39 research outputs found
Residual Denoising Diffusion Models
We propose residual denoising diffusion models (RDDM), a novel dual diffusion
process that decouples the traditional single denoising diffusion process into
residual diffusion and noise diffusion. This dual diffusion framework expands
the denoising-based diffusion models, initially uninterpretable for image
restoration, into a unified and interpretable model for both image generation
and restoration by introducing residuals. Specifically, our residual diffusion
represents directional diffusion from the target image to the degraded input
image and explicitly guides the reverse generation process for image
restoration, while noise diffusion represents random perturbations in the
diffusion process. The residual prioritizes certainty, while the noise
emphasizes diversity, enabling RDDM to effectively unify tasks with varying
certainty or diversity requirements, such as image generation and restoration.
We demonstrate that our sampling process is consistent with that of DDPM and
DDIM through coefficient transformation, and propose a partially
path-independent generation process to better understand the reverse process.
Notably, our RDDM enables a generic UNet, trained with only an loss
and a batch size of 1, to compete with state-of-the-art image restoration
methods. We provide code and pre-trained models to encourage further
exploration, application, and development of our innovative framework
(https://github.com/nachifur/RDDM)
Determining Forest Duff Water Content Using a Low-Cost Standing Wave Ratio Sensor
Forest duff (fermentation and humus) water content is an important parameter for fire risk prediction and water resource management. However, accurate determination of forest duff water content is difficult due to its loose structure. This study evaluates the feasibility of a standing wave ratio (SWR) sensor to accurately determine the forest duff water content. The performance of this sensor was tested on fermentation and humus with eight different compaction levels. Meanwhile, a commercialized time domain reflectometry (TDR) was employed for comparison. Calibration results showed that there were strong linear relationships between the volumetric water content (θV) and the SWR sensor readings (VSWR) at different compaction classes for both fermentation and humus samples. The sensor readings of both SWR and TDR underestimated the forest duff water content at low compacted levels, proving that the compaction of forest duff could significantly affect the measurement accuracy of both sensors. Experimental data also showed that the accuracy of the SWR sensor was higher than that of TDR according to the root mean square error (RMSE). Furthermore, low cost is another important advantage of the SWR sensor in comparison with TDR. This low-cost SWR sensor performs well in loose materials and is feasible for evaluating the water content of forest duff. In addition, the results indicate that decomposition of the forest duff should be taken into account for continuous and long-term water content measurement
Neutrophil extracellular traps in cattle health and disease
Neutrophils largely contribute to the first line of defense against the invasion of pathogens. They kill pathogens basically by the following mechanisms: phagocytosis and proteolytic degradation, the release of enzymes with bactericidal activities, and the production of fibers to entrap pathogens, also known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs capture pathogens as a mechanism of immune protection and have been studied in-depth in various fields of human medicine. However, research about NETs in cattle is relatively scarce. The present article reviews the generation mechanisms, structural composition, signal pathways, advantages (and disadvantages) of NETs, and summarizes the latest findings of NETs in cattle health and disease
Neutrophil extracellular traps in cattle health and disease
Neutrophils largely contribute to the first line of defense against the invasion of pathogens. They kill pathogens basically by the following mechanisms: phagocytosis and proteolytic degradation, the release of enzymes with bactericidal activities, and the production of fibers to entrap pathogens, also known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs capture pathogens as a mechanism of immune protection and have been studied in-depth in various fields of human medicine. However, research about NETs in cattle is relatively scarce. The present article reviews the generation mechanisms, structural composition, signal pathways, advantages (and disadvantages) of NETs, and summarizes the latest findings of NETs in cattle health and disease