Detection, Receivers, and Performance of CPFSK and CPCK

Continuous Phase Modulation (CPM) is a power/bandwidth efficient signaling technique for data transmission. In this thesis, two subclasses of this modulation called Continuous Phase Frequency Shift Keying (CPFSK) and Continuous Phase Chirp Keying (CPCK) are considered and their descriptions and properties are discussed in detail and several illustrations are given. Bayesian Maximum Likelihood Ratio Test (MLRT) is designed for detection of CPFSK and CPCK in AWGN channel. Based on this test, an optimum receiver structure, that minimizes the total probability of error, is obtained. Using high- and low-SNR approximations in the Bayesian test, two receivers, whose performances are analytically easy-to-evaluate relative to the optimum receiver, are identified. Next, a Maximum Likelihood Sequence Detection (MLSD) technique for CPFSK and CPCK is considered and a simplified and easy-to-understand structure of the receiver is presented. Finally, a novel Decision Aided Receiver (DAR) for detection of CPFSK and CPCK is presented and closed-form expressions for its Bits Error Rate (BER) performance are derived. Throughout the thesis, performances of the receivers are presented in terms of probability of error as a function of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), modulation parameters and number of observation intervals of the received waveform. Analytical results wherever possible and, in general, simulation results are presented. An analysis of numerical results is given from the viewpoint of the ability of CPFSK and CPCK to operate over AWGN Channel

Surface-plasmon-polariton wave propagation guided by a metal slab in a sculptured nematic thin film

Surface-plasmon-polariton~(SPP) wave propagation guided by a metal slab in a periodically nonhomogeneous sculptured nematic thin film~(SNTF) was studied theoretically. The morphologically significant planes of the SNTF on both sides of the metal slab could either be aligned or twisted with respect to each other. The canonical boundary-value problem was formulated, solved for SPP-wave propagation, and examined to determine the effect of slab thickness on the multiplicity and the spatial profiles of SPP waves. Decrease in slab thickness was found to result in more intense coupling of two metal/SNTF interfaces. But when the metal slab becomes thicker, the coupling between the two interfaces reduces and SPP waves localize to one of the two interfaces. The greater the coupling between the two metal/SNTF interfaces, the smaller is the phase speed.Comment: 17 page

A new class of smart gadolinium contrast agent for tissue pH probing using magnetic resonance imaging

Detecting tissue pH in vivo is extremely vital for medical diagnosis and formulation of treatment decisions. To this end, many investigations have been carried out to develop an accurate and efficient method of in vivo pH measurement. Most of the techniques developed so far suffer from inadequate accuracy, due to poor sensitivity at low concentration of the target or nonspecific interactions within the tissue matrix. To overcome these issues, we describe herein the development of a simple, yet reliable, way to estimate pH with high precision using a Gd(III)-DOTA-silyl-based acid-labile group as a pH-sensitive contrast agent with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). With this method, a change in T1 weighted image intensity of the newly developed pH-sensitive contrast is directly linked to the proton concentration in the media. As a result, we were able estimate the pH of the target with 95% reliability

Novel Channel Estimation Techniques for Next Generation MIMO-OFDM Wireless Communication Systems: Design and Performance Analysis

During the last decade, major evolutions were introduced for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication systems. To reap the full benefits of MIMO systems, the Base Station (BS) and user equipments require accurate Channel State Information (CSI), which can be acquired using one of the two major approaches for Channel Estimation (CE): pilot-based or blind-based CE. In this thesis, a pilot-based lower complexity channel estimator for Cell-Specific Reference Signals (C-RS) and User Equipment RS (UE-RS) in LTE-A Downlink (DL) system is proposed based on using a hybrid Wiener filter. The proposed system is a sub-optimum scheme that requires 8.8% and 74.5% of the number of computations required by the optimum system and other sub-optimum systems. Moreover, a less computationally complex CE scheme based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is proposed. The presented pilot-based system is validated in end-to-end LTE-A system in terms of throughput, which confirms that the proposed system is suitable for practical implementation. Next, a new blind-based CE technique based on a hybrid OFDM symbol structure for SIMO and MIMO systems is presented. It is shown that the developed system, with enough receive antennas, performs as good as pilot-based system, with similar complexity and better spectral efficiency. Finally, new Resource Grid (RG) configurations that serve the blind-based CE scheme developed for MIMO-OFDM system are presented, with the aim to improve the Mean Squared Error (MSE) performance, while minimizing the number of required receive antennas. Results show that the proposed RG configurations provide superior MSE performance, from the perspective of the blind-based CE scheme under investigation, compared to the LTE-A RG configuration. Throughout the thesis, performances of linear receivers is presented in terms of spectral efficiency as a function of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), and number of BS antennas. CE techniques are evaluated in terms of MSE as a function of SNR for different channel condi- tions. Analytical results wherever possible and, in general, simulation results are presented

Stratigraphic studies of Late Albian strata, north-eastern Alberta.

Late Albian rocks of the Upper Viking, Westgate and lower Fish Scales alloformations were deposited about 101-100 Ma in the Western Canada Foreland Basin. Sediments in the study area span the forebulge, and are dominated by mudstone which forms 5-15 m thick, siltier-or sandier-upward sucessions bounded by marine flooding surfaces. Stratification is on a mm scale and represents storm deposits and fluid muds. Viking allomember VD and Westgate allomembers WA, WB and WC all thin towards the E and S and progressively onlap the forebulge. They record relative sea-level rise and gradual drowning and subsidence of the forebulge. In contrast, Fish Scales allomember FA thins to the west because it is erosionally truncated by surface BFSM. Beveling of FA implies contemporaneous uplift and westward migration of the forebulge, which can be linked to an abrupt reorientation, and increase in subsidence rate of the foredeep to the west

Determination of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in Gaza Strip

Hepatitis C virus is a heterogeneous virus with 6 major genotypes and more than 50 subtypes. The present work aims to determine the commonest HCV genotypes in chronic patients ofGazastrip,Palestine. This study highlights the prognostic potential of determining the HCV genotype for patients as an integral part of their diagnostic and therapeutic regimen, and thus may be helpful in tailoring the therapy for HCV patients based on their virus genotype. If taken in conjunction with other factors important in therapy HCV genotyping will reduce the expenses of treatment when the duration of therapy is accordingly optimized, and thus allowing a larger number of patients to be considered for the therapy. Genotyping of HCV may also be useful for identifying some important origins of transmission and risk factors of the virus inGazastrip. The chronic HCV patients participating in the study were interviewed, and a questionnaire was completed and serum samples were obtained from each of them. The samples were analyzed to justify the presence of HCV RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR), and the PCR products of 92 positive samples were purified and submitted for sequencing and genotype determination. ALT level was determined for each sample. The results of this study showed that genotype 1 and 4 and their subtypes 1a, 1b, 4a and 4c/d are the major common HCV genotypes in Gaza strip. Genotype 4 and its subtypes are the predominant ones. Genotype 1 and its subtypes collectively contributed to 28.3% of the cases, while genotype 4 and its subtypes collectively contributed to 64.1% of the cases. Mixed infection with the two genotypes was also seen among 7.6% of the cases. Travelling, surgery and blood transfusion in an endemic HCV area are the major roots of HCV transmission inGazastrip although other routs exist. The results also show that genotype 1 infections are more serious than genotype 4 infections and associated with significantly higher ALT levels in patients' blood. The education level, infection date and hemodialysis don’t show any significant relation to the HCV genotype and subtypes. The results of this study contribute to the identification of sources of outbreaks, risk factors and control strategy of HCV. The results will also help tailor treatment schedules as well as to monitor response to antiviral treatment

The Effectiveness of Using Webinar on Improving Speaking Skills for the Rafah UNRWA Seventh Graders and their Anxiety in Speaking

This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of using Webinar on improving speaking skills for the Rafah UNRWA seventh graders and their anxiety in speaking. The speaking sub-skills which were the study's focus were fluency, accuracy and comprehensibility. For achieving this aim, the researcher adopted the experimental approach. The sample of the study consisted of (48) female students equally divided into (24) students for the experimental group and (24) students for the control one. It was randomly chosen from Rafah Prep (B) Girls' School. The researcher designed three tools; the achievement test to measure the students' speaking achievement, the observation card to observe the students' speaking development, and the anxiety scale to measure the students' anxiety level when speaking occurred due to the implementation of the experiment. The researcher also used the Web based seminar for implementation and the content analysis as helping tools. The experiment was applied during the first term of 2013-2014 scholastic year and used speaking functions in Grade Seven, English for Palestine, Students' book. The experiment lasted for 8 lessons given online through using webinar. The data were analyzed statistically by using Mann Whitney to measure the differences between the performance of the experimental and control group in the pre and the post test. The effectiveness of using Webinar on developing speaking skills was also measured by using Mann Whitney. The results of the study revealed that the webinar has affected positively students' English language speaking skills. It has also reduced students' speaking anxiety. In the light of those findings, the researcher suggested some recommendations that are hoped to help syllabus designers, supervisors and English language teachers in developing teaching speaking skills. The researcher recommends that the Palestinian teachers should update the latest technology tools to get benefit from their advantages