Efficient Sum-of-Sinusoids based Spatial Consistency for the 3GPP New-Radio Channel Model

Spatial consistency was proposed in the 3GPP TR 38.901 channel model to ensure that closely spaced mobile terminals have similar channels. Future extensions of this model might incorporate mobility at both ends of the link. This requires that all random variables in the model must be correlated in 3 (single-mobility) and up to 6 spatial dimensions (dual-mobility). Existing filtering methods cannot be used due to the large requirements of memory and computing time. The sum-of-sinusoids model promises to be an efficient solution. To use it in the 3GPP channel model, we extended the existing model to a higher number of spatial dimensions and propose a new method to calculate the sinusoid coefficients in order to control the shape of the autocorrelation function. The proposed method shows good results for 2, 3, and 6 dimensions and achieves a four times better approximation accuracy compared to the existing model. This provides a very efficient implementation of the 3GPP proposal and enables the simulation of many communication scenarios that were thought to be impossible to realize with geometry-based stochastic channel models

Resource Allocation for Outdoor-to-Indoor Multicarrier Transmission with Shared UE-side Distributed Antenna Systems

In this paper, we study the resource allocation algorithm design for downlink multicarrier transmission with a shared user equipment (UE)-side distributed antenna system (SUDAS) which utilizes both licensed and unlicensed frequency bands for improving the system throughput. The joint UE selection and transceiver processing matrix design is formulated as a non-convex optimization problem for the maximization of the end-to-end system throughput (bits/s). In order to obtain a tractable resource allocation algorithm, we first show that the optimal transmitter precoding and receiver post-processing matrices jointly diagonalize the end-to-end communication channel. Subsequently, the optimization problem is converted to a scalar optimization problem for multiple parallel channels, which is solved by using an asymptotically optimal iterative algorithm. Simulation results illustrate that the proposed resource allocation algorithm for the SUDAS achieves an excellent system performance and provides a spatial multiplexing gain for single-antenna UEs.Comment: accepted for publication at the IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC) Spring, Glasgow, Scotland, UK, May 201

Coherent Beam Oscillations and Transverse Impedance in the SPS

We describe experimental studies of single bunch coherent oscillations in the SPS. The coherent tune shift has been measured as a function of current and growth/decay rates of head-tail modes have been measured over a wide range of chromaticities, providing information on the frequency dependence of the SPS impedance. Simulations of coherent tune shifts and growth/decay rates in the presence of broad-band wake fields, space charge, chromaticity and detuning with amplitude are then matched to the observations in or-der to establish an appropriate model for the SPS transverse impedance

Identification of low-frequency TRAF3IP2 coding variants in psoriatic arthritis patients and functional characterization

Introduction: In recent genome-wide association studies for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and psoriasis vulgaris, common coding variants in the TRAF3IP2 gene were identified to contribute to susceptibility to both disease entities. The risk allele of p.Asp10Asn (rs33980500) proved to be most significantly associated and to encode a mutant protein with an almost completely disrupted binding property to TRAF6, supporting its impact as a main disease-causing variant and modulator of IL-17 signaling. Methods: To identify further variants, exons 2-4 encoding both known TNF-receptor-associated factor (TRAF) binding domains were sequenced in 871 PsA patients. Seven missense variants and one three-base-pair insertion were identified in 0.06% to 1.02% of alleles. Five of these variants were also present in 931 control individuals at comparable frequency. Constructs containing full-length wild-type or mutant TRAF3IP2 were generated and used to analyze functionally all variants for TRAF6-binding in a mammalian two-hybrid assay. Results: None of the newly found alleles, though, encoded proteins with different binding properties to TRAF6, or to the cytoplasmic tail of the IL-17-receptor α-chain, suggesting that they do not contribute to susceptibility. Conclusions: Thus, the TRAF3IP2-variant p.Asp10Asn is the only susceptibility allele with functional impact on TRAF6 binding, at least in the German population

Comparison of the shaping ability of RaCe, FlexMaster, and ProFile nickel-titanium instruments in severely curved root canals

This in vitro study compared the shaping ability of RaCe, FlexMaster, and ProFile rotary nickel-titanium instruments in severely curved root canals of extracted teeth. Sixty maxillary molars with curvatures ranging from 25° to 65° were embedded in a muffle system and portioned into five horizontal sections (thickness 1.2 mm), starting from the apex. Canals were divided into three groups (n = 20, each) and were prepared with RaCe, FlexMaster, or ProFile rotary nickel-titanium instruments and the TriAuto ZX handpiece using a crown-down preparation technique. We evaluated the difference between pre- and postoperative root canal cross-sections, loss of working length, instrument failure, and preparation time. The root canal area before and after the intervention was determined using an area-measuring software. The data were analyzed statistically using a one-way ANOVA followed by a Kruskal-Wallis multiple-comparison Z-value test. Specimens treated with FlexMaster showed the greatest change from preoperative cross-sections, followed by RaCe and ProFile. The cross-sectional changes induced by RaCe and FlexMaster preparation differed significantly from those produced by ProFile. Loss of working length, instrument failure, and preparation time did not differ significantly between the groups. Root canal preparation with the three instruments did not lead to any significant alteration of the original root anatomy or working length. Thus, we conclude that RaCe, FlexMaster, and ProFile instruments are of comparable efficiency and usefulness in the preparation of severely curved root canals

Final-Focus Schemes for CLIC at 3 TeV

We discuss benefits and drawbacks of two different final-focus schemes for CLIC at 3 TeV centre-of-mass (c.m.) energy, by examining tolerances, tunability and potential background for a 3.3-km long baseline final-focus system and a shorter advanced design

Local tumor control and toxicity in HIV-associated anal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy in the era of antiretroviral therapy

PURPOSE: To investigate the outcome of HIV-seropositive patients under highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) with anal cancer treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy (CT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical outcome of 81 HIV-seronegative patients (1988 – 2003) and 10 consecutive HIV-seropositive patients under HAART (1997 – 2003) that were treated with 3-D conformal RT of 59.4 Gy and standard 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C were retrospectively analysed. 10 TNM-stage and age matched HIV-seronegative patients (1992 – 2003) were compared with the 10 HIV-seropositive patients. Pattern of care, local disease control (LC), overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and toxicity were assessed. RESULTS: RT with or without CT resulted in complete response in 100 % of HIV-seropositive patients. LC was impaired compared to matched HIV-seronegative patients after a median follow-up of 44 months (p = 0.03). OS at 5 years was 70 % in HIV-seropositive patients receiving HAART and 69 % in the matched controls. Colostomy-free survival was 70 % (HIV+) and 100 % (matched HIV-) and 78 % (all HIV-). No HIV-seropositive patient received an interstitial brachytherapy boost compared to 42 % of all HIV-seronegative patients and adherence to chemotherapy seemed to be difficult in HIV-seropositive patients. Acute hematological toxicity reaching 50 % was high in HIV-seropositive patients receiving MMC compared with 0 % in matched HIV-seronegative patients (p = 0.05) or 12 % in all HIV-seronegative patients. The rate of long-term side effects was low in HIV-seropositive patients. CONCLUSION: Despite high response rates to organ preserving treatment with RT with or without CT, local tumor failure seems to be high in HIV-positive patients receiving HAART. HIV-seropositive patients are subject to treatment bias, being less likely treated with interstitial brachytherapy boost probably due to HIV-infection, and they are at risk to receive less chemotherapy

Flow field-induced drag forces and swimming behavior of three benthic fish species

Modern ethohydraulics is the study of the behavioral responses of swimming fish to flow fields. However, the exact drag forces experienced by fish remain poorly studied; this information is required to obtain a better understanding of the behavioral responses of fish and their current resistance strategies. We measured near-ground frontal drag forces on preserved individuals of three benthic fish species, round goby ( Neogobius melanstomus ), gudgeon ( Gobio gobio ) and bullhead ( Cottus gobio ), in a flow channel. The forces were compared to acoustic Doppler velocity (ADV) measurements and fish tracking data based on video observations of live fish in the flow channel. Overall, we observed drag coefficients (C D ) of ∼10 −3 at Reynolds numbers ∼10 5 . The frontal drag forces acting on preserved fish with non-spread fins ranged from -1.96 mN*g -1 (force per fish wet weight, velocity 0.55 m*s -1 ) to 11.01 mN*g -1 (velocity 0.85 m*s -1 ). Spreading the fins strongly increased the drag forces for bullhead and round goby. In contrast, the drag forces were similar for gudgeon with spread fins and all fish with non-spread fins. Video tracking revealed no clear relationship between the position of the fish in the flow field and the forces experienced by the preserved fish at these positions. Collectively, these results suggest that i) the differences in frontal drag forces between species are small in homogenous flow, ii) individuals chose their position in the flow field based on factors other than the drag forces experienced, and iii) whether fins are spread or non-spread is an essential quality that modulates species-specific differences. The methodology and results of this study will enable integration of flow measurements, fish behavior and force measurements and inform ethohydraulics research. More advanced force measurements will lead to a detailed understanding of the current resistance strategies of benthic fish and improve the design of fish passes

Comparative swimming performance and behaviour of three benthic fish species: The invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), the native bullhead (Cottus gobio), and the native gudgeon (Gobio gobio)

Efforts to restore river ecosystem connectivity focus predominantly on diadromous, economically important fish species, and less attention is given to nonmigratory, small‐bodied, benthic fish species. Data on benthic fish swimming performance and behaviour in comparison with ecologically similar native species are especially relevant for the study of one of the most successful invaders in the last decades: the Ponto‐Caspian gobiid species Neogobius melanostomus. To evaluate future measures against its further upstream dispersal, we conducted comparative swimming performance and behaviour experiments with round goby and two native species: the European bullhead (Cottus gobio) and the gudgeon (Gobio gobio). Experiments in a swim tunnel revealed a high variation in the swimming performance and behaviour within and among the three species. Gudgeon performed best in both U$_{crit}$ and U$_{sprint}$ experiments and displayed a rather continuous, subcarangiform swimming mode, whereas bullhead and round goby displayed a burst‐and‐hold swimming mode. Experiments in a vertical slot pass model, which contained a hydraulic barrier as a challenge to upstream movement, confirmed the high swimming performance of gudgeon. Gudgeon dispersed upstream even across the hydraulic barrier at the highest flow velocities. Round goby showed a higher capability to disperse upstream than bullhead, but failed to pass the hydraulic barrier. Our results on comparative swimming performance and behaviour can inform predictive distribution modelling and range expansion models, and also inform the design of selective barriers to prevent the round goby from dispersing farther upstream