Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trade union renewal and the challenges of representation: Strategies towards migrant and ethnic minority workers in the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom

This article examines trade union responses to migration in the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. We explore how national regulatory structures and industrial relations traditions shape these responses, reflected in different ways of working with the state, employers, union members and the migrant worker community. We identify three main logics that inform trade union action: class, race/ethnicity and social rights; these are used implicitly or explicitly in building representative action. Our analysis shows how trade unions in each country tend to give priority to certain specific logics rather than others. Our findings also show how, in each country, trade union renewal in relation to migration implies engaging with new logics of actions which have not been part of the historical trade union approach. Hence the question of migration brings specific challenges for union identity and strategy. We argue for an approach that goes beyond assumptions of path dependency, and stress the complexity of representation and the challenge of balancing different interests and strategies in the process of social inclusion.
Foundations of the market economy

A central theme in this series is the importance of understanding and assessing the market economy from a perspective broader than the static economics of perfect competition and Pareto optimality. Such a perspective sees markets as causal processes generated by the preferences, expectations and beliefs of economic agents. The creative acts of entrepreneurship that uncover new information about preferences, prices and technology are central to these processes with respect to their ability to promote the discovery and use of knowledge in society. The market economy consists of a set of institutions that facilitate voluntary cooperation and exchange among individuals. These institutions include the legal and ethical framework as well as more narrowly ‘economic’ patterns of social interaction. Thus the law, legal institutions and cultural and ethical norms, as well as ordinary business practices and monetary phenomena, fall within the analytical domain of the economist.
A Cramer Rao analysis on receiver placement in a FM band Commensal Radar system based on Doppler only measurements

This paper investigates the theoretical placement of receivers in an Commensal Radar (CR), Doppler only tracking system with a single transmitter multiple receiver configuration. Theory, based on the Fisher Information matrix (FIM), is developed to derive the theoretical achievable bound for a given receiver configuration and used as a basis to select the optimal receiver placement. Theoretical concepts such as Shannon entropy and Cramèr-Rao analysis are explained and used in the selection process of receiver positions. Further, we show that time history information of a target can cumulatively be used together with FIM that will improve the Cramèr-Rao bound. Lastly, we use the theory developed to evaluate receiver placement combinations by means of a simulation and provide insight on the method of selecting receivers that would minimise the error performance of a Doppler only tracking system. The demonstrations used here are typical of a CR using FM Broadcast emissions.
The N-end Rule Pathway Catalyzes a Major Fraction of the Protein Degradation in Skeletal Muscle*

In skeletal muscle, overall protein degradation involves the ubiquitin-proteasome system. One property of a protein that leads to rapid ubiquitin-dependent degradation is the presence of a basic, acidic, or bulky hydrophobic residue at its N terminus. However, in normal cells, substrates for this N-end rule pathway, which involves ubiquitin carrier protein (E2) E214k and ubiquitin-protein ligase (E3) E3α, have remained unclear. Surprisingly, in soluble extracts of rabbit muscle, we found that competitive inhibitors of E3α markedly inhibited the125I-ubiquitin conjugation and ATP-dependent degradation of endogenous proteins. These inhibitors appear to selectively inhibit E3α, since they blocked degradation of125I-lysozyme, a model N-end rule substrate, but did not affect the degradation of proteins whose ubiquitination involved other E3s. The addition of several E2s or E3α to the muscle extracts stimulated overall proteolysis and ubiquitination, but only the stimulation by E3α or E214k was sensitive to these inhibitors. A similar general inhibition of ubiquitin conjugation to endogenous proteins was observed with a dominant negative inhibitor of E214k. Certain substrates of the N-end rule pathway are degraded after their tRNA-dependent arginylation. We found that adding RNase A to muscle extracts reduced the ATP-dependent proteolysis of endogenous proteins, and supplying tRNA partially restored this process. Finally, although in muscle extracts the N-end rule pathway catalyzes most ubiquitin conjugation, it makes only a minor contribution to overall protein ubiquitination in HeLa cell extracts.
Gaussian process modeling for image distortion correction in echo planar imaging

An enhanced method for correction of image distortion due to B0‐field inhomogeneities in echo planar imaging (EPI) is presented. The algorithm is based on the measurement of the point spread function (PSF) associated with each image voxel using a reference scan. The expected distortion map in the phase encode direction is then estimated using a nonparametric inference algorithm known as Gaussian process modeling. The algorithm is shown to be robust to the presence of regions of low signal‐to‐noise in the image and large inhomogeneities. Magn Reson Med, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Organizational Structure, Board Composition, and Risk Taking in the U.S. Property Casualty Insurance Industry

This study examines the impact of organizational structure and board composition on risk taking in the U.S. property casualty insurance industry, addressing different risk‐taking behaviors from different perspectives. The risk‐taking measures include total risk, underwriting risk, investment risk, and leverage risk. The evidence shows that mutual insurers have lower total risk, underwriting risk, and investment risk than stock insurers. In terms of board composition variables, we find that some board composition variables not only have impact on risk‐taking behaviors but also affect different risk measures differently. Thus, using different risk measures is better than using one risk measure to assess risk‐taking behavior. Finally, we conclude that an insurer can control its total risk through management of underwriting, investment, and leverage risks that determine an insurer's risk profile.
The Cardiac Effects of d‐ and 1‐Disopyramide in Normal Subjects: A Noninvasive Study

Commercially available disopyramide is a racemic mixture of equal parts of dextrorotatory (d‐) and levorotatory (1‐) optical isomers. We studied the cardiac effects of i.v. adnministration of each isomer and the racemic mixture (dl‐) in six normal males by digitized echocardiography, systolic time intervals and ECG. Both isomers and the racemic mixture produced equally marked dose‐dependent negative inotropic effects (28.1 11.8% mean maximal reduction in fractional shortening of left ventricular dimension) and diastolic effects (28.6 ± 24.1% mean maximal reduction in peak left ventricular filling rate). Howevet, only the d‐isomer prolonged QTc duration (by 13.6 5.2% at maximum, p < 0.001 vs 1‐isomer). We conclude that disopyramide, in the doses used, produces marked adverse effects on left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in normal subjects independent of optical rotation. The production of these effects bEy the 1‐isomer without affecting QTc duration suggests different subcellular mechanisms for the
Social Capital, Management Capacity and Public Service Performance

Abstract Many scholars and policy-makers contend that social capital and management capacity are associated with better public services. It is also likely that organizations with the capacity to manage effective co-production are better able to realize these benefits. To test these assumptions, we explore the independent and combined effects of social capital and management capacity on the performance of major public services in the US states using Robert Putnam's index of social capital and the Government Performance Project's index of state management capacity.1 We find that social capital is associated with higher performing public services, and that strong management capacity enhances its positive effects.
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid: comparison between thyroid palpation and ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE To describe our experience with fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the thyroid and compare our results with direct palpation versus ultrasound scanning (USS) in an area of endemic goiter in Italy. METHODS We considered all patients submitted to ultrasound-guided FNAB of thyroid nodules during a 10-month period at our outpatient clinic and analyzed the following: (1) clinical data (number of nodules and identification of the nodule for FNAB); (2) USS data (number of nodules and identification of the nodule for FNAB on the basis of hypoechoic pattern + blurred perinodal halo + microcalcifications or intranodal color Doppler signal indicative of blood flow); (3) cytologic specimens, categorized as suspicious, malignant, negative, or nondiagnostic; and (4) histologic final report of the cytologically positive nodules. RESULTS The study group consisted of 348 female and 72 male patients who underwent FNAB of the thyroid at our institution. Among the 140 patients with no palpable thyroid nodules, USS showed that 106 had a single nodule and 34 had multinodular goiters. Among the 182 patients with a single palpable thyroid nodule, USS revealed that 138 had a single nodule, 42 had a multinodular goiter, and 2 had lobe enlargement without detectable nodules. All 98 patients with multinodular palpable goiter had a similar pattern on USS. Of the 420 cytologic specimens, 46(11.0%) were positive for thyroid cancer, 313 (74.5%)were negative, and 61 (14.5%) were nondiagnostic. Histologic malignant growth was confirmed in 27 cytologically positive nodules. Of these histologically malignant nodules, 12 (45%) were nonpalpable, 9 (33%) were single palpable nodules, and 6 (22%) were from a nodule with a suspicious ultrasound pattern within a multinodular goiter. CONCLUSION Manually guided FNAB is not feasible in nonpalpable nodules and not accurate in a multinodular goiter. Both situations are clinical challenges, and USS should be performed for accurate FNAB under these circumstances. Because 52% of histologically malignant nodules in our study were found only with the aid of ultrasound-guided FNAB, this procedure should be used where multinodular goiter is endemic. Our overall rate of nondiagnostic specimens was comparable to that reported in the literature.
Organizational Excellence: Do your Stakeholders Agree?

This paper presents findings from 21 Colleges of Further Education, which have participated in surveys of both staff and learner satisfaction and which (as part of a larger survey of colleges) have taken part in a diagnostic benchmarking exercise using the ‘Learning PROBE’ methodology. Learning PROBE was developed from the established ‘Service PROBE’ to support UK Further Education Colleges in their pursuit of excellence. More than 2500 staff of these 21 colleges have participated in the satisfaction survey relating to their job, considering 38 aspects of their working life. Separately, more than 16,000 students undertook a learner satisfaction survey in which 28 aspects of their college life were assessed. Only four of the aspects of the staff’s working life displayed an overall positive response from the participating staff, whilst most measures had more staff displaying dissatisfaction than satisfaction with the extent to which their expectations are being met. With respect to the satisfaction of learners, a key stakeholder group for the colleges, a majority of respondents displayed satisfaction for all but two of the attributes considered. It would be reasonable to assume that if a college has effectively implemented good practices, which are delivering strong results, then the benefits will be felt by both of these stakeholder groups, staff and learners, leading in turn to associated levels of satisfaction with the organization. Analysis reported within this paper would suggest that only negligible association exists between levels of implementation of individual practices (as measured by PROBE) and levels of either staff or learner satisfaction with the organization, as defined by various pairs of comparable measures. In contrast, when PROBE scores are aggregated to form higher-level ‘enabler’ and ‘results’ indices, then the levels of association between the indices and related measures of staff and learner satisfaction display greater levels of significance. However, some statistical associations relating to the learners’ satisfaction appear to be counter-intuitive. The findings from this research suggest that the combined effect of a number of related practices seems to have a greater impact upon stakeholder satisfaction rather than implementation of individual, standalone ‘good practices’
Changes in liver nucleotide concentrations in experimental liver injury. 1. Carbon tetrachloride poisoning.

3. The c-amino group availabilities of the 640A, 220A' and structureless fibrils were also identical (69-5 %) on dinitrophenylation at higher ionic strengths. 4. When dinitrophenylated in water, the proportions of reactive c-amino groups in the 640A and the two long-spacing aggregates were considerably less (approx. 44 %) than those of the same aggregates in 1 % sodium chloride. 5. As the ionic strength of the aqueous dinitrophenylation medium was decreased, the molar ratio of lysyl to hydroxylysyl c-amino groups available to fluorodinitrobenzene in the 640A and the two long-spacing aggregates also decreased. 6. Most samples of the fibrous long-spacing aggregate contained about 10 % of the glycoprotein used in their preparation. 7. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the calcification of collagen fibrils in vitro.
Realities, threats and opportunities facing the Portuguese tourism industry

The growth in the global tourism market place presents many countries with great opportunities to capitalize on their natural competitive advantages. However, achieving the economic potential of global tourism remains elusive for many countries, despite their natural advantages. In this context, Portugal is a case in point. The Portuguese tourism industry is facing some serious challenges that are limiting its potential. This study offers Portuguese tourism industry leaders practical insights into the characteristics of the Portuguese tourism industry in the context of the challenges and opportunities of the global tourism market place. Understanding the dynamics and characteristics of this critical industry in a global context is a crucial first step toward formulating a tourism strategy that capitalizes on the growth of the global tourism market and the natural advantage that Portugal enjoys in this important market.
Courses or individual counselling: does job search assistance work?

How does labour market policy affect welfare recipients and long-term unemployed people? We investigate whether job search assistance (JSA) helps disadvantaged individuals to find jobs and whether courses or individual counselling is more successful in reaching this goal. To evaluate individual employment effects, we apply a quasi-experimental design and construct suitable comparison groups using propensity score matching methods. We compare participants to nonparticipants as well as participants of both schemes directly. Our article benefits from access to rich administrative data from the German Federal Employment Agency. When comparing participants to nonparticipants, results suggest that the individual JSA does not affect participants’ employment prospects at all and that the course JSA even decreased their employment chances. At the same time, differences in these effects can be ascribed to programme design differences and to differences in the groups of participants. Therefore, we compare both programmes directly to each other, that is, we use the other programme participants as a comparison group, respectively. We found some evidence that individual JSA performs better than course JSA.
Event-Related Brain Potentials and Visual Attention in Six-Month-Old Infants

This study tested theoretical accounts of the Nc component of the event-related brain potentials in six-month-old infants by replicating and extending a previous study [Ackles, P. K. , & Cook, K. G. (2007). Attention or memory? Effects of familiarity and novelty on the Nc component in event-related brain potentials in six-month-old infants. The International Journal of Neuroscience, 117, 837–867]. Stimulus familiarity and novelty of visual stimuli were manipulated within and across four groups of infants to test predictions from attentional, memory, and expectancy accounts of Nc. Nc amplitudes were the larger to oddball stimuli in the. 80/. 20 oddball group and One Face group than to frequent stimuli in oddball group and to novel stimuli in the Novel Faces and Novel Pictures groups. The results supported an attention-based interpretation of Nc.
Giving the People What They Want? The Distribution of Earmarks in the U.S. House of Representatives

Common wisdom holds that members of Congress distribute earmarks on a purely political basis. Likewise, Congressional scholars hold that political factors are preeminent in determining where earmarks go, even more than for other types of pork barrel spending. Using earmarks appearing in the fiscal 2008 Appropriations bills, I test for both political and demand-side determinants of the distribution of earmarks. I find that both types of factors are significantly related to the number of earmarks which a House member receives. This result leads us to reject the common wisdom account that local demand plays no role in the distribution of earmarks, and calls into question whether earmarks should be treated as an outlier within the universe of spending allocation mechanisms.
Genetic structure and domestication history of the grape

The grape is one of the earliest domesticated fruit crops and, since antiquity, it has been widely cultivated and prized for its fruit and wine. Here, we characterize genome-wide patterns of genetic variation in over 1,000 samples of the domesticated grape, Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera, and its wild relative, V. vinifera subsp. sylvestris from the US Department of Agriculture grape germplasm collection. We find support for a Near East origin of vinifera and present evidence of introgression from local sylvestris as the grape moved into Europe. High levels of genetic diversity and rapid linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay have been maintained in vinifera, which is consistent with a weak domestication bottleneck followed by thousands of years of widespread vegetative propagation. The considerable genetic diversity within vinifera, however, is contained within a complex network of close pedigree relationships that has been generated by crosses among elite cultivars. We show that first-degree relationships are rare between wine and table grapes and among grapes from geographically distant regions. Our results suggest that although substantial genetic diversity has been maintained in the grape subsequent to domestication, there has been a limited exploration of this diversity. We propose that the adoption of vegetative propagation was a double-edged sword: Although it provided a benefit by ensuring true breeding cultivars, it also discouraged the generation of unique cultivars through crosses. The grape currently faces severe pathogen pressures, and the long-term sustainability of the grape and wine industries will rely on the exploitation of the grape's tremendous natural genetic diversity.
The analysis of intellectual capital evolution: a perspective on research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a conventional analysis of the content of researches published in high quality academic journals, specifically in the accounting area, with particular emphasis on intellectual and human capital, in order to provide guidance for authors on research paper characteristics that influence the journal's acceptance decisions.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a quantitative analysis of the additional characteristics (the main characteristic considered by default is the quality of the journal's contents) that could increase the chances for publishing a research paper in a high quality journal.Findings – The findings indicate several additional characteristics which may influence the journal's acceptance decision during the publication process. These characteristics relate to the journal's origin, type of research, presentation of literature within the research paper and the type of research approaches, characteristics that should be considered by any.
Enhancing Creativity: Managing Work Contexts for the High Potential Employee

While traditional approaches to maximizing employee creativity have focused on hiring creative people, more recent perspectives suggest that employees' work environments influence the creativity of their contributions. This article discusses the benefits of integrating these approaches. To ensure the most creative work from employees, managers need to assess the creative potential of each person and then place those with high potential into work contexts that stimulate and nurture it. When firms place people with high creative potential in contexts that offer complex job assignments, supportive and non-controlling supervision, and competitive coworkers, they reap the benefits of maximum employee creativity.
Widgets or Watchdogs?

Abstract Strengthening ‘social accountability’ is emerging as a key strategy for improving public services and attaining the Millennium Development Goals. Yet current conceptualizations of social accountability have tended to focus on it as ‘mechanisms’ or ‘widgets’, a view which tends to depoliticize the very processes through which poor people make claims. We propose an alternative conceptualization which focuses on disaggregating social accountability actions, and viewing them as part of a long-term ongoing political engagement of social actors with the state. Such a conceptualization can advance understandings of when the poor engage in social accountability and the impact it might have.
Optimal Contract Design: For Whom?

In designing a derivative contract, an exchange carefully considers how its attributes affect the expected profits of its members. On November 3, 1997, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange doubled its tick size of its S&P 500 futures contract and halved the denomination, providing a rare opportunity to examine empirically the search for an optimal contract design. This article measures changes in the trading environment that occurred in the days surrounding the contract redesign. We find a discernible change in the incidence of price clustering, an increase in the bid/ask spread, a reduction in trading volume, and no meaningful change in dollar trade size. These results suggest that the contract redesign did not increase accessibility but did increase market maker revenue. Despite the increase, however, the bid/ask spread of the S&P 500 futures contract remains low relative to the costs of market making and the spreads in markets for competing instruments. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 23:719–750, 2003