Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How can leadership and organizational culture predict innovation in small, medium and large enterprises?

This study intends to analyse the effects of leadership and organizational culture in innovation in small, medium and large Portuguese enterprises. The sample is composed of 102 organizations (68.6% small, 24.5% medium-sized and 5.9% large companies), from which a total of 854 workers answered to the Transformational Leadership Scale and the Organizational Culture Questionnaire Denison. Additionally, a total of 102 top managers of each organization answered a questionnaire concerning the innovation activity in their organization. Data analysis was performed with structural equation modelling. The results showed that the size of the company moderates the relationship between leadership and organizational culture in the prediction of innovation. This moderation surpasses the differentiated effect size of leadership in innovation predicted by culture, showing also influence on the contribution of the several variables in the model.
Localization of Sequences within the C-terminal Domain of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Which Impact Maturation and Stability*

Some disease-associated truncations within the 100-residue domain C-terminal of the second nucleotide-binding domain destabilize the mature protein (Haardt, M., Benharouga, M., Lechardeur, D., Kartner, N., and Lukacs, G. L. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 21873–21877). We now have identified three short oligopeptide regions in the C-terminal domain which impact cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) maturation and stability in different ways. A highly conserved hydrophobic patch (region I) formed by residues 1413–1416 (FLVI) was found to be crucial for the stability of the mature protein. Nascent chain stability was severely decreased by shortening the protein by 81 amino acids (1400X). This accelerated degradation was sensitive to proteasome inhibitors but not influenced by brefeldin A, indicating that it occurred at the endoplasmic reticulum. The five residues at positions 1400 to 1404 (region II) normally maintain nascent CFTR stability in a positional rather than a sequence-specific manner. A third modulating region (III) constituted by residues 1390 to 1394 destabilizes the protein. Hence the nascent form regains stability on further truncation back to residues 1390 or 1380, permitting some degree of maturation and a low level of cyclic AMP-stimulated chloride channel activity at the cell surface. Thus while not absolutely essential, the C-terminal domain strongly modulates the biogenesis and maturation of CFTR.
Review of the IMPROVE Equation for Estimating Ambient Light Extinction Coefficients

The Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) protocols for reconstructing ambient light extinction from measured aerosol species is the basis for evaluating compliance under the Regional Haze Rule. We review the assumptions involved in computing reconstructed light extinction using the IMPROVE protocol. This review includes examining the biases in the measurements of aerosol composition, the assumed chemical forms of aerosol species, particle hygroscopicity, and assumed mass scattering efficiencies. We present a thorough survey of estimates of mass scattering efficiencies from recent peer-reviewed literature. Furthermore, we use IMPROVE nephelometry and composition data to estimate mass scattering efficiencies using a variety of methods. The current mass scattering efficiencies applied in the IMPROVE equation are then interpreted in the context of this survey and results derived from the IMPROVE data analyses. Finally, a summary of provisional recommendations for refinements to the IMPROVE equation and a discussion of important uncertainties to consider in the assumptions is presented. Although tentative recommendations of refinements to the IMPROVE equation are presented, final refinements to the IMPROVE equation await future discussions of the results presented here.
The passengers' satisfaction with public bus service among middle-income users in Greater Cairo

Public transport is an essential demand to ensure ease mobility for all the citizens to fulfill different life activities such as work, education and health. Passengers, around the world, search for a convenient bus service responds to their needs such as coverage, regular time table service, safety, facilities within terminals, better atmosphere inside the vehicle during the trip, and affordable fare. However, these basic needs are deteriorated on many countries due to lack of efficiency and responsiveness of the service operators. The aim of this study is to understand the most critical factors that influence on the passengers’ satisfaction with the public bus service in Egypt from the perspective of middle-income users specifically in both Cairo and Giza governorates. A qualitative study had been conducted in three main bus Terminals located in Tahrir, Boulak El Dakror and Lebanon Square in Cairo and Giza governorates. A sample of 40 passenger has been chosen based on different set of criteria include age, reliance of the service and monthly income. The analysis identifies the five categories that are essential for passengers of the public bus service. The first category is the facilities within the bus terminal which include secured waiting areas, bathrooms, cleanliness, lighting and personal security. The second category is the conditions of the vehicle that include design, drivers' behavior and information during the trip. The third category is the bus fare and to what extent passengers can afford to the bus service in Greater Cairo. The fourth one is the accurate time table that organizes the service during different working hours. The final category is the additional options for the passengers to improve the mobility and reduce stress during long trips. To improve the service, the operators have to include the passengers’ perceptions and opinions on the evaluation process as the passengers represent the backbone of the bus service and interact directly with the service weaknesses.
Design of Kapton based passive circuits at microwave frequencies

This paper presents a technology based on thin flexible polyimide substrate (Kapton) to develop passive circuits at microwave frequencies. In the first step, we characterize the Kapton polyimide (relative permittivity and loss tangent) by using a ring resonator method. Then a 60 GHz patch antenna is designed, fabricated, and measured to validate our technology. Finally, a design of cross slot dipole antenna with a large bandwidth at 60 GHz is proposed.
Surveillance Farm: Towards a Research Agenda on Big Data Agriculture

Farming today relies on ever-increasing forms of data gathering, transfer, and analysis. Think of autonomous tractors and weeding robots, chip-implanted animals and underground infrastructures with inbuilt sensors, and drones or satellites offering image analysis from the air. Despite this evolution, however, the social sciences have almost completely overlooked the resulting problematics of power and control. This piece offers an initial review of the main surveillance issues surrounding the problematic of smart farming, with a view to outlining a broader research agenda into the making, functioning, and acting of Big Data in the agricultural sector. For surveillance studies, the objective is also to move beyond the predominant focus on urban space that characterises critical contemporary engagements with Big Data. Smart technologies shape the rural just as much as the urban, and “smart farms” are just as fashionable as “smart cities. ”
Social Media and its Impression on Consumers Behavior During Their Decision-Making Process

On a daily basis, 100,000 tweets are sent, 684,478 pieces of content are shared on Facebook, 2 million search inquiries made on Google, 48 hours of video uploaded to YouTube, 3,600 photos shared on Instagram, and 571 websites created.The appearance of social media has created a new aspect which puts a new grid of personal communication. Businesses see great chances, whereas consumers are set back to the center in the business world because of the social media. There are many studies explaining reasons to take advantage of the social media and to help companies to gain a better status in the changeover. Often, consumers feel different from what marketers think, for instance what “brand connection” via social media looks like to consumers may not be fairly what marketers think.The objective of this research is to clarify why, when and how the social media impacts consumer decision process, and explains how individuals are attending, processing, and selecting the information on social media before a purchase. The results indicate that individuals are actively involved in the search for information on social media compared with the mass media; yet exposure to information is selective and subjective when searching for information. The inquisitive part of the research attempts to provide vision to any organization trying to move to or is currently contributing in the new marketing trend.
Purification and Characterization of an Esterase from Micrococcus sp. YGJ1 Hydrolyzing Phthalate Esters

An esterase hydrolyzing phthalate esters has been purified from Micrococcus sp. YGJ1. The enzyme, a monomeric protein (Mr=56 kDa) with a pI of 4.0, hydrolyzes various aliphatic and aromatic carboxylesters. The medium chain (C3-C4) esters are the most preferred substrates. The enzyme is inhibited by HgCl2 and p-chloromercuribenzoate but not by phenylmethyl-sulfonyl fluoride.
Développement de schémas de découplage pour la résolution de systèmes dynamiques sur architecture de calcul distribuée

Nous nous interessons dans ce memoire a des methodes de parallelisation par decouplage du systeme dynamique. Plusieurs applications numeriques de nos jours conduisent a des systemes dynamiques de grande taille et necessitent des methodes de parallelisation en consequence pour pouvoir etre resolues sur les machines de calcul a plusieurs processeurs. Notre but est de trouver une methode numerique a la fois consistante et stable pour reduire le temps de la resolution numerique. La premiere approche consiste a decoupler le systeme dynamique en sous-systemes contenant des sous-ensembles de variables independants et a remplacer les termes de couplage par l’extrapolation polynomiale. Une telle methode a ete introduite sous le nom de schema C (p, q, j), nous ameliorons ce schema en introduisant la possibilite a utiliser des pas de temps adaptatifs. Cependant, notre etude montre que cette methode de decouplage ne peut satisfaire les proprietes numeriques que sous des conditions tres strictes et ne peut donc pas s’appliquer aux problemes raides presentant des couplages forts entre les sous-systemes. Afin de pouvoir repondre a cette problematique de decouplage des systemes fortement couples, on introduit le deuxieme axe de recherche, dont l’outil principal est la reduction d’ordre du modele. L’idee est de remplacer le couplage entre les sous-ensembles de variables du systeme par leurs representations sous forme reduite. Ces sous-systemes peuvent etre distribues sur une architecture de calcul parallele. Notre analyse du schema de decouplage resultant nous conduit a definir un critere mathematique pour la mise a jour des bases reduites entre les sous-systemes. La methode de reduction d’ordre du modele utilisee est fondee sur la decomposition orthogonale aux valeurs propres (POD). Cependant, ne disposant pas a priori des donnees requises pour la construction de la base reduite, nous proposons alors un algorithme de construction incrementale de la base reduite permettant de representer le maximum des dynamiques des solutions presentes dans l’intervalle de simulation. Nous avons applique la methode proposee sur les differents systemes dynamiques tels que l’exemple provenant d’une EDP et celui provenant de l’equation de Navier Stokes. La methode proposee montre l’avantage de l’utilisation de l’algorithme de decouplage base sur la reduction d’ordre. Les solutions numeriques sont obtenues avec une bonne precision comparees a celle obtenue par une methode de resolution classique tout en restant tres performante selon le nombre de sous-systemes definis.
Impaired Basal Glucose Effectiveness in NIDDM: Contribution of Defects in Glucose Disappearance and Production, Measured Using an Optimized Minimal Model Independent Protocol

People with NIDDM are resistant to insulin. The present studies sought to determine whether the ability of glucose to regulate its own metabolism in the presence of basal insulin concentrations is impaired. To address this question, basal insulin concentrations were maintained constant with an exogenous insulin infusion, while endogenous hormone secretion was inhibited by somatostatin. The integrated glycemic response above baseline during identical prandial glucose infusions was greater (1,411 ± 94 vs. 938 ± 45 mmol/l per 5 h; P < 0.01) in the diabetic subjects than in the nondiabetic subjects, indicating a decrease in net glucose effectiveness. [6-3H]glucose also was infused to determine whether the decrease in net glucose effectiveness was due to a decrease in the ability of glucose to stimulate its own uptake and/or to suppress its own production. Despite identical rates of tracer infusion, the increment in plasma concentration of [6-3H]glucose was higher (4.50 ± 0.29 vs. 3.16 ± 0.21 × 105 dpm/ml per 5 h; P < 0.05) in the diabetic subjects than in the nondiabetic subjects. This was due to both a decrease (P < 0.05) in the ability of glucose to stimulate its own disappearance via mass action and to a greater (P < 0.01) inhibitory effect of glucose on its own clearance. The increase in glucose concentration resulted in prompt and comparable suppression of endogenous glucose production in both groups. Under these optimized conditions, indexes of glucose effectiveness calculated with both the “cold” and “hot” minimal models also were lower (P < 0.05) in the diabetic subjects than in the nondiabetic subjects and were highly correlated (r = 0.94–0.99; P < 0.001) with the indexes of glucose effectiveness calculated from the increments above baseline of glucose and [6-3H]glucose concentration. We conclude that the ability of glucose to regulate its own metabolism in the presence of basal insulin concentrations is abnormal in people with NIDDM.
The effects of mebendazole on P4501A activity in rat hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. Comparison with tiabendazole and omeprazole

Mebendazole is a benzimidazole anthelmintic widely used in veterinary and human therapy. Among benzimidazole derivatives, several drugs with inducing effect on cytochromes P450 can be found. However, the induction capacity of mebendazole on P450s has not been explored yet. In this study, the effects of mebendazole on P4501A activity was tested in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes and in human hepatoma HepG2 cell line. Two known P4501A inducers with benzimidazole structure, tiabendazole and omeprazole, were also included in the experiments with the aim of studying structure‐induction relationships. After 24‐, 48‐ and 72‐h incubation of rat hepatocytes and HepG2 cells with drugs in various concentrations (0.1–100μm), enzyme activity associated with P4501A1/2 (EROD, MROD) was measured. In addition, the P4501A1/2 protein levels in both in‐vitro systems were determined by Western‐blotting. Mebendazole provoked a significant increase in P4501A1/2 protein expression and P4501A activity in both in‐vitro systems. Omeprazole caused a significant dose‐dependent increase of P4501A activity only in HepG2 cells. Although tiabendazole treatment led to significant increase of P4501A protein level, no effect on P4501A activity was observed in either system. The results demonstrate that mebendazole possesses the ability to significantly induce P4501A. Thus, pharmacological and toxicological consequences of P4501A induction should be taken into account in human therapy. The structure‐induction relationships and differences between in‐vitro systems used are discussed.
The design of self-organizing fuzzy neural networks based on Ga-ecpso and MBP

A novel hybrid learning algorithm which automates the design of the FNNs is proposed in this paper. It is based on two-stage learning process. First, mean shift clustering (MSC) and mean firing strength (MFS) are combined to identify the structure. The MSC is used to generate the initial network structure and parameters of each neuron and MFS refines the initial network to produce the optimal network structure. Next, genetic algorithm enhancing chaotic particle swarm optimization (GA-ECPSO) and modified back-propagation (MBP) are proposed to learn the free parameters. The GA-ECPSO is used to seek the near-optimal parameters solution and MBP continues the learning process until the terminal condition is satisfied. The simulation experiment demonstrates the superior performance of the algorithm.
Risk Factors Predicting Vasopressor Use After Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation

Ligation of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is sometimes complicated by postoperative hypotension requiring vasopressor(s). It is unclear which infants are at risk for this complication. We conducted a retrospective and prospective cohort study to identify risk factors predicting vasopressor use after PDA ligation. Our patients were infants < 37 weeks of gestation who underwent PDA ligation. The primary outcome was the use of vasopressor(s) within 72 hours after PDA ligation, defined as beginning vasopressor(s) or increasing the dose of vasopressor(s). Thirty-two of 100 (32%) study infants required vasopressor(s) after PDA ligation. Infants who had lower birth weights, lower gestational ages, higher ventilator support, or whose mothers had received antenatal steroids had a higher risk of vasopressor use. Infants who required vasopressor(s) were at increased risk of dying before 36 weeks postmenstrual age. Lower birth weight, lower gestational age, and higher respiratory support define a high-risk subgroup of patients in whom the prophylactic administration of vasopressor(s) could be studied.
Integer optimization by a-dense curves

– To use α‐dense curves for solving an optimization problem with constraints involving integer variables. , – α‐dense curves are curves in Rn depending on a single variable able to approximate a compact K⊂Rn with precision α. It is proposed α‐dense curves allowing to obtain all integer points of a compact domain in Rn. This transformation allows to transform the functional into a new function depending on a single variable. Then we can calculate the global optimum of the functional. , – Alienor method invented by Y. Cherruault allows to find global minimum of n‐continuous variables functions. Here, α‐dense curves are extended to problems involving integer variables. The curves pass through all points having integer coordinates and belonging to the compact domain. By this method integer programming (nonlinear) problems arising in operational research have been easily and exactly solved. , – It is the first time the technique based on α‐dense curves to optimization problems with integer variables are extended. This approach is totally original and allows to solve very easily and fastly nonlinear optimization problems.
Efficacy and safety of endobronchial valves for advanced emphysema: a meta analysis.

OBJECTIVE A meta-analysis was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves (EBV) for advanced emphysema. METHODS A systematic search was performed from PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, Cochrane Library database. Randomized control clinical trials on treatment of emphysema for 3-12 months with the EBV compared with standard medications and sham EBV were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were applied to select patients with advanced emphysema treated with EBV. The primary outcome was the percentage of the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1%). Secondary outcomes included St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score, the distance of the 6-minute walk (6MWD) test, the Modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnoea score, cycle ergometry workload, and the rate of the six major complications at 3 or 12 months. Fixed- or random-effects models were used and weighted mean differences (WMD), relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS Three trials (565 patients) were considered in the meta-analysis. EBV patients yielded greater increases in FEV1% than standard medications (WMD =6.71; 95% CI, 3.31 to 10.10; P=0.0001), EBV patients also demonstrated a significant change for SGRQ score (WMD =-3.64; 95% CI, -5.93 to -1.34; P=0.002), MMRC dyspnoea score (WMD =-0.26; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.08; P=0.004), and cycle ergometry workload (WMD =4.18; 95% CI, 2.14 to 6.22; P<0.0001). A similar level was evident for 6MWD (WMD =11.66; 95% CI, -3.31 to 26.64; P=0.13). EBV may increase the rate of hemoptysis (RR =5.15; 95% CI, 1.16 to 22.86; P=0.03), but didn't increase the adverse events including mortality, respiratory failure, empyema, pneumonia, pneumothrax. The overall rates for complications compared EBV with standard medications and sham EBV was not significant (RR =2.03; 95% CI, 0.98 to 4.21; P=0.06). CONCLUSIONS EBV lung volume reduction for advanced emphysema showed superior efficacy and a good safety and tolerability compared with standard medications and sham EBV, further more randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies are needed to pay more attention to the long-term efficacy and safety of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with EBV in advanced emphysema.
Exploration and protection of location privacy in online social networks

With the widespread proliferation of mobile devices and the ubiquitous accessibility and adoption of location-based social networks (LBSNs), an unprecedented amount of individual-level human spatio-temporal data is now routinely collected and available. Publication and use of such data can be of benefit to many research fields and society at large, from traffic management and urban planning through to emergency responses and crisis management, e.g. disease outbreaks and pandemics. However, such data raises many privacy concerns since it can be used to obtain details of an individual’s lifestyle in both the digital and physical world that has largely been left to LBSN providers to deal with. Many studies have explored the issues of spatio-temporal data privacy through exploring user location or their associated movement patterns (trajectories), however, such works have not considered the diversity of spatio-temporal information or the many dangers inherent to such data. With the increasing number of spatial data resources and multiple sharing applications, a portfolio of robust privacy preserving approaches are essential. In this context, one key challenge is understanding the trade-offs in loss of data utility whilst ensuring user privacy. This thesis extends the state-of-the-art in location-related through the following key contributions: it provides a systematic approach for protection of the privacy of both discrete and continuous spatio-temporal data releases under differential privacy derived from comprehensive analysis of spatio-temporal privacy issues and scenarios; it proposes utility-aware improvements for privacy-preservation to balance the trade-offs between utility and privacy; it addresses the global scale, heterogeneity and real-time nature of LBSNs, and finally it considers temporal and spatial privacy issues of individ-