A Novel Detection Algorithm Efficient for Turbo Coded CDMA Signals in Detect and Forward Cooperative Channels

In this paper, a new detection algorithm is proposed for turbo coded Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) signals in detect and forward cooperative channels. Use of user cooperation makes much improvement in the performance of CDMA systems. Due to the special structure of CDMA systems, cooperative schemes increase the sum and cutoff capacities of CDMA based wireless systems and improve the quality of user-partner link which enhances the overall performance of the system. In this paper, a new combining scheme is proposed that makes the receiver more robust against the decision errors in the partner link. This structure is simulated for punctured 1/2 rate 4 states turbo code in a channel with first order Markov time variation and different Rice factor variances. Through various simulations, it is shown when the channel estimates are available in the partner and receiver, the cooperation between users provides much diversity gain especially while using the new proposed combining algorithm.     

A boundary elements pseudo heat source method formulation for inverse analysis of solidification problems

 An efficient methodology is presented to solve inverse solidification problems. In the procedure, the latent heat effects are implemented by introducing pseudo heat sources near the moving interface. The material properties can be temperature dependent. To account for the nonlinear part of the governing differential equations, a finite-boundary element formulation is employed. To reduce the oscillations in the solution, a sequential regularization scheme is used. A procedure for proper selection of regularization parameters is presented. To smooth the solutions further, a secondary regularization scheme is introduced and employed. Two complete examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability and the accuracy of the methods. Received: 1 March 2002 / Accepted: 10 February 2003     

Using MBPE technique to accelerate solving the thin-wire EFIE used in numerical simulation of lightning

The antenna theory (AT) model is widely used to numerically simulate the propagation of current wave along lightning return-stroke channels and compute the radiated electromagnetic fields. In this model, the return stroke channel is considered as a vertical monopole antenna above perfectly conducting ground for which the numerical solution of the governing electric field integral equation (EFIE) in the frequency domain by the conventional method of moment (MoM) is prohibitively slow. In this paper, a model-based parameter estimation (MBPE) technique is proposed to reduce the number of frequency-domain calculation points required for the evaluation of space-time current distribution along a lightning return stroke channel. In applying this technique to a rational function model for the channel current distribution, a uniform-like sampling strategy is investigated. In order to accelerate the building of the moment impedance matrix, the reciprocal closed-form mutual impedance of sinusoidal electric dipoles and the symmetry of the model are used. The proposed technique is validated against the conventional inverse fast Fourier transform algorithm which uses a MoM solution for all frequencies within the channel base current spectrum. It is shown that considerable computation efficiency is achieved in terms of CPU time without losing accuracy.     

Hydrothermal synthesis of lead dioxide/multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposite and its application in removal of some organic water pollutants

Lead dioxide/multiwall carbon nanotube (PbO₂/MWCNT) nanocomposite was synthesized by hydrothermal formation of lead dioxide on functionalized MWCNT. PbO₂ nanoparticles were formed from 0.015 M Pb(OH) ₃ ^? (75 ml) solution in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (0.1 g). The solution was mixed with ammonium persulfate (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ as oxidizing agent and transferred to 100 ml Teflon-lined stainless steel autoclave heating it to 60 °C for 3 h. To prepare nanocomposite, PbO₂ formation was carried out in the presence of ultrasonically dispersed MWCNT. A black-brown product was formed in reaction vessel. The product was collected and then dried in an oven at 70 °C for 24 h. The morphology and composition of precipitate were investigated by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of XRD and TEM show globular α-PbO₂ nanoparticles immobilize on the surface of the MWCNTs. Also, TGA results demonstrated the presence of CNT in nanocomposite. The prepared PbO₂/MWCNT nanocomposite is used to construct the solid-phase cartridge. The performance of solid phase in the removal of pesticides from drinking water is determined by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) analysis. The average adsorption depends on concentration of spiked pollutants and their relative standard deviations were between 1.4 and 11 %.     

Synthesis of uniform nano-structured lead oxide by sonochemical method and its application as cathode and anode of lead-acid batteries

This paper discusses the results of a research aimed at investigating the synthesis of nano-structured lead oxide through reaction of lead nitrate solution and sodium carbonate solution by the sonochemical method. At the first, lead carbonate was obtained in a synthesized solution and then, after filtration, it was calcinated at the temperature of 320 °C so that nano-structured lead oxide can be produced. The effects of different parameters on particle size and morphology of final lead oxide powder were optimized by a “one at a time” method. The prepared lead oxide powder was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Under optimum conditions, uniformed and homogeneous nano-structured lead oxide powder with more spongy morphology and particle size of 20-40 nm was obtained. The synthesized lead oxide, as anode and cathode of lead-acid batteries, showed an excellent discharge capacity (140 mA h/g).     

Agent Models and Different User Ontologies for an Electronic Market Place

In this paper the agent-based electronic market architecture GEMS is described. The market incorporates different user perspectives: consumers, retailers, and producers. Ontologies for the different user perspectives are included. Knowledge is included to relate information from the different perspectives; for example, evaluation knowledge that can be used to derive product evaluations in terms of user ontology from product information based on producer ontology. Agent models are used as a high-level design structure for the architecture. It is shown how this combination of agent models, ontologies and knowledge provides an adequate approach to the distributed and knowledge-intensive character of the application.     

Bis (dibenzylidene acetone) palladium (0) catalyst for glycerol oxidation in half cell and in alkaline direct glycerol fuel cell

In this study, catalytic activity and performance of bis (dibenzylidene acetone) palladium (0) catalyst, Pd (DBA)₂, was evaluated toward glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) in alkaline half cell and alkaline direct glycerol fuel cell (DGFC). The electrooxidation of glycerol on Pd (DBA)₂ was characterized in half cell by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronoamperometry (CA) techniques. Obtained results have highlighted the excellent electrocatalyst activity of Pd (DBA)₂ in terms of specific peak current density and onset potential compared to the results obtained by conventional Pd base catalysts. CVs results also demonstrate that Pd (DBA)₂ is still active even after 200 cycles.