Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An examination of factors influencing consumer adoption of short message service (SMS)

Factors related to consumer adoption of short message service (SMS) are analyzed in this article. Our structural equation model identifies perceived enjoyment (PENJ), perceived monetary value (PMV), perceived usefulness (PU), and perceived ease of use (PEU) as four major factors that directly affect Korean mobile phone users' SMS adoption. We also find that network factor (NET), interface convenience (IC), and context controllability (CC) have significant indirect impacts on consumer adoption of SMS through their respective paths on perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU). Our findings demonstrate that SMS must be perceived as enjoyable and pleasant, because consumers' motivation to use enjoyable and pleasant services like SMS enhances their value perceptions of SMS such as perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU). The findings also suggest that more convenient and easier-to-use system interfaces, greater context controllability across various SMS usage contexts, and greater network externalities can facilitate SMS adoption in the future. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Antecedents Affecting Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance

Employee engagement becomes an important issue as employee turnover rises due to the demand and shortage of skilful employees. Though organizational performances of many organizations have deteriorated due to high turnover rates and related issues such as high absenteeism, low loyalty and productivity, there is still a lack of academic research that addresses the antecedents required for high employee engagement in the food and beverage departments in the service industry. This paper focuses on the antecedents that influence employee engagement in food and beverage service departments, and literature reviewed indicates that there is a significant relationship between employee communication, employee development, rewards and recognition, and extended employee care. Among the antecedents, employee development forms the most significant contributor.
The impact of internet use on teaching, learning and research activities in Nigerian universities: A case study of Obafemi Awolowo University

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of internet resources and the evaluation of their usefulness on teaching, learning and research in Nigerian universities with particular emphasis on Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile‐Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a descriptive survey using questionnaires for data collection. The respondents constitute students (750) and academic staff (115) from OAU. Descriptive statistics (frequency counts and percentages) were used to analyze the data.Findings – The results from the paper reveal that a majority of the surveyed academic staff and the students found the internet to be very useful. Internet resources mostly used by both groups were e‐mail and the world wide web (WWW). Search interfaces were used for looking for research information. It was discovered that the users were not given adequate user education to enable them make use of the internet resources available.Originality/value – That the intern.
Should Chairman and CEO be Separated? Leadership Structure and Firm Performance in Switzerland

We investigate the valuation effects of leadership structure in switzerland where, in contrast to the U.S., a separation of the CEO and chairman functions is common. Consistent with the majority of prior research focusing on the U.S., we find no evidence of a systematic and significant difference in valuation between firms with combined and firms with separated functions. We also investigate whether the leadership structure is related to firm-level corporate governance characteristics. We find a curvilinear relation between leadership structure and managerial shareholdings that is similar to what we observe between firm value and managerial shareholdings. A possible interpretation is that the agency costs associated with a combined function are mitigated by a higher incentive alignment of the CEO/chairman through an adequate level of managerial shareholdings.
[Long-term results after microlaryngoscopic removal of Reinke's edema].

BACKGROUND In the case of Reinke's edema, the usual aim of microlaryngoscopic vocal fold stripping is an improvement of voice quality. Long-term results concerning functional voice quality in the literature vary widely. Whether and to what degree surgical intervention leads to the desired postoperative results is therefore still an open question. Therefore we conducted a follow-up study to review our own treatment results. MATERIALS AND METHODS We questioned 88 patients treated for Reinke's edema, either orally or by means of a written questionnaire, 6 months to 7 years (mean: 3.5 years) after the operation (longitudinal incision, removal of the edema by suction, resection of surplus vocal cord mucosa), asking about postoperative voice quality and subjective impression of how successful the operation had been. In all 63 patients answered the questionnaire; 16 agreed to undergo follow-up laryngostroboscopy. RESULTS 51 patients (81%) reported a postoperative improvement in voice quality, 8 patients (13%) rated their voice quality as unchanged, and 4 patients (6%) complained of deterioration in their voice quality. Among the patients whose voices were subject to professional strain (n=27) a lower proportion experienced successful results (voice quality improved: 71%; unchanged: 21%; worse: 8%) than among patients without vocal strain (n=36; improved: 86%; unchanged: 11%; worse: 3%). Postoperative elimination or restriction of such etiological factors as smoking and vocal strain also improved the long-term results. Follow-up examination in 16 patients revealed a good correlation between the patients' subjective reports and the stroboscopic and auditory findings. CONCLUSION Patients should be selected very carefully for surgical treatment of Reinke's edema. The elimination of etiological factors is of highly significant in terms of the prognosis. Before surgery patients should be fully informed of how uncertain the prognosis is.
Is the reduced efficacy of morphine in diabetic rats caused by alterations of opiate receptors or of morphine pharmacokinetics?

Because it generally is admitted that neuropathic pain is resistant to opioid analgesia, we investigated the effect of morphine on hyperalgesia in streptozocin-induced diabetes in rats. The antinociceptive effect of morphine (0.5-4 mg/kg i.v.) on mechanical (paw pressure test), thermal (tail immersion test) and chemical (formalin test) hyperalgesia was reduced. To clarify the mechanisms involved in the alteration of morphine analgesia, the binding characteristics of mu and delta receptor agonists and the pharmacokinetics of morphine and its glucuronide metabolites morphine 3-glucuronide and morphine 6-glucuronide were determined. KD and Bmax values for [3H][D-Ala2,(Me)Phe4, Gly(ol)5]enkephalin and [3H][D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin to cerebral mu and delta opiate receptors were not altered by diabetes. Likewise, the plasma maximal concentration of morphine and metabolites, as well as the area under the curve, did not differ between diabetic and normal rats. Only the total clearance and the apparent volume of distribution of morphine were increased in diabetic rats, which suggests that the diabetes-induced glycosylation of proteins might increase the distribution of morphine in the aqueous compartment. These data indicate that the reduced analgesic effect of morphine caused by diabetes cannot be explained by a decrease in opiate-receptor affinity or density but rather by kinetic alteration of morphine (increase of total clearance and of volume of distribution in comparison with healthy animals).
An Analysis of Customer Switching Internet Banks in Hong Kong

The convenience of banking via the Internet is allowing the growth of multiple banking relationships while maintaining an everyday account with another bank. Denton and Chan (1991) defined this kind of multiple banking as being conducted where people employ two or more bankers to handle their personal financial affairs. Gerrard and Cunningham (1999) indicated that socio-economic characteristics can be used to identify a multiple bank user(s) from a single bank user. According to Dick and Basu (1994), switching costs are a common strategy to maintain the loyalty. Switching costs have been identified as a factor contributing to maintaining a relationship (Morgan and Hunt, 1994). This research would be among the earliest attempt to study the consumer behavior issue in an Internet setting. Based on a review of the literature, a research model linking customer satisfaction, loyalty, switching costs and split Internet bank behavior was developed. The model has two main features. First, it examines the main direct effects of customer satisfaction, loyalty and switching costs on split Internet bank behavior. Second, the model also examines the moderating role of socio-economic characteristics on the relationship between customer satisfaction, loyalty and switching costs - split Internet bank behavior.
Revisiting Determinants of Capital Structure: Evidence and Arguments

This paper provides and reviews literature on determinants of capital structure. Its aim is to highlight that majority of previous studies on capital structure have considered only demand side factors while overlooked the credit supply conditions as determinants of capital structure. The study brings together the earlier as well as the recent literature on determinants of capital structure and the effect of financial crisis on firms’ behaviour, to provide further insights into the determinants of firm financing decisions. It highlights that credit supply conditions are significant in determining firm financing decisions. The paper concludes that accounting for both demand and supply factors are crucial in understanding the firm financing decisions.
Optimal board independence with gray independent directors

Based on the optimal board independence theory, we analyze how Spanish listed firms determine the presence of genuine and gray independent directors. We classify independents as gray whenever they do not satisfy formal independence requirements. Given the findings in previous literature, this type of gray independent does not promote poor corporate governance practices. Our results suggest that the presence of gray and genuine independent directors is related to the optimal board independence determinants as if both provided real board independence. Results are not affected by the number and the type of unsatisfied independence criteria, nor by the firm’s achievement of regulators’ recommended level of board independence. Therefore, we conclude that firms pay little attention to formal independence requirements to reach their optimal board structure. JEL CLASSIFICATION: G30; G34; K22
The organizational barriers to developing market orientation

Although there has been much academic discussion of employee behaviours as potential barriers to market orientation, comparatively little attention has been focused on organizational barriers to market orientation. No single study has undertaken a holistic review of structural, strategic and systems impediments. The aim of this paper is to extend and synthesize existing research into the obstacles to market orientation by performing a holistic analysis of the organizational characteristics which influence the extent of market orientation in an organization. This paper begins with a brief review of existing research into the barriers to developing market orientation. After a discussion of research design and methodology, the summary findings of three in‐depth case studies are presented and eight hypotheses are forwarded. Thereafter, the results of a survey of organizational barriers to market orientation are presented and the findings are discussed. The paper concludes with a number of implications for both strategic marketing and management theory and practice.
Calcium channel currents recorded from isolated myocytes of rat basilar artery are stretch sensitive.

1. Conventional and perforated patch whole‐cell methods were used to measure Ca2+ channel currents from isolated rat basilar arterial myocytes in response to voltage steps. Peak currents measured in response to repeated steps to +2 mV increased over the first 3 min after gaining whole‐cell access. The increase followed an exponential time course, was not due to decrease in underlying outward current and was independent of the presence of ATP and GTP in the pipette filling solution. 2. Application of positive and negative pressure to the pipette resulted in significant increase and decrease in peak inward current, respectively. Membrane stretch, associated with changes in cell volume, rather than applied pressure per se appeared to determine changes in peak current. 3. Using amphotericin B perforated patch recording, changes in cell volume on application of 80% hypo‐ or 120% hyperosmotic superfusing solutions were found to effect similarly peak inward current. Hyposmotically induced cell swelling increased and hyperosmotic cell shrinkage decreased peak inward current at all test potentials studied. 4. The increase in inward current in response to hyposmotic superfusate was reversible and appears to reflect an increase in voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channel current since it was not due to a change in non‐voltage‐sensitive conductance(s) and it was as sensitive as the control current to the dihydropyridine (DHP) antagonist (‐)202‐791.
p53 gene mutations in multiple myeloma.

AIM: To assess whether p53 gene mutation is important in the pathogenesis and progression of multiple myeloma. METHODS: Thirty eight DNA samples (derived predominantly from bone marrow) obtained from 31 patients with multiple myeloma were examined for mutations in p53 exons 5-9 by polymerase chain reaction single strand conformation polymorphism. Twenty three samples were analysed at the time of diagnosis (one patient had plasma cell leukaemia), three in plateau phase, and 12 at relapse (one plasma cell leukaemia and one extramedullary relapse). RESULTS: One p53 mutation was detected in this group of patients (3.2%). This was seen in the diagnostic bone marrow sample of a 35 year old man with stage IIA disease and occurred in exon 6 as a result of a silent A to G transition at codon 213 (CGA-->CGG), a polymorphism that has been reported in about 3% of breast and lung tumours. CONCLUSIONS: p53 gene mutations are rare events in multiple myeloma and would seem to be of limited value as a prognostic factor.
Egg‐white‐specific IgA and IgA2 antibodies in egg‐allergic children: Is there a role in tolerance induction?

Decreased serum food‐specific IgA antibodies have been associated with allergic disease in cross‐sectional, case–control studies. The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare egg‐white‐(EW)‐specific IgA and IgA2 levels between egg‐allergic children and children tolerating egg.
The Human Resource Management Can Reduce Turnover

The objective of this work was to identify whether practices in Human Resources Management – Recruitment and Selection, Integration, Training and Development, Benefits, Compensation and Performance Evaluation – have any relation to turnover . It consisted of an applied, descriptive and quantitative research among Brazilian private companies. Human resources data were collected using the McConnell instrument (2001), and turnover rates – global, voluntary and involuntary – were taken from the 2011 calendar year. The results indicate that companies intending to slow or reduce employee turnover need to invest in practices of Recruitment and Selection, Benefits, and Training and Development. On the other hand, the practices of Compensation, Integration and Performance are not significantly linked to turnover, unlike indicated in other studies.
The strategic impact of external networks: Subsidiary performance and competence development in the multinational corporation

A special feature of multinational firms (MNCs) is the notion that their sub-units (subsidiaries) are embedded in different local networks (Ghoshal and Bartlett, 1990; Ghoshal and Nohria, 1997; Fors-gren, Johanson, and Sharma, 2000). Each subsidiary maintains unique and idiosyncratic patterns of network linkages and consequently is differentially exposed to new knowledge, ideas and opportunities (McEvily and Zaheer, 1999). In fact, this differential exposure has been put forward as one of the basic competitive advantages of the multinational firm, because it increases the breadth and variety of its network resources (Malnight, 1996). It is also in line with recent trends in foreign direct investment theory, in which foreign investments are viewed as series of attempts to selectively tap knowledge linked to specific local business contexts (Cantwell, 1990; Almeida, 1996; Dunning, 1996).
DC120, a Novel and Potent Inhibitor of AKT Kinase, Induces Tumor Cell Apoptosis and Suppresses Tumor Growth

Protein kinase B/AKT kinase is the core component of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway, which is frequently hyperactivated in human cancers. We designed and synthesized a series of 2-pyrimidyl-5-amidothiazole compounds based on the ATP binding site of AKT, and the most potent compound, (S)-N-(1-amino-3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-yl)-2-(2-(methylamino)pyrimidin-4-yl)thiazole-5-carboxamide (DC120), was identified to inhibit AKT activity in vitro with an EC50 of 153 nM by a fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based Z′-LYTE assay. The antitumor effect of DC120 was tested on human CNE2 and MDA-MB-453 cell lines and the CNE2 xenograft model. The results showed that DC120 could obviously inhibit the proliferation of CNE2 and MDA-MB-453 cells via induction of apoptosis, with the evidence of increases in sub-G1 and annexin V-positive cells, characteristic morphologic changes of apoptosis in the nucleus, and cleaved caspase-3. Further study showed that MDA-MB-453 cells transfected with constitutively activated AKT1 were more sensitive to DC120,whereas CNE2 cells with knockdown of AKT1 expression by short hairpin RNA were more resistant to DC120. Of more importance, DC120 partially attenuated the phosphorylation levels of forkhead transcription factor (FKHR), FKHRL1, glycogen synthase kinase 3β, and mammalian target of rapamycin in a dose-dependent and time-dependent fashion and led to an increase in the nuclear accumulation of exogenous FKHR in cancer cells. In addition, DC120 at 20 mg/kg/day inhibited the CNE2 xenograft tumor growth with a treated group/control group ratio of 38.1%, accompanied by increasing terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferasedUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells in the tumor sample. In addition, DC120 induced a feedback loop to activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and treatment with mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor 1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(methylthio)butadiene (U0126) and DC120 synergistically induced cancer cell apoptosis. These data provide validation for the development of DC120 to treat cancers displaying elevated levels of AKT.
Lumbosacral Scoliotic List by Lumbar Disc Herniation

Study Design. A prospective study of 45 patients with lumbar disc herniation and scoliotic list who had undergone conventional open discectomy. Objectives. To determine the association between the location of the disc herniation and the direction of sciatic scoliotic list and to clarify the mechanism of sciatic scoliosis. Summary of Background Data. The association between the scoliotic list and lumbar disc herniation is well known. However, there have been few studies regarding the direction of scoliotic list and the location of the disc herniation observed during surgery. Methods. The direction of scoliotic list, the preoperative and postoperative Cobb’s angle, and the displacement of the first lumbar vertebra from the center sacral line were measured. The location, side, and degree of disc herniation were observed during surgery. Results. There was no statistically significant association observed between the location or degree of nerve root compression and the direction or degree of sciatic scoliosis. Moreover, there was no statistically significant association observed between the location or degree of nerve root compression and the displacement of the first lumbar spine from the center sacral line. However, there was a significant association between the side of the disc herniation and the direction of sciatic scoliosis. Most of the sciatic scoliotic list disappeared after surgical decompression. Conclusion. The direction of sciatic scoliosis was not observed to be associated with the location of nerve root compression, although it was related to the side of disc herniation.
Sheep and goat value chains in Ethiopia: A synthesis of opportunities and constraints

Unless otherwise noted, you are free to copy, duplicate or reproduce, and distribute, display, or transmit any part of this publication or portions thereof without permission, and to make translations, adaptations, or other derivative works under the following conditions: ATTRIBUTION. The work must be attributed, but not in any way that suggests endorsement by ILRI or the author(s). NON-COMMERCIAL. This work may not be used for commercial purposes. SHARE ALIKE. If this work is altered, transformed, or built upon, the resulting work must be distributed only under the same or similar licence to this one. NOTICE: For any reuse or distribution, the licence terms of this work must be made clear to others. Any of the above conditions can be waived if permission is obtained from the copyright holder. Nothing in this licence impairs or restricts the author's moral rights. Fair dealing and other rights are in no way affected by the above. The parts used must not misrepresent the meaning of the publication. ILRI would appreciate being sent a copy of any materials in which text, photos etc. have been used. Photos on the cover and inside the text pages—ILRI/Zerihun Sewunet ISBN 92–9146–358–2 ICARDA and ILRI are members of the CGIAR Consortium iii Sheep and goat value chains in Ethiopia: A synthesis of opportunities and constraints Contents Acronyms v Foreword and acknowledgements vi Introduction 1 Methodology 4 Study areas 4 Data collection 5 Conceptual framework 5 Core functions of the sheep and goats value chain 8 Input supply to sheep and goat value chains 10 Supply of breeding stock 10 Feed supply 10 Supply of veterinary drugs and clinical equipment 11 Production of sheep and goats in the value chains 13 Breeding 13 Feeding 13 Commonly used feeds for sheep and goats 14 Seasonal feed availability and coping mechanisms 15 Animal health care 16 Housing 16 Milk production 16 Support services for sheep and goat production 19 Veterinary services 19 Credit services 20 Transportation services 21 iv Sheep and goat value chains in Ethiopia: A synthesis of opportunities and constraints Market information 21 Extension services 21 Marketing sheep and goats in the value chains 23 Domestic markets 23 Export markets 24 Actors in the sheep and goat value chains 26 Producers 26 Collectors 28 Brokers 28 Small traders 28 Large traders 28 Livestock marketing cooperatives 29 Individual consumers 29 Hotels and restaurants 30 Butchers 30 Supermarkets 31 Export abattoirs …