Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Whiteness, ethnic minorities and advertising in travel brochures

Whiteness theory is used in this paper as an additional way to analyse ethnic minority portrayal in advertising, specifically, the extent to which images of ethnic minorities are dominated by whiteness in travel brochures. A sample of 37 brochures are examined from British tour operators. Culture-based differences in advertising are discussed with a specific focus on how advertising constructs the image of ethnic minorities of peoples of South Asian, Afro-Caribbean and Mixed Race as tourists, workers and local people. We consider the frequency of portrayals of the different racial groups, together with observations about gender, family and social contexts and interaction with whites. The findings show that the portrayal of non-white people is relatively rare and highly constrained.
Impact of Bt cotton on farmer livelihoods in South Africa

The economic benefits of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in developing countries have been well documented, but little research has been undertaken to date on the impacts of GM adoption on household livelihoods. The research reported here aimed to assess the livelihood impacts of the adoption of Bt cotton in South Africa. , and involved 100 interviews of resource-poor farmers growing Bt cotton in Makhathini Flats, South Africa. Some 88% of respondents reported a higher income from Bt compared to non-Bt varieties previously grown by them, and this higher income was used primarily for greater education of their children (76%), more investment in growing cotton (46%), repaying debt (28%), investment in other crops (20%) and spending money on themselves. Some 89% had increased their asset base due to Bt cotton, primarily by increasing their cultivable land. These benefits of Bt adoption appeared widespread regardless of gender or farm size.
Foreign Direct Investment Spillovers and the Geography of Innovation in Chinese Regions: The Role of Regional Industrial Specialization and Diversity

Wang Y. , Ning L. , Li J. and Prevezer M. Foreign direct investment spillovers and the geography of innovation in Chinese regions: the role of regional industrial specialization and diversity, Regional Studies. Foreign direct investment (FDI) brings technology spillovers, but little is known about the interactive effects of industrial structure at the regional level on how FDI works to bring spillovers. This paper brings together technological spillovers from FDI with impacts on regional innovation through industrial structure. This is important for China as a recipient of FDI which is both regionally skewed and unevenly distributed. Results indicate that inward FDI has positive effects on regional innovation, but that industrial specialization diminishes the positive effects of FDI whilst a more diversified industrial structure enhances spillovers from inward FDI.
A forest geometric description of a maritime pine forest suitable for discrete microwave models

In the microwave region, discrete physical models are often used to simulate surface emission and backscattering of forests. These models require detailed information on the geometry of the forest constituents, typically represented by canonical shapes. This paper presents a forest geometric description (FGD) of a Maritime pine tree forest (Pinus pinaster A/spl inodot//spl uml/t) suitable for discrete models at low microwave frequencies. The FGD contains a number of allometric equations developed from the analysis of a very large set of ground-based measurements of the forest structure. These allometric equations reproduce the density, shape, and dimension of branches, trunks, and needles, represented by cylinders in the FGD. An original approach to describe the tree architecture is presented: primary branches (branches inserted in the trunk) are split into segments or growth units (GUs) so that the full branch curvature can be accounted for, and probability distribution functions are given for the orientation and diameter of the GUs. The FGD uses only two variables, tree density (number of trees per ha) and tree age, as input information to simulate the forest geometric characteristics at three layers: the upper crown, the lower crown, and a crown-free layer. Input parameters to compute the dielectric constant of the forest constituents are also given.
Regulation of gating by negative charges in the cytoplasmic pore in the Kir2.1 channel

Inward rectifier K+ channels commonly exhibit long openings (slow gating) punctuated by rapid open–close transitions (fast gating), suggesting that two separate gates may control channel open–closed transitions. Previous studies have suggested possible gate locations at the selectivity filter and at the ‘bundle crossing’, where the two transmembrane segments (M1 and M2) cross near the cytoplasmic end of the pore. Wild‐type Kir2.1 channels exhibit only slow gating, but mutations in the cytoplasmic pore domain at E224 and E299 have been shown to induce fast flickery gating. Since these mutations also affect polyamine affinity, we conjectured that the fast gating mechanism might affect the kinetics of polyamine block/unblock if located more intracellularly than the polyamine blocking site in the pore. Neutralization of either E224 or E299 induced fast gating and slowed both block and unblock rates by the polyamine diamine 10. The slowing of polyamine block/unblock was partly relieved by raising pH from 7.2 to 9.0, which also slowed fast gating kinetics. These findings indicate that the fast flickery gate is located intracellularly with respect to the polyamine pore‐plugging site near D172, thereby excluding the selectivity filter, and implicating the bundle crossing or more intracellular site as the gate. As additional proof, fast gating induced at the selectivity filter by disrupting P loop salt bridges in WT‐E138D–E138D‐WT tandem had no effect on polyamine block and unblock rates. The pH sensitivity of fast gating in E224 and E299 mutants was attributed to the protonation state of H226, since the double mutant E224Q/H226K induced fast gating which was pH insensitive. Moreover, introducing a negative charge in the 224–226 region was sufficient to prevent fast gating, since the double mutant E224Q/H226E rescued wild‐type Kir2.1 slow gating. These observations implicate E224 and E299 as allosteric modulators of a fast gate, located at the bundle crossing or below in Kir2.1 channels. By suppressing fast gating, these negative charges facilitate polyamine block and unblock, which may be their physiologically important role.
The role of the board in IT governance: current and desired oversight practices

The purpose of this study was to investigate the questions that boards of directors ask as they go about fulfilling their governance responsibilities regarding their organisation's IT operations. The research uses the 27 IT governance questions proposed by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and investigates their deployment and perceived importance by directors representing 107 Canadian boards. The research finds that not all IT governance questions are considered equal. Moreover, the relationship between the frequency with which the various questions are asked and their perceived importance is not perfect. However, there appears to be a significantly positive relationship between the number of IT questions asked and the authors' measures of firm performance. The paper speculates on the possible reasons for these findings and proposes additional avenues for research.
Who leads, who follows? Re-examining the party–electorate linkages on European integration

This article re-examines and evaluates the link between electorates' opinions and national political parties' positions on European integration, i.e. the extent to which political parties lead and/or follow public opinion on this issue. Applying a method for causal modelling (Granger causality tests) to panel data concerning political parties' positions and voters' opinions in 15 countries from 1973 to 2003, I find (contrary to previous investigations of this relationship) that there is little empirical support for an electoral connection or reciprocal causation between party positions and electorates' opinion regarding European integration. Parties have an influence on voter opinions, but are at the same time unresponsive to changes in voter opinion.
The differentiation of 'emerging' equity markets

We argue that 'emerging' security markets, as defined by IFC, have characteristics differentiated from their counterparts in industrialized nations not only due to differential levels of economic development, but also because their origins are more recent. Consequently, the institutional infrastructure comprising a broad legal framework recognizing property rights, disclosure requirements, accounting practices conforming to international standards, supervision and regulation of these markets, may be inadequate or even absent in 'emerging' markets. Our study develops a positive (descriptive) framework of the qualitative (institutional infrastructure) and quantitative features that classifies and predicts the relative development of securities markets across countries. Discriminant and logit analyses using IFC data indicate that the 'emerging' equity markets as a class are dissimilar from 'developed' markets. These findings lend support to the premise that the two sets of markets are segmented. There is weak evidence of convergence in the characteristics of the two sets of markets. However, it is expected that as the institutional infrastructures in 'emerging' markets improve, there will be stronger evidence of the trend towards convergence in these markets.
The Structure of Decision Rights in Franchising Networks: A Property Rights Perspective

This paper explains the structure of decision rights in franchising networks using property rights theory. Property rights theory explains the allocation of decision rights based on the importance of intangible assets. We submit that franchisees’ fraction of decision rights varies positively with the contractibility of local market assets and negatively with contractibility of system–specific assets. Further, franchisees’ less contractible innovation assets impact decision rights allocations more than contractible operation assets. Hypotheses tested on data from German franchisors are largely supportive. We extend the franchise literature by arguing that the contractibility of local market assets impacts the allocation of decision rights, and that decision rights allocations change for decisions involving different areas of the value chain.
Migration and the Option Value of Waiting

Migration is an investment: it involves fixed, unrecoverable costs and uncertain future returns. If migration can be postponed, the option value of doing so may have positive value. Migration may not occur for a range of individuals who would otherwise migrate on a net present value basis. This paper models the migration decision using ideas developed by Pindyck (1991) and Dixit (1992). The option value of waiting is related to the interest rate, fixed costs, and especially uncertainty governing the evolution of income at home and abroad. The `bad news principle' predicts that only unfavourable states of the world will affect the value of the migration option. In a rational intertemporal equilibrium of two regional labour markets, low migration rates may coexist with large or even increasing current wage differentials.
Immunohistochemical study of vascular injury in acute multiple sclerosis.

AIMS--To examine the vascular changes occurring in three archival cases of acute multiple sclerosis, and to provide immunohistochemical evidence of early endothelial cell activation and vascular occlusion in this condition. METHODS--Central nervous system tissues from three cases of acute active multiple sclerosis and six non-inflammatory controls were stained using the following methods: haematoxylin and eosin, Luxol fast blue, cresyl violet, Bielschowsky's silver, and reticulin. Tissues were also immunostained with specific antibodies against collagen type IV, factor XIIIa, class II antigens, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and fibrinogen. RESULTS--Early vascular endothelial cell activation which may progress to vasculitis and vascular occlusion including class II antigen expression and fibrin deposition were identified. The vascular changes were seen prior to cerebral parenchymal reaction and demyelination, and were not seen in control cerebral tissues. CONCLUSION--It is proposed that vascular endothelial cell activation may be an early and pivotal event in the evolution of multiple sclerosis, and that demyelination may have an ischaemic basis in this condition. The vascular endothelium may contain an early element in the evolution of multiple sclerosis.
Subjects and themes in the secondary‐school curriculum

Abstract Although the 1988 Education Reform Act legislated for a National Curriculum for England and Wales defined in subject terms, the National Curriculum Council suggested that schools should also concern themselves with a number of cross‐curricular elements. It offered non‐statutory guidance on the implementation of five cross‐curricular themes ‐‐ economic and industrial understanding, careers education and guidance, health education, citizenship (community understanding in Wales) and environmental education. In Northern Ireland, six similar educational themes were specified in the 1989 Education Reform Order. This paper reports on a study of the implementation of these cross‐curricular themes in secondary schools in England and Wales and in post‐primary schools in Northern Ireland. It draws upon a postal survey of these schools and intensive fieldwork in a subsample of ten schools. It identifies differences in the ways in which the various themes have been implemented and suggests that those themes t.
RAR and RXR expression by Kupffer cells.

Retinoids are known to modulate macrophage differentiation, proliferation, and function including cytokine gene expression. However, signaling of retinoic acid (RA), a biologically active metabolite of vitamin A, in Kupffer cells has not been characterized. This study reports mRNA expression by rat Kupffer cells of RA receptor (RAR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) subtypes and their binding activities to the RA responsive element (RARE) or retinoid X responsive element (RXRE). Total RNA and nuclear proteins were extracted from Kupffer cells immediately following isolation from livers of normal male Wistar rats. Competitive PCR demonstrated relative mRNA expression of RAR and RXR subtypes in the order of beta>alpha>gamma for and alpha>beta>gamma, respectively. It also demonstrated that the RXR alpha and beta mRNA levels were 5- to 10-fold higher in Kupffer cells than in hepatic stellate cells while RAR mRNA expression was shown to be similar for all the subtypes in both cell types. Gel mobility shift assays of nuclear extracts with labeled RARE and RXRE probes showed distinct binding activities for both responsive elements, which were effectively displaced with cold probes in excess but not with an unrelated oligonucleotide. A supershift assay with an antibody against RARalpha or RXRalpha has confirmed the contribution of both receptors to RARE binding and that of the RXRalpha to RXRE binding activity. These results represent the first demonstration of RA signaling at the nuclear level in Kupffer cells.
Analysis of integrated management systems from various perspectives

This article compiles the main topics addressed by management systems (MSs) literature concerning MSs integration by performing a systematic literature review. In this paper, it is intended to present the main limitations of non-integrated management systems (IMSs), the main motivations driving an IMS implementation, the major resistances faced, the most common resultant benefits, the suitable guidelines and standards and the critical success factors. In addition, this paper addresses the issues concerning integration strategies and models, the integration levels or degrees achieved by an IMS and the audit function in an integrated context. The motivations that drive companies to integrate their management subsystems, the obstacles faced and the benefits collected may have internal or external origins. The publishing of standards guiding companies on how to integrate their management subsystems has been done mainly at a national level. There are several models that could be used in order to support companies in their management subsystems integration processes, and a sequential or an all-in strategy may be adopted. Four audit typologies can be distinguished, and the adoption of any of these typologies should consider resource availability and audit team know-how, among other features.
Governing the Ungovernable

Lifelong learning occupies a leading place in policy discourse, but specific measures of any substance are relatively rare. The article argues thatthis is not simply a product of political bad faith, a lack of resources, or the weak lobbying power of the relevant vested interests. It is also associated with the nature of lifelong learning as a policy issue, aggravated by changes in the nature of government. Lifelong learning is an amorphous phenomenon which relies upon the behaviour of a range of actors, and not solely or even primarily that of governments. In so far as it involves governments, unlike schools or higher education, it is diffused across a range of policy areas with different ministerial structures and interests. Shifts away from welfarist models of service provision particularly affect areas suchas lifelong learning, which are defined by the requirement for active engagement with and of citizens and other non-governmental actors. As a result, policy initiatives have usually been limited to prolongation of initial education or reform of vocational training. This has serious consequences for those involved in managing and delivering learning programmes.
Aggregation and the Role of Trusted Third Parties in SME E-Business Engagement

It is against the background of low engagement by SMEs in e-business that this article seeks to highlight the potential importance of aggregation and of the role of trusted third parties in facilitating higher levels of involvement. The article is based on an ongoing SME e-business research programme and reports on some recent research on SMEs that were using high complexity e-business applications; it explores the extent to which the research findings could address the core concern of low engagement. This qualitative case study based research includes analysis of data collected from 13 community intermediaries, acting as trusted third parties. It concludes that the role of community intermediaries appears to be central to the adoption of critical e-aggregation applications provided by service providers. For policymakers, this important role of critical e-aggregation applications in facilitating e-business engagement by SMEs has emerged as part of this research but there is limited evidence of policy initiatives that reflect this.
Institutional experience on the treatment of lung and liver lesions with stereotactic body radiotherapy and Novalis Exactrac Adaptive Gating technique.

Introduction Gating technique can improve the accuracy of the treatment of lung and liver lesions with SBRT, by monitoring organ tumor motion and irradiating within a selected area of the respiratory cycle. Methods We have treated 75 patients (34 lung and 41 liver) with Novalis LINAC SBRT Adaptive Gating Technique. A total of 130 lesions, 49 lung lesions (11 primary NSCLC and 38 metastases) and 81 liver lesions (10 primary and 71 metastases). Prior to treatment, a fiducial marker is implanted and CT simulation is performed in breatholding with infrared external skin markers. Based on these external markers, internal tumor motion is correlated with the external respiratory signal. The outlined PTV includes (CTV=GTV) + 5 mm margin. The following doses are prescribed: liver (5Gy x 10 or 12-20Gy x 3), peripheral lung lesions (15-20 Gy x 3), and central lung lesions (5Gy x 10 or 10 Gy x5). The dose was delivered with multiple coplanar static beams. During patient setup, infrared markers track the respiratory cycle. Exactrac X-Rays localize the internal marker, quantify the tumor movement, and define the "beam on area" by correlating the external marker motion to the internal marker position. Intrafraction verification of the validity of this model is performed in real time by ExacTrac X-Rays. Results 130 lesions were evaluated with 90.5% local control at two years [93.8% in lung and 87.3% in liver lesions]. Clinical tolerance was excellent and no lung or liver toxicity grade 3 was observed. Conclusion Our clinical experience with Novalis SBRT Adaptive Gating shows that this technique is safe and efficient for the treatment of lung and liver lesions, while reducing the volume of irradiated healthy tissue. Intrafraction verification improves the treatment accuracy by a real time verification of tumor position.
Local Building Materials: a Tool Towards Effective Low-Income Housing in Nigeria

2 Abstract: Shelter is primary to human existence. It has been rightly adjudged second to food in the hierarchy of human needs. Its inadequacies pose a great challenge in human well-being and it requires thorough research on housing delivery in Nigeria for effective housing. The housing inadequacy propelled most of the low income earners indulged acquiring land and constructing their desired houses. Thus, the challenges of housing affordability persisted. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the factors that responsible for the persistent housing inadequacy and unaffordability among the lower income earners. Thus, structured questionnaires were distributed to 97 randomly selected low income earners across the working sectors in Akure in Ondo State. The data collated were analyzed with SPSS. It was observed from the findings that despite government, public and private individual involvement in promoting and meeting the need of low-income earners housing problems in Nigeria, the input are with high technology and imported materials that make the cost of the housing delivery higher and unaffordable for the lower class. This paper thus, canvases the improvement and adoption of local building materials for effective housing for the low income class.