Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety and Perioperative Outcomes of Laparoscopic vs. Open Hepatectomy of Central-Located Liver Lesions: A Multicenter, Propensity Score-Matched, Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Short-term outcomes of laparoscopic hepatectomy of central-located liver lesions (LHCL) compared with traditional open hepatectomy of central-located liver lesions (OHCL) remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the safety and efficacy of LHCL. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 262 patients who underwent hepatectomies involving resections of liver segment II, IV or VIII from January 2015 to June 2021 in two institutions. Patients in the LHCL group were matched in a 1:2 ratio to patients in the OHCL group. Results: After propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis, 61 patients remained in the LHCL group and 122 patients were in the OHCL group. What needs to be mentioned is that although not significant, patients in the OHCL group had increased lesion size (4.3 vs. 3.6 cm, p = 0.052), number (single/multiple, 84.8%/15.2% vs. 93.4%/6.6%, p = 0.097), and number of liver segments involved (one/two/three, 47.3%/42.0%/10.7% vs. 57.4%36.1%/10.7%, p = 0.393). To ensure surgical safety, fewer patients in the LHCL group underwent vascular exclusion than those in the OHCL group (p = 0.004). In addition, LHCL was associated with lower blood loss (p = 0.001) and transfusion requirement (p = 0.004). In terms of short-term outcomes, the LHCL group had significantly lower levels of peak ALT (p < 0.001), peak DBIL (p = 0.042), peak PT (p = 0.012), and higher levels of bottom ALB (p = 0.049). Moreover, the LHCL group demonstrated quicker postoperative recovery, which was represented by shorter time to first flatus, time to oral intake, time to drain off, and hospital stay (all p < 0.001). Importantly, the LHCL group had a significantly reduced occurrence of postoperative complications (p < 0.001) and similar R0 resection rates (p = 0.678) when compared to the OHCL group. Conclusion: LHCL is associated with increased safety and better perioperative outcomes and thus could be recommended for patients with central space-occupying liver lesions when appropriately selecting the surgical procedure according to the total tumor burden and carefully handled by experienced surgeons. From the experience of our center, LHCL could be performed to solitary lesion involving liver segment IV/V/VIII, <5 cm, with good safety and feasibility.
Assessing the quality of early childhood education and care in Australia: Challenges and opportunities

While access to quality education in early childhood is an international priority, the characteristics of quality continue to be debated. In the Australian context, differing views on the characteristics of quality may be a result of differing stakeholder priorities. Divergent notions of quality may lead to initiatives that emphasize educator practice and frame a dominant discourse that situates responsibility for enactment of quality at Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) service room level. Challenges arising from initiatives driving increased access to ECEC coinciding with workforce shortages are addressed. National longitudinal research is needed to determine the impact of participation in ECEC on child outcomes, as is ECEC quality assessment across regions and jurisdictions over time. Prior to this, stakeholder conversations are needed to achieve consensus on the characteristics of quality. This could lead to the development of an instrument for assessing quality that is systemically relevant and could inform evidence-based decision making by ECEC teachers and educators, primary caregivers, regulators, researchers and policy makers to distribute accountability for quality across the ECEC system.
Sequential Convex Optimization Based Spacecraft Formation Reconfiguration with Collision Avoidance

Aiming at the problem of cooperative formation reconfiguration of multiple spacecraft under the constraints of collision avoidance and controller saturation, a formation reconfiguration strategy based on sequential convex optimization is proposed. Based on the CW equation, a multi-spacecraft formation reconfiguration model is constructed, and the formation reconfiguration problem is transformed into a nonlinear programming problem; the dynamic equations are linearized and discretized, and the collision avoidance constraints are decoupled and convexized which transforming the non-convex optimization problem into a convex optimization problem; a formation reconstruction strategy based on sequential convex optimization is proposed. Finally, numerical simulations effectively verify the effectiveness of the aforementioned strategy.
SP 800-56A. Recommendation for Pair-Wise Key Establishment Schemes Using Discrete Logarithm Cryptography (Revised)

This Recommendation provides the specifications of key establishment schemes that are appropriate for use by the U.S. Federal Government, based on standards developed by the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X9, Inc.: American National Standard (ANS) X9.42 Agreement of Symmetric Keys using Discrete Logarithm Cryptography and ANS X9.63 Key Agreement and Key Transport using Elliptic Curve Cryptography. A key establishment scheme can be characterized as either a key agreement scheme or a key transport scheme. The asymmetric-key-based key agreement schemes in this Recommendation are based on the Diffie-Hellman (DH) and Menezes-Qu-Vanstone (MQV) algorithms. In addition, an asymmetric-key-based key transport scheme is specified.
EG-PointNet: Semantic Segmentation for Real Point Cloud Scenes In Challenging Indoor Environments

When patients with movement disorders used a robotic arm for supported living, the target objects in complex surroundings offered various and overlapping states, making it difficult for the robotic arm to grip the target objects precisely and effectively. As a result, to solve the aforesaid difficulty, we designed a point cloud recognition method for complex scenarios. In this paper, we proposed EG-PointNet, a novel neural network that adds the EGconv module to perform semantic segmentation of indoor point cloud data. EGconv provided several distinct advantages as compared to current modules that execute in outer space or treat each point separately: it combined local neighborhood information; it could be stacked apply to learn global shape attributes; it could capture semantic properties over possibly large distances in the original embedding in multi-layer systems because of its affinity in feature space. Experimental results identified that the proposed EG-PointNet could be successfully integrated into a robotic arm vision module to help patients with movement disorders grab target objects accurately in challenging environments, proving our network’s effectiveness.
Real-time inspection and auxiliary shooting system of transmission line components based on unmanned aerial vehicles

At present, most of the UAV applications in the field of power inspection mainly use offline inspection, but the method lacks real-time, and the collected images have a lot of redundant data. Therefore, this paper designs a UAV real-time inspection and auxiliary shooting system, which is mainly divided into UAV flight platform, target detection platform and UAV intelligent remote control platform. In order to achieve real-time detection, a target detection platform is designed based on TCP protocol communication, C++ language and image recognition technology, and a drone intelligent remote control platform is designed based on JAVA language, control technology and DJI MSDK to meet the automatic adjustment of camera screens. After experiments, the total delay time for video transmission and recognition averaged 350ms, and the detection accuracy reaches 85%, which meets the requirements of real-time and verifies the effectiveness of the system.
A 100- to- 10-kHz 5.4- to- 216- μW Power-Efficient Readout Circuit Employing Closed-Loop Dynamic Amplifier for MEMS Capacitive Accelerometer

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) capacitive accelerometer for the Internet of Things (IoT) applications is required to operate at various sampling frequencies while keeping high power efficiency. To meet this requirement, dynamic amplifiers are used in the readout circuit of the accelerometer. However, the dynamic amplifier’s open-loop gain is low and varies with the sampling frequency of the readout circuit. This significantly deteriorates the gain accuracy of the readout circuit. In this article, the dynamic-amplifier-specific oversampling successive approximation (DA-OSA) readout technique is proposed to overcome this gain variation problem and make the dynamic amplifier applicable to the readout circuit. The DA-OSA-based readout circuit is fabricated in a commercial 0.18-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> 1.8-V CMOS process and tested with the MEMS accelerometer sensing element. The measurement results show that, with the sampling frequency varying from 10 kHz to 1 MHz, the proposed readout circuit achieves a variable signal bandwidth from 100 Hz to 10 kHz, a variable power consumption from 5.4 to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathrm {216}\mu \mathrm {W}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and a low gain variation of 1.2%.
Protective Attitudes toward Occupational Radiation Exposure among Spine Surgeons in Japan: An Epidemiological Description from the Survey by the Society for Minimally Invasive Spinal Treatment

Background and Objectives: The global trend toward increased protection of medical personnel from occupational radiation exposure requires efforts to promote protection from radiation on a societal scale. To develop effective educational programs to promote radiation protection, we clarify the actual status and stage of behavioral changes of spine surgeons regarding radiation protection. Materials and Methods: We used a web-based questionnaire to collect information on the actual status of radiation protection and stages of behavioral change according to the transtheoretical model. The survey was administered to all members of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spinal Treatment from 5 October to 5 November 2020. Results: Of 324 members of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spinal Treatment, 229 (70.7%) responded. A total of 217 participants were analyzed, excluding 12 respondents who were not exposed to radiation in daily practice. A trunk lead protector was used by 215 (99%) participants, while 113 (53%) preferred an apron-type protector. Dosimeters, thyroid protector, lead glasses, and lead gloves were used by 108 (50%), 116 (53%), 82 (38%), and 64 (29%) participants, respectively. While 202 (93%) participants avoided continuous irradiation, only 120 (55%) were aware of the source of the radiation when determining their position in the room. Regarding the behavioral change stage of radiation protection, 134 (62%) participants were in the action stage, while 37 (17%) had not even reached the contemplation stage. Conclusions: We found that even among the members of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spinal Treatment, protection of all vulnerable body parts was not fully implemented. Thus, development of educational programs that cover the familiar risks of occupational radiation exposure, basic protection methods in the operating room, and the effects of such protection methods on reducing radiation exposure in actual clinical practice is warranted.
A Family of Eventually Expanding Piecewise Linear Maps of the Interval

Abstract We show that for every 0 < s ≤ 1 < p the piecewise linear map fs,p on the interval [0, 1] given by an expanding branch px for 0 ≤ x ≤ 1/p, and a contracting branch sx − s/p for 1/p < x ≤ 1, is eventually piecewise expanding and exact.
A 3 Jy Radio Burst at a High Galactic Latitude

A radio burst lasting up to 72 hr at a high Galactic latitude was detected by interferometric drift-scanning observation using an eight-element, 20 m diameter fixed spherical dish array at the Waseda Nasu Pulsar Observatory in Japan. Transient fringes of this radio burst, WJN J1443+3439, were observed at 19:39:01 UT on 2005 February 13 and at 19:35:05 UT on 2005 February 14, at α = 14h43m22.0s ± 10.0s, δ = 34°39' ± 0.4° (J2000.0) (l = 56°55′, b = 64°57′). The flux density was 1.5 Jy on February 13, whereas it was 3.0 Jy on February 14. Within the error box, a few possible counterparts at other wavelengths (two X-ray sources and two gamma-ray sources) were considered. One of the X-ray sources, 1WGA J1443.4+3450, is in an unidentified class.
HF Doppler Measurements of Mesospheric Gravity Wave Momentum Fluxes

Abstract Recent theoretical studies have emphasized the probable importance of internal gravity waves in balancing the momentum budget of the mesosphere. In this paper, we propose a method by which the vertical flux of horizontal momentum can be measured by ground based radars. The method uses two or more radar beams each offset from the vertical to measure the atmospheric motions by the Doppler technique. Provided there is horizontal homogeneity, the momentum flux is proportional to the difference of the variances of the Doppler velocities measured in each beam. The flux convergence and, hence, the associated body force acting on the atmosphere can be inferred by measuring the flux as a function of height. It is shown that mean wind components can also be measured by this method and, under certain circumstances, so can the horizontal wavelengths and phase velocities of the internal waves. Observations of the vertical flux of zonal momentum made with this technique using an HF radar located near Adelaide,.
Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis of Pancreatic Cancer Using Residual Liquid Cytology Specimens from Endoscopic Ultrasound—Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy: A Prospective Comparative Study with Tissue Specimens

This study evaluated the feasibility and clinical utility of liquid-based cytology (LBC) specimens via endoscopic ultrasound–guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) for next-generation sequencing (NGS) of pancreatic cancer (PC). We prospectively evaluated the performance of DNA extraction and NGS using EUS-FNB samples obtained from PC. Thirty-three consecutive patients with PC who underwent EUS-FNB at our hospital were enrolled. DNA samples were obtained from 96.8% of the patients. When stratified with a variant allele frequency (VAF) > 10% tumor burden, the NGS success rate was 76.7% (n = 23) in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), 83.3% (n = 25) in LBC, and 76.7% (n = 23) in frozen samples. The overall NGS success rate was 86.7% (n = 26) using FFPE, LBC, or frozen samples. The detection rates for the main mutated genes were as follows: 86.7% for KRAS, 73.3% for TP53, 66.7% for CDKN2A, 36.7% for SMAD4, and 16.7% for ARID1A. LBC had the highest median value of VAF (23.5%) for KRAS and TP53. PC mutation analysis using NGS was successfully performed using LBC compared with FFPE and frozen samples. This approach provides an alternative and affordable source of molecular testing materials.
Postharvest light-induced flavonoids accumulation in mango (Mangifera indica L.) peel is associated with the up-regulation of flavonoids-related and light signal pathway genes

Introduction Flavonoids are important secondary metabolites in plants and light is a crucial environmental factor regulating flavonoids biosynthesis. However, effect of light on the different flavonoids compositions accumulation in mango and the relevant molecular mechanism still need to be clarified. Methods In this study, green-mature fruits of red mango cultivar ‘Zill’ were subjected to postharvest light treatment, and fruit peel color, total soluble solids content, total organic acid, and firmness of flesh were measured. The flavonoids metabolites profile, and the expression of flavonoids-related genes and light signal pathway genes were also analyzed. Results Results showed that light treatment promoted the red coloration of fruit peel and increased the total soluble solids content and firmness of flesh. The concentration of flavonols, proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, and expression of key flavonoids biosynthetic genes including MiF3H, MiFLS, MiLAR, MiANS, MiUFGT1, and MiUFGT3 were significantly induced by light. The MYBs regulating flavonols and proanthocyanidins, i.e. MiMYB22 and MiMYB12, as well as the key light signal pathway transcription factors (TFs) MiHY5 and MiHYH, were identified in mango. The transcription of MiMYB1, MiMYB12, MiMYB22, MiHY5 and MiHYH was up-regulated by light. Discussion Our results provide a postharvest technology to improve mango fruit appearance quality, and are helpful to reveal the molecular mechanism of light-induced flavonoids biosynthesis in mango.
Low magnetic field measurement by a separated NMR detector using flowing water

Using polarized flowing water, NMR detection at a high field region separated far away from the measured field was investigated to estimate ranges and conditions for a wide-range magnetometer. We obtained the Lorentzian-type NMR signal with the full-half-maximum width of 320 nT and the S/N ratio of 10.5, and measured the magnetic field from several mT down to a few /spl mu/T with the same enhancement of signals by a separated NMR detector.
Hormonal drugs: Influence on growth, biofilm formation, and adherence of selected gut microbiota

Many studies have reported the influence of hormonal drugs on gut microbiota composition. However, the underlying mechanism of this interaction is still under study. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the possible in vitro changes in selected members of gut bacteria exposed to oral hormonal drugs used for years. Selected members of gut bacteria were Bifidobacterium longum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Bacteroides fragilis, and Escherichia coli representing the four main phyla in the gut. Selected hormonal drugs used for a long time were estradiol, progesterone, and thyroxine. The effect of intestinal concentrations of these drugs on the selected bacterial growth, biofilm formation, and adherence to Caco-2/HT-29 cell line was assessed. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been included in host functions including the gut, immune and nervous functions; thus, the drug’s effects on their production were assayed using High- Performance Liquid Chromatography. Sex steroids significantly increased the growth of all tested bacteria except B. longum, similarly, thyroxine increased the growth of tested Gram-negative bacteria however reducing that of tested Gram-positive bacteria. The effect of drugs on biofilm formation and bacterial adherence to cell lines cocultures was variable. Progesterone decreased the biofilm formation of tested Gram-positive bacteria, it nevertheless increased L. reuteri adherence to Caco-2/HT-29 cell line cell lines coculture. By contrast, progesterone increased biofilm formation by Gram-negative bacteria and increased adherence of B. fragilis to the cell lines coculture. Moreover, thyroxine and estradiol exhibited antibiofilm activity against L. reuteri, while thyroxine increased the ability of E. coli to form a biofilm. Moreover, hormones affected bacterial adherence to cell lines independently of their effect on hydrophobicity suggesting other specific binding factors might contribute to this effect. Tested drugs affected SCFAs production variably, mostly independent of their effect on bacterial growth. In conclusion, our results showed that the microbiota signature associated with some hormonal drug consumption could be the result of the direct effect of these drugs on bacterial growth, and adherence to enterocytes besides the effect of these drugs on the host tissue targets. Additionally, these drugs affect the production of SCFAs which could contribute to some of the side effects of these drugs.
Feasibility Analysis of Using Channel State Information (CSI) Acquired from Wi-Fi Routers for Construction Worker Fall Detection

Accidental falls represent a major cause of fatal injuries for construction workers. Failure to seek medical attention after a fall can significantly increase the risk of death for construction workers. Wearable sensors, computer vision, and manual techniques are common modalities for detecting worker falls in the literature. However, they are severely constrained by issues such as cost, lighting, background, clutter, and privacy. To address the problems associated with the existing proposed methods, a new method has been conceived to identify construction worker falls by analyzing the CSI signals extracted from commercial Wi-Fi routers. In this research context, our study aimed to investigate the potential of using Channel State Information (CSI) to identify falls among construction workers. To achieve the aim of this study, CSI data corresponding to 360 sets of activities were collected from six construction workers on real construction sites. The results indicate that (1) the behavior of construction workers is highly correlated with the magnitude of CSI, even in real construction sites, and (2) the CSI-based method for identifying construction worker falls has an accuracy of 99% and can also accurately distinguish between falls and fall-like actions. The present study makes a significant contribution to the field by demonstrating the feasibility of utilizing low-cost Wi-Fi routers for the continuous monitoring of fall incidents among construction workers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation to address the issue of fall detection using commercial Wi-Fi devices in real-world construction environments. Considering the dynamic nature of construction sites, the new method developed in this study helps to detect falls at construction sites automatically and helps injured construction workers to seek medical attention on time.
Extrinsic Calibration of LiDAR-Camera Based on Deep Convolutional Network

LiDAR and stereo cameras are increasingly being used for intelligent perceptual tasks in autonomous vehicles and robotic platforms. However, before the sensors can be used, they usually need to be precisely calibrated both internally and externally considering the calibration affection of the sensor parameters. With the increasing popularity of deep learning (DL), some recent studies have proved the advantages of DL in feature extraction, feature matching and global regression in extrinsic calibration. To improve the accuracy and reduce calibration time, we propose a method for automatic extrinsic calibration of LiDAR and stereo camera based on deep convolutional network. It has the nonlinear mapping ability of neural network to establish the mapping relationship between the target in the LiDAR coordinate system and its image pixel coordinate system. Moreover, the proposed method does not require the resort to any extra calibrator, which reduces some manual steps and compensates some shortcomings of traditional methods. The method can be used for the extrinsic calibration of LiDAR and camera online, which is meaningful for further fusing the sensor data.