Experiences with applying a genetic algorithm to determine an information systems architecture

While determining information systems architectures (ISA), business systems planning (BSP) is a well-known method to join processes and data classes to subsystems. BSP matrices have generally been rearranged without describing the underlying methods. Meanwhile, various techniques have been developed for solving the ISA problem. Since exact optimization methods often fail to provide results for large ISA problems, different heuristics have been applied. A new heuristic for solving the ISA problem is the application of genetic algorithms (GA). This paper examines the application of a simple GA to the ISA problem and compares the results of applying the GA with those obtained by exact method

Twelve Theses on Reactive Rules for the Web

Reactivity, the ability to detect and react to events, is an essential functionality in many information systems. In particular, Web systems such as online marketplaces, adaptive (e.g., recommender) systems, and Web services, react to events such as Web page updates or data posted to a server. This article investigates issues of relevance in designing high-level programming languages dedicated to reactivity on the Web. It presents twelve theses on features desirable for a language of reactive rules tuned to programming Web and Semantic Web applications

Panel 5 Approaches to Using the Year 2000 Problem in Information Systems Courses

The Year 2000 (Y2K) problem is real, and by this time it is clear that the question is not whether there are going to be difficul- ties, but how severe the inevitable difficulties are going to be. Articles about Y2K appear in the popular press on a daily basis, and web sites related to the issue continue to proliferate. This popular attention offers an opportunity, and perhaps an obligation, to connect academic teaching and research with the real world. The goal of this panel is to illustrate and encourage the incorporation of the Y2K problem into university information systems courses at all levels

Foghiányokat kísérő egyszerű nukleotid polimorfizmusok hypodontiában = Single nucleotide polymorphisms in hypodontia

Komplex megközelítéssel tanulmányoztuk a fogcsírahiányban feltehetőleg résztvevő több egyszerű nukleotid polimorfizmust (SNP) a magyar populációban. A PAX9, az MSX1, az FGFR1, az IRF6 és az AXIN2 nyolc polimorfizmusát vizsgáltuk 192 hipodonciás, 17 oligodonciás és 260 egészséges önkéntes esetében. Az eset-kontroll analízisben mind az allél, mind a genotípus asszociációk gyakoriságát, valamint a haplotípus szintű asszociációk gyakoriságát tanulmányoztuk. Többváltozós Bayes hálózat alapú többszintű valószínűségi analízist (BN-BMLA) és logisztikus regressziót végeztünk. A hagyományos statisztikák azt mutatták, hogy a PAX9 -912-es SNP és az MSX1 SNP megváltoztatta a hipodoncia előfordulását, de korrekció után a hatások csak marginális tendenciát mutattak. A többszörös hipotézis tesztelésre alkalmasabb BN-BMLA analízist használva a PAX9 SNP-k szinergikus hatást adtak. Ezt megerősítette más többváltozós analízis is, és az összefüggés szignifikáns maradt a többszörös hipotézis tesztelés után is . A PAX9-1031-A-PAX9-912-T haplotípus volt a legjelentősebb kombináció ami csírahiányt okozott. PAX9 és MSX1 között az együtthatás gyengébb volt, míg más SNP-nek nem volt hatása a hipodonciára. Komplex analízisünk megmutatta a PAX9 és MSX1-es SNP-k együtthatásának fontos szerepét a fogcsírahiányra, míg az IRF6, FGFR1 és Axin2 SNP-knek nem volt detektálható szerepe a magyar populációban. A mi eredményeink is rávilágítanak a populációk közötti eltérések jelentőségére. | We studied the role of multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in tooth agenesis in the Hungarian population using a complex approach. Eight SNPs of PAX9, MSX1, FGFR1, IRF6 and AXIN2 were studied in 192 hypodontia and 17 oligodontia cases and in 260 healthy volunteers. Case-control analysis was performed to test both allelic and genotypic associations as well as associations at the level of haplotypes. Multivariate exploratory Bayesian network based multilevel analysis of relevance (BN-BMLA) as well as logistic regression analysis were performed. Conventional statistics showed that PAX9 SNP -912 C/T and the MSX1 SNP changed the incidence of hypodontia, although after correction the effects were only borderline tendencies. Using a statistical analysis better suited for handling multiple hypotheses, the BN-BMLA, PAX9 SNPs clearly showed a synergistic effect. This was confirmed by other multivariate analyses and it remained significant after corrections for multiple hypothesis testing. The PAX9-1031-A-PAX9-912-T haplotype was the most relevant combination causing hypodontia. Interaction was weaker between PAX9 and MSX1, while other SNPs had no joint effect on hypodontia. Our complex analysis shows the important role of PAX9 and MSX1 SNPs and of their interactions in tooth agenesis, while IRF6, FGFR1 and AXIN2 SNPs had no detectable role in the Hungarian population. Our results also reveal the variations of risk factors in hypodontia

Guidelines for the deployment and implementation of manufacturing scheduling systems

It has frequently been stated that there exists a gap between production scheduling theory and practice. In order to put theoretical findings into practice, advances in scheduling models and solution procedures should be embedded into a piece of software - a scheduling system - in companies. This results in a process that entails (1) determining its functional features, and (2) adopting a successful strategy for its development and deployment. In this paper we address the latter question and review the related literature in order to identify descriptions and recommendations of the main aspects to be taken into account when developing such systems. These issues are then discussed and classified, resulting in a set of guidelines that can help practitioners during the process of developing and deploying a scheduling system. In addition, identification of these issues can provide some insights to drive theoretical scheduling research towards those topics more in demand by practitioners, and thus help to close the aforementioned gap.Framiñan Torres, JM.; Ruiz García, R. (2012). Guidelines for the deployment and implementation of manufacturing scheduling systems. International Journal of Production Research. 50(7):1799-1812. doi:10.1080/00207543.2011.564670S17991812507Baek, D. H. (1999). A visualized human-computer interactive approach to job shop scheduling. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 12(1), 75-83. doi:10.1080/095119299130489Comesaña Benavides, J. A., & Carlos Prado, J. (2002). Creating an expert system for detailed scheduling. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 22(7), 806-819. doi:10.1108/01443570210433562Bensana, E. 1986. An expert-system approach to industrial job-shop scheduling. 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Effects of laparoscopy on intraperitoneal tumor growth and distant metastases in an animal model

Background and aims: Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer is currently being evaluated in humans. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of laparoscopy on intraperitoneal tumor growth and distant metastases in an animal model. We also examined the effect of combining laparotomy with laparoscopy and on infusing the peritoneal cavity with normal saline solution (NaCl), water, and sodium hypochlorite after laparoscopy on intraperitoneal tumor growth. Material and methods: Female Fischer rats were given MtLn3 adenocarcinoma cells by intraperitoneal injection to produce intraperitoneal tumor growth and by tail vein injection to produce lung metastases. A pneumoperitoneum was then induced to a pressure of 8 mm Hg with carbon dioxide (CO2), helium, or room air. After this, animals were allowed to either recover or underwent laparotomy or infusion of NaCl, water, or sodium hypochlorite before recovery, depending on the experiment. At 21 days all animals were killed and intraperitoneal tumor growth was assessed by counting the number of peritoneal and serosal nodules and by weighing the omental pad of tumor. Lung metastases were assessed by counting the number of metastases after fixation. Results: Laparoscopy caused a marked intraperitoneal dissemination of tumor with a median of 17 (10 to 20) peritoneal and serosal nodules for CO2, 19.5 (12.5 to 25) for helium, and 15.0 (9.5 to 17.7) for room air compared with 0 (0 to 1) for controls (P <.0001). The weight of omental tumor was also significantly increased (P <.02) in the CO2, helium, and room air groups. Infusion with NaCl, water, or sodium hypochlorite had no effect on tumor dissemination after laparoscopy. The combination of laparoscopy and laparotomy caused a significant reduction (P <.05) in the number of peritoneal nodules but had no significant effect on omental tumor growth. Laparoscopy also had no effect on the number of pulmonary metastases induced compared with controls. Conclusions: This study shows that laparoscopy promotes intraperitoneal dissemination of tumor. This effect is independent of the insufflating gas used and is not affected by use of a cytotoxic agent. The use of gasless laparoscopy should be encouraged by those undertaking curative laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer