Vid-ODE: Continuous-Time Video Generation with Neural Ordinary Differential Equation

Video generation models often operate under the assumption of fixed frame rates, which leads to suboptimal performance when it comes to handling flexible frame rates (e.g., increasing the frame rate of the more dynamic portion of the video as well as handling missing video frames). To resolve the restricted nature of existing video generation models' ability to handle arbitrary timesteps, we propose continuous-time video generation by combining neural ODE (Vid-ODE) with pixel-level video processing techniques. Using ODE-ConvGRU as an encoder, a convolutional version of the recently proposed neural ODE, which enables us to learn continuous-time dynamics, Vid-ODE can learn the spatio-temporal dynamics of input videos of flexible frame rates. The decoder integrates the learned dynamics function to synthesize video frames at any given timesteps, where the pixel-level composition technique is used to maintain the sharpness of individual frames. With extensive experiments on four real-world video datasets, we verify that the proposed Vid-ODE outperforms state-of-the-art approaches under various video generation settings, both within the trained time range (interpolation) and beyond the range (extrapolation). To the best of our knowledge, Vid-ODE is the first work successfully performing continuous-time video generation using real-world videos.Comment: Accepted to AAAI 2021, 22 page

Rhus verniciflua Stokes against Advanced Cancer: A Perspective from the Korean Integrative Cancer Center

Active anticancer molecules have been searched from natural products; many drugs were developed from either natural products or their derivatives following the conventional pharmaceutical paradigm of drug discovery. However, the advances in the knowledge of cancer biology have led to personalized medicine using molecular-targeted agents which create new paradigm. Clinical benefit is dependent on individual biomarker and overall survival is prolonged through cytostatic rather than cytotoxic effects to cancer cell. Therefore, a different approach is needed from the single lead compound screening model based on cytotoxicity. In our experience, the Rhus verniciflua stoke (RVS) extract traditionally used for cancer treatment is beneficial to some advanced cancer patients though it is herbal extract not single compound, and low cytotoxic in vitro. The standardized RVS extract's action mechanisms as well as clinical outcomes are reviewed here. We hope that these preliminary results would stimulate different investigation in natural products from conventional chemicals

Sasang Constitution as a Risk Factor for Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study

Sasang Constitutional Medicine, which is a branch of traditional Korean medicine, states that medications for diabetes should be individualized according to the patient's individual constitution. However, the effect of constitution on diabetes has not been evaluated to date. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine if constitution is an independent risk factor for diabetes by comparing the prevalence and odds ratios (ORs) of the disease according to constitution. The medical records of 1443 adults who had been examined and classified based on their constitution at Kyung Hee University Hospital in Seoul, Korea were reviewed. A chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used to compare the prevalence of diabetes according to constitution, and multiple logistic regression was used to calculate the ORs for diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes differed significantly according to constitution (χ2 = 36.20, df = 2, P < 0.001). Specifically, the prevalence of the disease was higher in Tae-eumin (11.4%) individuals than in Soyangin (5.0%) or Soeumin (1.7%) individuals. In addition, multiple logistic regression revealed that Tae-eumin individuals had a greater risk for diabetes than Soeumin individuals. When compared to Soeumin individuals, the adjusted ORs were 2.01 (95% CI 0.77–5.26) for Soyangin individuals and 3.96 (95% CI 1.48–10.60) for Tae-eumin individuals. These results show that constitution has a significant and independent association with diabetes, which suggests that constitution is an independent risk factor for diabetes that should be considered when attempting to detect and prevent the disease

Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Smoking Media Literacy Scale for Adolescents

Smoking media literacy has proven to be an effective competency for reducing adolescents' smoking. This study aimed to cross-culturally modify the smoking media literacy scale and evaluate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the revised Smoking Media Literacy Scale for Adolescents (K-SMLS). The translation of the K-SMLS was conducted according to the World Health Organization's guidelines. After the translation process, an online survey was conducted with convenience samples of 215 total adolescents from five high schools in the capital city of Korea. Construct validity was examined by exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency reliability was examined with Cronbach's alpha. The final version of the K-SMLS consisted of 15 items. The goodness of fit, determined through a confirmatory factor analysis of the three domains, was acceptable [χ2 = 237.85 (p &lt; 0.001), CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.09, SRMR = 0.09]. The reliability of the K-SMLS was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79). The findings provide evidence for a valid and reliable tool that can be used to assess smoking media literacy in Korean adolescents. Further studies with a probability sampling design are suggested as the use of convenience samples limits the generalizability of the results to other populations

Remote health monitoring services in nursing homes

Aged people are challenged by serious complications from chronic diseases, such as mood disorder, diabetes, heart disease, and infectious diseases, which are also the most common causes of death in older people. Therefore, elderly care facilities are more important than ever. The most common causes of death in elderly care facilities were reported to be diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pneumonia. Recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have a great impact on blind spots of safety where aged people were isolated from society. Elderly care facilities were one of the blind spots in the midst of the pandemic, where major casualties were reported from COVID-19 complications because most people had one or two mortality risk factors, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Therefore, medical governance of public health center and hospital, and elderly care facility is becoming important issue of priority. Thus, remote health monitoring service by the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) sensors is more important than ever. Recently, technological breakthroughs have enabled healthcare professionals to have easy access to patients in medical blind spots through the use of IoT sensors. These sensors can detect medically urgent situations in a timely fashion and make medical decisions for aged people in elderly care facilities. Real-time electrocardiogram and blood sugar monitoring sensors are approved by the medical insurance service. Real-time monitoring services in medical blind spots, such as elderly care facilities, has been suggested. Heart rhythm monitoring could play a role in detecting early cardiovascular disease events and monitoring blood glucose levels in the management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, in aged people in elderly care facilities. This review presents the potential usefulness of remote monitoring with IoMT sensors in medical blind spots and clinical suggestions for applications

Recent progress on nanostructured 4 v cathode materials for Li-ion batteries for mobile electronics

Mobile electronics have developed so rapidly that battery technology has hardly been able to keep pace. The increasing desire for lighter and thinner Li-ion batteries with higher capacities is a continuing and constant goal for in research. Achieving higher energy densities, which is mainly dependent on cathode materials, has become a critical issue in the development of new Li-ion batteries. In this review, we will outline the progress on nanostructured 4 V cathode materials of Li-ion batteries for mobile electronics, covering LiCoO2, LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO 2, LiMn2O4, LiNi0.5Mn 1.5O4 and Li-rich layered oxide materials. We aim to provide some scientific insights into the development of superior cathode materials by discussing the advantages of nanostructure, surface-coating, and other key properties.open2

Npas4 regulates IQSEC3 expression in hippocampal somatostatin interneurons to mediate anxiety-like behavior

Activity-dependent GABAergic synapse plasticity is important for normal brain functions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that Npas4 (neuronal PAS-domain protein 4) transcriptionally regulates the expression of IQSEC3, a GABAergic synapse-specific guanine nucleotide-exchange factor for ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF-GEF) that directly interacts with gephyrin. Neuronal activation by an enriched environment induces Npas4-mediated upregulation of IQSEC3 protein specifically in CA1 stratum oriens layer somatostatin (SST)-expressing GABAergic interneurons. SST+ interneuron-specific knockout (KO) of Npas4 compromises synaptic transmission in these GABAergic interneurons, increases neuronal activity in CA1 pyramidal neurons, and reduces anxiety behavior, all of which are normalized by the expression of wild-type IQSEC3, but not a dominant-negative ARF-GEF-inactive mutant, in SST+ interneurons of Npas4-KO mice. Our results suggest that IQSEC3 is a key GABAergic synapse component that is directed by Npas4 and ARF activity, specifically in SST+ interneurons, to orchestrate excitation-to-inhibition balance and control anxiety-like behavior.1

Diagnostic accuracy of a three-protein signature in women with suspicious breast lesions: a multicenter prospective trial

Background Mammography screening has been proven to detect breast cancer at an early stage and reduce mortality; however, it has low accuracy in young women or women with dense breasts. Blood-based diagnostic tools may overcome the limitations of mammography. This study assessed the diagnostic performance of a three-protein signature in patients with suspicious breast lesions. Findings This trial (MAST; KCT0004847) was a prospective multicenter observational trial. Three-protein signature values were obtained using serum and plasma from women with suspicious lesions for breast malignancy before tumor biopsy. Additionally, blood samples from women who underwent clear or benign mammography were collected for the assays. Among 642 participants, the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy values of the three-protein signature were 74.4%, 66.9%, and 70.6%, respectively, and the concordance index was 0.698 (95% CI 0.656, 0.739). The diagnostic performance was not affected by the demographic features, clinicopathologic characteristics, and co-morbidities of the participants. Conclusions The present trial showed an accuracy of 70.6% for the three-protein signature. Considering the value of blood-based biomarkers for the early detection of breast malignancies, further evaluation of this proteomic assay is warranted in larger, population-level trials. This Multi-protein Assessment using Serum to deTermine breast lesion malignancy (MAST) was registered at the Clinical Research Information Service of Korea with the identification number of KCT0004847 (https://cris.nih.go.kr).This study was supported by the Bertis Inc. The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication