Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metabolic Footprint Analysis Uncovers Strain Specific Overflow Metabolism and D-Isoleucine Production of Staphylococcus Aureus COL and HG001

During infection processes, Staphylococcus aureus is able to survive within the host and to invade tissues and cells. For studying the interaction between the pathogenic bacterium and the host cell, the bacterial growth behaviour and its metabolic adaptation to the host cell environment provides first basic information. In the present study, we therefore cultivated S. aureus COL and HG001 in the eukaryotic cell culture medium RPMI 1640 and analyzed the extracellular metabolic uptake and secretion patterns of both commonly used laboratory strains. Extracellular accumulation of D-isoleucine was detected starting during exponential growth of COL and HG001 in RPMI medium. This non-canonical D-amino acid is known to play a regulatory role in adaptation processes. Moreover, individual uptake of glucose, accumulation of acetate, further overflow metabolites, and intermediates of the branched-chain amino acid metabolism constitute unique metabolic footprints. Altogether these time-resolved footprint analyses give first metabolic insights into staphylococcal growth behaviour in a culture medium used for infection related studies.
Banking Sector Concentration and Firm Indebtedness: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe

Using data from the Amadeus firm-level database, this paper explores the impact of banking sector concentration on corporate debt in the manufacturing sectors in eight Central, Eastern and Southeastern European (CESEE) countries in the precrisis period 2002–2007. Our findings indicate that banking sector concentration has a positive effect, raising firm debt. This confirms the predictions of the relationship lending theory. However, in the CESEE countries with the most concentrated banking markets – such as Estonia and Lithuania – the effect on the corporate leverage ratio is found to be negative. We also show that young firms increase their leverage, while mature firms reduce their dependence on external financing when banking markets are more concentrated. Furthermore, the positive impact of banking sector concentration is weakened by EU accession and greater stock market capitalization, which can be explained by the financial deepening process and the improved availability of alternative sources of external finance.
MODELING STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT WITH A HYBRID MODEL

In this study we will introduce a hybrid model to describe competition in a constantly developing market environment. A hybrid model referred here is a model that has both system dynamic and agent-based elements. Modeling effort begins from a literature review to strategic management and management of technology. From this background we build a model combining the theories from multiple theory tracks. The model is used to test the effects of more rapid strategy process to firm’s profitability. To test the results we use statistical methods to analyze the data gathered from sensitivity runs. Our model founds support for the proposition that increasing agility increases also the competitive advantage of the firm. We also conclude that hybrid modeling is a strong research tool, but it comes with drawbacks of high hardware requirements and challenging more complex modeling tools.
From Revolution to Rights in South Africa: Social Movements, NGOs and Popular Politics After Apartheid

Introduction: from revolution to rights Activist mediations of 'rights' & indigenous identity Citizens & 'Bushmen': the khomani San, NGOs & the making of a new social movement 'Civil society' & popular politics in the postcolony: 'deep democracy' & deep authoritarianism at the tip of Africa? AIDS, science & the making of a social movement - AIDS activism & biomedical citizenship in South Africa Rights passages from 'near death' to 'new life': AIDS activism and new HIV-identities in South Africa Sexual rights & sexual cultures: AIDS activism, sexual politics & 'new masculinities' after apartheid Conclusion: beyond rights & the limits of liberalism Bibliography Index
Categorization and Category Change

PREFACE This book is a collection of selected papers that were presented at the Workshop "Categorization and category change in morphology", which was held at the University of Tromsø in December 2011. The workshop was organized by Antonio Fábregas and Kaori Takamine with the support of the project " Nominalizations: explorations at the syntax-lexicon and the syntax-semantic interfaces (NOMEXPL) " which was funded by the Research Council of Norway together with the German Academic Exchange Service and EGIDE, the French national agency for the promotion of higher education, international student services, and international mobility, via three joint mobility programs: the Aurora program between Norway and France, the German-Norwegian collaborative research support scheme and the PROCOPE program between France and Germany. The book addresses theoretical and empirical issues related to categorization and category change in syntax and morphology. Linguistic descriptions have always made widespread use of lexical categories, i.e., divisions of words into distinct " parts of speech ". Nouns, verbs and adjectives (and sometimes adpositions) are generally considered the three (sometimes four) major lexical classes. Despite this prevalence in linguistics, lexical categories remain a relatively underdeveloped area of formal linguistic theory and many open questions remain to be addressed. Common questions that generally arise concern the proper definition of the classes with their specific properties, the inventory of categories across languages, and the link between categories and formal linguistic theory. The book is structured in two thematic parts. The first part, Categories and categorization, consists of papers that are concerned with means to distinguish among categories in the lexicon and in the syntax, whether they fall within the well-defined categories or pose a challenge to the traditional definition of categorial classes. The second part, Issues in category change, deals with the specific syntactic and morphological derivational processes that are at play when words shift category. It is concerned with the formation of complex words, in particular, how properties of the source category are preserved or modified in the output. The individual contributions in the volume are in the areas of formal syntax, morphology, the syntax-semantics and the syntax-morphology interfaces. The relevant issues are explored within various theoretical and corpus-based frameworks and within a wide range of languages including Preface viii The editors thank the organizers and the audience of the workshop in Tromsø. We also thank the reviewers of the papers and the authors for contributing their works and for …
The Effects of Body Mass on Dung Removal Efficiency in Dung Beetles

Understanding of the role of body mass in structural-functional relationships is pressing, particularly because species losses often occur non-randomly with respect to body size. Our study examined the effects of dung beetle body mass on dung removal at two levels. First, we used the lab experiment to evaluate the efficiency of eight dung beetle species belonging to two functional groups (tunnelers, dwellers) on dung removal. Second, the same species employed in the lab were used in field mesocosms to examine the effects of the two functional groups on dung removal maintaining realistic differences in the total body mass between tunneler and dweller assemblages. Furthermore, the experimental assemblages contained one and four species within each functional group, so the effect of body mass heterogeneity was examined. We used a statistical approach (offset method) which took into account a priori constraints due to the study design allowing us to analyse the effect of larger species in mesocosm style experiments. Body size played a crucial role in dung removal: large beetles were more efficient than small ones and the percentage of removed dung increased with higher body mass heterogeneity. Tunnelers were more efficient than dwellers over both short and long time periods (one month and one year). Significant effects of dwellers were found only after one year. Moreover, our study showed that not including the body mass as an offset in the model resulted in sometimes different results, as the offset expresses dung removal independently of the body mass. This approach confirmed that body size is likely a pivotal factor controlling dung removal efficiency at multiple levels, from single species to overall dung beetle assemblages. Even though other specific traits should be examined, this study has begun to address the consequences of losing individuals with specific traits that are especially sensitive to perturbations.
Developing Rural Libraries and the Need for Virtual Libraries in Nigeria: Threats and Opportunities

Purpose: Sensitize the government and rural populace on the need to embrace virtual library in public libraries for the purpose of bridging the information gap between the urban and rural communities. Design/Methodology/Approach: This is an opinion paper which highlights the relevance of technology in public libraries and the need for stakeholders to build and to indigenise our information infrastructure in order to exploit the immense benefits of the constantly changing hardware and software environment. Findings: Daniel (1986) observed that about 70% of people in Nigeria live in the rural areas and are illiterates. Therefore, a dynamic technologically driven public library services cannot be considered paramount to the development of majority population unless it is firmly rooted to meet their information requirement and also sustain the professional development of librarians and public libraries in general. Practical Implications : If the rural communities’ information requirements are met, the axiom that knowledge is power will come to play. The rural populace cannot be knowledgeable and powerful if they do not have relevant information to empower their thinking and enhance their understanding. This paper therefore recommends the establishment of virtual libraries to serve public libraries in rural communities. Originality and Value : Rural communities need to be part of the global digital revolution through which images, text, and graphics are stored, retrieved, and reconfigured limitlessly, making knowledge, information and entertainment available on a scale that would befuddle past generations. Keywords: Public libraries, rural communities, virtual libraries, Digital revolution, information.
Mitigating mobility signaling congestion in LTE by overlapping tracking area lists

Avoiding signaling congestion in location management of cellular networks is becoming increasingly important as the population of user equipments (UEs) rapidly grows. Congestion can occur due to massive mobility of UEs behaving in a similar manner, such as the train movement scenario. In this paper, we explore the use of overlapping tracking area lists (TALs) in Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks for congestion mitigation that is not possible with the conventional tracking area concept. Each cell can use multiple and overlapping TALs, to be allocated to UEs requesting their TALs from the cell. We show that finding the optimal proportional use of TALs can be formulated as a linear program. Solving the linear program minimizes the maximum tracking area updates occurring between the cells. We present numerical results to illustrate the performance of the approach. The experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of overlapping TALs for mitigating mobility signaling congestion.
An Optimum Currency Area in South Asia: Is it Plausible?

This article is an empirical investigation of the potential feasibility of an optimum currency area (OCA) in South Asia. Under an OCA, member countries share a common currency (like the Euro), and forego autonomy with respect to monetary policy instruments. Countries are good candidates for forming an OCA if there is a long-run relationship in the trend (permanent) component of output. Our results indicate existence of such a long-run relationship in the trend component of gross domestic product (GDP) among the member countries in South Asia. Hence, the South Asia region has the potential to form an OCA.
Corporate cash holding under liquidity crisis: A Panel analysis of Zimbabwean firms

Vera Pack 12.00 ABSTRACT The study sort to establish the determinants of corporate cash holdings in Zimbabwe. The study was based on 29 nonfinancial firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange selected from all sectors including Properties, Agriculture, and Mining among others. The study was based on secondary data obtained from company annual reports. Descriptive statistics, the correlation matrix, the multicollinearity test, the Lagrange Multiplier test and Random effects panel regression were part of the analysis. The results demonstrated that significant positive relationship exists between dividends, return on assets, cash flow to assets and firm cash holding. Sales growth, debt maturity structure, capital expenditure and net working capital had a significant negative impact on firm corporate cash holding. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} table.MsoTableGrid {mso-style-name:"Table Grid"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-unhide:no; border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext . 5pt; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-border-insideh:. 5pt solid windowtext; mso-border-insidev:. 5pt solid windowtext; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
Limitations of Balanced Half Sampling

Balanced half-sample (BHS) variance estimation is a popular technique among survey statisticians, but it has limitations. These limits are studied theoretically through a model-based approach and illustrated with simulations using artificial and real populations. In the fully balanced case, under a model often used for stratified, clustered populations, BHS produces a model-unbiased variance estimator for only one member of a broad class of estimators of totals. Another implementation of BHS variance estimation in large, complex surveys is to use partial balancing or grouping of strata to reduce the number of resample estimates that must be calculated. Instead of selecting a fully balanced, orthogonal set of half-samples, strata are combined into groups and a set of half-samples only large enough to be balanced on the groups is selected. For two-stage cluster samples either with or without poststratification this leads to an inconsistent variance estimator.
Can the new Keynesian Phillips curve explain Japanese inflation dynamics? : a labor share correction approach

We estimate a New Keynesian Phillips curve (NKPC) for Japan’s economy. To obtain a better proxy of real marginal cost (RMC), we correct labor share by incorporating labor adjustment costs, material prices, and real wage rigidity. Our approach is unique in utilizing the information on firms’ judgment about the labor gap, which implies the existence of labor adjustment costs. Our results show that the NKPC explains Japanese inflation dynamics quite well if we use the corrected proxy of RMC. Furthermore, we find that Japanese inflation persistence is mostly accounted for by the persistence of RMC itself rather than lagged inflation.
Impact of School Finance Reform on Resource Equalization and Academic Performance: Evidence from Michigan

Michigan radically altered its school finance system in 1994. The new plan, called Proposal A, significantly increased state aid to the lowest-spending school districts and limited future increases in spending in the highest-spending ones, abolishing local discretion over school spending. I investigate the impact of Proposal A on the distribution of resources and educational outcomes. I analyze the differential effects on the lowest-spending and the highest-spending districts, highlighting the role of local discretion, which has so far been neglected in the literature. I also provide important evidence on the effect of spending on academic performance. Proposal A was quite successful in reducing interdistrict spending disparities. There was also a significant positive effect on student performance in the lowest-spending districts as measured in state tests. However, the constraints on future increases in spending may have had a negative effect on student performance in the highest-spending districts.
Foreign Exchange Rate Expectations: Micro Survey Data

This paper analyzes the panel data of bi-weekly surveys, conducted by the Japan Center for International Finance, on the yen/dollar exchange rate expectations of forty-four institutions for two years. There are three major findings in this paper. First, market participants are found to be heterogeneous. There are significant "individual effects" in their expectation formation. Second, many institutions are found to violate the rational expectation hypothesis. Third, forecasts with long horizons showed less yen appreciation than those with short horizons. Cross-equation constraints implied by the consistencyof the forecast term structure are strongly rejected in the data.
Convergent evolution of primate testis transcriptomes reflects mating strategy

In independent mammalian lineages where females mate with multiple males (multi-male mating strategies), males have evolved larger testicles relative to those lineages where females mate with fewer males (single-male mating strategies). Here we study published bulk testis transcriptomes from humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and rhesus macaques, as well as mice and rats. Employing a formal model of adaptive evolution, we find that testis transcriptomes have also evolved convergently, reflecting each species’ mating strategy. Using deconvolution, we infer that testis transcriptome divergence patterns largely reflect convergent shifts in tissue cell type composition. However, we also identify modest amounts of convergent evolution at the cell-autonomous level by analyzing cell-type specific transcriptome data from spermatids and spermatocytes. We further show that in the single-male mating primates, human and gorilla, testis transcriptome profiles are paedomorphic relative to those of multi-male primates, chimpanzee and macaque, suggesting that shifts in timing or rate of testis development could underlie convergent changes in testis mass, histology, and transcriptomes.
A Novel Method for Functional Annotation Prediction Based on Combination of Classification Methods

Automated protein function prediction defines the designation of functions of unknown protein functions by using computational methods. This technique is useful to automatically assign gene functional annotations for undefined sequences in next generation genome analysis (NGS). NGS is a popular research method since high-throughput technologies such as DNA sequencing and microarrays have created large sets of genes. These huge sequences have greatly increased the need for analysis. Previous research has been based on the similarities of sequences as this is strongly related to the functional homology. However, this study aimed to designate protein functions by automatically predicting the function of the genome by utilizing InterPro (IPR), which can represent the properties of the protein family and groups of the protein function. Moreover, we used gene ontology (GO), which is the controlled vocabulary used to comprehensively describe the protein function. To define the relationship between IPR and GO terms, three pattern recognition techniques have been employed under different conditions, such as feature selection and weighted value, instead of a binary one.
Value and Size Effects: Now You See it, Now You Don't

The empirical finding that small stock returns exceed big stock returns (size premium), and that value stock returns exceed growth stock returns (value premium) has been extensively studied in the past. In this paper, we analyse the size premium and value premium for a cross-section of European stocks. The focus in this paper is on the evaluation of the robustness of the findings. We find a large size premium, but we also find that this premium only exists in the cross-section of the whole European market. If small and big stocks are selected relative to the market size of the country, the strategy is no longer profitable. As for the value premium, we find that the strategy is not profitable. When the value and growth portfolios are equally weighted there is a significant premium of about 7% on an annual basis. However, this premium is explained by the size effect. Finally, we observe that accounting for the look-ahead bias is important in the estimation of the value premium in Europe.
Explorative Search for a High‐Impact Innovation: The Role of Technological Status in the Global Pharmaceutical Industry

Extant studies suggest that the potential benefits arising from exploration are associated with access to diverse and distant knowledge across organizational and technological boundaries. However, exploration is not sufficient to assure if innovation actually occurs. Our study identifies exploration into two types, organizational and technological, and argues that the innovative effect of a firm's explorative search beyond organizational and technological boundaries is best leveraged by its technological status in an industry. Data derived from the global pharmaceutical industry indicate that a firm's search across organizational boundaries has a positive effect on its innovation impact, and such effect is strengthened when the firm is high in its technological status. However, the firm's search moving beyond its technological boundary increases innovation impact only for the group of high technological status but decreases it for the low‐status group. It appears that, in the global pharmaceutical industry, a firm's technological status is most critical to exploit knowledge from distant technology domains.