AdaptMCloud: uma estratégia para adaptação dinâmica de aplicações Multi-Cloud

Multi-Cloud Applications are composed of services offered by multiple cloud platforms where the user/developer has full knowledge of the use of such platforms. The use of multiple cloud platforms avoids the following problems: (i) vendor lock-in, which is dependency on the application of a certain cloud platform, which is prejudicial in the case of degradation or failure of platform services, or even price increasing on service usage; (ii) degradation or failure of the application due to fluctuations in quality of service (QoS) provided by some cloud platform, or even due to a failure of any service. In multi-cloud scenario is possible to change a service in failure or with QoS problems for an equivalent of another cloud platform. So that an application can adopt the perspective multi-cloud is necessary to create mechanisms that are able to select which cloud services/platforms should be used in accordance with the requirements determined by the programmer/user. In this context, the major challenges in terms of development of such applications include questions such as: (i) the choice of which underlying services and cloud computing platforms should be used based on the defined user requirements in terms of functionality and quality (ii) the need to continually monitor the dynamic information (such as response time, availability, price, availability), related to cloud services, in addition to the wide variety of services, and (iii) the need to adapt the application if QoS violations affect user defined requirements. This PhD thesis proposes an approach for dynamic adaptation of multi-cloud applications to be applied when a service is unavailable or when the requirements set by the user/developer point out that other available multi-cloud configuration meets more efficiently. Thus, this work proposes a strategy composed of two phases. The first phase consists of the application modeling, exploring the similarities representation capacity and variability proposals in the context of the paradigm of Software Product Lines (SPL). In this phase it is used an extended feature model to specify the cloud service configuration to be used by the application (similarities) and the different possible providers for each service (variability). Furthermore, the non-functional requirements associated with cloud services are specified by properties in this model by describing dynamic information about these services. The second phase consists of an autonomic process based on MAPE-K control loop, which is responsible for selecting, optimally, a multicloud configuration that meets the established requirements, and perform the adaptation. The adaptation strategy proposed is independent of the used programming technique for performing the adaptation. In this work we implement the adaptation strategy using various programming techniques such as aspect-oriented programming, context-oriented programming and components and services oriented programming. Based on the proposed steps, we tried to assess the following: (i) the process of modeling and the specification of non-functional requirements can ensure effective monitoring of user satisfaction; (ii) if the optimal selection process presents significant gains compared to sequential approach; and (iii) which techniques have the best trade-off when compared efforts to development/modularity and performance.

National Cinemas and Non-Hegemonic Languages. The Invisibility of Galician Language Facing the Policies for Cultural Diversity

In the spirit of the proposals of the Agenda 2020 about the structural role of cinema in the configuration of the European identities, this article highlights the significance of the national cinemas in non-hegemonic languages in the conformation of a diverse European culture. Following this perspective, we use Galician cinema as a case study in which we analyze the presence (or more precisely the absence) of the Galician language in the original version in the feature films released between 2008 and 2012.This proposal is hosted by the I+D+I project eDCINEMA: “Towards the European Digital Space. The role of small cinemas in original version” (Ref. CSO2012-35784) financed by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain.

Imaging in non Traumatic Emergencies: Acute Thrombosis of the Aorta and Pulmonary Embolism

Objectives: To present the possibility of acute arterial and venous thrombosis. Materials and methods: Report of a patient presenting with acute dyspnoea and chest pain. Results: Using a combined medical team and imaging studies, pulmonary embolism and acute arterial thrombosis were diagnosed. The patient was treated medically and surgically. Conclusion: Physicians should be aware of the possibility of combined thrombosis and the diagnosis and management of the condition.

Technology assessment in Non-PTA countries: an overview of recent developments in Europe

Paper based on the text to be published in Moniz, A.B. and Okuwada, K. (2016), Technology Assessment in Japan and Europe, Karlsruhe, KIT Scientific Publishing

Multifactorial approach to non-viral gene therapy: development of an efficient system for the retina

Tese de Doutoramento, Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

Binocular functional architecture for detection of contrast-modulated gratings

Combination of signals from the two eyes is the gateway to stereo vision. To gain insight into binocular signal processing, we studied binocular summation for luminance-modulated gratings (L or LM) and contrast-modulated gratings (CM). We measured 2AFC detection thresholds for a signal grating (0.75 c/deg, 216msec) shown to one eye, both eyes, or both eyes out-of-phase. For LM and CM, the carrier noise was in both eyes, even when the signal was monocular. Mean binocular thresholds for luminance gratings (L) were 5.4dB better than monocular thresholds - close to perfect linear summation (6dB). For LM and CM the binocular advantage was again 5-6dB, even when the carrier noise was uncorrelated, anti-correlated, or at orthogonal orientations in the two eyes. Binocular combination for CM probably arises from summation of envelope responses, and not from summation of these conflicting carrier patterns. Antiphase signals produced no binocular advantage, but thresholds were about 1-3dB higher than monocular ones. This is not consistent with simple linear summation, which should give complete cancellation and unmeasurably high thresholds. We propose a three-channel model in which noisy monocular responses to the envelope are binocularly combined in a contrast-weighted sum, but also remain separately available to perception via a max operator. Vision selects the largest of the three responses. With in-phase gratings the binocular channel dominates, but antiphase gratings cancel in the binocular channel and the monocular channels mediate detection. The small antiphase disadvantage might be explained by a subtle influence of background responses on binocular and monocular detection.

Development of a framework to create plugins in Android Apps

The present work aims to allow developers to implement small features on a certain Android application in a fast and easy manner, as well as provide their users to install them ondemand, i.e., they can install the ones they are interested in. These small packages of features are called plugins, and the chosen development language to develop these in was JavaScript. In order to achieve that, an Android framework was developed that enables the host application to install, manage and run these plugins at runtime. This framework was designed to have a very clean and almost readable API, which allowed for better code organization and maintainability. The implementation used the Google’s engine “V8” to interpret the JavaScript code and through a set of JNI calls made that code call certain Android methods previously registered in the runtime. In order to test the framework, it was integrated with the client’s communication application RCS+ using two plugins developed alongside the framework. Although these plugins had only the more common requirements, they were proven to work successfully as intended. Concluding, the framework although successful made it clear that this kind of development through a non-native API has its set of difficulties especially regarding the implementation of complex features.

Functional and structural dissection of the tape measure protein of lactococcal phage TP901-1

The tail tape measure protein (TMP) of tailed bacteriophages (also called phages) dictates the tail length and facilitates DNA transit to the cell cytoplasm during infection. Here, a thorough mutational analysis of the TMP from lactococcal phage TP901-1 (TMPTP901-1) was undertaken. We generated 56 mutants aimed at defining TMPTP901-1 domains that are essential for tail assembly and successful infection. Through analysis of the derived mutants, we determined that TP901-1 infectivity requires the N-terminal 154 aa residues, the C-terminal 60 residues and the first predicted hydrophobic region of TMPTP901-1 as a minimum. Furthermore, the role of TMPTP901-1 in tail length determination was visualized by electron microscopic imaging of TMP-deletion mutants. The inverse linear correlation between the extent of TMPTP901-1-encoding gene deletions and tail length of the corresponding virion provides an estimate of TMPTP901-1 regions interacting with the connector or involved in initiator complex formation. This study represents the most thorough characterisation of a TMP from a Gram-positive host-infecting phage and provides essential advances to understanding its role in virion assembly, morphology and infection.

SCDC Staff Report by Location Security vs. Non-Security Filled Positions as of September 1, 2016 - Payroll Date

This lists the number of correctional officers and non-security positions at correctional facilities in South Carolina as well as the number of inmates and gives an inmate to correctional officer ratio for each institution.

SCDC Staff Report by Location Security vs. Non-Security Filled Positions as of October 1, 2016 - Payroll Date

This lists the number of correctional officers and non-security positions at correctional facilities in South Carolina as well as the number of inmates and gives an inmate to correctional officer ratio for each institution.

SCDC Staff Report by Location Security vs. Non-Security Filled Positions as of November 1, 2016 - Payroll Date

This lists the number of correctional officers and non-security positions at correctional facilities in South Carolina as well as the number of inmates and gives an inmate to correctional officer ratio for each institution.

Non-ambient solid-state characterization of crystalline molecular organic semiconductors

The research project is focused on the investigation of the polymorphism of crystalline molecular material for organic semiconductor applications under non-ambient conditions, and the solid-state characterization and crystal structure determination of the different polymorphic forms. In particular, this research project has tackled the investigation and characterization of the polymorphism of perylene diimides (PDIs) derivatives at high temperatures and pressures, in particular N,N’-dialkyl-3,4,9,10-perylendiimide (PDI-Cn, with n = 5, 6, 7, 8). These molecules are characterized by excellent chemical, thermal, and photostability, high electron affinity, strong absorption in the visible region, low LUMO energies, good air stability, and good charge transport properties, which can be tuned via functionalization; these features make them promising n-type organic semiconductor materials for several applications such as OFETs, OPV cells, laser dye, sensors, bioimaging, etc. The thermal characterization of PDI-Cn was carried out by a combination of differential scanning calorimetry, variable temperature X-ray diffraction, hot-stage microscopy, and in the case of PDI-C5 also variable temperature Raman spectroscopy. Whereas crystal structure determination was carried out by both Single Crystal and Powder X-ray diffraction. Moreover, high-pressure polymorphism via pressure-dependent UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and high-pressure Single Crystal X-ray diffraction was carried out in this project. A data-driven approach based on a combination of self-organizing maps (SOM) and principal component analysis (PCA) is also reported was used to classify different π-stacking arrangements of PDI derivatives into families of similar crystal packing. Besides the main project, in the framework of structure-property analysis under non-ambient conditions, the structural investigation of the water loss in Pt- and Pd- based vapochromic potassium/lithium salts upon temperature, and the investigation of structure-mechanical property relationships in polymorphs of a thienopyrrolyldione endcapped oligothiophene (C4-NT3N) are reported.

Non conventional species as monitor of environmental pollution

This thesis collects several ecotoxicological studies focused on the quali- quantitative analysis of several classes of chemical compounds. Our studies have been conducted on different aquatic species occupying different food chain trophic levels and characterized by differences in biology, ethology, and nutrition, but all considered excellent bioindicators. This choice allowed us to have a broad overview of the contamination of aquatic environments. Detrimental effects of several chemical compounds on the species investigated have been discussed, considering the economic and public health implications linked to the pollution of the environment and the exposure to old and emerging xenobiotics. Our studies underline the importance of a multidisciplinary and integrated approach that includes the application of the one health concept to ensure the protection of public health and respect for natural environments. Studies collected in this thesis also aim to overcome some critical limitations of the branch of ecotoxicology, such as the lack of standardization in laboratory methods. Our data also underline the importance of expanding research to a greater number of various biological matrices than those indicated by the literature as target tissues for specific pollutants. This condition enables more detailed information on the kinetics of xenobiotics in animal organisms. Our studies also allow us to expand the knowledge related to the mechanisms of synergy and antagonism of mixtures of pollutants that can simultaneously accumulate in wildlife.