A Multicast-Enabled Delivery Framework for QoE Assurance of Over-The-Top Services in Multimedia Access Networks

Over-The-Top (OTT) video services are becoming more and more important in today’s broadband access networks. While original OTT services only offered short duration medium quality videos, more recently, premium content such as high definition full feature movies and live video are offered as well. For operators, who see the potential in providing Quality of Experience (QoE) assurance for an increased revenue, this introduces important new network management challenges. Traditional network management paradigms are often not suited for ensuring QoE guarantees as the provider does not have any control on the content’s origin. In this article, we focus on the management of an OTT-based video service. We present a loosely coupled architecture that can be seamlessly integrated into an existing OTT-based video delivery architecture. The framework has the goal of resolving the network bottleneck that might occur from high peaks in the requests for OTT video services. The proposed approach groups the existing Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) based video connections to be multicasted over an access network’s bottleneck and then splits them again to reconstruct the original HTTP connections. A prototype of this architecture is presented, which includes the caching of videos and incorporates retransmission schemes to ensure robust transmission. Furthermore, an autonomic algorithm is presented that allows to intelligently select which OTT videos need to be multicasted by making a remote assessment of the cache state to predict the future availability of content. The approach was evaluated through both simulation and large scale emulation and shows a significant gain in scalability of the prototype compared to a traditional video delivery architecture.     

Erratum to: Minimizing total tardiness on parallel machines with preemptions

In this note, we correct a mistake which was made in the paper “Minimizing Total Tardiness on Parallel Machines with Preemptions” (see J Schedul 15:193–200, 2012).     

Performance models of storage contention in cloud environments

We propose simple models to predict the performance degradation of disk requests due to storage device contention in consolidated virtualized environments. Model parameters can be deduced from measurements obtained inside Virtual Machines (VMs) from a system where a single VM accesses a remote storage server. The parameterized model can then be used to predict the effect of storage contention when multiple VMs are consolidated on the same server. We first propose a trace-driven approach that evaluates a queueing network with fair share scheduling using simulation. The model parameters consider Virtual Machine Monitor level disk access optimizations and rely on a calibration technique. We further present a measurement-based approach that allows a distinct characterization of read/write performance attributes. In particular, we define simple linear prediction models for I/O request mean response times, throughputs and read/write mixes, as well as a simulation model for predicting response time distributions. We found our models to be effective in predicting such quantities across a range of synthetic and emulated application workloads.     

Electron cryo-microscopy of biological specimens on conductive titanium-silicon metal glass films

Thin films of the metal glass Ti88Si12 were produced by evaporation and characterized by AFM and conductivity measurements. Thin Ti88Si12 support films for electron microscopy were prepared by coating standard EM grids with evaporated films floated off mica, and characterized by electron imaging and electron diffraction. At room temperature, the specific resistance of a thin TiSi film was 10(6) times lower than that of an amorphous carbon film. At 77K, the specific resistance of TiSi films decreased, whereas that of carbon became immeasurably high. The effective scattering cross-section of TiSi and amorphous carbon for 120 kV electrons is roughly equal, but TiSi films for routine use can be approximately 10 times thinner due to their high mechanical strength, so that they would contribute less background noise to the image. Electron diffraction of purple membrane on a TiSi substrate confirmed that the support film was amorphous, and indicated that the high-resolution order of the biological sample was preserved. Electron micrographs of TiSi films tilted by 45 degrees relative to the electron beam recorded at approximately 4 K indicated that the incidence of beam-induced movements was reduced by 50% compared to amorphous carbon film under the same conditions. The success rate of recording high-resolution images of purple membranes on TiSi films was close to 100%. We conclude that TiSi support films are ideal for high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) of biological specimens, as they reduce beam-induced movement significantly, due to their high electrical conductivity at low temperature and their favorable mechanical properties.     

Determination of absolute emission cross sections for electron-impact-induced line radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet

A method and an experimental setup have been developed for measuring absolute photoemission cross sections for electron-impact-induced line radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV). Unparalleled low uncertainties for the cross sections were achieved mainly from the use of the Berlin electron storage ring as a primary standard source in the VUV for the determination of the responsivity of the spectrometer-detector system used and from the use of a spinning rotor gauge as a secondary standard for the determination of the target gas density. As the first result we present a photoemission cross section for the Ar II 3s3p(6)(2)S(?)-3s(2)3p(5)(2)p?(3/2) transition at 91.98 nm for 2-keV electron-impact energy of 1.167 × 10(-18) cm(2) with a relative uncertainty of 4.4% (√3σ value). This low uncertainty demonstrates the suitability of the setup for further cross-section measurements.     

Writing with Fluid: Structuring Hydrogels with Micrometer Precision by AFM in Combination with Nanofluidics

Hydrogels have many applications in biomedical surface modification and tissue engineering. However, the structuring of hydrogels after their formation represents still a major challenge, in particular due to their softness. Here, a novel approach is presented that is based on the combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanofluidics, also referred to as FluidFM technology. Its applicability is demonstrated for supramolecular hydrogel films that are prepared from low‐molecular weight hydrogelators, such as derivates of 1,3,5‐benzene tricarboxamides (BTAs). BTA films can be dissolved selectively by ejecting alkaline solution through the aperture of a hollow AFM‐cantilever connected to a nanofluidic controller. The AFM‐based force control is essential in preventing mechanical destruction of the hydrogels. The resulting “chemical writing” process is studied in detail and the influence of various parameters, such as applied pressure and time, is validated. It is demonstrated that the achievable structuring precision is primarily limited by diffusion and the aperture dimensions. Recently, various additive techniques have been presented to pattern hydrogels. The here‐presented subtractive approach can not only be applied to structure hydrogels from the large class of reversibly formed gels with superior resolution but would also allow for the selective loading of the hydrogels with active substances or nanoparticles.     

Investigation of charge carrier depletion in freestanding nanowires by a multi-probe scanning tunneling microscope

Profiling of the electrical properties of nanowires (NWs) and NW heterocontacts with high spatial resolution is a challenge for any application and advanced NW device development. For appropriate NW analysis, we have established a four-point prober, which is combined in vacuo with a state-of-the-art vapor-liquid-solid preparation, enabling contamination-free NW characterization with high spatial resolution. With this ultrahigh-vacuum-based multi-tip scanning tunneling microscopy (MT-STM), we obtained the resistance and doping profiles of freestanding NWs, along with surface-sensitive information. Our in-system 4-probe STM approach decreased the detection limit for low dopant concentrations to the depleted case in upright standing NWs, while increasing the spatial resolution and considering radial depletion regions, which may originate from surface changes. Accordingly, the surface potential of oxide-free GaAs NW {112} facets has been estimated to be lower than 20 mV, indicating a NW surface with very low surface state density.

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High-resolution venography of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a non-flow related magnetic resonance imaging method to visualize small veins independent of arteries in the human brain. A long TE, high-resolution 3D gradient echo MR acquisition was used to highlight venous information. The method is based on the paramagnetic property of deoxyhemoglobin and the resulting phase difference between veins and brain parenchyma at long echo times. The MR magnitude images were masked with a phase mask filter to enhance small structure visibility.. Venous information down to sub-pixel vessel diameters of several hundred microns is visible. Venous data are displayed in an angiographic manner using a minimum intensity projection algorithm. Both superficial veins and deep white matter veins are visible. The method has been successfully applied in volunteers. Preliminary results in patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations indicate its potential in clinical applications. The proposed method is easy to implement and does not require administration of a contrast agent or application of specially designed rf pulses to highlight the veins. Rather it exploits the intrinsic magnetic properties (BOLD-effect) and the prolonged T ^_2* of venous blood. The method may be of diagnostic potential in the assessment of arteriovenous malformations or other vascular venous lesions. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.