Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Arbitrary Handwriting Image Style Transfer

: This paper proposed a method to imitate handwriting style by style transfer. We proposed a neural network model based on conditional generative adversarial networks (cGAN) for handwriting style transfer. This paper improved the loss function on the basis of the GAN. Compared with other handwriting imitation methods, the handwriting style transfer’s effect and efficiency have been significantly improved. The experiments showed that the shape of the generated Chinese characters is clear and the analysis of experimental data showed the Generative adversarial networks showed excellent performance in handwriting style transfer. The generated text image is closer to the real handwriting and achieved a better performance in term of handwriting imitation.
Reconfigurable antennas with frequency, polarization, and pattern diversities for multi-radio wireless applications

This paper presents different reconfigurable antennas with frequency, polarization, and pattern diversities. All the antennas have a very simple, novel, and compact structures, which are used for different wireless communication applications. These antennas employ switching for obtaining different reconfigurations. At first, an E-shaped antenna is designed for multi-band frequency reconfigurability. Second, circular and rectangular-shaped patch antennas are designed for achieving diversity in polarization. At last, a pattern reconfigurable antenna is designed with multiport excitation. These antenna performances are analyzed using various parameters such as return loss, radiation pattern, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), and gain. The prototypes of the antennas are fabricated and measured results along with simulated ones are presented. Both the results are in good agreement.
A Possible Gamma-Ray Enhancement Event in Tycho's Supernova Remnant

We report a possible γ-ray enhancement event detected from Tycho’s supernova remnant (SNR), the outcome of a type Ia supernova explosion that occurred in the year 1572. The event lasted for 1.5 yr and showed a factor of 3.6 flux increase mainly in the energy range of 4–100 GeV, while notably accompanied with two 478 GeV photons. Several young SNRs (including Tycho’s SNR) were previously found to show peculiar X-ray structures with flux variations in one- or several-year timescales, such an event at γ-ray energies is for the first time seen. The year-long timescale of the event suggests a synchrotron radiation process, but the hard γ-ray emission requires extreme conditions of either ultrahigh energies for the electrons up to ∼10 PeV (well above the cosmic-ray knee energy) or high inhomogeneity of the magnetic field in the SNR. This event in Tycho’s SNR is likely analogous to the γ-ray flares observed in the Crab Nebula, the comparably short timescales of them both requiring a synchrotron process, and similar magnetohydrodynamic processes such as magnetic reconnection would be at work as well in the SNR to accelerate particles to ultrarelativistic energies. The event, if confirmed, helps reveal the more complicated side of the physical processes that can occur in young SNRs.
Analysis of variability in simple core technologies: case studies of chipped stone technology in post-PPN assemblages from the Levant

Flake based chipped stone assemblages which demonstrate simple reduction methods and techniques dominate post-PPN periods throughout the Levant. These 'simple core technologies' are dismissed as random, simply representative of a devolution in technological progress following the sophistication of the PPN Naviform blade technology. Few assemblages with simple core technologies have been analyzed in any detail, providing no real understanding of the shift from the production of prismatic blades to highly variable flake products. Recent archaeological theory asks us to discover variability generated by individual actors in prehistory. Later prehistoric chipped stone assemblages in the Levant, however, generally do not lend themselves to methods of refitting incorporated within recent cognitive approaches; instead, analysis focused on changes in attribute frequencies is advocated. In attempting to describe constraints of material and mechanical structure as well as variables applicable to methodology it may be possible to illustrate specific shifts in attribute transmissions lying behind overall strategy changes. Such proportional shifts in material culture document the evolution of human culture. Experimental replication is used to create analogous data for the analysis of structural constraints and design elements manipulated in alternative reduction methods. Importantly, this approach tests conclusions about raw material quality used to explain the shift towards flake based technologies from the Late Neolithic onwards in the Levant. Socio-economic explanations are challenged directly by the archaeological materials analysed, namely, raw material availability and sedentism. The first inference is challenged by the analysis of Late Neolithic sites from Qsar Burqu' located in the extensive flint carpet of north-eastern Jordan and the Chalcolithic site of Kissonerga from south-west Cyprus, an island known for its ubiquitous quantities of chert. Secondly, explanations linking simple core technologies to sedentism and farming are challenged no only by the examples previously mentioned, but also by assemblages from the burin site of Jebel Naja and the hunting station of Dhuweila in Transjordan. In attempting to understand assemblages as contingent sets of attributes we avoid problems associated with generalised systems approaches. Instead, the structure of attribute frequencies and associations can be seen as the results of deliberate choice. Historical change must be understood in terms of contracts of structure and form as well as chaines operatoires, returning archaeology to the investigation of material culture.
Predictions of turbulence and acoustics from an ultra- bypass serrated nozzle using hybrid RANS-LES

Large-eddy simulation is a vital method to capture the unsteady coherent flow structures in the jets and increasingly being used to predict the flow and acoustics of propulsive jets[1-3]. As the forward flight stream and wing installation effects are considered, the boundary layer development on the engine nacelle and the wing/flap becomes important to the turbulence and acoustics in the jets. Thus, RANS zones are needed near the nozzle and the wing to predict the turbulent boundary layer profiles and circumvent nonphysical separations with reasonable computational cost. This type of highly complex geometry jets simulation will replace parts of the test rigs in the near future and we are seeking to explore a reliable industrial production process chain. In this paper, the jet flow from an industrial relevant ultra-bypass engine has been simulated in the forward flight stream. Serrations are attached on the nacelle to enhance the shear layer mixing and hence reduce the jet noise. The hybrid structured/unstructured mesh and RANS/LES modelling are demonstrated for the serrated bypass nozzle jet. The results are then analyzed in term of the near-field flows and the far-field acoustics.
Novel discoveries and enhanced genomic prediction from modelling genetic risk of cancer age-at-onset

Genome-wide association studies seek to attribute disease risk to DNA regions and facilitate subject-specific prediction and patient stratification. For later-life disease, inference from case-control studies is hampered by the uncertainty that control group subjects might later be diagnosed. Time-to-event analysis treats controls as right-censored, making no additional assumptions about future disease occurrence and representing a more sound conceptual alternative for more accurate inference. Here, using data on 11 common cancers from the UK and Estonian Biobank studies, we provide empirical evidence that discovery and genomic prediction are greatly improved by analysing age-at-diagnosis, compared to a case-control model of association. We replicate previous findings from large-scale case-control studies and find an additional 59 previously unreported independent genomic regions, out of which 16 replicated in independent data (an increase of 18% and 6% over current findings). Our novel discoveries provide new insights into underlying cancer pathways, and our model yields a better understanding of the polygenicity and genetic architecture of the 11 tumours. We find that heritable germline genetic variation plays a vital role in cancer occurrence, with risk attributable to many thousands of underlying genomic regions. Finally, we show that Bayesian modelling strategies utilising time-to-event data increase prediction accuracy. As sample size increases, incorporating time-to-event data should be commonplace, improving case-control studies by using richer information about the disease process.
DraculR: A Web-Based Application for In Silico Haemolysis Detection in High-Throughput microRNA Sequencing Data

The search for novel microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers in plasma is hampered by haemolysis, the lysis and subsequent release of red blood cell contents, including miRNAs, into surrounding fluid. The biomarker potential of miRNAs comes in part from their multicompartment origin and the long-lived nature of miRNA transcripts in plasma, giving researchers a functional window for tissues that are otherwise difficult or disadvantageous to sample. The inclusion of red-blood-cell-derived miRNA transcripts in downstream analysis introduces a source of error that is difficult to identify posthoc and may lead to spurious results. Where access to a physical specimen is not possible, our tool will provide an in silico approach to haemolysis prediction. We present DraculR, an interactive Shiny/R application that enables a user to upload miRNA expression data from a short-read sequencing of human plasma as a raw read counts table and interactively calculate a metric that indicates the degree of haemolysis contamination. The code, DraculR web tool and its tutorial are freely available as detailed herein.
Genetic and phenotypic links between obesity and extracellular vesicles

Abstract Obesity has a highly complex genetic architecture, making it difficult to understand the genetic mechanisms, despite the large number of discovered loci via genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Omics techniques have provided a better resolution to view this problem. As a proxy of cell-level biology, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are useful for studying cellular regulation of complex phenotypes such as obesity. Here, in a well-established Scottish cohort, we utilized a novel technology to detect surface proteins across millions of single EVs in each individual’s plasma sample. Integrating the results with established obesity GWAS, we inferred 78 types of EVs carrying one or two of 12 surface proteins to be associated with adiposity-related traits such as waist circumference. We then verified that particular EVs’ abundance is negatively correlated with body adiposity, while no association with lean body mass. We also revealed that genetic variants associated with protein-specific EVs capture 2–4-fold heritability enrichment for blood cholesterol levels. Our findings provide evidence that EVs with specific surface proteins have phenotypic and genetic links to obesity and blood lipids, respectively, guiding future EV biomarker research.
Tunnel field-effect transistor with asymmetric gate dielectric and body thickness

Tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) with asymmetric gate dielectric and body thickness (TFETAsy) is proposed. The TFETAsy not only reduces the tunneling resistance by using the thinner source-side gate dielectric and body, but also suppresses the ambipolar current (Iambipolar) and the degradation of alternating current (AC) switching performances with the thicker drain-side gate dielectric and body. Technology computer aided design process and device/circuit simulations are performed to verify the validity of the TFETAsy in terms of fabrication process and electrical characteristics. From the simulation results, it is revealed that the thinner source-side gate dielectric and body can be simply formed by oxide wet-etching after the selective oxidation of the source-side body. Moreover, the thinner source-side SiGe body can be also formed by using Ge condensation process instead of the oxidation. Additionally, it is confirmed that the TFETAsy has higher on-current, steeper subthreshold swing, lower Iambipolar and improved AC switching characteristics as compared to those of conventional TFET with symmetric structure.
The Influence of Oxytocin and Prolactin During a First Episode of Psychosis: The Implication of Sex Differences, Clinical Features, and Cognitive Performance

Abstract Background Approximately 3% of the population suffers a first episode of psychosis (FEP), and a high percentage of these patients subsequently relapse. Because the clinical course following a FEP is hard to predict, it is of interest to identify cognitive and biological markers that will help improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of such events and to define new therapeutic targets. Here we analyzed the plasma oxytocin and prolactin levels during an FEP, assessing their correlation with clinical and cognitive features. Methods The oxytocin and prolactin in plasma was measured in 120 FEP patients and 106 healthy controls, all of whom were subjected to a clinical and neuropsychological assessment. Most patients were under antipsychotics. Statistical analyses aimed to identify factors associated with the FEP and to search for associations between the variables. This study is preliminary and exploratory because the P-values were not corrected for multiple comparisons. Results FEP patients had less oxytocin, more prolactin, and a poor premorbid IQ, and they performed worse in sustained attention. Male patients with higher prolactin levels experienced more severe psychotic symptoms and required higher doses of antipsychotics. Low oxytocin was associated with poor sustained attention in women, whereas low oxytocin and high prolactin in men correlated with better performance in sustained attention. Conclusion Low oxytocin, high prolactin, and poor premorbid IQ and sustained attention are factors associated with an FEP, representing potential therapeutic targets in these patients. These biological factors and cognitive domains might play an important role during a FEP, which could help us to develop new strategies that improve the outcomes of this disorder and that should perhaps be gender specific.
Synthesis of genetic association studies on autism spectrum disorders using a genetic model-free approach

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite the extensive efforts of scientists, the etiology of ASD is far from completely elucidated. In an effort to enlighten the genetic architecture of ASDs, a meta-analysis of all available genetic association studies (GAS) was conducted. Methods We searched in the Human Genome Epidemiology Navigator (HuGE Navigator) and PubMed for available case–control GAS of ASDs. The threshold for meta-analysis was two studies per genetic variant. The association between genotype distribution and ASDs was examined using the generalized linear odds ratio (ORG). For variants with available allele frequencies, the examined model was the allele contrast. Results Overall, 57 candidate genes and 128 polymorphisms were investigated in 159 articles. In total 28 genetic polymorphisms have been shown to be associated with ASDs, that are harbored in 19 genes. Statistically significant results were revealed for the variants of the following genes adenosine deaminase (ADA), bone marrow stromal cell antigen-1 (CD157/BST1), Dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1), engrailed homolog 2 (EN2), met proto-oncogene (MET), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), solute carrier family 6 member 4 (SLC6A4), Synaptosomal-associated protein, 25kDa (SNAP-25) and vitamin D receptor (VDR). In the allele contrast model of cases versus healthy controls, significant associations were observed for Adrenoceptor Alpha 1B (ADRA1B), acetyl serotonin O - methyltransferase (ASMT), complement component 4B (C4B), dopamine receptor D3 (DRD3), met proto-oncogene (MET), neuroligin 4, X-linked (NLGN4), neurexin 1 (NRXN1), oxytocin receptor (OXTR), Serine/Threonine-Protein Kinase PFTAIRE-1 (PFTK1), Reelin (RELN) and Ras-like without CAAX 2 (RIT2). Conclusion These significant findings provide further evidence for genetic factors’ implication in ASDs offering new perspectives in means of prevention and prognosis.
Optimization of an Industrial Medium and Culture Conditions for Probiotic Weissella cibaria JW15 Biomass Using the Plackett-Burman Design and Response Surface Methodology

The objective of this study was to optimize industrial-grade media for improving the biomass production of Weissella cibaria JW15 (JW15) using a statistical approach. Eleven variables comprising three carbon sources (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), three nitrogen sources (protease peptone, yeast extract, and soy peptone), and five mineral sources (K2HPO4, potassium citrate, L-cysteine phosphate, MgSO4, and MnSO4) were screened by using the Plackett-Burman design. Consequently, glucose, sucrose, and soy peptone were used as significant variables in response surface methodology (RSM). The composition of the optimal medium (OM) was 22.35 g/l glucose, 15.57 g/l sucrose, and 10.05 g/l soy peptone, 2.0 g/l K2HPO4, 5.0 g/l sodium acetate, 0.1 g/l MgSO4·7H2O, 0.05 g/l MnSO4·H2O, and 1.0 g/l Tween 80. The OM significantly improved the biomass production of JW15 over an established commercial medium (MRS). After fermenting OM, the dry cell weight of JW15 was 4.89 g/l, which was comparable to the predicted value (4.77 g/l), and 1.67 times higher than that of the MRS medium (3.02 g/l). Correspondingly, JW15 showed a rapid and increased production of lactic and acetic acid in the OM. To perform a scale-up validation, batch fermentation was executed in a 5-l bioreactor at 37°C with or without a pH control at 6.0 ± 0.1. The biomass production of JW15 significantly improved (1.98 times higher) under the pH control, and the cost of OM was reduced by two-thirds compared to that in the MRS medium. In conclusion, OM may be utilized for mass producing JW15 for industrial use.
Effects of goal‐oriented care for adults with multimorbidity: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract Objective To systematically review the evidence from randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of goal‐oriented care against standard care for multimorbid adults. Data Sources/Study Setting The literature presenting the results of randomized trials assessing the outcomes of goal‐oriented care compared with usual care for adults with multimorbidity. Study Design Systematic review and meta‐analysis. Data Collection/Extraction Methods We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CENTRAL), EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINHAL, trial registries such as ClinicalTrial.gov and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), and the references of eligible trials and relevant reviews. Goal‐oriented care was defined as an approach that engages patients, establishes personal goals, and sets targets for patients and clinicians to plan a course of action and measure outcome. We reviewed 228 trials, and 12 were included. We extracted outcome data on quality of life, hospital admission, patients' satisfaction, patient and caregiver burden. Risk of bias was assessed and certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE. Principal Findings No study was fully free of bias. No effect was found on quality of life (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.05; 95% CI: −0.05 to 0.16) and hospital admission (risk ratio [RR]: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.65 to 1.17). There was a very small effect for patients' satisfaction (SMD: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.29) and caregiver burden (SMD: −0.13; 95% CI: −0.26 to 0.00). Certainty of evidence was low for all outcomes. Conclusions No firm conclusions can be reached about the effects of goal‐oriented care for multimorbid adults. Future research should overcome the shortcomings of trials assessed in this meta‐analysis. Sound application of the indications for research of complex healthcare interventions is warranted.
Identification of rare mutations of the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 2 gene in schizophrenia

Objective Studies showed that rare copy number variations (CNVs) encompassing the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 2 gene (VIPR2) were associated with schizophrenia, indicating VIPR2 is a risk gene for schizophrenia. We hypothesized that besides CNV, rare pathogenic single-nucleotide variant (SNV) or small insertion/deletion (Indel) of VIPR2 might be present in some patients and contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Methods We performed genome-wide CNV analysis to screen CNV at the VIPR2 locus and targeted sequencing of all the exons of VIPR2 to search for SNV and indel in a sample of patients with chronic schizophrenia from Taiwan. Results We detected a 230-kb microduplication encompassing the VIPR2 in 1 out of 200 patients. Furthermore, we identified six ultrarare SNVs, including one splicing SNV and five missense SNVs, in 516 patients. In-silico analyses showed these SNVs had a damaging effect on the function of VIPR2. Conclusion Our findings support the idea that besides CNV, rare pathogenic SNVs of VIPR2 might contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in some patients.
Effect of a weekly functional independence measure scale on the recovery of patient with acute stroke

Abstract Excessive assistance may decrease stroke patients’ physical activity and make them more dependent on assistance. We have structured a system that provides an ADL (activities of daily living) educational program that focuses on stroke patients’ toileting in our daily clinical practice. Here, we investigated the effect of a functional independence measure (FIM) scale on the recovery of patients with acute stroke. We retrospectively collected the data of 407 stroke patients from the medical record system of our emergency hospital in Tsukuba, Japan. The enrolled stroke patients (n = 373) were divided into FIM and control groups. Both groups received the standard treatment, but for the FIM group, ward and rehabilitation staff calculated the toilet FIM score for patients 1 ×/wk. The FIM scale measures the amount of assistance a patient needs to perform activities of daily living and is often used in rehabilitation settings. The rehabilitation staff then instructed the ward staff about better assistance methods based on each patient’s physical function and executive dysfunction. We evaluated the usefulness of the FIM scale was based on the patients’ FIM scores at discharge and improvements in their scores. The recoveries of the total, motor, and cognitive FIM scores recovery at discharge were significantly greater in the FIM group compared with the control group (68.0 vs 45.0, P = .004; 41.0 vs 24.0, P = .005; and 24.0 vs 20.0, P = .007, respectively). The use of the FIM scale contributes to the patients’ recovery of physical function and cognitive function. The FIM scale can contribute to stroke patients’ recovery of activities of daily living.