Developing professional recognition of systems thinking in practice: an interim report

The interim report on developing a competency framework for systems thinking in practice (STiP) provides a step towards possibly developing professional recognition of STiP. The report provides feedback to initial co-respondents involved with phase 1 of this wider inquiry, and provides a platform to a wider audience for initiating a second phase of the inquiry. The phase 1 study had the following objectives: 1. To scope relevant examples of work aimed at giving professional recognition to systems thinking 2. To capture some perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the task of giving profession recognition to systems thinking. Phase 2 of the wider inquiry aims to firstly consolidate the findings from phase 1 but also to focus more on moves towards collaborative modelling of a STiP competency framework. The research is carried out by members of the Applied Systems Thinking in Practice (ASTiP) Group at The Open University (UK) with funding from OU eSTEeM (OU Centre for STEM Pedagogy). The research team for phase 1 comprised of Rupesh Shah (Associate Lecturer), who carried out the core research activities, in collaboration with Martin Reynolds (Senior Lecturer) who is overseeing both phases of the wider inquiry, including support for reporting on research outcomes. The findings reported in sections 4, 5 and 6 remain largely unrefined and in sketch (bullet) form at this interim stage of reporting. The interim report comprises a brief background to the wider inquiry before outlining the approach taken to the phase 1 study. The findings are reported in relation to each of the two study objectives. Three themes arising from the study as identified by Rupesh are then discussed. Finally, some concluding ideas are presented for taking forward the outcomes from this study towards a second phase of the inquiry

Researching capability development: developing systems thinking in practice capabilities

An overview of three projects since 2014 each funded by the Open University Centre for STEM Pedagogy (eSTEeM) exploring the development of systems thinking in practice (STiP) capabilities as distinct from competencies and capacities. The overview is part of a one-day symposium orchestrated by the Citizenship and Governance SRA (strategic research area) and the Applied Systems Thinking in Practice (ASTiP) Group on the theme of 'governing complexity: developing appropriate praxis with citizens and organisations'. The symposium provided the opportunity for formally launch the third of these projects

Framing systems thinking in practice competencies: report on systems thinking in practice competencies workshop 10 June 2017

On 10 June 2017, fourteen stakeholders from across the UK came together in Camden, London to engage in a collaborative inquiry on the framing of Systems Thinking in Practice (STiP) competencies as part of ongoing work that seeks to better support professional and institutional recognition of STiP skill-sets and capabilities. Phase 1 of this current inquiry comprised a series of online conversations with six prominent systems thinking practitioners. Phase 2 sought to extend the inquiry with a selective invitation to engage with a one-day workshop in London. Phase 3 will seek to deepen and widen the conversations on framing STiP competencies and capabilities with a view towards developing and enacting a platform for managing systems thinking in practice capabilities through ongoing development of competency frameworks associated with STiP. During the workshop reported on in this paper, stakeholders examined several existing and emerging competency frameworks in the systems thinking domain and explored issues of mutual interest and concern, whilst envisaging how to co-operate over the framing and enactment of competencies and capabilities in STiP

Framing professional competencies for systems thinking in practice: final report of an action research eSTEeM inquiry

The Open University eSTEeM project (The OU Centre for STEM Pedagogy) was a 12-month inquiry beginning March 2017 building on an initial eSTEeM project (2014-2016) entitled ‘Enhancing Systems Thinking in Practice in the Workplace’ reported on in Reynolds et al (2016). The initial report highlighted the challenges of enacting systems thinking in practice (STiP) in the workplace after qualifying with STiP core modules at The OU. Expressions of interest were manifest amongst systems thinking practitioners and employers for having some kind of formalised externally validated ‘competency framework’ for professional recognition of systems thinking in practice. The primary aim of the inquiry was to provide STiP alumni with externally recognised institutionalised professional backing for their newly acquired skill-sets associated with systems thinking. The project aimed to design a learning system – through the idea of an action learning lab – for developing a competency framework associated with systems thinking in practice. The project was carried out by a core team of three academics – Reynolds, Shah, and van Ameijde, associated with the Applied Systems Thinking in Practice (ASTiP) Group in the School of Engineering and Innovation, along with advice and support from other ASTiP colleagues – most notably Ray Ison and Chris Blackmore. The inquiry comprised some desktop research on competency framings, a series of online interviews, the drafting of an interim report, a video recording of employee/ employer interaction regarding application of STiP competencies in the workplace, a workshop held in London Regional Office in June 2017, and follow-up reporting and conversations arising from the workshop. One significant outcome from this activity led to ideas and consultations with Employer representatives, professional bodies and the Institute for Apprenticeships to initiate a Trailblazing Committee for a new Systems Thinking Practitioner apprenticeship Standard

Beyond employability: a more radical role for Higher Education in developing workplace capabilities

The relationship between higher education and the workplace might be imagined from two contrasting views – an employability viewpoint, and a workplace capability viewpoint. The employability viewpoint regards higher education institutions (HEIs) as one of many providers of training for enabling working people (principally employees) to enhance career progression whilst simultaneously enhancing economic performance as set and measured by external bodies (principally host employers and/or professional bodies). Alternatively, the workplace capability viewpoint, regards HEIs as providers of ongoing learning that transform workplace practices both at individual and institutional levels. Contrasting these two systems of HE support can identify opportunities and constraints for a more productive interface with the workplace. The two viewpoints have emerged from a series of three successive projects carried out since 2014 by academics, alumni and employers associated with the Applied Systems Thinking in Practice (ASTiP) group at the Open University. The third and current project entitled Changing the way the game is played: Transforming PG Curriculum praxis and workplace capabilities focuses on two orders of support – (i) curriculum support for developing workplace capabilities, and (ii) capabilities to support curriculum development. The paper explores some significant opportunities and constraints towards a capabilities approach for promoting wider social wellbeing

STUDY OF CHEDANA KARMA IN SURGICAL PRACTICE

Chedana Karma is the foremost surgical procedure. It is needed to study and update the principles of Chedana Karma. Chedana is the foremost procedure adopted in surgical practice. All the Brihat-trayees have given prime importance to Chedana Karma and have explained it in various contexts. The term Chedana in Ayurvedic classical texts and the term ‘excision’ used in modern surgical textbooks are having same meaning. While exploring the surgical disorders explained under the indications of Chedana Karma and excision, many of the days are missing under the list of indications. However Sushruta while enumerating the name of the diseases and their management has given scope to the surgeons to add as well as to redesignate the disorders by using their knowledge.Objective is to study the concept of Chedana Karma in detail and evaluate its role in surgical practice. 10 different surgical excisional procedures are observed regarding their clinical features and compared with the conditions explained by Sushruta. The conditions told by Sushruta are found in varying numbers but not a single disease without them.Chedana and excision are synonymous. Features mentioned by Sushruta bear importance as they cover all the surgical diseases indicated for excision. Conditions of Apaka, Kathinya, Sthirata and Kotha explain all the possible indications for excision in any disease. The principles of Chedana Karma are studied thoroughly and comparison is done with the principles of excision by reviewing the literatures in Ayurveda as well as modern textbooks of surgery

Numerical Optimization of a Premixer for an Internal Combustion Engine using Producer Gas as a Fuel

269-275Gasification seems to be one of the sustainable green energy solutions to fulfill the current and future energy needs. For efficient utilization of producer gas on existing IC Engines, carburetor/premixer needs to be carefully designed and developed to achieve uniform mixing quality. A long radius nozzle type premixer has been designed for natural gas engine to be operated on producer gas as an alternate fuel. Different configurations of T – Type premixers with single air entry and twin air entry with different throat diameters and hole sizes are numerically analysed using ANSYS® CFX. Turbulence is modelled using RNG k - ε closure model. Mixer performance is compared in terms of constituents’ mass fraction, flow Uniformity Index (UI) and pressure penalty. Numerical analysis reveals that throat diameter, air entry type and air hole diameter governs mixing and pressure drop. Out of all configurations, twin air entry type premixer provides better mixing of producer gas and air. The optimized design of premixer shows that the absolute deviation in mass fraction of individual constituent lies in the range of ± 1.73% with respect to the actual mass fractions obtained. The average absolute deviation calculated is 1.37% with Uniformity Index 0.958 at the exit plane while the pressure drop across the premixer is 951 Pa

A First-Generation Multi-Functional Cytokine for Simultaneous Optical Tracking and Tumor Therapy

Creating new molecules that simultaneously enhance tumor cell killing and permit diagnostic tracking is vital to overcoming the limitations rendering current therapeutic regimens for terminal cancers ineffective. Accordingly, we investigated the efficacy of an innovative new multi-functional targeted anti-cancer molecule, SM7L, using models of the lethal brain tumor Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Designed using predictive computer modeling, SM7L incorporates the therapeutic activity of the promising anti-tumor cytokine MDA-7/IL-24, an enhanced secretory domain, and diagnostic domain for non-invasive tracking. In vitro assays revealed the diagnostic domain of SM7L produced robust photon emission, while the therapeutic domain showed marked anti-tumor efficacy and significant modulation of p38MAPK and ERK pathways. In vivo, the unique multi-functional nature of SM7L allowed simultaneous real-time monitoring of both SM7L delivery and anti-tumor efficacy. Utilizing engineered stem cells as novel delivery vehicles for SM7L therapy (SC-SM7L), we demonstrate that SC-SM7L significantly improved pharmacokinetics and attenuated progression of established peripheral and intracranial human GBM xenografts. Furthermore, SC-SM7L anti-tumor efficacy was augmented in vitro and in vivo by concurrent activation of caspase-mediated apoptosis induced by adjuvant SC-mediated S-TRAIL delivery. Collectively, these studies define a promising new approach to treating highly aggressive cancers, including GBM, using the optimized therapeutic molecule SM7L

A multi-targeted approach to suppress tumor-promoting inflammation

Cancers harbor significant genetic heterogeneity and patterns of relapse following many therapies are due to evolved resistance to treatment. While efforts have been made to combine targeted therapies, significant levels of toxicity have stymied efforts to effectively treat cancer with multi-drug combinations using currently approved therapeutics. We discuss the relationship between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer as part of a larger effort to develop a broad-spectrum therapeutic approach aimed at a wide range of targets to address this heterogeneity. Specifically, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, protein kinase B, and CXC chemokines are reviewed as important antiinflammatory targets while curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, lycopene, and anthocyanins are reviewed as low-cost, low toxicity means by which these targets might all be reached simultaneously. Future translational work will need to assess the resulting synergies of rationally designed antiinflammatory mixtures (employing low-toxicity constituents), and then combine this with similar approaches targeting the most important pathways across the range of cancer hallmark phenotypes