Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity - A Platform for Designing Business Architecture

In a global market economy, a viable business cannot be locked into a single form or function anymore. Rather, success is contingent upon a self-renewing capacity to spontaneously create structures, functions, and processes responsive to a fluctuating business landscape. Now in its third edition, Systems Thinking synthesizes systems theory and interactive design, providing an operational methodology for defining problems and designing solutions in an environment increasingly characterized by chaos and complexity. The current edition has been updated to include all new chapters on self-organizing systems, Holistic, Operational, and Design thinking. Gharajedaghi covers recent crises in financial systems and job markets, the housing bubble, and environment, assessing their impact on systems thinking. A companion website to accompany the book is available at www.interactdesign.com. Four NEW chapters on self-organizing systems, holistic thinking, operational thinking, and design thinking Covers the recent crises in financial systems and job markets globally, the housing bubble, and the environment, assessing their impact on systems thinking Companion website to accompany the book is available at interactdesign.com Table of Contents Part I: Systems Philosophy: The Name of the Devil Chapter 1: How the Game Is Evolving Part II Systems Theory: The Nature of the Beast Chapter 2: Systems Principles Chapter 3: Socio-cultural Systems Chapter 4: Socio-cultural System 2 Part III: Systems Methodology: Logic of the Madness Chapter 5: Holistic Thinking Chapter 6: Operational Thinking Chapter 7: Design Thinking Chapter 8: Design Thinking (2), Formulation of mess Chapter 9: Designing thinking (3), Business Architecture Part IV: Systems Practice: The Gutsy Few Chapter 10: Oneida Nation Chapter 11: Butterworth Health System Chapter 12: Marriott Corporation Chapter 13; Commonwealth Energy Chapter 14: Carrier Corporation Conclusion
Library user education under the circumstance of network

Based on the concept of user education, this paper discusses the necessity of user education in library under the circumstance of network, describes the contents and forms of user education and puts forward the problems that should be paid attention to during education. (Library of Qufu Normal University, Shandong 273165, China)
Diagnostics of Gonococcal Infection in Ukraine: Current Challenges in Resource-Constrained Settings

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the compliance of laboratory diagnostics of gonorrhoea in Ukraine with the World Health Organization (WHO) laboratory manual. Materials and Methods A quantitative non-randomised cross-sectional descriptive postal survey was conducted to evaluate the diagnostics of gonorrhoea in sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinics in Ukraine. Results The survey provided data about diagnostics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in STI clinics from 14 regions of Ukraine from January 2013 to September 2014. The clinics performed microscopy, culture, and point-of-care-testing in 100%, 85.7%, and 7.1% of the cases, respectively. None of the respondents had the option of performing nucleic acid amplification tests and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Two regions reported their participation in the collaborative project by WHO on antimicrobial resistance investigation, as national antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance program had not been established in Ukraine. A “three-site testing” (urogenital, pharyngeal, and rectal specimens) in symptomatic heterosexuals was conducted by 25%, “two-site testing” (urogenital and pharyngeal specimens) was conducted by 41.7%, and “one-site testing” (urogenital specimen) was conducted by 33.3% of the respondents. External quality control of laboratory tests for the detection of N. gonorrhoeae was not performed in 50% of the regions in Ukraine. Non-selective culture media for isolation of N. gonorrhoeae and culture media in tubes instead of the recommended Petri dishes were used in 16.7% and 58.3% of the laboratories, respectively. Conclusion Increased adherence to evidence-based WHO and/or nationally adapted management guidelines is essential for monitoring gonorrhoea and preventing antimicrobial resistance of N. gonorrhoeae in Ukraine.
The Study of Sensory Properties of Quasi-Singlemode Fiber

The quasi-singlemode fibers are optical fibers with unique properties, the atypical profile structure allows the simultaneous use of optical fiber as transmission media and sensors, based on the distribution of optical power among several modes. In collaboration with the ASCR UFE was developed a special type of quasi-singlemode fiber SG1005, which is subjected to experimental verification of its theoretical properties in the optical laboratory at the Department of Telecommunications, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava. The article is focused on assessing the impact of mechanical stress in the form of a tension load on the fiber optical power redistribution between modes. Results will be used to further mathematical evaluation.
Detection of pseudouridine modifications and type I/II hypermodifications in human mRNAs using direct, long-read sequencing

Enzyme-mediated chemical modifications to mRNAs have the potential to fine-tune gene expression in response to environmental stimuli. Notably, pseudouridine-modified mRNAs are more resistant to RNase-mediated degradation, more responsive to cellular stress, and have the potential to modulate immunogenicity and enhance translation in vivo . However, the precise biological functions of pseudouridine modification on mRNAs remain unclear due to the lack of sensitive and accurate tools for mapping. We developed a semi-quantitative method for mapping pseudouridylated sites with high confidence directly on mammalian mRNA transcripts via direct RNA, long-read nanopore sequencing. By analysis of a modification-free transcriptome, we demonstrate that the depth of coverage and intrinsic errors associated with specific k-mer sequences are critical parameters for accurate base-calling. We adjust these parameters for high-confidence U-to-C base-calling errors that occur at pseudouridylated sites, which are benchmarked against sites that were identified previously by biochemical methods. We also uncovered new pseudouridylated sites, many of which fall on genes that encode RNA binding proteins and on uridine-rich k-mers. Sites identified by U-to-C base calling error were verified using 1000mer synthetic RNA controls bearing a single pseudouridine in the center position, demonstrating that 1. the U-to-C base-calling error occurs at the site of pseudouridylation, and 2. the basecalling error is systematically under-calling the pseudouridylated sites. High-occupancy sites with >40% U-to-C basecalling error are classified as sites of hyper modification type I, whereas genes with more than one site of pseudouridylation are classified as having type II hyper modification which is confirmed by single-molecule analysis. We report the discovery of mRNAs with up to 7 unique sites of pseudouridine modification. Here we establish an innovative pipeline for direct identification, quantification, and detection of pseudouridine modifications and type I/II hypermodifications on native RNA molecules using long-read sequencing without resorting to RNA amplification, chemical reactions on RNA, enzyme-based replication, or DNA sequencing steps
Near-future levels of pCO2 impact skeletal weights of coral primary polyps (Acropora digitifera)

Ocean acidification poses a severe threat to corals; declines in carbonate ion concentrations caused by increasing atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) can severely impact coral calcification. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the impacts of near-future ocean acidification on corals. In this study, we compared the effects of seawater at present and near-future pCO2 (approximately +200 μatm) levels on skeletal weights of new coral recruits. Experiments were carried out using precisely pCO2-controlled aquaria supplying stable pCO2-controlled seawater in a flow-through system. Our results show that skeletal weights of new coral recruits decreased significantly at +200 μatm pCO2, which is expected to be reached within this century if ocean acidification continues at the present pace.
Detection of the interface between two metals by eddy current thermography

The capability of eddy current thermography in detecting the interface between two (different) metals is investigated numerically. The simulations concern the detection of: (a) the boundary between two halves of a plate, each half made of a different material, and (b) the position and shape of a small region, consisting of a different material than the surrounding one. A simple observation of numerical snapshots (isotherms) gives only a vague indication about the interface; however, the numerical experiment results are improved considerably by data processing techniques, like image subtraction, and the depiction of the norm of the spatial derivatives of: (i) the instantaneous temperature and (ii) the mean value of temperature over a time period. The most effective technique proved to be the latter one, which determines the interface quite clearly, even in the case where the electrical and thermal properties of the two materials are similar. The sharpness of the interface depends on how dissimilar the two materials are, on the number of gradations in the temperature field (a function of the sensitivity of the infrared camera as well as the maximum increase in temperature within the work-piece), on the image update rate and on the time period over which the mean value of temperature is calculated. It depends also on the temperature distribution, which is affected by the exciting frequency. Higher exciting frequencies generate higher heating rates, but this does not ensure sharper images for the interface than those obtained by lower frequencies.
Global Emissions of Perfluorocyclobutane (PFC-318, c-C4F8) Resulting from the Use of Hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22) Feedstock to Produce Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and related Fluorochemicals

Abstract. Emissions of the potent greenhouse gas perfluorocyclobutane (c-C4F8, PFC-318, octafluorocyclobutane) into the global atmosphere inferred from atmospheric measurements have been increasing sharply since the early 2000s. We find that these inferred emissions are highly correlated with the production of hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22, CHClF2) for feedstock (FS) uses, because almost all HCFC-22 FS is pyrolyzed to produce (poly)tetrafluoroethylene ((P)TFE, Teflon) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP), a process in which c-C4F8 is a known by-product, causing a significant fraction of global c-C4F8 emissions. We find a global emission factor of ~0.003 kg c-C4F8 per kg of HCFC-22 FS pyrolyzed. Mitigation of these c-C4F8 emissions, e.g., through process optimization, abatement, or different manufacturing processes, such as electrochemical fluorination, could reduce the climate impact of this industry. While it has been shown that c-C4F8 emissions from developing countries dominate global emissions, more atmospheric measurements and/or detailed process statistics are needed to quantify country to facility level c-C4F8 emissions.
Development of a New Pre-crash Safety System

This paper describes a new pre-crash safety (PCS) system that has been developed which includes an advanced forward collision warning function. The new system is now provided with a driver monitoring sensor that detects the facial direction and degree of eye opening of the driver, and gives warning at an earlier timing only when the vehicle is likely to collide with a forward obstacle and the driver is unaware of its presence. This avoids the problem of providing an unnecessary collision warning to drivers who are driving carefully, thus annoying them. In cases when the driver is not driving with sufficient care and the vehicle is approaching a forward obstacle, an appropriate collision warning is an effective way of avoiding an accident and mitigating the severity of the collision. The authors describe the configuration and functions of the new PCS system that consists of a millimeter wave radar, a PCS electronic control unit (ECU), a seatbelt ECU, a braking control ECU, and a meter ECU. The millimeter wave radar detects vehicles and other potential obstacles based on the position and relative speed of the object. Then the PCS ECU estimates the time to collision based on the detection results. The seatbelt ECU retracts the seatbelts based on this time estimate, the meter ECU indicates warnings in the meter, and the braking control ECU sounds a warning buzzer and controls the brakes. The newly developed PCS system with the driver-monitoring sensor consists of the basic PCS system, augmented by a driver-monitoring sensor with a CCD camera and an image processing ECU. The PCS ECU adjusts the warning buzzer and braking timing based on the information of the facial direction angle, the degree of eye opening, and the estimated time to collision. The PCS system with a driver-monitoring sensor has functions to detect when the driver is not facing ahead or when the driver’s eyes are closed, thus allowing detection of states where the driver is not paying attention to the front. The authors conclude that the newly developed PCS system is expected to prompt the driver to take evasive action, and to mitigate accident damage by increased braking operations whenever a collision is likely to occur.
FGFR1 Overexpression Induces Cancer Cell Stemness and Enhanced Akt/Erk-ER Signaling to Promote Palbociclib Resistance in Luminal A Breast Cancer Cells

Resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDKis) is emerging as a clinical challenge. Identification of the factors contributing to CDKi resistance, with mechanistic insight, is of pivotal significance. Recent studies linked aberrant FGFR signaling to CDKi resistance. However, detailed mechanisms are less clear. Based on control and FGFR1 overexpressing luminal A cell line models, we demonstrated that FGFR1 overexpression rendered the cells resistant to palbociclib. FGFR1 overexpression abolished palbociclib-mediated cell cycle arrest, as well as the attenuated palbociclib-induced inhibition of G1/S transition regulators (pRb, E2F1, and cyclin D3) and factors that promote G2/M transition (cyclin B1, cdc2/CDK1, and cdc25). Importantly, FGFR1-induced palbociclib resistance was associated with promotion of cancer cell stemness and the upregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We found that palbociclib may function as an ER agonist in MCF-7/FGFR1 cells. Upregulation of the ER-mediated transcription in MCF-7/FGFR1 cells was associated with ERα phosphorylation and enhanced receptor tyrosine kinase signaling. The combination of palbociclib with FGFR-targeting AZD4547 resulted in remarkable synergistic effects on MCF-7/FGFR1 cells, especially for the inhibition of cancer cell stemness. Our findings of FGFR1-induced palbociclib resistance, promotion of cancer stem cells and associated molecular changes advance our mechanistic understanding of CDKi resistance, which will facilitate the development of strategies targeting CDKi resistance in breast cancer treatment.
Clean-up progress at the SNL/NM Classified Waste Landfill

The Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM)Environmental Restoration Project is currently excavating the Classified Waste Landfill in Technical Area II, a disposal area for weapon components for approximately 40 years until it closed in 1987. Many different types of classified parts were disposed in unlined trenches and pits throughout the course of the landfill's history. A percentage of the parts contain explosives and/or radioactive components or contamination. The excavation has progressed backward chronologically from the last trenches filled through to the earlier pits. Excavation commenced in March 1998, and approximately 75 percent of the site (as defined by geophysical anomalies) has been completed as of November 1999. The material excavated consists primarily of classified weapon assemblies and related components, so disposition must include demilitarization and sanitization. This has resulted in substantial waste minimization and cost avoidance for the project as upwards of 90 percent of the classified materials are being demilitarized and recycled. The project is using field screening and lab analysis in conjunction with preliminary and in-process risk assessments to characterize soil and make waste determinations in a timely a fashion as possible. Challenges in waste management have prompted the adoption of innovative solutions. The hand-picked crew (both management and field staff) and the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions has ensured the success of the project. The current schedule is to complete excavation in July 2000, with follow-on verification sampling, demilitarization, and waste management activities following.
A systematic approach to SER estimation and solutions

This paper describes a method for estimating Soft Error Rate (SER) and a systematic approach to identifying SER solutions. Having a good SER estimate is the first step in identifying if a problem exists and what measures are necessary to solve the problem. In this paper, a high performance processor is used as the base framework for discussion since it contains most, if not all, commonly used micro-architecture and circuit techniques associated with any state-of-the-art design. The framework provides a guideline for users to follow and to apply appropriate judgment to their particular problem. One major finding in this paper is that latches/flip-flops and combinational logic contribute significantly to the overall chip Failure-In-Time (FIT) rate. We also discuss potential SER techniques to combat this revelation.
How Does Learning Analytics Contribute to Prevent Students' Dropout in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Retention and dropout of higher education students is a subject that must be analysed carefully. Learning analytics can be used to help prevent failure cases. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the scientific production in this area in higher education in journals indexed in Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science and Elsevier’s Scopus. We use a bibliometric and systematic study to obtain deep knowledge of the referred scientific production. The information gathered allows us to perceive where, how, and in what ways learning analytics has been used in the latest years. By analysing studies performed all over the world, we identify what kinds of data and techniques are used to approach the subject. We propose a feature classification into several categories and subcategories, regarding student and external features. Student features can be seen as personal or academic data, while external factors include information about the university, environment, and support offered to the students. To approach the problems, authors successfully use data mining applied to the identified educational data. We also identify some other concerns, such as privacy issues, that need to be considered in the studies.
Impaired ability in visual-spatial attention in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia

Many studies demonstrated that alphabetic language speaking children with developmental dyslexia had a deficit in visual-spatial attention, especially in rapid orienting of the attentional spotlight. Chinese, as a logographic language, is characterized as highly visual-spatial complexity. To date, few studies explored the visual-spatial attention of Chinese children with developmental dyslexia. The present study examined the visual-spatial attention of Chinese children with developmental dyslexia using the visual search task. The results showed that Chinese children with developmental dyslexia had poor performances in conjunction search, indicating that they had a deficit in the rapid orienting of visual-spatial attention. Meanwhile, only the conjunction search was a significant predictor of Chinese characters reading when other variables were controlled. These results indicated that Chinese dyslexic children had a deficit in visual-spatial attention, and visual-spatial attention played a special role in Chinese reading development.
Automatic Bar Line Segmentation

A method that segments the audio according to the position of the bar lines is presented. The method detects musical bars that frequently repeat in different parts of a musical piece by using an audio similarity matrix. The position of each bar line is predicted by using prior information about the position of previous bar lines as well as the estimated bar length. The bar line segmentation method does not depend on the presence of percussive instruments to calculate the bar length. In addition, the alignment of the bars allows moderate tempo deviations.
Development of a risk management system for consumables used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing

Injectable drugs, like those manufactured by the BioPharmOps group of Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG, must conform to strict guidelines for purity and potency. Recent non-conformances of critical supplied consumables have revealed potential business and patient safety risks for biotechnology manufacturers worldwide. As a result, Novartis has launched a program to enhance control systems over all consumables and their suppliers. Within this program, the author has developed a system to identify, analyze, and mitigate the various risks which may impact the business due to non-conformances in supplied consumables. The first function of the system is the identification of key risks and their potential effects according to various failure modes that have been observed during the use of the consumables in production. This is accomplished with a standardized list of possible failure modes which can be applied to all consumables. The categorization allows the relative risk of each failure mode to be compared among consumables. Secondly, the risk of contamination is evaluated using a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) framework. The three dimensions of the FMEA framework are the severity, likelihood, and detectability of a failure. The severity of each failure mode is assessed by analyzing the quantitative and qualitative impact that a failure might have on the purity and potency of the drug. This calculation is based on the properties of each consumable and its use in the production system. The likelihood of failure events is assessed through an analysis of the complexity of the consumable and its supply chain, and a review of the quality systems at the supplier. Detectability analysis considers the tests and inspections in place at various stages including consumable manufacturing, receiving inspection, and in-process tests during drug manufacturing which could detect a non-conformance. The total risk level is evaluated as the product of these three dimensions and a threshold is defined for requiring additional mitigations for these risks. This risk assessment method is implemented in an automated worksheet to ensure consistency among users and efficient analysis. The third outcome of the system is the recommendation of mitigations to reduce total exposure to contamination risk. Mitigations may be internal (new tests and inspections) or implemented at the supplier (improved sampling rates, enhanced general quality systems, or new controls). The recommended mitigations provide guidance for the reduction of risks to an acceptable level, and when implemented, the impact and frequency of non-conformances will be diminished. Ultimately, this reduces Novartis' exposure to potential business loss and protects patients from injury caused by contamination. Thesis Supervisor: Josef Oehmen Title: Research Scientist, MIT Sociotechnical Sciences Research Center Thesis Supervisor: Roy Welsch Title: Eastman Kodak Leaders for Global Operations Professor of Management and Engineering Systems