Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of different bowel preparation regimen volumes for colorectal cancer screening and compliance with European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy performance measures

Abstract Background Various volumes of bowel preparation are used in clinical practice. There is conflicting data on the effectiveness of individual regimens. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and compliance of currently used bowel preparations with the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) performance measures using data of the Dutch nationwide colorectal cancer screening (CRC) program. Methods In a prospective, multicenter endoscopy database, we identified all CRC screening colonoscopies performed in 15 Dutch endoscopy centers from 2016 to 2020. We excluded procedures without documented bowel preparation or the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) score. Bowel preparation regimens were categorized into three groups, that is, 4‐L (polyethylene glycol (PEG)), 2‐L (2‐L PEG with ascorbic acid) and ≤1‐L volumes (sodium picosulfate with magnesium citrate, 1L‐PEG with sodium sulfate and ascorbic acid or oral sulfate solution). European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy performance measures included adequate BBPS score (≥6) (>90%), cecal intubation rate (CIR, >90%), adenoma detection rate (ADR, >25%) and polyp detection rate (PDR, >40%). Logistic regression was performed to identify predictive factors for adequate BBPS and patient discomfort. Results A total of 39,042 CRC screening colonoscopies were included. Boston Bowel Preparation Scale scores, CIR, ADR and PDR for 4L, 2L and ≤1L regimens all met the minimum ESGE performance measures standards. However, an adequate BBPS score was more frequently seen with 2L regimens (98.0%) as compared to 4L (97.1%) and ≤1L regimens (97.0%) (p < 0.001), respectively. In addition, CIR was higher for ≤1L (98.4%) versus 4L (97.7%) and 2L (97.9%) regimens (p = 0.001), ADR higher for lower volume (≤1L (60.0%) and 2L (61.2)) versus higher volume (4L (58.6%)) regimens (p < 0.001), and PDR higher for ≤1L (70.0%) and 2L (70.8%) versus 4L (67.2%) regimens (p < 0.001). Boston Bowel Preparation Scale for ≤1L regimens was higher when combined with bisacodyl (97.3%) than without (95.6%) (p < 0.001). Overall, bisacodyl use was independently associated with higher patient discomfort (odds ratios = 1.47, confidence intervals = 1.26–1.72). Conclusions Despite variations in bowel preparation volumes, all regimens meet the minimum ESGE performance measures for bowel preparation and other quality parameters. Boston Bowel Preparation Scale can be further improved if ultra low volume regimens are combined with bisacodyl. The choice for either bowel preparation volume can therefore be based on volume‐tolerance and patient preference.
Hospitalization and mortality during the pandemic in chronic hemodialysis patients and the general population in Peru

ABSTRACT Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease have a higher risk of severe disease and mortality from COVID-19 than the general population. Objective: To compare hospitalization and mortality rates during the pandemic among chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and the general population in Lima (Peru). Methods: This retrospective cohort included an assessment of the database of chronic HD patients of the health service providers of the social health insurance benefit networks of Lima and Callao between 2019 and 2021. Hospitalization and mortality rates were obtained for every 1,000 individuals, and variations in the percentages of COVID-19 cases and deaths were calculated. These rates were compared with those of the general population data and standardized by age and sex. Results: An average of 3,937 chronic HD patients were evaluated each month. Of these, 4.8% had COVID-19 and 64.97% were mild cases. The hospitalization rates per 1,000 patients were 19.5, 29.28, and 36.7 in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. The mortality rates per 1,000 patients were 5.9, 9.74, and 11.49 in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. When compared to the standardized general population, the peaks of both rates coincided with the plateaus of the waves during the pandemic. The hospitalization rate for COVID-19 was 12 times higher in HD patients than in the general population, and the mortality rate for COVID-19 was twice as high. Conclusion: HD patients had higher hospitalization and standardized mortality rates than the general population. Peaks in hospitalizations and mortality coincided with the plateaus of the first and second waves of the pandemic.
Bayesian model averaging and identification of structural breaks in time series

Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) is used for testing for multiple break points in univariate series using conjugate normal-gamma priors. This approach can test for the number of structural breaks and produce posterior probabilities for a break at each point in time. Results are averaged over specifications including: stationary; stationary around trend and unit root models, each containing different types and number of breaks and different lag lengths. The procedures are used to test for structural breaks on 14 annual macroeconomic series and 11 natural resource price series. The results indicate that there are structural breaks in all of the natural resource series and most of the macroeconomic series. Many of the series had multiple breaks. Our findings regarding the existence of unit roots, having allowed for structural breaks in the data, are largely consistent with previous work.
Human endogenous retrovirus onco-exaptation counters cancer cell senescence through calbindin

Increased levels and diversity of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) transcription characterize most cancer types and are linked with disease outcomes. However, the underlying processes are incompletely understood. Here, we show that elevated transcription of HERVH proviruses predicted survival of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and identified an isoform of CALB1, encoding calbindin, ectopically driven by an upstream HERVH provirus under the control of KLF5, as the mediator of this effect. HERVH-CALB1 expression was initiated in preinvasive lesions and associated with their progression. Calbindin loss in LUSC cell lines impaired in vitro and in vivo growth and triggered senescence, consistent with a protumor effect. However, calbindin also directly controlled the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), marked by secretion of CXCL8 and other neutrophil chemoattractants. In established carcinomas, CALB1-negative cancer cells became the dominant source of CXCL8, correlating with neutrophil infiltration and worse prognosis. Thus, HERVH-CALB1 expression in LUSC may display antagonistic pleiotropy, whereby the benefits of escaping senescence early during cancer initiation and clonal competition were offset by the prevention of SASP and protumor inflammation at later stages.
Wind speed retrieval from Ku-band Tropical Rainfall Mapping Mission precipitation radar data at low incidence angles

Abstract. A Ku-band low incidence backscatter model (KuLMOD) for retrieving wind speeds from Tropical Rainfall Mapping Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar (PR) data is proposed. The data set consisted of TRMM PR observations and collocated National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) and Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere program buoy-measured wind and wave data. The TRMM PR data properties were analyzed with regard to their dependence on spatial resolution, wind speed, relative wind direction, and significant wave height. The KuLMOD model was developed using incidence angles (0.5 to 6.5 deg) and wind speeds (1.5 to 16.5 m/s) as inputs. The model coefficients were derived by fitting the collocated data. The KuLMOD-derived normalized radar cross section, σ0, was compared with those obtained from the TRMM PR observations and a quasi-specular theoretical model and showed good agreement. With the KuLMOD, the wind speeds were retrieved from the TRMM PR data using the least squares method and validated with the buoy measurements, yielding a root mean square error of 1.45 m/s. The retrieval accuracies for the different incidence angles, wind speeds, and spatial resolutions were obtained.
Regulatory T cells are paramount effectors in progesterone regulation of embryo implantation and fetal growth

Progesterone (P4) is essential for embryo implantation, but the extent to which the pro-gestational effects of P4 depend on the maternal immune compartment is unknown. Here, we investigate whether regulatory T cells (Treg cells) act to mediate luteal phase P4 effects on uterine receptivity in mice. P4 antagonist RU486 administered to mice on days 1.5 and 3.5 postcoitum to model luteal phase P4 deficiency caused fewer CD4+Foxp3+ Treg cells and impaired Treg functional competence, along with dysfunctional uterine vascular remodeling and perturbed placental development in midgestation. These effects were linked with fetal loss and fetal growth restriction, accompanied by a Th1/CD8-skewed T cell profile. Adoptive transfer at implantation of Treg cells — but not conventional T cells — alleviated fetal loss and fetal growth restriction by mitigating adverse effects of reduced P4 signaling on uterine blood vessel remodeling and placental structure and by restoring maternal T cell imbalance. These findings demonstrate an essential role for Treg cells in mediating P4 effects at implantation and indicate that Treg cells are a sensitive and critical effector mechanism through which P4 drives uterine receptivity to support robust placental development and fetal growth.
THE BERGMAN KERNELS ON HUA DOMAIN OF THE THIRD TYPE

In this paper the Bergman kernels on Hua domain of the third type (HEm) are given in explicit formulas. Hua domain is both non-Reinhardt and non-homogeneous, therefore the authors use a new method to compute its Bergman kernel. The new method has two key steps: one is to get the automorphism group of HEm, and the another one is to introduce the concept of semi-Reinhardt domain and get its complete orthonornal system.
Post‐BTK inhibitor mantle cell lymphoma: When is CAR‐T not the answer?

In a large multicentre retrospective real‐world analysis, Hess and colleagues describe outcomes in post‐Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) mantle cell lymphoma patients managed in clinical practice prior to availability of brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus). Outcome data not only provide a useful benchmark for future studies but also highlight the great challenges that still lie ahead in managing this challenging patient cohort.
Reply to Henehan and Witts: Continental flood basalts drive extinctions after the mid-Mesozoic

The temporal coincidence of large igneous provinces (LIPs) with Phanerozoic extinctions (e.g., ref. 1) has encouraged investigations of causality. Green et al. (2) found a greater temporal correlation between LIPs and Phanerozoic extinctions than expected from random chance. Henehan and Witts (3) suggest that, though earlier LIPs may have caused extinctions, the mid-Mesozoic rise of pelagic marine calcifiers prevented later volcanism like the Deccan Traps from significantly perturbing the ecosystem. Here, we address this comment (3) by calculating the coincidence product (2) with a timeframe restricted to the mid-Mesozoic through Quaternary. To examine
More losers than winners: investigating Anthropocene defaunation through the diversity of population trends

The global‐scale decline of animal biodiversity (‘defaunation’) represents one of the most alarming consequences of human impacts on the planet. The quantification of this extinction crisis has traditionally relied on the use of IUCN Red List conservation categories assigned to each assessed species. This approach reveals that a quarter of the world's animal species are currently threatened with extinction, and ~1% have been declared extinct. However, extinctions are preceded by progressive population declines through time that leave demographic ‘footprints’ that can alert us about the trajectories of species towards extinction. Therefore, an exclusive focus on IUCN conservation categories, without consideration of dynamic population trends, may underestimate the true extent of the processes of ongoing extinctions across nature. In fact, emerging evidence (e.g. the Living Planet Report), reveals a widespread tendency for sustained demographic declines (an average 69% decline in population abundances) of species globally. Yet, animal species are not only declining. Many species worldwide exhibit stable populations, while others are even thriving. Here, using population trend data for >71,000 animal species spanning all five groups of vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fishes) and insects, we provide a comprehensive global‐scale assessment of the diversity of population trends across species undergoing not only declines, but also population stability and increases. We show a widespread global erosion of species, with 48% undergoing declines, while 49% and 3% of species currently remain stable or are increasing, respectively. Geographically, we reveal an intriguing pattern similar to that of threatened species, whereby declines tend to concentrate around tropical regions, whereas stability and increases show a tendency to expand towards temperate climates. Importantly, we find that for species currently classed by the IUCN Red List as ‘non‐threatened’, 33% are declining. Critically, in contrast with previous mass extinction events, our assessment shows that the Anthropocene extinction crisis is undergoing a rapid biodiversity imbalance, with levels of declines (a symptom of extinction) greatly exceeding levels of increases (a symptom of ecological expansion and potentially of evolution) for all groups. Our study contributes a further signal indicating that global biodiversity is entering a mass extinction, with ecosystem heterogeneity and functioning, biodiversity persistence, and human well‐being under increasing threat.
Towards a leptospirosis early warning system in northeastern Argentina

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a high burden in Latin America, including northeastern Argentina, where flooding events linked to El Niño are associated with leptospirosis outbreaks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of using hydrometeorological indicators to predict leptospirosis outbreaks in this region. We quantified the effects of El Niño, precipitation, and river height on leptospirosis risk in Santa Fe and Entre Ríos provinces between 2009 and 2020, using a Bayesian modelling framework. Based on several goodness of fit statistics, we selected candidate models using a long-lead El Niño 3.4 index and shorter lead local climate variables. We then tested predictive performance to detect leptospirosis outbreaks using a two-stage early warning approach. Three-month lagged Niño 3.4 index and one-month lagged precipitation and river height were positively associated with an increase in leptospirosis cases in both provinces. El Niño models correctly detected 89% of outbreaks, while short-lead local models gave similar detection rates with a lower number of false positives. Our results show that climatic events are strong drivers of leptospirosis incidence in northeastern Argentina. Therefore, a leptospirosis outbreak prediction tool driven by hydrometeorological indicators could form part of an early warning and response system in the region.
Catastrophic health expenditure and the risk of depression among middle-aged and old people in China: a national population-based longitudinal study

Abstract Aims To estimate the association of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) with the risk of depression in middle-aged and old people in China. Methods We used data of 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018 from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which covered 150 counties of 28 provinces in China. CHE was calculated as out-of-pocket health expenditure exceeding 40% of a household’s capacity to pay. Depression was measured by a 10-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. We evaluated CHE prevalence and applied Cox proportional hazard models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confident intervals (CIs) for the risk of depression among participants with CHE after controlling potential confounders, compared with those without CHE. Results Among 5765 households included in this study, CHE prevalence at baseline was 19.24%. The depression incidence of participants with CHE (8.00 per 1000 person-month) was higher than that of those without CHE (6.81 per 1000 person-month). After controlling confounders, participants with CHE had a 13% higher risk (aHR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02–1.26) of depression than those without CHE. In subgroup analysis, the association of CHE with depression was significant in males and in people with chronic diseases, of younger age, living in rural areas and of lowest family economic level (all P < 0.05). Conclusions Nearly one of five middle-aged and old people in China incurred CHE, and CHE was associated with the risk of depression. Concerted efforts should be made to monitor CHE and related depression episode. Moreover, timely interventions about CHE and depression need to be implemented and strengthened among middle-aged and old people.
Synthesizing Research Narratives to Reveal the Big Picture: a CREATE(S) Intervention Modified for Journal Club Improves Undergraduate Science Literacy

Communicating science effectively is an essential part of the development of science literacy. Research has shown that introducing primary scientific literature through journal clubs can improve student learning outcomes, including increased scientific knowledge. ABSTRACT Communicating science effectively is an essential part of the development of science literacy. Research has shown that introducing primary scientific literature through journal clubs can improve student learning outcomes, including increased scientific knowledge. However, without scaffolding, students can miss more complex aspects of science literacy, including how to analyze and present scientific data. In this study, we apply a modified CREATE(S) process (Concept map the introduction, Read methods and results, Elucidate hypotheses, Analyze data, Think of the next Experiment, and Synthesis map) to improve students’ science literacy skills, specifically their understanding of the process of science and their ability to use narrative synthesis to communicate science. We tested this hypothesis using a retrospective quasi-experimental study design in upper-division undergraduate courses. We compared learning outcomes for CREATES intervention students to those for students who took the same courses before CREATES was introduced. Rubric-guided, direct evidence assessments were used to measure student gains in learning outcomes. Analyses revealed that CREATES intervention students versus the comparison group demonstrated improved ability to interpret and communicate primary literature, especially in the methods, hypotheses, and narrative synthesis learning outcome categories. Through a mixed-methods analysis of a reflection assignment completed by the CREATES intervention group, students reported the synthesis map as the most frequently used step in the process and highly valuable to their learning. Taken together, the study demonstrates how this modified CREATES process can foster scientific literacy development and how it could be applied in science, technology, engineering, and math journal clubs.
Pseudo-elliptic bundles, deformation data, and the reduction of Galois covers

We study a class of filtered flat vector bundles of rank 2 which we call pseudo-eeliptic bundles. We construct pseudo-elliptic bundles starting from a deformation datum defined over the function field of a curve over an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic. This leads us to study a variant of Dwork's accessary parameter problem. We give applications of our results to Galois theory.
The Political Economy of Poverty Reduction in Malaysia

This article critically examines regional differences in poverty reduction in Malaysia with a focus on political economy factors. More specifically, we focus on the East–West regional divide in income poverty, between four historically poorer the West Malaysia and two states of Eastern Malaysia–Sabah and Sarawak during 1970–2019. Between 1970 and 1990, Malaysia implemented the New Economic Policy (NEP), arguably the longest and most ambitious race-based affirmative action programme in the world. In this context, we also assess whether and how its affirmative action policies succeeded in closing regional gaps. During the NEP, Sarawak saw greater and earlier reductions in income poverty and inequality than the resource-rich states of Sabah and Terengganu, where poverty largely persisted. We argue that politics played a key role in explaining Sabah’s different trajectory vis-à-vis Sarawak, Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. The ethnicity-targeted policies of the NEP meant the Malays and Muslims were given priority over all other groups. The faster decline in poverty in Sarawak coincided with Muslim control since 1970. On the other hand, when Sabah was under the non-Muslim rule, there was little progress on poverty alleviation. The situation reversed when Sabah fell under Muslim control. The key lesson is that politics do matter during the implementation phase of poverty alleviation programme in Malaysia.
Coefficient Estimate of Biunivalent Functions of Complex Order Associated with the Hohlov Operator

We introduce and investigate a new subclass of the function class of biunivalent functions of complex order defined in the open unit disk, which are associated with the Hohlov operator, satisfying subordinate conditions. Furthermore, we find estimates on the Taylor-Maclaurin coefficients <path id="x1D44E" d="M483 97q-42 -50 -88.5 -79.5t-68.5 -29.5q-37 0 -17 93l22 102h-2q-54 -79 -144 -149q-59 -46 -100 -46q-24 0 -43 29t-19 86q0 78 34.5 153t94.5 120q41 31 94 51.5t98 20.5q29 0 72 -9q26 -6 39 -6l2 -4q-30 -117 -67 -323q-8 -41 2 -41q16 0 79 58zM374 387 q-32 15 -73 15q-52 0 -83 -23q-48 -36 -78 -108.5t-30 -152.5q0 -33 8.5 -50.5t20. 5 -17.5q31 0 107 79t99 132q15 40 29 126z"> and <path id="x33" d="M285 378v-2q65 -13 102 -54.5t37 -97.5q0 -57 -30.5 -104.5t-74 -75t-85.5 -42t-72 -14.5q-31 0 -59.5 11t-40.5 23q-19 18 -16 36q1 16 23 33q13 10 24 0q58 -51 124 -51q55 0 88 40t33 112q0 64 -39 96.5t-88 32.5q-29 0 -64 -11l-6 29q77 25 118 57.5t41 84.5 q0 45 -26.5 69.5t-68.5 24.5q-67 0 -120 -79l-20 20l43 63q51 56 127 56h1q66 0 107 -37t41 -95q0 -42 -31 -71q-22 -23 -68 -54z"> for functions in this new subclass. Several, known or new, consequences of the results are also pointed out.
Measurement of Neutral Current Neutral Pion Production on Carbon in a Few-GeV Neutrino Beam

The SciBooNE Collaboration has measured neutral current neutral pion production by the muon neutrino beam at a polystyrene target (C8H8). We obtained (7.7+- 0.5(stat.)+0.4-0.5 (sys.)) x 10^-2 as cross section ratio of the neutral current neutral pion production to total charged current cross section at the mean neutrino energy of 1.16 GeV. This result is consistent with the Monte Carlo prediction based on the Rein-Sehgal model