Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ERβ expression in normal, adenomatous and carcinomatous tissues of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis

Abstract Objectives. The APC gene mutation triggers familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and approximately 80% of sporadic colorectal cancers. FAP summarizes the natural history of colorectal cancer because low- and high-grade dysplastic lesions and adenocarcinoma are simultaneously present in the same patients free from individual and environmental variability factors. Estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) has recently been suggested as the most likely mediator of estrogen-related anti-carcinogenic effects in ApcMin−/+ mice and humans. In this study we assessed the ERβ expression in the intestinal mucosa of FAP patients to verify its possible involvement in tumor progression in colorectal cancer. Material and methods. ERβ and ERα expression, cell proliferation (Ki-67) and apoptosis (TUNEL), were evaluated on archival biopsy material from six patients with FAP who underwent colectomy. Results. A progressive significant decrease of ERβ expression was observed in the different stages of the disease as compared to normal mucosa (p < 0.001). Interestingly, a decreased ERβ expression was directly correlated with apoptosis (r = 0.76, p < 0.001), and inversely correlated with cell proliferation (r = 0.54, p < 0.05). Conclusions. ERβ expression is related to the severity of the disease, supporting the role of ERβ as a relevant biomarker of tumor progression and possible chemopreventive target in patients at risk of colonic neoplasia.
Left-shifted relation between calcium and parathyroid hormone in obesity.

BACKGROUND A condition resembling secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT), including raised levels of PTH and normal levels of serum calcium, has been reported in obesity. A plausible reason may be vitamin D deficiency, but conflicting data have been reported. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to investigate calcium homeostasis in obese individuals with emphasis on the function of the parathyroid glands. DESIGN AND INTERVENTION Morbidly obese patients (mean body mass index=46.6+/-6) were examined for their status of calcium homeostasis. A subset was thoroughly investigated with calcium-citrate (CiCa) clamping. PATIENTS Of 108 morbidly obese patients, 11 underwent CiCa clamping as well as 21 healthy volunteers of normal weight and 15 with primary HPT (pHPT). Large patient cohorts of normal individuals and pHPT patients were also used as comparisons. OUTCOME MEASURES AND RESULTS All obese individuals had normal serum calcium and creatinine levels. Mean levels of 25-OH-vitamin D3 in serum were low, 53 nmol/liter (reference range 75-250 nmol/liter). Mean intact plasma PTH was 5.1 pmol/liter (reference range 1.1-6.9 pmol/liter). There was a significant positive correlation between PTH and duration of obesity. CiCa clamping in obese subjects revealed a remarkably high sensitivity for calcium and a left-shifted relation between plasma calcium and PTH (set point) compared with the normal population. CiCa clamping in pHPT patients demonstrated a right-shifted PTH-Ca curve. CONCLUSION Although vitamin D levels in the obese individuals were low, few displayed overt signs of secondary HPT. The CiCa clamping implied a disturbance in the calcium homeostasis comparable to early renal insufficiency, with a left-shifted Ca-PTH curve and a lower set point compared with the normal population.
Environmental practice and performance of Chinese exporter firms : how does environmental knowledge integration matter?

Knowledge has been upheld as the key resource to create sustainable advantage in the strategic management field. In quest for sustainable performance, theorists in the environmental management domain advocate taking the learning route. However, the extant studies examined only the direct effect of environmental practices on a firm’s competitiveness and performance and hence ignored the intervening learning processes. Framed within the Resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, the current inquiry investigated into resource inputs as determinants accounting for a firm’s environmental knowledge integration, and competitive outcomes deriving out of such integration. While the RBV shed notable insights on the main effect of resources/capabilities on competitiveness that aims to justify environmental practices and related expenses from an economic perspective, the Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) introduced the intriguing notion that organizational strategies pertaining to sustainability may be determined by power dependency rather than by profits. The current inquiry extended the RBV by examining the moderating context of top-greenbuyer initiated communications on the linkage between environmental practices (resource) and environmental knowledge integration (capability). By examining how resource-based, dynamic capabilities, and relational views work together to address the key concerns of the firm’s customers as a major stakeholder and hence enhance its performance, and simultaneously studying direct, mediation and moderation effects among them, this study documents the combined effect of these factors in achieving international market performance. In short, this study makes a two-fold significant contribution to the strategic management literature by demonstrating the importance of firm-specific resources and relational capabilities in promoting firm performance.
DEPARTEMENT TOEGEPASTE ECONOMISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN

In this study we revisit the question of whether firms' performance (usually measured as return on assets or ROA) is driven primarily by industry- or firm-specific factors by extending past studies in two major ways. First, we examine if the findings of past research can be generalized across all firms in an industry or whether it depends on a particular class of firms within the same industry. Second, in a departure from past research, we use value-based measures of performance (economic profit or residual income and market-to-book value) instead of accounting ratios. We also use a new data set and a different statistical approach for testing the significance of the independent effects. Our study uncovers an important phenomenon that may in large part be responsible for the strong firm-effect reported in past studies. We show that a significant proportion of the absolute estimates of the variance of finn-specific factors in our study is due to the presence of a few exceptional firms in an industry: the two firms that outperform their industry and the two that under perform in comparison to the rest. In other words, only for a few dominant value creators (leaders) and destroyers (losers) do firm-specific assets matter more than industry factors. For most firms, i.e. for those that are not notable leaders or losers in their industry, the industry effect turns out to be more important for performance than firm-specific factors. A possible explanation of this phenomenon is that superior (or poor) management leads to superior (or poor) firm performance irrespective of industry structure, which matters only for firms "stuck in the middle", i.e. for firms with average managerial capabilities and performance. We also show that this phenomenon does not depend on the metrics used to measure performance. influence the relative importance of firm-specific and industry effects? And what is the relative magnitude of these effects for firms that are 'stuck in the middle'? make a rough attempt to identify an industry's value leaders and losers. Exact definitions of a value leader or loser are debatable, but our purpose here is to give some preliminary attention to the influence of such 'outliers' on firm-specific and industry effects, and to the importance of these effects on firms in the middle. The following procedure is used to identify value leaders and losers in industry. To be identified as a value leader in its industry a firm must meet two criteria.
A randomized trial evaluating a predominantly fetal growth-based strategy to guide management of gestational diabetes in Caucasian women.

OBJECTIVE To compare the management of Caucasian women with gestational diabetes (GDM) based predominantly on monthly fetal growth ultrasound examinations with an approach based solely on maternal glycemia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Women with GDM who attained fasting capillary glucose (FCG) <120 mg/dl and 2-h postprandial capillary glucose (2h-CG) <200 mg/dl after 1 week of diet were randomized to management based on maternal glycemia alone (standard) or glycemia plus ultrasound. In the standard group, insulin was initiated if FCG was repeatedly >90 mg/dl or 2h-CG was >120 mg/dl. In the ultrasound group, thresholds were 120 and 200 mg/dl, respectively, or a fetal abdominal circumference >75th percentile (AC>p75). Outcome criteria were rates of C-section, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants, neonatal hypoglycemia (<40 mg/dl), and neonatal care admission. RESULTS Maternal characteristics and fetal AC>p75 (36.0 vs. 38.4%) at entry did not differ between the standard (n = 100) and ultrasound groups (n = 99). Assignment to (30.0 vs. 40.4%) and mean duration of insulin treatment (8.3 vs. 8.1 weeks) did not differ between groups. In the ultrasound group, AC>p75 was the sole indication for insulin. The ultrasound-based strategy, as compared with the maternal glycemia-only strategy, resulted in a different treatment assignment in 34% of women. Rates of C-section (19.0 vs. 18.2%), LGA (10.0 vs. 12.1%), SGA (13.0 vs. 12.1%), hypoglycemia (16.0 vs. 17.0%), and admission (15.0 vs. 14.1%) did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS GDM management based on fetal growth combined with high glycemic criteria provides outcomes equivalent to management based on strict glycemic criteria alone. Inclusion of fetal growth might provide the opportunity to reduce glucose testing in low-risk pregnancies.
In-room technology trends and their implications for enhancing guest experiences and revenue

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a benchmark for hotel operators to understand in-room technology trends and the impact of in-room technology on business performance. Design/methodology/approach – The survey questions are based on existing literature and suggestions from the American Hotel and Lodging Association Technology and E-commerce Committee. The authors collected 206 usable samples from managers, vice presidents, presidents, owners and executives from hotel companies and utilized cross-tab analysis and multiple regression analysis. Findings – The results demonstrate that installing specific in-room technologies can have a significant effect on enhancing the customer experience and increasing revenue. The study also presents the most commonly installed in-room technologies those hoteliers plan to install in the near future. Research limitations/implications – Proper strategies are recommended to help hospitality managers understand the impact of different in-room technologies on th.
Factors Influencing the Adoption and Usage of Online Services in Saudi Arabia

Advances in electronic service technology have created great opportunities as well as threats to organizations in various business and services sectors. As such businesses, either willingly or reluctantly, are increasingly embracing the Internet as distribution channel in order to remain competitive or gain market share. With particular reference to e‐services, absence of accurate information on factors that have influenced users’ behaviour to adopt or use e‐services could mislead an organization into adopting unhelpful solutions as it strives to accelerate the implementation of e‐services. This study, based on the diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory leveraged into the online environment, investigates factors that influence adoption and usage of e‐service, especially, in Saudi Arabia. Factors were empirically tested against data collected from 651 participants using survey questionnaires. Perceived Complexity was found to be the most significantly related factor affecting e‐service adoption in Saudi Arabia, followed in turn by Privacy and Compatibility. Quality of the Internet and its relative advantage also had a notable affect on e‐service usage and adoption in Saudi Arabia.
Antecedents and Consequences of Information Technology Usage in NPD: A Comparison of Dutch and U.S. Companies

This study examines information technology (IT) usage for new product development (NPD) in a global context. Specifically, this research seeks to ascertain the factors that influence IT usage and the relationship between IT usage and new product performance in two different countries—the United States and the Netherlands. The interest here is in discovering if, and how, these relationships may be different depending on the country within which the NPD effort is undertaken. Employing a mail survey methodology, the present study uses data from a sample of U.S. practitioner members from the Product Development & Management Association (PDMA) and new product managers from Dutch manufacturing companies to examine the effect of IT infrastructure, IT embeddedness, NPD process formalization, colocation, outsourcing of NPD projects, and length of time on the job on the extent of IT usage. The data are also used to explore the impact of IT usage on speed to market and market performance. The results indicate that IT embeddedness and NPD process formalization positively influence IT usage in both the United States and the Netherlands. Colocation and length of time on the job are negatively associated with IT usage only in Dutch firms. Similarly, outsourcing of NPD projects is positively related to IT usage only in U.S. firms. Finally, IT usage has a positive relationship with speed to market in the Netherlands and with market performance in the United States. An important implication of the present study is that IT usage does impact speed to market and market performance, confirming anecdotal evidence. However, these relationships are not the same in each country. Moreover, the antecedents to IT usage also vary by country. Thus, the precursors and consequences of IT usage in NPD are context specific. Another implication of this research is that unless IT is embedded into the NPD process, it is unlikely that the benefits of IT will come to fruition. Finally, this study suggests that as firms use more globally dispersed teams for NPD and outsource more of their development activities, IT usage is likely to increase to facilitate communication and cooperation.
Comparing Japanese Versus U.S. Decision Making in Corporate Governance

This study examines how widespread the similarities between U.S. and Japanese corporate governance practices have become. Results suggest that, in spite of convergence in many areas of business practices, Japanese board structures and governance practices still differ greatly from those in the United States – particularly in SEC-mandated reforms such as independent audit and compensation committees. Our results suggest that findings concerning corporate governance differences between Japanese and U.S. firms may be driven, in part, by differences in directors’ recognition of investors’ performance expectations. In particular, our results indicate that the exit barriers related to employment impact decision-making for Japanese directors more strongly than they affect U.S. directors’ decisions.
Environment--strategy coalignment: an empirical test of its performance implications

The positive performance impact of a coalignment between the environment and strategy of a business is an important theoretical proposition in strategic management. In spite of its importance and intuitive appeal, the extent of empirical support is equivocal and riddled with problems of conceptualizing and testing for coalignment. This paper evaluates alternate approaches to testing such a proposition and argues in favor of specifying coalignment as ‘profile deviation’, which states that coalignment is the degree to which strategic resource deployments adhere to an ‘ideal profile’ for a given environment. Subsequently, this proposition is tested across two time periods, and eight distinct environments in two different samples drawn from the PIMS data base. Results, which were generally robust across the two periods, strongly support the proposition of a positive performance impact of environment‐strategy coalignment. Implications and research directions are developed.
Themolecular basis ofI thalassaemia inBulgaria

SUMMARY Bulgaria isina geographical areawhere thalassaemia isrelatively common. The frequency ofcarriers is2to3% ofthepopulation. Dataon themolecular characteristics ofthe disorder were obtained fromthestudy of33homozygous patients and57 thalassaemia carriers. Asinother Mediterranean ethnic groups,haplotype Iandthesplicing mutation inIVS-1nt110 arethemostcommon. Haplotype V issecond infrequency andisassociated withthree different mutations. Thesecond mostcommon mutation, (3039, isfound inassociation withhaplotype II in 80%ofcases.A rarehaplotype, possibly resulting fromacrossoverbetween ahaplotype II anda haplotype V chromosome, was foundintwothalassaemia carriers inassociation withframeshift 6. Altogether fourmutations (IVS-1 nt110,(339, frameshift 6,andIVS-1nt6)account for67% ofthethalassaemia chromosomes. Theirdetection wouldpermit direct fetal DNA analysis in 84%ofthefamilies studied (45%fully informative). RFLPanalysis (haplotype plus AvaIlV,P) is 100%informative in79% ofthehighriskfamilies.
CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF SQUID PEN DERIVED CHITOSAN SCAFFOLD FOR CORNEAL TISSUE

The field of corneal tissue engineering has made many strides in recent years. Tissue-engineered corneal scaffolds could provide significant benefits as an alternative to donated corneas. The novelty of the study lies in the development of scaffold from pen of Indian squid (Loligo duvauceli), for corneal tissue engineering. Squid pens are the waste products of food processing industry and this study explored a single-step method for isolation of chitosan from squid pens. Chitosan and chitosan scaffolds were characterized for their physico-chemical, mechanical and biological properties. Infra-red analysis revealed 80% degree of deacetylation, scanning electron microscopic studies elucidated smooth surface morphology of transparent chitosan scaffold, with required tensile strength. Optical clarity of chitosan scaffold ranged between 80-88% and it supported the growth of human corneal epithelial cell line. This chitosan scaffold with good transparency, biocompatibility and mechanical properties could be a promising material for corneal tissue engineering applications. This study also unveils an economically feasible technology for the conversion of waste into wealth.
LINKAGE BETWEEN PERFORMANCE-BASED PAY AND ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Employees are the backbone of any organization. Organizational growth and sustain- ability highly depend on the quality of performance of employees with the overall performance of the organization. Compensation is the largest single cost in most organizations. Hence the extent to which these resources are allocated effectively is likely to have a major beneficial impact on organizational performance. Paying unproductive employees can bring down the bottom line in a small business. Making their compensation contingent on their performance can help to ensure that each employee contributes his best effort. Compensating them according to the performance of the organization as a whole can motivate strong teamwork. Even though, there are so many stud- ies related to the performance-based pay and organizational performance, only limited studies are at the national level. Hence, the present study has made an attempt to fill up the research gap and conducted among 200 IT companies at Chennai. The objectives of the study are confined to test the validity of measurement of implementation of Performance Based Pay (PBP) at the corporates and to evaluate the impact of PBP on organizational performance of the corporates. This study concludes that performance management system and compensation system must objectively link the individual level performance of employees with the overall performance of the organization.
Associating the motivation with the practices of firms going green: the moderator role of environmental uncertainty

This study aims to explore the moderation effect of environment uncertainties (supply, competition and demand) in the relationship between a firm’s drivers (internal and external) and practices (purchasing, design and manufacturing, logistics and internal management) when going green. ,The questionnaire survey was utilized in this study. The survey was distributed to 981 electronic manufacturing companies, with 174 valid responses collected (a response rate of 17.74 per cent). Confirmatory factor analysis and regression models were then conducted to test the result. ,The result indicates that both the internal and external drivers have significant influence on the adoption of green-related practices when firms go green. It is further confirmed that the practice of green purchasing is significantly influenced by the moderator of environmental uncertainty. Moreover, supply uncertainty has the most significant influence on numerous green practices, such as green purchasing, internal management and green logistics. ,This paper measures the drivers, practices and environmental uncertainty of firms going green from multiple perspectives. It provides guidance to practitioners on how to choose appropriate practices in accordance with the uncertainties they are facing.
Investigating the Factors Influencing Digital Movie Piracy

ABSTRACT This article closes a theoretical gap in the literature by incorporating neutralization theory, mere exposure effect, self-control theory, and the theory of planned behavior to investigate social and personal factors influencing the downloading of pirated digital movies. Research was conducted using convenience sampling in a large university in Western Australia. Data were analyzed using regression models. Habitual conduct, affect, and facilitating conditions have significant influence upon attitudes toward downloading pirated movies; conversely, self-efficacy, moral judgement, and social factors do not. In addition, attitudes toward downloading pirated movies have a significant influence upon the intention to download pirated movies. It was also found that internet usage, internet time spent and internet speed do not moderate the relationship between attitudes and intention to download pirated movies. Managers, marketers and policymakers must collaborate aggressively to combat movie piracy. Marketers and policymakers can start by creating awareness campaigns to invoke the guilt factor and provide another, cheaper alternative on the internet. In addition, the punishment should be harsher and anti-piracy agencies should be more aggressive in catching all illegal downloaders by tracking their IP addresses from the internet provider that they used.