Les systèmes d’efflux tripartite de type Resistance, Nodulation and cell-Division (RND) sont essentiels dans le maintien de phénotypes de résistance multidrogues et contre les métaux lourds dans nombreuses bactéries Gram-négatives. Le transport de ces composés toxiques hors de la cellule est permis par l’assemblage d’une protéine de type antiporteur cation/proton (unité RND) insérée dans la membrane interne, connectée à une protéine insérée dans la membrane externe, pour former un canal de sorti qui traverse l’entièreté de l’enveloppe cellulaire. Le troisième composant du système, la protéine de type membrane fusion protein (MFP) qui est aussi appelée periplasmic adaptor protein (PAP), est requis pour permettre l’assemblage de tout ce complexe à trois composants. Cependant, les MFPs sont supposées jouer un rôle important et actif dans le mécanisme d’efflux du substrat. Pour mieux comprendre le rôle des MFPs au sein des systèmes d’efflux de type RND, nous avons étudié les protéines ZneB (précédemment appelée HmxB) et SilB, les composants périplasmiques des systèmes ZneCBA et SilABC responsables de la résistance aux métaux lourds chez Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34. Nous avons identifié la spécificité de liaison au substrat de ces protéines, montrant leur capacité à fixer le zinc (ZneB), ou le cuivre et l’argent (SilB). De plus, nous avons résolu la structure cristalline de ZneB à une résolution de 2.8 Å dans la forme apo- et avec un ion zinc fixé. La structure de ZneB possède une architecture générale composée de quatre domaines caractéristiques des MFPs, et la présence du site de coordination au zinc dans une région très flexible à l’interface des domaines β-barrel et membrane proximal. Les modifications structurales que la protéine subit lors de la fixation du zinc on été observée dans le cristal mais aussi en solution, ce qui suggère un rôle actif des MFPs dans le mécanisme d’efflux des métaux, vraisemblablement via la fixation et le relargage de l’ion à l’antiporteur. Les études de sélectivité de transport des antiporteurs ZneA et SilA montre que ces dernières et leurs protéines périplasmiques respectives ont des affinités similaires pour les métaux lourds. De plus, les études de transport ont apportés des arguments en faveur de l’hypothèse de capture cytoplasmique du substrat par l’antiporteur, tandis que la capacité des protéines périplasmiques à fixer les métaux lourds a apporté des arguments en faveur de l’hypothèse de capture périplasmique du substrat par l’antiporteur. Les deux modes de capture pourraient en réalité coexister ; cependant, le débat autour du compartiment cellulaire de capture du substrat par l’antiporteur est complexe et requiert de plus amples efforts afin d’être cerné. / Tripartite resistance nodulation cell division (RND)-based efflux complexes are paramount for multidrug and heavy metal resistance in numerous Gram-negative bacteria. The transport of these toxic compounds out of the cell is driven by the inner membrane proton/substrate antiporter (RND protein) connected to an outer membrane protein to form an exit duct that spans the entire cell envelope. The third component, a membrane fusion protein (MFP) also called periplasmic adaptor protein, is required for the assembly of this complex. However, MFPs are also proposed to play an important active role in substrate efflux. To better understand the role of MFPs in RND-driven efflux systems, we studied ZneB (formerly HmxB) and SilB, the MFP components of the ZneCAB and SilABC heavy metal RND-driven efflux complexes from Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34. We have identified the substrate binding specificity of the proteins, showing their ability to selectively bind zinc (ZneB), or copper and silver cations (SilB). Moreover, we have solved the crystal structure of the apo- and the metal-bound forms of ZneB to 2.8 Å resolution. The structure of ZneB displays a general architecture composed of four domains characteristic of MFPs, and it reveals the metal coordination site at the very flexible interface between the β-barrel and the membrane proximal domains. Structural modifications of the protein upon zinc binding were observed in both the crystal structure and in solution, suggesting an active role of MFPs in substrate efflux possibly through binding and release. The selectivity assays of the antiporter proteins ZneA and SilA demonstrated similar specificities in relation to their cognate MFPs toward heavy metal cations. Moreover, antiporter transport assays provide evidence for cytoplasmic substrate capture by this protein, whereas MFP substrate binding provides evidence for periplasmic substrate capture. Therefore, both modes of capture might co-exist; nevertheless, the substrate capture issue is a complex topic still needing consequent efforts to understand it.

In multi-sensor data fusion target tracking system, using information filtering can implement distributed location with uncorrelated measurement noises, but the measurement noises of different sensors are often correlated. If measurement noises are correlated, the covariance matrix of measurement noises is not a diagonal matrix. We can not use information filtering to implement distributed location with correlated measurement noises. By using the matrix theory, the covariance matrix of measurement noises can be transformed to a diagonal matrix. The observation models are transformed to new observation models, and the multi-sensor measurements with correlated measurement noises are transformed to equivalent pseudo ones with uncorrelated measurement noises. There are many methods in the matrix theory, we use Cholesky fatorization in this thesis. Cholesky fatorization is from Gaussian elimination, and there are many advantages in the computation process.However, the observation models need to be transformed to new observation models, and the measurement datas for the approach need to be separated and recombined. For measurement datas being separated and recombined, every sensor must communicate with each other. In practice, one sensor does not directly communicate with other sensors except its direct neighbors. By formulating the Cholesky factorization process, we present architectures which are applied in wireless distributed location. Distributed architectures with clustered nodes are proposed to achieve measurement exchange and information sharing for wireless location and target tracking. With limited times of data exchanges between clustered nodes, the correlated noise components in the measurements are transformed into uncorrelated ones through the Cholesky process, and the resultant information can be directly shared and processed by the derived extended information filters at the nodes in the distributed system. Hybrid TDOA/AOA wireless location systems with the NLOS error effects are used as examples in investigating the distributed information architecture. Simulation results show that the proposed distributed information processing and data fusion architecture effectively achieve improved location and tracking accuracy.

When the heavy hydrogen isotopes deuterium (D) and tritium (T) undergo nuclear fusion large amounts of energy are released. At the Joint European Torus (JET) research is performed on how to harvest this energy. Two of the most important fusion reactions, d+d→3He+n (En = 2.5 MeV) and d+t→4He+n (En = 14 MeV), produce neutrons. This thesis investigates how measurements of these neutrons can provide information on the fusion performance. The Magnetic Proton Recoil (MPR) neutron spectrometer has operated at JET since 1996. The spectrometer was designed to provide measurements on the 14 MeV neutron emission in DT operation, thereby conveying information on the state of the fuel ions. However, a majority of today’s fusion experiments are performed with pure D fuel. Under such conditions, the measurements with the MPR were severely hampered due to interfering background. This prompted an upgrade of the instrument. The upgrade, described in this thesis, included a new focal plane detector, a phoswich scintillator array, and new data acquisition electronics, based on transient recorder cards. This combination allows for pulse shape discrimination techniques to be applied and a signal to background of 5/1 has been achieved in measurements of the 2.5-MeV neutrons in D experiments. The upgrade also includes a new control and monitoring system, which enables the monitoring and correction of gain variations in the spectrometer’s photo multiplier tubes. Such corrections are vital for obtaining good data quality. In addition, this thesis describes a new method for determining the total neutron yield and hence the fusion power by using a MPR spectrometer in combination with a neutron emission profile monitor. The system has been operated at JET both during DT and D experiments. It is found that the systematic uncertainties are considerably lower (≈6 %) than for traditional systems. For a dedicated system designed for the next generation fusion experiments, i.e, ITER, uncertainties of 4 % could be attained. Neutron spectroscopy can also be an important tool for determining the neutron emission from residual tritium in D plasmas. This information is combined with other measurements at JET in order to determine the confinement of the 1 MeV tritons from the d+d→t+p reactions.

In this thesis, the problem of spectrum sensing in cognitive radio communication networks is considered. This thesis has developed a robust decision fusion scheme that can perform well when the interference caused by other PUs is present. Specifically, the proposed detection scheme is based on fusing the local decisions from energy detectors (EDs) and cyclostationarity- based detectors (CDs). Our proposed fusion scheme is different from other power spectrum sensing technology being developed so far in that other fusion technology are based on fusing the local decisions from the same type of detectors. Our proposed fusion scheme can take the advantage of both EDs and CDs. We compare the proposed scheme with the schemes fusing the same type of detectors, and the results confirm that the proposed scheme is more robust against the possible interference.

Thesis (M.A.)--McGill University (Canada), 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [328]-333).

Thèse doctorat : Images et Systèmes : Villeurbanne, INSA : 2005. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr. p. 129-135.

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Sciences économiques : Lyon 2 : 2007. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr.

Köln, Universität, Thesis (doctoral), 2000.

Zugl.: Freiburg (Breisgau), Univ., Diss., 2008