Scalable Global Grid catalogue for LHC Run3 and beyond

The AliEn (ALICE Environment) file catalogue is a global unique namespace providing mapping between a UNIX-like logical name structure and the corresponding physical files distributed over 80 storage elements worldwide. Powerful search tools and hierarchical metadata information are integral parts of the system and are used by the Grid jobs as well as local users to store and access all files on the Grid storage elements. The catalogue has been in production since 2005 and over the past 11 years has grown to more than 2 billion logical file names. The backend is a set of distributed relational databases, ensuring smooth growth and fast access. Due to the anticipated fast future growth, we are looking for ways to enhance the performance and scalability by simplifying the catalogue schema while keeping the functionality intact. We investigated different backend solutions, such as distributed key value stores, as replacement for the relational database. This contribution covers the architectural changes in the system, together with the technology evaluation, benchmark results and conclusions.Comment: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics, CHEP 2016, 10-14 October 2016, San Francisco. Submitted to Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS

A Security Monitoring Framework For Virtualization Based HEP Infrastructures

High Energy Physics (HEP) distributed computing infrastructures require automatic tools to monitor, analyze and react to potential security incidents. These tools should collect and inspect data such as resource consumption, logs and sequence of system calls for detecting anomalies that indicate the presence of a malicious agent. They should also be able to perform automated reactions to attacks without administrator intervention. We describe a novel framework that accomplishes these requirements, with a proof of concept implementation for the ALICE experiment at CERN. We show how we achieve a fully virtualized environment that improves the security by isolating services and Jobs without a significant performance impact. We also describe a collected dataset for Machine Learning based Intrusion Prevention and Detection Systems on Grid computing. This dataset is composed of resource consumption measurements (such as CPU, RAM and network traffic), logfiles from operating system services, and system call data collected from production Jobs running in an ALICE Grid test site and a big set of malware. This malware was collected from security research sites. Based on this dataset, we will proceed to develop Machine Learning algorithms able to detect malicious Jobs.Comment: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics, CHEP 2016, 10-14 October 2016, San Francisco. Submitted to Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS

Análise crítica de parâmetros de qualidade de vida de pacientes com fibromialgia

The main purpose of this paper is to establish what symptoms or functional disturbances correlate themselves with the impact of fibromyalgia female patients in quality of life. A total of 26 women were studied who fullfill the American College of Rheumatology for the Classification of Fibromyalgia. Method: It was used the Pain and Fatigue Analogic Scales (PAS and FAS); Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ); Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ); Post- sleep Inventory (PSI); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Tender point count and classical clinical observation. The studied parameters were analyzed by the Spearman Correlation Coefficient. Results: The fibromyalgia group presented the following mean results: PAS – 7,7 (5 –10); FAS – 6,8 (0 – 10); HAQ – 1,26 (0,12 – 2,37); PSI – 81,2 (29 – 110) and FIQ – 58,4 (33,0 – 80,71). There is a significant correlation between the FIQ scores and pain inten-sity, fatigue intensity and HAQ scores. There is a weak correlation between FIQ and PSI scores. There was no correlation between FIQ and BDI scores. Conclusion: The global impact of fibromyalgia at the quality of life measured by the FIQ correlates with pain and fatigue intensity and with the decreased functional capacity measured by the HAQ.Objetivo: Determinar quais sintomas ou distúrbios funcionais correlacionam-se com o impacto da fibromialgia (FM) na qualidade de vida de pacientes do sexo feminino. Vinte e seis mulheres que preencheram os critérios de classificação de fibromialgia do Colégio Americano de Reumatologia. Métodos: Estudo transversal para análise dos seguintes parâmetros: intensidade da dor (escala analógica numérica de dor – 0 a 10 – END); intensidade de fadiga (escala analógica numérica de fadiga – 0 a 10 – ENF); no de pontos dolorosos/gatilho; capacidade funcional (Health Assessment Questionnaire – 0 a 3 – HAQ); qualidade do sono (Postsleep Inventory – 0 a 120 – PSI); intensidade de sintomas depressivos (Beck Depression Inventory – 0 a 60 – BDI); e qualidade de vida global (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire – 0 a 100 – FIQ). Os parâmetros foram analisados através do Coeficiente de Correlação de Spearman. Resultados: Houve correlação estatisticamente significante entre a qualidade de vida global (FIQ) e intensidade da dor (END), intensidade da fadiga (ENF) e capacidade funcional (HAQ). Houve correlação fraca com a qualidade do sono (PSI). Não se observou correlação entre o FIQ e a depressão (BDI). Por sua vez, a capacidade funcional (HAQ) correlaciona-se fortemente com a intensidade da dor e da fadiga. Não houve correlação entre o HAQ e o BDI. Conclusão: O impacto na qualidade de vida da fibromialgia correlaciona-se fortemente com a intensidade da dor, fadiga e decréscimo da capacidade funcional

Cardiovascular disease in women: Do we need new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide affecting both genders equally. However, in comparison to men, in women it often is underrecognized and undertreated in both the primary and secondary prevention settings. It is clear, that in the healthy population, there are profound differences both anatomically and biochemically between woman and men and this may impact how both groups present when they become ill. Therefore, there are some diseases that affect more frequently in women than in men such us myocardial ischemia or infarction without obstructive coronary disease, Tako-subo syndrome, some atrial arrhythmias or the appearance of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Therefore, the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that have been established based largely on clinical studies with a predominant male population must be adapted before being applied to women. There is a paucity of data regarding cardiovascular disease in women. It is inadequate to only perform a subgroup analysis evaluating a specific treatment or invasive technique, when women constitute fifty percent of the population. In this regard, this may affect the time of clinical diagnosis and severity assessments of some valvulopathies. In this review, we will focus on the differences in the diagnosis, management, and outcomes of woman with the most frequent cardiovascular pathologies including coronary artery disease, arrythmias, heart failure and valvopathies. In addition, we will describe diseases that exclusively affect to women related with the pregnancy some of them are life treating. Although the lack of research in women plays a role in the poorer outcomes in women specially in ischemic heart disease the results of some techniques such as transcathether aortic valve implantation and transcatheter edge to edge therapy seem to have better outcome in women

Comparação clínica e funcional de pacientes com fibromialgia e dor miofascial

The objective of this paper is to determine the similarities and differences between women with fibromyalgia and women with miofascial syndrome. A total of 26 women were studied who fulfill the American College of Rheumatology for the Classification of Fibromyalgia and 18 female patients with regional miofascial pain associated with localized tender or trigger point in the affected region. METHODOLOGY: lt was used the Pain and Fatigue Analogic Scales (PAS and FAS); Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ); Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ); Post-sleep Inventory (PSI); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), tender point count and classical clinical observation. RESULTS: The fibromyalgia group presented the following mean results: PAS – 7.7 (5–10); FAS - 6.8 (0 – 10); HAQ – 1.26 (0.12 – 2.37); PSI – 81.2 (29 –110) and FIQ – 58.4 (33.0 - 80.71). The miofascial pain syndrome presented the following results: PAS – 7.1 (2 – 10); FAS – 5.1 (0 – 10); HAQ – 0.68 (0 – 1.62); PSI – 64.62 (35 – 110); BDI – 18.5 (11 – 26) and FIQ – 43.55 (25.4 – 60.0). There were significant differences at the following parameters: HAQ, PSI, BDI and FIQ. CONCLUSION: The observed similarities between fibromyalgia and miofascial pain syndrome patients are: demographic characteristics and pain and fatigue intensity. The observed differences were the quality of life parameters.Objetivo: Estabelecer as diferenças e semelhanças entre mulheres com fibromialgia (FM) e mulheres com dor miofascial regional (DM) do ponto de vista clínico, funcional e qualidade de vida. Métodos: Estudo transversal de 26 mulheres que preencheram os critérios de classificação de fibromialgia da American College of Rheumatology e 18 mulheres com dor músculo-esquelética regional associada à pontosgatilho dolorosos na área afetada pela dor. Resultados: As pacientes com DM apresentavam dor nas seguintes regiões: coluna cervical, cintura escapular, cintura pélvica e ATM. Os parâmetros avaliados no grupo da FM mostraram os seguintes resultados: END – 7,7 (5 – 10); ENF – 6,8 (0 –10); nº de pontos dolorosos – 13,7 (11 – 17); HAQ – 1,26 (0,12 – 2,37); PSI – 81,29 (29 –110); BDI – 24 (0 – 60) e FIQ – 58,46 (33,0 – 80,71). No grupo da DM, observaram-se os seguintes resultados: END - 7,1 (2 – 10); ENF – 5,1 (0 – 10); nº de pontos dolorosos – 6,6 (1 - 8); HAQ – 0,68 (0 – 1,62); PSI – 64,62 (35 – 110); BDI – 18,5 (11 – 26) e FIQ – 43,55 (25,4 – 60,0). Conclusões: As semelhanças observadas entre pacientes com FM e DM são: dados demográficos, intensidade da dor e fadiga, presença de fatores desencadeantes e nível de atividade física. As diferenças observadas foram: escolaridade, capacidade funcional, qualidade do sono, intensidade da depressão e qualidade de vida

Using gamification to transform the adoption of servitization

Increasingly, manufacturing organizations compete by developing product-service systems rather than offering products alone. To transform themselves into providers of advanced services, however, product-centric manufacturing firms need to overcome a range of barriers. While previous studies have highlighted the teaching/learning potential of 'gamification' (the use of ideas and techniques found in game-playing), the opportunities to harness this approach to help tackle such barriers have yet to be fully realized. Our study extends the debate by integrating established frameworks relating to emotional mechanics of gamification with the adoption of advanced services, arguing that such mechanics can facilitate and strengthen companies' transformation into advanced-service providers. Based on a systematic analysis of nearly 90 selected publications, we develop six conceptual propositions to explore how gamification can aid the transformation process. Our findings will help both practitioners and researchers apply emotional mechanics of gamification when seeking to address different hurdles hindering the development and provision of advanced services

Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter

An in-situ calibration of a logarithmic periodic dipole antenna with a frequency coverage of 30 MHz to 80 MHz is performed. Such antennas are part of a radio station system used for detection of cosmic ray induced air showers at the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the so-called Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA). The directional and frequency characteristics of the broadband antenna are investigated using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) carrying a small transmitting antenna. The antenna sensitivity is described by the vector effective length relating the measured voltage with the electric-field components perpendicular to the incoming signal direction. The horizontal and meridional components are determined with an overall uncertainty of 7.4^{+0.9}_{-0.3} % and 10.3^{+2.8}_{-1.7} % respectively. The measurement is used to correct a simulated response of the frequency and directional response of the antenna. In addition, the influence of the ground conductivity and permittivity on the antenna response is simulated. Both have a negligible influence given the ground conditions measured at the detector site. The overall uncertainties of the vector effective length components result in an uncertainty of 8.8^{+2.1}_{-1.3} % in the square root of the energy fluence for incoming signal directions with zenith angles smaller than 60{\deg}.Comment: Published version. Updated online abstract only. Manuscript is unchanged with respect to v2. 39 pages, 15 figures, 2 table