Asymptotically-Optimal, Fast-Decodable, Full-Diversity STBCs

For a family/sequence of Space-Time Block Codes (STBCs) C1, C2,⋯, with increasing number of transmit antennas Ni, with rates Ri complex symbols per channel use (cspcu), i = 1,2,⋯, the asymptotic normalized rate is defined as limi→∞ Ri/Ni. A family of STBCs is said to be asymptotically-good if the asymptotic normalized rate is non-zero, i.e., when the rate scales as a non-zero fraction of the number of transmit antennas, and the family of STBCs is said to be asymptotically-optimal if the asymptotic normalized rate is 1, which is the maximum possible value. In this paper, we construct a new class of full-diversity STBCs that have the least maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding complexity among all known codes for any number of transmit antennas N>;1 and rates R>;1 cspcu. For a large set of (R,N) pairs, the new codes have lower ML decoding complexity than the codes already available in the literature. Among the new codes, the class of full-rate codes (R=N) are asymptotically-optimal and fast-decodable, and for N>;5 have lower ML decoding complexity than all other families of asymptotically-optimal, fast-decodable, full-diversity STBCs available in the literature. The construction of the new STBCs is facilitated by the following further contributions of this paper: (i) Construction of a new class of asymptotically-good, full-diversity multigroup ML decodable codes, that not only includes STBCs for a larger set of antennas, but also either matches in rate or contains as a proper subset all other high-rate or asymptotically-good, delay-optimal, multigroup ML decodable codes available in the literature. (ii) Construction of a new class of fast-group-decodable codes (codes that combine the low ML decoding complexity properties of multigroup ML decodable codes and fast-decodable codes) for all even number of transmit antennas and rates 1 <; R ≤ 5/4.- - (iii) Given a design with full-rank linear dispersion matrices, we show that a full-diversity STBC can be constructed from this design by encoding the real symbols independently using only regular PAM constellations.

Evidence for a thermally reversing window in bulk Ge–Te–Si glasses revealed by alternating differential scanning calorimetry

Experiments on Ge15Te85− x Si x glasses (2 ≤ x ≤ 12) using alternating differential scanning calorimetry (ADSC) indicate that these glasses exhibit one glass transition and two crystallization reactions upon heating. The glass transition temperature has been found to increase almost linearly with silicon content, in the entire composition tie-line. The first crystallization temperature (T c1) exhibits an increase with silicon content for x < 5; T c1 remains almost a constant in the composition range 5 < x ≤ 10 and it increases comparatively more sharply with silicon content thereafter. The specific heat change (ΔC p) is found to decrease with an increase in silicon content, exhibiting a minimum at x = 5 (average coordination number, r = 2.4); a continuous increase is seen in ΔC p with silicon concentration above x = 5. The effects seen in the variation with composition of T c1 and ΔC p at x = 5, are the specific signatures of the mean-field stiffness threshold at r = 2.4. Furthermore, a broad trough is seen in the enthalpy change (ΔH NR), which is indicative of a thermally reversing window in Ge15Te85− x Si x glasses in the composition range 2 ≤ x ≤ 6 (2.34 ≤ r ≤ 2.42).

Compositionally modulated Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-PbTiO3 relaxor thin films deposited by pulsed excimer laser ablation technique

Thin films of (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3 - xPbTiO(3) (x = 0.1 to 0.3)(PMN-PT) were deposited on the platinum coated silicon substrate by pulsed excimer laser ablation technique. A template layer of LaSr0.5Co0.5O3 (LSCO) was deposited on platinum substrate prior to the deposition of PMN-PT thin films. The composition and the structure of the films were modulated via proper variation of the deposition parameter such as substrate temperature, laser fluence and thickness of the template layers. We observed the impact of the thickness of LSCO template layer on the orientation of the films. A room temperature dielectric constant varying from 2000 to 4500 was noted for different composition of the films. The dielectric properties of the films were studied over the frequency range of 100 Hz - 100 kHz over a wide range of temperatures. The films exhibited the relaxor- type behavior that was characterized by the frequency dispersion of the temperature of dielectric constant maxima (T-m) and also diffuse phase transition. C1 Indian Inst Sci, Mat Res Ctr, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 India.

Wrinkled and slack membranes: nonlinear 3D elasticity solutions via smooth DMS-FEM and experiment

The smooth DMS-FEM, recently proposed by the authors, is extended and applied to the geometrically nonlinear and ill-posed problem of a deformed and wrinkled/slack membrane. A key feature of this work is that three-dimensional nonlinear elasticity equations corresponding to linear momentum balance, without any dimensional reduction and the associated approximations, directly serve as the membrane governing equations. Domain discretization is performed with triangular prism elements and the higher order (C1 or more) interelement continuity of the shape functions ensures that the errors arising from possible jumps in the first derivatives of the conventional C0 shape functions do not propagate because the ill-conditioned tangent stiffness matrices are iteratively inverted. The present scheme employs no regularization and exhibits little sensitivity to h-refinement. Although the numerically computed deformed membrane profiles do show some sensitivity to initial imperfections (nonplanarity) in the membrane profile needed to initiate transverse deformations, the overall patterns of the wrinkles and the deformed shapes appear to be less so. Finally, the deformed profiles, computed through the DMS FEM-based weak formulation, are compared with those obtained through an experiment on an ultrathin Kapton membrane, wherein wrinkles form because of the applied boundary displacement conditions. Comparisons with a reported experiment on a rectangular membrane are also provided. These exercises lend credence to the feasibility of the DMS FEM-based numerical route to computing post-wrinkled membrane shapes. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Distinct Disulfide Isomers of mu-Conotoxins KIIIA and KIIIB Block Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels

In the preparation of synthetic conotoxins containing multiple disulfide bonds, oxidative folding can produce numerous permutations of disulfide bond connectivities. Establishing the native disulfide connectivities thus presents a significant challenge when the venom-derived peptide is not available, as is increasingly the case when conotoxins are identified from cDNA sequences. Here, we investigate the disulfide connectivity of mu-conotoxin KIIIA, which was predicted originally to have a C1-C9,C2-C15,C4-C16] disulfide pattern based on homology with closely related mu-conotoxins. The two major isomers of synthetic mu-KIIIA formed during oxidative folding were purified and their disulfide connectivities mapped by direct mass spectrometric collision-induced dissociation fragmentation of the disulfide-bonded polypeptides. Our results show that the major oxidative folding product adopts a C1-C15,C2-C9,C4-C16] disulfide connectivity, while the minor product adopts a C1-C16,C2-C9,C4-C15] connectivity. Both of these peptides were potent blockers of Na(v)1.2 (K-d values of 5 and 230 nM, respectively). The solution structure for mu-KIIIA based on nuclear magnetic resonance data was recalculated with the C1-C15,C2-C9,C4-C16] disulfide pattern; its structure was very similar to the mu-KIIIA structure calculated with the incorrect C1-C9,C2-C15,C4-C16] disulfide pattern, with an alpha-helix spanning residues 7-12. In addition, the major folding isomers of mu-KIIIB, an N-terminally extended isoform of mu-KIIIA, identified from its cDNA sequence, were isolated. These folding products had the same disulfide connectivities as mu-KIIIA, and both blocked Na(v)1.2 (K-d values of 470 and 26 nM, respectively). Our results establish that the preferred disulfide pattern of synthetic mu-KIIIA and mu-KIIIB folded in vitro is 1-5/2-4/3-6 but that other disulfide isomers are also potent sodium channel blockers. These findings raise questions about the disulfide pattern(s) of mu-KIIIA in the venom of Conus kinoshitai; indeed, the presence of multiple disulfide isomers in the venom could provide a means of further expanding the snail's repertoire of active peptides.

Partial delamination modeling in composite beams using a finite element method

A new method of modeling partial delamination in composite beams is proposed and implemented using the finite element method. Homogenized cross-sectional stiffness of the delaminated beam is obtained by the proposed analytical technique, including extension-bending, extension-twist and torsion-bending coupling terms, and hence can be used with an existing finite element method. A two noded C1 type Timoshenko beam element with 4 degrees of freedom per node for dynamic analysis of beams is implemented. The results for different delamination scenarios and beams subjected to different boundary conditions are validated with available experimental results in the literature and/or with the 3D finite element simulation using COMSOL. Results of the first torsional mode frequency for the partially delaminated beam are validated with the COMSOL results. The key point of the proposed model is that partial delamination in beams can be analyzed using a beam model, rather than using 3D or plate models. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy Hyperspace for Stacking Interaction in AU/AU Dinucleotide Step: Dispersion-Corrected Density Functional Theory Study

Double helical structures of DNA and RNA are mostly determined by base pair stacking interactions, which give them the base sequence-directed features, such as small roll values for the purine-pyrimidine steps. Earlier attempts to characterize stacking interactions were mostly restricted to calculations on fiber diffraction geometries or optimized structure using ab initio calculations lacking variation in geometry to comment on rather unusual large roll values observed in AU/AU base pair step in crystal structures of RNA double helices. We have generated stacking energy hyperspace by modeling geometries with variations along the important degrees of freedom, roll, and slide, which were chosen via statistical analysis as maximally sequence dependent. Corresponding energy contours were constructed by several quantum chemical methods including dispersion corrections. This analysis established the most suitable methods for stacked base pair systems despite the limitation imparted by number of atom in a base pair step to employ very high level of theory. All the methods predict negative roll value and near-zero slide to be most favorable for the purine-pyrimidine steps, in agreement with Calladine's steric clash based rule. Successive base pairs in RNA are always linked by sugar-phosphate backbone with C3-endo sugars and this demands C1-C1 distance of about 5.4 angstrom along the chains. Consideration of an energy penalty term for deviation of C1-C1 distance from the mean value, to the recent DFT-D functionals, specifically B97X-D appears to predict reliable energy contour for AU/AU step. Such distance-based penalty improves energy contours for the other purine-pyrimidine sequences also. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 107-120, 2014.

On interference alignment for symmetrically connected interference networks with line of sight channels at finite powers

In this work, interference alignment for a class of Gaussian interference networks with general message demands, having line of sight (LOS) channels, at finite powers is considered. We assume that each transmitter has one independent message to be transmitted and the propagation delays are uniformly distributed between 0 and (L - 1) (L >; 0). If receiver-j, j ∈{1,2,..., J}, requires the message of transmitter-i, i ∈ {1, 2, ..., K}, we say (i, j) belongs to a connection. A class of interference networks called the symmetrically connected interference network is defined as a network where, the number of connections required at each transmitter-i is equal to ct for all i and the number of connections required at each receiver-j is equal to cr for all j, for some fixed positive integers ct and cr. For such networks with a LOS channel between every transmitter and every receiver, we show that an expected sum-spectral efficiency (in bits/sec/Hz) of at least K/(e+c1-1)(ct+1) (ct/ct+1)ct log2 (1+min(i, j)∈c|hi, j|2 P/WN0) can be achieved as the number of transmitters and receivers tend to infinity, i.e., K, J →∞ where, C denotes the set of all connections, hij is the channel gain between transmitter-i and receiver-j, P is the average power constraint at each transmitter, W is the bandwidth and N0 W is the variance of Gaussian noise at each receiver. This means that, for an LOS symmetrically connected interference network, at any finite power, the total spectral efficiency can grow linearly with K as K, J →∞. This is achieved by extending the time domain interference alignment scheme proposed by Grokop et al. for the k-user Gaussian interference channel to interference networks.

Evaluation of chitosan nanoformulations as potent anti-HIV therapeutic systems

Background: Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is currently the major therapeutic intervention in the treatment of AIDS. ART, however, is severely limited due to poor availability, high cytotoxicity, and enhanced metabolism and clearance of the drug molecules by the renal system. The use of nanocarriers encapsulating the antiretroviral drugs may provide a solution to the aforementioned problems. Importantly, the application of mildly immunogenic polymeric carrier confers the advantage of making the nanoparticles more visible to the immune system leading to their efficient uptake by the phagocytes. Methods: The saquinavir-loaded chitosan nanopartides were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry and analyzed for the encapsulation efficiency, swelling characteristics, particle size properties, and the zeta potential. Furthermore, cellular uptake of the chitosan nanocarriers was evaluated using confocal microscopy and Flow cytometry. The antiviral efficacy was quantified using viral infection of the target cells. Results: Using novel chitosan carriers loaded with saquinavir, a protease inhibitor, we demonstrate a drug encapsulation efficiency of 75% and cell targeting efficiency greater than 92%. As compared to the soluble drug control, the saquinavir-loaded chitosan carriers caused superior control of the viral proliferation as measured by using two different viral strains, NL4-3 and Indie-C1, and two different target T-cells, Jurkat and CEM-CCR5. Conclusion: Chitosan nanoparticles loaded with saquinavir were characterized and they demonstrated superior drug loading potential with greater cell targeting efficiency leading to efficient control of the viral proliferation in target T-cells. General significance: Our data ascertain the potential of chitosan nanocarriers as novel vehicles for HIV-1 therapeutics. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temperature dependent magnetic, dielectric and Raman studies of partially disordered La2NiMnO6

We report a detailed magnetic, dielectric and Raman studies on partially disordered and biphasic double perovskite La2NiMnO6. DC and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements show two magnetic anomalies at T-C1 similar to 270 K and T-C2 similar to 240 K, which may indicate the ferromagnetic ordering of the monoclinic and rhombohedral phases, respectively. A broad peak at a lower temperature (T-sg similar to 70 K) is also observed indicating a spin-glass transition due to partial anti-site disorder of Ni2+ and Mn4+ ions. Unlike the pure monoclinic phase, the biphasic compound exhibits a broad but a clear dielectric anomaly around 270 K which is a signature of magneto-dielectric effect. Temperature-dependent Raman studies between the temperature range 12-300 K in a wide spectral range from 220 cm(-1) to 1530 cm(-1) reveal a strong renormalization of the first as well as second-order Raman modes associated with the (Ni/Mn)O-6 octahedra near T-C1 implying a strong spin-phonon coupling. In addition, an anomaly is seen in the vicinity of spin-glass transition temperature in the temperature dependence of the frequency of the anti-symmetric stretching vibration of the octahedra. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinación de la incidencia de parásitos internos en los bovinos del Complejo uno y dos de la Empresa Genética Agenor Gómez, Boaco, Nicaragua

El presente trabajo se realizó en el periodo comprendido entre Noviembre y Diciembre de 1989, con el objetivo de investigar la infestación de parásitos gastrointestinales y pulmonares de mayor importancia económica en los bovinos del complejo 1 y 2 de la empresa genética Agenor Gómez. Boaco, Nicaragua. Se muestrearon 242 animales, entre bovinos de la raza Aberdeen Angus y Brahman, distribuidos en las categorías siguientes: C1 (0-1 año), C2 (1-3 años) y C3 (>3 años). Las muestras fueron extraídas directamente del recto animal, luego refrigeradas a 5°C y fueron analizadas en laboratorio de parasitología del MIDINRA, localizado en municipio de Camoapa V región. La cantidad de huevos y larvas se registró para cada género empleando las técnicas de sedimentación en agua, flotación con solución salina saturada y el método de larvoscopia e identificación con fotografías. Al realizar el ANDEVA por género de parásitos reportados en el análisis coprológico para la variable N° de huevos y larvas/gr de heces, se encontró que existen diferencias significativas con P>0.05 entre los promedios observados de los diferentes hatos. Los niveles de infestación promedio en los distintos hatos oscilaron entre 0u y 2lu; donde u= número de huevos y larvas/gramos de heces. De estos 48 promedios (8 hatos por 6 géneros de parásitos), 6 alcanzaron valores >9; 1 hato C1 de la upe Las Brisas con media de 2lu del género Haemonchus, 1 hato e de la upe San Miguel con media de 20.87u del género Strongyloides, 1 hato C2 de la upe San Jorge con media de 17.69u del género Strongyloides, 2 hatos C1 de las upe las Brisas y San Miguel con medias de 10.67u y medias de 10.5u respectivamente, ambos del género Coccidia y 1 hato e2 de la upe San Jorge con media de 9.6lu del género Coccidia. En los promedios restantes se obtuvieron valores <6u perteneciendo a la calificación leve. Posteriormente se realizó un análisis de correlación para determinar el grado de asociación existente entre cada uno de los géneros de parásitos económicamente importantes, encontrándose que el género Coccidia presentó el mayor grado de correlación con respecto a los demás géneros encontrados, se encontró que las correlaciones >= 0.25 corresponden a los géneros Coccidia, Moniezia, Neoascaris, Strongyloides y Haemonchus con r de 0.25, 0.25, 0.48, 0.30 respectivamente, similar para Haemonchus y Moniezia con r de 0.289.

A New Finite Element Method for Strain Gradient Theories and Applications to Fracture Analyses

A new compatible finite element method for strain gradient theories is presented. In the new finite element method, pure displacement derivatives are taken as the fundamental variables. The new numerical method is successfully used to analyze the simple strain gradient problems – the fundamental fracture problems. Through comparing the numerical solutions with the existed exact solutions, the effectiveness of the new finite element method is tested and confirmed. Additionally, an application of the Zienkiewicz–Taylor C1 finite element method to the strain gradient problem is discussed. By using the new finite element method, plane-strain mode I and mode II crack tip fields are calculated based on a constitutive law which is a simple generalization of the conventional J2 deformation plasticity theory to include strain gradient effects. Three new constitutive parameters enter to characterize the scale over which strain gradient effects become important. During the analysis the general compressible version of Fleck–Hutchinson strain gradient plasticity is adopted. Crack tip solutions, the traction distributions along the plane ahead of the crack tip are calculated. The solutions display the considerable elevation of traction within the zone near the crack tip.

Efectos de la fertilizacion y altura de corte sobre el rendimiento del pasto alemán (Echynochloa polystachya). Puerto Diaz-Juigalpa, Nicaragua 2009-2010

El presente estudio se realizó en la Hacienda Guapinolapa del Sr Duilio Baltodano, localizada en el municipio de Juigalpa, comunidad de Puerto Díaz a una latitud: 11° 57' 54" n y longitud: 85° 30' 39" w y altitud de 59 msnm. El objetivo de esta investigación fue obtener información técnica sobre: altura, cobertura y rendimiento de materia verde y seca, que contribuya a un mejor manejo del pasto Alemán (Echynochloa polystachya). Se utilizó un diseño de parcelas divididas, para un Bloque Completo al Azar (BCA), con 4 tratamientos: T1 (control), T2 (nitrógeno), T3 (nitrógeno-fósforo) y el T4 (nitrógeno-fósforo-potasio). Las dos alturas de cortes fueron: C1=30 cm, C2=40 cm. Los cortes se realizaron con intervalos de 30 días. Con base en la altura, cobertura, materia verde, materia seca, rendimiento de materia verde y materia seca. Las variables fueron sujetas a un análisis de varianza (ANDEVA). La altura del pasto aumentó en relación directa con el tipo de corte y con los meses de corte, siendo el C2 en el T3, en el mes de septiembre el que promedió mayor altura (1.27 m), la cobertura incrementó en relación al mes de corte y tratamiento, siendo el T3 en el mes de mayo el de mayor cobertura (75.32 %). La producción de materia verde aumentó en el T4 en el mes de octubre con 6 293 kg/ha, la producción de materia seca incrementó en el mes de agosto en el T4 con 4 488 kg/ha; los rendimientos de materia verde y materia seca, incrementaron en el mes de octubre en el T4 (7 641.67 kg/ha, 3 438.75 kg/ha, respectivamente).

Evaluación de una mezcla de cepas de Rhizobium bajo diferentes niveles de fertilización en tres variedades de frijol rojo (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) en Nicaragua

El ensayo se realizó en la Estación Experimental La Compañía, Masatepe, en la época de postrera (octubre-diciembre) de 1998. Los objetivos fueron: Determinar el crecimiento y rendimiento de tres cultivares de frijol, utilizando la técnica de inoculación en bolsas de polietileno y evaluar el rendimiento de tres cultivares de frijol, utilizando la técnica de inoculación y diferentes niveles de fertilización en condiciones de campo. Se montaron dos ensayos, uno en bolsas de polietileno con diseño en parcelas divididas en BCA con 40 observaciones y el ensayo en campo con diseño en parcelas subdivididas con cuatro réplicas. Los factores evaluados fueron; A: variedades (a1: Door-364, a2: Compañia y •a3: Criolla), B: inoculante con cepa de Rhizobium (b1: Semilla Inoculada y b2: Semilla Sin Inocular) y C: niveles de fertilizantes (c1: 127 kg/ha de completo (12-24-12) a la siembra, C2: 127 kg/ha de completo (12-24-12) a la siembra más 63.5 kg/ha de urea a los 25 días después de la siembra y c3: 127 kg/ha de completo (12-24-12) a la siembra más 127 kg/ha de urea a los 25 días después de la siembra),• este último factor no se evaluó en el ensayo en bolsas. En el experimento en bolsas la variedad Door-364 obtuvo el mayor peso seco y la variedad Criolla el mayor rendimiento entre los demás cultivares. En el factor inoculante con cepa de Rhizobium las plantas no inoculadas superaron en altura, peso seco de plantas y rendimientos a las plantas inoculadas. En el experimento en campo la variedad Door-364 superó en número de vainas por planta, granos por vaina, peso seco de paja y rendimiento en campo a las demás variedades, los cultivares Compañia y Criolla presentaron mayor peso en mil granos y población por hectárea respectivamente. Las plantas inoculadas superaron a las plantas no inoculadas en todas las variables con excepción del peso seco de paja. El nivel de fertilizantes 127 kg/ha de la formula completa (l2-24-12) a la siembra más 127 kg/ha de urea a los 25 días después de la siembra obtuvo más vainas por planta, peso de mil granos, rendimientos y peso seco de paja. La dosis de 127 kg/ha de la fórmula completa (12-24-12) a la siembra más 63.5 kg/ha de urea a los 25 días después de la siembra presentó el mayor número de plantas por hectárea y granos por vaina, en esta última variable la dosis de 127 kg/ha de la fórmula completa (12-24-12) a la siembra obtuvo el mismo resultado.

Amorphous carbon-silicon alloys prepared by a high plasma density source

The addition of silicon to hydrogenated amorphous carbon can have the advantageous effect of lowering the compressive stress, improving the thermal stability of its hydrogen and maintaining a low friction coefficient up to high humidity. Most experiments to date have been on a-C1-xSix:H alloys deposited by RF plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). This method gives alloys with considerable hydrogen content and only moderate hardness. Here, we use a high plasma density source, the electron cyclotron wave resonance (ECWR) source, to prepare films with a high deposition rate. The composition and bonding in the alloys is determined by XPS, visible and UV Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. We find that it is possible to produce hard, low stress, low friction, almost humidity insensitive a-C1-xSix:H alloys with a good optical transparency and a band gap over 2 eV.