Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Primer on Electroencephalography and Event-Related Potentials for Organizational Neuroscience

Electroencephalography (EEG) was the first of the noninvasive brain measures in neuroscience. Technical advances over the last 100 years or so have rendered EEG a true brain imaging technique. Here, we provide an accessible primer on the biophysics of EEG, on measurement aspects, and on the analysis of EEG data. We use the example of event-related potentials (ERPs), although the issues apply equally to other varieties of EEG signals, and provide an overview of analytic methods at the base of the so-called electrical neuroimaging framework. We detail the interpretational strengths of electrical neuroimaging for organizational researchers and describe some domains of ongoing technical developments. We likewise emphasize practical considerations with the use of EEG in more real-world settings. This primer is intended to provide organizational researchers specifically, and novices more generally, an access point to understanding how EEG may be applied in their research.
Factors Contributing To Sustainable Competitive Advantage among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

v LIST OF TABLES . ix LIST OF FIGURES . x CHAPTER ONE . 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION. 1 1.1 Background of the Study . 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem . 7 1.3 Purpose of the Study . 8 1.4 Research Questions . 8 1.5 Significance of the Study . 8 1.6 Scope of the Study.9 1.7 Definition of Terms . 9 1.8 Chapter Summary . 10 CHAPTER TWO . 11 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW . 11 2.
CENTRIFUGAL DEPOSITION OF IRON OXIDE MAGNETIC NANORODS FOR HYPERTHERMIA APPLICATION

Centrifugal deposition of iron oxide was performed to manufacture magnetic nanorods in an aqueous solution. The nanorods were examined by electron microscopy. The diameter of the nanorods ranges from 10 to 20 nm. The length is about 150 nm. The nanorods were incorporated into a silicone polymer to simulate body tissues injected with magnetic nanomaterials. Then the magnetic nanorod-containing silicone samples were put into a microwave to examine the external electromagnetic field induced heating behavior. Dramatic increase in temperature was observed when the nanorods were exposed to the external electromagnetic field for 2 seconds. It is concluded that the nanorods generate intensive heating effect and they have the potential for hyperthermia application.
From Project to Global Public Good : The story of the Plantar Group – World Bank Partnership

This case study presents an overview of a partnership between the World Bank and the Plantar Group in Brazil to deliver greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions across the pig iron supply chain in Brazil. The Plantar project in Minas Gerais, Brazil has been operational since 2000. To date, the project has delivered 4.0 million tCO2e in certified emission reductions (CERs), verified during the period 2013-2016, through the expansion of eucalyptus plantations and the production of renewable charcoal for use as a thermo-reducing agent in the production of pig iron. The project helped to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, reduce methane emissions from the carbonization process in pig iron production and replace mineral coal, a GHG intensive fossil fuel as an industrial input. This case study provides an overview of the project, its results, as well as important lessons learned around the role of partnerships in delivering innovation and impact. It analyses the way in which the Plantar Group and World Bank, together with other project stakeholders, forged an important relationship to deliver the project’s outcomes and create a significant basis upon which future emission reductions programs are built. Finally, it briefly reflects on how the Plantar Group became a leading actor in the ‘greening’ of a major industry, as well as an influencer to Brazil’s national climate policy through contribution to the global UNFCCC negotiations.
Lipoproteins in bacteria: structures and biosynthetic pathways

Bacterial lipoproteins are characterized by the presence of a conserved N‐terminal lipid‐modified cysteine residue that allows the hydrophilic protein to anchor onto bacterial cell membranes. These proteins play important roles in a wide variety of bacterial physiological processes, including virulence, and induce innate immune reactions by functioning as ligands of the mammalian Toll‐like receptor 2. We review recent advances in our understanding of bacterial lipoprotein structure, biosynthesis and structure–function relationships between bacterial lipoproteins and Toll‐like receptor 2. Notably, 40 years after the first report of the triacyl structure of Braun's lipoprotein in Escherichia coli, recent intensive MS‐based analyses have led to the discovery of three new lipidated structures of lipoproteins in monoderm bacteria: the lyso, N‐acetyl and peptidyl forms. Moreover, the bacterial lipoprotein structure is considered to be constant in each bacterium; however, lipoprotein structures in Staphylococcus aureus vary between the diacyl and triacyl forms depending on the environmental conditions. Thus, the lipidation state of bacterial lipoproteins, particularly in monoderm bacteria, is more complex than previously assumed.
The strategic use of metaphors by political and media elites: the 2007-11 Belgian constitutional crisis

On 9 December 2011 a new Belgian government was sworn in after a record-breaking 541 days of negotiations between all democratic political forces with the aim to alter the constitution and provide more autonomy to the different regions that make up Belgium. In this article, the frequent use of political metaphors by North-Belgian politicians and journalists is analysed through a critical metaphor analysis (CMA) that approaches the different metaphors at a descriptive, an interpretative and a motivational level. Four meta-categories of metaphors were identified - sports and games metaphors, war metaphors, culinary metaphors and transport metaphors. The different metaphors fed into six core frames: expressing immobility, attributing blame, the need for unity, bargaining and teasing, the end is nigh and finally lack of direction and leadership. Metaphors were instrumental in strategies to present the Flemish demands as unquestionable and common sense, while the counter-demands of the French-speaking parties were positioned as unreasonable, impossible to accept. In other words, the strategic use of metaphors, some of which resonated throughout the long period of analysis, not only served to represent complex political issues in an easily digestible language, but also shaped and influenced the negotiations through their various mediations and the ideological intentions embedded within the metaphor.
Photonic Crystal Structures and Applications: Perspective, Overview, and Development

In this paper, we present an overview of milestone achievements in the research and development of photonic crystal structures and their perspective applications. We highlight challenges in the analysis techniques, device design, efficient coupling techniques, and fabrication and characterization techniques for both planar and three-dimensional structures. We discuss extensively progress to date to overcome various aspects in the available modeling and simulation tools as well as the necessary fabrication procedures to produce functional photonic crystal structures and devices. Hence, the goal of the work presented in this paper is to present key building blocks, which will in turn facilitate the full utilization of the unique spatial and temporal properties of photonic crystal structures
TMPDB: a database of experimentally-characterized transmembrane topologies

TMPDB is a database of experimentally-characterized transmembrane (TM) topologies. TMPDB release 6.2 contains a total of 302 TM protein sequences, in which 276 are alpha-helical sequences, 17 beta-stranded, and 9 alpha-helical sequences with short pore-forming helices buried in the membrane. The TM topologies in TMPDB were determined experimentally by means of X-ray crystallography, NMR, gene fusion technique, substituted cysteine accessibility method, N-linked glycosylation experiment and other biochemical methods. TMPDB would be useful as a test and/or training dataset in improving the proposed TM topology prediction methods or developing novel methods with higher performance, and as a guide for both the bioinformaticians and biologists to better understand TM proteins. TMPDB and its subsets are freely available at the following web site: http://bioinfo.si. hirosaki-u.ac. jp/~TMPDB/.
Human papillomavirus vaccination practices among providers in Indian health service, tribal and urban Indian healthcare facilities.

PURPOSE The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is of particular importance in American Indian/Alaska Native women because of the higher rate of cervical cancer incidence compared to non-Hispanic white women. To better understand HPV vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and practices among providers working with American Indian/Alaska Native populations, we conducted a provider survey in Indian Health Service, Tribal and Urban Indian (I/T/U) facilities. METHODS During December 2009 and January 2010, we distributed an on-line survey to providers working in I/T/U facilities. We also conducted semistructured interviews with a subset of providers. RESULTS There were 268 surveys and 51 provider interviews completed. Providers were more likely to administer vaccine to 13-18-year-olds (96%) than to other recommended age groups (89% to 11-12-year-olds and 64% to 19-26-year-olds). Perceived barriers to HPV vaccination for 9-18-year-olds included parental safety and moral/religious concerns. Funding was the main barrier for 19-26-year-olds. Overall, providers were very knowledgeable about HPV, although nearly half of all providers and most obstetricians/gynecologists thought that a pregnancy test should precede vaccination. Sixty-four percent of providers of patients receiving the vaccine do not routinely discuss the importance of cervical cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS Recommendations for HPV vaccination have been broadly implemented in I/T/U settings. Vaccination barriers identified by I/T/U providers are similar to those reported in other provider surveys. Provider education efforts should stress that pregnancy testing is not needed before vaccination and the importance of communicating the need for continued cervical cancer screening.
Logistic regression model for relevance feedback in content-based image retrieval

We introduce logistic regression to model the dependence between image-features and the relevance that is implicitly defined by user-feedback. We assume that while browsing, the user can single out images as either examples or counter-examples of the sort of picture he is looking for. Based on this information, the system will construct logistic regression models that generalize this relevance probability to all images in the database. This information is then used to iteratively bias the next sample from the database. Furthermore, the diagnostics that are an integral part of the regression procedure can be harnessed for adaptive feature selection by removing features that have low predictive power.
Induction of cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 and its activator p35 through the extracellular‐signal‐regulated kinase and protein kinase A pathways during retinoic‐acid mediated neuronal differentiation in human neuroblastoma SK‐N‐BE(2)C cells

Cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), a neuronal Cdc2‐like kinase, exhibits a variety of functions in neuronal differentiation and neurocytoskeleton dynamics, as well as neuronal degeneration. However, its role and induction mechanisms in retinoic acid (RA)‐induced neuronal differentiation have not been well understood. In this study we newly found that RA treatment of SK‐N‐BE(2)C, human neuroblastoma cells, increased the expression of Cdk5 and its neuron specific activator p35 through the extracellular‐signal‐regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) and cAMP‐dependent protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. Inhibition of Cdk5 activity either by an inhibitor, roscovitine, or by transfection with a dominant negative form of Cdk5 caused a dramatic decrease in RA‐induced differentiation, suggesting the requirement of Cdk5 kinase activity for the RA‐induced neurite outgrowth. Furthermore, Cdk5 and p35 expression was decreased by ERK1/2 inhibition with PD98059 and increased by overexpression of a constitutive active mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) mutant, suggesting the critical role of ERK1/2 in the induction of Cdk5 and p35. In addition, a transcription factor early growth response 1 (Egr‐1) was induced by RA through the ERK1/2 pathway, suggesting its possible involvement in the p35 induction. RA treatment also induced c‐fos mediated AP‐1 binding, and cAMP‐responsive element binding protein (CREB) mediated CRE binding via ERK1/2 and PKA pathway, respectively, in the Cdk5 promoter region, resulting in the induction of Cdk5. Our results suggest that ERK1/2 and PKA‐induced regulation of Cdk5 activity possibly through Egr‐1, c‐fos, and CREB plays a critical role in the RA‐induced neuronal differentiation.
Aide à la gestion de conflits en conception concourante dans un système distribué

Dans le cadre des recherches en intelligence artificielle, la distribution d'une tâche doit concourir a l'efficacite de la realisation de la tâche. Parmi tous les facteurs qui peuvent nuire aux benefices attendus de la distribution d'une tâche, le cout de la gestion de conflits joue un role primordial. Afin de faciliter la mise en oeuvre de methodes de detection et de gestion de conflits dans la conception concourante, il nous a paru interessant de nous placer dans le cadre de systemes distribues ouverts. Dans notre approche, le concepteur est libre de mettre en oeuvre l'ensemble des methodes de gestion de conflits disponibles, tout en etant guide dans ses choix d'une part par une vision multi-perspectives des donnees et d'autre part en fonction du contexte de la realisation de sa tâche. De plus, nous utilisons la notion de points de vue afin de permettre une indexation intelligente des donnees de conception. Ainsi un concepteur decrit, via un point de vue, la facon dont les autres concepteurs doivent interpreter les donnees qu'il propose. Suite a notre etude theorique, nous avons mis en oeuvre un systeme multi-agents, CREoPS² (Communication Representation and Evaluation of Proposition Support System), reposant sur des techniques et outils compatibles avec l'Internet
Coagulation and complement activation.

UNLABELLED The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effect of heparin coating of a new stent construction (Stent Graft, Jomed Implantate GmbH, Germany) on platelet and coagulation activity. METHODS Stent grafts with an ePTFE membrane interfoliated between two stents were deployed in tubings to form Chandler loops. Fresh human blood with a low concentration of heparin was rotated for 1 h, then collected and used for measurements of platelet number, thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), CD11b, C3a and C5b-9. There were five study groups: Group 1, conventional unmodified stents (n = 8); Group 2, untreated stent grafts (n = 8); Group 3, heparin-coated stents and untreated membrane (n = 7); Group 4, heparin-coated stents and membrane (n = 8); Group 5, heparin-coated PVC tubings with no stents (n = 8). RESULTS There was a significant drop in platelet count, increase in TAT-values and CD11b expression in Groups 1-3 but not in Group 4 compared to Group 5. Examination by scanning electron microscopy revealed extensive activation on non-modified stents but almost no deposition of thrombotic material on heparin-modified stent grafts. CONCLUSIONS With unmodified stents and membrane there were signs of significant activation of platelets and coagulation. In contrast, the heparin-coated stent graft induced much less alterations, indicating improved blood compatibility.
Treatment target and followup measures for patients with gout: a systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE To systematically review the validity of serum uric acid (SUA) as a treatment target for patients with gout, and the clinimetric properties of the potential tools for monitoring these patients. METHODS A search was performed in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library from inception to October 2011, and the 2010-2011 American College of Rheumatology and European League Against Rheumatism meeting abstracts. Studies evaluating different SUA levels or SUA reduction with the achievement of outcomes, and studies assessing clinimetric properties of instruments used to follow patients with gout were selected. Intervention studies were also included in order to estimate responsiveness. Titles and abstracts of the identified references were screened, and included articles were reviewed in detail and data collected using ad hoc standard forms. RESULTS In total, 4575 articles were retrieved, 120 articles reviewed in detail, and 54 articles were included in the systematic literature review. SUA reduction was significantly associated with a reduction in acute attacks (6 studies), tophi regression (2 studies), and crystal clearance (3 studies). SUA 6.0 mg/dl was used as cutoff point in most of studies, but this level was found to be arbitrary. For followup of patients with gout, tophus measurement by caliper and ultrasound, the physical component of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Survey, and Health Assessment Questionnaire have shown excellent clinimetric properties for this purpose. CONCLUSION Reducing SUA is a valid treatment target for patients with gout, but the target level of reduction (cutoff point) is not clear. Some tools were found suitable for following patients with gout.
The Association Between Physical Activity and Cognitive Function With Considerations by Social Risk Status

We evaluated the association between physical activity and cognitive function among a national sample of the broader U.S. adult population, with consideration by social risk. Data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to identify 2031 older adults, ages 60-85. Social risk was classified by measuring four NHANES variables, namely poverty level, education, minority status, and social living status, which were graded on a scale of 0-4, with higher scores corresponding with higher social risk. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) was used to assess cognitive function. Physical activity was assessed via a validated self-report questionnaire. After adjustments, meeting physical activity guidelines (vs not) was associated with greater cognitive function (β = 3.0, 95% CI [1.5, 4.4], p < 0.001). In this same model, social risk status was also independently associated with cognitive function. Meeting physical activity guidelines (vs. not) was not associated with higher cognitive function among those with a social risk score of of 3 (β = -0.01; 95% CI [-6.3, 6.4], p = 0.99) or a social risk score of 4 (β = -6.8, 95% CI [-15.7, 2.0], p = 0.12). In this national sample of older adults, meeting physical activity guidelines, and degree of social risk were independently associated with cognitive function. However, physical activity was not associated with cognitive function among older adults with the highest degree of social risk.
Direct Calculation of Optimized Laser Power Density Profiles for Laser Heating

Laser surface heating requires a well defined temperature profile. In this paper the inverse problem of heat conduction in solids is solved, based on the two-dimensional Fourier transform. That is, the required power density profile of the laser beam can be calculated directly from a desired temperature field. Problems and errors introduced by calculations on a finite grid and by physically impossible temperature gradients are addressed to
Estimation of genetic (co)variances of Gompertz growth function parameters in pigs

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic (co)variances for the Gompertz growth function parameters, asymptotic mature weight (A), the ratio of mature weight to birthweight (B) and rate of maturation (k), using alternative modelling approaches. The data set consisted of 51 893 live weight records from 10 201 growing pigs. The growth of each pig was modelled using the Gompertz model employing either a two-step fixed effect or mixed model approach or a one-step mixed model approach using restricted maximum likelihood for the estimation of genetic (co)variance. Heritability estimates for the Gompertz growth function parameters, A (0.40), B (0.69) and k (0.45), were greatest for the one-step approach, compared with the two-step fixed effects approach, A (0.10), B (0.33) and k (0.13), and the two-step mixed model approach, A (0.17), B (0.32) and k (0.18). Inferred genetic correlations (i.e. correlations of estimated breeding values) between growth function parameters within models ranged from -0.78 to 0.76, and across models ranged from 0.28 to 0.73 for parameter A, 0.75 to 0.88 for parameter B and 0.09 to 0.37 for parameter k. Correlations between predicted daily sire live weights based on the Gompertz growth curve parameters' estimated breeding values from 60 to 200 days of age between all three modelled approaches were moderately to strongly correlated (0.75 to 0.95). Results from this study provide heritability estimates for biologically interpretable parameters of pig growth through the quantification of genetic (co)variances, thereby facilitating the estimation of breeding values for inclusion in breeding objectives to aid in breeding and selection decisions.
Encouragement Designs and Heterogeneous Effects in Agricultural Insurance: Challenges for Impact Evaluations in Agricultural Insurance Interventions

We consider the potential of randomized encouragement designs in agricultural development. The classical problem in program evaluation is the inability to observe individuals both participating and not participating in a program at any point in time. Randomized encouragement designs solve the evaluation problem by randomly varying incentives to participate in a program without affecting outcomes of interest, thus making it possible to measure average treatment effects. They are also of special interest to agricultural development economists for their potential to stimulate program participation; low participation is common in many programs, making it difficult to estimate impacts. These benefits come with caveats that should be taken into account both in research design, and in econometric practice. We explore these issues in a context with which are familiar: an evaluation of an index insurance product utilizing a randomized encouragement design, mirroring our current work in coastal Peru.