Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Best practices in white-collar downsizing: managing contradictions

Executive Overview It is no secret that U.S. industry, once the most productive in the world, is now lagging behind its global competitors. What is not well known is that blue-collar productivity is not necessarily the problem. Between 1978 and 1986, for example, the number of production workers declilned by six percent while real output rose 15 percent. White-collar productivity decreased six percent while the number of workers increased by twenty-one percent. Downsizing, which involves reducing the workforce, but also eliminates functions and redesigns systems and policies to contain costs, is becoming more common in U.S. companies. Despite its pervasiveness, however, downsizing has rarely been investigated by organization and management researchers. This article seeks to identify the processes used in effective downsizing as well as the consequences that result. The authors studied organizational downsizing and redesign for four years in thirty organizations in the automobile industry. Six general stra.
Governance of Foreign Affiliates as a Distinctive Choice between Networks, Market and Hierarchy

I argue that distinctive attributes of foreign affiliates, arising from their foreignness and multinationality, affect their choices between networks, market, and hierarchy as alternative modes of governance. Comparative analyses of 193 foreign and local professional services firms in London confirm these theoretical expectations. Market relationships are the preferred mode of foreign affiliates, challenging the view of the MNEs hierarchy as a major source of resources of affiliates. I outline direction for future research that follows from this study, including further inquiry into the distinctiveness of the MNE and the study of international activities of professional services firms.
Minimal Contribution of Vα14 Natural Killer T Cells to Th1 Response and Host Resistance against Mycobacterial Infection in Mice

We elucidated the contribution of Vα14 NKT cells to Th1 response and host resistance against mycobacterial infection. In Vα14 NKT cell‐deficient mice, host defense and DTH response to Mycobacterium bovis BCG were not different from wild‐type mice after pulmonary infection. There was no significant difference in the lung concentrations of IFN‐γ between the two strains of mice. In addition, host defense to systemic infection with M. tuberculosis was similar to that of M. bovis. Our results indicate that Vα14 NKT cells play only a marginal role, if any, in the Th1 response and host resistance to mycobacterial infection.
Judging a Magazine by Its Advertising

ABSTRACT This article explores how changes in advertising content can lead to different perceptions of a media vehicle. In two experimental studies, the advertising content of a magazine is manipulated in terms of being high-end-versus-low-end, for high-versus-low reputation brands, and high-versus-low execution quality. The results show how the advertising content can be either beneficial or detrimental for magazine perceptions. By looking at the influence of advertising content—rather than advertising quantity—the studies complement advertising-clutter research and point to different ways in which media owners can manage their advertising content.
The Value of Ensari's Proposal in Evaluating the Mucosal Pathology of Childhood Celiac Disease: Old Classification versus New Version.

OBJECTIVE Small intestinal biopsy remains the gold standard in diagnosing celiac disease (CD); however, the wide spectrum of histopathological states and differential diagnosis of CD is still a diagnostic problem for pathologists. Recently, Ensari reviewed the literature and proposed an update of the histopathological diagnosis and classification for CD. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, the histopathological materials of 54 children in whom CD was diagnosed at our hospital were reviewed to compare the previous Marsh and Modified Marsh-Oberhuber classifications with this new proposal. RESULTS In this study, we show that the Ensari classification is as accurate as the Marsh and Modified Marsh classifications in describing the consecutive states of mucosal damage seen in CD. CONCLUSIONS Ensari's classification is simple, practical and facilitative in diagnosing and subtyping of mucosal pathology of CD.
When normal scores don’t equate to independence: Recalibrating ratings of neurobehavioural disability from the ‘St Andrew’s – Swansea Neurobehavioural Outcome Scale’ to reflect context-dependent support

ABSTRACT Primary objective: Context is critical to the interpretation of measurement instruments that capture acquired brain injury (ABI) outcomes. Ratings reflect behaviours and abilities observed in a particular setting; it cannot be assumed that results are generalizable beyond these. This study explored the utility of a method to convey the impact of context-dependent support given on ratings of neurobehavioural disability (NBD) using the St Andrews-Swansea Neurobehavioural Outcome Scale (SASNOS). Methods and procedures: A supplementary SASNOS scoring system was developed using a mixed-methods approach. Dependency ratings were used to recalibrate standardised SASNOS scores to reflect support received. To aid interpretation, an expert panel reviewed SASNOS ratings for 50 ABI cases participating in residential neurobehavioural rehabilitation programmes. An end-user survey was undertaken to explore some of its psychometric properties. Finally, a representative case study was employed to illustrate its clinical utility. Main outcomes: The expert panel identified three dependency profiles: (1) Normal/Independent; (2) Normal/Dependent; and (3) Abnormal/Review. Survey results supported face and construct validity of the supplementary system; the case study demonstrated benefits of discriminating between dependency profiles. Conclusions: The supplementary scoring system enables SASNOS to convey the impact of support received on ratings of NBD, solidifying its usefulness for measuring outcomes in rehabilitation.
Providing a method for composing modular B2B services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a method that allows the decollating of formerly monolithic services into separate modules. To provide a semantically equivalent decomposed model, structure and dependencies need to be defined. This fine‐grained image of the service allows an easier configuration and optimisation of single service modules and the service portfolio as a whole.Design/methodology/approach – As an initial point of the work the authors conducted an extensive literature review, transferring insights from other domains that already make use of modularisation, such as industrial engineering and software engineering. The method developed on that basis was evaluated consecutively in use cases conducted with three companies.Findings – As research in the fields of industrial and software engineering has shown, modularisation is a suitable approach for handling complexity. In this paper approaches and concepts of modularisation in industrial and software engineering were identified, ad.
Discriminating affective states in music induction environment using forehead bioelectric signals

Forehead bioelectric signals are reliable and rich communication channels for emotion recognition in cognitive studies. In this paper, we explored the effects of two different music induction environments on multichannel forehead bioelectric signals. Pleasant and irritating emotions were induced by playing two different types of music that had different specifications according to the Arousal-Valence emotional space. Simultaneously, the bioelectric signals from three physical channels were recorded and filtered to extract entropy of Alpha and EMG sub-bands over 256msec time slots. By analyzing results using the Wilcoxon test, it was shown that Alpha and EMG sub-bands are significant data channels for emotion discrimination.
Corporate Social Responsibility And The Quality Of Executive Compensation Disclosures

This paper examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility and executive compensation disclosure quality. We test whether socially responsible firms disclose more transparent and detailed information about their executive compensation packages than firms that are less committed to social responsibility initiatives. Using a sample of 187 publicly listed Canadian firms, we find a positive relation between CSR and executive compensation disclosure quality. We also document a positive (negative) association between firm size (ownership concentration) and executive compensation disclosure. These findings support the conclusion that increased disclosure transparency reflects a company’s social engagement towards its stakeholders.
Inclusive Recreation: The State of Campus Policies, Facilities, Trainings, and Programs for Transgender Participants

This study served to examine the environment for transgender participants in campus recreation. Research questions examined 1) policies, 2) facilities, 3) programs, 4) trainings in place at recreation centers to create an inclusive environment for transgender participants, and 5) how departments assess their transgender-inclusive practices. Findings indicate the majority (79%, n = 123) of institutions do not have policies related to transgender participants. Sixty-three percent of responding schools have gender-inclusive bathrooms while 44% have similar locker rooms. Over half (57%) collaborate with diversity offices for staff training with only 13% of those schools (n = 18) providing transgender-specific trainings. Finally, despite only 21% of respondents having transgender policies in place, the majority of respondents (79%) moderately or strongly agreed their department's mission, vision, or values addressed diversity in some manner and disagreed that their departments had shown resistance to implementing transgender policies.
Open source 3-D printed nutating mixer

As the open source development of additive manufacturing has led to low-cost desktop three-dimensional (3-D) printing, a number of scientists throughout the world have begun to share digital designs of free and open source scientific hardware. Open source scientific hardware enables custom experimentation, laboratory control, rapid upgrading, transparent maintenance, and lower costs in general. To aid in this trend, this study describes the development, design, assembly, and operation of a 3-D printable open source desktop nutating mixer, which provides a fixed 20° platform tilt angle for a gentle three-dimensional (gyrating) agitation of chemical or biological samples (e.g., DNA or blood samples) without foam formation. The custom components for the nutating mixer are designed using open source FreeCAD software to enable customization. All of the non-readily available components can be fabricated with a low-cost RepRap 3-D printer using an open source software tool chain from common thermoplastics. All of the designs are open sourced and can be configured to add more functionality to the equipment in the future. It is relatively easy to assemble and is accessible to both the science education of younger students as well as state-of-the-art research laboratories. Overall, the open source nutating mixer can be fabricated with US$37 in parts, which is 1/10th of the cost of proprietary nutating mixers with similar capabilities. The open source nature of the device allow it to be easily repaired or upgraded with digital files, as well as to accommodate custom sample sizes and mixing velocities with minimal additional costs.
Credit Supply During a Sovereign Crisis

We study the eect of the European sovereign debt crisis on the lending activity of foreign and domestic banks operating in Italy, in terms of both credit granted and interest rates charged. Using a sample of over 2 million bank-…rm relationships between December 2010 and December 2011 from the Italian Credit Register, we …nd that foreign banks tightened their supply of credit less than Italian banks: lending by foreign banks grew by about 2 percentage points more, and the interest rate they charged was 20 basis points lower than Italian banks. We also provide evidence on the transmission channels by including bank balance sheet characteristics in our regressions. Finally, we study the extensive margin of credit by analyzing banks' propensity to terminate an existing relationship and to accept a loan application. We estimate all models on a sample of …rms borrowing from at least two banks and we include …rm*period …xed eects in all regressions, thus controlling for all …rm unobserved heterogeneity.
The Development of Cooperatives and Other Rural Organizations: The Role of the World Bank

Formal cooperatives were first introduced in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by colonial governments, often for the purpose of promoting production of cash crops by peasant farmers. After independence, many SSA governments adopted policies that further accentuated the role of cooperatives and other rural organizations in the agricultural sector. They became important channels for government-sponsored credit input supply and marketing programs, and often had to operate under close guidance and control by the state. This study shows that past efforts by governments to promote efficient and sustainable rural organizations have been constrained by inappropriate policies. Extensive government intervention has tended to reduce member participation and has militated against the objective of building self-sustaining organizations. Regulations of prices and markets have frequently prevented rural organizations from becoming commercially and financially viable. Based on an analysis of cooperatives and other farmer organizations in several SSA countries, great emphasis is put on the need for policy reforms to facilitate the development of sustainable rural organizations. In order to make cooperatives effective private sector enterprises, their freedom to operate without undue restrictions on their management and business activities must be ensured. This calls, in most SSA countries, for a change of cooperative policies and legislation, which in the past have perceived cooperative organizations as being within the public sector domain and subject to close control by government authorities. The World Bank can play a central role in this process by assisting governments in the identification of legislative, policy and institutional reforms which enable cooperatives and other rural organizations to evolve into efficient and sustainable organizations managed by their members and capable of providing competitive services. Capacity-building is an essential element of action to promote the development of rural organizations. This study advocates that capacity-building measures, e.g., member education, staff training and management systems development, should be included in projects involving cooperatives and other farmer groups. To the fullest extent possible, they should be planned and implemented through the beneficiary organizations themselves.
Ultimate Ownership, Creditor Rights Protection and the Debt Financing Costs and Ratings: International Evidence

We explore the effect of governance on the costs and ratings of firms' bonds. We use the wedge between the voting and cash-flow rights of the controlling shareholders and the identity of the ultimate owners to proxy for the strength of the internal governance mechanisms. We find strong evidence that the voting/cash-flow rights wedge and the family control have a positive and significant effect on bond costs and a negative and significant effect on bond ratings. Moreover, our results suggest that control in the hands of widely held financial firms has a positive effect on bond ratings only, and that State control has no effect on either bond costs or ratings. When we control for national governance systems, we find that a higher protection of debtholders' rights generally reduces bond costs and increases corporate bond ratings. More importantly, we find that what really matters for both bondholders and rating agencies is debt laws enforcement rather than the existence of those laws themselves.
The Dual-Targeted Plant Sulfiredoxin Retroreduces the Sulfinic Form of Atypical Mitochondrial Peroxiredoxin1[W]

Sulfiredoxin (Srx) couples the energy of ATP hydrolysis to the energetically unfavorable process of reducing the inactive sulfinic form of 2-cysteine peroxiredoxins (Prxs) to regenerate its active form. In plants, Srx as well as typical 2-cysteine Prx have been considered as enzymes with exclusive chloroplast localization. This work explores the subcellular localization of Srx in pea (Pisum sativum) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Immunocytochemistry, analysis of protein extracts from isolated intact organelles, and cell-free posttranslational import assays demonstrated that plant Srx also localizes to the mitochondrion in addition to plastids. The dual localization was in line with the prediction of a signal peptide for dual targeting. Activity tests and microcalorimetric data proved the interaction between Srx and its mitochondrial targets Prx IIF and thioredoxin. Srx catalyzed the retroreduction of the inactive sulfinic form of atypical Prx IIF using thioredoxin as reducing agent. Arabidopsis Srx also reduced overoxidized human Prx V. These results suggest that plant Srx could play a crucial role in the regulation of Prx IIF activity by controlling the regeneration of its overoxidized form in mitochondria, which are sites of efficient reactive oxygen species production in plants.
[Pain in children and adolescents--results of an exploratory epidemiological study].

AIM OF THE STUDY The objective of this exploratory study was to examine the prevalence of overall pain generally and combinations of different pain locations, as well as their location, intensity, and duration in children and adolescents. METHODS After consent was granted by the local ethical committee and the Ministry for Education, Research, Science and Culture, modified versions of the structured pain questionnaire of Perquin et al. were submitted to 1077 parents, children,and adolescents in the Lübeck region of Germany. Of the 1077 questionnaires distributed, 1030 were returned (95.6%), and 991 of the 1030 questionnaires (96.2%) could be included in the analysis. RESULTS The prevalence of overall pain during the preceding 3 months was 80.1%, while the prevalence of pain in more than one region of the body during the preceding 3 months was 66.3%. Of the children and adolescents, 57% had headaches, 43.2% suffered from abdominal pain, 41.6% had limb pain, 32.9% had back pain, and 30% suffered from sore throats during the previous 3 months. A total of 30.7% of the children and adolescents with pain reported that the pain had already lasted for more than 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Pain in general is very frequent in children and adolescents. Further studies are required to investigate chronic pain in children and adolescents.
Effects of Oral L-carnitine Supplementation on Lipid Profiles and Anemia in Patients under Hemodialysis in Gonbadkavoos, Iran

Aims: L-carnitine is an amino acid derivative, produced endogenously in the kidneys and liver or derived from meat and dairy products in the diet. Impaired L-carnitine synthesis by the kidneys contributes to the L-carnitine deficiency in dialysis patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral L-carnitine supplementation on lipid profiles and anemia in hemodialysis patients. Study Design: Thirty and four eligible patients were assigned to either L-carnitine or placebo groups based on the random. The patients in the L-carnitine group received 1 vial 1g (10 ml) of L-carnitine oral supplement 3 day a week after dialysis, for 16 weeks and the patients in the placebo group received 10 ml distilled water as in the same manner and duration. Blood sample was collected at the onset and after 16 weeks intervention for laboratory evaluations of biochemical and hematological parameters. Place and Duration of Study: Hemodialysis patients were chosen in Motahary Hospital in Original Research Article Annual Research & Review in Biology, 4(7): 1092-1098, 2014 1093 Gonbadkavoos, Iran, between September 2012 and March 2013. Results: The concentration of very low density lipoprotein and triglyceride were significantly decreased in L-carnitine group, whereas, none of these differences were statistically significant in placebo group whereas other measured biochemical parameters were not shown significant changes in both group. Conclusion: It seems that further experimental investigations are needed to clarify the effects of LC on lipid profiles, anemia and other factors in hemodialysis patients.
THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL RATIOS ON STOCK RETURN: EVIDENCE FROM RETAIL COMPANY LISTED IN INDONESIA STOCK EXCHANGE DURING 2011-2013

Indonesia is one of the biggest economies in the world, proven by its involvement in G20. Not only that, Indonesia Stock Exchange is also attractive for the investor. In opening of 2013, Jakarta Composite Index positioned themselves in 4,316.69 and increased to 5,214.98 only in five months, highest position ever. Retail industry is also a promising industry in Indonesia given the fact that the sales in 2014 is 178% of 2010 sales. Given all of the facts, there might be many investor that is interested in investing in retail industry in Indonesia. However, they need to adapt some tools to help them understand the unpredictable movement of stock market. This research tries to predict the stock return by using three financial ratios, which are price earnings ratio, dividend yield, and book to market ratio. This research will use multiple linear regression to test the hypothesis by including all of the population available. The result of this research conclude that price earnings ratio, dividend yield, and book to market ratio has significant effect on stock return simultaneously whereas, only dividend yield is the only ratio that might predict the stock return individually. Keywords: Financial ratio, stock return, retail company, Jakarta stock exchange.
The Influence of Technical Skill on Consumer Trust in On-Line Shopping in Ireland

Research as to how consumer trust can be built in an on-line environment is limited and varies in terms of the dimensions of the problem that are examined. Consequently, much of our understanding of the antecedents of trust in on-line shopping context remains fragmented. In this study, a previously validated trust measurement instrument was applied in order to investigate the existence and importance of specific factors that are thought to predict the generation of consumer trust in internet shopping in Ireland. The degree to which consumers' level of technical skill influences their perception of these factors and thus shapes their trust response was also examined. The results provide a refined understanding of the predictors and moderators of trust in an electronic purchase environment and thus make a valuable contribution not only to information systems research but also to the overall body of marketing, trust, and diffusion research. In addition, the detailed insights afforded by this study will benefit vendors in their efforts to engender consumer trust in their websites and thus increase their success in the competitive electronic commerce marketplace.
Pharmacists' Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pharmaceutical Care for Diabetes Mellitus Patients in a Teaching Hospital

This study was carried out in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital Nigeria with the objective of assessing pharmacistsknowledge, attitude and practice of pharmaceutical care for diabetes mellitus patients. A cross- sectional study of the total population of pharmacists (30) involved in diabetes mellitus management in the Hospital was carried out using a structured questionnaire. Nineteen (65.5%) of respondents had satisfactory / acceptable knowledge about pharmaceutical care (χ 2