Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resilience as a way to improve business continuity: a multiple case study with large Nordic companies

This thesis observes the impacts of business interruptions on business, which is a relatively new area of research. Since the extant theory concentrates mainly on supply chain disruptions the understanding of business interruptions is narrow. Companies suffer increasingly from supply chain disruptions due to just-in-time strategies, globalization and outsourcing, but the risks that threaten companies’ business continuity are much more diverse rendering this study to seek answers to fill the gap between practical concerns and current academic research as well as to increase the general understanding of the importance of business continuity. As risks have soared, companies have become concerned of their business continuity. This study presents the concept of resilience in business context so that the vague understanding of it could be deeper, and applied in the operations to mitigate losses. The topic is approached by literature research, which aims at collecting the relevant findings about business interruptions. It is followed by a framework, which was created to give a means to evaluate preparedness for risks. As for the empiric methodology, seven theme interviews representing four case companies, and a questionnaire provide the additional material for the research of this topic in practice. Companies are generally aware of their risks and vulnerabilities, but because the competition is so tough, the resources are so scarce that companies cannot afford costly risk management and resilience methods although they would need them. Therefore, resilience should be targeted to the vulnerabilities so that the resources would be applied optimally. Usually companies cannot invest to all kinds of resilience, so the best use of the money is to find the balance between vulnerability and resilience (Pettit et al. 2010). Risk management and resilience should be taken seriously because business interruptions can have several adverse long-lasting consequences. Hence, the efforts on risk management are very important, especially when business strategies that reduce working capital and redundancies are applied. However, risk management should be economically viable and justified by calculations (Chopra and Sodhi 2004, and Norrman and Jansson 2004).
The use of Equity-Based Crowdfunding by Swedish Entrepreneurs : An exploratory study on experiences and motives for selection

In recent years, equity-based crowdfunding (ECF) has emerged as a viable alternative for new ventures to overcome funding difficulties, not least in a time with funding difficulties for entrepreneurs. There is little research on the topic, and studies that have been conducted usually examine all the crowdfunding types together, but the differences between the various types demand the study of each type separately. Little is known about entrepreneur’s use of this new phenomenon, why they select ECF and consequently not select traditional sources of capital, and what their experiences of equity crowdfunding are. The purpose of this thesis is thus to explore the use of equity-based crowdfunding by Swedish entrepreneurs. Specifically, the thesis focuses on motives to select this funding method, and experienced benefits and challenges of its use. The empirical findings were collected through seven semi-structured interviews with Swedish entrepreneurs that had reached their ECF campaign funding goals. The basis for the interviews was built upon a literature review, and the research was carried out as an exploratory study using a qualitative and abductive approach. The findings of this thesis indicate that the entrepreneurs were largely unaware of what the use of ECF entails, and that they primarily selected this funding method because of an inability to obtain capital from other sources. Moreover, this study details experienced benefits and challenges of this new funding method, by Swedish entrepreneurs. The key benefit discussed by our participants was that of obtaining brand ambassadors, and the major challenge was supporting and monitoring a large number of investors.
Low complexity signal detector based on SSOR method for massive MIMO systems

For massive MIMO systems, linear signal detectors, such as zero forcing (ZF) signal detector, can achieve the near-optimal performance, but usually involve high complexity due to the required matrix inversion of large size. In this paper, we propose a signal detector based on symmetric successive over-relaxation (SSOR) method without matrix inversion, which can reduce the complexity by one order of magnitude. To guarantee the performance of SSOR-based signal detector in practice, we also propose a simple quantified relaxation parameter for SSOR-based signal detector, which only depends on the MIMO system configuration. Analysis verifies that the proposed SSOR-based signal detector can reduce the complexity of ZF signal detector by about one order of magnitude. Meanwhile, simulation results show that SSOR-based signal detector can achieve the near-optimal performance of ZF signal detector with only a small number of iterations.
Randomized controlled trial comparing a low‐fat diet with a weight‐reduction diet in breast cancer‐related lymphedema

Obesity is considered a risk factor for lymphedema of the arm resulting from breast cancer treatment (BCRL) as well as a poor prognostic factor in response to lymphedema treatment. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of 2 dietary interventions on excess arm volume in BCRL.
Free Cash Flow, CEO Ability and Firm Performance

This paper examines the conflict existing between firm’s free cash flow and firm performance. As some arguments state that more free cash flow will possibly result less profitability of firm compare to no-cash-flow firms, it also tests whether high CEO ability will solve this conflicts and improve the usage of free cash flow on profitable projects rather than on investments with unprofitable return. The result is consistent with the famous agency costs theory, as it shows that firms with free cash flow perform worse from revenue growth than firms without free cash flow. While, the impact of CEO ability on revenue growth and performance varies. The impact is more significant on performance measurement of ROA than that of ROE. Management under long-tenure CEO with implied high management skills moderates the negative influence of free cash flow on performance while executives with low-tenure CEO, suggesting high CEO turnover, result in high level of revenue growth while low accounting profitability.
A Course on Religion and Public Health at Harvard.

sively improve the way cognitive health is addressed is necessary. Currently, the public receives mixed messages about what cognitive health is, and most professional schools devote minimal, if any, training to identify and address the treatment of cognitive impairment. Clinicians need education about the importance of intervention. This is essential to improving behavioral health services. Obstacles must be removed. Professional help for cognitive problems should be easier to find, and reimbursement for cognitive rehabilitation treatments needs to move beyond select diagnostic groups, given evidence of broader effectiveness. A national approach is necessary to build on the state efforts made to date.
Exploring Landscape Perceptions of Bukhansan National Park According to the Degree of Visitors’ Experience

This study explores differing landscape perceptions of Bukhansan National Park according to the degree of visitors’ familiarity, and discusses the utilization of commonality and diversity of landscape perception in sustainable landscape management. Visitor-employed photography (VEP) was used to capture the overall response to experiencing landscape directly on-site. According to the degree of familiarity of national parks, visitors were recruited into two groups: inexperienced group (the novice group) and experienced group (the veteran group). We collected photographs and photo-logs of liked and disliked landscape from the participants. Additional interviews were conducted to supplement the content of the photo-logs. The objects of landscape were classified into spatial configurations and specific elements. The cognitive process of landscape perception is divided into four stages: perceptual, expressive, interpretative, and symbolic. Emphasizing the narrative aspects of landscape, accepting and interpreting the phenomenon can vary according to an individual's interest and background. We used semantic network analysis to analyze the content of participants’ photo-logs. The content at the interpretative level showed that the two groups had very different perceptions of anthropic elements. The novice group emphasized walkability and accessibility, while the veteran group regarded naturalness and historicity as more important. In conclusion, it is a very useful way to analyze the differences of perceptions of two visitors, both the novice group and the veteran group to grasp the positive or negative perceptions of people’s impacts on the landscape. Understanding the value of relevant visitors through analysis results is one way to resolve potential conflicts.
Androgen and estrogen synthesis in the fetal guinea pig gonad.

Bisected fetal guinea pig ovaries and testes were examined in vitro for their ability to synthesize androgens from [1-’ CI sodium acetate and estrogens from either I i-� HI androstenedione or 11 ,2-� HI androstenedione. With [1-’ � Cl sodium acetate as the substrate, hexane-soluble steroids, androstenedione and testosterone were synthesized by fetal testes from Day 30 to 65 of development. To a lesser extent, ovaries also synthesized hexane-soluble steroids, but only when ovaries from various stages of gestation were pooled was the synthesis of ‘4C-androstenedione detected. Radioactive testosterone was not detected in ovarian incubations and at no time was 4C-dihydrotestosterone produced by fetal ovaries or testes. More radioactive testosterone and androstenedione (d/min X mg tissue) appeared in Day 30 testicular incubations than in incubations of organs from later stages of development. In addition, between Days 30 and 50 of gestation more testosterone than androstenedione was recovered from the medium, but by Day 60-65 androstenedione predominated. Total activity (d/min X gonad) generally paralleled organ weight and increased with advancing gestation. The rate of 3H20 formation was utilized as an index of 1i-� HI androstenedione aromatization. Ovaries between 30 and 65 days of gestation were considerably more active (d/min X mg tissue or d/min X gonad) in synthesizing 3H20 (2.3-0.3% of the radioactive substrate) than corresponding testes in which activity was not significantly different than that noted for abdominal muscle. When ovaries were incubated with l1,2-� I androstenedione for 60 mm, the rate of synthesis of H2 0, 3H-estrone and 3H-estradiol-17� was constant. In this case tritiated estrogens accounted for 16-23% of the total product radioactivity. The results indicate that fetal guinea pig testes and ovaries contain the necessary enzymes for de novo androgen and estrogen synthesis at a time during development when anatomical and behavioral phenotypes are differentiated.
A small-world network model of facial emotion recognition

Various models have been proposed to increase understanding of the cognitive basis of facial emotions. Despite those efforts, interactions between facial emotions have received minimal attention. If collective behaviours relating to each facial emotion in the comprehensive cognitive system could be assumed, specific facial emotion relationship patterns might emerge. In this study, we demonstrate that the frameworks of complex networks can effectively capture those patterns. We generate 81 facial emotion images (6 prototypes and 75 morphs) and then ask participants to rate degrees of similarity in 3240 facial emotion pairs in a paired comparison task. A facial emotion network constructed on the basis of similarity clearly forms a small-world network, which features an extremely short average network distance and close connectivity. Further, even if two facial emotions have opposing valences, they are connected within only two steps. In addition, we show that intermediary morphs are crucial for maintaining full network integration, whereas prototypes are not at all important. These results suggest the existence of collective behaviours in the cognitive systems of facial emotions and also describe why people can efficiently recognize facial emotions in terms of information transmission and propagation. For comparison, we construct three simulated networks—one based on the categorical model, one based on the dimensional model, and one random network. The results reveal that small-world connectivity in facial emotion networks is apparently different from those networks, suggesting that a small-world network is the most suitable model for capturing the cognitive basis of facial emotions.
Premorbid proneness to distress and episodic memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease

Background: Chronic stress has been associated with impaired episodic memory, but the association of premorbidly experienced distress with memory function in Alzheimer’s disease is unknown. Objective: To investigate the link between proneness to distress and Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: Participants were 363 persons with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease. At baseline, a knowledgeable informant rated each person’s premorbid personality (that is, before dementia onset) along five dimensions, one of which was the tendency to experience psychological distress. Participants underwent structured clinical evaluations at baseline and then annually for up to four years. Each evaluation included 17 cognitive tests from which previously established measures of episodic memory, visuoconstruction, repetition, and naming were derived. Results: In a series of random effects models adjusted for age, sex, and education, premorbid distress proneness was associated with baseline impairment in episodic memory but not with impairment in other cognitive domains, or with change in any cognitive domain. No other trait was related to baseline function or rate of decline in any cognitive domain. Conclusions: The results suggest that premorbid proneness to experience psychological distress is related to level of impairment in episodic memory in persons with Alzheimer’s disease, but neither distress proneness nor other personality traits are related to disease progression.
The estimation of the return on firms’ investments – as to ISO 9001

The aim of this paper was to estimate the return on investment in QMS (quality management systems) certification undertaken in Portuguese firms, according to the ISO 9000 series. A total of 426 certified Portuguese firms were surveyed. The response rate was 61.03 percent. The different payback periods were validated through statistical analysis and the relationship between expected and perceived payback periods was discussed. This study suggests that a firm’s sector of activity, size and degree of internationalization are related to the length of the investment in QMS certification recovery period. Furthermore, our findings suggest, that the time taken to obtain the certification is not directly related to the economic component of the certification. The majority of Portuguese firms (58.9%) took up to three years to recoup their investment and 35.5% of companies said they had not yet recovered the initial investment made. The recoup of investment was measured by the increase in the number of customers and consequent volume of deliveries, improved profitability and productivity of the company, improvement of competitive position and performance (cost savings), reduction in the number of external complaints and internal defects/scrap, achievement of some important clientele, among others. We compared our work to similar studies undertaken in other countries. This paper provides a contribution to the research related to the return on investment for costs related to the certification QMS according to ISO 9000. This paper provides a valuable contribution to the field and is one of the first studies to undertake this type of analysis in Portugal. Keywords: Quality Awareness; ISO 9000 series; Return on Investment; Portugal
Adaptive scalable internet streaming

This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation of the performance of real-time streaming in the best-effort Internet and studies several novel congestion control and retransmission methods of real-time content delivery over the public Internet. As our experiments show, these new methods provide a significantly better quality-of-service (QoS) to the end-user than the existing methods. The first half of this work focuses on constant-bitrate streaming over the existing Internet in a large-scale performance study and examines both the behavior of network parameters and the quality of video experienced by the end users. We model select network parameters and gain an insight into what conditions future streaming applications should expect in the best-effort Internet. Furthermore, we extensively study the performance of real-time retransmission (in which the lost packets must be recovered before their decoding deadlines) based on our traces and present new methods of reducing the amount of duplicate packets generated by the server in response to lost packets. The second half of this thesis studies congestion-adaptive streaming in the best-effort Internet. Using scalable MPEG-4 layered coding as the target application, we develop new congestion control methods that are used to rescale the enhancement layer to match the available bandwidth in the network. We find that traditional ACK-based congestion control used in TCP is not flexible enough to be applied to real-time streaming. On the other hand, as our work shows, rate-based (or NACK-based) congestion control typically does not scale to a large number of flows. To overcome this difficulty, we present a novel rate-based congestion control scheme that scales well while satisfying all requirements of a real-time application. To support this scalable congestion control, we find that the flows must possess the knowledge of the bottleneck bandwidth of an end-to-end path. Consequently, as part of this work, we present an extensive performance study of bandwidth estimation methods that can be used in real-time by the client to supplement its rate-based congestion control with the value of the bottleneck capacity.
The Influence of Image Valence on the Attention Paid to Charity Advertising

ABSTRACT Non-governmental charities operate in a competitive market and survive with funding from membership fees and donations from supporters. Knowing and motivating potential donors has become increasingly important. Advertising is one of the key means of communication used by these organizations. This paper reports a pilot study to explore the influence of image valence in advertising on one’s attention and intention to donate. The study consists of an experiment wherein data processing is based on eye tracking and an electroencephalogram. The results show that negative images get more attention than text and logos. No differences were found with regard to gender and intention to donate in terms of attention paid to the advertising images. However, women do show greater willingness to make a donation. Finally, strategies adapted to charitable NGOs are discussed in the conclusions.
Linkage identification based on epistasis measures to realize efficient genetic algorithms

Genetic algorithms (GAs) process building blocks (BBs) mixed and tested through genetic recombination operators. To realize effective BB processing, linkage identification, which detects a set of tightly linked loci, is essential. This paper proposes linkage identification with epistasis measures (LIEM), which detects linkage groups based on a pair-wise epistasis measure.
Internal technological knowledge and the Choice between Acquisition and Alliance

Patent strategy has become an essential part of technology development in R&D intensive industries. A patent portfolio can be built through an internal technology development as well as an external technology sourcing. We consider the context where acquisition and strategic alliance are used as mechanisms to obtain new technology sources beyond a firm’s borders. We empirically explore how a firm’s internal knowledge basis impacts its preferences in external technology sourcing. We consider proximity to science, degree of novelty and quality of patent portfolio as core aspects of internal technological knowledge. Our regression analyses provide evidence on the fact that a high degree of proximity to science of patent portfolio increases the likelihood to prefer acquisition over strategic alliance, but in a decreasing rate. However, a low degree of novelty patent portfolio has a partial impact on the likelihood to prefer acquisition over strategic alliance. Finally, we conclude that quality of patent portfolio increases the likelihood to prefer strategic alliance over acquisition, but in a decreasing rate. We tested our hypotheses on a panel dataset of European firms operating in the biopharmaceutical industry.
Immunoreactivity to neurohormonal polypeptide in colorectal carcinomas and tumor-neighboring mucosa, and its significance.

OBJECTIVE To clarify whether advanced colorectal carcinomas possess an amphocrine nature and produce both pancreatic and gut neurohormonal polypeptide and epithelial mucin in comparison with surrounding colorectal mucosa. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of paraffin-embedded specimens from 100 cases of colorectal carcinoma (39 colonic and 61 rectal) and surrounding mucosa, with histochemical and immunohistochemical studies. RESULTS The immunoreactivity of the carcinomas and surrounding mucosa by the labeled streptavidin-biotin complex method for polyclonal rabbit antibody against human vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, pancreatic polypeptide, and somatostatin was 61%, 59%, and 82% respectively; that of mucosa neighboring immunoreactive tumors was 87%, 85%, and 90%; and that of mucosa neighboring nonimmunoreactive tumors was 67%, 63% and 61%. Double staining for different types of neurohormonal polypeptide revealed that most carcinoma cells had a multiendocrine nature, and a number of neurohormonal polypeptide--positive and epithelial mucin-positive carcinoma cells (amphocrine cells) were found in almost every histological type of carcinoma by double staining for immunoreactivity and periodic acid-Schiff reaction or mucicarmin. CONCLUSION Colorectal carcinomas exhibit not only multiendocrine characteristics, producing various types of neurohormonal polypeptide, but also amphocrine characteristics of different grades, and most tumor-neighboring crypt cells possess those characteristics, too. We concluded that these characteristics of colorectal carcinomas may be related to their origin as multipotential endodermal stem cells.