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Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) will pave the way for a new era of underwater monitoring and actuation applications. The envisioned landscape of UWSN applications will help us learn more about our oceans, as well as about what lies beneath them. They are expected to change the current reality where no more than 5% of the volume of the oceans has been observed by humans. However, to enable large deployments of UWSNs, networking solutions toward efficient and reliable underwater data collection need to be investigated and proposed. In this context, the use of topology control algorithms for a suit-able, autonomous, and on-the-fly organization of the UWSN topology might mitigate the undesired effects of underwater wireless communications and consequently improve the performance of networking services and protocols designed for UWSNs. This article presents and discusses the intrinsic properties, potentials, and current research challenges of topology control in underwater sensor networks. We propose to classify topology control algorithms based on the principal methodology used to change the network topology. They can be categorized in three major groups: power control, wireless interface mode management, and mobility assisted-based techniques. Using the proposed classification, we survey the current state of the art and present an in-depth discussion of topology control solutions designed for UWSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional page-based memory management schemes have certain overheads related to system performance and memory utilization mainly due to page table walks. In addition, conventional translation look-aside buffers (TLBs) often suffer from a limited capacity. To reduce these problems, we propose an efficient scheme that accommodates a contiguity information in a page table. The presented memory management unit exploits the contiguity information. As a result, we can reduce the page table walks as certain physical memory is allocated in a contiguous way. Considering the conventional scheme as a reference, the comparative performance analysis and the simulation are conducted. Experiments with image processing applications indicate that the proposed scheme can improve the memory system performance, the memory utilization, and the utilization of a TLB with insignificant complexity overheads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents an architecture-aware Progressive Edge Growth (PEG)-based construction method for Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes. We target optimization through code construction for layered architectures with pipelined processing and memory organized in single-port banks. For a given layered Quasy-Cyclic Low-Density Parity-Check (QC-LDPC) decoder architecture configuration, the code constraints need to maximize hardware usage efficiency. Implementation results for Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology suggest that the codes obtained using the proposed algorithm have a throughput increase of 39% up to 110%, due to the increase in working frequency obtained by using pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Motivated by the trend toward more collaboration in workflows, we study networks where some tasks require the simultaneous processing by multiple types of multitasking human or indivisible resources. The capacity of such networks is generally smaller than the bottleneck capacity. In Gurvich and Van Mieghem [Gurvich I, Van Mieghem JA (2015) Collaboration and multitasking in networks: Architectures, bottlenecks, and capacity. Manufacturing Service Oper. Management 17(1):16-33], we proved that both capacities are equal in networks with a hierarchical collaboration architecture, which define a collaboration level for each task depending on how many types of resources it requires. This paper studies how task prioritization impacts the achievable capacity of such hierarchical networks using a conceptual queueing framework that formalizes coordination and switching idleness. To maximize the capacity of a collaborative network, highest priority must be given to the tasks that require the most collaboration. Otherwise, a mismatch between priority levels and collaboration levels inevitably inflicts a capacity loss. We demonstrate this fundamental tension between flexibility in task prioritization (ability to adjust quality of service) and capacity (productivity) in a basic collaborative network and in parallel networks. To manage this trade-off, we present a hierarchical threshold priority policy that balances switching and coordination idleness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progressive health paradigms, involving many different disciplines and combining multiple policy domains, requires advanced interoperability solutions. This results in special challenges for modeling health systems. The paper discusses classification systems for data models and enterprise business architectures and compares them with the ISO Reference Architecture. On that basis, existing definitions, specifications and standards of data models for interoperability are evaluated and their limitations are discussed. Amendments to correctly use those models and to better meet the aforementioned challenges are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pristine and different amounts of praseodymium oxide (Pr6O11)-functionalized tin oxide (SnO2) flower-like architectures were synthesized by a facile one-step hydrothermal method. Their crystal structure, surface morphology, and chemical compositions were analyzed by XRD, SEM, TEM, and XPS. Measured results showed that Pr existing was in the form of Pr6O11. Compared with pristine SnO2 architectures, the gas sensing properties toward acetone of Pr6O11-functionalized SnO2 architectures could significantly be enhanced under different working temperatures. The response of the as-synthesized Pr6O11/SnO2 (Pr(mol):Sn(mol) = 1:50) sensor to 100 ppm acetone was about 27, which was about three times higher than that of pristine SnO2 architectures. The response/recovery time was 2/36 s at 200 °C. When acetone concentration was down to 1 ppm, Pr6O11/SnO2 (Pr(mol):Sn(mol) = 1:50) sensor also exhibited an obvious response. Meanwhile, the enhanced gas sensing mechanism of Pr6O11-functionalized SnO2 architectures was discussed, and the results indicated that the architectures are promising candidates for the practical acetone sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • This review first presents a systematic and in-depth description of structure-performance relationship for MOF-related materials in Zn-air, Zn-ion, Zn-Ni and Zn-I batteries. • This review proposes a holistic and deep understanding of the complex degradation mechanisms, and critically analyzes the possible optimized strategies. • The latest strategies of MOF-related materials in Zn-based batteries are critically overviewed. • An appropriate and comprehensive standard protocol is proposed to gauge the practical viability of MOF-related architectures in zinc-based batteries. With the growing demand for scalable and economical electrochemical energy storage, zinc-based batteries exhibit great prospects as a complement to lithium-ion batteries owing to their multiple advantages, including intrinsic safety, cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness. However, several drawbacks such as undesirable spontaneous side reactions and zinc dendrites inevitably disrupt zinc plating/stripping process at the electrolyte/anode interface, resulting in the instability of zinc metal anode, which thus hampers the practical application of zinc-based batteries. Currently, metal–organic framework (MOF)-related architectures have emerged as potential candidates for zinc-based batteries on account of their high porosity, tunable structures, and multiple functions. Herein, the latest research progress of MOF-related materials on various zinc-based batteries is systematically summarized. To begin with, the advantages of applying MOF-related architectures in zinc-based batteries are clarified. Next, the structure-performance relationships of MOF-related materials as bifunctional catalysts in zinc-air batteries and electrode modification materials for zinc ion batteries are highlighted. Finally, some existing challenges and future perspectives faced by MOF-related architectures in zinc-based batteries are described. It is expected that this review will inspire more innovative research on MOF-related materials in zinc-based batteries, and provide scientific guidance for future technologies in energy conversion and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) makes smart objects the ultimate building blocks in the development of cyber-physical smart pervasive frameworks. The IoT has a variety of application domains, including health care. The IoT revolution is redesigning modern health care with promising technological, economic, and social prospects. This paper surveys advances in IoT-based health care technologies and reviews the state-of-the-art network architectures/platforms, applications, and industrial trends in IoT-based health care solutions. In addition, this paper analyzes distinct IoT security and privacy features, including security requirements, threat models, and attack taxonomies from the health care perspective. Further, this paper proposes an intelligent collaborative security model to minimize security risk; discusses how different innovations such as big data, ambient intelligence, and wearables can be leveraged in a health care context; addresses various IoT and eHealth policies and regulations across the world to determine how they can facilitate economies and societies in terms of sustainable development; and provides some avenues for future research on IoT-based health care based on a set of open issues and challenges.

La noche de los tiempos, d’Antonio Muñoz Molina, se déroule à Madrid et aux États-Unis dans les années 1930 et évoque les amours clandestines d’Ignacio Abel, un brillant architecte au seuil de la cinquantaine, et d’une jeune américaine, Judith Biely. Cette rencontre improbable et les événements qui se succèdent en Espagne vont bouleverser la vie d’Ignacio Abel dont le destin semblait jusqu’alors tout tracé. À travers les espaces parcourus par le protagoniste, nous assistons à l’effondrement des espérances d’un personnage en crise dans un monde lui-même en crise. Si, dans un premier temps, les attentes personnelles et professionnelles d’Ignacio ont pour cadre des environnements rassurants, ces espaces vont brutalement se dégrader, en même temps que s’effondrent les certitudes du protagoniste et les rêves de la jeune République espagnole. Nous verrons dans cette étude comment les espaces sont le reflet de deux types d’attente : le plaisir de l’attente, ou l’attente « enchantement » (Barthes) et l’angoisse de l’attente.

Nowadays, NAND Flash technology is everywhere, since it is the core of the code and data storage in mobile and embedded applications; moreover, its market share is exploding with Solid-State-Drives (SSDs), which are replacing Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) in consumer and enterprise scenarios. To keep the evolutionary pace of the technology, NAND Flash must scale aggressively in terms of bit cost. When approaching ultra-scaled technologies, planar NAND is hitting a wall: both academia researchers and industry worked to cope with this issue for several decades. Then, the 3D integration approach turned out to be the definitive alternative by eventually reaching mass production. This review paper exposes several 3D NAND Flash memory technologies, along with their related integration challenges, by showing their different layouts, scaling trends and performance/reliability features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the emergence of numerous applications based on wireless applications the problem of spectrum scantiness is increasing day by day. The utilization of spectrum has increased to its maximum level. To tackle this issue the technology named cognitive radio was introduced to the rescue. The cognitive radio is an emerging technology that enables dynamic spectrum access in wireless networks. The cognitive radio is capable of expediently using the obtainable portions of a licensed spectrum to improve the application performance for unlicensed users [1]. The opportunistic use of the accessible channels in the wireless environment requires dynamic channel assignment to efficiently utilize the available resources while minimizing the interference in the network. A lot of work has been reported in the literature so this paper presents a comprehensive survey on the current state-of-the-art, various technologies in which the cognitive radio technology can be used to enhance the performance to get better results are extracted in this paper. Open issues and emerging trends has been brought forward for the researchers working in the fields of wireless communication and network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins are the workhorses of the cell that perform biological functions by interacting with other proteins. Many statistical methods for protein-protein interaction (PPI) have been studied without considering time-dependent changes in networks and the functionalities. These time-dependent functional and topological changes in the network are very crucial for identifying malfunctioning regulatory pathways at different disease stages. I introduced a novel method that models PPI networks as being dynamic in nature and evolving time-varying multivariate distribution with Conditional Random Fields (CRF). This research is directed towards implementing this new combinatorial algorithm on massively parallel architectures such as Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) for efficient computations for large scale bioinformatics datasets. I compared Conditional Random Fields (CRF) and the proposed novel method using CRF combined with the Block Coordinate Descent algorithm for human protein-protein interaction data set. Both are implemented on GPU-Accelerated Computing Architecture and the proposed novel method showed the advantages in predicting protein-protein interaction sites. I also show that the proposed approach is more efficient in 6.13% than standalone CRF++ in predicting protein-protein interaction sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online laboratories have traditionally been split between virtual labs, with simulated components; and remote labs, with real components. The former tend to provide less realism but to be easily scalable and less expensive to maintain, while the latter are fully real but tend to require a higher maintenance effort and be more error-prone. This technical paper describes an architecture for hybrid labs merging the two approaches, in which virtual and real components interact with each other. The goal is to leverage the advantages of each type of lab. The architecture is fully web-based and multiplatform, which is in line with the industry and the remote laboratory community trends. Only recently has this become technically feasible for graphic-intensive laboratories due to previous limitations in browser-based graphical technologies. This architecture relies on the recent HTML5 and WebGL standards to overcome these limitations, and makes use of the Unity technology. To ensure that the proposed architecture is suitable, we set requirements based on the literature, we compare it with other approaches, and we examine its scope, strengths, and weaknesses. Additionally, we illustrate it with a concrete hybrid lab and we evaluate its benefits and potential through educational experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The complete molecular architectures of synthetic polymers, which may be called their macrostructures, consist of the types and amounts of short-range microstructural elements they contain, such as comonomer, regio- and stereosequences, branches, cross-links etc. , as well as their locations along the polymer backbone. While spectroscopic probes that are only sensitive to local polymer structures, like NMR, can identify and quantify short-range microstructural elements, they are unable to locate their positions along the polymer backbone. Consequently, the present situation regarding our ability to characterize the complete chemical structures of synthetic polymers would be analogous to that of proteins if it were only possible to determine their amino acid compositions or possibly the amounts of consecutive pairs or even triplets of constituent amino acids, rather than their complete macrostructures, i.e. , their complete amino acid sequences or primary structures. While the genetic DNA code may be read to determine the primary structures of most proteins, we have no such synthetic template for man-made polymers which can be utilized to determine their complete macrostructural architectures. Just as the primary sequences of proteins determine their secondary, tertiary, and even quaternary structures, and of course their resultant biological functions, it can logically be presumed that the behaviors of synthetic polymers are also principally the result of their complete structural architectures. Though important, the types and quantities of short-range microstructures polymers contain and which constitutes our present level of structural knowledge, is insufficient for the development of truly relevant structure-property relations. In addition, the degree of macrostructural heterogeneity among the chains in polymer samples is also expected to strongly influence the behaviors of materials made from them, and so this related issue also needs to be addressed. Here we summarize our recent attempts to develop and demonstrate an experimental approach that can be used to begin to characterize the complete macrostructures of synthetic polymers and to illustrate the relevance of this knowledge to understanding their properties and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]