The simulation of mobile networks relies on a reliable movement generation. Random movement patterns are frequently used in simulators. In this report, the performance of the popular setdest movement generator, which is built into the ns2 open source simulator, is investigated using two statistical tests: quadrat count test and the variance to mean ratio (VMR) test. The results show a non-uniform distribution of nodes during the simulation with a bias towards placing the nodes in the center of the simulated area. We propose and implement a di erent method for random movement generation in the ns2 simulator and show that our movement generator improves the randomness of the node distribution during the simulation. The new generator was successfully tested with the ns2 simulator.

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is an incurable inherited retinal degeneration affecting approximately 1 in 4,000 individuals globally. The aim of this dissertation was to identify drugs that can help patients suffering from the disease. To accomplish this goal, the zebrafish was utilized as a model for RP to perform <i>in vivo</i> drug screening. The zebrafish RP model expresses a human rhodopsin transgene which contains a premature stop codon at position 344 (<i>Tg</i>(<i>rho:Hsa.RH1_Q344X</i>)). This zebrafish model exhibits significant rod photoreceptor degeneration beginning at 7 days post fertilization (dpf). To assess the visual consequence of this rod degeneration the zebrafish behavior visual motor response (VMR) was assayed under scotopic conditions. The Q344X RP model larvae displayed a deficit in this VMR in response to a scotopic light offset. This deficit in behavior was utilized to perform a drug screen to identify compounds that could ameliorate the deficient Q344X VMR. The ENZO SCREEN-WELL® REDOX library was chosen to be screened since oxidative stress may increase RP progression in a non-specific manner. From this library, a β-blocker, carvedilol, was identified as a compound that improved the Q344X VMR behavior. This drug was also able to increase rod number in the Q344X retina. Carvedilol was shown to be capable of working directly on rods by demonstrating that the drug can signal through the adrenergic pathway in the rod-like human Y79 cell line. Since carvedilol is an FDA-approved drug, this screening paradigm was utilized to screen the Selleckchem FDA-approved library to identify more drugs that can potentially be repurposed to treat RP like carvedilol. Additionally, this scotopic VMR assay was used to demonstrate that it can identify behavioral deficits in the P23H RP model zebrafish<i> (Tg</i>(<i>rho:Hsa.RH1_P23H</i>)). This dissertation work provides a potential FDA-approved drug for RP treatment and sets the foundation for future drug screening to identify more drugs to treat different forms of RP.