Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continuous Glucose Monitoring for the Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study

Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is diabetes first diagnosed in pregnancy. GDM, together with its short- and long-term negative outcomes, is increasing in incidence all over the world. The current diagnostic method for GDM, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), is dated and has been reported as inconvenient for women as well as poorly reproducible and reliable. Aims We aimed at assessing the acceptability, feasibility, and accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) as a diagnostic test for GDM and explore its correlation with the OGTT and risk factors for GDM. Methods In this prospective cohort study, pregnant women due for or having completed OGTT underwent CGM for seven days, performing daily finger-prick blood glucose levels before completing an acceptability questionnaire. Data on GDM risk factors and CGM variability were analyzed and compared with OGTT results. Results Seventy-three women completed CGM (40 GDM, 33 normal glucose tolerances); 34 concurrently underwent OGTT. CGM was acceptable and generally well-tolerated, with skin irritation/itchiness the only adverse event (11 mild, one severe). CGM and OGTT strongly correlated for fasting glucose values (r = 0.86, p < 0.05) only. Triangulating GDM risk factors, OGTT results and CGM variability parameters with the application of machine learning highlighted the possibility of unmasking false positive (11 showed low CGM variability and demographic risks but positive OGTT) and false-negative OGTT diagnoses (1 showed high CGM variability and demographic risks but negative OGTT). Conclusions CGM was well-tolerated, showing poorer glycaemic control in GDM, and revealing potential misdiagnosis of the OGTT when combined with GDM risk factors. Future research is needed to determine cut-off values for CGM-defined and OGTT-independent screening criteria for GDM.
Hybrid Framework for Diabetic Retinopathy Stage Measurement Using Convolutional Neural Network and a Fuzzy Rules Inference System

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an increasingly common eye disorder that gradually damages the retina. Identification at the early stage can significantly reduce the severity of vision loss. Deep learning techniques provide detection for retinal images based on data size and quality, as the error rate increases with low-quality images and unbalanced data classes. This paper proposes a hybrid intelligent framework of a conventional neural network and a fuzzy inference system to measure the stages of DR automatically, Diabetic Retinopathy Stage Measurement using Conventional Neural Network and Fuzzy Inference System (DRSM-CNNFIS). The fuzzy inference used human experts’ rules to overcome data dependency problems. At first, the Conventional Neural Network (CNN) model was used for feature extraction, and then fuzzy rules were used to measure diabetic retinopathy stage percentage. The framework is trained using images from Kaggle datasets (Diabetic Retinopathy Detection, 2022). The efficacy of this framework outperformed the other models with regard to accuracy, macro average precision, macro average recall, and macro average F1 score: 0.9281, 0.7142, 0.7753, and 0.7301, respectively. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed framework, without any segmentation process, has a similar performance for all the classes, while the other classification models (Dense-Net-201, Inception-ResNet ResNet-50, Xception, and Ensemble methods) have different levels of performance for each class classification.
Action-Type Variational Principles For Hyperbolic and Parabolic Heat & Mass Transfer

For the field or Eulerian description of heat conduction, a method is discussed associated with description of thermal fields by a variational principle involving suitably constructed potentials rather than original physical variables. The considered processes are: simple hyperbolic heat transfer and coupled parabolic transfer of heat, mass and electric charge. By using various gradient or nongradient representations of original physical fields in terms of potentials, which are quantities of similar sort as those which Clebsch used in his representation of hydrodynamic velocity, suitable action-type criteria can be found, and corresponding Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms can be developed. Symmetry principles can also be considered and components of energy-momentum tensor can be evaluated for a gauged lagrangian. The limiting reversible case appears as a suitable reference frame. The results suggest that thermodynamic irreversibility does not change neither kinetic potential nor action functional; it only complicates potential representations of physical fields in comparison with those describing the reversible evolution.
Multichannel Blind Deconvolution Using Low-rank and Sparse Decomposition

Multiple images of the same scene improve the result of multichannel blind deconvolution problem. However, existing techniques require alignment of channels. We define a multichannel deconvolution scheme for highly correlated images to estimated the blur kernel and the underlying images. The recovery algorithm is formulated by alternating minimization which is proved to have the convergence guarantee. The scheme does not require the image alignment and decompose the acquired images into a low-rank and sparse component in order to exploit different types of correlations. Our scheme has applications in video sequence, biomedical images, and light fields blind deconvolution.
The Effect of Molten Salt Infiltration on 2D SiCf/SiC Composite by Chemical Vapour Infiltration

The SiCf/SiC composite manufactured by chemical vapour infiltration (CVI) is a kind of porous material. Liquid molten salt in a Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) may enter into the porous composites and affect their performance. Through the study of the internal pores in the material, the permeability behaviour of the material can be investigated, which is of great significance to the analysis of the properties of the material itself. However, there is less investigation on effects of molten salt infiltration on the internal pore structure of SiCf/SiC composites. In this paper, a molten salt infiltration experiment of 2D woven SiCf/SiC composites was implemented at 650 °C, 3 atm. SEM, CT and XRD were used to characterize it. The results indicated that the microstructure could be affected by partial molten salt infiltration and temperature change. The distribution of porosity of the composite showed an obvious transformation. The lattice spacing of SiC showed an increased tendancy of stress relaxation.
Brexit spillovers: how economic policy uncertainty affects foreign direct investment and international trade

In recent years, the economic policy uncertainty in various countries has gradually increased with the increasing complexity of global economic situation, and foreign direct investment and trade have also been impacted. As a historic event, does Brexit affect the economic consequences of economic policy uncertainty? In this regard, we aim to examine the Brexit spillovers on five major EU member states and the UK through economic policy uncertainty. Cluster analysis and TVP-VAR model are used to analyze the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade (TRADE) during Brexit. The results at different time horizons show that, in addition to the Netherlands, impulse responses of foreign direct investment and international trade have the characteristics of positive and negative conversion. Despite all this, impulse responses of international trade are lower than those of foreign direct investment. Time points when foreign direct investment and international trade have the greatest impulse response vary from country to country. Overall, the impact of economic policy uncertainty on them is more reflected in the late Brexit period. Based on the above findings, we draw policy implications.
The Vanishing Moment Method for Fully Nonlinear Second Order Partial Differential Equations: Formulation, Theory, and Numerical Analysis

The vanishing moment method was introduced by the authors in [37] as a reliable methodology for computing viscosity solutions of fully nonlinear second order partial differential equations (PDEs), in particular, using Galerkin-type numerical methods such as finite element methods, spectral methods, and discontinuous Galerkin methods, a task which has not been practicable in the past. The crux of the vanishing moment method is the simple idea of approximating a fully nonlinear second order PDE by a family (parametrized by a small parameter $\vepsi$) of quasilinear higher order (in particular, fourth order) PDEs. The primary objectives of this book are to present a detailed convergent analysis for the method in the radial symmetric case and to carry out a comprehensive finite element numerical analysis for the vanishing moment equations (i.e., the regularized fourth order PDEs). Abstract methodological and convergence analysis frameworks of conforming finite element methods and mixed finite element methods are first developed for fully nonlinear second order PDEs in general settings. The abstract frameworks are then applied to three prototypical nonlinear equations, namely, the Monge-Amp\`ere equation, the equation of prescribed Gauss curvature, and the infinity-Laplacian equation. Numerical experiments are also presented for each problem to validate the theoretical error estimate results and to gauge the efficiency of the proposed numerical methods and the vanishing moment methodology.
Comprehensive Evaluation of 24 Red Raspberry Varieties in Northeast China Based on Nutrition and Taste

Red raspberry is a kind of fruit with high nutritional values. To evaluate the comprehensive quality of 24 red raspberry varieties in Northeast China, physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds and sensory characteristics were measured, followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). Altogether, eight important property indexes for processing attributes were selected out using PCA, including titratable acidity (TAC), sugar-acid ratio (SAR), pH, length, diameter, weight, sucrose and citric acid. Six individual sugars, including l-rhamnose monohydrate, fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose and d-trehalose anhydrous, as well as eight organic acids, including oxalic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, lactic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid and succinic acid, were identified in red raspberry. The two main clusters according to individual sugar, organic acids and SAR indicated that varieties including ‘European red’, ‘DNS9’, ‘Bulgaskc’, ‘Canby’ and ‘Samodiva’ were suitable for fresh-eating or processing to juice or other products directly because they had suitable SAR; other varieties with relatively low SAR were unsuitable for fresh-eating and need to adjust their excessive sour taste during processing.
Preference of Cosmopolites sordidus for fusarium wilt‐diseased banana plants

The objective of this study was to understand the role of Cosmopolites sordidus in the dispersal of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 1 (Foc) and more specifically to determine whether C. sordidus is preferentially attracted to Foc‐contaminated banana plant material vs. Foc‐free material. The attraction of C. sordidus to healthy and Foc‐contaminated Gros Michel banana bulbs and pseudostems, as well as to pure cultures of Foc, was compared using four‐choice olfactometers. Males and females were studied separately. After storage in a dark room, weevils were placed in the central chamber of olfactometers. After 15 min, the orientation of each of the weevil was determined according to the food source located in each of the four peripheral chambers of the olfactometer. Overall, 560 olfactometer assays were carried out. Weevils were found to prefer Foc‐infected plant tissues. Weevil preference was not significantly affected by weevil sex. The attraction of C. sordidus to Foc‐contaminated plant material suggests that this insect could be important for the dissemination of Foc, especially in early stages of epidemics, when Foc‐infected plants are scarce.
Assessing Türkiye’s Prospective Involvement in the Arctic Region: A Qualitative Inquiry from Energy and Environmental Perspectives

Recent developments in the Arctic region, mainly marked by climate change, have caused the region to receive increasing attention from regional and non-regional actors, mainly due to emerging energy-related opportunities and environmental concerns. The main reason for non-regional stakeholders to become involved in the Arctic region to pursue their interests is to obtain the observer status in the Arctic Council. Accordingly, this manuscript analyzes the long-term perspective of Türkiye’s involvement in the Arctic region as a non-regional actor and reveals a set of enablers and disablers pertaining to energy and environmental domains. For this purpose, in-depth interviews with experts from Türkiye, with Arctic Council members, or with observer countries are conducted. Results of the analysis are also utilized to provide insights regarding countries with similar profiles to Türkiye, i.e., middle-power and developing countries that are geographically distant from the Arctic region. The results highlight energy security, hydrocarbon reserves, and climate change as significant factors for countries such as Türkiye. Scientific, private sector, or intergovernmental cooperation with regional actors to encourage global action and environmental initiatives are the main enablers. Challenges in the extraction and sharing of energy resources, high costs and high technology requirements of energy exploration and extraction activities, increasing human activity, and damages to the Arctic ecosystem are identified as significant disablers.
Ribes nigrum L. Extract-Mediated Green Synthesis and Antibacterial Action Mechanisms of Silver Nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) represent one of the most widely employed metal-based engineered nanomaterials with a broad range of applications in different areas of science. Plant extracts (PEs) serve as green reducing and coating agents and can be exploited for the generation of Ag NPs. In this study, the phytochemical composition of ethanolic extract of black currant (Ribes nigrum) leaves was determined. The main components of extract include quercetin rutinoside, quercetin hexoside, quercetin glucuronide, quercetin malonylglucoside and quercitrin. The extract was subsequently employed for the green synthesis of Ag NPs. Consequently, R. nigrum leaf extract and Ag NPs were evaluated for potential antibacterial activities against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and kanamycin-resistant E. coli pARG-25 strains). Intriguingly, the plant extract did not show any antibacterial effect, whilst Ag NPs demonstrated significant activity against tested bacteria. Biogenic Ag NPs affect the ATPase activity and energy-dependent H+-fluxes in both strains of E. coli, even in the presence of N,N’-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD). Thus, the antibacterial activity of the investigated Ag NPs can be explained by their impact on the membrane-associated properties of bacteria.
The Tumor Suppressor Protein TRAF3 Modulates GSK3 Activity and Susceptibility of B Lymphoma Cells to GSK3 Inhibition

Simple Summary TRAF3 is an adapter protein that regulates signals through many receptors important for B cell differentiation and function. Loss-of-function mutations or deletions of TRAF3 are common in B cell malignancies. Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3) regulates signaling in growth, survival, and metabolism pathways. GSK3 inhibitors have been effective against many solid tumors; the inhibitor used in this work is currently being tested for efficacy against BCLs. We found that TRAF3 and GSK3 associate in multiple BCL cell lines, and that BCLs with low TRAF3 have a higher susceptibility to GSK3 inhibition. In contrast to BCL cell lines, GSK3 inhibition has little effect on TRAF3-sufficient and deficient resting primary B cells. These results suggest TRAF3 level as a predictor of BCL responsiveness to GSK3 inhibitor therapy. Abstract TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3) is an adapter protein that inhibits many signals that promote B cell survival and activation. Mice with a B cell-specific TRAF3 deficiency and humans with a rare haploinsufficiency in TRAF3 have enhanced development of BCLs as they age. Loss-of-function mutations in TRAF3 are common in B cell malignancies. Recent studies show that pharmacological inhibition of the enzyme glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), which regulates cellular growth, survival, and metabolism, inhibits growth and survival of BCL-derived B cells. In this study, we found that TRAF3 and GSK3 associated in B cells. The relative levels of TRAF3 in BCL cell lines correlated positively with the ratio of inactive to total GSK3β, and negatively correlated with susceptibility to GSK3 inhibition by the GSK3 inhibitory drug 9-ING-41, currently in clinical trials. Uniquely in BCLs with low TRAF3, GSK3 inhibition caused increased loss of the TRAF3-regulated, anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1. GSK3 inhibition also blocked hyperresponsiveness to IL-6 receptor signaling in TRAF3-deficient BCL cells. Together, these results support the utility of 9-ING-41 as a treatment for BCL, and suggest that a decrease or loss of TRAF3 in BCLs could act as a biomarker for increased susceptibility to GSK3 inhibitor treatment.
Digital Transformation and Green Innovation of Chinese Firms: The Moderating Role of Regulatory Pressure and International Opportunities

The digitalization of business processes has increasingly challenged conventional wisdom in corporate green innovation. This empirical paper studies the timely but theoretically underexplored relationship between digital transformation and green innovation in a developing country context. Given that firms’ digital transformation shifts organizational structures toward decentralization, we employ a digital perspective to analyze organizational coordination, control, and learning mechanisms and propose that digital transformation positively affects corporate green innovation. Moreover, drawing on structural contingency theory, we demonstrate that such effects can be strengthened by external contingencies, specifically regulatory pressure and international opportunities. Using a dataset of Chinese listed firms, we find empirical support for our hypotheses. Our study is one of the first to examine how firms can leverage organizational digital transformation to enhance their green innovation performance and thus provides new insights into the drivers of sustainable practices for firms in developing countries.
Emerging post-Arctic tourism in the age of Anthropocene: case Finnish Lapland

ABSTRACT Climate change is often considered as a looming apocalypse in the media and its impacts on the cryosphere are increasingly visible in the Arctic region. This apocalyptic future of the Arctic relates to a set of narratives associated with the Anthropocene, wherein snowy landscapes, glaciers and polar bears have disappeared. This has led to a trend called last chance tourism, which has become an evolving economic opportunity for tourism operators and local communities. In this conceptual article we propose an alternative vision for Arctic tourism development referred to as “post-Arctic tourism”. In order to illustrate the idea, we utilize Finnish Lapland (Arctic Finland) as an example based on existing literature. It is argued that post-Arctic tourism may be based on so-called dark tourism practices if the used and circulated hegemonic representations of the Arctic remain locked in cryospheric- and traditional winter-based imaginaries. This scenario is supported by a social spatialization process called “Arctification”, associated with active attempts to maintain the cryospheric gaze. It is therefore critical for tourism businesses, regions and tourism-dependent communities to rethink and re-invent their Arctic narratives, through “de-Arctification” strategies, allowing for a plurality of tomorrows and for Arctic tourism to become more sustainable and ethical.
Engineering Spatiotemporal Control in Vascularized Tissues

A major challenge in engineering scalable three-dimensional tissues is the generation of a functional and developed microvascular network for adequate perfusion of oxygen and growth factors. Current biological approaches to creating vascularized tissues include the use of vascular cells, soluble factors, and instructive biomaterials. Angiogenesis and the subsequent generation of a functional vascular bed within engineered tissues has gained attention and is actively being studied through combinations of physical and chemical signals, specifically through the presentation of topographical growth factor signals. The spatiotemporal control of angiogenic signals can generate vascular networks in large and dense engineered tissues. This review highlights the developments and studies in the spatiotemporal control of these biological approaches through the coordinated orchestration of angiogenic factors, differentiation of vascular cells, and microfabrication of complex vascular networks. Fabrication strategies to achieve spatiotemporal control of vascularization involves the incorporation or encapsulation of growth factors, topographical engineering approaches, and 3D bioprinting techniques. In this article, we highlight the vascularization of engineered tissues, with a focus on vascularized cardiac patches that are clinically scalable for myocardial repair. Finally, we discuss the present challenges for successful clinical translation of engineered tissues and biomaterials.
HIGH-RESOLUTION REDDENING MAP IN THE DIRECTION OF THE STELLAR SYSTEM TERZAN 5

We have used optical images acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope to construct the first high-resolution extinction map in the direction of Terzan 5, a peculiar stellar system in the inner bulge of our Galaxy. The map has a spatial resolution of 8″ × 8″, over a total field of view of 200″ × 200″. The absorption clouds show a patchy structure on a typical scale of 20″ and extinction variations as large as δE(B − V) ∼ 0.67 mag, especially in the direction of the center of the system. These correspond to an absolute color excess ranging from E(B − V) = 2.15 mag up to 2.82 mag. After the correction for differential reddening, two distinct red giant branches become clearly visible in the color–magnitude diagram of Terzan 5 and they correspond well to the two sub-populations with different iron abundances recently discovered in this system.