Precise Modelling of Compensating Business Transactions and its Application to BPEL

We describe the StAC language which can be used to specify the orchestration of activities in long running business transactions. Long running business transactions use compensation to cope with exceptions. StAC supports sequential and parallel behaviour as well as exception and compensation handling. We also show how the B notation may be combined with StAC to specify the data aspects of transactions. The combination of StAC and B provides a rich formal notation which allows for succinct and precise specification of business transactions. BPEL is an industry standard language for specifying business transactions and includes compensation constructs. We show how a substantial subset of BPEL can be mapped to StAC thus demonstrating the expressiveness of StAC and providing a formal semantics for BPEL

Development of Non-Petroleum-Based Binders for Use in Flexible Pavements – Phase II

Bio-binders can be utilized as asphalt modifiers, extenders, and replacements for conventional asphalt in bituminous binders. From the rheology results of Phase I of this project, it was found that the bio-binders tested had good performance, similar to conventional asphalt, except at low temperatures. Phase II of this project addresses this shortcoming and evaluates the Superpave performance of laboratory mixes produced with the enhanced bio-binders. The main objective of this research was to develop a bio-binder capable of replacing conventional asphalt in flexible pavements by incorporating ground tire rubber (GTR) into bio-oil derived from fast pyrolysis of agriculture and forestry residues. The chemical compatibility of the new bio-binder with GTR was assessed, and the low-temperature performance of the bio-binders was enhanced by the use of GTR. The newly developed binder, which consisted of 80 percent conventional binder and 20 percent rubber-modified bio-oil (85 percent bio-oil with 15 percent GTR), was used to produce mixes at two different air void contents, 4 and 7 percent. The laboratory performance test results showed that the performance of the newly developed bio-binder mixes is as good as or better than conventional asphalt mixes for fatigue cracking, rutting resistance, moisture sensitivity, and low-temperature cracking. These results need to be validated in field projects in order to demonstrate adequate performance for this innovative and sustainable technology for flexible pavements

Avaliação do impacto de uma intervenção em gestão do stress em pacientes sujeitos a radioterapia e em situação de fadiga oncológica : um estudo quase experimental

Dissertação de Doutoramento apresentada ao ISPA - Instituto UniversitárioRESUMO: A intervenção em gestão do stress cognitivo-comportamental (IGSCC) composta por reestruturação cognitiva, treino em estratégias de coping e relaxação muscular é apontada por parte da Comunidade Científica como eficaz na redução da fadiga oncológica (FO). No entanto, esta opinião não é consensual e parte da investigação argumenta que a terapia cognitivo-comportamental não reestrutura a experiência da crise, durante o tratamento de radioterapia. A FO, altamente debilitante, é suportada por parte dos doentes oncológicos e surge como resultado do processo oncológico (doença e tratamentos). Manifesta-se em exaustão física, mental, emocional e social, impactando a qualidade de vida. A sua etiologia é patopsicofisiológica, com vários factores correlacionados: crenças disfuncionais, estados emocionais com significativa ansiedade, depressão e stress, baixa percepção e satisfação com o suporte social, baixa qualidade de vida e limitada resiliência. Este estudo procura avaliar o impacto da IGSCC, durante a radioterapia, sobre a FO, contribuindo para uma maior compreensão deste constructo tão complexo. É um estudo longitudinal, comparativo e correlacional, recorre a 3 grupos avaliados em 3 momentos: antes da radioterapia (M1), logo após o fim da radioterapia (M2) e seis meses após o fim da radioterapia (M3). O grupo de intervenção é composto por 35 indivíduos com FO sujeitos a IGSCC, o grupo de controlo é composto por 35 sujeitos com FO e apenas sujeitos a radioterapia e o grupo sem FO é composto por 35 sujeitos sem FO e apenas sujeitos a radioterapia. Todos os sujeitos foram previamente seleccionados e colocados aleatoriamente no respectivo grupo depois de responderem ao Termómetro Emocional (Bizarro, Patrão, & Deep, 2012). Avaliou-se ainda a dinâmica emocional, social, cognitiva, a personalidade, a qualidade de vida e as características sociodemográficas e clínicas. Verificou-se que os resultados obtidos dependeram do tipo de tratamento (com ou sem IGSCC) e que quando um paciente tem intervenção psicológica o sofrimento emocional, a ansiedade, a depressão, o impacto e a necessidade de ajuda diminuem (p˂,05). Igualmente verificou-se que a IGSCC alterou as crenças do grupo de intervenção, ajudando-o a lidar com o cancro, reduzindo o sofrimento psicológico e incrementando o bem-estar (p˂,05). Quanto aos padrões de regulação emocional verificou-se o impacto positivo da IGSCC a curto e longo prazo: a IGSCC reestruturou a vivência de crise e reduziu a gravidade da sintomatologia, ainda que se tenha assistido à perda de resultados positivos no grupo de intervenção no M3. A satisfação com o suporte social, resiliência e qualidade de vida também confirmam o impacto positivo da IGSCC a curto e longo prazo (p˂,05). Este estudo demonstra correlações (r˂,05) entre factores estudados: os padrões de regulação emocional estão positivamente correlacionados com a baixa qualidade de vida, e negativamente correlacionados com a resiliência e a satisfação com o suporte social. A IGSCC contribuiu para um maior bem-estar: teve impacto positivo sobre a experiência psicossocial do GI reestruturando a experiência de crise e reduzindo a gravidade dos sintomas. A IGSCC permitiu a reestruturação cognitiva, estabeleceu estratégias de enfrentamento apropriadas e ensinou os pacientes a relaxar. Embora a FO tenha um caráter patopsicofisiológico, com a IGSCC é possível alcançar níveis mais baixos de ansiedade, depressão e stress, considerando-se esta intervenção eficaz na gestão da FO. As implicações clínicas do estudo referem-se a necessidade de detectar a FO e intervir terapeuticamente.ABSTRACT: A cognitive behavioural intervention in stress management (CBISM) composed by muscle relaxation, cognitive restructuring and training in coping strategies is pointed by some Scientific Community as effective in reducing Cancer Related Fatigue (CRF). However, this opinion is not consensual and part of the investigation argues that cognitive behavioral therapy does not restructures the experience of crisis, during radiotherapy treatment. CRF is a highly debilitating and supported by most cancer patients. It arises as a result of the oncological process (disease and treatment). It manifests itself through physical, mental, emotional and social exhaustion, impacting the quality of life. Its etiology is pathopsychophysiological with several correlated factors: dysfunctional beliefs, emotional states with significant anxiety, depression and stress, low perception and satisfaction with social support, poor quality of life and limited resilience. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of CBISM during radiotherapy, about the FO, contributing to a greater understanding of this complex construct. A longitudinal, comparative and correlational study was developed, using three groups evaluated in three different moments: before radiotherapy (M1), shortly after the end of radiotherapy (M2) and six months after the end of radiotherapy (M3). The intervention group is composed by 35 individuals with CRF subject to a CBISM; the control group is composed by 35 subjects with CRF and only subjected to radiotherapy; and the group without CRF is composed of 35 subjects without CRF and only subjected to radiotherapy. All subjects were previously selected and placed randomly within their group after responding to the Emotional Thermometer (Bizarro, Patrão, & Deep, 2012). We evaluated the emotional, social and cognitive dynamic, personality, quality of life and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. We found that the results depended on the type of treatment (with or without CBISM), and that when a patient has psychological intervention the emotional distress, anxiety, depression, impact and need for help decrease (p˂,05). We further observed that the CBISM changed the beliefs of the intervention group, helping the participants deal with cancer, reducing psychological distress and increasing well-being (p˂,05). In terms of emotional regulation, there was a positive impact of CBISM in the short and long term: CBISM restructured the experience of crisis and reduced the symptoms’ severity, even if we observed a decrease in positive results for the intervention group in M3. Regarding satisfaction with social support, resilience and quality of life, the positive impact of CBISM was confirmed in the short and long term (p˂ ,05). This study demonstrates correlations (r˂,05) between the studied factors: patterns of emotional regulation are positively correlated with poor quality of life, and negatively correlated with resilience and satisfaction with social support. The CBISM contributed to a greater wellbeing: had a positive impact on the psychosocial experience of the intervention group, restructuring the crisis experience and reducing the symptoms’ severity. The CBISM allowed for a cognitive restructuration, established appropriate coping strategies and taught the patients to relax. Although the CRF has a pathopsychophysiological character, with CBISM it is possible to achieve lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress, being this intervention considered effective. The clinical implications of these results relate to the need to detect the FO and intervene therapeutically

Pathways to change: improving the quality of education in Timor-Leste

After more than 400 years of Portuguese colonization and a 24-year period of Indonesian occupation, Timor-Leste became a fully independent state on May 20, 2012. Independence followed a period of extreme violence caused by the Indonesians, who destroyed homes, livelihoods and infrastructure and devastated schools before leaving the country. Since 2012, the country has resorted to international aid to reconstruct the country and rebuild its education system. Following the restructuring of the basic education, the country has recently implemented a new general secondary education curriculum, through international cooperation with Portuguese institutions. This article presents the new curriculum developed and puts forward some of the challenges regarding its implementation. Based on interviews conducted with several policy makers, findings suggest challenges related with the use of Portuguese language, the scientific and pedagogical training of teachers and the pedagogical and administrative management capacity in most secondary school

Applications of scalar attractor solutions to Cosmology

We develop a framework to study the phase space of a system consisting of a scalar field rolling down an arbitrary potential with varying slope and a background fluid, in a cosmological setting. We give analytical approximate solutions of the field evolution and discuss applications of its features to the issues of quintessence, moduli stabilisation and quintessential inflation.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in PR

Clinical Determinants and Prognostic Implications of Renin and Aldosterone in Patients with Symptomatic Heart Failure

Aims Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays an important role in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF) and has been associated with poor prognosis. There are limited data on the associations of renin and aldosterone levels with clinical profiles, treatment response, and study outcomes in patients with HF. Methods and results We analysed 2,039 patients with available baseline renin and aldosterone levels in BIOSTAT-CHF (a systems BIOlogy study to Tailored Treatment in Chronic Heart Failure). The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause mortality or HF hospitalization. We also investigated changes in renin and aldosterone levels after administration of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) in a subset of the EPHESUS trial and in an acute HF cohort (PORTO). In BIOSTAT-CHF study, median renin and aldosterone levels were 85.3 (percentile(25-75) = 28-247) mu IU/mL and 9.4 (percentile(25-75) = 4.4-19.8) ng/dL, respectively. Prior HF admission, lower blood pressure, sodium, poorer renal function, and MRA treatment were associated with higher renin and aldosterone. Higher renin was associated with an increased rate of the primary outcome [highest vs. lowest renin tertile: adjusted-HR (95% CI) = 1.47 (1.16-1.86), P = 0.002], whereas higher aldosterone was not [highest vs. lowest aldosterone tertile: adjusted-HR (95% CI) = 1.16 (0.93-1.44), P = 0.19]. Renin and/or aldosterone did not improve the BIOSTAT-CHF prognostic models. The rise in aldosterone with the use of MRAs was observed in EPHESUS and PORTO studies. Conclusions Circulating levels of renin and aldosterone were associated with both the disease severity and use of MRAs. By reflecting both the disease and its treatments, the prognostic discrimination of these biomarkers was poor. Our data suggest that the "point" measurement of renin and aldosterone in HF is of limited clinical utility

Dynamics of tachyon field in spatially curved FRW universe

The dynamics of a tachyon field plus a barotropic fluid is investigated in spatially curved FRW universe. We perform a phase-plane analysis and obtain scaling solutions accompanying with a discussion on their stability. Furthermore, we construct the form of scalar potential which may give rise to stable solutions for spatially open and closed universe separately.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, version to be published in PL

Constraining parameter space in type-II two-Higgs doublet model in light of a 126 GeV Higgs boson

We explore the implications of a 126 GeV Higgs boson indicated by the recent LHC results for two-Higgs doublet model (2HDM). Identifying the 126 GeV Higgs boson as either the lighter or heavier of CP even neutral Higgs bosons in 2HDM, we examine how the masses of Higgs fields and mixing parameters can be constrained by the theoretical conditions and experimental constraints. The theoretical conditions taken into account are the vacuum stability, perturbativity and unitarity required to be satisfied up to a cut-off scale. We also show how bounds on the masses of Higgs bosons and mixing parameters depend on the cut-off scale. In addition, we investigate whether the allowed regions of parameter space can accommodate particularly the enhanced di-photon signals, ZZ* and WW* decay modes of the Higgs boson, and examine the prediction of the signal strength of Z{\gamma} decay mode for the allowed regions of the parameter space.Comment: To be published in JHEP, 20 pages, 11 figures, Figures and results are updated for the recent LHC result

Constraints on Dark Energy and Modified Gravity models by the Cosmological Redshift Drift test

We study cosmological constraints on the various accelerating models of the universe using the time evolution of the cosmological redshift of distant sources. The important characteristic of this test is that it directly probes the expansion history of the universe. In this work we analyze the various models of the universe which can explain the late time acceleration, within the framework of General Theory of Relativity (GR) (XCDM, scalar field potentials) and beyond GR (f(R) gravity model).Comment: 7 pages, 10 figures, revised version, accepted for publication in Physics Lett.

Angiotensin-(1-7) and angiotensin-(1-9): function in cardiac and vascular remodeling

The renin angiotensin system (RAS) is integral to cardiovascular physiology, however, dysregulation of this system largely contributes to the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is well established that angiotensin II (Ang II), the main effector of the RAS, engages the angiotensin type 1 receptor and promotes cell growth, proliferation, migration and oxidative stress, all processes which contribute to remodeling of the heart and vasculature, ultimately leading to the development and progression of various CVDs including heart failure and atherosclerosis. The counter-regulatory axis of the RAS, which is centered on the actions of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the resultant production of angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7) from Ang II, antagonizes the actions of Ang II via the receptor Mas, thereby providing a protective role in CVD. More recently, another ACE2 metabolite, Ang-(1-9), has been reported to be a biologically active peptide within the counter-regulatory axis of the RAS. This review will discuss the role of the counter-regulatory RAS peptides, Ang-(1-7) and Ang-(1-9) in the cardiovascular system, with a focus on their effects in remodeling of the heart and vasculature