On the Spread of Random Interleaver

For a given blocklength we determine the number of interleavers which have spread equal to two. Using this, we find out the probability that a randomly chosen interleaver has spread two. We show that as blocklength increases, this probability increases but very quickly converges to the value $1-e^{-2} \approx 0.8647$. Subsequently, we determine a lower bound on the probability of an interleaver having spread at least $s$. We show that this lower bound converges to the value $e^{-2(s-2)^{2}}$, as the blocklength increases.Comment: 5 pages, published in Proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory 2005, Adelaide, Australi

Preventive and Protective Solution for Corrosion in Concrete through Chemistry

Damage caused by corrosion of concrete structure has been recognized as one of the major problem affecting service life of structure. But corrosion cannot be stopped compl-etely.It can be reduced if certain practices to combat corrosion are applied. Permeability is the gateway of corrosion. Hence corrosion - permeability interaction has been presented in this paper. Water proofing has been suggested as preventive solution for concrete structure exposed to corrosive environment . Structures are damaged due to corrosion in concrete.Suitable and effective repair system is unavoidable protective solution for corrosion affected concrete structure. In the present paper the authors have made an attempt to present prev-entive and protective solution of corrosion in concrete through chemistry. Repair material, its criteria , various techniques and methodology has also been discussed. The approach is also illustrated by presenting two case studies

Uncertainties in nuclear transition matrix elements for neutrinoless ββ\beta \beta decay II: the heavy Majorana neutrino mass mechanism

Employing four different parametrization of the pairing plus multipolar type of effective two-body interaction and three different parametrizations of Jastrow-type of short range correlations, the uncertainties in the nuclear transition matrix elements $M_{N}^{(0\nu)}$ due to the exchange of heavy Majorana neutrino for the $0^{+}\rightarrow 0^{+}$ transition of neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{94}$Zr, $^{96}$Zr, $^{98}$Mo, $^{100}$Mo, $^{104}$Ru, $^{110}$Pd, $^{128,130}$Te and $^{150}$Nd isotopes in the PHFB model are estimated to be around 25%. Excluding the nuclear transition matrix elements calculated with Miller-Spenser parametrization of Jastrow short range correlations, the uncertainties are found to be 10%-15% smaller

Simulation and Visualization Enhanced Engineering Education- Development and Implementation of Virtual Experiments in a Laboratory Course

This paper presents results from a National Science Foundation grant titled Simulation and Visualization Enhanced Engineering Education , funded by the EEC division. Although the scope of the project is quite broad, embracing a wide range of courses in three engineering disciplines, the present work describes the results obtained from application of simulation and visualization for development and implementation of web-based virtual engineering laboratories. The present work leverages the advancement in hardware and software technologies to map physical experiments into web-based virtual experiments that can be used to enrich student\u27s laboratory experience. Four physical experiments in the thermo-fluids laboratory course have been mapped into virtual experiments, and the newly created virtual experiments have been used by students to conduct pre-lab practice sessions prior to performing corresponding physical experiment sessions. By performing virtual experiments, students learn in more detail about the objectives, procedure and expected outcomes ahead of scheduled physical experiments. Use of virtual experiments in the supplementation mode makes students better learners, and the assessment results show that students are better prepared and get more out of physical laboratory sessions. To test the efficacy of the proposed pre-lab practice session pedagogy, assessment instruments and statistical experimental designs have been developed and implemented to objectively determine whether implemented virtual experiments, used in supplementation mode, enhance student learning compared to the pre-implementation setting (without virtual experiments) and to test if the learning gains are statistically significant or not. The pedagogy of supplementation of physical experiments with pre-lab practice sessions with virtual experiments shows promise, based on results obtained in this project. Impact of various demographic factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, student level etc. on student learning was also analyzed

Scenarios of Waste and Resource Management: for Cities in India and Elsewhere

Rising prosperity around the globe – welcome and overdue in many respects – has certain undesirable consequences. It leads to an increase in the demand for raw materials, putting pressure on our limited natural resources. At the same time, due to dominant linear economic models of make-use-throw, increasing prosperity also leads to generation of waste. Rising quantities of waste are a global challenge. The challenge manifests itself most visibly in large cities around the world but is more acutely felt in developing countries. Dealing effectively with rapidly increasing amounts of waste is a complex management challenge. Environmental, business, political and social considerations play a role. This report suggests a framework for working through these complexities by focusing on two critical and interconnected questions. First, is waste conceived of as a burden to be got rid of or a resource for generating income and employment? Second, is the waste/resource managed by actively engaging the urban informal sector or tolerating the informal sector merely on the margin? The latter is a burning issue for cities with many poor people. The report identifies four future scenarios of this complex waste/resource management landscape using tools from Foresight methods and political economy analysis. We also identify the dynamics within and across the four scenarios. Although the four scenarios developed in the report represent stylised constructs, they were developed in a participatory workshop and represent stakeholders’ views about their current problems and future ambitions. At the same time, they represent political choices that would influence the development of a particular approach of waste/resource management in a city. Our results have implications for enhancing understanding of the policy choices that can be made today to influence waste/resource management in the future. The methods and results also offer insights into future research on waste/resource management.UK Department for International Developmen