Analysis of optical coherence multiplexing networks for satellite communication

Free-space optical communication between satellites networked together can enable a high data rate between the satellites. Coherence multiplexing (CM) is an attractive technique for satellite networking due to its ability to cope with the asynchronous nature of communication traffic and the dynamic changes taking place in the satellite constellation. The use of optical radiation for intersatellite links creates very narrow beam divergence angles. Due to the narrow beam divergence angle, the vibration of the pointing system, the movement of the satellite, and the large distance between them the pointing from one satellite to another is a complicated task. The vibration of the pointing system is caused by two stochastic fundamental mechanisms: 1) tracking noises created by the electrooptic tracker and 2) vibrations created by internal satellite mechanical mechanisms and external environments. We derive mathematical models of signal, noise, the approximate signal-to-noise ratio, and the approximate bit-error rates of optical communication satellite networks as functions of the system's parameters, the number of satellites, and the vibration amplitude for frequency-shift keying coherence multiplexing (FSK-CM). Based on these models, we can calculate the negative impact of both the number of satellites and the optical terminal vibration on the system's performance.     

Role of miRNAs in Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Induced T Cell Leukemia: A Literature Review and Bioinformatics Approach

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was identified as the first pathogenic human retrovirus and is estimated to infect 5 to 10 million individuals worldwide. Unlike other retroviruses, there is no effective therapy to prevent the onset of the most alarming diseases caused by HTLV-1, and the more severe cases manifest as the malignant phenotype of adult T cell leukemia (ATL). MicroRNA (miRNA) dysfunction is a common feature of leukemogenesis, and it is no different in ATL cases. Therefore, we sought to analyze studies that reported deregulated miRNA expression in HTLV-1 infected cells and patients’ samples to understand how this deregulation could induce malignancy. Through in silico analysis, we identified 12 miRNAs that stood out in the prediction of targets, and we performed functional annotation of the genes linked to these 12 miRNAs that appeared to have a major biological interaction. A total of 90 genes were enriched in 14 KEGG pathways with significant values, including TP53, WNT, MAPK, TGF-β, and Ras signaling pathways. These miRNAs and gene interactions are discussed in further detail for elucidation of how they may act as probable drivers for ATL onset, and while our data provide solid starting points for comprehension of miRNAs’ roles in HTLV-1 infection, continuous effort in oncologic research is still needed to improve our understanding of HTLV-1 induced leukemia.     

Gyroid‐Structured 3D ZnO Networks Made by Atomic Layer Deposition

3D continuous ZnO morphologies with characteristic feature sizes on the 10 nm length scale are attractive for electronic device manufacture. However, their synthesis remains a challenge because of the low crystallization temperature of ZnO. Here, we report a method for the robust and reliable synthesis of fully crystalline 3D mesoporous ZnO networks by means of atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ZnO into a self‐assembled block copolymer template. By carefully optimizing the processing conditions we are able to synthesize several‐micrometer‐thick layers of mesoporous ZnO networks with a strut width of 30 nm. Two 3D mesoporous morphologies are manufactured: a periodic gyroid structure and a random worm‐like morphology. Exploiting the ALD property to conformally coat complex surfaces of high aspect ratio, the channel network of a 3D continuous channel network of a self‐assembled block copolymer is replicated into ZnO. X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy and x‐ray diffraction measurements reveal that the chemical composition of the mesoporous structures is uniform and consists of wurtzite‐ZnO throughout the film. Scanning electron microscopy reveals an average pore dimension of 30 nm. The potential of this material for a hybrid photovoltaic application is demonstrated by the manufacture of a poly(3‐hexylthiophene)/ZnO solar cell.     

Pruning the Volterra Series for Behavioral Modeling of Power Amplifiers Using Physical Knowledge

This paper presents an efficient and effective approach to pruning the Volterra series for behavioral modeling of RF and microwave power amplifiers. Rather than adopting a pure "black-box" approach, this model pruning technique is derived from a physically meaningful block model, which has a clear linkage to the underlying physical behavior of the device. This allows all essential physical properties of the PA to be retained, but significantly reduces model complexity by removing unnecessary coefficients from the general Volterra series. A reduced-order model of this kind can be easily extracted from standard time/frequency-domain measurements or simulations, and may be simply implemented in system-level simulators. A complete physical analysis and a systematic derivation are presented, together with both computer simulations and experimental validations     

An efficient omnidirectional vision system for soccer robots: From calibration to object detection

Robotic soccer is nowadays a popular research domain in the area of multi-robot systems. In the context of RoboCup, the Middle Size League is one of the most challenging. This paper presents an efficient omnidirectional vision system for real-time object detection, developed for the robotic soccer team of the University of Aveiro, CAMBADA. The vision system is used to find the ball and white lines, which are used for self-localization, as well as to find the presence of obstacles. Algorithms for detecting these objects and also for calibrating most of the parameters of the vision system are presented in this paper. We also propose an efficient approach for detecting arbitrary FIFA balls, which is an important topic of research in the Middle Size League. The experimental results that we present show the effectiveness of our algorithms, both in terms of accuracy and processing time, as well as the results that the team has been achieving: 1st place in RoboCup 2008, 3rd place in 2009 and 1st place in the mandatory technical challenge in RoboCup 2009, where the robots have to play with an arbitrary standard FIFA ball.     

A new and fast nonlinear method for association analysis of biosignals

In this paper, we present some original theoretical aspects of a fast nonlinear association measure based on the work of Cramér. The features of this new measure--the V measure--when applied to biosignals are also shown using simulated time series. A comparative study with other well-known association measures available in the literature of biosignals is presented. V was found to be twice as fast and more robust to nonlinearities than the classical cross-correlation ratio (r2) and more than 100 times faster than the nonlinear regression coefficient (h2), presenting similar behavior in the presence of nonlinear simulated situations. This new measure is very fast and versatile. It is appropriate to deal with nonlinear relations presenting usually a sharp peak in the association function enabling a high degree of selectivity for maxima detection. It seems to constitute an improvement over linear methods of association which is faster and more robust to the existing nonlinearities. It can be used as an alternative to more complex nonlinear association measures when computational speed is an important feature.     

Effect of milk fat and total solids concentration on the kinetics of moisture uptake by ready-to-eat breakfast cereal

Summary When immersed in milk, breakfast cereal easily take up moisture, lose their brittle texture and become soggy. Earlier comparative analysis of the moisture sorption by breakfast cereal immersed in water and milk indicated that milk solids might play an important role on the sorption kinetics. In this work, the moisture uptake by ready-to-eat corn breakfast cereal immersed in milk solutions, reconstituted from whole and skimmed milk powder, was measured under isothermal conditions at 5, 30 and 55 °C. Dilutions between 0.25 and 1.5 were tested, with the factor of dilution 1 corresponding to the standard recommended by the milk powder manufacturer. The Weibull probabilistic model adequately fitted the experimental data by appropriate choice of its variable parameters. The dependence of the model parameters on temperature and total solids concentration was assessed for both skimmed and whole milk. Fat was found to play a major role on the process mechanism, which was attributed to the deposition of a fat layer at the solid matrix surface, hindering water and solids uptake. Yet, for short times, moisture uptake proceeded at a similar rate both in skimmed and whole milk.     

Plasmomechanical Systems: Principles and Applications

Extreme confinement of electromagnetic waves and mechanical displacement fields to nanometer dimensions through plasmonic nanostructures offers unprecedented opportunities for greatly enhanced interaction strength, increased bandwidth, lower power consumption, chip-scale fabrication, and efficient actuation of mechanical systems at the nanoscale. Conversely, coupling mechanical oscillators to plasmonic nanostructures introduces mechanical degrees of freedom to otherwise static plasmonic structures thus giving rise to the generation of extremely large resonance shifts even for minor position changes. This nanoscale marriage of plasmonics and mechanics has led to the emergence of a new field of study called plasmomechanics that explores the fundamental principles underneath the coupling between light and plasmomechanical nanoresonators. In this review, both the fundamental concepts and applications of plasmomechanics as an emerging field of study are discussed. After an overview of the basic principles of plasmomechanics, the active tuning mechanisms of plasmonic nano-mechanical systems are extensively analyzed. Moreover, the recent developments on the practical implications of plasmomechanic systems for such applications as biosensing and infrared detection are highlighted. Finally, an outlook on the implications of the plasmomechanical nanosystems for development of point-of-care diagnostic devices that can help early and rapid detection of fatal diseases are forwarded.     

The nonsubsampled contourlet transform: theory, design, and applications.

In this paper, we develop the nonsubsampled contourlet transform (NSCT) and study its applications. The construction proposed in this paper is based on a nonsubsampled pyramid structure and nonsubsampled directional filter banks. The result is a flexible multiscale, multidirection, and shift-invariant image decomposition that can be efficiently implemented via the à trous algorithm. At the core of the proposed scheme is the nonseparable two-channel nonsubsampled filter bank (NSFB). We exploit the less stringent design condition of the NSFB to design filters that lead to a NSCT with better frequency selectivity and regularity when compared to the contourlet transform. We propose a design framework based on the mapping approach, that allows for a fast implementation based on a lifting or ladder structure, and only uses one-dimensional filtering in some cases. In addition, our design ensures that the corresponding frame elements are regular, symmetric, and the frame is close to a tight one. We assess the performance of the NSCT in image denoising and enhancement applications. In both applications the NSCT compares favorably to other existing methods in the literature.