Industrial clusters in local and regional economies: a post Porter approach to the identification & evaluation of clusters in North Dublin

In a departure from the predominantly Porter (1990, 1998) influenced cluster studies that weie pei formed on Irish manufacturing throughout the 1990s i.e. studies which examined primarily market based relationships in the national context, this dissertation has focused on local and regional industry concentrations and the nature of inter-firm relationships within those concentrations Underpinning this approach is a bioad theoretical framework that combines three streams of related literature industrial districts, Porter's clusters and regional systems of innovation This alternative approach is applied to the local economy of North Dublin wheie analysis of region-specific employment data using location quotients indicates a number of spatially concentrated industrial sectors We then pose the question Do spatial concentrations o f industry in North Dublin constitute clusters? Using a case study approach we answer this question in relation to three traditional sectois Fish piocessing and preservation, Paper print and publishing, and Bakery food products We find that, for the most part, spatial concentrations do not constitute clusters, at least not in the Portenan sense of the term Despite this, elements or characteristics of clustcis are identified in two of the three sectors Using a simple analytical framework based on contextual and transactional environments we compare and contrast the inter-firm dynamics of each of these tiaditional sectors We identify a number of factors of each of the sector’s tiansactional and contextual environments that have shaped the nature of interaction between and among firms and attribute the disparate trajectories in firms’ interactive piocesses to these sectoral difference

Automated Intelligent Real-Time System For Aggregate Classification

This research focuses on developing an intelligent real-time classification system called NeuralAgg. Penyelidikan ini memfokuskan untuk membina sistem pengkelasan pintar secara masa nyata dipanggil NeuralAgg

DESIGN MODULAR COMMAND AND DATA HANDLING SUBSYSTEM HARDWARE ARCHITECTURES

Over the past few years, On-Board Computing Systems for satellites have been facing a limited level of modularity. Modularity is the ability to reuse and reconstruct the system from a set of predesigned units, with minimal additional engineering effort. CDHS hardware systems currently available have a limited ability to scale with mission needs. This thesis addresses the integration of smaller form factor CDHS modules used for nanosatellites with the larger counterparts that are used for larger missions. In particular, the thesis discusses the interfacing between Modular Computer Systems based on Open Standard commonly used in large spacecrafts and PC/104 used for nanosatellites. It also aims to create a set of layers that would represent a hardware library of COTS-like modules. At the beginning, a review of related and previous work has been done to identify the gaps in previous studies and understand more about Modular Computer Systems based on Open Standard commonly used in large spacecrafts, such as cPCI Serial Space and SpaceVPX. Next, the design requirements have been set to achieve this thesis objectives, which included conducting a prestudy of system alternatives before creating a modular CDHS hardware architecture which was later tested. After, the hardware suitable for this architecture based on the specified requirements was chosen and the PCB was designed based on global standards. Later, several functional tests and communication tests were conducted to assess the practicality of the proposed architecture. Finally, thermal vacuum testing was done on one of the architecture’s layers to test its ability to withstand the space environment, with the aim to perform the vibration testing of the full modular architecture in the future. The aim of this thesis has been achieved after going through several tests, comparing between interfaces, and understanding the process of interfacing between different levels of the CDHS. The findings of this study pave the way for future research in the field and offer valuable insights that could contribute to the development of modular architectures for other satellite subsystems

Epigenetic reprogramming of hepatocyte-like cells

The impact of physical microenvironment on cells was recently reported to have major influence on multipotency, self-renewal, cells plasticity and cell fate determination. In this study, we used physical-based methods, physical constraint (PC) and controlled confinement (CC), to induce multipotency of HepaRG, a bipotent progenitor of liver cells. RRBS and mRNA sequencing were performed to investigate changes in DNA methylation and mRNA levels during reprogramming and PC-induced differentiation. The results showed that PC and CC yielded similar results during reprogramming, e.g. locus-specific methylation changes towards hypomethylation and activation of immunomodulation process were observed. Particularly, CC also facilitated cell differentiation via IL-17 signaling. PC-induced differentiation of multipotent-like cells to hepatocyte-like cells was also combined with hydrocortisone and DMSO. Global hypomethylation was observed during PCinduced differentiation with the tendency towards a focal regain of methylation. In line with this, genes related to cytochrome P450 pathways were rebooted, suggesting that hepatic differentiation was partially induced. Furthermore, integrated analysis between differential methylation changes and chromatin states (ChromHMM) of differentiated HepaRG indicated that chromatin states were important in building the macromolecular structure that determine DNA methylation and gene expression during reprogramming and PC-induced differentiation of HepaRG.Physische Mikroumgebung von Zellen hat einen großen Einfluss auf die Multipotenz, Selbsterneuerung, Zellplastizität und Bestimmung des Zellschicksals. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden die physikalisch basierten Methoden, „Physical Constraint“ (PC) und „Controlled Confinement“ (CC) verwendet, um die Multipotenz von HepaRG- Zellen, einem bipotenten Vorläufer von Leberzellen, zu induzieren. Die genomweite Analyse molekularer Signaturen (DNAMethylierung und Transkriptom) ergaben während der Reprogrammierung ähnliche Ergebnisse zwischen PC und CC, z.B. wurden lokus-spezifische Methylierungsänderungen in Richtung Hypomethylierung, sowie die Aktivierung des Immunmodulationsprozesses, beobachtet. Insbesondere CC förderte die Zelldifferenzierung mittels IL-17 Signaltransduktion. Die PCinduzierte Differenzierung (PCi) multipotenter Zellen zu Hepatozyten-ähnlichen Zellen unter Zugabe von Hydrocortison und DMSO resultierte in globaler Hypomethylierung, mit der Tendenz zur erneuten Etablierung fokaler Methylierung. Parallel hierzu wurden Gene, die mit Cytochrom P450 Signalwegen verbunden sind, wieder aktiviert, was darauf hindeutet, dass die PCi- Differenzierung teilweise erreicht wurde. Darüber hinaus zeigte die integrative Analyse von differentiellen Methylierungsänderungen und Chromatinzuständen (ChromHMM) differenzierter HepaRG die Wichtigkeit des Chromatinzustands beim Aufbau makromolekularer Strukturen, die die DNA-Methylierung und Genexpression während der Reprogrammierung und PCi- Differenzierung dieser Zellen bestimmen

Cross asset resource allocation framework for pavement and bridges in Iowa

With all the challenges facing U.S departments of transportation (US DOTs), especially the scarcity of resources and the deteriorating infrastructure systems, DOTs started to divert from separate assets decision making strategies to a more comprehensive resource allocation approach. This also resulted from the fact that the optimal allocation for each asset type separately is not the optimal allocation for all assets in the network. Specifically speaking about Iowa, about one quarter of Iowa’s primary roadways fail to meet a sufficiency rating considered minimally acceptable, furthermore the rural Interstate system in Iowa was ranked 38th in the nation in 2010. The case in bridges is not better, where one of every five bridges in Iowa are rated as structurally deficient. By that, Iowa has the third worst state record in the nation. As a result of that, this research will focus on proposing a new simple and applicable cross asset resource allocation framework for pavements and bridges in Iowa, utilizing Pavement Management Information System (PMIS) and National Bridge Inventory (NBI) data. The objective function of this framework is to maximize the network monetary value by changing the proportions of total budget allocated to each asset type, while the resulting budgets are allocated in a need-based approach across importance groups and in a worst-first basis within each importance group. The final output of this research is a MATLAB simple tool that allocates five years of funding across interstate, U.S, and state pavements and bridges. This tool also provides a list of pavement mileage and bridge deck area that need to be treated by each maintenance action at each budget level. It also compares the impact of different pavement and bridge valuation definitions on the solution that maximizes the network monetary value. The results show that the proposed framework is not sensitive to the valuation approach. It also shows that at low budget levels, most of the budget is allocated to pavements. This condition is reversed at moderate budget levels, and equal allocation is achieved at very high total budget level, i.e. 1 billion dollars

Informacijos saugos reikalavimų harmonizavimo, analizės ir įvertinimo automatizavimas

The growing use of Information Technology (IT) in daily operations of enterprises requires an ever-increasing level of protection over organization’s assets and information from unauthorised access, data leakage or any other type of information security breach. Because of that, it becomes vital to ensure the necessary level of protection. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is to implement controls defined in Information security documents. The problems faced by different organizations are related to the fact that often, organizations are required to be aligned with multiple Information security documents and their requirements. Currently, the organization’s assets and information protection are based on Information security specialist’s knowledge, skills and experience. Lack of automated tools for multiple Information security documents and their requirements harmonization, analysis and visualization lead to the situation when Information security is implemented by organizations in ineffective ways, causing controls duplication or increased cost of security implementation. An automated approach for Information security documents analysis, mapping and visualization would contribute to solving this issue. The dissertation consists of an introduction, three main chapters and general conclusions. The first chapter introduces existing Information security regulatory documents, current harmonization techniques, information security implementation cost evaluation methods and ways to analyse Information security requirements by applying graph theory optimisation algorithms (Vertex cover and Graph isomorphism). The second chapter proposes ways to evaluate information security implementation and costs through a controls-based approach. The effectiveness of this method could be improved by implementing automated initial data gathering from Business processes diagrams. In the third chapter, adaptive mapping on the basis of Security ontology is introduced for harmonization of different security documents; such an approach also allows to apply visualization techniques for harmonization results presentation. Graph optimization algorithms (vertex cover algorithm and graph isomorphism algorithm) for Minimum Security Baseline identification and verification of achieved results against controls implemented in small and medium-sized enterprises were proposed. It was concluded that the proposed methods provide sufficient data for adjustment and verification of security controls applicable by multiple Information security documents.Dissertatio

Knowledge acquisition for effective and efficient use of engineering software

The problem of effective and efficient use of engineering software can be thought of as a Pareto optimal problem. However, the complexity of modern engineering software precludes the possibility of acquiring complete knowledge of the software's Pareto optimal set. Instead, heuristic knowledge must be acquired. The thesis proposes that heuristic knowledge be acquired via a knowledge acquisition procedure. The use of a knowledge acquisition system, which may be computerised, forms an integral part of this procedure. Two examples of knowledge acquisition illustrate the use of the knowledge acquisition procedure

Parallel, distributed and GPU computing technologies in single-particle electron microscopy

An introduction to the current paradigm shift towards concurrency in software

Proceedings of the First International Workshop on HyperTransport Research and Applications (WHTRA2009)(revised 08/2009)

Proceedings of the First International Workshop on HyperTransport Research and Applications (WHTRA2009) which was held Feb. 12th 2009 in Mannheim, Germany. The 1st International Workshop for Research on HyperTransport is an international high quality forum for scientists, researches and developers working in the area of HyperTransport. This includes not only developments and research in HyperTransport itself, but also work which is based on or enabled by HyperTransport. HyperTransport (HT) is an interconnection technology which is typically used as system interconnect in modern computer systems, connecting the CPUs among each other and with the I/O bridges. Primarily designed as interconnect between high performance CPUs it provides an extremely low latency, high bandwidth and excellent scalability. The definition of the HTX connector allows the use of HT even for add-in cards. In opposition to other peripheral interconnect technologies like PCI-Express no protocol conversion or intermediate bridging is necessary. HT is a direct connection between device and CPU with minimal latency. Another advantage is the possibility of cache coherent devices. Because of these properties HT is of high interest for high performance I/O like networking and storage, but also for co-processing and acceleration based on ASIC or FPGA technologies. In particular acceleration sees a resurgence of interest today. One reason is the possibility to reduce power consumption by the use of accelerators. In the area of parallel computing the low latency communication allows for fine grain communication schemes and is perfectly suited for scalable systems. Summing up, HT technology offers key advantages and great performance to any research aspect related to or based on interconnects. For more information please consult the workshop website (http://whtra.uni-hd.de)