Scheduling Algorithms for Packet-Oriented MAC Protocols in Wireless Multimedia Systems

Future generation wireless multimediacommunications will require efficient Medium AccessControl (MAC) protocols able to guarantee suitable Qualityof Service (QoS) levels for different traffic classes whileachieving a high utilization of radio resources. This paperproposes a new scheduling technique to be adopted at the MAClevel in wireless access systems, named Dynamic Scheduling-Time DivisionDuplexing (DS-TDD), that efficiently managesvideo, voice, Web and background traffics. A theoretical approachis proposed in this paper to evaluate the DS-TDD performance withvoice and Web traffics. Simulation results have permitted tohighlight the following promising characteristics of the DS-TDDscheme: (i) a high capacity of real-time traffics isattained with a QoS insensitive to Web and background trafficloads; (ii) a high throughput can be guaranteed whilepreserving the QoS levels of the different traffic classes;(iii) heavier downlink traffic loads do not modify the QoSof uplink traffics. Finally, extensive comparisons with differentscheduling schemes proposed in the literature have permitted tohighlight the better performanceof DS-TDD.     

Inorganic–organic hybrid materials with zirconium oxoclusters as protective coatings on aluminium alloys

Inorganic–organic hybrid materials are attracting a strong scientific interest mainly for their outstanding inherent mechanical and thermal properties, which can be traced back to the intimate coupling of both inorganic and organic components. By carefully choosing the experimental parameters used for their synthesis, chemically and thermally stable acrylate-based hybrid material embedding the zirconium oxocluster Zr₄O₄(OMc)₁₂, where OMcCH₂C(CH₃)C(O)O, can be deposited as UV-cured films on aluminium alloys.

In particular, the molar ratios between the oxocluster and the monomer, the polymerisation time, the amount of photo-initiator and the deposition conditions, by using an home-made spray-coating equipment, were optimised in order to obtain the best performing layers in terms of transparency and hardness to coat aluminium alloy (AA1050, AA6060 and AA2024) sheets. Furthermore, it was also evaluated whether the hybrid coatings behave as barrier to corrosion.

Several coated samples were prepared and characterised. Environmental scanning electronic microscopy (ESEM) and scratch test were used to investigate the morphology of the films and to evaluate their scratch resistance, respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was performed in order to evaluate if the coatings actually protect the metallic substrate from corrosion.

In order to measure shear storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) of the materials used for coatings, bulk samples were also obtained by UV-curing of the precursors solution. Dynamical mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) was performed in shear mode on cured disks of both the hybrid materials and pristine polymer for comparison. The values of T_g were read off as the temperatures of peak of loss modulus. The length and mass of all the samples were measured before and after the DMTA analysis, so that the shrinkage of the materials in that temperature range was exactly evaluated.     

The natural killer cell receptor specific for HLA-A allotypes: a novel member of the p58/p70 family of inhibitory receptors that is characterized by three immunoglobulin-like domains and is expressed as a 140-kD disulphide-linked dimer

Human natural killer (NK) cells express inhibitory receptors that are specific for different groups of HLA-C or HLA-B alleles. The majority of these receptors belong to the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily and are characterized by two or three extracellular Ig-like domains. Here we describe a novel inhibitory NK receptor that is specific for a group of HLA-A alleles. The HLA-A3-specific NK cell clone DP7 has been used for mice immunization. Two mAbs, termed Q66 and Q241, bound to the immunizing clone and stained only a subset of NK cell populations or clones. Among Q66 mAb-reactive clones, we further selected those that did not express any of the previously identified HLA-class I-specific NK receptors. These clones did not lyse HLA-A3+ (or -A11+) target cells, but lysis of these targets could be detected in the presence of Q66 or Q241 mAbs. On the other hand, target cells expressing other HLA-A alleles, including -A1, -A2, and -A24, were efficiently lysed. Moreover, none of the HLA-C or HLA-B alleles that were tested exerted a protective effect. Q66+, but not Q66- NK cell clones, expressed messenger RNA coding for a novel 3 Ig domain protein homologous to the HLA-C (p58) and HLA-B (p70) receptors. The corresponding cDNA (cl.1.1) was used to generate transient and stable transfectants in COS7 and NIH3T3 cell lines, respectively. Both types of transfectants were specifically stained by Q66 and Q241 mAbs. Since the cytoplasmic tail of Q66-reactive molecules was at least 11 amino acid longer than the other known p58/p70 molecules, we could generate an antiserum specific for the COOH-terminus of Q66-reactive molecules, termed PGP-3. PGP-3 immunoprecipitated, only from Q66+ NK cells, molecules displaying a molecular mass of 140 kD, under nonreducing conditions, which resolved, under reducing conditions, in a 70-kD band. Thus, differently from the other p58/p70 receptors, Q66-reactive molecules appear to be expressed as disulphide-linked dimers and were thus termed p140. The comparative analysis of the amino acid sequences of p58, p70, and p140 molecules revealed the existence of two cysteins proximal to the transmembrane region, only in the amino acid sequence of p140 molecules.     

Vibrational analysis of functionalized polyolefins/poly(vinylchloride) blends

Polyolefins functionalized with diethylmaleate were mixed with poly(vinylchloride) (PVC) in different compositions. Intermolecular interactions involving the carbonyl groups of the side chains of the functionalized polyolefins and methine hydrogens of PVC were investigated by means of infrared spectroscopy. The major flexibility of the ester groups attached to the backbone chains, with respect to polyesters, seems to increase the capability of such groups to interact with groups of more polar polymers, thus allowing prediction of easier miscibility, which however also depends on the starting polyolefin structure and function-alization degree.     

Layered Video and Differentiated Coding for Adaptive QoS in Mixed Wired-Satellite Networks

Mobile networks are becoming nothing but a way to allow ubiquitous access to multimedia services. To allow efficient use of resources, new systems provide flexible bandwidth and different error protection techniques to match channel behavior. As the backbone network is increasingly becoming based on packet techniques and in particular on IP and related transport protocols, end to end service quality must be analyzed considering both the fixed and the mobile part. Source scalability may help in coping with a mixed and heterogeneous environment. In this work we present some results of a transmission chain comprising a scalable MPEG-2 coder, an IP network and a radio access exploiting the availability of satellites. It is shown that for a given target rate, differentiated coding can be exploited to achieve decodability and good quality at a channel SNR much lower that single layer streams. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Co-localization of serotonin and FMRFamide-like immunoreactivities in the central nervous system of the earthworm, Eisenia fetida

In addition to receptor-type pinealocytes, the mammalian pineal organ contains small and large neurons and ependymal/glial cells as well. Axons of pinealocytes form synaptic ribbon-containing axo-dendritic synapses on large secondary pineal neurons and/or terminate as neurohormonal endings on the basal lamina of the vascular surface of the organ. The small pineal neurons were found to be gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-immunoreactive, while large secondary neurons and pinealocytes contained immunoreactive amino acids (glutamate and aspartate). Glutamate accumulated presynaptically in pinealocytic axon terminals on large secondary neurons and in the axons of these neurons. Glutamate immunoreactive axons of pineal neurons were traced via the pineal tract to the habenular nucleus. Axons containing granular vesicles and coming from extrapineal perikarya are glutamate immunoreactive as well. Aspartate and GABA are also present in some of the myelinated axons, supposedly pinealopetal in the pineal tract.     

The importance of choosing attractors for optimizing chaotic communications

In this brief, we consider methods to improve the performance of chaotic communication schemes. We study a system using a receiver which explicitly includes the presence of noise in the channel. We show how the choice of chaotic dynamical system generating the transmitted signal is crucial. We observe a large variation in bit error rate performance of the system as parameters in the maps are changed, and we propose a simple explanation for this variation.     

The effect of support morphology on the reaction of oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene at short contact times

The oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane is carried out in short contact time reactors over Pt and LaMnO₃ based catalysts supported on a large number of different ceramic substrates (45, 60 and 80 ppi foam monoliths and 200, 400, 600, 900 and 1200 cpsi honeycomb monoliths). Experimental results, obtained under the same conditions at varying the C₂H₆/O₂ ratio, showed that the highest performance in terms of ethylene selectivity and yield is always attained on LaMnO₃ catalysts. Furthermore, the results are significantly influenced by the morphology and cell density of the support, with 45 and 60 ppi foams and 400 and 600 cpsi honeycombs giving the best performance. The experimental results are explained by means of geometrical and fluid dynamic considerations on the support, and by means of a 2D mathematical model, which clearly indicates an optimal intermediate cell density for maximising ethylene selectivity and yield.     

利用新型合成仪器解决系统级测试难题

当今世界电子元件及产品正在加速发展，在大多数商业应用中，从设计到生产的周期现已缩短为只有六个月。而且，设备的内容及拓朴结构已经从单一功能元件迁移到多功能元件，进而还会迁移到整个子系统和系统中，在迁移时通常采用单个组件方案的形式（例如，用于智能电话和iPhone之类的设备）。现在，对于多载波功率放大器（MCPA）和软件定义的无线电（SDR）而言，直接软件控制和设备配置已司空见惯。例如RFIC之类的设备只能在混合信号环境中及实时条件下操作和测试。