Quality of Service Controlled Multimedia Transport Protocol

PhDThis research looks at the design of an open transport protocol that supports a range of services including multimedia over low data-rate networks. Low data-rate multimedia applications require a system that provides quality of service (QoS) assurance and flexibility. One promising field is the area of content-based coding. Content-based systems use an array of protocols to select the optimum set of coding algorithms. A content-based transport protocol integrates a content-based application to a transmission network. General transport protocols form a bottleneck in low data-rate multimedia communicationbsy limiting throughpuot r by not maintainingt iming requirementsT. his work presents an original model of a transport protocol that eliminates the bottleneck by introducing a flexible yet efficient algorithm that uses an open approach to flexibility and holistic architectureto promoteQ oS.T he flexibility andt ransparenccyo mesi n the form of a fixed syntaxt hat providesa seto f transportp rotocols emanticsT. he mediaQ oSi s maintained by defining a generic descriptor. Overall, the structure of the protocol is based on a single adaptablea lgorithm that supportsa pplication independencen, etwork independencea nd quality of service. The transportp rotocol was evaluatedth rougha set of assessmentos:f f-line; off-line for a specific application; and on-line for a specific application. Application contexts used MPEG-4 test material where the on-line assessmenuts eda modified MPEG-4 pl; yer. The performanceo f the QoSc ontrolledt ransportp rotocoli s often bettert hano thers chemews hen appropriateQ oS controlledm anagemenatl gorithmsa re selectedT. his is shownf irst for an off-line assessmenwt here the performancei s compared between the QoS controlled multiplexer,a n emulatedM PEG-4F lexMux multiplexers chemea, ndt he targetr equirements. The performanceis also shownt o be better in a real environmentw hen the QoS controlled multiplexeri s comparedw ith the real MPEG-4F lexMux scheme

Adipose tissue derived stem cells secretome: soluble factors and their roles in regenerative medicine

Stem cells have been long looked at as possible therapeutic vehicles for different health related problems. Among the different existing stem cell populations, Adipose derived Stem Cells (ASCs) have been gathering attention in the last 10 years. When compared to other stem cells populations and sources, ASCs can be easily isolated while providing higher yields upon the processing of adipose tissue. Similar to other stem cell populations, it was initially thought that the main potential of ASCs for regenerative medicine approaches was intimately related to their differentiation capability. Although this is true, there has been an increasing body of literature describing the trophic effects of ASCs on the protection, survival and differentiation of a variety of endogenous cells/tissues. Moreover, they have also shown to possess an immunomodulatory character. This effect is closely related to the ASCs’ secretome and the soluble factors found within it. Molecules such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factors, interleukins (ILs) 6, 7, 8 and 11, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), adipokines and others have been identified within the ASCs’ secretome. Due to its importance regarding future applications for the field of regenerative medicine, we aim, in the present review, to make a comprehensive analysis of the literature relating to the ASCs’ secretome and its relevance to the immune and central nervous system, vascularization and cardiac regeneration. The concluding section will highlight some of the major challenges that remain before ASCs can be used for future clinical applications

Jaminaea phylloscopi sp. Nov. (microstromatales), a basidiomycetous yeast isolated from migratory birds in the mediterranean basin

During a survey of yeasts vectored by migratory birds in the Mediterranean basin, isolations from the cloacae of members of the order Passeriformes collected in Ustica (Italy) were performed. Based on phylogenetic analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene-ITS2 region, five yeast isolates clustered in a new lineage within the Microstromatales clade. The DNA sequences of these isolates differed from those of their closest relatives, Jaminaea angkorensis and Jaminaea lanaiensis, by 20 and 25 nt substitutions in the D1/D2 domain and 119 and 131 nt substitutions in the complete ITS region, respectively. In addition, the five isolates showed phenotypic characteristics not observed in their closest relatives, such as the ability to grow at 44 °C and at pH 2.5, which suggests a possible adaptation to the bird gastrointestinal tract. On the basis of the isolation source, phenotypic features and molecular strain typing carried out with randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR and mini-satellite-primed (MSP)-PCR analysis, the five isolates were characterized as five distinct strains of a novel species formally described as Jaminaea phylloscopi sp. nov., with 551B6T (=PYCC 6783T=CBS 14087T) as the type strain. The Mycobank accession number is MB811984

Unveiling the Dynamics of the Universe

We explore the dynamics and evolution of the Universe at early and late times, focusing on both dark energy and extended gravity models and their astrophysical and cosmological consequences. Modified theories of gravity not only provide an alternative explanation for the recent expansion history of the universe, but they also offer a paradigm fundamentally distinct from the simplest dark energy models of cosmic acceleration. In this review, we perform a detailed theoretical and phenomenological analysis of different modified gravity models and investigate their consistency. We also consider the cosmological implications of well motivated physical models of the early universe with a particular emphasis on inflation and topological defects. Astrophysical and cosmological tests over a wide range of scales, from the solar system to the observable horizon, severely restrict the allowed models of the Universe. Here, we review several observational probes -- including gravitational lensing, galaxy clusters, cosmic microwave background temperature and polarization, supernova and baryon acoustic oscillations measurements -- and their relevance in constraining our cosmological description of the Universe.Comment: 94 pages, 14 figures. Review paper accepted for publication in a Special Issue of Symmetry. "Symmetry: Feature Papers 2016". V2: Matches published version, now 79 pages (new format

Notas sobre do maciço de Sines: uma reinterpretação de dados geofísicos para avaliação do potencial armazenamento de CO2 por carbonatação mineral

ABSTRACT: The InCarbon project aims to evaluate the potential for storage of captured CO2 using in-situ mineral carbonation in mafic and ultramafic plutonic rocks in Alentejo, Portugal. The Sines massif appears to be the most promising massif for mineral carbonation and its geochemistry, petrography, mineralogy, volume and extension are characterized. Its offshore volume and extension are evaluated through reinterpretation of previous geophysical data which confirms the occurrence of two well defined magnetic anomalies. The Sines magnetic anomaly is directly related with the outcropping area of the Sines massif to the continental shelf; three-dimensional modelling (3D) of apparent magnetic susceptibility correlates with a volume of 217 km3.The offshore magnetic anomaly presents an estimated volume of 226 km3 and is located about 10 km from the Sines anomaly to the Southwest. If both anomalies result from a single igneous body, the area of the Sines massif could as be large as 300 km2. However, the possibility of these that those two anomalies correspond distinct mafic igneous structures in the continental shelf cannot be discarded and should be further investigated.RESUMO: O projeto InCarbon pretende avaliar o potencial para a carbonatação mineral in-situ das rochas plutónicas máficas e ultramáficas no Alentejo para o armazenamento de CO2. O maciço de Sines parece ser o maciço mais promissor para carbonatação mineral no Alentejo e é caracterizado do ponto de vista geoquímico, petrográfico, mineralógico, bem assim como do ponto de vista do seu volume e extensão. A avaliação do volume e da extensão na área offshore foi efetuada reinterpretando dados geofísicos existentes os quais confirmam a ocorrência de duas anomalias magnéticas bem definidas. A anomalia magnética de Sines (sobre o continente) está diretamente relacionada com prolongamento do maciço de Sines para a plataforma continental. Com base em modelação tridimensional (3D) da suscetibilidade magnética aparente foi obtido um volume de 217 km3. A anomalia magnética offshore, localizada na plataforma continental, apresenta um volume estimado de 226 km3 e está localizada a cerca de 10 km a sudoeste da anomalia de Sines. Se ambas as anomalias estiverem relacionadas com um mesmo corpo ígneo, então a extensão do maciço de Sines poderá atingir uma área de 300 km2. No entanto, a possibilidade dessas duas anomalias corresponderem a estruturas máficas distintas não pode ser descartada e deve ser investigada.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The migratory birds: novel ecological niche of fungal diversity?

Francesca et al (2010) studied the ecology of wine yeasts associated to birds caught in vineyards. The same authors were able to prove that migratory birds might carry living pro-technological yeasts for about 12 hours from the ingestion of inoculated feed (Francesca et al 2012). In subsequent studies, they tried to demonstrate that microorganisms are not only transported for a short period by birds, but microorganisms might be adapted to the specific conditions (body temperature about 42 °C and low pH) of the intestinal tract of birds. Hence, it was demonstrated that the majority of isolates carried by birds are thermotolerant. The most interesting results were the isolation of two new species of thermotolerant yeasts, isolated from birds (Francesca et al 2013, 2014). Presently, the main scope of this work is to investigate an additional number of seven new species of thermotolerant yeasts isolated from migratory birds. Bird’s cloacae were analyzed for the presence of yeasts (Francesca et al 2012). All isolates were subjected to phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses as reported by Francesca et al (2014). Twenty four cultures belonging to the genera Candida and Aureobasidium were isolated from birds. The phylogenetic analysis of D1/D2 domain of 26S and ITS region of 5.8S rRNA genes placed the cultures of Candida and Aureobasidium in new lineages that differed conspicuously from their closest relatives, C. verbasci and A. pullulans, respectively. For our Candida isolates the phenotypic analyses showed several discrepancies in assimilation tests between our cultures and C. verbasci, as well as represent a novel ecological niche of new species of thermotolerant yeasts gathered

Deadbeat predictive current control for circulating currents reduction in a modular multilevel converter based rail power conditioner

This paper presents a deadbeat predictive current control methodology to reduce the circulating currents in a modular multilevel converter (MMC) when it operates as a rail power conditioner (RPC) in a conventional railway system-based V/V connection. For this purpose, a half-bridge MMC based on half-bridge submodules, operating as an RPC is explained, and the total system is denominated as a simplified rail power conditioner (SRPC). The SRPC in this study is used to compensate harmonics, reactive power, and the negative sequence component of currents. This paper explains the SRPC system architecture, the key control algorithms, and the deadbeat predictive current control methodology. Mathematical analysis, based on the MMC equivalent circuit, is described and the reference equations are presented. Moreover, simulation results of the deadbeat predictive current control methodology are compared with the results of the conventional proportional-integral (PI) controller. This comparison is to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. Simulation results of the SRPC show reduced circulating currents in the MMC phases when using the predictive control approach, besides accomplishing power quality improvement at the three-phase power grid side.This work has been supported by the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology (FCT), in Portuguese, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020 and PTDC/EEI-EEE/28813/2017. The first author Mohamed Tanta is supported by FCT Ph.D. grant with a reference PD/BD/127815/2016

A comprehensive comparison of rail power conditioners based on two-level converters and a V/V power transformer in railway traction power systems

Electric locomotives in the traction power systems represent huge nonlinear single phase loads and they affect adversely the public electrical grid stability and the power quality. Some of such problems are related to the harmonic distortion and the Negative Sequence Components (NSCs). The Rail Power Conditioners (RPCs) are widely used to accomplish harmonics mitigation, besides NSCs compensation, then, maintaining balanced and sinusoidal public electrical grid currents. This paper presents a comprehensive comparison study between three different RPCs based on the two level converters and a V/V power transformer. The Four Wire Rail Power Conditioner (FW RPC), the Three Wire Rail Power Conditioner (TW RPC) and the Half Bridge Rail Power Conditioner (HB RPC) are the main conditioners of interest. The main contribution of this paper is to perform a comprehensive comparison between the aforementioned RPCs, including the control algorithms and the compensating performance regarding the power quality problems. Simulation results with different operation scenarios are presented to establish an appropriate comparison between the aforementioned RPCs topologies.Mohamed Tanta was supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) PhD grant with a reference PD/BD/127815/2016. This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145–FEDER–007043 and FCT within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Topologies and operation modes of rail power conditioners in AC traction grids: review and comprehensive comparison

Electric locomotives in AC traction power systems represent a huge single-phase non-linear load and, detrimentally, affect the power quality and the efficiency of the three-phase power grid. Nevertheless, along the last decades, power electronics are being used to mitigate power quality problems in the three-phase power grid. In particular, Rail Power Conditioner (RPC) helps to increase the loading capacity of traction substations and improve the power quality of three-phase power grids. As the main characteristics, an RPC can supply reactive power, suppress current harmonics and overcome currents imbalance of the three-phase power grid. On the other hand, the traction substations may be constituted by different types of power transformers. For instance, single-phase power transformers and open-delta (V/V) power transformers are widely used, while Scott power transformers are less frequently used, since they are more complex and expensive. In this framework, this work presents a review study of RPC topologies, including their operation modes, and a comprehensive comparison between the characteristics of the RPC topologies when using different types of AC traction substations and power transformers. This helps to ensure the correct selection of the RPC topology for a specific application, according to the main structure of the traction substation. Consequently, and based on the established review, it is possible to sort and allocate each RPC topology for limited or wider applications.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology (FCT) (in Portuguese, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020). The first author Mohamed Tanta is supported by FCT Ph.D. grant with a reference PD/BD/127815/2016

Endotracheal tube cuff pressure assessment maneuver induces drop of expired tidal volume in the postoperative of coronary artery bypass grafting

Background: Previous investigations reported that the cuff pressure (CP) can decrease secondary to the CP evaluation itself. However is not established in literature if this loss of CP is able to generate alterations on expired tidal volume (ETV). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential consequences of the endotracheal CP assessment maneuver on CP levels and ETV in the early postoperative of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).Methods: A total of 488 patients were analyzed. After the operation, the lungs were ventilated in pressure-assist control mode and the same ventilatory settings were adjusted for all patients. After intensive care unit arrival, the cuff was fully deflated and then progressively inflated by air injection, to promote a minimal volume to occlude the trachea. To assist the cuff inflation and the air leakage identification, the graphical monitoring of the volume-time curve was adopted. After 20 minutes a first cuff pressure evaluation was performed (P1) and a second measurement (P2) was taken after 20 minutes with an analog manometer. ETV was obtained always pre and post P1 measurement.Results: the CP assessment maneuver promoted a significant drop of P2 in relation to P1 when the manometer was attached to the pilot balloon (p < 0.0001). When compared the moments, pre-P1 versus post-P1, a significant drop of the ETV was also observed (p < 0.0001).Conclusion: the CP assessment maneuver promoted a significant decrease in CP values and occurrence of air leakage with reduction of ETV in the early postoperative of CABG.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Physiotherapy Sch, Dept Human Movement Sci, BR-11060001 Santos, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Pneumol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Cardiol Discipline, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Physiotherapy Sch, Dept Human Movement Sci, BR-11060001 Santos, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Pneumol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Cardiol Discipline, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc