Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Sustainability Balanced Scorecard: A Systematic Review of Architectures

and different geographical areas. Although sample coverage is typically not a key issue in qualitative research, this information could have been of interest when discussing the findings. The findings explain why companies involve stakeholders in biodiversity conservation, who is involved, and what types of initiatives are implemented with stakeholders. The findings include some true gems by discussing which stakeholders are included or excluded in biodiversity management. For example, the authors point out that certain management practices covered by most environmental management systems, such as the implementation of performance indicators and employee training, are underdeveloped and rarely implemented with stakeholders. In addition, the study reports on the near absence of involving indigenous populations in biodiversity management. The authors point out that this is surprising since mining and forestry operations are often located in areas occupied by indigenous people. Overall, the findings seem to indicate that the traditional business rationales of profit orientation and improving corporate image dominate the discourse of stakeholder involvement for biodiversity management. This is not surprising, considering that the findings are based on sustainability reports that have been criticised for being used as a tool for improving corporate image, as the authors discuss towards the end of the article. To sum up, this article provides a necessary overview of stakeholder involvement in biodiversity initiatives laying ground for future research. The authors discuss that more diverse data, including interviews, could be used. I see that this would indeed provide some more depth into the topic, as it would allow for unofficial and divergent voices to be heard. For example, the ethical and moral aspects of biodiversity management would provide interesting topics for future research.
TIGRE: Topological graph based robotic exploration

In this work we address the problem of autonomous robotic exploration and map building supported by high level information provided by online topological segmentation that incrementally generates an undirected connected graph of the environment. We formulate the exploration problem as the traversal of all the edges of the online graph, being the optimal solution an Eulerian path, if it exist. We propose an integrated approach, the TIGRE algorithm, that combines Graph-SLAM procedures with online Constrained Depth-First Search based graph traversal algorithms to efficiently explore the navigation area. Simulation results show that the online TIGRE algorithm provides similar error estimates for the robot poses and distance travelled than well-known off-line algorithms that use the full graph of the environment. Also, it outperforms other online and off-line algorithms in terms of estimated error.
Presynaptic actions of curare and atropine on quantal acetylcholine release at a central synapse of Aplysia.

1. In a cholinergic synaptic couple in the buccal ganglion of Aplysia california, where the synaptic areas are situated close to the somata (500 micron), we were able to control transmitter release by stimulating the cell body of the presynaptic neurone with long depolarizing pulses in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX). 2. Statistical analysis of noise occurring at the peak of the long‐depolarization‐induced post‐synaptic current (p.s.c.) responses allowed us to calculate the amplitude and the decay time of the miniature post‐synaptic currents (m.p.s.c.s). These data were used to calculate the quantal content of the responses. 3. Bath‐applied tubocurarine reduced the amplitude of the long‐depolarization‐induced p.s.c. more than that of the m.p.s.c.s, indicating that tubocurarine exerts a depressive presynaptic action on the quantal content of the post‐synaptic responses. 4. Tubocurarine injected into the presynaptic neurone blocked synaptic transmission without decreasing the size of the m.p.s.c.s probably by acting on the mechanism of transmitter release. 5. Bath‐applied atropine (10(‐6) and 10(‐5) M) caused a slight decrease of the m.p.s.c.s but the long‐depolarization‐induced p.s.c.s increased, as did the quantal content. Higher concentrations of atropine depressed strongly both the m.p.s.c. and the quantal content. 6. Injection of atropine into the presynaptic neurone had the same effect as its bath application, probably due to the leakage of the drug into the synaptic cleft; the effect depended on the concentration reached in the cleft, i.e. on the quantity of injected drug. The synapses of the neighbouring cholinergic neurone were also affected by this leak of atropine. 7. The presence of nicotinic presynaptic receptors blocked by tubocurarine, and muscarinic presynaptic receptors blocked by atropine, which regulate synaptic transmission by facilitating and depressing the ACh release respectively, is discussed.
UC San Diego UC San Diego Previously Published Works Title

In this study we provide evidence that the species Rossella podagrosa Kirkpatrick, 1907, commonly considered a synonym of Rossella racovitzae Topsent, 1901, is truly a valid species. We show that it can be clearly distinguished from other species especially when taking into consideration the in situ habitus of the sponge in combination with the spicules. Furthermore we demonstrate the weaknesses in the so far published synonymy concept for the very complicated genus Rossella Carter, 1872. From this we conclude that the best strategy for further analysis of Rossella and establishment of acceptable synonymies will need to be based on detailed examination of the spicules, the holotypes, and in situ habitus. When possible it will be useful to analyze specimens from all Antarctic oceanographic regions.
Co-Occurrence of CADASIL and Isolated CNS Angiitis

352 A multidisciplinary team of a geneticist, a neurologist, a vascular surgeon and an interventional radiologist decided that surgery or endovascular treatment for the subclavian or carotid aneurysms carried too high a risk of vessel rupture [3, 4] . We therefore planned medical treatment. We advised her against becoming pregnant as pregnancy in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is associated with uterine rupture and death. To minimise the bleeding complications of further dissection, we advised against the use of anti-platelet agents and started bendrofl uazide to lower her blood pressure aiming to reduce the risk of stroke [5] and aneurysm rupture.
Wide bandwidth left-handed circularly polarized printed antenna with crescent slot

Investigation of a wide bandwidth left-handed circularly polarized printed antenna with crescent slot is presented in this paper. The antenna is proposed to be applied for telemetry communication of GAIA II/LAPAN-Chiba satellite. Here, the satellite is categorized as 100kg class satellite including payload and featured with an L-band circularly polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system. The proposed antenna is designed on an NCP220H dielectric substrate with the relative permittivity of 2.17 and the thickness of 1.6mm. The bottom side of antenna acts as feeding line and port excitation, meanwhile the front side is set as groundplane. Furthermore, at the groundplane side it is also set a square parasitic patch as radiator element. From the characterization result, the antenna could produce fractional bandwidth of −10 dB reflection coefficient (S11) up to 101% (1.3 GHz-3.58 GHz) at the center frequency of 2.25 GHz and −3 dB bandwidth of axial ratio up to 13.7% (2.14 GHz-2.45 GHz). In addition, the gain of proposed antenna is about 5.6 dB at the center frequency.
Research on speed sensorless direct torque fuzzy control of induction motors

In order to solve the large torque ripples which exist in induction motors based on conventional direct torque control(DTC), especially at a low speed, fuzzy control theory is applied to DTC system. The speed of induction motor is estimated by Mras(Model Reference Adaptive System) method. Based on Mras and fuzzy control of speed sensorless induction direct torque control model is constructed. The stator current and stator voltage of induction motor are used to develop speed sensorless is based on Mras. In the fuzzy model strategy, the structure of the three-input single-output are adopted, the stator flux angle, the stator flux, the stator flux error, and the torque error are as fuzzy variables which are fuzzed into several fuzzy subsets to optimize select of the voltage vector. The control system is simulated on the platform of Matlab/Simulink. Compared to the conventional direct control system, the results of the simulation prove that the method of the fuzzy DTC controller can effectively improve the low-speed performance of the induction motor, reduce the torque ripple, and have a good dynamic response performance.
Time Dependence of Bias-Stress-Induced SiC MOSFET Threshold-Voltage Instability Measurements

We have observed significant instability in the threshold voltage of 4H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors due to gate-bias stressing. This effect has a strong measurement time dependence. For example, a 20-mus-long gate ramp used to measure the I-V characteristic and extract a threshold voltage was found to result in a instability three to four times greater than that measured with a 1-s-long gate ramp. The VT instability was three times greater in devices that did not receive a NO postoxidation anneal compared with those that did. This instability effect is consistent with electrons directly tunneling in and out of near-interfacial oxide traps, which in irradiated Si MOS was attributed to border traps.
Thoughts on health-care reform: ignored global considerations.

By now, the question of whether or not there will be health-care reform need not be addressed. Even though the long awaited Clinton health-care plan was made public just within the last few weeks and the Federal debate has just begun, sweeping changes in the way health-care is provided were initiated years ago in several states and more recently in many others. In California, Minnesota, and Massachusetts, the future for the rest of us is being played out. This does not diminish the importance of the ultimate influence of the Federal government on the health-care delivery system of the nation. Indeed, it offers an opportunity for the debate to focus on overarching issues that cannot or will not be addressed at the local or state level. There is nothing in the myriad proposals made public to date or in the pronouncements of those who will participate in shaping the final plan of the government to suggest this will happen. Nevertheless, highlighting a few ignored global considerations may help understand why the proposed health-care reform will fall short ofmeeting the public's expectations for a system that dramatically improves the health of the public, reduces health-care costs, and preserves all that individuals find desirable in the current system. In like manner, the question of whether or not the nation's healthcare system should undergo fundamental change is beyond the point of serious debate. Few would defend everything about the current system, which has focused on treating the sick at almost any cost and applying new technology, broadly defined, without seriously questioning its value to patients. The problems this has engendered in terms of cost of and accessibility to care, disturbing trends in the specialty distribution of physician manpower, and erosion of public confidence in the profession are well known. Attention has focused on the academic medical center because the care provided within that environment is especially costly, and it has a major role in the production of excess numbers of certain specialists.
Adaptation de composants logiciels Une approche automatisée basée sur des expressions régulières de vecteurs de synchronisation

L'adaptation logicielle a pour objectif de resoudre de facon automatique et non intrusive les problemes d'incompatibilites entre composants par la creation d'entites speciﬁques appelees adaptateurs. Si le probleme des incompatibilites au niveau des signatures est partiellement supporte par les plateformes de composants industrielles (EJB, CCM) au travers notamment de l'utilisation de langages de deﬁnition d'interfaces (IDL), des incompatibilites de plus haut niveau comme celles de niveau comportemental (protocoles des composants) restent irresolues. Dans cet article nous presentons une approche formelle d'adaptation comportementale automatique, basee sur des expressions regulieres de vecteurs de synchronisation.
Yeast Rad52 and Rad51 Recombination Proteins Define a Second Pathway of DNA Damage Assessment in Response to a Single Double-Strand Break

ABSTRACT Saccharomyces cells with a single unrepaired double-strand break adapt after checkpoint-mediated G2/M arrest. We have found that both Rad51 and Rad52 recombination proteins play key roles in adaptation. Cells lacking Rad51p fail to adapt, but deleting RAD52 suppresses rad51Δ. rad52Δ also suppresses adaptation defects of srs2Δ mutants but not those of yku70Δ or tid1Δ mutants. Neither rad54Δ nor rad55Δ affects adaptation. A Rad51 mutant that fails to interact with Rad52p is adaptation defective; conversely, a C-terminal truncation mutant of Rad52p, impaired in interaction with Rad51p, is also adaptation defective. In contrast, rad51-K191A, a mutation that abolishes recombination and results in a protein that does not bind to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), supports adaptation, as do Rad51 mutants impaired in interaction with Rad54p or Rad55p. An rfa1-t11 mutation in the ssDNA binding complex RPA partially restores adaptation in rad51Δ mutants and fully restores adaptation in yku70Δ and tid1Δ mutants. Surprisingly, although neither rfa1-t11 nor rad52Δ mutants are adaptation defective, the rad52Δ rfa1-t11 double mutant fails to adapt and exhibits the persistent hyperphosphorylation of the DNA damage checkpoint protein Rad53 after HO induction. We suggest that monitoring of the extent of DNA damage depends on independent binding of RPA and Rad52p to ssDNA, with Rad52p's activity modulated by Rad51p whereas RPA's action depends on Tid1p.
Cystic fibrosis carriers have higher neonatal immunoreactive trypsinogen values than non‐carriers

Following cystic fibrosis (CF) neonatal screening implementation, a high frequency of heterozygotes has been reported among neonates with elevated immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) and normal sweat chloride levels. We studied the relationship between normal IRT values and CF heterozygosity: 10,000 neonates were screened for CF by IRT measurement and tested for 40 CF mutations; the 294 carriers detected were coupled with newborns negative to the same genetic testing, and the two groups' IRT levels compared. Heterozygotes had higher IRT levels than their controls (mean 35.32 vs. 27.58 μg/L, P < 0.001). Even within normal trypsinogen range, the probability of being a CF carrier increases with neonatal IRT concentration. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Universal moduli spaces of vector bundles and the log-minimal model program on the moduli of curves

Recent work on the log minimal model program for the moduli space of curves, as well as past results of Caporaso, Pandharipande, and Simpson motivate an investigation of compactifications of the universal moduli space of slope semi-stable vector bundles over moduli spaces of curves arising in the Hassett-Keel program. Our main result is the construction of a universal moduli space of slope semi-stable sheaves which compactifies the moduli space of vector bundles over the moduli space of pseudo-stable curves.
Mediation Role of Customer Advocacy in Customer Loyalty and Brand Equity Relationship – An Empirical Study in Context to In-store Brands

Objectives: Brand equity and purchase decisions are considered as the key determinants of consumer behaviour. The objective of this study was to examine the role of loyal consumers in strengthening brand equity of In-store brands. Statistical Analysis: The method adapted to study the objectives is a cross sectional study. Th study was carried out by self- administered questionnaire developed based on Likert scale. The survey was carried out at organised retail outlets in Bangalore city from 258 customers by following convenience sampling technique. PLS-SEM was used to analyse the data. Cronbach’s Alpha was obtained to determine the reliability of the instrument. Further, convergent and discriminant validities were established to know the measures of relationship existing. Sobel’s test was employed to test the mediation effect of customer advocacy between the relationship of customer loyalty and brand equity. Findings: From the results obtained it is observed that all AVE values obtained are greater than 0.5 i.e., Brand Equity (BE) is 0.7788, Brand Loyalty (BL) is 0.7863 and Customer Advocacy (CA) is 0.797, thus confirming the convergent validity of the constructs chosen. Further it is also observed that each construct chosen is distinct and different from the other constructs in the model. All the factor loadings of given construct are greater than corresponding cross loadings thus confirming the discriminant validity. The results of Sobel’s test indicate that the impact of brand loyalty on brand equity is greater with the mediation effect of customer advocacy (Sobel test statistic t-values=3.627) than the direct effect of brand loyalty on brand equity (Sobel test statistic t-values=3.068). Thus we can clearly state that the relationship between Brand loyalty and Brand Equity can be best explained through Customer Advocacy. Both brand loyalty and customer advocacy have accounted for 60% of variance in brand equity, wherein brand loyalty has accounted for 45.3% of variance in customer advocacy. The findings of this study can be a reference for retailers to strategize their decisions with respect to in-store brands by laying more emphasize on customer advocacy. Application/Improvements: The outcomes reflect the positive influence of consumer advocacy on brand equity, by which the brand owners can strategize their moves towards enhancing brand equity by motivating advocacy of brands by the loyal customers to prospects, thus reducing excessive promotional costs by the brand owners.
Exploring the Hidden Risks in Firm Operations and their Financial Impacts

In this paper we investigate how supplier immobility affects the customer firm’s cost of equity. We use relationship-specific investments (RSI) undertaken by supplier firms as a proxy for supplier immobility. We find that high supplier immobility is associated with both low operating leverage and low cost of equity. These results are robust to a variety of model specifications and alternative measures of supplier RSI and cost of equity. Our findings suggest that the decision of a firm’s input providers is an important determinant of its systematic risk.
Prognostic Value of Tumor-Infiltrating CD4+ T-Cell Subpopulations in Head and Neck Cancers

Purpose: CD4+ T cells play a central role in initiating and maintaining anticancer immune responses. However, regulatory CD4+CD25+ T cells which express Foxp3 have also been shown to inhibit antitumor effector T cells. In view of these heterogeneous CD4+ T-cell populations, this study was designed to determine the prognostic value of various tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T-cell populations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Experimental Design: Eighty-four newly diagnosed untreated patients with histologically proven primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were included in this study. Double or triple immunofluorescence staining was done to assess and quantify the activated CD4+CD69+ T cells, regulatory CD4+Foxp3+ T cells, and mixed CD4+CD25+ T cells comprising both activated and regulatory T cells. Results: On univariate analysis, high levels of tumor-infiltrating CD4+CD69+ T cells were correlated with both better locoregional control (P = 0.01) and longer survival (P = 0.01). Infiltration by regulatory Foxp3+CD4+ T cells was positively associated with a better locoregional control of the tumor. Multivariate analysis showed that the only significant prognostic factors related to locoregional control were T stage (P = 0.02) and CD4+Foxp3+ T-cell infiltration of the tumor (P = 0.02). In the Cox multivariate analysis, only two variables influenced overall survival probability: T stage (P = 0.036) and CD4+CD69+ T-cell infiltration (P = 0.017). Conclusion: This study shows that tumor-infiltrating activated CD4+CD69+ T cells are associated with a good prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, regulatory Foxp3+CD4+ T cells are positively correlated with locoregional control may be through down-regulation of harmful inflammatory reaction, which could favor tumor progression.
A Comparative Analysis of the Performance of Real Estate and Financial Assets as Security for Mortgage Lending in Nigeria

SUMMARY Traditionally, financial institutions in the country accept valuable asset (real estate and financial) as security for loans with greater preference for real estate. However, consequent upon rising cases of loan default and bad debt arising from non-performance of security assets and the attendant problems associated with sales of real estate, there is a gradual shift towards financial assets. Against this background, this paper examines the relative performance of real estate and financial assets as security for loans with a view to ascertain whether or not the drift towards financial asset is justified. Using a sample of Forty six transactions involving landed and financial assets and test of difference between two population means, the study reveals that although, the banks still prefer financial asset, however, both real estate and financial assets provided cover for the secured loans but real estate has a superior performance on the long run. In addition, Real estate exhibited higher growth than financial asset over the loan period.
Expressed emotion research in schizophrenia: theoretical and clinical implications

Synopsis The expressed emotion (EE) measure is a robust predictor of relapse in schizophrenia. At least twelve studies from a range of cultures have now shown this, although the authors of one maintain their findings are the result of confounding factors. A thirteenth study which failed to demonstrate a predictive effect was seriously weakened by methodological defects. There is now also evidence for the construct validity of EE, which has been shown to reflect ongoing family interactions. High EE relatives display less effective coping responses, and may adversely affect the patient by creating an unpredictable environment. EE may change with time, and probably reflects the interaction of external stresses, the real problems with the patient, and inappropriate coping responses. The association of high EE with arousal in the patient, as indicated by skin conductance abnormalities, has now been replicated. Although the EE phenomenon can be subsumed under a vulnerability-stress model, the way in which it might mediate relapse has not as yet been specified. Interventions have been successful in reducing relapse, and do so by increasing the tolerance and coping skills of the relatives, and by establishing more realistic expectations. As most have also involved the patient in the process of treatment, they have not fully resolved the question of causal direction. Future studies will clarify these issues, but will not detract from the value that EE has already had in energizing research. It has also provided a framework within which clinicians have begun to recognize and deal with the disabling problems that beset schizophrenic patients and their families.