Towards Language-guided Visual Recognition via Dynamic Convolutions

In this paper, we are committed to establishing an unified and end-to-end multi-modal network via exploring the language-guided visual recognition. To approach this target, we first propose a novel multi-modal convolution module called Language-dependent Convolution (LaConv). Its convolution kernels are dynamically generated based on natural language information, which can help extract differentiated visual features for different multi-modal examples. Based on the LaConv module, we further build the first fully language-driven convolution network, termed as LaConvNet, which can unify the visual recognition and multi-modal reasoning in one forward structure. To validate LaConv and LaConvNet, we conduct extensive experiments on four benchmark datasets of two vision-and-language tasks, i.e., visual question answering (VQA) and referring expression comprehension (REC). The experimental results not only shows the performance gains of LaConv compared to the existing multi-modal modules, but also witness the merits of LaConvNet as an unified network, including compact network, high generalization ability and excellent performance, e.g., +4.7% on RefCOCO+

Robust Proximal Support Vector Regression Based on Maximum Correntropy Criterion

The robustness problem of the classical proximal support vector machine for regression estimation (PSVR) when confronting with samples in the presence of outliers is addressed in this paper. Correntropy is a local similarity measure between two arbitrary variables and has been proven the insensitivity to noises and outliers. Based on the maximum correntropy criterion (MCC), a correntropy-based robust PSVR framework is proposed, named as RPSVR-MCC. The half-quadratic optimization method is employed to solve the resultant optimization, and an iterative algorithm is developed to solve RPSVR-MCC. In each iteration, the complex optimization can be converted to a linear system of equations which can be easily solved by the widely popular optimization techniques. The experimental results on synthetic datasets and real-world benchmark datasets demonstrate that the effectiveness of the proposed method. Moreover, the superiority of the proposed algorithm is more evident in noisy environment, especially in the presence of outliers

Preparation of LiFePO₄/C Cathode Materials via a Green Synthesis Route for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

In this work, LiFePO4/C composite were synthesized via a green route by using Iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles, Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), glucose powder and phosphoric acid (H3PO4) solution as raw materials. The reaction principles for the synthesis of LiFePO4/C composite were analyzed, suggesting that almost no wastewater and air polluted gases are discharged into the environment. The morphological, structural and compositional properties of the LiFePO4/C composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra coupled with thermogravimetry/Differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC) thermal analysis in detail. Lithium-ion batteries using such LiFePO4/C composite as cathode materials, where the loading level is 2.2 mg/cm2, exhibited excellent electrochemical performances, with a discharge capability of 161 mA h/g at 0.1 C, 119 mA h/g at 10 C and 93 mA h/g at 20 C, and a cycling stability with 98.0% capacity retention at 1 C after 100 cycles and 95.1% at 5 C after 200 cycles. These results provide a valuable approach to reduce the manufacturing costs of LiFePO4/C cathode materials due to the reduced process for the polluted exhaust purification and wastewater treatment

Bone marrow lesions in osteoarthritis: From basic science to clinical implications

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal disease characterized by multiple joint structure damages, including articular cartilage, subchondral bone and synovium, resulting in disability and economic burden. Bone marrow lesions (BMLs) are common and important magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in OA patients. Basic and clinical research on subchondral BMLs in the pathogenesis of OA has been a hotspot. New evidence shows that subchondral bone degeneration, including BML and angiogenesis, occurs not only at or after cartilage degeneration, but even earlier than cartilage degeneration. Although BMLs are recognized as important biomarkers for OA, their exact roles in the pathogenesis of OA are still unclear, and disputes about the clinical impact and treatment of BMLs remain. This review summarizes the current basic and clinical research progress of BMLs. We particularly focus on molecular pathways, cellular abnormalities and microenvironmental changes of subchondral bone that contributed to the formation of BMLs, and emphasize the crosstalk between subchondral bone and cartilage in OA development. Finally, potential therapeutic strategies targeting BMLs in OA are discussed, which provides novel strategies for OA treatment

Associations of Dietary Macroelements with Knee Joint Structures, Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Comorbid Conditions in People with Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disease in the elderly, has no cure. Macroelements are vital in human health and their relationships with OA are not clear. Clarifying the relationships between macroelements and OA may assist knee OA management. Methods: This study was a post-hoc analysis using data from a two-year randomized controlled trial among 392 participants with knee OA. Dietary macroelements, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus were computed-based on a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Knee joint structures (including cartilage volume, cartilage defect, bone marrow lesions, and effusion-synovitis volume), OA symptoms, quality of life, and OA comorbid conditions (including lower limb muscle strength and depressive symptoms) were assessed at baseline and month 24. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Index and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and months 3, 6, 12, and 24. Quality of life and lower limb muscle strength were assessed at baseline and months 6, 12, and 24. All analyses were conducted using mixed-effects models. Results: Higher dietary magnesium and potassium were associated with fewer OA symptoms, higher quality of life, greater lower limb muscle strength, and fewer depressive symptoms, but not with knee joint structures. Higher dietary calcium and phosphorus was not associated with any of the OA-related outcomes, except that dietary phosphorus was associated with greater lower limb muscle strength. Conclusions: In the longitudinal analyses, higher dietary magnesium and potassium intake are associated with fewer OA symptoms, higher quality of life, and milder comorbid conditions in patients with knee OA, suggesting dietary magnesium and potassium may have beneficial effects on OA and could be used for knee OA management

Association between Metformin Use and Risk of Total Knee Arthroplasty and Degree of Knee Pain in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients with Diabetes and/or Obesity: A Retrospective Study

Objectives: We aimed to examine whether metformin (MET) use is associated with a reduced risk of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and low severity of knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and diabetes and/or obesity. Methods: Participants diagnosed with knee OA and diabetes and/or obesity from June 2000 to July 2019 were selected from the information system of a local hospital. Regular MET users were defined as those with recorded prescriptions of MET or self-reported regular MET use for at least 6 months. TKA information was extracted from patients’ surgical records. Knee pain was assessed using the numeric rating scale. Log-binomial regression, linear regression, and propensity score weighting (PSW) were performed for statistical analyses. Results: A total of 862 participants were included in the analyses. After excluding missing data, there were 346 MET non-users and 362 MET users. MET use was significantly associated with a reduced risk of TKA (prevalence ratio: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.45, p p = 0.029). There was a significantly accumulative effect of MET use on the reduced risk of TKA. Conclusion: MET can be a potential therapeutic option for OA. Further clinical trials are needed to determine if MET can reduce the risk of TKA and the severity of knee pain in metabolic-associated OA patients

The association between anterior cruciate ligament degeneration and incident knee osteoarthritis: Data from the osteoarthritis initiative

Background: Though anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear has been widely accepted as an important accelerator for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), the role of intrinsic ACL degeneration in developing KOA has not been fully investigated. Purpose: To determine whether ACL degeneration, in the absence of ACL tear, is associated with incident KOA over 4 years. Study design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Participants’ knees in this nested case–control study were selected from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) study, with Kellgren–Lawrence grading (KLG) of 0 or 1 ​at baseline (BL). Case knees which had incident KOA (KLG ≥2) over 4 years, were matched 1:1 with control knees by gender, age and radiographic status. ACL signal intensity alteration (0–3 scale) and volume were assessed as compositional feature and morphology of ACL degeneration, using knee MRI at P0 (time of onset of incident KOA), P-1 (1 year prior to P0) and baseline. Conditional logistic regression was applied to analyze the association between measures of ACL degeneration and incident KOA. Results: 337 case knees with incident KOA were matched to 337 control knees. Participants were mostly female (68.5%), with an average age of 59.9 years old. ACL signal intensity alterations at BL, P-1 and P0 were significantly associated with an increased odds of incident KOA respectively (all P for trend ≤0.001). In contrast, ACL volumes were not significantly associated with incident KOA at any time points. Conclusions: ACL signal intensity alteration is associated with increased incident KOA over 4 years, whereas ACL volume is not.The translational potential of this article: This paper focused on ACL signal intensity alteration which could better reflect ACL degeneration rather than ACL tear during the progression of KOA and explored this topic in a nested case–control study. Utilizing MR images from KOA participants, we extracted the imaging features of ACL. In addition, we established a semi-quantitative score for ACL signal intensity alteration and found a significant correlation between it and KOA incidence. Our findings confirmed that the more severe the ACL signal intensity alteration, the stronger relationship with the occurrence of KOA. This suggests that more emphasis should be placed on ACL degeneration rather than ACL integrity in the future

Comprehensive analysis on subchondral bone marrow lesions of human osteoarthritis by integrating bulk and single-cell transcriptomes

Abstract Objective This study aims to demonstrate the cellular composition and underlying mechanisms in subchondral bone marrow lesions (BMLs) of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods BMLs were assessed by MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Score (MOAKS)≥2. Bulk RNA-sequencing (bulk-seq) and BML-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis were performed among subchondral bone samples (including OA-BML=3, paired OA-NBML=3; non-OA=3). The hub genes of BMLs were identified by verifying in independent datasets and multiple bioinformatic analyses. To further estimate cell-type composition of subchondral bone, we utilized two newly developed deconvolution algorithms (MuSiC, MCP-counter) in transcriptomic datasets, based on signatures from open-accessed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Finally, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) and transcription factor (TF) networks were constructed through multiple predictive databases, and validated by public non-coding RNA profiles. Results A total of 86 BML-specific DEGs (up 79, down 7) were identified. IL11 and VCAN were identified as core hub genes. The “has-miR-424-5p/lncRNA PVT1” was determined as crucial network, targeting IL11 and VCAN, respectively. More importantly, two deconvolution algorithms produced approximate estimations of cell-type composition, and the cluster of heterotopic-chondrocyte was discovered abundant in BMLs, and positively correlated with the expression of hub genes. Conclusion IL11 and VCAN were identified as the core hub genes of BMLs, and their molecular networks were determined as well. We profiled the characteristics of subchondral bone at single-cell level and determined that the heterotopic-chondrocyte was abundant in BMLs and was closely linked to IL11 and VCAN. Our study may provide new insights into the microenvironment and pathological molecular mechanism of BMLs, and could lead to novel therapeutic strategies