Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Esophageal and Gastric Cancer Surgery in Germany: A Four-Year Retrospective Single-Center Study of 287 Patients

Background: Disruptions to surgical care for cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic remain an ongoing debate. This study assesses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on perioperative outcomes in a continuous series of surgically treated esophageal and gastric carcinoma patients at a large university hospital in Europe over 48 months. Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study at a tertiary referral center. All patients who underwent oncologic esophageal or gastric resection between March 2018 and February 2022 were included in the analysis. The sample was split into a 24 months COVID-19 and an equivalent pre-COVID-19 control period. Outcome variables included caseload, in-hospital mortality, morbidity, treatment course, and disease stage at presentation. Results: Surgeons performed 287 operations, with around two-thirds (62%) of the cohort undergoing esophagectomy and one-third (38%) gastrectomy. The in-hospital mortality was 1% for the COVID-19 and the control periods. Patients did not present at a later disease stage nor did they wait longer for treatment. There was no decrease in caseload, and patients did not suffer from more perioperative complications during COVID-19. Conclusions: Esophageal and gastric carcinoma patients received safe and timely surgical care during the pandemic. Future pandemic protocols may streamline oncologic care towards tertiary referral centers.
Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen mRNA in Blood as a Potential Predictor of Biochemical Recurrence after Radical Prostatectomy

We investigated whether the detection of prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in blood preoperatively has predictive value for biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy in patients with prostate cancer. All 134 patients scheduled to receive radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer were prospectively enrolled. The authors used nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay to detect PSMA mRNA-bearing cells in peripheral blood, and analyzed the ability of PSMA mRNA positivity to predict BCR after surgery. PSMA-mRNA was detected in 24 (17.9%) patients by RT-PCR. Over a median follow-up of 20 months (range, 3 to 46 months), BCR developed in 15 patients (11.2%) and median time to BCR was 7 months (range, 3 to 25 months). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significant difference between those positive or negative for PSMA in terms of recurrence-free actuarial probability (log rank P=0.0039). Multivariate analysis showed that positivity for PSMA mRNA (HR: 3.697, 95% CI 1.285-10.634, P=0.015) and a biopsy Gleason score of ≥7 (HR: 4.500, 95% CI 1.419-14.274, P=0.011) were independent preoperative predictors of BCR. The presence of PSMA mRNA in peripheral blood can be used to predict BCR after radical prostatectomy.
Australian Women’s Experiences of Establishing Breastfeeding after Caesarean Birth

Breastfeeding exclusivity and duration rates are lower after caesarean birth, yet the factors contributing to these are not well understood. This mixed-methods study used an anonymous online questionnaire to examine the facilitators and barriers to establishing breastfeeding as identified by Australian women after a caesarean birth. Quantitative data were reported using descriptive statistics, and multivariable models were used to determine the factors associated with breastfeeding outcomes including the timing of breastfeeding initiation, birth experience, and commercial infant formula use. Qualitative data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis. Data were obtained for N = 961 women, of which <50% reported skin-to-skin contact during breastfeeding initiation. The barriers to breastfeeding included aspects of clinical care and reduced mobility, while unrushed care, partner support, and physical help with picking up the baby were helpful. Following a non-elective caesarean birth, women had half the odds of early breastfeeding initiation (OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.68; p ≤ 0.001) and 10 times the odds to report a negative birth experience (OR = 10.2; 95% CI: 6.88, 15.43; p < 0.001). Commercial milk formula use was higher in primiparous women (OR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.60, 2.91; p < 0.001) and in those that birthed in a private hospital (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.25, 2.32; p = 0.001). Pain and reduced mobility, as well as conflicting and rushed care, negatively impacted breastfeeding after a caesarean birth, while delayed breastfeeding initiation, higher pain ratings, and negative birth experiences were more common for women that birthed by non-elective caesarean. This study adds valuable insights into the physical, emotional, and clinical care needs of women in establishing breastfeeding after a surgical birth. Clinical staffing and care should be modified to include full access to partner support to meet the specific needs of breastfeeding women after a caesarean birth.
The great urban shift: Climate change is predicted to drive mass species turnover in cities

Human experiences with nature are important for our culture, economy, and health. Anthropogenically-driven climate change is causing widespread shifts in biodiversity and resident urban wildlife are no exception. We modelled over 2,000 animal species to predict how climate change will impact terrestrial wildlife within 60 Canadian and American cities. We found evidence of an impending great urban shift where thousands of species will disappear across the selected cities, being replaced by new species, or not replaced at all. Effects were largely species-specific, with the most negatively impacted taxa being amphibians, canines, and loons. These predicted shifts were consistent across scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions, but our results show that the severity of change will be defined by our action or inaction to mitigate climate change. An impending massive shift in urban wildlife will impact the cultural experiences of human residents, the delivery of ecosystem services, and our relationship with nature.
Strong accountability for network storage

This article presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of CATS, a network storage service with strong accountability properties. CATS offers a simple web services interface that allows clients to read and write opaque objects of variable size. This interface is similar to the one offered by existing commercial Internet storage services. CATS extends the functionality of commercial Internet storage services by offering support for strong accountability. A CATS server annotates read and write responses with evidence of correct execution, and offers audit and challenge interfaces that enable clients to verify that the server is faithful. A faulty server cannot conceal its misbehavior, and evidence of misbehavior is independently verifiable by any participant. CATS clients are also accountable for their actions on the service. A client cannot deny its actions, and the server can prove the impact of those actions on the state views it presented to other clients. Experiments with a CATS prototype evaluate the cost of accountability under a range of conditions and expose the primary factors influencing the level of assurance and the performance of a strongly accountable storage server. The results show that strong accountability is practical for network storage systems in settings with strong identity and modest degrees of write-sharing. We discuss how the accountability concepts and techniques used in CATS generalize to other classes of network services.
Reduced Corticosteroid Exposure Is Safe and Does Not Reduce Disease Control among Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients Treated with Escalated BEACOPP (eBEACOPP)

Background and Objectives: eBEACOPP is the most effective chemotherapy regimen for younger patients with early unfavorable (EU) and advanced-stage (AS) Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), albeit with significant toxicities. The 14-day/cycle prednisone course contributes to side effects, including osteoarticular events like avascular bone necrosis (AVN). Our center has been using eBEACOPP since 2009 for AS and 2014 for EU patients. In 2016, we reduced prednisone treatment to 7–10 days to lessen AVN risk. We analyzed the effects of this approach. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively collected data on patients who received at least two cycles of eBEACOPP for first-line HL treatment. Results: A total of 162 patients (33 EU, 129 AS) were included. Their median age was 31 (range 19–59 years), and 88 were males. A total of 94 patients received full corticosteroid courses, and 68 received reduced corticosteroid courses. The overall response rate (ORR) was 98%. Different corticosteroid dosings had no significant effect on ORR, febrile neutropenia episodes, or hospital admissions. After a median follow-up (mFU) of 58 months, the 5yPFS for the entire cohort was 98% vs. 95% for the standard course vs. the short corticosteroids course, respectively (p = 0.37), while the 5yOS was 98% vs. 99% for the standard course vs. short corticosteroids course, respectively (p = 0.87). In AS patients intended to be treated with six eBEACOPP cycles, 5yPFS and 5yOS were 100% vs. 97% and 100% vs. 99% for standard vs. short corticosteroid courses, respectively (p = 0.56 and p = 0.17). In EU patients, 5yPFS was 97% (standard) vs. 95% (short) (p = 0.98) and 5yOS 100% vs. 93.3% (p = 0.87). Osteoarticular events were numerically lower in patients receiving the shorter prednisone course, both in the whole cohort and in the subgroup of patients treated with six cycles of eBEACOPP, but this difference failed to reach statistical significance. Conclusions: eBEACOPP provides excellent and durable first-line disease control. Shortening the corticosteroid course does not compromise efficacy, potentially reducing toxicity. However, longer follow-ups and larger studies are needed for confirmation.
Exploring Bidder Heterogeneity in Multichannel Sequential B2B Auctions

The proliferation of online auctions has attracted significant research interest in understanding real-life bidding behavior. However, most of the empirical work has focused on business-to-consumer (B2C) auctions. A natural question is whether the findings obtained from B2C auctions are applicable to business-to-business (B2B) auctions, which often involve much higher stakes. In this paper, we examine how professional bidders choose their bidding strategies in multichannel, sequential B2B auctions. Using an extensive data set from the world's largest B2B market for cut flowers, we find a stable taxonomy of bidding behavior and identify five distinctive bidding strategies. In addition, we demonstrate that bidders' choice of strategies is associated with their demand, budget constraint, and transaction cost. These findings challenge the conventional view that bidders' bidding strategies will converge as they gain experience. We also analyze the economic impacts of different strategies. Our results provide useful implications for practical design of B2B auctions.
Outcome of complicated osteoarticular brucellosis in a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia

Objective To evaluate the outcome of complicated osteoarticular brucellosis. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All patients aged more than 14 who have been diagnosed with complicated brucellosis with osteoarticular disease between July 2016 and December 2022 were included. Results A total of 82 (10.7%) patients met the criteria, with a male predominance of 66 (80.4%), and their mean age was 56.4 ± 19.3 years. A positive blood culture was found in 33 (40.2%). The most common clinical presentation was fever (57.3%). All patients received a doxycycline-based regimen except one. 62 (75.60%) patients were treated with three or more medication regimens, while 20 (24.40%) patients received two drug regimens. The mean duration of therapy was 94.2 days for two-drug therapy and 116.4 days for three-drug therapy. A total of 78 out of 82 (95.1%) cases were cured at the end of treatment. Unfavorable outcomes were documented in four cases (two relapses and two treatment failures). Neither using three drugs regimen nor longer duration of therapy was associated with better outcome. Conclusions Unfavorable outcomes have been noticed to be minimal in our cohort of patients with osteoarticular brucellosis, treated mainly with a three-drug regimen and a longer duration of therapy.
Epidemiological Profile of Human Papillomavirus in a Healthcare Center in Portugal: Implications for Public Health Policies

Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, a prevalent sexually transmitted disease, affects the majority of sexually active individuals at least once in their lifetime. Cervical cancer stands as a significant contributor to mortality among women. Cervical cancer screening (CCS) and HPV vaccination are recent, with few studies about their impact on the prevalence of HPV types. The emergence of novel predominant pathogen strains can be driven by vaccine-induced pathogen strain replacement, thereby enhancing and altering selection. Objective The aim of the study was to characterize the high-risk (HR) HPV infection in two Portuguese primary care units (PCUs). Materials and methods In this observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive study, we included women aged 25-64 years and registered in two PCUs, who were screened by SiiMA Rastreios (population-based screening management application), and were HR-HPV positive, between August 2015 and May 2018. The results of cervical cancer screening (CCS) can be accessed through the SiiMA Rastreios information system. For data treatment, we used MS Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, USA), IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20 (Released 2011; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, USA), and non-parametric tests. Results In our study, we included 4,614 women aged between 25 and 64 years old. CCS was performed on 24.47%, of whom 39.95% were tested for HR-HPV. The infection rate was 18.85%, and all 14 types of infection were identified. The most common HPV type was 31, followed by 16 and 68. We found HPV other than 16/18 in 84.43%. We found coinfections in 34.1%, with no statistically significant difference by age group. In the 25-34 age group, the incidence of infection was 33.7% vs. 17.54% in the 35-54 age group and 4.55% in the 55-64 age group. HPV16 was the most common infection in the 25-34 age group. In nulliparous women, the most common was HPV31. The relationship between smoking habits and HR-HPV infection was statistically significant, but economic insufficiency was not. Conclusion The infection incidence in this study was slightly higher than in the 2011 national study. Statistically, the infection rate was significantly higher in the younger age groups. The most frequent type varied from the national and international study results. This may be due to regional differences in HPV infection, changes in the pattern of incidence, or the effect of vaccination. The HPV pattern may be changing, so the scientific community must keep updated to develop increasingly efficient screening and vaccination programs.
Individual differences in perceptual information processing and their relation to automobile accident involvement.

A perceptual-information-processing model of driver decision making was used as a framework to select and devise predictions of accident involvement. The predictors of field dependence, selective attention, and complex reaction time significantly related to accident involvement for 75 commercial drivers. Initial, simple, and choice reaction time did not relate to accident rate. The visual measures of field dependence and the auditory measure of selective attention were related in the predicted direction with the field-independent drivers making fewer errors in selective perception. This finding lends support to the importance of the further development of an information-processing model of the driving task. Since evidence is accumulating that stable individual differences in information processing relate to accident involvement, consideration should be given to devising techniques to develop these skills. /Author/
Rapid resurgence of syphilis in Japan after the COVID-19 pandemic: A descriptive study

Some countries have reported a post-pandemic resurgence in syphilis prevalence, but trend data in the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region (WHO-WPRO), including Japan, are severely lacking. Thus, the present study compares the number of syphilis cases before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in some WHO-WPRO countries. In addition, temporal trends in the number of syphilis cases in Japan pre- and post-pandemic are described. Annual numbers of syphilis cases during the study periods from China, New Zealand, Australia and Japan were compared. Annual trends of the numbers of syphilis cases during the same study periods were examined in Japan. In 2020, the number of syphilis-positive cases decreased in all four countries. In 2021, though, China, Australia and Japan all showed an increase in the numbers of syphilis cases. However, the rate of increase in China (+2.8%) and Australia (+4.8%) was low compared to Japan (+36.0%). The number of syphilis cases in New Zealand in 2021 was 12.6% lower than in 2020. In 2022, the number of cases of syphilis in China was 7.4% lower than in 2021. The increase of syphilis-positive cases was approximately 6.3-fold higher in Japan compared to Australia (+66.2% vs. +10.5%) in 2022. In conclusion, post-pandemic resurgence of syphilis occurred in Australia and Japan, but not in China and New Zealand. The reason for the substantial increase in syphilis-positive cases in Japan remains unclear. Post-pandemic, prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections still require attention.
An Intersection Turning Movement Estimation Procedure Based on Path Flow Estimator

Estimation of intersection turning movements is one of the key inputs required for a variety of transportation analysis, including intersection geometric design, signal timing design, traffic impact assessment, and transportation planning. Conventional approaches that use manual techniques for estimation of turning movements are insensitive to congestion. The drawbacks of the manual techniques can be amended by integrating a network traffic model with a computation procedure capable of estimating turning movements from a set of link traffic counts. This study proposes using the Path Flow Estimator (PFE), originally used to estimate path flows (hence origin-destination flows), to derive not only complete link flows, but also turning movements for the whole road network given some counts at selected roads. Two case studies using actual traffic counts are used to demonstrate the proposed intersection turning movement estimation procedure.
Multiple parallel cell lineages in the developing mammalian cerebral cortex

Cortical neurogenesis follows a simple lineage: apical radial glia cells (RGCs) generate basal progenitors, and these produce neurons. How this occurs in species with expanded germinal zones and a folded cortex, such as human, remains unclear. We used single-cell RNA sequencing from individual cortical germinal zones in ferret and barcoded lineage tracking to determine the molecular diversity of progenitor cells and their lineages. We identified multiple RGC classes that initiate parallel lineages, converging onto a common class of newborn neuron. Parallel RGC classes and transcriptomic trajectories were repeated across germinal zones and conserved in ferret and human, but not in mouse. Neurons followed parallel differentiation trajectories in the gyrus and sulcus, with different expressions of human cortical malformation genes. Progenitor cell lineage multiplicity is conserved in the folded mammalian cerebral cortex.
Rigid tape dynamic fixation in conservative treatment of acute anterior talofibular ligament tear: A retrospective cohort study

Objectives This study aims to compare results of rigid tape (RT) dynamic fixation and static fixation in conservative treatment of acute anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) tear. Patients and methods Between September 2021 and December 2021, a total of 91 patients (41 males, 50 females, mean age: 28.5±6.5 years, range, 18 to 40 years) who were diagnosed with ATFL tear and underwent rigid tape (RT) or cast/brace rehabilitation protocol were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups as the RT group (n=36) and the control group (n=55). Follow-up (FU) was performed at six months. Outcomes included pain (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS]), ankle function (American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society [AOFAS] hindfoot score), deviation of center of gravity (DCG), and symptoms after returning to sports. Results The difference at each time point of pain, AOFAS, DCG and SRS between the two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05 for all). Only one patient at Week 12 in the RT group had pain in the lateral side of the ankle, while 36 patients at Week 12 and 21 patients (18 in the medial side) at FU had pain in the control group. Conclusion Our study results suggest that RT dynamic fixation can accurately lock the ATFL function and may prevent pseudo-stability, so as to quickly repair injury, restore function, and return to sports earlier.
A Genetic Automatic Ground-Truth Validation Method for Multispectral Remote Sensing Images

In this paper, we propose a novel genetic method that aims at providing the ground-truth expert with a binary information of the kind "validated"/"invalidated" for each ground-truth (learning) sample collected. For each invalidated sample, the expert may confirm or not the invalidation, and thus correct or maintain the adopted labeling before creating the final learning set that will be exploited in the classification process. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method in correctly detecting mislabeled learning samples and thus in limiting their negative impact on the classification process.
Mirroring co-evolving trees in the light of their topologies

MOTIVATION Determining the interaction partners among protein/domain families poses hard computational problems, in particular in the presence of paralogous proteins. Available approaches aim to identify interaction partners among protein/domain families through maximizing the similarity between trimmed versions of their phylogenetic trees. Since maximization of any natural similarity score is computationally difficult, many approaches employ heuristics to evaluate the distance matrices corresponding to the tree topologies in question. In this article, we devise an efficient deterministic algorithm which directly maximizes the similarity between two leaf labeled trees with edge lengths, obtaining a score-optimal alignment of the two trees in question. RESULTS Our algorithm is significantly faster than those methods based on distance matrix comparison: 1 min on a single processor versus 730 h on a supercomputer. Furthermore, we outperform the current state-of-the-art exhaustive search approach in terms of precision, while incurring acceptable losses in recall. AVAILABILITY A C implementation of the method demonstrated in this article is available at http://compbio.cs. sfu.ca/mirrort.htm