Relational database systems provide various services and applications with an efficient means for storing, processing, and retrieving their data. The performance of these systems has a direct impact on the quality of service of the applications that rely on them. Therefore, it is crucial that database systems are able to adapt and grow in tandem with the demands of these applications, ensuring that their performance scales accordingly. In the past, Moore's law and algorithmic advancements have been sufficient to meet these demands. However, with the slowdown of Moore's law, researchers have begun exploring alternative methods, such as application-specific technologies, to satisfy the more challenging performance requirements. One such technology is field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), which provide ideal platforms for developing and running custom architectures for accelerating database systems. The goal of this thesis is to develop a domain-specific architecture that can enhance the performance of in-memory database systems when executing analytical queries. Our research is guided by a combination of academic and industrial requirements that seek to strike a balance between generality and performance. The former ensures that our platform can be used to process a diverse range of workloads, while the latter makes it an attractive solution for high-performance use cases. Throughout this thesis, we present the development of a system-on-chip for database system acceleration that meets our requirements. The resulting architecture, called CbMSMK, is capable of processing the projection, sort, aggregation, and equi-join database operators and can also run some complex TPC-H queries. CbMSMK employs a shared sort-merge pipeline for executing all these operators, which results in an efficient use of FPGA resources. This approach enables the instantiation of multiple acceleration cores on the FPGA, allowing it to serve multiple clients simultaneously. CbMSMK can process both arbitrarily deep and wide tables efficiently. The former is achieved through the use of the sort-merge algorithm which utilizes the FPGA RAM for buffering intermediate sort results. The latter is achieved through the use of KeRRaS, a novel variant of the forward radix sort algorithm introduced in this thesis. KeRRaS allows CbMSMK to process a table a few columns at a time, incrementally generating the final result through multiple iterations. Given that acceleration is a key objective of our work, CbMSMK benefits from many performance optimizations. For instance, multi-way merging is employed to reduce the number of merge passes required for the execution of the sort-merge algorithm, thus improving the performance of all our pipeline-breaking operators. Another example is our in-depth analysis of early aggregation, which led to the development of a novel cache-based algorithm that significantly enhances aggregation performance. Our experiments demonstrate that CbMSMK performs on average 5 times faster than the state-of-the-art CPU-based database management system MonetDB.:I Database Systems & FPGAs 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Databases & the Importance of Performance 1.2 Accelerators & FPGAs 1.3 Requirements 1.4 Outline & Summary of Contributions 2 BACKGROUND ON DATABASE SYSTEMS 2.1 Databases 2.1.1 Storage Model 2.1.2 Storage Medium 2.2 Database Operators 2.2.1 Projection 2.2.2 Filter 2.2.3 Sort 2.2.4 Aggregation 2.2.5 Join 2.2.6 Operator Classification 2.3 Database Queries 2.4 Impact of Acceleration 3 BACKGROUND ON FPGAS 3.1 FPGA 3.1.1 Logic Element 3.1.2 Block RAM (BRAM) 3.1.3 Digital Signal Processor (DSP) 3.1.4 IO Element 3.1.5 Programmable Interconnect 3.2 FPGADesignFlow 3.2.1 Specifications 3.2.2 RTL Description 3.2.3 Verification 3.2.4 Synthesis, Mapping, Placement, and Routing 3.2.5 TimingAnalysis 3.2.6 Bitstream Generation and FPGA Programming 3.3 Implementation Quality Metrics 3.4 FPGA Cards 3.5 Benefits of Using FPGAs 3.6 Challenges of Using FPGAs 4 RELATED WORK 4.1 Summary of Related Work 4.2 Platform Type 4.2.1 Accelerator Card 4.2.2 Coprocessor 4.2.3 Smart Storage 4.2.4 Network Processor 4.3 Implementation 4.3.1 Loop-based implementation 4.3.2 Sort-based Implementation 4.3.3 Hash-based Implementation 4.3.4 Mixed Implementation 4.4 A Note on Quantitative Performance Comparisons II Cache-Based Morphing Sort-Merge with KeRRaS (CbMSMK) 5 OBJECTIVES AND ARCHITECTURE OVERVIEW 5.1 From Requirements to Objectives 5.2 Architecture Overview 5.3 Outlineof Part II 6 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF OPENCL AND RTL FOR SORT-MERGE PRIMITIVES ON FPGAS 6.1 Programming FPGAs 6.2 RelatedWork 6.3 Architecture 6.3.1 Global Architecture 6.3.2 Sorter Architecture 6.3.3 Merger Architecture 6.3.4 Scalability and Resource Adaptability 6.4 Experiments 6.4.1 OpenCL Sort-Merge Implementation 6.4.2 RTLSorters 6.4.3 RTLMergers 6.4.4 Hybrid OpenCL-RTL Sort-Merge Implementation 6.5 Summary & Discussion 7 RESOURCE-EFFICIENT ACCELERATION OF PIPELINE-BREAKING DATABASE OPERATORS ON FPGAS 7.1 The Case for Resource Efficiency 7.2 Related Work 7.3 Architecture 7.3.1 Sorters 7.3.2 Sort-Network 7.3.3 X:Y Mergers 7.3.4 Merge-Network 7.3.5 Join Materialiser (JoinMat) 7.4 Experiments 7.4.1 Experimental Setup 7.4.2 Implementation Description & Tuning 7.4.3 Sort Benchmarks 7.4.4 Aggregation Benchmarks 7.4.5 Join Benchmarks 7. Summary 8 KERRAS: COLUMN-ORIENTED WIDE TABLE PROCESSING ON FPGAS 8.1 The Scope of Database System Accelerators 8.2 Related Work 8.3 Key-Reduce Radix Sort(KeRRaS) 8.3.1 Time Complexity 8.3.2 Space Complexity (Memory Utilization) 8.3.3 Discussion and Optimizations 8.4 Architecture 8.4.1 MSM 8.4.2 MSMK: Extending MSM with KeRRaS 8.4.3 Payload, Aggregation and Join Processing 8.4.4 Limitations 8.5 Experiments 8.5.1 Experimental Setup 8.5.2 Datasets 8.5.3 MSMK vs. MSM 8.5.4 Payload-Less Benchmarks 8.5.5 Payload-Based Benchmarks 8.5.6 Flexibility 8.6 Summary 9 A STUDY OF EARLY AGGREGATION IN DATABASE QUERY PROCESSING ON FPGAS 9.1 Early Aggregation 9.2 Background & Related Work 9.2.1 Sort-Based Early Aggregation 9.2.2 Cache-Based Early Aggregation 9.3 Simulations 9.3.1 Datasets 9.3.2 Metrics 9.3.3 Sort-Based Versus Cache-Based Early Aggregation 9.3.4 Comparison of Set-Associative Caches 9.3.5 Comparison of Cache Structures 9.3.6 Comparison of Replacement Policies 9.3.7 Cache Selection Methodology 9.4 Cache System Architecture 9.4.1 Window Aggregator 9.4.2 Compressor & Hasher 9.4.3 Collision Detector 9.4.4 Collision Resolver 9.4.5 Cache 9.5 Experiments 9.5.1 Experimental Setup 9.5.2 Resource Utilization and Parameter Tuning 9.5.3 Datasets 9.5.4 Benchmarks on Synthetic Data 9.5.5 Benchmarks on Real Data 9.6 Summary 10 THE FULL PICTURE 10.1 System Architecture 10.2 Benchmarks 10.3 Meeting the Objectives III Conclusion 11 SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK ON FUTURE RESEARCH 11.1 Summary 11.2 Future Work BIBLIOGRAPHY LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES

Hybridarbete har medfört fördelar och utmaningar som arbetsgivare behöver uppmärksamma för att främja ett hälsosamt arbete. En hybrid arbetsform kan bidra med det bästa från två världar, distans- och kontorsarbete, förutsatt att arbetsgivare och arbetstagare samverkar för att utveckla nya färdigheter för att anpassa sig till det nya arbetssättet. Denna studie syftar till att skapa en djupare förståelse för den organisatoriska och sociala arbetsmiljön vid hybridarbete. Studien är genomförd med en kvalitativ ansats och materialet har samlats in med hjälp av tio semistrukturerade intervjuer med både medarbetare och chefer inom en svensk offentlig organisation. Studiens metodval är inspirerad av empirisk fenomenologi med ett hermeneutiskt förhållningssätt som syftar till att skapa förståelse. Empirin har tematiserats och analyserats med hjälp av tematisk analys. Studiens resultat visar att den främsta fördelen med hybridarbete är flexibiliteten till att påverka balansen mellan arbete och fritid. Till följd av den hybrida arbetsformen visar resultatet utmaningar i egenskap av minskade fysiska interaktioner med kollegor, digital trötthet, uteblivna pauser samt svårigheter med gränsdragningen mellan arbete och fritid. Resultatet visar att tydliga riktlinjer för hybridarbete får betydelse för hur individen upplever den organisatoriska och sociala arbetsmiljön. Studien konstaterar att tillgång till socialt stöd, delaktighet, dialog, autonomi samt explicita riktlinjer och rutiner som kan anpassas efter individuella behov främjar en god arbetsmiljö. Avslutningsvis presenteras en modell som kan användas av praktikersamhället för att bidra med kunskap om hur känslan av sammanhang (KASAM) främjas i den hybrida arbetsmodellen. / Hybrid work has brought benefits and challenges that employers must observe to promote healthy work among employees. Hybrid working can create the best of both worlds, remote and office work, if employers and workers work together to develop new skills to adapt to the new way of working. This study aims to create a deeper understanding of the organizational and social work environment in hybrid work. The study is conducted with a qualitative approach and the material has been collected using ten semi-structured interviews with employees and managers within a Swedish public organization. The study's choice of method is inspired by empirical phenomenology with a subjective hermeneutic approach that aims to create understanding. The empiricism has been thematized and analyzed using thematic analysis.The results of the study show that the main advantage of hybrid work is increased flexibility regarding the ability to influence the balance between work and leisure. The results also show some possible disadvantages of the hybrid working form, such as reduced physical interactions with colleagues, digital fatigue, missed breaks and difficulties with drawing the line between working time and free time. The results shows that clear guidelines for hybrid work are important for how the individual experiences the organizational and social work environment. The study states that access to social support, participation, dialogue, autonomy and explicit guidelines and routines that can be adapted to individual needs promote a good work environment. Finally, a model is presented that can be used by the practitioner community to contribute knowledge about how the sense of coherence (SOC) is promoted in the hybrid work model.

Kunskap tolkas olika beroende på vilken kunskap individen besitter, mottaglighet för ny kunskap samt grad av motivation. Hur lär sig en grupp individer? Det handlar om att individer besitter samma förutsättningar och delar av lärsituationen. God psykosocial arbetsmiljö handlar om de krav som ställs på individens resurser. Syftet med denna studie var att belysa hur medarbetare med administrativa arbeten på olika arbetsplatser arbetar med hälsofrämjande insatser för att främja kollektivt lärande och en god psykosocial arbetsmiljö. Det insamlade datamaterialet gjordes genom intervjuer av åtta medarbetare på olika arbetsplatser med administrativa arbetsuppgifter. Vid bearbetningen av datamaterialet utgick vi från kvalitativ innehållsanalys, MBE (meningsbärande enheter). Dessa MBE utvecklade koder som omvandlades till kategorier. Kategorier för kollektivt lärande var kollektivt lärande genom kompetens och erfarenhetsutbyte, kollektivt lärande genom aktivitet och kollektivt lärande genom fortbildningar och kurser. För psykosocial arbetsmiljö fick vi kategorier god psykosocial arbetsmiljö genom diskussionstillfälle, god arbetsmiljö genom öppenhet, ytor och god arbetsmiljö genom olika aktiviteter. Tolkning av resultatet utgick ifrån kollektivt lärande, KASAM (känsla av sammanhang) och psykosocial arbetsmiljö. Resultatet visade en positiv inställning och konkreta psykosociala arbetsmiljöinsatser. En förutsättning till att uppfylla en god psykosocial arbetsmiljö är sammanhållningen mellan medarbetare. Med ett gemensamt lärande och inflytande i varandras arbetsuppgifter skapas förutsättningar till framgång inom arbetsmiljö på arbetsplatsen. / Knowledge is interpreted differently depending on what knowledge the individual possesses, receptivity to new knowledge and degree of motivation. How does a group of individuals learn? It is about individuals possessing the same conditions and parts of the learning situation. A good psychosocial work environment is about the demands placed on the individual's resources. The purpose of this study was to shed light on how employees with administrative work in different workplaces work with health-promoting initiatives to promote collective learning and a good psychosocial work environment. The collected data material was made through interviews of eight employees at different workplaces with administrative tasks. When processing the data material, we started from a qualitative content analysis, MBE (meaningful units). These MBEs developed codes that were converted into categories. Categories for collective learning were collective learning through competence and exchange of experience, collective learning through activity and collective learning through continuing education and courses. For psychosocial work environment, we received categories good psychosocial work environment through discussion, good work environment through openness, surfaces and good work environment through various activities. Interpretation of the results was based on collective learning, Sense Of Coherence (SOC) and psychosocial work environment. The results showed a positive attitude and concrete psychosocial work environment initiatives. A prerequisite for fulfilling a good psychosocial work environment is the cohesion between employees. With joint learning and influence in each other's work tasks, conditions are created for success within the work environment in the workplace.

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Yes / This paper presents a novel on-chip antenna using standard CMOS-technology based on metasurface implemented on two-layers polyimide substrates with a thickness of 500 μm. The aluminium ground-plane with thickness of 3 μm is sandwiched between the two-layers. Concentric dielectric-rings are etched in the ground-plane under the radiation patches implemented on the top-layer. The radiation patches comprise concentric metal-rings that are arranged in a 3 × 3 matrix. The antennas are excited by coupling electromagnetic energy through the gaps of the concentric dielectric-rings in the ground-plane using a microstrip feedline created on the bottom polyimide-layer. The open-ended feedline is split in three-branches that are aligned under the radiation elements to couple the maximum energy. In this structure, the concentric metal-rings essentially act as series left-handed capacitances CL that extend the effective aperture area of the antenna without affecting its dimensions, and the concentric dielectric rings etched in the ground-plane act as shunt left-handed inductors LL, which suppress the surface-waves and reduce the substrates losses that leads to improved bandwidth and radiation properties. The overall structure behaves like a metasurface that is shown to exhibit a very large bandwidth of 0.350–0.385 THz with an average radiation gain and efficiency of 8.15dBi and 65.71%, respectively. It has dimensions of 6 × 6 × 1 mm3 that makes it suitable for on-chip implementation. / This work is partially supported by RTI2018-095499-B-C31, Funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Gobierno de España (MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE), and innovation programme under grant agreement H2020-MSCA-ITN-2016 SECRET-722424 and the fnancial support from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under grant EP/E022936/1. / Research Development Fund Publication Prize Award winner, March 2020

This study aims to analyze factors and individual characteristics that affect the outcomes:work-life balance, work engagement and sense of coherence for white-collar workers whenworking remotely. In today’s society where technology is constantly evolving, hybrid and remote work optionsare becoming more common. Research has shown that work-life balance, work engagement,and sense of coherence affect employee well-being and organizational performance. Theresearch on the extent to which remote work can contribute to sustainable work andemployee well-being is mixed, and most of the research on remote work has been conductedeither before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further post-pandemic research cancontribute to more sustainable work and society as a whole. To analyze what factors affect the outcomes in a remote work setting, a mixed-methodapproach was used to gain a comprehensive understanding, including a quantitative and aqualitative study. The quantitative method included bivariate correlation tests, multiple linearregression and group difference testing on cross-sectional survey data collected from twolarge Swedish companies. The qualitative method included six interviews with experiencedwhite-collar workers, which helped us interpret the findings and gain a more in depthunderstanding of quantitative results. To analyze the study findings the theoretical model ofhuman, technology, and organization (HTO) was applied. The quantitative study showed that social support from superiors, remote leadership quality,functionality of digital management systems and digital learning climate were identified asfactors that were associated with work-life balance, work engagement and sense ofcoherence. However, digital resources and social support from superiors were found to beinfluencing work engagement and sense of coherence to a greater extent. For work-lifebalance, social support from superiors and remote leadership quality was found to besignificant. The qualitative study showed that the interviewees' perception of work-lifebalance, work engagement, and sense of coherence was affected by flexible workingarrangements, functionality and use of digital tools, social interaction, collaboration,communication, inspirational relationships at the workplace, supportive colleagues, andsupportive and responsive superiors. Better understanding of what factors affect employees'personal and working life when working remotely can help organizations to promoteoccupational well-being and performance, which can contribute to more sustainable work. / Denna studie syftar till att analysera faktorer och individuella egenskaper som påverkarutfallen: balans mellan arbete och privatliv, arbetsengagemang och känsla av sammanhangför tjänstemän som arbetar på distans. I dagens samhälle där tekniken ständigt utvecklas, blir hybrid- och distansarbeten alltvanligare. Forskning har visat att balans mellan arbete och privatliv, arbetsengagemang ochkänsla av sammanhang påverkar medarbetarnas välbefinnande och organisatorisk prestation.Forskningen om i vilken utsträckning distansarbete kan bidra till hållbart arbete ochmedarbetarnas välbefinnande är blandad, och det mesta av forskningen om distansarbete harbedrivits antingen före eller under COVID-19-pandemin. Ytterligare postpandemiskforskning kan bidra till ett mer hållbart arbete och samhället. För att analysera vilka faktorer som påverkar utfallen i distansarbete användes en blandadmetod för att få en övergripande förståelse, inklusive en kvantitativ och en kvalitativ studie.Den kvantitativa metoden inkluderade bivariata korrelationstester, multipel linjär regressionoch tester av gruppskillnader. Tvärsnittsdata samlades in från två stora svenska företaggenom en enkät. Den kvalitativa metoden inkluderade sex intervjuer med erfarna tjänstemänoch hjälpte oss att tolka utfall och få en mer djupgående förståelse av kvantitativatestresultat. För att analysera studiens resultat användes den teoretiska modellen förmänniska, teknologi och organisation (MTO). Den kvantitativa studien visade att socialt stöd från överordnade, ledarskapskvalitet pådistans, funktionalitet av digitala ledningssystem och digitalt lärandeklimat identifieradessom faktorer som korrelerade med utfallen. Digitala resurser och socialt stöd frånöverordnade visade sig dock ha en större förknippning med faktorerna som påverkararbetsengagemang och känsla av sammanhang. För balans mellan arbete och privatliv varsocialt stöd från överordnade och ledarskapskvalitet på distans betydande. Den kvalitativastudien visade att intervjupersonernas uppfattning om balans mellan arbete och privatliv,arbetsengagemang och känsla av sammanhang påverkades av flexibla arbetsarrangemang,funktionalitet och användning av digitala verktyg, social interaktion, samarbete,kommunikation, inspirerande relationer på arbetsplatsen, stödjande kollegor, samt stödjandeoch lyhörda överordnade. Bättre förståelse för vilka faktorer som påverkar anställdaspersonliga liv och arbetsliv när de arbetar på distans kan hjälpa organisationer att främjayrkesmässigt välbefinnande och prestation, vilket kan bidra till ett mer hållbart arbete.

Les polynucléaires neutrophiles représentent 50-70% des leucocytes sanguins et possèdent un rôle majeur dans la défense de l’organisme contre les pathogènes. Le Ca2+ est un second messager qui joue un rôle primordial dans le chimiotactisme, la phagocytose, la dégranulation et la production de formes réactives de l’oxygène (FRO) afin de neutraliser l’agent pathogène. Dans ces cellules, l’influx calcique de type SOCE est essentiel pour l'homéostasie calcique. Il est peu étudié en raison du manque d’outils pharmacologiques spécifiques d’où l’importance dans un premier temps de chercher de nouvelles molécules. Les cellules T Jurkat dont le SOCE est largement caractérisé servent de modèle pour la caractérisation initiale de ces molécules. Le 2-APB est parmi les molécules les plus largement utilisées dans la caractérisation du SOCE en raison de sa double activité sur le SOCE avec une potentialisation à [1-10 μM] et une inhibition à [> 20 μM]. En revanche, ce produit manque de spécificité et agit sur d’autres cibles cellulaires comme les récepteurs à l’inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate (InsP3Rs). La 1ère étape est de sélectionner à partir d’analogues commerciaux du 2-APB (Methoxy-APB, Dimethoxy-APB, Cyclic-APB, Benzothienyl-APB, Thienyl-APB et MDEB), des composés plus spécifiques et également plus efficaces que la molécule mère. Deux molécules se sont distinguées : le MDEB comme uniquement potentialisant du SOCE et le Benzothienyl-APB comme un puissant inhibiteur. En revanche, tous les analogues du 2-APB inhibent les InsP3Rs à l’exception du MDEB qui semble plus spécifique du SOCE. L’effet du MDEB sur le courant calcique, ICRAC, a été étudié grâce à la technique du patch-clamp. Il augmente d’environ 4 fois l’amplitude de ICRAC par rapport à celle enregistrée dans les cellules contrôle. Par ailleurs, le MDEB ralentie l’inactivation rapide de ICRAC due au Ca2+. Sur le plan physiologique, le MDEB à des concentrations croissantes inhibe la synthèse de l’IL-2 dans les cellules Jurkat stimulées et ceci malgré son effet potentialisant du SOCE. Cette activité est liée à son effet pro-apoptotique dans les cellules Jurkat stimulées. Le MDEB et le Benzothienyl-APB caractérisés dans la 1ère partie nous ont servi d’outils potentiels afin d’étudier le SOCE des cellules PLB-985 différenciées en cellules proches de neutrophiles. Le SOCE a été induit soit par un traitement des cellules avec la thapsigargine (Tg) soit de manière physiologique avec les peptides fMLF et le WKYMVm deux chimioattractants, ligands des récepteurs aux peptides formylés FPR et FPRL1 respectivement. En plus, le SOCE induit par la Tg est modulable par le 2-APB, potentialisé par le MDEB et inhibé par le Benzothienyl-APB. La phagocytose des levures par les cellules PLB-985 différenciées ainsi que la production de FRO intraphagosomales ont été inhibées par le MDEB et le Benzothienyl-APB. Les FRO extracellulaires ont été également inhibées par Benzothienyl-APB en revanche à cause de la forte interférence du MDEB avec la technique de mesure nous n’avons pas pu étudier ses activités. En conclusion, le MDEB et le Benzothienyl-APB sont de nouveaux outils pharmacologiques potentialisant ou inhibant le SOCE des leucocytes, qui nous permettront dans l’avenir une meilleure compréhension de l'entrée calcique et ses rôles dans ces cellules. / Neutrophils represent 50-70% of human blood leukocytes; their role is to protect the body against pathogens. Calcium is a second messenger which plays an important role in chemotaxis, phagocytosis, degranulation and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in order to eliminate microbes. In neutrophils, the mechanism of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is essential for calcium homeostasis. However, neutrophil SOCE is not well understood because of the lack of specific pharmacological tools. It is necessary to first identify and characterize new molecules using a model of Jurkat T cells in which SOCE was the best characterized. 2-APB is the most widely used molecule in SOCE characterization due to its dual activity with a potentiation at lower concentrations [1-10 μM] and an inhibition at higher concentrations [> 20 μM]. However, this molecule lacks specificity because it acts on other cellular targets such as inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate receptors (InsP3Rs). The first step is to select from a library of 8 commercial 2-APB analogues (Methoxy-APB, Dimethoxy-APB, Cyclic-APB, Benzothienyl-APB, Thienyl-APB and MDEB) those that are more specific and also more efficient molecules than 2-APB. Two interesting molecules were identified, MDEB as the only SOCE potentiating product currently known and the Benzothienyl-APB, which is a strong inhibitor. Like 2-APB, all these analogues inhibit InsP3Rs except MDEB, which seems to be more specific. The effect of MDEB on the calcium current, ICRAC, was also studied using the patch-clamp technique. MDEB increases ~4 times the ICRAC amplitude in comparison with control. Otherwise, MDEB slows down the fast Ca2 +-dependent inactivation of ICRAC. Functionally, MDEB at increasing concentrations inhibits IL-2 synthesis in stimulated Jurkat T cells despite its potentiating activity on SOCE. The inhibition is due to MDEB induced apoptosis in stimulated Jurkat T cells. MDEB and Benzothienyl-APB were then used as tools to study SOCE in a neutrophil-like cell model, the differentiated PLB-985 cells. SOCE was induced either by treatment of cells with thapsigargin (Tg) or physiologically with the chemotactic peptides fMLF and WKYMVm, ligands of formyl peptide receptors FPR and FPRL1 respectively. In addition, Tg-induced SOCE was modulated by 2-APB, potentiated by MDEB and inhibited by Benzothienyl-APB. The consequences of these analogues on neutrophil functions were also studied. Phagocytosis of yeasts by PLB-985 cells and intraphagosomal ROS production were inhibited by MDEB and Benzothienyl-APB. Furthermore, extracellular ROS were also inhibited by Benzothienyl-APB. However, because of the high interference of MDEB with our techniques, its activities could not be studied. In conclusion, MDEB and Benzothienyl-APB are new analogues of 2-APB potentiating and inhibiting SOCE, which allow us in the future a better understanding of leukocyte SOCE and its cellular roles.

With the emergence of Industry 4.0, there is a pronounced emphasis on the necessity for enhanced flexibility in assembly processes. In the domain of bolt-tightening, this transition is evident. Tools are now required to navigate a variety of bolts and unpredictable tightening methodologies. Each bolt, possessing distinct tightening parameters, necessitates a specific sequence to prevent issues like bolt cross-talk or unbalanced force. This thesis introduces an approach that integrates advanced computing techniques with machine learning to address these challenges in the tightening areas. The primary objective is to offer edge computation for bolt detection and tightening tools' precise localization. It is realized by leveraging visual-inertial data, all encapsulated within a System-on-Chip (SoC) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The chosen approach combines visual information and motion detection, enabling tools to quickly and precisely do the localization of the tool. All the computing is done inside the SoC FPGA. The key element for identifying different bolts is the YOLOv3-Tiny-3L model, run using the Deep-learning Processor Unit (DPU) that is implemented in the FPGA. In parallel, the thesis employs the Error-State Extended Kalman Filter (ESEKF) algorithm to fuse the visual and motion data effectively. The ESEKF is accelerated via a full implementation in Register Transfer Level (RTL) in the FPGA fabric. We examined the empirical outcomes and found that the visual-inertial localization exhibited a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) position of 39.69 mm and a standard deviation of 9.9 mm. The precision in orientation determination yields a mean error of 4.8 degrees, offset by a standard deviation of 5.39 degrees. Notably, the entire computational process, from the initial bolt detection to its final localization, is executed in 113.1 milliseconds. This thesis articulates the feasibility of executing bolt detection and visual-inertial localization using edge computing within the SoC FPGA framework. The computation trajectory is significantly streamlined by harnessing the adaptability of programmable logic within the FPGA. This evolution signifies a step towards realizing a more adaptable and error-resistant bolt-tightening procedure in industrial areas. / Med framväxten av Industry 4.0, finns det en uttalad betoning på nödvändigheten av ökad flexibilitet i monteringsprocesser. Inom området bultåtdragning är denna övergång tydlig. Verktyg krävs nu för att navigera i en mängd olika bultar och oförutsägbara åtdragningsmetoder. Varje bult, som har distinkta åtdragningsparametrar, kräver en specifik sekvens för att förhindra problem som bultöverhörning eller obalanserad kraft. Detta examensarbete introducerar ett tillvägagångssätt som integrerar avancerade datortekniker med maskininlärning för att hantera dessa utmaningar i skärpningsområdena. Det primära målet är att erbjuda kantberäkning för bultdetektering och åtdragningsverktygs exakta lokalisering. Det realiseras genom att utnyttja visuella tröghetsdata, allt inkapslat i en System-on-Chip (SoC) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Det valda tillvägagångssättet kombinerar visuell information och rörelsedetektering, vilket gör det möjligt för verktyg att snabbt och exakt lokalisera verktyget. All beräkning sker inuti SoC FPGA. Nyckelelementet för att identifiera olika bultar är YOLOv3-Tiny-3L-modellen, som körs med hjälp av Deep-learning Processor Unit (DPU) som är implementerad i FPGA. Parallellt använder avhandlingen algoritmen Error-State Extended Kalman Filter (ESEKF) för att effektivt sammansmälta visuella data och rörelsedata. ESEKF accelereras via en fullständig implementering i Register Transfer Level (RTL) i FPGA-strukturen. Vi undersökte de empiriska resultaten och fann att den visuella tröghetslokaliseringen uppvisade en Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) position på 39,69 mm och en standardavvikelse på 9,9 mm. Precisionen i orienteringsbestämningen ger ett medelfel på 4,8 grader, kompenserat av en standardavvikelse på 5,39 grader. Noterbart är att hela beräkningsprocessen, från den första bultdetekteringen till dess slutliga lokalisering, exekveras på 113,1 millisekunder. Denna avhandling artikulerar möjligheten att utföra bultdetektering och visuell tröghetslokalisering med hjälp av kantberäkning inom SoC FPGA-ramverket. Beräkningsbanan är avsevärt effektiviserad genom att utnyttja anpassningsförmågan hos programmerbar logik inom FPGA. Denna utveckling innebär ett steg mot att förverkliga en mer anpassningsbar och felbeständig skruvdragningsprocedur i industriområden.

There is concern about the indoor environment in aircraft but few stud-ies exist on self-rated health (SRH) and respiratory symptoms among pilots. Occupational and non-occupational risk factors for SRH, respira-tory symptoms and other symptoms among commercial pilots were investigated in this thesis. One cohort study and one prevalence study were performed among pilots in one Scandinavian airline company. Fungal DNA, furry pet allergens and volatile organic compounds of microbial origin (MVOC) were measured on board. Cat (fel d1), dog (Can f1) and horse (Ecu cx) allergens were found in all dust samples and allergen levels were 27-75 times higher in aircraft with textile seats as compared to leather surfaces. The sum of MVOCs in the cabin air was 3.7 times higher than in homes in Uppsala and 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol concentrations were 15-17 times higher. Asper-gillus/Penicillium DNA and Aspergillus versicolor DNA were more common in aircraft with textile seats. One fifth reported SRH as poor or fair, 62% had fatigue, 46% overweight/obesity and 71% insomnia. Poor or fair SRH was associated with overweight/obesity, lack of exercise, insomnia, low sense of coherence (SOC) and high work demand. Re-covery from work was worse among those with insomnia and low social support at work. Fatigue was more common among young or female pilots and related to insomnia and high work demand. Pilots flying MD80 or Saab 2000 aircraft had less fatigue. Pilots exposed to environmental tobacco (ETS) on board had more eye symptoms and fatigue which were reduced after the ban of smoking (in 1997). Pilots with increased work demand developed more rhinitis, dermal symptoms and fartigue and those with decreased work control developed more eye symptoms. The incidence of doctors’ diagnosed asthma and atopy were 2.4 and 16.6 per 1000 person years, respectively. Pilots changing type of flight got more airway infections. Those reporting decreased work control had a higher incidence of atopy. Risk factors in the home environment included ETS, dampness or mould, window pane condensation in winter and living in houses built after 1975. In conclusion, SRH and respiratory health among pilots are associated with specific occupational and non-occupational risk factors.