Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning a DFT-based sequence with reinforcement learning: a NAO implementation

The implementation of sequence learning in robotic platforms o ers several challenges. Deciding when to stop one action and continue to the next requires a balance between stability of sensory information and, of course, the knowledge about what action is required next. The work presented here proposes a starting point for the successful execution and learning of dynamic sequences. Making use of the NAO humanoid platform we propose a mathematical model based on dynamic field theory and reinforcement learning methods for obtaining and performing a sequence of elementary motor behaviors. Results from the comparison of two reinforcement learning methods applied to sequence generation, for both simulation and implementation, are provided.
Packaging as a Source of Profit

This monograph eschews the view that packaging is an exclusively marketing tool, or for that matter the concern of the distribution function alone. The author insists that a total systems view should be taken of the multiple purposes which the pack must meet. This poses very real problems for at least three levels—the conceptual acceptance of the proposition, its interpretation into operational terms, and implementation/control of the packaging activity. This discussion is intended for all directors of companies with a substantial recurrent expenditure in packaging as well as for members of the distribution function itself. Accordingly, it takes a managerial rather than a technical view of packaging. It stresses the critical importance of the state of goods on arrival with the customer; the aesthetics and sales power of packaging; the informative role of the pack; issues of unitisation; handling problems at all stages in the channel; and the ecological/environmental aspects in contemporary society. At each juncture, sensible plans of action are proposed.
Durable responses with the metronomic rituximab and thalidomide plus prednisone, etoposide, procarbazine, and cyclophosphamide regimen in elderly patients with recurrent mantle cell lymphoma

Targeting the tumor microenvironment and angiogenesis is a novel lymphoma therapeutic strategy. The authors report safety, activity, and angiogenic profiling results with the rituximab and thalidomide plus prednisone, etoposide, procarbazine, and cyclophosphamide (RT‐PEPC) regimen in patients with recurrent mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).
Antecedents of Innovation Strategies in New Technology‐based Firms: Interactions between the Environment and Founder Team Composition

This research contributes to the ongoing stream of research on the integration of technical and business knowledge for successful innovation, but does so with a unique focus – that of new firm founder teams. This is in contrast to much of the existing literature, which focuses on organizational units in large firms. As part of their strategy for success, new technology-based firms need to find an optimal balance between exploration and exploitation in their innovation activities. However, the resource constraints they typically face make it difficult for them to pursue both at the same time, which means that at any given point in time they are likely to opt for either exploration or exploitation rather than both. The purpose of this research is to investigate what influences new technology-based firms to select one innovation strategy over another. Data collected in 145 new technology-based firms are used to test hypotheses about how environmental conditions and founder team composition interact in their contributions to choice of innovation strategy. Based on hierarchical regression analysis of the data, the research findings suggest that teams consisting of individuals who have dissimilar backgrounds are more likely to adapt their innovation strategy to the characteristics of the environment than teams of individuals with similar backgrounds. Conversely, teams consisting of individuals with similar backgrounds are more likely to continue to follow their preferred strategy. However, as competitive intensity or environmental dynamism increases, such teams are likely to deviate from their preferred strategy.
Corporate Governance Practice among Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana; Impact on Access to Credit

Background, Purpose and Problem Discussion This study, Corporate Governance Practice among SMEs in Ghana; impact on access to credit, was undertaken to bring to the fore the level of corporate governance practice among Ghanaian SMEs and what impact it has had on them accessing credit. In spite of all the argument about the advantages of corporate governance and the potential economic development that it could bring to a developing country like Ghana, its practice among the SMEs is very low though that sector forms the majority of the country’s firm tissue. In tackling this topic, both the quantitative and qualitative approach was adopted. Questionnaires were circulated to 120 SMEs in the Accra, Tema and Kumasi . metropolis through the convenience sampling. 100 responses were received and based on the responses received through these questionnaires, the following major findings came to the fore. While most SME stakeholders had heard about Corporate Governance, actual knowledge and adherence to modern day corporate governance guideline is very low. Most SMEs still maintain the CEO/Board chairman duality. Majority of the SMEs studied did not have board committees, while some did not even know what board committees were. On the average SMEs in this study had a 4 member board; but only a small percentage had regular meetings i.e. quarterly. Most met semi-annually and annually. Very few of the SMEs in this study had directors who were external to them. Secondly, the study also revealed that commercial banks remains the most reliable source of funds for the SMEs, these banks do not make adherence to modern day corporate governance principles a reason for granting credit. The SMEs credit history, pledged security and cash flow were considered more important. Conclusion Corporate Governance practice among SMEs in Ghana is very low. This phenomenon have not had any significant impact on the SMEs access to credit. Thus even the promise of improved access to finance, business and economic growth have not proven strong enough to make SMEs pursue strict adherence to corporate governance principles. It is recommended that government, the banks, NGOs and all other stakeholders in the SME sector pay more attention to activities that increases corporate governance awareness among SMEs in Ghana.
Occurrence of thrombosis and haemorrhage, relationship with anti‐Xa, anti‐IIa activities, and D‐dimer plasma levels in patients receiving a low molecular weight heparin, enoxaparin or tinzaparin, to prevent deep vein thrombosis after hip surgery

Studies in experimental animal models and in patients receiving low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) to prevent thromboembolic events after surgery have not demonstrated a clear relationship between anti‐Xa and anti‐IIa activities in plasma and either bleeding or prevention of thrombosis. The relationship between these clinical outcomes and ex vivo anti‐Xa and anti‐IIa activities, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and D‐dimers were evaluated in 440 patients undergoing total hip replacement and given prophylaxis once daily with a LMWH (tinzaparin or enoxaparin) in a multicentre double‐blind randomized study. 221 patients received 4500 anti‐Xa IU of tinzaparin; 219 patients received 40 mg (4000 anti‐Xa IU) of enoxaparin. Both regimens were administered subcutaneously once daily. Blood samples for anti‐IIa, anti‐Xa, D‐dimers levels and APTT were taken at baseline, on day 1, day 5 and on the day of discharge (days 8–14) and clinical assessments were performed daily until day 14. All patients had bilateral venography between days 8 and 14. All coagulation tests were performed in central laboratories. A significant correlation was observed between anti‐IIa activity and anti‐Xa activity and the dose of each LMWH injected. The anti‐Xa activity was significantly higher with enoxaparin and the anti‐IIa activity was significantly higher with tinzaparin. No clear relationship between these two activities and the clinical outcomes was observed. This was also true with regards to APTT. Before and after surgery, D‐dimers were significantly higher in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than in those without DVT but had no predictive value. Interestingly, a significant post‐operative increase of D‐dimers persisted in both groups of patients during the whole observation period, possibly suggesting that a longer duration of prophylactic treatment may be appropriate.
Symptoms and anal sphincter morphology following primary repair of third‐degree tears

Approximately 0·6–9 per cent of vaginal deliveries are complicated by third‐degree tears. The precise impact of such injuries on future pelvic floor function remains unknown. The aim of this study was to define the extent of structural and physiological damage to the anal sphincter and to investigate anorectal function in women who sustained third‐degree tears during vaginal delivery.
Histomolecular phenotypes and outcome in adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of vater.

PURPOSE Individuals with adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater demonstrate a broad range of outcomes, presumably because these cancers may arise from any one of the three epithelia that converge at that location. This variability poses challenges for clinical decision making and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. PATIENTS AND METHODS We assessed the potential clinical utility of histomolecular phenotypes defined using a combination of histopathology and protein expression (CDX2 and MUC1) in 208 patients from three independent cohorts who underwent surgical resection for adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. RESULTS Histologic subtype and CDX2 and MUC1 expression were significant prognostic variables. Patients with a histomolecular pancreaticobiliary phenotype (CDX2 negative, MUC1 positive) segregated into a poor prognostic group in the training (hazard ratio [HR], 3.34; 95% CI, 1.69 to 6.62; P < .001) and both validation cohorts (HR, 5.65; 95% CI, 2.77 to 11.5; P < .001 and HR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.25 to 7.17; P = .0119) compared with histomolecular nonpancreaticobiliary carcinomas. Further stratification by lymph node (LN) status defined three clinically relevant subgroups: one, patients with histomolecular nonpancreaticobiliary (intestinal) carcinoma without LN metastases who had an excellent prognosis; two, those with histomolecular pancreaticobiliary carcinoma with LN metastases who had a poor outcome; and three, the remainder of patients (nonpancreaticobiliary, LN positive or pancreaticobiliary, LN negative) who had an intermediate outcome. CONCLUSION Histopathologic and molecular criteria combine to define clinically relevant histomolecular phenotypes of adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater and potentially represent distinct diseases with significant implications for current therapeutic strategies, the ability to interpret past clinical trials, and future trial design.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Plasma Membrane-associated Sialidase Specific for Gangliosides*

Gangliosides are plasma membrane components thought to play important roles in cell surface interactions, cell differentiation, and transmembrane signaling. A mammalian sialidase located in plasma membranes is unique in specifically hydrolyzing gangliosides, suggesting crucial roles in regulation of cell surface functions. Here we describe the cloning and expression of a cDNA for the ganglioside sialidase, isolated from a bovine brain cDNA library based on the amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme from bovine brain. This cDNA encodes a 428-amino acid protein containing a putative transmembrane domain and the three Asp boxes characteristic of sialidases and sharing 19–38% sequence identity with other sialidases. Northern blot and polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed a general distribution of the gene in mammalian species, including man, and the mouse. In COS-7 cells transiently expressing the sialidase, the activity was found to be 40-fold that of the control level with ganglioside substrates in the presence of Triton X-100, and the hydrolysis was almost specific to gangliosides other than GM1 and GM2, both α2→3 and α2→8 sialyl linkages being susceptible. The major subcellular localization of the expressed sialidase was assessed to be plasma membrane by Percoll density gradient centrifugation of cell homogenates and by immunofluorescence staining of the transfected COS-7 cells. Analysis of the membrane topology by protease protection assay suggested that this sialidase has a type I membrane orientation with its amino terminus facing to the extracytoplasmic side and lacking a signal sequence.
eCommerce: a critical review

The nature and future of electronic commerce is considered. Four areas of the new economy and its affects on retailers are explained; first the extent to which the emergence of new electronic channels to market has led to distinctive means of businesses differentiation, secondly how business-to-business companies use electronic channels to improve their supply chain, thirdly how companies are dealing with organizational changes, and lastly the future of electronic-commerce is considered.
Severely and persistently mentally ill—A changing group. Ten years after the 1995 Swedish mental health care reform

Aim: A mental health care reform was implemented in Sweden in 1995. The target group of the reform was persons considered severely and persistently mentally ill (SMI). The aim of this article was to study changes in the target group 10 years after the reform, i.e. changes in the group of persons defined as SMI. Methods: Inventories of persons considered SMI were made in a municipality of Sweden in 1995/96, 2000/2001 and 2006 based on the same definition. The invented persons were interviewed. The same interview procedures, questionnaires and need assessments were used on all three occasions. The results were based on comparing the new groups considered SMI in 2000/2001 and 2006. Results: In 2006, the group of persons considered SMI was younger. Fewer persons with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and more persons with a diagnosis of mood disorders or addictive problems were included. Problems concerning relations and physical health were more evident. A greater part had all their income from social security in 2006, and fewer persons were occupied in some kind of salaried employment, full-time or half-time, regular or sheltered. Conclusion: The target group of the reform had changed and other groups of persons were considered SMI in 2006. These new groups require other strategies of care.
The Scaling Property of Randomness: the Impact of Reporting Frequency on the Perceived Performance of Investment Funds

This paper reports on the life-time annual returns and volatility of the largest Australian five-star rated investment funds. Using this actual performance data, we model the likelihood that an investor would have viewed the actual performance as either positive or negative based upon the frequency of the performance reporting. By examining the scaling properties of the random returns generated by the investment, we find that the probability of an investor viewing the performance of their investment as successful, rather than unsuccessful, can be influenced by the time intervals under which the performance is reported. The findings from this research have direct implications to Australian investment managers in setting policies regarding the provisions of real-time and periodic performance reporting to their investors.
How Word-of-Mouth Transmission Encouragement Affects Consumers’ Transmission Decisions, Receiver Selection, and Diffusion Speed

This research considers how marketers can encourage or “nudge” consumers to transmit word of mouth (WOM), such as referrals or recommendations to friends, in a manner that helps reach, inform, or influence large numbers of consumers quickly, which is an outcome referred to as faster diffusion. Building on studies showing diffusion is faster when higher-connectivity people are involved, the authors propose a mechanism based on network externalities that encourages regular customers to select receivers who have higher levels of social connectivity. Three experiments and a simulation demonstrate the mechanism’s efficacy by showing (i) how regular consumers can be encouraged to select higher-connectivity friends as WOM receivers, (ii) why this mechanism works, and (iii) how encouraging this receiver selection behavior can lead to faster diffusion at the macro level. The findings extend the WOM marketing literature by introducing an approach for encouraging transmissions to specific types of consumers that is a viable alternative to directly targeting higher-connectivity consumers in seeded WOM campaigns, which is often practically infeasible.
Mobile marketing communications in consumer markets

This dissertation aims to examine the theoretical and empirical foundations of the mobile marketing phenomenon. While numerous studies have yielded important insights into this topic, the existing mobile marketing literature appears to be inconsistent and somewhat fragmented. With the help of two action research projects, interviews of mobile marketing practitioners, and an online survey, this study aims to contribute to our understanding of the nature of mobile marketing communications in consumer markets. This thesis consists of an introductory section and five papers. The first paper evaluates the current state of mobile marketing research based on a review and an analysis of extant literature that focuses on mobile (or wireless) applications aimed at marketing or advertising. Various definitions of mobile marketing are evaluated and a more technologically-agnostic definition is provided. The second paper presents a framework of the mobile marketing communications environment that delineates how mobile marketing should be integrated into a company's integrated marketing communications strategy. A comprehensive overview of divergent mobile marketing activities is provided, along with representative examples derived from popular press. In addition, a detailed description of mobile marketing campaign planning and its implementation process is provided. The third paper provides a conceptual model of the relationships between interactive integrated marketing communications and database management in a mobile context. The results from empirical research suggest that consumers are willing to participate in Short Message Service (SMS) marketing in a retailing context. The fourth and fifth papers utilize data collected by means of an online survey (n = 4,062) and examine the factors associated with consumers' intention to receive mobile advertising messages and responses to SMS direct-response campaigns. The results suggest that consumers' intention to receive mobile advertising messages is related to the relevance of the message, permission to receive mobile advertising messages, the benefits of receiving the message and the privacy of personal data. In addition, the results suggest that women and men differ significantly in their responses to SMS call-to-action campaigns, consumers aged 36–45 years are most likely to respond to SMS call-to-action in a TV program and participate in SMS sweepstakes and other competitions, and that employment status has a substantial impact on consumers' SMS campaign activity. Overall, this thesis provides a conceptual and theoretical foundation intended to guide research efforts focused on mobile media and to aid practitioners in their quest to achieve mobile marketing success.
Praxis skills in young children with Down syndrome, other developmental disabilities, and typically developing children.

This study explored whether young children with Down syndrome show praxis deficits that impact activities of daily living, and whether these deficits are specific to Down syndrome. We compared the performance of young children with Down syndrome, a mental age-matched group of children with developmental disabilities of mixed or unknown etiologies, and a group of typically developing infants and toddlers on praxis tasks and overall adaptive behavior (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales). Children with Down syndrome showed poorer overall motor functioning than the developmental disabilities comparison group as measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, F(2, 47) = 5.24, p < . 01 (using one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA]). A one-way multivariate analysis of variance also showed that children with Down syndrome performed significantly worse overall than the developmental disabilities comparison group on a battery of praxis tasks, F(7, 18) = 2.95, p < . 05, and a series of object retrieval tasks, F(7, 18) = 2.95, p < . 05, suggesting a deficit in praxis that is specific to Down syndrome. Children with Down syndrome elicited significantly more help than both comparison groups during object retrieval trials, F(2, 48) = 4.94, p < . 01 (using one-way ANOVA). When chronological age was partialled out, a strong relationship was observed between praxis and adaptive functioning in Down syndrome, r(8) = . 69, p < . 05. These findings suggest that young children with Down syndrome may need targeted interventions that focus on both praxis skills and motivational orientation.
Overweight as an avoidable cause of cancer in Europe

There is growing evidence that excess body weight increases the risk of cancer at several sites, including kidney, endometrium, colon, prostate, gallbladder and breast in post‐menopausal women. The proportion of all cancers attributable to overweight has, however, never been systematically estimated. We reviewed the epidemiological literature and quantitatively summarised, by meta‐analysis, the relationship between excess weight and the risk of developing cancer at the 6 sites listed above. Estimates were then combined with sex‐specific estimates of the prevalence of overweight [body mass index (BMI) 25–29 kg/m2] and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) in each country in the European Union to obtain the proportion of cancers attributable to excess weight. Overall, excess body mass accounts for 5% of all cancers in the European Union, 3% in men and 6% in women, corresponding to 27,000 male and 45,000 female cancer cases yearly. The attributable proportion varied, in men, between 2.1% for Greece and 4.9% for Germany and, in women, between 3.9% for Denmark and 8.8% for Spain. The highest attributable proportions were obtained for cancers of the endometrium (39%), kidney (25% in both sexes) and gallbladder (25% in men and 24% in women). The largest number of attributable cases was for colon cancer (21,500 annual cases), followed by endometrium (14,000 cases) and breast (12,800 cases). Some 36,000 cases could be avoided by halving the prevalence of overweight and obese people in Europe. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Genetic parameters for Lamb vigour and early mortality in two French sheep populations

The improvement of lambing conditions with more autonomous ewes and vigorous lambs is of major importance for meat sheep breeders. During two years, Mouton Vendéen and Rouge de l’Ouest lambs have been weighed at birth (BW) and scored for assistance at birth and sucking as well as their level of activity. Heritability estimates for these three scores corresponded closely between the two breeds. Direct and maternal heritabilities were moderate to high, indicating that genetic selection would improve lamb vigour traits in both breeds. Moreover, genetic correlations between vigour traits were significant and positive. However, with the available dataset, we could not evidence any genetic correlation between lamb mortality and vigour scores.