Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The theoretical foundations of value-informed pricing in the service-dominant logic of marketing

– In the mainstream normative pricing literature, value assessment is virtually non-existent. Although the resource-based literature recognizes that pricing is a competence, value-informed pricing practices are still weakly grounded in theory. The purpose of this paper is to strengthen the theoretical grounds of such pricing practices. , – The paper applies the emerging service-dominant logic of marketing to pricing. More specifically, it apples the ten foundational premises of service-dominant logic to pricing and it places pricing in the frameworks of one of the major building blocks of service-dominant logic, namely the resource-advantage theory of competition. , – From a service-dominant perspective, price is the reward for the application of specialized knowledge and skills. Pricing is an operant resource, or competence, that assesses customer value, applies it in multi-dimensional price propositions, and implements it in processes of co-creating prices with customers. Value-informed pricing is the central pricing practice within such competences. , – Prices vary among others between “good” and “bad”, firms generate competitive advantage not only through value creation, but also through pricing. Learning is key to develop pricing competences. , – This paper is the first to ground value-informed pricing at high levels of abstraction in general marketing theory.
Brain activity during distention of the descending colon in humans

Abstract Brain‐gut interaction is considered to be a major factor in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome. However, only limited information has been provided on the influence of gastrointestinal tract stimulation on the brain. Our aim in this study was to determine the specific regions of the brain that are responsible for visceral perception and emotion provoked by distention of the descending colon in humans. Fifteen healthy males aged 22 ± 1 participated in this study. Using a colonoscope, a balloon was inserted into the descending colon of each subject. After sham stimulation, the colon was randomly stimulated with bag pressures of 20 and 40 mmHg, and regional cerebral blood flow was measured by [15O] positron emission tomography. The subjects were asked to report visceral perception and emotion using an ordinate scale of 0–10. Colonic distention pressure dependently induced visceral perception and emotion, which significantly correlated with activation of specific regions of the brain including the prefrontal, anterior cingulate, parietal cortices, insula, pons, and the cerebellum. In conclusion, distention of the descending colon induces visceral perception and emotion. These changes significantly correlate with activation of specific regions in the brain including the limbic system and the association cortex, especially the prefrontal cortex.
Speaker adaptation based on sparse and low-rank eigenphone matrix estimation

The eigenphone based speaker adaptation outperforms the conventional MLLR and eigenvoice methods when the adaptation data is sufﬁcient, but it suffers from severe over-ﬁtting when the adaptation data is limited. In this paper, l 1 and nuclear norm regularization are applied simultaneously to obtain a more robust eigenphone estimation, resulting in a sparse and low-rank eigenphone matrix. The sparse constraint can reduce the number of free parameters while the low rank constraint can limit the dimension of phone variation subspace, which are both ben-eﬁt to the generalization ability. Experimental results show that the proposed method can improve the adaptation performance substantially, especially when the amount of adaptation data is limited.
Rapid sample preparation procedure for As speciation in food samples by LC-ICP-MS

This paper describes a rapid method for arsenic (As) speciation by LC-ICP-MS in several types of food samples. Prior to analysis, samples were milled and the As species extracted from biological tissues by sonication in only 2 min with a solution containing MeOH (10%, v/v) plus HNO3 (2%, v/v). As species were separated by LC using an anion exchange column. Method detection limits for AsB, As3+, DMA, MMA and As5+ were 1.3, 0.9, 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8 ng g−1, respectively. Method accuracy and precision were traceable to Certified Reference Materials SRM1577 bovine liver from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, CE278 mussel tissue from the Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements and DOLT-3 dogfish liver tissue and DORM-3 fish protein from the National Research Council of Canada. Finally, the method was applied to speciate As in food samples (egg, fish muscle, beef and chicken) purchased in Brazilian markets.
Collective cyclotron motion of the relativistic plasma in graphene

We present a theory of the finite temperature thermoelectric response functions of graphene in the hydrodynamic regime where electron-electron collisions dominate the scattering. In moderate magnetic fields, the Dirac particles undergo a collective cyclotron motion with a temperature-dependent relativistic cyclotron frequency proportional to the net charge density of the Dirac plasma. In contrast to the undamped cyclotron pole in Galilean-invariant systems Kohn’s theorem, here there is a finite damping induced by collisions between the counter-propagating particles and holes. This cyclotron motion shows up as a damped pole in the frequency-dependent conductivities and should be readily detectable in microwave measurements at room temperature. We also compute the large Nernst signal in the hydrodynamic regime, which is significantly bigger than that in ordinary metals. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.78. 115419
Multiscale binarised statistical image features for symmetric unconstrained face matching

Face recognition subject to uncontrolled imaging conditions still remains a challenge. This paper proposes a number of counteracts to partly neutralize the adverse effects of the unwanted factors on performance. First, a novel multi-scale image descriptor (MBSIF) is proposed which unlike most commonly used features for face representation employs statistics of natural images to improve its representation capacity. Second, in order to minimize the sensitivity of the recognition system to misalignment, the descriptor is computed regionally on top of a dense MRF image matching model. Similarities of the component-wise descriptors between a pair of images are then measured in an LDA space taking into account the established dense correspondences. Third, an asymmetric face MRF matching process is extended into a symmetric framework where the similarity between a pair of images is measured in two directions, improving recognition accuracy. Finally, the proposed MBSIF descriptor is jointly used with MLBP and MLPQ representations to further enhance the accuracy. The proposed approach has been evaluated in real world challenging scenarios and shown to perform very favorably compared to the state-of-the-art methods.
Progress and development of information and communication technologies in hospitality

Purpose – In order to enhance operational efficiency, improve service quality and reduce costs, practitioners in the hospitality industry have widely adopted and implemented information and communication technologies (ICTs) in their businesses. Understanding what has been done and how ICTs have performed in the past and are performing in the present could assist practitioners and researchers in identifying research gaps and formulating future plans. This paper aims to address these issues Design/methodology/approach – This study analyzed 88 full-length ICT-related research articles that were published in the period 1999-2008 in eight leading hospitality journals. The research focuses on all selected articles were in suppliers ' perspectives, and each article was analyzed by content analysis. Findings – Seven dimensions were formed after content analysis including human resources and training, security, reservation, revenue management, marketing, guest services, as well as strategic and operational managem.
The vocabulary of Learner-Space Interactions Understanding learning spaces experience through the repertory grid method

Higher education institutions are facing new educational challenges and are striving for an evolution in pedagogical practices. This evolution is accompanied by the need for innovative learning spaces to support students in the development of “21st century skills”. Designing these spaces requires a deep understanding of learners’ needs and experiences. User-centered design therefore appears as an adequate process to understand learning experiences in relation to spatial design. In this paper, we describe how the repertory grid method has been used to explore students’ perceptions of learning environments (N = 26). We identified 381 personal constructs (contrasted word pairs) associated with learning spaces and grouped them into seven categories (22 subcategories), ranked by number of occurrences. This study provides a basis for the development of a vocabulary of learners-spaces interactions, in support of the design and assessment of learning space experiences.
Misuses and Proper Uses of Hedonic Values of Life in Legal Contexts

Estimates of the statistical value of life have become the standard reference point for valuing risks to life and health in regulatory contexts. Attempts to use these estimates in courtroom settings as a measure of compensation are misdirected. The value-of-life estimates are based on a deterrence or prevention concept rather than an insurance concept and will provide overinsurance to accident victims. Value-of-life estimates are, however, pertinent for use as reference points in assessing liability. Possible examples of where it can be used include cases such as the Ford Pinto and GMC truck burn cases.
Demand for Food in the United States: A Review of Literature, Evaluation of Previous Estimates, and Presentation of New Estimates of Demand

Many findings and policy recommendations in the academic literature are influenced by published estimates of elasticities of demand for food. However, the quality of these estimates is diverse and depends on modeling choices and assumptions, including the functional form for demands, types of data used, separability structure, food defi nitions, and statistical techniques used to estimate the models. In this monograph, we make three contributions to the empirical literature on demand for food in the United States. First, we evaluate the elasticities of demand for food from previous studies using the mean absolute error in elasticity-based predictions of quantity responses to actual past changes in prices and total expenditure. Second, we estimate elasticities of demand for aggregate food products using annual and monthly data under various alternative assumptions about functional form. We evaluate how well these new estimates of elasticities of demand predict quantity responses to actual price and expenditure changes, both absolutely and compared with previous estimates from the literature. Third, we estimate two sets of elasticities of demand for disaggregated fruit and vegetables: one that is conditional on the total expenditure on fruit and vegetables and a second that is conditional on expenditure on goods. To facilitate and provide context for these empirical contributions, we begin the monograph with a succinct statement of the relevant theory that underpins demand models, some specifi c discussion of separability and aggregation assumptions and their implications for the interpretation of demand elasticities, and a review of issues more generally that arise in empirical demand analysis.
Parliamentary questions in the European parliament: Representation, information and control

Parliamentary questions and the membership of the European Parliament have both remained under‐researched. This article redresses the deficit by using a content analysis of written questions to analyse the behaviour of MEPs. Since tabling a question is one of the last formal rights of the backbencher, the study of parliamentary questions may be regarded as a particularly useful tool for increasing our knowledge of the way that MEPs understand their role as representatives. First the formal rules, function, and importance of parliamentary questions are explained. The following dimensions of questions are analysed: the questioning activity of MEPs, party groups, and national delegations; the issues MEPs raise in their questions, and the territorial dimension of the questions.
Corruption and the Crisis of Institutional Reforms in Nigeria: A Forensic Accounting Perspective

It is eloquently clear that corruption impedes economic development and that it is a major obstacle constraining the process of change currently taking place in Nigeria. Institutions are important to the macroeconomic performance of a nation. The lack of well-designed rules and effective institutions such as an independent judiciary, a police force worth the name, or a professional civil service to enforce compliance and maintain law and order in Nigeria will retard target growth expectations. This paper traces corruption, among other factors, to the development model of statism adopted by many African countries after independence, but which failed to reconstruct the neo-colonial state as a tool for development. It highlights the role of the forensic accounting expert in bringing about a lasting solution to the endemic/socio-economic malaise of corruption still bedevilling the Nigerian institutional reforms process. It argues that the engagement of forensic accounting is the most critical determinant in curbing the involvement of individuals in corruption and that the attempt to deal effectively with corruption in Nigeria must begin with institutional reforms which aim at altering the existing incentive structure. It recommends a clear and forceful demonstration of the government’s political will in fighting the scourge of corruption via crafting of effective constitutional provisions, rules and institutions. These, it posits, will avert the futility of the variety of traditional anti-corruption techniques already in use.
Simultaneous determination of BNP7787 and its metabolite mesna in plasma and tissue by micro-HPLC with a dual electrochemical detector.

Sensitive, accurate, and precise assays are described to determine BNP7787 (disodium 2,2'-dithio-bis-ethane sulfonate) and its metabolite mesna (sodium 2-mercaptoethane sulfonate) simultaneously in plasma and tissue by micro-high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with dual electrochemical detection. After separation of BNP7787 and mesna by micro-HPLC, the disulfide BNP7787 was reduced to mesna by a reactor cell with a glassy carbon working electrode (-1.6 V versus Hy-REF). At the second electrode, which consisted of a gold wall-jet electrode, the mesna generated from BNP7787 and the mesna already present in the samples were detected (+0.85 V versus Ag/AgCl). The lower limit of quantification (LLQ) of both compounds was 3 microM in plasma and 20 nmol/g in tissue. The dynamic range of the assay in plasma was 3-120 microM for mesna and 15-1200 microM for BNP7787. In tissue, the dynamic range was 20-2000 nmol/g for both compounds. The recovery of mesna from plasma and tissue ranged from 61.4 to 90.5% and 82.7 to 90.2%, respectively, and seemed to be concentration dependent. The recovery of BNP7787 from plasma and tissue was complete (i.e., 101.5 and 96.4%, respectively). The within- and between-day accuracy and precision for the plasma and tissue assay were within 14 and 7%, respectively. The utility of the assay was shown by determination of the stability of mesna and BNP7787 in a kidney sample of a rat and by analysis of plasma samples obtained from a patient receiving 18.4 g/m(2) BNP7787 as a 15-min intravenous infusion.
Comparative Evaluation of Three Commercial Systems for Nucleic Acid Extraction from Urine Specimens

ABSTRACT A nucleic acid extraction system that can handle small numbers of specimens with a short test turnaround time and short hands-on time is desirable for emergent testing. We performed a comparative validation on three systems: the MagNA Pure compact system (Compact), the NucliSens miniMAG extraction instrument (miniMAG), and the BioRobot EZ1 system (EZ1). A total of 75 urine specimens submitted for polyomavirus BK virus detection were used. The human β-actin gene was detected on 75 (100%), 75 (100%), and 72 (96%) nucleic acid extracts prepared by the miniMAG, EZ1, and Compact, respectively. The miniMAG produced the highest quantity of nucleic acids and the best precision among the three systems. The agreement rate was 100% for BKV detection on nucleic acid extracts prepared by the three extraction systems. When a full panel of specimens was run, the hands-on time and test turnaround time were 105.7 and 121.1 min for miniMAG, 6.1 and 22.6 min for EZ1, and 7.4 and 33.7 min for Compact, respectively. The EZ1 and Compact systems processed automatic nucleic acid extraction properly, providing a good solution to the need for sporadic but emergent specimen detection. The miniMAG yielded the highest quantity of nucleic acids, suggesting that this system would be the best for specimens containing a low number of microorganisms of interest.
Sequential Gonadotropin Treatment of Immature Mice Leads to Amplification of Transforming Growth Factor β Action, Via Upregulation of Receptor-Type 1, Smad 2 and 4, and Downregulation of Smad 6

Abstract The present study was designed to establish the cellular localization and expression of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway components, including TGFβ1 and β2; TGFβ receptors type I (TβRI) and II (TβRII); and Smads 2, 3, 4, and 6 during gonadotropin-induced follicular maturation and ovulation in the mouse ovary. Immature 21-day-old mice were sequentially treated with recombinant human FSH, 5 IU daily for 3 days, and hCG once at Day 24 of life. Immunohistochemical experiments revealed a TGFβ1 staining in granulosa cells (GC) and theca interna cells (TIC) as well as in oocytes, whereas that of TGFβ2 was mainly localized in oocytes and GC. Strong immunostaining for both TβRI and -RII was observed in the TIC and, to a lesser extent, in GC. Whereas oocytes did not exhibit any staining for TβRII, their TβRI immunostaining was strong. Smads were detected in oocytes, GC, and luteal cells and in a lesser amount in TIC; the immunostaining for Smad 4 was the strongest. Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses indicated that, in response to gonadotropins, TGFβ2, TβRI, Smad 2 and Smad 4 mRNA and protein levels increased, while those of Smad 6 decreased in ovarian homogenates. In conclusion, these results show that, in a model of immature mouse exposed to a sequential gonadotropin treatment, FSH and LH increased the expression of the TGFβ signaling system through the increase of TGFβ2, TβRI, stimulatory Smad 2, and common Smad 4 expression, which occurred concomitantly with a decrease of the inhibitory Smad 6 expression.
Small business and their banks: a post‐charter analysis

Banks in the UK have received much adverse publicity over the last four years. Primarily, they have been accused of failing to pass interest‐rate reductions on to their small business customers. This has resulted in the introduction of charters to specify more clearly the conditions of their relationship with their small business customers. Focuses on the impact of bank charters on this relationship and establishes that banks are now doing more to accommodate their small business customers. Small businesses have confidence in their account managers, but are not receptive to advice from this source. Recommends that they should be more amenable to advice and be more proactive in seeking consultation with senior bank representatives. Displeasure over charges can be alleviated through discussion and explanation.
Housing Policy, Housing Assistance and the Wellbeing Dividend: Developing an Evidence Base for Post-GFC Economies

This paper discusses the recent evolution, at a time of turmoil within global financial markets, of Australia's housing system and considers the effectiveness of housing assistance responses formulated to assist lo- income Australians. Following the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), housing was recast in the public and political consciousness and received substantial policy attention. In this era of rapidly declining housing affordability as well as threats to the supply of housing finance, the Australian Government renewed its approach to housing assistance. The paper examines housing assistance in Australia and assesses individual outcomes in terms of a ‘wellbeing dividend’. It draws upon on a survey of 1700 low-income households to examine individual outcomes for health and wellbeing across three of Australia's major forms of housing assistance. The research clearly shows that while housing assistance makes a positive contribution to wellbeing, not all forms of assistance are equal.
The Role of Organization Culture in Achieving Organizational Excellence: Jadara University as a Case Study

This study aims to determine the role of organizational culture (OC) in achieving organizational excellence (OE). Jadara University, a newly private Jordanian university founded in 2006, will be our case study. The study used a questionnaire to collect information from university staff. Questionnaires were distributed to all 450 employees of the university (academic and administrative), 158 of whom returned them fully completed (response rate = 35%). Results showed that the overall mean of Jadara University OC was moderate (3.4 out of 5), while the OE overall mean was high (3.6 out of 5). Our results also confirmed strong positive correlations between overall university culture and OE. The study recommends that top management should provide training and development opportunities for all university staff, as well as carry out future studies to further diagnose future changes in corporate culture so as to help top management trace their impact on OC.
Two Survivor Pathways That Allow Growth in the Absence of Telomerase Are Generated by Distinct Telomere Recombination Events

ABSTRACT Yeast cells can survive in the absence of telomerase RNA,TLC1, by recombination-mediated telomere elongation. Two types of survivors, type I and type II, can be distinguished by their characteristic telomere patterns. RAD52 is essential for the generation of both types of survivors. Deletion of bothRAD50 and RAD51 produces a phenotype similar to that produced by deletion of RAD52. Here we examined the effects of the RAD50 and the RAD51 epistasis groups as well as the RAD52 homologue, RAD59, on the types of survivors generated in the absence of telomerase.rad59 mutations completely abolished the ability to generate type II survivors, while rad50 mutations decreased the growth viability of type II survivors but did not completely eliminate their appearance. Mutations in RAD51, RAD54, andRAD57 had the converse affect: they eliminated the ability of cells to generate type I survivors in a tlc1 strain. The triple mutant, tlc1 rad51 rad59, was not able to generate survivors. Thus either type I or type II recombination pathways can allow cells to survive in the absence of telomerase; however, elimination of both pathways in a telomerase mutant leads to the inability to elongate telomeres and ultimately cell death.