Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Food product development - A consumer-led text analytic approach to generate preference structures

Purpose - This paper aims to illustrate a new method to cluster consumer attribute preferences and to transform spontaneously written texts by consumers about a certain favourite food product (hamburger) into distinct preference clusters of attributes. Design/methodology/approach - A new way of finding significant clusters of consumer attribute preferences is developed by means of a new text analytical approach (Pertex) and a multi-step two-sided cluster analysis procedure. Findings - Clear linkages were ascertained between four respondent and four preference clusters for the two key product dimensions taste and ingredients of the hamburger. Research limitations/implications - Clusters expressed were in close conformity to the conception of the standard hamburger. Only one student sample (N = 100) was used. Practical implications - A new and practical method to transform written text into distinct consumer preferences (segments) was tested using a multi-step cluster analysis to support food innovation in the food industry. Originality/value - Product dimensions were integrated in a meaningful way into distinct preference clusters that could be used to segment consumers when innovating new food products.
Grouping-Based Mechanism Driven by Reputation in P2P E-Commerce

In P2P (peer-to-peer) electronic commerce (e- commerce) networks, strategic cyber frauds can lead to many security problems. To apply present trust model to e- commerce can reduce trade risk to some degree but this can not eliminate it completely. Taking account of peers' independence, applying global trust mechanism and local trust mechanism, this article, based on relative data of recorded trade between peers and with the consideration weighting factors including trade time, trade sum and the number of peers, put forward some new calculation expressions of reputation values between peers and group alteration strategy driven by reputation as well as peer search service strategy. The simulation experimental results and analyses show that GDRep can find the peer with highest reputation and choose it as trade counterpart and it is robust under more general conditions where malicious peers cooperate in an attempt to deliberately subvert the system. Index Terms—P2P, electronic commerce, reputation, group
What Outsourcing Can Bring in the Long Run?

Our research deals with dynamic aspect of outsourcing – in the world of business change is the only constant, nothing is permanent, which also holds true for the relationships in outsourcing. Thus we should think about the consequences of the termination of such a relationship, which could be terminated by both sides. Outsourcing can be an all-important strategic decision for the outsourcing company and for the company, which accepts orders from an outsourcing partner. In our research, we were especially interested in finding out what companies do and which measures are taken, if outsourcing is terminated and how companies respond to problems related to outsourced supplies. The research for this paper is based on the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. A mail survey was conducted among 65 firms and five personal interviews were carried out with outsourcing decision makers, in order to get a deeper understanding of different responses to crises arising from outsourcing. More attention shall, therefore, be given to mutual exploration of motives and possibilities of both parties before entering a potentially short-sighted outsourcing relationship.
A new species of Ovabunda (Octocorallia, Xeniidae) from the Andaman Sea, Thailand with notes on the biogeography of this genus

Abstract A survey of xeniid octocorals was carried out in the waters off Southwestern Thailand in September, 2007. Microscopic investigation of the colonies revealed that three specimens belonged to the genus Ovabunda. Gross morphological examination is presented here accompanied by scanning electron micrographs of the sclerites. Molecular phylogenetic analysis showed identical genotypes at mtMutS, COI, and 28S rDNA for all three specimens and supports their generic assignment. Colony size and shape, sclerite size, and pinnule arrangement differ from nominal species of Ovabunda and thus a new species, O. andamanensis is introduced here. This work also presents a new eastern geographical record for the genus Ovabunda.
The relationship between employee stock option grants and share price on the Swedish market

Since January 1 st 2005, Swedish firms listed on the OMX Stockholm exchange are required to recognize expenses related to employee stock option programs. In this paper, we examine the relationship between a firm"s market value of equity per share and the fair value of newly granted employee stock options, disclosed under the IFRS 2, for a sample of firms listed on the OMX Stockholm exchange. We investigate whether investors incorporate the value of employee stock option grants into the share price, and if so, if they believe that the benefits of granting employee stock options outweigh the costs. The study is performed as a value relevance study based on Ohlson"s (1995) valuation framework, where we also control for expected earnings. Further, we test for the possibility of a non-linear relationship between ESO grant value and share price. Our findings are, however, inconclusive, and we suggest further research on the area, where this thesis can be used as a point of reference.
ESTIMATION OF THE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN FINANCIAL VARIABLES ON THE BALANCE SHEET AND STOCK MARKET VALUE OF CREDIT LIFE INSTITUTIONS IN FRANCE, ENGLAND, AND SWITZERLAND

The activity of a financial institution is strongly linked to the performance of financial markets. The performance of financial assets directly influences the results of financial institutions. For that reason, it is only national for changes in the financial market to have a significant impact on the evolution of the share prices of financial institutions. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impact of the evolution of the stock market, interest rates and real estate on the rate of return of credit life financial institutions. In order to avoid the influence of market organization and regulatory agencies, the analysis of sensitivity to change in share markets and interest rates is carried out in some European countries. It is assumed that the exposure to interest rates risks of financial enterprises is assessed differently depending on the country, and the manner in which the influence of control mechanisms are taking into account. Beyond the description of the sensitivity model used by credit life financial institutions, a dynamic analysis model is developed. Finally, the sensitivity of the net worth of a credit life financial institution to the evolution of financial variables is determined from stock market prices.
Genetics knowledge of advanced midwifery learners : educators' perceptions

Healthcare professionals require adequate knowledge of genetics to be able to assess, diagnose, manage and prevent in good time genetic-related diseases. Healthcare professionals empowered in this field are able to differentiate at an early stage between genetic and genomic components of diseases. Advanced midwifery learners are trained to provide specialist holistic care that includes genetics upon course completion. Their genetic knowledge is crucial for them to provide genetic services in clinical- and in primary health care (PHC) settings. This study explores perceptions of advanced midwifery educators regarding genetics knowledge of their learners. A qualitative, explorative and descriptive design was employed. A total of 19 participants took part in this study. Data were collected through focus group discussions, individual face-to-face and telephone interviews. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Genetic knowledge emerged as a major theme under which genetic concepts, genetic history taking, common genetic disorders, genetic counselling, identification and management of genetic disorders were identified as sub-themes. At present, genetics education is addressed at the discretion of the individual advanced midwifery educators during training. This random kind of teaching is attributed to the lack of a curriculum framework that standardises genetics education at nursing education institutions (NEIs) in South Africa. The importance of genetics education is underrated in advanced midwifery courses, contributing to learners lacking adequate knowledge of genetics. Advanced midwifery learners need a sufficient knowledge of genetics to provide holistic care in clinical and PHC settings upon course completion.
Low cost micro-platform for culturing and stimulation of cardiomyocyte tissue

This paper reports a low cost rapid prototyping platform to culture cardiomyocyte tissue with embedded biocompatible stimulation electrodes based on micro-structured conductive PDMS. The polymeric platform was fabricated using conventional soft lithography based on a non-photolithographic method to obtain molds, combined with the inclusion of micro-structured polymeric electrodes in the replicas. Device fabrication, electrical characterizations of the conductive polymer, as well as mechanical response of cultured tissue under spontaneous and stimulated activity are presented. Through this method, synchronization and coupling bio-electromechanical activity of different cell aggregates has been observed.
Graphs with scale-free degree sequence

What distribution of graphical degree sequence is invariant under “scaling”? Are these graphs always power-law graphs? We show the answer is a surprising “yes” for sparse graphs if we ignore isolated vertices, or more generally, the vertices with degrees less than a fixed constant k. We obtain a concentration result on the degree sequence of a random induced subgraph. The case of hypergraphs (or set-systems) is also examined.
A model for customer‐focused objective‐based performance evaluation of logistics service providers

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a customer‐oriented, objective‐based model for evaluating the performance of logistics service providers (LSPs). Design/methodology/approach – The study develops an appropriate customer‐oriented, objective‐based measurement model for LSPs on conceptual grounds. The paper illustrates the application in the form of a case study of a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer.Findings – Satisfactory results are obtained in demonstrating the application of the model. Compared with the previous model used by the case company, the new model produced sensitive, accurate, and effective manufacturing performance rating results for different achievement levels.Practical implications – The proposed LSP performance‐rating model can be applied by a variety of manufacturers to assess all kinds of LSPs in various industries. The proposed model can assist manufacturers in selecting the best LSP and integrating LSP capabilities to develop an appropriate quality‐and‐profit improvement program us.
High Yield of Adult Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells Obtained from Meningeal Biopsy

Oligodendrocyte loss can lead to cognitive and motor deficits. Current remyelinating therapeutic strategies imply either modulation of endogenous oligodendrocyte precursors or transplantation of in vitro expanded oligodendrocytes. Cell therapy, however, still lacks identification of an adequate source of oligodendrocyte present in adulthood and able to efficiently produce transplantable cells. Recently, a neural stem cell-like population has been identified in meninges. We developed a protocol to obtain high yield of oligodendrocyte lineage cells from one single biopsy of adult rat meningeal tissue. From 1 cm2 of adult rat spinal cord meninges, we efficiently expanded a homogenous culture of 10 millions of meningeal-derived oligodendrocyte lineage cells in a short period of time (approximately 4 weeks). Meningeal-derived oligodendrocyte lineage cells show typical mature oligodendrocyte morphology and express specific oligodendrocyte markers, such as galactosylceramidase and myelin basic protein. Moreover, when transplanted in a chemically demyelinated spinal cord model, meningeal-derived oligodendrocyte lineage cells display in vivo-remyelinating potential. This oligodendrocyte lineage cell population derives from an accessible and adult source, being therefore a promising candidate for autologous cell therapy of demyelinating diseases. In addition, the described method to differentiate meningeal-derived neural stem cells into oligodendrocyte lineage cells may represent a valid in vitro model to dissect oligodendrocyte differentiation and to screen for drugs capable to promote oligodendrocyte regeneration.
Seniors' attitudes to voicing complaints: a qualitative study

Demographic trends and developments in the societal distribution of financial resources have resulted in a substantial increase in the purchasing power of the senior market, making this segment of increasing interest to marketers. This qualitative study examined seniors' knowledge of and attitudes towards voicing complaints to service providers. In-depth interviews and projective techniques were conducted with 60 seniors of varying demographic profiles. The findings support previous research that has found that seniors may avoid expressing dissatisfaction with service organisations directly to the service provider. Interviewees attributed their reluctance to complain to image management concerns, culturally-attributed difficulties, market alienation, emotional and physical costs, and prior disappointing experiences. A model of senior customers' intentions to voice their complaints to service organisations is proposed and suggestions for further research are provided.
Transceiver design for MIMO wireless systems incorporating hybrid ARQ

Hybrid ARQ, an extension of ARQ that incorporates forward error correction coding, is a retransmission scheme employed in current communications systems. The use of HARQ can contribute to efficient utilization of the available resources and the provision of reliable services in latest-generation systems. This article focuses on wireless systems using HARQ with emphasis on the multiple-input multiple-output paradigm. MIMO-HARQ offers new opportunities because of the additional degrees of freedom introduced by the multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver. The architecture of MIMO transceivers that are based on bit-interleaved coded modulation and employ HARQ is described. Additionally, receiver implementations are presented and compared in terms of complexity, memory requirements, and performance.
A Test of Strategic Orientation Formation versus Strategic Orientation Implementation: The Influence of Tmt Functional Diversity and Inter-Functional Coordination

The authors argue that strategic orientation formation and strategic orientation implementation are different. The authors also assert that they require different levels of the same antecedents. More specifically, the proposed model posits that strategic orientation formation and implementation are a function of top management team’s (TMT) functional diversity and interfunctional coordination. This two-stage model of strategic orientation suggests that on the one hand strategic orientation formation is about consensus making based on diverse views. Strategic orientation implementation underscores the significance of efficient and seamless operationalization of the strategic orientation formed in the first stage of the model. Data obtained from TMTs support our empirical results in that moderate to high TMT functional diversity and high inter-functional coordination are important in the strategic orientation formation stage while low to moderate TMT functional diversity and inter-functional coordination are critical in the implementation stage.
Word’s Vector Representations meet Machine Translation

Distributed vector representations of words are useful in various NLP tasks. We briefly review the CBOW approach and propose a bilingual application of this architecture with the aim to improve consistency and coherence of Machine Translation. The primary goal of the bilingual extension is to handle ambiguous words for which the different senses are conflated in the monolingual setup.
Decision Making in Strategic Alliances: An Experimental Investigation

This paper experimentally investigates the determinants of the deviation between potential and realized value creation in strategic alliances. To better understand how decision making in alliances may influence success, we use an experimental design that juxtaposes two important factors that affect alliance members' decisions: economic incentives and communication. The evidence derived from our experimental design sheds light on the relative impact of each, and importantly, how both factors interact to explain the probability of successful outcomes in an alliance. These empirical results are robust to the use of undergraduates, MBAs and seasoned executives who averaged over 20 years of work experience.
Evaluation of the portal venous system before liver transplantation: value of phase-contrast MR angiography.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of phase-contrast MR angiography with gadolinium in evaluating the patency and blood flow direction of the portal venous system; the presence, extent, and type of varices; and the patency of surgical decompressive shunts in patients before liver transplantation. This information is essential in management and care of patients with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension and those who are candidates for liver transplantation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Twenty-four patients with portal venous hypertension were evaluated with phase-contrast MR angiography. Two patients had surgical splenorenal shunts and one had a mesocaval shunt. Phase-contrast angiograms were acquired as a series of two-dimensional sequential coronal sections during breath-holding and after IV administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Correlative findings from color flow Doppler sonography, contrast-enhanced CT scanning, and conventional angiography were available in 23, 20, and 10 patients, respectively, and were used as standards. The images from each technique were analyzed independently for patency of and flow direction in the portal vein, splenic vein, superior mesenteric vein, and surgically created shunts, and for detection, distribution, and extent of five variceal groups. RESULTS Findings from phase-contrast MR angiography completely agreed with those of sonography, CT scanning, and conventional angiography. The main portal vein was patent in 18 patients, stenosed in one, partially thrombosed in one, and occluded in four. Phase-contrast MR angiography correctly showed hepatofugal flow in three patients and hepatopetal flow in 17 patients. Both the splenic and superior mesenteric veins were patent in 20, partially thrombosed in one, and occluded in three cases. Phase-contrast MR angiograms showed 85% of the variceal groups, and MR rating of variceal size was not significantly different from that of CT rating. Phase-contrast MR angiography correctly showed the patency of all three surgical decompressive shunts. CONCLUSION Phase-contrast MR angiography is accurate for evaluating the patency and flow direction of the portal venous system, detecting and determining the distribution and extent of varices, and assessing the patency of surgically created shunts. Therefore, it is a reliable and noninvasive technique that can provide crucial information in the preoperative workup of liver transplant recipients.
24 GHz substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) rectenna for energy harvesting and wireless power transmission

A novel substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) rectenna operating at 24 GHz is presented. Rectennas find application in wireless power transmission and energy harvesting systems. Millimeter wave rectennas allow for compact structures and large array implementations. Furthermore, SIW technology is particularly suitable for millimeter wave systems due to increased isolation, and reduced radiation leakage and losses. A compact rectenna integrating a patch radiator and a Schottky diode within a SIW resonator is proposed. The antenna is designed using a finite element based electromagnetic simulator, while the rectenna is optimized using harmonic balance analysis. The obtained efficiency is comparable to reported values in the literature for available input power levels below 10 mW. A prototype is fabricated and characterized showing that SIW technology can be used to obtain very compact rectenna elements that can be used in the implementation of large arrays of rectennas.
GNSS forward scatter radar detection: Signal processing and experiment

Passive radar detection systems based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals have the advantages of wide coverage, long detecting distance and good concealment. If effectively combined with the forward scatter radar (FSR) principle, it can be used to monitor an important area, which is of great significance to national defense security. This paper mainly focused on the analysis of signal Doppler characteristics of GNSS FSR. In addition, experimental results obtained with omnidirectional antennas and horn antennas are given.
Colorimetric-Plate Method for Rapid Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing of Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Here, we report a laboratory-developed colorimetric-plate method for rapid disk diffusion susceptibility testing of Escherichia coli. One hundred isolates were evaluated. Categorical agreement between the colorimetric plate and the standard disk diffusion method was 99%. Mean time to results was 7.07 h (95% confidence interval, 5.96 to 8.19).
An Extensive Class of Small RNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans

The lin-4 and let-7 antisense RNAs are temporal regulators that control the timing of developmental events inCaenorhabditis elegans by inhibiting translation of target mRNAs. let-7 RNA is conserved among bilaterian animals, suggesting that this class of small RNAs [microRNAs (miRNAs)] is evolutionarily ancient. Using bioinformatics and cDNA cloning, we found 15 new miRNA genes in C. elegans. Several of these genes express small transcripts that vary in abundance during C. elegans larval development, and three of them have apparent homologs in mammals and/or insects. Small noncoding RNAs of the miRNA class appear to be numerous and diverse.
Buyer‐seller relationships and information sources in an e‐commerce world

In the environment of business‐to‐business e‐commerce, both buyers and sellers are uncertain about their roles. Questions abound. What is the role of the Internet in buyer‐seller relationships, and what will be the interface between the Internet and the salesforce as information sources? Data collected from purchasing professionals suggest that traditional information sources, including suppliers’ salespeople, are more useful than the Internet at the present time. Moreover, findings indicate that the Internet plays almost no role in supplier selection decisions and only a moderate role in ongoing buyer‐seller relationships. Additionally, in relationships characterized by high levels of information exchange, trust, cooperation, and/or adaptations, the Internet appears to play a less important role. Based on these findings, implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed.