Les anévrysmes de l'aorte abdominale sont retrouvés chez 5 à 9 % de la population après l'âge de 65 ans, et la rupture de ces anévrysmes cause chaque année au moins 15000 décès. Bien que la plupart soient petits et asymptomatiques, typiquement leur diamètre s'accroît avec le temps et environ 60% finissent par nécessiter une réparation chirurgicale. A ce jour, aucune thérapeutique ne permet de ralentir ou de stopper la croissance des petits anévrysmes. La paroi anévrysmale est caractérisée par une inflammation chronique et un remodelage du tissu conjonctif associant synthèse et destruction qui conduisent à l'appauvrissement de la paroi en élastine. Tous ces éléments sont présents dans le modèle d'anévrysme à l'élastase chez la souris. Alors que de nombreuses données ont été accumulées sur l'implication des metalloprotéinases dans la dégradation de la matrice extracellulaire, le rôle des serines protéases a reçu beaucoup moins d'intérêt. En utilisant le modèle d'anévrysme à l'élastase chez les souris cathepsine S et cathepsine C knockout, nous avons montré que leur présence était indispensable au développement anévrysmal. Nous avons également montré qu'il était possible de bloquer le modèle au moyen d'un inhibiteur des cathepsines, l'E64. L'ensemble de nos travaux semblent montrer que les cathepsines jouent un rôle prépondérant dans la phase d'initiation de la réaction inflammatoire et que les cathepsines sont une voie de recherche potentielle pour le développement de traitements médicamenteux pouvant ralentir la croissance des AAAs. / Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur in 5-9% of the population over the age of 65, and rupture of these aneurysms cause every year at least 15,000 deaths. Although most AAAs are small and asymptomatic, their diameter typically increases over time and about 60% eventually require surgical repair. To date, no therapy can slow or stop the growth of small aneurysms. The aneurysmal wall is characterized by chronic inflammation and tissue remodeling involving synthesis and destruction that leads to the loss of elastin. All these elements are present in the elastase model of aneurysm in mice. While many data have been accumulated on the involvement of metalloproteinases in the degradation of the extracellular matrix, the role of serine proteases has received much less interest. Using this model in mice cathepsin S and cathepsin C knockout, we have shown that their presence was essential for aneurysmal development. We also showed that it was possible to block the model using E64, an inhibitor of cathepsins. Taken together these data suggest that cathepsins play a role in the initiation of the inflammatory reaction and that cathepsins are a potential way of research for the development of medication which could slow down the AAAs growth. In order to block by pharmacological means the model, we developed the possibility to infuse doxycyline directly on the aneurysm. These studies showed that it was possible to block the model with an infusion of local doxycycline without blood levels of doxycycline. This experimental work opens the way for the development of drug-eluting stent graft, i.e. a stent graft able to infuse an active product which can stabilize the wall of the aneurysm.

Volumetric modulated arc therapy delivers highly conformal radiotherapy treatments to cancer patients in a continuous arc whilst dynamically varying the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) position, dose rate and rotational angular velocity. The present master’s thesis seeks to develop a better understanding of delivering treatment in this manner, ranging from progressive resolution inverse optimisation, class solutions, clinical application and the ability of dose calculation algorithms to model such a complex modality. A progressive resolution based class solution for inverse planning has been developed, outlining contouring, field set-up and optimisation. This class solution was then applied to 10 prostate patients and subjected to an inter-comparative planning study with static gantry intensity-modulated radiotherapy. The results of this justification study showed the presented class solution produces plans that are generally and directly comparable with previously published data. Following this result, the class solution was applied to a previously uninvestigated clinical site (treatment of prostate bed following radical prostatectomy) in an effort to solve persistent clinical problems involving target volumes and dose escalation. The results of this secondary study provisionally showed the feasibility of treating prostate beds with rotational intensity-modulated techniques whilst maintaining the integrity of the target volumes and escalating the delivered dose. The potential for improving the accuracy of the dose calculation analytic anisotropic algorithm for volumetric modulated plans was also investigated, through configuration of two independent algorithms containing beam data taken with either the linac jaws or MLCs defining the field. The two algorithms were inter-compared in virtual water phantoms and against physical verification measurements. The configuration process has shown to be sensitive to depth dose data but not beam profiles. Furthermore, the two algorithms show no significant difference and therefore it is recommended that beam be taken with the jaws defining the field.

Les architectures mixtes contenant des composants programmables et d'autres reconfigurables peuvent fournir les performances de calcul nécessaires pour satisfaire les contraintes imposées aux applications temps réel. Mais l'implantation et d'optimisation de ces applications temps réel sur ce type d'architectures est une tâche complexe qui prend un temps énorme. Dans ce contexte, nous proposons un outil de prototypage rapide visant ce type d'architectures. Cet outil se base sur une extension que nous proposons de la méthodologie Adéquation Algorithme Architecture (AAA). Il permet d'effectuer automatiquement le partitionnement et l'ordonnancement optimisés des opérations de l'application sur les composants de l'architecture cible et la génération automatique des codes correspondants. Nous avons utilisé cet outil pour l'implantation de l'estimateur de mouvement de la norme H.264/AVC sur une architecture composée d'un processeur NIOS II d'Altera et d'un FPGA Stratix III. Ainsi nous avons pu vérifier le bon fonctionnement de notre outil et validé notre générateur automatique de code mixte / Mixed architectures containing programmable devices and reconfigurable ones can provide calculation performance necessary to meet constraints of real-time applications. But the implementation and optimization of these applications on this kind of architectures is a complex task that takes a lot of time. In this context, we propose a rapid prototyping tool for this type of architectures. This tool is based on our extension of the Adequacy Algorithm Architecture methodology (AAA). It allows to automatically perform optimized partitioning and scheduling of the application operations on the target architecture components and generation of correspondent codes. We used this tool for the implementation of the motion estimator of the H.264/AVC on an architecture composed of a Nios II processor and Altera Stratix III FPGA. So we were able to verify the correct running of our tool and validate our automatic generator of mixed code

Les architectures mixtes contenant des composants programmables et d'autres reconfigurables peuvent fournir les performances de calcul nécessaires pour satisfaire les contraintes imposées aux applications temps réel. Mais l'implantation et d'optimisation de ces applications temps réel sur ce type d'architectures est une tâche complexe qui prend un temps énorme. Dans ce contexte, nous proposons un outil de prototypage rapide visant ce type d'architectures. Cet outil se base sur une extension que nous proposons de la méthodologie Adéquation Algorithme Architecture (AAA). Il permet d'effectuer automatiquement le partitionnement et l'ordonnancement optimisés des opérations de l'application sur les composants de l'architecture cible et la génération automatique des codes correspondants. Nous avons utilisé cet outil pour l'implantation de l'estimateur de mouvement de la norme H.264/AVC sur une architecture composée d'un processeur NIOS II d'Altera et d'un FPGA Stratix III. Ainsi nous avons pu vérifier le bon fonctionnement de notre outil et validé notre générateur automatique de code mixte / Mixed architectures containing programmable devices and reconfigurable ones can provide calculation performance necessary to meet constraints of real-time applications. But the implementation and optimization of these applications on this kind of architectures is a complex task that takes a lot of time. In this context, we propose a rapid prototyping tool for this type of architectures. This tool is based on our extension of the Adequacy Algorithm Architecture methodology (AAA). It allows to automatically perform optimized partitioning and scheduling of the application operations on the target architecture components and generation of correspondent codes. We used this tool for the implementation of the motion estimator of the H.264/AVC on an architecture composed of a Nios II processor and Altera Stratix III FPGA. So we were able to verify the correct running of our tool and validate our automatic generator of mixed code

<p>In this thesis, a full review on what are the minimum requirements needed to perform an Authentication System is explained. While building the system we have in consideration the users of it, the security needed for each of the resources that must be accessed by the users and what methods can be applied to access to these resources.</p><p>In basics, an Authentication System is built when we need to keep track to who is entering on an organization, the bigger the organization is and the more information must be keep  safe the more complex the system will be.</p><p>Although there are other methods, I tried to keep it easy and understandable for all the possible readers. With this, the reader will understand the basics that he need to keep in mind when implementing such a system like this. The organization in mind for the system is a University that consist between twenty two thousand (22.000) and twenty five thousand (25.000) users.</p>

Manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to reduce the development costs and deployment times for automated assembly systems. This is especially true for a variety of precision mechatronic products. To meet new and changing market needs, the difficulties of integrating their systems must be significantly reduced. Since 1994, the Microdynamic Systems Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University has been developing an automation framework, called Agile Assembly Architecture (AAA). Additionally to the concept, a prototype instantiation, in the form of a modular tabletop precision assembly system termed Minifactory, has been developed. The platform, provided by the Minifactory and AAA, is able to support and integrate various precision manufacturing processes. These are needed to assemble a large variety of small mechatronic products. In this thesis various enhancements for a second generation agent-based micro assembly system are designed, implemented, tested and improved. The project includes devising methods for tray feeding of precision high-value parts, micro fastening techniques and additional work on visual- and force-servoing. To help achieving these functions, modular and reconfigurable robot end-effectors for handling millimeter sized parts have been designed and built for the existing robotic agents. New concepts for robot end effectors to grasp and release tiny parts, including image processing and intelligent control software, were required and needed to be implemented in the prototype setup. These concepts need to distinguish themselves largely from traditional handling paradigms, in order to solve problems introduced by electrostatic and surface tension forces, that are dominant in manipulating parts that are millimeter and less in size. In order to have a modular system, the factory the main part of this project was the initialization and auto calibration of the different agents. The main focus, of this research, is on improving the design, deployment and reconfiguration capabilities of automated assembly systems for precision mechatronic products. This helps to shorten the development process as well as the assembly of factory systems.  A strategic application for this approach is the automated assembly of small sensors, actuators, medical devices and chip-scale atomic systems such as atomic clocks, magnetometers and gyroscopes.

Doctor of Philosophy / Graduate Biochemistry Group / Michal Zolkiewski / ClpB, a bacterial chaperone that belongs to the AAA+ protein family, cooperates with the Hsp70/40 system (DnaK, DnaJ and GrpE in E.coli) in the reactivation of aggregated substrates by translocating them through the central channel of its hexameric form. ClpB is essential for survival of bacteria under heat shock and plays an important role in the infectivity of pathogenic microorganisms. However the detailed mechanism of ClpB disaggregation activity is still not clear. ClpB is a multi-domain protein, which consists of two nucleotide binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2) connected by the middle domain (M domain), and the N-terminal domain connected to the rest of the protein by a flexible linker. In this work, mutations were introduced into the linker region to modify the mobility of the N-terminal domain. It was found that without altering the proper folding and oligomerization of ClpB, all the mutants had deficiencies in aggregate reactivation, possibly due to the weaker binding to aggregated substrates in the initial step of disaggregation. This led to the conclusion that the flexible attachment of the N-terminal domain supports substrate binding and controls the disaggregation by ClpB. Moreover, partial inhibition of the ClpB chaperone activity was observed for all the linker variants, suggesting that the linker sequence might have been optimized by selective pressure to maintain the optimal efficiency of aggregate reactivation. To study the substrate translocation of ClpB, a BAP (ClpB-ClpA P-loop) variant that binds to the protease ClpP was constructed. A FRET-based experiment was designed and the fluorescently-labeled ClpB substrates were produced. This work sets the stage for further studies on the mechanism of aggregate recognition by ClpB. ClpB also plays important roles in pathogenic bacteria invasion and virulence. Recombinant ClpB from Ehrlichia chaffeensis, a pathogenic bacterium that causes human monocytic ehrlichiosis, was purified to study its biochemical properties. Ehrlichia ClpB (Eh_B) and E.coli ClpB (Ec_B) sequences are highly conserved in the nucleotide binding region and poorly conserved in the N-terminal and M domain. The oligomerization, ATPase activity, chaperone activity and substrate binding of the recombinant Eh_B were tested. Recombinant Eh_B was able to reactivate aggregated proteins in the presence of HSP70 from E.coli with equal efficiency as Ec_B. However, the mechanism of Eh_B interactions with substrates and/or substrate specificity may be different from that of E. coli ClpB.

In this thesis, a full review on what are the minimum requirements needed to perform an Authentication System is explained. While building the system we have in consideration the users of it, the security needed for each of the resources that must be accessed by the users and what methods can be applied to access to these resources. In basics, an Authentication System is built when we need to keep track to who is entering on an organization, the bigger the organization is and the more information must be keep  safe the more complex the system will be. Although there are other methods, I tried to keep it easy and understandable for all the possible readers. With this, the reader will understand the basics that he need to keep in mind when implementing such a system like this. The organization in mind for the system is a University that consist between twenty two thousand (22.000) and twenty five thousand (25.000) users.

<p>AAA-protokoll är ett protokoll som hanterar uppkopplingsförfrågningar och bokför använda resurser hos användare för att senare kunna ta betalt. Det kan användas för mer än detta så som att erbjuda uppkoppling till trådlösa nätverk. AAA-protokoll erbjuder en centraliserad punkt för administration av uppkopplingshantering och nätverksåtkomst.RADIUS-protokollet är det mest använda AAA-protokollet i världen på grund av sin flexibilitet och öppna standarder. Protokollet innehåller dock en del brister mot funktionalitet och säkerhet, så som att protokollet är svagt mot man-i-mitten-attacker. Diameter är uppföljaren till RADIUS och är det bättre av dem båda. Arbetet går igenom, med fokus på säkerhet och funktionalitet, ifall Diameter rättar till de brister som finns i RADIUS och samtidigt om Diameter är ett protokoll för framtiden.Resultatet som presenteras är att Diameter förbättrar nästan alla de brister som uppdagats mot säkerhet och funktionalitet i RADIUS. De mest kritiska bristerna med RADIUS är dess skalbarhet och dess brist på trafikstockningskontroll i större organisationers nätverk. RADIUS-protokollet lämpar sig inte för större organisationer.Framtiden för Diameter är att anses som ljus. Diameter har rätt uppbackning från organisationer och marknaden i helhet för att bli det nästa stora AAA-protokollet. Diameter har även fått protokollet IMS anpassat efter sig och på så sett visar marknaden stort förtroende för Diameter-protokollet.</p>

SAMMANFATTNING Problem: Soliditet AB:s kreditvärderingsmodell baseras främst på finansiella mått vid kreditklassificering. Således undrar vi om användandet av icke-finansiella mått kan förklara AAA-företagens stabila finansiella framgång jämfört med andra kreditvärdiga företag. Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att genom en enkätstudie av AAA- samt B-företagens användande och hur väl de presterar i de icke-finansiella måtten se om de icke-finansiella måtten har någon betydelse för ett bättre eller sämre kreditbetyg. Teori: Vi har använt oss av det balanserade styrkortet, den dynamiska multidimensionella modellen, det resursbaserade perspektivet och Henris´ fyra kapaciteter. Metod: Vi har valt att genomföra en enkätstudie. Vidare har vi valt att genomföra ett t-test för att fastställa genomsnittliga och statistiska skillnader (p-värden) mellan företagen. Empiri: Medelvärden av respondenternas svar redovisades i figurer och tabeller. Medan p-värden redovisades i tabeller. Slutsatser: Vi kunde inte finna några övergripande samband mellan de icke-finansiella måtten och ett visst kreditbetyg.