Three-stage binarization of color document images based on discrete wavelet transform and generative adversarial networks

The efficient segmentation of foreground text information from the background in degraded color document images is a hot research topic. Due to the imperfect preservation of ancient documents over a long period of time, various types of degradation, including staining, yellowing, and ink seepage, have seriously affected the results of image binarization. In this paper, a three-stage method is proposed for image enhancement and binarization of degraded color document images by using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and generative adversarial network (GAN). In Stage-1, we use DWT and retain the LL subband images to achieve the image enhancement. In Stage-2, the original input image is split into four (Red, Green, Blue and Gray) single-channel images, each of which trains the independent adversarial networks. The trained adversarial network models are used to extract the color foreground information from the images. In Stage-3, in order to combine global and local features, the output image from Stage-2 and the original input image are used to train the independent adversarial networks for document binarization. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms many classical and state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods on the Document Image Binarization Contest (DIBCO) dataset. We release our implementation code at https://github.com/abcpp12383/ThreeStageBinarization

CCDWT-GAN: Generative Adversarial Networks Based on Color Channel Using Discrete Wavelet Transform for Document Image Binarization

To efficiently extract the textual information from color degraded document images is an important research topic. Long-term imperfect preservation of ancient documents has led to various types of degradation such as page staining, paper yellowing, and ink bleeding; these degradations badly impact the image processing for information extraction. In this paper, we present CCDWT-GAN, a generative adversarial network (GAN) that utilizes the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) on RGB (red, green, blue) channel splited images. The proposed method comprises three stages: image preprocessing, image enhancement, and image binarization. This work conducts comparative experiments in the image preprocessing stage to determine the optimal selection of DWT with normalization. Additionally, we perform an ablation study on the results of the image enhancement stage and the image binarization stage to validate their positive effect on the model performance. This work compares the performance of the proposed method with other state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods on DIBCO and H-DIBCO ((Handwritten) Document Image Binarization Competition) datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that CCDWT-GAN achieves a top two performance on multiple benchmark datasets, and outperforms other SOTA methods

Diagnostic Value of I-131 NP-59 SPECT/CT Scintigraphy in Patients with Subclinical or Atypical Features of Primary Aldosteronism

Accumulating evidence has shown the adverse effect of long-term hyperaldosteronism on cardiovascular morbidity that is independent of blood pressure. However, the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA) remains a challenge for patients who present with subtle or atypical features or have chronic kidney disease (CKD). SPECT/CT has proven valuable in the diagnosis of a number of conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of I-131 NP-59 SPECT/CT in patients with atypical presentations of PA and in those with CKD. The records of 15 patients with PA were retrospectively analyzed. NP-59 SPECT/CT was able to identify adrenal lesion(s) in CKD patients with suspected PA. Patients using NP-59 SPECT/CT imaging, compared with those not performing this procedure, significantly featured nearly normal serum potassium levels, normal aldosterone-renin ratio, and smaller adrenal size on CT and pathological examination and tended to feature stage 1 hypertension and non-suppressed plasma renin activity. These findings show that noninvasive NP-59 SPECT/CT is a useful tool for diagnosis in patients with subclinical or atypical features of PA and those with CKD

Purification and Characterization of Hemagglutinating Proteins from Poker-Chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula Clam (Corbicula fluminea)

Hemagglutinating proteins (HAPs) were purified from Poker-chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula clam (Corbicula fluminea) using gel-filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl S-300 column. The molecular weights of the HAPs obtained from Poker-chip Venus and Corbicula clam were 358 kDa and 380 kDa, respectively. Purified HAP from Poker-chip Venus yielded two subunits with molecular weights of 26 kDa and 29 kDa. However, only one HAP subunit was purified from Corbicula clam, and its molecular weight was 32 kDa. The two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed hemagglutinating ability (HAA) for erythrocytes of some vertebrate animal species, especially tilapia. Moreover, HAA of the HAP purified from Poker-chip Venus was higher than that of the HAP of Corbicula clam. Furthermore, Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA at a pH higher than 7.0. When the temperature was at 4°C–10°C or the salinity was less than 0.5‰, the two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA compared with that of Corbicula clam

Distinct Tumor Microenvironment at Tumor Edge as a Result of Astrocyte Activation Is Associated With Therapeutic Resistance for Brain Tumor

Tumor vasculatures and hypoxia are critical tumor micro-environmental factors associated with tumor response to the therapy and heterogeneous in both time- and location-dependent manner. Using a murine orthotopic anaplastic astrocytoma model, ALTS1C1, this study showed that brain tumor edge had a very unique microenvironment, having higher microvascular density (MVD) and better vessel function than the tumor core, but on the other hand was also positive for hypoxia markers, such as pimonidazole (PIMO), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and carbonic anhydrase IV (CAIX). The hypoxia at tumor edge was transient, named as peripheral hypoxia, and caused by different mechanisms from the chronic hypoxia in tumor core. The correlation of CAIX staining with astrocyte activation marker, glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), at the tumor edge indicated the involvement of astrocyte activation on the development of peripheral hypoxia. Peripheral hypoxia was a specific trait of orthotopic brain tumors at tumor edge, regardless of tumor origin. The hypoxic cells were resistant to the therapy, regardless of their location. Surviving cells, particularly those at the hypoxic region of tumor edge, are likely the cause of tumor recurrence after the therapy. New therapeutic platform that targets cells in tumor edge is likely to achieve better treatment outcomes

Association of anticardiolipin, antiphosphatidylserine, anti-β2 glycoprotein I, and antiphosphatidylcholine autoantibodies with canine immune thrombocytopenia

β2GPI expression and identification. (PDF 159 kb

Cannabis, tobacco use, and COVID-19 outcomes

IMPORTANCE: It is unclear whether cannabis use is associated with adverse health outcomes in patients with COVID-19 when accounting for known risk factors, including tobacco use. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether cannabis and tobacco use are associated with adverse health outcomes from COVID-19 in the context of other known risk factors. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health record data from February 1, 2020, to January 31, 2022. This study included patients who were identified as having COVID-19 during at least 1 medical visit at a large academic medical center in the Midwest US. EXPOSURES: Current cannabis use and tobacco smoking, as documented in the medical encounter. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Health outcomes of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and all-cause mortality following COVID-19 infection. The association between substance use (cannabis and tobacco) and these COVID-19 outcomes was assessed using multivariable modeling. RESULTS: A total of 72 501 patients with COVID-19 were included (mean [SD] age, 48.9 [19.3] years; 43 315 [59.7%] female; 9710 [13.4%] had current smoking; 17 654 [24.4%] had former smoking; and 7060 [9.7%] had current use of cannabis). Current tobacco smoking was significantly associated with increased risk of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.62-1.82; P \u3c .001), ICU admission (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.10-1.34; P \u3c .001), and all-cause mortality (OR, 1.37, 95% CI, 1.20-1.57; P \u3c .001) after adjusting for other factors. Cannabis use was significantly associated with increased risk of hospitalization (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.68-1.93; P \u3c .001) and ICU admission (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.14-1.41; P \u3c .001) but not with all-cause mortality (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.82-1.14, P = .69) after adjusting for tobacco smoking, vaccination, comorbidity, diagnosis date, and demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this cohort study suggest that cannabis use may be an independent risk factor for COVID-19-related complications, even after considering cigarette smoking, vaccination status, comorbidities, and other risk factors