990 resultados para line: profiles


Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Process compliance measurement is getting increasing attention in companies due to stricter legal requirements and market pressure for operational excellence. On the other hand, the metrics to quantify process compliance have only been defined recently. A major criticism points to the fact that existing measures appear to be unintuitive. In this paper, we trace back this problem to a more foundational question: which notion of behavioural equivalence is appropriate for discussing compliance? We present a quantification approach based on behavioural profiles, which is a process abstraction mechanism. Behavioural profiles can be regarded as weaker than existing equivalence notions like trace equivalence, and they can be calculated efficiently. As a validation, we present a respective implementation that measures compliance of logs against a normative process model. This implementation is being evaluated in a case study with an international service provider.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Process compliance measurement is getting increasing attention in companies due to stricter legal requirements and market pressure for operational excellence. In order to judge on compliance of the business processing, the degree of behavioural deviation of a case, i.e., an observed execution sequence, is quantified with respect to a process model (referred to as fitness, or recall). Recently, different compliance measures have been proposed. Still, nearly all of them are grounded on state-based techniques and the trace equivalence criterion, in particular. As a consequence, these approaches have to deal with the state explosion problem. In this paper, we argue that a behavioural abstraction may be leveraged to measure the compliance of a process log – a collection of cases. To this end, we utilise causal behavioural profiles that capture the behavioural characteristics of process models and cases, and can be computed efficiently. We propose different compliance measures based on these profiles, discuss the impact of noise in process logs on our measures, and show how diagnostic information on non-compliance is derived. As a validation, we report on findings of applying our approach in a case study with an international service provider.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Analysis of behavioural consistency is an important aspect of software engineering. In process and service management, consistency verification of behavioural models has manifold applications. For instance, a business process model used as system specification and a corresponding workflow model used as implementation have to be consistent. Another example would be the analysis to what degree a process log of executed business operations is consistent with the corresponding normative process model. Typically, existing notions of behaviour equivalence, such as bisimulation and trace equivalence, are applied as consistency notions. Still, these notions are exponential in computation and yield a Boolean result. In many cases, however, a quantification of behavioural deviation is needed along with concepts to isolate the source of deviation. In this article, we propose causal behavioural profiles as the basis for a consistency notion. These profiles capture essential behavioural information, such as order, exclusiveness, and causality between pairs of activities of a process model. Consistency based on these profiles is weaker than trace equivalence, but can be computed efficiently for a broad class of models. In this article, we introduce techniques for the computation of causal behavioural profiles using structural decomposition techniques for sound free-choice workflow systems if unstructured net fragments are acyclic or can be traced back to S- or T-nets. We also elaborate on the findings of applying our technique to three industry model collections.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Identification of behavioural contradictions is an important aspect of software engineering, in particular for checking the consistency between a business process model used as system specification and a corresponding workflow model used as implementation. In this paper, we propose causal behavioural profiles as the basis for a consistency notion, which capture essential behavioural information, such as order, exclusiveness, and causality between pairs of activities. Existing notions of behavioural equivalence, such as bisimulation and trace equivalence, might also be applied as consistency notions. Still, they are exponential in computation. Our novel concept of causal behavioural profiles provides a weaker behavioural consistency notion that can be computed efficiently using structural decomposition techniques for sound free-choice workflow systems if unstructured net fragments are acyclic or can be traced back to S- or T-nets.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Developments in evaporator cleaning have accelerated in the past 10 years as a result of an extended period of research into scale formation and scale composition. Chemical cleaning still provides the most cost effective method of cleaning the evaporators. The paper describes a system that was designed to obtain on-line samples of evaporator scale negating the need to open up hot evaporator vessels for scale collection. This system was successfully implemented in a number of evaporators at a sugar mill. This paper also describes a recent experience in a sugar factory in which the cleaning procedure was slightly modified, resulting in effective removal of intractable scale.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Developments in evaporator cleaning have accelerated in the past 10 years as a result of an extended period of research into scale formation and scale composition. Chemical cleaning still provides the most cost effective method of cleaning the evaporators. The paper describes a system that was designed to obtain on-line samples of evaporator scale negating the need to open up hot evaporator vessels for scale collection. This system was successfully implemented in a number of evaporators at a sugar mill. This paper also describes a recent experience in a sugar factory in which the cleaning procedure was slightly modified resulting in effective removal of intractable scale.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Background Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process implicated in cancer metastasis that involves the conversion of epithelial cells to a more mesenchymal and invasive cell phenotype. In breast cancer cells EMT is associated with altered store-operated calcium influx and changes in calcium signalling mediated by activation of cell surface purinergic receptors. In this study, we investigated whether MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells induced to undergo EMT exhibit changes in mRNA levels of calcium channels, pumps and exchangers located on intracellular calcium storing organelles, including the Golgi, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Methods Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was used to induce EMT in MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. Serum-deprived cells were treated with EGF (50 ng/mL) for 12 h and gene expression was assessed using quantitative RT-PCR. Results and conclusions These data reveal no significant alterations in mRNA levels of the Golgi calcium pump secretory pathway calcium ATPases (SPCA1 and SPCA2), or the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) or Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX). However, EGF-induced EMT was associated with significant alterations in mRNA levels of specific ER calcium channels and pumps, including (sarco)-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPases (SERCAs), and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) and ryanodine receptor (RYR) calcium channel isoforms. The most prominent change in gene expression between the epithelial and mesenchymal-like states was RYR2, which was enriched 45-fold in EGF-treated MDA-MB-468 cells. These findings indicate that EGF-induced EMT in breast cancer cells may be associated with major alterations in ER calcium homeostasis.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Breast cancer metastasis to the bone occurs frequently, causing numerous complications including severe pain, fracture, hypercalcemia, and paralysis. Despite its prevalence and severity, few effective therapies exist. To address this, we examined whether the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), would be efficacious in inhibiting breast cancer metastasis to bone. Utilizing the human breast cancer subline, MDA-MB-231SA, previously in vivo selected for its enhanced ability to generate osteolytic bone lesions, we determined that 17-AAG potently inhibited its in vitro proliferation and migration. Moreover, 17-AAG significantly reduced MDA-MB-231SA tumor growth in the mammary-fat pad of nude mice. Despite these findings, 17-AAG enhanced the incidence of bone metastasis and osteolytic lesions following intracardiac inoculation in the nude mouse. Consistent with these findings, 17-AAG enhanced osteoclast formation 2- to 4-fold in mouse bone marrow/osteoblast cocultures, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (BANKL)-stimulated bone marrow, and RAW264.7 cell models of in vitro osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, the drug enhanced osteoclastogenesis in human cord blood progenitor cells, demonstrating that its effects were not limited to mouse models. In addition to 17-AAG, other Hsp90 inhibitors, such as radicicol and herbimycin A, also enhanced osteoclastogenesis. A pro-osteolytic action of 17-AAG independent of tumor presence was also determined in vivo, in which 17-AAG-treated tumor-naive mice had reduced trabecular bone volume with an associated increase in osteoclast number. Thus, HSP90 inhibitors can stimulate osteoclast formation, which may underlie the increased incidence of osteolysis and skeletal tumor incidence causedby 17-AAG in vivo. These data suggest an important contraindication to the Hsp90 targeted cancer therapy currently undergoing clinical trial.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Background: Population-based surveys demonstrate cannabis users are more likely to use both illicit and licit substances, compared with non-cannabis users. Few studies have examined the substance use profiles of cannabis users referred for treatment. Co-existing mental health symptoms and underlying cannabis-related beliefs associated with these profiles remains unexplored. Methods: Comprehensive drug use and dependence severity (Severity of Dependence Scale-Cannabis) data were collected on a sample of 826 cannabis users referred for treatment. Patients completed the General Health Questionnaire, Cannabis Expectancy Questionnaire, Cannabis Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and Positive Symptoms and Manic-Excitement subscales of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Latent class analysis was performed on last month use of drugs to identify patterns of multiple drug use. Mental health comorbidity and cannabis beliefs were examined by identified drug use pattern. Results: A three-class solution provided the best fit to the data: (1) cannabis and tobacco users (n = 176), (2) cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol users (n = 498), and (3) wide-ranging sub- stance users (n = 132). Wide-ranging substance users (3) reported higher levels of cannabis dependence severity, negative cannabis expectancies, lower opportunistic, and emotional relief self-efficacy, higher levels of depression and anxiety and higher manic-excitement and positive psychotic symptoms. Conclusion: In a sample of cannabis users referred for treatment, wide-ranging substance use was associated with elevated risk on measures of cannabis dependence, co-morbid psychopathology, and dysfunctional cannabis cognitions. These findings have implications for cognitive-behavioral assessment and treatment.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a protein growth factor whose pleiotropic effects on epithelial cells include the stimulation of motility, mitosis and tubulogenesis. These responses are mediated by the cell surface tyrosine kinase receptor c-met. Because both the cytokine and receptor are found in the gastrointestinal tract, we have studied the effects of HGF/SF on transformed gut epithelial cells which express c-met. Here we describe the response of a new transformed human jejunal epithelioid cell line (HIE-7) to HGF/SF. Morphologically HIE-7 cells are immature. Their epithelial lineage was confirmed by reactivity with the epithelial specific antibodies AE1/AE3, Cam 5.2, Ber-EP4 and anti-EMA and is consistent with their expression of c-met mRNA and protein. In addition, electron microscopic analysis revealed the presence of primitive junctions and rudimentary microvilli, but features of polarization were absent. When grown on reconstituted basement membranes, HIE-7 cells formed closely associated multicellular cord-like structures adjacent to acellular spaces. However, the cells did not mature structurally, form lumen-like structures or express disaccharidase mRNA, even in the presence of recombinant HGF (rHGF). On the other hand, rHGF induced HIE-7 cells to scatter and stimulated their rapid migration in a modified wound assay. To determine whether the motogenic effect caused by rHGF is associated with HIE-7 cell invasiveness across reconstituted basement membranes, a Boyden chamber chemoinvasion assay was performed. rHGF stimulated a 10-fold increase in the number of HIE-7 cells that crossed the basement membrane barrier, while only stimulating a small increase in chemotaxis across a collagen IV matrix, suggesting that the cytokine activates matrix penetration by these cells. rHGF also stimulated the invasion of basement membranes by an undifferentiated rat intestinal cell line (IEC-6) and by two human colon cancer cell lines which are poorly differentiated (DLD-1 and SW 948). In contrast, two moderately well differentiated colon cancer cell lines (Caco-2 and HT-29) did not manifest an invasive response when exposed to rHGF. These results suggest that HGF/SF may play a significant role in the invasive behavior of anaplastic and poorly differentiated gut epithelial tumors.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

We have characterized the LCC15-MB cell line which was recently derived from a breast carcinoma metastasis resected from the femur of a 29-year-old woman. LCC15-MB cells are vimentin (VIM) positive, exhibit a stellate morphology in routine cell culture, and form penetrating colonies when embedded in three-dimensional gels of Matrigel or fibrillar collagen. They show high levels of activity in the Boyden chamber chemomigration and chemoinvasion assays, and like other invasive human breast cancer (HBC) cell lines, LCC15-MB cells activate matrix-metalloproteinase-2 in response to treatment with concanavalin A. In addition, these cells are tumorigenic when implanted subcutaneously in nude mice and recolonize bone after arterial injection. Interestingly, both the primary lesion and the bone metastasis from which LCC15-MB were derived, as well as the resultant cell line, abundantly express the bone matrix protein osteopontin (OPN). OPN is also expressed by the highly metastatic MDA-MB-435 cells, but not other invasive or noninvasive HBC cell lines. Expression of OPN is retained in the subcutaneous xenograft and intraosseous metastases of LCC15-MB as detected by immunohistochemistry. Both VIM and OPN expression have been associated with breast cancer invasion and metastasis, and their expression by the LCC15-MB cell line is consistent with its derivation from a highly aggressive breast cancer. These cells provide a useful model for studying molecular mechanisms important for breast cancer metastasis to bone and, in particular, the implication(s) of OPN and VIM expression in this process.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Frizzled (FZD) receptors have a conserved N-terminal extracellular cysteine-rich domain that interacts with Wnts and co-expression of the receptor ectodomain can antagonize FZD-mediated signalling. Using the ectodomain as an antagonist we have modulated endogenous FZD7 signalling in the moderately differentiated colon adenocarcinoma cell line, SK-CO-1. Unlike the parental cell line, which grows as tightly associated adherent cell clusters, the FZD7 ectodomain expressing cells display a spread out morphology and grow as a monolayer in tissue culture. This transition in morphology was associated with decreased levels of plasma membrane-associated E-cadherin and β-catenin, localized increased levels of vimentin and redistribution of α6 integrin to cellular processes in the FZD7 ectodomain expressing cells. The morphological and phenotype changes induced by FZD7 ectodomain expression in SK-CO-1 cells is thus consistent with the cells undergoing an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transition. Furthermore, initiation of tumor formation in a xenograft tumor growth assay was attenuated in the FZD7 ectodomain expressing cells. Our results indicate a pivotal role for endogenous FZD7 in morphology transitions that are associated with colon tumor initiation and progression.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

The human galectin-3 is a galactoside-binding protein of 31 kDa which functions as a receptor for glycoproteins containing poly N-acetyllactosamine side chains and as a substrate for matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9. We studied its expression by flow cytofluorimetry, Western, Northern and Southern analyses, in five cultured human breast carcinoma cell lines previously characterized as non-tumorigenic, poorly metastatic or metastatic in nude mice. The expression of galectin-3 correlated with the reported tumorigenicity of the cells. The introduction of recombinant galectin-3 into the null expressing non-tumorigenic BT-549 cells resulted in the acquisition of anchorage-independent growth properties in alland tumorigenicity in 3/4 sense transfected cell crones. The data indicate a relationship between galectin-3 expression and malignancy of human breast carcinoma cell lines.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles, together with Biolog substrate utilization patterns, were used in conjunction with measurements of other soil chemical and microbiological properties to describe differences in soil microbial communities induced by increased salinity and alkalinity in grass/legume pastures at three sites in SE South Australia. Total ester-linked FAMEs (EL-FAMEs) and phospholipid-linked FAMEs (PL-FAMEs), were also compared for their ability to detect differences between the soil microbial communities. The level of salinity and alkalinity in affected areas of the pastures showed seasonal variation, being greater in summer than in winter. At the time of sampling for the chemical and microbiological measurements (winter) only the affected soil at site 1 was significantly saline. The affected soils at all three sites had lower organic C and total N concentrations than the corresponding non-affected soils. At site 1 microbial biomass, CO 2-C respiration and the rate of cellulose decomposition was also lower in the affected soil compared to the non-affected soil. Biomarker fatty acids present in both the EL- and PL-FAME profiles indicated a lower ratio of fungal to bacterial fatty acids in the saline affected soil at site 1. Analysis of Biolog substrate utilization patterns indicated that the bacterial community in the affected soil at site 1 utilized fewer carbon substrates and had lower functional diversity than the corresponding community in the non-affected soil. In contrast, increased alkalinity, of major importance at sites 2 and 3, had no effect on microbial biomass, the rate of cellulose decomposition or functional diversity but was associated with significant differences in the relative amounts of several fatty acids in the PL-FAME profiles indicative of a shift towards a bacterial dominated community. Despite differences in the number and relative amounts of fatty acids detected, principal component analysis of the EL- and PL-FAME profiles were equally capable of separating the affected and non-affected soils at all three sites. Redundancy analysis of the FAME data showed that organic C, microbial biomass, electrical conductivity and bicarbonate-extractable P were significantly correlated with variation in the EL-FAME profiles, whereas pH, electrical conductivity, NH 4-N, CO 2-C respiration and the microbial quotient were significantly correlated with variation in the PL-FAME profiles. Redundancy analysis of the Biolog data indicated that cation exchange capacity and bicarbonate-extractable K were significantly correlated with the variation in Biolog substrate utilization patterns.

Relevância:

20.00% 20.00%

Publicador:

Resumo:

In this Letter a hydrodynamic theory of liquid slippage on a solid substrate near a moving contact line is proposed. A family of spatially varying slip lengths in the Navier slip law recovers the results of past formulations for slip in continuum theories and molecular dynamics simulations and is consistent with well-established experimental observations of complete wetting. This formulation gives a general approach for continuum hydrodynamic theories. New fluid flow behaviors are also predicted yet to be seen in experiment. © 2013 American Physical Society.