From M-ary Query to Bit Query: a new strategy for efficient large-scale RFID identification

The tag collision avoidance has been viewed as one of the most important research problems in RFID communications and bit tracking technology has been widely embedded in query tree (QT) based algorithms to tackle such challenge. Existing solutions show further opportunity to greatly improve the reading performance because collision queries and empty queries are not fully explored. In this paper, a bit query (BQ) strategy based Mary query tree protocol (BQMT) is presented, which can not only eliminate idle queries but also separate collided tags into many small subsets and make full use of the collided bits. To further optimize the reading performance, a modified dual prefixes matching (MDPM) mechanism is presented to allow multiple tags to respond in the same slot and thus significantly reduce the number of queries. Theoretical analysis and simulations are supplemented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed BQMT and MDPM, which outperform the existing QT-based algorithms. Also, the BQMT and MDPM can be combined to BQMDPM to improve the reading performance in system efficiency, total identification time, communication complexity and average energy cost

Elastic Scattering Phenomenology

We argue that, in many situations, fits to elastic scattering data that were historically, and frequently still are, considered “good”, are not justifiably so describable. Information about the dynamics of nucleon-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus scattering is lost when elastic scattering phenomenology is insufficiently ambitious. It is argued that in many situations, an alternative approach is appropriate for the phenomenology of nuclear elastic scattering of nucleons and other light nuclei. The approach affords an appropriate means of evaluating folding models, one that fully exploits available empirical data. It is particularly applicable for nucleons and other light ions

Basic Methods for Computing Special Functions

This paper gives an overview of methods for the numerical evaluation of special functions, that is, the functions that arise in many problems from mathematical physics, engineering, probability theory, and other applied sciences. We consider in detail a selection of basic methods which are frequently used in the numerical evaluation of special functions: converging and asymptotic series, including Chebyshev expansions, linear recurrence relations, and numerical quadrature. Several other methods are available and some of these will be discussed in less detail. We give examples of recent software for special functions where these methods are used. We mention a list of new publications on computational aspects of special functions available on our website

The attractiveness of working for the NHS as a radiographer: a review of the literature

The continuing problem of the recruitment and retention of staff in the allied health professions (AHPs) and nursing within the National Health Service (NHS) has been consistently highlighted in the literature over the last ten years (for example: Firby, 1990; Seccombe and Smith, 1996; Abraham et al,. 1999; Buchan, 1999). However, despite this attention, the NHS is still struggling to recruit staff in these areas. Consequently, it is now vital that the NHS is able to identify strategies to change its recruitment patterns and expand its applicant pool. To address this issue a team from the Business School at Loughborough University has been commissioned by the Department of Health to carry out research into the ways in which the NHS is perceived as an employer by potential staff. The project concentrates on radiography, physiotherapy and nursing and the first stage of the research process comprised a comprehensive review of the existing literature with regard to recruitment and retention in these professions. This paper presents a summary and discussion of the findings of this review process with regard to radiography

Perceptions of radiography and the National Health Service: a qualitative study

Purpose: To identify the factors that determine the attractiveness of radiography as a career choice and the NHS as an employer to potential recruits and returners. Methods: Individual and group interviews were conducted in the East Midlands region to explore participants’ perceptions of the attractiveness of the NHS as an employer to potential radiography staff. Interviews were conducted with school pupils, radiography students, mature students, radiography assistants, agency radiographers and independent sector radiographers. Results: Eighty-eight individuals participated in the qualitative stage of the study. Analysis of the interview transcripts indicated that radiography as a career choice is perceived as boring and routine, involving high workloads and with little recognition from the general public. Working with patients is the source of considerable job satisfaction but is offset by staff shortages, lack of flexibility over working hours and a lack of consideration of fami..

Operator Language: A Program Generation Framework for Fast Kernels

We present the Operator Language (OL), a framework to automatically generate fast numerical kernels. OL provides the structure to extend the program generation system Spiral beyond the transform domain. Using OL, we show how to automatically generate library functionality for the fast Fourier transform and multiple non-transform kernels, including matrix-matrix multiplication, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), circular convolution, sorting networks, and Viterbi decoding. The control flow of the kernels is data-independent, which allows us to cast their algorithms as operator expressions. Using rewriting systems, a structural architecture model and empirical search, we automatically generate very fast C implementations for state-of-the-art multicore CPUs that rival hand-tuned implementations

Use of elemental composition to predict bioavailability of dissolved organic matter in a Georgia

The relationship between the bioavailability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its bulk chemical composition was examined on three dates at 10 sites on the Ogeechee River, a blackwater river in Georgia, Samples of riverine DOM were concentrated from filtered river water using reverse osmosis. In addition, particulate organic matter (POM), in the form of leaf litter, algae, and macrophytes, was leached with synthetic rainwater to obtain fresh DOM. Elemental composition, carboxylic acid content, and bacterial growth were measured on all samples. The results of this study indicate that fresh DOM in POM leachates is generally more bioavailable than riverine DOM. The bioavailability of riverine DOM appears to be greater under low discharge conditions and decreases with distance downstream. The bioavailability of all DOM samples is very well predicted (r2 = 0.93, II = 20) by an empirical equation of the form: bioavailability = a,, + a,(H: C) + a,(0: C) + al(N: C). When compositional data arc plotted on a van Krevelen diagram, it is evident that POM leachates and, to a lesser degree, DOM from headwatcr sites have compositions that differ little from simple mixtures of major components of biomass (lipids, sugars, proteins, and lignins). Father downstream, major diagenetic alteration of organic matter is evident from the compositions of DOM samples, whose H: C and 0: C ratios are lower and higher, respectively, than for any possible mixture of biomass components. Bioavailability of DOM is closely related to the pcrccntage of aliphatic carbon i

Book Review: Mary and Frankenstein, Written By: Linda Bailey, Illustrated By: Júlia Sardà

Abstract. Dust and stars in the plane of the Milky Way create a ”Zone of Avoidance” in the extragalactic sky. Galaxies are distributed in gigantic labyrinth formations, filaments and great walls with occasional dense clusters. They can be traced all over the sky, except where the dust within our own galaxy becomes too thick – leaving about 25 % of the extragalactic sky unaccounted for. Our Galaxy is a natural barrier which constrains the studies of large-scale structures in the Universe, the peculiar motion of our Local Group of galaxies and other streaming motions (cosmic flows) which are important for understanding formation processes in the Early Universe and for cosmological models. Only in recent years have astronomers developed the techniques to peer through the disk and uncover the galaxy distribution in the Zone of Avoidance. I present the various observational multi-wavelength procedures (optical, far infrared, near infrared, radio and X-ray) that are currently being pursued to map the galaxy distribution behind our Milky Way, including a discussion of the (different) limitations and selection effects of these (partly) complementary approaches. The newly unveiled large-scal