Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A firm as a knowledge-creating entity: a new perspective on the theory of the firm

The knowledge-based view of the firm views a firm as a knowledge-creating entity, and argues that knowledge and the capability to create and utilize such knowledge are the most important source of a firm's sustainable competitive advantage. Knowledge and skills give a firm a competitive advantage because it is through this set of knowledge and skills that a firm is able to innovate new products/processes/services, or improve existing ones more efficiently and/or effectively. The raison d'etre of a firm is to continuously create knowledge. Copyright 2000 by Oxford University Press.
Investment Decisions on Long-term Assets: Integrating Strategic and Financial Perspectives

This paper aimed to verify how companies formalise the decisions and control on long-term investments. In particular, an analysis of the published literature reveals a relevant gap between the strategic and financial perspectives in addressing this issue, and Agency Theory was proposed as a linking construct to bridge this gap. A survey was conducted among 82 companies, and the data were treated using the structural equation modelling technique. The results of this survey indicate that firms with intensive external funding use sophisticated capital budgeting methods more frequently when evaluating the profitability of their long-term investment proposals. As these methods require detailed information, these firms use additional appraisal mechanisms to conduct their investment analysis more frequently. Additional mechanisms are also used if the long-term investment is funded by external sources and perceived as a riskier investment. These deeply analysed long-term investment proposals often appear and are decided as a part of the strategic planning process instead of being strongly associated with the budgeting process. Finally, these long-term investments, which are funded externally, analysed using sophisticated methods and mechanisms and decided as a part of the strategic planning cycle, are more tightly controlled than other investments. These findings help to reduce the heuristics within the related literature.
Evaluation of Murex CMV DNA Hybrid Capture Assay for Detection and Quantitation of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Patients following Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

ABSTRACT Murex hybrid capture DNA assay (HCS) is a solution hybridization antibody capture assay for detection and quantitation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in leukocytes. To determine whether CMV HCS is sensitive enough to initiate and monitor antiviral therapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT), 51 consecutive SCT recipients were prospectively screened for the appearance of CMV infection by HCS, PCR, and culture assays from blood samples. Preemptive antiviral therapy was initiated after the second positive PCR result in all patients, as previously reported, and HCS was not considered for clinical decision making. A total of 417 samples were analyzed. Of these, 21 samples were found to be positive by PCR and HCS, 88 samples were PCR positive but HCS negative, and 308 were negative by both assays. Concordance of results between PCR and HCS and between HCS and blood culture was observed in 78.9 and 95.9% of the samples assayed, respectively. PCR was found to be more sensitive than HCS, and HCS was more sensitive than the blood culture assay (P < 0.0001). Four patients with symptomatic CMV infection were PCR positive prior to the onset of CMV-related symptoms, whereas HCS detected CMV DNA in three patients prior to and one at onset of CMV disease. The numbers of genomes per milliliter of blood were higher in patients with symptomatic CMV infection than in those with asymptomatic CMV infection (P = 0.06). None of the HCS-negative patients developed CMV disease. Thus, all patients with CMV disease were correctly identified by HCS; however, the lower sensitivity limit of the HCS assay may still be insufficient to allow diagnosis of CMV infection early enough to prevent CMV disease in patients following allogeneic SCT.
The relationship between forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot static alignment in pain-free individuals.

STUDY DESIGN Correlational study. OBJECTIVES To determine whether, and to what degree, a relationship exists between forefoot angle and weight-bearing midfoot and rearfoot position. BACKGROUND There have been conflicting reports with regard to the degree to which the structure of the foot may influence the function. The influence of forefoot structure on weight-bearing midfoot and rearfoot position has not been extensively investigated. METHODS AND MEASURES Fifty-one healthy subjects participated in this study (26 male and 25 female). Forefoot angle was measured in prone as varus (positive numbers), neutral (0), or valgus (negative numbers). Navicular drop was measured from subtalar joint neutral to unilateral standing relaxed. Rearfoot angle was measured in relaxed single-limb stance as the angle between a line that bisected the calcaneus and a line that bisected the lower third of the leg. The relationships between forefoot angle and navicular drop, and between forefoot angle and relaxed rearfoot angle, were investigated. The same relationships were also investigated in the neutral forefoot subgroup when the sample was divided in 3 subgroups based on 1 standard deviation of forefoot angle. RESULTS There is a significant relationship between forefoot angle and relaxed rearfoot angle (r = 0.52, P < .001), as well as between forefoot angle and navicular drop (r = 0.55, P < .001), in the whole sample (n = 51). Average degrees of forefoot angle in the neutral subgroup (between 1.0 degree and 8 degrees of varus) are not associated with predictable positions of relaxed rearfoot angle (r = 0.19, P = .24) or navicular drop (r = 0.01, P = .96). CONCLUSIONS Based on the results of this study, there is a significant relationship between forefoot angle and relaxed rearfoot angle, as well as between forefoot angle and navicular drop, in healthy subjects. These relationships were not found when forefoot varus values were within a standard deviation of the sample mean.
The Monopolist's Optimal R&D Portfolio

The monopolist’s incentives towards product and process innovations are evaluated against the social optimum. The main findings are that (i) the incentive to invest in cost-reducing RD (ii) distortions obtain under monopoly, w.r. t. both the number of varieties and the technology. With substitutes (respectively, complements), the monopolist’s product range is smaller (respectively, larger) than under social planning. For any given number of goods, the monopolist operates at a higher marginal cost than the planner does.
Chemical Chaperones Regulate Molecular Chaperones in Vitro and in Cells under Combined Salt and Heat Stresses*

Salt and heat stresses, which are often combined in nature, induce complementing defense mechanisms. Organisms adapt to high external salinity by accumulating small organic compounds known as osmolytes, which equilibrate cellular osmotic pressure. Osmolytes can also act as “chemical chaperones” by increasing the stability of native proteins and assisting refolding of unfolded polypeptides. Adaptation to heat stress depends on the expression of heat-shock proteins, many of which are molecular chaperones, that prevent protein aggregation, disassemble protein aggregates, and assist protein refolding. We show here that Escherichia coli cells preadapted to high salinity contain increased levels of glycine betaine that prevent protein aggregation under thermal stress. After heat shock, the aggregated proteins, which escaped protection, were disaggregated in salt-adapted cells as efficiently as in low salt. Here we address the effects of four common osmolytes on chaperone activityin vitro. Systematic dose responses of glycine betaine, glycerol, proline, and trehalose revealed a regulatory effect on the folding activities of individual and combinations of chaperones GroEL, DnaK, and ClpB. With the exception of trehalose, low physiological concentrations of proline, glycerol, and especially glycine betaine activated the molecular chaperones, likely by assisting local folding in chaperone-bound polypeptides and stabilizing the native end product of the reaction. High osmolyte concentrations, especially trehalose, strongly inhibited DnaK-dependent chaperone networks, such as DnaK+GroEL and DnaK+ClpB, likely because high viscosity affects dynamic interactions between chaperones and folding substrates and stabilizes protein aggregates. Thus, during combined salt and heat stresses, cells can specifically control protein stability and chaperone-mediated disaggregation and refolding by modulating the intracellular levels of different osmolytes.
Logistic modelling of smallholder livestock farmers' adoption of tree-based fodder technology in Zimbabwe

Abstract Based on field data collected from 131 small scale dairy farmers that were randomly selected from four agro-ecological zones, this study assessed the potential of adoption of fodder bank technology as a means for improving livestock production and income generation for smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. Using a logit modelling approach, it also identified the drivers of adoption of the technology by analysing the influence of household characteristics and ecological factors on farmers' decision to adopt the technology. The model correctly predicted 75% of observed adoption and non-adoption by farmers. Results reveal that dairy herd size, land holding size, membership of dairy association and agro-ecological potential are the key factors influencing farmers' adoption of fodder bank. Age, sex, household size and educational level of farmers play lesser role. Male and female farmers were equally likely to take up and practice fodder bank if they are given equal access to information and incentives. The study recommends farmer-led extension approaches where farmers who possess certain key characteristics should constitute the initial group for disseminating information regarding the technology in rural communities. The results highlight the importance of access to dairy product markets as a driver for the adoption of fodder banks. It is recommended that forging a strategic partnership with the Dairy Development Programme (DDP) will offer high potential for enhancing the scaling up of the adoption and impact of fodder bank technology in the country.
A multi‐bioreactor system for optimal production of malaria vaccines with Pichia pastoris

The successful development of optimal multistage production processes for recombinant products with Pichia pastoris needs to meet three pre‐conditions. These pre‐conditions are (i) strategies for performing fully automated and observable processes, (ii) characterization of the host cell‐specific reaction parameters in order to make an adapted process layout for feeding and aeration strategies, and (iii) knowledge of optimal operation parameter conditions for maximizing the expression productivity of target protein amount and/or quality. In this report, an approach of a fully automated multi‐bioreactor plant is described that meets all these requirements. The expression and secretion of a potential malaria vaccine with Pichia pastoris was chosen as an example to demonstrate the quality of the bioreactor system. Methods for the simultaneous identification of reaction kinetics were developed for strain characterization. Process optimization was carried out by applying a sequential/parallel Design of Experiments. In the view of Process Analytical Technology (PAT)‐applications and in order to develop fully automated and globally observable production processes, methods for quasi on‐line monitoring of recombinant protein secretion titers and the immunological quality of the products are also discussed in detail.
Nonpharmacological Treatments for ADHD

Objective: The authors replicated and expanded on Fabiano et al.’s meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for ADHD, systematically comparing the efficacy of 7 nonpharmacological interventions. Method: A total of 14 controlled treatment studies conducted post-1994—evaluating behavior modification, neurofeedback therapy, multimodal psychosocial treatment, school-based programs, working memory training, parent training, and self-monitoring—were identified, primarily by searching electronic English-language databases. The results were meta-analyzed: mean-weighted effect sizes for the treatment outcomes of 625 participants (382 treatment, 243 controls) were calculated, and moderator analyses examined contributions of gender, ADHD subtype, and treatment “dosage” to outcome. Results: Behavior modification and neurofeedback treatments were most supported by this evidence. Interventions were generally more efficacious for girls, and least efficacious for the “combined” ADHD subtype. The authors found no dose or age effects. Conclusion: Based on the small, published literature, this study supports some nonpharmacological interventions for ADHD, and indicates directions for more evaluation research into psychological treatments.
Winning Strategies for Wagering on National Football League Games

An attempt was made to develop profitable strategies for betting on National Football League games. The research was based on the hypothesis that biases exist in the setting of pointspeads and that these biases can be detected and used for profitable wagering. An analysis of 1969-1974 data suggests that biases of several types do exist and that they are of sufficient magnitude to allow profitable betting strategies despite the normal five percent betting fee.
MARGINALIZED STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVES OF SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION: A CASE STUDY IN RURAL WEST VIRGINIA

Marginalized Students’ Perspectives of School Consolidation: A Case Study in Rural West Virginia While prior research provides evidence that school consolidation impacts student achievement, the economic efficiency at state and district levels, dropout rates, participation in extracurricular activities, curriculum offerings, and the length of bus rides, “little is known about what happens in consolidated schools to impact student learning,” (Blake, 2003, p. 21) and little attention has been given to studying students’ lived experiences of consolidation. This qualitative case study explored these issues by attempting to understand students’ transition to a consolidated high school, as well as their current experiences with and perceptions of consolidation in a rural community in West Virginia. The data collected included observations of and interviews with six students, along with reviews of pertinent student documents. Data collected also included interviews with seven teachers and one administrator who were identified by the students for inclusion in this study. The purpose of this case study was to add to the body of knowledge concerning the ways economically marginalized students, who are perceived as at risk of school failure, experienced and perceived school consolidation in a rural community. Through an analysis of the data, factors that enabled and/or constrained students’ success were identified. Three themes emerged: supportive relationships with principals, teachers, and others who had high expectations; expanded curricular opportunities; and participation in extracurricular activities.
The neighbourhood socio-demographic context of teenage girls' deliberate self-harm

This study investigates whether living area characteristics relate to the commission of self-inflicted injuries and to psychiatric consultation among teenage girls. An ecological study was conducted at the parish level. Seven descriptors of the population's socio-demographic composition were selected and psychiatric health care seeking and hospitalization for deliberate self-harm (DSH) among girls aged 12 – 19 years were considered (years 1999 – 2003). For each parish characteristic, three levels of concentration were determined and health outcomes were compared between levels using rate ratios (RR). Acute psychiatric consultation was strongly associated with all parish characteristics, particularly with the concentration of female-headed households. For hospitalization for DSH, RR were significantly higher in parishes with higher concentrations of female-headed poor families, social welfare recipients and low-income people. Teenage girls' acute psychiatric consultations more than their rate of DSH injuries are affected by parish compositional characteristics. The contextual, family-related and individual mechanisms lying behind this deserve further investigation. This may have implications for prevention strategies and for the allocation of care.
Prostaglandin E2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase‐2 expression are decreased in the cyclooxygenase‐2‐deficient mouse brain despite compensatory induction of cyclooxygenase‐1 and Ca2+‐dependent phospholipase A2

We previously demonstrated that brain cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 mRNA and protein levels, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) level, are down‐regulated in cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) ‐deficient mice. To further investigate the interaction between upstream and downstream enzymes involved in brain prostaglandin synthesis, we examined expression and activity of COX‐1, of different PLA2 enzymes and of prostaglandin E synthase (PGES) enzymes in COX‐2–/– mice. We found that the PGE2 level was decreased by 51.5% in the COX‐2–/– mice brains, indicating a significant role of COX‐2 in brain formation of PGE2. However, when we supplied exogenous arachidonic acid (AA) to brain homogenates, COX activity was increased in the COX‐2–/– mice, suggesting a compensatory activation of COX‐1 and an intracellular compartmentalization of the COX isozymes. Consistent with COX‐1 increased activity, brain expression of COX‐1 protein and mRNA also was increased. Activity and expression of cPLA2 and secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) enzymes, supplying AA to COX, were significantly increased. Also, the PGE2 biosynthetic pathway downstream from COX‐2 was affected in the COX‐2–/– mice, as decreased expression of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase‐2 (mPGES‐2), but not mPGES‐1 or cytosolic PGES, was observed. Overall, the data suggest that compensatory mechanisms exist in COX‐2–/– mice and that mPGES‐2 is functionally coupled with COX‐2.
Universities and regional advantage: Higher education and innovation policies in English regions

This paper examines the links developing between universities and their regions as observed in the UK. It highlights interactions between public policy and institutional behaviour in a multi-level governance (MLG) structure at sub-national, national and European levels. Different strategic processes of networking between universities and the developing links with the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) in nine English regions are illustrated, in light of the recent government policies which influence the resources and strategies of universities. Universities' wide range of activities and strategies at different geographical levels need to be strategically incorporated as part of regional innovation systems.
Exploring gender and socioeconomic differences in treatment of coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND Earlier studies on gender and socioeconomic differences in the treatment of coronary heart disease have focused mainly on structural features of the health-care system on the one hand and on coronary patients' psychosocial characteristics on the other. The aim of this exploratory qualitative study was to trace key points in the pathways of treatment where patients' experience varies and which can contribute to gender and socioeconomic differences in treatment. METHODS The data consist of 30 interviews among persons diagnosed with or suspected to have coronary heart disease in the Health 2000, a representative cross-sectional interview and health examination survey. Purposive sampling was used to ensure variation in gender, socioeconomic status and disease severity. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS Gender and socioeconomic differences were found in two key points in the pathways of treatment: doctor-patient interaction and the organization of primary care. The three features commonly distinguished in doctor-patient interaction, i.e. treatment decision-making, information exchange and interpersonal relationship, were all found to be relevant. A second key point was organization of primary care in terms of both access to examinations and care, and continuity of care. CONCLUSIONS These results should sensitize us to gender and socioeconomic differences in coronary patients' problems in access to and continuity of care, as well as to potential problem areas in doctor-patient interaction.
Value creation through HR shared services: towards a conceptual framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to derive a measure for the performance of human resource shared service providers (HR SSPs) and then to develop a theoretical framework that conceptualises their performance. Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper starts from the HR shared services argument and integrates this with the knowledge-based view of the firm and the concept of intellectual capital. Findings – We recommend measuring HR SSP performance as HR value, referring to the ratio between use value and exchange value, that together reflect both transactional and transformational HR value. We argue that transactional HR value directly flows from the organisational capital in HR SSPs, whereas human and social capitals enable them to leverage their organisational capital for HR value creation. We argue that the human capital of HR SSPs has a direct effect on transformational HR value creation, while their social and organisational capitals positively moderate this relationship. Originality/value – The suggested measure paves the way for operationalising and measuring the performance of HR shared services providers. This paper offers testable propositions for the relationships between intellectual capital and the performance of HR shared service providers. These contributions could assist future research to move beyond the descriptive nature that characterises the existing literature.
Treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated disease with teicoplanin

Forty-seven patients affected by Clostridium difficile-associated disease were treated orally with either vancomycin (patients hospitalized from February 1984 to February 1987) or teicoplanin (from March 1987 to December 1988). All patients given teicoplanin remained asymptomatic after discontinuation of treatment, and all but one were also cleared of C. difficile. In the vancomycin group, clinical symptoms recurred in 3 of 23 evaluable patients, and follow-up cultures were positive in another asymptomatic case.
Pergolide Mesilate May Improve Fatigue in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Objectives: Fatigue is a complaint frequently encountered among patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Considering the possible relationship between fatigue and dopaminergic dysfuncion, we investigated the effect of pergolide mesilate (a D2 and D1 dopamine receptor agonist) and bromocriptine (a D2 selective dopamine receptor) in patients with PD. Methods: We evaluated 41 patients with PD and controls. We assessed the degree of fatigue by using a fatigue scale. The severity of PD was evaluated by the Hoehn and Yahr Scale and the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS). Results: After five weeks from prescription, patients taking pergolide mesilate showed significant improvement in the fatigue scale (from 5.1 ± 0.7 to 4.4 ± 0.55, p < 0.05, ) but patients taking bromocriptine did not (from 4.8 ± 0.9 to 4.7 ± 0.8). Conclusions: Our study suggested the possibility of functional correlation between fatigue and D1 receptor in patients with PD.