Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Markets of one: the antecedents to customized product profitability in complex business markets

Solutions - customized and integrated product bundles sold in the context of complex business markets - represent an increasingly popular marketing strategy for many firms. Seeking to escape the perils of competition and commoditization, companies such as IBM, GE, Siemens, and HP are investing significant resources to create idiosyncratic offerings that integrate multiple goods and services. A solutions-based marketing strategy stands in contrast to traditional product strategies by emphasizing the co-production of large-dollar offerings with a single buyer. Unfortunately, there are many barriers to this strategy, with some studies suggesting that more than 75% of suppliers fail to achieve a positive return on their solutions investments. Despite substantial practitioner interest, there is a surprising absence of research on solutions. In response, my dissertation develops a model of solution success by examining the antecedents to the profitability of B2B solution contracts, commonly referred to as “engagements. ” Spanning multiple months to many years, solution engagements represent an intriguing new form of buyer-seller exchange. Firms must navigate two financially risky decisions as they pursue and develop their idiosyncratic offerings for buyers. The first decision pertains to opportunity selection - which solution opportunities to pursue? The second involves a set of resource allocation issues - how to configure the solution offering? Leveraging field interviews and theoretical perspectives from the organizational problem solving literature, my study aims to assess how various aspects of the focal customer problem and the supplier’s solution offering influence the profitability of individual solution engagements. To evaluate my model, I partnered with a Fortune 100 technology firm to develop a novel dataset containing details of more than 700 individual engagements, including opportunity and customer descriptors, solution characteristics, and engagement-specific profit. My analysis reveals several significant and intriguing findings that paint a complex picture of solution profitability. As the first empirical examination of this major business phenomenon, this dissertation has the potential to make important theoretical and managerial contributions.
Tapping into Financial Synergies: Alleviating Financial Constraints Through Acquisitions

The paper examines whether financially constrained firms are able to use acquisitions to ease their constraints. The results show that acquisitions do ease financing constraints for constrained acquirers. Relative to unconstrained acquires, financially constrained firms are more likely to use undervalued equity to fund acquisitions and to target unconstrained and more liquid firms. Using a propensity score matched sample in a difference-in-difference framework, the results show that constrained acquirers become less constrained post-acquisition and relative to matched non-acquiring firms. This improvement is more pronounced for diversifying acquisitions and constrained firms that acquire rather than issue equity and retain the proceeds. Following acquisition, constrained acquirers raise more debt and increase investments, consistent with experiencing reductions in financing constraints relative to matched non-acquirers. These improvements are not seen for unconstrained acquirers. Finally, the familiar diversification discount is non- existent for financially constrained acquirers.
Is the Improvement of the Employee Motivation Process truly an Organisational Objective

The organisational goals and objectives can only be accomplished through the joint efforts of its members. One of the must-haves that make some organisations be more productive than others consists of the quality and quantity of the efforts their employees put in, efforts which are related to motivation. In order for the people to work well, they must be strongly involved in their activities, and willing to reach certain goals, ranging from the simplest ones (such as, the wish to make money, to get back home quickly or to have more spare time), to the more complex ones, which also serve the organisation (to do important things, to find new and effective methods, to do what they like). The topic approached in this paper focuses on the description of different aspects of the motivational process in privately-owned company, for the analysis of which, an interdisciplinary approach method shall be used, combining management consultancy and organisational psychology. The data collection methods were: questionnaires and individual and group interviews. Furthermore, the described research aims at identifying both the causes leading to the drop in the employee motivation within the given organisation, and at making recommendations for improving the motivation process.
Saliency Guided Gradient Similarity for Fast Perceptual Blur Assessment

Blur is one of the most common distortion type and greatly impacts image quality. Most existing no-reference (NR) image blur metrics produce scores without a fixed range, so it is hard to judge the extent of blur directly. This letter presents a NR perceptual blur metric using Saliency Guided Gradient Similarity (SGGS), which produces blur scores with a fixed range of (0, 1). A blurred image is first reblurred using a Gaussian low-pass filter, producing a heavily blurred image. With this reblurred image as reference, a local blur map is generated by computing the gradient similarity. Finally, visual saliency is employed in the pooling to adapt to the characteristics of the human visual system (HVS). The proposed metric features fixed range, fast computation and better consistency with the HVS. Experiments demonstrate its advantages. key words: image blur assessment, gradient similarity, visual saliency
Automated control of sound synthesis in live musical performances using modified online time warping

This paper presents a system for automating sound synthesis parameters during live musical performances. It is a novel practical solution for keyboard players who need to manually control numerous synthesis parameters while playing at the same time. Our idea was to let musicians define how parameters will change through time by inserting automation data into a prerecorded musical piece. During a live performance of the same piece, our system employs a score following algorithm and applies these automation data at the right moments. A referent recording is represented as a MIDI file, whilst a performance is a stream of MIDI events. For the task of score following we implemented the on-line time warping (OLTW) algorithm modified to work with MIDI data. To convert sequential MIDI events into the values at equidistant points in time we employed time framing. As of our knowledge, this is the first usage of OLTW on MIDI representations. We devised a module for applying automation data which includes forward estimation for better time precision. The whole solution was implemented in Java as a real-time system. The evaluation with live performances yielded encouraging results which confirmed the effectiveness of our algorithm and its implementation.
Bandwidth-limited diffraction of femtosecond pulses from photorefractive quantum wells

The diffraction of 100-fs pulses from the static gratings of photorefractive quantum wells (QWs) produces diffracted pulses that are nearly transform-limited, despite the strong dispersion near the quantum-confined excitonic transitions. This quality makes the QW's candidates for use in femtosecond pulse shaping, although the currently limited bandwidth of the quantum-confined excitonic transitions broadens the diffracted pulses. Femtosecond electric-field cross correlation and spectral interferometry techniques completely characterize the low-intensity pulses diffracted from stand-alone photorefractive QWs, and from QWs placed inside a Fourier-domain femtosecond pulse shaper.
Développement d'un modèle de cavitation à poche sur hydrofoils et hélices en régimes transitoires, implémentation sur codes potentiels et validation expérimentale

Un modele de cavitation a poche partielle a ete developpe et implemente dans un code potentiel 2D stationnaire puis dans un code potentiel 3D instationnaire. L’originalite de la methode est d’utiliser la technique des vitesses de transpiration pour simuler la presence de la poche de cavitation. Cette methode permet une fermeture naturelle de la poche sans avoir a imposer un quelconque artifice dans le modele ou dans la methode de calcul. Adaptable a tout solveur de modele d’ecoulement, le modele couple aux codes potentiels permet, grâce a cette technique, une simulation raisonnablement rapide de l’ecoulement cavitant sur un hydrofoil ou une helice en regime d’ecoulement stationnaire ou instationnaire. Le modele a ete valide par comparaison avec des essais en regime stationnaire sur un profil 2D. On retrouve numeriquement les longueurs de poche observees lors des essais ainsi que les pressions mesurees. Quant a l’ecoulement 3D, des resultats disponibles dans la litterature n’ont permis que la validation qualitative au niveau de la longueur de poche. Une campagne d’essais en collaboration avec le BSHC pour mesurer la portance et la trainee d’un hydrofoil a alors ete effectuee avec pour objectif la validation 3D quantitative. Les resultats obtenus montrent une bonne concordance entre les mesures experimentales et les resultats numeriques, ce qui permet de conclure de facon satisfaisante quant a la validation du modele. Finalement, des resultats de simulations instationnaires sur des helices en regime cavitant sont presentes. Les resultats numeriques montrent que la cavitation a poche partielle affecte tres peu les performances hydrodynamiques de l’helice.
Extraction of Nucleic Acids from Ancient Formalin- and Ethanol-Preserved Specimens of the Tapeworm Bertiella studeri: Which Method Works Best?

Abstract: In this study we show that intact DNA can be recovered from both alcohol- and formalin-preserved specimens of the parasitic tapeworm Bertiella studeri for >1 yr after the original fixation and can be successfully amplified and quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Three different DNA extraction techniques on formalin- and alcohol-fixed material were evaluated to determine which is best suited for obtaining DNA of sufficient yield and purity to be used in downstream applications such as RT-PCR. These techniques included a first organic extraction procedure with an extensive washing step based on a glycine-containing buffer, a second organic extraction procedure that omits the glycine-containing buffer and halves the number of washes in organic solvents, and a third procedure that involves the use of a silica-based DNA binding column from Qiagen©. The quality of extracted DNA was first examined by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining and the concentrations were evaluated by OD260. We then used an RT-PCR Applied Biosystems TaqMan® Fluorogenic 5′ Nuclease Gene Expression Assay based on the detection of a universal eukaryotic 18S rRNA gene sequence to evaluate the efficiency of the 3 methods. Here we report that, first, the use of a silica column-based DNA extraction technique results in the maximum yield of DNA, on average 55% higher than for the organic extraction methods; second, the use of glycine as a formaldehyde-binding agent in the washing buffer does not necessarily result in a better DNA yield and; third, specimens preserved in ethanol result in significantly higher yields of amplifiable DNA than do specimens preserved in formalin. We, therefore, strongly recommend the use of ethanol as the appropriate fixative if specimens are to be used for molecular work. This is the first report of DNA extraction from preserved specimens of Bertiella studeri.
Preliminary study on differences in the performance characteristics of concentrated and distributed winding IPM machines with different rotor topologies

This paper compares performances of fractional-slot concentrated-wound (FSCW) and distributed-wound (DW) interior permanent magnet (IPM) machines when they are equipped with various commonly used rotor topologies such as V-type, double V-type, flat-type, double flat-type, and spoke-type magnets. In order to have a fair comparison, a multi-objective design optimization procedure based on an evolutionary algorithm is utilized to find Pareto-front designs for each combination of stator and rotor topologies. The commonly used objectives for design optimization of IPM machines; material cost, efficiency, and constant power speed range (CPSR), are considered in the optimization process. Wide ranges of performances are compared quantitatively from multi-perspectives to help machine designers in selecting the right configuration for different applications. A benchmark IPM machine is considered as the starting point for the design optimization processes. It is shown that FSCW and DW stator perform differently on certain performances such as torque density, torque ripple, total losses and the distribution of flux densities.
Model-Based Regulation and Firms' Access to Finance

This paper investigates the impact of the model-based approach to bank capital regulation (i.e. the Internal Ratings Based Approach; IRBA) on firms' access to finance. A difference-in-differences methodology is used given that the IRBA, introduced as part of Basel II, was adopted by different banks in different times. The results suggest that firms indirectly affected by the new regulation via their main bank adopting the IRBA faced a 6-7 percentage point higher probability of facing a deterioration in their access to finance. When the sample is adjusted for the demand for credit, this estimate increases to 12-13 percentage points. The impact is found to come via increases in the cost of credit and to a smaller extent, reductions in the volume or size of loans. Around three-quarters of the effect is attributed to the sensitivity of the IRBA capital requirements to economic conditions, with adopting banks also found to specialize in low-risk lending.
Opportunities and challenges for big data analytics in US higher education

Business leaders around the world are using emerging technologies to capitalize on data, to create business value and to compete effectively in a digitally driven world. They rely on data analytics to accelerate time to insight and to gain a better understanding of their customers’ needs and wants. However, big data and data analytics solutions in higher education are new topics. There has been limited progress in accumulating the extremely rich data that flow through higher education systems for the purpose of acquiring usable information for students, instructors, administrators and the public. The key objective of this article is to propose a conceptual model for the successful implementation of analytics in higher education. The article also examines some of the potential benefits of big data and analytics as applied to the world of higher education and explores implementation challenges that can be expected. Furthermore, the study reviews key attributes of successful analytics platforms and illustrates some of the routes that might be taken to implement these technologies in education. Finally, it highlights the successful implementation of analytics solutions in several universities.
Rotation of the c Subunit Oligomer in EF0EF1 Mutant cD61N*

ATP synthases (F0F1-ATPases) mechanically couple ion flow through the membrane-intrinsic portion, F0, to ATP synthesis within the peripheral portion, F1. The coupling most probably occurs through the rotation of a central rotor (subunits c10εγ) relative to the stator (subunits ab2δ(αβ)3). The translocation of protons is conceived to involve the rotation of the ring of c subunits (the c oligomer) containing the essential acidic residue cD61 against subunits ab2. In line with this notion, the mutants cD61N and cD61G have been previously reported to lack proton translocation. However, it has been surprising that the membrane-bound mutated holoenzyme hydrolyzed ATP but without translocating protons. Using detergent-solubilized and immobilized EF0F1 and by application of the microvideographic assay for rotation, we found that the c oligomer, which carried a fluorescent actin filament, rotates in the presence of ATP in the mutant cD61N just as in the wild type enzyme. This observation excluded slippage among subunit γ, the central rotary shaft, and the c oligomer and suggested free rotation without proton pumping between the oligomer and subunit a in the membrane-bound enzyme.
Permutation based indexing for high dimensional data on GPU architectures

Permutation-based indexing is one of the most popular techniques for the approximate nearest-neighbor search problem in high-dimensional spaces. Due to the exponential increase of multimedia data, the time required to index this data has become a serious constraint of the indexing techniques. One of the possible steps towards faster index construction is utilization of massively parallel platforms such as the GPGPU architectures. In this paper, we have analyzed the computational costs of individual steps of the permutation-based index construction in a high-dimensional feature space and proposed a hybrid solution, where computational power of GPU is utilized for distance computations whilst the host CPU performs the postprocessing and sorting steps. Despite the fact that computing the distances is a naturally data-parallel task, an efficient implementation is quite challenging due to various GPU limitations and complex memory hierarchy. We have tested possible approaches to work division and data caching to utilize the GPU to its best abilities. We summarize our empirical results and point out the optimal solution.
Study on speech endpoint detection algorithm based on wavelet energy entropy

This paper describes a high quality voice activity detection using wavelet energy entropy. In this algorithm, the partitioning of the speech band into sub-bands is performed via a bank of the adaptive band-partitioning filters whose coefficients are derived from a wavelet tree structure. The adaptive band-partitioning models have been proposed to perform endpoint detections of isolated digit utterances spoken in the Language. We use the wavelet energy entropy to analyze each sub-band of speech signal. The results of the proposed algorithm on adaptive band-partitioning of signals and noise regions show a good performance of this method.
Comparative Study of the Active and Passive Circulating Current Suppression Methods for Modular Multilevel Converters

Circulating current is an undesirable phenomenon in modular multilevel converter which should be attenuated to reduce current stress and power losses. This letter presents a comparative study of the active and passive circulating current suppression methods. Voltage penalty of the active circulating current control is derived, and design of the passive circulating current filter parameters is provided. Simulations and experiments are performed to validate the analysis.
Evaluation of API Campy in comparison with conventional methods for identification of thermophilic campylobacters

API Campy was compared with conventional biochemical methods for its ability to identify 100 thermophilic campylobacter isolates. When the results were read according to the manufacturer's instructions, API Campy showed 92% agreement with conventional methods. Extended incubation of the assimilation strip resulted in the correct identification of an additional two isolates. Discrepant results occurred for six isolates. Overall, API Campy offered no advantages over conventional methods.
Lancaster University Management School Working Paper 2010 / 035 Railway Revenue Management : Overview and Models

The railway industry offers similar revenue management opportunities to those found in the airline industry. The railway industry caters for the delivery and management of cargo as well as the transport of passengers. Unlike the airline industry, the railway industry has seen relatively little attention to revenue management problems. We provide an overview of the published literature for both passenger and freight rail revenue management. We include a summary of the some the available models and include some possible extensions. From the existing literature and talks with industry, it is clear that that there is room to exploit revenue management techniques in the railway industry, an industry that has revenues of $60 billion in the US and promises huge growth in Europe in the forthcoming years.
Long-term survival in 11,661 patients with multivessel coronary artery disease in the era of stenting: a report from the Alberta Provincial Project for Outcome Assessment in Coronary Heart Disease (APPROACH) Investigators.

BACKGROUND Studies of survival of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD) in the prestent era suggested that outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) are similar to those after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in subsets of coronary severity. The purpose of this study of the Alberta Provincial Project for Outcome Assessment in Coronary Heart Disease (APPROACH) was to examine the association between treatment and survival up to 5 years in patients with MVD enrolled from 1995 through 1998. METHODS AND RESULTS Data on patient characteristics were obtained at the time of the initial coronary angiography. Survival was determined through data linkage to the provincial Bureau of Vital Statistics. Risk-adjusted hazard ratios were calculated to compare different treatments. In the 11,661 patients with MVD, CABG was the initial therapy in 3782, PCI in 3540, and medical therapy in 4339. Cumulative 5-year survival was 91.4% with CABG, 91.9% with PCI, and 82.9% with medical therapy (P <.001). Hazard ratios were CABG: medical 0.53 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-0.71), PCI: medical 0.65 (95% CI 0.56-0.74), and CABG: PCI 0.81 (95% CI 0.68-0.96). Analysis across coronary severity groups revealed a benefit of CABG compared with PCI only in the group with severe left main CAD: 0.30 (95% CI 0.17-0.54). CONCLUSIONS In a multicenter clinical setting, MVD patients treated with revascularization have significantly higher 5-year survival rate than do those treated medically. Risk-adjusted comparison reveals PCI treatment to be associated with long-term survival similar to treatment with CABG in all coronary severity subgroups except the group with severe left main coronary artery disease. Patient selection factors are likely to be contributing to these findings.
Limits to squeezing in the degenerate optical parametric oscillator

We develop a systematic theory of quantum fluctuations in the driven optical parametric oscillator, including the region near threshold. This allows us to treat the limits imposed by nonlinearities to quantum squeezing and noise reduction in this nonequilibrium quantum phase transition. In particular, we compute the squeezing spectrum near threshold and calculate the optimum value. We find that the optimal noise reduction occurs at different driving fields, depending on the ratio of damping rates. The largest spectral noise reductions are predicted to occur with a very high-Q second-harmonic cavity. Our analytic results agree well with stochastic numerical simulations. We also compare the results obtained in the positive-P representation, as a fully quantum-mechanical calculation, with the truncated Wigner phase-space equation, also known as the semiclassical theory.