Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tertius Gaudens vs. Tertius Iungens: the Dynamics of market changes

This paper studies how the introduction of a new role in a labour-market reshapes that market. The context of the study is the labour-market for cinematographers in France. In this market, talent-agents appeared in the mid-1990s and thoroughly transformed the way cinematographers and production companies interact on the market. Through interviews with cinematographers and agents, observation at one agency and archival documents, we show that agents take on a dual role that allow them to effectively broker the relationship between cinematographers and agents. This influences which companies cinematographers work with and also increases the prevalence of long-lasting relationships in an industry devoid of long-term employment. By acting as a centralizing agent, they help cinematographers get better deal on projects; on the other end, they insure production companies that the search costs for a technician are kept to a minimum. We discuss the implication of the emergence of new roles for market change.
An examination of the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction, and store loyalty

Using a national random telephone survey of 542 shoppers, examines the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction, and store loyalty within the retail department store context. Tests two complementary models that examine this interrelationship. Empirically examines the relative attitude construct put forth by Dick and Basu. The results indicate that service quality influences relative attitude and satisfaction with department stores. Satisfaction influences relative attitude, repurchase, and recommendation but has no direct effect on store loyalty. Fostering favorable relative attitude and getting customers to recommend the product or service holds key to fostering store loyalty. Results also indicate support for Oliver’s four‐stage cognitive‐affective‐conative‐action model of loyalty.
Loss of Function of Arabidopsis C-Terminal Domain Phosphatase-Like1 Activates Iron Deficiency Responses at the Transcriptional Level1[W][OA]

The expression of genes that control iron (Fe) uptake and distribution (i.e. Fe utilization-related genes) is tightly regulated. Fe deficiency strongly induces Fe utilization-related gene expression; however, little is known about the mechanisms that regulate this response in plants. Transcriptome analysis of an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant defective in RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain-phosphatase-like1 (CPL1) revealed significant up-regulation of Fe utilization-related genes (e.g. IRON-REGULATED TRANSPORTER1), suggesting the importance of RNA metabolism in Fe signaling. An analysis using multiple cpl1 alleles established that cpl1 mutations enhanced specific transcriptional responses to low Fe availability. Changes in protein level were less prominent than those in transcript level, indicating that cpl1-2 mainly affects the Fe deficiency response at the transcriptional level. However, Fe content was significantly increased in the roots and decreased in the shoots of cpl1-2 plants, indicating that the cpl1 mutations do indeed affect Fe homeostasis. Furthermore, root growth of cpl1-2 showed improved tolerance to Fe deficiency and cadmium (Cd) toxicity. cpl1-2 plants accumulated more Cd in the shoots, suggesting that Cd toxicity in the roots of this mutant is averted by the transport of excess Cd to the shoots. Genetic data indicate that cpl1-2 likely activates Fe deficiency responses upstream of both FE-DEFICIENCY-INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR-dependent and -independent signaling pathways. Interestingly, various osmotic stress/abscisic acid (ABA)-inducible genes were up-regulated in cpl1-2, and the expression of some ABA-inducible genes was controlled by Fe availability. We propose that the cpl1 mutations enhance Fe deficiency signaling and promote cross talk with a branch of the osmotic stress/ABA signaling pathway.
Knife blade in the knee joint: A complication of arthroscopic surgery

Despite the increasing frequency of arthroscopic surgery being performed both in the United States and many foreign countries, the number of complications reported in the literature remains small. Despite the early fears of infection, the actual number of reported infections has remained extremely low. Watanabe et al.5 reported no incidents in over 2000 cases. Johnson et al.2 reported a rate of 0.04% representing five cases in over 12,500 arthroscopies. Most recently, a survey conducted by Mulhollan’ based on over 9000
Innovation and Employability in Knowledge Management Curriculum Design

Abstract During 2007/8, Southampton Solent University worked on a Leadership Foundation project focused on the utility of the multi-functional team approach as a vehicle to deliver innovation in strategic and operational terms in higher education (HE). The Task-Orientated Multi-Functional Team Approach (TOMFTA) project took two significant undertakings for Southampton Solent as key areas for investigation, one academic and one administrative in focus. The academic project was the development of an innovative and novel degree programme in knowledge management (KM). The new KM Honours degree programme is timely both in recognition of the increasing importance to organisations of knowledge as a commodity, and in its adoption of a distinctive structure and pedagogy. The methodology for the KM curriculum design brings together student-centred and market-driven approaches: positioning the programme for the interests of students and requirements of employers, rather than just the capabilities of staff; while looking at ways that courses can be delivered with more flexibility, e.g. accelerated and block-mode; with level-differentiated activities, common cross-year content and material that is multi-purpose for use in short courses. In order to permit context at multiple levels in common, a graduate skills strand is taught separately as part of the University’s business-facing education agenda. The KM portfolio offers a programme of practically-based courses integrating key themes in knowledge management, business, information distribution and development of the media. They develop problem-solving, communications, teamwork and other employability skills as well as the domain skills needed by emerging information management technologies. The new courses are built on activities which focus on different aspects of KM, drawing on existing content as a knowledge base. This paper presents the ongoing development of the KM programme through the key aspects in its conception and design.
Market‐oriented resource management in customer relationships

Purpose – To model how resources and capabilities co‐evolved in a contract research provider's customer relationships and how this affected market orientation, and to develop hypotheses for further testing.Design/methodology/approach – Single qualitative and abductive longitudinal case study.Findings – The provider focused on generating knowledge of current and near future customer needs through interactions with customers and other key actors. The provider also pursued the building of capabilities which would enable it to broaden the application areas to the needs of a larger group of potential customers. Exchanges with specific customers were used by the provider for the acquisition of resources and capabilities concerning details related to functions and, especially, applications, yet these resources and capabilities were subsequently broadened to all‐around solutions. In contrast, customer interactions were less important in acquiring resources and capabilities. Eight hypotheses were also formulated.R.
Evaluation of a Quality of Life Measure for Children with Malocclusion

Objective To explore the validity and reliability of the child perception questionnaire as an oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) measure in adolescents with malocclusion. Design A cross-sectional study comparing two groups of individuals. Setting One group of children with malocclusion was recruited from the orthodontic departments at the Charles Clifford Dental Hospital (CCDH), Sheffield and Chesterfield Royal Hospital (CRH), Chesterfield. A second group with no malocclusion was recruited from the Paediatric Department at CCDH and one General Dental Practice in Sheffield. Subjects and methods The malocclusion group consisted of 116 patients aged 11–14 years about to commence orthodontic treatment. The non-malocclusion group consisted of 31 11–14-year-old patients with index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) 1 and 2, and DMFT ≤2, with no history of orthodontic treatment. The children completed the child perception questionnaire (CPQ), including global ratings of oral health and satisfaction. Each child rated their own IOTN aesthetic component (AC) score. Outcome measures Total CPQ scores and responses in the four domains. Self-perceived AC scores and responses to global rating of oral health, life overall and satisfaction rating were recorded. Results There was a statistically significant difference between the malocclusion and non-malocclusion total CPQ scores (P = 0.012). These differences were significant for the emotional (P = 0.006) and social well-being (P = 0.001) health domains, and not significant for the oral symptoms and functional limitations health domains. There were significant correlations between the total CPQ score and overall well-being (Rs = 0.397) and patient satisfaction (Rs = 0.362). Conclusions Malocclusion has a negative impact on the OHRQoL of an adolescent. A shortened version of this form, specifically for prospective orthodontic patients, may be beneficial as an additional measure to assess need for treatment especially as some of the questions in the oral symptoms and functional limitations subscales of the current questionnaire are not relevant to orthodontic patients.
Neural networks in ventilation-perfusion imaging.

PURPOSE To optimize the performance of artificial neural networks in the prediction of pulmonary embolism from ventilation-perfusion (V-P) scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS Neural networks were constructed with a set of V-P scan criteria that included sharpness and completeness of perfusion defects and involved quantification of abnormalities by using a continuous numeric scale. Several network parameters were systematically varied. Networks were trained with 150 cases and tested with 30 different cases. Findings were compared with those of pulmonary angiography. RESULTS Networks capable of performing as well as experienced nuclear medicine physicians could be constructed with few V-P scan features. A brief training period was optimal (50-100 iterations). Further training diminished network performance. CONCLUSION Effective neural networks can be constructed by using a limited number of unconventional V-P scan features. Several parameters can be adjusted to optimize performance.
T-Prox - A User-tracking Proxy for Usability Testing

PCT No. PCT/AU86/00046 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 21, 1986 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 21, 1986 PCT Filed Feb. 26, 1986 PCT Pub. No. WO86/05070 PCT Pub. Date Sep. 12, 1986.A machine for manufacturing cooked foodstuffs such as crepes comprises an upwardly directed rotatable concave hot plate (31) which is slightly inclined. A radially disposed pouring tube (38) is arranged above the plate (31) and has holes (78) for dispensing pre-made food mixture onto the plate (31) in a manner causing a constant quantity of mixture per surface area of the plate whereby a thin uniform disc of the mixture is formed. A heating element (33) heats the plate (31) to cook one side of the disc and the plate (31) is mounted on a hub (35) which, upon rotation inverts the plate (31) enabling the partially cooked disc to the dispensed onto a flat further hot plate (32) such that the other side is then cooked. A pump unit (37) pumps the mixture from a tank (39) to the pouring tube (38). A spatula (34) assists in dispensing the partially cooked disc from the hot plate (31). The machine operates cyclically and automatically while mixture remains in the tank (39).
New Horizons of Genomic in situ Hybridization

This review summarizes conventional and recent applications of genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). GISH is a well recognized technique, but its modifications and applications have not been widely used. Here, we show how modifications to the GISH technique can be used as tools to ‘paint’ plant chromosomes. In addition, we describe novel applications, e.g. how GISH banding could be used for karyotyping plant chromosomes. We further discuss recent phylogenetic applications of GISH that allow a semiquantitative signal analysis and the possibility of comparing and combining this cytogenetic technique with DNA sequence-based phylogenetic trees.
Prohormone-Convertase 1 Processing Enhances Post-Golgi Sorting of Prothyrotropin-releasing Hormone-derived Peptides*

Rat prothyrotropin-releasing hormone (pro-TRH) is endoproteolyzed within the regulated secretory pathway of neuroendocrine cells yielding five TRH peptides and seven to nine other unique peptides. Endoproteolysis is performed by two prohormone convertases, PC1 and PC2. Proteolysis of pro-TRH begins in the trans-Golgi network and forms two intermediates that are then differentially processed as they exit the Golgi and are packaged into immature secretory granules. We hypothesized that this initial endoproteolysis may be necessary for downstream sorting of pro-TRH-derived peptides as it occurs before Golgi exit and thus entry into the regulated secretory pathway. We now report that when pro-TRH is transiently expressed in GH4C1 cells, a neuroendocrine cell line lacking PC1, under pulse-chase conditions release is constitutive and composed of more immature processing intermediates. This is also observed by radioimmunoassay under steady-state conditions. When a mutant form of pro-TRH, which has the dibasic sites of initial processing mutated to glycines, is expressed in AtT20 cells, a neuroendocrine cell line endogenously expressing PC1, both steady-state and pulse-chase experiments revealed that peptides derived from this mutant precursor are secreted in a constitutive fashion. A constitutively secreted form of PC1 does not target pro-TRH peptides to the constitutive secretory pathway but results in sorting to the regulated secretory pathway. These results indicated that initial processing action of PC1 on pro-TRH in the trans-Golgi network, and not a cargo-receptor relationship, is important for the downstream sorting events that result in storage of pro-TRH-derived peptides in mature secretory granules.
Prevention of Type II Diabetes by Physical Training: Epidemiological considerations and study methods

Disease prevention may be considered at three levels: primary (avoiding disease occurrence), secondary (early detection and reversal), and tertiary (prevention or delay of complications). Physical exercise could potentially contribute to all of these. Metabolic studies suggest the major effect of exercise is at the level of insulin sensitivity/resistance. Therefore, it may have the greatest benefit in primary prevention and in the early stages of the disease. Studies of migrants and of active and inactive professions support this notion. There is also provisional support for the benefit of exercise on metabolic control and prevention or delay of chronic complications in non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetic patients. In designing a trial of exercise, aspects such as single/multifactorial intervention, the age range of subjects, and choice of outcome measures must be considered. The most widely used methodological tool in assessing physical activity levels in population studies is the activity questionnaire, which is nonreactive, practical, applicable, and accurate relative to other methods. A positive approach to exercise training for both the patient with type II diabetes and the general community appears to be warranted. However, trials examining the efficacy of activity intervention, with independent evaluation of both short- and long-term outcomes, are still needed.
Inhibition of PAH transport by parathyroid hormone in OK cells : involvement of protein kinase C pathway

Nagai, Junya, Ikuko Yano, Yukiya Hashimoto, Mikihisa Takano, and Ken-ichi Inui. Inhibition of PAH transport by parathyroid hormone in OK cells: involvement of protein kinase C pathway. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Renal Physiol. 42): F674–F679, 1997. —We have previously shown that the p-aminohippurate (PAH) transport system in OK kidney epithelial cell line is under the regulatory control of protein kinase C. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) could activate protein kinase C, as well as protein kinase A, in OK cells. In the present study, the effect of PTH on PAH transport was studied in OK cells. PTH inhibited the transcellular transport of PAH from the basal to the apical side, as well as the accumulation of PAH in OK cells. Basolateral PAH uptake was inhibited by PTH in a doseand time-dependent manner. Protein kinase A activators did not affect the transcellular transport or the accumulation of PAH. The PTH-induced inhibition of the accumulation of PAH was blocked by a protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine. These results suggest that PTH inhibits the PAH transport in OK cells and that the messenger system mediated by protein kinase C, not protein kinase A, plays an important role in the regulation of PAH transport by PTH.
Cardiac tissue engineering in magnetically actuated scaffolds

Cardiac tissue engineering offers new possibilities for the functional and structural restoration of damaged or lost heart tissue by applying cardiac patches created in vitro. Engineering such functional cardiac patches is a complex mission, involving material design on the nano- and microscale as well as the application of biological cues and stimulation patterns to promote cell survival and organization into a functional cardiac tissue. Herein, we present a novel strategy for creating a functional cardiac patch by combining the use of a macroporous alginate scaffold impregnated with magnetically responsive nanoparticles (MNPs) and the application of external magnetic stimulation. Neonatal rat cardiac cells seeded within the magnetically responsive scaffolds and stimulated by an alternating magnetic field of 5 Hz developed into matured myocardial tissue characterized by anisotropically organized striated cardiac fibers, which preserved its features for longer times than non-stimulated constructs. A greater activation of AKT phosphorylation in cardiac cell constructs after applying a short-term (20 min) external magnetic field indicated the efficacy of magnetic stimulation to actuate at a distance and provided a possible mechanism for its action. Our results point to a synergistic effect of magnetic field stimulation together with nanoparticulate features of the scaffold surface as providing the regenerating environment for cardiac cells driving their organization into functionally mature tissue.
A comparison of shipper and carrier relationship strength

Purpose – Prior research has primarily examined interorganizational relationships from the supplier or customer side or using dyadic pairs. The study aims to offer a comparison of carrier and shipper relationship views using a hybrid research method examining the relationship from both points of view by sampling both populations independently with identical surveys.Design/methodology/approach – Mail surveys were used to collect data from the two samples. Invariance tests were conducted, and the model was analyzed using structural equation modeling (AMOS 5.0). Findings – Invariance tests of the measurement instrument and comparisons of specific results show that, in the context of shippers and carriers, relationships – specifically trust and commitment and the contribution of dependence to relationship strength – are perceived differently.Research limitations/implications – Empirically supporting significant differences in theoretical relationship constructs between the two participants in an interorganizat.
Role of Independent Directors - Enhancing or Otherwise of the Shareholders Wealth- An Empirical Investigation

The present study is an attempt in establishing whether independent directors’ add any value to the firm. The study also aimed at analyzing whether higher amount of network connections amongst the independent directors have any impact on the firm value. Out study establishes that increase in the board size and duality decrease and increases performance respectively which is in contrary to the prediction of the agency theory. The degree centrality of the board, prestige centrality of the board and the proportion of directors from same industry has statistically significant positive effect on firm performance. This established that network resource of the Board of Directors and the embeddedness of the firm to its core industry through Board of Directors have significant positive effect on firm performance and thus establishing the fact that higher the average number of network connection of the directors in a board higher is the firm performance.
Deregulation and wage gaps in Sweden An empirical study of the deregulations of the Swedish bus and taxi sectors and the wage differentials between Swedish born and foreign born.

According to theories of taste discrimination, increased competition on a market will lead to reduced discriminatory wage differentials (see e.g. Becker, 1957). We analyze the impact of the Swedish taxi and bus deregulations on the differences in these sectors in labor earnings between Swedish born and foreign born workers. We estimate the changes in the wage gaps caused by the deregulation. The results show that the differences in labor earnings between Swedish born and foreign born workers in the bus sector did not decrease significantly as a result of the 1989 deregulation. If there were discriminating wage differentials between foreign born and Swedish born in the bus sector, they were not affected by the deregulation. As regards the taxi sector, we find that, before the deregulation, there were only small differences in labor earnings between Swedish born and foreign born workers. After the deregulation, the real labor earnings of foreign born decreased substantially more than for Swedish born. However, the inflow into the taxi sector of foreign born workers after the deregulation increased more than for Swedish born workers, which may have changed the composition of the immigrant workers in this sector.
Customer Churn Prediction in Telecommunication A Decade Review and Classification

Acquisition and the retention of customers are the top most concerns in today's business world. The rapid increase of market in every business is leading to higher subscriber base. Consequently, companies have realized the importance of retaining the on hand customers. It has become mandatory for the service providers to reduce churn rate because the negligence could be resulted as profitability reduction in major perspective. Churn prediction helps in identifying those customers who are likely to leave a company. Telecommunication is coping with the issue of ever increasing churn rate. Data mining techniques enable these telecommunication companies to be equipped with effective methods for reducing churn rate. The paper reviews 61 journal articles to survey the pros and cons of renowned data mining techniques used to build predictive customer churn models in the field of telecommunication and thus providing a roadmap to researchers for knowledge accumulation about data mining techniques in telecom.