Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Development of Digital Divide Assessment Mechanism for SMEs: A Perspective from the Taiwan Manufacturing Industry

Abstract This study developed a mechanism to evaluate and gain a better understanding of the digital divide in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in light of the need to improve the information and communication technologies (ICT) investment and ICT utilization efficiency of SMEs. This study applied the Gowin's Vee research strategy. Through the grounded theory method, 38 critical conceptual factors were found in the literature review. These critical factors were used by the authors to develop an evaluation system for assessing the digital divide. The expert questionnaire methodology was applied and a tentative model set with 29 critical factors was generated. Using the analytic hierarchy process, the authors approached the experimental side and sent questionnaires evaluating the weight of every factor in the prototyped mechanism to Taiwan's manufacturing companies. The resulting comprehensive scale can be a useful tool for measuring the sources of the digital gap as well as for suggesting ways to encourage the adoption of ICT and e-business by SMEs in Taiwan and other countries.
Effects of the Endogenous Scope of Preferentialism on International Goods Trade

Abstract Previous empirical research has assumed that goods trade responds to goods trade preferentialism only, while other forms of preferentialism — such as services trade or investment preferentialism — are irrelevant for goods trade. This article provides novel evidence for the gains from a broader scope of preferentialism (in terms of the number of dimensions covered: goods, services, and investment) at the intensive and extensive country margins of bilateral goods trade.
Duadic Codes over F 2 + u F 2

Duadic codes over F2+uF2 are introduced as abelian codes by their zeros. This is the function field analogue of duadic codes over Z4 introduced recently by Langevin and Sol é. They produce binary self-dual codes via a suitable Gray map. Their binary images are themselves abelian, thus generalizing a result of van Lint for cyclic binary codes of even length. We classify them in modest lengths and exhibit interesting non-cyclic examples.
Continuous monitoring of cerebral metabolism in traumatic brain injury: a focus on cerebral microdialysis

Purpose of reviewThis review highlights recent advances in cerebral microdialysis as a tool for neurochemical monitoring of patients with traumatic brain injury. Recent findingsProgress in microdialysis research has come from validation studies of microdialysis biomarkers and clinical outcome in large cohorts of traumatic brain injury patients and by combining microdialysis with other methods, such as positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, brain tissue oximetry and electrophysiology. The combination of rapid-sampling microdialysis and electrocorticography has revealed complex, transient fluctuations of microdialysis glucose and lactate and depolarization-like events that may affect the secondary injury process. The use of microdialysis to monitor global cerebral metabolic events (related to intracranial hypertension or reduced cerebral perfusion pressure for example) as opposed to focal events in peri-lesional brain tissue need to be clearly distinguished and the microdialysis catheter location verified by neuroimaging to ensure proper data interpretation. Differences in microdialysis biomarker levels between grey and white matter following traumatic brain injury need clarification. SummaryMicrodialysis is established as a neurochemical research tool in neurointensive care, particularly in combination with other monitoring methods, and contributes to a growing knowledge of secondary injury mechanisms in traumatic brain injury. The value of microdialysis as a tool in routine neurointensive care decision-making remains unclear.
Pyruvate:Quinone Oxidoreductase in Corynebacterium glutamicum: Molecular Analysis of the pqo Gene, Significance of the Enzyme, and Phylogenetic Aspects

ABSTRACT Corynebacterium glutamicum recently has been shown to possess pyruvate:quinone oxidoreductase (PQO), catalyzing the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetate and CO2 with a quinone as the electron acceptor. Here, we analyze the expression of the C. glutamicum pqo gene, investigate the relevance of the PQO enzyme for growth and amino acid production, and perform phylogenetic studies. Expression analyses revealed that transcription of pqo is initiated 45 bp upstream of the translational start site and that it is organized in an operon together with genes encoding a putative metal-activated pyridoxal enzyme and a putative activator protein. Inactivation of the chromosomal pqo gene led to the absence of PQO activity; however, growth and amino acid production were not affected under either condition tested. Introduction of plasmid-bound pqo into a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex-negative C. glutamicum strain partially relieved the growth phenotype of this mutant, indicating that high PQO activity can compensate for the function of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. To investigate the distribution of PQO enzymes in prokaryotes and to clarify the relationship between PQO, pyruvate oxidase (POX), and acetohydroxy acid synthase enzymes, we compiled and analyzed the phylogeny of respective proteins deposited in public databases. The analyses revealed a wide distribution of PQOs among prokaryotes, corroborated the hypothesis of a common ancestry of the three enzymes, and led us to propose that the POX enzymes of Lactobacillales were derived from a PQO.
Brand Agriculture and Economic Geography: A General Equilibrium Analysis

This paper presents a general equilibrium model of NEG incorporating the brand agriculture which produces differentiated agricultural products. Focusing on the core-periphery space, we show that highly differentiated brand agriculture can be sustained in the periphery even when the accessibility of the core market is not particulary good. This result gives support for promoting innovation in rural area in order to avoid direct price competition in generic commodity market under unfavorable competitive condition.
Route Anomaly Detection Using a Linear Route Representation

A location-based service is a service based on the geographical position of a mobile handheld device like a smartphone. This research proposes location-based research, which uses location information to find route anomalies, a common problem of daily life. For example, an alert should be generated when a deliveryman does not follow his regular route to make deliveries. Different kinds of route anomalies are discussed and various methods for detecting the anomalies are proposed in this paper. The proposed method based on a linear route representation finds the matched routes from a set of stored routes as the current route is entered location by location. Route matching is made easy by comparing the current location to linear routes. An alert is generated when no matched routes exist. Preliminary experimental results show the proposed methods are effective and easy to use.
Characterization of a non‐mitochondrial type I phosphatidylserine decarboxylase in Plasmodium falciparum

In search of key enzymes in Plasmodium phospholipid metabolism, we demonstrate the presence of a parasite‐encoded phosphatidylserine decarboxylase (PSD) in the membrane fraction of Plasmodium falciparum‐infected erythrocytes. PSD cDNA, encoding phosphatidylserine decarboxylase (PfPSD), was cloned by screening a directional cDNA library derived from the trophozoite erythrocytic stage. The corresponding PfPSD gene is located on chromosome 9 of P. falciparum, contains one intron of 938 nucleotides and is transcribed into a 3.7 kb mRNA. PfPSD cDNA encodes a putative protein of 362 amino acids, with a predicted molecular mass of 42.6 kDa, which clearly belongs to the type I PSD family. Only a 35 kDa polypeptide was detected in the parasite using a specific rabbit antiserum. PfPSD has a 314VGSS317 sequence near its carboxyl‐terminus that is related to the Escherichia coli, yeast and human LGST motif, which is the site of proenzyme processing. PSD enzyme was expressed in E. coli with a KM of 63 ± 19 µM and a VMAX of 680 ± 49 nmol of phosphatidylethanolamine formed h−1 mg−1 protein. Site‐directed mutagenesis of the VGSS active site demonstrated that the PfPSD proenzyme was processed into two non‐identical subunits (α and β) and revealed the crucial role played by each residue in enzyme processing and activity. Using indirect immunofluorescence, PfPSD labelling was co‐localized with an endoplasmic reticulum marker, but not with a mitochondrial vital dye. This P. falciparum PSD is the first type I PSD identified in the endoplasmic reticulum compartment.
Determination of the Proper Quality Costs Parameters via Variable Step Size Steepest Descent Algorithm

This paper presents the determination of the proper quality costs parameters which provide the optimum return. The system dynamics simulation was applied. The simulation model was constructed by the real data from a case of the electronic devices manufacturer in Thailand. The Steepest Descent algorithm was employed to optimise. The experimental results show that the company should spend on prevention and appraisal activities for 850 and 10 Baht/day respectively. It provides minimum cumulative total quality cost, which is 258,000 Baht in twelve months. The effect of the step size in the stage of improving the variables to the optimum was also investigated. It can be stated that the smaller step size provided a better result with more experimental runs. However, the different yield in this case is not significant in practice. Therefore, the greater step size is recommended because the region of optima could be reached more easily and rapidly. Keywords—Quality costs, Steepest Descent Algorithm, Step Size, System Dynamics Simulation
Osteogenic differentiation of purified, culture‐expanded human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro

Human bone marrow contains a population of cells capable of differentiating along multiple mesenchymal cell lineages. Recently, techniques for the purification and culture‐expansion of these human marrow‐derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have been developed. The goals of the current study were to establish a reproducible system for the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of human MSCs, and to characterize the effect of changes in the microenvironment upon the process. MSCs derived from 2nd or 3rd passage were cultured for 16 days in various base media containing 1 to 1000 nM dexamethasone (Dex), 0.01 to 4 mM L‐ascorbic acid‐2‐phosphate (AsAP) or 0.25 mM ascorbic acid, and 1 to 10 mM β‐glycerophosphate (βGP). Optimal osteogenic differentiation, as determined by osteoblastic morphology, expression of alkaline phosphatase (APase), reactivity with anti‐osteogenic cell surface monoclonal antibodies, modulation of osteocalcin mRNA production, and the formation of a mineralized extracellular matrix containing hydroxyapatite was achieved with DMEM base medium plus 100 nM Dex, 0.05 mM AsAP, and 10 mM βGP. The formation of a continuously interconnected network of APase‐positive cells and mineralized matrix supports the characterization of this progenitor population as homogeneous. While higher initial seeding densities did not affect cell number or APase activity, significantly more mineral was deposited in these cultures, suggesting that events which occur early in the differentiation process are linked to end‐stage phenotypic expression. Furthermore, cultures allowed to concentrate their soluble products in the media produced more mineralized matrix, thereby implying a role for autocrine or paracrine factors synthesized by human MSCs undergoing osteoblastic lineage progression. This culture system is responsive to subtle manipulations including the basal nutrient medium, dose of physiologic supplements, cell seeding density, and volume of tissue culture medium. Cultured human MSCs provide a useful model for evaluating the multiple factors responsible for the step‐wise progression of cells from undifferentiated precursors to secretory osteoblasts, and eventually terminally differentiated osteocytes. J. Cell. Biochem. 64:295–312. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Local Effect of Heparin Binding Neurotrophic Factor Combined With Chitosan Entubulization on Sciatic Nerve Repair in Rats.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of on sciatic nerve regeneration in animal model of rat. METHODS Seventy-five male Wistar rats were divided into five experimental groups randomly (each group containing 15 animals): Sham operation group (SHAM), autograft group (AUTO), transected control (TC), chitosan conduit (CHIT) and heparin binding neurotrophic factor treated group (CHIT/HBNF). In AUTO group a segment of sciatic nerve was transected and reimplanted reversely. In SHAM group sciatic nerve was exposed and manipulated. In transected group left sciatic nerve was transected and stumps were fixed in adjacent muscle (TC). In treatment group defect was bridged using a chitosan conduit (CHIT) filled with 10 µL HBNF (CHIT/HBNF). Each group was subdivided into four subgroups of five animals each and nerve fibers were studied in a 12-week period. RESULTS Behavioral, functional, biomechanical, electrophysiological and gastrocnemius muscle mass findings and morphometric indices confirmed faster recovery of regenerated axons in treatment group than in CHIT group (P=0.001). Immunohistochemical reactions to S-100 in treatment group were more positive than that in CHIT group. CONCLUSION Local administration of improved functional recovery and morphometric indices of sciatic nerve. It could be considered as an effective treatment for peripheral nerve repair in practice.
Welfare state regimes and the evolution of liberalism

This paper argues that the concept of the liberal welfare state within welfare state regimes discourse fails to account for some important aspects of the historical development of liberalism. It is argued that two key aspects of liberalism have been neglected. First, that liberalism essentially arose in opposition to ascribed status, seeking to replace it with a form of “achieved” status. Second, that a major stream of historical liberalism sought to equalize individual opportunity by suggesting that the state should provide some basic social and economic supports to individuals in need. This paper uses OECD health data to identify welfare state clusters based on the measurement of welfare (rather than neo)liberalism. The emerging cluster model is then compared with other welfare state regime typologies with regard to its ability to predict important social and political outcomes. The paper concludes that the emerging “welfare-liberal” typology may be a better predictor of certain social and political outcomes than other regimes configurations, indicating the usefulness of considering alternative aspects of liberalism when examining welfare state regimes.
THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT INACCURACIES IN MERGER SIMULATION MODELS

This paper considers the role that merger simulation models should play in European merger control. The use of these models, as off-the-shelf instruments to assess the economic effects of mergers, has become increasingly widespread in recent years. However, contrary to some claims, merger simulation models do not allow investigators to avoid much of the competitive effects analysis relating to the relevant economic market, nor do they necessarily provide more precision to merger control. Without understanding the limitations of such models and the circumstances under which they can and should be usefully applied, they may not just be useless, but dangerous in the sense of providing possibly spurious results with spurious claimed accuracy. This paper argues that any merger simulation models used should be “bespoke” models, rather than off‐the‐shelf models, but cautions that even bespoke models will frequently not be as useful as is often claimed. This is not to deny that there are occasions when well-constructed bespoke models are genuinely useful and do offer genuine improvements in merger control.
Rational Approximations for the Microfield Distributions in Mildly Correlated , Multicomponent Plamas

We consider using low-order rational polynomials to approximate microelectric field distribution in plasmas at varying levels of accuracy. Departing from the usual Padé prescription, we quote several such expressions providing increasing levels of approximation for the microfield distribution in an uncorrelated plasma with singly charged ions, the Holtsmark distribution. We then generalize the approximations to accommodate multiply charged ions, mixtures of ions with different charges, and with the help of asymptotic approximations, mixtures of ions accounting for finite plasma effects. The expressions are able to reproduce the tabulated results of Hooper, Held & Deutsch, and Pfennig & Trefftz and coworkers to ∼ 1− 2% relative error. Subroutines for evaluating the microfield distributions in mildly correlated binary plasmas written in C and FORTRAN accompany these notes. ∗email: Deane.Peterson@StonyBrook.edu
An Automatic News Analysis and Opinion Sharing System for Exchange Rate Analysis

In an increasingly competitive global market, exchange rate analysis becomes a key part of financial management for international companies. Although some previous studies have developed various forecasting techniques to predict exchange rate trends based on both numerical data and textual data, a deeper understanding of the underlying economic factors is critical for financial decision making purposes. Driven by the real business requirement, we propose an automatic news analysis and opinion sharing system for exchange rate prediction. The system is comprised of five components, including data collection, event classification, sentiment analysis, prediction, and opinion sharing. Breaking news and other data are gathered from broad Web sources in a real time. These news and data are firstly classified into focal event types, an innovative sentiment analysis method is then used to predict their impacts on exchange rate. A built-in mechanism is provided for users to share their opinions. Finally, feedbacks and human judgment from decisions makers are allowed to improve the accuracy. The proposed system has been used in an international logistic company. A real-world case has been used to test and illustrate the effectiveness of the designed system. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential applications.
The Effects of Exchange Rate Volatility on Exports in Namibia

This piece of work try address the volatility impacts on export through an extenvsive analysis. The econometric analysis was employed to exploit the theory of cointegration, given the obvious non- stationarity of the time series. The study used Engle-Granger two step procedures. Three measures of exchange rate volatilities were used and produced mixed results. The mean adjusted relative change (V) as a measure of exchange rate volatility indicated positive and insignificant impact on real exports of Namibia. The moving average standard deviation (MASD) as a measure of exchange rate volatility produced a negative insignificant impact of exchange rate volatility on real exports of Namibia. The last measure of exchange rate volatility was the general autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH), which indicated a positive and significant impact of exchange rate volatility on Namibia''s real exports. These results suggest that Namibia should start exploring possibility of macro-economic policy independence and be involved in the determination of exchange rate within the CMA framework.
Progressive lung and cardiac changes associated with pulmonary hypertension in the fetal rat

To determine the natural history of lung vascular remodeling and cardiac changes in the rat model of persistent pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PPHN) of the newborn, we studied fetal rats subjected to maternal indomethacin administration initiated on day 19 of gestation and continued for 2, 3, or 4 days. Animals receiving a similar volume of water or alcohol served as controls.
Nominal and Real Exchange Rate Models in South Africa: How Robust are They?

This paper addresses difficulties in modelling exchange rates in South Africa. Real exchange rate models of earlier research seem to be sensitive to the sample period considered, alternative variable definition, data frequency and estimation methods. Alternative exchange rate models proposed in this paper including the stock-flow approach and variants of the monetary model are not fully robust to data frequency and alternative estimation periods, either. Nevertheless, adding openness to the stock-flow approach and augmenting the monetary model with share prices and the country risk premium improves significantly the fit of the models around the large (nominal and real) depreciation episodes of 2002 and 2008. Interestingly, real commodity prices do not help explain the large depreciations. While these models do a reasonably good job in-sample, their out-of-sample forecasting properties remain poor.
Pharmacokinetics of Daily Self‐Application of Imiquimod 3.75% Cream in Adult Patients With External Anogenital Warts

Imiquimod 3.75% cream is a new formulation intended for daily self‐application. The objective of this study was to characterize serum imiquimod pharmacokinetics under maximal use conditions. Adults with ≥8 warts or total wart area ≥100 mm2 applied up to 1 packet of imiquimod 3.75% cream (250 mg cream, 9.375 mg imiquimod) once daily for 3 weeks. Blood was obtained prior to doses 1, 7, 14, and 21 and at selected time points after doses 1 and 21. Eighteen patients (13 men and 5 women) with a median wart count of 16 and total wart area of 60 mm2 were enrolled. Day 21 mean (SD) serum Cmax was 0.49 (0.37) ng/mL, AUC0–24 6.80 (3.59) ng·h/mL, and t1/2 24.1 (12.4) hours. Steady state was achieved by day 7 with ∼2‐fold increase in Cmax and AUC after multiple dosing. Overall, Cmax was higher and tmax shorter in women, with comparable AUC0–24. Imiquimod metabolites were sporadically quantifiable. No patients discontinued for adverse events; 1 interrupted dosing for an application site ulcer. Treatment‐related adverse events occurred in 16.7% of the patients. In conclusion, serum imiquimod concentrations were low after daily self‐application to external anogenital warts of up to 1 packet of imiquimod 3.75% cream for 21 days.
Analysis of asymmetry in the price-volume relation: evidence from Pakistani stock market

This study examines the causal relationship between stock returns and trading volume and the level of association of information asymmetry with stock return volatility and volume relationship of Pakistan at market level and firm level for the period of July 1998 to December 2008. The results show that in the overall market both market return and market volume influence each other. In case of firm level analysis the evidence indicates that for more stocks return casing volume than volume causing return. The relationship between trading volume and return volatility is analyzed by applying EGARCH model where volume is incorporated as information innovation in the conditional variance equation. The empirical results verify that that there is significant inaction between trading volume and return volatility contemporaneously when volume is integrated in to the conditional variance equation both for overall market and at firm level. The results indicate that the persistence of volatility does not diminish after introducing trading volume in conditional variance for overall market and for most of the stocks. This suggests that return volatility and trading volume are found to follow lead-lag pattern in overall market and in large number of stocks which supports the sequential information arrival hypothesis in case of Pakistani market.