The word gerbil is a diminutive form of  jerboa , though the jerboas are an unrelated group of rodents occupying a similar ecological niche. One Mongolian species, Meriones unguiculatus, also known as the clawed jird, is a gentle and hardy animal that has become a popular pet.
Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is a type of surgery that enables doctors to view the inside of the chest cavity after making only very small incisions. The doctor can examine the outside surface of the lung and the inner surface of the chest wall through a camera attached to the scope.
A VAT number, properly called a VAT Registration Number, is an alphanumeric identifier -- consisting of up to 15 characters -- unique to any corporate entity doing business in a European Union country that implements the Value Added Tax system.t is a consumption tax, meaning that it is borne by the end user; although any number of intermediaries may pay VAT on a product as it moves along its distribution pathway, these intermediaries claim the tax back as part of their accounting procedures. The only party that cannot claim the tax back is the end user.