Leonardo D. Oliveira

S/MIMO MC-CDMA Heuristic Multiuser Detectors Based on Single-Objective Optimization

This paper analyzes the complexity-performance trade-off of several heuristic near-optimum multiuser detection (MuD) approaches applied to the uplink of synchronous single/multiple-input multiple-output multicarrier code division multiple access (S/MIMO MC-CDMA) systems. Genetic algorithm (GA), short term tabu search (STTS) and reactive tabu search (RTS), simulated annealing (SA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and 1-opt local search (1-LS) heuristic multiuser detection algorithms (Heur-MuDs) are analyzed in details, using a single-objective antenna-diversity-aided optimization approach. Monte- Carlo simulations show that, after convergence, the performances reached by all near-optimum Heur-MuDs are similar. However, the computational complexities may differ substantially, depending on the system operation conditions. Their complexities are carefully analyzed in order to obtain a general complexity-performance framework comparison and to show that unitary Hamming distance search MuD (uH-ds) approaches (1-LS, SA, RTS and STTS) reach the best convergence rates, and among them, the 1-LS-MuD provides the best trade-off between implementation complexity and bit error rate (BER) performance.

Consuming viscous prey: a novel protein-secreting delivery system in neotropical snail-eating snakes

BackgroundEfficient venom delivery systems are known to occur only in varanoid lizards and advanced colubroidean snakes among squamate reptiles. Although components of these venomous systems might have been present in a common ancestor, the two lineages independently evolved strikingly different venom gland systems. In snakes, venom is produced exclusively by serous glands in the upper jaw. Within the colubroidean radiation, lower jaw seromucous infralabial glands are known only in two distinct lineages–the basal pareatids and the more advanced Neotropical dipsadines known as “goo-eating snakes”. Goo-eaters are a highly diversified, ecologically specialized clade that feeds exclusively on invertebrates (e.g., gastropod molluscs and annelids). Their evolutionary success has been attributed to their peculiar feeding strategies, which remain surprisingly poorly understood. More specifically, it has long been thought that the more derived Dipsadini genera Dipsas and Sibynomorphus use glandular toxins secreted by their infralabial glands to extract snails from their shells.ResultsHere, we report the presence in the tribe Dipsadini of a novel lower jaw protein-secreting delivery system effected by a gland that is not functionally related to adjacent teeth, but rather opens loosely on the oral epithelium near the tip of the mandible, suggesting that its secretion is not injected into the prey as a form of envenomation but rather helps control the mucus and assists in the ingestion of their highly viscous preys. A similar protein-secreting system is also present in the goo-eating genus Geophis and may share the same adaptive purpose as that hypothesized for Dipsadini. Our phylogenetic hypothesis suggests that the acquisition of a seromucous infralabial gland represents a uniquely derived trait of the goo-eating clade that evolved independently twice within the group as a functionally complex protein-secreting delivery system.ConclusionsThe acquisition by snail-eating snakes of such a complex protein-secreting system suggests that the secretion from the hypertrophied infralabial glands of goo-eating snakes may have a fundamental role in mucus control and prey transport rather than envenomation of prey. Evolution of a functional secretory system that combines a solution for mucus control and transport of viscous preys is here thought to underlie the successful radiation of goo-eating snakes.

Particle swarm optimization assisted multiuser detector for M-QAM DS/CDMA systems

This paper analyzes the particle swarm optimization multiuser detector (PSO-MUD) under high-order modulation schemes, (particularly for M-QAM), in DS/CDMA systems single-input-single-output (SISO) multipath channels. In order to avoid the computation of complex-valued variables in high-order squared modulation, the optimization problem is reformulated as a real-valued problem. Considering previous results on literature for low-order modulation formats (usually binary/quadrature phase shift keying - BPSK/QPSK), a performancetimescomplexity trade-off comparison is carried out between PSO-MUD and local search multiuser detector (LS-MUD). Performance is evaluated by the symbol error rate (SER), and complexity by necessary number of cost function calculations for convergence. If the background for BPSK heuristic multiuser detection (HEURMUD) problem indicates that the 1-opt local search method is enough to achieve excellent performancetimescomplexity trade-offs, our Monte-Carlo simulation results and analysis show herein indicate the LS-MUD presents a lack of search diversity under high-order modulation formats, while the PSO-MUD is efficient to solve the MUD problem for high-order modulation schemes.

Unusual Labial Glands in Snakes of the Genus Geophis Wagler, 1830 ( Serpentes: Dipsadinae)

Geophis belongs to the goo‐eating dipsadine assemblage of snakes that are known to feed exclusively on earthworms, snails, and slugs. Although the unusual feeding strategies of the goo‐eating dipsadines are well known (but poorly documented), little attention has been paid to their internal anatomy. Here, we describe a new and noteworthy morphological and histochemical condition of the infralabial glands in three species of Geophis (G. brachycephalus, G. nasalis and G. semidoliatus), all earthworm feeders. Their infralabial glands are constituted of two distinct parts: an anterolateral portion composed of mucous and seromucous cells that stretches from the tip of the dentary to the corner of the mouth, and a tubular posteromedial portion that is exclusively seromucous. The anterolateral portion receives fibers of the levator anguli oris muscle that attaches on its posterodorsal extremity while the posteromedial portion extends posteriorly to the corner of the mouth where it receives fibers of the adductor mandibulae externus medialis muscle. Furthermore, the posteromedial portion of the infralabial gland is constituted by large acini filled with secretion that is periodic acid‐Schiff positive. These acini release their secretion directly into a large lumen located in the middle of the glandular portion. In the three species examined, the supralabial glands show a traditional configuration, being constituted of mucous and seromucous cells and retaining an enlarged part in its caudal region that resembles a Duvernoys gland. The presence in Geophis of an expanded lumen in part of the infralabial gland that is compressed by an adjacent muscle suggests a more specialized role for the secretion produced by these glands that may not be related to envenomation but rather to prey transport and mucus control. J. Morphol. 275:87–99, 2014.

Pseudoautotomy in Dendrophidion dendrophis and Mastigodryas bifossatus (Serpentes: Colubridae): Tail Morphology and Breakage Frequency

The micro and macro structures of the caudal vertebrae and muscles of Dendrophidion dendrophis and Mastigodryas bifossatus were described using histological slides, dissections, radiographs, and clearing and double staining of intact, broken, and healed tails. To analyze the relationship among the frequencies of healed tails we established two populations of D. dendrophis and six groups of M. bifossatus. We found that fractures of the tail in the two species are intervertebral, and there are no morphological and/or structural mechanisms that facilitate the urotomy, which is classified as non-specialized pseudoautotomy. The caudal vertebrae of D. dendrophis and M. bifossatus show minor differences in the shape of the condyle, cotyle, and border of the neural spine, and in the size and orientation of the hemapophysis and pleurapophysis. The absence of bleeding at the moment of tail breakage may indicate the presence of sphincters in the veins and arteries of D. dendrophis. The distal part of the last vertebrae retained in healed tails of D. dendrophis and M. bifossatus participates in the healing processes as a possible source of calcium in the formation of a calcified cap. We found high frequency of tail breakage in both species, which occurs in almost the entire length of the tail, with no specific areas of concentration. There was no difference in the frequencies of healed tails among males and females of different populations of D. dendrophis and M. bifossatus. Juveniles have lower breakage frequencies than adults in both species, except for populations of M. bifossatus from the Cerrado and Pampa.

Weighting particle swarm, simulation annealing and local search optimization for S/MIMO MC-CDMA systems

This paper analyzes the complexity-performance trade-off of three heuristic approaches applied to synchronous multicarrier multiuser detection (MUD) of single/multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas code division multiple access (S/MIMO MC-CDMA) systems. Weighting particle swarm optimization (WOPSO) and unitary Hamming distance search-based strategies, specifically 1-opt local search (1-LS) and simulation annealing (SA) multiuser detection algorithms, were analyzed in details using a single-objective antenna-diversity-aided optimization approach. Monte-Carlo simulations show that, after convergence, the performances reached by the three heuristic MUD (HEUR-MUD) S/MIMO MC-CDMA algorithms are identical, with computational complexities remarkably smaller than the optimum multiuser detector (OMUD). However, the computational complexities could differ substantially depending on the operation system conditions. The complexities of the HEUR-MUDs were carefully analyzed in order to demonstrate that 1-LS scheme provides the best trade-off between implementation complexity aspects and bit error rate (BER) performance when applied to multiuser detection of S/MIMO MC-CDMA systems with low order modulation.

GA, SA, and TS near-optimum multiuser detectors for s/MIMO MC-CDMA systems

This paper analyzes the performance and complexity of four heuristic approaches applied to a synchronous multicarrier multiuser detection (MuD) of single/multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas code division multiple access (S/MIMO MC-CDMA) system. The genetic algorithm (GA), simulation annealing (SA) and Tabu search (TS) heuristic algorithms (HA) in a single-objective optimization form were considered. Monte-Carlo simulations showed that the performances, after convergence, achieved by the four near-optimum HA-MuD S/MIMO MC-CDMA are identical. However, their computational complexities differ depending on the operation system conditions. Therefore, the HA-MuD complexities were carefully analyzed in order to determine which one has the best trade-off between bit error rate (BER) performance and implementation complexity aspects.

Morphology of Duvernoy's Glands and Maxillary Teeth and a Possible Function of the Duvernoy's Gland Secretion in Helicops modestus Günther, 1861 (Serpentes: Xenodontinae)

Abstract. We investigated the gross anatomy, histology and ultrastructure of Duvernoys glands and scanning electron microscopy of maxillary teeth of Helicops modestus, as well as its prey-handling behavior in laboratory. We later compared this histology with other species of Hydropsini. Duvernoys glands are located in the post-ocular region, immediately behind the supralabial gland. Each gland is connected to a pair of ungrooved rear fangs by a vestibule from which the secretion is drained. Histological analysis showed that the gland is wrapped by a layer of connective tissue and consists of a glandular body formed by prismatic cells organized in acini and a duct lined with columnar cells. The prismatic cells are positive to PAS and bromophenol blue, indicating glycoprotein content, whereas the columnar ductal cells are positive to PAS and alcian blue pH 2.5, indicating the presence of acid mucous. Transmission electron microscopy showed electron-dense, heterogeneous granules in the prismatic cells, whereas the granules of the columnar cells were electron-luscent and homogeneous. The Duvernoys glands of H. modestus are more similar to those of H. angulatus than any other species analyzed. Observations of prey-handling behavior showed that H. modestus strikes and holds fish in its mouth while repeatedly carrying out bilateral raking motions with both maxillae. Ingestion starts headfirst. We observed only a single episode of constriction. Snakes usually swallowed fish alive but clearly immobilized, suggesting that the primary function of the Duvernoys secretion is associated with the quiescence/immobilization of the fish prey.

Weighting Particle Swarm Optimization SIMO MC-CDMA Multiuser Detectors

This paper analyzes the performance of two heuristic approaches applied to a synchronous multicarrier multiuser detection (MuD) of multiple receive antennas code division multiple access (SIMO MC-CDMA) system. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) with weighting particle position based on combining multi-fitness functions (woPSO) is proposed and compared with the conventional PSO SIMO MC-CDMA. The woPSO strategy deal with the multi-objective dilemma imposed by the spatial diversity that results in independent likelihood function for each receive antenna. Additionally, the computational complexity of these algorithms was taken into account in order to show which one has the best trade-off in terms of performance and implementation complexity aspects.

Simplified local search multiuser detection for QPSK S/MIMO MC-CDMA systems

Promising results obtained for a simplified 1-optimum local search multiuser detection (1-opt s-LS-MUD), are extended in this paper to a new scenario, considering quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation and single/multiple-input multiple-output (S/MIMO) in a multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) system. Furthermore, so as to avoid the complex-valued computation in QPSK formats, the optimization is reformulated as a real-valued problem (also feasible for high-order modulations). Performance is evaluated considering the bit error rate (BER) criterium in order to assure that the proposed algorithm is efficient in accomplishing a good sub-optimum performance, with a relatively low computational complexity. A detailed computational complexity analysis is taken into account, aspiring future implementations.