Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visual Quality and Sustained Competitive Advantage by Marcus Dahlstrand

As many markets globally have matured, the visual quality of products has become an increasingly important competitive attribute for products. In the heavy commercial vehicles industry, in order to achieve premium quality appearance, every visible part of a vehicle undergoes the process of appearance evaluation. Appearance is a very subjective feature and the targeted customer experience is challenging to define in requirements, measure, evaluate, and communicate. Skills, knowledge, and experience are the most important factor for ensuring high visual quality and constitutes important knowledge capabilities for an organization in this industry. Unfortunately, these resources are expensive to develop. Whether these capabilities can form a basis for a sustained competitive advantage, or if any advantages will be diminished over time through competition from competitors, is therefore of high value to determent. The purpose of this research is to investigate how knowledge capabilities in visual quality evaluation form a basis for a sustained competitive advantage for a firm. This is investigated with a case study approach at a company in the heavy commercial vehicles industry along with a benchmarking analysis. The empiric is gathered mainly through interviews and is validated through observations. It was found that knowledge capabilities in visual quality evaluations constitute a basis for a competitive advantage as they are valuable, rare, imperfectly reproducible, and irreplaceable. The appearance approval report process is a key activity in reaching high visual quality but developing strong appearance quality on products requires developed cross-organizational capabilities, knowledge, mindset, and experience. The knowledge in the field of appearance evaluations is highly tacit making knowledge difficult to transfer between employees and expensive to develop. Key-words Visual Quality, Appearance Approval Report, AAR-rapport, Appearance Evaluation, Sustained Competitive Advantage, Tacit Knowledge. Examensarbete INDEK 2017:137 Visuell kvalitet och varaktiga
Reassessing the importance of ‘lost pleasure’ associated with smoking cessation: implications for social welfare and policy

Introduction Benefit–cost analyses of tobacco regulations include estimates of the informed choice of smokers to continue smoking. Few studies have focused on subjective feelings associated with continued smoking. This study estimates how smoker discontent and regret relate to risk perceptions and health concerns. Methods We analysed data from a 2015 nationally representative, online survey of 1284 US adult current smokers. Information was collected on regret, intention to quit, perceived addiction, risk perceptions and health concerns. Multivariate logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographics and health status was used to examine factors associated with smoker discontent. Results More than 80% of current smokers report high (22.5%) or very high (59.8%) discontent due to inability to quit, perceived addiction and regret about having started to smoke. Higher levels of discontent did not vary significantly by sex, age, race/ethnicity, education or income (adjusted odds ratios (AORs) 0.5–1.2). Compared with the smokers expressing low (5.9%) or very low (3.6%) discontent, those expressing higher levels of discontent perceived their health status as fair/poor (AOR=2.3), worried most of the time about lung cancer (AOR=4.6) and felt they were more likely to develop lung cancer in the future (AOR=5.1). Conclusion The proportion of smokers who might be characterised as having a preference to continue smoking are greatly outnumbered by addicted, discontent and concerned smokers who want to quit and regret ever having started to smoke. These discontent smokers could have a substantial net welfare gain if new regulations helped them escape their concerns about the health effects from continuing smoking.
Evolutionary ecology of intraspecific brain size variation: a review

Abstract The brain is a trait of central importance for organismal performance and fitness. To date, evolutionary studies of brain size variation have mainly utilized comparative methods applied at the level of species or higher taxa. However, these studies suffer from the difficulty of separating causality from correlation. In the other extreme, studies of brain plasticity have focused mainly on within-population patterns. Between these extremes lie interpopulational studies, focusing on brain size variation among populations of the same species that occupy different habitats or selective regimes. These studies form a rapidly growing field of investigations which can help us to understand brain evolution by providing a test bed for ideas born out of interspecific studies, as well as aid in uncovering the relative importance of genetic and environmental factors shaping variation in brain size and architecture. Aside from providing the first in depth review of published intraspecific studies of brain size variation, we discuss the prospects embedded with interpopulational studies of brain size variation. In particular, the following topics are identified as deserving further attention: (i) studies focusing on disentangling the contributions of genes, environment, and their interactions on brain variation within and among populations, (ii) studies applying quantitative genetic tools to evaluate the relative importance of genetic and environmental factors on brain features at different ontogenetic stages, (iii) apart from utilizing simple gross estimates of brain size, future studies could benefit from use of neuroanatomical, neurohistological, and/or molecular methods in characterizing variation in brain size and architecture. Evolution of brain size and architecture is a widely studied topic. However, the majority of studies are interspecific and comparative. Here we summarize the recently growing body of intraspecific studies based on population comparisons and outline the future potential in this approach.
Copepods in Turbid Shallow Soda Lakes Accumulate Unexpected High Levels of Carotenoids

Carotenoids are protective pigments present in many aquatic organisms that reduce the photooxidative stress induced by short-wavelenght solar radiation, yet increase their susceptibility to predators. Arctodiaptomus spinosus, a calanoid copepod typically found in many fishless shallow soda lakes, shows large between-lake differences in pigmentation. Here, we attribute these differences to the environmental state of these ecosystems, namely, ‘dark water’ lakes with submersed vegetation and turbid ‘white’ lakes lacking macrophytes. Copepod carotenoid concentration in the turbid ‘white’ lakes was significantly (about 20-fold) higher than in the ‘dark water’ ones, although the latter systems were characterized by higher transparency. In addition, males had on a dry weight basis around three times higher carotenoid concentrations than females. Mycosporine-like amino acids (direct UV screening substances) were found in all cases, but in low concentration. The environmental conditions in these ecosystems were largely shaped by the presence/absence of submersed macrophytes Thus, in the turbid lakes, the strong wind-driven mixis allows for copepods to be brought to the surface and being exposed to solar radiation, whereas in ‘dark water’ ones, macrophytes reduce water turbulence and additionally provide shelter. Our results explain the counter-intuitive notion of strong red pigmentation in copepods from a turbid ecosystem and suggest that factors other than high UV transparency favor carotenoid accumulation in zooplankton.
Degeneration of the Injured Cervical Cord Is Associated with Remote Changes in Corticospinal Tract Integrity and Upper Limb Impairment

Background Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to disruption of axons and macroscopic tissue loss. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), we assessed degeneration of the corticospinal tract (CST) in the cervical cord above a traumatic lesion and explored its relationship with cervical atrophy, remote axonal changes within the cranial CST and upper limb function. Methods Nine cervical injured volunteers with bilateral motor and sensory impairment and ten controls were studied. DTI of the cervical cord and brain provided measurements of fractional anisotropy (FA), while anatomical MRI assessed cross-sectional spinal cord area (i.e. cord atrophy). Spinal and central regions of interest (ROI) included the bilateral CST in the cervical cord and brain. Regression analysis identified correlations between spinal FA and cranial FA in the CST and disability. Results In individuals with SCI, FA was significantly lower in both CSTs throughout the cervical cord and brain when compared with controls (p≤0.05). Reduced FA of the cervical cord in patients with SCI was associated with smaller cord area (p = 0.002) and a lower FA of the cranial CST at the internal capsule level (p = 0.001). Lower FA in the cervical CST also correlated with impaired upper limb function, independent of cord area (p = 0.03). Conclusion Axonal degeneration of the CST in the atrophic cervical cord, proximal to the site of injury, parallels cranial CST degeneration and is associated with disability. This DTI protocol can be used in longitudinal assessment of microstructural changes immediately following injury and may be utilised to predict progression and monitor interventions aimed at promoting spinal cord repair.
Loss of skills and onset patterns in neurodevelopmental disorders: Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms

Patterns of onset in Autism Spectrum Disorder, including a pattern that includes loss of previously acquired skills, have been identified since the first reports of the disorder. However, attempts to study such “regression” have been limited to clinical studies, that until recently mostly involved retrospective reports. The current report reflects discussion that occurred at an NIMH convened meeting in 2016 with the purpose of bridging clinical autism research with basic and translational work in this area. This summary describes the state of the field with respect to clinical studies, describing gaps in knowledge based on limited methods and prospective data collected. Biological mechanisms that have been shown to account for regression early in development in specific conditions are discussed, as well as potential mechanisms that have not yet been explored. Suggestions include use of model systems during the developmental period and cutting‐edge methods, including non‐invasive imaging that may afford opportunities for a better understanding of the neurobiological pathways that result in loss of previously‐attained skills. Autism Res 2018, 11: 212–222. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Chemical Basis of Prey Recognition in Thamnophiine Snakes: The Unexpected New Roles of Parvalbumins

Detecting and locating prey are key to predatory success within trophic chains. Predators use various signals through specialized visual, olfactory, auditory or tactile sensory systems to pinpoint their prey. Snakes chemically sense their prey through a highly developed auxiliary olfactory sense organ, the vomeronasal organ (VNO). In natricine snakes that are able to feed on land and water, the VNO plays a critical role in predatory behavior by detecting cues, known as vomodors, which are produced by their potential prey. However, the chemical nature of these cues remains unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that specific proteins–parvalbumins–present in the cutaneous mucus of the common frog (Rana temporaria) may be natural chemoattractive proteins for these snakes. Here, we show that parvalbumins and parvalbumin-like proteins, which are mainly intracellular, are physiologically present in the epidermal mucous cells and mucus of several frog and fish genera from both fresh and salt water. These proteins are located in many tissues and function as Ca2+ buffers. In addition, we clarified the intrinsic role of parvalbumins present in the cutaneous mucus of amphibians and fishes. We demonstrate that these Ca2+-binding proteins participate in innate bacterial defense mechanisms by means of calcium chelation. We show that these parvalbumins are chemoattractive for three different thamnophiine snakes, suggesting that these chemicals play a key role in their prey-recognition mechanism. Therefore, we suggest that recognition of parvalbumin-like proteins or other calcium-binding proteins by the VNO could be a generalized prey-recognition process in snakes. Detecting innate prey defense mechanism compounds may have driven the evolution of this predator-prey interaction.
Can Hovering Hinder Helping? Examining the Joint Effects of Helicopter Parenting and Attachment on Prosocial Behaviors and Empathy in Emerging Adults

ABSTRACT While previous research has established links among multiple aspects of parenting, empathy, and prosocial behaviors in youth, little is known regarding the relations between helicopter parenting, a particular type of parental over control, and empathy and prosocial behaviors (Padilla-Walker, 2014). Because helicopter parenting could undermine empathic and prosocial outcomes by negatively impacting self-regulatory behaviors and promoting narcissistic tendencies (Padilla-Walker, 2014; Segrin, Woszidlo, Givertz, Bauer, & Murphy, 2012; Segrin, Woszidlo, Givertz, & Montgomery, 2013), the author sought to examine potential relationships among these constructs. A battery of self-report measures was administered to an emerging adult sample (N = 187 college students; 49% women; M age = 18.81 years; 71% White). Hierarchical multiple regression model results indicated that both maternal and paternal helicopter parenting predicted fewer positive prosocial and empathic outcomes, and these relations depended on parental attachment, gender, and specific outcome assessed. Helicopter parenting appears to be a distinct type of parental overcontrol that especially contributes to moral development.
Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of lycopene in acute cholestasis.

BACKGROUND/AIM Lycopene, which is suggested to be a potent antioxidant, may play a protective role in diseases related to oxidative stress. In order to understand the effects of lycopene in the pathogenesis of cholestasis, we investigated the effects of lycopene on oxidative stress parameters and DNA damage induced by experimental biliary obstruction in the liver tissues and the lymphocytes of Wistar albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS The animals were randomized into 3 groups. The sham group was subjected to a sham operation, the BDL group was subjected to bile duct ligation (BDL), and the BDL+L group was subjected to BDL and treated with 10 mg/kg body weight of lycopene. After 7 days of treatment, the liver functions, oxidative stress parameters, and DNA damage were evaluated. RESULTS The lycopene treatment significantly ameliorated the liver function parameters in BDL rats. It significantly reduced malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels and enhanced reduced glutathione levels and catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione S transferase activities in the BDL rats. The lycopene treatment also decreased DNA damage as assessed by comet assay in the lymphocytes and hepatocytes of the BDL rats. CONCLUSION These results suggest that lycopene might have protective effects on acute cholestasis.
Degrees of Freedom of Two-Hop MISO Broadcast Networks With Mixed CSIT

A downlink two-hop MISO broadcast network is considered, with a two-antenna source communicating to 2 single-antenna destinations, via multiple single-antenna relays in between. The sum degrees of freedom (DOF) of the network with mixed channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT) is investigated. The mixed CSIT consists of accurate delayed CSIT and inaccurate instantaneous CSIT, and its availability is limited within each hop, i.e., the source is oblivious to the channels of the second hop. Given a transmission power P and a real value α ∈ [0, 1], if the variance of the error for instantaneous CSIT decreases as O(P-α), it is shown that the sum optimal DOF of the considered network is d = 4+2α/3 when there exist at least 3 intermediate relays. The result can be extended to the MIMO and multiple-hop cases. The proposed achievable schemes essentially combine the concept of retrospective interference alignment based on delayed CSIT and linear beamforming based on inaccurate instantaneous CSIT into an integrated form. Our results show that, in multi-hop MISO broadcast networks, delayed CSIT and inaccurate instantaneous CSIT can be exploited simultaneously to benefit network DOF.
Remarks on Processing, Constraints, and the Lexicon

Linguists have long recognized the desirability of embedding a theory of grammar within a theory of linguistic performance (scc, e.g., Chomsky (1965;10-15)). It has bccn widely assumed by transformationalists that an adequate model of a language user would inchlde as one component some sort of generative granlm:. ~r. Yet transformational grammarians have devoted relatively little energy to the problem that Bresnan (in press) calls "the grammatical realization problem": "How would a reasonable model of language use incorporate a transformational grammar? " When this question has been raised, little support could be adduced for the hypothesis that the operations of transformational grammar play a part in speakers' or hearers' processing of sentences (see Fodor, et a l (1974; chapter 5)). Instead of concerning themselves with questions of processing, transformationalists have concentrated their efforts (at least in the last decade or so) on the problem of constraining the power of their theory. The goal of much recent research has been to construct as restrictive a theory of grammar as possible, within the bounds set by the known divcrsity of human languages (scc, e.g., Ross (1967), Chomsky (1973), Bresnan (1976), Emonds (1976), and Culicover and Wexler (1977) for examples of this type of research).
Fast‐scale bifurcation in power‐factor‐correction buck‐boost converters and effects of incompatible periodicities

In this paper, we derive the discrete‐time model for the power‐factor‐correction (PFC) buck‐boost converter in terms of a stroboscopic switching map. Fast‐scale instability is analysed through a fold diagram, which exposes the periodicity of the operation as well as the locations of the critical phase angles of the line voltage at which instability begins to occur along a half‐line cycle. The asymmetrical locations of the critical phase angles along a half‐line cycle is explained in terms of ‘under‐developed’ bifurcation. Border collision bifurcations are observed and analysed in detail. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Axon guidance pathways and the control of gene expression

Axons need to be properly guided to their targets to form synaptic connections, and this requires interactions between highly conserved extracellular and transmembrane ligands and their cell surface receptors. The majority of studies on axon guidance signaling pathways have focused on the role of these pathways in rearranging the local cytoskeleton and plasma membrane in growth cones and axons. However, a smaller body of work has demonstrated that axon guidance signaling pathways also control gene expression via local translation and transcription. Recent studies on axon guidance ligands and receptors have begun to uncover the requirements for these alternative mechanisms in processes required for neural circuit formation: axon guidance, synaptogenesis, and cell migration. Understanding the mechanisms by which axon guidance signaling regulates local translation and transcription will create a more complete picture of neural circuit formation, and they may be applied more broadly to other tissues where axon guidance ligands and receptors are required for morphogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 247:571–580, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Magnesium: Nutrition and Homoeostasis

The essential mineral magnesium is involved in numerous physiological processes. Recommended dietary intake is often not met and a low magnesium status increases the risk for various diseases. Magnesium status is regulated by several magnesium transport systems either in cellular or paracellular pathways. Numerous drugs either interfere with magnesium absorption in the intestines or the reabsorption from primary urine in the kidney. Low magnesium status has been identified as a significant risk factor for several diseases, including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arrhythmias, as well as general muscular and neurological problems. Therefore, an adequate magnesium supply would be of special benefit to our overall health.
Surface-based prostate registration with biomechanical regularization

Adding MR-derived information to standard transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) images for guiding prostate biopsy is of substantial clinical interest. A tumor visible on MR images can be projected on ultrasound by using MRUS registration. A common approach is to use surface-based registration. We hypothesize that biomechanical modeling will better control deformation inside the prostate than a regular surface-based registration method. We developed a novel method by extending a surface-based registration with finite element (FE) simulation to better predict internal deformation of the prostate. For each of six patients, a tetrahedral mesh was constructed from the manual prostate segmentation. Next, the internal prostate deformation was simulated using the derived radial surface displacement as boundary condition. The deformation field within the gland was calculated using the predicted FE node displacements and thin-plate spline interpolation. We tested our method on MR guided MR biopsy imaging data, as landmarks can easily be identified on MR images. For evaluation of the registration accuracy we used 45 anatomical landmarks located in all regions of the prostate. Our results show that the median target registration error of a surface-based registration with biomechanical regularization is 1.88 mm, which is significantly different from 2.61 mm without biomechanical regularization. We can conclude that biomechanical FE modeling has the potential to improve the accuracy of multimodal prostate registration when comparing it to regular surface-based registration.