Adversarial nets with perceptual losses for text-to-image synthesis

Recent approaches in generative adversarial networks (GANs) can automatically synthesize realistic images from descriptive text. Despite the overall fair quality, the generated images often expose visible flaws that lack structural definition for an object of interest. In this paper, we aim to extend state of the art for GAN-based text-to-image synthesis by improving perceptual quality of generated images. Differentiated from previous work, our synthetic image generator optimizes on perceptual loss functions that measure pixel, feature activation, and texture differences against a natural image. We present visually more compelling synthetic images of birds and flowers generated from text descriptions in comparison to some of the most prominent existing work

Adversarial Learning of Semantic Relevance in Text to Image Synthesis

We describe a new approach that improves the training of generative adversarial nets (GANs) for synthesizing diverse images from a text input. Our approach is based on the conditional version of GANs and expands on previous work leveraging an auxiliary task in the discriminator. Our generated images are not limited to certain classes and do not suffer from mode collapse while semantically matching the text input. A key to our training methods is how to form positive and negative training examples with respect to the class label of a given image. Instead of selecting random training examples, we perform negative sampling based on the semantic distance from a positive example in the class. We evaluate our approach using the Oxford-102 flower dataset, adopting the inception score and multi-scale structural similarity index (MS-SSIM) metrics to assess discriminability and diversity of the generated images. The empirical results indicate greater diversity in the generated images, especially when we gradually select more negative training examples closer to a positive example in the semantic space

Scaling anisotropy of the power in parallel and perpendicular components of the solar wind magnetic field

Power spectra of the components of the magnetic field parallel (Pzz) and perpendicular (Pzz+Pyy) to the local mean magnetic field direction were determined by wavelet methods from Ulysses’ MAG instrument data during eighteen 10-day segments of its first North Polar pass at high latitude at solar minimum in 1995. The power depends on frequency f and the angle θ between the solar wind direction and the local mean field, and with distance from the Sun. This data includes the solar wind whose total power (Pxx + Pyy + Pzz) in magnetic fluctuations we previously reported depends on f and the angle θ nearly as predicted by the GS95 critical balance model of strong incompressible MHD turbulence. Results at much wider range of frequencies during six evenly-spaced 10-day periods are presented here to illustrate the variability and evolution with distance from the Sun. Here we investigate the aniso tropic scaling of Pzz(f,θ) in particular because it is a reduced form of the Poloidal (pseudo-Alfvenic) component of the (incompressible) fluctuations. We also report the much larger Pxx(f,θ)+Pyy(f,θ) which is (mostly) reduced from the Toroidal (Alfvenic, i.e., perpendicular to both B and k) fluctuations, and comprises most of the total power. These different components of the total power evolve and scale differently in the inertial range. We compare these elements of the magnetic power spectral tensor with “critical balance” model predictions

Regulation and Effector Function of TH1 and TH2 Cells in Immunity to Bordetella Pertussis

The evaluation of vaccines for human use requires reliable models of infection, that are predictive of protective efficacy. Traditionally whole cell pertussis vaccines (Pw) have been controlled using the Kendrick test, which measures protection following intracerebral challenge with Bordetella pertussis. However, this test is unsuitable for assessing the potency o f the new acellular pertussis vaccines (Pa). In this study, it was demonstrated that protection in a murine respiratory challenge model correlates with the protective efficacy of Pa and Pw in children, but vaccine potency could not be predicted on the basis of antibody responses against individual antigens. Furthermore, the murine model was shown to be a reliable method for the determination of consistency between different batches o f Pa and Pw. This study highlights the possible applications of the murine model in the regulatory control and future development of pertussis vaccines. The murine model of infection has been used in the elucidation of the protective mechanisms induced following immunization with Pw or Pa, revealing roles for both antibody and T-cells in protection against B. p ertu ssis. It has been demonstrated that children still appear to be protected against infection, despite a rapid decline in antibody levels after vaccination. In the murine model, antibody levels quickly decline after immunization, but significant levels of protection were observed following aerosol challenge. Recall T-cell responses detectable for prolonged periods after immunization, together with an anamnestic antibody response post-challenge suggest that immunological memory is more significant in protection, than the induction of immediate antibody responses in vaccine-induced protection against B. pertussis. It has been demonstrated that Thl responses and particularly the cytokine IFN-y, play a critical role in immunity to B. pertussis. In the present study, the role of IL-12 and IL-18 in the induction of a protective Thl response to B. p ertu ssis was examined. Lack of IL-12 during primary and secondary infection effected protection only at the early stages of infection, suggesting that IL-12 plays an important role at the induction stage of the immune response to B. pertussis, but also suggests that other cytokines may be involved. IL-18 is rapidly produced in the lungs of B. p ertu ssis infected IL-1 2~'~ and wild-type mice, which may compensate for the lack of IL-12 at the later stages of infection. The importance of Thl responses and IFN-y were fiirther highlighted in this study, through the investigation of the effect of helminth infection on the outcome o f B. p ertu ssis infection, or immunization with Pw. Infection with the parasite Fasciolahepatica , was shown to suppress B. pertussis-specific Thl responses, and delay bacterial clearance from the lungs, and was also shown to inhibit this Thl response after it had become established. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that infection with F. hepatic a was capable of downregulating the Thl response induced by systemic immunization with Pw, and reducing its protective efficacy. In addition, a role for IL-4 was demonstrated in the parasite-induced immunoregulation

Regulation and Effector Function of TH1 and TH2 Cells in Immunity to Bordetella Pertussis

The evaluation of vaccines for human use requires reliable models of infection, that are predictive of protective efficacy. Traditionally whole cell pertussis vaccines (Pw) have been controlled using the Kendrick test, which measures protection following intracerebral challenge with Bordetella pertussis. However, this test is unsuitable for assessing the potency o f the new acellular pertussis vaccines (Pa). In this study, it was demonstrated that protection in a murine respiratory challenge model correlates with the protective efficacy of Pa and Pw in children, but vaccine potency could not be predicted on the basis of antibody responses against individual antigens. Furthermore, the murine model was shown to be a reliable method for the determination of consistency between different batches o f Pa and Pw. This study highlights the possible applications of the murine model in the regulatory control and future development of pertussis vaccines. The murine model of infection has been used in the elucidation of the protective mechanisms induced following immunization with Pw or Pa, revealing roles for both antibody and T-cells in protection against B. p ertu ssis. It has been demonstrated that children still appear to be protected against infection, despite a rapid decline in antibody levels after vaccination. In the murine model, antibody levels quickly decline after immunization, but significant levels of protection were observed following aerosol challenge. Recall T-cell responses detectable for prolonged periods after immunization, together with an anamnestic antibody response post-challenge suggest that immunological memory is more significant in protection, than the induction of immediate antibody responses in vaccine-induced protection against B. pertussis. It has been demonstrated that Thl responses and particularly the cytokine IFN-y, play a critical role in immunity to B. pertussis. In the present study, the role of IL-12 and IL-18 in the induction of a protective Thl response to B. p ertu ssis was examined. Lack of IL-12 during primary and secondary infection effected protection only at the early stages of infection, suggesting that IL-12 plays an important role at the induction stage of the immune response to B. pertussis, but also suggests that other cytokines may be involved. IL-18 is rapidly produced in the lungs of B. p ertu ssis infected IL-1 2~'~ and wild-type mice, which may compensate for the lack of IL-12 at the later stages of infection. The importance of Thl responses and IFN-y were fiirther highlighted in this study, through the investigation of the effect of helminth infection on the outcome o f B. p ertu ssis infection, or immunization with Pw. Infection with the parasite Fasciolahepatica , was shown to suppress B. pertussis-specific Thl responses, and delay bacterial clearance from the lungs, and was also shown to inhibit this Thl response after it had become established. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that infection with F. hepatic a was capable of downregulating the Thl response induced by systemic immunization with Pw, and reducing its protective efficacy. In addition, a role for IL-4 was demonstrated in the parasite-induced immunoregulation

Student Parenting: Mastering the Double Life

It is okay, beautiful, and brave to be different and take a different path as long as your own dreams and goals are being fulfilled. As virtual learning and online classes are becoming more popular, more students are realizing they can have the best of both worlds, that is, further their education while fulfilling family obligations. The student parent life is a different journey with its own unique challenges and blessings. Happiness is personal and comes from within, and can be in the form of being a parent and seeing one\u27s own child grow while pursuing academic and career growth. Student parents must balance being a parent and being a student, as well as being an employee to be able to manage the responsibilities that come with all three