (EG) solution under a low level of microwave irradiation (300 W) for 20 min, during which GO is also reduced to rGO. The as-prepared nanohybrids exhibit well-dispersed Ni nanosphere (about 80 nm in diameter) loadings and effective reduction of graphene oxide. The resulting Ni-rGO nanohybrids-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) shows significantly improved electrochemical performance in nonenzymatic amperometric glucose detection. In addition, interference from the oxidation of common interfering species under physiological conditions, such as ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA), is effectively avoided

The effects of salinity stress on Amorpha fruticosa Linn. seed germination, physiological and biochemical mechanisms

Salinity stress is serious threat to crop productivity and globe food security. This study investigated the impact of NaCl (neutral salt) and basic salt (basic salt) on seed germination physiological and biochemical traits of Amorpha fruticosa. Salt stress had no significant effect on seed germination rate, however, alkali stress significantly decreased (p≤0.05) rate of germination. Both stresses also negatively affected the growth of radicle and germination (P <0.05), and the effect of alkali stress was greater than that of salt stress. The concentration of K+, Mg2+ and Na+/K+ in radicle and germ remained relatively stable, which was conducive to adapting to salt and alkali stress, but the concentration of K+, Mg2+, NO3-, H2PO4- and SO42- changed differently under salt and alkali stress. Tartaric acid was the main component of the 8 organic acids, and the accumulation changes of each component were different under salt stress and base stress. Tartaric acid was accumulated in large quantities under salt stress, and the accumulation of other acids (citric, malic, acetic, oxalic, formic and lactic acids) were markedly enhanced under alkali stress (P <0.05). Among the 16 free amino acids, arginine, alanine and threonine are the response solutes under salt stress, and glutamic acid and threonine are the response solutes under base stress. In In conclusion, proper concentration of salts can promote seed germination and radicle growth. Therefore, plant performance can be improved by soaking seeds in appropriate concentration of salts

An Updated Search of Steady TeV γ−\gamma-Ray Point Sources in Northern Hemisphere Using the Tibet Air Shower Array

Using the data taken from Tibet II High Density (HD) Array (1997 February-1999 September) and Tibet-III array (1999 November-2005 November), our previous northern sky survey for TeV $\gamma-$ray point sources has now been updated by a factor of 2.8 improved statistics. From $0.0^{\circ}$ to $60.0^{\circ}$ in declination (Dec) range, no new TeV $\gamma-$ray point sources with sufficiently high significance were identified while the well-known Crab Nebula and Mrk421 remain to be the brightest TeV $\gamma-$ray sources within the field of view of the Tibet air shower array. Based on the currently available data and at the 90% confidence level (C.L.), the flux upper limits for different power law index assumption are re-derived, which are approximately improved by 1.7 times as compared with our previous reported limits.Comment: This paper has been accepted by hepn

Gut mucosal immune responses and protective efficacy of oral yeast Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) vaccine in Carassius auratus gibelio

Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) causes herpesviral hematopoietic necrosis (HVHN) disease outbreaks in farmed Cyprinid fish, which leads to serious economic losses worldwide. Although oral vaccination is considered the most suitable strategy for preventing infectious diseases in farmed fish, so far there is no commercial oral vaccine available for controlling HVNN in gibel carp (C. auratus gibelio). In the present study, we developed for the first time an oral vaccine against CyHV-2 by using yeast cell surface display technology and then investigated the effect of this vaccine in gibel carp. Furthermore, the protective efficacy was evaluated by comparing the immune response of a single vaccination with that of a booster vaccination (booster-vaccinated once 2 weeks after the initial vaccination). Critically, the activities of immune-related enzymes and genes expression in vaccine group, especially in the booster vaccine group, were higher than those in the control group. Moreover, strong innate and adaptive immune responses could be elicited in both mucosal and systemic tissues after receipt of the oral yeast vaccine. To further understand the protective efficacy of this vaccine in gibel carp, we successfully developed the challenge model with CyHV-2. Our results showed the relative percent survival was 66.7% in the booster vaccine group, indicating this oral yeast vaccine is a promising vaccine for controlling CyHV-2 disease in gibel carp aquaculture

REUL Is a Novel E3 Ubiquitin Ligase and Stimulator of Retinoic-Acid-Inducible Gene-I

RIG-I and MDA5 are cytoplasmic sensors that recognize different species of viral RNAs, leads to activation of the transcription factors IRF3 and NF-κB, which collaborate to induce type I interferons. In this study, we identified REUL, a RING-finger protein, as a specific RIG-I-interacting protein. REUL was associated with RIG-I, but not MDA5, through its PRY and SPRY domains. Overexpression of REUL potently potentiated RIG-I-, but not MDA5-mediated downstream signalling and antiviral activity. In contrast, the RING domain deletion mutant of REUL suppressed Sendai virus (SV)-induced, but not cytoplasmic polyI:C-induced activation of IFN-β promoter. Knockdown of endogenous REUL by RNAi inhibited SV-triggered IFN-β expression, and also increased VSV replication. Full-length RIG-I, but not the CARD domain deletion mutant of RIG-I, underwent ubiquitination induced by REUL. The Lys 154, 164, and 172 residues of the RIG-I CARD domain were critical for efficient REUL-mediated ubiquitination, as well as the ability of RIG-I to induce activation of IFN-β promoter. These findings suggest that REUL is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of RIG-I and specifically stimulates RIG-I-mediated innate antiviral activity