Access control of data in integrated voice/data CDMA systems:benefits and tradeoffs

In previous work, access control for data has been proposed as a method to ensure adequate quality of service (QoS) in an integrated voice/data CDMA system. The motivation behind access control is to schedule data packet transmissions in slots when voice activity is low and to curtail data transmissions when the voice load is heavy. In this work, the class of probabilistic access control schemes, wherein data transmissions are controlled by dynamically changing the permission probability, are considered. The trigger for changing the permission probability is a measure of the current uplink load. Perfect power control is assumed first, and the trigger for access control is the power control feasibility condition, Schemes based on prediction are analyzed. While prediction schemes are complex to implement, they do provide an upper bound for performance of access control schemes. A simple and practical access control scheme, proposed earlier in the literature, is then extended. It controls the permission probability for data based on uplink load and a 1-bit broadcast feedback to all of the mobiles. The performance of this scheme depends on the choice of three parameters. It is demonstrated that, through a combined choice of these parameters, access control can be tuned to perform as desired and to yield significant capacity gains over not using access control. Results are then extended to the case of imperfect power control, where the outage criterion is based on limiting the total received power at the base station. In this case, too, the simple control scheme is shown to work well     

Role of biomineralization on the degradation of fine grained AZ31 magnesium alloy processed by groove pressing

Groove pressing (GP) has been successfully adopted to achieve fine grain size up to 7 μm in AZ31 magnesium alloy with an initial grain size of 55 μm. The effect of microstructural evolution and surface features on wettability, corrosion resistance, bioactivity and cell adhesion were investigated with an emphasis to study the influence of deposited phases when the samples were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF 5 ×). The role of microstructure was also evaluated without any surface treatments or coatings on the material. GPed samples exhibit improved hydrophilicity compared to the annealed sample. After immersion in SBF, specimens were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. More amount of white precipitates composed of hydroxyapatite and magnesium phosphate along with magnesium hydroxide was observed on the surfaces of groove pressed specimens as compared to the annealed specimens with an increase in immersion time in SBF. Corrosion behavior of the samples estimated using potentiodynamic polarization curves indicate good corrosion resistance for GPed samples before and after immersion in SBF. The MTT assay using rat skeletal muscle (L6) cells revealed that both the processed and unprocessed samples are nontoxic and cell adhesion was promising for GPed sample.     

Investigation of structural, optical, and electrical properties of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene)/fullerene blend nanocomposites for organic solar cells

We investigated the influence of thermal annealing on the structural and optical properties of two variations of organic nanocomposite materials; 1) poly [3-hexylthiophene] and [6,6]-phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester ( P3HT:PC₆₁BM), and 2) poly [3-hexylthiophene] and [6,6]-phenyl C₇₁ butyric acid methyl ester) (P3HT:PC₇₁BM). The evolution of surface roughness and morphology was investigated using atomic force microscopy while device electrical properties were investigated by measuring current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. Upon thermal treatment, results show that P3HT:PC₇₁BM nanocomposites produce a more homogeneous mixture of finer grain size than P3HT:PC₆₁BM. Furthermore, stronger optical absorption in the visible region is observed in P3HT:PC₇₁BM compared to P3HT:PC₆₁BM. Since optical absorption is closely related to film crystallinity, it is inferred that P3HT:PC₇₁BM composites undergo more extensive crystallization upon annealing. Photoluminescence spectra of both P3HT:PC₆₁BM and P3HT:PC₇₁BM nanocomposites (dissolved in chlorobenzene) show that each has excellent quenching effects. I-V characteristic curves show that P3HT:PC₇₁BM registers higher current density under AM 1.5 illumination than does P3HT:PC₆₁BM. For the devices described in this paper having active areas of approximately 12 mm², efficiency is approximately 33% better for C₇₁-based solar cells than that observed for devices made using C₆₁ fullerene.     

Effects of vacuum plasma spray processing parameters on splat morphology

Several statistical tools (i.e., Gaussian and Weibull distribution analyses, the t-test, and analysis of the variance) were used to examine relationships between vacuum plasma spray processing parameters and the morphology of flattened particles (splats) on a smooth, polished substrate. Astroloy, a nickel-base powder, was vacuum plasma sprayed onto polished copper substrates under various processing conditions. Different flattened particle shape factors, including equivalent diameter, elongation factor, and degree of splashing, were determined using image analysis. The spray parameters (i.e., current intensity, chamber pressure, argon mass flow rate, etc.) strongly influenced splat formation and morphology and thus deposit microstructure and properties.     

A macro- and micromechanics investigation of hot cracking in duplex steels

The relationship between microstructure and high temperature ductile tearing in duplex stainless steels has been investigated. Several grades were considered corresponding to different chemical compositions, different volume fractions and morphologies of the ferrite and austenite phases and different oxide inclusion contents. The high temperature cracking resistance has been quantified using both the essential work of fracture (EWF) and the fracture strain. The EWF discriminates the different grades of duplex steels and the different microstructures in terms of hot tearing resistance better than does the fracture strain. Metallographic characterization reveals that damage preferentially nucleates near inclusions at the austenite/ferrite boundary. Voids grow inside the ferrite until they coalesce. Damage develops more rapidly when increasing either the mismatch of rheology between the phases, which was evaluated by micro-scale strain measurements, or the inclusion content. The cracking resistance is related to the plastic work performed in the fracture process zone whereas the fracture strain depends on the damage kinetics. Both processes involve length scales related to the morphology and to the microstructure dimensions. Guidelines for improving the hot cracking resistance of duplex steels are formulated.     

Effect of Ternary Addition of Iron on Shape Memory Characteristics of Cu-Al Alloys

The effect of alloying Cu-Al alloys with Fe on their transformation temperatures and shape memory properties was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and bend test. It was found that the minor additions of iron resulted in change of transformation temperatures and led to excellent shape memory properties of the alloys. Since the transformation temperatures are high, they are an ideal choice for high-temperature applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of bioactive hydroxyapatite/fluoroapatite solid solutions using corals

Hydroxyapatite/fluoropatite solid solutions were prepared by two different methods using Indian coast corals. In the ‘low temperature method’ a known volume (50%) of hydrofluoric acid was added to the coral and an exchange reaction with diammonium phosphate was carried out to form apatite at 250°C under hydrothermal conditions. The coralline derived hydroxyapatite by the above method was reacted with 50 mol% sodium fluoride at 900°C in the ‘high temperature method’. The X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis techniques were employed to characterize the fluorination of the hydroxyapatite.In vitro solubility study in phosphate buffer solution of pH 7·2 indicate the stability of the apatites. The low temperature method of fluorination seems to be advantageous due to betterin vitro stability and absence of impurity phases. Paper presented at the poster session of MRSI AGM VI, Kharagpur, 1995     

Dynamic Trust Management

Trust management forms the basis for communicating policy among system elements and demands credential checking for access to all virtual private service resources—along with careful evaluation of credentials against specified policies—before a party can be trusted.     

Patent research in salmonellosis prevention

Salmonella is one of the major causes of food borne diseases throughout the world. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus to treat or prevent Salmonella infection in humans by various means. This study gives a summary of the various research perspectives, as indicated by the patent disclosures. The study brings out the key patent filers, various technologies involved in salmonellosis prevention, their applications and the research focus of various companies/research institutions.