Information-theoretic considerations for symmetric, cellular,multiple-access fading channels. II

For pt.I see ibid., vol.43, no.6, p.1877-94 (1997). A simple idealized linear (and planar) uplink, cellular, multiple-access communication model, where only adjacent cell interference is present and all signals may experience fading is considered. Shannon theoretic arguments are invoked to gain insight into the implications on performance of the main system parameters and multiple-access techniques. The model treated in Part I (Shamai, 1997) is extended here to account for cell-site receivers that may process also the received signal at an adjacent cell site, compromising thus between the advantage of incorporating additional information from other cell sites on one hand and the associated excess processing complexity on the other. Various settings which include fading, time-division multiple access (TDMA), wideband (WB), and (optimized) fractional inter-cell time sharing (ICTS) protocols are investigated and compared. In this case and for the WB approach and a large number of users per cell it is found, surprisingly, that fading may enhance performance in terms of Shannon theoretic achievable rates. The linear model is extended to account for general linear and planar configurations. The effect of a random number of users per cell is investigated and it is demonstrated that randomization is beneficial. Certain aspects of diversity as well as some features of TDMA and orthogonal code-division multiple access (CDMA) techniques in the presence of fading are studied in an isolated cell scenario     

Tight exponential upper bounds on the ML decoding error probability of block codes over fully interleaved fading channels

We derive tight exponential upper bounds on the decoding error probability of block codes which are operating over fully interleaved Rician fading channels, coherently detected and maximum-likelihood decoded. It is assumed that the fading samples are statistically independent and that perfect estimates of these samples are provided to the decoder. These upper bounds on the bit and block error probabilities are based on certain variations of the Gallager bounds. These bounds do not require integration in their final version and they are reasonably tight in a certain portion of the rate region exceeding the cutoff rate of the channel. By inserting interconnections between these bounds, we show that they are generalized versions of some reported bounds for the binary-input additive white Gaussian noise channel.     

Degrees of Freedom Region of the MIMO X Channel

We provide achievability as well as converse results for the degrees of freedom region of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) X channel, i.e., a system with two transmitters, two receivers, each equipped with multiple antennas, where independent messages need to be conveyed over fixed channels from each transmitter to each receiver. The inner and outer bounds on the degrees of freedom region are tight whenever integer degrees of freedom are optimal for each message. With M = 1 antennas at each node, we find that the total (sum rate) degrees of freedom are bounded above and below as 1 les eta*x les 4/3. If M > 1 and channel matrices are nondegenerate then the precise degrees of freedom eta*x = (4/3)M. Thus, the MIMO X channel has noninteger degrees of freedom when M is not a multiple of 3. Simple zero forcing without dirty paper encoding or successive decoding, suffices to achieve the (4/3)M degrees of freedom. If the channels vary with time/frequency then the channel with single antennas (M = 1) at all nodes has exactly 4/3 degrees of freedom. The key idea for the achievability of the degrees of freedom is interference alignment-i.e., signal spaces are aligned at receivers where they constitute interference while they are separable at receivers where they are desired. We also explore the increase in degrees of freedom when some of the messages are made available to a transmitter or receiver in the manner of cognitive radio.     

Quantum Effects in Three-Dimensional H + D2 Reaction at High Energies

The H + D₂ reactive system was studied in the energy range 0.84 < E_tr < 2.70 eV employing the ordinary Quasi-Classical Trajectory Approach (QCTA), the Classical and the Quantum Reactive Infinite Order Sudden Approximations (CRIOSA and QRIOSA), and the Angle-Oriented Transition State Theory (AOTST). From a detailed analysis of the various integral cross-sections and opacity functions, it was concluded that pronounced quantum effects ( > 10%) are expected in the high-energy region (≤ 2 eV).     

On the capacity-achieving distribution of the discrete-time noncoherent and partially coherent AWGN channels

We investigate the communication limits over rapid phase-varying channels and consider the capacity of a discrete- time noncoherent additive white Gaussian noise (NCAWGN) channel under the average power constraint. We obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for the capacity-achieving input distribution and show that this distribution is discrete and possesses an infinite number of mass points. Using this characterization of the capacity-achieving distribution we compute a tight lower bound on the capacity of the channel based on examining suboptimal input distributions. In addition, we provide some easily computable lower and upper bounds on the channel capacity. Finally, we extend some of these results to the partially coherent channel, where it is assumed that a phase-locked loop (PLL) is used to track the carrier phase at the receiver, and that an ideal interleaver and de-interleaver are employed-rendering the Tikhonov distributed residual phase errors statistically independent from one symbol interval to another.     

On the capacity of binary and Gaussian channels withrun-length-limited inputs

Bounds on the capacity of binary symmetric channels and additive Gaussian channels with run-length-limited two-level (binary, bipolar) inputs are presented, and their tightness is demonstrated for some cases. Stationary input sequences, which do not degrade capacity, are considered when deriving the bounds. Lower bounds on the magnetic recording density for a simple continuous-time recording model incorporating a minimal intertransition constraint are evaluated for soft and hard decisions. A superiority of about 1.5 dB in signal-to-noise ratio is observed for the soft-decision scheme     

Sorption of propylene oxide by various commodities

Sorption of propylene oxide (PPO) by various commodities was studied at different concentrations during a 4-h exposure at 30 °C. A gas chromatograph was used to determine sorption of PPO applied at concentrations of 24, 49, 82 and 112 mg/l by 1±0.01 kg of narcissus bulbs, wheat, corn and cocoa beans in 2.64-l fumigation chambers. Results showed that for corn and cocoa beans the decrease in concentration during the first hour, that ranged from 40% to 76% of the initial concentration applied, was much greater than that for narcissus bulbs and wheat, which ranged from 25% to 41% of the initial concentration applied. PPO was initially taken up faster by corn and cocoa beans than by narcissus bulbs and wheat. The average sorption rate for each commodity increased with increasing initial concentration. The average sorption rate of PPO by corn and cocoa beans ranged from 14.9 to 48.6 ((mg/kg)/h) which was higher at each concentration than sorption by narcissus bulbs and wheat. In spite of the relatively high rates of sorption, the PPO residues among wheat, corn and cocoa beans immediately following a 4-h fumigation were well below the 300 ppm tolerance. These data show that PPO rapidly desorbed from the commodities under fumigation at 30 °C and at ambient atmospheric pressure.     

Quantitative pulsed CEST-MRI at a clinical 3T MRI system

Objectives

The goal of this study was to quantify CEST related parameters such as chemical exchange rate and fractional concentration of exchanging protons at a clinical 3T scanner. For this purpose, two CEST quantification approaches—the AREX metric (for ‘apparent exchange dependent relaxation’), and the AREX-based Ω-plot method were used. In addition, two different pulsed RF irradiation schemes, using Gaussian-shaped and spin-lock pulses, were compared.

Materials and methods

Numerical simulations as well as MRI measurements in phantoms were performed. For simulations, the Bloch–McConnell equations were solved using a two-pool exchange model. MR experiments were performed on a clinical 3T MRI scanner using a cylindrical phantom filled with creatine solution at different pH values and different concentrations.

Results

The validity of the Ω-plot method and the AREX approach using spin-lock preparation for determination of the quantitative CEST parameters was demonstrated. Especially promising results were achieved for the Ω-plot method when the spin-lock preparation was employed.

Conclusion

Pulsed CEST at 3T could be used to quantify parameters such as exchange rate constants and concentrations of protons exchanging with free water. In the future this technique might be used to estimate the exchange rates and concentrations of biochemical substances in human tissues in vivo.

     

Self‐Assembly of Perovskite for Fabrication of Semitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells

This work reports on the preparation of semitransparent perovskite solar cells. The cells transparency is achieved through a unique wet deposition technique that creates perovskite grids with various dimensions. The perovskite grid is deposited on a mesoporous TiO₂ layer, followed by hole transport material deposition and evaporation of a semitransparent gold film. Control of the transparency of the solar cells is achieved by changing the perovskite solution concentration and the mesh openings. The semitransparent cells demonstrate 20–70% transparency with a power conversion efficiency of 5% at 20% transparency. This is the first demonstration of the possibility to create a controlled perovskite pattern using a direct mesh‐assisted assembly deposition method for fabrication of a semitransparent perovskite‐based solar cell.