Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Image Quality on the Assessment of Child Abuse Photographs

Objectives Although child abuse pediatricians are frequently asked to evaluate risk of abuse based on photographs, the effect of photographic quality on this process is presently unknown. Photographs of abused children are often taken by professionals without photographic training, and quality varies widely. This article reports the first study of the effect of image quality on clinical assessment from photographs. Methods A total of 120 images depicting 60 cutaneous lesions were selected for the study. Paired images of single lesions varied in quality of focus, exposure, or framing. Seventy medical and nursing professionals were recruited from the Internet listservs focusing on child abuse. Subjects evaluated the images for quality (1–9 scale), opined if the image was “inadequate for interpretation,” and answered a clinical question about the type of lesion displayed. Accuracy was defined as concordance between the subject and the live examiner’s written documentation. Adequacy was defined as the proportion of subjects that did not indicate that the photograph was inadequate for interpretation. Results Mean accuracy among subjects was 64% and ranged from 35% to 84%. Accuracy was not predicted by subject profession, experience, or self-rated computer skill. Image quality and adequacy were independently associated with increased accuracy. Conclusions Higher-quality images improved accuracy. An examiner’s impression that an image is adequate did not guarantee an accurate interpretation. Reliance on photographs alone is not sufficiently accurate in the assessment of cutaneous trauma.
Is antipsychotic treatment linked to low bone mineral density and osteoporosis? A review of the evidence and the clinical implications

Osteoporosis is increasingly common worldwide and there is a growing concern that the long‐term use of antipsychotic medications increases the risk of this disorder. In this review, we consider whether antipsychotics may contribute to the development of osteoporosis through reductions in bone mineral density, discuss the possible mechanisms involved and consider the clinical implications of such a relationship.
A Lightweight Secure VANET-Based Navigation System

Recently, large scale vehicle ad hoc networks (VANETs)-based navigation systems have drawn much research attention. Although an enhanced secure and privacy VANET-based navigation (EVSPN) scheme has been proposed to prevent the replay and man-in-the- middle attacks, providing signature and verification on the public key infrastructure (PKI) based signatures of all messages relayed costs much computation resource and incurs a high authentication delay for not only the vehicles but also the roadside units (RSUs), especially when the navigation service is busy. In this paper, we propose a lightweight secure VANET-based navigation scheme (LSVN) that has a lower computation cost and a lower authentication delay. By the LSVN, a vehicle firstly initiates the navigation service with a RSU nearby to request a shared symmetric key for further communication with other RSUs in the VANET. Then, the best route will be calculated. The pseudo identity of the vehicle and the shared keying materials are sent to the RSUs on the route of the vehicle to its destination. At last, the vehicle will be led to the destination by these RSUs in series. We formally verify, by BAN Logic, that the LSVN scheme can provide the guarantee of the integrity of messages and mutual authentication. Performance analysis shows that the LSVN can minimize the use of cryptographic operations and reduce authentication delay significantly comparing with the VSPN scheme and the EVSPN scheme.
Expression of serum miR-16, let-7f, and miR-21 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and their clinical significances.

BACKGROUND Recent studies showed that serum microRNAs were aberrantly expressed in cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Serum microRNA (miRNA) profiles in HCC have been filtered in our previous studies. In this research, some serum miRNAs were further validated and their clinical significances were analyzed. METHODS Sera from 90 HCC patients, the subjects, and 60 non-HCC normal, the controls, were used. The expression of serum microRNAs was measured using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. AFP, as well as other clinical materials, were summarized from the HCC databases in our hospital. RESULTS Serum miR-16, let-7f, and miR-21 are down-regulated in HCC while miR-98 and miR-221 are not regulated significantly. Moreover, these miRNAs are of specific clinical significance. The expression of serum miR-16 is down-regulated in the patients with a tumor more than 5 cm in diameter (p = 0.0013) and is correlated with some quantitative clinical features such as platelets (p = 0.0255), PT (p = 0.0007) and bilirubin (p = 0.0025). The expression of serum let-7f is up-regulated in the patients with a tumor more than 5 cm in diameter (p = 0.0367) and early recurrence (p = 0.0047). The expression of serum miR-21 is up-regulated in female patients with HCC (p = 0.0297). CONCLUSIONS Serum miR-16, let-7f, and miR-21 are related with the biological behavior of HCC, which means that they could be considered as the potential indicators to estimate the tumor size or the recurrence of HCC.
A Methodology for Digital Government Transformation

Digital government is the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support government functions, services, and citizens in their participation in social economic development, political processes and quality of living as a whole. However, despite the progress that have been made in the last two decades, most governments are far from capturing the full benefits of digitization [2]. There is a need to provide a methodology to help digital transformations, beyond the provision of online services and e-government portals, into the broader business of government itself. This paper presents studies of several digital government initiatives world-wide [2], and proposes a methodology for a transformational change of the government into digital business and service for better citizen centric services.
An In Vivo Study of Free Radicals Generated in Murine Skin by Protoporphyrin IX and Visible Light

Abstract Lipids extracted from the skin of C57BL/6J mice injected subcutaneously with α-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN) and exposed to topical protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) and visible light had significantly higher levels of POBN spin adducts compared with dark PPIX exposed or vehicle-treated controls. Computer analysis of the POBN adduct electron paramagnetic (spin) resonance (EPR) spectra indicated that two radical species were present in each extract, one of which was a lipid-derived carbon-centered adduct (1, aN = 14.8 G and aH = 2.6 G), whereas the other (2, aN = 13.8 G and aH = 1.8 G) was probably oxygen centered. Adduct 2 was present in greater proportion in lipids extracted from PPIX/light-exposed mice compared with dark or vehicle-treated controls. These findings suggest that PPIX/light generates free radicals in mouse skin, thus providing a radical mechanism for PPIX-induced photosensitivity. Our approach may be useful for the detection of free radicals generated by other skin photosensitizers and may also provide a means for testing putative skin-protecting agents.
Impaired postural control is associated with worse scores of the Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index among women with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To explore the relationship between functional status and different domains of postural control, and to make recommendations about the use of postural control tests in clinical practice among women with rheumatoid arthritis. SUBJECTS A total of 91 women with rheumatoid arthritis and 110 controls. The patients were grouped according to the total score of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ):HAQ1 = 0 (good, n = 21); HAQ2 = 0.1 to < 1 (impaired, n = 44);HAQ3 = 1–3 (severely impaired, n = 26). METHODS Postural control tests: timed one-leg stance test(OLST), timed up and go test (TUG), and posturography tests on a force-plate. RESULTS A poorer performance in the OLST and TUG tests was associated with higher, i.e. worse, HAQ scores. The results of the force-plate measurements were more complex.The results for healthy controls provided some clarifying information,but did not alter the main results. CONCLUSION It is recommended that both OLST and TUG tests are included in the postural control assessment design for patients with arthritis. It seems that the force-plate measurements are not as good for screening postural control impairments associated with functional disability, but they may still have their use in, for example, monitoring the effect of intervention or rehabilitation.
A group II intron has invaded the genus Azotobacter and is inserted within the termination codon of the essential groEL gene

A group II intron that was previously identified within Azotobacter vinelandii by polymerase chain reac‐tion with consensus primers has been completely sequenced, together with its flanking exons. In contrast to other bacterial members of group II, which are associated with mobile or other presumably non‐essential DNA, the A. vinelandii intron is inserted within the termination codon of the groEL coding sequence, which it changes from UAA to UAG. Both the host gene and the intron appear to be functional as (i) the ribozyme component of the intron self‐splices in vitro and (ii) both intron‐carrying and intronless versions of the single‐copy groEL gene from A. vinelandii complement groEL mutations in Escherichia coli. Moreover, analysis of nucleotide substitutions within and around a closely related intron sequence that is present at the same site in Azotobacter chroococcum provides indirect evidence of intron transposition posterior to the divergence of the two Azotobacter taxa. Somewhat surprisingly, however, analyses of RNA extracted from cells that had or had not undergone a heat shock show that the bulk of groEL transcripts end within the first 140 nucleotides of the intron. These findings are discussed in the light of our current knowledge of the biochemistry of group II introns.
Cloning and Characterization of SmeT, a Repressor of the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Multidrug Efflux Pump SmeDEF

ABSTRACT We report on the cloning of the gene smeT, which encodes the transcriptional regulator of the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia efflux pump SmeDEF. SmeT belongs to the TetR and AcrR family of transcriptional regulators. The smeT gene is located upstream from the structural operon of the pump genes smeDEF and is divergently transcribed from those genes. Experiments with S. maltophilia and the heterologous host Escherichia coli have demonstrated that SmeT is a transcriptional repressor. S1 nuclease mapping has demonstrated that expression of smeT is driven by a single promoter lying close to the 5′ end of the gene and that expression of smeDEF is driven by an unique promoter that overlaps with promoter PsmeT. The level of expression of smeT is higher in smeDEF-overproducing S. maltophilia strain D457R, which suggests that SmeT represses its own expression. Band-shifting assays have shown that wild-type strain S. maltophilia D457 contains a cellular factor(s) capable of binding to the intergenic smeT-smeD region. That cellular factor(s) was absent from smeDEF-overproducing S. maltophilia strain D457R. The sequence of smeT from D457R showed a point mutation that led to a Leu166Gln change within the SmeT protein. This change allowed overexpression of both smeDEF and smeT in D457R. It was noteworthy that expression of wild-type SmeT did not fully complement the smeT mutation in D457R. This suggests that the wild-type protein is not dominant over the mutant SmeT.
On building a cluster watchlist for identifying strongly lensed supernovae, gravitational waves and kilonovae

Motivated by discovering strongly lensed supernovae, gravitational waves, and kilonovae in the 2020s, we investigate whether to build a watchlist of clusters based on observed cluster properties (i.e. lens-plane selection) or on the detectability of strongly lensed background galaxies (i.e. source-plane selection). First, we estimate the fraction of high-redshift transient progenitors that reside in galaxies that are themselves too faint to be detected as being strongly lensed. We find ∼15–50 per cent of transient progenitors reside in z = 1 − 2 galaxies too faint to be detected in surveys that reach AB ≃ 23, such as the Dark Energy Survey. This falls to ≲10 per cent at depths that will be probed by early data releases of LSST (AB ≃ 25). Secondly, we estimate a conservative lower limit on the fraction of strong-lensing clusters that will be missed by magnitude-limited searches for multiply imaged galaxies and giant arcs due to the faintness of such images. We find that DES-like surveys will miss ∼75 per cent of 1015 M⊙ strong-lensing clusters, rising to ∼100 per cent of 1014 M⊙ clusters. Deeper surveys, such as LSST, will miss ∼40 per cent at 1015 M⊙ and ∼95 per cent at 1014 M⊙. Our results motivate building a cluster watchlist for strongly lensed transients that includes those found by the lens-plane selection.
Construction and characterization of amplifiable multicopy DNA cloning vehicles derived from the P15A cryptic miniplasmid

Construction and characterization of a class of multicopy plasmid cloning vehicles containing the replication system of miniplasmid P15A are described. The constructed plasmids have cleavage sites within antibiotic resistance genes for a variety of commonly employed site-specific endonucleases, permitting convenient use of the insertional inactivation procedure for the selection of clones that contain hybrid DNA molecules. Although the constructed plasmids showed DNA sequence homology with the ColE1 plasmid within the replication region, were amplifiable by chloramphenicol or spectinomycin, required DNA polymerase I for replication, and shared other replication properties with ColE1, they were nevertheless compatible with ColE1. P15A-derived plasmids were not self-transmissible and were mobilized poorly by Hfr strains; however, mobilization was complemented by the presence of a ColE1 plasmid within the same cell.
An ICA based approach for blind deconvolution of three-dimensional signals

The paper presents a new algorithm based on independent component analysis (infomax approach) for blind deconvolution of three-dimensional signals. In this sense, it represents an extension of what has been done, so far, for one and two dimensional signals. Such a method has also been successfully implemented in the frequency domain to alleviate the computational burden, due to the efficient calculation of convolutive terms. Experimental tests carried out on synthetic source signals, with sub-Gaussian and super-Gaussian distributions, confirm the validity of the idea.
Structurally homologous toxins isolated from the Taiwan cobra (Naja naja atra) differ significantly in their structural stability.

Cardiotoxin and neurotoxin analogues isolated from snake venom sources are highly homologous proteins (>50% homology) with similar three-dimensional structures but exhibit drastically different biological properties. In the present study, we compare the conformational stability of cardiotoxin analogue III (CTX III) and cobrotoxin (CBTX), a neurotoxin analogue, from the Taiwan cobra (Naja naja atra), using circular dichroism spectroscopy and hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange techniques in conjunction with two-dimensional NMR methods. Contrary to expectations, it is found that CTX III and CBTX differ significantly in their structural stabilities. The three-dimensional structure of CBTX is less stable than that of CTX III. The amide protons of residues at the N- and C-terminal ends of the CTX III molecule are strongly protected against H/D exchange, implying that the terminal ends of the molecule are bridged together by significant numbers of hydrogen bonds. However, in CBTX, amide protons at the terminal ends of the molecule do not exhibit an significant protection against H/D exchange. Comparison of the protection factors of the various amide protons in CTX III and CBTX reveals that the extraordinary stability of CTX III stems from the strong network of interactions among the residues at the N- and C-terminal ends and also due to the tight and ordered packing of the nonpolar residues involved in the triple-stranded, anti-parallel, beta-sheet segment of the molecule.
Examining the Effects of External or Internal Radiation Exposure of Juvenile Mice on Late Morbidity after Infection with Influenza A

A number of investigators have suggested that exposure to low-dose radiation may pose a potentially serious health risk. However, the majority of these studies have focused on the short-term rather than long-term effects of exposure to fixed source radiation, and few have examined the effects of internal contamination. Additionally, very few studies have focused on exposure in juveniles, when organs are still developing and could be more sensitive to the toxic effects of radiation. To specifically address whether early-life radiation injury may affect long-term immune competence, we studied 14-day-old juvenile pups that were either 5 Gy total-body irradiated or injected internally with 50 μCi soluble 137Cs, then infected with influenza A virus at 26 weeks after exposure. After influenza infection, all groups demonstrated immediate weight loss. We found that externally irradiated, infected animals failed to recover weight relative to age-matched infected controls, but internally 137Cs contaminated and infected animals had a weight recovery with a similar rate and degree as controls. Externally and internally irradiated mice demonstrated reduced levels of club cell secretory protein (CCSP) message in their lungs after influenza infection. The externally irradiated group did not recover CCSP expression even at the two-week time point after infection. Although the antibody response and viral titers did not appear to be affected by either radiation modality, there was a slight increase in monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 expression in the lungs of externally irradiated animals 14 days after influenza infection, with increased cellular infiltration present. Notably, an increase in the number of regulatory T cells was seen in the mediastinal lymph nodes of irradiated mice relative to uninfected mice. These data confirm the hypothesis that early-life irradiation may have long-term consequences on the immune system, leading to an altered antiviral response.
Applying polytopic uncertainty in the vehicle-following problem with lossy networks

In this paper, we propose a control model based on NCS theory to solve the vehicle-following problem, which presents both issues: the difficulty in the identification process and a lossy network. To deal with network losses, we use a mode dependent Markov jump linear filter coupled with a statefeedback controller. To handle parameter uncertainty, a polytopic representation of the car model is presented. The performance to be optimized is a guaranteed cost of the H∞ norm. The proposal is compared with a full-order mode dependent H∞ controller (also a Markovian controller), which is optimal for the network losses but cannot handle the polytopic uncertainties. Results show that our approach outperforms the controllers that are not designed to cope with parameter uncertainties.
Dietary Risk Factors for Colon and Rectal Cancers: A Comparative Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND In Japan, the incidence rate of colon cancer has more rapidly increased than that of rectal cancer. The differential secular trends may be due to different dietary factors in the development of colon and rectal cancers. METHODS To compare dietary risk factors between colon and rectal cancers, we undertook a case-control study at Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Japan. Subjects were 507 patients with newly diagnosed colon (n = 265) and rectal (n = 242) cancers, and 2,535 cancer-free outpatients (controls). Intakes of nutrients and food groups were assessed with a food frequency questionnaire, and multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using unconditional logistic models. RESULTS We found a decreasing risk of colon cancer with increasing intakes of calcium and insoluble dietary fiber; the multivariate ORs across quartiles of intake were 1.00, 0.90, 0.80, and 0.67 (trend p = 0.040), and 1.00, 0.69, 0.64, and 0.65 (trend p = 0.027), respectively. For rectal cancer, a higher consumption of carotene and meat was associated with a reduced risk; the corresponding ORs were 1.00, 1.10, 0.71, and 0.70 for carotene (trend p = 0.028), and 1.00, 0.99, 0.68, and 0.72 for meat (trend p = 0.036). Carbohydrate intake was positively correlated with the risk of rectal cancer (ORs over quartiles: 1.00, 1.14, 1.42, and 1.54; trend p = 0.048). This association was stronger in women, while fat consumption was inversely correlated with the risk of female colon and rectal cancers. CONCLUSIONS Dietary risk factors appear to considerably differ between colon and rectal cancers.
Multivariate analysis of male mating success on morphometric traits and chromosome dosage in the grasshopper Sinipta dalmani

Sinipta dalmani is a South American grasshopper that is chromosomally polymorphic for a pericentric inversion in the M4 pair. The inversion affects morphology, showing a negative average effect on body size. In the present work, male mating success was analysed in competition cages and possible correlations examined between this fitness component, body size and inversion polymorphism. The outcome of the study revealed that mated males were larger and had lower inversion dosage than unmated ones. The analysis of standardized selection differentials (S′) demonstrated that directional selection operated on chromosome dosage and 3rd tibia, 3rd femur, thorax and tegmina lengths. The analysis of karyotype frequencies showed that mated males had a higher frequency of the standard homozygote karyotype. The analysis of selection gradient (β′) and the transformed logistic regression (α) showed an important effect of selection on 3rd tibia length. Identical conclusions were obtained when linear and logistic multiple regression were performed on the first three components of PCA analyses. Our results indicate that differences in some body size-related traits are determined by the karyotype, and that of these length of 3rd tibia provides the greatest contribution to variation in fitness. The selective effects detected on chromosome dosage and the other morphological traits may be considered as indirect ones caused by correlated effects.
Practical Issues in Sensorless Control of PM Brushless Machines Using Third-Harmonic Back-EMF

This paper presents some practical issues in the utility of third-harmonic back-EMF in sensorless control of PM brushless machines, including detection methods of the third-harmonic EMF, open-loop starting and normal operation of the machines in both BLDC and BLAC modes, as well as restrictions of the sensorless control