Link-Node Characterization for Energy-Efficient Communication in a Static Random Wireless Sensor Network

Studies of wireless networks often work with a relatively high communication range so that each node typically communicates with a high number of neighbors. This is necessary, with a random placement, to avoid loss of coverage or connectivity. However, communicating through remote neighbors requires more energy, which can be a severe disadvantage since energy is often critical in this type of network. By comparing two-ranges, one to ensure coverage and one to save energy, we identify link-nodes which play an essential role to keep the network connected. Characterizing these nodes and their occurrence in communication routes will help to save energy and increase lifetime of the overall network. Without precautions, these link-nodes receive a high traffic load. Using simulations we find that slightly longer routes can avoid link-nodes and thus reduce average energy consumption. Network lifetime can be extended by identifying these nodes at startup and reducing their energy consumption wherever possible.     

Effective Natural Killer Cell Degranulation Is an Essential Key in COVID-19 Evolution

NK degranulation plays an important role in the cytotoxic activity of innate immunity in the clearance of intracellular infections and is an important factor in the outcome of the disease. This work has studied NK degranulation and innate immunological profiles and functionalities in COVID-19 patients and its association with the severity of the disease. A prospective observational study with 99 COVID-19 patients was conducted. Patients were grouped according to hospital requirements and severity. Innate immune cell subpopulations and functionalities were analyzed. The profile and functionality of innate immune cells differ between healthy controls and severe patients; CD56dim NK cells increased and MAIT cells and NK degranulation rates decreased in the COVID-19 subjects. Higher degranulation rates were observed in the non-severe patients and in the healthy controls compared to the severe patients. Benign forms of the disease had a higher granzymeA/granzymeB ratio than complex forms. In a multivariate analysis, the degranulation capacity resulted in a protective factor against severe forms of the disease (OR: 0.86), whereas the permanent expression of NKG2D in NKT cells was an independent risk factor (OR: 3.81; AUC: 0.84). In conclusion, a prompt and efficient degranulation functionality in the early stages of infection could be used as a tool to identify patients who will have a better evolution.     

Performance Evaluation of Video Streaming Over Ad Hoc Networks Using Flat and Hierarchical Routing Protocols

A performance evaluation of real time services (such as video streaming) over mobile ad-hoc networks using both hierarchical and flat routing protocols is shown in this paper. A variety of workload and scenarios, as characterized by mobility, load and size of the ad hoc network have been simulated using NS-2. We use OLSR (Optimized Link State Protocol) as the flat routing protocol and our own implementation of HOLSR (Hierarchical OLSR)—which uses HNA (Host and Network Association) messages—as the hierarchical one, modifying other previous HOLSR version and maintaining the maximum compatibility with the flat OLSR. We carry out a complete comparison between these protocols focused on video evaluation. The simulation lets us compare the quality of service (QoS) of the video streaming paying attention to objective parameters (PSNR, packet delivery ratio, packet delay and interruptions). Some drawbacks of the hierarchical environment are also analyzed, as the link load between cluster heads and the lack of QoS-state-aware in HOLSR design. Quantitative results indicate that the protocol overhead is reduced (more than 40% in larger networks) and the video quality is improved (from 1 to 6 dB in certain cases) using hierarchical protocols.     

Single Filter Frequency Masking High-Speed Recursive Digital Filters

For recursive filter the maximal sample frequency is bounded by the recursive loops in the filter. [In this paper, it is understood that recursive filters are infinite-length impulse response (IIR) filters.] In this work, a filter structure based on the use of the frequency masking approach is presented that increases the maximal sample frequency for narrowband and wideband filters by introducing more delay elements in the recursive loops. By using identical subfilters (except for the periods), the subfilters can be mapped using folding to a single pipeline/interleaved arithmetic structure yielding an area-efficient implementation. The filters are potentially suitable for low-power implementation by using power supply voltage scaling techniques. In this work, the design of the filters is discussed and estimations of the ripples are derived. Two examples show the viability of the proposed method.     

Design and implementation of a lightweight online certificate validation service

A PKI (public key infrastructure) provides for a digital certificate that can identify an individual or an organization. However, the existence of a certificate is a necessary but not sufficient evidence for its validity. The PKI needs to provide applications that use certificates with the ability to validate, at the time of usage, that a certificate is still valid (not revoked). One of the two standard protocols to check the revocation status of certificates is the Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP). In this article, we propose an OCSP-based implementation that enhances the performance of standard OCSP. In particular, we put special emphasis on those issues that affect security and performance when the validation service is deployed in a real scenario. Finally, we provide experimental results that show that our implementation outperforms standard OCSP.     

Long‐Term Structural Evolution of an Intercalated Layered Semiconductor

Intercalated molecules can dramatically modify the electronic band structure of layered semiconductors, significantly altering the optical properties of the material. In the layered monochalcogenide Gallium Telluride (GaTe), exposure to air induces a nearly 1 eV reduction of its band gap due to the interlayer diffusion and chemisorption of oxygen. The effect of oxygen chemisorption at the Te‐terminated surfaces on the structure of GaTe, however, is much less known. To better understand the structure–property relationship of intercalated GaTe, a systematic, long‐term, X‐ray diffraction study has been performed on GaTe exfoliated crystals exposed to ambient conditions. It is observed that the structural changes are not limited to a previously observed short‐term increase in lattice expansion. Over the course of months and even years after exfoliation, the oxygen adsorbates continue to modify the structure of GaTe, inducing significant disorder and grain reorientation. It is estimated that approximately one out of every two grains is slightly displaced by the intercalating oxygen, demonstrating a significant increase in grain mosaicity, while still maintaining the original {?2 0 1} out‐of‐plane texture. Correlating these structural transformations to observed changes in electrical and optical properties will enable capitalization of the use of adsorbates to engineer novel properties in these layered materials.     

Chemically Resistant,Shapeable, and Conducting Metal‐Organic Gels and Aerogels Built from Dithiooxamidato Ligand

Metal‐organic gels (MOGs) appear as a blooming alternative to well‐known metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs). Porosity of MOGs has a microstructural origin and not strictly crystalline like in MOFs; therefore, gelation may provide porosity to any metal‐organic system, including those with interesting properties but without a porous crystalline structure. The easy and straightforward shaping of MOGs contrasts with the need of binders for MOFs. In this contribution, a series of MOGs based on the assembly of 1D‐coordination polymer nanofibers of formula [M(DTA)]_n (M^II: Ni, Cu, Pd; DTA: dithiooxamidato) are reported, in which properties such as porosity, chemical inertness, mechanical robustness, and stimuli‐responsive electrical conductivity are brought together. The strength of the M? S bond confers an unusual chemical resistance, withstanding exposure to acids, alkalis, and mild oxidizing/reducing chemicals. Supercritical drying of MOGs provides ultralight metal‐organic aerogels (MOAs) with densities as low as 0.03 g cm^?3 and plastic/brittle behavior depending on the nanofiber aspect ratio. Conductivity measurements reveal a semiconducting behavior (10^?12 to 10^?7 S cm^?1 at 298 K) that can be improved by doping (10^?5 S cm^?1). Moreover, it must be stressed that conductivity of MOAs reversibly increases (up to 10^?5 S cm^?1) under the presence of acetic acid.     

Implementation of Digital Unbiased FIR Filters with Polynomial Impulse Responses

This paper addresses the design and implementation of digital unbiased finite impulse response (FIR) filters with polynomial impulse response functions. The transfer function, its fundamental properties, and a general block-diagram are discussed for the impulse response represented with the l-degree Taylor series expansion. As a particular results, we show a fundamental identity uniquely featured to such filters in the transform domain. For low-degree impulse responses, the transfer functions are found in simple closed forms and represented in compact block-diagrams. The magnitude and phase responses are also analyzed along with the group delays. A comparison with predictive FIR filters is given. As examples of applications, filtering of time errors of local clocks is discussed along with the low-pass filter design employing a cascade of the unbiased FIR filters.     

A Proof of the Security of Quantum Key Distribution

We prove the security of theoretical quantum key distribution against the most general attacks which can be performed on the channel, by an eavesdropper who has unlimited computation abilities, and the full power allowed by the rules of classical and quantum physics. A key created that way can then be used to transmit secure messages such that their security is also unaffected in the future.     

A Multisensor Architecture Providing Location-based Services for Smartphones

This paper introduces a multisensor architecture to fuse data acquired from different sensors available in commodity smartphones in order to build accurate location-based services, and pursuing a good balance between accuracy and performance. Using scale invariant features from the images captured using the smartphone camera, we perform a matching process against previously obtained images to determine the current location of the device. Several refinements are introduced to improve the performance and the scalability of our proposal. Location fingerprinting, based on IEEE 802.11, will be used to determine a cluster of physical points, or zone, where the device seems to be according to the received signal strength. In this way, we will reduce the number of images to analyze to those contained in the tentative zone. Additionally, accelerometers will also be considered in order to improve the system performance, by means of a motion estimator. This set of techniques enables a wide range of location-based applications.