Αντικείμενο της διπλωματικής εργασίας αποτελεί η μελέτη και ανάλυση των μεθόδων διόρθωσης λαθών με χρήση κώδικα BCH που μπορούν να εφαρμοστούν σε συστήματα αποθήκευσης πληροφορίας τεχνολογίας PCM (Phase-Change Memory). Η τεχνολογία PCM αποτελεί μία νέα τεχνολογία που υπόσχεται υψηλές χωρητικότητες, χαμηλή κατανάλωση ισχύος και μπορεί να εφαρμοστεί είτε σε συσκευές αποθήκευσης σταθερής κατάστασης (Solid State Drives) είτε σε μνήμες τυχαίας προσπέλασης (Random-Access Memories), παρέχοντας μία εναλλακτική πρόταση έναντι μνημών τεχνολογίας flash και DRAM. Ένα από τα μειονεκτήματα της τεχνολογίας PCM είναι η ανθεκτικότητα εγγραφής (write endurance), η οποία μπορεί να βελτιωθεί με τη χρήση μεθόδων διόρθωσης λαθών που θα παρατείνουν τον χρόνο ζωής της συσκευής όταν, λόγω της φυσικής φθοράς του μέσου, αρχίσουν να υπάρχουν σφάλματα στα αποθηκευμένα δεδομένα. Για την εφαρμογή της διόρθωσης λαθών μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν κώδικες BCH, οι οποίοι αποτελούν μια κλάση ισχυρών κυκλικών κωδίκων διόρθωσης τυχαίων λαθών, και κατασκευάζονται με χρήση της άλγεβρας πεπερασμένων πεδίων. Οι κώδικες BCH είναι ιδανικοί για διόρθωση λαθών σε συσκευές αποθήκευσης πληροφορίας όπου η κατανομή των λαθών είναι τυχαία. Αρκετοί αλγόριθμοι έχουν προταθεί για τις λειτουργίες αποδοτικής κωδικοποίησης και αποκωδικοποίησης κωδίκων BCH. Στην παρούσα εργασία μελετήθηκαν λύσεις που μπορούν να υλοποιηθούν με παράλληλες αρχιτεκτονικές, ενώ ειδικότερα για την λειτουργία αποκωδικοποίησης έγινε χρήση ενός παράλληλου αλγορίθμου που δεν χρειάζεται αντιστροφείς πεπερασμένου πεδίου για την επίλυση των εξισώσεων των συνδρόμων, επιτυγχάνοντας υψηλές συχνότητες λειτουργίας. Για την κατανόηση των λειτουργιών κωδικοποίησης και αποκωδικοποίησης απαιτείται η προσεκτική μελέτη της άλγεβρας πεπερασμένων πεδίων και της αριθμητικής της. Οι κώδικες BCH προσφέρουν πλεονεκτήματα όπως χαμηλή πολυπλοκότητα και ύπαρξη αποδοτικών μονάδων υλοποίησης σε υλικό. Στην παρούσα εργασία σχεδιάστηκαν ένας παράλληλος κωδικοποιητής και ένας παράλληλος αποκωδικοποιητής για τον κώδικα BCH(728,688). Τα δύο συστήματα υλοποιήθηκαν ως περιφερειακά σε ενσωματωμένο σύστημα βασισμένο σε επεξεργαστή MicroBlaze, με έμφαση σε μια καλή σχέση μεταξύ της συχνότητας λειτουργίας και των απαιτήσεων σε επιφάνεια υλικού και κατανάλωση ισχύος. Για την υλοποίηση χρησιμοποιήθηκε συσκευή FPGA σειράς Virtex-6. / The objective of this thesis is the study and analysis of BCH error-correction methods that can be applied on PCM (Phase-Change Memory) storage devices. PCM is a new technology that promises high capacities, low power consumption and can be applied either on Solid State Drives or on Random Access Memories, providing an alternative to flash and DRAM memories. However, PCM suffers from limited write endurance, which can be increased using error-correction schemes that will extend the lifetime of the device when, due to medium wear-out, errors start to appear in the written data. Thus, BCH codes (powerful cyclic random multiple error-correcting codes) can be employed. BCH codes are ideal for ECC (Error-Correction Coding) in storage devices, due to their fault model which is random noise. Several algorithms have been proposed for the efficient coding and decoding BCH codes. In the present thesis parallel implementations where studied. For the decoding process in particular, a parallel algorithm was used that does not require finite field inverter units to solve the syndrome equations, achieving high operation frequencies. For the understanding of BCH coding and decoding processes, basic knowledge of the finite field algebra and arithmetic is required. BCH codes offer advantages such as low complexity and efficient hardware implementations. In the present thesis a parallel BCH(728,688) encoder and a parallel BCH(728,688) decoder were designed. The above systems were implemented as peripherals on an MicroBlaze-based embedded system, with emphasis on an optimal tradeoff between area and power consumption. A Virtex-6 FPGA device was used for the final stages of the implementation.

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / AIM:The aim of this study was to review the data available from the Department of Health(DOH), on pre-school paediatric patients treated under Dental General Anaesthesia(DGA), at public health facilities in the Western Cape (WC) in order to ascertain the type and nature of treatment provided.METHODOLOGY:This retrospective descriptive study reviewed the records on the Department of Health(DoH) Database of 16 732 pre-school patients treated under dental general anaesthesia in the period 1 January 2005 until 31 December 2007. A questionnaire was also completed telephonically with 22 dentists from the district dental health clinics.Summary descriptive statistics were calculated from data collected and comparisons were drawn between services available at the health districts and academic hospitals.RESULTS:Of the 58 255 procedures recorded for pre-school patients in the district health clinics in the Western Cape, 99.94% were for extractions provided and 0.5% for restorations.The average number of teeth extracted was 10.4 (SD ±3.9).The average rate of DGA per 1000 of the population was 1.06. Only 9% (2) of dentists at district clinics reported that pre-DGA prevention was provided and 5% (1) reported including post-DGA prevention. The Academic Hospital at Tygerberg Oral Health Centre was the only facility in the Western Cape that provided comprehensive dental treatment for pre-school patients which included restorations, extractions, pre and post DGA prevention. Red Cross Children’s Hospital provided treatment for pre-school patients under DGA that included extractions, pre- and post DGA, but no restorative treatment. CONCLUSION:The demand for DGA in pre-school patients in the WC was high. The lack of prevention associated with DGA in the public health service is the most likely reason the retreatment rate under DGA was reported by dentists as being 77%. There was an absence of protocol regarding DGA for pre-school patients in the public health service.RECOMMENDATIONS:Guidelines formulated were recommended for use in the public service for pre-school patients being treated under DGA and includes the provision of preventive interventions such as regular topical fluoride applications, oral hygiene instruction and dietary advice.

The thesis describes the design of scheme for access system with user authentication via smart cards. The first chapter explains various types of identification items used for authentication of users and different types of readers and terminals, followed by chapter 2 with a deeper insight on smart cards with focus on their types, what internal structure and principle of communication with card readers are used, etc. with primary focus on Java cards. The third chapter describes Java Card cryptography - especially elliptic curve cryptography used on this platform. The fourth part focuses on PACE protocol with subsections dedicated to the individual parts of the protocol and its applicability to smart cards environment. Chapter 5 explains the proposed design of the authentication scheme elaborated in the thesis, including a detailed description of specific parts, their funcionality and exemplary usage in the created applications.

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are being used more frequently in space applications because of their reconfigurability and intensive processing capabilities. FPGAs in environments like space are susceptible to ionizing radiation which can cause Single Event Upsets (SEUs) in the FPGA's configuration memory. These upsets may cause the programmed user design on the FPGA to deviate from its normal behavior. Space missions cannot afford to allow important data processing applications to become corrupted due to these radiation upsets.Configuration scrubbing is an upset mitigation technique that detects and corrects upsets in an FPGA's configuration memory. Configuration scrubbing periodically monitors an FPGA's configuration memory utilizing mechanisms such as Error Correction Codes (ECCs), Cyclic Redundancy Checks (CRCs), a protected golden file, and partial reconfiguration to detect and correct upset memory bits. This work presents improved Xilinx 7-Series configuration scrubbing architectures that achieve minimal hardware footprints, competitive performance metrics, and robust detection and correction capabilities. The two principal scrubbing architectures presented in this work are the readback and hybrid scrubbers which detect and correct Single Bit Upsets (SBUs) and Multi-Bit Upsets (MBUs). Harnessing the performance advantages granted by the 7-Series internal Readback CRC scan, a hybrid scrubber built in software for the Zynq XZC07020 FPGA has been measured to correct SBUs in 8.024 ms, even-numbered MBUs in 13.38 ms, and odd-numbered MBUs in 21.40 ms. It can also perform a full readback scrub of the entire device in under two seconds. These scrubbing architectures were validated in radiation beam tests, where one of the architectures corrected MBUs as large as sixteen bits in a single frame.

Optical Transport Network is a set of Optical Network Elements (NE) connected by optical fiber links able to provide support for optical networking using Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (WDM). In order to be able to introduce link-level applications that require NE-to-NE communication in a packet-optical network, an embedded communication channel is needed. Examples of such applications are dual-ended protection, remote configurationand path trace. By implementing a NE-to-NE communication channel, the exchange of commands and information will allow for implementation of applications that will increase the data link stability in the network. The purpose of this work has been to prove the feasibility of such a channel. This thesis discusses the possibilities of implementing such a channel adjusted to Transmode's layer 1 products without causing disturbance inthe regular traffic or affecting any existing embedded communication. It also proves the channels function in a proof-of-concept manner by demonstrating a simple Path trace application run upon an implementation of the channel on hardware. The chosen solution is an Embedded Communication Channel driver intended to provide termination points for an Embedded Communication Channel (ECC), supervising the connectivity of the channel and relay messages to applications. This thesis project has been carried out at Infinera Corporation (earlier Transmode Systems AB) during summer/autumn 2015.

Security of cryptographic algorithms relies on the computational difficulty of deriving the secret key using public information. Cryptanalysis, including logical and implementation attacks, plays an important role in allowing the security community to estimate their cost, based on the computational resources of an attacker. Practical implementations of cryptanalytic systems require complex designs that integrate multiple functional components with many parameters. In this thesis, methodologies are proposed to improve the design process of cryptanalytic systems and reduce the cost of design space exploration required for optimization. First, Bluespec, a rule-based HDL, is used to increase the abstraction level of hardware design and support efficient design space exploration. Bluespec is applied to implement a hardware-accelerated logical attack on ECC with optimized modular arithmetic components. The language features of Bluespec support exploration and this is demonstrated by applying Bluespec to investigate the speed area tradeoff resulting from various design parameters and demonstrating performance that is competitive with prior work. This work also proposes a testing environment for use in verifying the implementation attack resistance of secure systems. A modular design approach is used to provide separation between the device being tested and the test script, as well as portability, and openness. This yields an open-source solution that supports implementation attack testing independent of the system platform, implementation details, and type of attack under evaluation. The suitability of the proposed test environment for implementation attack vulnerability analysis is demonstrated by applying the environment to perform an implementation attack on AES. The design of complex cryptanalytic hardware can greatly benefit from better design methodologies and the results presented in this thesis advocate the importance of this aspect. / Master of Science

No description available.

Introdução. A Aprotinina parece reduzir o uso de transfusões, o processo inflamatório e o dano miocárdico, pós-CEC. Material e Métodos. Estudo prospectivo randomizado em crianças de 30 dias a 4 anos de idade, submetidas à correção de cardiopatia congênita acianogênica, com CEC e divididas em dois grupos, um denominado Controle (n=9) e o outro, Aprotinina (n=10). Neste, a droga foi administrada imediatamente antes da CEC. A resposta inflamatória sistêmica e disfunções hemostáticas e multiorgânicas foram analisadas por marcadores clínicos e bioquímicos. Foram consideradas significantes as diferenças com p<0,05. Resultados. Os grupos foram semelhantes quanto às variáveis demográficas e intra-operatórias, exceto por maior hemodiluição no Grupo Aprotinina. Não houve benefício quanto aos tempos de ventilação pulmonar mecânica, permanência no CTIP e hospitalar, nem quanto ao uso de inotrópicos e função renal. A relação PaO2/FiO2 (pressão parcial de oxigênio arterial/fração inspirada de oxigênio) apresentou queda significativa com 24 h PO, no Grupo Controle. Ocorreu preservação da concentração plaquetária com a Aprotinina enquanto no grupo Controle houve plaquetopenia desde o início da CEC. As perdas sangüíneas foram semelhantes nos dois grupos. No grupo Aprotinina surgiu leucopenia significativa, em CEC, seguida de leucocitose. Fator de necrose tumoral alfa (TNF-) , Interleucinas (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, proporção IL-6/IL-10, troponina I cardíaca (cTnI), fração MB da creatinofosfoquinase (CKMB), transaminase glutâmico-oxalacética (TGO) e fração amino-terminal do peptídio natriurético tipo B (NT-proBNP) não apresentaram diferenças marcantes intergrupos. A proporção IL-6/IL-10 PO aumentou no grupo Controle. A lactatemia e acidose metabólica pós-CEC foi mais intensa no grupo Aprotinina. Não houve complicações com o uso da Aprotinina. Conclusão. A Aprotinina não minimizou as manifestações clínicas e os marcadores séricos de resposta inflamatória sistêmica e miocárdicos, mas preservou quantitativamente as plaquetas. / Introduction. Aprotinin seems to reduce the need for transfusion, the inflammatory process and myocardial damage after extracorporeal circulation (ECC). Material and Methods. A prospective randomized study was conducted on children aged 30 days to 4 years submitted to correction of acyanogenic congenital heart disease with ECC and divided into two groups: Control (n=9) and Aprotinin (n=10). In the Aprotinin Group the drug was administered immediately before ECC and the systemic inflammatory response and hemostatic and multiorgan dysfunctions were analyzed on the basis of clinical and biochemical markers. Differences were considered to be significant when P<0.05. Results. The groups were similar regarding demographic and intraoperative variables, except for a greater hemodilution in the Aprotinin Group. The drug had no benefit regarding time of mechanical pulmonary ventilation, permanence in the postoperative ICU and length of hospitalization, or regarding the use of inotropic drugs and renal function. The partial arterial oxygen pressure/inspired oxygen fraction ratio (PaO2/FiO2) was significantly reduced 24 h after surgery in the Control Group. Platelet concentration was preserved with the use of Aprotinin, whereas thrombocytopenia occurred in the Control Group since the beginning of ECC. Blood loss was similar for both groups. Significant leukopenia was observed in the Aprotinin Group during ECC, followed by leukocytosis. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-), interleukins (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-6/IL-10 ratio, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase MB fraction (CKMB), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and the aminoterminal fraction of natriuretic peptide type B (NT-proBNP) ndid not differ significantly between groups.The postoperative IL-6/IL-10 fraction increased significantly in the Control Group. Post-ECC blood lactate concentration and metabolic acidosis was more intense in the Aprotinin Group. There were no complications with the use of Aprotinin. Conclusion. Aprotinin did not minimize the clinical manifestations or serum markers of the inflammatory, systemic and myocardial response, but quantitatively preserved the platelets.

Cryptography algorithms like the Advanced Encryption Standard, Elliptic Curve Cryptography algorithms etc are designed using algebraic properties of finite fields. Thus performance of these algorithms depend on performance of the underneath field operations. Moreover, different algorithms use finite fields of widely varying order. In order to cater to these finite fields of different orders in an area efficient manner, it is necessary to design solutions in the form of hardware-consolidations, keeping the performance requirements in mind. Due to their small area occupancy and high utilization, such circuits are less likely to stay idle and therefore are less prone to loss of energy due to leakage power dissipation. There is another class of applications that rely on finite field algebra namely the various error detection and correction techniques. Most of the classical block codes used for detection of bit-error in communications over noisy communication channels apply the algebraic properties of finite fields. Cyclic redundancy check is one such algorithm used for detection of error in data in computer network. Reed-Solomon code is most notable among classical block codes because of its widespread use in storage devices like CD, DVD, HDD etc. In this work we present the architecture of a polymorphic multiplier for operations over various extensions of GF(2). We evolved the architecture of a textbook shift-and-add multiplier to arrive at the architecture of the polymorphic multiplier through a generalized mathematical formulation. The polymorphic multiplier is capable of morphing itself in runtime to create data-paths for multiplications of various orders. In order to optimally exploit the resources, we also introduced the capability of sub-word parallel execution in the polymorphic multiplier. The synthesis results of an instance of such a polymorphic multipliershowsabout41% savings in area with 21% degradation in maximum operating frequency compared to a collection of dedicated multipliers with equivalent functionality. We introduced the multiplier as an accelerator unit for field operations in the coarse grained runtime reconfigurable platform called REDEFINE. We observed about 40-50% improvement in performance of the AES algorithm and about 52×improvement in performance of Karatsuba-Ofman multiplication algorithm.

Les réseaux de capteurs sans fil (RCSF) sont devenus un thème porteur aussi bien pour la recherche académique que pour les activités des services de R&D en raison de leur simplicité de déploiement et de leur potentiel applicatif dans des domaines très variés (militaire, environnemental, industriel). Un RCSF est composé d'un ensemble de noeuds devant être opérationnels et autonomes énergétiquement pour de longues périodes. De ce fait ils sont limités en capacité mémoire et de calcul, et contraint à exploiter une faible puissance de transmission, ce qui en limite leur portée et rend leur débit modeste. Le besoin de sécuriser les communications dans un RCSF dépend de la criticité des données échangées pour l'application supportée. La solution doit reposer sur des échanges sûrs, confidentiels et fiables. Pour assurer la sécurisation des échanges, des techniques de cryptographie existent dans la littérature. Conçues à l'origine pour des réseaux informatiques majoritairement câblés, elles se basent généralement sur des algorithmes complexes et gourmands en ressource. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, nous avons proposé, implémenté et évalué une architecture sécurisée et dynamique adaptée aux communications des RCSF. Elle permet de garantir et de maintenir la sécurité des communications durant toute la durée de vie d'un réseau multi-saut. Nous avons utilisé et adapté des algorithmes standards de cryptographie, tels que AES-CTR et la suite d'algorithmes basée sur ECC, qui permettent à notre architecture de résister à la majorité d'attaques. Nous avons quantifié le surcoût en temps de calcul et en occupation mémoire de notre solution. Les résultats d'implémentation de notre proposition sont issus de mesures réelles faites sur une maquette réalisée à partir de cartes TelosB.