Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of home and host country institutions in the internationalization of an African multinational enterprise

We demonstrate that firms can exploit their knowledge of â€˜weakâ€™ institutional settings and turn it into a source of advantage as they internationalize into locations with similar institutional â€˜weaknesses. â€™ Using the case of one Africaâ€™s most successful multinational enterprises we illustrate the value gained from initially capitalizing upon institutional complementarity (utilizing the comparative advantage linked to institutional know-how) by exploiting the experience of the home countryâ€™s environment into similar settings. Over time and through learning-by-doing, pressure arose to diversify the risk linked with over-exposure to institutional uncertainty and country risk, and this was associated with the process of institutional substitution into more advanced countries. We see an emerging multinational learning and building its capabilities by leveraging off its understanding of its home country institutional environment.
The Effectiveness of Incentive Schemes in the Presence of Implicit Effort Costs

Agents’ decisions to exert effort depend on the incentives and the potential costs involved. So far, most of the attention has been on the incentive side. However, our laboratory experiments underline that both the incentive and the cost side can be used separately to shape work performance. In our experiment, subjects work on a real-effort slider task. Between treatments, we vary the incentive scheme used for compensating workers. Additionally, by varying the available outside options, we explore the role of implicit costs of effort in determining workers’ performance. We observe that incentive contracts and implicit costs interact in a nontrivial manner. In general, performance decreases as implicit costs increase. Yet the magnitude of the reaction differs across incentive schemes and across the offered outside options, which, in turn, alters estimated output elasticities. In addition, comparisons between incentive schemes crucially depend on the implicit costs. This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, decision analysis.
Determinants of Adoption of Internet Banking by Trade Finance Customers in East Africa

It is increasingly more interesting to the bank managers to understand what is important to customers when it comes to Internet banking, and especially banking conducted by the customers themselves. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that influence corporate customers’ adoption of Internet banking services in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. This study involved 472 Trade Finance customers. The hypotheses are empirically evaluated by using Trade Finance customers of an East African bank as the target sample. The analysis reveals that corporate users are not motivated by the same factors as private users. In order to become Internet banking customers, it is extremely important for corporate users to have a system that is easy to use and operate with full support from the bank.
Bond strength test: role of operator skill.

BACKGROUND Test method, substrate material and operator variability are factors known to affect bond strength test outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine if, with increasing experience, individual operator skill in material handling influenced microshear bond strength outcomes. METHODS This retrospective study used data collected from six preliminary tests carried out successively on enamel microshear bond strength for two adhesives: Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray) and Adper Single Bond 2 (3M ESPE) by one operator. Mean and median microshear bond strength values, standard deviations and coefficients of variation for each adhesive test group were calculated and assessed. RESULTS A gradual increase in mean microshear bond strengths, a decrease in standard deviations and coefficients of variation over time for both adhesives and a progressively more uniform distribution of microshear bond strength results recorded in individual test sets was observed. The results suggest an improvement in bonding reliability as experience is gained. CONCLUSIONS Operator skill in material handling appears to play a critical role in determining the outcome of bond strength testing. This same skill is probably relevant when using an adhesive for the first time clinically. It is important that clinicians become familiar with new adhesives in order to achieve optimal outcomes.
Eco-innovation : Spanish service and manufacturing firms

The drivers for the adoption of an eco-innovation strategy have been widely explored in the recent literature but, to date, most of these studies have been carried out on manufacturing industries. Hence, this paper investigates the similarities and differences between service and manufacturing firms, distinguishing between the high-tech and lowtech sectors. Using panel data of 4,535 Spanish firms for the period 2008â€”2014, we specify a dynamic probit model with sample selection. In line with other contributions in the literature, our results confirm the importance of regulatory stimulus to eco-innovation, mainly in form of demand-pull and, especially, in terms of demand push (subsidies) for sectors with low technology intensities. Institutional sources of information seem to be a more important driver for services firms with high technology intensity, whereas manufacturing firms rely more on internal or other sources of information. Furthermore, we find that eco-innovation is highly persistent at the firm level in both sectors and at both technology intensities. Hence, past eco-innovation behaviour is clearly more decisive in explaining the current state of eco-innovation orientation. Keywords: eco-innovation strategy, environmental innovation, service sector, manufacturing sector, green strategy, Spain. JEL Classification Numbers: O31. Q55
Temperature-Aware Configurable Cache to Reduce Energy in Embedded Systems

Energy consumption is a major concern in embedded computing systems. Several studies have shown that cache memories account for 40% or more of the total energy consumed in these systems. Active power used to be the primary contributor to total power dissipation of CMOS designs, but with the technology scaling, the share of leakage in total power consumption of digital systems continues to grow. Moreover, temperature is another factor that exponentially increases the leakage current. In this paper, we show the effect of temperature on the optimal (minimum-energy-consuming) cache configuration for low energy embedded systems. Our results show that for a given application and technology, the optimal cache size moves toward smaller caches at higher temperatures, due to the larger leakage. Consequently, a Temperature-Aware Configurable Cache (TACC) is an effective way to save energy in finer technologies when the embedded system is used in different temperatures. Our results show that using a TACC, up to 61% energy can be saved for instruction cache and 77% for data cache compared to a configurable cache that has been configured for only the corner-case temperature (100°C). Furthermore, the TACC also enhances the performance by up to 28% for the instruction cache and up to 17% for the data cache.
Control algorithms for a Shape-shifting Tracked Robotic Vehicle climbing obstacles

Abstract : Research in mobile robot navigation has demonstrated some success in navigating flat world while avoiding obstacles. However, algorithms which analyze complex environments in order to climb three-dimensional obstacles have had very little success due to the complexity of the task. Unmanned ground vehicles currently exhibit simple autonomous behaviours compared to the human ability to move in the world. This research work aims to design controllers for a shape-shifting tracked robotic vehicle, thus enabling it to autonomously climb obstacles by adapting its geometric configuration. Three control algorithms are proposed to solve the autonomous locomotion problem for climbing obstacles. A reactive controller evaluates the appropriate geometric configuration based on terrain and vehicle geometric considerations. As a scripted controller is difficult to design for every possible circumstance, learning algorithms are a plausible alternative. A neural network based controller works if a task resembles a learned case. However, it lacks adaptability. Learning in real-time by reinforcement and progress estimation facilitates robot control and navigation. This report presents the reinforcement learning algorithm developed to find alternative solutions when the reactive controller gets stuck while climbing an obstacle. The controllers are validated and compared with simulations.
The Evaluation of Teacher Certified Performance In Tulang Bawang Lampung

The focus of this research was to find out the certified teachers’ performances of both portfolio test and Education and Training of Teacher Profession (PLPG). The objective of this research was to evaluate the performances of certified teachers. This was a descriptive qualitative research by conducting deep interview to certified teachers and by conducting direct observations in classrooms (classroom supervision) with separating between teachers who passed portfolio test and teachers who graduated the education and training of teacher profession. Samples were taken with stratified sampling. Samples were taken 10% from each sub district from total population of 286 certified elementary school teachers in Tulang Bawang district. The research results showed that: 1) 82.1% of teachers were in sufficient criteria in opening lesson, 2) 75.0% teachers were in poor criteria in conducting lesson strategy, 3) 64.4% teachers were in poor criteria in demonstrating material masteries, 4) 60.7% teachers were in poor criteria in encouraging students’ involvements, 5) 60.7% teachers were in sufficient criteria in personal communication, and 6) 17.9% teachers were in good criteria in conducting evaluation of process and result of learning. Keywords—Evaluation, teacher performance, certified
The Role of Micro and Macro Level Organizational Coordination in Accountable Care Organizations

The aim of this dissertation is to explore both micro and macro level healthcare coordination constructs and to explore associated concepts to better understand what enables or impedes coordination in the delivery system. Given the significance and importance of coordinating mechanisms, my studies examine types of coordination at the micro (Relational Coordination), and macro (Care Transition Management) levels, to contribute to the literature in healthcare coordination and to support healthcare transformation toward a safer, higher quality, and more cost-effective delivery system. The growing literature on team level coordination has not explored how facilitative leadership supports or hinders coordination, nor have studies examined how team member participation and solidarity culture are associated with team level coordination. At the organizational level, studies have explored healthcare care coordination, accountability, and electronic health records as individual constructs, but no studies have looked at all three together and explored the association between them.Study 1 and 2 examine micro-organizational coordination in two accountable care organizations with quantitative and qualitative investigations of Relational Coordination and teamwork factors including; Leadership Facilitation, Team Participation, Solidarity Culture. Study 3 explores macro-organizational coordination to see if physician group Accountable Care Organization (ACO) affiliation and greater EHR functionality are positively associated with more robust Care Transition Management (CTM) capabilities.
False recollections and the congruence of suggested information

In two experiments, congruence of postevent information was manipulated in order to explore its role in the misinformation effect. Congruence of a detail was empirically defined as its compatibility (or match) with a concrete event. Based on this idea it was predicted that a congruent suggested detail would be more easily accepted than an incongruent one. In Experiments 1 and 2 two factors (congruence and truth value) were manipulated within-subjects, and a two-alternative forced-choice recognition test was used followed by phenomenological judgements. Furthermore, in the second experiment participants were asked to describe four critical items (two seen and two suggested details) to explore differences and similarities between real and unreal memories. Both experiments clearly showed that the congruence of false information caused a robust misinformation effect, so that congruent information was much more accepted than false incongruent information. Furthermore, congruence increased the descriptive and phenomenological similarities between perceived and suggested memories, thus contributing to the misleading effect.
Identification, sequencing, and enzymatic activity of the erythrose-4-phosphate dehydrogenase gene of Vibrio cholerae

We have identified a gene in Vibrio cholerae (epd) which encodes an erythrose-4-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and is located immediately downstream of an iron-regulated virulence gene, irgA, and immediately upstream of a gene encoding phosphoglycerate kinase (pgk). Expression of epd in V. cholerae is not regulated by iron, nor is it required for virulence in an infant mouse model.
Is coronary risk an accurate surrogate for cardiovascular risk for treatment decisions in mild hypertension? A population validation

Objective To examine the relationship between coronary (CHD) and cardiovascular (CVD) risk in patients with uncomplicated mild hypertension and to determine the accuracy of using CHD risk ⩾ 15% over 10 years to identify for antihypertensive treatment those patients with CVD risk ⩾ 20% over 10 years as advised in recent British guidelines. Design Comparison of decisions made using CHD risk ⩾ 15% over 10 years calculated by the Framingham risk function and estimated using a simple table with CVD risk ⩾ 20% over 10 years. Setting British population. Subjects People aged 35–64 years with uncomplicated mild systolic hypertension (SBP 140–159 mmHg, n = 624) from the 1995 Scottish Health Survey. Main outcome measures Relationship between CHD and CVD risk. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV). Results CHD risk 15% over 10 years was equivalent to CVD risk 21% over 10 years. Exact CHD risk ⩾ 15% over 10 years had sensitivity 79%, specificity 98%, PPV 94% and NPV 93% in detecting CVD risk ⩾ 20% over 10 years. Use of the table to estimate CHD risk ⩾ 15% over 10 years gave sensitivity 88%, specificity 90%, PPV 76% and NPV 95%. Conclusion CHD risk appears acceptably accurate for targeting treatment in mild hypertension. The risk assessment table, which slightly overestimates CHD risk, was more sensitive in identifying patients with CVD risk ⩾ 20% over 10 years and may be preferable to using exact CHD risk. European guidelines which suggest targeting treatment for mild hypertension at CHD risk ⩾ 20% over 10 years are over-conservative compared with British guidelines.
A meta-analytic review of the emotional symptoms associated with mild traumatic brain injury

Given the prevalence of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and enduring subjective complaints known as postconcussion symptoms (PCS), it is important to investigate the nature and extent of these difficulties. This study used meta-analytic techniques to integrate the available information on the emotional symptoms associated with mTBI. Small effect sizes were found across all domains (depression, anxiety, coping, and psychosocial disability); however, significance depended upon the weighting method employed. The results indicate that mTBI had a small to negligible effect on emotional symptom reporting. This has implications for the etiology of PCS, the delivery of therapeutic interventions, and medico-legal disputations.
Acetylation dictates the morphology of nanophase biosilica precipitated by a 14‐amino acid leucine–lysine peptide

N‐terminal acetylation is a commonly used modification technique for synthetic peptides, mostly applied for reasons of enhanced stability, and in many cases regarded as inconsequential. In engineered biosilification – the controlled deposition of silica for nanotechnology applications by designed peptides – charged groups often play a deciding role. Here we report that changing the charge by acetylation of a 14‐amino acid leucine–lysine (LK) peptide dramatically changes the morphology of precipitated biosilica; acetylated LK peptides produce nano‐spheres, whereas nano‐wires are precipitated by the same peptide in a non‐acetylated form. By using interface‐specific vibrational spectroscopy and coarse‐grained molecular simulations, we show that this change in morphology is not the result of modified peptide–silica interactions, but rather caused by the stabilization of the hydrophobic core of peptide aggregates created by the removal of a peptide charge upon acetylation. These results should raise awareness of the potential impact of N‐terminal modifications in peptide applications. Copyright © 2016 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Immediate decrease by hydrocortisone of the plasma half‐life of antipyrine

Infusion of hydrocortisone in man caused an immediate shortening of the plasma half-life of antipyrine. There was no change in the 'apparent' volume of distribution of antipyrine and the plasma concentrations of hydrocortisone during the infusion remained within physiological limits. Similar changes in plasma half-lives of antipyrine were observed in the dog, but in vitro studies of drug oxidation with dog liver failed to show any difference between biopsy samples taken before and during steroid infusion.Many drugs and chemicals are known to stimulate rates of drug oxidation in both man and animals. Administration of these inducing agents results in an increase in the activity of enzymes catalyzing drug oxidation, most of which are located with-in the endoplasmic reticulum of liver cells. In man there is usually a delay of 4-8 days before an appreciable change in rates of drug metabolism is seen when such an agent is administered (Breckenridge, Orme, Thorgeirsson, Davies & Brooks, 1971); in rats, the administration of enzyme-inducing agents causes increased rates of drug metabolism only 24-48 h after their administration.We wish to report in this paper an immediate and hitherto undescribed effect of hydrocortisone on rates of antipyrine elimination in man.
On the Evaluation of the Enterprises’ Leadership Effectiveness

Enterprises’ Leadership Effectiveness (ELE) is the performance and the outcomes that have been achieved after the enterprises leadership have been performed. To achieve joint effort, build system trust and build learning organization is the three fundamental way to achieve enterprise leadership. Leading joint effort is an important way to achieve leadership effectiveness; system trust is the basis for achieving the success of enterprise leadership; learning organization is the guarantee of achieving leadership effectiveness. The effectiveness evaluation of enterprise leadership requires the multiple criteria of openness. In order to meet the requirements of various objectives, leadership performance evaluation needs not only focusing on performance, attitude, behavior, cognition; but also needs an open, macro mentality formulated multiple standards according to different requirements
The Benefit of Excluding Institutional Investors from Fixed-Priced IPOs

A simple way of mitigating winner’s curse in initial public offerings (IPOs) is to reduce the number of informed investors in the IPO markets. In Taiwan, institutional investors are not permitted to subscribe to fixed-priced IPOs. The exclusion of institutional investors raises the probability of uninformed investors’ winning an allocation of underpriced offerings. We show that winner’s curse is present in Taiwan fixed-priced IPO markets even without the participation of institutional investors. We further demonstrate that IPO underpricing is reduced by at least 4% due to the alleviation of winner’s curse as institutional investors are excluded from the fixed-price offerings.
The Effect of Local Regional Therapy on Post-transplantation Survival Rate in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background and Objective: This study aims to use meta-analysis to evaluate whether pre-transplantation local regional therapy (LRT) can improve the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who accepted liver transplantation. Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PUBMED, EMBASE and Web of Science Datebases up to May 2015. Endpoints were 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years survival rate after liver transplantation. Results: Analysis of nine retrospective studies including 1097 patients did not reveal significant difference in 1year, 3 years and 5 years survival rate between the patients who got LRT or not. Analysis of four retrospective studies including 504 patients showed patients with complete response to LRT have higher 5 years survival rate. Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that the patients with complete response to LRT have higher post-transplantation survival rate. But LRT before liver transplantation can’t improve the overall survival rate.
Influence of interferon-gamma administration on the severity of experimental group B streptococcal arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) administration on the evolution of systemic infection and septic arthritis induced by group B streptococci (GBS) in mice. METHODS CD1 mice were inoculated intravenously with arthritogenic strain 1/82 of type IV GBS. Exogenous murine IFNgamma or anti-IFNgamma monoclonal antibodies were administered intravenously either 2 hours (-2 hours) before or 18 hours after infection with 1 x 10(7) GBS. Mice were monitored daily for survival and for signs of arthritis. In a subsequent set of experiments, mice were killed at selected times for examination of bacterial clearance, joint histopathology, and cytokine production. RESULTS Mortality in mice treated with IFNgamma at -2 hours was 100%, compared with 20% in those treated at 18 hours and with 40% in controls. As indicated by the arthritis score, mice treated with IFNgamma at -2 hours developed early and more severe arthritis, whereas those treated at 18 hours had milder arthritis compared with infected controls. Less severe joint pathology in the mice treated with IFNgamma at 18 hours correlated with low levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1beta and a low bacterial load in the joints, whereas rapid onset and worsening of articular lesions in those treated at -2 hours corresponded to early and sustained levels of IL-6. CONCLUSION The findings of this study demonstrate that the effects mediated by IFNgamma on GBS-induced arthritis may be detrimental or beneficial, depending on the time of administration of IFNgamma in relation to infection with the antigen.