An Optimized Content-Aware Authentication Scheme for Streaming JPEG-2000 Images Over Lossy Networks

This paper proposes an optimized content-aware authentication scheme for JPEG-2000 streams over lossy networks, where a received packet is consumed only when it is both decodable and authenticated. In a JPEG-2000 codestream, some packets are more important than others in terms of coding dependency and image quality. This naturally motivates allocating more redundant authentication information for the more important packets in order to maximize their probability of authentication and thereby minimize the distortion at the receiver. Towards this goal, with the awareness of its corresponding image content, we formulate an optimization framework to compute an authentication graph to maximize the expected media quality at the receiver, given specific authentication overhead and knowledge of network loss rate. System analysis and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieves our design goal in that the rate-distortion (R-D) curve of the authenticated image is very close to the R-D curve when no authentication is required     

Atheromatous plaque macrophages produce plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 and stimulate its production by endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells

The capacity of macrophages to influence directly and indirectly fibrinolytic processes in atherosclerosis was studied using macrophages isolated from atherosclerotic plaques of patients undergoing surgical repair of distal aortic and femoral arteries. These cells were characterized by their morphology, adherence, esterase positivity, and expression of CD14 antigen. Production of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) by plaque macrophages (6.7 +/- 2.7 ng/10(5) cells/24 hours [mean +/- SEM]) was significantly greater than PAI-1 production by blood monocytes isolated simultaneously from the same patients (1.8 +/- 1.5 ng/10(5) cells/24 hours). Production of tissue type plasminogen activator and urokinase type was not augmented compared to blood monocytes. Conditioned medium from cultured plaque macrophages significantly increased production of PAI-1 by endothelial cells (85 +/- 11% above basal) and vascular smooth muscle cells (25 +/- 10%) in vitro. This response was significantly greater than the response to monocyte-conditioned medium (endothelial cells 38 +/- 11%, vascular smooth muscle cells 2.5 +/- 2.0%). Stimulation of endothelial cell PAI-1 production by macrophage-conditioned medium was partially inhibitable by a monoclonal antibody to transforming growth factor-beta. Tissue type plasminogen activator production by endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells was not affected by plaque macrophage- or monocyte-conditioned medium. Urokinase type plasminogen activator production by endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells was undetectable in control medium and was augmented to similar levels in response to plaque macrophage- and monocyte-conditioned media. These results demonstrate upregulation of PAI-1 production by macrophages in atheromatous plaques and the capacity of soluble products from plaque macrophages to upregulate PAI-1 production by endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro. These data suggest that macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques may inhibit thrombolysis both directly and indirectly by effects of their soluble products on endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells.     

Mechanical Properties of Reinforcing Steel and Fatigue Behavior in Corrosive Environment

Corrosion of reinforcing steel has a great impact on the mass reduction and high- and low-cycle fatigue. An experimental study showed that the mass loss, the fatigue limit and the life expectancy were reduced by approximately 1.50-3.00%, 20-40%, and 55-75%, respectively, according to the level of corrosion. Low-cycle strain controlled fatigue testing under ±1% and ±2.5% constant amplitude strain, indicated that the corroded steel bars exhibit gradual reduction in available energy, number of cycles to failure and the load-bearing ability. Formation of pits and notches took place on the corroded steel surface and stress concentration points were developed which are highly localized at imperfections and especially at the rib bases. The fatigue limit was reduced considerably since the existence of ribs and the formation of pits and notches combined with the mass loss led to reduction of the exterior hard layer of martensite and drastic drop in the energy density of the corroded specimens. Antiseismic design that does not take into account the maximum and cumulative plastic deformation demands and the strain history that a structure will suffer under severe ground motion could lead to unpredictable performance.     

Effects of Corrosion and Ribs on Low Cycle Fatigue Behavior of Reinforcing Steel Bars S400

The results of an experimental study for assessing the degradation of the fatigue properties of reinforcing steel bars grade S400 caused by exposure to laboratory salt spray corrosion environment are presented. For this purpose, low cycle fatigue (LCF) tests were carried out. Furthermore, the effect of ribs on the fatigue strength was recorded. Results are indicative of the catalytic impact of corrosion on LCF behavior. Since two important degradation factors such as corrosion and LCF are functions of time, it appears that the reliability of steel S400 is also time dependant. Additionally, the presence of ribs on material’s surface affects significantly the fatigue behavior by reducing energy dissipation and duration of test.     

Development of allergic responses related to microorganisms exposure in early life

The prevalence of allergic disorders may stem from reduced microbial exposure during childhood. Allergic disorders (rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis) result from a systemic inflammatory reaction triggered by Th2-cell-mediated immune responses against ‘innocuous’ environmental antigens. Initial interpretations proposed an immune deviation of allergen-specific responses from a Th1 to a Th2 profile resulting from reduced production of interleukin-12 and interferons by natural immune cells stimulated by bacterial products. Both stereotypical and selective responses of innate host cells are invoked by different microorganisms. Early in an infection, pathogens can therefore imprint their ‘signatures’ on antigen-presenting cells and subsequent immune responses. This interaction between microorganisms and enterocytes is important for the controlled production of cytokines and chemokines. Some probiotic microorganisms can modulate the in vitro expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in a strain-dependent manner, probably skew the immune response towards Th1 phenotype and play an important role in allergy prevention.     

On-the-Fly All-Optical Contention Resolution for NRZ and RZ Data Formats Using Packet Envelope Detection and Integrated Optical Switches

We present a packet-by-packet contention resolution scheme that combines packet detection, optical space switching, and wavelength conversion performed in the optical domain by integrated optical switches. The packet detection circuit provides the control signals required to deflect and wavelength-convert the contending packets so that all the packets are forwarded to the same output without any collision or packet droppings. We demonstrate the compatibility of the scheme with both nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) and return-to-zero (RZ) modulation formats by recording error-free operation for 10-Gb/s NRZ and 40-Gb/s RZ packet-mode traffic     

The Influence of Corrosion and Cross-Section Diameter on the Mechanical Properties of B500c Steel

Corrosion is a negative contributor on the structural integrity of concrete structures and leads to degradation of the mechanical properties of steel rebar. Exposure to chloride, seawater, salt and saltwater and deicing chemical environments influences the concrete-steel bond and weakens it. A considerable strength factor of the two-phase steel B500_c (martensitic, ferritic-perlitic) is considered to be the outer martensitic cortex thickness, which varies according to the area of the rebar cross section. In order to evaluate the influence of corrosion and the size of the area on the mechanical properties of B500_c steel, an experimental investigation was conducted on B500_c ribbed steel rebar of 8, 12, 16, and 18 mm diameter, and which were artificially corroded for 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 days. The laboratory tests suggest that corrosion duration and rebar cross-sectional area size had a significant impact on the strength and ductility degradation of the specimens. The tensile mechanical properties before and after corrosion indicated progressive variation and drastic drop in their values. The extended salt spray exposure enhanced the damage and created pits and notches, resulting in stress concentration points and progressive reduction of ductility and available energy. Anti-seismic design and codes that ignore the influence of the size of the cross-section area and the level of corrosion and mechanical behavior of reinforcing steel could lead to unpredictable performance during severe ground motion.     

Intradomain QoS routing in IP networks: a feasibility andcost/benefit analysis

Constraint-based routing gradually becomes an essential enabling mechanism for a variety of emerging network services such as virtual private networking and QoS support. A number of previous works have recognized its significance and investigated many aspects of the operation of constraint-based routing and in particular its variant concerned with determining paths for requests with specific QoS requirements, known as QoS routing. In this work we build on previous results on the cost of QoS routing and investigate the performance/cost trade-offs involved in the operation of a representative QoS routing architecture, elaborate on the constituents of this cost, and identify the main methods for containing the cost that QoS routing incurs on routers. Our results show that the cost of QoS routing is not excessive and that there indeed exist operational configurations, which can achieve reasonable performance gains with only a minimal increase in processing cost when compared to conventional best-effort routing     

Effect of corrosion on mass loss, and high and low cycle fatigue of reinforcing steel

The effect of various levels of corrosion on the mass loss, and the high and low cycle fatigue of BSt500_s steel reinforcement were experimentally investigated. The mass loss, the fatigue limit, and the life expectancy were reduced by 1.5 to 2.9%, 20 to 40%, and 56 to 76%, respectively, according to the corrosion level. Low cycle strain-controlled fatigue testing under a ±1% constant amplitude strain showed that the corroded steel bars exhibit a gradual reduction in the load-bearing ability, the available energy, and the number of cycles to failure. The considerable reduction in the fatigue limit took place because the mass loss led to a reduction of the exterior hard layer of martensite and a drastic drop in the energy density of the corroded specimens, thus developing stress concentration points that are highly localized at imperfections, and especially in the pits and notches of the rib bases of the corroded steel. Because corrosion and cycle fatigue are time-dependent, it seems that steel reliability is also time-dependent.     

Simulation of Terahertz Generation from Lateral Diffusion Currents in Semiconductor Devices

In this paper we model the carrier dynamics and resulting THz emission from lateral diffusion currents within a semiconductor device which has been partially masked by a metallic mask. We present a numerical 1D model and a 1D Monte Carlo simulation which both demonstrate that regardless of the excitation laser spot shape we do not expect to see measurable THz emission in the direction of the optical pump propagation from lateral diffusion currents. Experimentally such devices do produce strong THz emission. We analytically investigate the role of the metal mask and we found that it suppresses the emission of dipoles that are in a region that is less than a wavelength away from the interface. The results from the numerical model are also included in a finite element analysis model of the geometry which predicts THz emission if and only if the metal mask is present.