A Flexible and Modular Framework for Implementing Infrastructures for Global Computing

We present a Java software framework for building infrastructures to support the development of applications for systems where mobility and network awareness are key issues. The framework is particularly useful to develop run-time support for languages oriented towards global computing. It enables platform designers to customize communication protocols and network architectures and guarantees transparency of name management and code mobility in distributed environments. The key features are illustrated by means of a couple of simple case studies

Orchestrating Tuple-based Languages

The World Wide Web can be thought of as a global computing architecture supporting the deployment of distributed networked applications. Currently, such applications can be programmed by resorting mainly to two distinct paradigms: one devised for orchestrating distributed services, and the other designed for coordinating distributed (possibly mobile) agents. In this paper, the issue of designing a pro- gramming language aiming at reconciling orchestration and coordination is investigated. Taking as starting point the orchestration calculus Orc and the tuple-based coordination language Klaim, a new formalism is introduced combining concepts and primitives of the original calculi. To demonstrate feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach, a prototype implementation of the new formalism is described and it is then used to tackle a case study dealing with a simplified but realistic electronic marketplace, where a number of on-line stores allow client applications to access information about their goods and to place orders

Network-aware Evaluation Environment for Reputation Systems

Parties of reputation systems rate each other and use ratings to compute reputation scores that drive their interactions. When deciding which reputation model to deploy in a network environment, it is important to find the most suitable model and to determine its right initial configuration. This calls for an engineering approach for describing, implementing and evaluating reputation systems while taking into account specific aspects of both the reputation systems and the networked environment where they will run. We present a software tool (NEVER) for network-aware evaluation of reputation systems and their rapid prototyping through experiments performed according to user-specified parameters. To demonstrate effectiveness of NEVER, we analyse reputation models based on the beta distribution and the maximum likelihood estimation

Echinococcus granulosus "sensu stricto" in a captive ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) in Northern Italy

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) by Echinococcosis granulosus (Eg) infection was seen in a 13 years old male lemur, found dead in a zoo in Northern Italy. Necropsy revealed several transparent cysts in the lungs and in the abdominal cavity. Freefloating cysts of varying sizes were found in the peritoneal cavity, and no protoscolex was seen microscopically. Histologically, a multifocal severe parasitic granulomatous pneumonia was observed. Confirmation of E. granulosus "sensu stricto" was reached by PCR and sequencing. In view of the absence of definitive host in the zoo, located in non-endemic region for CE, it is speculated that infection introduced through translocation of lemur from endemic region (Southern Italy zoo)

Ultrasonographic honeycomb pattern of the spleen in cats: correlation with pathological diagnosis in 33 cases

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the ultra sonographic (US) diffuse honeycomb pattern (HCP) of the spleen and a pathological diagnosis in cats, and to assess the influence of transducer type on HCP visualisation. Methods: Abdominal ultrasounds of cats with an HCP were reviewed and splenic size, shape, margination, other parenchymal alterations and splenic hilar lymphadenopathy were recorded. When applicable, images acquired with high-frequency linear and curvilinear transducers were compared to determine if an HCP was more frequently demonstrated on high-resolution images. A retrospective review of the corresponding splenic cyto histopathological samples was also performed. Results: Thirty-three cats met the inclusion criteria. Five cases were diagnosed by histology and 28 by cytology, confirmed by PCR for antigen receptor rearrangements (PARR) in uncertain cases. There were 15 cases of lymphoid hyperplasia, eight cases of lymphoma (four B cell, three T cell and one large granular lymphocytes), six cats with splenitis, three with extramedullary haematopoiesis and one with histiocytic sarcoma. The prevalence of lymphoma in cats with an HCP of the spleen was 24%. Splenomegaly was the most frequent US feature associated with an HCP and was observed in all lymphoma cases. In the images obtained from both high-frequency linear and micro-convex transducers the visualisation of an HCP was enabled in all cases (24/24) and in 62.5% (15/24), respectively. Conclusions and relevance: Based on our findings, an US HCP of the spleen in cats can be associated with benign and malignant disorders and is infrequently associated with lymphoma in comparison with dogs. Cytological or histological examination, possibly supplemented by PARR, should always be performed for diagnostic support. Use of high-frequency linear transducers is recommended to properly recognise an HCP or subtle changes in splenic parenchyma

Hyperplastic cholangitis in a naturally Toxoplasma gondii-infected cat.

Toxoplasma gondii can cause in cats a multisystemic disease involving the liver, lungs, central nervous system and other organs. The liver generally shows multifocal necrotizing hepatitis with possible panlobular extension, with histological evidence of free tachyzoites and/or cysts containing bradyzoites within necrotic foci. Very rarely, toxoplasmosis is expressed by cholangitis, the latter being much more frequently caused in cats by bacteria of intestinal origin. We report here a case of cholangitis/cholangiohepatitis in a young cat, where cytology of the liver showed multiple maturational stages of protozoa in the cytoplasm of cells of the bile ducts. On the basis of the cytological, histological, ultrastructural and molecular details, the microorganisms were identified as belonging to the species Toxoplasma gondii

Dynamic Context Modeling for Agile Case Management

International audienceCase Management processes are characterized by their high unpredictability and, thus, cannot be handled following traditional process- or activity-centered approaches. Adaptive Case Management paradigm proposes an alternative data-centered approach for management such processes. In this paper, we elaborate on this approach and explore the role of context data in Case Management. We use the state-oriented representation of the process that allows us to incorporate the contextual information in a systematic and transparent way, leading towards agile case management