Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analyzing the growth process in social enterprises: an historical perspective

The recent proliferation of social enterprises around the world has attracted considerable interest from the research community. However, while attention has understandably focused on important issues related to short-term performance, governance and accountability of social enterprises, much less attention has been paid to their longer-term growth process. In the paper we aim to address this research gap by setting out the conceptual underpinnings of a more historically-informed approach. The paper opens with a critical review of the recent growth literature, and a particular focus on the unfolding tension between social and economic imperatives. The argument is illustrated through a comparative case analysis of three social enterprises located in the United Kingdom. Cross-case comparison, structured around the preceding conceptual discussion, is used to identify common themes. The concluding section indicates how this approach might be further developed and sets out implications for social enterprise policy and practice.
The impact of informal learning at work on business productivity

This report presents the findings from a study of the impact of informal learning at work on business productivity, funded by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). The study was carried out between October 2002 and September 2003. The aims of the study were to: a) review existing literature and survey data on informal learning in the workplace; b) propose ways in which the links between informal learning in the workplace, product market strategies and business performance might be tested in a survey; c) provide an analysis of best practice; d) propose ways to target case study material at a business audience in order to illustrate the range of practice of informal learning and the impact of such learning on business performance.
A PKI Adapted Model for Secure Information Dissemination in Industrial Control and Automation 6LoWPANs

Wireless sensor nodes have a wide span of applications ranging from industrial monitoring to military operations. These nodes are highly constrained in terms of battery life, processing capabilities, and in-built memory. Industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) have to meet the constraints and peculiarities of industrial environments to ensure synchronization with parallel production processes. Applications of WSNs in industrial communication vary from condition monitoring and sensing to process automation. The 6LoWPAN standard enables efficient utilization of IPv6 protocol over low-power wireless personal area networks (LoWPANs). The use of 6LoWPANs for industrial communication necessitates the fulfillment of special QoS and security. We examine the aspect of secured information dissemination for industrial control and automation processes in this paper. Researchers have proposed several schemes to secure transfer of data over the Internet. Public key infrastructure (PKI) is one of the most popular security schemes being used in the present scenario. The hostile deployment scenarios of 6LoWPANs and resource constraints of the nodes necessitate the presence of a robust security mechanism to safeguard the communication. In this paper, we propose an integration scheme for PKI and 6LoWPAN to meet the enhanced security needs of industrial communication. The approach is to delegate a major portion of key management activity to the edge routers (gateway) of the LoWPAN and limit the involvement of the end nodes to minimal communication with the edge router. We do not propose a change in the current PKI, but we put forth a scheme to facilitate the integration of PKI to 6LoWPAN in an efficient manner. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm was evaluated using a protocol analyzer for normal 6LoWPAN traffic as well as HUI HC-01 compressed traffic. A marginal increase of 2% in channel utilization was observed, which scaled down to 1% using HUI HC-01 compression. The results indicated that the proposed algorithm can be implemented for industrial control and automation networks without any speed, security, or performance tradeoffs.
Legislative Response to the Threat of Popular Initiatives

Theory: A spatial model of the policy process is used to identify conditions under which the threat of initiatives constrains legislative behavior. Hypotheses: Legislators in states that allow initiatives are expected to pass laws that more closely reflect their state's median voter's preference than legislators in states that do not allow initiatives. Methods: Logistic regression analysis of United States data relating state policies, state median voter preferences, provisions for the initiative, and several control variables in the policy area of parental consent requirements for teenage abortions. Results: Parental consent laws passed by legislatures in initiative states more closely reflect their state's median voter's preference than parental consent laws passed in states that prohibit initiatives, even after controlling for other population and institutional differences across states.
Testing a discrete switching disequilibrium model of the UK labour market

This paper develops a test procedure for serial correlation for discrete switching disequilibrium models which include both an endogenous price adjustment equation and lagged dependent variables. The tests are applied to a model of the U.K. labor market and the model is respecified in the light of the test results. Copyright 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The sensitivity of Joint afferents to knee translation

The cruciate ligaments contain mechanoreceptors which putatively contribute to knee function and dysfunction. However, the interpretation of studies showing neural responses to traction loads applied to the cat cranial cruciate ligament (CCL-analogous to the anterior cruciate ligament in humans) depends upon demonstrating that non-CCL periarticular receptors are not stimulated. We assessed the capability to rigidly fix the knee against traction loads applied to the feline CCL. The tibia and femur were fixed either with clamps or Steinmann pins. Motion of the bones was monitored with liquid metal strain gauges (LMSG) and the activity of the posterior articular nerve (PAN) was recorded while traction loads of up to 20-30 N were applied to the CCL. Joint afferents recorded from the PAN were insensitive to the CCL loads in the rigidly fixed preparation. Motion of the proximal tibia and distal femur was less than 100 micrometers for both methods of fixation, with neither method demonstrating more rigid fixation. In contrast, we observed vigorous discharges with focused light pressure on the capsule and under conditions allowing 200-500 micrometers of tibial displacement on the femur. This suggests that clinically undetectable instability may give rise to aberrant mechanoreceptor activity contributing to dysfunction.
Developing an optimal bidding strategy in two-envelope fee bidding

Two-envelope fee bidding is used frequently in allocating commissions to willing consultants such as architects, engineers and surveyors. Consultant fees and technical scores are normally aggregated to form a total score. The consultant obtaining the highest total score is usually awarded the commission. The consultant's objective is to get the highest total score possible because this maximizes the chance of winning. Consultants can submit to the procurer any of a number of different technical proposals which is then converted to a technical score. Only one technical score+fee combination will result in the highest total score, i.e. the optimum technical score+fee combination. This paper offers consultants an approach to better identify their optimum technical score+fee combination. In using this approach consultants need to develop a total score continuum based on (1) the consultant's original technical proposal and fee, (2) the absolute lowest fee and corresponding technical score, and (3) the absolute highest technical score and corresponding fee. The total score becomes the dependent variable and the fee the independent variable. Since the total score continuum is regressed on three points it will almost certainly be curvilinear in shape. Given that the optimum total score is at the highest point of the continuum, the optimum fee can be determined through differentiation. The corresponding technical score can then be found. After adjusting the original technical proposal to reflect the corresponding technical score, the optimum fee and adjusted technical proposal can then be submitted to the procurer.
Mind the gap: Staff and postgraduate perceptions of student experience in higher education

Faced with conflicting pressures of student diversity, retention and demands for change in a volatile international education marketing environment, universities have become more focused on enhancing student experience as a strategic response to achieving competitive advantage. Based on an exploratory qualitative study conducted in a UK university, this article is concerned with identifying how staff and international students view the impact of university support services on student experience and argues that a convergence of staff and student views is a critical antecedent to developing positive experience and satisfaction among students. While the results indicate some convergence of perceptions around key areas of the students' experience, the study identifies four critical gaps based on divergent views and perceptions regarding issues of the quality of the UK higher education, the level and quality of student support, English language proficiency and cultural integration. The article concludes with management implications for narrowing these gaps.
Possible common biomarkers from FTIR microspectroscopy of cervical cancer and melanoma

Detection of malignancy at early stages is crucial in cancer prevention and management. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has shown promise as a non‐invasive method with diagnostic potential in cancer detection. Studies were conducted with formalin‐fixed biopsies of melanoma and cervical cancer by FTIR microspectroscopy (FTIR‐MSP) to detect common biomarkers, which occurred in both types of cancer distinguishing them from the respective non‐malignant tissues. Both types of cancer are diagnosed on skin surfaces. The spectra were analysed for changes in levels of biomolecules such as RNA, DNA, phosphates and carbohydrate (glycogen). Whereas carbohydrate levels showed a good diagnostic potential for detection of cervical cancer, this was not the case for melanoma. However, variation of the RNA/DNA ratio as measured at I(1121)/I(1020) showed similar trends between non‐malignant and malignant tissues in both types of cancer. The ratio was higher for malignant tissues in both types of cancer.
Cost management and small restaurant businesses: a complex balance and the role of management

Given the impact of increases in labour, food, or rent costs, leveraging these and revenues has become very complex for many hospitality businesses. By adopting complexity and role theories, this study examines cost management among small hospitality businesses operating in a large Australian city. Face–to–face, in–depth semi–structured interviews were conducted with owners and managers of 13 small restaurants to gather their understanding and involvement with cost management in their day–to–day business activities. Two of the characteristics that organisations must nowadays contend with according to complexity theory, and that contribute to complexity and paradox were identified: competition, and change. Thus, the role of owners–managers is emphasised, for instance, leveraging rising or already significant labour, food, and rent costs. Overall, the findings demonstrate that in order to address an increasingly complex hospitality industry, a much higher level of preparedness and knowledge, but also creativity in identifying 'hidden' or opportunity costs are required.
Testing the Relationship between Public Expenditure and Economic Growth in Romania

In this paper we analyze whether the Romanian economic context confirms the Armey model, and present the relationship between public spending and economic growth that may offer a suitable basis for decision makers. The analysis is based on both annual and quarterly data regarding public spending and economic growth in Romania. After investigating the correlation validity, the analytic results did not confirm the premises related to the Armey Curve for the Romanian context during 1990-2011. However the time interval is marked by unpredictable phenomena such as the transition from the state economy to the market economy and the world financial crisis, both is altering the results. The fact determines us to search the coordinates for developing a new model that describes better the connections and the period characteristics.
Molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus.

OBJECTIVE To determine the epidemiologic pattern of subgroups A and B and genotypes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during two noncontinuous epidemics during 1990-1991 and 1997-1998 in Beijing. METHODS Nasopharyngeal secretion (NPS) samples of RSV positive or RSV isolates tested by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay were classified into subgroups A and B. Isolates of RSV were divided into at least six different lineages, designated NP1-NP6, by restriction mapping of the N gene. Np1, 3 and 6 were given by subgroup B isolates, while NP2, 4 and 5 were given by subgroup A isolates. Strains of subgroup A were further subdivided into six lineages SHL1-SHL6 on the basis of the SH gene sequence. SH lineages were closely related to each other and to NP1-NP6. Strains of SHL1, 3 and 4 were closely related and belonged to NP2, SHL2 and 6 to NP4, and SHL5 to NP5. RESULTS Of 145 RSV NPS samples from the 1997-1998 epidemic, 83 (57.2%) were of subgroup B RSV positive, 62 (42.8%) of subgroup A RSV positive. The rate of occurrence of subgroup A to B strains was about 1:1.3. Two of 10 isolates during the epidemic were subgroup A strains, whereas 8 were subgroup B strains. The rate of occurrence of subgroup A to B strains was 1:4. Eight subgroup A strains of 10 isolates from the 1990-1991 epidermic were dominant; the proportion of subgroup A to B strains was 4:1. With 10 RSV isolates in 1997-1998, all 2 subgroup A strains gave N gene fragment restriction pattern NP4, and fell into SH lineage SHL2, whereas 8 subgroup B strains all belonged to NP3. All 8 subgroup A isolates from the 1990-1991 epidemic gave pattern NP4, and fell into SHL2, while 2 subgroup B strains all belonged to NP3. The classification of subgroups A and B deduced from NP patterns corresponded to the definition of these subgroups by monoclonal antibodies. CONCLUSIONS These observations confirm that subgroups A and B or multiple lineages of RSV co-circulated in Beijing, but different genome types predominated each year. Moreover, very similar viruses were isolated up to more than 5 years ago, indicating that despite apparent diversity of the subgroup A strains, the separate lineages might be relatively stable.
Betulinic acid suppresses STAT3 activation pathway through induction of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP‐1 in human multiple myeloma cells

STAT3 activation has been associated with survival, proliferation and invasion of various human cancers. Whether betulinic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene, can modulate the STAT3 pathway, was investigated in human multiple myeloma (MM) cells. We found that betulinic acid inhibited constitutive activation of STAT3, Src kinase, JAK1 and JAK2. Pervanadate reversed the betulinic acid‐induced downregulation of STAT3 activation, suggesting the involvement of a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP). Furthermore, betulinic acid induced the expression of the PTP SHP‐1 and silencing of the SHP‐1 gene abolished the ability of betulinic acid to inhibit STAT3 activation and rescued betulinic acid‐induced cell death. Betulinic acid also downregulated the expression of STAT3‐regulated gene products such as bcl‐xL, bcl‐2, cyclin D1 and survivin. This correlated with an increase in apoptosis as indicated by an increase in the sub‐G1 cell population and an increase in caspase‐3‐induced PARP cleavage. Consistent with these results, overexpression of constitutive active STAT3 significantly reduced the betulinic acid‐induced apoptosis. Betulinic acid also enhanced the apoptosis induced by thalidomide (from 10 to 55%) and bortezomib (from 5 to 70%) in MM cells. Overall, our results suggest that betulinic acid downregulates STAT3 activation through upregulation of SHP‐1, and this may have potential in sensitization of STAT3 overexpressing tumors to chemotherapeutic agents.
A Critical Look to the Social Investment Approach from a Gender Perspective

The social investment approach explicitly and implicitly addresses gender issues in its proposals for reforming welfare states. It promotes women’s labour force participation and suggests a re-drawing of family-state boundaries in the responsibility towards children as human capital. While appreciating the support for work-family policies and for a public responsibility in investing on children from an early age, I argue that the ideal adult worker model that underlies this approach hides, and to some degree even takes for granted, gender inequalities in both the household and the labour market. The social investment approach also undervalues the subjective and relational meaning of caring within households, while attributing to families a mainly functional role regarding societies and labour markets. In so doing, the approach causes new tensions for men and women and possibly new inequalities among women, as well as among men.
Effects of Leptin to Cultured Growth Plate Chondrocytes

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether leptin has any effect on growth plate chondrocytes. Methods: We studied the effects of exogenous leptin on cultured rabbit growth plate chondrocytes. This involved assessing [3H]thymidine incorporation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, proteoglycan production, leptin receptor (Ob-R) activity, and detection of Ob-R using Western blot analysis. Results: The existence of Ob-R in growth plate chondrocytes was revealed by Western blot and Ob-R activity. Prior to semiconfluence, leptin increased [3H]thymidine incorporation while at the semiconfluent and early confluent stages, leptin promoted ALP activity and tended to promote proteoglycan production. Conclusion: Growth plate chondrocytes possess Ob-Rs, and leptin enhance chondrocyte proliferation and subsequent cell differentiation.
Novel Technique for Medullary Canal Débridement in Tibia and Femur Osteomyelitis

Intramedullary infection is a challenging problem and treatment usually includes removal of infected hardware and reaming of the medullary canal. We describe a new technique for canal débridement and evaluate its infection control rate in treating osteomyelitis of the tibia and femur. We retrospectively reviewed 11 patients with posttraumatic osteomyelitis of the tibia (n = 8) or femur (n = 3). Surgery included débridement, implant removal, and reaming of the medullary canal with a new device that allows reaming under simultaneous irrigation and aspiration. At a minimum followup time of 6 months (mean, 13 months; range, 6-23 months), we observed no recurrence of infection. Complications included one partial loss of a flap, one refracture of a tibia after an automobile versus pedestrian accident, and external fixator pin tract infections in one patient. These preliminary data suggest the new reaming device may be a useful adjunct for débriding intramedullary infections of the tibia and femur. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Preferential subfunctionalization of slow-evolving genes after allopolyploidization in Xenopus laevis

As paleopolyploid genomes evolve, the expression profiles of retained gene pairs are expected to diverge. To examine this divergence process on a large scale in a vertebrate system, we compare Xenopus laevis, which has retained ≈40% of loci in duplicate after a recent whole-genome duplication (WGD), with its unduplicated relative Silurana (Xenopus) tropicalis. This comparison of ingroup pairs to an outgroup allows the direction of change in expression profiles to be inferred for a set of 1,300 X. laevis pairs, relative to their single orthologs in S. tropicalis, across 11 tissues. We identify 68 pairs in which X. laevis is inferred to have undergone a significant reduction of expression in at least two tissues since WGD. Of these pairs, one-third show evidence of subfunctionalization, with decreases in the expression levels of different gene copies in two different tissues. Surprisingly, we find that genes with slow rates of evolution are particularly prone to subfunctionalization, even when the tendency for highly expressed genes to evolve slowly is controlled for. We interpret this result to be an effect of allopolyploidization. We then compare the outcomes of this WGD with an independent one that happened in the teleost fish lineage. We find that if a gene pair was retained in duplicate in X. laevis, the orthologous pair is more likely to have been retained in duplicate in zebrafish, suggesting that similar factors, among them subfunctionalization, determined which gene pairs survived in duplicate after the two WGDs.
The Timing of Neonatal Brain Damage

Although neonatal morbidity and mortality are less than in the past, the risk of pre-natal and neonatal brain damage has not been eliminated. In order to optimize pre-natal, perinatal and neonatal care, it is necessary to detect factors responsible for brain damage and obtain information about their timing. Knowledge of the timing of asphyxia, infections and circulatory abnormalities would enable obstetricians and neonatologists to improve prevention in pre-term and full-term neonates. Cardiotocography has been criticized as being too indirect a sign of fetal condition and as having various technical pitfalls, though its reliability seems to be improved by association with pulse oximetry, fetal blood pH and electrocardiography. Neuroimaging is particularly useful to determine the timing of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Cranial ultrasound has been used to determine the type and evolution of brain damage. Magnetic resonance has also been used to detect antenatal, perinatal and neonatal abnormalities and timing on the basis of standardized assessment of brain maturation. Advances in the interpretation of neonatal electroencephalograms have also made this technique useful for determining the timing of brain lesions. Nucleated red blood cell count in cord blood has been recognized as an important indication of the timing of pre-natal hypoxia, and even abnormal lymphocyte and thrombocyte counts may be used to establish pre-natal asphyxia. Cord blood pH and base excess are well-known markers of fetal hypoxia, but are best combined with heart rate and blood pressure. Other markers of fetal and neonatal hypoxia useful for determining the timing of brain damage are assays of lactate and markers of oxidative stress in cord blood and neonatal blood. Cytokines in blood and amniotic fluid may indicate chorioamnionitis or post-natal infections. The determination of activin and protein S100 has also been proposed. Obstetricians and neonatologists can therefore now rely on various methods for monitoring the risk of brain damage in the antenatal and post-natal periods.