Predicting Future Instance Segmentation by Forecasting Convolutional Features

Anticipating future events is an important prerequisite towards intelligent behavior. Video forecasting has been studied as a proxy task towards this goal. Recent work has shown that to predict semantic segmentation of future frames, forecasting at the semantic level is more effective than forecasting RGB frames and then segmenting these. In this paper we consider the more challenging problem of future instance segmentation, which additionally segments out individual objects. To deal with a varying number of output labels per image, we develop a predictive model in the space of fixed-sized convolutional features of the Mask R-CNN instance segmentation model. We apply the "detection head'" of Mask R-CNN on the predicted features to produce the instance segmentation of future frames. Experiments show that this approach significantly improves over strong baselines based on optical flow and repurposed instance segmentation architectures

Towards Multi-class Object Detection in Unconstrained Remote Sensing Imagery

Automatic multi-class object detection in remote sensing images in unconstrained scenarios is of high interest for several applications including traffic monitoring and disaster management. The huge variation in object scale, orientation, category, and complex backgrounds, as well as the different camera sensors pose great challenges for current algorithms. In this work, we propose a new method consisting of a novel joint image cascade and feature pyramid network with multi-size convolution kernels to extract multi-scale strong and weak semantic features. These features are fed into rotation-based region proposal and region of interest networks to produce object detections. Finally, rotational non-maximum suppression is applied to remove redundant detections. During training, we minimize joint horizontal and oriented bounding box loss functions, as well as a novel loss that enforces oriented boxes to be rectangular. Our method achieves 68.16% mAP on horizontal and 72.45% mAP on oriented bounding box detection tasks on the challenging DOTA dataset, outperforming all published methods by a large margin (+6% and +12% absolute improvement, respectively). Furthermore, it generalizes to two other datasets, NWPU VHR-10 and UCAS-AOD, and achieves competitive results with the baselines even when trained on DOTA. Our method can be deployed in multi-class object detection applications, regardless of the image and object scales and orientations, making it a great choice for unconstrained aerial and satellite imagery.Comment: ACCV 201

STUDI DESKRIPTIF LEVEL BERPIKIR GEOMETRI VAN HIELE SISWA DI SMP NEGERI PERCONTOHAN DI LEMBANG

Geometri sekolah mempunyai peluang besar untuk dipahami oleh siswa dibandingkan dengan cabang ilmu matematika yang lainnya. Hal ini dikarenakan pengenalan konsep dasar geometri sudah dikenal oleh siswa sejak usia dini, seperti mengenal bangun-bangun geometri. Namun beberapa penelitian menunjukkan bahwa masih banyak siswa yang mengalami kesulitan dalam belajar geeometri, khususnya pada tingkat SMP. Oleh karena itu diperlukan penelitian terhadap level berpikir geometri siswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui: (1) level berpikir geometri siswa di SMP Negeri percontohan di Lembang, dan (2) menelaah apakah pembelajaran geometri yang berlangsung di sekolah menerapkan tahapan pembelajaran Van Hiele atau tidak. Metode dalam penelitian ini merupakan studi deskriptif dengan subjek penelitian adalah siswa kelas IX dari dua sekolah menengah pertama di Lembang. Instrumen dalam penelitian ini terdiri dari: (1) instrumen tes, yaitu tes level berpikir geometri Van Hiele pada materi bangun datar. Hasil dari tes ini dianalisis dengan kategori level berpikir sebagai berikut: level 0 adalah tahap pengenalan; level 1 adalah tahap analisis; level 2 adalah tahap pengurutan; level 3 adalah tahap deduksi formal; dan level 4 adalah tahap akurasi. (2) Instrumen non tes, yaitu berupa wawancara terhadap guru dan murid. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh kesimpulan bahwa: (1) secara keseluruhan siswa SMP telah memasuki tahap berpikir geometri Van Hiele. Sebagian besar siswa berada pada tahap pengenalan (level 0) yaitu 81,16%, sedangkan sisanya telah memasuki tahap analisis (level 1) sebesar 17,39% dan tahap pengurutan (level 2) sebesar 1,45%. (2) Pembelajaran geometri di sekolah kurang memperhatikan tahapan pembelajaran geometri Van Hiele---------- Student has a big opportunity to understand geometry because the basic concept has early familiar, such as know the geometry’s objects. However, some of the research were show that many student difficult to learn geometry, specifically for junior high school. Because of that, it necessary to research about the geometry level thinking. The goal of the research are to know: (1) student geometry level thinking at the model of junior high school in Lembang, and (2) observe the lesson geometry at school by use the phase of Van Hiele geometry learning. The method is descriptive study with the subject are the student from IX class of two junior high school in Lembang. The instrument is: (1) test instrument, is Van Hiele geometry level test. The result will be analysis by categories of Van Hiele: level 0 is visualization; level 1 is analysis; level 2 is informal deduction; level 3 is deduction; and level 4 is rigor. (2) Non-test instrument, is interview to the teacher and student. Base of the research, the conclusion are: (1) by and large the student has include the Van Hiele geometry level. Student at level 0 is 81, 16%, at level 1 is 17,3% and at level 2 is 1,45%. (2) School did’nt use the phase of Van Hiele geometry learning

MCT1-mediated transport of a toxic molecule is an effective strategy for targeting glycolytic tumors

There is increasing evidence that oncogenic transformation modifies the metabolic program of cells. A common alteration is the upregulation of glycolysis, and efforts to target glycolytic enzymes for anticancer therapy are under way. Here, we performed a genome-wide haploid genetic screen to identify resistance mechanisms to 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA), a drug candidate that inhibits glycolysis in a poorly understood fashion. We identified the SLC16A1 gene product, MCT1, as the main determinant of 3-BrPA sensitivity. MCT1 is necessary and sufficient for 3-BrPA uptake by cancer cells. Additionally, SLC16A1 mRNA levels are the best predictor of 3-BrPA sensitivity and are most elevated in glycolytic cancer cells. Furthermore, forced MCT1 expression in 3-BrPA–resistant cancer cells sensitizes tumor xenografts to 3-BrPA treatment in vivo. Our results identify a potential biomarker for 3-BrPA sensitivity and provide proof of concept that the selectivity of cancer-expressed transporters can be exploited for delivering toxic molecules to tumors.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH CA103866)Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research (Fellowship)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Fellowship)Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Investigator

Ontogeny-Driven rDNA Rearrangement, Methylation, and Transcription, and Paternal Influence

Gene rearrangement occurs during development in some cell types and this genome dynamics is modulated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including growth stimulants and nutrients. This raises a possibility that such structural change in the genome and its subsequent epigenetic modifications may also take place during mammalian ontogeny, a process undergoing finely orchestrated cell division and differentiation. We tested this hypothesis by comparing single nucleotide polymorphism-defined haplotype frequencies and DNA methylation of the rDNA multicopy gene between two mouse ontogenic stages and among three adult tissues of individual mice. Possible influences to the genetic and epigenetic dynamics by paternal exposures were also examined for Cr(III) and acid saline extrinsic factors. Variables derived from litters, individuals, and duplicate assays in large mouse populations were examined using linear mixed-effects model. We report here that active rDNA rearrangement, represented by changes of haplotype frequencies, arises during ontogenic progression from day 8 embryos to 6-week adult mice as well as in different tissue lineages and is modifiable by paternal exposures. The rDNA methylation levels were also altered in concordance with this ontogenic progression and were associated with rDNA haplotypes. Sperm showed highest level of methylation, followed by lungs and livers, and preferentially selected haplotypes that are positively associated with methylation. Livers, maintaining lower levels of rDNA methylation compared with lungs, expressed more rRNA transcript. In vitro transcription demonstrated haplotype-dependent rRNA expression. Thus, the genome is also dynamic during mammalian ontogeny and its rearrangement may trigger epigenetic changes and subsequent transcriptional controls, that are further influenced by paternal exposures

Relationship between Symptoms and Gene Expression Induced by the Infection of Three Strains of Rice dwarf virus

BACKGROUND: Rice dwarf virus (RDV) is the causal agent of rice dwarf disease, which often results in severe yield losses of rice in East Asian countries. The disease symptoms are stunted growth, chlorotic specks on leaves, and delayed and incomplete panicle exsertion. Three RDV strains, O, D84, and S, were reported. RDV-S causes the most severe symptoms, whereas RDV-O causes the mildest. Twenty amino acid substitutions were found in 10 of 12 virus proteins among three RDV strains. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed the gene expression of rice in response to infection with the three RDV strains using a 60-mer oligonucleotide microarray to examine the relationship between symptom severity and gene responses. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) upon the infection of RDV-O, -D84, and -S was 1985, 3782, and 6726, respectively, showing a correlation between the number of DEGs and symptom severity. Many DEGs were related to defense, stress response, and development and morphogenesis processes. For defense and stress response processes, gene silencing-related genes were activated by RDV infection and the degree of activation was similar among plants infected with the three RDV strains. Genes for hormone-regulated defense systems were also activated by RDV infection, and the degree of activation seemed to be correlated with the concentration of RDV in plants. Some development and morphogenesis processes were suppressed by RDV infection, but the degree of suppression was not correlated well with the RDV concentration. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Gene responses to RDV infection were regulated differently depending on the gene groups regulated and the strains infecting. It seems that symptom severity is associated with the degree of gene response in defense-related and development- and morphogenesis-related processes. The titer levels of RDV in plants and the amino acid substitutions in RDV proteins could be involved in regulating such gene responses

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field