Distributed Algorithms for Learning and Cognitive Medium Access with Logarithmic Regret

The problem of distributed learning and channel access is considered in a cognitive network with multiple secondary users. The availability statistics of the channels are initially unknown to the secondary users and are estimated using sensing decisions. There is no explicit information exchange or prior agreement among the secondary users. We propose policies for distributed learning and access which achieve order-optimal cognitive system throughput (number of successful secondary transmissions) under self play, i.e., when implemented at all the secondary users. Equivalently, our policies minimize the regret in distributed learning and access. We first consider the scenario when the number of secondary users is known to the policy, and prove that the total regret is logarithmic in the number of transmission slots. Our distributed learning and access policy achieves order-optimal regret by comparing to an asymptotic lower bound for regret under any uniformly-good learning and access policy. We then consider the case when the number of secondary users is fixed but unknown, and is estimated through feedback. We propose a policy in this scenario whose asymptotic sum regret which grows slightly faster than logarithmic in the number of transmission slots.Comment: Submitted to IEEE JSAC on Advances in Cognitive Radio Networking and Communications, Dec. 2009, Revised May 201

An Improved Link Model for Window Flow Control and Its Application to FAST TCP

This paper presents a link model which captures the queue dynamics in response to a change in a transmission control protocol (TCP) source's congestion window. By considering both self-clocking and the link integrator effect, the model generalizes existing models and is shown to be more accurate by both open loop and closed loop packet level simulations. It reduces to the known static link model when flows' round trip delays are identical, and approximates the standard integrator link model when there is significant cross traffic. We apply this model to the stability analysis of fast active queue management scalable TCP (FAST TCP) including its filter dynamics. Under this model, the FAST control law is linearly stable for a single bottleneck link with an arbitrary distribution of round trip delays. This result resolves the notable discrepancy between empirical observations and previous theoretical predictions. The analysis highlights the critical role of self-clocking in TCP stability, and the proof technique is new and less conservative than existing ones

Distributed Synchronization of Heterogeneous Oscillators on Networks With Arbitrary Topology

Many network applications rely on the synchronization of coupled oscillators. For example, such synchronization can provide networked devices with a common temporal reference necessary for coordinating actions or decoding transmitted messages. In this paper, we study the problem of using distributed control to achieve phase and frequency synchronization of a network of coupled heterogeneous nonlinear oscillators. Not only do our controllers guarantee zero-phase error in steady state under arbitrary frequency heterogeneity, but they also require little knowledge of the oscillator nonlinearities and network topology. Furthermore, we provide a global convergence analysis, in the absence of noise and propagation delay, for the resulting nonlinear system whose phase vector evolves on the n-torus

A Hepatic Protein, Fetuin-A, Occupies a Protective Role in Lethal Systemic Inflammation

A liver-derived protein, fetuin-A, was first purified from calf fetal serum in 1944, but its potential role in lethal systemic inflammation was previously unknown. This study aims to delineate the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of hepatic fetuin-A expression during lethal systemic inflammation (LSI), and investigated whether alterations of fetuin-A levels affect animal survival, and influence systemic accumulation of a late mediator, HMGB1.LSI was induced by endotoxemia or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in fetuin-A knock-out or wild-type mice, and animal survival rates were compared. Murine peritoneal macrophages were challenged with exogenous (endotoxin) or endogenous (IFN-γ) stimuli in the absence or presence of fetuin-A, and HMGB1 expression and release was assessed. Circulating fetuin-A levels were decreased in a time-dependent manner, starting between 26 h, reaching a nadir around 24-48 h, and returning towards base-line approximately 72 h post onset of endotoxemia or sepsis. These dynamic changes were mirrored by an early cytokine IFN-γ-mediated inhibition (up to 50-70%) of hepatic fetuin-A expression. Disruption of fetuin-A expression rendered animals more susceptible to LSI, whereas supplementation of fetuin-A (20-100 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased animal survival rates. The protection was associated with a significant reduction in systemic HMGB1 accumulation in vivo, and parallel inhibition of IFN-γ- or LPS-induced HMGB1 release in vitro.These experimental data suggest that fetuin-A is protective against lethal systemic inflammation partly by inhibiting active HMGB1 release

Heterogeneous Congestion Control Protocols

Homogeneity of price is an implicit yet fundamental assumption underlying price based resource allocation theory. In this thesis, we study the effects of relaxing this assumption by examining a concrete engineering system (network with heterogeneous congestion control protocols). The behavior of the system turns out to be very different from the homogeneous case and can potentially be much more complicated. A systematic theory is developed that includes all major properties of equilibrium of the system such as existence, uniqueness, optimality, and stability. In addition to analysis, we also present numerical examples, simulations, and experiments to illustrate the theory and verify its predictions. When heterogeneous congestion control protocols that react to different pricing signals share the same network, the resulting equilibrium can no longer be interpreted as a solution to the standard utility maximization problem as the current theory suggests. After introducing a mathematical formulation of network equilibrium for multi-protocol networks, we prove the existence of equilibrium under mild assumptions. For almost all networks, the equilibria are locally unique. They are finite and odd in number. They cannot all be locally stable unless the equilibrium is globally unique. We also derive two conditions for global uniqueness. By identifying an optimization problem associated with every equilibrium, we show that every equilibrium is Pareto efficient and provide an upper bound on efficiency loss due to pricing heterogeneity. Both intra-protocol and inter-protocol fairness are then discussed. On dynamics, various stability results are provided. In particular it is shown that if the degree of pricing heterogeneity is small enough, the network equilibrium is not only unique but also locally stable. Finally, a distributed algorithm is proposed to steer a network to the unique equilibrium that maximizes the aggregate utility, by only updating a linear parameter in the sources' algorithms in a slow timescale.</p

Skewless Network Clock Synchronization Without Discontinuity: Convergence and Performance

This paper examines synchronization of computer clocks connected via a data network and proposes a skewless algorithm to synchronize them. Unlike existing solutions, which either estimate and compensate the frequency difference (skew) among clocks or introduce offset corrections that can generate jitter and possibly even backward jumps, our solution achieves synchronization without these problems. We first analyze the convergence property of the algorithm and provide explicit necessary and sufficient conditions on the parameters to guarantee synchronization. We then study the effect of noisy measurements (jitter) and frequency drift (wander) on the offsets and synchronization frequency, and further optimize the parameter values to minimize their variance. Our study reveals a few insights, for example, we show that our algorithm can converge even in the presence of timing loops and noise, provided that there is a well-defined leader. This marks a clear contrast with current standards such as NTP and PTP, where timing loops are specifically avoided. Furthermore, timing loops can even be beneficial in our scheme as it is demonstrated that highly connected subnetworks can collectively outperform individual clients when the time source has large jitter. The results are supported by experiments running on a cluster of IBM BladeCenter servers with Linux

Observation of Several Sources of CPCP Violation in B+→π+π+π−B^+ \to \pi^+ \pi^+ \pi^- Decays

International audienceObservations are reported of different sources of CP violation from an amplitude analysis of B+→π+π+π- decays, based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3  fb-1 of pp collisions recorded with the LHCb detector. A large CP asymmetry is observed in the decay amplitude involving the tensor f2(1270) resonance, and in addition significant CP violation is found in the π+π-S wave at low invariant mass. The presence of CP violation related to interference between the π+π-S wave and the P wave B+→ρ(770)0π+ amplitude is also established; this causes large local asymmetries but cancels when integrated over the phase space of the decay. The results provide both qualitative and quantitative new insights into CP -violation effects in hadronic B decays