StyleFlow: Attribute-conditioned Exploration of StyleGAN-Generated Images using Conditional Continuous Normalizing Flows

High-quality, diverse, and photorealistic images can now be generated by unconditional GANs (e.g., StyleGAN). However, limited options exist to control the generation process using (semantic) attributes while still preserving the quality of the output. Further, due to the entangled nature of the GAN latent space, performing edits along one attribute can easily result in unwanted changes along other attributes. In this article, in the context of conditional exploration of entangled latent spaces, we investigate the two sub-problems of attribute-conditioned sampling and attribute-controlled editing. We present StyleFlow as a simple, effective, and robust solution to both the sub-problems by formulating conditional exploration as an instance of conditional continuous normalizing flows in the GAN latent space conditioned by attribute features. We evaluate our method using the face and the car latent space of StyleGAN, and demonstrate fine-grained disentangled edits along various attributes on both real photographs and StyleGAN generated images. For example, for faces, we vary camera pose, illumination variation, expression, facial hair, gender, and age. Finally, via extensive qualitative and quantitative comparisons, we demonstrate the superiority of StyleFlow over prior and several concurrent works. Project Page and Video: https://rameenabdal.github.io/StyleFlow

EVALUATING THE LEVELS OF OXIDATIVE DNA DAMAGE IN HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES IN RESPONSE TO CAFFEINE USING COMET ASSAY (SINGLE CELL GEL ELECTROPHORESIS)

Objectives: Caffeine asin (coffee, cola, and tea) is the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. The current study aims to evaluate the effects of caffeine in different concentrations on human cultured peripheral lymphocytes, in healthy individuals, using comet assay. The extent of DNA damage reflects a balance between oxidative stress (the presence of hydrogen peroxide H2O2 as a reactive oxygen species ROS), and DNA repair ability (the presence of anti-oxidant may be caffeine substances at known concentrations). This is an important method to prevent and avoid many cancerous diseases in an era of various pollutants.Methods: Ten milliliters of venous blood samples were collected from 40 healthy young individuals, and lymphocyte cultures were set up after lymphocyte isolation with ficoll centrifugation. The mixture of lymphocytes culture media was incubated in the sterile incubator for 5 min after adding serial concentrations of caffeine (100, 500, 5000, 10000) µg/ml, as(group1,2,3,4 respectively) to 5% H2O2. The levels of oxidative DNA damage were expressed as comet tail length.Results: At concentration 100 ug/ml, there was a significant elevation in the mean comet tail length level in cultured lymphocytes treated with hydrogen peroxide (106.96 µm) compared with the treated with All (mixture of caffeine, and H2O2), 6.670 µm.Conclusion: We've concluded that a caffeine concentration of 100 µg/ml possesses the strongest anti-oxidant properties and causes much less DNA damage in lymphocytic culture when exposed to hydrogen peroxide.Keywords: Oxidative DNA damage, Comet assay, Lymphocyte, Hydrogen peroxid

LEARN: A multi-centre, cross-sectional evaluation of Urology teaching in UK medical schools

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the status of UK undergraduate urology teaching against the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Undergraduate Syllabus for Urology. Secondary objectives included evaluating the type and quantity of teaching provided, the reported performance rate of General Medical Council (GMC)-mandated urological procedures, and the proportion of undergraduates considering urology as a career. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LEARN was a national multicentre cross-sectional study. Year 2 to Year 5 medical students and FY1 doctors were invited to complete a survey between 3rd October and 20th December 2020, retrospectively assessing the urology teaching received to date. Results are reported according to the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). RESULTS: 7,063/8,346 (84.6%) responses from all 39 UK medical schools were included; 1,127/7,063 (16.0%) were from Foundation Year (FY) 1 doctors, who reported that the most frequently taught topics in undergraduate training were on urinary tract infection (96.5%), acute kidney injury (95.9%) and haematuria (94.4%). The most infrequently taught topics were male urinary incontinence (59.4%), male infertility (52.4%) and erectile dysfunction (43.8%). Male and female catheterisation on patients as undergraduates was performed by 92.1% and 73.0% of FY1 doctors respectively, and 16.9% had considered a career in urology. Theory based teaching was mainly prevalent in the early years of medical school, with clinical skills teaching, and clinical placements in the later years of medical school. 20.1% of FY1 doctors reported no undergraduate clinical attachment in urology. CONCLUSION: LEARN is the largest ever evaluation of undergraduate urology teaching. In the UK, teaching seemed satisfactory as evaluated by the BAUS undergraduate syllabus. However, many students report having no clinical attachments in Urology and some newly qualified doctors report never having inserted a catheter, which is a GMC mandated requirement. We recommend a greater emphasis on undergraduate clinical exposure to urology and stricter adherence to GMC mandated procedures

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Evaluation of DMFT and CPITN Indices among Users of Various Drugs

BACKGROUND Addiction, in addition to social and economic problems, can cause serious oral health complications and impose huge costs of treatment and elimination of oral health problems among addicts. The present study was conducted to investigate DMFT and CPITN indices among drug users in Ilam's addiction treatment center. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study, conducted in Ilam's addiction treatment centers and all patients who visited the centers for drug rehabilitation for one month were closely examined and studied. Clinical examinations were performed by the dentist in order to evaluate DMFT and CPITN indices. The collected data was analysed by SPSS version 18. ANOVA and t-student were used to examine the individual information and oral indices. RESULTS Most of the patients were aged between 30 to 40 years and their mean age was 42.16 +/- 5.6; the youngest subject was 20 and the eldest was 77 years old, who were addicted to marijuana and opium. 197 (97.5) male and 5 (2.5) female subjects were studied. 130 patients (64.5) were addicted to opium, 26 (12.8) to heroine, 20 (9.9), 11 (5.4) to crack 15 (7.4) were addicted to marijuana. 147 (73) of addicts had dyspepsia and 98 (48.5) had severe dental sensitivity. Temporomandibular joint disorders were observed in 84 (42) patients; severe gingival bleeding was observed in 42 cases. The mean DMFT index turned out to be 15.8 in this study. Drug users in this study had an inappropriate oral and dental health status. CONCLUSIONS Proper oral health and preventive dental care interventions are strongly recommended in treatment centers