Static provisioning of storage resources may lead to over-provisioning of resources, which increases costs, or under-provisioning, which runs the risk of violating application-level QoS goals. Toward this end, virtualization technologies have made automated provisioning of storage resources easier allowing more effective management of the resources. In this work, we present an approach that suggests a series of dynamic provisioning decisions to meet the I/O demands of a time-varying workload while avoiding unnecessary costs and Service Level Objective (SLO) violations. We also do a case-study to analyze the practical feasibility of dynamic provisioning and the associated performance effects in a virtualized environment, which forms the basis of our approach. Our approach is able to suggest the optimal provisioning decisions, for a given workload, that minimize cost and meet the SLO. We evaluate the approach using workload data obtained from real systems to demonstrate its cost-effectiveness, sensitivity to various system parameters, and runtime feasibility for use in real systems.

Static provisioning of storage resources may lead to over-provisioning of resources, which increases costs, or under-provisioning, which runs the risk of violating application-level QoS goals. Toward this end, virtualization technologies have made automated provisioning of storage resources easier allowing more effective management of the resources. In this work, we present an approach that suggests a series of dynamic provisioning decisions to meet the I/O demands of a time-varying workload while avoiding unnecessary costs and Service Level Objective (SLO) violations. We also do a case-study to analyze the practical feasibility of dynamic provisioning and the associated performance effects in a virtualized environment, which forms the basis of our approach. Our approach is able to suggest the optimal provisioning decisions, for a given workload, that minimize cost and meet the SLO. We evaluate the approach using workload data obtained from real systems to demonstrate its cost-effectiveness, sensitivity to various system parameters, and runtime feasibility for use in real systems.

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Many sports biomechanics research studies follow a traditional task analysis concept that there is only one best possible movement pattern and thus focus on the examination of kinematics and kinetics of movement without considering the influence of constraints that are imposed on it. This study developed an interdisciplinary approach by utilizing the principles of ecological task analysis and movement coordination from areas of motor leaning and biomechanics to examine the skill of placement hitting in slo-pitch softball. The choice of evaluating this slo-pitch batting skill to assess movement patterns is pragmatic because of its popularity of the sport and uniqueness of the batting movement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of two task constraints (stride technique and designated field location) and an environmental constraint (pitched ball location) on the participants batting performances, kinematics, and movement patterns. A three-way ANOVA of 2 fields (same and opposite) x 2 locations of pitch (inside and outside) x 3 strides (open, parallel and closed) repeated measure study was conducted in this study. The results showed that participants were more successful in placing the ball to the same field instead of the opposite field. The pitched ball location and stride techniques did not have a consistent impact on the results across the different hitting conditions. To achieve these batting performance results, participants demonstrated different joint movements and different coordination patterns. Hence, this study supports the rationale of ecological task analysis but not traditional task analysis. Further, to understand the generalizability of the findings, a Euclidean distance analysis was conducted to evaluate the degree of dissimilarity between the individual and group mean results. The results indicated that participants generally showed a low degree of dissimilarity, so they were quite homogeneous as a group. Hence, the results from this study not only enable us to evaluate a human movement skill under the influence of different constraints but educators may apply the findings to other players. A similar interdisciplinary approach is warranted for future research studies in order to better understand the mechanics of human motion.

Slo2, a large conductance potassium channel in the nervous system is important for regulating neuronal function and excitability. Mutations in the gene that encodes the Slo2 channel are associated with neurological disorders, including epilepsy and intellectual disabilities in humans. However, much remains unknown about the genes and proteins that regulate Slo2 channel activity in the physiological system. This study investigates regulation of SLO-2, a homologue of mammalian Slo2 in C. elegans, by thoc-7 in an RNA editing-dependent pathway. Prior research has shown that adr-1, the gene important for RNA editing, promotes SLO-2 function by RNA editing of scyl-1 that encodes a regulator of SLO-2. To gain a better understanding of the regulation of SLO-2, this study employed a forward genetic approach to screen for mutants with a specific phenotype. Through SNP mapping and whole genome sequencing, we identified the gene thoc-7, which is predicted to be involved in mRNA export from nucleus, from the isolated mutants. The identification was further confirmed by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knock-out, which showed a similar phenotype to the mutant strain. Results of electrophysiological recordings suggest that thoc-7 likely contributes to SLO-2 function in a common pathway with scyl-1. A reporter gene revealed strong expression of thoc-7 in most of the cells of C. elegans, particularly muscular and digestive system. Translational fusion with GFP showed the primary localization of the THOC-7 protein in cytoplasm, with some weak expression in the nucleus. RT-qPCR analysis suggests that thoc-7 regulates scyl-1 by through a post-transcriptional mechanism, possibly involving the transport of mRNA from cytoplasm to nucleus. This study highlights thoc-7 as a potential key regulator recruited by adr-1 to control SLO-2 via scyl-1 expression.

Alcohol produces changes in behavior through molecular effects on ion channels, enzymes and transporters. Many proteins have been elucidated that at least in part mediate behavioral changes induced by alcohol. However, it has been difficult thus far to uncover key amino acid residues within a protein that are necessary for the effects of alcohol. This information is critical, potentially leading to effective pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorders (AUD) and identification of allelic variations that predispose an individual for AUD. The big conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channel has recently emerged as a critical protein for the effects of alcohol across species. In this dissertation, we study the molecular action of alcohol on the BK channel, and how this action contributes to behavioral intoxication. To accomplish this, we first provide credence for using the nematode C. elegans for studying the behavioral effects of ethanol. We demonstrate how behavioral intoxication and internal ethanol concentration in C. elegans is altered by the osmolarity of the ethanol-solution, reconciling results from previous conflicting reports in the literature. We then identify the amino acid residue T381 on the BK channel in C. elegans is critical for behavioral intoxication, but not other BK channel-dependent behaviors. These results suggest a functional BK channel resistant to ethanol. By knocking-in the human BK channel, we then demonstrate that the equivalent residue, T352 is also critical for behavioral intoxication in C. elegans, but not other BK channel-dependent behaviors. Using single-channel recordings, we find that the T352 residue is critical for the potentiating effects of ethanol on the human BK channel, without being critical for basal-function. Finally, we investigate the role of calcium-sensing residues on the worm BK channel for behavioral intoxication in C. elegans. We find that these residues are non-essential for intoxication, in contrast to in vitro reports in the mammalian channel suggesting the calcium-sensing residues are critical for ethanol-activation of the BK channel. / text

I Sverige bedrivs idag den största mineralutvinningen på samernas traditionella marker. Samerna har inte några lagligt bindande rättigheter till dessa marker, vilket skapat en politisk konflikt mellan ursprungsbefolkningen och de kommersiella gruvbolagen. Med utgångpunkt i det politiska läget och med särskilt fokus på den planerade gruvan i Kallak syftar denna studie till att studera det kommersiella bolaget Beowulf Minings förhållningssätt till samerna och resursutvinningen på deras marker. Med hjälp av teorierna Carrolls moralpyramid och Social License to Operate (SLO) samt metoden argumentationsanalys vill studien granska hur bolaget legitimerar gruvdriften på samernas marker samt se hur bolaget förhåller sig till samerna och deras sociala tillåtelse. Genom analys av bolagets externa rapportering fann studien att Beowulf Mining främst legitimerar gruvdriften genom att argumentera för de positiva fördelar som gruvdriften kan få för Jokkmokk och dess lokalbefolkning. Studien fann även att bolaget använder sig av det rättsliga ramverket som en särskild legitimering för deras aktiviteter samt att bolaget ger uttryck för att ha ett lokalt stöd från en del av Jokkmokks befolkning. Vidare påvisade analysen att bolaget inte haft någon utförlig relation till samerna och inga muntliga dialoger genomförts. Detta, tillsammans med att samerna sällan omnämns i dokumenten, leder till slutsatsen att gruvbolaget inte kan påvisa några meningsfulla försök till att få samernas tillåtelse av den planerade gruvdriften samt att en bestående relation inte existerar i nuläget mellan de två parterna.

V první části se práce se zabývá rešerší metod a principů potřebných při registraci obrazu. Dále pak popisuje zobrazovací systémy očního pozadí jako jsou OCT, fundus kamera a SLO. Druhá část práce je zaměřena na praktickou realizaci programů pro registraci snímků z OCT, SLO a fundus kamery v programovém prostředí Matlab.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare corneal thickness measured both centrally and midperipherally, between two instruments using different measuring principles. The study also looked at correlation between corneal thickness and intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods: Central and midperipheral corneal thickness was measured on the right eyes of 31 subjects with two different instruments. Instruments were Scheimpflug-camera from Bon Sirius and an AS/OCT from Optos. Measurements were taken on central cornea (CCT) and midperipheral (nasal (NCT), temporal (TCT), superior (SCT) and inferior (ICT)) at a distance of 1.75 mm from the apex. Mean age of the subjects was 23.6 ± 4.5 years. (19-44 years). A CT-80A non-contact tonometer (NonCT) from Topcon was used to measure the intraocular pressure (IOP). Results: A mean-value for central corneal thickness was calculated to 542.4 µm and 540.4 µm for Bon Sirius and AS/OCT repectively. Remaining measured points had mean-values for corneal thickness of, NCT: 577.7 µm & 558.5 µm. TCT: 555.0 µm & 545.2 µm. SCT: 585.7 µm & 554.5 µm. ICT: 563.0 µm & 548.9 µm, respectively. Mean-difference for CCT was 2.4 µm and it showed a significant difference between the two instruments with a p-value of 0.007. Remaining measured points all showed a significant difference of p<0.05. NCT: 19.2 µm. TCT: 9.8 µm. SCT: 31 µm. ICT: 14 µm. A correlation between IOP and CCT measured in both Sirius and AS/OCT was positive with r = 0.7 and p<0.05. Conclusion: The results showed that Sirius gives higher values for corneal thickness then ASOCT in all five measurement points. The results show that these instruments can be used interchangeably when measuring central corneal thickness. However, caution should be used when measuring midperipheral corneal thickness as the there is a significant differences between these two instruments.

The recent growing popularity of mobile devices has led to the establishment of several popular mobile platforms such as the Android operating system. To foster growth in this evolving market, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) were created to enable developers to create mobile device applications that utilize mobile device features and functionality for personal or widespread commercial use. However, as a result of excessive device and API evolution, mobile development faces increasingly complex issues, including an alarmingly rapid decay of development resources. This thesis conducts a case study around one such resource: a series of Android app development lab exercises used in an Android app development course taught at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. First, these labs and their respective written guides were modernized and fitted for backwards-compatibility to better reflect newer Android devices and development tools at the time. The updated labs were subsequently used in the next course offering, with student lab feedback recorded for evaluation. Several years later, the apps from these new labs were further tested for abnormal behavior on a variety of Android devices. Results from analyzing all feedback and observations show that despite all measures taken to future-proof these labs, Android device and API evolution continues to vastly outpace third-party Android resources without frequent modernization and upgrades.