Network reputation-based quality optimization of video delivery in heterogeneous wireless environments

The mass-market adoption of high-end mobile devices and increasing amount of video traffic has led the mobile operators to adopt various solutions to help them cope with the explosion of mobile broadband data traffic, while ensuring high Quality of Service (QoS) levels to their services. Deploying small-cell base stations within the existing macro-cellular networks and offloading traffic from the large macro-cells to the small cells is seen as a promising solution to increase capacity and improve network performance at low cost. Parallel use of diverse technologies is also employed. The result is a heterogeneous network environment (HetNets), part of the next generation network deployments. In this context, this thesis makes a step forward towards the “Always Best Experience” paradigm, which considers mobile users seamlessly roaming in the HetNets environment. Supporting ubiquitous connectivity and enabling very good quality of rich mobile services anywhere and anytime is highly challenging, mostly due to the heterogeneity of the selection criteria, such as: application requirements (e.g., voice, video, data, etc.); different device types and with various capabilities (e.g., smartphones, netbooks, laptops, etc.); multiple overlapping networks using diverse technologies (e.g., Wireless Local Area Networks (IEEE 802.11), Cellular Networks Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc.) and different user preferences. In fact, the mobile users are facing a complex decision when they need to dynamically select the best value network to connect to in order to get the “Always Best Experience”. This thesis presents three major contributions to solve the problem described above: 1) The Location-based Network Prediction mechanism in heterogeneous wireless networks (LNP) provides a shortlist of best available networks to the mobile user based on his location, history record and routing plan; 2) Reputation-oriented Access Network Selection mechanism (RANS) selects the best reputation network from the available networks for the mobile user based on the best trade-off between QoS, energy consumptions and monetary cost. The network reputation is defined based on previous user-network interaction, and consequent user experience with the network. 3) Network Reputation-based Quality Optimization of Video Delivery in heterogeneous networks (NRQOVD) makes use of a reputation mechanism to enhance the video content quality via multipath delivery or delivery adaptation

From Technological Design to Service Innovation : A Case Study of the Development of Design Education in Taiwan

In today’s competitive market, “innovation” serves as a competitive advantage allowing companies to dominate particular market segments. Service design has increased attention in the academic and business communities over the past decade. Based on the “Taiwan experience”, the purpose of this study is to explore the development of design education by integrating the difference between technological product design and the service innovation design. Two cases are expounded for the development of Taiwan design education in this article. One is the cover design of industrial design magazine which reflected the change of product design education from function, friendly, fun, fancy to feeling. The other case is the development of The National Taiwan University of Arts which being used as an example to illustrate how to link the service innovation design and cultural and creative industries through Our Museum, Our Studio and Our Factory respectively. The results showed that the development of Taiwan design education along with the economic development from OEM, ODM, to OBM that joins design, culture, creativities and economy, and further illustrates some implications through the cultural perspective.Theme II : Transnational Design in and around Asi

Physico-mechanical properties of particleboard made from seaweed adhesive and tapioca starch flo

Flour acted as filler was added into adhesive formulations in industry and it affects the performance of adhesive. Seaweed was chosen to act as adhesive as seaweed produces glue that can attach very strongly to the rocks despite the presence of contaminants. This study was conducted on physical and mechanical properties of particleboard by adding different percentages of tapioca starch flour (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% based on solid basis) into seaweed adhesive formulation. 100% urea formaldehyde was used as control in the production of particleboard. The particleboards were cut and tested based on JIS A5908. The moisture content was lowered from 11.00 to 8.45% when 25% tapioca starch flour rose to 75% when added into seaweed adhesive. Thickness swelling declined from 40.18 to 26.55% and water absorption from 192.25 to 96.21% when 75% tapioca starch flour was added. Hence, it improved the physical properties of particleboard. Meanwhile, the mixing of higher percentage of tapioca starch flour into seaweed adhesive contributed a higher value of modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and internal bonding. In a nutshell, mixing higher percentage of tapioca starch flour in seaweed adhesive improved the physical and mechanical properties of seaweed adhesive in particleboard

Characterization of the plasma membrane proteins and receptor-like kinases associated with secondary vascular differentiation in poplar

The constituents of plasma membrane proteins, particularly the integral membrane proteins, are closely associated with the differentiation of plant cells. Secondary vascular differentiation, which gives rise to the increase in plant stem diameter, is the key process by which the volume of the plant body grows. However, little is known about the plasma membrane proteins that specifically function in the vascular differentiation process. Proteomic analysis of the membrane proteins in poplar differentiating secondary vascular tissues led to the identification 226 integral proteins in differentiating xylem and phloem tissues. A majority of the integral proteins identified were receptors (55 proteins), transporters (34 proteins), cell wall formation related (27 proteins) or intracellular trafficking (17 proteins) proteins. Gene expression analysis in developing vascular cells further demonstrated that cambium differentiation involves the expression of a group of receptor kinases which mediate an array of signaling pathways during secondary vascular differentiation. This paper provides an outline of the protein composition of the plasma membrane in differentiating secondary vascular tissues and sheds light on the role of receptor kinases during secondary vascular development

Targeting translation initiation by synthetic rocaglates for treating MYC-driven lymphomas.

MYC-driven lymphomas, especially those with concurrent MYC and BCL2 dysregulation, are currently a challenge in clinical practice due to rapid disease progression, resistance to standard chemotherapy, and high risk of refractory disease. MYC plays a central role by coordinating hyperactive protein synthesis with upregulated transcription in order to support rapid proliferation of tumor cells. Translation initiation inhibitor rocaglates have been identified as the most potent drugs in MYC-driven lymphomas as they efficiently inhibit MYC expression and tumor cell viability. We found that this class of compounds can overcome eIF4A abundance by stabilizing target mRNA-eIF4A interaction that directly prevents translation. Proteome-wide quantification demonstrated selective repression of multiple critical oncoproteins in addition to MYC in B-cell lymphoma including NEK2, MCL1, AURKA, PLK1, and several transcription factors that are generally considered undruggable. Finally, (-)-SDS-1-021, the most promising synthetic rocaglate, was confirmed to be highly potent as a single agent, and displayed significant synergy with the BCL2 inhibitor ABT199 in inhibiting tumor growth and survival in primary lymphoma cells in vitro and in patient-derived xenograft mouse models. Overall, our findings support the strategy of using rocaglates to target oncoprotein synthesis in MYC-driven lymphomas.P30 CA036727 - NCI NIH HHS; R24 GM111625 - NIGMS NIH HHS; R35 GM118173 - NIGMS NIH HHS; LB506 - Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (Nebraska DHHS)Accepted manuscriptSupporting documentatio