Design and Development of Compact Chipless RFID Tags with High Data Encoding Capacity

The main objective of this thesis is to develop a compact chipless RFID tag with high data encoding capacity. The design and development of chipless RFID tag based on multiresonator and multiscatterer methods are presented first. An RFID tag using using SIR capable of 79bits is proposed. The thesis also deals with some of the properties of SIR like harmonic separation, independent control on resonant modes and the capability to change the electrical length. A chipless RFID reader working in a frequency band of 2.36GHz to 2.54GHz has been designed to show the feasibility of the RFID system. For a practical system, a new approach based on UWB Impulse Radar (UWB IR) technology is employed and the decoding methods from noisy backscattered signal are successfully demonstrated. The thesis also proposes a simple calibration procedure, which is able to decode the backscattered signal up to a distance of 80cm with 1mW output power.

CETIS, Complex Effluents Toxicity Information System : data encoding guidelines and procedures /

"CR807240."

Replication vs erasure coding in data centric storage for wireless sensor networks

In-network storage of data in wireless sensor networks contributes to reduce the communications inside the network and to favor data aggregation. In this paper, we consider the use of n out of m codes and data dispersal in combination to in-network storage. In particular, we provide an abstract model of in-network storage to show how n out of m codes can be used, and we discuss how this can be achieved in five cases of study. We also define a model aimed at evaluating the probability of correct data encoding and decoding, we exploit this model and simulations to show how, in the cases of study, the parameters of the n out of m codes and the network should be configured in order to achieve correct data coding and decoding with high probability.

Mittausvirtoihin liittyvä standardointi- ja kooditusehdotus uusilla energiamarkkinoilla

Sähkömarkkinaosapuolet ovat havainneet lukuisia puutteita ja haasteita tietojärjestelmien tiedonvaihtoon liittyvissä kysymyksissä. Tässä työssä käsitellään tiedonvaihdon ongelmaa mittausvirtojen kannalta. Tiedonvaihdon lisääntyminen ja sanomien monipuolistuminen on johtanut siihen, että läheskään kaikki tarpeelliset sanomat eivät ole standardoitu, ja jo luoduissa tai ehdotetuissa standardeissa on huomattavia eroavaisuuksia mm. eri maiden välillä. Tässä työssä kuvataan nykyinen automaattisen mittarinlukujärjestelmän ja jakeluverkkoyhtiön mittaustietovaraston välinen tiedonvaihtoratkaisu ja siihen liittyvät mittaustietovirrat. Työssä esitellään myös älykkäiden mittarien tuomia hyötyjä ja pohditaan uusien mittausten tuomia mahdollisuuksia. Lisäksi pohditaan nykyisten tietovirtojen koodituskäytäntöjen toimivuutta ja niiden puutteita ja ongelmia. Työssä laaditaan esimerkki standardi mittausvirtakonfiguraation mallintamiseksi sähkömarkkinoilla. Työn painopiste on energiamittaustietojen tietovirroissa lähtien laskutuksen tarpeista. Tavoitteena on automaattisten mittarinhallintaprojektien tuomien älykkäiden mittarien uusien mittausten aiheuttaman ja mahdollistaman tietovirran standardointi. Työssä pohditaan, kuinka tietovirta saadaan eheästi siirtymään mittauspalveluntarjoajan ja jakeluverkkoyhtiön järjestelmien välillä sekä miten uudet tiedonkäyttötarpeet tulisi koodittaa. Uudet sanomastandardiehdotukset esitetään XML-mallein, ja lopuksi pohditaan mallien toimivuutta ja niihin tarvittavia jatkokehitystarpeita.

O jovem midiatizado e as marcas de gênero e sexualidade: o que restou na caixa de Pandora?

Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento Humano e Tecnologias - IBRC

Information-centric communication in mobile and wireless networks

Information-centric networking (ICN) is a new communication paradigm that has been proposed to cope with drawbacks of host-based communication protocols, namely scalability and security. In this thesis, we base our work on Named Data Networking (NDN), which is a popular ICN architecture, and investigate NDN in the context of wireless and mobile ad hoc networks. In a first part, we focus on NDN efficiency (and potential improvements) in wireless environments by investigating NDN in wireless one-hop communication, i.e., without any routing protocols. A basic requirement to initiate informationcentric communication is the knowledge of existing and available content names. Therefore, we develop three opportunistic content discovery algorithms and evaluate them in diverse scenarios for different node densities and content distributions. After content names are known, requesters can retrieve content opportunistically from any neighbor node that provides the content. However, in case of short contact times to content sources, content retrieval may be disrupted. Therefore, we develop a requester application that keeps meta information of disrupted content retrievals and enables resume operations when a new content source has been found. Besides message efficiency, we also evaluate power consumption of information-centric broadcast and unicast communication. Based on our findings, we develop two mechanisms to increase efficiency of information-centric wireless one-hop communication. The first approach called Dynamic Unicast (DU) avoids broadcast communication whenever possible since broadcast transmissions result in more duplicate Data transmissions, lower data rates and higher energy consumption on mobile nodes, which are not interested in overheard Data, compared to unicast communication. Hence, DU uses broadcast communication only until a content source has been found and then retrieves content directly via unicast from the same source. The second approach called RC-NDN targets efficiency of wireless broadcast communication by reducing the number of duplicate Data transmissions. In particular, RC-NDN is a Data encoding scheme for content sources that increases diversity in wireless broadcast transmissions such that multiple concurrent requesters can profit from each others’ (overheard) message transmissions. If requesters and content sources are not in one-hop distance to each other, requests need to be forwarded via multi-hop routing. Therefore, in a second part of this thesis, we investigate information-centric wireless multi-hop communication. First, we consider multi-hop broadcast communication in the context of rather static community networks. We introduce the concept of preferred forwarders, which relay Interest messages slightly faster than non-preferred forwarders to reduce redundant duplicate message transmissions. While this approach works well in static networks, the performance may degrade in mobile networks if preferred forwarders may regularly move away. Thus, to enable routing in mobile ad hoc networks, we extend DU for multi-hop communication. Compared to one-hop communication, multi-hop DU requires efficient path update mechanisms (since multi-hop paths may expire quickly) and new forwarding strategies to maintain NDN benefits (request aggregation and caching) such that only a few messages need to be transmitted over the entire end-to-end path even in case of multiple concurrent requesters. To perform quick retransmission in case of collisions or other transmission errors, we implement and evaluate retransmission timers from related work and compare them to CCNTimer, which is a new algorithm that enables shorter content retrieval times in information-centric wireless multi-hop communication. Yet, in case of intermittent connectivity between requesters and content sources, multi-hop routing protocols may not work because they require continuous end-to-end paths. Therefore, we present agent-based content retrieval (ACR) for delay-tolerant networks. In ACR, requester nodes can delegate content retrieval to mobile agent nodes, which move closer to content sources, can retrieve content and return it to requesters. Thus, ACR exploits the mobility of agent nodes to retrieve content from remote locations. To enable delay-tolerant communication via agents, retrieved content needs to be stored persistently such that requesters can verify its authenticity via original publisher signatures. To achieve this, we develop a persistent caching concept that maintains received popular content in repositories and deletes unpopular content if free space is required. Since our persistent caching concept can complement regular short-term caching in the content store, it can also be used for network caching to store popular delay-tolerant content at edge routers (to reduce network traffic and improve network performance) while real-time traffic can still be maintained and served from the content store.

OTDM network processing using all-optical and electro-optical devices

The current optical communications network consists of point-to-point optical transmission paths interconnected with relatively low-speed electronic switching and routing devices. As the demand for capacity increases, then higher speed electronic devices will become necessary. It is however hard to realise electronic chip-sets above 10 Gbit/s, and therefore to increase the achievable performance of the network, electro-optic and all-optic switching and routing architectures are being investigated. This thesis aims to provide a detailed experimental analysis of high-speed optical processing within an optical time division multiplexed (OTDM) network node. This includes the functions of demultiplexing, 'drop and insert' multiplexing, data regeneration, and clock recovery. It examines the possibilities of combining these tasks using a single device. Two optical switching technologies are explored. The first is an all-optical device known as 'semiconductor optical amplifier-based nonlinear optical loop mirror' (SOA-NOLM). Switching is achieved by using an intense 'control' pulse to induce a phase shift in a low-intensity signal propagating through an interferometer. Simultaneous demultiplexing, data regeneration and clock recovery are demonstrated for the first time using a single SOA-NOLM. The second device is an electroabsorption (EA) modulator, which until this thesis had been used in a uni-directional configuration to achieve picosecond pulse generation, data encoding, demultiplexing, and 'drop and insert' multiplexing. This thesis presents results on the use of an EA modulator in a novel bi-directional configuration. Two independent channels are demultiplexed from a high-speed OTDM data stream using a single device. Simultaneous demultiplexing with stable, ultra-low jitter clock recovery is demonstrated, and then used in a self-contained 40 Gbit/s 'drop and insert' node. Finally, a 10 GHz source is analysed that exploits the EA modulator bi-directionality to increase the pulse extinction ratio to a level where it could be used in an 80 Gbit/s OTDM network.

A Methodology for estimating energy consumption of QDI asynchronous circuits

International audience

Detection of metallo-'beta'-lactamases-encoding genes in environmental isolates of Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas jandaei

Aims: To determine the prevalence and expression of metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL)-encoding genes in Aeromonas species recovered from natural water reservoirs in southeastern Brazil. Methods and Results: Eighty-seven Aeromonas isolates belonging to Aeromonas hydrophila (n = 41) and Aer. jandaei (n = 46) species were tested for MBL production by the combined disk test using imipenem and meropenem disks as substrates and EDTA or thioglycolic acid as inhibitors. The presence of MBL genes was investigated by PCR and sequencing using new consensus primer pairs designed in this study. The cphA gene was found in 97.6% and 100% of Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei isolates, respectively, whereas the acquired MBL genes bla(IMP), bla(VIM) and bla(SPM-1) were not detected. On the other hand, production of MBL activity was detectable in 87.8% and 10.9% of the cphA-positive Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei isolates respectively. Conclusions: Our results indicate that cphA seems to be intrinsic in the environmental isolates of Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei in southeastern Brazil, although, based on the combined disk test, not all of them are apparently able to express the enzymatic activity. Significance and Impact of the Study: These data confirm the presence of MBL-producing Aeromonas species in natural water reservoirs. Risk of water-borne diseases owing to domestic and industrial uses of freshwater should be re-examined from the increase of bacterial resistance point of view

Node-Depth Encoding and Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm Applied to Large-Scale Distribution System Reconfiguration

The power loss reduction in distribution systems (DSs) is a nonlinear and multiobjective problem. Service restoration in DSs is even computationally hard since it additionally requires a solution in real-time. Both DS problems are computationally complex. For large-scale networks, the usual problem formulation has thousands of constraint equations. The node-depth encoding (NDE) enables a modeling of DSs problems that eliminates several constraint equations from the usual formulation, making the problem solution simpler. On the other hand, a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (EA) based on subpopulation tables adequately models several objectives and constraints, enabling a better exploration of the search space. The combination of the multiobjective EA with NDE (MEAN) results in the proposed approach for solving DSs problems for large-scale networks. Simulation results have shown the MEAN is able to find adequate restoration plans for a real DS with 3860 buses and 632 switches in a running time of 0.68 s. Moreover, the MEAN has shown a sublinear running time in function of the system size. Tests with networks ranging from 632 to 5166 switches indicate that the MEAN can find network configurations corresponding to a power loss reduction of 27.64% for very large networks requiring relatively low running time.

Folate-sensitive fragile site FRA10A is due to an expansion of a CGG repeat in a novel gene, FRA10AC1, encoding a nuclear protein

Fragile sites appear visually as nonstaining gaps on chromosomes that are inducible by specific cell culture conditions. Expansion of CGG/ CCG repeats has been shown to be the molecular basis of all five folate-sensitive fragile sites characterized molecularly so far, i.e., FRAXA, FRAXE, FRAXF, FRA11B, and FRA16A. In the present study we have refined the localization of the FRA10A folate-sensitive fragile site by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Sequence analysis of a BAC clone spanning FRA10A identified a single, imperfect, but polymorphic CGG repeat that is part of a CpG island in the 5'UTR of a novel gene named FRA10ACl. The number of CGG repeats varied in the population from 8 to 13. Expansions exceeding 200 repeat units were methylated in all FRA10A fragile site carriers tested. The FRA10ACl gene consists of 19 exons and is transcribed in the centromeric direction from the FRA10A repeat. The major transcript of similar to 1450 nt is ubiquitously expressed and codes for a highly conserved protein, FRA10ACl, of unknown function. Several splice variants leading to alternative 3' ends were identified (particularly in testis). These give rise to FRA10ACl proteins with altered COOH-termini. Immunofluorescence analysis of full-length, recombinant EGFP-tagged FRA10ACl protein showed that it was present exclusively in the nucleoplasm. We show that the expression of FRA10A, in parallel to the other cloned folate-sensitive fragile sites, is caused by an expansion and subsequent methylation of an unstable CGG trinucleotide repeat. Taking advantage of three cSNPs within the FRA10ACl gene we demonstrate that one allele of the gene is not transcribed in a FRA10A carrier. Our data also suggest that in the heterozygous state FRA10A is likely a benign folate-sensitive fragile site. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plasticity of Opioid Receptors in the Female Periaqueductal Gray: Multiparity-Induced Increase in the Activity of Genes Encoding for Mu and Kappa Receptors and a Post-Translational Decrease in Delta Receptor Expression

The periaqueductal gray (PAG) has been reported as a potential site for opioid regulation of behavioral selection. Opioid-mediated behavioral and physiological responses differ between nulliparous and multiparous females. This study addresses the effects of multiple reproductive experiences on mu-, kappa- and delta-opioid receptor (Oprm1, Oprk1, and Oprd1 respectively) gene activity and mu, kappa and delta protein expression (MOR, KOR and DOR respectively) in the PAG of the female rats. This was done by evaluating the opioid gene expression using real-time (RT-PCR) and quantification of each protein receptor by Western blot analysis. The RT-PCR results show that multiple reproductive experiences increase Oprm1 and Oprk1 gene expression. Western blot analysis revealed increased MOR and KOR while DOR protein was decreased in multiparous animals. Taken together, these data suggest that multiple reproductive experiences influence both gene activity and opioid receptor expression in the PAG. Post-translational mechanisms seem particularly relevant for DOR expression. Thus, opioid transmission in the PAG might be modulated by different mechanisms of multiparity-induced plasticity according to the opioid receptor type.

On the Suitability of Suffix Arrays for Lempel-Ziv Data Compression

Lossless compression algorithms of the Lempel-Ziv (LZ) family are widely used nowadays. Regarding time and memory requirements, LZ encoding is much more demanding than decoding. In order to speed up the encoding process, efficient data structures, like suffix trees, have been used. In this paper, we explore the use of suffix arrays to hold the dictionary of the LZ encoder, and propose an algorithm to search over it. We show that the resulting encoder attains roughly the same compression ratios as those based on suffix trees. However, the amount of memory required by the suffix array is fixed, and much lower than the variable amount of memory used by encoders based on suffix trees (which depends on the text to encode). We conclude that suffix arrays, when compared to suffix trees in terms of the trade-off among time, memory, and compression ratio, may be preferable in scenarios (e.g., embedded systems) where memory is at a premium and high speed is not critical.

Translation encoding for OGC services

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.

Transcriptional regulation of the mannosyltransferase-encoding gene pigm in inherited glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) deficiency

RESUMO:O glicosilfosfatidilinositol (GPI) é um complexo glicolipídico utlizado por dezenas de proteínas, o qual medeia a sua ancoragem à superfície da célula. Proteínas de superfície celular ancoradas a GPI apresentam várias funções essenciais para a manutenção celular. A deficiência na síntese de GPI é o que caracteriza principalmente a deficiência hereditária em GPI, um grupo de doenças autossómicas raras que resultam de mutações nos genes PIGA, PIGL, PIGM, PIGV, PIGN, PIGO e PIGT, os quais sao indispensáveis para a biossíntese do GPI. Uma mutação pontual no motivo rico em GC -270 no promotor de PIGM impede a ligação do factor de transcrição (FT) Sp1 à sua sequência de reconhecimento, impondo a compactação da cromatina, associada à hipoacetilação de histonas, e consequentemente, impedindo a transcrição de PIGM. Desta forma, a adição da primeira manose ao GPI é comprometida, a síntese de GPI diminui assim como as proteínas ligadas a GPI à superficie das células. Pacientes com Deficiência Hereditária em GPI-associada a PIGM apresentam trombose e epilesia, e ausência de hemólise intravascular e anemia, sendo que estas duas últimas características definem a Hemoglobinúria Paroxística Nocturna (HPN), uma doença rara causada por mutações no gene PIGA. Embora a mutação que causa IGD seja constitutiva e esteja presente em todos os tecidos, o grau de deficiência em GPI varia entre células do mesmo tecido e entre células de tecidos diferentes. Por exemplo nos granulócitos e linfócitos B a deficiência em GPI é muito acentuada mas nos linfócitos T, fibroblastos, plaquetas e eritrócitos é aproximadamente normal, daí a ausência de hemólise intravascular. Os eventos transcricionais que estão na base da expressão diferencial da âncora GPI nas células hematopoiéticas são desconhecidos e constituem o objectivo geral desta tese. Em primeiro lugar, os resultados demonstraram que os níveis de PIGM mRNA variam entre células primárias hematopoiéticas normais. Adicionalmente, a configuração dos nucleossomas no promotor de PIGM é mais compacta em células B do que em células eritróides e tal está correlacionado com os níveis de expressão de PIGM, isto é, inferior nas células B. A presença de vários motivos de ligação para o FT específico da linhagem megacariocítica-eritróide GATA-1 no promotor de PIGM sugeriu que GATA-1 desempenha um papel regulador na sua transcrição. Os resultados mostraram que muito possivelmente GATA-1 desempenha um papel repressor em vez de activador da expressão de PIGM. Resultados preliminares sugerem que KLF1, um factor de transcrição restritamente eritróide, regula a transcrição de PIGM independentemente do motivo -270GC. Em segundo lugar, a investigação do papel dos FTs Sp demonstrou que Sp1 medeia directamente a transcrição de PIGM em ambas as células B e eritróide. Curiosamente, ao contrário do que acontece nas células B, em que a transcrição de PIGM requer a ligação do FT geral Sp1 ao motivo -270GC, nas células eritróides Sp1 regula a transcrição de PIGM ao ligar-se a montante e não ao motivo -270GC. Para além disso, demonstrou-se que Sp2 não é um regulador directo da transcrição de PIGM quer nas células B quer nas células eritróides. Estes resultados explicam a ausência de hemólise intravascular nos doentes com IGD associada a PIGM, uma das principais características que define a HPN. Por último, resultados preliminares mostraram que a repressão da transcrição de PIGM devida à mutação patogénica -270C>G está associada com a diminuição da frequência de interacções genómicas em cis entre PIGM e os seus genes “vizinhos”, sugerindo adicionalmente que a regulação de PIGM e desses genes é partilhada. No seu conjunto, os resultados apresentados nesta tese contribuem para o conhecimento do controlo transcricional de um gene housekeeping, específico-detecido, por meio de FTs genéricos e específicos de linhagem.-------------ABSTRACTC: Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) is a complex glycolipid used by dozens of proteins for cell surface anchoring. GPI-anchored proteins have various functions that are essential for the cellular maintenance. Defective GPI biosynthesis is the hallmark of inherited GPI deficiency (IGD), a group of rare autosomal diseases caused by mutations in PIGA, PIGL, PIGM, PIGV, PIGN, PIGO and PIGT, all genes indispensable for GPI biosynthesis. A point mutation in the -270GC-rich box in the core promoter of PIGM disrupts binding of the transcription factor (TF) Sp1 to it, imposing nucleosome compaction associated with histone hypoacetylation, thus abrogating transcription of PIGM. As a consequence of PIGM transcriptional repression, addition of the first mannose residue onto the GPI core and thus GPI production are impaired; and expression of GPI-anchored proteins on the surface of cells is severely impaired. Patients with PIGM-associated IGD suffer from life-threatening thrombosis and epilepsy but not intravascular haemolysis and anaemia, two defining features of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH), a rare disease caused by somatic mutations in PIGA. Although the disease-causing mutation in IGD is constitutional and present in all tissues, the degree of GPI deficiency is variable and differs between cells of the same and of different tissues. Accordingly, GPI deficiency is severe in granulocytes and B cells but mild in T cells, fibroblasts, platelets and erythrocytes, hence the lack of intravascular haemolysis.The transcriptional events underlying differential expression of GPI in the haematopoietic cells of PIG-M-associated IGD are not known and constitute the general aim of this thesis. Firstly, I found that PIGM mRNA levels are variable amongst normal primary haematopoietic cells. In addition, the nucleosome configuration in the promoter of PIGM is more compacted in B cells than in erythroid cells and this correlated with the levels of PIGM mRNA expression, i.e., lower in B cells. The presence of several binding sites for GATA-1, a mega-erythroid lineage-specific transcription factor (TF), at the PIGM promoter suggested that GATA-1 has a role on PIGM transcription. My results showed that GATA-1 in erythroid cells is most likely a repressor rather than an activator of PIGM expression. Preliminary data suggested that KLF1, an erythroid-specific TF, regulates PIGM transcription but independently of the -270GC motif. Secondly, investigation of the role of the Sp TFs showed that Sp1 directly mediates PIGM transcriptional regulation in both B and erythroid cells. However, unlike in B cells in which active PIGM transcription requires binding of the generic TF Sp1 to the -270GC-rich box, in erythroid cells, Sp1 regulates PIGM transcription by binding upstream of but not to the -270GC-rich motif. Additionally, I showed that Sp2 is not a direct regulator of PIGM transcription in B and erythroid cells. These findings explain lack of intravascular haemolysis in PIGM-associated IGD, a defining feature of PNH. Lastly, preliminary work shows that transcriptional repression of PIG-M by the pathogenic -270C>G mutation is associated with reduced frequency of in cis genomic interactions between PIGM and its neighbouring genes, suggesting a shared regulatory link between these genes and PIGM. Altogether, the results presented in this thesis provide novel insights into tissuespecific transcriptional control of a housekeeping gene by lineage-specific and generic TFs.