Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding Wisconsin Producer and Distributor Perceptions to Inform Farm to School Programs and Policies

Farm to school (F2S) programs, which incorporate locally grown food into school meals and snacks, are a promising practice to improve children’s diets through increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Producers and distributors play an important role in F2S programs. This study seeks to explore producer and distributor perceived opportunities and challenges when participating in F2S programs. Ten Wisconsin producers and 5 distributors participated in key informant interviews, and a qualitative analysis identified 10 themes related to perceived opportunities, barriers, and social conditions for successful programs. Results can inform F2S program development and implementation and best practice policy development, particularly in Wisconsin.
Spatial Integration and Functional Balance in Polycentric Urban Systems: A Multi-Scalar Approach

Research on polycentricity has focused increasingly on the multi-scalar functional organisation of polycentric urban systems. These studies have shown that the degree of functional polycentricity varies considerably across different spatial scales. Moreover, functional polycentricity is linked to two distinct concepts: spatial integration and the balanced distribution of flows. The aim of this paper is to clarify the relation between these two concepts and to highlight the implications of this conceptual distinction for empirical research across different scales. The paper examines the connectivity field method developed to measure spatial interaction in polycentric urban systems. Using detailed commuting data, the feasibility of the method in measuring both spatial integration and the balanced distribution of flows across different scales is tested in a case study from southern Finland.
Lack of cognitive impairment in first-degree relatives of children with pervasive developmental disorders.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that mild cognitive impairments aggregate in the unaffected first-degree relatives of probands with autism or pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). METHOD The unaffected siblings and parents of 52 PDD probands and 33 Down syndrome and low birth weight controls were administered a battery of psychometric tests. The tests included measures previously found to be depressed in siblings of autistic children as well as cognitive deficits seen in PDD subjects of normal IQ. In addition, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were administered to siblings to measure the social-communication impairments found in PDD. RESULTS Neither the siblings nor parents of the PDD probands demonstrated lower cognitive or adaptive behavior scores compared with controls. Developmental histories did not reveal greater rates of social, cognitive, or language delays, nor was there evidence to suggest that relatives of subgroups of PDD probands were different from each other. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that, apart from relatives with PDD, cognitive and social impairments do not aggregate in the families of PDD probands.
Comparing effects of freezing at -196 °C and -20 °C on the viability of mastitis pathogens.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of cryopreservation at approximately -196 °C in liquid nitrogen (N) and freezing at approximately -20 °C in a freezer, on the viability and survival of eight different mastitogenic bacteria inoculated in milk. Bacteria were frozen at approximately -20 °C in a freezer and cryopreserved at approximately -196 °C in liquid nitrogen. An effective preservation method was needed for follow-up samples from cows identified in the South African National Milk Recording Scheme (NMRS) with somatic cell counts above 250 000 cells/mL milk. The organisation responsible for sample collection of the NMRS milk samples also provides producers with liquid nitrogen for their semen flasks at the collection sites. This existing mode of storage and transport could therefore be utilised.Ten samples of each organism were thawed and cultured bi-weekly until week 18 for both temperature treatments. An additional sampling was performed at week 30 for samples frozen at approximately -20 °C. Freezing and cryopreservation did not impair subsequent isolation of Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus (STH) (phage type lytic group III) or Sta. aureus (STA) (phage typed, other than lytic group III). Survival was indicated by the isolation of bacteria from samples, and viability by the strength of growth of the bacteria isolated. The survival of Streptococcus agalactiae decreased after week 12 and Escherichia coli after week 16 of freezing, but both organisms survived under cryogenic preservation until week 18. Coagulase-negative staphylococci survived until week 18 for both freezing and cryogenic preservation.Both storage methods could thus contribute to the improvement of a pro-active approach towards udder health management in South African dairy herds.
Motivating Knowledge Workers: Lessons to and from the Corporate Sector

There is pressure on Australian universities to adopt organisational structures, job design, remuneration and performance management systems based on corporate sector best practice. However, these systems and practices are often at least 20 years old and are based on command-control bureaucracies that dominated the manufacturing and service industries. They are not only alien to universities but are increasingly seen as inappropriate to knowledge-based professional organisations in the corporate sector because the underlying assumptions about what motivates people are at odds with what research shows motivates professional “knowledge-workers”. This research identifies sources of motivation that resonate with what has underpinned traditional university remuneration, promotion and performance schemes. However this does not mean that there is no need for change to those traditional schemes. As academic work becomes more complex and the academic labour market more differentiated, there is a need to recognise this greater diversity within extended promotional and reward schemes.
Results of nerve transfers to the musculocutaneous and axillary nerves.

OBJECTIVE Nerve transfers in cases of brachial plexus traction injuries with avulsion of spinal nerve roots or irreparable proximal lesions of spinal nerves have been attempted using a variety of donor nerves. The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of nerve transfers to the musculocutaneous and axillary nerves, using collateral branches of the brachial plexus, upper intercostal nerves, or the accessory nerve. METHODS This study included 62 patients with brachial plexus traction injuries who were surgically treated using various nerve transfer techniques. The follow-up periods were at least 3 years. Analysis of motor recovery was performed according to the type of donor nerve, the age of the patient, and the timing of surgery. RESULTS The rates of recovery for the musculocutaneous and axillary nerves were 50% and 63.2% with intercostal nerve transfers, 65% and 75% with accessory nerve transfers, and 90.4% and 86.9% with nerve transfers of collateral branches, respectively. Despite the obviously better outcomes with the latter technique, a significant difference was found only in comparison with intercostal nerve transfers for the musculocutaneous nerve (P = 0.007). With respect to the quality of recovery, we found a significant difference between the latter type and the other two types of nerve transfers only for the musculocutaneous nerve (P = 0.027 for intercostal nerve transfers and P = 0.05 for accessory nerve transfers). There was no significant difference in results obtained using the thoracodorsal and medial pectoral nerves as donors. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that nerve transfer of collateral branches when possible, such as in cases involving upper brachial plexus palsy, may be the method of choice, yielding better results.
The biology of multivariate evolution

Evolution is best viewed as a multivariate process making a working knowledge of linear algebra a great aide in our understanding of this process (Lande & Arnold, 1983; Manley, 1985; Endler, 1986; Phillips & Arnold, 1989). We therefore are in general agreement with the main thrust of Blows’ (2007) argument – a fuller appreciation of multivariate methods, particularly those that employ the diagonalization of the G and c matrices, can aid our understanding of microevolutionary change. Nevertheless, the approach advocated by Blows (2007) is not a panacea that solves all problems in multivariate evolutionary analyses, and there are circumstances where the diagonalization of the G and c matrices is either inappropriate or inferior to alternatives. In our opinion, the utility of matrix diagonalization is largely determined by the particular question of interest and the biology of the system examined. In support of our arguments, we discuss how matrix diagonalization can obscure the biological interpretation of a complex data set. We then discuss how the benefits of matrix diagonalization in evolutionary studies vary with the specific question addressed.
Analysis of salicylic acid-dependent pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana following infection with Plasmodiophora brassicae and the influence of salicylic acid on disease.

Salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis, the expression of SA-related genes and the effect of SA on the Arabidopsis-Plasmodiophora brassicae interaction were examined. Biochemical analyses revealed that, in P. brassicae-infected Arabidopsis, the majority of SA is synthesized from chorismate. Real-time monitored expression of a gene for isochorismate synthase was induced on infection. SA can be modified after accumulation, either by methylation, improving its mobility, or by glycosylation, as one possible reaction for inactivation. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) confirmed the induction of an SA methyltransferase gene, whereas SA glucosyltransferase expression was not changed after infection. Col-0 wild-type (wt) did not provide a visible phenotypic resistance response, whereas the Arabidopsis mutant dnd1, which constitutively activates the immune system, showed reduced gall scores. As dnd1 showed control of the pathogen, exogenous SA was applied to Arabidopsis in order to test whether it could suppress clubroot. In wt, sid2 (SA biosynthesis), NahG (SA-deficient) and npr1 (SA signalling-impaired) mutants, SA treatment did not alter the gall score, but positively affected the shoot weight. This suggests that SA alone is not sufficient for Arabidopsis resistance against P. brassicae. Semi-quantitative PCR revealed that wt, cpr1, dnd1 and sid2 showed elevated PR-1 expression on P. brassicae and SA + P. brassicae inoculation at 2 and 3 weeks post-inoculation (wpi), whereas NahG and npr1 showed no expression. This work contributes to the understanding of SA involvement in the Arabidopsis-P. brassicae interaction.
Foreign Direct Investment in Bangladesh: An Empirical Analysis on its Determinants and Impacts

In this paper, the catalyst variables of FDI inflows in Bangladesh are examined by applying extreme bounds analysis to the time series data from 1990-91 to 2005-06. The results reveal that wage, trade openness, net export, GDP growth and tax rate have robust result. Also two years lagged values of FDI and change in the level of domestic investment are found to have a positive effect on economic growth.
A General Framework for Gauging the Performance of Initiatives to Enhance Organizational Value

The project management literature argues that most projects fail, and yet, paradoxically, increasing numbers of proposals for new initiatives attract funds. In order to resolve an apparent ‘investment‐in‐failure’ paradox, this paper questions the methodology used in the literature to judge project performance and to decide on funding new projects. Using results from a field study, the authors describe a project performance framework that both expands and extends traditional approaches. They argue that the conventional test of project performance is not only fundamentally flawed, but also irrelevant to decision‐makers. In response, drawing on ‘principal–agent’, ‘regret’ and ‘contingency’ theories, the authors propose a new methodology to assess projects based on the concept of ‘worth’. According to this approach, performance is judged at three separate levels: project management, project ownership and project investment. These three tests allow distinct judgements to be made about the respective performances of the project manager, the project owner and the investment represented by the original funding decision. To the extent that financial crises are associated with project failure, such a framework may prove useful, because it would support better investment decision‐making.
Recombinant interleukin 2 regulates levels of c-myc mRNA in a cloned murine T lymphocyte

The cellular oncogene c-myc has been implicated in the regulation of growth of normal and neoplastic cells. Recently, it was suggested that c-myc gene expression may control the G0----G1-phase transition in normal lymphocytes that were stimulated to enter the cell cycle by the lectin concanavalin A (ConA). Here we describe the effects of purified recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL2) and of ConA on levels of c-myc mRNA in the noncytolytic murine T-cell clone L2. In contrast to resting (G0) primary cultures of lymphocytes, quiescent L2 cells have a higher RNA content than resting splenocytes and express receptors for interleukin 2 (IL2). Resting L2 cells are therefore best regarded as early G1-phase cells. Purified rIL2 was found to stimulate the rapid accumulation of c-myc mRNA in L2 cells. Levels of c-myc mRNA became maximal within 1 h and declined gradually thereafter. In contrast, ConA induced slower accumulation of c-myc mRNA in L2 cells, with increased levels of c-myc mRNA becoming detectable 4 to 8 h after stimulation. Experiments with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide demonstrated that the increase in levels of c-myc mRNA that were induced by ConA was a direct effect of this lectin and not secondary to IL2 production. Cyclosporin A, an immunosuppressive agent, markedly reduced the accumulation of c-myc mRNA that was induced by ConA but only slightly diminished the accumulation of c-myc mRNA that was induced by rIL2. Taken together, these data provide evidence that (i) c-myc gene expression can be regulated by at least two distinct pathways in T lymphocytes, only one of which is sensitive to cyclosporine A, and (ii) the accumulation of c-myc mRNA can be induced in T cells by IL2 during the G1 phase of the cell cycle.
Sustainability reporting: external motivators and internal facilitators

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of internal variables, such as strategic governance and operational controls, along with external variables that influence sustainability reporting. Design/methodology/approach – Building on the corporate governance and sustainability reporting literature, the authors develop a model to integrate external motivators and internal facilitators to determine their impact on sustainability reporting. The authors also control for a number of financial and non-financial variables that may influence sustainability reporting. The authors limit their sample to the companies in extractive industries that report their greenhouse gas emission to the Government of Canada. The authors collected the data from several data sources including secondary archival databases, newspapers, Web sites and annual reports. Findings – Using a sample of companies in high-polluting industries, the authors found that variables representing both external pressures that act as .
Real estate graduates’ employability skills: The perspective of human resource managers of surveying firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report further on research funded by the Centre for Education in the Built Environment (CEBE) into real estate programmes of study in UK universities (Poon and Hoxley). The aim of this paper is to identify human resource managers’ view on the employability skills of real estate graduates. It also compares the views on the employability skills of real estate graduates between human resource managers, a large sample of real estate employers and real estate course directors.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents the research findings of eight interviews with human resource managers who work in different types of surveying firms. The approach for collecting their view of the employability skills required by real estate graduates was through gathering their opinions on three charts. These charts compare what employers feel graduates require and what they feel graduates demonstrate in 31 knowledge areas, 20 skills and 21 attributes, alongside a list of additi.
THE IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND OWNERSHIP TYPE ON FIRM PERFORMANCE IN THE EMERGING REGION OF CHINA

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has been widely studied in the US context, but its examination in emerging regions such as China has been very limited. In this study, we investigate the EO-performance relationship in China. Results based on a sample of 166 firms in Northern China confirm the positive influence of EO on performance. More importantly, the EO-performance relationship is more positive among state-owned enterprises (SOEs) than among privately-owned enterprises (POEs). Research and practical implications for EO in China are discussed.
Exchange Rate Pass-Through Into Import Prices In Developing Countries: An Empirical Investigation

We define and estimate an exchange rate pass-through equation for 24 developing countries. We find that long run exchange rate pass-through into import price is determined by a combination of nominal effective exchange rate, the price of the competing domestic product, the exporter's cost and domestic demand conditions. Adopting a multi-country framework and using non-stationary panel estimation techniques and tests for panel cointegration, we show that exchange rate pass-through in developing countries is heterogeneous.
A Study of the Pineal Hormone Melatonin as a Second Line Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Resistant to Fluorouracil plus Folates

Since there is no effective second line chemotherapy in colorectal cancer resistant to fluorouracil, this study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic activity of the pineal hormone melatonin, which has appeared to have antineoplastic activity in some experimental conditions, in patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma who did not respond to fluorouracil. The study included 14 patients (8 men, 6 women; mean age 58 years). Melatonin was given intramuscularly at a daily dose of 20 mg at 3.00 p.m. for 2 months; after that, melatonin therapy was continued at 10 mg/day orally in responder patients, in those with stable disease and/or an evident improvement in PS. One patient had a minor response; 3 other patients had a stable disease, wehereas the other 10 cases progressed. An evident improvement in PS was seen in 5/14 (36 %) patients. These preliminary results show that melatonin does not have important antitumor activity in metastatic colorectal cancer patients resistant to fluorouracil. However, the pineal hormone could be usefully employed as supportive care to improve the quality of life in these patients for whom no standard treatment is yet available.
Neutralizing antibody response variation against dengue 3 strains

To evaluate the neutralizing antibody activity of a human sera panel against seven strains of the homotypic virus. Sera were collected from DENV‐3 immune individuals. Two DENV‐3 genotypes and strains isolated at different time‐points during the 2000 and 2001–2002 Havana epidemics were included. A panel of 20 late convalescent sera collected 16–18 months after acute illness from DF and DHF patients are studied. These individuals were infected during the 2001–2002 Havana DENV‐3 epidemic. All but four sera collected from DF cases had a secondary DENV‐1/DENV‐3 infection. Sera neutralizing antibody titer against the seven DENV‐3 strains were determined by plaque reduction neutralization technique. Sera samples were tested simultaneously. Studied sera showed higher levels of neutralizing antibodies to DENV‐3 strains of genotype III compared to genotype V. Interesting, higher levels of neutralizing antibodies were detected to DENV‐3 strain isolated at the end of the epidemic 2001–2002. An increased tendency of GMT of neutralizing antibodies according to epidemic evolution was observed for the 2001–2002 outbreak. In general, antibody levels in sera collected from DF cases were higher. Differences in the neutralization capacity of immune DENV‐3 sera tested against two homologous genotypes including strains of the same genotype are demonstrated. Observed results suggest that virus changed in the course of the epidemic. The implications of this finding in terms of dengue pathogenesis and vaccine development need to be considered. J. Med. Virol. 80:1783–1789, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Voluntary asset write-downs under SFAS 121: early adopters vis-a-vis late adopters

Previous research shows that the stock market positively values firms whose motivation is to clearly enhance productivity through streamlining their assets as part of a restructuring campaign. In this study, we examine 47 firms that voluntarily disclosed asset write-down information in either 10-K or ARS one year prior to the mandatory adoption of SFAS 121. Our study found that EARLY firms (those who adopted SFAS 121 in 1995, one year prior to the mandatory adoption) experienced a more positive market reaction than LATE firms (those who adopted SFAS 121 in 1996). Second, EARLY firms incur more capital expenditures, acquire less intangibles and exhibit lower asset turnover ratios than LATE firms. Finally, EARLY firms show higher profitability, and have a higher effective tax bracket than those of LATE firms. Overall, these findings suggest that voluntary restructuring and disclosure of such was more likely to be conducted by financially robust firms. This study adds support to the notion that the market rewards firms that restructure to improve productivity. It also seems that the market does not interpret involuntary restructuring as a positive event.
Remuneration Committees, Pay Consultants and the Determination of Executive Directors' Pay

This paper explores how Board Remuneration Committee (Remco) decisions about executive pay are influenced by pay consultants. Drawing on resource dependency theory and case study evidence from five companies, the paper illuminates the complexities of the pressures and processes confronting both Remcos and pay consultants in the determination of executive pay awards. In contrast to ‘managerial power’ arguments, it demonstrates that the Remcos are proactive in managing pay policy, conscientious in seeking to ensure that pay is appropriate and not over‐generous, and that pay consultants are independent and take their instructions entirely from the Remco. Nevertheless, Remcos' understandings of the wider pay environment, informed by the comparative data supplied by pay consultants, constructs a climate in which the Remcos come to perceive a need for periodic upward pay adjustments to ensure that executive remuneration is consistent with external benchmarks if they are to avoid recruitment and retention problems.