Transmit signal design for optimal estimation of correlated MIMO channels

We address optimal estimation of correlated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels using pilot signals, assuming knowledge of the second-order channel statistics at the transmitter. Assuming a block fading channel model and minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimation at the receiver, we design the transmitted signal to optimize two criteria: MMSE and the conditional mutual information between the MIMO channel and the received signal. Our analysis is based on the recently proposed virtual channel representation, which corresponds to beamforming in fixed virtual directions and exposes the structure and the true degrees of freedom in the correlated channel. However, our design framework is applicable to more general channel models, which include known channel models, such as the transmit and receive correlated model, as special cases. We show that optimal signaling is in a block form, where the block length depends on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as the channel correlation matrix. The block signal corresponds to transmitting beams in successive symbol intervals along fixed virtual transmit angles, whose powers are determined by (nonidentical) water filling solutions based on the optimization criteria. Our analysis shows that these water filling solutions identify exactly which virtual transmit angles are important for channel estimation. In particular, at low SNR, the block length reduces to one, and all the power is transmitted on the beam corresponding to the strongest transmit angle, whereas at high SNR, the block length has a maximum length equal to the number of active virtual transmit angles, and the power is assigned equally to all active transmit angles. Consequently, from a channel estimation viewpoint, a faster fading rate can be tolerated at low SNRs relative to higher SNRs.     

Equivalence of generalized joint signal representations ofarbitrary variables

Joint signal representations (JSRs) of arbitrary variables generalize time-frequency representations (TFRs) to a much broader class of nonstationary signal characteristics. Two main distributional approaches to JSRs of arbitrary variables have been proposed by Cohen (see Time-Frequency Analysis, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1995 and Proc. SPIE 1566, San Diego, 1991) and Baraniuk (see Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Acoust., Speech Signal Processing, ICASSP'94, vol.3, p.357-60, 1994). Cohen's method is a direct extension of his original formulation of TFRs, and Baraniuk's approach is based on a group theoretic formulation; both use the powerful concept of associating variables with operators. One of the main results of the paper is that despite their apparent differences, the two approaches to generalized JSRs are completely equivalent. Remarkably, the JSRs of the two methods are simply related via axis warping transformations, with the broad implication that JSRs with radically different covariance properties can be generated efficiently from JSRs of Cohen's method via simple pre- and post-processing. The development in this paper, which is illustrated with examples, also illuminates other related issues in the theory of generalized JSRs. In particular, we derive an explicit relationship between the Hermitian operators in Cohen's method and the unitary operators in Baraniuk's approach, thereby establishing the relationship between the two types of operator correspondences     

Enhancing the Performance of a Parallel Solver for Turbulent Reacting Flow Simulations

This article describes results of an effort to improve the parallel efficiency of a solver for turbulent reacting flows on two computer architectures. The compact finite-difference scheme employed for the solution of the differential equations involves the inversion of multiple tridiagonal matrices at each time step. Detailed performance evaluation of the standard LU, parallel partition LU, and parallel diagonal dominant algorithms are presented. The speed-up and efficiencies of these parallel strategies are critically compared and evaluated based on both computation and communication complexities, on the CRAY XT4 and IBM Blue Gene/P architectures.     

Joint Source–Channel Communication for Distributed Estimation in Sensor Networks

Power and bandwidth are scarce resources in dense wireless sensor networks and it is widely recognized that joint optimization of the operations of sensing, processing and communication can result in significant savings in the use of network resources. In this paper, a distributed joint source-channel communication architecture is proposed for energy-efficient estimation of sensor field data at a distant destination and the corresponding relationships between power, distortion, and latency are analyzed as a function of number of sensor nodes. The approach is applicable to a broad class of sensed signal fields and is based on distributed computation of appropriately chosen projections of sensor data at the destination - phase-coherent transmissions from the sensor nodes enable exploitation of the distributed beamforming gain for energy efficiency. Random projections are used when little or no prior knowledge is available about the signal field. Distinct features of the proposed scheme include: (1) processing and communication are combined into one distributed projection operation; (2) it virtually eliminates the need for in-network processing and communication; (3) given sufficient prior knowledge about the sensed data, consistent estimation is possible with increasing sensor density even with vanishing total network power; and (4) consistent signal estimation is possible with power and latency requirements growing at most sublinearly with the number of sensor nodes even when little or no prior knowledge about the sensed data is assumed at the sensor nodes.     

Meiotic crossing over between nonhomologous chromosomes affects chromosome segregation in yeast

This study addresses the nature of the pathogenic effector T cell in experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis and the effect of different cytokines on these cells in vitro. Lymph node cells of B10.RIII mice immunized with the uveitogenic peptide 161-180 of interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein were cultured with the peptide with or without IL-12, IL-4, or anti-IL-4. An antigen-specific T cell line was subsequently derived from these cells. Primary cultures of immune lymph node cells stimulated with the peptide proliferated and produced IL-2 and some IL-4, but no IFN-gamma. The addition of recombinant IL-12 resulted in abundant production of IFN-gamma, which was blocked by the addition of IL-4 and was enhanced by anti-IL-4. Only those cultures that produced IFN-gamma in vitro were uveitogenic in vivo. A long-term uveitogenic T cell line, initially derived in the presence of IL-12, produced IFN-gamma and IL-2, but not IL-4, and was CD4+ (Th1-like). Antigen-specific proliferation and IFN-gamma production of the line were enhanced by exogenous IL-4, TGF-beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-9 and were inhibited by IL-10 and TNF-alpha. Our results provide support for the hypothesis that the uveitogenic effector T cell has a Th1-like phenotype. Furthermore, the data suggest that the effects of the cytokine milieu on fully differentiated Th1 effectors may differ considerably from their effects on less mature stages of antigen-specific T cells.     

Quality of life after transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy for upper limb hyperhidrosis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome after transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy (TES) for upper limb hyperhidrosis. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: District general hospital. SUBJECTS: Consecutive patients undergoing TES for upper limb hyperhidrosis over a fifteen month period. INTERVENTIONS: One-stage bilateral TES. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in quality of life as shown by the Short Form-36 health assessment questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (11 women and 5 men, median age 26 years) underwent operation without complications. At median follow-up of 6.2 months, symptomatic improvement was found in 26 of 32 limbs treated (82%). Truncal compensatory hyperhidrosis was reported by 13 patients but was severe in only three. There were significant improvements in social function (p = 0.01) and mental health (p = 0.025) as assessed by the SF-36. CONCLUSION: Despite a high incidence of compensatory hyperhidrosis, TES improved both the symptoms and overall quality of life in patients with upper limb hyperhidrosis.     

The marine toxin okadaic acid reduces O2- generation and tyrosine phosphorylation in LPS-primed rat neutrophils

Contrasting effects of okadaic acid (OKA) on neutrophil (PMN) superoxide anion (O2-) generation have been reported. In this study, we examined the effect of OKA on phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated O2- generation in rat PMNs primed with LPS in vivo (LPS-PMN) and saline-treated rat PMNs (SAL-PMN). The following results were observed: (1) OKA, but neither genistein nor vanadate, markedly reduced O2- generation in a dose and time-dependent manner; (2) genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, as well as OKA, reduced tyrosine phosphorylation; (3) sodium orthovanadate, a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, potently enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation. Our studies suggest that OKA might reduce tyrosine phosphorylation by affecting the activity of tyrosine phosphatases regulated by serine-threonine phosphorylation.     

On the equivalence of the operator and kernel methods for jointdistributions of arbitrary variables

Generalizing the concept of time-frequency representations, Cohen (see Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1995) has proposed a method, based on operator correspondence rules, for generating joint distributions of arbitrary variables. As an alternative to considering all such rules, which is a practical impossibility in general, Cohen has proposed the kernel method in which different distributions are generated from a fixed rule via an arbitrary kernel. We derive a simple but rather stringent necessary condition, on the underlying operators, for the kernel method (with the kernel functionally independent of the variables) to generate all bilinear distributions. Of the specific pairs of variables that have been studied, essentially only time and frequency satisfy the condition; in particular, the important variables of time and scale do not. The results warrant further study for a systematic characterization of bilinear distributions in Cohen's method     

Computation availability of crossbar systems in a non-uniform traffic environment

Multiprocessor systems can provide higher performance, reliability, and availability than single processor systems. In order to properly assess the effectiveness of multiprocessor systems, measures that combine performance and reliability are needed. Most previous studies have considered the performance and reliability/availability separately. Only a limited number of studies have been carried out by considering the performance and reliability together in the presence of a uniform traffic in the network. Hot spots in a multiprocessor system result in a non uniform traffic in the network and results in a degradation in the performance of the network. The aim of this paper is to study the combined performance and reliability of a crossbar system in the presence of a hot spot in the system. Computation availability is taken as the criteria for measuring the combined performance and reliability. Markov chain models have been developed to compute the above measurement criteria.