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Purpose: To investigate the effects of vitrectomy (Vy) with or without same time cataract surgery and membrane plus internal limiting membrane peeling (MP+ILMP) on retinal oxygenation and choroidal volume and their role on postoperative outcome. Methods: Thirty‐two eyes were included in this prospective clinical study. All patients received 23 gauge Vy+MP+ILMP without endotamponade. Additional cataract surgery was performed in 14 patients. Follow‐up visits were scheduled at day 1, week 1, month 1 and month 3. At each visit, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using ETDRS charts (except at day 1), oxygenation of retinal vessels using the Oxymap T1, and optical coherence tomography (OCT, Heidelberg Spectralis) was performed. Results: Mean BCVA increased significantly from 73 ± 11 letters to 77 ± 7 letters at month 3 (p = 0.02). Mean central retinal thickness (CRT) decreased from 456 ± 84 µm at baseline to 418±58µm (p = 0.01 baseline versus month 3). In the cataract surgery group, CRT was higher at month 3 than in the group without (400 ± 58 µm versus 441 ± 51 µm; p = 0.007). There was no statistically significant difference in choroidal volume or oxygenation of retinal vessels between groups (additional cataract surgery versus vitrectomy alone). Oxygenation of retinal arteries tended to decrease at day 1 followed by an increase, but the changes did not reach the level of significance (p = 0.29 baseline versus month 3). Oxygenation of retinal veins increased significantly (p = 0.02 baseline versus month 1; p = 0.04 baseline versus month 3, accordingly). There was a significant negative correlation (Spearman correlation coefficient rs = −0.35, p = 0.047) between visual acuity and oxygenation of retinal veins at month 3. No statistically significant correlation was found between CRT and oxygenation of neither retinal arteries nor veins. Choroidal volume (CV) of the central mm did not change significantly during the study period (baseline: 0.203 ± 0.04 mm3, median: 0.206, month 3: 0.205 ± 0.04 mm3, p = 0.54). There was no statistically significant effect of choroidal volume at baseline on postoperative clinical outcomes (change in BCVA estimate [95% CI]: 7 [−76; 90], p = 0.86; change in CRT: 147 [−577; 871], p = 0.68). Conclusion: Oxygen saturation may affect the visual acuity outcome but not the CRT in patients after vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane. Choroidal thickness had no statistically significant influence on the study outcomes. Further studies are needed to evaluate if the measurement of retinal oxygenation may be helpful in the decision for surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses the impact of government intervention in the agricultural sector on food security comparatively. The authors conclude that, since 1992, the aggregate volume of agricultural products in these countries has dropped dramatically since the government intervention in agriculture has diminished in most republics of the former Soviet Union. On the other hand, the role of agriculture in the country’s economy is decreasing as the GDP per capita increases in the majority of countries. On the contrary, the share of agriculture in GDP is high in countries with relatively small GDP per capita. The authors conclude that the choice of the “optimal place” of the agricultural sector in the economy of the country is important. A method for measuring government intervention in the agricultural sector is proposed. Based on this method, the degree of government intervention in the agricultural sector in some countries is evaluated comparatively. Assessments show that government intervention in the agricultural sector, one of the most liberal sectors of the economy, is widespread in both developed and developing economies. The contact line between the food security index and liberalization of foreign trade, GDP per capita and the level of agricultural development and the level of government intervention in the agricultural sector were estimated by the regression method. The authors came to the conclusion that the level of liberalization of foreign trade and economic growth play a special role in ensuring food security. If the country does not have a competitive advantage in the agricultural sector, there is no need to give strategic priority to this field and to increase government intervention, and liberalization of foreign trade is more appropriate for food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to build an AHP model that evaluates the priority of cyber security policies for the Azerbaijan information system. For this, 4 factors were constructed from components of ITU National Interest Model, whereas 5 alternatives were based on the best practices of the eight developed countries leading the cyber security field. Using the questionnaire, 24 security experts evaluated the strategic priority of such factors or alternatives.　The analysis results　using the AHP software showed that homeland defense and economic well-being were the dominant aspects of cyber security policy, whereas capacity building and infrastructure were the main concern of cyber security elements for Azerbaijan. This study presents the strategic priority of cyber security policies that can be adopted by Azerbaijan government. This study can contribute to developing the national cyber security guide of Azerbaijan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]