Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Financial Performance of Islamic and Conventional Banks of Pakistan: A Comparative Analysis

The objective of this study is to evaluate the comparative financial performance of Islamic and conventional banks. To make an appropriate comparative study profitability and liquidity ratios of Islamic banks (Mezan Bank Ltd, Bank Islamic and Albaraka) and conventional banks (Faysal Bank, KASB and Bank of Khyber) are used during the period from 2007 to 2009. The sampled banks are selected on covenant sampling technique on the basis of almost having equal weight of invested capital and number of existing branches. To make substantially noteworthy results, paired sample t-test is used. The results show that Islamic banks have high growth rate and profitability over the conventional banks. Moreover the Islamic banks have high liquidity power over conventional banks.
Synthesis of electromagnetic metasurfaces: principles and illustrations

The paper presents partial overview of the mathematical synthesis and the physical realization of metasurfaces, and related illustrative examples. The synthesis consists in determining the exact tensorial surface susceptibility functions of the metasurface, based on generalized sheet transition conditions, while the realization deals with both metallic and dielectric scattering particle structures. The examples demonstrate the capabilities of the synthesis and realization techniques, thereby showing the plethora of possible metasurface field transmission and subsequent applications. The first example is the design of two diffraction engineering birefringent metasurfaces performing polarization beam splitting and orbital angular momentum multiplexing, respectively. Next, we discuss the concept of the electromagnetic remotely controlled metasurface spatial processor, which is an electromagnetic linear switch based on destructive interferences. Then, we introduce a non-reciprocal non-gyrotropic metasurface using a pick-up circuit radiator (PCR) architecture. Finally, the implementation of all-dielectric metasurfaces for frequency dispersion engineering is discussed.
Tumor Cell Dormancy: Threat or Opportunity in the Fight against Cancer

Tumor dormancy, a clinically undetectable state of cancer, makes a major contribution to the development of multidrug resistance (MDR), minimum residual disease (MRD), tumor outgrowth, cancer relapse, and metastasis. Despite its high incidence, the whole picture of dormancy-regulated molecular programs is far from clear. That is, it is unknown when and which dormant cells will resume proliferation causing late relapse, and which will remain asymptomatic and harmless to their hosts. Thus, identification of dormancy-related culprits and understanding their roles can help predict cancer prognosis and may increase the probability of timely therapeutic intervention for the desired outcome. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the dormancy-dictated molecular mechanisms, including angiogenic switch, immune escape, cancer stem cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, metabolic reprogramming, miRNAs, epigenetic modifications, and stress-induced p38 signaling pathways. Further, we analyze the possibility of leveraging these dormancy-related molecular cues to outmaneuver cancer and discuss the implications of such approaches in cancer treatment.
A Survey on Sentiment Analysis Technique in Web Opinion Mining

: This survey covers techniques and approaches that promise to directly enable opinion-oriented information-seeking systems. Our focus is on methods that seek to address the new challenges raised by sentiment-aware applications, as compared to those that are already present in more traditional fact-based analysis. We include material on summarization of evaluative text and on broader issues regarding privacy, manipulation, and economic impact that the development of opinion-oriented information-access services gives rise to. To facilitate future work, a discussion of available resources, benchmark datasets, and evaluation campaigns is also provided.
Detecting Intrinsic Movements through Needle Tips Pinned at Zusanli ST-36 Point - a New Method for Characterizing Structures for Acupuncture Treatments

This study aims to investigate the characteristics of the observed intrinsic movements of needle tips pinned at the Zusanli ST-36 acupuncture point. The specificity of acupuncture points is an important principle underlying the acupuncture treatments and is closely related to the characteristics of some structures attributable to their therapeutic effects. The movements of needle tips pinned at the acupuncture and control points in rats were video recorded, and the position data were analyzed by using the power spectrum and the autocorrelation function. The power spectra in the frequency domain showed main peaks due to oscillations transferred from heart and lung movements, and the spectra showed no distinctive differences between the ST-36 and the control points. The autocorrelation function in the time domain, on the other hand, had different times for the first zero point in the envelope of the oscillating signals: 0.26±0.20 minutes for the ST-36 site and 0.80±0.61 minutes for the control site. The time difference was 0.54±0.45 minutes, which was statistically significant with a p-value = 0.002 from the paired t-test. The results of this study imply that the intrinsic movements transferred to the needle tips pinned at the ST-36 site are more disturbed by some internal mechanical factors than those transferred to the needle tips at the control site are and that the modernized method developed in this study may be a new tool for characterizing structures for acupuncture treatments.
Spectroscopic characterization of degradation of antibiotics in wastewater treated by ozonation

This study examined effects of ozonation of a municipal wastewater spiked with diverse antibiotic species on the removal of these contaminants and concurrent evolution of effluent organic matter (EfOM). The absorbance of the wastewater decreased consistently with increased ozone dose or treatment time. Relative changes of absorbance (A/A0) measured at wavelengths of 254 nm and 330 nm were used to quantify changes of EfOM properties caused by the oxidation. The degradation of antibiotics was strongly correlated with the changes of EfOM absorbance. Application of a formal model for the concurrent degradation of trace level contaminants and EfOM reactive sites allowed achieving a very good fitting between the experimentally observed and modeled C/C0 vs. A/A0 correlations.
Alfa lipoik asidin rat karaciğer homojenatlarinda hidrojen peroksit ile indüklenmiş lipid peroksidasyonuna etkisi (The effect of alpha lipoic acid on hydrogen peroxide-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenates)

Objective: It is known that oxidant species play a role in the pathogenesis of certain diseases such as diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, cataract and hepatic cirrhosis. Therefore, the use of antioxidant species for therapeutic purposes has risen up in the recent years. The aim of the study was to investigate the different concentrations of alpha lipoic acid on the induced lipid peroxidation and tissue glutathione level in rat liver homogenates. Methods: Hydrogen peroxide (15 mM) has been used for induction of lipid peroxidation at liver homogenates. The experimental setups induced by lipid peroxidation have been divided into four sub-groups. Alpha lipoic acid was added in 0, 2, 4 and 8 mM concentrations into those groups, respectively. The malondialdehyde levels which is the end product of lipid peroxidation and the levels of tissue glutathione have been determined. Results: The level of malondialdehyde in the activation groups has been found to be significantly higher than to the control group. The levels of malondialdehyde in the all alpha lipoic acid groups have been found to be significantly lower than the activation group. The level of glutathione in the activation group has been detected significantly lower when it was compared to the control group. The levels of glutathione in the all alpha lipoic acid groups have been found to be significantly higher from the activation group. When the time-dependent change in the level of glutathione was investigated it was observed that these initially decrease and then started to increase. In the groups of 4 and 8 mM, this level was even over from the starting point. Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings suggest that lipid peroxidation is induced in the experimental setups where hydrogen peroxide are applied. The reason of significantly lower malondialdehyde and higher glutathione levels in alpha lipoic acid group than activation groups may be a result of the antioxidant property of alpha lipoic acid.
EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE OF SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL MODES OF PROPAGATION IN NEOGENE SPECIES OF THE BRYOZOAN METRARABDOTOS IN TROPICAL AMERICA

Abstract Three new Miocene-Pliocene species of the cheilostome bryozoan Metrarabdotos from Venezuela are atypical in showing significant evidence that as many as half the colonies originated asexually (clonally) by “regeneration” from previously existing colonies, rather than almost exclusively from ancestrular zooids (products of metamorphosis of sexually produced larvae), as is characteristic of the genus. The extremely low proportion of zooids (less than two percent) recognizably committed to producing larvae (ovicelled) in these Venezuelan species agrees with that reported in a variety of Danian (Paleocene) genera in which clonal propagation has been reported to predominate. However, all but two of 17 other living and fossil species of Metrarabdotos also have fewer than two percent of their zooids ovicelled, even though all but one of more than 250 colony bases examined originated from ancestrulae. The lack of significant correlation in Metrarabdotos between frequencies of ovicelled zooids and of ancestrular colonies suggests that clonal propagation may not have diverted resources from sexual reproduction. This inference is supported by the retention in these species of a level of heritable morphologic variation (estimated by partitioning among-colonies and within-colonies variance in zooid characters) that is commensurate with that estimated for species of Metrarabdotos in which propagation was apparently entirely by sexual means. Thus, sexual reproduction throughout the genus was apparently sufficient to maintain the genetic diversity from which speciation could proceed at normal rates. As estimated by both cladistic and nearest-neighbor morphologic-stratigraphic methods, the three Venezuelan species occupy quite different positions in the inferred phylogeny of Metrarabdotos. Thus, the elevated level of clonal propagation in these species appears to be a response to local conditions, most probably high productivity associated with upwelling, that promoted more rapid vegetative growth while leaving the level of sexual reproduction unchanged.
Isolation and Pathogenicity Evaluation of Postharvest Fungal of Some Fruits in Cameroon

The present work was designed to study the biodiversity of fungal post-harvest decay of banana, mango and safou fruits sold in local markets in the Dschang locality, Western Region of Cameroon. A total of 90 infected fruit samples were collected from different local markets, small pieces of mouldy part were inoculated on prepared plates of Potato dextrose agar (PDA), after 7 days of incubation, pure isolated fungi were identified according to the recommended references. The pathogenicity of the some most prevalent fungi isolated was evaluated on uninfected fruits. Results obtained showed some variations in isolation frequency of the fungi from each fruit. Aspergillus, Colletotrichum, Fasarium and Veticillium were the most common genera that colonized banana, mango and safou fruits with different incidences. Cercospora capsici was present on safou (50%), C. mangiferae on mango (50.9%) and C. musae on banana (51.7%). Colletotrichum gloesosporioides appeared on banana (8.62%), mango (15%) and safou (22.92%); Colletotrichum musae on banana (22%). Cercospora spp caused injuries with lesions diameters that vary depending on the type of fruit and fungal species. Proper measures should be adopted to protect fruits from fungal decay.
The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI): unforeseen successes in animal ecology

This review highlights the latest developments associated with the use of the Normal- ized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in ecology. Over the last decade, the NDVI has proven extremely useful in predicting herbivore and non-herbivore distribution, abundance and life history traits in space and time. Due to the continuous nature of NDVI since mid-1981, the relative impor- tance of different temporal and spatial lags on population performance can be assessed, widening our understanding of population dynamics. Previously thought to be most useful in temperate environ- ments, the utility of this satellite-derived index has been demonstrated even in sparsely vegetated areas. Climate models can be used to reconstruct historical patterns in vegetation dynamics in addi- tion to anticipating the effects of future environmental change on biodiversity. NDVI has thus been established as a crucial tool for assessing past and future population and biodiversity consequences of change in climate, vegetation phenology and primary productivity.
Nutritional Status Of Children And Women In India : Recent Trends

Over the past two decades, there has been a substantial and progressive decline in infant and child mortality rates in India1• There has also been a significant reduction in the prevalence of florid nutritional deficiency disorders. It is therefore important that increasing attention is now paid to the nutritional status of the survivors. The alarming reports of some international agencies2 which have placed India at about the bottom-rung of an arbitrary world development scale, have raised apprehensions that the nutritional status of women and children in India shows no signs of improvement. Recent trends with respect to the nutritional status of women and children in India have been analysed and evaluated, so as to address this issue.
SEROPREVALENCE OF HYPODERMA (WARBLE FLY) INFECTION IN THE BELGIAN CATTLE POPULATION

Safety has become a very important aspect of meat q u lity, including the absence of pathogens (mainly Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria monocytogenes). For Salmonella and Campylobacter the upward trend in human reports is mirrored by that in farm animal s, including pigs. The most prevalent Salmonella serotype isolated from pork samples is S. Typhimurium. Of particular concern is the emergence of the multiple antibiotic resistant S. Typhimurium DT104 in pig herds. Animals are consid ered to be the natural reservoirs of Campylobacter with a predominance of Campylobacter coli in pigs. In most cases the animals are symptomless carriers of these pathogens. As a consequence, appa rently healthy animals arriving at the slaughterhou se can be shedding pathogenic bacteria so that other animals and carcasses are quickly cross-contaminated. For L. monocytogenes, various studies have demonstrated that the contamin ation of pork products is mainly derived from cross contamination between pork meat and the environment of chilling and cutting rooms or furthe r processing steps. For efficient control of these pa thogens, efficient and accurate detection methods (bacteriological or serological) and intervention s trategies to reduce carriage of Salmonella in pigs are necessary, and the contamination cycles both at the farm level and at the slaughterhouse have to be broken.
The Economic Determinants of Crime: an Approach through Responsiveness Scores

Criminality has always been part of human social interactions, shaping the way peoples have constructed states and legislation. As social order became a greater concern for the public authorities, interest in investigating incentives pushing individuals towards engaging in illegal activities has become a central issue of the political agenda. Building on the existing literature, this paper proposes to focus on a few primary determinants of crime, whose effect is in- vestigated using a Responsiveness Scores (RS) approach performed over 50 US states during the period 2000-2012. The RS approach allows us to account for unit heterogeneous response to each single determinant, thus paving the way to a more in-depth analysis of the relation between crime and its drivers. We attempt to overcome the limitations posed by standard regression methods, which assume a single coecient for all determinants, thus contributing to the literature in the field with stronger evidence on determinants' e ects and the geographical patterns of responsiveness scores.
Modeling non‐Fickian transport in geological formations as a continuous time random walk

Non‐Fickian (or anomalous) transport of contaminants has been observed at field and laboratory scales in a wide variety of porous and fractured geological formations. Over many years a basic challenge to the hydrology community has been to develop a theoretical framework that quantitatively accounts for this widespread phenomenon. Recently, continuous time random walk (CTRW) formulations have been demonstrated to provide general and effective means to quantify non‐Fickian transport. We introduce and develop the CTRW framework from its conceptual picture of transport through its mathematical development to applications relevant to laboratory‐ and field‐scale systems. The CTRW approach contrasts with ones used extensively on the basis of the advection‐dispersion equation and use of upscaling, volume averaging, and homogenization. We examine the underlying assumptions, scope, and differences of these approaches, as well as stochastic formulations, relative to CTRW. We argue why these methods have not been successful in fitting actual measurements. The CTRW has now been developed within the framework of partial differential equations and has been generalized to apply to nonstationary domains and interactions with immobile states (matrix effects). We survey models based on multirate mass transfer (mobile‐immobile) and fractional derivatives and show their connection as subsets within the CTRW framework.
pontaneous passivation observations during scale formation on mild steel n CO 2 brines

Previous study revealed localized corrosion in CO2 environments was driven by a galvanic cell established between pit surfaces and scaled surrounding area. In order to underpin the understanding of the galvanic mechanism of localized corrosion, the root cause of potential differences between these two surfaces, passivation of mild steel, in CO2 environments was investigated using transmission electron microscopy technique and electrochemical techniques including potentiodynamic polarization, cyclic polarization and open circuit potential techniques. Potentiodynamic polarization experiments showed that the passivation of the carbon steel surface favorably occurred at pH > 7 and facilitated with the presence of FeCO3 scale. Cyclic polarization tests showed that polarization rate had an important influence on passivation behavior. At a slower polarization rate, lower passivation potential and current density were observed. Spontaneous passivation was evidenced by a significant increase of corrosion resistance and an open circuit potential without any externally applied current or potential during electrode immersion. This process is affected by pH, temperature, presence of CO2 and iron carbonate. Nevertheless, iron carbonate film is not the only one responsible for passivation, as demonstrated from depassivation tests where passivity was lost without losing the existing iron carbonate film. Transmission electron microscopy technique was used to determine the structure of the passive layer. An extra phase, most likely magnetite, was observed to be beneath the iron carbonate scale and at the crystal grain boundaries which passivated the mild steel.
Rogue waves in crossing seas: The Louis Majesty accident

[1] We analyze the sea state conditions during which the accident of the cruise ship Louis Majesty took place. The ship was hit by a large wave that destroyed some windows at deck number five and caused two fatalities. Using the wave model (WAM), driven by the Consortium for Small-Scale Modelling (COSMO-ME) winds, we perform a detailed hindcast of the local wave conditions. The results reveal the presence of two comparable wave systems characterized almost by the same frequency. We discuss such sea state conditions in the framework of a system of two coupled Nonlinear Schrodinger (CNLS) equations, each of which describe the dynamics of a single spectral peak. For some specific parameters, we discuss the breather solutions of the CNLS equations and estimate the maximum wave amplitude. Even though, due to the lack of measurements, it is impossible to establish the nature of the wave that caused the accident, we show that the angle between the two wave systems during the accident was close to the condition for which the maximum amplitude of the breather solution is observed.
Computational Biomimetics Of Twisted PlywoodArchitectures In Fibrous Biological CompositesThrough Chiral Liquid Crystal Self-assembly

Despite being made of relatively simple materials, fibrous biological composites exhibit remarkable mechanical and physical properties [1]. These hierarchical materials frequently adopt a laminated architecture known as twisted plywood. In most cases this structure is monodomain (i.e. defect free), in which the fibrillar direction rotates around a single axis. However, not infrequently the twisted plywood architecture is found to be polydomain in which case there is multitude of local axis of rotation instead of a single one. In the latter case, the structure presents defects and it is therefore weakened. The origin of the twisted plywood structure is rather complex and has yet to be fully understood. Nevertheless it is strongly believed that liquid crystalline states are involved in its growth process. Indeed, numerous striking structural similarities between fibrous biological composites and these ordered fluid states have been observed and reported. The structure of liquid crystalline materials is known to be greatly dependent on the topology of their bounding surfaces. In this work, a mathematical model based on the Landau-de Gennes theory has been developed to investigate the role played by constraining surfaces in the structural development of a composite material that undergoes a liquid crystalline state during the early stages of its growth. The goal of this study is to investigate the role played by constraining surface on these materials. The numerical simulations qualitatively confirm the hypothesis of Neville [2, 3], according to which the presence of a constraining surface produces a mechanically effective monodomain structure whereas its absence leads to a weakened polydomain organization. In addition to these results, this approach highlights the role played by modelling in the study of tissue morphogenesis.