Reducing the cost of group communication with semantic view synchrony

View Synchrony (VS) is a powerful abstraction in the design and implementation of de- pendable distributed systems. By ensuring that processes deliver the same set of messages in each view, it allows them to maintain consistency across membership changes. However, experience indicates that it is hard to combine strong reliability guarantees as offered by VS with stable high performance. In this paper we propose a novel abstraction, Semantic View Synchrony (SVS), that exploits the application's semantics to cope with high throughput applications. This is achieved by allowing some messages to be dropped while still preserving consistency when new views are installed. Thus, SVS inherits the elegance of view synchronous communi- cation. The paper describes how SVS can be implemented and illustrates its usefulness in the context of distributed multi-player games

Semantically reliable multicast protocols

Reliable multicast protocols can strongly simplify the design of distributed applications. However it is hard to sustain a high multicast throughput when groups are large and heterogeneous. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, previous work has focused on weakening reliability properties. The authors introduce a novel reliability model that exploits semantic knowledge to decide in which specific conditions messages can be purged without compromising application correctness. This model is based on the concept of message obsolescence: a message becomes obsolete when its content or purpose is overwritten by a subsequent message. We show that message obsolescence can be expressed in a generic way and can be used to configure the system to achieve higher multicast throughput.Supported by the 234/J4 Franco/Portuguese Grant and by Praxis/ C/ EEI/ 12202/ 1998, TOPCO

Semantically reliable multicast: current status and future work

In multicast communication systems, a single perturbed recipient can drastically affect the performance of a complete group of processes. One way to alleviate this problem is to weakeri reliability requirements by aliowing some messages to be omitted. We propose a multicast service that exploits semantic knowledge to select which messges can be omitted without compromising the application's correctness. This service is basecf on the concept of message obsolescence: A message becomes obsolete when its content is overwritten or implicitly conveyed by a subsequent message. Besides summarizing initial research results [10] showing that message obsolescence can be expressed in a generic way imd can be used to achieve a higher stable throughput, this text advances a definition of the service and outlines our current research directions

Anãs Castanhas: Entre Estrelas e Planetas

Trabalho final de Monografia do curso de Física ramo Ensino, da Universidade da Beira InteriorAs Anãs Castanhas são, actualmente, um dos campos de maior investigação em Astronomia e Astrofísica. Até há bem pouco tempo atrás, as Anãs Castanhas eram tidas como objectos míticos, vagabundos num terreno desconhecido algures entre Estrelas e Planetas. A sua massa era demasiado pequena para que pudessem ser estrelas, mas por outro lado, demasiado grande para que pudessem ser planetas. Assim, esperava-se que fossem ténues, na ordem de um milhar de vezes menos luminosas que o Sol, e relativamente frias, com temperaturas menores que 2500 graus Celsius. Devido à intrínseca fraca luminosidade e baixa temperatura, as Anãs Castanhas não foram descobertas até 1995. Contudo, e actualmente, o número está a crescer rapidamente, graças a pesquisas com telescópios equipados com detectores de infra-vermelhos bastante sensíveis. Estima-se, nos dias de hoje, que as Anãs Castanhas sejam aproximadamente tão numerosas como as estrelas "normais" nas galáxias. Este trabalho pretende ser uma investigação completa e detalhada sobre este tema fascinante

OpenLab ESEV: novas aventuras no desenvolvimento de software

OpenLab ESEV is the Free Software project of the School of Education - Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (ESEV). The project aims to establish a platform to aggregate activities that foster the use of Free/Libre and Open Source Software (F/LOSS), Free Culture and more flexible licenses for creative and educational purposes in the ESEV's domains of activity (education, arts, media). OpenLab exists since 2009. It emerged in an environment characterized by the lack of knowledge of the existing Libre alternatives and by work habits exclusively built around proprietary software. Today, OpenLab activities are implemented within four key areas of action: dissemination, training, support and production. This paper presents two of the most important ongoing projects: Ottographer and StudiozCollabPress. StudiozCollabPress is a customized version of a popular WordPress plugin for project management that was developed to support short movie projects management. We'll present its main features and results from real-case scenarios of use, specifically, finished and ongoing 3D animation students' projects. Ottographer is a webcam time-lapse tool for operating systems based on Debian GNU/Linux. Besides the main features, we'll present some examples and suggestions for educational settings as well as for creative and educational purposes. Both projects are distributed as F/LOSS, meaning that they can be used, studied, and modified without restrictions, as well as copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form. These projects might help us launch a new trend at our school community that we highly antecipate: the development and sharing of our own tools

Association between electronic equipment in the bedroom and sedentary lifestyle, physical activity, and body mass index of children

AbstractObjectiveTo describe the association between electronic devices in the bedroom with sedentary time and physical activity, both assessed by accelerometry, in addition to body mass index in children from São Caetano do Sul.MethodsThe sample consisted of 441 children. The presence of electronic equipment (television, personal computer, and videogames) in the bedroom was assessed by a questionnaire. For seven consecutive days, children used an accelerometer to objectively monitor the sedentary time and moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity. Body mass index was categorized as suggested by the World Health Organization.ResultsOverall, 73.9%, 54.2% and 42.8% of children had TV, computer, and videogames in the bedroom, respectively, and spent an average of 500.7 and 59.1min/day of sedentary time and moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity. Of the children, 45.3% were overweight/obese. Girls with a computer in the bedroom (45min/day) performed less moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity than those without it (51.4min/day). Similar results were observed for body mass index in boys. Moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity was higher and body mass index was lower in children that had no electronic equipment in the bedroom. Presence of a computer (β=−4.798) and the combination TV+computer (β=−3.233) were negatively associated with moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity. Videogames and the combinations with two or three electronic devices were positively associated with body mass index. Sedentary time was not associated with electronic equipment.ConclusionElectronic equipment in the children's bedroom can negatively affect moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity and body mass index regardless of gender, school, and annual family income, which can contribute to physical inactivity and childhood obesity.ResumoObjetivoDescrever a associação entre equipamentos eletrônicos no quarto com tempo sedentário e atividade física, ambos avaliados por acelerometria, além do índice de massa corporal (IMC) em crianças de São Caetano do Sul.MétodosA amostra foi composta por 441 crianças. A presença de equipamentos eletrônicos (televisão ou TV, computador e jogos de vídeo) no quarto foi avaliada por meio de um questionário. Durante sete dias consecutivos, as crianças usaram acelerômetro para monitorar objetivamente o tempo sedentário e atividade física de moderada a vigorosa (AFMV). O IMC foi categorizado conforme sugerido pela Organização Mundial de Saúde.ResultadosNo total, 73,9%, 54,2% e 42,8% das crianças tinham TV, computador e jogos de vídeo no quarto e gastavam em média 500,7 e 59,1min/dia de tempo sedentário e de AFMV. Das crianças, 45,3% tinham excesso de peso/obesidade. Meninas com computador no quarto (45min/dia) faziam menos AFMV do que as que não tinham (51,4min/dia). Resultados semelhantes ocorreram para o IMC nos meninos. AFMV foi maior e IMC menor nas crianças que não tinham equipamentos eletrônicos no quarto. Computador (β= ‐4,798) e a combinação de TV com computador (β= ‐3,233) foram negativamente associados com AFMV. Jogos de vídeo e as combinações com dois ou três equipamentos eletrônicos foram positivamente associados com IMC. Tempo sedentário não foi associado com equipamentos eletrônicos.ConclusãoEquipamentos eletrônicos no quarto das crianças podem afetar negativamente a AFMV e o IMC independentemente do sexo, escola e renda familiar anual e contribuir para a inatividade física e obesidade infantil

Physicochemical characteristics of organic honey samples of africanized honeybees from Paraná River islands.

This research was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical composition of organic honey in Paraná River islands, in Porto Brasílio, State of Paraná. Honey was harvested directly from super of the colonies in three apiaries spread in the Floresta and Laranjeira Islands, from August 2005 to August 2006. Twenty-four samples of organic honey produced by Africanized honeybees were evaluated. The following parameters were analyzed: pH, acidity, formol index, hydroxymethylfurfural, ashes, color, electric conductivity and moisture. Three replications per sample were performed for laboratorial analysis, giving the means and standard deviation. Most honey samples were in conformity with the Normative Instruction 11 from October 20, 2000. However, 4.17% were not in accordance with the moisture standards, 8.33% showed high concentrations of hydroxymethylfurfural, thus, totalizing 12.50% of non-complying samples. Nevertheless, 87.50% of the analyzed honey samples are within the standards, being characterized as an organic product of excellent quality, with good commercialization perspectives in the market

Juvenile hormone downregulates vitellogenin production in Ectatomma tuberculatum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) sterile workers

In the ant Ectatomma tuberculatum (Olivier 1792), workers have active ovaries and lay trophic eggs that are eaten by the queen and larvae. Vitellogenins are the main proteins found in the eggs of insects and are the source of nutrients for the embryo in the fertilized eggs and for adults in the trophic eggs. In social insects, vitellogenin titres vary between castes and affect reproductive social status, nursing, foraging, longevity, somatic maintenance, and immunity. In most insects, vitellogenin synthesis is mainly regulated by juvenile hormone. However, in non-reproductive worker ants, this relationship is poorly characterized. This study determined the effects of juvenile hormone on vitellogenin synthesis in non-reproductive E. tuberculatum workers. Juvenile hormone was topically applied onto workers, and the effect on vitellogenin synthesis in the fat body and vitellogenin titres in the haemolymph were analysed by ELISA and qPCR. Juvenile hormone downregulated protein synthesis and reduced vitellogenin titres in the haemolymph, suggesting that in workers of E. tuberculatum, juvenile hormone loses its gonadotrophic function

FILOSOFÍAS NEGRAS AFRICANAS COMO ARCHIPIELES DE LIBERACIÓN

Este artículo tiene como objetivo entender el archipiélago de la liberación como una de las claves para leer las filosofías negras africanas, en este caso específico, con el recorte de la filosofía del mozambiqueño Severino Elias Ngoenha, desde la lectura de la "Libertad de paradigma" en diálogo con la perspectiva. del pensamiento del archipiélago en diálogo con Martinica Édouard Glissant. Palabras clave: filosofía negra africana; Archipiélago de liberación; Libertad de paradigma; PaisajeThe present work aims to understand the archipelago of liberation as one of the landscapes to access black African philosophies, in this specific case, with the clipping of the philosophy of Mozambican Severino Elias Ngoenha, since reading the "Freedom Paradigm" and with the perspective of the archipelago in dialogue with Martinique Édouard Glissant. Key words: African black philosophies; Archipelago of liberation; Freedom Paradigm; Landscape.O presente trabalho tem como objetivo compreender o arquipélago da libertação como umas das chaves de leituras das filosofias negro africanas, neste caso específico, com o recorte da filosofia do moçambicano Severino Elias Ngoenha, desde a leitura do “Paradigma liberdade” em diálogo com a perspectiva do pensamento do arquipélago em diálogo com o martinicano Édouard Glissant. Palavras chave: Filosofias negro africanas; Arquipélago da libertação; Paradigma liberdade; Paisagem

Análise de acessibilidade em edifício público / Accessibility analysis in public building

Esse artigo analisa os parâmetros físicos do mercado público da cidade de Uberaba, inaugurado no ano de 1924 e tombado como patrimônio histórico pelo CONDEPHAU – Conselho Deliberativo Municipal do Patrimônio Histórico, Artístico de Uberaba, sendo considerado um ponto tradicional de comércio e relações interpessoais da cidade. Na área de Engenharia Civil, problematizaremos o local com auxílio de normas técnicas em especial a NBR-9050, sendo a principal norma brasileira focada na acessibilidade para pessoas com deficiência física, mobilidade reduzida, idosos, obesos e gestantes. Esta norma estabelece critérios e parâmetros técnicos a serem observados quando do projeto, construção, instalação e adaptação de edificações, mobiliário, espaços e equipamentos urbanos às condições de acessibilidade. Analisando o ambiente externo que fornece acesso público ao edifício, ambiente interno e sanitários, logo, sugestionaremos soluções para promover a mobilidade do edifício auxiliando o bem-estar psicossocial da população envolvida e enriquecendo o patrimônio municipal. Com isso contemplando a caracterização de levantamentos e necessidades de acessibilidade no espaço urbanizado visando à integração do ambiente externo com o interno, para as pessoas com necessidades especiais. Os objetivos principais são, identificar as dificuldades encontradas por portadores de deficiência ou com mobilidade reduzida em acessar e se locomover no ambiente estudado e indicar as possíveis soluções em conformidade com os parâmetros normativos, devido ao tombamento, e desenvolver projetos que apresentem sugestões para solução sem alterações na essência arquitetônica do edifício, objeto de estudo.