Statistical scattering model in urban propagation environment

A statistical scattering model for mobile radio channels that has the following three features is proposed: 1) the effective scattering area (ESA) is expressed by an ellipse, the center of which is the mobile station (MS) location; 2) the major axis of the ellipse runs parallel along the street where the MS is located; and 3) the scattering power density function around the MS is expressed by a combination of two Laplacian distributions in which the standard deviations are different. To verify the proposed model and obtain realistic values for the model parameters, the spatiotemporal path data observed at a base station (BS) were measured using a 2.2-GHz band in a macrocell scenario (BS antenna height is 60 m) in a typical urban area. The scattering positions are detected from the path information such as the azimuth arrival angle and path length, assuming a single bounce. The spatial distribution of the scattering power is analyzed using principal component analysis. The results showed the ESA to be the anticipated ellipse with the major and minor axes of approximately 210 and 120 m, respectively (axis ratio: approximately 1.7). Furthermore, the power profiles that are projected for each axis of the ellipse can be approximated as Laplacian distributions. Finally, simplification of the proposed model is discussed.     

Direct-coupled distributed baseband amplifier IC's for 40-Gb/soptical communication

We have developed GaAs MESFET baseband amplifiers using novel distributed amplification schemes. The key feature of their design is a direct coupling architecture employing two kinds of new distributed DC transformers. One is a distributed level-shift circuit and the other is a distributed source coupled FET logic (SCFL) level transformer. A two-stage distributed amplifier IC cascaded with the distributed level-shift circuit has a gain of 17 dB with a 0-to-30 GHz bandwidth. This is the best performance so far among all reported GaAs MESFET baseband amplifier ICs. A distributed baseband amplifier IC with the distributed SCFL level transformer connected by another distributed level-shift circuit also has a 0-to-30 GHz bandwidth with a gain of 7 dB. This is the first IC with an SCFL interface to have such broad-band characteristics     

Effect of a topically applied neutralizing antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor on corneal allograft rejection of rat

BACKGROUND: Studies in corneal transplant rejection remain important because acute immunologic rejection continues to be the leading cause of human corneal transplant failure. As the permeability of vessels and the neovascularization induce cells infiltration into the graft, we considered the possibility that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent permeability-increasing factor and angiogenesis-mediating factor, could participate in the immune response. METHODS: As the established corneal transplant model for rejection, the corneal transplant between Lewis and Fisher rats has been reported. First, we evaluated VEGF production in the graft by immunohistochemical method in the animal model. Next, we tried to neutralize the effect of VEGF by topical administration of anti-VEGF antibody. We administered anti-VEGF antibody as eye drops for 10 days just after the transplantation of the established animal corneal transplant model. RESULTS: VEGF was strongly produced from the infiltrative cells into the graft. Anti-VEGF antibody significantly suppressed the acute rejection compared with saline or rabbit IgG. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibition of VEGF by topically applied neutralizing antibody is a new potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of corneal transplantation.     

Contribution of dermal macrophage trafficking in the sensitization phase of contact hypersensitivity

We investigated cellular trafficking of dermal macrophages that express a macrophage calcium-type lectin (MMGL) during the sensitization of delayed-type hypersensitivity. In skin, dermal macrophages, but not epidermal Langerhans cells, have been shown to express MMGL. Epicutaneous sensitization by FITC produced a transient increase in MMGL-positive cells in regional lymph nodes. To directly investigate whether the increase was due to cell migration from dermis, MMGL-positive cells purified from skin were intradermally injected into syngeneic mice after labeling with a fluorescent cell tracer, followed by epicutaneous sensitization over the site of injection. MMGL-positive cells containing the tracer were found in the regional lymph nodes after sensitization. The majority of the MMGL-positive cell migrants were negative for FITC fluorescence despite the presence of FITC-labeled cells that included Langerhans cell migrants. Because the extent of MMGL-positive cell migration was greatly influenced by the selection of vehicles to dissolve FITC, the efficiency of sensitization was compared using the ear swelling test. Migration of both Langerhans cells (FITC-labeled cells) and MMGL-positive cells contributed positively to the efficiency of sensitization. Interestingly, MMGL-positive cell migration was induced by vehicle alone, even in the absence of FITC. These results suggest that migration of dermal MMGL-positive cells accounts for the adjuvant effects of vehicles at least in part.     

Three cases of Gitelman's syndrome possibly caused by different mutations in the thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter

Three adult Japanese cases of Gitelman's syndrome were characterized by secondary aldosteronism, hypokalemic alkalosis, hypomagnesemia, and hypocalciuria. Two were revealed to be familial cases. A mutation in the thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter gene, which had already been confirmed in one family (Takeuchi et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 81: 4496,1996), was not detected in the other two cases. These observations may possibly support the previous report (Simon et al. Nature Genet 12: 24, 1996) that Gitelman's syndrome is caused by a variety of mutations in the thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter.     

0.15-μm buried-channel p-MOSFETs with ultrathin boron-dopedepitaxial Si layer

We demonstrated silicon MOSFETs with a counter-doped ultrathin epitaxial channel grown by low-temperature UHV-CVD; this allows the channel region to be doped with boron with high precision. The boron concentration and epitaxial layer thickness can be chosen independently, and so it is easy to adjust the threshold voltage of the buried-channel p-MOSFETs with n-type polysilicon gates. It was confirmed that choosing an ultrathin epitaxial layer at 10 nm leads to suppression of the short-channel effects in buried-channel p-MOSFETs with gate length down to 0.15 μm, while maintaining an appropriate value of threshold voltage     

A design technique for a high-gain, 10-GHz class-bandwidth GaAsMESFET amplifier IC module

A design procedure is proposed for a high-gain and wideband IC module, using stability analysis and a unified design methodology for ICs and packages. A multichip structure is developed using stability analysis and the requirements for stable operation are determined for each IC chip, package, and interface condition between them. Furthermore, to reduce the parasitic influences, several improvements in the interface and package design are clarified, such as wideband matching and LC resonance damping. IC design using effective feedback techniques for enlarging the bandwidth are also presented. The ICs are fabricated using 0.2-μm GaAs MESFET IC technology. To verify the validity of these techniques, an equalizer IC module for 10-Gb/s optical communication systems was fabricated, achieving a gain of 36 dB and a bandwidth of 9 GHz