Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Monocyte to Lymphocyte, Neutrophil to Lymphocyte, and Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratios With Non-Healing Lower Extremity Ulcers in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE Diabetic ulcers are a prevalent complication of diabetes mellitus and represent one of the most complex and severe complications that can occur in diabetic patients. Most existing studies have separately examined the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) prognostic value or the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). However, to our knowledge, no study has evaluated the relationship between the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and non-healing lower extremity ulcers (NHLU) in patients. This study explored the association between 3 hematological parameters (MLR, NLR, and PLR) and the risk of non-healing ulceration in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 1999 to 2004. The primary outcome variable was NHLU status, determined by patients' self-reported responses to the question, "Have you had an ulcer or sore on your leg or foot that took more than four weeks to heal? " Logistic regression examined the relationships between MLR, NLR, PLR, and NHLU. Stratified analyses were also conducted based on age, gender, hemoglobin (HGB) level, and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS In the multivariate regression models, after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, poverty income ratio (PIR), BMI, HGB, family history of diabetes, and low-density lipoprotein (model 3), the odds ratios (ORs) of MLR and NLR were 1.21 (1.09-1.33) and 1.02 (1.01-1.03), respectively. However, the association was no longer statistically significant for the NLR (OR = 1.0002, 95% CI: 0.99-1.0005, P = .137). In the subgroup analysis, the effect sizes of MLR and NLR on the presence of NHLU were stable in all subgroups (all P > .05). CONCLUSIONS After adjusting for confounding variables, MLR and NLR were significantly increased in T2D participants with NHLU. They may play a significant role in monitoring T2D patients during follow-up visits.
Information Bottleneck and Aggregated Learning

We consider the problem of learning a neural network classifier. Under the information bottleneck (IB) principle, we associate with this classification problem a representation learning problem, which we call “IB learning”. We show that IB learning is, in fact, equivalent to a special class of the quantization problem. The classical results in rate-distortion theory then suggest that IB learning can benefit from a “vector quantization” approach, namely, simultaneously learning the representations of multiple input objects. Such an approach assisted with some variational techniques, result in a novel learning framework, “Aggregated Learning”, for classification with neural network models. In this framework, several objects are jointly classified by a single neural network. The effectiveness of this framework is verified through extensive experiments on standard image recognition and text classification tasks.
Mothers exhibit higher neural activity in gaining rewards for their children than for themselves

Abstract Are people willing to exert greater effort to obtain rewards for their children than they are for themselves? Although previous studies have demonstrated that social distance influences neural responses to altruistic reward processing, the distinction between winning rewards for oneself and winning them for one’s child is unclear. In the present study, a group of 31 mothers performed a monetary incentive delay task in which cue-induced reward anticipations of winning a reward for themselves, their children and donation to a charity program were manipulated trial-wise, followed by performance-contingent feedback. Behaviorally, the anticipation of winning a reward for their children accelerated participants’ responses. Importantly, the electroencephalogram results revealed that across the reward anticipation and consumption phases, the child condition elicited comparable or higher brain responses of participants than the self condition did. The source localization results showed that participants’ reward anticipations for their children were associated with more activation in the social brain regions, compared to winning a reward for themselves or a charity donation. Overall, these findings advance our understanding of the neural mechanisms of altruistic reward processing and suggest that the priority of winning a reward for one’s child may transcend the limits of the self-advantage effect in reward processing.
Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Echocardiographic Estimation of Left Atrial Hypertension in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Background Elevated left atrial (LA) pressure predisposes individuals to the initiation and persistence of atrial fibrillation (AF), and LA hypertension is associated with AF recurrence after catheter ablation (CA). However, the exact frequency and factors associated with LA hypertension are unknown, and its noninvasive estimation is challenging. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of LA hypertension in patients with AF who underwent first CA. Methods and Results We examined 183 patients with AF who underwent conventional and speckle‐tracking echocardiography before CA to assess LA size, reservoir strain, and stiffness. Direct LA pressure was measured at the time of CA, and LA hypertension was defined as mean LA pressure >15 mm Hg. Thirty‐three (18.0%) patients exhibited LA hypertension. Patients with LA hypertension had a significantly larger LA volume index (40.2 [28.4–52.1] versus 34.1 [26.9–42.4] mL/m2, P=0.025), reduced LA reservoir strain (15.1 [10.4–21.7] versus 22.7 [14.4–32.3] %, P=0.002) and increased LA stiffness (0.69 [0.34–0.99] versus 0.36 [0.24–0.54], P<0.001). Multivariable analyses showed that waist circumference, C‐reactive protein level, LA reservoir strain, and LA stiffness were independently associated with LA hypertension (all P<0.05), while LA volume and E/e’ ratio were not. Among echocardiographic parameters, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified LA stiffness as the best predictor of LA hypertension. Conclusions Approximately 20% of patients with AF who underwent CA had LA hypertension. Central obesity and inflammation might be involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of LA hypertension, and echocardiography‐derived LA stiffness may have clinical utility for the detection of LA hypertension before CA.
Optimum timeframes for detecting songbird vocalizations in the Black Hills

Birds are indicators of vegetation structure and ecological conditions. The singing activity of birds declines during late-morning periods, which can affect estimates of abundance and conclusions regarding vegetative conditions indexed by birds. Therefore, it is important to quantify periods of bird activity so biologists can plan studies. We determined hourly detections from singing males of 22 n ongame bird species in ponderosa pine, quaking aspen, and grassland vegetation types in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Detections of 12 of 22 species differed among 1 -hr intervals after sunrise. Detections of yellowrumped warblers, Townsend’s solitaires, red-breasted nuthatches, western tanagers, and American robins decreased on count-episodes more than 4 hrs after sunrise. Detections of dusky flycatchers declined on count-episodes more than 3 hrs after sunrise and detections of black-capped chickadees were greatest during the first hour after sunrise and declined afterward. Detections of many other species from songs or calls decreased on count-episodes more than 5 hrs after sunrise. We recommend that bird counts in the Black Hills be completed within 4 hrs after sunrise so estimates of bird abundance are not affected by reduced singing among males.
Oxidative stress associated with proteomic and fatty acid profiles of sperm from Nellore bulls at rest

Abstract Sexual rest is a transient condition, which compromises conception rates, characterized by large volumes of ejaculate with high percentages of dead sperm observed in bulls. The biochemical mechanisms leading to this ejaculate pattern are not fully understood. Six adult resting Nellore bulls were submitted to Breeding Soundness Evaluation by four consecutive semen collections through the electroejaculation method during a 30 min period. Each ejaculate had its semen phenotypic parameters; morphology and physical aspects were evaluated. To assess enzymatic activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase), lipid peroxidation (concentrations of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide), fatty acid, and proteomic profile aliquots of spermatozoa from the first and fourth ejaculates were used. All sperm parameters differed between the first and fourth ejaculates. Spermatozoa from the first ejaculate showed lower enzymatic activity and a higher concentration of lipid peroxidation markers. Among the 19 identified fatty acids, 52.7% are polyunsaturated. Relative abundance analysis showed that C12:0 and C18:0 fatty acids differed between the first and fourth ejaculates, being the fourth ejaculate richer in spermatozoa. The proteomics analysis identified a total of 974 proteins in both sample groups (first and fourth ejaculates). The majority of identified proteins are related to cellular processes and signaling. Quantitative proteomics showed 36 differentially abundant proteins, 6 up-regulated proteins in the first ejaculate, and 30 up-regulated proteins in the fourth ejaculate. Spermatozoa from bulls at sexual rest have less antioxidant capacity, causing changes in their fatty acid composition and protein profile, which generates the observed sperm pattern and lower fertilization capacity. Graphical Abstract
Risk assessment of post‐myocardial infarction patients with preserved ejection fraction using 45‐min short resting Holter electrocardiographic recordings

Risk stratification for sudden cardiac death in post‐myocardial infarction (post‐MI) patients remains a challenging task. Several electrocardiographic noninvasive risk factors (NIRFs) have been associated with adverse outcomes and were used to refine risk assessment. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of NIRFs extracted from 45‐min short resting Holter ECG recordings (SHR), in predicting ventricular tachycardia inducibility with programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS) in post‐MI patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Patterns of genetic differentiation imply distinct phylogeographic history of the mosquito species Anopheles messeae and Anopheles daciae in Eurasia

Detailed knowledge of phylogeography is important for control of mosquito species involved in the transmission of human infectious diseases. Anopheles messeae is a geographically widespread and genetically diverse dominant vector of malaria in Eurasia. A closely related species, An. daciae, was originally distinguished from An. messeae based on five nucleotide substitutions in its ribosomal DNA (rDNA). However, the patterns of phylogeographic history of these species in Eurasia remain poorly understood. Here, using internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of rDNA and karyotyping for the species identification we determined the composition of five Anopheles species in 28 locations in Eurasia. Based on the frequencies of 11 polymorphic chromosomal inversions used as genetic markers, a large‐scale population genetics analysis was performed of 1932 mosquitoes identified as An. messeae, An. daciae and their hybrids. The largest genetic differences between the species were detected in the X sex chromosome suggesting a potential involvement of this chromosome in speciation. The frequencies of autosomal inversions in the same locations differed by 13%–45% between the species demonstrating a restricted gene flow between the species. Overall, An. messeae was identified as a diverse species with a more complex population structure than An. daciae. The clinal gradients in frequencies of chromosomal inversions were determined in both species implicating their possible involvement in climate adaptations. The frequencies of hybrids were low ~1% in northern Europe but high up to 50% in south‐eastern populations. Thus, our study revealed critical differences in patterns of phylogeographic history between An. messeae and An. daciae in Eurasia. This knowledge will help to predict the potential of the malaria transmission in the northern territories of the continent.
ANO1, CaV1.2, and IP3R form a localized unit of EC-coupling in mouse pulmonary arterial smooth muscle

This study examined how structural microdomains comprising the Ca2+-activated Cl− channel encoded by Tmem16a or Anoctamin-1 (ANO1) interact with voltage-gated Ca2+ channel CaV1.2 in the plasma membrane and how Ca2+ release from IP3 receptors in the sarcoplasmic reticulum drive intracellular Ca2+ waves and force production of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells in response to the vasoconstrictor agonist serotonin.
Retaining Race in Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

The best overall measure of kidney function is glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as commonly estimated from serum creatinine concentrations (eGFRcr) using formulas that correct for the higher average creatinine concentrations in Blacks. After two decades of use, these formulas have come under scrutiny for estimating GFR differently in Blacks and non-Blacks. Discussions of whether to include race (Black vs. non-Black) in the calculation of eGFRcr fail to acknowledge that the original race-based eGFRcr provided the same CKD treatment recommendations for Blacks and non-Blacks based on directly (exogenously) measured GFR. Nevertheless, the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Nephrology Task Force on Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney Disease removed race in CKD treatment guidelines and pushed for the immediate adoption of a race-free eGFRcr formula by physicians and clinical laboratories. This formula is projected to negate CKD in 5.51 million White and other non-Black adults and reclassify CKD to less severe stages in another 4.59 million non-Blacks, in order to expand treatment eligibility to 434,000 Blacks not previously diagnosed and to 584,000 Blacks previously diagnosed with less severe CKD. This review examines: 1) the validity of the arguments for removing the original race correction, and 2) the performance of the proposed replacement formula. Excluding race in the derivation of eGFRcr changed the statistical bias from +3.7 to -3.6 ml/min/1.73m2 in Blacks and from +0.5 to +3.9 in non-Blacks, i.e., promoting CKD diagnosis in Blacks at the cost of restricting diagnosis in non-Blacks. By doing so, the revised eGFRcr greatly exaggerates the purported racial disparity in CKD burden. Claims that the revised formulas identify heretofore undiagnosed CKD in Blacks are not supported when studies that used kidney failure replacement therapy and mortality are interpreted as proxies for baseline CKD. Alternatively, a race-stratified eGFRcr (i.e., separate equations for Blacks and non-Blacks) would provide the least biased eGFRcr for both Blacks and non-Blacks and the best medical treatment for all patients.
Natural radioactivity of residues from groundwater treatment facilities in Finland

The accumulation of naturally occurring radionuclides in solid residues was investigated from groundwater treatment facilities (GTFs) in Finland. Natural radionuclides U-238, Ra-226, Pb-210 and Ra-228 were found in various precipitates, sludges and filters at concentrations exceeding the general clearance level of 1 kBq kg−1 used for solid materials in the European directive 2013/59/Euratom. The accumulation of natural radionuclides in different solid residues was observed even when the activity concentrations in the untreated groundwater were relatively low, and when there was no measurable change in the concentrations between raw and treated groundwater within analytical uncertainties. Based on mass and activity balance considerations this is thought to be due to the large volumes of treated water per year. The exposure of workers to natural radiation from solid residues in the regular use of a groundwater facility was found not to be likely to exceed 0.3 mSv a−1 if the activity concentrations are <10 kBq kg−1 for U-238, Ra-226, Pb-210 and Ra-228. The worker exposure from solid residues is therefore likely to remain below the reference level of 1 mSv a−1, and indoor radon is more of a concern for the radiation protection of workers at GTFs. However, the natural radionuclide content in the different solid residues from groundwater treatment needs to be characterised properly to be able to ensure safety in the final use of the residues with respect to the potential exposure of the public.
The presence of baseline HBsAb-Specific B cells can predict HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion of chronic hepatitis B on treatment

ABSTRACT Indices for predicting HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during antiviral therapy remain elusive. We aimed to investigate if the presence of HBsAb-specific B cells at baseline can predict HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion. In this study, 134 treatment-naive patients with chronic HBV were enrolled. A baseline HBsAb-specific B cell ELISpot assay was performed for all the patients that enrolled. Serum samples were collected at 12, 24, and 48 weeks for patients treated with Peg-IFN-α, or at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years for patients treated with NAs. Laboratory testing of HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, HBcAb, HBV DNA, ALT, and AST was done. We observed a significantly lower frequency of HBsAb-specific B cells in patients with chronic HBV than in healthy individuals . In the Peg-IFN-α-treated group, 41.2% of patients with baseline HBsAb-specific B cells achieved HBsAg seroconversion, while only 13.6% of patients without baseline HBsAb-specific B cells achieved HBsAg seroconversion (p = 0.006). By logistic regression analysis, patients with baseline HBsAb-specific B cells and HBsAg ≤ 1500 had higher HBsAg clearance at the end of treatment (p < 0.05). In the NA-treated group, 58.3% of patients with baseline HBsAb-specific B cells achieved HBeAg seroconversion, whereas only 30.0% of patients without baseline HBsAb-specific B cells achieved HBeAg seroconversion (p = 0.114). Our result revealed that baseline HBsAb-specific B cells by ELISpot assay might be a valuable predictive biomarker of HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion in patients with chronic HBV on treatment.
Hepatic Artery Anomalies in Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Outcomes from a High-Volume Center

Introduction: Hepatic artery anomalies (HAA) may have an impact on surgical and oncological outcomes of patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Methods: Patients who underwent PD at our institution between July 2015 and January 2020 were retrospectively reviewed and classified into two groups: group 1, with presence of HAA, and group 2, with no HAA. A weighted logistic regression model was employed to assess the association between HAA and postoperative complications, and to assess the association between HAA and R status in patients with pancreatic cancer. Results: 502 patients were considered for analysis, with 75 (15%) of them in group 1. They had either an accessory (n = 28, 40.8%) or replaced (n = 26, 36.6%) right hepatic artery. Most patients underwent surgery for a malignancy (n = 451; 90%); among them, vascular resection was performed in 69 cases (15%). The presence of a HAA was reported at preoperative imaging only in 4 cases (5%) and the aberrant vessel was preserved in 72% of patients. At weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis, HAA were not associated to higher odds of morbidity (odds ratio [OR]: 0.753, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.543–1.043) nor to R1 status in case of pancreatic cancer (OR: 1.583, 95% CI: 0.979–2.561). Conclusion: At our institution, the presence of HAA does not have an impact on postoperative outcomes or affects oncological clearance after PD. Hospitals’, surgeons’, volume and systematic review of preoperative imaging are all factors that help reduce possible adverse events.
Setting the Right Expectations: Algorithmic Recourse Over Time

Algorithmic systems are often called upon to assist in high-stakes decision making. In light of this, algorithmic recourse, the principle wherein individuals should be able to take action against an undesirable outcome made by an algorithmic system, is receiving growing attention. The bulk of the literature on algorithmic recourse to-date focuses primarily on how to provide recourse to a single individual, overlooking a critical element: the effects of a continuously changing context. Disregarding these effects on recourse is a significant oversight, since, in almost all cases, recourse consists of an individual making a first, unfavorable attempt, and then being given an opportunity to make one or several attempts at a later date — when the context might have changed. This can create false expectations, as initial recourse recommendations may become less reliable over time due to model drift and competition for access to the favorable outcome between individuals. In this work we propose an agent-based simulation framework for studying the effects of a continuously changing environment on algorithmic recourse. In particular, we identify two main effects that can alter the reliability of recourse for individuals represented by the agents: (1) competition with other agents acting upon recourse, and (2) competition with new agents entering the environment. Our findings highlight that only a small set of specific parameterizations result in algorithmic recourse that is reliable for agents over time. Consequently, we argue that substantial additional work is needed to understand recourse reliability over time, and to develop recourse methods that reward agents’ effort.
Communication-Efficient Laplace Mechanism for Differential Privacy via Random Quantization

We propose the first method that realizes the Laplace mechanism exactly (i.e., a Laplace noise is added to the data) that requires only a finite amount of communication (whereas the original Laplace mechanism requires the transmission of a real number) while guaranteeing privacy against the server and database. Our mechanism can serve as a drop-in replacement for local or centralized differential privacy applications where the Laplace mechanism is used. Our mechanism is constructed using a random quantization technique. Unlike the simple and prevalent Laplace-mechanism-then-quantize approach, the quantization in our mechanism does not result in any distortion or degradation of utility. Unlike existing dithered quantization and channel simulation schemes for simulating additive Laplacian noise, our mechanism guarantees privacy not only against the database and downstream, but also against the honest but curious server which attempts to decode the data using the dither signals.
Narrative as a Dynamical System

There is increasing evidence that human activity in general, and narrative in particular, can be treated as a dynamical system in the physics sense; a system whose evolution is described by an action integral, such that the average of all possible paths from point A to point B is given by the extremum of the action. We create by construction three such paths by averaging about 500 different narratives, and we show that the average path is consistent with an action principle.