173 research outputs found
Electronic nicotine delivery systems exhibit reduced bronchial epithelial cells toxicity compared to cigarette: the Replica Project
No full textElectronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) may reduce health risks associated with chronic exposure to smoke and their potential benefits have been the matter of intense scientific debate. We aimed to replicate three published studies on cytotoxic and inflammatory effects of cigarette smoke and ENDS aerosol in an independent multi-center ring study. We aimed to establish the reliability of results and the robustness of conclusions by replicating the authors’ experimental protocols and further validating them with different techniques. Human bronchial epithelial cells (NCI-H292) were exposed to cigarette whole smoke and vapor phase and to aerosol from ENDS. We also assessed the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 and the remodeling mediator matrix metalloproteinase-1. We replicated cell viability results and confirmed that almost 80% of cytotoxic effects are due to volatile compounds in the vapor phase of smoke. Our findings substantiated the reduced cytotoxic effects of ENDS aerosol. However, our data on inflammatory and remodeling activity triggered by smoke differed significantly from those in the original reports. Taken together, independent data from multiple laboratories clearly demonstrated the reduced toxicity of ENDS products compared to cigarettes.This investigator-initiated study was sponsored by ECLAT s.r.l., a spin-off of the University of Catania, through a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, a US nonprofit 501(c)(3) private foundation with a mission to end smoking in this generation. The Foundation accepts charitable gifts from PMI Global Services Inc.; under the Foundation's Bylaws and Pledge Agreement with PMI Global Services Inc., the Foundation is independent from PMI Global Services Inc. and the tobacco industry. The contents, selection, and presentation of facts, as well as any opinions expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the authors and under no circumstances shall be regarded as reflecting the positions of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, Inc. ECLAT S.r.l. is a research-based company from the University of Catania that delivers solutions to global health problems with special emphasis on harm minimization and technological innovation
Dynamic data replication in the grid with freshness and correctness guarantees
No full textThis thesis explores architectural issues and performance aspects of data Grid infrastructures. The objective is to develop a scalable infrastructure that is capable to dynamically manage replicated data in the Grid while at the same time providing freshness and correctness guarantees. We propose a decentralized middleware which can be deployed on top of any Grid (or any distributed, heterogeneous) infrastructure. The difficulty is to ensure that such an infrastructure can offer scalability, performance and correctness. The overall goal of this thesis is to present a replication mechanism that combines scalability, global correctness and quality of service guarantees in a dynamic way.
In the beginning we introduce important aspects of Grid environments and several scenarios from newly emerging eScience applications. These use case scenarios urgently require new integrated approaches to dynamic replication in a data Grid. Our main contribution is the Re:GRIDiT protocols that dynamically manage replicas in the Grid, while at the same time providing freshness and correctness guarantees. The Re:GRIDiT family consists of three different protocols which target the three main problematic aspects identified in current data Grid infrastructures.
Inspired by the requirements deduced from these scenarios we first concentrate our efforts on the more complex and general case of distributed update transactions on replicated data. We devise a protocol for the correct synchronization of concurrent updates to different updateable replicas in order to ensure their subsequent propagation to read-only replicas in a completely distributed way. Re:SYNCiT hides the presence of replicas to the applications, takes into account the special characteristics of data in the Grid such as version support, distinction between mutable and immutable objects, and provides provably correct transactional execution guarantees without any global component.
The next step is the Re:LOADiT approach to dynamic distributed replica management in data Grid systems. We propose efficient algorithms for selecting optimal locations for placing the replicas so that the load among these replicas is balanced. Given the data usage from each user site and the maximum load of each replica, our algorithm efficiently manages the number of replicas required, reducing or increasing their number.
Until now our approach dictates how update sites behave and from a user's point of view the clients will always access the most up-to-date data. We further refine this approach and introduce the Re:FRESHiT protocol, which allows to effectively trade freshness for performance and addresses freshness and versioning issues, needed in many Grid application domains, without losing consistency. Queries with different freshness levels are cleverly routed along our tree strategy, by taking advantage of the tree structure.
Finally we are also interested in the performance characteristics of the presented algorithms. We have implemented the Re:GRIDiT protocols using state-of-the-art Web service technologies which allows an easy and seamless deployment in any Grid environment. The evaluation has been conducted on up to 48 update sites and 48 read-only sites. We have used simulated workloads that mimic the behavior expected from our use case applications. Our evaluations have shown that the proposed Re:GRIDiT protocols are efficient, as replicas are created and/or deleted on demand and with a reasonable amount of resources. Dynamic changes in the tree structure allow flexible and efficient query routing along the tree structure. Clever routing strategies ensure an increased performance for queries with different freshness levels. Re:GRIDiT ensures replica consistency and is capable of providing different degrees of consistency and update frequencies.
Summarizing, this thesis presents new approaches for the correct synchronization of updates in a dynamic manner, replication management, and freshness guarantees in a data Grid. These approaches are founded on formal theoretical background and implemented in a full-fledged prototype in a realistic Grid environment. These approaches have been proven to be scalable by means of an extensive analytical and experimental evaluation
Development of a grid infrastructure for functional genomics
No full textThe BRIDGES project is incrementally developing and exploring database integration over six geographically distributed research sites with the framework of a Wellcome Trust biomedical research project (the Cardiovascular Functional Genomics project) to provide a sophisticated infrastructure for bioinfomaticians. Grid technologies are being used to facilitate this integration. Key issues to be investigated in BRIDGES are data integration and data federation, security, user friendliness, access to large scale computational facilities and incorporation of existing bioinformatics software solutions, both for visualisation as well as analysis of genomic data sets. This paper outlines the initial experiences in applying Grid technologies and outlines the on-going designs put forward to address these issues
Enforcing Replica Determinism in the Road Side Units of Fault-Tolerant Vehicular Networks
No full textThis paper presents a strategy to enforce replica determinism in the road-side units (RSUs) of wireless vehicular networks. An active replication scheme is used to enhance fault-tolerant behaviour in these RSU nodes, which are responsible for handling channel access and admission control policies in real-time vehicular communications protocols. The proposed solution guarantees consistency among all RSU replicas, by introducing a dedicated link shared exclusively by these units, allowing them to implement an atomic commit protocol of the packets received through the wireless medium. This strategy also has the advantage of reducing packet loss, since only one replica needs to successfully decode the packet in order for it to become available to the RSU group of replicas. It should be noticed however that this method increases the total delay of packet delivery to the upper layers of the communications protocol, so its impact on the real-time properties of the network needs to be further evaluated
Cytotoxicity, Mutagenicity and Genotoxicity of Electronic Cigarettes Emission Aerosols Compared to Cigarette Smoke: the REPLICA project
No full textIn this work the REPLICA Team replicated part of the work published by Rudd and colleagues in 2020, which aims to establish the aerosol-induced cytotoxicity, mutagenesis and genotoxicity of a pod system e-cigarette aerosol compared to tobacco cigarette smoke. As in the original paper, we performed Neutral Red Test (NRU) for the evaluation of cytotoxicity, AMES test for the evaluation of mutagenesis and In Vitro Micronuclei (IVM) assay for the evaluation of genotoxicity on cells treated with cigarette smoke or e-cigarette aerosol. The results obtained showed high cytotoxicity, mutagenicity and genotoxicity induced by cigarette smoke, but slight or no cytotoxic, mutagenic and genotoxic effects induced by the e-cigarette aerosol. The data obtained support those previously presented by Rudd and colleagues, although we have highlighted some methodological flaws of their work. Overall, we can affirm that the results obtained by Rudd and colleagues have been established and our data also confirm the idea that e-cigarette aerosol is much safer and less harmful than e-cigarette smoking, making it a useful device in smoking harm reductionThis investigator-initiated study was sponsored by ECLAT srl, a spin-off of the University of Catania, through a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World Inc., a US nonprofit 501(c)(3) private foundation with a mission to end smoking in this generation. The contents, selection, and presentation of facts, as well as any opinions expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the authors and under no circumstances shall be regarded as reflecting the positions of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, Inc. ECLAT srl. is a research-based company that delivers solutions to global health problems with special emphasis on harm minimization and technological innovation
REPLICA 55 PROJECT: A WOOD SEAPLANE IN THE ERA OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS
No full textThe Savoia Marchetti S55 seaplane is a symbol of the remarkable aeronautical know how reached in Italy during the '20s and' 30s,
confirmed by a series of long-range record flights. Although about 250 aircraft were manufactured, to date not one flying example
exists. Currently the only one remaining and preserved is exhibited in the TAM aeronautical museum in Brazil. In 2015 a group of competent
and enthusiastic professionals of the aeronautics sector started the "Replica55 project" with the aim of designing, building and flying a replica of
the S55 aircraft
Civic Education Project and Digital Memory Bank
No full textThe WARC file must be opened using a program like Webrecorder.io. The ZIP contains a static version of the website.1991-2008. The Civic Education Project is an international non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1991 to promote pluralism and international standards in social science education in countries developing civil society capacity. From 1991-2004 they operated three different fellowship programs in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and over 20,000 students participated in courses offered by the program. The website that was archived in 2019 was actively developed from circa 2007-2008 and included a memory bank where fellows, staff members, students, and partners could write about their personal experiences with the program. It also included a replica of the original website from circa 1999-2006. Formerly hosted at civiceducationproject.org.American Bar Association, Central and East European Law Initiative (CEELI); American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS; American University-Central Asia; Amoco, Inc.; Arthur Andersen, Inc.; Austrian Ministry of Science and Transport; Bochum University; Robert Bosch Foundation; British Council; British Embassy, Budapest; Carnegie Corporation of New York; Central European University; Chevron Corporation; Citibank; Citigroup Foundation; Coca-Cola Corporation; Constitutional and Legal Policy Institute; DHL; Eurasia Foundation; European Commission; European Cultural Foundation; Ford Foundation; German Marshall Fund of the United States; German Rectors Conference; Higher Education Support Program of the Open Society Institute; International Debate Education Association; Jewish Communal Fund; Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta; Juris Angliae Scientia; Alfred Jurzykowski Foundation, Inc.; Klein Travel; Koeber Foundation; Kosciuszko Foundation; Leadership Trust Foundation; Lithuanian Air; John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Mahart, Inc.; Malev Airlines, Inc.; Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Ministry of Education - Hungary; Mobil Oil; Moldovan Air, Inc.; Network Library Program; Nordic Council of Ministers; North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Open Society Institute; PaineWebber Group, Inc.; Pepsico; Reuters Foundation; Stanley Roth Sr., Charitable Trust; Royal Netherlanders Embassy, Kyiv; Salzburg Seminar; Shaney & Fischer; Smith-Richardson Foundation; Stability Pact (Government of Austria); Starr Foundation; Stifterverband fur die Deutsche Wissenschaft; Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research; Ukrainian Rail, Inc.; United Nations; United Nations Development Programme; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; United Nations High Commission for Refugees; United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (formerly USIA); United States Embassy - Bulgaria; United States Embassy - Poland; United States Embassy - Romania; Unocal, Inc.; White & Case, Inc
Progetto S55 Replica
No full textIl Savoia Marchetti S55 è un idrovolante simbolo dei notevoli progressi tecnologici dell’Italia in campo aeronautico durante gli anni ’20 e ’30 e reso famoso da una serie di voli a lunga percorrenza da record. Nonostante la produzione toccò i 250 esemplari ad oggi non esiste nessun esemplare volante e solo uno di essi si è conservato fino ai giorni nostri ed è attualmente esposto nel museo aeronautico TAM in Brasile. Nel 2015 un gruppo di professionisti e appassionati del settore aeronautico ha avviato il progetto Replica55 coordinato dal comandante Francesco Rizzi, con l'obiettivo di progettare, costruire e far volare una replica del velivolo S55 (www.replica55.it). The Savoia Marchetti S55 is a seaplane symbol of the remarkable aeronautical know how reached in Italy in during the '20s and' 30s, and confirmed by a series of record long-range flights. Although were made about 250 aircraft, to date does not exists one flying airplane. Currently the only one remaining and preserved is exhibited in the TAM aeronautical museum in Brazil. In 2015 a group of competent and enthusiastic professionals of the aeronautics sector started the "Replica55 project" coordinated by the commander Francesco Rizzi, with the aim of designing, building and flying a replica of the S55 aircraft. (www.replica55.it)
Grid middleware for engineering design search and optimisation.
No full textDesign search and optimisation algorithms can be used by engineers to yield improved designs. Design search involving the analysis of the aerodynamic properties of a design, using Computational Fluid Dynamics, is both computationally and data intensive, making this problem well matched to Grid computing. Evaluation of the quality of a design (the objective function) may require commercial and user supplied software packages to be called in sequence, data transferred to and from suitable compute resources, in addition to pre- and post-processing. To allow engineers to express these necessarily complex workflows we expose a suite of Grid-enabled tools to a high-level scripting language. These tools include client functionality to Globus compute resources, and to a job submission Web service which exposes a cycle-scavenging Condor pool. These tools are exposed as functions to the Matlab environment that can be used directly by the engineer, or integrated into higher level functions for design search and optimisation. Here the benefits of the scripting approach are discussed, together with details of the Grid middleware used and the implementation of the client functionality
A Replica Consistency Protocol For GlobData
No full textThis thesis addresses the problem of replica management in a distributed object-oriented database system. It presents a protocol to ensure data consistency across the different nodes of the system. This protocol relies on recent advances in group communication techniques, and on the use of atomic broadcast as a building block to help serialize conflicting transactions. The protocol was implemented in the context of the GlobData project. GlobData was an European IST project designed and implemented a data management middleware tool, named COPLA. The tool offers the abstraction of a global object database repository, supporting transactional access to geographically distributed persistent objects independent of their location. COPLA supports the replication of data according to different consistency criteria. Each consistency criteria is implemented by one or more consistency protocols, that offer different trade-offs between performance and fault-tolerance. A general description of the algorithm is given, followed by a thorough description of its implementation within the COPLA tool. This implementation is then evaluated against other COPLA consistency protocol
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