A language for information commerce processes

Automatizing information commerce requires languages to represent the typical information commerce processes. Existing languages and standards cover either only very specific types of business models or are too general to capture in a concise way the specific properties of information commerce processes. We introduce a language that is specifically designed for information commerce. It can be directly used for the implementation of the processes and communication required in information commerce. It allows to cover existing business models that are known either from standard proposals or existing information commerce applications on the Internet. The language has a concise logical semantics. In this paper we present the language concepts and an implementation architecture

Template assisted surface micro microstructuring of flowable dental composites and its effect on the microbial adhesion properties

Despite their various advantages, such as good esthetic properties, absence of mercury and adhesive bonding to teeth, modern dental composites still have some drawbacks, e.g., a relatively high rate of secondary caries on teeth filled with composite materials. Recent research suggests that microstructured biomaterials surfaces may reduce microbial adhesion to materials due to unfavorable physical material–microbe interactions. The objectives of this study were, therefore, to test the hypotheses that (i) different surface microstructures can be created on composites by a novel straightforward approach potentially suitable for clinical application and (ii) that these surface structures have a statistically significant effect on microbial adhesion properties.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Descrizione e gestione di workflow documentali con una appplicazione basata su XML

Abstract available in italian onlyI sistemi di workflow coordinano tutte le operazioni che riguardano l\u27elaborazione e la trasmissione dei documenti, specificando le attivit? ed i ruoli di tutti gli appartenenti al processo di lavoro. Un document workflow segue un documento durante tutto il suo ciclo di vita, fornendo un\u27azione di controllo costante per la sua compilazione. Nello studio presentato si cerca di far luce sulle varie problematiche che sorgono quando si descrivono iter documentali. A tale proposito viene definito un modello concettuale che permette di descrivere in maniera dettagliata un iter documentale e tutte le attivit? che si possono effettuare sul documento. Per sviluppare il modello si ? scelto di adottare la tecnologia XML, sia per strutturare i documenti che tutte le informazioni relative al flusso. Come agente si ? intesa una qualsiasi entit?, sia umana che software, capace di interagire con il documento, mentre con flusso di documenti si ? inteso tutti i possibili percorsi che il documento stesso segue nel suo ciclo di vita, passando da un agente all\u27altro. Il flusso documentale viene descritto tramite un linguaggio dichiarativo attraverso l\u27elencazione di tutti gli agenti che partecipano al flusso, specificando tutte le operazioni che ogni agente pu? svolgere sull\u27istanza del documento. I documenti elaborati dai vari agenti hanno una struttura definita da uno schema XML e sono accompagnati per tutto il loro ciclo di vita da altri documenti, che contengono informazioni sul flusso, sui vincoli e sulla visualizzazione dei dati. Una particolare enfasi ? data ai problemi relativi alla fusione di due o pi? documenti compilati da molteplici agenti in maniera concorrente. Per quanto concerne la progettazione di un sistema di gestione di workflow documentali, sono due le soluzioni architetturali analizzate: quella centralizzata e quella distribuita. Al fine di rappresentare graficamente i documenti da elaborare si utilizza il browser XSmiles, in grado di visualizzare documenti Xhtml con all\u27interno moduli XForms. Adoperando tecniche innovative, come XML-Signature, sono stati presi in esame tutti gli aspetti legati alla firma dei documenti modificati dagli agenti

Transmitter localization in vessel-like diffusive channels using ring-shaped molecular receivers

© 2018 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.Molecular communication via diffusion in vessellike environment targets critical applications such as detection of abnormal and unhealthy cells. In this work, we derive the analytical formulation of the channel model for diffusion dominated movement, considering ring-shaped (i.e., patch) observing receivers and Poiseuille flow with the aim of localization of the transmitter cell. Then, we derive formulations using this channel model for two different application scenarios. We assume that the emission start time is known in the first scenario, and unknown in the second one. We successfully localize the transmitter cell using a single receiver for the first scenario, whereas two receivers are used to localize the transmitter cell in the second scenario. Lastly, the devised analytical framework is validated with simulations.Postprint (author's final draft

Cosmic-ray acceleration at collisionless astrophysical shocks using Monte-Carlo simulations

Context. The diffusive shock acceleration mechanism has been widely accepted as the acceleration mechanism for galactic cosmic rays. While self-consistent hybrid simulations have shown how power-law spectra are produced, detailed information on the interplay of diffusive particle motion and the turbulent electromagnetic fields responsible for repeated shock crossings are still elusive. Aims. The framework of test-particle theory is applied to investigate the effect of diffusive shock acceleration by inspecting the obtained cosmic-ray energy spectra. The resulting energy spectra can be obtained this way from the particle motion and, depending on the prescribed turbulence model, the influence of stochastic acceleration through plasma waves can be studied. Methods. A numerical Monte-Carlo simulation code is extended to include collisionless shock waves. This allows one to trace the trajectories of test particle while they are being accelerated. In addition, the diffusion coefficients can be obtained directly from the particle motion, which allows for a detailed understanding of the acceleration process. Results. The classic result of an energy spectrum with $E^{-2}$ is only reproduced for parallel shocks, while, for all other cases, the energy spectral index is reduced depending on the shock obliqueness. Qualitatively, this can be explained in terms of the diffusion coefficients in the directions that are parallel and perpendicular to the shock front.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in A&

MOL-Eye: A New Metric for the Performance Evaluation of a Molecular Signal

Inspired by the eye diagram in classical radio frequency (RF) based communications, the MOL-Eye diagram is proposed for the performance evaluation of a molecular signal within the context of molecular communication. Utilizing various features of this diagram, three new metrics for the performance evaluation of a molecular signal, namely the maximum eye height, standard deviation of received molecules, and counting SNR (CSNR) are introduced. The applicability of these performance metrics in this domain is verified by comparing the performance of binary concentration shift keying (BCSK) and BCSK with consecutive power adjustment (BCSK-CPA) modulation techniques in a vessel-like environment with laminar flow. The results show that, in addition to classical performance metrics such as bit-error rate and channel capacity, these performance metrics can also be used to show the advantage of an efficient modulation technique over a simpler one

Computer program for simulation of urban areas aerodynamics by discrete vortices method

Розглядається інтерактивна комп'ютерна програма для моделювання аеродинаміки міських районів, розроблена на базі методу дискретних вихорів. Вона дозволяє швидко провести розрахунки аераційної ситуації в житловому районі для плоского або просторового випадку. Користувач може задати різний напрямок вітру, джерела забруднення, різну конфігурацію забудови та розміщення паркових зон. Програма дозволяє досліджувати рух вихорів, поле швидкостей, зони комфортності та розповсюдження домішок. Може бути використана для пошуку оптимальної конфігурації забудови.The article describes an interactive computer program for simulation of urban areas aerodynamics by using the discrete vortices method. When calculating flow past buildings dynamic arrays of structures were created and each structure stored information about control points and connected vortices, namely their coordinates and intensity. To simulatefree vortices, a dynamic three-dimensional array of structures was created, where information about the vortex sheets was stored. This program enables us to quickly calculate aeration situations in a residential area for two or three-dimensional cases. The user can specify various wind directions, pollution sources, various configurations of the building, and locations of parklands. The program allows us to study the motion of vortices, the velocity field, the comfort zone, and spreading of pollutants. It can be used for searching for optimal configurations of urban development

Fouling mechanisms in constant flux crossflow ultrafiltration

Four fouling models due to Hermia (complete pore blocking, intermediate pore blocking, cake filtration and standard pore blocking), have long been used to describe membrane filtration and fouling in constant transmembrane pressure (ΔP) operation of membranes. A few studies apply these models to constant flux dead-end filtration systems. However, these models have not been reported for constant flux crossflow filtration, despite the frequent use of this mode of membrane operation in practical applications. We report derivation of these models for constant flux crossflow filtration. Of the four models, complete pore blocking and standard pore blocking were deemed inapplicable due to contradicting assumptions and relevance, respectively. Constant flux crossflow fouling experiments of dilute latex bead suspensions and soybean oil emulsions were conducted on commercial poly (ether sulfone) flat sheet ultrafiltration membranes to explore the models’ abilities to describe such data. A model combining intermediate pore blocking and cake filtration appeared to give the best agreement with the experimental data. Below the threshold flux, both the intermediate pore blocking model and the combined model fit the data well. As permeate flux approached and passed the threshold flux, the combined model was required for accurate fits. Based on this observation, a physical interpretation of the threshold flux is proposed: the threshold flux is the flux below which cake buildup is negligible and above which cake filtration becomes the dominant fouling mechanism

Evaluating Invariances in Document Layout Functions

With the development of variable-data-driven digital presses - where each document printed is potentially unique - there is a need for pre-press optimization to identify material that is invariant from document to document. In this way rasterisation can be confined solely to those areas which change between successive documents thereby alleviating a potential performance bottleneck. Given a template document specified in terms of layout functions, where actual data is bound at the last possible moment before printing, we look at deriving and exploiting the invariant properties of layout functions from their formal specifications. We propose future work on generic extraction of invariance from such properties for certain classes of layout functions