Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stent-Assisted Coiling in the Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The STAT trial did not show stent-assisted coiling to be superior to coiling alone for wide-neck, large, or recurrent unruptured aneurysms. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stent-assisted coiling may improve angiographic results of endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms compared with coiling alone, but this has never been shown in a randomized trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Stenting in the Treatment of Aneurysm Trial was an investigator-led, parallel, randomized (1:1) trial conducted in 4 university hospitals. Patients with intracranial aneurysms at risk of recurrence, defined as large aneurysms (≥10 mm), postcoiling recurrent aneurysms, or small aneurysms with a wide neck (≥4 mm), were randomly allocated to stent-assisted coiling or coiling alone. The composite primary efficacy outcome was “treatment failure,” defined as initial failure to treat the aneurysm; aneurysm rupture or retreatment during follow-up; death or dependency (mRS > 2); or an angiographic residual aneurysm adjudicated by an independent core laboratory at 12 months. The primary hypothesis (revised for slow accrual) was that stent-assisted coiling would decrease treatment failures from 33% to 15%, requiring 200 patients. Primary analyses were intent to treat. RESULTS: Of 205 patients recruited between 2011 and 2021, ninety-four were allocated to stent-assisted coiling and 111 to coiling alone. The primary outcome, ascertainable in 203 patients, was reached in 28/93 patients allocated to stent-assisted coiling (30.1%; 95% CI, 21.2%–40.6%) compared with 30/110 (27.3%; 95% CI, 19.4%–36.7%) allocated to coiling alone (relative risk = 1.10; 95% CI, 0.7–1.7; P = .66). Poor clinical outcomes (mRS >2) occurred in 8/94 patients allocated to stent-assisted coiling (8.5%; 95% CI, 4.0%–16.6%) compared with 6/111 (5.4%; 95% CI, 2.2%–11.9%) allocated to coiling alone (relative risk = 1.6; 95% CI, 0.6%–4.4%; P = .38). CONCLUSIONS: The STAT trial did not show stent-assisted coiling to be superior to coiling alone for wide-neck, large, or recurrent unruptured aneurysms.
Cognitive Health in Persons With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: The Impact of Early Treatment, Comorbidities, and Aging

Htein Linn Aung, Jasmini Alagaratnam, Phillip Chan, Felicia C. Chow, John Joska, Julian Falutz, Scott L. Letendre, Woody Lin, Jose A. Muñoz-Moreno, Paola Cinque, Jeff Taylor, Bruce Brew, and Alan Winston Departments of Neurology and HIV Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital and Peter Duncan Neurosciences Unit, St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Genitourinary Medicine and HIV Department, St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Institute of HIV Research and Innovation, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Neurology, Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Division of Neuropsychiatry, HIV Mental Health Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, California, USA; National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, Maryland, USA; Infectious Diseases Department, Lluita contra la SIDA i les Malalties Infeccioses Foundation, Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain; Unit of Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy; and HIV and Aging Research Project, Palm Springs, California, USA
Ocean‐atmosphere‐land feedbacks in an idealized monsoon

An intermediate‐complexity atmospheric model coupled with a simple land‐surface model and a mixed‐layer ocean model is used to investigate the processes involved in an idealized monsoon occurring on a single rectangular continent. Idealized divergences of ocean heat transports are specified as an annual average ‘Q‐flux’. In this simple coupled configuration, the mechanisms that affect land‐ocean contrast and, in turn, the seasonal movement of the continental convergence zones are examined. These include soil‐moisture feedbacks: cooling of tropical oceans by ocean transpoit; ventilation, defined as the import into continental regions of low moist static‐energy air from ocean regions where heat storage opposes summer warming; and the ‘interactive Rodwell‐Hoskins mechanism’, in which Rossby‐wave‐induced subsidence to the west of monsoon heating interacts with the convection zone. The fixed ocean transports have a substantial impact on the continental convection. If Q‐flux is set to zero, subtropical subsidence and ventilation tend to substantially limit the poleward movement of summer monsoon rainfall. When land hydrology feedbacks are active, the drying of subtropical continents disfavours continental convection even in the tropics. When ocean transports are included, tropical oceans are slightly disfavoured as regions for producing convection which, by contrast, favours continental convection. The monsoon circulation then produces moisture transport from the ocean regions that allows substantial progression of convection into the subtropics over the eastern portion of the continent. The western portion of the continent tends to have a dry region of characteristic shape. This east‐west asymmetry is partly due to the interactive Rodwell‐Hoskins mechanism. The ventilation is of at least equal importance in producing east‐west asymmetry and is the single most important process in limiting the poleward extent of the continental convection zone.
Skin Physiology, Mucosal Functions, and Symptoms Are Modulated by Grass Pollen and Ozone Double Exposure in Allergic Patients

Introduction: Along with climate changes, we see an increase in allergic symptoms and the number of pollen-allergic patients in many countries. Increased allergic symptoms are associated with an elevated ozone exposure which may be linked by impaired epithelial barrier function. This study aimed to quantify the clinical effect of ozone and pollen double exposure (DE). We tested whether ozone impairs barrier-related skin physiology and mucosal functions under DE with pollen in grass pollen-allergic patients versus healthy controls. Methods: This case-control study included 8 grass pollen-allergic patients and 8 non-allergic healthy subjects exposed to grass pollen and ozone in the GA2LEN pollen chamber, comparing shorter and longer DE duration. Non-invasive skin physiological parameters were assessed, including stratum corneum hydration, skin redness, surface pH, and basal transepidermal water loss as a parameter for epidermal barrier function. The subjects’ general well-being, bronchial, nasal, and ocular symptoms were documented. Results: Skin physiology tests revealed that DE in allergic patients deteriorates the epidermal barrier function and increases the surface pH and skin redness. DE significantly induced nasal secretion in pollen-allergic versus healthy subjects, which was more pronounced with longer DE. The general well-being was significantly impaired under DE versus pollen or ozone alone, with a negative influence of DE duration. No relevant bronchial symptoms were recorded. Conclusion: Skin physiology and nasal mucosal symptoms are negatively affected by ozone and grass pollen DE in allergic patients. The negative effects showed, in some parameters, a dose (time)-response relationship. The pH can be regarded as a possible modulatory mechanism.
Energy transport analysis in ultrashort pulse laser ablation through combined molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation

Mechanisms of energy transport during ultrashort laser pulses (USLPs) ablation are investigated in this paper. Nonequilibrium electron-transport, material ionization, as well as density change effects, are studied using atomistic models--the molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) methods, in addition to the previously studied laser absorption, heat conduction, and stress wave propagation. The target material is treated as consisting of two subsystems: valence-electron system and lattice system. MD method is applied to analyze the motion of atoms while MC method is applied for simulating electron dynamics and multiscattering events between particles. Early-time laser-energy absorption and redistribution as well as later-time material ablation and expansion processes are analyzed. This model is validated in terms of ablation depth, lattice/electron temperature distribution as well as evolution, and plume front velocity, through comparisons with experimental or theoretical results in literature. It is generally believed that the hydrodynamic motion of the ablated material is negligible for USLP but this study shows it is true only for its effect on laser-energy deposition. This study shows that the consideration of hydrodynamic expansion and fast density change in both electron and lattice systems is important for obtaining a reliable energy transport mechanism in the locally heated zone.
Autonomic nervous system balance in parturient mares: Spontaneous vs induced delivery

Delivery is not easily predictable in horses and the consequences of dystocia can be serious for both the mare and foal. An induction protocol with low doses of oxytocin has been reported as a safe procedure. This study investigates the effect of induced delivery on at-term mares’ sympathetic-vagal balance. Fourteen mares were included and divided into two groups, one subjected to spontaneous delivery (SD), and one to induced delivery (ID). In both groups, an ECG was recorded using an elastic belt with integrated smart textile electrodes. The recording started before the delivery (Basal), continued close to delivery (Pre-delivery) and during delivery (Delivery), and ended after parturition (Placental expulsion). From the ECGs, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) parameters relating to time and frequency domains and non-linear analysis were extrapolated. The HRV analysis was performed both within the same group (IntraGA) and between the two groups (InterGA). In the present study, spontaneous and induced delivery did not appear to differ in autonomic nervous system functioning. In IntraGA analysis, both for SD and ID mares, delivery and placental expulsion periods were parasympathetic dominated since vagal-related HRV parameters increased. Moreover, no differences were found in InterGA comparison between SD and ID mares, except for the pre-delivery period of ID mares, during which both branches of the autonomic nervous system were activated. These results are in line with the literature on parasympathetic dominance during parturition and no change in Heart Rate Variability following exogenous oxytocin administration in parturient mares.
JOHNSON AMENABILITY FOR TOPOLOGICAL SEMIGROUPS

Abstract –A notion of amenability for topological semigroups is introduced. A topological semigroup S is called Johnson amenable if for every Banach S -bimodule E , every bounded crossed homomorphism from S to * E is principal. In this paper it is shown that a discrete semigroup S is Johnson amenable if and only if 1( ) S  is an amenable Banach algebra. Also, we show that if a topological semigroup S is Johnson amenable, then it is amenable, but the converse is not true.
FLEXURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND LAYUP OPTIMIZATION OF LAMINATED COMPOSITE PLATES UNDER HYGROTHERMAL CONDITIONS USING LAMINATION PARAMETERS

The flexural characteristics and layup optimization of laminated composite plates are examined in environmental conditions of temperature and moisture. The deflection of laminated composite plates is analyzed in the design space of 12 lamination parameters. The layup optimization for minimizing the deflection of laminated composite plates is carried out using all 12 lamination parameters as design variables. Mathematical programming methods are used for optimization. In hygrothermal conditions, the maximum deflection of laminated composite plates with in-plane hygrothermal stresses can be reduced by optimized nonsymmetric laminate configurations.
Comparative analysis of the trauma care profile before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in a tertiary university hospital

ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate the profile of emergency care of trauma patients at Hospital Universitário Evangélico Mackenzie (HUEM) during the period of restrictive measures due to COVID-19 (03/13/2021 to 04/05/2021), and compare to the same period at the beginning of the pandemic, in 2020, and before the pandemic, in 2019. Methods: quantitative and descriptive observational cross-sectional study. The final sample of 8,338 was analyzed in terms of date, gender, age and service responsible for providing care; the traumas were analyzed according to the etiology and conduct of the treatment and outcome. Results: there was a percentage increase in non-traumatic emergency care during the pandemic, and the medical clinic held a third of admissions in 2021. There was a reduction in trauma care, since in 2019 traumas were responsible for 44.9% of admissions and by 23.5% in 2021. There was a significant difference in the proportion between the attendance of men and women, and the percentage of men victims of trauma was higher than in the pre-pandemic periods. There was a reduction in absolute numbers, with statistical significance, in traffic accidents, falls from the same level, burns, general blunt trauma and sports and leisure trauma. The proportion of conservative treatments with hospital discharge reduced. There was a significant difference in the number of deaths, decreasing in 2020 but increasing in 2021. Conclusion: there was a reduction in trauma care during the pandemic, but the profile remained the adult male victim of a traffic accident. More severe traumas were admitted, resulting in an increase in surgical treatment, hospitalizations and deaths.
Spatial simulation of instability control by periodic suction blowing

The applicability of active control by periodic suction blowing in spatially evolving plane Poiseuille flow is investigated by the direct simulation of the three‐dimensional, incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. The results reveal that significant reductions in perturbation amplitudes can be obtained by a proper choice of the control wave amplitude and phase. The upstream influence of the control wave is shown to be confined to a region in the vicinity of the control slot with no apparent effect on the flow development.
Quantifying Alcohol Consumption in the General Population by Analysing Phosphatidylethanol Concentrations in Whole Blood: Results from 24,574 Subjects Included in the HUNT4 Study

Abstract Aims To evaluate the association between self-reported alcohol consumption and phosphatidylethanol (PEth) concentrations in blood in a large general population study, and discuss optimal cut-off PEth concentrations for defined levels of alcohol consumption. Methods Population based, longitudinal cohort study including 24,574 adults from The Trøndelag Health Study 4 (HUNT4) conducted in Trøndelag County, Norway. Data included PEth concentration, self-reported alcohol consumption and CAGE score. Results PEth levels in whole blood increased with the number of alcohol units consumed, the frequency of alcohol consumption, the frequency of binge drinking and the CAGE score (lifetime, i.e. ‘have you ever’). The cut-off concentrations with highest combined sensitivity and specificity were 0.057 μmol/l (40 ng/ml) for identification of those consuming >1 alcohol unit per day (sensitivity 86%, specificity 76%), 0.087 μmol/l (61 ng/ml) for consuming >2 units per day (sensitivity 87%, specificity 81%) and 0.122 μmol/l (86 ng/ml) for consuming >3 alcohol units per day (sensitivity 80%, specificity 86%). By defining a CAGE score ≥ 2 as potentially harmful consumption, a cut-off of 0.100 μmol/l (70 ng/ml) identified 52% of all those subjects. Conclusions Cut-off limits of PEth concentrations should take into account the indication for sampling. Using cut-offs for the PEth concentrations of about 0.05 μmol/l (35 ng/ml) and 0.08 μmol/l (56 ng/ml) would identify about 90% of the subjects consuming more than 1 and 2 alcohol units per day, respectively. Concentrations above these cut-offs should lead to a more detailed interview related to alcohol use.
Finite Element Study of Plane Wave Acoustic Phenomena in Ducts

DUCTS This thesis studied the finite element modeling of plane wave acoustic phenomena in ducts. The study looked into finite element factors such as shape functions, mesh refinement, and element distortion. The study concluded that the higher order shape function eight-node quadrilateral element gave considerably better results than lower order shape function four-node quadrilateral element. The eight-node element converged much faster to the analytical solution than the four-node element. The average error, taking all the cases in consideration, for the four-node element was around 30 % for a mesh refinement of about 14 elements per wavelength at 100 Hz frequency. The eight-node element in the other hand had average absolute errors of less than 1% under the same conditions. This section also found that the eight-node element was substantially more resistant to solution deterioration due to element distortion than the four-node element. For example distorting the four-node element up to 60° degrees usually increased errors very rapidly to above 100 % errors. The eight-node element on the other hand usually produced errors of less than 5 % for the same level of distortion. The study showed that the type of boundary condition used had a significant effect on the solution accuracy. The study demonstrated that the effect of the natural boundary conditions was more global. Meeting this kind of boundary condition through mesh convergence produced accurate results throughout the duct. iii 7R0\3DUHQWV iv Acknowledgements I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Charles Knight for invaluable advice in guiding this research. I would also like to thank him for his patience and time in correcting and re-correcting this thesis to give it the proper professional form and for teaching me much of what I know about finite elements. I would also like to thank Dr. Ricardo Burdisso for his time and advice in criticizing this research work and challenging me to understand the principles being studied. I would also like to thank him for taking the time to go over the analytical section of this thesis and for teaching me much of what I know of acoustics. Moreover I would like to thank Dr. Robert West for taking the time to review this thesis. Finally I would like to thank all the people that helped me in accomplishing this research. Lori Brady for helping me with SYSNOISE Finite Element and Boundary Element Software. Felix Nevarez and Mary Kafura for their …
Refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND In adults with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, when conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) alone does not achieve return of spontaneous circulation, extracorporeal CPR is attempted to restore perfusion and improve outcomes. Considering the contrasting findings of recent studies, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to ascertain the effect of extracorporeal CPR on survival and neurological outcome. METHODS Pubmed via MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to February 3, 2023, for randomized controlled trials comparing extracorporeal CPR versus conventional CPR in adults with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Survival with a favorable neurological outcome at the longest follow-up available was the primary outcome. RESULTS Among four randomized controlled trials included, extracorporeal CPR compared with conventional CPR increased survival with favorable neurological outcome at the longest follow-up available for all rhythms (59/220 [27%] vs. 39/213 [18%]; OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.09-2.70; p = 0.02; I2 = 26%; number needed to treat of 9), for initial shockable rhythms only (55/164 [34%] vs. 38/165 [23%]; OR = 1.90; 95% CI, 1.16-3.13; p = 0.01; I2 = 23%; number needed to treat of 7), and at hospital discharge or 30 days (55/220 [25%] vs. 34/212 [16%]; OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.13-2.92; p = 0.01; I2 = 0.0%). Overall survival at the longest follow-up available was similar (61/220 [25%] vs. 34/212 [16%]; OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.13-2.92; p = 0.59; I2 = 58%). CONCLUSIONS Extracorporeal CPR compared with conventional CPR increased survival with favorable neurological outcome in adults with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, especially when the initial rhythm was shockable. REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42023396482.
Mechanisms underpinning community stability along a latitudinal gradient: Insights from a niche‐based approach

At large scales, the mechanisms underpinning stability in natural communities may vary in importance due to changes in species composition, mean abundance, and species richness. Here we link species characteristics (niche positions) and community characteristics (richness and abundance) to evaluate the importance of stability mechanisms in 156 butterfly communities monitored across three European countries and spanning five bioclimatic regions. We construct niche‐based hierarchical structural Bayesian models to explain first differences in abundance, population stability, and species richness between the countries, and then explore how these factors impact community stability both directly and indirectly (via synchrony and population stability). Species richness was partially explained by the position of a site relative to the niches of the species pool, and species near the centre of their niche had higher average population stability. The differences in mean abundance, population stability, and species richness then influenced how much variation in community stability they explained across the countries. We found, using variance partitioning, that community stability in Finnish communities was most influenced by community abundance, whereas this aspect was unimportant in Spain with species synchrony explaining most variation; the UK was somewhat intermediate with both factors explaining variation. Across all countries, the diversity–stability relationship was indirect with species richness reducing synchrony which increased community stability, with no direct effects of species richness. Our results suggest that in natural communities, biogeographical variation observed in key drivers of stability, such as population abundance and species richness, leads to community stability being limited by different factors and that this can partially be explained due to the niche characteristics of the European butterfly assemblage.