Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medical students experience mistreatment, with a focus on gender discrimination. Cross-sectional study at one Swedish medical school

Abstract The aim was to study discrimination, with a focus on gender and sexual harassment among medical students at Uppsala University in Sweden. A survey was sent via email to all registered medical students in the spring semester of 2020. Data were compared with two previous studies. Questions about gender and sexual harassment were the same as in the study conducted in 2002 and 2013. In addition, the 2020 survey included a question about other grounds of discrimination. Forty percent, that is, 453 out of 1,130 medical students, participated. The proportion of students reporting gender-based discrimination during the preclinical semesters was similar for females and males. During the clinical semesters, significantly more females than males reported gender discrimination (41% vs. 21.5%, p = 0.005) and sexual harassment (22% vs. 5%, p = 0.001). Physicians were the most commonly reported perpetrator. Reports about not being respected had increased from 2% to 20% between 2013 and 2020 among female clinical students. The prevalence of those who experienced several sexually harassing behaviors increased for the female and male clinical students and the female preclinical students. Receiving an unwelcome touch increased from 1% to 7% for the female clinical students. Discrimination due to ethnicity was reported by 36% of the students born in a country other than Sweden compared to 3% of those born in Sweden. Our findings confirm that experiences of different forms of discrimination exist in this medical school, and females and minorities are particularly affected.
OPUPO: Defending Against Membership Inference Attacks With Order-Preserving and Utility-Preserving Obfuscation

In this work, we present OPUPO to protect machine learning classifiers against black-box membership inference attacks by alleviating the prediction difference between training and non-training samples. Specifically, we apply order-preserving and utility-preserving obfuscation to prediction vectors. The order-preserving constraint strictly maintains the order of confidence scores in the prediction vectors, guaranteeing that the model's classification accuracy is not affected. The utility-preserving constraint, on the other hand, enables adaptive distortions to the prediction vectors in order to protect their utility. Moreover, OPUPO is proved to be adversary resistant that even well-informed defense-aware adversaries cannot restore the original prediction vectors to bypass the defense. We evaluate OPUPO on machine learning and deep learning classifiers trained with four popular datasets. Experiments verify that OPUPO can effectively defend against state-of-the-art attack techniques with negligible computation overhead. In specific, the inference accuracy could be reduced from as high as 87.66% to around 50%, i.e., random guess, and the prediction time will increase by only 0.44% on average. The experiments also show that OPUPO could achieve better privacy-utility trade-off than existing defenses.
Jaw mineralogy in eunicean polychaetes (Annelida)

X-ray diffraction analysis of jaws from representatives of five families of eunicean polychaetes indicates that three different types of mineralization are represented. Aragonite is reported for the first time from species within the families Onuphidae and Eunicidae. Jaws of species in the Lumbrineridae are mineralized with calcite, as are those of Lysarete. Other lysaretids and members of the Arabellidae have jaws which are amorphous to X-rays, as are those of the unrelated glycerids and nereidids. In combination with other morphological characters, the mineralogy of the jaws is a useful taxonomic character within the superfamily Eunicea at the family level. The calcified jaws and those of the nereidids are weakly sclerotized, and may have relatively low fossilization potential. This may explain the relative rarity of polychaete jaws in post-Devonian rocks in contrast to the abundance of jawed polychaetes in the modern oceans. -Author
Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of depth of invasion in tongue carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Tongue carcinoma constitutes 10.4–46.9% of all oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) and is notoriously known for invading tissues deeper than the evident gross margins. The deeper the tumor invades, the higher are its chances of future morbidity and mortality due to extensive neck dissection and risk of recurrence. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive diagnostic aid used for measuring a preoperative tumor's depth of invasion (DOI) as it can efficiently outline soft tissue tumors from adjacent normal tissue. To assess various MRI modalities used in measuring DOI in tongue carcinoma and their reliability compared with other DOI measuring modalities. The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (CRD42022330866), and the following Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Diagnostic Test Accuracy guidelines were performed. PubMed electronic database was searched using a combination of keywords for relevant articles in the English language since 2016. Critical appraisal was carried out using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-Comparative (QUADAS-C) risk-of-bias (RoB) assessment tool. A weighted mean difference (WMD) was calculated between MRI and histopathological DOI along with pooled correlation and subgroup analysis, where possible. A total of 795 records were retrieved of which 17 were included in the final review with 13 included for meta-analysis. A high RoB was found for most studies for all parameters except flow and timing. WMD showed a statistically significant MRI overestimation of 1.90 mm compared with histopathology. Subgroup analysis showed the 1.5 Tesla machine to be superior to the 3.0 Tesla machine, while imaging sequence subgroup analysis could not be performed. MRI is a viable preoperative DOI measurement modality that can help in efficient treatment planning to decrease surgical morbidity and mortality.
Multiparametric Ultrasound for Diagnosing Testicular Lesions: Everything You Need to Know in Daily Clinical Practice

Simple Summary Testicular lesions (TLs) are challenging clinical or ultrasound findings. When large, hard palpable lumps, TL management is mainly clinical, requiring conventional color-Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) to confirm that they are solid, vascularized lesions suggesting malignancy. However, when their CDUS characteristics are uncertain or when nonpalpable, multiparametric US (mp-US) (i.e., the combination of CDUS and more recent US techniques such as contrast-enhanced US and sonoelastography) plays a key role in their characterization, aimed at differentiating benign from malignant TL. This is relevant, since TLs are frequent, testicular tumors are the most common malignancies in young men, and the accurate assessment of a TL is critical to define its correct management including testicular salvage and US follow-up or orchiectomy. In this scenario, this narrative and pictorial review reports a practical mp-US “identity card” and iconographic characterization of several benign and malignant TLs, useful to the physician in daily clinical practice. Abstract Background: Ultrasonography (US) represents the gold standard imaging method for the assessment of testicular lesions (TL). The gray-scale (GSUS) and color-Doppler (CDUS) ultrasound examination allow sonographers to investigate the size, margins, echotexture, and vascular features of TLs with the aim to differentiate benign from malignant lesions. Recently, the use of contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) and sonoelastography (SE) has led to further improvements in the differential diagnosis of TL. Although GSUS and CDUS are often sufficient to suggest the benign or malignant nature of the TL, CEUS can be decisive in the differential diagnosis of unclear findings, while SE can help to strengthen the diagnosis. The contemporary combination of GSUS, CDUS, CEUS, and SE has led to a new diagnostic paradigm named multiparametric US (mp-US), which is able to provide a more detailed characterization of TLs than single techniques alone. This narrative and pictorial review aimed to describe the mp-US appearance of several TLs. Methods: An extensive Medline search was performed to identify studies in the English language focusing on the mp-US evaluation of TLs. Results: A practical mp-US “identity card” and iconographic characterization of several benign and malignant TLs is provided herein. Conclusions: The mp-US characterization of TL reported herein can be useful in daily clinical practice.
Multi-method investigations of the impact of lockdown relaxation on tourists’ and residents’ movements

ABSTRACT This research examines the impact of lockdown relaxation on tourists’ and residents’ movements in the context of restaurant patronage in Jeju Island, South Korea. Drawing on spatial interaction and multi-attribute attitude theories, we hypothesized the difference between tourists and residents in terms of restaurant visit patterns and choices during lockdown relaxation. A multi-method approach was adopted: spatial, data-driven analysis, and experiments. Lockdown relaxation is found to affect how tourists and residents choose and visit restaurants in different ways. This research provides explanations about tourists’ and residents’ mobility and guidelines that practitioners can use to prepare for “living with COVID-19. ”
The role of climate smart agricultural practices on household income and food security: A propensity score matching approach

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of climate smart agricultural practices on household income and food security in Doyogena and Basona climate smart landscapes in Ethiopia. Data were collected from 796 randomly selected smallholder farmers from the two climate-smart villages of the Doyogena (399) and Basona (397) districts. Using a propensity score matching approach, this study examines the contribution of CSA practices to farm household income and food security. Our study finds that the adoption of CSA practices enhances household food security in Doyogena, whereas in Basona, the implementation of CSA practices improved the average annual income of households. This study suggests that the introduction of CSA practices and scaling up of these practices should be site-specific, but not a one-size-fits-all approach. Promoting and scaling up these practices may require assessing the needs and priorities of communities in different locations.
Real-World Evaluation of a Pharmacoinvasive Strategy for STEMI in Latin America: A Cost-Effective Approach with Short-Term Benefits

Purpose While pharmacoinvasive strategy (PI) is a safe and effective approach whenever access to primary percutaneous intervention (pPCI) is limited, data on each strategy’s economic cost and impact on in-hospital stay are scarce. The objective is to compare the cost-effectiveness of a PI with that of pPCI for the treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a Latin-American country. Patients and Methods A total of 1747 patients were included, of whom 470 (26.9%) received PI, 433 (24.7%) pPCI, and 844 (48.3%) NR. The study’s primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for PI compared with those for pPCI and non-reperfused (NR), calculated for 30-day major cardiovascular events (MACE), 30-day mortality, and length of stay. Results For PI, the ICER estimates for MACE showed a decrease of $–35.81/per 1% (95 confidence interval, –114.73 to 64.81) compared with pPCI and a decrease of $–271.60/per 1% (95% CI, –1086.10 to –144.93) compared with NR. Also, in mortality, PI had an ICER decrease of $–129.50 (95% CI, –810.57, 455.06) compared to pPCI and $–165.27 (–224.06, –123.52) with NR. Finally, length of stay had an ICER reduction of −765.99 (−4020.68, 3141.65) and −283.40 (−304.95, −252.76) compared to pPCI and NR, respectively. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that PI may be a more efficient treatment approach for STEMI in regions where access to pPCI is limited or where patient and system delays are expected.
The Effect of Enviromental Uncertainty and Tax Avoidance: The Role Managerial Ability

Taxes play an essential role in state funding. As something that is not profitable for the company, it usually encourages efforts to reduce taxes by doing a tax avoidance. This study aims to determine the effect of environmental uncertainty on tax avoidance and to determine the managerial ability to weaken the effect of environmental uncertainty on tax avoidance. Using SPSS, 458 samples used in this study are manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the period 2016 – 2020. The results of this study indicate that environmental uncertainty affects tax avoidance and managerial ability strengthens the effect of environmental uncertainty on tax avoidance. This result may be due to the large influence of environmental uncertainty in the company so that the risks obtained are difficult for managers to overcome.
Hippocampal subfield associations with memory depend on stimulus modality and retrieval mode

Abstract Hippocampal atrophy is a well-known feature of age-related memory decline, and hippocampal subfields may contribute differently to this decline. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the associations between hippocampal subfield volumes and performance in free recall and recognition memory tasks in both verbal and visual modalities in older adults without dementia. We collected MRIs from 97 (41 males) right-handed participants aged over 60. We segmented the right and left hippocampi into (i) dentate gyrus and cornu ammonis 4 (DG/CA4); (ii) CA2 and CA3 (CA2/CA3); (iii) CA1; (iv) strata radiatum, lacunosum and moleculare; and (v) subiculum. Memory was assessed with verbal free recall and recognition tasks, as well as visual free recall and recognition tasks. Amyloid-β and hippocampal tau positivity were assessed using [18F]AZD4694 and [18F]MK6240 PET tracers, respectively. The verbal free recall and verbal recognition performances were positively associated with CA1 and strata radiatum, lacunosum and moleculare volumes. The verbal free recall and visual free recall were positively correlated with the right DG/CA4. The visual free recall, but not verbal free recall, was also associated with the right CA2/CA3. The visual recognition was not significantly associated with any subfield volume. Hippocampal tau positivity, but not amyloid-β positivity, was associated with reduced DG/CA4, CA2/CA3 and strata radiatum, lacunosum and moleculare volumes. Our results suggest that memory performances are linked to specific subfields. CA1 appears to contribute to the verbal modality, irrespective of the free recall or recognition mode of retrieval. In contrast, DG/CA4 seems to be involved in the free recall mode, irrespective of verbal or visual modalities. These results are concordant with the view that DG/CA4 plays a primary role in encoding a stimulus’ distinctive attributes, and that CA2/CA3 could be instrumental in recollecting a visual memory from one of its fragments. Overall, we show that hippocampal subfield segmentation can be useful for detecting early volume changes and improve our understanding of the hippocampal subfields’ roles in memory.
Progression of valve heart disease in a cohort of patients undergoing renal replacement therapy.

INTRODUCTION Cardiovascular disease is an important cause of death among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Valve calcification is a predictor of cardiovascular mortality and coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVE To assess heart valve disease frequency, associated factors, and progression in CKD patients. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study on 291 CKD patients at Hospital das Clínicas de Pernambuco. Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 18 with CKD and valve disease, while those on conservative management or with missing data were excluded. Clinical and laboratory variables were compared, and patients were categorized by dialysis duration (<5 years; 5-10 years; >10 years). Statistical tests, including chi-square, Fisher's exact, ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis, were employed as needed. Simple and multivariate binary regression models were used to analyze valve disease associations with dialysis duration. Significance was defined as p < 0.05. RESULTS Mitral valve disease was present in 82.5% (240) of patients, followed by aortic valve disease (65.6%; 86). Over time, 106 (36.4%) patients developed valve disease. No significant association was found between aortic, pulmonary, mitral, or tricuspid valve disease and dialysis duration. Secondary hyperparathyroidism was the sole statistically significant factor for mitral valve disease in the regression model (OR 2.59 [95% CI: 1.09-6.18]; p = 0.031). CONCLUSION CKD patients on renal replacement therapy exhibit a high frequency of valve disease, particularly mitral and aortic valve disease. However, no link was established between dialysis duration and valve disease occurrence or progression.
Differential Planting Density Influences Growth and Yield of Hybrid Maize

The present study to evaluate the effect of differe nt planting densities on growth and yield of hybrid maize was conducted at Research area, Uni versity College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan during August, 2012. The effect of four planting densities i.e. T 1-Control (92,000 plants ha -1 ), T 2 (30,000 plants ha -1 ), T 3 (50,000 plants ha -1 ) and T 4 (70,000 plants ha -1 ), was investigated by using maize hybrid (Hycorn). The results indicated that plant density of 50,000 and 70,000 plants per hecta re produced maximum cob length of 18.6 cm, whereas plant density of 30,000 plants per hectare produced maximum stem diameter of 1.42 cm. For yield traits, 50,000 plants per hectare produced th e maximum number of grains per row (30.14) and grains per cob (439.18). However, plant density of 70,000 plants per hectare produced maximum grain weight per cob (156.29 g), 1000-grain weight (388.2 2 g) and grain yield (9338 kg ha -1 ). Therefore, planting density of 70,000 plants per hectare is re commended for obtaining maximum yield of maize. Results showed that stand density affects plant arc hitecture, alters growth and developmental patterns and influences carbohydrate production. High plant population increases interplant competition for light, water and nutrients, which was detrimental t o final yield. These results highlight the response of maize hybrid to identify optimum population densiti es under environmental condition of Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
A calibrated mass balance model for Vatnajökull, Iceland

Vatnajokull (Iceland) is the largest ice cap in the world where the energy and mass balance have been studied with good spatial and temporal resolution. In this paper we use these data to analyze the energy balance and to construct a calibrated and spatially distributed mass balance model. The incoming longwave radiation is best modeled as a function of meteorological variables in the free atmosphere just above the rel- atively thin katabatic layer, instead of those at the 2 m level. The ratio of changes in the 2 m temperature to changes in the free atmospheric temperature (the climate sensitivity) is smaller than 1. Therefore, when the bulk method is used to compute the turbulent fluxes, the 2 m temperature must be explicitly calculated. Otherwise the sensitivity of Vatnajokull to climatic change would be overestimated. When the model is forced with data from a permanent weather station not on the ice cap, it reproduces the observed mass balance reasonably well. Horizontal precipitation gradients over Vatnajokull are large, which results in a strongly varying sensitivity to external temperature changes over the ice cap. The mass balance and its sensitivity is thus highly dependent on local climatic conditions. For a temperature increase of 1 K and a simultaneous precipitation increase of 5.3%, the mean specific mass balance of Vatnajokull decreases by 0.56 m w.e.
A modal decomposition of the semidiurnal tide in the lower thermosphere

It is shown that observations of semidiurnal temperature oscillations from Millstone Hill, St. Santin, and Arecibo are consistently explained by the simultaneous presence of 2, 4 and 2, 5 tidal modes. The latter mode is found even during equinoxes, when it receives negligible direct forcing, suggesting the importance of wind-induced mode coupling.
Allocative Efficiency between and within the Formal and Informal Manufacturing Sectors in Zimbabwe

Resource misallocation has the potential to reduce aggregate total factor productivity and undermine industrial development. Aggregate productivity losses are found to be particularly pronounced in emerging economies where large market frictions impede efficient resource allocation. Available estimates, however, almost entirely exclude firms in the informal sector that in some countries, such as Zimbabwe, make up a high share of overall production and employment. The exclusion of informal firms can result in either an over- or under-estimate of the aggregate productivity losses from misallocation. This paper, therefore, uses firm-level survey data to analyze how market distortions contribute to the misallocation of resources within and between the formal and informal manufacturing sectors in Zimbabwe. Applying the approach developed by Hsieh and Klenow (2009) to firm-level microdata, the results reveal extensive resource misallocation in both the formal and informal manufacturing sector. Market shares of informal firms are found to be low relative to their productivity—an outcome associated with relatively large capital market distortions. Misallocation is also more pronounced among relatively productive firms, thus exacerbating aggregate losses in total factor productivity (TFP). Estimates indicate that aggregated gains in TFP of 151.4 percent can be realized through efficient resource allocation.
Assessing Congressional Institutionalization and Political Elites’ Renewal in Latin America Through Legislative Amateurism

Legislative experience, one of the various indicators of both congressional institutionalization and political elites’ renewal, has been mostly measured by either turnover or reelection. However, in regions such as Latin America, with more volatile and less institutionalized party systems, where most careers are not stable and ambitions are not mostly static, turnover and reelection may not be accurate measures of legislative experience. This paper aims to fill this gap by assessing parliamentary experience in Latin America by means of a more accurate indicator: legislative amateurism. Using a novel dataset comprising eighteen national single or lower-chamber legislatures over almost three decades, we find that legislative amateurism is a consequence of party system institutionalization, electoral volatility, and newly implemented gender quotas. Overall, our findings suggest that weak political parties and certain electoral rules may become fertile ground for amateur legislatorś landing in Congress.