Investigation of High-Level Language Support in a Resource-Constrained Embedded Environment

Personal computers have gained a significant boost in computational power and digital storage space at a reduced cost in the last decade. In the search of increased programmer productivity and cross platform portability, language popularity has shifted from lower level languages such as C to higher level languages such as Java and C#. Many of today’s embedded systems are experiencing the same development as the personal computers did. However, most companies dealing with embedded devices still use C. We investigated what effect a shift like this would have at Axis Communications. The study was done by setting up C# and Java on a camera and conducting performance tests on it. The analysis showed that when using C# as a replacement for C, we saw improvements in programmer productivity whilst still upholding performance for some applications. For the most performance intense use cases, the performance requirements were not satisfied. With the growth of high-level languages, we do see a bright future for the support for them in embedded systems

Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter and multidrug resistance 1 genes: parasite risk factors that affect treatment outcomes for P. falciparum malaria after artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine.

Adequate clinical and parasitologic cure by artemisinin combination therapies relies on the artemisinin component and the partner drug. Polymorphisms in the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt) and P. falciparum multidrug resistance 1 (pfmdr1) genes are associated with decreased sensitivity to amodiaquine and lumefantrine, but effects of these polymorphisms on therapeutic responses to artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) have not been clearly defined. Individual patient data from 31 clinical trials were harmonized and pooled by using standardized methods from the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network. Data for more than 7,000 patients were analyzed to assess relationships between parasite polymorphisms in pfcrt and pfmdr1 and clinically relevant outcomes after treatment with AL or ASAQ. Presence of the pfmdr1 gene N86 (adjusted hazards ratio = 4.74, 95% confidence interval = 2.29 - 9.78, P < 0.001) and increased pfmdr1 copy number (adjusted hazards ratio = 6.52, 95% confidence interval = 2.36-17.97, P < 0.001 : were significant independent risk factors for recrudescence in patients treated with AL. AL and ASAQ exerted opposing selective effects on single-nucleotide polymorphisms in pfcrt and pfmdr1. Monitoring selection and responding to emerging signs of drug resistance are critical tools for preserving efficacy of artemisinin combination therapies; determination of the prevalence of at least pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y should now be routine

Prevalence of PCR Detectable Malaria Infection among Febrile Patients with a Negative Plasmodium falciparum Specific Rapid Diagnostic Test in Zanzibar

We screened for malaria in 594 blood samples from febrile patients who tested negative by a Plasmodium falciparum-specific histidine-rich protein-2-based rapid diagnostic test at 12 health facilities in Zanzibar districts North A and Micheweni, from May to August 2010. Screening was with microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the cytochrome b gene (cytbPCR) of the four major human malaria species, and quantitative PCR (qPCR). The prevalence of cytbPCR-detectable malaria infection was 2% (12 of 594), including 8 P. falciparum, 3 Plasmodium malariae, and 1 Plasmodium vivax infections. Microscopy identified 4 of 8 P. falciparum infections. Parasite density as estimated by microscopy or qPCR was > 4,000 parasites/μL in 5 of 8 cytbPCR-detectable P. falciparum infections. The infections that were missed by the rapid diagnostic test represent a particular challenge in malaria elimination settings and highlight the need for more sensitive point-of-care diagnostic tools to improve case detection of all human malaria species in febrile patients

Efficacy and Safety of Artemether-Lumefantrine in the Treatment of Acute, Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria: A Pooled Analysis

Randomized trials have confirmed the efficacy and safety of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Data from seven studies supported by Novartis (1996–2007), including 647 adults (> 16 years of age, 83.3% completed the study) and 1,332 children (≤ 16 years of age, 89.3% completed the study) with microscopically confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria and treated with the recommended regimen of AL, were pooled. The 28-day polymerase chain reaction–corrected parasitologic cure rate (primary efficacy endpoint) was 97.1% (495 of 510) in adults and 97.3% (792 of 814) in children (evaluable population). Gametocytemia prevalence after day was 4.2% (23 of 554) in adults and 0.9% (8 of 846) in children. No noteworthy safety signals were observed. Serious adverse events occurred in 1.4% of the adults and 1.3% of the children. This study is the largest data set to date assessing AL therapy for treatment of acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. Artemether-lumefantrine showed high cure rates and rapid resolution of parasitemia, fever, and gametocytemia in adults and children, and showed an excellent safety and tolerability profile

Absence of Putative Artemisinin Resistance Mutations Among Plasmodium falciparum in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Molecular Epidemiologic Study

Plasmodium falciparum parasites that are resistant to artemisinins have been detected in Southeast Asia. Resistance is associated with several polymorphisms in the parasite's K13-propeller gene. The molecular epidemiology of these artemisinin resistance genotypes in African parasite populations is unknown. We developed an assay to quantify rare polymorphisms in parasite populations that uses a pooled deep-sequencing approach to score allele frequencies, validated it by evaluating mixtures of laboratory parasite strains, and then used it to screen P. falciparum parasites from >1100 African infections collected since 2002 from 14 sites across sub-Saharan Africa. We found no mutations in African parasite populations that are associated with artemisinin resistance in Southeast Asian parasites. However, we observed 15 coding mutations, including 12 novel mutations, and limited allele sharing between parasite populations, consistent with a large reservoir of naturally occurring K13-propeller variation. Although polymorphisms associated with artemisinin resistance in P. falciparum in Southeast Asia are not prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, numerous K13-propeller coding polymorphisms circulate in Africa. Although their distributions do not support a widespread selective sweep for an artemisinin-resistant phenotype, the impact of these mutations on artemisinin susceptibility is unknown and will require further characterization. Rapid, scalable molecular surveillance offers a useful adjunct in tracking and containing artemisinin resistance

Tillgångshantering i offentlig sektor : En fallstudie i utmaningarna inför implementering av en tillgångshanteringsmodell

Vital societal functions are upheld by public infrastructure. For some time, normative theories describing asset management have disseminated in research and in business. Public infrastructure companies are increasingly required to adhere to management standards under regulatory pressure, however, the research area is in need of more empirical contributions on which challenges companies face when implementing management systems standards in their organization. For asset management systems and the ISO 55000 series in particular, the empirical data is lacking. This thesis addresses the challenges public utility companies face when implementing asset management principles. A qualitative case study was conducted during a five-month period at Sweden's largest water utility company, Stockholm Vatten och Avfall AB (SVOA). Fourteen interviews were conducted and compared with company documents to provide triangulation. The findings suggest that the main challenges a public utility company has to overcome to implement an asset management model are: 1) Lack of strategic and long-term planning responsibility. 2) Unclear division of asset responsibilities. 3) Lack of top management commitment towards asset management systems. 4) No standardized risk management. 5) Lack of information sharing between departments. The implications of this study are twofold: In a practical sense the thesis argues for top management of public infrastructure firms to commit to principles of asset management theory, provide a clear division of asset responsibility, introduce systematic risk management principles and policies, as well as promote cross-divisional exchanges of experiences. Academically, this investigation contributes to the literature by providing a better understanding of the ISO 55000 series, and the implementation process of standards similar to it, in the context of companies managed by the public sector.Kritiska samhällsfunktioner möjliggörs av offentlig infrastruktur. Sen ett antal år tillbaka finns flertalet normativa teorier publicerade som beskriver hur tillgångshantering (asset management) ska gå till. Under krav från lagstiftning och tillsynsmyndigheter måste offentliga verksamheter i allt högre grad införa standardiserande arbetssätt. Det finns en brist på forskning kring utmaningarna att bygga upp och införa ledningssystem i verksamheten. Särskilt ledningssystem för tillgångshantering som till exempel ISO 55000 saknar empiriska data. Detta examensarbete behandlar de utmaningar offentliga infrastrukturbolag står inför för att implementera tillgångshanteringsprinciper. En kvalitativ fallstudie gjordes över fem månader på Sverige största leverantör av vattentjänster, Stockholm Vatten och Avfall AB (SVOA). Totalt fjorton intervjuer gjordes och jämfördes mot interna företagsdokument för att uppnå triangulering. Resultaten pekar på att de största utmaningarna ett offentligt infrastrukturbolag måste övervinna är: 1) Brist på strategisk och långtidsplanering. 2) Otydlig fördelning av tillgångsansvar. 3) Brist på ledningsengagemang för tillgångshanteringssystem. 4) Avsaknad av standardiserad riskhantering. 5) Brist på informationsutbyte. Konsekvenserna av examensarbetet är tvåfaldig: På ett praktiskt plan argumenterar examensarbetet för att ledningen av offentliga infrastrukturbolag bör förpliktiga sig åt tillgångshanteringsprinciper. De bör även införa en tydlig uppdelning av tillgångsansvar, introducera standardiserade riskhanteringsmodeller och policy, samt bidra till tvärfunktionella erfarenhetsutbyten. På ett akademiskt plan bidrar examensarbetet till att utöka förståelsen för ISO 55000 standarden och implementeringsprocessen för liknande standarder i kontexten av offentligt styrda företag

A good manuscript review for the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing

[Extract] As noted in a previous editorial, making a journal successful is a team effort with contributions from authors, editors and reviewers.1 Reviewers play an important role in assuring and improving the quality of manuscripts submitted to the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. The function of a peer review process is considered an integral part of scholarly communication helping to ensure validity, increase accuracy and enhance content prior to publication.2 A peer review should evaluate the novelty, quality and value of the manuscript for the scientific community and the readers of the journal. Reviewers are asked to place the manuscript in proper perspective.3 Peer review requires dedicated time and the effort of reviewers, and their reviews help the editors decide which manuscripts to accept or to reject. Peer reviews also often markedly improve a manuscript. We believe it is timely and useful for the editorial team to define what we regard as a constructive peer review for the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing

Prevalence of PCR Detectable Malaria Infection among Febrile Patients with a Negative Plasmodium falciparum Specific Rapid Diagnostic Test in Zanzibar

We screened for malaria in 594 blood samples from febrile patients who tested negative by a Plasmodium falciparum-specific histidine-rich protein-2-based rapid diagnostic test at 12 health facilities in Zanzibar districts North A and Micheweni, from May to August 2010. Screening was with microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the cytochrome b gene (cytbPCR) of the four major human malaria species, and quantitative PCR (qPCR). The prevalence of cytbPCR-detectable malaria infection was 2% (12 of 594), including 8 P. falciparum, 3 Plasmodium malariae, and 1 Plasmodium vivax infections. Microscopy identified 4 of 8 P. falciparum infections. Parasite density as estimated by microscopy or qPCR was > 4,000 parasites/μL in 5 of 8 cytbPCR-detectable P. falciparum infections. The infections that were missed by the rapid diagnostic test represent a particular challenge in malaria elimination settings and highlight the need for more sensitive point-of-care diagnostic tools to improve case detection of all human malaria species in febrile patients