Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How organizational strategy is realized in situated interaction. A conversation analytical study of a management meeting.

This study investigates the essential role of ‘text’ – defined as the ‘substance’ upon and through which situated conversations are formed – in the communicative (re)construction of organizational strategy in managerial meeting interaction. In line with the ethnomethodological view of practice, the analysis of managers’ meeting interaction demonstrates how the participants orient to written and spoken texts as constitutive elements in the practice of strategy. What is more, the analysis shows how ‘texts’ are attributed agency and how they are used in a persuasive way for legitimation purposes. Theoretically, the study develops an argument that the communicative construction of strategy in situated interaction is premised on the dynamic interplay of texts as dislocal activity types and conversation as here-and-now activity. Overall, the study furthers our knowledge of the role of meetings as an important strategic practice.
Sex-specific mortality differences in heart failure patients with ischemia receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy

Background Recent studies have reported prognosis differences between male and female heart failure patients following cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, the potential clinical factors that underpin these differences remain to be elucidated. Methods A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the factors that characterize sex-specific differences following CRT. This analysis involved searching the Medline (Pubmed source) and Embase databases in the period from January 1980 to September 2016. Results Fifty-eight studies involving 33445 patients (23.08% of whom were women) were analyzed as part of this study. Only patients receiving CRT with follow-up greater than six months were included in our analysis. Compared with males, females exhibited a reduction of 33% (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.62–0.73; P < 0.0001) and 42% (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.46–0.74; P = 0.003) in all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization or heart failure, respectively. Following a stratified analysis of all-cause mortality, we observed that ischemic causes (p = 0.03) were likely to account for most of the sex-specific differences in relation to CRT. Conclusion These data suggest that women have a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization or heart failure following CRT. Based on the results from the stratified analysis, we observed more optimal outcomes for females with ischemic heart disease. Thus, ischemia are likely to play a role in sex-related differences associated with CRT in heart failure patients. Further studies are required to determine other indications and the potential mechanisms that might be associated with sex-specific CRT outcomes.
Effect of light-dark changes on the locomotor activity in open field in adult rats and opossums.

There have been no reports on how the light-dark changes determine the locomotor activity of animals in the group of high reactivity (HR) and low reactivity (LR). In the present study we have compared selected parameters of the locomotor activity of the HR and the LR groups of the laboratory opossums and Wistar rats during consecutive, light and dark phases in the open field test. Sixty male Wistar adult rats, at an average weight of 350 g each, and 24 adult Monodelphis opossums of both sexes at an average weight of 120 g each were used. The animals' activity for 2 h daily between the hours of 17:30 and 19:30, in line with the natural light-dark cycle were recorded and then analysed using VideoTrack ver.2. 0 (Vievpoint France). According to our results, we noted that a change of the experimental conditions from light to dark involves an increase in the locomotor activity in rats and opossums of the HR group, while there is no effect on the activity of the rats and opossums in the LR group. Locomotor activity in the HR rats, both in the light and dark conditions is characterised by a consistent pattern of change - higher activity in the first stage of the recording and a slowdown (habituation) in the second phase of the observation. The locomotor activity of the opossum, during both light and dark conditions, was observed to be at a consistently high level compared to the rats.
Pathogenic monoclonal antibody against desmoglein 3 augments desmoglein 3 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation in human squamous carcinoma cell line

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune blistering disease characterized by cell–cell detachment of epidermal cells. Autoantibody against desmoglein (Dsg) 3, a transmembrane glycoprotein that mediates the association of desmosomes, plays a major role in blistering in pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The mechanisms of autoantibody-induced acantholysis have not been clarified. We previously reported that PV-IgG induces phosphorylation of Dsg3, decreases Dsg3 on the cell surface and forms Dsg3-depleted desmosomes in cultured keratinocytes, and that cell treatment with a potent pathogenic monoclonal antibody against Dsg3 (AK23 mAb) decreases the amount of Dsg3 in cultured keratinocytes. Although the precise mechanisms remain unclear, we have proposed the involvement of intracellular signal transduction resulting from the binding of autoantibodies to Dsg3. In this study, we examined whether AK23 mAb augments phosphorylation of Dsg3 and p38 mitogen-activating protein kinase (MAPK) in a human squamous cell line, DJM-1 cells. AK23 mAb increased serine phosphorylation of Dsg3 and augmented activation levels of p38 MAPK. These results indicate that antibodies bind to Dsg3, but not other antigens, in the IgG fraction and can induce activation of signal transduction.
Aggregation of Price Risk Over Commodities: An Economic Index Number Approach

This article extends the economic theory of index numbers to the aggregation of price risk over commodities in production. Superlative indexes of aggregate price risk are related to Tornqvist and Fisher—type output quantity indexes. An application to major crops in Manitoba illustrates the empirical importance of the analysis. Copyright 2007, Oxford University Press.
Reinsurance-Emulated Collaboration Mechanism in Cloud Federation

Cloud federation paradigm can improve cloud service providers' (CSPs) profits by renting their idle resource to other federation members. However, these CSPs have the risk that they cannot fulfill their scalability commitment when some of their customers have large short-term resource demand. To reduce this risk, we design a reinsurance-emulated collaboration mechanism in a broker-based cloud federation. Reinsurance is an insurance policy which transfers all or part of insurance business in order to scatter the risk to other insurers. Similar to insurance companies, in our proposed model, each CSP determines its resource retention for its future demand. We design an exact method to determine each CSP's retention, with the aim of maximizing its expected profit. Once the CSP's retention cannot meet its future demand, it reduces the risk by outsourcing part of the requests to others. After every CSP determines its retention, the broker will make an assignment to maximize the resource utilization so as to reduce the risk of the CSPs. We designed an algorithm to maximize the resource utilization, with a guarantee of not worse than half of the optimal solution. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm is efficient.
The Acetyl-Esterase Activity of the Hemagglutinin-Esterase Protein of Human Coronavirus OC43 Strongly Enhances the Production of Infectious Virus

ABSTRACT Most betacoronaviruses possess an hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) protein, which appears to play a role in binding to or release from the target cell. Since this HE protein possesses an acetyl-esterase activity that removes acetyl groups from O-acetylated sialic acid, a role as a receptor-destroying enzyme has been postulated. However, the precise function of HE and of its enzymatic activity remains poorly understood. Making use of neutralizing antibody and of molecular clones of recombinant human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), our results suggest that the HE protein of this HCoV could be associated with infection of target cells and, most notably, is important in the production of infectious viral particles. Indeed, after transfecting BHK-21 cells with various cDNA infectious clones of HCoV-OC43, either lacking the HE protein or bearing an HE protein with a nonfunctional acetyl-esterase enzymatic activity, we were reproducibly unable to detect recombinant infectious viruses compared to the reference infectious HCoV-OC43 clone pBAC-OC43FL. Complementation experiments, using BHK-21 cells expressing wild-type HE, either transiently or in a stable ectopic expression, demonstrate that this protein plays a very significant role in the production of infectious recombinant coronaviral particles that can subsequently more efficiently infect susceptible epithelial and neuronal cells. Even though the S protein is the main viral factor influencing coronavirus infection of susceptible cells, our results taken together indicate that a functionally active HE protein enhances the infectious properties of HCoV-OC43 and contributes to efficient virus dissemination in cell culture.
The Economic-implications of An Incomplete Asset Market

When the asset market is incomplete, the role of prices extends beyond conveying the aggregate scarcity of commodities. In conjunction with the asset structure, they determine the attainable reallocations of revenue. This affects nontrivially the existence, optimality, and determinacy of competitive equilibrium allocations, as well as the revelation of information by prices. Further, it accounts for diverse phenomena, among them the preservation of memory in macroeconomics aggregates. A simple exchange economy extends over two periods. Uncertainty, indexed by finitely many states of nature, s = 1,. , S, is resolved in the second period. Commodities, 1 = 1, . , L, are traded in spot markets in the second period after the uncertainty has been resolved and assets have paid off. A commodity bundle is x = ( . . ., x(s), . ) = (.,x1(s) . ). Commodity prices are p = (-,P(s) . ) (. (---, Pi(s), -. ). Assets, a= 19 . , A, are traded in the first period and pay off in the second. A portfolio is y = (., Ya". ). Assets are real: the payoff of an asset is a commodity bundle ra = (., ra(s), . ). At commodity prices p, the payoff of an asset, more precisely the payoff of an asset in terms of revenue, is
Oral or nasal breathing? Real-time effects of switching sampling route onto exhaled VOC concentrations

There is a need for standardisation in sampling and analysis of breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in order to minimise ubiquitous confounding effects. Physiological factors may mask concentration changes induced by pathophysiological effects. In humans, unconscious switching of oral and nasal breathing can occur during breath sampling, which may affect VOC patterns. Here, we investigated exhaled VOC concentrations in real-time while switching breathing routes. Breath from 15 healthy volunteers was analysed continuously by proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry during paced breathing (12 breaths min−1). Every two minutes breathing routes were switched (Setup-1: Oral → Nasal → Oral → Nasal; Setup-2: OralinNasalout → NasalinOralout → OralinNasalout → NasalinOralout). VOCs in inspiratory and alveolar air and respiratory and hemodynamic parameters were monitored quantitatively in parallel. Changing of the breathing routes and patterns immediately affected exhaled VOC concentrations. These changes were reproducible in both setups. In setup-1 cardiac output and acetone concentrations remained constant, while partial pressure of end-tidal CO2 (pET-CO2), isoprene and furan concentrations inversely mirrored tidal-volume and minute-ventilation. H2S (hydrogen-sulphide), C4H8S (allyl-methyl-sulphide), C3H8O (isopropanol) and C3H6O2 increased during oral exhalation. C4H10S increased during nasal exhalations. CH2O2 steadily decreased during the whole measurement. In setup-2 pET-CO2, C2H6S (dimethyl-sulphide), isopropanol, limonene and benzene concentrations decreased whereas, minute-ventilation, H2S and acetonitrile increased. Isoprene and furan remained unchanged. Breathing route and patterns induced VOC concentration changes depended on respiratory parameters, oral and nasal cavity exposure and physico-chemical characters of the compounds. Before using breath VOC concentrations as biomarkers it is essential that the breathing modality is defined and strictly monitored during sampling.
Using online learning and interactive simulation to teach spiritual and cultural aspects of palliative care to interprofessional students.

BACKGROUND To meet the complex needs of patients with serious illness, health professional students require education in basics aspects of palliative care, including how to work collaboratively on an interprofessional team. OBJECTIVES An educational program was created, implemented, and evaluated with students in medicine, nursing, chaplaincy, and social work. Five learning objectives emphasized spiritual, cultural, and interprofessional aspects of palliative care. DESIGN The program blended two sequential components: an online interactive, case-based learning module, and a live, dynamic simulation workshop. MEASUREMENTS Content analysis was used to analyze students' free-text responses to four reflections in the online case, as well as open-ended questions on students' postworkshop questionnaires, which were also analyzed quantitatively. RESULTS Analysis of 217 students' free-text responses indicated that students of all professions recognized important issues beyond their own discipline, the roles of other professionals, and the value of team collaboration. Quantitative analysis of 309 questionnaires indicated that students of all professions perceived that the program met its five learning objectives (mean response values>4 on a 5-point Likert scale), and highly rated the program and its two components for both educational quality and usefulness for future professional work (mean response values approximately>4). CONCLUSIONS This innovative interprofessional educational program combines online learning with live interactive simulation to teach professionally diverse students spiritual, cultural, and interprofessional aspects of palliative care. Despite the challenge of balanced professional representation, this innovative interprofessional educational program met its learning objectives, and may be transferable for use in other educational settings.
Effective real-scenario Video Copy Detection

our task of video copy detection system aims to locate vicdeo segments that are partially copied or near-duplicated versions from an archive of reference videos. In 2010, video copy detection problem was sometimes considered as a solved problem, since previous research within this area used either small-scale or large-scale datasets (e.g. TRECVID 2009, Muscle-VCD) with pre-defined simulated videos. Therefore, the near-perfect results obtained on these datasets were somehow not convincing. As a result, in this paper, we introduce an effective real-scenario video copy detection system which aims to effectively and efficiently detect complex real video copies. Our system obtains decent results on a real-scenario large-scale video copy database (VCDB) generated in 2014, and measures the trade-off between effectiveness and efficiency. We believe our work can be regarded as the beginning for this challenging problem.
Ultrastructure of the reproductive system of the black swamp snake (Seminatrix pygaea). V. The temporal germ cell development strategy of the testis

Gribbins, K.M. , Happ, C.S. and Sever, D.M. 2005. Ultrastructure of the reproductive system of the black swamp snake (Seminatrix pygaea). V. The temporal germ cell development strategy of the testis. — Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 86: 223-230 The germ cell development strategy during spermatogenesis was investigated in the black swamp snake (Seminatrix pygaea). Testicular tissues were collected, embedded in plastic, sectioned by ultramicrotome, and stained with methylene blue and basic fuchsin. Black swamp snakes have a postnuptial pattern of development, where spermatogenesis occurs from May to July and spermiation is completed by October. Though spatial relationships are seen between germ cells within the seminiferous epithelium during specific months, accumulation of spermatogonia and spermatocytes early in spermatogenesis and the depletion of spermatocytes and accumulation of spermatids late in spermatogenesis prevent consistent cellular associations. This temporal germ cell development within an amniotic testis is consistent with that seen in other recently studied temperate reptiles (slider turtle and wall lizard). These reptiles' temporal development is more similar to the developmental strategy found in anamniotes than the spatial germ cell development that characterizes birds and mammals. Our findings also imply that a third germ cell development strategy may exist in temperate breeding reptiles. Because of the phylogenetic position of reptiles between anamniotes and other terrestrial amniotes, this common germ cell development strategy shared by temperate reptiles representing different orders may have significant implications as far as the evolution of sperm development within vertebrates.
Daily and Intradaily Tests of European Put-Call Parity

Abstract Existing empirical studies of the put-call parity condition report frequent, substantial violations. An important problem in interpreting these results is that these studies all investigate American options. While some of these studies attempt to reduce the effects of possible early exercise on their tests, they cannot fully account for the effect of early exercise. Therefore, it is not possible to conclude from these studies whether, or to what extent, observed put-call parity violations are due to market inefficiency or due to the value of early exercise. We avoid the early exercise problem by testing put-call parity using European options. We find violations that are much less frequent and smaller than the studies using American options. Moreover, these violations reflect premia for liquidity (immediacy) risk.
Array painting using microdissected chromosomes to map chromosomal breakpoints

Molecular characterization of breakpoints of chromosomal rearrangements is a successful strategy for the identification of candidate disease genes. Mapping translocation breakpoints and rearranged chromosomal boundaries is labor intensive and/or time consuming. Here, we present a novel and rapid procedure to map such chromosomal breakpoints by hybridizing amplified microdissection derived DNA of aberrant chromosomes to arrays containing genomic clones. We illustrate the potential of the technique by molecularly delineating the breakpoints in five small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC) and mapping the breakpoints of five different chromosomal translocations.
Growth and Change in Human Capital across the Canadian Urban Hierarchy, 1996—2001

University degree holders in large cities are more prevalent and are growing at a more rapid pace than in smaller cities and rural areas. This relatively high rate of growth stems from net migratory flows and/or higher rates of degree attainment in large cities. Using data from the 1996 and 2001 Canadian censuses, this paper tests the relative importance of these two sources of human capital growth by decomposing degree-holder growth across cities into net migratory flows (domestic and foreign) and in situ growth: that is, growth resulting from higher rates of degree attainment among the resident populations of cities. It is found that both sources are important. Hence, it is the ability of cities both to attract and to generate degree holders that underlies the high rates of degree attainment observed across city populations.
Does the Labour Supply of Wives Respond to Husbands' Wages? Canadian Evidence from Micro Data and Grouped Data

yield cross-wage elasticities that are substantially higher (in absolute value) than those derived from OLS regressions run on micro data. Both grouping estimators indicate that the labour supply of Canadian wives responded strongly to changes in husbands' wages during the 1980s. For the 1990s, our estimates of wives' cross-wage elasticity display greater dispersion.
Factors Affecting the Online Transactions in the Developing Countries: A Case of E-Commerce Businesses in Nairobi County, Kenya

The growth in online transactions is accompanied with an increase in the incidences of fraud. In the online marketplace, fraudsters are using sophisticated malware to take over accounts and commit fraud related activities. At the global level, online fraud is rampant with high financial losses for customers and online merchants. In Kenya, the scope of online fraud is still small, however, the increasing adoption of e-commerce is anticipated to increase fraud related incidences. Based on this, this study reviewed literature on challenges associated with internet fraud and best practices that can be adopted by online merchants. It was shown that the challenges are related to the use of improper theft and security measures by online merchants, the increase of mobile devices and lack of customer awareness of security risks in online transactions. To prevent internet fraud, organizational, consumer, and technical measures have to be adopted by online merchants in Kenya.
INVESTMENT IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN AGRO-FOOD AND FIBRE COMPLEX: PERCEPTIONS, EVIDENCE AND ANALYSIS

Abstract The question of investment in the South African agro-food and fibre complex is explored in this article. The analysis is based on empirical values and opinions/perceptions from ±400 agribusinesses operating in this complex. Investment in the agro-food and fibre complex has increased recently after having declined for a few years. Competitiveness ratings are also increasing. A correlation analysis between annual investment and the annual competitiveness rating in the agro-food industry indicted a correlation coefficient of 78%. Various factors, common to most sectors, were identified by the industry as constraints on future investment. A concerted effort through innovative measures and policies will now be required to promote sustainable agricultural activity in South Africa to stimulate further investment.