ABTC: multi-purpose adaptable business tier components based on Call Level Interfaces

Call Level Interfaces (CLI) are low level API that play a key role in database applications whenever a fine tune control between application tiers and the host databases is a key requirement. Unfortunately, in spite of this significant advantage, CLI were not designed to address organizational requirements and contextual runtime requirements. Among the examples we emphasize the need to decouple or not to decouple the development process of business tiers from the development process of application tiers and also the need to automatically adapt to new business and/or security needs at runtime. To tackle these CLI drawbacks, and simultaneously keep their advantages, this paper proposes an architecture relying on CLI from which multi-purpose business tiers components are built, herein referred to as Adaptable Business Tier Components (ABTC). This paper presents the reference architecture for those components and a proof of concept based on Java and Java Database Connectivity (an example of CLI).

Actualización del software asociado a un sistema empresarial real en Django

El objetivo del TFG es ejectuar y documentar el proceso de actualizaci on de un sistema software real de car acter empresarial, perteneciente a la empresa dedicada a las transacciones de divisas Foreign Exchange Solutions SL. El sistema est a implementado en Python 2.7 usando el framework de desarrollo r apido de aplicaciones web Django que, comenzando por su versi on 1.3.1, terminar a al nal del proyecto en la versi on 1.4.10, lo que nos llevar a a tener que actualizar todas las librer as relacionadas, adem as de mejorar la calidad del c odigo e incluso cambiar la estructura del proyecto, prestando adem as especial atenci on a la pruebas unitarias y de regresi on para comprobar el correcto funcionamiento del sistema a lo largo del desarrollo. Todo esto con el n de conseguir las nuevas funcionalidades y caracter sticas que una versi on m as nueva nos ofrece, adem as de mejorar la calidad de la aplicaci on -aumentar la reutilizaci on del c odigo y reducir futuros errores gracias a un c odigo m as sencillo y legible-, aumentar el rendimiento, y obtener una buena cobertura de pruebas. Usaremos adem as la metodolog a agil Scrum, el SGBD PostgreSQL, adem as de otras herramientas como Solr, ElasticSearch, Redis, Celery o Mercurial para el control de versiones.

XML-Intensive software development

168 p.

Progettazione di un sistema di business intelligence per offerwall incentivati

Lo scopo del presente elaborato è ottenere dati grezzi dai maggiori offerwalls affinché si renda possibile elaborarli ed analizzarli per metterli a disposizione delle figure che si occupano di account management di un potenziale Ad Network quale è MyAppFree. Il primo Ad Network competitor a venire integrato nel presente tool di Business Intelligence è OfferToro, seguito da AdGem, il quale è attualmente in fase di integrazione. Prima di presentare i risultati del tool, a cui è stato dedicato l’ultimo capitolo dell’elaborato, sono stati approfonditi ed analizzati ampiamente i concetti fondamentali per la comprensione del progetto insieme agli strumenti utilizzati per la costituzione dell’architettura software. Successivamente, viene presentata l'architettura dei singoli microservizi oltre a quella sistemistica generale, la quale tratta come le parti che compongono iBiT, interagiscono tra loro. Infine, l’ultima parte della trattazione è dedicata al funzionamento del Front End Side per la figura account manager, che rappresenta l’utente finale del progetto. Unita alle analisi dei risultati ottenuti tramite una fase di benchmark testing, metrica che misura un insieme ripetibile di risultati quantificabili che serve come punto di riferimento perché prodotti e servizi possano essere confrontati. Lo scopo dei risultati dei test di benchmark è quello di confrontare le versioni presenti e future del software tramite i rispettivi benchmark.

Creazione di reportistica Self-service Business Intelligence tramite Power BI

Un ambiente sempre più interconnesso per facilitare la condivisione di dati, lo sviluppo di strumenti sempre più ricettivi, l’utilizzo di algoritmi sempre più mirati ed efficaci nel selezionare le giuste informazioni sono alcuni dei fattori chiave che hanno consentito e tuttora consentono la crescita, la gestione, il riutilizzo e la diffusione del patrimonio conoscitivo a disposizione delle organizzazioni. Il continuo aumento di risorse informatiche ha indotto le organizzazioni a rivedere il ruolo svolto dalla Business Intelligence, arricchendolo di strumenti e procedure nuove e creando ulteriori figure professionali. L’obiettivo di questo elaborato è fornire una panoramica della business intelligence, della sua origine e della rilevanza e utilità in ambito aziendale. Nel primo capitolo si tratta della disciplina della Business Intelligence, in particolare definizione, cenni storici e differenza con la Business Analytics. Si descrivono successivamente i sistemi informativi e i loro componenti per finire con l’architettura di una soluzione di BI. Nel secondo capitolo, si effettua una panoramica sui software di Business Intelligence sul mercato, dopo di che si presenta Microsoft Power BI di Microsoft, in particolare funzionalità e caratteristiche. Il terzo capitolo è relativo al progetto effettuato durante il periodo di tirocinio: l’implementazione di nuove funzionalità e analisi su un software BI sviluppato dall’azienda ospitante.

Vertical Bone Measurements From Cone Beam Computed Tomography Images Using Different Software Packages.

This article aimed at comparing the accuracy of linear measurement tools of different commercial software packages. Eight fully edentulous dry mandibles were selected for this study. Incisor, canine, premolar, first molar and second molar regions were selected. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained with i-CAT Next Generation. Linear bone measurements were performed by one observer on the cross-sectional images using three different software packages: XoranCat®, OnDemand3D® and KDIS3D®, all able to assess DICOM images. In addition, 25% of the sample was reevaluated for the purpose of reproducibility. The mandibles were sectioned to obtain the gold standard for each region. Intraclass coefficients (ICC) were calculated to examine the agreement between the two periods of evaluation; the one-way analysis of variance performed with the post-hoc Dunnett test was used to compare each of the software-derived measurements with the gold standard. The ICC values were excellent for all software packages. The least difference between the software-derived measurements and the gold standard was obtained with the OnDemand3D and KDIS3D (-0.11 and -0.14 mm, respectively), and the greatest, with the XoranCAT (+0.25 mm). However, there was no statistical significant difference between the measurements obtained with the different software packages and the gold standard (p> 0.05). In conclusion, linear bone measurements were not influenced by the software package used to reconstruct the image from CBCT DICOM data.

Systematic Management of Variability in UML-based Software Product Lines

This paper presents SMarty, a variability management approach for UML-based software product lines (PL). SMarty is supported by a UML profile, the SMartyProfile, and a process for managing variabilities, the SMartyProcess. SMartyProfile aims at representing variabilities, variation points, and variants in UML models by applying a set of stereotypes. SMartyProcess consists of a set of activities that is systematically executed to trace, identify, and control variabilities in a PL based on SMarty. It also identifies variability implementation mechanisms and analyzes specific product configurations. In addition, a more comprehensive application of SMarty is presented using SEI's Arcade Game Maker PL. An evaluation of SMarty and related work are discussed.

E-contracting with price configuration for Web services and QoS

The large amount of information in electronic contracts hampers their establishment due to high complexity. An approach inspired in Software Product Line (PL) and based on feature modelling was proposed to make this process more systematic through information reuse and structuring. By assessing the feature-based approach in relation to a proposed set of requirements, it was showed that the approach does not allow the price of services and of Quality of Services (QoS) attributes to be considered in the negotiation and included in the electronic contract. Thus, this paper also presents an extension of such approach in which prices and price types associated to Web services and QoS levels are applied. An extended toolkit prototype is also presented as well as an experiment example of the proposed approach.

Evaluation of three brands of drug interaction software for use in intensive care units

Objective To evaluate drug interaction software programs and determine their accuracy in identifying drug-drug interactions that may occur in intensive care units. Setting The study was developed in Brazil. Method Drug interaction software programs were identified through a bibliographic search in PUBMED and in LILACS (database related to the health sciences published in Latin American and Caribbean countries). The programs` sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were determined to assess their accuracy in detecting drug-drug interactions. The accuracy of the software programs identified was determined using 100 clinically important interactions and 100 clinically unimportant ones. Stockley`s Drug Interactions 8th edition was employed as the gold standard in the identification of drug-drug interaction. Main outcome Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. Results The programs studied were: Drug Interaction Checker (DIC), Drug-Reax (DR), and Lexi-Interact (LI). DR displayed the highest sensitivity (0.88) and DIC showed the lowest (0.69). A close similarity was observed among the programs regarding specificity (0.88-0.92) and positive predictive values (0.88-0.89). The DIC had the lowest negative predictive value (0.75) and DR the highest (0.91). Conclusion The DR and LI programs displayed appropriate sensitivity and specificity for identifying drug-drug interactions of interest in intensive care units. Drug interaction software programs help pharmacists and health care teams in the prevention and recognition of drug-drug interactions and optimize safety and quality of care delivered in intensive care units.

Developing and implementing an open and non-proprietary device description for FOUNDATION fieldbus based on software standards

Support for interoperability and interchangeability of software components which are part of a fieldbus automation system relies on the definition of open architectures, most of them involving proprietary technologies. Concurrently, standard, open and non-proprietary technologies, such as XML, SOAP, Web Services and the like, have greatly evolved and been diffused in the computing area. This article presents a FOUNDATION fieldbus (TM) device description technology named Open-EDD, based on XML and other related technologies (XLST, DOM using Xerces implementation, OO, XMIL Schema), proposing an open and nonproprietary alternative to the EDD (Electronic Device Description). This initial proposal includes defining Open-EDDML as the programming language of the technology in the FOUNDATION fieldbus (TM) protocol, implementing a compiler and a parser, and finally, integrating and testing the new technology using field devices and a commercial fieldbus configurator. This study attests that this new technology is feasible and can be applied to other configurators or HMI applications used in fieldbus automation systems. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process oriented framework to support PLM implementation

Product lifecycle management (PLM) innovates as it defines both the product as a central element to aggregate enterprise information and the lifecycle as a new time dimension for information integration and analysis. Because of its potential benefits to shorten innovation lead-times and to reduce costs, PLM has attracted a lot of attention at industry and at research. However, the current PLM implementation stage at most organisations still does not apply the lifecycle management concepts thoroughly. In order to close the existing realisation gap, this article presents a process oriented framework to support effective PLM implementation. The framework central point consists of a set of lifecycle oriented business process reference models which links the necessary fundamental concepts, enterprise knowledge and software solutions to effectively deploy PLM. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Referential Model for Small Companies of Development Software

This paper presents the proposal for a reference model for developing software aimed at small companies. Despite the importance of that represent the small software companies in Latin America, the fact of not having its own standards, and able to meet their specific, has created serious difficulties in improving their process and also in quality certification. In this sense and as a contribution to better understanding of the subject they propose a reference model and as a means to validate the proposal, presents a report of its application in a small Brazilian company, committed to certification of the quality model MPS.BR.

On compliance of business processes with business contracts

This paper addresses the problem of ensuring compliance of business processes, implemented within and across organisational boundaries, with the constraints stated in related business contracts. In order to deal with the complexity of this problem we propose two solutions that allow for a systematic and increasingly automated support for addressing two specific compliance issues. One solution provides a set of guidelines for progressively transforming contract conditions into business processes that are consistent with contract conditions thus avoiding violation of the rules in contract. Another solution compares rules in business contracts and rules in business processes to check for possible inconsistencies. Both approaches rely on a computer interpretable representation of contract conditions that embodies contract semantics. This semantics is described in terms of a logic based formalism allowing for the description of obligations, prohibitions, permissions and violations conditions in contracts. This semantics was based on an analysis of typical building blocks of many commercial, financial and government contracts. The study proved that our contract formalism provides a good foundation for describing key types of conditions in contracts, and has also given several insights into valuable transformation techniques and formalisms needed to establish better alignment between these two, traditionally separate areas of research and endeavour. The study also revealed a number of new areas of research, some of which we intend to address in near future.