Formalizing languages for service oriented computing

Service Oriented Computing is a new programming paradigm for addressing distributed system design issues. Services are autonomous computational entities which can be dynamically discovered and composed in order to form more complex systems able to achieve different kinds of task. E-government, e-business and e-science are some examples of the IT areas where Service Oriented Computing will be exploited in the next years. At present, the most credited Service Oriented Computing technology is that of Web Services, whose specifications are enriched day by day by industrial consortia without following a precise and rigorous approach. This PhD thesis aims, on the one hand, at modelling Service Oriented Computing in a formal way in order to precisely define the main concepts it is based upon and, on the other hand, at defining a new approach, called bipolar approach, for addressing system design issues by synergically exploiting choreography and orchestration languages related by means of a mathematical relation called conformance. Choreography allows us to describe systems of services from a global view point whereas orchestration supplies a means for addressing such an issue from a local perspective. In this work we present SOCK, a process algebra based language inspired by the Web Service orchestration language WS-BPEL which catches the essentials of Service Oriented Computing. From the definition of SOCK we will able to define a general model for dealing with Service Oriented Computing where services and systems of services are related to the design of finite state automata and process algebra concurrent systems, respectively. Furthermore, we introduce a formal language for dealing with choreography. Such a language is equipped with a formal semantics and it forms, together with a subset of the SOCK calculus, the bipolar framework. Finally, we present JOLIE which is a Java implentation of a subset of the SOCK calculus and it is part of the bipolar framework we intend to promote.

Genetica molecolare dell'autismo: studi di associazione ed analisi di geni candidati

Autism is a neurodevelpmental disorder characterized by impaired verbal communication, limited reciprocal social interaction, restricted interests and repetitive behaviours. Twin and family studies indicate a large genetic contribution to ASDs (Autism Spectrum Disorders). During my Ph.D. I have been involved in several projects in which I used different genetic approaches in order to identify susceptibility genes in autism on chromosomes 2, 7 and X: 1)High-density SNP association and CNV analysis of two Autism Susceptibility Loci. The International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium (IMGSAC) previously identified linkage loci on chromosomes 7 and 2, termed AUTS1 and AUTS5, respectively. In this study, we evaluated the patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) and the distribution of haplotype blocks, utilising data from the HapMap project, across the two strongest peaks of linkage on chromosome 2 and 7. More than 3000 SNPs have been selected in each locus in all known genes, as well as SNPs in non-genic highly conserved sequences. All markers have been genotyped to perform a high-density association analysis and to explore copy number variation within these regions. The study sample consisted of 127 and 126 multiplex families, showing linkage to the AUTS1 and AUTS5 regions, respectively, and 188 gender-matched controls. Association and CNV analysis implicated several new genes, including IMMP2L and DOCK4 on chromosome 7 and ZNF533 and NOSTRIN on the chromosome 2. Particularly, my contribution to this project focused on the characterization of the best candidate gene in each locus: On the AUTS5 locus I carried out a transcript study of ZNF533 in different human tissues to verify which isoforms and start exons were expressed. High transcript variability and a new exon, never described before, has been identified in this analysis. Furthermore, I selected 31 probands for the risk haplotype and performed a mutation screen of all known exons in order to identify novel coding variants associated to autism. On the AUTS1 locus a duplication was detected in one multiplex family that was transmitted from father to an affected son. This duplication interrupts two genes: IMMP2L and DOCK4 and warranted further analysis. Thus, I performed a screening of the cohort of IMGSAC collection (285 multiplex families), using a QMPSF assay (Quantitative Multiplex PCR of Short fluorescent Fragments) to analyse if CNVs in this genic region segregate with autism phenotype and compare their frequency with a sample of 475 UK controls. Evidence for a role of DOCK4 in autism susceptibility was supported by independent replication of association at rs2217262 and the finding of a deletion segregating in a sib-pair family. 2)Analysis of X chromosome inactivation. Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is observed in females carrying gene mutations involved in several X-linked syndromes. We aimed to estimate the role of X-linked genes in ASD susceptibility by ascertaining the XCI pattern in a sample of 543 informative mothers of children with ASD and in a sample of 164 affected girls. The study sample included families from different european consortia. I analysed the XCI inactivation pattern in a sample of italian mothers from singletons families with ASD and also a control groups (144 adult females and 40 young females). We observed no significant excess of skewed XCI in families with ASD. Interestingly, two mothers and one girl carrying known mutations in X-linked genes (NLGN3, ATRX, MECP2) showed highly skewed XCI, suggesting that ascertainment of XCI could reveal families with X-linked mutations. Linkage analysis was carried out in the subgroup of multiplex families with skewed XCI (≥80:20) and a modest increased allele sharing was obtained in the Xq27-Xq28 region, with a peak Z score of 1.75 close to rs719489. In this region FMR1 and MECP2 have been associated in some cases with austim and therefore represent candidates for the disorder. I performed a mutation screen of MECP2 in 33 unrelated probands from IMGSAC and italian families, showing XCI skewness. Recently, Xq28 duplications including MECP2, have been identified in families with MR, with asymptomatic carrier females showing extreme (>85%) skewing of XCI. For these reason I used the sample of probands from X-skewed families to perform CNV analysis by Real-time quantitative PCR. No duplications have been found in our sample. I have also confirmed all data using as alternative method the MLPA assay (Multiplex Ligation dependent Probe Amplification). 3)ASMT as functional candidate gene for autism. Recently, a possible involvement of the acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (ASMT) gene in susceptibility to ASDs has been reported: mutation screening of the ASMT gene in 250 individuals from the PARIS collection revealed several rare variants with a likely functional role; Moreover, significant association was reported for two SNPs (rs4446909 and rs5989681) located in one of the two alternative promoters of the gene. To further investigate these findings, I carried out a replication study using a sample of 263 affected individuals from the IMGSAC collection and 390 control individuals. Several rare mutations were identified, including the splice site mutation IVS5+2T>C and the L326F substitution previously reported by Melke et al (2007), but the same rare variants have been found also in control individuals in our study. Interestingly, a new R319X stop mutation was found in a single autism proband of Italian origin and is absent from the entire control sample. Furthermore, no replication has been found in our case-control study typing the SNPs on the ASMT promoter B.

Intensificazione di processi biologici per la Bioremediation aerobica di suoli contaminati

Enzyveba, a partially characterized complex consortium of not-adapted microorganisms developed through prolonged stabilization of organic wastes, was found to markedly intensify the aerobic remediation of aged PAH- and PCB-contaminated soil by acting as a source of exogenous specialized microorganisms and nutrients. Thus, Enzyveba was tested in the bioremediation of Diesel (G1) and HiQ Diesel (G2) contaminated soils under aerobic slurry-phase conditions by means of a chemical, microbiological, ecotoxicological integrated analytical procedure. The addition of Enzyveba resulted in a higher availability of cultivable specialized bacteria and fungi but this resulted in a slight intensification of soil remediation, probably because of the high content of nutrients and specialized microorganisms of the soil. In many cases, the biotreatability of soils impacted by diesel fuel is limited by their poor content of autochthonous pollutant-degrading microorganisms. Thus, bioaugmentation with stable and reproducible cultures with the required broad substrate specificity might be the solution for a successful remediation. Two microbial consortia, ENZ-G1 and ENZ-G2, were enriched from Enzyveba on G1 and G2. Both consortia consist of a similar composition of bacterial and fungal species. They exhibited a comparable and significant biodegradation capability by removing about 90% of 1 g/l of diesel fuel under liquid culture conditions. Given their remarkable biodegradation potential, richness of quite diverse microbes, stability and resistance after cryopreservation at -20 °C for several months, both consortia appear very interesting candidates for bioaugmentation on site. The mycoflora of a soil historically contaminated by high concentration of PCBs was characterised before, at the beginning and at the end of the biotreatment mentioned above. Several mitosporic fungi isolated from soil grew in presence of a mixture of three PCBs congeners when also glucose was provided. This is the first study in which 5 strains of mitosporic species able to biodegrade PCB are reported in the literature.

I rapporti di collaborazione tra vettori

L’elaborato ha ad oggetto l’analisi delle possibili forme di collaborazione tra vettori nei diversi settori del trasporto, con particolare attenzione all’ambito aeronautico e marittimo. Negli ultimi decenni l’incremento del livello di concorrenza tra i competitors su scala planetaria, a seguito della progressiva liberalizzazione e globalizzazione dei trasporti, ha indotto i vettori ad adottare nuove strategie commerciali dirette alla condivisione del rischio, alla riduzione dei costi di esercizio, all’espansione delle proprie reti e alla flessibilizzazione dei processi interni di adeguamento alle continue espansioni e contrazioni del mercato. Hanno, così, fatto la loro comparsa modelli contrattuali nuovi che differiscono per struttura, livello di integrazione delle parti coinvolte e grado di complessità dell’accordo. Nell’elaborato, pertanto, sono state attentamente esaminate le molteplici figure giuridiche generate dalla prassi commerciale, come gli accordi di codesharing, interlining, wet lease, dry lease, franchising, le grandi alleanze strategiche presenti sia in ambito aeronautico, sia in quello marittimo, le Conferences e i Consorzi. La ricerca, in particolare, è focalizzata, alla luce della prassi contrattuale e della normativa nazionale, comunitaria ed internazionale vigente, sui problemi di qualificazione giuridica di tali accordi e, conseguentemente, sulla disciplina di volta in volta ad essi applicabile, sul loro oggetto, regolamento contrattuale e contenuto. Si è proceduto poi ad uno studio comparativo-contrastivo delle differenze tra le varie forme di partnership e all’approfondimento delle questioni concernenti la tutela degli utenti dei servizi di trasporto, siano essi passeggeri o mittenti. Sono affrontati, infatti, con accurata indagine i profili di responsabilità dei vettori coinvolti, sulla base del quadro normativo di riferimento. Nel corso della ricerca si è data anche particolare attenzione all’analisi della compatibilità degli accordi tra vettori con la disciplina comunitaria della concorrenza, registrando una tendenza della Comunità a piegare l’interpretazione delle norme in materia alle superiori esigenze dell’economia, in considerazione delle peculiarità del mercato del trasporto.

An Input-Process-Output Approach to Interorganizational Teams: The Influence of Work Group Diversity, Trust and Shared Leadership on Communication Network and Team Outputs.

The market’s challenges bring firms to collaborate with other organizations in order to create Joint Ventures, Alliances and Consortia that are defined as “Interorganizational Networks” (IONs) (Provan, Fish and Sydow; 2007). Some of these IONs are managed through a shared partecipant governance (Provan and Kenis, 2008): a team composed by entrepreneurs and/or directors of each firm of an ION. The research is focused on these kind of management teams and it is based on an input-process-output model: some input variables (work group’s diversity, intra-team's friendship network density) have a direct influence on the process (team identification, shared leadership, interorganizational trust, team trust and intra-team's communication network density), which influence some team outputs, individual innovation behaviors and team effectiveness (team performance, work group satisfaction and ION affective commitment). Data was collected on a sample of 101 entrepreneurs grouped in 28 ION’s government teams and the research hypotheses are tested trough the path analysis and the multilevel models. As expected trust in team and shared leadership are positively and directly related to team effectiveness while team identification and interorganizational trust are indirectly related to the team outputs. The friendship network density among the team’s members has got positive effects on the trust in team and on the communication network density, and also, through the communication network density it improves the level of the teammates ION affective commitment. The shared leadership and its effects on the team effectiveness are fostered from higher level of team identification and weakened from higher level of work group diversity, specifically gender diversity. Finally, the communication network density and shared leadership at the individual level are related to the frequency of individual innovative behaviors. The dissertation’s results give a wider and more precise indication about the management of interfirm network through “shared” form of governance.