Unsupervised Diverse Colorization via Generative Adversarial Networks

Colorization of grayscale images has been a hot topic in computer vision. Previous research mainly focuses on producing a colored image to match the original one. However, since many colors share the same gray value, an input grayscale image could be diversely colored while maintaining its reality. In this paper, we design a novel solution for unsupervised diverse colorization. Specifically, we leverage conditional generative adversarial networks to model the distribution of real-world item colors, in which we develop a fully convolutional generator with multi-layer noise to enhance diversity, with multi-layer condition concatenation to maintain reality, and with stride 1 to keep spatial information. With such a novel network architecture, the model yields highly competitive performance on the open LSUN bedroom dataset. The Turing test of 80 humans further indicates our generated color schemes are highly convincible

Unpacking the thinking and making behind a slow technology research product with slow game

Motivated by prior work on everyday creativity, we adopt a design-oriented approach seeks to move beyond designing for explicit interactions to also include the implicit, incremental and, at times even, unknowing encounters that slowly emerge among people, technologies, and artifacts over time. We contribute an investigation into designing for slowness grounded in the practice of making a design artifact called Slow Game. We offer a detailed critical-reflective accounting of our process of making Slow Game into a research product. In attending to key design moves across our process, we reveal hidden challenges in designing slow technology research products and discuss how our findings can be mobilized in future work

Methylphenidate and the risk of psychotic disorders and hallucinations in children and adolescents in a large health system

Previous studies have suggested that risk of psychotic events may be increased in children exposed to methylphenidate (MPH). However, this risk has not been fully examined and the possibility of confounding factors has not been excluded. Patients aged 6-19 years who received at least one MPH prescription were identified using Hong Kong population-based electronic medical records on the Clinical Data Analysis & Reporting System (2001-2014). Using the self-controlled case series design, relative incidence of psychotic events was calculated comparing periods when patients were exposed to MPH with non-exposed periods. Of 20 586 patients prescribed MPH, 103 had an incident psychotic event; 72 (69.9%) were male and 31 (30.1%) female. The mean age at commencement of observation was 6.95 years and the mean follow-up per participant was 10.16 years. On average, each participant was exposed to MPH for 2.17 years. The overall incidence of psychotic events during the MPH exposure period was 6.14 per 10 000 patient-years. No increased risk was found during MPH exposed compared to non-exposed periods (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.02 (0.53-1.97)). However, an increased risk was found during the pre-exposure period (IRR 4.64 (2.17-9.92)). Results were consistent across all sensitivity analyses. This study does not support the hypothesis that MPH increases risk of incident psychotic events. It does indicate an increased risk of psychotic events prior to the first prescription of MPH, which may be due to an association between psychotic events and the behavioural and attentional symptoms that led to psychiatric assessment and initiation of MPH treatment

Stanniocalcin-1 Regulates Re-Epithelialization in Human Keratinocytes

Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1), a glycoprotein hormone, is believed to be involved in various biological processes such as inflammation, oxidative responses and cell migration. Riding on these emerging evidences, we hypothesized that STC1 may participate in the re-epithelialization during wound healing. Re-epithelialization is a critical step that involves keratinocyte lamellipodia (e-lam) formation, followed by cell migration. In this study, staurosporine (STS) treatment induced human keratinocyte (HaCaT) e-lam formation on fibronectin matrix and migration via the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), the surge of intracellular calcium level [Ca2+]i and the inactivation of Akt. In accompanied with these migratory features, a time- and dose-dependent increase in STC1 expression was detected. STC1 gene expression was found not the downstream target of FAK-signaling as illustrated by FAK inhibition using PF573228. The reduction of [Ca2+]i by BAPTA/AM blocked the STS-mediated keratinocyte migration and STC1 gene expression. Alternatively the increase of [Ca2+]i by ionomycin exerted promotional effect on STS-induced STC1 gene expression. The inhibition of Akt by SH6 and GSK3β by lithium chloride (LiCl) could respectively induce and inhibit the STS-mediated e-lam formation, cell migration and STC1 gene expression. The STS-mediated e-lam formation and cell migration were notably hindered or induced respectively by STC1 knockdown or overexpression. This notion was further supported by the scratched wound assay. Collectively the findings provide the first evidence that STC1 promotes re-epithelialization in wound healing

Systemic virus distribution and host responses in brain and intestine of chickens infected with low pathogenic or high pathogenic avian influenza virus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Avian influenza virus (AIV) is classified into two pathotypes, low pathogenic (LP) and high pathogenic (HP), based on virulence in chickens.</p> <p>Differences in pathogenicity between HPAIV and LPAIV might eventually be related to specific characteristics of strains, tissue tropism and host responses.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To study differences in disease development between HPAIV and LPAIV, we examined the first appearance and eventual load of viral RNA in multiple organs as well as host responses in brain and intestine of chickens infected with two closely related H7N1 HPAIV or LPAIV strains.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both H7N1 HPAIV and LPAIV spread systemically in chickens after a combined intranasal/intratracheal inoculation. In brain, large differences in viral RNA load and host gene expression were found between H7N1 HPAIV and LPAIV infected chickens. Chicken embryo brain cell culture studies revealed that both HPAIV and LPAIV could infect cultivated embryonic brain cells, but in accordance with the absence of the necessary proteases, replication of LPAIV was limited. Furthermore, TUNEL assay indicated apoptosis in brain of HPAIV infected chickens only. In intestine, where endoproteases that cleave HA of LPAIV are available, we found minimal differences in the amount of viral RNA and a large overlap in the transcriptional responses between HPAIV and LPAIV infected chickens. Interestingly, brain and ileum differed clearly in the cellular pathways that were regulated upon an AI infection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although both H7N1 HPAIV and LPAIV RNA was detected in a broad range of tissues beyond the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, our observations indicate that differences in pathogenicity and mortality between HPAIV and LPAIV could originate from differences in virus replication and the resulting host responses in vital organs like the brain.</p

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Bilanzierung von Grundwasserstroemen unter Deponien mit Hilfe von umweltisotopen-hydrologischen Analysen im Rahmen hydrogeologischer Untersuchungen Abschlussbericht

The aim of the work was to test current environmental isotope techniques for their suitability in the risk assessment of abandoned sites and landfills in operation. Analyses of the environmental isotopes &quot;1&quot;8O, &quot;2H, &quot;1&quot;3C and &quot;3H were made in order to follow up the pollutant plumes and, where possible, forecast their development regarding space and time. Hydrochemical results served as references.- The working hypothesis of the project was as follows: leachates from landfills may have a labelling that differs from the natural isotope composition and is characterized by the content of the landfill and isotope fractionations occurring during its degradation. The isotope values of the groundwater upstream and downstream of landfills were measured at different seasons in order to record natural and anthropogenous changes of isotope compositions in the area of the landfill. It was expected that the mobility of the chemical contaminants would be impaired by physical, chemical and biological retardation as compared with that of the isotope-labelled water molecules.- By means of the oxygen and carbon isotope composition of leachate, areas downstream of sanitary landfills that are influenced by them in different degrees can be delimited from each other. Carbon isotope composition can be used to follow up the phases of the chemical degradation of organic constituents. In hazardous waste landfills, there occur special isotope effects that are to be explained by the different composition of the material. (orig.)Ziel war es, die ueblichen Umweltisotopen-Techniken auf ihre Eignung bei der Risikobewertung von Altlasten und Deponien zu ueberpruefen. Dazu wurden Analysen der Umweltisotope &quot;1&quot;8O, &quot;2H, &quot;1&quot;3C und &quot;3H eingesetzt, um Schadstoffahnen zu verfolgen und ggfs. deren raeumliche und zeitliche Entwicklung vorherzusagen. Als Referenz dienten hydrochemische Ergebnisse. Die Arbeitshypothese des Forschungsvorhabens war, dass Deponiesickerwaesser eine von der natuerlichen Isotopenzusammensetzung abweichende Markierung haben koennten, die vom Deponieinhalt und Isotopen-Fraktionierungen bei dessen Abbau gepraegt ist. Die Isotopenwerte des Grundwassers ober- oder unterstrom der Deponien wurden zu verschiedenen Jahreszeiten gemessen, um natuerliche und anthropogene Veraenderungen der Isotopenzusammensetzungen im Deponiebereich zu erfassen. Es wurde erwartet, dass die Mobilitaet der chemischen Kontaminanten durch physikalische, chemische und biologische Retardation gegenueber der der isotopisch markierten Wassermolekuele eingeschraenkt sei. Im Abstrom von Hausmuelldeponien koennen mit Hilfe der Sauerstoff- und Kohlenstoff-Isotopenzusammensetzung im Sickerwasser unterschiedlich stark von der Deponie beeinflusste Bereiche voneinander abgegrenzt werden. Die Kohlenstoff-Isotopenzusammensetzung kann zur Verfolgung der Phasen des chemischen Abbaus organischer Inhaltsstoffe eingesetzt werden. In Sonderabfalldeponien treten spezielle Isotopen-Effekte auf, die mit der andersartigen Zusammensetzung der Inhaltsstoffe zu erklaeren sind. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F96B881+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman