Gaussian Estimates for Random Walks on Some Unimodular p-adic Groups

It is shown in this paper that the transition kernels corresponding to simple random walks on certain unimodular solvable p-adic groups admit upper Gaussian estimates.      

Blow-up Results for Some Nonlinear Delay Differential Equations

In this work we study the blow up phenomena for some scalar delay differential equations. In particular, we make connection with the blow up of ordinary differential equations that are related to the delay differential equations. The first author is supported by a Grant from TWAS under contract No: 03-030 RG/MATHS/AF/AC. The second author is supported by a grant from the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research.     

Intrinsic integrated optical temperature sensor based on waveguide bend loss

Curvature of a multimode integrated optical waveguide reduces the numerical aperture and induces radiation losses. In this paper, we study this phenomenon and we present a geometrical approach to calculate the local numerical aperture and the intensity attenuation. We exploit the bending effect on the local numerical aperture to make a new intrinsic temperature sensor. The simulation results are validated for the silica/silicone integrated optical case. The principal performances of the silica/silicone temperature sensor are the extended temperatures range (−50 to 200 °C) with an excellent linearity response (1%) between 20 and 200 °C.     

Synthesis and spectral properties of non-symmetrical red and near IR emitter dibenzoBODIPYs

New symmetrical and non-symmetrical benzoBODIPYs have been synthesized from diketones. For the two series the 3 and 5 positions have been substituted by different aromatic rings and onto benzo sub-units different groups have been introduced. The methodology of diketones self-condensation provides symmetrical dyes. By cross-condensation reaction, these positions can be differentiated and specific functions connected to the desired positions. These molecules have been fully characterized and their optical properties analyzed by both experimental and theoretical means. They are red to NIR emitters with a range of emission from 679 to 780?nm in CH₂Cl₂. They show maxima of absorption between 651?nm and 732?nm, strong ε of around 100,000?M^?1?cm^?1 and quite good quantum yields from 16% to 75%. The thienyl moiety on α-positions of the nitrogens generates the highest red shifts. Meanwhile dimethylamino groups in the same positions bring, besides chemical properties, proton sensitive dyes. The bromine atom onto the dibenzo sub-units exhibits good reactivity through Sonogashira coupling reactions. This approach provides multifunctional red to NIR dyes with endless possibilities of combination of chemical properties.     

A cooperative Bayesian and lower bound estimation in dynamic framed slotted ALOHA algorithm for RFID systems

A novel estimation scheme that combines Bayesian and lower bound estimating radio frequency identification tag population size is proposed. The developed methodology is based on the fusion between the Bayesian and lower bound estimating techniques. It turns out that the fusion rule is built up thanks to an existing linear relationship between the cited techniques. Simulation results show that the developed technique significantly improves the accuracy of the estimating tag quantity and presents less estimation error. Also, the resulting advanced dynamic framed slotted ALOHA protocol considerably improves the performance and efficiency of the radio frequency identification anti‐collision compared with the most recent protocols using others estimating methods.     

A robust auto‐adaptive approach for serial acquisition of generalized multi‐carrier spread spectrum in multipath fading mobile channels

In this paper, a new robust auto‐adaptive approach for pseudo‐noise (PN) code acquisition is proposed. It is applied to the generalized multi‐carrier direct‐sequence code‐division multiple‐access (MC DS‐CDMA) systems communicating over frequency‐selective multipath Rayleigh fading channels. This new approach is based on the constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detection algorithm, referred here as automatic selection partial sum ordered statistics (ASPSOS)‐CFAR. The proposed approach does not require any prior information about the background environment and uses maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method to detect the interfering signals group in the ranked cells for the full reference window. Once this group is identified and censored, the remaining smaller ranked cells are combined to form an estimate of the background noise level to compute the adaptive threshold. Through simulations, the performance of the proposed detector is analyzed and compared with traditional CFAR detectors based on fixed or automatic censoring algorithms. The obtained results show that the proposed detector eliminates the drawbacks of the previously related detectors and offers a robust detection performance to enhance the acquisition process in heterogeneous background environments.     

An efficient and lightweight multi‐scroll chaos‐based hardware solution for protecting fingerprint biometric templates

This paper presents a new efficient and lightweight approach for enhancing the security of biometric models, namely, fingerprint templates, against possible attacks. The proposed design is based on Vernam stream cipher in which the key generator is designed in the hardware manner. The designed cryptosystem consists of using multi‐scroll chaotic system that is characterized by a large key space and can be generated N×N grid multi‐scroll attractors, with a good behavior of chaotic dynamic. The hardware approach is carried out through describing Euler method by VHDL. Field‐programmable gate array (FPGA) experimental results validate the developed architecture while still providing a good compromise between hardware resources and performance. Indeed, security analysis also shows that the designed encryption algorithm is robust against statistical, brute force, and entropy attacks. Therefore, it can be considered as a lightweight security solution, which could be very useful in many embedded applications namely securing biometric authentication systems.     

Synthesis and properties of fluorinated telechelic macromolecular diols prepared by radical grafting of fluorinated thiols onto hydroxyl-terminated polybutadienes

The radical grafting of C_nF_{2n +1} CH₂CH₂SH (n = 6,8) onto the double bonds of hydroxyl-terminated liquid polybutadienes (HTPBD) was studied. Various methods for investigating the amount of grafting (titration of residual thiol and fluorine analysis) were used and compared. The nature and the amount of the initiator, the quantity of thiol, the temperature and the time of the reaction. the solvent, and the microstructure of HTPBD were optimized. The kinetic aspect showed that the thiol disappeared according to a first-norder law. A method using up to 100% of grafting fluorinated mercaptan was described and standards were set up with fluorine contents of 5–59% to evaluate the physicochemical properties of these thioether group-containing polymers: solubility, refractive index, intrinsic and dynamic viscosities, and thermal characteristics (glass transition and decomposition temperatures). Finally, the surface properties of these standards showed improvements of surface energy as low as 9 mN m^?1 for a totally saturated fluorinated HTPBD. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Seed coat metabolite profiling of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) accessions from Ghana using UPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS and chemometrics

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is an important grain legume in Africa exhibiting high morpho-genetic diversity. However, not much information exists on the phytochemical profiles of its hulls. This study explored the metabolite profiles of seed-coats from thirteen cowpea accessions of varying phenotypes using UPLC-QTOF-MS and chemometric analysis. A total of 34 secondary metabolites were identified, which comprised phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, sphingolipids and fatty acids. Quantification of selected phenolic compounds revealed marked variations among the cowpea accessions. The chemical profiles of the test accessions were distinguished by multivariate analysis, and the results revealed a marked influence of seed-coat pigmentation on the observed differences in their metabolite profiles. Moreover, delphinidin (traces to 2257.6 µg/g), catechin glucoside (traces to 2840.6 µg/g), catechin (traces to 2089.2 µg/g) and epicatechin (26.3 to 3222.7 µg/g) contributed to the segregation amongst the studied samples. The concentrations of the discriminant metabolites were greater in the dark seeded cowpeas compared to their lighter seeded counterparts. The findings represent a useful contribution to the literature on cowpea seed coat metabolites, and also reveal their potential for use in the development of food and pharmaceutical products.     

Efficient Approach for the Synthesis of Novel Functionalized Isoxazolines from Limonene

New functionalized isoxazolines were effeciently and easily prepared from limonene. The procedure involves a peri‐ and regioselective 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides on the monoterpene external double bond, followed by a highly chemoselective RuCl₃‐NaIO₄ oxidative cleavage of the internal one. All the newly prepared isoxazolyl‐ketoacids were fully characterized from their spectroscopic data.