Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nearest prototype classification: clustering, genetic algorithms, or random search?

Three questions related to the nearest prototype classifier (NPC) are addressed: when is it better to construct the prototypes instead of selecting them as a subset of the given labeled data; how can we trade classification accuracy for a reduction in the number of prototypes; and how good is pure random search (RS) for selection of prototypes from the data? We compare the resubstitution performance of the NPC on the IRIS data set, where the prototypes are either extracted by replacement (R-prototypes) or by selection (S-prototypes). Results for the R-prototypes are taken from a previous study and are contrasted with S-prototype results obtained by a genetic algorithm (GA) or by RS. The best results reached by both algorithms (GA and RS), followed by resubstitution NPC, are two errors with sets of three S-prototypes. This compares favorably to the best result found with R-prototypes, viz., three errors with five R-prototypes. Based on our results, we recommend GA selection for the NPC. A by-product of this research is a counter example to minimality of a recently published minimal consistent set selection procedure.
The Decision to Exploit an R&D Project: Divergent Thinking across Middle and Senior Managers†

Research and development (R&D) generates projects, but the question often remains: which projects should be exploited? Building on the innovation, strategy, and managerial cognition literatures, we use a conjoint field experiment to collect data on 4032 decisions made by 126 R&D managers to test how project attributes, strategic context, and managers' characteristics influence innovation exploitation decisions. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we find that (1) experience impacts project exploitation decision policies of middle managers more than senior managers, (2) divergent thinking across middle and senior managers increases with experience, and (3) experienced middle managers diverge from experienced senior managers in their decisions to exploit opportunities by placing greater emphasis on strategic context (relative to competitors and fit within the portfolio) and lesser emphasis on uncertainty (technological and demand). These findings have implications for the strategy and innovation literature.
Cardio- and neurometabolic effects of lower-body pressure-supported exercise in obese non-diabetic women: Resetting autonomic imbalance?

Background: Overnutrition and underactivity cause most chronic disease via inflammation and stress. Life-style changes such as diet is largely unsuccessful and exercise is painful, uncomfortable and difficult for people with diabesity, cardiorespiratory and joint diseases and cognitive decline affecting their ability to ambulate and adhere to exercise guidelines. Diets or exercise causing weight loss are stressful and trigger numerous redundant counter regulatory mechanisms defending lean body mass, explaining failures to sustain these behaviors. In this hypothesis-generating pilot study we used a NASA-developed weight supporting lower-body positive pressure (LBPP) treadmill providing comfortable low-amount, low intensity walking, challenging current exercise guidelines. Methods: Sixteen nondiabetic, untrained, Black volunteer women (BMI 28-50), age 18-56 years were studied by anthropometry, analyses of energy expenditure and blood chemistry: oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) with insulin, C-peptide, GLP-1 and FFA and fasting lipids, cytokines, adipokines and appetitive peptides, before and after 10 weeks of twice weekly 30-minute weight supported LBPP treadmill sessions. Results: We found novel baseline associations between gluco- and neuro-regulatory peptides and plasma lipids, inflammatory cytokines and appetitive hormones related to neurogenesis, mood and energy balance. Post-study, independent of body weight or energy expended there were significant decreases in OGTT plasma insulin (p=0.002) and GLP-1 (p=0.060) and fasting triglycerides (p=0.029), ghrelin (p=0.008) and changes in most molecules including increased leptin and beta-endorphin. Correlations between changes among different classes of peptides were highly significant, notably leptin - adiponectin, and beta-endorphin - oxytocin and orexin A. We propose synergy between low-amount, low-intensity exercise at levels below thresholds of increased sympathetic tone, and baro-physiological effects of LBPP normalizing parasympathetic tone. Conclusion: Brief, low-dose, lower-body positive-pressure weight-supported treadmill exercise improved cardiometabolic fitness and exhibited favorable changes in neuro-regulatory peptides without weight loss in inner-city obese Black women.
Product Assortment and Consumer Choice: An Interdisciplinary Review

The topic of product assortment has generated a plethora of research across various domains, including economics, analytical and empirical modeling, individual and group decision making, and social psychology. Despite the voluminous assortment research, however, the key findings have remained scattered across domains. In fact, the very domain of assortment research has not been clearly defined, thus complicating the understanding of the current state of assortment research. The goal of this review, therefore, is to define the field of assortment research and outline its key findings. In this context, this review delineates three key domains of assortment research: (1) how consumers perceive the variety of items in an assortment, (2) how consumers choose an item from a given assortment, and (3) how consumers choose among assortments. The key findings in each of these three areas are synthesized in the form of specific research propositions that build on the existing findings and provide guidance for further empirical investigation. By outlining the key findings in each of these three areas, this review offers an integrative framework for understanding the impact of assortment on consumer choice.
Investigating Effects of Sales Uncertainty and Financial Power of Companies on the Levels of Investment in Inventory over companies Listed on Tehran Stock Exchange

The inventory level of companies is one of the critical factors for the progress of long-term and short-term goals of companies. Changes in the level of inventory in some way are related to the increase or decrease in cash and the sales of companies. Thus, increase or decrease in the sales of company is somehow associated with the financial power of them. The basic objective of the present study is to examine the relationship between investment in inventories, uncertainty in the sales and the financial power of the firms listed on Tehran Stock Exchange. The sample population included 159 companies listed in Tehran stock market, which are selected using systematic elimination method from the statistical population. The required data were collected for a period of 10 years. Test hypotheses period included 6 years, from 2008 to 2013. Based on results, a significant positive relationship found between uncertainties in companies’ sales and the ratio of investment in inventories. It seems that the investment behavior of managers of the companies in the sample potentially is influenced by the existing information about the future vision of the company's sales and with respect to ambiguity in this regard, company have more tendency for boosting investments. In addition, according to the findings, with increasing the financial power of company, the level of investment in inventory decreases. Given the role of each component of financial power, the net credit exchanges and liquidity had a negative impact on the level of investment in inventory. It seems that companies with appropriate financial power are potentially less willing to hold high inventory.
The importance of atmospherics in the choice of hypermarkets and supermarkets

Are the atmospheric variables equally relevant for supermarket and hypermarket customers? As a contribution to the customers' choice of the store format, firstly this work aims to determine the perception of differences between hypermarkets and supermarkets in terms of store attributes. Second, it sheds light on the role played by atmospherics in the customers' decision process. This study uses a logit approach to model the probabilistic choice of the customers' store format using atmospheric and other marketing variables as important attributes of the grocery store. The model's estimation is based on personal interviews conducted during the shopping process in urban supermarkets and hypermarkets belonging to the same retail chain. The findings show that although the atmospheric variables are significantly important for both store formats, the customers perceive differently the importance of each retail atmospheric cue and other marketing variables, when buying in a hypermarket or in a supermarket: the choice of buying in hypermarket is explained by the significant importance given to the latent variables named pleasant atmosphere and accessibility and responsiveness; in contrast, the choice of buying in supermarkets is explained by the significant importance given to the latent variable nice decoration and empathy with the staff. The other latent variable designated by other marketing variables is only significantly important in the decision of choosing supermarkets.
The Impact Of Market Orientation On New Venture Performance In China

Traditional new venture studies focus mainly on non-behavioral factors as the determinant of new venture performance. Recently, there is a developing trend of including the behavioural factors of the entrepreneur / founder and the firmwide behaviours of the new venture as the predictor for its performance. While a firmwide market orientation and its impacts on performance have been widely investigated within mature firms context in developed market economies, research of a similar nature under a transitional economy and in a new venture context has been rarely found in extant marketing literature. This paper intends to fill this void.
A Study on Information Technology Consumerization: Intentions to Use and Recognize Use Behaviors

A STUDY ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONSUMERIZATION: INTENTIONS TO USE AND RECOGNIZING USE BEHAVIORS by Lorraine A. Lamb The paper examines the influences of users’ beliefs, attitudes, social norms, and perceived control on IT Consumerization use in the technology industry. It was expected to find significant influences leading to intention to use and actual use of the consumerization service. By identifying key drivers that lead to actual use, more was understood as to how to successfully position the service within an organization in such a way so as to connect the employee’s interest to using an IT Consumerization service. In addition, the academic field of research is expanded by leveraging a well-grounded theoretical framework and an exploration of actual use of IT Consumerization into the current research stream. Data was gathered via electronic survey, including both pretesting and pilot testing before data collection. Relationships between variables were assessed via structural equation modeling. Overall, the anticipated results continued to provide support to the Theory of Planned Behavior and probed actual use as a measure of the Nature of Use construct. The results were projected to demonstrate relationship support for the referenced attributes and some hypotheses which confirmed an impact upon behavioral intention to use and actual use.
Multiple trichoepithelioma with secondary localized amyloidosis

Sir, Livedo reticularis can be triggered by many underlying conditions including, rarely, cholesterol embolization. We report a 69-year-old man who presented with livedo reticularis on the legs secondary to cholesterol embolization, with improvement on treatment with simvastatin. A 69-year-old man was referred with a 3-month history of an asymptomatic rash on both legs. Examination revealed broken livedo reticularis without ulceration on the legs (Fig. 1a), extending to the lower abdomen. Except for a loud bruit over the left femoral artery, the remainder of the clinical examination including fundoscopy was normal. Full blood count, renal function and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were normal. Antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor, immunoglobulins, complement levels and anticardiolipin antibody were all normal or negative. Fasting lipid profile showed a mildly elevated cholesterol level at 6 ́9 mol L (normal , 6 ́5) with normal triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Abdominal ultrasound scan showed atheromatous plaques in the aorta but excluded an aneurysm. An incisional skin biopsy demonstrated cholesterol clefts surrounded by giant cells within the lumen of arterioles in the reticular dermis (Fig. 1b). The appearance of the skin lesions deteriorated over the ensuing 2 months despite commencement of low-dose aspirin and a lipid-lowering diet, although the fasting lipid profile confirmed a small decrease in serum cholesterol to 6 ́0 mmol L. Simvastatin 10 mg daily was initiated at this stage. Three months later the serum cholesterol was down to 4 ́9 mmol L with an associated reduction in the extent and prominence of the livedo reticularis. Cholesterol embolization is a documented cause of livedo reticularis but the association is not well known. Microemboli of cholesterol crystals, measuring 100±200 mm in diameter, lodge in small arterioles and frequently affect multiple organs. A high degree of clinical suspicion is needed to diagnose cholesterol crystal embolization, as the clinical findings may be varied or non-specific. Common systemic features include myalgia, weight loss, pyrexia, altered mental state and a sudden onset of arterial hypertension. In combination with the varied cutaneous findings, cholesterol crystal embolization may therefore closely resemble systemic diseases such as endocarditis, polyarteritis nodosa and the other vasculitides. Falanga et al. reviewed all cases of cholesterol crystal embolization published in the English language literature and found that there was cutaneous involvement in 78 (35%) of 223 cases. Livedo reticularis is the most common skin manifestation (49%), followed by gangrene (35%), cyanosis (28%), ulceration (17%), nodules (10%) and purpura (9%). The disorder was found predominantly to affect older men, with only three patients being under the age of 50 years. The cause of atheromatous embolization is unclear and may be multifactorial. It can occur in patients without previously confirmed peripheral vascular disease. However, it is a well-documented sequela of invasive cardiac procedures,
Drivers of Change in Management Accounting Practices in an ERP Environment

This study contributes to contemporary research on changes in management accounting (MA) practices by examining the effect of changes in data quality, information quality and management accountants' tasks on accounting efficiency and effectiveness, and indirectly on management accounting change after the implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Data was collected through an online survey questionnaire distributed to Finnish companies. Overall, the results of the PLS tests (n=70) provide significant support for the proposed model. Consistent with previous studies, time since ERP adoption appears to be a significant determinant of MA change, but the findings of this study also suggest that late adopters, that is, firms adopting an ERP system more recently, perceive greater changes in MA than early adopters. Further, the results indicate that global ERP implementations and use of business intelligence (BI) tools significantly relate to changes in MA practices. The implications of these results for practice and future research are discussed.
Trading in Target Stocks Before Takeover Announcements: An Analysis of Stock and Option Markets

In this study we examine both informed trading and contraire trading preceding takeover announcements on US target firms. Our findings suggest that both informed trading and contraire trading exists within the period preceding takeover announcements on both the stock and option markets as evident through abnormal returns and trading volumes. In regard to contraire trading, this study investigates possible explanations for its existence including liquidity clustering, falsely informed trading and deliberate contraire trading. The results find that bid-ask spreads actually increase over the pre-announcement period indicating that liquidity clustering is an unlikely explanation. However, through analysis of an unbiased sample of rumoured target firms, deliberate contraire trading appears both a profitable and more likely explanation for contraire trading than falsely informed trading.
Progression of peripheral joint disease in psoriatic arthritis: a 5-yr prospective study.

OBJECTIVE To assess the evolution of disease subgroups and the frequency of progression of peripheral joint disease in a prospectively studied cohort of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS The cohort was identified as the first consecutive 100 patients attending a psoriatic arthritis clinic and who had been the subject of a previously published cross-sectional retrospective study. Nine of the 100 patients had died, three declined follow-up and one could not be traced. The remaining 87 patients (49 females, 38 males) completed the study proforma at a median follow-up interval of 65 months (range 39-90). An analysis of initial plasma viscosity compared with rates of progression of joint score was performed. RESULTS Eighteen patients changed subgroup; 11 had an increase in the number of joints involved, six a decrease, and one changed from an oligoarticular pattern to predominant spondylitis. Within the polyarticular group 37/51 patients had an increase in the number of joints involved. For the whole population, there were significant increases in the number of joints involved (median 6 vs 11, P < 0.001 Wilcoxon signed rank) and Health Assessment Questionnaire scores (median 0.375 vs 0.5, P < 0.001). The median rate of joint progression was 0.42 peripheral joints per year (range 0-7.2). However, the rate of peripheral joint involvement was highest in the first year of arthritis (median 4.0 joints/yr) as measured in 13 patients who had onset within 12 months of baseline assessment. There were no significant differences in skin and nail scores although nine more patients had developed nail disease. There was a significant correlation between the initial viscosity and rate of progression of joint damage (Spearman correlation, P < 0.011). CONCLUSIONS Peripheral joint disease is progressive in the majority of patients with PsA and reinforces the need for effective monitoring and treatment.
Financial Management and Policy

I. FOUNDATIONS OF FINANCE. Vignette: Problems at Gillette. 1. Goals and Functions of Finance. 2. Concepts in Valuation. 3. Market Risk and Returns. 4. Multivariable and Factor Valuation. 5. Option Valuation. II. INVESTMENT IN ASSETS AND REQUIRED RETURNS. Case: Fazio Pump Corporation. 6. Principles of Capital Investment. 7. Risk and Real Options in Capital Budgeting. 8. Creating Value through Required Returns. Case: National Foods Corporation. III. FINANCING AND DIVIDEND POLICIES. Case: Restructuring the Capital Structure at Marriott. 9. Theory of Capital Structure. 10. Making Capital Structure Decisions. 11. Dividends and Share Repurchase: Theory and Practice. IV. TOOLS OF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND CONTROL. Case: Morley Industries, Inc. 12. Financial Ratio Analysis. 13. Financial Planning. V. LIQUIDITY AND WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT. Case: Caceres Semilla S.A. de C.V. 14. Liquidity, Cash, and Marketable Securities. 15. Management of Accounts Receivable and Inventories. 16. Liability Management and Short/Medium Term Financing. VI. CAPITAL MARKET FINANCING AND RISK MANAGEMENT. Case: Dougall & Gilligan Global Agency. 17. Foundations for Longer-Term Financing. 18. Lease Financing. 19. Issuing Securities. 20. Fixed-Income Financing and Pension Liability. 21. Hybrid Financing through Equity-Linked Securities. 22. Managing Financial Risk. VII. EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION. Case: Rayovac Corporation. 23. Mergers and the Market for Corporate Control. 24. Corporate and Distress Restructuring. 25. International Financial Management. Appendix: Present-Value Tables and Normal Probability Distribution Table.
Health marketing communications: An integrated conceptual framework of key determinants of health behaviour across the stages of change

Despite the development of many health behaviour theories across various topics, the inconsistency in empirical support for their propositions and the on-going criticism about their limitations highlight the need for an adjusted and integrated approach. These theories have never been ‘abandoned’ or altered significantly to address their limitations, since their conceptualisations. The aim of this paper was to make a conceptual contribution by integrating distinct health behaviour theories (i.e. Health Belief Model, Extended Parallel Process Model, Transtheoretical Model), with a popular information-processing and attitude change theory from the marketing communications arena (namely, the Elaboration Likelihood Model). The specific objectives of this paper were: (1) to address limitations of prevailing health behaviour theories, by identifying key determinants of health behaviour across the most commonly used health behaviour theories; (2) to identify source, consumer, channel, and message characteristics, in addition to executional/situational factors and attitudinal variables, which may influence health behaviour; and lastly, (3) to explain under which conditions (i.e. stage of change) these determinants and factors are likely to impact health behaviour change and maintenance. In doing so, four assumptions and several propositions are developed. Future research directions and practical implications for creating health marketing communication messages are also discussed.
Health-related quality of life of patients with zygomatic fracture

Background The objective was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) before and after surgical treatment of zygomatic complex fracture and assess patients’ perceptions of the aesthetic and functional outcomes of surgery. Material and Methods A prospective study of 79 adult patients before and after surgery for zygomatic complex fracture was conducted. HRQoL was measured using the generic 15-dimensional (15D) instrument, and patient satisfaction was assessed by an additional questionnaire. Results The mean preoperative 15D score for patients was lower than for general population that was matched for age and gender (p=0.011). The mean 15D score was lowest on the first postoperative day (p<0.001) when patients were worse off for 6 of the 15 dimensions of the HRQoL instrument and better off for three dimensions. However, patients achieved, and even exceeded, the mean 15D score of the general population during the first month following surgery. Infraorbital sensory loss at the end of the six-month follow-up appeared to be the single most important factor that plagued the patients. Conclusions HRQoL is significantly reduced after trauma but improves a few weeks after surgery. Infraorbital nerve sensory loss is a notable long-term factor that affects patients after zygomatic complex fracture. Key words:Zygomatic fracture, maxillofacial trauma, health-related quality of life, disturbance of infraorbital nerve, facial sensation.