Case Studies in Thin Client Acceptance

Thin Client technology boasts an impressive range of financial, technical and administrative benefits. Combined with virtualisation technology, higher bandwidth availability and cheaper high performance processors, many believe that Thin Clients have come of age. But despite a growing body of literature documenting successful Thin Client deployments there remains an undercurrent of concern regarding user acceptance of this technology and a belief that greater efforts are required to understand how to integrate Thin Clients into existing, predominantly PC-based, deployments. It would be more accurate to state that the challenge facing the acceptance of Thin Clients is a combination of architectural design and integration strategy rather than a purely technical issue. Careful selection of services to be offered over Thin Clients is essential to their acceptance. Through an evolution of three case studies the user acceptance issues were reviewed and resolved resulting in a 92% acceptance rate of the final Thin Client deployment. No significant bias was evident in our comparison of user attitudes towards desktop services delivered over PCs and Thin Clients

Image database system for glaucoma diagnosis support

Tato práce popisuje přehled standardních a pokročilých metod používaných k diagnose glaukomu v ranném stádiu. Na základě teoretických poznatků je implementován internetově orientovaný informační systém pro oční lékaře, který má tři hlavní cíle. Prvním cílem je možnost sdílení osobních dat konkrétního pacienta bez nutnosti posílat tato data internetem. Druhým cílem je vytvořit účet pacienta založený na kompletním očním vyšetření. Posledním cílem je aplikovat algoritmus pro registraci intenzitního a barevného fundus obrazu a na jeho základě vytvořit internetově orientovanou tři-dimenzionální vizualizaci optického disku. Tato práce je součásti DAAD spolupráce mezi Ústavem Biomedicínského Inženýrství, Vysokého Učení Technického v Brně, Oční klinikou v Erlangenu a Ústavem Informačních Technologií, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nurnberg.This master thesis describes a conception of standard and advanced eye examination methods used for glaucoma diagnosis in its early stage. According to the theoretical knowledge, a web based information system for ophthalmologists with three main aims is implemented. The first aim is the possibility to share medical data of a concrete patient without sending his personal data through the Internet. The second aim is to create a patient account based on a complete eye examination procedure. The last aim is to improve the HRT diagnostic method with an image registration algorithm for the fundus and intensity images and create an optic nerve head web based 3D visualization. This master thesis is a part of project based on DAAD co-operation between Department of Biomedical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Eye Clinic in Erlangen and Department of Computer Science, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nurnberg.

Forensic Methods and Tools for Web Environments

abstract: The Web is one of the most exciting and dynamic areas of development in today’s technology. However, with such activity, innovation, and ubiquity have come a set of new challenges for digital forensic examiners, making their jobs even more difficult. For examiners to become as effective with evidence from the Web as they currently are with more traditional evidence, they need (1) methods that guide them to know how to approach this new type of evidence and (2) tools that accommodate web environments’ unique characteristics. In this dissertation, I present my research to alleviate the difficulties forensic examiners currently face with respect to evidence originating from web environments. First, I introduce a framework for web environment forensics, which elaborates on and addresses the key challenges examiners face and outlines a method for how to approach web-based evidence. Next, I describe my work to identify extensions installed on encrypted web thin clients using only a sound understanding of these systems’ inner workings and the metadata of the encrypted files. Finally, I discuss my approach to reconstructing the timeline of events on encrypted web thin clients by using service provider APIs as a proxy for directly analyzing the device. In each of these research areas, I also introduce structured formats that I customized to accommodate the unique features of the evidence sources while also facilitating tool interoperability and information sharing.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Computer Science 201

Integrating Big Data and Thick Data to Transform Public Services Delivery

Big data holds great promise for improving public services delivery and innovation in government, but they are not a panacea. Having lots of data can be overwhelming or have little utility if the data are “thin”—that is, they lack meaning for users or fail to capture issues that matter most. By yielding insights into what citizens really care about and how they consume services, thick data can inform both the collection and analysis of big data. This report introduces the concept of “mixed analytics,” integrating big data and thick data to transform government decision making, public services delivery, and communication. The report presents three case studies of organizations that employ mixed analytics at the international, federal, and city level, respectively. Together, this research offers a set of transferable lessons for agencies at all levels of government: • Lesson 1: Big data is a means to an end, rather than an end. • Lesson 2: Thick data can identify unexpected problems or previously unexpressed needs. • Lesson 3: Thick data can inform the analysis of big data. • Lesson 4: Mixed analytics can offer both scale and depth. • Lesson 5: Applying technology is a social activity, not an isolated technical task. • Lesson 6: The best solutions are not always high-tech.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148311/1/IBM Report, Integrating Big Data & Thick Data (FINAL).pd

Fluorine MR Imaging of Inflammation in Atherosclerotic Plaque in Vivo.

PURPOSE: To preliminarily test the hypothesis that fluorine 19 ((19)F) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging enables the noninvasive in vivo identification of plaque inflammation in a mouse model of atherosclerosis, with histologic findings as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The animal studies were approved by the local animal ethics committee. Perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions were injected intravenously in a mouse model of atherosclerosis (n = 13), after which (19)F and anatomic MR imaging were performed at the level of the thoracic aorta and its branches at 9.4 T. Four of these animals were imaged repeatedly (at 2-14 days) to determine the optimal detection time. Repeated-measures analysis of variance with a Tukey test was applied to determine if there was a significant change in (19)F signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the plaques and liver between the time points. Six animals were injected with a PFC emulsion that also contained a fluorophore. As a control against false-positive results, wild-type mice (n = 3) were injected with a PFC emulsion, and atherosclerotic mice were injected with a saline solution (n = 2). The animals were sacrificed after the last MR imaging examination, after which high-spatial-resolution ex vivo MR imaging and bright-field and immunofluorescent histologic examination were performed. RESULTS: (19)F MR signal was detected in vivo in plaques in the aortic arch and its branches. The SNR was found to significantly increase up to day 6 (P < .001), and the SNR of all mice at this time point was 13.4 ± 3.3. The presence of PFC and plaque in the excised vessels was then confirmed both through ex vivo (19)F MR imaging and histologic examination, while no signal was detected in the control animals. Immunofluorescent histologic findings confirmed the presence of PFC in plaque macrophages. CONCLUSION: (19)F MR imaging allows the noninvasive in vivo detection of inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques in a mouse model of atherosclerosis and opens up new avenues for both the early detection of vulnerable atherosclerosis and the elucidation of inflammation mechanisms in atherosclerosis

Ubiquitous Semantic Applications

As Semantic Web technology evolves many open areas emerge, which attract more research focus. In addition to quickly expanding Linked Open Data (LOD) cloud, various embeddable metadata formats (e.g. RDFa, microdata) are becoming more common. Corporations are already using existing Web of Data to create new technologies that were not possible before. Watson by IBM an artificial intelligence computer system capable of answering questions posed in natural language can be a great example. On the other hand, ubiquitous devices that have a large number of sensors and integrated devices are becoming increasingly powerful and fully featured computing platforms in our pockets and homes. For many people smartphones and tablet computers have already replaced traditional computers as their window to the Internet and to the Web. Hence, the management and presentation of information that is useful to a user is a main requirement for today’s smartphones. And it is becoming extremely important to provide access to the emerging Web of Data from the ubiquitous devices. In this thesis we investigate how ubiquitous devices can interact with the Semantic Web. We discovered that there are five different approaches for bringing the Semantic Web to ubiquitous devices. We have outlined and discussed in detail existing challenges in implementing this approaches in section 1.2. We have described a conceptual framework for ubiquitous semantic applications in chapter 4. We distinguish three client approaches for accessing semantic data using ubiquitous devices depending on how much of the semantic data processing is performed on the device itself (thin, hybrid and fat clients). These are discussed in chapter 5 along with the solution to every related challenge. Two provider approaches (fat and hybrid) can be distinguished for exposing data from ubiquitous devices on the Semantic Web. These are discussed in chapter 6 along with the solution to every related challenge. We conclude our work with a discussion on each of the contributions of the thesis and propose future work for each of the discussed approach in chapter 7

The effect of exposure to parodies of thin-ideal images on women’s body image, body shame and mood

This item is only available electronically.Social networking sites are abundant with thin-ideal beauty standards for women. As a result, some users are challenging these unrealistic ideals in creative, humorous ways. The aim of the present study was to experimentally investigate the effect of exposure to humorous, parody images on women’s body dissatisfaction, body shame and mood. Participants were 173 women aged between 18 and 61 years, who were randomly assigned to view either one of three sets of Instagram images: thin-ideal celebrity posts; humorous parody images of the celebrity post paired with the thin-ideal; or the humorous parody post alone. Results indicated that exposure to the parody images alone decreased body dissatisfaction, body shame and negative mood, relative to exposure of thin-ideal images alone. Moreover, exposure to the parody images alone resulted in less body dissatisfaction than exposure to parody images paired with the thin-ideal image. The findings were moderated by trait thin-ideal internalisation, whereby individuals with high thin-ideal internalisation experienced less body dissatisfaction after viewing parody images alone, compared to the paired parody and thinideal images. Overall, the findings contribute to existing literature by providing support for the use of humorous parody images for decreasing body dissatisfaction, body shame and negative mood in women.Thesis (M.Psych(Clinical)) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 202

Anatomic, computed tomographic, and ultrasonographic assessment of the lymph nodes in presumed healthy adult cats : the abdomen, pelvis, and hindlimb

The computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US) features of lymph nodes of the abdomen, pelvis, and hindlimb in healthy cats are poorly described in the current literature. A prospective anatomic and reference interval study was therefore performed. The lymph nodes of six feline cadavers were identified, and dimensions were measured (length, width, and height). The lymph nodes from 30 healthy adult cats were identified and measured using CT (pre- and postcontrast) and US. The identification and dimensions of the separate lymph nodes were compared between imaging techniques and the anatomic study. The identification of lymph nodes was most frequent in CT, and the dimensions were overall larger than those identified and measured in US and the anatomic study. The caudal epigastric and sacral lymph nodes were not identified in the anatomic study. The ischiatic, lumbar aortic, internal iliac, and caudal epigastric lymph nodes were not visualized in US. The height presented the main statistical differences among techniques. The lymph nodes were mainly homogeneous in pre- and postcontrast CT and US images. Some lymph nodes showed a hyperattenuating periphery with a hypoattenuating center (on pre- and postcontrast images) and a hypo-/isoechoic periphery with a hyperechoic center, representing the hilar fat. The lymph nodes were commonly elongated and rounded except for the jejunal lymph nodes, which had an irregular shape. The assessment of most of the abdominal, pelvic, and hindlimb lymph nodes in the cat is feasible using CT and US, with CT performing best. Factors like the amount of adipose tissue and contrast administration subjectively improved the lymph node visualization and assessment. The measurements and features reported are proposed as reference values. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13028-022-00638-x

Development of MRI as an Enabling Technology for Tissue Science and Engineering

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used for accurate and dynamic monitoring of tissue embedded microthreads; a novel biomaterial utilized to promote cardiac regeneration. An in vitro cardiac modeling system was developed that mimicked the MRI properties of native cardiac tissue by using gelatin of varying concentrations. Microthreads were treated with an iron-based superparamagnetic MRI contrast agent (ferumoxtran), embedded into the cardiac modeling system, and then imaged using MRI. T1- and T2-weighted MR images showed no statistical difference between actual thread location and diameter when compared with the same measurements obtained from optical images of the same cardiac modeling system