Multiscale Visual-Attribute Co-Attention for Zero-Shot Image Recognition.

Zero-shot image recognition aims to classify data from unseen classes, by exploring the association between visual features and the semantic representations of each class. Most existing approaches focus on learning a shared single-scale embedding space (often at the output layer of the network) for both visual and semantic features, ignoring a fact that different-scale visual features exhibit different semantics. In this article, we propose a multi-scale visual-attribute co-attention (mVACA) model, considering both visual-semantic alignment and visual discrimination at multiple scales. At each scale, a hybrid visual attention is realized by attribute-related attention and visual self-attention. The attribute-related attention is guided by a pseudo attribute vector inferred via a mutual information regularization (MIR). The visual self-attentive features further influence the attribute attention to emphasize visual-associated attributes. Leveraging multiscale visual discrimination, mVACA unifies standard zero-shot learning (ZSL) and generalized ZSL tasks in one framework, achieving state-of-the-art or competitive performance on several commonly used benchmarks of both setups. To better understand the interaction between images and attributes in mVACA, we also provide visualized analysis.

Emergence of exchange bias field in FeS superconductor with cobalt-doping.

Among all the iron-based superconductors, the 11 series has the simplest layered structure but exhibits rich physical phenomenon. In this work, we have synthesized Fe1-xCoxS single crystals with tetragonal structure and studied their structure and magnetic properties. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that the cobalt doping would suppress superconductivity and even introduce weak ferromagnetism besides antiferromagnetism. Scanning electron microscopy study reveals that the Co-doped samples exhibit intrinsic phase separation. Moreover, magnetic force microscopy measurement shows no magnetic domain in Fe1-xCoxS, indicating that neither phase is pure ferromagnetic. The coexistence of ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism leads to the relatively large exchange bias field. Since the exchange bias effect has been widely used in the field of information storage, spin-valves, and magnetic tunnel junctions, our study provides another option for further application.

The ERA-Related GTPase AtERG2 Associated with Mitochondria 18S RNA Is Essential for Early Embryo Development in Arabidopsis.

The ERA (E. coli RAS-like protein)-related GTPase (ERG) is a nuclear-encoded GTPase with two conserved domains: a GTPase domain and a K Homology (KH) domain. ERG plays a vital role in early seed development in Antirrhinum majus. However, the mechanism that regulates seed development remains unclear. Blasting the genome sequence revealed two homologies of ERG, AtERG1, and AtERG2 in Arabidopsis. In this study, we found that AtERG2 is localized in the mitochondria and binds mitochondrial 18S RNA. Promoter and transcript analyses indicated that AtERG2 was mainly expressed in the leaf vein, trichome, and ovule. The T-DNA insertion lines of AtERG2 showed silique shortage, early seed abortion, and sporophytic maternal effects (SME), in which some seeds arrested in the zygotic stage at 1.5 days after pollination (DAP) and aborted at 2.0 DAP in aterg2-1 +/-. We further showed that the ovules of these arrested seeds presented unusual tissue degradation inside the embryo sacs. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated at 1.0 and 1.5 DAP in the arrested seeds, and the transcription of several ROS-responsive genes, WRKY40, ANAC017, and AOX1a, was up-regulated in the aterg2-1 +/- arrested seeds at 1.5 and 2.0 DAP, but not in wild-type (WT) and aterg2-1 +/- developed seeds. The cell death-related gene BAG6 was also transcriptionally activated in aterg2-1 +/- seeds arrested at 2.0 DAP. Additionally, the protein level of mitochondria protein ATPase Subunit 6 was lower in 2-DAP siliques of aterg2-1 +/- than it was in those of WT. These results suggested that AtERG2 promotes early seed development by affecting the maturation of the mitochondria ribosome small subunit and mitochondrial protein translation in Arabidopsis.

Arabidopsis Synaptotagmin 2 Participates in Pollen Germination and Tube Growth and Is Delivered to Plasma Membrane via Conventional Secretion.

Arabidopsis synaptotagmin 2 (SYT2) has been reported to participate in an unconventional secretory pathway in somatic cells. Our results showed that SYT2 was expressed mainly in the pollen of Arabidopsis thaliana. The pollen of syt2 T-DNA and RNA interference mutant lines exhibited reduced total germination and impeded pollen tube growth. Analysis of the expression of SYT2-GFP fusion protein in the pollen tube indicates that SYT2 was localized to distinct, patchy compartments but could co-localize with the Golgi markers, BODIPY TR C5 ceramide and GmMan1-mCherry. However, SYT2-DsRed-E5 was localized to the plasma membrane in Arabidopsis suspension cells, in addition to the Golgi apparatus. The localization of SYT2 at the plasma membrane was further supported by immunofluorescence staining in pollen tubes. Moreover, brefeldin A treatment inhibited the transport of SYT2 to the plasma membrane and caused SYT2 to aggregate and form enlarged compartments. Truncation of the SYT2-C2AB domains also resulted in retention of SYT2 in the Golgi apparatus. An in vitro phospholipid-binding assay showed that SYT2-C2AB domains bind to the phospholipid membrane in a calcium-dependent manner. Take together, our results indicated that SYT2 was required for pollen germination and pollen tube growth, and was involved in conventional exocytosis.