SGDiff: A Style Guided Diffusion Model for Fashion Synthesis

This paper reports on the development of \textbf{a novel style guided diffusion model (SGDiff)} which overcomes certain weaknesses inherent in existing models for image synthesis. The proposed SGDiff combines image modality with a pretrained text-to-image diffusion model to facilitate creative fashion image synthesis. It addresses the limitations of text-to-image diffusion models by incorporating supplementary style guidance, substantially reducing training costs, and overcoming the difficulties of controlling synthesized styles with text-only inputs. This paper also introduces a new dataset -- SG-Fashion, specifically designed for fashion image synthesis applications, offering high-resolution images and an extensive range of garment categories. By means of comprehensive ablation study, we examine the application of classifier-free guidance to a variety of conditions and validate the effectiveness of the proposed model for generating fashion images of the desired categories, product attributes, and styles. The contributions of this paper include a novel classifier-free guidance method for multi-modal feature fusion, a comprehensive dataset for fashion image synthesis application, a thorough investigation on conditioned text-to-image synthesis, and valuable insights for future research in the text-to-image synthesis domain. The code and dataset are available at: \url{https://github.com/taited/SGDiff}.Comment: Accepted by ACM MM'2

Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program into the Community The DEPLOY Pilot Study

Background The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) found that an intensive lifestyle intervention can reduce the development of diabetes by more than half in adults with prediabetes, but there is little information about the feasibility of offering such an intervention in community settings. This study evaluated the delivery of a group-based DPP lifestyle intervention in partnership with the YMCA. Methods This pilot cluster-randomized trial was designed to compare group-based DPP lifestyle intervention delivery by the YMCA to brief counseling alone (control) in adults who attended a diabetes risk-screening event at one of two semi-urban YMCA facilities and who had a BMI ≥24 kg/m2, ≥2 diabetes risk factors, and a random capillary blood glucose of 110–199 mg/dL. Multivariate regression was used to compare between-group differences in changes in body weight, blood pressures, HbA1c, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol after 6 and 12 months. Results Among 92 participants, controls were more often women (61% vs 50%) and of nonwhite race (29% vs 7%). After 6 months, body weight decreased by 6.0% (95% CI=4.7, 7.3) in intervention participants and 2.0% (95% CI=0.6, 3.3) in controls (p<0.001; difference between groups). Intervention participants also had greater changes in total cholesterol (–22 mg/dL vs +6 mg/dL controls; p<0.001). These differences were sustained after 12 months, and adjustment for differences in race and gender did not alter these findings. With only two matched YMCA sites, it was not possible to adjust for potential clustering by site. Conclusions The YMCA may be a promising channel for wide-scale dissemination of a low-cost approach to lifestyle diabetes prevention

Root vacuolar Na+ sequestration but not exclusion from uptake correlates with barley salt tolerance.

SummarySoil salinity is a major constraint for the global agricultural production. For many decades, Na+ exclusion from uptake has been the key trait targeted in breeding programs; yet, no major breakthrough in creating salt‐tolerant germplasm was achieved. In this work, we have combined the microelectrode ion flux estimation (MIFE) technique for non‐invasive ion flux measurements with confocal fluorescence dye imaging technique to screen 45 accessions of barley to reveal the relative contribution of Na+ exclusion from the cytosol to the apoplast and its vacuolar sequestration in the root apex, for the overall salinity stress tolerance. We show that Na+/H+ antiporter‐mediated Na+ extrusion from the root plays a minor role in the overall salt tolerance in barley. At the same time, a strong and positive correlation was found between root vacuolar Na+ sequestration ability and the overall salt tolerance. The inability of salt‐sensitive genotypes to sequester Na+ in root vacuoles was in contrast to significantly higher expression levels of both HvNHX1 tonoplast Na+/H+ antiporters and HvVP1 H+‐pumps compared with tolerant genotypes. These data are interpreted as a failure of sensitive varieties to prevent Na+ back‐leak into the cytosol and existence of a futile Na+ cycle at the tonoplast. Taken together, our results demonstrated that root vacuolar Na+ sequestration but not exclusion from uptake played the main role in barley salinity tolerance, and suggested that the focus of the breeding programs should be shifted from targeting genes mediating Na+ exclusion from uptake by roots to more efficient root vacuolar Na+ sequestration

Critical roles of PTPN family members regulated by non-coding RNAs in tumorigenesis and immunotherapy

Since tyrosine phosphorylation is reversible and dynamic in vivo, the phosphorylation state of proteins is controlled by the opposing roles of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPs), both of which perform critical roles in signal transduction. Of these, intracellular non-receptor PTPs (PTPNs), which belong to the largest class I cysteine PTP family, are essential for the regulation of a variety of biological processes, including but not limited to hematopoiesis, inflammatory response, immune system, and glucose homeostasis. Additionally, a substantial amount of PTPNs have been identified to hold crucial roles in tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance, and inhibitors of PTPNs have promising applications due to striking efficacy in antitumor therapy. Hence, the aim of this review is to summarize the role played by PTPNs, including PTPN1/PTP1B, PTPN2/TC-PTP, PTPN3/PTP-H1, PTPN4/PTPMEG, PTPN6/SHP-1, PTPN9/PTPMEG2, PTPN11/SHP-2, PTPN12/PTP-PEST, PTPN13/PTPL1, PTPN14/PEZ, PTPN18/PTP-HSCF, PTPN22/LYP, and PTPN23/HD-PTP, in human cancer and immunotherapy and to comprehensively describe the molecular pathways in which they are implicated. Given the specific roles of PTPNs, identifying potential regulators of PTPNs is significant for understanding the mechanisms of antitumor therapy. Consequently, this work also provides a review on the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating PTPNs in tumorigenesis and progression, which may help us to find effective therapeutic agents for tumor therapy

Presence of CP4-EPSPS Component in Roundup Ready Soybean-Derived Food Products

With the widespread use of Roundup Ready soya (event 40-3-2) (RRS), the traceability of transgenic components, especially protein residues, in different soya-related foodstuffs has become an important issue. In this report, transgenic components in commercial soya (including RRS) protein concentrates were firstly detected by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot. The results illustrated the different degradation patterns of the cp4-epsps gene and corresponding protein in RRS-derived protein concentrates. Furthermore, western blot was applied to investigate the single factor of food processing and the matrix on the disintegration of CP4-EPSPS protein in RRS powder and soya-derived foodstuffs, and trace the degradation patterns during the food production chain. Our results suggested that the exogenous full length of CP4-EPSPS protein in RRS powder was distinctively sensitive to various heat treatments, including heat, microwave and autoclave (especially), and only one degradation fragment (23.4 kD) of CP4-EPSPS protein was apparently observed when autoclaving was applied. By tracing the protein degradation during RRS-related products, including tofu, tou-kan, and bean curd sheets, however, four degradation fragments (42.9, 38.2, 32.2 and 23.4 kD) were displayed, suggesting that both boiling and bittern adding procedures might have extensive effects on CP4-EPSPS protein degradation. Our results thus confirmed that the distinctive residues of the CP4-EPSPS component could be traced in RRS-related foodstuffs

Perceptions toward antiretroviral therapy and delayed ART initiation among people living with HIV in Changsha, China: mediating effects of treatment willingness

IntroductionDelayed antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is associated with poor HIV outcomes and a higher likelihood of HIV transmission.MethodsThis cross-sectional study assessed the proportion of delayed ART initiation which was defined as initiating ART after 30 days of HIV diagnosis, and evaluated the pathways influencing ART initiation among adult PLWH in Changsha, China who were diagnosed between 2014 and 2022.ResultsOf 518 participants, 37.8% delayed in initiating ART. Based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA), delayed initiation was indirectly associated with perceptions toward ART through the mediating pathway of patients’ treatment willingness, with treatment willingness significantly being the full mediator.DiscussionThe findings may guide the development of interventions to improve timely uptake of ART in people who are newly diagnosed with HIV

A Randomized Trial of Two Print Interventions to Increase Colon Cancer Screening Among First-Degree Relatives

First-degree relatives (FDRs) of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) have a two- to threefold increased risk of developing the same disease. Tailored print interventions based on behavior change theories have demonstrated considerable promise in facilitating health-promoting behaviors. This study compared the impact of two mailed print interventions on CRC screening outcomes among FDRs. Methods This randomized trial compared effects of two mailed print interventions – one tailored and one nontailored – on participation in CRC screening among FDRs of CRC survivors. Data collected via phone interviews from 140 FDRs at baseline, 1 week post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. Results At 3 months, both the tailored and nontailored interventions yielded modest but statistically insignificant increases in adherence to any CRC screening test (14% vs. 21%, respectively; p = 0.30). While there were no main effects for tailored versus nontailored interventions, there were significant interactions that showed that the tailored print intervention had significantly greater effects on forward stage movement for CRC screening depending on stage of adoption at baseline, race, and objective CRC risk. Receipt of the tailored intervention was 2.5 times more likely to move baseline precontemplators and contemplators forward in stage of adoption for colonoscopy (95% CI: 1.10–5.68) and was three times more likely to move Caucasians forward in stage of adoption for FOBT (95% CI: 1.00–9.07). In addition, the tailored intervention was 7.7 times more likely to move people at average risk forward in stage of adoption for colonoscopy (95% CI: 1.25–47.75). Conclusion The tailored print intervention was more effective at moving Caucasians, those in precontemplation and contemplation at baseline, and those at average risk forward in their stage of adoption for CRC screening. Practice implications Both tailored and nontailored print interventions showed moderate effects for increasing CRC screening participation. Tailored print interventions may be more effective for certain subgroups

Multivariate Exponentially Weighted Moving Average Control Chart for Monitoring Process Variability

and DSD-chart. Furthermore, the EWMA M-chart and V-chart can be plotted in one single figure. As for monitoring both process mean and process variability, the combined MEWMA and EWMA V-charts provide the best control procedure

The vital role of hole-carriers for superconductivity in pressurized black phosphorus

The influence of carrier type on superconductivity has been an important issue for understanding both conventional and unconventional superconductors [1-7]. For elements that superconduct, it is known that hole-carriers govern the superconductivity for transition and main group metals [8-10]. The role of hole-carriers in elements that are not normally conducting but can be converted to superconductors, however, remains unclear due to the lack of experimental data. Here we report the first in-situ high pressure Hall effect measurements on single crystal black phosphorus, measured up to ~ 50 GPa, and find a correlation between the Hall coefficient and the superconducting transition temperature (TC). Our results reveal that hole-carriers play a vital role in developing superconductivity and enhancing TC. Importantly, we also find a Lifshitz transition in the high-pressure cubic phase at ~17.2GPa, which uncovers the origin of a puzzling valley in the superconducting TC-pressure phase diagram. These results offer insight into the role of hole-carriers in developing superconductivity in simple semiconducting solids under pressure.Comment: 9 pages anf 3 figure