A compact four‐element MIMO antenna for WLAN/WiMAX/satellite applications

This paper presents a four‐element wideband monopole MIMO antenna. Initially, a single‐element wideband CPW‐fed antenna is designed operating in the range of 4.30 to 6.45 GHz. Using this design, an approach towards MIMO structure is studied. A two‐element structure is designed keeping them adjacent to each other, and the isolation between the antennas is observed. After which, a four‐element structure is designed having the best orientation in order to achieve good isolation between the antenna elements. The proposed antenna configuration has four identical CPW‐fed elements. The proposed configuration has a fractional bandwidth of 40.27% and has a simulated peak gain of 5.5 dBi. This antenna is intended to be used for WLAN, WiMAX, and satellite bands of range corresponding to 4.70–6.19, 5.5–5.7, and 5–6 GHz. All the necessary antenna simulations are simulated using Ansys HFSS and verified on NI AWR Design Environment. The fabricated model of the proposed design is measured for its performance parameters and validated.     

Effect of curing agents on some properties of a polysulfide sealant

The effect of curing agents on the properties of a polysulfide sealant composition was investigated. Commercially used curing agents, namely, lead dioxide, manganese dioxide, and ammonium dichromate, were selected for this study. It was established that curing agents affect joint strengths, stress–strain properties, dynamic mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the sealant. Sealant cured with ammonium dichromate had highest shear bond strength, ultimate tensile strength, modulus, and thermal stability, whereas these properties were lowest for lead-dioxide-cured sealant. Peel bond strength and elongation at break were highest for lead-dioxide-cured sealant. The observed changes in properties were attributed to the difference in crosslink density of the cured sealant, produced by the curing agents. The curing agents have no appreciable effect on the fuel resistance of the polysulfide sealant.     

Cloning and characterization of a eukaryotic pantothenate kinase gene (panK) from Aspergillus nidulans

Pantothenate kinase (PanK) is the key regulatory enzyme in the CoA biosynthetic pathway. The PanK gene from Escherichia coli (coaA) has been previously cloned and the enzyme biochemically characterized; highly related genes exist in other prokaryotes. We isolated a PanK cDNA clone from the eukaryotic fungus Aspergillus nidulans by functional complementation of a temperature-sensitive E. coli PanK mutant. The cDNA clone allowed the isolation of the genomic clone and the characterization of the A. nidulans gene designated panK. The panK gene is located on chromosome 3 (linkage group III), is interrupted by three small introns, and is expressed constitutively. The amino acid sequence of A. nidulans PanK (aPanK) predicted a subunit size of 46.9 kDa and bore little resemblance to its bacterial counterpart, whereas a highly related protein was detected in the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast to E. coli PanK (bPanK), which is regulated by CoA and to a lesser extent by its thioesters, aPanK activity was selectively and potently inhibited by acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA inhibition of aPanK was competitive with respect to ATP. Thus, the eukaryotic PanK has a distinct primary structure and unique regulatory properties that clearly distinguish it from its prokaryotic counterpart.     

A dynamic call admission scheme for VBR traffic in ATM networks

The role of call admission control (CAC) in high-speed networks is to maintain the network utilization at a high level, while ensuring that the quality of service (QoS) requirements of the individual calls are met. We use the term static CAC to describe schemes that always allocate the same bandwidth to a specific group of multiplexed calls, independent of the other traffic sharing the link. Dynamic CAC, on the other hand, denotes a scheme in which the bandwidth allocation to a group of calls sharing a queue is influenced by the traffic in other queues destined for the same outgoing link. We propose a generic dynamic call admission scheme for VBR and ABR traffic whose aim is to reduce the blocking rate for VBR calls at the expense of a higher blocking rate for ABR calls. Our scheme is generic because it builds up on a pre-existing static scheme, e.g., one based on a simple notion of effective bandwidth. Our simple approach results in a significant reduction of the blocking rate for VBR traffic (several orders of magnitude), if the bandwidth requirements of a single call are a reasonably small fraction of the link capacity. At the same time, the deterioration of service for ABR traffic can be contained. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High-pressure destruction kinetics of Listeria monocytogenes on pork

OBJECTIVE: To define the incidence of complications of endotracheal intubation and the factors associated with these complications. STUDY DESIGN: During a 22-month period, 227 intubated infants weighing <1,501 g were followed prospectively in a neonatal intensive care unit. Detailed records of events associated with airway management were kept after every intubation, in addition to clinical data. RESULTS: Eleven infants (4.8%) developed respiratory stridor after extubation which was treated with either systemic corticosteroids, racemic epinephrine and/or reintubation for respiratory failure. Four infants were submitted for bronchoscopy, mild subglottic stenosis with tracheal edema was found in 1 patient, granulation tissue and airway edema were noted in 3 infants. Traumatic intubation, prolonged ventilation, multiple intubations and bacterial colonization of the endotracheal tube were the factors associated with postextubation stridor. CONCLUSIONS: Subglottic stenosis is an infrequent complication of endotracheal intubation with current airway management of very-low-birth-weight infants. Less severe complications are still common, but they are usually amenable to clinical treatment. Bronchoscopy should be performed selectively only in infants with clinical evidence of airway obstruction after extubation.     

Decomposition of NO over Cu-AITS-1 zeolites

H-AITS-1 zeolite with Si/Ti = 50 and Si/Al = 50 was employed in preparing catalyst samples by ion-exchange and impregnation with a copper nitrate solution to obtain 0.24–1.15 wt.% and 1.5, 2 and 2.5 wt.% Cu loading, respectively. The catalytic properties for the NO decomposition were compared with that of Cu-ZSM-5 (Si/Al = 25 with 2 wt.% Cu loading) and similarity was found between the AITS-1 based samples and Cu-ZSM-5. Due to the higher acidity, the activity at 500°C per total copper atoms (an apparent turnover frequency, TOF) was significantly higher over Cu based AITS-1 samples being 2–3 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹ as compared to 1 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹ measured on Cu-ZSM-5. For the ion-exchanged Cu-AITS-1 there was an increase in TOF with increasing copper content, whereas on the impregnated samples a decrease in TOF was found. On all catalysts there was a maximum in the NO conversion at 500–550°C. The amount of NO per copper atom measured by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) was about the same as that on Cu-ZSM-5 and the features of the TPD were also similar. At the first contact of the catalyst at 500°C with the 2 vol% NO/Ar gas a transient N₂O formation and a considerable delay in the O₂ formation was observed. This could, however, be reproduced only on fresh catalyst, while all further transients showed different but reproducible features using the same sample.     

Thermal barrier coating application of zircon sand

Naturally occurring zircon sand was plasma spray coated on steel substrates previously coated with NiCrAlY bond coat. The coatings were characterized for their microstructure, chemical composition, thermal shock resistance, and the nature of structural phases present. The as-sprayed coatings consisted of t-ZrO₂ (major phase), m-ZrO₂, ZrSiO₄ (minor phases), and amorphous SiO₂. These coatings, when annealed at 1200 °C/1.44 × 10⁴s yielded a ZrSiO₄ phase as a result of the reaction between ZrO₂ and SiO₂. Dramatic changes occurred in the characteristics of the coatings when a mixture of zircon sand and Y₂O₃ was plasma spray coated and annealed at 1400 °C/1.44 × 10⁴s. The t-ZrO₂ phase was completely stabilized, and these coatings were found to have considerable potential for thermal barrier applications.     

Effect of elastomer modification on the adhesive characteristics of maleimide‐functional phenolic resins

The effect of addition of elastomeric modifiers on the adhesive properties like lap shear strength and T‐peel strength of an addition curable, maleimide functional novolac phenolic resin (PMF), self‐cured and cocured with a novolac epoxy resin, was studied using aluminium adherends. The modifiers used were (1) two grades of carboxyl terminated butadiene acrylonitrile copolymer (CTBN) of different molecular weights, (2) a low molecular weight, epoxidized hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene, and (3) a high molecular weight acrylate terpolymer containing pendant epoxy functionality. The adhesive properties, when examined as a function of the varying concentrations of the additives, ranging from 10 to 30 parts per hundred parts (phr) of the resin, were found to depend on the nature of the matrix being modified as well as on the nature and concentration of the elastomer. The adhesive properties at ambient temperature of the self‐cured, highly brittle PMF resin were dramatically improved by the inclusion of all the elastomers, the increase being substantial in the case of high molecular weight CTBN. For the more rigid, less ductile, epoxy‐cured PMF system, the adhesive properties were marginally improved by the high molecular weight CTBN, whereas the other elastomers were practically ineffective. For both self‐cured and epoxy‐cured PMF systems, the inclusion of these elastomers generally decreased the high‐temperature adhesive properties, implying impairment of thermal characteristics, evidenced also from their dynamic mechanical spectra. The presence of phase‐separated elastomer particles in the modified systems has been evidenced from scanning electron micrographs. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 2321–2332, 1999     

In vitro bioactivity evaluation of nano- and micro-crystalline anodic TiO2: HA formation,cellular affinity and organ culture

Anodization is an easily viable technique useful for producing TiO₂ coatings on titanium substrates. Nano-crystalline anodic TiO₂ structure was produced on titanium at 20 V using 1 M Na₂SO₄ and 0.5% NaF and consolidated by a further heat-treatment. Micro-crystalline anodic TiO₂ was produced on titanium by applying a galvanostatic current density of 70 A/m² in water medium. To assess the usefulness of these nano- and micro-oxides for bone implant stability, physical properties and bone in vitro bioactivity including HA formation, cellular affinity and mouse-tissue morphogenesis, were evaluated. Bioactivity of the different anodic surfaces was evaluated by treating them in a simulated body fluid (SBF) to form hydroxyapatite (HA) and the rates of HA formation were compared. Deposits of HA could be seen on the nano-oxide surface within 7 days, whereas HA was detected only after 14 days on the micro-oxide surface. In vitro cell culture tests done using mouse osteoblasts indicated that the nano-oxides showed statistically significant cell activity than the micro-oxides and the machined titanium. Branching morphogenesis test done for 72 h on these surfaces showed more branching on the micro- and nano-oxides as compared with titanium surface.     

A Controlled Agitation Process for Improving Quality of Canned Green Beans during Agitation Thermal Processing

This work introduces the concept of a controlled agitation thermal process to reduce quality damage in liquid‐particulate products during agitation thermal processing. Reciprocating agitation thermal processing (RA‐TP) was used as the agitation thermal process. In order to reduce the impact of agitation, a new concept of “stopping agitations after sufficient development of cold‐spot temperature” was proposed. Green beans were processed in No. 2 (307×409) cans filled with liquids of various consistency (0% to 2% CMC) at various frequencies (1 to 3 Hz) of RA‐TP using a full‐factorial design and heat penetration results were collected. Corresponding operator's process time to impart a 10‐min process lethality (F_o) and agitation time (AT) were calculated using heat penetration results. Accordingly, products were processed again by stopping agitations as per 3 agitation regimes, namely; full time agitation, equilibration time agitation, and partial time agitation. Processed products were photographed and tested for visual quality, color, texture, breakage of green beans, turbidity, and percentage of insoluble solids in can liquid. Results showed that stopping agitations after sufficient development of cold‐spot temperatures is an effective way of reducing product damages caused by agitation (for example, breakage of beans and its leaching into liquid). Agitations till one‐log temperature difference gave best color, texture and visual product quality for low‐viscosity liquid‐particulate mixture and extended agitations till equilibration time was best for high‐viscosity products. Thus, it was shown that a controlled agitation thermal process is more effective in obtaining high product quality as compared to a regular agitation thermal process.