Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managerial engagement with climate change in small and medium-sized enterprises

If the response to climate change is to include a transition to a low carbon economy, then the role of small businesses will be vital. As employers, innovators, polluters and carbon users, small businesses have significant combined impacts and opportunities. Within the framework of ecological modernisation, government policy has taken a largely voluntary approach to engaging small businesses with pro-environmental behaviour. Research has consistently found small businesses to be resistant to business greening and taken a predominantly positivist approach to identifying the barriers and drivers to behaviour and to measuring the effectiveness of different policy measures. In this study, the Schwartz Value System (SVS) is used within a qualitative research design to contribute new insight into how managers make sense of climate change. The thesis demonstrates the role of values in sensemaking and the need to engage with individuals within small businesses through the value-based frames they hold. In particular, this research shows that the win-win approach aimed at encouraging SMEs to save money, save the planet through voluntary engagement strategies over-simplifies managerial motivation. The managers in this study drawing on the self-enhancing value of Power most clearly reflected win-win ideas, except that they encapsulated the save money but not the save the planet message. Environmental protection, found within Universalism values, was only demonstrated by managers drawing on Achievement. In making sense of climate change, managers constructed their ideas using a mix of self enhancing, self-transcending, open and conservation values. To fully engage SME managers with climate change, policy makers need to take a more sophisticated approach to explicitly engaging individual with values.
Factors related to long-term outcome after decompressive surgery for ossification of the ligamentum flavum of the thoracic spine.

OBJECT Factors related to long-term surgical outcome of thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) have not been fully investigated. To evaluate these factors, the authors reviewed medical records obtained in patients who had undergone decompressive surgery for thoracic OLF. METHODS Thirty-four patients in whom decompressive surgery was performed for thoracic OLF (mean follow-up period 8 years) were recruited. Fourteen patients underwent simultaneous decompressive surgery for cervical or lumbar lesions. Patient age, duration of symptoms, OLF type, dural adhesion, neurological status classified by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scale before and after surgery (1 month postoperatively and at final follow up), and recovery rate were reviewed. The ossified ligamentum flavum was classified into five types according to Sato's classification by assessing preoperative computerized tomography scans. The mean preoperative JOA score (5) was significantly improved at 1 month after surgery (7.1) and at final follow up (7.9) (p < 0.05). Recovery rates at 1 month and at final follow up were 34.6 and 44.2%, respectively. No significant correlations were found between age, OLF type, and neurological status before and after surgery. In patients with dural adhesion, which was observed in cases of larger-type OLF (p < 0.02), lower JOA scores were observed compared with those in patients without dural adhesion both preoperatively and at 1 month after surgery (p < 0.05) but not at the final follow-up examination. Higher JOA scores and recovery rates were demonstrated in patients who had undergone simultaneous surgery than in those who had not undergone simultaneous surgery at 1 month (p < 0.05) but not at the final follow up. Using multiple regression analysis, the authors identified the duration of preoperative symptoms as the most important predictor of a high JOA score and recovery rate at the final follow up. CONCLUSIONS Duration of preoperative symptoms represents the most important predictor of long-term surgery-related outcome in patients treated for thoracic OLF. The type of ossified ligamentum flavum, dural adhesion, and simultaneous surgery for coexistent cervical or lumbar lesions do not appear to influence the long-term postoperative prognosis.
A simulation-based framework to evaluate strategies for managing global inbound supply risk

Supply chain risk management (SCRM) has emerged as an issue of critical importance for today's globalised supply chains. This topic still presents obstacles in practice, especially in terms of evaluating alternatives for managing risks. Therefore, the aim of this research is to study the impact that specific risk-reduction strategies could have on supply lead time and on the related logistics cost and to offer a tool to support companies in the implementation of these strategies. A simulation-based framework in order to assess the effectiveness and the efficiency of the SCRM strategies under consideration has been developed. The framework was applied to two real-life case studies, providing a better understanding of the key elements impacting on the choice of the optimal SCRM strategy.
Fee for Service, Outperformance or Assets Under Management? Indications from Generalized Log Utility

We investigate efficient fee structures for actively managed funds when both the investor-principal and the prospective manager-agent have utility functions of the generalized log variety. Efficient fees include a fixed component that reflects the manager’s protected consumption. This is a new rationale for a flat component of fees analogous to fee-for-service. Also new is our result that participation is not all or nothing. Specifically, the amount placed with the active manager is equal to the investor’s wealth less the present value of the total protected consumption of the investor and the manager. Efficient fees also include variable components reflecting total assets under management and performance relative to a passive benchmark.
Hardening of the Coulomb gap by electronic polarons.

A one-electron density of states for a system of interacting electrons is obtained in the limit of strong localization. The method is based on making the ground state stable with respect to electronic polaron excitations. The resulting density of states presents a relatively small hard gap of the order of a fifth of the Coulomb gap.
MotX, the channel component of the sodium-type flagellar motor

Thrust for propulsion of flagellated bacteria is generated by rotation of a propeller, the flagellum. The power to drive the polar flagellar rotary motor of Vibrio parahaemolyticus is derived from the transmembrane potential of sodium ions. Force is generated by the motor on coupling of the movement of ions across the membrane to rotation of the flagellum. A gene, motX, encoding one component of the torque generator has been cloned and sequenced. The deduced protein sequence is 212 amino acids in length. MotX was localized to the membrane and shown to interact with MotY, which is the presumed stationary component of the motor. Overproduction of MotX, but not that of a nonfunctional mutant MotX, was lethal to Escherichia coli. The rate of lysis caused by induction of motX was proportional to the sodium ion concentration. Li+ and K+ substituted for Na+ to promote lysis, while Ca2+ did not enhance lysis. Protection from the lethal effects of induction of motX was afforded by the sodium channel blocker amiloride. The data suggest that MotX forms a sodium channel. The deduced protein sequence for MotX shows no homology to its ion-conducting counterpart in the proton-driven motor; however, in possessing only one hydrophobic domain, it resembles other channels formed by small proteins with single membrane-spanning domains.
Using Ontological Semantic Agent to Data Extraction in the Context of Big Data : a tool applied to Higher Education Institutions

The large increase in the creation and dissemination of data on the Internet can offer information of high value-added to organizations. This information can be provided by heterogeneous databases that may not be considered relevant by most systems, e.g., social media data, blogs and more. If organizations would use such sources, they could build a new management vision known as Competitive Intelligence. In the context of architectures of Information Retrieval, this research aims on implementing a semantic extraction agent for the Web environment, allowing information finding, storage, processing and retrieval, such as those from the Big Data context produced by several informational sources on the Internet, serving as a basis for the implementation of information environments for decision support. Using this method, it will be possible to verify that the agent and ontology proposal addresses this part and can play the role of a semantic level of the architecture.
Improvement of Radiation Efficiency for Frequency Beam-Scanning Antennas Using a Subarray Topology

In this paper, a new approach is proposed to improve the radiation efficiency of a frequency beam-scanning antenna. In this proposed approach, the entire antenna is divided into two subarrays and each subarray includes one primary slow-wave line. Parameters of these two primary slow-wave lines are identical to each other, to achieve identical progressive phase difference between elements within either subarray. Meanwhile, a secondary slow-wave line is designed and connected to the beginning of one of the two primary slow-wave lines, to introduce an additional phase difference between these two subarrays. The above setup provides more flexibility for the allocation of phase-delay units and thus enables a possibility to reduce the overall length and transmission loss of the slow-wave line utilized in a frequency beam-scanning array, which leads to a better radiation efficiency. In order to demonstrate the above topology, a novel microstrip-to-stripline power-divider and a novel broadband magneto-electric dipole element are proposed in multilayer configurations, for the realization of a 20-element prototype centered at 8.75 GHz. A reduction of 29.2% is achieved for the overall loss compared to a conventional array when achieving a scanning range of ±30°.
The Role of Information Quality and Efficacy Beliefs in Predicting Chinese People's Information Seeking about Air Pollution Risk

Information seeking is suggested as an important precursor of self-protective behavior. Therefore, ways of enhancing information seeking are expected to help individuals’ precautionary action under conditions of risk. Builds upon previous efforts, a social-cognitive model of risk information seeking is constructed, presenting a new approach to meet the aforementioned expectation. Data were collected from a sample of Mainland Chinese people (N=1032). Results of path analysis demonstrated satisfactory model fit. Explanations on how the cognitive process resulted in information seeking may create a better understanding of individual behavior. Findings provide practical implications for communicating risks and for helping the public to make better decisions.
Informational content of general election results announcement at the Nairobi securities exchange

Elections not earnings are now driving financial markets around the world. Price Earnings ratios determine the performance of many stock exchanges and a major source of all that stomachchurning stock-market volatility where the abnormal returns are blamed on elections results announcement. To determine the effects of general results on stock market performance using a case of the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The study adopted event study methodology. The event that affects a firm's market value may be within the firm's control, such as the event of the announcement of a stock split. The target population for this study included: companies trading at the Nairobi Security Exchange as at December 31st 2007 that compute the NSE 20 share Index. Because of the small number of firms and the fact that the study will use secondary data, the study conducted a census hence there was no sampling. Data was obtained from the NSE covering the period between 31st December 1997 and 31st December 2007. The study collected data on NSE 20 share index and market capitalization for NSE for the two general elections results announcement. These dates included 29th December, 2002 and 30th December 2007. The study computed the changes recorded in share prices as measured by the market capitalization and NSE 20 Share index. The study concludes that there is a strong relationship between general election results announcement on stock market performance of the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The announcement of general election results brings with it the hope and stability that otherwise the investors were worried of. As a result, the announcement of general election results brings about the stability in the market and allows the forces of demand and supply to drive the operations of the market. The Government of Kenya needs to create complete independence of the Nairobi Securities Exchange so that operations of the securities exchange are not affected because of its key position in the economy especially in the form of raising long term capital.
STUDYING OF THE BACTERIAL GROWTH PHASES USING FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS

This study examined the potential of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorbance spectroscopy to detect biochemical changes in bacterial cells that occur during bacterial growth phases in batch culture. Two bacterial strains, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Listeria innocua ATCC 51742 were cultured in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth and incubated at 37C and cells recovered at: the lag phase (3 h), the log phase (7 h), the stationary phase (24 h), and the death phase (10 days) from incubation in BHI (n = 2). Major variations in the biochemical structure of bacterial cells during growth were observed. Over the range of 1800–900 cm−1, loadings 1 (principal component [PC] 1) and 2 (PC2) accounted for 88% of the total variability (76% and 12%, respectively) for E. coli cells, and 80% (72% and 8%, respectively) for L. innocua cells. Changes were attributable to cellular structure of bacterial cells (the variation in nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and polysaccharides) that occur during the growth phases. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The focus of this study was to examine Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectral features of bacterial cells at different growth stages and to determine if variations in composition and distribution of the biochemical components of cells during growth phases can be distinguished using this spectroscopic technique. This could explain the primary functional principle behind detection and discrimination of bacteria by FT-IR spectroscopy.
Nanoliposomal Buparvaquone Immunomodulates Leishmania infantum-Infected Macrophages and Is Highly Effective in a Murine Model

ABSTRACT Visceral leishmaniasis is a fatal parasitic neglected disease affecting 1.5 million people worldwide. Based on a drug repositioning approach, the aim of this work was to investigate the in vitro immunomodulatory potential of buparvaquone (BPQ) and to establish a safe regimen to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of BPQ entrapped by negatively charged nanoliposomes (BPQ-LP) in Leishmania infantum-infected hamsters. Small-angle X-ray scattering, dynamic light scattering, and the ζ-potential were applied in order to study the influence of BPQ on the liposome structure. Our data revealed that BPQ was located in the polar-apolar interface, snorkeling the polar region, and protected against aggregation inside the lipophilic region. The presence of BPQ also decreased the Z-average hydrodynamic diameter and increased the surface charge. Compared to intravenous and intramuscular administration, a subcutaneous route was a more effective route for BPQ-LP; at 0.4 mg/kg, BPQ-LP reduced infection in the spleen and liver by 98 and 96%, respectively. Treatment for 5 days resulted in limited efficacy, but 10 days of treatment resulted in an efficacy similar to that of a 15-day regimen. The nanoliposomal drug was highly effective, with a mean 50% effective dose of 0.25 mg/kg, reducing the parasite load in bone marrow by 80%, as detected using quantitative PCR analysis. In addition, flow cytometry studies showed that BPQ upregulated cytokines as tumor necrosis factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and IL-6 in Leishmania-infected macrophages, eliminating the parasites via a nitric oxide-independent mechanism. This new formulation proved to be a safe and effective treatment for murine leishmaniasis that could be a useful candidate against visceral leishmaniasis.
DNA barcoding of tuberous Orchidoideae: a resource for identification of orchids used in Salep

Tubers of terrestrial orchids are harvested and traded from the eastern Mediterranean to the Caspian Sea for the traditional product Salep. Overexploitation of wild populations and increased middle‐class prosperity have escalated prices for Salep, causing overharvesting, depletion of native populations and providing an incentive to expand harvesting to untapped areas in Iran. Limited morphological distinctiveness among traded Salep tubers renders species identification impossible, making it difficult to establish which species are targeted and affected the most. In this study, a reference database of 490 nrITS, trnL‐F spacer and matK sequences of 133 taxa was used to identify 150 individual tubers from 31 batches purchased in 12 cities in Iran to assess species diversity in commerce. The sequence reference database consisted of 211 nrITS, 158 trnL‐F and 121 matK sequences, including 238 new sequences from collections made for this study. The markers enabled unambiguous species identification with tree‐based methods for nrITS in 67% of the tested tubers, 58% for trnL‐F and 59% for matK. Species in the genera Orchis (34%), Anacamptis (27%) and Dactylorhiza (19%) were the most common in Salep. Our study shows that all tuberous orchid species in this area are threatened by this trade, and further stresses the urgency of controlling illegal harvesting and cross‐border trade of Salep tubers.
Modelling Modular Design Processes for Automated Production Facilities

This paper discusses a concurrent engineering approach for the design of flexible manufacturing facilities where logistics considerations are included in early planning stages. The multidisciplinary approach is based on four modules, automation and robotics, command and control, production planning and layout, and logistics and maintenance planning. The research teams used a variety of operations research techniques to define their preferences for equipment choice and process design. A small case study is used to select design features for a facility for teaching and research, and subsequent transfer to industry. The paper also proposes a multi-criteria approach which allows the four modules to have different and sometimes conflicting objectives. This is exemplified by an application of the analytic hierarchy process method.
Origin of the ectoplacental cone and secondary giant cells in mouse blastocysts reconstituted from isolated trophoblast and inner cell mass.

1. Inner cell mass (ICM) and trophoblast tissue were isolated from 3½-day post-coitum mouse blastocysts that were homozygous for different electrophoretic variants of the enzyme glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI). Blastocysts were reconstituted from these tissues, transferred to pseudo-pregnant recipients and allowed to develop to the early somite stage. 2. The embryo plus membranes and trophoblast were dissected and typed separately for GPI. 3. Contamination of trophoblast with maternal decidual tissue was quantified. 4. The trophoblast of the implanted embryos was almost exclusively of the trophoblastdonor GPI type. The embryos plus membranes were mainly of the ICM-donor type but most also showed a substantial proportion of trophoblast-donor type. 5. It is argued that the ICM controls trophoblast proliferation by inhibiting giant cell transformation of adjacent trophoblast cells rather than through making a significant cellular contribution.
Hepatitis B virus particles contain a polypeptide encoded by the largest open reading frame: a putative reverse transcriptase

A segment of the largest open reading frame of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was inserted into an open reading frame vector directing the expression in Escherichia coli of a fusion molecule containing 143 HBV-encoded amino acids. The fusion protein was used to generate antiserum which served in immunoblots to identify a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 65 kilodaltons in HBV particles. Because of the small number of molecules in virus particles, unambiguous detection required the development of a highly sensitive immunoblot procedure.
The pharmacokinetics of high dose metoclopramide in patients with neoplastic disease.

High dose metoclopramide infusions (10 mg/kg) were administered to nineteen patients with bronchial carcinoma who were receiving intravenous cyclophosphamide as single agent chemotherapy. Considerable interindividual variability in metoclopramide disposition was observed. Mean clearance was 0.33 +/- 0.13 (s.d.) l h-1 kg-1, mean volume of distribution at steady state was 3.8 +/- 1.2 (s.d.) l/kg and mean elimination half-life was 8.3 +/- 4.4 (s.d.) h. These results were significantly different from mean values previously reported for young healthy volunteers given conventional doses (0.70 l h-1 kg-1, 2.2 l/kg and 2.6 h respectively). Significant correlations were found between serum urea, serum creatinine and metoclopramide clearance. The metoclopramide regimens were well tolerated and, with the exception of two patients, were completely effective in the prevention of nausea and vomiting. To achieve and maintain target serum metoclopramide concentrations of 1 microgram/ml, we now administer a loading infusion of 3.61 mg/kg over 30 min followed by a maintenance infusion of 0.36 mg kg-1 h-1 for 10 h. Cyclophosphamide is normally administered concurrently with the second infusion. For patients with evidence of mild renal impairment, the maintenance infusion rate of metoclopramide hydrochloride should be adjusted according to the predicted individual clearance value; CL (l h-1 kg-1) = 0.57 - [0.036 X urea (mmol/l)].
Market Power and Electricity Market Reform in Northeast China

The Northeast region of China has been used as a testing ground for the creation of a functioning wholesale electric power market. We describe the profile of generation assets throughout the region and the ownership of plants. We calculate the 4-firm Concentration Ratio (CR4) and the Hirschman-Herfindahl Index (HHI). The current ownership structure exhibits modest concentration. We also describe the ownership structure of those plants participating in the trial operation of the Northeast China Regional Electricity Market. Ownership of this subset of plants is much more concentrated. Arguably, this is a troublesome obstacle to instituting some form of competitive bidding in the wholesale power market, and this may be one factor in the poor outcome of the trial operation.