Deep generative adversarial residual convolutional networks for real-world super-resolution

Most current deep learning based single image super-resolution (SISR) methods focus on designing deeper / wider models to learn the non-linear mapping between low-resolution (LR) inputs and the high-resolution (HR) outputs from a large number of paired (LR/HR) training data. They usually take as assumption that the LR image is a bicubic down-sampled version of the HR image. However, such degradation process is not available in real-world settings i.e. inherent sensor noise, stochastic noise, compression artifacts, possible mismatch between image degradation process and camera device. It reduces significantly the performance of current SISR methods due to real-world image corruptions. To address these problems, we propose a deep Super-Resolution Residual Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network (SRResCGAN1) to follow the real-world degradation settings by adversarial training the model with pixel-wise supervision in the HR domain from its generated LR counterpart. The proposed network exploits the residual learning by minimizing the energy-based objective function with powerful image regularization and convex optimization techniques. We demonstrate our proposed approach in quantitative and qualitative experiments that generalize robustly to real input and it is easy to deploy for other downscaling operators and mobile/embedded devices

OTX genes in adult tissues

OTX homeobox genes have been extensively studied for their role in development, especially in neuroectoderm formation. Recently, their expression has also been reported in adult physiological and pathological tissues, including retina, mammary and pituitary glands, sinonasal mucosa, in several types of cancer, and in response to inflammatory, ischemic, and hypoxic stimuli. Reactivation of OTX genes in adult tissues supports the notion of the evolutionary amplification of functions of genes by varying their temporal expression, with the selection of homeobox genes from the “toolbox” to drive or contribute to different processes at different stages of life. OTX involvement in pathologies points toward these genes as potential diagnostic and/or prognostic markers as well as possible therapeutic targets

Evaluating inputs for organic farming – a new system. Proposals of the ORGANIC INPUTS EVALUATION project

This volume contains proposals for criteria for evaluation of plant protection products, fertilisers and soil conditioners1 to be used in organic agriculture. These ideas were developed in the course of the European Union (EU) Concerted Action project ‘ORGANIC INPUTS EVALUATION’ (QLK5-CT-2002-02565). For more information on this project see the end of this volume or visit the project website www.organicinputs.org. The documents in this volume are proposals elaborated by the project consortium and external experts. They were discussed with a broader audience at a public conference held in Brussels on October 13, 2005, and have been amended accordingly. Our proposals also include a “criteria matrix”, which is in Microsoft Excel format, and therefore stands as a separate file. The criteria matrix is discussed in section 5, but we strongly recommend that you consult the original document. To illustrate the use of the matrix, we have further prepared two case studies, which are also separate Excel files. All of these files are contained on the CD, and can also be downloaded from the project website. Currently, Regulation 2092/91 is under revision. We hope that our ideas can be incorporated into the regulation during this revision! In addition, we strongly encourage national institutions to make use of our proposals at the national level

Femoroacetabular Impingement (F.A.I.): biomechanical and dynamic considerations.

Femoroacetabular impingement (F.A.I.) is a pathologic process caused by abnormality of the shape of the acetabulum, of the femoral head, or both. F.A.I. often referred to as idiopathic, may be secondary to slipped capital epiphysis, congenital hypoplasia of the femur, Legg-Calv\ue9 Perthes desease, post-traumatic mal-union and protrusio acetabuli. From 2009 to 2012 we studied 21 patients (14 males), with average age of 52 years old (33 y - 75 y) affected by idiopathic F.A.I. Every patient underwent to pelvic and hip joint X-rays and CT scan with 3D reconstructions, in order to evaluate morphology of the pelvis and the hip joint and the torsion of the lower limbs (femoroacetabular ante-retroversion). Our results show an average femoral ante-version angle of 12,4\ub0 (15\ub0- 20\ub0 physiological range) in patients affected by CAM impingement and an average acetabular ante-version angle of 13,5\ub0 (15\ub0 - 20\ub0 physiological range) for those with PINCER impingement.These values, in patients affected by F.A.I., are probably related to the morphologic and biomechanical features that may lead to the onset of the idiopathic femoroacetabular impingement. In literature, other studies partially support our findings, suggesting a more critical approach to the patient with idiopathic F.A.I. extending the evaluations to near articulations. Impingement femoro-acetabolare (F.A.I.) indica quadri anatomopatologici caratterizzati da anomalie morfologiche dell\u2019epifisi prossimale femorale e/o della cavit\ue0 acetabolare.Dal punto di vista eziopatogenetico si possono individuare F.A.I. secondari ad esiti di patologie dell\u2019infanzia (displasia congenita dell\u2019anca, Legg- Calv\ue9 Perthes, epifisiolisi), di mancate consolidazioni post-traumatiche, protrusio acetabuli e FAI idiopatici.Abbiamo studiato, presso la nostra clinica, dal 2009 al 2012, 21 pazienti (14 maschi) con et\ue0 media di 52 anni (33- 75 aa) affetti da FAI idiopatico con anamnesi silente per patologie o cause note.Tutti i pazienti sono stati sottoposti a radiologia convenzionale e TC con ricostruzioni 3D per valutazione degli angoli di antiversione femorale e acetabolare. I nostri risultati hanno evidenziato un valore medio di antiversione femorale di 12,4\ub0 (range di normalit\ue0 15-20\ub0) nei pazienti affetti da CAMimpingement e 13,5\ub0 (15-20\ub0) di antiversione acetabolare in quelli affetti da PINCER impingement. Queste misurazioni, in rapporto ai quadri strumentali di F.A.I. hanno evidenziato una probabile correlazione tra il vizioso orientamento reciproco di cotile e testa femorale e la genesi del F.A.I. stesso, considerato idiopatico. Il confronto dei nostri risultati con quelli riportati in letteratura parrebbe avallare solo in parte le nostre ipotesi biomeccaniche, suggerendo un\u2019analisi pi\uf9 critica e approfondita ed allargata ad altre articolazioni quando ci si approccia ad un paziente affetto da F.A.I. idiopatico

Timing of molt of barn swallows is delayed in a rare Clock genotype

Photoperiodic responses are major factors entraining circannual life-cycles, functioning to adaptively synchronize annual routines to seasonal fluctuations in ecological conditions. Photoperiodism in physiology and behaviour is enforced by genes, including the vertebrate Clock orthologues, which are associated, for example, with phenology of migration in fish and breeding in birds. However, the role of Clock in photoperiodic plumage molt processes is unknown. We analyzed variation in molt schedules in relation to Clock genotype, using the long-distance migratory barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) as a model and by identifying males and females using molecular sexing techniques. Consistently with previous studies, we found one very common (Q7) and two rare (Q6, Q8) variants of a functionally significant Clock polyglutamine repeat.Molt schedules of primary wing feathers of swallows during their wintering period in Nigeria differed among Clock genotypes: rare (1.1%) Q7=Q8 heterozygotes had significantly delayed molt compared to the other genotypes. Molt schedules did not differ between males and females, and no differential association between molt and Clock in relation to sex emerged. The same rare Clock genotype that exhibited delayed breeding in Europe was here found to delay molt in Africa. Though based on a limited number of Q7=Q8 individuals from an otherwise very large sample, these novel results suggest that Clock is involved in the photoperiodic control of both molt and breeding, potentially also via reciprocal carry-over effects. If confirmed in species with higher Clock polymorphism, present results may have far-reaching consequences for the study of photoperiodic control of molt and expression of annual routines

Donor cell acute myeloid leukemia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for chronic granulomatous disease: a case report and literature review

The patient reported here underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) due to chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) caused by biallelic mutations of the NCF1 gene. Two years later, he developed AML, which was unexpected and was recognized via sex-mismatched chromosomes as deriving from the donor cells; the patient was male, and the donor was his sister. Donor cell leukemia (DCL) is very rare, and it had never been reported in patients with CGD after HSCT. In the subsequent ten years, the AML relapsed three times and the patient underwent chemotherapy and three further HSCTs; donors were the same sister from the first HSCT, an unrelated donor, and his mother. The patient died during the third relapse. The DCL was characterized since onset by an acquired translocation between chromosomes 9 and 11, with a molecular rearrangement between the MLL and MLLT3 genes-a quite frequent cause of AML. In all of the relapses, the malignant clone had XX sex chromosomes and this rearrangement, thus indicating that it was always the original clone derived from the transplanted sister's cells. It exhibited the ability to remain quiescent in the BM during repeated chemotherapy courses, remission periods and HSCT. The leukemic clone then acquired different additional anomalies during the ten years of follow-up, with cytogenetic results characterized both by anomalies frequent in AML and by different, non-recurrent changes. This type of cytogenetic course is uncommon in AML

Evaluating inputs for organic farming - a new system

This CD contains criteria for the evaluation of plant protection products, fertilizers and soil conditioners to be used in organic agriculture. These ideas were developed in the course of the European Union Concerted Action project «ORGANIC INPUTS EVALUATION» (QLK5-CT-2002-02565). For more information visit the project website www.organicinputs.org. The editors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Commission of the European Communities, under Key Action 5 of the Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (QLK5-CT-2002-02565 «ORGANIC INPUTS EVALUATION») and co-funding by the Swiss Federal Office for Education and Science (BBW 02.0113)

Exchanging knowledge to improve organic arable farming: an evaluation of knowledge exchange tools with farmer groups across Europe

Organic farming is knowledge intensive. To support farmers in improving yields and organic agriculture systems, there is a need to improve how knowledge is shared. There is an established culture of sharing ideas, successes and failures in farming. The internet and information technologies open up new opportunities for knowledge exchange involving farmers, researchers, advisors and other practitioners. The OK-Net Arable brought together practitioners from regional Farmer Innovation Groups across Europe in a multi-actor project to explore how online knowledge exchange could be improved. Feedback from the groups was obtained for 35 ‘tools’, defined as end-user materials, such as technical guides, videos and websites informing about practices in organic agriculture. The groups also selected one practice to test on farms, sharing their experiences with others through workshops, exchange visits and through videos

SSD Reliability

SSD are complex electronic systems prone to wear-out and failure mechanisms mainly related to their basic component: the Flash memory. The reliability of a Flash memory depends on many technological and architectural aspects, from the physical concepts on which the store paradigm is achieved to the interaction among cells, from possible new physical mechanisms arising as the technology scales down to the countermeasures adopted within the memory controller to face erroneous behaviors. The SSD reliability is here analyzed at different levels: from the basic physical mechanisms affecting the traditional floating-gate cells and the possibility of anomalous erratic behavior, up to the disturbs arising because several cells share the same control lines. The solutions adopted to improve system reliability are presented, such as the use of RAID or the protection against power loss during write operations. Finally, test methods for endurance and retention verification will be described