Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Topographic Quadrant Analysis of Peripapillary Superficial Microvasculature in Optic Disc Drusen

Background: Limited information is known about the topographic effect of optic disc drusen (ODD) on peripapillary retinal nerve fibers and microvasculature. Objective: This study aims to understand the structural and functional impact of ODD in different quadrants of the optic disc. Methods: We performed a retrospective case-control study of 22 ODD patients (34 eyes) and 26 controls (33 eyes) to compare optical coherence tomography (OCT) retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), OCT angiography (OCTA), and corresponding static perimetry mean deviation (MD) calculated using the modified Garway-Heath map in different quadrants of the optic disc. OCTA was analyzed using custom MATLAB script to measure six parameters in a peripapillary annulus with large vessel removal: vessel area density (VAD), vessel skeleton density (VSD), vessel perimeter index (VPI), vessel complexity index (VCI), flux, and vessel diameter index (VDI). Results: Quadrant analysis revealed that OCTA VAD and VCI were significantly decreased in superior, nasal, and inferior but not temporal quadrant. RNFL, VSD, and VPI were significantly impacted only in the superior and nasal quadrants. Corresponding visual field MDs in all ODD eyes were not different in the four quadrants, although eyes with MD equal or worse than −5 dB (32%) had worst visual field corresponding to the superior quadrant of the optic disc (inferior arcuate visual field). Structure-structure comparison of OCT and OCTA showed high correlation of RNFL with multiple OCTA measurements in the superior, nasal, and inferior quadrants but not temporal quadrant. Structure-function analysis revealed significant correlation of VAD and VCI and visual field MD in every quadrant, but RNFL was only significantly correlated in the superior and inferior quadrants. Conclusions: Peripapillary VAD and VCI are decreased in more quadrants than RNFL, supporting the clinical utility of performing OCTA in addition to OCT. Consistent with the most common locations of ODD, five OCT/OCTA measurements (VAD, VCI, RNFL, VSD, VPI) are decreased in the superior and nasal quadrants. OCT/OCTA measurements were significantly impacted in contrast to the relatively mild effect on corresponding visual field MD, consistent with the idea that a decrease in objective structural and vascular measurements occurs without parallel change in subjective visual function in ODD.
Substrate Stiffness Regulates Cholesterol Efflux in Smooth Muscle Cells

The infiltration and deposition of cholesterol in the arterial wall play an important role in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are the major cell type in the intima. Upon exposure to cholesterol, SMCs may undergo a phenotype switching into foam cells. Meanwhile, the pathological processes of the blood vessel such as cholesterol deposition and calcification induce the changes in the substrate stiffness around SMCs. However, whether substrate stiffness affects the cholesterol accumulation in SMCs and the formation of foam cells is not well-understood. In this study, SMCs were cultured on the substrates with different stiffnesses ranging from 1 to 100 kPa and treated with cholesterol. We found that cholesterol accumulation in SMCs was higher on 1 and 100 kPa substrates than that on intermediate stiffness at 40 kPa; consistently, total cholesterol (TC) content on 1 and 100 kPa substrates was also higher. As a result, the accumulation of cholesterol increased the expression of macrophage marker CD68 and downregulated SMC contractile marker smooth muscle α-actin (ACTA2). Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expression level of cholesterol efflux gene ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) was much higher on 40 kPa substrate. With the treatment of a liver X receptor (LXR) agonist GW3965, the expression of ABCA1 increased and cholesterol loading decreased, showing an additive effect with substrate stiffness. In contrast, inhibition of LXR decreased ABCA1 gene expression and increased cholesterol accumulation in SMCs. Consistently, when ABCA1 gene was knockdown, the cholesterol accumulation was increased in SMCs on all substrates with different stiffness. These results revealed that substrate stiffness played an important role on SMCs cholesterol accumulation by regulating the ABCA1 expression. Our findings on the effects of substrate stiffness on cholesterol efflux unravel a new mechanism of biophysical regulation of cholesterol metabolism and SMC phenotype, and provide a rational basis for the development of novel therapies.
Gender and Entrepreneurship in Pandemic Time: What Demands and What Resources? An Exploratory Study

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, global economies have suffered an exogenous shock never seen before with a strong economic and psychosocial impact on organizations. Italy, in the context of the research, has been severely affected. The economic crisis has mainly affected women. In this scenario, entrepreneurial perceived success (objective and subjective) is influenced by increasingly burdensome job demands that entrepreneurs have to face up. Using the job demand-resources model, the study aims to broaden the knowledge of the determinants of entrepreneurial perceived success in the current emergency moment. In particular, as regards of the demands, alongside the specific entrepreneurial demands (time demands, uncertainty and risk, and responsibility), we also decided to include the negative interface family–work in both directions from-family-to-work (NEGWIF) and from-work-to-family (NEGFIW). Regarding the resources, we considered entrepreneurial self-efficacy (researching, planning, marshaling, implementing people, and implementing financial), proactive and elaborate social strategies (SS), and both directions of the positive interface: from-family-to-work (POSWIF) and from-work-to-family (POSFIW). All participants are women entrepreneurs (N = 137) who have completed a self-report questionnaire. We explored the associations between demands, resources, and the dimensions of success through hierarchical regressions. As for the demands, time demands, uncertainty and risk, NEGWIF, and NEGFIW negatively influenced the perceived entrepreneurial success. Regarding resources, planning, implementing financial, proactive and elaborate SS positively influenced the perceived entrepreneurial success.
AMAΛΘΕΙA: A Dish-Driven Ontology in the Food Domain

We present AΜAΛΘΕΙA (AMALTHIA), an application ontology that models the domain of dishes as they are presented in 112 menus collected from restaurants/taverns/patisseries in East Macedonia and Thrace in Northern Greece. AΜAΛΘΕΙA supports a tourist mobile application offering multilingual translation of menus, dietary and cultural information about the dishes and their ingredients, as well as information about the geographical dispersion of the dishes. In this document, we focus on the food/dish dimension that constitutes the ontology’s backbone. Its dish-oriented perspective differentiates AΜAΛΘΕΙA from other food ontologies and thesauri, such as Langual, enabling it to codify information about the dishes served, particularly considering the fact that they are subject to wide variation due to the inevitable evolution of recipes over time, to geographical and cultural dispersion, and to the chef’s creativity. We argue for the adopted design decisions by drawing on semantic information retrieved from the menus, as well as other social and commercial facts, and compare AMAΛΘΕΙA with other important taxonomies in the food field. To the best of our knowledge, AΜAΛΘΕΙA is the first ontology modeling (i) dish variation and (ii) Greek (commercial) cuisine (a component of the Mediterranean diet).
A new configuration for four-switch three-phase inverters based on aswitched-capacitor step-up cell for electric vehicles application

Abstract: This paper proposes a new configuration for four-switch three-phase inverters based on a step-up switchedcapacitor cell, which is called switched-capacitor four-switch three-phase inverter (SCFSTPI). This converter includes eight power switches and two DC-link capacitors. Voltage step-up feature, high efficiency, integrated structure, and bidirectional power flow are the main contribution of this new configuration. A modified space vector modulation (SVM) strategy is presented to generate appropriate pulses for the converter. This modulation method also eliminates the effect of capacitors voltage imbalance problem on the inverter output voltage and current. Simulation and experimental results are presented and investigated to confirm the performance of this topology. Results validate the operation of the proposed topology and its modulation. SCFSTPI is applicable in electric vehicle (EV) drive systems and similar applications that need step-up inverters.
Influence of pH on permeability of ceramic membranes and selectivity in ultrafiltration of model BSA and myoglobin solutions

The results of ultrafiltration tests carried out with model BSA and myoglobin solutions using ceramic 50 and 150 kDa membranes have been presented. Membrane permeability and selectivity were investigated in function of pH, transmembrane pressure (TMP) as well as molecular modelling data for proteins such as size, geometrical parameters and pH of minimal free energy of folding. The study has shown that the permeate flux Jv depends on TMP, whereas the protein rejection is mainly influenced by pH. The results demonstrated that molecular modelling data are not sufficient to explain the membrane behaviour and the membrane–protein charge interactions and fouling effects must be also considered to explain the rejection mechanisms.
Composition of Four Selected Arkansas Grown Non- GMO Soybean Cultivars and the Development of High Protein Beverage Using a Selected Soybean Protein Hydrolysate

Protein beverages made with non-genetically modified (non-GM) ingredients have been in demand due to the increasing consumers’ interest in healthy eating habit. Beverages formulated with non-GM soy protein are rare in the United States market since 93% soybeans planted in U.S (2013) are labeled as GM. This study aimed to develop protein hydrolysate beverages using one cultivar among the four Arkansas grown non-GM soybean cultivars including Osage, R95-1705, R08-4004 and R05-4969. R08-4004 was selected since it had the highest amounts of the three branched amino acids including Phenylalanine (51.4 mg/g), Leucine (74.9 mg/g), and Isoleucine (49.7 mg/g) with lowest amount of anti-nutrients including stachyose (42.0 mg/g) and trypsin inhibitor (23.0 TUI/mg). Soy protein isolate (SPI) was prepared using the aqueous extraction (pH = 9), and hydrolyzed at optimal condition of Alcalase concentration 1.0 AU (3.2 μL/g), 50 oC, and 120 min incubation. The result was protein hydrolysate with low S0 value (35.4), low turbidity (0.9), high soluble protein content (46.7%), and highest Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme (ACEI) inhibition activity (66.6%). Protein beverages containing 20 g SPH per 500 mL serving size were developed with Chai tea, tangerine, and mixed berries flavors. The sensory evaluation showed that the tangerine flavor had highest likeness followed by mixed berries, and Chai tea flavor. It also indicated that the usage of citric acid alone in tangerine flavor and the combination with bitter blocker and masking agent in mix berries flavor effectively minimized the bitter taste of SPH and increased the consumer acceptability. Shelf-life stability testing was at refrigerated storage (5 °C) over a 42 days period. Pasteurization (90-95 °C, 5 min) effectively prevented microbial growth. Turbidity increased significantly only in Chai tea drink, but not in tangerine and mixed berries flavored ones. Soluble protein content of three beverages decreased significantly caused by the precipitation of SPH over the storage period. Total color difference values changed during 42 days of storage due to the degradation of natural colors in the three beverages. Overall, the tangerine and mix berries flavored beverages received high consumer acceptance and have potential for commercial application.
Poly-(l)-histidine immobilized cryogels for lysozyme purification

Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography is one of the methods used for the adsorption of proteins. In this study, poly(glycidyl methacrylate) cryogel discs were prepared by free radical polymerization. The metal chelating groups were polymeric chain of poly-(l)-histidine (mol wt ≥ 5000) having poly-imidazole ring sequence. Then, Cu(II), Zn(II), and Ni(II) ions were separately chelated on the poly-(l)-histidine immobilized poly(glycidyl methacrylate) cryogel discs to be used in immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography separation of lysozyme. The swelling test, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, and scanning electron microscopy were performed to characterize both poly(glycidyl methacrylate) and poly-(l)-histidine immobilized poly(glycidyl methacrylate) cryogel discs. The effects of the pH, lysozyme concentration, adsorption time, and ionic strength on the adsorption capacity were studied. These parameters were varied between 4.0 and 8.0 for pH, 0.0 and 2.0 mg/ml for initial lysozyme concentration, 0 and 120 min for adsorption time, and 0.0 and 1.0 µM for ionic strength. The maximum lysozyme adsorption capacity of the Cu(II), Zn(II), and Ni(II) ions chelated poly-(l)-histidine immobilized poly(glycidyl methacrylate) cryogel discs was 36.4, 26.8, and 17.3 mg/g cryogel, respectively. Desorption of lysozyme from cryogel discs was easily achieved by 1.0 M NaCI solution. Repeated adsorption-elution processes showed that these cryogel discs were suitable for repeatable lysozyme adsorption. Adsorption isotherms fitted to Langmuir model and adsorption kinetics suited to pseudo-second order model. Thermodynamic parameters (i.e. ΔH°, ΔS°, ΔG°) were also calculated from Langmuir isotherms at different temperatures.
Device-Related Thrombus After Left Atrial Appendage Closure

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Left atrial appendage closure is an established therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation. Although device-related thrombosis (DRT) is relatively rare, it is potentially linked to adverse events. As data on DRT characteristics, outcome, and treatment regimen are scarce, we aimed to assess these questions in a multicenter approach. Methods: One hundred fifty-six patients with the diagnosis of DRT after left atrial appendage closure were included in the multinational EUROC-DRT registry. Baseline characteristics included clinical and echocardiographic data. After inclusion, all patients underwent further clinical and echocardiographic follow-up to assess DRT dynamics, treatment success, and outcome. Results: DRT was detected after a median of 93 days (interquartile range, 54–161 days) with 17.9% being detected >6 months after left atrial appendage closure. Patients with DRT were at high ischemic and bleeding risk (CHA2DS2-VASc 4.5±1.7, HAS-BLED 3.3±1.2) and had nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation (67.3%), previous stroke (53.8%), and spontaneous echo contrast (50.6%). The initial treatment regimens showed comparable resolution rates (antiplatelet monotherapy: 57.1%, dual antiplatelet therapy: 85.7%, vitamin K antagonists: 80.0%, novel oral anticoagulants: 75.0%, and heparin: 68.6%). After intensification or switch of treatment, complete DRT resolution was achieved in 79.5% of patients. Two-year follow-up revealed a high risk of mortality (20.0%) and ischemic stroke (13.8%) in patients with DRT. Patients with incomplete DRT resolution showed numerically higher stroke rates and increased mortality rates (stroke: 17.6% versus 12.3%, P=0.29; mortality: 31.3% versus 13.1%, P=0.05). Conclusions: A substantial proportion of DRT is detected >6 months after left atrial appendage closure, highlighting the need for imaging follow-up. Patients with DRT appear to be at a high risk for stroke and mortality. While DRT resolution was achieved in most patients, incomplete DRT resolution appeared to identify patients at even higher risk. Optimal DRT diagnostic criteria and treatment regimens are warranted.
Survey on Challenges and Applications of Internet-of-Things

— The Internet of Things (IoT) is the next trend of innovation that potentials to improve and enhance our daily life based on smart sensors and smart objects working together. The primary vision of the IoT was to fundamentally change the way of doing business, developing greater competences, motivating deeper customer networks and presenting new business models. IoT includes devices such as radio frequency identifications (RFID), sensors, and actuators, as well as other instruments and smart appliances that are becoming an essential part of the Internet. It is important to gather accurate raw data in a competent way; but more significant is to inspect and mine the raw data to abstract more valuable information such as relationships among things and services to provide web of things or Internet of services.Devices can be connected to the Internet using unique IP addresses in Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity, hence agreeing them to be read, controlled, and managed at everywhere and every time. Security is a vital aspect for IoT deployments. Due to the robust attacking ability, speed, simple implementation and additional features, differential fault analysis has turn out to be an important method to weigh the security in the Internet of Things. This paper elaborately affords the knowledge on architecture, challenges, security and applications of IoT in various fields.
INFORMATION PROCESSING – HEURISTIC VS SYSTEMATIC AND SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SHARING COVID 19-RELATED FAKE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media has turned into a fertile ground for COVID-19 fake news The present study aims to provide a hypothetical and empirical background to elucidate the psychological and behavioral aspects of information processing and susceptibility of sharing the fake news, with especial reference to COVID-19 news on social media The study explores the relation between the select variables and heuristic and systematic information processing Grounded on prior studies, this paper presents a research model to address susceptibility of sharing the fake news on social media, and identifies characteristics that may be more susceptible than others for sharing fake news on social media including Sharing Motivation (SM), Social Media Fatigue (SMF), Feel Good Factor (FGF), Fear of Missing out (FoMO), News Characteristics (NC) and five Big Personality Traits The data collected from 244 respondents was analyzed with the help of IBM SPSS 23, using descriptive and statistical test, including means, standard deviations, and correlation analysis conducted Correlation exploration was utilized to study the association between the select variables and systematic and heuristic information processing and susceptibility of sharing the fake news on social media The findings show several factors contribute to information processing in both modes The study confirms that heuristic processing is significantly associated with susceptibility of sharing fake news The research adds to the media studies, behavioral and psychological disciplines, as it examines the relationships between the select variables and the systematic and heuristic information processing and COVID-19 fake news on social media The present investigation makes an innovative and original contribution to media studies by exploring the relationship between select variables and susceptibility for sharing fake news on social media The study presents a research model to identify the influence of select variables on information processing and the susceptibility to falling prey to fake news on social media and contributes to the domain to media studies © 2020 All Rights Reserved
Synthesis and transformations of novel precursors via modified Mannich and aza- Friedel–Crafts reaction

Synthesis of new phenanthr[9,10-e][1,3]oxazines was achieved by direct coupling of 915 phenanthrol with cyclic imines in the modified aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction followed by the ring 16 closure of the bifunctional aminophenanthrols with formaldehyde. Aminophenanthrol type 17 Mannich bases were synthesized and transformed to phenanthr[9,10-e][1,3]oxazines via [4+2] 18 cycloaddition. Detailed NMR structural analyses of the new polyheterocycles as well as 19 conformational studies including DFT modelling were performed. The relative stability of o-QMs 20 was calculated, the geometries obtained compared with the experimentally determined NMR 21 structures and, hereby, the regioselectivity of the reactions has been assigned. 22
PART I GOVERNING CIRCULAR ECONOMY: PLACE-SPECIFIC BARRIERS THAT HAMPER THE CLOSE OF THE LOOP

In the past decade, the concept of ‘circular economy’ (CE) has been gaining importance on various levels. CE has plenty of definitions, however, based on Kirchherr and colleagues’ (2017) systematic analysis it can be argued that most often circular economy is depicted as the set of activities reduce, reuse and recycle. Kirchherr et al. (2017) has indicated that the necessity of a systemic shift in order to achieve CE is often not highlighted (Kirchherr et al., 2017). According to Reike et al. (2018), the first CE article was recorded in 2007, while an exponential increase could be detected since 2015. However, the concept dates back much further, though framed differently, and CE can be divided into three phases (Blomsma and Brennan, 2017; Reike et al., 2018). Alongside environmental movements in the 1970s, the focus was on the ‘output side’, on the pollution, and less attention was paid to prevention. From the 1990s, the second phase had a stronger integration among preventive and output measures, while the third phase in the last decade “is phrased as a way out of ‘resource trap’” (Reike et al., 2018, p. 249).
Shareholder Activism and Firm Engagement

While the value that activist investors provide to markets has been debated for years, considerable survey and anecdotal evidence suggests that firms generally oppose shareholder activism. In this paper, we explore whether firms can combat activism through direct engagement with shareholders. By engaging in two-way communication with investors, firms can recognize and correct investor misunderstandings, explain how current actions relate to long-term strategy, and receive investors’ feedback on strategic decisions, all of which are particularly important as activists increasingly utilize new communication platforms to more efficiently and effectively garner support from other shareholders. We find that a commitment to engagement is associated with increased investor confidence in management and the board as well as a lower likelihood of being targeted by an activist. We also find that engagement is less effective when (i) the firm has extremely poor performance, and (ii) the investor base is more disperse. Finally, we find that when firms are targeted by activists, firms with a commitment to engagement have less costly and contentious campaigns than those that do not engage investors. Taken together, our findings suggest that direct investor engagement is an important factor in achieving a mutual understanding between the firm and its shareholders, which deters activist investors and mitigates the costly escalation of initiated campaigns.