Optimum distributed detection of weak signals in dependent sensors

Locally optimum (LO) distributed detection is considered for observations that are dependent from sensor to sensor. The necessary conditions are presented for LO distributed sensor detector designs. and a locally optimum fusion rule for an N-sensor parallel distributed detection system with dependent sensor observations is given. Specific solutions are obtained for a random signal additive noise detection problem with two sensors. These solutions indicate that the LO sensor detector nonlinearities, in general, contain a term proportional to f'/f, where f is the noise probability density function (pdf). For some non-Gaussian pdf's, the new term is significant and causes the LO sensor detector nonlinearities to be nonsymmetric even for symmetric pdfs. LO solutions are presented for finite sample sizes, and the solutions for the asymptotic case are discussed. These results are extended to yield the form of the solutions for the N-sensor LO random signal distributed detection problem that generalize the two-sensor results     

A generalist herbivore in a specialist mode Metabolic,sequestrative, and defensive consequences

Adults of a generalist herbivore, the lubber grasshopper,Romalea guttata, can be converted to functional specialists by feeding them exclusively on catnip,Nepeta cataria. No obvious adverse effects on adult development resulted from this enforced monophagy. Notwithstanding the fact thatR. guttata has had no coevolutionary relationship with this Eurasian mint, it readily sequesters compounds that are identical to or derived from the terpenoid lactones that are characteristic ofN. cataria. R. guttata appears to both biomagnify minor allelochemicals and to sequester metabolites of theNepeta terpenes in its paired defensive glands. The levels of autogenously produced phenolics are not affected by feeding onN. cataria and the defensive secretions of catnip-fed grasshoppers are more repellent to ants than those of wild-fed acridids. Metabolites of theN. cataria monoterpenes are sequestered in the defensive glands when catnip is added to the natural diet ofR. guttata. The ability of a generalist,R. guttata, to facilely bioaccumulate a potpourri of foreign allelochemicals when feeding in a specialist mode is analyzed in terms of its biochemical, physiological, and functional significance. Sequestration is examined as a response to the enteric effronteries represented by the phytochemicals that can be characteristic of the overload in a monophagous diet.     

Distributed detection with multiple sensors I. Advanced topics

Following the foundational work that established basic ideas for optimum distributed defection schemes using multiple sensors (as reviewed in Part I of this two-part review), further work on distributed detection has developed many useful and interesting extensions of the basic concepts. These more recent developments parallel those that arose from the early work on centralized, classical signal detection, resulting in new ideas of asymptotically optimum nonparametric, robust, and sequential centralized detection. Recent developments on these topics in the setting of distributed signal detection are reviewed in the present paper. Results in these directions are important in practice because they allow cases of modeling uncertainty to be addressed, and they provide more efficient detection schemes by optimizing more general performance criteria     

A note on windowing in the simulation of continuous-timecommunication systems

Simulations of continuous-time systems are frequently used by designers of signal processing and communication systems. Windowed finite-impulse response models are often used in these simulations to model continuous-time linear filters. We investigate the performance of some common windows with respect to waveform fidelity, which is a primary goal in waveform simulation, and we also obtain the form of optimum windows for this criterion. Our results indicate that the rectangular window is generally a practical and reasonably good choice for waveform simulation     

Adhesion studies for probiotics: need for validation and refinement

Adhesion of probiotic bacteria to intestinal epithelial cells is regarded as a prerequisite to exert beneficial health effects. Human intestinal epithelial lines, like Caco-2 or HT-29 cells, have been extensively used to select for adhesive strains in vitro. Adhesion to intestinal mucus has been used to a lesser extent. However, to date, there has been no standardization of the conditions used in in vitro adhesion assays. As a consequence, results obtained in different laboratories using identical strains, but different assay conditions, show great variability. This lack of standardization complicates the interpretation of data and discrepancies emerge on what is meant by effective adhesion. A critical validation of in vitro adhesion is essential for the food industry, using adhesion assays as predicitve screening tools to assess new probiotic strains. In this review we summarize a comparative study on adhesion of the well characterized probiotic bacteria L. johnsonii La1 and L. rhamnosus GG with respect to the influence of bacterial growth conditions, growth phase, buffer, pH, and mucus on adhesion properties. The results are employed in the current scientific discussion to allow a critical evaluation on the reliability of the in vitro assays.     

Receive antenna selection for closely-spaced antennas with mutual coupling

We investigate the achievable rate of receive antenna selection MIMO systems in the presence of mutual coupling and spatial correlation. For that, we assume the antenna array to consist of dipole antennas placed side-by-side in a linear pattern and in a very limited physical space. In a first step, we will assume perfect channel state information at the receiver side only and a negligible training overhead compared with the payload. We will demonstrate that in contrast to what might be expected based on results for cases without mutual coupling, MIMO receive antenna selection can achieve higher data rates than the system using all antennas provided that the total number of receive antennas is larger than a critical value that we will further discuss. We then propose an optimal antenna selection processing that ensures rate maximization regardless of the number of antennas used. In a later step, we will address the impact of training overhead on the system achievable rate when the training overhead is considerable. We will show that such a rate is reduced dramatically due to the large amount of training overhead arising from the presence of mutual coupling. To overcome this problem, we will thus propose a novel channel estimation method, which reduces the training overhead greatly and improves the system achievable rate performance.     

Exact performance of STAP algorithms with mismatched steering andclutter statistics

Adaptive algorithms for receivers employing antenna arrays have received significant attention for radar systems applications. In the majority of these algorithms, the covariance matrix for the clutter-plus-noise is characterized by using samples taken from range cells surrounding the test cell. If the underlying covariance matrix of the test cell is different from the average covariance matrix of the surrounding range cells, significant performance degradation may result. Exact expressions for performance are derived for such cases, when any of a set of popular space-time adaptive processing (STAP) algorithms are used. Numerical evaluation of these expressions illustrates how variations in the parameters of these equations affect probability of detection and probability of false alarm. The equations are utilized to determine an upper bound an the performance of this class of STAP algorithms     

Computer modelling and analysis of the photodegradation effect in a-Si:H p-i-n solar cell

Using a previous model, which was developed to describe the light-induced creation of the defect density in the a-Si:H gap states, we present in this work a numerical modelling of the photodegradation effect in the a-Si:H p-i-n solar cell under continuous illumination. We first considered the simple case of a monochromatic light beam with a wavelength λ between 530-540 nm non uniformly absorbed, then the global standard solar spectrum (AM 1.5) illumination is taken into account. The photodegradation is analysed on the basis of the resulting changes in the free carrier's densities, recombination rate, band structure, electrical potential and field, space charge, and current densities. Changes in the cell's external parameters: the open circuit voltage V_oc, the short circuit current density J_sc, the fill factor FF and the maximum power density P_max are also presented.     

MIMO Radar with Widely Separated Antennas

MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) radar refers to an architecture that employs multiple, spatially distributed transmitters and receivers. While, in a general sense, MIMO radar can be viewed as a type of multistatic radar, the separate nomenclature suggests unique features that set MIMO radar apart from the multistatic radar literature and that have a close relation to MIMO communications. This article reviews some recent work on MIMO radar with widely separated antennas. Widely separated transmit/receive antennas capture the spatial diversity of the target's radar cross section (RCS). Unique features of MIMO radar are explained and illustrated by examples. It is shown that with noncoherent processing, a target's RCS spatial variations can be exploited to obtain a diversity gain for target detection and for estimation of various parameters, such as angle of arrival and Doppler. For target location, it is shown that coherent processing can provide a resolution far exceeding that supported by the radar's waveform.     

Coherent Phonon-Induced Modulation of Charge Transfer in 2D Hybrid Perovskites

Electron–phonon interactions play an essential role in charge transport and transfer processes in semiconductors. For most structures, tailoring electron–phonon interactions for specific functionality remains elusive. Here, it is shown that, in hybrid perovskites, coherent phonon modes can be used to manipulate charge transfer. In the 2D double perovskite, (AE2T)₂AgBiI₈ (AE2T: 5,5“-diylbis(amino-ethyl)-(2,2”-(2)thiophene)), the valence band maximum derived from the [Ag_0.5Bi_0.5I₄]^2– framework lies in close proximity to the AE2T-derived HOMO level, thereby forming a type-II heterostructure. During transient absorption spectroscopy, pulsed excitation creates sustained coherent phonon modes, which periodically modulate the associated electronic levels. Thus, the energy offset at the organic–inorganic interface also oscillates periodically, providing a unique opportunity for modulation of interfacial charge transfer. Density-functional theory corroborates the mechanism and identifies specific phonon modes as likely drivers of the coherent charge transfer. These observations are a striking example of how electron–phonon interactions can be used to manipulate fundamentally important charge and energy transfer processes in hybrid perovskites.