Fuzzy generalized network approach for solving an optimization model for routing in B‐ISDN

Routing algorithms are required to guarantee the various quality of service (QoS) characteristics requested by the wide range of applications supported by Broadband Integrated Services Digital Networks (B‐ISDN). In this paper the routing problem is formulated as a fuzzy multiobjective optimization model. The fuzzy approach allows for the inclusion and evaluation of several criteria simultaneously. The proposed model takes into consideration the balancing of the load in the network to avoid link saturation and hence the possibility of congestion. A hybrid approach that combines the generalized network concept with the technique of fuzzy programming is recommended to solve the model. The efficiency and applicability of the model is tested under different load conditions by studying several measures of performance. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synthesis of hindered hydrazones and their reaction with thionyl chloride

Hydrazones 12a–c and ketazines 13a–c were prepared by the reaction of ketones 11a–c with hydrazine hydrate depending on the temperature and the reaction time. Some ketone (aryl)hydrazone derivatives 14a,c,e reacted with thionyl chloride to afford the chlorothiadiazoline derivatives 15a–c . Surprisingly, the chlorine atom in the latter compounds was found to undergo smooth nucleophilic substitution, and by boiling these compounds in absolute ethanol gave the corresponding ethoxythiadiazoline derivatives 16a–c . The structure of the ethoxythiadiazoline 16b was confirmed by single crystal X‐ray determination. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:223–228, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10125     

Rationalizing the generation of broad spectrum antibiotics with the addition of a positive charge

Antibiotic resistance of Gram-negative bacteria is largely attributed to the low permeability of their outer membrane (OM). Recently, we disclosed the eNTRy rules, a key lesson of which is that the introduction of a primary amine enhances OM permeation in certain contexts. To understand the molecular basis for this finding, we perform an extensive set of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and free energy calculations comparing the permeation of aminated and amine-free antibiotic derivatives through the most abundant OM porin of E. coli, OmpF. To improve sampling of conformationally flexible drugs in MD simulations, we developed a novel, Monte Carlo and graph theory based algorithm to probe more efficiently the rotational and translational degrees of freedom visited during the permeation of the antibiotic molecule through OmpF. The resulting pathways were then used for free-energy calculations, revealing a lower barrier against the permeation of the aminated compound, substantiating its greater OM permeability. Further analysis revealed that the amine facilitates permeation by enabling the antibiotic to align its dipole to the luminal electric field of the porin and form favorable electrostatic interactions with specific, highly-conserved charged residues. The importance of these interactions in permeation was further validated with experimental mutagenesis and whole cell accumulation assays. Overall, this study provides insights on the importance of the primary amine for antibiotic permeation into Gram-negative pathogens that could help the design of future antibiotics. We also offer a new computational approach for calculating free-energy of processes where relevant molecular conformations cannot be efficiently captured.

A rapid pathway sampling method combining Monte Carlo and graph theory, developed to describe permeation pathways through outer membrane porins, can distinguish between structurally similar analogs with different permeabilities.     

A π/4 crossed cascaded adaptive array for mobile satellite communications

Adaptive arrays in mobile communications based on any arbitrary performance criteria have many problems in tracking the desired signal at different interference angles relative to the desired one. To use the adaptive arrays efficiently in mobile communications, we need a system which is independent of interference angles. In this paper a system nominated as π/4 crossed cascaded adaptive array (π/4 CC) based on (for example) the well-known constant modulus algorithm (CMA) is suggested. It is a four elements adaptive array, each two elements are controlled by the CMA and they are crossed by 45° angle in the vertical plane. The proposed system is examined by computer simulation and compared with the conventional system. It is found that the conventional two elements array is suffering from the capture problem and its performance is degraded at certain interference angles e.g. 25, 50, 55°,…. When the interference power is equal to the desired signal, the proposed system outperforms the conventional one. Therefore, the suggested system is more suitable in mobile communications which employs CM modulation techniques such as FM, QPSK, GMSK,…. In this article the analysis of the CMA and the proposed system are considered in detail. The system under consideration can be used also for all other adaptive arrays employing LMS, PI, and Applebaum, etc. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling of strain-induced crystallization in natural rubbers

Strain-Induced Crystallization (SIC) is a phenomenon characterized by a considerable increase in stiffness of natural rubbers. In this contribution, this phenomenon is studied in filled natural rubbers and a constitutive model of SIC is proposed. The influence of SIC on the mechanical behavior is described by means of the entropic strain energy subjected to a change due the crystallization. The distribution of crystallines is formulated on the basis of a statistical approach. Their contribution to the partial immobilization of polymer chains is accounted for by assuming the crystalline phase and the amorphous phase to be two separate networks. Finally, the model is compared with available experimental results of uniaxial tension tests. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Regioselective bond cleavage in the dissociative electron transfer to benzyl thiocyanates: the role of radical/ion pair formation

Important aspects of the electrochemical reduction of a series of substituted benzyl thiocyanates were investigated. A striking change in the reductive cleavage mechanism as a function of the substituent on the aryl ring of the benzyl thiocyanate was observed, and more importantly, a regioselective bond cleavage was encountered. A reductive alpha-cleavage (CH(2)-S bond) was seen for cyano and nitro-substituted benzyl thiocyanates leading to the formation of the corresponding nitro-substituted dibenzyls. With other substituents (CH(3)O, CH(3), H, Cl, and F), both the alpha (CH(2)-S) and the beta (S-CN) bonds could be cleaved as a result of an electrochemical reduction leading to the formation of the corresponding substituted monosulfides, disulfides, and toluenes. These final products are generated through either a protonation or a nucleophilic reaction of the two-electron reduction-produced anion on the parent molecule. The dissociative electron transfer theory and its extension to the formation/dissociation of radical anions, as well as its extension to the case of strong in-cage interactions between the produced fragments ("sticky" dissociative electron transfer (ET)), along with the theoretical calculation results helped rationalize (i) the observed change in the ET mechanism, (ii) the dissociation of the radical anion intermediates formed during the electrochemical reduction of the nitro-substituted benzyl thiocyanates, and more importantly (iii) the regioselective reductive bond cleavage.     

A nonlinear filtered‐x prediction error method algorithm for digital predistortion in digital subscriber line systems

Digital predistortion of nonlinear systems is an important topic in many practical applications. This paper considers direct predistortion of a Volterra system by connecting in tandem an adaptive Volterra predistorter. The coefficients of the predistorter can be recursively estimated using the nonlinear filtered‐x least mean squares (NFxLMS) algorithm. In this paper, the prediction error method (PEM) is used to derive a novel nonlinear filtered‐x PEM (NFxPEM) algorithm. A simulation study on Volterra systems shows that the NFxPEM algorithm more significantly suppresses spectral regrowth and converges much faster than the NFxLMS algorithm. Also, the NFxPEM algorithm is used in this paper to design more efficient digital predistorter—as compared with the NFxLMS algorithm—for digital subscriber line systems. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiple access interference cancelation technique in optical CDMA systems

This paper presents a simple and efficient multiple access interference (MAI) cancelation technique in optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) system. The proposed technique is based on hybrid frequency shift keying (FSK) with an enhanced modified prime code as a signature sequence for coding techniques. Coherent FSK modulation along with incoherent demodulation using Arrayed-Waveguide Grating has been examined in the transceiver structure. In the proposed technique, a reference signal is constructed by using one of the addressed spreading sequences, and MAI cancelation is performed by subtracting the reference signal from the received signal of the desired user. The performance of the proposed FSK-OCDMA system is compared with the performance of the existing pulse position modulation (PPM)–OCDMA system. The simulation results reveal that the bit-error rate performance of the proposed technique is superior to the performance of the pulse position modulation (PPM) technique. Also, the results indicate that the proposed technique is very power efficient, and when the bit rate is constant, the network capacity can be expanded to accommodate a large number of simultaneous active users with low error rate. Moreover, the proposed technique simplifies the hardware of the receiver design.     

New Insights into Sulfur Deposition on Gold Using Dithiobisphthalimide as a New Precursor

Dithiobisphthalimide is used as a new precursor for the spontaneous deposition of sulfur on gold surfaces in acetonitrile. Characterization of the modified surfaces is achieved using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemistry and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The reported results indicate that the sulfur deposition is an efficient and fast process and that high coverages can be reached very quickly. Sequential high‐resolution STM in air allows the direct observation, for the first time, of the mobility of the usually observed rectangular structures as individual units. It also shows the reversible association/dissociation of these rectangles. The nature of these structures is highly debated in the literature and the present work provides new insights into their nature through the use of a new sulfur precursor under non‐traditional conditions. To explain our results we consider these structures as simple sulfur adlayers on the gold surface.