Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Future of Business Process Management in the Future of Work

Business process management (BPM) is a corporate capability that strives for efficient and effective work. As a matter of fact, work is rapidly changing due to technological, economic, and demographic developments. New digital affordances, work attitudes, and collaboration models are revolutionizing how work is performed. These changes are referred to as the future of work. Despite the obvious connection between the future of work and BPM, neither current initiatives on the future of BPM nor existing BPM capability frameworks account for the characteristics of the future of work. Hence, there is a need for evolving BPM as a corporate capability in light of the future of work. As a first step to triggering a community-wide discussion, we compiled propositions that capture constitutive characteristics of the future of work. We then let a panel of BPM experts map these propositions to the six factors of Rosemann and vom Brocke’s BPM capability framework, which captures how BPM is conceptualized today. On this foundation, we discussed how BPM should evolve in light of the future of work and distilled over-arching topics which we think will reshape BPM as a corporate capability.
Methanol-Induced crack healing in poly(methyl methacrylate)†

Crack healing in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by methanol treatment at 40°C–60°C has been investigated. It is found that the methanol treatment reduces the glass transition temperature in PMMA. Crack healing only occurs at an operating temperature higher than the effective glass transition temperature. There are two distinctive stages for crack healing based on the recovery of mechanical strength. The first stage corresponds to the progressive healing due to wetting, which has a constant crack closure rate at a given temperature. Immediately following the first stage, the second stage corresponding to diffusion enhances the quality of healing behavior. The surface morphologies obtained during healing and after fracture tests confirm these two stages. By comparing the fracture stress with the fractography, the fracture surface for stage I of crack healing is coplanar to the original crack surface. On the other hand, the original crack surface is destroyed in stage II of crack healing. It occurs in the region incorporating the original healed surface and appears to be like the Virgin fracture surface. It is also found that the tensile fracture stress of PMMA treated by methanol can recover to that of the virgin material. In addition, it is interesting to find that after sustained methanol treatment, the “snake bone” phenomenon on the fracture surface emerges.
Thermal Properties of Porous Copper Manufactured by Lost Carbonate Sintering

Active cooling techniques are often required to achieve high rates of heat dissipation in thermal management applications. Open-cell porous metals are good candidates for use as heat exchangers. This paper studies the fluid transport and thermal properties of porous copper samples with different pore structures manufactured using the LCS method. The results showed that the permeability increases with porosity but decreases with pore size. The thermal conductivity increases with relative density according to the power law. The effects of porosity and pore size on the heat transfer performance of the porous copper samples are significant, due to their effects on the permeability and thermal conductivity. For the porous copper samples with double-layer structures, the permeability follows the rule of mixture and the heat transfer coefficient can be predicted by a recently developed segment model.
Heuristic Genetic Algorithm for Multicast Overlay Network Link Selection

The application level multicast overlay network (ON) is composed by the hosts based on the physics unicast links between them. The initial ON is a completely connectivity network, which make the multicast tree construction and routing is lower efficiency. For improving the ON routing performance, the ON links should be selected. Based on a new presented ON link selection model with reliability and minimal routing cost constraints, put forward an heuristic genetic algorithm (HGA). The algorithm combines the characteristics of the heuristic algorithm and genetic algorithm. The algorithm can reduce the ON links and be satisfied with the network constraints. Simulation results show that the HGA has fast converging speed and stabilization, and simply operation.
Psychophysiological Measurements in a Biocooperative Feedback Loop for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation

This paper examines the usefulness of psychophysiological measurements in a biocooperative feedback loop that adjusts the difficulty of an upper extremity rehabilitation task. Psychophysiological measurements (heart rate, skin conductance, respiration, and skin temperature) were used both by themselves and in combination with task performance and biomechanics. Data fusion was performed with discriminant analysis, and a special adaptive version was implemented that can gradually adapt to a subject. Both healthy subjects and hemiparetic patients participated in the study. The accuracy of the biocooperative controller was defined as the percentage of times it matched the subjects' preferences. The highest accuracy rate was obtained for task performance (approximately 82% for both healthy subjects and patients), with psychophysiological measurements yielding relatively low accuracy (approximately 60%). The adaptive approach increased accuracy of psychophysiological measurements to 76.4% for healthy subjects and 68.8% for patients. Combining psychophysiology with task performance yielded an accuracy rate of 84.7% for healthy subjects and 89.4% for patients. Results suggest that psychophysiological measurements are not reliable as a primary data source in motor rehabilitation, but can provide supplementary information. However, it is questionable whether the amount of additional information justifies the increased complexity of the system.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor sensitive PDGFRΑ mutations in GIST: Two cases and review of the literature

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. Most GISTs harbor a c-KIT (80%) or a PDGFRα (10%) mutation that leads to constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase receptor. Response to treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is dependent on mutational status of the tumor. The most common mutation in PDGFRα, D842V, is known to be imatinib resistant. Almost all other PDGFRα mutations are imatinib sensitive. We describe two patients with a PDGFRα exon 18 mutated GIST responding to treatment with TKIs. One of these patients has a p.M844_S847 deletion, not previously described in relation with TKI treatment response. Mutations in circulating tumor DNA were detectable with digital droplet PCR in serial plasma samples taken during treatment and correlated with treatment response of both patients. Computer 3D-modeling of the PDGFRα kinase domain of these two variants revealed no direct interference in imatinib or sunitinib binding and no effect in its activity in contrast to the reported structure of the imatinib resistant D842V mutation. An overview is given of the literature regarding the evidence of patients with different PDGFRα mutated GISTs on response to TKIs. The findings emphasize the use of mutational analysis in GIST to provide patients personalized treatment. Detection of mutations in plasma is feasible and can provide real-time information concerning treatment response. We suggest to register GIST patients with these uncommon mutations in a prospective international database to understand the tumor biology and obtain more evidence of such mutations to predict treatment response.
Classification of pulmonary nodules in thin-section CT images based on shape characterization

Shape characterization of small pulmonary nodules plays a significant role in differential diagnosis that discriminates malignant and benign nodules at early stages of pulmonary lesion development. This paper presents a method to characterize small pulmonary nodules based on the morphology of the development of lung lesions in thin-section CT images. The feature extraction algorithms are designed to extract the shape characteristic parameters from three-dimensional (3-D) nodule images using surface curvatures and ridge line. Experiments which show the feasibility of our method to improve the diagnostic accuracy are also demonstrated by applying the method to nodule images.
On model-based available bandwidth measurement on the Internet

In this paper, we investigated model-based available bandwidth measurement via the use of an active probing stream. An end-to-end measurement framework, which summarizes the current research efforts and highlights insights for measurement practice, is proposed. This framework helps the design of more efficient probing methodologies and enhances understanding of network performance. Of particular interest is the performance comparison of the available bandwidth measurements based on loss models and on delay models. The queueing analysis and the extensive simulations indicate that the delay-based measurement exhibits advantages over the loss-based measurements, in terms of accuracy, overhead, robustness, and so on.
Massive Analysis of Rice Small RNAs: Mechanistic Implications of Regulated MicroRNAs and Variants for Differential Target RNA Cleavage[W][OA]

This massive analysis of rice small RNAs evaluated annotated microRNAs (miRNAs) and identified new miRNAs and miRNAs regulated by environmental stresses. Of particular interest are miRNA family members with distinct sequences and organ-preferential expression; some of these guide differential target cleavage and provide new insight about how an agriculturally significant phenotype may be regulated. Small RNAs have a variety of important roles in plant development, stress responses, and other processes. They exert their influence by guiding mRNA cleavage, translational repression, and chromatin modification. To identify previously unknown rice (Oryza sativa) microRNAs (miRNAs) and those regulated by environmental stress, 62 small RNA libraries were constructed from rice plants and used for deep sequencing with Illumina technology. The libraries represent several tissues from control plants and plants subjected to different environmental stress treatments. More than 94 million genome-matched reads were obtained, resulting in more than 16 million distinct small RNA sequences. This allowed an evaluation of ~400 annotated miRNAs with current criteria and the finding that among these, ~150 had small interfering RNA–like characteristics. Seventy-six new miRNAs were found, and miRNAs regulated in response to water stress, nutrient stress, or temperature stress were identified. Among the new examples of miRNA regulation were members of the same miRNA family that were differentially regulated in different organs and had distinct sequences Some of these distinct family members result in differential target cleavage and provide new insight about how an agriculturally important rice phenotype could be regulated in the panicle. This high-resolution analysis of rice miRNAs should be relevant to plant miRNAs in general, particularly in the Poaceae.
Scalable RDF Graph Querying Using Cloud Computing

With the explosion of the semantic web technologies, conventional SPARQL processing tools do not scale well for large amounts of RDF data because they are designed for use on a single-machine context. Several optimization solutions combined with cloud computing technologies have been proposed to overcome these drawbacks. However, these approaches only consider the SPARQL Basic Graph Pattern processing, and their file system-based schema can barely modify large-scale RDF data randomly. This paper presents a scalable SPARQL Group Graph Pattern (GGP) processing framework for large RDF graphs. We design a novel storage schema on HBase to store RDF data. Furthermore, a query plan generation algorithm is proposed to determine jobs based on a greedy selection strategy. Several query algorithms are also presented to answer SPARQL GGP queries in the MapReduce paradigm. An experiment on a simulation cloud computing environment shows that our framework is more scalable and efficient than traditional approaches when storing and retrieving large volumes of RDF data.
Lessons Learned in Implementing and Deploying Crypto Software

Although the basic building blocks for working with strong encryption have become fairly widespread in the last few years, experience has shown that implementers frequently misuse them in a manner that voids their security properties. At least some of the blame lies with the tools themselves, which often make it unnecessarily easy to get things wrong. Just as no chainsaw manufacturer would think of producing a model without a finger-guard and cutoff mechanism, so security software designers need to consider safety features that will keep users from injuring themselves or others. This paper examines some of the more common problem areas that exist in crypto security software, and provides a series of design guidelines that can help minimise damage due to (mis-)use by inexperienced users. These issues are taken from extensive real-world experience with users of security software, and represent areas that frequently cause problems when the software is employed in practice.
W5″ Test: A simple method for measuring mean power output in the bench press exercise

Abstract The aims of the present study were to assess the validity and reliability of a novel simple test [Five Seconds Power Test (W5″ Test)] for estimating the mean power output during the bench press exercise at different loads, and its sensitivity to detect training-induced changes. Thirty trained young men completed as many repetitions as possible in a time of ≈5 s at 25%, 45%, 65% and 85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in two test sessions separated by four days. The number of repetitions, linear displacement of the bar and time needed to complete the test were recorded by two independent testers, and a linear encoder was used as the criterion measure. For each load, the mean power output was calculated in the W5″ Test as mechanical work per time unit and compared with that obtained from the linear encoder. Subsequently, 20 additional subjects (10 training group vs. 10 control group) were assessed before and after completing a seven-week training programme designed to improve maximal power. Results showed that both assessment methods correlated highly in estimating mean power output at different loads (r range: 0.86–0.94; p < .01) and detecting training-induced changes (R2: 0.78). Good to excellent intra-tester (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) range: 0.81–0.97) and excellent inter-tester (ICC range: 0.96–0.99; coefficient of variation range: 2.4–4.1%) reliability was found for all loads. The W5″ Test was shown to be a valid, reliable and sensitive method for measuring mean power output during the bench press exercise in subjects who have previous resistance training experience.
Absorption in Universal Algebra and CSP

The algebraic approach to Constraint Satisfaction Problem led to many developments in both CSP and universal algebra. The notion of absorption was successfully applied on both sides of the connection. This article introduces the concept of absorption, illustrates its use in a number of basic proofs and provides an overview of the most important results obtained by using it. 1998 ACM Subject Classification G.2. 1. Combinatorics
Pronunciation recognition of English phonemes /\textipa{@}/, /æ/, /\textipa{A}: / and /\textipa{2}/ using Formants and Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients

The Vocal Joystick Vowel Corpus, by Washington University, was used to study monophthongs pronounced by native English speakers. The objective of this study was to quantitatively measure the extent at which speech recognition methods can distinguish between similar sounding vowels. In particular, the phonemes /\textipa{@}/, /{\ae}/, /\textipa{A}:/ and /\textipa{2}/ were analysed. 748 sound files from the corpus were used and subjected to Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) to compute their formants, and to Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) algorithm, to compute the cepstral coefficients. A Decision Tree Classifier was used to build a predictive model that learnt the patterns of the two first formants measured in the data set, as well as the patterns of the 13 cepstral coefficients. An accuracy of 70\% was achieved using formants for the mentioned phonemes. For the MFCC analysis an accuracy of 52 \% was achieved and an accuracy of 71\% when /\textipa{@}/ was ignored. The results obtained show that the studied algorithms are far from mimicking the ability of distinguishing subtle differences in sounds like human hearing does.
Self-oscillating multilevel switched-capacitor DC/DC converter for energy harvesting

This paper presents three self-oscillating multilevel time-interleaved switched-capacitor DC/DC converters implemented and taped-out in 0.18-μm CMOS targeting microwatt power levels. Two of the converters are step-up with ratios of 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4, and one is a step-down with ratios of 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1. They all regulate the output voltage towards a targeted reference removing the need for a separate regulator. Aimed for use in vibration energy harvesting systems, the converters have a wide combined input voltage range of 450 mV to 20 V. The low voltage step-up converter operates from an input voltage of 475 mV and has a peak measured power efficiency of 82.2% with an area of 0.62 mm2. The medium voltage step-up converter operates from an input voltage of 700 mV and has a peak power efficiency of 74.5% and an area of 0.53 mm2. Lastly, the step-down converter works with input voltages up to 20 V and achieves a peak power efficiency of 68.7% with an area of 0.55 mm2.
Tools Optimization in Efficient Intermittent Cutting of 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V Steel

In order to improve the machining efficiency of high strength steel 2.25Cr1Mo0. 25V and tool life, intermittent turning performance of 2.25Cr1Mo0. 25V with common carbide tools and advanced coated carbide tools was experimentally studied, cutting parameters and tool types were optimized. The results showed that the machining efficiency and tool life of advanced coated carbide tools were remarkably higher than that of common carbide tool; the tool life of quadrate coated tool was longer than that of circular tool. The cutting tool failure mechanisms were also discussed.
A Study on the Characteristics of the Data Traffic of Online Social Networks

In the past few years, we have witnessed a flourish of online social network sites (OSNs). In this kind of websites, the users are not only information consumers, but also actively upload contents of their own to the OSNs. Being sharply different from the conventional sites, OSNs have attracted many studies recently. These studies, however, mainly focus on the social behaviors within OSNs, e.g., the user-user interaction, and the distribution of the time users spend on certain OSNs, etc. There are much fewer studies on the characteristics of the traffic patterns of OSNs upon the Internet infrastructure, even though it is important for the ISPs and the OSNs alike. One major difficulty is that it is not easy to obtain data from the private ISP backbone routers. In this paper, we collect data from two backbone routers of China Telecom and present the traffic patterns of several OSNs from the angle of the network layer. As well, we also compare the OSN traffic with three types of traditional websites like forums, search engines and news websites. We find that the traffic pattern in network layer is quite intuitively similar as what we can see in the application layer: users are the most active in OSNs, and are slightly less active in forums, and they are the least active in News websites. Besides that, we also can see that the traffic pattern in search engines is quite different from the other three.
A New User Framework to Design MD Model from Relational One

127 Abstract Data in a data warehouse is organized in a multidimensional model. This multidimensional model helps in faster query processing and efficient OLAP operations for data analysis and decision making. In this paper, we introduce a framework which proposes design methodologies to map the relational database into a multidimensional model. The process starts with first cleaning the relational database and then categorizing the attributes of this cleansed relational database into metrics and dimensional attributes by applying the proposed set of mapping rules. A multi-dimensional model of data supports decision making in a much better way, and the aim of the project is to build a tool that helps companies to create their own multi-dimensional model from a collection of relational databases, and to make a web-based environment supporting flexible views of the multi dimensional model.
Ultrasonographic Surveillance with Selective CTA after Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Purpose: To evaluate the agreement between color-coded duplex ultrasound (US) and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) in monitoring aneurysm diameter and detecting endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Methods: From November 1998 to January 2007, 196 patients (191 men; mean age 72.4 years, range 52–88) underwent EVAR and were followed by CTA and US over a mean 3.9±2.4 years (range 0––8.9, median 3.4). Annual paired CTA and US examinations were reviewed to assess agreement in measuring maximum aneurysm transverse diameter and to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of US in detecting endoleak. Results: The 5-year cumulative endoleak incidence was 43.8% (72 patients). At first diagnosis, US detected 55/72 (76.4%) endoleaks; of the remaining 17, only 3 (4.3%) were clinically significant in terms of aneurysm enlargement. Pairing 709 annual CTA and US examinations from 184 patients showed a high agreement (k=0.96) between examinations in measuring maximum transverse diameter, with a mean difference between US and CTA of −2.5 mm. Conclusion: After the first year of follow-up, EVAR surveillance costs can be reduced by performing annual US examinations only. Keeping in mind that US underestimates diameter measurements, CTA can be reserved for patients with increasing or persistently stable aneurysm diameters.
Traffic Intersections of the Future

Few concepts embody the goals of artificial intelligence as well as fully autonomous robots. Countless films and stories have been made that focus on a future filled with autonomous agents that complete menial tasks or run errands that humans do not want or are too busy to carry out. One such task is driving automobiles. In this paper, we summarize the work we have dune towards a future of fully-autonomous vehicles, specifically coordinating such vehicles safely and efficiently at intersections. We then discuss the implications this work has for other areas of AI, including planning, multiagent learning, and computer vision.