Multi-User Multi-Carrier Differential Chaos Shift Keying Communication System

In this paper, a multi user Multi-Carrier Differential Chaos Shift Keying (MC-DCSK) modulation is presented. The system endeavors to provide a good trade-off between robustness, energy efficiency and high data rate, while still being simple. In this architecture of MC-DCSK system, for each user, chaotic reference sequence is transmitted over a predefined subcarrier frequency. Multiple modulated data streams are transmitted over the remaining subcarriers allocated for each user. This transmitter structure saves energy and increases the spectral efficiency of the conventional DCSK system.Comment: Accepted in the IEEE International Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing Conference (IWCMC 2013

Design For Education

This project is a study on the design practices that are often used in educational materials, specifically in handouts and worksheets. After looking into worksheet and handout design I have created a document titled Design for Education that demonstrates to K-12 educators how to create more user friendly materials and how to improve the clarity of worksheets and handouts. In the document I have created I have referenced design concepts including the elements of design which includes; line, shape, form, color, value, texture and space as well as the principles of design which includes concepts like emphasis, balance, and contrast. My book includes chapters on various design concepts that apply to worksheet and handout design. For example; working with layouts, choosing fonts and imagery, and emphasizing titles and subtitles. At the end of the document I included a selection of examples of worksheets that are implementing these concepts both correctly and incorrectly. Overall this project is a study on educational materials from the perspective of a graphic design student. Any document that includes text and imagery is designed, including educational documents. The purpose of this study is to represent the ways that graphic design can improve the educational experience

Accelerated pharmaceutical protein development with integrated cell free expression, purification, and bioconjugation

The use of living cells for the synthesis of pharmaceutical proteins, though state-of-the-art, is hindered by its lengthy process comprising of many steps that may affect the protein’s stability and activity. We aimed to integrate protein expression, purification, and bioconjugation in small volumes coupled with cell free protein synthesis for the target protein, ciliary neurotrophic factor. Split-intein mediated capture by use of capture peptides onto a solid surface was efficient at 89–93%. Proof-of-principle of light triggered release was compared to affinity chromatography (His6 fusion tag coupled with Ni-NTA). The latter was more efficient, but more time consuming. Light triggered release was clearly demonstrated. Moreover, we transferred biotin from the capture peptide to the target protein without further purification steps. Finally, the target protein was released in a buffer-volume and composition of our choice, omitting the need for protein concentration or changing the buffer. Split-intein mediated capture, protein trans splicing followed by light triggered release, and bioconjugation for proteins synthesized in cell free systems might be performed in an integrated workflow resulting in the fast production of the target protein.Peer reviewe

Conception et réalisation CMOS d'un détecteur de puissance RF pour un système automatique d'apadptation d'impédance

Le détecteur de puissance RF est un élément critique des SAAI (Système Automatique d’Adaptation d’Impédance) qui sont de plus en plus intégrés aux appareils de communications sans-fils. En effet, les caractéristiques du détecteur de puissance ont une importance significative sur les performances du SAAI. Tout d’abord, la précision avec laquelle le SAAI pourra adapter une charge et une source est directement liée à la plage dynamique du détecteur de puissance. Puis, la résolution du détecteur de puissance détermine la perte d’insertion du SAAI. En outre, le détecteur de puissance est responsable d’une grande portion de la consommation de puissance du SAAI. Les avantages liés à l’utilisation d’un SAAI, notamment l’augmentation de l’efficacité du système de communication, sont donc intimement liés aux performances du détecteur de puissance qui le compose. Dans le but d’intégrer un SAAI complet sur une puce, une nouvelle architecture de détecteur de puissance RF est développée dans ce mémoire. La plage dynamique du détecteur est distribuée sur trois unités de détection à faible consommation de puissance. Cette architecture permet ainsi d’opérer les transistors dans leur région d’opération optimale sur une plage dynamique supérieure aux autres détecteurs de puissance CMOS à faible consommation ayant fait l’objet de publications récentes. La plage dynamique du détecteur de puissance distribué devient ainsi comparable à celle des détecteurs de puissance à amplificateur limiteurs (typiquement utilisés pour la détection de puissance dans les circuits CMOS), tout en ayant une consommation de puissance plus faible. Dans ce document, la conception d’un détecteur de puissance RF distribué ainsi que sa réalisation sont présentées. Un circuit intégré occupant une surface de 2 mm2 a été réalisé avec un procédé CMOS 0.13 μm de IBM via CMC Microsystems. Les résultats expérimentaux obtenus par ce circuit confirment une plage dynamique de 35 dB, sur une bande de fréquences de 500 MHz à 4 GHz. La consommation de puissance du circuit intégré est de 0.554 mW. Ces résultats comparent avantageusement ce détecteur e puissance RF CMOS aux autres détecteurs dont les données ont été récemment publiées. De ce fait, le détecteur de puissance conçu et réalisé dans le cadre de cette maitrise sera l’objet d’une publication lors de la conférence internationale IEEE NortheastWorkshop on Circuits and Systems (IEEE NEWCAS 2011)

Persistent Candida albicans colonization and molecular mechanisms of azole resistance in autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) patients

Objectives Patients with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED, APS-I) suffer from chronic candidosis caused mainly by Candida albicans, and repeated courses of azole antifungals have led to the development of resistance in the APECED patient population in Finland. The aim of our study was to address whether the patients are persistently colonized with the same or genetically closely related strains, whether epidemic strains are present and which molecular mechanisms account for azole resistance. Methods Sets of C. albicans (n = 19) isolates from nine APECED patients reported with decreased susceptibility to fluconazole isolated up to 9years apart were included. The strains were typed by multilocus sequence typing. CDR1/2, MDR1 and ERG11 mRNA expression was analysed by northern blotting and Cdr1, Cdr2 and Mdr1 protein expression by western blotting, and TAC1 and ERG11 genes were sequenced. Results All seven patients with multiple C. albicans isolates analysed were persistently colonized with the same or a genetically closely related strain for a mean of 5 years. All patients were colonized with different strains and no epidemic strains were found. The major molecular mechanisms behind the azole resistance were mutations in TAC1 contributing to overexpression of CDR1 and CDR2. Six new TAC1 mutations were found, one of which (N740S) is likely to be a gain-of-function mutation. Most isolates were found to have gained multiple TAC1 and ERG11 point mutations. Conclusions Despite clinically successful treatment leading to relief of symptoms, colonization by C. albicans strains is persistent within APECED patients. Microevolution and point mutations occur within strains, leading to the development of azole-resistant isolate

Spin coated chitin films for biosensors and its analysis are dependent on chitin-surface interactions

Chitin, abundant in nature, is a renewable resource with many possible applications in bioengineering. Biosensors, capable of label-free and in-line evaluation, play an important role in the investigation of chitin synthesis, degradation and interaction with other materials. This work presents a comparative study of the usefulness of a chitin surface preparation, either on gold (Au) or on polystyrene (PS). In both cases the most common method to dissolve chitin was used, followed by a simple spin-coating procedure. Multi-parametric surface plasmon resonance (MP-SPR), modeling of the optical properties of the chitin layers, scanning electron microscopy, and contact angle goniometry were used to confirm: the thickness of the layers in air and buffer, the refractive indices of the chitin layers in air and buffer, the hydrophobicity, the binding properties of the chitin binding domain (CBD) of Bacillus circulans, and the split-intein capture process. Binding of the CBD differed between chitin on Au versus chitin on PS in terms of binding strength and binding specificity due to a less homogenous structured chitin-surface on Au in comparison to chitin on PS, despite a similar thickness of both chitin layers in air and after running buffer over the surfaces. The use of the simple method to reproduce chitin films on a thin polystyrene layer to study chitin as a biosensor and for chitin binding studies was obvious from the SPR studies and the binding studies of CBD as moiety of chitinases or as protein fusion partner. In conclusion, stable chitin layers for SPR studies can be made from chitin in a solution of dimethylacetamide (DMA) and lithium chloride (LiCl) followed by spin-coating if the gold surface is protected with PS.Peer reviewe

Concert recording 2019-01-31b

[Track 1]. Syrinx / Claude Debussy -- [Track 2]. How lovely to be a woman from Bye bye birdie / Strouse & Adams -- [Track 3]. Big sister says from Love after 1950 / Libby Larson -- [Track 4]. I enjoy being a girl from Flower drum song / Rodgers & Hammerstein -- [Track 5]. Danza de la mariposa / Valerie Coleman -- [Track 6]. The French clock / Franz Bornschein arranged by Charlet Cellars -- [Track 7]. You are my sunshine / Jimmie Davis -- [Track 8]. I\u27ll fly away / Albert E. Brumley -- [Track 9]. Habañera from Carmen / Georges Bizet -- [Track 10].Everybody says don\u27t from Anyone can whistle / Stephen Sondheim

Trait positions for elevated invasiveness in adaptive ecological networks

Our ability to predict the outcome of invasion declines rapidly as non-native species progress through intertwined ecological barriers to establish and spread in recipient ecosystems. This is largely due to the lack of systemic knowledge on key processes at play as species establish self-sustaining populations within the invaded range. To address this knowledge gap, we present a mathematical model that captures the eco-evolutionary dynamics of native and non-native species interacting within an ecological network. The model is derived from continuous-trait evolutionary game theory (i.e., Adaptive Dynamics) and its associated concept of invasion fitness which depicts dynamic demographic performance that is both trait mediated and density dependent. Our approach allows us to explore how multiple resident and non-native species coevolve to reshape invasion performance, or more precisely invasiveness, over trait space. The model clarifies the role of specific traits in enabling non-native species to occupy realised opportunistic niches. It also elucidates the direction and speed of both ecological and evolutionary dynamics of residing species (natives or non-natives) in the recipient network under different levels of propagule pressure. The versatility of the model is demonstrated using four examples that correspond to the invasion of (i) a horizontal competitive community; (ii) a bipartite mutualistic network; (iii) a bipartite antagonistic network; and (iv) a multi-trophic food web. We identified a cohesive trait strategy that enables the success and establishment of non-native species to possess high invasiveness. Specifically, we find that a non-native species can achieve high levels of invasiveness by possessing traits that overlap with those of its facilitators (and mutualists), which enhances the benefits accrued from positive interactions, and by possessing traits outside the range of those of antagonists, which mitigates the costs accrued from negative interactions. This ‘central-to-reap, edge-to-elude’ trait strategy therefore describes the strategic trait positions of non-native species to invade an ecological network. This model provides a theoretical platform for exploring invasion strategies in complex adaptive ecological networks

Assessment and Indirect Adjustment for Confounding by Smoking in Cohort Studies Using Relative Hazards Models

Workers' smoking histories are not measured in many occupational cohort studies. Here we discuss the use of negative control outcomes to detect and adjust for confounding in analyses that lack information on smoking. We clarify the assumptions necessary to detect confounding by smoking and the additional assumptions necessary to indirectly adjust for such bias. We illustrate these methods using data from 2 studies of radiation and lung cancer: the Colorado Plateau cohort study (1950–2005) of underground uranium miners (in which smoking was measured) and a French cohort study (1950–2004) of nuclear industry workers (in which smoking was unmeasured). A cause-specific relative hazards model is proposed for estimation of indirectly adjusted associations. Among the miners, the proposed method suggests no confounding by smoking of the association between radon and lung cancer—a conclusion supported by adjustment for measured smoking. Among the nuclear workers, the proposed method suggests substantial confounding by smoking of the association between radiation and lung cancer. Indirect adjustment for confounding by smoking resulted in an 18% decrease in the adjusted estimated hazard ratio, yet this cannot be verified because smoking was unmeasured. Assumptions underlying this method are described, and a cause-specific proportional hazards model that allows easy implementation using standard software is presented