Subspace-based blind channel estimation for OFDM by exploiting virtual carriers

Reliable channel estimation is indispensable for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems employing coherent detection and adaptive loading in order to achieve high data rate communications. Several options exist in practical OFDM systems-including training symbols, cyclic prefix, virtual carriers, pilot tones, and receiver diversity-to facilitate channel estimation. In this paper, a subspace blind channel estimation method based on exploiting the presence of virtual carriers is proposed for OFDM systems over a time-dispersive channel. The method can be applied to conventional OFDM systems with cyclic prefix as well as OFDM systems with no cyclic prefix. The reduction/elimination of cyclic prefix thereby provides the OFDM systems the potential to achieve higher channel utilization than most previously reported cyclic prefix based estimators. Sufficient channel identifiability condition is developed as well. Comparison with two other recently reported subspace methods is presented via computer simulations to support the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Insulin-like growth factor I activates the invasion suppressor function of E-cadherin in MCF-7 human mammary carcinoma cells in vitro

The calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin has been shown to counteract invasion of epithelial neoplastic cells. Using three monoclonal antibodies, we have demonstrated the presence of E-cadherin at the surface of human MCF-7/6 mammary carcinoma cells by indirect immunofluorescence coupled to flow cytometry and by immunocytochemistry. Nevertheless, MCF-7/6 cells failed to aggregate in a medium containing 1.25 mM CaCl2, and they were invasive after confrontation with embryonic chick heart fragments in organ culture. Treatment of MCF-7/6 cells with 0.5 microgram ml-1 insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) led to homotypic aggregation within 5 to 10 min and inhibited invasion in vitro during at least 8 days. The effect of IGF-I on cellular aggregation was insensitive to cycloheximide. However, monoclonal antibodies that interfered with the function of either the IGF-I receptor (alpha IR3) or E-cadherin (HECD-1, MB2) blocked the effect of IGF-I on aggregation. The effects of IGF-I on aggregation and on invasion could be mimicked by 1 microgram ml-1 insulin, but not by 0.5 microgram ml-1 IGF-II. The insulin effects were presumably not mediated by the IGF-I receptor, since they could not be blocked by an antibody against this receptor (alpha IR3). Our results indicate that IGF-I activates the invasion suppressor role of E-cadherin in MCF-7/6 cells.     

An on-line grain size measuring system for grain-oriented steels

It is important to monitor grain- oriented steel during production so that regions of small, loss- inducing grains can be detected. These are a rare occurrence, but need to be eliminated to prevent a stripe of small grains from passing unnoticed. On- line full- strip- width power loss measurements may overlook stripes of small grains. A system for detecting small grains is described.     

Studies on the synthesis of SAPO-5

Silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO-5) molecular sieves have been synthesised from reaction mixtures having a molar composition of: 0.7–1.0 Al₂O₃:0.7–1.0 P₂O₅:0.01–2.0 SiO₂:xR:40 H₂O (where R = (C₂H₃)₃N or (C₂H₃)₄NOH and x = 1.5–2.5 for (C₂H₅)⁵N and 0.5 for (C₂H₅)₄NOH, at 473 K using various sources of alumina and silica. The effects of (i) varying the crystallinity of the alumina source (boehmite) and (ii) the use of different silica sources such as freshly prepared silica either from sodium silicate or paddy husk extract, silica gel from commercial water-glass, and tetraethyl orthosilicate have been studied. The crystallinity of boehmite has been found to have a strong effect on its reactivity towards the formation of SAPO-5. The activity of boehmite for SAPO-5 formation increased with a decrease in its crystallinity (or with increase in its moisture content). Any silica source devoid of sodium ions could be employed for the synthesis of SAPO-5. The process of crystallisation started as early as within 1.5 h of reaction and incorporation of silicon into the AlPO₄ framework has been noted at this stage. Formation of some tridymite phase as impurity has been observed under conditions such as (i) SiO₂ concentration > 1.7 mole and (ii) x > 2.0 when R = (C²H₅)₃N.     

Grain-boundary segregation and precipitation of boron in 0.2 percent carbon steels

The segregation and precipitation of boron have been studied in two 0.2C−0.6Mn0.−5Mo steels containing (nominally) 10 and 50 ppm B. After heating to 1260 δC, samples were air-cooled to 870 °C and then held for times between 0 and 5000 seconds. Additional samples were heated to 1260 °C, air-cooled to 900 °C, reduced in thickness by 50 pct, and then held for various times at 870 °C, as above. The distributions of boron under these various conditions were investigated qualitatively by an autoradiographic technique. In both steels, segregation and/or precipitation of boron at austenite grain boundaries was detected under all conditions examined. Precipitation of iron borocarbide particles occurred along austenite grain boundaries in the 50 ppm B steel during cooling to the holding temperature of 870 °C, while in the 10 ppm B steel, such precipitation occurred only after long times at 870 °C. Mechanical properties of single-pass-rolled samples were measured after tempering to assess the effects of borocarbide precipitation on notch toughness. Such precipitation lowered the Charpy upper shelf energy and increased the transition temperature.     

A distributed approach for access and visibility task with a manikin and a robot in a virtual reality environment

This paper presents a new method, based on a multi-agent system and on a digital mock-up technology, to assess an efficient path planner for a manikin or a robot for an access and visibility task taking into account ergonomic constraints or joint and mechanical limits. In order to solve this problem, the human operator is integrated in the process optimization to contribute to a global perception of the environment. This operator cooperates, in real time, with several automatic local elementary agents. The result of this work validates solutions through the digital mock-up; it can be applied to simulate maintainability and mountability tasks.     

Role of Specimen Geometry in the Effect of Fiber Orientation on the Thermal Conductivity of a Uniaxial Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Aluminoborosilicate Glass-Matrix Composite

A study concerning the effect of fiber orientation on the thermal conductivity of a uniaxial carbon-fiber-reinforced borosilicate glass was conducted. For thin specimens, and thick specimens with specimen sides cut parallel to the fiber direction, the dependence of thermal conductivity on fiber orientation showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a composite infinite in extent. In contrast, the thermal conductivity data for rectangular thick specimens fell well below the data for the thin and angled specimens. For fiber orientation of 45° and higher, at which the heat was directed toward the side of the specimen rather than across, the thermal conductivity values showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a finite composite strip with insulated sides.     

Improved genetic algorithm for channel allocation with channel borrowing in mobile computing

This paper exploits the potential of the Genetic Algorithm to solve the cellular resource allocation problem. When a blocked host is to be allocated to a borrowable channel, a crucial decision is which neighboring cell to choose to borrow a channel. It is an optimization problem and the genetic algorithm is efficiently applied to handle this. The Genetic Algorithm, for this particular problem, is improved by introducing a new genetic operator, named pluck, that incorporates a problem-specific knowledge in population generation and leads to a better channel utilization by reducing the average blocked hosts. The pluck operator makes the crucial decision of when and which cell to borrow with the future consideration that the borrowing should not lead the network to chaos. It makes a channel borrowing decision that minimizes the number of blocked hosts and improves the long-term performance of the network. Efficacy of the proposed method has been evaluated by experimentation.