Performance of Chirp-Slope Keying with Joint Time-Frequency Detectors

This paper discusses recent studies on Chirp Slope Keying (CSK) as a scheme suitable for underwater communications and presents a new study on the performance of a time-frequency receiver in a Rayleigh fading environment. As expected, CSK proves to be a digital modulation scheme inferior in the AWGN channel as compared to traditional schemes but very promising in more detrimental channels present in underwater communications. In effect, while most schemes’ performances decay abruptly with the addition of new disturbances, a time-frequency CSK receiver’s performance deteriorates slowly with increasing Rayleigh fading. Intuition dictates that CSK will overpower other schemes as channel conditions continue to worsen. The receiver first uses the Wigner distribution to transform the incoming signal to the joint time-frequency domain and then computes the Radon transform to determine the binary digit received

Aboveground Biomass Accumulation in a Tropical Wet Forest in Nicaragua Following a Catastrophic Hurricane Disturbance 1

Among their effects on forest structure and carbon dynamics, hurricanes frequently create large-scale canopy gaps that promote secondary growth. To measure the accumulation of aboveground biomass (AGBM) in a hurricane damaged forest, we established permanent plots 4 mo after the landfall of Hurricane Joan on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua in October 1988. We quantified AGBM accumulation in these plots by correlating diameter measurements to AGBM values using a published allometric regression equation for tropical wet forests. In the first measurement year following the storm, AGBM in hurricane-affected plots was quite variable, ranging from 26 to 153 Mg/ha, with a mean of 78 (±15) Mg/ha. AGBM was substantially lower than in two control plots several kilometers outside the hurricane's path (331 ±15 Mg/ha). Biomass accumulation was slow (5.36 ± 0.74 Mg/ha/yr), relative to previous studies of forest regeneration following another hurricane (Hugo) and agricultural activity. We suggest that large-scale, homogenous canopy damage caused by Hurricane Joan impeded the dispersal and establishment of pioneer trees and led to a secondary forest dominated by late successional species that resprouted and survived the disturbance. With the relatively slow rate of biomass accumulation, any tightening in disturbance interval could reduce the maximum capacity of the living biomass to store carbon.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73646/1/j.1744-7429.2005.00077.x.pd

Fotorreducción de dióxido de carbono usando TiO2 sensibilizado con trímeros de Co y Cu en medio acuoso

During this investigation, the performance of two titanium dioxide photocatalysts was evaluated in the photoreduction of carbon dioxide in aqueous media. One of the photocatalysts was sensitized with a copper trimer (Cu3(dpa)4Cl2) (dpa = 2.2´-dipyridylamine) and the other was sensitized with a cobalt trimer (Co3(dpa)4Cl2). Using a microwave reactor, the first experimental stage studied the TiO2 sensitization process, which occurs in two successive reactions: in the first one, the TiO2 surface is functionalized with p-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) which acts as a binding molecule between TiO2 and the respective trimer, while in the second reaction, the metal trimer is anchored. Three levels of temperature, power output, and reaction time were analyzed for each of the two reactions; however, a Taguchi statistical analysis showed no significant differences between the treatments for the selected conditions. Therefore, it was determined that the photocatalyst sensitization process can be performed under the following conditions without affecting the final composition of each catalyst: 70 °C, 100 W, and 5 min in the functionalization stage with PABA and 80 °C, 150 W, and 5 min in the anchorage of the dyes. In the second experimental stage, the synthesized photocatalysts for CO2 photoreduction in aqueous medium was evaluated utilizing a medium-pressure ultraviolet lamp in a photoreactor at atmospheric pressure and at 25 °C. The catalyst with the best performance was the one sensitized with cobalt trimer since it showed a higher production of methane (14.28\ \sfrac{\mu mol}{g_{cat}\ h}), and carbon monoxide (32.84\sfrac{\mu mol}{g_{cat}\ h}). The copper sensitized catalyst showed no measurable generation of carbon monoxide, and the methane production was considerably lower (6.23\ µmolgcat h). Hydrogen production was important with both catalysts, particularly the catalyst sensitized with the copper trimer (420\ µmolgcat h). No presence of other CO2 reduction products was detected in the liquid phase.Na presente pesquisa foi avaliado o desempenho de dois fotocatalisadores de dióxido de titânio, um deles sensibilizado com um trímero de cobre (Cu3(dpa)4Cl2) (dpa = 2,2´-dipiridilamina) e o outro com um trímero de cobalto (Co3(dpa)4Cl2), especificamente, na fotorredução de dióxido de carbono em meio aquoso. Em uma primeira etapa experimental foi estudado o processo de sensibilização do TiO2, que ocorre em duas reações sucessivas utilizando um reator de micro-ondas: na primeira, a superfície do TiO2 é funcionalizada com ácido p-aminobenzóico (PABA) que age como molécula de ligação entre o TiO2 e o trímero respectivo; logo, na segunda reação, o trímero do metal é ancorado. Foram analisados três níveis de temperatura, potência e tempo de reação para cada uma das duas reações; não obstante, uma análise estatística robusta como o método Taguchi mostrou que não existe diferença significativa entre os tratamentos para as condições selecionadas. Como resultado disso, determinou-se que, para o processo de sensibilização dos fotocatalisadores, é possível trabalhar nas seguintes condições sem afetar a composição final de cada catalisador: 70 ºC, 100 W e 5 min na etapa de funcionalização com o PABA e 80 ºC, 150 W e 5 min na ancoragem de ambos os corantes. Na segunda etapa experimental foi realizada a avaliação dos fotocatalisadores sintetizados para a fotorredução de CO2 em meio aquoso, usando uma lâmpada ultravioleta de média pressão e um fotorreator sob pressão atmosférica e 25 ºC. O catalisador que apresentou melhor desempenho foi o sensibilizado com o trímero de cobalto, pois evidenciou maior produção de metano (14,28\ \sfrac{\mu mol}{g_{cat}\ h}) e monóxido de carbono (32,84\sfrac{\mu mol}{g_{cat}\ h}); por sua vez, o catalisador sensibilizado com cobre não apresentou geração quantificável de monóxido de carbono e a produção de metano foi consideravelmente menor (6,23\ µmolgcat h). A produção de hidrogênio por ambos os catalisadores foi importante, particularmente a do catalisador sensibilizado com o trímero de cobre (420\ µmolgcat h). Não houve detecção da presença de outros produtos oriundos da redução do CO2 na fase líquida.En la presente investigación, se evaluó el desempeño de dos fotocatalizadores de dióxido de titanio, uno sensibilizado con un trímero de cobre (Cu3(dpa)4Cl2) (dpa = 2,2´-dipiridilamina) y el otro con un trímero de cobalto (Co3(dpa)4Cl2), específicamente, en la fotorreducción de dióxido de carbono en medio acuoso. En una primera etapa experimental, se estudió el proceso de sensibilización del TiO2, el cual ocurre en dos reacciones sucesivas, utilizando un reactor de microondas: en la primera, se funcionaliza la superficie del TiO2 con ácido p-aminobenzoico (PABA) que actúa como molécula de enlace entre el TiO2 y el trímero respectivo; luego, en la segunda reacción, se ancla el trímero del metal. Se analizaron tres niveles de temperatura, potencia y tiempo de reacción para cada una de las dos reacciones; sin embargo, un análisis estadístico robusto tipo Taguchi arrojó que no existe diferencia significativa entre los tratamientos para las condiciones seleccionadas. Como resultado de esto, se determinó que para el proceso de sensibilización de los fotocatalizadores se puede trabajar en las siguientes condiciones sin afectar la composición final de cada catalizador: 70 ºC, 100 W y 5 min en la etapa de funcionalización con el PABA y 80 ºC, 150 W y 5 min en el anclaje de ambos tintes. En la segunda etapa experimental se realizó la evaluación de los fotocatalizadores sintetizados para la fotorreducción de CO2 en medio acuoso, empleando una lámpara ultravioleta de mediana presión y un fotorreactor a presión atmosférica y 25 ºC. El catalizador que presentó mejor desempeño fue el sensibilizado con el trímero de cobalto, ya que evidenció mayor producción de metano (14,28\ \sfrac{\mu mol}{g_{cat}\ h}) y monóxido de carbono (32,84\sfrac{\mu mol}{g_{cat}\ h}); por su parte, el catalizador sensibilizado con cobre no presentó generación cuantificable de monóxido de carbono y la producción de metano fue considerablemente menor (6,23\ µmolgcat h). La producción de hidrógeno por ambos catalizadores fue importante, particularmente, la del catalizador sensibilizado con el trímero de cobre (420\ µmolgcat h). No se detectó presencia de otros productos de la reducción del CO2 en la fase líquida

Critical Uncertainties and Gaps in the Environmental- and Social-Impact Assessment of the Proposed Interoceanic Canal through Nicaragua

The proposed interoceanic canal will connect the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean, traversing Lake Nicaragua, the major freshwater reservoir in Central America. If completed, the canal would be the largest infrastructure-related excavation project on Earth. In November 2015, the Nicaraguan government approved an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for the canal. A group of international experts participated in a workshop organized by the Academy of Sciences of Nicaragua to review this ESIA. The group concluded that the ESIA does not meet international standards; essential information is lacking regarding the potential impacts on the lake, freshwater and marine environments, and biodiversity. The ESIA presents an inadequate assessment of natural hazards and socioeconomic disruptions. The panel recommends that work on the canal project be suspended until an appropriate ESIA is completed. The project should be resumed only if it is demonstrated to be economically feasible, environmentally acceptable, and socially beneficial

Cardiovascular Efficacy and Safety of Bococizumab in High-Risk Patients

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