Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Update on the Management of Diabetic Retinopathy: Anti-VEGF Agents for the Prevention of Complications and Progression of Nonproliferative and Proliferative Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular disease caused by poorly controlled blood glucose, and it is a leading cause of vision loss in people with diabetes. In this review we discuss the current management of DR with particular focus on the use of intraocular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents. Intraocular anti-VEGF agents were first studied in the 1990s, and now several of these agents are either FDA approved or used off-label as first-line treatments for DR. Recent evidence shows that anti-VEGF agents can halt the progression of markers of DR severity, reduce the risk of DR worsening, and reduce the onset of new macular edema. These significant benefits have been demonstrated in patients with proliferative DR and the milder nonproliferative DR (NPDR). A wealth of evidence from recent trials and meta-analyses has detailed the intraoperative and postoperative benefits of adjunctive anti-VEGF therapy prior to pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for proliferative DR with vitreous hemorrhage. In this review, we also discuss literature comparing various anti-VEGF injection regimens including monthly, quarterly, as-needed, and treat and extend protocols. Combination protocols with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) or PPV are also discussed. Current evidence suggests that anti-VEGF therapies are effective therapy for NPDR and PDR and may also provide significant benefits when used adjunctively with other DR treatment modalities such as PRP or PPV.
Strongly unit nil-clean rings

An element in a ring is strongly nil-clean, if it is the sum of an idempotent and a nilpotent element that commute. A ring R is strongly unit nil-clean, if for any a ∈ R there exists a unit u ∈ R, such that ua is strongly nil-clean. We prove, in this paper, that a ring R is strongly unit nil-clean, if and only if every element in R is equivalent to a strongly nil-clean element, if and only if for any a ∈ R, there exists a unit u ∈ R, such that ua ∈ R is strongly π-regular. Strongly unit nil-clean matrix rings are investigated as well.
Singular control of optional random measures

In this thesis, we study the problem of maximizing certain concave functionals on the space of optional random measures. Such functionals arise in microeconomic theory where their maximization corresponds to finding the optimal consumption plan of some economic agent. As an alternative to the well–known methods of Dynamic Programming, we develop a new approach which allows us to clarify the structure of maximizing measures in a general stochastic setting extending beyond the usually required Markovian framework. Our approach is based on an infinite–dimensional version of the Kuhn–Tucker Theorem. The implied first–order conditions allow us to reduce the maximization problem to a new type of representation problem for optional processes which serves as a non–Markovian substitute for the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation of Dynamic Programming. In order to solve this representation problem in the deterministic case, we introduce a time–inhomogeneous generalization of convexity. The stochastic case is solved by using an intimate relation to the theory of Gittins–indices in optimal dynamic scheduling. Closed–form solutions are derived under appropriate conditions. Depending on the underlying stochastics, maximizing random measures can be absolutely continuous, discrete, and also singular. In the microeconomic context, it is natural to embed the above maximization problem in an equilibrium framework. In the last part of this thesis, we give a general existence result for such an equilibrium.
Transcriptomic Analysis on the Peel of UV-B-Exposed Peach Fruit Reveals an Upregulation of Phenolic- and UVR8-Related Pathways

UV-B treatment deeply influences plant physiology and biochemistry, especially by activating the expression of responsive genes involved in UV-B acclimation through a UV-B-specific perception mechanism. Although the UV-B-related molecular responses have been widely studied in Arabidopsis, relatively few research reports deepen the knowledge on the influence of post-harvest UV-B treatment on fruit. In this work, a transcriptomic approach is adopted to investigate the transcriptional modifications occurring in the peel of UV-B-treated peach (Prunus persica L., cv Fairtime) fruit after harvest. Our analysis reveals a higher gene regulation after 1 h from the irradiation (88% of the differentially expressed genes—DEGs), compared to 3 h recovery. The overexpression of genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone syntase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and flavonol synthase (FLS) revealed a strong activation of the phenylpropanoid pathway, resulting in the later increase in the concentration of specific flavonoid classes, e.g., anthocyanins, flavones, dihydroflavonols, and flavanones, 36 h after the treatment. Upregulation of UVR8-related genes (HY5, COP1, and RUP) suggests that UV-B-triggered activation of the UVR8 pathway occurs also in post-harvest peach fruit. In addition, a regulation of genes involved in the cell-wall dismantling process (PME) is observed. In conclusion, post-harvest UV-B exposure deeply affects the transcriptome of the peach peel, promoting the activation of genes implicated in the biosynthesis of phenolics, likely via UVR8. Thus, our results might pave the way to a possible use of post-harvest UV-B treatments to enhance the content of health-promoting compounds in peach fruits and extending the knowledge of the UVR8 gene network.
Ethnic inequalities in cycling to work in London: mobility injustice and regional approach

ABSTRACT This paper investigates ethnic inequity in cycling to work in London, as ethnic minorities in London cycle to work less frequently than white Londoners. The study adopts three methods: spatial statistics, linear regression and spatial econometrics based on recent UK census and official statistical data (2011–17) of 33 London regions. Spatial analysis shows that cycling networks and bike schemes are concentrated around Inner London. Regions with less cycling infrastructure tend to have a greater proportion of residents of ethnic minorities. The paper highlights the spatial dependence between ethnic inequalities and cycling to work at a regional level in London. There is also evidence of spatial spillovers between neighbouring regions. The paper highlights the need to shift the policy focus from the provision of cycling infrastructure to mobility justice. This means recognizing the needs of distinct groups of cyclists coming from various ethnic minorities. Overall, this paper expands the transportation policies approach by linking it with the concepts of mobilities and regional inequalities. This study of London demonstrates the mechanisms responsible for regional ethnic inequalities in cycling to work that could be relevant in other large urban agglomerations.
The Poleward Motion of Extratropical Cyclones from a Potential Vorticity Tendency Analysis

AbstractThe poleward propagation of midlatitude storms is studied using a potential vorticity (PV) tendency analysis of cyclone-tracking composites, in an idealized zonally symmetric moist GCM. A detailed PV budget reveals the important role of the upper-level PV and diabatic heating associated with latent heat release. During the growth stage, the classic picture of baroclinic instability emerges, with an upper-level PV to the west of a low-level PV associated with the cyclone. This configuration not only promotes intensification, but also a poleward tendency that results from the nonlinear advection of the low-level anomaly by the upper-level PV. The separate contributions of the upper- and lower-level PV as well as the surface temperature anomaly are analyzed using a piecewise PV inversion, which shows the importance of the upper-level PV anomaly in advecting the cyclone poleward. The PV analysis also emphasizes the crucial role played by latent heat release in the poleward motion of the cyclone. The l.
Time of Emergence for Altimetry‐Based Significant Wave Height Changes in the North Atlantic

Satellite observations of significant wave height (Hs) have recently reached 30 years of continuous record. Is this length sufficient to detect the effect of anthropogenically forced climate change on wave height trends? Wave height decadal variability is influenced by a combination of internal variability and forced variability caused by both anthropogenic and natural forcing. Using a statistical model to derive Hs from sea level pressure field and exploiting ERA‐5 reanalysis data as well as 80 members of the Community Earth System Model v2 large ensemble, we show that, over the North Atlantic (NA), altimetry‐based Hs trends are mostly caused by internal variability. This suggests that Hs changes computed over the satellite era are not yet controlled by anthropogenic climate change. Starting from 1993, the date of emergence, defined as the date when the forced signal becomes dominant over the internal variability, is later than 2050 for Hs in the NA.
Comprehensive studies on the universality of BKT transitions—machine-learning study, Monte Carlo simulation, and level-spectroscopy method

Comprehensive studies are made on the six-state clock universality of two models using several approaches. We apply the machine-learning technique of phase classification to the antiferromagnetic (AF) three-state Potts model on the square lattice with ferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbor (NNN) coupling and the triangular AF Ising model with anisotropic NNN coupling to study two Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless transitions. We also use the Monte Carlo simulation paying attention to the ratio of correlation functions of different distances for these two models. The obtained results are compared with those of the previous studies using the level-spectroscopy method. We directly show the six-state clock universality for totally different systems with the machine-learning study.
Effectiveness of endodontic retreatment using WaveOne Primary files in reciprocating and rotary motions

Objectives This study evaluated the efficiency of WaveOne Primary files (Dentsply Sirona) for removing root canal fillings with 2 types of movement: reciprocating (RCP) and continuous counterclockwise rotation (CCR). Materials and Methods Twenty mandibular incisors were prepared with a RCP instrument (25.08) and filled using the Tagger hybrid obturation technique. The teeth were retreated with a WaveOne Primary file and randomly allocated to 2 experimental retreatment groups (n = 10) according to movement type: RCP and CCR. The root canals were emptied of filling material in the first 3 steps of insertion, until reaching the working length. The timing of retreatment and procedure errors were recorded for all samples. The specimens were scanned before and after the retreatment procedure with micro-computed tomography to calculate the percentage and volume (mm3) of the residual filling material. The results were statistically evaluated using paired and independent t-tests, with a significance level set at 5%. Results No significant difference was found in the timing of filling removal between the groups, with a mean of 322 seconds (RCP) and 327 seconds (CCR) (p < 0.05). There were 6 instrument fractures: 1 in a RCP motion file and 5 in continuous rotation files. The volumes of residual filling material were similar (9.94% for RCP and 15.94% for CCR; p > 0.05). Conclusions The WaveOne Primary files used in retreatment performed similarly in both RCP and CCR movements. Neither movement type completely removed the obturation material, but the RCP movement provided greater safety.
Ultrasound monitoring of setting behavior of concrete mixtures

Abstract The setting behavior of concrete mixtures can be indirectly monitored by the penetration resistance test given by ASTM C 403. Arbitrary values of penetration resistance are associated to the initial and final set times. This test is carried out on the previously sieved mortar portion of the concrete mixture, which makes its practical use rare. Alternatively, ultrasound testing can be used to characterize this transition period, since the propagation of ultrasonic waves is greatly affected by the formation of cement hydration products and the extent of microstructure development. In this research, the propagation of ultrasonic waves in fresh concrete during the setting period was studied. In addition to the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), other ultrasonic parameters such as group velocity, parameters related to ultrasonic energy and frequency were monitored during the setting period of various concrete mixes. It was observed that as setting progressed, there was a greater ease of ultrasonic transmission with a continuous increase of wave amplitudes. The results indicated that a combined analysis of the time domain parameters of UPV, group velocity and the time that 10% of energy has propagated (t10) could be used to improve the characterization of the microstructure development regarding the setting behavior of concrete mixtures.
Scrollability: A New Digital News Affordance

ABSTRACT Most major platforms and news portals use the feed approach to information display, which offers people the ability to engage in continuous scrolling. This affordance, “scrollability,” is an understudied feature that changes how people consume news. The endless scroll presents opportunities to monetize attention for advertisers, and a seemingly bottomless supply of headlines for news consumers. Moreover, more people report scrolling headlines than actually reading news stories. A scrollable technical environment creates circumstances that encourage headline reading, or what we call “news-scrolling,” and yet we know little about the consequences of scrollability for other behaviors. In this paper we set forth an argument for increased scholarly attention to scrollability in the context of online news consumption, and articulate a theoretical framework for explaining the behaviors of news-scrollers and news-clickers.
Analyzing the concept of sexual self-care in preschool children: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse is a global concern for families and societies. Therefore, child protection from sexual harassment is of particular importance. The present study aimed to investigate the concept of sexual self-care in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present research is a qualitative study conducted with a content analysis approach. The study participants include 39 child sex education specialists, parents of children aged 4–7 years, adolescents who were sexually abused in childhood, and those with no experience of sexual abuse in childhood. The participants were selected through purposive sampling method. Different people's interpretations of the concept of sexual self-care in children were explored using semi-structured and face-to-face interviews, which continued until the saturation of concepts. Data were analyzed using the Graneheim and Lundman method. Guba and Lincoln's criteria were used to strengthen the validity and transferability of the data. RESULTS: Sexual self-care in children was identified from participants’ viewpoints in the study. This self-care includes three main components and six subcomponents of (1) knowledge about privacy, risk situation, and trustworthy people, (2) attitude and perception of risk, and (3) behavioral skills in self-protection (i.e., post-injury reaction). CONCLUSION: Further injuries can be prevented by improving the level of awareness, forming the right attitude, and strengthening children's behavioral skills toward sexual self-care. Such issues, which are representatives of privacy, risk situations, and self-protection ability, can improve children's sexual self-care skills.
Anticancer, antioxidant, ameliorative and therapeutic properties of kaempferol

ABSTRACT Kaempferol, found in various plants and foods, has gained attention as a useful flavonoid owing to its potential biological properties, including anticancer characteristics. Recent research studies suggest that kaempferol is effective in the inhibition and treatments of several forms of cancer, e.g. lung, ovarian, breast and lung cancer. One probable mechanism of action of kaempferol is its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials, which may help to prevent DNA damage and inhibit the proliferation of cancerous cells. Besides triggering apoptosis in cancerous cells, Kaempferol may also inhibit the growth and relocation of cancerous cells. Moreover, kaempferol has a very wide range of bioactivities, involving anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This includes understanding the optimal dosing and timing of kaempferol treatment, as well as the potential interactions with other medications and the long-term safety of kaempferol use. Overall, the available evidence and studies suggest that kaempferol may provide a potential natural agent for the prevention and treatments of cancers. Despite the promising findings in preclinical and clinical research, further research is needed to confirm its efficacy and understand the mechanisms of action, and to fully explore the potential of kaempferol in different cancers.
Entrepreneurship as emancipation: a process framework for female entrepreneurs in resource-constrained environments

PurposeThe aim of this research is to determine the stages that women in resource-constrained environments go through in order to emancipate themselves through entrepreneurial activities. Based on their fieldwork, the authors develop a process framework of emancipation-through-entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 57 female entrepreneurs in two resource-constrained countries in West Africa. Non-participant observations were employed as a secondary data collection technique to provide important sources of information for triangulation.FindingsThis study's findings indicate that the process of female emancipation through entrepreneurship begins with the perception of one's personal motivations, followed by the choice of economic activities, the gathering of various necessary resources, and finally the commencement and running of a venture to bring about the desired emancipation. Various factors, such as family, the external environment, personal qualities and ease of operations, were found to influence the choice of entrepreneurial activities. We also found that human, social, cultural and political capital interact to produce economic capital, a central form of capital for the starting and running of ventures in resource-constrained environments.Originality/valueAlthough extant studies have shown that entrepreneurship can be a vehicle for women to liberate themselves from various constraints, it is as yet unclear which process these women follow to achieve such emancipation. The development of a process framework of emancipation-through-entrepreneurship is the key contribution of this paper. Despite extant research demonstrating that entrepreneurship can assist women in financially limited settings to achieve economic independence, the specific steps these women take in the process remain unclear. Thus, this paper presents a process framework that focuses on women in constrained environments and their journey to emancipation through entrepreneurship.
Surface affinity role in graphoepitaxy of lamellar block copolymers

Overcoming the optical limitations of 193nm immersion lithography can be achieved using Directed Self Assembly (DSA) of block-copolymers (BCPs) as a low-cost and versatile complementary technique. The goal of this paper is to investigate the potential of DSA to address line and space (L/S) high resolution patterning by performing the density multiplication of lines with the graphoepitaxy approach. As surface affinity is a key parameter in self-assembly, three variations, or "flavors", of DSA template affinity are investigated regarding several success criteria such as morphology control or defectivity. More precisely, both the methodology to register DSA defects and the impact of process parameters on defectivity are detailed. Using the 300mm pilot line available in LETI and Arkema’s advanced materials, we investigate process optimization of DSA line/space patterning of a 38nm period lamellar PS-b-PMMA BCP (L38). For this study, our integration scheme, depicted in figure 2-1, is based on BCP self-assembly inside organic hard mask guiding patterns obtained using 193i nm lithography. Defect analysis coupled with the fine tuning of process parameters (annealing, brush material) provided the optimum conditions for the L38 self-assembly. Using such conditions, DSA using the three affinity flavors is investigated by means of SEM top-view and cross-section review. Lithographic performances of one selected flavor are then evaluated with the comparison of Process Windows (PWs) function of either commensurability, morphology or LWR. This work is a first step in finding the best process for an industrial graphoepitaxy approach.
Class III Peroxidases (POD) in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): Genome-Wide Identification and Regulation during Nitric Oxide (NO)-Influenced Fruit Ripening

The class III peroxidases (PODs) catalyze the oxidation of several substrates coupled to the reduction of H2O2 to water, and play important roles in diverse plant processes. The POD family members have been well-studied in several plant species, but little information is available on sweet pepper fruit physiology. Based on the existing pepper genome, a total of 75 CaPOD genes have been identified, but only 10 genes were found in the fruit transcriptome (RNA-Seq). The time-course expression analysis of these genes showed that two were upregulated during fruit ripening, seven were downregulated, and one gene was unaffected. Furthermore, nitric oxide (NO) treatment triggered the upregulation of two CaPOD genes whereas the others were unaffected. Non-denaturing PAGE and in-gel activity staining allowed identifying four CaPOD isozymes (CaPOD I-CaPOD IV) which were differentially modulated during ripening and by NO. In vitro analyses of green fruit samples with peroxynitrite, NO donors, and reducing agents triggered about 100% inhibition of CaPOD IV. These data support the modulation of POD at gene and activity levels, which is in agreement with the nitro-oxidative metabolism of pepper fruit during ripening, and suggest that POD IV is a target for nitration and reducing events that lead to its inhibition.
A Numerical Simulation Study Using WRF of a Heavy Snowfall Event in the Yeongdong Coastal Area in Relation to the Northeasterly

A numerical simulation of a heavy snowfall event that occurred 13 January 2008 along the Yeongdong coastal area, was performed using WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) in order to reveal mesoscale structures and to construct a conceptual model showing the meteorological background that caused the large difference in snowfall amounts between the Yeongdong mountain area and the Yeongdong coastal area. The simulation results matched well with various observations such as corresponding 12h-accumulated observed precipitation, surface wind obscrvation, radar echoes, and satellite infrared images. The simulation and the observations showed that the scale of the event was of meso - and meso - scale. The simulation represented well the mesoscale process causing the large difference in snowfall amounts in the two areas. First, wind flow was kept, to a certain extent, from crossing the mountains due to the blocking effect of the low Froude number (~1). The northeast flow over the adjaccnt sea tumcd northwest as it approachcd the mountains, where it was trapped, allowing so-called cold air damming. Second, a strong convergence area formed where the cold northwest flow along the Yeongdong coastal area and the relatively warm and moist northeast flow advecting toward the coast met, supporting the fonllation of a coastal front. Thus, the vertical motion was strongest over the front located near the coast, leading to the heavy snowfall there rather than in the remote mountain area.