Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Actual Risk Sharing Measurement in Islamic Banks

Our objective consists to study a specific risk called the displaced commercial risk (DCR) that results from the management of PSIA funds.This risk is peculiar to Islamic banks and is considered as a new risk in the banking risk literature. Our aim is to identify and assess the DCR. We develop an internal model based on value at risk (VaR). The equity level will be obtained by the VaR for a given probability level, a, and a given horizon of time. We illustrate this approach with a case study of an Islamic bank. We consider our research as original since we apply a VaR method to a new banking issue, although this approach is quite standard and even in debate. Our approach is simple way to highlight key factors and structural relations affecting the DCR.
Development of muscarinic analgesics derived from epibatidine: role of the M4 receptor subtype.

Epibatidine, a neurotoxin isolated from the skin of Epipedobates tricolor, is an efficacious antinociceptive agent with a potency 200 times that of morphine. The toxicity of epibatidine, because of its nonspecificity for both peripheral and central nicotinic receptors, precludes its development as an analgesic. During the synthesis of epibatidine analogs we developed potent antinociceptive agents, typified by CMI-936 and CMI-1145, whose antinociception, unlike that of epibatidine, is mediated via muscarinic receptors. Subsequently, we used specific muscarinic toxins and antagonists to delineate the muscarinic receptor subtype involved in the antinociception evoked by these agents. Thus, the antinociception produced by CMI-936 and CMI-1145 is inhibited substantially by 1) intrathecal injection of the specific muscarinic M4 toxin, muscarinic toxin-3; 2) intrathecally administered pertussis toxin, which inhibits the G proteins coupled to M2 and M4 receptors; and 3) s.c. injection of the M2/M4 muscarinic antagonist himbacine. These results demonstrate that the antinociception elicited by these epibatidine analogs is mediated via muscarinic M4 receptors located in the spinal cord. Compounds that specifically target the M4 receptor therefore may be of substantial value as alternative analgesics to the opiates.
Prolonged ingestion of dietary cocoa attenuates hemoglobin glycation associated with diabetes mellitus in rats.

4 Abstract: Cocoa contains numerous polyphenols with laudable antioxidant activity. Glycation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of complications of diabetes mellitus. We investigate the effect of coca on hemoglobin glycation in rats experimentally induced with diabetes. 21 female Sprague-Dawley rats aged 21 weeks were randomly divided into control "C" and diabetic - diabetics fed cocoa "DC" and diabetics not fed cocoa "D" - groups of 6, 8 and 7 rats respectively. All rats were fed rat chow; C and D groups were fed tap water while the DC group were fed 2% w/v natural cocoa powder in tap water ad libitum. Diabetes was induced by a single intravenous shot of streptozotocin (53 mg/kg body weight). Ten weeks post-diabetes, 1ml of blood aspirated from the left ventricle and stored in a plastic tube containing ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and used to determine the glycated haemoglobin (HbA ) concentration of each rat using a DCA 2000 plasma 1c analyzer. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and posthoc Bonferroni's Multiple Comparison Test of GraphPad Prism (3.0). Percentage hemoglobin glycation significantly reduced (p < 0.0001) reduced from 12.8±0.50 to 7.8±0.27 in D and DC groups respectively but did not attain levels observed in the controls (3.90±0.10). Cocoa powder and other cocoa products can be administered alongside current diabetes management protocols to improve patients' outcome.
Mutational Analysis of Transmembrane Regions 3 and 4 of SecY, a Central Component of Protein Translocase

ABSTRACT The SecYEG heterotrimeric membrane protein complex functions as a channel for protein translocation across the Escherichia coli cytoplasmic membrane. SecY is the central subunit of the SecYEG complex and contains 10 transmembrane segments (TM1 to TM10). Previous mutation studies suggested that TM3 and TM4 are particularly important for SecY function. To further characterize TM3 and TM4, we introduced a series of cysteine-scanning mutations into these segments. With one exception (an unstable product), all the mutant proteins complemented the cold-sensitive growth defect of the secY39 mutant. A combination of this secY mutation and the secG deletion resulted in synthetic lethality, and the TM3 and TM4 SecY cysteine substitution mutations were examined for their ability to complement this lethality. Although they were all positive for complementation, some of the complemented cells exhibited significant retardation of protein export. The substitution-sensitive residues in TM3 can be aligned to one side of the alpha-helix, and those in TM4 revealed a tendency for residues closer to the cytosolic side of the membrane to be more severely affected. Disulfide cross-linking experiments identified a specific contact point for TM3 and SecG TM2 as well as for TM4 and SecG TM1. Thus, although TM3 and TM4 do not contain any single residue that is absolutely required, they include functionally important helix surfaces and specific contact points with SecG. These results are discussed in light of the structural information available for the SecY complex.
Democracy and Economic Growth in Pakistan

It is experiential from growth literature that nations which have democratic regime be inclined higher level of economic growth. Due to significance of democracy for economic prosperity, up till know too much research work have been done on this hot issue, even though study regarding the nature of relationships between targeted variables in Pakistan still has research thrust. Exploration of that either democracy robustly and significantly affect the pace of economic growth in Pakistan is still in research pipeline. In this study to appraise the possibilities of relationships between democracy and economic growth in Pakistan, ARDL estimation technique is performed on annually observed democracy index and growth deputy. We use 38 annual observations for analysis. Index of democracy is developed by adopting the methodology designed by Alliance for Reforms and Democracy in Asia (ARDA). Results demonstrate that democracy played noteworthy task in the game of economic prosperity in Pakistan.
Adjuvant treatment of stage I lung cancer with high-dose vitamin A.

PURPOSE Vitamin A and retinoids are strong inhibitors of epithelial cancer promotion and progression in experimental carcinogenesis. This study examined whether they may prevent the occurrence of upper aerodigestive cancer in subjects heavily exposed to tobacco smoking, such as patients already cured of an early-stage lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS The adjuvant effect of high-dose vitamin A was tested on 307 patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer. After curative surgery, patients were randomly assigned to either a group prescribed retinol palmitate administration (orally 300,000 IU daily for 12 months) or a control group prescribed no treatment. RESULTS After a median follow-up of 46 months, the number of patients with either recurrence or new primary tumors was 56 (37%) in the treated arm and 75 (48%) in the control arm. Eighteen patients in the treated group developed a second primary tumor, and 29 patients in the control group developed 33 second primary tumors. A statistically significant difference in favor of treatment was observed concerning time to new primary tumors in the field of prevention (P = .045, log-rank test). The treatment difference in terms of disease-free interval was close to statistical significance (P = .054, log-rank test) and just significant when adjusted for primary tumor classification (P = .038, Cox regression model). CONCLUSION Daily oral administration of high-dose vitamin A is effective in reducing the number of new primary tumors related to tobacco consumption and may improve the disease-free interval in patients curatively resected for stage I lung cancer. The impact of such a treatment on survival needs to be further explored.
Comparison of prosthetic feet prescribed to active individuals using ISO standards

Background: Little research has been done on the robustness of prosthetic feet prescribed to military personnel, and manufacturers are not required to test their products prior to sale. This is problematic because the prosthetic feet used by active individuals are subjected to loading conditions not seen in normal gait. Objectives: To evaluate whether commercially available heavy-duty prosthetic feet intended for use by military personnel meet ISO 10328 standards. Study Design: Bench testing of heavy-duty prosthetic feet using ISO 10328 standards. Methods: Prosthetic feet from three different manufacturers were tested according to ISO 10328 standards, using a testing frame fitted with axial load and displacement transducers. Pass/fail information was recorded as well as the stiffness and creep of each foot before and after cyclic testing. Results: All feet passed the ISO 10328 standards at the highest loading level, and some significant differences were found within a given model of prosthesis when comparing stiffness and creep before and after cyclic testing. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that manufacturers of heavy-duty prosthetic feet adhere to the voluntary ISO 10328 standards. However, these standards may be insufficient because the tests simulate only idealized gait. Further development of the standards may be necessary to reproduce the circumstances that occur during extreme usage to ensure that prosthetic feet do not fail.
The influence of company identity on the perception of vehicle sounds

In order to determine how the interior of a car should sound, automotive manufacturers often rely on obtaining data from individual evaluations of vehicle sounds. Company identity could play a role in these appraisals, particularly when individuals are comparing cars from opposite ends of the performance spectrum. This research addressed the question: does company identity influence the evaluation of automotive sounds belonging to cars of a similar performance level and from the same market segment? Participants listened to car sounds from two competing manufacturers, together with control sounds. Before listening to each sound, participants were presented with the correct company identity for that sound, the incorrect identity or were given no information about the identity of the sound. The results showed that company identity did not influence appraisals of high performance cars belonging to different manufacturers. These results have positive implications for methodologies employed to capture the perceptions of individuals. Statement of Relevance: A challenge in automotive design is to set appropriate targets for vehicle sounds, relying on understanding subjective reactions of individuals to such sounds. This paper assesses the role of company identity in influencing these subjective reactions and will guide sound evaluation studies, in which the manufacturer is often apparent.
Dynamiques de salaires et rééquilibrage des comptes courants dans la zone euro

A partir de simulations du modele NiGEM, les auteurs montrent qu’une moderation salariale pratiquee dans les pays « deficitaires » de la zone euro induirait une amelioration du solde des transactions courantes comprise entre 0,2 et 0,3 point de PIB a l’horizon de cinq ans. Un ajustement symetrique des pays de la zone euro permettrait d’accroitre la taille de cet ajustement.
Social Change and Social Security in Germany

Social security systems reflect and affect the social and political environment in which they operate. The early German system, although influenced by paternalistic traditions, was above all politically motivated. Its organization and administration were shaped by the desire to placate the increasingly alienated industrial workers and strengthen the prevailing power structure. Today both the means and the end are different. The welfare of the individual rather than that of the state has become the prime objective. Under present conditions, this requires not merely protection against abject poverty-a level of protection which was thought adequate in the late nineteenth century-but the preservation of the standard of living a particular citizen achieved through a lifetime of work. To achieve this objective, Germany has found it necessary to link systematically the growth of social insurance benefits to the growth of national income.
Socio-cultural theory and the "New Man"

The aim of this article is to present the influences that the Soviet historical context of the Russian post-revolution of 1917 had on the construction of cultural historical theory, mainly in the perspective of the creation of a new society and a new man. The predominance of the Marxist-Leninist vision inspired the thoughts of Lev Vygotsky, Alexander Luria and Alexei Leontiev on human development and learning. We also discuss some applications to the process of teaching learning that historical cultural theory, elaborated in the Soviet historical context, has managed to achieve. For example, the importance of mediation for the learning teaching process; the development of defectology and its influence on inclusive education and the contributions to the neurosciences that had repercussions in the school education. The methodology used was the bibliographic review. We conclude that understanding the context in which this theory emerges can bring significant contributions to the understanding of the cultural historical approach in our day, such as its potential, its limitations, its challenges and perspectives. The thesis on the importance of speech in social interaction as a promoter of development and the prospective approach of man as a come to be with the mediation of the other, opens a hopeful path for the education of present and future generations.
Translation of HTLV (human T‐cell leukemia virus) RNA in a nuclease‐treated rabbit reticulocyte system.

A human type‐C retrovirus, designated HTLV (human T‐cell leukemia virus), was isolated from the HTLV producer cell line MT‐2. Agarose gel electrophoresis analysis 32P‐labeled HTLVMT‐2 virion RNA revealed that HTLVMT‐2 virion RNA consists mainly of 24S and small amounts of 35S and 32S RNAs. The 24S HTLVMT‐2 virion RNA and unfractionated HTLVMT‐2 virion RNA were translated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system in vitro. The predominant polypeptide synthesized from 24S RNA had an apparent mol. wt. of 28 000 (28 K); unfractionated HTLVMT‐2 virion RNA directed the synthesis of 53 000 (53 K), 33 000 (33 K) and 28 000 (28 K) polypeptides as main components. Most of the polypeptides synthesised in vitro by translation of HTLVMT‐2 virion RNAs possess the same sizes as the proteins formerly designated as ATLA (ATL‐associated antigen) in SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunologically precipitated with sera of ATL patients. Therefore, the antigens termed ATLA, found by the serological study of ATL, are HTLVMT‐2 encoded polypeptides.
Diabetic Retinopathy: Surrogate Outcomes for Drug Development for Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy remains the most frequent cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years. A number of large clinical trials have validated treatment methods now considered standard. However, the disease continues to progress in approximately 50% of the eyes treated by photocoagulation. Other forms of therapy targeted at the earliest stages of retinal disease are needed. The difficulties in defining and accepting surrogate outcomes appropriate to evaluate the earlier stages of retinopathy are discussed. Special attention is given to trial design and the most likely possibilities for surrogate outcomes: mean difference on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study retinopathy scale of at least 2 steps per eye, reduction in macular thickening and reduction in fluorescein leakage.
Planning as a Tool to Deal with Extreme Events

Abstract This paper describes the recent changes in the Water Resources Management System of Brazil and its proposed approach on how to be more effective when dealing with extreme events. The geographic extent of the country, its regional differences, and the difficult economic conditions lead to a comprehensive reform in the water resources sector in order to increase efficiency of the water uses, to reduce costs, and to promote development. The major change occurred in 1997, with the promulgation of the National Water Resources Management Act, which established the National Water Resources Policy and the National Water Resources Management System. A primary strength of the new system is its decentralization. Different geographical regions of the country must cope with different extreme events. The developed South suffers with frequent flood events due to large urbanized areas and impervious floodplain areas and with water scarcity due to excessive use. The rural Northeast is frequently devastated by severe drought periods with consequences such as migration and poverty. In both cases, the decentralized decision process is a powerful tool to better manage such problematic areas. In fact, to help controlling extreme events is one of the major objectives of the new system, as stated in the law. In intermittent rivers of the Brazilian Northeast, participation of users associations can help finding the best water allocation scheme. When it comes to flood control, community participation in the selection of solutions is essential. Flood protection is a community rather than individual benefit. Decision on the land use will only be accomplished with the participation of different government levels together with the community.
Antipruritic and Thermal Sensation Effects of Hydrocortisone Creams in Human Skin

Few studies evaluate the effect of topical corticosteroids on thermal sensation and in alleviation of itch produced by intradermal injection of histamine. We evaluated the antipruritic effect of hydrocortisone (1% and 2.5%) on histamine-induced itch and sensory effects by measuring itch magnitude, itch duration and thermal thresholds using a computerized thermal sensory analyzer (TSA). This was a double-blind, random, comparative, controlled, single-dose and single-center study. Itch was experimentally induced in both forearms by intracutaneous injection of histamine in 18 subjects. Hydrocortisone 1%, 2.5% and placebo were applied to test sites on both forearms. The thermal threshold for warmth sensation, cold sensation, cold and heat pain was measured with the TSA. Itch magnitude was measured each minute after histamine injection for 10 min with a visual analogue scale (VAS). Itch duration was also recorded. In comparison to placebo, 2.5% hydrocortisone significantly (p = 0.03) reduced itch duration from 12.6 ± 11.0 min (mean ± SD) to 8.6 ± 8.2 min (the reducing rate was 32%) as well as itch magnitude (at minutes 3, 6, 7 and overall). Placebo, 1% and 2.5% hydrocortisone significantly altered (p <0.05) the cold sensation threshold. No treatment altered cold or heat pain thresholds. These data suggest that topical application of 2.5% hydrocortisone may be significantly beneficial for the treatment of histamine-induced itch. The correlation between thermal measurements and antipruritic effects warrants further study.
Interleukin 2, production in the syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction

In the syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction, Ly 1 cells proliferate following stimulation with Ia‐positive macrophage‐like cells. The proliferation is accompanied by the release of interleukin 2 into the medium. Both the proliferation and interleukin 2 production are dependent on the expression of Ia antigenic determinants, as the addition of haplotype‐specific anti‐Ia antisera to the cultures inhibits both parameters.
Novel support vector machines for diverse learning paradigms

NOVEL SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINES FOR DIVERSE LEARNING PARADIGMS This dissertation introduces novel support vector machines (SVM) for the following traditional and non-traditional learning paradigms: Online classification, Multi-Target Regression, Multiple-Instance classification, and Data Stream classification. Three multi-target support vector regression (SVR) models are first presented. The first involves building independent, single-target SVR models for each target. The second builds an ensemble of randomly chained models using the first single-target method as a base model. The third calculates the targets’ correlations and forms a maximum correlation chain, which is used to build a single chained SVR model, improving the model’s prediction performance, while reducing computational complexity. Under the multi-instance paradigm, a novel SVM multiple-instance formulation and an algorithm with a bag-representative selector, named Multi-Instance Representative SVM (MIRSVM), are presented. The contribution trains the SVM based on bag-level information and is able to identify instances that highly impact classification, i.e. bag-representatives, for both positive and negative bags, while finding the optimal class separation hyperplane. Unlike other multi-instance SVM methods, this approach eliminates possible class imbalance issues by allowing both positive and negative bags to have at most one representative, which constitute as the most contributing instances to the model. Due to the shortcomings of current popular SVM solvers, especially in the context of large-scale learning, the third contribution presents a novel stochastic, i.e. online, learning algorithm for solving the L1-SVM problem in the primal domain, dubbed OnLine Learning Algorithm using Worst-Violators (OLLAWV). This algorithm, unlike other stochastic methods, provides a novel stopping criteria and eliminates the need for using a regularization term. It instead uses early stopping. Because of these characteristics, OLLAWV was proven to efficiently produce sparse models, while maintaining a competitive accuracy.
An Optimal Charging Method for Li-Ion Batteries Using a Fuzzy-Control Approach Based on Polarization Properties

Battery charging is growing in importance as it has direct influence on battery performance and safety. This paper develops a generalized online estimation method for a charge-polarization-voltage-based resistance-capacitance ( RC) circuit model to simulate the charging behavior of Li-ion batteries. The effects of charging current, initial state of charge (SOC), initial polarization state, and aging on the charge polarization voltage are quantitatively analyzed in both time and SOC domains. It is demonstrated that the charge polarization voltage is nonlinearly related to these impact factors. In the SOC domain, the change in the charge polarization voltage is also analyzed with the gradient analytical method, and the relations between current, polarization voltage amplitude at the inflection point, and SOC are quantitatively established. This can be used to estimate battery SOC and polarization voltage accurately. A constant-polarization-based fuzzy-control charging method is proposed to adapt charging current acceptance with battery SOC stages. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed charging method significantly shortens charging time with no obvious temperature rise compared with the traditional constant-current-constant-voltage charging method.