Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Place identity and sustainable consumption: implications for social marketing

Place identity is a self-identity dimension related to a physical setting. This study measured place identity relating to residential neighborhood, based on levels of attachment, continuity with personal past, perception of familiarity, cohesion and social acceptance. The study examined the proposition that people with strong place identity are committed to their neighborhoods, in turn leading to positive sustainable consumption attitude and behavior. Structural equation modeling empirically verified a theoretical model developed from the environmental psychology, consumer behavior and marketing literatures. A telephone survey was conducted of 409 residents in two suburbs in the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area, Malaysia. The finding that place identity and commitment to the residential suburb are strong motivational drivers of sustainable consumption-related attitude and behavior has important implications for social marketing.
The role of brand schemas, information transparency, and source of message on apparel brands' social responsibility communication

In today's complex business environment, apparel brands are communicating about their socially responsible (SR) practices through marketing messages to create a niche for themselves and show their SR efforts. However, SR aspects of products are difficult to verify by consumers. To help brands effectively communicate their SR efforts, this study assessed how consumers process an apparel brand's SR messages based on their prior experiences with that brand (brand schemas). Information transparency on messages and source of messages were tested as external cues to influence consumers' brand schemas and SR message evaluations in a mixed method repeated measures online experiment using a national US consumer sample. Results from regression-based conditional process analyses indicated that increased congruity of consumers' schemas to the fact that brands are SR led to more favorable attitude toward brands' SR messages. Also, presence of high information transparency on SR messages influenced consumers' schemas positively, and in turn, they evaluated messages more favorably. However, consumers were not influenced by whether messages were made by brands or third-party organizations. The study results show the importance of brand schemas and information transparency on apparel brand communications, helping both apparel brands and educators create effective SR-related marketing strategies.
The effect of Oncotype DX recurrence score on treatment recommendations for patients with estrogen receptor-positive early stage breast cancer and correlation with estimation of recurrence risk by breast cancer specialists.

PURPOSE The Oncotype DX assay predicts likelihood of distant recurrence and improves patient selection for adjuvant chemotherapy in estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) early stage breast cancer. This study has two primary endpoints: to evaluate the impact of Oncotype DX recurrence scores (RS) on chemotherapy recommendations and to compare the estimated recurrence risk predicted by breast oncology specialists to RS. METHODS One hundred fifty-four patients with ER-positive early stage breast cancer and available RS results were selected. Clinicopathologic data were provided to four surgeons, four medical oncologists, and four pathologists. Participants were asked to estimate recurrence risk category and offer their chemotherapy recommendations initially without and later with knowledge of RS results. The three most important clinicopathologic features guiding their recommendations were requested. RESULTS Ninety-five (61.7%), 45 (29.2%), and 14 (9.1%) tumors were low, intermediate, and high risk by RS, respectively. RS significantly correlated with tumor grade, mitotic activity, lymphovascular invasion, hormone receptor, and HER2/neu status. Estimated recurrence risk by participants agreed with RS in 54.2% ± 2.3% of cases. Without and with knowledge of RS, 82.3% ± 1.3% and 69.0% ± 6.9% of patients may be overtreated, respectively (p = 0.0322). Inclusion of RS data resulted in a 24.9% change in treatment recommendations. There was no significant difference in recommendations between groups of participants. CONCLUSIONS Breast oncology specialists tended to overestimate the risk of tumor recurrence compared with RS. RS provides useful information that improves patient selection for chemotherapy and changes treatment recommendations in approximately 25% of cases.
REIT Returns and Pricing: Another Look at the Stock Market Factor

The explosive growth in REITs over the past decade suggests that they provide an important alternative investment vehicle. Since REITs are a representation of the real estate market, they should theoretically provide similar diversification benefits of holding direct real estate in a portfolio. Even though in the long run REIT performance may be governed by real estate fundamentals, investigations in the return dynamics of REITs show that they do not necessarily move in tandem with the private real estate market, but rather exhibit properties similar to common stocks. This study examines the return dynamics of REITs using different models. While we find that REIT returns have a significant real estate factor, we show that the most significant determinant of REIT return performance is the returns of small cap value stocks. We also find that REITs behave more like small cap value stocks than small cap growth stocks or large stocks. In addition, we find a decline in the explanatory power of large stocks.
EXTRAGALACTIC INTERSTELLAR EXTINCTION CURVES: INDICATORS OF LOCAL PHYSICAL CONDITIONS

Normalized interstellar extinction curves (ISECs) in the Milky Way and other galaxies show a variety of shapes. This variety is attributed to differences along different sight lines in the abundances of the several dust and gas components contributing to extinction. In this paper we propose that these abundance differences are not arbitrary but are a specific consequence of the physical conditions on those sight lines. If this proposal is correct, then it implies that ISECs contain information about physical conditions in the regions generating extinction. This may be particularly important for high redshift galaxies where information on the conditions may be difficult to obtain. We adopt a model of extinction carriers in which the solid and gaseous components are not immutable but respond time-dependently to the local physics. We validate this model by fitting extinction curves measured on sight lines in the Magellanic Clouds and obtained for the gamma-ray burst afterglow GRB 080605. We present results for this model as follows: (1) we show that computed ISECs are controlled by a small number of physical parameters, (2) we demonstrate the sensitivity of computed ISECs to these parameters, (3) we compute as examples ISECs for particular galaxy types, and (4) we note that different galaxy types have different shapes of ISEC.
Intrahost Evolution of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Among Individuals With Reoccurring Skin and Soft-Tissue Infections.

BACKGROUND Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 is the leading cause of MRSA infections in the United States and has caused an epidemic of skin and soft-tissue infections. Recurrent infections with USA300 MRSA are common, yet intrahost evolution during persistence on an individual has not been studied. This gap hinders the ability to clinically manage recurrent infections and reconstruct transmission networks. METHODS To characterize bacterial intrahost evolution, we examined the clinical courses of 4 subjects with 3-6 recurrent USA300 MRSA infections, using patient clinical data, including antibiotic exposure history, and whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of all available MRSA isolates (n = 29). RESULTS Among sequential isolates, we found variability in diversity, accumulation of mutations, and mobile genetic elements. Selection for antimicrobial-resistant populations was observed through both an increase in the number of plasmids conferring multidrug resistance and strain replacement by a resistant population. Two of 4 subjects had strain replacement with a genetically distinct USA300 MRSA population. DISCUSSIONS During a 5-year period in 4 subjects, we identified development of antimicrobial resistance, intrahost evolution, and strain replacement among isolates from patients with recurrent MRSA infections. This calls into question the efficacy of decolonization to prevent recurrent infections and highlights the adaptive potential of USA300 and the need for effective sampling.
The relevance of marketing in the success of innovations

This paper focuses on marketing expenditures and their relation with R&D investments and innovative sales. A higher investment in R&D is associated with the production of a higher quality or faster innovation, with a positive impact on sales and in a macro sense, an increase of GDP. This paper raises the issue that good innovation need a strong marketing effort in order for this innovation to have an impact on sales, it needs to be desired by consumers. This paper finds empirical evidence that marketing expenditures explain a lot of the success of the innovation 0.5 to 0.7% (measured in terms of the elasticity of this effort to innovative sales), even more than the flow of investment in R&D(which counts for 0.3 %). In fact, the size of the coefficient for marketing doubles those found for R&D, a quite surprising result taking into consideration the little importance that marketing has in innovation studies. The paper uses Community Innovation Survey data, the third wave (CIS 3) and set up a system of simultaneous equations like in Crepon et al. (1998).
Influence of Vacuum Evacuation on Electrical Tree Initiation in Silicone Rubber

The usage of silicone rubber is increasing for insulating material of power cable joint in recent years, although ethylene propylene rubber has been used for that purpose. In this paper, we will report the influence of vacuum evacuation on electrical tree initiation in silicone rubber. The electrical tree initiation voltage of silicone rubber increases after vacuum evacuation. However, when air is impregnated again, the electrical tree initiation voltage decreases with time. Finally, the electrical tree initiation voltage goes down nearly to the same value as the original one without vacuum evacuation. This tendency is observed in silicone rubber with secondary cross-linking treatment as well as in sample without secondary cross-linking treatment.
3 Assessment of Neuroinflammation in Transferred EAE Via a Translocator Protein Ligand F . Mattner

Neuroinflammation is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) (Doorduin et al., 2008). MS has been considered a T cell-mediated autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration and myelin destruction (Hauser et al., 1986) and focal demyelinated lesions in the white matter are the traditional hallmarks of MS. However more recent evidence suggests more widespread damage to the brain and spinal cord, to areas of white matter distant from the inflammatory lesions and demyelination of deep and cortical grey matter (McFarland & Martin, 2007). Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an extensively used model of T-cell mediated CNS inflammation; modelling disease processes involved in MS. EAE can be induced in several species by immunization with myelin antigens or via adoptive transfer of myelin-reactive T cells. The models of EAE in rodents [actively induced and transferred] provide information about different phases [inflammation, demyelination and remyelination] and types [monophasic, chronic-relapsing and chronic-progressive] of the human disease multiple sclerosis and a vast amount of clinical and histopathologic data has been accumulated through the decades. A key aim of current investigations is developing the ability to recognise the early symptoms of the disease and to follow its course and response to treatment.
GENIC VARIATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF REMNANT NATURAL POPULATIONS OF THE DESERT PUPFISH, CYPRINODON MACULARIUS

The fish fauna of the southwestern American deserts has attracted wide attention because it is a fauna of relict populations isolated by harsh terrestrial environments. Most attention has focused on "pupfishes" of the genus Cyprinodon (family Cyprinodontidae) among which isolation, presumably coupled with both natural selection and stochastic forces, has seemingly led to the development of a large number of morphologically distinctive populations. Many of these are recognized as different species (reviewed in Miller, 1981). Pupfishes of the Death Valley region and geologically related waters (the Colorado River and its affluents and associated drainages) offer the most distinctive examples of rapid (frequently postPleistocene) divergence (Miller, 1948, 1950). The only biochemical genetic study of the pupfishes of the Death Valley region and the Colorado basin is that of Turner (1974). That study compared described species; intraspecific or interpopulation variation was not addressed. Thus, despite environmental, life history, and/or breeding structure differences which might influence genetic variation among conspecific pupfish isolates, few genetic data are available. This paper presents the results of an intensive allozyme survey of remnant populations of the desert pupfish, C. macularius. The data reveal that intraspecific differentiation is at the low level of the interspecific differentiation noted earlier, and suggest that the role of geographic isolation per se in fostering the differentiation of relict fish populations may have been overestimated.
Prevalence, Distribution, and Diversity of Salmonella enterica in a Major Produce Region of California

ABSTRACT A survey was initiated to determine the prevalence of Salmonella enterica in the environment in and around Monterey County, CA, a major agriculture region of the United States. Trypticase soy broth enrichment cultures of samples of soil/sediment (n = 617), water (n = 252), wildlife (n = 476), cattle feces (n = 795), and preharvest lettuce and spinach (n = 261) tested originally for the presence of pathogenic Escherichia coli were kept in frozen storage and later used to test for the presence of S. enterica. A multipathogen oligonucleotide microarray was employed to identify a subset of samples that might contain Salmonella in order to test various culture methods to survey a larger number of samples. Fifty-five of 2,401 (2.3%) samples yielded Salmonella, representing samples obtained from 20 different locations in Monterey and San Benito Counties. Water had the highest percentage of positives (7.1%) among sample types. Wildlife yielded 20 positive samples, the highest number among sample types, with positive samples from birds (n = 105), coyotes (n = 40), deer (n = 104), elk (n = 39), wild pig (n = 41), and skunk (n = 13). Only 16 (2.6%) of the soil/sediment samples tested positive, and none of the produce samples had detectable Salmonella. Sixteen different serotypes were identified among the isolates, including S. enterica serotypes Give, Typhimurium, Montevideo, and Infantis. Fifty-four strains were sensitive to 12 tested antibiotics; one S. Montevideo strain was resistant to streptomycin and gentamicin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of the isolates revealed over 40 different pulsotypes. Several strains were isolated from water, wildlife, or soil over a period of several months, suggesting that they were persistent in this environment.
Schistosoma mansoni: evidence that vascular abnormalities correlate with the ‘non- permissive’ trait in 129/Ola mice

Summary The pulmonary and portal vasculature of naïve mice of the 129/Ola and CBA/Ca strains has been studied by means of the vasculature casting technique. This involves injection of pigmented vinylite resin into the arterial and venous systems, followed by digestion of the tissues with KOH. The peripheral vessels of the arterial and portal systems of CBA/Ca mice were numerous and highly branched. In contrast, casts prepared from 70–80% of naïve 129/Ola mice showed dramatic reductions in the number and extent of the peripheral vessels. In addition, such vessels appeared severely truncated. The remaining 20–30% of naïve 129/Ola mice yielded lung and liver casts that were indistinguishable from the CBA/Ca casts. Casts prepared from 129/Ola mice infected 6 weeks previously with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae showed the same segregation; faecal smears, together with observations of presence or absence of gross pathology in such mice confirmed that the vascular changes correlated with the ‘non-permissive trait’. We propose that such alterations facilitate the reportedly abnormal migration of schistosomes from the liver to the lungs in ‘non-permissive’ 129/Ola mice.
Cys32 and His105 Are the Critical Residues for the Calcium-dependent Cysteine Proteolytic Activity of CvaB, an ATP-binding Cassette Transporter*

CvaB, a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter superfamily, is the central membrane transporter of the colicin V secretion system in Escherichia coli. Cys32 and His105 in the N-terminal domain of CvaB were identified as critical residues for both colicin V secretion and cysteine proteolytic activity. By inhibiting degradation with N-ethylmaleimide and a mixture of protease inhibitors, a stable wild-type N-terminal domain (which showed cysteine protease activity when activated) was purified. Such protease activity was Ca2+- and concentration-dependent and could be inhibited by antipain, N-ethylmaleimide, EDTA, and EGTA. At low concentrations, the Ca2+ analogs Tb3+ and La3+ (but not Fe3+) significantly enhanced proteolytic activity, suggesting that the size of the cations is important for activity. Together with comparisons of the sequences of members of the cysteine protease family, these results indicate that Cys32 and His105 are the critical residues in the CvaB N-terminal domain for the calcium-dependent cysteine protease activity and secretion of colicin V.
FOREIGN OWNERSHIP AND WAGES: EVIDENCE FROM FIVE AFRICAN COUNTRIES §

This paper uses data on individual wages in manufacturing industry for five African countries in the early 1990s to test whether foreign ownership is associated with higher wages for apparently equivalent workers, and whether such benefits accrue to all or only certain types of workers. We present two main findings. First, foreign ownership is associated with a 20-40 per cent increase in individual wages (conditional on age, tenure and education) on average. This is halved to 8-23 per cent if we take into account the fact that foreign-owned firms are larger and locate in high-wage sectors and regions. Secondly, there is a tendency in some countries for more skilled workers (using occupation and education categories) to benefit more from foreign ownership than less skilled workers, and this conclusion holds after accounting for the size distribution of foreign firms. We discuss the plausibility of two explanations for these findings: 1) foreign-owned firms employ technologies that are more skillbiased than technologies in local firms and 2) skilled workers in foreign firms are more effective in rent-sharing than other workers. We contend that these explanations may not be mutually exclusive. Finally, we discuss appropriate policies towards foreign-owned firms in order to raise the relative and absolute wages of low-income groups.
Planform selection in Bénard-Marangoni convection: l hexagons versus g hexagons.

The planform of weakly nonlinear B\'enard-Marangoni convection in a horizontally unbounded layer is analyzed using a combination of direct numerical simulation, amplitude equations, and qualitative discussion. It is demonstrated that there exists a critical Prandtl number ${\mathrm{Pr}}_{\mathit{c}}$ such that in fluids with Pr${\mathrm{Pr}}_{\mathit{c}}$ convection sets in as a pattern of hexagonal cells with downward motion in the center (g hexagons), while for fluids with Prg${\mathrm{Pr}}_{\mathit{c}}$ conventional hexagonal cells with upward motion in the center (l hexagons) appear at the onset of instability. For fluids with Marangoni and Prandtl numbers in the vicinity of the bicritical point (${\mathrm{Ma}}_{\mathit{c}}$,${\mathrm{Pr}}_{\mathit{c}}$) the hexagonal patterns undergo a secondary instability, leading to stationary rolls. The stability domain of stationary rolls increases with the distance from the critical Marangoni number. (c) 1995 The American Physical Society
Privatization and Payments: Lessons for Poland from Chile and Colombia

i 1. Poland’s Reforms 1 2. Chile and Colombia 1 State-Run Chilean Health System 1950-1980 1 Chilean Health Reform in 1980s 1 Problems in Chilean Reform 2 Lessons from Chile for Poland 2 3. State Dominated Health System in Colombia 3 Colombian Health Reforms in 1990s 3 Problems in the Colombian Reform 3 Lessons for Poland 4 4. Regulating Mixed Markets 5 5. Conclusions 5 References 6
Perceived risk and rise reduction strategies in mail-order versus retail store buying

This study examines the differential impact of perceived risk upon two alternative channels of distribution, namely specialty store and mail-order buying, for different product categories. Given the critical role of perceived risk in limiting mail-order buying, different types of risk relievers and their potential for reducing perceived risk have also been analysed. This study confirms the general belief that mail-order buying is not only more risky than buying the same product in a specialty store but it also indicates that the level of perceived risk seems to be highly influenced by the value of the product. Although mail-order companies may reduce this competitive disadvantage by using the appropriate risk relievers the results clearly indicate that risk relievers differ considerably in effectiveness. 'Money-back guarantee' and 'offering products with positive ratings of consumer organizations' are among the better risk relievers.
International Capital Flows, Technology Spillovers and Local Credit Markets

Despite the predictions of the neoclassical theory, in practice, foreign capital neither flows to developing countries nor contributes to faster income per capita convergence. Cross-section regressions test for steady state permanent effects but are ill-suited to study the convergence implications of the neoclassical model. To gauge the importance of dynamics in the neoclassical growth model, we propose to estimate a partial adjustment model by means of dynamic panel techniques. We find that a country’s composition of external liabilities has a heterogeneous effect on the speed of convergence. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, as opposed to equity or debt, contribute to faster convergence. Moreover, the determinants of international capital flows vary according to the type of inflow. Foreign equity liabilities are mainly driven by well functioning stock markets while FDI is attracted to countries with higher educational levels.