Rician Noise Removal via a Learned Dictionary

This paper proposes a new effective model for denoising images with Rician noise. The sparse representations of images have been shown to be efficient approaches for image processing. Inspired by this, we learn a dictionary from the noisy image and then combine the MAP model with it for Rician noise removal. For solving the proposed model, the primal-dual algorithm is applied and its convergence is studied. The computational results show that the proposed method is promising in restoring images with Rician noise

On Immunotherapies and Cancer Vaccination Protocols: A Mathematical Modelling Approach

In this paper we develop a new mathematical model of immunotherapy and cancer vaccination, focusing on the role of antigen presentation and co-stimulatory signaling pathways in cancer immunology. We investigate the effect of different cancer vaccination protocols on the well-documented phenomena of cancer dormancy and recurrence, and we provide a possible explanation of why adoptive (i.e. passive) immunotherapy protocols can sometimes actually promote tumour growth instead of inhibiting it (a phenomenon called immunostimulation), as opposed to active vaccination protocols based on tumour-antigen pulsed dendritic cells. Significantly, the results of our computational simulations suggest that elevated numbers of professional antigen presenting cells correlate well with prolonged time periods of cancer dormancy. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A new model based on adiabatic flame temperature for evaluation of the upper flammable limit of alkane-air-CO2 mixtures

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. For security issue of alkane used in Organic Rankine Cycle, a new model to evaluate the upper flammability limits for mixtures of alkanes, carbon dioxide and air has been proposed in present study. The linear relationship was found at upper flammability limits between molar fraction of diluent in alkane-CO 2 mixture and calculated adiabatic flame temperature. The prediction ability of the variable calculated adiabatic flame temperature model that incorporated the linear relationship above is greatly better than the models that adopted the fixed calculated adiabatic flame temperature at upper flammability limit. The average relative differences between results predicted by the new model and observed values are less than 3.51% for upper flammability limit evaluation. In order to enhance persuasion of the new model, the observed values of n-butane-CO 2 and isopentane-CO 2 mixtures measured in this study were used to confirm the validity of the new model. The predicted results indicated that the new model possesses the capacity of practical application and can adequately provide safe non-flammable ranges for alkanes diluted with carbon dioxide

Widely Targeted Metabolomics Analysis of Compositional Differences between Purple Black Rice and Common Rice at Different Harvest Periods

In this study, widely targeted metabolomics based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to analyze the types and contents of differential metabolites between purple black rice and common rice produced in Guangxi and to illustrate the significantly differential metabolic pathways. A total of 667 metabolites were identified, including lipids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, and organic acids. Principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis and overall metabolite profiling showed that 239 of the 278 differential metabolites identified in mature rice samples were up-regulated, and 235 of the 267 differential metabolites identified in the 20 day earlier harvest group were up-regulated when compared with common rice. The metabolite composition of purple black rice at different harvest periods was similar, indicating that porridge made from purple black rice harvested in advance will have soft and glutinous texture as well as complete nutritional structure. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that significantly up-regulated compounds such as rhamnose-3-O-glucoside, hesperidin-7-O-glucoside, homoeriodictyol, eriodictyol, hesperidin, catechin, quercetin, naringin and chalcones in purple black rice were involved in the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoids and flavonols, regulating the contents of flavonoids and flavonols, and improving the nutritional quality and antioxidant effect of purple black rice

Liquid-Based Cytopathology Test: A Novel Method for Diagnosing Pulmonary Mucormycosis in Bronchial Brushing Samples

Background: Pulmonary mucormycosis, a relatively rare but severe pulmonary fungal disease with a high mortality rate, is difficult to diagnose in immunocompromised patients. Conventional cytopathology (CCP) examination of respiratory samples can help detect Mucorales, but its diagnostic sensitivity is poor. The aim of this study was to assess the first application of liquid-based cytopathology test (LCT) to detect Mucorales.Methods: A total of 33 pairs of bronchial brushing samples from 27 patients diagnosed as pulmonary mucormycosis by fiberoptic bronchoscopy biopsy were prepared as slides using both CCP and LCT. LCT and CCP used the same cytology brush to obtain samples at the same site during the same time as the fiberoptic bronchoscopy biopsy. All samples were stained with Papanicolaou, GMS and PAS. CCP and LCT slides were evaluated from the rate of positive detection, 8 cytomorphological features and 7 background features.Results: LCT-prepared slides showed a higher positive rate of Mucorales detection than CCP-prepared slides for Papanicolaou’s staining [28/33 (84.85%) vs. 15/33 (45.45%), p = 0.001] and for “special staining” with GMS and PAS [29/33 (87.88%) vs. 18/33 (54.55%), p = 0.003]. Clearer smear background and more distinct stereoscopic cytopathological features were observed in LCT. Messy yarn-like necrosis observed in conventionally prepared 75.76% (25/33) samples was cytomorphological suggestive for the diagnosis of mucormycosis.Conclusion: This retrospective study suggests that LCT may be better than CCP to detect Mucorales in bronchial brushing samples from patients with pulmonary mucormycosis

Genomic diversity and evolution analysis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in East Asia from 2010 to 2022

BackgroundConducting an up-to-date analysis on the genomic diversity and evolution patterns of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is crucial for elucidating the underlying mechanisms of its emergency and pathogenicity, as well as assessing the extent of its threat to public health.MethodsComplete genome sequences of SFTSV were obtained from GenBank until December 19, 2022. A thorough phylogenetic analysis was conducted using comprehensive bioinformatics methods to estimate the genomic diversity and evolution.ResultsThe phylogenetic classification of SFTSV strains yielded seven lineages (A-G) for each genome segment. SFTSV displayed notable variations in evolutionary patterns among different regions and segments, without a linear accumulation of nucleotide substitutions within segments and regions. The comprehensive analysis revealed 54 recombination events and 17 reassortment strains, including the first discovery of recombination events involving sea-crossing and species-crossing. Selection analysis identified three positive sites (2, 671, 1353) in RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, three positive sites (22, 298, 404) in glycoprotein, and two positive sites (9, 289) in nonstructural protein. No positive selection sites were found in nucleoprotein.ConclusionOur study unveiled the existence of multiple evolutionary forces influencing SFTSV, contributing to its increasing genetic diversity, which had the potential to modify its antigenicity and pathogenicity. Furthermore, our study highlights the importance of tracking the spread of SFTSV across regions and species

Comparative analysis of liver transcriptome reveals adaptive responses to hypoxia environmental condition in Tibetan chicken

Objective Tibetan chickens, which have unique adaptations to extreme high-altitude environments, exhibit phenotypic and physiological characteristics that are distinct from those of lowland chickens. However, the mechanisms underlying hypoxic adaptation in the liver of chickens remain unknown. Methods RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology was used to assess the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in hypoxia adaptation in highland chickens (native Tibetan chicken [HT]) and lowland chickens (Langshan chicken [LS], Beijing You chicken [BJ], Qingyuan Partridge chicken [QY], and Chahua chicken [CH]). Results A total of 352 co-DEGs were specifically screened between HT and four native lowland chicken breeds. Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses indicated that these co-DEGs were widely involved in lipid metabolism processes, such as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signaling pathway, fatty acid degradation, fatty acid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis. To further determine the relationship from the 352 co-DEGs, protein-protein interaction network was carried out and identified eight genes (ACSL1, CPT1A, ACOX1, PPARC1A, SCD, ACSBG2, ACACA, and FASN) as the potential regulating genes that are responsible for the altitude difference between the HT and other four lowland chicken breeds. Conclusion This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating hypoxia adaptation via lipid metabolism in Tibetan chickens and other highland animals

Вихретоковый анизотропный термоэлектрический первичный преобразователь лучистого потока

Представлена оригинальная конструкция первичного преобразователя лучистого потока, который может служить основой для создания приемника неселективного излучения с повышенной чувствительностью