The extraction of buildings from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images poses a challenging task in the realm of remote sensing (RS). In recent years, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have rapidly ...advanced and found application in the field of RS. Researchers have investigated the potential of CNNs for the semantic segmentation of SAR images, bringing excellent improvements. However, the semantic segmentation of buildings in SAR images still encounters challenges due to the high similarity between features of ground objects and buildings in SAR images, as well as the variability in building structures. In this paper, we propose the local-global multiscale fusion network (LGMFNet), based on a dual encoder-decoder structure, for the semantic segmentation of buildings in SAR images. The proposed LGMFNet introduces an auxiliary encoder with a transformer structure to address the limitation of using the main encoder with a CNN structure for global modeling. To embed global dependencies hierarchically into the CNN, we designed the global-local semantic aggregation module (GLSM). The GLSM serves as a bridge between the dual encoders to achieve semantic guidance and coupling from the local to the global level. Furthermore, to bridge the semantic gap between different scales, we designed the multi-scale feature fusion network (MSFN) as the decoder. MSFN achieves the interactive fusion of semantic information between various scales by constructing the multi-scale feature fusion module (MSFM). Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LGMFNet achieves the mIoU of 91.17% on the BIGSARDATA 2023 AISAR competition dataset, outperforming the second-best method by a margin of 0.78%. This evidences the superiority of LGMFNet in comparison to other state-of-the-art methods.
For prevention of obesity in Chinese population, it is necessary to define the optimal range of healthy weight and the appropriate cut-off points of BMI and waist circumference for Chinese adults. ...The Working Group on Obesity in China under the support of International Life Sciences Institute Focal point in China organized a meta-analysis on the relation between BMI, waist circumference and risk factors of related chronic diseases (e.g., high diabetes, diabetes mellitus, and lipoprotein disorders).
13 population studies in all met the criteria for enrollment, with data of 239,972 adults (20-70 year) surveyed in the 1990s. Data on waist circumference was available for 111,411 persons and data on serum lipids and glucose were available for more than 80,000. The study populations located in 21 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in mainland China as well as in Taiwan. Each enrolled study provided data according to a common protocol and uniform format. The Center for data management in Department of Epidemiology, Fu Wai Hospital was responsible for statistical analysis.
The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and clustering of risk factors all increased with increasing levels of BMI or waist circumference. BMI at 24 with best sensitivity and specificity for identification of the risk factors, was recommended as the cut-off point for overweight, BMI at 28 which may identify the risk factors with specificity around 90% was recommended as the cut-off point for obesity. Waist circumference beyond 85 cm for men and beyond 80 cm for women were recommended as the cut-off points for central obesity. Analysis of population attributable risk percent illustrated that reducing BMI to normal range (< 24) could prevent 45%-50% clustering of risk factors. Treatment of obese persons (BMI > or = 28) with drugs could prevent 15%-17% clustering of risk factors. The waist circumference controlled under 85 cm for men and under 80 cm for women, could prevent 47%-58% clustering of risk factors. According to these, a classification of overweight and obesity for Chinese adults is recommended.
Farnesyl/geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthases (FPPS/GGPPS) as the short‐chain prenyltransferases catalyse the formation of the acyclic precursors (E)‐FPP and (E)‐GGPP for isoprenoid biosynthesis. ...Here, we first cloned the cDNAs encoding FPPS and GGPPS in the vetch aphid Megoura viciae (designated as MvFPPS and MvGGPPS). They had an open reading frame of 1185 and 930 bp in length, encoding 395 and 309 amino acids, with a theoretical isoelectric point of 6.52 and 6.21, respectively. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed that MvFPPS and MvGGPPS shared the conserved aspartate‐rich motifs characterized by all prenyltransferases identified to date and were clustered with their homologues in two large clades. RNA interference (RNAi) combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed that both MvFPPS and MvGGPPS were involved in the biosynthesis of alarm pheromone. Spatiotemporal expression profiling showed that the expression of MvFPPS and MvGGPPS was significantly higher in embryos than in other tissues. RNAi and GC–MS performed specifically in embryos corroborated the function of MvFPPS and MvGGPPS. In vitro, enzymatic activity assay and product analysis demonstrated that MvFPPS could catalysed the formation of (E)‐FPP using DMAPP or (E)‐GPP as the allylic cosubstrates in the presence of IPP, while MvGGPPS could only use (E)‐GPP or (E)‐FPP as cosubstrates. Functional interaction analysis using RNAi revealed that MvGGPPS exerts unidirectional functional compensation for MvFPPS. Moreover, it can regulate the biosynthesis of alarm pheromone by imposing a negative feedback regulation on MvFPPS. Our study helps to understand the molecular regulatory mechanism of terpenoid biosynthesis in the aphid.
We identified one FPPS and one GGPPS in M. viciae, and both of them are involved in the biosynthesis of alarm pheromone.
MvFPPS is directly involved in the biosynthesis of alarm pheromone by providing the precursors GPP and FPP.
MvGGPPS is indirectly involved in the biosynthesis of alarm pheromone by imposing a negative feedback regulation on MvFPPS.
MvGGPPS exerts unidirectional functional compensation for MvFPPS.
FPPS/GGPPS regulate bioysnthesis of aphid alarm pheromone
Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are considered to be one of the most promising new reinforcements due to their unique two-dimensional structure and remarkable mechanical properties. In addition, their ...impressive electrical and thermal properties make them attractive fillers for producing multifunctional ceramics with a wide range of applications. This paper reviews the current status of the research and development of graphene-reinforced ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials. Firstly, we focused on the processing methods for effective dispersion of GNPs throughout ceramic matrices and the reduction of the porosity of CMC products. Then, the microstructure and mechanical properties are provided, together with an emphasis on the possible toughening mechanisms that may operate. Additionally, the unique functional properties endowed by GNPs, such as enhanced electrical/thermal conductivity, are discussed, with a comprehensive comparison in different ceramic matrices as oxide and non-oxide composites. Finally, the prospects and problems needed to be solved in GNPs-reinforced CMCs are discussed.
Climate change, characterized by rising atmospheric CO 2 levels and temperatures, poses significant challenges to global crop production. Sweet sorghum, a prominent C 4 cereal extensively grown in ...arid areas, emerges as a promising candidate for sustainable bioenergy production. This study investigated the responses of photosynthesis and leaf-scale water use efficiency (WUE) to varying light intensity ( I ) in sweet sorghum under different temperature and CO 2 conditions. Comparative analyses were conducted between the A n - I , g s - I , T r - I , WUE i - I , and WUE inst - I models proposed by Ye et al. and the widely utilized the non-rectangular hyperbolic (NRH) model for fitting light response curves. The Ye's models effectively replicated the light response curves of sweet sorghum, accurately capturing the diminishing intrinsic WUE (WUE i ) and instantaneous WUE (WUE inst ) trends with increasing I . The fitted maximum values of A n , g s , T r , WUE i , and WUE inst and their saturation light intensities closely matched observations, unlike the NRH model. Despite the NRH model demonstrating high R 2 values for A n - I , g s - I , and T r - I modelling, it returned the maximum values significantly deviating from observed values and failed to generate saturation light intensities. It also inadequately represented WUE responses to I , overestimating WUE. Across different leaf temperatures, A n , g s , and T r of sweet sorghum displayed comparable light response patterns. Elevated temperatures increased maximum A n , g s , and T r but consistently declined maximum WUE i and WUE inst . However, WUE inst declined more sharply due to the disproportionate transpiration increase over carbon assimilation. Critically, sweet sorghum A n saturated at current atmospheric CO 2 levels, with no significant gains under 550 μmol mol −1 . Instead, stomatal closure enhanced WUE under elevated CO 2 by coordinated g s and T r reductions rather than improved carbon assimilation. Nonetheless, this response diminished under simultaneously high temperature, suggesting intricate interplay between CO 2 and temperature in modulating plant responses. These findings provide valuable insights into photosynthetic dynamics of sweet sorghum, aiding predictions of yield and optimization of cultivation practices. Moreover, our methodology serves as a valuable reference for evaluating leaf photosynthesis and WUE dynamics in diverse plant species.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence has increased among patients aged <50 years. Exploring high-risk factors and screening high-risk populations may help lower early-onset CRC (EO-CRC) incidence. We ...developed noninvasive predictive models for EO-CRC and investigated its risk factors.
This retrospective multicenter study collected information on 1756 patients (811 patients with EO-CRC and 945 healthy controls) from two medical centers in China. Sociodemographic features, clinical symptoms, medical and family history, lifestyle, and dietary factors were measured. Patients from one cohort were randomly assigned (8:2) to two groups for model establishment and internal validation, and another independent cohort was used for external validation. Multivariable logistic regression, random forest, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) were performed to establish noninvasive predictive models for EO-CRC. Some variables in the model influenced EO-CRC occurrence and were further analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis yielded adjusted odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
All three models showed good performance, with areas under the receiver operator characteristic curves (AUCs) of 0.82, 0.84, and 0.82 in the internal and 0.78, 0.79, and 0.78 in the external validation cohorts, respectively. Consumption of sweet (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.89-3.86, P < 0.001) and fried (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.29-3.62, P < 0.001) foods ≥3 times per week was significantly associated with EO-CRC occurrence.
We established noninvasive predictive models for EO-CRC and identified multiple nongenetic risk factors, especially sweet and fried foods. The model has good performance and can help predict the occurrence of EO-CRC in the Chinese population.
Psoriasis vulgaris is the most common form of the four clinical types. However, early diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris is difficult due to the lack of effective biomarkers. The aim of this study was ...to screen potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of psoriasis. In our study, we downloaded the original data from GSE30999 and GSE41664, and the autophagy-related genes list from human autophagy database to identify differentially expressed autophagy-related genes (DERAGs) by R software. Then Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for DERAGs. DERAGs were validated by the other four databases (GSE13355, GSE14905, GSE6710, and GSE55201) to screen biomarkers with high diagnostic value for the early diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris. Finally, DERAGs were verified in our clinical blood samples by ELISA. A total of 12 DERAGs were identified between 123 paired non-lesional and lesional skin samples from patients with psoriasis vulgaris. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated the TORC2 complex was more enriched and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway was mostly enriched. Three autophagy-related genes (BIRC5, NAMPT and BCL2) were identified through bioinformatics analysis and verified by ELISA in clinical blood samples. And these genes showed high diagnostic value for the early diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris. We identified three autophagy-related genes (BIRC5, NAMPT and BCL2) with high diagnostic value for the early diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris through bioinformatics analysis and clinical samples. Therefore, we proposed that BIRC5, NAMPT and BCL2 may be as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris. In addition, BIRC5, NAMPT and BCL2 may affect the development of psoriasis by regulating autophagy.
β-Sitosterol (24-ethyl-5-cholestene-3-ol) is a common phytosterol Chinese medical plants that has been shown to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. In this study we investigated the ...effects of β-sitosterol on influenza virus-induced inflammation and acute lung injury and the molecular mechanisms. We demonstrate that β-sitosterol (150-450 μg/mL) dose-dependently suppresses inflammatory response through NF-κB and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in influenza A virus (IAV)-infected cells, which was accompanied by decreased induction of interferons (IFNs) (including Type I and III IFN). Furthermore, we revealed that the anti-inflammatory effect of β-sitosterol resulted from its inhibitory effect on retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling, led to decreased STAT1 signaling, thus affecting the transcriptional activity of ISGF3 (interferon-stimulated gene factor 3) complexes and resulting in abrogation of the IAV-induced proinflammatory amplification effect in IFN-sensitized cells. Moreover, β-sitosterol treatment attenuated RIG-I-mediated apoptotic injury of alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) via downregulation of pro-apoptotic factors. In a mouse model of influenza, pre-administration of β-sitosterol (50, 200 mg·kg
·d
, i.g., for 2 days) dose-dependently ameliorated IAV-mediated recruitment of pathogenic cytotoxic T cells and immune dysregulation. In addition, pre-administration of β-sitosterol protected mice from lethal IAV infection. Our data suggest that β-sitosterol blocks the immune response mediated by RIG-I signaling and deleterious IFN production, providing a potential benefit for the treatment of influenza.
The photon content of the neutron Xie, Keping; Zhou, Bei; Hobbs, T. J.
The journal of high energy physics,
04/2024, Letnik:
2024, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
A
bstract
In this work, we complete our CT18qed study with the neutron’s photon parton distribution function (PDF), which is essential for the nucleus scattering phenomenology. Two methods, CT18lux ...and CT18qed, based on the LUXqed formalism and the DGLAP evolution, respectively, to determine the neutron’s photon PDF have been presented. Various low-
Q
2
non-perturbative variations have been carefully examined, which are treated as additional uncertainties on top of those induced by quark and gluon PDFs. The impacts of the momentum sum rule as well as isospin symmetry violation have been explored and turned out to be negligible. A detailed comparison with other neutron’s photon PDF sets has been performed, which shows a great improvement in the precision and a reasonable uncertainty estimation. Finally, two phenomenological implications are demonstrated with photon-initiated processes: neutrino-nucleus
W
-boson production, which is important for the near-future TeV–PeV neutrino observations, and the axion-like particle production at a high-energy muon beam-dump experiment.
Pressure-sensitive films have been used for measurement in micro flow, but thin films have very limited intensity, resulting in poor signal-noise ratio (SNR). This paper presents a pressure-sensitive ...film whose emission signal is enhanced by silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Electronic beam evaporator and annealing furnace are used to fabricate silver nanotexture surface. PtTFPP and polystyrene are dissolved in toluene and then spin-coated on the silver nanotexture surface to prepare the pressure-sensitive films. Signal enhancement of film with AgNPs due to LSPR is analyzed and enhancement effect of samples with different particle sizes and spacer thickness are compared. Pressure and temperature calibrations are performed to assess the sensing performance of pressure-sensitive films. Pressure-sensitive films with AgNPs demonstrate signal enhancement due to LSPR and show promise for measurement in micro flow.
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