Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glutamine synthetase enhances the clearance of extracellular glutamate by the neural retina

Clearance of synaptic glutamate by glial cells is required for the normal function of excitatory synapses and for prevention of neurotoxicity. Although the regulatory role of glial glutamate transporters in glutamate clearance is well established, little is known about the influence of glial glutamate metabolism on this process. This study examines whether glutamine synthetase (GS), a glial‐specific enzyme that amidates glutamate to glutamine, affects the uptake of glutamate. Retinal explants were incubated in the presence of [14C]glutamate and glutamate uptake was assessed by measurement of the amount of radioactively labeled molecules within the cells and the amount of [14C]glutamine released to the medium. An increase in GS expression in Müller glial cells, caused by induction of the endogenous gene, did not affect the amount of glutamate accumulated within the cells, but led to a dramatic increase in the amount of glutamine released. This increase, which was directly correlated with the level of GS expression, was dependent on the presence of external sodium ions, and could be completely abolished by methionine sulfoximine, a specific inhibitor of GS activity. Our results demonstrate that GS activity significantly influences the uptake of glutamate by the neural retina and suggest that this enzyme may represent an important target for neuroprotective strategies.
Service behaviours of highly committed financial consultants

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the service behaviours of highly committed consultants engaged in face‐to‐face service provision with customers in the financial‐services industry.Design/methodology/approach – In‐depth interviews are conducted with 41 financial consultants (from 30 financial‐service firms) in Austria. The qualitative data are then rigorously analysed and coded to identify categories of behaviours of highly committed financial consultants.Findings – In total, 15 behaviours of highly committed financial consultants are identified. These behaviours are shown to include both “in‐role” behaviours and “extra‐role” behaviours. The study also finds that service behaviours of highly committed financial consultants change over time. Employed and self‐employed financial consultants are found to have the same high‐commitment behaviours; however, employed consultants tend to experience conflicts between organisational commitment and customer commitment, whereas self‐employed consultan.
On interconnected systems, passivity and some generalisations

A sufficient condition for the stability of large-scale interconnections of N linear time-variant systems is presented. Such a condition represents important extensions to passivity criteria and ensures stability by means of the existence of a positive definite (full-block) matrix P which is a common solution to Lyapunov equations involving a diagonal stacking of the N systems and the interconnection structure matrix. An experimental methodology for the verification of the sufficient condition also is proposed, based on evolutionary computation techniques. Applications of the new stability results are provided through illustrative examples, which are developed using particle swarm optimisation and genetic algorithms.
Selective Phylogenetic Analysis Targeted at 16S rRNA Genes of Thermophiles and Hyperthermophiles in Deep-Subsurface Geothermal Environments

ABSTRACT Deep-subsurface samples obtained by deep drilling are likely to be contaminated with mesophilic microorganisms in the drilling fluid, and this could affect determination of the community structure of the geothermal microflora using 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis. To eliminate possible contamination by PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes from mesophiles, a combined thermal denaturation and enzyme digestion method, based on a strong correlation between the G+C content of the 16S rRNA gene and the optimum growth temperatures of most known prokaryotic cultures, was used prior to clone library construction. To validate this technique, hot spring fluid (76°C) and river water (14°C) were used to mimic a deep-subsurface sample contaminated with drilling fluid. After DNA extraction and PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA genes from individual samples separately, the amplified products from river water were observed to be denatured at 82°C and completely digested by exonuclease I (Exo I), while the amplified products from hot spring fluid remained intact after denaturation at 84°C and enzyme digestion with Exo I. DNAs extracted from the two samples were mixed and used as a template for amplification of the 16S rRNA genes. The amplified rRNA genes were denatured at 84°C and digested with Exo I before clone library construction. The results indicated that the 16S rRNA gene sequences from the river water were almost completely eliminated, whereas those from the hot spring fluid remained.
No to QOF target of less than 7%, again

A large observational study examining the effect of additional glucose lowering treatment in nearly 28 000 primary care patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK was published last month.1 2 A glycated haemoglobin concentration of 7.5% was associated with the lowest mortality. Concentrations below 7% were associated with a …
Molecular detection and characterization of yellow fever virus in blood and liver specimens of a non‐vaccinated fatal human case

A yellow fever virus of a South American genotype was identified in the liver and blood samples of a non‐vaccinated European patient after his return from Brazil. ELISA tests were negative for IgG and positive for IgM against yellow fever. Yellow fever proteins in the formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded liver biopsy were detected by immunohistochemical procedures. Viral RNA extracted from the liver tissue was also detected using an RT‐semi‐nested PCR procedure and molecular hybridization. Alignment of the sequence obtained from a gene fragment amplified by RT‐semi‐nested PCR directly from a blood sample with those of African and South American yellow fever virus strains identified a Brazilian topotype as being responsible for the disease. RT‐semi‐nested PCR may be used advantageously for clinical specimens for rapid and specific diagnosis, and with archival biopsy material for retrospective studies. J. Med. Virol. 53:212–217, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Population genetic analysis identifies source–sink dynamics for two sympatric garter snake species (Thamnophis elegans and Thamnophis sirtalis)

Population genetic structure can be shaped by multiple ecological and evolutionary factors, but the genetic consequences of these factors for multiple species inhabiting the same environment remain unexplored. We used microsatellite markers to examine the population structures of two coexisting species of garter snake, Thamnophis elegans and Thamnophis sirtalis, to determine if shared landscape and biology imposed similar population genetic structures. These snakes inhabit a series of ponds, lakes and flooded meadows in northern California and tend to converge on prey type wherever they coexist. Both garter snakes had comparable effective population sizes and bidirectional migration rates (estimated using a maximum‐likelihood method based on the coalescent) with low but significant levels of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.024 for T. elegans and 0.035 for T. sirtalis). Asymmetrical gene flow revealed large source populations for both species as well as potential sinks, suggesting frequent extinction–recolonization and metapopulation dynamics. In addition, we found a significant correlation between their genetic structures based on both pairwise FSTs for shared populations (P = 0.009) and for bidirectional migration rates (P = 0.024). Possible ecological and evolutionary factors influencing similarities and differences in genetic structure for the two species are discussed. Genetic measures of effective population size and migration rates obtained in this study are also compared with estimates obtained from mark–recapture data.
The Fuzzy Front End of New Product Development for Discontinuous Innovations: A Theoretical Model

The fuzzy front-end of the new product development (NPD) process, the time and activity prior to an organization’s first screen of a new product idea, is the root of success for firms involved with discontinuous new product innovation. Yet, understanding the fuzzy front-end process has been a challenge for academics and organizations, alike. While approaches to handling the fuzzy front-end have been suggested in the literature, these tend to be relevant largely for incremental new product situations where organizations are aware of and involved in the NPD process from the project’s beginning. For incremental new products, structured problems or opportunities are typically laid out at the organizational level and directed to individuals for information gathering. In the case of discontinuous innovations, however, we propose that the process works in the opposite direction—that is, that the timing and likelihood of organizational-level involvement is more likely to be at the discretion of individuals. Such individuals perform a boundary-spanning function by identifying and understanding emerging patterns in the environment, with little or no direction from the organization. Often, these same individuals also act as gatekeepers by deciding on the value to the organization of externally-derived information, as well as whether such information will be shared. Consequently for discontinuous innovations, information search and related problems/opportunities are unstructured and at the individual level during the fuzzy front-end. As such, the direction of initial decisions about new environmental information tends to be inward, toward the corporate decision-making level, rather than the other way around. In order to cope with the special and complex nature of decisions made at the fuzzy front-end of NPD for discontinuous innovations, this process is detailed as a series of decisions occurring over three proposed interfaces: boundary, gatekeeping and project. The difference between each interface lies in the nature of the decisions made: at the boundary and gatekeeping interfaces, the primary impetus is individual-level decision making; at the project interface, decisions occur at the organizational level. By articulating these processes in the form of a model, we achieve two objectives: (1) we outline a more detailed and comprehensive approach to understanding the nature of the front-end decision making process for discontinuous innovations and (2) we detail specific propositions for future research on each stage of the process.
13th Bled Electronic Commerce Conference

This paper discusses the development, and assesses the appropriateness, of a Clinical Process Mapping Methodology (CPMM) to support information systems (ISs) innovation in acute hospitals. It is based on an ongoing longitudinal study in acute academic teaching hospitals in Ireland. The key rationale underpinning the research was that any attempt to develop ISs to support or change clinical work, must be based on a sophisticated, holistic and granular understanding of existing practices. Drawing on the insights gleaned through this observational study, an initial CPMM was developed by adapting elements from existing modelling languages to fit the clinical context in question. Our observations highlight the complex, collaborative and contingent nature of clinical practice, and the important mediating role played by technical and nontechnical artefacts. This complexity would caution against viewing modelling as a panacea, which can be used to map the world in an objective or unproblematic manner. While modelling can be very helpful for facilitating new perspectives on work, and for facilitating productive collective sensemaking processes, it should be borne in mind that all models are purposeful, and necessarily partial, representations of the 'real' world. This underlines the importance of using any modelling approach in a discriminating and reflective way.
Structural relationships between organizational service orientation, contact employee job satisfaction and citizenship behavior

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of how organization service orientation (OSO) influences job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of customer‐contact employees.Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires were carried out in 149 hotel firms. One customer‐contact employee and the manager provide the data in each hotel. The constructs were measured using existing scales. Structural equation models were used to examine the effects.Findings – The empirical results enable one to identify the dimensions of OSO on which the managers of hotel firms should place greater emphasis in order to stimulate employee job satisfaction and OCB.Research limitations/implications – The results are limited by the specificity of the geographic context. It would be of interest to complete the model by incorporating other variables, such as employees' trust of management, role conflict and role ambiguity, and measures of performance such as service quality.Practical impli.
Entrepreneurial Culture from Islamic Perspective among Employees of Koperasi Kakitangan Angkasa Berhad ( KOKITA ) , Selangor , Malaysia

Islam is a religion that encompasses all aspects of life. Islam suggests its followers to become entrepreneurs as outlined by God in the Qur’an and Sunnah which is the primary source in educating people to live better, particularly in practicing commercial transactions (mu‘āmalāt). Hence this study is conducted to determine the existence of entrepreneurial culture among 82 employees of Koperasi Kakitangan ANGKASA Berhad (KOKITA), Selangor Malaysia. The study comprises four aspects which include the level of awareness, mastery, education and training, and traits of entrepreneurship. The paper discovers that awareness and traits of entrepreneurship aspects are at a high level, whereas the remaining two aspects, namely mastery and education and training, are at a lower level. The results from Pearson's Correlation Test show that all the four aspects above are not related to gender, age, academic qualifications and income earned.
Getting permission: Exploring factors affecting permission marketing

Permission marketing suggests an evolution of direct marketing, particularly used with e-mail. It combines databases of customers who agree to receive marketing messages with low-cost, customized e-mails that attempt to slice through advertising clutter, attract increased customer support, and change behavior. This applied research examined implementing permission marketing, relevant literature, and permission marketing's effectiveness influencing consumer interest and behavior. A case study tested the propositions resulting from the literature review and evaluated responses to a permission marketing campaign that used traditional and new media. This study found that relevance—personalization, brand equity, and previous relationships—influenced response rates. This article adds to the growing body of research on permission marketing's role in marketing theory, as well as its applied effectiveness in the marketplace.
THE IMPACT OF STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON ACHIEVEMENT OF ORGANISATIONAL GOALS & OBJECTIVES: STUDY ON ATTRACTION OF PUBLIC SECTOR COMPANIES FOR EMPLOYMENT IN INDIA

Strategic human resource management (SHRM) enhances productivity and the effectiveness of organizations. Previous research shows that when organizations employ such personnel practices as internal career ladders, formal training system, results-oriented performance appraisal, employment security, employee vice/participation, broadly defined jobs, and performance- based compensation, they are more able to achieve their goals and objectives. Using logistic regression analyses of data from a survey of selected public sector companies which are Head Quartered in New Delhi, this study examines the extent to which strategic human resource management is perceived to affect outcome assessments (or performance measurements) in achieving organizational goals & objectives. While strategic human resource management practices are perceived to be present. They clearly are not a predominant feature in Public sector units. The results of the logistic regression analyses indicate an overall weak relationship between strategic human resource management and outcome assessments (accounting for fewer than 3 percent of the explained variance in each model).
Industry and Competitive Effects on the Choice of Entry Mode.

Entry by foreign firms into the United States is examined for 506 ventures between 1981 and 1985. Joint venture as an entry mode is favored over acquisition for research-intensive industries, while acquisitions are favored where the US-based venture size is small. Wholly-owned greenfield ventures are preferred to joint ventures in industries with high import penetration. Implications for internalization theory are discussed.
The contribution of foreign entrants to employment and productivity growth

We compare employment and productivity dynamics in foreign and domestic entrants, exitors, survivors and acquisitions in Norwegian manufacturing from 19792000. All types of foreign plants are on average more productive than their domestic counterparts. There is more gross job reallocation in domestic than in foreign plants. Contrary to common beliefs, foreign owners do not acquire highly productive domestic plants in order to lay ofi their employees. Instead they manage to reverse a negative trend in productivity and employment in the acquired plants. During the boom from 1992-97 foreign plants taken together, with a market share of 38%, accounted for 61% of productivity growth.
The Latest Movement to Going Private: An Empirical Study

The number of firms going private is increasing at an unprecedented rate in the current decade. The ratio of companies going private to IPOs is in the 20%-30% range. My survey includes 110 of the 236 that went private between January 2001 and July 2003 (a 46.6 percent response rate). The cost of being public is the number one reason for going private by smaller firms. This relates directly to the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002. A null hypothesis of no relationship between market capitalization and going private because of cost could be rejected at an alpha level of 0.01. Of significance is that a number of smaller firms actually went private under a Form 15 deregistration by reducing their number of shareholders to under 300, but without buying in the other shares outstanding. We now have a number of private companies with public shareholders holding the majority of the shares.
Tunable interplay between epidermal growth factor and cell–cell contact governs the spatial dynamics of epithelial growth

Contact-inhibition of proliferation constrains epithelial tissue growth, and the loss of contact-inhibition is a hallmark of cancer cells. In most physiological scenarios, cell–cell contact inhibits proliferation in the presence of other growth-promoting cues, such as soluble growth factors (GFs). How cells quantitatively reconcile the opposing effects of cell–cell contact and GFs, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), remains unclear. Here, using quantitative analysis of single cells within multicellular clusters, we show that contact is not a “master switch” that overrides EGF. Only when EGF recedes below a threshold level, contact inhibits proliferation, causing spatial patterns in cell cycle activity within epithelial cell clusters. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the onset of contact-inhibition and the timing of spatial patterns in proliferation may be reengineered. Using micropatterned surfaces to amplify cell–cell interactions, we induce contact-inhibition at a higher threshold level of EGF. Using a complementary molecular genetics approach to enhance cell–cell interactions by overexpressing E-cadherin also increases the threshold level of EGF at which contact-inhibition is triggered. These results lead us to propose a state diagram in which epithelial cells transition from a contact-uninhibited state to a contact-inhibited state at a critical threshold level of EGF, a property that may be tuned by modulating the extent of cell–cell contacts. This quantitative model of contact-inhibition has direct implications for how tissue size may be determined and deregulated during development and tumor formation, respectively, and provides design principles for engineering epithelial tissue growth in applications such as tissue engineering.
Return on Investment In Information Technology: A Guide for Managers

The Internet offers an overwhelming amount of information about e-government. This new Web resource provides the top quality material by providing a carefully selected collection of e-government resources including executive-level briefings, research and best practice reports, case studies, and Web sites. Please note that e-Gov FirstStop was developed as a prototype resource and was operational from April through September of 2002. It has not been updated since September of 2002 and will not be updated in the future.
Cross-national standardisation of advertisements: a study of the effectiveness of TV advertisements targeted at Chinese Canadians in Canada

Every year marketers spend billions of dollars on advertising, targeting people in their home country and potential customers abroad. While there is clearly a need to design or adapt advertisements to suit the needs of diverse national markets, there is also an urge to standardise advertisements in different national markets, not only to reduce costs but also to facilitate global product positioning (McCullough 1996). There has been extensive research on the effectiveness of advertising and debates over the use of standardised advertisements across countries, yet a study on the cross-national use of advertisements targeting the same ethnic group has not been done. Canada provides an interesting environment for the study of thematic advertisements targeting a particular ethnic group within a country. As part of a wider examination of the international standardisation of advertisements, this exploratory study investigates how effective locally designed advertisements are in targeting Chinese Canadians in Canada, and whether or not these advertisements generate similar responses and have similar effects on the Chinese in a different national environment: Hong Kong. If they do, and the response is positive, the