Search

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the thoracic robotic approach in a high-volume center regarding procedures and clinical outcomes after 1,000 procedures.MethodsIn a single-center subset of the Epithor® database, a prospective cohort database of French thoracic surgery, we analyzed procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes from February 2014 to April 2023. A surgical technique for lung surgery was conducted with a four-arm closed chest with the port access approach and vascular sewing and knotting were preferred over stapling. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-2 test for discontinuous variables and the Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test for continuous variables. Tests were considered significant for a p-value

Background: Organic aciduria diseases (OADs) occur worldwide, with differences in prevalence and patterns between populations. Objectives: To describe the spectrum of OADs identified in Tunisia over a 35-years period. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who were diagnosed with OADs between 1987 and 2022 in the Laboratory of Biochemistry, Rabta Hospital, Tunisia. Organic acids were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: A total of 30,670 urine samples were analyzed for OADs, of which 471 were positive for OADs. The estimated incidence of OADs in Tunisia was 6.78 per 100,000 live births. Methylmalonic (n = 146) and propionic (n = 90) acidurias were the most common OADs (estimated incidence: 2.10 and 1.30 per 100,000 live births, respectively). There were 54 cases of L-2-hydroxyglutatric acidurias and 30 cases of pyroglutamic acidurias, which makes it one of the highest in the world. The main clinical features were hypotonia (65%) and feeding difficulties (41%). Age at diagnosis was highly variable, ranging from 1 day to 49 years. Only 27% of the patients were diagnosed within the first month of life. The prevalence of OADs was highest in the Center-East and Southeast regions. Conclusions: In Tunisia, OADs are relatively frequent, but there are shortcomings regarding the diagnosis of these disorders. The frequency and health/social impact of these disorders warrant the need for implementing newborn screening programs and suitable patient management.

This research examines the impact of the coronavirus index on the returns and volatility of ten major cryptocurrencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, we applied a multivariate volatility GARCH model with an integrated dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) approach to daily cryptocurrency values observed data during the January-December, 2020 period. Moreover, we used the Granger causality test to study return-volume correlations. The findings indicate that cryptocurrency volatility declined after the World Health Organization declared on March 11, 2020, that the coronavirus was a pandemic. Unlike most of the relevant previous studies, we found that the COVID-19 crisis did not have a long-term effect on cryptocurrency returns and volatility but only presented a short-term effect. Our results have implications for investors who need to determine an optimal portfolio for a scenario other than the base.

The purpose of this study is to test the effect of financial performance on earnings management, with the presence of a firm’s specific characteristics, in a non-credible financial information context such as Tunisia. A panel data approach, namely multiple regression analysis, was applied on a sample of 30 firms operating in different sectors and observed over the period 2012–2021. Two estimation methods, the fixed effects and random effects models, are used. To choose the best estimation method, the Breusch-Pagan and Hausman tests were used.The results indicate, on the one hand, the financial performance measured by Tobin’s Q and Marris’ ratio, positively affects earnings management. On the other hand, the variables of firm characteristics, such as financial leverage, asset structure, growth rate and sectoral affiliation, decrease earnings manipulation, and firm size and managers’ ownership have no effect on earnings management. This means that managers of Tunisian firms manipulate their results to improve the level of performance and their financial sate. This manipulation is driven by goals other than those observed in other contexts and related to the financial market. This finding contributes to the literature on the association between several features of earnings management and firm performance, with the effect of firm characteristics.

This research was conducted to evaluate consumer preferences of seven extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) from foreign and Tunisian cultivars. Two studies were carried out. The first is a comparative physicochemical characterization of the VOOs tasted by the consumers. The second is a consumer survey where each consumer tasted each VOO six times. Using simple linear regressions, we have performed a new method that gives a pairwise comparison between the oils. It revealed that Coratina and Chetoui cultivars were the most preferred revealing by the high concentration of polyphenols with 468 and 525 ppm, respectively, and Arbequina was the less preferred with 182 ppm. We have then performed a principal component analysis on the data composed by the physicochemical parameters that highly discriminate between cultivars. The latter showed important differences between the most and the less preferred oils and that oxidative stability, palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic, and linoleic fatty acids, triacylglycerol, β-carotene, and polyphenols seem to be the principal-choice drivers for consumers.

In our experience, the Santulli procedure (SP) can improve bowel recovery in congenital intestinal malformations, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and bowel perforation. All cases managed at our institution using SP between 2012 and 2017 were included in this study. Forty-one patients underwent SP (median age: 39 (0–335) days, median weight: 2987 (1400–8100) g) for intestinal atresia (51%, two gastroschisis), NEC (29%), midgut volvulus (10%), Hirschsprung’s disease (5%), or bowel perforation (5%), with at least one intestinal suture below the Santulli in 10% of cases. The SP was performed as a primary procedure (57%) or as a double-ileostomy reversal. Anal-stool passing occurred within a median of 9 (2–36) days for 95% of patients, regardless of the diversion level or the underlying disease. All three patients requiring repeated surgery for Santulli dysfunction had presented with stoma prolapse (p < 0.01). Stoma closure was performed after a median of 45 (14–270) days allowing efficient transit after a median of 2 (1–6) days. After a median follow-up of 2.9 (0.7–7.2) years, two patients died (cardiopathy and brain hemorrhage), full oral intake had been achieved in 90% of patients, and all survivors had normal bowel movement. Whether used as primary or secondary surgery, the SP allows rapid recovery of intestinal motility and function.