Symbol synchronization exploiting the symmetric property in optical fast OFDM

We propose a new simple method to achieve precise symbol synchronization using one start-of-frame (SOF) symbol in optical fast orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (FOFDM) with subchannel spacing equal to half of the symbol rate per sub-carrier. The proposed method first identifies the SOF symbol, then exploits the evenly symmetric property of the discrete cosine transform in FOFDM, which is also valid in the presence of chromatic dispersion, to achieve precise symbol synchronization. We demonstrate its use in a 16.88-Gb/s phase-shifted-keying-based FOFDM system over a 124-km field-installed single-mode fiber link and show that this technique operates well in automatic precise symbol synchronization at an optical signal-to-noise ratio as low as 3 dB and after transmission.

Molecular identification of 26 syntaxin genes and their assignment to the different trafficking pathways in Paramecium

SNARE proteins have been classified as vesicular (v)- and target (t)-SNAREs and play a central role in the various membrane interactions in eukaryotic cells. Based on the Paramecium genome project, we have identified a multigene family of at least 26 members encoding the t-SNARE syntaxin (PtSyx) that can be grouped into 15 subfamilies. Paramecium syntaxins match the classical build-up of syntaxins, being 'tail-anchored' membrane proteins with an N-terminal cytoplasmic domain and a membrane-bound single C-terminal hydrophobic domain. The membrane anchor is preceded by a conserved SNARE domain of approximately 60 amino acids that is supposed to participate in SNARE complex assembly. In a phylogenetic analysis, most of the Paramecium syntaxin genes were found to cluster in groups together with those from other organisms in a pathway-specific manner, allowing an assignment to different compartments in a homology-dependent way. However, some of them seem to have no counterparts in metazoans. In another approach, we fused one representative member of each of the syntaxin isoforms to green fluorescent protein and assessed the in vivo localization, which was further supported by immunolocalization of some syntaxins. This allowed us to assign syntaxins to all important trafficking pathways in Paramecium.

Semisupervised learning of hierarchical latent trait models for data visualization

Recently, we have developed the hierarchical Generative Topographic Mapping (HGTM), an interactive method for visualization of large high-dimensional real-valued data sets. In this paper, we propose a more general visualization system by extending HGTM in three ways, which allows the user to visualize a wider range of data sets and better support the model development process. 1) We integrate HGTM with noise models from the exponential family of distributions. The basic building block is the Latent Trait Model (LTM). This enables us to visualize data of inherently discrete nature, e.g., collections of documents, in a hierarchical manner. 2) We give the user a choice of initializing the child plots of the current plot in either interactive, or automatic mode. In the interactive mode, the user selects "regions of interest," whereas in the automatic mode, an unsupervised minimum message length (MML)-inspired construction of a mixture of LTMs is employed. The unsupervised construction is particularly useful when high-level plots are covered with dense clusters of highly overlapping data projections, making it difficult to use the interactive mode. Such a situation often arises when visualizing large data sets. 3) We derive general formulas for magnification factors in latent trait models. Magnification factors are a useful tool to improve our understanding of the visualization plots, since they can highlight the boundaries between data clusters. We illustrate our approach on a toy example and evaluate it on three more complex real data sets. © 2005 IEEE.

High-frequency conductivity of optically excited charge carriers in hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon investigated by spectroscopic femtosecond pump-probe reflectivity measurements

We report an investigation into the high-frequency conductivity of optically excited charge carriers far from equilibrium with the lattice. The investigated samples consist of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon films grown on a thin film of silicon oxide on top of a silicon substrate. For the investigation, we used an optical femtosecond pump-probe setup to measure the reflectance change of a probe beam. The pump beam ranged between 580 and 820nm, whereas the probe wavelength spanned 770 to 810nm. The pump fluence was fixed at 0.6mJ/cm2. We show that at a fixed delay time of 300fs, the conductivity of the excited electron-hole plasma is described well by a classical conductivity model of a hot charge carrier gas found at Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, while Fermi-Dirac statics is not suitable. This is corroborated by values retrieved from pump-probe reflectance measurements of the conductivity and its dependence on the excitation wavelength and carrier temperature. The conductivity decreases monotonically as a function of the excitation wavelength, as expected for a nondegenerate charge carrier gas.

Overlapping of legal concepts:classifying the law of trusts

The purpose of this piece is to explain how the trust concept fits the overlapping analysis, presenting an example of why discrete categorisation is often unhelpful in understanding the operation of legal concepts.

Controlled synthesis of poly(neopentyl p-styrene sulfonate) via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerisation

The controlled synthesis of poly(neopentyl p-styrene sulfonate) (PNSS) using RAFT polymerisation has been studied. Selected experimental conditions led to the production of PNSS with variable molecular weights and low dispersities (D{stroke}≤1.50). The controlled synthesis of poly(neopentyl p-styrene sulfonate) (PNSS) using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerisation has been studied under a wide range of experimental conditions. PNSS can be used as an organic-soluble, thermally labile precursor for industrially valuable poly(p-styrene sulfonate), widely employed in technologies such as ionic exchange membranes and organic electronics. The suitability of two different chain transfer agents, three solvents, three different monomer concentrations and two different temperatures for the polymerisation of neopentyl p-styrene sulfonate is discussed in terms of the kinetics of the process and characteristics of the final polymer. Production of PNSS with systematically variable molecular weights and low dispersities (D{stroke} ≤1.50 in all cases) has been achieved using 2-azidoethyl 2-(dodecylthiocarbonothioylthio)-2-methylpropionate in anisole at 75°C, with an initial monomer concentration of 4.0molL-1. Finally, a poly(neopentyl p-styrene sulfonate)-b-polybutadiene-b-poly(neopentyl p-styrene sulfonate) (PNSS-b-PBD-b-PNSS) triblock copolymer has been synthesised via azide-alkyne click chemistry. Moreover, subsequent thermolysis of the PNSS moieties generated poly(p-styrene sulfonate) end blocks. This strategy allows the fabrication of amphiphilic copolymer films from single organic solvents without the need for post-deposition chemical treatment.

Application of the Heterogeneous System Prediction Method to Pattern Recognition Problem

* This work was financially supported by RFBR-04-01-00858.

Optimum Trajectory of Dynamic Input-Output Balance Model for Open Economy

When export and import is connected with output of basic production, and criterion functional represents a final state of economy, the generalization of classical qualitative results of the main-line theory on a case of dynamic input-output balance optimization model for open economy is given.

Application of the Multivariate Prediction Method to Time Series

* This work was financially supported by RFBR-04-01-00858.

Monitoring of deployment process of shape memory polymers for morphing structures with embedded fibre Bragg grating sensors

This article demonstrates the use of embedded fibre Bragg gratings as vector bending sensor to monitor two-dimensional shape deformation of a shape memory polymer plate. The shape memory polymer plate was made by using thermal-responsive epoxy-based shape memory polymer materials, and the two fibre Bragg grating sensors were orthogonally embedded, one on the top and the other on the bottom layer of the plate, in order to measure the strain distribution in both longitudinal and transverse directions separately and also with temperature reference. When the shape memory polymer plate was bent at different angles, the Bragg wavelengths of the embedded fibre Bragg gratings showed a red-shift of 50 pm/°caused by the bent-induced tensile strain on the plate surface. The finite element method was used to analyse the stress distribution for the whole shape recovery process. The strain transfer rate between the shape memory polymer and optical fibre was also calculated from the finite element method and determined by experimental results, which was around 0.25. During the experiment, the embedded fibre Bragg gratings showed very high temperature sensitivity due to the high thermal expansion coefficient of the shape memory polymer, which was around 108.24 pm/°C below the glass transition temperature (Tg) and 47.29 pm/°C above Tg. Therefore, the orthogonal arrangement of the two fibre Bragg grating sensors could provide a temperature compensation function, as one of the fibre Bragg gratings only measures the temperature while the other is subjected to the directional deformation. © The Author(s) 2013.

Multidimensional Heterogeneous Variable Prediction Based on Experts’ Statements

* The work was supported by the RFBR under Grant N07-01-00331a.

About Learning Discrete Mathematics at Bulgarian School

The present work is dedicated to the learning discrete mathematics at Bulgarian school. A review of syllabuses and standards has been made. A project of learning discrete mathematics elements from first to twelve class is proposed.

Influence of processing and clay type on nanostructure and stability of polypropylene-clay nanocomposites

Melt processing is a critical step in the manufacture of polymer articles and is even more critical when dealing with inhomogeneous polymer-clay nanocomposites systems. The chemical composition, and in particular the clay type and its organic modification, also plays a major contribution in determining the final properties and in particular the thermal and long-term oxidative stability of the resulting polymer nanocomposites. Proper selection and tuning of the process variable should, in principle, lead to improved characteristics of the fabricated product. With multiphase systems containing inorganic nanoclays, however, this is not straightforward and it is often the case that the process conditions are chosen initially to improve one or more desired properties at the expense of others. This study assesses the influence of organo-modified clays and the processing parameters (extrusion temperature and screw speed) on the rheological and morphological characteristics of polymer nanocomposites as well as on their melt and thermo-oxidative stability. Nanocomposites (PPNCs) based on PP, maleated PP and organically modified clays were prepared in different co-rotating twin-screw extruders ranging from laboratory scale to semi-industrial scale. Results show that the amount of surfactant present in similar organo-modified clays affects differently the thermo-oxidative stability of the extruded PPNCs and that changes in processing conditions affect the clay morphology too. By choosing an appropriate set of tuned process variables for the extrusion process it would be feasible to selectively fabricate polymer-clay nanocomposites, with the desired mechanical and thermo-oxidative characteristics. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Basis for Z-Graded Identities of Matrices over Infinite Fields

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 16R10, 16R20, 16R50

Dickson Polynomials that are Permutations

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 11T06, 13P10.