Conceptualisation of an application of adaptive synthetic socioeconomic agents for intelligent network control

The deployment of Quality of Service (QoS) techniques involves careful analysis of area including: those business requirements; corporate strategy; and technical implementation process, which can lead to conflict or contradiction between those goals of various user groups involved in that policy definition. In addition long-term change management provides a challenge as these implementations typically require a high-skill set and experience level, which expose organisations to effects such as “hyperthymestria” [1] and “The Seven Sins of Memory”, defined by Schacter and discussed further within this paper. It is proposed that, given the information embedded within the packets of IP traffic, an opportunity exists to augment the traffic management with a machine-learning agent-based mechanism. This paper describes the process by which current policies are defined and that research required to support the development of an application which enables adaptive intelligent Quality of Service controls to augment or replace those policy-based mechanisms currently in use.

A benchmark-driven modelling approach for evaluating deployment choices on a multicore architecture

The complexity of current and emerging high performance architectures provides users with options about how best to use the available resources, but makes predicting performance challenging. In this work a benchmark-driven performance modelling approach is outlined that is appro- priate for modern multicore architectures. The approach is demonstrated by constructing a model of a simple shallow water code on a Cray XE6 system, from application-specific benchmarks that illustrate precisely how architectural char- acteristics impact performance. The model is found to recre- ate observed scaling behaviour up to 16K cores, and used to predict optimal rank-core affinity strategies, exemplifying the type of problem such a model can be used for.

A benchmark-driven modelling approach for evaluating deployment choices on a multi-core architecture

The complexity of current and emerging architectures provides users with options about how best to use the available resources, but makes predicting performance challenging. In this work a benchmark-driven model is developed for a simple shallow water code on a Cray XE6 system, to explore how deployment choices such as domain decomposition and core affinity affect performance. The resource sharing present in modern multi-core architectures adds various levels of heterogeneity to the system. Shared resources often includes cache, memory, network controllers and in some cases floating point units (as in the AMD Bulldozer), which mean that the access time depends on the mapping of application tasks, and the core's location within the system. Heterogeneity further increases with the use of hardware-accelerators such as GPUs and the Intel Xeon Phi, where many specialist cores are attached to general-purpose cores. This trend for shared resources and non-uniform cores is expected to continue into the exascale era. The complexity of these systems means that various runtime scenarios are possible, and it has been found that under-populating nodes, altering the domain decomposition and non-standard task to core mappings can dramatically alter performance. To find this out, however, is often a process of trial and error. To better inform this process, a performance model was developed for a simple regular grid-based kernel code, shallow. The code comprises two distinct types of work, loop-based array updates and nearest-neighbour halo-exchanges. Separate performance models were developed for each part, both based on a similar methodology. Application specific benchmarks were run to measure performance for different problem sizes under different execution scenarios. These results were then fed into a performance model that derives resource usage for a given deployment scenario, with interpolation between results as necessary.

Using the Technology Acceptance Model to explore community dwelling older adults’ perceptions of a 3D interior design application to facilitate pre-discharge home adaptations

Background In the UK occupational therapy pre-discharge home visits are routinely carried out as a means of facilitating safe transfer from the hospital to home. Whilst they are an integral part of practice, there is little evidence to demonstrate they have a positive outcome on the discharge process. Current issues for patients are around the speed of home visits and the lack of shared decision making in the process, resulting in less than 50 % of the specialist equipment installed actually being used by patients on follow-up. To improve practice there is an urgent need to examine other ways of conducting home visits to facilitate safe discharge. We believe that Computerised 3D Interior Design Applications (CIDAs) could be a means to support more efficient, effective and collaborative practice. A previous study explored practitioners perceptions of using CIDAs; however it is important to ascertain older adult’s views about the usability of technology and to compare findings. This study explores the perceptions of community dwelling older adults with regards to adopting and using CIDAs as an assistive tool for the home adaptations process. Methods Ten community dwelling older adults participated in individual interactive task-focused usability sessions with a customised CIDA, utilising the think-aloud protocol and individual semi-structured interviews. Template analysis was used to carry out both deductive and inductive analysis of the think-aloud and interview data. Initially, a deductive stance was adopted, using the three pre-determined high-level themes of the technology acceptance model (TAM): Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), Actual Use (AU). Inductive template analysis was then carried out on the data within these themes, from which a number of sub-thmes emerged. Results Regarding PU, participants believed CIDAs served as a useful visual tool and saw clear potential to facilitate shared understanding and partnership in care delivery. For PEOU, participants were able to create 3D home environments however a number of usability issues must still be addressed. The AU theme revealed the most likely usage scenario would be collaborative involving both patient and practitioner, as many participants did not feel confident or see sufficient value in using the application autonomously. Conclusions This research found that older adults perceived that CIDAs were likely to serve as a valuable tool which facilitates and enhances levels of patient/practitioner collaboration and empowerment. Older adults also suggested a redesign of the interface so that less sophisticated dexterity and motor functions are required. However, older adults were not confident, or did not see sufficient value in using the application autonomously. Future research is needed to further customise the CIDA software, in line with the outcomes of this study, and to explore the potential of collaborative application patient/practitioner-based deployment.

Characterisation and field deployment of a novel quantitative Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ToF-AMS)

Das Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ToF-AMS) der Firma Aerodyne ist eine Weiterentwicklung des Aerodyne Aerosolmassenspektrometers (Q-AMS). Dieses ist gut charakterisiert und kommt weltweit zum Einsatz. Beide Instrumente nutzen eine aerodynamische Linse, aerodynamische Partikelgrößenbestimmung, thermische Verdampfung und Elektronenstoß-Ionisation. Im Gegensatz zum Q-AMS, wo ein Quadrupolmassenspektrometer zur Analyse der Ionen verwendet wird, kommt beim ToF-AMS ein Flugzeit-Massenspektrometer zum Einsatz. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird anhand von Laborexperimenten und Feldmesskampagnen gezeigt, dass das ToF-AMS zur quantitativen Messung der chemischen Zusammensetzung von Aerosolpartikeln mit hoher Zeit- und Größenauflösung geeignet ist. Zusätzlich wird ein vollständiges Schema zur ToF-AMS Datenanalyse vorgestellt, dass entwickelt wurde, um quantitative und sinnvolle Ergebnisse aus den aufgenommenen Rohdaten, sowohl von Messkampagnen als auch von Laborexperimenten, zu erhalten. Dieses Schema basiert auf den Charakterisierungsexperimenten, die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit durchgeführt wurden. Es beinhaltet Korrekturen, die angebracht werden müssen, und Kalibrationen, die durchgeführt werden müssen, um zuverlässige Ergebnisse aus den Rohdaten zu extrahieren. Beträchtliche Arbeit wurde außerdem in die Entwicklung eines zuverlässigen und benutzerfreundlichen Datenanalyseprogramms investiert. Dieses Programm kann zur automatischen und systematischen ToF-AMS Datenanalyse und –korrektur genutzt werden.

Automatic Deployment of Applications in the Cloud

In distributed systems like clouds or service oriented frameworks, applications are typically assembled by deploying and connecting a large number of heterogeneous software components, spanning from fine-grained packages to coarse-grained complex services. The complexity of such systems requires a rich set of techniques and tools to support the automation of their deployment process. By relying on a formal model of components, a technique is devised for computing the sequence of actions allowing the deployment of a desired configuration. An efficient algorithm, working in polynomial time, is described and proven to be sound and complete. Finally, a prototype tool implementing the proposed algorithm has been developed. Experimental results support the adoption of this novel approach in real life scenarios.

The development and deployment of FOTOS: a fast observation of trace organics system

Flüchtige organische Bestandteile (engl.: VOC) sind in der Atmosphäre in Spuren vorhanden, spielen aber trotzdem eine wichtige Rolle in der Luftchemie: sie beeinflussen das Ozon der Troposphäre, städtischen Smog, Oxidationskapazität und haben direkte und indirekte Auswirkungen auf die globale Klimaveränderung. Eine wichtige Klasse der VOC sind die Nicht-Methan-Kohlenwasserstoffe (engl.: NMHC), die überwiegend von anthropogenen Quellen kommen. Aus diesem Grund ist für Luftchemiker ein Messinstrument nötig, das die VOC, die NMHC eingeschlossen, mit einer höheren Zeitauflösung misst, besonders für Echtzeitmessungen an Bord eines Forschungsflugzeuges. Dafür wurde das System zur schnellen Beobachtung von organischen Spuren (engl.: FOTOS) entworfen, gebaut für den Einsatz in einem neuen Wissenschaftlichen Flugzeug, das in großen Höhen und über weite Strecken fliegt, genannt HALO. In der Folge wurde FOTOS in zwei Messkampagnen am Boden getestet. FOTOS wurde entworfen und gebaut mit einem speziell angefertigten, automatisierten, kryogenen Probensystem mit drei Fallen und einem angepassten, erworbenen schnellen GC-MS. Ziel dieses Aufbaus war es, die Vielseitigkeit zu vergrößern und das Störungspotential zu verringern, deshalb wurden keine chemischen Trocknungsmittel oder adsorbierenden Stoffe verwendet. FOTOS erreichte eine Probenfrequenz von 5.5 Minuten, während es mindestens 13 verschiedene C2- bis C5-NMHC maß. Die Drei-Sigma-Detektionsgrenze für n- und iso-Pentan wurde als 2.6 und 2.0 pptv ermittelt, in dieser Reihenfolge. Labortests bestätigten, dass FOTOS ein vielseitiges, robustes, hochautomatisiertes, präzises, genaues, empfindliches Instrument ist, geeignet für Echtzeitmessungen von VOC in Probenfrequenzen, die angemessen sind für ein Forschungsflugzeug wie HALO. Um die Leistung von FOTOS zu bestätigen, wurde vom 26. Januar bis 4. Februar 2010 ein Zwischenvergleich gemacht mit dem GC-FID-System am Meteorologischen Observatorium Hohenpeißenberg, einer WMO-GAW-globalen Station. Dreizehn verschiedene NMHC wurden innerhalb des Rahmens der GWA Data Quality Objectives (DQO) analysiert und verglichen. Mehr als 80% der Messungen von sechs C3- bis C5-NMHC erfüllten diese DQO. Diese erste Messkampagne im Feld hob die Robustheit und Messgenauigkeit von FOTOS hervor, zusätzlich zu dem Vorteil der höheren Probenfrequenz, sogar in einer Messung am Boden. Um die Möglichkeiten dieses Instrumentes im Feld zu zeigen, maß FOTOS ausgewählte leichte NMHC während einer Messkampagne im Borealen Waldgebiet, HUMPPA-COPEC 2010. Vom 12. Juli bis zum 12. August 2010 beteiligte sich eine internationale Gruppe von Instituten und Instrumenten an Messungen physikalischer und chemischer Größen der Gas- und Partikelphasen der Luft über dem Borealen Wald an der SMEAR II-Station nahe Hyyttiälä, Finnland. Es wurden mehrere Hauptpunkte von Interesse im Mischungsverhältnis der Alkane und im Isomerenverhätnis von Pentan identifiziert, insbesondere sehr unterschiedliche Perioden niedriger und hoher Variabilität, drei Rauchschwaden von Biomassen-Verbrennung von russischen Waldbränden und zwei Tage mit extrem sauberer Luft aus der Polarregion. Vergleiche der NMHC mit anderen anthropogenen Indikatoren zeigten mehrere Quellen anthropogener Einflüsse am Ort auf und erlaubten eine Unterscheidung zwischen lokalen und weiter entfernten Quellen. Auf einen minimalen natürlichen Beitrag zum 24h-Kreislauf von NOx wurde geschlussfolgert aus der Korrelation von NOx mit Alkanen. Altersschätzungen der Luftmassen durch das Isomerenverhältnis von Pentan wurden erschwert durch sich verändernde Verhältnisse der Quellen und durch Besonderheiten der Photochemie während des Sommers im hohen Norden. Diese Messungen zeigten den Wert des Messens leichter NMHC, selbst in abgelegenen Regionen, als einen zusätzlichen spezifischen Marker von anthropogenem Einfluss.

Evaluation of green algae deployment for organic pollutant removal in urban wastewater through ERE-CALUX potency assessment

The interest of the scientific community towards organic pollutants in freshwater streams is fairly recent. During the past 50 years, thousands of chemicals have been synthesized and released into the general environment. Nowadays their occurrence and effects on several organism, invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles and also humans are well documented. Because of their action, some of these chemicals have been defined as Endocrine Disrupters Compounds (EDCs) and the public health implications of these EDCs have been the subject of scientific debate. Most interestingly, among those that were noticed to have some influence and effects on the endocrine system were the estrone, the 17β-estradiol, the 17α-estradiol, the estriol, the 17α-ethinylestradiol, the testosterone and the progesterone. This project focused its attention on the 17β-estradiol. Estradiol, or more precisely, 17β-estradiol (also commonly referred to as E2) is a human sex hormone. It belongs to the class of steroid hormones. In spite of the effort to remove these substances from the effluents, the actual wastewater treatment plants are not able to degrade or inactivate these organic compounds that are continually poured in the ecosystem. Through this work a new system for the wastewater treatment was tested, to assess the decrease of the estradiol in the water. It involved the action of Chlorella vulgaris, a fresh water green microalga belonging to the family of the Chlorellaceae. This microorganism was selected for its adaptability and for its photosynthetic efficiency. To detect the decrease of the target compound in the water a CALUX bioassay analysis was chosen. Three different experiments were carried on to pursue the aim of the project. By analysing their results several aspects emerged. It was assessed the presence of EDCs inside the water used to prepare the culture media. C. vulgaris, under controlled conditions, could be efficient for this purpose, although further researches are essential to deepen the knowledge of this complex phenomenon. Ultimately by assessing the toxicity of the effluent against C. vulgaris, it was clear that at determined concentrations, it could affect the normal growth rate of this microorganism.

Deployment automatico di applicazioni specificate in linguaggio ABS

Da quando è iniziata l'era del Cloud Computing molte cose sono cambiate, ora è possibile ottenere un server in tempo reale e usare strumenti automatizzati per installarvi applicazioni. In questa tesi verrà descritto lo strumento MODDE (Model-Driven Deployment Engine), usato per il deployment automatico, partendo dal linguaggio ABS. ABS è un linguaggio a oggetti che permette di descrivere le classi in una maniera astratta. Ogni componente dichiarato in questo linguaggio ha dei valori e delle dipendenze. Poi si procede alla descrizione del linguaggio di specifica DDLang, col quale vengono espressi tutti i vincoli e le configurazioni finali. In seguito viene spiegata l’architettura di MODDE. Esso usa degli script che integrano i tool Zephyrus e Metis e crea un main ABS dai tre file passati in input, che serve per effettuare l’allocazione delle macchine in un Cloud. Inoltre verranno introdotti i due sotto-strumenti usati da MODDE: Zephyrus e Metis. Il primo si occupa di scegliere quali servizi installare tenendo conto di tutte le loro dipendenze, cercando di ottimizzare il risultato. Il secondo gestisce l’ordine con cui installarli tenendo conto dei loro stati interni e delle dipendenze. Con la collaborazione di questi componenti si ottiene una installazione automatica piuttosto efficace. Infine dopo aver spiegato il funzionamento di MODDE viene spiegato come integrarlo in un servizio web per renderlo disponibile agli utenti. Esso viene installato su un server HTTP Apache all’interno di un container di Docker.

AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF PARTIAL LOW RISK DEPLOYMENT IN A FIXED VEHICLE ENVIRONMENT

This study will look at the passenger air bag (PAB) performance in a fix vehicle environment using Partial Low Risk Deployment (PLRD) as a strategy. This development will follow test methods against actual baseline vehicle data and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 208 (FMVSS 208). FMVSS 208 states that PAB compliance in vehicle crash testing can be met using one of three deployment methods. The primary method suppresses PAB deployment, with the use of a seat weight sensor or occupant classification sensor (OCS), for three-year old and six-year old occupants including the presence of a child seat. A second method, PLRD allows deployment on all size occupants suppressing only for the presents of a child seat. A third method is Low Risk Deployment (LRD) which allows PAB deployment in all conditions, all statures including any/all child seats. This study outlines a PLRD development solution for achieving FMVSS 208 performance. The results of this study should provide an option for system implementation including opportunities for system efficiency and other considerations. The objective is to achieve performance levels similar too or incrementally better than the baseline vehicles National Crash Assessment Program (NCAP) Star rating. In addition, to define systemic flexibility where restraint features can be added or removed while improving occupant performance consistency to the baseline. A certified vehicles’ air bag system will typically remain in production until the vehicle platform is redesigned. The strategy to enable the PLRD hypothesis will be to first match the baseline out of position occupant performance (OOP) for the three and six-year old requirements. Second, improve the 35mph belted 5th percentile female NCAP star rating over the baseline vehicle. Third establish an equivalent FMVSS 208 certification for the 25mph unbelted 50th percentile male. FMVSS 208 high-speed requirement defines the federal minimum crash performance required for meeting frontal vehicle crash-test compliance. The intent of NCAP 5-Star rating is to provide the consumer with information about crash protection, beyond what is required by federal law. In this study, two vehicles segments were used for testing to compare and contrast to their baseline vehicles performance. Case Study 1 (CS1) used a cross over vehicle platform and Case Study 2 (CS2) used a small vehicle segment platform as their baselines. In each case study, the restraints systems were from different restraint supplier manufactures and each case contained that suppliers approach to PLRD. CS1 incorporated a downsized twins shaped bag, a carryover inflator, standard vents, and a strategic positioned bag diffuser to help disperse the flow of gas to improve OOP. The twin shaped bag with two segregated sections (lobes) to enabled high-speed baseline performance correlation on the HYGE Sled. CS2 used an A-Symmetric (square shape) PAB with standard size vents, including a passive vent, to obtain OOP similar to the baseline. The A-Symmetric shape bag also helped to enabled high-speed baseline performance improvements in HYGE Sled testing in CS2. The anticipated CS1 baseline vehicle-pulse-index (VPI) target was in the range of 65-67. However, actual dynamic vehicle (barrier) testing was overshadowed with the highest crash pulse from the previous tested vehicles with a VPI of 71. The result from the 35mph NCAP Barrier test was a solid 4-Star (4.7 Star) respectfully. In CS2, the vehicle HYGE Sled development VPI range, from the baseline was 61-62 respectively. Actual NCAP test produced a chest deflection result of 26mm versus the anticipated baseline target of 12mm. The initial assessment of this condition was thought to be due to the vehicles significant VPI increase to 67. A subsequent root cause investigation confirmed a data integrity issue due to the instrumentation. In an effort to establish a true vehicle test data point a second NCAP test was performed but faced similar instrumentation issues. As a result, the chest deflect hit the target of 12.1mm; however a femur load spike, similar to the baseline, now skewed the results. With noted level of performance improvement in chest deflection, the NCAP star was assessed as directional for 5-Star capable performance. With an actual rating of 3-Star due to instrumentation, using data extrapolation raised the ratings to 5-Star. In both cases, no structural changes were made to the surrogate vehicle and the results in each case matched their perspective baseline vehicle platforms. These results proved the PLRD is viable for further development and production implementation.

The role of the right frontal eye field in overt visual attention deployment as assessed by free visual exploration

The frontal eye field (FEF) is known to be involved in saccade generation and visual attention control. Studies applying covert attentional orienting paradigms have shown that the right FEF is involved in attentional shifts to both the left and the right hemifield. In the current study, we aimed at examining the effects of inhibitory continuous theta burst (cTBS) transcranial magnetic stimulation over the right FEF on overt attentional orienting, as measured by a free visual exploration paradigm. In forty-two healthy subjects, free visual exploration of naturalistic pictures was tested in three conditions: (1) after cTBS over the right FEF; (2) after cTBS over a control site (vertex); and, (3) without any stimulation. The results showed that cTBS over the right FEF-but not cTBS over the vertex-triggered significant changes in the spatial distribution of the cumulative fixation duration. Compared to the group without stimulation and the group with cTBS over the vertex, cTBS over the right FEF decreased cumulative fixation duration in the left and in the right peripheral regions, and increased cumulative fixation duration in the central region. The present study supports the view that the right FEF is involved in the bilateral control of not only covert, but also of overt, peripheral visual attention.

EASE: EPC as a service to ease mobile core network deployment over cloud

The objective of this article is to demonstrate the feasibility of on-demand creation of cloud-based elastic mobile core networks, along with their lifecycle management. For this purpose the article describes the key elements to realize the architectural vision of EPC as a Service, an implementation option of the Evolved Packet Core, as specified by 3GPP, which can be deployed in cloud environments. To meet several challenging requirements associated with the implementation of EPC over a cloud infrastructure and providing it “as a Service,” this article presents a number of different options, each with different characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. A thorough analysis comparing the different implementation options is also presented.

Efficient Deployment of Mobile Detectors for Security Applications

We present a real-world problem that arises in security threat detection applications. The problem consists of deploying mobile detectors on moving units that follow predefined routes. Examples of such units are buses, coaches, and trolleys. Due to a limited budget not all available units can be equipped with a detector. The goal is to equip a subset of units such that the utility of the resulting coverage is maximized. Existing methods for detector deployment are designed to place detectors in fixed locations and are therefore not applicable to the problem considered here. We formulate the planning problem as a binary linear program and present a coverage heuristic for generating effective deployments in short CPU time. The heuristic has theoretical performance guarantees for important special cases of the problem. The effectiveness of the coverage heuristic is demonstrated in a computational analysis based on 28 instances that we derived from real-world data.

The influence of naturalistic, directionally non-specific motion on the spatial deployment of visual attention in right-hemispheric stroke

An impairment of the spatial deployment of visual attention during exploration of static (i.e., motionless) stimuli is a common finding after an acute, right-hemispheric stroke. However, less is known about how these deficits: a) are modulated through naturalistic motion (i.e., without directional, specific spatial features); and, b) evolve in the subacute/chronic post-stroke phase. In the present study, we investigated free visual exploration in three patient groups with subacute/chronic right-hemispheric stroke and in healthy subjects. The first group included patients with left visual neglect and a left visual field defect (VFD), the second patients with a left VFD but no neglect, and the third patients without neglect or VFD. Eye movements were measured in all participants while they freely explored a traffic scene without (static condition) and with (dynamic condition) naturalistic motion, i.e., cars moving from the right or left. In the static condition, all patient groups showed similar deployment of visual exploration (i.e., as measured by the cumulative fixation duration) as compared to healthy subjects, suggesting that recovery processes took place, with normal spatial allocation of attention. However, the more demanding dynamic condition with moving cars elicited different re-distribution patterns of visual attention, quite similar to those typically observed in acute stroke. Neglect patients with VFD showed a significant decrease of visual exploration in the contralesional space, whereas patients with VFD but no neglect showed a significant increase of visual exploration in the contralesional space. No differences, as compared to healthy subjects, were found in patients without neglect or VFD. These results suggest that naturalistic motion, without directional, specific spatial features, may critically influence the spatial distribution of visual attention in subacute/chronic stroke patients.