Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of severe neck angulation on hemodynamic and clinical outcomes following endovascular aneurysm repair: a hemodynamic analysis and a retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background: For patients with severe neck angulation (SNA), hemodynamic and clinical outcomes following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the influence of SNA on hemodynamic and clinical outcomes following EVAR. Methods: This study included a hemodynamic analysis and a retrospective cohort study from West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2011 and December 2020. The Cox regression model, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis, sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analysis were applied. Primary outcome was type IA endoleak (T1AEL). Results: In this hemodynamic analysis, nine non-severe neck angulation (nSNA) and 16 SNA idealized models were constructed. We found a significant difference in drag force between SNA and nSNA models (7.016 ± 2.579 N vs. 4.283 ± 1.460 N, P = 0.008), and proximal neck angles were significantly associated with the magnitude of drag force (F = 0.082 × α–0.006 × β + 2.818, α: 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.070–0.094; P = 0.001; β: 95% CI −0.019 to 0.007; P = 0.319). In our cohort study, 514 nSNA patients (71.5 ± 8.5 years; 459 males) and 208 SNA patients (72.5 ± 7.8 years; 135 males) were included, with a median follow-up duration of 34 months (16–63 months). All baseline characteristics were well balanced after IPTW matching. We found that SNA was associated with a significant risk of adverse limb event (hazard ratio [HR] 2.18, 95% CI 1.09–3.12), yet was not associated with T1AEL, overall survival, or reintervention. In patients without proximal or distal additional procedures (DAP), subgroup analyses suggested a significant risk of T1AEL (Proximal: HR 5.25, 95% CI 1.51–18.23; Distal: HR 5.07, 95% CI 1.60–16.07) and adverse limb event (Proximal: HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.01–5.07; Distal: HR 2.91, 95% CI 1.30–6.54) in SNA patients. However, no noticeable difference was observed in patients with proximal or DAP. Conclusions: SNA has a critical influence on hemodynamic and clinical outcomes following EVAR. Appropriate additional procedures may be of great benefit to SNA patients.
α-Lipoic Acid as Adjunctive Treatment for Schizophrenia

Abstract Background/Purpose There is evidence for low endogenous antioxidant levels and oxidative imbalance in patients with schizophrenia. A previous open-label study with α-lipoic acid (ALA), a potent antioxidant, improved patients' negative and cognitive symptoms and markers of lipid peroxidation. Here we report the results of a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study to verify the response of patients with schizophrenia to adjunctive treatment with ALA (100 mg/d) in a 4-month follow-up. Methods We conducted a 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ALA at 100 mg/d dosages. We compared negative and positive symptoms, cognitive function, extrapyramidal symptoms, body mass index, and oxidative/inflammatory parameters between placebo and control groups. Results We found no significant improvement in body mass index, cognition, psychopathology, antipsychotic adverse effects, or oxidative stress and inflammation in the experimental group compared with placebo. The whole group of patients improved in several measures, indicating a strong placebo effect in this population. A surprising finding was a significant decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the group treated with ALA. Conclusions The decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet counts requires further investigation and attention when prescribing ALA for patients with schizophrenia.
Early Response to Antidepressant Medications in Adults With Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract Purpose/Background Early response after 2 to 4 weeks of antidepressant therapy has been shown to predict remission by 8 to 12 weeks. Most of the work to date on early response has been done using data from randomized controlled trials. Methods/Procedures This naturalistic study uses archival data from a national tele-mental health company. The positive and negative predictive values as well as sensitivity and specificity were calculated using different drops in baseline Patient Health Questionnaire 9 scores at various periods. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between early responders versus those lacking early response. Binary logistic regression analyses determined if early response was predictive of remission, response, and greater than minimal improvement at 14 weeks. For those who do not show early improvement, treatments were investigated using binary logistic regression to see if changes predicted later outcomes. Findings/Results Positive predictive values for all endpoints improved with the strength of early response but did not improve much with the time allowed for that response to occur. In contrast, negative predictive values increased substantially with time. Using a definition of 30% drop in Patient Health Questionnaire 9 score at week 4, 56.5% of patients were early responders. Early responders were ~3.2 times more likely to achieve remission than those lacking early response. Of nonresponders by week 4, those prescribed atypical antipsychotics (+SSRI) had significantly reduced odds of response at week 14, whereas those prescribed a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor had increased odds. Implications/Conclusions Early response may be associated with better outcomes at 14 weeks. In those with lack of response by week 4, patients prescribed a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor may achieve superior outcomes.
Comparison of infection‐induced and vaccine‐induced immunity against COVID‐19 in patients with cirrhosis

Background and Aims: Immunity to SARS‐CoV‐2 can be infection or vaccine‐induced. Cirrhosis is associated with vaccine hyporesponsiveness, but whether there is decreased immunity after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in unvaccinated patients with cirrhosis is unknown. The objective of our study was to compare infection‐induced and vaccine‐induced immunity against COVID‐19 among patients with cirrhosis. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study among US Veterans with cirrhosis between November 27, 2020, and November 16, 2021, comparing a vaccine‐induced immunity group, defined as participants without a documented SARS‐CoV‐2 infection but fully vaccinated with two doses of an mRNA vaccine, and infection‐associated immunity group, defined as unvaccinated participants who had a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Both groups were propensity score matched for observed characteristics, including location, and the date of the immunity acquiring event, to control for the community prevalence of COVID‐19 variants. The outcome was a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 PCR more than 60 days after previous infection in the infection‐induced, or after full vaccination in the vaccine‐induced immunity group. Results: We compared 634 participants in the infection‐induced immunity group with 27,131 participants in the vaccine‐induced immunity group using inverse propensity of treatment weighting. Vaccine‐induced immunity was associated with a reduced odds of developing SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16–0.20, p < 0.0001). On multivariable logistic regression, vaccine‐induced immunity was associated with reduced odds of developing symptomatic (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.36; 95% CI, 0.33–0.41, p < 0.0001), moderate/severe/critical (aOR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.22–0.31, p < 0.0001), and severe or critical COVID‐19 (aOR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.16–0.26, p < 0.001), compared with infection‐induced immunity. Conclusions: In participants with cirrhosis, vaccine‐induced immunity is associated with reduced risk of developing COVID‐19, compared with infection‐induced immunity.
Comfortable Listening Levels for Pure Tones in Quiet and Noise

The most comfortable listening level and the range of comfortable listening levels for pure tones were determined for a group of normal (nonclinical) listeners in the quiet and against various levels of background noise. In general, the most comfortable listening (mcl) level contour has the general shape of the equal‐loudness contour at intermediate loudness levels—lowest intensity at the middle frequencies and highest intensity at the lower frequencies. The range of listening levels considered “comfortable” against a quiet background varies from about 20 db at the lowest frequencies to about 35 db at the middle frequencies. The variability of the mcl is larger at high frequencies than at low frequencies, and it is about the same magnitude as the variability of heterophonic equal‐loudness matches. The effect of noise is primarily to raise the lower limit of the range of comfortable listening levels and only secondarily to raise the upper limit. As a result, the range of comfortable listening levels is dec.
Updates in the Field of Submucosal Endoscopy

Submucosal endoscopy (third-space endoscopy) can be defined as an endoscopic procedure performed in the submucosal space. This procedure is novel and has been utilized for delivery to the submucosal space in a variety of gastrointestinal diseases, such as a tumor, achalasia, gastroparesis, and subepithelial tumors. The main submucosal endoscopy includes peroral endoscopic myotomy, gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy, Zenker peroral endoscopic myotomy, submucosal tunneling for endoscopic resection, and endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection. Submucosal endoscopy has been used as a viable alternative to surgical techniques because it is minimally invasive in the treatment and diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases and disorders. However, there is limited evidence to prove this. This article reviews the current applications and evidence regarding submucosal endoscopy while exploring the possible future clinical applications in this field. As our understanding of these procedures improves, the future of submucosal endoscopy could be promising in the fields of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy.
Marine Sponge and Octocoral-Associated Bacteria Show Versatile Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis Potential and Antimicrobial Activities against Human Pathogens

Marine microbiomes are prolific sources of bioactive natural products of potential pharmaceutical value. This study inspected two culture collections comprising 919 host-associated marine bacteria belonging to 55 genera and several thus-far unclassified lineages to identify isolates with potentially rich secondary metabolism and antimicrobial activities. Seventy representative isolates had their genomes mined for secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (SM-BGCs) and were screened for antimicrobial activities against four pathogenic bacteria and five pathogenic Candida strains. In total, 466 SM-BGCs were identified, with antimicrobial peptide- and polyketide synthase-related SM-BGCs being frequently detected. Only 38 SM-BGCs had similarities greater than 70% to SM-BGCs encoding known compounds, highlighting the potential biosynthetic novelty encoded by these genomes. Cross-streak assays showed that 33 of the 70 genome-sequenced isolates were active against at least one Candida species, while 44 isolates showed activity against at least one bacterial pathogen. Taxon-specific differences in antimicrobial activity among isolates suggested distinct molecules involved in antagonism against bacterial versus Candida pathogens. The here reported culture collections and genome-sequenced isolates constitute a valuable resource of understudied marine bacteria displaying antimicrobial activities and potential for the biosynthesis of novel secondary metabolites, holding promise for a future sustainable production of marine drug leads.
MONETARY JEOPARDY (MJ) AND NIGERIA’S DEPOSIT MONEY BANK PERFORMANCE (DMBP) RELATIONSHIP: ARDL APPROACH

___________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT This study examined monetary jeopardy (MJ) and Nigeria’s deposit money bank performance (DMBP) relationship, for the periods of 1996-2021 (26years). Specifically, the study examined measures of MJ; Credit Risks (CR), Liquidity Risks (LR), Operational Risks (OR), Market Risks (MR) on DMBsP [Return on Equity (ROE)]. The study made used of aggregate secondary data and was analyzed with Autoregressive
Achievements and Prospects for Vascular Surgery in Treatment of Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency

Vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) remains an important problem in the modern medicine since approximately every fourth cerebral infarction occurs in the posterior circulation of the brain . These strokes are accompanied by severe consequences and a high risk of repeated events . The article presents the current concepts for surgical treatment of lesions of the subclavian (ScA) and vertebral (VA) arteries responsible for the development of VBI . In the open surgical treatment of symptomatic lesion of the ScA, primarily of occlusion one, extrathoracic interventions prevail in the form of carotid-subclavian bypass and carotid-subclavian transposition . According to our analysis, the results of carotidsubclavian transposition prove to be more preferable . In the endovascular intervention on the ScA, balloon angioplasty is used with possible stenting . In the analysis, we found no differences in the long-term patency between angioplasty and stenting, although the extent of technical success was higher in the group of stenting . In case of stenosis of the ScA, the world medicine gives priority to endovascular methods . To date, there are no sharply defined criteria permitting to choose between the open and endovascular interventions for treatment of the ScA occlusion, although a probable technical failure of endovascular revascularization and higher long-term patency give priority to open surgery . As for symptomatic stenosis of VA, to date there is no evidence of the advantage of stenting over conservative therapy . Thus, surgical intervention should rather be used in case the drug treatment is ineffective . The same can be said about the open reconstruction of the VA, except for the cases of contraindications for stenting of the VA, for example, its tortuosity .
Tropical Water Vapor and Cloud Feedbacks in Climate Models: A Further Assessment Using Coupled Simulations

By comparing the response of clouds and water vapor to ENSO forcing in nature with that in Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) simulations by some leading climate models, an earlier evaluation of tropical cloud and water vapor feedbacks has revealed the following two common biases in the models: 1) an underestimate of the strength of the negative cloud albedo feedback and 2) an overestimate of the positive feedback from the greenhouse effect of water vapor. Extending the same analysis to the fully coupled simulations of these models as well as other Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) coupled models, it is found that these two biases persist. Relative to the earlier estimates from AMIP simulations, the overestimate of the positive feedback from water vapor is alleviated somewhat for most of the coupled simulations. Improvements in the simulation of the cloud albedo feedback are only found in the models whose AMIP runs suggest either a positive or nearly positive cloud albedo feedback. The strength of the negative cloud albedo feedback in all other models is found to be substantially weaker than that estimated from the corresponding AMIP simulations. Consequently, although additional models are found to have a cloud albedo feedback in their AMIP simulations that is as strong as in the observations, all coupled sim- ulations analyzed in this study have a weaker negative feedback from the cloud albedo and therefore a weaker negative feedback from the net surface heating than that indicated in observations. The weakening in the cloud albedo feedback is apparently linked to a reduced response of deep convection over the equatorial Paciﬁc, which is in turn linked to the excessive cold tongue in the mean climate of these models. The results highlight that the feedbacks of water vapor and clouds—the cloud albedo feedback in particular—may depend on the mean intensity of the hydrological cycle. Whether the intermodel variations in the feedback from cloud albedo (water vapor) in the ENSO variability are correlated with the intermodel variations of the feedback from cloud albedo (water vapor) in global warming has also been examined. While a weak positive correlation between the intermodel variations in the feedback of water vapor during ENSO and the intermodel variations in the water vapor feedback during global warming was found, there is no signiﬁcant correlation found between the intermodel variations in the cloud albedo feedback during ENSO and the intermodel variations in the cloud albedo feedback during global warming. The results suggest that the two common biases revealed in the simulated ENSO variability may not necessarily be carried over to the simulated global warming. These biases, however, highlight the continuing difﬁculty that models have in simulating accurately the feedbacks of water vapor and clouds on a time scale of the observations available.
The statistical theory of stepped-up reliability coefficients when a test has been divided into several equivalent parts

This paper is a presentation of the statistical sampling theory of stepped-up reliability coefficients when a test has been divided into any number of equivalent parts. Maximum-likelihood estimators of the reliability are obtained and shown to be biased. Their sampling distributions are derived and form the basis of the definition of new unbiased estimators with known sampling distributions. These unbiased estimators have a smaller sampling variance than the maximum-likelihood estimators and are, because of this and some other favorable properties, recommended for general use. On the basis of the variances of the unbiased estimators the gain in accuracy in estimating reliability connected with further division of a test can be expressed explicitly. The limits of these variances and thus the limits of accuracy of estimation are derived. Finally, statistical small sample tests of the reliability coefficient are outlined. This paper also covers the sampling distribution of Cronbach's coefficient alpha.
Laser ionization and heating of gas targets for long‐scale‐length instability experiments

This paper examines the use of gas targets to create low‐ and mid‐Z plasmas ≊3 mm in size at 5% to 10% critical density for green and blue light (ne≊2×1020 to 1021 cm−3) with an electron temperature of several keV. At sufficiently high intensities (≊1014 W/cm2) the gas is ionized and heated by a laser absorption wave propagating faster than the sound speed. For pulses under 2 ns, the bulk of the plasma remains stationary, resulting in efficient heating minimizing density and velocity gradients, which are particularly important for instability thresholds in nonuniform plasmas. The propagation of a laser absorption wave in a preionized plasma is derived analytically. Ionization resulting from multiphoton and electron avalanche processes is studied by numerical methods and dimensional analysis. This establishes the length and time scales over which an absorption wave can be observed. Computer simulations, using the lasnex code, are presented for several implementations of this concept, applicable to the rele.
A Bejan’s Constructal Theory Approach to the Overall Optimization of Heat Exchanging Finned Modules With Air in Forced Convection and Laminar Flow Condition

Optimizing ever smaller heat exchangers determines two opposite needs: augmenting performances, on the one hand; removing heat in excess to reduce failures, on the other. This numerical study, modeled thanks to Bejan's Constructal theory, researches the overall optimization of finned modules, differently shaped and combined, cooled by air in laminar flow and forced convection condition: Losses of pressure, together with heat removed, contribute to the final assessment made through a novel idea of performance based on the so called overall performance coefficient.
The shape-memory effect in PLZT ceramics

Abstract The shape-memory effect has been investigated in ferroelectric-ferroelastic PLZT ceramic samples of composition 6.5/65/35 by bending and twisting experiments and temperature cycling. The effect of an electric field on the shape memory produced by bending is also examined. During the course of these experiments some additional evidence was also obtained for the existence of a region of microdomains (quasiferroelectricity) between the normal ferroelectric and paraelectric phases of the PLZT composition investigated.
Is a plane liquid curtain algebraically absolutely unstable

The dispersion relation of capillary waves in a plane moving liquid curtain is critically re-analyzed with an eye to its behavior near the origin of wavenumber space and the large-time asymptotics of the corresponding Green’s function. Evidence is found that recent and less recent theories supporting the existence of a zero-wavenumber algebraic absolute instability contain serious inconsistencies.
Modelling pulsation amplitudes of ξ Hydrae

Amplitudes of stochastically excited oscillations of models of ξ Hydrae (HR4450) are presented. The theoretical results are compared with the recent measurements by an international group of astronomers announced in the ESO press release 10/02. Using a stochastic excitation model we find fair agreement between estimated velocity amplitudes and the values quoted in the ESO press release.
Effect of plasma compression on plasma sheet stability

Plasma sheet stability to the ballooning mode is analyzed using several physical formulations: ideal MHD, stochastic theory, fast‐MHD, and the Kruskal‐Oberman formulation. It is shown that the major difference among them lies in the plasma compression expression. Explicit computations using the corresponding ballooning equations were performed for two different types of model field lines. For very high β field lines that are excessively stretched where the stochastic description is most appropriate, the ballooning mode is found to be stable or at best weakly unstable. For field lines that are not too much stretched but even rather round, the ballooning instability can be triggered, within both ideal MHD and the stochastic theory, when βe > βec: Here the threshold value of the equatorial beta, βec, is roughly less than unity and practically set by the ideal MHD limit. Also in contrast to a recent suggestion, the fast‐MHD description where the time scale of interest is too short to allow plasma parallel motion is shown to be more stable than ideal MHD. It indicates no instability in all the equilibria that were tested. The Kruskal‐Oberman description is even more stable than fast‐MHD.
Enhancement of the conversion efficiency of GaN-based photovoltaic devices with AlGaN/InGaN absorption layers

InGaN/sapphire-based p-i-n type photovoltaic (PV) devices were shown to have Al0.14Ga0. 86N/In0.21Ga0. 79N heterostructures that enhance the extraction of photogenerated carriers from active layers. With an appropriately increased barrier height in AlGaN/InGaN absorption layers, PV devices exhibit lower RS despite the increase in conduction-band discontinuity compared with GaN/InGaN superlattice absorption layers. This improvement can be attributed to polarization-induced electric fields enhanced by the incorporated aluminum in barrier layers. The enhancement is beneficial to increase built-in electric fields. Subsequently, the photogenerated carriers can escape more easily from recombination or scattering centers. Under 1 sun air-mass 1.5 standard testing conditions, the Al0.14Ga0. 86N/In0.21Ga0. 79N PV device exhibits high VOC (2.10 V) as well as an enhanced fill factor (0.66) and JSC (0.84 mA/cm2) corresponding to a power conversion efficiency of 1.16%.