Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Middle Managers in Becoming Lean: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of the Literature

Aims: Many organizations adopt the Lean management approach to create a culture of continuous improvement (CI), but often fail to accomplish such a change. Previous studies have explained this high failure rate in terms of poor leadership and management, including the role of middle managers. However, the body of knowledge about the role and influence of middle management in Lean CI is underdeveloped and highly dispersed. Some earlier work suggests that middle managers can both enable and hinder CI initiatives, but a systematic overview is missing. This paper provides a systematic review of the literature to develop a mechanism-based framework that explains the success and failure of CI initiatives in which middle managers are key agents. This study therefore aims to develop an evidence-based framework of key aspects of middle management roles in CI practices drawing on Lean. Methodology: We conducted a mechanism-based systematic review of the literature. In total, 203 publications were selected and then reviewed in detail. This review focuses on how middle managers influence the implementation and success/failure of Lean CI initiatives. Results: The review of the literature on CI/Lean and middle management results in two frameworks. Each of these frameworks assumes that top management consistently seeks to implement a particular (archetypical) philosophy of CI/Lean: the first framework assumes an integral management approach and the second one starts from the assumption that a cost-cutting strategy is adopted. Each of these two frameworks in itself reflects some of the key tensions and challenges arising from any CI/Lean change effort, especially for middle managers. In practice, the two conditions may overlap, which creates an additional level of complexity. Overall, our review provides an understanding of the (non)conditions in which continuous improvement initiatives are likely to succeed or fail, and as such also provides a starting point for future research as well as practical work in this area.
Localization of the genes encoding the melanocortin-2 (adrenocorticotropic hormone) and melanocortin-3 receptors to chromosomes 18p11.2 and 20q13.2-q13.3 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and [alpha]-, [beta]-, and [gamma]-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) are products of propiomelanocortin post-translational processing. These compounds are collectively labeled as melanocortins (MC). Aside from their established effects on the regulation of the adrenal cortex (ACTH) and melanocytes ([alpha]-MSH), the melanocortins have been implicated in a broad array of physiological events. Melanocortins mediate their effects through cell membrane receptors belonging to the superfamily of seven transmembrane G-protein-linked receptors. Using the technique of polymerase chain reaction with primers based on conserved areas of the seven transmembrane G-protein-linked receptor family, the authors recently isolated an [open quotes]orphan[close quotes] subfamily of this receptor group. Within the past year, two of these receptors were identified as specific for [alpha]-MSH (MC1) and ACTH (MC2). They have recently described a third melanocortin receptor (MC3) that appears to recognize the core heptapeptide sequence of melanocortins with equal potency and efficacy and identified its presence in the brain, placenta, and gut. Using the FISH technique, they localized the ACTH and the melanocortin-3 receptors to chromosome loci 18p11.2 and 20q12.3-q13.2, respectively. 19 refs., 1 fig.
Chapter 7 Competition , a Major Factor Structuring Seaweed Communities

Competition for shared resources has long been viewed as an important structuring agent in natural communities (Gause 1934; Strong 1980). Generally defined as the simultaneous use of limited resources by two or more organisms, competition can negatively impact population growth rates and influence community-level processes such as predation and/or how species respond to disturbances (Roughgarden 1979). This can occur between individuals of the same species or among individuals of different species. Early mathematical models such as those posed by Lotka (1925) and Volterra (1926) and later demonstrated by Gause (1934) suggest that when competition between two species is asymmetrical, one species will eventually drive the other to local extinction in their “struggle for existence. ” However, these models do not include the effects of other factors (e.g., predation, herbivory, environmental heterogeneity, or extreme environmental conditions) which often mediate the strength and outcome of competitive interactions (reviewed in Olson and Lubchenco 1990). In fact, even though two species rely on a shared resource, they may not compete if that resource is not limited or if the effects of other factors such as grazing or disturbances are substantially greater. However, when the shared resource is limited and competition for it is strong relative to other factors, the outcome of competition may vary as a function of both interand intraspecific interactions (Creese and Underwood 1982), especially as they relate to each species’ own carrying capacity. Here, one species may drive
Developing system supplier capability by integrating knowledge with customers

As large corporations outsource parts of their manufacturing and services, many small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) suppliers are expected to deepen their capabilities and take on the role of system suppliers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how knowledge integration with customers may help a SME develop system supplier capabilities. The study is based on a deep longitudinal case study of a SME manufacturer and focuses on continuous development capability as one of the core system supplier capabilities. The results show that knowledge integration (KI) with customers is an effective means to build system capability but that this is a stepwise process. The study identifies three levels of KI with customers: unidirectional knowledge transfer, mutual knowledge exchange and full-range knowledge integration. The analysis further indicates that each level of KI requires specific supplier capabilities.
DIFFUSE DEGENERATION OF THE CEREBRAL WHITE MATTER IN SEVERE DEMENTIA FOLLOWING HEAD INJURY

This paper reports the findings in the brains of five patients who' survived a closed head injury in a more or less decerebrate and extremely demented state, for five to 15 months. These cases were selected from a series of patients who died after prolonged coma or other severe disturbances of consciousness following head injury. Both clinically and pathologically they form a distinct group. The head injuries were uncomplicated, that is, there were no fractures of the skull, no intracranial haematomata or lacerations of the brain, and in particular there was no evidence of raised intracranial pressure at any time, yet the patients remained quadriparetic and almost totally unresponsive from the time of the accident. Pathologically the main finding, and one unsuspected from naked-eye appearances, was a diffuse degeneration of the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres. Few pathological reports of patients with such a degree of post-traumatic dementia have appeared in the literature, partly due no doubt to the fact that until relatively recently few patients with such severe head injuries survived the acute stage. As far as I know only one of the reported cases, that of Rosenblath in 1899, showed extensive degeneration of the white matter, similar to that in our cases, in a patient who survived a closed head injury in a " sleep-like" state for eight months. Since the findings in our five cases are so similar, a detailed description of the histology and distribution of the lesions will only be given for Case 1.
Facteur d'échelle visuelle pour la restitution de la perception de vitesse en simulation de conduite automobile. (Visual scale factor for speed perception rendering in car driving simulation)

Percevoir sa vitesse est une tâche importante que le conducteur doit realiser constamment pendant la conduite pour controler son vehicule. Il apparait que plusieurs facteurs ont une influence sur la perception de la vitesse : la hauteur du point de vue, le champ de vision, le realisme de l'environnement, mais aussi le realisme des restitutions sonores et proprioceptives. Si certains simulateurs de conduite automobile sont suffisamment performants pour restituer le mouvement de facon satisfaisante selon tous ces criteres, ce n'est pas forcement le cas de tous. Il en resulte alors une perception de la vitesse souvent sous-estimee, qui se traduit par une vitesse de conduite plus elevee que celle en conduite reelle. La validite perceptive du simulateur de conduite n'est alors plus suffisante pour certaines etudes de comportement du conducteur. Pour tenter de resoudre ce probleme, une technique a recemment vu le jour, consistant a modifier le champ de vision geometrique tout en gardant un champ de vision constant. C'est cette technique, quantifiee par un indice defini comme un facteur d'echelle visuelle, qui est etudiee de facon plus approfondie au cours de cette these. Nous avons notamment etudie comment ce facteur d'echelle visuelle influence la perception de la vitesse et avons determine la relation lineaire qui existe entre le changement de vitesse percue et le facteur d'echelle visuelle utilise. Nous avons ensuite determine dans quelle mesure il etait possible de modifier dynamiquement ce facteur d'echelle visuelle afin de l'adapter au mieux en fonction des besoins de la simulation. Les experimentations presentees ici ont toutes ete menees sur le simulateur de conduite dynamique SAAM, dont la conception, la realisation et le reglage ont ete effectues dans le cadre de cette these.
Global Identification of Targets of the Arabidopsis MADS Domain Protein AGAMOUS-Like15[C][W]

AGAMOUS-Like15 (AGL15) is a MADS domain transcriptional regulator that promotes somatic embryogenesis by binding DNA and regulating gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis previously identified DNA fragments with which AGL15 associates in vivo, and a low-throughput approach revealed a role for AGL15 in gibberellic acid catabolism that is relevant to embryogenesis. However, higher throughput methods are needed to identify targets of AGL15. Here, we mapped AGL15 in vivo binding sites using a ChIP-chip approach and the Affymetrix tiling arrays for Arabidopsis thaliana and found that ∼2000 sites represented in three biological replicates of the experiment are annotated to nearby genes. These results were combined with high-throughput measurement of gene expression in response to AGL15 accumulation to discriminate responsive direct targets from those further downstream in the network. LEAFY COTYLEDON2, FUSCA3, and ABA INSENSITIVE3, which encode B3 domain transcription factors that are key regulators of embryogenesis, were identified and verified as direct target genes of AGL15. Genes identified as targets of the B3 genes are also targets of AGL15, and we found that INDOLEACETIC ACID-INDUCED PROTEIN30 is involved in promotion of somatic embryo development. The data presented here and elsewhere suggest that much cross-regulation occurs in gene regulatory networks underpinning embryogenesis.
Isothermal cross‐priming amplification implementation study

Cross‐priming amplification (CPA) was evaluated for the early detection of norovirus (NV), rotavirus A (RV‐A), enteric adenovirus (EAdV) and astrovirus (AstV). The analytical sensitivity of the CPA assay was 103 copies ml−1 for NV, RV‐A and AstV detection and 104 copies ml−1 for EAdV detection. For each of the four pathogens, the positive detection rate by CPA was similar to real‐time PCR methods and higher than the rate observed in an ELISA. The detection coincidence rates of CPA and RT‐PCR for NV, RV‐A, EAdV and AstV were 98, 99, 99 and 100%, respectively. All CPA assays were negative in 89 healthy control samples. These results demonstrate the high analytical sensitivity and specificity of the CPA assay. CPA assays are relatively straightforward to perform, and such assays represent a potential detection method for locations in which resources are limited.
An outbreak of hepatitis A associated with green onions.

BACKGROUND In November 2003, a large hepatitis A outbreak was identified among patrons of a single Pennsylvania restaurant. We investigated the cause of the outbreak and factors that contributed to its unprecedented size. METHODS Demographic and clinical outcome data were collected from patients with laboratory confirmation of hepatitis A, and restaurant workers were tested for hepatitis A. A case-control study was conducted among patrons who dined at the restaurant between October 3 and October 6, 2003. Sequence analysis was performed on a 315-nucleotide region of viral RNA extracted from serum specimens. RESULTS Of 601 patients identified, 3 died; at least 124 were hospitalized. Of 425 patients who recalled a single dining date at the restaurant, 356 (84 percent) had dined there between October 3 and October 6. Among 240 patients in the case-control study, 218 had eaten mild salsa (91 percent), as compared with 45 of 130 controls (35 percent) (odds ratio, 19.6; 95 percent confidence interval, 11.0 to 34.9) for whom data were available. A total of 98 percent of patients and 58 percent of controls reported having eaten a menu item containing green onions (odds ratio, 33.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 12.8 to 86.2). All restaurant workers were tested, but none were identified who could have been the source of the outbreak. Sequences of hepatitis A virus from all 170 patients who were tested were identical. Mild salsa, which contained green onions grown in Mexico, was prepared in large batches at the restaurant and provided to all patrons. CONCLUSIONS Green onions that were apparently contaminated before arrival at the restaurant caused this unusually large foodborne outbreak of hepatitis A. The inclusion of contaminated green onions in large batches that were served to all customers contributed to the size of the outbreak.
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Interactions of Oral Midazolam with Ketoconazole, Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine, and Nefazodone

The objective of this study was to investigate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between midazolam and fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, nefazodone, and ketoconazole. Forty healthy subjects were randomized to receive one of the four study drugs for 12 days in a parallel study design: fluoxetine 60 mg per day for 5 days, followed by 20 mg per day for 7 days; fluvoxamine titrated to a daily dose of 200 mg; nefazodone titrated to a daily dose of 400 mg; or ketoconazole 200 mg per day. All 40 subjects received oral midazolam solution before and after the 12‐day study drug regimen. Blood samples for determination of midazolam concentrations were drawn for 24 hours after each midazolam dose and used for the calculation of pharmacokinetic parameters. The effects of the study drugs on midazolam pharmacodynamics were assessed using the symbol digit modalities test (SDMT). The mean area under the curve (AUC) for midazolam was increased 771.9% by ketoconazole and 444.0% by nefazodone administration. However, there was no significant change in midazolam AUC as a result of fluoxetine (13.4% decrease) and a statistical trend for fluvoxamine (66.1% increase) administration. Pharmacodynamic data are consistent with pharmacokinetic data indicating that nefazodone and ketoconazole resulted in significant increases in midazolam‐related cognition impairment. The significant impairment in subjects' cognitive function reflects the changes in midazolam clearance after treatment with ketoconazole and nefazodone. These results suggest that caution with the use of midazolam is warranted with potent CYP3A4 inhibitors.
Drinking and Its Burden in a Global Perspective: Policy Considerations and Options

Aims: To identify the policy implications of the magnitude and characteristics of alcohol consumption and problems, viewed globally, and to summarize conclusions on the effectiveness of the strategies available to policymakers concerned with reducing rates of alcohol problems. Design/Methods/Setting: This summative article draws on the findings of the articles preceding it and of reviews of the literature. Findings and Conclusions: Overall volume of consumption is the major factor in the prevalence of harms from drinking. Since consumption and associated problems tend to increase with economic development, policymakers in developing economies should be especially aware of the need to develop policies to minimize overall increases in alcohol consumption. Unrecorded consumption is also an important consideration for policy in many parts of the world, and poses difficulties for alcohol control policies. Drinking pattern is also an important contributing factor toward alcohol-related harm. Although some drinking patterns have been shown to produce beneficial health effects, because the net effect of alcohol on coronary disease is negative in most parts of the world, policies that promote abstinence or lower drinking overall may be the safest options. Moreover, sporadic intoxication is common in many parts of the world, and policies are unlikely to change this drinking pattern at least in the short to medium term. At the same time, because injuries comprise a large proportion of the burden of alcohol, it is appropriate to enhance these policies with targeted harm reduction strategies such as drinking and driving countermeasures and interventions focused on reducing alcohol-related violence in specific high-risk settings. Alcohol consumption is a major factor for the global burden of disease and should be considered a public health priority globally, regionally, and nationally for the vast majority of countries in the world. The need for alcohol policy is even stronger when it is taken into consideration that the burden of alcohol estimated in the WHO Global Burden of Disease project includes primarily health problems related to drinking. From the limited evidence available, however, social problems related to drinking seem to impose at least as much burden. Moreover, the burden for both social and health harms fall not only on the drinker, but also on others. There is a broad literature on policy interventions to reduce alcohol problems. Effective strategies include controls over distribution and sale, taxation, drinking-driving countermeasures, brief interventions by health workers or counselors, and selected harm reduction measures. There is a need to develop the growing literature on comparative evaluations of cost-effectiveness of such strategies. In addition, international agreements are needed to support the effectiveness of national strategies.
Rethinking Business Segmentation: A New Conceptual Model and Perspective

Segmenting business markets is challenging but potentially highly rewarding. An in-depth understanding of how to segment markets is necessary to guide the best decisions leading to profitable targeting. Business markets are rapidly changing due to new technology and a more complex business environment. Current segmentation frameworks are not sufficient to guide business-to-business (B2B), business-to-business-to-business (B2B2B) and business-to-business-to consumer (B2B2C). This paper introduces a new six-cell business market segmentation conceptual model building on two key dimensions -- product use by intermediaries and product standardization.
Analysis of VOC (Voice of Customer) data for assessing corporate image of a housing equipment company

Abstract—A housing equipment company under consideration typically receives about 110000 phone calls per month at three call centers. The resulting data, called VOC data, involve a variety of contents including complaints about products, requests for product information and questions about maintenance services. In this paper, we analyze the VOC data for the month of March 2015, through text mining combined with other data mining techniques, so as to assess the corporate image of the company collectively perceived by the callers. Focusing on calls related to toilets, bath modules, sash windows and bathroom sinks and further eliminating meaningless data such as sentences too short, 22838 calls are extracted for the study. Then 1956 calls are chosen at random, each of which is evaluated by three people along the following binary axes: 1) sales potential; 2) negative attitude; and 3) urgency. Using 1304 calls as a learning data set and the remaining 652 calls as a testing data set, an algorithmic procedure is developed for establishing a special dictionary and quantifying the three scores of each call. The procedure is applied to the entire VOC data, thereby enabling one to capture the corporate image of the company represented by the VOC data.
A New Trend in Urban Housing: Gated Communities in Khartoum, Sudan

Gated communities have spread extensively in both developed and undeveloped countries. Yet they have become an issue of concern among researchers and decision makers during the last three decades. The appearance of gated communities in Sudan goes back to the year 2003. Since then they have developed more rapidly and immediately they covered almost twenty sites in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The purpose of this paper is to trace the development of gated communities in Khartoum and investigate its suitability and sustainability for urban housing. The overall objective of this study is to reveal the major driving force behind the spread of gated communities in a country like Sudan, where independent residential units and flat houses were the dominant character in the past. A case study approach has been adopted and both primary and secondary data were applied to accomplish the aims of this study. The paper has come out with that seeking for better basic services and feeling the sense of prestige have forced wealthy people to prefer living in gated communities. Not denying the role of security in such choice, but the social tie of the Sudanese community and the special nature of gated communities make it just a sense rather than anything else. Moreover, having gated communities in a country where almost half of its population is living under the poverty line have affected negatively on the social fabric of Sudanese community. Hiding behind the wall implies that outside is not safe and lack of better amenities. The paper also showed that the sustainability of gated communities in Sudan is in danger. This due to the facts that gated communities have been developed by the private sector as a matter of investment and business rather than respond to the real need for housing. Therefore, most of the Sudanese, especially the youth do not consider gated communities as suitable housing for their lifestyle, needs and wants. Planners should carefully consider the demand for the real type housing and have to formulate regulations to avoid the negative consequences if people prefer gated housing. The paper has contributed to the ongoing debate on urban housing and open rooms for more research on gated communities, particularly in Sudan, where there is a lack of literature on such subject.