Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimizing the Value of Performance Appraisals

A carefully designed and administered performance appraisal system, which stresses the coaching aspect of evaluations, will improve performance more rapidly and represents one of the keys to increase the audit staff′s productivity. Advocates the use of a two‐tiered, integrated system of ongoing job evaluations and annual goals (management by objectives – MBO), and the optimization of each system component. Entails training appraisers in dealing with emotional barriers to express criticism, and in avoiding psychometric errors. Feedback on job performance should be received on an ongoing and informal basis. MBO goals need to be jointly developed with the auditor. Job evaluations should include written comments which relate to job behaviour rather than personality traits. The annual appraisal should include a self‐appraisal and develop a plan to advance the auditor′s strengths and alleviate weaknesses. Addresses the legal requirements of appraisal systems.
Cancer risk around the nuclear power plants of Trillo and Zorita (Spain)

Aim: To investigate the association between cancer risk and proximity of place of residence to the Guadalajara nuclear power plants: Trillo and Zorita. Methods: Case-control study. Cases were patients admitted with cancer and controls were non-tumorous patients, both admitted to Guadalajara Hospital (period 1988–99). Exposure factor: place of residence (areas within 10, 20, and 30 km of each plant). Odds ratios (ORs) of those areas closest to the plants were calculated with respect to those furthest away; a linear trend analysis was also performed. Results: In the extreme areas in the vicinity of Trillo, an OR of 1.71 was obtained (95% CI 1.15 to 2.53), increasing in magnitude in the subgroup of more radioinducible tumours and in the period considered as post-latency (1997–99). Risk increased linearly with proximity to the two plants, significantly in Trillo (p < 0.01) but not in Zorita (p = 0.19). Conclusions: There is an association between proximity of residence to Trillo and cancer risk, although the limitations of the study should be kept in mind when interpreting the possible causal relation.
The Impact of a Restructured Canadian Welfare State on Atlantic Canada

The Canadian welfare state, like welfare states elsewhere, has undergone significant reform and restructuring. This paper examines what has occurred and the impact it has had on Canada’s poorest and most underdeveloped region, the Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. Although the central and western regions have also experienced a reduction in federal expenditures, no other region has been more negatively affected by federal fiscal and social policy reform and downsizing. Health care and education have experienced the worst cuts. The significant loss of federal government transfers to this region has ruptured a historic social contract. This in turn has triggered a radical restructuring and downsizing of provincial and municipal public administrations, commensurate with job losses in important sectors of the labour market, such as universities, hospitals and schools. In the last five years the rate of unemployment and poverty has risen sharply, personal and household incomes have declined, and entire communities are on the brink of extinction owing to out-migration. The irony, however, is that for Atlantic Canadians the retrenchment of the federal state has led to greater public willingness to consider social democratic political parties and policy alternatives that are not only different from prior fare, but which do not represent a flight to a rather unsatisfactory past.
An organizational competence model for innovation intermediaries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the role of intermediaries in open innovation networks in achieving ICT-enabled innovations. The ultimate goal of open innovation networks is to create value for endusers and providers, and to share the risks and rewards. The aim of this paper is to analyse the competences that intermediaries in open innovation networks need to master and exploit during the exploration and exploitation phases of an innovation process. Design/methodology/approach – Based on 14 cases, all of which are examples of collaborative multi-party projects with a focus on ICT-enabled innovations, the paper inductively develops a competence model for intermediaries that can be applied at different stages in the innovation. Findings – The research shows that intermediaries can play an effective role in open innovation, provided they have the right set of competences. It can be concluded that the role of innovation intermediary is most relevant in the creation and development phases. Re.
Design orientated model and application of electronic ballasts for two toroidal ferrite coupled electrodeless lamps

Based on basic theories of transformer, a simplified design orientated model of two toroidal fertile coupled electrodeless fluorescent lamps along with their electronic ballasts is proposed. Based on this model, frequency domain analysis and design of the electronic ballasts for electrodeless lamps is investigated. The effect of the exciter coils of the electrodeless lamps in electronic ballasts is investigated, and some important characteristics are formulated and compared with that in electroded lamp ballasts. Simulating results of the model are compared with and verified by experimental results
siRNA depletion of 7SK snRNA induces apoptosis but does not affect expression of the HIV‐1 LTR or P‐TEFb‐dependent cellular genes

P‐TEFb is a general transcriptional elongation factor composed of Cdk9 and either cyclin T1, T2, or K. A substantial portion of P‐TEFb is associated with the 7SK small nuclear RNA (7SK) and the HEXIM1 or HEXIM2 proteins; this complex has reduced kinase activity in vitro relative to free P‐TEFb. Here we report that 7SK and HEXIM1 levels are induced in activated lymphocytes concomitantly with increased P‐TEFb activity and global transcription. We used siRNA‐mediated depletion to probe the function of 7SK in HeLa cells. Depletion of 7SK caused a large reduction in the association of HEXIM1 with Cdk9 and cyclin T1, and greatly reduced the amount of the cyclin T1 present in the 7SK/HEXIM1/P‐TEFb complex. Similar to previous studies, siRNA‐mediated depletion of 7SK resulted in increased expression of several reporter plasmids tested, including a plasmid lacking promoter elements. However, in contrast to previous studies, which did not examine the effects of 7SK depletion on endogenous gene expression, depletion of 7SK did not appear to affect the expression of the corresponding endogenous genes. Moreover, 7SK depletion had no effect on expression from the integrated HIV‐1 provirus or the c‐myc and MCL‐1 genes, three transcription units known to be highly dependent upon P‐TEFb. Importantly, depletion of 7SK was found to cause apoptosis by 72 h post‐transfection in HeLa cells. These results suggest that 7SK may provide an essential cellular function whose relation to P‐TEFb function is unclear. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mode of Action of a Staphylococcus epidermidis Bacteriocin

Staphylococcin 1580, a bacteriocin produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis 1580, is bactericidal to sensitive cells of many gram-positive bacteria and stable staphylococcal L-forms. The bacteriocin inhibited simultaneously the syntheses of deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein, and caused neither degradation of deoxyribonucleic acid nor induction of phages in lysogenic, sensitive cells. After 1 hr of treatment, extensive degradation of ribonucleic acid occurred, which was accompanied by leakage of ultraviolet-absorbing material out of the cell. The incorporation of glucose in acid-precipitable and glycogenlike material was inhibited. Furthermore, the staphylococcin inhibited the transport of glucose, glutamic acid, rubidium ions, and o-nitrophenyl-β-galactoside. The uptake of oxygen was only gradually affected, but the intracellular adenosine triphosphate level fell rapidly to 15% of the control value. The motility of sensitive Bacillus subtilis cells was markedly reduced on treatment. Staphylococcin 1580 exhibited no phospholipase activity. The phenomena are interpreted as resulting from an altered conformation and composition of the membrane, from an inhibition of transport through the membrane, or from a combination of these effects.
Delegation to Independent Regulatory Agencies: Pressures, Functions and Contextual Mediation

Independent Regulatory Agencies (IRAs) have spread across many domains in Western Europe. The article examines selected examples in Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. A functionalist analysis of the pressures on elected officials and the functions that IRAs perform provide a valuable starting point for analysis. Nevertheless, it confronts cross-national and cross-domain variations in the timing of the creation of IRAs, their spread and their institutional forms. In order to offer a fuller account, contextual factors that mediate pressures must be considered. These factors include learning and institutional isomorphism; state traditions and structures; political leadership; state reforms. Finally, IRAs have had far-reaching consequences that have often been unanticipated at the time of their creation.
Indicators and Targets for Social Inclusion in the European Union

In December 2001, the Laeken European Council adopted a set of commonly agreed and defined indicators for social inclusion. These should play a central role in monitoring the performance of Member States in making progress towards the key EU objectives in this area set by the Nice European Council in 2000, and represent a major step forward in the development of EU social policy. This article reviews the scientific and political basis on which the indicators were selected, and the implications for the future development of policy-making in Europe. It describes the key features of the indicators and some of the ways in which they can be developed. Finally, it investigates some important issues that need to be addressed when setting quantitative targets in the context of the social inclusion process.
Could blocking the formation of amyloid channels rescue Alzheimer's phenotype?

In a most simplified way, we can say that much of the symptomatology that characterizes Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be attributed to a cascade of toxic events initiated by the presence in the interstitial space of the brain of oligomers of the β‐amyloid peptide (Aβ) peptide, a cleavage by‐product of the Amyloid precursor protein (APP). Intuitively, it follows that the amyloid peptide is the ideal target to combat this disease. However, several anti‐Aβ therapies failed in clinical trials devoted to find a treatment for AD. However, last year, the results of a clinical trial prompted back the interests in this type of therapy. In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, Martinez Hernandez and colleagues present encouraging results showing that the diphenylpyrazole compound Anle138b prevents and reduces the toxic effects of Aβ in a mouse model of AD (APPPS1ΔE9). Regarding the mechanisms of action, they present good evidence that Anle138b prevents the formation of conducting Aβ pores on artificial membranes and primary hippocampal neurons. While the data are encouraging, AD mouse models only represent part of the AD pathology and clinical trials are needed to determine the usefulness of Anle138b to treat AD patients.
Granular Cognitive Maps reconstruction

Cognitive Maps are abstract knowledge representation framework, suitable to model complex systems. Cognitive Maps are visualized with directed graphs, where nodes represent phenomena and edges represent relationships. Granular Cognitive Maps are augmented Cognitive Maps, which use knowledge granules as information representation model. Conceptually, GCMs originated as an extension of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps. The contribution presented in this paper is a methodology for Granular Cognitive Map reconstruction. The goal of the procedure is to construct a weights matrix - and thereby the GCM, which outputs best describe the phenomena of interest. The article addresses the conflict between generality and specificity of various Granular Cognitive Maps. Balance between generality and specificity is the most important architectural aspect of a model built with knowledge granules. A series of experiments illustrates, how various optimization techniques allow improvement in map's quality without a loss in map's precision.
Controlling the size of alginate gel beads by use of a high electrostatic potential

The effect of several parameters on the size of alginate beads produced by use of an electrostatic potential bead generator was examined. Parameters studied included needle diameter, electrostatic potential, alginate solution flow rate, gelling ion concentration and alginate concentration and viscosity, as well as alginate composition. Bead size was found to decrease with increasing electrostatic potential, but only down to a certain level. Minimum bead size was reached at between 2-4 kV/cm for the needles tested. The smallest alginate beads produced (using a needle with inner diameter 0.18 mm) had a mean diameter of ~300 #181;m. Bead size was also found to be dependent upon the flow rate of the fed alginate solution. Increasing the gelling ion concentration resulted in a moderate decrease in bead size. The concentration and viscosity of the alginate solution also had an effect on bead size as demonstrated by an increased bead diameter when the concentration or viscosity was increased. This effect was primarily an effect of the viscosity properties of the solution, which led to changes in the rate of droplet formation in the bead generator. Lowering the flow rate of the alginate solution could partly compensate for the increase in bead size with increased viscosity. For a constant droplet size, alginates with a low G block content (F GG #44 0.20) resulted in ~30% smaller beads than alginates with a high G block content (F GG #44 0.60). This is explained as a result of differences in the shrinking properties of the beads.
Sequences of operational improvements: some empirical evidence

Looks at the improvement initiatives which companies implement in operations, in the areas of design, supply and production. A number of initiatives are considered, including design computerization, flexible automation, linkages with suppliers and JIT. In the literature these initiatives have been given different names, such as technical and organizational innovations or best manufacturing practices. Using survey data, the paper examines the question of the existence of different sequences followed by companies to innovate their operations. A sample of 125 US, Japanese and Italian companies belonging to the electronics, machinery and transport industries is analysed. On the basis of the initiative start‐up year, four different sequences have been found. They are different in terms of two dimensions: one is the type of initiatives launched at the beginning, and the other is the level of selectiveness of the companies in launching the initiatives. The sequences have been labelled Hard Full Adopters, Hard Discriminators, Soft Full Adopters and Soft Discriminators. Company characteristics, such as the country of location, and context factors such as export, and length of product life cycle have emerged as discriminating factors between the sequences.
‘I don’t want to cause any trouble’: the attitudes of hospital patients towards patient empowerment strategies to reduce healthcare-acquired infections

Background: Patients have, traditionally, been assumed to be the passive party in the healthcare-associated infections equation, with relatively little research focused on the patients’ perspective. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of hospital patients towards patient empowerment as one of the key components of patient engagement. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with surgical patients from a major public hospital in Sydney, Australia. Findings: While participants acknowledged that patients could play a role in preventing infections while in hospital, that role was largely associated with maintaining their own personal hygiene. No reference was made to patients interacting with staff members. Some participants said that they would feel comfortable and happy to engage with staff, while others voiced concerns. Some about not wanting to ‘cause trouble or start fires’ and therefore would not tell staff members to perform hand hygiene. Some participants articulated a fear that their care may be negatively affected if they directly engaged or confronted clinicians about their behaviours. Conclusion: We found that patient engagement remains an underused method of preventing healthcare-associated infections, and the deep-seated public fears about individual vulnerabilities still need to be addressed.
RECENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE FINANCIAL SECTOR OF ECONOMETRIC MODELS

IN RECENT YEARS much effort has been channeled into the estimation of financial sectors of econometric models. ' The scope of this work has ranged from the straightforward estimation of equations explaining long-term interest rates to broad investigations of many financial markets. The assumptions and strategy underlying the construction of these models have not always been explicitly laid out. As a result, it is unlikely that either the alternative assumptions upon which the financial sector might be based or the reasonableness of the form of existing financial sectors is generally understood. One purpose of the present study is to clarify these issues by deriving a financial sector very explicitly and relating recent work to it. In addition, those markets of the financial sector that heretofore have received only limited study are analyzed empirically. The paper is divided into three parts. In Part I a ten equation financial model is derived.2 Exact relationships are not presented, but all the arguments of the behavioral functions are specified. The basic underlying assumptions (and their alternatives) are explained and the rationale for each expansion of the sector is provided. Since the sector contains all the fundamental relationships established in recent studies in a minimum number of equations, these studies can easily be related to it. In Part II some equation estimates are presented for markets of the model that have only recently come under investigation. In particular, the commercial loan, time deposit, and mortgage markets are analyzed. There is also a conclusion and an appendix describing the construction of a quarterly time deposit rate series.
Statistical Evidence of Balanced and Unbalanced Growth: Comment

where G is the growth rate of aggregate demand, and gi and Ei are the actual growth rate and the income elasticity of output for the ith sector respectively. GEi is defined as the expected growth rate of the ilh sector.2 Measure (2) is preferred to (1) as the latter is unnecessarily sensitive to extreme deviations in sectoral growth rates. Swamy then correlated both measures of imbalance with the aggregate growth rate, G. Coefficients were positive and statistically significant for all periods except 1938-1948. He concludes that the 'statistical evidence does not corroborate the balanced growth theory. ' 3 Swamy's results have to be interpreted carefully. In the first place there are weaknesses in the statistical techniques he adopts. These result from his reliance on the correlation between G and V. This correlation is questionable on two counts. Firstly, where the k sectors form a large proportion of aggregate output, we would expect high sectoral growth rates to be accompanied by a high growth of overall output. The association between V and G merely reflects a mutual component in both (i.e., gi). However, since Swamy disaggregated into 13 manufacturing sectors, this spurious element may not be important. Secondly, variations in G automatically affect V since one of the elements of the latter is GEi. This will generate a positive correlation between G and V when the sign of (gi GEj) is negative (and a negative correlation when the sign is positive). Take the limiting case,
Organizational Vision and Visionary Organizations

This article presents a framework for understanding organizational vision. "Vision" is a term frequently used by academics and practicing managers, but there has been a scarcity of clear concepts and useful tools—in short, the absence of a coherent conceptual framework. This article develops a framework that removes the fuzziness surrounding the topic of vision yet at the same time preserves the magic—the spark— that is an essential quality of vision.
Central Dilemmas of Managing Innovation in Large Firms

Based on a multi-year field study of internal ventures in several established firms, this article highlights the central dilemmas that confront innovation from concept to commercialization. The chief difficulties in generating innovation arise from five key dilemmas encountered in locating, seizing, and then methodically navigating creative sparks through the maze and haze of large organizations. To systematically address these dilemmas, firms must endeavor to integrate their entire innovation effort. Three overarching themes are useful for understanding how to holistically manage the dilemmas of innovation in large firms: Strategic Envelope, Strategic Pacing, and Strategic Partnerships.
Join the Hive: The Need for More “Hybrid” Educators

Abstract Challenging the dichotomy between theory and practice in education, the author advocates a middle ground that could motivate more practicing teachers to pursue the studies necessary to become “hybrid” educators. These teacher educators would be masters of both research and practice, bringing both into teacher preparation programs in a practical, useful way.
Giant phyllodes tumor of the breast with diffuse myxoid changes in an adolescent girl: a case report

Abstract Giant phyllodes tumors (PT) are an uncommon fibroepithelial neoplasm and especially rare in adolescent girls. Diagnosis is difficult not only due to the rarity of PT, but also owing to the resemblance of its clinical and imaging features with fibroadenoma. The author reports a case of a giant PT in a 14-year-old girl. Clinical examination showed a large painful mass in the left breast, and an abscess was initially suspected. But magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) displayed features characteristic of PT. Following complete surgical excision of the mass, histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of a benign PT with diffuse myxoid changes, consistent with the MRI findings. This case emphasizes the importance of breast MRI, both for its ability to aid diagnosis, as well as its benefits in guiding the surgical plan.