Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Internal barriers to supply chain management implementation in a South African traditional university

Background: The demand for higher education in South Africa continues to increase, placing pressure on public higher education institutions to satisfy this demand. Supply chain management is one of the practices that may be implemented to ensure that public universities improve their operations and can, therefore, meet the increased demand for higher education in the country.Objectives: This study aimed to explore the barriers to the implementation of supply chain management practices at a South African public university.Method: The study used a qualitative case study approach using a sample of 17 members of management and staff at a South African traditional university in the Limpopo Province. Data were collected using a combination of a focus group discussion and semi-structured in-depth interviews.Results: The study generated eight themes that embody the barriers to the implementation of supply chain management at the institution. These themes were labelled as stakeholder buy-in, knowledge of supply chain management, supply chain systems and processes, procurement policy and practices, implementation of supply chain management, stakeholder change management, human resource management and organisational culture.Conclusion: Various internal barriers impair the implementation of supply chain management practices at the institution. Administration at the institution has invested limited resources, time and initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of supply chain management. The focus should be directed to finding lasting solutions to each of the barriers identified in this study. Further studies should address the issue of external barriers to supply chain management in public higher education institutions.
Endogenous Growth , Skill-Biased Technical Change and Wage Inequality

In this contribution, we present an endogenous growth model which essentially extends the idea of the paper by Murphy, Riddell and Romer (1998). In that paper, the authors assume that technical progress leads to wage differentials between high-skilled workers and unskilled workers. As technical progress occurs, the relative marginal productivity of different input changes. Yet, if there is sufficient complementarity between skills and new technology the demand for more educated employees rises, too, which generates an increase in their wages relative to those of the unskilled workers.
Calculation of fisher information matrix and its application in methods of recognition and classification for remote sensing of earth

The application of Fisher information matrix in methods of recognition and classification for remote sensing of Earth is considered. The determination and calculation algorithm of Fisher information matrix for the case of independent observed objects of probability learning sample are presented. It is shown the use of the Fisher information matrix in statistical theory for the estimation of precision of a recognition and classification, namely, Fisher information matrix is applied for the calculation of mean square errors of lower confidence bound in Bayesian probability, of classification quality criterion of probability learning sample, and for construction of optimal method of pattern classification on such factors as “set of object characteristics” and “classification rule”. The optimization of the method is carried out on continuous optimization trajectory on the hyperplane of two factors “set of object characteristics” and “classification rule”. The ways of improvement of the presented approach are proposed.
Development of custom notation for XML-based language: A model-driven approach

In spite of its popularity, XML provides poor user experience and a lot of domain-specific languages can be improved by introducing custom, more humanfriendly notation. This paper presents an approach for design and development of the custom notation for existing XML-based language together with a translator between the new notation and XML. The approach supports iterative design of the language concrete syntax, allowing its modification based on users feedback. The translator is developed using a model-driven approach. It is based on explicit representation of language abstract syntax (metamodel) that can be augmented with mappings to both XML and the custom notation. We provide recommendations for application of the approach and demonstrate them on a case study of a language for definition of graphs.
Effects of Efflux Transporter Genes on Susceptibility of Escherichia coli to Tigecycline (GAR-936)

ABSTRACT The activity of tigecycline, 9-(t-butylglycylamido)-minocycline, against Escherichia coli KAM3 (acrB) strains harboring plasmids encoding various tetracycline-specific efflux transporter genes, tet(B), tet(C), and tet(K), and multidrug transporter genes, acrAB, acrEF, and bcr, was examined. Tigecycline showed potent activity against all three Tet-expressing, tetracycline-resistant strains, with the MICs for the strains being equal to that for the host strain. In the Tet(B)-containing vesicle study, tigecycline did not significantly inhibit tetracycline efflux-coupled proton translocation and at 10 μM did not cause proton translocation. This suggests that tigecycline is not recognized by the Tet efflux transporter at a low concentration; therefore, it exhibits significant antibacterial activity. These properties can explain its potent activity against bacteria with a Tet efflux resistance determinant. Tigecycline induced the Tet(B) protein approximately four times more efficiently than tetracycline, as determined by Western blotting, indicating that it is at least recognized by a TetR repressor. The MICs for multidrug efflux proteins AcrAB and AcrEF were increased fourfold. Tigecycline inhibited active ethidium bromide efflux from intact E. coli cells overproducing AcrAB. Therefore, tigecycline is a possible substrate of AcrAB and its close homolog, AcrEF, which are resistance-modulation-division-type multicomponent efflux transporters.
Rates of MAGE-A3 and PRAME expressing tumors in FFPE tissue specimens from bladder cancer patients: potential targets for antigen-specific cancer immunotherapeutics.

INTRODUCTION Antigen-specific active immunotherapy is an investigational therapeutic approach of potential interest for bladder cancer regardless of disease stage. Clinical development of antigen-specific immunotherapeutics against bladder cancer must be preceded by assessment of the expression of relevant genes in bladder tumors. The objectives of this study (NCT01706185) were to assess the rate of expression of the MAGE-A3 and PRAME genes in bladder tumors and to investigate the feasibility of using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissues for testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS Archived FFPE bladder tumor specimens (any stage) were tested for mRNA expression of MAGE-A3 and PRAME using antigen-specific quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. Data on patients and tumor characteristics were obtained from hospital records to investigate these characteristics' possible association with the antigen expression. RESULTS Over 92% of the 156 tumors examined gave valid antigen test results. Of the tumors with a valid test, 46.5% were MAGE-A3-positive, 32.2% were PRAME-positive and 59.7% positive for at least one of them. Exploratory analyses of possible associations between antigen expression and patient or tumor characteristics did not identify clear associations between antigen expression and any of the variables investigated. CONCLUSIONS Assessment of tumor antigen mRNA expression by using FFPE bladder tissues was feasible. The rates of MAGE-A3-positive and PRAME-positive tumors indicate that both antigens may be interesting targets for immunotherapeutics against bladder cancer.
Molecular Cloning, Characterization and Expression of cDNA for Rabbit Brain Tissue Factor

Summary Tissue factor (TF) is a membrane anchored glycoprotein that initiates blood coagulation by forming a complex with circulating factor VII or VIIa. TF has been identified in atherosclerotic plaques and may possibly trigger thrombosis after spontaneous plaque rupture as seen in acute myocardial infarction or angioplasty. We have previously developed an atherosclerotic rabbit model for study of the acute and chronic outcomes following angioplasty. As a first step in developing inhibitors of TF, we have isolated and characterized a rabbit cDNA coding for the mature TF. The sequence comparison of rabbit TF cDNA with those of human and mouse TFs show considerable similarity at both the nucleotide and amino acid levels. The TF cDNA when expressed in E. coli demonstrates a procoagulant activity comparable to that of native rabbit brain TF. The TF activity can be blocked by a polyclonal antibody against rabbit TF.
The Process of Implementing HRM Practices: A Case Study in the Dutch Federal Government

Yearly, organisations create and implemented new HRM practices. To make those HRM practices work in an effective way, their implementation is of great importance. The goal of this paper is to uncover the mechanisms in which new HRM practices develop in federal governmental organisations. We do so by studying the way in which the HRM practice itself develops over time. Results were obtained during a longitudinal ethnographic case study at a Dutch ministry which lasted more than one year, during which we investigated the implementation of HRM practices for increasing the influx of impaired workers. We have observed seven phases of HRM practice development throughout the implementation process. Our findings show that at the moment of the ‘go live’ of the HRM practice to employees, the HRM practice has not finished developing yet. Instead, a process of adaptation and negotiation starts, during which a dynamic back-and-forth goes on between policy makers, HRM professionals, and managers. Their interpretations, opinions and forms of power evolve, thereby influencing the HRM practice. As a result, in its process towards maturity, organisational actors continuously shape and reshape the HRM practice.
Local neighbourhood-based robust colour occurrence descriptor for colour image retrieval

Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) is demanding accurate with efficient retrieval approaches to index and retrieve the most similar images from the huge image databases. This study introduces a novel local neighbourhood-based robust colour occurrence descriptor (LCOD) to encode the colour information present in the local structure of the image. The colour information is processed in two steps: first, the number of colours is reduced into a less number of shades by quantising the red–green–blue colour space; second, the reduced colour shade information of the local neighbourhood is used to compute the descriptor. A local colour occurrence binary pattern is generated for each pixel of the image by representing each reduced colour shade occurrence in its local neighbourhood using a binary pattern. The descriptor is constructed by summing the local colour occurrence binary patterns of all the pixels in the image. LCOD is tested over the natural and colour texture databases for CBIR and experimental results suggest that LCOD outperforms other state-of-the-art descriptors. The performance of the proposed descriptor is promising in the case of illumination difference, rotation and scaling also and it can be effectively used for accurate image retrieval under various image transformations.
Drawing them in: professional perspectives on the complexities of engaging ‘culturally diverse’ young people with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care in Sydney, Australia

Abstract Young people from minority ethnic, migrant and refugee backgrounds are widely recognised as being under-served by mainstream sexual and reproductive healthcare in developed economy nations. This paper documents the views of professionals in Australia on the complexities of, and best practice approaches to, engaging members of this group with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 purposively selected key informants (health service providers, policymakers, academics and community advocates). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded in NVivo10 using interpretive thematic analysis. Principles of ‘cultural competence’ were employed to structure the interpretation of findings. Five key themes reveal pivotal aspects of how professionals work in, and make sense of, this complex field. These may be summarised as: (1) appreciating the complexities of cultural diversity; (2) recognising structural barriers and disincentives to engagement; (3) normalising sexual health; (4) balancing ‘youth-friendly’ and ‘culturally-competent’ priorities; and (5) going beyond simple translation. As migration to Australia continues to diversify the population, an integrated, national approach to the design and delivery of sexual and reproductive health promotion and care would be of value, along with training and support for those involved. Implications may have resonance for other countries similarly engaged in facilitating the successful settlement of migrants and refugees.
Pulling my gut out—Simple tools for engaging students in gross anatomy lectures

A lecture is not necessarily a monologue, promoting only passive learning. If appropriate techniques are used, a lecture can stimulate active learning too. One such method is demonstration, which can engage learners' attention and increase the interaction between the lecturer and the learners. This article describes two simple and useful tools for demonstration during gross anatomy lectures. One is an apron for demonstrating midgut rotation and the other is a simple “human” model for demonstrating the relationship between the uterus and the peritoneum. Anat Sci Educ. © 2010 American Association of Anatomists.
Web-based learning a systematic review of the variability of interventions

Introduction: Educators often speak of web-based learning (WBL) as a single entity or a cluster of similar activities with homogeneous effects. Yet a recent systematic review demonstrated large heterogeneity among results from individual studies. 266 eligible studies were identified comparing a WBL intervention with no intervention or another educational activity. Purpose of this study is to describe the variation in configurations, instructional methods and presentation formats in WBL. Conclusion: Nearly all courses (89%) used written text and most (55%) used multimedia. A total of 32% used online communication via e-mail, threaded discussion, chat or videoconferencing, and 9% implemented synchronous components. 24% blended web-based and non-computerbased instruction. 77% of WBL employed specific instructional methods (other than text alone) to enhance the learning process. The most common instructional methods (each used in nearly 50% of courses) were patient cases, self-assessment questions and feedback. Educators and researchers cannot treat WBL as a single entity. Many different configurations and instructional methods are available for WBL instructors. Researchers should study when to use specific WBL designs and how to use them effectively.
The Role of Consumer Affect on Visual Social Networking Sites: How Consumers Build Brand Relationships

ABSTRACT Visual social networking sites, such as Instagram, have become increasingly attractive for engaging consumers and building brand relationships. Despite this growing popularity, little is known about how visuals help consumers build brand relationships. Therefore, this study examines how consumers' perceptions of brand engagement on Instagram influence their affective response and build brand commitment with regard to consumers' three-dimensional emotional response—appeal, engagement, and empowerment. Findings suggest that consumers' emotional responses each contribute to consumers' brand commitment. Additionally, perceived entertainment and aesthetic values of brand posts were positively related to appeal; perceived belongingness to brands with engagement; and perceived mutuality with empowerment.
The importance of intrinsic postzygotic barriers throughout the speciation process

Intrinsic postzygotic barriers can play an important and multifaceted role in speciation, but their contribution is often thought to be reserved to the final stages of the speciation process. Here, we review how intrinsic postzygotic barriers can contribute to speciation, and how this role may change through time. We outline three major contributions of intrinsic postzygotic barriers to speciation. (i) reduction of gene flow: intrinsic postzygotic barriers can effectively reduce gene exchange between sympatric species pairs. We discuss the factors that influence how effective incompatibilities are in limiting gene flow. (ii) early onset of species boundaries via rapid evolution: intrinsic postzygotic barriers can evolve between recently diverged populations or incipient species, thereby influencing speciation relatively early in the process. We discuss why the early origination of incompatibilities is expected under some biological models, and detail how other (and often less obvious) incompatibilities may also serve as important barriers early on in speciation. (iii) reinforcement: intrinsic postzygotic barriers can promote the evolution of subsequent reproductive isolation through processes such as reinforcement, even between relatively recently diverged species pairs. We incorporate classic and recent empirical and theoretical work to explore these three facets of intrinsic postzygotic barriers, and provide our thoughts on recent challenges and areas in the field in which progress can be made. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Towards the completion of speciation: the evolution of reproductive isolation beyond the first barriers’.
Hybrid Method for Calculating the Maximum Loading Point using Continuation Load Flow and Nonlinear Programming Techniques

The computation of the maximum loading point (MLP) is crucial to power systems operation and control, There are several methodologies proposed to compute it. The continuation load flow (CLF) is very robust, widely known to draw PV curves, and can be also used for computing the MLP. However it has some drawbacks, the procedure may diverge for some cases and it is very conservative for some networks, taking many iterations. Other efficient technique using nonlinear programming (NLP) has been proposed recently. This method presents clear advantages due to the orientation of the process in direction to the MLP. This paper presents a method based on the CLF and NLP. The idea is to compute the MLP taking some features of the CLF combined with characteristics of NLP. With this combination the MLP can be evaluated with more accuracy and efficiency. Simulations for different systems including IEEE test systems are shown to evaluate the performance of the method. Some comparisons of the methodologies are also shown.
Quantification of the Terminal Complement Complex in Human Plasma by an Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay Based on Monoclonal Antibodies against a Neoantigen of the Complex

The fluid‐phase terminal complement complex (TCC), consisting of the components C5b, C6, C7, C8, C9, and the S‐protein, has recently been detected in normal human plasma by using antibodies against native terminal complement components. Increased amounts of TCC were then found in several patients with in vivo activation of complement. We now describe a sensitive, specific, and reliable enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for quantification of the TCC, based on monoclonal antibodies against a neoantigen of the complex. The results indicate that the TCC is present in normal human plasma and in increased amounts in patients with complement activation in vivo, thus confirming previously obtained results. The assay is easy to perform and can be used for examination of large numbers of plasma samples.
Private Investment and the Effects of Decentralisation and Regional Competition between Mexican Cities

The increasing mobility of capital raises competition between territories in order to attract it within their jurisdiction. Since 1994, the decentralisation process in Mexico has been accelerated by providing municipalities with greater funds. In parallel, Mexican municipalities have participated more actively on policymaking. Both facts should have allowed municipalities to enhance competitive advantages and increase their attractiveness. In spite of the increasing resources and local participation in policymaking, their effects on investment growth have not been tested yet. In addition, even when municipal governments cannot offer significant pecuniary incentives to firms, they use other means to boost investment. The effects of such regional policies to attract firms have not been tested either. This work is aimed to find out the extent to which the funds exerted at the local level have induced private investment growth. In addition, the effects of regional competition are tested. A panel data analysis is carried out using data for 63 Metropolitan Areas/cities for the period 1993-2008. The estimations are divided into domestic and foreign firms, and total and manufacturing firms, in turn. The results suggest that, two major spending items, namely Economic fostering and subsidies, and Public infrastructure investment, have a substantial effect on private capital. Moreover, the effects are larger over foreign firms, especially in manufacturing. In addition, competition strategies matter for private investment growth.
Biphasic dispersion of clones containing Purkinje cells and glia in the developing chick cerebellum.

The cerebellum is a highly conserved structure which exhibits patterns of gene expression and axonal connections that are organized into parasagittal domains. These aspects of the mature cerebellum are presaged during embryonic development by the expression patterns of vertebrate homologs of Drosophila segmentation genes. We wished to determine whether the parasagittal domains of gene expression are compartments of lineage restriction. To this end, a clonal analysis of the chick cerebellum was conducted with a complex retroviral library. From embryonic day (E) 8 to E12, clones derived from the more medial portion of the cerebellar ventricular zone (VZ) were observed to spread preferentially in the mediolateral direction, crossing the boundaries of the parasagittal domains of gene expression. In late embryonic and posthatch periods, VZ clones were found to comprise Purkinje cells, glial cells, or both types of cells. At these later times, clonally related glial cells formed tight parasagittal clusters, while clonally related Purkinje cells were scattered extensively in the anteroposterior direction. We propose that a subset of the cerebellar VZ clones, those with medial origins, undergoes a biphasic dispersion: an early phase of mediolateral dispersion and a late phase of anteroposterior dispersion. This novel pattern of clonal dispersion suggests that the cerebellar VZ is not partitioned into parasagittal domains of lineage restriction. It leaves open the possibility that the later dispersion along the anteroposterior axis results from the parasagittal patterns of gene expression in the developing cerebellar cortex.