Optimal PN sequence design for quasisynchronous CDMA communicationsystems

Direct sequence (DS) code-division multiple-access (CDMA) is a modulation and multiple access technique currently being implemented in digital cellular mobile radio communication systems. The conventional quasisynchronous (QS) DS-CDMA communication system is generalized, and the problem of optimal spreading pseudonoise (PN) sequence design for new QS DS-CDMA communication systems is formulated. The classes of optimal PN sequences which have good pseudo-randomness and very small cross-correlation values for some range of offsets are designed by using a matrix-based approach. In contrast to the case of the other sequences, the optimal PN sequences produce small multiple-access interference (MAI) which is not affected by the number of users if there are sufficiently large number of users in the link. The new results are compared with the commonly used PN sequences to prove the superiority of our designed sequences, and the system performance of the QS-CDMA systems using different PN sequences are also evaluated     

Design of 24 GHz Radar with Subspace‐Based Digital Beam Forming for ACC Stop‐and‐Go System

For an adaptive cruise control (ACC) stop‐and‐go system in automotive applications, three radar sensors are needed because two 24 GHz short range radars are used for object detection in an adjacent lane, and one 77 GHz long‐range radar is used for object detection in the center lane. In this letter, we propose a single sensor‐based 24 GHz radar with a detection capability of up to 150 m and ±30° for an ACC stop‐and‐go system. The developed radar is highly integrated with a high gain patch antenna, four channel receivers with GaAs RF ICs, and back‐end processing board with subspace based digital beam forming algorithm.     

ILAE-defined epilepsy syndromes in children: correlation with quantitative MRI

PURPOSE: The role of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluation of childhood epilepsy remains poorly defined, with minimal published data. Previous work from our center questioned the specificity of hippocampal asymmetry (HA) in an outpatient group whose epilepsy was defined by using clinical and interictal data only. By using childhood volunteer controls and defining epilepsy syndromes using video-EEG monitoring, we readdressed the utility of HA in differentiating mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) from other partial and generalized epileptic syndromes in children. METHODS: Seventy children were enrolled; entry criteria were age younger than 18 years with predominant seizure type recorded on video-EEG telemetry with volumetric MRI in all cases. Thirty healthy child volunteers had volumetric MRI. Epilepsy syndrome classification was according to ILAE. RESULTS: Control data revealed symmetric hippocampi, mean smaller/larger ratio of 0.96 (0.95-0.97, 95% CI) with no gender or right/left predominance. Overall 23% of patients had significant HA. Mean hippocampal ratio for MTLE was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.70-0.86), significantly lower than controls and from all other epilepsy syndromes. HA was highly specific (85%) to the syndrome of MTLE. Other potential epileptogenic lesions were found in 27 (39%) patients, lowest yield in frontal and mesial temporal syndromes. Dual pathology was present in 10% of patients. There was no significant association between HA and risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that HA in children with a well-defined epilepsy syndrome is highly sensitive and specific for MTLE. Whether this will correlate with surgical outcome, as in adults, is the subject of ongoing study.     

Characterization of the surface area of overflow droplets generated by a gas-lift pump under reduced pressure

Water-modelling experiments were carried out to characterize the surface area of overflow droplets generated by a gas-lift pump under reduced pressure as a function of various operating parameters, namely, top pressure, gas flow rate, nozzle submergence, lift ratio and riser diameter. The liquid phase mass transfer coefficient was obtained by applying the penetration theory (Treybal, 1980; Bird et al., 1960) to the overflow generated from the riser. Under reduced pressure, churn-turbulent flow, consisting of distorted bullet-shaped bubbles, was predominant in the flow regime. The increase of liquid circulation rate and flight time and the decrease of droplet size increased the refining rate. Because of the large droplet size, the refining rate of molten metals was smaller than that of water.     

An intra-industry trade model in a vertical differentiation framework

We developed a partial equilibrium model in which intra-industry trade arises as a result of utility maximization of consumers and profit maximization of firms. The driving force for intra-industry trade is non-homothetic preferences of consumers. We utilized a vertical differentiation framework, in which consumers have the same tastes for quality but different income levels determining their non-homogeneous choices. All firms in all countries have access to the same production technology, and there are no differences in factor endowments. Intra-industry trade arises as a result of each firm specializing on a certain segment of the market in all countries. We solved the model numerically for a two-country two-firm setup. In this setup, firms choose their product quality level and their price by maximizing their profits in a two-stage optimization problem. They also decide whether to export to the foreign market or to concentrate only on the domestic market in a standard two-by-two game. With introduction of non-zero transportation costs, trade volumes in both directions decrease. Transportation costs are shared between consumers and firms according to the marginal demand in the domestic versus in the foreign country. This model supports Krugman’s home market effect: In case of non-zero transportation costs, firms want to locate their production site in the country where there is higher marginal demand for their product.     

Spatial and temporal characteristics of neonatal seizures

Thirty-two neonates (26 term and 6 premature) having seizures were prospectively recruited and studied. Using prolonged video/EEG monitoring, we quantified seizure variables (electrographic and clinical seizure durations, interictal periods and electrographic seizure spread) for all 1,420 seizures recorded. The effects of time and antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy were analyzed statistically. Seizures were generally frequent, with limited electrographic spread. However, some neonates had consistently longer interictal periods and 13% had mean interictal periods > 60 min. Seizure variables were relatively stable over time, but they changed with AED therapy. There was a trend to decreased seizure duration, increased length of interictal periods, and decreased electrographic spread. Furthermore, there was evidence of reduced clinical features after sequential AED infusions. Seizures ceased during the monitoring period in 22 neonates. Eighty-five percent of all seizures had no clinical manifestations. Among neonates with clear clinical correlates, clinical observations underestimated electrographic seizures in individual neonates by a mean of 54% (range 0-95%). Seizures generally had limited electrographic spread. Use of only four recording electrodes, characteristic of some portable EEG systems, underestimated seizures in 19 neonates, and missed all seizures in 2.     

Enhancement of electron emission efficiency and stability ofmolybdenum-tip field emitter array by diamond like carbon coating

The effect of diamond like carbon (DLC) films, coated by a layer-by-layer technique using PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) on the electron emission characteristics of molybdenum (Mo)-tip field emitter array (FEA) is examined. The turn-on voltage was lowered from 80 V for the Mo-tip to 65 V for the DLC-coated Mo-tip FEA while the maximum emission current was increased from 140 μA for the Mo-tip to 320 μA for the DLC-coated Mo-tip FEA composed of 900 emitters. For an anode current of 0.1 (μA/emitter) the gate voltage for the DLC-coated Mo-tip FEA and Mo-tip FEA was about 87 and 107 V, respectively. It was also confirmed that the emission current of a DLC-coated Mo-tip FEA was more stable than that of a Mo-tip FEA