Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychic distance and the challenges of expatriation from Brazil

The aim of this paper is to explore the extent to which the psychic distance between countries poses challenges to the expatriation process of young multinational companies from emerging countries, such as Brazil. While the concept of psychic distance has been extensively explored in the literature for the analysis of the paths to internationalization of multinational companies, researchers have only recently begun to analyse its influence on expatriation processes. To this end, we reviewed studies of psychic distance and of two fields of expatriation processes that are directly influenced by the challenge of expatriates' cultural integration posed by psychic distance, namely selection and training. We also developed a multidimensional instrument to measure psychic distance and then classified the expats' countries of destination as ‘close’ or ‘distant’ in relation to Brazil. Our results show no predominance of countries that are psychically close to Brazil for the expatriations of professionals from the Brazilian companies studied. When analysing the expats' perceptions of the expatriation process, cultural integration emerged as a great challenge for expats from both ‘close’ and ‘distant’ countries. In spite of this, those companies don't seem to take this into consideration in the management of the selection and training phases of the expatriation process. In addition, we identified some differences between the expatriates and the HR managers' perceptions of the management of expatriation processes that can partially explain the high incidence of problems concerning cultural adaptation that Brazilian companies face as a result of the challenge posed by the psychic distance.
Through Trial and Error to Collusion

In this article we study a very simple trial and error learning process in the context of a Cournot oligopoly. Without any knowledge of the payoff functions players increase, respectively decrease, their quantity as long as this leads to higher profits. We show that despite the absence of any coordination or punishing device this process converges to the joint-profit-maximizing outcome.
The Wage and the Length of the Work Day: From the 1890s to 1991

I investigate how the relationship between the wage and the length of the work day has changed since the 1890s among prime‐aged men and women. I find that across wage deciles, within wage deciles, and within industry and occupation groups, the most highly paid worked fewer hours than the lowest paid in the 1890s but that by 1973 differences in hours worked were small and by 1991 the highest paid worked the longest day. I examine several explanations for the compression in the length of the work day and investigate the implications of hours inequality for earnings inequality.
Designing iTV based crossmedia personalized informal learning contexts

Crossmedia systems are becoming increasingly popular. The trends in convergence, integration and co-existence of various media technologies create new opportunities for the generalization of formal and informal learning practices, which are becoming more relevant considering the importance of lifelong learning. Video is a very rich medium to support learning, and TV is a privileged way to access it. By itself, broadcast TV provides limited support to learning processes. But, through structure and interaction, iTV can open the door to flexible environments that can access video and integrate it with different media, accessible from different devices, adequate to support different cognitive modes and learning processes in several learning contexts. In spite of the valuable potential of crossmedia systems to create rich and flexible environments, the design of these systems faces some challenges that may affect their effective use. This paper addresses the effective design of crossmedia personalized informal learning contexts from iTV, through the e-iTV system case study, designed to illustrate and explore this paradigm based on cognitive and affective aspects that influence user experience.
Growth and Performance of Manufacturing SMEs: The Influence of Financial Management Characteristics

PROFESSOR RICHARD MCMAHON IS head of the School of Commerce at Flinders University, South Australia. This paper describes a study of financial management characteristics on business growth and performance among . small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in manufacturing. Nonlinear principal components analysis is used in empirically capturing key enterprise and financial management characteristics. Polytomous logistic regression modelling reveals the influence on business growth and performance of the enterprise and financial management characteristics considered. Enterprise characteristics seem to dominate in their impact upon SME achievement, with financial management characteristics, other than use of external financing being relatively unimportant. Development orientation and the existence of internal and external constraints upoIn growth appeail the most influential enterprise characteristics.
HPV16-E7-Specific Activated CD8 T Cells in E7 Transgenic Skin and Skin Grafts

Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E7 (E7) protein expression in skin promotes epithelial hyperproliferation and transformation to malignancy. Grafts of murine skin expressing E7 protein as a transgene in keratinocytes are not rejected from immunocompetent recipients, whereas grafts expressing ovalbumin (OVA), with or without coexpression of E7 protein, are promptly rejected, demonstrating that E7-associated non-antigen-specific local immunosuppression is not a major determinant of lack of rejection of E7 transgenic skin. To determine whether failure of rejection of E7 skin grafts is due to failure to attract E7-specific effector T cells, E7- and OVA-specific effector CD8+ T cells, activated in vitro, were transferred to animals bearing E7 transgenic skin grafts. Three days after T cell transfer, E7-specific T cells were present in significantly greater numbers than OVA-specific T cells in the grafted skin on animals bearing recently placed or healed E7 grafts, without graft rejection, and also in the ear skin of E7 transgenic animals, without obvious pathology. E7 and OVA-specific T cells were present in lesser numbers in healed E7 grafts than in recently placed grafts and in lesser numbers in recently placed E7 transgenic epidermal grafts without E7-associated hyperproliferation, derived from E7 transgenic mice with a mutated retinoblastoma gene. These data demonstrate that effector T cells are to some extent attracted to E7 transgenic skin specifically by E7 expression, but in large measure non-specifically by the epithelial proliferation associated with E7 expression, and by the local inflammation produced by grafting. Failure of E7 graft rejection was observed despite trafficking of E7-specific effector T cells to E7-expressing epithelium, a finding of consequence for immunotherapy of HPV 16 E7-associated human cancers.
The experience of education: The impacts of high stakes testing on school students and their families

This literature review was commissioned to provide context for the research project The Experience of Education: The impacts of high stakes testing on school students and their families. The project is a collaboration between the Whitlam Institute, the University of Melbourne and the Foundation for Young Australians. The project seeks to examine whether the regime of high stakes testing throughout the school years is in the best interests of the students. The research aims to identify what the impacts of high stakes testing such as NAPLAN are on school students and their families, not only in terms of curriculum and learning but also with regards to students’ health and well-being.
Ras antagonist inhibits growth and chemosensitizes human epithelial ovarian cancer cells

The objective of this article was to determine whether human ovarian carcinoma cells (OVCAR-3) express significant amounts of Ras oncogene and active Ras–guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and, if so, whether the Ras inhibitor farnesyl thiosalicylic acid (FTS) inhibits their growth and chemosensitizes them to cisplatin. We assayed Ras and Ras-GTP in OVCAR-3 cells before and after FTS treatment. The effect of FTS on OVCAR-3 cell growth was assessed in terms of cell number. Because the OVCAR-3 cell line was derived from a patient who was refractory to cisplatin, we examined whether FTS enables cisplatin to induce death of these cells. Significant amounts of Ras and active Ras-GTP were expressed by OVCAR-3 cells and were reduced by 40% by FTS. FTS inhibited OVCAR-3 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. When combined with cisplatin, FTS reduced the number of OVCAR-3 cells by 80%, demonstrating synergism between FTS and cisplatin. FTS, at a concentration range that allows downregulation of Ras and Ras-GTP in OVCAR-3 cells, also chemosensitizes these cells and inhibits their growth. These results suggest that ovarian carcinomas might respond well to Ras inhibition, both alone and when combined with cisplatin. The combined treatment would allow the use of smaller doses of chemotherapy, resulting in decreased cytotoxicity.
The Implementation of the New Lower Secondary Science Curriculum in Three Schools in Rwanda

In 2006, Rwanda began implementing an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) lower secondary science curriculum that emphasises a student-centred approach. The new curriculum was designed to transform Rwandan society from an agricultural to a knowledge-based economy, with special attention to science and technology education. Up until this point in time the implementation of the intended curriculum has been barely researched and is poorly understood. Thus our primary research question is, ‘To what extent is the intended national curriculum actually implemented in Rwandan schools? ’ To explore this question, we examine the implementation of the new science curriculum in three socially and environmentally diverse schools. Using the Rogan–Grayson curriculum implementation model as a theoretical framework, we explore the link between the level of curriculum implementation and the schools' capacity to innovate. We do this through the observation of lessons and school environment and by means of structured interviews with school administrators, teachers and students. As far as the observed lessons are concerned, there is a wide variation in levels of lessons both within and between schools. With the exception of 3 out of 20 observed lessons, almost none of the lessons throughout the three schools showed any appreciable achievement of the curriculum objectives. It appears that there is only a tenuous link, if any, between the implementation level and the capacity of the school to innovate. Our research explores implementation in a unique environment—in a country recovering from genocide and where the language of instruction has changed from French to English. In the context of international development in education, one critical question has emerged from these findings: under what conditions can the teaching as intended by an OBE curriculum become routine for teachers? A possible answer to this question is discussed. The common and specific challenges to Rwandan schools with respect to the implementation of new curriculum are also discussed and some proposals are made to overcome these specific challenges.
SME Internet use and strategic flexibility: the moderating effect of IT market orientation

Abstract One of the most important topics in the marketing literature has been the concept of market orientation. However, questions remain as to the dynamics of how market orientation translates into intermediate capabilities. This study explores relationships among different types of Internet usage, IT market orientation (the extent to which IT is aligned to manage customer and competitor information and internal activities), and strategic flexibility (firm capability to respond to the need for change). Specifically, use of the Internet for communication with relevant stakeholders, owing to its market-sensing potential, should be positively and significantly related to strategic flexibility for SMEs with more IT market-oriented alignment. The market-sensing potential of Internet communication to impact strategic flexibility positively for SMEs is likely to be lost under low IT market-oriented-alignment conditions. In contrast, IT market orientation should not moderate the relationship between Internet use for transactions with relevant stakeholders and strategic flexibility, given that the typical order taking and processing is a static, routine function for SMEs. Results supported hypothesised relationships. By delineating the type of Internet usage and required IT alignment that contribute to leveraging the Internet effectively, findings hold implications for future research by clarifying boundary conditions for Internet effects. Specifying how and when Internet use promotes strategic flexibility, an important enabler of competitive advantage, helps small business owner/managers better utilise their limited resources.
Analysis of the long‐term relationship between macro‐economic variables and the Chinese stock market using heteroscedastic cointegration

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the Chinese stock market indices and a set of macro-economic variables, i.e. money supply, industrial production, inflation, exchange rate and interest rates. Design/methodology/approach - The aims of this paper are addressed using heteroscedastic cointegration analysis. Findings - Results show that the cointegrating relationship does exist between stock prices and the macro-economic variables in the highly speculative Chinese stock market. Detailed analysis shows stock market performance is positively related to that of macro-economy in the long term. Research limitations/implications - The results imply that in the long run, investors can benefit in terms of better returns and portfolio diversification as the Chinese economy is expected to continue to perform strongly. Originality/value - The main contributions of this paper are two-fold: first, this is the first paper to examine the long-term relationship between the stock market indices and macro-economic variables in China, one of largest economies in the world. Second, heteroscedastic cointegration analysis is used and hence this paper controls for time-varying volatility.
MicroRNA profiling of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by whole‐genome small RNA deep sequencing of paired frozen and formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tissue specimens

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality. Characterization of microRNA (miRNA) expression of RCC will help disclose new pathogenic pathways in tumourigenesis and progression and may lead to the development of molecular biomarkers and target‐specific therapies for diagnosis, prognostication and treatment. With limitations in test specificity and the ability to detect novel miRNA and other small non‐coding RNAs (smRNAs), microarray and RT–PCR techniques are being replaced by the evolving deep‐sequencing technologies, at least in the discovery phase. Until now, cancer miRNA profiling of human benign and tumour specimen sets, using smRNA deep‐sequencing (smRNA‐seq), has not been reported. Specifically, due to concern over possible poor RNA quality/integrity, formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) samples have not been used for such studies. Here, we performed whole‐genome smRNA‐seq analysis using a benign and RCC specimen set and have successfully profiled the miRNA expression. Studies performed on paired frozen and FFPE specimens showed very similar results. Moreover, a comparison study of microarray, deep‐sequencing and RT–PCR methodologies also showed a high correlation among the three technologies. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that FFPE specimens can be used reliably for miRNA deep‐sequencing analysis, making future large‐scale clinical cohort/trial‐based studies possible. Copyright © 2010 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Total Quality Management and employee involvement: Are they compatible?

Executive Overview Total Quality Management (TQM) programs are an important and prominent approach to management. With the creation of the Baldrige award and the competitiveness challenges which many corporations face, they have become extremely popular in (he United States during the last decade. Despite the recent Hurry of studies questioning their effectiveness, most large corporations have a program that incorporates some of the practices and principles of total quality management.1 One of the most important principles of TQM concerns employee involvement or, as it is often called, empowerment. It is common for a TQM program to state that employee involvement is very important to its success. There is a long history of research and writing on employee involvement and how it can affect organizational performance.2 It, too, has become increasingly popular. One possibility, as suggested by TQM programs, is that employee involvement is best thought of as an activity which supports these programs. Another .
Exploring democracy in the Russian Federation: political regime, public opinion and international assistance

This article discusses three questions: what is the purpose of ‘democratic’ institutions and practices in Russia's authoritarian political system; how do these institutions and practices resonate with Russian public opinion; and how do they relate to the international democracy-promotion effort in the country? Democratic institutions have more than a façade, a legitimizing role to play under authoritarianism. They are relevant to the actual functioning of the regime. State–society relations in Russia should not be understood in exclusively dichotomous terms. This would underestimate the measure of popular legitimacy of the incumbent regime in Russia, as it misinterprets popular perceptions of political democracy. Russians deplore their lack of influence over what happens in their own country; they are strongly dissatisfied with their human rights situation, but they do not translate this into a widely shared commitment to civil liberties. Judging from regime features and popular opinion in Russia, the poor record of international democracy assistance in Russia may not come as a surprise. Compared with ‘traditional’ democracy assistance, rule of law support corresponds more closely with the (limited) capabilities of external actors, with the priorities of the Russian citizens as well as with the self-declared ambitions and international commitments of the Russian leadership.
An Extreme Value Approach to Estimating Volatility and Value at Risk

This article determines the type of asymptotic distribution for the extreme changes in U.S. Treasury yields. The thin-tailed Gumbel and exponential distributions are strongly rejected against the fat-tailed Frechet and Pareto distributions. The empirical results indicate that the volatility of maximal and minimal changes in interest rates declines as time-to-maturity rises, yielding a downward-sloping volatility curve for the extremes. The article proposes an extreme value approach to estimating value at risk and shows that the statistical theory of extremes provides a more accurate approach for risk management and value at risk (VaR) calculations than the standard models.
Tradeoffs among Expressions of Industrial Conflict: Public Sector Strike Bans and Grievance Arbitrations

This examination of industrial conflict in over 9,000 bargaining units in Ontario, Canada, in 1988 yields robust cross-sectional evidence of a trade-off between legal strike bans and forms of industrial conflict other than strikes. Within Ontario's health care and provincial government services sectors, the incidence of grievance arbitrations, especially those concerning economic issues, was significantly higher where striking was prohibited than where it was permitted. The authors argue that researchers and policy makers should be aware that there may be unanticipated changes in expressions of industrial conflict when legal changes restrict specific actions such as strikes. In particular, research and policy models of industrial conflict should be specified to include more than one form of conflict expression at a time.
Sense and Influence: Environmental Monitoring Tools and the Power of Citizen Science

Abstract Automated monitoring devices are useful technologies for communities seeking to document and solve environmental problems. However, without deeper scrutiny of their design and deployment, there is a risk that they will fail to have the impact that many of their promoters intend. We develop a rubric for analysing how different kinds of monitoring devices help environmental advocates influence public debates. We apply this rubric in a study of environmental organizations in Pennsylvania that are choosing between recruiting volunteer citizen scientists and using automated sensor-based devices to gather water quality data in streams threatened by hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. Many organizations rely on volunteers using simple monitoring tools because they are affordable and produce easily managed data sets. An argument for this method of monitoring is that volunteering in the field also fosters citizen engagement in environmental debates. By comparison, we find the increased use of automated devices tends to reinforce hierarchies of expertise and constrains the agendas of nonprofessionals who participate in monitoring projects. We argue that these findings suggest that automated technologies, however effective they may be in gathering data on environmental quality, are not well designed to support broad public participation in environmental science and politics.
Development of live attenuated influenza vaccines against pandemic influenza strains

Avian and animal influenza viruses can sporadically transmit to humans, causing outbreaks of varying severity. In some cases, further human-to-human virus transmission does not occur, and the outbreak in humans is limited. In other cases, sustained human-to-human transmission occurs, resulting in worldwide influenza pandemics. Preparation for future pandemics is an important global public health goal. A key objective of preparedness is to gain an understanding of how to design, test, and manufacture effective vaccines that could be stockpiled for use in a pandemic. This review summarizes results of an ongoing collaboration to produce, characterize, and clinically test a library of live attenuated influenza vaccine strains (based on Ann Arbor attenuated Type A strain) containing protective antigens from influenza viruses considered to be of high pandemic potential.