Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inequities in Screening and HPV Vaccination Programs and Their Impact on Cervical Cancer Statistics in Romania

(1) Introduction: A Romanian woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer every two hours; the country ranks second in Europe in terms of the mortality and incidence rate of this disease. This paper aims to identify the main reasons that have led to this situation, focusing on the measures taken by the Romanian Ministry of Health for the prevention of this type of cancer—national programs for cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination. (2) Materials and methods: We performed a study based on the available secondary data from the National Statistics Institute, World Health Organization and Bucharest Institute of Oncology in order to assess the burden associated with cervical cancer and place it in the context of known global and European incidence and mortality rates, thus evaluating the importance of this health issue in Romania. The second component of our study was a cross-sectional study. Here, we used a 14-question questionnaire applied to the women participating in the National Screening Program for Cervical Cancer and aimed to evaluate the women’s level of knowledge about screening and HPV vaccination and their access cervical-cancer-specific healthcare services. (3) Results: The results of this research show that a high percentage of women postpone routine checks due to a lack of time and financial resources and indicate that a low level of knowledge about the disease and the specific preventive methods determines the low participation in screening and HPV vaccination programs implemented in Romania, contributing to the country’s cervical cancer situation. (4) Conclusions: The national programs have complicated procedures, are underfunded and do not motivate healthcare workers enough. This, combined with the lack of information for the eligible population, adds up to an extremely low number of women screened and vaccinated. Our conclusion is that the Romanian Ministry of Health must take immediate action by conducting major awareness campaigns, implementing measures to make the programs functional and ensuring coherent funding.
Physical Activity and Self-Perception of Mental and Physical Quality of Life during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Self-perception of health status (quality of life) is considered one of the best indicators of health and well-being. However, during pregnancy, it could be impacted not only by physiological and anatomical changes, but by poor lifestyle habits like high sedentary behaviour or bad nutrition. This study assesses the effects of physical activity RCT interventions during pregnancy on both mental and physical components of quality of life. A systematic review and two meta-analyses were performed (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022370467). Of the 207 articles captured both in English and Spanish, seven articles were deemed eligible for inclusion. The two analyses performed found that physically active pregnant women had better scores of mental self-perception of quality of life (z = 2.08, p = 0.04; SMD = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.67, I2 = 76%, Pheterogeneity = 0.0004) and in physical self-perceived health status (z = 2.19, p = 0.03; SMD = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.63, I2 = 71%, Pheterogeneity = 0.002) compared to control group pregnant women. Physical activity interventions could potentially increase mental and physical self-perception of quality of life during pregnancy.
Change in the Clinical Picture of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 between the Early and Late Period of Dominance of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant

This study aimed to compare the clinical picture of COVID-19 in the initial and later period of Omicron dominance and to identify populations still at risk. A retrospective comparison of the clinical data of 965 patients hospitalized during the early period of Omicron’s dominance (EO, January–June 2022) with 897 patients from a later period (LO, July 2022–April 2023) from the SARSTer database was performed. Patients hospitalized during LO, compared to EO, were older, had a better clinical condition on admission, had a lower need for oxygen and mechanical ventilation, had less frequent lung involvement in imaging, and showed much faster clinical improvement. Moreover, the overall mortality during EO was 14%, higher than that in LO—9%. Despite the milder course of the disease, mortality exceeding 15% was similar in both groups among patients with lung involvement. The accumulation of risk factors such as an age of 60+, comorbidities, lung involvement, and oxygen saturation <90% resulted in a constant need for oxygen in 98% of patients, an 8% risk of mechanical ventilation, and a 30% mortality rate in the LO period. Multiple logistic regression revealed lower odds of death during the LO phase. Despite the milder course of infections caused by the currently dominant subvariants, COVID-19 prophylaxis is necessary in people over 60 years of age, especially those with comorbidities, and in the case of pneumonia and respiratory failure.
Toward Causal Representation Learning

The two fields of machine learning and graphical causality arose and are developed separately. However, there is, now, cross-pollination and increasing interest in both fields to benefit from the advances of the other. In this article, we review fundamental concepts of causal inference and relate them to crucial open problems of machine learning, including transfer and generalization, thereby assaying how causality can contribute to modern machine learning research. This also applies in the opposite direction: we note that most work in causality starts from the premise that the causal variables are given. A central problem for AI and causality is, thus, causal representation learning, that is, the discovery of high-level causal variables from low-level observations. Finally, we delineate some implications of causality for machine learning and propose key research areas at the intersection of both communities.
On the Preliminary Test Generalized Liu Estimator with Series of Stochastic Restrictions

When a series of stochastic restrictions are available, we study the performance of the preliminary test generalized Liu estimators (PTGLEs) based on the Wald, likelihood ratio and Lagrangian multiplier tests. In this respect, the optimal range of the biasing parameter is obtained under the mean square error sense. For this, the minimum/maximum value of the biasing matrix components is used to give the proper optimal range, where the biasing matrix is D = diag(d1, d2, . . . , dp), 0 < di < 1, i = 1, . , p. We support our findings by some numerical illustrations.
Cardiac Morphology, Function, and Left Ventricular Geometric Pattern in Patients with Hypertensive Crisis: A Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance-Based Study

(1) Background: Altered cardiac morphology and function are associated with increased risks of adverse cardiac events in hypertension. Our study aimed to assess left ventricular (LV) morphology, geometry, and function using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in patients with hypertensive crisis. (2) Methods: Patients with hypertensive crisis underwent CMR imaging at 1.5 Tesla to assess cardiac volume, mass, function, and contrasted study. Left ventricular (LV) function and geometry were defined according to the guideline recommendations. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was qualitatively assessed and classified into ischemic and nonischemic patterns. Predictors of LGE was determined using regression analysis. (3) Results: Eighty-two patients with hypertensive crisis (aged 48.5 ± 13.4 years, and 57% males) underwent CMR imaging. Of these patients, seventy-eight percent were hypertensive emergency and twenty-two percent were urgency. Diastolic blood pressure was higher under hypertensive emergency (p = 0.032). Seventy-nine percent (92% of emergency vs. 59% of urgency, respectively; p = 0.003) had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The most prevalent LV geometry was concentric hypertrophy (52%). Asymmetric LVH occurred in 13 (22%) of the participants after excluding ischemic LGE. Impaired systolic function occurred in 46% of patients, and predominantly involved hypertensive emergency. Nonischemic LGE occurred in 75% of contrasted studies (67.2% in emergency versus 44.4% in urgency, respectively; p < 0.001). Creatinine and LV mass were independently associated with nonischemic LGE. (5) Conclusion: LVH, altered geometry, asymmetric LVH, impaired LV systolic function, and LGE are common under hypertensive crisis. LVH and LGE more commonly occurred under hypertensive emergency. Longitudinal studies are required to determine the prognostic implications of asymmetric LVH and LGE in hypertensive crisis.
CBD Inhibits In Vivo Development of Human Breast Cancer Tumors

Inflammation is a critical component of cancer development. Previously, we showed in vitro that IL-1β treatment of non-invasive human breast cancer MCF-7 cells promoted their transition to a malignant phenotype (6D cells). This epithelial–mesenchymal transition was reverted by exposure to cannabidiol (CBD). We show in a murine model that subcutaneous inoculation of 6D cells induced formation and development of tumors, the cells of which keep traits of malignancy. These processes were interrupted by administration of CBD under two schemes: therapeutic and prophylactic. In the therapeutic scheme, 6D cells inoculated mice developed tumors that reached a mean volume of 540 mm3 at 45 days, while 50% of CBD-treated mice showed gradual resorption of tumors. In the prophylactic scheme, mice were pre-treated for 15 days with CBD before cells inoculation. The tumors formed remained small and were eliminated under continuous CBD treatment in 66% of the animals. Histological and molecular characterization of tumors, from both schemes, revealed that CBD-treated cells decreased the expression of malignancy markers and show traits related with apoptosis. These results confirm that in vivo CBD blocks development of breast cancer tumors formed by cells induced to malignancy by IL-1β, endorsing its therapeutic potential for cancer treatment.
PHOTOSOCIOLOGY AND DYNAMICS OF SOME PINE FORESTS OF AFGHANISTAN

Phytosociological sampling, structure, age and growth rates studies were carried out in 5 places of Dangam District of Afghanistan. Vegetation compositions of non tree species were also presented. On the basis of floristic composition and importance value index of tree species, two monospecific and one bispecific communities were recognized in the study area. It is shown that in Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss. , Dbh, age and growth rates are not significantly correlated. Lack of tree seedlings indicate poor regeneration status of the forests.
Impression management in daily life: an experience sampling test for the expression of impression management as interpersonally oriented self-control

Impression management (IM) scales (often called lie or social desirability scales) have long been applied as validity scales in assessment processes. Recent developments have indicated that these scales measure a substantive personality predisposition and not response bias, but the nature of the disposition is disputable. According to the ‘interpersonally oriented self-control’ approach, IM is associated with high self-control exerted mainly in public social contexts to facilitate adaptation. Supported in laboratory settings, this approach has not been tested in real-life dynamics. In the present experience sampling study, participants reported 3 times a day (10 days) about their social condition (alone/'with others’) and their level of self-control. Results revealed that IM was associated with stronger self-control when with other people than when alone. Comparable reactions to public social context were not found for self-deception enhancement, trait self-control, or agreeableness, marking this a unique aspect of IM. The findings further stress the need to reconsider the use of IM scales for validity purposes in assessment processes.
Effects of dietary fiber in gestating sow diets — A review

The objective of this review was to provide an overview of the effects of dietary fiber (DF) on reproductive performance in gestating sows. Dietary fibers have been suggested to modulate microbiota in the intestine and the immune system of gestating sows and to improve gut health. Thus, DF may help alleviate the adverse effects of the stressful production cycle of gestating sows. These benefits may subsequently result in improved reproductive performance of sows. Previous studies have reported changes in microbiota by providing gestating sows with DF, and the responses of microbiota varied depending on the source of DF. The responses by providing DF to gestating sows were inconsistent for antioxidative capacity, hormonal response, and inflammatory response among the studies. The effects of DF on reproductive performance were also inconsistent among the previous studies. Potential reasons contributing to these inconsistent results would include variability in reproductive performance data, insufficient replication, influence of other nutrients contained in the DF diets, characteristics of DF, and experimental periods. The present meta-analysis suggests that increasing the total DF concentration by 10 percentage units (e.g., 12% to 22% as-fed basis) in gestating sow diets compared to the control group improves the litter born alive by 0.49 pigs per litter. However, based on the present review, questions remain regarding the benefits of fibers in gestating sow diets. Further research is warranted to clarify the mode of action of fibers and the association with subsequent reproductive performance in gestating sows.
The Link between Vulnerability to Poverty and Depression: Evidence from Vietnam

Abstract Vulnerability to poverty is a measure of the downside risk of falling into poverty. We examine the relationship between vulnerability to poverty and self-reported mental health, using a four-wave longitudinal panel from rural Vietnam. Our findings indicate that vulnerability to poverty has a significant and adverse connection with an index of depression. The impacts are not only statistically significant but also large. An increase in vulnerability to poverty from zero to one is associated with a 3.3 unit increase in the depression (CES-D) score (or 47.1 percent increase over the sample mean). Moreover, vulnerability to poverty also increases the probability of being severely mentally distressed. An increase in vulnerability to poverty of one standard deviation is associated on average with a 10.5 percentage point increase in the probability of severe mental distress. Risks of poverty that come from idiosyncratic shocks have stronger links to mental health than risks from covariate shocks. Vulnerability to poverty increases the likelihood of depressive symptoms more for men than for women and for the major ethnicity group compared to other ethnicities. Overall, we provide clear evidence that lives marked by greater downside risk are also blemished with higher rates of depressive symptoms.
Postpartum Screening for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus at King Abdulaziz University Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Diabetes is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels due to inadequate insulin production or abnormalities in cellular activity. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most prominent indicators of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which develops in pregnant women whose pancreatic function is insufficient to control the insulin resistance associated with pregnancy. Moreover, it is the most common metabolic disorder, with the majority of cases beginning in the second or third trimester of pregnancy and affecting up to 25% of pregnant women. Objectives The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with postpartum T2DM screening in women with GDM at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) between 2010 and 2022. The secondary objective was to assess the factors associated with providing information to the patients about the risks of increased blood glucose and postpartum lifestyle modification. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study at KAUH to investigate potential factors associated with postpartum screening for T2DM. Out of 564 patients diagnosed with GDM between 2020 and 2022, we included 200 women aged over 18 years with a history of GDM, as they met the inclusion criteria for our study. Patients younger than 18 years with missing or incomplete baseline characteristics were excluded. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 21 (IBM Corp. Released 2012. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.), and p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 200 postpartum women with GDM were included in this study. Their mean age was 35.02±5.2 years. Many of them had a family history of diabetes (83.0%) and a previous diagnosis of GDM (60.5%). The patients who performed glucose testing six weeks after birth were previously diagnosed with GDM (37.0%) or with a family history of diabetes (45.5%). The significant variables in this analysis were mothers having frequent postpartum hospital follow-up visits (P<0.001), mothers with gestational weight gain (P=0.018), those who were informed about the risks of increased blood glucose (P=0.011), and those who were informed about plans for postpartum glucose screening (P=0.002). The mothers with a previous history of GDM were the highest to be informed of the risks of elevated blood glucose. Conclusion Frequent postpartum hospital follow-up visits, gestational weight gain, knowledge of the risks of elevated blood sugar, and postpartum glucose screening plans were all associated with postpartum glucose testing rates among women with GDM in Saudi Arabia.
Contribution des isotopes du bore à l'étude des mécanismes et bilans de l'altération des minéraux des sols

L’objectif de cette these est d’estimer la capacite du bore et de ses isotopes a evaluer les mecanismes et bilans de l’alteration des mineraux dans les sols. Pour ce faire, trois axes ont ete developpes : 1) une approche experimentale, durant laquelle un mineral-test (la biotite) est soumis a l’action de differents agents alterants representatifs de ceux trouves dans les sols. 2) une approche in-situ dans un sol forestier acide, menee sur des mineraux separes (biotite, muscovite,feldspath potassique et albite), au cours de leur alteration a differentes profondeurs (site de Breuil-Chenue, France). L’objectif de cette etude est de determiner la sensibilite du bore aux processus de la formation des sols. 3) une seconde approche in-situ sur le meme site experimental, menee cette fois-ci sur les horizons superficiels (horizon A et horizon d’accumulation des oxy-hydroxydes d’aluminium), dont le but est de determiner la sensibilite du bore et de ses isotopes aux processus lies a la proximite de la vegetation (variations saisonnieres, proximite des racines). Le bore permet, grâce a sa tres grande reactivite durant les mecanismes d’alteration par rapport aux elements majeurs constitutifs du reseau cristallin (observable aussi bien en conditions experimentales qu’en milieu naturel), de tracer avec une grande sensibilite les mecanismes de dissolution ou de transformation des differents mineraux primaires, et ouvre de nouvelles perspectives quant a la comprehension et la modelisation des sols.
Phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis C virus isolates indicates a unique pattern of endemic infection in Cameroon

Received 19 March 2003 Accepted 9 May 2003 Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that poses a significant threat to public health worldwide. The genetic diversity and distribution of HCV genotypes in non-Western countries, particularly subSaharan Africa, is poorly documented. This study reports a phylogenetic analysis of core and NS5B gene sequences of 37 HCV strains sampled in Cameroon. A high level of genetic diversity of both genotypes 1 and 4 was found, indicating a unique pattern of long-term HCV infection that has not been observed elsewhere. These results lead to the hypothesis that these HCV genotypes originated and diversified in west Central Africa before spreading to other regions.
A new model for the bouncing regime boundary in binary droplet collisions

This work experimentally investigates binary collisions of identical droplets over a range of liquid viscosities, using 2%, 4%, and 8% of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose solutions in water. The collisions were captured by using a high-speed camera, and regime maps of collision outcomes were derived. The performance of existing models of the boundary of the bouncing regime was assessed and found to give poor predictions. This was attributed to assumptions and errors in the treatment of kinetic energy and the droplet shape factors used in these models. A new model was derived which addresses these issues: the definition of the kinetic energy that contributes to deformation was corrected; a new shape factor that accurately reflects the geometry of the droplet at maximum deformation was proposed, and, importantly, an empirical approach was implemented to account for the effect of the impact parameter on this shape factor. Moreover, the model includes an estimate of the viscous dissipation, which is calculated directly from the experimentally observed difference between the impact and the rebound kinetic energies and measurements of the post-collision droplet oscillations. The proposed model shows a striking improvement versus the existing models, reducing the mean absolute error by an order of magnitude.This work experimentally investigates binary collisions of identical droplets over a range of liquid viscosities, using 2%, 4%, and 8% of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose solutions in water. The collisions were captured by using a high-speed camera, and regime maps of collision outcomes were derived. The performance of existing models of the boundary of the bouncing regime was assessed and found to give poor predictions. This was attributed to assumptions and errors in the treatment of kinetic energy and the droplet shape factors used in these models. A new model was derived which addresses these issues: the definition of the kinetic energy that contributes to deformation was corrected; a new shape factor that accurately reflects the geometry of the droplet at maximum deformation was proposed, and, importantly, an empirical approach was implemented to account for the effect of the impact parameter on this shape factor. Moreover, the model includes an estimate of the viscous dissipation, which is calculated d.