Fast and Robust Infrared Small Target Detection Using Weighted Local Difference Variance Measure.

Infrared (IR) small-target-detection performance restricts the development of infrared search and track (IRST) systems. Existing detection methods easily lead to missed detection and false alarms under complex backgrounds and interference, and only focus on the target position while ignoring the target shape features, which cannot further identify the category of IR targets. To address these issues and guarantee a certain runtime, a weighted local difference variance measure (WLDVM) algorithm is proposed. First, Gaussian filtering is used to preprocess the image by using the idea of a matched filter to purposefully enhance the target and suppress noise. Then, the target area is divided into a new tri-layer filtering window according to the distribution characteristics of the target area, and a window intensity level (WIL) is proposed to represent the complexity level of each layer of windows. Secondly, a local difference variance measure (LDVM) is proposed, which can eliminate the high-brightness background through the difference-form, and further use the local variance to make the target area appear brighter. The background estimation is then adopted to calculate the weighting function to determine the shape of the real small target. Finally, a simple adaptive threshold is used after obtaining the WLDVM saliency map (SM) to capture the true target. Experiments on nine groups of IR small-target datasets with complex backgrounds illustrate that the proposed method can effectively solve the above problems, and its detection performance is better than seven classic and widely used methods.

Metformin Attenuates Neutrophil Recruitment through the H3K18 Lactylation/Reactive Oxygen Species Pathway in Zebrafish.

Beyond its well-established role in diabetes management, metformin has gained attention as a promising therapeutic for inflammation-related diseases, largely due to its antioxidant capabilities. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of this effect remain elusive. Using in vivo zebrafish models of inflammation, we explored the impact of metformin on neutrophil recruitment and the underlying mechanisms involved. Our data indicate that metformin reduces histone (H3K18) lactylation, leading to the decreased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a muted neutrophil response to both caudal fin injury and otic vesicle inflammation. To investigate the precise mechanisms through which metformin modulates neutrophil migration via ROS and H3K18 lactylation, we meticulously established the correlation between metformin-induced suppression of H3K18 lactylation and ROS levels. Through supplementary experiments involving the restoration of lactate and ROS, our findings demonstrated that elevated levels of both lactate and ROS significantly promoted the inflammatory response in zebrafish. Collectively, our study illuminates previously unexplored avenues of metformin's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions through the downregulation of H3K18 lactylation and ROS production, highlighting the crucial role of epigenetic regulation in inflammation and pointing to metformin's potential in treating inflammation-associated conditions.