Adaptive epidemic dissemination as a finite-horizon optimal stopping problem

Wireless Networks - Wireless ad hoc networks are characterized by their limited capabilities and their routine deployment in unfavorable environments. This creates the strong requirement to...     

Selection of window sizes for optimizing occupational comfort and hygiene based on computational fluid dynamics and neural networks

The present paper presents a novel computational method to optimize window sizes for thermal comfort and indoor air quality in naturally ventilated buildings. The methodology is demonstrated by means of a prototype case, which corresponds to a single-sided naturally ventilated apartment. Initially, the airflow in and around the building is simulated using a Computational Fluid Dynamics model. Local prevailing weather conditions are imposed in the CFD model as inlet boundary conditions. The produced airflow patterns are utilized to predict thermal comfort indices, i.e. the PMV and its modifications for non-air-conditioned buildings, as well as indoor air quality indices, such as ventilation effectiveness based on carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds removal. Mean values of these indices (output/objective variables) within the occupied zone are calculated for different window sizes (input/design variables), to generate a database of input–output data pairs. The database is then used to train and validate Radial Basis Function Artificial Neural Network input–output “meta-models”. The produced meta-models are used to formulate an optimization problem, which takes into account special constraints recommended by design guidelines. It is concluded that the proposed methodology determines appropriate windows architectural designs for pleasant and healthy indoor environments.     

Interlaboratory Test of Exhaust PM Using ELPI

Abstract

The Particulate Measurement Programme (PMP) works on the development of an improved method for the exhaust particulate matter (PM) measurement, which can include, if feasible and necessary, the measurement of particle number. The French PMP subgroup, composed of IFP, PSA Peugeot-Citroën, Renault, and UTAC, has defined a measurement protocol based on electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI) and conducted an interlaboratory test to evaluate its performances. The technical program was based on tests carried out on three Euro3 passenger cars (one gasoline operating under stoichiometric conditions, one Diesel, and one Diesel equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF)) that were tested on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). The regulated pollutants are also measured, as indicators of test repeatability and good working conditions. The interlaboratory reproducibility value of the tunnel background tests is quite high (337%) due to low particle numbers. The repeatability values increase at low particle numbers independently of the vehicle used. On the NEDC, the reproducibility of total particle number is 59, 47, and 131% for the gasoline, Diesel, and DPF-equipped Diesel vehicles, respectively (compare to 67, 29, and 164% for PM collected on filters). These results show that the protocol used in this study allows a reliable measurement of exhaust particle number in the case of vehicles emitting at least two orders of magnitude more than the tunnel background. In the other cases, the measurement variability is too high, especially for regulatory purposes, without taking into account other metrological aspects, such as calibration.     

An Efficient Location Management Protocol for Wireless ATM Customer Premises Networks

In this paper we present a new location management protocol for wireless ATM networks, called LMCP (Location Management and Control Protocol). This protocol is based on the PNNI (Private Network-to-Network Interface) routing functionality to advertise the movement of mobile terminals within predefined areas. Moreover, LMCP uses specialized entities to store and retrieve the current location area of the mobile terminals. These entities are located in mobility enhanced switches that control the execution of mobility procedures (e.g., handovers).The main benefit from the application of LMCP is the establishment of connections that do not contain any misrouted segments. Furthermore, it requires minor modifications to the PNNI and enables its inter-working with other location management mechanisms. The protocol is compared with other similar mechanisms, and its efficiency is demonstrated by the results of an analytical model.     

Optical-fibre surface-plasmon-wave polarisers with enhanced performance

The effect of a thin metal film with positive dielectric permittivity on the performance of an optical-fibre surface-plasmon-wave polariser is presented. A dramatic improvement has been achieved with polarisation extinction ratios in excess of 45 dB over an extended range of superstrate refractive indices.<>     

Sj?gren''s syndrome in patients with newly diagnosed untreated non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma

A prfA gene encoding polypeptide release factor RF1 was cloned from Thermus thermophilus. T thermophilus RF1 shares 68% homology with Escherichia coli RF1, and its overproduction reduced readthrough translation of UAG, not of UGA, in the lacZ gene. Rapid purification of T thermophilus RF1 was achieved by T7-RNA polymerase driven overexpression of T thermophilus RF1 protein with a C-terminal histidine tag.     

The effect of dietary inclusion of olive tree leaves and grape marc on the content of conjugated linoleic acid and vaccenic acid in the milk of dairy sheep and goats

Olive tree leaves (OTL) and grape marc (GM) are by-products with high linolenic (LNA) and linoleic (LA) acid content, respectively, which can be used as dietary ingredients to increase the cis-9 trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of milk fat in sheep and goats. An experiment was conducted with 16 Friesian ewes and 16 Alpine goats to study the effect of OTL and GM inclusion in sheep and goat diets on their milk fatty acid profile, with emphasis on cis-9, trans-11 CLA and vaccenic acid (VA). Ewes and the goats were fed the control (C) diets from parturition to the 90 days in milk (DIM) and then both groups were divided into two sub-groups (treatments). The control groups of both species continued to be fed the C diets, whereas the treated groups were gradually switched over a 2-week period (DIM=91-105) from the C diets to that of treatment 1, which contained air-dried OTL. These OTL diets were fed ad libitum for 1 month (DIM=106-135). After that period, the same treated groups, after 2 weeks of gradual adaptation (DIM=136-150), were switched to treatment 2, which contained air-dried GM. The GM diets were fed ad libitum for 1 month (151-180 DIM). Concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and mono-unsaturated fatty acids increased significantly in milk fat of sheep fed OTL v. C. For goats, only the PUFA in milk fat was increased by feeding OTL compared with C. Relative to C, GM increased significantly the concentration of PUFA only in milk fat of sheep. OTL and GM diets increased the cis-9, trans-11 CLA and VA content in milk fat, compared with C, only in sheep. GM caused a sharp increase in 18:0 only in sheep milk fat, while the OTL diet increased significantly the 18:0 in milk fat of goats. GM and OTL diets also had opposite effects on the 18:1/18:0 ratio of sheep milk fat. In conclusion, OTL and GM, when included in sheep diets altered the milk fatty acid profile with a pronounced increase in cis-9, trans-11 CLA and VA contents. The results show that the response of sheep and goats to OTL and GM diets was different, suggesting a species difference that needs further investigation.     

Design considerations in optical add/drop multiplexers based ongrating-assisted null couplers

The performance of a fully optimized optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM), based on null couplers and tilted Bragg gratings, is studied in detail. It is shown that maximization of the device performance involves three main optimization steps. First, the waveguide asymmetry (V₂ /V₁ ratio) should be optimized in order to minimize the extinction ratio of the unwanted mode at the null coupler waist. Second, the coupler taper shape should he optimized in order to further minimize the aforementioned extinction ratio. Third, the grating tilt angle and relative width can be also optimized to give negligible backreflections at the input port and minimize radiation losses. The results show that the proposed high-performance OADM configuration can meet stringent telecom specifications     

Emissions of regulated pollutants from a spark ignition engine. Influence of fuel and air/fuel equivalence ratio

A spark ignition engine is used to determine the influence of fuel composition and air/fuel equivalence ratio on the exhaust emissions of regulated pollutants. Two specific fuel matrices are used: the first contains eight hydrocarbons and the second contains four oxygenated compounds. A specific experimental design is used for these tests. Fuel aromatics increase the exhaust CO, HC, and NOx at stoichiometry, lean and rich conditions. Lambda is more important than fuel composition in the case of CO and HC. At stoichiometry, the addition of oxygenated compounds can decrease exhaust CO, HC, and NOx up to 30%, 50%, and 60%, respectively. Under these conditions, the addition of 5% of 2-propanol is the most effective for the reduction of CO, the addition of 20% of ethanol forthe reduction of HC, and this of 5% of methyl tributyl ester (MTBE) for the NOx. The addition of oxygenated compounds can decrease CO by 30% at lean conditions, while no decrease is observed at rich ones; HC and NOx can decrease up to 30% and 80%, respectively, under lean conditions and 50% under rich ones. At all lambda tested, exhaust NOx increases with the addition of 20% of 2-propanol.