Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Taking Forensic Mental Health Assessment “Out of the Lab” and into “the Real World”: Introduction to the Special Issue on the Field Utility of Forensic Assessment Instruments and Procedures

The last several decades have seen a major upswing in the development and use of psychological assessment instruments in forensic and correctional settings. At the same time, admissibility standards increasingly have stressed the importance of the reliability and validity of evidence in legal proceedings. Recent research has, however, raised serious concerns about (a) the reliability of forensic science evidence in general, (b) the replicability of psychological research findings in general and in field settings especially, and (c) the interrater reliability and predictive validity of forensic psychological assessment evidence in particular. In this introduction to the special issue of Psychological Assessment on the field utility of forensic assessment instruments and procedures, we provide an overview of key issues bearing on field studies, focusing on why such research is critically important to improving the quality of the practice of forensic mental health assessments. We also identify various methodological issues and constraints relevant to conducting research outside of controlled settings. We conclude with recommendations for how future field research can improve upon the current state of the discipline in forensic mental health assessment.
Profiting from arbitrage and odds biases of the European football gambling market

A gambling market is usually described as being inefficient if there are one or more betting strategies that generate profit, at a consistent rate, as a consequence of exploiting market flaws. This paper examines the online European football gambling market based on 14 European football leagues over a period of seven years, from season 2005/06 to 2011/12 inclusive, and takes into consideration the odds provided by numerous bookmaking firms. Contrary to common misconceptions, we demonstrate that the accuracy of bookmakers' odds has not improved over this period. More importantly, our results question market efficiency by demonstrating high profitability on the basis of consistent odds biases and numerous arbitrage opportunities.
On the influence of the excited state migration on the population gratings amplitude recorded in the transient two wave mixing configuration in Er-doped optical fibers

In this paper we analyze the influence of a spatial migration of the excited states on suppression of the population gratings recorded in erbium-doped optical fibers (EDF). Such dynamic Bragg gratings are formed via saturation of the optical transition between the fundamental and the meta-stable states of the active ions and are observed experimentally via transient two wave mixing (TWM) of the phase-modulated counter-propagating recording waves. The reported experiments were performed in the spectral range 1492-1568nm, which covers the absorption region of the fundamental transition 4I15/2→4I13/2 of Er3+ ions. Significantly stronger grating suppression is observed at the central/long-wavelength regions of the above-mentioned spectral region. A set of similar fibers with essentially different Er3+ ions concentrations with maximum attenuation of 4, 9, 17 and 35 ± 1 dB/m at 1531 nm was investigated and a clear concentration dependence of the grating suppression was observed. The TWM measurements are supported by the original experimental data on the fluorescence depolarization. The observed spectral dependence of the grating reduction factor is explained using the model of the vacant states limited spatial migration of the excitation among the Er3+ ions.
Astrocytes induce proliferation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells via connexin 47-mediated activation of the ERK/Id4 pathway

ABSTRACT The proliferative ability of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) varied markedly under different culture conditions. Astrocytes (ASTs) have been verified to play a major role in regulating the proliferation of OPCs through direct contact. However, the mechanisms have not been fully clarified. To investigate the effect and mechanism under AST and OPC co-culture conditions, we analyzed all connexins comprehensively in OPCs under OPC mono-culture, AST-secreted cell factor co-culture and AST-OPC direct-contact co-culture, and found that significantly differentially expressed Cx47 was the most significant. To assess whether Cx47 plays a role in proliferation, Cx47 siRNA were conducted. The result indicates that the cell cycle of OPCs was changed, and the cell proliferation was markedly inhibited. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) predictive analysis suggested that Cx47 regulate cell cycle and proliferation by Ca2+ activation of ERK1/2. To verify the prediction, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU), polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot were used. The results show that interference of Cx47 led to decreased Ca2+ concentrations, lower p-ERK 1/2 levels, reduced transcription factor inhibitor of DNA binding 4 (Id4) expression, arrested cell cycle and reduced OPCs proliferative ability. Additionally, blocking ERK1/2 signaling caused decreased Id4 expression, arrested cell cycle in G1 phase, and reduced OPCs proliferative ability. In conclusion, ASTs can cause Ca2+ signaling activation, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and Id4 expression stimulation in OPCs, inducing proliferation of these cells, mainly through Cx47.
Mechanical Performance and Transparency of Nanocellulose Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposites

Cellulosic nanofibers in the form of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been prepared from alfa and rachis of date palm tree. Nanocomposites were prepared by casting/evaporation from these materials using an acrylic polymer in the form of latex as the matrix. Dynamic mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were investigated and the rubbery modulus was found to depend mainly on the aspect ratio of the cellulosic nanoparticles. Higher aspect ratio resulted in higher reinforcing capability. However, surprisingly the transparency of the films decreased for a given nanofiller content when the diameter of the nanoparticle decreased. Percolation of the nanofiller was suggested as being responsible for these two observations.
Construction of a Japanese Word Similarity Dataset

An evaluation of distributed word representation is generally conducted using a word similarity task and/or a word analogy task. There are many datasets readily available for these tasks in English. However, evaluating distributed representation in languages that do not have such resources (e.g., Japanese) is difficult. Therefore, as a first step toward evaluating distributed representations in Japanese, we constructed a Japanese word similarity dataset. To the best of our knowledge, our dataset is the first resource that can be used to evaluate distributed representations in Japanese. Moreover, our dataset contains various parts of speech and includes rare words in addition to common words.
Knowledge categorization affects popularity and quality of Wikipedia articles

The existence of a shared classification system is essential to knowledge production, transfer, and sharing. Studies of knowledge classification, however, rarely consider the fact that knowledge categories exist within hierarchical information systems designed to facilitate knowledge search and discovery. This neglect is problematic whenever information about categorical membership is itself used to evaluate the quality of the items that the category contains. The main objective of this paper is to show that the effects of category membership depend on the position that a category occupies in the hierarchical knowledge classification system of Wikipedia—an open knowledge production and sharing platform taking the form of a freely accessible on-line encyclopedia. Using data on all English-language Wikipedia articles, we examine how the position that a category occupies in the classification hierarchy affects the attention that articles in that category attract from Wikipedia editors, and their evaluation of quality of the Wikipedia articles. Specifically, we show that Wikipedia articles assigned to coarse-grained categories (i. e., categories that occupy higher positions in the hierarchical knowledge classification system) garner more attention from Wikipedia editors (i. e., attract a higher volume of text editing activity), but receive lower evaluations (i. e., they are considered to be of lower quality). The negative relation between attention and quality implied by this result is consistent with current theories of social categorization, but it also goes beyond available results by showing that the effects of categorization on evaluation depend on the position that a category occupies in a hierarchical knowledge classification system.
A Large Scale Study of the Epidemiology and Risk Factors for the Carcinogenic Liver Fluke Opisthorchis viverrini in Udon Thani Province, Thailand

Opisthorchis viverrini infection and cholangiocarcinoma are serious problems in South East Asia. This study aimed to find the prevalence of opisthorchiasis in various hosts in Udon Thani Province. Total fecal samples were collected from 14,766 participants. The epidemiological data collected and analysed included prevalence and intensity of infection. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated to determine the associations between cross sectional data and to predict possible risk factors. The prevalence of O. viverrini infection in Udon Thani Province averaged 15.3% (eggs per gram (epg.) = 48.9 and range; 12-1,320), with differences between villages (range; 3.8%-79.8%). An age-dependence for infection was observed to increase from ages 25 to 50 years and then decrease for older participants. A univariate analysis identified risk parameters including age (p = 0.040; OR = 3.9 (95% CI = 1.2-7.5)), education (p<0.0001; OR = 7.3 (95% CI = 1.8-21.6)) and eating habits (p = 0.032; OR = 1.6 (95% CI = 0.5-3.7)). Interestingly, most participants were not aware of treatments such as praziquantel (p< 0.0001; OR = 3.5 (95% CI = 1.4-11.6)), had no history of parasitic treatment (p = 0.486; OR = 1.5 (95% CI = 0.5-3.5)) and had eaten raw fish (p = 0.04; OR = 7.4 (95% CI = 1.5-18.6)). Liver fluke infection in dogs (18.1%, epg. = 44.7, range; 32-96) was significantly higher than in cats (11.0%, epg. = 117.8, range; 44-372) (p<0.05). A positive association between O. viverrini infection in dogs and their owners was found. In addition, cyprinid fish dominantly infected by metacercaria including Henicorhynchus siamensis (27.7%), Cyclocheilichthys repasson (21.9%), Hampala dispar (14.1%), and Barbonymus gonionotus (6.9%). This study provides basic information required for the development of future effective and sustainable strategies to reduces infection rates, mainly by providing health education and encouraging behavioural changes.
Use of a Tourniquet in Total Knee Arthroplasty Causes a Paradoxical Increase in Total Blood Loss

Background: A tourniquet in total knee arthroplasty has been used in an attempt to decrease perioperative blood loss; however, questions exist regarding safety and efficacy. Tranexamic acid has also been used to decrease blood loss by stabilizing clot formation. Because of these concerns, routine tourniquet use for total knee arthroplasty was discontinued by the senior author and routine tranexamic acid administration was commenced. The purpose of this study was to examine total perioperative blood loss with tourniquet use, with tourniquet use and routine use of tranexamic acid, and with tranexamic acid use alone without tourniquet. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 132 patients in 3 groups was performed. The first group underwent total knee arthroplasty with limited tourniquet use only during cementing, the second group had the same protocol but with tranexamic acid administered, and the third group had tranexamic acid but no tourniquet used. Perioperative blood loss was calculated using the Gross formula. Results: The mean calculated blood loss was highest in the tourniquet-only group at 1,591.39 mL (95% confidence interval [CI], 1,064.97 to 2,117.81 mL), decreased in the second group using tranexamic acid and tourniquet at 1,215.34 mL (95% CI, 1,104.93 to 1,325.75 mL), and was lowest in the third group with tranexamic acid and no tourniquet at 1,007.22 mL (95% CI, 878.78 to 1,135.66 mL). Conclusions: Use of a limited tourniquet protocol during total knee arthroplasty resulted in a paradoxical increase in blood loss. Surgeons should consider omitting routine tourniquet use in total knee arthroplasty. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Restoration of Megalin‐Mediated Clearance of Alveolar Protein as a Novel Therapeutic Approach for Acute Lung Injury

Abstract Acute respiratory distress syndrome constitutes a significant disease burden with regard to both morbidity and mortality. Current therapies are mostly supportive and do not address the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Removal of protein‐rich alveolar edema—a clinical hallmark of acute respiratory distress syndrome—is critical for survival. Here, we describe a transforming growth factor (TGF)‐&bgr;‐triggered mechanism, in which megalin, the primary mediator of alveolar protein transport, is negatively regulated by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3&bgr;, with protein phosphatase 1 and nuclear inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 being involved in the signaling cascade. Inhibition of GSK3&bgr; rescued transepithelial protein clearance in primary alveolar epithelial cells after TGF‐&bgr; treatment. Moreover, in a bleomycin‐based model of acute lung injury, megalin+/‐ animals (the megalin‐/‐ variant is lethal due to postnatal respiratory failure) showed a marked increase in intra‐alveolar protein and more severe lung injury compared with wild‐type littermates. In contrast, wild‐type mice treated with the clinically relevant GSK3&bgr; inhibitors, tideglusib and valproate, exhibited significantly decreased alveolar protein concentrations, which was associated with improved lung function and histopathology. Together, we discovered that the TGF‐&bgr;‐GSK3&bgr;‐megalin axis is centrally involved in disturbances of alveolar protein clearance in acute lung injury and provide preclinical evidence for therapeutic efficacy of GSK3&bgr; inhibition.
The Buffer Effect of Therapy Dog Exposure on Stress Reactivity in Undergraduate Students

Stress is an insidious health risk that is commonly reported among university students. While research suggests that dog exposure may facilitate recovery from a stress response, little is known about the buffer effect of dog exposure on the stress response to a future stressor. This study examined whether interaction with a therapy dog could reduce the strength of the physiological stress response when exposed to a subsequent stressor. Sixty-one university students were randomly assigned to either a therapy dog (TD, n = 31) or a no-dog control (C, n = 30) group. The stress response was measured by electrodermal activity (EDA) in response to the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). Participants also completed questionnaires that assessed pet attitude, general stress levels, and affect. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) showed that increase in EDA was significantly more pronounced in the C group than in the TD group (p < 0.01). Pet attitudes did not modulate the buffer effect of therapy dog exposure. Results suggest that therapy dog exposure may buffer the stress response in university students, which has implications for the promotion of a viable stress management program on university campuses.
Decentralised distributed fountain coding: asymptotic analysis and design

A class of generic decentralised distributed fountain coding schemes is introduced and the tools of analysis of the performance of such schemes are presented. It is demonstrated that the developed approach can be used to formulate a robust code design methodology in a number of instances. We show that two non-standard applications of fountain codes, fountain codes for distributed source coding and fountain codes for unequal error protection lie within this decentralised distributed fountain coding framework.
Inferring versus measuring rates of recovery in no-take marine reserves

Can rates of biomass recovery of fished species be inferred reliably from once-only spatial comparisons of no-take marine reserves of different ages and fished areas? We used underwater visual census at 15 no-take marine reserves in the Philippines to both infer and measure such rates. We made a single estimate of the biomass of large predatory fishes (Serranidae, Lutjanidae, Lethrinidae) targeted heavily by fisheries in each of 13 well protected no-take reserves (age range 0.5 to 13 yr), and in nearby nonreserve (fished) sites. We also measured rates of biomass buildup of these fish regularly for 18 yr (1983 to 2001) in 2 no-take reserves (Sumilon, Apo) and nonreserve sites. The duration of protection required to detect significantly higher reserve biomass was similar, but lower for temporal monitoring (3 to 4 yr) than for spatial comparisons (6 yr). The reserve:nonreserve biomass ratios at maximum duration of reserve protection were similar for inferred (9.0) and measured (6.3 to 9.8) estimates. Thus, results of long-term monitoring of 2 reserves may have regional generality. The inferred rate of change of a reserve effect index (log 10 [Reserve biomass + 1 / Nonreserve biomass + 1]) with duration of protection did not differ significantly from the measured rate at Sumilon, but was higher than that measured at Apo. A habitat complexity index did not affect estimates of ‘reserve effects’ significantly in this study, and reserve protection was generally effective. Thus, using similar methods of reserve protection and census on the same target group in similar areas, one can make useful inferences about rates of recovery in no-take marine reserves.
A Proposed Simple Model for Estimating Occupational Radiation Dose to Staff from Veterinary 18F-FDG Pet Procedures

AbstractSeveral studies have been conducted concerning the radiation dose to hospital personnel from positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals, but to date only one parallel study has been conducted for veterinary staff. Veterinary patients present challenges not encountered with human patients, as they require anesthesia and therefore more intensive monitoring than human patients. This paper presents a simple model for estimating the effective radiation dose to veterinary staff using occupational dose data from PET studies at Colorado State University’s (CSU) James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The model consists of three point sources within a soft tissue cylinder, and sample calculations are provided for estimating dose to nuclear medicine technologists and an anesthesia technologist based on four different sized dogs. The estimated doses are within the range of actual occupational doses published previously. There are different protocols for the sequence of events in veterinary PET, specifically the order of anesthesia induction and radiopharmaceutical injection. When 18F-FDG injection is performed prior to anesthesia induction, the estimated dose is between 1.5 and 3.6 times higher than the doses received if injection is done after anesthesia induction, although expected doses for both protocols are below occupational dose limits based on a case load of 100 veterinary patients per year. The model is based on the techniques used at CSU, but it can be modified for different hospitals as well as differently sized animals.
The effect of pre-exercise ingestion of corinthian currant on endurance performance and blood redox status

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the effect of Corinthian currant pre-exercise supplementation on metabolism, performance and blood redox status during, and after prolonged exercise. Eleven healthy participants (21-45y) performed a 90-min constant-intensity (60–70% VO2max) submaximal-trial, plus a time-trial (TT) to exhaustion (95% VO2max) after consuming an isocaloric (1.5g CHO/kg BM) amount of randomly assigned Corinthian currant or glucose-drink, or water (control). Blood was drawn at baseline, pre-exercise, 30min, 60min, 90min of submaximal-trial, post-TT, and 1h post-TT. Post-ingestion blood glucose (GLU) under Corinthian currant was higher compared with water, and similar compared with glucose-drink throughout the study. Respiratory quotient under Corinthian currant was similar with glucose-drink and higher than water throughout the submaximal trial. Accordingly, higher CHO and lower fat oxidation were observed under Corinthian currant compared with water. The TT performance was similar between Corinthian currant, glucose-drink and water. Redox status were similar under all three conditions. Reduced glutathione (GSH) declined while total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and uric acid increased during exercise. GSH and TAC returned to baseline, while uric acid remained increased the following 1h. Corinthian currant, although did not alter exercise-mediated redox status changes and performance, was equally effective to a glucose-drink in maintaining GLU levels during prolonged cycling.
Gel‐free proteomic identification of the Bacillus subtilis insoluble spore coat protein fraction

Species from the genus Bacillus have the ability to form endospores, dormant cellular forms that are able to survive heat and acid preservation techniques commonly used in the food industry. Resistance characteristics of spores towards various environmental stresses are in part attributed to their coat proteins. Previously, 70 proteins have been assigned to the spore coat of Bacillus subtilis using SDS‐PAGE, 2‐DE gel approaches, protein localization studies and genome‐wide transcriptome studies. Here, we present a “gel‐free” protocol that is capable of comprehensive B. subtilis spore coat protein extraction and addresses the insoluble coat fraction. Using LC‐MS/MS we identified 55 proteins from the insoluble B. subtilis spore coat protein fraction, of which 21 are putative novel spore coat proteins not assigned to the spore coat until now. Identification of spore coat proteins from a B. subtilis food‐spoilage isolate corroborated a generic and “applied” use of our protocol. To develop specific and sensitive spore detection and/or purification systems from food stuff or patient material, suitable protein targets can be derived from our proteomic approach. Finally, the protocol can be extended to study cross‐linking among the spore coat proteins as well as for their quantification.
Resfeats: Residual network based features for image classification

Deep residual networks have recently emerged as the state-of-the-art architecture in image classification and object detection. In this paper, we propose new image features (called ResFeats) extracted from the last convolutional layer of the deep residual networks pre-trained on ImageNet. We propose to use ResFeats for diverse image classification tasks namely, object classification, scene classification and coral classification and show that ResFeats consistently perform better than their CNN counterparts on these classification tasks. Since the ResFeats are large feature vectors, we explore dimensionality reduction methods. Experimental results are provided to show the effectiveness of ResFeats with state-of-the-art classification accuracies on Caltech-101, Caltech-256 and MLC datasets and a significant performance improvement on MIT-67 dataset compared to the widely used CNN features.