Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial-temporal epidemiology of the syphilis epidemic in relation to neighborhood-level structural factors in British Columbia, 2005-2016.

BACKGROUND Spatial clusters of syphilis have been observed within several jurisdictions globally; however, the degree to which they are predicted by the spatial distributions of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) and testing remains unknown. We sought to describe the spatial-temporal epidemiology of infectious syphilis and identify associations between neighborhood-level factors and rates of syphilis, in British Columbia, Canada. METHODS We used ArcGIS to map infectious syphilis cases among males, 2005-2016, SaTScan to detect areas with significantly elevated rates of syphilis, and spatial regression to identify associations between neighborhood-level factors and rates of syphilis. RESULTS Five clusters were identified: a core in downtown Vancouver (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 18.0, 2007-2016), two clusters adjacent to the core (IRR=3.3, 2012-2016; and IRR=2.2, 2013-2016), one cluster east of Vancouver (IRR=2.1, 2013-2016), and one cluster in Victoria (IRR=4.3, 2015-2016). Epidemic curves were synchronized across cluster and non-cluster regions. Neighborhood-level GBM population estimates and testing rates were both associated with syphilis rates; however, the spatial distribution of syphilis was not fully explained by either of these factors. CONCLUSIONS We identified two novel ecologic correlates of the spatial distribution of infectious syphilis-density of GBM and rates of syphilis testing-and found that these factors partially though not entirely explained the spatial distribution of clusters. Residual spatial autocorrelation suggests that greater syphilis testing coverage may be needed and low-barrier GBM-affirming testing should be expanded to regions outside the core.
Immunotherapy for cancer in people living with HIV: safety with an efficacy signal from the series in real life experience on behalf of the French CANCERVIH network.

OBJECTIVE To report efficacy and tolerance of nivolumab or pembrolizumab, PD-1 inhibitors, in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) and cancer. DESIGN Series of PLWHIV cancer patients treated with anti-PD1 agents in real life clinical practice. METHODS From May 2014 to January 2019, 575 HIV infected patients have been discussed in the French CANCERVIH national multidisciplinary board and included in the network database. 23 patients were treated with ICI in daily practice. We report the demographic characteristics, CD4 T cell counts, HIV viral loads, safety and efficacy data of these 23 PLWHIV treated in routine practice with nivolumab or pembrolizumab for non-small cell lung cancer (n = 21), melanoma (n = 1) and head and neck cancer (n = 1) retrospectively collected from the database CANCERVIH network. The median CD4 T cell count at treatment initiation was 370/mm (IQR: 125-1485). HIV viral load was undetectable in all patients. RESULTS As of 29 April 2019, with a median follow-up of 10.8 months (2.0-27.7), the median number of injections was 6 (IQR: 4-18). Only two grade 3 adverse reactions were reported (no toxic deaths or immune-related deaths). Among the 23 patients, a partial response was observed in 5 patients (22%), a stabilization for 5 (22%) and a progression in 13 (57%). Only one patient experienced a positive HIV viral load, but this occurred following ART interruption. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with PD-1 inhibitors seems to have an efficacy signal and be well tolerated in PLWHIV, including impact on CD4 lymphocyte count and HIV load, that should be monitored during treatment course (regarding real-life experience).
Distribution of polyamines may be altered in different scalp regions of patients with hair loss

Hair loss, from the vertex or front of the head, generally occurs due to increased androgenic steroid levels. Androgenic steroids, particularly testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, are distributed differently across the vertex and occipital regions and are involved in inducing ornithine decarboxylase expression. Therefore, we hypothesized that the distribution of polyamines may be altered in different scalp regions. For the overall metabolic profiling of polyamines in patients with hair loss, a liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry was used. We investigated the differential polyamine levels in different regions of the hair of patients with male pattern baldness and those with female pattern hair loss. The levels of most polyamines were higher in the vertex region than in the occipital region, and N‐acetyl polyamine levels differed significantly. We proposed to test our hypothesis by profiling polyamines in human hair fibre to evaluate the distribution of metabolites in various regions of the scalp.
OPINION Controversy around airborne versus droplet transmission of respiratory viruses: implication for infection prevention

Purpose of review Health agencies recommend transmission-based precautions, including contact, droplet and airborne precautions, to mitigate transmission of respiratory viruses in healthcare settings. There is particular controversy over the importance of aerosol transmission and whether airborne precautions should be recommended for some respiratory viruses. Here, we review the current recommendations of transmissionbased precautions and the latest evidence on the aerosol transmission of respiratory viruses.
Improving Marketing Students’ Writing Skills using A One-Page Paper

Employers of marketing graduates view good writing as a core marketing skill, but many marketing students are weak writers. The improvement of student writing should therefore be an important objective in a well-designed marketing curriculum. One-page papers combine the effective teaching of marketing concepts with writing instruction while keeping demands on instructor time manageable. This innovation most improves the writing of weaker writers in a class. Combined with a more challenging group writing assignment, it provides a mechanism for improving the writing skill of all class members while fostering an ability to thoughtfully apply marketing concepts to solve unstructured problems.
Efficacy of intermittent versus standard resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta in a lethal solid organ injury model.

BACKGROUND High-grade solid organ injury is a major cause of mortality in trauma. Use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) can be effective but is limited by ischemia-reperfusion injury. Intermittent balloon inflation/deflation has been proposed as an alternative, but the safety and efficacy prior to operative hemorrhage control is unknown. METHODS Twenty male swine underwent standardized high-grade liver injury, then randomization to controls (N = 5), 60-min continuous REBOA (cR, n = 5), and either a time-based (10-minute inflation/3-minute deflation, iRT = 5) or pressure-based (mean arterial pressure<40 during deflation, iRP = 5) intermittent schedule. Experiments were concluded after 120 minutes or death. RESULTS Improved overall survival was seen in the iRT group when compared to cR (p < 0.01). Bleeding rate in iRT (5.9 mL/min) was significantly lower versus cR and iRP (p = 0.02). Both iR groups had higher final hematocrit (26% vs. 21%) compared to cR (p = 0.03). Although overall survival was lower in the iRP group, animals surviving to 120 minutes with iRP had decreased end organ injury (Alanine aminotransferase [ALT] 33 vs. 40 in the iRT group, p = 0.03) and lower lactate levels (13 vs. 17) compared with the iRT group (p = 0.03). No differences were seen between groups in terms of coagulopathy based on rotational thromboelastometry. CONCLUSION Intermittent REBOA is a potential viable adjunct to improve survival in lethal solid organ injury while minimizing the ischemia-reperfusion seen with full REBOA. The time-based intermittent schedule had the best survival and prolonged duration of tolerable zone 1 placement. Although the pressure-based schedule was less reliable in terms of survival, when effective, it was associated with decreased acidosis and end-organ injury.
Emergence of Home Blood Pressure-Guided Management of Hypertension Based on Global Evidence

Recent guidelines for the management of hypertension from the 2018 European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Hypertension and the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) have stressed the importance of out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measurement for hypertension management. There has been a similar emphasis on out-of-office BP monitoring for the management of hypertension in the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and other Asian countries. Ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) and home BP monitoring (HBPM) are 2 well-validated approaches for measuring out-of-office BP. In the published literature, HBPM is a term that has commonly referred to the self-measurement of BP at home, although in some studies, HBPM has been used to describe a provider or research assistant measuring an individual’s BP in his/her home. ABPM and HBPM can identify white coat hypertension (diagnostic disagreement between office and out-of-office BP in untreated subjects) and white coat uncontrolled hypertension (diagnostic disagreement in treated subjects). Although ABPM has been the preferred method for out-of-office measurement, the 2017 ACC/AHA BP guideline considered HBPM to be a more practical approach in clinical practice than ABPM, particularly for individuals taking antihypertensive medication. The 2014 Japanese Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension proposed HBPM as the most effective and practical for guiding antihypertensive medication initiation and titration in clinical care, while waiting for intervention trials demonstrating better cardiovascular outcomes in patients managed based on out-of-office BP levels. Home BP Threshold of 135/85 mm Hg A commonly recommended HBPM monitoring schedule consists of performing morning and evening BP measurements twice on each occasion over a minimum of 3 days with a preferred period of 7 days. Traditionally, out-of-office BP thresholds have been determined by using the regression and outcome-derived approaches with data from observational studies. The threshold for high out-of-office BP corresponding to an office BP threshold of 140/90 mm Hg has been determined to be 135/85 mm Hg for both home and daytime BP on ABPM.
Filter Distortion and Intersymbol Interference Effects on PSK Signals

The combined effects of filter distortion and the associated intersymbol interference on coherently detected biphase and quadriphase PSK signals are studied in white Gaussian noise. A determination is made of the system performance degradation from matched-filter detection resulting from the use of a linear channel model that focuses attention on the critical filters in the communication link. The critical filters that affect performance consist of transmission filters in the transmitter and/or transponder, receiver predetection filters, and data filters associated with the detector. Numerical results for adjacent symbol interference are given for detection using both integrate-and-dump filters as well as more general data filters, particularly an undumped 2-pole Butterworth data filter. The numerical results include symmetrical band limiting, broad-band filtering with a frequency offset, mismatched data filtering, cascaded filter chains, and the effects of pure phase distortion.
Does repeatedly reporting positive or negative emotions in daily life have an impact on the level of emotional experiences and depressive symptoms over time?

The extent to which people are aware of their emotional experiences, label them and communicate them to the outside world are considered to impact emotional experience itself and potentially people’s depressive symptom levels. All of these aspects are important elements of one of the most common methods to study and measure emotions in the context of daily life, the so-called experience sampling method (ESM). A straightforward question that arises when using this method is whether participating in ESM may bring about changes in the momentary emotional self-reports of the people engaging in it, thereby effectively influencing that what it intends to measure; emotional experience over time, and whether this would relate to average levels of depressive symptoms. To examine these questions, we conducted a 7-day ESM study in which 90 participants were randomly assigned to repeatedly report either positive emotions only, negative emotions only or non-emotional internal states only, course using smartphones. Participants also completed pre-, post- and follow-up measurements of levels of depressive symptoms. Results showed no significant impact on self-reported momentary emotions, respective to their condition, over time nor on average levels of depressive symptoms across groups. These findings suggest that the repeated assessment of emotions in daily life, over the course of seven days, does not impact their emotional experience over time nor levels of depressive symptoms.
Variable Features of Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome With Gastric Involvement Among Patients With a Large Genomic Deletion of BMPR1A

OBJECTIVES: Loss-of-function mutations of BMPR1A cause juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS), but large genomic deletions in BMPR1A are rare, reported in few families only, and data regarding the associated phenotype are limited. METHODS: We investigated clinical features and genomic data of 7 extended seemingly unrelated families with a genomic deletion of the entire coding region of BMPR1A. We defined mutation size, mutation prevalence, and tumor pathogenesis using whole-genome sequencing, targeted genotyping, and haplotype analysis. RESULTS: Patients with JPS from 7 families of Bukharin Jewish ancestry carried a deletion of 429 kb, encompassing the BMPR1A coding sequence and 8 downstream genes. Haplotype analysis and testing controls identified this as a common founder mutation occurring in 1/124 individuals of Bukharin origin. Tumor testing did not demonstrate loss of heterozygosity. Among carriers, JPS was almost fully penetrant, but clinical features varied widely, ranging from mild to very severe, including pan-enteric polyps, gastritis, and colorectal, esophageal, and testicular cancer, and carriers with phenotypes, which would not have raised suspicion of JPS. DISCUSSION: The phenotype in this large cohort was extremely variable, although all carriers shared the same variant and the same genetic background. New observations include a preponderance of adenomatous rather than juvenile polyps, possible association with testicular cancer, and unexpected upper gastrointestinal involvement.
Methodological Recommendations for Menstrual Cycle Research in Sports and Exercise.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this review is to provide methodological recommendations for menstrual cycle research in exercise science and sports medicine based on a review of recent literature. Research in this area is growing, but often reports conflicting results and it is proposed that some of this may be explained by methodological issues. METHODS This review examined the menstrual cycle verification methodologies used in recent literature on exercise performance over the menstrual cycle identified through a literature search of PubMed and SportDiscus from 2008 until 2018. RESULTS Potential changes over the menstrual cycle are likely related to hormone fluctuations, however, only 44% of the selected studies measured the actual concentrations of the female steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone. It was shown that the likely inclusion of participants with anovulatory or luteal phase deficient cycles in combination with small participant numbers has impacted results in recent menstrual cycle research and consequently our understanding of this area. CONCLUSION To improve the quality of future menstrual cycle research it is recommended that a combination of three methods is used to verify menstrual cycle phase: the calendar-based counting method combined with urinary luteinizing hormone surge testing and the measurement of serum estrogen and progesterone concentrations at the time of testing. A strict luteal phase verification limit of >16 nmol·L for progesterone should be set. It is also recommended that future research focusses on the inclusion of the late follicular estrogen peak. It is envisaged that these methodological recommendations will assist in clarifying some of the disagreement around the effects of the menstrual cycle on exercise performance and other aspects of exercise science and sports medicine.
Growing older in secure mental health care: the user experience

Abstract Background The proportion of older adults using secure forensic psychiatric services is rising. Research is needed to examine the experience of older service users and evidence how adult services can adapt to meet their needs. Aim To explore user experiences of being an older adult in secure forensic services. Methods Thematic analysis of interviews and observations of weekly routines conducted with fifteen service users aged 50 and over residing in a low and medium secure NHS unit in England. Results User experiences of ageing and age-related needs are reported using five themes: age-related identities; ward environments; participation in activities; management of physical health; and ageing futures. Older adults living with people their own age reported more social integration than those on wards dominated by younger adults. Most wished to self-manage their physical health needs with the support of primary care staff. Older adults were reluctant to identify as “old” or “vulnerable”. Some older adults downplayed their changing care needs. Conclusions Placement of older people in adult secure services requires awareness of the age balance of the ward. A culture of inclusivity, sensitivity and respect for older persons’ agency is key to collaboratively meeting additional care needs and discharge planning.
Usefulness of New Indicators of Obesity (BAI and VAI) in Estimation of Weight Reduction

Abstract Objective: Obesity is responsible for a large proportion of the total burden of diseases in Europe. The aim of this study was to compare classic anthropometric parameters with new obesity-related indices (the visceral adiposity index [VAI] and the body adiposity index [BAI]) and to examine their usefulness in the assessment of weight reduction and its effect on the leptin concentration. Methods: We tested 50 patients with obesity, undergoing the implementation of the BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon (BIB-system) for 6 months. The leptin concentrations and the calculated subcutaneous fat thickness as well as the anthropometric indices were determined prior to the implementation and after the balloon removal. Results: The therapy resulted in a drop in the BAI value without a significant effect on the VAI in subgroups of patients with class I, II, and III obesity. The therapy-induced changes in BAI both in the entire tested group and in patients with class I and II obesity correlated well with the percentage of drop in body weight, body mass index (BMI), subcutaneous fat thickness, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and leptin concentration. Changes in the VAI value correlated with changes in the body weight, BMI, WHtR values, subcutaneous fat thickness, and leptin concentration decrease only in patients with class III obesity. Conclusions: BAI seems to be a better indicator than VAI for reflecting the reduction in body weight in people with class I and II obesity treated with the BIB-System. VAI appears to be a better obesity indicator than BAI only in people with class III obesity.
Spectrum Estimation-Guided Iterative Reconstruction Algorithm for Dual Energy CT

X-ray spectrum plays a very important role in dual energy computed tomography (DECT) reconstruction. Because it is difficult to measure x-ray spectrum directly in practice, efforts have been devoted into spectrum estimation by using transmission measurements. These measurement methods are independent of the image reconstruction, which bring extra cost and are time consuming. Furthermore, the estimated spectrum mismatch would degrade the quality of the reconstructed images. In this paper, we propose a spectrum estimation-guided iterative reconstruction algorithm for DECT which aims to simultaneously recover the spectrum and reconstruct the image. The proposed algorithm is formulated as an optimization framework combining spectrum estimation based on model spectra representation, image reconstruction, and regularization for noise suppression. To resolve the multi-variable optimization problem of simultaneously obtaining the spectra and images, we introduce the block coordinate descent (BCD) method into the optimization iteration. Both the numerical simulations and physical phantom experiments are performed to verify and evaluate the proposed method. The experimental results validate the accuracy of the estimated spectra and reconstructed images under different noise levels. The proposed method obtains a better image quality compared with the reconstructed images from the known exact spectra and is robust in noisy data applications.
Reports of social circles' and own vaccination behavior: A national longitudinal survey.

OBJECTIVE Flu vaccinations are recommended for almost everyone, but uptake may vary because of perceived social norms. We aimed to examine the relationship between perceived social circle vaccine coverage (including family, friends, and acquaintances) and own vaccination behavior as well as potential mediators. METHODS In 2011, 357 participants from RAND's American Life Panel reported perceived social circle vaccine coverage for the 2010-2011 flu season, own vaccination behavior for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 flu seasons, perceived flu risk without and with vaccination, and perceived vaccine safety. In 2012 and 2016, respectively, participants returned to report their own vaccination behavior for the 2011-2012 flu season (N = 338) and 2015-2016 flu season (N = 216). RESULTS Perceiving greater percentage of 2010-2011 social circle vaccine coverage was associated with a greater likelihood of getting vaccinated in the 2010-2011 flu season (odds ratio [OR] = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01, 1.04) and the subsequent 2011-2012 flu season (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.03) but not the 2015-2016 flu season (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = .99, 1.01), as seen in logistic regressions that controlled for demographics and 2009-2010 vaccination behavior. All significant relationships between social circle vaccine coverage and own vaccination behavior were mediated by perceived flu risk without vaccination. CONCLUSIONS Perceived social circle vaccine coverage is associated with own vaccination behavior in the current and subsequent flu season, establishing behavior patterns that may persist into the future. People's vaccination decisions may be informed by their perceptions of their peers' beliefs and behaviors. We discuss intervention strategies for promoting vaccine uptake by counteracting negative and promoting positive perceived social norms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).