Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Traditional Sustainability Reporting Versus Integrated Reporting. An Institutionalist Approach

The aim of this study is to analyze similarities and differences between companies with traditional sustainability reporting (TSR) and those that publish integrated reports. Based on institutional theory we identify potential determinants of integrated reporting (IR) and test their relevance empirically in a sample of 309 companies. Our analysis shows that IR companies are different from TSR companies with regard to several country-level determinants. In particular, investor and employment protection laws, the intensity of market coordination and ownership concentration, the level of economic, environmental and social development, the degree of national corporate responsibility and the value system of the country of origin proved to be relevant. Based on these results, both implications for practice and future studies are derived. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Epitaxial TiN(001) wetting layer for growth of thin single-crystal Cu(001)

Single-crystal Cu(001) layers, 4-1400 nm thick, were deposited on MgO(001) with and without a 2.5-nm-thick TiN(001) buffer layer. X-ray diffraction and reflection indicate that the TiN(001) surface suppresses Cu-dewetting, yielding a 4 × lower defect density and a 9 × smaller surface roughness than if grown on MgO(001) at 25 °C. In situ and low temperature electron transport measurements indicate that ultra-thin (4 nm) Cu(001) remains continuous and exhibits partial specular scattering at the Cu-vacuum boundary with a Fuchs-Sondheimer specularity parameter p = 0.6 ± 0.2, suggesting that the use of epitaxial wetting layers is a promising approach to create low-resistivity single-crystal Cu nanoelectronic interconnects.
Welcoming refugees in the rainbow nation: contemporary attitudes towards refugees in South Africa

Modern South Africa has become a major recipient of refugees from sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere. The safe integration and protection of refugees and asylum seekers in the country is undermined, however, by the presence of widespread xenophobia in the country. Such animosity has motivated anti-immigrant riots, violence, and prejudice which has negatively impacted refugee protection. Despite the seriousness of the problem, scholars have not effectively mapped the attitudes of the South African population towards granting refugees protection. The determinants of such attitudes have not been adequately explored at the national level. This paper will provide a quantitative analysis of public attitudes towards granting refugees protection in South Africa. I will use nationally representative data collected during the fifth round of Afrobarometer Survey, and employ multivariate techniques for the analysis. Using this data, I will assess the predictive power of economic competition and conflict over important symbols of the nation in determining attitudes. The political alienation hypothesis, which suggests that the politically isolated are more predisposed towards restrictive immigration attitudes, will also be tested. The findings of this study will allow us to better understand what interventions can be put in place to improve attitudes towards refugee protection.
Efficiency tests of the UK financial futures markets and the impact of electronic trading systems: a note on relative market efficiency

The literature on weak-form efficient market hypothesis (EMH) has experienced a phenomenal growth over the past few decades, with the empirical framework mostly directed towards testing the absolute version of market efficiency. Evans (2006) represents a small amount of studies that addressed the relative efficiency of financial markets. The present paper discusses the limitations of absolute market efficiency and surveys some measures proposed for assessing relative efficiency in extant literature.
Bax Is Present as a High Molecular Weight Oligomer/Complex in the Mitochondrial Membrane of Apoptotic Cells*

Bax is a Bcl-2 family protein with proapoptotic activity, which has been shown to trigger cytochrome crelease from mitochondria both in vitro and in vivo. In control HeLa cells, Bax is present in the cytosol and weakly associated with mitochondria as a monomer with an apparent molecular mass of 20,000 Da. After treatment of the HeLa cells with the apoptosis inducer staurosporine or UV irradiation, Bax associated with mitochondria is present as two large molecular weight oligomers/complexes of 96,000 and 260,000 Da, which are integrated into the mitochondrial membrane. Bcl-2 prevents Bax oligomerization and insertion into the mitochondrial membrane. The outer mitochondrial membrane protein voltage-dependent anion channel and the inner mitochondrial membrane protein adenosine nucleotide translocator do not coelute with the large molecular weight Bax oligomers/complexes on gel filtration. Bax oligomerization appears to be required for its proapoptotic activity, and the Bax oligomer/complex might constitute the structural entirety of the cytochromec-conducting channel in the outer mitochondrial membrane.
Murine Immunoprotective Activity of Klebsiella pneumoniae Cell Surface Preparations: Comparative Study with Ribosomal Preparations

Cell surface preparations and ribosomal preparations were extracted from Klebsiella pneumoniae. Agar gel diffusion with antisera to cell surface preparations or ribosomal preparations indicated common antigenic components among the preparations. Lipopolysaccharide and capsular polysaccharide were identified in the cell surface preparations. These results and the previous identification of lipopolysaccharide and capsular polysaccharide in ribosomal preparations suggest that these antigens are responsible for the immunochemical cross-reactivity observed among these two bacterial extracts. Active protection could be induced in mice by these two preparations. On a dry-weight basis, cell surface preparations provided better immunoprotective activity than did ribosomal preparations. However, the 50% protective dose of both preparations is practically the same on the basis of their capsular polysaccharide content. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the immunoprotective moiety of ribosomal preparations is the contaminating cell surface antigens. Furthermore, the low level of nucleotidic components detected in purified cell surface preparations led us to infer that the immunoprotective activity of capsular polysaccharide may not be dependent on the adjuvant activity of ribonucleic acid. The involvement of capsular polysaccharide in the immunoprotective capacity of cell surface preparations is demonstrated either by using a degradation of this antigen by K. pneumoniae bacteriophage K2-associated glycanase or by using a preparation extracted from a noncapsulated mutant of K. pneumoniae. Nevertheless, the low protective ability of purified capsular polysaccharides is in contrast to its greater activity when induced in bacterial cell surface preparations. The protective activity of K. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide may be dependent on its association with other surface antigenic components present in cell surface preparations or may be dependent on its native form in the bacterial cell surface.
Heat Shock Protein 90 Regulates Subcellular Localization of Smads in Mv1Lu Cells

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) regulates the stability of various proteins and plays an essential role in cellular homeostasis. Many client proteins of HSP90 are involved in cell growth, survival, and migration; processes that are generally accepted as participants in tumorigenesis. HSP90 is also up‐regulated in certain tumors. Indeed, the inhibition of HSP90 is known to be effective in cancer treatment. Recently, studies showed that HSP90 regulates transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1)‐induced transcription by increasing the stability of the TGF‐β receptor. TGF‐β signaling also has been implicated in cancer, suggesting the possibility that TGF‐β1 and HSP90 function cooperatively during the cancer cell progression. Here in this paper, we investigated the role of HSP90 in TGF‐β1‐stimulated Mv1Lu cells. Treatment of Mv1Lu cells with the HSP90 inhibitor, 17‐allylamino‐demethoxy‐geldanamycin (17AAG), or transfection with truncated HSP90 (ΔHSP90) significantly reduced TGF‐β1‐induced cell migration. Pretreatment with 17AAG or transfection with ΔHSP90 also reduced the levels of phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad3. In addition, the HSP90 inhibition interfered the nuclear localization of Smads induced by constitutively active Smad2 (S2EE) or Smad3 (S3EE). We also found that the HSP90 inhibition decreased the protein level of importin‐β1 which is known to regulate R‐Smad nuclear translocation. These data clearly demonstrate a novel function of HSP90; HSP90 modulates TGF‐β signaling by regulating Smads localization. Overall, our data could provide a detailed mechanism linking HSP90 and TGF‐β signaling. The extension of our understanding of HSP90 would offer a better strategy for treating cancer. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 230–238, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adult ADHD Is Associated With Gambling Severity and Psychiatric Comorbidity Among Treatment-Seeking Problem Gamblers

Objective: The aim of this study is as follows: (a) exploring retrospective childhood and adult ADHD symptomatology in treatment-seeking gamblers, (b) providing detailed characteristics of the association between pathological gambling (PG) and ADHD, and (c) identifying risk factors for a history of ADHD. Method: Eighty problem gamblers (20% female) were examined using a standardized interview (PG: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [4th ed.; DSM-IV] criteria, Gambling Attitudes and Beliefs Survey; ADHD: Wender Utah Rating Scale–deutsche Kurzform, Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale; comorbidities: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview). Results: Forty-three percentage of patients screened positive for childhood ADHD, and in 11%, ADHD persisted in adulthood. Patients with adult ADHD had more severe gambling problems (p = .009, d = 1.03) and a higher number of psychiatric comorbidities (p < .001, d = 1.62) compared with those without ADHD. Substance abuse/dependence constituted a predictor for having a history of ADHD (odds ratio [OR] = 4.07, p = .025). Conclusion: ADHD–PG comorbidity is linked to factors that worsen the prognosis. Thus, screening for ADHD and verifying persistence in adulthood should be an integral component in the interdisciplinary treatment of problem/pathological gamblers.
Differential Effects of Tetanus Toxin on Inhibitory and Excitatory Neurotransmitter Release from Mammalian Spinal Cord Cells in Culture

Abstract: The effect of tetanus toxin on depolarization‐evoked and spontaneous synaptic release of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters was examined in murine spinal cord cell cultures. Toxin action on the release of radiolabeled glycine and glutamate was followed over time intervals corresponding to the early phase of convulsant activity through the later phase of electrical quiescence. Tetanus toxin inhibited potassium‐evoked release of [3H]glycine and [3H]glutamate in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. Ninety minutes after the application of toxin (6 × 10−10M), the stimulated release of [3H]glycine was blocked completely, whereas stimulated release of [3H]glutamate was not blocked completely until 150–210 min after toxin application. Fragment C, the binding portion of the tetanus toxin molecule, had no effect on stimulated release of either transmitter. The spontaneous synaptic release of [3H]glycine was blocked totally within 90 min of toxin exposure. In contrast, the spontaneous release of [3H]glutamate, in toxin‐exposed cultures, was elevated to nearly twice that of control cultures at this time. Thus, toxin‐induced convulsant activity is characterized by a reduction in the spontaneous synaptic release of inhibitory neurotransmitter with a concomitant increase in the release of excitatory neurotransmitter, as well as the more rapid onset of blockade of depolarization‐evoked release of inhibitory versus excitatory neurotransmitter.
Inflation and the Stock Market

This paper discusses a crucial cause of the failure of share prices to rise during a decade of substantial inflation. Indeed, the share value per dollar of pretax earnings actually fell from 10.82 in 1967 to 6.65 in 1976. The analysis here indicates that this inverse relation between higher inflation and lower share prices during the past decade was not due to chance or to other unrelated economic events. On the contrary, an important adverse effect of increased inflation on share prices results from basic features of the current U.S. tax laws, particularly historic cost depreciation and the taxation of nominal capital gains.
Digital Divide: Civic Engagement

From the Publisher: Digital Divide examines access and use of the Internet in 179 nations world-wide. A global divide is evident between industrialized and developing societies. A social divide is apparent between rich and poor within each nation. Within the online community, evidence for a democratic divide is emerging between those who do and do not use Internet resources to engage and participate in public life. Part I outlines the theoretical debate between cyber-optimists who see the Internet as the great leveler. Part II examines the virtual political system and the way that representative institutions have responded to new opportunities on the Internet. Part III analyzes how the public has responded to these opportunities in Europe and the United States and develops the civic engagement model to explain patterns of participation via the Internet.
Pisot and Salem numbers in intervals of the real line

Based on the work of Dufresnoy and Pisot, we develop an algorithm for determining all the Pisot numbers in an interval of the real line, provided this number is finite. We apply the algorithm to the problem of determining small Salem numbers by Salem's construction, and to the proof that certain Pisot sequences satisfy no linear re-
Using soil and water conservation techniques to rehabilitate degraded lands in northwestern Burkina Faso

Agricultural productivity in West Africa is low and cropping systems are hard to sustain. Farmers generally make little use of improved seeds or mechanization, and rely on organic matter to improve the fertility of their soils. Soil and water conservation techniques (SWCTs) can help secure agricultural output in unpredictable climates, and have been promoted in northwestern Burkina Faso for several decades. Rock bunds, filter walls, zaï, half-moons and agroforestry are now widespread. This paper describes the agroecological conditions in Burkina Faso and discusses the agroforestry and SWC technologies most widely applied in the country. SWCTs have contributed to improvements on the ground, helping secure livelihoods and reduce rural poverty and vulnerability to drought and famine.
Antimicrobial and Pore-forming Peptides of Free-living and Potentially Highly Pathogenic Naegleria fowleri Are Released from the Same Precursor Molecule*

The pore-forming polypeptides of Naegleria fowleri, naegleriapores A and B, are processed from separate multipeptide precursor structures. According to their transcripts, each precursor molecule appears to contain additional naegleriapore-like polypeptides, all of which share a structural motif of six invariant cysteine residues within their amino acid sequence. To identify the putative pronaegleriapore-derived peptides at the protein level, amoebic extracts were screened for small cysteine-rich polypeptides by fluorescently labeling their cysteine residues. Three novel naegleriapore isoforms derived from the precursor molecule of naegleriapore B were identified. Two of the isoforms were purified to homogeneity and tested for their biological activity. The pore-forming activity of the novel peptides was remarkably lower than that of the originally isolated naegleriapores, but both peptides killed bacteria by permeabilizing their cytoplasmic membranes. Collectively, these results indicate that naegleriapore isoforms with antibacterial and pore-forming activity are proteolytically released from the same precursor protein, presumably to generate a phylogenetically ancient complementary antimicrobial arsenal.
Ukrainian financial markets: an examination of calendar anomalies

Purpose - This study aims to examine the market returns of the Ukrainian stock and bond markets to determine whether they exhibit calendar anomalies including the January effect, weekend effect, and turn-of-the-month (TOM) effect. Ukraine provides an opportunity to examine the efficiency of an emerging market, adding to the extensive body of research on calendar anomalies. Design/methodology/approach - Regression analysis is used to examine the relationship between January returns vs non-January returns, Monday returns vs non-Monday returns, and TOM returns vs non-TOM returns. Non-parametric Findings - There is no evidence of a January effect or a weekend effect in the Ukrainian stock and bond markets. However, our results support a TOM effect in the Ukrainian stock market. The mean daily TOM return is 0.35 vs 0.24 per cent for the rest of the month. Additionally, in 63 per cent of the months, the mean daily TOM return exceeds the return for the rest of the month. Research limitations/implications - The data are limited to five-years of daily returns and two different Ukrainian indexes. Thus, the results could be biased by the time period analyzed. The results are important for portfolio managers and investors as they can benefit from the TOM effect, but not the January effect and weekend effect. Originality/value - This is the first study to our knowledge that has extensively examined the calendar anomalies in the Ukrainian stock and bond markets.
Inadequate Immune Regulatory Function of CD4+CD25bright+FoxP3+ T Cells in Heart Transplant Patients who Experience Acute Cellular Rejection

Background. CD4+CD25bright+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells are suppressors of antigen-activated immune reactivity. Here, we assessed the clinically relevant role of these cells in the control of immune responses directed to a transplanted heart. Methods. We investigated the phenotype and function of peripheral CD4+CD25bright+FoxP3+ T cells in heart transplant patients free from acute rejections (n=9) and in rejectors (n=12) before and during acute cellular rejection. Results. Between rejectors and nonrejectors, the proportion of CD4+CD25bright+ T cells and of FoxP3+ cells within this population was comparable. Yet, CD4+CD25bright+FoxP3+ T cells of rejectors had a higher CD127 expression than those of nonrejectors (P<0.0001). Depletion of CD4+CD25bright+ T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells increased the antidonor proliferative response of both nonrejectors (P=0.0005) and rejectors (P=0.03). In rejectors, however, only a 2-fold increase was measured, whereas the nonrejectors’ response became 14 times higher (P=0.002). Reconstitution of CD4+CD25bright+ T cells only suppressed the overall antidonor proliferative response of CD25neg/dim responder cells of nonrejectors significantly (P=0.001). Moreover, the percentage inhibition of the response was higher in nonrejectors than in rejectors (P=0.02). Analyses of pretransplant samples revealed that CD4+CD25bright+ T cells of rejectors already had a lower suppressive capacity than those of nonrejectors before transplantation (P=0.04). Conclusion. CD4+CD25bright+FoxP3+ T cells of heart transplant patients who experience acute rejection had an up-regulated CD127 expression and an inadequate regulatory function compared with those of nonrejecting patients. Our observations suggest that the function of circulating CD4+CD25bright+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells may be pivotal for the prevention of acute cellular rejection after clinical heart transplantation.
A New Deal for Blacks: The Emergence of Civil Rights as a National Issue: The Depression Decade

A watershed decade in U.S. history, the 1930s witnessed a struggle on various fronts--fought by many different Americans--that raised the country's awareness of the inequalities and injustices suffered by African Americans. Featuring a new preface and an expansive, up-to-date bibliography, this 30th Anniversary Edition of Harvard Sitkoff's A New Deal for Blacks presents a comprehensive account of the changes--substantive and symbolic--that eventually led to the emergence of civil rights as a national issue and helped make a successful quest for racial justice possible. It emphasizes a wide variety of individuals and organizations that contributed to the coming-of-age of civil rights, and highlights the role of New Dealers, organized labor, the Left, Southern women opposed to lynching, biological and social scientists, black lawyers, and, especially, African American organizations that planted the seeds of racial progress. This unique text is an ideal resource for undergraduate courses in African American history.
The confusing state of the art in top management composition studies: A theoretical and empirical review

The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical and empirical review of the literature on top management composition. This research is theoretically inspired by the old tradition of group dynamics research and later insights into the effects managers have in shaping the course and fates of organisations. Throughout this paper we will develop a conceptual model linking team composition, behaviour and results. The paper also provides a critical discussion of the empirical findings in relation to the model and identifies some theoretical and empirical shortcomings in the research carried out so far.
Private Copying, Appropriability, and Optimal Copying Royalties

THERE is little doubt that the small-scale, decentralized reproduction of intellectual property-private copying-is a widespread practice, but its precise extent and economic effects are the subject of considerable dispute. Although the owners of copyrighted computer programs, printed matter, and audio and video tapes have claimed extensive harm from copying,1 and have occasionally succeeded in having legislation introduced that would compensate them for this harm,2 the effect of copying is not well understood and its quantitative effect is poorly measured.
Potato Chips, Cookies, and Candy Oh My! Public Commentary on Proposed Rules Regulating Competitive Foods

Background. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools participating in federally funded meal programs. These foods, known as competitive foods, are commonly found in school cafeterias, vending machines, fundraisers, and snack bars and are associated with unhealthy dietary patterns. However, little is known about the regulatory process and opportunities for public participation to improve school food. Aims. This study investigates public commentary on the USDA’s proposed rules governing competitive foods in schools. Methods. On February 8, 2013, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service solicited public comments via Regulations.gov. A corpus of 247,871 public comments was obtained. Duplicate and near-duplicate comments were removed resulting in 3,032 unique comments. Two researchers content analyzed 10% of the sample, removing nonrelevant comments (n = 249). Results. A majority of commenters are women, and mention their affiliation. Comments tend to be short, and exhibit low levels of complexity. An overwhelming majority of comments expressed concerns about the public health of youth vis-à-vis the new rule, whereas a small but vocal minority opposed the rule for financial and labor reasons and/or opposition to further government regulation. Discussion. Commentary on proposed rules should be specific, avoiding off-topic remarks. Commenters should be strategic, include their credentials, and provide a rationale for their position. Conclusion. The rules governing competitive foods are poised to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic, and public commentary may shape these rules.