AI-Enhanced Hybrid Decision Management

The Decision Model and Notation (DMN) modeling language allows the precise specification of business decisions and business rules. DMN is readily understandable by business users involved in decision management. However, as the models get complex, the cognitive abilities of humans threaten manual maintainability and comprehensibility. Proper design of the decision logic thus requires comprehensive automated analysis of e.g., all possible cases the decision shall cover; correlations between inputs and outputs; and the importance of inputs for deriving the output. In the paper, the authors explore the mutual benefits of combining human-driven DMN decision modeling with the computational power of Artificial Intelligence for DMN model analysis and improved comprehension. The authors propose a model-driven approach that uses DMN models to generate Machine Learning (ML) training data and show, how the trained ML models can inform human decision modelers by means of superimposing the feature importance within the original DMN models. An evaluation with multiple real DMN models from an insurance company evaluates the feasibility and the utility of the approach

Factor investing and asset allocation strategies: a comparison of factor versus sector optimization

Given the tremendous growth of factor allocation strategies in active and passive fund management, we investigate whether factor or sector asset allocation strategies provide investors with a superior performance. Our focus is on comparing factor versus sector allocations as some recent empirical evidence indicates the dominance of sector over country portfolios. We analyze the performance and performance differences of sector and factor portfolios for various weighting and portfolio optimization approaches, including “equal-weighting” (1/N), “risk parity,” minimum-variance, mean-variance, Bayes–Stein and Black–Litterman. We employ a sample-based approach in which the sample moments are the input parameters for the allocation model. For the period from May 2007 to November 2020, our results clearly reveal that, over longer investment horizons, factor portfolios provide relative superior performances. For shorter periods, however, we observe time-varying and alternating performance dominances as the relative advantage of one over the other strategy depends on the economic cycle. One important insight is that during “normal” times factor portfolios clearly dominate sector portfolios, whereas during crisis periods sector portfolios are superior offering better diversification opportunities

High-content, arrayed compound screens with rhinovirus, influenza A virus and herpes simplex virus infections

Viruses are genetically and structurally diverse, and outnumber cells by orders of magnitude. They can cause acute and chronic infections, suppress, or exacerbate immunity, or dysregulate survival and growth of cells. To identify chemical agents with pro- or antiviral effects we conducted arrayed high-content image-based multi-cycle infection screens of 1,280 mainly FDA-approved compounds with three human viruses, rhinovirus (RV), influenza A virus (IAV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) differing in genome organization, composition, presence of an envelope, and tropism. Based on Z’-factors assessing screening quality and Z-scores ranking individual compounds, we identified potent inhibitors and enhancers of infection: the RNA mutagen 5-Azacytidine against RV-A16; the broad-spectrum antimycotic drug Clotrimazole inhibiting IAV-WSN; the chemotherapeutic agent Raltitrexed blocking HSV-1; and Clobetasol enhancing HSV-1. Remarkably, the topical antiseptic compound Aminacrine, which is clinically used against bacterial and fungal agents, inhibited all three viruses. Our data underscore the versatility and potency of image-based, full cycle virus propagation assays in cell-based screenings for antiviral agents

Standard for Synthesis of Customized Peptides by Non-Ribosomal Peptide Synthetases

The purpose of this RFC is to introduce a standardized framework for the engineering of customizable non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) and their application for in vivo and in vitro synthesis of short non-ribosomal peptides (NRPs) of user-defined sequence and structure

HiCT: High Throughput Protocols For CPE Cloning And Transformation

The purpose of this RFC is to provide instructions for a rapid and cost efficient cloning and transformation method which allows for the manufacturing of multi-fragment plasmid constructs in a parallelized manner: High Throughput Circular Extension Cloning and Transformation (HiCT). Description of construct libraries generated by the HiCT method can be found at http://2013.igem.org/Team:Heidelberg/Indigoidine. This RFC also points out further optimization strategies with regard to construct stability, reduction of transformation background and the generation of competent cells

Single cell immune profiling by mass cytometry of newly diagnosed chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia treated with nilotinib

Monitoring of single cell signal transduction in leukemic cellular subsets has been proposed to provide deeper understanding of disease biology and prognosis, but has so far not been tested in a clinical trial of targeted therapy. We developed a complete mass cytometry analysis pipeline for characterization of intracellular signal transduction patterns in the major leukocyte subsets of chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia. Changes in phosphorylated Bcr-Abl1 and the signaling pathways involved were readily identifiable in peripheral blood single cells already within three hours of the patient receiving oral nilotinib. The signal transduction profiles of healthy donors were clearly distinct from those of the patients at diagnosis. Furthermore, using principal component analysis, we could show that phosphorylated transcription factors STAT3 (Y705) and CREB (S133) within seven days reflected BCR-ABL1(IS) at three and six months. Analyses of peripheral blood cells longitudinally collected from patients in the ENEST1st clinical trial showed that single cell mass cytometry appears to be highly suitable for future investigations addressing tyrosine kinase inhibitor dosing and effect. (clinicaltrials. gov identifier: 01061177)Peer reviewe

The Modular X- and Gamma-Ray Sensor (MXGS) of the ASIM Payload on the International Space Station

The Modular X- and Gamma-ray Sensor (MXGS) is an imaging and spectral X- and Gamma-ray instrument mounted on the starboard side of the Columbus module on the International Space Station. Together with the Modular Multi-Spectral Imaging Assembly (MMIA) (Chanrion et al. this issue) MXGS constitutes the instruments of the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) (Neubert et al. this issue). The main objectives of MXGS are to image and measure the spectrum of X- and γ-rays from lightning discharges, known as Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), and for MMIA to image and perform high speed photometry of Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) and lightning discharges. With these two instruments specifically designed to explore the relation between electrical discharges, TLEs and TGFs, ASIM is the first mission of its kind. With an imaging system and a large detector area MXGS will, for the first time, allow estimation of the location of the source region and characterization of the energy spectrum of individual events. The sensors have fast readout electronics to minimize pileup effects, giving high time resolution of photon detection for comparison with measurements on μs-time scales of lightning processes measured by the MMIA and other sensors in space or on the ground. The detectors cover the large energy range of the relevant photon energies. In this paper we describe the scientific objectives, design, performance, imaging capabilities and operational modes of the MXGS instrument

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI