A coordination model for interactive components

Although presented with a variety of ‘flavours’, the notion of an interactor, as an abstract characterisation of an interactive com- ponent, is well-known in the area of formal modelling techniques for interactive systems. This paper replaces traditional, hierarchical, ‘tree-like’ composition of interactors in the specification of complex interactive sys- tems, by their exogenous coordination through general-purpose software connectors which assure the flow of data and the meet of synchronisation constraints. The paper’s technical contribution is twofold. First a modal logic is defined to express behavioural properties of both interactors and connectors. The logic is new in the sense that its modalities are indexed by fragments of sets of actions to cater for action co-occurrence. Then, this logic is used in the specification of both interactors and coordination layers which orchestrate their interconnection

Formal Development of Multi-Purpose Interactive Application (MPIA) for ARINC 661

International audienceThis paper reports our experience for developing Human-Machine Interface (HMI) complying with ARINC 661 specification standard for interactive cockpits applications using formal methods. This development relies on the FLUID modelling language, we have proposed and formally defined in the FORMEDICIS project. FLUID contains essential features required for specifying HMI. To develop the Multi-Purpose Interactive Applications (MPIA) use case, we follow the following steps: an abstract model of MPIA is written using the FLUID language; this MPIA FLUID model is used to produce an Event-B model for checking the functional behaviour, user interactions, safety properties, and interaction related to domain properties; the Event-B model is also used to check temporal properties and possible scenario using the ProB model checker; and finally, the MPIA FLUID model is translated to Interactive Cooperative Objects (ICO) using the PetShop CASE tool to validate the dynamic behaviour, visual properties and task analysis. These steps rely on different tools to check internal consistency along with possible HMI properties. Finally, the formal development of the MPIA case study using FLUID and its embedding into other formal techniques, demonstrates reliability, scalability and feasibility of our approach defined in the FORMEDICIS project

Une proposition d'intervention de pratique réflexive visant les infirmières pour l'amélioration des soins palliatifs en centre de soins de longue durée

Travail dirigé présenté à la Faculté des sciences infirmières en vue de l’obtention du grade de Maître ès sciences (M.Sc.) en sciences infirmières option formation des sciences infirmièresEn établissements de soins de longue durée, les personnes âgées sont admises avec un état général détérioré. La majorité d’entre eux y décèderont mais ne recevrons pas les soins palliatifs requis par leur condition. La littérature dénote, entre autres, un manque de formation de la part du personnel à ce sujet. Ce travail dirigé propose donc une intervention de pratique réflexive en tant que stratégie de formation continue des infirmières en soins de longue durée au sujet des soins palliatifs. Le cadre de référence retenu pour ce travail se compose d’une combinaison de deux modèles qui sont l’approche par compétences (APC) ainsi que le modèle de « développement d’équipes de soins réflexives » proposé par Ghaye (2005). Guidé par ce cadre de référence et par la recension des écrits sur la pratique réflexive, une intervention de formation continue hybride est proposée. Celle-ci est composée de : 1) groupe de pratique réflexive basé sur des incidents critiques relatés par les participants; et de 2) ateliers thématiques construits autour d’études de cas. Les ateliers thématiques portent sur les lacunes dans la formation identifiées par la recension des écrits en soins palliatifs. Le développement professionnel des infirmières travaillant en soins de longue durée se veut un levier afin que la clientèle hébergée puisse bénéficier de soins palliatifs de qualité.In long term care facilities, the elderly are admitted with a deteriorated condition. The majority of them will spend their last days there, but will not receive palliative care as required by their state. Literature indicates a lack of training for the staff about end-of-life care. The aim of this paper is to offer a continuing education strategy about palliative care, consisting in a reflective practice intervention for nurses in long-term care. The framework chosen for this work consists of a combination of two models, which are the competency-based approach and the model of "development of reflexive health care teams" proposed by Ghaye (2005). Guided by this framework and the literature review on reflective practice, a hybrid continuing education strategy is proposed. The strategy is composed of: 1) reflective practice group based on critical incidents reported by the participants and 2) thematic workshops built around case studies. The thematic workshops are based on training gaps identified by the literature review in palliative care. The professional development of nurses working in long-term care is intended as a lever so that the elderlies living in these facilities can benefit from quality palliative care

Uncoupling phosphate deficiency from its major effects on growth and transcriptome via PHO1 expression in Arabidopsis.

Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is one of the most limiting nutrients for plant growth in both natural and agricultural contexts. Pi-deficiency leads to a strong decrease in shoot growth, and triggers extensive changes at the developmental, biochemical and gene expression levels that are presumably aimed at improving the acquisition of this nutrient and sustaining growth. The Arabidopsis thaliana PHO1 gene has previously been shown to participate in the transport of Pi from roots to shoots, and the null pho1 mutant has all the hallmarks associated with shoot Pi deficiency. We show here that A. thaliana plants with a reduced expression of PHO1 in roots have shoot growth similar to Pi-sufficient plants, despite leaves being strongly Pi deficient. Furthermore, the gene expression profile normally triggered by Pi deficiency is suppressed in plants with low PHO1 expression. At comparable levels of shoot Pi supply, the wild type reduces shoot growth but maintains adequate shoot vacuolar Pi content, whereas the PHO1 underexpressor maintains maximal growth with strongly depleted Pi reserves. Expression of the Oryza sativa (rice) PHO1 ortholog in the pho1 null mutant also leads to plants that maintain normal growth and suppression of the Pi-deficiency response, despite the low shoot Pi. These data show that it is possible to unlink low shoot Pi content with the responses normally associated with Pi deficiency through the modulation of PHO1 expression or activity. These data also show that reduced shoot growth is not a direct consequence of Pi deficiency, but is more likely to be a result of extensive gene expression reprogramming triggered by Pi deficiency

A formal model for plastic human computer interfaces

International audienceThe considerable and significant progress achieved in the design and development of new interaction devices between man and machine has enabled the emergence of various powerful and efficient input and/or output devices. Each of these new devices brings specific interaction modes.With the emergence of these devices, new interaction techniques and modes arise and new interaction capabilities are offered. New user interfaces need to be designed or former ones need to evolve. The design of so called plastic user interfaces contributes to handling such evolutions. The key requirement for the design of such a user interface is that the new obtained user interface shall be adapted to the application and have, at least, the same behavior as the previous (adapted) one. This paper proposes to address the problem of user interface evolution due to the introduction of new interaction devices and/or new interaction modes. More, precisely, we are interested by the study of the design process of a user interface resulting from the evolution of a former user interface due to the introduction of new devices and/or new interaction capabilities. We consider that interface behaviors are described by labelled transition systems and comparison between user interfaces is handled by an extended definition of the bi-simulation relationship to compare user interface behaviors when interaction modes are replaced by new ones