ITportrait: Image-Text Coupled 3D Portrait Domain Adaptation

Domain adaptation of 3D portraits has gained more and more attention. However, the transfer mechanism of existing methods is mainly based on vision or language, which ignores the potential of vision-language combined guidance. In this paper, we propose a vision-language coupled 3D portraits domain adaptation framework, namely Image and Text portrait (ITportrait). ITportrait relies on a two-stage alternating training strategy. In the first stage, we employ a 3D Artistic Paired Transfer (APT) method for image-guided style transfer. APT constructs paired photo-realistic portraits to obtain accurate artistic poses, which helps ITportrait to achieve high-quality 3D style transfer. In the second stage, we propose a 3D Image-Text Embedding (ITE) approach in the CLIP space. ITE uses a threshold function to adaptively control the optimization direction of image or text in the CLIP space. Comprehensive quantitative and qualitative results show that our ITportrait achieves state-of-the-art (SOTA) results and benefits downstream tasks. All source codes and pre-trained models will be released to the public

Proposal of a design pattern for embedding the concept of social forces in human centric simulation models

There exist many papers that explain the social force model and its application for modelling pedestrian dynamics. None of these papers, however, explains how to implement the social force model in order to use it for systems simulation studies. In this paper we propose a design pattern (reusable template) that supports the implementation of the social force model within an artificial lab to run experiments for human centric systems. It allows considering not only people but also static and moveable markups. We demonstrate how to implement the design pattern in two commonly used agent-based modelling packages, Repast Simphony and AnyLogic. For this we use an illustrative example from the Adaptive Architecture domain. Both packages require a slightly different implementation strategy, due to the API constraints they provide. Overall, we found that the design pattern provides very helpful guidance when working on the individual solutions for the different packages

U-model-based two-degree-of-freedom internal model control of nonlinear dynamic systems

This paper proposes a U-Model-Based Two-Degree-of-Freedom Internal Model Control (UTDF-IMC) structure with strength in nonlinear dynamic inversion, and separation of tracking design and robustness design. This approach can effectively accommodate modeling error and disturbance while removing those widely used linearization techniques for nonlinear plants/processes. To assure the expansion and applications, it analyses the key properties associated with the UTDF-IMC. For initial benchmark testing, computational experiments are conducted using MATLAB/Simulink for two mismatched linear and nonlinear plants. Further tests consider an industrial system, in which the IMC of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) is simulated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the design procedure for potential industrial applications

Causal effects from inflammatory bowel disease on liver function and disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundAccumulating evidence has shown that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have liver function abnormalities and are susceptible to liver diseases. However, the existence of a causal relationship between IBD and liver function or disease remains unclear.MethodsA two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using genetic associations from publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS). These associations encompass ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD), liver function traits, and liver disease phenotypes. The liver function traits comprised hepatic biochemistries, percent liver fat, and liver iron content from the UK Biobank. Furthermore, the liver disease phenotypes included cholelithiasis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in cohorts of European ancestry. The primary estimation used the inverse-variance weighted method, with GWAS of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the UK Biobank serving as a positive control outcome.ResultsGenetically predicted UC is causally associated with decreased levels of albumin (ALB) and liver iron content, while genetically predicted CD is causally associated with increased levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Moreover, genetically predicted UC or CD increases the risk of PSC, and CD increases the risk of PBC. Neither UC nor CD causally increases the risk of cholelithiasis and NAFLD.ConclusionUC affects the levels of ALB and liver iron content, while CD affects the levels of ALP. Both UC and CD increase the risk of PSC, and CD increases the risk of PBC

MALT1 regulates Th2 and Th17 differentiation via NF-κB and JNK pathways, as well as correlates with disease activity and treatment outcome in rheumatoid arthritis

ObjectiveMALT1 regulates immunity and inflammation in multiple ways, while its role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is obscure. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of MALT1 with disease features, treatment outcome, as well as its effect on Th1/2/17 cell differentiation and underlying molecule mechanism in RA.MethodsTotally 147 RA patients were enrolled. Then their blood Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells were detected by flow cytometry. Besides, PBMC MALT1 expression was detected before treatment (baseline), at week (W) 6, W12, and W24. PBMC MALT1 in 30 osteoarthritis patients and 30 health controls were also detected. Then, blood CD4+ T cells were isolated from RA patients, followed by MALT1 overexpression or knockdown lentivirus transfection and Th1/2/17 polarization assay. In addition, IMD 0354 (NF-κB antagonist) and SP600125 (JNK antagonist) were also added to treat CD4+ T cells.ResultsMALT1 was increased in RA patients compared to osteoarthritis patients and healthy controls. Meanwhile, MALT1 positively related to CRP, ESR, DAS28 score, Th17 cells, negatively linked with Th2 cells, but did not link with other features or Th1 cells in RA patients. Notably, MALT1 decreased longitudinally during treatment, whose decrement correlated with RA treatment outcome (treatment response, low disease activity, or disease remission). In addition, MALT1 overexpression promoted Th17 differentiation, inhibited Th2 differentiation, less affected Th1 differentiation, activated NF-κB and JNK pathways in RA CD4+ T cells; while MALT1 knockdown exhibited the opposite effect. Besides, IMD 0354 and SP600125 addition attenuated MALT1’s effect on Th2 and Th17 differentiation.ConclusionMALT1 regulates Th2 and Th17 differentiation via NF-κB and JNK pathways, as well as correlates with disease activity and treatment outcome in RA

Monocarboxylate transporter upregulation in induced regulatory T cells promotes resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BackgroundProgrammed cell death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitors are not effective in treating all patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and regulatory T cells (Tregs) may determine the resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy.MethodsPatients were divided into two groups based on the clinical efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy. Flow cytometry was used to determine the phenotype of CD4+, CD8+, and Tregs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). CD4+CD45RA+T cells were sorted to analyze Treg differentiation and function.ResultsNo significant differences were found between resistant and sensitive patients in the percentage of CD4+ T cells and Tregs in PBMCs or the differentiation and function of induced Tregs (iTregs). However, iTregs from resistant patients presented higher monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) expression. Lactate induced more iTregs and improved OXPHOS levels in the resistant group. MCT1 and MCT2 were highly expressed in tumor-infiltrating Tregs, and patients with higher MCT1 expression had worse clinical outcomes. Combinatorial therapy with MCT antibody and anti-PD-1 therapy effectively inhibited tumor growth.ConclusionMCT and its downstream lactate signal in Tregs can confer anti-PD-1 resistance and may be a marker of poor prognosis in HCC

Magic auxeticity angle of graphene

Solids exhibit transverse shrinkage when they are stretched, except auxetics that abnormally demonstrate lateral expansion instead. Graphene possesses the unique normal-auxeticity (NA) transition when it is stretched along the armchair direction but not along the zigzag direction. Here we report on the anisotropic temperature-dependent NA transitions in strained graphene using molecular dynamics simulations. The critical strain where the NA transition occurs increases with respect to an increase in the tilt angle deviating from armchair direction upon uniaxial loading. The magic angle for the NA transition is 10.9°, beyond which the critical strain is close to fracture strain. In addition, the critical strain decreases with an increasing temperature when the tilt angle is smaller than the NA magic angle. Our results shed lights on the unprecedented nonlinear dimensional response of graphene to the large mechanical loading at various temperatures