Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
End-to-end process management: implications for theory and practice

The term ‘end-to-end’ process management is now commonplace in the language and practice of operations. Managers are encouraged to migrate from functional process management to end-to-end process management to realise a range of performance improvements. However, these improvements are often elusive; the specific challenges associated with such a migration are under-researched. This paper uses a cross-sector study to identify the challenges of end-to-end process management and to generate practical managerial guidance. Three areas are identified that demand particular managerial attention: the need to move beyond process mapping, the role of IT in process management and maintaining the process infrastructure as a strategic asset. More significantly, the findings highlight the need for greater conceptual clarity regarding the end-to-end concept itself. The existing literature suggests that scope is the primary differentiator of the end-to-end process – the requirement to manage an extended boundary from customer order through to customer fulfilment. However, this research suggests that the end-to-end concept is more complex, comprising of three core constructs with seven dimensions: scope (boundary conditions, sequence/flow and controls); scale (resources and input/output transformation) and complexity (interrelationships and orientation). End-to-end process management involves much more than an extended boundary. It requires a systemic perspective and clarity regarding controls and transforming resources.
Sustainable capital projects: leapfrogging the first cost barrier

Multitudinous strategies, technologies, and best practices exist to improve the sustainability of a capital project, but comparatively few of these tactics have been successfully applied in green building projects without increasing first cost. Given typically constrained budgets available for capital projects, the challenge to project managers, designers, and other project stakeholders is to identify and justify the use of cost-neutral or cost-saving sustainability features that can be included on their projects to meet increasingly stringent sustainability goals set by project owners. The objective of this paper is to identify and describe a set of techniques for finding cost effective sustainability strategies for capital projects. The paper includes a case study of an exemplary capital project from the US to illustrate a set of techniques for identifying cost-neutral or cost-saving project options. These techniques include effective problem framing, identification and exploitation of cost discontinuities through integrated design and right-sizing, dematerialisation, leveraging of free resources, and holistic cost management. The paper includes an overview of each technique and recommendations for applying that technique in project planning, design, and implementation.
Complex Lifestyle and Psychological Intervention in Knee Osteoarthritis: Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) causes pain, disability and poor quality of life in the elderly. The primary aim was to identify and map out the current evidence for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on complex lifestyle and psychosocial interventions for knee OA. The secondary aim was to outline different components of complex lifestyle and psychosocial interventions. Our scoping review searched five databases from 2000 to 2021 where complex lifestyle or psychosocial interventions for patients with knee OA were compared to other interventions. Screening and data extraction were performed by two review authors independently and discrepancies resolved through consensus and in parallel with a third reviewer. A total of 38 articles were selected: 9 studied the effectiveness of psychological interventions; 11 were on self-management and lifestyle interventions; 18 looked at multifaceted interventions. This review highlights the substantial variation in knee OA interventions and the overall lack of quality in the current literature. Potential areas of future research, including identifying prognostic social factors, stratified care models, transdisciplinary care delivery and technology augmented interventions, have been identified. Further high-quality RCTs utilizing process evaluations and economic evaluation in accordance with the MRC guidelines are critical for the development of evidence-based knee OA programs globally.
NEURAL DETECTION OF MASTITIS FROM DAIRY HERD IMPROVEMENT RECORDS

A back-propagation artificial neural network was employed to detect clinical mastitis using a file of 460,474 test day records. Two data files were created to train the artificial neural networks, containing a relatively large (1:1) ratio and a relatively small (1:10) ratio in the incidence to non-incidence of clinical mastitis. These ratios were applied to each of two input file designs; one comprised variables that are traditional in the modeling of mastitis (e.g., age, stage of lactation and somatic cell count) and a second included additional variables (e.g., season of calving, milk components and conformation class). Results from analyses of relative operating characteristics indicated that artificial neural networks could discriminate between mastitic states with an overall accuracy of 86%. This discriminatory ability was subject to patterns that existed in the training data files but was not affected by differing proportions of mastitic records. However, differing proportions of mastitic records had some effect on the particular purpose of the artificial neural network being developed: training with a higher proportion of mastitic cases increased the ability of an artificial neural network in discriminating positive from negative cases. Similar effects were obtained by modifying the threshold value used to categorize the ANN output, which constitutes a much simpler approach than modifying the proportion of cases in training data sets. Additional variables had little effect on the prediction accuracy, but this lack of effect needs to be verified for optimal artificial neural network configuration, data preprocessing, and new sources of information.
Nonlinear distortion study of FM transmission systems composed by a VCO-PLL association

The nonlinear distortion that arises in an FM transmission system composed by a VCO-PLL association is studied. Both VCO-modulator and PLL-discriminator, are assumed to be nonlinear in what voltage-frequency modulation characteristics are concerned. They were represented by Volterra functionals up to the 3rd order, from which the complete system's functionals were derived. This model allowed analytical calculations, which showed that very linear performance can be obtained if certain conditions are met.
Simulation of electrons irradiation damages to optimize the performance of IGBT

Electron irradiation (IE) is a technique used to control IGBT switching performances and then produce series of IGBTs with various switching velocities. However, this irradiation introduces undesirable effects on other parameters, such as the forward voltage drop and leakage current. In this paper, we propose a method to optimize the performance of the IGBTs considering the degradation effects. The IE effects are simulated using the two-dimensional device simulator ATLAS. Defect densities defined by their energy levels and capture cross section, and densities are introduced into all the structure layers. The energy levels and capture cross sections are extracted from literature and densities are obtained by an iterative process, where the simulated characteristics are fitted to the experimental ones. This method validity is confirmed by comparison of simulation results with experimental ones performed onto a series of IGBTs irradiated to various doses. Steady states and switching characteristics obtained by both simulation and measurements are in good agreement and variations of forward voltage drop versus turnoff time for various doses are obtained and used for performance optimization purposes.
Warm-Mix Asphalt Pilot Project in Connecticut

This paper presents the details on the first official state warm-mix asphalt (WMA) pavement project in Connecticut. The construction took place between July 20 and July 22, 2010, and it involved three experimental sections: a control section with a conventional hot-mix asphalt (HMA) and two WMA sections that used wax and foamed asphalt. All three sections are located on Route 70 in central Connecticut. Each section is approximately 1 km long and includes lanes in both directions. The construction was done as a 50-mm overlay with 12.5-mm Superpave® mix. Each mix was sampled over a 3-day construction period for further evaluation in the laboratory. The materials were collected in loose form and reheated and compacted under laboratory conditions (laboratory-fabricated specimens). This paper discusses the effect of mixture type as shown by the results from several tests conducted in the laboratory, including the semicircular bending test, the Hamburg wheel tracking test, the indirect tensile test, and the disk-shaped compact tension test. The results from the WMA specimens were also compared with conventional HMA specimens. Finally, the paper presents the performance data from all three test sections after the first winter season and correlates these observations with the laboratory results.
A Randomized Trial Comparing 3- versus 4-Monthly Cardiac Monitoring in Patients Receiving Trastuzumab-Based Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer

Purpose: The optimal frequency for cardiac monitoring of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients receiving trastuzumab-based therapy for early breast cancer (EBC) is unknown. We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing 3- versus 4-monthly cardiac monitoring. Patients and Method: Patients scheduled to receive trastuzumab-containing cancer therapy for EBC with normal (>53%) baseline LVEF were randomized to undergo LVEF assessments every 3 or 4 months. The primary outcome was the change in LVEF from baseline. Secondary outcomes included the rate of cardiac dysfunction (defined as a decrease in the LVEF of ≥10 percentage points, to a value <53%), delays in or discontinuation of trastuzumab therapy, and cardiology referral. Results: Of the 200 eligible and enrolled patients, 100 (50%) were randomized to 3-monthly and 100 (50%) to 4-monthly cardiac monitoring. Of these patients, 98 and 97 respectively underwent at least one cardiac scan. The estimated mean difference in LVEF from baseline was −0.94% (one-sided 95% lower bound: −2.14), which exceeded the pre-defined non-inferiority margin of −4%. There were also no significant differences between the two study arms for any of the secondary endpoints. The rate of detection of cardiac dysfunction was 16.3% (16/98) and 12.4% (12/97) in the 3- and 4-monthly arms, respectively (95% CI: 4.0 [−5.9, 13.8]). Conclusions: Cardiac monitoring every 4 months was deemed non-inferior to that every 3 months in patients with HER2-positive EBC being treated with trastuzumab-based therapy. Given its costs and inconvenience, cardiac monitoring every 4 months should be considered standard practice. Registration: NCT02696707, 18 February 2016.
Impact of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on liver transplantation outcomes based on the latest American Society of Echocardiography/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging recommendations

Aim of the study Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy encompasses systolic dysfunction, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), and conduction abnormalities. This study aims to investigate the impact of LVDD on mortality in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT). Material and methods A retrospective review of 400 consecutive patients who underwent LT at our institution was performed. Patient demographics, clinical data, and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) were reviewed to identify LVDD. The total cohort consisted of 266 patients after excluding patients with insufficient TTE data (n = 56), patients with indeterminate LVDD (n = 71), and patients with ejection fraction (EF) < 55% (n = 7). Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics. Cox regressions with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were applied to predict 5-year all-cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted to understand the impact of LVDD on 5-year all-cause mortality. Results Patients with LVDD have higher incidence of hyperlipidemia (36% vs. 17%, p = 0.003), hypertension (50% vs. 27%, p = 0.001) and diabetes (52% vs. 30%, p = 0.003). In addition, patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were more likely to have LVDD (48% vs. 24%, p = 0.001). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with age, body mass index (BMI), NASH, alcoholic cirrhosis, hepatitis C, history of diabetes, history of hyperlipidemia, and history of hypertension. In this multivariate logistic regression analysis, NASH (odds ratio [OR] = 4.43 [1.10-17.8], p = 0.04), and history of hypertension (OR = 2.33 [1.16-4.66], p = 0.01) were independent predictors of LVDD. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression demonstrated that the presence of LVDD had no impact on 5-year all-cause mortality (log-rank test nonsignificant). Conclusions This study indicates that LVDD in end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients does not affect immediate post-transplant outcomes or 5-year all-cause mortality.
Colostrum as a Therapeutic: A Meta Review

This meta-review is an examination of the therapeutic properties of colostrum. The scientific development and subsequent implementation of new therapeutics continues to influence researchers all over the globe today. Therefore, this review examines previously published research on colostrum and its effects on physiological functioning to determine its role as a potential therapeutic. Additionally, this review explores options for the potential therapeutic use of colostrum in immunology, IBS, diabetes and thyroid. There is abundant research supporting the immunomodulatory properties of colostrum, while also implicating its roles in alleviating IBS which is presented in this review. There is also evidence for the presence of IGF-1, T4, T3 and iodine in colostrum. Therefore, this review will also examine the current research examining the detection and respective physiological relevance for diabetes and thyroid functioning.
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with COVID-19 followed up due to acute ischemic stroke

Corresponding Author Dilek Yılmaz Okuyan Konya Numune State Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hospital Street, No:22 Selcuklu, Konya, Turkey E-mail: dilekyillmaz@gmail.com � Ethics Committee Approval Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya Necmettin Erbakan University (20/11/2020, 2897) and the Ministry of Health for this retrospective study. All procedures in this study involving human participants were performed in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. � Conflict of Interest No conflict of interest was declared by the authors. � Financial Disclosure The authors declared that this study has received no financial support. � Published 2021 November 28
Empirical Option Pricing Models

This article provides an overview of empirical options research, with primary emphasis on research into systematic stochastic volatility and jump risks relevant for pricing stock index options. It reviews evidence from time series analysis, option prices, and option price evolution regarding those risks and discusses required compensation. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Financial Economics, Volume 13 is November 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews. org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Mask wearing as a prosocial consumption behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic: an application of the theory of reasoned action

ABSTRACT This study adopts a theory of reasoned action approach to understand consumers’ mask wearing when shopping in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated mask wearing while shopping as a prosocial consumption behaviour whereby self-oriented benefits and others-oriented benefits are added as proposed drivers of attitudes and perceived social norms. Empirical evidence from a survey in France and Germany confirms a strong effect of social norms on mask-wearing intentions. Moreover, altruistic benefits predict mask-wearing intentions, with attitude and subjective norms as mediators. In contrast, self-expression benefits of mask wearing only influence perceived social norms and not attitudes; this effect differs between the countries. Our findings guide scholars, policy makers and practitioners to steer consumers’ mask wearing as a prosocial behaviour.
Biological Investigation of Amaryllidaceae Alkaloid Extracts from the Bulbs of Pancratium trianthum Collected in the Senegalese Flora

Amaryllidaceae plants are rich in alkaloids with biological properties. Pancratium trianthum is an Amaryllidaceae species widely used in African folk medicine to treat several diseases such as central nervous system disorders, tumors, and microbial infections, and it is used to heal wounds. The current investigation explored the biological properties of alkaloid extracts from bulbs of P. trianthum collected in the Senegalese flora. Alkaloid extracts were analyzed and identified by chromatography and mass spectrometry. Alkaloid extracts from P. trianthum displayed pleiotropic biological properties. Cytotoxic activity of the extracts was determined on hepatocarcinoma Huh7 cells and on acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells, while agar diffusion and microdilution assays were used to evaluate antibacterial activity. Antiviral activity was measured by infection of extract-treated cells with dengue virus (DENVGFP) and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1GFP) reporter vectors. Cytotoxicity and viral inhibition were the most striking of P. trianthum’s extract activities. Importantly, non-cytotoxic concentrations were highly effective in completely preventing DENVGFP replication and in reducing pseudotyped HIV-1GFP infection levels. Our results show that P. trianthum is a rich source of molecules for the potential discovery of new treatments against various diseases. Herein, we provide scientific evidence to rationalize the traditional uses of P. trianthum for wound treatment as an anti-dermatosis and antiseptic agent.
An Ensemble Machine Learning Approach For Time Series Forecasting of COVID-19 Cases

Forecasting assists governments, epidemiologists, and policymakers make calculated decisions to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus saving lives. This paper presents an ensemble machine learning model by combining the distinctive strengths of autoregressive integrated moving averages (ARIMA) and stacked long short-term memory networks (S-LSTM) using extensive training procedures and model integration algorithms. We validated the model's generalization capabilities by analyzing time series data of four countries, such as the Philippines, United States, India, and Brazil spanning 467 days. The quantitative results show that our ensemble model outperforms stand-alone models of ARIMA and S-LSTM for a 15-day forecast accuracy of 93.50% (infected cases) and 87.97% (death cases).
Pure Procrastination Scale e Irrational Procrastination Scale: Validation of a Brazilian Version

Abstract This study aimed to adapt and validate the Irrational Procrastination Scale (IPS) and Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS) for Brazilian Portuguese. Therefore, 2666 university students were invited to participate in the study (M = 26.08; SD = 6.6; 77% female). The factorial structures were analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The validity was investigated through Pearson’s correlations between the subscales of the Academic Procrastination Questionnaire ─ Negative Consequences and DASS-21. The reliability of the scales and their factors were evaluated through Cronbach’s alpha. The results indicated a one-dimensional IPS structure and a three-factor solution with a higher-order factor for PPS. Significant correlations were found between the IPS and PPS with the other measurements, revealing concurrent and convergent validity for both scales. The instruments showed good internal consistency, with alphas ranging from 0.80 to 0.91.
Agents of urban (in)security: contextualising the banning of political vigilantism in Ghana

In 2019, a new law banning vigilantism was adopted in the West African nation of Ghana. The law followed years of debate and violent incidents related to the presence of informally mobilised so-called �political vigilantes�, charged with providing security during political events. At first glance, the ridding of such state-competing elements through legal measures appears unproblematic and in line with democratic values. However, as this article argues, by drawing on the case study of Ghana and the pre-2020 election phase, such legal actions against non-state actors can be problematic and, in the worst case, constitute a threat to security and stability if public trust in authorities and formal state security providers is not sufficiently solid. Grounded in a broader discussion on security in fragile contexts and urban centres on the African continent, this article analyses the consequences of banning vigilantism where formal security provision is weak or not fully trusted.
Performances of G3 PLC-RF hybrid communication systems

In this paper the main changes of the new version of the G3 standard are reviewed, especially its evolution to a hybrid system combining PLC and RF. In particular, current simulation results comparing the performance of the system in three AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) use cases are presented. The first one is an environment in which all nodes are PLC and the PLC noise level allows connectivity in all areas of the site. The second one is an environment in which all nodes are PLC+RF and the PLC noise level does not allow connectivity in some areas and the system needs to switch to RF. The third one is an environment in which half of the nodes are PLC+RF and the other half are RF only. This would be the situation of a system with electricity meters, which are hybrid PLC+RF, and gas or water meters, which are RF only. To evaluate their performance, some KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) suitable for these applications are introduced. We will also explain other improvements of the new version such as Broadcast optimization, Cluster forwarding scheme and Adaptive power mechanism.