Short vs. long flows: a battle that both can win

In this paper, we introduce MMPTCP, a hybrid transport protocol which aims at unifying the way data is transported in data centres. MMPTCP runs in two phases; initially, it randomly scatters packets in the network under a single congestion window exploiting all available paths. This is beneficial to latency-sensitive flows. During the second phase, MMPTCP runs in Multi-Path TCP mode, which has been shown to be very efficient for long flows. Initial evaluation shows that our approach significantly improves short flow completion times while providing high throughput for long flows and high overall network utilisation

The Autoimmune System: The Effect of Physiological Stressors on Autoantibody Glycosylation and Fidelity of Autoantibody Profiles

The presence of thousands of autoantibodies (aABs) in the human sera is typical, and therefore it is possible to identify an aAB profile for each individual. In the first part of this thesis, we will show the cerebrospinal fluid also exhibits an extraordinarily complex immunoglobulin G aAB profile that is composed of thousands of aABs. We show that the pattern of expression of individual aABs in CSF closely mimics that in the blood, indicative of a blood-based origin for CSF aABs. In addition, using longitudinal serum samples obtained over a span of nine years, we show remarkable stability in aAB profiles over time, establishing that in the absence of stressors, individual aAB profiles show fidelity over time. We next explore the effect of one specific physiological stressor, pregnancy, on an aAB profile, using longitudinal samples taken before, during and after pregnancy. We are able to show a global reduction in aAB titers, followed by almost a full recovery, indicating that aAB profiles have a set-point that they try to re-establish. Lastly, though the presence of glycosylated antibodies in serum has already been established, there are no studies that have looked at the prevalence and distribution of glycosylated aABs. Glycosylation of antibodies infers different consequences based on the location of the glycosylation on the antibody molecule. During pregnancy, there is shift in the distribution of aAB glycosylation, from the majority of aAB initially glycosylated at 10-39% in early pregnancy to 30-69% in late pregnancy. This number then shifts dramatically post-pregnancy with the majority of aABs glycosylated at 10-19%. The increase in glycosylation during pregnancy is speculated to play an immunomodulatory role to foster immune tolerance of the fetus

Introducing Novel Droplet Generators: Enhanced Mixing Efficiency and Reduced Droplet Size

Nowadays, droplet microfluidics has become widely utilized for high-throughput assays. Efficient mixing is crucial for initiating biochemical reactions in many applications. Rapid mixing during droplet formation eliminates the need for incorporating micromixers, which can complicate the chip design. Furthermore, immediate mixing of substances upon contact can significantly improve the consistency of chemical reactions and resulting products. This study introduces three innovative designs for droplet generators that achieve efficient mixing and produce small droplets. The T-cross and cross-T geometries combine cross and T junction mixing mechanisms, resulting in improved mixing efficiency. Numerical simulations were conducted to compare these novel geometries with traditional T and cross junctions in terms of mixing index, droplet diameter, and eccentricity. The cross-T geometry exhibited the highest mixing index and produced the smallest droplets, increasing the mixing index by 10% compared to the T junction. While the T junction has the best mixing efficiency among traditional droplet generators, it produces larger droplets, which can increase the risk of contamination due to contact with the microchannel walls. Therefore, the cross-T geometry is highly desirable in most applications due to its production of considerably smaller droplets. Other new geometries also demonstrated comparable mixing efficiency to the T junction. The cross junction exhibited the lowest mixing efficiency and produced larger droplets compared to the cross-T geometry. Thus, the novel geometries, particularly the cross-T geometry, are a favorable choice for applications where both high mixing efficiency and small droplet sizes are important.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure

Qualitative Study of Iranian English University Entrance Examination in the light of Positive Washback Strategies

Washback refers to the extent to which the introduction and use of a test influences language teachers and learners to do things they would not otherwise do (Alderson and Wall, 1993, as cited in Fulcher and Davidson, 2007:224). According to the effect of examinations on what we do in the classroom, we may refer to ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ washback (Brown, 2000 & 2002). The aim of the present study is to determine whether the recent versions of the Iranian English university entrance examination have observed the criteria set for the creation and promotion of positive washback. In doing so, the last three versions of the Iranian English university entrance examination for the Humanities (IEUEEH), as the representative of such tests, were purposefully sampled and analyzed qualitatively on Brown (2000) positive washback strategies. Also, to avoid subjective analysis, where needed, through convenient sampling forty one English teachers in different parts of Mashhad (the Iranian second largest city) were interviewed on such positive washback strategies regarding (IEUEEH). Findings showed that most of the positive washback strategies had not been observed by the last three versions of the IEUEEH. Only two or three of such strategies had been fairly observed. As a result, it seems that in most cases the last three versions of the IEUEEH have negatively influenced the Iranian English language teaching and learning program

Molecular isolation of a human papilloma virus from blood serum in patients with leukemia in Kerman

Background: Cancer is the second common cause of death in developed countries. Viruses are one of the most important environmental factors which increase the risk of developing cancer. The aim of this study was to identify the human papilloma virus (HPV) in patients with the blood cancer. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, blood serum samples were collected from 35 patients with Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and 25 patients with Acute lymphoblastic leukemi (ALL) from Kerman medical centers. Thirty healthy individuals were considered as a control group. After DNA extraction from the serum samples, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect HPV. Results: The specific sequence of HPV was observed in 15 samples (25) of the patients’ serum. Out of this number, five samples (14.25) of the 35 patients had CLL and 10 samples (40) of 25 patients had ALL. Also, no positive sample was found in the serum of the patients of the control group. Out of the 15 patients suffering from HPV, seven (46.62) and three (19.98) had HPV16 and HPV18, respectively and five samples (33.4) were of other types of HPV. Conclusion: This study showed that the PCR method with specific primers of Papilloma Virus 16 and 18 is a suitable and accurate method for detecting human papillomavirus