[en] Aiming at infrared thermal images with different buried depth defects, we study a variety of image segmentation algorithms based on the threshold to develop global search ability and the ability to find the defect area accurately. Firstly, the iterative thresholding method, the maximum entropy method, the minimum error method, the Ostu method and the minimum skewness method are applied to image segmentation of the same infrared thermal image. The study shows that the maximum entropy method and the minimum error method have strong global search capability and can simultaneously extract defects at different depths. However none of these five methods can accurately calculate the defect area at different depths. In order to solve this problem, we put forward a strategy of “divide and conquer”. The infrared thermal image is divided into several local thermal maps, with each map containing only one defect, and the defect area is calculated after local image processing of the different buried defects one by one. The results show that, under the “divide and conquer” strategy, the iterative threshold method and the Ostu method have the advantage of high precision and can accurately extract the area of different defects at different depths, with an error of less than 5%.

[en] Aiming at infrared thermal images with different buried depth defects, we study a variety of image segmentation algorithms based on the threshold to develop global search ability and the ability to find the defect area accurately. Firstly, the iterative thresholding method, the maximum entropy method, the minimum error method, the Ostu method and the minimum skewness method are applied to image segmentation of the same infrared thermal image. The study shows that the maximum entropy method and the minimum error method have strong global search capability and can simultaneously extract defects at different depths. However none of these five methods can accurately calculate the defect area at different depths. In order to solve this problem, we put forward a strategy of “divide and conquer”. The infrared thermal image is divided into several local thermal maps, with each map containing only one defect, and the defect area is calculated after local image processing of the different buried defects one by one. The results show that, under the “divide and conquer” strategy, the iterative threshold method and the Ostu method have the advantage of high precision and can accurately extract the area of different defects at different depths, with an error of less than 5%.

[en] Perfluorooctanesulphonic acid (PFOS) is a ubiquitous contaminant in the aquatic environment and our earlier studies demonstrated that chronic PFOS exposures lead to a female-biased sex ratio and decreased sperm quality in male zebrafish. The underlying mechanism for these reproductive effects is unknown. In the present study, 8 h post-fertilization (hpf) zebrafish were exposed to PFOS at 250 μg/L for 5 months, and the levels of sex hormones, expression of sex determination related genes, and histological and ultrastructural changes of gonads were fully characterized. During the sex differentiation period, we observed elevated estradiol (E2) and decreased testosterone (T) levels in whole tissue homogenates from PFOS exposed juveniles. In fully mature adult male fish, serum E2 levels were slightly increased, however, the estrogen receptor alpha (esr1) was significantly elevated in PFOS treated male gonads. Histological and electron microscopic examinations revealed structural changes in the gonads of PFOS exposed male and female adult zebrafish. In summary, chronic PFOS exposure disrupts sex hormone level and related gene expression and impairs gonadal development, which may contribute to the previously reported PFOS reproductive toxicity. - Highlights: • Chronic PFOS exposure produces a female-biased sex ratio in zebrafish. • Chronic PFOS exposure reduces sperm quality in zebrafish. • Chronic PFOS exposure increases estrogen level in juvenile and adult zebrafish. • Chronic PFOS exposure alters expression of key genes involved hormone pathways. • Chronic PFOS exposure alters male and femalegonadal structures in zebrafish.