Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Model of Direct and Indirect Influences of Corporate Social Involvement on Stakeholder Consumer

This conceptual paper adds on current explanations for corporate social involvement. Besides societal obligation of the firm and altruism, strategic reasons for corporate social involvement have been proposed in the literature. However, most of the studied economic appeals for corporate social involvement reside on cost reductions, or on the supply side of the economic equation. The focus of this paper is on the demandside economic reasons for corporate social involvement. It posits that firms have marketing reasons to engage in socially responsible actions that go beyond the value consumers ascribe to the social actions themselves. Information asymmetry about claimed product performance and the need to reduce risk are regarded as motivations for consumers to assess corporate social involvement. This provides an alternative explanation for corporate social involvement. Such indirect effects can be identified and modeled by switching the perspective from the firm to the consumer utility formation. A model of consumer utility formation is proposed. It incorporates influences of corporate social involvement on utility formation both of compensatory and non-compensatory nature. To do so, the theory of social or symbolic value of products and the signaling theory are used.
Does seafood knowledge relate to more sustainable consumption

Purpose – Portugal is a country with one of the highest seafood consumption per capita in the world. The purpose of this paper is to understand the Portuguese knowledge and attitudes towards seafood and relate it to consumers’ environmental conscious. Design/methodology/approach – Using an internet-based survey the authors investigated the relation of socio-demographic variables to consumption frequency and how knowledge about seafood is associated with interest in different information when purchasing seafood products. Findings – Results demonstrate consumption of a high diversity of species. Tuna and cod are the top species related to convenience and food traditions. There is a preference to consume seafood mostly at home and prepared grilled. Differences between higher and lower knowledgeable consumers’ related to seafood, show that the first ones have a more diversified use of species and high prevalence of small pelagic fish. Research limitations/implications – The findings are influenced by the samp.
Study on the Effectiveness of Reputation Mechanism in a Transitional Economy: Evidence from China's Audit Market

Reputation mechanism is one of basic mechanisms supporting the orderly function of market economy.This paper systematically tests the effectiveness of reputation mechanism in China from the angle of audit market.The results show that,after CPAs' reputations are compromised,they obviously improve their audit qualities and the audit market responds positively,that is to say CPAs who improve their audit qualities suffer fewer client losses and collect higher audit fees.It reconfirms the constraint of professional reputation in China,illustrating the governance value of professional reputation mechanism of audit independence in emerging markets.
Interferon-Inducing Characteristics of MM Virus

Interferon induction by MM virus in mice and in L cells was studied. In mice the virus readily induced interferon. The time of appearance was dose-dependent. A large virus dose induced interferon by 4 hr, whereas a small dose resulted in interferon production which paralleled virus replication 24 hr after infection. In L cells the interferon-inducing capacity of the virus was rapidly destroyed by ultraviolet light irradiation. Heating (56 C) of the virus, on the other hand, greatly increased its ability to induce interferon. Interferon production could also be increased by prior treatment of the cells with homologous interferon (priming). The increase in interferon production after priming was dependent on the concentration of interferon used for priming, the length of interferon treatment, and the multiplicity of infection. It is suggested that MM virus might be useful for the further study of the mechanisms involved in the production and action of interferon.
Social responsibility disclosure by South African industrial holding companies: a research note

The disclosure of social responsibility in the 1982, 1987, 1992 and 1997 annual reports of ten companies listed in the industrial holdings section of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange was analysed. Information on employee-related matters is disclosed most often, followed by community-related information and environment-related information. Descriptive statements (as opposed to monetary or quantitative non-monetary disclosures) predominate, as does good news (as opposed to bad news or neutral disclosures). Disclosures increased over the years, with a dramatic increase from 1992 to 1997.
Brand Community Members as a Source of Innovation

Brand community members have a strong interest in the product and in the brand. They usually have extensive product knowledge and engage in product-related discussions; they support each other in solving problems and generating new product ideas. Therefore, brand communities can be a valuable source of innovation. So far, little is known about the member's ability and willingness to participate in a company's innovation process. How does passion for the brand, affiliation to the brand community, and trust in the brand affect the willingness to engage in a company's innovation process? What is the effect of brand passion on brand knowledge and on domain-specific skills, which are considered important prerequisites for qualified and creative contributions to new product development? What is the effect of personality traits on the willingness and ability to engage in new product development? This research addresses these questions, which are interesting for managers who are thinking about opening up their innovation process and collaborating with brand communities and for academics exploring the opportunities of online communities for new product development and trying to develop promising new forms of open innovation networks. Drawing on brand community literature, relationship theory, creativity theory, and personality traits research, this paper introduces a comprehensive set of antecedents affecting brand community members' willingness to engage in new product development. It is argued that consumer creativity, identification with the brand community, and brand-specific emotions and attitudes (passion and trust) as well as brand knowledge are important determinants of consumers' willingness to share their knowledge with producers. The paper also identifies two personality traits (i.e., extraversion and openness) that have significant influence on brand passion, creativity, and identification with the community. The hypotheses are tested on a sample of 550 members of the Volkswagen Golf GTI car community. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationship among the constructs. Though a positive disposition toward a brand may be advantageous for consumers that are willing to interact with producers during new product development, our results show that it is consumer interest in innovations and the innovative process that drives them to get involved. Further, brand community members with more knowledge and more innovative skills seem to be more willing to contribute than less qualified community members.
ICTs Promises and Pitfalls in Open and Distance Learning

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have for long been celebrated as the solution to access in education. New innovations like the internet and mobile technologies provide a great opportunity for mass delivery of education information especially in Africa where governments and institutions are struggling to equip the people with much needed skills for development. The African ministers of education attending the Regional conference on Education for All by 2015 in Johannesburg in 1999, in advocating the adoption of technologies recommended that ‘new, appropriate and cost-effective technologies shall be adopted, to complement the integration of indigenous educational methodologies' (Unesco 2001). This paper explores the extent to which blending of various ICTs has been successfully used to enhance and supplement learning in a distance learning institution. The paper also examines the constraints that individual learners in Africa face as a result of lack of technological resources and the constraints faced by the institutions of higher learning. It is the author's contention that blending of ICTs is essential in the delivery of education and can go a long way in supplementing and enhancing the lecturers work. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 21 (6) 2008: pp. 719-729
Comparison of torque characteristic between two transverse flux motors with passive external rotor structure

An external rotor transverse flux motor has been proposed in our previous research, which has the advantages of low manufacturing cost and high torque density. In this paper, a novel transverse flux is introduced based on the foregoing motor's structure. At first, the detail motor structures and working principle are introduced. Then, the three-dimensional model of proposed motor is built by finite element software, and the basic electromagnetic characteristics are analyzed by the finite element model. At last, the comparison of torque characteristic is done, the results show that the novel motor can provide 89.7% torque density of foregoing one by using 73.7% permanent magnet.
Effects of tumor promoters and steroidal anti-inflammatory agents on skin of newborn mice in vivo and in vitro.

The phorbol esters 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and 12-O-hexadecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (HPA) are not only potent tumor promoters but also potent stimulators of epidermal DNA synthesis and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in adult mice. However, when applied topically to newborn mice, TPA and HPA have essentially no effect on epidermal and dermal DNA synthesis or on epidermal ODC activity. Exposure of primary cultures of newborn mouse epidermal cells to TPA or HPA markedly stimulated both DNA synthesis and ODC activity. The anti-inflammatory steroids dexamethasone and fluocinolone acetonide (FA) were found to be potent inhibitors of tumor promotion and epidermal DNA synthesis in adult mice. However, when applied topically to newborn mice, FA did not inhibit epidermal or dermal DNA synthesis but stimulated it approximately twofold at 48 hours after FA treatment. In primary cultures of epidermal cells from newborn mice, treatment with dexamethasone or FA caused an early stimulation of DNA synthesis followed by a 50% inhibition of DNA synthesis 2 to 3 days after a 1-hour pulse treatment. Also, DNA synthesis was moderately inhibited when FA was added to primary cultures of dermal fibroblasts. In their reaction to tumor promoters, epidermal cells in culture behaved more like adult than newborn mouse epidermismore » in vivo, whereas anti-inflammatory steroids gave an intermediate response. « less
Performance Productivity and Quality of Frontline Employees in Service Organizations

To understand mechanisms that govern the productivity and quality of frontline employees (FLEs), this study (1) provides a conceptual distinction between frontline productivity and quality, (2) proposes an extended role theory–based model for mapping the influence of key antecedents and consequences of FLE productivity and quality, and (3) examines the effects of coping resources—boss support and task control—in helping employees cope with the inherent productivity–quality tension in frontline jobs. Using data from 159 customer service and 147 bill collection representatives, the author examines proposed hypotheses through multiple-group path analysis. The results indicate support for the distinction between productivity and quality. Moreover, with increasing burnout levels, FLEs are found to maintain their productivity levels while their quality deteriorates directly. Relative to boss support, task control emerges as a more powerful resource in aiding FLEs in coping with role tension. Key implications for theory and practice regarding FLE management and effectiveness are discussed.
Inter‐organisational relationships in professional services: towards a typology of service relationships

Purpose – Research into inter‐organisational relationships has been one of the key drivers in the development of services marketing theory. Yet the understanding of the nature of such relationships, and the management of the relationship process, remains limited. Focusing on the development of buyer‐seller relationships in an archetypal professional business service, this paper aims to critically examine the nature and format of inter‐organisational service relationships.Design/methodology/approach – Research reported in the paper is based on case study research across multiple dyads (n=7) in the occupational health sector supported by large‐scale survey data.Findings – Argues that, rather than adhering to a single format in terms of characteristics or pattern of development, relationships are diverse and complex. A typology of “ideal type” relationship formats, ranging from quasi‐transactional to internalised, is proposed. Each of these ideal types is characterised by a unique set of causal and resultant.
The peculiarities of knowledge management processes in SMEs: the case of Singapore

Purpose – The objectives of this study are two-fold. The first is to examine the peculiarities of KM processes that are unique in SMEs from three perspectives, namely knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and knowledge reuse. Secondly, to identify enablers and impediments of these KM processes that influence the competitiveness of SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted a case study approach involving 21 participants comprising management staff and front-line employees from four Singaporean SMEs. Findings – The SME owner, rather than the employees, was found to be the key source and creator of knowledge and the sole driver of the KM processes. In SMEs, knowledge creation takes the form of innovative customized solutions to meet customers' needs; knowledge sharing occurs through cross functionality, overlapping roles, and facilitated by close physical proximity in open workspaces; and knowledge reuse is often made tacitly, where common knowledge is prevalently embedded within the KM processes.
Analysts’ Forecasts as an Incentive for Earnings Management

The aim of our study is to determine, within the area of Listed Spanish companies, whether analyst forecasts constitute an incentive to manage earnings (upwards to achieve them or downwards to avoid exceeding them) and whether this incentive acquires the same or different importance for the management of companies at different times. Using the approach of discretionary accruals to measure manipulation, the results show that earnings forecasted by analysts constitute an incentive to manage earnings and that this incentive is greater as the publication of earnings approaches. However, we do not find evidence of an incentive to manage earnings downwards in order not to exceed analyst forecasts, thereby avoiding subsequent forecasts that might be difficult to achieve.
Realistic distributions of infectious periods in epidemic models: changing patterns of persistence and dynamics.

Most mathematical models used to study the epidemiology of childhood viral diseases, such as measles, describe the period of infectiousness by an exponential distribution. The effects of including more realistic descriptions of the infectious period within SIR (susceptible/infectious/recovered) models are studied. Less dispersed distributions are seen to have two important epidemiological consequences. First, less stable behaviour is seen within the model: incidence patterns become more complex. Second, disease persistence is diminished: in models with a finite population, the minimum population size needed to allow disease persistence increases. The assumption made concerning the infectious period distribution is of a kind routinely made in the formulation of mathematical models in population biology. Since it has a major effect on the central issues of population persistence and dynamics, the results of this study have broad implications for mathematical modellers of a wide range of biological systems.
A Study of Clinical , Radiological And Pathological Correlation of Intraspinal Compressive Lesions

Spinal cord compression may occur due to a variety of causes and neoplasms are one among them. Spinal cord compression due to tumors may be either intradural or extradural. In spinal cord compressive lesions even after clinical examination and radiological investigations the surgeon does encounter surprises in the operative field. Hence an attempt was made to find the correlation between clinical ,radiological, peroperative and pathological diagnosis of intraspinal compressive lesions of 50 patients over a period of 2 years.With regard to the level of lesion 50% of clinical diagnosis correlated with the radiological finding. However, in analyzing the clinical and radiological correlation of level with regard to different pathologies the correlation in schwannoma was better (71 %) . On analyzing the correlation with regard to different levels of lesion the correlation of level in lumbar tumors was 80 % and regarding the plane of lesion the clinical and peroperative correlation was 78%, whereas radiological and peroperative correlation was 94% . This shows the advantage of MRI in locating the plane of the lesion. With regard to the pathology of the lesion, the clinical and histopathological examination (HPE) correlation was 42%, the radiological and HPE correlation was 60% and the peroperative and HPE correlation was 68% showing that the peroperative gross appearance was better than radiological finding in correlating with the histopathology. The peroperative and HPE correlation was 85% with intradural extramedullary tumors. Awareness of the variegated presentation of these spinal cord tumors is important in forming a differential diagnosis and planning surgical resection.
Molecular Target-Oriented Phytochemical Database and Its Application to the Network Analysis of Action Mechanisms of Herbal Medicines

Kampo medicines, the Japanese adaptation of traditional Chinese medicines, are formed by combining several herbs containing multiple phytochemicals. The considerable ambiguity of pharmacological profiles of Kampo medicines is expected to be clarified by identifying the molecular targets of constituent phytochemicals and analyzing the combined effects of the phytochemicals on the pharmacological pathways formed by those targets. To facilitate this line of study, we constructed paired databases named PhytodamaTarget and PhytodamaTaxon DBs which treat molecular targets of phytochemicals and constituent phytochemicals of plant taxa, respectively, by utilizing information from the literature. We then used the databases to explore possible mechanisms of synergism in analgesic activity between Glycyrrhiza globra and Paeonia lactiflora Keyword: Phytochemicals, Database, Molecular Target, Kampo Medicines, Synergism, Analgesic
An evolutionary PageRank approach for journal ranking with expert judgements

The journal ranking problem has drawn a great deal of attention from researchers in various fields due to its importance in the evaluation of academic performance. Most previous studies solved the problem with either a subjective approach, based on expert survey metrics, or an objective approach, based on citation-based metrics. Since both have their own advantages and disadvantages, and since they are usually complementary, this work proposes a brand new approach that integrates the two. In this work, we propose the Evolutionary PageRank algorithm, which first uses the PageRank algorithm to evaluate journal prestige and then uses the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization to balance citation analysis and expert opinion. Experiments evaluating ranking quality were carried out with citation records and experts’ surveys to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results indicate that the proposed method can improve PageRank journal ranking results.
Regeneration of parietal and visceral peritoneum in the immature animal: A light and electron microscopical study

1 The healing of visceral and parietal peritoneum has been investigated in the immature animal by both light and electron microscopy. 2 Healing has been found to occur more rapidly in the immature animal when compared with the adult animal. Parietal peritoneum was covered by a new mesothelium in 7 days, while the liver was covered in 5 days. 3 The new mesothelium developed from subperitoneal perivascular connective‐tissue cells but it was not possible to determine whether these were primitive mesenchymal cells or fibroblasts 4 The findings are discussed in relation to the pathogenesis of peritoneal adhesions.
The estrus cycle, sensitivity to convulsants and the anticonvulsant effect of a neuroactive steroid.

Recent in vitro work in our laboratory suggests that functional sensitivity of the gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptor complex to the neuroactive progesterone metabolite 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one (3 alpha,5 alpha-P) changes during the estrus cycle. Therefore, the current in vivo studies were conducted to evaluate estrus cycle-related differences in sensitivity to convulsants and the anticonvulsant effect of 3 alpha, 5 alpha-P. The threshold dose for onset to myoclonic twitch, running bouncing clonus and tonic hind-limb extension was measured by constant i.v. infusion of (+)-bicuculline, picrotoxin, pentylenetetrazol, strychnine and methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta- carboline-3-carboxylate. Females in estrus were more sensitive than females in diestrus 1 or males to (+)-bicuculline and methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3- carboxylate. Administration of 3 alpha, 5 alpha-P (15 mg/kg i.p. in beta-cyclodextrin) 15 min before infusion of pentylenetetrazol significantly increased the threshold dose for onset to all three convulsions and provided equal protection against tonic convulsions. The dose for onset to myoclonic twitch was significantly higher in females in diestrus 1 than females in estrus or males. Plasma 3 alpha, 5 alpha-P did not differ between groups injected with 3 alpha, 5 alpha-P, suggesting that the difference in sensitivity to the anticonvulsant effect of 3 alpha, 5 alpha-P was not pharmacokinetic. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Eigendomsstructuren en corporate governance: complementen of substituten?

Deze studie onderzoekt de relatie tussen mechanismen van deugdelijk bestuur en eigendomsstructuren, aan de hand van een steekproef van Europese beursgenoteerde ondernemingen. Er wordt nagegaan of mechanismen van deugdelijk bestuur en eigendomsstructuren complementen of substituten zijn. De resultaten tonen aan dat er een negatieve relatie bestaat tussen corporate governance en eigendomsstructuren in Europa. Er zijn minder mechanismen van deugdelijk bestuur aanwezig in een onderneming naarmate de eigendom meer geconcentreerd is. Ook heeft corporate governance een kleinere impact op de marktwaarde van een onderneming wanneer grote aandeelhouders aanwezig zijn. Algemeen kunnen we dus besluiten dat mechanismen van deugdelijk bestuur en eigendomsstructuren substituten zijn.