Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hiring by knowledge-intensive firms in China

Knowledge-intensive firms (KIFs) depend on their workers? knowledge assets more than capital- and labour-intensive firms. Knowledge assets, such as human and social capital, enable KIFs to innovate, solve problems, and build relationships. But managing a highly skilled and well-connected workforce presents several HRM challenges ? perhaps none more so than hiring. In tight labour markets, workers? knowledge assets are strategically valuable and rare. To attract knowledge workers, KIFs must signal significant value from entering into employment relationships. They must use hiring strategies that communicate positive organisational attributes (employer branding), as well as HRM practices that entice job seekers (employment inducements). Previous studies on KIFs have focused largely on Western contexts. Few studies have considered HRM by KIFs in developing economies. In China, the focus of this study, KIFs are an emerging organisational form that have grown from privately owned start-ups in high-tech sectors. Such firms encounter hiring challenges at both organisational and external environmental levels. For example, privately owned KIFs face intense labour market competition from state-owned and foreign-invested enterprises for highly skilled workers. This has fuelled upsurges in wages and high turnover. Most private firms are small and vulnerable to market forces, yet scholars know little about their hiring and HRM approaches. Almost no studies have systematically examined hiring as a ? single? HRM issue within privately owned Chinese KIFs. By synthesising Western and Chinese HRM literatures, this study developed an analytical framework to explore organisational and external factors that explain variations in KIFs? hiring strategies and practices. The study conducted interviews with managers and HR workers in seven privately owned KIFs and one state-funded training school.Several case firms had implemented sophisticated strategies that linked hiring with business objectives. Managers and HR workers acquired HRM knowledge from several sources including the Internet and HRM texts, management consultancies, in-house training, the state? s HR qualification, and informal HR clubs. However, firm size and reputation, as well as managers? tacit beliefs still limited some KIFs? abilities to attract talented individuals. Firms generally used a wide range of inducements to attract knowledge workers, including competitive salaries, career development, and ? paternalistic cultures? Most participants perceived worker referrals, headhunting, and universities to be effective hiring sources. Thus, some firms had developed strategic hiring approaches that enabled them to compete with state-owned and foreign-invested firms. But small KIFs, in particular, must still strengthen their employer branding to offset competition and labour market ? invisibility? KIFs must also deliver on their employment inducements, lest they risk high turnover and a loss of valuable human and social capital.
Image coding based on classified lapped orthogonal transform-vector quantization

Classified transform coding of images using vector quantization (VQ) has proved to be an efficient technique. Transform VQ combines the energy compaction properties of transform coding and the superior performance of VQ. Classification improves the reconstructed image quality considerably because of adaptive bit allocation. A classified transform VQ technique using the lapped orthogonal transform (LOT) is presented. Image blocks are transformed using the LOT and are classified into four classes based on their structural properties. These are further divided adaptively into subvectors depending on the LOT coefficient statistics as this allows efficient distribution of bits. These subvectors are then vector quantized. Simulation results indicate subjectively improved images with LOT/VQ as compared to DCT/VQ. >
The Impact of Directors' Option Compensation on Their Independence

This study examines how the use of option-based compensation for directors affects their independence in their decisions on CEOs' option-grant dates. Firms typically grant CEOs at-the-money options, i.e., with the strike price set equal to the grant-day stock price. This practice creates a unique opportunity for CEOs to benefit from Timing Opportunism, whereby CEOs lower the grant-day stock price in order to increase the value of their option grants. Prior evidence indicates the existence of timing opportunism, because CEOs tend to receive options before (after) good news (bad news). Since directors frequently receive options at the same time as CEOs, directors also benefit from timing opportunism, so they may not have an incentive to constrain CEOs' timing opportunism. We hypothesize that, ceteris paribus, directors are more likely to constrain CEOs' timing opportunism when these directors receive a lower proportion of their compensation from stock options. We find evidence consistent with our hypothesis in a large sample from 1992 to 2002. Our results indicate that, when used as a common component of CEOs' and directors' compensation, stock options can compromise director independence in this particular setting.
High-Efficiency Transcutaneous Energy Transfer for Implantable Mechanical Heart Support Systems

Inductive power transfer technology is a promising solution for powering implantable mechanical circulatory support systems, due to the elimination of the percutaneous driveline, which is still the major cause of severe infections. However, at the present time, no transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system is commercially available and ready for long-term use. Specifically, the heating of the tissue due to power losses in the TET coils and the implanted electronic components are a major problem. The focus of this paper is, therefore, on the design and realization of a highly efficient TET system and the minimization of the power losses in the implanted circuits in particular. Parameter sweeps are performed in order to find the optimal energy transmission coil parameters. In addition, simple and meaningful design equations for optimal load matching are presented together with a detailed mathematical model of the power electronic stages. To achieve highest efficiencies, a high-frequency self-driven synchronous rectifier circuit with minimized volume is developed. Extensive measurements are carried out to validate the mathematical models and to characterize the performance of the prototype system. The optimized system is capable of transmitting 30 W of power with an efficiency greater than 95 %, even at a coil separation distance of 20 mm (0.79 in) and 70 mm (2.76 in) coil diameter.
Alexis Carrel: Genius, Innovator and Ideologist

Alexis Carrel was a Frenchman from Lyon, who gained fame at the Rockefeller Institute in New York at the beginning of the 20th century. He was the first to demonstrate that arteriovenous anastomoses were possible. Alexis Carrel was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contributions to vascular surgery and transplantation in 1912. He was a versatile scientist, who made numerous discoveries from the design of an antiseptic solution to treat injuries during the First World War to tissue culture and engineering, and organ preservation, making him the father of solid organ transplantation. Together, with the famous aviator and engineer Charles Lindbergh, they were the first scientists capable of keeping an entire organ alive outside of the body, using a perfusion machine. Due to his many dubious ideas and his association with fascism in the 1930s and during the Second World War, many of his scientific achievements have been forgotten today and taken for granted.
Classification of in vitro genotoxicants using a novel multiplexed biomarker assay compared to the flow cytometric micronucleus test

Regulatory in vitro genotoxicity testing exhibits shortcomings in specificity and mode of action (MoA) information. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of the novel MultiFlow® assay composed of mechanistic biomarkers quantified in TK6 cells after treatment (4 and 24 hr): γH2AX (DNA double strand breaks), phosphorylated H3 (mitotic cells), translocated p53 (genotoxicity), and cleaved PARP1 (apoptosis). A reference dataset of 31 compounds with well‐established MoA was studied using the MicroFlow® micronucleus assay. A positive call was raised following the earlier published criteria from Litron Laboratories. In the light of our data, these evaluation criteria should probably be adjusted since only 8/11 (73%) nongenotoxicants and 18/20 (90%) genotoxicants were correctly identified. Moreover, there is a need for new in vitro tools to delineate the predominant MoA as in the MicroFlow® assay only 5/9 (56%) aneugens and 4/11 (36%) clastogens were correctly classified. In contrast, the MultiFlow® assay provides more in‐depth information about the MoA and therefore reliably discriminates clastogens, aneugens, and nongenotoxicants. By using a lab‐specific, practical threshold for the aforementioned biomarkers, 10/11 (91%) nongenotoxicants and 19/20 genotoxicants (95%), 9/11 (82%) clastogens, and 8/9 (89%) aneugens were correctly categorized, suggesting a clear improvement over the MicroFlow®. Furthermore, the MultiFlow markers were benchmarked against established methods to assess the validity of the data. Altogether, these findings demonstrated good agreement between the MultiFlow® assay and the benchmarking methods. Finally, p21 may improve class discrimination given the correct identification of 4/4 (100%) aneugens and 2/5 (40%) clastogens. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:662–677, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Foreign Investment in the US (II):Being taken to the cleaners? CEPS Working Document No. 243, April 2006

The income account of the US balance of payments has so far remained in surplus because of a very large differential in reported earnings on direct investment – US firms seem to enjoy a much higher rate of return than foreign firms in the US. There is little difference in terms of the rate of dividend payments; the difference is due to what is called ‘reinvested earnings’ (earnings minus dividends). Foreign firms report almost no reinvested earnings on their direct investment in the US whereas US firms report substantial reinvested earnings from their direct investment abroad, on average over $100 billion more p.a. than foreign firms report on their US investment. This anomaly is probably due to the desire of foreign firms to minimise their US taxes, whereas US firms do not face tax liabilities if they report high foreign profits to the US authorities. The procedure used to generate the data for reinvested earnings thus has a built-in bias to improve the US current account and – over time – its international investment position. The true picture is likely to be much worse. Reinvested earnings appear in the balance of payments because returns from FDI are measured in a different way than returns from portfolio investment. Returns from FDI are calculated from a mix of firm-level accounting data and broad stock market indices to infer an average capital gain. This procedure will be misleading if, because of the different tax treatment they face, foreign controlled firm in the US report earnings on a different base than other US-owned firms. A more accurate method of measuring the returns from foreign direct investment in the US, by using the same procedure as for portfolio investment (i.e. using only stock market prices), leads to the result that the deficit of the US current account increases by over $100 billion per annum and the US net international debtor position worsens by over a trillion dollars. The latter amount is the sum that, if one believes the official statistics, foreign investors have been willing to forego compared to the alternative of investing in their home country.
Statistical Analysis in Genome-Wide Association Studies on GenoType-Imputed Family Data : A Research Strategy to Compare Various Toolsets

Freely available toolsets that can handle genome-wide association (GWA) studies on twin-family data and take into account imputed genotypes are growing in number. However, the documentation that comes with them (if available), does not facilitate the choice for a particular toolset. We propose a research strategy in which we compare ASSOC, EMMAX, MERLIN, PLINK and ProbABEL on feasibility and statistical accuracy for GWA studies on simulated traits. Feasibility comparison was based on install requirements, versatility on data input, command line interface, and help information. The comparison on statistical accuracy was performed on Type-I error, genomic inflation, power, and consistency and efficiency of estimated SNP-effects. We simulated 100 replicates of binary and quantitative phenotypic traits over heritability conditions of 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 80%, based on 3 effect-SNPs from 1557 samples from 597 nuclear twin-families from the Netherlands Twin Registry. Analyses on Type-I error and genomic inflation were performed on 7757 pruned and unlinked SNPs that represented the null hypothesis. In the current design PLINK performs best on feasibility and statistical accuracy for the binary trait. On the quantitative trait ASSOC performs best on Type-I error control, EMMAX on statistical power, and PLINK on genomic inflation. Future research is needed for larger sample sizes and larger numbers of causal SNPs to compare the performance of the toolsets on complex traits.
SH3-binding Protein 5 Mediates the Neuroprotective Effect of the Secreted Bioactive Peptide Humanin by Inhibiting c-Jun NH2-terminal Kinase*

Background: Humanin, a secreted bioactive peptide, suppresses a variety of cell toxicities. Results: An intracellular protein SH3BP5, which directly inhibits JNK activity, is identified as an effector of Humanin. Conclusion: SH3BP5 is a physiological inhibitor of JNK and the firstly identified effector of Humanin. Significance: The discovery provides a novel mechanistic insight into the actions of JNK and Humanin. Humanin is a secreted bioactive peptide that suppresses cell toxicity caused by a variety of insults. The neuroprotective effect of Humanin against Alzheimer disease (AD)-related death is mediated by the binding of Humanin to its heterotrimeric Humanin receptor composed of ciliary neurotrophic receptor α, WSX-1, and gp130, as well as the activation of intracellular signaling pathways including a JAK2 and STAT3 signaling axis. Despite the elucidation of the signaling pathways by which Humanin mediates its neuroprotection, the transcriptional targets of Humanin that behaves as effectors of Humanin remains undefined. In the present study, Humanin increased the mRNA and protein expression of SH3 domain-binding protein 5 (SH3BP5), which has been known to be a JNK interactor, in neuronal cells. Similar to Humanin treatment, overexpression of SH3BP5 inhibited AD-related neuronal death, while siRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous SH3BP5 expression attenuated the neuroprotective effect of Humanin. These results indicate that SH3BP5 is a downstream effector of Humanin. Furthermore, biochemical analysis has revealed that SH3BP5 binds to JNK and directly inhibits JNK through its two putative mitogen-activated protein kinase interaction motifs (KIMs).
Growth Phase-dependent Activation of Nitrogen-related Genes by a Control Network of Group 1 and Group 2 σ Factors in a Cyanobacterium*

It has been reported that an RNA polymerase σ factor, SigC, mainly contributes to specific transcription from the promoter PglnB-54,-53 under nitrogen-deprived conditions during the stationary phase of cell growth in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 (Asayama, M., Imamura, S., Yoshihara, S., Miyazaki, A., Yoshida, N., Sazuka, T., Kaneko, T., Ohara, O., Tabata, S., Osanai, T., Tanaka, K., Takahashi, H., and Shirai, M. (2004) Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 68, 477-487). In this study, we further examined the functions of group 2 σ factors of RNA polymerase in NtcA-dependent nitrogen-related gene expression in PCC 6803. Results indicated that SigB and SigC contribute to the transcription from PglnB-54,-53 with a σ factor replaced in a growth phase-dependent manner. We also confirmed the contribution of SigB and SigC to the transcription of other NtcA-dependent genes, glnA, sigE, and amt1, as in the case of glnB. On the other hand, the transcription of glnN was dependent on SigB and SigE. In the SigB and SigC-based regulation, the level of SigB increased, but that of SigC was constant under conditions of nitrogen deprivation. Furthermore, it was found that SigC negatively and positively regulates the level of SigB in the log and stationary phase, respectively. SigC also had a positive effect on the level of sigB transcript during the stationary phase. In contrast, SigB acts positively on SigC levels in both growth phases. These results and previous findings indicated that multiple group 2 σ factors take part in the control of NtcA-dependent nitrogen-related gene expression in cooperation with a group 1 σ factor, SigA.
A Qualitative Research Regarding the Online Advertising Formats Used by Romanian Companies

Abstract The present paper offers an in-depth view about the online advertising formats that are used by Romanian companies or digital advertising agencies. The qualitative research based on semi-structured detailed interviews with 12 professionals, took place in Bucharest, in February-March 2015. From the online advertising formats defined by IAB, the Romanian representatives mentioned to promote their organizations or to develop campaigns for their clients by using: search, display, social media, video advertising, affiliate marketing and sponsorship advertising format (advertorials and content sponsorship). The specialists argued about the most relevant and efficient online advertising format that they use. From their personal experience, the professionals were asked to mention which are the elements / attributes that have a significant impact on: search, display, video, social media and mobile advertising campaigns. All the respondents mentioned that their companies use remarketing campaigns. The budget of an online advertising campaign is settled differently among the formats used. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the views of professionals regarding the Romanian online advertising market and this study precedes a quantitative research among Romanian consumers exposed to online advertising campaigns in order to make a comparison between the results obtained in both studies and propose a model of online advertising campaign as close to consumers‟ wants.
Values, trust, and commitment in business‐to‐business relationships: A comparison of two former Yugoslav markets

Presents the results of an international marketing research, in which they integrate culture with manifestation of values, trust, and commitment as vital components of business‐to‐business relationships. Analyses trust, relationship commitment, and values in the context of business relationships in two former Yugoslav markets, Serbia and Croatia. The results from a survey of over 400 large‐ and medium‐sized companies show that Serbian firms evaluate trust and relationship commitment as more important than Croatian companies. Differences in evaluations of values, trust, and commitment for business‐to‐business relationships are explained as outcomes of culture and market situations. These findings provide companies with action menus of potential advantages to pursue for maintaining and developing business relationships.
IS231A insertion specificity: consensus sequence and DNA bending at the target site

In its natural host, Bacillus thuringiensis, the insertion sequence IS231A is preferentially inserted into the terminal inverted repeats of the transposon Tn4430. Using a novel transposition assay, we demonstrate that the Tn4430 ends behave as insertion hot spots for IS231A in Escherichia coli. Sequence analysis reveals that IS231A insertion sites match the 5′‐GGG(N)5CCC‐3′consensus. However, this consensus is not the only determinant of IS231A insertion specificity. Although both Tn4430 ends have identical sequences, one is strongly preferred to the other and the orientation of insertion into this end is not random. We demonstrate that this preference is determined by the flanking regions of the site. These regions display a conserved periodic organization of their sequence which, by conferring anisotropic flexibility, would induce the DNA to bend in a roughly ‘S’ ‐shaped structure centred on the target consensus. DNA conformation analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indeed shows that the preferred target site of IS231A is flanked by DNA segments curved in opposite directions. We present a model in which DNA bendability and curvature would contribute to the positioning of IS231A transposase on the target DNA.
FcγRIV deletion reveals its central role for IgG2a and IgG2b activity in vivo

Cellular Fcγ receptors are essential for IgG-dependent effector functions in vivo. There is convincing evidence that selective activating Fcγ receptors are responsible for the activity of individual IgG subclasses. Thus, IgG1 activity is absent in FcγRIII-deficient mice, and several studies suggest that the activity of the most potent IgG subclasses, IgG2a and IgG2b, might be dependent on either individual or a combination of activating FcγRs. To study the role of individual activating FcγRs for IgG subclass activity, we generated an FcγRIV-deficient mouse and showed that a variety of IgG2a- and IgG2b-dependent effector functions are impaired in the absence of this activating Fc receptor in models of autoimmunity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't: subgroup analysis and equity

The final report from the WHO Commission on the social determinants of health recently noted: ‘For policy, however important an ethical imperative, values alone are insufficient. There needs to be evidence on what can be done and what is likely to work in practice to improve health and reduce health inequities. ’ This is challenging, because understanding how to reduce health inequities between the poorest and better-off members of society may require a greater use of subgroup analysis to explore the differential effects of public health interventions. However, while this may produce evidence that is more policy relevant, the requisite subgroup analyses are often seen as tantamount to statistical malpractice. This paper considers some of the methodological problems with subgroup analysis, and its applicability to considerations of equity, using both clinical and public health examples. Finally, it suggests how policy needs for information on subgroups can be met while maintaining rigour.
Hierarchical Demand Response for Peak Minimization Using Dantzig–Wolfe Decomposition

Demand response (DR) algorithms manipulate the energy consumption schedules of controllable loads so as to satisfy grid objectives. Implementation of DR algorithms using a centralized agent can be problematic for scalability reasons, and there are issues related to the privacy of data and robustness to communication failures. Thus, it is desirable to use a scalable decentralized algorithm for the implementation of DR. In this paper, a hierarchical DR scheme is proposed for peak minimization based on Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition (DWD). In addition, a time weighted maximization option is included in the cost function, which improves the quality of service for devices seeking to receive their desired energy sooner rather than later. This paper also demonstrates how the DWD algorithm can be implemented more efficiently through the calculation of the upper and lower cost bounds after each DWD iteration.