Humoral immune responses arise when B lymphocytes respond to activation signals, enter mitosis and proliferate rapidly. Concurrent differentiation to antibody secreting and isotype switched effector cells is tightly linked to cell division, such that the degree of proliferation strongly influences the nature of the response that is mounted. Previous versions of a quantitative model of lymphocyte proliferation based on inherent variation in the time cells take to divide or die were able to accurately describe the entry of naïve, resting cells into division and subsequent population expansion. In the work described here, the model was tested and extended by investigating the proliferation cessation and population contraction phases of in vitro B cell responses. Experiments designed to assess the distribution of times to die of cells that had ceased proliferating revealed that the number of divisions achieved by individual cells is stochastically distributed in the population and varied in response to different stimuli. Both the concentration and duration of stimulation regulate the number of divisions undergone. A cell that stops dividing is described as having reached its division destiny. Further investigation revealed that cells reach a maximum division destiny even during repeated high-dose stimulation. This limit is dictated by cellular progression through divisions, and is not dependent on the survival capacity of the cells or time. Incorporation of division destiny in the quantitative model allows proliferation cessation to be described and the distribution of times to die after this point to be assessed. This extended model can describe the full course of in vitro lymphocyte proliferative responses to various different stimuli. (For complete abstract open document)

On s'intéresse à l'impact de l'utilisation de nouvelles technologies d'identification et de capture de données et en particulier de la technologie RFID sur les performances des chaînes logistiques.

This report presents a quantitative research and trading system (QUARTS) for US equities. After introduction of US stock market structure, it presents the quantitative model concept, specifically, its components and its interactions with different environments. Equipped with a software architecture design discipline that follows three steps -- define the problem; design the solution; and deploy to sites -- it designs the architecture of QUARTS. This is followed by a prototype implementation of research environment. Finally it gives two sample quantitative models to demonstrate the use of research environment. The report includes a detailed survey of Software Architecture and Design Methodologies to help readers to better understand the derivation of QUARTS architecture. / text

The Distal-less (Dll) gene has an ancient evolutionary origin. Chordates have retained duplicated Dll genes; vertebrates have six distinct paralogues (Dlx1 through Dlx6 in mammals) arranged in three cis-linked pairs that are co-expressed. Dlx genes are expressed in a conserved nested pattern that defines a proximal-distal axis in the pharyngeal arch tissue of vertebrates. Dlx5-/- and Dlx6-/- mouse neonates have similar phenotypic variations in the lower jaw and inner ear bones, with the Dlx6-/- phenotype being a less perturbed version of the Dlx5-/- phenotype. Conversely, Dlx5/6-/- double mutants have a homeotic transformation of the lower jaw into a second set of maxillary structures. The combination of expression patterns and null phenotypes has led to the proposal of a “Dlx code” that patterns the craniofacial tissue. However, the nature of this code, whether individual Dlx transcription factors supply unique functions, or whether they make a quantitative contribution to a more generic and shared Dlx function, is not well understood. One prediction of a quantitative model for Dlx function in the pharyngeal arches is the functional equivalency of the proteins encoded by divergent cis-linked Dlx paralogues. To address this aspect of the model, three core functions of Dlx5 and Dlx6 were compared quantitatively: suppression of cell growth, transcription activity and DNA binding affinity. In most respects both proteins behaved very similarly.

The dissertation analyzes the problems of evaluating an organization‘s knowledge potential, both on a theoretical and practical level. The object of researches – assessment of knowledge potential in organization – is important for the science of management, for organizations, and for states. The systematical analysis of the research object done by the author allowed to determine the factors influencing an organization‘s knowledge potential. The quantitative methods established for evaluating the organization‘s knowledge potential are joined into one evaluation system. In evaluating an organization‘s knowledge potential, an individual was chosen as the basic organizational element, and synergy was investigated as the most important catalyst of an organization’s knowledge potential. The main goal of this dissertation is to create a model to assess the knowledge potential of organization. Several main tasks were investigated in the dissertation: 1) to substantiate significance of knowledge and to carry out an analysis of knowledge potential content after evaluating the existing knowledge science literature; 2) determine the main components of an organization‘s knowledge potential and create qualitative methods for their evaluation; 3) prepare a methodics for the application of the model for evaluating an organiztion‘s knowledge potential. The Introduction presents the investigated problem, the importance of the thesis and its scientific innovativeness. It reveals the object of... [to full text] / Disertacijoje teoriniu ir praktiniu lygmenimis gvildenamos organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimo problemos. Tyrimų objektas – organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimas – yra svarbus vadybos mokslui, organizacijoms ir valstybėms. Autoriaus atlikta tyrimo objekto sisteminė analizė leido nustatyti organizacijos žinių potencialą lemiančius veiksnius, kurių vertinimui sukurti kiekybiniai metodai yra sujungti į vieną vertinimo sistemą. Vertinant organizacijos žinių potencialą, baziniu organizacijos elementu pasirinktas asmuo, o sinergija nagrinėta kaip svarbiausias organizacijos žinių potencialo katalizatorius. Pagrindinis disertacijos tikslas – sukurti organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimo modelį, lanksčiai taikomą įvairiose srityse. Disertacijoje nagrinėti keli pagrindiniai uždaviniai: 1) pagrįsti žinių svarbą ir atlikti žinių potencialo turinio analizę; 2) sintezuoti organizacijos žinių potencialą lemiančius veiksnius į bendrą modelį; 3) parengti siūlomo organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimo modelio taikymo metodiką. Disertaciją sudaro įvadas, keturi skyriai, rezultatų apibendrinimas, literatūros ir autoriaus publikacijų disertacijos tema sąrašai bei penki priedai. Įvadiniame skyriuje aptarta tiriamoji problema, atskleistas darbo aktualumas ir darbo mokslinis naujumas, aprašytas tyrimo objektas, suformuluotas darbo tikslas bei uždaviniai, aprašyta tyrimų metodika, nurodyta disertacijos rezultatų praktinė reikšmė, pateikti ginamieji teiginiai. Pirmasis skyrius... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Disertacijoje teoriniu ir praktiniu lygmenimis gvildenamos organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimo problemos. Tyrimų objektas – organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimas – yra svarbus vadybos mokslui, organizacijoms ir valstybėms. Autoriaus atlikta tyrimo objekto sisteminė analizė leido nustatyti organizacijos žinių potencialą lemiančius veiksnius, kurių vertinimui sukurti kiekybiniai metodai yra sujungti į vieną vertinimo sistemą. Vertinant organizacijos žinių potencialą, baziniu organizacijos elementu pasirinktas asmuo, o sinergija nagrinėta kaip svarbiausias organizacijos žinių potencialo katalizatorius. Pagrindinis disertacijos tikslas – sukurti organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimo modelį, lanksčiai taikomą įvairiose srityse. Disertacijoje nagrinėti keli pagrindiniai uždaviniai: 1) pagrįsti žinių svarbą ir atlikti žinių potencialo turinio analizę; 2) sintezuoti organizacijos žinių potencialą lemiančius veiksnius į bendrą modelį; 3) parengti siūlomo organizacijos žinių potencialo vertinimo modelio taikymo metodiką. Disertaciją sudaro įvadas, keturi skyriai, rezultatų apibendrinimas, literatūros ir autoriaus publikacijų disertacijos tema sąrašai bei penki priedai. Įvadiniame skyriuje aptarta tiriamoji problema, atskleistas darbo aktualumas ir darbo mokslinis naujumas, aprašytas tyrimo objektas, suformuluotas darbo tikslas bei uždaviniai, aprašyta tyrimų metodika, nurodyta disertacijos rezultatų praktinė reikšmė, pateikti ginamieji teiginiai. Pirmasis skyrius... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The dissertation analyzes the problems of evaluating an organization‘s knowledge potential, both on a theoretical and practical level. The object of researches – assessment of knowledge potential in organization – is important for the science of management, for organizations, and for states. The systematical analysis of the research object done by the author allowed to determine the factors influencing an organization‘s knowledge potential. The quantitative methods established for evaluating the organization‘s knowledge potential are joined into one evaluation system. In evaluating an organization‘s knowledge potential, an individual was chosen as the basic organizational element, and synergy was investigated as the most important catalyst of an organization’s knowledge potential. The main goal of this dissertation is to create a model to assess the knowledge potential of organization. Several main tasks were investigated in the dissertation: 1) to substantiate significance of knowledge and to carry out an analysis of knowledge potential content after evaluating the existing knowledge science literature; 2) determine the main components of an organization‘s knowledge potential and create qualitative methods for their evaluation; 3) prepare a methodics for the application of the model for evaluating an organiztion‘s knowledge potential. The Introduction presents the investigated problem, the importance of the thesis and its scientific innovativeness. It reveals the object of... [to full text]

We investigate weighted asynchronous cellular automata with weights in valuation monoids. These automata form a distributed extension of weighted finite automata and allow us to model concurrency. Valuation monoids are abstract weight structures that include semirings and (non-distributive) bounded lattices but also offer the possibility to model average behaviors. We prove that weighted asynchronous cellular automata and weighted finite automata which satisfy an I-diamond property are equally expressive. Depending on the properties of the valuation monoid, we characterize this expressiveness by certain syntactically restricted fragments of weighted MSO logics. Finally, we define the quantitative model-checking problem for distributed systems and show how it can be reduced to the corresponding problem for sequential systems.

This thesis expands the level of knowledge of Czech written papers in area of quantitative comparison of pension systems. Methodology of the paper is taken from Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index (MMGPI) model which comprehensively describes entire topic of pension systems. Distinct feature of the thesis is that it does not focus on describing the system itself however it examines it functioning and performance in areas of adequacy, sustainability and integrity. The goal of the thesis is to apply the same methodology and data sources as the MMGPI in order to incorporate Czech pension system. Analysis proves higher than average performance of Czech system in comparison with 18 countries of MMGPI. Comparison across over 30 indicators highlights pros and cons of Czech pension system. Thesis then recommends which features of Czech system should remain and on the example of best performing countries discuss possible improvements.

Automata theory, one of the main branches of theoretical computer science, established its roots in the middle of the 20th century. One of its most fundamental concepts is that of a finite automaton, a basic yet powerful model of computation. In essence, finite automata provide a method to finitely represent possibly infinite sets of strings. Such a set of strings is also called a language, and the languages which can be described by finite automata are known as regular languages. Owing to their versatility, regular languages have received a great deal of attention over the years. Other formalisms were shown to be expressively equivalent to finite automata, most notably regular grammars, regular expressions, and monadic second order (MSO) logic. To increase expressiveness, the fundamental idea underlying finite automata and regular languages was also extended to describe not only languages of strings, or words, but also of infinite words by Büchi and Muller, finite trees by Doner and Thatcher and Wright, infinite trees by Rabin, nested words by Alur and Madhusudan, and pictures by Blum and Hewitt, just to name a few examples. In a parallel line of development, Schützenberger introduced weighted automata which allow the description of quantitative properties of regular languages. In subsequent works, many of these descriptive formalisms and extensions were combined and their relationships investigated. For example, weighted regular expressions and weighted logics have been developed as well as regular expressions for trees and pictures, regular grammars for trees, pictures, and nested words, and logical characterizations for regular languages of trees, pictures, and nested words. In this work, we focus on two of these extensions and their relationship, namely weighted automata and weighted logics. Just as the classical Büchi-Elgot-Trakhtenbrot Theorem established the coincidence of regular languages with languages definable in monadic second order logic, weighted automata have been shown to be expressively equivalent to a specific fragment of a weighted monadic second order logic by Droste and Gastin. We explore several aspects of weighted automata and of this weighted logic. More precisely, the thesis considers the following topics. In the first part, we extend the classical Feferman-Vaught Theorem to the weighted setting. The Feferman-Vaught Theorem is one of the fundamental theorems in model theory. The theorem describes how the computation of the truth value of a first order sentence in a generalized product of relational structures can be reduced to the computation of truth values of first order sentences in the contributing structures and the evaluation of an MSO sentence in the index structure. The theorem itself has a long-standing history. It builds upon work of Mostowski, and was shown in subsequent works to hold true for MSO logic. Here, we show that under appropriate assumptions, the Feferman-Vaught Theorem also holds true for a weighted MSO logic with arbitrary commutative semirings as weight structure. In the second part, we lift four decidability results from max-plus word automata to max-plus tree automata. Max-plus word and tree automata are weighted automata over the max-plus semiring and assign real numbers to words or trees, respectively. We show that, like for max-plus word automata, the equivalence, unambiguity, and sequentiality problems are decidable for finitely ambiguous max-plus tree automata, and that the finite sequentiality problem is decidable for unambiguous max-plus tree automata. In the last part, we develop a logic which is expressively equivalent to quantitative monitor automata. Introduced very recently by Chatterjee, Henzinger, and Otop, quantitative monitor automata are an automaton model operating on infinite words. Quantitative monitor automata possess several interesting features. They are expressively equivalent to a subclass of nested weighted automata, an automaton model which for many valuation functions has decidable emptiness and universality problems. Also, quantitative monitor automata are more expressive than weighted Büchi-automata and their extension with valuation functions. We introduce a new logic which we call monitor logic and show that it is expressively equivalent to quantitative monitor automata.

Curricula assessment is an integrated process to assist higher education institutions in addressing the challenges in a designated field of study and in exploring the opportunities to better educate and prepare their students for an increasingly complex world. Although assessment as a topic has been researched extensively, there has been a lack of quantitative tools that address the requirements of many of the stakeholders that may be critical to the curriculum design and assessment processes. This research proposes the utilization of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) to develop a quantitative model for curriculum assessment and improvement for higher education institutions. A review of the literature indicates that there is a lack of quantitative tools that enhance the reliability and efficiency of gathering customer requirements for curriculum in higher education environment. In addition, there is a lack of tools to translate these requirements into actual characteristics that can be used for curriculum design and assessment purposes. The literature also indicates that curriculum assessment is one of several educational processes that affect the quality of education. This research proposes a quantitative model for curriculum assessment and improvement in higher education institutions, utilizing design for six sigma methodology. The proposed model explores the use of the Kano model concept to translate needed requirements into desirable curriculum attributes and the general concept of establishing transfer function to determine the level at which those requirements have been satisfied. The use of the developed model can help improve student learning and provide curriculum stakeholders with timely feedback about the curriculum and identify areas in need of improvement. To validate the capability of the proposed model, an ABET accredited department of Industrial Engineering in a US university was used a case study.