PPM demodulation for Reed-Solomon decoding for the optical space channel

The use of Reed-Solomon (RS) block codes over the pulse position modulated (PPM) frames to obtain the largest degree of error correction is considered. Since RS codes can correct both symbol errors and symbol erasures, a question arises as to the best way to demodulate the PPM laser fields in order to generate the input symbols for the RS decoder. The method selected for demodulating (converting the received laser field to digital symbols) defines the erasure and transmitted symbols of the laser link, and therefore determines the work error probabilities of the system. Several demodulating schemes are considered, and the effect of each on RS decoding performance computed. This computation was carried out for various optical receiver models. It is shown that simple threshold decisioning of pulse slots produces performance that degrades as the background noise increases. This is caused by the generation of too many erasures for the RS decoder to handle. A decision scheme, delta-max demodulation which offers improvement over threshold decisioning by redefining the generation of an erasure is proposed

Global analysis of muon decay measurements

We have performed a global analysis of muon decay measurements to establish model-independent limits on the space-time structure of the muon decay matrix element. We find limits on the scalar, vector and tensor coupling of right- and left-handed muons to right- and left-handed electrons. The limits on those terms that involve the decay of right-handed muons to left-handed electrons are more restrictive than in previous global analyses, while the limits on the other non-standard model interactions are comparable. The value of the Michel parameter eta found in the global analysis is -0.0036 \pm 0.0069, slightly more precise than the value found in a more restrictive analysis of a recent measurement. This has implications for the Fermi coupling constant G_F.Comment: 5 pages, 3 table

Pedestal and Peak Structure in Jet Correlation

We study the characteristics of correlation between particles in jets produced in heavy-ion collisions. In the framework of parton recombination we calculate the $\eta$ and $\phi$ distributions of a pion associated with a trigger particle. The origin of the pedestal in $\Delta\eta$ is related to the longitudinal expansion of the thermal partons that are enhanced by the energy loss of hard partons traversing the bulk medium. The peaks in $\Delta\eta$ and $\Delta\phi$ are related to the same angular spread of the shower partons in a jet cone. No artificial short- or long-range correlations are put in by hand. A large part of the correlation between hadrons in jets is due to the correlation among the shower partons arising from momentum conservation. Recombination between thermal and shower partons dominates the correlation characterisitics in the intermediate $p_T$ region.Comment: 14 pages in LaTex and 2 figures in ep

A combinatorial smoothness criterion for spherical varieties

We suggest a combinatorial criterion for the smoothness of an arbitrary spherical variety using the classification of multiplicity-free spaces, generalizing an earlier result of Camus for spherical varieties of type $A$.Comment: 14 pages, 2 table

Carbon-Oxygen White Dwarfs Accreting CO-Rich Matter I: A Comparison Between Rotating and Non-Rotating Models

We investigate the lifting effect of rotation on the thermal evolution of CO WDs accreting CO-rich matter. We find that rotation induces the cooling of the accreting star so that the delivered gravitational energy causes a greater expansion with respect to the standard non-rotating case. The increase in the surface radius produces a decrease in the surface value of the critical angular velocity and, therefore, the accreting WD becomes gravitationally unbound (Roche instability). This occurrence is due to an increase in the total angular momentum of the accreting WD and depends critically on the amount of specific angular momentum deposited by the accreted matter. If the specific angular momentum of the accreted matter is equal to that of the outer layers of the accreting structure, the Roche instability occurs well before the accreting WD can attain the physical conditions for C-burning. If the values of both initial angular velocity and accretion rate are small, we find that the accreting WD undergoes a secular instability when its total mass approaches 1.4 Msun. At this stage, the ratio between the rotational and the gravitational binding energy of the WD becomes of the order of 0.1, so that the star must deform by adopting an elliptical shape. In this case, since the angular velocity of the WD is as large as 1 rad/s, the anisotropic mass distribution induces the loss of rotational energy and angular momentum via GWR. We find that, independent of the braking efficiency, the WD contracts and achieves the physical conditions suitable for explosive C-burning at the center so that a type Ia supernova event is produced.Comment: 39 pages, 22 eps-figures; accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

Bioresorbable microspheres as devices for the controlled release of paclitaxel

The release of the anti-cancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) from microspheres of both a bioresorbable poly(ε-caprolactoneoxyethylene- ε-caprolactone) tri-block copolymer and of polyurethanes containing either copolymers with the same composition and different molecular weights or poly(ε-caprolactone) diol as soft segments was studied. The microspheres, both loaded and not with PTX, were prepared by emulsion-evaporation technique, then characterized by SEM and DSC. The quantities of PTX released were measured by HPLC. The results showed slow and very regular releases, which fit very well the Peppas equation, Mt/M? = k · tn, where Mt is the amount of solute released at the time t, M? is the amount of drug released at the plateau condition, k represents the Peppas kinetic constant and n the diffusion order. Most n values are consistent with non-Fickian release mechanisms, with the exceptions of two less hydrophilic polyurethanes

Chitosan-Based Macromolecular Biomaterials for the Regeneration of Chondroskeletal and Nerve Tissue

The use of materials, containing the biocompatible and bioresorbable biopolymer poly()-2-amino-2-deoxy--D-glucan, containing some N-acetyl-glucosamine units (chitosan, CHI) and/or its derivatives, to fabricate devices for the regeneration of bone, cartilage and nerve tissue, was reviewed. The CHI-containing devices, to be used for bone and cartilage regeneration and healing, were tested mainly for in vitro cell adhesion and proliferation and for insertion into animals; only the use of CHI in dental surgery has reached the clinical application. Regarding the nerve tissue, only a surgical repair of a 35 mm-long nerve defect in the median nerve of the right arm at elbow level with an artificial nerve graft, comprising an outer microporous conduit of CHI and internal oriented filaments of poly(glycolic acid), was reported. As a consequence, although many positive results have been obtained, much work must still be made, especially for the passage from the experimentation of the CHI-based devices, in vitro and in animals, to their clinical application

Eye movement control during visual pursuit in Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND: Prior studies of oculomotor function in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have either focused on saccades without considering smooth pursuit, or tested smooth pursuit while excluding saccades. The present study investigated the control of saccadic eye movements during pursuit tasksand assessed the quality of binocular coordinationas potential sensitive markers of PD. METHODS: Observers fixated on a central cross while a target moved toward it. Once the target reached the fixation cross, observers began to pursue the moving target. To further investigate binocular coordination, the moving target was presented on both eyes (binocular condition), or on one eye only (dichoptic condition). RESULTS: The PD group made more saccades than age-matched normal control adults (NC) both during fixation and pursuit. The difference between left and right gaze positions increased over time during the pursuit period for PD but not for NC. The findings were not related to age, as NC and young-adult control group (YC) performed similarly on most of the eye movement measures, and were not correlated with classical measures of PD severity (e.g., Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score). DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that PD may be associated with impairment not only in saccade inhibition, but also in binocular coordination during pursuit, and these aspects of dysfunction may be useful in PD diagnosis or tracking of disease course.This work was supported in part by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF SBE-0354378 to Arash Yazdanbakhsh and Bo Cao) and Office of Naval Research (ONR N00014-11-1-0535 to Bo Cao, Chia-Chien Wu, and Arash Yazdanbakhsh). There was no additional external funding received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. (SBE-0354378 - National Science Foundation (NSF); ONR N00014-11-1-0535 - Office of Naval Research)Published versio

Avaliação de protocolos para extração de DNA de Larvas individuais de helmintos.

A genotipagem de helmintos, parasitas do trato gastrintestinal de ruminantes, permite o conhecimento de polimorfismos moleculares relacionados a características adaptativas, dentre as quais se destaca a resistência a produtos anti-helmínticos. Uma vez que a determinação da freqüência gênica e da freqüência aléIica para os polimorfismos de interesse requer a avaliação individual dos helmintos, dificuldades técnicas têm sido encontradas para a recuperação de quantidade suficiente de DNA a partir de larvas para a aplicação de técnicas moleculares. Dessa maneira, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar diferentes protocolos para a extração de DNA de larvas individuais de helmintos Haemonchus contortus e Trichostrongylus colubriformis no estádio L3. Após cultura de fezes de ovinos, por sete dias, as larvas de helmintos foram recuperadas e destinadas á extração de DNA