A Clouded Future: Analysis of Microsoft Windows Azure As a Platform for Hosting E-Science Applications

Microsoft Windows Azure is Microsoft\u27s cloud based platform for hosting .NET applications. Azure provides a simple, cost effective method for outsourcing application hosting. Windows Azure has caught the eye of researchers in e-science who require parallel computing infrastructures to process mountains of data. Windows Azure offers the same benefits to e-science as it does to other industries. This paper examines the technology behind Azure and analyzes two case studies of e-science projects built on the Windows Azure platform

Simulations of Critical Currents in Polycrystalline Superconductors Using Time-Dependent Ginzburg–Landau Theory

In this thesis, we investigate the in-field critical current density $J_\text{c} (B)$ of polycrystalline superconducting systems with grain boundaries modelled as Josephson-type planar defects, both analytically and through computational time-dependent Ginzburg--Landau (TDGL) simulations in 2D and 3D. For very narrow SNS Josephson junctions (JJs), with widths smaller than the superconducting coherence length, we derive what to our knowledge are the first analytic expressions for $J_\text{c} (B)$ across a JJ over the entire applied magnetic field range. We extend the validity of our analytic expressions to describe wider junctions and confirm them using TDGL simulations. We model superconducting systems containing grain boundaries as a network of JJs by using large-scale 3D TDGL simulations applying state-of-the-art solvers implemented on GPU architectures. These simulations of $J_\text{c} (B)$ have similar magnitudes and dependencies on applied magnetic field to those observed experimentally in optimised commercial superconductors. They provide an explanation for the $B^{-0.6}$ dependence found for $J_\text{c} (B)$ in high temperature superconductors and are the first to correctly provide the inverse power-law grain size behaviour as well as the Kramer field dependence, widely found in many low temperature superconductors

A Structured Program for Pilots and Traffic Controllers with Mental Issues.

A Structured Program for Pilots and Traffic Controllers with Mental Issues. by Ian Blair Fries, M.D. Senior HIMS AME, MRO, SAP. Many pilots and controllers are avoiding appropriate mental care that would have to be reported to the FAA, or omitting required notification of mental care they have received. Either option is detrimental to air safety and personal health. I propose a structured aviation program to handle mental issues similar to the HIMS Program for pilots with alcohol and/or drug abuse and dependence. The HIMS Program is extremely successful with about 85 percent of pilots who participate recovering and returning to the cockpit. That is the carrot that encourages pilots to comply with HIMS requirements. The same should apply to mental diagnoses. A parallel program I title Aviation Mental Health (AMH) begins with trained AME’s. HIMS AME’s are already expected to handle pilot requiring antidepressant medications, and to help pilots navigate certification if they have a mental condition. Their role should be expanded. Parallels to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, group meetings, sponsors, airline and regional ATC committees, and random testing need to be constructed. These will be detailed. Pilots and air traffic controls with mental conditions need support not currently available

Evaluating epistemic uncertainty under incomplete assessments

The thesis of this study is to propose an extended methodology for laboratory based Information Retrieval evaluation under incomplete relevance assessments. This new methodology aims to identify potential uncertainty during system comparison that may result from incompleteness. The adoption of this methodology is advantageous, because the detection of epistemic uncertainty - the amount of knowledge (or ignorance) we have about the estimate of a system's performance - during the evaluation process can guide and direct researchers when evaluating new systems over existing and future test collections. Across a series of experiments we demonstrate how this methodology can lead towards a finer grained analysis of systems. In particular, we show through experimentation how the current practice in Information Retrieval evaluation of using a measurement depth larger than the pooling depth increases uncertainty during system comparison

Superconducting fault current limiter application in a power-dense marine electrical system

Power-dense, low-voltage marine electrical systems have the potential for extremely high fault currents. Superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) have been of interest for many years and offer an effective method for reducing fault currents. This is very attractive in a marine vessel in terms of the benefits arising from reductions in switchgear rating (and consequently size, weight and cost) and damage at the point of fault. However, there are a number of issues that must be considered prior to installation of any SFCL device(s), particularly in the context of marine applications. Accordingly, this study analyses several such issues, including: location and resistance sizing of SFCLs; the potential effects of an SFCL on system voltage, power and frequency; and practical application issues such as the potential impact of transients such as transformer inrush. Simulations based upon an actual vessel are used to illustrate discussions and support assertions. It is shown that SFCLs, even with relatively small impedances, are highly effective at reducing prospective fault currents; the impact that higher resistance values has on fault current reduction and maintaining the system voltage for other non-faulted elements of the system is also presented and it is shown that higher resistance values are desirable in many cases. It is demonstrated that the exact nature of the SFCL application will depend significantly on the vessel’s electrical topology, the fault current contribution of each of the generators, and the properties of the SFCL device, such as size, weight, critical current value and recovery time

Acetazolamide-based fungal chitinase inhibitors

Chitin is an essential structural component of the fungal cell wall. Chitinases are thought to be important for fungal cell wall remodelling, and inhibition of these enzymes has been proposed as a potential strategy for development of novel anti-fungals. The fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus possesses two distinct multi-gene chitinase families. Here we explore acetazolamide as a chemical scaffold for the inhibition of an A. fumigatus ‘plant-type’ chitinase. A co-crystal structure of AfChiA1 with acetazolamide was used to guide synthesis and screening of acetazolamide analogues that yielded SAR in agreement with these structural data. Although acetazolamide and its analogues are weak inhibitors of the enzyme, they have a high ligand efficiency and as such are interesting leads for future inhibitor development

"She's God Basically Mother of This Universe": The 'Authentic' Lady Gaga and the Re-evaluation of the Little Monster Fan Identity

Lady Gaga is a gender-subverting and theatrical pop-star who cultivated a uniquely close subcultural bond with her fans, the Little Monsters, by embracing the 'monster'. However, in September 2014, Lady Gaga 'shocked' fans and challenged audience expectations of her as an artist by releasing a collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett, Cheek to Cheek. This thesis is primarily concerned with critically investigating how Little Monsters received Lady Gaga's significant transformation in image and sound for the Cheek to Cheek era, and whether the jazz album impacted how fans perceived their fan-identity, the Little Monster community, and Lady Gaga. The following research questions were developed in order to gain an insight into the Little Monster identity: 1) "What is the relationship between the release of Lady Gaga's collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett, Cheek to Cheek (2014) and the perception of the Lady Gaga fan-identity"; 2) "How did the change in musical genre and persona affect how Little Monsters perceived their identity"; and 3) "How did the fan reception of Cheek to Cheek impact the fan community and fan practices". An online questionnaire was employed and survey data was analysed in relation to a range of academic fields including identity, community, fandom, social anthropology, and postmodernism in order to critically analyse whether participants re-evaluated their Lady Gaga fan-identity. Often contradictory and conflicting results illustrate how participants received Cheek to Cheek in contrasting ways, as some Little Monsters expressed their desire for the return of the music which made the singer commercially successful, while other fans perceived the jazz album to an extension of Lady Gaga's identity. The divide participants experienced throughout the Cheek to Cheek era meant that some Little Monsters felt isolated from the fan community, as they did not conform to the appropriate norms and fan practices

Underwater Acoustic Imaging: One-bit Digitisation

In underwater acoustic imaging (UAI), the combination of a two-dimensional (2-D) array and replicate correlation can produce 3-D images, typically of objects at a range of 2 m. A system already developed achieves the high data acquisition rate needed through one-bit sampling (sensing only the sign of the received signal). Noise added before the one-bit sampling avoids the production of 'ghosts' in the image. By simulation and mathematical analysis, the effects of one-bit and added noise are studied for a chirp signal, with a restriction so far to 1-D images (image amplitude versus range). Conditions are given for the avoidance of ghosts and the minimisation of 'image noise' - noise in the image due to one-bit and added noise. A model of image noise is proposed, which is corroborated by the tests carried out to date. A general formula for the root-mean-square image noise is obtained. It has previously been suggested that filtering the singal after sampling would improve the image. However, it is shown that filtering is unnecessary and indeed makes the image worse. It is shown that a strong target can suppress evidence of a weak target because, when the strength of the return signal is raised, essentially the amplitude of the added noise must be raised to avoid 'ghosts'. A general formula, giving the ratio of target strengths such that the weak target has a 50% probability of detection, is obtained

The current state of biomarker research for Friedreich's ataxia: a report from the 2018 FARA biomarker meeting

The 2018 FARA Biomarker Meeting highlighted the current state of development of biomarkers for Friedreich's ataxia. A mass spectroscopy assay to sensitively measure mature frataxin (reduction of which is the root cause of disease) is being developed. Biomarkers to monitor neurological disease progression include imaging, electrophysiological measures and measures of nerve function, which may be measured either in serum and/or through imaging-based technologies. Potential pharmacodynamic biomarkers include metabolic and protein biomarkers and markers of nerve damage. Cardiac imaging and serum biomarkers may reflect cardiac disease progression. Considerable progress has been made in the development of biomarkers for various contexts of use, but further work is needed in terms of larger longitudinal multisite studies, and identification of novel biomarkers for additional use cases