TF-ICON: Diffusion-Based Training-Free Cross-Domain Image Composition

Text-driven diffusion models have exhibited impressive generative capabilities, enabling various image editing tasks. In this paper, we propose TF-ICON, a novel Training-Free Image COmpositioN framework that harnesses the power of text-driven diffusion models for cross-domain image-guided composition. This task aims to seamlessly integrate user-provided objects into a specific visual context. Current diffusion-based methods often involve costly instance-based optimization or finetuning of pretrained models on customized datasets, which can potentially undermine their rich prior. In contrast, TF-ICON can leverage off-the-shelf diffusion models to perform cross-domain image-guided composition without requiring additional training, finetuning, or optimization. Moreover, we introduce the exceptional prompt, which contains no information, to facilitate text-driven diffusion models in accurately inverting real images into latent representations, forming the basis for compositing. Our experiments show that equipping Stable Diffusion with the exceptional prompt outperforms state-of-the-art inversion methods on various datasets (CelebA-HQ, COCO, and ImageNet), and that TF-ICON surpasses prior baselines in versatile visual domains. Code is available at https://github.com/Shilin-LU/TF-ICONComment: Accepted by ICCV202

Long-Term Outcomes of Three-Dimensional High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Locally Recurrent Early T-Stage Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background: Brachytherapy (BT) is one of the techniques available for retreatment of patients with locally recurrent nasopharyng eal carcinoma (rNPC). In this study, we evaluated the treatment outcome and late toxicities of three-dimensional high-dose-rate brachytherapy (3D-HDR-BT) for patients with locally rNPC.Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study involving 36 patients with histologically confirmed rNPC from 2004 to 2011. Of the 36 patients, 17 underwent combined-modality treatment (CMT) consisting of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) followed by 3D-HDR-BT, while the other 19 underwent 3D-HDR-BT alone. The median dose of EBRT for the CMT group was 60 (range, 50–66) Gy, with an additional median dose of BT of 16 (range, 9–20) Gy. The median dose for the 3D-HDR-BT group was 32 (range, 20–36) Gy. The measured treatment outcomes were the 5- and 10-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and late toxicities.Results: The median age at recurrence was 44.5 years. The median follow-up period was 70 (range, 6–142) months. The 5-year LRFS, DFS, and OS for the entire patient group were 75.4, 55.6, and 74.3%, respectively, while the 10-year LRFS, DFS, and OS for the entire patient group were 75.4, 44.2, and 53.7%, respectively. The 10-year LRFS in the CMT group was higher than that in the 3D-HDR-BT-alone group (93.8 vs. 58.8%, HR: 7.595, 95%CI: 1.233–61.826, p = 0.025). No grade 4 late radiotherapy-induced toxicities were observed.Conclusions: 3D-HDR-BT achieves favorable clinical outcomes with mild late toxicity in patients with locally rNPC

A novel solar-assisted ground-source heat pump (SAGSHP) with seasonal heat-storage and heat cascade utilization: field test and performance analysis

To maintain the energy quality with high temperature and reduce the energy loss of seasonal heat-storage in solar-assisted ground-source heat pumps (SAGSHPs), a novel SAGSHP system with the heat-cascading of borehole heat-exchangers was designed and its field-test was conducted in this paper. The borehole heat-exchangers were divided into two regions: the core region and the peripheral region. The core region can maintain a high temperature (e.g. 45 ℃), which is much higher than in previous studies, and the heat from this region can be used directly, without the operation of a heat pump. The field-test was conducted in a community in the province Shandong, China. The results indicate that a sufficient soil-temperature gradient (the temperature is high in the core but low at the periphery) can be created and maintained. The monthly averaged borehole-wall-temperature difference between the borehole heat-exchangers (BHEs) at the core and the periphery can be as high as 30.1 ℃. This means that both cascaded heat-storage and heat-utilization can be realized. In addition, an average performance of CCOP=5.15 and SCOP=4.66 can be achieved. Compared with previous studies, despite the lower CCOP, a higher SCOP can be attained, thanks to heat cascade storage and -utilization. The novel approach described in this paper represents a viable alternative for space heating in North China

Efficacy and safety of Danlou tablets in traditional Chinese medicine for coronary heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDanlou tablets exert auxiliary advantages in treating coronary heart disease (CHD), but a summary of evidence-based proof is lacking. This study aims to systematically evaluate Danlou tablets in treating CHD from two aspects, including efficacy and safety.MethodsBy a thorough retrieval of the four English databases, namely, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science, and the four Chinese databases, namely, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP database, and China Biomedical Literature Service System, we found all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to Danlou tablets in treating CHD. The retrieval time was from the construction of the database to April 2022. We engaged two researchers to screen the studies, extract the required data, and assess the risk of bias. We then used RevMan5.3 and STATA.14 software to conduct a meta-analysis. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to evaluate the quality of outcome indicators.ResultsSeventeen RCTs involving 1,588 patients were included. The meta-analysis results are displayed as follows: clinical treatment effect [risk ratio (RR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 1.28, P < 0.00001], angina pectoris duration [MD = −0.2.15, 95% CI: −2.91, −1.04, P < 0.00001], angina pectoris frequency [standard mean difference (SMD) = −2.48, 95% CI: −3.42, −1.54, P < 0.00001], angina pectoris degree [SMD = −0.96, 95% CI: −1.39, −0.53, P < 0.0001], TC [MD = −0.71, 95% CI: −0.92, −0.51, P < 0.00001], TG [MD = −0.38, 95% CI: −0.53, −0.22, P < 0.00001], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [MD = −0.64, 95% CI: −0.76, −0.51, P < 0.00001], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [MD = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.21, P < 0.00001], and adverse events [RR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.88, P = 0.02].ConclusionThe current evidence suggests that the combination of Danlou tablets and Western medicine can enhance the efficacy of CHD and does not increase adverse events. However, because of the limited number and quality of the included studies, the results of our study should be treated with caution. Further large-scale RCTs are necessary to verify the benefits of this approach

IL-8 Enhances Therapeutic Effects of BMSCs on Bone Regeneration via CXCR2-Mediated PI3k/Akt Signaling Pathway

Background/Aims: Tissue engineering bone transplantation with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is an effective technology to treat massive bone loss, while molecular regulation of the bone regeneration processes remains poorly understood. Here, we aimed to assess the role of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the recruitment of host cells by seeded BMSCs and in the bone regeneration. Methods: A transwell assay was performed to examine the role of IL-8/CXCR1/CXCR2/PI3k/Akt on the migration potential of hBMSCs. The in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of hBMSCs was assessed by examination of 2 chondrogenic markers, Sox9 and type 2 collagen (COL2). mBMSCs were used in tissue engineered bone (TEB) with/without IL-8 implanted into bone defect area with CXCR2 or Akt inhibitors. Density and Masson staining of the regenerated bone were assessed. The chondrogenesis was assessed by expression levels of associated proteins, Sox9 and COL2, by RT-qPCR and by immunohistochemistry. Results: IL-8 may trigger in vitro migration of hBMSCs via CXCR2-mediated PI3k/Akt signaling pathway. IL-8 enhances osteogenesis in the TEB-implanted bone defect in mice. IL-8 induces chondrogenic differentiation of hBMSCs via CXCR2-mediated PI3k/Akt signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: IL-8 enhances therapeutic effects of MSCs on bone regeneration via CXCR2-mediated PI3k/Akt signaling pathway

The Main Influencing Factors of Customer Trust in China’s Import Cross-Border E- commerce Business Model

China’s import cross-border e-commerce (CICBEC) business model differs from other online shopping business models in both the participators and transaction processes. Government as an important participator has greatly promoted the healthy and rapid development of this business model. As a vital topic in all kinds of businesses, customer trust is also a core research topic in online shopping. Many scholars have studied customer trust in traditional online shopping while few of them focused on cross-border online shopping, let alone the CICBEC business model. The government is a new participator, whose contribution on customer trust is not clear. Also, other known variables’ influences on customer trust are still worthy of discussion. This research aims to address existing research gap by contributing to Lee and Turban (2001)’s Customer Trust in Internet Shopping (CTIS) Model and constructing a new customer trust model. A number of influencing factors of customer trust were defined and tested in this research. It shows that influencing factors from four participators, the e-retailers, e- commerce platforms, government and third-parties, have a significant correlation with customer trust. The final results show that order fulfillment, government actions, e-retailer reputation, information quality, e-commerce platform security and e-commerce platform reputation have significant influences on customer trust.

Event-Based Communication and Finite-Time Consensus Control of Mobile Sensor Networks for Environmental Monitoring

This paper deals with the problem of environmental monitoring by designing a cooperative control scheme for mobile sensor networks. The proposed cooperative control scheme includes three main modules: a wireless communication module, a direction decision module, and a motion control module. In the wireless communication module, an event-based communication rule is proposed, which means that mobile sensor nodes do not send their positions, velocities, and the data of environmental attributes to the other sensor nodes in real-time for the coordination and control of mobile sensor networks. Due to using the event-based communication rule, the communication bandwidth can be saved. In the direction decision module, a radial basis function network is used to model the monitored environment and is updated in terms of the sampled environmental data and the environmental data from the other sensor nodes by the wireless communication module. The updated environment model is used to guide the mobile sensor network to move towards the region of interest in order to efficiently model the distribution map of environmental attributes, such as temperature, salinity, and pH values for the monitored environment. In the motion control module, a finite-time consensus control approach is proposed to enable the sensor nodes to quickly change their movement directions in light of the gradient information from the environment model. As a result of using the event-based communication rule in the wireless communication module, the proposed control approach can also lower the updating times of the control signal. In particular, the proposed cooperative control scheme is still efficient under the directed wireless communication situation. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative control scheme is illustrated for the problem of environmental monitoring

Analysis of post-traumatic growth status and its influencing factors in patients with facial palsy

Abstract Background Facial nerve paralysis in patients occurs in varying degrees of self-image disorders, both physically and mentally, resulting in low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even suicide; however, there were few researches on psychological problems in facial palsy patients at home and abroad. This study’s objective was to investigate post-traumatic growth (PTG) in facial nerve palsy patients and analyze its influencing factors. Methods Using the convenience sampling method, a total of 47 patients with facial nerve paralysis were enrolled in the current study between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2017. Post-traumatic growth rating scale was utilized to investigate the post-traumatic growth of these patients, and factors influencing patients’ post-traumatic growth were analyzed through collecting the general sociological information, disease-related information, simple coping style questionnaire, and social support rating scale. Results The total score of post-traumatic growth in patients with facial nerve paralysis was mean (M) = 63.1, standard deviation (SD) = 19.14. The ranking of five dimensional scores from high to low was as follows: new possibilities, personal strength enhancement, appreciation of life, mental changes, and improvement of relationships with others. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that six variables, namely, the personality type, duration with facial nerve paralysis, and four coping styles, consisting of three types of positive coping styles and one negative coping style, could explain 71.6% of the total post-traumatic growth score. Conclusions Post-traumatic growth in facial nerve palsy patients is moderate. The personality type of patients, the disease duration, and the coping style are the primary influencing factors. Therefore, clinical staffs should perform personalized nursing protocol and psychological intervention for facial nerve palsy patients to reduce their negative mood, improve their compliance with treatment, and help them recover more rapidly

Active Fire Dynamics in the Amazon: New Perspectives From High-Resolution Satellite Observations

The Amazon region is expected to become an amplified fire-prone system, but the mechanism of fire occurrence is not fully understood. Here, we employed more than 300,000 Sentinel-2 images acquired during 2016–2019 and compiled a high-resolution inventory of active fires (AFs) over the Amazon. We found that the fire activities in the Amazon in 2019 did not stand out compared with those in 2017 as a whole. However, the number of fires increased in 2019 in the absence of an exceptional drought, suggesting increased human disturbance in the Amazon. The high-resolution AF inventory further demonstrated that over 90% of detected AFs were associated with humans clearing deforested fields on forest fringes for agricultural land expansion. Additionally, our inventory indicated that satellite sensors with coarser spatial resolution could miss considerable small fires, especially at the sensitive agriculture–forest interface, which therefore should be targeted as a priority conservation area

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy for definitive treatment of cervical cancer: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background To compare the efficacies and toxicities of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) or conventional two-dimensional radiotherapy (2D-RT) for definitive treatment of cervical cancer. Methods A meta-analysis was performed using search engines, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Elsevier. In the meta-analysis, odds ratios (ORs) were compared for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and acute and chronic toxicities. Results Included data were analysed using RevMan 5.2 software. Six studies encompassing a total of 1008 patients who received definitive treatment (IMRT = 350, 3-DCRT/2D-RT = 658) were included in the analysis. A comparison of 3-year OS and 3-year DFS revealed no significant differences between IMRT and 3D-CRT or 2D-RT (3-year OS: OR = 2.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62–9.39, p = 0.21; 3-year DFS: OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 0.69–3.01, p = 0.33). The incidence of acute gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity and genitourinary (GU) toxicity in patients who received IMRT was significantly lower than that in the control group (GI: Grade 2: OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.28–0.89, p = 0.02; Grade 3 or higher: OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.32–0.95, p = 0.03; GU: Grade 2: OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.2–0.84; p = 0.01; Grade 3 or higher: OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14–0.67, p = 0.003). Moreover, the IMRT patients experienced fewer incidences of chronic GU toxicity than did the control group (Grade 3: OR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01–0.67, p = 0.02). Conclusion IMRT and conventional radiotherapy demonstrated equivalent efficacy in terms of 3-year OS and DFS. Additionally, IMRT significantly reduced acute GI and GU toxicities as well as chronic GU toxicity in patients with cervical cancer