Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Personality Traits Modulate the Effect of Emotional Visual Stimuli on Auditory Information Processing

Several lines of evidence attest robust relationships between personality dimensions and emotions, including cognitive aspect of emotion. More particularly, many studies reported strong relationships between extraversion, the behavioral activation system (BAS), and the cognitive processing of positive information, on the one hand, and between neuroticism, the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), and the processing of negative information, on the other hand. Recently, DePascalis, Awari, Matteucci, and Mazzocco (2005) reported that personality traits modulated the effect of the emotional visual stimuli on the mismatch negativity (MMN). The aim of the present study was to replicate these data and extend them to other personality dimensions. Auditory MMN was recorded in normal subjects simultaneously to the presentation of emotional pictures selected as neutral, positive, or negative from the International Affective Picture System, and presented in randomized order. The results support the recent finding that personality (namely, BIS and harm avoidance) modulates the influence of emotional (negative) context on auditory information processing. The present findings suggest that the modulation by personality of change detection in the unattended environment as a function of context valence is limited to unpleasant context.
Airway expression of SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2, and proteases, TMPRSS2 and furin, in severe asthma

Background. Patients with severe asthma may have a greater risk of dying from COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and enzyme proteases, transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and furin are needed for the attachment and invasion of the virus into host cells. We determined whether their expression in the airways of severe asthma patients is increased. Method. We examined the microarray mRNA expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2 and furin in the sputum, bronchial brush and bronchial biopsies of participants in the European U-BIOPRED cohort. Results. ACE2 and furin sputum gene expression was significantly increased in severe non-smoking asthma compared to mild-moderate asthma and healthy volunteers. By contrast, TMPRSS2 expression in bronchial biopsy and bronchial brushings was increased in severe smoking and ex-smoking asthmatics, and so was furin expression in bronchial brushings. Several clinical parameters including male gender, oral steroid use and nasal polyps were positively associated with ACE2, TMPRSS2 and furin expression levels. There was a higher expression of ACE2 and furin in the sputum neutrophilic molecular phenotype with inflammasome activation compared to the eosinophilic Type2-high or paucigranulocytic phenotypes. The enrichment score of the IL-13-Type2 gene signature was positively correlated with ACE2, TMPRSS2 and furin levels. Conclusion. These key determinants of virus entry into the lungs may contribute to the poorer outcomes from COVID-19 disease in patients with severe asthma.
Effects of Employees Training, Employees Motivation on Banks Performance

This study used the partial least squares (PLS) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the factors affecting banks performance among employees of the commercial banks. Results revealed that employee’s motivation and employees training have positively influenced banks performance. The research used simple random sampling technique method in order to provide the entire employees with an equal chance of being selected in the survey exercise and also considered the employees who have gone through the training and motivation process in the banking industry are selected for the survey. The findings are useful to policy makers and practitioners to enhance the Nigerian banking sector, limitations and suggestion for future research are also included.
Antecedents of International Opportunity Recognition in Born Global Firms

ABSTRACT International opportunity recognition has become an important field of research in recent years. This study deals with the effects of entrepreneurial alertness, systematic search, prior knowledge, and social networks on first-time international opportunity recognition of entrepreneurs inside born global firms. In order to answer this research question, a quantitative survey within born global firms was conducted. The empirical results demonstrate that entrepreneurs of born global firms tend to recognize the first international opportunity through a combination of entrepreneurial alertness and systematic search. Furthermore, network relationships are essential for entrepreneurs within these firms because they can aid in identifying the initial international opportunity. The findings also illustrate that the entrepreneur's prior international knowledge as well as prior international experience positively contribute to the initial international opportunity recognition.
Mapping Bone Changes at the Proximal Femoral Cortex of Postmenopausal Women in Response to Alendronate and Teriparatide Alone, Combined or Sequentially

Combining antiresorptive and anabolic drugs for osteoporosis may be a useful strategy to prevent hip fractures. Previous studies comparing the effects of alendronate (ALN) and teriparatide (TPTD) alone, combined or sequentially using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) in postmenopausal women have not distinguished cortical bone mineral density (CBMD) from cortical thickness (CTh) effects, nor assessed the distribution and extent of more localized changes. In this study a validated bone mapping technique was used to examine the cortical and endocortical trabecular changes in the proximal femur resulting from an 18‐month course of ALN or TPTD. Using QCT data from a different clinical trial, the global and localized changes seen following a switch to TPTD after an 18‐month ALN treatment or adding TPTD to the ALN treatment were compared. Ct.Th increased (4.8%, p < 0.01) and CBMD decreased (−4.5%, p < 0.01) in the TPTD group compared to no significant change in the ALN group. A large Ct.Th increase could be seen for the switch group (2.8%, p < 0.01) compared to a significantly smaller increase for the add group (1.5%, p < 0.01). CBMD decreased significantly for the switch group (–3.9%, p < 0.01) and was significantly different from no significant change in the add group. Ct.Th increases were shown to be significantly greater for the switch group compared to the add group at the load bearing regions. This study provides new insights into the effects of ALN and TPTD combination therapies on the cortex of the proximal femur and supports the hypothesis of an increased bone remodeling by TPTD being mitigated by ALN. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Innovation by knowledge exploration and exploitation: an empirical study of the automotive industry

Abstract In face of dynamic environment, such as the automotive sector, organizations are challenged to establish strategic flexibility through innovations, which require knowledge exploration and exploitation. Previous studies point out that the combination of knowledge exploration and exploitation is the ideal strategy for innovation since it will lead organizations to access new technologies and refine and improve the dominant technology through the exploitation of primary knowledge. Most studies on the subject focus their contributions on analyzing the impact of knowledge management initiatives and the knowledge exploration and exploitation on the company’s innovative and financial performance; however, few studies have investigated the organizational factors that sustain the knowledge exploration and exploitation. The research results show that the processes of exploration and exploitation are impacted differently by five contextual factors considered in this research (human resource management, collaborative leadership, learning culture, autonomy and information technology (IT) systems). While exploration is most impacted by a learning culture, autonomy and IT systems, exploitation is closer related to collaborative leadership and learning culture.
Structural Characterization of Hydrothermal Carbon Spheres by Advanced Solid-State MAS C-13 NMR Investigations

The local structure of carbon spheres obtained via the hydrothermal carbonization process is characterized by using a combination of advanced solid-state 13C NMR techniques. Glucose was chosen as the starting product because it offers the possibility of 13C isotopic enrichment and is regarded as a model compound for more complex polysaccharides and biomass, as reported in recent studies. A number of 13C solid-state MAS NMR techniques (single-pulse, cross-polarization, inversion recovery cross-polarization, INEPT, 13C−13C proton-driven magnetization exchange, and 13C−13C double-quantum−single-quantum correlation experiments) were combined to retrieve information about binding motifs and C−C closest neighbor relations. We found that the core of the carbonaceous scaffold is composed of furan rings cross-linked by domains containing short keto-aliphatic chains instead of otherwise expected graphene-type sheets, as mainly reported either for hydrothermal carbon spheres or for biomass-related carbons obtained b.
Bank's Capital Reform, Size and Performance: The Nigerian Experience

Capital reform in the banking industry is a common phenomenon across the globe and the financial environment in Nigeria is not an exception. This study employs financial ratios to measure a sample of commercial banks (14) performance in the period 2007-2011. We found that the performance of the banks fluctuates across the period. The mean performance of profit indicators shows that the net interest margin for all banks ranges between 3.9-6% but only 9 banks made a net interest margin > 5%. In respect of return on capital employed by the banks, mean performance ranges between -24.9-22% and 7 banks made a return on capital employed > 10%. For return on assets, the performance range was between -8.02-3.59% and only 8 banks had a returned on total assets > 1%. And for asset growth, the mean growth rate of assets for the period of the study ranges between 4-33% but 10 banks grew their asset at a rate >10%. Finally, we found that size does not matter in the performance of the sample banks.
Executive gender pay gaps: the roles of board diversity and female risk aversion

Using a large sample of executives in S&P 1500 firms over 1996-2010, we document significant salary and total compensation gaps between female and male executives and explore two possible explanations for the gaps. We find support for greater female risk aversion as one contributing factor. Female executives hold significantly lower equity incentives and demand larger salary premiums for bearing a given level of compensation risk. These results suggest that females’ risk aversion contributes to the observed lower pay levels through its effect on ex ante compensation structures. We also find evidence that the lack of gender diversity on corporate boards affects the size of the gaps. In firms with a higher proportion of female directors on the board, the gaps in salary and total pay levels are lower. Together, these findings suggest that female higher risk aversion may act as a barrier to full pay convergence, despite the mitigating effect from greater gender diversity on the board.
The Impact of Psychological Influences on Consumer Buying Behavior of SMEs’ Products: A Case Study of the Manufacturing Sector in Zimbabwe

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of psychological influences on the buying pattern of SMEs products in Zimbabwe. This study was motivated by the desire to establish the reason why SMEs products were failing to gain customers acceptance. Furthermore SMEs products have been observed to be occupying minimum shelf space in most of the supermarket in Zimbabwe as compared to foreign manufactured products. Zimbabwe has become an import destination, where almost every country is targeting to supply their products to the Zimbabwean supermarkets. The objectives of this study was to determine the effect of personality on the buying pattern of SMEs products in Zimbabwe, to determine the effect of customer perception on SMEs products and to determine the impact of attitudes on consumer purchasing behaviour of SMEs products. A sample of 100 respondents from customers and policy advocates were considered for this study. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select customers who buy SMEs products while policy makers were purposively sampled. The results revealed that personality greatly affects the purchasing behaviour of SMEs products in Zimbabwe, most of the respondents also revealed their negative perception towards any product from SMEs, while some revealed a negative attitude towards SMEs products as they articulated that they have a strong belief that SMEs are generally custodians of manufacturing poor quality products and due to this reason they choose to do business with big firms. The study concluded that psychological influences have an impact on consumer purchasing behaviour of SMEs products in Zimbabwe.
Head and Neck PET/CT: Therapy Response Interpretation Criteria (Hopkins Criteria)—Interreader Reliability, Accuracy, and Survival Outcomes

There has been no established qualitative system of interpretation for therapy response assessment using PET/CT for head and neck cancers. The objective of this study was to validate the Hopkins interpretation system to assess therapy response and survival outcome in head and neck squamous cell cancer patients (HNSCC). Methods: The study included 214 biopsy-proven HNSCC patients who underwent a posttherapy PET/CT study, between 5 and 24 wk after completion of treatment. The median follow-up was 27 mo. PET/CT studies were interpreted by 3 nuclear medicine physicians, independently. The studies were scored using a qualitative 5-point scale, for the primary tumor, for the right and left neck, and for overall assessment. Scores 1, 2, and 3 were considered negative for tumors, and scores 4 and 5 were considered positive for tumors. The Cohen κ coefficient (κ) was calculated to measure interreader agreement. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed by Kaplan–Meier plots with a Mantel–Cox log-rank test and Gehan Breslow Wilcoxon test for comparisons. Results: Of the 214 patients, 175 were men and 39 were women. There was 85.98%, 95.33%, 93.46%, and 87.38% agreement between the readers for overall, left neck, right neck, and primary tumor site response scores, respectively. The corresponding κ coefficients for interreader agreement between readers were, 0.69–0.79, 0.68–0.83, 0.69–0.87, and 0.79–0.86 for overall, left neck, right neck, and primary tumor site response, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and overall accuracy of the therapy assessment were 68.1%, 92.2%, 71.1%, 91.1%, and 86.9%, respectively. Cox multivariate regression analysis showed human papillomavirus (HPV) status and PET/CT interpretation were the only factors associated with PFS and OS. Among the HPV-positive patients (n = 123), there was a significant difference in PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.03–0.57; P = 0.0063) and OS (HR, 0.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.00–0.13; P = 0.0006) between the patients who had a score negative for residual tumor versus positive for residual tumor. A similar significant difference was observed in PFS and OS for all patients. There was also a significant difference in the PFS of patients with PET-avid residual disease in one site versus multiple sites in the neck (HR, 0.23; log-rank P = 0.004). Conclusion: The Hopkins 5-point qualitative therapy response interpretation criteria for head and neck PET/CT has substantial interreader agreement and excellent negative predictive value and predicts OS and PFS in patients with HPV-positive HNSCC.
Raising Doubts about the Pathogenicity of Mitochondrial DNA Mutation m.3308T>C in Left Ventricular Hypertraveculation/Noncompaction

ing pathogenicity of m.3308T 1 C being overlooked. Rocha et al. [2] was the only study from the body of relevant literature cited by Zarrouk Mahjoub et al. [1] , but only with reference to the fact that ‘. [m.3308T 1 C] has been reported in various other human populations, especially in the West African haplogroup. ’ [2] . The study by Zarrouk Mahjoub et al. [1] did not, however, refer to the fact that Rocha et al. [2] suggested that m.3308T 1 C was a benign variant. Here we elaborate further on evidence favoring a benign role for m.3308T 1 C in LVNC, but the rationale can be extended to other putative pathogenic variants. The first line of evidence put forth by Zarrouk Mahjoub et al. [1] was that evolutionary comparisons indicated that the m.3308 residue was highly conserved throughout evolution. However, m.3308T 1 C is not a rare variant but rather a common polymorphism found in various geographic locations, including Tunisia. The variants m.3308T 1 C and m.8248A 1 G are diagnostic for haplogroup L1b, while m.8468C 1 T is a variant that characterizes a more ancestral node in the pathway that leads to L1b ( fig. 1 ). Therefore, these three mutations undoubtedly point to the patient sequence belonging to haplogroup L1b (see the report by Cerezo et al. [3] for a recent updated phylogeny of Recently, Zarrouk Mahjoub et al. [1] claimed that the homoplasmic mutation m.3308T 1 C located in the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) gene of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome was associated with left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (LVNC). The authors observed this mutation in a 16-year-old Tunisian female patient and other matrilineal related members, but it was absent in their 350 controls. In addition to the transition m.3308T 1 C, the authors reported two additional changes, m.8248A 1 G (COX2 gene) and m.8468C 1 T (ATP8 gene). Although it is essential to show all variants observed in the mtDNA of the patients, (so that a detailed haplogroup assessment can be made), no other information was reported by Zarrouk Mahjoub et al. [1] regarding the mtDNA genome of this matrilineage. Mutation m.3308T 1 C results in replacement of the first amino acid residue of the ND1 gene (methionine) by a threonine. The authors claimed there were five different lines of evidence supporting a causal role of m.3308T 1 C; all were based on conservation and in silico predictions. This is not the first time m.3308T 1 C is reported in a disease context. However, the literature was not extensively discussed by Zarrouk Mahjoub et al. [1] , with studies critical to the interpretation of the seemReceived and accepted: April 16, 2012 Published online: July 7, 2012
Revisiting the Imitation Assumption: Why Imitation May Increase, Rather than Decrease, Performance Heterogeneity

Research Summary: Imitation is a central construct in strategy theory because it is assumed to diminish inter‐firm performance heterogeneity within an industry. We revisit this assumption, which is premised on the logic that imitated practices act directly to make the imitator more similar to its target. This logic is incomplete because imitation also acts indirectly—via its effect on an imitator's post‐imitation experiential learning efforts through which it refines imitated practices and fills remaining knowledge gaps. We examine how an imitator's focus of attention during this post‐imitation experiential learning process impacts performance heterogeneity. Employing a computational model, we contrast the heterogeneity resulting from imitative entry with that from de novo (non‐imitative) entry and identify conditions under which imitation may increase, rather than decrease, inter‐firm performance heterogeneity. Managerial Summary: Imitation is commonly assumed to be a low‐risk strategy by which firms can narrow the performance gap to the market leader. This assumption is predicated on an understanding of imitation that neglects the impact of imitation on subsequent, post‐imitation, learning. Such learning serves to refine the imitated practices and fill remaining knowledge gaps. Our theory suggests that imitation is more risky than is typically assumed. Imitation leads to bifurcated performance outcomes. An imitator is more likely to: (a) catch up to the market leader, and (b) perform far worse than it would have without imitation. Key factors driving the riskiness of imitation are the observability of the market leader's practices and an imitator's decision regarding its focus of attention in post‐imitation learning.
Overexpression of blaOXA-58 Gene Driven by ISAba3 Is Associated with Imipenem Resistance in a Clinical Acinetobacter baumannii Isolate from Vietnam

The aim of this study was to investigate genetic structures and expression of blaOXA-58 gene in five Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates recovered from two hospitals in southern Vietnam during 2012-2014. A. baumannii isolates were identified by automated microbiology systems and confirmed by PCR. All isolates were characterized as multidrug resistant by antimicrobials testing using the disk diffusion method. Four imipenem susceptible and one non-susceptible isolates (MIC > 32 μg.ml−1) were identified by E-test. PCR amplification of blaOXA-58 gene upstream and downstream sequences revealed the presence of ISAba3 at both locations in one multidrug resistant isolate. Semi quantitation of blaOXA-51 and blaOXA-58 gene expression was performed by the 2−ΔΔCt method. The blaOXA-51 gene expression of five isolates showed little difference but the isolate bearing ISAba3-blaOXA-58-ISAba3 exhibited significant higher blaOXA-58 mRNA level. Higher β-lactamases activity in periplasmic than cytoplasmic fraction was found in most isolates. The isolate overexpressing blaOXA-58 gene possessed very high periplasmic enzyme activity. In conclusion, the A. baumannii isolate bearing ISAba3-blaOXA-58 gene exhibited high resistance to imipenem, corresponding to an overexpression of blaOXA-58 gene and very high periplasmic β-lactamases activity.
Automatic and attentive processing of sounds in cochlear implant patients - electrophysiological evidence.

PURPOSE Processing auditory scenes requires the automatic detection of unexpected acoustic irregularities which allows to reorient the attentional focus for further in-depth analysis. Even if cochlea implants (CI) may partly restore hearing capabilities in patients suffering from profound peripheral deafness, CI users complain about difficulties in identifying novel and unexpected acoustic events. To assess whether this impairment is attributable to preattentive auditory deficits, impaired automatic orienting to novel events and/or to deficits in attentional processing we recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) in an auditory novelty oddball paradigm. METHODS ERPs were obtained in 7 postlingually deafened CI patients and their age-matched controls in passive and active listening conditions. Subjects had to press a button for infrequent novel sounds but not for frequent standard sounds in the active condition. RESULTS In the active condition patients and controls did not differ with regard to hit-rates and reaction times. ERPs to novel stimuli in the active condition were characterized by enhanced N2b and P3b components that did not differ between groups. By contrast, the P3a component to novel sounds in the passive condition, an index of automatic orienting of attention, was greatly attenuated in the CI users. CONCLUSIONS CI-users are impaired in the preattentive registration of novel auditory events while attentive processing of a designated auditory stream appears intact.