Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Interatrial Shunts on Invasive Hemodynamics and Exercise Tolerance in Patients With Heart Failure

Approximately 50% of patients with heart failure have preserved ejection fraction. Although a wide variety of conditions cause or contribute to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, elevated left ventricular filling pressures, particularly during exercise, are common to all causes. Acute elevation in left‐sided filling pressures promotes lung congestion and symptoms of dyspnea, while chronic elevations often lead to pulmonary vascular remodeling, right heart failure, and increased risk of mortality. Pharmacologic therapies, including neurohormonal modulation and drugs that modify the nitric oxide/cyclic GMP‐protein kinase G pathway have thus far been limited in reducing symptoms or improving outcomes in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Hence, alternative means of reducing the detrimental rise in left‐sided heart pressures are being explored. One proposed method of achieving this is to create an interatrial shunt, thus unloading the left heart at rest and during exercise. Currently available studies have shown 3‐ to 5‐mm Hg decreases of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure during exercise despite increased workload. The mechanisms underlying the hemodynamic changes are just starting to be understood. In this review we summarize results of recent studies aimed at elucidating the potential mechanisms of improved hemodynamics during exercise tolerance following interatrial shunt implantation and the current interatrial shunt devices under investigation.
Neurological improvement predicts clinical outcome after acute basilar artery stroke thrombectomy

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is the standard of care for patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion. Early neurological improvement (ENI), defined as a reduction of ≥ 8 on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) compared with baseline score, or an NIHSS score of 0 or 1 at 24 h after MT, is a strong predictor of 3‐month favorable outcome in such patients. The impact of ENI after MT in stroke patients with basilar artery occlusion (BAO) on 3‐month outcome is not clear. We aimed to study the effects of ENI in patients with BAO.
Point-of-Care Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Review of Recent Developments.

CONTEXT. — Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the most common communicable diseases globally and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Point-of-care tests have the potential to revolutionize the prevention and control of STIs by enabling rapid diagnosis and early treatment of infections, thus interrupting transmission and preventing the sequelae of untreated infections. Currently, there are several point-of-care (POC) tests available for the diagnosis of Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis infections, although these tests differ with regard to their performance, turnaround time, and cost. OBJECTIVE. — To provide an updated review of the POC tests available and under development for the diagnosis of T pallidum, C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae, and T vaginalis infections, to discuss the context for which these tests might be used, and to highlight future directions for test development. DATA SOURCES. — We reviewed the literature pertaining to the recent development and performance evaluations of POC tests for the diagnosis of syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas. CONCLUSIONS. — Recently, there has been rapid development of new POC tests for STIs. Although there are inexpensive, rapid, and accurate POC tests available for syphilis, there are few such tests available for the diagnosis of chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomonas, and currently none with the ability to detect antimicrobial resistance in N gonorrhoeae. Research evaluating implementation strategies for the currently available tests and the development of additional POC tests that are rapid, accurate, and affordable are urgently needed to address the rising number of STIs worldwide.
Programmed intermittent boluses vs continuous epidural infusion in labor using an adrenaline containing solution: A randomized trial

Traditionally, epidural analgesia has been maintained using a continuous infusion (CEI) with the addition of patient‐controlled boluses (PCEA). In recent years, programmed intermittent boluses (PIEB) has emerged as an alternative showing better efficacy in randomized studies. In this study, the aim was to test PIEB + PCEA vs CEI + PCEA using an epidural solution containing adrenaline.
Fungi Isolated from Oak-Wilt Trees and their Effects on Ceratocystis Fagacearum

Since the discovery of oak wilt in West Virginia in 1951, isolations have been made from a large number of oak trees each year and many fungi in addition to Ceratocystis fagacearum (Bretz) Hunt have been found associated with these trees. This fact is also recognized by investigators in other states who have made isolations from killed oak trees (Morris and Fergus, 1952; Young and Brandt, 1953; Turk, 1955). The current method of processing oak-wilt trees to control disease spread in West Virginia is by deep-girdling to the heartwood and allowing the trees to remain standing (True and Gillespie, 1956). Thus, an abundance of naturally infected trees was available for a study of the succession of fungi in trees girdled soon after the appearance of oakwilt symptoms. Fifty trees infected with oak wilt were left to stand ungirdled for a time as control for observations and experiments reported here. The fungi growing in deep-girdled oak-wilt trees sometimes differed from those found in non-girdled trees. This was of especial interest since the development of C. fagacearum appeared to be partially checked following girdling. The principal question considered in this investigation involved the possibility that the girdling of oak-wilt trees resulted in conditions that favored the growth of certain fungi antagonistic to the growth of C. fagacearum. This paper reports the results of isolations, cultural studies, and artificial inoculations designed to give more information on the nature
Social Functioning in Individuals With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can lead to multiple deleterious outcomes and has negative, sometimes debilitating, impacts on general functioning of those affected. This systematic review of 26 articles evaluates the existing literature on social functioning outcomes used in PTSD research, the association between PTSD and social functioning, and the impact of interventions for PTSD on social functioning. A review of 26 articles using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for systematic reviews showed that PTSD was associated with significant impairment in global social functioning. This review also reveals the need for both standardized definitions and better assessment methods to operationalize social functioning and improve our ability to compare findings across studies. The literature also suggests that some evidence-based treatments for PTSD improve social functioning despite not explicitly targeting social functioning in the treatment. The findings of this review suggest that there are ample opportunities for improving both research and interventions to improve global social functioning in PTSD.
Neonatal Outcome of Pregnancies Complicated with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia.

OBJECTIVE To determine the neonatal outcome with maternal idiopathic thrombocytopenia. STUDY DESIGN Descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Liaqat National Hospital, Karachi, from January to June 2017. METHODOLOGY All 73 pregnant women diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP) during the study period were included. All the patients were kept under observation till birth of newborns. Neonates were assessed for thrombocytopenia, classified as mild, moderate and severe thrombocytopenia as outcome on the first post-natal day. RESULTS Frequency of neonatal thrombocytopenia in 73 pregnant women complicated by idiopathic thrombocytopenia was 16.44% (12 neonates). Out of 12 cases, three (25%) neonates had mild thrombocytopenia, four (33.33%) neonates had moderate thrombocytopenia and five (41.66%) neonates had severe thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSION There are considerable chances of neonatal thrombocytopenia when mothers were suffering with idiopathic thrombocytopenia during pregnancy. These findings may be useful for the medical staff to counsel pre-pregnant or pregnant women with ITP as well as care required during delivery. Key Words: Thrombocytopenia, Idiopathic thrombocytopenia, Neonatal ITP, Pre-natal ITP.
An audit of physiotherapists’ documentation on physical activity assessment, promotion and prescription to older adults attending out-patient rehabilitation

Abstract Purpose Identify if physiotherapists document the assessment, promotion and prescription of physical activity to older adults attending out-patient rehabilitation and assist them in the transition to an active lifestyle. Methods An audit of physiotherapists’ documentation in medical records of older adults who attended an out-patient rehabilitation program at a tertiary hospital. Results Fifty-six medical records were reviewed. Mean age (SD) of participants was 79 (7) years. No documentation was found on the use of validated tools to assess physical activity levels of older adults. Prescription of physical activity was documented in 55/56 (98%) medical records. Seven (12.5%) medical records included documentation on goal setting regarding physical activity participation. Advice on regular physical activity post-discharge from the rehabilitation program was documented in 28/56 (50%) medical records. Formal referral to community-based physical activity programs was documented in 4/56 (7%) medical records. Conclusions Evidence-practice gaps were found in physiotherapists’ documentation of the promotion of physical activity to older adults attending out-patient rehabilitation, indicating a lack of assistance in the transition to an active lifestyle. These gaps were evident in the lack of; physical activity assessment, implementation of behaviour change strategies and formal referral to physical activity in the community post-discharge from out-patient rehabilitation. Implications for rehabilitation Our findings suggest that physiotherapists are not widely applying evidence-based practice to promote physical activity to older adults attending out-patient rehabilitation nor supporting them in the transition to engage in physical activity in the community post-discharge from rehabilitation program. Incorporating physical activity assessment and behaviour change strategies into usual care may enable physiotherapists to successfully promote physical activity to older adults attending out-patient rehabilitation. Collaboration between the health care system and community-based physical activity programs is imperative to facilitate the sustainability of an active lifestyle after discharge from rehabilitation program.
Seasonal and observer differences in vascular plant records from British woodlands

(1) The variations between vascular plant lists produced from the same wood by different observers, at different seasons and using different methods are described. (2) Three British woods were examined during 1982, with two observers per wood and at least two recording times (April-May and August-September). The methods used were to list the species seen either on a walk through the wood or found in randomly placed quadrats. Each method was used at two of the three woods. (3) No significant differences were found in the number of species recorded at a particular wood by either method by either observer between May and September. Lower numbers of species were recorded in early April and October. (4) Differences were found in the frequency with which particular species were recorded both between seasons and between observers. Some of these differences could be related to the phenology of the species concerned. (5) The relation between the time spent on a survey (the sampling intensity) and the number of species recorded is illustrated. (6) The implications of the results for other woodland surveys are discussed.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and menopausal symptoms: a cross-sectional study from the data registry on experiences of aging, menopause, and sexuality

Abstract Objective: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and menopausal symptoms, specifically vasomotor symptoms, have both been associated with cardiovascular disease risk in women. However, data are sparse on the association between these two female-specific cardiovascular risk factors. This study was conducted to investigate the association between a history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and menopausal symptoms. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of women aged 40 to 65 years seen for specialty consultation in women's health clinics at Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN and Scottsdale, AZ, between May, 2015 and September, 2019. A self-reported history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy served as the independent variable, and menopause symptoms as assessed by the Menopause Rating Scale were the primary outcome measure. Results: Of 2,684 women included in the analysis, 180 had a self-reported history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. The total menopausal symptom scores as well as somatic and psychological domain scores were higher in women with a history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy compared to women without a history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy or to women without a pregnancy. On multivariable analysis, women with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy using hormone therapy had significantly higher total menopause symptom scores than women with no such history. Conclusions: In this large cross-sectional study, a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was associated with more bothersome menopausal symptoms. Additional study is needed to determine the strength of this association, underlying mechanisms of the association, and clinical implications for cardiovascular risk prediction in women.
A Mobile Health Intervention for Adolescents Exposed to Secondhand Smoke: Pilot Feasibility and Efficacy Study

Background Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in children and adolescents has adverse health effects. For adolescents of lower socioeconomic status (SES), exposure is widespread, evidenced in the measurement of urinary cotinine, a major metabolite of nicotine. Direct intervention with exposed children has been proposed as a novel method, yet there is minimal evidence of its efficacy. Combining this approach with a mobile health (mHealth) intervention may be more time and cost-effective and feasible for adolescent populations. Objective In this pilot study, we assessed the feasibility and preliminary evidence of efficacy of a 30-day text message–based mHealth intervention targeted at reducing SHS exposure in adolescent populations of low SES. Methods For the study, 14 nonsmoking and nonvaping participants between the ages of 12-21 years exposed to SHS were enrolled. The intervention consisted of a daily text message sent to the participants over the course of a month. Text message types included facts and information about SHS, behavioral methods for SHS avoidance, or true-or-false questions. Participants were asked to respond to each message within 24 hours as confirmation of receipt. Feasibility outcomes included completion of the 30-day intervention, receiving and responding to text messages, and feedback on the messages. Efficacy outcomes included a reduction in urinary cotinine, accuracy of true-or-false responses, and participants’ perceptions of effectiveness. Results Of the 14 participants that were enrolled, 13 completed the intervention. Though not required, all participants had their own cell phones with unlimited text messaging plans. Of the total number of text messages sent to the 13 completers, 91% (372/407) of them received on-time responses. Participant feedback was generally positive, with most requesting more informational and true-or-false questions. In terms of efficacy, 54% (6/11) of participants reduced their cotinine levels (however, change for the group overall was not statistically significant (P=.33) and 45% (5/11) of participants increased their cotinine levels. Of the total number of true-or-false questions sent across all completers, 77% (56/73) were answered correctly. Participants’ ratings of message effectiveness averaged 85 on a scale of 100. Conclusions In this pilot study, the intervention was feasible as the majority of participants had access to a cell phone, completed the study, and engaged by responding to the messages. The efficacy of the study requires further replication, as only half of the participants reduced their cotinine levels. However, participants answered the majority of true-or-false questions accurately and reported that the messages were helpful.
Spatial scale influences the associational effects of neighbor plants on mammal herbivory. 1

12 There is high intra-specific variability in susceptibility of plants to herbivores with potential 13 effects on the population dynamics of species, community composition, structure and function. 14 This variability can be partly explained by vegetation assemblages, i.e. associational effects, but 15 it is still unclear how the spatial scale of plant associations modulates foraging choice of 16 herbivores; an inherently spatial process in itself. Using a meta-analysis, we investigated how 17 spatial scale modifies associational effects of neighboring plants on the susceptibility to 18 browsing by herbivores with movement capacities similar to deer. From 2496 articles found in 19 main literature databases, we selected 46 studies providing a total of 168 differences of means in 20 damage or survival with and without neighboring plants. We tested the impact of spatial scale, 21 estimated as the distance between the focal plant and its neighbors, and the type of association 22 effect on the effect sizes reported in these studies using a meta-analysis mixed model. The 23 strength of associational effects slightly increases from 0 to 1 m and decreases at scales larger 24 than 1 m. Associational defence (i.e. decrease in susceptibility with avoided neighbors) had 25 stronger effects than any other type of associational effects, but was not more frequent. Our 26 study is the first addressing the magnitude of change in associational effects with spatial scale. 27 Further empirical studies should test associational effects between plants at multiple spatial 28 scales simultaneously. The high remaining heterogeneity between the studies suggests that 29 untested factors modulate associational effects, such as nutritional quality of focal and 30 neighboring plants and/or timing of browsing. Associational effects are already considered in 31 multiple restoration contexts worldwide, but a better understanding of these intratrophic 32 relationships could improve and generalize their use in conservation and exploitation. 33 . CC-BY-ND 4.0 International license peer-reviewed) is the author/funder. It is made available under a The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not . http://dx.doi. org/10.1101/019935 doi: bioRxiv preprint first posted online May. 28, 2015;
Duration of contact lens removal before myopic refractive surgery

Purpose: To compare refractive surgery outcomes in patients with different periods without contact lenses prior laser surgery. Materials and methods: Patients included in this study underwent myopic keratorefractive laser surgery between January 2005 and December 2014. Patients were divided into three groups based on the duration of time passed free of soft contact lens wearing prior to final preoperative evaluation and surgery (<24 h, 1–3 days or >3 days). Spectacle wearers served as a control group. Postoperative safety index, efficacy index and % of eyes within 0.5 D of the four groups were compared. A general linear model was used to compare main outcomes while adjusting for age, gender, preoperative measurements, and procedure type (LASIK vs PRK). Results: Overall, 19,747 eyes were included. Soft contact lenses were worn by 42.3% (<24 h: 4.8%, 1–3 days: 18.5% and >3 days: 19.0%) and spectacles by 57.7% prior to surgery. In the PRK group, after adjusting for differences in baseline variables, the <24-h group had a significantly lower efficacy index than all the other groups. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of % eyes within ±0.5 D of intended correction (p = 0.55) or safety index (0.20). In the LASIK group, after adjusting for differences in baseline variables, there were no significant differences between groups in all primary outcomes. Conclusion: Soft contact lenses should be removed at least 24 h prior to final preoperative evaluation and refractive surgery, especially for patients undergoing PRK.
Comparative Field Energetics of a Kalahari Skink (Mabuya striata) and Gecko (Pachydactylus bibroni)

Many diurnal lizards maintain comparatively high body temperatures by means of behavioral thermoregulation. They should have higher daily integrated body temperatures, and hence higher daily energy and food requirements than nocturnal lizards, which have lower body temperatures when active. We tested this hypothesis with a diurnal skink and a nocturnal gecko, both of which are arboreal insectivores. Doubly labeled water measurements indicate that field metabolic rates (FMR), water flux rates, and feeding rates do not differ between these two sympatric Kalahari lizards. Our results suggest that geckos: 1) may have higher body temperatures during the daytime; 2) may be more active while abroad; 3) may be abroad longer each day; and, 4) may have different thermal effects on their energy metabolism than previously thought.
Chronic Coronary Syndrome: Overcoming Clinical Practice Guidelines. The Role of the COMPASS Strategy

Current European guidelines on chronic coronary syndromes recommend the use of low-dose aspirin (or clopidogrel if intolerance or contraindication occurs) throughout life. However, as the risk of recurrent vascular events is high, particularly in some patients (i.e. diffuse multivessel coronary artery disease, diabetes, recurrent myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, or chronic kidney disease,…), these guidelines also consider that in those patients at moderate or high risk of ischemic events, but without a high bleeding risk, dual antithrombotic therapy should be considered. According to these guidelines, treatment options for dual antithrombotic therapy in combination with aspirin may include clopidogrel 75 mg/daily, prasugrel 10 mg/daily, ticagrelor 60 mg bid or rivaroxaban 2.5 mg bid. Remarkably, despite the results of the clinical trials that sustain these recommendations clearly diverge, guidelines do not differentiate between them. However, although all these drugs have demonstrated a significant reduction in major cardiovascular events in patients with stable atherosclerotic disease, only the addition of rivaroxaban has been associated with a reduction in cardiovascular and overall mortality in the secondary analysis. This may be related to the fact that the activation of platelets and factor X plays a key role in the development of atherothrombosis, and, consequently, both targets should be considered for the appropriate management of these patients.