Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Economic Value Added Reporting and Corporate Performance: A Study of Satyam Computer Services Ltd

EVA (Economic Value Added) better measures the wealth created by a firm during a period, than does traditional accounting earnings, by explicitly assigning a cost of equity capital and removing the distortions of accounting conventions. The fundamental premise of capitalism is that companies are expected to take financial capital from shareholders and make it worth more. ‘Maximizing shareholder value’ is a popular refrain in the corporate world today. In India, only a few companies like HLL, Infosys Tech. Ltd., Satyam Computers Ltd., Hero Honda etc., go about measuring their shareholder value, although they don’t calculate it scientifically. Satyam Computer Services Ltd., is among the best in the world in terms of market value added (wealth creation) per unit of capital employed, as per third BT-Stern Stewart study. The present study is an attempt to analyze and compare the EVA statement as disclosed by Satyam Computer Services Ltd., and the actual EVA created by it after considering all the adjustments given by Stern Stewart & Company, the founder of EVA concept. In addition, the study also compares the financial performance of Satyam as depicted by the traditional performance parameters like ROCE, RONW, EPS, Growth in EPS, with the new value-based performance measure called EVA. The study concludes that traditional measures do not reflect the real value of shareholders wealth and thus EVA has to be measured scientifically to have a real idea about shareholders value.
Dynamic PIP2 interactions with voltage sensor elements contribute to KCNQ2 channel gating

Significance Many membrane protein functions require phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), a minor phospholipid in the inner leaflet of plasma membranes; however the underlying mechanisms have not been well elucidated. Here, we show that PIP2 might differentially regulate the activities of highly homologous proteins. The voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels Shaker, Kv1.2 and KCNQ2 have similar structural arrangements and voltage sensing mechanisms. Previous studies showed that PIP2 decreases the voltage sensitivity of the Shaker and Kv1.2 channels; we observed that PIP2 up-regulates the voltage sensitivity of the KCNQ2 channel. The differential interactions of PIP2 with these channels contribute to the diversity of PIP2 regulations. Our data suggest that the effects of PIP2 and its interactions with membrane proteins should be studied at a finer scale. The S4 segment and the S4–S5 linker of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels are crucial for voltage sensing. Previous studies on the Shaker and Kv1.2 channels have shown that phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) exerts opposing effects on Kv channels, up-regulating the current amplitude, while decreasing the voltage sensitivity. Interactions between PIP2 and the S4 segment or the S4–S5 linker in the closed state have been highlighted to explain the effects of PIP2 on voltage sensitivity. Here, we show that PIP2 preferentially interacts with the S4–S5 linker in the open-state KCNQ2 (Kv7.2) channel, whereas it contacts the S2–S3 loop in the closed state. These interactions are different from the PIP2–Shaker and PIP2–Kv1.2 interactions. Consistently, PIP2 exerts different effects on KCNQ2 relative to the Shaker and Kv1.2 channels; PIP2 up-regulates both the current amplitude and voltage sensitivity of the KCNQ2 channel. Disruption of the interaction of PIP2 with the S4–S5 linker by a single mutation decreases the voltage sensitivity and current amplitude, whereas disruption of the interaction with the S2–S3 loop does not alter voltage sensitivity. These results provide insight into the mechanism of PIP2 action on KCNQ channels. In the closed state, PIP2 is anchored at the S2–S3 loop; upon channel activation, PIP2 interacts with the S4–S5 linker and is involved in channel gating.
Biomedical applications of sodium MRI in vivo

In this article we present an up‐to‐date overview of the potential biomedical applications of sodium magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in vivo. Sodium MRI is a subject of increasing interest in translational imaging research as it can give some direct and quantitative biochemical information on the tissue viability, cell integrity and function, and therefore not only help the diagnosis but also the prognosis of diseases and treatment outcomes. It has already been applied in vivo in most human tissues, such as brain for stroke or tumor detection and therapeutic response, in breast cancer, in articular cartilage, in muscle, and in kidney, and it was shown in some studies that it could provide very useful new information not available through standard proton MRI. However, this technique is still very challenging due to the low detectable sodium signal in biological tissue with MRI and hardware/software limitations of the clinical scanners. The article is divided in three parts: 1) the role of sodium in biological tissues, 2) a short review on sodium magnetic resonance, and 3) a review of some studies on sodium MRI on different organs/diseases to date.J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;38:511–529. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MEETING THE NEEDS OF TOURISTS: THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF AUSTRALIAN VISITOR INFORMATION CENTERS

Visitor information centers are primarily responsible for promoting local tourism products and services; and consequently, have direct impacts upon the economic, social, and recreational well‐being of the region in which they are located. Research highlights the importance of tailoring center facilities and services to meet the needs and interests of the traveling public, yet there are few studies specifically designed to pinpoint visitors' information requirements. This study was conducted during the mid‐year school holidays and explores tourists' use and perceptions of 18 Australian visitor information centers in Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and Northern Territory. It uses Pearce's (2004) Four Plus model to explore the functions of centers, identifies features that tourists regard as important, and provides an insight into the information needs and travel planning practices of those who use visitor information centers.
Optimal Social Support Practices for Health Care Professionals Who Treat Patients Managing Eating Disorders

Abstract Research indicates that positive social support leads to positive results in the health of individuals managing eating disorders (e.g., Bertera [J Soc Pers Relat 22:33–48, 2005]). The current study set out to understand the specific qualities of supportive interactions those with eating disorders receive from their health care practitioners and report as beneficial as well as the types of support perceived as unhelpful. Through one-on-one interviews with 34 individuals managing eating disorders, the transcribed data indicate recurring forms of helpful and unhelpful social support received from health care professionals. Helpful forms of social support identified include facilitating treatment, encouraging elaboration, holding accountable, demonstrating compassion, and conveying acceptance. Unhelpful forms of support include lecture, use of coercion, discouragement, and criticism. Descriptive explanations of coded findings and implications for application are discussed.
Testing of susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to isoniazid and rifampin by mycobacterium growth indicator tube method

We tested isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis recovered from 117 patients for their susceptibilities to isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's disk modification of the indirect method of proportions (MOP) test and a three-tube mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT; BBL) antimycobacterial susceptibility test (AST). Sixty-seven of the M. tuberculosis isolates were recovered from Lowenstein-Jensen (BBL) subcultures, and 50 of the isolates were recovered from MGIT cultures of samples from various body sites. For the MGIT AST method, 0.5 ml of test organism suspension was inoculated into an MGIT with 0.1 micrograms of INH per ml, an MGIT with 1.0 micrograms of RIF per ml, and growth control MGIT. The tubes were incubated at 37 degrees C and were examined daily. The MGIT AST results were interpreted as follows: susceptible if the tubes containing INH or RIF did not fluoresce within 2 days of the time that the positive growth control fluoresced and resistant if the tubes containing INH or RIF did fluoresce within 2 days of the time that the positive growth control fluoresced. The mean time fluorescence for the positive growth control was 5.5 days. The two methods were in agreement for 114 of the 117 isolates from patients, while for 3 isolates there were minor discordant results.
First Drafts for the Regional Macroeconomic Model of Győr and its Agglomeration

Economic analysis of an area, exploring its macroeconomic relations using quantitative methods, can have a great importance on both national and regional levels. A region’s total production, output, final demand and value added disaggregated to sectoral-territorial level are the key elements of local development and economic growth. A model describing their relations and expected values, suitable for regional forecasting and planning can be an essential tool for the development of the district, capable of elaborating its details and forecasting expected quantified effects. What kind of multiplicative effects can the development of the businesses, governance, investments, local, governmental and EU resources utilized in the area, appearance and disappearance of actors have on the economy of the region? How would the local economy be affected by the change of the final consumption’s level and structure, the import demand of the consumption and production from outside the region or the country, or the increase of the export? What kind of impact could the technological changes or the shift of the supplier relations have on a region? Does the application of certain local tax allowances or other incentives have a positive net result for the governance and economy? Answers to these questions could be found with this model. The applications and the groups of potential users can be diverse. Calculations with the model can be utilized not only in impact studies, but also as a decision support tool for the actors of the regional governance or private sector. It can also be helpful for the assessment and enforcement of the bargaining power of businesses, non-profit organizations and consumers as well.
Economic Growth and Equality of Opportunity

The paper proposes an approach to understand the relationship between inequality and economic growth obtained by shifting the analysis from the space of final achievements to the space of opportunities. To this end, it introduces a formal framework based on the concept of the Opportunity Growth Incidence Curve. This framework can be used to evaluate the income dynamics of specific groups of the population and to infer the role of growth in the evolution of inequality of opportunity over time. The paper shows the relevance of the introduced framework by providing two empirical analyses, one for Italy and the other for Brazil. These analyses show the distributional impact of the recent growth experienced by Brazil and the recent crisis suffered by Italy from both the income inequality and opportunity inequality perspectives.
Pricing European commodity swaptions

In this paper, formulas for commodity swaptions are presented. By utilizing the forward price based approach a simple closed form solution for European swaptions is derived based on the assumption of deterministic volatility for lognormal variables. The formulas result from applying the Margrabe (1978) exchange option concept to the present problem. A special case of constant volatility yields the Black (1976) formula that has been the market standard in the interest rate swaption markets for many years.
Reactive Oxygen Species Influence Nerve Growth Factor Synthesis in Primary Rat Astrocytes

Abstract: Newborn rat brain astrocytes, cultured in a serum‐free medium, were exposed for 30 min to two types of reactive oxygen species. Cells were either treated with the xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XOD) system, which generates both H2O2 and the O2βradical, or to H2O2 alone. Both treatments induced a dose‐dependent accumulation of nerve growth factor (NGF) transcripts, 6 h after the exposure. Maximal effect was obtained with 6 mU/ml XOD, or 10–4M H2O2. A rapid expression of protooncogenes of the jun and fos families was also noticed in X/XOD‐or H2O2‐treated cells. This phenomenon was transient in cells exposed to X/XOD. However, in the case of H2O2‐treated cells, the accumulation of c‐fos or c‐jun mRNAs was still pronounced 6 h after the end of the treatment and the levels of cell‐secreted NGF appeared relatively reduced, when compared with those obtained after a shock with the X/XOD system. This raised the possibility that H2O2 at 10–4M could depress protein synthesis. Measurements of the incorporation of radiolabeled amino acids into trichloroacetic acid‐precipitable material supported this assumption. Level of radioactivity associated with cellular material was dramatically reduced in H2O2‐treated cells, when it was compared with control or XI XOD‐trreated cells. Furthermore, treatment of cells with the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin had an effect similar to that of H2O2 because it caused an accumulation of c‐fos, c‐jun, and NGF transcripts after 6 h of treatment. It is concluded that the effect of H2O2 results from an impairment of protein synthesis, which is accompanied by the “superinduction” of c‐fos, c‐jun, or NGF genes. To understand better the effect of X/XOD, the reaction was conducted in the presence of a large excess of catalase, which removes H2O2. The presence of catalase reduced the amplitude of the response of the NGF gene to the X/XOD treatment. Conversely, low doses of H2O2 and X/ XOD were more efficient for the production of NGF than each treatment alone. These results suggest that both O2β and H2O2 are important metabolites in the process of activation of the NGF gene, possibly via the formation of the OH* radical or other reactive products, which could constitute active regulatory molecules.
The discriminative stimulus effects of mecamylamine in nicotine-treated and untreated rhesus monkeys

The extent to which chronic nicotine treatment can alter the effects of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist mecamylamine, and whether those effects can be attenuated by nicotine have not been clearly established in the literature. Here, the discriminative stimulus effects of mecamylamine were compared between one group of rhesus monkeys receiving a continuous infusion of nicotine base (5.6 mg/kg/day subcutaneously) and another group of monkeys not receiving nicotine treatment. Both groups responded under a fixed ratio 5 schedule of stimulus-shock termination. Stimulus control was obtained at doses of 1.78 mg/kg mecamylamine in monkeys receiving continuous nicotine and 5.6 mg/kg mecamylamine in monkeys not receiving continuous nicotine treatment. Nicotine did not attenuate the discriminative stimulus effects of mecamylamine in either group. Discontinuation of continuous nicotine produced responding on the mecamylamine lever within 24 h in some but not all monkeys. This may indicate a qualitative difference in the discriminative stimulus effects of mecamylamine between groups, perhaps reflecting antagonism of nicotine and nicotine withdrawal in monkeys receiving continuous nicotine. The failure of nicotine to reverse the effects of mecamylamine is consistent with a noncompetitive interaction at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and indicates that mecamylamine-induced withdrawal cannot be readily modified by nicotine.
The Future of the Eurozone

We argue first that the Eurozone crisis has left a legacy of unsustainable government debt levels. These will continue to exert a deflationary dynamics in the Eurozone except if creditor nations are willing to contemplate a debt restructuring. Second, we argue that the institutional innovations since the start of the debt crisis fall short of what is needed to solve the design failures of the Eurozone. In addition, they are not sustainable, mainly because they have led to a situation where bureaucratic institutions have been vested with more responsibilities without a concomitant increase in the democratic legitimacy of these institutions. We conclude that the Euro crisis is not over.
In vitro cytochrome P450-mediated hepatic activities for five substrates in specific pathogen free chickens.

Total hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP) content as well as in vitro CYP mediated activities for five substrates [bufuralol 1-hydroxylation, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation, S-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylation, testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation, and tolbutamide hydroxylation] were measured in specific pathogen free male Japanese leghorn chickens and male beagle dogs. The Vmax, Km and intrinsic clearance (Vmax/Km) for these substrates were calculated and compared between animal species in order to evaluate the drug catalytic activity in chicken liver. The total CYP content in chicken (0.296 +/- 0.04 nmol/mg microsomal protein) was close to levels reported for other species including humans, cats, pigs and some nonmammalian vertebrates (e.g. snakes, frogs and trout fish), but was lower than levels measured in dogs (1.11 +/- 0.22) or recorded in guinea-pigs, hamsters, monkeys, mice, rabbits, rats, horse and ruminants. Bufuralol 1-hydroxylation, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation, S-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylation, and testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation were lower in chickens than in dogs based on intrinsic clearance. On the other hand, tolbutamide hydroxylation was markedly higher in chickens than in dogs.
The speed of intracellular signal transfer for chloroplast movement

The photoreceptors for chloroplast photorelocation movement have been known, but the signal(s) raised by photoreceptors remains unknown. To know the properties of the signal(s) for chloroplast accumulation movement, we examined the speed of signal transferred from light-irradiated area to chloroplasts in gametophytes of Adiantum capillus-veneris. When dark-adapted gametophyte cells were irradiated with a microbeam of various light intensities of red or blue light for 1min or continuously, the chloroplasts started to move towards the irradiated area. The speed of signal transfer was calculated from the relationship between the timing of start moving and the distance of chloroplasts from the microbeam and was found to be constant at any light conditions. In prothallial cells, the speed was about 1.0 μm min-1 and in protonemal cells about 0.7 μm min-1 towards base and about 2.3 μm min-1 towards the apex. We confirmed the speed of signal transfer in Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll cells under continuous irradiation of blue light, as was about 0.8 μm min-1. Possible candidates of the signal are discussed depending on the speed of signal transfer.
Modelling the success factors for national R&D organizations: a case of India

Purpose – National policy makers in India have realized that the research and development (RD top management commitment (TMC); customer focus and market orientation; organization culture, etc.Findings – Clear RD organization culture and human resource focus; RD and customer focus and market orientation have emerged as the critical factors for improving performance of natio.
Ac drive system for two motors based on standard three-leg converter

This paper proposes a multimotor drive based on a commercial three-leg converter. The topology is composed by a standard three-leg converter supplying two machines in a parallel connection. A Permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) and Single-phase induction motor (SPIM) are used in this work. The configuration is suitable for applications which is required independent control of two machines from a standard converter. Relevant characteristics of the converter is presented, such as: voltage capability, capacitor currents, PWM modulation. Details of the vector control implemented is addressed. Additionally, is applied a sensorless strategy to control the PMSM machine, thus, it is possible to increase the mechanical robustness and reduction of the cost and volume of the system. The proposed method is implemented in a test setup. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed topology.
Garlic Oil Enhances Hepatic and Blood Antioxidants During Hamster Buccal Pouch Carcinogenesis

We analyzed the protective effect of garlic oil on hepatic and blood lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant status during buccal pouch carcinogenesis induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) in male Syrian hamsters. Enhanced lipid peroxidation in the liver and blood of tumor-bearing animals was accompanied by a significant decrease in antioxidant levels. Topical application of garlic oil effectively suppressed oral carcinomas, decreased lipid peroxidation, and enhanced antioxidant levels. Our results suggest that garlic oil may exert its chemopreventive effects by modulating lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant status in the liver and blood.
Ethical Sensitivity of College Students in a Developing Country

Abstract This study investigates whether college students' ethical sensitivity and preferences for inclusion of ethics courses in their curriculum vary by their demographic characteristics such as gender, age, family income, and school status as to college major, grade and school ownership (state/private). Findings are based on responses to a 54-item questionnaire administered in Turkey to 677 college students of various grades (sophomores, juniors and seniors) in various majors, namely, Business Administration, Tourism Administration, Finance & Accounting, Economics, Econometrics, International Relations, Political Sciences and Public Administration. Results reveal significant differences in ethical sensitivity only by gender and college major. Female students have higher ethical sensitivity than their male counterparts. Business students have lower ethical sensitivity than students in other majors. However, students demonstrate no significant difference in ethical sensitivity by age, school grade, family income or school ownership status. Having had an ethics course has led to no significant difference in ethical sensitivity either. As a further note, students with higher ethical sensitivity prefer inclusion of a compulsory ethics course in their curriculum whereas those with lower ethical sensitivity tend to keep ethics course away from curriculum.
Target Profits and Managerial Discipline during the Conglomerate Merger Wave

This paper takes a close look at the extraordinarily high premerger profit rates of target companies during the conglomerate merger wave. Both publicly traded.and privately owned targets were significantly more profitable than other firms in their industries and size classes. This implies that managerial discipline was not a predominant takeover motive during the period. However, public targets were less profitable than private targets and the largest public targets earned only average profits. This suggests that managerial discipline may have been important for the few takeovers that involved large publicly traded targets. Copyright 1993 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.