A Method of Optimal Radio Frequency Assignment for Deep Space Missions

A method for determining optimal radio frequency channels for the Deep Space Network is described. Computer automated routines calculate interference-to-signal ratios over a given mission period and provide a quantitative assessment of the channels which could then be assigned to a new mission. This automated procedure reduces the analysis time considerably and effectively improves upon the accuracy of existing channel assignment techniques

A comparison of VLSI architectures for time and transform domain decoding of Reed-Solomon codes

It is well known that the Euclidean algorithm or its equivalent, continued fractions, can be used to find the error locator polynomial needed to decode a Reed-Solomon (RS) code. It is shown that this algorithm can be used for both time and transform domain decoding by replacing its initial conditions with the Forney syndromes and the erasure locator polynomial. By this means both the errata locator polynomial and the errate evaluator polynomial can be obtained with the Euclidean algorithm. With these ideas, both time and transform domain Reed-Solomon decoders for correcting errors and erasures are simplified and compared. As a consequence, the architectures of Reed-Solomon decoders for correcting both errors and erasures can be made more modular, regular, simple, and naturally suitable for VLSI implementation

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

VLSI architectures for computing multiplications and inverses in GF(2-m)

Finite field arithmetic logic is central in the implementation of Reed-Solomon coders and in some cryptographic algorithms. There is a need for good multiplication and inversion algorithms that are easily realized on VLSI chips. Massey and Omura recently developed a new multiplication algorithm for Galois fields based on a normal basis representation. A pipeline structure is developed to realize the Massey-Omura multiplier in the finite field GF(2m). With the simple squaring property of the normal-basis representation used together with this multiplier, a pipeline architecture is also developed for computing inverse elements in GF(2m). The designs developed for the Massey-Omura multiplier and the computation of inverse elements are regular, simple, expandable and, therefore, naturally suitable for VLSI implementation

Heun Functions and the energy spectrum of a charged particle on a sphere under magnetic field and Coulomb force

We study the competitive action of magnetic field, Coulomb repulsion and space curvature on the motion of a charged particle. The three types of interaction are characterized by three basic lengths: l_{B} the magnetic length, l_{0} the Bohr radius and R the radius of the sphere. The energy spectrum of the particle is found by solving a Schr\"odinger equation of the Heun type, using the technique of continued fractions. It displays a rich set of functioning regimes where ratios \frac{R}{l_{B}} and \frac{R}{l_{0}} take definite values.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, accepted to JOPA, november 200

Funneling and frustration in the energy landscapes of some designed and simplified proteins

We explore the similarities and differences between the energy landscapes of proteins that have been selected by nature and those of some proteins designed by humans. Natural proteins have evolved to function as well as fold, and this is a source of energetic frustration. The sequence of Top7, on the other hand, was designed with architecture alone in mind using only native state stability as the optimization criterion. Its topology had not previously been observed in nature. Experimental studies show that the folding kinetics of Top7 is more complex than the kinetics of folding of otherwise comparable naturally occurring proteins. In this paper, we use structure prediction tools, frustration analysis, and free energy profiles to illustrate the folding landscapes of Top7 and two other proteins designed by Takada. We use both perfectly funneled (structure-based) and predictive (transferable) models to gain insight into the role of topological versus energetic frustration in these systems and show how they differ from those found for natural proteins. We also study how robust the folding of these designs would be to the simplification of the sequences using fewer amino acid types. Simplification using a five amino acid type code results in comparable quality of structure prediction to the full sequence in some cases, while the two-letter simplification scheme dramatically reduces the quality of structure prediction

The Effect of Neonatal Leptin Antagonism in Male Rat Offspring Is Dependent upon the Interaction between Prior Maternal Nutritional Status and Post-Weaning Diet

Epidemiological and experimental studies report associations between overweight mothers and increased obesity risk in offspring. It is unclear whether neonatal leptin regulation mediates this association between overweight mothers and offspring obesity. We investigated the effect of neonatal treatment with a leptin antagonist (LA) on growth and metabolism in offspring of mothers fed either a control or a high fat diet. Wistar rats were fed either a control (CON) or a high fat diet (MHF) during pregnancy and lactation. Male CON and MHF neonates received either saline (S) or a rat-specific pegylated LA on days 3, 5, and 7. Offspring were weaned onto either a control or a high fat (hf) diet. At day 100, body composition, blood glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate and plasma leptin and insulin were determined. In CON and MHF offspring, LA increased neonatal bodyweights compared to saline-treated offspring and was more pronounced in MHF offspring. In the post-weaning period, neonatal LA treatment decreased hf diet-induced weight gain but only in CON offspring. LA treatment induced changes in body length, fat mass, body temperature, and bone composition. Neonatal LA treatment can therefore exert effects on growth and metabolism in adulthood but is dependent upon interactions between maternal and post-weaning nutrition

Exactly Solvable Interacting Spin-Ice Vertex Model

A special family of solvable five-vertex model is introduced on a square lattice. In addition to the usual nearest neighbor interactions, the vertices defining the model also interact alongone of the diagonals of the lattice. Such family of models includes in a special limit the standard six-vertex model. The exact solution of these models gives the first application of the matrix product ansatz introduced recently and applied successfully in the solution of quantum chains. The phase diagram and the free energy of the models are calculated in the thermodynamic limit. The models exhibit massless phases and our analyticaland numerical analysis indicate that such phases are governed by a conformal field theory with central charge $c=1$ and continuosly varying critical exponents.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figure

Efficacy and Safety of IncobotulinumtoxinA in Subjects Previously Treated with Botulinum Toxin versus Toxin-Naïve Subjects with Cervical Dystonia

Background: To determine whether botulinum toxin treatment history affected the outcomes of a study comparing the safety and efficacy of incobotulinumtoxinA with placebo in subjects with cervical dystonia (CD). Methods: This was a prospective, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, multicenter trial in botulinum toxin‐treated or toxin‐naïve CD subjects. Subjects received a fixed dose of either 120 U or 240 U of incobotulinumtoxinA or placebo. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline to Week 4 in the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) total score. Treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were also evaluated. This report represents a subgroup analysis of botulinum toxin‐treated or toxin‐naïve subjects. Results: Participants (N = 233; 38.6% toxin‐naïve) had a mean age of 52.8 years. IncobotulinumtoxinA significantly improved TWSTRS total scores from baseline to Week 4 in both dose groups versus placebo, and the improvement persisted through the end of the study (≤20 weeks). Both the previously toxin‐treated and toxin‐naïve subjects demonstrated significant improvements in TWSTRS total scores at Week 4 compared to baseline. The most frequent TEAEs in the incobotulinumtoxinA groups were dysphagia, neck pain, and muscular weakness, which were generally mild. TEAEs were more common in the 240 U group and toxin‐naïve subjects. Discussion: Overall, incobotulinumtoxinA was safe and effective in CD, regardless of toxin therapy history. A lower starting dose may be better tolerated among toxin‐naïve subjects without sacrificing efficacy

WIATEC: A World Integrated Assessment Model of Global Trade Environment and Climate Change

This paper describes the structure of the World Integrated Assessment model of global Trade, Environmental, and Climate change (WIATEC).The model consists of a multi-regional multi-sectoral core CGE model linked to a climate model. The core CGE is based on an existing global trade and environment model called GTAP-E (Truong, 1999; Burniaux and Truong, 2002). A suite of different and interchangeable 'modules' are then built around this 'core' to enable the model to be able to handle a range of different policy issues such as CO2 emissions, abatement, trading, non-CO2 (CH4 and N2O) emissions, land use land use change and forestry (LULUCF) activities, and changing technologies in the electricity generation sector. The approach which uses a core model structure with different additional modules built around this core structure allows the overall model to be flexible and can be adapted to a range of different policy issues. We illustrate the usefulness of this approach in a policy experiment which looks at the interaction between emissions trading scheme and the promotion of renewable energy targets in the European Union climate policy