Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Motivations for corporate social and environmental reporting: New Zealand evidence

Purpose This paper aims to investigate corporate motivations for voluntarily reporting social and environmental information in New Zealand. The approach used in this study also gives the opportunity to gain insights into the internal systems and views of companies and allows the authors to make better judgements of the intentions of companies in undertaking corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Design/methodology/approach A survey is used and then extended to match corporate survey responses with content analysis results of actual company reporting. The results of the survey and the content analysis are examined both individually and collectively to gather more context for corporate motivations. Findings The authors find that community concerns and shareholder rights were the most important factors that influenced the companies’ decision to report. The driving force for a sustainability agenda within these companies is usually a member of senior management. The authors also find that reporting frameworks and highly formalised internal systems were not frequently used, external assurance of CSR reporting was lacking and there were low levels of stakeholder engagement. A commitment to reporting comprehensive CSR disclosures and accepting responsibility towards a range of stakeholders were, therefore, not in evidence. Research limitations/implications For researchers, the value is in further revising analysis techniques and expanding existing research methods used in this area. The study brings together important CSR topics from across the literature, including reporting levels and characteristics, internal CSR systems, CSR assurance and stakeholder engagement, to investigate the motivation for CSR reporting. Practical implications The results suggest that New Zealand companies are not currently fully committed to social and environmental reporting and that CSR reporting is most likely used to create the impression of being concerned about sustainability to increase legitimacy with stakeholders and society. The results highlight the importance of having formalised systems to ensure that disclosures are accurate and comprehensive. Originality/value The results contribute to the literature by providing a current view of the motivations for reporting companies to report or not report. The approach used gives the opportunity to gain insights into the internal systems and views of companies and allows the authors to make better judgements of the intentions of companies in undertaking CSR reporting.
Radial distribution of quinones in plantation teak (Tectona grandis L.f.)

Abstract• Quinones are primarily responsible for the natural durability of teak. • The previous paper in this series reported on the natural termite resistance of teak trees of different ages (8-, 30- and 51-year-old trees). In this study, the radial distribution of quinones (tectoquinone, lapachol, desoxylapachol and its isomer) and other components in the ethanol-benzene (1:2) extract were measured by means of gas chromatography. • Significant differences in desoxylapachol or its isomer content were found among the outer heartwood of 8-, 30- and 51-year old trees, as well as between the inner and outer parts of the heartwood. • All toxic quinone contents were positively correlated with the total extractive content. The highest correlation degree was measured in the isodesoxylapachol content. • Although linearly related, only modest correlations were observed between the natural termite resistance parameters and the content of tectoquinone and isodesoxylapachol. Résumé• Les quinones sont à l’origine de la durabilité naturelle du teak. • Le précédant papier de la série traitait de la résistance naturelle contre les termites pour des arbres de 8,30 et 51 ans. Dans cette étude, la distribution radiale des quinones (tectoquinone, lapachol, deoxylapachol et son isomère) et des autres composés présents dans les extraits éthanol-benzène (1:2) est déterminée par chromatographie en phase gazeuse. • Le contenu en desoxylapachol ou ses isomères présente des différences significatives en périphérie du bois de cœur des arbres de 8, 30 et 51 ans de même qu’entre la partie interne et externe du bois de cœur. • Toutes les teneurs en quinones toxiques sont corrélées positivement avec le contenu total d’extractibles. Le degré de corrélation le plus élevé est mesuré pour la teneur en isodesoxylapachol. • Bien qu’il existe une relation linéaire entre les paramètres de résistance naturelle aux termites et la teneur en tectoquinone et isodesoxylapachol, les corrélations observées sont modestes.
Reinforcement learning for trading dialogue agents in non-cooperative negotiations

Recent advances in automating Dialogue Management have been mainly made in cooperative environments -where the dialogue system tries to help a human to meet their goals. In non-cooperative environments though, such as competitive trading, there is still much work to be done. The complexity of such an environment rises as there is usually imperfect information about the interlocutors’ goals and states. The thesis shows that non-cooperative dialogue agents are capable of learning how to successfully negotiate in a variety of trading-game settings, using Reinforcement Learning, and results are presented from testing the trained dialogue policies with humans. The agents learned when and how to manipulate using dialogue, how to judge the decisions of their rivals, how much information they should expose, as well as how to effectively map the adversarial needs in order to predict and exploit their actions. Initially the environment was a two-player trading game (“Taikun”). The agent learned how to use explicit linguistic manipulation, even with risks of exposure (detection) where severe penalties apply. A more complex opponent model for adversaries was also implemented, where we modelled all trading dialogue moves as implicitly manipulating the adversary’s opponent model, and we worked in a more complex game (“Catan”). In that multi-agent environment we show that agents can learn to be legitimately persuasive or deceitful. Agents which learned how to manipulate opponents using dialogue are more successful than ones which do not manipulate. We also demonstrate that trading dialogues are more successful when the learning agent builds an estimate of the adversarial hidden goals and preferences. Furthermore the thesis shows that policies trained in bilateral negotiations can be very effective in multilateral ones (i.e. the 4-player version of Catan). The findings suggest that it is possible to train non-cooperative dialogue agents which successfully trade using linguistic manipulation. Such non-cooperative agents may have important future applications, such as on automated debating, police investigation, games, and education.
A Trauma Series in the Injured Child: Do We Really Need It?

Background: To study the use of trauma series radiographs in children that required activation of a trauma call. Methods: A retrospective review of patients younger than 16 years who presented to The Children's Hospital at Westmead between January and December 2004 with an injury that required activation of the trauma team. Patients transferred from other institutions were excluded. Results: Two hundred seventy-four children were included in the study, with 166 boys. The mean age was 8 years, and average Injury Severity Score was 4. Sixteen children had an Injury Severity Score of above 15. One hundred thirty-one children had a complete trauma series performed; 104 had one or more of the series performed, whereas 39 had no radiographs. Data analysis revealed that patients with findings in a chest radiograph (13) had either chest wall contusion(s) or reduced air entry on the involved side. Logistic regression analyses identified features that were significantly associated with a positive finding on the radiographs of the anteroposterior chest including a distracting injury in the chest area (odds ratio [OR], 10.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.98-36.97), abnormal air entry on auscultation (OR, 31.86; 95% CI, 2.80-365.12), and need for intubation (OR, 6.23; 95% CI, 1.56-24.91). However, no clinical variable(s) showed a statistically significant correlation with abnormal radiographic findings on the lateral cervical spine (2) or anteroposterior pelvis (4). Conclusions: This study suggests that selective use of individual components of the full trauma series in the conscious pediatric patient, when an adequate clinical examination can be performed, would be safe. This approach should reduce the exposure to ionizing radiation of pediatric trauma patients and hospital staff.
The Role of Collective and Personal Self-Esteem in a Military Context

Collective self-esteem refers to individuals’ evaluations of their social identities, their group affiliations. Private collective self-esteem includes assessments of how individuals privately evaluate their social group or groups while public collective self-esteem assesses how individuals believe others evaluate their social group or groups. This study examines the relationships between military cadets’ personal self-esteem, private and public collective selfesteem, and well-being. We find that cadets with higher private and public collective self-esteem also report higher personal self-esteem and lower levels of depression. While both private and public collective self-esteem have direct effects on depression, most of the effects of public collective self-esteem operate through personal self-esteem.
Stock Price Firm‐Specific Information on the Choice of Stock Payment in Mergers and Acquisitions

Previous studies on the choice of stock payment in M&A mainly focus on managerial private information. This study shows that managers also learn new firm-specific information from financial markets in making this decision. The acquirer's stock price firm-specific information increases the stock-payment-to-Q sensitivity. The target's stock price firm-specific information decreases the stock payment probability. Further analyses on deal and firm characteristics as well as shareholder wealth in stock mergers support the managerial learning argument. Overall, this study highlights a new set of information that affects the form of merger payment in mergers and acquisitions.
Functional Regulation of FEZ1 by the U-box-type Ubiquitin Ligase E4B Contributes to Neuritogenesis*

E4B (also known as UFD2a) is a mammalian homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ufd2, which was originally described as a ubiquitin chain assembly factor (E4). E4B is a U-box-type ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligase (E3) and likely functions as either an E3 or an E4. With a yeast two-hybrid screen, we have now identified FEZ1 (fasciculation and elongation protein zeta 1) as a protein that interacts with E4B. FEZ1 is implicated in neuritogenesis when phosphorylated by protein kinase Cζ (PKCζ). Interaction between E4B and FEZ1 in mammalian cells was enhanced by coexpression of constitutively active PKCζ. E4B mediated the polyubiquitylation of FEZ1 but did not affect its intracellular stability, suggesting that such modification of FEZ1 is not a signal for its proteolysis. Polyubiquitylation of FEZ1 by E4B required Lys27 of ubiquitin. Expression of a dominant-negative mutant of E4B in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells resulted in inhibition of neurite extension induced either by nerve growth factor or by coexpression of FEZ1 and constitutively active PKCζ. These findings indicate that E4B serves as a ubiquitin ligase for FEZ1 and thereby regulates its function but not its degradation.
Quantification of nerve fiber layer thickness in normal and glaucomatous eyes using optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE Quantitative assessment of nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness in normal and glaucomatous eyes, and correlation with conventional measurements of the optic nerve structure and function. METHODS We studied 59 eyes of 33 subjects by conventional ophthalmologic physical examination, Humphrey 24-2 visual fields, stereoscopic optic nerve head photography, and optical coherence tomography. RESULTS Nerve fiber layer thickness as measured by optical coherence tomography demonstrated a high degree of correlation with functional status of the optic nerve, as measured by visual field examination (P = .0001). Neither cupping of the optic nerve nor neuroretinal rim area were as strongly associated with visual field loss as was NFL thickness (P = .17 and P = .21, respectively). Cupping correlated with NFL thickness only when the cup was small (cup-to-diameter ratio, 0.1 to 0.3) or large (cup-to-diameter ratio, 0.8 to 1.0) (P = .006); there was no correlation between cupping and NFL thickness otherwise. Nerve fiber layer, especially in the inferior quadrant, was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes than in normal eyes (P = .04). Finally, we found a decrease in NFL thickness with aging, even when controlling for factors associated with the diagnosis of glaucoma (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS Nerve fiber layer thickness can be measured using optical coherence tomography. These measurements provide good structural and functional correlation with known parameters.
Immunocytochemical localization of the amino acid neurotransmitters in the chicken retina

Postembedding immunocytochemistry was used to determine the cellular localization of the amino acid neurotransmitters glutamate, aspartate, gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glycine in the avian retina. The through retinal pathway was glutamatergic, with all photoreceptors, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells being immunoreactive for glutamate. Bipolar cells displayed the highest level of glutamate immunoreactivity, with the cell bodies terminating just below the middle of the inner nuclear layer. All lateral elements, horizontal cells, amacrine cells, and interplexiform cells were immunoreactive for glycine or GABA. The GABAergic neurons consisted of two classes of horizontal cells and amacrine cells located in the lower part of the inner nuclear layer. GABA was also localized in displaced amacrine cells in the ganglion cell layer, and a population of ganglion cells that co‐localize glutamate and GABA. Both the horizontal cells and GABAergic amacrine cells had high levels of glutamate immunoreactivity, which probably reflects a metabolic pool. At least two types of horizontal cells in the avian retina could be discriminated on the basis of the presence of aspartate immunoreactivity in the H2 horizontal cells. Glycine was contained in a subclass of amacrine cells, with their cell bodies located between the bipolar cells and GABAergic amacrine cells, two subclasses of bipolar cells, displaced amacrine cells in the ganglion cell layer, and ganglion cells that colocalize glutamate and glycine. Glycinergic amacrine cells had low levels of glutamate. We have also identified a new class of glycinergic interplexiform cell, with its stellate cell body located in the middle of the inner nuclear layer among the cell bodies of bipolar cells. Neurochemical signatures obtained by analyzing data from serial sections allowed the classification of subclasses of horizontal cells, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, and ganglion cells. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Psoriasis is associated with pleiotropic susceptibility loci identified in type II diabetes and Crohn disease

Background: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated skin disorder that is inherited as a multifactorial trait. Linkage analyses have clearly mapped a primary disease susceptibility locus to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region on chromosome 6p21. More recently, whole-genome association studies have identified two non-MHC disease genes (IL12B and IL23R), both of which also confer susceptibility to Crohn disease (CD). Objective and methods: To ascertain the genetic overlap between these two inflammatory conditions further, we investigated 15 CD-associated loci in a psoriasis case–control dataset. Results: The analysis of 1256 patients and 2938 unrelated controls found significant associations for loci mapping to chromosomes 1q24 (rs12035082, p = 0.009), 6p22 (rs6908425, p = 0.00015) and 21q22 (rs2836754, p = 0.0003). Notably, the marker showing the strongest phenotypic effect (rs6908425) maps to CDKAL1, a gene also associated with type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: These results substantiate emerging evidence for a pleiotropic role for s genes that contribute to the pathogenesis of immune-mediated disorders.
Journal of Enterprise Information Management ERPs and accountants ' expertise : the construction of relevance

Purpose – This articulation sets out to focus on the mechanisms and dynamics of “expertise constitution” where it is understood as an “accomplishment” or an “achievement”. This understanding appears to be an important step in studying the interrelation of accountants and ICTs, while avoiding the traditional de-skilling or empowering accounts of technologies that still inform much of the current debate on the uses of ICTs. Design/methodology/approach – The paper, using accountants and enterprise resource planning systems in Egypt as an example, illustrates how ERP represents an opportunity for accountants to assert their expertise and to produce new identities for themselves by acting as the spokesperson of technology and by promoting claims of expertise in terms of identifying what is required for ERP to work in their companies. Findings – Finds that there is no dilution of expertise in relation to ICTs; rather, some accountants are promoting themselves as a group of relevant experts in deriving benefits from these systems. Rather than a threat, accountants mobilize the advent of ERP as an occasion where their skills and their accounting knowledge are represented as important for the proper functioning of these technologies. Originality/value – This paper is seen to contribute to the existing literature, by addressing calls for the study of the relation between ICT in general and ERP in particular, and accountants’ expertise, and offering a different conceptualisation of their interrelationship.
Fate of donor bone marrow cells in medial collateral ligament after simulated autologous transplantation

A potential strategy to enhance ligament healing by transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are demonstrated to differentiate into fibroblast‐like cells in vitro, is presented. The objective of this study was to follow transplanted nucleated cells from bone marrow, which contain MSCs, in the healing medial collateral ligament (MCL) over time, and to examine their phenotype and survivability. It was hypothesized that MSCs in nucleated cells from bone marrow would differentiate into fibroblast‐like cells in the healing ligament following adaptation to the environment. The transplantation model employed in this study eliminates the immune response to a donor by the recipient using a transgenic rat (donor), which does not produce foreign protein from transgenes, and its wild‐type rat (recipient) in order to simulate autologous transplantation. The MCL of the wild‐type rat was ruptured, where 1 × 106 nucleated cells of bone marrow from the transgenic rat were injected. The transgenes in transplanted nucleated cells were detected throughout the healing MCL for 28 days by in situ hybridization. At 3 days, many donor cells were evident in the injury site and fascial pocket, and some were found in the midsubstance. Morphologically, transplanted cells with elongated nuclei were found at the ruptured edge of the midsubstance and surface of the unruptured site after 3 days. At 28 days, these cells continued to survive in the healing MCL. Their shapes were similar to those of surrounding recipient MCL fibroblasts. Thus, transplanted cells might differentiate into fibroblasts. Therefore, it was demonstrated that there is a potential for nucleated cells from bone marrow to serve as a vehicle for therapeutic molecules as well as to be a source in enhancing healing of ligaments. Microsc. Res. Tech. 58:39–44, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A single‐center experience of 500 liver transplants using the modified piggyback technique by Belghiti

Over the past 4 decades, the surgical techniques of liver transplantation (LTx) have permanently evolved and been modified. Among these, the modified piggyback (MPB) technique by Belghiti offers specific advantages. The objective of this study was to present our single‐center experience with the MPB technique in 500 cases. Recipients' perioperative data were prospectively collected and evaluated. Postoperative and specific complications, stay in the intensive and intermediate care unit, and the mortality rate with cause of death were analyzed. Most recipients were classified as Child C (49.1%). For the patients who underwent LTx for the first time, alcoholic (23.9%) and viral (22.2%) cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (15.1%) were the prevalent indications. The overall median warm ischemia time, anastomosis duration, and operative time were 45, 108, and 320 minutes, respectively. The median intraoperative blood loss was 1500 mL. A venovenous bypass was never needed to maintain hemodynamic stability. Only in a few cases was temporary inferior vena cava clamping necessary. Most prominent surgical complications were hemorrhage, hematoma, and wound dehiscence. Renal failure occurred in 6.2% of patients. The overall median stay in the intensive and intermediate care unit was 14 days. The mortality rates within 30 and 90 days were 6.3% and 13.3%, respectively. No technique‐related death occurred. The MPB technique by Belghiti is a feasible and simple LTx technique. The caval flow is preserved during the anhepatic phase, and this minimizes the need for venovenous bypass or portocaval shunt. This technique requires only 1 caval anastomosis, which is easy to perform with a short anhepatic phase. To minimize the risk of outflow obstruction, attention should be paid by doing a wide cavocavostomy cranially to the donor inferior vena cava in a door‐lock manner. This technique can be applied in almost all patients undergoing LTx for the first time and liver retransplantation as well. Liver Transpl 15:466–474, 2009. © 2009 AASLD.
Health and Economic Implications of Smoking in Indonesia: a Review of the Literature

Tobacco smoking is a huge health threat to the population due to its potential adverse health and economic consequences. Yet, studies that review these consequences in Indonesia are rare. This paper attempts to address the health and economic implications of smoking in Indonesia.We performed a narrative literature review from various feasible sources of information. We carefully selected literature based on its suitability and relevance. We collected 75 relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, and 37 reports and legal products pertaining to tobacco control. From those literatures, we then infer that smoking lowers the health status, causes premature mortality, and possibly, impedes future economic growth.The links between smoking, human capital and economic growth warrant further research. The formulation of appropriate policies must consider gender and cultural issues prevalent in Indonesia