A Middleware architecture for Unmanned Aircraft Avionics

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is a non-piloted airplane designed to operate in dangerous and repetitive situations. With the advent of UAV's civil applications, UAVs are emerging as a valid option in commercial scenarios. If it must be economically viable, the same platform should implement avariety of missions with little reconguration time and overhead.This paper presents a middleware-based architecture specially suited to operate as a exible payload and mission controller in a UAV. The system is composed of low-costcomputing devices connected by network. The functionality is divided into reusable services distributed over a number ofnodes with a middleware managing their lifecycle and communication.Some research has been done in this area; yetit is mainly focused on the control domain and in its realtime operation. Our proposal differs in that we address the implementation of adaptable and reconfigurable unmannedmissions in low-cost and low-resources hardware.

The complex SNP and CNV genetic architecture of the increased risk of congenital heart defects in Down syndrome.

Congenital heart defect (CHD) occurs in 40% of Down syndrome (DS) cases. While carrying three copies of chromosome 21 increases the risk for CHD, trisomy 21 itself is not sufficient to cause CHD. Thus, additional genetic variation and/or environmental factors could contribute to the CHD risk. Here we report genomic variations that in concert with trisomy 21, determine the risk for CHD in DS. This case-control GWAS includes 187 DS with CHD (AVSD = 69, ASD = 53, VSD = 65) as cases, and 151 DS without CHD as controls. Chromosome 21-specific association studies revealed rs2832616 and rs1943950 as CHD risk alleles (adjusted genotypic P-values <0.05). These signals were confirmed in a replication cohort of 92 DS-CHD cases and 80 DS-without CHD (nominal P-value 0.0022). Furthermore, CNV analyses using a customized chromosome 21 aCGH of 135K probes in 55 DS-AVSD and 53 DS-without CHD revealed three CNV regions associated with AVSD risk (FDR ≤ 0.05). Two of these regions that are located within the previously identified CHD region on chromosome 21 were further confirmed in a replication study of 49 DS-AVSD and 45 DS- without CHD (FDR ≤ 0.05). One of these CNVs maps near the RIPK4 gene, and the second includes the ZBTB21 (previously ZNF295) gene, highlighting the potential role of these genes in the pathogenesis of CHD in DS. We propose that the genetic architecture of the CHD risk of DS is complex and includes trisomy 21, and SNP and CNV variations in chromosome 21. In addition, a yet-unidentified genetic variation in the rest of the genome may contribute to this complex genetic architecture.

Beyond EA Frameworks: Towards an Understanding of the Adoption of Enterprise Architecture Management

Enterprise architectures (EA) are considered promising approaches to reduce the complexities of growing information technology (IT) environments while keeping pace with an ever-changing business environment. However, the implementation of enterprise architecture management (EAM) has proven difficult in practice. Many EAM initiatives face severe challenges, as demonstrated by the low usage level of enterprise architecture documentation and enterprise architects' lack of authority regarding enforcing EAM standards and principles. These challenges motivate our research. Based on three field studies, we first analyze EAM implementation issues that arise when EAM is started as a dedicated and isolated initiative. Following a design-oriented paradigm, we then suggest a design theory for architecture-driven IT management (ADRIMA) that may guide organizations to successfully implement EAM. This theory summarizes prescriptive knowledge related to embedding EAM practices, artefacts and roles in the existing IT management processes and organization.

Re-usable ASIC integrationverification software architecture

Mikropiirien valmistus- ja suunnittelutekniikoiden kehittyminen mahdollistaa yhä monimutkaisempien mikropiirien valmistamisen. Piirien verifioinnista onkin tullut prosessin aikaa vievin osa,sillä kompleksisuuden kasvaessa kasvaa verifioinnin tarve eksponentiaalisesti. Vaikka erinäisiä strategioita piirien integroinnin verifiointiin on esitetty, mm. verifioinnin jakaminen koko suunnitteluprosessin ajalle, jopa yli puolet koko piirin suunnitteluun ja valmistukseen käytetystä työmäärästä kuluu verifiointiin. Uudelleenkäytettävät komponentit ovat pääosassa piirin suunnittelussa, mutta verifioinnissa uudelleenkäytettävyyttä ei ole otettu kunnolla käyttöön ainakaan verifiointiohjelmistojen osalta. Tämä diplomityö esittelee uudelleenkäytettävän mikropiirien verifiointiohjelmistoarkkitehtuurin, jolla saadaan verifiointitaakkaa vähennettyä poistamalla verifioinnissa käytettävien ohjelmistojen uudelleensuunnittelun ja toteuttamisen tarvetta.

Destruction of lymphoid organ architecture and hepatitis caused by CD4 T cells.

Immune responses have the important function of host defense and protection against pathogens. However, the immune response also causes inflammation and host tissue injury, termed immunopathology. For example, hepatitis B and C virus infection in humans cause immunopathological sequel with destruction of liver cells by the host's own immune response. Similarly, after infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) in mice, the adaptive immune response causes liver cell damage, choriomeningitis and destruction of lymphoid organ architecture. The immunopathological sequel during LCMV infection has been attributed to cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells. However, we now show that during LCMV infection CD4(+) T cells selectively induced the destruction of splenic marginal zone and caused liver cell damage with elevated serum alanin-transferase (ALT) levels. The destruction of the splenic marginal zone by CD4(+) T cells included the reduction of marginal zone B cells, marginal zone macrophages and marginal zone metallophilic macrophages. Functionally, this resulted in an impaired production of neutralizing antibodies against LCMV. Furthermore, CD4(+) T cells reduced B cells with an IgM(high)IgD(low) phenotype (transitional stage 1 and 2, marginal zone B cells), whereas other B cell subtypes such as follicular type 1 and 2 and germinal center/memory B cells were not affected. Adoptive transfer of CD4(+) T cells lacking different important effector cytokines and cytolytic pathways such as IFNγ, TNFα, perforin and Fas-FasL interaction did reveal that these cytolytic pathways are redundant in the induction of immunopathological sequel in spleen. In conclusion, our results define an important role of CD4(+) T cells in the induction of immunopathology in liver and spleen. This includes the CD4(+) T cell mediated destruction of the splenic marginal zone with consecutively impaired protective neutralizing antibody responses.

The Application of 3D Reconstruction Techniques in the Analysis of Ancient Tarraco’s Urban Topography

The widespread implementation of GIS-based 3D topographical models has been a great aid in the development and testing of archaeological hypotheses. In this paper, a topographical reconstruction of the ancient city of Tarraco, the Roman capital of the Tarraconensis province, is presented. This model is based on topographical data obtained through archaeological excavations, old photographic documentation, georeferenced archive maps depicting the pre-modern city topography, modern detailed topographical maps and differential GPS measurements. The addition of the Roman urban architectural features to the model offers the possibility to test hypotheses concerning the ideological background manifested in the city shape. This is accomplished mainly through the use of 3D views from the main city accesses. These techniques ultimately demonstrate the ‘theatre-shaped’ layout of the city (to quote Vitrubius) as well as its southwest oriented architecture, whose monumental character was conceived to present a striking aspect to visitors, particularly those arriving from the sea.