In-Network Video Quality Adaption using Packet Trimming at the Edge

This paper describes the effects of running innetwork quality adaption by trimming the packets of layered video streams at the edge. The video stream is transmitted using the BPP transport protocol, which is like UDP, but has been designed to be both amenable to trimming and to provide low-latency and high reliability. The traffic adaption uses the Packet Wash process of BPP on the transmitted Scalable Video Coding (SVC) video streams as they pass through a network function which is BPP-aware and embedded at the edge. Our previous work has either demonstrated the use of SDN controllers to directly implement Packet Wash, or the use of a network function in the core of the network to do the same task. This paper presents the first attempt to deploy and evaluate such a process in the edge. We compare the performance of transmitting video using BPP and the Packet Wash trimming, against alternative transmission schemes, namely TCP, UDP, and HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS). The results demonstrate that providing traffic engineering using in-network quality adaption using packet trimming, provides high quality at the receiver

Using packet trimming at the edge for in-network video quality adaption

This paper describes the effects of running in-network quality adaption by trimming the packets of layered video streams at the edge. The video stream is transmitted using the BPP transport protocol, which is like UDP, but has been designed to be both amenable to trimming and to provide low-latency and high reliability. The traffic adaption uses the Packet Wash process of Big Packet Protocol (BPP) on the transmitted Scalable Video Coding (SVC) video streams as they pass through a network function which is BPP-aware and embedded at the edge. Our previous work has either demonstrated the use of Software Defined Networking (SDN) controllers to implement Packet Wash directly, or the use of a network function in the core of the network to do the same task. This paper presents our effort to deploy and evaluate such a process at the edge, highlighting the packet trimming algorithm and showing the packet trimming effects on the streams. We compare the performance of transmitting video using BPP and the Packet Wash trimming, against alternative transmission schemes, namely UDP and HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS), presenting a number of quality parameters. The results demonstrate that providing traffic engineering using in-network quality adaption using packet trimming, provides high quality at the receiver

Towards High Precision End-to-End Video Streaming from Drones using Packet Trimming

The emergence of a number of network communication facilities such as Network Function Virtualization (NFV), Software Defined Networking (SDN), the Internet of Things (IoT), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and in-network packet processing, holds a potential to meet the low latency, high precision requirements of various future multimedia applications. However, this raises the corresponding issues of how all of these elements can be used together in future networking environments, including newly developed protocols and techniques. This paper describes the architecture of an end-to-end video streaming platform for video surveillance, consisting of a UAV network domain, an edge server implementing in-network packet trimming operations with the use of Big Packet Protocol (BPP), utilization of Scalable Video Coding (SVC) and multiple video clients which connect to a network managed by an SDN controller. A Virtualized Edge Function at the drone edge utilizes SVC and in communication with the Drone Control Unit to manage the transmitted video quality. Experimental results show the potential that future multimedia applications can achieve the required high precision with the use of future network components and the consideration of their interactions

OncoLog Volume 45, Number 06, June 2000

Newly Organized Ophthalmology Section Expands Treatment of Ocular Malignancies Turning Knowledge Into Effective Gene Therapies, by Jack A. Roth, MD, Professor, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, and Gary S. Clayman, MD, DDS, Associate Professor, Head and Neck Surgery Microarrays Reduce Time, Labor, and Cost of DNA Analysis New DNA Microarray Technology Could Speed Up Discovery of the Genetic Causes of Lung Cancer House Call: Virtual Health: Finding Reliable Medical Resources on the Internet Clinical Practice Guidelines: Case Report: Ovarian Cancer Protocols: Studies Aim to Detect and Treat Ocular Malignancieshttps://openworks.mdanderson.org/oncolog/1086/thumbnail.jp

Lay discourses about Brexit and prejudice: ‘ideological creativity’ and its limits in Brexit debates

Much research on Brexit has studied whether the vote to leave the EU is a marker of growing prejudice. In this paper, we study instead how the relationship between support for Brexit and prejudice is constructed, negotiated and contested in lay discourse. Our analysis of focus groups (N=12) conducted prior to and following the EU referendum shows that support for Brexit was predominantly constructed as based on nationalism and anti-immigration prejudice, especially in Remain-supporting accounts. This prompted identity management strategies and counter-arguments by Leave supporters, such as providing alternative constructions of prejudice and racism; relating Brexit with ‘progressive’ values; and presenting it as rational and economically sound. In our discussion, we draw attention to the ‘ideological creativity’ that underpins these accounts and also reflect on the possibilities and constraints of developing alternative political narratives under conditions of political polarisation

The dynamics of power and resistance in police interview discourse

This is a study of police interviewing using an integrated approach, drawing on CA, CDA and pragmatics. The study focuses on the balance of power and control, finding that in particular the institutional status of the participants, the discursive roles assigned to them by the context, and their relative knowledge, are significant factors affecting the dynamics of the discourse. Four discursive features are identified as particularly significant, and a detailed analysis of the complex interplay of these features shows that power and control are constantly under negotiation, and are always open to challenge and resistance. Further it is shown that discursive dominance is not necessarily advantageous to participants, due to the specific goals and purposes of the police interview context. A wider consideration of the context illustrates the contribution that linguistics can make to the use of police interview data as evidence in the UK criminal justice system

Charge-ordering and optical transitions of LiV2O5 and NaV2O5

We present the measurements of the polarized optical spectra of NaV2O5 and LiV2O5. In an energy range from 0.5 to 5.5 eV we observe similar peaks in the E parallel a spectra of LiV2O5 and NaV2O5, which suggests similar electronic structure along the a axis in both materials. On the other hand, we find an almost complete suppression of the peaks in sigma_b of LiV2O5 around 1 and 5 eV. We attribute this suppression to the charge localization originating from the existence of double-chain charge-ordering patterin in LiV2O5.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures final version, to appear in PR

Multi-institutional Evaluation of Producing and Testing a Novel 3D-Printed Laparoscopic Trainer

To create, distribute, and evaluate the efficacy of a portable, cost effective 3D-printed laparoscopic trainer for surgical skills development.Objective: To create, distribute, and evaluate the efficacy of a portable, cost-effective 3D-printed laparoscopic trainer for surgical skills development. Methods: The UCI Trainer (UCiT) laparoscopic simulator was developed via computer-aided designs (CAD), which were used to 3D-print the UCiT. Once assembled, a tablet computer with a rear-facing camera was attached for video and optics. Four institutions were sent the UCiT CAD files with a 3D-printer and instructions for UCiT assembly. For a comparison of the UCiT to a standard trainer, peg transfer and intracorporeal knot tying skills were accessed. These tasks were scored, and participants were asked to rate their experience with the trainers. Lastly, a questionnaire was given to individuals who 3D-printed and assembled the UCiT. Results: We recruited 25 urologists; none had any 3D-printing experience. The cost of printing each trainer was $26.50 USD. Each institution used the Apple iPad for optics. Six of eight participants assembled the UCiT in < 45 minutes, and rated assembly as somewhat easy. On objective scoring, participants performed tasks equally well on the UCiT vs the conventional trainer. On subjective scoring, the conventional trainer provided a significantly better experience vs the UCiT; however, all reported that the UCiT was useful for surgical education. Conclusion: The UCiT is a low cost, portable training tool that is easy to assemble and use. UCiT provided a platform whereby participants performed laparoscopic tasks equal to performing the same tasks on the more expensive, nonportable standard trainer

Gene therapy: the end of the rainbow?

The increased understanding of the molecular basis of oral cancer has led to expectations that correction of the genetic defects will lead to improved treatments. Nevertheless, the first clinical trials for gene therapy of oral cancer occurred 20 years ago, and routine treatment is still not available. The major difficulty is that genes are usually delivered by virus vectors whose effects are weak and temporary. Viruses that replicate would be better, and the field includes many approaches in that direction. If any of these are effective in patients, then gene therapy will become available in the next few years. Without significant advances, however, the treatment of oral cancer by gene therapy will remain as remote as the legendary pot of gold at the end of the rainbow