Generalized Quadrature Spatial Modulation Scheme Using Antenna Grouping

This paper presents a novel generalized quadrature spatial modulation (GQSM) transmission scheme using antenna grouping. The proposed GQSM scheme combines QSM and conventional spatial multiplexing (SMux) techniques in order to improve the spectral efficiency (SE) of the system. Analytical and simulation results show that the proposed transmission scheme has minimal losses in terms of the average bit error probability along with the advantage of an increased SE compared with previous SM and QSM schemes. For the case studies, this advantage represents a reduction of up to 81% in terms of the number of required transmit antennas compared with QSM. In addition, a detection architecture based on the ordered successive interference cancellation scheme and the QR decomposition is presented. The proposed QRD‐M adaptive algorithm showed a near‐maximum‐likelihood performance with a complexity reduction of approximately 90%.     

Efficient design of SIW filters by using equivalent circuit models and calibrated space‐mapping optimization

This article presents a very efficient technique for the design of filters in substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) technology. The proposed design approach is based on the combined use of equivalent circuit models of SIW discontinuities and a “calibrated” space‐mapping optimization technique. The effectiveness of this design technique is demonstrated through some examples. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2010.     

Prediction of Manipulation Actions

By looking at a person’s hands, one can often tell what the person is going to do next, how his/her hands are moving and where they will be, because an actor’s intentions shape his/her movement kinematics during action execution. Similarly, active systems with real-time constraints must not simply rely on passive video-segment classification, but they have to continuously update their estimates and predict future actions. In this paper, we study the prediction of dexterous actions. We recorded videos of subjects performing different manipulation actions on the same object, such as “squeezing”, “flipping”, “washing”, “wiping” and “scratching” with a sponge. In psychophysical experiments, we evaluated human observers’ skills in predicting actions from video sequences of different length, depicting the hand movement in the preparation and execution of actions before and after contact with the object. We then developed a recurrent neural network based method for action prediction using as input image patches around the hand. We also used the same formalism to predict the forces on the finger tips using for training synchronized video and force data streams. Evaluations on two new datasets show that our system closely matches human performance in the recognition task, and demonstrate the ability of our algorithms to predict in real time what and how a dexterous action is performed.     

User Selection Algorithms for MU‐MIMO Systems with Coordinated Beamforming

In this paper, we propose two novel user selection algorithms for multiuser multiple‐input and multiple‐output downlink wireless systems, in which both a base station (BS) and mobile stations (MSs) are equipped with multiple antennas. Linear transmit beamforming at the BS and receive combining at the MSs are used to avoid interference between users and find a better sum‐rate capacity performance. An optimal technique for selecting users would entail an exhaustive search, which in practice becomes computationally complex for a realistic number of users. Suboptimal algorithms with low complexity are proposed for a coordinated beamforming scheme. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed algorithms is better than that provided by previous algorithms and is very close to an optimal approach with reduced complexity.     

Space–Time Adaptive Solution of First Order PDES

An explicit time-stepping method is developed for adaptive solution of time-dependent partial differential equations with first order derivatives. The space is partitioned into blocks and the grid is refined and coarsened in these blocks. The equations are integrated in time by a Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg (RKF) method. The local errors in space and time are estimated and the time and space steps are determined by these estimates. The method is shown to be stable if one-sided space discretizations are used. Examples such as the wave equation, Burgers’ equation, and the Euler equations in one space dimension with discontinuous solutions illustrate the method.     

Atmospheric ammonia and ammonium transport in Europe and critical loads: a review

The atmosphere in Europe is polluted by easily available nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) mainly from livestock (NH₃), traffic (NO_x) and stationary combustion sources (NO_x). The nitrogen emission from various European sources decreases in the order: agriculture, road traffic, stationary sources and other mobile sources (including vehicular emissions from agriculture), with annual emissions of approximately 4.9, 2.7, 2.7 and 0.8 Mt N respectively. The emissions have increased dramatically during the latest decades. In the atmosphere the pollutants are oxidised to more water soluble compounds that are washed out by clouds and eventually brought back to the earth's surface again. Since ammonia is emitted in a highly water soluble form it will also to a substantial degree be dry deposited near the source. Ammonia is, however, the dominant basic compound in the atmosphere and will form salts with acidic gases. These salt particles can be transported long distances especially in the absence of clouds.The deposition close to the source is substantial, but hard to estimate due to interaction with other pollutants. Far from the source the deposition of ammonium is on an annual average halved approximately every 400 km. This short transport distance and the substantial deposition near the source makes it possible for countries to control their ammonium deposition by decreasing their emissions, provided that there is no country with much higher emission in the direction of the prevailing wind trajectory. When the easily available nitrogen is deposited on natural ecosystems (lakes, forests), negative effect can occur. The effect is determined by the magnitude of the deposition and the type of ecosystems (its critical load for nitrogen). In order to reduce the negative effects by controlling the emissions in a cost-efficient way it is necessary to use atmospheric transport models and critical loads.     

Accuracy of simplified sampling procedures for estimating milk composition in dairy ewes

Simplified designs of milk-composition recording, based on information from a single monthly milking, adjusted or not for interval between milkings and for milk yield, were simulated and evaluated for 2553 ewe-test-day records belonging to 155 lactations of Churra dairy ewes. Accuracy of simplified methods was evaluated by comparing estimated trait values (fat, protein, casein and total solid yields) with those observed both in a reference plan, where the two daily milkings were recorded at weekly intervals (A1), and in the official A4 milk recording (monthly records of the two daily milkings). Trait yields per lactation were estimated and adjusted to the only milking period (days in milk 30-120). Estimates of milk component traits were less precise when monthly designs, including the A4 design, were compared with a weekly sampling of both a.m. and p.m. milkings, with fat yield being the most difficult trait to estimate. All options with one daily milking every month were more accurate when the corresponding plan was based on, or began with, the a.m. milking. Adjustment for the preceding interval between milkings or milk yield did not improve sampling accuracy. The design alternating a.m. and p.m. milkings every month, without adjustment, is suggested for recoding milk component traits in dairy ewes.     

Acute-phase inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) levels in serum and milk of cows with subclinical mastitis caused by Streptococcus species and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species

The aim of the study was to investigate the concentrations of acute-phase inter-α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) in serum and milk of cows with subclinical mastitis caused by Streptococcus spp. (STR) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (CNS) and healthy cows. The blood and milk samples were obtained from 60 mid-lactation, multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows from 7 herds in the Lublin region of Poland. In the milk samples from 40 cows with subclinical mastitis, Streptococcus spp. and CNS were isolated. The ITIH4 was significantly higher in serum of cows with subclinical mastitis caused both by STR and CNS compared with healthy cows. One hundred percent of animals infected with Streptococcus spp. and 89% of animals infected with Staphylococcus spp. showed ITIH4 concentration in sera higher than 0.5 mg/mL. The concentration of ITIH4 in milk also was significantly higher in cows with subclinical mastitis caused by Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. compared with the control group. Seventy percent of cows infected by STR and CNS showed ITIH4 concentration in milk higher than 2.5 μg/mL. Milk ITIH4 concentration higher than 5 µg/mL was found in 55% of animals infected with Streptococcus spp. and in 40% of animals infected with Staphylococcus spp. No statistically significant differences were observed in ITIH4 concentrations both in serum and in milk between the studied unhealthy animal groups. These results suggest that ITIH4 may be used in the future as a novel diagnostic marker in serum and in milk of subclinical mastitis in cows.     

Enhanced reversibility of the electrochemical Li conversion reaction with MgH2–TiH2 nanocomposites

Nanostructured metallic hydrides are promising anode active materials for the next generations of Li-ion batteries due to their high capacities, adapted working potential and low polarisation. In the present study, nanocomposites made of yMgH₂ and (1 ? y)TiH₂ with molar composition y = 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8 were prepared by mechanical milling of elemental metal powders under hydrogen pressure. Microstructural analysis by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) shows the co-existence of the two hydrides at the nanoscale with average crystallite sizes comprised between 4 and 11 nm. Galvanostatic and cyclic voltammetry experiments have been performed to investigate the reversibility of the conversion reaction between both hydrides and lithium. All nanocomposites can be fully lithiated for the first discharge, but the reversibility of the reaction strongly depends on the composition. No reformation of any hydride occurs for the TiH₂-rich composite (y = 0.2), TiH₂ is only partially reformed for the equimolar composite (y = 0.5) and both MgH₂ and TiH₂ hydrides are recovered at different extents for the Mg-rich one (y = 0.8). A high reversibility (almost 80%) of TiH₂ is attained in the latter composite with a promising capacity retention (70% over ten cycles) by cycling within a restricted potential window.