Analysing Web-Orchestrations Under Stress Using Uncertainty Profiles

An orchestration is a multi-threaded computation that invokes a number of remote services. In practice, the responsiveness of a web-service fluctuates with demand; during surges in activity service responsiveness may be degraded, perhaps even to the point of failure. An uncertainty profile formalizes a user's perception of the effects of stress on an orchestration of web-services; it describes a strategic situation, modelled by a zero-sum angel–daemon game. Stressed web-service scenarios are analysed, using game theory, in a realistic way, lying between over-optimism (services are entirely reliable) and over-pessimism (all services are broken). The ‘resilience’ of an uncertainty profile can be assessed using the valuation of its associated zero-sum game. In order to demonstrate the validity of the approach, we consider two measures of resilience and a number of different stress models. It is shown how (i) uncertainty profiles can be ordered by risk (as measured by game valuations) and (ii) the structural properties of risk partial orders can be analysed.

Plasmid DNA damage following exposure to atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma: kinetics and influence of oxygen admixture

The nature and kinetics of plasmid DNA damage after DNA exposure to a kHz-driven atmospheric pressure nonthermal plasma jet has been investigated. Both single-strand break (SSB) and double-strand break (DSB) processes are reported here. While SSB had a higher rate constant, DSB is recognized to be more significant in living systems, often resulting in loss of viability. In a helium-operated plasma jet, adding oxygen to the feed gas resulted in higher rates of DNA DSB, which increased linearly with increasing oxygen content, up to an optimum level of 0.75% oxygen, after which the DSB rate decreased slightly, indicating an essential role for reactive oxygen species in the rapid degradation of DNA.

DEX: self-healing expanders

Myc-dependent purine biosynthesis affects nucleolar stress and therapy response in prostate cancer

The androgen receptor is a key transcription factor contributing to the development of all stages of prostate cancer (PCa). In addition, other transcription factors have been associated with poor prognosis in PCa, amongst which c-Myc (MYC) is a well-established oncogene in many other cancers. We have previously reported that the AR promotes glycolysis and anabolic metabolism; many of these metabolic pathways are also MYC-regulated in other cancers. In this study, we report that in PCa cells de novo purine biosynthesis and the subsequent conversion to XMP is tightly regulated by MYC and independent of AR activity. We characterized two enzymes, PAICS and IMPDH2, within the pathway as PCa biomarkers in tissue samples and report increased efficacy of established anti-androgens in combination with a clinically approved IMPDH inhibitor, mycophenolic acid (MPA). Treatment with MPA led to a significant reduction in cellular guanosine triphosphate (GTP) levels accompanied by nucleolar stress and p53 stabilization. In conclusion, targeting purine biosynthesis provides an opportunity to perturb PCa metabolism and enhance tumour suppressive stress responses.

Heterogeneous error-resilient scheme for spectral analysis in ultra-low power wearable electrocardiogram devices

Wearable devices performing advanced bio-signal analysis algorithms are aimed to foster a revolution in healthcare provision of chronic cardiac diseases. In this context, energy efficiency is of paramount importance, as long-term monitoring must be ensured while relying on a tiny power source. Operating at a scaled supply voltage, just above the threshold voltage, effectively helps in saving substantial energy, but it makes circuits, and especially memories, more prone to errors, threatening the correct execution of algorithms. The use of error detection and correction codes may help to protect the entire memory content, however it incurs in large area and energy overheads which may not be compatible with the tight energy budgets of wearable systems. To cope with this challenge, in this paper we propose to limit the overhead of traditional schemes by selectively detecting and correcting errors only in data highly impacting the end-to-end quality of service of ultra-low power wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) devices. This partition adopts the protection of either significant words or significant bits of each data element, according to the application characteristics (statistical properties of the data in the application buffers), and its impact in determining the output. The proposed heterogeneous error protection scheme in real ECG signals allows substantial energy savings (11% in wearable devices) compared to state-of-the-art approaches, like ECC, in which the whole memory is protected against errors. At the same time, it also results in negligible output quality degradation in the evaluated power spectrum analysis application of ECG signals.

Travestismos e intertextualidades em Orlando de Virginia Woolf e na obra homónima de Sally Potter

Dissertação de mest., Literatura Comparada, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade do Algarve, 2005

Argonauta Video Database: General simulated. Scene 2 (Right camera)

General simulated scenes These scenes followed a pre-defined script (see the Thesis for details), with common movements corresponding to general experiments. People go to or stand still in front of "J9", and/or go to the side of Argonauta reactor and come back again. The first type of movement is common during Irradiation experiments, where a material sample is put within the "J9" channel; and also during neutrongraphy or gammagraphy experiments, where a sample is placed in front of "J9". Here, the detailed movements of putting samples on these places were not reproduced in details, but only the whole bodies' movements were simulated (as crouching or being still in front of "J9"). The second type of movement may occur when operators go to the side of Argonauta to verify some operational condition. - Scene 2: Comprises one of the scenes with two persons. Both of them use clothes of dark colors. Both persons go to the side of Argonauta reactor and then come back and go out. Video file labels: "20140326154754_IPCAM": recorded by the right camera.

Argonauta Video Database. Data Agregation

This Database was generated during the development of a computer vision-based system for safety purposes in nuclear plants. The system aims at detecting and tracking people within a nuclear plant. Further details may be found in the related thesis. The research was developed through a cooperation between the Graduate Electrical Engineering Program of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (PEE/COPPE, UFRJ) and the Nuclear Engineering Institute of National Commission of Nuclear Energy (IEN, CNEN). The experimental part of this research was carried out in Argonauta, a nuclear research reactor belonging to IEN. The Database is made available in the sequel. All the videos are already rectified. The Projection and Homography matrices are given in the end, for both cameras. Please, acknowledge the use of this Database in any publication.

Composition and antioxidant activity of thymus vulgaris volatiles: comparison between supercritical fluid extraction and hydrodistillation

Supercritical fluid extraction (SEE) of the volatile oil from Thymus vulgaris L. aerial flowering parts was performed under different conditions of pressure, temperature, mean particle size and CO2 flow rate and the correspondent yield and composition were compared with those of the essential oil isolated by hydrodistillation (HD). Both the oils were analyzed by GC and GC-MS and 52 components were identified. The main volatile components obtained were p-cymene (10.0-42.6% for SFE and 28.9-34.8% for HD), gamma-terpinene (0.8-6.9% for SFE and 5.1-7.0% for HD), linalool (2.3-5.3% for SFE and 2.8-3.1% for HD), thymol (19.5-40.8% for SFE and 35.4-41.6% for HD), and carvacrol (1.4-3.1% for SFE and 2.6-3.1% for HD). The main difference was found to be the relative percentage of thymoquinone (not found in the essential oil) and carvacryl methyl ether (1.0-1.2% for HD versus t-0.4 for SFE) which can explain the higher antioxidant activity, assessed by Rancimat test, of the SFE volatiles when compared with HD. Thymoquinone is considered a strong antioxidant compound.

Anthropometric evaluation and micronutrients intake in patients submitted to laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with a postoperative period of ≥1 year

Backgroung - Bariatric surgery is indicated as the most effective treatment for morbid obesity; the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is considered the procedure of choice. However, nutritional deficiency may occur in the postoperative period as a result of reduced gastric capacity and change in nutrients absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. The prescription of vitamin and mineral supplementation is a common practice after RYGB; however, it may not be sufficient to prevent micronutrient deficiencies. The aim of this study was to quantify the micronutrient intake in patients undergoing RYGB and verify if the intake of supplementation would be enough to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Methods - The study was conducted on 60 patients submitted to RYGB. Anthropometric, analytical, and nutritional intake data were assessed preoperatively and 1 and 2 years postoperatively. The dietary intake was assessed using 24-h food recall; the values of micronutrients evaluated (vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, and calcium) were compared to the dietary reference intakes (DRI). Results - There were significant differences (p < 0.05) between excess weight loss at the first and second year (69.9 ± 15.3 vs 9.6 ± 62.9 %). In the first and second year after surgery, 93.3 and 94.1 % of the patients, respectively, took the supplements as prescribed. Micronutrient deficiencies were detected in the three evaluation periods. At the first year, there was a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of B12, folic acid, and iron intake. Conclusions - Despite taking vitamin and mineral supplementation, micronutrient deficiencies are common after RYGB. In the second year after surgery, micronutrient intake remains below the DRI.

Travelers' Diarrhea in Children Visiting Tropical Countries

We studied a group of 174 Portuguese children (aged 2 mo-16 y) who mostly traveled to tropical Portuguese-speaking countries and found an attack rate of 21.8% for travelers' diarrhea, much lower than previously described. We also showed that African rate analysis by region may hide significant differences between countries.

A mathematical model to describe fat oxidation kinetics during graded exercise.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a mathematical model (sine model, SIN) to describe fat oxidation kinetics as a function of the relative exercise intensity [% of maximal oxygen uptake (%VO2max)] during graded exercise and to determine the exercise intensity (Fatmax) that elicits maximal fat oxidation (MFO) and the intensity at which the fat oxidation becomes negligible (Fatmin). This model included three independent variables (dilatation, symmetry, and translation) that incorporated primary expected modulations of the curve because of training level or body composition. METHODS: Thirty-two healthy volunteers (17 women and 15 men) performed a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer, with 3-min stages and 20-W increments. Substrate oxidation rates were determined using indirect calorimetry. SIN was compared with measured values (MV) and with other methods currently used [i.e., the RER method (MRER) and third polynomial curves (P3)]. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the fitting accuracy between SIN and P3 (P = 0.157), whereas MRER was less precise than SIN (P < 0.001). Fatmax (44 +/- 10% VO2max) and MFO (0.37 +/- 0.16 g x min(-1)) determined using SIN were significantly correlated with MV, P3, and MRER (P < 0.001). The variable of dilatation was correlated with Fatmax, Fatmin, and MFO (r = 0.79, r = 0.67, and r = 0.60, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The SIN model presents the same precision as other methods currently used in the determination of Fatmax and MFO but in addition allows calculation of Fatmin. Moreover, the three independent variables are directly related to the main expected modulations of the fat oxidation curve. SIN, therefore, seems to be an appropriate tool in analyzing fat oxidation kinetics obtained during graded exercise.