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Air Interface (air + interface)
Selected AbstractsOrdering of Disordered Nanowires: Spontaneous Formation of Highly Aligned, Ultralong Ag Nanowire Films at Oil,Water,Air InterfaceADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 6 2010Hong-Yan Shi Abstract One-dimensional nanomaterials and their assemblies attract considerable scientific interest in the physical, chemical, and biological fields because of their potential applications in electronic and optical devices. The interface-assembly method has become an important route for the self-assembly of nanoparticles, nanosheets, nanotubes, and nanorods, but the self-assembly of ultralong nanowires has only been successful using the Langmuir,Blodgett approach. A novel approach for the spontaneous formation of highly aligned, ultralong Ag nanowire films at the oil,water,air interface is described. In this approach, the three-phase interface directs the movement and self-assembly process of the ultralong Ag nanowires without the effect of an external force or complex apparatus. The ordered films exhibit intrinsic large electromagnetic fields that are localized in the interstitials between adjacent nanowires. This new three-phase-interface approach is proven to be a general route that can be extended to self-assemble other ultralong nanowires and produce ordered films. [source] A mathematical model for steady-state regolith production at constant erosion rateEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 5 2010M.I. Lebedeva Abstract It has been hypothesized that many soil profiles reach a steady-state thickness. In this work, such profiles were simulated using a one-dimensional model of reaction with advective and diffusive solute transport. A model ,rock' is considered, consisting of albite that weathers to kaolinite in the presence of chemically inert quartz. The model yields three different steady-state regimes of weathering. At the lowest erosion rates, a local-equilibrium regime is established where albite is completely depleted in the weathering zone. This regime is equivalent to the transport-limited regime described in the literature. With an increase in erosion rate, transition and kinetic regimes are established. In the transition regime, both albite and kaolinite are present in the weathering zone, but albite does not persist to the soil,air interface. In the weathering-limited regime, here called the kinetic regime, albite persists to the soil,air interface. The steady-state thickness of regolith decreases with increasing erosion rate in the local equilibrium and transition regimes, but in the kinetic regime, this thickness is independent of erosion rate. Analytical expressions derived from the model are used to show that regolith production rates decrease exponentially with regolith thickness. The steady-state regolith thickness increases with the Darcy velocity of the pore fluid, and in the local equilibrium regime may vary markedly with small variations in this velocity and erosion rate. In the weathering-limited regime, the temperature dependences for chemical weathering rates are related to the activation energy for the rate constant for mineral reaction and to the ,H of dissolution, while for local equilibrium regimes they are related to the ,H only. The model illustrates how geochemical and geomorphological observations are related for a simple compositional system. The insights provided will be useful in interpreting natural regolith profiles. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Solar Energy Collectors with Tunable TransmissionADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 9 2010Michael G. Debije Abstract A new type of "smart" window is proposed that makes use of fluorescent dye guests in a liquid-crystal host sandwiched between glass panels. The dye absorbs a variable amount of light depending on its orientation, and re-emits this light, of which a significant fraction is trapped by total internal reflection at the glass,air interface, and becomes concentrated along the edges. Such a device could both generate electricity via an attached photovoltaic as well as allow user control of the amount of transmitted light. By applying a voltage across the cell, absorption could be varied 31%, while the usable light output only varied 11% due to the increased efficiency of light collection at homeotropic dye orientation. [source] Ordering of Disordered Nanowires: Spontaneous Formation of Highly Aligned, Ultralong Ag Nanowire Films at Oil,Water,Air InterfaceADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 6 2010Hong-Yan Shi Abstract One-dimensional nanomaterials and their assemblies attract considerable scientific interest in the physical, chemical, and biological fields because of their potential applications in electronic and optical devices. The interface-assembly method has become an important route for the self-assembly of nanoparticles, nanosheets, nanotubes, and nanorods, but the self-assembly of ultralong nanowires has only been successful using the Langmuir,Blodgett approach. A novel approach for the spontaneous formation of highly aligned, ultralong Ag nanowire films at the oil,water,air interface is described. In this approach, the three-phase interface directs the movement and self-assembly process of the ultralong Ag nanowires without the effect of an external force or complex apparatus. The ordered films exhibit intrinsic large electromagnetic fields that are localized in the interstitials between adjacent nanowires. This new three-phase-interface approach is proven to be a general route that can be extended to self-assemble other ultralong nanowires and produce ordered films. [source] Reliable ALE middleware for RFID network applicationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NETWORK MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2009Nong-Kun Chen Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology adopts the air interface to deliver the information required for object identification. The RFID system is convenient to manage and operate, and is widely encouraged by the large-scale chain industry. Additionally, electronic product code (EPC) network technology allows immediate, automatic identification and sharing of information on items in the supply chain. This work proposes an RFID service middleware with a highly reliable and efficient application-level event (ALE)-based prototype mechanism according to EPCglobal. A Student Muster Roll (SMR) application test bed is implemented in the proposed ALE-based scheme. The SMR system can be employed to manage the absentee records of students in a class, and can manage and control several operation multi-reader devices simultaneously. The proposed scheme can filter attendance accurately, eliminating the possibility of reduplication in student records. Performance evaluation results indicate that the proposed novel scheme is much more efficient and reliable than a naive ALE scheme. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Efficient IP-multicast via Inmarsat BGAN, a 3GPP satellite networkINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 5 2007Paul Febvre Abstract This paper outlines a number of challenges associated with supporting IP-multicast services efficiently across the Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) 3GPP-based satellite network operating over the Imarsat-4 satellite constellation. The paper presents a network architecture that extends the 3GPP reference architecture to allow IP-multicast to be delivered when the Core Network is in a 3GPP Release-4 (non-MBMS compliant) configuration. This paper further extends the service and system concepts defined in 3GPP MBMS to provide improved flexibility and accountability, and improved scalability and efficiency when operating with the Inmarsat-4 BGAN TDM/TDMA air interface. This paper describes a number of radio resource management techniques that were deployed in a test system and the validation testing that was undertaken to support multimedia distribution and VoIP-based netted communications applications. The tuning of application and system behaviour to achieve acceptable performance is described in outline. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Stability analysis of an adaptive packet access scheme for mobile communication systems with high propagation delaysINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 2 2003Giovanni Giambene Abstract In this paper, we investigate a packet access scheme that is able to support mixed traffics in the presence of high propagation delays. Referring to a Time-Code Division Multiple Access air interface, we propose a Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol based on a random access scheme. A successful attempt grants the use of a slot-code resource. This protocol is named Adaptive Time Code-Packet Reservation Multiple Access (ATC-PRMA), since the access parameters are changed, depending on the traffic load conditions, so as to fulfil Quality of Service requirements. Numerical examples are carried out for the Low Earth Orbit (LEO)- Mobile Satellite System (MSS) scenario, but all these considerations could be applied to High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPSs) as well. In both cases, high propagation delays prevent an immediate feedback to users. An analytical approach is proposed to study the stability of our MAC scheme. Accordingly, we define a criterion for optimizing system performance. The predicted ATC-PRMA behaviour is supported by simulation results. Finally, we show the performance improvement of ATC-PRMA with respect to a MAC protocol not employing adaptive parameters. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Efficient integration of isochronous and data bursty traffics in low earth orbit-mobile satellite systems,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 3 2002Alessandro Andreadis Abstract This paper focuses on the radio resource management in low earth orbit-mobile satellite systems (LEO-MSSs) based on a time division multiple access (TDMA) air interface. A novel demand,assignment medium access control (MAC) protocol, named DRAMA+ (dynamic resource assignment multiple access,enhanced version), is proposed, where voice and Web traffic sources obtain transmission slots through requests sent by means of a random access phase. The round-trip propagation delay (RTD) of LEO-MSSs prevents an immediate feedback for each transmission attempt. Therefore, the main concern of the DRAMA+ scheme is to realize an efficient access phase. All the transmission requests successfully received at the satellite are managed by an on board scheduler. We have shown that DRAMA+ outperforms other techniques appeared in the literature in terms of voice quality, transmission delays for bursty data traffics and resource utilization. Moreover, a performance analysis of an ideal version of the DRAMA+ scheme has permitted us to prove the potentialities of the proposed DRAMA+ technique. Stability issues have been addressed as well as the impact on the DRAMA+ performance of the LEO satellite constellation RTD value. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] GPRS random access channel performance over the Geostationary Mobile Satellite StandardINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 6 2001Daniel A. Voce The performance of the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) random access channel as applied to the newly proposed Geostationary Mobile Satellite Standard (GMSS) is analysed. This standard adapts the GSM air interface to a geostationary satellite network. The channel is studied using analytical techniques. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Joint spectrum and power optimization in the design of the UMTS satellite componentINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 6 2001Ernestina Cianca Abstract The paper provides a power and spectrum joint analysis of the universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) satellite component, based on the wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) air interface. In fact, power and spectral efficiency may become highly conflicting requirements in a satellite system and a trade-off analysis is needed to drive a proper dimensioning of the satellite. The proposed approach allows a dimensioning of the satellite component either in terms of orbit and power budget or in terms of additional capacity for the terrestrial section, for specified orbit and power limitations. The impact of candidate frequency bands, orbit type and diversity on both spectral and power requirements of the satellite component is evaluated. For given traffic requirements, power-vs-spectrum trade-off is proposed which ensures a proper resources utilization. The efficiency evaluation accounts for: beams overlapping, ortho gonality, voice activity factor, diversity and cross-polarization frequency reuse. Perfect power control is assumed and the effect of the excess power required by the shadowed users is accounted for in the interference calculation. Furthermore, still in the frame of a proper resource exploitation, a possible optimization of capacity through the use of unpaired bands in the two link directions is analysed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Structure, function and evolution of the gas exchangers: comparative perspectivesJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 4 2002J. N. Maina Abstract Over the evolutionary continuum, animals have faced similar fundamental challenges of acquiring molecular oxygen for aerobic metabolism. Under limitations and constraints imposed by factors such as phylogeny, behaviour, body size and environment, they have responded differently in founding optimal respiratory structures. A quintessence of the aphorism that ,necessity is the mother of invention', gas exchangers have been inaugurated through stiff cost,benefit analyses that have evoked transaction of trade-offs and compromises. Cogent structural,functional correlations occur in constructions of gas exchangers: within and between taxa, morphological complexity and respiratory efficiency increase with metabolic capacities and oxygen needs. Highly active, small endotherms have relatively better-refined gas exchangers compared with large, inactive ectotherms. Respiratory structures have developed from the plain cell membrane of the primeval prokaryotic unicells to complex multifunctional ones of the modern Metazoa. Regarding the respiratory medium used to extract oxygen from, animal life has had only two choices , water or air , within the biological range of temperature and pressure the only naturally occurring respirable fluids. In rarer cases, certain animals have adapted to using both media. Gills (evaginated gas exchangers) are the primordial respiratory organs: they are the archetypal water breathing organs. Lungs (invaginated gas exchangers) are the model air breathing organs. Bimodal (transitional) breathers occupy the water,air interface. Presentation and exposure of external (water/air) and internal (haemolymph/blood) respiratory media, features determined by geometric arrangement of the conduits, are important features for gas exchange efficiency: counter-current, cross-current, uniform pool and infinite pool designs have variably developed. [source] An ab initio theoretical study of electronic structure and properties of 2,-deoxyguanosine in gas phase and aqueous mediaJOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2002S. K. Mishra Abstract Molecular geometries of two structural forms of 2,-deoxyguanosine (keto-N9R and keto-N7R, R = the sugar moiety) considering both the C2,-endo and C3,-endo conformations of the sugar ring and those of the complexes of these species with two water molecules each were optimized employing the ab initio RHF procedure. A mixed basis set consisting of the 6-311+G* basis set for the nitrogen atom of the amino group and the 4-31G basis set for all the other atoms was used. The RHF calculations were followed by correlation correction of the total energy at the MP2 level. Both the structural forms of 2,-deoxyguanosine were solvated using the polarized continuum model (PCM) of the self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) theory and the corresponding RHF optimized geometries at the RHF and MP2 levels. Geometry optimization was also performed in aqueous media using the Onsager model at the RHF level using the above-mentioned mixed basis set, and subsequently, using the reoptimized geometries, single-point MP2 calculations were performed. It is found that both the keto-N9R and keto-N7R forms of 2,-deoxyguanosine as well as their complexes with two water molecules each would occur, particularly at the water,air interface. Though the normal Watson,Crick-type base pairing would not be possible with the keto-N7R form of 2,-deoxyguanosine(G*), two other (G*-C and G*-T) base pairing schemes may occur with this form of the nucleoside, which may cause mutation. The present calculated geometry of the keto-N9R form of the anti -conformation of 2,-deoxyguanosine including the dihedral angle ,CN agree satisfactorily with the available crystallographic results. The present results also agree satisfactorily with those obtained by other authors earlier for the keto-N9R form of 2,-deoxyguanosine using B3LYP and MP2 methods employing the 6-31G* basis set. Using transition state calculations, it is shown that tautomerism of guanine and other similar molecules where the tautomers would coexist would be facilitated by the occurrence of the H+ and OH, fragments of water molecules. Further, this coexistence of the two tautomers appears to make the C8 carbon atom located between the N7 and N9 nitrogen atoms susceptible to attack by the OH, group. Thus, an explanation is obtained for the efficient formation of the reaction product 8-hydroxy-2,-deoxyguanosine, which serves as a biomarker for oxidative damage to DNA in biological systems. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 23: 530,540, 2002; DOI 10.1002/jcc.10046 [source] Acorn-Shape Polymeric Nano-Colloids: Synthesis and Self-Assembled FilmsMACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 2 2010Anuradha Misra Abstract These studies show for the first time that the synthesis of two distinct phase-separated copolymers within one colloidal particle, i.e., poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/n -butylacrylate (nBA) and poly(nBA)/pentafluorostyrene (p-PFS) phases, results in unique acorn-shaped morphologies and are capable of coalescence. Spectroscopic and morphological analysis combined with contact angle measurements as well as thermodynamic modeling reveal that in an effort to create stable heterogeneous two-phase particle morphologies it is essential to provide desirable interfacial energetic conditions during polymerization and to utilise monomers that have a similar glass transition temperature (Tg). Such colloidal particles are stable and are able to self-assemble during coalescence, depending upon the surface energy of a substrate. When a particle monolayer coalesces on a high surface tension substrate, the p-PFS phase expresses itself near the film,air interface, whereas for low surface energy substrates, the p-PFS phase dominates the film,substrate interfacial regions. [source] Generic UMTS test signal for RF bioelectromagnetic studiesBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 6 2004H. Ndoumbč Mbonjo Mbonjo Abstract This report outlines the characteristics of universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) signals and discusses the signal parameters with respect to their possible biological relevance in order to define a generic UMTS test signal (GUS) for experiments aiming at the investigation of biological effects of weak electromagnetic fields. The GUS includes features of a real UMTS signal and especially the characteristics of UMTS, which differ from those of already applied second generation mobile communication systems (GSM 900, DCS1800, PCS1900, IS-95). It has been specified on the basis of the recommendations of a working group of the German Forschungsgemeinschaft Funk (FGF) with a focus on the mechanisms of UMTS which are responsible for slow term signal contributions, i.e., low frequency variations of the radio frequency (RF) envelope, since the hypothetical possibility of biological relevance of weak electromagnetic fields is often attributed to time variations of the RF envelope with frequencies close to those of natural processes. In this respect, it is also shown that the mandatory power control loop in UMTS gives rise to very strong 1.5 kHz variations on the air interface. Based upon the concept of the GUS, a UMTS test signal generator (GUS6960S) is described. Bioelectromagnetics 25:415,425, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Aqueous films limit bacterial cell motility and colony expansion on partially saturated rough surfacesENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Gang Wang Summary Bacterial motility is a key mechanism for survival in a patchy environment and is important for ecosystem biodiversity maintenance. Quantitative description of bacterial motility in soils is hindered by inherent heterogeneity, pore-space complexity and dynamics of microhydrological conditions. Unsaturated conditions result in fragmented aquatic habitats often too small to support full bacterial immersion thereby forcing strong interactions with mineral and air interfaces that significantly restrict motility. A new hybrid model was developed to study hydration effects on bacterial motility. Simulation results using literature parameter values illustrate sensitivity of colony expansion rates to hydration conditions and are in general agreement with measured values. Under matric potentials greater than ,0.5 kPa (wet), bacterial colonies grew fast at colony expansion rates exceeding 421 ± 94 µm h,1; rates dropped significantly to 31 ± 10 µm h,1 at ,2 kPa; as expected, no significant colony expansion was observed at ,5 kPa because of the dominance of capillary pinning forces in the submicrometric water film. Quantification of hydration-related constraints on bacterial motion provides insights into optimal conditions for bacterial dispersion and spatial ranges of resource accessibility important for bioremediation and biogeochemical cycles. Results define surprisingly narrow range of hydration conditions where motility confers ecological advantage on natural surfaces. [source] RADIOSTAR: Providing wireless coverage over Gigabit EthernetBELL LABS TECHNICAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2009Zhengxiang Ma RadioStar is a novel system developed by Bell Labs to provide low cost, cellular wireless coverage primarily targeted for enterprises, public spaces, and residences. The underlying concept is to digitize the output radio signals of a base station and to transport these signals over a Gigabit Ethernet network to multiple low-cost radio frequency radiation points. The received signals are returned through the network to the base station. This paper presents the architecture, implementation, and demonstration of RadioStar. It is shown how handoffs and precise frequency synchronization and timing control over a Gigabit Ethernet network can be established in such a way that the most stringent requirements of cellular communication air interfaces are satisfied. By converging cellular signal transport onto Gigabit Ethernet data networks, RadioStar can achieve substantially lower hardware and installation costs, while providing higher performance, more flexibility, and better operation, administration, and maintenance than current solutions. RadioStar concepts are being used in the ClearFill Star in-building product developed by the RFS business division of Alcatel-Lucent and currently being deployed commercially. © 2009 Alcatel-Lucent. [source] Self-Assembled Free-Standing Graphite Oxide MembraneADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 29 2009Chengmeng Chen Flexible, semi-transparent, and free-standing graphite oxide membranes are produced by a facile self-assembly process at the liquid/air interface, and the membranes are thickness controlled and area adjustable. Such macroscopic membranes are constructed from individual graphene oxide sheets by layer-by-layer stacking and show excellent mechanical and optical performance. [source] Spontaneous and stimulated emission in InAs LEDs with cavity formed by gold anode and semiconductor/Air interfacePHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 2 2005B. Matveev Abstract The paper presents results on spectral and power measurements in InAsSbP/InAs double heterostructure flip-chip LEDs with cavity formed by bottom anode mirror and air/semiconductor interface in the temperature range of 77,573 K. Data on near and far field patterns in the 3 µm range together with the threshold characteristincs of the L-I curves are discussed with respect to resonant cavity effects at 77,573 K and stimulated emission at 77 K in the direction perpendicular to the p-n junction. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] The association between non-biting midges and Vibrio choleraeENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2008Meir Broza Summary Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of aquatic ecosystems, yet its interactions within this habitat are poorly understood. Here we describe the current knowledge on the interaction of V. cholerae with one group of co-inhabitants, the chironomids. Chironomids, non-biting midges (Chironomidae, Diptera), are an abundant macroinvertebrate group encountered in freshwater aquatic habitats. As holometabolous insects, chironomids start life when their larvae hatch from eggs laid at the water/air interface; through various feeding strategies, the larvae grow and pupate to become short-lived, non-feeding, adult flying insects. The discovery of the connection between V. cholerae and chironomids was accidental. While working with Chironomus transavaalensis, we observed the disintegration of its egg masses and searched for a possible microbial agent. We identified V. cholerae as the primary cause of this phenomenon. Haemagglutinin/protease, a secreted extracellular enzyme, degraded the gelatinous matrix surrounding the eggs, enabling bacterial growth. Observation of chironomids in relation to V. cholerae continuously for 7 years in various types of water bodies in Israel, India, and Africa revealed that environmental V. cholerae adhere to egg-mass surfaces of various Chironomini (,bloodworms'). The flying adults' potential to serve as mechanical vectors of V. cholerae from one water body to another was established. This, in turn, suggested that these insects play a role in the ecology of V. cholerae and possibly take part in the dissemination of the pathogenic serogroups during, and especially between, epidemics. [source] | ||||||||||||||||