Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Suitable Patient Selection and Optimal Timing of Treatment for Persistent Air Leak after Lung Resection

Objectives: The choice of therapeutic intervention for postoperative air leak varies between institutions. We aimed to identify the optimal timing and patient criteria for therapeutic intervention in cases of postoperative air leaks after lung resection. Methods: This study utilized data from a prospective multicenter observational study conducted in 2019. Among the 2187 cases in the database, 420 cases with air leaks on postoperative day 1 were identified. The intervention group underwent therapeutic interventions, such as pleurodesis or surgery, while the observation group was monitored without intervention. A comparison between the intervention group and the observation group were analyzed using the cumulative distribution and hazard functions. Results: Forty-six patients (11.0%) were included in the intervention group. The multivariate analysis revealed that low body mass index (p = 0.019), partial resection (p = 0.010), intraoperative use of fibrin glue (p = 0.008), severe air leak on postoperative day 1 (p < 0.001), and high forced expiratory volume in 1 s (p = 0.021) were significant predictors of the requirement for intervention. The proportion of patients with persistent air leak in the observation group was 20% on postoperative day 5 and 94% on postoperative day 7. The hazard of air leak cessation peaked from postoperative day 3 to postoperative day 7. Conclusions: This research contributes valuable insights into predicting therapeutic interventions for postoperative air leaks and identifies scenarios where spontaneous cessation is probable. A validation through prospective studies is warranted to affirm these findings.
Women’s Experiences on Injectable Contraceptive Preference Among Jimma Town Public Health Facilities, Southwest Ethiopia 2023. A Phenomenological Study Design

Background Contraception is the information, devices, and medications that enable individuals to decide whether and when to have children. It is a cost-effective method of limiting and spacing childbirth. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of modern contraceptives is increasing, and injection contraceptives represent a high prevalence. However, it is unclear why the women preferred injection contraception. Objective To explore Women’s experiences on contraceptive preference among Jimma town public health facilities, southwest Ethiopia, 2023. Methods An interpretative phenomenological study design was employed. Women aged between 18 and 49 who have been using injectable contraceptives for more than one year were our study population. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using an open-ended, structured interview guide. The purposive sampling technique was used to select 12 participants from three randomly selected public health facilities in Jimma town. Audio data were transcribed verbatim into word files, and finally, Atlas.ti 7.0 software was used to facilitate coding and categorizing. Results Twelve women who have been using injectable contraceptives for the last year were involved in this study. Religious beliefs, fear of side effects, visiting Arab countries, and previous contraceptive experiences were the main reasons for respondents to prefer injectable contraceptive methods. This study revealed that women were experiencing positive and negative effects while using injection contraceptives. The majority of the respondents felt comfortable and pleased and had not encountered any health-related issues since beginning to use injection contraceptives. Conclusion The key factors influencing respondents’ preference for injection methods of contraception included fear of side effects, religious convictions, travel to Arab nations, and prior contraceptive experiences. The majority of respondents felt at ease and pleased and reported no substantial health difficulties associated with injection contraception, despite a few women reporting minor adverse effects. Therefore, switching to long-acting methods of contraception necessitates increased women’s understanding of contraceptives.
Perspectives for the Use of Umbilical Cord Blood in Transplantation and Beyond: Initiatives for an Advanced and Sustainable Public Banking Program in Greece

The umbilical cord blood (UCB) donated in public UCB banks is a source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) alternative to bone marrow for allogeneic HSC transplantation (HSCT). However, the high rejection rate of the donated units due to the strict acceptance criteria and the wide application of the haploidentical HSCT have resulted in significant limitation of the use of UCB and difficulties in the economic sustainability of the public UCB banks. There is an ongoing effort within the UCB community to optimize the use of UCB in the field of HSCT and a parallel interest in exploring the use of UCB for applications beyond HSCT i.e., in the fields of cell therapy, regenerative medicine and specialized transfusion medicine. In this report, we describe the mode of operation of the three public UCB banks in Greece as an example of an orchestrated effort to develop a viable UCB banking system by (a) prioritizing the enrichment of the national inventory by high-quality UCB units from populations with rare human leukocyte antigens (HLA), and (b) deploying novel sustainable applications of UCB beyond HSCT, through national and international collaborations. The Greek paradigm of the public UCB network may become an example for countries, particularly with high HLA heterogeneity, with public UCB banks facing sustainability difficulties and adds value to the international efforts aiming to sustainably expand the public UCB banking system.
Estructura cortical de la Cordillera Cantábrica y su transición a la Cuenca del Duero a partir de datos de sísmica de refracción/reflexión de gran ángulo

EL TRABAJO ESTA BASADO EN EL ANALISIS E INTERPRETACION DE DATOS SISMICOS DE REFRACCION Y REFLEXION DE GRAN ANGULO, EN LA ZONA NORTE DE LA PENINSULA IBERICA, EN PARTICULAR, EN LA CORDILLERA CANTABRICA Y ZONAS ADYACENTES. SE ANALIZAN DATOS PROCEDENTES DE VARIOS PERFILES TERRESTRES QUE ATRAVIESAN LAS ZONAS MAS CARACTERISTICAS DEL MACIZO IBERICO NORTE Y SE OBTIENEN LOS MODELOS DE VELOCIDAD DE ONDAS P PARA LOS DIFERENTES NIVELES DE LA CORTEZA. TAMBIEN SE ESTUDIAN DATOS PROCEDENTES DE VARIOS PERFILES MARINOS QUE MUESTREAN LA TRANSICION TIERRA-MAR. LOS RESULTADOS MAS IMPORTANTES ATANEN A LA ESTRUCTURA PROFUNDA DE LA CORTEZA, ENCONTRANDOSE UN FUERTE ENGROSAMIENTO DE LA MISMA EN LA ZONA NE DE LA CORDILLERA, BAJO LOS MACIZOS MONTANOSOS DE LOS PICOS DE EUROPA, CONSECUENCIA DE LOS PROCESOS DE CONVERGENCIA Y DEFORMACION LIGADOS A LA OROGENIA ALPINA. ASIMISMO SE OBSERVAN FUERTES VARIACIONES LATERALES DE LA ESTRUCTURA CORTICAL EN EL MODO DE TRANSICION HACIA EL DOMINIO OCEANICO DEL GOLFO DE VIZCAYA, DESDE LAS ZONAS ORIENTALES DEL MARGEN NORIBERICO A LAS OCCIDENTALES QUE SE HAN CONTRASTADO CON UN ANALISIS GRAVIMETRICO.
The determination of Jurassic environments using palaeoecological methods

A review is undertaken of recent palaeoecological research bearing on a number of the most important Jurassic environmental factors. Temperature is the most significant variable related to global climate, and terrestrial plants provide the best data. Use of the biome method of phytogeography for the Eurasian region leads to some modification of earlier views, but still supports polar regions being much warmer than today, while growth ring studies indicate broad equatorial and temperate climatic belts and a monsoonal climate. Stomatal density studies on leaf cuticles are consistent with there having been a much higher level of atmospheric CO 2 . The degree of oxygenation of the sea bed has been the subject of a number of intensive studies, most notably for the inferred oxygen-deficient environments of the German Posidonienschiefer, the Swiss Opalinus Clay and the English Kimmeridge Clay, and a large amount learned about how to distinguish varying oxygen levels. Important studies of salinity-controlled environments include those of the Bathonian of Scotland, the Kimmeridgian of Portugal and the Bajocian-Callovian of Tunisia, and the use of carbon isotopes as a tool in relation to palaeoecology is discussed. Determination of depth of sea is important for basin analysis but remains a difficult challenge. Significant advances can however be made using a variety of criteria. Among other factors, varying substrates and incidence of light are also amenable to palaeoecological analysis.
Linking Transpiration to Reef Nitrogen Supply on a Tropical Coral Island

Coral reef islands are biodiversity hotspots with high conservation value, but we have a poor understanding of how island vegetation, through transpiration, influences groundwater nutrient supply to adjacent reef systems. Here we combine stable isotope tracing, geophysical surveys, and satellite analysis to unravel the links between transpiration and the discharge of groundwater nitrate to the waters surrounding a coral reef island (Lady Elliot Island in the Great Barrier Reef). Over a 2‐year study period (2020–2021) there was a net loss of freshwater from the island, that is, evapotranspiration (ET) exceeded rainfall, largely caused by high rates of transpiration (73% of ET). Transpiration was higher in forested areas, and groundwater salinity appeared to be higher there. By tracing the nitrogen stable isotope signature of groundwater nitrate into reef organism tissue we were able to map groundwater nitrogen discharge spatially and temporally. Groundwater nitrogen discharge was focussed on one side of the island and did not vary seasonally as expected, despite reduced rainfall and seabird guano inputs over the austral winter/spring. Based on our results, we propose that transpiration by island vegetation slows groundwater flow and concentrates nitrate in the groundwater being released to the surrounding reef system. High concentrations of nitrate in groundwater (up to 27 mmol L−) were observed on Lady Elliot Island and these seem to have increased since 2014, but further work is required to understand if this is a normal scenario for tropical coral islands or the result of the islands' revegetation program.
Assessment of the Allelopathic Activity of Various Parts of Platycodon (Platycodon grandiflorus) and Its Mitigation by Activated Carbon

Platycodon is a medicinal plant of considerable pharmacological and dietary value. With the growing demand, agricultural production is increasing. However, the continuous cropping significantly causes negative impacts on its yield and quality. In this study, in order to solve the problem of continuous cropping, we evaluated the allelopathic activity of Platycodon and investigated the potential use of activated carbon for mitigating the negative impacts of allelopathic chemicals produced by Platycodon. The sandwich method (method for assaying the allelopathic activity of each part of a plant) was employed to evaluate the allelopathic activity of different parts (leaves, stems, and roots) of Platycodon. The inhibitory effects of various Platycodon plant parts were assessed based on their effects on lettuce seedling growth. At a concentration of 10 mg parts/10 mL agar, the average inhibition rates of Platycodon leaves on the radicle and hypocotyl growth of lettuce were 79.4% and 61.8%, stems 58.0% and 45.7%, and roots 53.4% and 49.3%, respectively. At a concentration of 50 mg parts/10 mL agar, the inhibitory effects were as follows: leaves (91.9%, 72.2%), stems (79.5%, 60.3%), and roots (71.4%, 65.2%). The effect of activated carbon on the adsorption of allelopathic substances was investigated, and the results of the sandwich method with a concentration of 10 mg parts/10 mL agar showed the following growth-inhibitory effects on lettuce seedlings and hypocotyls—roots (27.8%, 25.7%), leaves (13.3%, 25.7%), and stems (9.1%, 13.6%)—in each case showing a significant decrease in the inhibitory activity. The plant box method (method for assaying the allelopathic activity of plant root exudates) was employed to evaluate the activity of Platycodon root exudate. The growth inhibition rates of lettuce radicle and hypocotyls were 45.5% and 18.9%, respectively. The plant box method with addition of activated carbon revealed average rates of promotion of 16.7% and 4.7% on the growth of lettuce seedlings and hypocotyls, respectively. The results of this study demonstrated that activated carbon has a mitigating effect on allelopathic inhibition associated with the different plant parts and root exudation of Platycodon and provide a potential solution for overcoming problems associated with the continuous cropping of Platycodon.
Efficacy and safety of Argatroban in patients with acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective Argatroban is a highly promising drug for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), but there is currently insufficient strong evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of using Argatroban in the treatment of AIS. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Argatroban in the treatment of AIS. Methods Articles on PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from these websites’ inceptions to 2th February 2023. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies on Argatroban therapy for acute ischemic stroke were included. Meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model. Results Fourteen studies involving 10,315 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed a significant reduction in the rate of early neurological deterioration (END) in the Argatroban group compared with the control group (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.31–0.73, I2 = 15.17%). The rates of adverse events were no significant difference between the two groups (ICH: OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.68–1.51, I2 = 0.00%; major extracranial bleeding: OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01–1.48, I2 = 0.00%; mortality: OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.84–1.59, I2 = 0.00%). However, the rates of mRS score of 0–1 (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 0.71–2.67, I2 = 77.56%) and mRS score of 0–2 (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.98–1.42, I2 = 0.00%) during the 90 days did not significantly improved in the Argatroban group. Subgroup analyses showed that the rate of END (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.26–0.65, I2 = 2.77%) and mRS score of 0–2 (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.06–1.81, I2 = 0.00%) had significantly improved when the intervention group adopted Argatroban plus Antiplatelet. Conclusion Argatroban can improve neurological deterioration, with a low incidence of adverse events such as bleeding and death, and general analysis showed no improvement in mRS. However, subgroup analysis suggests that compared to mono-antiplatelet therapy, combination therapy of Argatroban combined with antiplatelet therapy significantly reduced the incidence of END and improved mRS scores. After using Argatroban, there was no increase in the risk and mortality of intracranial hemorrhage and other bleeding sites.
Situational Awareness Assessment of Drivers Boosted by Eye-Tracking Metrics: A Literature Review

The conceptual framework for assessing the situational awareness (SA) of drivers consists of three hierarchical levels: perception of the elements of the environment, comprehension of the elements, and decision-making in the near future. A common challenge in evaluating SA is the determination of the available subjective and objective techniques and their selection and integration into methodologies. Among the objective techniques, eye tracking is commonly used, considering the influence of gaze behavior on driving. This review is presented as an innovative approach to the subject matter, introducing physiological metrics based on eye tracking and investigating their application in assessing the SA of drivers. In addition, experiments and methodologies that revealed patterns at the three levels of SA were identified. For this purpose, databases were searched, and 38 papers were considered. Articles were clustered according to prevalent themes such as eye-tracking metrics, eye-tracking devices, experiment design, and the relationship between SA and eye-tracking. This review summarizes the main metrics and key findings for each article and reveals a wide relationship between the eye-tracking metrics and SA. The influence of appropriately calibrated equipment, refined data collection protocols, and adequate selection of the eye-tracking metrics was examined. Further reviews are needed to systematically collect more evidence.
Effect of LDL Extracted from Human Plasma on Membrane Stiffness in Living Endothelial Cells and Macrophages via Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy

Mechanical properties of living cells play a crucial role in a wide range of biological functions and pathologies, including atherosclerosis. We used low-stress Scanning Ion-Conductance Microscopy (SICM) correlated with confocal imaging and demonstrated the topographical changes and mechanical properties alterations in EA.hy926 and THP-1 exposed to LDL extracted from CVD patients’ blood samples. We show that the cells stiffened in the presence of LDL, which also triggered caveolae formation. Endothelial cells accumulated less cholesterol in the form of lipid droplets in comparison to THP-1 cells based on fluorescence intensity data and biochemical analysis; however, the effect on Young’s modulus is higher. The cell stiffness is closely connected to the distribution of lipid droplets along the z-axis. In conclusion, we show that the sensitivity of endothelial cells to LDL is higher compared to that of THP-1, triggering changes in the cytoskeleton and membrane stiffness which may result in the increased permeability of the intima layer due to loss of intercellular connections and adhesion.
A resilience engineering approach to integrating human and socio-technical system capacities and processes for national infrastructure resilience

Abstract Despite Federal directives calling for an integrated approach to strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure systems, little is known about the relationship between human behavior and infrastructure resilience. While it is well recognized that human response can either amplify or mitigate catastrophe, the role of human or psychological resilience when infrastructure systems are confronted with surprise remains an oversight in policy documents and resilience research. Existing research treats human resilience and technological resilience as separate capacities that may create stress conditions that act upon one another. There remains a knowledge gap regarding study of those attributes in each that build infrastructure resilience as an integrated system of humans and technologies. This work draws on concepts found in the resilience engineering and psychology literature to examine the dynamic relationships between human resilience and the resilience of complex, socio-technical critical infrastructure systems. We identify and organize 18 system capacities and 23 human capacities that influence infrastructure resilience. We then correlate individual human and system resilience capacities to determine how each influences four socio-technical processes for resilience: sensing, anticipating, adapting, and learning. Our analysis shows that the human and technical resilience capacities reviewed are interconnected, interrelated, and interdependent. Further, we find current literature is focused more on cognitive and behavioral dimensions of human resilience and we offer ways to better incorporate affective capacities. Together, we present a simple way to link the resilience of technological systems to the cognitive, behavioral, and affective dimensions of humans responsible for the system design, operation, and management.
Soil enzymatic activity in artificially and naturally regenerated forests after wind damage in north-eastern Poland

Abstract. The aim of the study was to describe biochemical reactions in the soil based on the activity of urease and dehydrogenases in Scots pine stands damaged during and differentially managed after hurricanes. Soil enzymatic activity was investigated in 2005 and again in 2013 for selected stands in the Pisz Forest District where wind damage occurred in 2002. Most of the damaged stands were cut down and replanted, but 445 ha were left untouched for study purposes. The investigated areas differed with respect to stand damage and management. The enzymatic activity correlated well with the content of organic matter which was higher in organic than in mineral soils. In the area left to regenerate naturally, dehydrogenase and urease activity was higher in 2013 compared to 2005, which suggests the improvement of site conditions. The values of the examined biochemical parameters were correlated with the type of forest regeneration, with the forest soil regeneration being higher in artificially than in naturally regenerated stands. Changes of soil enzymatic activity were correlated with the level of stand damage and the type of management after wind damage.
Audit of diabetes mellitus among patients attending an employee health clinic at a tertiary care centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Purpose: To assess the clinical practices in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as a basis for establishing a guideline that focuses on risk factors and complications. Methods: We conducted a retrospective audit of the medical records of 450 patients (aged 20–65 years) diagnosed with T2DM attending an employee health clinic at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) during the period from 1 January to 1 July 2016. All patients requiring emergency treatment were excluded. A checklist of demographic variables, co-morbidities, clinical examinations, and laboratory investigations was used for collecting data. Results: In total, 303 (67.3%) were women and 312 (69.3%) were Saudis. Forty-five (10%) patients were not receiving current treatment for diabetes and body mass index was not calculated for 117 (26%). Retinal and neurological examinations were not performed in 363 (80.7%) and 109 (24.2%) patients, respectively. Cardiovascular and peripheral vascular system examinations were not conducted for 112 (24.9%) and 114 (25.3%) patients, respectively. For laboratory investigations, 2-h glucose tolerance tests and vitamin B12 tests were not performed for 473 (97.1%) and 436 (96.9%) patients, respectively. Moreover, TSH/T4 and eGFR tests were not performed for 220 (48.9%) and 135 patients (30%), respectively. Conclusions: We concluded that current clinical practice for management of T2DM patients is not comprehensive and that the quality of healthcare should be improved with continuous checking of patient records.
The First Complete Mitochondrial Genome of the Genus Litostrophus: Insights into the Rearrangement and Evolution of Mitochondrial Genomes in Diplopoda

This study presents the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Litostrophus scaber, which is the first mitogenome of the genus Litostrophus. The mitogenome is a circular molecule with a length of 15,081 bp. The proportion of adenine and thymine (A + T) was 69.25%. The gene ND4L used TGA as the initiation codon, while the other PCGs utilized ATN (A, T, G, C) as the initiation codons. More than half of the PCGs used T as an incomplete termination codon. The transcription direction of the L. scaber mitogenome matched Spirobolus bungii, in contrast to most millipedes. Novel rearrangements were found in the L. scaber mitogenome: trnQ -trnC and trnL1- trnP underwent short-distance translocations and the gene block rrnS-rrnL-ND1 moved to a position between ND4 and ND5, resulting in the formation of a novel gene order. The phylogenetic analysis showed that L. scaber is most closely related to S. bungii, followed by Narceus magnum. These findings enhance our understanding of the rearrangement and evolution of Diplopoda mitogenomes.