Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive function dynamics in comorbid patients after angioreconstructive interventions

Angioreconstructive interventions are generally known to be of prophylactic value for cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). At the same time, their prognosis in comorbid patients, particularly in those with type 2 diabetes (T2D), have been insufficiently covered.Objective: to study the impact of T2D on cognitive functions after carotid angioplasty with stenting (CAS)Patients and methods. CAS was performed in 99 patients with chronic CVD. Group 1 consisted of 51 patients (median age, 64.5 years) without carbohydrate metabolism disorders. Group 2 included 48 patients (median age, 64 years) with T2D. Over time, all the patients underwent clinical, neurological, and neuropsychological examinations, general clinical and biochemical blood tests, duplex scanning of the brachiocephalic arteries, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Blood flow in the middle cerebral artery was monitored to assess the embolic and hemodynamic situation during a CAS procedure.Results and discussion. The baseline frequency of neurocognitive impairment was almost the same (75%) in both groups; however, the impairment was more obvious in patients with T2D. Re-examination in Group 1 patients immediately after intervention revealed slight positive cognitive changes, while the patients with T2D showed a decrease in the indicators of mental functions. The improved ability to abstract and increase the level of generalization of functions appeared in T2D patients only 2 months after intervention. Post-CAS MRI revealed ipsilateral acute ischemic foci (AIF) in the brain substance in 11 (22%) patients of Group 1 and in 24 (50%) with concomitant T2D. Comparison of neuroimaging data with cognitive function assessments for the entire group of the examinees established deterioration in the cognitive status in patients with new ischemic brain changes detected after intervention.Conclusion. CVD concurrent with T2D usually contributes to deterioration in the cognitive status. Angioreconstructive interventions, in particular CAS, are frequently accompanied by the identification of AIF (including «silent» ones) that can cause a transient deterioration in cognitive functions. When planning angioreconstructive interventions in patients with T2D, the question arises of predicting such risks and possible neuroprotective methods.
Developing sustainable business models: local knowledge acquisition and tourism lifestyle entrepreneurship

Abstract Tourism lifestyle entrepreneurs’ (TLEs) businesses are associated with sustainable business models (SBMs) due to a link to the place. This link is a source of essential local knowledge that provides differentiation, competitiveness, and sustainability. Given the importance of local knowledge to SBMs, this article explores knowledge management by examining how TLEs acquire and integrate knowledge as well as its effects on innovativeness and self-efficacy. We use a sequential mixed-methods approach in which we first conducted a qualitative study with four in-depth semi-structured interviews with TLEs, followed by a quantitative study through a survey of 115 TLEs, and third we conducted another qualitative study based on four semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that entrepreneurial communication has a significantly positive and direct effect on both the innovativeness and self-efficacy of TLEs. A community-centered strategy has a positive influence on innovativeness and self-efficacy but via the indirect effect of entrepreneurial communication. Local knowledge assimilation plays a mediating role between the acquisition of local knowledge and innovativeness and self-efficacy. These findings provide a general understanding and framework about how TLEs link the elements of an SBM to greater innovativeness and self-efficacy.
The European Union’s Industrial Policy

This chapter reviews the industrial policy in the European Union in the light of the revived interest in the subject and the most pressing challenges ahead. In the current global context these challenges are (i) to keep pace at the technology frontier with the technologically most advanced economies; (ii) to meet the challenges of fast catching-up emerging economies; (iii) to contribute to the convergence and cohesion processes within the European Union; and (iv) to deal with climate change and environmental sustainability issues more generally. A quantitative exercise that makes use of the European Union’s budget data, including the structural funds, and member states aid expenditures, is used to identify the European Union’s current industrial policy priorities. The results are the basis for an assessment of the extent to which the key challenges are addressed at the supranational level and which aspects are primarily dealt with by national governments.
The state of wearable health technologies: a transdisciplinary literature review

This review evaluated transdisciplinary empirical research on wearable health technologies using the input-mechanism-output model and addressed a major concern relating to the invasiveness of wearables. The dataset consisted of 250 published papers that investigated wearables for health-related purposes. Papers focused on technological inputs and health output factors, de-emphasizing theoretical mechanisms that could effectively translate the former into the latter. The lack of transdisciplinary research in the field is limiting both identification of effectiveness and evidence of beneficial health outcomes, with a considerable divide between technologists and public health researchers. Privacy concerns relate to increasing trends in collecting data for mental health and physical health, with the latter escalating exponentially. Invasiveness of wearables has increased over time in terms of collected signals and the derived health information, monitoring both users and their social and physical environments. We conclude with reflections for conceptual development, commercial application and policy regulation.
Can sustainability report assurance be a collaborative process and practice beyond the ritual of verification?

This study examines the role of assurance for sustainability reporting whether it has the role beyond a verification mechanism for corporate sustainability reporting. This paper looks beyond the discourse about managerial and professional capture in sustainability report assurance practice. Drawing on the in-depth interviews with assurance practitioners for sustainability reporting in the United Kingdom from different professional backgrounds, it provides an evidence-based illustration on how sustainability report assurance service can contribute to more corporate sustainable actions. The findings also highlight the potential influences of the assurance providers on the assurance process and corporate decision-making. The conceptualization of the assurance from the service perspective and of the assurance providers as transformational leaders enables this paper to challenge the current framing of the assurance services as a verification ritual that constraint its impacts and contributions to sustainable development.
Discrete particle simulation of gas fluidization of particle mixtures

This report presents a numerical study of segregation and mixing of binary mixtures of particles in a gas-fluidized bed by means of discrete particle simulation, where the motion of individual particles is 3-D and the flow of continuous gas is 2-D. Periodic boundary conditions are applied to the front and rear walls to represent a bed of large thickness with a relatively small number of particles. Two initial packing conditions are used in this simulation: completely separated, with the flotsam (1 × 10−3 m in diameter) on the top of the jetsam (2 × 10−3 m in diameter), and well mixed. The flotsam and jetsam are of the same density, with each counting 50% in weight. Gas is injected uniformly at the bottom. Two superficial gas velocities, 1.0 and 1.4 m/s, are used in the simulation, producing significant segregation and good mixing, respectively. The results show that the degree and rate of segregation or mixing are significantly affected by gas velocity and the final equilibrium states are not affected by the initial packing states for a given gas velocity. Significant segregation occurs at a gas velocity of 1.0 m/s, with the top fluidized layer rich in flotsam and the bottom defluidized layer rich in jetsam, whereas there was less segregation at 1.4 m/s with most of the bed fluidized. The simulated results are qualitatively comparable with those observed in the physical experiments conducted under similar conditions. On this basis, the mixing kinetics obtained from the numerical simulation is quantified with a weighted Lacey mixing index and explained in terms of microdynamic results in relation to particle–particle and particle–fluid interactions. It is proposed that an appropriate sampling size should be able to describe properly the two extremes: well mixed and fully segregated. The results also demonstrate that size segregation occurs as a result of the strong fluid drag force lifting the flotsam before a dynamical equilibrium is reached, and the particle–particle interaction, like the particle–fluid interaction, plays an important role in achieving uniform fluidization. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 1713–1728, 2004
Restorable Type Conversion of Carbon Nanotube Transistor Using Pyrolytically Controlled Antioxidizing Photosynthesis Coenzyme

Here, a pyrolytically controlled antioxidizing photosynthesis coenzyme, β‐Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced dipotassium salt (NADH) for a stable n‐type dopant for carbon nanotube (CNT) transistors is proposed. A strong electron transfer from NADH, mainly nicotinamide, to CNTs takes place during pyrolysis so that not only the type conversion from p‐type to n‐type is realized with 100% of reproducibility but also the on/off ratio of the transistor is significantly improved by increasing on‐current and/or decreasing off‐current. The device was stable up to a few months with negligible current changes under ambient conditions. The n‐type characteristics were completely recovered to an initial doping level after reheat treatment of the device.
Estimation of the Compliance Level of Middle Age Patients with Arterial Hypertension

Non-compliance to treatment recommendations of patients with chronic diseases is a global medical problem that significantly affects the effectiveness of treatment, leading to serious medical and economic consequences. Sufficient research on the problem of non-compliance with medical recommendations has led to the creation of a holistic concept of medical compliance. The purpose of the work was to estimate the main factors influencing the compliance to antihypertensive therapy of middle age patients with Arterial hypertension. Material and methods. We investigated 40 patients 50-60 years old (mean age 56.6±4.5 years) with Essential Arterial hypertension. Socio-demographic, clinical, pathopsychological, psycho-diagnostic methods (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, self-assessment anxiety scale Charles D. Spielberger – Y. L Hanin, the Scale of Internality in relation to health and illness, the study of the self-esteem of mental states by H. J. Eysenck, the study of the level of depression by the Beck Depression Inventory), mathematical and statistical methods were used. Results and discussion. With the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale survey, we distinguished three groups of patients: with high (22.5%), middle (27.5%) and low (50.0%) levels of adherence to the combined therapy of hypertension. Socio-demographic factors in patients with low adherence to treatment were determined by lower level of education and absence of continuous marital relations. Clinical characteristics of patients with low compliance level included the presence of 3rd degree of severity, I stage of the Arterial hypertension, often comorbidities (Diabetes Mellitus 2nd type, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ischemic Heart disease), long tobacco smoking. According to the psychopathological and psycho-diagnostic examination, patients with an internal type of personality control, low anxiety and depression mostly showed the low level of compliance and also more frequent aggressiveness in the self-esteem of mental states (p <0.05). Conclusion. Thus, patients of middle age with Essential arterial hypertension very often (up to 78%) showed the insufficient level of adherence to antihypertensive treatment. Socio-demographic, clinical and psychopathological factors significantly affect the level of compliance in these patients. Improving the effectiveness of therapy of Arterial hypertension in such patients is possible due to optimization of treatment regimens, wide introduction of psycho-diagnosis and psycho-correction with the involvement of psychologists into this process.
Subthreshold Characteristics of AlGaN/GaN MIS-FinFETs with Controlling Threshold Voltages

AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistors with fin structures (AlGaN/GaN MIS-FinFETs) were fabricated and characterized by changing fin width and using different dielectric layers. The FinFET with 20 nm-thick SiO2 dielectric layer exhibits a very small subthreshold swing (SS) of 56 mV/decade. However, the threshold voltage of the device is too low to ensure low off-state leakage current (at the gate voltage of 0 V), even though the fin width of the device is reduced to 30 nm, which would not meet the requirement for low standby power consumption. On the other hand, the FinFET with a 10 nm-thick Al2O3 dielectric layer and a much wider fin width of 100 nm shows normally-off operation with a threshold voltage of 0.8 V, SS of 63 mV/dec, and very low off-state current of 1 nA/mm. When the fin width is reduced to 40 nm, the threshold voltage of the FinFET is increased to 2.3 V and the SS is decreased to 52 mV/decade. These excellent switching performances convince us that the FinFETs might be promising either for low voltage logic or for efficient power switching applications. The observed SS values, which are smaller than the theoretical Boltzmann limit (60 mV/decade), can be explained by the concept of the voltage-dependent effective channel width.
Uniform Energy Decay Rates for the Fuzzy Viscoelastic Model with a Nonlinear Source

<jats:p>This paper considers the fuzzy viscoelastic model with a nonlinear source <jats:inline-formula> <math xmlns="http://www.w3. org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"> <msub> <mrow> <mi>u</mi> </mrow> <mrow> <mi>t</mi> <mi>t</mi> </mrow> </msub> <mo>+</mo> <mi>L</mi> <mi>u</mi> <mo>+</mo> <mstyle displaystyle="true"> <mrow> <msubsup> <mo stretchy="false">∫</mo> <mn>0</mn> <mi>t</mi> </msubsup> <mrow> <mi>g</mi> <mfenced open="(" close=")" separators="|"> <mrow> <mi>t</mi> <mo>−</mo> <mi>ζ</mi> </mrow> </mfenced> <mi mathvariant="normal">Δ</mi> <mi>u</mi> <mfenced open="(" close=")" separators="|"> <mrow> <mi>ζ</mi> </mrow> </mfenced> <mtext>d</mtext> <mi>ζ</mi> </mrow> </mrow> </mstyle> <mo>−</mo> <msup> <mrow> <mfenced open="|" close="|" separators="|"> <mrow> <mi>u</mi> </mrow> </mfenced> </mrow> <mrow> <mi>γ</mi> </mrow> </msup> <mi>u</mi> <mo>−</mo> <mi>η</mi> <mi mathvariant="normal">Δ</mi> <msub> <mrow> <mi>u</mi> </mrow> <mrow> <mi>t</mi> </mrow> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>0</mn> </math> </jats:inline-formula> in a bounded field Ω. Under weak assumptions of the function <jats:inline-formula> <math xmlns="http://www.w3. org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"> <mi>g</mi> <mfenced open="(" close=")" separators="|"> <mrow> <mi>t</mi> </mrow> </mfenced> </math> </jats:inline-formula>, with the aid of Mathematica software, the computational technique is used to construct the auxiliary functionals and precise priori estimates. As time goes to infinity, we prove that the solution is global and energy decays to zero in two different ways: the exponential form and the polynomial form. </jats:p>
Transition metal-catalyzed carboxylation of olefins with Carbon dioxide: a comprehensive review

ABSTRACT Carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization for the production of fuels and energy-rich chemicals is one of the attractive topics of research in modern-day chemistry. The main barriers in the CO2 utilization include: 1) the cost associated in CO2 capture, separation, purification, and transportation; 2) higher energy demand for conversion due to its higher kinetic and thermodynamic stability; 3) the lack of socio-economical driving forces. Valorization of CO2 has been realized as a viable option for the mitigation of CO2 as well as to create new business opportunities. Carbon dioxide is a nontoxic, renewable, and abundant C1 source; whereas carboxylation of olefins to carboxylic acids represents one of the most important transformations owing to the broad applicability of these chemicals in various domains, such as water-absorbing polymers, preservatives of food, fertilizers, building blocks for the manufacturing of cosmetics, soaps, detergents, rubbers, dyes, animal feed, plastics, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. The present review mainly focuses on the recent advances in the transition metal-catalyzed carboxylation of the olefins by using carbon dioxide as a feedstock. Firstly, the hydrocarboxylation or direct carboxylation using coordination complexes of transition metals such as rhodium, copper, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, iron, palladium, and zirconium have been discussed in detail. In the next section, the hetero carboxylation reactions, for example, boracarboxylation, silacarboxylation, carbocarboxylation, thiocarboxylation and dicarboxylation have been presented to explore the wider scope of CO2 utilization for carboxylation reactions. Lastly, the carboxylation of dienes and difunctionalization reactions have been discussed. Further, the recent trends and key challenges in the use of CO2 as a carbxylating agent for carboxylation reactions have been described.
Normoalbuminuric Diabetic Kidney Disease- Need for Renal Biopsy? An Autopsy Study on Western Indian Population

Introduction: Persistent albuminuria and glomerular filtration rate are considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of Diabetic Nephropathy (DN). Methods: In this autopsy study, we evaluated data from a cohort of 67 patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. We determined the histological prevalence of DN irrespective of the clinical manifestations of renal disease. Patients were stratified by proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR). The glomerular, interstitial and vascular lesions were scored as per the established histopathologic classification for DN. Results: 55 of the 67 patients had clinical as well as histological lesions consistent with DN. 12 patients had histological lesions of DN at autopsy but no clinical evidence of proteinuria, including microalbuminuria in their lifetime.4 of these patients had maintained eGFR. There was no difference in the glomerular lesions in patients with normoalbuminuria regardless of the eGFR. However,50% of the patients with low eGFR showed presence of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy while no interstitial lesions were noted in patients with normoalbuminuria and maintained eGFR. Significant amount of arteriosclerosis was noted in the normoalbuminuric low eGFR patients. Haematuria was significantly associated with proteinuric low GFR patients. Conclusion: Histological evidence of DN may be seen even in the absence of clinical manifestations, suggesting that, in diabetic kidneys some amount of glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage has already occurred before the onset of proteinuria. Hence, there is a need for routine kidney biopsies in diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria. This will help in the timely diagnosis and appropriate management in the early stages of DN.
Assessment of the Anthropogenic Sediment Budget of a Littoral Cell System (Northern Tuscany, Italy)

In the present study we describe a straightforward and highly replicable methodology to assess the anthropogenic sediment budget within a coastal system (the Northern Tuscany littoral cell, Italy), specifically selected in a partially natural and partially highly urbanized coastal area, characterized by erosion and accretion processes. The anthropogenic sediment budget has been here calculated as an algebraic sum of sediment inputs, outputs and transfer (m3) within a 40 year time interval (1980–2020). Sediment management strongly influences the sediment budget and, even if its evaluation is crucial to assess the efficiency of a coastal management policy, it is often difficult to quantify the anthropogenic contribution to sedimentary processes. Different types of intervention are carried out by a variety of competent authorities over time (Municipalities, Marinas, Port Authorities), and the correct accountability of sediment budget is no longer known, or possible, for the scientific community. In the Northern Tuscany littoral cell, sedimentation is concentrated in a convergent zone and updrift of port structures, which have determined a series of actions, from offshore dumping and disposal into confined facilities (sediment output), to bypassing and redistribution interventions (sediment transfer); conversely, river mouths and coastal areas protected by groins and barriers are subjected to severe erosion and coastline retreat, resulting in many beach nourishments (sediment input). The majority of coastal protection interventions were carried out to redistribute sand from one site to another within the study area (2,949,800 m3), while the sediment input (1,011,000 m3) almost matched the sediment output (1,254,900 m3) in the considered time interval. A negative anthropogenic sediment budget (−243,900 m3) is here documented.
Kin Blackmail as a Coercive Route to Altruism

The evolution of altruism (helping a recipient at personal cost) often involves conflicts of interest. Recipients frequently prefer greater altruism than actors are prepared to provide. Coercion by recipients normally involves limiting an actor’s options. Here, we consider the possibility of a coercive recipient limiting its own options. Forty years ago, Amotz Zahavi suggested that nesting birds may be “blackmailed” into increased parental care if offspring threaten to harm themselves (and therefore jeopardize the direct fitness of their parents). In a simple kin selection model, we expand blackmail to indirect fitness and highlight that blackmail can occur between any kin to drive reproductive division of labor. In principle, a recipient may place its own fitness at risk (brinkmanship), imposing sanctions on a relative’s indirect fitness if the relative fails to cooperate. To use its own survival or reproduction as leverage in a sequential game, a recipient must increase the extent to which its existing fitness depends on the actor’s behavior and therefore credibly commit to a cost if the actor does not comply. As it requires opportunities for commitment, kin blackmail can arise only under stringent conditions, but existing kin blackmailers may pass unnoticed because of their strategic success.