The origin and evolution of syntax errors in simple sequence flow models in BPMN

How do syntax errors emerge? What is the earliest moment that potential syntax errors can be detected? Which evolution do syntax errors go through during modeling? A provisional answer to these questions is formulated in this paper based on an investigation of a dataset containing the operational details of 126 modeling sessions. First, a list is composed of the different potential syntax errors. Second, a classification framework is built to categorize the errors according to their certainty and severity during modeling (i.e., in partial or complete models). Third, the origin and evolution of all syntax errors in the dataset are identified. This data is then used to collect a number of observations, which form a basis for future research

Investigating the trade-off between the effectiveness and efficiency of process modeling

Despite recent efforts to improve the quality of process models, we still observe a significant dissimilarity in quality between models. This paper focuses on the syntactic condition of process models, and how it is achieved. To this end, a dataset of 121 modeling sessions was investigated. By going through each of these sessions step by step, a separate ‘revision’ phase was identified for 81 of them. Next, by cutting the modeling process off at the start of the revision phase, a partial process model was exported for these modeling sessions. Finally, each partial model was compared with its corresponding final model, in terms of time, effort, and the number of syntactic errors made or solved, in search for a possible trade-off between the effectiveness and efficiency of process modeling. Based on the findings, we give a provisional explanation for the difference in syntactic quality of process models

Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Imaging of SN 1979C and Its Environment

The locations of supernovae in the local stellar and gaseous environment in galaxies contain important clues to their progenitor stars. As part of a program to study the environments of supernovae using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging data, we have examined the environment of the Type II-L SN 1979C in NGC 4321 (M100). We place more rigorous constraints on the mass of the SN progenitor, which may have had a mass M \approx 17--18 M_sun. Moreover, we have recovered and measured the brightness of SN 1979C, m=23.37 in F439W (~B; m_B(max) = 11.6), 17 years after explosion. .Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, submitted to PAS

Spectral and morphological analysis of the remnant of Supernova 1987A with ALMA & ATCA

We present a comprehensive spectral and morphological analysis of the remnant of Supernova (SN) 1987A with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The non-thermal and thermal components of the radio emission are investigated in images from 94 to 672 GHz ($\lambda$ 3.2 mm to 450 $\mu$m), with the assistance of a high-resolution 44 GHz synchrotron template from the ATCA, and a dust template from ALMA observations at 672 GHz. An analysis of the emission distribution over the equatorial ring in images from 44 to 345 GHz highlights a gradual decrease of the east-to-west asymmetry ratio with frequency. We attribute this to the shorter synchrotron lifetime at high frequencies. Across the transition from radio to far infrared, both the synchrotron/dust-subtracted images and the spectral energy distribution (SED) suggest additional emission beside the main synchrotron component ($S_{\nu}\propto\nu^{-0.73}$) and the thermal component originating from dust grains at $T\sim22$ K. This excess could be due to free-free flux or emission from grains of colder dust. However, a second flat-spectrum synchrotron component appears to better fit the SED, implying that the emission could be attributed to a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). The residual emission is mainly localised west of the SN site, as the spectral analysis yields $-0.4\lesssim\alpha\lesssim-0.1$ across the western regions, with $\alpha\sim0$ around the central region. If there is a PWN in the remnant interior, these data suggest that the pulsar may be offset westward from the SN position.Comment: ApJ accepted. 21 pages, emulateapj. References update

Could changes in the agricultural landscape of northeastern China have influenced the long-distance transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses?

In the last few years, several reassortant subtypes of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI H5Nx) have emerged in East Asia. These new viruses, mostly of subtype H5N1, H5N2, H5N6, and H5N8 belonging to clade 2.3.4.4, have been found in several Asian countries and have caused outbreaks in poultry in China, South Korea, and Vietnam. HPAI H5Nx also have spread over considerable distances with the introduction of viruses belonging to the same 2.3.4.4 clade in the U.S. (2014-2015) and in Europe (2014-2015 and 2016-2017). In this paper, we examine the emergence and spread of these new viruses in Asia in relation to published datasets on HPAI H5Nx distribution, movement of migratory waterfowl, avian influenza risk models, and land-use change analyses. More specifically, we show that between 2000 and 2015, vast areas of northeast China have been newly planted with rice paddy fields (3.21 million ha in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning) in areas connected to other parts of Asia through migratory pathways of wild waterfowl. We hypothesize that recent land use changes in northeast China have affected the spatial distribution of wild waterfowl, their stopover areas, and the wild-domestic interface, thereby altering transmission dynamics of avian influenza viruses across flyways. Detailed studies of the habitat use by wild migratory birds, of the extent of the wild-domestic interface, and of the circulation of avian influenza viruses in those new planted areas may help to shed more light on this hypothesis, and on the possible impact of those changes on the long-distance patterns of avian influenza transmission

Effects of Dual Targeting of Tumor Cells and Stroma in Human Glioblastoma Xenografts with a Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor against c-MET and VEGFR2

Contains fulltext : 118357.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Anti-angiogenic treatment of glioblastoma with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)- or VEGF Receptor 2 (VEGFR2) inhibitors normalizes tumor vessels, resulting in a profound radiologic response and improved quality of life. This approach however does not halt tumor progression by diffuse infiltration, as this phenotype is less angiogenesis dependent. Combined inhibition of angiogenesis and diffuse infiltrative growth would therefore be a more effective treatment approach in these tumors. The HGF/c-MET axis is important in both angiogenesis and cell migration in several tumor types including glioma. We therefore analyzed the effects of the c-MET- and VEGFR2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib (XL184, Exelixis) on c-MET positive orthotopic E98 glioblastoma xenografts, which routinely present with angiogenesis-dependent areas of tumor growth, as well as diffuse infiltrative growth. In cultures of E98 cells, cabozantinib effectively inhibited c-MET phosphorylation, concomitant with inhibitory effects on AKT and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and cell proliferation and migration. VEGFR2 activation in endothelial cells was also effectively inhibited . Treatment of BALB/c nu/nu mice carrying orthotopic E98 xenografts resulted in a significant increase in overall survival. Cabozantinib effectively inhibited angiogenesis, resulting in increased hypoxia in angiogenesis-dependent tumor areas, and induced vessel normalization. Yet, tumors ultimately escaped cabozantinib therapy by diffuse infiltrative outgrowth via vessel co-option. Of importance, in contrast to the results from experiments, blockade of c-MET activation was incomplete, possibly due to multiple factors including restoration of the blood-brain barrier resulting from cabozantinib-induced VEGFR2 inhibition. In conclusion, cabozantinib is a promising therapy for c-MET positive glioma, but improving delivery of the drug to the tumor and/or the surrounding tissue may be needed for full activity

Simple deterministic dynamical systems with fractal diffusion coefficients

We analyze a simple model of deterministic diffusion. The model consists of a one-dimensional periodic array of scatterers in which point particles move from cell to cell as defined by a piecewise linear map. The microscopic chaotic scattering process of the map can be changed by a control parameter. This induces a parameter dependence for the macroscopic diffusion coefficient. We calculate the diffusion coefficent and the largest eigenmodes of the system by using Markov partitions and by solving the eigenvalue problems of respective topological transition matrices. For different boundary conditions we find that the largest eigenmodes of the map match to the ones of the simple phenomenological diffusion equation. Our main result is that the difffusion coefficient exhibits a fractal structure by varying the system parameter. To understand the origin of this fractal structure, we give qualitative and quantitative arguments. These arguments relate the sequence of oscillations in the strength of the parameter-dependent diffusion coefficient to the microscopic coupling of the single scatterers which changes by varying the control parameter.Comment: 28 pages (revtex), 12 figures (postscript), submitted to Phys. Rev.

Is being overweight associated with engagement in self-injurious behaviours in adolescence, or do psychological factors have more “weight”?

Introduction The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of non-suicidal self-injurious behaviours (NSSI) among healthy weight and overweight adolescents and to examine the role of age, gender, weight status, treatment condition for weight control, and psychological variables (psychopathological symptoms and emotional skills) in the prediction of NSSI. Methods The study had a cross-sectional design, and participants (n = 370) were aged 14-19 years and were divided in three groups: 205 adolescents with normal weight, 82 adolescents from the community with overweight/obesity, and 83 adolescents with overweight/obesity and in outpatient treatment for weight control. Results The prevalence of these behaviours in the overweight community group (25.6 %) and in the overweight clinical group (14.5 %) was similar to their healthy weight peers (19 %). Not attending an outpatient treatment for weight control, higher psychopathology and less ability to regulate emotions predict the presence of NSSI. Conclusion Being overweight is not associated with NSSI, but psychosocial variables such as psychopathology, emotional deregulation and the absence of medical care predict these behaviours.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Understanding the Relationship between Quality of Life, Adaptive Behavior and Support Needs

Psychometric tools providing quantitative measures of the constructs of adaptive behavior, support needs, and quality of life (QOL) have received considerable attention within the field of intellectual disability (ID). The relationship between the three constructs was investigated by examining scores on the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS), Supports Intensity Scale (SIS), and Personal Outcomes Scale (POS; a QOL scale). Data from 146 Portuguese adults with ID revealed that: (a) the ABS domains showed a moderate negative relationship with the SIS subscales; (b) the absolute value of correlations between SIS/ABS domains were greater than either the ABS/POS or SIS/POS correlations; and (c) people with relatively stronger adaptive skills and less intense support needs experience a higher QOL. Additionally, adaptive behavior scores were a stronger predictor of personal outcomes than the support needs scores. Personal outcomes associated with QOL were similar when assessed by the POS through self-report and report-of-others measures. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.<br/