Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How a Firm's Capabilities Affect Boundary Decisions

Determining which business activities to bring inside a firm and which to outsource is a critical strategic decision. Firms that bring in the wrong business activities risk losing strategic focus; those that fail to bring the right business activities within their boundaries risk losing their competitive advantage. A well-developed approach for determining a firm's boundary, called transactions cost economics, specifies the conditions for managing a particular economic exchange within an organizational boundary and the conditions for choosing outsourcing. A popular version of transactions cost economics requires managers to consider a single characteristic of an economic exchange ? its level of transaction-specific investment. Three concepts aid in understanding transactions cost economics as applied to firm boundary decisions: governance (the mechanism through which a firm manages an economic exchange), opportunism (taking unfair advantage of other parties to an exchange), and transaction-specific investment (any investment that is significantly more valuable in one particular exchange than in any alternative exchange). Firms can use governance mechanisms to mitigate the threat of opportunism. Traditional transactions cost economics does not focus on the capabilities of a firm or its potential partners, even though economic exchanges involve (1) cooperating with firms that possess critical capabilities, (2) developing capabilities independently, or (3) acquiring another firm that already possesses needed capabilities. The author describes the conditions under which a firm's decisions on managing its business activities should be affected by its capabilities and those of its partners. When these conditions hold ? conditions particularly common in rapidly evolving high-technology industries ? firms should make boundary decisions that differ significantly from what would be suggested by traditional transactions cost analysis.
A reliable frequency lock detection for Software-Defined Radio (SDR) systems

This work proposes a new approach on the frequency lock detection suitable for high QAM modulations which are used in many reconfigurable Software-Defined-Radio (SDR) systems. This work contains a reliable mechanism to enable a radio system working under very low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) environments, with high coding gain scenarios such as TPC, LDPC, etc.
Life Cycle Completion of Parasite Ascogregarina taiwanensis (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae) in Non-Native Host Ochlerotatus japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae)

ABSTRACT Ascogregarina taiwanensis (Lien and Levine), a protist gut parasite of Aedes albopictus (Skuse), is not known to complete its life cycle within the potential competitor species, Ochlerotatus japonicus (Theobald). In a laboratory cross infection study we demonstrated that A. taiwanensis completed its life cycle within Oc. japonicus and remained infectious. We also sampled cohabitating mosquito larvae in Mercer County, NJ, and based on ribosomal DNA sequence data, we determined that Oc. japonicus cohabitating with Ae. albopictus can become infected with A. taiwanensis.
Digital filter and square timing recovery

The digital realization of timing recovery circuits for digital data transmission is considered. A digital algorithm is proposed that can be implemented very efficiently even at high data rates. The resulting timing jitter has been computed and verified by simulations. In contrast to other known algorithms, the one presented here allows free-running sampling oscillators and a novel planar filtering method that prevents synchronization hangups. >
Neural plasticity following lesions of the primate occipital lobe: The marmoset as an animal model for studies of blindsight

For nearly a century it has been observed that some residual visually guided behavior can persist after damage to the primary visual cortex (V1) in primates. The age at which damage to V1 occurs leads to different outcomes, with V1 lesions in infancy allowing better preservation of visual faculties in comparison with those incurred in adulthood. While adult V1 lesions may still allow retention of some limited visual abilities, these are subconscious—a characteristic that has led to this form of residual vision being referred to as blindsight. The neural basis of blindsight has been of great interest to the neuroscience community, with particular focus on understanding the contributions of the different subcortical pathways and cortical areas that may underlie this phenomenon. More recently, research has started to address which forms of neural plasticity occur following V1 lesions at different ages, including work using marmoset monkeys. The relatively rapid postnatal development of this species, allied to the lissencephalic brains and well‐characterized visual cortex provide significant technical advantages, which allow controlled experiments exploring visual function in the absence of V1. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 314–327, 2017
A Receptor in Pituitary and Hypothalamus That Functions in Growth Hormone Release

Small synthetic molecules termed growth hormone secretagogues (GHSs) act on the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus to stimulate and amplify pulsatile growth hormone (GH) release. A heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptor (GPC-R) of the pituitary and arcuate ventro-medial and infundibular hypothalamus of swine and humans was cloned and was shown to be the target of the GHSs. On the basis of its pharmacological and molecular characterization, this GPC-R defines a neuroendocrine pathway for the control of pulsatile GH release and supports the notion that the GHSs mimic an undiscovered hormone.
A New Interpretation of the Shannon Information Entropy Measure Executive Summary

Although more than sixty years have elapsed since Shannon's seminal information entropy paper the literature reveals that there are divergent opinions of what it actually measures. From its similarity to Boltzmann entropy in statistical mechanics, the most common view is that it measures information disorder and uncertainty. Based on an inductive derivation of the expression we propose a new interpretation relating to the use of symbols to uniquely identify probabilistic messages. Applying this new meaning to Shannon's English language experiment we extract a new interpretation of those results. Moreover, the new understanding of Shannon entropy also has the potential to improve the effectiveness of intelligence analysis applications. Approved for public release RELEASE LIMITATION
A method of suppliers evaluation and choice based on AHP and fuzzy theory

During recent years, how to determine suitable suppliers in the supply chain has become a key strategic consideration. However, the nature of these decisions usually is complex and unstructured. In general, many quantitative and qualitative factors such as quality, price, and flexibility and delivery performance must be considered to determine suitable suppliers. The evaluation process typically consists of identifying the attributes and factors relevant to the decision, and measuring the performance of a supplier by considering the relevant factors. Much of the data are difficult to obtain and ambiguous or vague to interpret. Nonetheless, a rational process of evaluation must exist to select the most appropriate suppliers. This paper proposes fuzzy comprehensive method for evaluating the suppliers based on AHP. The method combines AHP and fuzzy theory and provides a comprehensive evolution method for choosing partner of supply chain. Finally, an example is shown to highlight the procedure of the proposed method at the end of this paper. This paper shows that the proposed model is very well suited as a decision making tool for supplier selection decisions.
Simple obstacle avoidance for a mobile robot moving through via points

This study presents simple obstacle avoidance of a mobile robot that moves through via points in a dynamic environment in which obstacles move. This proposed system consists of two controllers, a reference controller and a PI-controller. The reference controller generates a robot motion reference trajectory in reaching goals and avoiding obstacles by referring sensor information in real time trajectory and the PI-controller moves robot to follow the reference trajectory. Computer simulation was performed to test the effectiveness of proposed method and then extended to experimental tests.
How can novel task constraints be used to induce acute changes in gaze behaviour?

Abstract Quiet eye (QE) is a robust phenomenon in golf putting and expert players frequently demonstrate longer QE periods (i.e., the final fixation prior to the onset of the putting motion) relative to their less-skilled counterparts. In this experiment we used a pre-test/post-test design to determine whether we could use novel training aids and instructions to elicit acute changes in QE behaviour after a brief intervention. Three techniques were used: a marker under the ball, a hole-focus instruction, and a novel putting device – the putting box of science (PBoS). We compared gaze behaviour before and after 30 practice putts and found significant changes in QE duration in the absence of concomitant changes in putting performance. The control (−18 ms) and PBoS (+198 ms) groups did not change, the hole-focus group (−287 ms) had a decrease in QE duration, and the marker group (+366 ms) increased in QE duration. These finding are discussed relative to current QE training programs and the implications for development of evidence-based training aids with coach consultation.
Locally acquired Brachylaima sp. (Digenea: Brachylaimidae) intestinal fluke infection in two South Australian infants

Eggs of a small intestinal trematode were found in the faeces of two 21‐month‐old children from the same rural district of South Australia who presented 18 months apart with mild abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Treatment with praziquantel resulted in egg clearance and resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms. A brachylaimid intestinal trematode involving the common house mouse, poultry and introduced European helicid snails is well established in South Australia. Both infants had been seen eating raw snails, and snails from their environment were found to be infected with metacercariae of a brachylaimid trematode.
Meningitis in the Athlete

Infectious diseases among athletic teams commonly present challenges for team physicians and primary care doctors. There is some evidence to suggest that athletes are more susceptible to infection during an outbreak of the general population. The frequent physical contact and close travel arrangements associated with many team sports may put athletes at even greater risk. Viral meningitis is the most commonly reported central nervous system infection in the literature, and transmission seems to be increased among U.S. high school football teams. Septic meningitis is a life-threatening emergency that can occur in outbreaks affecting populations frequently involved in organized athletics (adolescents and young adults). The purpose of this review is to identify current medical literature on the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of meningitis in the athletic population.
Nested Dirichlet process for collaborative mobility modeling

Mobility modeling is the mathematical modeling of mobile users' (cars, cell phone users) movement patterns. The resulting model not only provides us with an understanding of past mobile user movements, but also enables us to predict how a mobile user might move in the future. It has been found useful in both infrastructure-based wireless network and ad hoc network for protocol evaluation, resource planning, etc. A nonparametric hierarchical Bayesian approach is proposed in this paper for extracting hierarchical mobility patterns from mobile user traces. Experiment results show that the proposed method is able to generate a hierarchical mobility model that better reflect the mobility pattern structure in many scenarios. It also has better future movement prediction compared to the hidden Markov model.
Environmentally related patterns of reproductive modes in the aphid Myzus persicae and the predominance of two ‘superclones’ in Victoria, Australia

Asexual organisms that naturally coexist with sexual relatives may hold the key to understanding the maintenance of sex and recombination, a long‐standing problem in evolutionary biology. This situation applies to the peach‐potato aphid, Myzus persicae, in southeastern Australia where cyclical parthenogens form mixed populations with obligate parthenogens. We collected M. persicae from several areas across Victoria, genotyped them at seven microsatellite loci and experimentally determined their reproductive mode. The geographic distribution of reproductive modes was correlated with two environmental variables that differentially affect obligate and cyclical parthenogens; obligate parthenogens were less frequent in areas with cold winters because they cannot produce frost‐resistant eggs while cyclical parthenogens were limited by the availability of their primary host, peach, on which sexual reproduction takes place. Clonal diversity increased with the proportion of cyclical parthenogens in a sample because they tended to have unique microsatellite genotypes, whereas many obligate parthenogens were copies of the same genotype. Two obligately asexual genotypes stood out as being very abundant and widespread, one constituting 24% and the other 17.4% of the entire collection. Both of these highly successful genotypes were present in the majority of all collection sites. Genetic population structure was weak, albeit significant, with a multilocus FST of only 0.021 when samples were reduced to only one representative of each genotype. Interestingly, obligate parthenogens were, on average, more heterozygous and exhibited larger allele size differences between the two alleles at individual loci than cyclical parthenogens. This striking pattern could result from hybridization, for which we have no evidence, or may reflect the previously proposed model of biased mutational divergence of microsatellite alleles within asexual aphid lineages.
DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA FOR INCENTIVES/DISINCENTIVES IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS. FINAL REPORT

Contract incentives have traditionally been used as a means of aligning the goals of the contracting agency with those of the contractor. One area in which contract incentives are being used increasingly is that of highway construction. Contract incentives and disincentives in highway construction contracts are a means of encouraging the contractor to expedite project completion. The use of contract provisions that use incentives and disincentives have helped State Highway Agencies to reduce construction time by up to fifty percent. The use of I/D provisions increases costs to the contracting agency and should, therefore, be used sparingly. This research examined the current use of I/D contracts in several states and with contractors. Based upon the research, a general set of guidelines was developed for the use of I/D provisions in highway construction contracts. The guidelines aid in the determination of which projects should contain the I/D provisions and also how to structure the I/D provisions to achieve maximum success. To demonstrate the use of the guidelines a sample West Virginia project is used. The West Virginia case demonstrates how the guidelines aid in the development of an I/D provision. In addition to the use of I/D provisions, alternatives to their use were examined. The use of non-monetary incentives to influence contractor performance is not often possible when the contracting agency is a governmental agency. Regulations which award contracts strictly on the basis of the low bid cause many non-monetary incentive plans to become impractical. Two non-monetary incentive measures that are beneficial for governmental agencies are A + B bidding and lane rental. In both of these procedures a monetary value is associated with the time the contractor requires to complete the project. This monetary amount is then included in the determination of the lowest bidder. By incorporating the time element of a project into the low bid, the contracting agency can emphasize shorter completion times.
Efficacy and safety of radical resection of primary and recurrent craniopharyngiomas in 86 children.

OBJECT Optimal treatment of primary and recurrent craniopharyngiomas remains controversial. Radical resection and limited resection plus radiation therapy yield similar rates of disease control and overall survival. The data are much less clear for recurrent tumors. The authors report their experience with radical resection of both primary and recurrent craniopharyngiomas in children and compare the outcomes between the 2 groups. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed in 86 children younger than 21 years of age who underwent a total of 103 operations for craniopharyngioma between 1986 and 2008; these were performed by the senior author. The goal was resection with curative intent in all patients. Two patients were lost to follow-up and were excluded from analysis. The mean age at the time of surgery was 9.6 years, and the mean follow-up was 9.0 years. RESULTS All 57 children with primary tumors underwent gross-total resection (GTR). A GTR was achieved in significantly fewer children with recurrent tumors (18 [62%] of 29). There were 3 perioperative deaths (3%). Tumor recurred after GTR in 14 (20%) of 71 patients. Overall survival and progression-free survival were significantly better in patients with primary tumors at time of presentation to the authors' institution. There were no significant differences in the neurological, endocrinological, visual, or functional outcomes between patients with primary and those with recurrent tumors. Factors negatively affecting overall survival and progression-free survival include subtotal resection (recurrent tumors only), tumor size >or= 5 cm, or presence of hydrocephalus or a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Prior radiation therapy and increasing tumor size were both risk factors for incomplete resection at reoperation. CONCLUSIONS In the hands of surgeons with experience with craniopharyngiomas, the authors believe that radical resection at presentation offers the best chance of disease control and potential cure with acceptable morbidity. While GTR does not preclude recurrence and is more difficult to achieve in recurrent tumors, especially large and previously irradiated tumors, radical resection is still possible in patients with recurrent craniopharyngiomas with morbidity similar to that of primary tumors.
New concepts in the pathogenesis of Sjögren syndrome: many questions, fewer answers

Although a modified European–American consensus classification of Sjögren syndrome has been introduced during the last year, the etiopathogenesis of this disease characterized by chronic lymphocytic inflammation, impaired function, and, finally, destruction of the salivary and lacrimal glands as well as systemic manifestations remains to be elucidated. Recent insights into the pathogenesis of Sjögren syndrome resulting from immunogenetic, hormonal, and epidemiologic evaluations as well as animal and in vitro studies are highlighted by this review. Evidence confirms that lymphocytic disturbances, including ectopic germinal center formation and aberrations of cellular signaling play a significant role in Sjögren syndrome. Although some of these features are unique to Sjögren syndrome, others are also found in a number of systemic autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The underlying cause of Sjögren syndrome remains largely enigmatic. However, distinct characteristics may provide the basis for the classification of the disease entities. Finally, an enhanced risk of lymphomagenesis is a well-known hallmark of primary Sjögren syndrome, indicating the central role of derangement of lymphocyte regulation. As demonstrated by the introduction of the new targeted therapeutic approaches in rheumatoid arthritis, solid insights into the pathogenesis of Sjögren syndrome may pave the way toward new therapeutic approaches.
Evaluation of a point‐of‐care electrochemical meter to detect subclinical ketosis and hypoglycaemia in lactating dairy cows

OBJECTIVES To evaluate and validate a hand-held electrochemical meter (Precision Xtra®) as a screening test for subclinical ketosis and hypoglycaemia in lactating dairy cattle. DESIGN Method comparison study using a convenience sample. PROCEDURE Blood samples were collected into plain tubes from the coccygeal vessels of 181 Holstein cows at 2-4 weeks of lactation during summer in Iran. Blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentration (BHB) and glucose concentration were immediately measured by the electrochemical meter after applying 20 μL of blood to the reagent strip. Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman plots were used to determine the accuracy of the meter against laboratory reference methods (BHB dehydrogenase and glucose oxidase). RESULTS Serum BHB ranged from 0.1 to 7.3 mmol/L and serum glucose ranged from 0.9 to 5.1 mmol/L. Passing-Bablok regression analysis indicated that the electrochemical meter and reference methods were linearly related for BHB and glucose, with a slope estimate that was not significantly different from 1.00. Clinically minor, but statistically significant, differences were present for the intercept value for Passing-Bablok regression analysis for BHB and glucose, and bias estimates in the Bland-Altman plots for BHB and glucose. CONCLUSION The electrochemical meter provided a clinically useful method to detect subclinical ketosis and hypoglycaemia in lactating dairy cows. Compared with other method validation studies using the meter, we attributed the improved performance of the electrochemical meter to application of a fixed volume of blood (20 μL) to the reagent strip, use of the meter in hot ambient conditions and use of glucose oxidase as the reference method for glucose analysis.
Advances in Epilepsy : A data science perspective

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder, affecting more than 65 million people around the world It is estimated that 1 in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy in their lifetime. Here we look at how web resources like PubMed, social media data and news can be used to index the awareness of this deadly disease. We use web crawlers to index epilepsy related keywords and then clustering based approaches to classify their impact.
Predicting how cells spread and migrate

Efficient cell migration is central to the normal development of tissues and organs and is involved in a wide range of human diseases, including cancer metastasis, immune responses, and cardiovascular disorders. Mesenchymal migration is modulated by focal-adhesion proteins, which organize into large integrin-rich protein complexes at the basal surface of adherent cells. Whether the extent of clustering of focal-adhesion proteins is actually required for effective migration is unclear. We recently demonstrated that the depletion of major focal-adhesion proteins, as well as modulation of matrix compliance, actin assembly, mitochondrial activity, and DNA recombination, all converged into highly predictable, inter-related, biphasic changes in focal adhesion size and cell migration. Herein, we further discuss the role of focal adhesions in controlling cell spreading and test their potential role in cell migration.