Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Country-level, mandatory, self-financeable pension replacement rates in OECD countries

The replacement rate (RR) is a quintessential property of pension systems. Yet, current measures of the RR are plagued with problems. We argue that the concept of RR should be based on the replacement of lifetime permanent income rather than pre-retirement income, and we show that the self-financeable RR with respect to the permanent income has the advantage of being independent of labor income (wages and density of contributions). We define an RR measure, called CRR, as the country-level RR of the permanent labor income that the working-age population could buy with their mandatory pension deposits if they stay constant over time. Pension deposits refer to national mandatory contributions plus the fraction of non-contributory pensions whose financing could be attributed to the working-age population, all as a percentage of the gross domestic product. The CRR is easy to compute and interpret, is nationally representative, and provides an international ranking because it is independent of pension rules, GDP, intertemporal and intergenerational redistributions, and sustainability. The application of the CRR to most OECD countries using the available data shows a 65% average across them, with several countries achieving a 100% RR, all mostly due to their high mandatory contributions as a percentage of GDP.
THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT RELATIONSHIPS AMONG A BANK'S WEBSITE DIMENSIONS, PERCEIVED FLOW, PERCEIVED PLAYFULNESS, E-BANKING SATISFACTION AND E-BANKING LOYALTY

The aim of this research is to investigate the direct and indirect relationships between banks’ website quality (BWSQ) dimensions, perceived flow (PFL), perceived playfulness (PPN), e-banking satisfaction (EBS) and e-banking loyalty (EBL) perceived by Saudi Arabian e-banking service users using the stimulus-organism-response approach. The primary data were gathered by a questionnaire survey using convenience sampling. A total of 336 usable questionnaires were returned. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25 and AMOS 25. The results revealed that there are positive relationships between website quality dimensions and PPN, PFL, EBS and EBL. PPN and PFL play a mediating role between BWSQ and EBS. Furthermore, EBL mediates the PPN and EBL relationship. The study closes with a discussion, including implications, limitations, and the direction of future studies, and a conclusion.
Edinburgh Research

Aims : Aggressive epidermotropic cutaneous CD8+ lymphoma is currently afforded provisional status in the WHO classification of lymphomas. An EORTC Workshop was convened to describe in detail the features of this putative neoplasm and evaluate its nosological status with respect to other cutaneous CD8+ lymphomas. Methods & Results : Sixty-one CD8+ cases were analysed at the workshop; clinical details, often with photographs, histological sections, immunohistochemical results, treatment and patient outcome were discussed & recorded. Eighteen cases had distinct features and conformed to the diagnosis of aggressive epidermotropic cutaneous CD8+ lymphoma. The patients typically present with widespread plaques and tumours, often ulcerated and haemorrhagic, and have striking pagetoid epidermotropism histologically. A CD8+ CD45RA+ CD45RO- CD2- CD5- CD56-phenotype, with 1 or more cytotoxic markers was found in 7/18 with a very similar phenotype in the remainder. The tumours seldom involve lymph nodes but mucosae and central nervous system involvement are not uncommon. The prognosis is poor, with a median survival of 12 months. Examples of CD8+ mycosis fungoides, lymphomatoid papulosis and Woringer-Kolopp presented the typical features well documented in the CD4+ forms of those diseases. Conclusions : Aggressive Epidermotropic Cutaneous CD8+ Lymphoma is a distinct lymphoma that warrants inclusion as a distinct entity in future revisions of lymphoma classifications.
Sites à lémuriens sacrés en pays Sakalava, au nord-ouest de Madagascar : réactualisation des données et implications dans les programmes de développement et de conservation

The two sites of the northwest of Madagascar, where Ramanantsoa (1976) observed “sacred lemurs”, have been revisited in order to assessing the present status of Eulemur macaco and the possible impact of human beliefs and practices on conservation. All the sacred relationships towards lemurs described in 1976 are still in practice, and very similar descriptions about the benefic (or malefic in case of non-respect) effect of the “sacred lemurs” have been quoted by our informants. A direct impact on lemur conservation, and utilisation of study sites for scientists, as suggested by G. -A. Ramanantsoa, do not appear as realistic options, considering the remote location of both sites. In contrast, a further study of religious practices concerning lemurs should be an important contribution for shaping sustainable development programmes involving local populations.
Animal Models in Diabetic Research—History, Presence, and Future Perspectives

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a very serious disease, the incidence of which has been increasing worldwide. The beginning of diabetic research can be traced back to the 17th century. Since then, animals have been experimented on for diabetic research. However, the greatest development of diabetes research occurred in the second half of the last century, along with the development of laboratory techniques. Information obtained by monitoring patients and animal models led to the finding that there are several types of DM that differ significantly from each other in the causes of the onset and course of the disease. Through different types of animal models, researchers have studied the pathophysiology of all types of diabetic conditions and discovered suitable methods for therapy. Interestingly, despite the unquestionable success in understanding DM through animal models, we did not fully succeed in transferring the data obtained from animal models to human clinical research. On the contrary, we have observed that the chances of drug failure in human clinical trials are very high. In this review, we will summarize the history and presence of animal models in the research of DM over the last hundred years. Furthermore, we have summarized the new methodological approaches, such as “organ-on-chip,” that have the potential to screen the newly discovered drugs for human clinical trials and advance the level of knowledge about diabetes, as well as its therapy, towards a personalized approach.
Combined 3D bioprinting and tissue-specific ECM system reveals the influence of brain matrix on stem cell differentiation

We have previously shown that human and murine breast extracellular matrix (ECM) can significantly impact cellular behavior, including stem cell fate determination. It has been established that tissue-specific extracellular matrix from the central nervous system has the capacity to support neuronal survival. However, the characterization of its influence on stem cell differentiation and its adaptation to robust 3D culture models is underdeveloped. To address these issues, we combined our 3D bioprinter with hydrogels containing porcine brain extracellular matrix (BMX) to test the influence of the extracellular matrix on stem cell differentiation. Our 3D bioprinting system generated reproducible 3D neural structures derived from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). We demonstrate that the addition of BMX preferentially influences 3D bioprinted mESCs towards neural lineages compared to standard basement membrane (Geltrex/Matrigel) hydrogels alone. Furthermore, we demonstrate that we can transplant these 3D bioprinted neural cellular structures into a mouse’s cleared mammary fat pad, where they continue to grow into larger neural outgrowths. Finally, we demonstrate that direct injection of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCS) and neural stem cells (NSCs) suspended in pure BMX formed neural structures in vivo. Combined, these findings describe a unique system for studying brain ECM/stem cell interactions and demonstrate that BMX can direct pluripotent stem cells to differentiate down a neural cellular lineage without any additional specific differentiation stimuli.
A computational study of leading-edge wall cooling effect on shock wave–boundary layer interaction in forward-facing step

A computational study has been done to understand the effect of leading-edge wall cooling on shock wave–boundary layer interaction. Shock wave–boundary layer interaction is studied over a forward-facing step at supersonic Mach 2.5. The study was carried out using Ansys. The work aims to explore the implementation of wall cooling at the leading edge as a separation control strategy for supersonic forward-facing step-induced flow separation. We use a finite-volume method based on upwind flux difference splitting and second-order upwind flow discretization. The simulation results are validated with the available experimental data. Furthermore, using numerical simulations, we found that the separation bubble size was reduced by 18.36% when the walls were marginally cooled to 150 K, while the separation was reduced by 32.65% when the walls were strongly cooled to 100 K.
The Impact of Social Media Applications on Donor Engagement and Retention in the Saudi Arabian Blood Donation System

Study purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of social media applications on donor engagement and retention within the blood donation system in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted in this study. The population aged above 18 years and living in Saudi Arabia was included in the study. Using convenience and snowball sampling techniques, an online questionnaire was distributed using social media channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. A total of 463 participants were included in the study. Results: The majority of the study participants (78.1%) engage on social media applications multiple times a day for charity causes such as blood donation by responding to requests, while 51.8% of them engage on social media applications for the same reason a few times a month. Focusing on donor engagement, 46.8% and 27.3% of the total participants were likely to engage in the blood donation process; 60% were likely to continue to use social media applications for blood donation. The ANOVA findings showed a significant difference (p<0.05) between participant groups characterized by age and educational level on their engagement on social media applications for the blood donation process. Younger participants and participants with bachelor's degrees and above were more likely to engage in social media applications for the blood donation process compared to minimum educated and older participants (p<0.05). Conclusion: Charity or blood donation organizations must adopt strategies to actively engage the donors on the platforms, as social media can effectively contribute to donor engagement and retention.
Forest litter preserved by volcanic activity at El Chichón Mexico: a potentially accurate record of the pre-eruption vegetation

Volcaniclastic sediments proximal to El Chichon volcano (Chiapas, Mexico) preserve the pre-1982 paratropical forest litter and provide an accurate estimate of the species composition and structure of the surroundingforest. Deposition offine ash, when wet, encrusted leaves, providing an immediate compression-impression flora of the arboreal vegetation. Deposits as close as 3.5 km from the crater were sufficiently fine grained to preserve impressions of high quality. Plant remains, mostly leaves, are horizontally layered and rarely contorted, conditions usually attributed to slow sediment deposition rather than rapid, "event" deposition. The deposits consist of a basal, forest-litter layer preserved in coarse volcaniclastic sediments, and an overlying layer of arboreal leaves, abscissed (separated from the twig) in response to heavy ash fall. Organic deposits are capped by up to 2.5 m of normally graded pumice and airfall lapilli. Plant remains are well preserved 10-20 km from the crater in airfall ash and ash-pumice, 10-15 cm thick. Woody vegetation is accurately reflected in the proximal volcanic deposits. Herbaceous vegetation is more variable in preservation; it is normally buried by coarse volcaniclastics, along with the arboreal litter, and thus has a low preservation potential. Only the autochthonous forest-floor litter preserves an accurate representation of the localflora: both herbaceous and woody. Recognition of such organic layers, possibly by superpositional relationships with soil horizons, ts critical to interpretation of the succession of plants on volcanic substrates. The stratified nature of terrestrial organic deposits resulting from a single eruptive sequence suggests caution be exercised in interpreting fossiliferous volcaniclastics; multiple fossil horizons may reflect a single depositional event rather than a succession of assemblages in an area through time.
Intercomparison of total ozone data from Nimbus 7 TOMS, the Brewer UV Spectrophotometer and SAOZ UV‐Visible Spectrophotometer at High Latitudes Observatory, Sodankylä

The use of visible spectroscopy makes it possible to measure stratospheric constituents when Solar Zenith Angle (SZA) is as large as 93°. This fact allows the daily measurements of ozone and other species throughout the year at and beyond the latitudes of the polar circle. Because the visible spectroscopy is a new technique in ozone monitoring, it is useful to compare it with the classical uv spectroscopy. At Sodankyla the widely-used SAOZ uv/visible spectrophotometer (Systeme d'Analyse et d'Observations Zenithales) and the modem uv spectrophotometer Brewer have been measuring side by side since early 1990. This paper reports the first long-term intercomparison between the daily total ozone values measured by the SAOZ and the Brewer covering the period from February 1990 to June 1991. As a reference the intercomparison between the Brewer and TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) instruments from May 1988 to December 1991 is also reported.
First flush analysis of heavy metals in expressway stormwater runoff

The focus of this study was the heavy metals,Cu,Zn,Pb and Cd,commonly found in land used for transportation. Dissolved and particulate-bound fraction concentrations of these metals were measured during 8 rainfall-runoff events on a representative expressway pavement in Nanjing. On the basis of a qualitative evaluation of flushing,the first flush of heavy metals was quantitatively analyzed,and the influences of hydrologic characteristics on the first flush are discussed. The results of the analysis of dimensionless normalized cumulative mass and volume curves indicated that total,dissolved and particulate-bound metals,except dissolved Pb,exhibited a pronounced first flush in most events. The second flush also exhibited in some events. The initial flush ratio demonstrated that about 35% to 39% of heavy metals could be removed from road runoff by intercepting and treating the initial 25% of the runoff water. The sequence of strength of the first flush of total metals was:CdCuZnPb; for the dissolved metals:CdZnCuPb; and for the particulate-bound metals:CuCdPbZn. Correlation analysis suggested that the influence of mean rainfall intensity on the first flush of metals was significant,but there was no significant influence caused by other rainfall factors.
The impact of self-esteem on the perceived brand added value to self-image

: The presented article consists of two studies (correlation and experimental) on the importance of self-esteem for the perceived value added by a brand to a consumer’s self-image. Both studies were conducted online, using the snowball method, controlling for participants’ gender and product categories. The correlation study showed that consumers, with an increase in self-esteem understood as a trait, look for more positive traits in brands and fewer negative traits to incorporate into their self-image by purchasing the brand. In addition, they confirmed that brand preference is mainly related to the qualities possessed, which the consumer can confirm by purchasing the brand. The experimental study showed that people with lowered self-esteem perceive more positive traits in brands that they can incorporate into their self-image by purchasing the brand, and there were no differences in confirming positive traits and avoiding negative traits that are associated with the brand. The new measurement of the perceived value of a brand to a consumer’s self-image, used, allowed the identification of specific areas of brand image sensitive to a consumer’s self-esteem.
Tear Film Stabilization and Symptom Improvement in Dry Eye Disease: The Role of Hyaluronic Acid and Trehalose Eyedrops versus Carmellose Sodium

This study evaluated the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and trehalose (HA/trehalose) eyedrops in managing dry eye disease (DED) symptoms by measuring tear stability and administering a DED questionnaire. Sixty patients were treated with either HA/trehalose eyedrops (Tear A) or carmellose sodium eyedrops (Tear B) as controls. The tear breakup time (TBUT) and non-invasive breakup time (NIBUT) were monitored, and patients completed the standard patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) questionnaire. After two months of twice-daily applications, patients treated with the HA/trehalose eyedrops demonstrated significant improvements in the NIBUT (12.98 ± 3.22 s) and TBUT (12.95 ± 2.98 s), indicating increased tear stability. Moreover, they reported lower dry eye sensation (6.70 ± 4.94 SPEED score points), suggesting a reduction in DED symptoms. These findings underscore the efficacy of HA/trehalose eyedrops in improving both the objective and subjective signs of DED, with twice-daily application enhancing ocular surface conditions and reducing patient-reported symptoms.
Plate Tectonic Evolution and Mineral Resource Potential of the Lancang River Zone, Southwestern Yunnan, People's Republic of China

A re-evaluation of the existing data and an integrated tectono-sedimentological, geochrono- logical and geochemical approach has led to a new perception of the Late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic geodynamic evolution o the Lancan ive Zone (Yangtze Platform n): A near-shore continental rift or back-arc basin with stron athymetric variation must have existe fro ian one o the creatio of the basin, is i tim nta n the Devonia an Lowe phase, basic to acid volcanic rocks were extruded in a submarine environmen o form small-scale Kuroko-type volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits. [2] Characterized by an eastward progressing deformation front, closure of the basi began in the Uppe Carboniferous and progressed from presen wes to east. Thi f a ide massiv re thi formation increases parallel to the gradual change from greenschist (Phyllite Belt) to lower blueschist facies (Lancang Group) documenting a large-scale thrust belt o The closure of the basi led t schist- and greenschist- metamorphosed rocks and the formation o a lan tform Permian. [3] Late Paleozoic orogenesis wa
Investigation of the use of hemp fibers in recycling spinning

In recycle yarn spinning, the original fibers are added to the blend as a carrier because of the recycled fibers obtained by opening from fabric scraps are very short and coarse. In the textile recycling industry, mostly petroleum-based synthetic fibers are used as carrier fibers. In an environmentally important activity such as recycling spinning, it is necessary to reduce the use of synthetics used as carrier fibers. When considered from this point of view, hemp fibers come to the fore with their important performance and environmental features. Based on this fact, in this study, in addition to the standard production conditions in the recycling yarn production facility, hemp fibers in different proportions were added to the blends to reduce the ratio of polyester as carrier fiber and the effects of this situation on yarn quality were examined. According to the results, it was observed that adding hemp fiber to the recycle yarn blend increased yarn tenacity, yarn unevenness and yarn hairiness while decreased yarn elongation properties.
Could vitamin D concentration be a marker of a long hospital stay in older adults patients?

Background and aims Vitamin D plays a pleiotropic role in the human body. Some studies have suggested that hypovitaminosis D may serve as a marker of comorbidity severity and length of hospital stay. Hospitalized older adults patients with a higher comorbidity burden tend to have lower vitamin D status, which negatively impacts the length of their hospital stay. Vitamin D deficiency has been identified as a significant risk factor for a prolonged hospital stay. This study aimed to investigate the link between vitamin D status and prolonged hospital stays, focusing on geriatric patients, and to assess the variation in hospitalization duration among geriatric patients with different vitamin D statuses. Methods The study sample comprised of 422 patients aged over 60 years admitted to the geriatric department. Blood samples were collected in the morning on the day of admission. According to the diagnostic threshold defining serum 25(OH)D concentration approved for Central Europe, patients were divided into two groups (deficiency group and suboptimal group). Patients were divided into two groups based on hospitalization duration: the first, “shorter hospitalization,” included stays up to 11 days, whereas the second, “longer hospitalization,” encompassed stays of 12 days and above. Results In total, 242 Caucasian patients, primarily women (172 women and 70 men), were recruited in the study. Patients with vitamin D deficiency had extended hospital stays compared with those with vitamin D levels below 49.92 nmol/L: 10.0 (8.00–13.00) days vs. 9.00 (8.00–11.00) days, P = 0.044. Hospitalization length (in days) had a negative correlation with vitamin D blood status (nmol/L) (P = 0.0005; R = −0.2243). ROC analysis indicated that patients with vitamin D levels below 31.2 nmol/L had a 47% higher chance of extended hospitalization, whereas those with levels above 31.2 nmol/L had a 77% higher chance of avoiding it. A significant majority of patients with suboptimal 25(OH)D levels experienced shorter hospital stays (≤11 days) than those with vitamin D deficiency (64.6%), P = 0.045. Conclusion The study findings indicate that lower serum levels of 25(OH)D in hospitalized patients within the geriatric department are linked to extended hospital stays. Vitamin D holds potential as a predictor of hospitalization duration in geriatric patients. Nonetheless, further research is imperative to account for additional factors affecting health status and hospitalization duration in older adults individuals.
Influence of the spring constant change on the electromyography activity of muscles of the powerhouse and shoulder during the long stretch exercise

ABSTRACT This study aimed to verify the effect of the spring constant change on the electromyographic activity of the powerhouse and shoulder muscles during the long stretch exercise. In total, 15 Pilates practitioners performed the Long Stretch exercise on the reformer with three different spring constants: (1) k=0.19kg/cm with 1 red spring; (2) k=0.27kg/cm with 1 red spring and 1 yellow; and (3) k=0.38kg/cm with 2 red springs. The Electromyographic activity of Rectus Abdominis (RA), External Oblique (EO), Internal Oblique/Transversus abdominis (OI/TS), Multifidus (MU), Iliocostalis (IC), Longissimus (LG), Lower Trapezius (LT), and Anterior Deltoid (AD) were evaluated. We observed that as the spring constant increases, the RA, OE, OI/TS muscles decrease their EMG activity, while the AD, LT, and LG increase their EMG activity. The MU and IC muscles were not influenced in their EMG activities. Therefore, we observed an influence of the change of the spring constant on the electromyographic activity of the RA, OE, OI/LG, AD, and LT muscles. However, we found no influence of the spring constant on the EMG activities of the MU and IC muscles during the long stretch.