Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Capital Asset Pricing Model And Fama-French Three Factor Model In An Emerging Market Environment

This paper tests the validity and accuracy of the Capital Asset Pricing Model and the Fama-French Three-Factor Model, by predicting the variation in excess portfolio returns on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Portfolios of stocks were constructed based on an adapted Fama-French (1993) approach, using a annual sorting procedure, based on Size and Book-to-Market metrics respectively. The sample period spans six years, 2010 to 2015, and includes 46 companies listed on the JSE. The results indicate that both models perform relatively poorly because of inadequate market proxy measures, market liquidity restrictions, unpriced risk factors and volatility inherent in an emerging market environment. The Value Premium is found to explain a larger proportion of variation in excess returns than the Size Premium, and is more pronounced in portfolios with relatively higher book-to-market portfolios.
Cholesterol synthesis in human fetal tissues.

Large quantities of cholesterol are required to maintain optimal rates of steroidogenesis by the human fetal adrenal gland. Since the fetus itself is believed to be the principal source of the cholesterol used by the fetal adrenal, accurate measurements of cholesterol formed de novo in various fetal tissues is of signal importance in understanding the regulation of cholesterol metabolism in the fetus and, more specifically, the regulation of steroidogenesis in the fetal adrenal. In the present investigation we determined the rates of cholesterol formed de novo in short term incubations of fetal tissues obtained from human abortuses. The rates of cholesterol synthesis were determined by measuring the incorporation of tritium from [3H]water into cholesterol. The highest rates of cholesterol synthesis were found in adrenal and liver tissues (mean ± SE, 46 ± 2 and 32 ± 2 ng atoms tritium incorporated mg protein−1 h−1, respectively), whereas intermediate rates were found in testicular tissue (21 ± 3 ng atoms t.
Challenges facing Kenya commercial bank in the implementation of internationalization strategy

Strategy formulation and development is the development of long term plans for the effective management of opportunities and threats in light of the organization's strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand strategy implementation is the process that turns implementation strategies and plans into actions to accomplish objectives. For effective strategy implementation, the strategy must be supported by decisions regarding the appropriate organization structure, reward system, organizational culture, resources and leadership. The process must have the blessings of all interested parties and the top management should play a leading role in the exercise. The objectives of this study were to investigate the challenges facing Kenya Commercial Bank in the implementation of the internationalization strategy and to determine the measures that have been initiated by Kenya Commercial Bank to overcome the challenges. This was a case study since the unit of analysis was one organization. Primary data was used for the study through use of interview guides that were distributed among senior managers in Kenya Commercial Bank. Content analysis was employed in analyzing the data. The analysis was based on the objectives of the study. The qualitative analysis was used to analyze the respondents’ view about the challenges facing Kenya Commercial Bank in the implementation of the internationalization strategy. The Findings from the study suggest that the organization had encountered challenges in implementing internationalization strategy. These included; poor communication, the organizational structure, competing activities that cause distractions, ineffective coordination and inadequate information systems. The study further found out that the organization has at the same time come out with ways of countering the challenges facing it strategy implementation process. Some of the measures include change in its organizational structure. Monthly and Quarterly monitoring and evaluation of strategy implementation process and use of tracking tools like the dashboard that keep abreast all the staff and stakeholders concerned on how much had been achieved or deviated from the targets.
Role of mutations identified in ORFs M27, M36, m139, m141, and m143 in the temperature‐sensitive phenotype of murine cytomegalovirus mutant tsm5

A mutant of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), tsm5, which is temperature‐sensitive for replication in murine embryo fibroblasts at 40°C, failed to replicate to detectable levels in mice. A total of 18 non‐synonymous mutations have been identified in tsm5. In a previous study, a mutation (C890Y) identified in the M70 primase gene, when introduced into the wt M70 primase, resulted in a mutant with reduced viral replication at 40°C in vitro and which was severely attenuated in vivo. Five other previously identified mutations may also contribute to the tsm5 phenotype: (1) an A658S mutation in a protein expressed by the M27 ORF; (2) a V54I mutation in M36; (3) a Y565* mutation in m139; (4) a V195M mutation in m141; and (5) an M232I mutation in m143. In the present study, the above‐mentioned mutations were introduced individually (M27, M36, m139, m141, m143) or together (M27/M36) into the MCMV K181 (Perth) variant bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) using RecE/T homologous recombination. Growth in culture revealed that, apart from the double mutant (M27 and M36) and the m139 mutant, the introduced mutations in the above‐mentioned genes did not show a temperature‐sensitive phenotype in MEF or Raw 264.7 macrophage cells compared to their revertants or the wt virus. In contrast, replication of the M27/M36 double mutant was drastically reduced in MEFs at 40°C and in macrophages at 37°C. Replication of the m139 mutant was reduced in MEF cells at 40°C but not in macrophages. Thus, at least three further mutations contribute to the tsm5 phenotype. J. Med. Virol. 84:912–922, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Expiratory muscle activity increases intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure independently of dynamic hyperinflation in mechanically ventilated patients.

Intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi) has usually been interpreted as suggesting dynamic hyperinflation, but expiratory muscle activity may also increase end-expiratory alveolar pressure without any additional increase in end-expiratory lung volume. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of expiratory muscle activity, which increases abdominal pressure during expiration and is followed by a sudden drop at end-expiration, on PEEPi measurement in mechanically ventilated patients. We studied eight tracheally intubated patients breathing in an assisted mode in whom expiratory muscle activity was present. PEEPi was measured from the fluctuations of esophageal pressure (Pes) while continuous recording of gastric pressure (Pga) and of changes in abdominal cross-sectional area assessed expiratory muscle activity. PEEPi was also measured by the airway occlusion method in one patient, and diaphragmatic electromyographic activity was recorded to determine the timing of inspiratory muscle activity in two patients. Varying the level of ventilatory support (pressure support level, peak flow rate, or PEEP level) induced increases in measured PEEPi from 6.7 +/- 3.4 to 13.2 +/- 5.9 cm H2O. Concomitantly, the expiratory rise in Pga increased from 3.1 +/- 2.7 to 8.6 +/- 5.0 cm H2O, and the abrupt decay in Pga observed at the end of expiration increased from 4.2 +/- 3.7 to 10.6 +/- 6.1 cm H2O. The drop in Pga and the drop in Pes at end-expiration were synchronous, and these changes, together with electromyographic measurements, were consistent with a concomitant relaxation of the expiratory muscles and activation of the inspiratory muscles. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Casein kinase II-mediated phosphorylation of general repressor Maf1 triggers RNA polymerase III activation

Maf1 protein is a global negative regulator of RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcription conserved from yeast to man. We report that phosphorylation of Maf1 by casein kinase II (CK2), a highly evolutionarily conserved eukaryotic kinase, is required for efficient Pol III transcription. Both recombinant human and yeast CK2 were able to phosphorylate purified human or yeast Maf1, indicating that Maf1 can be a direct substrate of CK2. Upon transfer of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from repressive to favorable growth conditions, CK2 activity is required for the release of Maf1 from Pol III bound to a tRNA gene and for subsequent activation of tRNA transcription. In a yeast strain lacking Maf1, CK2 inhibition showed no effect on tRNA synthesis, confirming that CK2 activates Pol III via Maf1. Additionally, CK2 was found to associate with tRNA genes, and this association is enhanced in absence of Maf1, especially under repressive conditions. These results corroborate the previously reported TFIIIB–CK2 interaction and indicate an important role of CK2-mediated Maf1 phosphorylation in triggering Pol III activation.
Entrepreneurial Organization Building in the Emerging Economy

Abstract Zensar Technologies is a significant success story of the India software services industry. In this article, Ganesh Natarajan who led the company as it’s Vice Chairman and CEO from 2001 to 2016 presents the exciting journey of the company. The article highlights the inflection points, the hurdles that the management team had to navigate and the unique attributes that made it a global success story. The article is derived from the Sage Publications book written by Ganesh Natarajan band Prameela Kalive titled ‘From Start-up to Global Success—the story of Zensar. ’
An 18-month longitudinal study of posttraumatic disorders in children who were taken hostage in their school.

OBJECTIVE The objective of our investigation was to study the course of direct and indirect posttraumatic disorders over 18 months in children after they were taken hostage in their school. METHODS Twenty-six young hostages were evaluated by using standardized clinical interviews and self-administered questionnaires (State and Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children [STAIC]and Revised Impact of Event Scale [IES]) 2, 4, 7, and 18 months after the event. They were compared with 21 children from the same school who were not taken hostage (indirect exposure). RESULTS Symptoms of acute stress were observed in 25 (96%) of the children who were directly involved in the traumatic event. After 2 months, 18 children had developed disorders according to criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, including 7 cases of full posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 11 cases of subclinical PTSD, 3 cases of separation anxiety, 1 case of specific phobia, and 2 cases of major depressive disorder. Anxiety scores (STAIC) decreased between 2 and 4 months and then stabilized, whereas symptoms of avoidance (IES-avoidance) decreased gradually throughout the follow-up period, and symptoms of repetition (IES-intrusion) decreased less markedly. Children who were indirectly exposed to the trauma also manifested protracted posttraumatic symptomatology (two full cases of PTSD and six cases of subclinical PTSD), but their IES-intrusion scores were significantly lower at 7 months than those of children who were directly exposed, and the severity of their symptoms diminished over time. Girls tended to show a higher level of anxiety and more features of intrusion than boys. Psychological debriefing did not prevent occurrence of the disorders, but children who were not debriefed had the worst outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Even after a short event and even if they are not directly exposed, children under the age of 9 years can develop high rates of posttraumatic disorders that follow a protracted course despite early intervention and careful monitoring.
Blood lead levels of children before and after introduction of unleaded petrol.

Nations around the world have banned lead in petrol [1]. The primary reason for removing lead additives from petrol is its adverse effect on human health. In response to evidence that blood lead concentrations approaching toxic levels in children and traffic policemen in Sri Lanka, tetraethyl lead was removed from petrol in the year 2002. Following this change a reduction in roadside atmospheric lead by 81.5%, 82% and 84% has been demonstrated at three locations in Colombo [2]. We report on blood lead levels of children before and after the discontinuation of leaded petrol.
Recruitment in small businesses : Examples from the Finnish service sector

Small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have been a big part of the Finnish economy, and the private service sector the biggest industry sector of the country by gross domestic product. The objective of the research was to see how and where these small, service sector businesses are looking for employees. Recruitment was researched in terms of the channels that companies were using and the characteristics of the recruitment methods. Research was done as a qualitative research with both primary and secondary data collection. As the primary source of data, Finnish entrepreneurs from six small private service sector businesses were interviewed using a semi-structured interview method about their experiences with regards to recruitment in their companies. Theory from literature about recruitment was collected and used as the secondary data in order to see what are the mainstream human resource theories concerning the topic of recruitment and how do small businesses fit into these theories. Results of the primary research showed that small companies in the service sector use cost-efficient methods of recruitment. Informality in both the recruitment channels and methods was also noted present as personal connections and lack of formal preparations were identified in many of the cases. New techniques and ways of recruitment were seen with social media being used often as a recruitment tool. Keywords/tags (subjects) Recruitment, SMEs, small businesses, the service sector Miscellaneous
Urological Survey Urological Oncology : Adrenal , Renal , Ureteral and Retroperitoneal Tumors Re : Management of Localized Kidney Cancer : Calculating Cancer-Specific Mortality and Competing Risks of Death for Surgery and Nonsurgical Management

available at http://jurology.com/ Re: Survival after Diagnosis of Localized T1a Kidney Cancer: Current Population-Based Practice of Surgery and Nonsurgical Management H. D. Patel, M. Kates, P. M. Pierorazio, E. S. Hyams, M. A. Gorin, M. W. Ball, S. B. Bhayani, X. Hui, C. B. Thompson and M. E. Allaf James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, Division of Urology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Division of Urologic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri Urology 2014; 83: 126e133. Abstract available at http://jurology.com/available at http://jurology.com/ Editorial Comment: Following kidney cancer surgery, rates of death due to other causes in older patients exceed cancer specific mortality (CSM) by far. As a result, treatment of kidney cancer in this population and most especially in the elderly with a cT1a mass is currently a matter of debate. These 2 articles deal with this specific subject. They have similarities but also differences related not only to patient selection, but also to methodology and results. Overall as the targeted population is well defined in both articles, both use the same population source and both investigate the same outcomes (survival after surgical management, ie radical or partial nephrectomy, vs nonsurgical management [NSM]), it seems reasonable to discuss them together. Both of these studies select a Medicare linked SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) population, ie patients 65 years or older with T1 kidney cancer, and thus both reflect the population practice in United States. The article by Sun et al focuses on T1 tumors in the elderly. The authors also performed secondary analyses in patients 75 years or older and in patients with T1a disease, cohorts similar to the population analyzed by Patel et al. However, the 2 study cohorts correspond to different periods, ie 1988 to 2005 (Sun et al) and 1995 to 2007 (Patel et al). This difference alone may justify the variation in the incidence of NSM from 10.5% in the study by Patel et al analyzing exclusively small renal cancers to 31% in the study of T1 disease by Sun et al. The statistical methods used to analyze and support the results are different, with instrumental variable analysis used in the study by Sun et al and a propensity score match in the study by Patel et al. Both approaches aim to minimize the effect of (unmeasured) confounders, which are 0022-5347/14/1915-1262/0 THE JOURNAL OF UROLOGY © 2014 by AMERICAN UROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, INC. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.juro. 2014.02. 018 Vol. 191, 1262-1264, May 2014 Printed in U.S.A.
The European Commission ’ s Power : Overrated or Justified ?-First Draft -

For decades the bureaucratic and legislative power of the European Commission has interested scholars of EU studies. Yet, relatively little data are known about the exact division of power of the European Commission in legislative affairs apart from case studies (Cini, 2000; Schmidt, 2000). This paper presents analyses of qualitative and quantitative data to analyse how powerful some experts consider the Commission to be and to see how influential it actually is. Based on recently collected expert interviews I show that senior EU officials rate the Commission highly against other EU institutions and the member states. I contrast these results with the actual influence of the Commission on the legislative process. Using the data set “Decision Making in the European Union” (Thomson, Stokman, König, & Achen, 2005), which contains data on positions of EU member states and institutions in 60 legislative acts, I show the direct influence which the Commission exerts with its agenda setting and bureaucratic power. Multivariate analyses of 150 negotiation issues between the member states, the European Parliament and the European Commission demonstrate that the influence of the European Commission is overrated because it cannot defend its original proposal as much as intended. The more the Commission takes EU members positions into account, the more success it has in the EU negotiations. Thus, it functions rather as agent dependent on member states than as supranational entrepreneur. Paper to be presented at the EUSA Ninth Biennial International Conference, Austin, Texas, March 31April 2, 2005
Accountability and good governance in the public sector

Much has already been written and said about the need for improved accountability and good governance. This is not only true for the private sector but more importantly also for the public sector. The demands for greater accountability and good governance in the public sector are clearly reflected in legislation such as the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 as well as the Public Finance Management Act, 1999. However, it frequently becomes apparent that these concepts and the measures needed to support the practical application thereof are not always adequately understood or fully appreciated by especially the senior management of public sector institutions. This inevitably impacts on performance issues such as service delivery and value for money, both of which are becoming increasingly crucial to government and the general public.
Secretory expression of organophosphorus hydrolase OPHC2 in Yarrowia lipolytica Polg

In the present study, recombinant organophosphorus hydrolase OPHC2 was successfully produced by Yarrowia lipolytica and purified. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blot analyses showed a major polypeptide band of 36 kDa. The purified enzyme was optimally active at 65°C and pH 8.5 and also displayed good thermal and pH stability using methyl parathion (O,O-dimethyl-O-4-p-nitrophenyl phosphorothioate) as a substrate. Moreover, as Y. lipolytica is a non-pathogenic, generally regarded as safe (GRAS) yeast, the cell culture supernatant can be used directly on vegetables and fruits that are contaminated by organophosphorus pesticides.
Regulation of connective tissue growth factor expression in the aqueous humor outflow pathway.

PURPOSE Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) is an inducible secretory protein known to regulate proliferation and extracellular matrix production in various cell types. We hypothesize that CTGF plays a critical role in the physiological regulation of aqueous humor outflow through the trabecular meshwork (TM) by influencing extracellular matrix synthesis and organization. METHODS To determine the expression of CTGF in tissues of the aqueous outflow pathway, cells obtained from human TM and Schlemm's Canal (SC) were analyzed by PCR and western blot analysis. To understand the regulation of CTGF expression in TM cells, TM cells were either treated with various physiologic factors or subjected to cyclical stretch prior to analysis of CTGF expression by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. To study the effect of increased intraocular pressure on CTGF production, we perfused porcine eyes at high pressure (50 mm Hg) for 5 h, followed by analysis of CTGF expression by RT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS Treatment of human TM cells treated with either serum or transforming growth factor-beta 1 led to a robust stimulation, compared to thrombin, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), and dexamethasone, which elicited a relatively moderate induction of CTGF expression. Both high pressure perfusion and mechanical stretch were associated with increases in the levels of CTGF at the protein and transcript levels. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that CTGF expression in TM cells is modulated by several physiological agonists and by increased ocular pressure and mechanical stretch. These results suggest that the regulation of CTGF expression within tissues of the outflow pathway may play a role in the homeostasis of intraocular pressure, possibly by modulation of ECM production in these tissues.