First-hop-quality-aware dynamic resource allocation for amplify-and-forward opportunistic relaying assisted SC-FDMA

In this paper we exploit the benefits of the diversity gains arising from a cluster of opportunistic relays (OR) and from the independently fading subcarriers of multiple users. Our goal is to improve the energy-efficiency of the OR assisted single-carrier frequency-division multiple-access (SC-FDMA) uplink using amplify-and-forward (AF), where the direct transmission (DT) link is unavailable. By assuming that the pilot aided channel quality information (CQI) of all the users may be exchanged amongst the cooperating relays, we propose two joint dynamic resource allocation (DRA) schemes based on the so-called ’first-hop quality awareness’. Our results demonstrate that compared to the DT benchmark, the proposed joint DRA schemes are capable of achieving a power reduction of 10dB for a single-antenna base station (BS) receiver, albeit for a multi-antenna BS the power-reduction remains more modest

RELATIVE REACTIVITY OF PROTEIN AND LIPID TO OXIDANTS IN DIFFERENT BI-PHASIC SYSTEMS AND ITS IMPLICATION IN SAUSAGE QUALITY

This study investigated the progression of protein and lipid oxidation in different bi-phasic model systems: simple aqueous dispersions, liposome, and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. Varied concentrations of isolated pork myofibrillar protein (MFP) were mixed with free fatty acids (C18:1, C18:2, C18:3), lecithin, or vegetable oil to construct different lipid-protein dispersion systems, then subjected to hydroxyl radical stress at 4 °C. Comparison of the evolution of lipid oxidation with protein modification markers in all dispersion systems showed noteworthy attenuation of tryptophan fluorescence, protein carbonyl formation, and extensive polymerization of myosin in 2 h. This process preceded lipid oxidation which exhibited notable accumulations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) only after 2 h. The study further explored the steric role of MFP in the oxidative stability of emulsions. Oxidized MFP in the continuous phase stimulated lipid oxidation in 24 h; sharply contrasting with interface-adsorbed MFP that inhibited TBARS formation nearly 90% in 24 h. Interfacial MFP from 2 h-oxidized samples exhibited attenuated tryptophan fluorescence but more pronounced myosin polymerization than MFP in the continuous phase. Due to the site distribution, interface-adsorbed MFP in general and myosin in particular provided accentuated protection of emulsions against oxidation. Similarly, soy protein isolate (SPI) and sodium caseinate (SC) acted as antioxidant barriers in O/W emulsions. The effect of replacing pork fat by protein-stabilized soybean oil pre-emulsion on physical characteristics and oxidative stability of fresh sausages was subsequently investigated. Substitution (60%) of SC or partially denatured SPI pre-emulsified oil for fat improved sausage water-binding capacity (P \u3c 0.05). During storage at 4 °C, cooked sausage formulated with partially denatured SPI-emulsified oil displayed a slower lipid oxidation rate throughout 14 days compared with control sausage, and SC-emulsified oil sausage had the lowest TBARS produced in the first 5 days. There was no significant difference (P \u3e 0.05) in texture attributes (e.g., hardness, deformability, cohesiveness, and rupture force) between different formulations. In summary, proteins as emulsifiers at the O/W interface are kinetically preferred targets of radicals compared to unsaturated lipids and proteins in the continuous phase. Such locality effect proves to be important for the physicochemical stability of emulsion-type foods

Frequency-Domain Turbo Equalisation in Coded SC-FDMA Systems: EXIT Chart Analysis and Performance

In this paper, we investigate the achievable performance of channel coded single-carrier frequency division multiple-access (SC-FDMA) systems employing various detection schemes, when communicating over frequency-selective fading channels. Specifically, three types of minimum mean-square error (MMSE) based frequency-domain (FD) turbo equalisers are considered. The first one is the turbo FD linear equaliser (LE). The second one is a parallel interference cancellation (PIC)-assisted turbo FD decision-feedback equaliser (DFE). The final one is the proposed hybrid interference cancellation (HIC)-aided turboFD-DFE, which combines successive interference cancellation (SIC) with iterative PIC and decoding. The benefit of interference cancellation (IC) is analysed with the EXtrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) charts. The performance of the coded SC-FDMA systems employing the above-mentioned detection schemes is investigated with the aid of simulations. Our studies show that the IC techniques achieve an attractive performance at a moderate complexity

Simple one pot preparation of chemical hydrogels from cellulose dissolved in cold LiOH/urea

In this work, non-derivatized cellulose pulp was dissolved in a cold alkali solution (LiOH/urea) and chemically cross-linked with methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) to form a robust hydrogel with superior water absorption properties. Different cellulose concentrations (i.e., 2, 3 and 4 wt%) and MBA/glucose molar ratios (i.e., 0.26, 0.53 and 1.05) were tested. The cellulose hydrogel cured at 60 °C for 30 min, with a MBA/glucose molar ratio of 1.05, exhibited the highest water swelling capacity absorbing ca. 220 g H2O/g dry hydrogel. Moreover, the data suggest that the cross-linking occurs via a basic Michael addition mechanism. This innovative procedure based on the direct dissolution of unmodified cellulose in LiOH/urea followed by MBA cross-linking provides a simple and fast approach to prepare chemically cross-linked non-derivatized high-molecular-weight cellulose hydrogels with superior water uptake capacity.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT, via the projects PTDC/AGR-TEC/4814/2014, PTDC/ASP-SIL/30619/2017 and UIDB/05183/2020, and the research grant IF/01005/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The role of personality traits in pension decisions: Findings and policy recommendations

© 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Applied Economics on 04 Feb 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2018.1563670Many countries need to stimulate pension participation and contribution to ensure their citizens are prepared adequately for retirement. Identifying at-risk groups with tendencies of not joining pension plans will help governments target strategies to improve pension awareness and participation. This study investigates the role of personality traits in pension decision making using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Our results demonstrate that Extraversion significantly correlates with non-participation in private pensions, including both employer run and personal pensions. Individuals who are high in Conscientiousness are more likely to participate and pay more into personal pensions. Openness to experience is negatively correlated with saving via personal pensions. Agreeableness and Extraversion correlate inversely with the amount contributed to personal plans. This paper discusses our findings in detail and offers policy implications which may help promote pension participation and ease the problem of old age poverty.Peer reviewe

Gasdermins: a dual role in pyroptosis and tumor immunity

The gasdermin (GSDM) protein family plays a pivotal role in pyroptosis, a process critical to the body’s immune response, particularly in combatting bacterial infections, impeding tumor invasion, and contributing to the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases. These proteins are adept at activating inflammasome signaling pathways, recruiting immune effector cells, creating an inflammatory immune microenvironment, and initiating pyroptosis. This article serves as an introduction to the GSDM protein-mediated pyroptosis signaling pathways, providing an overview of GSDMs’ involvement in tumor immunity. Additionally, we explore the potential applications of GSDMs in both innovative and established antitumor strategies