Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Mediator Role of Hierarchical Distance on Social Processes-HRM Practices: An Empirical Analysis of Spanish Firms

The literature pays little attention to non-linear models, especially regarding dimensions such as organizational culture. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to test the role of hierarchical distance in the relationship between HRM practices and social processes. With a sample of 102 Spanish firms and using partial least squares structural equation modeling assessed this relationship. Results suggested mediation of hierarchical distance between HRM practices and social processes. Such results recommend that HR managers should consider hierarchical distance more carefully especially when creating HRM practices to improve relationships among employees. Thus, the politics of commitment function better when organizations are more horizontal and when tasks are commonly delegated, managers question employees frequently prior to making decisions, discussions are encouraged, and social relationships – both in and out of work – are valued, appear to provide the most benefit regarding competitive advantages generated through HRM practices.
β-Lactam Resistance in Salmonella Strains Isolated from Retail Meats in the United States by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System between 2002 and 2006

ABSTRACT Ampicillin-resistant (Ampr) Salmonella enterica isolates (n = 344) representing 32 serotypes isolated from retail meats from 2002 to 2006 were tested for susceptibility to 21 other antimicrobial agents and screened for the presence of five beta-lactamase gene families (blaCMY, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaOXA, and blaCTX-M) and class 1 integrons. Among the Ampr isolates, 66.9% were resistant to five or more antimicrobials and 4.9% were resistant to 10 or more antimicrobials. Coresistance to other β-lactams was noted for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (55.5%), ceftiofur (50%), cefoxitin (50%), and ceftazidime (24.7%), whereas less than 5% of isolates were resistant to piperacillin-tazobactam (4.9%), cefotaxime (3.5%), ceftriaxone (2%), and aztreonam (1.2%). All isolates were susceptible to cefepime, imipenem, and cefquinome. No Salmonella producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases was found in this study. Approximately 7% of the isolates displayed a typical multidrug-resistant (MDR)-AmpC phenotype, with resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfonamide, tetracycline, plus resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefoxitin, and ceftiofur and with decreased susceptibility to ceftriaxone (MIC ≥ 4 μg/ml). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis results showed that several MDR clones were geographically dispersed in different types of meats throughout the five sampling years. Additionally, 50% of the isolates contained blaCMY, 47% carried blaTEM-1, and 2.6% carried both genes. Only 15% of the isolates harbored class I integrons carrying various combinations of aadA, aadB, and dfrA gene cassettes. The blaCMY, blaTEM, and class 1 integrons were transferable through conjugation and/or transformation. Our findings indicate that a varied spectrum of coresistance traits is present in AmprSalmonella strains in the meat supply of the United States, with a continued predominance of blaCMY and blaTEM genes in β-lactam-resistant isolates.
Drivers of Trust in Relational Service Exchange: Understanding the Importance of Cross-Cultural Differences

Customer trust is of vital importance for relationship marketing in services. Service providers increasingly market their services globally, yet few researchers have addressed differences in customer trust across cultures. Our research fills this void by proposing a model, based on existing trust literature, that suggests the overall feeling of trust in the service provider depends on customers’ beliefs about service providers’ ability, benevolence, predictability, and integrity. The model, tested in a banking context with data from 2,284 customers in 11 countries, explains trust well across culturally diverse countries. The results of a hierarchical linear model, however, show that customers differ in the way they build trust in their service provider across cultures. Moderating effects of the cultural values of the target group largely explain this variation. Only the effect of ability on trust is robust across countries. Global service firms should consider all four trust drivers when striving to build trust. The emphasis they put on each of these trust drivers, however, should differ across countries. When applying these principles to the design of marketing activities or market segmentation, marketing managers should collect data on the cultural values of their specific target groups in particular countries or cultural milieus.
D2 Receptors May Modulate the Function of the Striatal Transporter for Dopamine: Kinetic Evidence from Studies In Vitro and In Vivo

Abstract: Recently it was hypothesized by others that the D2dopamine receptor can regulate the uptake of dopamine. However, the evidence in support of this hypothesis, although compelling, was not based on observations related to direct measures of the kinetic activity of the transporter itself. Here kinetic evidence in support of this hypothesis is shown. The apparent time‐resolved initial velocity of the transport of 1.0 μM dopamine into striatal suspensions, measured using rotating disk electrode voltammetry, was found to increase in the presence of the D2 receptor agonist, quinpirole, at 100 μM. This effect was reversed by sulpiride. In separate studies it was shown that acute and chronic treatments with haloperidol at 0.5 mg/kg, i.p., reduced the reuptake transport of dopamine in vivo following intrastriatal stimulation of its release by K+. Thus, it appears that D2 receptors may influence the functioning of the striatal transporter for dopamine. These results are consistent with a model in which presynaptically released dopamine may feed back onto the function of its transporter to increase the velocity of the clearance of synaptic dopamine following an action potential, suggesting the existence of a mechanism, in addition to release and synthesis modulation, for fine‐tuning dopaminergic chemical signaling.
Safety and antitumor activity of the anti–PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma

Background Colorectal cancers (CRCs) expressing programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) have poor prognosis. In the multicohort KEYNOTE-028 trial, the anti–PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab was evaluated in 20 PD-L1–positive advanced solid tumors. Herein, we report results for the advanced CRC cohort. Methods Patients with advanced, treatment-resistant PD-L1–positive carcinoma of the colon or rectum were enrolled, regardless of microsatellite instability (MSI) status. Pembrolizumab 10 mg/kg was administered every 2 weeks for up to 2 years or until disease progression/unacceptable toxicity. Response was assessed every 8 weeks for the first 6 months and every 12 weeks thereafter. Primary end points were safety and overall response rate by investigator review per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Data cutoff was June 20, 2016. Results Of 137 patients with CRC and samples evaluable for PD-L1 expression, 33 (24%) had PD-L1–positive tumors, of which 23 were enrolled. Median follow-up was 5.3 months, and 8 patients (35%) reported treatment-related adverse events (AEs), most commonly fatigue (n = 3, 13%), stomatitis (n = 2, 9%), and asthenia (n = 2, 9%). One patient (4%) experienced grade 4 treatment-related increased blood bilirubin. No grade 3 AEs, discontinuations, or deaths were attributed to treatment. Most patients (n = 15, 65%) experienced progressive disease. One partial response occurred in a patient (4%) with MSI-high CRC. Conclusion Pembrolizumab demonstrated a favorable safety profile in advanced PD-L1–positive CRC. Antitumor activity was observed in a single patient with MSI-high CRC, warranting further evaluation in this patient population. (Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT02054806)
Therapy of hepatitis C: Overview

Based on the first decade of research on α interferon in viral hepatitis, one can conclude that up to 40% of patients with compensated chronic hepatitis C and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels will respond at least transiently to interferon. Four forms of α interferon have been evaluated in large numbers of patients with chronic hepatitis C: alfa‐2b, alfa‐2a, alfa‐n1, and consensus interferon (CIFN). Responses are defined on the basis of biochemical (ALT) or virological (hepatitis C virus [HCV] RNA testing by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) end points, and as end‐of‐treatment response (ETR) or sustained response (SR). Biochemical ETR rates to 6 months of therapy range from 35% to 50%, and SR rates 6 months after treatment from 8% to 21%. Although 6‐month treatment courses are associated with a significant rate of relapse, 12 months of initial treatment and re‐ treatment regimens markedly improve the SR rate. Long‐term follow‐up evaluation in patients with an SR to interferon consistently show long‐ lasting and significant clinical, virological, and histological improvement. Finally, baseline factors that have been shown to be associated with SR to 6 months of treatment are not accurate enough to predict response. Therefore, the best treatment strategy is a therapeutic trial. Further studies of interferon therapy of hepatitis C are needed to define better virological end points useful in stopping therapy, to understand and better manage significant side effects of interferon, and to evaluate the histological effects of interferon in biochemical nonresponders. Also needed is a better understanding of the causes of resistance to interferon. Finally, newer therapeutic regimens such as the use of induction therapy and combination therapies with ribavirin, other antiviral agents, cytokines, and cytokine modifiers are of primary importance in eventually developing safe and effective means of treatment of hepatitis C.
The effects of ownership structure, board of directors and organizational performance on stock turnover through voluntary disclosure of Thai listed companies

This research aimed to investigate the effects of ownership structure, board of directors and organizational performance on stock turnover. Unlike prior studies, this research examined voluntary disclosure as a mediator variable to investigate the effects of ownership structure, board of directors and organizational performance on stock turnover. The research samples were the listed companies on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2014, except financial industry, and finally 323 companies were included in this study. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The structural equation model was also employed for factor analysis and structure relationship among variables. The major findings revealed that ownership concentration had negative direct causal effect on both voluntary disclosure and stock turnover, whilst foreign ownership and organizational performance had positive direct causal effect on voluntary disclosure. Voluntary disclosure had positive direct causal effect on stock turnover. Moreover, ownership concentration had negative indirect effect on stock turnover through voluntary disclosure, whilst foreign ownership and organizational performance had positive indirect effect on stock turnover through voluntary disclosure. The results also indicated that voluntary disclosure decrease was caused by high ownership concentration, and stock turnover decrease was caused by information asymmetry between ownership concentration and free-floats.
How Bank Liquidity and Capital Affect Asset Sales?

I examine how bank liquidity and capital affect banks’ behavior in asset sales using data on sales of bank owned real estate. I find that: (1) banks with lower liquidity levels post lower asking prices and receive lower sale prices; (2) banks with lower capital levels post higher asking prices, which then lead to longer time on the market. Further analyses show that the results are unlikely to be driven by omitted variables related to local conditions, property characteristics, or bank characteristics.
Antecedents and consequences of e‐learning acceptance

Based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study uses the framework of the extended TAM to examine the antecedents and consequences for employees' acceptance of the e‐learning system within financial services organizations. The total of 328 useable responses collected from eight international or domestic financial services companies in Taiwan were tested against the model using structural equation modelling (SEM). The main research results are summarized as follows in terms of the antecedents of e‐learning acceptance and its impact on employees' perceived performance. Four types of determinants are demonstrated: individual factors, system factors, social factors and network externality factor. Finally, this study proposes relevant suggestions for practitioners and future researchers.
Dynamics of Voluntary Disclosure in the Unregulated Market for Initial Coin Offerings

This study investigates the information disclosure behavior of young and innovative ventures in the unregulated market for Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). ICOs, also termed token sales or crowdsales, are a novel fundraising mechanism that allows young and innovative software ventures to raise capital from the public outside established disclosure requirements. In this context, we examine whether ventures voluntarily convey relevant information and how investors respond to non-mandated disclosure. Drawing on a unique hand-collected dataset of more than 1,100 token crowdsales that have raised more than $7B since 2016, this study offers an exploratory empirical classification of ICOs and examines to what extent the quality and depth of the information disclosed can explain the characteristics of success and failure among ICOs and the corresponding projects. The findings suggest that quality disclosures, such as the preparedness or the availability and quality of the source codes, can predict the outcome of a project in the form of listing of 65 crypto exchanges within a reasonable period after the ICO. However, the substantial fluctuations in funding amounts are determined by market dynamics, such as capital gains in cryptocurrencies relative to fiat, competition, and timing, as well as media surrounding the project.
Impaired wake‐promoting mechanisms in ghrelin receptor‐deficient mice

Ghrelin receptors are expressed by key components of the arousal system. Exogenous ghrelin induces behavioral activation, promotes wakefulness and stimulates eating. We hypothesized that ghrelin‐sensitive mechanisms play a role in the arousal system. To test this, we investigated the responsiveness of ghrelin receptor knockout (KO) mice to two natural wake‐promoting stimuli. Additionally, we assessed the integrity of their homeostatic sleep‐promoting system using sleep deprivation. There was no significant difference in the spontaneous sleep–wake activity between ghrelin receptor KO and wild‐type (WT) mice. WT mice mounted robust arousal responses to a novel environment and food deprivation. Wakefulness increased for 6 h after cage change accompanied by increases in body temperature and locomotor activity. Ghrelin receptor KO mice completely lacked the wake and body temperature responses to new environment. When subjected to 48 h food deprivation, WT mice showed marked increases in their waking time during the dark periods of both days. Ghrelin receptor KO mice failed to mount an arousal response on the first night and wake increases were attenuated on the second day. The responsiveness to sleep deprivation did not differ between the two genotypes. These results indicate that the ghrelin‐receptive mechanisms play an essential role in the function of the arousal system but not in homeostatic sleep‐promoting mechanisms.
Remarks on the properties of elliptical galaxies in modified Newtonian dynamics

Context. Two incorrect arguments against MOND in elliptical galaxies could be that the equivalent circular velocity curves tend to become flat at much larger accelerations than in spiral galaxies, and that the Newtonian dark matter halos are more concentrated than in spirals. Aims. We compare published scaling relations for the dark halos of elliptical galaxies to the scaling relations expected for MONDian phantom halos. Methods. We represent the baryonic content of galaxies by spherical profiles, and their corresponding MONDian phantom halos by logarithmic halos. We then derive the surface densities, central densities, and phase space densities and compare them with published scaling relations. Results. We conclude that it is possible to recreate flat circular velocity curves at high acceleration in MOND, and that this happens for baryonic distributions described by Jaffe profiles in the region where the circular velocity curve is flat. Moreover, the scaling relations of the dark halos of ellipticals are remarkably similar to the scaling relations of phantom halos of MOND.
THE EVALUATION OF FREIGHT FORWARDING BUSINESS EXISTENCES

Freight forwarding business is one of developing businesses in Indonesia. The existence of the business is supported by the existence of export and import activities carried out by the other business doers. Companies involved in freight forwarding are manufactures, trading, retailer, consumer goods, and many others. Most of the companies do exporting and importing in the sustainability of the suffering business condition. There are two types of cargos; general cargo, and special cargo that requires special handling. The existence of a freight forwarding company might possibly be outlasted. The decreasing of global economic condition causes a tight business competition between freight forwarders. Some other factors can also be threats to the existence of the freight forwarding business in Indonesia.
Choline monooxygenase, an unusual iron-sulfur enzyme catalyzing the first step of glycine betaine synthesis in plants: prosthetic group characterization and cDNA cloning.

Plants synthesize the osmoprotectant glycine betaine via the route choline --> betaine aldehyde --> glycine betaine. In spinach, the first step is catalyzed by choline monooxygenase (CMO), a ferredoxin-dependent stromal enzyme that has been hypothesized to be an oligomer of identical subunits and to be an Fe-S protein. Analysis by HPLC and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization MS confirmed that native CMO contains only one type of subunit (Mr 42,864). Determination of acid-labile sulfur and nonheme iron demonstrated that there is one [2Fe-2S] cluster per subunit, and EPR spectral data indicated that this cluster is of the Rieske type--i.e., coordinated by two Cys and two His ligands. A full-length CMO cDNA (1,622 bp) was cloned from spinach using a probe generated by PCR amplification for which the primers were based on internal peptide sequences. The ORF encoded a 440-amino acid polypeptide that included a 60-residue transit peptide. The deduced amino acid sequence included two Cys-His pairs spaced 16 residues apart, a motif characteristic of Rieske-type Fe-S proteins. Larger regions that included this motif also showed some sequence similarity (approximately 40%) to Rieske-type proteins, particularly bacterial oxygenases. Otherwise there was very little similarity between CMO and proteins from plants or other organisms. RNA and immunoblot analyses showed that the expression of CMO in leaves increased several-fold during salinization. We conclude that CMO is a stress-inducible representative of a new class of plant oxygenases.
Vers la simulation des grandes échelles en formulation Euler-Euler des écoulements réactifs diphasiques

De nombreuses applications industrielles mettent en jeu des ecoulements gaz-particules. La conception de ces applications necessite la connaissance du comportement de la phase dispersee. Ce comportement a ete principalement etudie grâce a des experiences ou plus recemment des simulations stationnaires statistiques. La simulation instationnaire simultanee de la phase porteuse et de la phase dispersee est souvent faite en utilisant le suivi Lagrangien des particules. Cette approche est cependant couteuse numeriquement dans les geometries industrielles avec des nombres de particules realistes. Dans ce travail une methode eulerienne instationnaire est proposee. Des tests numeriques utilisant cette methode et la comparaisons avec des simulations identiques utilisant un suivi lagrangien des particules montrent les possibilites et limites de la methode.
Induction of anaesthesia with diazepam

Diazepam belongs to the group of 1,4-benzodiazepine drugs and its synthesis was described by Sternbach & Reeder in 19611, following work into this group of compounds started by Sternbach in Poland in 1933. This drug has received wide acclaim in many branches of medicine other than psychiatry into which it was first introduced. Today diazepam is used to treat moderately severe tetanus2, status epilepticus 3-5 and delirium tremens ; it is also used for cardioversion6-9, ‘awake’ bronchoscopies 10 and for induction of anaesthesia by various techniques1 1-16. This is a report of a further series of 400 patients in whom anaesthesia was induced by the intravenous administration of diazepam.
Global Cryptocurrency Benchmarking Study

This is the first study to systematically investigate key cryptocurrency industry sectors by collecting empirical, non-public data. The study gathered survey data from nearly 150 cryptocurrency companies and individuals, and it covers 38 countries from five world regions. The study details the key industry sectors that have emerged and the different entities that inhabit them.
Serum resistance and hemagglutination ability of marine vibrios pathogenic for fish

Representative strains of marine vibrios pathogenic for fish were shown to be resistant to the bactericidal activity of normal (nonimmmune) rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) serum, and loss of this resistance coincided with a marked reduction in virulence. Thermal lability and a requirement for Mg2+, but not for Ca2+, suggested that a mechanism for serum killing was the alternative complement pathway. In the case of Vibrio anguillarum, serum resistance was not coded for by the virulence plasmid pJM1. Additional testing showed that these pathogenic vibrios were able to agglutinate a variety of eucaryotic cells and that selected strains agglutinated trout erythrocytes; however, a correlation between strain virulence and the ability to agglutinate fish erythrocytes was not apparent. Moreover, whereas mannose was found to inhibit the agglutinating activity of several strains, two of the high-virulence strains displayed a transient, mannose-resistant hemagglutinating activity. No relationship between the carriage of pJM1 by the V. anguillarum strains and hemagglutinating activity was demonstrable.