A Deep Learning Based Platform for Remote Sensing Images Change Detection Integrating Crowdsourcing and Active Learning.

Remote sensing images change detection technology has become a popular tool for monitoring the change type, area, and distribution of land cover, including cultivated land, forest land, photovoltaic, roads, and buildings. However, traditional methods which rely on pre-annotation and on-site verification are time-consuming and challenging to meet timeliness requirements. With the emergence of artificial intelligence, this paper proposes an automatic change detection model and a crowdsourcing collaborative framework. The framework uses human-in-the-loop technology and an active learning approach to transform the manual interpretation method into a human-machine collaborative intelligent interpretation method. This low-cost and high-efficiency framework aims to solve the problem of weak model generalization caused by the lack of annotated data in change detection. The proposed framework can effectively incorporate expert domain knowledge and reduce the cost of data annotation while improving model performance. To ensure data quality, a crowdsourcing quality control model is constructed to evaluate the annotation qualification of the annotators and check their annotation results. Furthermore, a prototype of automatic detection and crowdsourcing collaborative annotation management platform is developed, which integrates annotation, crowdsourcing quality control, and change detection applications. The proposed framework and platform can help natural resource departments monitor land cover changes efficiently and effectively.

Generative adversarial network-based synthesis of contrast-enhanced MR images from precontrast images for predicting histological characteristics in breast cancer.

Objective. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a sensitive tool for assessing breast cancer by analyzing tumor blood flow, but it requires gadolinium-based contrast agents, which carry risks such as brain retention and astrocyte migration. Contrast-free MRI is thus preferable for patients with renal impairment or who are pregnant. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of generating contrast-enhanced MR images from precontrast images and to evaluate the potential use of synthetic images in diagnosing breast cancer.Approach. This retrospective study included 322 women with invasive breast cancer who underwent preoperative DCE-MRI. A generative adversarial network (GAN) based postcontrast image synthesis (GANPIS) model with perceptual loss was proposed to generate contrast-enhanced MR images from precontrast images. The quality of the synthesized images was evaluated using the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM). The diagnostic performance of the generated images was assessed using a convolutional neural network to predict Ki-67, luminal A and histological grade with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The patients were divided into training (n= 200), validation (n= 60), and testing sets (n= 62).Main results. Quantitative analysis revealed strong agreement between the generated and real postcontrast images in the test set, with PSNR and SSIM values of 36.210 ± 2.670 and 0.988 ± 0.006, respectively. The generated postcontrast images achieved AUCs of 0.918 ± 0.018, 0.842 ± 0.028 and 0.815 ± 0.019 for predicting the Ki-67 expression level, histological grade, and luminal A subtype, respectively. These results showed a significant improvement compared to the use of precontrast images alone, which achieved AUCs of 0.764 ± 0.031, 0.741 ± 0.035, and 0.797 ± 0.021, respectively.Significance. This study proposed a GAN-based MR image synthesis method for breast cancer that aims to generate postcontrast images from precontrast images, allowing the use of contrast-free images to simulate kinetic features for improved diagnosis.

Reproducibility and usefulness of quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient measurements for predicting program death-ligand 1 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression status in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) before immunotherapy is crucial. We aimed to explore the reproducibility and usefulness of the quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements for predicting PD-L1expression status in NPC. METHODS: We retrospectively recruited 134 NPC patients who underwent MRI scans and PD-L1 detection. A PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 20 was identified as high expression status. Patients were divide into two cohorts based on the MRI scanning devices, including a 1.5-T MRI cohort (n = 85, 44 PD-L1 high expression) and a 3.0-T MRI cohort (n = 49, 24 PD-L1 high expression). The mean ADC (ADCmean), minimum ADC (ADCmin) and maximal ADC (ADCmax) values were independently measured by two observers. The ADC measurement reproducibility was assessed by interclass correlation coefficients (ICC). The correlations between ADC parameters and CPS were analyzed by spearman's correlation coefficient (r), and the performance for PD-L1expression status prediction was assessed by the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: The measurement reproducibility of ADCmean, ADCmin and ADCmax was good in the 1.5-T MRI cohort (ICC: 0.843-0.930) and 3.0-T MRI cohort (ICC: 0.929-0.960). The ADCmean, ADCmin, and ADCmax tended to inversely correlate with the CPS (r:-0.37 - -0.52 in the 1.5-T MRI cohort, and - 0.52 - -0.60 in the 3.0-T MRI cohort; P all < 0.01). The ADCmean, ADCmin and ADCmax yielded the AUC of 0.756 (95% CI: 0.651, 0.861), 0.689 (95% CI: 0.576, 0.802), and 0.733 (95%CI: 0.626, 0.839) in the 1.5-T MRI cohort and 0.820 (95%CI: 0.703, 0.937), 0.755 (95% CI: 0.616, 0.894), and 0.760 (95%CI: 0.627, 0.893) in the 3.0-T MRI cohort for predicting PD-L1 high expression status, respectively. CONCLUSION: ADC measurements may act as a reproducible and feasible method to predict PD-L1 expression status in NPC.

Effect of the Molecular Weight of Carboxymethyl Cellulose on the Flotation of Chlorite.

The present study aimed to investigate the influence mechanism of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on the flotation of fine chlorite. To this end, a series of flotation tests, sedimentation tests, and microscope analyses were conducted. Flotation tests revealed an inverse relationship between particle size and the recovery of chlorite, indicating that finer particles exhibited higher recovery rates. Moreover, it was observed that the recovery of fine chlorite was significantly associated with the water recovery (proportion of water entering the floated product to the weight of water in the initial flotation suspension) and a variety of frother types. Based on these findings, it can be inferred that froth entrainment may constitute a crucial component of the recovery mechanism underlying fine chlorite. Thus, reducing froth entrainment (the phenomenon of hydrophilic minerals entering floated products through foam water) is the key to depress chlorite flotation. Flotation tests indicate that fine chlorite recovered into froth products can be depressed effectively by CMC with a high molecular weight. The results of sedimentation tests and microscope analyses in the presence of CMC prove that CMC with a high molecular weight generates flocculation on fine chlorite particles while that with a low molecular weight does not. It is suggested that the depression of chlorite flotation may be attributed to the reduction in the entrainment resulting from the flocculation induced by CMC.

[Effect of oblique needling at Ashi-point on expression of MyoD1/Pax7 in mice with quadriceps femoris injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of oblique needling at Ashi-point on behavior, and cell morphology, myogenic differentiation antigen (MyoD1) and paired box transcription factor Pax7 (Pax7) of quadriceps femoris tissue in quadriceps femoris injured mice. METHODS: A total of 24 C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into control, model, shallow insertion and deep insertion groups, with 6 mice in each group. The quadriceps femoris injury model was established by single intramuscular injection of 0.5% bupivacaine (BPVC). Twenty-four hours after modeling, mice of the two acupuncture groups were received oblique needling on the surface or through the muscle belly of quadriceps femoris for once, the oblique needling was lifted and inserted 3 times. The climbing pole test was conducted 24 h after modeling and 24 h after EA. Histopathological changes of quadriceps femoris was observed by H.E. staining. The expressions of MyoD1 and Pax7 were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the score of climbing pole test was lower (P<0.01), and the expressions of MyoD1 and Pax7 significantly increased (P<0.01) in the model group. After the intervention and compared with the model group, the score of climbing pole test was higher (P<0.01), and the expressions of MyoD1 and Pax7 obviously increased (P<0.01) in the two acupuncture groups. The therapeutic effect of deep insertion group was apparently superior to that of shallow insertion group in up-regulating the climbing pole test score and expressions of MyoD1 and Pax7 (P<0.05, P<0.01). H.E. stain showed large areas of inflammatory infiltration, muscle cells swelling, atrophy, rupture, degeneration and necrosis, different cell sizes and morphologies, enlarged intervals, nuclear aggregation, deep nuclear staining, nuclear pyknosis, and hemorrhage in the model group, which was relatively milder in both needling groups. CONCLUSION: Oblique needling at Ashi-point can effectively promote the benign repair of injured quadriceps muscle and promote the recovery of exercise ability in mice, which may be associated with its effect in up-regulating the expression of MyoD1 and Pax7 protein. The role of deep insertion is superior to that of shallow insertion.

Isolation and characterization of yeast for the production of rice wine with low fusel alcohol content.

Fusel alcohols (FAs) are a type of flavor compound found in rice wine. An overly high FA content not only leads to spicy, bitter, and astringent taste but also has side effects. Therefore, screening for yeast that produce low FA contents has attracted much attention. Thirty-two yeast strains were isolated from fermenting material during Luzhou-flavor liquor production in this study. Strain YB-12 was selected as a suitable candidate for rice wine production. The strain was identified as a member of the genus Meyerozyma based on phylogenetic analysis using 26S rDNA gene sequences. The ability of strain YB-12 to produce ethanol was similar to that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NRRL Y-567, while isobutanol and isoamyl alcohol production was only 53.96% and 50.23%, respectively, of that of NRRL Y-567. The FA yield of rice wine produced with strain YB-12 was reduced to 51.85% in a 20 L fermenter. These results demonstrate that strain YB-12 presents promising characteristics for use in the production of rice wine with a potentially low content of FAs.

Study on Propagation Depth of Ultrasonic Longitudinal Critically Refracted (LCR) Wave.

The accurate measurement of stress at different depths in the end face of a high-pressure compressor rotor is particularly important, as it is directly related to the assembly quality and overall performance of aero-engines. The ultrasonic longitudinal critically refracted (LCR) wave is sensitive to stress and can measure stress at different depths, which has a prominent advantage in stress non-destructive measurements. In order to accurately characterize the propagation depth of LCR waves and improve the spatial resolution of stress measurement, a finite element model suitable for the study of LCR wave propagation depths was established based on a wave equation and Snell law, and the generation and propagation process of LCR waves are analyzed. By analyzing the blocking effect of grooves with different depths on the wave, the propagation depth of the LCR wave at seven specific frequencies was determined in turn. On this basis, the LCR wave propagation depth model is established, and the effects of wedge materials, piezoelectric element diameters, and excitation voltages on the propagation depth of LCR waves are discussed. This study is of great significance to improve the spatial resolution of stress measurements at different depths in the end face of the aero-engine rotor.

Measurement of fastening force using dry-coupled ultrasonic waves.

The accurate measurement of assembly fastening force of the high-pressure compressor rotor is of great significance to improve the structural connection quality and comprehensive performance of aero-engine. To solve the problem that liquid couplant reduces the measurement accuracy and causes the surface of the bolt to rust and corrode, a method of measuring the fastening force with dry-coupled ultrasonic wave was proposed in this paper. The measurement model of the fastening force including the thickness of the protective film of the ultrasonic transducer and the couplant was established, and the influence of the thickness variation in the couplant on the measurement accuracy of the fastening force was analyzed. Based on the propagation model of the ultrasonic wave on the heterogeneous interface and the principle of ultrasonic dry coupling, a coupling device was designed. At last, the experiment of fastening force measurement based on dry coupling and liquid coupling ultrasonic wave was carried out and compared. The experimental results show that the average relative errors of the fastening force measurement based on dry coupling and liquid coupling ultrasonic wave are 2.13% ± 0.42% and 3.15% ± 0.80%, respectively. Therefore, the dry coupling method can be as good or better in measuring the accuracy of the fastening force. Furthermore, it also overcomes the limitations of the liquid coupling method, which should make it more suitable to the measurement of fastening force in the aerospace field.

Plasmonic induced triple-band absorber for sensor application.

We design and investigate a triple-band plasmonic metamaterial absorber (PMA) for sensor application. The underlying mechanism is investigated theoretically and numerically. Three characteristic absorption peaks are demonstrated to be induced by different plasmonic modes which lead to different responses for the plasmonic sensor. These modes show great improvement for the sensitivity and accuracy of the plasmonic sensors. This triple-band plasmonic metamaterial optical absorber has great potential to improve the performance in practical applications.

[The subpopulation CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); regulatory T cells in peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients correlated with disease progression].

AIM: To explore the subpopulation of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); regulatory T cells (Treg), CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg in peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients and study its correlation with other immune indicators. METHODS: We enrolled 68 cases of HIV/AIDS patients without anti-HIV treatment [29 cases of long-term non-progressive (LTNP) group, 27 cases of typical progressive HIV infection group and 12 cases of AIDS group] and 20 healthy individuals as a control group. Blood samples of these cases were analyzed by flow cytometry after immunofluorescent staining to determine the levels of CD4(+); T cells, CD8(+); T cells, NK cells and CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg. RESULTS: Except CD8(+); T cells, the levels of CD4(+); T, NK cells and CD4(+);/CD8(+); in peripheral blood of HIV/AIDS patients were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); With the progression of disease, the percentage and absolute count of CD4(+);T cells, the absolute counts of CD8(+);T cells and NK cells, and CD4(+);/CD8(+); T cell ratio in the LTNP group, HIV group and AIDS group decreased gradually, while the percentage of CD8(+);T cells increased gradually. Our multiple comparison analysis revealed that the percentages of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); Treg and CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg in CD4(+); T cells were significantly different among groups (P<0.05). With the progression of disease, the percentages of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); Treg and CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg increased gradually; in addition, the difference in the absolute count of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg was not statistically significant between LTNP group and healthy control group(P>0.05), so was between HIV and AIDS groups (P>0.05); no significant difference was found in every other two groups (P<0.05); the absolute count of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg decreased gradually. CONCLUSION: CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of persistent HIV infection.

Treatment of 60 cases of gouty arthritis with modified Simiao Tang.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of a modified Simiao Tang (Modified Decoction of Four Wonderful Drugs) for gouty arthritis and its influence on uric acid in blood. METHODS: 120 cases of gouty arthritis were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group with 60 cases in each group. Modified Simiao Tang (MST) was orally administered to the patients in the treatment group and allopurinol tablet was orally administered to the patients in the control group. The clinical effects of two groups were evaluated after one-week treatment and uric acid (UA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in blood were determined after 1-month treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the treatment group was significantly higher than in the control group, 86.7% vs. 68.3% (P < 0.01). And the treatment group was also significantly better than the control group in decreasing UA and CRP (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: MST can significantly improve the symptoms and signs of gouty arthritis and decrease the levels of UA and CRP. It is good for gouty arthritis.

[Rapid determination of optimal time for peripheral blood stem cell harvest by detecting hematopoietor progenitor cell during mobilization].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a simple method to rapidly determine the optimal time of perpheral blood stem cell harvest. METHODS: We selected 5 healthy donors mobilized with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in allogenic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT) to continuously monitor the variety of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC/HPC) in the peripheral blood. HPC in the peripheral blood was detected by Sysmex XE-2100 fully automated hematology analyzer with an immature myeloid information channel and the CD34+ cells and colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) were determined by flow cytometry and colony culture during mobilization. RESULTS: HPC was positively correlated with the CD34+ cells or CFU-GM in the peripheral blood (r = 0.82 or r = 0.85, respectively). HPC, CD34+ cells, and CFU-GM in allo-PBSCT donors obviously increased on the 4th day after the mobilization, and their peaks were on the 5th day after the mobilization. But HPC varied more than CD34+ cells and CFU-GM did. CONCLUSION: Sysmex XE-2100 can rapidly monitor the variety of HSC/HPC in allo-PBSCT donors mobilizated with G-CSF, and can provide a simple and economic method to determine the optimal time of peripheral blood stem cell harvest.

Amplification of genomic sequences flanking T-DNA insertions by thermal asymmetric interlaced polymerase chain reaction.

Thermal asymmetric interlaced polymerase chain reaction (TAIL-PCR) is an efficient tool for the recovery of DNA fragments adjacent to known sequences. A protocol is presented for the amplification of genomic sequences flanking DNA (T-DNA or transposon) insertions using the TAIL-PCR method. The amplified products are suitable as templates for direct sequencing, or for cloning in vectors. Examples are given in use of the protocol for T-DNA tagging in rice using the pCAMBIA binary vectors.