Dynamic address assignment is one of the most important features in wireless ad hoc networks if nodes should be enabled to join and to work in the network by automatically configuring all necessary settings. Different approaches have been developed throughout the last years to achieve this objective of Dynamic Address Autoconfiguration but research primarily focused on efficiency and correctness, less on security issues. Whereas Duplicate Address Detection has become reliable in commonplace scenarios, it is still relatively easy to suspend the whole network functionality in extraordinary situations within the boundaries of a Dynamic Address Configuration Protocol. In this paper, we therefore want to point out shortcomings and weaknesses in existing protocol solutions which address dynamic IP address assignment. We concentrate on a leader-based approach called ODACP and want to propose several solutions which improve the original protocol in such a way that it is safer against malicious host activities. Finally, we will demonstrate the improvements of our solution in a separate test scenario.

Die Kopf-Hals-Region ist eine der anatomisch kompliziertesten Regionen und enthält et- wa 300 Lymphknoten, die innerhalb eines komplexen Lymphgefäßsystems miteinander in Verbindung stehen. Die meisten Plattenepithelkarzinome der oberen Luft- und Speise- wege sind potentiell heilbar, aber sie metastasieren früh in die regionalen zervikalen Lymphknoten. Der Status dieser Lymphknoten ist der signifikanteste prognostische Faktor in der Therapie der Kopf-Hals-Tumoren. Die Neck Dissection, englisch für „Halsausräu- mung“, wird auch im deutschsprachigen Raum so genannt und ist der Standard der chir- urgischen Behandlung. Die vorliegende monozentrische Studie untersucht erstmals mittels Workflowanalyse ei- ne Serie von Neck dissections (ND) im Interoperateur-Vergleich und zielt auf die quali- tätsrelevante Erfassung der Operationssystematik ab. Von Januar bis Dezember 2011 wurden an einer onkologisch ausgerichteten HNO-Univer- sitätsklinik 42 selektive NDs (SND) und modifiziert radikale NDs (MRND) bei 5 unter- schiedlichen Operateuren mit der Workflowaufnahmesoftware s.w.an-Editor systemati- siert kodiert und vergleichend ausgewertet. Die Operateure variierten in ihrer Operationserfahrung mit Neck dissections zwischen 1- 17 Jahren und führten im Untersuchungszeitraum 19-76 NDs durch. Die Gesamtpräpara- tionszeit (15min. (2-48)) korrelierte negativ mit der Anzahl der jährlich durchgeführten NDs (p<.033). Bei der Dauer der Entfernung der einzelnen Lymphknotenpakete (33min. (10-81)) ergab sich eine negative Korrelation mit der jeweiligen Erfahrung des Opera- teurs (p<.001). 63 Als bevorzugte Reihenfolge der entfernten Level zeigte sich die Chronologie: 3-2A-(2B)- 5-4-(1). Diese variierte trotz „Schule des Hauses“ signifikant. Bei SNDs ergab sich eine Korrelation (p<.038) zwischen Erfahrung und Befolgung dieser Reihenfolge. Die Summe der entfernten Lymphknoten im histopathologischen Präparat gesamt (17 (0- 29)) sowie pro Level (3,8 (0-11)) zeigte keinen signifikanten Unterschied in Abhängigkeit von Erfahrung, Anzahl der 2011 durchgeführten NDs, befolgter Chronologie und Dauer der Operation. Trotz signifikanter Unterschiede bei den Operateuren im operativen Vorgehen fanden sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede in Gesamtsumme der entnommenen Lymphknoten- zahl. Die Workflowanalyse hilft, die Operationssystematik zu erfassen und damit bei wechselnden Operateuren einen Standard zu definieren.

M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / Discusses node location as a major problem when considering several areas of application based on wireless sensor networks. Many localisation algorithms have been proposed in the literature to solve the problem of locating sensor nodes in WSN. However, most of these algorithms have poor localisation accuracy and high computational cost. Due to these limitations, this research study considers the modelling of an efficient and robust localisation scheme to determine the location of individual sensor nodes in WSN. To successfully solve this task, this research study focuses on the aspect of improving the position accuracy of wireless sensor nodes in WSN. The study considers a distance based cooperative localisation algorithm called Curvilinear Component Analysis Mapping (CCA-MAP) to accurately localise the sensor nodes in WSN. CCA-MAP is used because it delivers improved position accuracy and computational efficiency.

Στη διπλωματική μας παραθέτουμε ένα μεγάλο κομμάτι βιβλιογραφίας σχετικής με Τεχνικές Εξατομικευμένης Αναζήτησης στον Παγκόσμιο Ιστό. Επίσης περιγράφονται αναλυτικά οι εφαρμογές που κατασκευάστηκαν στην διπλωματική μας και οι τεχνολογίες που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την υλοποίησή τους. Συγκεκριμένα κατασκευάστηκε ένα σύστημα εξατομίκευσης, το οποίο καταγράφει την συμπεριφορά ενός χρήστη και στην συνέχεια του δίνει την δυνατότητα να εξατομικεύσει τα αποτελέσματα μιας μηχανής αναζήτησης(Google) με βάση την προηγούμενη συμπεριφορά του. Υλοποιήθηκαν τρεις διαφορετικοί αλγόριθμοι(ένας αλγόριθμος που βασίζεται στις ακμές του γράφου, ένας αλγόριθμος πρόσθεσης εικονικών κόμβων και ένας εκτεταμένος αλγόριθμος πρόσθεσης εικονικών κόμβων), οι οποίοι με βάση την προηγούμενη συμπεριφορά του χρήστη κατασκευάζουν ένα γράφημα συμπεριφοράς για αυτόν, το οποίο χρησιμοποιούν στη συνέχεια για να εξατομικεύσουν τα αποτελέσματα μιας ερώτησης. Οι αλγόριθμοι αυτοί καλούνται από το χρήστη μέσω του συστήματος εξατομίκευσης για μια ερώτηση και ταξινομούν τα αποτελέσματα της ερώτησης σύμφωνα με την νέα σειρά που υποδεικνύει το γράφημα συμπεριφοράς που έχει κατασκευαστεί για τον συγκεκριμένο χρήστη. Στη συνέχεια δίνονται αναλυτικά παραδείγματα λειτουργίας για κάθε αλγόριθμο, που αποδεικνύουν τους θεωρητικούς υπολογισμούς. Τέλος παρατίθενται βασικά κομμάτια του κώδικα που δημιουργήθηκε για την υλοποίηση του συστήματος εξατομίκευσης. / In our diplomatic we mention a big piece of bibliography relative with Techniques of Personalized Search in the World Wide Web. Also we describe analytically the applications that were manufactured in our diplomatic and the technologies that were used for their implementation. In particular, we construct a personalization system, which records the behaviour of user and then gives him the possibility of personalizing the results of a search engine (Google) with base his previous behaviour. They constructed three different algorithms(an algorithm that based on the edges of the graph, an algorithm that add virtual nodes and an extensive algorithm that add virtual nodes), which with base the previous behaviour of user construct a graph, which they use then in order to personalize the results of the query. These algorithms are called by the user via the personalization system for a query and they categorize the results of query according to the new order that indicates the graph of behaviour that has been constructed for the particular user. Then they are given analytic examples for each algorithm, which proves the theoretical calculations. Finally, they mentioned basic pieces of code that were created for the construction of the personalization system.

One of the main obstacles to maintaining patients with short bowel syndrome on parenteral nutrition, or successfully transplanting these patients with a small bowel graft, is the many severe infections that occur. Evidence is accumulating that translocating bacteria from the patient’s bowel causes a significant part of these infections. In this thesis bacterial translocation is studied in a Thiry-Vella loop of defunctionalised small bowel in the rat. Bacterial translocation to the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) occurs in almost 100% of the rats after three days. No systemic spread of bacteria is observed unless there is additional immunosupression with depletion of Kupffer cells in the liver. However, blocking the function of α/β T cells does not increase the translocation. Removal of MLNs does not either aggravate bacterial translocation in the Thiry-Vella loop model. Conversely, after small bowel transplantation translocating bacteria spread systemically if the MLNs are removed. The Thiry-Vella loop should also be a suitable model for the testing of potentially translocation-inhibiting substances. Reinforcement of the intestinal barrier with glutamine or phosphatidylcholine proved insufficient in decreasing bacterial translocation. Even selective bowel decontamination with tobramycin failed to abolish bacterial translocation. Thus, it seems that the driving force for translocation in this model is strong regardless of the relatively small trauma of intestinal defunctionalisation. Flow cytometric studies of the immune cells in the spleen MLNs showed a decrease in MHC class II positive T cells in the MLNs of the Thiry-Vella loop. Concurrently the number of macrophages increased with time as observed by immunohistochemistry. The fraction of MHC class II negative macrophages increased in the spleens of rats treated with glutamine. In conclusion, the Thiry-Vella loop model offers possibilities of immunological as well as mechanistic studies on bacterial translocation from small intestine.

Bilayer embedded proteins are affected by stress. This general affirmation is, in this thesis, embodied by two types of proteins: membrane spandex and voltage-gated sodium channels. In this work, we essentially explore, using methods from physics, the theoretical consequences of ideas drawn from experimental biology. Membrane spandex was postulated to exist and we study the theoretical implications and possible benefits for a cell to have such proteins embedded in its bilayer. There are no specific membrane spandex proteins, rather any protein with a transition involving a large enough area change between two non-conducting states could act as spandex. Bacterial cells have osmovalve channels which open at near-lytic tensions to protect themselves against rupture. Spandex expanding at tensions just below the osmovalves’ opening tension could relieve tension enough as to avoid costly accidental osmovalve opening due to transient bilayer tension excursions. Another possible role for spandex is a tension-damper: spandex could be used to maintain bilayer tension at a fixed level. This would be useful as many bilayer embedded channels are known to be modulated by tension. The Stress/shear experienced in traumatic brain injury cause an immediate (< 2 min) and irreversible TTX-sensitive rise in axonal calcium. In situ, this underlies an untreatable condition, diffuse axonal injury. TTX sensitivity indicates that leaky voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels mediate the calcium increase. Wang et al. showed that the mammalian adult CNS Nav isoform, Nav1.6, expressed in Xenopus oocytes becomes “leaky” when subjected to bleb-inducing pipette aspiration. This “leaky” condition is caused by a hyperpolarized-shift (left-shift or towards lower potentials, typically 20 mV) of the kinetically coupled processes of activation and inactivation thus effectively degrading a well-confined window conductance into a TTX-sensitive Na leak. We propose experimental protocols to determine whether this left-shift is the result of an all-or-none or graded process and whether persistent Na currents are also left-shifted by trauma. We also use modeling to assess whether left-shifted Nav channel kinetics could lead to Na+ (and hence Ca2+ ) loading of axons and to study saltatory propagation after traumatizing a single node of Ranvier.

Biodiversity secures long term flows of benefits from nature by providing resilience to disturbance and environmental change. Nevertheless, climate change, fragmentation and habitat destruction among other anthropogenic drivers, are inadvertently, causing continued decline of global biodiversity, at a rate that is 100-1000 times more than what can be considered as natural, sending it virtually to the brink. Protected Areas (PAs) remain the core strategy for biodiversity conservation, but they have been challenged for “denying” local communities, the flow of their bona fide benefits and contributing to rural poverty, and compromising conservation as a result. Community Based Natural Resources Governance (CBNRG) responds to the challenge, but the challenge is exacerbated by the fact that a broad array of desired outcomes as well as a large range of unlinked and uncoordinated nodes of governance (actors) across multiple scales are involved in governance within the same social-ecological system. These result in failure to achieve desired conservation and development related outcomes. Furthermore, many assessments of conservation and development outcomes have often concentrated on perceived outcomes, without much attention to the desired outcomes of actors. Additionally, many studies do not investigate variability between the desired and perceived outcomes of different actors in different CBNRG systems, and within the same CBNRG system. This masks differences among actors across and within CBNRG systems and makes it difficult to gauge governance effectiveness, and probably leads to incomplete assessments CBNRG systems, and simplistic conclusions that can affect the long term credibility of CBNRG. This dissertation contributes to the discussions by focusing on five Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) in Ghana to address challenges of governance and social-ecological performance through analysis of the governance structure related to CREMAs at the local, district and regional levels. It assesses how the governance system encounters the issue of fragmentation, the problems associated with conservation and development, and weaknesses associated with measuring the viability of CBNRG systems. Data was collected through multiple methods. Document analysis and interviews were conducted to facilitate design of a survey, administered to 929 respondents across the five CREMAs. Three workshops that engaged a total of 50 participants were also conducted. Findings of the study are organized in three chapters (papers). Chapter One suggests that the form and content of multi actor linkages as presently constructed in Ghana have gaps and weaknesses such as inter alia, inadequate funding and attention to conservation and development as a distinct project. Therefore in its current configuration, CREMAs cannot achieve a balance between conservation and development. Chapter Two shows that based on a mix of factors that mediate CBNRG, significant variability in desired and perceived outcomes of actors can exist between and within different CBNRG systems. Chapter Three points to variability in the ratings of outcomes among actors in different communities within the same CBNRG system. Consequently, it is important that CBNRG considers the specific conservation and development perspectives of actors in different contexts, in order to customize Community Based Natural Resources Management strategies. / Graduate / 0366

Rising from the “excess demand” modern societies and economies place on limited road resources, congestion causes increased vehicle emissions, decreases national efficiency, and wastes time (Downs, 2004). In order to minimise congestion’s impacts, traffic management systems gather traffic data and use it to implement efficient management algorithms (Downs, 2004). This dissertation’s purpose has been the development of a distributable vehicle presence detection sensor, which will wirelessly provide vehicle presence information in real time. To address the sensor’s wireless power requirements, the feasibility of self-powering the device via harvested energy has been investigated. Piezoelectric, electrostatic, and electromagnetic energy harvesting devices’ principles of operation and underlying theory has been investigated in detail and an overview presented alongside a literature review of previous vibration energy harvesting research. An electromagnetic energy harvesting device was designed, which consists of: a nylon reinforced rubber bladder, hydraulic piston, neodymium magnets, and wire-wound coil housing. Preliminary testing demonstrated a harvested energy between 100mJ and 205mJ per axle. This amount is able to be transferred to a 100O load when driven over at speeds between 10km/h and 50km/h. Combined with an embedded circuit, the energy harvester facilitated the development of a passive sensor, which is able to wirelessly transmit a vehicle’s presence signal to a host computer. The vehicle detected event is displayed via a graphical user interface. Energy harvesting’s ability to power the embedded circuit’s wireless transmission, demonstrated the feasibility of developing systems capable of harvesting energy from their environment and using it to power discrete electronic components. The ability to wirelessly transmit a vehicle’s presence facilitates the development of distributable traffic monitoring systems, allowing for remote traffic monitoring and management.

A tecnologia sem fio (wireless) vem tomando conta do mundo. A cada dia mais pessoas estão trocando seus equipamentos com fio por equipamentos com a tecnologia wireless. Isso vem crescendo, devido as suas vantagens, tais como: facilidade de instalação e manutenção, redução de tempo de instalação de dispositivos, inexistência de estrutura de cabeamento, economia no custo de projetos, economia em infraestrutura, flexibilidade de configuração de dispositivos, economia no custo de montagem, flexibilidade na alteração de arquiteturas existentes e outros. Por essas facilidades supracitadas a área de automação industrial está também aumentando o seu interesse nessa tecnologia wireless. Nessa área, a segurança, confiabilidade e robustez dos dados são de suma importância. Então, para minimizar os efeitos das interferências geradas nesse meio são usadas técnicas de espalhamento em frequência e topologia em malha ou árvore para transmissão dos dados enviados pelos sensores aos nós roteadores até chegar ao gateway. Sendo assim, o posicionamento dos nós roteadores na rede em malha garantirá a menor influência dessas interferências. Esse trabalho propõe uma ferramenta de posicionamento de nós roteadores intermediários, chamado POSIMNET (Positioning Immune Network Rede Imunológica de Posicionamento), que auxilia o projetista da rede de automação industrial a encontrar a melhor configuração da rede sem fio. O POSIMNET é baseado nas redes imunológicas artificiais, que propõe criar n caminhos quaisquer ou disjuntos para as informações enviadas pelos nós sensores chegarem ao gateway, através da supressão, clonagem e reconfiguração de nós roteadores intermediários. Além disso, o algoritmo também é capaz de atender os critérios de baixo grau de falha e baixo número de retransmissão pelos roteadores. Esses critérios podem ser habilitados individualmente ou combinados com pesos iguais ou diferentes para cada um, a critério do usuário. A ferramenta POSIMNET é formada por dois módulos: (i) Rede Imunológica agrega elementos de dois modelos de redes imunológicas (SSAIS e AiNet); (ii) Campos Potenciais - posiciona os nós roteadores pelos campos potenciais, onde os sensores críticos os atraem enquanto que os obstáculos e outros roteadores os repelem.

O avanço na tecnologia de hardware está permitindo que máquinas SMP de 2 a 8 processadores estejam disponíveis a um custo cada vez menor, possibilitando que a incorporação de tais máquinas em aglomerados de PC's ou até mesmo a composição de um aglomerado de SMP's sejam alternativas cada vez mais viáveis para computação de alto desempenho. O grande desafio é extrair o potencial que tal conjunto de máquinas oferece. Uma alternativa é usar um paradigma híbrido de programação para aproveitar a arquitetura de memória compartilhada através de multihreadeing e utilizar o modelo de troca de mensagens para comunicação entre os nós. Contudo, essa estratégia impõe uma tarefa árdua e pouco produtiva para o programador da aplicação. Este trabalho apresenta o sistema CPAR- Cluster que oferece uma abstração de memória compartilhada no topo de um aglomerado formado por nós mono e multiprocessadores. O sistema é implementado no nível de biblioteca e não faz uso de recursos especiais tais como hardware especializado ou alteração na camada de sistema operacional. Serão apresentados os modelos, estratégias, questões de implementação e os resultados obtidos através de testes realizados com a ferramenta e que apresentaram comportamento esperado. / The advance in hardware technologies is making small configuration SMP machines (from 2 to 8 processors) available at a low cost. For this reason, the inclusion of an SMP node into a cluster of PCs or even clusters of SMPs are becoming viable alternatives for high performance computing. The challenge is the exploitation of the computational resources that these platforms provide. A Hybrid programming paradigm which uses shared memory architecture through multihreading and also message passing model for inter node communication is an alternative. However, programming in such paradigm is very hard. This thesis presents CPAR- Cluster, a runtime system, that provides shared memory abstraction on top of a cluster composed by mono and multiprocessor nodes. Its implementation is at the library level and doesn't require special resources such as particular hardware or operating system moditfications. Models, strategies, implementation aspects and results will be presented.