Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DEPOSIT OPERATIONS AS THE BASIS OF SUCCESSFUL BANKING: THEORETICAL ASPECT, REALITIES AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE

The paper considers the peculiarities of Ukraine’s deposit market functioning in 2020–2023 under the influence of force majeure factors. The current state of the respective market was analysed in terms of types of deposits by duration, namely fixed and demand, by types of currencies in which funds are placed on deposits, by ranges of the size of the deposits themselves, etc. Approaches to the interpretation of the “deposit operation” concept were systematized. Having analysed the definitions it is possible to define a “deposit operation” as an operation involving the deposit institution’s attraction of funds (in national or foreign currency, in cash or non-cash form) or bank metals of depositors to deposit bank accounts under the terms of the concluded agreement and following the current legislation of Ukraine. A comprehensive analysis of the dynamics of the deposit portfolio of the banking system was carried out. The dynamics of deposits of individuals in the banking system of Ukraine were analysed. The dynamics of interest rates on deposit deposits in terms of subjects, currencies and duration are highlighted. The increase in deposit rates contributed to the recovery of the growth of fixed deposits of individuals which volume increased for the first time since the beginning of the war. The permission of the National Bank to buy foreign currency to open fixed currency deposits contributed to their growth in dollar equivalent. The peculiarities of the activity of the Deposit Guarantee Fund in Ukraine during the period of martial law were identified, and the impact on the level of public trust in banks was investigated. The obtained results of the conducted research made it possible to determine the main trends in the development of the deposit market of Ukraine and to outline proposals for improving the deposit policy of Ukrainian banks.
Does the Income from Tourism and Remittances Really Matter for Economic Growth? Evidence from the Nepalese Economy

This study investigates the effects of tourism and remittances on Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is based on secondary information acquired from Nepal's several economic surveys and publications from the Nepal Rastra Bank. It spans 34 fiscal years, from 1987/88 through 2020/21. The study employs descriptive and exploratory research designs.Descriptive statistics, unit root testing, Augmented Dickey-Fuller test, ARDL bound testing approach, heteroscedasticity test, serial correlation test, and CUSUM and CUSUM squares test of stability analysis are some econometrics instruments utilized.The GDP, remittances, and income from tourism are found to be correlated over the long term. In the long run, remittances and tourism revenue increase Nepal's GDP, but there is no discernible effect in the short run. The GDP increased by 0.794 and 0.157 percent for every one percent increase in tourist and remittance income. Therefore, the impact of tourism income is more significant than the impact of remittance income on GDP. Therefore, policymakers can employ tourism to promote Nepal's long-term economic growth.
Estimating habit‐forming and variety‐seeking behavior: Valuation of recreational birdwatching

Past experiences influence choices, and people's preferences for more similar (habit‐forming) or different (variety‐seeking) experiences are reflected in these choices. We develop a structural estimation framework to capture whether people are habit forming or variety seeking and apply it to the choice of recreation site. This research contributes to the revealed preference literature by demonstrating how to account for habit or variety‐seeking behavior in recreation site choice models in a two‐stage framework. Using this framework, we estimate similarity weights that reflect the birders habit formation and variety seeking preferences. Predicted probabilities from the first stage model are then incorporated into the second stage, a mixed logit recreation site choice model of bird watching trips from eBird, by their members. We find that including the dynamic elements of choice, specifically variety‐seeking behavior, can double the estimated willingness to pay (WTP) for individual sites relative to the static model. Although our sample of bird watching trips taken by eBird members is a sample of convenience, these results suggest that static models of recreation site choice are a lower bound on our recreation demand WTP estimates. We find variety‐seeking preferences are related to land cover and the site's fixed attributes, whereas habit formation appears for seasonality in the bird watching context.
An Innovative Workshop Embedding Pathology Service Users into the Undergraduate Biomedical Science Curriculum

The integration of pathology service users into the biomedical science curriculum has been driven by the refinement of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency. This study aimed to design and implement a novel and innovative service user event with a reflective assessment to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of the impact of pathology laboratory results on the patient pathway. The 4-h workshop consisted of a series of service users. Patients discussed how pathology services had contributed to their diagnosis and treatment, while service providers—a Microbiology Consultant, a director of primary care, and the patient referral optimisation officer—discussed their roles and their interactions with pathology services. Post-event, students completed a 750-word reflective assessment, highlighting challenges experienced by service users and providing suggestions for improving the delivery of pathology services. In total, 57.5% of respondents (57/99) completed a post-reflection survey, which included open- and closed-ended questions. Quantitative analysis of the survey data revealed that over 87.7% of respondents had increased knowledge and understanding of the revised HCPC standards. Following the assessment, students reported a significant increase in their confidence with respect to reflective writing (p < 0.001), with over 90% of respondents agreeing that the reflective assessment had increased their knowledge and understanding of the limitations that may negatively impact service users and patient care. Moreover, respondents highlighted how advancements in point-of-care testing (POCT) and improvements in communication can improve patient experiences. Thematic analysis revealed that respondents agreed that embedding patients into the curriculum reinforced the importance of there being a patient behind every sample. Respondents reported that reflecting upon service user experiences enabled them to identify improvements to the delivery of pathology services while recognising the essential role that Biomedical Scientists play in the patient pathway. This successful workshop has created a platform encompassing a range of pathology service users in the undergraduate curriculum. We recommend that other accredited biomedical science programmes adopt and embed this innovative workshop and reflective assessment into their programmes to help them meet these standards relating to service users while fostering important transferable skills in their students.
Posibilidades lignitíferas de la cuenca Neógenade Ademuz (Fosa de Teruel)

La cuenca Terciaria de Ademuz es una cuenca intramontanosa-finialpidica colmatada por sedimentos del Mioceno-Plioceno. Se han distinguido cinco unidades litoestratigraficas en los sedimentos terciarios, de las cuales la Unidad Blanca Inferior presenta cierto interes en cuanto a posibilidades lignitiferas. Corresponde esta Unidad a un ambiente lacustre, en el que se depositan dos tipos de facies: Una travertinica, indicadora de un medio palustre muy somero, con abundante vegetacion y condiciones oxidantes, y otra de ambiente tipo charca, que corresponde a un medio con lamina de agua escasa, pero mayor que en el caso anterior, con aguas tranquilas y condiciones reductoras, que son las idoneas para la acumulacion de restos vegetales y formacion de carbon. Las facies de ultimo tipo predominan en dos zonas telmaticas, situadas al abrigo de islas interiores o en zonas marginales, en ambos casos protegidas de los aportes terrigenos, pero fuera de la zona de deposicion de sedimentos exclusivamente lacustres, que se corresponden con las zonas de mayor cantidad de indicios de lignito.
Evaluation of fast approximate inverse kinematics for digital twin models of human movement

: Digital twin models of human movement can be used to enhance physical performance, improve health, and reduce injury risk. Non-invasive motion capture can be used to measure body dimensions and body movement. When combined with biomechanical modelling and domain specific analyses, such as for ergonomics, these models can be used to estimate how changes to activity and workplace design correlate to performance and injury risk. We have developed a prototype digital twin system called Ergomechanic that measures body movement and body segment loading but not all features are currently available in a real-time application. Joint angles are used in biomechanics to compare between study participants and evaluate differences from mean results. This is because these angles are relatively invariant between the population, despite large variations in height and weight. Inverse kinematics (IK) is the process of fitting a biomechanical model to measured movements of a person, though which joint angles can be calculated. As this process relies on a large sequence of recursive equations and a least-squares optimisation approach, it takes too long to converge, and can be too slow for real-time system applications. Here we call this method the “SlowIK” approach. Here we propose a simple and fast approximation to the IK problem (called “FastIK”). It reduces the complexity of the applied equations and is explicit in formulation, thus avoids the optimisation formulation. The method is implemented in the Ergomechanic pipeline and tested with both a simple walking motion and a more complex workout activity. The FastIK method is more than 100x faster than the SlowIK method for both test activities. The knee joint angles calculated by the FastIK approach are found to be within a suitable accuracy in comparison to the SlowIK method, for most biomechanics applications. The elbow joint angle is reproduced well for the FastIK case in two of four cases but has a systematic offset in one instance and incorrectly identifies the sign of the angle in a second instance. This method shows good potential for reasonable accuracy of digital twin outputs when subject to the challenges of real-time applications.
Transmit power allocation of energy transmitters for throughput maximisation in wireless powered communication networks

Radio-frequency (RF) energy harvesting is one promising technology to power the nodes in wireless networks. This study focuses on large-scale wireless powered communication networks having multiple RF energy transmitters (ETs) and sinks, which almost have not been investigated previously. The authors aim to optimise the throughput via optimizing the transmit power allocation of ETs subject to a total power budget. Specifically, for the sum-throughput maximisation (STM) problem, they firstly formulate it to be a non-linear optimisation problem, then prove its convexity and finally propose an efficient dual sub-gradient algorithm to solve it. Owing to the throughput unfairness among nodes of the STM approach, they further consider the common-throughput maximisation (CTM; i.e. the worst node's throughput) and propose a very efficient algorithm for it. This algorithm divides the CTM problem into a master problem and a subproblem. The subproblem of determining the feasibility of a given common-throughput is solved by transforming it to a linear problem whose optimal solution indicates the feasibility. The master problem of determining the maximal common-throughput is solved by using the bisection search method. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the CTM approach to mitigate the throughput unfairness problem at the cost of decreased sum-throughput.
Combined fructose and sucrose consumption from an early age aggravates cardiac oxidative damage and causes a dilated cardiomyopathy in SHR rats

Obesity increases the risk of arterial hypertension in young adults and favors an early-onset cardiomyopathy by generating oxidative stress. In this sense, indiscriminate consumption of sucrose and fructose sweetened beverages from early ages causes obesity, however its consequences on the heart when there is a genetic predisposition to develop hypertension are not clear. We compared the effects of sucrose, fructose, and their combination in weanling male spontaneously hypertensive rats to determine the relationship between genetic hypertension, obesity, and consumption of these sugars on the degree of cardiac hypertrophy, oxidative stress and Ca2+/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II delta oxidation. Histological, biochemical, and Western blot studies were performed 12 weeks after treatment initiation. We found that chronic consumption of sucrose or fructose leads to obesity, exacerbates genetic arterial hypertension-induced metabolic alterations, and increases cardiac oxidative stress, Ca2+/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II delta oxidation and cardiac hypertrophy. Nonetheless, when sucrose and fructose are consumed together, metabolic alterations worsen and are accompanied by dilated cardiomyopathy. These data suggest that sucrose and fructose combined consumption starting from maternal weaning in rats with genetic predisposition to arterial hypertension accelerates the progression of cardiomyopathy resulting in an early dilated cardiomyopathy.
The effect of bio-electro-magnetic-energy-regulation therapy on sleep duration and sleep quality among elite players in Norwegian women’s football

The current study investigated if physical loads peak on game days and if Bio-Electro-Magnetic-Energy-Regulation (BEMER) therapy is affecting sleep duration and sleep quality on nights related to game nights among elite players in Norwegian women’s elite football. The sample included 21 female football players from an elite top series club with a mean age of ~24 years (± 2.8). Sleep was measured every day over a period of 273 consecutive days with a Somnofy sleep monitor based on ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) pulse radar and Doppler technology. The current study was conducted as a quasi-experiment, where each player was their own control based on a control period that lasted for 3 months, and an experimental period that lasted for 5 months. Accordantly, the time each player spent with BEMER therapy was used as a control variable. Multivariate analyses of variance using FFMANOVA and univariate ANOVA with False Discovery Rate adjusted p-values show that physical performance (total distance, distance per minute, sprint meters >22.5 kmh, accelerations and decelerations) significantly peak on game day compared with ordinary training days and days related to game days. The results also show that sleep quantity and quality are significantly reduced on game night, which indicate disturbed sleep caused by the peak in physical load. Most sleep variables significantly increased in the experiment period, where BEMER therapy was used, compared to the control period before the introduction of BEMER therapy. Further, the analyses show that players who spent BEMER therapy >440 h had the most positive effects on their sleep, and that these effects were significantly compared to the players who used BEMER therapy <440 h. The findings are discussed based on the function of sleep and the different sleep stages have on recovery.
Long-term Effects of STEM Enrichment Programs on Wage Differentials Among Under-Represented Minority Students

This study focuses on the increasing disparities in STEM education achievement and long-term wage earnings of under-represented minority groups. As part of national efforts to improve the diversity of the STEM workforce, this study uses longitudinal data from the University of Houston’s Education Research Center (UH-ERC) to examine the effect of participation in a STEM focused intervention program (Houston-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation) on wage earnings across students from traditionally under-represented groups. Data analysis consisted of propensity score matching analysis, followed by an ordinal logistic regression model to measure program participation effects on wage earnings. Findings indicate a significant negative association between participation in STEM intervention program and long-term wage earnings. Results highlight the role of structural racism and human capital on perpetuating achievement and wage gaps across race and socio-economic status. Recommendations focus on career-preparedness as a tool to increase the human capital of under-represented groups, and institutional shifts in policy and program components that strive to reduce the impact of structural racism on this subpopulation of students.
Pterostilbene attenuates microglial inflammation and brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage in an OPA1-dependent manner

Microglial activation and subsequent inflammatory responses are critical processes in aggravating secondary brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Pterostilbene (3’, 5’-dimethoxy-resveratrol) features antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties and has been proven neuroprotective. In this study, we aimed to explore whether Pterostilbene could attenuate neuroinflammation after experimental ICH, as well as underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, a collagenase-induced ICH in mice was followed by intraperitoneal injection of Pterostilbene (10 mg/kg) or vehicle once daily. PTE-treated mice performed significantly better than vehicle-treated controls in the neurological behavior test after ICH. Furthermore, our results showed that Pterostilbene reduced lesion volume and neural apoptosis, and alleviated blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage and brain edema. RNA sequencing and subsequent experiments showed that ICH-induced neuroinflammation and microglial proinflammatory activities were markedly suppressed by Pterostilbene treatment. With regard to the mechanisms, we identified that the anti-inflammatory effects of Pterostilbene relied on remodeling mitochondrial dynamics in microglia. Concretely, Pterostilbene reversed the downregulation of OPA1, promoted mitochondrial fusion, restored normal mitochondrial morphology, and reduced mitochondrial fragmentation and superoxide in microglia after OxyHb treatment. Moreover, conditionally deleting microglial OPA1 in mice largely countered the effects of Pterostilbene on alleviating microglial inflammation, BBB damage, brain edema and neurological impairment following ICH. In summary, we provided the first evidence that Pterostilbene is a promising agent for alleviating neuroinflammation and brain injury after ICH in mice, and uncovered a novel regulatory relationship between Pterostilbene and OPA1-mediated mitochondrial fusion.
Contamination intra-oculaire au cours de la chirurgie de la cataracte selon la technique et l'implant utilisés

Purpose : To determine wether the cataract extraction method and intraocular lens material affect bacterial contamination of the eye during surgery. Methods : This retrospective study evaluated microbial contamination of the anterior chamber fluid in three group of patients. Group 1: extracapsular extraction and PMMA lens (354 cases). Group 2: phacoemulsification and PMMA lens (474 cases). Group 3: phacoemulsification and silicone lens with PMMA haptic (264 cases). Results : Microbial contamination rate was in group 1: 5,65 %, in group 2: 4,75 %, and in group 3: 4,54 %. The difference was not statistically significant (ø: 0,321). All contaminants were Gram positive. Conclusion : Bacterial contamination rate of the anterior chamber is similar during extracapsular extraction and phacoemulsification, and is not modified when using PMMA or silicone lens.
GANs through the looking glass: How real is the fake financial data created by Generative Adversarial Neural Nets?

: Generative Adversarial Neural nets (GANs), developed by Goodfellow et. al (2014) are a branch of machine learning techniques that are one of the newest and most important fields in machine learning. They have several singular characteristics. A GAN, when applied to a data set, learns to generate new data with the same statistics as the training set. This paper examines the characteristics of the time series of financial data developed when a GAN is trained on a sample financial data set comprising daily S&P500 Index values. GANs were originally proposed as a form of generative model for unsupervised learning, but their application and use have developed on several fronts into semi-supervised, supervised and reinforcement learning as well. GANs involve the application of two competing neural networks in a game theoretic context. The Generator net tries to generate pseudo data that is presented to the discriminator net which then attempts to distinguish between the real and the fake data. The process proceeds dynamically, and non-specifically, in that that the generator is not trained to minimize the distance to a specific image of the dataset, but rather to fool the discriminator. This enables the model to learn in an unsupervised manner. A known dataset serves as the initial training data for the discriminator. The generative network generates data sets while the discriminative network evaluates them. The generative network's training objective is to increase the error rate of the discriminative network. The customary procedure is to seed the generator with a randomized input that is sampled from a predefined latent space, such as a normal distribution. Then backpropagation procedures are independently applied to both networks so that the generator learns to produce more convincing samples whilst the discriminator becomes more adept at screening pseudo samples. The game reaches an equilibrium when the generator can fool the discriminator half the time. Potential convergence difficulties lead to the development of Wasserstein GANs Arjovski et al. (2017). We apply Wasser GANs in this paper and examine the characteristics of the generated fake S&P500 data set. Typically, financial data sets have long memory and fat tails. Prices series are non-stationary with variances that increase as a function of time. Fama (1965), in his development of efficient market tests, suggested that markets should have no memory, therefore the autocorrelation of return series should be approximately zero. We explore whether the generated series possess these characteristics. A related issue is how closely does the fake series mimic the real series? We explore this issue using cointegration tests on the levels of the series and regression analysis of the logarithmic first differences, or returns of the series. The results suggest that many of the characteristics of real financial series are captured in the artificial series generated by GANs.