Service opportunities for next generation networks

Next Generation Networks was the buzzword last year. Different people imagine different things when they think of NGN. How can this concept be defined? NGN is the application of Internet, IP and IT solutions to Telecom Services, including (but not only) the integration and sometimes the substitution of circuit switching with packet switching either for trunking or for access. Surprisingly, usually people think of a mere porting of Telecom protocols over an IP network (read H.323 protocol). Why should we reuse existing telecom solutions over an IP transport? The usual answer is to reduce cost of ownership. Is that really true? Is that a reason enough? Indeed, the introduction of NGN opens a huge opportunity for incumbent telecom operators: enabling the renewal in the service offering (meaning cash!) In this paper, we present the objectives and results of the Eurescom Project P1109”Next Generation Networks: the service offering Standpoint”. The overall goal is to evaluate solutions for NGNs from a service-offering standpoint and understanding the wider effects of introducing NGNs both in a fixed and 3G mobile network infrastructure, in terms of the inter-operability and functionality of next generation network products. In particular this paper focuses on the implementation of service scenarios (i.e. call center, VPN) on top of NGN platforms. The implementation of the service scenarios is meant to measure the attitude of NGN service platforms to provide new services in a developer friendly way

Next Generation Networks: the service offering standpoint

Next Generation Networks (NGN) is the application of Internet, IP and IT solutions to Telecom Services, including (but not only) the integration and sometimes the substitution of circuit switching with packet switching either for trunking or for access. In this paper, we will present the objectives and results of the Eurescom Project P1109 [1]. The overall goal is to support this view, in evaluating solutions for NGNs from a service-offering standpoint and understanding the wider effects of introducing NGNs in terms of the inter-operability and functionality of NGN products

Surface plasmon resonance based on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles for the picomolar detection of the iron regulating hormone Hepcidin-25

Molecular modelling

An architecture for IN-Internet hybrid services

The scenario for telecom services is undergoing a rapid change. A new set of communication services is emerging: due to the explosion of the Internet and to the dramatic increase of mobile phone markets, more and more customers are requiring new Internet-based communication services. The ability to merge the ubiquitous telephone service (terminal and personal mobility) and the friendliness (easy-to-use, easy-tocustomize) of Internet is recognized as a major driver to promote new classes of services. Users want to access multiple services over heterogeneous networks and from heterogeneous terminals. The higher flexibility in service offer as well as the possibility of a rapid introduction of new services (typical of Internet & IT worlds) are key factors that give a high competitive advantage to Service Providers

Rapid screening of the binding properties of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles via capillary electrophoresis.

Rapid screening of the binding properties of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles via capillary electrophoresis

Screening of the binding properties of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles via capillary electrophoresis

In response to the need for straightforward analytical methods to assess the affinity of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (MIP NPs) for ligands, capillary electrophoresis (CE) was exploited using MIP NPs targeting the iron-regulating hormone hepcidin. In this work, MIP NPs were challenged with their template peptide, i.e., the N-terminal 5-mer of hepcidin, in comparison to unrelated ligand peptides. A CE separation method was developed ex novo achieving, after optimization of the background electrolyte (150\ua0mM sodium phosphate pH 7.4) and of the running temperature (35\ua0\ub0C), the full separation of the free ligand from the complexed MIP NPs. The CE binding isotherm allowed the estimation of a micromolar dissociation constant for the 5-mer template-MIP NPs complex, in agreement with independent measurements. The CE offered the advantages of a direct injection of the MIP NPs/ligand incubation mix, without preliminary fractionation steps, requiring only minimal sample volumes and short analysis times. In conclusion CE proved to be a valid technique for characterizing the interactions of MIP NP libraries for selected target compounds. Graphical Abstract Five different nanodiamond samples were exhaustively characterized using a suite of analytical techniques