Saw and digital technologies in mutlicarrier demodulators

One key technology, for the implementation of future on-board processing payloads, is the multicarrier demodulator (MCD). The MCD is instrumental in allowing FDMA/TDM access schemes which optimize the use of on-board and ground resources in VSAT networks. This paper deals with the analogue and digital implementations of MCD, trying to assess the fields of application of each of the two technologies.     

Pattern recognition in stained HEp-2 cells: Where are we now?

Indirect Immunofluorescence (IIF) images are increasingly being used for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. However, the analysis of this kind of images has until now reached a comparatively low level of automation, if compared with other medical imaging techniques. The Special Issue on the Analysis and Recognition of Indirect Immunofluorescence Images of the Pattern Recognition journal aims at providing a comprehensive evaluation of the state of the art for the staining pattern classification problem, through the adoption of a common experimental protocol and the testing of all the methods on a publicly available dataset.     

An experimental study of soft errors in microprocessors

The issue of soft errors is an important emerging concern in the design and implementation of future microprocessors. The authors examine the impact of soft errors on two different microarchitectures: a DLX processor for embedded applications and a high-performance alpha processor. The results contrast impact of soft errors on combinational and sequential logic, identify the most vulnerable units, and assess soft error impact on the application.     

A wide range kinetic modeling study of pyrolysis and oxidation of methyl butanoate and methyl decanoate – Note II: Lumped kinetic model of decomposition and combustion of methyl esters up to methyl decanoate

The aim of this work is to develop and discuss a lumped kinetic model to simulate the pyrolysis and combustion behavior of methyl decanoate. Validation of the lumped kinetic model of methyl decanoate in a very wide range of conditions, with temperature ranging from 500 to more than 2000 K, pressures up to 16 bar and equivalent ratios from lean to pyrolysis conditions, proved that, despite the drastic simplifications, the model can properly reproduce the experimental measurements in pyrolysis as well as in an oxidation environment, in both the low temperature regime and in flame conditions. This model is an extension of the lumped model of methyl butanoate developed and discussed in the first part of this work [1]. Thus, the lumped kinetic model of methyl butanoate and methyl decanoate is also quite simply applied to simulating the combustion behavior of intermediate methyl esters, by using the lever rule between the two reference components. The overall agreement with experimental measurements is very encouraging and lays the basis for the extension to the lumped kinetic scheme to soy and rapeseed biodiesel fuels.     

Urethane foams from animal fats: VII. Reaction of epoxidized tallow with trimethylolpropane and TMP-HBr

Polyols of higher hydroxyl content than previously obtained from tallow were prepared for use in urethane foams. Epoxidized tallow was caused to react with trimethylolpropane with catalysis by p-toluenesulfonic acid (2%). Reaction at 120 C in toluene gave best results. Alcoholysis occurred both at oxirane and at glyceride linkages, the latter reaction conferring hydroxyl functionality even on nonepoxidized glyceride units. Hydroxyl content of polyol products increased with the functional ratio of the reaction mixture, that is, the molar ratio of OH available from trimethylolpropane to oxirane plus ester from tallow. To provide fire retardant polyols, epoxidized tallow was caused to react with trimethylolpropane and gaseous HBr, best at 80 C in benzene. Examined by thin layer chromatography, the polyols showed polarities in the range of mono-and diglycerides. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, New Orleans, May 1973. ARS, USDA.     

Urethane foams from animal fats. IV. Rigid foams from epoxidized glycerides

Liquid polyols have been prepared from epoxidized glyceryl trioleate, glyceryl monooleate, lard oil, neatsfoot oil, and soybean oil by hydration with 24% fluoboric acid. Upon adjustment of the equivalent weight to 100 with triisopropanolamine, the polyols were foamed by reaction with a prepolymer made from oxypropylated sorbitol and tolylene diisocyanate. The resulting rigid foams had densities between 1.66 and 2.34 lbs/ft³ and compressive strengths ranging from 23 to 39 psi (10% compression). The same polyols were used in one-step systems with PAPI as the isocyanate. In general, foam properties were comparable with those obtained from the prepolymer systems. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, New Orleans, 1967. E. Utiliz. Res. Dev. Div., ARS, USDA.     

Properties of niobium nitride-based Josephson tunnel junctions

High T_c (16.8 K) niobium nitride thin films have been prepared by rf diode sputtering in N₂/Ar atmosphere and subsequent high temperature annealing. Josephson tunnel junctions have been made by thermal oxidation of the films. The geometry is defined by high resolution photolithography. The Josephson junctions have been characterized by magnetic field diffraction measurements and other techniques and are shown to be particularly suitable for applications especially in superconducting microwave integrated devices.     

A real time algorithm for people tracking using contextual reasoning

In this paper we present a real-time tracking algorithm that is able to deal with complex occlusions involving a plurality of moving objects simultaneously. The rationale is grounded on a suitable representation and exploitation of the recent history of each single moving object being tracked. The object history is encoded using a state, and the transitions among the states are described through a Finite State Automata (FSA). In presence of complex situations the tracking is properly solved by making the FSA’s of the involved objects interact with each other. This is the way for basing the tracking decisions not only on the information present in the current frame, but also on conditions that have been observed more stably over a longer time span. The object history can be used to reliably discern the occurrence of the most common problems affecting object detection, making this method particularly robust in complex scenarios. An experimental evaluation of the proposed approach has been made on two publicly available datasets, the ISSIA Soccer Dataset and the PETS 2010 database.     

Urethane foams from animal fats: VIII. Properties of foams from epoxidized tallow trimethylolpropane polyols

Polyols made by reacting trimethylolpropane with epoxidized tallow were converted to urethane foams by reaction with a polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate in the presence of fluorotrichloromethane. Adjusted with triisopropanolamine or an oxypropylated triamine to hydroxyl equivalent of either 100 or 120, the polyols yielded rigid foams of density 1.5–2.0 lb/ft³, open cell content 15–19%, and compressive strength 34–49 psi. These values were superior to those of similar foams from hydrated epoxidized tallow. Polyols made from epoxidized tallow-trimethylolpropane-HBr and adjusted to equivalent wt of 100 and 120 by triisopropanolamine gave foams whose small-scale flammability test samples burned less than 20% of their length. At hydroxyl equivalent 100, foams had density 1.6–1.8, open cell content 20–21%, and compressive strength 34–39 psi; in flammability tests burned <20% of length. The present foams were stronger than those made earlier from solvent-purified hydroxybrominated tallow. Formulation with half the normal amount of freon gave foams of higher compressive strength but lower flame resistance.     

Diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency in children and adolescents: towards a consensus. Ten years after the Availability of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Workshop held in Pisa, Italy, 27-28 March 1998

This article summarizes the content of an international workshop on the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children and adolescents that was held in Pisa, Italy, in March 1998. The issues discussed are divided into those addressing the definition and diagnosis, and the treatment of GHD in children and adolescents, and those concerning the transition of patients with GHD from adolescence to adulthood. Recommendations are presented for improving the diagnosis and management of children and adolescents with GHD and issues are highlighted that require further studies to be undertaken before recommendations can be made.