Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Value Creation in Innovations Crowdsourcing: Example of Creative Agencies

Innovations are crucial for most of the companies to survive. However, the concept of innovation has become broader, including new forms of open innovation, such as crowdsourcing. The aim of this paper is to define the business model of a crowdsourcing-driven organization to create value. Empirical research consists of case studies on current crowdsourcing platforms, focus groups with potential crowd members and in-depth interviews with potential customers of creative agencies. Best practices were combined with solutions for closing the most significant gaps in order to create a successful business model. The developed model suggests separating the crowd into free users and an empowered core team and enabling collaboration. Moreover, an innovative motivational model is introduced. Due to a three-step sequence of solution/idea generation, superior value is proposed to the customer. Another competitive advantage should be flexibility and adaptability to the customer’s needs. The paper is original since extended analysis of all crowdsourcing stakeholders is delivered. It also has practical value proposing a business model for creative agencies.
Methodological Approaches to Study Internet Financial Communication

The aim of this paper is to show how qualitative and quantitative approaches can be complementary to study internet financial communication in a thesis by papers and how grounded theory (GT) can be the link among the different papers of the thesis. The study context of our thesis was the unregulated markets of New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Euronext Brussels and the problematic rose from this context: What is the voluntary effort of communication when there is no obligation of internet financial communication? Four papers tried to answer this central question and other following research questions. To answer those research questions, several methodological approaches were used: content analysis of websites and scoring, linear regression, paired sample, and interviews. At the end of our thesis by papers, we discovered that GT was the general methodological travel among the papers: Every article had for vocation to try to answer the questions raised by the previous article.
PHOTOVOLTAIC SELF-CONSUMPTION IN GERMANY USING LITHIUM-ION STORAGE TO INCREASE SELF-CONSUMED PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY

The new German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) for the year 2009 provides a new tariff option: self-consumption (EEG §33,2). By economically favouring the local consumption of PV energy, the EEG incentivises the owners of PV systems to either shift their consumption to the time of production by load management or use storage options. Massive deployment of such energy management approaches may reduce the impact of PV energy in the grid and thus pave the way for a further rise of the number of installations. For maximizing locally consumed PV energy, a storage system based on lithium-ion batteries is developed in the French- German project Sol-ion. Fraunhofer IWES, INES, ISEA and ZSW developed models to analyse the energy flows in residential PV-battery systems installed in Germany and in France. The models are used to calculate the increase of PV self-consumption. Energy flow simulations show that PV battery systems as developed in the Sol-ion project increase the local consumption of PV energy at the point of common coupling without constraining the user in his consumption habits. Target battery costs were calculated in an economical assessment. The installation of a Sol-ion system will become economically interesting with specific battery costs below 350 €/kWh as expected by the manufacturers in the medium term. The integration of additional functionalities (e.g. backup power and grid support) can improve the benefit of the Sol-ion system significantly.
Serum High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Non-High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels as Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Two markers of cardiovascular risk assessment are high sensitivity C- reactive protein (hs-CRP) and non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL cholesterol). This case-control study attempted to compare levels of hs-CRP and non-HDL cholesterol between type 2 diabetic patients and non-diabetic individuals and investigate patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease, and analyze the association of hs-CRP levels with other cardiovascular risk factor in type 2 diabetes. A total of 123 type 2 diabetic patients [ 35 males and 88 females; median and (interquartile range) age of 57.0 (51.8-64.2) years; mean ± SE body mass index of 26.4 ± 0.4 kg/m 2 , disease duration 5.7 ± 0.5 years; and median and (interquartile range) hemoglobin A1C of 7.8 (6.7-9.4)% ] and 92 non-diabetics [27 males and 65 females; median (interquartile range) age of 51.0 (45.0-59.0) years; mean ± SE body mass index of 24.8 ± 0.3 kg/m 2 ] were studied. All subjects were interviewed by using the questionnaires included about lifestyle and medication used. Physical examinations and an over-night fasting blood collection were performed. Glucose, hemoglobin A1c, lipid profile, and hs-CRP levels were analyzed. The results indicate that serum levels of hs-CRP and non-HDL cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes were significantly higher than those in non-diabetics. Stratification into cardiovascular risk groups according to hs-CRP levels in combination with non-HDL cholesterol levels revealed that 72.4 percent of patients had high risk, 27.6 percent had intermediate risk, but none had low risk. However, an increased risk for CVD resulting in elevated hs-CRP (> 3 mg/l) of type 2 diabetes was significantly different from non-diabetes (odds ratio 1.95, 95% Confidence Interval 1.06-3.59, p-value 0.04). In type 2 DM, hs-CRP levels were significantly positive correlated with body mass index and fasting plasma glucose, inversely correlated with duration of diabetes. There were no significant correlation between hs-CRP and gender, age, waist circumference, blood pressure, lipid levels and hemoglobin A1C. In conclusion indicates that serum hs-CRP and non-HDL cholesterol levels in patient with type 2 diabetes are significantly higher than those in non-diabetics. The measurement of serum hs-CRP level as an adjunct to non-HDL cholesterol level may be useful for identifying cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes and should be evaluated in further prospective study.
Demographic, Behavioral and Perceptual Comparisons of the U.S. Visitor Experience with Group Package Tours and Free Independent Travel to China

U.S. visitor demand for the China travel experience is anticipated to rise significantly through 2105, causing the Chinese government to employ 100 million service providers over the next six years and raising concern about service delivery and perceptions of the on-site China experience. In an effort to better understand these issues concerning U.S. visitors, this study investigated two specific types of U.S. travelers to China: Group Package Tour (GPT) visitors and Free Independent Travel (FIT) visitors. Results indicated that GPT visitors were more likely to be older and have higher household income than FIT visitors. Four trip-related characteristics of GPT and FIT visitors were found to be significantly different, with GPT visitors showing higher levels of satisfaction with the overall China on-site travel experience. U.S. visitor demand for the China travel experience is anticipated to rise significantly through 2105, causing the Chinese government to employ 100 million service providers over the next six years and raising concern about service delivery and perceptions of the on-site China experience. In an effort to better understand these issues concerning U.S. visitors, this study investigated two specific types of U.S. travelers to China: Group Package Tour (GPT) visitors and Free Independent Travel (FIT) visitors. Results indicated that GPT visitors were more likely to be older and have higher household income than FIT visitors. Four trip-related characteristics of GPT and FIT visitors were found to be significantly different, with GPT visitors showing higher levels of satisfaction with the overall China on-site travel experience.
Minimal genetic change in Vibrio cholerae in Mozambique over time: Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis and whole genome sequencing

Although cholera is a major public health concern in Mozambique, its transmission patterns remain unknown. We surveyed the genetic relatedness of 75 Vibrio cholerae isolates from patients at Manhiça District Hospital between 2002–2012 and 3 isolates from river using multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). MLVA revealed 22 genotypes in two clonal complexes and four unrelated genotypes. WGS revealed i) the presence of recombination, ii) 67 isolates descended monophyletically from a single source connected to Wave 3 of the Seventh Pandemic, and iii) four clinical isolates lacking the cholera toxin gene. This Wave 3 strain persisted for at least eight years in either an environmental reservoir or circulating within the human population. Our data raises important questions related to where these isolates persist and how identical isolates can be collected years apart despite our understanding of high change rate of MLVA loci and the V. cholerae molecular clock.
In vitro human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells osteogenesis in akermanite:poly-ɛ-caprolactone scaffolds

This study compared the metabolic activity, cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells cultured on four different scaffolds (poly-ɛ-caprolactone, akermanite:poly-ɛ-caprolactone composites, akermanite and β-tricalcium phosophate) with or without osteogenic media supplementation for up to 21 days. The hypothesis was that human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells osteogenesis in akermanite-containing scaffolds would be greater than the other scaffold types independent of the media supplementation. According to the results, human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells loaded on different scaffolds and cultured in both media conditions displayed significant changes in the metabolic activity and cell proliferation. After 21 days of culture in osteogenic medium, the human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells loaded onto akermanite-based scaffolds had greater calcium deposition and osteocalcin expression relative to human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells loaded onto β-tricalcium phosophate and poly-ɛ-caprolactone. In vivo investigations are needed to further assess the bone tissue engineering potential of human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells loaded to akermanite:poly-ɛ-caprolactone composites.
Building a golden triangle for the production and use of artemisinin derivatives against falciparum malaria in Africa

Use of the conventional quinoline- and sulphanamide-based drugs for the symptomatic treatment of malaria is gradually being replaced by artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) due to increasing resistance by the Plasmodium parasite. This development has drastically increased artemisinin demand worldwide, and Artemisia annua L. is currently the only commercial source for the supply of this vital antimalarial drug to the international market. Recent advances, however, demonstrate that the production of isoprenoid precursors in microorganisms is a feasible complementary strategy that would help reduce artemisinin cost in the future. The key genes encoding for enzymes regulating the biosynthesis of artemisinin in planta are fully understood to enable metabolic engineering of the pathway, and results from pilot genetic engineering studies in microbial strains thus far are very inspiring. This review, therefore, explores the current status of artemisinin derived drugs against malaria and highlights some implications of crop agronomy, biotechnology and solvent extraction strategies in enhancing the total yield of artemisinin for the production of ACTs, which are responsible for saving the lives of countless numbers of patients in malaria-stricken societies and are currently in very high demand, especially in Africa.
Polish agricultural universities students' graphical perception

The questionnaire survey was conducted among post-graduate and under-graduate students of two agricultural universities in Poland to study their basic knowledge of graphing. A smaller group of primary school pupils was also administered in the survey for comparison purposes. The survey consisted of only two questions concerning the choice of the best and the worst chart among three options: a piechart, a vertical barchart with three-dimensional columns, and a horizontal barchart. The charts were constructed in such a way that only one type – the horizontal barchart – could be considered a good chart. The results are worrying: among university students, both underand postgraduate, quite often the three-dimensional barchart was chosen as the best one. Among the primary school pupils the piechart was most often chosen as the best one.
International marketing and the Asia‐Pacific Region

This study is motivated by the theme of this special issue of International Marketing Review, which highlights the enormous economic success of Asia‐Pacific nations and their emergence as global marketers of the twenty‐first century. The success of firms situated in these nations has been even more pronounced since the 1990. This study highlights international marketing developments, opportunities, and research issues that warrant closer attention. In examining the topic, highlights a number of important developments including technological innovations, the penetration and influence of the Internet and electronic commerce in the region, the emergence of Asian multinational companies, the development of Asian brands, the importance of relationships and networks for firms in this region, and their greater international integration and cooperation with the rest of the world. International marketing research considerations pertaining to the Asia‐Pacific Region are explored in each section, as well as in the conclusions.
Aquaporins: a water channel family

Water channel proteins, aquaporins, are integral membrane proteins serving in the permeation of water and some other small molecules. Eleven isoforms of aquaporins have been identified from various tissues to date. They are expressed in tissue- and cell-specific manners, and are closely related to the specific functions of tissues and cells. Aquaporins are usually localized to the plasma membrane. Some isoforms are present in cytoplasmic compartments, and their translocation to the plasma membrane is crucial in the regulation of water transfer. This review focuses on the localization of aquaporins in mammalian tissues and discusses the physiological importance of water channels.
Polarization-Insensitive Single-Balanced Photodiode Coherent Receiver for Long-Reach WDM-PONs

In an access network based on a passive optical network architecture, coherent detection is attractive since it allows for high receiver sensitivity coupled with inherent frequency selectivity. Nevertheless, solutions employed in core networks are prohibitively complex and costly, requiring the optical complexity of the coherent receivers to be reduced to make them feasible for access networks. For monolithic integration, a key challenge is posed by the polarization beam splitter (PBS). If, however, the PBS is removed, the receiver needs to be redesigned to be insensitive to the incoming polarization state of the received signal. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate a polarization-insensitive (i.e., polarization-independent) coherent receiver for the optical network unit in passive optical networks (PONs). The receiver consists of only a 3-dB coupler and a single-balanced photodiode such that the complexity is comparable to a direct detection receiver. The proposed cost-effective coherent receiver is implemented by using the Alamouti polarization-time block coding scheme combined with heterodyne detection. To verify the technique, the Alamouti-coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal is rotated over the full Poincaré sphere. Compared to the dual-polarization-OFDM signal operating at a net bit rate of 10 Gb/s per polarization (a gross bit rate of 10.7 Gb/s including a 7% FEC overhead), only a 0.6 dB sensitivity degradation is observed. The sensitivity at the FEC threshold, assumed to be 4×10-3, is measured to be -41.5 dBm (56 photons-per-bit) on a 25-GHz grid. Following this, different channel spacings are investigated and the signal is transmitted over 80 km of standard single-mode fiber in a long-reach wavelength division multiplexed PON system. The loss budgets are found to be 43.0 and 42.8 dB for 50- and 25-GHz grids, respectively.
Towards resolution of the Fermi surface in underdoped high-Tc superconductors

We survey recent experimental results including quantum oscillations and complementary measurements probing the electronic structure of underdoped cuprates, and theoretical proposals to explain them. We discuss quantum oscillations measured at high magnetic fields in the underdoped cuprates that reveal a small Fermi surface section, comprising quasiparticles that obey Fermi–Dirac statistics, unaccompanied by other states of comparable thermodynamic mass at the Fermi level. The location of the observed Fermi surface section at the nodes is indicated by a body of evidence including the collapse in Fermi velocity measured by quantum oscillations, which is found to be associated with the nodal density of states observed in angular resolved photoemission, the persistence of quantum oscillations down to low fields in the vortex state, the small value of density of states from heat capacity and the multiple frequency quantum oscillation pattern consistent with nodal magnetic breakdown of bilayer-split pockets. A nodal Fermi surface pocket is further consistent with the observation of a density of states at the Fermi level concentrated at the nodes in photoemission experiments, and the antinodal pseudogap observed by photoemission, optical conductivity, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) Knight shift, as well as other complementary diffraction, transport and thermodynamic measurements. One of the possibilities considered is that the small Fermi surface pockets observed at high magnetic fields can be understood in terms of Fermi surface reconstruction by a form of small wavevector charge order, observed over long lengthscales in experiments such as NMR and x-ray scattering, potentially accompanied by an additional mechanism to gap the antinodal density of states.
Managing business-to-business relationships between Swedish and Russian SMEs in the Russian market

In recent times the Russian market has been exposed to significant changes, both in the challenges of the transition from planned to market economy as well as the opportunities that has spurred a willingness for foreign companies to exploit the vast potential of the market. The aim of this thesis is to explore how business relationships are managed between Swedish business-to-business(B2B) SMEs and Russian counterparts. In our study we overview Swedish companies which are well established on the Russian market and have well-developed relationships with their representatives in Russia and try to discover which aspects of their relations is decisive for the success of the companies. To conduct our research we created reseach questions "What role do business relationships play between Swedish and Russian SMEs in the Russian market? , and how are the business relationships managed? ". We collected data from both Swedish and Russian perspectives to determine the main features of their relations and draw up guidance for potential Western newcomers to Russia.
Effect of taping as a component of conservative treatment for subacromial impingement syndrome

Subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) has been described as the most common form of shoulder pathology argued that 100% of impingement lesions and 95% of rotator cuff pathology are caused by friction between the acromion and surrounding tissues within the subacromial space. Commonly, rest, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), corticosteroid injections, and mobilization, strengthening exercises will resolve most cases of SIS. The results of the long-term outcome of these treatments, however, are not promising. Purpose: This study focuses on the effect of scapular taping and conventional Physical therapy in increasing isometric muscle strength, decreasing pain, improving function in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome. Study design: Double blinded randomised controlled clinical trial. Subjects were assessed by a blinded researcher using standard physiotherapy measures, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index questionnaire (SPADI), and isometric muscle strength measured using digital dynamo meter. Methodology: The patients in the treatment group (scapular taping group) received scapular taping with conventional exercises and the control group (no scapula taping) group received conventional exercise. Result: When comparing the scores using unpaired t-test with P value set at <0.05, high level of significance was noted for flexor, abductor, external rotator muscle force and SPADI. Conclusion: Scapular taping may be a useful adjunct for promoting proper scapular kinetics & upper thoracic extension and should be used in conjunction with other interventions.
Deciphering cell wall integrity signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus: identification and functional characterization of cell wall stress sensors and relevant Rho GTPases

The fungal cell wall, a conserved and highly dynamic structure, is essential for virulence and viability of fungal pathogens and is an important antifungal drug target. The cell wall integrity (CWI) signalling pathway regulates shape and biosynthesis of the cell wall. In this work we identified, localized and functionally characterized four putative CWI stress sensors of Aspergillus fumigatus, an airborne opportunistic human pathogen and the cause of invasive aspergillosis. We show that Wsc1 is specifically required for resistance to echinocandin antifungals. MidA is specifically required for elevated temperature tolerance and resistance to the cell wall perturbing agents congo red and calcofluor white. Wsc1, Wsc3 and MidA additionally have overlapping functions and are redundantly required for radial growth and conidiation. We have also analysed the roles of three Rho GTPases that have been implicated in CWI signalling in other fungi. We show that Rho1 is essential and that conditional downregulation of rho1 or deletion of rho2 or rho4 results in severely impaired CWI. Our data indicate significant functional differences between the CWI stress sensors of yeasts and moulds.
Goodwill Impairment: An Empirical Investigation of Write-Offs under SFAS 142

In 2001, goodwill amortization in the US was eliminated in favor of an impairment-only approach, which, according to critics, gives managers vast discretion and opportunities for earnings management. Prior research suggests that discretionary asset write-offs are associated with economic factors and managers' financial reporting objectives. Based on a systematic literature review, this study investigates for a comprehensive sample of US firms the determinants of goodwill write-off behavior. Regression analysis shows that write-off behavior is significantly explained by firms' economic properties. Only in large, high-profile firms, incentives appear to be significant determinants. These findings suggest that the impairment-only approach does capture goodwill impairment at least to some extent.