Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Customer satisfaction: A meta-analysis of the empirical evidence

The growing number of academic studies on customer satisfaction and the mixed findings they report complicate efforts among managers and academics to identify the antecedents to, and outcomes of, businesses having more-versus less-satisfied customers. These mixed findings and the growing emphasis by managers on having satisfied customers point to the value of empirically synthesizing the evidence on customer satisfaction to assess current knowledge. To this end, the authors conduct a meta-analysis of the reported findings on customer satisfaction. They document that equity and disconfirmation are most strongly related to customer satisfaction on average. They also find that measurement and method factors that characterize the research often moderate relationship strength between satisfaction and its antecedents and outcomes. The authors discuss the implications surrounding these effects and offer several directions for future research.
Reexamination of the kinetics of the transfer of NADH between its complexes with glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and with lactate dehydrogenase.

Srivastava and Bernhard [Srivastava, D. K. & Bernhard, S. A. (1986) Science 234, 1081-1086] have proposed that glycolytic enzymes form multienzyme complexes for the direct transfer of metabolites from the producing enzyme to the utilizing one. We have reinvestigated the evidence for direct transfer of NADH between its complexes with alpha-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH; EC 1.1.1.8) and L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; EC 1.1.1.27). The results reveal the following. (i) Proper treatment of the kinetics of and equilibrium data for the transfer of NADH between GPDH and LDH indicates that NADH transfer proceeds by a free-diffusion mechanism and not by direct transfer through a ternary complex. (ii) The koff for NADH from its GPDH complex is 60 sec-1 rather than 9.4 sec-1 in Tris.HCl buffer (pH 7.4) at 25 degrees C. With this value one can explain kcat = 50 sec-1 for LDH-catalyzed hydrogenation of pyruvate with GPDH-bound NADH as coenzyme. (iii) Steady-state kinetics show that LDH inhibits the GPDH-catalyzed reaction simply by reducing the concentration of free NADH. Similarly, aldolase inhibits the GPDH-catalyzed reduction of dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glycerol-3-phosphate by binding to the substrate. The proposed direct transfer of NADH between GPDH and LDH is therefore mainly based on a misinterpretation of the experimental data.
Could e‐business create a competitive advantage in UK SMEs?

Purpose – This paper aims to improve the understanding of e‐business, competitive advantage and their roles in the UK SMEs. This paper uses case studies to examine what is needed for SMEs to change from an “old” traditional business strategy to a new “e” business strategy.Design/methodology/approach – A range of academic and practitioner literature related to IT, e‐business, and different business models is reviewed. Nine case studies were used to collect information from SMEs in the UK.Findings – It may be possible for some SMEs to integrate the internet technology into an overall strategy and this new technology could lead to a competitive advantage. However, owners' attitudes towards new technology, the knowledge and skills of management and the workforce are recognised as potential problematic issues.Originality/value – The results of an academic literature review and nine case studies were employed to construct a prototype of an e‐business model named “Competitive Advantage Through E‐business” (CATE‐.
Merger strategies and stockholder value

Acquisition literature suggests a relationship between stockholder gains and the relatedness of merging firms. This notion is tested by classifying mergers into four relatedness categories and by using measures of stockholder value as developed in the literature on capital markets. In all, stock returns of 439 acquiring firms in 1031 large mergers are examined, as are stock returns of 340 large acquired firms. The findings show that mergers lead to permanent gains in stockholder value for both acquiring and acquired firms' stockholders, but they do not support the popular prescription: ‘All things being equal, some product and market relatedness is better than none. ’
Marketing Channels in Foreign Markets: Control Mechanisms and the Moderating Role of Multinational Corporation Headquarters–Subsidiary Relationship

To manage marketing channels, subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs) must balance mandates from headquarters (HQ) with the local realities of the foreign markets. The performance implications of subsidiary–distributor relationship efforts thus are contingent on the HQ–subsidiary relationship. Drawing on marketing channels, economics, and organization theory literature streams, the authors (1) describe the complex performance properties of output and process control mechanisms that MNC subsidiaries deploy to manage foreign distributors and (2) conceptualize the HQ–subsidiary nexus along three attributes that should moderate the performance effects of control mechanisms: task coordination, or HQ's central coordination of processes across subsidiaries; subsidiary decision involvement, or two-way communications and consensual decision making between HQ and the subsidiary; and relational disharmony, or the extent of the HQ–subsidiary conflict. The authors test the hypotheses using field data from German and Japanese MNCs in the United States and Bayesian models that account for measurement error, endogeneity in the control mechanisms, heterogeneity in country of origin, and nonlinear and interactive terms for the latent constructs. The results demonstrate the importance of the HQ–subsidiary relationship for managing the subsidiary–distributor relationship.
A Novel Peptide Aldehyde with Activity against Human Cytomegalovirus in Two Different in Vivo Models

Novel peptide aldehydes (PAs) were identified as potent inhibitors of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in vitro. Although these compounds were highly effective against HCMV, they did not exhibit any activity against murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). The purpose of this study was to test the antiviral activity of PA 8 as a representative of this novel class of inhibitors against HCMV in vivo. Because of the strict species specificity of HCMV we had to use two artificial animal models. In the first model, HCMV-infected human cells were entrapped into agarose plugs and transplanted into mice. In the second model, SCID mice were transplanted with human tissues that were subsequently infected with a clinical isolate of HCMV. In these two models the antiviral activity of PA 8 was clearly demonstrated, ganciclovir only being slightly superior in its in vivo antiviral activity.
Kounis Syndrome

The association between acute coronary events and acute allergic reactions has been recognized for several years. The first reported case occurred in 1950, during an allergic reaction to penicillin. In 1991, Kounis and Zavras described the syndrome of allergic angina and allergic myocardial infarction, currently known as Kounis syndrome. Two subtypes have been described: type I, which occurs in patients without predisposing factors for coronary artery disease and is caused by coronary artery spasm, and type II, which occurs in patients with angiographic evidence of coronary disease when the allergic events induce plaque erosion or rupture. This syndrome has been reported in association with a variety of medical conditions, environmental exposures, and medication exposures. Entities such as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, drug-eluted stent thrombosis, and coronary allograft vasculopathy appear to be associated with this syndrome. In this review, we discuss the pathobiology, clinical features, associated entities, and management of Kounis syndrome.
Determinants of an Organization’s Website Ease of Use: The Moderating Role of Product Tangibility

The ease of use of an organization’s website is central to determining users’ experiences and behavioral intentions. Understanding how the site-related factors contribute to shaping perceived ease of use is thus critical. Nonetheless, we contend that the relative importance of these factors in shaping ease of use may vary according to the product offered by the organization. This research hypothesizes that the information quality of a website and its interactivity and aesthetics are antecedents to perceived ease of use and that the relative tangibility of the offered products moderates these relationships. The hypotheses are examined by performing a large-scale study in which each participant performs a task on one of 59 organizational websites. The study’s hypotheses were supported, and the results were then replicated using a second study conducted on a French-speaking sample. Site information quality is the strongest predictor of perceived ease of use, followed by the site interactivity and aesthetics. The results, however, underscore the moderating role of product tangibility. While the effects of interactivity and aesthetics are greater for sites offering services (e.g., communication, travel, insurance, and financial services), the effect of information quality is stronger for sites offering tangible products (e.g., electronics, books, and home improvement goods). The findings suggest that organizations offering tangible products should focus on providing their sites’ visitors with quality information, whereas organizations offering services should primarily focus on their sites’ aesthetics, interactive, and personalization features.
Experiences Marketing: A Cultural Philosophy for Contemporary Hospitality Marketing Studies

This article explores the landscape of contemporary hospitality marketing. It is argued that the teaching and academic discussions that surround the subject area adopt a predominantly positivistic approach; although important, that does not adequately reflect the nature of the industry or the products offered. Such a metrics-oriented position, although significant in the formulation of marketing strategy, does not reflect the complex experiential, nontangible nature of the hospitality product. This article presents a culturally located philosophy that reflects the multifaceted nature of the industry. The philosophy is underpinned by three precepts that draw from a multidisciplinary theoretical framework to create a more subject-specific approach to marketing, that when woven with traditional approaches can create a more effective and informed contemporary approach.
Comments on "A variational approach to the extraction of in-phase and quadrature components" [with reply]

For original paper by Gordon see IEEE Trans. Signal Processing, vol.46, p.1238-44 (1998 May). With a variational method, Gordon defined the quadratures and carrier frequency different from the analytic signal (AS). This approach ignores, however, that quadratures must be bandlimited. Restriction of bandlimiting results in another solution and leads to the AS model. Gordon replies to this comment.
Excepftonally Strong Near-Bottom Flows on the Continental Rise of Nova Scotia

Recent current velocity measurements across the lower continental rise of Nova Scotia show a deep equatorwardflow with speeds (maximum, 73 centimeters per second) among the highest recorded for the deep sea. Silicate measurements indicate that this flow usually consists of southern-source (Antarctic) bottom water. These measurements confirm the existence of a second and deeper western boundary flow that was earlier inferredfrom geological observations.
Genomic Content of Neisseria Species

ABSTRACT The physical properties of most bacterial genomes are largely unexplored. We have previously demonstrated that the strict human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae is polyploid, carrying an average of three chromosome copies per cell and only maintaining one pair of replication forks per chromosome (D. M. Tobiason and H. S. Seifert, PLos Biol. 4:1069-1078, 2006). We are following up this initial report to test several predictions of the polyploidy model of gonococcal chromosome organization. We demonstrate that the N. gonorrhoeae chromosomes exist solely as monomers and not covalently linked dimers, and in agreement with the monomer status, we show that distinct nucleoid regions can be detected by electron microscopy. Two different approaches to isolate heterozygous N. gonorrhoeae resulted in the formation of merodiploids, showing that even with more than one chromosome copy, these bacteria are genetically haploid. We show that the closely related bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is also polyploid, while the commensal organism Neisseria lactamica maintains chromosomes in single copy. We conclude that the pathogenic Neisseria strains are homozygous diploids.
Data Discovery and Anomaly Detection Using Atypicality: Signal Processing Methods

The aim of atypicality is to extract small, rare, unusual and interesting pieces out of big data. This complements statistics about typical data to give insight into data. In order to find such "interesting" parts of data, universal approaches are required, since it is not known in advance what we are looking for. We therefore base the atypicality criterion on codelength. In a prior paper we developed the methodology for discrete-valued data, and the the current paper extends this to real-valued data. This is done by using minimum description length (MDL). We show that this shares a number of theoretical properties with the discrete-valued case. We develop the methodology for a number of "universal" signal processing models, and finally apply them to recorded hydrophone data.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION DURING PLANNED CHANGE: AN EVALUATION FROM THE RECIPIENTS' PERSPECTIVE

In a world in which change is considered the only constant, changes in an organisation’s strategy, structure, processes and/or technology are a prerequisite for success. A main reason why many organisational change efforts do not achieve the desired results is seen in the lack of understanding and acceptance of the change among those affected by the change. This is particularly true for planned change because the majority of the employees are not involved in the planning of the change. Although both academics and practitioners view communication as a key mechanism for increasing understanding and acceptance, the factors influencing the effectiveness of a communication programme do not appear to have received adequate research attention and insufficient guidance was available for practitioners on how to design an effective communication programme. This thesis, written from an interpretivist perspective, reports on case study research undertaken in three different change projects in one large organisation in the automotive industry in Germany. Two and a half years were spent in the field, with each case study lasting between six and nine months. The approach to the research was inductive and the data collected were basically qualitative. The research sought to explore recipients’ perceptions of the communication activities used with the intention of increasing the understanding of the factors influencing the effectiveness of a communication programme. The findings can be grouped into recipients’ perceptions of the effects of the communication activities used and the specific aspects of the communication activities responsible for these perceptions. The focus in the analysis was not on individual occurences but on the relationships between different effects and on the interdependencies between different communication activities. The relationships found between different effects and between different communication activities highlight the importance of a holistic approach to research on change communication and underline the complexity of designing a communication programme. Suggestions for practitioners on how to structure communication aims and on how to choose and design communication activities can be inferred from these findings.
The neurodevelopmental abilities of very-low-birthweight children in Trinidad, West Indies

Neurodevelopmental abilities of 33 very-low-birthweight (VLBW) Trinidadian children and randomly selected matched pairs of classmates who were of normal birth weight were tested in 1998 at ages 68-88 months, using the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. The 1 min Apgar score was significantly lower in the VLBW children, 6.5 (SD 1.0) versus 7.7 (SD 1.27), P-0.001. Mean scores on the McCarthy Scales for study and control children were: (Table cannot be represented.) These differences may reflect a delay in the neurodevelopment of these children. However, the effect of child-rearing practices and the inappropriateness of the test for the population cannot be ruled out.
PSPICE-based simulation setup for genetic algorithm-aided design of power converters

In this paper we propose a PSPICE-based setup for genetic algorithm-aided design of power converters. This approach aims at providing the possibility of taking into account various criteria (electrical and non-electrical) to improve the design, taking full benefit both of the power of evolutionary computation and the complexity and versatility offered by PSPICE simulation environment The simulation setup built around the PSPICE kernel is described. A case study dealing with the GA design of rectifiers with near sinusoidal input current is commented.
Defining response in clinical trials for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a signal detection analysis of the Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale.

OBJECTIVE Many studies of the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have used percent reduction cutoffs on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) to classify patients as treatment responders. However, reduction criteria have varied from 20% to 50%, with studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) using a more stringent criterion than studies of pharmacotherapy. The aim of this retrospective investigation was to determine optimal YBOCS reduction criteria for classifying patients as responders. METHOD Data from 87 adult clinic and research outpatients meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for OCD according to structured interview were examined, comparing the percent YBOCS reduction from pretreatment to posttreatment with 2 "gold standard" criteria from the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale: much or very much improved and mild illness or better. Signal detection analyses were used to determine the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of a positive test, predictive value of a negative test, and efficiency of various YBOCS reduction cutoffs. RESULTS A YBOCS reduction cutoff of 30% was optimal for predicting improvement on the CGI. The 20% cutoff used by many pharmacologic studies resulted in a high number of false positives, whereas the 50% cutoff used by most CBT studies resulted in a high number of false negatives. For predicting mild illness or better at posttreatment, a YBOCS reduction cutoff of 40% to 50% was optimal. CONCLUSIONS A YBOCS reduction criterion of 30% appears to be optimal for determining clinical improvement, whereas a 40% to 50% reduction criterion is appropriate for predicting mild illness at posttreatment. Future studies should employ a standard definition of treatment response in order to facilitate cross-study comparisons.
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Disasters have a major impact on society, one of which is trauma. This trauma is most vulnerable to occur in the age group of children. This study aims to determine the description of psychological trauma in school-age children (7-12 years) after the earthquake in Mekkatta Village, Malunda District. Descriptive research design with sampling technique is total sampling with the number of respondents 50 people. Obtaining data using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) which consists of 25 question items. The study found that the characteristics of respondents were 10 people (20.0%) age 7 years, and most of them were female as many as 28 people (56.0%). The description of psychological trauma in school-age children (7-12 years) shows that on the difficulty subscale, most of them are in the border category, namely 27 people (54.0%), normal 18 people (36.0%), and a small part of the abnormal category is 5 people (10.0%). While the strength subscale is mostly in the normal category, namely 27 people (54.0%), the border is 19 people (38.0%), and a small portion of the abnormal category is 4 people (8.0%). Children who are in the border category means they need a stimulus that supports the adaptation process so that it leads to normal. For children who are in the borderline and abnormal category, it is necessary to carry out health interventions such as play therapy.
A Theory of the Nexus Supplier: A Critical Supplier from a Network Perspective

type="main" xml:id="jscm12070-abs-0001"> We introduce a new type of critical supplier—the nexus supplier—that becomes evident when we consider suppliers from a network perspective. The extant literature focuses on the importance of strategic suppliers and identifies strategic suppliers as critical due to their significant impact on a buying firm's profit and risk position. These strategic suppliers are considered one-at-a-time and tend to be top-tier suppliers. In contrast, a nexus supplier can come from anywhere in a multitier supply network and is critical due to its network position and the resultant portfolio of interorganizational ties. In this study, we offer a theory of the nexus supplier by integrating the supply management and social network literature. The theory is presented in the form of typologies, which articulate three ideal types of nexus suppliers and how they distinctively influence a focal buying firm's operational performance. We use real-world examples to build our arguments. We discuss implications of the nexus supplier for both theory and practice.
Strategic branding of destinations: a framework

Purpose – Travel and tourism is the second largest global industry with daily international revenues of approximately US$2 billion, and investments of 12 percent of world GDP. Though this is a highly competitive industry, there is a paucity of academic research on destination branding. This paper aims to present a branding framework for designing successful destination strategies. This exploratory study seeks to determine key factors that affect the strategic branding of destinations.Design/methodology/approach – Similar fields like place marketing, destination marketing, services, product and corporate branding were reviewed along with destination case studies. Based on this review and its extrapolation to the “destination context”, a framework for strategic branding of destinations was formulated.Findings – Successful strategic branding of destinations is dependent on several inter‐related components, which are discussed. The paper highlights key issues in destination branding and provides a platform fo.
Cross‐cultural examination of the relationships among firm reputation, e‐satisfaction, e‐trust, and e‐loyalty

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically compare the impact of firm reputation on consumers' evaluation of e‐tailers' market response outcomes (satisfaction, trust, and loyalty) in two cultures, the USA (individualism, low uncertainty avoidance, low context, and high‐trust society) and South Korea (collectivism, high uncertainty, high context, and low‐trust society). Design/methodology/approach – Two sets of data were collected, one in the USA and the other in Korea, using a mall intercept method. Males and females over 18 who had online purchase experience were chosen as respondents.Findings – The results with 385 usable questionnaires (182 from the USA and 203 from Korea) revealed that firm reputation contributes to customer loyalty by increasing customer satisfaction, and this effect is stronger in Korea than in the USA. However, contrary to the expectations, no cultural differences were found in reputation‐trust and trust‐loyalty links. That is, firm reputation leads to customer loyalty th.