Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Left main bifurcation coronary intervention with provisional stenting: the role of invasive functional evaluation and intracoronary imaging to guide stenting technique

We describe a remarkable case of a patient presenting with left main bifurcation stenosis involving the origins of both the left circumflex and the first acute marginal arteries which was successfully treated using single-stent provisional technique. Intracoronary imaging and invasive functional evaluation were used to assess the anatomical and functional complexity of this case, to guide the stenting technique, and to evaluate the final result.
Offshore cephalopods (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) collected off the west coast of Mexico during the TALUD cruises

ABSTRACT Deep-sea cephalopods are still poorly studied worldwide. In the case of the Mexican Pacific there is a general lack of basic information concerning their distribution and biology. A series of 132 specimens of pelagic and benthic deep-water cephalopods was obtained during the TALUD project. Samples were mostly obtained with benthic sampling gear that operated as mid-water trawls during the ascent of the nets. Micronekton and Isaacs-Kidd samplers were also occasionally used. The specimens (77 lots in total) were obtained at localities off western Mexico at depths between 122 m and 2200 m and belong to 31 species. Considering material identified to species level only, a total of 13 species were found only at a single station, while five others occurred in 5–6 stations (i.e., Leachia dislocata, Abraliopsis [Pfefferiteuthis] falco, Pterygioteuthis giardi, P. holeyi and Benthoctopus robustus). The most widespread species was Japetella diaphana, collected in 11 stations. Twenty-two of the 31 species are strictly pelagic, eight strictly benthic and one is benthopelagic. Significant new distribution records were obtained for seven species: Doryteuthis opalescens, Gonatus berryi, Todarodes pacificus, Opistoteuthis californiana, Benthoctopus leioderma, B. robustus and Graneledone boreopacifica.
Modern Pandemics: Recession and Recovery

We examine the immediate and bounce-back effects from six modern health crises that preceded Covid-19. Time-series models for a large cross-section of economies indicate that real GDP growth falls by around two percentage points in affected economies relative to unaffected economies in the year of the outbreak. Bounce-back in GDP growth is rapid and strong, especially when compared to non-health crises. Unemployment for less educated workers is higher and exhibits more persistence, and there is significantly greater persistence in female unemployment than male. Moreover, the negative initial effects of pandemics and bounce-back are economically contagious through international trade. The negative effects on GDP and unemployment are felt less in economies with larger first-year responses in government spending, especially on health care. Our estimates imply that the impact effect of the Covid-19 shock on world GDP growth is approximately four standard deviations worse than the average past pandemic.
Facebook intensity, social network support, stability and satisfaction in long-distance and geographically-close romantic relationships: A test of a mediation model

The impetus for this study is the proposition that social network sites (SNSs), like Facebook, can be beneficial for romantic relationships via network support functions. This study investigated a model which proposes that the use of Facebook predicts relationship support from Facebook connections, and this, in turn, predicts relationship stability and satisfaction in romantic relationships. This mediation model was tested on data gathered via an online survey among individuals who use Facebook, who are in long-distance (LDRR, n = 142) and geographically-close romantic relationships (GCRR, n = 314). GCRR participants reported higher levels of Facebook intensity and relationship support, as well as perceived relationship stability and satisfaction than participants in LDRR. Moreover, the results indicated that Facebook intensity predicted higher access to Facebook relationship support in LDRR and GCRR which, in turn, predicted perceived relationship stability and satisfaction in LDRR; and only perceived relationship satisfaction in GCRR. However, Facebook intensity had direct negative impacts on relationship satisfaction in GCRR, and on perceived relationship stability in LDRR. Facebook intensity and Facebook relationship support were not associated with relationship stability in GCRR. This demonstrates the relative importance of SNSs, such as Facebook, in relationship stability for those in LDRR.
Risk information, investor learning, and informational feedback

This paper studies how public information regarding a firm’s riskiness affects investors’ incentives to acquire information about the firm and the firm’s ability to learn decision-useful information from its price. I find that risk information complements investor learning by informing investors of when it is most lucrative to investigate the firm, thereby reducing liquidity. Furthermore, risk information causes the firm’s price to contain more information when the firm’s investment decisions have the greatest impact on its value, thereby improving real efficiency. Extensions of the model suggest that the impact of risk information on real efficiency may deteriorate when the firm’s manager is excessively exposed to idiosyncratic risk, when the firm’s shareholders are excessively averse to such risk, or when the disclosure concerns a “downside risk. ” In sum, my analysis suggests that information regarding firms’ expected values and information regarding firms’ risks significantly differ in their effects on the capital market.
Consequences of stress induced by heat on fitness of Delphacodes kuscheli and its yeast‐like endosymbionts

The planthopper Delphacodes kuscheli is the main vector of Mal de Río Cuarto virus in Argentina, disease that severely affects maize production. In this study, we investigated the effects of heat stress on fitness traits and on the number of its obligate yeast‐like symbionts (YLS). The exposition of newly‐hatched nymphs to 35°C for 3 days, a well‐known procedure used to reduce the number of YLS in planthoppers, was applied. To compare different fitness components between control and heat‐treated insects, we estimated nymphal instars development time, nymphal survival, adult body length, longevity, fecundity and fertility. Also, correlates of fitness, as proportion of sexes and wing forms of the emerging adults, were evaluated. In heat‐treated group, the nymphal developmental time increased due to an increase in the fifth instar duration, and the nymphal survival, body length of adults and fecundity were reduced when compared to control. There was a significant association between treatments (control and heat‐treated insects) and wing morphs. The heat treatment successfully reduced the number of YLS in third instar nymphs of D. kuscheli. Our results revealed the negative effect of heat stress on development, survival and reproduction of D. kuscheli and on the load of its YLS endosymbionts suggesting that YLS could play a crucial role in the development and reproduction of these planthoppers.
Adaptive Euler–Maruyama method for SDEs with nonglobally Lipschitz drift

This paper, based on two main papers Fang and Giles (Adaptive Euler–Maruyama method for SDEs with non-globally Lipschitz drift: Part I, finite time interval, 2016, [2]), Fang and Giles (Adaptive Euler–Maruyama method for SDEs with non-globally Lipschitz drift: Part II, infinite time interval, 2017, [3]) which contains the full details of the literature review, numerical analysis and numerical experiments, aims to give an overview of the adaptive Euler–Maruyama method for SDEs with non-globally Lipschitz drift in a concise structure without any proof. It shows that if the timestep is bounded appropriately, then over a finite time interval the numerical approximation is stable, and the expected number of timesteps is finite. Furthermore, the order of strong convergence is the same as usual, i.e. order \(\frac{1}{2}\) for SDEs with a non-uniform globally Lipschitz volatility, and order 1 for Langevin SDEs with unit volatility and a drift with sufficient smoothness. For a class of ergodic SDEs, we also show that the bound for the moments and the strong error of the numerical solution are uniform in T, which allow us to introduce the adaptive multilevel Monte Carlo method to compute the expectations with respect to the invariant measure. The analysis is supported by numerical experiments.
Directed evolution of dihydrofolate reductase : antibiotic resistance and activity enhancement

The rise and spread of antibiotic resistance is one of the most important topics in modern medicine. If antibiotics are to remain effective, then we must continually improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which bacteria evade them. This study has examined the means by which resistance to the antifolate trimethoprim (TMP) develops in Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) using the emerging technique of directed evolution. Directed evolution seeks to emulate the change in target genotype due to selective pressure that is characteristic of natural evolution. By artificially enhancing the mutation rate of the target and applying strong selective pressure towards the desired result, significant changes can be made to the protein. Further testing allows the effects of these changes to be elucidated. During artificial evolution, selection was based on the ability of E. coli possessing the mutant forms of DHFR to grow in the presence of increasing concentrations of the antibiotic. The catalytic ability of DHFR is crucial to cellular division, so only those mutants capable of maintaining a respectable turnover rate in the presence of the competitive inhibitor could flourish. The results obtained from this work revealed that this could be accomplished in two complementary ways. In addition to the expected rise in the TMP dissociation constant, significant increases in the catalytic constant of DHFR were achieved. The dual nature of the response to selection for TMP resistance prompted a second application of directed evolution. Insight into the mechanisms of DHFR was obtained by examining mutants with enhanced activity. Some of the responses to the selection are clearly the result of specific aspects of the selection protocol, highlighting what is simultaneously the greatest strength and the greatest weakness of directed evolution: You get what you select for. While this makes the details of the selection process crucial to obtaining a specific outcome, the range of possibilities is limited only to the researcher's creative ability. Directed evolution is sure to prove an invaluable tool in the race against antibiotic resistance.
Preterm delivery, maternal death, and vertical transmission in a pregnant woman with COVID‐19 infection

Diabetes Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran Infertility Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran Student Research Committee, College of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Cross-Cultural Comparison of Focus Groups as a Research Method

Introduction The validity of inferences drawn from focus groups rests on the verbal interaction between the focus group moderator and participants. When the focus group method is applied to research studies conducted in languages other than English, researchers need to make cultural and linguistic adaptations appropriate for the target population to maximize the effectiveness of the focus groups. However, there is a scarcity of research literature examining how focus groups perform in non-English languages, especially in Asian languages. Prior studies on the use of focus groups in cross-cultural research have centered on cultural sensitivity issues, procedures, planning, practicalities, and logistics (e.g., Colucci, 2008). As Clarke (1999) pointed out, the assumption underpinning the focus group method is that individuals are valuable sources of information and can express their own feelings and behaviors. It follows that focus group participants must verbally express their thoughts and behaviors; thus, the use of language plays a central role in focus group discussions. Although the research includes extensive discussion of methodological issues related to applying focus groups in non-English speaking cultures (Halcomb, Gholizadeh, DiGiacomo, Phillips, & Davidson, 2007), it lacks a systematic investigation to compare how speakers of different languages express their views and opinions in focus groups using those languages. Because focus groups use guided group discussions to gain insight into a specific topic, it is critical to examine the extent to which focus group participants engage in the discussion through verbal expression.
Computationally Efficient Millimeter-Wave Backscattering Models: A Single-Scattering Model

The use of millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequency bands for fifth-generation (5G) cellular mobile communications has led to intense interest from academia and industry over these spectrum resources. Despite extensive measurement campaigns and channel modeling efforts, there is a lack of deterministic backscattering models addressing the impact of the size and orientation of static scatterers on the radio channel. In this article, two 3-D computationally efficient models for calculating backscattering based on the Fresnel integrals and the error function are proposed and validated both against simulations and measurements. In addition, applying the same methodology, state-of-the-art mm-wave blockage (forward-scattering) models are modified to capture backscattered fields. Furthermore, both the introduced and the modified models preserve the structure of geometry-based stochastic channel models (GSCMs) and thus their implementation in system-level simulators is substantially beneficial due to their good accuracy and short computation time.
Effects of some inorganic fertilizers on entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema feltiae (Tur-S3) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Hb.H)

Entomopatojenik nematodlar (EPN'ler) ozellikle toprakta yasayan zararli boceklere karsi biyolojik mucadelede kullanilmakta, cevreye ve insan sagligina olumsuz bir etki gostermemektedirler. Toprak icerisinde uzun sure etkin olup konukcusunu arayabilme ozelligine sahiptirler. Yasam dongulerinin buyuk bir bolumunu toprak icerisinde geciren EPN'ler, gubreleme, toprak isleme ve sulama gibi tarimsal faaliyetlerden etkilenebilir. Bu calismada bazi kimyasal gubrelerin, EPN canliligi uzerine gosterdigi dogrudan etkiyi belirlemek amaclanmistir. Bu amacla, tarimda yogun olarak kullanilan 6 tane inorganik gubre ve iki adet EPN ( Steinernema feltiae Turin-S3 ve Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Hb.H) irki secildi. Laboratuar kosullarinda 1gr/L, 5gr/L ve 10gr/L gubre dozlari uygulanip, 10 gun boyunca incelendi. S. feltiae (Tur-S3) irkinin H. bakteriophora (Hb.H)' dan inorganik gubrelere karsi daha direncli oldugu, ancak DAP, NPK ve NP'nin gubrelerinin her iki EPN irkini da olumsuz etkiledigi tespit edilmistir. DAP, NPK ve NP' nin oldurucu etkisi diger gubrelere gore daha yuksek olmustur.
Hematological parameters predicting severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients of Pakistan: a retrospective comparative analysis

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: COVID-19 is a global pandemic. In our study, we aimed to utilize the hematological parameters in predicting the prognosis and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Materials and methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted to include all the admitted patients (n = 191) having COVID-19 Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive, and evaluated those for prognosis and disease outcome by utilizing several biochemical and hematological markers. Results: Amongst the patients admitted in the ward versus in the intensive care unit (ICU), there were significant differences in mean hemoglobin (P = 0.003), total leukocyte count (P = 0.001), absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte counts (P < 0.001), absolute monocyte count (P = 0.019), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte ratio (LMR) (P < 0.001), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and Lymphocyte-to C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) (P = 0.002), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (P < 0.001). Amongst the deceased patients, there was significant leukocytosis (P = 0.008), neutrophilia and lymphopenia (P < 0.001), increased NLR (P = 0.001), decreased LMR (P < 0.001), increased PLR (p = 0.017), decreased LCR (p = 0.003), and elevated CRP level (P < 0.001). A receiver operating characteristic curve obtained for the above parameters showed NLR (AUC: 0.841, PPV: 83.6%) and PLR (AUC: 0.703, PPV: 81.8%) for ICU patients, while NLR (AUC: 0.860, PPV: 91.1%) and PLR (AUC: 0.677, PPV: 87.5%) for the deceased patients had significant accuracy for predicting the disease severity of COVID-19 in comparison to survivors. Conclusion: The inflammatory markers and hematological indices are a good guide for predicting the severity and disease outcome of coronavirus disease. NLR and PLR are elevated in severe disease while LMR and LCR are inversely correlating with disease severity.
Anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and sedative activities of hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Mitragyna stipulosa

ABSTRACT The anticonvulsant activity of Mitragyna stipulosa (MS) was explored using pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ; i.p.), picrotoxin- (PIC; i.p.), and strychnine (STR; i.p.)-induced seizures in Swiss albino mice, whereas phenobarbitone-induced sleeping time and open field test (OFT) were used to assess the sedative and anxiolytic effects, respectively. Animals were pretreated with flumazenil (5 mg kg−1; i.p. gamma aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor antagonist), l-arginine (750 mg kg−1; p.o. nitric oxide (NO) precursor) and l-nitroarginine (L-NNA) (4 mg kg−1 i.p. nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor) to investigate the possible mechanism(s) of anticonvulsant activity. Oral administration of MS delayed the onset and reduced the duration of seizures induced by PIC, STR, and PTZ. Pretreatment of mice with L-arginine, flumazenil, and L-NNA reversed the anticonvulsant effect of MS compared to MS (200 mg kg−1) administered alone. MS potentiated Phenobarbitone (PBT)-Induced sleeping time compared to control and decreased the line crossing, center crossing, and immobility in OFT. Data revealed the potent anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and sedative activities of hydro-ethanol leaf extract from MS that interact with GABAergic and nitrergic systems.
Investigating Effects and User Preferences of Extra- and Intradiegetic Virtual Reality Questionnaires

Virtual realities (VR) are becoming an integral part of product development across many industries, for example to assess aesthetics and usability of new features in the automotive industry. The recording of the evaluation is typically conducted by filling out questionnaires after the study participants left the virtual environment. In this paper, we investigate how questionnaires can be best embedded within the virtual environment and compare how VR-questionnaires differ from classical post-test evaluations regarding preference, presence, and questionnaire completion time. In the first study (N = 11), experts rated four design concepts of questionnaires embedded in VR, of which two were designed as extradiegetic and two as intradiegetic user interfaces. We show that intradiegetic UIs have a significantly higher perceived user experience and presence while the usability remains similar. Intradiegetic UIs are preferred by the majority. Based on these findings, we compared intradiegetic VR-questionnaires with paper-based evaluations in a follow up study (N = 24). 67% of the participants preferred the evaluation in VR, even though it takes significantly longer. We found no effect on presence.
Discovery of a previously unknown biosynthetic capacity of naringenin chalcone synthase by heterologous expression of a tomato gene cluster in yeast

A previously unknown chalcone synthase activity for HCAA synthesis is uncovered via characterization of a tomato gene cluster in yeast. Chalcone synthase (CHS) canonically catalyzes carbon-carbon bond formation through iterative decarboxylative Claisen condensation. Here, we characterize a previously unidentified biosynthetic capability of SlCHS to catalyze nitrogen-carbon bond formation, leading to the production of a hydroxycinnamic acid amide (HCAA) compound. By expressing a putative tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) gene cluster in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), we elucidate the activity of a pathway consisting of a carboxyl methyltransferase (SlMT2), which methylates the yeast primary metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA) to form a methyl ester, and a SlCHS, which catalyzes the condensation of 3-HAA methyl ester and p-coumaroyl-coenzyme A (CoA) through formation of an amide bond. We demonstrate that this aminoacylation activity could be a common secondary activity in plant CHSs by validating the activity in vitro with variants from S. lycopersicum and Arabidopsis thaliana. Our work demonstrates yeast as a platform for characterizing putative plant gene clusters with the potential for compound structure and enzymatic activity discovery.
The Impact of Missing Fingers in Virtual Reality

Avatars in virtual reality (VR) can have body structures that differ from the physical self. Game designers, for example, often stylize virtual characters by reducing the number of fingers. Previous work found that the sensation of presence in VR depends on avatar realism and the number of limbs. However, it is currently unknown how the removal of individual fingers affects the VR experience, body perception, and how fingers are used instead. In a study with 24 participants, we investigate the effects of missing fingers and avatar realism on presence, phantom pain perception, and finger usage. Our results show that particularly missing index fingers decrease presence, show the highest phantom pain ratings, and significantly change hand interaction behavior. We found that relative usage of thumb and index fingers in contrast to middle, ring, and little finger usage was higher with abstract hands than with realistic ones – even when the fingers were missing. We assume that dominant fingers are firstly integrated into the own body schema when an avatar does not resemble one’s own appearance. We discuss cognitive mechanisms in experiencing virtual limb loss.
DualVib: Simulating Haptic Sensation of Dynamic Mass by Combining Pseudo-Force and Texture Feedback

We present DualVib, a compact handheld device that simulates the haptic sensation of manipulating dynamic mass; mass that causes haptic feedback as the user’s hand moves (e.g., shaking a jar and feeling coins rattling inside). Unlike other devices that require actual displacement of weight, DualVib dispenses with heavy and bulky mechanical structures and, instead, uses four vibration actuators. DualVib simulates a dynamic mass by simultaneously delivering two types of haptic feedback to the user’s hand: (1) pseudo-force feedback created by asymmetric vibrations that render the kinesthetic force arising from the moving mass; and (2) texture feedback through acoustic vibrations that render the object’s surface vibrations correlated with mass material properties. By means of our user study, we found out that DualVib allowed users to more effectively distinguish dynamic masses when compared to using either pseudo-force or texture feedback alone. We also report qualitative feedback from users who experienced five virtual reality applications with our device.