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The aim of this master thesis is to convey an ellaborate overview of Secure Boot, the technology used for an authentization during a platfrom boot up. Overview is followed by a description of contemporary implementations of Secure Boot found in the operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Finally, we propose a new implemenation of Secure Boot support in the systemd-boot project.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of maturity at harvest and dietary inclusion rate of triticale silage on the production performance and nutrient utilization of lactating dairy cows. The hypothesis was that the production performance of lactating dairy cows would increase when consuming triticale harvested and ensiled at the boot stage of maturity (BS), as compared to consuming triticale harvested and ensiled at the soft-dough stage of maturity (SDS), and that the difference would be greater in high-forage diets. A single field of triticale was planted, and harvested at the BS or SDS of maturity, and the harvested forage was ensiled in separate bunker silos. Eight primiparous and 16 multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to 1 of 4 diets in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 21-d periods. Cows were fed once daily (10:00 a.m.) using a Calan gate system (American Calan Inc., Northwood, NH). Diets included BS or SDS triticale silage with dietary forage inclusion of 54% (high-forage; HF) or 36% (low-forage; LF). Cows consuming diets containing BS silage produced more milk per day than cows consuming diets containing SDS silage. This response was observed when feeding both LF and HF diets. The maturity of the forage (BS vs. SDS) did not affect the apparent total tract digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) or the yield of energy-corrected milk. Cows consuming diets containing BS silage yielded more milk protein and lactose per day than cows consuming diets containing SDS silage, and we also observed this response when feeding both LF and HF diets. When fed the LF diets, cows had a higher apparent total-tract digestibility on CP and NDF, whereas apparent total-tract starch digestibility was higher in cows fed HF diets. Cows consuming LF diets exhibited higher levels of de novo fatty acid synthesis compared to those on HF diets. Feeding LF diets yielded more C14:1, C18:1 trans-9, and unknown fatty acids, while C16:0, C18:1 trans-10, CLA cis-9, trans-11, and CLA trans-10, cis-12 fatty acids yielded more in cows fed with SDS diets. Notably, CLA cis-9, trans-11, and CLA trans-10, cis-12 fatty acids were highest in SDS diets. Additionally, stearic fatty acid (C18:0) concentrations increased in HF diets and SDS silage. In conclusion, the study found that triticale maturity at harvest minimally affects dairy cow performance, with consistent milk production across harvest stages. While nutrient variations were observed, the conclusion emphasizes the importance of considering not only forage quality but also agronomic management and planting schedules for subsequent crops when deciding on harvest timing. / Master of Science / Cool-season or winter annual grasses, also known as small grain grasses, can be cultivated as cover crops to protect or improve the quality of the soil when the warm-season primary crop (e.g., corn) is not growing. These crops are grown during intervals between regular crop production periods. In the context of cover cropping in the United States, small grains are planted during the fall and winter seasons. One of these small grain crops is triticale, a hybrid resulting from the crossbreeding of wheat and rye. Whole plant triticale is ideal for preservation by ensiling due to its high level of water-soluble carbohydrates, low buffering capacity, and easily controllable moisture content. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of harvesting maturity and dietary inclusion rate of whole plant triticale silage on milk production performance and nutrient utilization of lactating dairy cows. The hypothesis was that the production performance of lactating dairy cows would increase when consuming triticale harvested and ensiled at the boot stage of maturity (BS), as compared to consuming triticale harvested and ensiled at the soft-dough stage of maturity (SDS), which is more advanced in maturity. A single field of triticale was planted, harvested at either BS or SDS and ensiled in separate bunker silos. Twenty-four Holstein cows were grouped by days in milk and daily milk production in groups of 4 cows each, and each group was assigned to one of four experimental diets. Regardless of inclusion rate, cows consuming BS diets yielded more milk, milk protein, and lactose than did cows on SDS diets and for milk yield, we observed this response when feeding both LF and HF diets. The maturity at harvest did not affect dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, or starch digestibility of the diets. Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility were higher in cows consuming low-forage diets than in cows consuming high-forage diets, whereas starch apparent total-tract digestibility was higher in cows fed HF diets. In conclusion, the study found that triticale maturity at harvest minimally affects dairy cow performance, with consistent milk production across harvest stages. While nutrient variations were observed, the conclusion emphasizes the importance of considering not only forage quality but also agronomic management and planting schedules for subsequent crops when deciding on harvest timing.

The transition from medical school to residency is often considered the most difficult year for both teachers and learners. Learners report feeling underprepared, and some researchers have identified a decrease in patient safety during the first month of residency. These factors suggest learners could be better supported during this transition period. Previous research demonstrates that boot camps (BCs) at the onset of residency can improve learners’ confidence, knowledge, and some technical skills. However, little information has been published on how those BCs were developed and implemented, why BCs only improve some skills and not others, or the long-term impacts of BC programs. We used a Context, Input, Process, and Product program evaluation framework to develop, implement, and evaluate a simulation-based BC for novice surgical trainees that was aligned with the recent shift towards competency-based models of medical education. Next, we used a Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods approach to explore the longer-term impacts of the BC program. Lastly, we explored how effectively the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), a “gold standard” measure of learner competence that was used in the BC program, truly captures clinical performance of novice trainees. This work demonstrates that incorporating a BC at the onset of residency can improve residents’ confidence and skill for up to two years into training, although adherence to sound pedagogical principles is critical. The BC also provided residents with the opportunity to participate in role clarification, acculturation, and social integration. Finally, we demonstrate that OSCEs may not always be the best way to measure BC effectiveness. The data presented in this thesis will provide educators with new insights on how to create and evaluate successful BC programs to support learners through the transition to residency; highlight new approaches for evaluating educational initiatives; and prompt a conversation about how assessment is being used in medical education. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / From day one, new doctors are expected to adapt to new training environments, manage increased workloads, and make decisions about patient care, while working longer hours, and with less support than they had as medical students. As such, research suggests that new doctors often feel underprepared and stressed when entering residency. Furthermore, the ‘July Effect’, which suggests that fatal medical errors rise by 10% in the first month of residency compared with all other months, suggests that something needs to change. In this thesis, we sought to improve the way that surgical training programs approach the transition into residency, and look at the long-term impacts of these changes. Through three interrelated studies, we provide educators with information on how to develop, implement, and evaluate a simulation-based boot camp for new doctors; highlight new approaches for evaluating educational initiatives; and revisit how assessment is being used in medical education.

ABSTRACT Theme of the thesis is the design method of anti-virus protection with the use of an alternative boot store. Processed is a related issue of viruses and the possibility of defenses against them. This thesis is focused on the design and selection of components solutions enabling the execution of antivirus test from the undistorted by the operating system. With selected components continues to realize an alternative booting the operating system from a Windows platform computer network with automatic virus checking of all local disks. The results of inspection are transmitted using signed files on a network server and typically give an overview of the results of the individual tests.

This thesis describes the design and implementation of a Linux-based, Web-oriented operating system called Awesom-O, designed with a focus on short boot time and small disk footprint. Among other techniques for lowering boot time, a semi-automatic method for generating a Linux kernel of minimal size for a given platform is developed, making use of an interpreter for the Linux kernel’s configuration language, Kconfig. The boot process of the finished system is analyzed to identify limiting factors in lowering its boot time further, and techniques for overcoming these are suggested. Excluding the initial BIOS stage of the boot process, the boot time of the finished system—up until it is idling inside the web browser interface waiting for user input—is 3.8 seconds (2.1 seconds to a shell prompt, 1.7 seconds in the kernel) on an Acer Travelmate 8200 laptop with an Intel Core Duo CPU at 2.0 GHz and a Momentus 5400.2 SATA (ST9120821AS) hard drive; 2.4 seconds (1.6 seconds to a shell prompt, 1.1 seconds in the kernel) on a Celsius M460 workstation with an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU at 2.5 GHz and a Barracuda 7200.11 SATA hard drive (ST3500320AS); 4.6 and 4.0 seconds respectively for the same systems when booting from a USB 2.0 device (a ChipsBank CBM2080 USB 2.0 stick); and 12.6 seconds on the BeagleBoard (8 seconds in the bootloader—an obvious area for future improvement). The Web functionality in Awesom-O is implemented atop the Opera Linux Devices SDK: a software framework for integrating web browser functionality in small Linux-based systems.

Context. For computer forensic investigations, the necessity of unmodified data content is of vital essence. The solution presented in this paper is based on a trusted chain of execution, that ensures that only authorized software can run. In the study, the proposed application operates in an UEFI environment where it has a direct access to physical memory, which can be extracted and stored on a secondary storage medium for further analysis. Objectives. The aim is to perform this task while being sheltered from influence from a potentially contaminated operating system. Methods. By identifying key components and establishing the foundation for a trusted environment where the memory imaging tool can, unhindered, operate and produce a reliable result Results. Three distinct states where trust can be determined has been identified and a method for entering and traversing them is presented. Conclusions. Tools that does not follow the trusted model might be subjected to subversion, thus they might be considered inadequate when performing memory extraction for forensic purposes.

The viability of firmware engineering on a lower-tier computer manufacturer (OEM) level, where the OEM receives processor and chipset components second hand, was investigated. It was believed that safer and more reliable operation of an embedded system would be achieved if system startup times were minimised. Theoretical knowledge of firmware engineering, methods and standards for the x86 platform was compiled and evaluated. The practical aspects of firmware engineering were investigated through the construction of an open source boot loader for a rugged, closed-box embedded x86 Intel system using Coreboot and Seabios. The boot loader was compared with the original firmware and the startup times were found to be reduced ninefold from entry vector to operating system handover. Firmware engineering was found to be a complex field stretching from computer science to electrical engineering. Firmware development on a lower-tier OEM level was found to be possible, provided that the proper documentation could be obtained. To this end, the boot loader prototype was proof of concept. This allowed an alternative, open-source oriented model for firmware development to be proposed. Ultimately, each product use case needed to be individually evaluated in terms of requirements, cost and ideology.

The main subject of this thesis is implementation of operating system based on Linux kernel. The thesis demonstrates ARM architecture and the programming model of this architecture very briefly. Then it explains initialization process of most significant peripherals including serial interfaces and memory controllers and describes booting process form NAND, NOR memory and UART interface. At the end it shows compiling procedures necessary for building u-boot and kernel.

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