Deep learning-based models for building delineation from remotely sensed images face the challenge of producing precise and regular building outlines. This study investigates the combination of ...normalized digital surface models (nDSMs) with aerial images to optimize the extraction of building polygons using the frame field learning method. Results are evaluated at pixel, object, and polygon levels. In addition, an analysis is performed to assess the statistical deviations in the number of vertices of building polygons compared with the reference. The comparison of the number of vertices focuses on finding the output polygons that are the easiest to edit by human analysts in operational applications. It can serve as guidance to reduce the post-processing workload for obtaining high-accuracy building footprints. Experiments conducted in Enschede, the Netherlands, demonstrate that by introducing nDSM, the method could reduce the number of false positives and prevent missing the real buildings on the ground. The positional accuracy and shape similarity was improved, resulting in better-aligned building polygons. The method achieved a mean intersection over union (IoU) of 0.80 with the fused data (RGB + nDSM) against an IoU of 0.57 with the baseline (using RGB only) in the same area. A qualitative analysis of the results shows that the investigated model predicts more precise and regular polygons for large and complex structures.
We address the task of mapping deforested areas in the Brazilian Amazon. Accurate maps are an important tool for informing effective deforestation containment policies. The main existing approaches ...to this task are largely manual, requiring significant effort by trained experts. To reduce this effort, we propose a fully automatic approach based on spatio-temporal deep convolutional neural networks. We introduce several domain-specific components, including approaches for: image preprocessing; handling image noise, such as clouds and shadow; and constructing the training data set. We show that our preprocessing protocol reduces the impact of noise in the training data set. Furthermore, we propose two spatio-temporal variations of the U-Net architecture, which make it possible to incorporate both spatial and temporal contexts. Using a large, real-world data set, we show that our method outperforms a traditional U-Net architecture, thus achieving approximately 95% accuracy.
In the gut, secretory immunoglobulin A is the predominant humoral response against commensals, although healthy hosts also produce microbiota‐specific IgG antibodies. During intestinal inflammation, ...the content of IgG in the lumen increases along with the proportion of commensal bacteria coated with this antibody, suggesting signalling through the IgG‐CD64 axis in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases. In this work, we evaluated day by day the frequency of faecal bacteria coated with IgA and IgG during the development of DSS colitis. We studied the phenotype and phagocytic activity of F4/80+CD64+ colonic macrophages, as well as the production of cytokines and nitric oxide by lamina propria or bone marrow‐derived macrophages after stimulation with IgA+, IgG+ and IgA+IgG+ bacteria. We found that the percentage of faecal IgA+IgG+ double‐coated bacteria increased rapidly during DSS colitis. Also, analysis of the luminal content of mice with colitis showed a markedly superior ability to coat fresh bacteria. IgA+IgG+ bacteria were the most potent stimulus for phagocytic activity involving CD64 and Dectin‐1 receptors. IgA+IgG+ bacteria observed during the development of DSS colitis could represent a new marker to monitor permeability and inflammatory progression. The interaction of IgA+IgG+ bacteria with CD64+F4/80+ macrophages could be part of the complex cascade of events in colitis. Interestingly, after stimulation, CD64+ colonic macrophages showed features similar to those of restorative macrophages that are relevant for tissue repair and healing.
In homeostasis, the intestinal lamina propria presents F4/80+ cells expressing CD64. These cells are distributed homogeneously and secrete regulatory cytokines such as IL10. The presence of double‐positive (IgA+IgG+) bacteria is scarce; the mucus barrier and the intact epithelial layer allow for immune exclusion (left). In inflammatory conditions, levels of IgG in the lumen are promptly increased; loss of epithelial integrity and mucus discontinuity enable the mucosa invasion by double‐positive bacteria. F4/80+CD64+ macrophages consolidate around tissue injury foci, displaying a restorative phenotype with higher phagocytic activity and IL6/TNFα release (right).
This paper proposes the use of the least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) as an alternative multivariate calibration method for the simultaneous quantification of some common adulterants ...(starch, whey or sucrose) found in powdered milk samples, using near-infrared spectroscopy with direct measurements by diffuse reflectance. Due to the spectral differences of the three adulterants a nonlinear behavior is present when all groups of adulterants are in the same data set, making the use of linear methods such as partial least squares regression (PLSR) difficult. Excellent models were built using LS-SVM, with low prediction errors and superior performance in relation to PLSR. These results show it possible to built robust models to quantify some common adulterants in powdered milk using near-infrared spectroscopy and LS-SVM as a nonlinear multivariate calibration procedure.
Background
Recent evidence suggests that chronic low back pain is associated with plastic changes in the brain that can be modified by neuromodulation strategies. This study investigated the efficacy ...of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined simultaneously with peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) for pain relief, disability and global perception in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).
Methods
Ninety‐two patients with CLBP were randomized to receive 12 sessions on nonconsecutive days of anodal tDCS (primary motor cortex, M1), 100 Hz sensory PES (lumbar spine), tDCS + PES or sham tDCS + PES. Pain intensity (11‐point numerical rating scale), disability and global perception were applied before treatment and four weeks, three months and six months post randomization.
Results
A two points reduction was achieved only by the tDCS + PES (mean reduction MR = −2.6, CI95% = −4.4 to −0.9) and PES alone (MR = −2.2, CI95% = −3.9 to −0.4) compared with the sham group, but not of tDCS alone (MR = −1.7, CI95% = −3.4 to −0.0). In addition to maintaining the analgesic effect for up to three months, tDCS + PES had a higher proportion of respondents in different cutoff points. Global perception was improved at four weeks and maintained three months after treatment only with tDCS + PES. None of the treatments improved disability and the affective aspect of pain consistently with pain reduction.
Conclusion
The results suggest that tDCS + PES and PES alone are effective in relieving CLBP in the short term. However, only tDCS + PES induced a long‐lasting analgesic effect. tDCS alone showed no clinical meaningful pain relief.
Significance
Transcranial direct current stimulation combined simultaneously with PES leads to a significant and clinical pain relief that can last up to three months in chronic low back pain patients.
For this article, a commentary is available at the Wiley Online Library
In the last decade, digitalization has transformed industrial systems worldwide and digital technologies have increasingly been implemented in many different ways in the manufacturing sector. Despite ...the large number of theoretical investigations in this field, there is still a lack of clarity regarding the cost-benefit analysis of the adoption of digital technologies in manufacturing. In addition, the majority of the literature reviews published in the last years do not focus on real-life case studies of digital technologies implementation. This review makes a unique selection of 229 case studies and categorize them according to four main dimensions: the different types of applied digital technologies, their level of application within the industrial layout, the performance measurement of digital technologies and the economic benefit analysis of their implementation. Five new research directions emerge as a result of this work.
•Unique selection of 229 real-life case studies of digital technologies implementation.•Breakdown of digital technologies adoption over different levels of layout, from micro to macro.•Only 94 out of 229 case studies included elements of performance evaluation.•Only 30 out of 229 case studies included elements of economic evaluation.•Need for models that can perform cost-benefit analysis of digital technologies implementation.
Advances in DNA-based marker technology have enabled the identification of genomic regions underlying complex phenotypic traits in livestock species. The incorporation of detected quantitative trait ...loci into genetic evaluation provides great potential to enhance selection accuracies, hence expediting the genetic improvement of economically important traits. The objective of the present study was to investigate 96 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located in 53 candidate genes previously reported to have effects on milk production and quality traits in a population of highly selected Holstein-Friesian bulls. A total of 423 semen samples were used to genotype the bulls through a custom oligo pool assay. Forty-five SNP in 32 genes were found to be associated with at least 1 of the tested traits. Most significant and favorable SNP trait associations were observed for polymorphisms located in CCL3 and AGPAT6 genes for fat yield (0.037 and 0.033 kg/d, respectively), DGKG gene for milk yield (0.698 kg/d), PPARGC1A, CSN1S1, and AGPAT6 genes for fat percentage (0.127, 0.113, and 0.093%, respectively), GHR gene for protein (0.064%) and casein percentage (0.053%), and TLR4 gene for fat (0.090%), protein (0.066%), and casein percentage (0.050%). Somatic cell score was favorably affected by GHR (−0.095) and POU1F1 (−0.137), and interesting SNP-trait associations were observed for polymorphisms located in CSN2, POU1F1, and AGPAT6 genes for rennet coagulation time (−0.592, −0.558, and −0.462 min, respectively), and GHR and CSN2 genes for curd firmness 30 min after rennet addition (1.264 and 1.183 mm, respectively). In addition to the influence of individual SNP, the effects of composite genotypes constructed by grouping SNP according to their individual effects on traits considered in the analysis were also examined. Favorable and significant effects on milk traits were observed for 2 composite genotypes, one including 10 SNP and the other 4 SNP. The former was associated with an increase of milk (0.075 kg/d), fat (0.097 kg/d), protein (0.083 kg/d), and casein yields (0.065 kg/d), and the latter was associated with an increase of fat (0.244%), protein (0.071%), and casein percentage (0.047%). Although further research is required to validate the identified SNP loci in other populations and breeds, our results can be considered as a preliminary foundation for further replication studies on gene-assisted selection programs.
Local setting Brazil has a universal health system that guarantees access to health for its 215 million population. Approche Le complexe economique-industriel de la sante a redefini les valeurs qui ...guident les politiques d'innovation et les politiques industrielles au Bresil. Ce complexe a reoriente la production et l'innovation dans le domaine de la sante vers un acces universel; le Ministere de la Sante a adopte une approche pangouvernementale; et enfin, les marches publics ont ete passes de maniere strategique afin de stimuler les investissements productifs dans les secteurs public et prive. Les capacites institutionnelles, technologiques et productives developpees par le complexe economique-industriel de la sante ont permis au pays d'etablir rapidement une production locale de vaccins contre la COVID-19 et d'en assurer l'acces a la population.
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TNF-α is involved in the mechanisms that initiate inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Anti-TNF-α drugs, such as infliximab (IFX), cause non-responsiveness and side effects, indicating ...the need to investigate alternative therapies for these diseases. The anti-inflammatory protein, annexin A1 (AnxA1), has been associated with the protection of the gastrointestinal mucosa. To further address the role of endogenous AnxA1 on the TNF-α blockade efficacy in a murine model, we assessed colitis induced by Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) in wild-type (WT) and AnxA1−/− Balb/c mice treated with IFX. We consistently observed endogenous AnxA1 prevented clinical and physiological manifestations of experimental colitis treated with IFX, additionally the manifestation of the disease was observed earlier in AnxA1−/− mice. Rectal bleeding, diarrhea, histological score, epithelial damages and collagen degradation caused by DSS were prevented following IFX treatment only in WT mice. IL-6 increased during colitis in WT and AnxA1−/− mice, decreasing under IFX treatment in WT. The influx of neutrophils and TNF-α secretion were largely elevated in AnxA1−/− mice when compared to WT mice. In the group WT/DSS+IFX, phagocytes were more susceptible to apoptosis following treatment with IFX. Endogenous expression of AnxA1 increased after DSS and decreased with IFX treatment, demonstrating an attenuated inflammatory response. The data indicate that AnxA1 contributes to the establishment of intestinal homeostasis after blocking of TNF-α was used as a treatment of IBD, constituting a key molecule in the mechanism of action and a potential biomarker of therapeutic efficacy.
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