Enveloping Sophisticated Tools into Process-Centered Environments

We present a tool integration strategy based on enveloping pre-existing tools without source code modifications or recompilation, and without assuming an extension language, application programming interface, or any other special capabilities on the part of the tool. This Black Box enveloping (or wrapping) idea has existed for a long time, but was previously restricted to relatively simple tools. We describe the design and implementation of, and experimentation with, a new Black Box enveloping facility intended for sophisticated tools --- with particular concern for the emerging class of groupware applications

Expanding Phenotype of Poirier\u2013Bienvenu Syndrome: New Evidence from an Italian Multicentrical Cohort of Patients

Background: Poirier\u2013Bienvenu Neurodevelopmental Syndrome (POBINDS) is a rare disease linked to mutations of the CSNK2B gene, which encodes for a subunit of caseinkinase CK2 involved in neuronal growth and synaptic transmission. Its main features include early-onset epilepsy and intellectual disability. Despite the lack of cases described, it appears that POBINDS could manifest with a wide range of phenotypes, possibly related to the different mutations of CSNK2B. Methods: Our multicentric, retrospective study recruited nine patients with POBINDS, detected using next-generation sequencing panels and whole-exome sequencing. Clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging data were reported for each patient in order to assess the severity of phenotype, and eventually, a correlation with the type of CSNK2B mutation. Results: We reported nine unrelated patients with heterozygous de novo mutations of the CSNK2B gene. All cases presented epilepsy, and eight patients were associated with a different degree of intellectual disability. Other features detected included endocrinological and vascular abnormalities and dysmorphisms. Genetic analysis revealed six new variants of CSNK2B that have not been reported previously. Conclusion: Although it was not possible to assess a genotype\u2013phenotype correlation in our patients, our research further expands the phenotype spectrum of POBINDS patients, identifying new mutations occurring in the CSNK2B gene

Requirements-based Estimation of Change Costs

We present a case study that aims at quantitative assessment of the impact of requirements changes, and quantitative estimation of costs of the development activities that must be carried out to accomplish those changes. Our approach is based on enhanced traceability and an integrated view of the process and product models. The elements in the process and product models are quantitatively characterised through proper measurement, thus achieving a sound basis for different kinds of sophisticated analysis concerning the impact of requirements changes and their costs. We present the results of the application of modelling and measurement to an industrial project dealing with real-time software development. The ability to predict the impact of changes in requirements and the cost of related activities is shown

Enhancing Requirements and Change Management through Process Modelling and Measurement

We present a methodology that aims at improving the effectiveness of requirements management in software development and maintenance. In particular, we address quantitative assessment of the impact of requirements changes, and quantitative estimation of costs of the development activities that must be carried out to accomplish those changes. Our approach is based on enhanced traceability and process measurement. Traceability relations are derived from an integrated view of the process and product models adopted within the software development organization. Hence, traceability spans over all the software life cycle and its products. Moreover, through proper measurement, the elements in the process and product models are quantitatively characterised, thus achieving a sound basis for different kinds of sophisticated analysis concerning the impact of requirements changes, their cost over the development process, and the sensitivity of the product to changes

Specifying Web Service Compositions on the Basis of Natural Language Requests

The introduction of the Semantic Web techniques in Service-oriented Architectures enables explicit representation and reasoning about semantically rich descriptions of service operations. Those techniques hold promise for the automated discovery, selection, composition and binding of services. This paper describes an approach to derive formal specifications of Web Service compositions on the basis of the interpretation of informal user requests expressed in (controlled) Natural Language. Our approach leverages the semantic and ontological description of a portfolio of known service operations (called Semantic Service Catalog