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Face sketch synthesis is a technique utilized to convert real face images into artistic sketches, which holds vast potential within criminal investigation and entertainment. The existing methods usually train the generation models on the paired face photo-sketch datasets, which are challenging to acquire. Moreover, their results usually produce blurring, artifacts, and structural distortion, leading to inferior visual effects. To solve the above issues, we propose a semi-supervised Transformer-based adversarial network for face sketch synthesis, which can be trained on unpaired datasets. In the network, the Transformer encoder structure is modified with the adaptive window attention (AWA) to better extract local and global facial features while minimizing computational complexity. A Transformer-based feature fusion module is used to fuse the extracted features. In addition, a detail extractor module is designed by Laplacian operators to effectively preserve the detail information of the face photo images to the face sketch images. In the detail extractor module, we introduce a mask operation to remove the textures that do not exist in the original face photo images. Experimental results on the CUHK, AR, XM2VTS, and CUFSF datasets showcase the excellent subjective and objective performance of the proposed face sketch synthesis method compared to current state-of-the-art methods. • A semi-supervised Transformer-based face sketch synthesis method is proposed. • An improved Transformer-based encoder module is designed to extract face features. • A Laplacian-based detail extractor is proposed to preserve face details accurately. • Numerous experiment results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes mediate cellular communications in cancer by transmitting active molecules. However, the CAFs-derived molecular determinants that regulate esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) metastasis have not been fully characterized. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential roles of exosomal LINC01410 of ESCC cells. The characteristics of exosomes were identified using transmission electron microscope (TEM), Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA). The expression of LINC01410 and miR-122–5p was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay. The biological roles of LINC01410 in ESCC cells were investigated using transwell assay. Western blot assay was employed to detect protein levels. The potential downstream molecular mechanism of LINC01410 was demonstrated with dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay and RNA pull down. CAFs promote the metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ESCC cells. CAFs exert their roles by transferring exosomes to ESCC cells, leading to a significant increase of LINC01410 level in ESCC cells. Mechanically, LINC01410 secreted by CAFs-Exo could contribute to metastasis and EMT by sponging miR-122–5p and increasing PKM2 level in TE-1 and Eca-109 cells. Additionally, LINC01410/miR-122–5p/PKM2 axis affecting ESCC metastasis and EMT in vitro and in vivo. • CAFs promote metastasis and EMT of ESCC cells. • CAF-derived exosomes promote metastasis and EMT of ESCC. • Exosomal deliver LINC01410 essentially for metastasis and EMT of ESCC. • LINC01410/miR-122–5p/PKM2 axis regulates ESCC metastasis and EMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion on cropland is a result of the interaction between nature and human activities. The socioeconomic influencing factors of soil erosion have been less studied than the biophysical processes and previous studies have mainly focused on the impacts of local socioeconomic factors on soil erosion in the same region. However, since agricultural activities are densely connected to other socio-economic activities, the need for agricultural products from distant regions could potentially drive local soil erosion accompanying agricultural production. To the best of our knowledge, these telecoupling effects have not been studied. Here, we combined the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and multiregional input-output analysis (MRIO) models to quantify the contribution of China's cross-provincial economic demand to local soil erosion at the provincial, sectoral, and supply chain levels. Our results show that a large amount of soil erosion in the southwest, northeast, and central regions is linked to the economic needs across provinces. Agriculture and food processing are the most important distant driving sectors. The driving effect of household consumption on soil erosion mainly occurs on shorter supply chains, while exports and capital formation drive soil erosion through longer chains. Our results indicate that local soil erosion management must consider the impact of distant agricultural product needs and coordinate food production and supply on a national scale to protect the ecological function of the land. [Display omitted] • Cropland soil erosion was linked to a multi-regional input-output table. • 28.19% of cropland soil erosion was driven by distant final demand. • Ten provinces had more than 1/4 of their soil erosion driven by other provinces' consumption. • Agriculture, Food Processing, and Construction contributed 72.28% telecouped erosion. • The telecoupled share increases along supply chains from 19.60% (tier 0) to 33.70% (tier 6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) emissions cause non-negligible damage to human health and well-being. Effective regional cooperation is urgently required to mitigate PAHs emissions to maintain satisfactory air quality. This study quantified and tracked China's PAHs emissions flows embodied in interprovincial trade. A production-based emissions inventory of 16 U.S. EPA priority PAHs based on commercial energy consumption in China in 2012 was compiled using the emissions factor approach. Then, a multiregional input-output model was constructed to reveal consumption-based emissions and to track the PAHs emissions embodied in the trade of 27 major sectors across 30 regions in China. Key structural paths were also identified using structural path analysis (SPA). In 2012, the total industrial energy-derived PAHs emissions were estimated to be 47.7 tons of BaP-toxic equivalents (8032.7 tons of mass). Shandong, Hebei, and Hubei accounted for more than 24.0% of the production-side PAHs emissions in the whole country. Approximately 30.8% of China's PAHs emissions were embodied in goods consumed outside of the province in which they were produced. PAHs flow tended to start in the western regions and ended in the eastern regions along the coast. The results of the SPA showed that critical paths, such as from the Metallurgy sector to the Construction sector, embodied a large amount of emissions and had the potential to affect the performance of the entire system. By paying attention to the consumption-based accounting as well as the production-based accounting of emissions and by focusing on vital transfer paths, policymakers can devise effective and targeted environmental protection and sustainable development policies in China. • PBA and CBA of PAHs emissions were constructed to show a geographical disparity. • Construction and Other Service were key sectors driving embodied emissions. • Metallurgy, Transportation and Coal Mining were key sectors in production. • The coastal region was important sink. • Central and northern China was the most important source for PAHs flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic factors are key driving forces for the occurrence and development of soil erosion, but their effects are not well understood. To analyse the relationship between the socioeconomic system and soil erosion, a framework was proposed and validated with structural equation modelling. Population pressure, economic development, agricultural inputs and outputs and soil erosion are latent variables of the framework. A case study was conducted in Jiangxi Province. The results showed that economic development was the key controlling factor and that agricultural output was the main promoting factor for soil erosion, with path coefficients of −1.321 and 1.609 in 1995 and -0.624 and 0.453 in 2010, respectively. This implied that the contradiction between socioeconomic development and ecological protection was alleviated during the study period. Agricultural input controlled severe soil erosion (-‍0.322) while promoting mild soil erosion (0.095), which indicated that more attention should be paid to the adverse impact of excessive agricultural inputs on soil erosion control. The identification of the socioeconomic driving forces of regional soil erosion could help adjust the development strategy and mitigate the negative effects of economic development on soil erosion control and ecological conservation. • Latent socio-economic variables have considerable influences on soil erosion. • Economic development is the most important driving force of soil erosion. • The promotional effect of surplus inputs on mild soil erosion should be of concern. • Structural equation modelling is a suitable framework to decouple this relationship.. • Contradiction between socio-economy and soil erosion have been alleviated in Jiangxi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]