Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Perceptions toward Personalized E-mail Advertising : Korea and the United States

A lot of companies are using personalized e-mail advertising targeting current or potential customers using each customer’s specific name or other personal information. The practice is popular not only in Korea, but also in numerous countries worldwide. However, there have not been enough studies examining consumers’ actual attitudes toward this advertising method yet. In addition, an investigation of possible disparities in consumers’ perceptions toward personalized e-mail advertising between different countries has not been conducted often. This study reports findings on consumer attitude toward personalized e-mail advertising from two culturally different societies: Korea and the U.S. The two countries have been compared in terms of numerous aspects of mass communication including advertising, but they have not yet been compared regarding the perceptions about personalized e-mail advertising. The results showed that personalized e-mail advertising produced negative effects on both consumers in general. However, the American consumers had more negative attitudes toward personalized advertising than the Korean consumers. 1. Background
Unfit to Learn? How Long View Organizations Adapt to Environmental Jolts

Long view organizations have a technical core combining high levels of Woodwardian (1958) technological complexity and Thompsonian (1967) technological intensity. This significantly diminishes their capacity for operational flexibility and strategic adaptation. Little is known about how such organizations manage to learn from rare events. We shed light on this issue by reporting a thirteen-year longitudinal study of a major oil company, tracing its experiences with a socio-political crisis from original preparations to learnings that did not fully materialize until years after the event. We use three alternate templates to interpret the organization’s struggle to maintain its technical core under conditions of fierce contestation by changing constituent groups and dwindling public support: (1) a stakeholder template mapping shifts in the salience of constituent groups that punctuate long-standing negotiated equilibria; (2) a legitimacy template showing migration towards new forms of legitimacy while old forms crumble; and (3) a capability template highlighting how pre-existing stocks of capabilities hinder learning before being supplanted by new ones. These templates are tied together in a set of integrative propositions stating how long view organizations learn from rare events.
Exploration of Mergers and Acquisitions(M&A)of State-owned Enterprises after China's Accession to WTO

MA is an effective means of the State-owned enterprise dealing with the opportunities and challenges the country may face after accession to the WTO.To tackle the problems with MA,such effective improvements need to be brought about as making clear the property rights of the enterprise, standardizing the behaviour of the government,developing the intermediary organizations and improving the systems of policies, Laws and regulations.
Role of financial stress on relationship between financial problem and financial wellness among Malaysia workers

This paper examines a framework for understanding the determinants of financial wellness. Samples were selected using multi-stage sampling technique among employees in public and private sectors. A total of 1000 completed questionnaires were analyzed using path analysis to identify direct and indirect effects on financial wellness. The results of this study can be used for better understanding on the relationships between and among determinants of financial wellness by highlighting the relationships among financial problem, financial behaviors, financial stress, and financial wellness. The findings identified that financial wellness were determined by financial behaviors, financial stress level, financial problem through direct or indirect effect on financial wellness. Key words: Financial stress, financial problem, financial wellness, Malaysia workers.
Cooperative Societies Investments & Retiring Members: A Fair Returns Assessment

Cooperative thrift and credit societies in paid emp loyment organizations admit only members of staff of such organizations. Memberships of such societie s elapsed when members retire or leave the organization. Withdrawing members are paid only the balances in their savings and shares. Investments held by the societies are not taken int o consideration when these members are paid off. Values of shares in limited liability companies are not based on nominal values of shares held at the time of disposal. Market value is a key factor. Thi s paper assessed the fairness or otherwise of such practices in departmental cooperative societies, in The Polytechnic, Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria as a case study. An empirical investigation was undertak en, using the chi square analysis and it was found that departmental cooperative society members are not satisfied with the present system relating to withdrawal or disengagement from the so cieties. Following our findings, we recommend that investments of cooperative societies (or curre nt market values of the shares) should be taken int o consideration when members are to be paid their ent itlements when withdrawing from these societies .
A Study of the Determinants of Corporate Environmental Disclosure in MENA Emerging Markets

The purpose of this study is to investigate environmental disclosure determinants in Arab Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) companies. In this regard, we investigate factors which are specific to this context. We include the 'business culture' variable inherited from former colonisers and main economic partners and the 'state ownership' and 'family ownership' variables. In addition, we consider "Country's Internet Penetration" as a new explanatory variable which is expected to influence environmental disclosure on the web site. Using a sample of 153 web sites of listed companies, findings show a negative and significant relationship between environmental disclosure and 'family ownership'. Moreover, consistent with prior work, the level of environmental disclosure is substantially affected by company size and performance.
Impact of providing vitamin A to the routine pulmonary care of extremely low birth weight infants

Objective. The objective of this study was to determine if the continued use of vitamin A in a nursery utilizing early surfactant and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was warranted. Study design. A retrospective, cohort study of appropriately sized, preterm neonates weighing ≤1000 g at birth was conducted. Two time periods were compared: Pre-Vitamin A was composed of extremely low birth weight who were routinely cared for with early nasal CPAP (n = 76); and Post-Vitamin A (n = 102) consisted of ELBWs who were cared for similar to Pre-Vitamin A, but with the addition of vitamin A. Outcome variables included the incidence of BPD and other pulmonary and major neonatal morbidities. Results. Between Pre-Vitamin A and Post-Vitamin A the incidence of moderate to severe BPD decreased by 11%, from 33% to 22% (p = 0.2). No difference was found in the number of ventilator days or in the incidence of any other neonatal morbidity or mortality, including intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, or patent ductus arteriosus requiring surgical ligation. Conclusion. In a neonatal unit utilizing early surfactant followed by nasal CPAP at delivery, supplementing extremely premature neonates with vitamin A demonstrated a trend towards a decrease in the incidence of moderate to severe BPD; however, this change requires a larger sample to verify in the future.
Replication of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts: Protein Kinase R (PKR)-Dependent and PKR-Independent Mechanisms for Controlling HCV RNA Replication and Mediating Interferon Activities

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic hepatitis and is currently treated with alpha interferon (IFN-α)-based therapies. The underlying mechanisms of chronic HCV infection and IFN-based therapies, however, have not been defined. Protein kinase R (PKR) was implicated in the control of HCV replication and mediation of IFN-induced antiviral response. In this report, we demonstrate that a subgenomic RNA replicon of genotype 2a HCV replicated efficiently in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), as determined by cell colony formation efficiency and the detection of HCV proteins and both positive- and negative-strand RNAs. Additionally, the subgenomic HCV RNA was found to replicate more efficiently in the PKR knockout (PKR−/−) MEF than in the wild-type (PKR+/+) MEF. The knockdown expression of PKR by specific small interfering RNAs significantly enhanced the level of HCV RNA replication, suggesting that PKR is involved in the control of HCV RNA replication. The level of ISG56 (p56) was induced by HCV RNA replication, indicating the activation of PKR-independent antiviral pathways. Furthermore, IFN-α/β inhibited HCV RNA replication in PKR−/− MEFs as efficiently as in PKR+/+ MEFs. These findings demonstrate that PKR-independent antiviral pathways play important roles in controlling HCV replication and mediating IFN-induced antiviral effect. Our findings also provide a foundation for the development of transgenic mouse models of HCV replication and set a stage to further define the roles of cellular genes in the establishment of chronic HCV infection and the mediation of intracellular innate antiviral response by using MEFs derived from diverse gene knockout animals.
Bacterial Flora of Koi (Anabas testudineus) Harvested from Ponds and Their Antibiogram

Fish is known to harbour bacteria of public health importance. Aquatic environments of ponds are known to influence the bacterial loads of the harvested fish. The present work was undertaken to determine total viable count (TVC) and isolation and identification of bacteria from Koi fish, mud and water samples of two selected ponds managed and owned by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) and two ponds located at Muktagacha, Mymensingh, managed by private owners. Fish (n=16), mud (n=16) and water (n=16) samples were collected from all 4 ponds. Samples were cultured on plate count agar to determine TVC. Fish harvested from Muktagacha ponds had statistically higher bacterial count (8.44 ± 0.04 log10 CFU/ml) when compared to BFRI ponds (7.92±0.17 log10 CFU/ml) (p≤ 0.05). Similarly, highest TVC was found in mud and water samples of Muktagacha ponds (6.87±0.73 and 7.41±0.04 log10 CFU/ml, respectively) compared to mud and water samples of BFRI ponds (5.04 ±0.07 and 5.40±0.09 log10 CFU/ml, respectively). Samples were inoculated onto appropriate selective media for isolation of bacteria. Total 257 bacterial isolates representing five genera were identified: Pseudomonas spp. (21.40%), Aeromonas spp. (33.46%), Vibrio spp. (14.78%), Salmonella spp. (21.40%) and E. coli (8.94%). Antibiotic sensitivity assay showed multidrug resistant profiles of Pseudomonas sp. , Aeromonas sp. , Salmonella sp. and E. coli . These bacteria are known to cause food borne illness in humans and spoilage of fish. Microbes and Health, June 2013, 2(1): 8-11 DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/mh.v2i1. 17255
Polymorphisms of the interleukin-4 gene in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in Taiwan

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between two polymorphisms of the IL4 gene (-590T=C and intron 3) and systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese patients in Taiwan. This study included 91 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 163 unrelated, age matched healthy controls living in the same area. The typing of -590T=C and intron 3 VNTR (variable number of tandem repeats) polymorphisms were performed by PCR-RFLP and PCR, respectively. Allelic frequencies and carriage rates between SLE patients and controls were compared, and the relationship between allelic frequencies and clinical manifestations of SLE was evaluated. The genotype frequencies of IL-4 intron 3 were found to differ significantly between SLE patients with and without discoid rash (chi-square test, P = 0.035). The allelic frequency of intron 3 RP1 was significant different in the patients with discoid rash when compared to patients without this clinical feature (OR = 3.70, 95% CI 2.04 - 6.72, ϰ2 test, P = 0.029). The RP1=RP1 homozygous carriage was significantly associated with patients with discoid rash when compared to patients without this clinical feature (OR = 6.04, 95% CI 2.81 - 12.95, P = 0.01). The allelic frequency of -590T was significant different in the patients with discoid rash when compared to patients without this clinical feature (OR = 3.44, 95% CI 1.88 - 6.31, chi-square test, P = 0.04). The T=T homozygous carriage was significantly associated with patients with discoid rash when compared to patients without this clinical feature (OR = 5.41, 95% CI 2.50 - 11.68, P = 0.02). We describe a novel association between RP1=RP1 and T=T homozygous carriage and patients with discoid rash. The role of the intron 3 polymorphism of the IL4 gene in SLE remains unclear and further substantiation based on larger patient samples is needed.
Commentary: leprosy and poverty.

A hundred years ago the hot debate in leprosy circles revolved around disease causation; was leprosy hereditary or could the bacterial hypothesis of Armauer Hansen be believed? These arguments had important and very different public health consequences. If hereditary then patients should be stopped from reproducing but did not need isolation and confinement. However if a bacterial aetiology was believed then leprosy patients should be isolated from society to prevent spread of infectious organisms. At that time there were no effective antibiotics for treating leprosy. We still have an imperfect understanding of the transmission and causation of leprosy and the importance of various factors in disease causation still influence public health policy. The study in this issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology by Kerr-Pontes et al. showing an association between poverty and leprosy is an important new contribution to today’s debate. Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae and has a long incubation period ranging from 5 to 15 years. Patients with lepromatous leprosy shed mycobacteria in their nasal secretions thereby continuing infection. M. leprae is a hardy organism and can survive for up to 5 months in India. Molecular techniques have shown that in endemic areas up to 5% of the population are carrying M. leprae DNA in their noses. Leprosy has an uneven geographical spread; 85% of the world’s patients live in six countries (India Brazil Nepal Myanmar Mozambique and Madagascar). Even in low endemic countries such as South Africa certain regions are identified with new leprosy cases. (excerpt)
ABCC2 rs2273697 and rs3740066 polymorphisms and resistance to antiepileptic drugs in Asia Pacific epilepsy cohorts.

AIM To examine the relevance of ABCC2 polymorphisms to drug responsiveness in epilepsy cohorts from the Asia Pacific region. MATERIALS & METHODS The rs2273697 and rs3740066 polymorphisms were genotyped in 2056 Malaysian (55%), Hong Kong (32%) and Japanese (13%) epilepsy patients. RESULTS Significant allele association of rs2273697 was observed in Chinese females with epilepsy, Malaysian Chinese patients with generalized seizure and Japanese patients with partial seizure for the AA versus GG genotype model and Malaysian Chinese patients with generalized seizure for the GA versus GG and autosomal dominant models. Significant association of the rs3740066 allele was observed in Malaysian females of Malay origin with cryptogenic epilepsy and Chinese patients with partial seizure and for genotypes in Malay patients with cryptogenic epilepsy for the CT versus CC and autosomal dominant genotype models. Significant results were observed for all haplotypes, but following Bonferroni correction, only the GT haplotype in Chinese patients remained significant. CONCLUSION This study suggests that the GT haplotype might be a risk factor for resistance to medication in Chinese patients.
Cultural Journalism and Cultural Critique in a changing Media Landscape

This special issue addresses a topic of journalism studies that has previously been somewhat neglected but which has gained increasing scholarly attention since the mid-2000s: the coverage and evaluation of art and culture, or what we term “cultural journalism and cultural critique. ” In this introduction, we highlight three issues that serve to frame the study of cultural journalism and cultural critique more generally and the eight articles of this special issue more specifically: (1) the constant challenge of demarcating cultural journalism and cultural critique, including the interrelations of “journalism” and “critique”; (2) the dialectic of globalisation’s cultural homogenisation, on the one hand, and the specificity of local/national cultures, on the other; and (3) the digital media landscape seen in terms of the need to rethink, perhaps even redefine cultural journalism and cultural critique.
Hypoaminoacidemia is not Associated with Ulcerative Lesions in Black Rhinoceroses, Diceros bicornis

Abstract Ulcerative oral and skin lesions have become an issue of concern for the health of the managed black rhinoceros (rhino) (Diceros bicornis) populations. Lesions exhibited by the black rhino are clinically similar to those observed in other species with superficial necrolytic dermatitis (SND). One biochemical alteration in dogs with SND is severe hypoaminoacidemia, and nearly all cases are fatal. The objective of this study was to determine if black rhinos with analogous lesions exhibit a similar hypoaminoacidemia. Amino acid concentrations were measured in monthly plasma samples collected for 1 yr from black rhinos with (n = 4) and without (n = 34) lesions clinically consistent with SND. The rhinos with skin and/or oral lesions were zoo born males, ages 2, 6, 17, and 23 yr, from four different facilities. Three rhinos recovered from skin (n = 2) and oral lesions (n = 1). However, the one male with both skin and oral lesions died with the disease. None of the affected black rhinos exhibited a decrease in any of the amino acids evaluated or for total amino acid concentrations (P > 0.05). Based on the absence of hypoaminoacidemia and the comparatively low mortality rate in rhinos with lesions, it appears that this syndrome is not entirely consistent with SND observed in other species. These data will be useful for future assessments of rhino nutritional status and other potential metabolic diseases.
Performance assessment of a high resolution X-ray scatter imaging system with multi-momentum transfer capability

X-ray Scatter Imaging (XSI) is a technique based on exploiting the capability of coherently scattered X-rays to probe the structure of matter at molecular level which can produce images with higher contrast and specificity than conventional transmission imaging. A novel XSI system was developed, featuring improved spatial resolution and ability to exploit photon energy information. To this purpose we employed a collimation system based on parallel polycapillaries each having a diameter of some 10¿m. This approach lead to a dramatic improvement of position resolution, which is now limited by the detector pixel size. A Controlled Drift Detector - a 2D X-ray imager with single-photon spectroscopic resolution - was employed. It allows the use of monochromatic and polychromatic sources, hence easing the translation from the synchrotron environment to the laboratory, and opening the way for simultaneous acquisition of images at multiple values of the momentum transfer. In order to fully assess the performance of the upgraded XSI system, a thorough experimental campaign was carried out under several defined conditions in the laboratory with a conventional source. The obtained results, as well as the feasibility and limitations of the proposed approach are discussed.
Market dynamics and entry

1. Introduction. 2. Entry Rates and Market Penetration. 3. Models of Entry. 4. Entry and the Short Run Dynamics of Prices and Margins. 5. The Empirical Analysis of Barriers to Entry. 6. Entry, Efficiency and Productivity. 7. Entry and Industry Evolution.
Scepticism and corporate social responsibility communications: the influence of fit and reputation

Consumers tend to be sceptical about companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) communications. We tested the influence of fit and reputation on consumer scepticism when confronted with a cause-related marketing (CRM) advertisement. In a 2 (fit vs. no fit) by 3 (bad reputation, unknown reputation, good reputation) between-subjects experimental design, 160 respondents were offered different versions of an advertisement for a fictitious brand of toilet paper. The lowest levels of scepticism were found when we manipulated a good reputation and a good fit between the company and the CSR domain. Companies are increasingly involved in CSR activities, and since doing good needs to be broadcast to the world; they often use various forms of communication to inform the public. Our results show that organizations need to be careful when communicating about their CSR.
Managing Media and Advertising Change with Integrated Marketing

ABSTRACT This article defines the integrated marketing process and shows how it can be used to improve advertising. It discusses how integrated marketing thinks about brands, the consumer experience with products or services, and contact points. The role of media in delivering messages is reconsidered and ways of measuring the engagement with a medium are discussed. Integrated marketing also addresses the relationship between brands and customized contact points.
Does Brand Orientation Matter? An Empirical Study of Korean SMEs

Brand orientation is a relatively new paradigm in marketing which was first introduced in the 1990s. Since then, an accumulating body of research has addressed the strategic importance of brand orientation. Although there is a growing body of literature on brand orientation, there have been no empirical studies examining the mediation effect of brand orientation on market orientation-performance relationship to date. Moreover, most studies on brand orientation have been carried out in the context of large enterprises. Hence, the aim of this research is to extend the literature and address market orientation, brand orientation. and firm performance against the backdrop of Korean SMEs. The authors empirically investigate the impact of market/brand orientation on organizational performance and the mediating role of brand orientation. They utilize 178 usable responses to test the four research hypotheses. The hypothesized model predicts that there is a positive association among market ori-entation, brand orientation, and firm performance. It is also expected that brand orientation mediates the relationship between market orientation and organizational performance. The statistical results based on PLS analysis confirm our prediction among the constructs in the research model. The em-pirical evidence provides significant theoretical and managerial implications for brand orientation among SMEs. The first theoretical implication is that we provide empirical evidence regarding the important role of brand orientation in explaining the multi-trait perspectives of strategic orientation. The second theoretical implication is that the concept of brand orientation can be empirically vali-dated in the context of SMEs. In terms of managerial implications, managers of SMEs should attempt to build a brand-oriented corporate culture or mindset that places brand values and brand norms as the top priority among their company`s tasks. In addition, managers should recognize that brand ori-entation is critical for SMEs as well as large enterprises. In the last section, the authors address limi-tations of the study and provide directions for further research.