On a Dynamical-Like Replica-Symmetry-Breaking Scheme for the Spin Glass

Considering the unphysical result obtained in the calculation of the free-energy cost for twisting the boundary conditions in a spin glass, we trace it to the negative multiplicities associated with the Parisi replica-symmetry breaking (RSB). We point out that a distinct RSB, that keeps positive multiplicities, was proposed long ago, in the spirit of an ultra-long time dynamical approach due to Sompolinsky. For an homogeneous bulk system, both RSB schemes are known to yield identical free energies and observables. However, using the dynamical RSB, we have recalculated the twist free energy at the mean-field level. The free-energy cost of this twist is, as expected, positive in that scheme, as it should be

Workflow Patterns for Business Process Modeling

For its reuse advantages, workflow patterns (e.g., control flow patterns, data patterns, resource patterns) are increasingly attracting the interest of both researchers and vendors. Frequently, business process or workflow models can be assembeled out of a set of recurrent process fragments (or recurrent business functions), each of them having generic semantics that can be described as a pattern. To our best knowledge, so far, there has been no (empirical) work evidencing the existence of such recurrent patterns in real workflow applications. Thus, in this paper we elaborate the frequency with which certain patterns occur in practice. Furthermore, we investigate completeness of workflow patterns (based on recurrent functions) with respect to their ability to capture a large variety of business processes

Activity Patterns in Process-aware Information Systems: Basic Concepts and Empirical Evidence

Recently, a variety of workflow patterns was suggested for capturing different aspects in process-aware information systems (PAISs) including control and data flow, resources, process change, and exception handling. All these patterns are highly relevant for implementing PAISs and for designing process modeling languages. However, current patterns provide only a partial answer to the question which business functions a designer might want to reuse when modeling processes. This paper presents a revised version of a collection of activity patterns to deal with this challenge. Each of them is related to a recurrent business function as it can be frequently found in process models (e.g., task execution request, notification, approval). We describe the identified activity patterns and their variants in detail. The main purpose of our paper is to discuss results from empirical studies, in which we analyzed more than 200 process models in order to evidence the practical relevance of the patterns. This includes a detailed analysis of the context in which activity patterns occur as well the frequency of this occurrence. These empirical findings can be used for the design of more intelligent, pattern-based process modeling tools

On the Support of Workflow Activity Patterns in Process Modeling Tools: Purpose and Requirements

Patterns increase the reuse of existing knowledge (e.g., design solutions, source code) within organizations and help to achieve consistency between applications. Patterns for process design have received considerable attention by both business analysts and researchers. Several pattern categories have been proposed including patterns for control and data flow, resources, process change, and exception handling. Workflow activity patterns, which can be used as building blocks for business process models (e.g., approval, task execution request), however, have not been explored in-depth so far. Related to this problem we have proposed a set of workflow activity patterns in the ProWAP project. Each activity pattern represents a recurrent business function as it can be frequently found in business processes. The completeness and existence of our activity patterns has been evaluated through an extensive analysis of real process models. In this paper we discuss how to implement activity patterns within a BPM tool. In particular, we describe major goals and requirements of the BPM tool we are currently developing and in which we apply workflow activity patterns. In this context, we also provide a discussion regarding the notion we use for representing activity patterns (BPMN 1.2 vs. UML 2.0)

Definicion de un sistema administrativo para la ejecucion y control de las acciones de mantenimiento en empresa Duraplas Ltda.

121 p.Duraplas Ltda, es una empresa dedicada a la fabricación de envases plásticos por inyección de PET (cuyo nombre técnico es Polietileno Tereftalato) la cual en su intento por ser una empresa competitiva en el mercado nacional, se ve en la necesidad de ir mejorando paulatinamente su proceso productivo, donde el departamento de mantenimiento es de vital importancia. Por este motivo se hace necesario un cambio radical en el manejo de la Gestión del Mantenimiento para optimizar el uso de sus equipos relacionados directamente con el nivel y calidad de producción, factores elementales para la empresa. Para esto se llevo a cabo inicialmente visitas en terreno para conocer instalaciones, proceso productivo y documentación de registro y control del mantenimiento, la cual finalizó con la aplicación de una auditoría de mantenimiento, que en su conjunto formaron parte de la descripción y diagnóstico de la situación actual de la empresa, con el fin de detectar las principales debilidades y fortalezas del departamento de mantenimiento en formación. Posteriormente a los resultados analizados, se diseño un sistema de información que permite definir los procedimientos administrativos apoyado en documentos que la empresa carecía, así como también el uso de indicadores de control, con el fin de optimizar y controlar el uso de recursos del departamento de mantenimiento, estas medidas pretenden lograr estructurar el departamento y así el sistema de información proporcione información de mayor calidad para la toma de decisiones. Además se entregó un criterio que podría ser utilizado a futuro en la selección de un software comercial que apoye la gestión del mantenimiento el cual se adecue a las necesidades de la empresa

Discovery and Analysis of Activity Pattern Cooccurrences in Business Process Models

Research on workflow activity patterns recently emerged in order to increase the reuse of recurring business functions (e.g., notification, approval, and decision). One important aspect is to identify pattern cooccurrences and to utilize respective information for creating modeling recommendations regarding the most suited activity patterns to be combined with an already used one. Activity patterns as well as their cooccurrences can be identified through the analysis of process models rather than event logs. Related to this problem, this paper proposes a method for discovering and analyzing activity pattern co-occurrences in business process models. Our results are used for developing a BPM tool which fosters the modeling of business processes based on the reuse of activity patterns. Our tool includes an inference engine whichconsiders the patterns co-occurrences to give design time recommendations for pattern usage

Verifying Existence, Completeness and Sequences of Semantic Process Patterns in Real Workflow Processes

In this paper we present a collection of high level workflow activity patterns based on the semantic of specific business functions (e.g., notification, task execution request, approval). In particular we discuss three pattern samples (approval, unidirectional and decision patterns). Moreover we gather the results of an analysis of their adoption on a wide set of real workflow processes (models). The analyses showed that the patterns are not only enough but also necessary to model all the 190 workflow processes which were subject of the investigation. We also show and discuss specific sequences or combination of patterns which were more often in the workflow processes analyzed. In larger research we apply these patterns as well as the analyses results in the development of a suite for process modeling and normalization

Mineralogia e cristalografia do diamante do Triângulo Mineiro

The purpose of this work is to characterize the diamond from the "Triangulo Mineiro" region (Minas Gerais) according to its morphological features; surface structures and surface figures; spectrographc properties (IV absorption and UV fluorescence) and specially by the recognition of its mineral inclusions. These crystallographic data may be important to guide, with greater sucess, the future geological work searching the diamond matrix-rock, until unknown in that region. The morphological study revealed a predominance of the rhombododecahedral habit among the single forms presented by the diamond crystals. It is very frequent also the occurrence of diamond twinned crystals (33% of the observed samples). The predominance of the rhombododecahedral habit, with both rounded faces and edges, is explained as a result of a natural dissolution process in a oxidizing media. The rhombododecahedral form was deduced here as the equilibrium form during that process. It was considered in that assumption the dissolution velocities changes, according to the diamond crystal structure. The surface figures and surface structures are, on its general features, the same as the described ones on diamonds from other localities. Some of them, however, may be not still mentioned. The origin of some of those figures should be admitted as a result of crystal dissolution, by its presence on natural clivage surfaces. The infrared absorption diagrams showed a anomalous occurrence of the type lb diamonds. That kind of stone is very rare amongst the natural ones and that property may be the more remarkable characteristic of the diamond from the "Triangulo Mineiro". The mineral inclusions, identified by x-ray diffraction (precession method) - forsterite, pirope, magnesio-chromite and pentlandite - sugests a genetic process very close to the ultrabasic rocks. The secondary effects observed on the host crystal (anomalous birefringence and tension fractures) and the epitaxic development of the inclusions in the diamond, indicates, on the other hand, that those minerals were enclosed during the diamond crystal growing. The primary paragenesis, revealed by that syngenetic inclusions, sugests the equilibrium: forsterite + spinel + coesite ;pirope, that may be applied to estimate the pressure and temperature conditions in the time of the diamond crystallization.O presente trabalho procura caracterizar o diamante do Triângulo Mineiro, através de sua morfologia, figuras e estruturas de superfície, propriedades espestroscópicas (absorção ao IV e fluorescência ao UV) e, principalmente, pelas inclusões minerais, estudo que poderá conduzir, com maior segurança, os trabalhos geológicos futuros, em busca da matriz primária, ainda desconhecida. O estudo morfológico revelou a predominância do hábito rombododecaédrico, entre as formas simples presentes, sendo também freqüentes os geminados (33% do total). A predominância da forma rombododecaédrica, com faces arredondadas, é explicada, aqui, como resultado de dissolução natural, em ambientes oxidantes. O rombododecaedro - forma de equilíbrio durante tal processo - foi deduzido pela variação de velocidade de dissolução, levando-se em conta a estrutura cristalina do diamante. As figuras de superfície são, em linhas gerais, as mesmas já observadas em diamantes de outras procedências, tendo-se notado somente algumas estruturas e figuras superficiais ainda não descritas. A origem destas figuras pode ser admitida como conseqüência de corrosão natural do diamante, o que se confirma pela sua presença em sólidos de clivagem. Os diagramas de absorção ao infravermelho, acusaram uma freqüência anômala de diamantes do tipo Ib, raros entre os diamantes naturais. Esta observação deve ser confirmada por estudos futuros, e talvez constitua uma das principais características do diamante do Triângulo Mineiro. As inclusões minerais, identificadas através da dif ração de raios X (método da precessão): forsterita, piropo, magnesiocromita e pentlandita, sugerem processos genéticos ligados ao magmatismo ultrabásico. A presença de efeitos secundários no hospedeiro (birrefringência anômala e fraturas de tensão, além do fato de estas inclusões ocorrerem epitàxicamente orientadas no diamante, afastam qualquer hipótese de preenchimento secundário. A paragênese primária, indicando o equilíbrio forsterita + espinélio + coesita ;piropo talvez permita estimar as condições de pressão e temperaturas ambientes durante a cristalização do diamante

A Method For Rewriting Legacy Systems Using Business Process Management Technology

Legacy systems are systems which execute useful tasks for the organization. Unfortunately, to maintain a legacy system running is a complex and costly task. Thus, in recent years several approaches were suggested to rewrite legacy systems using contemporary technologies. In this paper we present a method for rewriting legacy systems based on Business Process Management (BPM). The use of BPM for migrating legacy systems facilitates the monitoring and continuous improvement of the information systems existing in the organization

Why Rigid Process Management Technology Hampers Computerized Support of Healthcare Processes

Healthcare processes are characterized by frequent changes, numerous exceptions and complex deviations from the norm. Despite the increasing adoption of process-aware healthcare information systems (PAHIS), there still exist numerous issues related to the handling of exceptions in clinical processes that are not effectively supported in contemporary PAHIS. This paper presents preliminary results of a research whose goal is to get a deeper understanding of clinical work practices and to better understand how IT process support should look like for them. Altogether, adequate handling of failure and exceptions in PAHIS, while still enabling a certain level of control and assistance to clinical staff