Gigahertz signal processing using reflex optoelectronic switching matrices

The application of reflex optoelectronic switching matrices (ROSM) to signal processing in the gigahertz region is analyzed. Various signal processing functions such as delay generation, loop filtering, word generation/detection, integration, and digital to analog conversion are identified and their respective realizations in a ROSM are presented. It is found that for dedicated signal processing functions, simpler submatrices instead of full matrices can be employed with significant reduction in complexity and cost. The performance of ROSM's using currently commercially available components confirms the feasibility of gigahertz signal processing with ROSM's.     

Image compression in digital mammography: effects on computerized detection of subtle microcalcifications

Our previous receiver operating characteristic (ROC) study indicated that the detection accuracy of microcalcifications by radiologists is significantly reduced if mammograms are digitized at 0.1 mm x 0.1 mm. Our recent study also showed that detection accuracy by computer decreases as the pixel size increases from 0.035 mm x 0.035 mm. It is evident that very large matrix sizes have to be used for digitizing mammograms in order to preserve the information in the image. Efficient compression techniques will be needed to facilitate communication and archiving of digital mammograms. In this study, we evaluated two compression techniques: full frame discrete cosine transform (DCT) with entropy coding and Laplacian pyramid hierarchical coding (LPHC). The dependence of their efficiency on the compression parameters was investigated. The techniques were compared in terms of the trade-off between the bit rate and the detection accuracy of subtle microcalcifications by an automated detection algorithm. The mean-square errors in the reconstructed images were determined and the visual quality of the error images was examined. It was found that with the LPHC method, the highest compression ratio achieved without a significant degradation in the detectability was 3.6:1. The full frame DCT method with entropy coding provided a higher compression efficiency of 9.6:1 at comparable detection accuracy. The mean-square errors did not correlate with the detection accuracy of the microcalcifications. This study demonstrated the importance of determining the quality of the decompressed images by the specific requirements of the task for which the decompressed images are to be used. Further investigation is needed for selection of optimal compression technique for digital mammograms.     

The oxidative inducation test applied to medical PVC and other polymers

We have examined the applicability of this simple and effective test to polymer systems widely used in the medical industry. First, it was found that not every polymer examined exhibited a distinct onset of autocatalytic oxidation detectable by DSC. However, for cases where distinct onsets are found, powerful insights can be obtained. These included activation energy of the degradation, thermal oxidative shelf life prediction, and correlation, with product performances. Actual examples are presented to illustrate the utility of the test.     

Reliability Modeling and Analysis of Communication Networks with Dependent Failures

This paper presents a new model to study the reliability of communication networks in which link failures are statistically dependent. The approach tries to identify and model explicitly the events that cause communication link failures. No conditional probabilities are needed, and so two major difficulties inherent to them, namely, an exponential number of conditional probabilities to deal with and a consistency requirement to satisfy, are avoided. For reliability computations, some existing algorithms for finding network reliability can be used with minor modifications and no significant increase in computational complexity.     

Protocol design for scalable and reliable group rekeying

We present the design and specification of a protocol for scalable and reliable group rekeying together with performance evaluation results. The protocol is based upon the use of key trees for secure groups and periodic batch rekeying. At the beginning of each rekey interval, the key server sends a rekey message to all users consisting of encrypted new keys (encryptions, in short) carried in a sequence of packets. We present a scheme for identifying keys, encryptions, and users, and a key assignment algorithm that ensures that the encryptions needed by a user are in the same packet. Our protocol provides reliable delivery of new keys to all users eventually. It also attempts to deliver new keys to all users with a high probability by the end of the rekey interval. For each rekey message, the protocol runs in two steps: a multicast step followed by a unicast step. Proactive forward error correction (FEC) multicast is used to reduce delivery latency. Our experiments show that a small FEC block size can be used to reduce encoding time at the server without increasing server bandwidth overhead. Early transition to unicast, after at most two multicast rounds, further reduces the worst-case delivery latency as well as user bandwidth requirement. The key server adaptively adjusts the proactivity factor based upon past feedback information; our experiments show that the number of NACKs after a multicast round can be effectively controlled around a target number. Throughout the protocol design, we strive to minimize processing and bandwidth requirements for both the key server and users.     

(BETS)2[RuX5NO] (X = Cl, Br): An Explanation of Different Conductive Properties Through Structural and Spectroscopic Studies

For the development of new crystal and electronic structures in molecular conductors, dimeric tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and tetraselenafulvalenes (TSFs)1–3 linked by single or double methyl antimony bridge(s) have been prepared and their neutral crystal structures have been investigated. The donor2 (cis-2) forms a metallic cation radical salt with tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) containing one-dimensional array interactions.     

Linearly many faults in Cayley graphs generated by transposition trees

We prove that when linearly many vertices are deleted in a Cayley graph generated by a transposition tree, the resulting graph has a large connected component containing almost all remaining vertices.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties relations for green bodies compacted from spray dried granules

Alumina granules from three binder systems were spray dried and pressed into bars at varied pressure. Granules are classified as strong, medium and weak as to reflect the different amount of poly(vinyl-butyral) binder and liquid paraffin plasticizer used in the binder system. Mechanical properties of the pressed bars were obtained from a four-point bend test and microstructures were examined using scanning electron microscopy SEM. Strengths and fracture toughnesses are found to increase as a function of compaction pressure, while the calculated effective flaw size is independent of the compaction pressure for all three granule types. Microstructural examination of fracture surfaces revealed that samples compacted at high pressure exhibited more transgranular fracture than samples compacted at low pressure. Evidently, higher pressure had increased the intergranular fracture resistance which correspondingly increased the fracture toughness of the pressed bars. For bars pressed from granules, green body strengths and toughnesses are strongly dependent on the cohesion between pressed granules and not on the effective processing flaw size.