Real-time transmission and storage of video, audio, and health data in emergency and home care situations

The increase in the availability of bandwidth for wireless links, network integration, and the computational power on fixed and mobile platforms at affordable costs allows nowadays for the handling of audio and video data, their quality making them suitable for medical application. These information streams can support both continuous monitoring and emergency situations. According to this scenario, the authors have developed and implemented the mobile communication system which is described in this paper. The system is based on ITU-T H.323 multimedia terminal recommendation, suitable for real-time data/video/audio and telemedical applications. The audio and video codecs, respectively, H.264 and G723.1, were implemented and optimized in order to obtain high performance on the system target processors. Offline media streaming storage and retrieval functionalities were supported by integrating a relational database in the hospital central system. The system is based on low-cost consumer technologies such as general packet radio service (GPRS) and wireless local area network (WLAN or WiFi) for lowband data/video transmission. Implementation and testing were carried out for medical emergency and telemedicine application. In this paper, the emergency case study is described

Multimedia terminal system-on-chip design and simulation

This paper proposes a design approach based on integrated architectural and system-on-chip (SoC) simulations. The main idea is to have an efficient framework for the design and the evaluation of multimedia terminals, allowing a fast system simulation with a definable degree of accuracy. The design approach includes the simulation of very long instruction word (VLIW) digital signal processors (DSPs), the utilization of a device multiplexing the media streams, and the emulation of the real-time media acquisition. This methodology allows the evaluation of both the multimedia algorithm implementations and the hardware platform, giving feedback on the complete SoC including the interaction between modules and conflicts in accessing either the bus or shared resources. An instruction set architecture (ISA) simulator and an SoC simulation environment compose the integrated framework. In order to validate this approach, the evaluation of an audio-video multiprocessor terminal is presented, and the complete simulation test results are reported

In-cell NMR in E. coli to Monitor Maturation Steps of hSOD1

In-cell NMR allows characterizing the folding state of a protein as well as posttranslational events at molecular level, in the cellular context. Here, the initial maturation steps of human copper, zinc superoxide dismutase 1 are characterized in the E. coli cytoplasm by in-cell NMR: from the apo protein, which is partially unfolded, to the zinc binding which causes its final quaternary structure. The protein selectively binds only one zinc ion, whereas in vitro also the copper site binds a non-physiological zinc ion. However, no intramolecular disulfide bridge formation occurs, nor copper uptake, suggesting the need of a specific chaperone for those purposes

Atomic-resolution monitoring of protein maturation in live human cells by NMR

We use NMR directly in live human cells to describe the complete post-translational maturation process of human superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). We follow, at atomic resolution, zinc binding, homodimer formation and copper uptake, and discover that copper chaperone for SOD1 oxidizes the SOD1 intrasubunit disulfide bond through both copper-dependent and copper-independent mechanisms. Our approach represents a new strategy for structural investigation of endogenously expressed proteins in a physiological (cellular) environment

Fundamentals of Astronomy - Second Edition

Providing a broad overview of foundational concepts, this second edition of Fundamentals of Astronomy covers topics ranging from spherical astronomy to reference systems, and celestial mechanics to astronomical photometry and spectroscopy. It expounds arguments of classical astronomy that provided the foundation for modern astrometry, whilst presenting the latest results of the very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) radio technique, optical interferometers and satellites such as Hipparcos and GAIA, and recent resolutions of the IAU and IERS regarding precession, forced and free nutation, and Earth figure and rotation. Concepts of general relativity are explored, such as the advance of Mercury’s perihelion, light deflection and black holes, in addition to the physical properties, orbits, and ephemerides of planets, comets and asteroids with an extension to visual binary stars orbital reconstruction. Extrasolar planets are also discussed, with reference to radial velocity and transits measurements by ground and space telescopes. Basic concepts of astronomical photometry, spectroscopy and polarimetry are given, including the influence of the terrestrial atmosphere. Classical works, such as Hipparchus, are mentioned in order to provide a flavor of the historical development of the field. It is an ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate students studying astronomy, astrophysics, mathematics, and engineering. Supplementary and explanatory notes provide readers with references to additional material published in other literature and scientific journals, whilst solved and unsolved exercises allow students to review their understanding of the material

Modeling of the light scattering properties of cometary dust using fractal aggregates

Aims: The nature of cometary dust is still elusive. In order to constrain the physical properties of dust in cometary coma, we modeled the observed scattering parameters, investigating different morphological and compositional effects. Methods: We used fractal aggregates as dust particles. The scattering behavior of extremely elongated dust particles, similar to those formed in micro-gravity aggregation experiments and more compact aggregates, have been studied with the discrete-dipole approximation theory. Results: Results show that particles comparable in size to the incident wavelength provide the best qualitative fits. A silicate composition gives a good fit to the polarization and the phase function, but is characterized by large albedo. Organic and mixed compositions provide low albedos but do not fit the polarization and phase function curves well. Compact particles seem to reproduce the observed parameters better, indicating a possible morphological metamorphism of dust since the time of formation. The observed different polarization classes may be explained in terms of different monomer sizes, if a cluster of spheres models are used. © ESO 2006

Light scattering properties of cometary dust

Aims:The nature of cometary dust is still elusive. In order to constrain the physical properties of dust in cometary coma, we modeled the observed scattering parameters, investigating different morphological and compositional effects. Methods: We used fractal aggregates as dust particles. The scattering behavior of extremely elongated dust particles, similar to those formed in micro-gravity aggregation experiments and more compact aggregates, have been studied with the discrete-dipole approximation theory. Results: Results show that particles comparable in size to the incident wavelength provide the best qualitative fits. A silicate composition gives a good fit to the polarization and the phase function, but is characterized by large albedo. Organic and mixed compositions provide low albedos but do not fit the polarization and phase function curves well. Compact particles seem to reproduce the observed parameters better, indicating a possible morphological metamorphism of dust since the time of formation. The observed different polarization classes may be explained in terms of different monomer sizes, if a cluster of spheres models are used