Orchestration of semantic web services in IRS-III

In this paper we describe our orchestration model for IRS-III. IRS-III is a framework and platform for developing WSMO based semantic web services. Orchestration specifies how a complex web service calls subordinate web services. Our orchestration model is state-based: control and data flow are defined by and in states respectively; web services and goals are modeled as activities and their execution triggers state changes. The model is illustrated with a simple example

Oilfield scale management based on produced water composition

Evaluation of the scaling risk at production wells is generally carried out using thermodynamic prediction models. These models are generally very accurate in terms of predicting the type of scale that may form, the degree of supersaturation, and the mass of scale that will deposit when the system reaches equilibrium – provided the brine composition or compositions involved are well known, and the pressure and temperatures conditions are accurately specified. However, in performing these calculations, engineers often fail to take account of reactions occurring in the reservoir, and assume that brines reaching the production wells have not reacted in any way prior to entering the wellbore. This often leads to a significant overestimate of the scaling risk. This work seeks to address this issue by studying field data from a variety of sources to identify what can be learnt from the produced brine compositions, and by simulating various possible scenarios using reservoir simulation calculations, and taking account of potential reservoir reactions, but also considering other factors, such as reservoir properties and architecture, fluid properties, etc., that may impact the composition of the brine by the time it reaches the production wells. This work also provides the basic information regarding commercial reservoir simulators with a focus on reservoir scale management. Black-oil, semi-compositional and fully compositional simulators will be analysed with this purpose. Finally, this work will present a scale management strategy based upon the use of an integrated approach, that considers both flow and thermodynamical properties of the reservoir, aided by numerical simulations. This approach can lead to a more realistic forecast of scaling potential, leading to the development of optimized scale management strategies

Interactive composition of WSMO based semantic web services in IRS-III

The discovery and integration of services in a composition are challenging tasks due to the lack of semantic in the Web services' description. WSMO community is working on developing ontologies and infrastructures to support Semantic Web Services. In this paper, we present a tool that takes into account WSMO descriptions to support a user guided, interactive composition approach whereby Web services are discovered and recommended to the users according to the composition context. The generated composition is orchestrated in IRS-III by our Java API for dataflow orchestration

Exploring manual asymmetries during grasping: a dynamic causal modeling approach

Recording of neural activity during grasping actions in macaques showed that grasp-related sensorimotor transformations are accomplished in a circuit constituted by the anterior part of the intraparietal sulcus (AIP), the ventral (F5) and the dorsal (F2) region of the premotor area. In humans, neuroimaging studies have revealed the existence of a similar circuit, involving the putative homolog of macaque areas AIP, F5 and F2. These studies have mainly considered grasping movements performed with the right dominant hand and only a few studies have measured brain activity associated with a movement performed with the left non-dominant hand. As a consequence of this gap, how the brain controls for grasping movement performed with the dominant and the non-dominant hand still represents an open question. A functional resonance imaging experiment (fMRI) has been conducted, and effective connectivity (Dynamic Causal Modelling, DCM) was used to assess how connectivity among grasping-related areas is modulated by hand (i.e., left and right) during the execution of grasping movements towards a small object requiring precision grasping. Results underlined boosted inter-hemispheric couplings between dorsal premotor cortices during the execution of movements performed with the left rather than the right dominant hand. More specifically, they suggest that the dorsal premotor cortices may play a fundamental role in monitoring the configuration of fingers when grasping movements are performed by either the right and the left hand. This role becomes particularly evident when the hand less-skilled (i.e., the left hand) to perform such action is utilized. The results are discussed in light of recent theories put forward to explain how parieto-frontal connectivity is modulated by the execution of prehensile movements

Transe, sacrifício, comunhão e poder no Xangô de Pernambuco

Este artigo quer demonstrar que o transe e o sacrifício nos Xamás de Recife realizam uma "equação" através da qual a personalidade do devoto se funde com a personalidade do santo. Essa fusão representa uma tentativa de superar a pobreza e a aflição. Mais do que qualquer função econômica. psicológica, medicinal e educativa, o transe e o sacrifício são "bons para ser"

Sangue: ensaio sobre o sacrifício no Xangô de Pernambuco

O sacrifício sangrento de animais é o ato central do culto do Xangô, conforme atesta a experiência etnográfica do autor nos terreiros e nos rituais dos mais diversos pais-de-santo: Mário Miranda (de onde, em tarde memorável, partiram minhas grandes intuições sobre o sacrifício e a economia da religião afro-pernambucana), Badia, Edu, Raminho, Amara, Babá e outros, além de sua própria participação pessoal. A iniciação ao Xangô não só acarreta muita efusão de sangue animal, como também, de certo modo, a transformação do devoto no alimento dos deuses. O sacrifício representa igualmente a suprema forma de terapia. O artigo também registra que o sacrifício, apesar do seu alto valor simbólico, não deixa de desempenhar funções muito práticas, de caráter econômico e nutricional

Sangue: ensaio sobre o sacrifício no Xangô de Pernambuco

O sacrifício sangrento de animais é o ato central do culto do Xangô, conforme atesta a experiência etnográfica do autor nos terreiros e nos rituais dos mais diversos pais-de-santo: Mário Miranda (de onde, em tarde memorável, partiram minhas grandes intuições sobre o sacrifício e a economia da religião afro-pernambucana), Badia, Edu, Raminho, Amara, Babá e outros, além de sua própria participação pessoal. A iniciação ao Xangô não só acarreta muita efusão de sangue animal, como também, de certo modo, a transformação do devoto no alimento dos deuses. O sacrifício representa igualmente a suprema forma de terapia. O artigo também registra que o sacrifício, apesar do seu alto valor simbólico, não deixa de desempenhar funções muito práticas, de caráter econômico e nutricional