Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'B-nodes'

This thesis consists of a series of internationally published, peer reviewed, conference research papers and one journal paper. The papers evaluate and further develop two modelling methods for use in Information Technology (IT) design and for the educational and training needs of students within the area of computer and network technology. The IT age requires technical talent to fill positions such as network managers, web administrators, e-commerce consultants and network security experts as IT is changing rapidly, and this is placing considerable demands on higher educational institutions, both within Australia and internationally, to respond to these changes.

This thesis consists of a series of internationally published, peer reviewed, conference research papers and one journal paper. The papers evaluate and further develop two modelling methods for use in Information Technology (IT) design and for the educational and training needs of students within the area of computer and network technology. The IT age requires technical talent to fill positions such as network managers, web administrators, e-commerce consultants and network security experts as IT is changing rapidly, and this is placing considerable demands on higher educational institutions, both within Australia and internationally, to respond to these changes.

The demand of mobile data traffic is increasing due to the popularization of advanced mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and to the generalization of the use of mobile Internet. The Node B is one of the main elements of the control plane of the UMTS network. It is responsible for the tasks directly connected to the radio interface and provides the physical radio link between the mobile devices and the network. This master thesis presents a design of the Node B control unit that can handle multiple requests concurrently and scale both by the number of cores and the cards. Additionally, analyzes the suitability of using a high level language such as Erlang for implementing the Node B control unit. To achieve these objectives, a prototype of the Node B control unit that can handle requests concurrently and scale by the number of cores and cards has been designed and implemented with Erlang. The developed prototype shows that implementing a concurrent and scalable Node B control unit with Erlang is completely feasible and the tests that have been carried out demonstrate that the performance and scalability of the system are good. Furthermore, some realistic deployment scenarios of an Erlang implementation of the Node B control unit over the real hardware used in the Radio Base Station at Ericsson have been discussed and they show that it is completely possible to use Erlang for implementing the Node B control unit.

RANKL (ligand du récepteur activateur de NF-KB) est un membre de la famille des TNF dont la signalisation passe par RANK et qui joue un rôle important dans la régulation immunitaire. Chez l'adulte, RANKL est exprimé constitutivement par des cellules réticulaires marginales (MRC) des ganglions lymphatiques. Comme les MRCs sont physiquement proches des lymphocytes B (LB) et ont été proposé d’être des précurseurs de cellules dendritiques folliculaires (FDC), RANKL pourrait jouer un rôle dans la différenciation du stroma associé aux LB et dans la réponse humorale. Afin de mieux comprendre la fonction de RANKL exprimé par les MRC, nous avons généré des souris déficitaires pour RANKL dans les cellules stromales. Nous avons constaté que la formation du follicule B était perturbée ainsi que le réseau FDC. Bien que RANKL ne soit pas requis pour la formation des MRC, il est nécessaire pour l'expression de la chimiokine CXCL13 par ces mêmes cellules. Parmi les TNFRSF dont la signalisation est requise pour l’expression de CXCL13 et la différenciation des FDC, le TNFR1 était significativement réduit dans les cellules stromales des souris dépourvues de RANKL stromal. Ainsi, RANKL pourrait constituer une nouvelle cible thérapeutique contre les immunopathologies des LB en agissant sur son stroma
RANKL (receptor activator of NF-κB ligand), a member of the TNF family that signals via RANK, plays an important role for immune regulation. In the adult, RANKL is constitutively expressed by marginal reticular cells (MRCs) of the lymph nodes. Because MRCs are positioned in close vicinity to B cells and may be precursors of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), RANKL could play a role in the differentiation of B cell-associated stroma and the humoral immune response. In order to better understand the role of RANKL expressed by the MRCs, we generated mice with conditional RANKL deficiency in the stromal compartment. We found that the B cell follicle structure was disrupted and FDC network formation was reduced. Although RANKL was not required for MRC formation, it was necessary for the expression of B cell attracting chemokine CXCL13. Among the TNFRSF members known to control CXCL13 expression and FDC formation, we found that TNFR1 was significantly reduced in the RANKL cKO mice. Thus, RANKL may present a novel therapeutic strategy against B cell-mediated immunopathologies by acting on its stroma

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is a serious respiratory disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Annual vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection and its potentially severe complications; however, the vaccines currently offered have several drawbacks that limit its availability and protective efficacy. Influenza virus-like particles (VLPs), which lack viral genetic material and are non-infectious, represent a promising vaccine candidate. Previous reports have shown VLPs are more immunogenic than subunit or recombinant proteins, and confer protection upon lethal challenge. A critical component of this protection is mediated by influenza HA-specific neutralizing Abs produced by memory B cells and plasma cells, the cellular products of the germinal center (GC) reaction. While preliminary studies have examined the humoral immune response to VLP vaccination, the current study is the first to characterize the GC response in secondary and tertiary lymphoid tissues. Mice were vaccinated with influenza VLPs using three immunization routes: subcutaneous (s.c.), intramuscular (i.m.), and intranasal (i.n.) and the GC response was assessed over time. Robust GC reactions were induced in the dLNs regardless of vaccination route, though the largest response was generated with VLPs s.c. The pattern of isotype expression was remarkably similar between routes, with IgM+ and IgG2+ B cells representing the majority of the GC B cell population. Mucosal immune responses in the upper (nasal) and lower (lung) airway were measured in mice vaccinated i.n. Marked GC reactions were induced in the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT), while the pulmonary response was relatively modest and short-lived compared to infection with IAV. Within the GC B cell population, IgM+ and IgG2+ B cells made up the majority, similar to the dLN response. Importantly, the pattern of isotype expression induced by VLPs mimicked the response induced by natural IAV infection, and suggests that VLPs contain the necessary innate immune agonists to induce a TH1 biased response.

Mestrado em Bioquímica - Bioquímica Clínica
As doenças linfoproliferativas crónicas de células B são um grupo heterogéneo de entidades que representam cerca de 80-90% de todas as síndromes linfoproliferativas crónicas, nas quais podem ser observadas uma proliferação clonal de linfócitos B. Amostras de biópsia de gânglio linfático podem ser usadas para o diagnóstico destas doenças. Os gânglios linfáticos são o local adequado para as interações entre as células B e as células T e para ocorrer uma resposta imune. Neste sentido, é esperado que, na presença de células B malignas, com uma capacidade diferente para interagir com as células T, estas irão responder de uma forma diferente. O objetivo do presente trabalho consistiu na análise numérica e funcional das células T, nomeadamente de células T ativadas, células T reguladoras, Th/c17 e Thc/1, bem como, das células NK e quantificação de monócitos e células dendríticas. Foram analisadas dezanove amostras de biópsia de gânglio linfático, sete normais/reativas, cinco com linfoma linfocítico/LLC-B e sete com linfomas Não- Hodgkin B. Quantificou-se as subpopulações de células T CD4 e CD8; Th/c17; Th/c1; Tregs; células T ativadas através da citometria de fluxo, e após purificação das células TCD4 e TCD8, procedeu-se à quantificação da expressão de mRNA para os genes IL2 e IL10. Os nossos resultados mostraram um aumento das células Treg bem como, um decréscimo das células Th/c17 e Th/c1 no grupo com linfomas linfocíticos/LLC-B e no grupo com LNH-B. Relativamente à expressão génica, verificou-se uma diminuição de IL2 e um aumento de IL10 tanto para as células T CD4, como para as células T CD8 no grupo com linfomas linfocíticos/LLC-B e no grupo com LNH-B. Os resultados, embora preliminares, devido ao reduzido números de amostras estudadas, apontam para alterações significativas fenotípicas e funcionais nas células T e NK dos gânglios linfáticos com infiltração por células B patológicas, o que sugere diferenças ao nível da resposta imune anti-tumoral, que podem contribuir para o prognóstico destas entidades.
B cells Chronic lymphoproliferative diseases are a heterogeneous group of entities representing about 80-90% of all chronic lymphoproliferative syndromes, in which can be observed a clonal proliferation of B lymphocytes. Lymph node biopsy samples may be used to diagnosis of these diseases. Lymph nodes are suitable location for the interaction between B cells and T cells and an immune response to occur. Therefore, it is expected that in the presence of malignant B cells with a different capacity to interact with T cells, they will respond in a different way. The objective of this study was to numerical and functional analysis of T cells, particularly of activated T cells, regulatory T cells, Th/c17 and Th/c 1, as well as quantitation of NK cells and monocytes and dendritic cells. Nineteen lymph node biopsy samples were analyzed, seven normal/reactive, five with lymphocytic lymphoma/CLL-B and seven non- Hodgkin's lymphomas. Subpopulations of CD4 and CD8 T cells; Th/c17; Th/c1 Tregs; and T cells activated by flow cytometry were quantitated. After purification of CD4 and CD8 T cells, we proceeded to quantify the expression of mRNA for IL-2 and IL-10 genes. Our results showed an increase of Treg cells as well as a decrease in Th/ c17 cells and Th/c1 in the group with lymphocytic lymphoma/B-CLL and NHL-B group. For the gene expression, there was a decrease in IL2 and an increase of IL10 both CD4 T cells, as for CD8 T cells in the group with lymphocytic lymphomas/B-CLL and NHL-B group. The results, although preliminary, due to the small number of samples analyzed, indicate phenotypic and functional significant changes in the T and NK cells from lymph nodes with infiltration by pathological B-cells, suggesting differences in anti-tumor immune response, which may contribute to the prognosis of these entities.

B lymphocytes play a significant role in autoimmune arthritis, with their function stretching beyond autoantibody production to cytokine secretion and presentation of autoantigen. However, the involvement and activation of different B-cell subset in the autoimmune response is not fully clear. The main focus of this thesis has been to understand the contribution of marginal zone (MZ) B cells in the induction of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a mouse model for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We show that MZ B cells in the spleen of naïve mice display a natural self-reactivity to collagen type II (CII), the autoantigen used for immunization of CIA. The CII-reactive MZ B cells expand rapidly following immunization with CII, and produce IgM and IgG antibodies to CII. They also very efficiently present CII to cognate T cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, absence of regulatory receptors such as CR1/2 or FcγRIIb on the MZ B cells increases their proliferation and cytokine production in response to toll-like receptor, but not B-cell receptor, activation. Further, FcγRIIb-deficient MZ B cells present CII to T cells more efficiently than wild-type MZ B cells. We additionally demonstrate for the first time the existence of a small population of nodal MZ B cells in mouse lymph nodes. Similar to splenic MZ B cells, the nodal MZ B cells expand after CIA induction, secrete IgM anti-CII antibodies and can present CII to cognate T cells. Finally, we show that mast cells, associated with ectopic B cell follicles in inflamed RA joints, in coculture with B cells promote their expansion, production of IgM and IgG antibodies as well as upregulation of CD19 and L-selectin. Coculture with mast cells further causes the B cells to upregulate costimulators and class II MHC, important molecules for antigen-presenting function. In summary, my findings suggest that splenic and nodal self-reactive MZ B cells participate in breaking T-cell tolerance to CII in CIA. B-cell intrinsic regulation is needed to keep such autoreactive B cells quiescent. Mast cells can potentiate B-cell responses locally in the arthritic joint, thus feeding the autoimmune reaction.

With National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-3) auction of frequencies in the 1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780MHz, and 2155- 2180MHz bands, users of the Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry (AMT) band from 1755- 1850MHz, known as Upper L-Band, could be greatly affected. This paper takes an initial look at how the 1755-1780MHz band will be used by the cellular carriers and presents some preliminary testing results of adjacent channel (band) interference that could be experienced by AMT users. This paper should be considered as the stepping off point for future interference discussions, required analysis, and further testing.

The master’s thesis deal with design and realization of measuring station, which process data from environmental sensors in IoT environment. Thesis includes research of sensors, cloud services for IoT, microcontrollers and environmental data available online. Thesis contains detailed procedure for realization of designed system, including code description for microcontrollers STM32W55 and STM32 B-L475E-IOT01A2 Discovery kit, configuration of IBM Watson IoT Platform cloud service and procedure for correct programming of Node-RED application responsible for logic of whole system. Source code, which might be used for simple implementation of designed system, is attached to the master’s thesis.

Le récepteur activateur de NF-κB (RANK), membre de la famille des récepteurs au TNF, est connu pour son rôle dans l’homéostasie de l’os, mais joue aussi un rôle important dans le système immunitaire. J’ai tout d’abord étudié des outils permettant de cibler RANK/RANKL. J’ai caractérisé et comparé l’activité biologique de deux anticorps anti-RANK. J’ai également criblé une librairie de petites molécules pour identifier des inhibiteurs de l’interaction RANK/RANKL. Dans une deuxième partie, je me suis intéressée au rôle du ligand de RANK (RANKL) dans l’homéostasie du ganglion lymphatique. RANKL joue un rôle dans la différenciation des ostéoclastes mais son rôle dans la différenciation d’autres macrophages n’a pas été étudié. Nous avons étudié des souris déficientes pour RANKL dans les cellules marginales réticulaires (MRC) qui expriment RANKL de manière constitutive dans le ganglion adulte. Nous avons observé une diminution de la population de macrophages sous-capsulaires (SSM). Nous avons également montré que les cellules endothéliales lymphatiques (LEC) expriment l’intégrine alpha 2b (ITGA2b) et que cette expression est sensible à la présence de RANKL
The TNF-family member Receptor Activator of NF-κB (RANK) is known for its role in bone homeostasis and is increasingly recognized as a central player in immune regulation. Firstly I looked for new molecular tools to target RANK/RANKL axis. I characterized and compared the biological activity of two anti-RANK antibodies. Moreover, I screened the Prestwick Chemical Library® of small molecules in order to identify inhibitors of RANK/RANKL interaction. Secondly, I studied the effect of the RANK/RANKL axis in lymph node homeostasis. RANKL is known to promote osteoclast differentiation but whether it also plays a role in the differentiation of other macrophage subsets is not known. We addressed this question by conditionally deleting RANKL from marginal reticular stromal cells (MRCs) that constitutively express RANKL in the lymph node. We observed impaired differentiation of the subcapsular sinus macrophages (SSMs). We also studied lymph node lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and showed that integrin alpha 2b (ITGA2b) is expressed by a lymph node subset of LECs and its expression is sensitive to RANKL

En aquest treball s'ha estudiat la dinàmica dels làsers de classe A i de classe B en termes del potencial de Lyapunov. En el cas que s'injecti un senyal al làser o es modulin alguns dels paràmetres, apareix un comportament moltmés complex i s'estudia el conjunt de bifurcacions.

1) Als làsers de classe A, la dinàmica determinista s'ha interpretat com el moviment damunt el potencial de Lyapunov. En la dinàmica estocàstica s'obté un flux sostingut per renou per a la fase del camp elèctric.

2) Per als làsers de classe A amb senyal injectat, s'ha descrit el conjunt de bifurcacions complet i s'ha determinat el conjunt d'amplituds i freqüències en el quals el làser respon
ajustant la seva freqüència a la del camp extern.

3) S'ha obtingut un potencial de Lyapunov pels làsers de classe B, només vàlid en el cas determinista, que inclou els termes de saturació de guany i d'emissió espontània.

4) S'ha realitzat un estudi del conjunt de bifurcacions parcial al voltant del règim tipus II de la singularitat Hopf--sella--node en un làser de classe B amb senyal injectat.

5) S'han identificat les respostes òptimes pels làsers de semiconductor sotmesos a modulació periòdica externa. S'han obtingut les corbes que donen la resposta màxima per cada tipus de resonància en el pla definit per l'amplitud relativa de modulació i la freqüència de modulació.
In this work we have studied the dynamics of both class A and class B lasers in terms of Lyapunov potentials. In the case of an injected signal or when some laser parameters are modulated, and more complex behaviour is expected, the bifurcation set is studied. The main results are the following:
1) For class A lasers, the deterministic dynamics has been interpreted as a movement on the potential landscape. In the stochastic dynamics we have found a noise sustained flow for the phase of the electric field.
2) For class A lasers with an injected signal, we have been able to describe the whole bifurcation set of this system and to determine the set of amplitudes frequencies for which the laser responds adjusting its frequency to that of the external field.
3) In the case of class B lasers, we have obtained a Lyapunov potential only valid in the deterministic case, including spontaneous emission and gain saturation terms. The fixed point corresponding to the laser in the on state has been interpreted as a minimum in this potential. Relaxation to this minimum is reached through damped oscillations.
4) We have performed a study of the partial bifurcation set around the type II regime of the Hopf-saddle-node singularity in a class B laser with injected signal.
5) We have identified the optimal responses of a semiconductor laser subjected to an external periodic modulation. The lines that give a maximum response for each type of resonance are obtained in the plane defined by the relative amplitude modulation and frequency modulation.

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Property Management and Development to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016
Purpose – Within the paradigm of consumer behaviour, the purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of the various property-specific factors that influence office occupation decisions in the decentralized office nodes of Johannesburg. The aim was to provide more definitive information on office space occupation to real estate marketers, managers, investors and owners. Design/Methodology/Approach – A Malaysian study by Adnan et al. (2012) was replicated in the South African context, utilizing their (adjusted) questionnaire survey. After review, Adnan et al.’s (2012) data analysis methods were altered and, in addition, three key-informant interviews were conducted to discuss the results of the survey and to try and gain further insight into the findings. Findings – The three categories that were considered of highest importance were Cost/Financial Considerations, Services and Management. Factors that scored the highest overall were Security & Access Control, Car Parking Provisioning & Accessibility, Electricity Systems & Provisioning and Rental Rate. The categories On-site Amenities, Space Functionality & Atmosphere and Location were considered of least importance. Research Limitations/Implications – The study was confined to property-specific factors and limited to tenants in P-grade, A-grade and B-grade office buildings in the decentralized office nodes of Johannesburg. It also took place during a specific stage of the South African economic cycle. Further research is required to determine the impact of office grade, firm type, firm size and economic climate on office occupation decisions. Originality/Value – No research on this topic exists within the South Africa context and this study contributes to the limited research, internationally, on real estate within the consumer behaviour paradigm.
MT2017

碩士
國立臺灣大學
電信工程學研究所
97
At the present, the income from mobile communication service makes 59.26% of the revenue of the telecom industry in Taiwan. The users are accustomed to mobile communication, and the descending rate of vocal communication is pushing the operators to develop new contents and provide mobile internet related services to satisfy the users and as a result to make a breakthrough to surmount the present revenue. However, the operators are facing the same problem：The mobile internet service takes much more system resources than the traditional vocal communication service, in terms of the amount of radio network controller (RNC) and the capacity of base stations. Therefore, how to accurately plane ahead the expansion of network capacity of the 3rd generation communication is obviously a critical issue for the operators. In the past, when planning the expansion of base station capacity, the traffic estimation was based on assumption, without considering the actual distribution of the traffic. As a result, the accuracy of the estimate capacity is usually unsatisfying. This research has taken into consideration that in most of the cases, 2G & 3G collocated at the same base station，therefore, it would estimate the capacity based on the past traffic record of 2G and 3G, and the expected growth rate of user. The traffic model, although base on the concept of packet switch service, has similar estimation rules with traditional vocal traffic. Therefore, we will make the inference based on the concept of Erlang, then, to test and verify the inference with the actual traffic expansion in the following six months. This research aims at accomplishing a more accurate planning tool for the expansion of base stations.

碩士
國立交通大學
電信研究所
81
In the late few years, Broadband ISDN (B-ISDN) has been raised attention as a communication architecture which can support multimedia applications on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks. This paper presents several source models such as data, voice, and video. Especially on video model, we considered scene change condition. Then, we applied those model to ATM network for congestion control. We use two level threshold on buffer queue length to selective discard some less significant packets. A mathematical model of this system is analysed and queue length distributions are derived. It is shown that the control procedures can achieve significant performance improve- ment over uncontrolled system. In chapter 2, we propose a two-threshold reactive congestion control strategy with partial reject. The two-threshold conges- tion control strategy will be active when the queue length exceeds a higher threshold and will continue until the queue length drops to a lower threshold for each type of traffic. When the batch size of a new coming arrival exceeding the remaining free buffers of its queue, the system will accept packets until there is no free buffer, and these exceeding packets are re- jected and lost. The major purpose is to get high throughput. In chapter 3, the strategy used in here is similar to chapter 2, but replace ``partial reject" to ``complete reject". When the batch size of a new coming arrival exceeding the remaining free buffer of its queue, the whole batch packets will be complete reject. The purpose is to keep message integrality.

Dissertação de Mestrado integrado em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra.
This thesis presents a research work on quality of experience in 3D video transmission over LTE networks. The objective is to study the state-of-art of LTE and 3D video, described in the scientific literature, and to quantify the user quality of experience (QoE) during a simulated LTE transmission. The work will start by a study of the University of Wien “LTE-A System Simulator” and its capabilities. In addition, different scenarios with various users equipment (UEs) and base stations (eNodeBs) densities will be configured and simulated in order to obtain the frame-by-frame Block Error Rate (BLER) values experienced by different UEs. Once obtained, the Block Error Rate frames will be converted to packet level error traces, which will be used to introduce erasures and corruptions into the packetized 3D video bitstream. The corrupted encoded video stream will be decoded using an error-concealment capable video decoder and the decoded/recovered video quality (QoE) will be estimated based on the Structural Similarity Index of the recovered video. Finally, the QoE results for the different system configurations will allow classifying the severity of the QoE degradations due to transmission losses, through inferring the relationship between those system parameters and the achievable QoE.
Esta dissertação apresenta um trabalho de investigação sobre a qualidade de experiência numa transmissão de vídeo 3D sobre redes LTE. O objectivo é estudar o estado-da-arte no que respeita a rede LTE e vídeo 3D, descrito na literatura científica, e obter a qualidade de experiência de usuário (QoE) durante uma simulação de transmissão LTE. O trabalho começará por um estudo do University of Wien “LTE-A System Simulator” e as suas capacidades. Para este efeito, vão ser configurados diferentes cenários com distintas densidades de utilizadores (UEs) e estações base (eNodeBs), com o fim de obter a taxa de erros do bloco (BLER) experimentada por diferentes utilizadores. Depois de obter esta taxa, as tramas da taxa de erros do bloco (BLER) serão convertidas em tramas de nível de erro de pacotes, que vão ser usadas para adicionar corrupções de bit em ficheiros de vídeo 3D. O fluxo de vídeo codificado e corrompido será descodificado usando um descodificador de vídeo e a qualidade do vídeo recuperado vai ser calculada com base no Índice de Similitude Estrutural. Finalmente, os resultados de QoE para as diferentes configurações do sistema permitirão classificar o nível das degradações de QoE devido a perdas de transmissão, por meio de inferir a relação entre os parâmetros do sistema e a QoE obtida.