Prediction error method for second-order blind identification

Blind channel identification methods based on the oversampled channel output are a problem of current theoretical and practical interest. In this paper, we introduce a second-order blind identification technique based on a linear prediction approach. In contrast to eigenstructure-based methods, it will be shown that the linear prediction error method is “robust” to order overdetermination. An asymptotic performance analysis of the proposed estimation method is carried out, consistency and asymptotic normality of the estimates is established. A closed-form expression for the asymptotic covariance of the estimates is given. Numerical simulations and investigations are finally presented to demonstrate the potential and the “robustness” of the proposed method     

Organizing the production of heat-insulating inserts for ingot-mold hot tops

The Zlatoust Metallurgical Plant has developed a technology that employs semi-dry pressing to make two-layer (composite) heat-insulating inserts for ingot-mold hot tops. The working layer is made of a mixture of materials based on quartz sand, while the insulating layer is based on foamed vermiculate. The binders are sodium silicate solution and commercial lignosulfonate with a density of 1.12–1.20 g/cm³.     

Hepatic vein thrombosis. Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties

Budd Chiari syndrome (liver vein thrombosis) may be a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. On the basis of four different cases we review the major diagnostic and therapeutic principles involved. Imaging techniques are necessary in order to establish the diagnosis. Ultrasound examination with Duplex doppler is usually sufficient, but MR angiography is also useful. Treatment options are thrombolysis, surgery or liver transplantation. What treatment is selected will depend on the clinical situation and the prognosis.     

Severe pulmonary hypertension reversed by antibiotics in a patient with Whipple's disease

The case is described of a 58 year old man with systemic Whipple's disease with pericardial and pleural effusions and severe pulmonary hypertension. After three months of antibiotic treatment there was a complete resolution, not only of the symptoms known to be associated with Whipple's disease (diarrhoea, arthralgia, pericardial and pleural effusions), but also of pulmonary hypertension.     

Detection of melanoma by monitoring the intracellular fluorescein fluorescence polarization changes in lymphocytes

The effectiveness of detecting melanoma by measuring the intracellular fluorescein fluorescent polarization (IFFP) of patients' SCM (structuredness of the cytoplasmic matrix)-responding lymphocytes was examined. SCM-responding lymphocytes from 46 melanoma patients and 32 healthy volunteers were labeled with fluorescein diacetate and challenged with different stimuli, and the resulting polarization was determined. The polarizations (P) obtained upon stimulation with nothing (P-0), encephalitogenic factor (P-EF), phytohaemagglutinin (P-PHA), or melanoma antigen (P-MEL), and the ratios RR(ef) (P-EF/P-PHA) and RR(mel) (P-MEL/P-PHA) were lower for SCM-responding lymphocytes from the patients as a group than for those of the controls. The specificity and sensitivity of the IFFP tests (using cutoff values) to detect melanoma were 90.6 and 73.9%, respectively. The IFFP tests may facilitate the discrimination between melanoma patients and healthy subjects, and may be used in follow-up of patients with melanoma.     

A generalized suboptimum unequally spaced channel allocationtechnique. I. In IM/DD WDM systems

Four-wave mixing (FWM) is the most serious fiber nonlinearity associated with low-input optical power levels in long-haul multichannel optical systems employing dispersion-shifted fiber. To reduce the crosstalk due to FWM, a generalized suboptimum unequally spaced channel allocation (S-USCA) technique is proposed and investigated. Even though the developed technique is useful in combating FWM crosstalk in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) lightwave systems with up to 12 channels, its main virtue is in designing multichannel WDM lightwave systems with more than 12 channels. Comparisons of power penalty due to FWM between equal channel spacing (ECS) systems and the S-USCA systems are presented. It is shown that for an intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) transmission system operating in an optical bandwidth of 16 nm with 0 dBm (1 mW) peak optical input power per channel, while a conventional ECS WDM system with 0.84-nm channel spacing cannot even achieve a bit-error rate (BER)=10^-9, the suboptimum technique developed in this paper, for the same minimum channel spacing, can achieve a BER=10^-9 with an FWM crosstalk power of less than 1 dB at the worst channel in a 20-channel WDM system     

Mikrotechnik für Raumfahrtanwendungen

This contribution describes the preparation, based upon a chemically amplified novolak resist (CAR), electron beam lithography, and ECR plasma etching, of structures with a high aspect ratio (10∶1) and lateral dimensions in the sub-micrometer range (150nm–300nm) which may serve as collector surfaces for sub-μm dust particles in a space experiment.     

Determination of diffusing capacity by modeling the dynamics of C18O uptake in newborns

Dynamic modeling of lung C¹⁸O diffusion is used to measure the C¹⁸O transfer factor (TL_co) of 14 newborns aged 1-4 mo. The model equation is based on the alveolar fractions of C¹⁸O and on changing alveolar ventilation induced by the rebreathing conditions. The model does not involve the volume of the rebreathing bag which is usually needed when applying rebreathing technique add which is a source of error. The equation is discretized and solved for recorded data obtained with equipment adapted to use in newborns. A least-square parameter calculation technique is applied to estimate TL_co. Results show a strong relationship between this index and the biometrical ones and confirm those found in the literature featuring that the measurement duration can be considerably shortened     

On the RLSA antenna optimum design for DBS reception

An optimal design for the RLSA (radial line slot array) antenna useful for DBS reception is presented. Classical geometries and structures given in the literature are first used. It is found that in some cases these are not suitable. So, optimization techniques by using the right objective functions have been applied. Two different methods were developed and three antennas were designed. Numerical results and comparisons with other similar antennas give the advantages of our design     

Long-wavelength 640×486 GaAs-AlGaAs quantum well infraredphotodetector snap-shot camera

A 9-μm cutoff 640×486 snap-shot quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) camera has been demonstrated. The performance of this QWIP camera is reported including indoor and outdoor imaging. The noise equivalent differential temperature (NEΔT) of 36 mK has been achieved at 300 K background with f/2 optics. This is in good agreement with expected focal plane array sensitivity due to the practical limitations on charge handling capacity of the multiplexer, read noise, bias voltage, and operating temperature