Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endoscopic papillectomy for ampullary lesions in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis compared with sporadic lesions: a propensity score-matched cohort

BACKGROUND Familial-adenomatous-polyposis (FAP) is a rare inherited cancer predisposition syndrome. The treatment for FAP-related ampullary lesions (AL) is challenging and the role of endoscopic papillectomy (EP) is not elucidated yet. Data of FAP associated AL are limited and showed, at least in part, inconclusive results. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of EP in matched cohorts of FAP-related and sporadic ampullary lesions (SAL). METHODS The ESAP study included 1422 EPs. A propensity-score matching (nearest-neighbor-method) including age, gender, comorbidity, histologic subtype and size was performed. Main outcomes were complete resection (R0), technical success, complications and recurrence. RESULTS Propensity-score-based matching identified 202 patients (101 FAP, 101 SAL) with comparable baseline characteristics. FAP-patients were mainly asymptomatic (79.2% [95%CI 71.2-87.3] vs. 46.5% [95%CI 36.6-56.4]), p<0.001). The initial R0-rate was significantly lower in FAP-patients (63.4% [95%CI 53.8-72.9] vs. 83.2% [95%CI 75.8-90.6], p=0.001). After repeated (mean: 1.30 per patient) interventions, R0 was comparable (FAP 93.1% [95%CI 88.0-98.1] vs. SAL 97.0% [95%CI 93.7-100], p=0.194). The overall complication rate was 28.7%. Pancreatitis and bleeding were most common adverse events in both groups. Severe complications were very rare (3.5%). Twenty-one patients in the FAP-group (20.8% [95%CI 12.7-28.8]) and sixteen patients in the SAL-group (15.8% [95%CI 8.6-23.1], p=0.363) had a reccurence . Recurrences occurred later in FAP-patients (25 [95%CI 18.3-31.7] vs. 2 [95%CI CI 0.06-3.9] months). CONCLUSIONS EP is safe and effective in FAP-related ampullary lesions Criteria for endoscopic resection of AL can be extended to FAP-patients. FAP-patients have a life-time risk to relapse even after complete resection and require long-time-surveillance.
Treatment of vector equations in deep‐atmosphere, semi‐Lagrangian models. II: Kinematic equation

The rotation matrix formalism described in Part I of this study is here applied to the deep‐atmosphere form of the vector kinematic equation and the determination of semi‐Lagrangian ‘departure points’ (locations at the current time of fluid particles that arrive at model gridpoints at the forecast time). Following a brief review of published methods for determining departure points in models that incorporate the restrictive shallow‐atmosphere approximation, a certain discrete form of the kinematic equation is used to illustrate application of the rotation matrix technique in spherical coordinates in the deep‐atmosphere case. This discrete form–referred to as ‘doubly implicit’ –involves velocities at arrival gridpoints as well as at departure points but has several advantages over alternatives that involve velocities at a point or points along the intervening trajectory. A local Cartesian transformation method for finding departure points emerges from the rotation matrix approach applied in spherical polar coordinates. In spheroidal coordinates, a local transformation method also emerges, but the relevant Cartesian origins lie along the axis of symmetry of the spheroids rather than at their common centre. Modifications for the spherical polar case under the shallow‐atmosphere approximation are obtained by a constraint method; apart from order‐unity multiplicative factors, the resulting departure‐point equations are of the form expected given the shallow‐atmosphere momentum component equations found in Part I. © Crown Copyright 2010. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
“Illness perceptions and factors of distress as mediators between trait emotional intelligence and quality of life in endometriosis”

ABSTRACT Past findings highlighted the presence of distress symptoms and poor quality of life in people with endometriosis. Several studies showed that trait Emotional Intelligence (trait EI) is a key component of one’s wellbeing, whilst Illness Perceptions may play an important role in psychological distress and perceived quality of life. The current study sought to test the hypothesis that an association between trait EI and Quality of Life in individuals with endometriosis would be mediated by Illness Perceptions, examining also the relations with General Distress (depression, anxiety, and stress). 364 women with endometriosis aged between 18 and 58 years old (M = 33.87; SD = 8.64) filled a protocol to assess Trait EI, Illness Perceptions, General Distress, and Quality of Life. Structural Equation Modelling was used to assess the relationship between the observed variables. Illness Perception was a mediator in the relationship between Trait EI, General Distress, and Quality of Life. Moreover, General Distress was a mediator between Trait EI and Quality of Life, and between Illness Perceptions and Quality of Life. Results showed that both Trait EI and Illness perceptions are key components for levels of distress and quality of life in women with endometriosis.
Humoral COVID-19 vaccine response in patients with NMOSD/MOGAD during anti-IL-6 receptor therapy compared to other immunotherapies

Background: Data on the humoral vaccine response in patients on anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor therapy remain scarce. Objective: The main objective of our study was to investigate the humoral response after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)/myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) patients treated with anti-IL-6 receptor therapy. Secondarily, we analyzed relapse activity timely associated with vaccination. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study, we included 15 healthy controls and 48 adult NMOSD/MOGAD patients without previous COVID-19 infection. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody titers during anti-IL-6 receptor therapy were compared to anti-CD20 antibody therapy, oral immunosuppressants, and to nonimmunosuppressed individuals. Results: We observed 100% seroconversion in the anti-IL-6 receptor treatment group. Titers of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies were lower compared to healthy controls (720 vs 2500 binding antibody units (BAU)/mL, p = 0.004), but higher than in the anti-CD20 (720 vs 0.4 BAU/mL, p < 0.001) and comparable to the oral immunosuppressant group (720 vs 795 BAU/mL, p = 1.0). We found no association between mRNA-based vaccines and relapse activity in patients with or without immunotherapy. Conclusions: Despite being lower than in healthy controls, the humoral vaccine response during anti-IL-6 receptor therapy was evident in all patients and substantially stronger compared to anti-CD20 treatment. No relevant disease activity occurred after mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.
Decreases and Pronounced Geographic Variability in Antibiotic Prescribing in Medicaid

Background. Antibiotic resistance is a persistent and growing concern. Our objective was to analyze antibiotic prescribing data in the United States (US) to identify trends in the Medical Expenditure Panel System (MEPS) and any state-level disparities to Medicaid patients. Methods. We obtained total MEPS prescriptions for eight antibiotics from 2013 to 2020. We extracted prescribing rates per 1,000 Medicaid enrollees for two years, 2018 and 2019, for four broad spectrum (azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin) and four narrow spectrum (amoxicillin, cephalexin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) antibiotics. Results. Antibiotics in MEPS decreased from 2013 to 2020 by -38.7% with a larger decline for broad (-53.7%) than narrow spectrum (-23.5%). Antibiotic prescriptions decreased from 2018 to 2019 and by -6.7% when correcting for the number of Medicaid enrollees. Amoxicillin was the predominant antibiotic followed by azithromycin, cephalexin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin. Substantial geographic variation in antibiotic prescribing existed with 2.8-fold between the highest (Kentucky = 855/1,000) and lowest (Oregon = 299) states. The South prescribed 52.2% more antibiotics (580/1,000) than the West (381/1,000). There were significant correlations across states in antibiotic prescribing. Conclusions & Relevance. This study identified sizable disparities by geography in prescribing rates of eight antibiotics with over three-fold state level differences. The South had the highest prescribing rates among all the regions. Areas with high antibiotic prescribing rates, particularly for outpatients, may benefit from programs to reduce potentially unnecessary prescribing. Further analysis of state level Medicaid or prescribing policies is needed to identify reasons for the variation in prescribing rates.
Longitudinal Changes in IgG-Type SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Titers after COVID-19 Vaccination and a Prominent Increase in Antibody Titers When Infected after Vaccination

Objective Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody titers level and duration of elevated levels are considered important indicators for confirming the efficacy of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the changes in antibody titers after the second and third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and to determine the antibody titers in cases of spontaneous infection with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination. Materials and Methods From June 2021 to February 2023, IgG-type SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers were measured in 127 participants, including 74 outpatients and 53 staffs, at the Osaka Dental University Hospital (65 males and 62 females, mean age 52.3 years). Results Consistent with previous reports, the SARS-CoV-2 antibody titer decreased with time, not only after the second dose, but also after the third dose of the vaccine if there is no spontaneous COVID-19 infection. We also confirmed that the third booster vaccination was effective in increasing the antibody titer. Sixteen cases of natural infections were observed after administering two or more doses of the vaccine. Eleven of these patients had post-infection antibody titers exceeding 40,000 AU/mL, and some cases continued to maintain antibody titers in the tens of thousands of AU/mL even after more than 6 months had passed since infection. Conclusion The rise in and duration of antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 are considered important indicators for confirming the efficacy of novel COVID-19 vaccines. A longitudinal follow-up of antibody titers after vaccination in larger studies is warranted.
Shared stressful experiences affect social proximity in Merino sheep

While it is well established that humans develop stronger relationship bonds when they share stressful experiences, there is little known on how shared stressful experiences may influence relationship bonding in animals. Here, we present a study looking at social proximity between individuals in small groups of Merino ewes following a shared stressful experience compared with control sheep that were not exposed to stress. Some sheep were familiar to each other. Analyses of social proximity using real-time-kinematic Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) on-animal devices showed sheep preferred to be closest to familiar individuals, but across the study duration they also developed a preference for the individuals they shared the stressful experience with, relative to their proximity to control individuals. These results contribute to limited research on what factors may instigate the development of bonds between unfamiliar sheep. Between-individual bonds may develop as a means of socially mediated stress buffering. Social bonding following a shared stressful experience aligns with human social relationships and increases our understanding of how animals perceive their conspecifics in relation to stressful environmental change.
Rapid change of friction causes the illusion of touching a receding surface

Shortly after touching an object, humans can tactually gauge the frictional resistance of a surface. The knowledge of surface friction is paramount to tactile perception and the motor control of grasp. While potent correlations between friction and participants’ perceptual response have been found, the causal link between the friction of the surface, its evolution and its perceptual experience has yet to be demonstrated. Here, we leverage new experimental apparatus able to modify friction in real time, to show that participants can perceive sudden changes in friction when they are pressing on a surface. Surprisingly, only a reduction of the friction coefficient leads to a robust perception. High-speed imaging data indicate that the sensation is caused by a release of a latent elastic strain over a 20 ms timeframe after the activation of the friction-reduction device. This rapid change of frictional properties during initial contact is interpreted as a normal displacement of the surface, which paves the way for haptic surfaces that can produce illusions of interacting with mechanical buttons.
From species descriptions to diversity patterns: the validation of taxonomic data as a keystone for ant diversity studies reproducibility and accuracy

Research findings in natural sciences need to be comparable and reproducible to effectively improve our understanding of ecological and behavioural patterns. In this sense, knowledge frontiers in biodiversity studies are directly tied to taxonomic research, especially in species-rich tropical regions. Here we analysed the taxonomic information available in 470 studies on Brazilian ant diversity published in the last 50 years. We aimed to quantify the proportion of studies that provide enough data to validate taxonomic identification, explore the frequency of studies that properly acknowledge their taxonomic background, and investigate the primary resources for ant identification in Brazil. We found that most studies on Brazilian ant diversity (73.6%) explicitly stated the methods used to identify their specimens. However, the proportion of papers that provide complete data for the repository institutions and vouchered specimens is vanishingly small (5.8%). Additionally, only 40.0% of the studies consistently presented taxon authorities and years of description, rarely referencing taxonomic publications correctly. In turn, the number of specialists and institutions consulted for ant identification in Brazil has increased in the last years, along with the number of studies that explicitly provide their taxonomic procedures for ant identification. Our findings highlight a shift between generations regarding the recognition of taxonomy as fundamental science, deepening our understanding of biodiversity.
Exploring Teams' Temporal Factors for Determining Process Tailoring that Promotes the Evolution of Agilebased Software Development

In contemporary software development, software process tailoring (SPT) refers to the continual planning and adjustment of the development process, which evolves to better accommodate dynamics and meet customer needs. SPT is a critical teamwork involving the differences in time-related perceptions among team members when tailoring to adjust and refine the development. This is particularly true in agile-based projects that promote iterative development over shorter cycle times for early release; thus, temporality is critical to efficiently and effectively determine a process solution for the next iteration of time-bound development. In this regard, this study theorizes a temporal model to explore how teams' temporal leadership, temporal reflexivity and shared temporal cognitions (STC) collectively determine SPT performance in agile environments. Based on an empirical examination, we suggest facilitating the role of temporal leadership in agile development, as the results demonstrate that it not only directly increases SPT performance but also stimulates both temporal reflexivity and STC in their collateral influences on effectual development planning. Notably, the results also show that team reflexivity does not exert the same favorable effect in SPT as in the distributed team environment. Theoretical implications are considered, and practical applications of the findings are provided.
‘Some of my patients only come to renew their prescriptions. They are not interested in any additional advice or support’. Physicians’ perceptions on their roles in cardiovascular diseases risk reduction and management in Fiji

Abstract Background: Primary health care (PHC) physicians’ perceptions are vital to understand as they are the first-line health care providers in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk assessment and management. This study aims to explore PHC physicians’ perceptions on their roles and their perceptions on management and risk reduction approaches on CVD risk reduction and management in Fiji. Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted in the Suva Medical area among 7 health centers from 1 August to 31 September, 2021. Purposive sampling was used to recruit physicians who worked in the Suva medical area as PHC physicians with at least 6 months’ experience in the Special Outpatients Department clinics. In-depth interview were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire over the telephone and recorded on a tablet device application. The interview content was then transcribed, and thematic analysis was done. Results: This study included 25 PHC physicians. From the thematic analysis, 2 major themes emerged with 6 subthemes. Theme 1 was CVD management skills with 3 subthemes including education, experience and trainings, beliefs and attitudes of physicians, self-confidence and effectiveness in CVD risk reduction and management. Theme 2 was roles and expectations with 3 subthemes including perceptions of effective treatment, perceptions of physicians’ roles and perceptions of patients’ expectations. Physicians generally see their role as central and imperative. They perceive to be important and leading toward combating CVDs. Conclusions: Physicians’ perceptions on their commitment to prevention and management of CVDs through their skills and knowledge, beliefs and motivation should be acknowledged. It is recommended that the physicians are updated on the current evidence-based medicine. Limitations include results that may not be the reflection of the entire physician and multidisciplinary community and the difficulties in face-to-face interviews due to the coronavirus diseases of 2019 pandemic.
Association between a priori and a posteriori dietary patterns and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a representative cohort study in Taiwan

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among Taiwanese individuals. Data were collected using a nationwide cohort study (2001–15) from the Triple-High Database. Dietary intake was assessed using the twenty-group food frequency questionnaire and used to calculate alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares (PLS) regression were used to derive dietary patterns, with incident T2DM as the outcome. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated using time-dependent Cox proportional hazards (Cox PH) regression analysis, and subgroup analyses were performed. A total of 4705 participants were enrolled in the study, and 995 had newly developed T2DM during the median 5⋅28-year follow-up period (30⋅7 per 1000 person-years). Six dietary patterns were extracted (PCA: Western, prudent, dairy and plant-based; PLS: health-conscious, fish-vegetable and fruit-seafood). The highest aMED score quartile had a 25 % (hazard ratio 0⋅75; 95 % CI 0⋅61, 0⋅92; P = 0⋅039) lower risk of T2DM than the lowest quartile. This association remained significant after adjustment (adjusted hazard ratio 0⋅74; 95 % CI 0⋅60, 0⋅91; P = 0⋅010), and no effect modifier was found for aMED. The DASH scores, PCA and PLS dietary patterns were not significant after adjustment. In conclusion, high adherence to a MED-type dietary pattern by Taiwanese foods was associated with a lower risk of T2DM in the Taiwanese population, regardless of unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Finite Difference Approximation for Two-Dimensional Time Fractional Diffusion Equation

Fractional diffusion equations have recently been used to model problems in physics, hydrology, biology and other areas of application. In this paper, we consider a two-dimensional time fractional diffusion equation (2D-TFDE) on a finite domain. An implicit difference approximation for the 2D-TFDE is presented. Stability and convergence of the method are discussed using mathematical induction. Finally, a numerical example is given. The numerical result is in excellent agreement with our theoretical analysis.
Polarimetric Radar Observations of the Persistently Asymmetric Structure of Tropical Cyclone Ingrid

Abstract Tropical Cyclone Ingrid had a distinctly asymmetric reflectivity structure with an offshore maximum as it passed parallel to and over an extended coastline near a polarimetric weather radar located near Darwin, northern Australia. For the first time in a tropical cyclone, polarimetric weather radar microphysical analyses are used to identify extensive graupel and rain–hail mixtures in the eyewall. The overall microphysical structure was similar to that seen in some other asymmetric storms that have been sampled by research aircraft. Both environmental shear and the land–sea interface contributed significantly to the asymmetry, but their relative contributions were not determined. The storm also underwent very rapid changes in tangential wind speed as it moved over a narrow region of open ocean between a peninsula and the Tiwi Islands. The time scale for changes of 10 m s−1 was of the order of 1 h. There were also two distinct types of rainbands observed—large-scale principal bands with embedded d.