Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards a Five-Step Institutional Income Diversification Strategy for Institutions of Higher Education

This paper discusses the strategic perspectives of financial management which are highlighted in a five-step Institutional Income Diversification Model for Institutions of Higher Education. It focuses on the need for adopting or strengthening corporate principles of financial management, corporate methods of raising capital, establishment of income generating activities, strategic acquisitions, institutional mergers, establishment of commercial projects, treating higher education as an export and involving students and other stakeholders in the financial resource mobilization drive. It argues that, in order to tackle the challenge of inadequate funding, Institutions of Higher Education should re-examine their priorities, re-organize their financial management structures, re-orient their administrative processes and diversify their income sources. This will necessitate a change from the highly bureaucratic organizational design of most of the institutions to a corporate model that pays attention to market forces and private sector principles of financial management.
Investors' perception of causes for radical strategic change in high technology new ventures

New ventures dealing with high technology operate in a turbulent environment are frequently involved in radical changes in their strategy while aligning internal resources and capabilities to the changing environment. This study explores the common causes to radical strategic changes in high technology new ventures and whether they are predominately initiated more by external rather than internal events, and by favorable rather than unfavorable factors. We analyzed a dataset of 60 phrases extracted from interviews with 16 venture capital investors of 8 developed countries regarding 36 radical strategic changes they had experienced in their 76 investments. Findings show unfavorable events are significantly more common than favorable events and internal factors were found only marginally significant more likely than external factors in causing radical strategic changes. Further research is required to validate these findings. INTRODUCTION A growing body of literature refers to strategy change and the associated dynamic capabilities aimed at obtaining competitive advantage. It is assumed that in turbulent environments the ability to reconfigure internal and external competencies will eventually earn higher returns over competitors (Teece, Pisano and Shuen 1997, McKelvie and Davidson 2009). This strategic reorientation can be performed by small incremental changes or by a more punctuated and radical manner. Research has shown that despite the risk involved, radical changes in strategy are likely to occur specially in turbulent environments. However, as stated by Pajunen (2005:416) "One of the basic objectives in strategy research is to discover causes", and the question of what causes or initiates radical changes in strategy of new ventures is mostly uncovered. Radical Strategic Change (RSC) is a common event in high technology new ventures, representing a conflict between the proposed new opportunity and the risk of departing from the planned and approved strategy. Substantial theoretical and empirical work has been done regarding strategy changes in mature organizations; indicating poor performance as a main AGSE 2010
Computer Aided X-Ray Diffraction Intensity Analysis for Spinels: Hands-On Computing Experience

The mineral having chemical compositional formula MgAl2O4 is called “spinel”. The ferrites crystallize in spinel structure are known as spinel-ferrites or ferro-spinels. The spinel structure has a fcc cage of oxygen ions and the metallic cations are distributed among tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) interstitial voids (sites). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) intensity of each Bragg plane is sensitive to the distribution of cations in the interstitial voids of the spinel lattice. This leads to the method of determination of distribution of cations in the spinel oxides through XRD intensity analysis. The computer program for XRD intensity analysis has been developed in C language and also tested for the real experimental situation by synthesizing the spinel ferrite materials Mg0.6Zn0. 4AlxFe2xO4 and characterized them by X-ray diffractometry. The compositions of Mg0.6Zn0. 4AlxFe2-xO4(x = 0.0 to 0.6) ferrites have been prepared by ceramic method and powder X-ray diffraction patterns were recorded. Thus, the authenticity of the program is checked by comparing the theoretically calculated data using computer simulation with the experimental ones. Further, the deduced cation distributions were used to fit the magnetization data using Localized canting of spins approach to explain the “recovery” of collinear spin structure due to Al substitution in Mg-Zn ferrites which is the case if A-site magnetic dilution and non-collinear spin structure. Since the distribution of cations in the spinel ferrites plays a very important role with regard to their electrical and magnetic properties, it is essential to determine the cation distribution in spinel lattice. Keywords—Spinel ferrites, Localized canting of spins, X-ray diffraction, Programming in Borland C.
HHA-based CNN image features for indoor loop closure detection

Loop closure detection is an important part of visual simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) system. Most of traditional loop closure detection approaches using hand-crafted features often lack robustness with respect to object occlusions and illumination changes, especially for the complicated indoor environment. Recently, convolutional neural network (CNN) makes a huge impact on many computer vision and pattern recognition applications. Depth images have complementary information to RGB images, which can encode the structural information of the scene. With the availability of inexpensive RGB-D sensors, it is expected that depth information can increase the accuracy in many computer vision applications. In this paper, we focus on indoor loop closure detection using the depth information. For the first time, we introduce a simple CNN model to train the depth images encoded by HHA method for indoor loop closure detection. The experiment demonstrates that HHA based CNN features can fully utilize the structural information of the scene, which shows that it is preferable than using raw depth images for loop closure detection.
DNA Immunization with Plasmids Encoding Fusion and Nucleocapsid Proteins of Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus Induces a Strong Cell-Mediated Immunity and Protects Calves against Challenge

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) are one of the most important respiratory pathogens of humans and cattle, and there is currently no safe and effective vaccine prophylaxis. In this study, we designed two codon-optimized plasmids encoding the bovine RSV fusion (F) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins and assessed their immunogenicity in young calves. Two administrations of both plasmids elicited low antibody levels but primed a strong cell-mediated immunity characterized by lymphoproliferative response and gamma interferon production in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, this strong cellular response drastically reduced viral replication, clinical signs, and pulmonary lesions after a highly virulent challenge. Moreover, calves that were further vaccinated with a killed-virus vaccine developed high levels of neutralizing antibody and were fully protected following challenge. These results indicate that DNA vaccination could be a promising alternative to the classical vaccines against RSV in cattle and could therefore open perspectives for vaccinating young infants.
Supply chain information and relational alignments: mediators of EDI on firm performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of inter‐organization information exchange on supply chain information and relational alignment. Drawing on literature on information systems, supply chain management, and logistics, the paper aims to present a multidimensional framework for considering electronic data interchange (EDI) adoption in supplier management and its effect on information and relational alignment.Design/methodology/approach – Theories drawn from resource‐dependent and transaction cost economics, and the resource‐based view of the firm were used to establish hypotheses. Structural equation modeling using survey data of manufacturing firms was used to test the hypotheses and research model.Findings – Results support the central premise that firms must consider EDI adoption in supplier management to improve information and relational alignment between supply chain partners. It is through this alignment that firms achieve superior performance.Research limitations/implicati.
The Link Analysis on Websites of Universities Libraries in USA——Taking Websites of Thirty Universities libraries in USA As an Example

Choosing the websites of thirty universities libraries in USA as research sample,using AltaVista and Alltheweb as search tools.Based on the statistical analysis of links of library websites,this paper points out the correlation between the quantitative measurements of its links and university ranking and academic reputation of universities,and brings forward some parameters which will be used on evaluating the quality of universities libraries' websites.Finally, the paper draws a conclusion of the reliability and uniformity of search engine.
Making the Cut: Modeling and Analyzing Choice Set Restriction in Scanner Panel Data

The authors develop an approach to determine and analyze choice set restriction on the basis of secondary source information on consumer purchase histories. Individual-level choice sets are estimated using a Bayesian updating procedure in conjunction with the multinomial logit model. The authors apply the procedure to scanner panel data for the liquid laundry detergent category. An analysis of estimated choice sets across panelists reveals that market share does not “go hand-in-hand” with choice set share (the percentage of choice sets in which a brand is a member). Examining choice set membership patterns, such as the cooccurrence of brands in the same product line, also provides insight into sister-brand cannibalization. Estimation results also show that promotions can expand choice sets, providing excluded brands a means to gain entry and long-term sales benefits.
Enhanced algorithm for QRS detection using discrete wavelet transform (DWT)

This paper aims at the detection of QRS position from the ECG signal using wavelet coefficients. An enhanced algorithm has been proposed in this work in order to approve the performance of QRS detection. This algorithm is based on three level, namely detection of suspect QRS regions, the discarding of false detected regions and the extraction of the highest peaks of the true QRS regions detected. This method has been tested on some of the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia database signals. The results of this method are promising in comparison with alternative methods recently published.
Demystifying customer brand engagement: Exploring the loyalty nexus

Abstract With its conceptual roots in fields including psychology and organisational behaviour, the engagement concept is emerging in the marketing literature, with preliminary research indicating that engaged consumers might exhibit greater loyalty to focal brands. Despite these advancements, the engagement concept remains underexplored to date. This paper addresses this gap by reviewing literature in other disciplines and marketing, and developing a tripartite customer brand-engagement conceptualisation comprising activation, identification, and absorption dimensions. Further, a conceptual model illustrating the conceptually distinct nature of and relationships between customer brand engagement and other marketing constructs is proposed, followed by a customer engagement/loyalty-based segmentation analysis. Enhanced insights into customer engagement are expected to be valuable for marketing scholars and practitioners seeking to enhance customer relationships, retention, and loyalty. The paper thus concludes with a set of research and practitioner implications, which may be used to guide future developments in this promising area.
Effect of Isoflurane on Myocardial Energetic and Oxidative Stress in Cardiac Muscle from Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rat

The effect of inhalational anesthetics on myocardial contraction and energetics in type 2 diabetes mellitus is unknown. We investigated the effect of isoflurane (ISO) on force and intracellular Ca2+ transient (iCa), myocardial oxygen consumption (MVo2), and energetics/redox behavior in trabecular muscles from Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. At baseline, force and corresponding iCa were lower in ZDF trabeculae than in controls. ISO decreased force in both groups in a dose-dependent manner. ISO did not affect iCa amplitude in controls, but ISO > 1.5% significantly reduced iCa amplitude in ZDF trabeculae. ISO-induced force depression fully recovered as a result of increased iCa when external Ca2+ was raised in controls. However, both force and iCa remained low in ZDF muscle at elevated external Ca2+. In controls, force, iCa, and MVo2 increased when stimulation frequency was increased from 0.5 to 1.5 Hz. ZDF muscles, however, exhibited blunted responses in force and iCa and decreased MVo2. Oxidative stress levels were unchanged in control muscles but increased significantly in ZDF muscles after exposure to ISO. Finally, the depressive effect of ISO was prevented by 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (Tempol) in ZDF muscles. These findings suggest that ISO dose-dependently attenuates force in control and ZDF muscles with differential effect on iCa. The mechanism of force depression by ISO in controls is mainly decreased myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity, whereas in ZDF muscles the ISO-induced decrease in contraction is due to worsening oxidative stress, which inhibits iCa and force development.
New VLT observations of the Fermi pulsar PSR J1048-5832

PSR J1048-5832 is a Vela-like (P=123.6 ms; tau~20.3 kyr) gamma-ray pulsar detected by Fermi, at a distance of ~2.7 kpc and with a rotational energy loss rate dot{E}_{SD} ~2 x 10^{36} erg/s. The PSR J1048-5832 field has been observed with the VLT in the V and R bands. We used these data to determine the colour of the object detected closest to the Chandra position (Star D) and confirm that it is not associated with the pulsar. For the estimated extinction along the line of sight, inferred from a re-analysis of the Chandra and XMM-Newton spectra, the fluxes of Star D (V~26.7; R~25.8) imply a -0.13 26.4; V>27.6) with the extrapolation of the X and gamma-ray spectra and constrained the pulsar spectrum at low-energies. In particular, the VLT upper limits suggest that the pulsar spectrum could be consistent with a single power-law, stretching from the gamma-rays to the optical.
Comparison of Linear Accruals Models to Assess Their Ability to Predict Earnings Management

This research compared the accruals linear models to assess their ability to predict earnings management and demonstrate the experiences of different performance levels. The fundamental factor of earnings management test in companies is the estimate of managing director and managers’ opinion in determining profit which is based on measurement and the use of discretionary accruals. Literature approaches based on earnings management indicate the existence of different approaches in estimating and measure the discretionary accruals. Researcher use several models in account research for predict earnings management in companies . In this research, six models, including models of accruals Jones, modified Jones model, Jones performance model on ROA (Return on assets), the modified Jones model performance on ROA, Jones performance model on lagged ROA and modified Jones model performance on lagged ROA are compared to the best model to predict earnings management is detected. Used data is related to 801 accepted companies in Tehran stock exchange between 2008 to 2012. The research hypothesis has been tested with use of multiple regression models and econometrics of combined data. The results showed that the modified Jones model performance on ROA studied toward other models and have greatest power in the detection of discretionary accruals for predict earnings management among accepted companies in Tehran stock exchange.
Activation of V kappa gene rearrangement in pre‐B cells follows the expression of membrane‐bound immunoglobulin heavy chains.

During B cell development V kappa gene rearrangement seems to occur only in mu‐positive pre‐B cells. To study the role of the mu chain in the activation of the Ig kappa locus, we introduced expression vectors carrying different forms of the mu gene into null pre‐B cells. The activation of the Ig kappa locus followed the expression of the membrane form (micron) of the mu chain. The expression of the secreted form (microS) did not result in the activation of the Ig kappa locus. We further show that both forms of the mu chain differ in their intracellular transport in pre‐B cells.
Assessing New Zealand Householders’ Home Use Behaviours: How Energy Efficient are they?

Abstract In New Zealand, the government has developed an energy strategy to respond to the challenges of climate change. One of the target areas is “Energywise Homes” aimed to make homes more energy efficient. This paper outlines results from research conducted in 2011 to examine householders’ preferences in relation to the size of homes they live in, the appliances they buy and the way they use their homes. These factors help determine how energy efficient homes are. Further, as the NZ Green Building Council introduced a rating tool for homes, Homestar™, the paper investigates householders’ awareness of the new tool and any experience they may have had in using it. The results help identify where energy inefficiencies occur within the home and what behavioural and policy changes are needed to increase the uptake of energy efficiency and sustainability practices in homes.
Leaving the corporate fold: examining spin-off actions and performance

Leaving the Corporate Fold: Examining Spin-Off Actions and Performance. (August 2003) Matthew Briggs Semadeni, B.S., Brigham Young University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Albert A. Cannella, Jr. This research examines the exit of a subsidiary from its corporate parent through spin-off, the actions taken by the firm management post spin-off, and the performance implications of those actions, all from the spin-off’s perspective. While spin-off announcements are generally met with a positive stock market reaction, what occurs post spin-off remains largely unexamined, with performance predictions regarding spin-off firms often being equivocal. This raises questions as to what generates positive performance for spin-off firms, with agency, transaction cost, and upper echelons theories offering differing, and sometimes conflicting, predictions. By integrating these theoretical perspectives, a model of managerial action and its performance implications is presented. The model examines how the formation of new top management, the establishment of managerial monitoring and incentives, and the severance effects from leaving the corporate structure affect strategic, financial, and institutional actions, and how these actions affect performance. The theory and hypotheses developed in this research are empirically tested on a sample of 176 corporate spin-offs completed by publicly traded firms between 1986 and 1997. Results for the action-based models indicate that background of the CEO or the
State Bank of Pakistan: Evolution, Functions and Organization

This documents attempts to present, in a concise manner the historical evolution,the various functions, as well as the present organizational setup of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). There was a great need for such a study and I am glad that Mr. Farooq Arby, a research economist at SBP has come up with this paper by skilfully presenting different dimensions of this organization.
Classifying defects in software maintenance to support decisions using hierarchical ODC

Software maintenance is a critical part in software life cycle where fast production deployment and effectiveness for high quality software are pressure factors. For cloud and regular Service Providers such as out sourcing enterprises it is a key factor of success due to service level agreements closed to customer needs. Although, more high level tools of system monitoring are available into market to increase high availability, a lot of software packages go to service providers with fatal bugs. The effectiveness in terms of service components failure identification and priorities definition focused on incidents information are few used. This paper presents a method to extend orthogonal defect classification (ODC) in terms of triggers and sources attributes in a hierarchical way to improve technical support decisions in service providers. This approach classifies better errors on this phase using service components in software maintenance from incidents history. The ODC original triggers and sources are decomposed in values closely related to software maintenance service components without change the orthogonality essence of original ODC using a drill-down feature. These attributes are used with ODC defect type and ODC impact in a multi- dimensional modeling. This method reaches better service errors identification, remove it earlier than standard methods and better process feedback to manage service provider decisions. The method suggests an improvement in service providers functionality based on experiments.
Legal Compliance and Technical Capability for Privacy-sensitive Data Protection in the Cloud

Many privacy-preserving techniques have been developed to address the privacy issues in different data sharing scenarios that are used in the field related to records and data management (Fung et al., 2010; Mohammed et al., 2013; Park, 2014). The emergence of cloud computing has significantly improved the potential of sharing records and data. However, the major obstacle to adopting this technology in the public sector is a lack of trust in sufficient security and privacy protection. Research has shown that simply removing explicit identification information of patients, participants or citizens, including the person’s name, social insurance number, telephone number, and address, is insufficient for privacy protection. Therefore, there is a need to assess the privacy-preserving techniques and tools that are available and popular in the field and test how well these techniques can actually help protect privacy and security to records managers at the real settings (e.g. privacy and security sensitive institutions, such as government agencies or health institutions). Government agencies hold a large amount of citizens’ data with their privacy information on the data (e.g. social insurance number, etc.). Health agencies also create, use and house a large amount of patients’ data with their health information, such as blood type, disease, drug, etc. These institutions tend to be more sensitive with privacy information in their data sets. It is important to examine whether legal requirements as minimum requirements that are based on government privacy guidelines are satisfactory from a viewpoint of records management in implementing privacy-preserving techniques and tools at different institutional settings in re