Adaptive Empirical Path Loss Prediction Models for Indoor WLAN

This paper presents robust empirical path loss models to characterize indoor propagation for access point (AP) deployed at different heights. The proposed models are developed with wireless local area network infrastructure at 2.4 GHz. The models are backed by extensive received signal strength (RSS) measurements acquired in line of sight and obstructed line of sight regions. The models are developed for two conditions, viz; quasi realistic and realistic RSS measurements. The quasi realistic measurements are taken after suppressing human intervention and electrical interferences to minimum. While the realistic RSS measurements are made in presence of all the human interventions and electrical interferences. The shadow fading component for both quasi realistic and realistic conditions is statistically modeled with the dependency on AP height. The proposed technique can be applied with higher confidence level to the buildings with similar construction features where RSS measurements are made upon. The results reveal that the performance of the proposed propagation models is significantly higher than the existing International Telecommunication Union-path loss model. The results also demonstrate that the realistic path loss model is more robust than the quasi realistic model.     

Rate coefficients and products for gas‐phase reactions of chlorine atoms with cyclic unsaturated hydrocarbons at 298 K

Rate coefficients for the reaction of Cl atoms with cycloalkenes have been determined using the relative rate method, at 298 K and atmospheric pressure of N₂. Reference molecule was n‐hexane, and the concentrations of the organics were followed by gas chromatographic analysis. Cl atoms were prepared by photolysis of trichloroacetyl chloride at 254 nm. The relative rates of reactions of Cl atoms with cycloalkenes, with respect to n‐hexane, are measured as 1.12 ± 0.38, 1.31 ± 0.14, and 1.69 ± 0.18 for cyclopentene, cyclohexene, and cycloheptene, respectively. Considering the absolute value of the rate coefficient of the reaction of Cl atom with n‐hexane as 3.03 ± 0.06 × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, the rate coefficient values for cyclopentene, cyclohexene, and cycloheptene are calculated to be (3.39 ± 1.08) × 10^?10, (3.97 ± 0.43) × 10^?10, and (5.12 ± 0.55) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, respectively. The experiments for each molecule were repeated six to eight times, and the slopes and the rate coefficients given above are the average values of these measurements, and the quoted error includes 2σ as well as all other uncertainties in the measurement and calculations. The rate coefficient increases linearly with the number of carbon atoms, with an increment per additional CH₂ group being (8.7 ± 1.6) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Chloroketones and chloroalcohols, along with unsaturated ketones and alcohols, were found to be the major products of Cl‐atom‐initiated oxidation of cycloalkenes in the presence of air. The atmospheric implications of these results are discussed, along with a comparison with the reported structure activity relationships. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 98–105, 2010     

Effect of energy dependence of primary beam divergence on the X-ray standing wave characterization of layered materials.

Incident primary beam divergence is a source of systematic error in X-ray standing wave (XSW) characterization of single and multilayer thin films. Primary beam divergence significantly alters the XSW profile of a layered material and can lead to large errors when used with higher excitation energies. The present study suggests that when one uses Mo-Kalpha excitation, the primary beam divergence should be in range of 0.005(0). On the other hand, in the case of Cu-Kalpha excitation, primary beam divergence can be relaxed up to 0.01(0).     

Evidence for the decay D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e)

Using a 281 pb{-1} data sample collected at the psi(3770) with the CLEO-c detector, we present the first absolute branching fraction measurement of the decay D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e) at a statistical significance of about 4.0 standard deviations. We find 10 candidates consistent with the decay D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e). The probability that a background fluctuation accounts for this signal is less than 4.1 x 10{-5}. We find B(D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e)) = [2.8{-1.1}{+1.4}(stat)+/-0.3(syst)]x10{-4}. By restricting the invariant mass of the hadronic system to be consistent with K1(1270), we obtain the product of branching fractions B(D{0}-->K{1}{-}(1270)e{+}nu{e})xB(K1-(1270)-->K{-}pi{+}pi{-})=[2.5{-1.0}{+1.3}(stat)+/-0.2(syst)]x10{-4}. Using B(K1-(1270)-->K{-}pi{+}pi{-})=(33+/-3)%, we obtain B(D{0}-->K{1}{-}(1270)e{+}nu{e})=[7.6{-3.0}{+4.1}(stat)+/-0.6(syst)+/-0.7]x10{-4}. The last error accounts for the uncertainties in the measured K1-(1270)-->K{-}pi{+}pi{-} branching fractions.     

Strong enhancement and extinction of single harmonic intensity in the mid- and end-plateau regions of the high harmonics generated in weakly excited laser plasmas

Strong intensity enhancement or extinction of some single harmonics is observed in high-harmonic generation from 48 fs Ti:sapphire laser pulses propagating through preformed low-excited laser-produced plasmas of various materials (GaAs, Cr, InSb, stainless steel). The intensities of some of the harmonics in the mid- and end-plateau regions vary from ~23-fold enhancement to near disappearance compared with those of the neighboring ones. It is also shown that the observed intensity enhancement (or extinction) can be varied by controlling the chirp of the driving laser radiation.     

Pyrolysis of sorghum bagasse biomass into bio-char and bio-oil products

The transformation of renewable biomass into valuable products as alternatives to fossil fuels is essential for sustainable energy in sustainable society. This work systematically investigates the pyrolysis of sorghum bagasse biomass into bio-char and bio-oil products and studies the effect of temperature (623–823 K) on the conversion of sorghum bagasse and products yields. The physicochemical properties of bio-char were thoroughly studied using powder X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis (CHNSO), scanning electronic microscope, calorific value (CV), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. Also, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), CV, and FTIR were used to understand the properties of bio-oil. The results obtained indicate that an increase in the pyrolysis temperature from 623 to 823 K leads to a decrease in the bio-char yield from 42.55 to 30.38%. On the other hand, the maximum bio-oil yield of 15.94% was obtained at 723 K. The bio-char obtained at 673 and 773 K was found by FTIR analysis to be composed of a highly ordered aromatic carbon structure. The calorific value of bio-oil, which contains a greater amount of acidic compounds, was found to be 6740 kcal/kg. The GC–MS analyses revealed the presence of octadecenoic acid, p-cresol, 2,6-dimethoxy phenol, 4-ethyl 2-methoxy phenol, phenol, o-guaiacol, and octadecanoic acid in the bio-oil obtained from the pyrolysis of sorghum bagasse biomass. The present study provides useful information for understanding the quality of bio-oil and bio-char obtained from high biomass sorghum bagasse.     

Computational method for phase space transport with applications to lobe dynamics and rate of escape

Lobe dynamics and escape from a potential well are general frameworks introduced to study phase space transport in chaotic dynamical systems.While the former approach studies how regions of phase space get transported by reducing the flow to a two-dimensional map, the latter approach studies the phase space structures that lead to critical events by crossing certain barriers. Lobe dynamics describes global transport in terms of lobes, parcels of phase space bounded by stable and unstable invariant manifolds associated to hyperbolic fixed points of the system. Escape from a potential well describes how the critical events occur and quantifies the rate of escape using the flux across the barriers. Both of these frameworks require computation of curves, intersection points, and the area bounded by the curves. We present a theory for classification of intersection points to compute the area bounded between the segments of the curves. This involves the partition of the intersection points into equivalence classes to apply the discrete form of Green’s theorem. We present numerical implementation of the theory, and an alternate method for curves with nontransverse intersections is also presented along with a method to insert points in the curve for densification.     

o-Iodoxy Benzoic Acid–Mediated Synthesis of 3,5-Diarylisoxazoles and Isoxazole-3-carboxylic Acids

A new, convenient, ecofriendly synthesis of 3,5-diarylisoxazoles is reported from α,β-unsaturated ketoximes. Similarly, a novel synthesis of isoxazole carboxylic acids is also reported. Both the methods use efficient, environmentally friendly, and nontoxic iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) as an oxidative cyclizing reagent. Easy procedure, environmentally benign reaction conditions, and nontoxicity are advantages to the methodology.     

Temperature- and pH-responsive self-assembly of poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(lysine) block copolymers in aqueous solution

A series of poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(L-lysine) (PPO-PK) block copolymers were synthesized using Huisgen's 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, and the solution self-assembly was studied using transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and dynamic and static light scattering techniques. In contrast to previous studies of poly(lysine)-based block copolymers, PPO-PK exhibits a significant shift in the pH associated with the helix-coil transition of the poly(lysine) block, potentially a result of decreased hydrophobicity in the core PPO block. Given the proximity of the lower critical solution temperature of the PPO block, these materials exhibit both pH and temperature-responsive (i.e., "schizophrenic") self-assembly, the latter of which was interpreted in terms of changes in the second osmotic virial coefficient. Finally, the vesicle morphology obtained from these polymers was studied for the propensity in drug encapsulation and passive release.