A Process-oriented Approach for Migrating Software to Heterogeneous Platforms

Context: Heterogeneous computing, i.e., computing performed on processors of different types - such as combination of CPUs and GPUs, or CPUs and FPGAs - has shown to be a feasible path towards higher performance and less energy consumption. However, this approach imposes a number of challenges on the software side that must be addressed in order to achieve the aforementioned advantages.Objective: The objective of this thesis is to improve the process of software deployment on heterogeneous platforms. Through a detailed analysis of the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice, we aim to provide a reasoning framework for engineers to migrate software to be executed on such platforms.Method: To achieve our goal, we conducted: (i) a literature review in the form of a systematic mapping study on software deployment on heterogeneous platforms; (ii) a multiple case study in industry that highlights the main challenges and concerns in the state-of-the-practice in the area; and (iii) a study in which we propose and evaluate a decision framework to guide engineers in migrating software for execution on heterogeneous platforms, with a case study in the automotive domain.Results: In the mapping study, we provided a thorough classification of the identified concerns and approaches to deploying software on heterogeneous platforms. Among other findings, we discovered a lack of holistic approaches that include development processes, as well as few validation studies in industrial contexts. In the second study, we discovered and analyzed common practices and challenges that companies face when using heterogeneous platforms. One of such challenges is related to the lack of approaches that cover the software development lifecycle. In the third study, we proposed a decision framework that guides engineers in the process of reasoning for migrating software for execution on heterogeneous platforms. It consists of five stages (assessing, re-architecting, developing, deploying, evaluating), each containing a set of aspects to be addressed through the answers to predefined questions.Conclusions: This thesis addresses a gap that was identified in both theory and practice concerning the lack of holistic approaches to migrate software for execution on heterogeneous platforms. Our proposed approach addresses the problem through systematic guidance for engineers.Future work: In the future, we intend to further refine the proposed framework through case studies in domains other than automotive. We will explore its integration with existing software engineering processes in industrial contexts, performing in-depth analysis of the required adaptations and providing detailed solutions within the stages of the framework

Using the “U-Multirank” to Compare the Performances of Brazilian Universities with Latin American Countries in Academic and Industry Products

 The present research makes comparisons of the performances of Brazilian Universities in terms of academic and industry related production, based in the “U-Multirank”, in the years 2017 to 2020. These comparisons are made with other Latin American countries listed in this ranking. Academic production is measured by indicators related to the number of papers published and citations received by Brazilian Universities, while Industry related products performance is based in the number of patents obtained and citations that Brazilian publications received in patents. This analysis is made for the average performances of all Brazilian universities listed in the “U-Multirank”, which is an academic multidimensional ranking implemented in Europe in 2014. It is based in five Dimensions, which are composed by 35 Indicators, with some of them related to pure academic productions and some others related to researches that are applied to industry. The results show that the performances of Brazilian universities are better in terms of academic products and below average in industry related products, such as the number of patents. It is also noted improvements in those numbers, a tendency that needs to be verified in the future. In Latin America, Chile has the best performances in all the Indicators related to Industrial products

Refactoring Software in the Automotive Domain for Execution on Heterogeneous Platforms

The most important way to achieve higher performance in computer systems is through heterogeneous computing, i.e., by adopting hardware platforms containing more than one type of processor, such as CPUs, GPUs, and FPGAs. Several types of algorithms can be executed significantly faster on a heterogeneous platform. However, migrating CPU-executable software to other types of execution platforms poses a number of challenges to software engineering. Significant efforts are required in such type of migration, particularly for re-architecting and re-implementing the software. Further, optimizing it in terms of performance and other runtime properties can be very challenging, making the process complex, expensive, and errorprone. Therefore, a systematic approach based on explicit and justified architectural decisions is needed for a successful refactoring process from a homogeneous to a heterogeneous platform. In this paper, we propose a decision framework that supports engineers when refactoring software systems to accommodate heterogeneous platforms. It includes the assessment of important factors in order to minimize the risk of recurrent problems in the process. Through a set of questions, practitioners are able to formulate answers that will help in making appropriate architectural decisions to accommodate heterogeneous platforms. The contents of the framework have been developed and evolved based on discussions with architects and developers in the automotive domain

Continuous Experimentation and the cyber-physical systems challenge: An overview of the literature and the industrial perspective.

Context: New software development patterns are emerging aiming at accelerating the process of delivering value. One is Continuous Experimentation, which allows to systematically deploy and run instrumented software variants during development phase in order to collect data from the field of application. While currently this practice is used on a daily basis on web-based systems, technical difficulties challenge its adoption in fields where computational resources are constrained, e.g., cyber-physical systems and the automotive industry. Objective: This paper aims at providing an overview of the engagement on the Continuous Experimentation practice in the context of cyber-physical systems.Method: A systematic literature review has been conducted to investigate the link between the practice and the field of application. Additionally, an industrial multiple case study is reported. Results: The study presents the current state-of-the-art regarding Continuous Experimentation in the field of cyber-physical systems. The current perspective of Continuous Experimentation in industry is also reported. Conclusions: The field has not reached maturity yet. More conceptual analyses are found than solution proposals and the state-of-practice is yet to be achieved. However it is expected that in time an increasing number of solutions will be proposed and validated

A Step Into the Definition of the Seismic Risk for the City of Benevento (Italy)

This paper gives a contribution in the definition of the seismic hazard for the city of Benevento in Southern Italy, from a geotechnical engineering viewpoint. To pursue this goal, an extensive geotechnical characterization of the city subsoil was achieved collecting data available at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Napoli and Benevento municipal technical office. Attention was paid in defining strain dependent shear stiffness and damping ratio for the geomaterials present in the urban area. A new method to correct the Masing criteria was adopted. Numerical analyses were performed considering the subsoil as a continuous one-phase equivalent linear medium. The 1-D analyses were carried out using Shake-like codes. The seismic hazard in the city was evaluated on the basis of two seismic scenarios, respectively characterized by low and high acceleration levels. The final result of the work is a seismic zonation of the city of Benevento. It was found that zonation maps are largely dependent from the chosen seismic scenario

A Step Into the Definition of the Seismic Risk for the City of Benevento (Italy)

This paper gives a contribution in the definition of the seismic hazard for the city of Benevento in Southern Italy, from a geotechnical engineering viewpoint. To pursue this goal, an extensive geotechnical characterization of the city subsoil was achieved collecting data available at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Napoli and Benevento municipal technical office. Attention was paid in defining strain dependent shear stiffness and damping ratio for the geomaterials present in the urban area. A new method to correct the Masing criteria was adopted. Numerical analyses were performed considering the subsoil as a continuous one-phase equivalent linear medium. The 1-D analyses were carried out using Shake-like codes. The seismic hazard in the city was evaluated on the basis of two seismic scenarios, respectively characterized by low and high acceleration levels. The final result of the work is a seismic zonation of the city of Benevento. It was found that zonation maps are largely dependent from the chosen seismic scenario

Different cytokine patterns associate with melancholia severity among inpatients with major depressive disorder

Background: Six melancholic features (MFs) of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D6) represent the construct of melancholia along a continuum of severity (from least to most severe: depressed mood, work and activities, somatic symptoms, psychic anxiety, guilty feelings, psychomotor retardation). We aimed to evaluate the association between these MFs and inflammatory cytokines (IC) in the blood. Methods: Each IC [interferon gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17] was associated with the HAM-D6 MFs of 139 severely depressed inpatients, using multiple linear regressions adjusted for covariates. Levels were compared with those of 100 healthy controls. Results: Depressed mood was associated with higher levels of IL-4 (β = 0.167; p = 0.041). Psychic anxiety: lower IL-17 levels (β = –0.173; p = 0.039). Guilt feelings: lower IL-2 levels (β = −0.168; p = 0.041) Psychomotor retardation: higher IL-6 levels (β = 0.195; p = 0.017). Depressed patients’ TNF-α, INF-γ, and IL-4 levels were not significantly different from controls. Depressed patients’ IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 levels were higher than those of controls (p <0.001). Conclusion: Less severe MFs (depressed mood, psychic anxiety, and guilt feelings) were associated with an anti-inflammatory pattern (higher IL-4, lower IL-17 and lower IL-2, respectively). The presence of the most severe MF, psychomotor retardation, was associated with a higher pro-inflammatory response (higher IL-6)

Bell's inequalities II: logical loophole in their interpretation

Assumed data streams from a delayed choice gedanken experiment must satisfy a Bell's identity independently of locality assumptions. The violation of Bell's inequality by assumed correlations of identical form among these data streams implies that they cannot all result from statistically equivalent variables of a homogeneous process. This is consistent with both the requirements of arithmetic and distinctions between commuting and noncommuting observables in quantum mechanics. Neglect of these distinctions implies a logical loophole in the conventional interpretation of Bell's inequalities.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

Seismic behaviour of geotechnical structures

This paper deals with some fundamental considerations regarding the behaviour of geotechnical structures under seismic loading. First a complete definition of the earthquake disaster risk is provided, followed by the importance of performing site-specific hazard analysis. Then some suggestions are provided in regard to adequate assessment of soil parameters, a crucial point to properly analyze the seismic behaviour of geotechnical structures. The core of the paper is centered on a critical review of the analysis methods available for studying geotechnical structures under seismic loadings. All of the available methods can be classified into three main classes, including the pseudo-static, pseudo-dynamic and dynamic approaches, each of which is reviewed for applicability. A more advanced analysis procedure, suitable for a so-called performance-based design approach, is also described in the paper. Finally, the seismic behaviour of the El Infiernillo Dam was investigated. It was shown that coupled elastoplastic dynamic analyses disclose some of the important features of dam behaviour under seismic loading, confirmed by comparing analytical computation and experimental measurements on the dam body during and after a past earthquake