2,622 research outputs found
Robotic Process Automation in Small Enterprises: An Investigation into Application Potential
Substantial application potential in enterprises is commonly attributed to Robotic Process Automation (RPA). This potential encompasses automation of routine tasks, improvement of data quality, improvement of process stability, or reduction of monotonous tasks. However, our observation from projects with enterprises is that this potential is visible in bigger companies, but not so obvious in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs often show a lower readiness to invest time and resources in new technologies and, thus, hesitate to explore new technology applications unless they see a clear business case. This article investigates the application potential of RPA in SMEs by trying to identify typical application scenarios with potentially high benefits that SMEs should focus on. The application potential is primarily addressed from a qualitative perspective, i.e., the aim is not to quantify the potential but to qualify the application fields. The contributions of this article are (1) a structured literature review of the state of RPA use in SMEs, (2) RPA application scenarios visible in the literature and functionality of RPA platforms to support these scenarios, and (3) experiences from implementing three SME-focused use cases with off-the-shelf RPA tools and a concluding evaluation by experts
On the Complexity of Exclusion Algorithms for Optimization
AbstractExclusion algorithms are a well-known tool in the area of interval analysis for finding all solutions of a system of nonlinear equations or for finding the global minimum of a function over a compact domain. The present paper discusses a new class of tests for such algorithms in the context of global optimization and presents complexity results concerning the resulting algorithms
Comparative proteomics of adult Paragonimus kellicotti excretion/secretion products released in vitro or present in the lung cyst nodule
Paragonimus kellicotti is a zoonotic lung fluke infection, the agent of North American paragonimiasis, and an excellent model for other Paragonimus infections. The excretory/secretory proteins (ESP) released by parasites and presented at the parasite-host interface are frequently proposed to be useful targets for drugs and/or vaccines In vitro culture conditions may alter ESP compared to those produced in vivo. In order to investigate ESPs produced in vivo we took advantage of the fact that adult P. kellicotti reproduce in the lungs of experimentally infected gerbils in tissue cysts. We performed a mass-spectrometric analysis of adult P. kellicotti soluble somatic protein (SSPs) extracts, excreted/secreted proteins (ESPs) produced by adult worms during in vitro culture, and lung cyst fluid proteins (CFPs) from experimentally infected gerbils. We identified 2,137 P. kellicotti proteins that were present in at least two of three biological replicates and supported by at least two peptides. Among those were 1,914 proteins found in SSP, 947 in ESP and 37 in CFP. In silico analysis predicted that only 141 of the total 2,137 proteins were secreted via classical or non-classical pathways. The most abundant functional categories in SSP were storage and oxidative metabolism. The most abundant categories in ESP were proteins related to metabolism and signal transduction. The 37 parasite-related proteins in CFP belonged to 11 functional categories. The largest groups were proteins with unknown function, cytoskeletal proteins and proteasome machinery. 29 of these 37 proteins were shared among all three sample types. To our knowledge, this is the first study that compares in vitro and in vivo ESP for any Paragonimus species. This study has provided new insights into ESPs of food-borne trematodes that are produced and released in vivo. Proteins released at the host-parasite interface may help the parasite evade host immunity and may represent new targets for novel treatments or diagnostic tests for paragonimiasis
Direct proteomic detection and prioritization of 19 onchocerciasis biomarker candidates in humans
Onchocerca volvulus, the causative agent of onchocerciasis, infects over 20 million people and can cause severe dermatitis and ocular conditions including blindness. Current treatments employed in mass drug administration programs do not kill adult female worms, and common diagnostic tests cannot reliably assess viability of adult worms. There is an urgent need for better diagnostic tests to facilitate monitoring the efficacy of new treatments and disease elimination efforts. Here, eight plasma samples collected from individuals infected with O. volvulus and seven from uninfected individuals were analyzed by MS/MS spectrometry to directly identify O. volvulus proteins present in infected but absent in uninfected control samples. This direct proteomic approach for biomarker discovery had not been previously employed for onchocerciasis. Among all detected proteins, 19 biomarker candidates were supported by two or more unique peptides, identified in the plasma of at least three O. volvulus-infected human samples and absent in all control samples. Comprehensive analysis and ranking of these candidates included detailed functional annotation and a review of RNA-seq gene expression profiles. Isotope-labeled standard peptides were run in parallel and validated MS/MS peptide identifications for 15 peptides from 11 of the 19 proteins, and two infected urine and one uninfected urine sample was used for additional validation. A major antigen/OVOC11613 was identified as the most promising candidate with eight unique peptides across five plasma samples and one urine sample. Additional strong candidates included OVOC1523/ATP synthase, OVOC247/laminin and OVOC11626/PLK5, and along with OVOC11613, and were also detected in urine samples from onchocerciasis patients. This study has identified a promising novel set of proteins that will be carried forward to develop assays that can be used for diagnosis of O. volvulus infections and for monitoring treatment efficacy
Der Stromausfall in MĂźnchen: Einfluss auf Zahlungsbereitschaften fĂźr Versorgungssicherheit und auf die Akzeptanz Erneuerbarer Energien
Mit dem Forschungsprojekt wurde das Ziel verfolgt, den Einfluss des Mßnchner Stromausfalls im Winter 2012 auf die Zahlungsbereitschaft fßr Versorgungssicherheit sowie auf die Akzeptanz fßr Erneuerbare Energien zu untersuchen. Das Ausfallereignis in Mßnchen bot sich in besonderer Weise fßr eine Untersuchung an, da etwa die Hälfte des Stadtgebiets betroffen war, sodass eine Trennung nach beeinträchtigten und nicht-beeinträchtigen Haushalten aus einer nahezu homogenen Stichprobe ermÜglicht wurde.
Im Zentrum der Untersuchung steht eine repräsentative BevÜlkerungsumfrage, die zwei Monate nach dem Ausfallereignis durchgefßhrt wurde. Dazu wurden ßber das Telefonlabor der Technischen Universität Dresden 526 Personen aus Mßnchner Privathaushalten befragt.
Nach unseren Befunden beeinflusst eine kleine Versorgungsunterbrechung, wie in MĂźnchen, die Einstellung hinsichtlich der Erneuerbaren Energien nur unwesentlich. Allerdings kĂśnnen wir mit Hilfe der kontingenten Bewertungsmethode einen signifikanten Einfluss des Ausfalls auf die Zahlungsbereitschaft fĂźr eine sichere Versorgung nachweisen.
DarĂźber ergeben sich aus unserer Studie Erkenntnisse fĂźr die Umsetzung der Energiewende: Beispielsweise wurde der Wert fĂźr die letzte gelieferte Kilowattstunde Strom (Value of Lost Load), das Last-Abschaltpotenzial von Haushalten sowie die Akzeptanz der HĂśhe der EEG-Umlage ermittelt
Fluorescence and spin properties of defects in single digit nanodiamonds
International audienceThis article reports stable photoluminescence and high-contrast optically detected electron spin resonance (ODESR) from single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defect centers created within ultrasmall, disperse nanodiamonds of radius less than 4 nm. Unexpectedly, the efficiency for the production of NV fluorescent defects by electron irradiation is found to be independent of the size of the nanocrystals. Fluorescence lifetime imaging shows lifetimes with a mean value of around 17 ns, only slightly longer than the bulk value of the defects. After proper surface cleaning, the dephasing times of the electron spin resonance in the nanocrystals approach values of some microseconds, which is typical for the type Ib diamond from which the nanoparticle is made. We conclude that despite the tiny size of these nanodiamonds the photoactive nitrogen-vacancy color centers retain their bulk properties to the benefit of numerous exciting potential applications in photonics, biomedical labeling, and imaging
Construction and performance of a micro-pattern stereo detector with two gas electron multipliers [online]
The construction of a micro-pattern gas detector of dimensions
40 x 10 cm² is described. Two gas electron multiplier foils
(GEM) provide the internal amplification stages. A two-layer
readout structure was used, manufactured in the same technology
as the GEM foils. The strips of each layer cross at an effective
crossing angle of 6.7 degrees and have a 406 micro-m pitch. The
performance of the detector has been evaluated in a muon beam at
CERN using a silicon telescope as reference system. The position
resolutions of two orthogonal coordinates are measured to be
50 micro-m and 1 mm, respectively. The muon detection efficiency
for two-dimensional space points reaches 96%.
Key words:
detector, position sensitive, GEM, two-layer readou
Performance test of a micro-pattern stereo detector with two gas electron multipliers [online]
We report on the performance of a large micro-pattern detector
with two gas electron multiplier foils (GEM) and a two-layer
readout structure at ground potential. The two readout layers
each have a 406 micro-m pitch and cross at an effective angle of
6.7 degrees. This structure allows for two orthogonal
coordinates to be determined. Using a muon beam at CERN together
with a silicon tracking system, the position resolutions of the
two coordinates are measured to be 50 micro-m and 1 mm
respectively (1 stand.dev.). The muon detection efficiency for
the two-dimensional space points reaches 96%. The detector was
found to be well operational over a wide range in the settings
of the different electrical fields
Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS
has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions
at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection
criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined.
For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a
muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the
whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4,
while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The
efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than
90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall
momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The
transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity
for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be
better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions
of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO
Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS
has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions
at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection
criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined.
For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a
muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the
whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4,
while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The
efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than
90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall
momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The
transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity
for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be
better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions
of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO
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