Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The Coulomb excitation of 66Ge has been performed for the rst time using \safe" bombarding energies at the HIE-ISOLDE facility at CERN in July 2017. A particle- coincidence experiment using the MINIBALL array and double-sided silicon detectors has allowed the determination of transitional and diagonal matrix elements in 66Ge, yielding new measurements of the reduced transition probability connecting the ground state, 0+1 , and the rst excited state, 2+1 , or B(E2; 2+1 ! 0+1 ) value, and the spectroscopic quadrupole moment of the 2+1 state, QS (2+1 ). A relatively large B(E2) = 29:4(30) W.u. has been extracted using beam-gated data at forward angles { less sensitive to secondorder e ects { as compared with the adopted value of 16:9(7) W.u., but in closer agreement with modern large-scale shell-model calculations using a variety of e ective interactions and beyond-mean eld calculations presented in the current work. / 2022

Neogene climates and vegetation history of western Yunnan are reconstructed on the basis of known fossil plants using the Coexistence Approach (CA) and Leaf Margin Analysis (LMA). Four Neogene leaf floras from Tengchong, Jianchuan and Eryuan in southwestern China are analyzed by the CA, and the paleoclimatic data of one Miocene carpoflora from Longling and three Pliocene palynofloras from Longling, Yangyi and Eryuan are used for comparison. The Miocene vegetation of the whole of West Yunnan is subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, and a similar mean annual precipitation is inferred for Tengchong, Longling and Jianchuan. However, by the Late Pliocene a large difference in vegetation occurred between the two slopes of Gaoligong Mountain, western Yunnan. The region of Tengchong retained a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest vegetation, whereas in Yangyi and Eryuan a vertical vegetation zonation had developed, which consists, in ascending order, of humid evergreen broad-leaved, needle and broad-leaved mixed evergreen, and coniferous forests. Distinctively, the Late Pliocene vegetational patterns of West Yunnan were already very similar to those of the present, and the Pliocene mean annual precipitation in Tengchong was markedly higher than that of Yangyi and Eryuan. Considering that the overall vegetation of West Yunnan and the precipitation at Yangyi and Eryuan have undergone no distinct change since the Late Pliocene, we conclude that the Hengduan Mountains on the northern boundary of West Yunnan must have arisen after the Miocene and approached their highest elevation before the Late Pliocene. Furthermore, the fact of the eastern portion of the Tibetan Plateau underwent a slight uplift after the Late Pliocene is also supported.

In recent years, Smart Grid (SG) is envisioned to be the next generation electric power system by replacing traditional power grid due to its advantage of using two way communications. To implement reliable SG wireless communication networks, IEEE introduced a new wireless standard (IEEE802.15.4g) for Smart Utility Networks (SUNs). However, SUN operates on 2.4 GHz unlicensed band which is overlapped with Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) that leads to coexistence in Smart Utility Networks. In this paper, the coexistence problem of SUN is addressed in terms of homogeneous and heterogeneous interferences. To mitigate the homogeneous interference, Contention Access Period (CAP) and Contention Free Period (CFP) of a super frame of IEEE 802.15.4g is used to access the channel using slotted CSMA/CA algorithm by modifying the Backoff Period (BP) and Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) period for different priority data. An analytical model is developed using Markov chain, through which we demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed model in terms of throughput, channel access delay, probability of successful transmission and collision for nodes with different priority data. Performance evaluation is further investigated by comparing the proposed scheme with the existing PA-MAC. A channel switching mechanism is explored to mitigate the heterogeneous interference by the prediction of Naive Bayes Classifier. Predicted result shows that proposed mechanism effectively mitigates the heterogeneous interference by choosing the non-overlapping and non-coexisting channel.

As we move towards the sixth generation (6G) of connectivity, satellites have been identified as an indispensable solution to bridge the digital divide. The satellites offer an extensive coverage footprint and can reach the most remote regions with high throughput, fueled by the large bandwidth available in higher frequency bands. As the low earth orbit (LEO) satellites are closer to the earth and therefore have lower latency, we could use a mega-constellation of LEO satellites to complement the terrestrial networks in 6G. However, the satellite and terrestrial networks may compete for the same spectrum band, thereby being a source of interference for each other. The mmWave bands have attracted the attention of LEO satellite networks and terrestrial mobile operators alike. Specifically, the 28-GHz mmWave band (27.5-29.5 GHz) is licensed to Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) for earth-to-satellite uplink transmissions, while the terrestrial networks will use it for downlink operation. The satellite networks are the primary users of the 28 GHz band, while it is also available for licensing to International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) networks. In some countries, the 28 GHz band is also used for point-to-multipoint (PMP) wireless backhaul links. Therefore, in this work, we aim to understand the impact of the earth station uplink transmissions on the terrestrial users, viz., the cellular users, and the backhaul points, and suggest methods to facilitate the coexistence of these networks in the 28 GHz band through exclusion zones. The average data rate of the networks is derived through stochastic geometry, which results in expressions that are not closed-form. To optimize the data rates of the coexisting networks jointly, we first approximate the coverage probability expressions as closed-form sigmoid curves. This enables us to use gradient descent methods to determine the optimal radii of the exclusion zones.

To investigate the possible GABAergic nature of somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons of the larval tiger salamander retina, somatostatin immunocytochemistry was combined with either γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) immunocytochemistry or autoradiography of GABA high-affinity uptake. A total of 1,062 somatostatin cells were visualized in these studies. Double-label immunocytochemistry revealed that 96.3% of somatostatin-immunoreactive cells expressed GABA immunoreactivity. Double-label studies combining somatostatin immunocytochemistry with autoradiography of GABA high-affinity uptake revealed a slightly lower percentage (93%) of colocalization. Double-labelled cells were identified as Type 1, Type 2 and displaced amacrine cells. The small percentage of somatostatin-immunoreactive cells that did not co-label for GABA were identified as Type 1 amacrine cells. An analysis of retinal sections processed for double-label immunocytochemistry revealed that approximately 5% of GABA-immunoreactive cells in the amacrine and ganglion cell layers co-label for somatostatin. Somatostatin immunocytochemistry was combined with autoradiography of glycine high-affinity uptake to examine whether tiger salamander somatostatin-amacrine cells express this glycine marker. A total of 100 somatostatin-immunoreactive amacrine cells were visualized in double-label preparations. None of these cells were observed to exhibit glycine high-affinity uptake.

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<p> A model of two predators competing for the same prey also involving predation interaction between the two predators is considered. Coexistence in forms of equilibria and periodic orbits is obtained by using bifurcation and dynamical systems theory. Global dynamics is obtained by studying the survival functions and persistence is obtained by using a theorem of Freedman and Waltman. Finally, numerical results for a specific example demonstrate the above. A Hopf bifurcation at the interior equilibrium and its unstable periodic orbit are observed.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

One of the basic questions of concern in mathematical biology is the long-term survival of each species in a set of populations. This question is particularly puzzling for a natural system with omnivory due to the fact that simple mathematical models of omnivory are prone to species extinction. Omnivory is defined as the consumption of resources from more than one trophic level. In this work, we investigate three omnivory models of increasing complexity. We use the notion of permanent coexistence, or permanence, to study the long-term survival of three interacting species governed by a mixture of competition and predation. We show the permanence of our models under certain parameter restrictions and include the biological interpretations of these parameter restrictions. Sensitivity analysis is used to obtain important information about meaningful parameter data collection. Examples are also given that demonstrate the ubiquity of omnivory in natural systems. / Ph. D.

As a license-exempt technology, Ultra Wideband (UWB) can be used for numerous commercial and military applications, including ranging, sensing, low-range networking and multimedia consumer products. In the networking and consumer fields, the technology is envisioned to reach the mass market, with a very high density of UWB devices per home and office. The technology is based on the concept of transmitting a signal with very low power spectral density (PSD), while occupying a very wide bandwidth. In principle, the low emissions mask protects incumbent systems operating in the same spectrum from being interfered with, while the wide bandwidth offers the possibility of high data rates, in excess of 250 Mbps. UWB has been regulated to operate in the 3.1 to 10.6 GHz portion of the spectrum, with an emissions mask for the lower and upper bands outside this range. The commercial wireless mobile services based on third generation (3G) networks occupy a portion of the spectrum in the 2 GHz band, falling under the UWB emissions mask. UWB and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Systems) devices will coexist, sharing the same spectrum. In this research, we investigate the UWB-3G coexistence problem, analyzing the impact of UWB on UMTS networks. Firstly, we review the mathematical model of the UWB signal, its temporal and spectral properties. We then analyze and model the effects of the UWB signal on a narrowband receiver. Next, we characterize the response of the UMTS receiver to UWB interference, determining its statistical behavior, and establishing a model to replicate it. We continue by proposing a link level model that offers a first order quantitative estimate of the impact of a UWB interferer on a UMTS victim receiver, demonstrating the potentially harmful effect of UWB on the UMTS link. We elaborate on that initial evidence by proposing and implementing a practical systemlevel algorithm to realistically simulate the behavior of the UMTS network in the presence of multiple sources of UWB interference. We complete the research by performing UMTS system level simulations under various conditions of UWB interference, with the purpose of assessing its impact upon a typical UMTS network. We analyze the sensitivity of the main UWB parameters affecting UMTS performance, investigating the coverage and capacity performance aspects of the network. The proposed analysis methodology creates a framework to characterize the impact that mass-deployed UWB can have on the performance of a 3G system. The literature on UWB-3G coexistence is inconclusive, and even contradictory, as to the impact UWB can have on the performance of third-generation wireless networks. While some studies show that UWB can be highly detrimental to 3G networks, others have concluded that both systems can gracefully coexist. Through this study, we found that at the current emissions limits regulated for UWB, a mass uptake of this technology can negatively affect the performance of third-generation (3G) wireless networks. The quality of service experienced by a 3G user in close proximity to an active UWB device can be noticeably degraded, in the form of reduced coverage range, poor voice quality (for a voice call), lower data rates (for a data session) or, in a extreme situation, complete service blockage. As the ratio of UWB devices surrounding a 3G user grows, the degradation becomes increasingly more evident. We determined that in order for UWB tocoexist with 3G networks without causing any performance degradation, a minimum power backoff of 20 dB should be applied to the current emission limits. / Ph. D.