Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lean software development: is it feasible?

The Lean Aerospace Initiative originally began as Lean Aircraft Initiative (LAI) in the summer of 1992 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The refashioning of Lean Aircraft Initiative to Lean Aerospace Initiative (LAI) took place in November 1997 to reflect the addition of Space Sector. A consortium of Air Force and 21 defense firms including the Boeing Co. and the erstwhile McDonnell Douglas was originally formed to investigate how the "Lean Principles" that were applied in the automobile industry particularly in Toyota could be adopted in the aerospace industry including electronics and avionics segments. It is no secret that the next millennium will be digital. Software will not only play an important role in the aerospace systems but almost in every aspect of our life It is the dream of every enterprise to have software developed cheaper, faster, and better. During the last several years many technologies, methodologies and software languages and development tools have emerged as the answers to the above dream. We are yet to accomplish that dream. Modern aircraft is nothing but a bunch of "flying" computers connected together and it is just "electronics in motion" or flying electronics. It is estimated that 50% of the development costs for any modern airplane is attributed to systems and a substantial portion to software development. Toyota is accepted not only as a leader in the automobile industry but as a world class manufacturing company which is very successful in adopting lean principles which they called Toyota Production System (TPS). This paper will briefly describe what is "Lean Thinking" and explore the feasibility of applying these principles to software development. It will include discussions on the emerging software development methods and Capability Maturity Model (CMM)[9] of the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) which gives us a framework. It will attempt to answer whether these lean principles can be applied to Software Development.
IFN-Gamma and TNF-Alpha as a Priming Strategy to Enhance the Immunomodulatory Capacity of Secretomes from Menstrual Blood-Derived Stromal Cells

Mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from menstrual blood (MenSCs) exhibit a potent pro-angiogenic and immunomodulatory capacity. Their therapeutic effect is mediated by paracrine mediators released by their secretomes. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the effect of a specific priming condition on the phenotype and secretome content of MenSCs. Our results revealed that the optimal condition for priming MenSCs was the combination of interferon gamma (IFNγ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) that produced a synergistic and additive effect on IDO1 release and immune-related molecule expression. The analyses of MenSC-derived secretomes after IFNγ and TNFα priming also revealed an increase in EV release and in the differentially expressed miRNAs involved in the immune response and inflammation. Proliferation assays on lymphocyte subsets demonstrated a decrease in CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells co-cultured with secretomes, especially in the lymphocytes co-cultured with secretomes from primed cells. Additionally, the expression of immune checkpoints (PD-1 and CTLA-4) was increased in the CD4+ T cells co-cultured with MenSC-derived secretomes. These findings demonstrate that the combination of IFNγ and TNFα represents an excellent priming strategy to enhance the immunomodulatory capacity of MenSCs. Moreover, the secretome derived from primed MenSCs may be postulated as a therapeutic option for the regulation of adverse inflammatory reactions.
Total-dose tolerance of the commercial American Microsystems Inc. (AMI) 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS process

MOSFETs fabricated in the commercial American Microsystems Inc. (AMI) 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS process were characterized with respect to the effects of total dose irradiation. Gate oxide threshold voltage shifts up to 300 krad(Si) for both NMOS and PMOS transistors biased for worst-case shifts were less than 25 mV. Off-state field leakage currents for isolated NMOS transistors was above 1 nA at 30 krad(Si). The effect of a post-irradiation high temperature anneal was to lower these leakage currents to their preirradiation levels. PMOS transistors exhibited less than 10 pA leakage for doses up to 300 krad(Si). Measurements on edgeless annular NMOS transistors showed only minor increases in leakage current with total dose up to 300 krad(Si), indicating that the increased leakage observed in standard NMOS transistors is the result of field leakage associated with inversion in the bird's beak region at the transistor/field oxide interface. Measurements of the threshold voltage, transconductance and subthreshold swing for the edgeless transistors indicated no significant changes up to 300 krad(Si), indicative of a lack of trapped holes and lack of interface state formation in the gate oxide. Measurements on ring-oscillators biased dynamically during irradiation showed less than a 5% change in gate delay and in power up to 300 krad(Si) total dose, suggesting that for actual digital circuits applications, functionality and performance may be maintained to doses substantially above 30 krad(Si).
Identifying and Categorizing Positive Behaviors in Unexpected Events in Aviation

Unexpected aviation events pose a challenge in training for aviation safety. Since unexpected events, by definition, cannot be specifically trained, one suggestion is to train pilots for the skills necessary to respond to unexpected events. We attempted to better understand positive behaviors in unexpected events in aviation through post hoc analysis of aviation accidents with good outcomes. We conducted a pilot study—an open card sort—with human factors experts to (1) evaluate the utility of the method and (2) create the category names to be used in the full-scale study. Upon completion of the pilot study, we propose a full-scale study with a closed card sort methodology. Understanding what behaviors led to positive outcomes in the past will help in designing training programs to maximize positive outcomes in the future.
Water vapor estimation based on one-year data of E-band millimeter-wave link in the northeast of China

Abstract. The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is very small, but its content varies greatly in different humidity areas. The change of water vapor will affect the transmission of microwave link signals, and most of the water vapor is concentrated in the lower layer, so the water vapor density can be measured by the change of the near-ground microwave link transmission signal. This study collected one-year data of the E-band millimeter-wave link in Hebei, China, and used a model based on the ITU-R to estimate the water vapor density. An improved method of extracting the water vapor induced attenuation value is also introduced. It has a higher time resolution and the estimation error is lower than the previous method. In addition, this paper conducts the seasonal analysis of water vapor inversion for the first time. The monthly and seasonal evaluation index results show a high correlation between the retrieved water vapor density the actual water vapor density value measured by the local weather station. The correlation value for the whole year is up to 0.95, the root mean square error is as low as 0.35, and the average relative error is as low as 0.05. This research shows that millimeter-wave backhaul link provides high-precision data for the measurement of water vapor density and has a positive effect on future weather forecast research.
Ethical Decision Making Under Time Pressure: An Online Study

Although research in Psychology and Philosophy indicates people’s preference for utilitarian ethics, how people respond to ethically fraught scenarios under time pressure is unclear. In this online experiment, 61 participants viewed videos of a simulated automated vehicle (AV) as it drove in the right lane on a four-lane road and were instructed to intervene if they thought that the vehicle should move to the left lane. At a crosswalk, five pedestrian avatars appeared one, two, or three seconds before projected impact either in the path of the vehicle or the left lane, with a single pedestrian appearing in the opposite lane half the time. Participants avoided the group of five (utilitarian response) but were more likely to veer into the group of five pedestrians at one second before impact than longer durations, violating utilitarian ethics under time pressure. This suggests limited ability to respond to ethical scenarios when taking over AV control at short notice.
A Case Study of Tourist Perceptions and Revisit Intention Regarding Qingwan Cactus Park in Penghu, Taiwan

In recent years, the citizens of Taiwan have exhibited an increasing demand for domestic tourism and travel options. Due to their relatively early development as a domestic tourism destination, the Penghu Islands are well known for their rich natural and cultural resources. The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing tourists’ visits to Qingwan Cactus Park, including their reasons for visiting and their perceptions of their visits. With principal component analysis serving as the basis for an IPA methodology, and using the visiting destination as a reference point, the results obtained can provide a basic guideline for tourism planning. The visitors’ reactions and demands were re-examined through IPA analysis. The results could be used by national park managers to develop constructive suggestions on implementing sustainable development in Taiwan’s tourism industries. This study presents valuable data on Penghu and provides analyses of residents’ and tourists’ opinions, as well as their reactions. The study’s conclusions can be extrapolated to research on other destinations outside of Taiwan.
Proactive measurement of infliximab drug levels in children with Crohn’s disease

Background Proactively monitoring infliximab levels is an emerging area of interest in pediatric Crohn’s disease. There are only limited data on therapeutic drug monitoring for children with Crohn’s disease. The goal of our study was to determine the utility of therapeutic drug monitoring in achieving clinical remission in a cohort of pediatric Crohn’s disease patients receiving infliximab. Methods This prospective single-center study enrolled 37 patients with Crohn’s disease at the start of infliximab infusions and monitored trough levels at 6-month intervals for 18 months. Each participant was matched to a historic control for the modified pediatric Crohn’s disease activity index (mPCDAI) at baseline, age and sex. The primary outcome was an mPCDAI score of ≤7.5 at 6, 12 and 18 months. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Results Data were available for all 37 cases at 6 and 12 months and for 34 cases at 18 months. Demographics and disease characteristics were similar between groups. All 34 cases demonstrated clinical remission at 18 months (100% vs. 88%, P=0.114). Univariate and multivariate analyses did not show statistical significance. Dose intensification was seen more often in the cases at 18 months. Conclusion All of our moderate-to-severe pediatric Crohn’s disease patients who received prospective therapeutic drug monitoring of infliximab were in clinical remission at follow up, but this was not statistically significantly different from the 88% clinical remission rate of the control group.
Grounded Framework for Culturally Relevant and Responsive Music Teaching

Building upon the work of Ladson–Billings, Lind and McKoy, and Shaw, our proposed framework takes into consideration the depth and breadth of musical experiences and contexts, musical content, and the diversity of musical cultures. The proposed framework includes four quadrants: (a) teacher competencies, (b) informed choices, (c) authenticity, and (d) holistic and comparative lessons. The framework provides K–16 teachers with tangible, accessible, and actionable methods for implementing a teaching pedagogy that has often been misunderstood or implemented without fidelity, and therefore ineffective. Each quadrant’s description and detail provide educators with guidance, supporting their individual musical growth, facilitating authentic relationships with students, authentic performances, and careful idea development for lesson planning that is inclusive of multiple musical perspectives and origins. Muñiz and Richards et al. acknowledged that community support and teacher capacity are essential for culturally relevant pedagogy to be implemented effectively, thus increasing students’ academic growth.
Biomarker Expression in Multifocal Vulvar High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions

Simple Summary In this exploratory study, we aimed to compare biomarker profiles in patients with multiple high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated vulvar precursor lesions, which is called multifocal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). The HPV-positive HSILs were tested for HPV genotype, expression of two immunohistochemical markers p16INK4a and Ki-67, and DNA methylation of six genes. Generally, the biomarkers showed similar expression between lesions. Occasionally, marked differences were observed, indicating that not all multifocal lesions are the same. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the value of potential diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in patients with vulvar multifocal HSIL. Validation in larger cohorts will be important. Abstract In patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) of the vulva, the presence of multiple lesions, called multifocal HSIL, is common. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate biomarker expression profiles in multifocal HSIL. In total, 27 lesions from 12 patients with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive multifocal HSIL were tested for HPV genotype, expression of p16INK4a and Ki-67, and DNA methylation of six genes. HPV16 was found most commonly in 21 (77.8%) HSILs. In two (16.4%) patients, HPV genotype differed between the lesions. All lesions demonstrated diffuse p16INK4a staining, of which three (11.1%) were combined with patchy staining. One patient (8.3%) demonstrated markedly different DNA methylation levels between lesions. Generally, heterogeneity in methylation profiles was observed between different patients, even when other biomarkers showed similar expression. In conclusion, this study is the first to demonstrate heterogeneity of individual lesions in patients with multifocal HSIL. The studied biomarkers have the potential to refine prognostic and predictive diagnostics. Future prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to further explore the potential of a biomarker profile for management of patients with multifocal HSIL.
Use of Plantar Pressure Sensors to Take Weight-Bearing Foot Casts

Techniques of taking casts mainly rely not on the objectivity of the procedure, but on the experience and skill of the technician. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficiency of a technique of taking standing foot casts controlled via pressure sensors. In this way, we mean to objectivize the degree of correction. The study was carried out through 150 procedures on 50 feet of 29 patients. The value of the “Heel Symmetry Index” was calculated on three casts in three different situations of the same foot: A first cast in which the subject did not control the position of his/her foot; a second cast where manipulations corrected the foot’s pronator position; and a third cast with pressure sensors placed in the subject’s heel. This enabled the control and quantification of the pressure during the manipulation when taking the cast. The comparison of the “Heel Symmetry Index” in the different groups showed significant p-values of 0.05. Conclusion: The technique of taking casts controlled by pressure sensors achieved more equilibrated casts with a better symmetry index of the heel’s outline.
LASSO and Bioinformatics Analysis in the Identification of Key Genes for Prognostic Genes of Gynecologic Cancer

The aim of this study is to identify potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of gynecologic cancer in order to improve survival. Cervical cancer (CC) and endometrial cancer (EC) are the most common malignant tumors of gynecologic cancer among women in the world. As the underlying molecular mechanisms in both cervical and endometrial cancer remain unclear, a comprehensive and systematic bioinformatics analysis is required. In our study, gene expression profiles of GSE9750, GES7803, GES63514, GES17025, GES115810, and GES36389 downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were utilized to analyze differential gene expression between cancer and normal tissues. A total of 78 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) common to CC and EC were identified to perform the functional enrichment analyses, including gene ontology and pathway analysis. KEGG pathway analysis of 78 DEGs indicated that three main types of pathway participate in the mechanism of gynecologic cancer such as drug metabolism, signal transduction, and tumorigenesis and development. Furthermore, 20 diagnostic signatures were confirmed using the least absolute shrink and selection operator (LASSO) regression with 10-fold cross validation. Finally, we used the GEPIA2 online tool to verify the expression of 20 genes selected by the LASSO regression model. Among them, the expression of PAMR1 and SLC24A3 in tumor tissues was downregulated significantly compared to the normal tissue, and found to be statistically significant in survival rates between the CC and EC of patients (p < 0.05). The two genes have their function: (1.) PAMR1 is a tumor suppressor gene, and many studies have proven that overexpression of the gene markedly suppresses cell growth, especially in breast cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome; (2.) SLC24A3 is a sodium–calcium regulator of cells, and high SLC24A3 levels are associated with poor prognosis. In our study, the gene signatures can be used to predict CC and EC prognosis, which could provide novel clinical evidence to serve as a potential biomarker for future diagnosis and treatment.
Effects comparation of different mulching methods on soil in pitaya orchards

Hainan province is one of the major producers of tropical fruits in China, and the pitaya industry is a pillar of the local economy. To mitigate the effects of extreme temperature, damaging sunlight, and the soil erosion during the growth of pitaya, an increasing number of local growers are using mulch in local orchards. The types of mulch used in this area can be broadly classified into three groups: plastic film, organic material, and living mulch. Different mulching practices have varying effects on the physicochemical and biological properties of the soil. A large body of research has shown that mulching can increase the moisture content of shallow soil by reducing evaporation and regulating its temperature (Adamaviciene et al., 2012; Ma et al., 2018). Mulching treatments are also beneficial for controlling weeds, enhancing the content of soil nutrients, improving soil enzyme activities, and improving the microecological environment (Xun et al., 2015). While the conditions of the soil change according to the different mulching practices used, Chen et al. (2014) have claimed that although organic mulch is not mixed into soil, decomposed organic materials can be gradually absorbed into it. A relatively independent microecological system has been constructed by using film mulching which is more effective than organic mulching in terms of inhibiting evaporation and preserving heat in the soil (Zhang et al., 2010). A study by Fang et al. (2011) showed that fresh biomass can © 2021 Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences
Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on turnover time and revenue in the endoscopy unit: single-center experience

Background and study aims The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic heavily impacted the New York metro area causing most institutions to either reduce case volume or fully close remaining open units incorporated specific guidelines for procedures lockdown potentially leading to a greater turn-over time. We analyzed the quantitative and financial impact of this lost time on our tertiary care center’s endoscopy unit. Patients and methods This single-center, retrospective study included demographics, procedure details and turn-over times (TOT) from all endoscopic procedures between December 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. Cases were categorized as pre-COVID-19 group from December 1, 2019 to March 15, 2020 and during COVID-19 (lockdown) group from March 16, 2020 to June 30, 2020. The financial impact was assessed using national averages for reimbursement of outpatient endoscopic procedures provided by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Results A total of 3622 procedures were performed during the study period: 2297 in the pre-COVID-19 period, 1325 in the COVID-19 period, representing a 42.32 % decrease. In the COVID-19 lockdown group, there was a significant increase in TOT in both the general endoscopy cases (18.11 minutes, P = 0.000) and advanced endoscopy cases (17.7 minutes, P = 0.000). The 42.3 % decrease in volume equated to at least $1.6 million USD in lost revenue during the lockdown. Conclusions COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in TOT with overall reduced procedure volume and a negative effect on revenue. Providing continued endoscopic management during a pandemic avoids delays in reopening the endoscopy unit and hampers the post-pandemic surge of delayed cases and its financial impact.
A Weighted-Least-Squares Meshless Model for Non-Hydrostatic Shallow Water Waves

In this paper, an explicit time marching procedure for solving the non-hydrostatic shallow water equation (SWE) problems is developed. The procedure includes a process of prediction and several iterations of correction. In these processes, it is essential to accurately calculate the spatial derives of the physical quantities such as the temporal water depth, the average velocities in the horizontal and vertical directions, and the dynamic pressure at the bottom. The weighted-least-squares (WLS) meshless method is employed to calculate these spatial derivatives. Though the non-hydrostatic shallow water equations are two dimensional, on the focus of presenting this new time marching approach, we just use one dimensional benchmark problems to validate and demonstrate the stability and accuracy of the present model. Good agreements are found in the comparing the present numerical results with analytic solutions, experiment data, or other numerical results.
Computational Analysis and Methods for Electromagnetic Exposure Limits, Antenna Optimization and Cell Phone Design

Keywords: low frequency exposure ; wireless power transfer ; magnetic induction ; high-voltage detector ; exposure limit ; specific absorption rate ; quasi-static approximation ; antenna optimization ; genetic algorithms ; speaker integration ; coupling ; radiation loss These Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne EPFL, n° 5984 (2013)Programme doctoral Genie electriqueFaculte des sciences et techniques de l'ingenieurInstitut de genie electrique et electroniqueLaboratoire d'electromagnetisme et acoustiqueJury: P. Vandergheynst (president), M. Okoniewski, M. Popovich, F. Rachidi-Haeri Public defense: 2013-10-30 Reference doi:10.5075/epfl-thesis-5984Print copy in library catalog Record created on 2013-10-21, modified on 2016-08-09
Seroprevalence, Isolation and Associated Risk Factors of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia at Bako Tibe and Ilu Galan Districts of West Shoa Zone, Western Ethiopia

The cultural result shows that isolation the causative agent from lung tissue. Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia was endemic in the study area and confirmed by serology and isolation of the causative agent Therefore, further study with large coverage using reliable tools like molecular technique is important, farmers should be aware of the disease, and use the combination of vaccination with therapeutic.