Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is the Structure of Growth Different in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Taking advantage of the 2014 issue of the Povcalnet data and building on earlier works, this paper provides an anatomy of growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and compares it with that of the developing world (including or excluding SSA) during the three decades between the early 1980s and the early 2010s. We examined both the impact of the pattern of growth on poverty and inequality (the growth–inequality–poverty (G–I–P) nexus); and the less studied reverse causal chain emanating from poverty to subsequent inequality and growth (the poverty–inequality–growth (P–I–G) nexus). For the G–I–P nexus, we found that poverty reduction is becoming more responsive to income growth and improvement in inequality in SSA in the post-2007 years; though the responsiveness remains smaller in SSA than in the developing world (with or without SSA) throughout the three decades examined. For the P–I–G nexus, we found that SSA again differs from the rest of the developing world in that SSA countries with the highest initial poverty incidence appeared to grow subsequently faster—leading to poverty convergence; while the developing world (with or without SSA) experienced a lack of poverty convergence during the same time period. We hypothesise that the main cause of poverty convergence in SSA during 1978–2007 might be due to anti-poverty interventions by governments and foreign public and private aid inversely proportional to the depth of poverty.
The Reality of Applying Human Resources Diversity Management and Its Impact on Workers’ (Performance, Cooperation, Commitment and Loyalty): A Field Study on the Jordanian Food Industry Companies

Globalization, political instability, poverty, forced immigration and many other factors created a state of diversity in the composition of the world population, and accordingly diversity transferred into organizations, causing a big and unavoidable challenge to business organizations. Diverse human resources can be a source of success if they are well managed strategically, and could be the opposite if they were ignored, and don’t have the needed inclusiveness. This study aimed first to find out the degree to which the Jordanian food industry companies are engaged in Human Resources Diversity Management (DM) in terms of (equity and justice in applying human resources strategies), empowerment and religious freedom. And second to examine the influence of (DM) strategies on workers (performance, cooperation, commitment and loyalty), 150 of non-Jordanian workers at 5 companies operating at King Abdulla the second industrial city were surveyed, depending on the workers responses it was found that the 5 companies do engage in (DM) strategies, except for staffing which is restricted by the Jordanian Labor Law, the results of multiple regression showed that all DM strategies have an influence on workers performance. Empowerment has only an influence on workers cooperation, and religious freedom affects workers commitment and loyalty. The researcher recommended that more involvement in organizational activities, equity, justice and good treatment, will enhance workers cooperation, commitment and loyalty.
Ultrastructural and antigenic properties of neural stem cells and their progeny in adult rat subventricular zone

Neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subventricular zone (SVZ) continuously generate olfactory bulb interneurons in the adult rodent brain. Based on their ultrastructural and antigenic properties, NSCs, transient amplifying precursor cells, and neuroblasts (B, C, and A cells, respectively) have been distinguished in mouse SVZ. Here, we aimed to identify these cell types in rat SVZ ultrastructurally and at the light microscopy level, and to determine the antigenic properties of each cell type using gold and fluorescence immunolabeling. We found astrocytes with single cilia (NSCs, correspond to B cells) and neuroblasts (A cells). We also observed mitotic cells, ependymal cells, displaced ependymal cells, and mature astrocytes. In contrast, transient amplifying precursor cells (C cells) were not detected. The NSCs and neuroblasts had epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and platelet‐derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) expressed on the ciliary apparatus and were the only cell types incorporating the proliferation marker BrdU. Throughout mitosis, EGFR and PDGFRα were associated with the microtubule of the mitotic spindle. Ependymal and displaced ependymal cells also expressed EGFR and PDGFRα on their cilia but did not incorporate BrdU. Our findings indicate that the NSCs in adult rat SVZ give rise directly to neuroblasts. During mitosis, the NSCs disassemble the primary cilium and symmetrically distribute EGFR and PDGFRα among their progeny. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impact of Cash Dividend Announcements: Evidence from the Indian Manufacturing Companies

According to a recent survey by McKinsey and Company, the Indian manufacturing sector is expected to touch US$ 1 trillion by 2025.This study analyses the impact of the announcement of cash dividends on the stock price returns of the manufacturing companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange using event study methodology. Further, it explores whether the US financial crisis recession impacted average abnormal returns (AARs) in the period of study. The empirical results show that cash dividend announcements have positive AARs. Overall, the results lend support to the signalling and informational content hypotheses of dividends. The paired samples t-test indicates a significant difference in the mean values of AARs in the pre-and post-recession phases, highlighting the impact of recession.
ENERGY EXPENDITURE INDEX OF WALKING FOR NORMAL CHILDREN AND FOR CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

Energy expenditure indices (EEI) based on oxygen uptake and heart rate were used to compare the economy of walking at various speeds by normal and cerebral‐palsied children. At low walking speeds, EEI values were high, indicating poor economy. At higher speeds the EEI values decreased until a range of maximum economy was reached. For normal children who were capable of walking beyond this range at higher speeds, the EEI increased again. This pattern was noted for both oxygen‐uptake and heart‐rate indices. Mean EEI values based on oxygen uptake and heart rate for normal children were significantly lower and occurred at faster walking speeds than values for children with cerebral palsy. EEI based on either oxygen uptake or heart rate can be used clinically to provide objective information to help evaluate the influence on gait function of surgical intervention, ambulatory aids or orthotics.
Experimental and simulation study on bake-out with dilution ventilation technology for building materials

ABSTRACT With recent improvements to living standards and renovations to many residential buildings, a large volume of new building materials have been utilized throughout China. Formaldehyde and other kinds of VOC pollutants, such as benzene, toluene and xylene found in new building materials, however, emit gases that may lead to some direct or potential health problems. Bake-out with dilution ventilation technology has the potential to shorten emission cycles of indoor air pollution, by which off-gassing from building materials can be reduced. In this paper, a test chamber was used to represent a newly renovated residential room in China. Experiments were conducted to study the applicability of the technology for removing of formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene. A numerical method was used to simulate a 1 m3-chamber-TVOC removing amount under different operating conditions and the concentration change of TVOC during the bake-out exhaust dilution process. The effects of bake-out temperatures and times, ventilation times, and air change rates on removal are also discussed. Implications: VOCs are the main study objective in this paper. With higher baking temperature, longer baking time and longer ventilation time, the removal efficiency is higher in experiment. Removal content of TVOC increases with the increasing number of ACH. With the consideration of energy consumption, it is more reasonable to choose a ventilation time of 4 hours if ACH is 1.2 times/h.
Property rights regime in land development – Analysis of the influence of institutions on land development in terms of the property rights theory

In the current institutional models, land development is primarily viewed as a process of social interaction in which informal institutional structures, strategies and personal characteristics of agents are influential. The institutional-economic models of land development emphasise the roles of uncertainty, incomplete information or transaction costs. Just recently, attention started to be paid to the formal ‘rules of the game’ and the property rights regime in land development processes. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge on the role of the property rights regime in land development and contribute to the further conceptualisation of the impact of the institutions on land development. This study addresses the question of what constitutes the elements of the property rights regime in land development and how the differences in the property rights regime can explain differences in the land development processes. In order to achieve the aim of this study, the analytical model of land development based on the property rights approach is proposed and a comparative analysis on the influence of the property rights regime on land development methods in two countries is conducted. The research approach in this study is a mixture of some key characteristics of qualitative and comparative approaches. In the analytical model developed in this study, the distribution of ‘rights’ in the property rights regime in land development is the central concept. Within the property rights regime the explanatory variables were identified, which are important characteristics of the property rights regimes. The explanatory variables are: the position of the municipality in the development process, the flexibility versus certainty in development control, and the economic right in land development. The delineation and allocation of rights in connection to the explanatory variables were investigated in comparative research in two countries. Furthermore, the distribution of rights within the property rights regime was discussed in relation to the methods of land development. The empirical research shows how institutions affect the market processes.
Effect of Long-term Topiramate Therapy on Serum Bicarbonate and Potassium Levels in Adult Epileptic Patients

Background: Topiramate (TPM) is a sulfamate-substituted monosaccharide that is structurally different from other antiepileptic drugs. TPM inhibits carbonic anhydrase activity, which is associated with loss of bicarbonate from the kidney and consequently metabolic acidosis or electrolyte imbalance. Objective: The objectives of the study were to investigate the influence of TPM therapy on bicarbonate and potassium levels in adult epileptic patients. Methods: Data were collected from 59 adult patients on monotherapy or co-therapy of TPM and other antiepileptic drugs. Serum bicarbonate and potassium levels were available from all patients. Steady-state TPM trough concentrations were determined in blood samples by high-performance liquid chromatography. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software (version 17, Chicago, IL). Results: Patients were divided into group A (duration of therapy shorter than or equal to 5 years) and group B (duration of therapy longer than 5 years). Significant difference (P < 0.05) in serum bicarbonate levels was observed between these 2 groups. Bicarbonate levels were linearly related to the TPM therapy duration. No correlation was found between the TPM dose or patient age and bicarbonate or potassium levels, as well as between therapy duration and potassium level. Linear regression analysis showed no significant association among 54 available TPM trough concentrations and bicarbonate or potassium levels. Conclusions: Results highlight the frequent occurrence of lower bicarbonate level associated with prolonged TPM therapy. Monitoring bicarbonate levels in patients on long-term TPM therapy might be useful.
Determinants of Life Insurance Demand in Tunisia

This paper investigates the variables driving the demand for life insurance in Tunisia based on annual macroeconomic data spanning the period from 1990 to 2014 and collected from the Swiss Reinsurance company and the World Bank's databases. We provide a characterization of the Tunisian life insurance sector and a comparison to some emerging markets. Empirical results show that life insurance demand increases with income and financial development. However, other economic variables such as inflation and interest rate do not seem to influence life insurance consumption in Tunisia. Socio-demographic variables such as dependency, life expectancy at birth and the country's level of urbanization stimulate life insurance demand, while the level of education dampens it. Finally, pension expenditures have a negative effect on life insurance consumption confirming the substitution by social security system for private insurance.
Absolute Benefit of Adjuvant Endocrine Therapies for Premenopausal Women With Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative Early Breast Cancer: TEXT and SOFT Trials.

PURPOSE Risk of recurrence is the primary consideration in breast cancer adjuvant therapy recommendations. The TEXT (Tamoxifen and Exemestane Trial) and SOFT (Suppression of Ovarian Function Trial) trials investigated adjuvant endocrine therapies for premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, testing exemestane plus ovarian function suppression (OFS), tamoxifen plus OFS, and tamoxifen alone. We examined absolute treatment effect across a continuum of recurrence risk to individualize endocrine therapy decision making for premenopausal women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -negative disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS The TEXT and SOFT hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative analysis population included 4,891 women. The end point was breast cancer-free interval (BCFI), defined as time from random assignment to first occurrence of invasive locoregional, distant, or contralateral breast cancer. A continuous, composite measure of recurrence risk for each patient was determined from a Cox model incorporating age, nodal status, tumor size and grade, and estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and Ki-67 expression levels. Subpopulation treatment effect pattern plot methodology revealed differential treatment effects on 5-year BCFI according to composite risk. RESULTS SOFT patients who remained premenopausal after chemotherapy experienced absolute improvement of 5% or more in 5-year BCFI with exemestane plus OFS versus tamoxifen plus OFS or tamoxifen alone, reaching 10% to 15% at intermediate to high composite risk; the benefit of tamoxifen plus OFS versus tamoxifen alone was apparent at the highest composite risk. The SOFT no-chemotherapy cohort-for whom composite risk was lowest on average-did well with all endocrine therapies. For TEXT patients, the benefit of exemestane plus OFS versus tamoxifen plus OFS in 5-year BCFI ranged from 5% to 15%; patients not receiving chemotherapy and with lowest composite risk did well with both treatments. CONCLUSION Premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative disease and high recurrence risk, as defined by clinicopathologic characteristics, may experience improvement of 10% to 15% in 5-year BCFI with exemestane plus OFS versus tamoxifen alone. An improvement of at least 5% may be achieved for women at intermediate risk, and improvement is minimal for those at lowest risk.
Identification of Omi/HtrA2 as a Mitochondrial Apoptotic Serine Protease That Disrupts Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein-Caspase Interaction*

To identify human proteins that bind to the Smac and caspase-9 binding pocket on the baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) repeat 3 (BIR3) domain of human XIAP, we used BIR3 as an affinity reagent, followed by elution with the BIR3 binding peptide AVPIA, microsequencing, and mass spectrometry. The mature serine protease Omi (also known as HtrA2) was identified as a mitochondrial direct BIR3-binding protein and a caspase activator. Like mature Smac (also known as Diablo), mature Omi contains a conserved IAP-binding motif (AVPS) at its N terminus, which is exposed after processing of its N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence upon import into the mitochondria. Mature Omi is released together with mature Smac from the mitochondria into the cytosol upon disruption of the outer mitochondrial membrane during apoptosis. Finally, mature Omi can induce apoptosis in human cells in a caspase-independent manner through its protease activity and in a caspase-dependent manner via its ability to disrupt caspase-IAP interaction. Our results provide clear evidence for the involvement of a mitochondrial serine protease in the apoptotic pathway, emphasizing the critical role of the mitochondria in cell death.
Recognition of Mental Workload Levels Under Complex Human–Machine Collaboration by Using Physiological Features and Adaptive Support Vector Machines

In order to detect human operator performance degradation or breakdown, this paper proposes an adaptive support vector machine-based method to classify operator mental workload (MWL) into few discrete levels based on psychophysiological measures. Electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and electrooculography signals were recorded continuously while the operator was performing safety-critical process control operations in a simulated human-machine system. In coarse-grained analysis, the adaptive exponential smoothing (AES) technique is used to smooth the psychophysiological data and to remove strong artifacts without requiring templates. The MWL level is classified every 30 s by using bounded support vector machine (BSVM) and tenfold cross-validation techniques. Locality preservation projection (LPP) technique is utilized to derive salient psychophysiological features by means of feature reduction. By combining the AES-LPP and BSVM methods, the accuracy of the coarse-grained MWL classification was significantly improved by 11-13%. On the other hand, to perform MWL classification with higher temporal resolution and cross-subject and cross-trial generalizability, finer-grained data analysis is also conducted to recognize MWL levels every 5 s based on a combination of adaptive BSVM (ABSVM) and AES techniques. In comparison with the use of the BSVM algorithm alone, a significant performance improvement by 10-20% is achieved by using the AES-ABSVM method in the finer-grained MWL classification.
Voltage‐dependent currents in isolated cells of the frog retinal pigment epithelium.

1. Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells were isolated enzymatically from bullfrog retinae. The patch‐clamp technique was employed to investigate whole‐cell currents under voltage‐clamp conditions. 2. Isolated RPE cells were columnar or cuboidal in form, often with long processes protruding from the apical surface. Distinct apical and basal membrane domains were maintained for several hours following isolation. 3. The mean membrane capacitance was 62 pF. The resting potential averaged ‐30 mV, but it was as high as ‐75 mV in some cells. 4. Three voltage‐dependent currents were observed: a time‐independent and inwardly rectifying current and two time‐dependent outwardly rectifying currents that had distinct kinetic properties. 5. Voltage pulses from a holding potential of ‐70 mV to potentials ranging from ‐30 to ‐120 mV produced membrane currents that were essentially time independent. The I‐V relationship in this voltage range depended on the resting potential. It was usually inwardly rectifying in cells with resting potentials negative to about ‐50 mV, but tended to be linear in cells with more positive potentials. Three observations strongly suggested that the inwardly rectifying current is carried by K+. First, increasing the extracellular K+ concentration [( K+]) from 2 to 112 mM shifted the zero‐current potential of the I‐V relationship in the positive direction from an average value of ‐60 mV to 0 mV. Second, the addition of the K+ channel blockers Ba2+ (2 mM) or Cs+ (5 mM) to the extracellular solution inhibited a major component of the inwardly rectifying current. Finally, the reversal potential (Vr) of the Ba2(+)‐sensitive current averaged ‐90 mV, near the K+ equilibrium potential (EK). 6. In approximately 50% of the cells, depolarizing voltage pulses to potentials more negative than ‐30 mV evoked an outward current that resembled the delayed rectifier present in other non‐excitable cells. It activated with sigmoidal kinetics in less than 100 ms following a brief delay and then declined exponentially with a time constant of approximately 1 s. The peak chord conductance associated with this current was half‐maximal at +14 mV. Several observations indicated that this outwardly rectifying current is carried primarily by K+: its Vr closely matched EK over a wide range of extracellular [K+]; it was inhibited 80% by exposure to the K+ channel blockers 4‐aminopyridine (1 mM) and tetraethylammonium (20 mM); and it was abolished by intracellular dialysis with a K(+)‐free solution. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Immediate occlusal loading of Brånemark implants applied in various jawbone regions: a prospective, 1-year clinical study.

BACKGROUND The original protocol for dental implant treatment ad modum Brånemark was based on submerged healing prior to loading. For patients, immediate implant function could reduce cost and increase attractiveness of implant treatment. PURPOSE The goal of this study was to evaluate the short-term success rate of immediately loaded implants placed in various regions of the jaws. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-one patients received a total of 127 immediately loaded implants (76 maxillary and 51 mandibular). Seventy-one percent of the patients received their prosthetic restoration the same day and the others within 11 days. All prosthetic constructions were in full contact in centric occlusion. Clinical follow-up examinations were performed at 1 week, 2 weeks, and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after implant loading. The study was completed 1 year after loading. RESULTS Twenty-two implants were lost in 13 patients (including 7 maxillary implants lost in 1 patient). The cumulative success rate of the implants was 82.7% after 1 year of prosthetic loading. All sites with implant losses were re-implanted, using a two-stage technique, with no further complications reported. Ninety-one percent of implants placed in regions other than the posterior maxilla were successful compared with 66% of implants placed in the posterior maxilla. Implants in patients with a parafunctional habit (bruxers) were lost more frequently than those placed in patients with no parafunction (41% vs. 12%). Implants subjected to guided bone regeneration were more successful compared with those not subjected to regeneration procedures (90% vs. 67%). CONCLUSIONS The immediate loading concept is a realistic treatment alternative in various jawbone regions except for the posterior part of the maxilla. High occlusal loads should be considered a risk factor. On the other hand, implants in combination with bone defects frequently are penetrating cortical layers to a higher extent, thereby contributing to implant stability during the healing phase and consequently do not inevitably jeopardize the treatment result. However, further controlled clinical studies with larger sample sizes need to be performed to evaluate the influence of different parameters on treatment outcome.