Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Business Value of Process Management-Potentials , risks , and critical adoption aspects

In this thesis, a Swedish manufacturing company is investigated in terms of what business value an adoption of process management could create. It also considers what critical aspects that exist in creating a successful adoption. In addition to a qualitative single case study and a literature study, a benchmarking study is used to gain more practical insights from an organisation that already have adopted process management. The case company is functionally orientated, and has previously been much focused on product innovation. The reasons for the past success are believed to be; good prioritisation of costs, innovativeness, and agility. There has been a recent shift where more industrial customers are being targeted, and thus the demands from customers are changing. Connected with this shift, several problems have started to become more present. For example, customers complain that the company is slow at responding to problems, sales personnel argue that they do not have enough customer face-time, and there is a lack of understanding of the total costs involved in e.g. solving a quality issue. Process management is in theory described as a structured approach to manage and improve the processes of an organisation, and is a mean to achieve a higher degree of process orientation. Being process-orientated could provide benefits such as create an aligned customer focus, enhance the capabilities to react on market changes, increase transparency, and provide standardisation. However, there are also risks related to process management. For example, going too detailed in the process mapping can hamper the creative capabilities in the organisation, and process management could create a complex authority structure where power struggles occur. Analysing the case company’s situation, by using theory and information from the benchmarking study, the business value a process management adoption could create include; increased time spent on sales-generating activities, a common focus on value-adding activities for the customer, reduction of waste and costs of poor quality, and end-to-end facts to base decisions on. In order to control, manage, and make the adoption successful some critical aspects were identified; a holistic governance structure should be established, when a top-down approach is used it should be combined with local adaptation, preparations in terms of time and education are needed, focus should be on top management commitment and employee engagement, and the measurements established needs to be linked with the business strategy.
A test for improved multi‐step forecasting

Abstract. We propose a general test of whether a time‐series model, with parameters estimated by minimizing the single‐step forecast error sum of squares, is robust with respect to multi‐step prediction, for some specified lead time. The test may be applied to a, possibly seasonal, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model using the parameters and residuals following maximum likelihood estimation. It is based on a score statistic, evaluated at these estimated parameters, which measures the sensitivity of the multi‐step forecast error variance with respect to the parameters. We derive the large sample properties of the test and show by a simulation study that it has acceptable small sample size properties for higher lead times when applied to the integrated moving average or IMA model that gives rise to the exponentially weighted moving average predictor. We investigate the power of the test when the IMA(1,1) model has been fitted to an ARMA(1,1) process. Further, we demonstrate the high power of the test when an AR is fitted to a process generated as the sum of a stochastic trend and cycle plus noise. We use frequency domain methods for the derivation and sampling properties of the test, and to give insight into its application. The test is illustrated on two real series, and an R function for its general application is available from http://msor.victoria. ac.nz/Main/JohnHaywood.
University of Birmingham Online condition monitoring of rolling stock wheels and axle bearings

The early detection of faults in rolling stock wheels and axle bearings is of paramount importance for rail infrastructure managers as it contributes to the safety of rail operations. In this paper we report on the key results that have arisen from the development and implementation of a novel condition monitoring system based on high-frequency acoustic emission and vibration analysis installed onboard. The novel system makes use of inexpensive and robust acoustic emission sensors and accelerometers which can easily be installed on the axle bearing box with minimal intervention required. Experimental work carried out under actual conditions in Long Marston rail track and on Lisbon – Cas-Cais suburban line has proven that the developed system is capable of detecting wheel and axle bearing related defects with various levels of severity .
ASSESSMENT OF THE SEEDLING REACTIONS OF SOME BARLEY CULTIVARS TO Drechslera teres f. maculata

Seedling reactions of 20 barley cultivars grown in Turkey to an isolate of Drechslera teres f. maculata was determined under controlled conditions. The reactions of cultivars ranged between susceptible to resistant-moderately resistant. Cultivars Tokak 157/37 and Bulbul 89 was susceptible to the isolate used. The cultivars Ozdemir, Cildir 02 and Cumhuriyet 50 showed a moderately susceptible- susceptible reaction. The cultivars Fahrettinbey, Bilgi 91, Suleymenbey 98 and Bornova 92 were moderately susceptible to the isolate. The cultivars Yercil 147, Şerifehanim 98, Sur 93, Ince 04, Konevi, Balkan 96, Beysehir and Zeynelaga were moderately resistant - moderately susceptible to the pathogen. The cultivars Sladoran and Kiral 97 showed a moderately resistant and cultivar Erginel 90 showed a resistant-moderately resistant reaction the isolate. Seedling reactions of 20 barley cultivars grown in Turkey to an isolate of Drechslera teres f. maculata was determined under controlled conditions. The reactions of cultivars ranged between susceptible to resistant-moderately resistant. Cultivars Tokak 157/37 and Bulbul 89 was susceptible to the isolate used. The cultivars Ozdemir, Cildir 02 and Cumhuriyet 50 showed a moderately susceptible- susceptible reaction. The cultivars Fahrettinbey, Bilgi 91, Suleymenbey 98 and Bornova 92 were moderately susceptible to the isolate. The cultivars Yercil 147, Şerifehanim 98, Sur 93, Ince 04, Konevi, Balkan 96, Beysehir and Zeynelaga were moderately resistant - moderately susceptible to the pathogen. The cultivars Sladoran and Kiral 97 showed a moderately resistant and cultivar Erginel 90 showed a resistant-moderately resistant reaction the isolate.
Making Measurement Important for Education: The Crucial Role of Classroom Assessment.

Author(s): Wilson, M | Abstract: This article is a written version of the Presidential Address1 I gave at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) in April 2017. It is a call to NCME members (and others who read this, of course) to rebalance their focus so that classroom assessments are seen as being at least as important as large-scale assessments for education (in fact, in my view, they are more important). The article reviews research literature about the effects of classroom assessment to establish its importance for education. Then, the roles of large-scale assessment are reviewed, and, in particular, it is noted how these can have negative results when the large-scale assessments are not well aligned with sound curriculum and instructional and assessment practices grounded in theories of learning. In the next two sections (a) the idea of a learning progression is described as a way to facilitate the coherence between classroom and large-scale assessment and (b) the idea of a “roadmap” is described, being the assessment components of the learning progression. This is followed by a description of an example of such a roadmap, developed for the Assessing Data Modeling and Statistical Reasoning project using the BEAR Assessment System (BAS). Finally, a concluding discussion reviews the ways that the coherence between large-scale and classroom assessments can be achieved using the BAS, and hence make measurement more important for education.
Studies on bioactive peptide from Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) with functionalities of ACE inhibition and antioxidation

This paper dealt with a novel anti-hypertensive collagen peptide from Chinese soft-shelled turtle ( Pelodiscus sinensis ), which was an efficient inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, EC 3.4.15.1). ACE plays an important physiological role in the regulation of blood pressure by virtue of the rennin angiotensin system. In traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese soft-shelled turtle possesses many health-function properties. This study investigated the effects of Chinese soft-shelled turtle hydrolysate (CTH) on ACE inhibition. The CTH showed limited inhibition effect on ACE with an IC 50 value at 280 ± 8 μg/ml, while its graded fraction of molecular weight less than 5000 Da (CTH5K) obtained through membrane ultra filtration exhibited better inhibitory activity (IC 50 = 190 ± 5 μg/ml). The antioxidant activity of CTH was also determined by radical scavenging ability. The CTH5K showed higher antioxidant activity. These results indicate that CTH5K possesses potent antihypertensive and antioxidant activity, and provides a bioactive peptide material with potential applications as ingredients in functional foods. Key words: Chinese soft-shelled turtle, collagen peptide, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, antihypertensive, antioxidant.
PTPN22 gene rs2476601 SNP is associated with type 1 diabetes and not anti-Gad autoantibodies in Egyptian children

PTPN22 gene encodes lymphoid protein tyrosine phosphates (Lyp), which is a critical negative regulator of TCR signal transduction. A variant of PTPN22 (1858T) has been reportedly associated with the development and progress of T1DM. Since auto-reactive cytotoxic lymphocytes appear to be the main effector cells in T1DM, this might explain the reason of the aforementioned association. This study was conducted on 150 subjects; 100 T1DM patients and 50 controls; all were subjected to DNA analysis of PTPN22 C1858T polymorphism using PCR-RFLP technique, along with HbA1c%, Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) autoantibodies determinations. This study showed that 83 patients (83%) were homozygous for PTPN22 (CC), 15 patients (15%) were heterozygous for (CT) and 2 patients (2%) were homozygous for (TT). Statistical comparisons for the distribution of genotypes and allele frequency for the PTPN22 C1858T polymorphism between T1DM patients and controls showed that 17% of T1DM patients were TT/CT compared to 0% of controls (P = 0.002) and odds ratio [1.602 (1.404 to 1.828)]. Also, 181 alleles of T1DM patients were C (90.5%) compared to 100 alleles (100%) of controls with P value = 0.001. No significant associations between PTPN22 genotypes and other factors such as age, gender, age at onset of T1DM, duration of T1DM, DKA, hypoglycemia, nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, macrovascular complications, arthropathy, consanguinity, HbA1C or GAD65 autoantibodies. In conclusion, PTPN22 C1858T gene polymorphism is associated with development of T1DM in Egyptian pediatric population.
Explaining efficiency differences among large German and Austrian banks

Cost-efficiency, scale efficiency, and productivity change are estimated by data envelopment analysis; and cost-efficiency is regressed on explanatory variables. No evidence is found for average productivity responding to deregulation over the period studied. State-owned banks are found to be more cost-efficient (likely owing to cheaper funds) and cooperative banks to be about as cost-efficient as private banks. Increasing economies of scale but decreasing economies of scope provide rationale for M&As among banks with similar product portfolios. Interbank and capital market funding is found to be more cost-efficient than deposits when the cost of retail networks is controlled.
SOURCES OF VARIATION IN A FIELD EVALUATION OF THE INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF OLIVE LEAF SPOT

Incidence (% infected leaves) and severity (number of lesions/leaf) of olive leaf spot disease, caused by Spilocaea oleagina, were assessed every 2 weeks on 20 trees in a Canterbury olive grove for 12 weeks during summer 2003/04. All the trees were infected by olive leaf spot disease (OLS) and although disease incidence and severity varied between trees (P<0.001), it did not vary between branches over time (P=0.088). There was a strong correlation (R 2 =0.869) between disease incidence and severity. It was estimated that at least fi ve trees and 50 leaves/tree were required to correctly estimate the mean values of the parameters measured. Throughout the duration of the experiment, no new leaf lesions formed and although old lesions increased in size (P<0.001), spore numbers decreased from 5·10 4 to 1·10 2 conidia/cm 2 of lesion and viability of conidia declined from 55 to 10%.
A Review of the Integrated Effects of Changing Climate, Land Use, and Dams on Mekong River Hydrology

The ongoing and proposed construction of large-scale hydropower dams in the Mekong river basin is a subject of intense debate and growing international concern due to the unprecedented and potentially irreversible impacts these dams are likely to have on the hydrological, agricultural, and ecological systems across the basin. Studies have shown that some of the dams built in the tributaries and the main stem of the upper Mekong have already caused basin-wide impacts by altering the magnitude and seasonality of flows, blocking sediment transport, affecting fisheries and livelihoods of downstream inhabitants, and changing the flood pulse to the Tonle Sap Lake. There are hundreds of additional dams planned for the near future that would result in further changes, potentially causing permanent damage to the highly productive agricultural systems and fisheries, as well as the riverine and floodplain ecosystems. Several studies have examined the potential impacts of existing and planned dams but the integrated effects of the dams when combined with the adverse hydrologic consequences of climate change remain largely unknown. Here, we provide a detailed review of the existing literature on the changes in climate, land use, and dam construction and the resulting impacts on hydrological, agricultural, and ecological systems across the Mekong. The review provides a basis to better understand the effects of climate change and accelerating human water management activities on the coupled hydrological-agricultural-ecological systems, and identifies existing challenges to study the region’s Water, Energy, and Food (WEF) nexus with emphasis on the influence of future dams and projected climate change. In the last section, we synthesize the results and highlight the urgent need to develop integrated models to holistically study the coupled natural-human systems across the basin that account for the impacts of climate change and water infrastructure development. This review provides a framework for future research in the Mekong, including studies that integrate hydrological, agricultural, and ecological modeling systems.
Divergence free Virtual Elements for the Stokes problem on polygonal meshes

In the present paper we develop a new family of Virtual Elements for the Stokes problem on polygonal meshes. By a proper choice of the Virtual space of velocities and the associated degrees of freedom, we can guarantee that the final discrete velocity is pointwise divergence-free, and not only in a relaxed (projected) sense, as it happens for more standard elements. Moreover, we show that the discrete problem is immediately equivalent to a reduced problem with less degrees of freedom, thus yielding a very efficient scheme. We provide a rigorous error analysis of the method and several numerical tests, including a comparison with a different Virtual Element choice.
DETERMINING THE IMPACT ON THE PERCEPTION OF BRAND EQUITY ON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND ETHNOCENTRIC TENDENCIES OF A PILOT STUDY

companys slogged to compete with the strong multinational companys and they expose to the threat of staying out of the game. The importance of the concepts of consumer ethnocentrism and customer experience are known and consumers are exposed to the effects to change their habits or not. Another fact that to create the said effect is the perception of brand equity. At this study, in which the perception of consumer’s brand equity is also handled, the effects of costomer’s experiences and ethnocentric tendency to their perception of brand equity are examined. In line with that main purpose, data are collected from coffee chain customers in Istanbul city. The effects of customer experiences to the perception of brand equity are tested in both two chain groups. At the end of the study, the result of customer experiences effected the perception of brand equity positively in both of the two group of chain’s customers found and it’s detected that this effect is more in local chain customers than in foreign chain customers. And the effects of consumer’s ethnocentric tendency to the perception of brand equity effected significantly in a positive way whereas in foreign chain customers it’s not. Also it’s determined that consumer’s ethnocentric tendency effect their experiences in a positive way and these effects do not differentiate among chains finally, it’s determined that the levels of satisfaction of both chain customers effect their perception of brand equity. This study was based on a PhD. study by Serhat Dagli, “Determining the Impact on the Perception of Brand Equity on Customer Experience and Ethnocentric Tendencies of a Pilot Study” which was completed in Istanbul University Social Sciences Institute Marketing Science Department.
Response Strategies by Commercial Banks to Economic Changes in Kenya

Dynamic environment changes impact on organizations goals and objectives and this makes it difficult for organizations to remain viable. To be able therefore to stay ahead of competition, it’s imperative for the organizations to continually scan the environment so that the organizations adjust their strategic responses to accommodate the demands of the environment. The appropriate response strategies guarantee a competitive edge that ensures the organizations remain relevant. This study examined the strategies used by commercial banks in Kenya to respond to changes in the economic environment. A sample of thirty five banks was used and primary data collected using questionnaires administered to the managers of the banks who are responsible for developing response strategies. Secondary data was obtained from the banks’ existing bank publications and annual reports. The study established that the commercial banks have been able to respond to the changes in their environment through retrenchment strategies which involved cutting operating costs and divestment of non-core assets. They have also responded to the environment using various investment strategies which contrast with retrenchment and as such firms perceive these changes as opportunities to invest, innovate and expand into new markets in order to achieve or extend a competitive advantage. It was also established that ambidextrous strategies have been used where organizations combine incremental change with discontinuous change, or the exploitation of existing resources to improve efficiency. This occurs through exploration of new sources of competitive advantage and innovation. It is recommended that in order to stay ahead of competition, commercial banks should continuously scan the environment aggressively and speed up implementation of various strategies. Key words : Response strategies, commercial banks, economic changes
STRENGTH CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUNDATION SOILS AT FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LOKOJA BASED ON STANDARD PENETRATION TESTS DATA

Strength characteristics of foundation soils in the Permanent site of the Federal University Lokoja in Kogi State were evaluated based on standard penetration test (SPT) results using some conventional analytical models proposed by different researchers. The study was carried out in order to take precise engineering decisions on the type of foundations suitable for the proposed structures and to determine the optimal depth of foundation embedment. Â The SPT N-values were first corrected to the standard average energy of 60% (N60) before they were used to correlate soil properties. Evaluation of the soil properties were done at foundation embedment depths of 0.6, 2.1 and 3.6 m. Results show that bearing capacity generally increased with boring depth. Based on the Meyerhof allowable bearing pressure estimation method, foundation pressures in the range of 150 â€“ 600Â kN/m 2 were evaluated for use in the study area at shallow depths (depths in the range of 0.6 - 3.6 m). http://dx.doi. org/10.4314/njt.v36i3. 2
Numerical study of a hot-air-based aircraft wing anti-icing system using the box-behnken DoE approach

This article proposes the use of the Box-Behnken design of experiment (DoE) methodology to study an aircraft anti-icing system. The anti-icing system consisted of a piccolo tube with round apertures for producing air jets inside a wing. Mass flow, jet to wall distance, and jet impact angle were varied, starting from an initial design, in order to maximize heat transfer effectiveness. A conjugate heat transfer procedure from commercial CFD software was used to solve for cold air external flow, compressible internal flow, and thermal conduction in the airfoil skin. The DoE methodology was validated using a single impinging jet. A quadratic model of the heat transfer effectiveness of the anti-icing system was then built using the methodology and the maximal value was sought.
ICRF heating in JET during initial operations with the ITER-like wall

In 2011/12, JET started operation with its new ITER-Like Wall (ILW) made of a tungsten (W) divertor and a beryllium (Be) main chamber wall. The impact of the new wall material on the JET Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF) operation was assessed and also the properties of JET plasmas heated with ICRF were studied. No substantial change of the antenna coupling resistance was observed with the ILW as compared with the carbon wall. Heat-fluxes on the protecting limiters close the antennas quantified using Infra-Red (IR) thermography (maximum 4.5 MW/m2 in current drive phasing) are within the wall power load handling capabilities. A simple RF sheath rectification model using the antenna near-fields calculated with the TOPICA code can well reproduce the heat-flux pattern around the antennas. ICRF heating results in larger tungsten and nickel (Ni) contents in the plasma and in a larger core radiation when compared to Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) heating. Some experimental facts indicate that main-chamber W.
Measuring trust inside organisations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which measures and operationalisations of intra‐organisational trust reflect the essential elements of the existing conceptualisation of trust inside the workplace.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides an overview of the essential points from the rich variety of competing conceptualisations and definitions in the management and organisational literatures. It draws on this overview to present a framework of issues for researchers to consider when designing research based on trust. This framework is then used to analyse the content of 14 recently published empirical measures of intra‐organisational trust. It is noted for each measure the form that trust takes, the content, the sources of evidence and the identity of the recipient, as well as matters related to the wording of items.Findings – The paper highlights where existing measures match the theory, but also shows a number of “blind‐spots” or contradictions, particularly over the.