On the VLSI design of a pipeline Reed-Solomon decoder using systolic arrays

A new very large scale integration (VLSI) design of a pipeline Reed-Solomon decoder is presented. The transform decoding technique used in a previous article is replaced by a time domain algorithm through a detailed comparison of their VLSI implementations. A new architecture that implements the time domain algorithm permits efficient pipeline processing with reduced circuitry. Erasure correction capability is also incorporated with little additional complexity. By using a multiplexing technique, a new implementation of Euclid's algorithm maintains the throughput rate with less circuitry. Such improvements result in both enhanced capability and significant reduction in silicon area

Familial hypomagnesaemia, Hypercalciuria and Nephrocalcinosis associated with a novel mutation of the highly conserved leucine residue 116 of Claudin 16 in a Chinese patient with a delayed diagnosis: A case report

Background: Sixty mutations of claudin 16 coding gene have been reported in familial hypomagnesemia with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis (FHHNC) patients. Recent investigations revealed that a highly conserved glycine-leucine-tryptophan (115G-L-W117) motif in the first extracellular segment (ESC1) of claudin 16 might be essential for stabilization of the appropriately folded ECS1 structure and conservation of normal claudin 16 function. However, neither missense nor nonsense mutation has ever been described in this motif. Our study aimed at identifying mutations in a Chinese patient with FHHNC and exploring the association between genotype and phenotype. Case presentation: A 33-year-old female presented with 4 years history of recurrent acute pyelonephritis without other notable past medical history. Her healthy parents, who aged 56 and 53 respectively, were second cousins, and her only sibling died from renal failure without definite cause at age 25. Renal ultrasound imaging demonstrated atrophic kidneys and bilateral nephrocalcinosis. The laboratory workup revealed impaired renal function (Stage CKD IV), hypocalcemia and mild hypomagnesemia, accompanied with marked renal loss of magnesium and hypercalciuria. During the follow-up, treatment with calcitriol and calcium but not with magnesium was difficult to achieve normal serum calcium levels, whereas her serum magnesium concentration fluctuated within normal ranges. In the end, the patient unavoidably reached ESRD at 36 years old. The clinical features and family history suggested the diagnosis of FHHNC. To make a definite diagnosis, we use whole-exome sequencing to identify the disease-causing mutations and Sanger sequencing to confirm the mutation co-segregation in the family. As a result, a novel homozygous mutation (c.346C > G, p.Leu116Val) in115G-L-W117motif of claudin 16 was identified. Her parents, grandmother and one of her cousins carried heterozygous p.Leu116Val, whereas 200 unrelated controls did not carry this mutation. Conclusions: We described a delayed diagnosis patient with FHHNC in the Chinese population and identified a novel missense mutation in the highly conserved115G-L-W117motif of claudin 16 for the first time. According to the reported data and the information deduced from 3D modeling, we speculate that this mutation probably reserve partial residual function which might be related to the slight phenotype of the patient

A VLSI pipeline design of a fast prime factor DFT on a finite field

A conventional prime factor discrete Fourier transform (DFT) algorithm is used to realize a discrete Fourier-like transform on the finite field, GF(q sub n). A pipeline structure is used to implement this prime factor DFT over GF(q sub n). This algorithm is developed to compute cyclic convolutions of complex numbers and to decode Reed-Solomon codes. Such a pipeline fast prime factor DFT algorithm over GF(q sub n) is regular, simple, expandable, and naturally suitable for VLSI implementation. An example illustrating the pipeline aspect of a 30-point transform over GF(q sub n) is presented

Influence of vector interactions on the hadron-quark/gluon phase transition

The hadron-quark/gluon phase transition is studied in the two-phase model. As a further study of our previous work, both the isoscalar and isovector vector interactions are included in the Polyakov loop modified Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model (PNJL) for the quark phase. The relevance of the exchange (Fock) terms is stressed and suitably accounted for. The calculation shows that the isovector vector interaction delays the phase transition to higher densities and the range of the mixed phase correspondingly shrinks. Meanwhile the asymmetry parameter of quark matter in the mixed phase decreases with the strengthening of this interaction channel. This leads to some possible observation signals being weakened, although still present. We show that these can be rather general effects of a repulsion in the quark phase due to the symmetry energy. This is also confirmed by a simpler calculation with the MIT--Bag model. However, the asymmetry parameter of quark matter is slightly enhanced with the inclusion of the isoscalar vector interaction, but the phase transition will be moved to higher densities. The largest uncertainty on the phase transition lies in the undetermined coupling constants of the vector interactions. In this respect new data on the mixed phase obtained from Heavy Ion Collisions at Intermediate Energies appear very important.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

A single chip VLSI Reed-Solomon decoder

A new VLSI design of a pipeline Reed-Solomon decoder is presented. The transform decoding technique used in a previous design is replaced by a time domain algorithm. A new architecture that implements such an algorithm permits efficient pipeline processing with minimum circuitry. A systolic array is also developed to perform erasure corrections in the new design. A modified form of Euclid's algorithm is implemented by a new architecture that maintains the throughput rate with less circuitry. Such improvements result in both enhanced capability and a significant reduction in silicon area, therefore making it possible to build a pipeline (31,15)RS decoder on a single VLSI chip

Stress-Energy Tensor Induced by Bulk Dirac Spinor in Randall-Sundrum Model

Motivated by the possible extension into a supersymmetric Randall-Sundrum (RS) model, we investigate the properties of the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the stress-energy tensor for a quantized bulk Dirac spinor field in the RS geometry and compare it with that for a real scalar field. This is carried out via the Green function method based on first principles without invoking the degeneracy factor, whose validity in a warp geometry is a priori unassured. In addition, we investigate the local behavior of the Casimir energy near the two branes. One salient feature we found is that the surface divergences near the two branes have opposite signs. We argue that this is a generic feature of the fermionic Casimir energy density due to its parity transformation in the fifth dimension. Furthermore, we investigate the self-consistency of the RS metric under the quantum correction due to the stress-energy tensor. It is shown that the VEV of the stress-energy tensor and the classical one become comparable near the visible brane if k ~ M ~ M_Pl (the requirement of no hierarchy problem), where k is the curvature of the RS warped geometry and M the 5-dimensional Planck mass. In that case the self-consistency of RS model that includes bulk fields is in doubt. If, however, k <~ M, then an approximate self-consistency of the RS-type metric may still be satisfied.Comment: 7 pages with 2 figure

A parallel VLSI architecture for a digital filter of arbitrary length using Fermat number transforms

A parallel architecture for computation of the linear convolution of two sequences of arbitrary lengths using the Fermat number transform (FNT) is described. In particular a pipeline structure is designed to compute a 128-point FNT. In this FNT, only additions and bit rotations are required. A standard barrel shifter circuit is modified so that it performs the required bit rotation operation. The overlap-save method is generalized for the FNT to compute a linear convolution of arbitrary length. A parallel architecture is developed to realize this type of overlap-save method using one FNT and several inverse FNTs of 128 points. The generalized overlap save method alleviates the usual dynamic range limitation in FNTs of long transform lengths. Its architecture is regular, simple, and expandable, and therefore naturally suitable for VLSI implementation

Behavioral ontogeny in larvae and early juveniles of the giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) (Pisces: Carangidae)

Behavior of young (8−18 mm SL) giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis), a large coral-reef−associated predator, was observed in the laboratory and the ocean. Size was a better predictor of swimming speed and endurance than was age. Critical speed increased with size from 12 to 40 cm/s at 2.7 cm/s for each mm increase in size. Mean scaled critical speed was 19 body lengths/s and was not size related. Swimming speed in the ocean was 4 to 20 cm/s (about half of critical speed) and varied among areas, but within each area, it increased at 2 cm/s for each mm increase in size. Swimming endurance in the laboratory increased from 5 to 40 km at 5 km for each mm increase in size. Vertical distribution changed ontogenetically: larvae swam shallower, but more variably, and then deeper with growth. Two-thirds of individuals swam directionally with no ontogenetic increase in orientation precision. Larvae swam offshore off open coasts, but not in a bay. In situ observations of C. ignobilis feeding, interacting with pelagic animals, and reacting to reefs are reported. Manus