Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deep Attribute-preserving Metric Learning for Natural Language Object Retrieval

Retrieving image content with a natural language expression is an emerging interdisciplinary problem at the intersection of multimedia, natural language processing and artificial intelligence. Existing methods tackle this challenging problem by learning features from the visual and linguistic domains independently while the critical semantic correlations bridging two domains have been under-explored in the feature learning process. In this paper, we propose to exploit sharable semantic attributes as "anchors" to ensure the learned features are well aligned across domains for better object retrieval. We define "attributes" as the common concepts that are informative for object retrieval and can be easily learned from both visual content and language expression. In particular, diverse and complex attributes (e.g., location, color, category, interaction between object and context) are modeled and incorporated to promote cross-domain alignment for feature learning from multiple perspectives. Based on the sharable attributes, we propose a deep Attribute-Preserving Metric learning (AP-Metric) framework that jointly generates unique query-sensitive region proposals and conducts novel cross-modal feature learning that explicitly pursues consistency over semantic attribute abstraction within both domains for deep metric learning. Benefiting from the cross-modal semantic correlations, our proposed framework can localize challenging visual objects to match complex query expressions within cluttered background accurately. The overall framework is end-to-end trainable. Extensive evaluations on popular datasets including ReferItGame, RefCOCO, and RefCOCO+ well demonstrate its superiority. Notably, it achieves state-of-the-art performance on the challenging ReferItGame dataset.
Assessing the Reconstructability of Shadow Areas in VHR Images

Very high resolution (VHR) images are appreciated for their high-level details, which significantly increase their application potential. However, typically, VHR images are affected by the presence of shadows. An attempt solution to the problem of shadows is to restore shadow-contaminated regions by compensating the value of shaded pixels. Unfortunately, it may happen that not all shadow areas are possible to restore. In this paper, we propose different criteria useful to help in understanding a priori if it is possible or not to reconstruct a specific shadow area. An ideal reconstructability criterion should not tolerate that an unreconstructable shadow area is assigned as reconstructable and, at the same time, should maximize the probability of detection of reconstructable areas. Several evaluation criteria working at the pixel and textural levels are presented. Furthermore, in order to select the best criteria, a fuzzy logic combination of the criteria is explored. A thorough experimental analysis is reported and discussed. It leads to the definition of a final global index based on the fusion of two single criteria, which are the Kullback–Leibler divergence and the angular second-moment difference.
Mechanism‐Specific Effects of Adenosine on Ventricular Tachycardia

There is no universally accepted method by which to diagnose clinical ventricular tachycardia (VT) due to cAMP‐mediated triggered activity. Based on cellular and clinical data, adenosine termination of VT is thought to be consistent with a diagnosis of triggered activity. However, a major gap in evidence mitigates the validity of this proposal, namely, defining the specificity of adenosine response in well‐delineated reentrant VT circuits. To this end, we systematically studied the effects of adenosine in a model of canine reentrant VT and in human reentrant VT, confirmed by 3‐dimensional, pace‐ and substrate mapping.
Coronary artery spasm is a major cause of sudden cardiac arrest in survivors without underlying heart disease

BackgroundThe role of coronary spasm in underlying disease-free patients who were resuscitated from sudden cardiac arrest remained uncertain. This study investigated the cause of cardiac arrest, and the etiologic and prognostic differences were compared between patients with underlying heart disease (group I) and those patients without underlying heart disease (group II). MethodsTwenty-five survivors of sudden cardiac arrest were classified into two groups according to the presence or absence of underlying heart disease. To investigate the cause of cardiac arrest, we performed ergonovine testing and electrophysiologic study. Fifteen of the patients had underlying heart disease, while 10 did not. ResultsElectrophysiologic abnormalities were found in 13 of the 15 patients in group I. In group II, spontaneous attack of coronary spasm occurred in four patients during the observation period, and coronary spasm was induced in three of the remaining six patients. Four patients in group I had a cardiac event during a mean follow-up period of 32 ±23 months, whereas no patients in group II had recurrence of sudden cardiac arrest at a median follow-up of 32 months (range, 10 to 72 months). ConclusionsElectrophysiologic study identified a potential cause in 13 of 15 patients with underlying heart disease. Coronary spasm was involved in the pathogenesis of sudden cardiac arrest in survivors without identifiable underlying heart disease.
Butanol fermentation

This review provides an overview on bacterial butanol production and recent developments concerning strain improvement, newly built butanol production plants, and the importance of alternative substrates, especially lignocellulosic hydrolysates. The butanol fermentation using solventogenic clostridial strains, particularly Clostridium acetobutylicum, is a very old industrial process (acetone–butanol–ethanol – ABE fermentation). The genome of this organism has been sequenced and analysed, leading to important improvements in rational strain construction. As the traditional ABE fermentation process is economically unfavourable, novel butanol production strains are being developed. In this review, some newly engineered solvent-producing Clostridium strains are described and strains of which sequences are available are compared with C. acetobutylicum. Furthermore, the past and present of commercial butanol fermentation are presented, including active plants and companies. Finally, the use of biomass as substrate for butanol production is discussed. Some advances concerning processing of biomass in a biorefinery are highlighted, which would allow lowering the price of the butanol fermentation process at industrial scale.
High Levels of Aberrant DNA Methylation in Helicobacter pylori–Infected Gastric Mucosae and its Possible Association with Gastric Cancer Risk

Introduction: Risk prediction of gastric cancers is important to implement appropriate screening procedures. Although aberrant DNA methylation is deeply involved in gastric carcinogenesis, its induction by Helicobacter pylori, a strong gastric carcinogen, is unclear. Here, we analyzed the effect of H. pylori infection on the quantity of methylated DNA molecules in noncancerous gastric mucosae and examined its association with gastric cancer risk. Experimental Design: Gastric mucosae were collected from 154 healthy volunteers (56 H. pylori negative and 98 H. pylori positive) and 72 cases with differentiated-type gastric cancers (29 H. pylori negative and 43 H. pylori positive) by endoscopy. The numbers of DNA molecules methylated and unmethylated for eight regions of seven CpG islands (CGI) were quantified by quantitative PCR after bisulfite modification, and fractions of methylated molecules (methylation levels) were calculated. Results: Among healthy volunteers, methylation levels of all the eight regions were 5.4- to 303-fold higher in H. pylori positives than in H. pylori negatives (P < 0.0001). Methylation levels of the LOX, HAND1, and THBD promoter CGIs and p41ARC exonic CGI were as high as 7.4% or more in H. pylori–positive individuals. Among H. pylori–negative individuals, methylation levels of all the eight regions were 2.2- to 32-fold higher in gastric cancer cases than in age-matched healthy volunteers (P ≤ 0.01). Among H. pylori–positive individuals, methylation levels were highly variable, and that of only HAND1 was significantly increased in gastric cancer cases (1.4-fold, P = 0.02). Conclusions: It was indicated that H. pylori infection potently induces methylation of CGIs to various degrees. Methylation levels of specific CGIs seemed to reflect gastric cancer risk in H. pylori–negative individuals.
Assessment of Severity of Malnutrition in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients via Malnutrition: Inflammatory Score

Background: Regarding to the complications of malnutrition in dialysis patients, using an easy and reliable method for evaluating of malnutrition is important in patients with the end-stage renal disease. Based on the effect of inflammatory factors in malnutrition, A new scale has been designed which is called malnutrition–inflammatory scale (MIS). We designed current study to assess the severity of malnutrition in peritoneal dialysis patients in Isfahan via MIS. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional MIS was used for evaluation of malnutrition. MIS includes 10 components: dry weight changes, dietary intake, functional capacity, comorbidity, muscle wasting and loss of subcutaneous fat as well as body mass index (BMI), serum albumin level and total iron binding capacity (TIBC). Each component has four levels of severity from 0 (normal) to 3 (severely abnormal). All analyses were performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 (SPSS 20) and P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Results showed no significant difference in MIS between male and female participants. Mean of minimum inhibitory concentration in this study was calculated about 4.1 (MIS <9) which means no or mild malnutrition. Significant correlation between MIS and weight (P < 0.001), BMI (P < 0.001), TIBC (P < 0.001), triglyseride (P = 0.04) and arm circumference (P < 0.001) was seen. Conclusion: We suggest That MIS is being used as a valuable tool for prevention of fatal outcomes in chronic dialysis patients.
Disseminated Fusarium solani infection with endocarditis in a lung transplant recipient

Summary. Eleven days after double lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis, an 18‐year‐old patient developed a disseminated Fusarium solani infection with tricuspid valve endocarditis. This infection occurred under fluconazole and immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporin, prednisone and azathioprine, with a normal leucocyte count. Liposomal amphotericin B allowed blood culture negativation. The patient died from a bacterial septic shock.
Temporal and spatial soil inoculum dynamics following Phytophthora cinnamomi invasion of Banksia woodland and Eucalyptus marginata forest biomes of south-western Australia

Soil baiting was used to monitor temporal and spatial soil inoculum dynamics of Phytophthora cinnamomi in disease centres in four Banksia woodland biomes of the Swan Coastal Plain bioregion and an Eucalyptus marginata forest biome of the Jarrah Forest bioregion of the South-West Botanical Province of Western Australia. Patterns of inoculum occurrence in P. cinnamomi disease centres in Banksia woodland biomes were similar to those in E. marginata forest biomes. Significantly lower frequency of isolation was from near-surface (top 0.03 m) soil and greater occurrence of viable inoculum from soil at depth (∼1 m below the soil surface) and from near-surface soil around the collar of dead Banksia. Seasonal fluctuations in soil inoculum were not as distinct or consistent as that shown for rainfall and temperature and soil water content. Viable inoculum was most frequently isolated from near-surface soil in spring. In all Banksia woodland biomes isolation of inoculum from soil at depth was lowest in summer and greatest in autumn to spring. In all but one biome, isolation of inoculum from soil around dead Banksia was lowest in summer. Inoculum of P. cinnamomi was isolated from groundwater 3-5 m below the soil surface for Banksia woodland biomes in winter and spring 1987 and the winters of 1988 and 1989. Spatial patterns of viable inoculum from soil at depth were aggregated in 42% of quadrats analysed and 34% of quadrats sampled. The pattern of inoculum occurrence found in P. cinnamomi disease centres was influenced by creation of dynamic spatiotemporal niche refuges favourable to the pathogen through ecosystem engineering by host and pathogen.
Taxation and Migration: Evidence and Policy Implications

In this article, we review a growing empirical literature on the effects of personal taxation on the geographic mobility of people and discuss its policy implications. We start by laying out the empirical challenges that prevented progress in this area and then discuss how recent work has made use of new data sources and quasi-experimental approaches to credibly estimate migration responses. This body of work has shown that certain segments of the labor market, especially high-income workers and professions with little location-specific human capital, may be quite responsive to taxes in their location decisions. When considering the implications for tax policy design, we distinguish between uncoordinated and coordinated tax policy. We highlight the importance of recognizing that mobility elasticities are not exogenous, structural parameters. They can vary greatly depending on the population being analyzed, the size of the tax jurisdiction, the extent of tax policy coordination, and a range of non-tax policies. While migration responses add to the efficiency costs of redistributing income, we caution against overusing the recent evidence of (sizeable) mobility responses to taxes as an argument for less redistribution in a globalized world.
Non-invasive assessment of ventricular force–frequency relations in the univentricular circulation by tissue Doppler echocardiography: a novel method of assessing myocardial performance in congenital heart disease

Objective: To describe the first clinical application of a novel tissue Doppler derived index of contractility, isovolumic acceleration (IVA), in the assessment of the ventricular myocardial force–frequency relation (FFR) in the univentricular heart (UVH). Design: Prospective study. Setting: Tertiary referral centre. Interventions: Non-invasive assessment of the myocardial FFR by tissue Doppler echocardiography during atrial pacing. Results: IVA was used to measure the FFR of the systemic ventricle in patients with structurally normal hearts and in patients with UVHs. Basal IVA of the normal hearts (mean (SD) 1.9 (0.3) m/s2) was significantly greater than that of UVHs in patients with a dominant right ventricle (RV) (1.0 (0.3) m/s2) or left ventricle (LV) (0.8 (0.7) m/s2; p < 0.05 for both). Neither the absolute nor percentage change from basal to peak values of IVA with pacing differed between the three groups. Peak force developed by the normal LV was significantly greater than that of the UVH, dominant LV group but not different from that of the UVH, dominant RV group. Conclusion: Contractility at basal heart rate is depressed in patients with UVH compared with the normal LV. Analysis of ventricular FFRs exposes further differences in myocardial contractility. There is no evidence that contractile function of the dominant RV is inferior to that of the dominant LV over a physiological range of heart rates.
[Expression of p16 and nm23 genes in salivary gland tumors].

OBJECTIVE To study the expression of p16 and nm23 genes in salivary gland tumors and the relation of P16 and nm23 proteins with fumorigenesis of salivary gland tumors. METHODS Expression of P16 and nm23 proteins was examined by SABC immunohistochemical method in 39 cases of paraffin blocks of normal salivary gland tissues and salivary gland tumors. RESULTS P16 and nm23 protein positive staining were mainly found in the cytoplasm and cytoblast of all salivary gland tissues. Positive rate of P16 protein expression was 76.9% (10/13) and 40.9% (9/22) in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors, respectively. There was significant difference between P16 protein expression of benign and malignant tumors by chi 2 test (P < 0.05). mm23 protein positive staining was found in 84.6% (11/13) and 45.5% (10/22) of benign and malignant tumors respectively. The expression of nm23 protein in benign and malignant tumors was significantly different (P < 0.05). There was no correlation of the expression of P16 and nm23 in salivary gland tumors was found (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION p16 and nm23 genes may play an important role in different sides in salivary gland tumorigenesis and the reduce of the expression of p16 and nm23 genes may contribute to the generation of malignant salivary gland tumors.
Improving corporate biodiversity management through employee involvement

This paper presents an empirical examination of the role of employee involvement in the internalization of corporate biodiversity management. A qualitative study in natural resource companies was conducted, based on semi - directive interviews with managers, consultants, and experts in this area. The findings show that employee involvement is essential to improve biodiversity practices in natural resource companies, which largely rely on organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment. The role of tacit knowledge, voluntary initiatives, and prevention of harmful behaviors in the workplace are highlighted. The main obstacles to the internalization of biodiversity issues include their complexity, the lack of corporate commitment, the externalization of initiatives, and the lack of training for employees. The contributions to the literature on corporate environmental management, internalization of new practices, and organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment are explained. Managerial implications and avenues for future research are also provided.
The Unique IR2 Protein of Equine Herpesvirus 1 Negatively Regulates Viral Gene Expression

ABSTRACT The IR2 protein (IR2P) is a truncated form of the immediate-early protein (IEP) lacking the essential acidic transcriptional activation domain (TAD) and serine-rich tract and yet retaining binding domains for DNA and TFIIB and nuclear localization signal (NLS). Analysis of the IR2 promoter indicated that the IR2 promoter was upregulated by the EICP0P. The IR2P was first detected in the nucleus at 5 h postinfection in equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1)-infected HeLa and equine NBL6 cells. Transient-transfection assays revealed that (i) the IR2P by itself downregulated EHV-1 early promoters (EICP0, TK, EICP22, and EICP27) in a dose-dependent manner; (ii) the IR2P abrogated the IEP and the EICP27P (UL5) mediated transactivation of viral promoters in a dose-dependent manner; and (iii) the IR2P, like the IEP itself, also downregulated the IE promoter, indicating that the IEP TAD is not necessary to downregulate the IE promoter. In vitro interaction assays revealed that the IR2P interacts with TATA box-binding protein (TBP). The essential domain(s) of the IR2P that mediate negative regulation were mapped to amino acid residues 1 to 706, indicating that the DNA-binding domain and the NLS of the IR2P may be important for the downregulation. In transient-transfection and virus growth assays, the IR2P reduced EHV-1 production by 23-fold compared to virus titers achieved in cells transfected with the empty vector. Overall, these studies suggest that the IR2P downregulates viral gene expression by acting as a dominant-negative protein that blocks IEP-binding to viral promoters and/or squelching the limited supplies of TFIIB and TBP.
The Yeast SEC20 Gene Is Required for N- and O-Glycosylation in the Golgi

The Golgi plays a fundamental role in posttranslational glycosylation, transport, and sorting of proteins. The mechanism of protein transport through the Golgi has been seen as controversial in recent years. During the characterization ofN-glycosylation-defective mutants (ngd)previously isolated by this laboratory, it was found thatngd20 is allelic to sec20. SEC20 was reported to be required for transport from endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi, but its precise function remains to be determined. We show now that SEC20 is also required for N- andO-glycosylation in the Golgi but not in the ER, in a cargo-specific manner, and that the glycosylation defect does not correlate with the secretory defect. By pulse-chase labeling experiments in combination with mannose linkage-specific antibodies, invertase and carboxypeptidase were found to be efficiently secreted to their final compartment, even upon shift to the nonpermissive temperature, while glycosylation in the Golgi was severely impaired. Using microsomal membranes isolated from ngd20, we found that mannosyl transfer from GDP-Man to various mannose-oligosaccharides, indicative for Golgi mannosylation, was strongly diminished. Analysis of the carbohydrate component of chitinase, an exclusively O-mannosylated protein, or of the bulk mannoprotein indicates that O-mannosylation is also reduced. The results demonstrate that in addition to secretionSEC20 also affects glycosylation in the Golgi, presumably because it exerts a more general role in maintenance and function of the Golgi compartments.
A Waveguide to Microstrip Inline Transition With Very Simple Modular Assembly

A microstrip to empty rectangular waveguide transition is presented for systems requiring a simple modular assembly with good electrical performance. The structure is based on three building blocks, involving a microstrip line to dielectric-loaded rectangular waveguide, a transition between dielectric-loaded and empty rectangular waveguides with reduced height, and a final transformer to standard waveguide. These three building blocks (segmentation based on the design point of view) are combined in three simple parts which are assembled in a straightforward modular way, without soldering. These features are very important for signal feeders requiring a large number of transitions, as the X-band phased array antenna where the proposed structure has been integrated. The concepts involved in the design and manufacturing are illustrated with a prototype showing measured return loss of 10 dB and insertion loss of 1.1 dB in the band 8.5-9.5 GHz.