bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Software process improvement in Europe: potential of the new V‐modell XT and research issues
Authors: Biffl Stefan , Winkler Dietmar , Höhn Reinhard , Wetzel Herbert 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThe goal of European industrial practice to support high‐value software production in diversified domains has led to the development of a huge number of process model variants. However, these diverse models are hard to compare, which hinders efficient collaboration and software process improvement on a European level. Process managers see a growing need for approaches that support stakeholder collaboration, systematic process mapping, and transformation of processes to improve their leverage in software process improvement. In this article we present the V‐Modell XT (VM XT), a flexible software process model approach that has recently been announced as the standard for public‐sector IT projects in Germany, as promising opportunity to help provide a unifying European software process model ‘umbrella’. On the basis of strengths of the VM XT, we suggest research directions for advanced support of software projects: (i) effective business value translation to engineering solutions that strengthens stakeholder collaboration, (ii) process mapping that enables collaboration in projects that have to reconcile several process models, and (iii) process ‘product lines’ to capture the variability of software processes on domain and company levels and thus systematically help investigate best‐practice approaches to software construction. We discuss these concepts, the contribution of the VM XT, and conclude with next steps for research and validation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A proposed way for European software industries to achieve growth within the global marketplace
Authors: McCaffery Fergal , Šmite Darja , Wilkie F. G. , McFall D. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractGlobal market expansion forces the competition in the field of software development to grow extremely fast. Accordingly, countries that base their brand in the field of information technologies are looking forward to quality and productivity improvement along with price reduction. One of the major trends in the global market is outsourcing, which is considered to be an opportunity to achieve best knowledge, extra resources and assurance of quality development, speed time to market, and cut costs. The role of emerging nations in this context increases every day, pushing out the old players. This article will therefore suggest how software development should change within the Northern Ireland (NI) software industry and adopt a global software development model in order to continue as a major player within the global software development industry. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From process improvement to learning organisations
Authors: Messnarz Richard , O'Suilleabhain Gearoid , Coughlan Ray 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThis article outlines a case study in which process improvement has been combined with innovation management strategies. This approach is a key success factor in the industry because process improvement without regard to product innovation would in the long term only stabilise the productions in existing cash cows, but would not unleash any new product ideas or concepts. However, new product concepts are necessary to win a competitive advantage in the market.Here, a case study based on ISO 15504 concerning process improvements is discussed. Concerning innovation skills and processes, the case studies discussed are based on the results of three former projects as follows: (a) CREDIT (MM 1032, 1998–2001), developing a multi‐user Intranet/Internet‐based assessment platform for skills and process assessments, (b) ORGANIC (Leonardo da Vinci, 2003–2006), developing a training program for required skills in innovation management, and (c) SOQRATES (originally Bavarian state funded in 2003 and later funded by a group of leading firms in central Europe), comprising task forces shared across companies to exchange process improvement knowledge and jointly collaborate on synergies and improvements. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Release planning process improvement — an industrial case study
Authors: Momoh Joseph , Ruhe Günther 
Published: June 2006

AbstractPlanning of software releases is accomplished by the assignment of requirements to the releases, where effort, finance, and risk constraints are considered in order to determine strategic release plans. Planning and re‐planning of releases has an impact on time‐to‐market, customer satisfaction, and stability of the development process. This article presents an industrial case study of the release planning process improvement as performed at Trema Laboratories, Inc. The baseline situation is compared against the improvement gained from the introduction of a more systematic process defined by a decision support tool called ReleasePlanner, and an accompanying methodology. The new process was designed and implemented as part of a trial project performed at Trema. The article describes the main findings of this trial. The study shows that the process improvement introduced has added significant value to the overall business. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Software outsourcing quality achieved by global virtual collaboration
Authors: Siakas Kerstin V. , Balstrup Bo 
Published: June 2006

AbstractIn today's rapidly changing and highly competitive global environment, offshore outsourcing (contracting of a portion or all of the software development function to software engineers outside the home country) teams working across national borders and virtual organisations have become a fact. The globalisation of the software market has also changed the contextual boundaries of information systems (IS) research and practices to include the wider societal context. Management experiences difficulties when applying traditional management approaches, because of the increased complexity of global organisations and their dependency on people with different underlying norms, values and beliefs. Researchers call for caution in managing global workers. They argue that behavioural traits of diverse work groups can contribute to dysfunctional organisations. Cultural sensitivity has become a core issue.This article discusses the implications of globalisation in software development and seeks to make more explicit the human dynamics that have a bearing on the success of outsourcing and virtual collaboration. Two models, namely, the e‐Sourcing Capability Model for Service Providers (eSCM‐SP) and the Software Quality Management—Cultural and Organisational Diversity Evaluation (SQM‐CODE) Model, are proposed to bring added value for service purchasers in their search for, selection of and collaboration with service providers.The eSCM‐SP, a capability maturity assessment model related to IT‐enabled sourcing, is briefly discussed and the SQM‐CODE model, a tool for assessing the fit between organisational and national culture, is presented, and its importance for identifying cultural factors and taking appropriate action in order to achieve a cultural fit between the service provider and the contractor in outsourcing business partnerships is revealed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ductus venosus shunting in growth‐restricted fetuses and the effect of umbilical circulatory compromise
Authors: Kiserud T. , Kessler J. , Ebbing C. , Rasmussen S. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the degree of ductus venosus (DV) shunting in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and the effect of various degrees of umbilical circulatory compromise.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional observational study. Sixty‐four fetuses with IUGR (estimated weight ≤ 2.5th percentile) underwent ultrasound examination. The diameter, velocity, and blood flow were determined in the DV and intra‐abdominal umbilical vein (UV), and the fraction of shunting and DV : UV diameter ratios were calculated. Placental compromise was classified according to either normal umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility index (PI), UA‐PI > 97.5th percentile, or absent or reversed end‐diastolic flow velocity (A/REDV). Regression analysis was used to construct mean values, and SD scores were used to determine differences compared with a reference population (n = 212) after ln‐ or power‐transformation.ResultsIn the 64 growth‐restricted fetuses, the average DV shunting was 39% compared with 25% in the reference group (overall P < 0.0001). The corresponding values in the subgroups with normal UA‐PI, UA‐PI > 97.5th percentile, and A/REDV were 31%, 35%, and 57%, respectively. Fetuses with IUGR and normal UA‐PI (SD score: mean, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.04–0.92) did not shunt significantly more than did the reference fetuses (SD score: mean, 0.0; 95% CI, − 0.15 to 0.15), but those with UA‐PI > 97.5th percentile (SD score: mean, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.41–1.29), and particularly those with A/REDV (SD score: mean, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.0–2.12) did shunt significantly more. With more DV shunting, these fetuses distributed correspondingly less umbilical blood to the liver, one of the mechanisms being a lower perfusion pressure as reflected in the lower DV blood velocity (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsDV shunting is higher and the umbilical blood flow to the liver is less in fetuses with IUGR, particularly in those with the most severe umbilical hemodynamic compromise. Copyright © 2006 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Building Bridges Across Differences to Meet Social Action Goals: Being and Creating Allies Among People of Color
Authors: Suyemoto Karen L. , Fox Tree Claudia A. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractAlthough challenges of anti‐racist work are most commonly framed in relation to White people and People of Color, there are significant challenges involved in creating allies across minority racial groups. This article describes our experiences within a community organization aimed at training anti‐racist culturally sensitive K‐12 educators. As Asian American and Native American facilitators within a group of facilitators of color who were predominantly Black, we describe our experiences of relative marginalization and our (mostly failed) attempts to create change within the organization to be more inclusive of the perspectives, experiences, and needs of non‐Black people/students of color. We contextualize these experienced conflicts in relation to race hierarchies, the “divide and conquer strategy” and the maintenance of White privilege. We offer reflections for how racial minorities engaged in anti‐racist education could be better allies and how organizations might better foster environments that contribute to the creation of these alliances.
Mitogenic modulation of Ca2+‐activated K+ channels in proliferating A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Si Han , Grgic Ivica , Heyken Willm‐Thomas , Maier Tanja , Hoyer Joachim , Reusch Hans‐Peter , Köhler Ralf 
Published: June 2006

Modulation of Ca2+‐activated K+ channels (KCa) has been implicated in the control of proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and other cell types. In the present study, we investigated the underlying signal transduction mechanisms leading to mitogen‐induced alterations in the expression pattern of intermediate‐conductance KCa in VSMC.
Regulation of expression of IKCa/rKCa3.1 and BKCa/rKCa1.1 in A7r5 cells, a cell line derived from rat aortic VSMC, was investigated by patch‐clamp technique, quantitative RT–PCR, immunoblotting procedures, and siRNA strategy.
PDGF stimulation for 2 and 48 h induced an 11‐ and 3.5‐fold increase in rKCa3.1 transcript levels resulting in a four‐ and seven‐fold increase in IKCa currents after 4 and 48 h, respectively. Upregulation of rKCa3.1 transcript levels and channel function required phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK1/2) and Ca2+ mobilization, but not activation of p38‐MAP kinase, c‐Jun NH(2)‐terminal kinase, protein kinase C, calcium‐calmodulin kinase II and Src kinases.
In contrast to rKCa3.1, mRNA expression and functions of BKCa/rKCa1.1 were decreased by half following mitogenic stimulation. Downregulation of rKCa1.1 did not require ERK1/2 phosphorylation or Ca2+ mobilization.
In an in vitro‐proliferation assay, knockdown of rKCa3.1 expression by siRNA completely abolished functional IKCa channels and mitogenesis.
Mitogen‐induced upregulation of rKCa3.1 expression is mediated via activation of the Raf/MEK‐ and ERK‐signaling cascade in a Ca2+‐dependent manner. Upregulation of rKCa3.1 promotes VSMC proliferation and may thus represent a pharmacological target in cardiovascular disease states characterized by abnormal cell proliferation.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 909–917. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706793
Effects of ginseng saponins isolated from Red Ginseng roots on burn wound healing in mice
Authors: Kimura Yoshiyuki , Sumiyoshi Maho , Kawahira Kazuhiro , Sakanaka Masahiro 
Published: June 2006

We recently demonstrated that ginsenoside Rb1 (C54H92O23, molecular weight 1108) isolated from ginseng, when intravenously infused into rats with permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion, reduced cerebral infarct volume and ameliorated place navigation disability of the animals, through an anti‐apoptotic action and possibly promotion of vascular regeneration. To investigate the ginsenoside Rb1‐mediated vascular regeneration in vivo in a more easily accessible experimental systems, we made a burn wound on the backs of mice and topically applied either Vaseline (vehicle) alone or Vaseline containing low doses of ginsenoside Rb1 to the wound.
Surprisingly, we found that ginsenoside Rb1 at low concentrations (100 pg g−1, 1 pg g−1 and 10 fg g−1 ointment) exhibited the strongest burn wound‐healing action. Furthermore, ginsenoside Rb1 (100 fg–1 ng per wound) increased neovascularization in the surrounding tissue and production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin (IL)‐1β from the burn wound, compared to those mice with burn wounds treated with vehicle alone.
In human keratinocyte cultures (HaCaT cells), ginsenoside Rb1 (100 fg ml−1 to 1 ng ml−1) enhanced VEGF production induced by IL‐1β and expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1α.
These findings suggest that the promotion of burn wound healing by ginsenoside Rb1 might be due to the promotion of angiogenesis during skin wound repair via the stimulation of VEGF production, through the increase of HIF‐1α expression in keratinocytes, and due to the elevation of IL‐1β resulting from the macrophage accumulation in the burn wound.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 860–870. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706794
Dual effect of calmodulin on store‐operated Ca2+‐permeable cation channels in rabbit portal vein myocytes
Authors: Albert Anthony P , Liu Min , Large William A 
Published: June 2006

We have previously described a Ca2+‐permeable non‐selective cation channel in freshly dispersed rabbit ear artery myocytes, which is activated by agents that deplete internal Ca2+ stores and also by protein kinase C (PKC). In the present study, we investigated the effect of calmodulin (CaM) on store‐operated channels (SOCs) with electrophysiological techniques.
Bath application of the CaM inhibitor calmidazolium (CMZ) to quiescent cells produced transient activation of SOC activity in cell‐attached patches. CMZ produced a dual effect on cyclopiazonic acid (CPA)‐evoked SOCs by initially inducing an increase in mean open probability (NPo) and subsequently producing a marked inhibition of SOC activity. In contrast, SOCs activated by the cell‐permeable Ca2+ chelator 1,2‐bis (2‐aminophenoxy)ethane‐N‐N,N′,N′‐tetraacetic acid (BAPTA‐AM) were inhibited by CMZ.
In inside‐out patches where SOCs were activated by CPA or the PKC activator phorbol‐12,13‐dibutyrate (PDBu), bath application of CaM induced an initial inhibition followed by an increase in SOC activity. In contrast, CaM only enhanced BAPTA‐AM‐evoked SOC activity in inside‐out patches.
Bath application of CaM to the cytoplasmic surface of quiescent inside‐out patches evoked single channel currents with biophysical properties similar to SOCs.
The inhibitory action of CaM on PDBu‐induced SOC activity was inhibited by the calmodulin‐dependent kinase II (CaM kinase II) inhibitor autocamtide‐related inhibitory peptide (AIP) but not by inhibitors of calcineurin or myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). In addition, CaM‐evoked channel currents were inhibited by coapplication of purified CaM kinase II but not by inhibitors of CaM kinase II, calcineurin or MLCK.
With whole‐cell and cell‐attached recording, bath application of the CaM kinase II inhibitors KN93 and AIP evoked SOCs in unstimulated myocytes.
These results indicate that CaM has pronounced dual inhibitory and excitatory actions on SOCs with the inhibitory effect of CaM mediated by CaM kinase II. Moreover, the present work provides strong evidence that CaM has an important role in activating SOCs, possibly through a direct action on channel/associated proteins.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 1001–1011. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706797
Activation of 5‐HT3 receptors in the rat and mouse intestinal tract: a comparative study
Authors: Chetty Navinisha , Irving Helen R , Coupar Ian M 
Published: June 2006

This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of 5‐HT3 receptor functional distribution in both the rat and mouse intestinal tract.
5‐HT3A−S receptor splice variant mRNA was expressed throughout the intestine of the rat and mouse; the 5‐HT3A−L variant being more common in the rat.
5‐HT, m‐CPB, 1‐PBG and 2‐methyl‐5‐hydroxytryptamine (2m5‐HT) induced contraction in the jejunum, ileum, proximal colon and distal colon of the rat (pEC50 range: 2m5‐HT, 5.86±0.40 to m‐CPB, 7.47±0.27) and mouse (pEC50 range: 1‐PBG, 5.34±0.06 to m‐CPB, 6.49±0.14) in the presence of nontarget 5‐HT receptor antagonists, methysergide (1 μM) and GR125487 (0.1 μM). The rank orders of potency in the four regions of the rat and mouse intestine were concordant with the accepted order and the responses to 5‐HT were inhibited by ondansetron (0.1 μM).
5‐HT3‐induced contractions to 5‐HT were reduced by tetrodotoxin (1 μM). Pargyline (10 μM) and fluoxetine (1 μM) potentiated responses in the rat jejunum. Atropine (0.1 μM) potentiated 5‐HT3‐induced responses in the rat jejunum (Emax 49–65%), but attenuated responses in most other regions of the rat and mouse (e.g. mouse ileum: Emax 57–26%). In the rat jejunum, L‐NAME (100 μM) mimicked the effect of atropine, hexamethonium (100 μM) suppressed 5‐HT3‐induced responses, but tachykinin receptor antagonists were without effect.
It is concluded that functional 5‐HT3 receptors are present in nerves along the length of the rat and mouse intestinal tract. The mouse proximal colon was found to discriminate 5‐HT3 receptor agonist profiles better than any other region in the rat or mouse. The rat jejunum shows evidence of 5‐HT uptake and inactivation processes as well as inhibitory nitrergic and nontachykinin excitatory pathways associated with the 5‐HT3‐induced response.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 1012–1021. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706802
The proof of Tchakaloff’s Theorem
Authors: Bayer Christian , Teichmann Josef 
Published: June 2006

We provide a simple proof of Tchakaloff’s Theorem on the existence of cubature formulas of degree

m
m

for Borel measures with moments up to order

m
m

. The result improves known results for non-compact support, since we do not need conditions on

(
m
+
1
)

(m+1)

st moments. In fact, we reduce the classical assertion of Tchakaloff’s Theorem to a well-known statement going back to F. Riesz.
On positive periodic solutions of Lotka-Volterra competition systems with deviating arguments
Authors: Tang Xianhua , Zou Xingfu 
Published: June 2006

By using Krasnoselskii’s fixed point theorem, we prove that the following periodicn−n-species Lotka-Volterra competition system with multiple deviating arguments(∗)x˙i(t)=xi(t)[ri(t)−∑j=1naij(t)xj(t−τij(t))],i=1,2,…,n,\begin{equation*} (\ast )\quad \quad \dot {x}_i(t)=x_i(t)\left [r_i(t)-\sum _{j=1}^{n}a_{ij}(t)x_j(t-\tau _{ij}(t)) \right ],\quad i=1, 2, \ldots , n,\qquad \quad \end{equation*}has at least one positiveω−\omega -periodic solution provided that the corresponding system of linear equations(∗∗)∑j=1na¯ij xj=r¯i,i=1,2,…,n,\begin{equation*} (\ast \ast )\qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \quad \sum _{j=1}^{n}\bar {a}_{ij}\ x_j= \bar {r}_i, \quad i=1, 2, \ldots , n,\qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \quad \end{equation*}has a positive solution, whereri,aij∈C(R,[0,∞))r_i, a_{ij}\in C({\mathbf {R}}, [0, \infty ))andτij∈C(R,R)\tau _{ij}\in C({\mathbf {R}}, {\mathbf {R}})areω−\omega -periodic functions with\[r¯i=1ω∫0ωri(s)ds>0; a¯ij=1ω∫0ωaij(s)ds≥0,i,j=1,2,…,n.\bar {r}_i=\frac {1}{\omega }\int _{0}^{\omega }r_i(s)ds >0;\ \ \ \bar {a}_{ij}=\frac {1}{\omega }\int _{0}^{\omega }a_{ij}(s)ds \ge 0, \quad i, j=1, 2, \ldots , n.\]Furthermore, whenaij(t)≡aija_{ij}(t)\equiv a_{ij}andτij(t)≡τij\tau _{ij}(t)\equiv \tau _{ij},i,j=1,…,ni,j =1,\ldots ,n, are constants butri(t), i=1,…,nr_i(t),\ i=1, \ldots ,n, remainω\omega-periodic, we show that the condition on(∗∗)(\ast \ast )is also necessary for(∗)(\ast )to have at least one positiveω−\omega -periodic solution.
The real rank zero property of crossed product
Authors: Fang Xiaochun 
Published: June 2006

Let

A
A

be a unital

C
∗

C^*

-algebra, and let

(
A
,
G
,
α
)

(A, G, \alpha )

be a

C
∗

C^*

-dynamical system with

G
G

abelian and discrete. In this paper, we introduce the continuous affine map

R
R

from the trace state space

T
(
A

×

α

G
)

T(A\times _{\alpha }G)

of the crossed product

A

×

α

G

A\times _{\alpha }G

to the

α
\alpha

-invariant trace state space

T
(
A

)

α
∗

T(A)_{\alpha ^*}

of

A
A

. If

A

×

α

G

A\times _{\alpha }G

is of real rank zero and

G
^

\hat {G}

is connected, we have proved that

R
R

is homeomorphic. Conversely, if

R
R

is homeomorphic, we also get some properties and real rank zero characterization of

A

×

α

G

A\times _{\alpha }G

. In particular, in that case,

A

×

α

G

A\times _{\alpha }G

is of real rank zero if and only if each unitary element in

A

×

α

G

A\times _{\alpha }G

with the form

u

A

∏

i
=
1

n

x
i
∗

y
i
∗

x
i

y
i

u_{_A}\prod _{i=1}^n x_i^*y_i^*x_iy_i

can be approximated by the unitary elements in

A

×

α

G

A\times _{\alpha }G

with finite spectrum, where

u

A

∈

U
0

(
A
)

u_{_A}\in U_0(A)

,

x
i

,

y
i

∈

C
c

(
G
,
A
)
∩

U
0

(
A

×

α

G
)

x_i,y_i\in C_c(G,A)\cap U_0(A\times _{\alpha }G)

, and if moreover

A
A

is a unital inductive limit of the direct sums of non-elementary simple

C
∗

C^*

-algebras of real rank zero, then the

u

A

u_{_A}

above can be cancelled.
The sufficiency of arithmetic progressions for the 3𝑥+1 Conjecture
Authors: Monks Kenneth 
Published: June 2006

DefineT:Z+→Z+T:\mathbb {Z} ^{+}\rightarrow \mathbb {Z} ^{+}byT(x)=(3x+1)/2T\left ( x\right ) =\left ( 3x+1\right ) /2ifxxis odd andT(x)=x/2T\left ( x\right ) =x/2ifxxis even. The3x+13x+1Conjecture states that theTT-orbit of every positive integer contains11. A set of positive integers is said to besufficientif theTT-orbit of every positive integer intersects theTT-orbit of an element of that set. Thus to prove the3x+13x+1Conjecture it suffices to prove it on some sufficient set. Andaloro proved that the sets1+2nN1+2^{n} \mathbb {N}are sufficient forn≤4n\leq 4and asked if1+2nN1+2^{n}\mathbb {N}is also sufficient for larger values ofnn. We answer this question in the affirmative by proving the stronger result thatA+BNA+B\mathbb {N}is sufficient for any nonnegative integersAAandBBwithB≠0,B\neq 0,i.e. every nonconstant arithmetic sequence forms a sufficient set. We then prove analagous results for the Divergent Orbits Conjecture and Nontrivial Cycles Conjecture.