Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complacency and Giving Up Across Repeated Tournaments: Evidence from the Field

ABSTRACT: Tournament incentive schemes involve individuals competing against each other for a single or limited number of rewards (e.g., promotion, bonus, pay raise). Although research shows tournament schemes can have positive effects on performance, there is also evidence of dysfunctional intra-tournament behavior by top performers (complacency) and weak performers (giving up). However, few studies have examined behavior in organizational settings, not uncommon in practice, where tournaments are conducted on a repeated basis. We predict that complacency and giving up will generalize to settings where individuals repeatedly compete in successive short-duration tournaments. We test our predictions using archival data from a reservation center of a major hotel chain that employs repeated four-week tournaments where performance does not carryover from one competition to the next. Results show top performers quickly become complacent in response to success in early tournaments. The lowest-performing losers i.
One, a Hundred, Thousands of Industrial Districts. Organizational Variety in Local Networks of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

This paper discusses the nature of industrial districts as effective organization modes and some of their claimed distinctive features, such as 'extended division of labour' and 'co-operation' as a rule governing inter-firm relationships. Over a period of 40 years, 24 local productive systems of SMEs in Italy are compared with respect to both economic and social characteristics. The 'canonical' features of the industrial district were only found in a few local systems and at certain periods of time. The model of the industrial district is not always associated with superior performance, and other typologies of local systems may show even better results. The comparison also highlights different models of labour organization combined with different sets of socio-economic factors and apparently conflicting rules governing inter-firm relationships. Trust, 'confidence', co-operation, price, power and conflict as well as deceit may co-exist in the same typology of local system. These rules flow into one another as contingencies evolve in what appears to be a sort of biological pattern of evolution.
Genotypic Diversity of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in Korean Hospitals

ABSTRACT Ninety-six methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from eight Korean hospitals were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing, SCCmec typing, and spa typing. The predominant genotype was ST5-MRSA-II of clonal complex 5, which was found in 36 isolates from six hospitals, but ST239-MRSA-III was also common. Overall, results showed a notable genotypic diversity of MRSA strains circulating in Korean hospitals.
A case study of translating ACGME practice-based learning and improvement requirements into reality: systems quality improvement projects as the key component to a comprehensive curriculum

Background: In 2002, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) introduced a new requirement: residents must demonstrate competency in Practice-Based Learning and Improvement (PBLI). Training in this domain is still not consistently integrated into programmes, with few, if any, adequately going beyond knowledge of basic content and addressing all components of the requirement. Aim: To summarise the implementation of a PBLI curriculum designed to address all components of the requirement and to evaluate the impact on the practice system. Methods: A case-study approach was used for identifying and evaluating the steps for delivering the curriculum, along with the Model for Improvement’s successive Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) cycles (July 2004–May 2006). Data source: Notes from curriculum development meetings, notes and presentation slides made by teams about their projects, resident curriculum exit evaluations curriculum and interviews. Results: Residents reported high levels of comfort by applying PBLI-related knowledge and skills and that the curriculum improved their ability to do various PBLI tasks. The involvement of multiple stakeholders increased. Twelve of the 15 teams’ suggestions with practical systems-relevant outcomes were implemented and sustained beyond residents’ project periods. While using the traditional PDSA cycles was helpful, there were limitations. Conclusion: A PBLI curriculum that is centred around practice-based quality improvement projects can fulfil the objectives of this ACGME competency while accomplishing sustained outcomes in quality improvement. A comprehensive curriculum is an investment but offers organisational rewards. We propose a more realistic and informative representation of rapid PDSA cycle changes.
Activation of ERK 2 Specifically Regulates 3 D Invasion of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells via MMP-1

Constitutive K-Ras Activation of ERK2 Specifically Regulates 3D Invasion of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells via MMP-1 Gregory P. Botta, Mauricio J. Reginato, Maximillian Reichert, Anil K. Rustgi, Peter I. Lelkes Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102 Drexel University School of Biomedical Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 Division of Gastroenterology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
Microsponges: a futuristic approach for oral drug delivery

Introduction: Microparticulate drug delivery systems have, due to their advantages, guided researchers across the globe to explore them as drug carriers. This has, sequentially, led to the development of microsponges in 1988. These porous microspheres were exclusively designed for chronotherapeutic topical drug delivery but attempts to utilize them for oral, pulmonary and parenteral drug delivery were also made. Researchers have extensively studied their properties and characteristics affecting the drug release and loading. Various advances were made with this carrier particle resulting in the development of various novel development techniques and carrier particles. Areas covered: This review deals with the considerations of the drug material to be entrapped in microsponges, pharmaceutical considerations for fabrication of microsponges, their potential for oral drug delivery, clinical perspectives and also provides an insight on the recent advances made in this field and future prospect. Expert opinion: Clinical studies show that these carriers can increase drug efficacy. Due to their potential advantages over other carrier particles, microsponges form a prospective platform for the oral delivery of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals. Although these carriers have several advantages, they too possess some drawbacks which limit their commercialization for oral application.
Information Content of Exposed Accounts Manipulation, and the Impact of the Page Used in Conveying the News in Newspapers

This paper investigates three main issues related to accounts manipulation: (a) information content of news of accounts manipulation, (b) correlation between the amounts mentioned in the news and ex post cumulative abnormal stock returns, and (c) association between fall in share prices and the page where the news of the act is inserted in newspapers. Accordingly, the paper hypothesizes that for firms exposed in accounts manipulation, (a) ex post cumulative abnormal returns are less than ex ante cumulative abnormal returns, (b) ex post cumulative abnormal returns are inversely correlated with the amount mentioned in the news, and (c) there is association between fall in share prices and the page where the news of accounts manipulation is inserted in a newspaper. Archival data cover the period January 2000-June 2008, inclusive. They are analysed using multivariate data analysis techniques, paired samples tests, chi-square tests, and other econometric methods. We document evidences that are consistent with the hypotheses.
Species Differentiation of a Diverse Suite of Bacillus Spores by Mass Spectrometry-Based Protein Profiling

ABSTRACT In this study, we demonstrate the versatility of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) protein profiling for the species differentiation of a diverse suite of Bacillus spores. MALDI-TOFMS protein profiles of 11 different strains of Bacillus spores, encompassing nine different species, were evaluated. Bacillus species selected for MALDI-TOFMS analysis represented the spore-forming bacterial diversity of typical class 100K clean room spacecraft assembly facilities. A one-step sample treatment and MALDI-TOFMS preparation were used to minimize the sample preparation time. A library of MALDI-TOFMS spectra was created from these nine Bacillus species, the most diverse protein profiling study of the genus reported to date. Linear correlation analysis was used to successfully differentiate the MALDI-TOFMS protein profiles from all strains evaluated in this study. The MALDI-TOFMS protein profiles were compared with 16S rDNA sequences for their bacterial systematics and molecular phylogenetic affiliations. The MALDI-TOFMS profiles were found to be complementary to the 16S rDNA analysis. Proteomic studies of Bacillus subtilis 168 were pursued to identify proteins represented by the biomarker peaks in the MALDI-TOFMS spectrum. Four small, acid-soluble proteins (A, B, C, and D), one DNA binding protein, hypothetical protein ymf J, and four proteins associated with the spore coat and spore coat formation (coat JB, coat F, coat T, and spoIVA) were identified. The ability to visualize higher-molecular-mass coat proteins (10 to 25 kDa) as well as smaller proteins (<10 kDa) with MALDI-TOFMS profiling is critical for the complete and effective species differentiation of the Bacillus genus.
Insulin Resistance in a Boy with Congenital Generalized Lipodystrophy

ABSTRACT: We have studied insulin resistance in a 12-year-old Japanese boy who presented with congenital generalized lipodystrophy. Oral glucose tolerance test exhibited a diabetic pattern with normal fasting plasma glucose. Results from euglycemic glucose clamp study showed decreases in both insulin sensitivity and responsiveness. Both the patient's erythrocytes and Epstein-Barr virus transformed lymphocytes showed low-normal insulin binding with a slight reduction in binding affinity in the latter. Insulin binding to the cultured fibroblasts was decreased due to a lowered affinity. In addition, they displayed a rightward shift of the insulin dose-response curve for D-14C-glucose uptake with no decrease in the maximum uptake. Insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation and kinase activity of the wheat germ agglutinin purified receptors from the Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphocytes appeared normal. The reason for some discrepancies in insulin binding among the cells remains unknown, and we cannot formulate a conclusion as to whether or not a primary binding defect of insulin receptors exists and contributes to insulin resistance in the patient. The decrease in insulin responsiveness demonstrated in the glucose clamp study may result from a defect at the rate-limiting step in the postbinding process of insulin action, presumably a defect in the glucose transport system in muscle tissues. The defect may be secondary to changes in in vivo circumstances.
Trade and income at different stages of economic development

Recent research has found a strong positive effect of international trade on real income. We propose that this relationship may vary with the level of economic development. Using the instrument variable threshold regressions approach proposed by Caner and Hansen (2004), we find evidence that trade openness contributes to uneven development. Greater trade openness tends to have beneficial effects on real income for more industrialized countries. For less developed countries, however, trade openness appears to influence real income in a significantly negative way. The findings imply that greater international trade and integration may foster inequality of nations and hence contribute to more diverging economies.
Structural Change, the Social Policy Environment and Female Employment in Turkey

Since the 1970s, a series of demand and supply related changes have led to significant labour market transformations which have brought about a sustained increase in female employment throughout the world. While similar transformations have also been underway in Turkey, the country appears to be one of the rare exceptions to worldwide trends. During the last two decades both female labour force participation and female employment rates have declined at national level. In this article, two sets of questions are posed to explore the factors likely to influence female labour force participation. One set of questions pertains to the society-specific dynamics of structural change in employment patterns in Turkey, with particular reference to the level and composition of employment in the service sector. A second set of questions is posed to examine labour market relations and the social policy environment in Turkey, and their impact on the demand for and supply of female labour. Current changes in the prevailing policy environment are considered to highlight a certain contradiction in the attitudes of decision makers who seem to be faced with a trade-off between continuing adherence to conservative patriarchal values and the objectives of increasing labour force participation and combating poverty.
Priority Scheduling Rules for Repairable Inventory Systems

Improved priority scheduling rules are presented for a repair shop supporting a multi-item repairable inventory system with a hierarchical product structure. A variety of scheduling rules are evaluated using a simulation of a representative shop and product structure. The results indicate that dynamic rules which use inventory status information perform better than other dynamic or static rules which ignore inventory status; moreover, dynamic rules which use work-in-process inventory information outperform dynamic rules which ignore work-in-process inventory levels. In the simulation, the use of improved scheduling rules provides performance equivalent to a 20% reduction in spares inventory.
Volatility Forecasting and Time‐varying Variance Risk Premiums in Grains Commodity Markets

type="main" xml:id="jage12101-abs-0001"> In this paper we examine empirically the predictive power of model-free option-implied variance and skewness in wheat, maize and soybeans derivative markets. We find that option-implied risk-neutral variance outperforms historical variance as a predictor of future realised variance for these three commodities. In addition, we find that risk-neutral option-implied skewness significantly improves variance forecasting when added in the information variable set. Variance risk premia add significant predictive power when included as an additional factor for predicting future commodity returns.
Effects of immunotherapy on symptoms, PEFR, spirometry, and airway responsiveness in patients with allergic asthma to house‐dust mites (D. pteronyssinus) on inhaled steroid therapy

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of immunotherapy (IT) with an extract of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Alergo‐Merck Depot®) during a 27‐month period in patients with allergic asthma to house‐dust mites. We included 11 patients (mean age 18 years) treated with a combination of IT and inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) in comparison to another II (mean age 22 years) treated with BDP alone. We evaluated symptom scores, salbutamol use, peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR), spirometry, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) during 18 months of therapy with BDP and in the 9 months after BDP interruption. The two kinds of treatment were efficient and comparable in relation to symptom score, salbutamol use, morning PEFR, FVC, and FEV1, but patients treated with IT and BDP had a faster improvement of BHR and PEFR variability. The interruption of BDP after 18 months of therapy was linked to an impairment of all end points, which were more pronounced in patients previously treated only with BDP. These findings suggest that in selected asthmatic patients allergic to house‐dust mites, the association of IT and BDP is more effective than therapy with this inhaled steroid alone due to a faster and more striking improvement during the first months of treatment and to a lower rate of relapse after the interruption of therapy with BDP.
The correlation among different immunostaining evaluation methods for the assessment of proliferative activity in uveal melanoma

Purpose. Proliferative index of uveal melanoma cells serves as a prognostic factor. However, different methods are being used to determine proliferative index using immunostaining for proliferative markers. The major differences among assessment methods are whether the mean proliferative activity of all tumor cells in a section or for areas of rapidly proliferating cells is determined, and whether 10 or 20 fields are being evaluated. We aimed to assess the correlation among proliferative indexes obtained by different immunostaining evaluation methods. Methods. Sections from 60 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded uveal melanomas were immunostained with MIB-1 antibody. Immunostaining was assessed by counting immunoreactive cells in semi-randomly selected fields (nonselective method) and in areas with maximal immunoreactivity (selective method). Proliferative activity indexes according to the two methods in 10 and 20 high power fields (one high power filed = 0.785mm²) were calculated and compared. Results. The mean positive cell counts per mm² (MPCC/mm²) according to the selective and the non-selective methods were 29.8 ± 8.1 and 10.7 ± 2.4 respectively (p = 0.004, paired t-test). Despite these different values, there was a good correlation between the MPCC/mm² obtained by the nonselective and the selective methods for each tumor (r = 0.737, p < 0.0001, Pearson correlation). In addition, according to both methods, the readings of the first 10 fields and those of fields 1-20 correlated well. Conclusions. Mean proliferative activity of uveal melanoma cells correlates with the proliferative activity in localized areas of the tumor with rapidly proliferating cells. Therefore, uveal melanomas are classified similarly by the selective and non-selective methods of immunostaining evaluation. However, the two methods yield different proliferative index values for the same tumors, a fact that should be taken into account when comparing results of studies in which different techniques were used for immunostaining evaluation.
Are All Non‐Family Managers (NFMs) Equal? The Impact of NFM Characteristics and Diversity on Family Firm Performance

Manuscript Type Empirical Research Question/Issue Although non-family managers (NFMs) can be expected to influence firm performance, this issue is largely under-investigated. In this study, we examine how diversity inside the non-family component of the top management team (non-family team, or NFT) influences family firm performance. More specifically, we investigate the performance effects of three specific sources of NFT diversity (NFT size; NFT tenure diversity; and NFT dominant functional diversity). Research Findings/Insights The analysis of 584 survey responses by top managers representing 97 complete NFTs (and the related top management teams, TMTs) out of the top 500 family-controlled firms in the Italian furniture industry indicates that (1) NFT-dominant functional diversity improves firm performance; (2) a U-shaped relationship exists between NFT tenure diversity and family firm performance; (3) an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between NFT size and family firm performance. Additionally, we show that the relation between non-family manager characteristics and firm performance is moderated by family dominance in the entire TMT, that is, the proportion of family to non-family managers. Theoretical/Academic Implications Our results call for further exploration regarding the demographic characteristics of non-family managers and their effect on the performance of family firms. In this way, they have several implications for the family business literature, contributing to the growing debate on the socio-emotional wealth (SEW) perspective of family firms' behaviors. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of better contextualizing research on strategic leadership and strategic leaders. Practitioner/Policy Implications Our study suggests that the choice of outsiders should take into account not only their 'market value' and reputation, but also the attributes of other NFMs among the company's executives, providing guidance to family owners in their decisions about professionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Finding the best research and development strategy under different conditions

While the most advocated theory on contingency is gradually taking more factors under theoretic consideration, our paper considers such situations under both external and internal contexts. Our study on research and development (R&D) strategy selection presents practical results that may assist firms in making strategic R&D decisions. Our research suggests that for firms with high absorptive capabilities, it is best to use LowOut and HighInn R&D strategies under low competition, and switch to LowInn and HighOut R&D strategies when competition is intense. For firms with low absorptive capability, the choices are reversed, that is to use LowInn and HighOut strategies when competitive intensity is low, and LowOut and HighInn R&D strategies when competitive intensity is high. Moreover, the method used in obtaining results is innovative and helpful in understanding two- and three-way interactions. Overall, the results obtained from this research supports previous studies in the field, and may be helpful to firms.
The 2003 UK Government Higher Education White Paper: a critical assessment of its implications for the access and widening participation agenda

Fair access and widening participation currently occupy a prominent position in the UK higher education agenda, but these terms remain ambiguous. In this paper we identify two prominent strands of policy in the government's approach to access and the widening of participation and contrast these with a third, more progressive perspective. The academic strand seeks to attract ‘gifted and talented’ young people into an unreformed higher education system. The second strand, which we term the utilitarian approach, posits a need for reform. However, this is undertaken largely to meet the requirements of employers and the economy. In contrast, a transformative approach values diversity and focuses on creating a system of higher education that does not place the burden of change upon potential entrants. This framework is used to explore some of the implications of the government's White Paper The future of higher education. First, the purpose of higher education is discussed, with particular reference to the distinction between economic and social objectives. Second, the government's view of the structure of the higher education sector is examined, by scrutinizing the notion of institutional differentiation and the role of the access regulator. We conclude that within a more differentiated higher education sector different aspects of the access discourse will become dominant in different types of institutions.