Bit error rate performance of a generalized diversity selectioncombining scheme in Nakagami fading channels

The severity of fading on mobile communication channels calls for the combining of multiple diversity sources to achieve acceptable error rate performance. Traditional approaches perform the combining of the different diversity sources using either: the conventional selective diversity combining (CSC), equal-gain combining (EGC), or maximal-ratio combining (MRC) schemes. CSC and MRC are the two extremes of compromise between performance quality and complexity. This paper presents a generalized diversity selection combining (GSC) scheme in which only those diversity branches whose energy levels are above a specified threshold are combined. Doing so, the proposed scheme will have a bit error (BER) performance that is upper- and lower-bounded by those of the CSC and MRC schemes respectively. Simulation results for the performances of this scheme over Nakagami (1960) fading channels are show

Bit error rate performance of a generalized diversity selectioncombining scheme in Nakagami fading channels

The severity of fading on mobile communication channels calls for the combining of multiple diversity sources to achieve acceptable error rate performance. Traditional approaches perform the combining of the different diversity sources using either: the conventional selective diversity combining (CSC), equal-gain combining (EGC), or maximal-ratio combining (MRC) schemes. CSC and MRC are the two extremes of compromise between performance quality and complexity. This paper presents a generalized diversity selection combining (GSC) scheme in which only those diversity branches whose energy levels are above a specified threshold are combined. Doing so, the proposed scheme will have a bit error (BER) performance that is upper- and lower-bounded by those of the CSC and MRC schemes respectively. Simulation results for the performances of this scheme over Nakagami (1960) fading channels are show

Irradiation of Materials with Short, Intense Ion pulses at NDCX-II

We present an overview of the performance of the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II (NDCX-II) accelerator at Berkeley Lab, and report on recent target experiments on beam driven melting and transmission ion energy loss measurements with nanosecond and millimeter-scale ion beam pulses and thin tin foils. Bunches with around 10^11 ions, 1-mm radius, and 2-30 ns FWHM duration have been created with corresponding fluences in the range of 0.1 to 0.7 J/cm^2. To achieve these short pulse durations and mm-scale focal spot radii, the 1.1 MeV He+ ion beam is neutralized in a drift compression section, which removes the space charge defocusing effect during final compression and focusing. The beam space charge and drift compression techniques resemble necessary beam conditions and manipulations in heavy ion inertial fusion accelerators. Quantitative comparison of detailed particle-in-cell simulations with the experiment play an important role in optimizing accelerator performance.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures. revised manuscript submitted to Laser and Particle Beam

Awareness and factors influencing farmers’ decision in establishing private forest plantation in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State

Private investments in forestry in Nigeria have not been as attractive as private investments in cash and food crops such as cocoa, rubber, rice, and maize. It is thought that these agricultural crops yield financial returns earlier than forestry crops. This study therefore, assessed factors influencing private forest plantations establishment among farmers in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 120 farmers from six wards in the study area. Data were collected from the respondents using interview guide. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency Tables and Charts. Results showed that 44.2% of the respondents were aware of private forest plantation establishments while 55.8% were not aware. The major sources of awareness were through community leaders (25.8%), radio (20.8%), and friends (15%). Major factors influencing farmers’ decision to establish private forest plantation are seasonal bush burning (93.3%), long gestation period (85.8%), inadequate extension services (90.8%), Government policies (87.5%), climatic conditions (80.0%), transportation (79.2%), land availability (79.2%), planting stocks (76.7%). It was recommended that farmers’ decision to establish private forest could be influenced by making land available to interested farmers, granting credit facilities and free planting stock

Rhinometry: Spectrum of nasal profile among Nigerian Africans

Nasal parameters measurements are useful in anthropology to distinguish people into racial and ethnic groups. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey among Nigerians aged 18 to 70 years of Nigerian parentage randomly selected at the ENT Clinic of the University of Ilorin teaching hospital (U.I.T.H.), Ilorin, Nigeria without gender discrimination had measurement of their nasal parameters done using a sliding caliper: Nasal height, width, tip protrusion, alar thickness, nasal septal thickness and nares diameter. Results: 105 subjects were seen, the age range 18 to 70 years (mean of 28.63 + 13.06 years). There was 58 males and 47 females with a male/female ratio of 1.2:1. The mean nasal width/height (Nasal index -NI) was 90.7 in males and 88.2 in females. Males had a higher NI compared to female (p < 0.03). The commonest type of nasal variability is Type A (70.5%), Platyrrhine nose, Type B (26.7%) especially in females (mesorrhine) and Type C (leptorrhine) (2.8%). Conclusions: There is significant association between the sex of an individual and type of Nose. Platyrrhine nose, among males and mesorrhine among females, only 2.8% being leptorrhine. The nasal indices were higher in males than in females

MERS coronaviruses from camels in Africa exhibit region-dependent genetic diversity

International audienceMiddle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a zoonotic respiratory disease of global public health concern, and dromedary camels are the only proven source of zoonotic infection. Although MERS-CoV infection is ubiquitous in dromedaries across Africa as well as in the Arabian Peninsula, zoonotic disease appears confined to the Arabian Peninsula. MERS-CoVs from Africa have hitherto been poorly studied. We genetically and phenotypically characterized MERS-CoV from dromedaries sampled in Morocco, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Viruses from Africa (clade C) are phylogenetically distinct from contemporary viruses from the Arabian Peninsula (clades A and B) but remain antigenically similar in microneutralization tests. Viruses from West (Nigeria, Burkina Faso) and North (Morocco) Africa form a subclade, C1, that shares clade-defining genetic signatures including deletions in the accessory gene ORF4b. Compared with human and camel MERS-CoV from Saudi Arabia, virus isolates from Burkina Faso (BF785) and Nigeria (Nig1657) had lower virus replication competence in Calu-3 cells and in ex vivo cultures of human bronchus and lung. BF785 replicated to lower titer in lungs of human DPP4-transduced mice. A reverse genetics-derived recombinant MERS-CoV (EMC) lacking ORF4b elicited higher type I and III IFN responses than the isogenic EMC virus in Calu-3 cells. However, ORF4b deletions may not be the major determinant of the reduced replication competence of BF785 and Nig1657. Genetic and phenotypic differences in West African viruses may be relevant to zoonotic potential. There is an urgent need for studies of MERS-CoV at the animal-human interface

A Survey on the Security and the Evolution of Osmotic and Catalytic Computing for 5G Networks

The 5G networks have the capability to provide high compatibility for the new applications, industries, and business models. These networks can tremendously improve the quality of life by enabling various use cases that require high data-rate, low latency, and continuous connectivity for applications pertaining to eHealth, automatic vehicles, smart cities, smart grid, and the Internet of Things (IoT). However, these applications need secure servicing as well as resource policing for effective network formations. There have been a lot of studies, which emphasized the security aspects of 5G networks while focusing only on the adaptability features of these networks. However, there is a gap in the literature which particularly needs to follow recent computing paradigms as alternative mechanisms for the enhancement of security. To cover this, a detailed description of the security for the 5G networks is presented in this article along with the discussions on the evolution of osmotic and catalytic computing-based security modules. The taxonomy on the basis of security requirements is presented, which also includes the comparison of the existing state-of-the-art solutions. This article also provides a security model, "CATMOSIS", which idealizes the incorporation of security features on the basis of catalytic and osmotic computing in the 5G networks. Finally, various security challenges and open issues are discussed to emphasize the works to follow in this direction of research.Comment: 34 pages, 7 tables, 7 figures, Published In 5G Enabled Secure Wireless Networks, pp. 69-102. Springer, Cham, 201