Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Opposing responses of apoptosis and autophagy to moderate compression in skeletal muscle

Aim: The molecular mechanism that contributes to the pathogenesis of deep pressure ulcer remains to be elucidated. This study tested the hypotheses that: (1) apoptosis and autophagy are activated in compression‐induced muscle pathology and (2) apoptotic and autophagic changes precede pathohistological changes in skeletal muscle in response to prolonged moderate compression.
Equalization of What? Status, Expertise, and Tenure in Virtual Communities of Practice

In today’s technological world, virtual communities of practice have become important organizational forms. Their growing popularity raises questions regarding the “flattening out” or “equalization” of status, expertise, and tenure and their effects. A survey and in-depth interviews were conducted in communities of practice of social-service providers in order to examine whether status, expertise, and tenure differences exist and how they affect members’ interactions. The findings demonstrate that status and expertise, external factors that are “imported” to the online communities from the larger professional community, are more evident and have a considerably larger perceived impact than tenure within the online communities.
Links Between the Trust in the ECB and Its Interest Rate Policy

We contribute to the new, albeit fast-growing empirical literature on the determinants of trust in central banks. Like in most other studies we use panel data models based on the Eurobarometer survey on trust in the European Central Bank. Firstly, we confirm the main conclusion from previous studies that the trust in the ECB has suffered from the crisis’ outburst. Moreover, households perceive the ECB’s responsibility for the occurrence of the crisis to go beyond the responsibility of other institutions. This finding casts some doubt on the central bank’s ability to manage expectations in a country having been hit by a severe negative demand shock, while this ability is precondition of the central banks’ power to boost aggregate demand when its interest rates are at the zero lower bound. Secondly (and most importantly), in addition to previous studies, we examine the links between the trust in the ECB and its policy. Our main result is that when households have pessimistic expectations, aggressive cuts in interest rates have an adverse effect on their trust in central bank. This result is in accordance with the ‘lack-of-confidence shock’ hypothesis developed by Schmitt-Grohe and Uribe (2012) and go against the ‘fundamental shock’ hypothesis which would imply positive effects of aggressive cuts for trust in the ECB. These findings are robust to changes in the estimation method, the definition of the lack of confidence shock, control variables and countries under consideration. We also show that it cannot be easily rejected as spurious.
Double‐blind trial of house‐dust mite immunotherapy in asthmatic children resident at high altitude

Twenty‐three Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt)‐sensitive asthmatic children aged 7–14 years entered a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of standardized immunotherapy (IT) (Alpare) while resident at high altitude. Dpt sensitivity was evaluated by skin prick tests at different allergen concentrations at the enrollment and after 6 and 12 months of treatment. Bronchial hyperreactivity was evaluated at the same time points, and on each occasion, histamine challenge and, the following day, Dpt bronchial challenge were performed. All patients, irrespective of active treatment, improved clinically and in lung function with increased PC20 and Dpt‐PD20. Alpare‐treated patients had a significantly decreased sensitivity on Dpt skin testing (P ≤0.009) and felt that their asthma had improved (P ≤0.001) compared with placebo‐treated subjects, but there was no difference between the treatment groups in lung function or bronchial challenge response. IT neither increased nor decreased bronchial histamine sensitivity. Our results indicate that Dpt IT benefits asthmatic children, but improvement by allergen avoidance at high altitude is even greater.
Multiple Tax Practices and Taxpayers' Non-Compliance Attitude in Nigeria

The issue of multiple tax practices has always generated and continues to generate controversy among the tiers of Government in Nigeria. Whereas tax practitioners and government agencies claimed the existence of tax laws and policies governing the taxes and levies collectible by each tier, a regime of illegal tax collections still subsists. Survey data obtained from the responses of 209 respondents with the aid of a structured questionnaire were used to provide empirical evidence of the effects of multiple tax practices on taxpayers’ compliance attitudes. Findings from the correlation analysis revealed that multiple tax practices significantly affect taxpayers’ compliance attitude, and that multiple tax practices in Nigeria are corollaries of corruption, poor tax administration, greed and unfair revenue allocation formula. Hence, we suggest a distinct dichotomy of the different taxes collectible by each tier of Government. This will significantly aid an efficient and effective tax system in Nigeria.
T cell receptor (TCR) gene therapy to treat melanoma: lessons from clinical and preclinical studies

Importance of the field: Adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) with tumour infiltrating lymphocytes is currently the best treatment option for metastatic melanoma. Despite its clinical successes, ACT has limitations in availability and generation of therapeutic T cells for a larger group of patients. Introduction of tumour-specific T cell receptors into T cells, termed TCR gene therapy, can provide an alternative for ACT that is more widely applicable and might be extended to other types of cancer. Areas covered in this review: The current status of TCR gene therapy studies including clinical challenges, such as on-target toxicity, compromised anti-tumour T cell responses, compromised T cell persistence and potential immunogenicity of receptor transgenes. Strategies to address these challenges are covered. What the reader will gain: A listing and discussion of strategies that aim at improving the efficacy and safety of TCR gene therapy. Such strategies address antigen choice, TCR mis-pairing, functional avidity and persistence of T cells, immune responses towards receptor transgenes, and combination of ACT with other therapies. Take home message: To ensure further clinical development of TCR gene therapy, it is necessary to choose safe T cell target antigens, and implement (combinations of) strategies that enhance the correct pairing of TCR transgenes and the functional avidity and persistence of T cells.
Exploring Determinants of Citizenship Behavior on Virtual Communities of Consumption: the Perspective of Social Exchange Theory

Citizenship behavior within a virtual community has been recognized as an essential component for a community’s sustainable success. However, studies have not fully understood and given only limited attention to the factors that foster members’ prosocial behavior. The major objective of this study is the empirical investigation of the critical antecedents of citizenship behavior in virtual communities of consumption from the perspective of social exchange theory. Data were collected using a web-based survey from a well-known Taiwanese virtual community, Fashion Guide. The online survey yielded a total of 327 completed and valid questionnaires. To probe more deeply into whether citizenship behavior of a virtual community of consumption is influenced by product trial, two subsamples from product trial and non product trial members are compared. The study finds that social exchange theory helps foster citizenship behavior of the virtual community. In addition, analysis suggests that the influence strength of antecedents on citizenship behavior varies among Fashion Guide’s member types. The product trial members perceive a higher service quality and better social climate than the non product trial members, whereas the non product trial members perceive better information quality than the trial members. Implications for practitioners and researchers are also addressed in this study, and suggestions made for future research.
Impervious Surfaces and Water Quality: A Review of Current Literature and Its Implications for Watershed Planning

Impervious surfaces have for many years been recognized as an indicator of the intensity of the urban environment and, with the advent of urban sprawl, they have become a key issue in habitat health. Although a considerable amount of research has been done to define impervious thresholds for water quality degradation, there are a number of flaws in the assumptions and methodologies used. Given refinement of the methodology, accurate and usable parameters for preventative watershed planning can be developed, which include impervious surface thresholds and a balance between pervious and impervious surfaces within a watershed.
Examining the Relationships among Motivation, Service Quality and Loyalty: The case of the National Museum of Natural Science

This study explores causal relationships between push and pull motivations, perceptions of service quality and loyalty intention, and examines the moderating role of membership status in the National Museum of Natural Science, the largest museum in Taiwan. Data were collected from 405 paid admission visitors, with a quota and systematic sampling, from two stages of pre- and post-visit corresponding with two questionnaires. The results demonstrate that push and pull motivations impact on service quality perceptions, which in turn influence museum loyalty; the effect of pull motivation on service quality perceptions in the nonmember group was stronger than in the member group; the effect of service quality perceptions on loyalty in the member group was stronger than in the nonmember group. Museum managers could tailor and advertise existing museum products and services to different types of visitors; assuring the museum's continued operation and success.
An Empirical Analysis of Inflation in OECD Countries

During the 1990s, many OECD countries had declining rates of inflation while their unemployment rates were also falling, something that on the surface seemed at odds with the Phillips curve relationship between inflation and unemployment. For the USA, these seemingly contradictory developments have been reconciled in terms of two factors: (1) an acceleration in productivity and (2) structural changes in labour markets that lowered the natural unemployment rate (NAIRU). Here we ask whether comparable forces were at work in 19 other industrial countries. We find that productivity advancements were the main structural factor reducing inflation only in the USA. In other industrial countries, persistent labour-market slack was the main factor exerting downward pressure on inflation. This persistence stemmed, in part, from structural reforms that lowered the NAIRU while the unemployment rate was declining. Ireland, New Zealand and Norway were three countries where labour-market reforms helped to push inflation down dramatically.
Mapping of intrinsic bent DNA sites in the upstream region of DNA puff BhC4‐1 amplified gene

We have identified bent DNA sites in the distal and proximal DNA puff BhC4‐1 amplified gene promoter region of Bradysia hygida. The 2D modeling of the 3D DNA path and the ENDS ratio values calculated in this promoter region resulted in the identification of ten pronounced bent sites named BhC4B − 9 to + 1. The 1847 bp fragment (− 3697 to − 1850) in relation to the transcription start site shows multiple bending sites, BhC4B − 9 to BhC4B − 4, with periodicity ∼300 bp. The analysis of the other identified bent region, starting at position − 957, reveals that the BhC4B + 1 bent site colocalizes with the putative BhC4‐1 minimal promoter. The sequence analysis of bent site BhC4B − 4 shows a distribution of dA•dT at ∼10 bp intervals between the middle of each tract, but intervals with more than one turn, ∼20 bp, two helix turns, were detected in the other bent sites described here. The bent sites BhC4B − 6 and BhC4B − 4, contain two consensus sequences, with 60 bp each. The apparent molecular weight of fragments in the BhC4‐1 promoter region were estimated in agarose gels and compared with the data obtained in polyacrylamide gels without and with ethidium bromide. The mobility reduction ratios (R‐values) were determined, and a high R‐value, 1.80, for a 1215 bp fragment in the distal promoter region and a 1.23 significant R‐value for a 662 bp fragment in the proximal segment were found. To further analyze the predicted bent DNA sites in these fragments, the 2D trajectories of the 3D DNA path and other parameters, AT percentage, roll angle, ENDS ratio and ΔG, were determined. The role of these bent sites in the BhC4‐1 transcription regulation is discussed. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The effects of recurring and non-recurring non-audit services on auditor independence

Purpose - This study seeks to examine whether there are differences between companies that purchase either recurring or non-recurring audit services and those that do not, and whether auditors discount their audit fees for either type of non-audit service. Design/methodology/approach - The study examines associations between audit and non-audit fees in New Zealand, for the period 1995 to 2001. The advantage of this setting is that data on non-audit services was disclosed in this period and that the period pre-dates more recent controversies over whether non-audit services are permissible. Findings - Companies that purchase any type of non-audit services from their auditors are larger and more complex than companies that purchase auditing only. Companies that obtain tax services from their auditors usually do so on a recurring basis. In contrast, consulting services do not tend to occur every year. Auditors do not discount their fees for either recurring or non-recurring non-audit services. Research limitations/implications - While useful data is available about the type of non-audit services provided, there are limitations to the extent to which this information provides a precise measure of whether the services were recurring or not. Originality/value - The research contributes to understanding the issues regarding auditors providing non-audit services by providing evidence that neither recurring nor non-recurring services are associated with a reduction in audit fees. This finding is relevant when considering whether regulation of non-audit services should permit certain types of services, or should prohibit all non-audit services.
The gender of the extension agent and farmers' access to and participation in agricultural extension in Nigeria

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of male and female extension agents in reaching farmers, especially women, with extension services in Nigeria. Specially the study determined the levels of awareness of and participation in extension activities, adoption of and technical knowledge of recommended agricultural technologies/practices, satisfaction with the quality of extension services provided and agents' credibility of men and women farmers under male and female extension agents supervision. Data gathered from 141 men and 72 women farmers supervised by male agents and 22 men and 93 women farmers supervised by female agents in Oyo, Kaduna and Rivers State Agricultural Development Projects in Nigeria form the empirical basis for the study. Even though men farmers are more aware of and participated more in the extension activities organised by agents than women farmers, the study shows that women farmers, who are supervised by female agents have more access to extension services th.
Time consistent policy of multi-period mean-variance problem in stochastic markets

Due to the non-separability of the variance operator, the optimal investment policy of the multi-period mean-variance model in Markovian markets doesn't satisfy the time consistency. We propose a new weak time consistency in stochastic markets and show that the pre-commitment optimal policy satisfies the weak time consistency at any intermediate period as long as the investor's wealth is no more than a specific threshold. When the investor's wealth exceeds the threshold, the weak time consistency no longer holds. In this case, by modifying the pre-commitment optimal policy, we derive a wealth interval, from which we determine a more efficient revised policy. The terminal wealth obtained under this revised policy can achieve the same mean as, but not greater variance than those of the terminal wealth obtained under the pre-commitment optimal policy; a series of superior investment policies can be obtained depending on the degree the investor wants the conditional variance to decrease. It is shown that, in the above revising process, a positive cash flow can be taken out of the market. Finally, an empirical example illustrates our theoretical results. Our results generalize existing conclusions for the multi-period mean-variance model in deterministic markets.
Investors preferences and dividend payouts

A compelling motivation for dividends remains elusive in the face of double taxation, yet firms continue to pay dividends. This note identifies two previously unrecognized benefits of dividends. First, positive dividends can finance investors preferred consumption streams under some conditions, but the associated payout policy is not unique. Moreover, a specific form of dividend smoothing can facilitate dynamic portfolio insurance when risk-free securities exist. It is not claimed that these benefits solve the riddle of dividends, since both outcomes can be replicated by equity sales, but they do extend the known spectrum of such benefits.
The intertemporal relationship between market return and variance: an Australian perspective

In this paper we investigate the intertemporal relationship between the market risk premium and its conditional variance in an Australian setting. Using a bivariate EGARCH‐M model combined with the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) framework as proposed by Engle (2000), we find evidence of a positive relationship between the market risk premium and its variance and evidence of two distinct interest rate effects. Furthermore, while the bond market’s own variance is not priced by investors, we find that the covariance between equity and bond markets is a significant risk factor that is priced in the market.
Multinational Firm Knowledge, Use of Expatriates, and Foreign Subsidiary Performance

The impact of knowledge transfer on foreign subsidiary performance has been a major focus of research on knowledge management in multinational enterprises (MNEs). By integrating the knowledge-based view and the expatriation literature, this study examines the relationship between a multinational firm's knowledge (i.e. marketing and technological knowledge), its use of expatriates, and the performance of its foreign subsidiaries. We conceptualize that expatriates play a contingent role in facilitating the transfer and redeployment of a parent firm's knowledge to its subsidiary, depending on the location specificity of the organizational knowledge being transferred and the time of transfer. Our analysis of 1660 foreign subsidiaries of Japanese firms over a 15-year period indicates that the number of expatriates relative to the total number of subsidiary employees (1) strengthened the effect of a parent firm's technological knowledge (with low location specificity) on subsidiary performance in the short term, but (2) weakened the impact of the parent firm's marketing knowledge (with high location specificity) on subsidiary performance in the long term. We also found that the expatriates' influence on knowledge transfer eventually disappeared. The implications for knowledge transfer research and the expatriate management literature are discussed.
Fulfilling IT Needs in Small Businesses; A Recursive Learning Model

TED FULLER IS DIRECTOR OF THE Knowledge Systems Research Centre at Durham University Business School, United Kingdom. This paper addresses the need for a clearer understanding of the problems associated with the adoption of computers by small firms. From the catalogue of empirical research evidence already available, the key issues in the adoption of information technology by SMEs are identified. A model of the overall process of designing, developing, supplying, adopting and absorbing small business information technology is developed to identify inefficiencies in the fulfilment of small business needs. Underlying the dynamics of this model is a theory of software as contributor to enterprise development and learning. Specific abilities required by those involved in the software supply chain, i.e. software developers, IT consultants and vendors, business advisors, owner managers and small business employees are identified from a consideration of the dynamics of the model. It is suggested that enterprise development facilitators, such as trainers, consultants and counsellors, could contribute more more significantly to the design and use of software as a vehicle for enterprise development. It is argued that the effectiveness of the dynamics of this model in practice is a crucial policy issue in respect of the competitive aplication of IT by SMEs.
Identification of Stressors at Work: A Study of University Teachers in India

A sample of 570 teachers working in four universities of Punjab (Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Punjabi University, Patiala; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; and Punjab University, Chandigarh) were surveyed to assess the status of the health of university teachers and to identify factors causing stress among them. The results revealed that 14 per cent of the respondents were suffering from poor health. The factor analysis of 60 items covering various aspects of the job of a university teacher yielded 14 factors. The regression analysis revealed that ‘Inadequate Competence of Teachers’, ‘Formalities’, ‘Tough and Dull Job’, ‘Unpleasant Work Conditions and Lack of Resources’, ‘Poor Quality of Students’, ‘Lack of Control’ and ‘Demanding Job’ are significant stressors causing stress among the university teachers and affecting their health adversely. Whereas, ‘Work–Life Imbalance’, ‘Workplace Politics and No Freedom of Expression’, ‘Discriminatory Behaviour of Head of the Department’, ‘Slow and Limited Promotion and Inequitable Salary’, ‘Excessive Workload’, ‘Poor Interpersonal Relations’, and ‘Sexual Harassment’ have not been found to be significant job characteristics determining the health of the respondents.
Urban food insecurity in Cape Town, South Africa: An alternative approach to food access

This paper presents data from the African Food Security Urban Network's 2008 baseline survey of Cape Town. This survey found that 80% of the sampled households could be classified as moderately or severely food insecure. In urban areas the main driver of food insecurity is not availability but access. Access is typically viewed as being directly related to income. Households were found to use formal food markets, but more frequently depended on informal sector markets and informal social safety nets. The more food insecure and income poor a household was, the more likely it was to be dependent on less formal means of securing food. This suggests that there is some form of market failure in the formal food system. This paper therefore advocates for a food systems approach that validates and supports the role that the informal sector plays in urban food security.