Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bridging Management Control Systems and Innovation: the evolution of the research and possible research directions

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present the evolution of thinking on the role of management control systems (MCS) in innovation, according to the development of control practices, and to provide a reflection on the achievements of the more recent literature. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper assesses articles, books, and book chapters that have explored MCS in innovation, together with seminal works on management accounting and control. Findings: Moving from the traditional phase where MCS were seen as detrimental to innovation, the literature has now reached a new consensus that attributes a positive role to control. In this recent phase, it arises from the literature that: MCS in the realm of innovation should embrace a multiplicity of controls; MCS depend on the magnitude and innovation mode of a company; MCS evolve over time; and that synergies and tensions are expected to arise. Adding these factors to the inherent complexity of innovation, the assertion is that qualitative approaches should be undertaken to infuse the field with more fine-grained evidence. It is also proposed that this methodological approach be used to address the following points: (1) The use of multiple controls; (2) Synergies and tensions, and (3) behavioural aspects of controls in relation with innovation. Originality/value: The paper is of value for researchers who have an interest in studying the use of MCS in innovation and in qualitative research and proposes some areas of research that could be explored.
Carbon sequestration potential through conservation agriculture in Africa has been largely overestimated. Comment on: ``Meta-analysis on carbon sequestration through conservation agriculture in Africa''

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Carbon sequestration potential through conservation agriculture in Africa has been largely overestimated. Comment on: “Meta-analysis on carbon sequestration through conservation agriculture in Africa” Marc Corbeels, Rémi Cardinael, David S. Powlson, Regis Chikowo, Bruno Gérard
Experimental and numerical studies of hollow flange channel beams subject to web crippling under ETF and ITF load cases

This paper presents the details of experimental and numerical studies on the web crippling behaviour of hollow flange channel beams, known as LiteSteel beams (LSB). The LSB has a unique shape of a channel beam with two rectangular hollow flanges, made using a unique manufacturing process. Experimental and numerical studies have been carried out to evaluate the behaviour and design of LSBs subject to pure bending actions, predominant shear actions and combined actions. To date, however, no investigation has been conducted into the web crippling behaviour and strength of LSB sections under ETF and ITF load conditions. Hence experimental studies consisting of 28 tests were first conducted in this research to assess the web crippling behaviour and strengths of LSBs under two flange load cases (ETF and ITF). Experimental web crippling capacity results were then compared with the predictions from AS/NZS 4600 and AISI S100 design rules, which showed that AS/NZS 4600 and AISI S100 design equations are very unconservative for LSBs under ETF and ITF load cases. Hence improved equations were proposed to determine the web crippling capacities of LSBs. Finite element models of the tested LSBs were then developed, and used to determine the elastic buckling loads of LSBs under ETF and ITF load cases. New equations were proposed to determine the corresponding elastic buckling coefficients of LSBs. Finally suitable design rules were also developed under the Direct Strength Method format using the test results and buckling analysis results from finite element analyses.
Herbal Granules of Heat-Clearing and Detoxifying for Children with Mild Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis

Background Regarding ethical considerations of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in children, limited evidence for mild hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is available. Recently, with the increasing but result-conflicting RCTs published around herbal granules of heat-clearing and detoxifying (HGs-HD), a head-to-head comparison is urgently needed to choose a suitable therapy for clinical practice. Materials and Methods This study was conducted according to the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) extension statement for network meta-analysis (NMA). Eight databases (Medline, Embase, and so on) and two trial registry platforms (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov and https://www.chictr.org.cn) were searched from inception to May 26, 2021. The NMA was performed using a random-effect model. The treatment hierarchy was summarized and reported as the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) probability values. The rankings of each HGs-HD at primary outcomes were estimated by the inverse probability weighting (IPW) approach and averaged, which presents the comprehensive improvement effect. Results Forty-five RCTs involving 18 interventions were included that studied 5,652 children with mild HFMD. The best performance probability for improving symptoms were respectively presented in terms of fever (Xiao'er Resuqing granules, XRGs, 94.9%), rash (Xiao'er Jinqiao granules, 83.9%), hospitalization (Xiao'er Chiqiao Qingre granules, XCQGs, 92.7%), vesicles (Jinlianhua granules, 91.0%), appetite (Xiao'er Chiqiao Qingre granules, XCQGs, 86.7%), and ulcers (Kouyanqing granules, KouGs, 88.8%). Furthermore, the top 5 rankings for comprehensive improvement effect were Yanning granules (YNGs, 2.256), XCQGs (2.858), XRGs (3.270), KouGs (7.223), and Houerhuan Xiaoyan granules (HXGs, 7.597). Conclusions This is the first NMA of HGs-HD head-to-head comparisons for children with mild HFMD. Of those, YNGs, XCQGs, XRGs, KouGs, and HXGs could be recommended as potential choices for clinical practice. Of course, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the limited high-quality RCTs.
Building Condition: Rating of Higher Institutions in Niger State

Immediately buildings are completed, maintenance problems start to set in, therefore maintenance needs to be carried out on them so as to sustain the performance of the buildings and keep them in good condition. Thus, with poor condition of the buildings, the main aim of the higher institution of learning will be unattainable. The study sought to rate the building conditionof6 higher institutions (using purposive sampling method) in Niger State through condition survey using condition assessment rating system and archival data from 2009-2013. Findings from the study showed that, offices and lecture halls are given more maintenance priority to hostel buildings. Electrical and plumbing problems were observed to be prevalent in all higher institutions in the last five (5) years. The building condition status of these two components, were in poor condition with a building rate of 0.49 and 0.47 respectively. All higher institutions in the study area are in fair condition. It is recommended among others that building condition survey should be carried out yearly so that areas that need timely intervention could expeditiously be maintained.
Evaluation of the Quality Characteristics and Development of a Puffed-Rice Snack Enriched with Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Drone Pupae Powder

Edible insect ingredients have gained importance as environmental-friendly energy sources world-wide; the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) drone pupae has gained prominence as a nutritional material. In this study, bee drone pupae were processed under different heating and drying conditions and incorporated into a puffed-rice snack with honey. The sensory, physicochemical, nutritional and microbial qualities of drone pupae powders were tested. The deep-fried and hot-air dried powder was selected; the values of 5.54% (powder) and 2.13% (honey) were obtained on optimization with honey by response surface methodology. Subsequently, the puffed-rice snack product enriched with drone pupae powder was stored at different temperatures for 180 days. The prepared product showed a higher content of proteins, fats, amino acids, and fatty acids compared to the control. The high content of a few minerals were maintained in the processed powder and the product, whereas heavy metals were not detected. The storage test indicated acceptable sensory qualities and safety results, considering important quality parameters. Thus, drone pupae powder and the developed product can be consumed as nutritional food materials; the quality characteristics can be improved through optimal processing.
Effect of a Strategic Physical Activity Program on Cognitive Flexibility among Children with Internet Addiction: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to explore whether a strategic physical activity program can improve cognitive flexibility among children with Internet addiction. Ten school-aged children were recruited by distributing flyers at an elementary school in Taiwan. The participants were screened using the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale. Their executive functions were assessed by a task-switching paradigm and their motor competence was evaluated by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children–Second Edition (MABC-2) before and after a 12-week strategic physical activity intervention (twice per week, 90 min per session). The posttest scores showed significant improvements in accuracy in the pure, mixed, and switch trials and in the manual dexterity and total score of the MABC-2 compared with the pretest scores. Despite the inherited limitations of a single group pretest-posttest design this study employed, the findings shed light on the possibility that a strategic physical activity intervention might be a feasible and effective behavioral approach to enhance cognitive function and motor competence in children with Internet addiction. Further studies including a control group, preferably with a randomized controlled trial design, will be needed to validate the findings.
The Relationship between Duration of Smartphone Uses and Anxiety in University Students during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, China adopted a home isolation policy, which caused lifestyle changes for university students, including increased smartphone use. Several studies indicate that problematic smartphone use is associated with anxiety. However, this association has not been examined in the context of epidemics. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the duration of smartphone use was associated with anxiety in Chinese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Participants included 9716 university students (5458 men and 4258 women) from Liaoning, China. We assessed the duration of smartphone use with a self-reported questionnaire. Anxiety was assessed using the generalized anxiety disorder seven-item scale. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the adjusted association between smartphone use and anxiety. Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, we observed a positive association between smartphone use duration and the prevalence of anxiety in all participating students. Compared with short periods of smartphone usage, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for moderate and long smartphone usage duration were 1.17 (1.00, 1.36) and 1.58 (1.36, 1.83), respectively. This significant positive association did not change in the sex-stratified analysis (for both men and women). Conclusions: Our examination of the association between duration of smartphone uses and university students’ anxiety levels revealed that long smartphone use was associated with a high prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Environmental Enrichment Components Required to Reduce Methamphetamine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization in Mice: Examination of Behaviors and Neural Substrates

Environmental enrichment (EE) involves the presentation of various sensory, physical, social, and cognitive stimuli in order to alter neural activity in specific brain areas, which can ameliorate methamphetamine (MAMPH)-induced behavioral sensitization and comorbid anxiety symptoms. No previous studies have comprehensively examined which EE components are critical for effectively reducing MAMPH-induced behavioral sensitization and anxiety. This study examined different housing conditions, including standard housing (SH, No EE), standard EE (STEE), physical EE (PEE), cognitive EE (CEE), and social EE (SEE). In the beginning, mice were randomly assigned to the different combinations of housing conditions and injections, consisting of No EE/Saline, No EE/MAMPH, STEE/MAMPH, PEE/MAMPH, CEE/MAMPH, and SEE/MAMPH groups. Then, the mice received intraperitoneal injections of 1 mg/kg MAMPH or normal saline daily for 7 days, followed by a final injection of 0.5 mg/kg MAMPH or normal saline. After behavioral tests, all mice were examined for c-Fos immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that MAMPH induced behavioral sensitization as measured by distance traveled. MAMPH appeared to induce lowered anxiety responses and severe hyperactivity. All EE conditions did not affect MAMPH-induced lowered anxiety behaviors. STEE was likely more effective for reducing MAMPH-induced behavioral sensitization than PEE, CEE, and SEE. The c-Fos expression analysis showed that the medial prefrontal cortex (i.e., cingulate cortex 1 (Cg1), prelimbic cortex (PrL), and infralimbic cortex (IL)), nucleus accumbens (NAc), basolateral amygdala (BLA), ventral tegmental area (VTA), caudate-putamen (CPu), and hippocampus (i.e., CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG)) contributed to MAMPH-induced behavioral sensitization. The Cg1, IL, NAc, BLA, VTA, CPu, CA3, and DG also mediated STEE reductions in MAMPH-induced behavioral sensitization. This study indicates that all components of EE are crucial for ameliorating MAMPH-induced behavioral sensitization, as no individual EE component was able to effectively reduce MAMPH-induced behavioral sensitization. The present findings provide insight into the development of non-pharmacological interventions for reducing MAMPH-induced behavioral sensitization.
Kif4A mediates resistance to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer via regulating DNA damage response

More and more patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) have benefited from surgical resection or ablation following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), but nCRT may be ineffective and have potential risks to some patients. Therefore, it is necessary to discover effective biomarkers for predicting the nCRT efficacy in CRC patients. Chromokinesin Kif4A plays a critical role in mitosis, DNA damage repair and tumorigenesis, but its relationship with nCRT efficacy in advanced CRC remains unclear. Here, we find that Kif4A expression in pretreated tumor tissue is positively correlated with poorer tumor regression after receiving nCRT ( P=0.005). Knockdown of endogenous Kif4A causes an increased sensitivity of CRC cells to chemotherapeutic drugs 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and Cisplatin (DDP), while overexpression of Kif4A enhances resistance of CRC cells to the chemotherapeutic drugs. Furthermore, depending on its motor domain and tail domain, Kif4A regulates DNA damage response (DDR) induced by 5-FU or DDP treatment in CRC cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Kif4A may be a potential independent biomarker for predicting the nCRT efficacy in advanced CRC patients, and Kif4A regulates chemosensitivity of CRC cells through controlling DDR.
Method for Fast Quality Evaluation of Deep‐drawn Paperboard Packaging Components

The visual and mechanical quality of paperboard packaging components formed by deep drawing closely corresponds to the wrinkle distribution within the material wall section. Assessing this quality of paperboard packaging components currently relies on very slow or even subjective methods. Therefore, counting the number of wrinkles and measuring the mean distance between wrinkles proved to be a sensitive strategy for the evaluation of quality levels in deep drawing formed paperboard containers like cups or trays. A method introduced by Hauptmann proposes the measurement of the distances between 10 wrinkles in machine direction and 10 wrinkles in cross direction for each sample. However, this method is unsatisfactory because it can only observe a small part of each sample and is subject to deviation through the individual judgement of the person carrying out the survey. Further methods, as well as their respective application range, are listed in Table . Hence, it is desirable to automate the wrinkle survey to be carried out without operator influences to the measurement. This paper introduces such an automated measuring method. The given method relies on recording the sample surface topography through laser‐distance measurement. An evaluation algorithm, which enables the detection of wrinkles in the topographic data, is proposed. Furthermore, it is shown that the method yields feasible results and is capable of generating reliable quality information in considerably reduced time frames.
Concession period of public private partnership projects: industry–academia gap analysis

ABSTRACT With increasing global adoption, various critical aspects of public–private partnership (PPP) concessions are highlighted. One such aspect is the way academia and industry perceive and weigh different critical success factors (CSFs) of PPP concession. Due to difference of perception, considerable temporal as well as opinion gap exists between the two knowledge streams, leading to improper resource allocation and inadequate decision-making. This study identifies CSFs and quantifies the gap between the two streams using a detailed methodology of identifying CSFs from extensive literature review published during period 2005–2015, and ranking those CSFs separately through questionnaire surveys from 60 industrial and 56 academic experts having thorough experience of various types of PPP. Based upon responses, 8–9 years’ gap between both streams is found. For 18% CSFs, opinion difference is greater than 50% pointing to a weaker collaboration. Decision-makers can understand the gap between both streams and develop policy framework for their collaboration. Better resource management can be ensured leading to improved chances of project success. Academia can expand upon the identified CSFs and explore their interactions on individual and cumulative levels. This will bridge gap and induce the ever desired mutualism between the two streams.
ABO Blood Type Is Associated with Thrombotic Risk in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation

Blood type is reportedly correlated with the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, presumably because of its effect on thrombogenicity. However, the relationship between blood type and thrombotic complications in atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. This retrospective study analyzed the blood types of 1170 AF patients (mean age, 70 years; 58% men) who were followed up for up to 4 years. Patients with greater than mild mitral stenosis or prosthetic valves were excluded. The cohort included 305 (26%) type O, 413 (35%) type A, 333 (28%) type B, and 119 (10%) type AB patients. The primary endpoint of major adverse cerebrovascular events (MACE) occurred in 52 (4.4%) patients. When longitudinal outcomes were plotted, AB blood type patients had worse prognosis than non-AB blood type patients (p = 0.039), particularly type O blood patients (p = 0.049). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that AB blood type was associated with higher MACE rates (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–4.00; p = 0.048) than non-AB blood types independent of anticoagulation therapy duration or CHA2DS2-VASc score. These indicate that AF patients with AB blood type are at an increased risk of MACE compared to those with non-AB blood type independent of the duration of anticoagulation or the CHA2DS2-VASc score.
The impact of information technology adoption on hotel performance: Evidence from a developing country

ABSTRACT Hotel managers seek continual enhancement of their organizational performance by adopting innovative strategies and tools. Armed with the knowledge that information technology (IT) has revolutionized the hotel industry, this study investigates the impact of IT adoption on hotel performance (HP) in Morocco, a developing country. The proposed research model includes two constructs, namely, employee performance and financial performance. A quantitative approach is used, and the sample includes 100 general managers from three-, four-, and five-star hotels. The hypotheses were tested using a partial least squares (PLS) method, and the findings indicate that the major impact of IT adoption on HP can be seen in employee performance rather than in financial performance. The results also reveal a significant relationship between employee performance and financial performance in hotels, and the implications of these findings for researchers and hoteliers are discussed.
Organisations as artefacts:an inquiry into hidden design activities within situated organisational contexts

The overall aim of this PhD is to provide insights into the hidden and socially-distributed design activities and behaviours through which members of an organisation contribute to its shape. How do those who are part of the organisational artefact contribute to the design of the artefact? Looking at an organisation as an artefact on the one hand acknowledges the human-made process that brings organisations into existence and the possibility that an organisation is a product of human action. On the other hand it raises questions with regard to the properties of this artefact and the design activities that lead to its existence or in␣uence its development. A paradox is represented by the circumstance that an organisation is both made by and, at the same time, “consists” of humans. A small sample qualitative multi-case study was selected as the research strategy. One case is a retrospective study of an architectural construction project for a higher education institution in the UK, the other is a live study of a mass participation music performance that took place in a major UK city. Together they combine the wealth of material from a longitudinal and retrospective study with the detailed insights obtained from live observation. Analysis is partially grounded, prioritising an understanding emerging from the data itself rather than applying a speci␣c concept to identify themes accordingly. However, fundamental understandings of design are applied to understand whether the design activities identi␣ed cohere with existing approaches or provide novel insights into hidden i design actions. In both cases the ␣ndings con␣rm the existence of hidden and socially-distributed design actions in processes of organisational design. While fundamental indicators of design change are identi␣able in selected events, novel characteristics add to existing understandings of design. Contributions this PhD makes concern the identi␣cation and description of hidden design activities within communities of non-expert, silent designers and the empirically supported speci␣cation of organisations as socially-designed artefacts. Speci␣cally, the ␣ndings lead to the articulation of three contributions: design-before- design, an approach that promotes the acknowledgement of unique organisational settings before design interventions, socially-distributed design as an empirically supported extension of silent design and the resulting description of case studies as self-referential artefacts.