DC-bias for Optical OFDM in Visible Light Communications

The requirement of a DC-bias is known to make DC-biased Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (DCO-OFDM) less energy efficient. This can be improved by Asymmetrically Clipped Optical OFDM (ACO-OFDM), Pulse Amplitude Modulated OFDM (PAM-OFDM) or Flip-OFDM, but these variants use the bandwidth inefficiently. Our trade-off between energy and spectrum efficiency considers a given limited channel bandwidth of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) and then attempts to get the highest throughput per unit of energy. We investigate previous findings that clipped OFDM can be more attractive in a low-SNR regime. More specifically, we consider Visible Light Communication (VLC) in which the average light level, i.e., the bias, is prescribed by illumination requirements, thus comes for free. ACO/PAM/Flip-OFDM can convert the DC-bias into power for communication, but all variants of OFDM, including DCO-OFDM consume extra electrical power. We conclude that in this scenario, advantages attributed to ACO/PAM/Flip-OFDM vanish, as DCO-OFDM outperforms its variants in all SNR conditions, in terms of achieved throughput over a bandlimited channel as a function of extra electrical power required. For hybrid solutions, such as Asymmetrically clipped DC biased Optical OFDM (ADO-OFDM) and Hybrid ACO-OFDM (HACO-OFDM), we optimize a new adaptive power and rate splitting between odd (clipped) and even (biased/clipped) subcarriers to balance power and bandwidth efficiency

A Space-frequency Power Allocation Algorithm for MIMO OWC Systems over Low-Pass Channels

In the last two decades, an unprecedented spread of communication systems has been witnessed. While at the beginning these systems were only able to support a small number of devices with limited data services, they have now matured to high speed networks that are densely populated. Society is increasingly connected, with different types of applications running on, by now Billions of devices, and this trend drives the use of communication systems. The growth is so fast that the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum is already overcrowded. In future, it is expected that many applications will require speeds far beyond a Gbit/s. In order to achieve this capacity and, at the same time, to off load the pressure on RF systems, higher spectral bands and optical frequencies are currently being explored.Exploring higher frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum, optical wireless communication (OWC) systems have recently gained great interest [1,2]. Due its many advantages, such as low cost, high energy efficiency, and minimal heat generation, LEDs are commonly used for illumination and are strong candidates to drive data transmission in OWC systems [2-4]. However, the modulation bandwidth of this source is limited and there is still the need to increase data throughput [4,5]. An alternative is to deploy multiple LEDs in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) scheme [2-6]. MIMO is a well-known technology which explores the additional spatial dimension in order to provide a degree-of-freedom gain. By transmitting multiple data-streams over the light channel in a Spatial Multiplexing (SM) scheme from multiple spatially separated locations, Distributed-MIMO technology offers higher data throughput without the need of additional power or bandwidth. An important additional advantage of MIMO in OWC systems is that communication still works even when one line-of-sight link is blocked. In further boosting the bits rate, the low-pass frequency response of the LEDs poses further limitations. The low-pass behaviour of this source was pointed out in [6-9], but its impact on the performance of LED-based MIMO OWC systems still not fully addressed. To compensate the low-pass effect, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is often used. OFDM is a robust and effective technology commonly used in RF systems to suppress inter-symbol interference (ISI) and to convert a frequency-selective fading channel into multiple parallel flat-fading, i.e., non-dispersive channels. In an OFDM scheme the spectrum bandwidth is divided into a set of orthogonal subcarriers in order to support high data rates through parallel transmission. By using OFDM, power loading strategies can be used to appropriately distribute power over the subcarriers in order to reduce the performance degradation caused by the low-pass effect of the LEDs [8]. Different power loading strategies are proposed to allocate power resources in the frequency domain, mainly the uniform loading and the optimized waterfilling loading [6-8]. In this paper, we consider the transmission mode of an indoor LED-based MIMO OWC system with SM and OFDM. We present an analytical model for the channel and we derive expressions for the achievable rate of the system considering common low-pass channel frequency responses: Gaussian, exponential and first-order [6-9]. Based on an indoor LED-based MIMO OWC setup, we investigate through analytical and simulation results the system performance for different power loading strategies. Through simulation results, we point out that the resource allocation optimization only in the frequency domain may not be satisfactory and we propose a new algorithm that considers both spatial and frequency domains to load power over the MIMO channels and OFDM subcarriers. With the singular value decomposition (SVD) applied to the channel frequency response matrix, the proposed space-frequency power allocation algorithm allocates more power to subchannels with larger gains considering all subchannels available for transmission in space and frequency domains.<br/

Productization Experiences of G.vlc (ITU) based LiFi System for high Speed Indoor Wireless Access

We describe the first productization of bidirectional LiFi architecture based on latest ITU-T standard G.9991 (G.vlc).We report experiences in-offering a gross data-rate of 250 Mbps downlink and 200 Mbps uplink in point-to-multipoint system configuration

The NLRP3 inflammasome: molecular activation and regulation to therapeutics

NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) is an intracellular sensor that detects a broad range of microbial motifs, endogenous danger signals and environmental irritants, resulting in the formation and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome leads to caspase 1-dependent release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, as well as to gasdermin D-mediated pyroptotic cell death. Recent studies have revealed new regulators of the NLRP3 inflammasome, including new interacting or regulatory proteins, metabolic pathways and a regulatory mitochondrial hub. In this Review, we present the molecular, cell biological and biochemical bases of NLRP3 activation and regulation and describe how this mechanistic understanding is leading to potential therapeutics that target the NLRP3 inflammasome

Indigenous knowledge of field insect pests and their management around lake Victoria basin in Uganda

Food security and poverty alleviation has remained the primary agenda in the Eastern Africa regional food policies, and Uganda is no exception. Field pests that attack crops are among the greatest threat to increased food production. The subsistence farmers in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) rarely use synthetic pesticides in the field due to the high cost and availability issues. Therefore, some rely on the use of botanical pesticides and other natural methods of pest control. However, this indigenous knowledge (IK) on botanicals has remained largely unexploited with limited regional research and resources committed and these are the premises upon which this ethnobotanical fieldpests management survey was launched and conducted. Most of the respondents were women (59%). The study findings revealed that the major field pests reported by farmers in declining order of importance, included banana weevil, bean fly, cereal stem borers, pod feeders, grain moth, rodents, moths, termites, birds, aphids and cutworms. The anti-pest plants documented included, Capsicum frutescens, Tagetes spp, Nicotiana tabacum, Cypressus spp., Tephrosia vogelii, Azadirachta indica, Musa spp, Moringa oleifera, Tithonia diversifolia, Lantana camara, Phytollacca dodecandra, Vernonia amygdalina, Aloe spp., Eucalyptus spp., Cannabis sativa, Cofea species and Carica papaya. The study has demonstrated that usage of botanical pesticides in field pest management is normal around Lake Victoria basin for the subsistence farmers since all the 117 respondents had ever tried or used botanical pesticides. We recommend more specialized studies in the usage of the plant-based pesticides to ensure safety and effectiveness that will enhance food security and environment protection. In addition, appropriate recommendations generated on the issues investigated will be advanced as leads for further research, extension and regional industrial endeavors in the LVB.Key words: Indigenous knowledge, field pests, pesticide plants, Uganda, Lake Victoria Basin

Molecular structures and vibrations of neutral and anionic CuOx (x = 1-3,6) clusters

We report equilibrium geometric structures of CuO2, CuO3, CuO6, and CuO clusters obtained by an all-electron linear combination of atomic orbitals scheme within the density-functional theory with generalized gradient approximation to describe the exchange-correlation effects. The vibrational stability of all clusters is examined on the basis of the vibrational frequencies. A structure with Cs symmetry is found to be the lowest-energy structure for CuO2, while a -shaped structure with C2v symmetry is the most stable structure for CuO3. For the larger CuO6 and CuO clusters, several competitive structures exist with structures containing ozonide units being higher in energy than those with O2 units. The infrared and Raman spectra are calculated for the stable optimal geometries. ~Comment: Uses Revtex4, (Better quality figures can be obtained from authors

Production of the PP-Wave Excited BcB_c-States through the Z0Z^0 Boson Decays

In Ref.[7],we have dealt with the production of the two color-singlet $S$-wave $(c\bar{b})$-quarkonium states $B_c(|(c\bar{b})_{\bf 1}[^1S_0]>)$ and $B^*_c(|(c\bar{b})_{\bf 1}[^3S_1]>)$ through the $Z^0$ boson decays. As an important sequential work, we make a further discussion on the production of the more complicated $P$-wave excited $(c\bar{b})$-quarkonium states, i.e. $|(c\bar{b})_{\bf 1}[^1P_1]>$ and $|(c\bar{b})_{\bf 1}[^3P_J]>$ (with $J=(1,2,3)$). More over, we also calculate the channel with the two color-octet quarkonium states $|(c\bar{b})_{\bf 8}[^1S_0]g>$ and $|(c\bar{b})_{\bf 8}[^3S_1]g>$, whose contributions to the decay width maybe at the same order of magnitude as that of the color-singlet $P$-wave states according to the naive nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics scaling rules. The $P$-wave states shall provide sizable contributions to the $B_c$ production, whose decay width is about 20% of the total decay width $\Gamma_{Z^0\to B_c}$. After summing up all the mentioned $(c\bar{b})$-quarkonium states' contributions, we obtain $\Gamma_{Z^0\to B_c} =235.9^{+352.8}_{-122.0}$ KeV, where the errors are caused by the main uncertainty sources.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures and 2 tables. basic formulae in the appendix are cut off to match the published version, which can be found in v1. to be published in Eur.Phys.J.

XUV digital in-line holography using high-order harmonics

A step towards a successful implementation of timeresolved digital in-line holography with extreme ultraviolet radiation is presented. Ultrashort XUV pulses are produced as high-order harmonics of a femtosecond laser and a Schwarzschild objective is used to focus harmonic radiation at 38 nm and to produce a strongly divergent reference beam for holographic recording. Experimental holograms of thin wires are recorded and the objects reconstructed. Descriptions of the simulation and reconstruction theory and algorithms are also given. Spatial resolution of few hundreds of nm is potentially achievable, and micrometer resolution range is demonstrated.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Incipient Separation in Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interactions as Induced by Sharp Fin

The incipient separation induced by the shock wave turbulent boundary layer interaction at the sharp fin is the subject of present study. Existing theories for the prediction of incipient separation, such as those put forward by McCabe (1966) and Dou and Deng (1992), can have thus far only predicting the direction of surface streamline and tend to over-predict the incipient separation condition based on the Stanbrook's criterion. In this paper, the incipient separation is firstly predicted with Dou and Deng (1992)'s theory and then compared with Lu and Settles (1990)' experimental data. The physical mechanism of the incipient separation as induced by the shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interactions at sharp fin is explained via the surface flow pattern analysis. Furthermore, the reason for the observed discrepancy between the predicted and experimental incipient separation conditions is clarified. It is found that when the wall limiting streamlines behind the shock wave becomes\ aligning with one ray from the virtual origin as the strength of shock wave increases, the incipient separation line is formed at which the wall limiting streamline becomes perpendicular to the local pressure gradient. The formation of this incipient separation line is the beginning of the separation process. The effects of Reynolds number and the Mach number on incipient separation are also discussed. Finally, a correlation for the correction of the incipient separation angle as predicted by the theory is also given.Comment: 34 pages; 9 figure

Predicted Infrared and Raman Spectra for Neutral Ti_8C_12 Isomers

Using a density-functional based algorithm, the full IR and Raman spectra are calculated for the neutral Ti_8C_12 cluster assuming geometries of Th, Td, D2d and C3v symmetry. The Th pentagonal dodecahedron is found to be dynamically unstable. The calculated properties of the relaxed structure having C3v symmetry are found to be in excellent agreement with experimental gas phase infrared results, ionization potential and electron affinity measurements. Consequently, the results presented may be used as a reference for further experimental characterization using vibrational spectroscopy.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Physical Review A, 2002 (in press