Genuine output and genuine productivity of China\u27s provinces : a multiregional input-output analysis

This paper recalculates value added, capital formation, capital stock, and related multifactor productivity for China\u27s provinces by expanding on the genuine savings method proposed by the World Bank. Specifically, we construct China\u27s time-series multiregional input?output tables to account for the natural resource depletion and environmental damage that affect genuine output when considering inter-provincial trade. The results show that although the loss of natural capital in China\u27s provinces in terms of value added and investment has declined, the impact on productivity during the past decades is still significant and has even increased during the past decades

Self-Supervision Can Be a Good Few-Shot Learner

Existing few-shot learning (FSL) methods rely on training with a large labeled dataset, which prevents them from leveraging abundant unlabeled data. From an information-theoretic perspective, we propose an effective unsupervised FSL method, learning representations with self-supervision. Following the InfoMax principle, our method learns comprehensive representations by capturing the intrinsic structure of the data. Specifically, we maximize the mutual information (MI) of instances and their representations with a low-bias MI estimator to perform self-supervised pre-training. Rather than supervised pre-training focusing on the discriminable features of the seen classes, our self-supervised model has less bias toward the seen classes, resulting in better generalization for unseen classes. We explain that supervised pre-training and self-supervised pre-training are actually maximizing different MI objectives. Extensive experiments are further conducted to analyze their FSL performance with various training settings. Surprisingly, the results show that self-supervised pre-training can outperform supervised pre-training under the appropriate conditions. Compared with state-of-the-art FSL methods, our approach achieves comparable performance on widely used FSL benchmarks without any labels of the base classes.Comment: ECCV 2022, code: https://github.com/bbbdylan/unisia

QARV: Quantization-Aware ResNet VAE for Lossy Image Compression

This paper addresses the problem of lossy image compression, a fundamental problem in image processing and information theory that is involved in many real-world applications. We start by reviewing the framework of variational autoencoders (VAEs), a powerful class of generative probabilistic models that has a deep connection to lossy compression. Based on VAEs, we develop a novel scheme for lossy image compression, which we name quantization-aware ResNet VAE (QARV). Our method incorporates a hierarchical VAE architecture integrated with test-time quantization and quantization-aware training, without which efficient entropy coding would not be possible. In addition, we design the neural network architecture of QARV specifically for fast decoding and propose an adaptive normalization operation for variable-rate compression. Extensive experiments are conducted, and results show that QARV achieves variable-rate compression, high-speed decoding, and a better rate-distortion performance than existing baseline methods. The code of our method is publicly accessible at https://github.com/duanzhiihao/lossy-vaeComment: Technical repor

Robust Representation Learning for Unified Online Top-K Recommendation

In large-scale industrial e-commerce, the efficiency of an online recommendation system is crucial in delivering highly relevant item/content advertising that caters to diverse business scenarios. However, most existing studies focus solely on item advertising, neglecting the significance of content advertising. This oversight results in inconsistencies within the multi-entity structure and unfair retrieval. Furthermore, the challenge of retrieving top-k advertisements from multi-entity advertisements across different domains adds to the complexity. Recent research proves that user-entity behaviors within different domains exhibit characteristics of differentiation and homogeneity. Therefore, the multi-domain matching models typically rely on the hybrid-experts framework with domain-invariant and domain-specific representations. Unfortunately, most approaches primarily focus on optimizing the combination mode of different experts, failing to address the inherent difficulty in optimizing the expert modules themselves. The existence of redundant information across different domains introduces interference and competition among experts, while the distinct learning objectives of each domain lead to varying optimization challenges among experts. To tackle these issues, we propose robust representation learning for the unified online top-k recommendation. Our approach constructs unified modeling in entity space to ensure data fairness. The robust representation learning employs domain adversarial learning and multi-view wasserstein distribution learning to learn robust representations. Moreover, the proposed method balances conflicting objectives through the homoscedastic uncertainty weights and orthogonality constraints. Various experiments validate the effectiveness and rationality of our proposed method, which has been successfully deployed online to serve real business scenarios.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, submitted to ICD

Wide-field-of-view near-eye display with dual-channel waveguide

We propose a wide-field-of-view near-eye display featuring a dual-channel waveguide with cholesteric liquid crystal gratings. Our dual-channel waveguide is capable of splitting the field of view through the orthogonal polarization division multiplexing. To explain its mechanism, a diagram of k-domain, which factors into both the waveguide size and the number of pupils, is depicted. Our results demonstrate that the diagonal field of view reaches up to 80°, eye relief is 10 mm, exit pupil is 4 × 3 mm2, and uniformity is 79%

A multicenter study of fetal chromosomal abnormalities in Chinese women of advanced maternal age

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the rates of different fetal chromosomal abnormalities among women of advanced maternal age in China and to discuss the possible misdiagnosis risks of newer molecular techniques, for selection of appropriate prenatal screening and diagnostic technologies.Materials and MethodsSecond trimester amniocentesis and fetal karyotype results of 46,258 women were retrospectively reviewed. All women were ≥ 35 years old with singleton pregnancies. The rates of clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities (CSCAs), incidence of chromosomal abnormalities, and correlations with age were determined.ResultsFrom 2001 to 2010, the proportion of women of advanced maternal age undergoing prenatal diagnosis increased from 20% to 46%. The mean age was 37.4 years (range, 35–46 years). A total of 708 cases of CSCAs, with a rate of 1.53% were found. Trisomy 21 was the most common single chromosome abnormality and accounted for 55.9% of all CSCAs with an incidence of 0.86%. Trisomy 13, trisomy 18, and trisomy 21, the most common chromosome autosomal aneuploidies, accounted for 73.6% of all CSCAs, with a rate of 1.13%. As a group, the most common chromosomal aneuploidies (13/18/21/X/Y) accounted for 93.9% of all abnormalities, with a rate of 1.44%. The incidence of trisomy 21, trisomy 13/18/21 as a group, and 13/18/21/X/Y as a group was significantly greater in women aged 39 years and older (p < 0.001), but was not different between women aged 35 years, 36 years, 37 years, and 38 years.ConclusionThese findings may assist in genetic counseling of advanced maternal age pregnant women, and provide a basis for the selection of prenatal screening and diagnostic technologies

The effects of dyslipidaemia and cholesterol modulation on erythrocyte susceptibility to malaria parasite infection

Abstract: Background: Malaria disease commences when blood-stage parasites, called merozoites, invade human erythrocytes. Whilst the process of invasion is traditionally seen as being entirely merozoite-driven, emerging data suggests erythrocyte biophysical properties markedly influence invasion. Cholesterol is a major determinant of cell membrane biophysical properties demanding its interrogation as a potential mediator of resistance to merozoite invasion of the erythrocyte. Methods: Biophysical measurements of erythrocyte deformability by flicker spectroscopy were used to assess changes in erythrocyte bending modulus on forced integration of cholesterol and how these artificial changes affect invasion by human Plasmodium falciparum merozoites. To validate these observations in a natural context, either murine Plasmodium berghei or human Plasmodium falciparum merozoites were tested for their ability to invade erythrocytes from a hypercholesterolaemic mouse model or human clinical erythrocyte samples deriving from patients with a range of serum cholesterol concentrations, respectively. Results: Erythrocyte bending modulus (a measure of deformability) was shown to be markedly affected by artificial modulation of cholesterol content and negatively correlated with merozoite invasion efficiency. In an in vitro infection context, however, erythrocytes taken from hypercholesterolaemic mice or from human clinical samples with varying serum cholesterol levels showed little difference in their susceptibility to merozoite invasion. Explaining this, membrane cholesterol levels in both mouse and human hypercholesterolaemia erythrocytes were subsequently found to be no different from matched normal serum controls. Conclusions: Based on these observations, serum cholesterol does not appear to impact on erythrocyte susceptibility to merozoite entry. Indeed, no relationship between serum cholesterol and cholesterol content of the erythrocyte is apparent. This work, nonetheless, suggests that native polymorphisms which do affect membrane lipid composition would be expected to affect parasite entry. This supports investigation of erythrocyte biophysical properties in endemic settings, which may yet identify naturally protective lipid-related polymorphisms

Identification and characterization of a novel chromosomal aminoglycoside 3’-O-phosphotransferase, APH(3′)-Id, from Kluyvera intermedia DW18 isolated from the sewage of an animal farm

BackgroundAminoglycosides, as important clinical antimicrobials, are used as second-line drugs for treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis or combined with β-lactam drugs for treating severe infections such as sepsis. Aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme (AME) is the most important mechanism of aminoglycoside resistance and deserves more attention.MethodsThe bacterium Kluyvera intermedia DW18 was isolated from the sewage of an animal farm using the conventional method. The agar dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antimicrobials. A novel resistance gene was cloned, and the enzyme was expressed. The kinetic parameters were measured by a SpectraMax M5 multifunctional microplate reader. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to reveal the genetic context of the aph(3′)-Id gene and its phylogenetic relationship with other AMEs.ResultsA novel aminoglycoside 3′-O-phosphotransferase gene designated aph(3′)-Id was identified in K. intermedia DW18 and shared the highest amino acid identity of 77.49% with the functionally characterized aminoglycoside 3′-O-phosphotransferase APH(3′)-Ia. The recombinant plasmid carrying the novel resistance gene (pMD19-aph(3′)-Id/E. coli DH5α) showed 1,024-, 512-, 128- and 16-fold increased MIC levels for kanamycin, ribostamycin, paromomycin and neomycin, respectively, compared with the reference strain DH5α. APH(3′)-Id showed the highest catalytic efficiency for ribostamycin [kcat/Km of (4.96 ± 1.63) × 105 M−1/s−1], followed by paromomycin [kcat/Km of (2.18 ± 0.21) × 105 M−1/s−1], neomycin [kcat/Km of (1.73 ± 0.20) × 105 M−1/s−1], and kanamycin [kcat/Km of (1.10 ± 0.18) × 105 M−1/s−1]. Three conserved functional domains of the aminoglycoside phosphotransferase family and ten amino acid residues responsible for the phosphorylation of kanamycin were found in the amino acid sequence of APH(3′)-Id. No mobile genetic element (MGE) was discovered surrounding the aph(3′)-Id gene.ConclusionIn this work, a novel aminoglycoside 3’-O-phosphotransferase gene designated aph(3′)-Id encoded in the chromosome of the environmental isolate Kluyvera intermedia DW18 was identified and characterized. These findings will help clinicians select effective antimicrobials to treat infections caused by pathogens with this kind of resistance gene

Interleukin-33 Signaling Controls the Development of Iron-Recycling Macrophages.

Splenic red pulp macrophages (RPMs) contribute to erythrocyte homeostasis and are required for iron recycling. Heme induces the expression of SPIC transcription factor in monocyte-derived macrophages and promotes their differentiation into RPM precursors, pre-RPMs. However, the requirements for differentiation into mature RPMs remain unknown. Here, we have demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-33 associated with erythrocytes and co-cooperated with heme to promote the generation of mature RPMs through activation of the MyD88 adaptor protein and ERK1/2 kinases downstream of the IL-33 receptor, IL1RL1. IL-33- and IL1RL1-deficient mice showed defective iron recycling and increased splenic iron deposition. Gene expression and chromatin accessibility studies revealed a role for GATA transcription factors downstream of IL-33 signaling during the development of pre-RPMs that retained full potential to differentiate into RPMs. Thus, IL-33 instructs the development of RPMs as a response to physiological erythrocyte damage with important implications to iron recycling and iron homeostasis

BlaPSZ-1, a novel AmpC gene identified from a Pantoea isolate

BackgroundPantoea species of the family Erwiniaceae are well-known plant pathogens and animal and human conditional pathogens. Due to the widespread and continuous use of antimicrobials, multidrug-resistant strains continue to emerge, making clinical treatment difficult; therefore, there is an increasing need to clarify the mechanisms of drug resistance.MethodsA rabbit anal fecal sample was collected by a swab and the streak plate method was used to isolate single colonies. The standard agar dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against antimicrobials. The complete genome sequence of the bacterium was obtained using Next-Generation Sequencing platforms. The potential resistance gene was annotated based on the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) and verified by molecular cloning. The β-lactamase PSZ-1 was expressed via the pCold I expression vector and its enzyme kinetic parameters were analyzed. The genetic environment and evolutionary process of the novel resistance gene-related sequences were analyzed by bioinformatic methods.ResultsThe isolate Pantoea endophytica X85 showed some degree of resistance to penicillins as well as cephalosporins. A novel AmpC resistance gene, designated blaPSZ-1 in this research, was identified to be encoded in the plasmid (pPEX85) of P. endophytica X85. BlaPSZ-1 showed resistance to penicillins and several first-, second-and third-generation cephalosporins as well as aztreonam, but it did not show resistance to the fourth-generation cephalosporins or carbapenems tested. Enzyme kinetic assays revealed that it could hydrolyze amoxicillin, penicillin G, cephalothin, and cefazolin, and its hydrolytic activity could be strongly inhibited by the inhibitor avibactam, which was generally consistent with antimicrobial susceptibility testing results. No hydrolytic activity was observed for third-generation cephalosporins or aztreonam.ConclusionIn this study, a novel AmpC β-lactamase gene, designated blaPSZ-1, was characterized and it was encoded in the plasmid of the bacterium P. endophytica X85. It shows resistance to penicillins and several cephalosporins. The discovery of novel drug resistance mechanisms can help guide the scientific use of drugs in animal husbandry and clinical practice, effectively avoiding the abuse of antimicrobials and thus preventing the further development and spread of bacterial resistance