Search

This study focuses on developing deep learning methods for small and dim target detection. We model infrared images as the union of the target region and background region. Based on this model, the target detection problem is considered a two‐class segmentation problem that divides an image into the target and background. Therefore, a neural network called SDDNet for single‐frame images is constructed. The network yields target extraction results according to the original images. For multiframe images, a network called IC‐SDDNet, a combination of SDDNet and an interframe correlation network module is constructed. SDDNet and IC‐SDDNet achieve target detection rates close to 1 on typical datasets with very low false positives, thereby performing significantly better than current methods. Both models can be executed end to end, so both are very convenient to use, and their implementation efficiency is very high. Average speeds of 540+/230+ FPS and 170+/60+ FPS are achieved with SDDNet and IC‐SDDNet on a single Tesla V100 graphics processing unit and a single Jetson TX2 embedded module respectively. Additionally, neither network needs to use future information, so both networks can be directly used in real‐time systems. The well‐trained models and codes used in this study are available at https://github.com/LittlePieces/ObjectDetection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roadway roof is a key factor to the roadway stability. The analysis of roof stability is mainly based on numerical calculation and on-site observation, while the basic theory of the bearing mechanism is relatively weak. We have founded a critical pressure calculation model, on the theory of compressive bar, for the rectangle coal roadway stability. The model has been tested and verified on accuracy and feasibility while applied on a roadway case. The critical pressure for roof stability and roof bending moment and deflection under combined axial and lateral load was deduced using the theory of compressive bar stability. The numerical calculation verified the feasibility of numerical modeling of stability of compressive bar using FLAC3D, and the influence of the background ambient horizontal stress and the parameters of the contact surface to the roof stability were further studied. The result turns out that some factors lead to a higher instability tendency, including higher horizontal stress, higher cohesion force, and larger internal friction angle on the coal-rock interface and lower cohesion force and smaller friction angle on the rock-rock interface. The results contribute to bearing mechanisms of roadway roof stability, ground pressure and strata control theory and application, and design of bolting support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the response of abrupt temperature changes/warming hiatuses to changes in their influencing factors can provide a reference for investigating their mechanism. The present study, using the Mann-Kendall test, based on data (including average minimum temperature (Tmin), average temperature (Tave) and average maximum temperature (Tmax)) recorded at 357 meteorological stations in northern China and its surrounding regions as well as large-spatial- scale data (e.g. Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO), global radiative forcing of CO2 (RFCO2) and radiative forcing of annual greenhouse gases (RFAGG)) for the period 1951-2016, the characteristics of abrupt temperature changes/warming hiatuses and their response to their influencing factors were qualitatively and quantitatively determined. The following results were obtained. Overall, from the late 1970s to the 1990s, as the RFAGG continuously increased, the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) remained in a positive phase, the AMO and total solar radiation (SR) continuously increased, the multivariate El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO) index (MEI) changed abruptly, the wind speed (WS), atmospheric pressure (AP) and relative humidity (RH) in each zone continuously decreased/increased, their trends changing subsequently, and abrupt changes in the three temperature metrics (i.e. the Tmin, Tave and Tmax) occurred in each zone during the period 1977-2004. Similarly, in the 1990s, particularly after 1998, as the increase in the AMO slowed, the PDO was in either a positive phase but exhibited a decreasing trend or a negative phase, the MEI and SR decreased, the WS, AP and RH decreased/ increased, with subsequent changes in trends, and warming hiatuses occurred. The sensitivities of the responses of the Tmin to changes in the three types of influencing factors were the highest, followed by those of the Tave and Tmax. The effects of various influencing factors on the three kinds of temperature change and warming hiatus have strong spatial and temporal differences. As a result, there was a strong spatial difference in the year of the abrupt temperature change and the warming hiatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abrupt temperature change (ATC) and warming hiatus (WH) phenomena impact global resources and the environment. However, information on the spatial and temporal variability in the ATC and WH over large regions, long time scales and densely distributed stations is lacking. In the study, based on average minimum, average and average maximum temperatures data from 1951 to 2016 from 622 meteorological stations in China, the spatial and temporal variability in the timing of the ATC and WH events and the characteristics before and after these events were revealed by using the Mann-Kendall test. In most areas of China, an ATC occurred in the three temperature parameters, and the onset of the changes occurred later at lower latitudes. The ATC in the average minimum temperature occurred earlier than that in the average temperature, and the ATC in the average maximum temperature occurred the latest. After the ATC, a WH occurred at most of the stations that experienced an increase in temperature, whereas a cooling hiatus (CH) did not occur at stations that experienced a decrease in temperature. The regions with decreasing temperatures were concentrated in the hilly and plain areas of southern China and in subtropical and tropical monsoon climate zones. The WH of the average temperature occurred earlier than that of the average maximum temperature, which occurred earlier than that of the average minimum temperature. Overall, the WH began later from east to west and was mainly concentrated in approximately 1998 and 2007. Both the ATC and the WH in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau area showed hysteresis. The ATC to WH period was between three and 27 years, and the earlier the ATC was, the longer was the period. Before the ATC, all three temperature parameters increased slightly. The average minimum temperature rose faster than the average temperature, and the average maximum temperature rose the slowest. Furthermore, the variation became more dramatic from southeast to northwest. After the ATC, the temperatures in most areas increased rapidly, and the rate of temperature increase increased with decreasing latitude. The average maximum temperature decreased in the area east of 100° E and south of 30° N. In this area, the rates of temperature increase for the average minimum and average temperatures were on a par with the rate of decrease in the absolute average maximum temperature, with the rates being three to five times greater than those before the ATC, but without dramatic variations. After the ATC, a CH did not occur at the stations where the temperature had decreased, whereas a WH occurred after a certain period of time at most of the stations where the temperature had increased. Moreover, such occurrences differed with latitude. A comparison of the temperature after the WH with that both before and after the ATC but before the WH revealed that the temperature did not vary dramatically. Eight to 10 years after the WH, the temperatures at a small number of stations in northern China rose again; however, due to the short length of the time series, it is impossible to determine whether the WH had truly ended. The results of the study enrich the findings of climate change research and provide a reference for addressing resource and environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work has assembled ZnSe:Mn/ZnS quantum dots (QDs)-monoclonal anti-microcystin-Leucine Arginine (anti-MC-LR) antibody bioconjugates as a room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) probe using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyllaminopropyl) carbodiimide/ N-Hydroxysuccinimide chemistry for detecting MC-LR. Once the specific interactions occurred between these MCs and their antibodies on the surface of ZnSe:Mn/ZnS QDs, the RTP of ZnSe:Mn/ZnS QDs was quenched with the increased concentration of MC-LR. Under the optimised conditions, the linear range of MC-LR was determined to be 0.9-8.8 nM. The linear relationship between (P0--P)/P0 and concentration of MC-LR were observed with the regression equation (P0--P)/P0 = 0.03908C + 0.0456 with the detection limit of 0.038 nM. The developed RTP immunoassay favoured environmental applications since the interference from autofluorescence and scattering light was greatly eliminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemoresistance has been an obstacle in the further improvement of 5‐year survival rates of osteosarcoma (OS) patients, but the underlying mechanism of chemo‐resistance remains unclear. A comprehensive analysis of mRNAs and noncoding RNAs related to OS chemo‐resistance could help solve this problem. In the current study, we first identified that fibronectin‐1 (FN1), screened by microarray analysis in three paired chemo‐resistant and chemo‐sensitive OS cell lines, was significantly upregulated in the chemo‐resistant OS cell lines and tissues and was related to unfavourable prognosis. Further functional assays revealed that FN1 inhibition greatly increased the sensitivity of OS cells to doxorubicin in vitro and in vivo, whereas FN1 overexpression had the opposite effect. Moreover, mechanistic investigation demonstrated, by a series of assays that included luciferase reporter gene, RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pull‐down and rescue assays, that FN1 expression was regulated by the oncogenic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) OIP5‐AS1 through sponging miR‐200b‐3p. Thus, these results indicated the role and potential application of the lncRNA OIP5‐AS1/miR‐200b‐3p/FN1 regulatory pathway as a promising target in treatment of OS chemo‐resistance. First report about expression, function and potential clinical significance of fibronectin‐1 (FN1), miR‐200b‐3p, lncRNA OIP5‐AS1 in osteosarcoma (OS) doxorubicin resistance; Regulatory mechanism of FN1 expression was identified and lncRNA OIP5‐AS1/miR‐200b‐3p/FN1 regulatory pathway was first constructed in OS doxorubicin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of observation sequence is usually used in the detection of tonal signal. A tone without any prior information cannot be guaranteed to lie exactly on the discrete DFT frequency bin, which will degrade the performance of the tonal detector based on DFT. In this work, the authors study the detection problem for a tone deviated from the discrete frequency bin. A generalised likelihood ratio detector utilising the information of adjacent frequency bins is designed. Theoretical analysis, computer simulations, and lake experiment show that the proposed detector is robust against the deviation and is more suitable for the tone detection in practical circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors study the distributed finite-time attitude dynamic tracking control problem for multiple rigid spacecraft systems with a single dynamic leader under directed graphs. By constructing a sliding-mode estimator for each follower, they remove the requirement of the angular acceleration information. Based upon a sliding-mode observation vector, the distributed input torques are designed to guarantee that not only the attitude but also the angular velocity of the followers will converge to the leader's. Necessary and sufficient criteria are established for the proposed protocol. Finally, the theoretical result is illustrated by a numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report our experience with 129 cases of double hit lymphoma (DHL), defined as B-cell lymphoma with translocations and/or extra signals involving MYC plus BCL2 and/or BCL6. All cases were reviewed for histopathological classification. Median age was 62 years (range, 18–85), 84% of patients had advanced-stage disease, and 87% had an International Prognostic Index score ≥2. Fourteen patients (11%) had a history of low-grade follicular lymphoma. MYC translocation was present in 81%, and extra signals of MYC in 25% of patients. IGH-BCL2 translocation was present in 84% and extra signals of BCL2 in 12% of patients. Two-year event-free survival (EFS) rates in all patients and patients who received R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone), REPOCH (rituximab, etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin), and R-HyperCVAD/MA (rituximab, hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone, alternating with cytarabine plus methotrexate) were 33%, 25%, 67% and 32%, respectively. In patients achieving complete response with initial therapy (n = 71), 2- year EFS rates in patients who did (n = 23) or did not (n = 48) receive frontline stem cell transplantation were 68% and 53%, respectively (P = 0·155). The cumulative incidence of central nervous system involvement was 13% at 3 years. Multivariate analysis identified performance status ≥2 and bone marrow involvement as independent adverse prognostic factors for EFS and OS. Further research is needed to identify predictive and/or targetable biological markers and novel therapeutic approaches for DHL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Support vector machine (SVM) is regarded as a powerful method for pattern classification. However, the solution of the primal optimal model of SVM is susceptible for class distribution and may result in a nonrobust solution. In order to overcome this shortcoming, an improved model, support vectormachine with globality-locality preserving (GLPSVM), is proposed. It introduces globality-locality preserving into the standard SVM, which can preserve themanifold structure of the data space.We complete rich experiments on the UCI machine learning data sets. The results validate the effectiveness of the proposed model, especially on the Wine and Iris databases; the recognition rate is above 97% and outperforms all the algorithms that were developed from SVM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Currently, there are almost 100 genes related to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and studies have indicated that apolipoprotein E (APO E) ε4 allele is a genetic risk factor of AD. However, there have been no reports of the distributions of APO E genotypes and allele frequencies in Uighur and Han AD patients. Methods: We analyzed APO E gene polymorphism in 209 AD cases diagnosed based on National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association and 220 non-dementia controls. We used polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods as the basis of this epidemiological survey. Results: In the AD and control groups, there are no statistically significant differences in APO E genotypes and allele frequency between the Uighur and Han ethnicities ( P < 0.05). In the AD group, the ε3/4 genotype (28.2%) and ε4 allele frequency (14.8%) occurred at a higher rate than in the control (13.2% and 8.0%, respectively; P < 0.05). This distinction remained true within each ethnicity; the ε3/4 genotype and ε4 allele frequency are higher in the AD groups (Uighur, 30.6% and 15.8%, respectively; Han, 25.5% and 13.8%, respectively) than in the control groups (Uighur, 14.5% and 9.4%, respectively; Han, 11.7% and 6.3%, respectively; P < 0.05). Conclusions: The distribution of APO E genotype and allele frequency does not differ between the Uighur and Han ethnicities. The APO E ε4 allele is a risk factor of AD for both populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ma, L., Wu, J., Yu, H., Zeng, H. & Abuduwaili, J. 2011: The Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age from a sediment record of Lake Ebinur, northwest China. Boreas, Vol. 40, pp. 518-524. 10.1111/j.1502-3885.2010.00200.x. ISSN 0300-9483. Lake Ebinur, Xinjiang, northwest China, is a closed-basin, shallow lake that responds rapidly to changes in the ratio of precipitation to evaporation (P/E). A sediment record spanning the last 1500 years was obtained from the lake. We used δO and δC in bulk carbonate, and δC of organic matter in the lake sediments to infer environmental changes in the Ebinur region during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA). Decreased δO values of carbonate largely reflect an enhanced P/E ratio within the basin and a higher lake level. Bulk carbonates with higher δC values are deposited during periods when lake-water pH is high, while lower δC values reflect a lower pH in the water column. δC in organic matter is associated with the amount of precipitation. The results indicate that the Ebinur region experienced a dry MWP and a wet LIA, although the MWP and LIA were warm and cold periods, respectively, as expected. Furthermore, the MWP and LIA were hydrologically complex and cannot be characterized as uniformly wet or dry. Peak wet periods are recorded in the sediment core around AD 1000, 1400 and 1700, and a dry event also occurred in the period of temperature change within the LIA (cold to warm around AD 1500). A comparison of the Lake Ebinur data with proxy records for the strength of the Siberian High and climate proxy indicators suggests that precipitation in the Ebinur region was a consequence, in part, of an enhanced Siberian High during the LIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An adult patient presented with an anomalous right pulmonary artery arising from the ascending aorta with severe unilateral pulmonary vascular disease of the left lung due to a large left-sided patent ductus arteriosus. A stenosis in the right pulmonary artery protected the right pulmonary vasculature. Right ventricular pressure was suprasystemic. After ductal ligation and surgical repair, pulmonary artery pressures fell dramatically. An immediate postoperative angiography confirmed extremely poor perfusion of the left lung. At four-and-a-half years of follow-up, the patient's quality of life had improved dramatically, main pulmonary artery pressure was one-sixth of systemic pressures, and there was vastly improved perfusion of the left lung at this lower perfusion pressure. The calculated pulmonary vascular resistance of the left lung was within normal limits. These findings suggested a significant degree of reversal of pulmonary hypertensive disease in the left lung sustained to 54 months postoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective was to determine the prevalence of emergency department (ED) ambulance diversion among Houston pediatric hospitals and its association with mortality of pediatric patients. Methods: Hospital diversion and patient data between August 2002 and December 2004 were used to examine the impact of diversion on mortality of children under age 18 years. Patients were assumed to be exposed to ED crowding if diversion and admission or ED arrival times overlapped. Univariate and logistic regression were performed to determine if diversion was associated with mortality while controlling for age, illness severity, injury, and transfer status. Results: Mean hospital diversion hours as a percentage of operating hours were 10.58 (standard deviation [SD] ± 9). Overall, of 63,780 admissions, there were 4,095 (6.4%) children admitted during diversion. Fewer severely ill patients were admitted during diversion than nondiversion times (odds ratio [OR] = 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.66 to 0.78). The presence of diversion was protective for mortality (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.77) in bivariate analysis. Mortality was associated with presence of major or extreme illness (OR = 60.7; 95% CI = 45.2 to 81.5), injury (OR=1.7; 95% CI = 1.4 to 2.1), and transfer status (OR = 6.3; 95% CI = 5.4 to 7.3). Using conditional logistic regression, major or extreme illness (OR = 50.7; 95% CI = 37.7 to 68.3), injury (OR 3.7; 95% CI = 2.9 to 4.7), and transfer (OR = 2.7; 95% CI = 2.2, 3.2) were associated with mortality, but diversion did not show any association with mortality. After combining ED and inpatient deaths, no association between diversion and mortality was observed. Conclusions: Hospital diversion due to ED crowding is common in pediatrics. The authors found no evidence of an association between diversion and ED and inpatient pediatric mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 52-year-old man was diagnosed with general paresis, whose HIV antibodies were negative. After initiation of treatment with penicillin on the first day, no obvious clinical Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction was found. However, 6 days after treatment, the patient was found more irritable and was unable to fall asleep at night. On the seventh day, worsened magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in the bilateral medial and anterior temporal lobes were unexpectedly discovered. These worsened MRI abnormalities improved quickly after the addition of dexamethasone treatment. We consider that these transient and slight mental symptoms may be associated with the transiently worsening phenomenon in cerebral MRI findings during the early period of treatment with penicillin. This indicates that some nonspecific inflammatory process has happened in the early stage of treatment, which necessitates the use of corticosteroids after the occurrence of systemic or mental symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zheng W, Zheng J, Ma L, Meng F, Huang L, Ma D. Comparison of HER-2/neu, ER and PCNA expression in premenopausal and postmenopausal patients with breast carcinoma. APMIS 2005;113:175–81.We attempted to compare the pattern of HER-2/neu, ER and PCNA in premenopausal and postmenopausal patients with breast carcinoma to identify potential biological differences. Five hundred and forty-eight samples from 318 premenopausal and 230 postmenopausal women with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast were evaluated for HER-2/neu, ER and PCNA expression by immunohistochemistry. HER-2/neu expression showed 27.4% positivity in premenopausal and 24.8% in postmenopausal women; there was no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). In contrast, HER-2/neu expression was found to be significantly associated with ER negativity in the two groups (p<0.05 in premenopausal, p<0.001 in postmenopausal patients). However, it was significantly associated with PCNA expression only in the postmenopausal group (p<0.001). 54.4% showed premenopausal tumor cell ER positivity, whereas 64.3% of the postmenopausal group showed positivity. ER expression showed a significant correlation with patient menopausal status (p<0.05). The prevalence of PCNA positivity in the tumor cell components is slightly higher in postmenopausal compared to premenopausal women (p>0.20).The current study is consistent with reports from other groups regarding the correlation of HER-2/neu with adverse pathologic features and with expression of other markers in carcinoma. We also observed there was no trend toward increased HER-2/neu expression in either premenopausal or postmenopausal patients, i.e. there was similar HER-2/neu expression in the two groups. This suggests that HER-2/neu status could be used to determine assignment to specific intensive adjuvant therapy and evaluation of biological behavior in both pre- and postmenopausal patients with breast carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title tetra­nuclear nickel(II) compound, [Ni4(C15H16N2O2)4], is isostructural with the zinc(II) complex reported recently [You, Ma, Zhu & Liu (2004). Acta Cryst. E 60, m1599-m1601]. The complex has crystallographic symmetry. Each NiII atom has a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. In the basal plane, the Ni atom is coordinated by two N atoms and two O atoms of a Schiff base. The apical position is occupied by another O atom of another Schiff base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title trinuclear compound, [Mn3(C18H18N2O2)2(C2H3O2)2], with a linear array of metal atoms, is isostructural with the cobalt(II) complex reported recently by You, Zhu & Liu [(2004). Acta Cryst. E 60, m1900–m1902]. The central MnII ion, which is located on an inversion center, has a distorted octa­hedral geometry. The terminal MnII ion has an irregular square-pyramidal geometry. The Mn⋯Mn separation is 3.128 (2) Å. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, [Zn4(C15H16N2O2)4], is a novel tetranuclear zinc(II) complex with crystallographic fourfold inversion–rotation symmetry. Each ZnII atom has a distorted square-pyramidal coordination geometry. In the basal plane, the Zn atom is coordinated by two N atoms and two O atoms of one Schiff base ligand. The apical position is occupied by an O atom of another Schiff base ligand. The four Zn atoms in the complex are linked through four bridging O atoms, forming an eight-membered ring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mol­ecules of the title compound, C16H13ClO2, exhibit an E configuration, with a dihedral angle between the two benzene rings of 33.3 (2)°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the crystallization of the compound [N,N'-Bis(2-hydroxynaphthylmethenylimino)-1,2-ethanediaminato]cobalt(II). The compound formed is mononuclear. In the crystal structure the cobalt atom is coordinated by two nitrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms from a bis-Schiff base ligand in a square planar geometry. In the experiment 2-Hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 1,2-diaminoethane were dissolved in MeOH.

The title compound, [Ag2(C7H4ClO2)2(C5H6N2)2], lies about an inversion centre and the Ag atom is three-coordinated by two O atoms and one N atom from three different ligands. The 4-chlorobenzoate anion acts as a monodonor ligand, bridging two inversion-related Ag atoms of the compound into a dimer. There are weak intermolecular N-H···O hydrogen bonds in the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, [Ni(C14H10N3O4)2(C5H5N)2], contains a Ni atom (site symmetry 2) six-coordinated by two N, O-bidentate Schiff base ligands and two pyridine N atoms, giving a distorted trans-NiN4O2 octa­hedral coordination environment for the metal atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title centrosymmetric mononuclear copper(II) compound, [Cu(ClO4)2(C19H15N5)2], the central CuII atom is coordinated by four N atoms from two 4-(4-methyl­phenyl)-3,5-di-2-pyridyl-4 H-1,2,4-triazole ligands, and two O atoms from two perchlorate counter-ions. The coordination geometry is slightly distorted octahedral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the crystal struture of the title compound, C24H17Cl2N3, the two benzene rings and the pyridyl group lie in a propeller arrangement around the central ring system, thereby minimizing steric effects among these rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An adult patient with advanced rheumatic heart disease undergoing chordal sparing mitral valve replacement as well as aortic valve replacement is presented. The patient developed an unusual complication of an infarction of the retained head of the anterolateral papillary muscle with subsequent spontaneous rupture 72-hours postoperatively. The ruptured head of the papillary muscle was successfully resected via an aortotomy through the aortic valve prosthesis. The patient made an uneventful recovery. Care to avoid excessive tension on the preserved chordae during mitral valve replacement, especially in the setting of chronic rheumatic carditis, is stressed. , (© 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)