Addressing space‐constraint driven selfishness in smart opportunistic environment

A smart opportunistic environment is a physical space, which allows the smart physical objects to communicate in the presence of disruption in connectivity. Because, the objects in such an environment are buffer constrained, some of the objects will not participate in data forwarding, when there is scarcity of storage (buffer) space. In this paper, we focus on such selfish behavior of objects triggered by space constraints in a smart opportunistic environment. We propose a novel data forwarding algorithm, selfishness and buffer‐aware routing (SBR), in which a node is chosen as a relay, based on its capability, which is a function of its available buffer space and past encounter history (delivery predictability) with the destination. SBR can efficiently utilize the limited buffer space in a node with a buffer management scheme, WSD. It can also detect space constraint driven selfish behavior of nodes and resolve it using a reputation‐based technique, MSD. We have conducted simulation using both synthetic and real‐world traces for evaluating our proposed SBR algorithm. For analyzing the performance of the algorithm in real‐time, a smart vehicular test‐bed is developed. Simulation results and test‐bed implementation show that our algorithm performs better in terms of higher delivery ratio, lower overhead ratio, and lower delivery delay, compared with existing opportunistic data forwarding algorithms.     

Multiple fucosyltransferases and their carbohydrate ligands are involved in spermatogenic cell-Sertoli cell adhesion in vitro in rats

We have identified multiple fucosyltransferases (FTs) (alpha[1-2]-, alpha[1-3]-, alpha[1-4]-FTs) on cells of the rat seminiferous epithelium as demonstrated by fucose incorporation into phenyl-beta-D-galactoside (Ph-beta-D-Gal), 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL), and lacto-N-fucopentaose-l (LNF I), respectively. Now, using fluorescence laser scanning cytometry, we report that multiple FTs are implicated in germ cell-Sertoli cell adhesion in vitro. Sertoli cells were isolated from 19- to 21-day-old CD rats and cultured for 6-10 days. Mixed germ cells were obtained by enzymatic dispersion of adult rat testis and cultured overnight before labeling with 10 microM acetoxymethyl ester derivative of the fluorescent indicator, calcein. The adherent cell analysis and sorting 570 interactive laser cytometer was used to determine the number of labeled adherent germ cells on Sertoli cell monolayers in the presence or absence of a variety of low molecular weight acceptors for fucose. Coincubation of labeled germ cells with Sertoli cell monolayers in the presence of GDP-fucose, UDP-galactose, Ph-beta-D-Gal, 2'-FL, LNF I, and Lewis-X and 3'-sialyl-Lewis-X oligosaccharides resulted in significant reduction of germ cell binding when compared to that of the untreated controls or of control samples incubated with cellobiose, melibiose, and alpha-D-mannopyranose, which do not serve as fucose acceptors. Our results suggest that multiple FTs and their lectin/selectin ligands are involved in mediating germ cell-Sertoli cell adhesion to form a cohesive epithelium and thus aid germ cell adluminal translocation within the seminiferous epithelium.     

Fish assemblage change following the structural restoration of a degraded stream

Decades of anthropogenic pressure have harmed riverscapes throughout North America by degrading habitats and water quality and can result in the extirpation of sensitive aquatic taxa. Local stream restoration projects have increased in frequency, but monitoring is still infrequent. In 2010, Kickapoo Creek in East Central Illinois was subjected to a stream restoration project that included implementation of artificial riffles, riprap, scouring keys, and riparian vegetation. We monitored the restoration efforts for 6 years after the restoration through annual sampling efforts at restored and reference sites to determine changes in habitat and fish assemblage using standard habitat sampling and electrofishing techniques. We observed distinct temporal and spatial shifts in physico‐chemical parameters along with changes in fish community structure. Although biotic integrity remained moderately low in reference assemblages, restored reaches showed 3‐year delay in response to restoration, with biotic integrity positively linked to additional instream habitat and altered channel morphology. Larger substrate sizes, submerged terrestrial vegetation, and newly formed scour pools along with reduced siltation were found in the restored sites, in contrast to the reference sites. These changes resulted in increased species diversity, reduced number of opportunistic species and consequently an overall increase in health of fish communities. We also observed recruitment of habitat specialists and increase in species with reproductive strategies that rely on complex substrates. The results of this study highlight some of the complex dynamics driving reach‐scale restoration projects. We demonstrate the usefulness of structural restoration as a management tool to increase biotic integrity through long‐term alteration of critical habitat. The delay in the response of species to the restoration efforts emphasizes the need for long‐term continuous temporal and spatial monitoring.     

An accurate, analytical, and technology-mapped definition of the surface potential at threshold and a new postulate for the threshold voltage of MOSFETs

A novel approach of defining the threshold voltage for long channel MOSFETs has been presented in this paper, where it has been proposed that it corresponds to the gate-to-source voltage for which the drift and diffusion components of the total drain current become equal to each other. In order to avoid the greater computation time associated with the numerical solution of these two components, an analytical expression of the surface potential, corresponding to the threshold condition, is given here, which has the same functional form as the one proposed by Tsividis. The fuzzy parameter n, appearing in this expression of the surface potential, is expressed as a function of the substrate doping density (N_A) and the oxide thickness (t_ox). The threshold voltage values, obtained analytically from the relation between the surface potential at the threshold condition and the closed-form technology-mapped expression of the fuzzy parameter n, show an excellent match with those obtained from SILVACO simulations for a wide range of N_A and t_ox, with the maximum error being only about 4%. The comparison of the percent error values of the threshold voltage obtained from this proposed model with those obtained from the other two recently proposed methods, all with respect to SILVACO simulation results, further verifies the validity of our completely analytical, mathematically simple, and straight-forward approach, proposed in this work here.     

Aggregation and deposition kinetics of carboxymethyl cellulose-modified zero-valent iron nanoparticles in porous media

Transport and deposition of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-modified nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (NZVI) were investigated in laboratory-scale sand packed columns. Aggregation resulted in a change in the particle size distribution (PSD) with time, and the changes in average particle size were determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The change in PSD over time was influenced by the CMC-NZVI concentration in suspension. A particle-particle attachment efficiency was evaluated by fitting an aggregation model with NTA data and subsequently used to predict changes in PSD over time. Changes in particle sizes over time led to corresponding changes in single-collector contact efficiencies, resulting in altered particle deposition rates over time. A coupled aggregation-colloid transport model was used to demonstrate how changes in PSD can reduce the transport of CMC-NZVI in column experiments. The effects of particle concentrations in the range of 0.07 g L⁻¹ to 0.725 g L⁻¹ on the transport in porous media were evaluated by comparing the elution profiles of CMC-NZVI from packed sand columns. Changes in PSD over time could reasonably account for a gradual increase in effluent concentration between 1 and 5 pore volumes (PVs). Processes such as detachment of deposited particles also likely contributed to the gradual increase in effluent concentrations. The particle-collector attachment efficiency increased with CMC-NZVI particle concentration due to a rise in dissolved Na⁺ concentration with increased addition of Na-CMC. This inadvertent change in ionic strength led to decreased effluent concentrations at higher CMC-NZVI concentrations.     

Impact of planned water resource development on current and future water demand in the Koshi River basin,Nepal

The water resources of the Koshi Basin (87,311 km²) are largely untapped, and while proposals for their development exist, their impacts on current and future water demand are not quantified. The current study is the first to evaluate the impacts of 11 proposed development projects for hydropower generation and water storage. We find that 29,733 GWh of hydropower could be generated annually and 8382 million m³ of water could be stored. This could satisfy unmet demand in the current (660 million m³) basin situation and in future scenarios – i.e. population, agricultural and industrial growth – that are projected to have 920, 970 and 1003 million m³ of unmet demand, respectively, by 2050.     

Seasonal differences in diversity of macroinvertebrate and fish taxa in a Midwestern stream

Most biomonitoring projects focus on single species groups at time scales either too short or too coarse to detect intra‐annual oscillations in biodiversity. Using a multifaceted approach, we compared diversity indices of larval macroinvertebrate families and fish species in a Midwestern stream during spring and fall of 2009–2013 and discovered contrasting patterns in α and β diversities between the seasons for the two taxa groups. Compared with spring, both α and β diversities were significantly higher during fall for macroinvertebrates; on the contrary, only α diversity differed between the seasons for fishes. For both taxa, we partitioned the overall β diversity to identify contributions of temporal and spatial β diversities on the observed differences. The observed patterns for macroinvertebrates were likely the result of season acting as environmental filter, but stochastic dispersal and recruitment processes were likely more important in driving fish diversity patterns. In light of widespread conservation and restoration efforts in the Midwestern streams, it seems prudent to study community composition frequently so that baseline α and β diversities can be obtained for organisms at different taxonomic levels and during different seasons.     

Middleware for pervasive computing: A survey

The rapidly emerging area of pervasive computing faces many challenging research issues critical to application developers. Wide heterogeneity of hardware, software, and network resources pose veritable coordination problems and demand thorough knowledge of individual elements and technologies. In order to ease this problem and to aid application developers, different middleware platforms have been proposed by researchers. Though the existing middleware solutions are useful, they themselves have varied features and contribute partially, for context, data, or service management related application developments. There is no single middleware solution that can address a majority of pervasive computing application development issues, due to the diverse underlying challenges. In this survey paper, we identify different design dimensions of pervasive computing middleware and investigate their use in providing various system services. In-depth analysis of the system services have been carried out and middleware systems have been carefully studied. With a view to aid future middleware developers, we also identify some challenging open research issues that have received little or no attention in existing middleware solutions.