Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organizational Innovation Promoters and Performance Effects in Small, Knowledge-Intensive Firms

This paper investigates the impacts of organizational factors on innovation and performance in small, knowledge-intensive firms. The study focused on Norwegian firms with 5 to 30 employees. The findings indicate that differentiating between product, process and market innovation provides a better understanding of the factors that drive innovation. This strategy seems to influence innovation. For instance, low-cost strategy positively impacts on both process innovation and market innovation. Also, external relationships significantly influence innovation: for instance, market participation in a product development context has a significant influence on product development.
Sequential intravascular ultrasound characterization of the mechanisms of rotational atherectomy and adjunct balloon angioplasty.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to use sequential intravascular ultrasound imaging before intervention, after rotational atherectomy and after adjunct balloon angioplasty to characterize the mechanisms of lumen enlargement after each. BACKGROUND Rotational atherectomy uses a high speed, rotating, diamond-tipped elliptic burr to abrade atherosclerotic plaque to increase lumen size. In vitro studies have shown that high speed rotational atherectomy selectively abrades hard, especially calcified, plaque elements. However, rotational atherectomy procedures usually require adjunct balloon angioplasty. METHODS Forty-eight lesions in 46 patients were treated with rotational atherectomy followed by adjunct balloon angioplasty in 44. Quantitative coronary arteriographic and intravascular ultrasound measurements of the target lesion were made before intervention, after rotational atherectomy and after balloon angioplasty. RESULTS Before intervention, target lesion external elastic membrane area measured 17.3 +/- 5.9 mm2, lumen area measured 1.8 +/- 0.9 mm2 and plaque plus media area measured 15.7 +/- 4.1 mm2. After rotational atherectomy, lumen area increased, plaque plus media area decreased, arc of target lesion calcium decreased and 26% of the target lesions had dissection planes. After adjunct balloon angioplasty, external elastic membrane area increased, lumen area increased, plaque plus media area did not change and 77% of the target lesions had dissection planes. Arterial expansion was seen in 80% of lesions. The pattern of dissection plane location, which was predominantly within calcified plaque after rotational atherectomy, became predominantly adjacent to calcified plaque after adjunct balloon angioplasty (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS Sequential intravascular ultrasound imaging shows that high speed rotational atherectomy causes lumen enlargement by selective ablation of hard, especially calcific, atherosclerotic plaque with little tissue disruption and rare arterial expansion. Adjunct balloon angioplasty further increased lumen area by a combination of arterial dissection and arterial expansion, especially of compliant, noncalcified plaque elements.
Abundance and diversity of soil nematodes as influenced by different types of organic manure

SummaryNematode abundance and diversity from different types of organic manure soil treatments were investigated in a longterm field experiment carried out in Qu-Zhou experimental station, China Agricultural University. The composts used in the experiment were a traditional compost (C) (60 % straw, 30 % livestock dung, 5 % cottonseed-pressed trash and 5 % brans), traditional compost and chicken dung compost (60 % straw, 30 % chiken dung, 5 % cottonseedpressed trash and 5 % brans) added with effective microorganisms, EMC and EMCDC respectively. Six treatments were arranged according to a randomized block design with three replicates per treatment. Treatments were incorporation into the soil of compost EMC, EMCDC, and C each at the rates of 7.5 and 15 t/ha. Plots were sown with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize (Zea mays L.) every year from 1997 to 2004. Overall, 28 nematode genera were found. Seven genera were bacterivores, 3 genera were fungivores, 13 genera were plantparasites and 5 genera were omnivores-predators. The Rhabditis, Cephalobus, Helicotylenchus were dominant genera in the present study. The bacterivores and plantparasitic nematodes were the dominant trophic groups except in C treatment. Nematode abundance per 100 g dried soil ranged from 372 to 553. Addition of effective microorganism increased the number and proportion of bacterivorous nematodes and decreased the number and proportion of plant-parasitic nematodes compared to traditional compost C. Total number of nematode was significantly influenced by compost amount, but didn’t significantly influence by EM agent. Total abundance of nematode was positively correlated with the content of soil organic matter, total N, available P and K. The long-term addition of EM agent hasn’t adverse effect on soil nematode community.
Property, plant and equipment disclosure requirements and firm characteristics: the Portuguese accounting standardization system

In the new Portuguese accounting frame of reference (Portuguese Accounting Standardization System – Sistema de Normalizacao Contabilistica), the issues related to Property, Plant and Equipment assets are dealt with in the Accounting and Financial Reporting Standard (Norma Contabilistica de Relato Financeiro – NCRF) 7 (Property, Plant & Equipment). The present study intends to assess the degree of compliance with the disclosure requirements of this accounting standard by Portuguese unlisted companies. Moreover, it tries to identify the factors that influence their level of disclosure. The financial statements for 2010 and 2011 were content analyzed and a multiple linear regression model was used to assess the motivations for companies to comply with disclosure requirements. Results indicate that older companies with lower levels of foreign activity present higher levels of disclosures. The type of auditing firm is also a factor that influences the level of compliance with NCRF 7.
A collaborative system for endovascular treatment of acute ischaemic stroke: the Madrid Stroke Network experience

The complexity and expense of endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) can present difficulties in bringing this approach closer to the patients. A collaborative node was implemented involving three stroke centres (SCs) within the Madrid Stroke Network to provide round‐the‐clock access to EVT for AIS.
Performance of Acquisitions of Distressed Firms

In 51 acquisitions of financially distressed firms, related business combinations in which the acquirers had prior acquisition experience performed best. However, business relatedness and acquisition experience had no effect on performance in a control group of 46 acquisitions of firms that were not distressed. The results imply that tacit knowledge about the acquisition process and about how to integrate and manage the assets of distressed firms may be keys to their successful acquisition.
Financial Conglomerate Affiliated Hedge Funds: Risk Taking Behavior and Liquidity Provision

This paper explores how affiliation to financial conglomerates relates to hedge fundsâ€™ funding and risk taking. We find that financial-conglomerate-affiliated hedge funds (FCAHFs) have more stable funding than other hedge funds. This may explain our finding that FCAHFs are able to take more risk and to purchase less liquid and more volatile stocks than other hedge funds during financial turmoil. In good times, instead, FCAHFs expand their assets less than other funds and are less exposed to systematic risk. Thus, FCAHFs perform a stabilizing function for the financial system, even though they do not generate higher returns for their investors.
Finding the Right Shade of Green: The Effect of Advertising Appeal Type on Environmentally Friendly Consumption

There are two forms of advertising appeals for environmentally friendly products and policies: those that provide consumer benefit (e.g., cost savings) and those that provide societal benefit (e.g., lower emissions). This research examines the role of decision-making and consumption contexts on the efficacy of each appeal. The results of three studies indicate that in contexts where consumers experience heightened public accountability they are more responsive to other-benefit appeals, and in more private settings they favor self-benefit appeals. We replicate this finding across multiple samples, product categories, and consumption and decision-making contexts. Our findings reconcile previously conflicting research on the efficacy of either appeal type and provide guidance for marketers seeking to promote environmentally friendly consumption.
The cHS4 Insulator Increases the Probability of Retroviral Expression at Random Chromosomal Integration Sites

ABSTRACT Retroviruses are highly susceptible to transcriptional silencing and position effects imparted by chromosomal sequences at their integration site. These phenomena hamper the use of recombinant retroviruses as stable gene delivery vectors. As insulators are able to block promoter-enhancer interactions and reduce position effects in some transgenic animals, we examined the effect of an insulator on the expression and structure of randomly integrated recombinant retroviruses. We used the cHS4 element, an insulator from the chicken β-like globin gene cluster, which has been shown to reduce position effects in transgenic Drosophila. A large panel of mouse erythroleukemia cells that bear a single copy of integrated recombinant retroviruses was generated without using drug selection. We show that the cHS4 increases the probability that integrated proviruses will express and dramatically decreases the level of de novo methylation of the 5′ long terminal repeat. These findings support a primary role of methylation in the silencing of retroviruses and suggest that cHS4 could be useful in gene therapy applications to overcome silencing of retroviral vectors.
Sensitivity Analysis of a Reverberation Chamber with Respect to Tuner Speeds

The energy distribution among the modes in an over-moded reverberation chamber operating at a particular frequency is studied for varying tuner speeds. The understanding of this spread is important in quantifying upsets of equipment in the chamber. The spectral characterization of a time varying electromagnetic field is done using the averaged periodogram approach. The complex insertion loss S21 is the measured quantity and an estimation of the power insertion loss that will be used in the determination of Q factor, is obtained from the sampling data for varying angular positions of the tuner. The same procedure is followed for varying tuner speeds and the Q is reported. The autocovariance for this random process can be found by taking a Fourier transform of the spectral density function. The autocovariance function helps in determining the number of independent samples of the field. The field experienced by a EUT in the usable volume due to continuous rotation of the tuner is analyzed.
Assumed empowerment: Consuming professional services in the knowledge economy

Purpose – This paper considers the notion of consumer empowerment across the financial, legal and medical service sectors in the UK. Although the advent of the internet is generally seen as potentially enabling consumer empowerment, theoretical papers divide on the question of efficacy. On the one hand, it is argued the much‐vaunted internet opportunity must not be simply taken as evidence of change in the consumer‐producer relationship. On the other the change must not be unquestioningly be taken as advantageous to the consumer.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data were generated through ten consumer focus groups and eight interviews with professionals.Findings – The paper supports the contention that empowerment is partial and unevenly distributed among consumers. It is argued that characterisations of consumer indifference and producer discipline as preventing effective empowerment are too simplistic. Additionally, any taboo restraining the questioning of professional judgement is largely absent.
Effects of Perceived Attributes, Perceived Risk and Perceived Value on Usage of Online Retailing Services

This study sought to establish the effect of perceived attributes, perceived risk and perceived value on usage of online retailing services in Nairobi, Kenya. It employed a descriptive, correlational, survey design whereby a sample of 391 respondents who are registered users of 6 online retailing services in Nairobi, Kenya was selected using multi-stage sampling methods. Primary data was collected using an electronic questionnaire instrument, while secondary data was collected via a review of relevant records and documents. The data was analyzed using both descriptive as well as inferential statistics. Results show that all three perceptual factors have a significant effect on the usage of online retailing services.
Eliciting and describing users' models of computer systems

The topic of this thesis is users' models: the representations users may form of the computer system which they are interacting with. It has been proposed that user interfaces which support the construction of appropriate users' models facilitate learning and use of computer systems. Users' models have been a topic of research in human-computer interaction (HCI) since 1984, but to date, no knowledge exists which could be applied by designers of computer systems. The aim of the thesis is to address this problem and contribute to the development of an integrated and applicable body of knowledge on users' models. The thesis commences with an examination of the history and current state of the discipline of human-computer interaction to establish the context and determine the appropriate methods for conducting research on users' models. Since mental representations and mental models originate from the related disciplines of psychology and cognitive science, the review of the literature starts with an outline of the relevant theories, followed by a review of the theoretical and empirical work to date on users' model in HCI. The review concludes that more exploratory empirical work is required to obtain data from which evidence for, and descriptions of, users' models could be derived; however, suitable methods for eliciting and describing users' models have to be devised first. The second part of the thesis describes a series of five observational studies of users interacting with application software. The studies employed different scenarios, ranging from traditional experimental-style scenarios, with users working through a series of tasks, to constructive interaction scenarios, where users interacted with a co-investigator playing the role of a learner or co-learner. All studies were recorded on video, transcribed and analysed. Advantages and drawbacks of the scenarios for eliciting users' models are identified and discussed. The analysis of the tapes and transcripts provides some evidence of users' models; the conclusions of the thesis provide an outline of how theories regarding users' models can be formulated, and tested, using the data collected.
Do Shareholders or Stakeholders Appropriate the Rents from Corporate Diversification? The Influence of Ownership Structure

Prior work on the performance consequences of corporate diversification has treated all powerful owners as seeking the same benefits from diversification (i.e, higher profit rather than growth) and therefore limiting value appropriation by other stakeholders such as employees and managers. In contrast, we distinguish between domestic “relational” owners and foreign “transactional” owners in Japanese corporations. Although transactional owners do indeed prioritize profitability when diversifying, relational owners primarily seek growth rather than profits from diversification. Furthermore, relational owners also allow managers and employees to appropriate more of the rents arising from diversification than do transactional owners.
PREDICTION OF PENICILLIN ALLERGY BY IMMUNOLOGICAL TESTS *

L’his paper serves to evaluate objective immunological tests to predict penioillin allergy. Prospective immediate &in and serum tests were performed on a total of ,818 patients with past histories of penicillin allergy who had major medical in&ation for penicillin and who were then treated with penicillin depending qmn. the test results. Slcin tests were fownd to be valua&le predictive tests for immediate (in&ding anaphylaotio) and accelerated urtioarial allergic reactions to pentillin. Che olinicd value of these tests is discu.ssed, as well as the possible meaning of the data obtained with regard to the immune mechanisms of zrc~iozls allergio reaotions to penicillin.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE NIMBY SYNDROME: WHY NOT IN MY BACKYARD?

Logit analysis of New Hampshire survey data indicates “NIMBY” (not in my backyard) beliefs over solid waste management facilities is primarily motivated by concerns for children's health. Respondents willing to host a local recycling center or viewing recycling as a short-lived phenomenon are less likely to exhibit NIMBY attitudes. Results indicate NIMBYs are not a homogeneous group.
The Associations Between Service Quality, Corporate Image, Customer Satisfaction, and Loyalty: Evidence From the Malaysian Hotel Industry

Hotel operators strive to satisfy the needs of their guests and subsequently retain them by trying to understand the factors that could build up a strong loyal clientele base. Previous studies have found that there are four critical perspectives related to the hotel industry that enable hotel operators to cope with the fierce competition in the industry and boost their profit margin: service quality, customer satisfaction, corporate image, and customer loyalty. This study attempts to evaluate the relationships between these perspectives. Systematic sampling approach was adopted in the study. The data was collected through self-administered questionnaires from 200 respondents. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to test the hypothesized relationships in the research model. The findings reveal that the four variables are significantly related to one another and they are useful for hotel operators to promote long-term business growth and ensure sustainability in the hotel industry in Malaysia.
Vision in the common bed bug Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae): eye morphology and spectral sensitivity

Bed bugs as pests of public health importance recently experienced a resurgence in populations throughout the U.S. and other countries. Consequently, recent research efforts have focused on improving understanding of bed bug physiology and behaviour to improve management. While few studies have investigated the visual capabilities of bed bugs, the present study focused specifically on eye morphology and spectral sensitivity. A 3‐D imaging technique was used to document bed bug eye morphology from the first instar through adult and revealed morphological characteristics that differentiate the common bed bug from the tropical bed bug as well as sex‐specific differences. Electrophysiological measurements were used to evaluate the spectral sensitivity of adult bed bugs. Male bed bugs were more responsive than females at some wavelengths. Electrophysiological studies provided evidence for at least one photoreceptor with a spectral sensitivity curve peak in the green (λmax 520 nm) region of the spectrum. The broadened long wavelength portion of the spectral sensitivity curve may potentially indicate another photoreceptor in the yellow–green (λmax 550 nm) portion of the spectrum or screening pigments. Understanding more about bed bug visual biology is vital for designing traps, which are an important component of integrated bed bug management.
The voltage‐dependent L‐type Ca2+ (CaV1.2) channel C‐terminus fragment is a bi‐modal vasodilator

• Voltage‐dependent L‐type Ca2+ (CaV1.2) channels are the major Ca2+ influx pathway and are central to contractility regulation in arterial smooth muscle cells. • CaV1.2 exists as a full‐length channel and undergoes cleavage to a short CaV1.2 and a C‐terminus (CCt) fragment in rat and human arterial smooth muscle cells. • CCt decreases CaV1.2 transcription and shifts the voltage dependence of current activation and inactivation to more depolarized potentials in arterial smooth muscle cells. • CCt reduces pressure‐ and depolarization‐induced vasoconstriction. • CCt is a bi‐modal vasodilator.
Using simulation to interpret results from logit, probit, and other nonlinear models

In a recent issue of this journal, Glenn Hoetker proposes that researchers improve the interpretation and presentation of logit and probit results by reporting the marginal effects of key independent variables at theoretically interesting or empirically relevant values of the other independent variables in the model, and also by presenting results graphically (Hoetker, 2007: 335, 337). In this research note, I suggest an alternative approach for achieving this objective: reporting differences in predicted probabilities associated with discrete changes in key independent variable values. This intuitive approach to interpretation is especially useful when the theoretically interesting or empirically relevant changes in independent variables values are not very small, and also for models that contain interaction terms (or higher‐order terms such as quadratics). Although the graphical presentations recommended by Hoetker implicitly embody this approach, they typically fail to include appropriate measures of statistical significance, and may therefore lead to erroneous conclusions. In order to calculate such measures, I recommend and demonstrate an intuitive simulation‐based approach to statistical interpretation, developed by King et al. (2000), that has gained widespread adherence in the field of political science. Throughout the article, I provide a running example based on research that has previously appeared in the Strategic Management Journal. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PENGEMBANGAN MEREK DAN PENGKAJIAN STRATEGI PEMASARAN DI DEPOT RASA SUKA KEDIRI

Depot Rasa Suka is a culinary business that provides a variety of Indonesian dishes. However people still do not know and yet loyal to Depot Rasa Suka due to the unavailability of parking space, quite a long serving time, hot room, less attractive promotion and room design. Therefore Depot Rasa Suka need to devise strategies to develop brands through brand equity analysis and improvement of brand elements as well as designing a marketing strategies. The goal of this research is to make Depot Rasa Suka has a strong brand image and could meet the desires of consumers based on consumer behavior to ensure that customers remain loyal and increase sales in Depot Rasa Suka. The research was conducted by distributing questionnaire to the group of respondents that consists of actual consumers and potential consumers. Based on the measurement of brand equity, brand equity scores for Depot Rasa Suka is 2 (medium). In order to enhance the brand equity it is necessary to develop brand elements such as brand names or logos, packaging, website, and marketing communications activities. Segmentation for Depot Rasa Suka is determined based on consumer behavior analysis including demographics (age, marital status, education level, occupation, and income) and psychographics (knowledge, attitude, uses, occasions, benefits sought, usage rate, and loyalty status). The target market is aged 20-30 years old, self-employed occupations, average earnings per month Rp 3,000,000.00 - 6,000,000.00 and spending per visit to the restaurant Rp 50,000.00 - 100,000.00. The positioning of Depot Rasa Suka is positioning according to quality and price. The differentiation of Depot Rasa Suka is product differentiation. Total cost in the proposed strategy is Rp 10,511,000.00.