bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Banking Sector Competition and Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: K. Ricky-Okine Charles , Amankwaa Twum , Anane Emmanuel 
Published: October 2020

The study sort to establishing a relationship between banking sector competition and financial development in subSaharan n Africa. The study further disaggregated the data used into Francophone and Anglophone countries, and these were examined separated and compared. Using an annual data on banks across 37 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa spanning the period 2001-2016 and employing the Fixed Effects estimation technique, the study revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between financial development (FDCredit) and competition (CR3) for the full sample and the anglophone samples. The study further revealed that banking sector stability is essential for the financial development of both Anglophone and francophone countries within the sub-region. Macroeconomic variables did not have any impact on financial development generally except in francophone countries where exchange rates were found to have an impact on financial development. Bank-level variables such as ZSCORE, non-performing loans, profitability, liquidity and capitalization, on the hand had little impact in Anglophone countries on financial development compared to francophone countries. The study found that larger banks contribute positively to the development of the financial sector and banks tend to be bigger in Anglophone countries, and their banking sector is also more competitive than the francophone countries for the period used. Less emphasis should be placed on bank-level variables as these do not have significant impacts on the financial sector for Anglophone countries. Francophone countries should, however, control bank-level variables to ensure that they achieve greater financial development.
Citation: Ricky-Okine, C. K., Amankwaa, T.and Anane, E.Banking Sector Competition and Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa,2020; 5(3): 58-85.
Received: July 18, 2020Accepted: September 30, 2020
A feasibility study to use machine learning as an inversion algorithm for aerosol profile and property retrieval from multi-axis differential absorption spectroscopy measurements
Authors: Dong Yun , Spinei Elena , Karpatne Anuj 
Published: October 2020

Abstract. In this study, we explore a new approach based on machine learning
(ML) for deriving aerosol extinction coefficient profiles, single-scattering
albedo and asymmetry parameter at 360 nm from a single multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) sky scan.
Our method relies on a multi-output sequence-to-sequence model combining
convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for feature extraction and long
short-term memory networks (LSTMs) for profile prediction. The model was
trained and evaluated using data simulated by Vector Linearized Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (VLIDORT) v2.7, which contains
1 459 200 unique mappings. From the simulations, 75 % were randomly selected for training and the remaining 25 % for validation. The overall error of
estimated aerosol properties (1) for total aerosol optical depth (AOD) is -1.4±10.1 %,
(2) for the single-scattering albedo is 0.1±3.6 %, and (3) for the asymmetry
factor is -0.1±2.1 %. The resulting model is capable of
retrieving aerosol extinction coefficient profiles with degrading accuracy
as a function of height. The uncertainty due to the randomness in ML
training is also discussed.
Cartas entre artistas pesquisadoras professoras
Authors: Villegas Estela Vale , Saber de Mello Ines , Liconti Juliana Lima , Purper Raquel 
Published: October 2020

Uma conversa, um compartilhar experiências. Este texto é um conjunto de três cartas entre pesquisadoras-artistas-professoras. Estela escreveu a primeira delas relatando sua experiência como professora-artista em busca de pedagogias da performance. O formato de sua carta suscitou o desejo de diálogo entre outras mulheres cuja experiência era semelhante. Sendo assim, Ines, Juliana e Raquel dispuseram-se a respondê-la falando sobre suas metodologias e refletindo sobre os desafios que enfrentam nas salas de aula da escola, da universidade e do instituto federal. Além de serem pesquisadoras-artistas-professoras, entrelaçam-se os interesses no campo da performance e da dança seja pensando na cena, no ensino-aprendizagem ou nas possibilidades de escrita acadêmica.
Estrutura de uma comunidade arbórea adulta na Amazônia e o desafio de uso sustentável de espécies florestais comerciais
Authors: Pinheiro Klewton Adriano Oliveira , Carvalho João Olegário Pereira de , Schwartz Gustavo , Francez Luciana Maria de Barros , Quanz Beatriz , Carneiro Francimary da Silva 
Published: October 2020

O Brasil tem a maior biodiversidade de fauna e flora do Planeta, com grande potencial e dificuldades para o manejo dos seus recursos naturais. Neste estudo, foi analisada a estrutura de 84 hectares de floresta natural, na Fazenda Rio Capim, pertencente à empresa florestal Cikel Brasil Verde Ltda. Foram registradas 1435 árvores com DAP ³ 45 cm, distribuídas em 65 espécies, 54 gêneros e 22 famílias. As espécies mais importantes foram: Eschweilera sp. com Índice Valor de Cobertura (IVC) de 32,62, seguida por Manilkara amazonica (IVC = 19,36). A espécie Hymenaea courbaril, apresentou o maior volume (5,115 m3.ha-1). As espécies Manilkara huberi, Goupia glabra e Lecythis usitata também apresentaram expressivos IVC’s e volume. As espécies Brosimum parinarioides, Protium puncticulatum, Anadenanthera colubrina e Lecythis lurida completam a lista das mais importantes na área estudada. A maioria das espécies tem sua madeira comercializada no mercado doméstico, mas algumas atingem o mercado internacional. Outras espécies apresentam grande importância na produção de produtos não-madeireiros como, fitoterápicos, fibras e frutos. As recomendações aqui apresentadas podem ser aplicadas em outras florestas tropicais com estrutura semelhante à da floresta estudada neste trabalho.
En attendant la suite… Le Parti québécois sur le front constitutionnel
Authors: Taillon Patrick , Binette Amélie 
Published: October 2020

Le Parti québécois doit composer, sur le front des relations intergouvernementales, avec un enjeu particulier : celui du dilemme entre poursuivre coûte que coûte son idéal – l’accession du Québec à la souveraineté – et la prise en compte des conséquences de ses actions à court, moyen et long terme sur les intérêts du Québec et sur l’évolution du fédéralisme canadien. Malgré ce dilemme, les stratégies adoptées par le PQ depuis cinquante ans pour défendre les revendications du Québec ne diffèrent pas substantiellement de celles des autres partis politiques qui ont occupé le pouvoir. Avec des taux de succès variables, les approches multilatérales, bilatérales et unilatérales ont fréquemment été employées par le parti au sein des divers forums pancanadiens. À partir d’une réflexion sur les discours et sur les actions posées par le PQ dans la conduite des affaires constitutionnelles et des relations intergouvernementales, la présente étude vise à brosser un portrait des stratégies mises en oeuvre par les gouvernements péquistes pour défendre, au premier chef, l’autonomie du Québec, mais, également, sa participation aux institutions centrales de la fédération canadienne.
High-throughput analysis of adaptation using barcoded strains ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Fasanello Vincent J. , Liu Ping , Botero Carlos A. , Fay Justin C. 
Published: October 2020

BackgroundExperimental evolution of microbes can be used to empirically address a wide range of questions about evolution and is increasingly employed to study complex phenomena ranging from genetic evolution to evolutionary rescue. Regardless of experimental aims, fitness assays are a central component of this type of research, and low-throughput often limits the scope and complexity of experimental evolution studies. We created an experimental evolution system inSaccharomyces cerevisiaethat utilizes genetic barcoding to overcome this challenge.ResultsWe first confirm that barcode insertions do not alter fitness and that barcode sequencing can be used to efficiently detect fitness differences via pooled competition-based fitness assays. Next, we examine the effects of ploidy, chemical stress, and population bottleneck size on the evolutionary dynamics and fitness gains (adaptation) in a total of 76 experimentally evolving, asexual populations by conducting 1,216 fitness assays and analyzing 532 longitudinal-evolutionary samples collected from the evolving populations. In our analysis of these data we describe the strengths of this experimental evolution system and explore sources of error in our measurements of fitness and evolutionary dynamics.ConclusionsOur experimental treatments generated distinct fitness effects and evolutionary dynamics, respectively quantified via multiplexed fitness assays and barcode lineage tracking. These findings demonstrate the utility of this new resource for designing and improving high-throughput studies of experimental evolution. The approach described here provides a framework for future studies employing experimental designs that require high-throughput multiplexed fitness measurements.
Socio- Economic Upliftment of Tribal Farmers through Grain and Hybrid Seed Production of Quality Protein Maize under Hilly Condition of J&K
Authors: Sharma Vikas , Kumar Deepak , Bhat Anil , Sharma Rohit , Kumar Rajesh , Mishra Sunil Kumar 
Published: October 2020

Maize is the principal food crop of rain-fed hilly areas of Jammu and Kashmir grown during Kharif season. It is staple food of the tribal population as well as fodder for their animals residing in hilly region of the state. Quality Protein Maize cultivars are nutritionally enriched maize with high protein content (more than 9%) and high level of two essential amino acids lysine (4.07% of protein) and tryptophan (1.05% of protein) content with better balanced amino acid composition in grains. In the FLDs, the average grain yield of Vivek QPM - 9 was observed as 27.40 q/ha where as in case of HQPM - 4 the average yield was 26.10 q/ha in comparison to the check cultivar i.e., Bio Seed 9621 (26.30 q/ha) under rainfed conditions of Rajouri district of J&K. The single cross hybrid seed production of QPM showed that the farmer’s income enhancement was about 2.78 times than the grain crop. The B: C ratio of grain yield was 1.72 whereas it was observed 2.78 in case of seed yield.
Application of 3-4-5 Rule in Agriculture: A Review
Authors: Pramanik K. , Mohapatra Priyadarshani P. , Jena Chinmaya , Kumar Duvvada Sarath 
Published: October 2020

Layout is a precious component in Agriculture. Layout has pivotal and unique role not only in Agriculture sector but also applicable for manufacturing and construction sector. In agriculture, starting from field bond construction, irrigation channel preparation, dam construction, orchard development, farm pond making to greenhouse construction, layout is utmost important. Modern Agriculture based on Precision Farming where layout plan is important consideration without which, it is difficult to manage different components precisely. Pythagorean Theorem is the meticulous way to obtain accuracy in measure of layout. Otherwise, it endorses serious drawback in modern concept farming as it is more complex than age old traditional farming. At present day, ignorance among the farmers, students, research persons, technical personnel and others, create a great limitation of this formula to be used in agriculture sector. Hence, this article is documented about important practical uses of 3-4-5 rule in various aspects of Agriculture.
Genetic Characterization of Multiple Antibiotics Resistance Genes of Escherichia coli Strain from Cow Milk and Its Products Sold in Abuja, Nigeria
Authors: Okechukwu E. C. , Amuta E. U. , Gberikon G. M. , Chima N. , Yakubu B. , Igwe J. C. , Njoku M. 
Published: October 2020

Background: Antibiotic resistance has remained a global concern. Food pathogens that carry resistance genes will cause public health threat irrespective of their pathogenicity, as this pool of resistance genes are disseminated via food chain. The antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli isolates to different antibiotics were investigated and resistance genes were genetically identified by multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The study aimed to determine the phenotypic antibiotic resistance pattern of the E. coli isolates and characterize the antibiotics resistance genes in the E. coli isolates from the Cow milk and milk products.
Results: The study showed that the E. coli isolates were Multidrug resistant (MDR) to several antibiotics with resistance pattern of four to ten combinations of antibiotics and the antibiotics resistance occurred mostly in three classes of antibiotics, namely: β-lactams, Amphenicol and Tetracycline. The antibiotics resistance genes expressed in the multidrug resistant E. coli isolates were tetA 22(78.6%), dfrA1 9(32.1%), blaCITM and blaSHV 3(10.7%), tetB and blaTEM 1(3.6%), qnr 0(0%) and aac (3)-iv 0(0%).
Conclusion: The study showed that the cow milk and its products sold on the streets of Abuja are contaminated with resistant E. coli that can pose health risk to the consumers. Monitoring and screening for resistant food pathogens in food especially of animal origin is vital to mitigate the prevalence of antibiotics resistance.
Prospecção Tecnológica de Patentes Relacionadas à Robótica de Assistência Social para Cuidados de Idosos
Authors: De Melo Maxuel Carlos , Lima de Almeida Cherlle Kally , Lima Juiz Paulo José 
Published: October 2020

<p class="Normal1"> </p><p class="Normal1" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A inteligência artificial e a robótica de produtos industriais e serviços têm crescido exponencialmente, proporcionando à sociedade benefícios na produção de produtos, gerenciamento de processos e realização de serviços. Este trabalho tem como objetivo realizar uma prospecção tecnológica referente à robótica de serviços que contribuem para melhoria da qualidade de vida dos idosos. Foram utilizadas, para prospecção, as palavras-chave <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">robot</em>* e <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">elderly</em>* e a classificação de patentes sob o código B25J11/00. A busca dos documentos foi realizada na base de dados European Patent Office e compreendeu o período entre o ano de 2010 e 2018. Os resultados mostraram um número maior de patentes depositadas na China e na Coreia do Sul. Este estudo prospectivo demonstra o cenário atual da robótica de serviços para o atendimento a idosos e os investimentos que vêm sendo realizados no segmento, demonstrando ser uma área com oportunidades de negócios significativas.</span></p><p class="Normal1"></p>
Análise Prospectiva de Patentes do Uso de Ziziphus joazeiro (Juá)
Authors: Pinto Eladio Cesar , Santos Vivianni Marques Leite dos 
Published: October 2020

<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">O <em>Ziziphus joazeiro</em> é nativo do Brasil, com destaque para as Regiões Norte e Nordeste, embora possa ser encontrado em diversas partes do mundo com climas secos e áridos. Segundo a literatura, a planta é utilizada na medicina popular, como em infusões para ação anti-inflamatória e em tônicos capilares para tratamento do couro cabeludo. Este artigo pretende analisar artigos em periódicos e publicações em patentes nacionais e internacionais, de modo a nortear desenvolvimento de novas formulações a partir do joazeiro. Para isto, foram realizadas pesquisas nas bases de dados da Capes, Science Direct e Google Acadêmico, bem como no Orbit para busca de patentes. Ressalta-se a quantidade ainda pequena de patentes (14 no mundo, sendo seis brasileiras) na temática, quando comparada com a quantidade de artigos (86). Por fim, foram verificadas que famílias de patentes internacionais, especificamente estadunidenses, contam com proteção no Brasil, limitando a produção e a comercialização onde essa planta é nativa.</p><p></p>
Monitoramento Tecnológico de Patentes da Área Cosmética Voltadas para a Pele
Authors: Karklis Taina Melo , Angeli Renata , Carmo Flávia Lima do 
Published: October 2020

<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; border: none; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt; mso-border-shadow: yes;"><a name="_Hlk32439307"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; color: black;">O Brasil é considerado um dos principais consumidores para produtos cosméticos no mundo e, por isso, faz-se necessária a realização de monitoramentos tecnológicos para esse tema. A metodologia de pesquisa utilizada neste trabalho consistiu em buscas na base de dados de patentes Orbit. A estratégia de busca retornou um total de 9.566 documentos. A partir dos resultados gerados, é possível observar a evolução anual dos pedidos de patente por data de prioridade, notando-se uma curva crescente desde o ano de 1990 até o ano de 2002, porém, desde o ano de 2003 até os dias atuais, 2020, tem ocorrido uma queda gradual em relação às publicações de pedidos da área cosmética voltada para a pele. Adicionalmente, evidenciou-se que o Japão, os Estados Unidos e a Europa são os principais depositantes de patentes e de publicações da área cosmética para a pele de uma maneira geral. O Brasil, apesar de não estar entre os primeiros colocados na listagem evidenciada, aparece entre os 20 países mais relevantes, destacando-se como um mercado em expansão e cada dia mais promissor em relação ao tema.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></a></p><p></p>
Teoria da organização política em Lenin
Authors: Bogo Ademar 
Published: October 2020

<p>Este artigo tem como objetivo expor aspectos fundamentais da teoria da organização política formulada por Lenin antes da Revolução Russa de 1917, e que, dentro do materialismo histórico, representa, os fundamentos organizativos estruturadores das lutas sociais e políticas, também em nosso tempo, quando se pensa superar o capitalismo. Trata-se de um estudo bibliográfico fundamentado, principalmente, nos volumes selecionados das obras completas, publicadas pela Editorial Progreso Moscú, na década de 1980. A conclusão parcial a que chegamos é que a teoria da organização política de Lenin apresenta os elementos orientadores para as forças de esquerda do século XXI, encontrarem o caminho do retorno às lutas revolucionárias. </p><p> </p><p>Palavras chave: Teoria. Organização. Partido. Revolução</p>
PDSS2‐Del2, a new variant of PDSS2, promotes tumor cell metastasis and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma via activating NF‐κB
Authors: Zeng Tingting , Tang Zhi , Liang Lili , Suo Daqin , Li Lei , Li Jiangchao , Yuan Yunfei , Guan Xin‐Yuan , Li Yan 
Published: October 2020

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the leading causes of cancer‐related mortality worldwide. Our previous study identified a novel alternative splicing variant of prenyl diphosphate synthase subunit 2 (PDSS2) in HCC characterized by a deletion of exon 2, named PDSS2‐Del2, which is devoid of the tumor‐suppressive function of full‐length PDSS2 (PDSS2‐FL). To better understand the clinical significance of PDSS2‐Del2, we performed a BaseScope™ assay on an HCC tissue microarray and found that positive staining for PDSS2‐Del2 predicted a worse overall survival in patients with HCC (P = 0.02). PDSS2‐Del2 levels correlated significantly with microvessel counts in HCC tumor tissues. Importantly, PDSS2‐Del2 overexpression functionally promoted HCC metastasis, as demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo migration assays. In vivo assays also demonstrated that PDSS2‐Del2 increased angiogenesis in xenografts. Furthermore, we discovered that elevated PDSS2‐Del2 expression in HCC tumor cells decreased fumarate levels and activated the canonical nuclear factor‐κB pathway. The epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and WNT/β‐catenin signaling pathways were also activated by overexpression. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), a fumaric acid ester, effectively reduced the metastasis induced by PDSS2‐Del2 as observed with in vivo spleen‐liver metastasis animal experiments. DMF is a prescribed oral therapy for multiple sclerosis and it might be a potential treatment for metastasis of patients with HCC. Early clinical trials are needed to validate its potential in this context.
Automated treatment planning as a dose escalation strategy for stereotactic radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Cilla Savino , Ianiro Anna , Romano Carmela , Deodato Francesco , Macchia Gabriella , Viola Pietro , Buwenge Milly , Cammelli Silvia , Pierro Antonio , Valentini Vincenzo , Morganti Alessio G. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPurposeTo assess the feasibility of automated stereotactic volumetric modulated arc therapy (SBRT‐VMAT) planning using a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) approach as a dose escalation strategy for SBRT in pancreatic cancer.MethodsTwelve patients with pancreatic cancer were retrospectively replanned. Dose prescription was 30 Gy to the planning target volume (PTV) and was escalated up to 50 Gy to the boost target volume (BTV) using a SIB technique in 5 fractions. All plans were generated by Pinnacle3 Autoplanning using 6MV dual‐arc VMAT technique for flattened (FF) and flattening filter‐free beams (FFF). An overlap volume (OLV) between the PRV duodenum and the PTV was defined to correlate with the ability to boost the BTV. Dosimetric metrics for BTV and PTV coverage, maximal doses for serial OARs, integral dose, conformation numbers, and dose contrast indexes were used to analyze the dosimetric results. Dose accuracy was validated using the PTW Octavius‐4D phantom together with the 1500 2D‐array. Differences between FF and FFF plans were quantified using the Wilcoxon matched‐pair signed rank.ResultsFull prescription doses to the 95% of PTV and BTV can be delivered to patients with no OLV. BTV mean dose was >90% of the prescribed doses for all patients at all dose levels. Compared to FF plans, FFF plans showed significant reduced integral doses, larger number of MUs, and reduced beam‐on‐times up to 51% for the highest dose level. Despite plan complexity, pre‐treatment verification reported a gamma pass‐rate greater than the acceptance threshold of 95% for all FF and FFF plans for 3%‐2 mm criteria.ConclusionsThe SIB‐SBRT strategy with Autoplanning was dosimetrically feasible. Ablative doses up to 50 Gy in 5 fractions can be delivered to the BTV for almost all patients respecting all the normal tissue constraints. A prospective clinical trial based on SBRT strategy using SIB‐VMAT technique with FFF beams seems to be justified.