Performance analysis of near-far resistant CDMA detectors-influence of system parameter estimation errors

Little has been reported on the performance of near-far resistant CDMA detectors in the presence of system parameter estimation errors (SPEEs). Starting with the general mathematical model of matched filters, the paper examines the effects of three classes of SPEEs, i.e., time-delay, carrier phase, and carrier frequency errors, on the performance (BER) of an emerging type of near-far resistant coherent DS/SSMA detector, i.e., the linear decorrelating detector. For comparison, the corresponding results for the conventional detector are also presented. It is shown that the linear decorrelating detector can still maintain a considerable performance advantage over the conventional detector even when some SPEEs exist.

Application of interpolymer complexation to coat solid and soft surfaces

Water-soluble polymers are often capable of forming interpolymer complexes in solutions and at interfaces, which offers an excellent opportunity for surface modification. The complex formation may be driven by H-bonding between poly(carboxylic acids) and non-ionic polymers or by electrostatic attraction between oppositely-charged polyelectrolytes. In the present communication the following applications of interpolymer complexation in coating technologies will be considered: (1) Complexation between poly(acrylic acid) and non-ionic polymers via H-bonding was used to coat glass surfaces. It was realised using layer-by-layer deposition of IPC on glass surfaces with subsequent cross-linking of dry multilayers by thermal treatment. Depending on the glass surface functionality this complexation resulted in detachable and non-detachable hydrogel films; (2) Electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly between glycol chitosan and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to coat magnetic nanoparticles. It was demonstrated that the native structure of BSA remains unaffected by the self-assembling process.

Modeling data with structural and temporal correlation using lower level and higher level multilevel models

Novel imaging techniques are playing an increasingly important role in drug development, providing insight into the mechanism of action of new chemical entities. The data sets obtained by these methods can be large with complex inter-relationships, but the most appropriate statistical analysis for handling this data is often uncertain - precisely because of the exploratory nature of the way the data are collected. We present an example from a clinical trial using magnetic resonance imaging to assess changes in atherosclerotic plaques following treatment with a tool compound with established clinical benefit. We compared two specific approaches to handle the correlations due to physical location and repeated measurements: two-level and four-level multilevel models. The two methods identified similar structural variables, but higher level multilevel models had the advantage of explaining a greater proportion of variation, and the modeling assumptions appeared to be better satisfied.

Edward Bond & the celebrity of exile

A shibboleth has grown up around the work of Edward Bond. The tag ‘controversial dramatist’ has continued to dog both the man and his work. This article will hope to explore some of the contradictory, and sometimes frustrating manifestations that such ‘celebrity’ has produced. Since the reception of The War Plays [1985] by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the National Theatre Bond has largely withdrawn his work from mainstream British theatre. Since the late 1990s he has looked to a new home – La Colline Theatre – in France, to premiere new work and run retrospective seasons of older plays. Here, Bond's celebrity is of a different kind, and has allowed him to enhance and develop his work as a playwright, director and writer about theatre. While this article draws on secondary sources it also uses material based on personal correspondence with Edward Bond.