Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Species diversity and composition drive the aesthetic value of coral reef fish assemblages

Cultural and recreational values of biodiversity are considered as important dimensions of nature's contribution to people. Among these values, the aesthetics can be of major importance as the appreciation of beauty is one of the simplest forms of human emotional response. Using an online survey, we disentangled the effects of different facets of biodiversity on aesthetic preferences of coral reef fish assemblages that are among the most emblematic assemblages on Earth. While we found a positive saturating effect of species' richness on human preference, we found a net negative effect of species abundance, no effect of species functional diversity and contrasting effects of species composition depending on species' attractiveness. Our results suggest that the biodiversity–human interest relationship is more complex than has been previously stated. By integrating several scales of organization, our study is a step forward in better evaluating the aesthetic value of biodiversity.
A single ‘weight-lifting’ game covers all kinds of games

Game theory has been studied extensively to answer why cooperation is promoted in human and animal societies. All games are classified into five games: the Prisoner's Dilemma, chicken game (including hawk–dove game), stag hunt game and two trivial games of either all cooperation or all defect, which are studied separately. Here, we propose a new game that covers all five game categories: the weight-lifting game. The player choose either to (1) carry a weight (cooperate: pay a cost) or (2) pretend to carry it (defect: pay no cost). The probability of success in carrying the weight depends on the number of cooperators, and the players either gain the success reward or pay the failure penalty. All five game categories appear in this game depending on the success probabilities for the number of cooperators. We prove that this game is exactly equivalent to the combination of all five games in terms of a pay-off matrix. This game thus provides a unified framework for studying all five types of games.
Now or never: noticing occurs early in sustained inattentional blindness

People can show sustained inattentional blindness for unexpected objects visible for seconds or even minutes. Would such objects eventually be noticed given enough time, with the likelihood of noticing accumulating while the unexpected object is visible? Or, is there a narrow window around onset or offset when an object is most likely to be detected, with the chances of noticing dropping outside of that window? Across three experiments (total n's = 283, 756, 488) exploring the temporal dynamics of noticing in sustained inattentional blindness, subjects who noticed the unexpected object did so soon after it onset. Doubling or even tripling the time when the unexpected object was visible barely affected the likelihood of noticing it and had no impact on how accurately subjects reported its features. When people notice an unexpected object in these sustained inattentional blindness tasks, they do so soon after the unexpected object onsets.
Genotype-Specific Modulatory Effects of Select Spectral Bandwidths on the Nutritive and Phytochemical Composition of Microgreens

Advanced analytical data on microgreens' response to different light spectra constitutes a valuable resource for designing future crop-specific spectral management systems. The current study defined variation in productivity, nutritive and functional quality (mineral–carotenoid–polyphenolic profiles and antioxidant capacity) of novel microgreens (amaranth, cress, mizuna, purslane) in response to select spectral bandwidths (red, blue, blue-red), and appraised clustering patterns configured by the genotype-light-spectrum nexus. Growth parameters dependent on primary metabolism were most favored by blue-red light's efficiency in activating the photosynthetic apparatus. Nitrate accumulation was higher under monochromatic light owing to the dependency of nitrite reductase on the light-driven activity of PSI, most efficiently promoted by blue-red light. Although mineral composition was mostly genotype-dependent, monochromatic red and blue lights tended to increase K and Na and decrease Ca and Mg concentrations. Lutein, β-carotene, and lipophilic antioxidant capacity were generally increased by blue-red light putatively due to the coupling of heightened photosynthetic activity to increased demand for protection against oxidative stress; the disparate response however of purslane highlights the importance of genotype specificity in these responses and calls for additional investigation. Analysis of polyphenols by Orbitrap LC-MS/MS revealed substantial genotypic differences. Most abundant phenolics were chlorogenic acid (x¯ = 5503 µg g−1 dw), feruloylquinic acid (x¯ = 974.1 µg g−1 dw), and caffeoyl feruloyl tartaric acid (x¯ = 993 µg g−1 dw). Hydroxycinnamic acids accounted for 79.0% of the mean total phenolic content across species, flavonol glycosides for 20.7%, and flavone glycosides for 0.3%. The general response across species was a decrease in individual polyphenolic constituents, particularly flavonol glycosides, and total polyphenols under blue-red light. The pronounced effectiveness of monochromatic blue light in eliciting synthesis of flavonoids could be linked to their capacity for absorbing shorter wavelengths thereby quenching generated photo-oxidation potential. The light-induced stimulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway by monochromatic blue light through epigenetic mechanisms or redox signaling in the photosynthetic apparatus warrants further investigation. The current work highlights how optimized genetic background combined with effective light management might facilitate the production of superior functional quality microgreens.
Comparison of the Thermal Expansion Behavior of Several Intermetallic Silicide Alloys

Thermal expansion measurements were conducted on hot-pressed CrSi2, TiSi2, WSi2 and a two-phase Cr-Mo-Si intermetallic alloy between 293 and 1523 K during three heat-cool cycles. The corrected thermal expansion, ( L/L0)thermal, varied with the absolute temperature, T, as ( L/L0)thermal = A(T-293) + B(T-293) + C(T-293) + D, where A, B, C and D are regression constants. Excellent reproducibility was observed for most of the materials after the first heat-up cycle. In some cases, the data from the first heatup cycle deviated from those determined in the subsequent cycles. This deviation was attributed to the presence of residual stresses developed during processing, which are relieved after the first heat-up cycle.
Targeting the TIGIT-PVR immune checkpoint axis as novel therapeutic option in breast cancer

ABSTRACT Immune checkpoints are intensively investigated as targets in cancer therapy. T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin (Ig) and ITIM domains (TIGIT) and its ligand poliovirus receptor (PVR) are recently emerging as novel promising targets in immunotherapy. Here, we show that high expression of PVR represents an independent prognostic marker being associated with poor outcome for breast cancer patients. Furthermore, PVR mRNA, as well as protein expression, is associated with more aggressive breast cancer subtypes such as HER2 positive and triple-negative breast cancer. In vitro, blocking TIGIT or PVR resulted in enhanced immune cell-mediated lysis of breast cancer cell lines SKBR-3, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and BT549 and additionally increased the cytotoxic effects of a bispecific T cell engager BiTE® antibody construct targeting EGFR. Taken together, our data identify the immune checkpoint factor PVR as a novel prognostic marker in breast cancer and indicate that blocking the TIGIT-PVR axis might represent a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of breast cancer patients.
Allelic association with ankylosing spondylitis fails to correlate with human leukocyte antigen B27 homodimer formation

Expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 is strongly associated with predisposition toward ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other spondyloarthropathies. However, the exact involvement of HLA-B27 in disease initiation and progression remains unclear. The homodimer theory, which proposes that HLA-B27 heavy chains aberrantly form homodimers, is a central hypothesis that attempts to explain the role of HLA-B27 in disease pathogenesis. Here, we examined the ability of the eight most prevalent HLA-B27 allotypes (HLA-B*27:02 to HLA-B*27:09) to form homodimers. We observed that HLA-B*27:03, a disease-associated HLA-B27 subtype, showed a significantly reduced ability to form homodimers compared with all other allotypes, including the non-disease-associated/protective allotypes HLA-B*27:06 and HLA-B*27:09. We used X-ray crystallography and site-directed mutagenesis to unravel the molecular and structural mechanisms in HLA-B*27:03 that are responsible for its compromised ability to form homodimers. We show that polymorphism at position 59, which differentiates HLA-B*27:03 from all other allotypes, is responsible for its compromised ability to form homodimers. Indeed, histidine 59 in HLA-B*27:03 leads to a series of local conformational changes that act in concert to reduce the accessibility of the nearby cysteine 67, an essential amino acid residue for the formation of HLA-B27 homodimers. Considered together, the ability of both protective and disease-associated HLA-B27 allotypes to form homodimers and the failure of HLA-B*27:03 to form homodimers challenge the role of HLA-B27 homodimers in AS pathoetiology. Rather, this work implicates other features, such as peptide binding and antigen presentation, as pivotal mechanisms for disease pathogenesis.
Citation: Yarovaya, Larisa, Brzeszczynski, Janusz and Lau, Chi Keung (2016) Intra- and Inter-regional Return and Volatility Spillovers across Emerging and Developed Markets: Evidence from Stock Indices and Stock Index

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The effectiveness of an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in head and neck cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction

Purpose An enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol incorporates up-to-date perioperative care principles; the primary aim in using an ERAS protocol is to reduce issues that delay the recovery and cause the complications. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes associated with head and neck cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction before and after implementation of an ERAS protocol. Methods Outcomes were analyzed by dividing patients into 2 groups: 29 patients in the non-ERAS group and 60 patients in the ERAS group. The ERAS group performed a prospective observational cohort study of patients who underwent a head and neck cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction in Ajou University Hospital from August 2015 to December 2017. The non-ERAS group retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had undergone the same surgery from August 2012 to July 2015. Results Demographics, comorbidities, hospital length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications, starting time of rehabilitation, and postoperative periods before radiotherapy for the non-ERAS and ERAS groups were compared. Hospital LOS was significantly lower for patients whose care followed the ERAS protocol than for patients in the non-ERAS group (30.87 ± 20.72 days vs. 59.66 ± 40.43 days, P < 0.0001). Conclusion In this study, hospital LOS was reduced through fast recovery after the implementation of the ERAS protocol. Therefore, the ERAS protocol appeared feasible and safe in head and neck cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction.
Leveling the Field for a Fairer Race between Going and Stopping: Neural Evidence for the Race Model of Motor Inhibition from a New Version of the Stop Signal Task

Abstract The stop signal task (SST) is the gold standard experimental model of inhibitory control. However, neither SST condition–contrast (stop vs. go, successful vs. failed stop) purely operationalizes inhibition. Because stop trials include a second, infrequent signal, the stop versus go contrast confounds inhibition with attentional and stimulus processing demands. While this confound is controlled for in the successful versus failed stop contrast, the go process is systematically faster on failed stop trials, contaminating the contrast with a different noninhibitory confound. Here, we present an SST variant to address both confounds and evaluate putative neural indices of inhibition with these influences removed. In our variant, stop signals occurred on every trial, equating the noninhibitory demands of the stop versus go contrast. To entice participants to respond despite the impending stop signals, responses produced before stop signals were rewarded. This also reversed the go process bias that typically affects the successful versus failed stop contrast. We recorded scalp electroencephalography in this new version of the task (as well as a standard version of the SST with infrequent stop signal) and found that, even under these conditions, the properties of the frontocentral stop signal P3 ERP remained consistent with the race model. Specifically, in both tasks, the amplitude of the P3 was increased on stop versus go trials. Moreover, the onset of this P3 occurred earlier for successful compared with failed stop trials in both tasks, consistent with the proposal of the race model that an earlier start of the inhibition process will increase stopping success. Therefore, the frontocentral stop signal P3 represents a neural process whose properties are in line with the predictions of the race model of motor inhibition, even when the SST's confounds are controlled.
Advantages of determining the fertile window with the individualised Natural Cycles algorithm over calendar-based methods

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to compare the accuracy of fertile window identification with the contraceptive app Natural Cycles against the Rhythm Method and Standard Days Method (SDM). Materials and methods: Menstruation dates, basal body temperature (BBT), and luteinising hormone (LH) test results were collected anonymously from Natural Cycles app users. The fraction of green days (GDs) and wrong green days (WGDs) allocated by the various algorithms was determined over 12 cycles. For comparison of Natural Cycles and the Rhythm Method, 26,626 cycles were analysed. Results: Natural Cycles’ algorithms allocated 59% GDs (LH, BBT) in cycle 12, while the fraction of WGDs averaged 0.08%. The Rhythm Method requires monitoring of six cycles, resulting in no GDs or WGDs in cycle 1–6. In cycle 7, 49% GDs and 0.26% WGDs were allocated. GDs and WGDs decreased to 43% and 0.08% in cycle 12. The probabilities of WGDs on the day before ovulation with Natural Cycles were 0.31% (BBT) and 0% (LH, BBT), and 0.80% with the Rhythm Method. The probability of WGDs on the day before ovulation was 6.90% with the SDM. Conclusions: This study highlights that individualised algorithms are advantageous for accurate determination of the fertile window and that static algorithms are more likely to fail during the most fertile days
Drivers of improved PM2.5 air quality in China from 2013 to 2017

Significance The high frequency of haze pollution in China has attracted broad attention and triggered, in 2013, the promulgation of the toughest-ever clean air policy in the country. In this study, we quantified the air quality and health benefits from specific clean air actions by combining a chemical transport model with a detailed emission inventory. As tremendous efforts and resources are needed for mitigating emissions from various sources, evaluation of the effectiveness of these measures can provide crucial information for developing air quality policies in China as well as in other developing and highly polluting countries. Based on measure-specific analysis, our results bear out several important implications for designing future clean air policies. From 2013 to 2017, with the implementation of the toughest-ever clean air policy in China, significant declines in fine particle (PM2.5) concentrations occurred nationwide. Here we estimate the drivers of the improved PM2.5 air quality and the associated health benefits in China from 2013 to 2017 based on a measure-specific integrated evaluation approach, which combines a bottom-up emission inventory, a chemical transport model, and epidemiological exposure-response functions. The estimated national population–weighted annual mean PM2.5 concentrations decreased from 61.8 (95%CI: 53.3–70.0) to 42.0 µg/m3 (95% CI: 35.7–48.6) in 5 y, with dominant contributions from anthropogenic emission abatements. Although interannual meteorological variations could significantly alter PM2.5 concentrations, the corresponding effects on the 5-y trends were relatively small. The measure-by-measure evaluation indicated that strengthening industrial emission standards (power plants and emission-intensive industrial sectors), upgrades on industrial boilers, phasing out outdated industrial capacities, and promoting clean fuels in the residential sector were major effective measures in reducing PM2.5 pollution and health burdens. These measures were estimated to contribute to 6.6- (95% CI: 5.9–7.1), 4.4- (95% CI: 3.8–4.9), 2.8- (95% CI: 2.5–3.0), and 2.2- (95% CI: 2.0–2.5) µg/m3 declines in the national PM2.5 concentration in 2017, respectively, and further reduced PM2.5-attributable excess deaths by 0.37 million (95% CI: 0.35–0.39), or 92% of the total avoided deaths. Our study confirms the effectiveness of China’s recent clean air actions, and the measure-by-measure evaluation provides insights into future clean air policy making in China and in other developing and polluting countries.
Outcome of treatment of Zygomatic bone fracture by two point fixation versus three point fixation in Mayo Hospital Lahore.

OBJECTIVE To compare the outcome of two-point internal fixation versus three-point internal fixation for the treatment of zygoma fractures. METHODS The quassi-experimental study was conducted at the King Edward Medical University, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from April to September 2016, and comprised patients with zygomatic bone fracture who were randomly divided into two groups. In Group A, patients were treated with two-point fixation and in Group B, patients were treated with three-point fixation. All patients were treated by the same consultant. Patients were followed up on first, third and sixth week postoperatively and malar height and mouth opening were recorded at the sixth week follow-up. Data was analysed using SPSS 17. RESULTS Of the 60 patients, there were 30(50%) in each of the two groups. There were 39(65%) males and 21(35%) females. The mean age in Group A was 29.56±9.89 years (range: 17-50 years), while in Group-B it was 29.45±8.68 years (range: 17-49 years). Mean malar height at 6th week post-operative follow up showed a significant reduction in Group B compared to Group A (p= 0.001). Significant improvement in mouth opening was seen in Group B compared to Group A (p= 0.034). CONCLUSIONS Three-point fixation was found to give more stable reduction compared to 2-point fixation for treating zygomatic bone fractures in terms of malar height and mouth opening.
Stem cells and heart: an open future or a mirage?

Stem cells (SC) look like to be the possible solution to a number of human pathologies, including those involving the heart. In fact, some studies based on animal models suggest that SC can be used to repair the damaged cardiac tissue, such as in case of myocardial infarction. In fact it has been demonstrated that it would be possible to produce a quantity of SC sufficient to repair an animal heart having physiology and dimensions as the human heart. The aim of this short review is to examine the different subtypes of SC potentially involved in the heart repair (autologous and heterologous) processes as well as the serious concerns that have still to be overcome before considering SC a sure therapy for the heart diseases: rejections, oncogenesis due to SC high proliferative activity, difficult in ruling their differentiation, massive SC death when introducing them in an ischemic environment, ethical problems when SC are derived from embryos. Proceedings of the 2 nd International Course on Perinatal Pathology (part of the 11 th International Workshop on Neonatology · October 26 th -31 st , 2015) · Cagliari (Italy) · October 31 st , 2015 · Stem cells: present and future Guest Editors: Gavino Faa, Vassilios Fanos, Antonio Giordano
The nursing staff view about barriers of using pain relief methods

Introduction: Lack of pain relief in patients, particularly in patients undergoing artery transplant surgery, cause higher mortality and complications. This study aimed to identify the opinions of the nurses about barriers of using of pain relief methods. Methods: In this descriptive study was done with 211 samples by census method in Kerman hospitals in 2008. For collecting the data, a researcher made questionnaire was used which had two parts (the first part was about demographic characteristics and the second part included 31 questions about barriers in four domains: patient, nurse, institution and physician). Analyzing the data was done by non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis). Results: In nurses' view, most barriers mentioned in patient's area were not considered as barrier. Among the barriers to nurses, the most effective barrier was nurse inadequate knowledge about methods of nonpharmacologic pain relief (91.7 percent). The most effective barrier in the organizational area was hard prevent regulations in the use of opium drugs (52.2 percent) and in the physician's area, lack of physician willingness to use of pain relief methods were charged the highest barrier (65.9 percent). Conclusion: Identifying pain relief barriers would help in overcoming these barriers and besides revising the difficult regulations on the use of narcotic drugs, seems necessary.