Enhancing Expressiveness in Dance Generation via Integrating Frequency and Music Style Information

Dance generation, as a branch of human motion generation, has attracted increasing attention. Recently, a few works attempt to enhance dance expressiveness, which includes genre matching, beat alignment, and dance dynamics, from certain aspects. However, the enhancement is quite limited as they lack comprehensive consideration of the aforementioned three factors. In this paper, we propose ExpressiveBailando, a novel dance generation method designed to generate expressive dances, concurrently taking all three factors into account. Specifically, we mitigate the issue of speed homogenization by incorporating frequency information into VQ-VAE, thus improving dance dynamics. Additionally, we integrate music style information by extracting genre- and beat-related features with a pre-trained music model, hence achieving improvements in the other two factors. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method can generate dances with high expressiveness and outperforms existing methods both qualitatively and quantitatively

Altered hemispheric asymmetry of attentional networks in patients with pituitary adenoma: an event-related potential study

BackgroundEmerging evidence has been reported of attentional dysfunction in pituitary adenoma patients. However, the effect of pituitary adenomas on lateralized attention network efficiency remained to be clear. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the impairment of lateralized attention networks in patients with pituitary adenoma.MethodsEighteen pituitary adenoma patients (PA group) and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. Both behavioral results and event-related potentials (ERPs) were acquired while subjects performed the Lateralized Attention Network Test (LANT).ResultsBehavioral performances indicated the PA group had a slower reaction time and a similar error rate relative to the HCs group. Meanwhile, significantly increased executive control network efficiency suggested the dysfunction of inhibition control in PA patients. Regarding ERP results, there were no group differences in the alerting and orienting networks. The target-related P3 was significantly reduced in the PA group, suggesting an impairment of executive control function and attentional resources allocation. Moreover, the mean amplitude of P3 was significantly lateralized to the right hemisphere, and interacted with the visual field, exhibiting that the right hemisphere dominated the bilateral visual field, whereas the left hemisphere dominated the left visual field. In the specific high-conflict condition, the pattern of hemispheric asymmetry in the PA group was altered due to a mixed effect resulting from the compensatory recruitment of attentional resources in the left central parietal area and the destructive effects of hyperprolactinemia.ConclusionThese findings suggested that, in the lateralized condition, the decreased P3 in the right central parietal area and the diminished hemispheric asymmetry under high conflict load, may serve as the potential biomarkers of attentional dysfunction in patients with pituitary adenoma

Bayesian Depth-from-Defocus with Shading Constraints

We present a method that enhances the performance of depth-from-defocus (DFD) through the use of shading information. DFD suffers from important limitations – namely coarse shape reconstruction and poor accuracy on textureless surfaces – that can be overcome with the help of shading. We integrate both forms of data within a Bayesian framework that capitalizes on their relative strengths. Shading data, however, is challenging to recover accurately from surfaces that contain texture. To address this issue, we propose an iterative technique that utilizes depth information to improve shading estimation, which in turn is used to elevate depth estimation in the presence of textures. With this approach, we demonstrate improvements over existing DFD techniques, as well as effective shape reconstruction of textureless surfaces. 1

Neuropsychological Alterations of Prolactinomas’ Cognitive Flexibility in Task Switching

Prolactinomas have been reported to impair cognition in broad aspects. However, few studies investigated the influence of prolactinomas on cognitive flexibility never mentioning the underlying neural and electrophysiological mechanism. We recorded scalp electroencephalography (EEG) in a colour-shape switching task. Patients with prolactinomas showed longer reaction time in switch trials and larger switch costs relative to healthy controls (HCs). Compared to HCs who showed stronger frontal theta activity in switch trials, the generally weak frontal theta activity in patients implied that they could not afford the executive control to configure task sets. Meanwhile, machine-learning based classification revealed that patients manifested non-selective brain patterns in response to different task types (colour vs. shape task) and different task states (switch vs. repeat state), which collectively suggested the cognitive dysfunction in preparation for a changing environment. Compared to HCs who showed stronger frontoparietal synchronization in switch trials, this enhanced frontoparietal connectivity was disrupted among patients with severe prolactinomas. This finding implicated greater hyperprolactinemia was linked to a larger decrease in cognitive performance. Taken together, the present study highlighted frontal theta power, and frontoparietal connectivity at theta band as the electrophysiological markers of the impaired cognitive flexibility and task control in patients with prolactinomas

Hyperprolactinemia Associated with Attentional Processing and Interference Control Impairments in Patients with Prolactinomas

The cognitive impairment of pituitary adenomas (PAs) has received increasing attention. Hyperprolactinemia and tumor mass effect are the potential causes. The aim of this study was to identify possible cognitive impairment and to further explore the correlation between these indices and prolactin (PRL) levels, based on the control of tumor size. Twenty-seven patients with prolactinomas (patient group) and twenty-six matched health control group (HC group) were enrolled in this study. All participants performed the flanker task while we continuously recorded electroencephalography data. On the behavioral performance level, patients showed a significantly slower reaction time (RT) in both flanker types. Concerning the event-related potentials level, patients elicited reduced P2 and enhanced N2 amplitudes compared with the HC group, suggesting an impairment of attentional processing (P2) and conflict monitoring (N2). Moreover, the patient group also induced lower P3 amplitudes relative to the HC group in both types, indicating that there were deficits in attentional resource allocation ability. We also found a significant correlation between the P3 amplitudes and incongruent condition RTs, as well as the subsequent PRL levels in the patient group. In conclusion, this is an innovative study that reveals the impaired cognition abilities in prolactinomas, and also proposes the possible cognitive toxicity of oversecreted PRL levels, which provides evidence for further research on the cognitive decline in PAs

Hypoxia-induced SKA3 promoted cholangiocarcinoma progression and chemoresistance by enhancing fatty acid synthesis via the regulation of PAR-dependent HIF-1a deubiquitylation

Abstract Background Spindle and kinetochore-associated complex subunit 3 (SKA3) plays an important role in cell proliferation by regulating the separation of chromosomes and their division into daughter cells. Previous studies demonstrated that SKA3 was strongly implicated in tumor development and progression. However, the roles of SKA3 in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed with paired CCA tissues and normal adjacent tissues (NATs). SKA3 was chose to be the target gene because of its remarkably upregulation and unknown function in cholangiocarcinoma in TCGA datasets, GSE107943 datasets and our sequencing results. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining were used to detect the expression of SKA3 in paired CCA tissues and normal adjacent tissues. The SKA3 knockdown and overexpression cell line were constructed by small interfering RNA and lentivirus vector transfection. The effect of SKA3 on the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma under hypoxic conditions was detected by experiments in vitro and in vivo. RNA-seq was used to find out the differentially expressed pathways in cholangiocarcinoma proliferation under hypoxia regulated by SKA3. IP/MS analysis and Western blot assays were used to explore the specific mechanism of SKA3 in regulating the expression of HIF-1a under hypoxia. Results SKA3 was up-regulated in NGS, TCGA and GSE107943 databases and was associated with poor prognosis. Functional experiments in vitro and in vivo showed that hypoxia-induced SKA3 promoted cholangiocarcinoma cell proliferation. RNA-sequencing was performed and verified that SKA3 enhanced fatty acid synthesis by up-regulating the expression of key fatty acid synthase, thus promoting cholangiocarcinoma cell proliferation under hypoxic conditions. Further studies indicated that under hypoxic conditions, SKA3 recruited PARP1 to bind to HIF-1a, thus enhancing the poly ADP-ribosylation (PARylation) of HIF-1a. This PARylation enhanced the binding between HIF-1a and USP7, which triggered the deubiquitylation of HIF-1a under hypoxic conditions. Additionally, PARP1 and HIF-1a were upregulated in CCA and promoted CCA cell proliferation. SKA3 promoted CCA cell proliferation and fatty acid synthesis via the PARP1/HIF-1a axis under hypoxic conditions. High SKA3 and HIF-1a expression levels were associated with poor prognosis after surgery. Conclusion Hypoxia-induced SKA3 promoted CCA progression by enhancing fatty acid synthesis via the regulation of PARylation-dependent HIF-1a deubiquitylation. Furthermore, increased SKA3 level enhanced chemotherapy-resistance to gemcitabine-based regimen under hypoxic conditions. SKA3 and HIF-1a could be potential oncogenes and significant biomarkers for the analysis of CCA patient prognosis

Additional file 1 of Hypoxia-induced SKA3 promoted cholangiocarcinoma progression and chemoresistance by enhancing fatty acid synthesis via the regulation of PAR-dependent HIF-1a deubiquitylation

Additional file 1: Fig. S1. (A) SKA3 was upregulated in various types of tumours in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. (B) TCGA database showed that SKA3 was upregulated in CCA.  (C) The Gene Expression Omnibus dataset (GSE107943) indicated that SKA3 was upregulated in CCA tissues. (D-E) Adjust batch effect of TCGA and GSE107943. (F) RT-qPCR and (G) Western blot analysis showed the expression level of SKA3 in CCA cell lines. Fig. S2. (A)SKA3 expression was detected under hypoxic and normoxic conditions. (B) SKA3 knockdown and overexpression cells was established in CCA cells. (C) Heatmap and (D) Volcano plot of differential expressed genes, which transfected in NC sequence compared with Si-SKA3 sequence. (E) Statistical and quantitative results of Fig. 3E *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001. Fig. S3. (A) CCK8 assays and (B) Clone formation assays showed FASN, ACLY, SCD, ACACA reversed the proliferation of CCA induced by SKA3 under hypoxic conditions. (C) Nile red staining and (D) Cellular triglycerides detection showed FASN, ACLY, SCD and ACACA reversed the fatty acid synthesis of CCA under hypoxic conditions. (E) The ATP concentration in QBC939 cells were tested by ATP Assay Kit. *p<0.05;**p<0.01;***p<0.001. Fig. S4. (A) Statistical and quantitative results of Fig. 4A. (B) The mRNA level of HIF-1a was detected in SKA3 knockdown and overexpression cells under hypoxic conditions. (C) Statistical and quantitative results of Fig. 4E. (D) Statistical and quantitative results of Fig. 4F. (E) Statistical and quantitative results of Fig. 4G. (F) Statistical and quantitative results of Fig. 4D. (G) Western blot analysis showed the expression of HIF-1a under hypoxic conditions with the increasing concentration of PARG inhibitor. *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001. Fig. S5. Statistical and quantitative results of (A) Fig. 5E, (B) Fig. 5K, (C) Fig. 5L, (D) Fig. 6B, (E) Fig. 6C, (F) Fig. 6D, (G) Fig. 6E, (H) Fig.5F and (G) Fig. 6G. *p<0.05; **p<0.01;***p<0.001. Fig. S6. (A) The proliferation of HIF-1a knockdown and overexpression cells under hypoxic conditions was determined by CCK8 assays 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96h . (B) The colony formation number of HIF-1a knockdown and overexpression cells under hypoxic conditions was count. (C) Flow cytometry analyzed cell cycle of CCA cell transfected with Si-HIF-1a or HIF-1a overexpression. *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001. Fig. S7. EdU staining assays showed HIF-1a promoted the proliferation of CCA under hypoxic conditions.Fig. S8. (A) Cellular neutral lipids were measured in HuCCT1 cells by double staining with Nile Red and DAPI. (B) Cellular triglycerides were measured in HuCCT1 cells, which normalized by NC group. (C) The ATP concentration in HuCCT1 and QBC939 cells were tested by ATP Assay Kit. (D) Western bolt analysis was used to detect the expression of HIF-1a in SKA3 knockdown and overexpression CCA cells under hypoxic conditions.*p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001.Fig. S9. (A-B) TCGA database showed that PARP1 was oncogenic in various of tumours including CCA. (C) CCK8 assays, and (D) Clone formation assays showed PARP1 promoted the proliferation of CCA under hypoxic conditions.Fig. S10. (A) Cell cycle assays and (B) EdU staining assays showed PARP1 enhanced the proliferation of CCA under hypoxic conditions. Fig. S11. (A) Nile red staining, (B) Cellular triglycerides detection, and  (C)  Western blot analysis showed PARP1 promoted the fatty acid synthesis of CCA under hypoxic conditions. Fig. S12. (A) CCK8 assays, (B) Clone formation assays, (C) Cell cycle analysis, (D) EdU staining assays detected the proliferation of CCA cells. (E) Statistical and quantitative results of Fig. 7F. (F) Nile red staining, (G) Cellular triglycerides detection, and (H) Western blot analysis showed PARP1 or HIF-1a overexpression reversed the increase of fatty acid synthesis in SKA3 Knockdown CCA cells under hypoxic conditions. (I) The ATP concentration in QBC939 cells were tested by ATP Assay Kit