Ghostformer: A GhostNet-Based Two-Stage Transformer for Small Object Detection.

In this paper, we propose a novel two-stage transformer with GhostNet, which improves the performance of the small object detection task. Specifically, based on the original Deformable Transformers for End-to-End Object Detection (deformable DETR), we chose GhostNet as the backbone to extract features, since it is better suited for an efficient feature extraction. Furthermore, at the target detection stage, we selected the 300 best bounding box results as regional proposals, which were subsequently set as primary object queries of the decoder layer. Finally, in the decoder layer, we optimized and modified the queries to increase the target accuracy. In order to validate the performance of the proposed model, we adopted a widely used COCO 2017 dataset. Extensive experiments demonstrated that the proposed scheme yielded a higher average precision (AP) score in detecting small objects than the existing deformable DETR model.

TA-Unet: Integrating Triplet Attention Module for Drivable Road Region Segmentation.

Road segmentation has been one of the leading research areas in the realm of autonomous driving cars due to the possible benefits autonomous vehicles can offer. Significant reduction of crashes, greater independence for the people with disabilities, and reduced traffic congestion on the roads are some of the vivid examples of them. Considering the importance of self-driving cars, it is vital to develop models that can accurately segment drivable regions of roads. The recent advances in the area of deep learning have presented effective methods and techniques to tackle road segmentation tasks effectively. However, the results of most of them are not satisfactory for implementing them into practice. To tackle this issue, in this paper, we propose a novel model, dubbed as TA-Unet, that is able to produce quality drivable road region segmentation maps. The proposed model incorporates a triplet attention module into the encoding stage of the U-Net network to compute attention weights through the triplet branch structure. Additionally, to overcome the class-imbalance problem, we experiment on different loss functions, and confirm that using a mixed loss function leads to a boost in performance. To validate the performance and efficiency of the proposed method, we adopt the publicly available UAS dataset, and compare its results to the framework of the dataset and also to four state-of-the-art segmentation models. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed TA-Unet outperforms baseline methods both in terms of pixel accuracy and mIoU, with 98.74% and 97.41%, respectively. Finally, the proposed method yields clearer segmentation maps on different sample sets compared to other baseline methods.

Reversible Solar Heating and Radiative Cooling Devices via Mechanically Guided Assembly of 3D Macro/Microstructures.

Solar heating and radiative cooling are promising solutions for decreasing global energy consumption because these strategies use the Sun (≈5800 K) as a heating source and outer space (≈3 K) as a cooling source. Although high-performance thermal management can be achieved using these eco-friendly methods, they are limited by daily temperature fluctuations and seasonal changes because of single-mode actuation. Herein, reversible solar heating and radiative cooling devices formed via the mechanically guided assembly of 3D architectures are demonstrated. The fabricated devices exhibit the following properties: i) The devices reversibly change between solar heating and radiative cooling under uniaxial strain, called dual-mode actuation. ii) The 3D platforms in the devices can use rigid/soft materials for functional layers owing to the optimized designs. iii) The devices can be used for dual-mode thermal management on a macro/microscale. The devices use black paint-coated polyimide (PI) films as solar absorbers with multilayered films comprising thin layers of polydimethylsiloxane/silver/PI, achieving heating and cooling temperatures of 59.5 and -11.9 °C, respectively. Moreover, mode changes according to the angle of the 3D structures are demonstrated and the heating/cooling performance with skin, glass, steel, aluminum, copper, and PI substrates is investigated.

Intraoperative assessment of parathyroid perfusion using indocyanine green angiography in robotic thyroidectomy.

In recent da Vinci robot systems (Intuitive Surgical), near-infrared fluorescence imaging (Firefly technology) has been used. With this technique, it is possible for surgeons to see important structures well beyond the limits of their eyes; hence, surgeons can safely operate and make critical decisions accurately using image-guided surgery. Because parathyroid glands (PTGs) are small and embedded in the surrounding tissues, such as lymph nodes and fat, it is often very hard for surgeons to identify PTGs. To preserve PTGs well, the surgeon must be able to accurately identify PTGs, preserve the vasculature surrounding, and maintain the perfusion to PTGs. Herein, we report an assessment of PTG perfusion using indocyanine green angiography in transoral robotic thyroidectomy.

High Performance Field-Effect Transistors Based on Partially Suspended 2D Materials via Block Copolymer Lithography.

Although various two-dimensional (2D) materials hold great promise in next generation electronic devices, there are many challenges to overcome to be used in practical applications. One of them is the substrate effect, which directly affects the device performance. The large interfacial area and interaction between 2D materials and substrate significantly deteriorate the device performance. Several top-down approaches have been suggested to solve the problem. Unfortunately, however, they have some drawbacks such as a complicated fabrication process, a high production cost, or a poor mechanical property. Here, we suggest the partially suspended 2D materials-based field-effect transistors (FETs) by introducing block copolymer (BCP) lithography to fabricate the substrate effect-free 2D electronic devices. A wide range of nanometer size holes (diameter = 31~43 nm) is successfully realized with a BCP self-assembly nanopatterning process. With this approach, the interaction mechanism between active 2D materials and substrate is elucidated by precisely measuring the device performance at varied feature size. Our strategy can be widely applied to fabricate 2D materials-based high performance electronic, optoelectronic, and energy devices using a versatile self-assembly nanopatterning process.

Serum trace metal levels in Alzheimer's disease and normal control groups.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether serum trace metals are related to abnormal cognition in Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: We studied serum lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and arsenic(As) in 89 patients with AD and in 118 cognitively normal individuals. We analyzed the results of the blood tests and the food intake. RESULTS: Serum Pb levels correlated with word list recall (P = .039) and word list recognition (P = .037). Without age adjustment, serum Cd levels (P = .044) were significantly higher in the AD group. After stratified age adjustment, the levels of selected trace metals did not differ significantly between AD and normal individuals. Food intakes regarding selected trace metals were not significantly different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, serum Pb, Cd, Hg, and As levels were not directly related to abnormal cognition in AD. Serum Pb levels were significantly negatively correlated with verbal memory scores.

Elevated serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels in Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Copper takes part in a variety of biological reduction-oxidation (redox) processes, and is an important cofactor of many redox enzymes. Ceruloplasmin, the copper-transporting protein, also possesses an important redox capacity. METHODS: We assessed serum copper, ceruloplasmin and free-copper levels in 89 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (mean age, 77.83 years; 41 men, 48 women) and in 118 healthy individuals (mean age, 69.93 years; 50 men, 68 women). High (≥75th percentile), medium, and low (≤25th percentile) copper, ceruloplasmin and free-copper groups were classified according to their serum level. RESULTS: Serum copper (P = 0.026) and ceruloplasmin (P = 0.001) levels were significantly higher in the AD group than in the control group. There was no significant difference in serum free-copper levels between AD and healthy elderly groups (P = 0.975). After adjusting for age differences, serum copper (P = 0.049) was still significantly higher in the AD group. Furthermore, serum copper levels correlated with scores on the Boston naming test (r = -0.151, P = 0.037), indicating a close relationship between copper levels and cognitive abilities. DISCUSSION: The significant association between the copper concentration in peripheral serum and AD with elevated copper levels found in patients with AD is likely linked to the evolution of AD. Serum copper levels were significantly negatively correlated with scores on cognitive test subscores. AD patients may have significantly more "defective" ceruloplasmin, that is, apo-ceruloplasmin lacking its copper, than in healthy controls.

The effects of childhood abuse on symptom complexity in a clinical sample: mediating effects of emotion regulation difficulties.

The purpose of the present study was to first examine whether childhood abuse predicts symptom complexity, as indicated by the number of clinically elevated scales on the MMPI-2 in an adult clinical sample. Secondly, we investigated whether emotion regulation difficulties mediated the relationship between childhood abuse and symptom complexity. A total of 162 adult outpatients not presenting with psychotic symptoms completed the Korean Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (K-CTQ), Life Events Checklist (LEC), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Korean Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Partial correlation analysis results indicated that after controlling for the presence of adulthood trauma, childhood abuse was associated with more symptom complexity, or more clinically elevated scales on the MMPI-2. Furthermore, structural equation modeling results showed that emotion regulation difficulties partially mediated the relationship between childhood abuse and symptom complexity. These findings indicate that individuals who had experienced childhood abuse evidence simultaneous presentation of diverse clinical symptoms.

Gut-brain peptides in corticostriatal-limbic circuitry and alcohol use disorders.

Peptides synthesized in endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract and neurons are traditionally considered regulators of metabolism, energy intake, and appetite. However, recent work has demonstrated that many of these peptides act on corticostriatal-limbic circuitry and, in turn, regulate addictive behaviors. Given that alcohol is a source of energy and an addictive substance, it is not surprising that increasing evidence supports a role for gut-brain peptides specifically in alcohol use disorders (AUD). In this review, we discuss the effects of several gut-brain peptides on alcohol-related behaviors and the potential mechanisms by which these gut-brain peptides may interfere with alcohol-induced changes in corticostriatal-limbic circuitry. This review provides a summary of current knowledge on gut-brain peptides focusing on five peptides: neurotensin, glucagon-like peptide 1, ghrelin, substance P, and neuropeptide Y. Our review will be helpful to develop novel therapeutic targets for AUD.

Activation of neurotensin receptor type 1 attenuates locomotor activity.

Intracerebroventricular administration of neurotensin (NT) suppresses locomotor activity. However, the brain regions that mediate the locomotor depressant effect of NT and receptor subtype-specific mechanisms involved are unclear. Using a brain-penetrating, selective NT receptor type 1 (NTS1) agonist PD149163, we investigated the effect of systemic and brain region-specific NTS1 activation on locomotor activity. Systemic administration of PD149163 attenuated the locomotor activity of C57BL/6J mice both in a novel environment and in their homecage. However, mice developed tolerance to the hypolocomotor effect of PD149163 (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.). Since NTS1 is known to modulate dopaminergic signaling, we examined whether PD149163 blocks dopamine receptor-mediated hyperactivity. Pretreatment with PD149163 (0.1 or 0.05 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited D2R agonist bromocriptine (8 mg/kg, i.p.)-mediated hyperactivity. D1R agonist SKF-81297 (8 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced hyperlocomotion was only inhibited by 0.1 mg/kg of PD149163. Since the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) have been implicated in the behavioral effects of NT, we examined whether microinjection of PD149163 into these regions reduces locomotion. Microinjection of PD149163 (2 pmol) into the NAc, but not the mPFC suppressed locomotor activity. In summary, our results indicate that systemic and intra-NAc activation of NTS1 is sufficient to reduce locomotion and NTS1 activation inhibits D2R-mediated hyperactivity. Our study will be helpful to identify pharmacological factors and a possible therapeutic window for NTS1-targeted therapies for movement disorders.

Use of the terms "schizophrenia" and "schizophrenic" in the South Korean news media: a content analysis of newspapers and news programs in the last 10 years.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we explored the meaning attributed to the words "jungshinbunyeolbyung" (schizophrenia) and "jungshinbunyeol" (schizophrenic) in South Korean newspapers and news programs in the last 10 years. METHODS: We screened the websites of three national newspapers and the broadcasts of three nationwide television news programs from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2010. We classified a total of 490 articles and 257 news segments by category and quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed them. The articles and news segments were assigned to one of the following categories based on their use of the term "schizophrenia": 1) negative, 2) neutral or positive, 3) incidental, and 4) metaphorical. RESULTS: The negative viewpoint accounted for 349 incidences (46.7%), while the neutral and positive viewpoints included 225 incidences (30.1%). Incidental uses accounted for 95 incidences (12.7%), and metaphorical uses accounted for 78 incidences (10.4%). The majority of the negative uses focused on violence or dangers posed by patients (137 mentions, 37.8%), while the metaphorical uses mainly focused on the idea of splitting (51 mentions, or 65%). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the South Korean news media do not provide balanced information about schizophrenia to the public. This study also showed that no significant move has been made toward a more positive use of the term since a previous study was conducted on the subject. Although the term schizophrenia has given way to "attunement disorder," it will be difficult to establish the new term as the standard if the South Korean media continue to use the term "schizophrenic symptom." Even though the term has been changed, guidelines are necessary to encourage the mass media to provide balanced articles and reduce prejudice.

The association of heavy metal of blood and serum in the Alzheimer's diseases.

This study has attempted to establish an analysis method through validation against heavy metals in the body (Pb, Cd and Hg) using ICP-MS and Gold amalgamation and find out the relevance between heavy metal and Alzheimer's disease after analyzing the distribution of heavy metal concentration (Pb, Cd and Hg) and correlations between a control group and Alzheimer's disease group. In this study, Pb and Cd levels in the blood and serum were validation using ICP-MS. For analysis of Hg levels in the blood and serum, the gold amalgamation-based 'Direct Mercury Analyzer' has been used. According to an analysis on the heavy metal concentration (Pb, Cd and Hg concentration) in the blood, Cd concentration was high in the Alzheimer's disease group. In the serum, on the contrary, Pb and Hg were high in the Alzheimer's disease group. For analysis of correlations between heavy metal levels in the blood and serum and Alzheimer's disease, t-test has been performed. Even though correlations were observed between the blood lead levels and Alzheimer's disease, they were statistically insignificant because the concentration was higher in a control group. No significance was found in Cd and Hg. In the serum, on the other hand, no statistical significance was found between the heavy metal (Pb, Cd and Hg) and Alzheimer's disease. In this study, no statistical significance was observed between heavy metal and decrease in cognitive intelligence. However, it appears that a further study needs to be performed because the results of the conventional studies were inconsistent.