Approach for the development and application of target process module sets

The implementation of agile frameworks, such as SAFe, in large companies causes conflicts between the overall product development process with a rigid linkage to the calendar cycles and the continuous agile project planning. To resolve these conflicts, adaptive processes can be used to support the creation of realistic target-processes, i.e. project plans, while stabilizing process quality and simplifying process management. This enables the usage of standardisation methods and module sets for design processes. The objective of this contribution is to support project managers to create realistic target-processes through the usage of target-process module sets. These target-process module sets also aim to stabilize process quality and to simplify process management. This contribution provides an approach for the development and application of target-process module sets, in accordance to previously gathered requirements and evaluates the approach within a case study with project managers at AUDI AG (N=21) and an interview study with process authors (N=4) from three different companies

METHOD for the IDENTIFICATION of REQUIREMENTS for DESIGNING REFERENCE PROCESSES

A reference process should consider to the needs and behaviours of the process users, as well as all relevant restrictions and boundary conditions within the company and its environment. Therefore, this contribution provides a method to synthesize relevant requirements on reference processes and supports the consideration of these requirements during the design of a new, company-specific reference process based on meta-models. The developed method was used to design a reference process for automotive predevelopment projects and its applicability and usefulness was evaluated successfully

Selective Detection of NADPH Oxidase in Polymorphonuclear Cells by Means of NAD(P)H-Based Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging

NADPH oxidase (NOX2) is a multisubunit membrane-bound enzyme complex that, upon assembly in activated cells, catalyses the reduction of free oxygen to its superoxide anion, which further leads to reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are toxic to invading pathogens, for example, the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) employ both nonoxidative and oxidative mechanisms to clear this fungus from the lung. The oxidative mechanisms mainly depend on the proper assembly and function of NOX2. We identified for the first time the NAD(P)H-dependent enzymes involved in such oxidative mechanisms by means of biexponential NAD(P)H-fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM). A specific fluorescence lifetime of 3670±140 picoseconds as compared to 1870 picoseconds for NAD(P)H bound to mitochondrial enzymes could be associated with NADPH bound to oxidative enzymes in activated PMNs. Due to its predominance in PMNs and due to the use of selective activators and inhibitors, we strongly believe that this specific lifetime mainly originates from NOX2. Our experiments also revealed the high site specificity of the NOX2 assembly and, thus, of the ROS production as well as the dynamic nature of these phenomena. On the example of NADPH oxidase, we demonstrate the potential of NAD(P)H-based FLIM in selectively investigating enzymes during their cellular function

Structure of strongly coupled, multi-component plasmas

We investigate the short-range structure in strongly coupled fluidlike plasmas using the hypernetted chain approach generalized to multicomponent systems. Good agreement with numerical simulations validates this method for the parameters considered. We found a strong mutual impact on the spatial arrangement for systems with multiple ion species which is most clearly pronounced in the static structure factor. Quantum pseudopotentials were used to mimic diffraction and exchange effects in dense electron-ion systems. We demonstrate that the different kinds of pseudopotentials proposed lead to large differences in both the pair distributions and structure factors. Large discrepancies were also found in the predicted ion feature of the x-ray scattering signal, illustrating the need for comparison with full quantum calculations or experimental verification

Pinning the catalytic centre: A new concept for catalysts development

A new concept for the development of catalysts is introduced. Utilizing ordered Pd-Ga intermetallic compounds high selectivity and long-term stability in the acetylene hydrogenation can be achieved. The high selectivity observed for all compounds (Pd3Ga7, PdGa, Pd2Ga) indicates that not only the surface geometric site isolation but also the suppression of hydride formation through a covalent bonding interaction absent in conventional Pd alloys are important for achieving superior catalytic properties. Our results demonstrate that structurally well-defined intermetallic compounds exhibit a high potential in heterogeneous catalysis and are promising candidates for industrial applications

Right place. Right time. Right tool: guidance for using target analysis to increase the likelihood of invasive species detection

In response to the National Invasive Species Council’s 2016–2018 Management Plan, this paper provides guidance on applying target analysis as part of a comprehensive framework for the early detection of and rapid response to invasive species (EDRR). Target analysis is a strategic approach for detecting one or more invasive species at a specific locality and time, using a particular method and/or technology(ies). Target analyses, which are employed across a wide range of disciplines, are intended to increase the likelihood of detection of a known target in order to maximize survey effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Although target analyses are not yet a standard approach to invasive species management, some federal agencies are employing target analyses in principle and/or in part to improve EDRR capacities. These initiatives can provide a foundation for a more standardized and comprehensive approach to target analyses. Guidance is provided for improving computational information. Federal agencies and their partners would benefit from a concerted effort to collect the information necessary to perform rigorous target analyses and make it available through open access platforms

Analysis of silica-supported vanadia by X-ray absorption spectroscopy: Combined theoretical and experimental studies

In this study we combine density-functional theory (DFT) calculations on oxygen core excitations in vanadia-silica model clusters with in situ X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) measurements near the oxygen K-edge of vanadia model catalysts supported by silica SBA-15 in order to analyze structural details of the vanadia species. The silica support is found to contribute to the NEXAFS spectrum in an energy range well above that of the vanadium oxide units allowing a clear separation between the corresponding contributions. Further, differently coordinated oxygen which is characteristic for particular vanadia species, monomeric or non-monomeric, can be identified in the theoretical spectra consistent with the oxygen K-edge NEXAFS measurements. The comparison of the theoretical and experimental NEXAFS spectra provides clear evidence that under in situ conditions different molecular vanadia species, in particular non-monomeric VxOy, exist at the catalyst surface and the exclusive presence of monomeric vanadia groups can be ruled out. The present analysis goes beyond earlier work applying vibrational spectroscopy to the present systems where, as a result of extended vibrational coupling, a separation between vanadia, silica, and interface contributions was less successful