Detailed Human-Centric Text Description-Driven Large Scene Synthesis

Text-driven large scene image synthesis has made significant progress with diffusion models, but controlling it is challenging. While using additional spatial controls with corresponding texts has improved the controllability of large scene synthesis, it is still challenging to faithfully reflect detailed text descriptions without user-provided controls. Here, we propose DetText2Scene, a novel text-driven large-scale image synthesis with high faithfulness, controllability, and naturalness in a global context for the detailed human-centric text description. Our DetText2Scene consists of 1) hierarchical keypoint-box layout generation from the detailed description by leveraging large language model (LLM), 2) view-wise conditioned joint diffusion process to synthesize a large scene from the given detailed text with LLM-generated grounded keypoint-box layout and 3) pixel perturbation-based pyramidal interpolation to progressively refine the large scene for global coherence. Our DetText2Scene significantly outperforms prior arts in text-to-large scene synthesis qualitatively and quantitatively, demonstrating strong faithfulness with detailed descriptions, superior controllability, and excellent naturalness in a global context

Biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and their protective effect against heavy metals in nitrogen-fixing black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Purpose: To examine the effect of various heavy metals (HMs) on phenylpropanoid pathway compounds in Robinia pseudoacacia.Methods: A series of pot culture experiments were performed to understand how the metabolic profile of phenylpropanoid compounds were affected by various HMs, such as redox-active HMs (AgNO3 and CuCl2), and non-redox-active HMs (HgCl2). Phenylpropanoid compound level was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography.Results: The total phenylpropanoid level in leaves increased significantly in all the treated groups when compared to that in the untreated group (p < 0.05). However, a significant effect on the total phenylpropanoid levels was only found for redox-active HMs (p < 0.05), whereas non-redox-active HMs showed less accumulation. Chlorogenic acid and rutin were the two major phenylpropanoid compounds found after the plants were subjected to redox and non-redox-active HMs stress. However, when compared to these two compounds, the levels of catechin hydrate, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, kaempferol, and quercetin were lower. Caffeic acid level was significantly decreased in both redox and non-redox-active HMs when compared to that in the control (p < 0.05). In addition, trans-cinnamic acid accumulation was altered based on the types and concentration of HMs.Conclusion: Phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway participated in the HM tolerance process for the protection of R. pseudoacacia from oxidative damage caused by HMs, thus allowing the species to grow in highly HMs-contaminated areas. Keywords: Heavy metals, Non-redox-active metals, Phenylpropanoid compounds, Redox-active metals, Robinia pseudoacaci

Pneumocephalus in Patients With Orthostatic Headache

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak or shunt overdrainage is a well-known cause of orthostatic headaches and low CSF pressures. We report two cases of orthostatic headache with pneumocephalus on brain imaging. The orthostatic headache developed after drainage of spinal operation site and epidural block. Brain MRI revealed characteristic findings of CSF hypovolemia including pachymeningeal enhancement and mild subdural fluid collections. Air was also observed in the ventricular or subarachnoid space in both patients, which might enter the subarachnoid or ventricular space during a procedure via the pressure gradient or an injection

A Novel Biomarker of Coronary Atherosclerosis: Serum DKK1 Concentration Correlates with Coronary Artery Calcification and Atherosclerotic Plaques

DKK1 modulates Wnt signaling, which is involved in the atherosclerosis. However, no data exist regarding the usefulness of measuring serum DKK1 concentration in predicting coronary atherosclerosis. A total of 270 consecutive patients (62.8 ± 11.2 yr; 70% male) were included. A contrast-enhanced 64-slice coronary MDCT was performed to identify the presence of atherosclerotic plaques. Agatston calcium scores (CS) were calculated to quantify the coronary artery calcification (CAC). DKK1 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. For each subsequent DKK1 quartile, there was a significant increase in CAC (P = 0.004) and the number of segments with coronary atherosclerosis (P < 0.001). In addition, DKK1 concentration was significantly higher in patients with atherosclerotic plaques, regardless of plaque composition (P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified DKK1 as an independent risk factor for the presence of coronary atherosclerotic plaque. The adjusted odds ratio for coronary atherosclerotic plaque was 4.88 (95% CI, 1.67 to 14.25) for highest versus lowest quartile of the DKK1 levels. Furthermore, patients with DKK1 concentrations ≥ 68.6 pg/mL demonstrated coronary atherosclerotic plaques even when they had low CS. Serum DKK1 concentrations correlate with the coronary atherosclerosis and play an independent role in predicting the presence of coronary atherosclerosis

Definitions of unfavorable surgical outcomes and their risk factors based on disability score after spine surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis

Risk factors for unfavorable surgical outcomes are dependent on the definitions of the unfavorable surgical outcomes. The aims of this study were to compare risk factors for each unfavorable surgical outcome according to two different definitions of unfavorable surgical outcomes after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) as well as compare the clinical course from the preoperative period to 3 years postoperatively between cases with favorable and unfavorable outcomes according to the two different definitions. Overall, 295 patients who underwent spine surgery for LSS and a follow-up evaluation at 3 years postoperatively were enrolled and divided into favorable and unfavorable groups, based on two different definitions for unfavorable surgical outcomes, as evaluated at 12 months postoperatively: the patient-reported outcome (PRO) and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) methods. In the PRO method, patients with a postoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score > 22 were considered as having an unfavorable outcome, whereas in the MCID method, those with a postoperative ODI score that changed < 12.8 points from the preoperative value were classified as having an unfavorable outcome. As a primary outcome, risk factors for unfavorable surgical outcomes according to each definition were investigated at 12 months postoperatively. In the PRO method, female sex (P = 0.011; odds ratio (OR): 2.340), elementary school attainment (vs. university attainment; P = 0.035; OR: 2.875), and higher preoperative ODI score (P = 0.028; OR: 2.340) were associated with higher odds for an unfavorable surgical outcome. In the MCID method, a higher preoperative ODI score was associated with higher odds (P < 0.001; OR: 0.920) of a favorable surgical outcome. In the PRO method, the favorable outcome group demonstrated significantly lower visual analog scale for back and leg pain and lower ODI scores than the unfavorable outcome group at 3 years postoperatively, whereas in the MCID method, clinical outcomes were not different between the two groups at 3 years postoperatively. A higher preoperative ODI score may be a risk factor for postoperative ODI > 22 after surgery for LSS. It may also be associated with higher odds for improvements in the ODI score of > 12.8.This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2016R1A2B3012850)

Altered renal sodium transporter expression in an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Hemodynamic factors play an important role in the development and/or progression of diabetic nephropathy. We hypothesized that renal sodium transporter dysregulation might contribute to the hemodynamic alterations in diabetic nephropathy. Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats were used as an animal model for type 2 diabetes. Long Evans Tokushima (LETO) rats were used as controls. Renal sodium transporter regulation was investigated by semiquantitative immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry of the kidneys of 40-week-old animals. The mean serum glucose level in OLETF rats was increased to 235+/-25 mg/dL at 25 weeks, and the hyperglycemia continued up to the end of 40 weeks. Urine protein/ creatinine ratios were 10 times higher in OLETF rats than in LETO rats. At 40th week, the abundance of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) beta-subunit was increased in OLETF rats, but the abundance of the ENaC gamma-subunit was decreased. No significant differences were observed in the ENaC alpha-subunit or other major sodium transporters. Immunohistochemistry for the ENaC beta-subunit showed increased immunoreactivity in OLETF rats, whereas the ENaC gamma-subunit showed reduced immunoreactivity in these rats. In OLETF rats, ENaC beta-subunit upregulation and ENaC gamma-subunit downregulation after the development of diabetic nephropathy may reflect an abnormal sodium balance

Satellite cell-specific ablation of Cdon impairs integrin activation, FGF signalling, and muscle regeneration

Background: Perturbation in cell adhesion and growth factor signalling in satellite cells results in decreased muscle regenerative capacity. Cdon (also called Cdo) is a component of cell adhesion complexes implicated in myogenic differentiation, but its role in muscle regeneration remains to be determined. Methods: We generated inducible satellite cell-specific Cdon ablation in mice by utilizing a conditional Cdon allele and Pax7 CreERT2. To induce Cdon ablation, mice were intraperitoneally injected with tamoxifen (tmx). Using cardiotoxin-induced muscle injury, the effect of Cdon depletion on satellite cell function was examined by histochemistry, immunostaining, and 5-ethynyl-2&apos;-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay. Isolated myofibers or myoblasts were utilized to determine stem cell function and senescence. To determine pathways related to Cdon deletion, injured muscles were subjected to RNA sequencing analysis. Results: Satellite cell-specific Cdon ablation causes impaired muscle regeneration with fibrosis, likely attributable to decreased proliferation, and senescence, of satellite cells. Cultured Cdon-depleted myofibers exhibited 32 ± 9.6% of EdU-positive satellite cells compared with 58 ± 4.4% satellite cells in control myofibers (P &lt; 0.05). About 32.5 ± 3.7% Cdon-ablated myoblasts were positive for senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) while only 3.6 ± 0.5% of control satellite cells were positive (P &lt; 0.001). Transcriptome analysis of muscles at post-injury Day 4 revealed alterations in genes related to mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling (P &lt; 8.29 e−5) and extracellular matrix (P &lt; 2.65 e−24). Consistent with this, Cdon-depleted tibialis anterior muscles had reduced phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) protein levels and expression of ERK targets, such as Fos (0.23-fold) and Egr1 (0.31-fold), relative to mock-treated control muscles (P &lt; 0.001). Cdon-depleted myoblasts exhibited impaired ERK activation in response to basic fibroblast growth factor. Cdon ablation resulted in decreased and/or mislocalized integrin β1 activation in satellite cells (weak or mislocalized integrin1 in tmx = 38.7 ± 1.9%, mock = 21.5 ± 6%, P &lt; 0.05), previously linked with reduced fibroblast growth factor (FGF) responsiveness in aged satellite cells. In mechanistic studies, Cdon interacted with and regulated cell surface localization of FGFR1 and FGFR4, likely contributing to FGF responsiveness of satellite cells. Satellite cells from a progeria model, Zmpste24−/− myofibers, showed decreased Cdon levels (Cdon-positive cells in Zmpste24−/− = 63.3 ± 11%, wild type = 90 ± 7.7%, P &lt; 0.05) and integrin β1 activation (weak or mislocalized integrin β1 in Zmpste24−/− = 64 ± 6.9%, wild type = 17.4 ± 5.9%, P &lt; 0.01). Conclusions: Cdon deficiency in satellite cells causes impaired proliferation of satellite cells and muscle regeneration via aberrant integrin and FGFR signalling. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd on behalf of Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders1