Analysis and extension of radon: a general distributed computing platform

LAUREA MAGISTRALELe applicazioni distribuite sono ormai una parte fondamentale della nostra vita quotidiana, influenzando tutto, da come comunichiamo e accediamo alle informazioni a come gestiamo le attività personali e professionali. Tuttavia, lo sviluppo di applicazioni distribuite presenta sfide uniche a causa della necessità di sincronizzazione, tolleranza ai guasti e scalabilità attraverso componenti decentralizzati. La modularità emerge come una strategia essenziale per affrontare queste sfide. Suddividendo le applicazioni in moduli indipendenti e riutilizzabili, gli sviluppatori possono semplificare il processo di sviluppo, isolare gli errori in modo più efficace e migliorare la scalabilità. In questo lavoro, siamo i primi a sperimentare Radon—una piattaforma specificamente progettata per facilitare il computing distribuito modulare. Radon supporta gli sviluppatori nella costruzione di applicazioni complesse organizzandole in moduli componibili, permettendo la creazione di sistemi distribuiti adattabili e scalabili. Per dimostrarlo, implementiamo dei protocolli distribuiti ampiamente utilizzati come moduli individuali di Radon. Successivamente, sviluppiamo e ne valutiamo le prestazioni di un'applicazione distribuita complessa come composizione di più moduli; in particolare, iniziamo con una base di dati chiave-valore a cui aggiungiamo supporto transazionale. Infine, proponiamo uno studio di fattibilità sullo sviluppo, supportato da Radon, di basi di dati chiave-valore transazionali realmente esistenti.Distributed applications are now a fundamental part of our daily lives, influencing everything from how we communicate and access information to how we handle personal and professional activities. However, developing distributed applications presents unique challenges due to the need for synchronization, fault tolerance, and scalability across decentralized components. Modularity emerges as an essential strategy in addressing these challenges. By breaking applications down into independent, reusable modules, developers can simplify the development process, isolate errors more effectively, and enhance scalability. In this work, we are the first to experiment with Radon—a platform specifically designed to facilitate modular distributed computing. Radon supports developers in building complex applications by organizing them into composable modules, enabling the creation of adaptable and scalable distributed systems. To demonstrate this, we implement widely-used distributed protocols as individual Radon modules. We then develop and benchmark a complex distributed application as a composition of multiple Radon modules; specifically, we start with a key-value store and then we enhance it with transaction support. Finally, we assess the feasibility of developing existing transactional key-value stores on top of Radon

Predictive impact of rare genomic copy number variations in siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Identification of genetic biomarkers associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) could improve recurrence prediction for families with a child with ASD. Here, we describe clinical microarray findings for 253 longitudinally phenotyped ASD families from the Baby Siblings Research Consortium (BSRC), encompassing 288 infant siblings. By age 3, 103 siblings (35.8%) were diagnosed with ASD and 54 (18.8%) were developing atypically. Thirteen siblings have copy number variants (CNVs) involving ASD-relevant genes: 6 with ASD, 5 atypically developing, and 2 typically developing. Within these families, an ASD-related CNV in a sibling has a positive predictive value (PPV) for ASD or atypical development of 0.83; the Simons Simplex Collection of ASD families shows similar PPVs. Polygenic risk analyses suggest that common genetic variants may also contribute to ASD. CNV findings would have been pre-symptomatically predictive of ASD or atypical development in 11 (7%) of the 157 BSRC siblings who were eventually diagnosed clinically

Working With Children Having Multiple Disabilities: A Practical Guide

The aim of this investigation is twofold: (1) to explore best practices with regards to teaching autistic and blind students in formal and informal learning environments (2) to create a practical guide for individuals who work with this target population. As a production and evaluation thesis equivalent, the methodology utilized for the data collection and evaluation is based on an action research model in which I collaborated with experts and practitioners in the field to acquire better knowledge and understanding of what techniques and strategies work best in teaching children that are multi-impaired. Employing an interactive/iterative approach, I used a combination of the initial questionnaire, interviews and literature searches to provide the content for the creation of a practical manual for field workers. This manual is comprised of a compilation of teaching techniques and strategies obtained from the data collected as well as examples of best practices as identified by those professionals who provided feedback. In the first phase of developing the manual, data were gathered and analyzed and a first draft was completed. An evaluation was then undertaken with experts in the field as well as others working with this population to review it and point out any inconsistent/missing information, lack of coherence, or problems with regards to how information was presented. These comments were then incorporated into a revised text that was submitted, once again, to experts in the field for a final summative evaluation in English and its multiple translations (French, Spanish, Quechua). The final edited manual will be published in the form of a practical guide that will be made available to professionals, volunteers and parents

Diagnosis and Management of Iliac Artery Endofibrosis: Results of a Delphi Consensus Study

Objective Iliac endofibrosis is a rare condition that may result in a reduction of blood flow to the lower extremity in young, otherwise healthy individuals. The data to inform everyday clinical management are weak and therefore a Delphi consensus methodology was used to explore areas of consensus and disagreement concerning the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected iliac endofibrosis. Methods A three-round Delphi questionnaire approach was used among vascular surgeons, sports physicians, sports scientists, radiologists, and clinical vascular scientists with experience of treating this condition to explore diagnosis and clinical management issues for patients with suspected iliac artery endofibrosis. Analysis is based on 18 responses to round 2 and 14 responses to round 3, with agreement reported when 70% of respondents were in agreement. Results Initially there was agreement on the typical symptoms at presentation and the need for an exercise test in the diagnosis. Round 3 clarified that duplex ultrasound was a useful tool in the diagnosis of endofibrosis. There was consensus on the most appropriate type of surgery (endarterectomy and vein patch) and that endovascular interventions were inadvisable. The final round helped to inform aspects of the natural history and post-operative surveillance. Progression of the disease was likely with continued exercise but cessation may prevent progression. Surveillance after surgery is generally recommended yearly with at least a clinical assessment. Conclusions There is broad agreement about the presenting symptoms and the investigations required to confirm (or exclude) the diagnosis of iliac endofibrosis. There was consensus on the surgical approach to repair. Disagreement existed about the specific diagnostic criteria that should be applied during non-invasive testing and about post-operative care and resumption of exercise

Approach to abnormal uterine bleeding in presence of endometrial polyps with new hysteroscopic devices

Purpose: To compare different endoscopic techniques, such as hysteroscopy with morcellator and traditional resectoscopy, and different surgical settings, such as operating room setting and outpatient setting, for patients with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and suspected endometrial polyps. Metho: In this prospective study, 180 women diagnosed with endometrial polyps on ultrasound were enrolled. Patients were divided into three groups: 1) resectoscopy under anesthesia in an operating room setting; 2) morcellation with anesthesia in an operating room setting; and 3) outpatient morcellation without anesthesia. The main outcomes included procedure completion rates, operative time, patient satisfaction, and pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Additionally, histological analysis was conducted for all cases. Results: Among the 180 patients, all procedures were completed in Groups 1 and 2, while Group 3 had a 96.7% completion rate. Procedure duration was the shortest in Group 3 (average 6.5 min), significantly less than in Group 1 (p value < 0.05; CI 95%). Pain was manageable in all groups, with VAS scores < 4 for most patients in the outpatient setting. Histology confirmed benign polyps in most cases, and malignant or premalignant conditions were around 3% of procedure. Conclusion: Outpatient “see-and-treat” hysteroscopy with morcellator, performed without anesthesia, proved feasible, safe, and cost-effective, with minimal discomfort and comparable diagnostic accuracy to traditional methods. This technique offers a practical approach for the management of AUB, enabling efficient treatment while reducing costs and resource usage, and may be considered as a preferred option in appropriate patients

Qualitative Research on Work-Family in the Management Field: A Review

Despite a proliferation of work-family literature over the past three decades, studies employing quantitative methodologies significantly outweigh those adopting qualitative approaches. In this paper, we intend to explore the state of qualitative work-family research in the management field and provide a comprehensive profile of the 152 studies included in this review. We synthesize the findings of qualitative work-family studies and provide six themes including parenthood, gender differences, cultural differences, family-friendly policies and non-traditional work arrangements, coping strategies, and under-studied populations. We also describe how findings of qualitative work-family studies compare to that of quantitative studies. The review highlights seven conclusions in the current qualitative literature: a limited number of qualitative endeavours, findings worth further attention, convergent foci, the loose use of work-family terminology, the neglect of a variety of qualitative research approaches, quantitative attitudes towards qualitative research, and insufficient reporting of research methods. In addition, implications for future researchers are discussed

La formazione dell'architetto integrale. Il modello didattico della Scuola superiore di architettura di Roma sotto la direzione di Gustavo Giovannoni (1927-1935)

Gustavo Giovannoni was the director of the School of Architecture in Rome from 1927 to 1935. During this period, he put into practice the theoretical educational model of the architetto integrale, that he conceived in the first years of the XXth century in the cultural environment of the Associazione Artistica tra i Cultori di Architettura. According to this model, the students should be educated to manage both the artistic and the technical aspects of design.The coexistence of these different kinds of skills reveals the identity of the brand-new School of Architecture, which for the first time combined the training of the Schools of Arts and the Engineering Schools, as much as the versatile abilities of its creator. Through the analysis of the activities proposed by the professors, this study tries to show the School’s multidisciplinary approach and its holistic vision of architecture, considered as a fusion, at different scales, of history, construction and design