Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
One-Year Results From the SURPASS Observational Registry of the CTAG Stent-Graft With the Active Control System

Purpose: To report the outcomes from the observational SURPASS registry, which was created to assess the performance of the Conformable TAG (CTAG) stent-graft with the Active Control System (ACS) in patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in a real-world setting. Materials and Methods: The SURPASS registry (ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier NCT03286400) was an observational, prospective, single-arm, post-market, international study that enrolled patients undergoing TEVAR using the CTAG with ACS for both acute and chronic thoracic aortic disease between October 2017 and July 2018. The CTAG with ACS features 2-stage deployment of the stent-graft and an optional angulation mechanism that modifies only the proximal end of the stent-graft. During the observation period, 127 patients (mean age 67.1±12.1 years, range 27–86; 92 men) were enrolled and treated for an array of aortic pathologies, including chronic and acute lesions and 4 ruptured descending thoracic aneurysms. The primary outcome of this study was technical success; secondary outcomes were clinical success and major adverse events at 30 days and 12 months. The numbers of 2-stage device deployments and applications of the angulation mechanism were recorded, along with the reasons for use. Results: Technical success of the TEVAR was 97.6% owing to unintentional partial coverage of supra-aortic branches in 3 cases (the vessels were patent on imaging). The stent-graft was repositioned at its intermediate diameter in 79 patients (62.2%), and the angulation feature was applied in 64 cases (50.4%), mainly to improve proximal wall apposition and orthogonality in the aorta. The desired effect was achieved in 60 cases (93.8%). There was no device compression, bird-beak configuration, fracture, or graft occlusion. The 30-day and 12-month clinical success rates were 97.6% and 92.9%, respectively. There were 3 aorta-related deaths at 30 days and a further 3 at 12 months. Fatalities were due to a retrograde type A dissection (0.8%), paraplegia, bowel ischemia, sepsis in the setting of a mycotic aneurysm, aneurysm rupture post aortoesophageal fistula, and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome. Three endoleaks (2 type Ia and 1 type III) required reintervention. Conclusion: In the SURPASS registry, the use of the CTAG device with ACS showed promising outcomes despite the challenging pathologies. The new delivery system enables a controlled staged delivery with in situ adjustments during positioning, facilitating the treatment of complex aortic disease.
Anti-corruption, transparency and accountability in health: concepts, frameworks, and approaches

ABSTRACT Background: As called for by the Sustainable Development Goals, governments, development partners and civil society are working on anti-corruption, transparency and accountability approaches to control corruption and advance Universal Health Coverage. Objectives: The objective of this review is to summarize concepts, frameworks, and approaches used to identify corruption risks and consequences of corruption on health systems and outcomes. We also inventory interventions to fight corruption and increase transparency and accountability. Methods: We performed a critical review based on a systematic search of literature in PubMed and Web of Science and reviewed background papers and presentations from two international technical meetings on the topic of anti-corruption and health. We identified concepts, frameworks and approaches and summarized updated evidence of types and causes corruption in the health sector. Results: Corruption, or the abuse of power for private gain, in health systems includes bribes and kickbacks, embezzlement, fraud, political influence/nepotism and informal payments, among other behaviors. Drivers of corruption include individual and systems level factors such as financial pressures, poorly managed conflicts of interest, and weak regulatory and enforcement systems. We identify six typologies and frameworks that model relationships influencing the scope and seriousness of corruption, and show how anti-corruption strategies such as transparency, accountability, and civic participation can affect corruption risk. Little research exists on the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures; however, interventions such as community monitoring and insurance fraud control programs show promise. Conclusions: Corruption undermines the capacity of health systems to contribute to better health, economic growth and development. Interventions and resources on prevention and control of corruption are essential components of health system strengthening for Universal Health Coverage.
A prospective study of treatment of distal femur fractures with locking condylar plate

Background: Multiple implants are available to treat distal femoral fractures. The recent addition is the locking plate contoured to the distal femur with combiholes in the proximal portion. Though it is established that locking plates offer higher stability than the previous implants like dynamic compression screw or condylar buttress plate, some studies showed higher incidence of delayed union. We evaluated 30 type A and type C distal femoral fractures treated with locking condylar plate in our institutes. Methods: We conducted a prospective study on 30 consecutive patients with fractures of distal femur operated with locking condylar plate from December, 2015 to February, 2017. Patients were regularly followed up with x-rays and clinical examination. At the end of one year follow-up, patients were evaluated with Pritchett score . Results: Fracture union was seen in all patients. Union was faster in type A fractures than in type C intra articular fractures. 67% of patients achieved excellent to good grading according to Pritchett rating system. Conclusions: Locking condylar plate is effective in treating distal femoral fractures with minimal complications.
Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Moyamoya Disease: Current Situation and Controversial Issues

Due to the lack of animal models and difficulty in obtaining specimens, the study of pathogenesis of moyamoya disease (MMD) almost stagnated. In recent years, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have attracted more and more attention in vascular diseases due to their important role in neovascularization. With the aid of paradigms and methods in cardiovascular diseases research, people began to explore the role of EPCs in the processing of MMD. In the past decade, studies have shown that abnormalities in cell amounts and functions of EPCs were closely related to the vascular pathological changes in MMD. However, the lack of consistent criteria, such as isolation, cultivation, and identification standards, is also blocking the way forward. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the current situation and controversial issues relevant to studies about EPCs in the pathogenesis and etiology of MMD.
Testing the individual and social learning abilities of task-naïve captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes sp.) in a nut-cracking task

Nut-cracking is often cited as one of the most complex behaviours observed in wild chimpanzees. However, the cognitive mechanisms behind its acquisition are still debated. The current null hypothesis is that the form of nut-cracking behaviour relies on variants of social learning, with some researchers arguing, more precisely, that copying variants of social learning mechanisms are necessary. However, to date, very few experiments have directly investigated the potentially sufficient role of individual learning in explaining the behavioural form of nut-cracking. Despite this, the available data provides some evidence for the spontaneous acquisition of nut-cracking by chimpanzees; later group acquisition was then found to be at least facilitated by (unspecified) variants of social learning. The latter findings are in line with both suggested hypotheses, i.e., that copying social learning is required and that other (non-copying) social learning mechanisms are at play. Here we present the first study which focused (initially) on the role of individual learning for the acquisition of the nut-cracking behavioural form in chimpanzees. We tested task-naïve chimpanzees (N = 13) with an extended baseline condition to examine whether the behaviour would emerge spontaneously. After the baseline condition (which was unsuccessful), we tested for the role of social learning by providing social information in a step-wise fashion, culminating in a full action demonstration of nut-cracking by a human demonstrator (this last condition made it possible for the observers to copy all actions underlying the behaviour). Despite the opportunities to individually and/or socially learn nut-cracking, none of the chimpanzees tested here cracked nuts using tools in any of the conditions in our study; thus, providing no conclusive evidence for either competing hypothesis. We conclude that this failure was the product of an interplay of factors, including behavioural conservatism and the existence of a potential sensitive learning period for nut-cracking in chimpanzees. The possibility remains that nut-cracking is a behaviour that chimpanzees can individually learn. However, this behaviour might only be acquired when chimpanzees are still inside their sensitive learning period, and when ecological and developmental conditions allow for it. The possibility remains that nut-cracking is an example of a culture dependent trait in non-human great apes. Recommendations for future research projects to address this question are considered.
TSETSE FLY AND MEDICINAL LEECH SYMBIOSES: PROVIDING INSIGHTS INTO MICROBIAL SPECIES INTERACTIONS WITHIN GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEMS

– A wealth of information remains to be discovered on the functional and evolutionary significance of microbial interactions within hosts. In this review, the simple digestive tract symbioses of the tsetse fly (Diptera: Glossinidae) and the European medicinal leech (Hirudinea: Hirudidae) are described and promoted as powerful model systems for the examination of interspecific microbial relations. The comparative analyses of these two systems can highlight universal themes of microbial associations or particularities outfitted for a specific symbiotic system. This review concludes with areas of future research where the examination of concerted actions between microbial species may prove fruitful, such as in the exchange and breakdown of chemicals as well as in the regulation of microbial density. A brief description of the microanalytical tools and techniques that are available to advance our understanding of how different microorganisms interact within a host ecosystem is also included.
Iranian Elderly With And Without Hearing Impairment: The Comparison Between Their quality Of Life

Hearing impairment is one of the most common difficulties among the elderly. Due to its prevalence, the aim of this study was to compare the quality of life among the hearing and hearing impaired elderly.This descriptive-correlational research was conducted on the elderly who spent their time in the parks of Tehran (Iran). One hundred individuals were randomly selected. Data was collected using questionnaires about quality of life (sf-36). The collected data was analyzed with Pearson correlation and Ttest analysis. The quality of life among the hearing elderly (mean 97.47) was better than the quality of life among older people with hearing impairment (93.48). Total scores of quality of life among hearing and hearing impaired elderly showed a statically significant difference (p<0.05). Quality of life among older women was significantly better in comparison with the older men (p<0.01). Quality of life among hearing elderly was better than the hearing impaired elderly. The results of this study imply the importance of quality of life in maintaining mental health among the elderly.
Impact of Job Characteristics on Job Performance in Greater Amman Municipality

This research aims to investigate the impact of job characteristics on job performance in the Greater Amman Municipality. The population of this research consisted of all employees working in the Greater Amman Municipality. A random sample was selected to collect data from the research population, which consisted of (400) questionnaires distributed to employees, while the returned questionnaires and valid to statistical analysis were (375) questionnaires, with the responding rate (94%). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used as a statistical analysis method to achieve the research objectives and testing hypothesis. The result of the research indicated that there is a significant impact of job characteristics and all of its dimensions, which were (job autonomy, skill variety, task identity, task significance, and feedback) on job performance. Hence, the main research recommendation has oriented the managers to emphasizing on employees' empowerment by sharing them in job design to achieve the best organizational results.
Contributors’ Monitoring of Pension Fund Investment and Prompt Payment of Pension Benefits in University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Globally, the central goal of pension scheme has been to ensure retirees live relatively comfortable lives on exit from service by the optimum management of their pension fund. However, lack of financial knowledge of the pension scheme in Nigeria, has been a great disadvantage for contributors and retirees in the monitoring of their pension fund investments and overall management of the pension scheme in Nigeria. This study examined the effect of Contributors monitoring of pension fund investment on prompt payment of pension benefits in University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Convergent parallel design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 4267 while Taro Yamane‟s (1967) formula was adopted to calculate the sample size of 100. Out of the 100 questionnaires administered to the respondents from the University of Ibadan, 86 copies of questionnaires were completed and returned which implied a response rate of 86%. Descriptive and inferential statistics (linear regression) were employed in analysis of data. The study found an insignificant effect ofcontributors monitoring of pension fund investmentson prompt payment of pension benefits (F(1, 84)= 2.233, Adj. R 2 =. 014, p> 0.05). The study therefore recommended that contributors should not only monitor their investments but be involved in the decision making process on what options to which their funds are to be invested. This would guarantee adequate return on investments and good standard of living at retirement.
Ontogenetic Scaling of Metabolism, Growth, and Assimilation: Testing Metabolic Scaling Theory with <italic>Manduca sexta</italic> Larvae

Metabolism, growth, and the assimilation of energy and materials are essential processes that are intricately related and depend heavily on animal size. However, models that relate the ontogenetic scaling of energy assimilation and metabolism to growth rely on assumptions that have yet to be rigorously tested. Based on detailed daily measurements of metabolism, growth, and assimilation in tobacco hornworms, Manduca sexta, we provide a first experimental test of the core assumptions of a metabolic scaling model of ontogenetic growth. Metabolic scaling parameters changed over development, in violation of the model assumptions. At the same time, the scaling of growth rate matches that of metabolic rate, with similar scaling exponents both across and within developmental instars. Rates of assimilation were much higher than expected during the first two instars and did not match the patterns of scaling of growth and metabolism, which suggests high costs of biosynthesis early in development. The rapid increase in size and discrete instars observed in larval insect development provide an ideal system for understanding how patterns of growth and metabolism emerge from fundamental cellular processes and the exchange of materials and energy between an organism and its environment.
Cryptosporidium oocysts: prevalence in dogs in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Cryptosporidium is known to be a zoonotic protozoan parasite, located mainly intracellularly causing the disease called cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheic disease of human and animals. Risk factors for dogs’ illness includes exposure to contaminated drinking water from well, borehole and tap water. Hunting as an activity of some dogs serve as a major exposure. The objectives of this study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with fecal shedding of Cryptosporidium oocysts in dogs in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This study was carried out from January to May 2018 in 6 Area Councils of FCT. A total of 400 dogs (213 males and 187 females) aged 0–14 years old were enrolled for this study. The fecal samples collected were examined using Modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) technique. Overall, 91 samples out of 400 were positive, giving a prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts infection as 22.75% with 5% degree of freedom. Prevalence among male and female dogs were 27% and 17%, respectively which is statistically significant (p=0.034). Younger puppies had a higher infection rate compared to the older dogs. The infection is relatively higher in local breed of dogs than the cross and pure breeds. This is significantly different (p=0.014). Source of water was also significantly associated with Cryptosporidium infection but food type was found not to be associated. Some of the dogs infected with Cryptosporidium were presented with diarrhoea, though asymptomatic ones can still shed oocysts in the environment. These act as a possible source of infection for other animals.
Heritability and genetic correlations of obesity indices with ambulatory and office beat-to-beat blood pressure in the Oman Family Study

Objective: To more precisely and comprehensively estimate the genetic and environmental correlations between various indices of obesity and BP. Methods: We estimated heritability and genetic correlations of obesity indices with BP in the Oman family study (n = 1231). Ambulatory and office beat-to-beat BP was measured and mean values for SBP and DBP during daytime, sleep, 24-h and 10 min at rest were calculated. Different indices were used to quantify obesity and fat distribution: BMI, percentage of body fat (%BF), waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). SOLAR software was used to perform univariate and bivariate quantitative genetic analyses adjusting for age, age2, sex, age-sex and age2-sex interactions. Results: Heritabilities of BP ranged from 30.2 to 38.2% for ambulatory daytime, 16.8–21.4% for sleeping time, 32.1–40.4% for 24-h and 22–24.4% for office beat-to-beat measurements. Heritabilities for obesity indices were 67.8% for BMI, 52.2% for %BF, 37.3% for waist circumference and 37.9% for WHtR. All obesity measures had consistently positive phenotypic correlations with ambulatory and office beat-to-beat SBP and DBP (r-range: 0.14–0.32). Genetic correlations of obesity indices with SBP and DBP were higher than environmental correlations (rG: 0.16–0.50; rE: 0.01–0.31). Conclusion: The considerable genetic overlap between a variety of obesity indices and both ambulatory and office beat-to-beat BP highlights the relevance of pleiotropic genes. Future GWAS analyses should discover the specific genes both influencing obesity indices and BP to help unravel their shared genetic background.
The value of chest magnetic resonance imaging compared to chest radiographs with and without additional lung ultrasound in children with complicated pneumonia

Introduction In children with pneumonia, chest x-ray (CXR) is typically the first imaging modality used for diagnostic work-up. Repeated CXR or computed tomography (CT) are often necessary if complications such as abscesses or empyema arise, thus increasing radiation exposure. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the potential of radiation-free chest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect complications at baseline and follow-up, compared to CXR with and without additional lung ultrasound (LUS). Methods Paired MRI and CXR scans were retrospectively reviewed by two blinded readers for presence and severity of pulmonary abscess, consolidation, bronchial wall thickening, mucus plugging and pleural effusion/empyema using a chest MRI scoring system. The scores for MRI and CXR were compared at baseline and follow-up. Furthermore, the MRI scores at baseline with and without contrast media were evaluated. Results 33 pediatric patients (6.3±4.6 years), who had 33 paired MRI and CXR scans at baseline and 12 at follow-up were included. MRI detected significantly more lung abscess formations with a prevalence of 72.7% compared to 27.3% by CXR at baseline (p = 0.001), whereas CXR+LUS was nearly as good as MRI. MRI also showed a higher sensitivity in detecting empyema (p = 0.003). At follow-up, MRI also showed a slightly better sensitivity regarding residual abscesses. The overall severity of disease was rated higher on MRI. Contrast material did not improve detection of abscesses or empyema by MRI. Conclusion CXR and LUS seem to be sufficient in most cases. In cases where LUS cannot be realized or the combination of CXR+LUS might be not sufficient, MRI, as a radiation free modality, should be preferred to CT. Furthermore, the admission of contrast media is not mandatory in this context.
Media multitasking as an avoidance coping strategy against emotionally negative stimuli

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: Emotion regulation refers to the way individuals manage and regulate their own emotions in response to negative emotional experiences. This study investigated whether media multitasking serves as an avoidance coping strategy for managing emotionally stressful events. Design and Methods: Using a correlational design, 140 participants completed self-report measures of media multitasking and emotion regulation, and cognitive measures assessing attentional bias for emotionally negative stimuli. Results: Media multitasking was associated with difficulties in accepting emotional responses for participants who showed an attentional bias away from anxiety words, and for participants with poorer inhibitory control over such words. Further, there was a strong association between media multitasking and reduced interference from anxiety words for participants with stronger inhibitory control over such words in the emotional Stroop task. Conclusions: Results support the idea that media multitasking is linked to difficulty dealing with emotionally negative stimuli and serves as an avoidance coping strategy where one deliberately directs attention away from negative stimuli to prevent their further processing. The findings have real-life implications for managing anxiety and depression, as media multitasking may be used as a maladaptive coping strategy that further increases these negative moods.