Compression and query execution within column oriented databases

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-66).Compression is a known technique used by many database management systems ("DBMS") to increase performance[4, 5, 14]. However, not much research has been done in how compression can be used within column oriented architectures. Storing data in column increases the similarity between adjacent records, thus increase the compressibility of the data. In addition, compression schemes not traditionally used in row-oriented DBMSs can be applied to column-oriented systems. This thesis presents a column-oriented query executor designed to operate directly on compressed data. 'We show that operating directly on compressed data can improve query performance. Additionally, the choice of compression scheme depends on the expected query workload, suggesting that for ad-hoc queries we may wish to store a column redundantly under different coding schemes. Furthermore, the executor is designed to be extensible so that the addition of new compression schemes does not impact operator implementation. The executor is part of a larger database system, known as CStore [10].by Miguel C. Ferreira.M.Eng

Left Main Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND: ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with the culprit lesion in the left main artery is a rare cardiac emergency with a poor prognosis. OBJECTIVE: Review and prognosis evaluation of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed in the setting of STEMI with left main occlusion in a single high-volume center. METHODS: Of the 483 primary or rescue PCIs performed and followed in our hospital during a 24-month period (August 2004 to July 2006), we retrospectively evaluated those involving left main procedures and analyzed in-hospital mortality and major cardiac events (MACE) in a 12-month follow-up. We found nine patients, age 68 +/- 9 years, five male, seven with multivessel disease and two with isolated left main disease. Rescue PCI was performed in three patients and primary PCI in the others. RESULTS: Seven patients presented in cardiogenic shock and two were classified in Killip class II on admission. Inotropic drugs, intra-aortic balloon pump and abciximab were used in eight patients. Drug-eluting stents were used in six patients, bare-metal stents in two, and isolated balloon angioplasty in one. Five patients (55%) died in the hospital and the four discharged home (two of them aged 81 and 82 years) were still alive and free from MACE at 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical presentation of STEMI with the culprit lesion in the left main artery was very severe. During PCI, drug-eluting stents, intra-aortic balloon pump and abciximab were used in almost all patients. This entity had a high mortality rate even though primary PCI was performed. Those who survived had a good mid-term prognosis

Toxic effects of orally ingested oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill on laughing gulls

The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig released millions of gallons of oil into the environment, subsequently exposing wildlife, including numerous bird species. To determine the effects of MC252 oil to species relevant to the Gulf of Mexico, studies were done examining multiple exposure scenarios and doses. In this study, laughing gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla, LAGU) were offered fish injected with MC252 oil at target doses of 5 or 10 mL/kg bw per day. Dosing continued for 27 days. Of the adult, mixed-sex LAGUs used in the present study, 10 of 20 oil exposed LAGUs survived to the end of the study; a total of 10 of the oil exposed LAGUs died or were euthanized within 20 days of initiation of the study. Endpoints associated with oxidative stress, hepatic total glutathione (tGSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and reduced glutathione (rGSH) significantly increased as mean dose of oil increased, while the rGSH:GSSG ratio showed a non-significant negative trend with oil dose. A significant increase in 3-methyl histidine was found in oil exposed birds when compared to controls indicative of muscle wastage and may have been associated with the gross observation of diminished structural integrity in cardiac tissue. Consistent with previous oil dosing studies in birds, significant changes in liver, spleen, and kidney weight when normalized to body weight were observed. These studies indicate that mortality in response to oil dosing is relatively common and the mortality exhibited by the gulls is consistent with previous studies examining oil toxicity. Whether survival effects in the gull study were associated with weight loss, physiologic effects of oil toxicity, or a behavioral response that led the birds to reject the dosed fish is unknown

Changes in white cell estimates and plasma chemistry measurements following oral or external dosing of double-crested cormorants, \u3ci\u3ePhalacocorax auritus\u3c/i\u3e, with artificially weathered MC252 oil

Scoping studies were designed whereby double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus) were dosed with artificially weathered Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil either daily through oil injected feeder fish, or by application of oil directly to feathers every three days. Preening results in oil ingestion, and may be an effective means of orally dosing birds with toxicant to improve our understanding of the full range of physiological effects of oral oil ingestion on birds. Blood samples collected every 5–6 days were analyzed for a number of clinical endpoints including white blood cell (WBC) estimates and differential cell counts. Plasma biochemical evaluations were performed for changes associated with oil toxicity. Oral dosing and application of oil to feathers resulted in clinical signs and statistically significant changes in a number of biochemical endpoints consistent with petroleum exposure. In orally dosed birds there were statistically significant decreases in aspartate amino transferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities, calcium, chloride, cholesterol, glucose, and total protein concentrations, and increases in plasma urea, uric acid, and phosphorus concentrations. Plasma electrophoresis endpoints (pre-albumin, albumin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, and gamma globulin concentrations and albumin: globulin ratios) were decreased in orally dosed birds. Birds with external oil had increases in urea, creatinine, uric acid, creatine kinase (CK), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), phosphorus, calcium, chloride, potassium, albumin, alpha-1 globulin and alpha-2 globulin. Decreases were observed in AST, beta globulin and glucose. WBC also differed between treatments; however, this was in part driven by monocytosis present in the externally oiled birds prior to oil treatment

Changes in white cell estimates and plasma chemistry measurements following oral or external dosing of double-crested cormorants, \u3ci\u3ePhalacocorax auritus\u3c/i\u3e, with artificially weathered MC252 oil

Scoping studies were designed whereby double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus) were dosed with artificially weathered Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil either daily through oil injected feeder fish, or by application of oil directly to feathers every three days. Preening results in oil ingestion, and may be an effective means of orally dosing birds with toxicant to improve our understanding of the full range of physiological effects of oral oil ingestion on birds. Blood samples collected every 5–6 days were analyzed for a number of clinical endpoints including white blood cell (WBC) estimates and differential cell counts. Plasma biochemical evaluations were performed for changes associated with oil toxicity. Oral dosing and application of oil to feathers resulted in clinical signs and statistically significant changes in a number of biochemical endpoints consistent with petroleum exposure. In orally dosed birds there were statistically significant decreases in aspartate amino transferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities, calcium, chloride, cholesterol, glucose, and total protein concentrations, and increases in plasma urea, uric acid, and phosphorus concentrations. Plasma electrophoresis endpoints (pre-albumin, albumin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, and gamma globulin concentrations and albumin: globulin ratios) were decreased in orally dosed birds. Birds with external oil had increases in urea, creatinine, uric acid, creatine kinase (CK), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), phosphorus, calcium, chloride, potassium, albumin, alpha-1 globulin and alpha-2 globulin. Decreases were observed in AST, beta globulin and glucose. WBC also differed between treatments; however, this was in part driven by monocytosis present in the externally oiled birds prior to oil treatment

Testing of an oral dosing technique for double-crested cormorants, \u3ci\u3ePhalacocorax auritus\u3c/i\u3e, laughing gulls, \u3ci\u3eLeucophaeus atricilla\u3c/i\u3e, homing pigeons, \u3ci\u3eColumba livia\u3c/i\u3e, and western sandpipers, \u3ci\u3eCalidris mauri\u3c/i\u3e, with artificially weather MC252 oil

Scoping studies were designed to determine if double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus), laughing gulls (Leucophaues atricilla), homing pigeons (Columba livia) and western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) that were gavaged with a mixture of artificially weathered MC252 oil and food for either a single day or 4–5 consecutive days showed signs of oil toxicity. Where volume allowed, samples were collected for hematology, plasma protein electrophoresis, clinical chemistry and electrolytes, oxidative stress and organ weigh changes. Double-crested cormorants, laughing gulls and western sandpipers all excreted oil within 30 min of dose, while pigeons regurgitated within less than one hour of dosing. There were species differences in the effectiveness of the dosing technique, with double-crested cormorants having the greatest number of responsive endpoints at the completion of the trial. Statistically significant changes in packed cell volume, white cell counts, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase, gamma glutamyl transferase, uric acid, chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione, spleen and liver weights were measured in double-crested cormorants. Homing pigeons had statistically significant changes in creatine phosphokinase, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione and Trolox equivalents. Laughing gulls exhibited statistically significant decreases in spleen and kidney weight, and no changes were observed in any measurement endpoints tested in western sandpipers

Thermotropic phase behavior and headgroup interactions of the nonbilayer lipids phosphatidylethanolamine and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol in the dry state

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although biological membranes are organized as lipid bilayers, they contain a substantial fraction of lipids that have a strong tendency to adopt a nonlamellar, most often inverted hexagonal (H_II) phase. The polymorphic phase behavior of such nonbilayer lipids has been studied previously with a variety of methods in the fully hydrated state or at different degrees of dehydration. Here, we present a study of the thermotropic phase behavior of the nonbilayer lipids egg phosphatidylethanolamine (EPE) and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) with a focus on interactions between the lipid molecules in the interfacial and headgroup regions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Liposomes were investigated in the dry state by Fourier-transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Dry EPE showed a gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition below 0°C and a liquid-crystalline to H_IItransition at 100°C. MGDG, on the other hand, was in the liquid-crystalline phase down to -30°C and showed a nonbilayer transition at about 85°C. Mixtures (1:1 by mass) with two different phosphatidylcholines (PC) formed bilayers with no evidence for nonbilayer transitions up to 120°C. FTIR spectroscopy revealed complex interactions between the nonbilayer lipids and PC. Strong H-bonding interactions occurred between the sugar headgroup of MGDG and the phosphate, carbonyl and choline groups of PC. Similarly, the ethanolamine moiety of EPE was H-bonded to the carbonyl and choline groups of PC and probably interacted through charge pairing with the phosphate group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides a comprehensive characterization of dry membranes containing the two most important nonbilayer lipids (PE and MGDG) in living cells. These data will be of particular relevance for the analysis of interactions between membranes and low molecular weight solutes or soluble proteins that are presumably involved in cellular protection during anhydrobiosis.</p

Fructan and its relationship to abiotic stress tolerance in plants

Numerous studies have been published that attempted to correlate fructan concentrations with freezing and drought tolerance. Studies investigating the effect of fructan on liposomes indicated that a direct interaction between membranes and fructan was possible. This new area of research began to move fructan and its association with stress beyond mere correlation by confirming that fructan has the capacity to stabilize membranes during drying by inserting at least part of the polysaccharide into the lipid headgroup region of the membrane. This helps prevent leakage when water is removed from the system either during freezing or drought. When plants were transformed with the ability to synthesize fructan, a concomitant increase in drought and/or freezing tolerance was confirmed. These experiments indicate that besides an indirect effect of supplying tissues with hexose sugars, fructan has a direct protective effect that can be demonstrated by both model systems and genetic transformation