Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Country‐of‐Origin Bias: A Regional Labelling Solution

Numerous studies have demonstrated negative US consumer bias towards products originating in foreign countries, especially developing countries. Replicates and extends a study of origin bias in which products were identified as originating in regions rather than specific countries. Identical US‐made products were represented to subjects as being from Africa, Latin America, Asia, or Western Europe. Contrary to earlier findings, Asian‐labelled products were evaluated more favourably than those from other regions and older subjects rated these “non‐US” products more favourably than college‐age subjects. Discusses the potential for using regional labelling to overcome negative biases against developing country products.
Information Security Policy Decision Making: An Analytic Hierarchy Process Approach

This paper addresses the use of a specific decision support methodology in operational research termed the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). We examine the application of AHP method in guiding information security policy decision making with respect to Indonesia. We suggest four aspects of information security policy, namely management, technology, economy and culture. In addition, information security components derived from literature review are applied which are confidentiality, integrity and availability. Based on information security policy aspects and information security components we introduce our AHP based model of government information security policy. Our examination of this model shows how AHP can help policy makers to produce appropriate decisions. It is found that AHP shows a robust and encompassing treatment useful for decision makers in both qualitative and quantitative ways. Therefore, it is reasonable to apply AHP for larger scope of research.
An Assessment of the Mall Intercept as a Data Collection Method

Recently the mall intercept method of data collection has emerged as one of the most popular methods among market researchers. Little progress has been made, however, in empirically assessing the mall intercept approach. In an exploratory study, the authors assess the mall intercept by comparing it with telephone interviewing on response quality and nonresponse rates, as well as lifestyle characteristics and shopping behavior of the respondents.
Disease steps in multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study comparing Disease Steps and EDSS to evaluate disease progression

Clinical assessment of outcome in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients is problematic since the disease can affect different aspects of the central nervous system and follow a variable course. Recently, we developed Disease Steps, a simple approach for evaluating disease progression. Previously, we found that Disease Steps was easy to use, had uniformly distributed scores and low inter-rater variability. Our current objective was to test the long-term use of Disease Steps together with the most widely utilized clinical outcome measure in MS, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) in assessing clinical progression. Over 4 years, 804 patients were classified using both EDSS and Disease Steps. Each patient was assessed at least twice. Follow-up results included annual status and time-to-event analysis examining median staying times within a level of Disease Steps or EDSS. We found that the two scales behaved similarly and correlated strongly with each other. For both Disease Steps and EDSS, patients with milder levels of disability and relapsing-remitting disease demonstrated a higher likelihood of changing scores over time and shorter median staying times compared to more disabled, chronic progressive patients. These findings have important implications for patient selection in clinical trials and for the design of future measurements of clinical outcome in MS. Furthermore, Disease Steps may serve as a simple, practical tool for the nonspecialty neurologist to follow patients over time and serve as a guide in therapeutic decision making. Our findings further document the general progressive nature of MS when a large cohort is followed in an MS specialty clinic over time.
Entrepreneurial Services Marketing Initiatives Facilitating Small Business Growth

Abstract Managing the growing small business identifies many opportunities and difficulties for the entrepreneur. Whilst entrepreneurs are prone to managing opportunities, they most often struggle to manage resources and initiatives toward growing their businesses. We introduce an entrepreneurial perspective toward enhancing growth opportunities within the small business sector. Services marketing initiatives introduced are a result of empirical evidence from a large number of high-growth entrepreneurial small businesses in Victoria, Australia. A conceptual model is proposed, consisting of service initiatives of the service profit chain, industry best practice, relationship marketing and service quality. Our overall aim is to introduce such initiatives to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, thereby enhancing growth of these small businesses.
CFD Simulations of Drag and Separation Flow Around Ellipsoids

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are carried out for incompressible fluid flow around ellipsoid in laminar steady axisymmetric regime (20 ≤ Re ≤ 200). The ratio of the major to the minor axis of the ellipsoid are ranged over a/b = 0.5 to 2. A commercial finite volume package FLUENT was used to analyze and visualize the nature of the flow around ellipsoids of different axis ratio. The simulation results are presented in terms of skin friction coefficient, separation angles and drag coefficient. It was found that the total drag coefficient around the ellipsoid is strongly governed by the axis ratio as well as the Reynolds number. It was observed that the Reynolds number at which the separation first occur increase with axis ratio. Separation angels and drag coefficient for special case of a sphere (AR = 1) was found to be in good agreement with previous experimental results and with the standard drag curve. The present study has established that commerciallyavailable software like FLUENT can provide a reasonable good solution of complicated flow structures including flow with separation. © 2011 Jordan Journal of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. All rights reserved
The Impact of Virtual Worlds on Word-of-Mouth: Improving Social Networking and Servicescape in the Hospitality Industry

Bitner (1992) provided an important contribution to the hospitality literature by extending the discussion of environmental psychology to the field of service marketing research. Her study introduced the importance of viewing service marketing through an environmental psychology lens. Our study extends her work through the application of environmental psychology to better understand how hospitality companies can deliver virtual world social networking and servicescape opportunities. This study develops a research model proposing specific propositions describing the relationship between virtual world social networks and the creation of positive word-of-mouth (WOM), through improved customer-to-business interaction, and customer participation in servicescape opportunities. Practical implications and future research are also discussed.
Dorsal premotor cortex of the macaque monkey participate grasp planning

Recently, some studies have demonstrated that the dorsomedial pathway is not only involved in arm reaching but also hand grasping. Grasp types can be decoded with multiunit activity (MUA) collected from dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) in dorsomedial pathway. However, these studies analyze and decode the neural activity during the whole grasp period. The precise function of PMd during the movement planning period has not been systematically investigated. In this study, neural signals were collected from a monkey's PMd by microelectrode array when it was performing a grip-specific task. With single neural activity (SUA) analysis, we found that 11.9% of neurons in PMd were selective to gestures during the planning period, which illustrated some neurons in PMd are related to planning. Furthermore, four grasp gesture types prediction were classified using support vector machines model (SVM) and k-nearest neighbor model (kNN) from neuron population activities. The results showed that the gesture classification accuracy reaching 60.8% by SVM and 63.9% by kNN. It infers that grasp planning is modulated by PMd neurons and that the PMd may play a central role in all phases of reach-to-grasp planning action.
Mobile advertising: The influence of emotional attachment to mobile devices on consumer receptiveness

Mobile advertising has grown rapidly over recent years, yet volume is not necessarily a good measure of consumer acceptance. Earlier studies have explored acceptance in terms of content; here we focus on the communication medium, the mobile device. Building upon Vincent's (2006) premise that emotional attachment to mobile phones is a likely key influence on future adoption of new services, we explore whether this holds true for mobile users' receptiveness to mobile advertising. Our research reveals that users are emotionally attached to their mobile devices and that attachment is to a large degree attributable to a sense that the device is an essential part of life with a value that goes beyond simple communication. Those with a strong sense of attachment are more receptive to mobile adverts, however overall users generally find them irritating. It appears that advertisers have hitherto been insufficiently user-centric; responses are as important as the message yet there is a tendency to concentrate on what is being sent rather than how it is received. We conclude that consumer receptiveness might improve by targeting users who are strongly attached their mobile devices.
Androgen‐independent growth is induced by neuropeptides in human prostate cancer cell lines

Androgen‐independent growth leads to progressive prostate cancer after androgen‐ablation therapy. This may be caused by altered specificity of the androgen receptor (AR), by ligand‐independent stimulation of the AR, or by paracrine growth modulation by neuropeptides secreted by neuroendocrine (NE) cells.
Consumption Values and the Choice of Marketing Electives: Treating Students Like Customers

In all of academe, educators in marketing should be best suited to a customer orientation. Customer-oriented marketing education might include an effort to better understand the values students derive from the services they receive, in order to aid in the diagnosis of choice behavior. The Theory of Consumption Values is presented as a conceptual framework to aid in understanding the values considered by students when evaluating course choices. A demonstration of the use of this theory to diagnose such choices is then provided. Results indicate that, among five specific consumption values (Conditional, Emotional, Epistemic, Functional, and Social), the choice of a course in customer behavior is predominantly driven by the desire for variety (the Epistemic value) and scheduling imperatives (the Conditional value).
Perceptions of Employees on Information Checks by Employers using Social Networking Sites in IT Sector

Social networking sites (SNSs) are used to interact with friends and stay connected. The SNSs are increasingly being used by employers as a source of background checks on employees, including the prospective candidates for employment. Employers are making decisions on the basis of information posted on SNSs. The decisions regarding selection, retention or exit are in part influenced by information posted on such sites. The present study examines the perceptions of current employees on the information checks done by employers using networking sites like Facebook. The current study also provides insights that can be followed by both the employees and employers related to usages of SNSs.
Green consumer behavior: determinants of curtailment and eco‐innovation adoption

– Knowledge of green consumer behavior is important for environmental and business reasons. The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of green curtailment behaviors and consumer adoption of innovations marketed as green (eco‐innovations), and to analyze factors explaining these two types of green behaviors. , – The results from a survey on adopters and non‐adopters (n=1,832) of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are reported. Regression analysis on willingness to curtail car use and willingness to adopt a so‐called environmentally friendly car are used to identify significant determinants across the behavioral categories. , – The results show that values, beliefs, norms, and habit strength determine willingness to curtail and willingness for eco‐innovation adoption. Personal norms have a strong positive influence on willingness for the behaviors and habit strength has a negative influence. The other determinants have varying influence depending on type of behavior. , – A limitation of this study concerns the focus on only one eco‐innovation. However, since the adoption of AFVs is a high involvement behavior, the results carry implications for other high involvement products as well. , – Attitudinal factors and habits in combination prove to be effective determinants for curtailment behaviors and willingness to adopt eco‐innovations. In addition, previous adoption is found to be a strong determinant of future willingness to adopt. , – The contribution of the paper is the two‐sided approach on green consumer behavior and the result that values, beliefs and norms not only predict low involvement post‐purchase behaviors but also adoption of high involvement eco‐innovations.
Low-coordination wake-up algorithms for multiple connected-covered topologies in sensor nets

It is likely that low-cost energy constrained sensor devices will be prone to failure. This necessitates that these devices must be deployed in higher densities than required. At a high level, the simplest strategy that can be exploited to prolong network lifetime is to activate only a subset of nodes at a time, while keeping the other nodes asleep, so that the topology formed by the active nodes is connected and provides coverage of the area of interest. Providing diversity in the connected sets of nodes also improves network lifetime significantly. We propose and evaluate different distributed, random and pattern-based wake-up policies for sensor nodes to construct connected-covered topologies. Through analysis and simulations we demonstrate that in dense sensor deployment scenarios, these policies can construct near-optimal topologies with minimal coordination between nodes, as long as location information is available at the individual sensor nodes. Based on these observations, we develop and evaluate a few simple distributed, wake-up based topology construction algorithms that can realise similar performance bounds in realistic sensor deployments, with varying node densities. These algorithms differ in terms of the required level of coordination and the use of sensor location information, and generate connected-covered topologies efficiently, with very low message-exchange overhead.
An empirical investigation of in‐store sampling promotions

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the impact of in‐store sample promotions of food products on consumer trial and purchasing behavior. The authors investigate differences in the trial rate for free samples across different products and consumer types, as well as the impact of sampling on product and category purchase incidence. The results of this study are relevant for retailers and manufacturers who invest in in‐store free sample promotions.Design/methodology/approach – The authors use data from a field study, which leveraged an actual free‐sample program implemented by a US grocery store chain. Data was collected on six different products promoted by in‐store free samples over six different weekends. The data collected included consumers' trial and purchasing behavior with respect to the free sample, as well as their attitudes towards the free sample that day and free sample promotions in general.Findings – Free sampling is very effective in inducing trial, especially among lower educated consum.
Two Trees and Two Fruits

I examine how substitutabilities across industry goods affect expected returns of industries. In an endowment economy where two industries produce different goods, I show that an expanding industry demands relatively lower (higher) expected returns if the substitutability between the two goods is low (high). I test these predictions using the nondurable and service industries. The substitutability between nondurables and services is very low in the data. Consistent with the model, the observed relative expected returns of the service industry decrease as the service industry grows. When calibrated, the model successfully explains the long-run movements in the relative expected returns between the two industries.
Tissue microarrays in clinical urology – Technical considerations

The tissue microarray (TMA) technique is a ‘high-throughput’ tool which enables a rapid and concurrent analysis of molecular targets in large numbers of specimens at the DNA, RNA and protein levels under standardized conditions. In addition, TMA is a cost- and time-efficient method. This review focuses on its technical side, outlining its advantages and weaknesses. It also gives an overview of some major studies of bladder and prostate cancer in which the TMA technique was used.
The challenges of using donkeys for work in Africa

A succession of dry years in sub-Saharan Africa has seen an increase in the use of the donkeys for transport and cultivation, particularly in areas where draft cattle numbers have declined. The challenges facing users of donkeys are to make the best use of the resources they have available. The challenges to livestock researchers and extension officers are to provide information that will help the user optimise resource use. The present state of knowledge and the main issues which would benefit from further understanding are discussed under the topics of management (nutrition and health), working practices (implements and harnesses) and the promotion of the donkey. Some issues need a better understanding in order to advance eg, strategic feeding and disease control, while other issues can largely be overcome by better communication, training and exchange of knowledge.
From privilege to competition : unlocking private-led growth in the Middle East and North Africa

The report starts with an introductory chapter that sets the stage for the issues and provides a short historical background on the development of the private sector in Middle East and North Africa (MENA), drawing on anecdotes and stories heard from many entrepreneurs and public officials consulted throughout the region during the preparation of this report. The core of the analysis is then presented in three parts. Part one assesses the performance of private sector development in the region from a macroeconomic and microeconomic standpoint (chapter two). It then presents the framework that is used to explain the identified performance gap (chapter three) and uses this framework in (chapter four) to claim that the lack of private sector dynamism in MENA is not necessarily due to insufficient reforms, but rather to the discretionary way in which rules and policies are implemented, and the lack of credibility of governments to really level the playing field when applying their policies and reforms. Part two then illustrates how this issue of poor implementation of the policies translates in three key policy areas in the business environment of the region: access to finance (chapter five), access to land (chapter six), and the conduct of industrial policies (chapter seven). The aim is to show how the role of the state and its institutions, when diverted from their regulatory and administrative missions by special interests and when subject to discretionary influence, can distort policies that may otherwise be well designed and well intended. Part three analyzes the political economy of reforms in MENA (chapter eight) and uses this analysis to offer a set of strategic recommendations and concrete policy actions that take into account the region's diversity and political economy (chapter nine).
Experimental Measurement and Mathematical Modeling of Pulsatile Forces on a Symmetric, Bifurcated Endoluminal Stent Graft Model

The objective of this study was to measure the pulsatile forces acting on a symmetric, bifurcated endoluminal stent graft to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and analytic model so that they can be used for various graft dimensions. We used a load cell to measure the force owing to the movement of an acrylic model of a bifurcated stent graft under pulsatile flow. This was then simulated with a CFD and analytic model. The main features of the experimental pulsatile force data and the CFD results were consistent. The results showed that the total force was proportional to the inlet pressure cycle. The force rose from 3.32 N at 130 mm Hg systolic to 17.5 N at 250 mm Hg systolic pressure. For the more variable regions of the flow, the experimentally measured forces lagged the computational and analytic results. The CFD and analytic models provide approximate descriptions for the forces acting on a bifurcated stent graft subjected to pulsatile flow. Such models should be of assistance to designers of endoluminal stent grafts.
Sense of community: an exploratory study of US consumers of financial services

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to develop and test a sense of consumption community measurement scale. The concept is examined in an exploratory study in the context of the perceptions of customers of financial services firms.Design/methodology/approach – This research consults the marketing, banking, psychology, and public policy literature. A sense of consumption community scale is tested for validity via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Scale reliability analysis is also conducted.Findings – The result is a second‐order construct composed of the first‐order constructs, camaraderie and communality, and social capital. The construct is found to be a means of measuring the strength of consumers' perceptions of consumption community. Additional evidence of its practical value is demonstrated in four findings. First, partial support is found that men perceive a greater sense of community than women. Second, there is a positive relationship between age and perceived sense of community.
The Employment Impact of Innovation: Evidence from European Patenting Companies

This paper explores the possible job creation effect of innovation activity. We analyze a unique panel dataset covering almost 20,000 patenting firms from Europe over the period 2003-2012. The main outcome from the proposed GMM-SYS estimations is the labour-friendly nature of innovation, which we measure in terms of forward-citation weighted patents. However, this positive impact of innovation is statistically significant only for firms in the high-tech manufacturing sectors, while not significant in low-tech manufacturing and services.