Type System for the ComponentJ Programming Language

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática.

A calculus for modeling and analyzing conversations in service-oriented computing

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Informática pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Monte Carlo simulations for dosimetric verification in photon and electron beam radiotherapy

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Biomédica

Constraint-based verification of imperative programs

work presented in the context of the European Master’s program in Computational Logic, as the partial requirement for obtaining Master of Science degree in Computational Logic

Verification of analog circuits in power-down mode

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Eletrotécnica e Computadores

Planning and verification of multipath routing protocols

Conventionally the problem of the best path in a network refers to the shortest path problem. However, for the vast majority of networks present nowadays this solution has some limitations which directly affect their proper functioning, as well as an inefficient use of their potentialities. Problems at the level of large networks where graphs of high complexity are commonly present as well as the appearing of new services and their respective requirements, are intrinsically related to the inability of this solution. In order to overcome the needs present in these networks, a new approach to the problem of the best path must be explored. One solution that has aroused more interest in the scientific community considers the use of multiple paths between two network nodes, where they can all now be considered as the best path between those nodes. Therefore, the routing will be discontinued only by minimizing one metric, where only one path between nodes is chosen, and shall be made by the selection of one of many paths, thereby allowing the use of a greater diversity of the present paths (obviously, if the network consents). The establishment of multi-path routing in a given network has several advantages for its operation. Its use may well improve the distribution of network traffic, improve recovery time to failure, or it can still offer a greater control of the network by its administrator. These factors still have greater relevance when networks have large dimensions, as well as when their constitution is of high complexity, such as the Internet, where multiple networks managed by different entities are interconnected. A large part of the growing need to use multipath protocols is associated to the routing made based on policies. Therefore, paths with different characteristics can be considered with equal level of preference, and thus be part of the solution for the best way problem. To perform multi-path routing using protocols based only on the destination address has some limitations but it is possible. Concepts of graph theory of algebraic structures can be used to describe how the routes are calculated and classified, enabling to model the routing problem. This thesis studies and analyzes multi-path routing protocols from the known literature and derives a new algebraic condition which allows the correct operation of these protocols without any network restriction. It also develops a range of software tools that allows the planning and the respective verification/validation of new protocols models according to the study made.

Design and implementation of a behaviorally typed programming system for web services

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática.

A Logic and tool for local reasoning about security protocols

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

The simple economics of risk-sharing agreements between the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry

The Janssen-Cilag proposal for a risk-sharing agreement regarding bortezomib received a welcome signal from NICE. The Office of Fair Trading report included risk-sharing agreements as an available tool for the National Health Service. Nonetheless, recent discussions have somewhat neglected the economic fundamentals underlying risk-sharing agreements. We argue here that risk-sharing agreements, although attractive due to the principle of paying by results, also entail risks. Too many patients may be put under treatment even with a low success probability. Prices are likely to be adjusted upward, in anticipation of future risk-sharing agreements between the pharmaceutical company and the third-party payer. An available instrument is a verification cost per patient treated, which allows obtaining the first-best allocation of patients to the new treatment, under the risk sharing agreement. Overall, the welfare effects of risk-sharing agreements are ambiguous, and care must be taken with their use.

A behavioral analysis tool for models of software systems

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Une succession de référence pour le Toarcien Moyen et Supérieur: les "Margas calcárias de São Gião" dans les environs de Cantanhede (sous-bassin nord lusitanien, Portugal)*

The geological sections studied at the São Gião sector (Cantanhede region) have allowed the establishment of a clear succession of ammonite associations during the Middle and Upper Toarcian (“Margas calcárias de São Gião” and “Calcários margosos de Póvoa da Lomba” Formations). The fossil collections were gathered over the last 40 years and, in spite of the apparent facies monotony, come from a thick and fossiliferous marly-limestone unit. The ammonite succession allows the establishment and/or verification of a certain number of biostratigraphical elements, of which are worthy of mention: – the tethyan character of the fauna from the Gradata to the Meneghinii Zones; this differentiation starts with the occurrence of Collina, Crassiceras and Furloceras of the Gradata Zone; – the succession of Osperleioceras, with the connection between the “caussenardes”(O. reynesi, O. authelini) forms and those from Algeria (O. nadorense, O. matteii), which is placed at the beginning of the Aalensis Zone; – the succession of Hammatoceratinae: H. roubanense (Gradata Z.), H. bonarellii (Bonarellii Z.), H. speciosum (Speciosum Sub-zone), followed by Crestaites meneghinii (Reynesi Sub-zone and Meneghinii Z.); Pseudaptetoceras appear next (Aalensis Zone). The dynamic evolution of the sector is characterized by the persistence of marly sedimentation during the Meneghinii Zone, in probable relation to the paleostructural play of the Arunca-Montemor meridian axis.

Petri net model decomposition - a model based approach supporting distributed execution

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Electrotécnica, Especialidade de Sistemas Digitais, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Static detection of anomalies in transactional memory programs

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Relação entre a catastrofização da dor, percepção da intensidade da dor e incapacidade funcional em utentes com cdor crónica cervical

RESUMO: Introdução/Objectivo: A influência dos factores psicossociais, e nomeadamente da catastrofização da dor, na percepção da intensidade da dor e na incapacidade funcional, auto-reportada por indivíduos com dor crónica cervical (DCC), tem sido alvo de estudo em vários países, evidenciando o constructo multidimensional da DCC. Neste sentido, esta investigação pretende estudar se a catastrofização da dor, é uma variável preditiva relativamente à percepção da intensidade da dor, e à incapacidade funcional. Secundariamente procurou-se averiguar se as relações encontradas se mantêm estáveis antes e após exposição a uma intervenção em fisioterapia. Metodologia: Neste estudo participaram 40 indivíduos com DCC de origem músculo-esquelética e causa não traumática, que foram expostos a uma intervenção em fisioterapia no Centro de Medicina de Reabilitação do Alcoitão e na Clinica AlcaisFisio, que cumpriram os critérios de inclusão e aceitarem participar livremente no mesmo. A recolha de dados realizou-se em dois momentos distintos, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia. A catastrofização da dor foi avaliada por meio da Escala de Catastrofização da Dor (PCS), a intensidade da dor pela Escala Numérica da Dor (END), sendo realizada a medição da incapacidade funcional através do Neck Disability Index versão Portuguesa (NDI-PT). A análise estatística incluiu duas fases: fase descritiva e fase inferencial. Foram desenvolvidos modelos de regressão linear com vista a testar o poder preditivo da catastrofização da dor sobre a intensidade da dor e a incapacidade funcional. O nível de significância para o qual os valores se consideraram satisfatórios foi de p<0,05. O tratamento dos dados foi realizado no software PASW versão 18. Resultados: Observou-se que existe uma relação moderada, positiva e significativa, nos dois momentos de avaliação, entre a catastrofização da dor e a percepção da intensidade da dor (p<0,001), apresentando um poder preditivo de 27,9% e 46,7%, das pontuações da intensidade da dor, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia, espectivamente. Observou-se que a catastrofização da dor tem uma relação forte, positiva e significativa com a incapacidade funcional, nos dois momentos de avaliação (p<0,001), predizendo 51,8% e 61,8%, das pontuações da incapacidade funcional, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia, respectivamente. Conclusão: A catastrofização da dor é um factor psicossocial que apresenta relação moderada com a percepção da intensidade da dor, e forte com a incapacidade funcional auto-reportada por indivíduos com DCC de origem músculo-esquelética e causa não traumática, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia. Os resultados do estudo sugerem, assim, uma importante influência da catastrofização da dor sobre a percepção da intensidade da dor e a incapacidade funcional em indivíduos com DCC, realçando o constructo multidimensional da DCC. ------------ABSTRACT: Background and Purpose: The influence of psychosocial factors, particularly, the pain catastrophizing, on pain intensity and functional disability in individuals with chronic neck pain (CNP) has been report among recent research literature. The first aim of this research was to verify the predictive value of pain catastrophizing on pain intensity and patient’s functional disability. Secondly it aimed to verify the stability of these relations before and after a physiotherapy treatment. Methodology: A sample of 40 subjects with CNP of musculoskeletal and non-traumatic causes was recruited from the patient’s list of two private clinics in Lisbon district following verification of the inclusion criteria. All participants agree to participate in the study and signed a consent form. Data was collected immediately before and after a period of physiotherapy treatment. Pain catastrophizing was assessed by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS-PT), patient perception of pain intensity was measured by the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and functional disability was measured through the Neck Disability Index (NDI-PT). Data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Linear regression models were developed in order to test the predictive power of pain catastrophizing on pain intensity and functional disability. The minimal level of significance established was p<0,05. Data analysis was performed using the software PASW version 18. Results: A positive moderate relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain intensity was founded in both moments, before and after physiotherapy intervention, of data collection (p<0,001) with a predictive power of 27,9% and 46,7%, respectively. A positive strong relationship between pain catastrophizing and functional disability was founded in both moments, before and after physiotherapy intervention, of data collection (p<0,001), with a predictive power of 51,8% and 61,8%, respectively. Conclusion: Pain catastrophizing is a psychosocial factor that is correlated moderately with the perception of pain intensity and strongly with self-reported functionaldisability for individuals with CNP musculoskeletal origin and non-traumatic causes,before and after a physiotherapy intervention. The results of this study suggest that pain catastrophizing has an important influence on the report levels of pain intensity and functional disability in CNP patients. These results also emphasize the multidimensional nature of chronic neck pain.

Reclamações, nova metodologia de avaliação do risco clínico

RESUMO - A OMS estima que dezenas de milhares de doentes em todo o mundo sofrem consequências ou morrem devido a cuidados e práticas médicas pouco seguras (JHA, A., ed. lit., 2008). Este estudo surge com o intuito de gerar conhecimento acerca dos EA e promover a melhoria da gestão do risco com base na perspectiva do doente, obtida através das reclamações. As reclamações contêm informação primordial acerca das necessidades reais, manifestas e sentidas pelo doente e as pessoas que lhes estão próximas (familiares, cuidadores informais). Elas podem reportar EA e constituir um veículo importante da melhoria da qualidade. O objectivo geral do estudo é contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade dos serviços de saúde, particularmente no que diz respeito à melhoria da segurança do doente. Para tal, será desenvolvida metodologia de análise de reclamações, para avaliação da ocorrência de EA. O instrumento de colheita de dados consiste numa checklist de verificação de variáveis, para posterior caracterização e realização de testes estatísticos. ----------ABSTRACT - The WHO estimate that tens of thousands customers around the world suffer or die due to Care and unsafe medical practices consequences (JHA, A., ed. lit., 2008). The aim of this research is to generate knowledge about the adverse events and promote the improvement of risk management based on patient perspective, obtained through complaints. Claims/Complaints contain vital information about the real needs, perceived and manifest by the patient and those close to them (families, informal caregivers). They can report adverse events and provide an essential vehicle to quality improvement. The study overall objective is to contribute to health services quality improvement, particularly as regard to improving the patient safety. For this will be developed methodology of complaints analysis, to adverse events occurrence assessment. The instrument for data collect consists in a checklist to variables verification toward further characterizati