In-memory column-store database systems are state of the art for the efficient processing of analytical workloads. In these systems, data compression as well as vectorization play an important role. Currently, the vectorized processing is done using regular SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data) extensions of modern processors. For example, Intel’s latest SIMD extension supports 512-bit vector registers which allows the parallel processing of 8× 64-bit values. From a database system perspective, this vectorization technique is not only very interesting for compression and decompression to reduce the computational overhead, but also for all database operators like joins, scan, as well as groupings. In contrast to these SIMD extensions, NEC Corporation has recently introduced a novel pure vector engine (supercomputer) as a co-processor called SX-Aurora TSUBASA. This vector engine features a vector length of 16.384 bits with the world’s highest bandwidth of up to 1.2 TB/s, which perfectly fits to data-intensive applications like in-memory database systems. Therefore, we describe the unique architecture and properties of this novel vector engine in this paper. Moreover, we present selected in-memory column-store-specific evaluation results to show the benefits of this vector engine compared to regular SIMD extensions. Finally, we conclude the paper with an outlook on our ongoing research activities in this direction.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After its introduction in 1993, the use of the NEC is still limited in the civil engineering industry of South Africa. The benefits of the NEC however appear to be promising. This research identifies the barriers of a NEC adoption. Moreover, in order to recommend strategies and measures to achieve a better NEC adoption, required success factors for a NEC implementation are investigated. Beneficial insights for South Africa are gained from the Dutch UAV-GC introduction experiences. A literature study is conducted to define the research needs and focus. Both contracts are analysed and compared. These findings are then used to validate the assumed advantages of the NEC by correlating them to the contract content. Subsequently, expert interviews are conducted in which the advantages, disadvantages, barriers for adoption and success factors for implementation of the NEC are explored. Interviews with seven South African experts also contained a short-questionnaire. The short-questionnaire gave a quantitative context as validation for the qualitative advantages. In addition, three interviews with Dutch experts were conducted. In this manner the Dutch UAVGC introduction experiences were explored. In the research synthesis, findings from the various sources are validated. This is achieved through a comparison of the different methods applied in the study. The barriers identified as the main cause of obstruction to the NEC adoption are a lack of knowledge, understanding, education, effective training courses and skills in procurement strategy, contract management and general project management. Furthermore, there is a resistance from industry because of the preference for the South African contract forms. Another resistance is from employers, due to the desire for some grey area in their contract form. Principal success factors necessary for the implementation of the NEC are education, training, promotion, and a proper understanding of the NEC as well as its philosophy and benefits. Consequently, a culture change towards collaborations would be necessary. In addition employers must apply and improve their procurement strategies. As a result, the NEC would be identified as their best tool for procurement. A helpful success factor, extracted from the Dutch experience, is the requirement for knowledge sharing between governmental bodies in order to guide innovations. For optimum industry performance by the more frequent use of the NEC, this research has resulted in the following recommendations: • The industry should not be afraid to question tradition and to initiate the required cultural change towards increasing collaboration • An in uential South African institute should take responsibility for the promotion, monitoring and training of the NEC • Educate students on the NEC and other contracts based on all possible procurement strategies • An adoption strategy should be applied for inexperienced NEC parties • NEC should be used as the stimulator for improvement of South African project management practices in construction projects • Organize regular knowledge sharing meetings between governmental departments to stimulate and improve innovations • Employers should improve their procurement practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na sy bekendstelling in 1993, is die gebruik van die NEC steeds beperk in die Suid- Afrikaanse ingenieursbedryf. Die voordele vir die gebruik daarvan blyk egter tog belowend te wees. Hierdie navorsing identifiseer die hindernisse wat gepaard gaan met die gebruik van die NEC in die bedryf. Die studie ondersoek ook die faktore wat 'n rol speel by die implementering van die NEC, om sodoende strategieë vir 'n meer omvattende gebruik van die NEC aan te beveel. Lesse om 'n nuwe kontrakdokument in die bedryf in te bring word geleer uit die Nederlandse ervaring met die UAV-GC. 'n Literatuurstudie is uitgevoer om die behoeftes en fokus van die navorsing te definieer. Beide kontrakvorms is geanaliseer en met mekaar vergelyk. Hierdie bevindinge is daarna gebruik om die voor- en nadele wat die NEC inhou te bevestig, deur dit te vergelyk met die inhoud van die kontrak. Onderhoude is gevolglik gevoer met industriedeelnemers waarin die voordele, nadele, hindernisse vir en die suksesfaktore vir die implementering van die NEC ondersoek is. Die sewe onderhoude wat met Suid-Afrikaanse deskundiges gevoer is, het elk 'n kort vraelys ingesluit. Die kort vraelys verleen 'n kwantitatiewe bevestiging van die bevindinge. Aansluitend is daar ook drie onderhoude met Nederlandse deskundiges gevoer. Op hierdie wyse is die Nederlandse ervarings ondersoek met die inlywing van die UAV-GC. In die navorsingsintese word die bevindinge van die verskillende bronne bevestig. Dit word bereik deur 'n vergelyking van die resultate van die verskillende metodes wat in die studie gebruik is. Hindernisse wat geïdentifiseer is as die hoof oorsaak vir die beperkte inlywing van die NEC in die bedryf, is die tekort aan kennis, begrip, opvoeding, effektiewe opleidingskursusse, vaardighede in aankoopstrategieë, tekort aan kennis oor kontrakbestuur en ook algemene projekbestuur. Boonop is daar teëstand van die bedryf weens die voorkeur vir Suid-Afrikaanse kontrakvorms. Verdere teëstand word verkry deur werkgewers vanweë die behoefte na grys area in hul kontrakte. Die belangrikste faktore wat benodig word vir die suksesvolle implementering van die NEC is opleiding, kennis en begrip van die NEC, asook begrip van sy filosofie en voordele. 'n Kultuur verandering, met die fokus op samewerking tussen partye, is noodsaaklik. Werkgewers moet verder hul aankoopstrategieë verbeter. 'n Nuttige faktor vir die suksesvolle inlywing van die NEC, verkry uit die Nederlandse ervaring, is die vereiste vir die uitruil van kennis onder staatsdepartemente om sodoende die veranderinge te lei. Om die gebruik van die NEC optimaal by die Suid-Afrikaanse ingenieursbedryf in te lei, het die navorsing tot die volgende gevolgtrekkings gelei: • Die bedryf moet nie huiwer om tradisie te bevraagteken nie. Dit is nodig dat kultuurveranderinge gemaak word om samewerking tussen partye te bewerkstellig • 'n Invloedryke Suid-Afrikaanse instituut moet verantwoordelikheid neem vir die bevordering, die monitering en opleiding vir die gebruik van die NEC • Studente moet opgelei word met blootstelling aan die NEC asook blootstelling aan 'n verskeidenheid van aankoopstrategieë • 'n Strategie moet ontwikkel word om partye wat onbekend is met die NEC daarvan bewus te maak • Die NEC moet gebruik word as bron wat die Suid-Afrikaanse projekbestuurs- en kontrakbestuuromgewings kan verbeter • Daar moet skakeling wees tussen staatsdepartemente om sodoende verandering te bevorder en te verbeter in aankoopstrategieë • Werkgewers moet hulle aankoopstrategieë en praktyke verbeter.

Oxygen-sensing cells release neurotransmitters, including serotonin, in response to hypoxia in the blood or surrounding air/water. This stimulates the glossopharyngeal and/or vagal nerves, triggering increased ventilation via the respiratory reflex. In the adult, they are located in the carotid body (glomus cells) and lung epithelia (pulmonary neuroendocrine cells) of amniotes, and in the epithelia of the gills and orobranchial cavity (‘neuroepithelial cells’) of anamniotes. Despite their physiological importance, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of their development, while the evolutionary relationships between the various oxygen-sensing cell types are unknown. The chromaffin cells of the mammalian adrenal medulla are hypoxia-sensitive transiently during neonatal life. Both carotid body glomus cells and adrenal chromaffin cells arise from the neural crest and require the transcription factors Phox2b and Ascl1 for their development. Given these similarities, I aimed to test the hypothesis that the same molecular mechanisms underlie their development. Expression analysis of 13 sympathoadrenal pathway genes throughout chicken carotid body development revealed striking similarities with adrenal chromaffin cell development. Analysis of mouse mutants showed that the transcription factors Hand2, Sox4 and Sox11 are required for carotid body development. In addition, loss of the receptor tyrosine kinase Ret or the transcription factor AP-2β, which significantly affects sympathetic ganglion but not adrenal chromaffin cell development, has no effect on the carotid body. Adrenal chromaffin cells differentiate from neurons that migrate into the adrenal gland from ‘primary’ sympathetic ganglia at the dorsal aorta. Carotid body glomus cells were previously proposed to arise from neuronal “émigrés” from neighbouring ganglia: the superior cervical ganglion in mammals and the nodose ganglion in the chick. However, nodose neurons are considered to be nodose placode-derived. Using electroporation and grafting in the chick, I confirmed that the nodose placode does not contribute to the carotid body, identified a small population of autonomic neural crest-derived neurons in the nodose ganglion, and confirmed the existence of “bridges” of neurons between the nodose ganglion and the carotid body. My data suggest that, like adrenal chromaffin cells, carotid body glomus cells differentiate from autonomic neural crest-derived neurons in nearby ganglia, which migrate into the carotid body primordium and down-regulate neuronal markers. The proposed evolutionary relationship between the carotid body glomus cells and the serotonin-positive neuroepithelial cells of anamniote gills has never been tested. Using vital dye labelling, neural fold grafts, genetic lineage-tracing in zebrafish and analysis of zebrafish mutants lacking all neural crest cells, I found that serotonin-positive cells in the gills and orobranchial epithelia of lamprey (jawless fish), zebrafish (ray-finned bony fish) and frog (anamniote tetrapod) are not neural crest-derived, and hence are not homologous to carotid body glomus cells. Genetic lineage-tracing in mouse and neural fold grafts in chick also confirmed that serotonin-positive neuroendocrine cells in the lung are not neural crest- derived, hence must have an endodermal origin (since the lungs are out-pocketings of the gut). My results suggest that the neuroepithelial cells of anamniotes are not related to carotid body glomus cells, but rather are homologous to the oxygen-sensing cells of the lung. Consistent with this hypothesis, I found that many genes expressed during carotid body development are not expressed by the epithelia of either chick lungs or lamprey gills. Taken together, my data suggest that as air-breathing evolved, gut endoderm- derived cells that originally responded to hypoxia in water were maintained in the lungs to monitor oxygen levels in air, while a population of neural crest-derived chromaffin cells near the pharyngeal arch arteries was recruited to monitor oxygen levels in blood.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / The Numerical Electromagnetics Code (NEC) was used to evaluate the admittance, average power gain, and the electric near and far field of a monopole antenna mounted on a cubical box over a perfectly conducting ground plane. Two models of the box, employing surface patches and wire grids, were evaluated. The monopole was positioned at the center, the edge, and at a corner of the box's top surface. Admittance and average power gain of the antenna were calculated. NEC results were examined and compared with experimental data and with results from "PATCH", another independent electromagnetic modeling code. The near electric field was calculated for both models. Computer graphics techniques were presented for plotting NEC near field results using DISSPLA (Display Integrated Software System and Plotting Language), a commercial graphics package. Contour and 3-D amplitude, and phase plots of the near electric fields were presented. Radiation patterns were calculated to relate far field and near field behavior of the antenna. Surface patch and wire grid models are compared and conclusions were presented. / Naval Ocean Systems Center / http://archive.org/details/investigationofn00elli / O&MN, Direct Funding / Lieutenant, Hellenic Navy

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most severe digestive tract emergencies in neonates, involving bowel edema, hemorrhage, and necrosis, and can lead to serious complications including death. Since it is difficult to diagnose early, the morbidity and mortality rates are high due to severe complications in later stages of NEC and thus early detection is key to the treatment of NEC. In this thesis, a novel automatic image acquisition and analysis system combining a color and depth (RGB-D) sensor with an infrared (IR) camera is proposed for NEC diagnosis. A design for sensors configuration and a data acquisition process are introduced. A calibration method between the three cameras is described which aims to ensure frames synchronization and observation consistency among the color, depth, and IR images. Subsequently, complete segmentation procedures based on the original color, depth, and IR information are proposed to automatically separate the human body from the background, remove other interfering items, identify feature points on the human body joints, distinguish the human torso and limbs, and extract the abdominal region of interest. Finally, first-order statistical analysis is performed on thermal data collected over the entire extracted abdominal region to compare differences in thermal data distribution between different patient groups. Experimental validation in a real clinical environment is reported and shows encouraging results.

Problem: Necrotizing Enerocolitis (NEC) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care units (NICU), affecting 7% to 14% of premature neonates weighing less than 1500g (Lin et al., 2008). Healthcare costs for the treatment of NEC account for roughly 20% of the 5 billion dollars spent on infants in the NICU annually (Gephart, McGrath, Effken & Halpern, 2012). Nutritional supplements, such as probiotics, may be used prophylactically to prevent NEC in this high-risk population. Objective: A literature review was performed to examine which strains of probiotics show the most potential in reducing the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis. Method: A literature review was performed using CINAHL, Science Citation Index, Science Direct, Medline, Academic One file, PsychINFO, and PUBMED databases. Key words included enterocolitis, Necrotizing*/PC OR NEC* AND probiotics*. After applying exclusion criteria, 9 articles remained for this review. Results: A variety of probiotic strains used to reduce the incidence of NEC were identified, along with inconsistent times of initiation, number of colony forming units and length of treatment. The most commonly studied probiotic strains include Lactobacillus species, Bifidobacterium species, and Saccharomyces species. After detailed analysis, it appears that a combination of Bifidobacterium species and Lactobacillus species reduce the incidence of NEC from an 8% (Fernández-Carrocera et. al, 2013) reduction up to 100% reduction in the incidence of NEC (Braga, Pontes da Silva, Cabral de Lira, & Lima, 2011). These two species, when combined, were more successful when compared to Saccharomyces species or Lactobacillus species alone. Conclusion: Although there is positive support for the proactive use of probiotics for the reduction of the incidence of NEC in premature neonates, the inconsistencies between studies are a barrier for determination of a specific treatment recommendation. Although the combination of Bifidobacterium species and Lactobacillus species has been shown to have an impact on the reduction of NEC incidence, the research inconsistencies provide a barrier to generalizations for treatment. Additional research that focus on Bifidobactrium species in combination with Lactobacillus species is needed. Furthermore, the use of probiotics as a preventative treatment for NEC has not been thoroughly researched in extremely premature infant populations (gestation). Therefore, although the results are promising, further research is needed before this can be determined as a safe preventative method. The current questions remaining include: when prophylactic treatment should be initiated, how long prophylactic treatment should last, the number of colony forming units to be administered, and what is the long-term impact of probiotic administration on the normal gut flora, if any.

No description available.

No description available.

Submitted by Ana Damasceno (ana.damasceno@unipampa.edu.br) on 2017-06-07T18:12:48Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Baixa diversidade e sucessão microbiana anormal estão associadas à enterocolite necrosante em recém-nascidos prematuros.pdf: 1587508 bytes, checksum: c407e4cf94f25b2272a7d25213f72873 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-07T18:12:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Baixa diversidade e sucessão microbiana anormal estão associadas à enterocolite necrosante em recém-nascidos prematuros.pdf: 1587508 bytes, checksum: c407e4cf94f25b2272a7d25213f72873 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-07 / As múltiplas causas de Enterocolite Necrosante (NEC) e seus indicativos clínicos utilizados para o diagnóstico ainda se mantêm elusivos. Biomarcadores alternativos para o diagnóstico precoce de NEC em recém-nascidos prematuros e um melhor entendimento dos fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de NEC são desafios emergentes. Em uma tentativa de contribuir para a solução deste problema, neste trabalho nós rastreamos as mudanças no microbioma dos recém-nascidos (diversidade microbiana, abundância e estrutura) com NEC, iniciando com a primeira evacuação (mecônio) e continuando até a liberação, e comparamos essas mudanças com os prematuros sem o diagnóstico de NEC. Um estudo metataxonomico foi conduzido usando 88 amostras fecais, a partir da primeira evacuação até a 5ª semana de vida, obtidas de 25 recém-nascidos prematuros (14 controles e 11 casos de NEC) selecionados de um grupo de 52 prematuros. Nossos dados revelaram que casos de NEC apresentaram baixa diversidade e uma transição anormal da comunidade microbiana até o diagnóstico de NEC. Um microrganismo pertencendo a família Enterobacteriaceae foi consistentemente mais abundante em prematuros com NEC do que nos controles, mesmo nas amostras de mecônio, e foi considerado um constituinte chave da comunidade microbiana correlacionada com a doença. Finalmente, nos também detectamos uma distorção na associação micróbio-micróbio nas amostras de mecônio dos casos de NEC. Portanto, nossos dados sugerem que a detecção precoce de elevada dominância de Enterobacteriaceae, baixa diversidade e associações micróbio-micróbio nos primeiros dias de vida poderiam ser utilizados como indicativo de risco de desenvolvimento de Enterocolite Necrosante nas UTIs neonatais brasileiras. / The multiple causes of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) as well as the clinical predictors used for diagnosis have remained elusive to date. Alternative biomarkers for early diagnosis of NEC in premature infants and a better understanding of risk factors for NEC development are emergent challenges. In attempt to contribute to solve this problem, in this work we tracked the changes in the newborn’s microbiome (microbial diversity, abundance and structure) with Necrotizing Enterocolitis beginning with the first stool (meconium) continuing until discharge and compare those changes with preterns without NEC diagnosis. A metataxonomy study was conducted using 88 fecal samples from the first stool (meconium) until the 5th week of life obtained from 25 preterm babies (14 controls and 11 NEC cases) selected from a cohort of 52 premature infants. Our data revealed low microbial diversity in NEC cases and an abnormal transition of the microbial community until NEC diagnosis. A microbial phylotype belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family were consistently more abundant in NEC than in the controls even in meconium samples and was considered a key constituent of the microbial community that correlated with the disease. Finally, we also detected a disruption of microbial-microbial associations in the meconium samples of NEC cases. Thus, our data suggests that early detection of high dominance of Enterobacteriaceae, low diversity and altered microbial-microbial associations at the first days of life could be used as an indicative of risk of preterm development of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Brazilian NICU’s.

Les simulations numériques sont devenues un outil indispensable dans la conception des chambres de coupure des disjoncteurs électriques haute tension. Elles sont utilisées non seulement dans le dimensionnement des différentes pièces, mais elles fournissent également une aide précieuse dans la compréhension des phénomènes intervenant entre les deux électrodes au moment de la coupure. L’arc électrique généré entre ces deux électrodes rassemble de nombreux domaines de la physique plus ou moins complexes. Tous ces phénomènes ne sont pas encore parfaitement compris. Avec l’évolution de la puissance de calcul, ces simulations peuvent prendre en compte de plus en plus de phénomènes. Mais pour des raisons de temps de développement, la question des phénomènes à prendre en compte dans ces simulations se pose. Le but de telles simulations est de déterminer de manière rapide si une configuration est plus ou moins capable qu’une autre de couper sous une contrainte donnée. Ainsi, il est important de prendre en compte uniquement les phénomènes physiques importants et nécessaires pour avoir une réponse la plus décisive possible et la plus rapide possible, de la réussite ou non à la coupure d’une configuration testée. Dans cette thèse, nous nous sommes particulièrement intéressés aux déséquilibres thermiques et chimiques qui pourraient intervenir dans les disjoncteurs électriques haute tension au moment de la coupure. En effet, pour des raisons de temps et de coût de calcul, la plupart des simulations numériques actuelles sont réalisées en faisant une hypothèse forte : l’hypothèse d’Equilibre Thermodynamique Local (ETL). Cette hypothèse consiste à considérer que dans chaque maille de notre domaine d’étude et à chaque pas de temps, on a un équilibre thermodynamique réalisé. Faire cette hypothèse nous permet d’utiliser les lois de conservation (masse, quantité de mouvement et énergie) en allégeant le problème. Mais en réalité, cette hypothèse est mise à mal dès que l’on est en présence de forts gradients de température ou de densité. Pour réaliser ces simulations, le code numérique CARBUR a été utilisé. Des modules d’arc électrique (effet Joule et rayonnement) et d’électrode mobile ont été implémentés afin de pouvoir simuler au mieux le comportement du gaz présent dans les disjoncteurs électriques haute tension. Six études différentes ont été réalisées et sont présentées. Ces études portent sur les influences de la forme du bout des électrodes, d’une modélisation en Navier-Stokes par rapport à une modélisation en Euler, de la nature du gaz (SF6, CO2 et N2), du déséquilibre thermique dans le cas de l’azote ou encore du positionnement des termes sources de l’arc électrique dans les différentes équations d’évolution des énergies. Dans ce travail, une étude sur différents modèles cinétiques chimiques est proposée. Dans ces modèles, 5 espèces chimiques sont présentes : N2, N, N+, N2+ et e-. En ce qui concerne la température, on en distingue 4 : T, TVib-N2, TVib-N2+ et Te. / The numerical simulations are become a very important tool to design the high voltage circuit breaker (HVCB) chamber. They help for the understanding of the different phenomena which can take place between the 2 electrodes during an interruption process. The electric arc brings together many fields of physics more or less complex and many of these phenomena are still poorly studied. So many aspects remain to be explored to improve simulations. With the increase of the calculation power, these numerical simulations can take into account more phenomena. However, for reasonable simulation times, we need to know which phenomena are preponderant. The aim of these numerical simulations is to rapidly conclude on the capacity of geometry to success an interruption process compared to different other geometries, under a given stress. In this PhD dissertation, we are particularly interested on thermal and chemical non equilibrium that can occur in HVCB during an interruption process. Currently, most simulations are carried out with a strong hypothesis: the hypothesis of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE). This assumption allows us to alleviate the problem and to reduce the computing time. But this assumption becomes not valid when high temperature or density gradients occur. To do these simulations, the CARBUR numerical code has been used. In order to simulate flow behaviors in HVCB, an electrical arc (Joule effect and radiation) model and a module of mobile electrode have been added. Six different studies have been done and are presented: influence of the electrode shape, influence of the Navier-Stokes equations compared to the Euler equations, influence of the gas (SF6, CO2 et N2), influence of the thermal non equilibrium in a nitrogen case, influence of the position of the arc source terms in the different energy equations. In this work, a study on different nitrogen chemical kinetics is proposed. In these models, 5 chemical species are distinguished: N2, N, N+, N2+ and e-. Finally, 4 different temperatures are used: T, TVib-N2, TVib-N2+ and Te.