Recent Advances in Image Dehazing

Images captured in hazy or foggy weather conditions can be seriously degraded by scattering of atmospheric particles,which reduces the contrast,changes the color,and makes the object features difficult to identify by human vision and by some outdoor computer vision systems.Therefore image dehazing is an important issue and has been widely researched in the field of computer vision.The role of image dehazing is to remove the influence of weather factors in order to improve the visual effects of the image and provide benefit to post-processing.This paper reviews the main techniques of image dehazing that have been developed over the past decade.Firstly,we innovatively divide a number of approaches into three categories:image enhancement based methods,image fusion based methods and image restoration based methods.All methods are analyzed and corresponding sub-categories are introduced according to principles and characteristics.Various quality evaluation methods are then described,sorted and discussed in detail.Finally,research progress is summarized and future research directions are suggested.

Enclosed stigma contributes to higher spikelet fertility for rice(Oryza sativa L.) subjected to heat stress

With global warming, rice plants may be subjected to heat stress more regularly during the heatsensitive flowering stage, causing spikelet sterility and grain yield loss.Stigma exsertion is considered to increase pollen reception and promote female reproductive success.The aim of this study was to investigate the role of stigma exsertion on spikelet fertility at high temperatures.Five rice cultivars(Liangyoupeijiu, Shanyou 63, Huanghuazhan, Nagina 22, and IR64) with differing degrees of stigma exsertion were cultivated and exposed to high temperature at anthesis.Heat-tolerant cultivars did not always show a high percentage of spikelets with exserted stigmas, and vice versa.Irrespective of the presence of more pollen grains on exserted stigmas, spikelets with exserted stigmas did not show greater spikelet fertility than spikelets with fewer exserted stigmas or hidden stigmas under heat stress.GA3 application augmented the percentage of spikelets with exserted stigmas;however, it did not increase spikelet fertility under heat stress.Spikelet fertility of whole panicles was negatively correlated with the percentage of spikelets with exserted stigmas, but positively with that with hidden stigmas.Viability of the hidden stigmas was less reduced than that of exserted stigmas under heat stress, suggesting that hidden stigmas have an advantage in maintaining viability.Heat stress delayed anther dehiscence and reduced the viabilities of both exserted stigmas and pollens, thereby causing low spikelet fertility.Together, these results suggest that high spikelet fertility does not depend on stigma exsertion and that enclosed stigma generally contributes to higher spikelet fertility and heat tolerance under high-temperature conditions during flowering in rice.

Response of spikelet water status to high temperature and its relationship with heat tolerance in rice

In rice, high-temperature stress(HT) during flowering results in decreased grain yield via a reduction in spikelet fertility;however, the effect of plant water status on spikelet fertility under HT remains unknown. To investigate the relationship between spikelet water status and spikelet fertility under HT, two experiments were performed under temperature-controlled conditions using four genotypes with varying tolerance to HT. Rice plants were exposed to HT for seven consecutive days during the flowering stage under three soil water treatments(soil water potential 0, -20, and -40 kPa), as well as under hydroponic conditions in a separate experiment. HT significantly decreased spikelet fertility, pollen fertility, and anther dehiscence under each of the three water treatments. HT significantly increased the spikelet transpiration rate, and this change was accompanied by a significant decrease in the internal temperature of the spikelets. HT decreased pollen grain diameter in heat-sensitive genotypes. HT had varying effects on the water potential of panicles and anthers but increased anther soluble-sugar concentration. Different aquaporin genes showed different expression profiles under HT, and the expression levels of PIPs for plasma membrane intrinsic proteins and TIPs for tonoplast intrinsic proteins increased in anthers but decreased in glumes.Correlation analyses showed that anther dehiscence and pollen(spikelet) fertility were tightly associated with anther water status, and the expression levels of almost all anther aquaporin genes were significantly correlated with anther dehiscence under HT. In summary, an increased spikelet transpiration rate and decreased internal spikelet temperature were associated with alleviation of the effects of HT in rice genotypes with varying degrees of heat tolerance, and the response of spikelet water status to HT, involving increased total expression of aquaporins and soluble sugar content, thereby improved pollen fertility,anther dehiscence, and spikelet fertility, especially in heat-resistant genotypes. The heat-resistant genotypes N22 and SY63 may adopt different approaches to reduce heat damage.

Impact of serum levels of lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, and endothelial lipase on the progression of coronary artery disease

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum levels of lipoprotein lipase(LPL), hepatic lipase(HL), and endothelial lipase(EL) and the progression of coronary artery disease(CAD).Materials and methods: According to the inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, diagnostic criteria, angiography results, and the random matching scheme, the enrolled patients were divided into the following two groups: the progression-free group(n ? 47) and the progression group(n ? 15). The baseline characteristics and various biochemical parameters were obtained from the medical records and medical history. Serum LPL, HL, and EL levels were detected by ELISA. The correlation between serum LPL, HL, and EL levels and coronary lesions was statistically analyzed with SPSS software.Results: Significant differences were observed in serum levels of HL and EL between the progression-free group and the progression group(HL, 75.5 ? 39.2 ng/mL vs. 125.1 ? 42.1 ng/mL, P < 0.05;EL, 139.2 ? 59.6 pg/mL vs.175.1 ? 40.1 pg/mL, P < 0.05), while the difference in the LPL level was not significant(P > 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC) values of LPL, HL, and EL were 0.506(95% CI: 0.369–0.642, P ? 0.9470), 0.792(95% CI: 0.664–0.888, P < 0.0001), and 0.693(95% CI:0.553–0.811, P ? 0.0095), respectively. Additionally, logistic regression analysis showed that the serum level of HL was an independent risk factor for coronary artery lesion progression.Conclusion: Serum levels of EL and HL, but not the serum level of LPL, were positively correlated with the progression of CAD. The serum level of HL was an independent risk factor for the progression of CAD, while the serum level of EL or LPL was not an independent risk factor for the progression of CAD. For the diagnosis of CAD progression, the serum level of HL was better than the serum level of EL or LPL.

辨析“丈夫”与“大丈夫”

古籍中的“丈夫”有两个涵义。其一指成年男子和有妇之夫;其二指有志气、有作为的人。后一涵义常被忽略。“大丈夫”有多重涵义和类型,没有统一定义和标准答案,最主要的指优秀人格、杰出人士。

A web based tool to merge geometric morphometric data from multiple characters

Geometric morphometrics （GM） is an important method of shape analysis and increasingly used in a wide range of scientific disciplines. Presently, a single character comparison system of geometric morphometric data is used in almost all empirical studies, and this approach is sufficient for many scientific problems. However, the estimation of overall similarity among taxa or objects based on multiple characters is crucial in a variety of contexts （e.g. （semi-）automated identification, phenetic relationships, tracing of character evolution, phylogenetic reconstruction）. Here we propose a new web-based tool for merging several geometric morphometrics data files from multiple characters into a single data file. Using this approach information from multiple characters can be compared in combination and an overall similarity estimate can be obtained in a convenient and geometrically rigorous manner. To illustrate our method, we provide an example analysis of 25 dung beetle species with seven Procrustes superimposed landmark data files representing the morphological variation of body features： the epipharynx, right mandible, pronotum, elytra, hindwing, and the metendosternite in dorsal and lateral view. All seven files were merged into a single one containing information on 649 landmark locations. The possible applications of such merged data files in different fields of science are discussed.

Connecting the Belt and Road through sea-rail collaboration

As part of China's "the Belt and Road"strategy, China Railway Express provides alternative shipping routes and transportation modes from Asia to Europe and creates new opportunities for intermodal transportation in the shipping industry. A time–distancebased cost(time cost) function was proposed to compare China Railway Express with traditional transportation modes. Time cost was related to different types of cargoes,which exhibit distinct sensitivity to time. Using the proposed cost function as basis, we identified the cost indifference area where total costs are equal. Further analysis was performed for selecting the transportation mode and supply area for a specific cargo. This study provides various parties, such as business owners, the government, and the shipping industry, with many valuable insights.

Amplified visualization and function exploration of exosomal protein-specific glycosylation using hybridization chain reaction from non-functional epitope

Exosomal glycoproteins play significant roles in many physiological and pathological procedures. However, the current methods for studying exosomal glycoproteins have low sensitivity or can affect exosomal biological function. Herein, we developed a proximity dual-tagging strategy using an induced hybridization chain reaction(HCR) from the target’s non-functional epitope for amplified visualization and functional exploration of exosomal protein-specific glycosylation. This strategy leverages dualtagging based on the aptamer with little influence on target function and metabolic glycan labelling, and the rigid product and high sensitivity of HCR. The method improves the signal of visualizing exosomal PD-L1(exo PD-L1) by 7.7-fold compared with the signal without HCR amplification without affecting the natural exo PD-L1/PD-1 interaction. As a result, we verified that the interaction between exo PD-L1 and PD-1 positive cells is positively correlated to the glycosylation level of exo PD-L1. Overall,we have developed a sensitive method with little functional influence to visualize exosomal protein-specific glycosylation in situ,offering a powerful tool for studying the biological implications of exosomal glycoproteins.

Serum albumin complexed with ellagic acid from pomegranate peel and its metabolite urolithin B

As one of fruit waste by-products,the pomegranate peel is rich in bioactive compounds such as ellagic acid.Ellagic acid and its main gut microbial metabolite urolithin B have been reported to exhibit numerous biological activities and widely used as dietary supplements in the past decades.Interaction of these two compounds to serum albumin(SA)might affect their metabolism,efficacy,and body distribution.The interaction of ellagic acid and urolithin B with SA was investigated and BSA interference on the anti-cancer activity of these two compounds was also evaluated.Results of spectra experiments showed that ellagic acid and urolithin B could form complexes with bovine serum albumin(BSA)and urolithin B has a higher binding force and number of binding sites than ellagic acid when forming a complex with BSA.The results of molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations suggested that ellagic acid and urolithin B tended to bind in site I rather than site II.The MTT assay results indicated that the IC_(50) value of ellagic acid decreased from 123.58μM to 55.91μM,while the IC_(50) value of urolithin B decreased from 83.67μM to 47.40μM.Ellagic acid and urolithin B can form complexes with serum albumin and the anti-cancer activity of ellagic acid and urolithin B was enhanced when combined with BSA.