Underwater images typically suffer from color deviations and low visibility due to the wavelength-dependent light absorption and scattering. To deal with these degradation issues, we propose an ...efficient and robust underwater image enhancement method, called MLLE. Specifically, we first locally adjust the color and details of an input image according to a minimum color loss principle and a maximum attenuation map-guided fusion strategy. Afterward, we employ the integral and squared integral maps to compute the mean and variance of local image blocks, which are used to adaptively adjust the contrast of the input image. Meanwhile, a color balance strategy is introduced to balance the color differences between channel a and channel b in the CIELAB color space. Our enhanced results are characterized by vivid color, improved contrast, and enhanced details. Extensive experiments on three underwater image enhancement datasets demonstrate that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods. Our method is also appealing in its fast processing speed within 1s for processing an image of size 1024×1024×3 on a single CPU. Experiments further suggest that our method can effectively improve the performance of underwater image segmentation, keypoint detection, and saliency detection. The project page is available at https://li-chongyi.github.io/proj_MMLE.html.
The nonlinear Hall effect is an unconventional response, in which a voltage can be driven by two perpendicular currents in the Hall-bar measurement. Unprecedented in the family of the Hall effects, ...it can survive time-reversal symmetry but is sensitive to the breaking of discrete and crystal symmetries. It is a quantum transport phenomenon that has deep connection with the Berry curvature. However, a full quantum description is still absent. Here we construct a quantum theory of the nonlinear Hall effect by using the diagrammatic technique. Quite different from nonlinear optics, nearly all the diagrams account for the disorder effects, which play decisive role in the electronic transport. After including the disorder contributions in terms of the Feynman diagrams, the total nonlinear Hall conductivity is enhanced but its sign remains unchanged for the 2D tilted Dirac model, compared to the one with only the Berry curvature contribution. We discuss the symmetry of the nonlinear conductivity tensor and predict a pure disorder-induced nonlinear Hall effect for point groups C
, C
, C
, D
, D
in 2D, and T, T
, C
, D
in 3D. This work will be helpful for explorations of the topological physics beyond the linear regime.
Phosphorus (P) is an essential element to all living cells, yet fluctuations in P concentrations are recurrent in the marine environment. Diatoms are amongst the most successful phytoplankton groups, ...adapting to and surviving periods of suboptimal conditions and resuming growth as soon as nutrient concentrations permit. A knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of diatom ecological success is, however, still very incomplete. By strand‐specific RNA sequencing, we analyzed the global transcriptome changes of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum in response to P fluctuations over a course of 8 d, defining five distinct physiological states. This study reports previously unidentified genes highly responsive to P stress in P. tricornutum. Our data also uncover the complexity of the P. tricornutum P‐responsive sensory and signaling system that combines bacterial two‐component systems with more complex pathways reminiscent of metazoans. Finally, we identify a multitude of novel long intergenic nonprotein coding RNAs (lincRNAs) specifically responsive to P depletion, suggesting putative regulatory roles in the regulation of P homeostasis. Our work provides additional molecular insights into the resilience of diatoms and their ecological success, and opens up novel routes to address and explore the function and regulatory roles of P. tricornutum lincRNAs in the context of nutrient stress.
Variations in the crystallographic texture in Ni-25 at.%Mo alloys fabricated by selective laser melting with different scanning strategies were designed for the first time. Single-crystalline-like ...texture with a short-range order of Mo atoms can be produced via bidirectional scanning along one axis (X-scan) and bidirectional scanning with a 90° rotation in each layer (XY-scan), while only fiber texture was formed in bidirectional scanning with a 67° rotation (Rot-scan). The aligned crystal orientation along the build direction can be varied by the scanning strategy; 〈001〉 is preferred in the XY- and Rot-scan samples, while 〈101〉 is preferred in the X-scan sample. The controlling mechanisms of the texture, focusing on the preferential growth directions of the columnar cells and the following epitaxial growth, are discussed. Keywords: Additive manufacturing, Selective laser melting, Texture, Electron backscattering diffraction, Ni-Mo alloy, Short-range order
Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a specialized subpopulation of T cells that plays critical roles in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Although efforts have been done, their role in human pregnancy ...is not fully understood. Numerous studies reported the presence of Treg cells throughout gestation by promoting maternal–fetal tolerance and fetal development. Furthermore, Treg population is heterogeneous as it is expressing different immune checkpoint molecules favoring immune suppressive function. Therefore, better understanding of the heterogeneity and function of Treg cells during pregnancy is critical for an effective immune intervention. Latest evidence has shown that several immune checkpoint molecules are closely associated with pregnancy outcome via multiple inhibitory mechanisms. Majority of these studies demonstrated the modulatory effects of immune checkpoint molecules on effector T‐cell immunity, but their effects on Treg activation and function are still an enigma. In this review, we emphasize the potential influence of multiple immune checkpoint molecules, including CTLA‐4, PD‐1, Tim‐3, LAG‐3, and TIGIT, either in membrane or soluble form, on the function of decidual and peripheral Treg cells during pregnancy. Additionally, we discuss the promising future of targeting Treg cells via immune checkpoint molecules for pregnancy maintenance and prevention of complicated pregnancies.
Maternal–fetal tolerance is critical for normal pregnancy. With the activation of immune checkpoint molecules (e.g. CTLA‐4, PD‐1, and Tim‐3), decidual Treg cells could gain enhanced immune‐modulatory capacity to promote maternal immune tolerance. Hence, targeting Treg cells via immune checkpoint molecules has a promising future for the maintenance of normal pregnancy.
Uncontrolled dendrites growth and serious parasitic reactions in aqueous electrolytes, greatly hinder the practical application of aqueous zinc‐ion battery. On the basis of in situ‐chemical ...construction and performance‐improving mechanism, multifunctional fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) is introduced into aqueous electrolyte to construct a high‐quality and ZnF2‐riched inorganic/organic hybrid SEI (ZHS) layer on Zn metal anode (ZMA) surface. Notably, FEC additive can regulate the solvated structure of Zn2+ to reduce H2O molecules reactivity. Additionally, the ZHS layer with strong Zn2+ affinity can avoid dendrites formation and hinder the direct contact between the electrolyte and anode. Therefore, the dendrites growth, Zn corrosion, and H2 evolution reaction on ZMA in FEC‐included ZnSO4 electrolyte are highly suppressed. Thus, ZMA in such electrolyte realize a long cycle life over 1000 h and deliver a stable coulombic efficiency of 99.1 % after 500 cycles.
Multifunctional FEC is introduced into aqueous electrolyte to produce a ZnF2‐riched inorganic/organic hybrid SEI (ZHS) layer on Zn metal anode (ZMA) surface. The hydrolysate of FEC can favorably regulate the solvated structure of Zn2+ to restrict the H2O‐related parasitic reactions. The in situ formed ZHS layer not only realize uniform Zn deposition, but also suppresses ZMA corrosion.
The plant immune response is a complex process involving transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Responses to plant immunity are initiated upon the perception of ...pathogen-associated molecular patterns, including peptide fragment of bacterial flagellin (flg22) or translation elongation factor Tu (elf18). Here, we identify an Arabidopsis thaliana long-noncoding RNA, designated ELF18-INDUCED LONG-NONCODING RNA1 (ELENA1), as a factor enhancing resistance against Pseudomonas syringe pv tomato DC3000. ELENA1 knockdown plants show decreased expression of PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENE1 (PR1) and the plants are susceptible to pathogens. By contrast, plants overexpressing ELENA1 show elevated PR1 expression after elf18 treatment and display a pathogen resistance phenotype. RNA-sequencing analysis of ELENA1-overexpressing plants after elf18 treatment confirms increased expression of defenserelated genes compared with the wild type. ELENA1 directly interacts with Mediator subunit 19a (MED19a) and affects enrichment of MED19a on the PR1 promoter. These results show that MED19a regulates PR1 expression through ELENA1. Our findings uncover an additional layer of complexity, implicating long-noncoding RNAs in the transcriptional regulation of plant innate immunity.
The effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on the growth and metastasis of human malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are controversial, and the underlying mechanisms are not yet ...understood. The aim of this study was to explore the role of MSC in the progression of HCC. We investigated the effect of MSC on in vitro proliferation and invasion and in vivo tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis of MHCC97‐H HCC cells with a high metastatic potential. The mRNA and protein levels of transforming growth factor‐beta 1 (TGFβ1) and MMP, and their association with the effects of MSC on HCC cells were also evaluated. Co‐culture of MHCC97‐H cells with MSC conditioned medium significantly enhanced in vitro proliferation but inhibited invasiveness. Following MSC treatment of a nude mouse model bearing human HCC, the MSC were predominantly located in the HCC tissues. Compared with controls, MSC‐treated mice exhibited significantly larger tumors (3080.51 ± 1234.78 mm3vs 2223.75 ± 1000.60 mm3, P = 0.045), but decreased cellular numbers of lung metastases (49.75 ± 18.86 vs 227.22 ± 74.67, P = 0.046). Expression of TGFβ1 and MMP‐2 was significantly downregulated in the MSC‐treated HCC cells. TGFβ siRNA concurrently downregulated expression of TGFβ and MMP‐2 in HCC cells and blocked the MSC‐induced proliferation and invasiveness of MHCC97‐H cells. The MSC enhanced tumor growth but significantly inhibited the invasiveness and metastasis of HCC, possibly through downregulation of TGFβ1. These findings suggest that MSC could be useful in controlling metastatic recurrence of HCC. (Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 2546–2553)
This paper presents a novel method of suppressing cross-band scattering in dual-band dual-polarized antenna arrays. The method involves introducing chokes into low-band (LB) elements to suppress ...high-band (HB) scattering currents. The experimental results show that by inserting LB-pass HB-stop chokes into LB radiators, suppression of induced HB currents on the LB elements is achieved. This greatly reduces the pattern distortion of the HB array caused by the presence of LB elements. The array considered is configured as two columns of HB antennas operating from 1.71 to 2.28 GHz interleaved with a single column of LB antennas operating from 0.82 to 1.0 GHz. The realized array with choked LB element has stable and symmetrical radiation in both HB and LB.
Periodontitis is a widespread disease characterized by inflammation‐induced progressive damage to the tooth‐supporting structures until tooth loss occurs. The regeneration of lost/damaged support ...tissue in the periodontium, including the alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, and cementum, is an ambitious purpose of periodontal regenerative therapy and might effectively reduce periodontitis‐caused tooth loss. The use of stem cells for periodontal regeneration is a hot field in translational research and an emerging potential treatment for periodontitis. This concise review summarizes the regenerative approaches using either culture‐expanded or host‐mobilized stem cells that are currently being investigated in the laboratory and with preclinical models for periodontal tissue regeneration and highlights the most recent evidence supporting their translational potential toward a widespread use in the clinic for combating highly prevalent periodontal disease. We conclude that in addition to in vitro cell‐biomaterial design and transplantation, the engineering of biomaterial devices to encourage the innate regenerative capabilities of the periodontium warrants further investigation. In comparison to cell‐based therapies, the use of biomaterials is comparatively simple and sufficiently reliable to support high levels of endogenous tissue regeneration. Thus, endogenous regenerative technology is a more economical and effective as well as safer method for the treatment of clinical patients. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:392–403
Periodontal regeneration can potentially be achieved via either the in vitro design of cell‐material constructs that may undergo remodeling and revascularization to integrate with the host tissue following transplantation or based on the in vivo manipulation of the cell‐material interplay at the target site to recruit endogenous stem cells to regenerate new tissues.
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