Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer: long-term results of a multicentric study.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION Surgical treatment of endometrial cancer was traditionally done by laparotomy, however the laparoscopic approach has gained wider acceptance by gynecologic surgeons. The primary aim of the study was to report the perioperative and postoperative outcomes of laparoscopic surgery in a major group of patients with endometrial cancer. The second aim was to study the long-term results of laparoscopic surgery in patients with endometrial cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD A prospective multicentric study was conducted at three oncolaparoscopic centres; 221 women who had undergone laparoscopic (177 women) or abdominal (44 women) hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and lymphadenectomy were included in the study. Women with stage IA, grade I did not undergo lymphadenectomy unless they had a high risk histologic tumor type. Lymph node dissection was performed in 145 women with disease greater than IA or grades other than 1. RESULTS The mean age and weight were similar in the compared laparoscopic and open groups. Perioperative blood loss was comparable in both groups (211.2 ml vs 245.7 ml, respectively) without any significant consecutive changes in serum hemoglobin values. Although the length of operating time for the laparoscopic surgery was significantly longer than the time for the laparotomy procedure (163.3 min vs 114.7 min, p < 0.0001), the laparoscopic patients were discharged from hospital much earlier at 3.9 days (range 2-16) after the laparoscopic procedure compared with 7.3 days (range 5-16) after the abdominal procedure (p < 0.0001). The difference in surgical complications between groups was statistically insignificant (p = 0.58). Similar long-term results were noted in both groups. With a median follow-up of 33.6 months for the laparoscopy group and 45.2 months for the open group, there were no significant differences in tumor recurrence (p = 0.99] or recurrence-free survival (p = 0.86) between the two groups. CONCLUSION The study illustrates that laparoscopically assisted surgical staging of endometrial cancer is safe as an open procedure. The laparoscopic approach may also be considered for endometrial malignancy which typically occurs in obese and elderly, high-risk women. Our analysis showed no difference with respect to recurrence or survival between the compared laparoscopic and the open group.
Embedded Autonomy

From the Publisher: In recent years, debate on the state's economic role has too often devolved into diatribes against intervention. Peter Evans questions such simplistic views, offering a new vision of why state involvement works in some cases and produces disasters in others. To illustrate, he looks at how state agencies, local entrepreneurs, and transnational corporations shaped the emergence of computer industries in Brazil, India, and Korea during the seventies and eighties. Evans starts with the idea that states vary in the way they are organized and tied to society. In some nations, like Zaire, the state is predatory, ruthlessly extracting and providing nothing of value in return. In others, like Korea, it is developmental, promoting industrial transformation. In still others, like Brazil and India, it is in-between, sometimes helping, sometimes hindering. Evans's years of comparative research on the successes and failures of state involvement in the process of industrialization have here been crafted into a persuasive and entertaining work, which demonstrates that successful state action requires an understanding of its own limits, a realistic relationship to the global economy, and the combination of coherent internal organization and close links to society that Evans calls "embedded autonomy. "
Crises and Rescues: Liquidity Transmission through Global Banks

This paper shows that global banks transmit liquidity shocks via their network of foreign affiliates. We use the (unexpected) access of German banks' affiliates located in the United States to the Federal Reserve's Term Auction Facility. We condition on the parent banks' U.S. dollar funding needs in order to examine how affiliates located outside the United States adjusted their balance sheets when the U.S. affiliate of the same parent tapped into TAF liquidity. Our research has three main findings. First, affiliates tied to parents with higher U.S. dollar funding needs expanded their foreign assets during periods of active TAF borrowing. Second, the overall effects are driven by affiliates located in financial centers. Third, U.S.- dollar-denominated lending particularly increased in response to the TAF program.
Measles vaccine effectiveness and duration of vaccine-induced immunity in the absence of boosting from exposure to measles virus.

BACKGROUND It is unknown whether vaccine-induced immunity is lifelong in the absence of periodic exposure to measles virus. After 27 years of no known exposure to measles, an outbreak in Palau in 1993 offered the opportunity to study this issue and the measles vaccine effectiveness. METHODS Household contacts of a sample of confirmed cases were interviewed for exposure, symptoms and vaccination status verified by records. Serum from symptomatic contacts was tested for measles antibodies. RESULTS Among 78 contacts 4 of 5 (80%) unvaccinated, 4 of 35 (11%) 1-dose vaccine recipients and none of 38 (0%) > 1-dose recipients developed measles. Effectiveness of 1-dose vaccine was 86% (95% confidence interval, 60 to 95%). An additional dose significantly reduced the risk of measles (P = 0.048). Time since vaccination was not a significant risk factor for developing measles (relative risk, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.3 to 9.4; persons vaccinated > 15 years ago vs. < 5 years ago). CONCLUSIONS Similar to the estimates previously obtained in the area, measles vaccine effectiveness in Palau was lower than the estimates obtained in the US. A second dose of vaccine further reduced the risk for developing measles. We found no evidence that waning immunity was an important problem in this limited population with no known previous exposure to measles virus. The small number of vaccinated contacts precludes a definitive assessment.
Reported alcohol use and behavior in long-distance runners.

Because alcohol may impair sports performance, we hypothesized there would be less drinking in serious recreational runners. We used mailed questionnaires to examine drinking patterns (2-wk quantity/frequency), scores on modified versions of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (brief MAST [BMAST], short MAST [SMAST]), and parental history of problem drinking in 397 men and 144 women runners participating in a 20-mile race, compared with a nonexercising control population of 138 men and 119 women. A subset of 188 pairs (104 men, 84 women) were matched for gender, age, educational level, and marital status. We used chi-square analysis, paired t-test, and ANOVA. Male gender, running, and a family history for problem drinking predicted increased total alcohol consumption. We found that male runners (vs male controls) drank more 14.2 +/- 19.6 vs 5.4 +/- 7.6 drinks.wk-2, P = 0.004) and felt guilty about their drinking (26.6% vs 13.8%, P < 0.01). Men and women runners reported more occasions of drinking than matched controls (2.8 +/- 2.7 vs 2.0 +/- 2.3.wk-2, P = 0.004). Runners with scores on the BMAST (> or = 6) or SMAST (> or = 3) suggestive of a history of problem drinking drank less than controls with a similar score. Contrary to our hypothesis, running is associated with increased alcohol consumption, except in those who report a history of problem alcohol behavior.
An Ordinal Analysis of Risk Aversion

This paper sets out an ordinal theory of choice under risk that is capable of replicating and extending practically all the important results obtained in the EU framework and is yet far more descriptive and no less tractable at the same time. We show in particular that established notions related to risk aversion can be completely characterized by the properties of an ordinal utility function of decision parameters, which can in turn be used to generalize existing results on optimal decisions assuming risk aversion. We further shows that a hypothesis on risk attitudes can account for the full range of putatively paradoxical behavioral patterns including simultaneous gambling and insurance, the reflection effect, and preference reversal and that weaker notions of risk aversion consistent with this hypothesis can be analogously characterized by the properties of the ordinal utility function.
Popes and Antipopes: The Politics of Eleventh Century Church Reform

Acknowledgments Preface Abbreviations Introduction 1 Imperial Authority over Papal Elections The Patricius Romanorum Bonizo Petrus Damiani Benzo The response of the reformers 2 Henry III's Popes Henry's authority The Three Iniquitous Popes Clement II Damasus II 3 Leo IX (1049-1054): The Normans and the Byzantines The Election of Bishop Bruno of Toul The Normans The Byzantine Empire The first wedge between Eastern and Western Churches Leo's Legacy Summary and Conclusion 4 Victor II (1055-1057) and Stephen IX (1057-1058) Part 1: Victor II (1055-1057) Conflicting Sources The House of Lotharingia/Canossa The Normans After Henry III's Death Part 2: Stephen IX (1057-1058) The Lotharingia/Canossa Alliance Stephen IX's Reign The Significance of Stephen IX's reign 5 Benedict X, Antipope: Romans versus Reformers The Elections of Benedict X and Nicholas II Benedict's tragic Reign The Pierleoni Petrus Damiani Leo of Ostia Liber Pontificalis German Sources Bonizo Panvinius Conclusion 6 Nicholas II (1059-1061) Background and Election Coronation The Collection of 74 Titles 7 Nicholas II: Papal Electoral Decree and Break with the Regency The Papal Electoral Decree of 1059 Two Versions of the Papal Electoral Decree Signatures Panvinius Cardinal Bishops and the King Questions continue 8 Nicholas II: The Normans and the Collapse of Imperial Goodwill The New Norman Policy The North A Critical Reign 9 The Election of Alexander II (1061-1073) Anselm as Bishop Patarines Anselm, Nicholas II and the Regency The Role of Hildebrand How the Election was carried out Conclusion 10 The Election of Cadalus, Honorius II Cadalus as Bishop After the death of Nicholas II The Council of Basel Hugo Candidus Empress Agnes Petrus Damiani Papal Authority and the Lombards 11 Conflict in Rome and the Abduction of Henry IV Benzo in Rome The Arrival of Cadalus Only an Electus Kaiserswerth The Kidnapping 12 From Kaiserswerth to Mantua The Effects of the Abduction on the Schism The Council of Augsburg Dissension within the German Church The Easter Council of 1063 and the renewal of violence Cadalus Returns to Rome War Change of Fortunes and the appeal to the King Conclusion 13 The Council of Mantua Petrus Damiani Calls for a Council The Council of Mantua (May 31-June 3, 1064) Benzo's Purported Expose Analysis of Mantua 14 Instability Following Mantua Adalbert of Bremen and Anno Quedlinburg Ceremony of Henry's Coming of Age Anno's Letters Letter of Petrus Damiani to Henry 15 Ambivalence and Self Interest Expedition of Godfrey to Rome Expedition of Anno, Henry of Trent, and Otto of Bavaria to Italy Petrus Mezzabarba Beatrice and Godfrey Chastised Hugo Candidus Cencius Stephani Frayed loyalties and the Deaths of Cadalus and Alexander II Conclusion The State of the Papacy at the End of the Schism Bibliography Index
Angiotensinogen gene variation in a population case‐control study of preeclampsia/eclampsia in Australians and Chinese

Preeclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E) is a common disease of human pregnancy with a strong genetic component. The etiology of PE/E is unknown. Two recent reports indicated that the angiotensinogen gene (AGT) could be involved in susceptibility to PE/E. We performed a population‐based case‐control study in Australian and Chinese populations to investigate whether AGT is a good candidate gene for PE/E. A microsatellite polymorphism within AGT was typed as well as a molecular variant T235 (Met→Thr) of AGT using allele‐specific PCR and allele‐induced restriction site PCR. The allele distributions of the microsatellite and the variant T235 of AGT were significantly different between the two ethnic groups. However, no significant allele associations were found with disease when comparing PE/E patients and controls in Australian or Chinese populations, which is in contrast to the two earlier reports. The results suggest that the contribution of AGT to the occurrence of PE/E is small, if anything, and is not constant across populations.
Trading Ambiguity: A Tale of Two Heterogeneities

We consider financial markets with heterogeneously ambiguous assets and heterogeneously ambiguity averse investors. Investors' preferences, a version of the smooth ambiguity model, are a parsimonious extension of the standard mean-variance framework. We consider, in turn, portfolio choice, equilibrium prices, and trade upon arrival of public information, and show, in each case, there are departures from the outcome in standard theory. These departures are of significance as they occur in the direction of empirical regularities that belie the standard theory. * We would like to thank the following for their helpful comments:
The impact of antiretroviral therapy and isoniazid preventive therapy on tuberculosis incidence in HIV-infected patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Background:Tuberculosis is a common complication and leading cause of death in HIV infection. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) lowers the risk of tuberculosis, but may not be sufficient to control HIV-related tuberculosis. Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) reduces tuberculosis incidence significantly, but is not widely used. Methods:We analysed tuberculosis incidence in 11 026 HIV-infected patients receiving medical care at 29 public clinics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1 September 2003 and 1 September 2005. Data were collected through a retrospective medical record review. We determined rates of tuberculosis in patients who received neither ART nor IPT, only ART, only IPT, or both ART and IPT. Results:The overall tuberculosis incidence was 2.28 cases/100 person-years (PY) [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.06–2.52]. Among patients who received neither ART nor IPT, incidence was 4.01/100 PY. Patients who received ART had an incidence of 1.90/100 PY (95% CI 1.66–2.17) and those treated with IPT had a rate of 1.27/100 PY (95% CI 0.41–2.95). The incidence among patients who received ART and IPT was 0.80/100 PY (95% CI 0.38–1.47). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling revealed a 76% reduction in tuberculosis risk among patients receiving both ART and IPT (adjusted relative hazard 0.24; P < 0.001) after adjusting for age, previous tuberculosis diagnosis, and CD4 cell counts at baseline. Conclusion:The use of both IPT and ART in HIV-infected patients is associated with significantly reduced tuberculosis incidence. In conjunction with expanded access to ART, the wider use of IPT in patients with HIV will improve tuberculosis control in high burden areas.
The prevalence of abnormal leukocyte count, and its predisposing factors, in patients with sickle cell disease in Saudi Arabia

Introduction High white blood cell (WBC) count is an indicator of sickle cell disease (SCD) severity, however, there are limited studies on WBC counts in Saudi Arabian patients with SCD. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of abnormal leukocyte count (either low or high) and identify factors associated with high WBC counts in a sample of Saudi patients with SCD. Methods A cross-sectional and retrospective chart review study was carried out on 290 SCD patients who were routinely treated at King Fahad Hospital in Hofuf, Saudi Arabia. An interview was conducted to assess clinical presentations, and we reviewed patient charts to collect data on blood test parameters for the previous 6 months. Results Almost half (131 [45.2%]) of the sample had abnormal leukocyte counts: low WBC counts 15 (5.2%) and high 116 (40%). High WBC counts were associated with shortness of breath (P=0.022), tiredness (P=0.039), swelling in hands/feet (P=0.020), and back pain (P=0.007). The mean hemoglobin was higher in patients with normal WBC counts (P=0.024), while the mean hemoglobin S was high in patients with high WBC counts (P=0.003). After adjustment for potential confounders, predictors of high WBC counts were male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=3.63) and patients with cough (aOR=2.18), low hemoglobin (aOR=0.76), and low heart rate (aOR=0.97). Conclusion Abnormal leukocyte count was common: approximately five in ten Saudi SCD patients assessed in this sample. Male gender, cough, low hemoglobin, and low heart rate were associated with high WBC count. Strategies targeting high WBC count could prevent disease complication and thus could be beneficial for SCD patients.
A Survey to Determine International Program Growth Areas and Needs to Guide a College of Agriculture International Programs Office

International programs (IP) continue to grow in importance. There is an increased demand from employers and communities for globally competent individuals, yet only 2.3% of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences (Bumpers College) students studied abroad in an agriculture-related program during the 2014 and 2015 academic year. This study used descriptive survey methods with University of Arkansas undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2017 Bumpers College courses (n = 1,758) to determine their perceptions of international experiences. These perceptions included identifying the most influential barriers and benefits to participation. The majority of students were interested in short-term faculty-led programs (n = 1,190, 72.1%), followed by international internships (n = 760, 46%). Students wanted to participate in an IP during summer I (n = 1,138, 69%), followed by summer II (n = 839, 50.8%). Based on a 5-point Likert-type scale, students reported “cost is too high” (M = 3.83, SD = 1.10) and being “too busy with school” (M = 3.27, SD = 1.18) as the most influential barriers to participating in an IP. Using the same Likert-type scale, students reported an IP being a “lifechanging opportunity” (M = 4.49, SD = 1.75) and “sets me apart when applying for grad school/jobs” (M = 4.27, SD = 1.90) as the most influential benefits. The fact that 5.5% of the students surveyed had participated in an IP confirms that the Bumpers College requires more immersion in order to meet the University of Arkansas goal for 25% international participation by 2020.
Detection of the Epstein‐Barr virus in primary gastric lymphoma by in situ hybridization

The Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) has been shown to be associated with numerous human malignancies including Burktt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma. In addition, some typical gastric adenocarcinomas were also recently reported to demonstrate EBV relevance. The present study was designed to detect EBV in primary gastric lymphoma, using the in situ hybridization (ISH) method, in which oligo‐nucleotide probes for the EBERl RNA and the EBV DNA W region have been used. Of the 49 cases of primary gastric lymphoma studied, which all showed B cell immunopheno‐type, EBER1 sequences could only be found in four cases, including two low‐grade cases and two high‐grade cases of histological subtypes while the number of positive cells was less than 50% of the tumor cells. In one case of low‐grade mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, the EBER1 ‐positive neoplastic cells were found in the regional lymph node, but the primary site of the stomach showed no positive signals. The EBV presence was further confirmed by the EBV DNA ISH. Using the ISH method, rare or occasional positive lymphoid cells (probably non‐tumorous bystander cells) could be detected in 10 other cases including all histological subtypes. The present study shows that only a small proportion of primary gastric lymphoma is associated with EBV, and such positive cases could be found in both high‐ and low‐grade histological subtypes. It is also suggested that the EBV presence in the neoplastic cells of some cases of primary gastric lymphoma is most likely a secondary phenomenon.
Patient‐reported speech in noise difficulties and hyperacusis symptoms and correlation with test results

To compare self‐reported symptoms of difficulty hearing speech in noise and hyperacusis in adults with auditory processing disorders (APDs) and normal controls; and to compare self‐reported symptoms to objective test results (speech in babble test, transient evoked otoacoustic emission [TEOAE] suppression test using contralateral noise).
Do Mothers Benefit from a Child-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT) for Childhood Functional Abdominal Pain? A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

While the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) approaches for childhood functional abdominal pain (FAP) is well-established for child outcomes, only a few studies have reported on parent-specific outcomes. This randomized controlled pilot trial analyzed effects of a group CBT on maternal variables (i.e., pain-related behavior, worries and self-efficacy, as well as general psychosocial strain). Methods: The sample constituted of 15 mothers in the intervention group (IG) and 14 mothers in the waitlist control group (WLC). Outcome measures were assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment and at three months follow-up. Results: Analyses revealed significant, large changes in maladaptive maternal reactions related to the child’s abdominal pain in the IG compared to the WLC—i.e., reduced attention (d = 0.95), medical help-seeking (d = 0.92), worries (d = 1.03), as well as a significant increase in behaviors that encourage the child’s self-management (d = 1.03). In addition, maternal self-efficacy in dealing with a child’s pain significantly increased in the IG as well (d = 0.92). Treatment effects emerged post-treatment and could be maintained until three months follow-up. There were no effects on general self-efficacy and maternal quality of life. Conclusion: While these results are promising, and underline the efficacy of the CBT approach for both the child and mothers, further studies, including long-term follow-ups, are warranted.
Differential association of serum lipids with diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.

PURPOSE To assess the association of serum lipids with diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular edema (DME), and macular thickness in adults with diabetes. METHODS Diabetic patients aged ≥ 18 years were prospectively recruited from specialized eye clinics in Melbourne, Australia. Fasting total-C (cholesterol), triglyceride, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, and LDL-C were assessed. DR was graded from fundus photographs and classified into mild, moderate, severe nonproliferative, and proliferative DR and separately graded for the presence of DME, including clinically significant macular edema (CSME). Macular thickness was assessed using optical coherence tomography (OCT). RESULTS A total of 500 participants (median age, 65 years) were examined. DR, DME, and CSME were present in 321 (66.2%), 149 (33.0%), and 68 (15.0%) patients, respectively. Serum lipid levels were not related to DR or DME. In multivariate models adjusted for traditional risk factors and lipid medications, persons with higher total-, LDL-, and non-HDL-C were more likely to have CSME (odds ratio of 1.54, 1.49, and 1.63 per 1-SD increase, respectively; all P < 0.05). No association was found for serum lipids with macular thickness, as assessed by OCT. The pattern of these associations remained similar in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, although it was statistically significant only in type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS Serum lipids are independently associated with the CSME, but not with DR, mild or moderate DME, or macular thickness. These data reflect the different impact of hyperlipidemia in the pathogenesis of DR and DME and may explain the discrepancies in previous studies.