Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Up-to-Date Literature Review on Ventricular Assist Devices Experience in Pediatric Hearts

Ventricular assist devices (VAD) have gained popularity in the pediatric population during recent years, as more and more children require a heart transplant due to improved palliation methods, allowing congenital heart defect patients and children with cardiomyopathies to live longer. Eventually, these children may require heart transplantation, and ventricular assist devices provide a bridge to transplantation in these cases. The FDA has so far approved two types of device: pulsatile and continuous flow (non-pulsatile), which can be axial and centrifugal. Potential eligible studies were searched in three databases: Medline, Embase, and ScienceDirect. Our endeavor retrieved 16 eligible studies focusing on five ventricular assist devices in children. We critically reviewed ventricular assist devices approved for pediatric use in terms of implant indication, main adverse effects, and outcomes. The main adverse effects associated with these devices have been noted to be thromboembolism, infection, bleeding, and hemolysis. However, utilizing left VAD early on, before end-organ dysfunction and deterioration of heart function, may give the patient enough time to recuperate before considering a more long-term solution for ventricular support.
On the Ability of Dry Tropical-Cyclone-like Vortices to Withstand Vertical Shear

Abstract The ability of dry tropical-cyclone-like vortices to resist vertical shear is discussed. An idealized model calculation is presented in which a dry vortex remains nearly upright during 4 days under the influence of environmental vertical shear. It is shown that the outer portion of the vortex tilts more strongly than the inner core and that the pattern of vertical velocity is related to the vertical tilt of the outer portion of the vortex. This result is discussed with relation to observations of the location of convection in tropical cyclones. An alternative definition of the vortex center is proposed for cases in which the vertical tilt of the vortex is of importance. The average vertical shear across the center of the vortex is shown to depend on both the vortex tilt and the presence of large-scale potential vorticity asymmetries in the outer regions of the vortex. The average vertical shear is a function of time and of the area of the circle over which the averaging is carried out. Thus, the .
Connection of predictability of major stratospheric sudden warmings to polar vortex geometry

This study explores a possible connection between predictability variations of major stratospheric sudden warmings (MSSWs) during Northern winter and the geometry of the polar vortex. We compare 1‐month hindcasts from 1979 to 2012 of the Japan Meteorological Agency to the Japanese 55‐year Reanalysis data. Results show that error variations of medium range (≈14 day) forecasts of 21 actual MSSWs do depend on the observed geometry of the polar vortex: the errors are larger for vortex split MSSWs when the polar vortex is highly stretched as characterized by a high aspect ratio and an amplified zonal wavenumber 2 component.
Information technology adoption by small and medium enterprises: a meta-analysis

Abstract Information technology (IT) has impacted firms in different industries. IT adoption is just as impactful for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Despite the number of studies investigating outcomes and IT adoption, there is a lack of consensus regarding the most relevant factors associated with IT adoption by SMEs (e.g. drivers and IT adoption). The study investigates the main antecedents, outcomes, and moderators of IT adoption by SMEs. A meta-analysis was conducted, integrating the findings from 59 studies. Data were analyzed by integrating meta-analysis and regression approach (MASEM). The results showed that the dimensions of TAM (usefulness and ease of use) and perceived compatibility have the strongest correlations among the nine antecedents. The findings indicated that resources and market turbulence were the main predictors of IT adoption in SMEs when testing only the direct relationships (MASEM). IT adoption significantly impacted outcomes, and SMEs from countries with low uncertainty avoidance presented stronger effects of IT adoption on firm outcomes. This research contributes to the literature by (i) addressing prior studies’ conflicts about antecedents and outcomes of SMEs IT adoption, (ii) integrating different theoretical approaches, and (iii) generating insights for managers and public policy institutions responsible for the survival and development of SMEs.
Perturbed Laguerre unitary ensembles, Hankel determinants, and information theory

This article investigates a key information‐theoretic performance metric in multiple‐antenna wireless communications, the so‐called outage probability. The article is partly a review, with the methodology based mainly on [10], while also presenting some new results. The outage probability may be expressed in terms of a moment generating function, which involves a Hankel determinant generated from a perturbed Laguerre weight. For this Hankel determinant, we present two separate integral representations, both involving solutions to certain non‐linear differential equations. In the second case, this is identified with a particular σ‐form of Painlevé V. As an alternative to the Painlevé V, we show that this second integral representation may also be expressed in terms of a non‐linear second order difference equation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anisotropic Characterization of Crack Growth in the Tertiary Flow of Asphalt Mixtures in Compression

Asphalt mixtures exhibit primary, secondary, and tertiary stages in sequence during a rutting deterioration. Many field asphalt pavements are still in service even when the asphalt layer is in the tertiary stage, and rehabilitation is not performed until a significant amount of rutting accompanied by numerous macrocracks is observed. The objective of this study was to provide a mechanistic method to model the anisotropic cracking of the asphalt mixtures in compression during the tertiary stage of rutting. Laboratory tests including nondestructive and destructive tests were performed to obtain the viscoelastic and viscofracture properties of the asphalt mixtures. Each of the measured axial and radial total strains in the destructive tests were decomposed into elastic, plastic, viscoelastic, viscoplastic, and viscofracture strains using the pseudostrain method in an extended elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle. The viscofracture strains are caused by the crack growth, which is primarily signaled by the increase of phase angle in the tertiary flow. The viscofracture properties are characterized using the anisotropic damage densities (i.e., the ratio of the lost area caused by cracks to the original total area in orthogonal directions). Using the decomposed axial and radial viscofracture strains, the axial and radial damage densities were determined by using a dissipated pseudostrain energy balance principle and a geometric analysis of the cracks, respectively. Anisotropic pseudo J-integral Paris' laws in terms of damage densities were used to characterize the evolution of the cracks in compression. The material constants in the Paris' law are determined and found to be highly correlated. These tests, analysis, and modeling were performed on different asphalt mixtures with two binders, two air void contents, and three aging periods. Consistent results were obtained; for instance, a stiffer asphalt mixture is demonstrated to have a higher modulus, a lower phase angle, a greater flow number, and a larger n1 value (exponent of Paris' law). The calculation of the orientation of cracks demonstrates that the asphalt mixture with 4% air voids has a brittle fracture and a splitting crack mode, whereas the asphalt mixture with 7% air voids tends to have a ductile fracture and a diagonal sliding crack mode. Cracks of the asphalt mixtures in compression are inclined to propagate along the direction of the external compressive load.
Democracy’s Ambivalent Effect on Terrorism

Does democracy heighten or lessen the incidence of terrorism? This question has eluded a definitive answer for over three decades. Some terrorism researchers find that democracy has dampened terrorism; others that democracy has encouraged it; still others that there is a curvilinear or more nuanced relationship between the two. In this article, we contend that democracy has differential effects on terrorism, depending on the goals of particular terrorist groups. We claim that efforts to restrict democracy, by decreasing political rights and civil liberties, will effectively constrain terrorist activity from “strategic” groups but will have the opposite effect on “universalist” groups. The reason for this variance, we argue, involves the scope of ambition and underlying motivation distinguishing these very different types of terrorist movements. Because universalist groups have abstract ambitions and non-negotiable goals, they are unlikely to be deterred by crackdowns on democracy. Alternatively, because strategic groups do not see their missions as all-or-nothing campaigns of good versus evil and instead seek limited and concrete goals, anti-democratic measures are more likely to succeed against them. Our analysis of 200 countries from 1972 to 2016 finds strong support for this claim.
Theory of the magnon and phonon interaction in FeF2

A strong interaction has been observed between the magnon and phonon excitations in ferrous difluoride which is believed to originate from the phonon modulation of the crystal field, much as in Van Vleck's model for paramagnetic relaxation. A detailed investigation is possible because previous studies of various magnetic properties of FeF2 give sound values for the crystal field parameters. The spin Hamiltonian is shown to contain a coupling linear in both the nuclear displacements and spin, and it gives a good description of the low temperature neutron scattering measurements for all wave-vectors in the (001) and (100) directions.
Phylogenetic divergence and population genetics of the hydrothermal vent annelid genus Hesiolyra along the East Pacific Rise: Reappraisal using multi‐locus data

Maintaining genetic connectivity is crucial for species that inhabit the disjunct and unstable deep‐sea hydrothermal vents. We aimed to re‐assess the connectivity of the annelid genus Hesiolyra distributed at hydrothermal vents along the East Pacific Rise (EPR). A previous study detected a major clade among five Hesiolyra populations spanning from 13°N to 21°S and a minor sympatric southern clade with ~1% divergence from the major clade. However, this study was based on a short locus of 366‐bp COI gene, which might not contain sufficient informative sites.
Using Artificial Intelligence for Drug Discovery: A Bibliometric Study and Future Research Agenda

Drug discovery is usually a rule-based process that is carefully carried out by pharmacists. However, a new trend is emerging in research and practice where artificial intelligence is being used for drug discovery to increase efficiency or to develop new drugs for previously untreatable diseases. Nevertheless, so far, no study takes a holistic view of AI-based drug discovery research. Given the importance and potential of AI for drug discovery, this lack of research is surprising. This study aimed to close this research gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis to identify all relevant studies and to analyze interrelationships among algorithms, institutions, countries, and funding sponsors. For this purpose, a sample of 3884 articles was examined bibliometrically, including studies from 1991 to 2022. We utilized various qualitative and quantitative methods, such as performance analysis, science mapping, and thematic analysis. Based on these findings, we furthermore developed a research agenda that aims to serve as a foundation for future researchers.
SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Effectiveness Is Influenced by Non-Epitope Mutation/Binding-Induced Denaturation of the Epitope 3D Architecture

The public health threat from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to intensify with emerging variants of concern (VOC) aiming to render COVID-19 vaccines/infection-induced antibodies redundant. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is responsible for receptor binding and infection of host cells making it a legitimate antibody target. Antibodies mostly target epitopes in the receptor binding domain (RBD). Mutations occurring within epitopes influence antibody specificity and function by altering their 3D architecture. However, the mechanisms by which non-epitope mutations in the RBD influence antibody specificity and function remain a mystery. We used Protein Data Bank (PDB) deposited 3D structures for the original, Beta, Delta, BA.1, and BA.2 RBD proteins in complex with either neutralizing antibodies or Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) to elucidate the structural and mechanistic basis for neutralizing antibody evasion driven by non-epitope amino acid substitutions in the RBD. Since the mechanism behind the extensively reported functional discrepancies between the same antibody when used individually and when used in an antibody cocktail is lacking, we explored the structural basis for this inconsistency. Finally, since SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are viral mutagens, we deciphered determinants for antibody-pressured amino acid substitutions. On the one hand, we show that non-epitope mutations in the RBD domain of SARS-CoV-2 VOC influence the formation of hydrogen bonds in the paratope-epitope interface by repositioning RBD amino-acid sidechains (AASCs). This increases the distance between complementary donor/acceptor atoms on paratope and epitope AASCs leading to weaker or the complete prevention of the formation of hydrogen bonds in the paratope-epitope interface. On the other hand, we show that SARS-CoV-2 VOC employ the same strategy to simultaneously search for complementary donor/acceptor atoms on ACE2 AASCs to form new interactions, potentially favoring increased viral transmission. Additionally, we illustrate that converting the spike protein to an RBD, a deletion mutation, also repositions epitope AASCs and that AASC interactions in the paratope-epitope interface vary when an antibody is used individually versus when utilized as a cocktail with other antibodies. Finally, we show that the process of substituting immunogenic RBD amino acids begins with the repositioning of their AASCs induced by immune/antibody pressure. We show that donor/acceptor atoms from any amino acid can determine cross-reactivity instead, provided they possess and present spatially pairing donor/acceptor atoms. By studying structural alignments for PDB deposited antibody-RBD 3D structures and relating them to published binding and neutralization profiles of the same antibodies, we demonstrate that minor structural alterations such as epitope AASC repositioning have a major impact on antibody effectiveness and, hence, should receive adequate attention given that protein structure dictates protein function.
Structural, morphology and electrical properties of layered copper selenide thin film

Thin films of copper selenide (CuSe) were physically deposited layer-by-layer up to 5 layers using thermal evaporation technique onto a glass substrate. Various film properties, including the thickness, structure, morphology, surface roughness, average grain size and electrical conductivity are studied and discussed. These properties are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), ellipsometer and 4 point probe at room temperature. The dependence of electrical conductivity, surface roughness, and average grain size on number of layers deposited is discussed.
Data Driven Smooth Tests for Bivariate Normality

Based upon the idea of construction of data driven smooth tests for composite hypotheses presented in Inglotet al.(1997) and Kallenberg and Ledwina (1997), two versions of data driven smooth test for bivariate normality are proposed. Asymptotic null distributions are derived, and consistency of the newly introduced tests against every bivariate alternative with marginals having finite variances is proved. Included results of power simulations show that one of the proposed tests performs very well in comparison with other commonly used tests for bivariate normality.
Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to iodinated contrast media: The diagnosis of allergy by skin testing

Abstract Among 74 patients with an immediate hypersensitivity reaction (IHR) to iodinated contrast media (ICM), the rate of allergic patients confirmed by positive prick test or diluted intradermal test (IDT) was 8.1%. 12.5% of re‐exposed patients had a recurrent IHR despite negative skin tests. Investigations on pure IDT to ICM and development of drug provocation test may provide additional safety nets to uncover recurrent ICM reactors. Agreements among allergists are needed to unify practices.
Seeing the glass half-empty: implications for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage through formal education in Türkiye

ABSTRACT Formal education is a key element for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH Convention) and definitions in Articles 2.2 and 14. However, integration of ICH into schools is challenging, due to problems in adapting the ICH Convention into national, regional and local contexts. This article critically examines Türkiye’s experience in ICH safeguarding through formal education and its negative implications. Focus is on primary education Folk Culture course that was introduced after Türkiye ratified the ICH Convention in 2006. The course was attended by 206,570 students in the 2018–2019 academic year. Findings on curricula and interviews with teachers reveal that assignments of a particular unit to support the transmission of ICH is inefficient and misleading, since teachers were insufficiently involved in capacity-building activities. This article discusses how ineffective formal education can create ICH marginalisation and render it institutionally non-functional. Formal education can be a double-edged tool with advantages and disadvantages for safeguarding, with possible negative conclusions.
Electrochemical Sensors Based on Au Nanoparticles Decorated Pyrene-Reduced Graphene Oxide for Hydrazine, 4-Nitrophenol and Hg2+ Detection in Water

Monitoring hazardous chemical compounds such as hydrazine (N2H4), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and Hg2+ in natural water resources is a crucial issue due to their toxic effects on human health and catastrophic impact on the environment. Electrochemical nanostructured platforms integrating hybrid nanocomposites based on graphene derivatives and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are of great interest for such a purpose. In this work, disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) have been modified with a hybrid nanocomposite formed by reduced graphene oxide (RGO), functionalized by 1-pyrene carboxylic acid (PCA), and decorated by colloidal Au NPs. These hybrid platforms have been tested for the electrocatalytic detection of N2H4 and 4-NP by differential pulse voltammetry and have been modified with an electropolymerized film of Hg2+ ions imprinted polycurcumin for the electroanalytical detection of Hg2+ by DPV. LODs, lower and in line with the lowest ones reported for state-of-the-art electrochemical sensors, integrating similar Au-graphene < nanocomposites, have been estimated. Additionally, good repeatability, reproducibility, and storage stability have been assessed, as well as a high selectivity in the presence of a 100-fold higher concentration of interfering species. The applicability of the proposed platforms for the detection of the compounds in real complex matrices, such as tap and river water samples, has been effectively demonstrated.
On the comparison of turbulence intensities from large-eddy simulation with those from experiment or direct numerical simulation

The relation between the Reynolds stresses from experiment or direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large-eddy simulation (LES) is reviewed. As is well known, the Reynolds stresses can only be reconstructed from a LES when the average contribution from the subgrid-scale model is taken into account. However, in the case of LES using traceless models (e.g., effective viscosity models: Smagorinsky model, dynamic Smagorinsky model, etc.), or even partially traceless models (e.g., mixed models), only the deviatoric Reynolds stresses can be reconstructed. This obvious point is often overlooked in the literature. It has important consequences in all flows with at least one inhomogeneous direction (channels, boundary layers, wakes, shear layers, jets, etc.): as far as the rms turbulence intensities are concerned, one can only properly reconstruct, and thus directly compare with experimental or DNS data, their deviation from isotropy.
A Regional Observational Study on COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CAPA) within Intensive Care Unit: Trying to Break the Mold

The reported incidence of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) ranges between 2.4% and 35% in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and awareness in the medical community is rising. We performed a regional retrospective observational study including patients diagnosed with CAPA defined according to the Modified AspICU Dutch/Belgian Mycosis Study Group and CAPA–EECMM, from five different ICUs, admitted between March, 2020 and September, 2021. Forty-five patients were included. The median age was 64 (IQR 60–72), mostly (73%) males. At ICU admission, the median Charlson comorbidity index was 3 (2–5), and the simplified acute physiology score (SAPS)-II score was 42 (31–56). The main underlying diseases were hypertension (46%), diabetes (36%) and pulmonary diseases (15%). CAPA was diagnosed within a median of 17 days (IQR 10–21.75) after symptoms onset and 9 days (IQR 3–11) after ICU admission. The overall 28-day mortality rate was 58%, and at univariate analysis, it was significantly associated with older age (p = 0.009) and SAPS-II score at admission (p = 0.032). The use of immunomodulatory agents, p = 0.061; broad-spectrum antibiotics, p = 0.091; positive culture for Aspergillus on BAL, p = 0.065; and hypertension, p = 0.083, were near reaching statistical significance. None of them were confirmed in multivariate analysis. In critically ill COVID-19 patients, CAPA acquired clinical relevance in terms of incidence and reported mortality. However, the risk between underdiagnosis—in the absence of specific invasive investigations, and with a consequent possible increase in mortality—and over-diagnosis (case identification with galactomannan on broncho-alveolar fluid alone) might be considered. Realistic incidence rates, based on local, real-life epidemiological data, might be helpful in guiding clinicians.
Novel Criteria of Stochastic Stability for Discrete-Time Markovian Jump Singular Systems via Supermartingale Approach

This article deals with the problem of stochastic stability for a class of discrete-time Markovian jump singular systems. A time-dependent coordinate transformation is provided, under which an equivalent form of the original Markovian jump singular systems can be obtained. This equivalent form not only shows the inherent state jump behavior at the switching instants, but also plays an important role in the stochastic stability analysis. Constructing a supermartingale over some $\sigma$-algebra together with the property of conditional expectation, a necessary and sufficient condition is established to ensure that the equilibrium point of the underlying system is exponentially stable in mean square. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed results.