Foreground memory management in data path synthesis

The management of foreground memory is a main issue in data path synthesis. the storage of values in registers and register files not only determines the number of each of them but also has a major impact on the interconnect structure. Both the amount of multiplexing and interconnect are crucial factors to both the delay and area of a circuit. In this paper it is shown that when values are grouped into register files before being assigned to actual registers, significant savings (20 per cent) can be obtained in the number of local interconnections and the amount of global interconnect at the expense of only slightly more register area. These results can be enhanced by splitting the read and write phases of registers and even more by introducing serial (re)write operations for the same value. the value grouping is based on edge-colouring algorithms that provide a sharp upper bound on the number of register groups needed. After value grouping, the registers are allocated for each register file separately. Algorithms for register allocation published up till now have only considered loop-free data flow graphs. When these algorithms are applied to data flow graphs with loops, unnecessary register transfer operations can be introduced. In this paper a new algorithm is presented that performs a minimal register allocation eliminating all superfluous register transfer operations. Experiments on a benchmark set have shown that in all cases all register transfers could be eliminated at no increase in register cost. This paper provides a deeper insight to the computational complexity of some problems in the area of data path synthesis. It shows that the various subtasks can be solved exactly using polynomial time algorithms.     

Use of helical parameters to generate candidate conformations for crystal packing: illustrative application to a polyimide

This communication describes the application and extension of a method for calculating the helical parameters with which to describe molecular conformations. The method, which was originally developed by Shimanouchi and others, is applied to a polyimide of 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-(4-aminophenoxy)propane (DMDA) which has eight torsional bonds in the chemical repeat unit. Discrete low energy states for these torsions were determined by Ramanchandran energy maps of sequential dihedral pairs or single bond torsional energy diagrams. The total number of possible low energy conformations for these states is 1152 including conformationally related isoenantiomorphs. The method conveniently generates the conformations for subsequent crystal structure packing and refinement. Consideration of these together with the X-ray data of Cheng and co-workers reduces the number to about 15 with about a 2/1 conformation and a c axis of approximately 49.2 Å. Of these, about half appear to be good candidates for crystal packing.     

A paradigm for single-case research: The time series study of a long-term psychotherapy for depression.

Articulates a paradigm for single-case research in psychotherapy. A patient diagnosed as having major depressive disorder was seen in an intensive, twice-weekly psychodynamic psychotherapy for 2.5 years. Each session was videotaped, and assessments of patient change were obtained at regular intervals. A time-series analysis was used to model fluctuations in the therapy process to take into account time and the effect of previous events on subsequent changes, thereby preserving the context-determined meaning for therapist and patient actions. A bidirectional analysis of causal effects shows that the influence processes between therapist and patient are mutual and reciprocal and suggests that the effect of the patient on the therapist and on the process has not been made sufficiently explicit in previous models of process and change. The potential of intensive single-case designs for uncovering causal effects in psychotherapy is demonstrated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Focal Ischemic Injury to the Early Neonatal Rat Brain Models Cognitive and Motor Deficits with Associated Histopathological Outcomes Relevant to Human Neonatal Brain Injury

Neonatal arterial ischemic stroke is one of the more severe birth complications. The injury can result in extensive neurological damage and is robustly associated with later diagnoses of cerebral palsy (CP). An important part of efforts to develop new therapies include the on-going refinement and understanding of animal models that capture relevant clinical features of neonatal brain injury leading to CP. The potent vasoconstrictor peptide, Endothelin-1 (ET-1), has previously been utilised in animal models to reduce local blood flow to levels that mimic ischemic stroke. Our previous work in this area has shown that it is an effective and technically simple approach for modelling ischemic injury at very early neonatal ages, resulting in stable deficits in motor function. Here, we aimed to extend this model to also examine the impact on cognitive function. We show that focal delivery of ET-1 to the cortex of Sprague Dawley rats on postnatal day 0 (P0) resulted in impaired learning in a touchscreen-based test of visual discrimination and correlated with important clinical features of CP including damage to large white matter structures.     

Kinetic study of Chinese biomass slow pyrolysis: Comparison of different kinetic models

The slow pyrolysis of six Chinese biomasses was studied by thermogravimetric experiments. Non-linear square fitting method is used to calculate DTG data. The analysis results show that it is not possible to exactly represent the biomass pyrolysis by a one-step model with different mechanisms. Thus, three-pseudocomponent models were used to simulate the biomass pyrolysis. It was found that the three-pseudocomponent model with n-order kinetics (model II) is more accurate than the model with first-order kinetics (model I). Activation energies of three-pseudocomponents in model II are bigger than the values in model I. It is shown that model II yields the best simulation results, especially with respect to describe accurately the pyrolysis of the first pseudocomponent (hemicellulose) and the last one (lignin). Nevertheless, with regard to a practical utilization, the three-pseudocomponent model with a reaction order of one could be used, because the accuracy to represent biomass pyrolysis is high enough. Unrealistic high values of the reaction order are avoided, and thus this model is more realistic with respect to the chemical interpretation of the reaction order.     

基于不同三组分模型解析生物质热解过程

三组分模型（three pseudocomponent model）通常被用来表征生物质热解过程。传统三组分模型中单个模型的反应级数被限定为1或3。在本研究过程中，利用非线性最小二乘法，在不限定反应级数的前提下回归三组分模型动力学参数（活化能、指前因子、反应级数）。通过研究发现，纤维素（cellulose）分解反应级数接近1，与前人结果相一致。木质素（lignin）分解级数与生物质种类有关，接近于1或3。半纤维素（hemicellulose）的分解过程最复杂，其反应级数在1.5～4之间变化。以Ozawa方法计算得到的活化能作为相对标准，对3种三组分模型进行比较，发现反应级数未确定时的模型比其他两种模型更精确地表征生物质热解过程。     

Elimination and accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban stormwater wet detention ponds

The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) in water and sediments of seven wet detention ponds receiving urban stormwater were investigated. The ponds comprised traditional wet detention ponds with a permanent wet volume and a storage volume as well as ponds that were expanded with sand filters and other means to improve the removal of micropollutants. The concentrations of sigmaPAH in the sediments varied between 6 +/- 5 and 2,222 +/- 603 ng g(-1) dry weight (mean +/- standard deviation), and were highest in the ponds with lower pond volume per catchment area and did not clearly reflect different activities in the catchments. In general, the concentrations of PAHS in the sediments decreased from inlet to outlet, especially in the systems with good conditions for sedimentation such as systems with flow perpendicular sand dikes and extensive submerged vegetation. High molecular weight PAHs were predominant in the sediments indicating the pyrogenic origin of the PAHS. There was no correlation between PAH species concentrations in water or sediments and their hydrophobicity (log K(ow)). PAH concentrations in water fluctuated in response to intensity and frequency of rain events, whereas concentrations in the sediments integrated the pollutant load over time. Pond systems expanded with sand filters and other technologies to enhance removal of micropollutants consistently had concentrations of PAHS in the effluents below the detection level.     

Energy gap distribution of HgBa2CuO4+δ investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy

The superconducting energy gap distribution of poly crystalline HgBa₂CuO₄₊ samples of differing oxygen doping levels (T_c = 94 K and T_c = 96 K) is determined by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) using a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). From histograms of energy gap values the presence of two distinct energy gaps is inferred (₁=8.5±1.6meV and ₂=15.1±1.4meV). We attribute the different gaps to different crystallographic faces, implying a non-BCS electron-electron pairing mechanism.     

Scanning/friction force microscopy study of YBa2Cu3O7−δ single crystals grown in BaZrO3 crucibles

Very pure YBa₂Cu₃O_7– (YBCO) single crystals grown in BaZrO₃ crucibles are studied in the as-grown and the oxidized state by scanning force (SFM), friction force (FFM) and scanning tunneling microscopies (STM). The images show clean terraces with step-heights of one unit cell along YBCO(001), i.e. 1.2 nm. Only close to step edges is material contrast observed by FFM indicating traces af flux. Some crystal surfaces exhibit over-layer features, such as star-like, ribbon-like and checkerboard-like structures, which exhibit friction contrast implying the presence of different materials on the surface. Tunneling spectroscopy at 4.7 K in high vacuum reveals a superconducting energy gap of 2 26 me V.     

以头部为例的人体有限元几何模型重建的方法初步探讨

有限元是一种从微观角度出发解决宏观问题的方法。从发明之日起,有限元法在很多研究中都显示出了独特功能,尤其在生物力学及生物医学方面,为这两门交叉学科的发展和进步提供了方法上的保障,也为航天,医疗,制造业等领域科研问题的突破提供了新方法。本文介绍了有限元的发展和现状,并以头部为例介绍了人体有限元建模的几种方法,并对这些方法进行了比较,并展望了人体有限元建模未来的技术革新方向和应用前景。