517 research outputs found
NuScenes-QA: A Multi-modal Visual Question Answering Benchmark for Autonomous Driving Scenario
We introduce a novel visual question answering (VQA) task in the context of
autonomous driving, aiming to answer natural language questions based on
street-view clues. Compared to traditional VQA tasks, VQA in autonomous driving
scenario presents more challenges. Firstly, the raw visual data are
multi-modal, including images and point clouds captured by camera and LiDAR,
respectively. Secondly, the data are multi-frame due to the continuous,
real-time acquisition. Thirdly, the outdoor scenes exhibit both moving
foreground and static background. Existing VQA benchmarks fail to adequately
address these complexities. To bridge this gap, we propose NuScenes-QA, the
first benchmark for VQA in the autonomous driving scenario, encompassing 34K
visual scenes and 460K question-answer pairs. Specifically, we leverage
existing 3D detection annotations to generate scene graphs and design question
templates manually. Subsequently, the question-answer pairs are generated
programmatically based on these templates. Comprehensive statistics prove that
our NuScenes-QA is a balanced large-scale benchmark with diverse question
formats. Built upon it, we develop a series of baselines that employ advanced
3D detection and VQA techniques. Our extensive experiments highlight the
challenges posed by this new task. Codes and dataset are available at
https://github.com/qiantianwen/NuScenes-QA
Ginsenoside Rg1 Attenuates Oligomeric Aβ1-42-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the major pathological changes seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid beta-peptide (Aβ), a neurotoxic peptide, accumulates in the brain of AD subjects and mediates mitochondrial and neuronal stress. Therefore, protecting mitochondrion from Aβ-induced toxicity holds potential benefits for halting and treating and perhaps preventing AD. Here, we report that administration of ginsenoside Rg1, a known neuroprotective drug, to primary cultured cortical neurons, rescues Aβ-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction as shown by increases in mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP levels, activity of cytochrome c oxidase (a key enzyme associated with mitochondrial respiratory function), and decreases in cytochrome c release. The protective effects of Rg1 on mitochondrial dysfunction correlate to neuronal injury in the presence of Aβ. This finding suggests that ginsenoside Rg1 may attenuate Aβ-induced neuronal death through the suppression of intracellular mitochondrial oxidative stress and may rescue neurons in AD
Multi-faced neuroprotectice effects of Ginsenoside Rg1 in an Alzheimer mouse model
There has been no extensive characterization of the effects of Ginsenoside Rg1, a pharmacological active component purified from the nature product ginseng, in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. The well-characterized transgenic Alzheimer disease (AD) mice over expressing amyloid precursor protein (APP)/Aβ (Tg mAPP) and nontransgenic (nonTg) littermates at age of 6 and 9 months were treated with Rg 1 for three months via intraperitoneal injection. Mice were then evaluated for changes in amyloid pathology, neuropathology and behavior. Tg mAPP treated with Rg1 showed a significant reduction of cerebral Aβ levels, reversal of certain neuropathological changes, and preservation of spatial learning and memory, as compared to vehicle-treated mice. Rg1 treatment inhibited activity of γ-secretase in both Tg mAPP mice and B103-APP cells, indicating the involvement of Rg1 in APP regulation pathway. Furthermore, administration of Rg1 enhanced PKA/CREB pathway activation in mAPP mice and in cultured cortical neurons exposed to Aβ or glutamate-mediated synaptic stress. Most importantly, the beneficial effects on attenuation of cerebral Aβ accumulation, improvement in neuropathological and behavioral changes can be extended to the aged mAPP mice, even to 12–13 months old mice that had extensive amyloid pathology and severe neuropathological and cognitive malfunction. These studies indicate that Rg1 has profound multi-faced and neuroprotective effects in an AD mouse model. Rg1 induces neuroprotection through ameliorating amyloid pathology, modulating APP process, improving cognition, and activating PKA/CREB signaling. These findings provide a new perspective for the treatment of AD and demonstrate potential for a new class of drugs for AD treatment
Competing Demands of Prosociality & Equity in Monkeys
Prosocial decisions may lead to unequal payoffs among group members. Although an aversion to inequity has been found in empirical studies of both human and nonhuman primates, the contexts previously studied typically do not involve a trade-off between pro-sociality and inequity. Here we investigate the apparent co-existence of these two factors, specifically the competing demands of prosociality and equity. We directly compare the responses of brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) among situations where pro-social preferences conflict with equality, using a paradigm comparable to other studies of cooperation and inequity in this species. By choosing to pull a tray towards themselves, subjects rewarded themselves and/or another in conditions in which the partner either received the same or different rewards, or the subject received no reward. In unequal payoff conditions, subjects could obtain equality by choosing not to pull in the tray, so that neither individual was rewarded. The monkeys showed prosocial preferences even in situations of moderate disadvantageous inequity, preferring to pull in the tray more often when a partner was present than absent. However when the discrepancy between rewards increased, prosocial behavior ceased
Multi-faced neuroprotectice effects of Ginsenoside Rg1 in an Alzheimer mouse model
There has been no extensive characterization of the effects of Ginsenoside Rg1, a pharmacological active component purified from the nature product ginseng, in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. The well-characterized transgenic Alzheimer disease (AD) mice over expressing amyloid precursor protein (APP)/Aβ (Tg mAPP) and nontransgenic (nonTg) littermates at age of 6 and 9 months were treated with Rg 1 for three months via intraperitoneal injection. Mice were then evaluated for changes in amyloid pathology, neuropathology and behavior. Tg mAPP treated with Rg1 showed a significant reduction of cerebral Aβ levels, reversal of certain neuropathological changes, and preservation of spatial learning and memory, as compared to vehicle-treated mice. Rg1 treatment inhibited activity of γ-secretase in both Tg mAPP mice and B103-APP cells, indicating the involvement of Rg1 in APP regulation pathway. Furthermore, administration of Rg1 enhanced PKA/CREB pathway activation in mAPP mice and in cultured cortical neurons exposed to Aβ or glutamate-mediated synaptic stress. Most importantly, the beneficial effects on attenuation of cerebral Aβ accumulation, improvement in neuropathological and behavioral changes can be extended to the aged mAPP mice, even to 12–13 months old mice that had extensive amyloid pathology and severe neuropathological and cognitive malfunction. These studies indicate that Rg1 has profound multi-faced and neuroprotective effects in an AD mouse model. Rg1 induces neuroprotection through ameliorating amyloid pathology, modulating APP process, improving cognition, and activating PKA/CREB signaling. These findings provide a new perspective for the treatment of AD and demonstrate potential for a new class of drugs for AD treatment
Association of Toll-Like Receptor 4 Gene Polymorphism and Expression with Urinary Tract Infection Types in Adults
Background: Innate immunity of which Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and CXCR1 are key elements plays a central role in the development of urinary tract infection (UTI). Although the relation between the genetics of TLR4 and CXCR1 and UTI is investigated partly, the polymorphisms and expression of TLR4 and CXCR1 in different types of UTI in adults are not extremely clear. Methodology/Principal Findings: This study investigates the presence of TLR4 A (896) G and CXCR1 G (2608) C polymorphisms in 129 UTI patients using RFLP-PCR. Gene and allelic prevalence were compared with 248 healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to detect TLR4 and CXCR1 expression in the monocytes of UTI patients and healthy controls. TLR4 (896) AG genotype and TLR4 (896) G allele had higher prevalence in UTI (especially in acute cystitis and urethritis) patients, whereas CXCR1 (2608) GC genotype and CXCR1 (2608) C allele had lower prevalence in UTI patients than controls. TLR4 expression was significantly lower in chronic UTI patients than in acute pyelonephritis or healthy controls. CXCR1 expression was similar in both controls and patients. TLR4 expression in chronic UTI patients after astragalus treatment was higher than pre-treatment. Conclusions: The results indicate the relationship between the carrier status of TLR4 (896) G alleles and the development of UTI, especially acute cystitis and urethritis, in adults. TLR4 expression levels are correlated with chronic UTI
ALMA Observation of NGC5135: The Circumnuclear CO(6-5) and Dust Continuum Emission at 45 Parsec Resolution[]
We present high-resolution (0.17\arcsec 0.14\arcsec) Atacama Large
Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the CO\,(6-5) line, and
435\um\ dust continuum emission within a 9\arcsec 9\arcsec\ area
centered on the nucleus of the galaxy NGC\,5135. NGC\,5135 is a well-studied
luminous infrared galaxy that also harbors a Compton-thick active galactic
nucleus (AGN). At the achieved resolution of 48 40\,pc, the CO\,(6-5)
and dust emissions are resolved into gas "clumps" along the symmetrical dust
lanes associated with the inner stellar bar. The clumps have radii between
45-180\,pc and CO\,(6-5) line widths of 60-88\,\kms. The CO\,(6-5)
to dust continuum flux ratios vary among the clumps and show an increasing
trend with the \FeII/Br- ratios, which we interpret as evidence for
supernova-driven shocked gas providing a significant contribution to the \co65\
emission. The central AGN is undetected in continuum, nor in CO\,(6-5) if its
line velocity width is no less than \,40\,\kms. We estimate that the AGN
contributes at most 1\% of the integrated CO\,(6-5) flux of 512
24Jy\kms\ within the ALMA field of view, which in turn accounts for
32\% of the CO\,(6-5) flux of the whole galaxy.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap
The Association between Dairy Intake and Breast Cancer in Western and Asian Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
PurposeTo date, studies investigating the association between dairy consumption and breast cancer in women have produced conflicting results. As diet is an important, modifiable factor affecting cancer development, the aim of this study was to examine the association between dairy consumption and breast cancer risk.MethodsPubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched with a priority for prospective cohort studies. Case-control studies were also considered in case of the absence of a cohort study.ResultsWe analyzed 22 prospective cohort studies (1,566,940 participants) and five case-control studies (33,372 participants). High and modest dairy consumption (>600 and 400-600 g/day, respectively) significantly reduced the risk of breast cancer compared with low dairy consumption (<400 g/day; risk ratio [RR], 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83-0.98, and RR, 0.94, 95% CI, 0.91-0.98, respectively). A significant linear relationship between dairy consumption and breast cancer risk was found on dose-response analysis. Subgroup analysis found that yogurt (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.83-0.99) and low-fat dairy (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96) reduced the risk of breast cancer, while other dairy product types did not. A reduced risk was observed for people in the United States (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.83-0.99) and in those followed for ≥10 years (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.81-0.99). Additionally, the highest level of dairy consumption among Asians was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.62-0.88).ConclusionDairy consumption was inversely associated with the risk of developing breast cancer and this effect was dependent on the dose, dairy-type, and time
Combining optogenetic stimulation and fMRI to validate a multivariate dynamical systems model for estimating causal brain interactions
State-space multivariate dynamical systems (MDS) (Ryali et al., 2011) and other causal estimation models are being increasingly used to identify directed functional interactions between brain regions. However, the validity and accuracy of such methods is poorly understood. Performance evaluation based on computer simulations of small artificial causal networks can address this problem to some extent, but they often involve simplifying assumptions that reduce biological validity of the resulting data. Here, we use a novel approach taking advantage of recently developed optogenetic fMRI (ofMRI) techniques to selectively stimulate brain regions while simultaneously recording high-resolution whole-brain fMRI data. ofMRI allows for a more direct investigation of causal influences from the stimulated site to brain regions activated downstream and is therefore ideal for evaluating causal estimation methods in vivo. We used ofMRI to investigate whether MDS models for fMRI can accurately estimate causal functional interactions between brain regions. Two cohorts of ofMRI data were acquired, one at Stanford University and the University of California Los Angeles (Cohort 1) and the other at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (Cohort 2). In each cohort optical stimulation was delivered to the right primary motor cortex (M1). General linear model analysis revealed prominent downstream thalamic activation in Cohort 1, and caudate-putamen (CPu) activation in Cohort 2. MDS accurately estimated causal interactions from M1 to thalamus and from M1 to CPu in Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, respectively. As predicted, no causal influences were found in the reverse direction. Additional control analyses demonstrated the specificity of causal interactions between stimulated and target sites. Our findings suggest that MDS state-space models can accurately and reliably estimate causal interactions in ofMRI data and further validate their use for estimating causal interactions in fMRI. More generally, our study demonstrates that the combined use of optogenetics and fMRI provides a powerful new tool for evaluating computational methods designed to estimate causal interactions between distributed brain regions
Outer-inner Dual Reinforced Micro/Nano Hierarchical Scaffolds for Promoting Osteogenesis
Biomimetic scaffolds have been extensively studied for guiding osteogenesis through structural cues. Inspired by the natural bone growth process, we have employed a hierarchical outer-inner dual reinforcing strategy, which relies on the interfacial ionic bond interaction between amine/calcium and carboxyl group, to build a nanofiber/particle dual strengthened hierarchical silk fibroin scaffold. The scaffold can provide applicable form of osteogenic structural cue and mimic the natural bone forming process. Owing to the active interaction between compositions located in the outer pore space and the inner pore wall, the scaffold has over 4 times improvement on mechanical property, followed by significant alteration on cell-scaffold interaction pattern, demonstrated by over 2 times’ elevation on the spreading area and enhanced osteogenic activity potentially involving activities of integrin, Vinculin and Yes-associated protein (YAP). In vivo performance of the scaffold identified the inherent osteogenic effect of structural cue, which promotes rapid and uniform regeneration. Overall, the hierarchical scaffold is promising in promoting uniform bone regeneration through its specific structural cue endowed by its micro-nano construction.Peer reviewe
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