Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ONLINE RETAILING IN SPATIALLY DISPERSED OFFLINE MARKETS

This dissertation comprises three essays that study online demand coming from local offline markets. In the first essay, I study two social influence effects reflected in physical proximity and in demographic similarity, respectively, on online demand evolution. As these effects can be time-varying, I specify their dynamics using a polynomial smoother embedded within the Bayesian framework. Using new buyers at Netgrocer.com in Pennsylvania, I find that the proximity effect is especially strong in the early phases of demand evolution, whereas the similarity effect becomes more important with time. In the second essay, I study social influence effects emanating from two types of buyers in the installed base—search buyers, those acquired by online search, and WOM buyers, those acquired by offline word-of-mouth (WOM)—on online demand evolution. Since Internet retailers acquire buyers from multiple locations over time, I allow time-varying parameters to also vary across counties. Using data on new buyers at Childcorp.com, I find that WOM buyers are on average of “better quality”, however, substantial variation in the temporal parameter paths over counties suggests that a third of the markets are better able to breed social influence from search buyers. In the third essay, I examine how online demand in a location is affected by the relative size of the target population holding the absolute size constant. I hypothesize that in regions where this target group is in the minority online category sales will be higher (H1) and will be relatively price-insensitive (H2). I further conjecture that online sales of niche brands, relative to popular brands, will be even more responsive to preference minority status (H3). Finally, I show that niche brands in the tail of the Long Tail sales distribution (Anderson 2006) will draw a greater proportion of their total sales from high preference minority regions (H4). Sales data from Childcorp.com supports all four hypotheses. This dissertation concludes with a short chapter, briefly discussing the key findings and describing areas for future research. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Marketing First Advisor David R. Bell
Gender Differences in High School Coaches’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Communication About the Female Athlete Triad

The objective of this study was to assess high school coaches’ knowledge, attitudes, communication, and management decisions with respect to the Female Athlete Triad and to determine whether results are patterned by coach gender. Data were obtained through an online survey of high school coaches (n = 227). Significant differences were found between male and female coaches in certain attitudes and communication behaviors related to eating and menstrual irregularity. School or district level policies may help reduce these differences and may help mitigate the health consequences for athletes related to possible differential prevention and detection of the comorbidities of the Female Athlete Triad.
Enablers of sense-making and responding and their impact on the effectiveness of management accounting practices

Management accounting practices are expected to adapt and evolve with changing information requirements. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that enable management accounting adaptability and effectiveness. This study identifies three factors that drive management accounting adaptability through their support of sense-making and responding. Specifically, it is examined how top management team knowledge, team-based structures, and information system flexibility affect management accounting adaptability. The hypotheses are tested using data collected from an online survey of Australian and New Zealand companies. The results support the proposed relationships. Also a positive association between management accounting adaptability and management accounting effectiveness was found. This empirical study contributes to the literature on management accounting change by determining a number of drivers that improve upon the agility of organizational management accounting practices.
A digitally controlled single-phase buck-boost-inverter using a dual-DSP

The buck-boost-inverter provides boosting and inversion functions in a single power processing stage based on the front-end buck-boost converter characteristics. Digital control is crucial in modern power electronic converters where more complex control needs to be developed and a friendly user interface is desired simultaneously. In this paper, a digitally controlled buck-boost-inverter based on a dual-Digital Signal Processor (D-DSP) is proposed. The D-DSP consists of two DSP units, namely the TMS320C28346 and TMS320F28027. The benefits of the proposed implementation include high speed, low-cost, satisfactory performance, easy implementation of a relatively complex algorithm, and user friendly interface. The control design, analysis, simulation and experimental results taken from a laboratory prototype are presented to confirm the performance of the digitally controlled buck-boost-inverter.
IMAGING β-AMYLOID BURDEN IN AGING AND DEMENTIA

1. Joseph FG, Lammie GA, Scolding NJ. CNS lupus: a study of 41 patients. Neurology 2007;69:644–654. 2. Greenwood DLV, Gitlits VM, Alderuccio F, et al. Autoantibodies in neuropsychiatric lupus. Autoimmunity 2002;35:79–85. 3. Wallace DJ, Hahn BH. In: Dubois’ Lupus Erythematosus, Seventh Edition. Baltimore: LippincottWilliams& Wilkins; 2006. 4. The American College of Rheumatology nomenclature and case definitions for neuropsychiatric lupus syndromes. Arthritis Rheum 1999;42:599–608. 5. Hanly JG. ACR classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus: limitations and revisions to neuropsychiatric variables. Lupus 2004;13:861–864. 6. Scolding NJ, Joseph FG. The neuropathology and pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2002;28:173–189. 7. Zandman-Goddard G, Chapman J, Shoenfeld Y. Autoantibodies involved in neuropsychiatric SLE and antiphospholipid syndrome. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2007;36:297–315. 8. Sailer M, Burchert W, Ehrenheim C, et al. Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for cerebral involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. J Neurol 1997;244:186–193.
A Single-Photon Avalanche Camera for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy and Correlation Spectroscopy

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is commonly used to observe molecules of biological relevance in their native environment, the live cell, and study their spatial distribution and interactions nondestructively. CLSM can be easily extended to measure the lifetime of the excited state, the concentration and the diffusion properties of fluorescently labeled molecules, using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), respectively, in order to provide information about the local environment and the kinetics of molecular interaction in live cells. However, these parameters cannot be measured simultaneously using conventional CLSM due to damaging effects that are associated with strong illumination, including phototoxicity, photobleaching, and saturation of the fluorescence signal. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a new camera consisting of 1024 single-photon avalanche diodes that is optimized for multifocal microscopy, FLIM and FCS. We show proof-of-principle measurements of fluorescence intensity distribution and lifetime of the enhanced green fluorescent protein expressed in live cells and measurement of quantum dot diffusion in solution by FCS using the same detector.
Benefit of Hepatitis C Virus Core Antigen Assay in Prediction of Therapeutic Response to Interferon and Ribavirin Combination Therapy

ABSTRACT A highly sensitive second-generation hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen assay has recently been developed. We compared viral disappearance and first-phase kinetics between commercially available core antigen (Ag) assays, Lumipulse Ortho HCV Ag (Lumipulse-Ag), and a quantitative HCV RNA PCR assay, Cobas Amplicor HCV Monitor test, version 2 (Amplicor M), to estimate the predictive benefit of a sustained viral response (SVR) and non-SVR in 44 genotype 1b patients treated with interferon (IFN) and ribavirin. HCV core Ag negativity could predict SVR on day 1 (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 85.0%, accuracy = 86.4%), whereas RNA negativity could predict SVR on day 7 (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 87.2%, accuracy = 88.6%). None of the patients who had detectable serum core Ag or RNA on day 14 achieved SVR (specificity = 100%). The predictive accuracy on day 14 was higher by RNA negativity (93.2%) than that by core Ag negativity (75.0%). The combined predictive criterion of both viral load decline during the first 24 h and basal viral load was also predictive for SVR; the sensitivities of Lumipulse-Ag and Amplicor-M were 45.5 and 47.6%, respectively, and the specificity was 100%. Amplicor-M had better predictive accuracy than Lumipulse-Ag in 2-week disappearance tests because it had better sensitivity. On the other hand, estimates of kinetic parameters were similar regardless of the detection method. Although the correlations between Lumipulse-Ag and Amplicor-M were good both before and 24 h after IFN administration, HCV core Ag seemed to be relatively lower 24 h after IFN administration than before administration. Lumipulse-Ag seems to be useful for detecting the HCV concentration during IFN therapy; however, we still need to understand the characteristics of the assay.
More Than the Eye Can See: Coherence Time and Coherence Bandwidth of Troposcatter Links for Mobile Receivers

Troposcatter is a promising candidate for beyond-line-of-sight (b-LoS) links because it can provide near-instantaneous point-to-point communication at distances of up to 300 km with high reliability. However, troposcatter communication is an underdeveloped research area. In this article, we review the channel modeling techniques for troposcatter. Most importantly, we analyze the coherence time and coherence bandwidth of troposcatter links for mobile receivers for the first time in the literature. In addition, we review the diversity techniques for troposcatter channels by outlining open research problems and possible application areas.
Requirement for vitamin D for the active transport of calcium by the intestine.

The active transport of calcium from the mucosal to the serosal surfaces of everted gut-sacs of the rat is dependent on the dietary vitamin D. The active transfer in vitro is significantly increased one hour following the administration of calciferol by gastric tube to rats depleted of the vitamin. Vitamins D 2 and D 3 are approximately equally effective, whereas dihydrotachysterol (A.T. 10) is somewhat more effective than either of the vitamins D. Ultraviolet irradiation of intact rats also increases the active transport of calcium in vitro . Maintenance on a low calcium diet increases the active transfer, whereas thyroparathyroidectomy decreases it. Vitamin D is required to demonstrate both of these effects clearly. The results support the hypothesis that the active transfer is an adaptive mechanism which ensures adequate absorption when the requirement for calcium is increased, or when the diet is low in calcium.
The use of anaphoric pronouns by French children in narrative: evidence from constrained text production

This paper describes the acquisition of the 3rd person pronoun ‘il/elle’ (he, she, it) in seven to twelve-year-old French children (N=58), in written production. An experiment was conducted to examine the relationship between the use of this anaphoric pronoun and the accessibility of the memory-trace of the corresponding referent in the texts. Referential accessibility in short texts was varied according to three factors: referential distance, thematization of the agent role (first sentence subject), and discourse focus. We found that the children were sensitive to the distance factor as early as 7;0, i.e. they used fewer personal pronouns when the referential distance increased. However, children of different ages differed in their weighting of the discourse focus factor and the thematization factor: the seven-year-olds (N=18) and the eleven-year-olds (N=20) were sensitive to variation of the discourse focus but not the thematization factor, while for the nine-year-olds (N=20) it was the reverse. The main results suggest: (a) when seven and nine-year-olds use the pronoun ‘il/elle’, they do not comply with the constraints associated with the accessibility of the memory-trace of the referent; (b) memory constraints have an effect from the age of 7;0, but only when the discourse focus is maintained. It was concluded that the discourse management of the French personal pronoun ‘il/elle’ is not totally mastered at 11;0: children cannot operationally integrate the whole array of constraints implied in anaphoric management.
Understanding Employee Cycle Through Exit Interviews: Conceptual Framework and Case Illustration

In this age of "knowledge workers", people are the most important assets for the continual success of the organizations. The big question for organizations is "What are the determinant factors to attract and retain the best talent". Nothing less than a complete system of employee communication tools could serve to enhance an organization's ability to retain its top talent. These communication tools are employed by organizations to understand the employee cycle, which helps in attracting and retaining talent by providing best fit. This paper conceptualizes the methodology for understanding the employee cycle by using the information generated through the exit interviews. Previous research has focused on quantitative analysis of the data collected through exit interviews ignoring the insights that qualitative analysis could have provided. Qualitative data collected through open-ended questions are source of well-grounded and rich descriptions, and explanations of processes in identifiable local contexts. With qualitative data one can preserve chronological flow, see precisely the consequences of each event, and derive fruitful explanations. Qualitative research framework to analyze the rich data collected through exit interviews is developed to gain a holistic (systematic, encompassing and integrated) overview of the employee cycle: its logic, its arrangements, and its explicit and implicit rules. The framework developed is illustrated by taking a case of a Software Company in India.
[Intestinal flora, probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotics and novel foods].

Observations in experimental animal models and in humans suggest that the intestinal flora represents a great number of commensal micro-organisms that have evolved in harmony with their host and resulted in improvement of the health of their hosts (1). These bacteria are involved in the normal development of the immune system, in the regulation of the response to pathogens and are essential for the establishment and maintenance of mucosal immune tolerance (2-6). The intestinal flora participates in several physiological processes, such as digestion and motility (7,8) as well as metabolic functions of the organism, such as vitamine production. It also provides colonocyte substrates such as (9) butyric acid and butyrate. This process is present in the colonic lumen after digestion of e.g. fiber-rich foods, regulate the differentiation of mucosal cells in the large bowel and induces apoptosis which is important to control inflammation and in avoiding the development of cancer (10,11).
IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 Overexpression Correlates With the Lymph Node Metastasis in T1 Breast Carcinomas

Abstract: The family of insulin‐like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) comprises six members which bind and regulate the functions of IGFs. Overexpression of IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 contributes to the invasiveness and progression of several human cancers, but their roles in the metastasis of breast cancer have not been investigated in detail. To determine their roles, we examined IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 expression levels in 164 T1 breast carcinomas using tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry. The specimens were divided into those with (N1) or without (N0) axillary lymph node involvement. The results were associated with clinicopathologic parameters and prognostic molecular markers. No or very low expression of IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 was detected in normal breast epithelium or benign breast tissue with fibrocystic change. Moderate to strong cytoplasmic staining for IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 was detected in 49.1% and 50.3% of T1 invasive breast carcinomas, respectively. T1N1 carcinomas were more frequent to have moderate and strong‐positive staining for IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 than in T1N0 carcinomas (p < 0.05). IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 expression correlated with the expression status of progesterone receptor and HER‐2/neu in the overall T1 carcinoma group, but no association was found with tumor size or the expression status of estrogen receptor. Our data suggest that IGFBP2 and IGFBP5 play a role in the development of metastasis and may serve as useful markers to predict lymph node metastasis in patients with small (T1) invasive breast carcinomas.
Mechanism of QHF-cisplatin against hepatocellular carcinoma in a mouse model.

AIM To study the effects of QHF-cisplatin on H22 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their mechanisms of action. METHODS Sixty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into a model group (n = 48) and a normal control group (n = 12). An HCC xenograft tumor was created by injecting H22 cells directly into the liver parenchyma of the mice. The 48 BALB/c mice in the model group were randomly divided into four groups: QHF, DDP (cisplatin), QHF plus DDP, and model control. The inhibitory effects of these drugs on tumor growth were evaluated by calculating the rate of tumor growth inhibition. The mice were examined by observing their general condition, body weight and survival time. Changes in tumor tissue were observed under an optical microscope. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in serum were measured. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition (c-Met) factor, phosphorylated (p)-c-Met, p38, p-p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p-ERK and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were evaluated in tumor and liver tissues using western blotting. RESULTS Compared with the DDP group, a lower incidence of toxic reactions and a higher survival time were observed in the QHF plus DDP group. Tumor weight was significantly lower in the QHF, DDP and QHF plus DDP groups than in the model control group (0.24 ± 0.07, 0.18 ± 0.03 and 0.14 ± 0.01 g vs 0.38 ± 0.05 g, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The rate of tumor growth inhibition in the QHF, DDP and QHF plus DDP groups was 38.7%, 52.6% and 63.5%, respectively. AST, ALT and AFP levels in serum were significantly lower in the QHF, DDP and QHF plus DDP groups compared to the model control group (P < 0.05). Similarly, HGF, p-c-Met, p-p38, p-ERK and VEGF levels in tumor tissue were significantly lower in the QHF, DDP and QHF plus DDP groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION QHF and DDP have an antiangiogenic effect on H22 HCC in mice. QHF inhibits tumor growth via blocking the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway, inhibiting p38, ERK and VEGF signaling.
Dividend Decision under Distributed Profit Taxation: InvestorÃ­s Perspective

Distributed profit taxation is the corporate taxation regime of Estonia. A theoretical model on dividend policy under this tax system, compared to traditional gross profit taxation, is presented in this paper. The paper seeks to model a company operating under uncertainty in a binomial framework, including company and investor level taxes and investorA­s different consumption levels. Overall, the tax effects on different forms of payout (e.g. dividends or share repurchases) are equal under this tax regime and the main question is deciding upon the timing of dividends. There appear to be different optimums for the timing, depending on the investorA­s consumption as well as the probability of losses, tax rates and interest rates. Though one of the aims of the Estonian corporate tax system is to motivate companies to reinvest the profits earned instead of paying them out, the theoretical analysis in this paper shows that from the investorA­s perspective retaining of all profits in the company may not be the optimal payout policy in many cases. The study helps to understand the characteristics of this unusual tax regime and may potentially lead to discussions on introducing a similar system in other jurisdictions or on modifying the corporate taxation principles in Estonia
The Use of Somatosensory Evoked Potentials to Determine the Optimal Degree of Hypothermia During Circulatory Arrest

We sequentially recorded subcortical (P14) and cortical (N20) somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in 32 patients undergoing deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (CA). Under normal hemodynamlc conditions, hypothermia initially produced N20 disappearance at a mean nasopharyngeai temperature of 20.4 ± 2.6°C (range 14.5 to 26.1°C) and P14 disappearance at a mean of 16.9 ± 2.0°C (range 12.4 to 20.2°C). On rewarming, P14 reappeared at mean temperature of 19.3 ± 4.0°C (range 13.5 to 29.2°C) and N20 at a mean of 21.1 ± 4.1°C (range 14.3 to 29.6°C). The delay of SEP reappearance after restoration of blood flow correlated significantly with CA duration (r = 0.74 for P14, and r = 0.62 for N20; p < 0.01). Neurological recovery was uneventful in 23 patients; 5 patients presented with neurological sequelae (minor or transient in 4; no recovery from anesthesia and death after 48 hours in 1), and 4 patients died during operation. Twenty‐three of 24 surviving patients in whom P14 disappearance was the criterion that hypothermia was deep enough to perform CA (duration: 17 to 94 min) had a normal neurological outcome. By contrast, all surviving patients in whom cortical SEPs disappeared at higher temperatures presented neurological sequelae. In conclusion, the neurophysiological monitoring of brain stem activity, as specifically provided by SEPs, enables determination of the optimal temperature for CA, and demonstrates superiority of SEP monitoring over the use of EEG. (J Card Surg 1994;9:596–603)
A Wide-Band, 5-Tap Transversal Filter With Improved Testability for Equalization up to 84 Gb/s

A millimeter wave integrated transversal filter operating at up to 84 Gb/s is presented. The implemented topology offers improved testability, which allows for filter characterization in both the time and frequency domain. The filter has an input and output return loss better than 10 dB up to 67 GHz. Using this filter, frequency equalization of an NRZ input to either an NRZ or a duobinary output is demonstrated at 84 Gb/s across a channel consisting of a 5 cm differential grounded coplanar waveguide trace and a pair of 80 cm coaxial cables. The filter is implemented in 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS process, has a die area of 2.5 mm × 1.4 mm and consumes 210 mW from a 2.5 V power supply.