Experimental evaluation of space/frequency/polarization diversityin the indoor wireless channel

A series of experiments that were conducted to evaluate the relative merits of frequency, space, and polarization diversities in indoor portable radio channels at 900 MHz are described. Unmodulated tones were used to probe the channel in a typical university work environment. The statistics of the signal envelopes were analyzed to determine the correlation of the field strengths when the signals are separated in space, frequency or polarization. According to the results presented here, the performance of a narrowband system (<200 kHz) at 900 MHz could greatly benefit from a frequency diversity scheme provided that the separation between the two frequencies is greater than approximately 5 MHz. Similarly, the advantage of space diversity is found significant when the two antennas are spaced by 3/4 wavelength or more. Co-polarized and cross-polarized signals are nearly uncorrelated and their relative field strengths differ by less than 2 dB in most locations     

Elimination protocols in atopic dermatitis

Both dacryocystography and dacryoscintigraphy are well established in the evaluation of stenoses of the lacrimal drainage system. They provide limited information about the ductal anatomy itself and about periductal structures. MR imaging was evaluated for its capability to directly visualize the lacrimal drainage system in detail and simultaneously provide functional characterization of dacryostenosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven lacrimal drainage systems of 23 patients suffering from epiphora were examined in an MR unit before and after conjunctival and intravenous application of Gd-DTPA using a surface coil. RESULTS: Dacryostenosis was found in 23 of 27 lacrimal systems. Stenoses were localized to the canalicular (n = 3), saccular (n = 8), and ductal (n = 12) level, and were classified as stenosis or occlusion. CONCLUSION: MR imaging with conjunctival contrast application allows within one examination both detailed morphological and functional assessment of the lacrimal drainage system with depiction of surrounding structures. Limitations arise mainly from demands on technical and patient-related preconditions.     

Characterisation of electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni–Mo alloys

Ni–Mo nanocrystalline layers were electrodeposited using direct current from citrate–ammonia solutions. The quartz crystal microbalance investigation confirms that the discharge process starts with hydrogen evolution before the onset of the alloy deposition. The grain size was estimated from X-ray line broadening. It decreases when the molybdenum content is increased. It is smaller for layers deposited at pH 9.5 than 8.5. The microhardness exhibits a maximum close to 800 Vickers for _Mo around 17 wt%. For higher _Mo a softening is observed showing a deviation from Hall-Petch behaviour due to small grain size. In deaerated hydrochloric solutions, the layers show a large passivation domain without any pitting. The corrosion currents as well as the passivation currents, higher than for the bulk Hastelloy B alloy, decrease when _Mo is increased.     

Self-assembling of atomic vacancies at an oxide/intermetallic alloy interface

Oxide layers grown on the surface provide an effective way of protecting metallic materials against corrosion for sustainable use in a broad range of applications. However, the growth of cavities at the metal/oxide interface weakens the adherence of the protective layer and can promote its spallation under service conditions, as observed for alumina layers formed by selective oxidation of aluminide intermetallic alloys used in high-temperature applications. Here we show that direct atomic-scale observations of the interface between an ultrathin protective oxide layer (alumina) grown on an intermetallic titanium aluminide substrate (TiAl) can be performed with techniques sensitive to the topmost atomic layers at the surface. Nanocavities resulting from the self-assembling of atomic vacancies injected at the interface by the growth mechanism of the protective oxide are observed for the first time, bringing new insight into the understanding of the fate of injected cavities in oxidation processes.     

Immediate adaptation of the dog kidney to acute hypercapnia

Studies were performed to determine whether ammoniagenesis could adapt instantaneously to acidosis in the dog kidney. Following acute respiratory acidosis, renal glutamine extraction rose acutely in dogs with stable renal blood flow but did not change when the renal blood flow fell by more than 25%. Acute hypercapnia immediately increased renal ammonia production in both groups of dogs. The rate of both glutamine extraction and ammonia production in acutely hypercapnic dogs without hemodynamic changes was comparable to the rates observed in dogs with chronic metabolic acidosis. Furthermore, the renal metabolite profile observed in acute hypercapnia was similar to the pattern described in chronic metabolic acidosis, i.e., a marked fall in renal glutamate and alpha-ketoglutarate concentrations and a fivefold increase in malate and oxaloacetate concentrations. In the liver and muscle, acute hypercapnia induced no significant change in glutamine concentration but glutamate and alpha-ketoglutarate concentrations decreased. Our findings demonstrate that the dog kidney can adapt immediately to acidosis but that hemodynamic change may mask this adaptation.     

Generalized diffusion model in optical tomography with clear layers

We introduce a generalized diffusion equation that models the propagation of photons in highly scattering domains with thin nonscattering clear layers. Classical diffusion models break down in the presence of clear layers. The model that we propose accurately accounts for the clear-layer effects and has a computational cost comparable to that of classical diffusion. It is based on modeling the propagation in the clear layer as a local tangential diffusion process. It can be justified mathematically in the limit of small mean free paths and is shown numerically to be very accurate in two- and three-dimensional idealized cases. We believe that this model can be used as an accurate forward model in optical tomography.     

The impact of print exposure quality and inference construction on syllogistic reasoning.

This study extended the work of S. Siddiqui, R. F. West, and K. E. Stanovich (1998), who studied the link between general print exposure and syllogistic reasoning. It was hypothesized that exposure to certain text structures that contain well-delineated logical forms, such as popularized scientific texts, would be a better predictor of deductive reasoning skill than general print exposure, which is not sensitive to the quality of an individual's reading activity. Furthermore, it was predicted that the ability to generate explanatory bridging inferences while reading would also be predictive of syllogistic reasoning. Undergraduate students (N = 112) were tested for vocabulary, nonverbal cognitive ability, exposure to general print, exposure to popularized scientific literature, and the ability to comprehend texts distinguished by the number of inferences that must be generated to support comprehension. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that a combined measure of exposure to general and scientific literature was a significant predictor of syllogistic reasoning ability. Additionally, the ability to comprehend high-inference-load texts was related to solving syllogisms that were inconsistent with world knowledge, indicating an overlap in deductive reasoning skill and text comprehension processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Co(II)(l-proline)2(H2O)2 solid complex: Characterization,magnetic properties,and DFT computations. Preliminary studies of its use as oxygen scavenger in packaging films

A solid Co^II complex with l-proline as ligand was synthesized and fully characterized using spectroscopic studies, magnetic data, and DFT calculations. Dioxygen scavenging properties were investigated by UV/Vis spectroscopy and oxymetry techniques. The Co-proline system presented very interesting properties in matter of oxygen absorption capacity both in solution and incorporated in a polymer matrix.     

Temporal Regionalization of 7-Day Low Flows in the St. Lawrence Watershed in Quebec (Canada)

Winter and summer 7-day low flows of eighteen natural rivers in the St. Lawrence River watershed of Quebec were analyzed over the period from 1934 to 2000. The rivers were first subdivided into three modes using principal component analysis. Two of these modes are located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, respectively south (Southeast mode) and north (East mode) of the 47°N, and the third (Southwest mode) is located on the north shore. The Southeast mode shows a significant increase in 7-day low flows in winter and summer due to increasing summer and fall precipitation, whereas the Southwest mode shows a significant decrease in summer 7-day low flows due to an increase in evapotranspiration. No significant change in winter and summer 7-day low flows is observed in the East mode. Results show that the variability of 7-day low flows and their link with climate indices are mainly seasonally dependent. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is the only index which is correlated to 7-day low flows in all three modes. This correlation is positive for north shore rivers and negative for south shore rivers. Furthermore, only north shore rivers are correlated to NAO in both winter and summer.     

Frequency-domain identification of linear systems using arbitraryexcitations and a nonparametric noise model

Presents a generalized frequency domain identification method to identify single-input/single-output (SISO) systems combining two previously published extensions in one method: arbitrary but persistent excitations are allowed and a nonparametric noise model is extracted from the same data that are used to identify the system. The method is directly applicable to identification in feedback if an external persistently exciting reference signal is available