Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ownership Structure and Performance of the Largest German Companies

The German system of corporate governance is traditionally known for its concentrated ownership and extensive cross holdings, but it is rapidly evolving towards the Anglo-American model of widely spread ownership. We analyze the relation between the ownership structure and the performance of the 70 largest companies on the German stock exchange. We use a limited sample but a long period of 16 years and ownership data collected in an elaborate procedure. Our results show strong support for the argument that ownership structures are chosen in response to the characteristics of the firm and its environment. We find only partial support for a systematic relation between ownership structure and performance and to the extent that support is found, it rejects Berle and Means' thesis of an inverse relation between firm performance and the diffuseness of ownership. This vindicates, to some extent, the recent evolution from concentrated towards widely held ownership in Germany.
Alternative splicing expands the repertoire of dominant JAZ repressors of jasmonate signaling.

Jasmonates (JAs) are fatty acid-derived signaling compounds that control diverse aspects of plant growth, development and immunity. The F-box protein COI1 functions both as a receptor for jasmonoyl-l-isoleucine (JA-Ile) and as the component of an E3-ubiquitin ligase complex (SCF(COI1) ) that targets JAZ transcriptional regulators for degradation. A key feature of JAZ proteins is the C-terminal Jas motif that mediates the JA-Ile-dependent interaction with COI1. Here, we show that most JAZ genes from evolutionarily diverse plants contain a conserved intron that splits the Jas motif into 20 N-terminal and seven C-terminal (X(5) PY) amino acid submotifs. In most members of the Arabidopsis JAZ family, alternative splicing events involving retention of this intron generate proteins that are truncated before the X(5) PY sequence. In vitro pull-down and yeast two-hybrid assays indicate that these splice variants have reduced capacity to form stable complexes with COI1 in the presence of the bioactive stereoisomer of the hormone (3R,7S)-JA-Ile. cDNA overexpression studies showed that some, but not all, truncated splice variants are dominant repressors of JA signaling. We also show that strong constitutive expression of an intron-containing JAZ10 genomic clone is sufficient to repress JA responses. These findings provide evidence for functional differences between JAZ isoforms, and establish a direct link between the alternative splicing of JAZ pre-mRNA and the dominant repression of JA signal output. We propose that production of dominant JAZ repressors by alternative splicing reduces the negative consequences associated with inappropriate or hyperactivation of the JA response pathway.
Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity of Athamanta sicula L. (Apiaceae)

Background: Athamanta sicula L. , a member of Apiaceae, is an annual perennial herb and it is known in Sicilian popular medicine with the name of “spaccapietre” (rock splitters), because fresh roots infusions are indicated as diuretic and used in the treatment of diseases of the urinary tract, and to dissolve kidney stones. Materials and Methods: Acetone extracts of leaves, flowers, and stems of A. sicula L. were investigated in vitro for antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Antimicrobial activity was carried out against bacterial and fungal strains and antiproliferative activity against a group of human cancer cell lines (K-562, NCI-H460, and MCF-7). Results: All acetone extracts, apiol and myristicin, resulted inactive as antimicrobial agents at the maximum tested concentration of 200 μg/mL, but they induced significant antiproliferative activity on the tested cancer cell lines. Conclusions: Our study show that both apiol and myristicin could be tested as novel treatment in cancer chemotherapy.
Electromagnetic properties of graphene metasurfaces and applications

Periodic perturbation of natural materials to engineer their properties is a versatile technique to design novel devices in the field of electromagnetics. Graphene, the ultimate two dimensional material, was recently successfully fabricated in large areas and is thus available for engineers to devise new structures based on its exceptional properties. In this context, here we investigate the effect of periodic patterning on the graphene properties and its applications for different functionalities and frequencies. Several graphene metasurfaces are presented, thereby demonstrating that such ultrathin surfaces can be used to dynamically control the electromagnetic wave reflection, absorption, or polarization. To demonstrate the applicability of the concept at different frequency ranges, the examples provided range from microwave to infrared, corresponding to graphene features with length-scales of a few millimeters down to about a micrometer, respectively. The results are obtained using a full-vector semi-analytical numerical technique based on periodic Method of Moment (PMoM) developed to accurately model the graphene-based multilayer periodic structures under study.
Strategy for supplier development program implementation: a case study

Supplier development program (SDP) is a strategic alternative that manufacturers adopt to make their supply base competent and thereby improve their supply management performance. Although SDPs are aimed for better returns on investments but majority of the companies come to nothing overwhelmed by action of plan, management, improvement and transformation in the SDP implementation. To surmount this, a methodology is proposed using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) - fuzzy matriced impacts croises multiplication appliqueeaun classement (FMICMAC) algorithm for systematic analysis of SDP implementation enablers. To demonstrate its utility, a case study was conducted in an Indian automotive component manufacturing firm.
Assessment of the intrinsic pluripotency of mesoderm-derived stem cells from different niches

For more than a decade, human tissue-specific adult stem cells were known for their capacity to differentiate along their lineage of origin. However, over the recent years, numerous reports in the field of stem cell biology demonstrated that adult stem cells possess greater plasticity than what was previously dictated by established paradigms of embryonic development (De Kock et al., 2009, 2011; Al Battah et al., 2011). Indeed, “multipotent adult stem cells” have been isolated from various sources, including brain, skin, adipose tissue, bone marrow, skeletal muscle, and umbilical cord blood (De Kock et al., 2008, 2009; Al Battah et al., 2011; Najar et al., 2010; De Bruyn et al., 2011). In addition, several methodologies have been developed to differentiate these adult stem cells in vitro across germinal boundaries, a process commonly referred to as “transdifferentiation” (De Kock et al., 2009, 2011; Al Battah et al., 2011). Due to their plasticity, human adult stem cells are today an attractive cell source for tissue engineering and for developing human-relevant alternative in vitro models for toxicity studies normally performed on animals, thereby leading to the reduction, refinement, and/or replacement of currently used animal-based models (Lee et al., 2011; Scanu et al., 2011). However, differences in function and differentiation potential exist between distinct stem cell populations. Whether those differences are due to donor variation, cell culture, or intrinsic properties remains unclear (Shafiee et al., 2011). Therefore, a first step in the process of generating the human target cell of interest is the evaluation of the intrinsic pluripotency of the investigated stem cell population. In the present study, an unambiguous characterization and comparison of four human mesodermal-derived stem cell populations are presented. Briefly, transcriptome analyses are performed on human bone marrow-derived stromal cells (hBMSC), adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (hADSC), skin-derived precursor cells (hSKP), and Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal cells (hWJ), and the results are compared to gene expression profiles of human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Special attention is paid to their differential expression of pluripotency genes and the identification of enriched developmental functions that are involved in embryogenesis and organogenesis.
SAR Variation Due to Exposure From a Smartphone Held at Various Positions Near the Torso

Along with the spread of novel types of mobile phones such as smartphones, there has been increasing public interest in the health hazards associated with exposure to electromagnetic waves from these devices. Therefore, we estimated the specific absorption rate (SAR) of electromagnetic radiation by numerical simulation using a realistic computational smartphone model with an antenna for a third generation communication (3G) system (operating frequencies: 900 MHz and 2 GHz) and computational human models with the anatomical structures of Japanese male and female adults. We also assessed the relative variability of SAR based on holding a smartphone at various positions for data communications. The 10-g-averaged SAR (SAR10g) when the smartphone was operating at 2 GHz was generally higher than that at 900 MHz independent of the placement of the smartphone. Moreover, we found that SAR 10g had a tendency to increase when the smartphone was placed vertically in relation to the torso. In addition, it is possible that SAR10g variability depends mainly not on placement height but on tilt angle.
Indirect Human Cost of Implementing the Ov-Chipcard in the Netherlands

In this master thesis, the research question: what are the Indirect Human Costs (IHC) of the OV-chipcard is answered. This thesis provides a case study for IHC and the effect of IT on the society for the OV-chipcard implementation. The following IHC drivers were detected: training fees, resistance from outside the company, integration time, customer learning, staffs turn over, loss of productivity & recruitment cost. This thesis shows that most IHC drivers of the investigated companies were not estimated and not managed even though some of these IHCs had a significant effect on the total cost budget (e.g. negative news). Therefore, this OV-chipcard research case shows that most IHC drivers of the investigated public transportation companies were not estimated and not managed even though some of these IHCs had a significant effect on the total cost budget. Early identification of IHCs can help these companies to better control their total implementation cost, improve their human resources management in the organization and increase effective service delivery.
Epidermal growth factor, like tumor promoters, enhances viral and radiation-induced cell transformation.

The polypeptide hormone epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to enhance adenovirus type 5 transformation of a cloned culture of rat embryo cells (CREF) and X-ray or u.v. -light induced transformation of 10T1/2 mouse embryo cells. In both systems, the degree of enhancement was quantitatively similar to that observed in treated rats grown in the presence of the potent tumor promoting agent 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). An increase in viral transformation was also observed in cells continuously exposed to phorbol esters with known promoting activity on mouse skin, but not structurally related analogs, inactive or weakly active in the two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis assay. In addition, the appearance of transformed foci was accelerated and colonies tended to be larger in cultures grown in the presence of EGF or TPA. The present studies suggest the possibility that EGF may function as an endogenous promoter of carcinogenesis and further indicates that in vitro cell transformation systems may prove useful in identifying such agents.
KIFRS Adoption and Audit Risk

After principles-based KIFRS (Korean International Financial Reporting standards) adoption, it is expected that managers will carry out arbitrary and opportunistic accounting, and that the extension of fair value evaluation model will increase the volatility in the reported values of assets and earnings as well. These factors will increase audit complexity and lead to an increase in audit risk. So in this paper, we examine whether the audit risk- inherent risk and control risk is increased after KIFRS mandatory adoption. Inherent risk is measured as the propensity of substantial doubt about going- concern and control risk is measured as the propensity of internal control deficiencies. The overall findings suggest that the probability of going-concern opinion and internal control deficiencies reporting is decreased after KIFRS mandatory adoption. The decrease of going concern opinion is appeared mainly by firm characteristic variation, auditor' perception of firm risk (inherent risk) is not changed after KIFRS mandatory adoption. And the decrease of internal control deficiencies reporting is appeared partly by firms' characteristic improvement, and auditors also have perceived firms' risk (control risk) decrease after KIFRS mandatory adoption.
Business Models in Social Networking

Facebook was launched in 2004, YouTube in 2005, and Twitter in 2006. They are thus very new service platforms but they already have millions of users and their valuation is counted in billions of US$. This is an extraordinary development, which one will not find in any other line of business, and it illustrate the power of network effects, where the utility of the individual users depends on the presence and usage of the network by other users. The cases described in the present paper are clearly examples of web 2.0 services, where the services provided by the networks are dependent upon content created by the users. The paper is developed as part of the CAMMP project (http://www.cammp.dk) funded by the Danish Advanced Technology Foundation (Hojteknologifonden).
SECI model and KIKI model on knowledge creation

Various theories related to knowledge creation have been proposed by academics and practitioners in business. Most knowledge-creation theories are focused on knowledge transfer and development by a firm-centered view, such as the SECI model. In the meantime, the customer-centered view is highlighted in marketplaces instead of the firm-centered view due to the concept of value-in-use. Since knowledge creation is treated as a main force to deal with complicated marketplaces in today's economy, knowledge creation has been essential with customer value creation. In this paper, we distinguish the SECI model and the KIKI model on knowledge creation. The SECI model is proposed for knowledge conversion between two knowledge types by an interaction dynamic in an organizational context. The KIKI model is proposed for value co-creation based on knowledge creation by a service approach, which is a justification process in knowledge creation towards customer value creation. This paper gives two innovation cases to reveal the distinguishable implication between the SECI model and the KIKI model for knowledge creation.
Characterization of Sn Doped ZnS Thin Films Synthesized by CBD

Structural, morphological and microstructural characterization was carried out using XRD, TEM, FESEM and EDX. XRD and SAED pattern confirms presence of hexagonal phase. Reitveld analysis using MAUD software was used for particle size estimation. A constantly decreasing trend in particle size was observed with increasing tin incorporation in
Slide: Towards Fast and Accurate Mobile Fingerprinting for Wi-Fi Indoor Positioning Systems

The deployment of Wi-Fi fingerprint-based indoor positioning systems is severely hindered by the lack of an efficient and low-cost way to establish a signal fingerprint database. In this paper, we present a novel fingerprinting method, slide, that can collect fingerprints in a fast and accurate way. Slide uses a commodity flashlight and a smartphone to achieve linear positioning. This allows automatic mapping from the received signal strength to the position on a line, serving as a building block for fingerprinting in general environments. Slide also features a channel-based scanning method, which acquires fingerprint location after each Wi-Fi channel scanning, to mitigate the fingerprint misalignment problem found in the general mobile fingerprinting. Quantitative analysis and experimental results show that slide is faster than the manual fingerprinting method by up to an order of magnitude with comparable positioning accuracy, and is also more efficient than state-of-the-art mobile fingerprinting methods.
Long-Term Cell Tracking following Local Injection of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in the Equine Model of Induced Tendon Disease

Tendon disease has been treated with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in the equine large-animal model with promising success. The aim of this study was to gain more insight into the fate and biodistribution of MSCs after local application into tendon lesions by long-term cell tracking in this large-animal model. Superficial digital flexor tendon lesions were induced in all limbs in six horses and injected with 10 × 10 6 Molday ION Rhodamine B™-labeled MSCs suspended in serum or serum alone. Follow-up was performed using low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), flow cytometry, and histology. Cell tracking based on the hypointense artifacts induced by the superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) labeling agent in MRI as well as based on Rhodamine B fluorescence was feasible. However, Prussian blue staining for assessment of histology was not entirely specific for SPIO. Labeled cells could be traced at their injection site by MRI as well as histology for the whole follow-up period of 24 weeks. Although the numbers of labeled cells within the injected tendon lesions decreased over time, part of the applied cells appeared to remain viable and integrated within the injured tissue. Furthermore, small numbers of labeled cells were identified in peripheral blood within the first 24 h after cell injection and could also be found until week 24 within the contralateral control tendon lesions that had been injected with serum. The present findings unveil details on MSC biodistribution and persistence after their local application, which are of clinical relevance with regard to MSC safety and mechanisms of action.
The Serine-rich Entamoeba histolytica Protein Is a Phosphorylated Membrane Protein Containing O-Linked Terminal N-Acetylglucosamine Residues (*)

Previously, we described the isolation of a cDNA clone and the gene encoding a protective antigen of the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, the serine-rich Entamoeba histolytica protein (SREHP). The derived amino acid sequence of the SREHP cDNA clone was remarkable for a high serine content (52/233 amino acids), a putative signal sequence, multiple hydrophilic dodecapeptide and octapeptide tandem repeats, and a hydrophobic C-terminal putative membrane-spanning region. Here, we show that SREHP is modified by the addition of phosphate at serine residues, O-linked terminal N-acetylglucosamine residues, and by acylation. When the SREHP gene is expressed in baculovirus transformed Sf-9 cells, the product is also phosphorylated and glycosylated and is localized to the plasma membrane of the insect cells. The native SREHP molecule also serves as a potent chemoattractant for amebic trophozoites. The data presented here suggest that SREHP is a unique membrane protein with phosphorylation and glycosylation patterns usually associated with nuclear or cytoplasmic proteins.
Environmental Scanning and the Health Care Manager

Health care managers and supervisors work in an environment of major changes and ongoing turbulence. Basic terms and strategic approaches are described to enable managers and supervisors to better understand the process of environmental scanning in the turbulent health care environment. Drawing from multiple disciplines, the information allows health care managers and supervisors to improve their skills as environmental scanners as they develop and implement strategic plans in this environment.
Genetic risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection in ulcerative colitis

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at higher risk for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Disruption of gut microbiome and interaction with the intestinal immune system are essential mechanisms for pathogenesis of both CDI and IBD. Whether genetic polymorphisms associated with susceptibility to IBD are also associated with risk of CDI is unknown.
Certain compact homogeneous Lagrangian submanifolds in Hermitian symmetric spaces

In this paper we discuss a certain method to construct a family of Lagrangian submanifolds in a complex projective space CP from a Lagrangian submanifold in a complex hyperquadric Qn(C). We use a family of homogeneous isoparametric hypersurfaces in the unit standard sphere associated to the Riemannian symmetric pair (SO(n+ 4), SO(2)× SO(n+ 2)) of rank 2.
MINIMUM CONSUMER PAYMENT SCHEDULING AND PRICING IN ELECTRICITY MARKETS

We examine two scheduling and pricing approaches in Pool-based electricity markets from the point-of-view of consumer payment. These approaches are contrasted with the more common Pool Cost Minimi- zation (PCM) generation scheduling with Marginal Pric- ing (MP). In the first approach, the generation schedule is obtained by solving the PCM problem, following which the market price is derived from the average cost of the generators. In the second approach, both the generation schedule and the market price are obtained by solving a Consumer Payment Minimization problem (CPM) sub- ject to a profit feasibility condition. In each of the above, both uniform price and non-uniform nodal prices are considered.
Time efficiency in a product development process

Purpose: We wish to gain a deep knowledge about product development processes in relation to the aspect of time in companies in highly technological and rapidly changing markets. The purpose is to establish how organizations better can employ time as a resource to make the product development process more efficient. Conclusions: Information we gathered from theory and primary data show that information flow, synchronization and time profit when seeing time in three dimensions are factors which should be reflected in the architecture of a product development process. To illustrate our findings, we decided to create a model.
Contact allergy to oleamidopropyl dimethylamine

Contact allergy to the cationic emulfisier oleamidopropyl dimethylamine was demonstrated in 3 patients. In every case the emulsifier was present in a particular brand of body lotion. Patch test concentrations of 0.1% and 0.5% in water are proposed; slightly higher concentrations may induce irritant responses. Although these are the first domumented cases of contact allergy to oleamidopropyl dimethylamine, it is argued that hypersensitivity to this compound may not be rare.