Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of organizational characteristics on the relationship of management practice factors, efficient technology transfer and firm's business performance

Although people's attention is drawn toward efficiently achieving cross-cultural technology transfer and business performance through the innovation management practices, the investigation upon organizational characteristics could produce the insight. This study aims to explore the appropriate approaches for efficient performance upon organizational characteristics - firm's size, firm's age, firm's type of ownership, and manager's cross-cultural technology transfer experience - at 223 Japanese manufacturing subsidiaries in Vietnam. The results through SEM-multigroup analysis indicate that: (1) on the relationship between management practice factors and efficient technology transfer, the significant differences lie at firm's size for training; firm's years of operation and firm's type of ownership for management commitment; manager's experience in cross-cultural technology transfer for sharing and understanding; and (2) on the impacting correlations of efficient technology transfer on firm's business performance in term of productivity and innovative capacity, the significant difference produces at firm's operating years.
Thalidomide in the treatment of neuro‐Behçet's syndrome

No relapses of symptoms in a patient with neuro‐Behçet's syndrome were observed after the addition of thalidomide to chlorambucil and prednisolone therapy. At present, the patient has been free of symptoms for 3 years. This observation, together with those reported from the literature, strongly support a re‐evaluation of thalidomide therapy in certain life‐threatening diseases such as neuro‐Behçet's syndrome.
Neuroprotective Effects of PACAP38 in a Rat Model of Transient Focal Ischemia under Various Experimental Conditions

Abstract: In the study reported here, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of PACAP38 in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) under various experimental conditions. Stroke patients often develop mild hyperthermia that increases the infarct size and worsens the outcome. We compared the neuroprotective effect of PACAP38 in normothermic and moderately hyperthermic animals. Brain damage was more extensive in the hyperthermic animals, but PACAP38 significantly reduced the infarct size, measured 48 h after MCAO, in both the normothermic and the moderately hyperthermic animals, by more than 50%. However, a significant neuroprotection with PACAP38 could only be demonstrated when animals with no definite circling behavior and/or convulsions were excluded from the evaluations. In conclusion, moderate hyperthermia did not influence the effect of PACAP38, but animals with questionable brain damage or convulsions must be excluded from the sample in order to demonstrate the neuroprotection with PACAP38.
Across the great divide: what do Australian academics think of university leadership? Advice from the CAP survey

This paper considers Australian academic staff members' attitudes to their colleagues in positions of university leadership, based on responses to the international Changing Academic Profession (CAP) survey conducted in 2007. When compared with responses from other participating nations, Australian academics indicate considerably lower satisfaction on management issues than the average for all countries. Only academics from Hong Kong and the United Kingdom report a lower level of satisfaction with institutional leadership.
Estimation of green space ratio for assessing urban landscapes using digital surface models and images

This paper proposes a method for estimating the green space ratio in urban areas by using airborne LiDAR and aerial photographs. The index is defined as the ratio of an area occluded by vegetation to the whole of an area in an azimuth-elevation angle space. Vegetation is detected by a combination of segmented LiDAR data point clouds and image brightness data. The occlusion by vegetation is calculated at an arbitrary location. After an occlusion map in the azimuth-elevation angle space is generated, the green space ratio is obtained by calculating the ratio of the area occluded by vegetation to the entire space. The index can be applied to assess local landscapes, and it is expected that it will provide wide-area estimates at low cost. The authors tested the method using airborne LiDAR data measured in last-pulse mode and aerial photographs. The estimated index map was validated with ground truth data, and the error was acceptably low at approximately 4%. We find that the proposed method is effective for estimating the index over a wide area at low cost.
The ADI Method for Simulations of SFCL

In spite of the recent advances achieved with superconducting fault current limiters, modeling and simulation of such devices are still important issues. Different approaches have been used to model the transient behavior of such devices when submitted to fault currents. In this paper, the alternating direction implicit method is used to numerically solve the thermal equations discretized by the finite-difference method (FDM). That is a fast method to solve the system of differential equations resultant from the FDM discretization. It also allows the insertion of inhomogeneities of the superconducting tapes in the simulation and the study of its influence on fault limitation. The results of simulations models were compared with experimental data. A good agreement between simulated current and voltages with tests has been found in the present work. In addition, the temperature increase and the electrical field in the tapes during the fault time is shown.
Secure virtualization in cloud computing

Providing secure virtualization is an important component of cloud computing. The paper is devoted to the mechanism of monitoring of virtual machines aimed at guaranteeing increased security to cloud resources. Furthermore, the requirements for this mechanism are enumerated. A Virtual Machine Monitor which can effectively monitor guest components while remaining fully transparent to cloud users is proposed.
Which Employers Offer Hope for Mainstream Job Opportunities for Disabled People?

Employer reluctance to hire disabled people narrows the economic and vocational opportunities of disabled people. This study investigates employer hiring decisions to identify which mainstream employers are most likely to hire disabled people. The study reports findings from interviews with eighty-seven employers in urban and regional South Australia. Analysis reveals differences across groups of employers based on their previous hiring behaviour. Communication from employment support agencies should specifically address concerns of non-hirers and light hirers. Long-term financial concerns present strong but surmountable barriers to light hirers employing disabled people. Policy mitigating long-term employer concerns could attract employers to hire disabled people for the first time (non-hirers) or return to hiring (light hirers) disabled people. Negative employers (antagonists) and employers already sustaining ongoing workplace relationships with disabled people (loyals) have insurmountable reasons to not hire any (or more) disabled people and should not be targeted.
Bright optical beams in weakly nonlocal media: Variational analysis

Kaloyan S. Bezuhanov, Alexander A. Dreischuh, and Wieslaw Krolikowski Department of Quantum Electronics, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, BG-1164 Sofia, Bulgaria Laser Physics Centre, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Nonlinear Photonics Centre, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Received 18 November 2007; published 11 March 2008
Antimalarial Synergy of Cysteine and Aspartic Protease Inhibitors

ABSTRACT It has been proposed that the Plasmodium falciparumcysteine protease falcipain and aspartic proteases plasmepsin I and plasmepsin II act cooperatively to hydrolyze hemoglobin as a source of amino acids for erythrocytic parasites. Inhibitors of each of these proteases have potent antimalarial effects. We have now evaluated the antimalarial effects of combinations of cysteine and aspartic protease inhibitors. When incubated with cultured P. falciparumparasites, cysteine and aspartic protease inhibitors exhibited synergistic effects in blocking parasite metabolism and development. The inhibitors also demonstrated apparent synergistic inhibition of plasmodial hemoglobin degradation both in culture and in a murine malaria model. When evaluated for the treatment of murine malaria, a combination of cysteine and aspartic protease inhibitors was much more effective than higher concentrations of either compound used alone. These results support a model whereby plasmodial cysteine and aspartic proteases participate in the degradation of hemoglobin, and they suggest that combination antimalarial therapy with inhibitors of the two classes of proteases is worthy of further study.
Iron and inflammatory bowel disease

Both anaemia of iron deficiency and anaemia of chronic disease are frequently encountered in inflammatory bowel disease. Anaemia of iron deficiency is mostly due to inadequate intake or loss of iron. Anaemia of chronic disease probably results from decreased erythropoiesis, secondary to increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen metabolites and nitric oxide.
The economics of youth training in Britain

The future health of any economy lies primarily in educating and training its young people and matching them to appropriate jobs. The extent to which schools, colleges and employers can adequately perform this task so that the next generation can successfully filter from school to work is questionable, particularly against a background of rising youth unemployment. Many countries in recent years have introduced large-scale state training schemes in an attempt to alleviate youth unemployment problems. It is unclear whether such a training scheme is an adequate substitute for a co-ordinated system of private-sector training which is integrated with manpower policy and provides the appropriate training investment incentives for both individuals and firms. The transition from school to work for young people in the late I970S and I 980s has become more difficult than at any time in post-war Britain. Over this period we have seen youth unemployment rise to nearly 25 % by I983 (see Hart, I 987). At the same time we have seen the collapse of British manufacturing industry and with it the decline in the numbers entering traditional apprenticeships from 240,000 in I964 to 63,700 by I986. In response successive governments have chosen to spend large sums, up to I . 3 billion by I988, at I985 prices, on youth training schemes (YTS) which, at their height, involved nearly half a million young people in I 986. The average unit cost of training, at I985 prices, was ? 2,500 per YTS placement per year, nearly double the cost of having that person on the unemployment register. Is such expenditure justified? In this context it is important to determine: how long the school to work transition process takes, whether having been on a government training scheme speeds up the process and whether it enhances future earnings and employment prospects. This leads to the main question which concerns the extent to which such expenditure and government intervention can be justified on economic grounds. Therefore it is important to examine the effectiveness of these training programmes and evaluate the relevant policy arguments. This paper will survey the main economic policy issues in the provision of training in the UK economy without presenting a detailed discussion of the econometric issues involved in the assessment of training as this is discussed elsewhere (Dolton, I993). Likewise the paper is not a detailed survey of the
‘Intended’ and ‘implemented’ HRM: the missing linchpin in strategic human resource management research

We argue that inconclusive findings in the SHRM literature regarding the relationship between HRM systems and organizational performance may result primarily from methodological weaknesses and a failure of researchers to distinguish between HR practices intended by the organizations and those actually implemented. Rather than relying upon a single respondent per organization as is the norm, we contrast reports of both managers and non-managers from inside and outside HR departments to highlight differences between intended and implemented HRM. The findings, arrived at with the help of 195 interviews, 508 questionnaire responses and several company documents, support our expectation: implemented HRM may be substantially different from intended HRM; consistent implementation increases employee satisfaction with HRM, which is positively related to organizational performance. The current study thus highlights new factors that require attention in developing HR–performance analyses and also suggests that a mere imitation of HRM in the hopes of improving organizational performance creates no value. It is crucial that HR departments and managers remain committed and supportive to the development of effective HRM systems by focusing upon actual ‘implementation’ within their organizations.
How Sustainable is the Increase in the Water Footprint of the Spanish Agricultural Sector? A Provincial Analysis between 1955 and 2005–2010

In the context of a relatively scarce water country, the article analyzes the changes in 50 years in the water footprint (WF) in Spain evaluating its sustainability. For that purpose, firstly we make use of the regional information of the water footprints and crop production to estimate the WF of production over the 50 provinces in Spain, looking at the variation between the years 1955 and 2005–2010. The detail in the information of crops (more than 150 of them) statistics allows us to examine the types and origin of changes (in volume produced, shifts towards more or less water intensive crops). Secondly, we estimate sustainability indicators also at the provincial level, which let us evaluate whether this change has created or incremented the risk of physical and economic water stress. Thirdly, we introduce the economic perspective, providing evidence on the infrastructures built and public sector expenditure, as an approximation to the costs of the increases in WF, particularly meaningful for those water stressed areas.
Differential modulation of N‐type calcium channels by µ‐opioid receptors in oxytocinergic versus vasopressinergic neurohypophysial terminals

Opioids modulate the electrical activity of magnocellular neurons (MCN) and inhibit neuropeptide release at their terminals in the neurohypophysis. We have previously shown that µ‐opioid receptor (MOR) activation induces a stronger inhibition of oxytocin (OT) than vasopressin (AVP) release from isolated MCN terminals. This higher sensitivity of OT release is due, at least in part, to the selective targeting of R‐type calcium channels. We now describe the underlying basis for AVP's weaker inhibition by MOR activation and provide a more complete explanation of the complicated effects on neuropeptide release. We found that N‐type calcium channels in AVP terminals are differentially modulated by MOR; enhanced at lower concentrations but increasingly inhibited at higher concentrations of agonists. On the other hand, N‐type calcium channels in OT terminals were always inhibited. The response pattern in co‐labeled terminals was analogous to that observed in AVP‐containing terminals. Changes in intracellular calcium concentration and neuropeptide release corroborated these results as they showed a similar pattern of enhancement and inhibition in AVP terminals contrasting with solely inhibitory responses in OT terminals to MOR agonists. We established that fast translocation of Ca2+ channels to the plasma membrane was not mediating current increments and thus, changes in channel kinetic properties are most likely involved. Finally, we reveal a distinct Ca‐channel β‐subunit expression between each type of nerve endings that could explain some of the differences in responses to MOR activation. These results help advance our understanding of the complex modulatory mechanisms utilized by MORs in regulating presynaptic neuropeptide release. J. Cell. Physiol. 225: 276–288, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tetrodotoxin prevents posttraumatic epileptogenesis in rats

Severe cortical trauma frequently causes epilepsy that develops after a long latency. We hypothesized that plastic changes in excitability during this latent period might be initiated or sustained by the level of neuronal activity in the injured cortex. We therefore studied effects of action potential blockade by application of tetrodotoxin (TTX) to areas of cortical injury in a model of chronic epileptogenesis. Partially isolated islands of sensorimotor cortex were made in 28‐ to 30‐day‐old male Sprague–Dawley rats and thin sheets of Elvax polymer containing TTX or control vehicle were implanted over lesions. Ten to 15 days later neocortical slices were obtained through isolates for electrophysiological studies. Slices from all animals (n = 12) with lesions contacted by control‐Elvax (58% of 36 slices) exhibited evoked epileptiform field potentials, and those from 4 rats had spontaneous epileptiform events. Only 2 of 11 lesioned animals and 6% of slices from cortex exposed to TTX in vivo exhibited evoked epileptiform potentials, and no spontaneous epileptiform events were observed. There was no evidence of residual TTX during recordings. TTX‐Elvax was ineffective in reversing epileptogenesis when implanted 11 days after cortical injury. These data suggest that development of antiepileptogenic drugs for humans may be possible. Ann Neurol 1999;46:234–242
Motivation and life style of the Czech amenity migrants (case study)

Motivation and life style of the Czech amenity migrants (case study) Amenity migration is a specific type of migration which is not motivated by higher wages - it has been brought about by the desire to render more valuable natural or socio-cultural environment of the target territory, and it is often directed from metropolitan to rural areas. The group of amenity migrants from chosen areas of the Czech Republic was described and identified on basis of collected empirical data set. Results are discussed with relevant authors who currently study amenity migration abroad. It follows from the mentioned results that amenity migrants in model areas are rather university educated, economically strong and more creative. They prefer natural amenities to cultural ones, their in-migration is not related to tourism and second homes phenomenon as it was expected earlier. They use current residential potential for permanent living in the amenity-rich places. Amenitní migrace je chápána jako specifický typ lidské migrace, která není motivována ekonomicky, ale snahou žít v celkově hodnotnějším socio-kulturním prostředí a směřuje převážně z městského prostředí do venkovské krajiny. Ve vybraných modelových územích České republiky byly na základě terénního sběru dat identifikovány a popsány skupiny amenitních migrantů. Výsledky jsou diskutovány s autory zabývajícími se amenitní migrací v zahraničí. Z uvedeného průzkumu vyplývá, že amenitní migranti v modelových územích jsou převážně vysokoškolsky vzdělaní, mají větší ekonomickou sílu a zároveň jsou více kreativní. Dávají přednost přírodním hodnotám území před kulturními. Jejich migrace není svázána s cestovním ruchem či "druhým bydlením", jak se předpokládalo. Dávají zároveň přednost stávajícímu bytovému fondu na venkově před výstavbou nových objektů.
Inhibition of IRF-3 Activation by VP35 Is Critical for the High Level of Virulence of Ebola Virus

ABSTRACT Zaire ebolavirus causes a rapidly progressing hemorrhagic disease with high mortality. Identification of the viral virulence factors that contribute to the severity of disease induced by Ebola virus is critical for the design of therapeutics and vaccines against the disease. Given the rapidity of disease progression, virus interaction with the innate immune system early in the course of infection likely plays an important role in determining the outcome of the disease. The Ebola virus VP35 protein inhibits the activation of IRF-3, a critical transcription factor for the induction of early antiviral immunity. Previous studies revealed that a single amino acid change (R312A) in VP35 renders the protein unable to inhibit IRF-3 activation. A reverse-genetics-generated, mouse-adapted, recombinant Ebola virus that encodes the R312A mutation in VP35 was produced. We found that relative to the case for wild-type virus containing the authentic VP35 sequence, this single amino acid change in VP35 renders the virus completely attenuated in mice. Given that these viruses differ by only a single amino acid in the IRF-3 inhibitory domain of VP35, the level of alteration of virulence is remarkable and highlights the importance of VP35 for the pathogenesis of Ebola virus.
Cross-Holdings: Estimation Issues, Biases, and Distortions

Cross-holding occurs when listed corporations own securities issued by other corporations. We analyze the effect of cross-holdings on market capitalization and return measures as well as implications for econometric testing of asset pricing theories. We show that cross-holdings generally distort standard market return and risk measures The magnitudes of such distortions are calculated for simulated economies by using a variety of crossholding patterns. In addition, cross-holdings are shown to induce nonstationarity in the covariance matrix of security returns. We examine the effect of this nonstationarity for estimating efficient frontiers and factor structures. We also discuss the implications for risk-return estimates in equilibrium asset pricing models. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
THE HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE IN HUMANS FOLLOWING CROSS‐PERFUSION OF PORCINE ORGANS

A major question in xenotransplantation is the nature of the humoral response that would occur following the transplantation of a xenogeneic organ into an immunosuppressed recipient as such a response could mediate delayed types of injury to the graft. To begin to address this issue we characterized the changes in the properties of xenoreactive antibodies occurring in patients exposed to porcine organs under conditions simulating transplantation. In two patients whose blood had been cross-perfused through porcine livers as a treatment for hepatic failure, the titer of xenoreactive IgM increased by four-fold and the titer of xenoreactive IgG increased by sixty-fold within ten days after perfusion procedures. The xenoreactive IgM and IgG antibodies were specific for Galα1–3Gal based on binding to porcine endothelial cells and bovine thyroglobulin, which express this determinant, and on the decrease in binding following treatment of porcine endothelial cells or bovine thyroglobulin with α-galactosidase. The sequential addition to endothelial cells of amounts of serum known to saturate antibody-binding sites obtained before and ten days after perfusion of porcine organs revealed no increase in binding of IgM above the level observed with serum obtained before perfusion, suggesting that new determinants were not identified. Moreover, the functional avidity of binding to porcine endothelial cells of IgM in serum obtained before and ten days after perfusion of porcine organs was unchanged. Even at later times, the presence of newly elicited antibodies against porcine aortic endothelial cell targets was not detected. Thus, exposure to porcine antigens in a vascularized organ results in increases in the levels of xenoreactive IgM and IgG antibodies—however, these antibodies exhibit properties similar to natural antibodies.