Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
APPLICATION OF DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS FOR EFFICIENCY APPRAISAL OF THE COMMERCIAL BANKS IN NEPAL

SUVITA JHA Tribhuvan University, Institute of Engineering, Kathford International College of Engineering and Management, Lalitpur, Nepal Email: suvitajha2005@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Close of efficacy of commercial banks is a main driver near the economy and commercial banks themselves to vie by their counters in this economical worldwide market. In this study, technical competences of Nepalese commercial banks below intermediation method and profit-oriented method remained assessed for the passé of 2005 to 2010 by means of input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We initiate that now positions of the global nasty of the practical competence, the intermediation method on condition that additional efficacy totals than profit-oriented method. Rivalry and original tools can all be aims that banks remain acting well as the in-between purpose. Relating the totals for dissimilar kind of the Nepalese commercial banks founded arranged possession if varied consequences. Beneath intermediation method, combined scheme banks remained new effective while civic area banks remained originate new effective below profit-oriented method. Once likening the separate banks, Nepal Arab Bank Limited and Standard Charted Bank Limited banks remained new effectual below the equally methods. In count, Agriculture Development Bank Limited, Kumari Bank Limited and Siddhartha Bank Limited remained slightly effective (more than 90%) solitary below intermediation method. The learning originate that the bank by effective below intermediation method fixes not continuously nasty that receipts well productivity act.
THE ALLEVIATIVE EFFECT OF THYMOQUINONE ON CEREBELLAR INJURY INDUCED BY FOOD AZO DYE IN RATS

Background: Tartrazine (Tz) is one of the most commonly used food additive and synthetic color that is added to food for attracting the consumers' vision. However, it might cause many toxic effects on the long run. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the potential ameliorating effect of thymoquinone (TQ) against possible neurotoxic effect of Tz. Materials and Methods: Forty adult male rats were allocated into four groups: Group (1) received distilled water, Group (2) was given 10 mg TQ /kg b.wt. , Group (3) was given Tz (7.5 mg/kg b.wt.) and Group (4) was given TQ concurrently with Tz. All treatments were given orally daily for 30 days. Brain neurotransmitters; norepinephrin (NE), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5HT) and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) beside glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) protein, and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were evaluated in cerebellar homogenate. Also, histological and immunohistochemical examinations for cerebellar tissue were studied. Results: Tartrazine significantly decreased NE, DA, 5HT and GABA; as well as GSH and CAT with increased MDA, while TNF-α and Bax showed significant increase versus decreased Bcl-2. Nevertheless, TQ significantly increased NE, DA, 5HT and GABA as well as GSH and CAT beside Bcl-2, while decreasing MDA, TNF-α and Bax. Histologically, the swelling and vacuolar degeneration of the cerebellar cortex with decrease numbers of Purkinje cells and the increased apoptotic cell number that were noticed in Tz treated group improved after TQ supplementation. Conclusion: Thymoquinone could be a good candidate for modulation of Tz – induced neurotoxicity through its antioxidant, neurotransmitter modifying, anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects.
On the mechanism of Sn tunnelling induced intermetallic formation between Sn-8Zn-3Bi-xSb lead-free solder alloys and Cu substrates

The interfacial reaction of Sn-8Zn-3Bi-xSb (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) on Cu substrate has been investigated under 150 °C thermal aging up to 720 h and an interfacial reaction mechanism, which governs the aging process, has been proposed. A 1 μm thin layer of scallop-shaped ε-CuZn5 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) and a 4 μm thin layer of planar γ-Cu5Zn8 IMCs were formed at the interface after solder reflow. During initial aging, ε-CuZn5 transformed to γ-Cu5Zn8 and the intermetallic layer (IML) at the interface thickened. As aging prolonged, Cu5Zn8 started to degrade due to the depletion of Zn and voids formed throughout the IML. These voids were rapidly filled by diffusing Sn atoms, inducing a tunnelling effect, allowing Sn to reach the Cu substrate and form Cu6Sn5 IMCs at the interface. The thickening of the IML is controlled by a diffusion mechanism and this is suppressed by introducing Sb as a micro-alloying component, hypothetically though the pinning effect to reduce the diffusion rate of Zn in Sn matrix.
Siçanlarda oluşturulan deneysel uterin horn adezyon modelinde düşük molekül ağirlikli heparin ile oktreotidin etkileri The affect of low molecular weight heparin and octreotide in an experimental uterine horn adhesion model

Aim. Previous studies proposed that low molecular weight heparin reduces postoperative adhesion formation. Octreotide reduces the maturation and migration of inflammatory cells by inhibiting insulin like growth factor via growth hormone. Some studies showed that octreotide also reduces postoperative adhesion formation. Low molecular weight heparin and octreotide influence different stages of adhesion formation. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of low molecular weight heparin and octreotide on postoperative adhesion formation either alone or in combination. Methods. The study included 40 Wistar Albino rats weighing between 250-300 g. They were randomised to three study and one control groups each containing 10 rats. After performing an adhesion model except for the control group, low molecular weight heparin, octreotide and low molecular weight heparin plus octreotide groups received the agents for14 days. The animals were sacrificed by lethal dose pentobarbital at the end of 14 days and a mid-line laparatomy was carried out and abdominal cavity was inspected for the presence of adhesion. Results. In macroscopic evaluation, adhesion severity in the 3 study groups were lower than the control group (p<0.05). Adhesion severity was lowest in the combined group (p <0.05). Adhesion
Smartphone-Based Passive Sensing for Behavioral and Physical Monitoring in Free-Life Conditions: Technical Usability Study

Smartphone use is widely spreading in society. Their embedded functions and sensors may play an important role in therapy monitoring and planning. However, the use of smartphones for intrapersonal behavioral and physical monitoring is not yet fully supported by adequate studies addressing technical reliability and acceptance. The objective of this paper is to identify and discuss technical issues that may impact on the wide use of smartphones as clinical monitoring tools. The focus is on the quality of the data and transparency of the acquisition process. QuantifyMyPerson is a platform for continuous monitoring of smartphone use and embedded sensors data. The platform consists of an app for data acquisition, a backend cloud server for data storage and processing, and a web-based dashboard for data management and visualization. The data processing aims to extract meaningful features for the description of daily life such as phone status, calls, app use, GPS, and accelerometer data. A total of health subjects installed the app on their smartphones, running it for 7 months. The acquired data were analyzed to assess impact on smartphone performance (ie, battery consumption and anomalies in functioning) and data integrity. Relevance of the selected features in describing changes in daily life was assessed through the computation of a k-nearest neighbors global anomaly score to detect days that differ from others. The effectiveness of smartphone-based monitoring depends on the acceptability and interoperability of the system as user retention and data integrity are key aspects. Acceptability was confirmed by the full transparency of the app and the absence of any conflicts with daily smartphone use. The only perceived issue was the battery consumption even though the trend of battery drain with and without the app running was comparable. Regarding interoperability, the app was successfully installed and run on several Android brands. The study shows that some smartphone manufacturers implement power-saving policies not allowing continuous sensor data acquisition and impacting integrity. Data integrity was 96% on smartphones whose power-saving policies do not impact the embedded sensor management and 84% overall. The main technological barriers to continuous behavioral and physical monitoring (ie, battery consumption and power-saving policies of manufacturers) may be overcome. Battery consumption increase is mainly due to GPS triangulation and may be limited, while data missing because of power-saving policies are related only to periods of nonuse of the phone since the embedded sensors are reactivated by any smartphone event. Overall, smartphone-based passive sensing is fully feasible and scalable despite the Android market fragmentation.
Optimal design and economic analysis of a grid-connected PV systems operating under Net Metering or Feed-In-Tariff support mechanisms – case study of a warehouse in Poland

The thesis focuses on cost effective design of the grid-connected rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system. The work is based on the case study of a warehouse located in Poland. The work aims to find the optimal system configuration, indicated by the highest Net Present Value (NPV) of an investment, for the scenario of Net-Metering (NM) and Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) support mechanisms. PVsyst software was used to simulate performance of various system sizes, tilts of the modules, as well as types and capacities of PV panels and inverters. Financial analysis was performed for each variant, by treating PV generation data in economic evaluation model. Since the benefits of a PV system derive from minimization of electricity imports from the grid, it was necessary to determine the building’s electricity demand, using the bottom-up method. Preliminary analysis, based on generic components, allowed to estimate the optimal size of the system. Detailed simulations of the selected modules and inverters were later conducted in the specified ranges. Results of the simulation showed that the support mechanism has a substantial impact on the optimal size of the installation. For the analysed case, the system capacity optimized for NM was nearly twice bigger, than for FIT one. Comparing installations with the same nominal powers, the NM support system proves to be more beneficial than FIT, as it generates significantly larger NPVs. The sensitivity analysis showed that the three parameters most affecting the NPV of the systems studied were: electricity prices, the building's electricity demand and capital expenditures.
Evidence of two lineages of metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs in the Lower Cretaceous of the Czech Republic

Metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs were an important component in shallow marine ecosystems during the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous in the European archipelago. While metriorhynchids are well known from western European countries, their central and eastern European record is poor and usually limited to isolated or fragmentary specimens which often hinders a precise taxonomic assignment. However, isolated elements such as tooth crowns, have been found to provide informative taxonomic identifications. Here we describe two isolated metriorhynchid tooth crowns from the upper Valanginian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Štramberk area, Czech Republic. Our assessment of the specimens, including multivariate analysis of dental measurements and surface enamel structures, indicates that the crowns belong to two distinct geosaurin taxa (Plesiosuchina? indet. and Torvoneustes ? sp.) with different feeding adaptations. The specimens represent the first evidence of Metriorhynchidae from the Czech Republic and some of the youngest metriorhynchid specimens worldwide.
The Association of PRKRAP1 Pseudogene with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Risk

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the deterioration of the maturation period of lymphoblasts, and the uncontrolled excessive reproduction of the abnormal cells. In addition to gene rearrangements, chromosome number abormalities (Down syndrome, etc.), and genetic locations, being male, Caucasian ethnicity, having a sibling diagnosed with leukemia, exposure to radiation, having received chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and exposure to some toxins and chemical substances such as benzene may be counted as the ALL risk factors.
I1̅-I2/c phase transition in alkaline-earth feldspars: Evidence from TEM observations of Sr-rich feldspars along the CaAl2Si2O8-SrAl2Si2O8 join

Abstract Domain textures related to the I1̅-12/c displacive phase transition were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in synthetic samples from the Sr-rich region of the CaAl2Si2O8-SrAl2Si2O8 join. Albite and, more rarely, pericline transformation twins are formed in samples with preexisting polysynthetic Carlsbad twins; they also cut preexisting b-type antiphase domains. Tweed textures associated with albite twin lamellae were observed in triclinic samples and, more rarely, in monoclinic samples close to the transition point. Progressive annealing of a monoclinic disordered precursor was performed to follow the monoclinic-triclinic transition at room temperature. Triclinic and monoclinic phases coexisted close to the transition, whereas tweed textures, rarely present in monoclinic grains, were retained in the triclinic phase after longer annealing. In situ high-temperature TEM experiments performed on a grain with pericline twins showed that the pericline twins disappeared at Tc, but, during cooling, tweed textures appeared and then were replaced by albite twins at lower temperatures. The tweed textures are interpreted as originating from strain modulations induced by the displacive transition rather than modulation in Al-Si order, and they form close to the transition point as precursors of the albite and pericline twinning.
Long-term Exposure to Predation Threat Can Modulate the Expression of Sexually Selected Traits in Male Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

The expression of sexual traits can be affected by different environmental factors among which predation may be particularly important life-history traits. This study investigated the effects of predation risk on courtship behavior, growth and sexual color patterns in male guppy (Poecilia reticulata). In the study, juvenile male guppies were randomly assigned to two treatments, namely T1 (predation threat) and T2 (no predation threat). The courtship performances were visually observed and recorded, while color patterns and morphological traits were measured by using the ImageJ software from the captured photos. The courtship behavioral trials revealed that predation threatened males performed significantly lower number of sigmoid displays than those of no-predation group. Further, the predation scared group had significantly shorter standard length, body area and a reduced number and area of orange spots than their counter group. However, the predation threat did not affect significantly the gonopodial thrusts, and black and iridescent color components (spot number and area). The reduction of costly traits (e.g. behavior, color patterns and body size) is common anti-predator response which presumably reduces predation risks. Male guppies are probably using this form of defence in response to the increased predation risk. The overall result suggests that growth and sexually selected trait expression are sensitive to predation risk and thereby aid in our understanding to predict the evolution of phenotypic variation in natural systems.
Corporate Social Responsibility, Brand equity, and Shareholder Value: Theoretical and Conceptual Perspectives.

From the last many years, researchers, administrators, and educators consistently paying attention to corporate social responsibility. However, no study analyses the association between corporate social responsibility, brand equity, and shareholder value. The objective of this research paper is to produce a review as to the strength to which corporate social responsibility and brand equity are predictor variables for shareholder value, with the ground that organizations must be wilfully positioned for them to tackle the anticipation convenient in their environments. In connection to this study, the shareholder, stakeholder, and resource base view theories form the base for the underpinning theories used for drawing up the research framework with respect to the connection among shareholder value, corporate social responsibility and brand equity simultaneously. Very few research attempts are made in this area of study in the emerging and developed nations, especially with shareholder value and brand equity. Therefore, practitioners and scholars are inspired to progress in the development of the body of knowledge in this research field for the universal enrichment of output, as the review form a concept of corporate social responsibility and brand equity as a critical tool for boosting shareholder value locally and internationally.
Read, write, develop: the socio-economic impact of literacy in South Africa

PurposeTaking motivation from South Africa's ranking of 50 out of 50 countries who participated in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study of Grade four learners in 2016, this paper examines the social and economic outcomes of literacy in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachUsing unemployment, income and crime rates as proxies for social and economic outcomes, the effect of literacy is examined by employing the fixed- and random-effects techniques to estimate a panel data covering nine provinces in South Africa from 2008 to 2017.FindingsThe results show that literacy rate worsens unemployment but improves crime rate and income per capita across South African provinces.Practical implicationsPolicymakers need to consider an expanded view of literacy by extending investments to cover financial and technology literacy in addition to functional literacy to fully maximise the benefits of education.Originality/valueTo the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first empirical assessment of literacy outcomes in South Africa.
Soil mites inhabiting chamomile and marigold plants under two different cultivations at Fayoum governorate

An experiment was conducted in two localities at Fayoum governorate to observe soil mites inhabiting two important medicinal and aromatic plants namely; chamomile(Matricaria chamomilla L.) and marigold (Calendula officinalis L.). Samples were collected biweekly from December 2016 to April 2017. After mite samples extraction, specimens were mounted in Hoyer’s medium on microscope slides for later examination.The results revealed the occurrence of 43 species from 36 genera and 24 families. This included four species from both families,Cunaxidae and Rhodacaridae which were recorded for the first time in Egypt. Total soil mites were 1466individuals, from which 793individuals in chamomile and 673 individuals marigold. The total number of mites collected from each cultivated system reached respectively 484 & 309 individualsin organic and conventional chamomile and 449 & 224individualsin organic and conventional marigold. From 24 families: 10 & 7 families were not found in organic and conventional chamomile, and 5 & 9 families in organic and conventional marigold. The highest numbers presented in the families Euopodidae about 175 individuals (in organic chamomile), Acaridae about 135 & 110 individuals (in conventional chamomile & marigold), 130 individuals (in organic marigold). The highest number of soil mites was presented by the families Oribatulidae and Eupodidae in chamomile,while in marigold were the families Acaridae and Oribatulidae. Shannon-Wiener "H" Indexindicated that organic marigold reached the highest value (2.31) of 30 species from 19 families,while Simpson Index, demonstrated that it recorded the lowest number of dominant species. For speciessimilarity,the community of organic almost resembled that of conventionalone by 50% in chamomile and 51.06% in marigold.
Relaxation Limit of the Aggregation Equation with Pointy Potential

This work was devoted to the study of a relaxation limit of the so-called aggregation equation with a pointy potential in one-dimensional space. The aggregation equation is today widely used to model the dynamics of a density of individuals attracting each other through a potential. When this potential is pointy, solutions are known to blow up in final time. For this reason, measure-valued solutions have been defined. In this paper, we investigated an approximation of such measure-valued solutions thanks to a relaxation limit in the spirit of Jin and Xin. We study the convergence of this approximation and give a rigorous estimate of the speed of convergence in one dimension with the Newtonian potential. We also investigated the numerical discretization of this relaxation limit by uniformly accurate schemes.
Transferable Deep Reinforcement Learning Framework for Autonomous Vehicles With Joint Radar-Data Communications

Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) are required to operate safely and efficiently in dynamic environments. For this, the AVs equipped with Joint Radar-Communications (JRC) functions can enhance the driving safety by utilizing both radar detection and data communication functions. However, optimizing the performance of the AV system with two different functions under uncertainty and dynamic of surrounding environments is very challenging. In this work, we first propose an intelligent optimization framework based on the Markov Decision Process (MDP) to help the AV make optimal decisions in selecting JRC operation functions under the dynamic and uncertainty of the surrounding environment. We then develop an effective learning algorithm leveraging recent advances of deep reinforcement learning techniques to find the optimal policy for the AV without requiring any prior information about surrounding environment. Furthermore, to make our proposed framework more scalable, we develop a Transfer Learning (TL) mechanism that enables the AV to leverage valuable experiences for accelerating the training process when it moves to a new environment. Extensive simulations show that the proposed transferable deep reinforcement learning framework reduces the obstacle miss detection probability by the AV up to 67% compared to other conventional deep reinforcement learning approaches. With the deep reinforcement learning and transfer learning approaches, our proposed solution can find its applications in a wide range of autonomous driving scenarios from driver assistance to full automation transportation.