Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Designing a Firm's Coordinated Manufacturing and Supply Decisions with Short Product Life Cycles

In this paper we consider a problem of joint coordination between a firm's manufacturing and supply departments. The manufacturing department is responsible for meeting random demand of a product with a short life cycle. The supply department's responsibility is to provide the sufficient amount of raw materials so that the required production level can be achieved. When coordination prevails, both departments' decisions are jointly made; otherwise, decisions are made independently without an exchange of information. If the random demand exceeds the amount produced, a second production run can be expedited at a substantially higher cost. Our analysis yields insightful results to such a coordination problem between the two departments. We provide conditions under which it is desirable to coordinate, resulting in a significant increase in expected profit. If coordination is optimal, then the supply department would purchase additional reserved material for the second run. Under this scenario, we analyze the effects of joint coordination on the expected profit. We also find explicit conditions for which joint coordination is not beneficial, i.e., the supply department should only order sufficient material to meet the first production run requirements. We provide a detailed set of numerical examples and generate response surfaces indicating the desirability of coordination for different pairs of parameter combinations.
Understanding Value Creation in Social Entrepreneurship: The Importance of Aligning Mission, Strategy and Impact Measurement

Abstract This paper explores and clarifies the significance of aligning mission, objectives and strategy with impact measurement in social entrepreneurship. We present a framework for understanding the value created by social entrepreneurs, presenting theoretical and practical insights into impact measurement. Drawing on case studies in Latin America, we suggest the presence of a ‘mission measurement paradox’ that affects social entrepreneurs in their attempts to measure social impact and understand value creation. The paradox suggests that social entrepreneurs are failing to evaluate their social impact with sufficient regard to their social mission. Preconceptions resulting from the use of traditional management approaches in social enterprises are presented, with guidance on how these can be avoided by both researchers and practitioners.
Contraceptive method choice in the Philippines, 1973–83

Summary Contraceptive use and method mix were analysed using Philippines national survey data of 1973, 1978, and 1983. The analyses suggest that the reported decline in contraceptive prevalence between 1978 and 1983 was due to under-reporting of use in 1973 and 1983. The shifts in contraceptive method mix were also partly from under-reporting of rhythm and other methods in 1973 and 1983. Nevertheless, the determinants of method choice were similar in all three sets of data. Filipino couples were making rational choices in terms of their contraceptive goals, access, evaluation, and competence. Modifications in the directions and magnitude of the relationships in determining method choice also occurred, partly reflecting the increased use of sterilization by older, higher parity women.
Building climate change resilience through bottom-up adaptation to flood risk in Warri, Nigeria

The problem of flooding in Warri, Nigeria is as old as the city itself. What has changed in recent years is the rapidly increasing magnitude and frequency of floodwater retention pools on urban streets as urban development expanded into low-lying swamplands within the city. Through the process of community urban risk assessments, urban flood zone occupants acknowledge the growing problem of on-street flood retention pools in a city once dominated by problems with off-street flood retention pools. A factor analysis of the perceived causes of flooding shows that Warri residents believe that human activities that reduced the floodwater storage capacity of its natural drainage sinks (i.e., its swamplands), violated building codes, changed local water levels, altered low-lying mangrove swamp terrain, and eliminated drainage facilities are responsible for the increasing retention of floodwater pools on city streets in the last few decades. Such local stock of flood knowledge has implications for a local participatory approach to community adaptations and mitigation methods to reduce urban flood risks from climate change and uncontrolled urban expansion. Local community adaptation choices guide how flood-affected residents cope with urban floods, especially how they use and alter their living space and respond to emergencies. However, such community views are often ignored by experts seeking solutions to flooding. If the views of flood zone occupants begin to inform flood adaptation choices, proposed solutions to flooding problems would be more likely to receive local support and acceptance, thus making the bottom-up solutions developed in this paper easier to implement and sustain. Once a well-formulated grassroots adaptation strategy for urban flood risk management for resiliency becomes the base for action, a more resilient national policy is sure to succeed, especially in low-income and lower-middle-income countries where informal settlement is the case and the role of government in flood management is still minimal.
The Impact of Learning Culture on Individual Innovative Behavior

Based on literature review, this study proposed three hypotheses about learning culture and individual innovative behavior. The model was validated in structural equation modeling by investigating 391 employees from 46 organizations. The results indicate that individual learning has positive effects on innovative idea generation, organizational learning has positive effects on both innovative idea generation and innovative idea implementation, and team learning has no significant direct effects on individual innovative behavior.
The Effects of Metropolitan Economic Segregation on Local Civic Participation

America's suburbs are often accused of being civically inhospitable, but researchers have yet to demonstrate whether suburban social contexts actually influence civic behavior. Part of the problem arises from the definition of suburb. Cities in metropolitan areas are not well distinguished by city/suburb dichotomies but are differentiated by their affluence and economic heterogeneity. These economic characteristics influence citizen participation in two ways. First, affluent cities have fewer social "needs" prompting citizen action. Second, heterogeneous cities have more competition for public goods, which stimulates citizen interest and participation. These hypotheses are supported with findings from a cross-level data set constructed from the 1990 Citizen Participation Study and the 1990 Census. Civic participation is lowest in homogeneous, affluent cities and highest in diverse, middle-income cities largely because of varying levels of local political interest. Such results demonstrate the importance of economic contexts for participation and the civic implications of political fragmentation in metropolitan areas.
PET-measured responses of MBF to cold pressor testing correlate with indices of coronary vasomotion on quantitative coronary angiography.

UNLABELLED The aims of this study were to determine whether responses in myocardial blood flow (MBF) to the cold pressor testing (CPT) method noninvasively with PET correlate with an established and validated index of flow-dependent coronary vasomotion on quantitative angiography. METHODS Fifty-six patients (57 +/- 6 y; 16 with hypertension, 10 with hypercholesterolemia, 8 smokers, and 22 without coronary risk factors) with normal coronary angiograms were studied. Biplanar end-diastolic images of a selected proximal segment of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) (n = 27) or left circumflex artery (LCx) (n = 29) were evaluated with quantitative coronary angiography in order to determine the CPT-induced changes of epicardial luminal area (LA, mm(2)). Within 20 d of coronary angiography, MBF in the LAD, LCx, and right coronary artery territory was measured with (13)N-ammonia and PET at baseline and during CPT. RESULTS CPT induced on both study days comparable percent changes in the rate x pressure product (%DeltaRPP, 37% +/- 13% and 40% +/- 17%; P = not significant [NS]). For the entire study group, the epicardial LA decreased from 5.07 +/- 1.02 to 4.88 +/- 1.04 mm(2) (DeltaLA, -0.20 +/- 0.89 mm(2)) or by -2.19% +/- 17%, while MBF in the corresponding epicardial vessel segment increased from 0.76 +/- 0.16 to 1.03 +/- 0.33 mL x min(-1) x g(-1) (DeltaMBF, 0.27 +/- 0.25 mL x min(-1) x g(-1)) or 36% +/- 31% (P <or= 0.0001). However, in normal controls without coronary risk factors (n = 22), the epicardial LA increased from 5.01 +/- 1.07 to 5.88 +/- 0.89 mm(2) (19.06% +/- 8.9%) and MBF increased from 0.77 +/- 0.16 to 1.34 +/- 0.34 mL x min(-1) x g(-1) (74.08% +/- 23.5%) during CPT, whereas patients with coronary risk factors (n = 34) revealed a decrease of epicardial LA from 5.13 +/- 1.48 to 4.24 +/- 1.12 mm(2) (-15.94% +/- 12.2%) and a diminished MBF increase (from 0.76 +/- 0.20 to 0.83 +/- 0.25 mL x min(-1) x g(-1) or 10.91% +/- 19.8%) as compared with controls (P < 0.0001, respectively), despite comparable changes in the RPP (P = NS). In addition, there was a significant correlation (r = 0.87; P <or= 0.0001) between CPT-related percent changes in LA on quantitative angiography and in MBF as measured with PET. CONCLUSION The observed close correlation between an angiographically established parameter of flow-dependent and, most likely, endothelium-mediated coronary vasomotion and PET-measured MBF further supports the validity and value of MBF responses to CPT as a noninvasively available index of coronary circulatory function.
Autonomous Firm Dynamics and Economic Growth in the United States, 1986–1990

REYNOLDS P. (1994) Autonomous firm dynamics and economic growth in the United States, 1986–1990, Reg. Studies 28, 429–442. The impact of various characteristics of 382 United States labour market areas on subsequent new firm birth rates for 1986–88 was explored using linear regression modeling techniques. Growth in local demand had a major impact in all situations. Statistically significant evidence of an impact of urbanization/agglomeration, unemployment, personal/household wealth, and small firm presence/economic specialization was present, but tended to vary for different types of labour market areas and different economic sectors. There was little evidence of an impact related to local government spending. Correlations between birth rates and subsequent economic growth, measured by net job growth, were almost universally positive. Regression based linear models indicated that a small independent, positive impact of manufacturing firm birth rates on subsequent economic growth. This suggested that new f.
Corporate Governance, Growth Opportunities, and Earnings Restatements: Effects of a Corporate Governance Code

The study first examines whether firms that adopted the corporate governance mechanisms mandated by the newly enacted Corporate Governance Code in Taiwan are associated with lower incidence of earnings restatements. We find that firms with independent directors (supervisors) are associated with lower incidence of earnings restatements. We further examine this research question in a growth opportunity setting, a prevailing environmental feature in this emerging market, and find that high-growth firms having independent directors (supervisors) with financial expertise are associated with lower incidence of earnings restatements, suggesting that financial expertise of independent directors (supervisors) is important in the financial reporting function in high-growth firms.
miR-205 regulates the proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells via suppressing PTEN/SMAD4 expression

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally control target genes, and are involved in tumorigenesis, apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, metastasis and chemoresistance. However, data concerning miRNAs in ovarian cancer remain incomplete. The present study aimed to identify miRNAs that affected the malignant phenotype of ovarian cancer, and to analyze their potential mechanisms. The data demonstrated that miR-205 promoted cell proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells via suppressing Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) expression. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas database analysis results, it was identified that miR-205 was significantly upregulated in ovarian cancer tissues and markedly correlated with poor prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer; its abnormal expression was also confirmed in tissues from patients with ovarian cancer by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additional Gene Ontology analysis revealed that the target genes of miR-205 were associated with cell proliferation and invasion. Consistent with the database analysis, miR-205 overexpression significantly promoted ovarian cancer cell proliferation and invasion in vitro. To additionally explore the mechanism by which miR-205 was associated with proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed based on miR-205 target genes associated with proliferation and invasion, and it was revealed that PTEN and SMAD4 were key target genes of miR-205. In ovarian cancer tissues, the expression levels of PTEN and SMAD4 were significantly downregulated, suggesting that miR-205 may suppress the expression of PTEN and SMAD4 in vivo. In vitro, miR-205 overexpression markedly suppressed the expression of SMAD4 and PTEN, additionally verifying that PTEN and SMAD4 were the target genes of miR-205 in ovarian cancer cells. These results elucidated the tumor-promoting role of miR-205 and established miR-205 as a potential treatment target for ovarian cancer.
Absorptive Capacity, Proximity in Cooperation and Integration Mechanisms. Empirical Evidence from CIS Data

The paper extends available findings on the antecedents and impact of the firm's absorptive capacity. Innovation cooperation is recognized as a driver of its potential side (PAC). Considering different forms of proximity, we expect to find a higher impact for interactions occurring between close partners. Human capital (HC) is expected to be as important as other organizational mechanisms for the innovation impact of PAC. An empirical application with Community Innovation Survey data confirms these arguments only partially. The firm's cooperation with geographically closer partners (i.e., in the same country) increases its PAC, but it is cooperation with institutionally distant ones (e.g., research organizations) that augments it. Among the integration mechanisms of external knowledge, those increasing the firm's HC are the only ones that positively moderate the innovation impact of PAC.
Oligomeric interfaces as a tool in drug discovery: Specific interference with activity of malate dehydrogenase of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro

Malaria remains a major threat to human health, as strains resistant to current therapeutics are discovered. Efforts in finding new drug targets are hampered by the lack of sufficiently specific tools to provide target validation prior to initiating expensive drug discovery projects. Thus, new approaches that can rapidly enable drug target validation are of significant interest. In this manuscript we present the crystal structure of malate dehydrogenase from Plasmodium falciparum (PfMDH) at 2.4 Å resolution and structure-based mutagenic experiments interfering with the inter-oligomeric interactions of the enzyme. We report decreased thermal stability, significantly decreased specific activity and kinetic parameters of PfMDH mutants upon mutagenic disruption of either oligomeric interface. In contrast, stabilization of one of the interfaces resulted in increased thermal stability, increased substrate/cofactor affinity and hyperactivity of the enzyme towards malate production at sub-millimolar substrate concentrations. Furthermore, the presented data show that our designed PfMDH mutant could be used as specific inhibitor of the wild type PfMDH activity, as mutated PfMDH copies were shown to be able to self-incorporate into the native assembly upon introduction in vitro, yielding deactivated mutant:wild-type species. These data provide an insight into the role of oligomeric assembly in regulation of PfMDH activity and reveal that recombinant mutants could be used as probe tool for specific modification of the wild type PfMDH activity, thus offering the potential to validate its druggability in vivo without recourse to complex genetics or initial tool compounds. Such tool compounds often lack specificity between host or pathogen proteins (or are toxic in in vivo trials) and result in difficulties in assessing cause and effect—particularly in cases when the enzymes of interest possess close homologs within the human host. Furthermore, our oligomeric interference approach could be used in the future in order to assess druggability of other challenging human pathogen drug targets.
A new type of NtrC transcriptional activator

The enteric NtrC (NRI) protein has been the paradigm for a class of bacterial enhancer-binding proteins (EBPs) that activate transcription of RNA polymerase containing the sigma 54 factor. Activators in the NtrC class are characterized by essentially three properties: (i) they bind to sites distant from the promoters that they activate (> 100 bp upstream of the transcriptional start site), (ii) they contain a conserved nucleotide-binding fold and exhibit ATPase activity that is required for activation, and (iii) they activate the sigma 54 RNA polymerase. We have characterized the NtrC protein from a photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter capsulatus, which represents a metabolically versatile group of bacteria found in aquatic environments. We have shown that the R. capsulatus NtrC protein (RcNtrC) binds to two tandem sites that are distant from promoters that it activates, nifA1 and nifA2. These tandem binding sites are shown to be important for RcNtrC-dependent nitrogen regulation in vivo. Moreover, the conserved nucleotide-binding fold of RcNtrC is required to activate nifA1 and nifA2 but is not required for DNA binding of RcNtrC to upstream activation sequences. However, nifA1 and nifA2 genes do not require the sigma 54 for activation and do not contain the highly conserved nucleotides that are present in all sigma 54-type, EBP-activated promoters. Thus, the NtrC from this photosynthetic bacterium represents a novel member of the class of bacterial EBPs. It is probable that this class of EBPs is more versatile in prokaryotes than previously envisioned.
[Establishing the reference range of venous blood measured by automated haematology analyzer in Chinese adults].

OBJECTIVE To establish the reference range of venous blood measured by automated hematology analyzer in China. METHODS Different hematoanalyzers were used to examine the white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and hemotocrit (HCT) of venous blood from 1,749 healthy people, 927 males and 822 females, aged 18 - 60, in 14 cities (Harbin, Changchun, Beijing, Tianjin, Lanzhou, Xi'an, Nanjing, Suzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Kunming, and Guangzhou) of China. The examination was completed within the period of one month under strict in-laboratory quality control. RESULTS The range of WBC was (3.97 - 9.15) x 10(9)/L in males and (3.69 - 9.16) x 10(9)/L in females. The range of RBC was (4.09 - 5.74) x 10(12)/L in males and (3.68 - 5.13) x 10(12)/L in females. The range Hb was 131 - 172 (151) g/L in males and 113 - 151 (129) g/L in females. The range of MCH was 27.8 - 33.8 (30.8) pg in males and 26.9 - 33.3 (30.2) pg in females. The range of MCHC was 263 - 375 (335) g/L in males and 278 - 372 (325) g/L in females. The range of MCV was 83.9 - 99.1 (91.2) fl in males and 82.6 - 99.1 (91.3) fl in females. The range of HCT was 38.0% - 50.8% (44.8%) in males and 33.5% - 45.0% (38.9%) in females. The lower limits of WBC in Lanzhou and Chengdu were lower than those in other cities (P < 0.01). The concentrations of RBC and Hb in Kunming were significantly higher than those in other cities (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in other parameters among different cities. The WBC, RBC, and Hb in the females were lower than those in the males (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The reference ranges of different parameters of venous blood of Chinese have been primarily established. There is little discrepancy in those reference range in different district (except for highland). Some of the indices such as WBC, MCH and MCV measured by analyzer are quite different from those measured manually.
Predictive Torque Control Implementation for Induction Motors Based on Discrete Space Vector Modulation

This paper proposes a novel algorithm of predictive torque control (PTC) for induction motor based on discrete space vector modulation (DSVM). DSVM technique increases the number of voltage vectors, which must be evaluated in the PTC method. This new technique is called PTC-DSVM, which presents a low sampling frequency. However, the high number of virtual vectors increases computational burden significantly. To overcome this problem, in this paper, a novel algorithm that reduces the number of admissible voltage vectors, based on the well-known direct torque control switching table, is presented. Both simulation and experimental results demonstrate that proposed PTC-DSVM has the same behavior as conventional PTC at the same switching frequency while the sampling frequency is three times lower. The low sampling frequency of the proposed algorithm makes it suitable for industries to use low-cost hardware or perform a high computational analysis.
Competition, specialization and bank–firm interaction: what happens in credit crunch periods?

This article empirically investigates the relationship between interbank competition, bank orientation and credit availability for a sample of more than 30 000 loans granted by a large banking group operating in the Italian credit market. We test whether and how, during a credit crunch period, competition affects bank orientation and how relationship lending and interbank competition can mitigate the credit crunch problem, for financially distressed firms. Using a unique and large bank–firm level data set, the main results show that an increase in competition is associated with a stronger relationship in terms of the length of the bank–borrower interaction, whereas the distance bank branch-headquarter negatively affects it. Moreover, a strong lender–borrower relationship, in terms of length and exclusivity, is found positively significant in determining the change in the amount of credit granted. Nonlinearity and sector specialization effects are tested, too, and report interesting results, supporting the crucial role of relationship lending during a financial crisis.