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Modern computer systems require efficient data transfers involving memory in order to get the best possible performance. However, even the most optimized CPUs take too long to access memory regions, which takes time away from doing the typical computations that a CPU is designed to do. To solve this, Direct Memory Access (DMA) is used, which allows peripherals and other hardware accelerators, such as stand-alone DMA Controllers (DMACs), to read and write memory without CPU intervention. However, DMA introduces security problems in which attackers are able to leak data and overwrite critical system components by bypassing typical operating system security mechanisms. This thesis presents a case study to model as well as verify DMA device driver code in HOL4, which is an interactive theorem prover (ITP) used for machine-checked verification. This thesis verifies parts of Intel's IXGBE X550 device driver, which is a complex, 10 Gbit Network Interface Card (NIC). This verification takes the first significant step towards proving that the DMA device driver configures the DMA device such that it preserves memory isolation, which ensures that only memory that is intended to be readable and writable will be accessed. This thesis also provides a formal method to verify that a loop terminates under all possible cases. This can be used to further verify the correctness of a DMA driver. These contributions allow for the overall increased security of memory when using DMA device drivers that are verified by this approach, leading to the hindrance of attacks on systems utilizing DMA. / Master of Science / Modern computer systems use Direct Memory Accesses (DMAs) in order to offload the CPU from doing memory transfers. However, this poses the problem that the CPU is not able to monitor every memory access made through DMA. This can lead to attackers utilizing vulnerabilities in the device drivers used to perform DMA operations. This thesis addresses this problem by modeling and verifying properties of a device driver that will prove that the driver configures DMA such that it is isolated. This thesis also models and verifies a loop to ensure that it terminates, further verifying the correctness of a function in a device driver. These contributions are significant because they allow for increased security of a computer system's memory, reducing the likelihood of attacks.

The global progression towards sustainable energy, materials and chemicals requires novel and improved analytical tools to understand and optimize lignocellulosic biomass utilization. In an effort to advance lignocellulose characterization, gain insights into biomass processing, and obtain novel perspectives on cell wall ultrastructure, this study utilizes three principal polymer characterization techniques, namely compressive-torsion dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), deuterium quadrupolar nuclear magnetic resonance (2H NMR) and rheo-infrared spectroscopy. A novel parallel-plate compressive-torsion DMA protocol is developed to analyze very small solvent-plasticized biomass specimens with or without mechanical integrity. The benefits and limitations of this technique are demonstrated by comparing it to a conventional tensile-torsion DMA while analyzing various solvent-plasticized lignocelluloses. The rheology of wood in various organic solvents is studied through dynamic thermal scans, Time/temperature superposition (TTS) and fragility analysis. Plasticizing solvents and wood grain orientation significantly affected the lignin glass-transition temperature. Dynamic TTS reveals that while all storage modulus data shift smoothly, the thermorheological complexity of solvent-plasticized wood becomes evident in loss component master curves. It is argued that the plasticized lignocellulose TTS is insightful and potentially useful, although it fails to satisfy the classic TTS validity criteria. Subsequently, it is justified that the fragility analysis is a better suited treatment than the WLF model to investigate cooperative segmental motions of plasticized wood. Deuterium quadrupolar NMR reveals a new perspective on the orientation of amorphous wood polymers and two distinct amorphous polymer domains: a highly oriented phase in the S2 layer of the secondary cell wall and an isotropic phase postulated to occur in the compound middle lamella (CML). If the origin of the isotropic phase is confirmed to arise from the CML, then this technique provides a way to independently investigate the morphology and phase dynamics of CML and S2 in an intact tissue, and should bring novel insights into deconstructive strategies specific to the oriented and unoriented domains. Finally the effects of a wood-adhesion promoter (hydroxymethyl resorcinol, HMR) on in-situ wood polymers are studied to elucidate the still unresolved HMR-lignocellulose interactions. DMA, creep-TTS and 2H NMR reveal that HMR increases the crosslink density and restricts the mobility of wood amorphous phase. Rheo-IR spectroscopy shows that the molecular stress-transfer mechanism is altered within the wood cell wall. / Ph. D.

Yes / The viscoelastic nature of polymeric formulations utilised in drug products imparts unique thermomechanical attributes during manufacturing and over the shelf life of the product. Nevertheless, it adds to the challenge of understanding the precise mechanistic behaviour of the product at the microscopic and macroscopic level during each step of the process. Current thermomechanical and rheological characterisation techniques are limited to assessing polymer performance to a single phase and are especially hindered when the polymers are undergoing thermomechanical transitions. Since pharmaceutical processing can occur at these transition conditions, this study successfully proposes a thermomechanical characterisation approach combining both mechanical and rheological data to construct a comprehensive profiling of polymeric materials spanning both glassy and rubbery phases. This approach has been used in this study to assess the mechanical and rheological behaviour of heterogenous polymer blends of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) over a shearing rate range of 0.1–100 s−1 and a temperature range of 30–200 °C. The results indicate that HPC and HPMC do not appear to interact when mixing and that their mixture exhibits the mechanistic properties of the two individual polymers in accordance with their ratio in the mixture. The ability to characterise the behaviour of the polymers and their mixtures before, throughout, and after the glassy to rubbery phase transition by application of the combined techniques provides a unique insight towards a quality-by-design approach to this and other polymer-based solid dosage forms, designed with the potential to accelerate their formulation process through obviating the need for multiple formulation trials.

Dans une perspective de psychologie développementale appliquée à l’objet Écrit, la recherche présentée dans cette thèse s’articule autour de deux grands temps et notions : l’évaluation des compétences à l’Écrit d’une part et la remédiation des difficultés sur l’Écrit d’autre part. Le concept d’appropriation de l’Écrit développé par Besse constitue la base de ce travail et permet de faire le lien entre ces deux dimensions, en prenant en compte le rapport à l’Écrit dans sa globalité (aspects cognitifs, sociaux ou plus personnels). Dans un premier temps, les compétences et représentations de l’Écrit de 159 enfants scolarisés à l’école élémentaire sont mises en évidence à l’aide des outils DMA-Enfants (rencontres individuelles autour d’activités sur le lire-écrire-parler). Les analyses et observations alors conduites ont permis de suivre le développement des compétences en lecture-écriture et le cheminement sur l’Écrit des enfants du CP au CM2. Différents profils sur l’Écrit ont également été identifiés, venant notamment souligner les particularités des enfants en difficulté sur l’Écrit. Dans un second temps, 21 enfants de CM2 ont participé pendant trois mois à des ateliers de remédiation sur l’Écrit autour du Journal Scolaire, visant à les accompagner vers une autre réflexion et appropriation de l’Écrit. Les résultats obtenus sont encourageants et témoignent d’une certaine influence de la remédiation sur les représentations et les comportements face à l’Écrit des enfants concernés. / This doctoral research on the Written language takes place in the field of developmental psychology. It can be focused on two main concepts and two main steps: reading and writing skills assessment on one hand, remediation of difficulties on the other hand. The reading and writing appropriation concept developed by Besse is used to link assessment and remediation and the Written language in all its dimensions (cognitive, social and more personal aspects) is taken into account. Based upon the use of the DMA method, 159 children from 1st to 5th grade were first met individually and activities relating to reading, writing and oral skills were proposed to highlight their Written language skills and representations. We were able to monitor the progress and we could analyze the development of reading and writing skills throughout elementary school. Different profiles of reading and writing skills were also identified, especially to differentiate children having problems with Written language.In a second step, remediation workshops were set up for three months with 21 5th grade children. The purpose was writing articles for the school newspaper in order to support children to another thought and appropriation of the Written language. The results are encouraging : they show some influence of remediation on representations and behaviors about reading and writing.

Populaere Betriebssysteme (Windows XP, UNIX) sind in heutiger Zeit meist monolithisch aufgebaut. Durch immer neue nachgewiesene Sicherheitslücken in Kern und Anwendungen wird eindrucksvoll belegt, dass monolithische Architekturen den heutigen Sicherheitsanforderungen nicht mehr gewachsen sind. Dennoch kann man auf die reichhaltige Basis an Anwendungen heutiger Betriebssysteme nicht verzichten. Als Ausweg werden herkoemmliche Betriebssysteme isoliert in einer vertrauenswuerdigen Umgebung ausgeführt. Eine in letzter Zeit immer populaerere Methode zur Kapselung besteht in der Virtualisierung mit verschiedenen Auspraegungen. Mit L4Linux wurde 1997 erstmals nachgewiesen, dass die Ausfuehrung eines Standard-Betriebssystems auf einem Mikrokern (manchmal auch Para-Virtualisierung genannt) nicht zwangslaeufig zu inakzeptablen Mehrkosten an Laufzeit fuehren muss. Bei Einsatz von gebraeuchlicher Standardhardware muessen allerdings eine Reihe von Problemen geloest werden, unter anderem der uneingeschraenkte Zugriff von Geraeten auf den physischen Adressraum mittels DMA. Im Rahmen der Arbeit wird ein allgemeines Modell von IO-Adressraeumen als Erweiterung der virtuellen Adressraeume der CPU eingefuehrt und gezeigt, wie mittels Teil-Virtualisierung von Geraeten IO-Adressraeume in Software emuliert werden koennen. Weiterhin werden anhand von L4Linux Moeglichkeiten eroertert und implementiert, wie Betriebssystem-Kerne vollstaendig gezaehmt und insbesondere ohne IO-Privilegien ausgefuehrt werden koennen. Im Kapitel "Leistungsbewertung" erfolgt eine umfangreiche Evaluation der Implementierung anhand von L4Linux 2.2.

In recent years, a compound N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a probable human carcinogen, has been identified as an emerging disinfection by-product (DBP) since its formation and detection were linked to chlorine-based disinfection processes in several water utilities in the U.S. and Canada. Numerous organic nitrogen compounds present in water may impact the formation of NDMA during disinfection. Amine-based water treatment polymers used as coagulants and flocculants have been suggested as potential NDMA precursors due to the presence of amine functional groups in their structures, as well as the possible presence of dimethylamine (DMA) residues in polymer products. To minimize the potential risk of NDMA associated with water treatment polymers, the mechanisms of how the polymers behave as NDMA precursors and their contribution to the overall NDMA formation under actual water treatment conditions need to be elucidated. This research involved a systematic investigation to determine whether amine-based water treatment polymers contribute to NDMA formation under drinking water and wastewater treatment conditions, to probe the involved reaction mechanisms, and to develop strategies to minimize the polymers NDMA formation potential. The investigation included five research tasks: (1) General screening of NDMA formation potential of commonly used amine-based water treatment polymers, (2) NDMA formation from amine-based water treatment polymers under relevant water treatment conditions, (3) Probing the mechanisms of NDMA formation from polyamine and PolyDADMAC, (4) Effect of water treatment processes on NDMA formation from amine-based water treatment polymers, and (5) Developing strategies to reduce polymers NDMA formation potential. Direct chloramination or chlorination of high doses of polymers in deionized water at longer than typical contact time was used in the general screening of the NDMA formation potential of water treatment polymers and in the studies to identify reaction mechanisms. On the other hand, realistic dosages of chloramines and polymers and contact time were used in simulating representative water treatment conditions to evaluate the contribution of polymers to the overall NDMA formation in real systems. On the basis of the study results, strategies were developed to reduce the NDMA formation potential of amine-based water treatment polymers, which include modification of polymer structures and treatment parameters.