Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
La valutazione degli effetti delle politiche di coesione dell'Unione europea sulla crescita regionale

This PhD thesis aims at providing an evaluation of EU Cohesion policy impact on regional growth. It employs methodologies and data sources never before applied for this purpose. Main contributions to the literature concerning EU regional policy effectiveness have been extensively analysed. Moreover, having carried out an overview of the current literature on Cohesion Policy, we deduce that this work introduces innovative features in the field. The work enriches the current literature with regards to two aspects. The first aspect concerns the use of the instrument of Regression Discontinuity Design in order to examine the presence of a different outcome in terms of growth between Objectives 1 regions and non-Objective 1 regions at the cut-off point (75 percent of EU-15 GDP per capita in PPS) during the two programming periods, 1994-1999 and 2000-2006. The results confirm a significant difference higher than 0.5 percent per year between the two groups. The other empirical evaluation regards the study of a cross-section regression model based on the convergence theory that analyses the dependence relation between regional per capita growth and EU Cohesion policy expenditure in several fields of interventions. We have built a very fine dataset of spending variables (certified expenditure), using sources of data directly provided from the Regional Policy Directorate of the European Commission.
The Influence of Sensorineural Hearing Loss on the Relationship Between the Perception of Speech in Noise and Dysarthric Speech.

PURPOSE The ability to understand speech under adverse listening conditions is highly variable across listeners. Despite this, studies have found that listeners with normal hearing display consistency in their ability to perceive speech across different types of degraded speech, suggesting that, for at least these listeners, global skills may be involved in navigating the ambiguity in speech signals. However, there are substantial differences in the perceptual challenges faced by listeners with normal and impaired hearing. This study examines whether listeners with sensorineural hearing loss demonstrate the same type of consistency as normal-hearing listeners when processing neurotypical (i.e., control) speech that has been degraded by external noise and speech that is neurologically degraded such as dysarthria. METHOD Listeners with normal hearing (n = 31) and listeners with sensorineural hearing loss (n = 36) completed an intelligibility task with neurotypical speech in noise and with dysarthric speech in quiet. RESULTS Findings were consistent with previous work demonstrating a relationship between the ability to perceive neurotypical speech in noise and dysarthric speech for listeners with normal hearing, albeit at a higher intelligibility level than previously observed. This relationship was also observed for listeners with hearing loss, although listeners with more severe hearing losses performed better with dysarthric speech than with neurotypical speech in noise. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated a high level of consistency in intelligibility performance for listeners across two different types of degraded speech, even when those listeners were further challenged by the presence of sensorineural hearing loss. Clinical implications for both listeners with hearing loss and their communication partners with dysarthria are discussed.
Virtual Reality Improves Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia: Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled, Pilot Study

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the efficacy and safety of virtual reality (VR) for functional dyspepsia. METHODS: Patients were randomized 2:1 between active vs sham VR. Symptoms were assessed using the Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Disorders-Symptom Severity Index (PAGI-SYM) over 2-week. RESULTS: Patients in the active VR group had greater numerical improvement in PAGI-SYM scores (mean difference −0.7; P < 0.001) compared with sham VR (mean difference −0.4; P = 0.032). Active VR led to significant improvements for all PAGI-SYM subscales, except lower abdominal pain, whereas sham only improved heartburn/regurgitation and nausea/vomiting. Half of the total patients reported nonserious adverse effects, although only 1 patient withdrew from the study because of adverse effects. DISCUSSION: VR is safe and results in significant symptom improvement in functional dyspepsia. Larger trials are warranted.
Hierarchical modelling of patient-reported outcomes data based on the beta-binomial distribution

The beta-binomial distribution does not belong to the exponential family and, hence classical regression techniquescannot be used when dealing with outcomes following the mentioned distribution.In this thesis we propose and develop regression models based on the beta-binomial distribution for the analysis of U,J or inverse J-shaped discrete and bounded outcomes. In fact, although this thesis is focused on the analysis ofpatient-reported outcomes (PROs), which usually follow the mentioned distributional shapes, proposed models canalso be extended to several fields.First of all, we make a review and comparison of existing beta-binomial regression approaches in independent datacontext, concluding that the marginal approach is the most adequate. However, PRO studies are usually carried out ina longitudinal framework, where patients' responses are measured over time. This leads to a multilevel or correlateddata structure and consequenlty, we extend the marginal beta-binomial regression approach to the inclusion ofrandom effects to accommodate the hierarchical structure of the data. We develop the estimation and inferenceprocedure for the model proposal. Furhtermore, we compare the performance of our proposal with similar approachesin the literature, showing that it gets better results in terms of reducing the bias of the estimates. We apply the modelto a longitudinal Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease study carried out at Galdakao Hospital, reaching clinicallyand statistically relevant results about the evolution of the patients over time.PROs are usually obtained using rating scale questionnaires consisting of questions or items, grouped into one ormore subscales, often called dimensions or domains. Therefore, we also propose a multivariate regression modelbased on the beta-binomial distribution for the joint analysis of all the longitudinal dimensions provided by differentquestionnaires.Finally, it is worth mentioning that we have implemented all the proposed regression models in the PROreg Rpackagewhich is freely available at CRAN.
Influence of uncertainties in discharge determinationon the parameter estimation and performance ofa HBV model in Meuse sub basins

Water institutes from all over the world have an important task of predicting future short-term and long-term discharges and water levels in river basins for water management regarding floods and droughts. Before a model is applicable to a certain river basin, it has to be calibrated and validated. In the calibration process a set of parameters is searched for which the model approximates the measured discharge best, given sets of measured input data series. A lumped version of the HBV model is used in this research. It uses observed precipitation, temperature and potential evapotranspiration as input and the observed discharge for the calibration. The effect of input uncertainty on calibration is significant and is already studied in previous research.
The prevalence of human papillomavirus vaccination among racial and ethnic minority adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among adolescents has steadily improved over the past several years. However, research conducted to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this positive trend in HPV vaccine initiation among racial and ethnic minority adolescents is limited. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine if the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting changes in the US health-care sector affected the increasing HPV vaccine initiation among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic adolescents aged 13-17 years. Methods Using a cross-sectional design to examine data from the National Immunization Survey–Teen (2019-2021), logistic regression and moderation analysis were used to model race-specific variations in HPV vaccine initiation (n = 49 031). Two-sided P values of up to . 05 were considered statistically significant. Results Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16 to 1.57) and non-Hispanic Black (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.10 to 1.51) adolescents had higher odds of HPV vaccine initiation than did non-Hispanic White adolescents. Additionally, the odds of HPV vaccine initiation were higher in 2021 (AOR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.38) than in 2019. Other variables—age, region, sex, insurance status, and poverty status—were also associated with HPV vaccine initiation. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, racial and ethnic minorities had higher odds of receiving the HPV vaccine. Therefore, more research of the impact of the pandemic on HPV vaccine initiation among non-Hispanic White and racial and ethnic minority adolescents is needed.
Evaluation of the initial timing of infection control pharmacist-driven audit and monitoring of vancomycin therapy in patients with infectious diseases: A retrospective observational study

Background Early monitoring and feedback on the treatment of infectious diseases are some of the methods for optimising antimicrobial treatment throughout the treatment period. Prospective audits and feedback interventions have also been shown to improve antimicrobial use and reduce antimicrobial resistance. We examined the appropriate use of antimicrobials by focusing on the initial timing for audits and feedback intervention of antimicrobial prescription by Infection Control Team pharmacists. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study in a university hospital in Tokyo, Japan from 1 January 2019 to 31 May 2021. We retrospectively enrolled patients with infections and those patients suspected of having an infection, who were administered vancomycin and assessed at our hospital. The definition of primary outcome was the maintenance of target vancomycin trough blood concentrations of 10–20 μg/ml during treatment. Multivariable logistic regression and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to test the effectiveness of the initial timing of the intervention by Infection Control Team pharmacists as the explanatory variable. Results A total of 638 patients were included in this study, with a median age of 69 years (interquartile range: 54–78 years). Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the maintenance of target vancomycin trough concentrations was not associated with the timing of the audit and the initiation of monitoring by Infection Control Team pharmacists (adjusted odds ratio: 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.99–1.00, p = 0.990). Multivariate linear regression revealed that the duration of vancomycin administration was significantly correlated with the timing of initiation of monitoring by Infection Control Team pharmacists (adjusted estimate: 0.0227, standard error: 0.0051, p = 0.012). Conclusions Our study showed that early initiation of a comprehensive audit and monitoring by Infection Control Team pharmacists did not affect the maintenance of the target vancomycin trough blood concentration. However, it reduced the duration of vancomycin administration.
Improved sparse domain super-resolution reconstruction algorithm based on CMUT

A novel breast ultrasound tomography system based on a circular array of capacitive micromechanical ultrasound transducers (CMUT) has broad application prospects. However, the images produced by this system are not suitable as input for the training phase of the super-resolution (SR) reconstruction algorithm. To solve the problem, this paper proposes an improved medical image super-resolution (MeSR) method based on the sparse domain. First, we use the simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART) with high imaging accuracy to reconstruct the image into a training image in a sparse domain model. Secondly, we denoise and enhance the contrast of the SART images to obtain improved detail images before training the dictionary. Then, we use the original detail image as the guide image to further process the improved detail image. Therefore, a high-precision dictionary was obtained during the testing phase and applied to filtered back projection SR reconstruction. We compared the proposed algorithm with previously reported algorithms in the Shepp Logan model and the model based on the CMUT background. The results showed significant improvements in peak signal-to-noise ratio, entropy, and average gradient compared to previously reported algorithms. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed MeSR method can use noisy reconstructed images as input for the training phase of the SR algorithm and produce excellent visual effects.
Burnout and Appreciation: A Cross-Sectional Study Assessing Preferences for Appreciation Among Oncology Clinicians

PURPOSE Feeling appreciated is related to increased well-being/reduced burnout. We developed a health care–specific appreciation assessment for clinicians, exploring what impactful appreciation looks like and whether it differs across a diverse provider population. METHODS The cross-sectional study was conducted with a diverse oncology clinician population in academic medicine as part of a general well-being survey. A total of 28 different methods of appreciation were assessed for their impact on feeling appreciated. RESULTS A total of 405 clinicians participated (response rate, 58%). No single method of appreciation showed high/low impact for everyone, although seven methods received high impact ratings from 60% or more, including inclusion in decision making (76%), private words of affirmation (64%), positive feedback about skills (63%), positive comments about clinical care from patients/families (62%), efforts to reduce daily frustrations (62%), signs of trust in medical skills (62%), and time for self-care (62%). The least impactful methods of appreciation describe public expression of accomplishments, leadership rounding, and awards but each still receive a rating of moderate/high impact from 33% of participants. CONCLUSION Appreciation comes from many different places and takes on multiple forms, suggesting that making healthcare workers (HCWs) feel valued takes the efforts of colleagues, leaders, the system as well as patients. There exists no one perfect way of showing appreciation, and no one method is meaningless for all. The impact on feeling valued is primarily a function of the specific appreciation method and not the demographic/personal characteristics of the recipient. The findings highlight modifiable factors that—when intervened upon—can reduce burnout and address organization-level determinants of burnout impactfully.
Gastrointestinal parasites in captive olive baboons in a UK safari park

Abstract Abstract From the safety inside vehicles, Knowsley Safari offers visitors a close-up encounter with captive olive baboons. As exiting vehicles may be contaminated with baboon stool, a comprehensive coprological inspection was conducted to address public health concerns. Baboon stools were obtained from vehicles, and sleeping areas, inclusive of video analysis of baboon–vehicle interactions. A purposely selected 4-day sampling period enabled comparative inspections of 2662 vehicles, with a total of 669 baboon stools examined (371 from vehicles and 298 from sleeping areas). As informed by our pilot study, front-line diagnostic methods were: QUIK-CHEK rapid diagnostic test (RDT) (Giardia and Cryptosporidium), Kato–Katz coproscopy (Trichuris) and charcoal culture (Strongyloides). Some 13.9% of vehicles were contaminated with baboon stool. Prevalence of giardiasis was 37.4% while cryptosporidiosis was <0.01%, however, an absence of faecal cysts by quality control coproscopy, alongside lower than the expected levels of Giardia-specific DNA, judged RDT results as misleading, grossly overestimating prevalence. Prevalence of trichuriasis was 48.0% and strongyloidiasis was 13.7%, a first report of Strongyloides fuelleborni in UK. We advise regular blanket administration(s) of anthelminthics to the colony, exploring pour-on formulations, thereafter, smaller-scale indicator surveys would be adequate.
Do Language Models discriminate between relatives and pseudorelatives?

Large Language Models (LLMs) are often evaluated against massive benchmarks based on general-purpose tasks, which, despite being useful for concrete applications, tell us very little about the capacity of LLMs to learn specific and challenging aspects of the grammar. Here, we evaluate whether LLMs learn to identify a particular structure attested in Romance (and French in particular), called the pseudorelative. This structure, which is often surface-similar to a relative clause, is linked to robust syntactic and semantic restrictions. We present a series of experiments to test if LLMs pretrained on massive yet general corpora, manage to learn those various restrictions. Our results suggest that LLMs learn some but not all of these properties, but crucially fail at recognizing the most specific of them: cliticization.
Frauen sind keine Männer – Genderaspekte in der Notfallmedizin

Unterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen beschränken sich nicht nur auf die Geschlechtsorgane, sondern äußern sich auch in kardiovaskulären und muskuloskelettalen Aspekten sowie im Immunsystem. Frauen sind nicht einfach „kleinere Männer“, und die medizinische Versorgung muss dementsprechend angepasst werden. An einem Fallbeispiel werden die geschlechtsspezifischen Datenlücken beleuchtet.
Virus hijacking of host epigenetic machinery to impair immune response

ABSTRACT Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA hypermethylation, histone acetylation/methylation, or nucleosome positioning, result in differential gene expression. These modifications can have an impact on various pathways, including host antiviral immune responses. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of epigenetic modifications induced by viruses to counteract host antiviral immune responses, which are crucial for establishing and maintaining infection of viruses. Finally, we provide insights into the potential use of epigenetic modulators in combating viral infections and virus-induced diseases.
Toxicants in the aqueous ecosystem

Toxicity Evaluation--Water Analysis Based. Toxicity Evaluation--Animal Tissue Analysis Based. Control of Pollution Regulations. Toxicity Data. Effects on Creatures of Dissolved Metals in Freshwater and Oceans. Effects on Creatures of Organic and Organometallic Compounds in Water. Pollution of Sedimentary Matter. Pollution of Sea Creatures, Phytoplankton, Algae and Weeds. Pollution of Potable Water. Radioactivity in the Environment. Appendices. Index.
Lessons from the evolution of the Batfish configuration analysis tool

Batfish is a tool to analyze network configurations and forwarding. It has evolved from a research prototype to an industrial-strength product, guided by scalability, fidelity, and usability challenges encountered when analyzing complex, real-world networks. We share key lessons from this evolution, including how Datalog had significant limitations when generating and analyzing forwarding state and how binary decision diagrams (BDDs) proved highly versatile. We also describe our new techniques for addressing real-world challenges, which increase Batfish performance by three orders of magnitude and enable high-fidelity analysis of networks with thousands of nodes within minutes.
Operative Management of Lateral Ankle Instability: Examination Under Anesthesia, Ankle Arthroscopy and Stabilization Technique

Background: Ankle sprains are common injuries that can result in chronic ankle instability. Indications: Indications for surgical management include recurrent instability, failed conservative management for 3 to 6 months, and inability to return to play or activity. Technique Description: The patient’s ankle is initially examined under anesthesia with anterior drawer testing to confirm the diagnosis of ankle instability. Ankle arthroscopy is then preformed to identify and treat additional intra-articular pathology prior to modified Broström repair. During arthroscopy, care is taken to protect the superficial peroneal nerve. Routinely we perform a “drive-through sign” to assess syndesmotic stability and also debride pathologic intra-articular tissue such as hypertrophied synovium. Following the completion of arthroscopy, an incision is made directly over the fibula. The anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), calcaneofibular ligament (CFL), and distal fibular periosteum are dissected off the fibula. Two 3.0-mm suture anchors are placed at the origin of the CFL ligament and the ATFL ligament, and previously dissected tissue is incorporated for repair. We reinforce the CFL and ATFL tissues with incorporation of the distal fibular periosteum. Suture tape augmentation is considered for patients at high risk of recurrence, such as those with ligamentous laxity. After completion of our repair, the ankle is again examined under anesthesia with satisfactory confirmation of improved ankle stability. Results: Outcomes of our technique are promising, with improvement in patient-reported outcome measures, restoration of range of motion, return to sport as high as 94%, and low failure rates. Discussion: For patients with chronic instability, our described technique for sequential examination under anesthesia, ankle arthroscopy, and our modified Broström result in satisfactory improvement in ankle stability and patient symptoms. Patient Consent Disclosure Statement: The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form. Graphical Abstract This is a visual representation of the abstract.
Achelous: Enabling Programmability, Elasticity, and Reliability in Hyperscale Cloud Networks

Cloud computing has witnessed tremendous growth, prompting enterprises to migrate to the cloud for reliable and on-demand computing. Within a single Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), the number of instances (such as VMs, bare metals, and containers) has reached millions, posing challenges related to supporting millions of instances with network location decoupling from the underlying hardware, high elastic performance, and high reliability. However, academic studies have primarily focused on specific issues like high-speed data plane and virtualized routing infrastructure, while existing industrial network technologies fail to adequately address these challenges. In this paper, we report on the design and experience of Achelous, Alibaba Cloud's network virtualization platform. Achelous consists of three key designs to enhance hyperscale VPC: (i) a novel hierarchical programming architecture based on the collaborative design of both data plane and control plane; (ii) elastic performance strategy and distributed ECMP schemes for seamless scale-up and scale-out, respectively; (iii) health check scheme and transparent VM live migration mechanisms that ensure stateful flow continuity during the failover. The evaluation results demonstrate that, Achelous scales to over 1, 500, 000 of VMs with elastic network capacity in a single VPC, and reduces 25× programming time, with 99% updating can be completed within 1 second. For failover, it condenses 22.5× downtime during VM live migration, and ensures 99.99% of applications do not experience stall. More importantly, the experience from three years of operation proves the Achelous's serviceability, and versatility independent of any specific hardware platforms.