Definición y validación de medidas para procesos ETL en almacenes de datos

In data warehousing, ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) processes are in charge of extracting the data from data sources that will be contained in the data warehouse. Due to their relevance, the quality of these processes should be formally assessed from early stages of development, in order to avoid making bad decisions as a result of incorrect data. In this paper, a set of measures is presented to evalu- ate the structural complexity of ETL process models at conceptual level. Moreover, this study is accompanied by one controlled experiment whose aim is the empirical validation of the proposed measures. The use of these measures can aid designers to predict the e®ort associated with the maintenance tasks of ETL processes. This pro- posal is based on UML (Uni¯ed Modeling Language) activity diagrams for modeling ETL processes, and on the FMESP (Framework for the Modeling and Evaluation of Software Processes) framework for the validation of the measures.In data warehousing, ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) processes are in charge of extracting the data from data sources that will be contained in the data warehouse. Due to their relevance, the quality of these processes should be formally assessed from early stages of development, in order to avoid making bad decisions as a result of incorrect data. In this paper, a set of measures is presented to evalu- ate the structural complexity of ETL process models at conceptual level. Moreover, this study is accompanied by one controlled experiment whose aim is the empirical validation of the proposed measures. The use of these measures can aid designers to predict the e®ort associated with the maintenance tasks of ETL processes. This pro- posal is based on UML (Uni¯ed Modeling Language) activity diagrams for modeling ETL processes, and on the FMESP (Framework for the Modeling and Evaluation of Software Processes) framework for the validation of the measures

Dietary antioxidant intake is inversely associated with 2,3-dinor oxylipin metabolites, the major excreted oxylipins in overweight and obese subjects

Cardiometabolic disease risk factors, including obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia, are associated with elevated oxidative stress biomarkers like oxylipins. Increased adiposity by itself induces various isomers of this oxidized lipid family, while dietary polyphenols show benefits in its regulation. Previously, we showed that specific co-abundant microorganisms characterized the gut microbiota of Colombians and associated differentially with diet, lifestyle, obesity, and cardiometabolic health status, which led us to hypothesize that urinary oxylipins would reflect the intensity of oxidative metabolism linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Thus, we selected a convenience sample of 105 participants (age: 40.2 ± 11.9 years, 47.6% women), grouped according to microbiota, cardiometabolic health status, and body mass index (BMI); and evaluated 33 urinary oxylipins by HPLC-QqQ-MS/MS (e.g., isoprostanes, prostaglandins, and metabolites), paired with anthropometry and blood chemistry information and dietary antioxidants estimated from a 24-h food recall. In general, oxylipins did not show differences among individuals who differed in gut microbiota. While the unmetabolized oxylipin levels were not associated with BMI, the total content of oxylipin metabolites was highest in obese and cardiometabolically abnormal subjects (e.g., insulin resistant), mainly by prostaglandin-D (2,3-dinor-11β-PGF) and 15-F-IsoPs (2,3-dinor-15-F-IsoP and 2,3-dinor-15-epi-15-F-IsoP) metabolites. The total polyphenol intake in this cohort was 1070 ± 627 mg/day. After adjusting for body weight, the polyphenol intake was significantly higher in lean than overweight and showed an inverse association with dinor-oxylipin levels in principal component analysis. These results suggest that the 2,3-dinor-oxylipins could be more specific biomarkers associated with BMI than their parent oxylipins and that are sensitive to be regulated by dietary antioxidants.The authors thank the volunteers who agreed to participate in this study, the Colombian Ministry of science, technology, and innovation (Minciencias; grant number 832-2018), and Grupo Empresarial Nutresa. They also thank the Ibero-American Programme for Science, Technology and Development (CYTED) – Action 112RT0460 CORNUCOPIA networ

Improving Security for SCADA Sensor Networks with Reputation Systems and Self-Organizing Maps

The reliable operation of modern infrastructures depends on computerized systems and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, which are also based on the data obtained from sensor networks. The inherent limitations of the sensor devices make them extremely vulnerable to cyberwarfare/cyberterrorism attacks. In this paper, we propose a reputation system enhanced with distributed agents, based on unsupervised learning algorithms (self-organizing maps), in order to achieve fault tolerance and enhanced resistance to previously unknown attacks. This approach has been extensively simulated and compared with previous proposals

Tamoxifen-associated vasculitis in a breast cancer patient

BACKGROUND: Estrogen plays a critical role in breast cancer. Thereafter, endocrine therapy is a standard of care in patients with breast carcinoma, expressing ER or PR. CASE PRESENTATION: Herein we report the case of a 53-year old patient, who developed cholestasis and vasculitis during the treatment with tamoxifen. This toxicity was reversable after the removal of the drug. Thereafter she continued adjuvant treatment for breast carcinoma with anastrazole. Since tamoxifen has been widely indicated for patients with breast carcinoma, we did a literature review, looking for other cases with this type of toxicity. CONCLUSION: This case is the third with vasculitis informed in the literature, but the first one that additionally developed cholestasis and arthritis. Although it is rare, we discuss the indication of this drug in the actual era, where aromatase inhibitors offer a better security profile

Tamoxifen-associated vasculitis in a breast cancer patient

Abstract Background Estrogen plays a critical role in breast cancer. Thereafter, endocrine therapy is a standard of care in patients with breast carcinoma, expressing ER or PR. Case presentation Herein we report the case of a 53-year old patient, who developed cholestasis and vasculitis during the treatment with tamoxifen. This toxicity was reversable after the removal of the drug. Thereafter she continued adjuvant treatment for breast carcinoma with anastrazole. Since tamoxifen has been widely indicated for patients with breast carcinoma, we did a literature review, looking for other cases with this type of toxicity. Conclusion This case is the third with vasculitis informed in the literature, but the first one that additionally developed cholestasis and arthritis. Although it is rare, we discuss the indication of this drug in the actual era, where aromatase inhibitors offer a better security profile.</p

On the use of hypodermic needles in electrospray

We present an experimental analysis of electrospray where the standard feeding capillary was re- placed with a hypodermic needle. Both the current intensity and the jet diameter were measured for a variety of leaky-dielectric liquids. The results obtained with a feeding capillary and a hypodermic needle of similar dimen- sions were compared. An increase of the liquid conductivity was measured by assuming that the electric current obeys the same scaling law in both configurations. That increase was likely due to the electrochemical reaction taking place in the needle tip

Describing Trajectories of Homeless Service Use in Hawai‘i Using Latent Class Growth Analysis

The State of Hawai‘i, like many other areas across the United States, has large numbers of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, many of whom seek support through statewide shelters and services. This study explored the diversity of ways in which individuals and families moved through Hawai‘i\u27s homeless service system. Using administrative data, a cohort of new service users was tracked across time to trace the developmental trajectories of their homeless service use. The sample consisted of adults who had entered the service system for the first time in the fiscal year (FY ) of 2010 (N = 4655). These individuals were then tracked through the end of FY 2014, as they used emergency shelter, transitional shelter, and outreach services. A latent class growth analysis was conducted and identified four distinct patterns of service use: low service use (n = 3966, 85.2%); typical transitional shelter use (n = 452, 9.7%); atypical transitional use (n = 127, 2.7%), and potential chronic service use (n = 110, 2.4%). Multinomial logistic regression models were then used to determine if select demographic, family, background experience (e.g., education, employment), or health variables were associated with class membership. The distinct profiles for class membership are discussed