Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Board gender diversity and CSR performance: A French study

Abstract The current paper examines how gender diversity influences the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of French companies. Specifically, we investigate the impact of certain attributes of female directors, such as their age, education, and nationality, on CSR performance. To analyze this, we utilize the generalized method of moments (GMM) on a sample of 53 French firms listed on the SBF 120 index over the period 2008–2017. The findings reveal a positive association between the presence of women on the board and CSR performance. Furthermore, we discover that the age of female directors has a significant and positive effect on CSR performance. Additionally, the existence of a CSR committee is found to have a significant and positive influence on CSR. However, our study does not find any correlation between the education and nationality of female directors and CSR performance.
Intraoperative slow-release dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex) in epiretinal membrane peeling surgery: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of the dexamethasone (DEX) intravitreal implant for the regression of macular edema and the improvement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after the removal of idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods: This prospective randomized controlled trial recruited 81 patients with idiopathic ERM. These patients all underwent 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy combined with ERM and internal limiting membrane peeling surgery. Among them, 41 eyes in the DEX group received additional DEX implants and 40 in the non-DEX group did not. Outcomes including central retinal thickness (CRT), BCVA, and intraocular pressure were measured 1 and 3 months after surgery. Results: The DEX group had thinner CRTs compared to the non-DEX group at 1 month postoperatively (p <0.05), but did not differ significantly at the 1-week and 3-month follow-up visits (p = 0.109 and p = 0.417, respectively). There were no statistical differences with respect to BCVA (p = 0.499, 0.309, 0.246, and 0.517, respectively) and intraocular pressure (p = 0.556, 0.639, 0.741, and 0.517, respectively) between the two groups at each point of follow-up visits. Conclusion: DEX accelerated the reduction of CRT at 1 month after surgery. However, no evidence of further anatomical (CRT) or functional (BCVA) benefits using DEX was observed at 3 months. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT05416827.
Financial inclusion disclosure, internal governance quality, and bank ownership structure: An exploratory study in Egyptian banks

The purpose of this study is to enhance sustainability and investigate the effectiveness of internal governance mechanisms in enhancing financial inclusion (FI) disclosure quality in Egyptian banks. Pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis is employed, using data from Egyptian banks listed over an eight-year period, from 2014 to 2021. Two indices are constructed: a FI disclosure quality index and an internal governance quality index. The findings of the study indicate that compliance with corporate governance best practices strengthens the monitoring quality of internal governance mechanisms in Egyptian banks. This, in turn, has a significant positive impact on the levels of FI disclosure. Results further show that ownership structure influences this relationship. Overall, the study findings support the notions of agency, stakeholders, and moral legitimacy theories. The study's originality lies in its focus on emerging FI practices in less-developed economies, and its relevance to regulators, policymakers, and professional bodies seeking to enhance FI practices and disclosures. The research also highlights the importance of the banking sector in achieving the national sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030 and facilitating informed decision-making by various stakeholder groups. The study's findings are supported by the robustness of the empirical analysis.
Influence of Family Structures on Students’ Progression in Public Secondary Schools in Ndhiwa Sub-County, Homabay County, Kenya

Purpose: Students’ progression in secondary schools is important in the realization of educational objectives. However, in Ndhiwa Sub-county, students’ progression rates has been low in many public secondary schools. Many students drop out of secondary schools just a few years after enrollment. Thus, the purpose of this was to study to examine how family structures influence students’ progression in public secondary schools in Ndhiwa Sub-county, Homabay County, Kenya. Methodology: This research adopted mixed methodology and applied concurrent triangulation research design. Target population was 1263 respondents which comprised 65 principals, 678 secondary school teachers and 520 parents’ representatives from which 305 respondents were sampled using Yamane’s Formula. Stratified sampling was applied to create five strata based on the number of zones in Ndhiwa Sub-county. From each zone, five principals and five parents’ representatives were sampled purposively. However, from each zone, simple random sampling was applied to select 51 teachers. This procedure realized a sample size of 25 principals, 25 parents’ representatives and 255 teachers. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically based on the objectives and presented in narrative forms. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages and inferentially using multiple linear regression model in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 23) and presented using tables. Findings: The study established that students’ progression has been low with many students who get enrolled in Form I not able to complete their secondary education. This is attributed to large family sizes and family structures. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: As a practice, parents should plan their families and bring forth families they can comfortably take care of such that the meagre amount of financial resources available can cater for the education. As a policy, the Ministry of Health and the Division of National Family Planning should continue with their efforts to teach people on the essence of bring forth families they can manage. The study’s unique contribution is that it will reinforce an understanding of how specific aspects of each family structure influence of students’ progression in public secondary schools.
Biological Behaviour of Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion of Cervix Under Rural Conditions in Western Lucknow, India

Objective: The biological behavior of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) is uncertain as most of the lesions regress, and only some of them progress to higher grades or persist. This varied behavior is common under rural conditions due to the lack of progression-promoting agents like Human papillomavirus (HPV). Methods: Rural cervical cancer screening has been in progress for the last 8 years in the villages of West Lucknow through a camp approach, and to date, 2980 women have undergone cytological examination. Among them, 499 women were diagnosed with SIL, and 310 of these cases were followed. The details of follow-up findings in these 310 cases have been analyzed. Results: Of the 310 SIL cases followed, 242 showed regression of the lesions (78.1%), 3 showed progression from low-grade SIL to high-grade SIL (0.9%), while the remaining 65 (21%) showed persistence of SIL. Among the 65 persistence cases, 35 showed regression of the lesion (53.8%) on further follow-up, while the remaining 30 cases could not be followed. Both regression and persistence of SIL were observed more frequently in younger women (21-30 years), while there was a low trend with increasing age. Conclusion: Most of the SIL cases on follow-up showed regression of the lesion. Even those SIL cases that showed persistence regressed to normal in more than 50% of cases upon further follow-up. Progression of the lesion is not common (only 3 cases). Attempts are underway for the follow-up of the remaining persistence cases and also those initial SIL cases who could not be followed up during the first attempt.
On the physical processes responsible for tropical cyclone motion

This paper investigates the possible physical processes involved in tropical cyclone motion. The first part analyzes the relation between the synoptic-scale flow around tropical cyclones and cyclone movement. It was found that, in most cases, tropical cyclones in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere move to the left (right) of and faster than their environmental flow. However, westwardand eastward-moving cyclones tend to differ in their relations with the environmental flow. To understand these observations, an analytical study using a simplified form of the divergent barotropic vorticity equation was performed. The results show the importance of the change in the Coriolis parameter across the cyclone in determining cyclone motion. The environmental flow was found to advect vorticity to the front of the cyclone. These two factors, combined with the coupling between the total divergence and the earth's vorticity, produce maximum local changes of relative vorticity at locations that can be interpreted to correspond to the observational results. The interaction between the vortex and the environmental flows was further investigated by analyzing the radial equation of motion. Results from a simple model and observations both indicate the presence of radial accelerations which can be explained in terms of parcel trajectories. The difference of radial accelerations between the right and left sides of the cyclone (with respect to cyclone direction) was
Single-cell Technologies Provide Novel Insights into Liver Physiology and Pathology

The liver is the largest glandular organ in the body and has a unique distribution of cells and biomolecules. However, the treatment outcome of end-stage liver disease is extremely poor. Single-cell sequencing is a new advanced and powerful technique for identifying rare cell populations and biomolecules by analyzing the characteristics of gene expression between individual cells. These cells and biomolecules might be used as potential targets for immunotherapy of liver diseases and contribute to the development of precise individualized treatment. Compared to whole-tissue RNA sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) or other single-cell histological techniques have solved the problem of cell population heterogeneity and characterize molecular changes associated with liver diseases with higher accuracy and resolution. In this review, we comprehensively summarized single-cell approaches including transcriptomic, spatial transcriptomic, immunomic, proteomic, epigenomic, and multiomic technologies, and described their application in liver physiology and pathology. We also discussed advanced techniques and recent studies in the field of single-cell; our review might provide new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of the liver to achieve precise and individualized treatment of liver diseases.
The influence of obesity on the complication rate and outcome of total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis and systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND The increase in the number of individuals with an unhealthy high body weight is particularly relevant in the United States. Obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) is a well-documented risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis. Furthermore, an increased prevalence of total knee arthroplasty in obese individuals has been observed in the last decades. The primary aim of this systematic literature review was to determine whether obesity has a negative influence on outcome after primary total knee arthroplasty. METHODS A search of the literature was performed, and studies comparing the outcome of total knee arthroplasty in different weight groups were included. The methodology of the included studies was scored according to the Cochrane guidelines. Data extraction and pooling were performed. The weighted mean difference for continuous data and the weighted odds ratio for dichotomous variables were calculated. Heterogeneity was calculated with use of the I2 statistic. RESULTS After consensus was reached, twenty studies were included in the data analysis. The presence of any infection was reported in fourteen studies including 15,276 patients (I2, 26%). Overall, infection occurred more often in obese patients, with an odds ratio of 1.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46 to 2.47). Deep infection requiring surgical debridement was reported in nine studies including 5061 patients (I2, 0%). Deep infection occurred more often in obese patients, with an odds ratio of 2.38 (95% CI, 1.28 to 4.55). Revision of the total knee arthroplasty, defined as exchange or removal of the components for any reason, was documented in eleven studies including 12,101 patients (I2, 25%). Revision for any reason occurred more often in obese patients, with an odds ratio of 1.30 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.67). CONCLUSIONS Obesity had a negative influence on outcome after total knee arthroplasty.
The evolving role of methanogenic archaea in mammalian microbiomes

Methanogenic archaea (methanogens) represent a diverse group of microorganisms that inhabit various environmental and host-associated microbiomes. These organisms play an essential role in global carbon cycling given their ability to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as a by-product of their energy production. Recent advances in culture-independent and -dependent studies have highlighted an increased prevalence of methanogens in the host-associated microbiome of diverse animal species. Moreover, there is increasing evidence that methanogens, and/or the methane they produce, may play a substantial role in human health and disease. This review addresses the expanding host-range and the emerging view of host-specific adaptations in methanogen biology and ecology, and the implications for host health and disease.
Multi-Level Crash Prediction Models Considering Influence of Adjacent Zonal Attributes

This study investigates factors affecting accidents across transport facilities and modes, using micro and macro levels variables simultaneously while accounting for the influence of adjacent zones on the accidents occurrence in a zone. To this end, 15968 accidents in 96 traffic analysis zones of Tehran were analyzed. Adverting to the multi-level structure of accidents data, the present study adopts a multilevel model for its modeling processes. The effects of the adjacent zones on the accidents which have occurred in one zone were assessed using the independent variables obtained from the zones adjacent to that specific zone. A Negative Binomial (NB) model was also developed, and results show that the multilevel model that considers the effect of adjacent zones shows a better performance compared to the multilevel model that does not consider the adjacent zones’ effect and NB model. Moreover, the final models show that at intersections and road segments, the significant independent variables are different for each mode of transport. Adopting a comprehensive approach to incorporate a multi-level, multi-resolution (micro/macro) model accounting for adjacent zones’ influence on multi-mode, multi-segment accidents is the contribution of this paper to accident studies.
The Effect of Daylight-Saving Time on Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients—Data from the Polish National Registry of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (ORPKI) in the Years 2014–2022

Introduction: Many factors related to the switch to summer/winter time interfere with biological rhythms. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the impact of time change on clinical outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients and methods: Electronic data of 874,031 patients with ACS who underwent invasive procedures were collected from the Polish National Register of Interventional Cardiology Procedures (ORPKI) between 2014 and 2021. We determined the number of patients undergoing PCI and periprocedural mortality during the day of spring or autumn time change and within the first 3 and 7 days after the time change. Results: We demonstrated the impact of time changes on the periprocedural mortality of ACS patients within 1 day and the period of 3 and 7 days from the time change. We observed that the occurrence of all ACS and NSTEMI on the first day was lower for both time changes and higher in the case of UA and spring time change. The autumn time change significantly reduced the occurrence of all types of ACS. A significant decrease in the number of invasive procedures was found after autumn transition in the period from the first day to 7 days for ACS, NSTEMI, and UA. Conclusions: The occurrence of ACS and the number of invasive procedures were lower for both changes over time. Autumn time change is associated with increased periprocedural mortality in ACS and a less frequent occurrence of UA and NSTEMI within 7 days.
Exploiting Potential Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Chlorella vulgaris Photobioreactors as Promising Vitamin B12 Producers

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been documented as potential vitamin B12 producers and may constitute an exogenous source of cobalamin for the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, which has been described as being able to perform vitamin uptake. Hence, there is an interest in discovering novel B12-producing probiotic LAB. Therefore, the purpose of the current work was to perform a phenotype–genotype analysis of the vitamin B12 biosynthesis capacity of LAB isolated from C. vulgaris bioreactors, and investigate their probiotic potential. Among the selected strains, Lactococcus lactis E32, Levilactobacillus brevis G31, and Pediococcus pentosaceus L51 demonstrated vitamin B12 biosynthesis capacity, with the latter producing the highest (28.19 ± 2.27 pg mL−1). The genomic analysis confirmed the presence of pivotal genes involved in different steps of the biosynthetic pathway (hemL, cbiT, cobC, and cobD). Notably, P. pentosaceus L51 was the only strain harboring cobA, pduU, and pduV genes, which may provide evidence for the presence of the cobalamin operon. All strains demonstrated the capability to withstand harsh gastrointestinal conditions, although P. pentosaceus L51 was more resilient. The potential for de novo cobalamin biosynthesis and remarkable probiotic features highlighted that P. pentosaceus L51 may be considered the most promising candidate strain for developing high-content vitamin B12 formulations.
Determinants of total factor productivity: evidence from US Compustat firms and Triadic Patent Families

This study examines the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) in US firms. Moreover, the firms' technology diversification and its effects on TFP is explored. This study uses the US Compustat database during the period 1976-2009. The overall results indicate that both firm and industry characteristics can be important factors for TFP. In addition, the determinants of TFP are examined during economic recession and economic growth periods. The results show the firms that their business activities are more related within similar technologies are able to report higher productivity, especially during economic recession periods. As such, firms can monitor productivity for strategic reasons such as corporate planning and organisation improvement. It can also be used for tactical reasons such as project control or controlling performance to budget.
Nanocomposite Polymer Gel Electrolyte Based on TiO2 Nanoparticles for Lithium Batteries

In this article, the specific features of competitive ionic and molecular transport in nanocomposite systems based on network membranes synthesized by radical polymerization of polyethylene glycol diacrylate in the presence of LiBF4, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, ethylene carbonate (EC), and TiO2 nanopowder (d~21 nm) were studied for 1H, 7Li, 11B, 13C, and 19F nuclei using NMR. The membranes obtained were studied through electrochemical impedance, IR-Fourier spectroscopy, DSC, and TGA. The ionic conductivity of the membranes was up to 4.8 m Scm−1 at room temperature. The operating temperature range was from −40 to 100 °C. Two types of molecular and ionic transport (fast and slow) have been detected by pulsed field gradient NMR. From quantum chemical modeling, it follows that the difficulty of lithium transport is due to the strong chemisorption of BF4– anions with counterions on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles. The theoretical conclusion about the need to increase the proportion of EC in order to reduce the influence of this effect was confirmed by an experimental study of a system with 4 moles of EC. It has been shown that this approach leads to an increase in lithium conductivity in an ionic liquid medium, which is important for the development of thermostable nanocomposite electrolytes for Li//LiFePO4 batteries with a base of lithium salts and aprotonic imidasolium ionic liquid.
Food Production and Consumption Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa: Prospects for the Transformation of the Agricultural Sector

The objective of this paper is to contribute to the debate on the role of agriculture transformation in the development process and as an engine to reduce poverty and improve general wellbeing through better access to nutrients in Africa. To better inform the debate we review food production, consumption and trade trends in a large sample of Sub-Saharan countries combining both macroeconomic and microeconomic evidence. We selected for the analysis nineteen countries for which household survey data was available, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. The data shows that dietary energy has been increasing in SSA but not steadily and not fast enough. The observed food production and consumption trends highlight the importance of pursuing a deep transformation of the agricultural sector in Sub Sahara Africa if incomes are to be risen and food security problems are to be mitigated.
The Current Trend of Radiation Therapy for Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer

A recent approach to radiotherapy for prostate cancer is the administration of high doses of radiation to the prostate while minimizing the risk of side effects. Thus, image-guided radiotherapy utilizes advanced imaging techniques and is a feasible strategy for increasing the radiation dose. New radioactive particles are another approach to achieving high doses and safe procedures. Prostate brachytherapy is currently considered as a combination therapy. Spacers are useful to protect adjacent organs, specifically the rectum, from excessive radiation exposure.