Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Model of the Global and Institutional Antecedents of High-Level Corporate Environmental Performance

Stories of firms that exceed local compliance requirements in their environmental performance appear routinely. However, we have limited theoretical explanations of what propels these firms to exceed compliance. Our theory suggests that global competitive and institutional pressures lead multinational firms to develop highlevel, environmental management systems (EMS) that make them more competitive. For economic and other reasons, select firms make the choice to rationalize their collective environmental performance to the highest common denominator rather than the lowest. Regulations around the world differ widely and are a moving target in many settings. The need to comply with such myriad, shifting rules leads to firms creating EMS to help stay ahead of regulations worldwide. Using institutional and internationalization theories as our basis, we offer a propositional model concerning global competitive/institutional pressures and their effects on corporate environmental performance. We conclude the paper with a discussion of the implications of the model.
Government and SMEs in the Maldives and Mauritius

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the role of government in the development of SMEs in the Maldives and Mauritius. Using tourism SMEs, it seeks to identify, analyse and compare strategies deployed by SMEs operating in an “enabling” and a “constrained” business environment. Design/methodology/approach – An inductive approach to qualitative research is undertaken using seventeen semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders identified though a stakeholder analysis. Using multiple sources (six government officials, eight SME owner/managers, one private bank owner, one academic and one resort owner), variations and consensus in the data were identified through thematic analysis. Findings – The Maldivian Government is less proactive in supporting its SMEs compared to the Mauritian Government. Its failure to facilitate access to finance and provide business support services has led the Maldivian SMEs to use multiple methods of bootstrapping to sustain existing businesses and/or s.
The Intensity and Timing of Investment: The Case of Land

The authors model the decision to replace durable capital when intensity is variable. Decisions of this type include land-redevelopment decisions where the density of residential or commercial development is a choice variable as well as capital-replacement decisions where capacity is variable. The authors provide a general yet simple formation of the problem using an optimal-stopping framework. They characterize the value of the project, the timing of investment, and the intensity of development. The authors show that intensity interacts in important ways with timing, taxes, and project values. The ability to vary intensity raises hurdle rents and delays development decisions. Copyright 1994 by American Economic Association.
SufE Transfers Sulfur from SufS to SufB for Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly*

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are key metal cofactors of metabolic, regulatory, and stress response proteins in most organisms. The unique properties of these clusters make them susceptible to disruption by iron starvation or oxidative stress. Both iron and sulfur can be perturbed under stress conditions, leading to Fe-S cluster defects. Bacteria and higher plants contain a specialized system for Fe-S cluster biosynthesis under stress, namely the Suf pathway. In Escherichia coli the Suf pathway consists of six proteins with functions that are only partially characterized. Here we describe how the SufS and SufE proteins interact with the SufBCD protein complex to facilitate sulfur liberation from cysteine and donation for Fe-S cluster assembly. It was previously shown that the cysteine desulfurase SufS donates sulfur to the sulfur transfer protein SufE. We have found here that SufE in turn interacts with the SufB protein for sulfur transfer to that protein. The interaction occurs only if SufC is present. Furthermore, SufB can act as a site for Fe-S cluster assembly in the Suf system. This provides the first evidence of a novel site for Fe-S cluster assembly in the SufBCD complex.
The Impact of National Culture on CEO Compensation and Salary Gaps Between CEOs and Manufacturing Workers

This article explores the results of a cross-national study of the salaries of managers and subordinates from 25 countries. To explain the cross-national differences in salary gaps and CEO pay, a cultural approach is taken, and country scores for three of the cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede are used as explanatory variables. The results of correlation and regression analyses demonstrate that the dimension of Power Distance is positively correlated and the dimension of Individualism is negatively correlated with salary gaps. For CEO pay, the results are less significant. The overall conclusion is that culture as a variable seems to explain much of the differences in pay and remuneration across countries.
Oligodendrocytes are susceptible to apoptotic cell death induced by prion protein‐derived peptides

Neurodegenerative prion diseases, characterized by a progressive dementia, are associated with the accumulation of abnormal forms of the prion (PrPc) protein, potentially due to an aberrant regulation of PrPc biogenesis and/or topology. One of these forms, termed ctmPrP, displays a transmembrane conformation and might trigger neuronal cell death in Gerstmann‐Straüssler‐Scheinker (GSS) syndrome and other prion‐associated diseases in humans. Although the primary target cells involved in the progression of prion diseases remain unidentified, it was recently suggested that modifications of the oligodendroglial cells occur early in prion diseases. In the present study, we demonstrate that a putative transmembrane domain of the human PrPc, i.e., amino acids 118–135, induces oligodendrocyte (OLG) death in vitro in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. The process leading to OLG death and induced by the PrP[118–135] peptide was characterized by DNA fragmentation, cytoskeletal disruption, and caspase activation. Protection against the PrP[118–135] peptide‐induced OLG apoptosis by several antioxidant molecules, such as probucol, propylgallate, and promethazine, suggests that oxidative injuries contribute to the PrP[118–135] cytotoxicity to OLGs. These results suggest a potential pathophysiological role of the ctmPrP‐ and/or PrP fragment‐mediated OLG cytotoxicity in spongiform encephalopathies. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The structural context of recent transitions to democracy

In general, the literature on democratic transitions has focused on political processes and choices of actors in explaining regime change, thereby failing to investigate whether structural factors affect the recent rise in transitions to democracy. An analysis of the influence of these structural factors is however important, and it has not yet been done in a systematic way in order to explain recent transitions to democracy since 1989. It will be shown that some structural factors indeed play a role in generating transitions to democracy. These results contradict the idea that structural factors can be ignored when explaining recent transitions to democracy. An additional finding in this article is that some structural factors, such as economic development, growth and a country's role in the world-system had an unexpected impact on democratic transitions since the end of the Cold War. These findings set bounds to the strength of the modernization and world-system theories to explain transitions to democracy, but on the other hand, democratic diffusion played a significant role after 1989. In the (structural) context in which a state had a peripheral role, a low level of economic growth and a high proportion of democratic neighbors, the probability of a state's transition to democracy was high. This structural context seemed to be fertile soil for recent transitions to democracy.
Regional Innovation System Policy: a Knowledge-based Approach

A focus on constructing regional advantage requires an unpacking of what makes territorial agglomerations important for innovation and growth by disclosing and revealing the contingencies, particularities and specificities of the various contexts and environments where knowledge creation, innovation and entrepreneurship take place. In order to achieve more effective regional innovation policy, the paper presents and discusses five dimensions along which such unpacking can take place. These dimensions refer to different perspectives that originate in different industrial knowledge bases, different territorial competence bases, the distributed knowledge base, the importance of creative knowledge environments and different institutional frameworks. (Less)
Inhibition of RANK Expression and Osteoclastogenesis by TLRs and IFN-γ in Human Osteoclast Precursors1

TLRs have been implicated in promoting osteoclast-mediated bone resorption associated with inflammatory conditions. TLRs also activate homeostatic mechanisms that suppress osteoclastogenesis and can limit the extent of pathologic bone erosion associated with infection and inflammation. We investigated mechanisms by which TLRs suppress osteoclastogenesis. In human cell culture models, TLR ligands suppressed osteoclastogenesis by inhibiting expression of receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK), thereby making precursor cells refractory to the effects of RANKL. Similar but less robust inhibition of RANK expression was observed in murine cells. LPS suppressed generation of osteoclast precursors in mice in vivo, and adsorption of LPS onto bone surfaces resulted in diminished bone resorption. Mechanisms that inhibited RANK expression were down-regulation of RANK transcription, and inhibition of M-CSF signaling that is required for RANK expression. TLRs inhibited M-CSF signaling by rapidly down-regulating cell surface expression of the M-CSF receptor c-Fms by a matrix metalloprotease- and MAPK-dependent mechanism. Additionally, TLRs cooperated with IFN-γ to inhibit expression of RANK and of the CSF1R gene that encodes c-Fms, and to synergistically inhibit osteoclastogenesis. Our findings identify a new mechanism of homeostatic regulation of osteoclastogenesis that targets RANK expression and limits bone resorption during infection and inflammation.
Family Structure, Stress, and Psychological Distress: A Demonstration of the Impact of Differential Exposure∗

In this article, we evaluate the relative power of differential exposure and differential vulnerability to stressors to account for variations in psychological distress between single and married mothers. The data for this assessment are derived from a longitudinal survey of 518 single mothers and 502 married mothers living in London, Ontario, Canada. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses clearly reveal that the higher levels of psychological distress experienced by single mothers compared to married mothers are almost entirely related to their greater exposure to stress and strain rather than to any group differences in vulnerability to stressful experiences. Across a number of different dimensions of social stressors, single mothers are consistently more exposed to these stressors than married mothers are. Moreover, this differential exposure persists over time. In contrast, there is no evidence that single mothers are more vulnerable or reactive to stressors than are married mothers. We discuss these findings in terms of their implications for the sociology of mental health and for primary prevention.
Prospects for an islamic derivatives market in Malaysia

If one were to single out an area of derivative trading which can find support in the relevant evidence of Shari'ah, it would unquestionably be the commodity futures. This is because futures and options that derive from commodities, especially agricultural commodities and food grains, can be used for a variety of beneficial purposes. Commodity futures can be used as hedging devices that protect farmers and the food production industry against the price risk over a period of time. Futures and options can also be used in the interest of effective planning by the market players in agricultural and industrial sectors that may wish to have the security of selling in advance instead of facing the uncertainties of marketing at short notice, especially for commodities that can only be stored over a period of months rather than years. The greatest benefit of trading in futures and options is that they facilitate risk management and risk reduction. All of these would fall, from the Shari'ah point of view, within the broad scope of public interest or maslahah, which is a recognized proof and basis of judgment in Shari'ah. However, the validity of maslahah in areas and issues which have given rise to controversy need to be established through valid Shariah evidence. This is the nature of the challenge that we face concerning trading in derivatives. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Culture, Information, and Screening Discrimination

We show that discrimination can occur even when it is common knowledge that underlying group characteristics do not differ and when employers do not prefer same-group candidates. When employers can judge job applicants' unknown qualities better when candidates belong to the same group and hire the best prospect from a large pool of applicants, the top applicant is likely to have the same background as the employer. The model has policy, empirical, and experimental implications. For example, the model predicts that "screening discrimination" is more likely to occur and persist in sectors in which underlying quality is important but difficult to observe, there are numerous applicants, interviewing (screening) is relatively cheap, and applicants have to acquire job-specific skills.
Pain Processing in Four Regions of Human Cingulate Cortex Localized with Co‐registered PET and MR Imaging

Neurosurgical and positron emission tomography (PET) human studies and animal electrophysiological studies show that part of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is nociceptive. Since the contribution of the ACC to pain processing is poorly understood, this study employed PET and magnetic resonance (MR) image co‐registration in grouped and individual cases to locate regions of altered relative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Seven right‐handed, neurologically intact males were subjects; each received neuropsychological and pain threshold testing. Subjects were scanned during infusion of H2[15O]: four randomized scans during innocuous heat stimulation to the back of the left hand and four scans during noxious but bearable heat to the same place. The averaged rCBF values during innocuous stimuli were subtracted from those during noxious stimuli and statistical parametric maps (SPMs) for the group were computed to identify regions of altered relative rCBF. Finally, single‐subject PET images of elevated and reduced rCBF were co‐registered with MR images and projected onto reconstructions of the medial surface of the hemisphere. The SPM analysis of the group showed one site with elevated rCBF in the midcingulate cortex and one in the perigenual cortex predominantly contralateral to the side of stimulation. There were bilateral sites of reduced rCBF in the cingulofrontal transitional cortex and in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Co‐registered PET and MR images for individuals showed that only one case had a single, large region of elevated rCBF, while the others had a number of smaller regions. Six cases had at least one significant elevation of rCBF in the right hemisphere that primarily involved area 24b'; five of these cases also had an elevation in area 32′, while the seventh case had elevated rCBF in these areas in the left hemisphere. The rostral site of elevated rCBF in the group was at the border of areas 24/24’and areas 32/32′, although most cases had a site of elevation more rostral in the perigenual cingulate cortex. The ACC site of reduced rCBF was in areas 8 and 32 and that in the PCC included much of areas 29/30 in the callosal sulcus, areas 23b and 31 on the cingulate gyral surface and parietal area 7m. The localization of relative rCBF changes suggests different roles for the cingulate cortex in pain processing: (i) elevated rCBF in area 24’may be involved in response selection like nocifensive reflex inhibition; (ii) activation of the perigenual cortex may participate in affective responses to noxious stimuli like suffering associated with pain; and (iii) reduced rCBF in areas 8 and 32 may enhance pain perception in the perigenual cortex, while that in the PCC may disengage visually guided processes.
Effect of cyanidin‐3‐glucoside and an anthocyanin mixture from bilberry on adenoma development in the ApcMin mouse model of intestinal carcinogenesis—Relationship with tissue anthocyanin levels

Anthocyanins are dietary flavonoids, which can prevent carcinogen‐induced colorectal cancer in rats. Here, the hypotheses were tested that Mirtoselect, an anthocyanin mixture from bilberry, or isolated cyanidin‐3‐glucoside (C3G), the most abundant anthocyanin in diet, interfere with intestinal adenoma formation in the ApcMin mouse, a genetic model of human familial adenomatous polyposis, and that consumption of C3G or Mirtoselect generates measurable levels of anthocyanins in the murine biophase. ApcMin mice ingested C3G or Mirtoselect at 0.03, 0.1 or 0.3% in the diet for 12 weeks, and intestinal adenomas were counted. Plasma, urine and intestinal mucosa were analyzed for presence of anthocyanins by high‐pressure liquid chromatography with detection by UV spectrophotometry (520 nm) or tandem mass spectrometry (multiple reaction monitoring). Ingestion of either C3G or Mirtoselect reduced adenoma load dose‐dependently. At the highest doses of C3G and Mirtoselect adenoma numbers were decreased by 45% (p < 0.001) or 30% (p < 0.05), respectively, compared to controls. Anthocyanins were found at the analytical detection limit in the plasma and at quantifiable levels in the intestinal mucosa and urine. Anthocyanin glucuronide and methyl metabolites were identified in intestine and urine. Total anthocyanin levels in mice on C3G or Mirtoselect were 43 ng and 8.1 μg/g tissue, respectively, in the intestinal mucosa, and 7.2 and 12.3 μg/ml in the urine. The efficacy of C3G and Mirtoselect in the ApcMin mouse renders the further development of anthocyanins as potential human colorectal cancer chemopreventive agents worthwhile. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Effect of Implicit Contracts on the Movement of Wages over the Business Cycle: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Surveys

A 1991 study by Paul Beaudry and John DiNardo found evidence of internal labor markets that augment incumbent workers' wages when the external labor market is tight (when unemployment is low) and shield their wages when it is slack. Current wages, they found, depend on the tightest labor market conditions observed since a worker was hired, not current labor market tightness or labor market tightness at the time of hiring. This paper replicates and extends that research using data from six cohorts of the National Longitudinal Surveys that together span more than three decades, as well as an estimation framework more robust than that in the original study. The author finds strong support for Beaudry and DiNardo's key prediction. Supplementary regressions confirm other implications of the theory as well. Recently, at least, the effect of implicit contracting on wages has been similar for men and women.
'Logging in the Congo Basin. What hope for indigenous peoples' resources, and their environments? '

The Congo Basin The Congo Basin in Central Africa contains some of the largest and most biodiverse tracts of rainforest areas left in the world, second in size only to the Amazon Basin. They are also home to an estimated 29 million rural people, including up to 500,000 indigenous “Pygmy” hunter-gatherers and former hunter-gatherers. In the last century, Congo Basin forests have been targeted for intensive exploitation by outsiders seeking ivory, wild rubber, skins, bushmeat, timber and, more recently, plantation products such as coffee, cocoa, rubber and palm oil. In the past half century, logging companies have become increasingly active. Local and indigenous communities have always been crucial to the success of this commerce and industrial activity. Despite this, the bulk of the profits from the exploitation of these goods usually ends up in the pockets of outsiders. In the past, local people’s collaboration with these outsider-dominated extractive industries was ensured through a variety of means that included direct coercion or forced labour, slavery and, more frequently in recent times, in exchange for very low wages or in-kind payments. This remains the case in many areas today. Throughout the region, indigenous Pygmy communities face stigmatisation and severe social, political and economic marginalisation from their villager neighbours who dominate the economy, the state and its structures. Many villagers in the region consider Pygmy peoples to be like animals, who must be kept away from villager places, who cannot share food or drink from the same bottle or cup, and who have no basic rights. Many such groups attempt to exploit this for economic benefit and claim special rights over the labour and persons of Pygmy people. They often talk about these claims over Pygmies in terms of slavery and serfdom. Like many other Pygmy peoples, Mbendjele Pygmies in the Republic of Congo object to these claims of ownership by others, but see little use in rejecting them publicly since they view the villagers as dangerous but temporary inhabitants of their forest. From their point of view, non-Pygmy people are simply passing through their forest, whereas Pygmy peoples never leave the forest regions. Indeed, many non-Pygmy communities in the Congo Basin established themselves in remote forest areas due to their immigration in search of employment, minerals or trade, and afterwards remained to cultivate or establish plantations. Many depend upon Pygmy labour to maintain their plantations today.
Test anxiety in Indian children: A cross-cultural perspective

Abstract The present investigation examined test anxiety in Indian children from a cross-cultural perspective. Test anxiety has been studied extensively in western countries but much less so in eastern countries. Furthermore, the cross-cultural research conducted in eastern countries possesses significant limitations and continues to possess a western bias. The present research attempted to advance cross-cultural research on test anxiety by adopting Berry's imposed etic–emic-derived etic methodology. Participants included 231 schoolchildren. Qualitative data were collected to examine culture-specific variables (emic considerations) using structured focus groups and open-ended questions. Next, quantitative data were collected using translated and adapted versions of Spielberger's Test Anxiety Inventory and the FRIEDBEN Test Anxiety Scale. Qualitative data indicated culture-specific elements of test anxiety in Indian youth, including the high stakes associated with exam performance and future schooling as well as the role of somatization and social derogation in the phenomenological experience of test anxiety. Although quantitative findings failed to confirm the importance of high-stakes environments on test anxiety, the importance of somatization and social derogation was substantiated. Ongoing desensitization to test anxiety and enhanced coping responses were proposed as possible explanations for the obtained relations.