Endurant Types in Ontology-Driven Conceptual Modeling: Towards OntoUML 2.0

For over a decade now, a community of researchers has contributed to the development of the Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO) - aimed at providing foundations for all major conceptual modeling constructs. This ontology has led to the development of an Ontology-Driven Conceptual Modeling language dubbed OntoUML, reflecting the ontological micro-theories comprising UFO. Over the years, UFO and OntoUML have been successfully employed in a number of academic, industrial and governmental settings to create conceptual models in a variety of different domains. These experiences have pointed out to opportunities of improvement not only to the language itself but also to its underlying theory. In this paper, we take the first step in that direction by revising the theory of types in UFO in response to empirical evidence. The new version of this theory shows that many of the meta-types present in OntoUML (differentiating Kinds, Roles, Phases, Mixins, etc.) should be considered not as restricted to Substantial types but instead should be applied to model Endurant Types in general, including Relator types, Quality types and Mode types. We also contribute a formal characterization of this fragment of the theory, which is then used to advance a metamodel for OntoUML 2.0. Finally, we propose a computational support tool implementing this updated metamodel

Influence of spin reorientation on magnetocaloric effect in NdAl2: A microscopic model

We report a theoretical investigation about the influence of the spin reorientation from easy magnetic direction to the applied magnetic field direction on the magnetocaloric properties of NdAl2. This compound was fully investigated using a model Hamiltonian which includes the Zeeman-exchange interactions and the crystalline electrical field, which are responsible for the magnetic anisotropy. All theoretical results were obtained using the proper model parameters for NdAl2, found in the literature. The existence of a minimum in magnetic entropy change below the phase transition was predicted and ascribed to the strong jump on the spin reorientation.74

O Aprendizado Formal de Controladoria e a minimização do Efeito Framing: um estudo de decisões gerenciais envolvendo Custos de Oportunidade

The object of this research was to investigate the impact of the formal learning of Auditing, Accounting and Control in the minimization of cognitive biases in management decisions. For this the experimental scenario together with a situation that involved the concept of the Cost of opportunity was delineated. With the help of this concept, this research seeks to understand the behavior associated with the cognitive bias caused by the framing effect. The experiment counted on a control group where the introduction of biases did not exist in the questions submitted to the respondents, and two experimental groups where the questionnaires had biases, the sample being made up of 115 Accounting and Law undergraduate students of the Federal University of Bahia. For the analysis of the experiment Multiple Logistic Regression was used. The results obtained pointed to the inexistence of contributions to the formal learning of Auditing, Accounting and Control in the reduction of the occurrence of the framing effect.El objetivo de esta pesquisa fue verificar el impacto del aprendizaje formal de Contraloría en la minimización de los sesgos cognoscitivos en decisiones gerenciales. Para eso fue delineado un escenario experimental con situación que involucra el concepto de Costo de oportunidad. Con el auxilio de este concepto, se pretende entender el comportamiento asociado al bies cognitivo provocado por el efecto framing. El experimento contó con un grupo de control, donde no existía la introducción de sesgos en las cuestiones a las cuales los respondientes fueron sometidos, y dos grupos experimentales, donde los cuestionarios contenían los sesgos, siendo la muestra compuesta por 155 estudiantes de los cursos de graduación de Ciencias Contables y Derecho de la Universidad Federal de Bahia. Para el análisis del experimento, fue utilizada la Regresión Logística Múltiple. Los resultados encontrados señalaron la inexistencia de contribuciones del aprendizaje formal de Contraloría en la reducción de la ocurrencia del efecto framing.O objetivo desta pesquisa foi verificar o impacto do Aprendizado Formal de Controladoria na minimização dos vieses cognitivos em decisões gerenciais. Para isso, foi delineado um cenário experimental com situação que envolve o conceito de Custo de Oportunidade. Com o auxílio deste conceito, busca-se entender o comportamento associado ao viés cognitivo provocado pelo Efeito Framing. O experimento contou com um grupo de controle, no qual não existia a introdução de vieses nas questões às quais os respondentes foram submetidos; e dois grupos experimentais, nos quais os questionários continham os vieses, sendo a amostra composta por 155 estudantes dos cursos de graduação de Ciências Contábeis e Direito da Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA). Para a análise do experimento, foi utilizada a Regressão Logística Múltipla. Os resultados encontrados apontaram para a inexistência de contribuições do Aprendizado Formal de Controladoria na redução da ocorrência do Efeito Framing

Quantifying the third sector in Portugal : an overview and evolution from 1997 to 2007

I am grateful to the Portuguese Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity, Statistics Department, for access to the data used in this study (Quadros de Pessoal). I would also like to express my gratitude to Miguel Reis Portela and Nelson Areal for their assistance in dealing with the database and STATA. I am also indebted to two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments on an earlier version of this paper.This paper presents a global overview of the third sector in Portugal drawing on data from a linked employer-employee database – “Quadros de Pessoal”, which is based on a compulsory annual inquiry to organizations, making it a better source of information than those based on sample surveys and estimates. This study advances on previous overviews by providing more updated numbers for organization size, age, gross revenue and employment levels, as well as their distribution across the ICNPO third sector activity classification. The evolution of these variables from the period 1997-2007 is also analyzed. The Portuguese third sector has been fast growing, with revenues amounting to 5.64% of Portugal’s GDP and employment representing 4% of the country’s employment in 2007. It is mainly composed of very small organizations, with diminutive revenues. Perhaps its most striking features are the uneven distribution of employment and revenue and the strong concentration on Social services

To other planets with upgraded millennial kombucha in rhythms of sustainability and health support

Humankind has entered a new era of space exploration: settlements on other planetary bodies are foreseen in the near future. Advanced technologies are being developed to support the adaptation to extraterrestrial environments and, with a view on the longer term, to support the viability of an independent economy. Biological processes will likely play a key role and lead to the production of life-support consumables, and other commodities, in a way that is cheaper and more sustainable than exclusively abiotic processes. Microbial communities could be used to sustain the crews’ health as well as for the production of consumables, for waste recycling, and for biomining. They can self-renew with little resources from Earth, be highly productive on a per-volume basis, and be highly versatile—all of which will be critical in planetary outposts. Well-de!ned, semi-open, and stress-resistant microecosystems are particularly promising. An instance of it is kombucha, known worldwide as a microbial association that produces an eponymous, widespread soft drink that could be valuable for sustaining crews’ health or as a synbiotic (i.e., probiotic and prebiotic) after a rational assemblage of de!ned probiotic bacteria and yeasts with endemic or engineered cellulose producers. Bacterial cellulose products offer a wide spectrum of possible functions, from leather-like to innovative smart materials during long-term missions and future activities in extraterrestrial settlements. Cellulose production by kombucha is zero-waste and could be linked to bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) loops. Another advantage of kombucha lies in its ability to mobilize inorganic ions from rocks, which may help feed BLSS from local resources. Besides outlining those applications and others, we discuss needs for knowledge and other obstacles, among which is the biosafety of microbial producers

Multifunctional nanostructured Co-doped ZnO: Co spatial distribution and correlated magnetic properties

The correlation between the structural and magnetic properties of nanoparticulated Co-doped ZnO is reported and a kinetic-thermodynamic model for the processes of nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles is proposed

Identification of key genes for carcinogenic pathways associated with colorectal adenoma-to-carcinoma progression

Colorectal adenomas form a biologically and clinically distinct intermediate stage in development of colorectal cancer (CRC) from normal colon epithelium. Only 5% of adenomas progress into adenocarcinomas, indicating that malignant transformation requires other biological alterations than those involved in adenoma formation. The present study aimed to explore which cancer-related biological processes are affected during colorectal adenoma-to-carcinoma progression and to identify key genes within these pathways that can serve as tumor markers for malignant transformation. The activity of 12 cancer-related biological processes was compared between 37 colorectal adenomas and 31 adenocarcinomas, using the pathway analysis tool Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Expression of six gene sets was significantly increased in CRCs compared to adenomas, representing chromosomal instability, proliferation, differentiation, invasion, stroma activation, and angiogenesis. In addition, 18 key genes were identified for these processes based on their significantly increased expression levels. For AURKA and PDGFRB, increased mRNA expression levels were verified at the protein level by immunohistochemical analysis of a series of adenomas and CRCs. This study revealed cancer-related biological processes whose activities are increased during malignant transformation and identified key genes which may be used as tumor markers to improve molecular characterization of colorectal tumors

Mycotic aneurysm of the femoral artery complicating Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Staphylococcus aureus is the major cause of bacteremia, with the potential for some complications, namely mycotic aneurysms, defined as irreversible dilatation of an artery due to destruction of the vessel wall by infection. CASE PRESENTATION: The authors present the case of a 52 year-old-Caucasian male, admitted with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and mycotic aneurysm of the right superficial femoral artery, associated with advanced atherosclerotic process. CONCLUSION: Mycotic aneurysms are rare, and a high index of suspicion is needed, because appropriate treatment will certainly affect the outcome, as they are associated with high morbidity and mortality