Rate control is an important issue in video streaming applications for both wired and wireless networks. A widely accepted rate control method in wired networks is equation based rate control [1], in which the TCP friendly rate is determined as a function of packet loss rate, round trip time and packet size. This approach, also known as TCP friendly rate control (TFRC), assumes that packet loss in wired networks is primarily due to congestion, and as such is not applicable to wireless networks in which the bulk of packet loss is due to error at the physical layer. In this paper, we propose multiple TFRC connections as an end-to-end rate control solution for wireless video streaming. We show that this approach not only avoids modifications to the network infrastructure or network protocol, but also results in full utilization of the wireless channel. NS-2 simulations, actual experiments over 1 x RTT CDMA wireless data network, and and video streaming simulations using traces from the actual experiments, are carried out to validate, and characterize the performance of our proposed approach.

Rate control is an important issue in video streaming applications for both wired and wireless networks. A widely accepted rate control method in wired networks is TCP-friendly rate control (TFRC) [1]. It is equation-based rate control in which the TCP-friendly rate is determined as a function of packet loss rate, roundtrip time, and packet size. TFRC assumes that packet loss in wired networks is primarily due to congestion, and as such is not applicable to wireless networks in which the main cause of packet loss is at the physical layer. In this article we review existing approaches to solve this problem. Then we propose multiple TFRC connections as an end-to-end rate control solution for wireless video streaming. We show that this approach not only avoids modifications to the network infrastructure or network protocol, but also results in full utilization of the wireless channel. NS-2 simulations, actual experiments over a 1xRTT CDMA wireless data network, and video streaming simulations using traces from the actual experiments are carried out to characterize the performance and show the efficiency of our proposed approach.

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling plays a major role in multiple aspects of embryonic development. A key issue in Hh signaling is to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which a Hh protein morphogen gradient is formed despite its membrane association. In this study, we used a combination of genetic, cellular, and biochemical approaches to address the role of lipid modifications in long-range vertebrate Hh signaling. Our molecular analysis of knockout mice deficient in Skn, the murine homolog of the Drosophila ski gene, which catalyzes Hh palmitoylation, and gene-targeted mice producing a nonpalmitoylated form of Shh indicates that Hh palmitoylation is essential for its activity as well as the generation of a protein gradient in the developing embryos. Furthermore, our biochemical data show that Hh lipid modifications are required for producing a soluble multimeric protein complex, which constitutes the major active component for Hh signaling. These results suggest that soluble Hh multimeric complex travels in the morphogenetic field to activate Hh signaling in distant Hh-responsive cells.