Vegetation cover seasonal changes assessment from TM imagery in a semi-arid landscape

This work evaluates the suitability of spectral mixture analysis (SMA) methods to assess vegetation cover seasonal changes in a desertification context. Our main interest is to produce remotely sensed derived maps, sensitive to vegetation activity and quite independent of the soil background. A further aim is to analyse the inter-annual variations of this magnitude for different natural vegetation species, in response to seasonal and climatic changes. Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) was obtained using a Variable Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (VESMA) technique. The aim is to identify the main vegetation cover and lithological units and decompose them in separate stages. The use of specific spectral signatures for each pixel allows for a better adaptation of the endmembers to local conditions, which is an important prerequisite to ensure the accuracy of fractions. The method has been tested on a well documented area, the Guadalentin river basin, located in south-eastern Spain. Unlike pine forest and stipa classes, rosmarinus, sparse shrubs and seasonal grasses classes displayed larger inter-annual variability, showing higher stress in response to water availability. A comparative analysis between FVC and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was also conducted. Average values were used as indicators of the dynamics of the vegetation cover, with the variance of each vegetation class giving similar results. The correlation between both magnitudes varied from 55% for the class with least coverage to 90% for the densest vegetation class. Regarding seasonal evolution, the average values and standard deviations of the changes in each vegetation class in specific periods were related to seasonal changes and the effects of the rainfall pattern. Significant differences were found between the two methods, with FVC showing a higher coherence.     

Evaluation of colour difference formulae

Values obtained by using five colour difference formulae in a set of 106 pairs of textile samples are compared with visual assessments. These included not only total colour difference, but also their psychophysical components (lightness, chroma and hue differences). Visual data used for the comparisons are the average from more than eight observers' assessments, carried out under standardised conditions by means of the grey scale method. Linear regression calculations show that the new CIEDE2000 formula gives similar results to the CMC(2:1) formula, with the differences between correlation coefficients not being statistically significant. The application of performance factors helps to ascertain the superiority of these two formulae over the other three tested. This is valid not only for total colour difference, but also for its individual components.     

Multi-Lookup Table FPGA Implementation of an Adaptive Digital Predistorter for Linearizing RF Power Amplifiers With Memory Effects

This paper presents a hardware implementation of a digital predistorter (DPD) for linearizing RF power amplifiers (PAs) for wideband applications. The proposed predistortion linearizer is based on a nonlinear auto-regressive moving average (NARMA) structure, which can be derived from the NARMA PA behavioral model and then mapped into a set of scalable lookup tables (LUTs). The linearizer takes advantage of its recursive nature to relax the LUT count needed to compensate memory effects in PAs. Experimental support is provided by the implementation of the proposed NARMA DPD in a field-programmable gate-array device to linearize a 170-W peak power PA, validating the recursive DPD NARMA structure for W-CDMA signals and flexible transmission bandwidth scenarios. To the best of the authors' knowledge, it is the first time that a recursive structure is experimentally validated for DPD purposes. In addition to the results on PA efficiency and linearity, this paper addresses many practical implementation issues related to the use of FPGA in DPD applications, giving an original insight on actual prototyping scenarios. Finally, this study discusses the possibility of further enhancing the overall efficiency by degrading the PA operation mode, provided that DPD may be unavoidable due to the impact of memory effects.     

Effects of composition and furnace temperature on (Ni,Co) (Cr,Al)2O4 pigments synthesized by solution combustion route

The effects of composition and furnace temperature on Ni_1‐ΨCo_ΨCr_2?2ΨAl_2ΨO₄ (0≤Ψ≤1) pigments prepared by Solution Combustion Synthesis were studied. As‐synthesized samples showed spinel‐like spongy structure, very easy to grind. However, important differences on crystallinity, crystal size, and microstructure were observed depending on composition and furnace temperature. All pigments developed intense tones, covering a wide color palette because of composition influence, although little effect was observed with furnace temperature. Stable crystalline structures, suitable grain size, and high resistance against synthesizing variables and ceramic glazes make SCS pigments perfect candidates to be used in the ceramic ink‐jet decoration.     

Magnetic properties of pure superconducting vanadium foils

We report on the magnetic properties of very pure superconducting vanadium foils (a resistivity ratio of 1500 in the starting single-crystal rod and of 300 in the cold-rolled foils). The magnetization curves are analyzed to obtain, as a function of temperature, the critical magnetic fields, the Ginzburg-Landau parameters, and the characteristic superconducting lengths. The experimental data are compared with the theoretical calculations of Eilenberger and with other measurements reported in the literature.Research Fellow of the Interuniversity Institute for Nuclear Sciences, Belgium.     

Coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters in normal pregnancy and in gestational diabetes

The changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters during pregnancy, delivery and 3 days after delivery were evaluated in normotensive and gestational diabetes pregnant women. Normal pregnant women (n = 60) and pregnant women with gestational diabetes (n = 15) formed the study population. Coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters were estimated using commercial tests. Antithrombin III, thrombin-antithrombin III complexes, heparin cofactor II, protein C, protein S, tissue plasminogen activator, (t-PA) D-dimer and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1 and PAI-2) activities in normal and gestational diabetes pregnancies were determined. Thrombin-antithrombin III complexes increased and coagulation inhibitors decreased in gestational diabetes. Plasminogen activator inhibitors remained unchanged and t-PA levels increased in gestational diabetes.     

Influence of interstitial oxygen on the superconducting transition temperature of vanadium

The critical temperatureT _c and residual resistivity ₀ were measured in homogeneously oxidized thin vanadium foils. The per at % oxygen induced variations are respectively T _c =–1.2K and ₀=53 n-m. TheT _c data are used to calculate the electron-phonon coupling constant, which decreases 5% per at % of oxygen.