This thesis analysed the QLogic InfiniPath QLE7140 HCA and its onload architecture and compared the results to the Mellanox InfiniHost III Lx HCA which uses an offload architecture. As expected, the QLogic InfiniPath QLE7140 HCA can outperform the Mellanox InfiniHost III Lx HCA in latency and bandwidth terms on our test system in various test scenarios. The benchmarks showed, that sending messages with multiple threads in parallel can increase the bandwidth greatly while bi-directional sends cut the effective bandwidth for one HCA by up to 30%. Different all-reduce algorithms where evaluated and compared with the help of the LogGP model. The comparison showed that new all-reduce algorithms can outperform the ones already implemented in Open MPI for different scenarios. The thesis also demonstrated, that one can implement multicast algorithms for InfiniBand easily by using the RDMA-CM API.

This research studies the relationship between car manufacturers (CM) and third party logistics providers (TPLP), also known as the logistics partnership, in the outbound delivery channel in the Malaysian automotive industry. It focuses specifically on the dyad perspective, and demonstrates that several critical success factors are required for a successful relationship between these two parties. Five such factors emanate from the operational dimension and eight from the relational dimension. The five operational factors are: logistics service performance, investment, information sharing, information technology and communication, and price of the logistics service; and the eight relational factors are: trust, commitment, power, conflict, dependency, co-operation, informal activity, and understanding. The study also reveals that five outcomes are identified that benefit both the CM and the TPLP as a result of the win-win situation accruing to both parties. These are: renewal of the contract, company profitability, improved logistics service performance, knowledge transfer, and company branding. Such benefits enhance the supply chain relationship, and knowledge of these advantages improves current TPLP theory by deepening the understanding of how logistics partnership can succeed. In order to obtain rich data concerning the CM-TPLP relationship, the researcher adopted a different methodology from that used by previous scholars, who have concentrated on quantitative techniques. In this study, multiple case studies (seven in total) in one industry, the automotive industry, in the non-western context of Malaysia, were conducted. Three main steps in the case study protocol were followed. The first involved a review of the literature pertaining to the themes that required further exploration, together with the development of the interview questions. In the second step, data were collected using semi-structured interviews, observations, document reviews, photographs and also archival records. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The third stage involved exploring the data until it was found that nothing new was emerging from the interviews, and hence theoretical saturation had occurred. At this point the factors in question were confirmed, and the initial model revised. Additionally, confidentiality was maintained in all respects to protect the participating organisations and individuals. The findings contribute to the understanding of the CM-TPLP relationship which enhance supply chain relationship and TPLP theory, since they shed light on the operational and relational factors in one specific industry, from a dyadic perspective, and in a non-Western context, thereby adding new dimensions to the existing body of knowledge in this field. The findings benefit practitioners via the novel LPS (logistics partnership success) model generated by the researcher. This indicates the key contributory factors to the CM-TPLP relationship success. Moreover, the study may have the capacity to generalise to other culturally-similar environments.

Poly(lactic acid), PLA, is a viable replacement to petroleum derived polymers due to its renewable feedstock, biodegradability and bioassimilability, yet improvements in its physical, thermal and mechanical properties are required before it can fully enter all commodity markets. This thesis investigates olefin cross-metathesis (CM) as a synthetic strategy to modify the properties of PLA. The use of novel lanthanide and actinide catalysts on the microstructure control of PLA are also explored. The Tebbe reagent was used in a new synthetic strategy to produce a novel olefin derivative of lactide (MML). Olefin CM of MML with hex-1-ene was successful but polymerisation pre- and post-CM was unsuccessful due to monomer instability. CM of another olefin derivative of lactide, 3-methylenated lactide (3-ML) was successful with aliphatic alkenes; hex-1-ene to dodec-1-ene. To overcome competing alcoholysis of the functionalised monomers, which prevented polymerisation, hydrogenation was used to remove the olefin entity followed by successful ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) to produce polymers of low glass-transition temperatures (Tg). Post-polymerisation CM on an olefin containing polymer P(β-heptenolactone) P(β-HL), with methyl acrylate and an epoxide, generated functionalised homopolymers with increased Tg’s. Co-polymerisation of lactide with β-HL generated novel gradient-copolymers. Olefin CM with 15 different cross-partners produced functionalised copolymers with different thermal properties. Based on this route a new methodology was created to introduce two unique functionalities into the polymer backbone by manipulation of the olefin reactivities. Finally, in a collaborative project, uranium and cerium catalysts, Me3SiOU(OArP)3 and Me3SiOCe(OArP)3 - designed out-with the group- were tested and compared as ROP catalysts for lactide. Both catalysts were active in living polymerisations of L-lactide and under immortal conditions the activity and rates of the catalysts were switched, accounted for by a change in the coordination sphere due to ligand displacement. ROP of rac-lactide using the uranium analogue produced heterotactic-biased PLA with a Pr = 0.79.

As micobactérias compreendem um grupo de organismos que são heterogêneos em termos de metabolismo, crescimento, nicho ambiental, epidemiologia, patogenicidade, distribuição geográfica e associação com doenças. O diagnóstico micobacteriológico é atualmente um desafio aos laboratórios. Com a descrição de novas espécies de micobactérias nos últimos anos, tem sido cada vez mais difícil identificar com precisão estas espécies. Uma questão básica na identificação em micobactérias é a diferenciação entre o Complexo Mycobacterium tuberculosis e as Micobactérias Não Causadoras de Tuberculose (MNT); no entanto tem sido cada vez mais importante a diferenciação das MNT. Em virtude das semelhanças fenotípicas e genotípicas, é necessário a aplicação e desenvolvimento de metodologias que melhor caracterizem as MNT para que seja possível determinar de forma mais precisa a prevalência das diferentes espécies. Além disso, diferentes espécies de MNT podem apresentar diferenças no perfil de sensibilidade às drogas terapêuticas, sendo que a identificação precisa é crucial para a adoção de terapia medicamentosa adequada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar os isolados de MNT através da comparação entre duas técnicas moleculares, a técnica de PRA-hsp65 e um kit comercial GenoType® Mycobacterium CM, usando o método de sequenciamento do gene hsp65 como padrãoouro. Foram analisadas 96 isolados e a concordância entre os resultados do PRA-hsp65 e do GenoType® Mycobacterium CM foi de 92%. O método molecular PRA-hsp65 mostrou-se eficaz na identificação das espécies em 91% das amostras e o GenoType® Mycobacterium CM em 92%. Em relação aos custos referentes aos dois métodos, foi possível estabelecer que o PRA-hsp65 apresentou um valor final consideravelmente inferior ao do GenoType® Mycobacterium CM. No entanto, a técnica comercial necessita um prazo mais curto (2 dias) para ser realizada em comparação com a técnica PRA-hsp65 (requer 5 dias). Na nossa avaliação, a aplicabilidade do PRA-hsp65 aumenta a qualidade e rapidez do resultado final, já que se mostrou discriminatório, de baixo custo e relativamente de fácil execução na identificação de micobactérias. É possível concluir que ambas as técnicas moleculares avaliadas neste estudo apresentaram uma ótima capacidade de identificação de MNT, sendo que a implementação destas técnicas dependerá das características dos diferentes laboratórios bem como as necessidades clínicas das diferentes instituições. / Mycobacteria comprise a group of organisms that are heterogeneous in terms of metabolism, growth, environmental niche, epidemiology, pathogenicity, geographic distribution and disease association. The laboratory diagnosis of mycobacteria is currently a challenge to laboratories. Due to the increased description of new species of mycobacteria in recent years it is becoming difficult to accurately identify these species. A basic question in the identification of mycobacteria is the differentiation between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM); however it has been increasingly important to differentiate the NTM species. Due to the fact that there are phenotypic and genotypic similarities, it is necessary to apply and develop methodologies to better characterize the NTM to be able to determine more accurately the prevalence of different species. Furthermore, different NTM species may differ in the profile of sensitivity to therapeutic drugs, and accurate identification is crucial for the adoption of appropriate drug therapy. The objective of this study was to characterize NTM isolates by comparing two molecular techniques, the technique of PRA-hsp65 (PCR-Restriction Enzyme Analysis) and a commercial kit GenoType® Mycobacterium CM, using the sequencing the hsp65 gene as gold standard. We analyzed 96 samples and the concordance between the results of the PRA-hsp65 and the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM was 92%. The PRA-hsp65 molecular method proved to be effective in 91% of species identification and the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM in 92%. Regarding costs for the two methods, we could establish that the PRA-hsp65 had a final value considerably lower than the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM. However, the commercial technique requires a shorter period (2 days) to be performed in comparison with the technique PRA-hsp65 (requires five days). In our evaluation, the applicability of the PRA-hsp65 increases the quality and speed of the final result (in relation to traditional phenotypic identification or outsourcing in referral centers), and proved to be discriminatory, inexpensive and relatively easy to perform the identification of mycobacteria. Finally, we conclude that both molecular techniques evaluated in this study showed a great capacity for identification of NTM and that the implementation of these techniques. However, depend on the characteristics of different laboratories as well as the clinical needs of different institutions.

As micobactérias compreendem um grupo de organismos que são heterogêneos em termos de metabolismo, crescimento, nicho ambiental, epidemiologia, patogenicidade, distribuição geográfica e associação com doenças. O diagnóstico micobacteriológico é atualmente um desafio aos laboratórios. Com a descrição de novas espécies de micobactérias nos últimos anos, tem sido cada vez mais difícil identificar com precisão estas espécies. Uma questão básica na identificação em micobactérias é a diferenciação entre o Complexo Mycobacterium tuberculosis e as Micobactérias Não Causadoras de Tuberculose (MNT); no entanto tem sido cada vez mais importante a diferenciação das MNT. Em virtude das semelhanças fenotípicas e genotípicas, é necessário a aplicação e desenvolvimento de metodologias que melhor caracterizem as MNT para que seja possível determinar de forma mais precisa a prevalência das diferentes espécies. Além disso, diferentes espécies de MNT podem apresentar diferenças no perfil de sensibilidade às drogas terapêuticas, sendo que a identificação precisa é crucial para a adoção de terapia medicamentosa adequada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar os isolados de MNT através da comparação entre duas técnicas moleculares, a técnica de PRA-hsp65 e um kit comercial GenoType® Mycobacterium CM, usando o método de sequenciamento do gene hsp65 como padrãoouro. Foram analisadas 96 isolados e a concordância entre os resultados do PRA-hsp65 e do GenoType® Mycobacterium CM foi de 92%. O método molecular PRA-hsp65 mostrou-se eficaz na identificação das espécies em 91% das amostras e o GenoType® Mycobacterium CM em 92%. Em relação aos custos referentes aos dois métodos, foi possível estabelecer que o PRA-hsp65 apresentou um valor final consideravelmente inferior ao do GenoType® Mycobacterium CM. No entanto, a técnica comercial necessita um prazo mais curto (2 dias) para ser realizada em comparação com a técnica PRA-hsp65 (requer 5 dias). Na nossa avaliação, a aplicabilidade do PRA-hsp65 aumenta a qualidade e rapidez do resultado final, já que se mostrou discriminatório, de baixo custo e relativamente de fácil execução na identificação de micobactérias. É possível concluir que ambas as técnicas moleculares avaliadas neste estudo apresentaram uma ótima capacidade de identificação de MNT, sendo que a implementação destas técnicas dependerá das características dos diferentes laboratórios bem como as necessidades clínicas das diferentes instituições. / Mycobacteria comprise a group of organisms that are heterogeneous in terms of metabolism, growth, environmental niche, epidemiology, pathogenicity, geographic distribution and disease association. The laboratory diagnosis of mycobacteria is currently a challenge to laboratories. Due to the increased description of new species of mycobacteria in recent years it is becoming difficult to accurately identify these species. A basic question in the identification of mycobacteria is the differentiation between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM); however it has been increasingly important to differentiate the NTM species. Due to the fact that there are phenotypic and genotypic similarities, it is necessary to apply and develop methodologies to better characterize the NTM to be able to determine more accurately the prevalence of different species. Furthermore, different NTM species may differ in the profile of sensitivity to therapeutic drugs, and accurate identification is crucial for the adoption of appropriate drug therapy. The objective of this study was to characterize NTM isolates by comparing two molecular techniques, the technique of PRA-hsp65 (PCR-Restriction Enzyme Analysis) and a commercial kit GenoType® Mycobacterium CM, using the sequencing the hsp65 gene as gold standard. We analyzed 96 samples and the concordance between the results of the PRA-hsp65 and the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM was 92%. The PRA-hsp65 molecular method proved to be effective in 91% of species identification and the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM in 92%. Regarding costs for the two methods, we could establish that the PRA-hsp65 had a final value considerably lower than the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM. However, the commercial technique requires a shorter period (2 days) to be performed in comparison with the technique PRA-hsp65 (requires five days). In our evaluation, the applicability of the PRA-hsp65 increases the quality and speed of the final result (in relation to traditional phenotypic identification or outsourcing in referral centers), and proved to be discriminatory, inexpensive and relatively easy to perform the identification of mycobacteria. Finally, we conclude that both molecular techniques evaluated in this study showed a great capacity for identification of NTM and that the implementation of these techniques. However, depend on the characteristics of different laboratories as well as the clinical needs of different institutions.

As micobactérias compreendem um grupo de organismos que são heterogêneos em termos de metabolismo, crescimento, nicho ambiental, epidemiologia, patogenicidade, distribuição geográfica e associação com doenças. O diagnóstico micobacteriológico é atualmente um desafio aos laboratórios. Com a descrição de novas espécies de micobactérias nos últimos anos, tem sido cada vez mais difícil identificar com precisão estas espécies. Uma questão básica na identificação em micobactérias é a diferenciação entre o Complexo Mycobacterium tuberculosis e as Micobactérias Não Causadoras de Tuberculose (MNT); no entanto tem sido cada vez mais importante a diferenciação das MNT. Em virtude das semelhanças fenotípicas e genotípicas, é necessário a aplicação e desenvolvimento de metodologias que melhor caracterizem as MNT para que seja possível determinar de forma mais precisa a prevalência das diferentes espécies. Além disso, diferentes espécies de MNT podem apresentar diferenças no perfil de sensibilidade às drogas terapêuticas, sendo que a identificação precisa é crucial para a adoção de terapia medicamentosa adequada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar os isolados de MNT através da comparação entre duas técnicas moleculares, a técnica de PRA-hsp65 e um kit comercial GenoType® Mycobacterium CM, usando o método de sequenciamento do gene hsp65 como padrãoouro. Foram analisadas 96 isolados e a concordância entre os resultados do PRA-hsp65 e do GenoType® Mycobacterium CM foi de 92%. O método molecular PRA-hsp65 mostrou-se eficaz na identificação das espécies em 91% das amostras e o GenoType® Mycobacterium CM em 92%. Em relação aos custos referentes aos dois métodos, foi possível estabelecer que o PRA-hsp65 apresentou um valor final consideravelmente inferior ao do GenoType® Mycobacterium CM. No entanto, a técnica comercial necessita um prazo mais curto (2 dias) para ser realizada em comparação com a técnica PRA-hsp65 (requer 5 dias). Na nossa avaliação, a aplicabilidade do PRA-hsp65 aumenta a qualidade e rapidez do resultado final, já que se mostrou discriminatório, de baixo custo e relativamente de fácil execução na identificação de micobactérias. É possível concluir que ambas as técnicas moleculares avaliadas neste estudo apresentaram uma ótima capacidade de identificação de MNT, sendo que a implementação destas técnicas dependerá das características dos diferentes laboratórios bem como as necessidades clínicas das diferentes instituições. / Mycobacteria comprise a group of organisms that are heterogeneous in terms of metabolism, growth, environmental niche, epidemiology, pathogenicity, geographic distribution and disease association. The laboratory diagnosis of mycobacteria is currently a challenge to laboratories. Due to the increased description of new species of mycobacteria in recent years it is becoming difficult to accurately identify these species. A basic question in the identification of mycobacteria is the differentiation between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM); however it has been increasingly important to differentiate the NTM species. Due to the fact that there are phenotypic and genotypic similarities, it is necessary to apply and develop methodologies to better characterize the NTM to be able to determine more accurately the prevalence of different species. Furthermore, different NTM species may differ in the profile of sensitivity to therapeutic drugs, and accurate identification is crucial for the adoption of appropriate drug therapy. The objective of this study was to characterize NTM isolates by comparing two molecular techniques, the technique of PRA-hsp65 (PCR-Restriction Enzyme Analysis) and a commercial kit GenoType® Mycobacterium CM, using the sequencing the hsp65 gene as gold standard. We analyzed 96 samples and the concordance between the results of the PRA-hsp65 and the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM was 92%. The PRA-hsp65 molecular method proved to be effective in 91% of species identification and the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM in 92%. Regarding costs for the two methods, we could establish that the PRA-hsp65 had a final value considerably lower than the GenoType® Mycobacterium CM. However, the commercial technique requires a shorter period (2 days) to be performed in comparison with the technique PRA-hsp65 (requires five days). In our evaluation, the applicability of the PRA-hsp65 increases the quality and speed of the final result (in relation to traditional phenotypic identification or outsourcing in referral centers), and proved to be discriminatory, inexpensive and relatively easy to perform the identification of mycobacteria. Finally, we conclude that both molecular techniques evaluated in this study showed a great capacity for identification of NTM and that the implementation of these techniques. However, depend on the characteristics of different laboratories as well as the clinical needs of different institutions.

abstract: Recent developments inspired by string theoretic considerations provide multiple maps between gravitational and non-gravitational degrees of freedom. In this dis- sertation I discuss aspects of three such dualities, the gauge/gravity duality and how it applies to condensed matter systems, the fluid-gravity duality, and the color-kinematics duality. The first of these, colloquially referred to as holography, in its simplest form posits a mapping of d-dimensional conformal field theory (boundary) partition functions onto d+1 dimensional gravitational(bulk) partition functions, where the space-time carries a negative cosmological constant. In this dissertation I discuss the results of our calculations examining the emergence of Fermi-surface like structures in the bulk spacetime despite the absence of explicit Fermions in the theory.Specifically the 4+1 dimensional Einstein-Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory with scalar degrees of freedom, with and without symmetry breaking is considered. These theories are gravity duals to spatially modulated gauge theories. The results of calculations presented here indicate the existence of a rich phase space, most prominently Fermi shells are seen. The second set of dualities considered are the color-kinematic duality, also known as the double-copy paradigm and the fluid-gravity duality. The color-kinematic duality involves identifying spin-2 amplitudes as squares of spin-1 gauge amplitudes. This double copy picture is utilized to construct “single copy” representations for space- times where Einstein’s equations reduce to incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. In this dissertation I show how spacetimes that characterize irrotational fluids and constant vorticity fluids each map to distinct algebraically special spacetimes. The Maxwell fields obtained via the double-copy picture for such spacetimes further provide interesting parallels, for instance, the vorticity of the fluid is proportional to the magnetic field of the associated gauge field. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Physics 2020

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US, which can result in blockage of a coronary artery, triggering a myocardial infarction (MI). After a MI, hypoxic ventricular myocardial tissue dies, resulting in the deposition of non-contractile scar tissue and remodeling of the ventricle, leading to decreased cardiac output and ultimately heart failure. Currently, the gold-standard solution for total heart failure is a heart transplant. As donor hearts are in short supply, an alternative to total-organ transplantation is surgically remodeling the ventricle with the implantation of a cardiac patch. Acellular cardiac patches have previously been investigated using synthetic or decellularized native materials in effort to improve cardiac function. However, a limitation of this strategy is that acellular cardiac patches only reshape the ventricle and do not increase cardiac contractile function. By incorporating the use of a clinically relevant cell type and by matching native architecture, we propose the use of a highly aligned fibrin scaffold to support the maturation of human induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CM) for use as a cell-populated cardiac patch. By micropatterning fibrin hydrogels, hiPS-CM seeded on the surface of this scaffold become highly aligned, which is crucial for increased contractile output. Our lab previously developed a composite fibrin hydrogel and microthread cardiac patch matching mechanical properties of native myocardium. By micropatterning fibrin hydrogel alone, we were able to match cellular alignment of hiPS-CM to that of native myocardium. hiPS-CMs seeded on this surface were found to express distinct sarcomere alignment and circumferential connexin-43 staining at 14 days of culture as well as cellular elongation, which are necessary for mature contractile properties. Constructs were also cultured under electrical stimulation to promote increased contractile properties. After 7 days of stimulation, contractile strains of micropatterned constructs were significantly higher than unpatterned controls. These results suggest that the use of topographical cues on fibrin scaffolds may be a promising strategy for creating engineered myocardial tissue to repair damaged myocardium.

The emergence of Multi/Many-core systems signified an increasing need for parallel programming. Transactional Memory (TM) is a promising programming paradigm for creating concurrent applications. At current date, the design of Distributed TM (DTM) tailored for non coherent Manycore architectures is largely unexplored. This thesis addresses this topic by analysing, designing, and implementing a DTM system suitable for low latency message passing platforms. The resulting system, named SC-TM, the Single-Chip Cloud TM, is a fully decentralized and scalable DTM, implemented on Intel’s SCC processor; a 48-core ’concept vehicle’ created by Intel Labs as a platform for Many-core software research. SC-TM is one of the first fully decentralized DTMs that guarantees starvation-freedom and the first to use an actual pluggable Contention Manager (CM) to ensure liveness. Finally, this thesis introduces three completely decentralized CMs; Offset-Greedy, a decentralized version of Greedy, Wholly, which relies on the number of completed transactions, and FairCM, that makes use off the effective transactional time. The evaluation showed the latter outperformed the three.

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Background: The two-stage implant system has proven to be a successful technique in replacing missing teeth (Nascimento et al., 2008). Nevertheless, the presence of micro-gaps that could entrap microbes at the implant-abutment interface (IAI) is unavoidable. This microbial leakage has been considered as one of the causes of peri-implant infection and bone loss (Scarano et al., 2005). Several companies have attempted to manufacture an implant with a connection design that provides hermetic sealing against bacterial leakage. Studies indicated that implants with internal connection, in particular the conical (Morse taper) design, have better sealing capacity in the implant abutment interface than the external design (Koutouzis et al., 2011, Jaworski et al., 2012). An internal conical implant system with a novel connection design, known as the Grand Morse (GM) connection, is reported to offer secure connection against micro-leakage (Neodent® Implant Systems Inc., 2018). Aims: The aim of this study was to test the sealing ability against bacterial leakage in the implant-abutment interface provided by an implant with a novel deep internal conical (GM) connection design.