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A Comprehensive Evaluation of Arbitrary Image Style Transfer Methods
No full textDespite the remarkable process in the field of arbitrary image style transfer (AST), inconsistent evaluation continues to plague style transfer research. Existing methods often suffer from limited objective evaluation and inconsistent subjective feedback, hindering reliable comparisons among AST variants. In this study, we propose a multi-granularity assessment system that combines standardized objective and subjective evaluations. We collect a fine-grained dataset considering a range of image contexts such as different scenes, object complexities, and rich parsing information from multiple sources. Objective and subjective studies are conducted using the collected dataset. Specifically, we innovate on traditional subjective studies by developing an online evaluation system utilizing a combination of point-wise, pair-wise, and group-wise questionnaires. Finally, we bridge the gap between objective and subjective evaluations by examining the consistency between the results from the two studies. We experimentally evaluate CNN-based, flow-based, transformer-based, and diffusion-based AST methods by the proposed multi-granularity assessment system, which lays the foundation for a reliable and robust evaluation. Providing standardized measures, objective data, and detailed subjective feedback empowers researchers to make informed comparisons and drive innovation in this rapidly evolving field. Finally, for the collected dataset and our online evaluation system, please see http://ivc.ia.ac.cn .publishe
Gene expression reveals the pancreas of Aselli as a critical organ for plasma cell differentiation in the Eurasian common shrew
No full textBackground: Almost all mammals rely on the thymus and bone marrow to generate and differentiate B and T cells essential for adaptive immunity. A few members of the family Soricidae, or true shrews within Eulipotyphla, have also evolved an enlarged pancreas of Aselli, a kidney-sized organ hypothesized to serve this primary immune role, and whose gene expression profile is unknown.
Results: Here we introduce transcriptomes of juvenile Eurasian common shrews (Sorex araneus, family Soricidae) pancreas of Aselli. We compare these to those of the shrew spleen and chick bursa of Fabricius, an analogous, bird-specific organ, and explore differential expression overlaps with positively selected genes. Differential gene expression analyses revealed higher expression of genes that regulate the differentiation of B cells into long-term plasma cells (e.g., IRF4, XBP1, PRDM1) compared to the spleen and more convergent expression with the bursa of Fabricius than expected by chance (including IRF4). Overlaps with positive selection were as expected and included PTPRCAP, which regulates both T and B cell antigen responses and lymph node size.
Conclusions: Our results support the specialized role of the pancreas of Aselli in adaptive immunity, and we propose this uniquely enlarged organ evolved at the intersection between extreme metabolic demands and high parasite burdens in tiny yet very active shrews.publishe
The New Psychotherapist Act : A Look Back at Three Years and Examples of University Implementation in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Psychotherapy
No full textDie universitäre Klinische Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychologie und -psychotherapie (KJP) hat sich im Rahmen der Reform der Psychotherapie-Ausbildung in den letzten Jahren stark weiterentwickelt. Diese Reform und die damit einhergehende neue Approbationsordnung für Psychotherapeut_innen hat dazu geführt, dass die Lehr- und Praxisangebote für die Studierenden neu ausgerichtet und aufgestellt wurden. In diesem Beitrag teilen eine Vielzahl der gegenwärtig besetzten universitären Professuren für Klinische Kinder- und Jugendpsychologie an verschiedenen universitären Standorten in Deutschland ihre bisherigen Erfahrungen mit der Umstellung des Studiengangs und stellen sowohl Gemeinsamkeiten als auch Spezifika der Standorte bei der Umsetzung des Lehrangebots dar. Wir beschreiben die Rahmenbedingungen (Gesetz und Approbationsordnung) und stellen exemplarisch Lehrformate unter Berücksichtigung der geforderten Verfahrensvielfalt dar. Der Artikel schließt mit verbleibenden Herausforderungen, die das Feld in den nächsten Jahren beschäftigen werden.publishe
Wild bonobos experience unusually low bone resorption during early lactation relative to humans and other mammals
No full textIn mammals, pregnancy and lactation are marked by calcium stress and bone resorption, leading to reduced bone mineral density. In humans, these periods may partly explain the higher prevalence of osteoporosis in older women compared with men, but lactation patterns in modern humans may reflect cultural influences rather than natural conditions. The extent to which these findings apply to wild-living mammals remains unknown. We measured urinary C-terminal crosslinking telopeptide of Type I collagen (CTX-I) levels, a bone resorption marker, during pregnancy in wild and zoo-housed bonobos (Pan paniscus) and during lactation in wild bonobos. Studying wild-living primates such as bonobos can provide insights into ancestral reproductive adaptations. We found an increase in CTX-I levels towards the end of pregnancy in zoo-housed and primiparous wild females. Contrary to expectations, CTX-I levels during early lactation are lower than in other reproductive phases. This pattern diverges from the assumption that lactation increases bone resorption. Our findings suggest that wild bonobos may use physiological or behavioral strategies to modulate bone metabolism during lactation. These adaptations, shaped in natural environments, provide insight into evolutionary pressures on skeletal health and may inform strategies to mitigate bone loss in humans.publishe
Comprehending non-canonical and indirect speech acts in German
No full textIn this paper, we compare the comprehension of the speech act meaning of non-canonical speech acts (i.e., rhetorical questions and surprise-disapproval questions) with the comprehension of indirect speech acts (i.e., indirect requests). Both speech act types are ‘mixed’ in the sense that they involve secondary and primary illocutionary forces, but our hypothesis is that they differ in their degree of how salient their primary illocutionary force is: On the one hand, the primary illocution is signaled by non-contextual cues (non-canonical speech acts); on the other hand, it is derived via pragmatic inferencing (indirect speech acts). We thus expect their comprehension processes to be different. We conducted a judgment experiment to test whether both speech act types differ regarding how accurate the primary illocutionary force is identified and regarding how fast that force can be identified. Our results suggest that non-canonical speech acts and indirect speech acts are indeed two distinct pragmatic and psychological phenomena: While non-canonical speech acts are more accurately identified with their primary illocutionary force than indirect speech acts, participants need more time to perform this identification for non-canonical speech acts than for indirect speech acts. Our findings shed new light on the mapping between linguistic form and illocutionary force and on the pragmatic typology of speech acts in general.publishe
A social network perspective on social cues for COVID risk perception
No full textLay perceptions of risks are often at odds with their empirical assessments, particularly regarding risks of peers. Going beyond only considering perceived peer risks, this study explored whether the actual social environment of a person informs their individual COVID risk perception. A cohort of Psychology freshmen (N = 88; academic year 2021/22) was surveyed about their COVID infection status in the past year, prevalence estimates within their cohort, and their social relationships. They were further queried on their expected susceptibility for a COVID infection within the forthcoming month and the potential severity of such an infection. Average student estimation of 1-year prevalence rates (71.8%) were in line with the self-reported prevalence of the cohort (69.8%, p = .110) and took infection prevalence in their social circle into account (β = 0.24, p = .025). This social circle prevalence also contributed to the individual assessment of COVID susceptibility (β = 0.24, p = .031), but not the severity of the disease (β = 0.05, p = .671). These results indicate that the perception of prevalence among peers is not necessarily biased and that social cues of prevalence in the environment are considered when estimating individual susceptibility.publishe
Preventing physical and emotional violence by teachers in public schools in Pakistan : study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the intervention Interaction Competencies with Children – for Teachers (ICC-T)
No full textBackground: Violence can have serious short- and long-term impacts on children and young people`s health, development and well-being. On a societal level, it represents a considerable obstacle to economic growth and advancement by lowering human and social capital. Since many children worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries, experience violence by teachers at school, there is an urgent need for efficacious and scalable interventions to prevent violence by teachers and improve teacher-student interactions. To this end, the present study examines the effectiveness of the intervention Interaction Competencies with Children – for Teachers (ICC-T) to reduce physical and emotional violence by teachers.
Methods: The study adopts a cluster-randomized controlled trial design with schools (clusters) as level of randomization and three data assessment points: baseline assessment prior to the intervention, the first follow-up assessment 6 months after the intervention and the second follow-up assessment 18 months after the intervention. Across four different sites in Pakistan, a total number of 48 public single-gender high schools (24 girls’ and 24 boys’ schools) are randomly selected. After baseline assessment, half of the schools are randomly allocated to the intervention group, in which teachers at selected schools receive ICC-T, and the other half to the control group, in which teachers receive no intervention. At each school, 30 students in the sixth year of school and all teachers (expected average number: 15) are recruited. Thus, the final sample comprises at least 1300 students and 720 teachers. Data are collected through structured interviews, standardized cognitive tests and school records. Primary outcome measures are student- and teacher-reported physical and emotional violence by teachers in the past week. Secondary outcome measures include teachers’ attitudes towards violence and children’s mental health problems, quality of life and cognitive functioning. Other outcomes are students’ academic performance and peer violence. Data will be analyzed using multilevel analyses.
Discussion: This study aims to provide initial evidence of the effects of ICC-T on children’s exposure to violence at schools, their well-being and functioning in the context of Pakistan.
Trial registration: The clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov, 2024) under the identifier NCT06001554 (Preventing Physical and Emotional Violence by Teachers in Public Schools in Pakistan (ICC-T_Pak), 2023) on August 21st, 2023.publishe
Zugangswissen und Zugangsarbeit : Über Potenziale und Barrieren der digitalen Zusammenarbeit
No full textDer Beitrag geht der Frage nach, wie mediale Teilhabe von Menschen mit unterschiedlichen Behinderungen – etwa im beruflichen Kontext – ermöglicht oder verhindert wird. Untersuchungsgegenstand sind digitale Kommunikationspraktiken im Kontext von Videokonferenzen während der Coronapandemie. Ausgehend von der These, dass Be_hinderung bewusst oder unbewusst in digitale Technologien eingebaut und somit durch sie gesellschaftlich konstruiert wird, nehmen wir in den Blick, wie digitale Zusammenarbeit auf Distanz durch die Pandemie zwar massiv ausgebaut wurde, jedoch oftmals digitale Barrieren einzog. Mit unserer Analyse zeigen wir, wie wertvoll das Erfahrungswissen von Menschen mit Behinderungen sowie ein Verständnis ihrer Umgehungslösungen (Workarounds) sind. Zugleich machen wir darauf aufmerksam, wie selten dieses Expert*innenwissen in der technischen Realisierung Berücksichtigung findet.
Die Untersuchung an der Schnittstelle von Medienwissenschaft, Autoethnographie und Designtheorie schlägt eine Rekonzeptualisierung des Konzepts der Zugänglichkeit vor, die am Beispiel von Videokonferenzen eine fortlaufende kollaborative, kooperative (Schüttpelz und Gießmann 2015) Anstrengung beschreibt und dabei relevantes Zugangswissen und Zugangsarbeit (Hamraie 2018) umfasst. Beides setzt sich, so demonstriert der Beitrag, aus situierten Umgehungslösungen, individuellen Hacks und Improvisationen zusammen, die das produktive, innovative Potenzial einer Zusammenführung von Menschen mit Behinderungen, sensorischen Praktiken, Erfahrungen und digitalen Medien offenlegen.
Die Teilhabe von Menschen mit Behinderungen in Gestaltungsprozessen von Technologie ist oft unzureichend, was zu einer Vernachlässigung ihrer Bedürfnisse führen kann. Zugänglichkeit erfordert zugleich kontinuierliche kollaborative Anstrengungen und beinhaltet Zugangswissen und Zugangsarbeit. Es zeigt sich umso mehr, dass Nutzer*innen eine aktivere Rolle in Gestaltungsprozessen zukommen sollte. Workarounds und Hacks erweisen sich dabei als wertvolle Informationsquellen für Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprozesse.publishe
Modelling singularities in macroevolution
No full textMacroevolutionary dynamics often display sudden, explosive surges, where systems remain relatively stable for extended periods before experiencing dramatic acceleration that frequently exceeds traditional exponential growth. This pattern is evident in biological evolution, cultural shifts, and technological progress and is often referred to as the emergence of singularities. Despite their widespread occurrence, these explosions arise from distinct underlying mechanisms in different domains. In this context, we present a unified framework that captures these dynamics through a theory of combinatorial innovation. Building on the Theory of the Adjacent Possible, we model macroevolutionary change as a process driven by recombining pre-existing elements within a system. By formalising these qualitative insights, we provide a mathematical structure that explains the emergence of these explosive phenomena, facilitates comparisons across different systems, and enables predictive insights into future evolutionary trajectories. Moreover, by comparing discrete and continuous formalisations of the theory, we emphasise that the occurrence and observation of these presumed singularities should be carefully considered, as they arise from the continuous limit of inherently discrete models.publishe