Improving the security of quantum key agreement protocols with single photon in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom

Recently, Wang and Ma (Quantum Inf Process 16(5):130, 2017) proposed two interesting quantum key agreement protocols with a single photon in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom. They claimed that the privacy of participants’ secret keys in the multiparty case is protected against dishonest participants. However, in this paper, we prove that two dishonest participants can deduce the secret key of an honest one using a fake sequence of single photons, without being detected. Also, we propose an additional security detection process to avoid the security loophole in their protocol.     

An efficient MAC protocol for cooperative diversity in mobile ad hoc networks

Cooperative diversity is proposed to combat the detrimental effects of channel fading. In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of cooperative diversity in interference limited ad hoc networks. The negative effects due to relay blocking on the network throughput are investigated. We show that the relay blocking problem is mainly dependent on the relay selection criterion. To overcome this problem, we propose a new cooperative diversity technique based on a modified IEEE 802.11 Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol. The throughput performance of the proposed MAC protocol is analyzed using a random structured network where nodes are assumed to be equipped with multiple antennas. In our simulations, we consider both single‐ and multiple‐relay scenarios over fading channels. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Performance analysis of coded space‐time adaptive detection in DS/CDMA systems over Rayleigh fading channels

In this paper, we study the use of channel coding in a direct‐sequence code‐division multiple‐access (DS‐CDMA) system that employs space‐time adaptive minimum‐mean square‐error (MMSE) interference suppression over Rayleigh fading channels. It is shown that the employment of adaptive antenna arrays at the receiver can assist in attenuating multiuser interference and at the same time speeds‐up the convergence rate of the adaptive receiver. In this work, we assess the accuracy of the theoretical results developed for the uncoded and convolutionally coded space‐time multiuser detector when applied to the adaptive case. It is found that the use of antenna arrays brings the receiver performance very close to its multiuser counterpart. Using performance error bounds, we show that a user‐capacity gain of approximately 200% can easily be achieved for the space‐time adaptive detector when used with a rate 1/2 convolutional code (CC) and a practical channel interleaver. This capacity gain is only 10% less than the gain achieved for the more complicated multiuser‐based receiver. Finally, we perform a comparison between convolutional and turbo coding where we find that the latter outperforms the former at all practical bit‐error rates (BER). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Monitoring and modelling of variables affecting isomerate octane number produced from an industrial isomerization process

Petroleum refineries are now facing much tighter and stricter transportation and fuel specification standards, as well as environmental regulations, than in previous years. Therefore, tough rules have been applied on gasoline specifications. Octane number is a key variable of gasoline quality. Isomerization is one of many processes that generate profit by increasing low gasoline octane numbers, with better environmental impacts compared to other processes. Here we analyzed and optimized the various variables affecting the isomerate octane numbers produced by isomerization. Feed composition (naphthenes and benzene content in the feed) and operating conditions (temperature, hydrogen consumption and liquid hourly space velocity) data were collected from the Midor isomerization plant (Egypt) over a 4-year period based on the catalyst lifetime. These data were then used to predict the influence of feed composition and operating conditions on isomerate research octane number using a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach (Design Expert software). Thus, we were able to predict isomerate research octane number under various operating conditions. All of the studied variables were found to influence octane number.     

PI3K-AKT Pathway Modulation by Thymoquinone Limits Tumor Growth and Glycolytic Metabolism in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of death in men and the fourth in women worldwide and is characterized by deranged cellular energetics. Thymoquinone, an active component from Nigella sativa, has been extensively studied against cancer, however, its role in affecting deregulated cancer metabolism is largely unknown. Further, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is one of the most activated pathways in cancer and its activation is central to most deregulated metabolic pathways for supporting the anabolic needs of growing cancer cells. Herein, we provide evidence that thymoquinone inhibits glycolytic metabolism (Warburg effect) in colorectal cancer cell lines. Further, we show that such an abrogation of deranged cell metabolism was due, at least in part, to the inhibition of the rate-limiting glycolytic enzyme, Hexokinase 2 (HK2), via modulating the PI3/AKT axis. While overexpression of HK2 showed that it is essential for fueling glycolytic metabolism as well as sustaining tumorigenicity, its pharmacologic and/or genetic inhibition led to a reduction in the observed effects. The results decipher HK2 mediated inhibitory effects of thymoquinone in modulating its glycolytic metabolism and antitumor effects. In conclusion, we provide evidence of metabolic perturbation by thymoquinone in CRC cells, highlighting its potential to be used/repurposed as an antimetabolite drug, though the latter needs further validation utilizing other suitable cell and/or preclinical animal models.     

Cross-layer based transmit antenna selection for decision-feedback detection in correlated Ricean MIMO channels

In this paper, we investigate a cross-layer transmit antenna selection (AS) approach for the decision-feedback detector (DFD) over spatially correlated flat Ricean fading multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels. Closed-form expressions for the system throughput with both perfect and imperfect channel estimation are derived. Considering a training-based channel estimation technique, we show that the capacity-based AS is more robust to imperfect channel estimation. However, in all cases, the cross-layer AS delivers higher throughput gains than the capacity-based AS.     

A multi‐mode IFFT/FFT processor for IEEE 802.11ac: design and implementation

In this paper, we present 64/128/256/512‐point inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT)/FFT processor for single‐user and multi‐user multiple‐input multiple‐output orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing based IEEE 802.11ac wireless local area network transceiver. The multi‐mode processor is developed by an eight‐parallel mixed‐radix architecture to efficiently produce full reconfigurability for all multi‐user combinations. The proposed design not only supports the operation of IFFT/FFT for 1–8 different data streams operated by different users in case of downlink transmission, but also, it provides different throughput rates to meet IEEE 802.11ac requirements at the minimum possible clock frequency. Moreover, less power is needed in our design compared with traditional software approach. The design is carefully optimized to operate by the minimum wordlengths that fulfill the performance and complexity specifications. The processor is designed and implemented on Xilinx Vertix‐5 field programmable gate array technology. Although the maximum clock frequency is 377.84 MHz, the processor is clocked by the operating sampling rate to further reduce the power consumption. At the operation clock rate of 160 MHz, our proposed processor can calculate 512‐point FFT with up to eight independent data sequences within 3.2~μs meeting IEEE 802.11ac standard requirements. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distributed opportunistic scheduling for MIMO underlay cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio networks have emerged to improve the utilization of the scarce spectrum. In this paper, we propose a distributed resource allocation algorithm that allocates resources opportunistically to the secondary users in a multiple‐input multiple‐output environment. In order to reduce the complexity and cost, antenna selection schemes are employed to allow the secondary communication using a single radio frequency chain. The proposed algorithm is proved theoretically and using simulations, to give a performance very close to that of a centralized one with lower delay and overhead. Furthermore, we introduce two techniques for the proposed algorithm based on the allowable data rates referred to as limited and maximum rates. We derive closed‐form expression for the consumed power and tight upper bounds for the average throughput achieved by each technique. A comparison between the proposed techniques is also provided. Both simulations and analytical results show that the proposed algorithm achieves high throughput with low complexity. Moreover, the results show that the tightness of the bounds improves with the diversity order. Finally, the proposed techniques are compared with two suggested random schemes to investigate their effectiveness. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.