Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis of early chick neural crest network genes

Specification of neural crest progenitors begins during gastrulation at the neural plate border, long before migration or differentiation. Neural crest cell fate is acquired by progressive activation of discrete groups of transcription factors that appear to be highly conserved in vertebrates; however, comprehensive analysis of their expression has been lacking in chick, an important model system for neural crest development. To address this, we analyzed expression of 10 transcription factors that are known specifiers of neural plate border and neural crest fate and compared them across developmental stages from gastrulation to neural crest migration. Surprisingly, we find that most neural crest specifiers are expressed during gastrulation in chick, concomitant with and in similar domains as neural plate border specifiers. This finding suggests that interactions between these molecules may occur much earlier than previously thought, an important consideration for interpretation of functional studies. Developmental Dynamics 238:716–723, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Explanatory Power of R&D on Cross-Sectional Stock Return: Taiwan Evidence from 1996-2005

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of research and development (R&D) in explaining the cross-section of stock returns in the Taiwan market for the period from 1996 to 2005. Economic intuition suggests that expected stock return and the risk of return should be positively related to R&D. We divide the entire sample into three subperiods according to the index of the Taiwan stock market. The regression's result s indicate that average stock return is positively related to R&D expenditure in the entire sample, but the relation is not stable over three subperiods. In the first bubble-forming period (1996.01-2000.03), the average return is negatively related to R&D expenditure. In the second burst-of-bubble period (2000.04-2001.09), the relation is in fact positive, while in the third post-bubble period (2001.10-2005.12), the R&D effect is negative and significant. We also examine the relation of the total risk of returns with R&D intensity and find that R&D intensity is nearly positively correlated to the total risk of returns.
Sentiment analysis on social media to predict Net Promoter Score

Disclaimer This document contains a student thesis (bachelor's or master's), as authored by a student at Eindhoven University of Technology. Student theses are made available in the TU/e repository upon obtaining the required degree. The grade received is not published on the document as presented in the repository. The required complexity or quality of research of student theses may vary by program, and the required minimum study period may vary in duration.
Myocardial Viability by DE-MRI and Low-dose Dobutamine CMR

Introduction Dysfunctional myocardium that remains viable has the potential for contractile recovery after reperfusion. Dysfunctional but viable myocardium has been broadly divided into two closely linked pathophysiological states, myocardial hibernation and stunning. Stunned myocardium is the result of an ischemic insult leading to contractile dysfunction despite adequate reperfusion. Hibernating myocardium describes down-regulation of myocyte metabolism as a result of prolonged reduction in perfusion, or, in some cases, from repetitive episodes of myocardial stunning. Until recently scintigraphic techniques and stress echocardiography were the mainstay of diagnosis. The focus of this presentation is on the rapidly emerging clinical role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in the detection of viable myocardium.
Compact internal antenna using a ferrite material for DVB-H reception in mobile phones

A compact internal antenna with a partially filled ferrite substrate for DVB-H (digital video broadcast for handheld) reception in a mobile phone is proposed. Ferrite substrate whose relative permittivity (epsivr ) and permeability (mur) are 7 and 18, respectively, is used to effectively reduce the antenna size. Measured results show that the proposed antenna can work well for DVB-H applications.
A novel active learning strategy for domain adaptation in the classification of remote sensing images

We present a novel technique for addressing domain adaptation problems in the classification of remote sensing images with active learning. Domain adaptation is the important problem of adapting a supervised classifier trained on a given image (source domain) to the classification of another similar (but not identical) image (target domain) acquired on a different area, or on the same area at a different time. The main idea of the proposed approach is to iteratively labeling and adding to the training set the minimum number of the most informative samples from target domain, while removing the source-domain samples that does not fit with the distributions of the classes in the target domain. In this way, the classification system exploits already available information, i.e., the labeled samples of source domain, in order to minimize the number of target domain samples to be labeled, thus reducing the cost associated to the definition of the training set for the classification of the target domain. Experimental results obtained in the classification of a hyperspectral image confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
Incidence of Listeria spp. in Breton live shellfish

Live shellfish samples (120) were collected from nine littoral sites in Brittany (western France). They were screened for Listeria spp. and a count of faecal coliforms was carried out. Analysis of the results revealed Listeria spp. in 55% of samples, a much higher rate than the previous, infrequent, recorded data. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that the frequency of Listeria spp. in winter was more important than in summer (P < 0·001), and underlined a significant relationship between the occurrence of these bacteria and the concentration of faecal coliforms (P < 0·001). Finally, comparison of the official and Gen‐Probe® methods revealed the limits of the standardized technique in the search for L. monocytogenes in shellfish.
The effects of price-matching guarantees on consumer response in an online retail context

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of three price-matching guarantee (PMG) variables, including refund depth, refund period and competitive scope, on consumer response; the moderating role of consumer search costs is also examined. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a scenario simulation method with a 2×2×2 factorial design to test the research model and hypotheses. Findings – The results indicate that refund depth has a significant effect on price perception and purchase intention, while competitive scope has a significant effect on purchase intention. In addition, the effects of both refund depth and competitive scope on price perception are moderated by consumer search costs. Originality/value – This study is a pioneering effort to explore the effects of PMGs variables on consumer response in the context of online retailing. These findings provide several important theoretical and practical implications for the PMG strategy of online retailing.
The art of agile development

The Art of Agile Development contains practical guidance for anyone considering or applying agile development for building valuable software. Plenty of books describe what agile development is or why it helps software projects succeed, but very few combine information for developers, managers, testers, and customers into a single package that they can apply directly. This book provides no-nonsense advice on agile planning, development, delivery, and management taken from the authors' many years of experience with Extreme Programming (XP). You get a gestalt view of the agile development process, including comprehensive guidance for non-technical readers and hands-on technical practices for developers and testers. The Art of Agile Development gives you clear answers to questions such as: How can we adopt agile development? Do we really need to pair program? What metrics should we report? What if I can't get my customer to participate? How much documentation should we write? When do we design and architect? As a non-developer, how should I work with my agile team? Where is my product roadmap? How does QA fit in? The book teaches you how to adopt XP practices, describes each practice in detail, then discusses principles that will allow you to modify XP and create your own agile method. In particular, this book tackles the difficult aspects of agile development: the need for cooperation and trust among team members. Whether you're currently part of an agile team, working with an agile team, or interested in agile development, this book provides the practical tips you need to start practicing agile development. As your experience grows, the book will grow with you, providing exercises and information that will teach you first to understand the rules of agile development, break them, and ultimately abandon rules altogether as you master the art of agile development. "Jim Shore and Shane Warden expertly explain the practices and benefits of Extreme Programming. They offer advice from their real-world experiences in leading teams. They answer questions about the practices and show contraindications - ways that a practice may be mis-applied. They offer alternatives you can try if there are impediments to applying a practice, such as the lack of an on-site customer. --Ken Pugh, Author of Jolt Award Winner, Prefactoring "I will leave a copy of this book with every team I visit. " --Brian Marick, Exampler Consulting
Preparation, Characterization and Mechanical Properties of Bio-Based Polyurethane Adhesives from Isocyanate-Functionalized Cellulose Acetate and Castor Oil for Bonding Wood

Nowadays, different types of natural carbohydrates such as sugars, starch, cellulose and their derivatives are widely used as renewable raw materials. Vegetable oils are also considered as promising raw materials to be used in the synthesis of high quality products in different applications, including in the adhesive field. According to this, several bio-based formulations with adhesion properties were synthesized first by inducing the functionalization of cellulose acetate with 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate and then mixing the resulting biopolymer with a variable amount of castor oil, from 20% to 70% (wt). These bio-based adhesives were mechanically characterized by means of small-amplitude oscillatory torsion measurements, at different temperatures, and standardized tests to evaluate tension loading (ASTM-D906) and peel strength (ASTM-D903). In addition, thermal properties and stability of the synthesized bio-polyurethane formulations were also analyzed through differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis. As a result, the performance of these bio-polyurethane products as wood adhesives were compared and analyzed. Bio-polyurethane formulations exhibited a simple thermo-rheological behavior below a critical temperature of around 80–100 °C depending on the castor oil/cellulose acetate weight ratio. Formulation with medium castor oil/biopolymer weight ratio (50:50 % wt) showed the most suitable mechanical properties and adhesion performance for bonding wood.
Randomized trial of black cohosh for the treatment of hot flashes among women with a history of breast cancer.

PURPOSE Most breast cancer survivors experience hot flashes; many use complementary or alternative remedies for these symptoms. We undertook a randomized clinical trial of black cohosh, a widely used herbal remedy for menopausal symptoms, among breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients diagnosed with breast cancer who had completed their primary treatment were randomly assigned to black cohosh or placebo, stratified on tamoxifen use. At enrollment, patients completed a questionnaire about demographic factors and menopausal symptoms. Before starting to take the pills and at 30 and 60 days, they completed a 4-day hot flash diary. At the final visit, they completed another menopausal symptom questionnaire. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were measured in a subset of patients at the first and final visits. RESULTS Of 85 patients (59 on tamoxifen, 26 not on tamoxifen) enrolled in the study, 42 were assigned to treatment and 43 were assigned to placebo; 69 completed all three hot flash diaries. Both treatment and placebo groups reported declines in number and intensity of hot flashes; the differences between the groups were not statistically significant. Both groups also reported improvements in menopausal symptoms that were, for the most part, not significantly different. Changes in blood levels of FSH and LH also did not differ in the two groups. CONCLUSION Black cohosh was not significantly more efficacious than placebo against most menopausal symptoms, including number and intensity of hot flashes. Our study illustrates the feasibility and value of standard clinical trial methodology in assessing the efficacy and safety of herbal agents.
GMO... In Your Face! The Impact of GMO on our Foods

In this experiment we researched the GMO in our foods. A lot of food contains soy or corn ingredients and these two crops have been genetically modified. We collected conventional food samples from Publix and organic food samples from Whole Foods. We tested these foods for the presence of GMO by using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). We made billions of copies of the chloroplast gene and GMO gene. Then, we used gel electrophoresis to see our results. Our hypothesis and predictions were supported by our results. The organic food was free of genetic modification. The conventional food was positive for genetic modification. GMO is in our everyday lives and we have no knowledge of it.
Comparison of sample preparation methods for detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid by PCR

Amplification inhibitors can lead to false-negative results for PCR. In order to evaluate the reliability of PCR for the detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae, the presence of PCR inhibitors in 75 bronchoalveolar lavage specimens was assessed after treatment by various sample preparation methods. Specimens were collected from patients with acute respiratory infections, including four cases of proven C. pneumoniae infection. Substances inhibitory to the amplification of chlamydial DNA continued to be present in 12% of the samples treated according to the commonly used single-step proteinase K digestion and in 31% of the samples processed by heat treatment. However, the complexing of DNA-contaminating proteins and polysaccharides from digested specimens to cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) followed by DNA extraction efficiently removed inhibitors from all experimental samples and provided subsequent identification of all positive clinical samples by PCR. The CTAB method and proteinase K treatment had comparable detection limits of approximately 0.01 inclusion-forming units. CTAB-based DNA purification of respiratory specimens is recommended to increase the diagnostic sensitivity of PCR and confidence in negative results.
Feature Distribution and Background Knowledge in Category Learning

Three experiments examined the interactions of category structure and prior knowledge in category learning. Experiment 1 examined the distribution of atypical or “crossover” features in category learning. In real categories, crossover features may be unevenly distributed—found primarily in very unusual examples of a category (like whales or ostriches). In contrast, in many psychology experiments, each item has exactly one crossover feature. Even versus uneven distribution of crossover features did not affect category learning when the features were neutral. However, when the features were connected by prior knowledge, it was much harder for subjects to learn the structure with the uneven distribution of crossover features. Experiments 2 and 3 found similar results with a slightly less uneven condition. We conclude that learning is a function of the interaction of category structure and prior knowledge rather than either one alone. Furthermore, knowledge benefits learning even when the category contains contradictions of the knowledge, so long as the contradictions are not very salient.
Initial Public Offerings in the UK, USA and Japan

When a firm makes an initial public offering (IPO) of its equity, the accuracy with which its shares are priced will be an important factor determining the cost of "going public". This paper compares the accuracy of IPO pricing in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan over the period 1985-88. It is found that IPOs are systematically priced at a discount relative to their subsequent trading price in each count.
Skilled immigration and strategically important skills in the UK economy

Acknowledgements Members of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and its secretariat met and corresponded with the research team at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research in order to develop and steer this research project. However, the robustness of the analysis is the responsibility of the authors, and the findings and views presented in this report do not necessarily reflect those of the MAC. We would like to thank the MAC and secretariat for their guidance and help at all stages of the research and, in particular, Daniel Pease who managed the project at MAC. We would also like to thank Jonathan Portes and other NIESR colleagues for their contribution to the research. The research included interviews with 12 anonymous employers and with stakeholders, who are listed in Table 6.2. We are grateful to all the individuals involved for the time and effort they gave to the research. We would also like to thank staff members at the Virtual Microdata Laboratory (VML), Office of National Statistics, for assistance in using the Business Structure Database and Community Innovation Survey. Responsibility for any errors and for the interpretation of findings is ours alone. 1. In the UK, as in many other countries, skilled migrants often make positive contributions to innovation and productivity performance. Therefore, whenever restrictions on immigration are contemplated, it is important to assess the potential economic consequences of such restrictions. In this report we focus in particular on how UK employers meet their needs for 'strategically important' skills and the role of inward migration from outside the EEA in this process. 2. Following a survey of relevant statistics and theoretical and empirical literature, we present new evidence from qualitative research based on 12 employer case studies in the aerospace and financial services industries and interviews with stakeholder organisations such as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). 3. The principal aims of the research were to identify skills that are of strategic importance to the UK economy; to determine how strategic skill needs can best be met, including through inward migration; and the implications of our findings for policy-makers who are considering placing new restrictions on immigration. 4. 'Strategically important' skills are defined here as skills that contribute disproportionately to key economic objectives of the government such as productivity growth; high levels of innovation (for example in low-carbon …
Vaccination of chickens against H5N1 avian influenza in the face of an outbreak interrupts virus transmission

Vaccination of chickens with a commercially available killed H5N2 vaccine was being evaluated as an additional tool to enhanced biosecurity measures and intensive surveillance for control of highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 disease in Hong Kong in 2002. In December 2002 to January 2003, there were outbreaks of H5N1 disease in waterfowl in two recreational parks, wild water birds, several poultry markets and five chicken farms. In addition to quarantine, depopulation of the affected sheds and increased biosecurity, vaccination of the unaffected sheds and surrounding unvaccinated farms was undertaken on three farms. In at least two farms, infection spread to the recently vaccinated sheds with low rates of H5N1 mortality in sheds when the chickens were between 9 and 18 days post-vaccination. However, after 18 days post-vaccination no more deaths from H5N1 avian influenza occurred and intensive monitoring by virus culture on these farms showed no evidence of asymptomatic shedding of the virus. This provides evidence that H5 vaccine can interrupt virus transmission in a field setting.
Face image super resolution via adaptive-block PCA

A novel single face image Super Resolution (SR) framework based on adaptive-block Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is presented in this paper. The basic idea is the reconstruction of a High Resolution (HR) face image from a Low Resolution (LR) observation based on a set of HR and LR training image pairs. The HR image block is generated in the proposed method by using the same position image blocks of each training image. The test face image and the training image sets are divided into many overlapping blocks, then these image blocks are classified according to the characteristics of the image block and then PCA is operated directly on the non-flat image blocks to extract the optimal weights and the hallucinated patches are reconstructed using the same weights. The final HR facial image is formed by integrating the hallucinated patches. Experiments indicate that the new method produces HR faces of higher quality and costs less computational time than some recent face image SR techniques.
Toward the Development of an Intelligent Agent for the Supply Chain Management Game of the 2003 Trading Agent Competition

This thesis considers the problems posed by the supply chain management game that is a new addition to the 2003 Trading Agent Competition (TAC). An instance of this game involves six software agents attempting to maximize profits by manufacturing computers in a simulated market economy. The design of such an agent is an interesting problem because a good solution is thought to require a synthesis of several fields, including industrial operations research, economics, game theory, artificial intelligence, machine learning, multiagent systems, computational complexity theory, statistics, and probability. The primary contribution of this thesis is its extensive analysis of the TAC supply chain management (SCM) game. We present a survey of work from a wide variety of fields that are related to the TAC SCM competition. We present a detailed analysis of many aspects of the TAC SCM game, including proofs of theoretical results, metrics by which the performance of agents can be measured, and suggestions of strategies that may be of use in the implementation of sophisticated TAC SCM agents. We describe our initial implementation of a simple TAC SCM agent, and present preliminary experimental results that seem to indicate that this implementation is at least as sophisticated as those of other teams. These experiments also illustrate areas where our agent’s performance could be improved. We conclude with a discussion of future research directions.