Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Communication in corporate environmental reports

Since the beginning of the 1990s the number of companies producing environmental reports has increased considerably, a rise that now has reached a plateau. Some critics claim environmental reports are merely an exercise in public relations. This study describes the ascent of and the motives behind corporate environmental reporting and examines the extent to which the messages communicated in environmental reports correlate with the messages contained in corresponding annual reports and actual corporate behaviour. The indicated praxis of steering attention away from environmental problems—a by-pass solution—can involve providing contradictory information to various stakeholders. This article looks into third-party verification impacts on the credibility of environmental reports and calls for stricter reporting rules. The paper also discusses how eco-efficiency and sustainability demands placed on the scope of environmental reporting could enhance the sustainability of this reporting phenomenon, by for example doing away with merely limiting reports to company-judicial borders. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Flexible hardware architecture for the generation of ultrasound pulses in medical imaging

A four-channel high-voltage transmitter chip for medical ultrasound imaging is reported. It uses a 9-level pulse-shaping technique to improve signal quality and reduce distortion, compared to both the traditional (linear) method and the multilevel solution with coarser discretization. The proposed architecture requires minimum off-chip components and it is scalable for more channels. Extensive chip-level simulations of the prototype chip response to different test signals are in progress. Simulation results demonstrate circuit performance and reveal full functionality of the system. As a significant example, the device response to a linear frequency modulated chirp pulse signal with 4 μs duration and amplitude tapering is here presented.
E-Commerce Development in Developing Countries

Using case study evidence collected from Uganda in 2004 and the theoretical lens of change-agent theory, a framework is presented that explains how intermediaries can fulfil an effective role in assisting SMEs to benefit from e-commerce. Findings point towards the influence of multiple change-agents performing distinct roles. Primary change-agents have been identified as playing a lead role in catalysing and intermediating e-commerce, through facilitating market access due to favourable commodity chain positioning, and through solution provision that is tailored to specific SME needs. Secondary change-agents, on the other hand, provide complementary inputs such as technology, training and financial resources. It follows that competency to intervene is defined according to the differing roles that change-agents perform, and that intervention strategies for capacity building should be based upon the requirements of different categories of change-agent. This paper makes a contribution to the theory of e-commerce adoption, as well as providing an assessment framework to assist practitioners in formulating intervention strategies and helping agencies in developing countries.
Alendronate in the treatment of avascular necrosis of the hip.

Alendronate in the treatment of avascular necrosis of the hip SIR, Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the bone results from decreased blood supply to the bone, resulting in bone death. The most common site is the head of the femur. AVN is characterized by persistent, often nagging and disabling pain associated with significant reduction in joint movement and mobility. The condition tends to run a progressively downhill course. Medical and surgical management generally aims to improve the blood supply by vasodilators and antiplatelet drugs or by physically drilling holes and bone grafting to restore the blood supply to the avascular area. Eighty-five per cent of patients with symptomatic AVN progress to end-stage disease over a 2-yr period [1]. So far, there is no universally accepted treatment that relieves pain and halts its progression. In this communication we report our early experience with the use of alendronate, a bisphosphonate, in AVN of the hip. All cases of proven AVN seen by us between February and October 2000 were assessed. All grades of AVN were considered eligible. Patients were excluded if they had one or more of the following: inability to be followed up regularly, symptoms of oesophagitis or gastritis, age below 18 yr, lactation, and abnormal renal, liver or bone profile. Besides routine physical examination , parameters specifically studied were range of motion, standing and walking time in minutes, pain on visual analogue scale of 0–10 (0, no pain; 10, maximum possible pain) and disability on a scale of 0–10 (0, no disability; 10, totally handicapped). Baseline investigations included complete blood count, liver, renal and bone profiles, Serum 25 (hydroxy) vit D 3 and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of both hips. MRI was staged according to the classification of Mitchell et al. [2]. If both hips were affected, for MRI staging the stage of the maximally affected hip was used for analysis. All patients received alendronate 10 mguday plus a calcium supplement of 1 guday. Oral vitamin D 3 was administered to patients
Consumer complaint channel choice in self-service technology encounters

Consumers’ choice of channel to communicate complaints, following the decision to voice to the organisation, has received very little research attention. This study contributes to filling this gap by exploring the drivers of consumers’ choice of complaint channel in the self-service technology (SST) context. Surprisingly, in this context, consumers have often chosen interpersonal complaint channels over electronic channels, resulting in some of the value of using SSTs being lost for consumers and organisations alike. Preliminary findings indicate that the perceived ease of use, the likelihood of organisational response, the desire for social interaction and the source of the SST-related complaint, might provide some clues as to the organisational strategies that can be used to encourage greater utilisation of technology-based complaint channels.
CONSUMEREX – Consumer Experience Model. A multidimensional model of services evaluation. Application in the sport context

This paper proposes a new service evaluation model: Consumerex – Consumer Experience Model. The model integrates theoretical advances from the fields of service marketing and relationship marketing and uses a multidimensional approach to assess all constructs that typically are considered in the evaluation of a service: quality, satisfaction, perceived value, and loyalty. Moreover, the model includes new sub-dimensions such experiential quality and experiential satisfaction, which are expected to be particularly relevant in services where customers are co-producers. The application of the model in the context of sport marketing is suggested.
Hybrid Entrepreneurship

In contrast to previous efforts to model an individual's movement from wage work into entrepreneurship, we consider that individuals might transition incrementally by retaining their wage job while entering into self-employment. We show that these hybrid entrepreneurs represent a significant share of all entrepreneurial activity. Theoretical arguments are proposed to suggest why hybrid entrants are distinct from self-employment entrants, and why hybrid entry may facilitate subsequent entry into full self-employment. We demonstrate that there are significant theoretical and empirical consequences for this group and our understanding of self-employment entry and labor market dynamics. Using matched employee--employer data over eight years, we test the model on a population of Swedish wage earners in the knowledge-intensive sector.
Burkholderia pseudomallei Type G in Western Hemisphere

Burkholderia pseudomallei isolates from the Western Hemisphere are difficult to differentiate from those from regions in which melioidosis is traditionally endemic. We used internal transcribed spacer typing to determine that B. pseudomallei isolates from the Western Hemisphere are consistently type G. Knowledge of this relationship might be useful for epidemiologic investigations.
Do bone grafts or barrier membranes provide additional treatment effects for infrabony lesions treated with enamel matrix derivatives? A network meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.

BACKGROUND/AIM Network meta-analyses of randomized-controlled trials were undertaken to investigate whether enamel matrix derivatives (EMD) in conjunction with other regenerative materials yield better treatment outcomes than EMD alone in the treatment of infrabony defects > or =3 mm. MATERIAL AND METHODS A literature search was conducted using the Medline, EMBASE, LILACS and CENTRAL databases up to and including December 2008. Treatment outcomes were changes in probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL) and infrabony defect depth. Different types of bone grafts (or barrier membranes) were first treated as a group and then separately. RESULTS Twenty-eight studies were included in the review. EMD plus bone grafts and EMD plus membranes attained 0.24 mm [95% high probability density (HPD) intervals: -0.38, 0.65] and 0.07 mm (95% HPD intervals: -1.26, 1.04) more PPD reduction than EMD alone, respectively. For CAL gain, EMD plus bone grafts and EMD plus membranes attained 0.46 mm (95% HPD intervals: -0.17, 0.83) and 0.15 mm (95% HPD intervals: -1.37, 0.30), respectively. When different types of bone grafts and barrier membranes were treated separately, EMD with bovine bone grafts showed greater treatment effects. CONCLUSION There was little evidence to support the additional benefits of EMD in conjunction with other regenerative materials.
Fatigue‐related changes in fascicle–tendon geometry over repeated contractions: Difference between synergist muscles

Fatigue‐induced changes in force production of synergist muscles were evaluated through observation of fascicle‐tendon geometry and electromyography (EMG). Seven subjects performed 60 maximal isometric plantar flexions intermittently. No statistically significant intermuscle difference was observed in the decrease of mean EMG amplitudes or mean power frequency for the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (SOL) muscles. The tendon elongation of MG significantly decreased after the 19th contraction, and MG fascicle length increased after the 29th contraction, while SOL fascicle and tendon length did not change except for the last contraction. The declines in torques were highly correlated with the increase of MG fascicle length and decrease in tendon elongation in each subject, while no consistent relationship was found for SOL. These results suggest that changes in force‐production of MG and SOL over repeated contractions differ, which is reflected in fascicle–tendon geometry. Muscle Nerve 40: 395–401, 2009
A study on consumers' behavior model to use electronic purse – applied to TAM model

To elevate the efficiency of manual charge in stores and improve the conditions for rapid payment in coping with the mass numbers of consumers, the mechanism of payment in electronic purse featuring the functions of the smart card has been a main trend in Asia. Despite the potential effects to consumers with an introduction of such a mechanism of payment in electronic purse and the efforts from competent authorities for the promotion of such a mechanism, the rate for Taiwan consumer's use of electronic purse has fallen short of expectations. In view of this condition, this research aims to gain in-depth understanding of the factor's influencing consumer's intention to use electronic purse by taking the perspectives of Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical foundation. Taking Taiwan consumers as the samples to carry out the questionnaire surveys, findings of this research indicate the factors of consumer's using attitude (A) and subjective norms (SN) have shown significant positive influence on the behavior intention towards the mechanism of payment in electronic purse. Moreover, perceived usefulness (PU) and subjective norms (SN) shows significant positive influence on using attitude (A) towards the mechanism of payment in electronic purse; Perceive ease of use (PEOU) shows significant positive influence on the usefulness. Furthermore, Perceive ease of use (PEOU) will influence the using attitude (A) through perceived usefulness (PU). Implications for practitioners and suggestions for future research are also addressed in this study.
Reconceptualizing the Context-Design Issue for the Information Systems Function

The authors develop theory for predicting the distribution of decision making between the corporate and business-unit levels of management for a subset of information systems (IS) resources referred to as systems development. Drawing on literature from the fields of MIS, strategic management, and organization theory, they first determine how potentially influential context factors are likely to affect the locus of the lead decision making role from a multiple-contingencies perspective. Then they theorize how conflicting corporate and business-unit contingencies are likely to be resolved. They present a set of six propositions that predict a centralized, decentralized, or compromise design solution for a given business unit on the basis of (1) business-level strategy, (2) whether or not information technology (IT) plays a strategic role for the business unit, (3) the degree of line managers' IT knowledge at the business-unit level, and (4) the level at which opportunities for IT-related synergies across business units are being pursued at the corporate level.
Certain surfactants show promise in the therapy of pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND/AIM The aim of the present study was to develop the basis for the use of surfactants in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Bacteria are surrounded by a thick lipid coat primarily consisting of trehalose dimycolate (TDM) and, consequently, are well shielded from the immune system's response and antibiotics. This protective barrier was removed by exposing the bacteria to certain surfactants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Dodecyl maltoside (DDM) and octyl glucoside (OG) were utilized as non-toxic surfactants. RESULTS Electron microscopy (EM) studies revealed that aggregated bacteria were also covered with excessive TDM which exacerbate the treatment efforts. Light and EM studies demonstrated that DDM and OG disperse the aggregated bacteria and are bactericidal. CONCLUSION The studies presented here establish that certain surfactants are proficient in removing MTB's shield and, because they are well known as cell permeabilizing agents, they may also enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics and the immune system's response in the treatment of pulmonary TB.
Underwriter Prestige and the Determination of SEO Discounts

This study builds upon existing research into the determinants of discounting in seasoned equity offerings (SEOs) with a specific focus on the role of underwriter reputation. I find that reputational capital enhances the ability of underwriters to serve as intermediaries between issuing firms and the suppliers of capital. An endogenous choice model is employed to test several existing hypotheses regarding the role of underwriter prestige (i.e. high reputational capital) in the pricing process of SEOs. The results highlight the specific mechanisms through which reputational capital can be leveraged to improve the quality of underwriting services. Prestigious underwriters are shown to reduce placement costs, mitigate investor overreaction to pre-offering operating performance, and alleviate concerns of asymmetric information and the potential for adverse inside information. The findings are robust to multiple proxies and definitions of underwriter prestige. Collectively, the results suggest that prestigious underwriters merit their reputational capital by providing superior services to both investors and issuing firms.
Role of supplementary services in the purchase of credit card services in India

Service products being intangible and experiential in nature are different to evaluate prior to purchase and consumption. Consumers perceive risk while purchasing services and rely on various information sources to make a purchase decision. In services, personal sources of information are considered more than non‐personal sources of information. The present study focuses on understanding the significance of supplementary services as nonpersonal source of information to consumers for pre‐purchase evaluation of credit card services. In other words, whether information regarding supplementary services can help consumers make pre‐purchase evaluation of credit cards. In addition to pre‐purchase evaluation, the impact of supplementary services is studied towards post‐purchase evaluation of credit card services. Supplementary services being a part of full service product offer by marketers can be utilised as a beneficial tool to create interest and developing awareness among consumers.
Advanced methods in neural computing

From the Publisher: Following up where Neural Computing: Theory and Practice left off, this guide explains diverse high-performance paradigms for artificial neural networks (ANNs) that function effectively in real-world situations. The tutorial approach, use of standardized notation, undergraduate-level mathematics, and extensive examples explain methods for solving practical neural network engineering problems in a clear and comprehensible manner. Emphasis is given to paradigms that perform well rather than those of academic interest. Explanations of the paradigms are program-oriented and are written in algorithmic form. Self-contained chapters cover field theory methods, including Nestor's restricted coulomb energy system; probabilistic neural networks, which can increase training speed by orders of magnitude; genetic algorithms that mimic biological evolution; sparse distributed memory, a powerful associative memory paradigm, which is compatible with VLSI implementation; fuzzy logic methods that are finding widespread application in control systems; neural engineering, including a set of techniques for designing, training, and applying artificial neural systems to real-world problems; and additional chapters cover basis function methods, chaos, and automatic control. Most of the paradigms presented have been used by the author in actual applications. Paradigms that are still in the research stage, but offer great potential, are also discussed. Advanced Methods in Neural Computing meets the reference needs of electronics engineers, control systems engineers, programmers, and others in scientific disciplines.
Mapping the Shadow Banking System Through a Global Flow of Funds Analysis

This paper presents an approach to understanding the shadow banking system in the United States using a new Global Flow of Funds (GFF) conceptual framework developed by the IMF’s Statistics Department (STA). The GFF uses external stock and flow matrices to map claims between sector-location pairs. Our findings highlight the large positions and gross flows of the U.S. banking sector (ODCs) and its interconnectedness with the banking sectors in the Euro area and the United Kingdom. European counterparties are large holders of U.S. other financial corporations (OFCs) debt securities. We explore the relationship between credit to domestic entities and the growth of non-core liabilities. We find that external debt liabilities of the financial sector are procyclical and are closely aligned with domestic credit growth.
"Not by Money Alone": Social Support Opportunities in Medical Crowdfunding Campaigns

Medical crowdfunding helps patients receive financial support from their distributed social networks online. However, little is known about who the patient's supporters are, what support they provide, and why. To address this, we interviewed fifteen people involved in medical crowdfunding, including both beneficiaries and supporters. We found that support networks were larger than beneficiaries expected, with strangers offering support. Supporters offered not only monetary but also volunteering contributions including campaign creation, promotion, and external support. However, the emphasis medical crowdfunding interfaces place on monetary contributions led to social issues. Beneficiaries' close friends felt pressured to donate money they could not afford to give. And beneficiaries promoting the campaign worried they would be judged for requesting money. To mitigate these concerns, we suggest making the variety of volunteering contributions more visible and discuss the design challenges of including such signals in existing systems.
The Impact of Spin and Tone on Stock Returns and Volatility: Evidence from Firm-Issued Earnings Announcements and the Related Press Coverage

This study empirically examines whether spin and tone affect contemporaneous stock returns and volatility. We examine spin and tone of earnings reports from two sources: companies' earnings press releases and the financial news coverage of those releases. Our definition of spin is based on companies' use of pro forma versus GAAP earnings, and our definition of tone is based on the frequency of positive and negative words. Using daily stock returns, we find that (a) spin significantly affects stock returns and volatility; and (b) positive tone increase returns, decreases volatility whereas negative tone decreases returns but increases volatility.
Climate‐associated population declines reverse recovery and threaten future of an iconic high‐elevation plant

Although climate change is predicted to place mountain‐top and other narrowly endemic species at severe risk of extinction, the ecological processes involved in such extinctions are still poorly resolved. In addition, much of this biodiversity loss will likely go unobserved, and therefore largely unappreciated. The Haleakalā silversword is restricted to a single volcano summit in Hawai‘i, but is a highly charismatic giant rosette plant that is viewed by 1–2 million visitors annually. We link detailed local climate data to a lengthy demographic record, and combine both with a population‐wide assessment of recent plant mortality and recruitment, to show that after decades of strong recovery following successful management, this iconic species has entered a period of substantial climate‐associated decline. Mortality has been highest at the lower end of the distributional range, where most silverswords occur, and the strong association of annual population growth rates with patterns of precipitation suggests an increasing frequency of lethal water stress. Local climate data confirm trends toward warmer and drier conditions on the mountain, and signify a bleak outlook for silverswords if these trends continue. The silversword example foreshadows trouble for diversity in other biological hotspots, and illustrates how even well‐protected and relatively abundant species may succumb to climate‐induced stresses.
Prenatal diagnosis of a de novo unbalanced translocation (4p + ) following in vitro fertilization

We report herein a de novo unbalanced chromosome translocation in a fetus resulting from in vitro fertilization technology. Prenatal diagnostic analysis of an amniotic fluid revealed a 46,XX,4p+ karyotype. The origin of the extra material on the short arm of chromosome 4 could not be identified by a variety of banding techniques. However, examination of fetal parts did reveal some dysmorphic features.