Ergodic sum capacity maximization for CDMA:Optimum resource allocation

We solve for the optimum signature sequence and power allocation policies that maximize the information-theoretic ergodic sum capacity of a code-division multiple-access (CDMA) system subject to fading. We show that at most N users may transmit at any given channel state, where N is the processing gain; and those users who are transmitting should be assigned orthogonal signature sequences. We also show that the power allocation policy that maximizes the capacity together with the choice of these signature sequences is single-user water-filling over sets of channel states that are favorable to each user. That is, the capacity maximizing signaling scheme is shown to dictate that the users allocate their powers and signature sequences in such a way that they always avoid interference from each other.     

Model evaluation of CO2 reduction technologies in the Asia-pacific region

Global warming is one of the most serious issues in today's world. Various innovative technologies have been proposed for the reduction of CO₂ emissions and the mitigation of global warming. They include (1) the WENET project, inaugurated in 1993 by the government of Japan, in which electricity produced by photovoltaic systems in vast areas such as the Sahara Desert, or by hydropower systems, is converted to hydrogen for transport to demand sites, and (2) Steinberg's Hydrocarb process, in which fossil fuels and biomass are coprocessed to produce carbon and methanol. While Japan is resource-poor, it is located relatively close to Southeast Asia and Australia, which are large regions with abundant solar energy. This paper describes an investigation of the prospects for the adoption of these innovative technologies by Japan and surrounding resource regions in the next 30 to 40 years. An optimizing energy model is developed for the purpose, and the simulation results provide several interesting suggestions regarding Japan's future strategy for combatting global warming.     

Effects of freezing temperature and duration of frozen storage on lipid and protein oxidation in chicken meat

This study examined the effects of freezing temperature and duration of frozen storage on lipid and protein oxidation in chicken leg and breast meat. The meat was frozen at three different temperatures (−7, −12 and −18 °C) and then stored at −18 °C for up to 6 months. A significant effect of frozen storage duration on lipid oxidation was detected in leg and breast meat, whereas freezing temperature had no significant effect. In leg meat, freezing at −7 °C had a significant impact on protein oxidation, measured as the increase in carbonyl groups and the decrease in total sulphydryl groups, after 3 months of frozen storage. Lipid and protein oxidation appeared to occur simultaneously in chicken meat during frozen storage and was more intense in leg meat than in breast meat.     

Public key cryptography based privacy preserving multi-context RFID infrastructure

In this paper, we propose a novel radio frequency identification (RFID) infrastructure enabling multi-purpose RFID tags realized by the use of privacy preserving public key cryptography (PKC) architecture. The infrastructure ensures that the access rights of the tags are preserved based on the spatial and temporal information collected from the RFID readers. We demonstrate that the proposed scheme is secure with respect to cryptanalytic, impersonation, tracking, replay, and relay attacks. We also analyze the feasibility of PKC implementation on passive class 2 RFID tags, and show that the requirements for PKC are comparable to those of other cryptographic implementations based on symmetric ciphers. Our numerical results indicate PKC based systems can outperform symmetric cipher based systems, since the back end servers can identify RFID tags with PKC based systems approximately 57 times faster than the best symmetric cipher based systems.     

Sensitivity and specificity of infrared thermography in detection of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows

The objectives of this experiment were to determine interrelationships among mastitis indicators and evaluate the subclinical mastitis detection ability of infrared thermography (IRT) in comparison with the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Somatic cell count (SCC), CMT, and udder skin surface temperature (USST) data were compiled from 62 Brown Swiss dairy cows (days in milk = 117 ± 51, milk yield = 14.7 ± 5.2 kg; mean ± SD). The CORR, REG, and NLIN procedures of Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) were employed to attain interrelationships among mastitis indicators. The diagnostic merit of IRT as an indirect measure of subclinical mastitis was compared with CMT using the receiver operating characteristics curves. The udder skin surface temperature was positively correlated with the CMT score (r = 0.86) and SCC (r = 0.73). There was an exponential increase in SCC (SCC, ×10³ cells/mL = 22.35 × e^{1.31 × CMT score}; R² = 0.98) and a linear increase in USST (USST, °C = 33.45 + 1.08 × CMT score; R² = 0.75) as the CMT score increased. As SCC increased, USST increased logarithmically [USST, °C = 28.72 + 0.49 × ln(SCC, ×10³ cells/mL); R² = 0.72]. The USST for healthy quarters (SCC ≤400,000 cells/mL; n = 94) was different from that for subclinical mastitic quarters (SCC >400,000 cells/mL; n = 135) (mean ± SE; 33.45 ± 0.09 vs. 35.80 ± 0.08°C). The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 95.6, 93.6, 14.97, 0.05, 95.0, and 93.6, respectively, for IRT and 88.9, 98.9, 83.56, 0.11, 99.2, and 86.1, respectively, for CMT. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for IRT and CMT was not different. In conclusion, as a noninvasive and quick tool, IRT can be employed for screening subclinical mastitis via measuring USST, with a high predictive diagnostic ability similar to CMT when microbiological culturing is unavailable. However, the reliability of IRT among cows with different characteristics and those living under various environmental conditions remains to be determined.     

Synthesis and characterization of imine‐coupled polyphenols containing carbazole units

Imine coupled phenolic monomers containing carbazole unit were synthesized in four steps. The monomers were polymerized via oxidative polycondensation by air as oxidant in an aqueous alkaline medium at 50°C. The structures of compounds were confirmed by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis), Fourier transform infrared, and ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR techniques. The conductivity measurements of these polymers were made by the four‐point probe technique and iodine was used as doping agent. The highest occupied molecular orbital, the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, and electrochemical and optical band gap values were calculated by the results of the UV–vis and the cyclic voltammetry measurement, respectively. The number‐average molecular weight, weight‐average molecular weight, and polydispersity index values were determined by the size exclusion chromatography technique. Also, thermal behavior of these polymers was determined by thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis measurements in a N₂ atmosphere between 20 and 1000°C. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Non-isothermal degradation kinetics of poly (2,2′-dihydroxybiphenyl)

Catalytic oxidative polymerization of 2,2′-dihydroxybiphenyl (DHBP) was performed by using Schiff base polymer-Cu (II) complex and hydrogen peroxide as catalyst and oxidant, respectively. According to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis, the number-average molecular weight (M _n), weight-average molecular weight (M _w) and polydispersity index (PDI) values of poly (2,2′-dihydroxybiphenyl) (PDHBP) were found to be 37,500, 90,000 g mol⁻¹ and 2.4, respectively. The thermal degradation kinetics was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis in dynamic nitrogen atmosphere at four different heating rates: 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C min⁻¹. The derivative thermogravimetry curves of PDHBP showed that its thermal degradation process had one weight-loss step. The apparent activation energies of thermal decomposition for PDHBP as determined by Tang, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), Kissenger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Coats–Redfern (CR) and Invariant kinetic parameter (IKP) methods were 109.1, 109.0, 110.0, 108.4 and 109.8 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The mechanism function and pre-exponential factor were determined by master plots and Criado–Malek–Ortega method. The most likely decomposition process was a D _n Deceleration type in terms of the CR, master plots and Criado–Malek–Ortega results.     

Biosorption of Acid Blue 290 (AB 290) and Acid Blue 324 (AB 324) dyes on Spirogyra rhizopus

In this study, the biosorption of Acid Blue 290 and Acid Blue 324 on Spirogyra rhizopus, a green algae growing on fresh water, was studied with respect to initial pH, temperature, initial dye concentration and biosorbent concentration. The optimum initial pH and temperature values for AB 290 and AB 324 biosorption were found to be 2.0, 30 degrees C and 3.0, 25 degrees C, respectively. It was observed that the adsorbed AB 290 and AB 324 amounts increased with increasing the initial dye concentration up to 1500 and 750 mg/L, respectively. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson and Koble-Corrigan isotherm models were applied to the experimental equilibrium data and the isotherm constants were determined by using Polymath 4.1 software. The monolayer coverage capacities of S. rhizopus for AB 290 and AB 324 dyes were found as 1356.6 mg/g and 367.0 mg/g, respectively. The intraparticle diffusion model and the pseudo-second order kinetic model were applied to the experimental data in order to describe the removal mechanism of these acidic dyes by S. rhizopus. The pseudo-second order kinetic model described very well the biosorption kinetics of AB 290 and AB 324 dyes. Thermodynamic studies showed that the biosorption of AB 290 and AB 324 on S. rhizopus was exothermic in nature.     

Improving performance using cascade control and a Smith predictor

Many investigations have been done on tuning proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers in single-input single-output (SISO) systems. However, only a few investigations have been carried out on tuning PID controllers in cascade control systems. In this paper, a new approach, namely the use of a Smith predictor in the outer loop of a cascade control system, is investigated. The method can be used in temperature control problems where the secondary part of the process (the inner loop) may have a negligible delay while the primary loop (the outer loop) has a time-delay. Two different approaches, including an autotuning method, to find the controller parameters are proposed. It is shown by some examples that the proposed structure as expected can provide better performance than conventional cascade control, a Smith predictor scheme or single feedback control system.