Improving task modelling to support the co-evolution of information systems and business processes

In business environments, information systems are required to change in response to changes in business processes. We refer to this process as co-evolution: the process of reciprocal change in a software system and the activities and goals of the system's users. This research focuses on improving task modelling techniques to support the co-evolution of information systems and business processes.We propose the Interaction Template approach to improve task modelling to support co-evolution. Interaction Templates make the task modelling process less tedious in both the design phase and the evolution phase of a system's lifecycle. Our approach adds data schemas and presentation components to task models, allowing us to build task models that adapt to data elements and parameters. Binding presentation components to task models allows us to generate user interface prototypes from task models. The generated user interface prototypes improve task model simulation and help make the effects of changes to business processes more clear. This thesis describes a study of the seven year evolution of a real world information system. Through this study, we gain a better understanding of how information systems evolve in response to the evolution of an organization's business processes. This thesis presents the Interaction Template approach, as well as a notation for specifying Interaction Templates. A prototype system supporting the Interaction Template approach is provided, along with examples demonstrating the approach

The use of forward rate agreements in Canada

In this article, the authors identify forward rate agreements, or FRAs, as short-term interest rate guarantee instruments negotiated by two parties, one of which is typically a bank. In outlining the main features of FRAs, the authors contrast them with BAX contracts (futures contracts on bankers' acceptances that are negotiated through the Montreal Exchange). The article then describes how market participants use FRAs to cover short-term interest rate risk. The final section deals with the way the Bank of Canada uses information from the FRA market as an indicator of interest rate expectations. Econometric models used to retrieve information from FRA rates, as well as the underlying assumptions, are discussed in an appendix.

Inversion Sets and Quotient Root Systems

We provide a recursive description of all decompositions of the positive roots $R^+$ of a quotient root system $R$ into disjoint unions of inversion sets. Our description is type-independent and generalizes the analogous result for type $\mathbb A$ root systems in [USRA]. The main tool is the notion of an inflation of a subset of a quotient root system. This new notion allows us to treat all root systems (and their quotients) uniformly. We also obtain some numerical results about the number of special decompositions. The new sequences we obtain may be considered as extensions of Catalan numbers.Comment: Preliminary Versio

Sustained expression of microRNA-155 in hematopoietic stem cells causes a myeloproliferative disorder

Mammalian microRNAs are emerging as key regulators of the development and function of the immune system. Here, we report a strong but transient induction of miR-155 in mouse bone marrow after injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) correlated with granulocyte/monocyte (GM) expansion. Demonstrating the sufficiency of miR-155 to drive GM expansion, enforced expression in mouse bone marrow cells caused GM proliferation in a manner reminiscent of LPS treatment. However, the miR-155–induced GM populations displayed pathological features characteristic of myeloid neoplasia. Of possible relevance to human disease, miR-155 was found to be overexpressed in the bone marrow of patients with certain subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Furthermore, miR-155 repressed a subset of genes implicated in hematopoietic development and disease. These data implicate miR-155 as a contributor to physiological GM expansion during inflammation and to certain pathological features associated with AML, emphasizing the importance of proper miR-155 regulation in developing myeloid cells during times of inflammatory stress

Mondes possibles et cohérence logique dans l'univers fictionnel de Stargate

Ce mémoire se penche sur le problème de l'acquisition de connaissances à propos d'un monde fictionnel en général, et de celui de Stargate en particulier. D'abord, la notion de « monde » de l'œuvre, souvent employée de manière imprécise, est l'objet d'une définition, reprise de la théorie littéraire des mondes possibles. Selon cette théorie, une fiction ne fait pas référence au monde réel mais à un monde possible, nommé « monde central ». Pour se familiariser avec ce monde, le spectateur doit être en mesure de juger de la vérité d'une proposition le concernant. (En effet, une image et une réplique peuvent ne pas correspondre au monde de l'œuvre, c'est-à-dire qu'elles échouent à le représenter adéquatement.) Ce que le spectateur imagine comme vrai à l'intérieur du monde central devient alors la définition de la vérité fictionnelle. Celle-ci n'est vraie que relativement au monde qui la modalise. Toutefois, ce mémoire affirme, à la suite de David Lewis, qu'il est impossible pour le spectateur d'identifier un seul monde représenté. Ce dernier doit postuler l'existence d'un ensemble de mondes possiblement centraux à une fiction. Un seul de ces mondes est le véritable référent des vérités fictionnelles, bien qu'il soit impossible de dire lequel. Cette conclusion remet en doute la vérifonctionnalité des propositions fictionnelles. En utilisant l'exemple des univers parallèles présentés dans Stargate, il sera montré qu'une œuvre demande parfois à son spectateur d'imaginer des vérités contradictoires. Or, ces vérités contradictoires contreviennent à la définition de départ du monde fictionnel en tant que monde possible qui rend effectif un état de choses maximal et complet. Pour contourner cet obstacle, les mondes possiblement centraux doivent être considérés comme autant de versions justes, imaginées par les spectateurs, du monde fictionnel. Le critère de la cohérence apparaît, dans ces conditions, mieux adapté que celui de la vérité pour informer le jugement sur la justesse d'une version du monde fictionnel. En définitive, la concordance des versions justes parvient à combler les limites du jugement de vérité dans la formation de ce qui est effectivement le cas selon une œuvre de fiction.\ud ______________________________________________________________________________ \ud MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Mondes possibles, Stargate, vérité fictionnelle, cohérence, science-fictio

Understanding An Interprofessional Team Through The Lens Of The Intentional Relationship Model (IRM)

Research poster describing the following process: The Intentional Relationship Model (IRM) is designed to explain the therapist\u27s roles and demands in both establishing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship with a patient. While based in occupational therapy, this model has wide implications on being applied in many contexts, including an interdisciplinary team. While based in occupational therapy, this model has wide implications for the application to health care interdisciplinary teams. The objective for our team was to analyze our own interactions with Alex and identify how our ability to use different modes of the IRM and mode-shift made an impact on our care both individually and as a collective.https://dune.une.edu/cecespring2020/1015/thumbnail.jp

Dentists' knowledge and opinions of oral-systemic disease relationships: relevance to patient care and education.

Population studies consistently support associations between poor oral (periodontal) health and systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of dentists and document their opinions regarding the evidence on oral-systemic disease relationships. A survey consisting of 39 items was developed and mailed to 1,350 licensed dentists in North Carolina. After three mailings, 667 dentists (49%) meeting inclusion criteria responded. The respondents were predominantly male (76.3%), in solo practice (59.5%), and in non-rural settings (74%). More than 75% of these dentists correctly identified risk factors like diet, genetics, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity for CVD and diabetes. The majority rated the evidence linking periodontal disease with CVD and diabetes as strong (71% and 67%, respectively). These dentists were most comfortable inquiring about patients' tobacco habits (93%), treating patients with diabetes (89%) or CVD (84%) and concurrent periodontal disease, and discussing diabetes-periodontal disease risks with patients (88%). Fewer respondents were comfortable asking patients about alcohol consumption (54%) or providing alcohol counseling (49%). Most agreed that dentists should be trained to identify risk factors (96%) or actively manage systemically diseased patients (74%). Over 90% agreed that medical and dental professionals should be taught to practice more collaboratively. These data indicate that these dentists were knowledgeable about oral-systemic health associations, had mixed comfort levels translating the evidence into clinical practice, but expressed support for interprofessional education to improve their readiness to actively participate in their patients' overall health management

Impaired heterologous immunity in aged ferrets during sequential influenza A H1N1 infection

The major burden of influenza morbidity resides within the elderly population. The challenge managing influenza-associated illness in the elderly is the decline of immune function, where mechanisms leading to immunological senescence have not been elucidated. To better represent the immune environment, we investigated clinical morbidity and immune function during sequential homologous and heterologous H1N1 influenza infection in an aged ferret model. Our findings demonstrated experimentally that aged ferrets had significant morbidity during monosubtypic heterologous 2° challenge with significant weight loss and respiratory symptoms. Furthermore, increased clinical morbidity was associated with slower and shorter hemagglutinin antibody generation and attenuated type 1 T-cell gene responses in peripheral blood. These results revealed dampened immune activation during sequential influenza infection in aged ferrets. With the presence of an aged model, dissecting clinical morbidity, viral dynamics and immune response during influenza infection will aid the development of future prophylactics such as age specific influenza vaccines