Parameter convergence of a new class of adaptive controllers

A new class of adaptive control schemes for minimum-phase linear time invariant (LTI) systems has recently been developed using nonlinear design techniques which guarantee improved transient performance in addition to closed-loop stability and asymptotic tracking. In this paper we establish the parameter convergence properties of this new class of schemes in the presence of persistently exciting signals and compare them with the properties of the traditional adaptive controllers. We show that the new class of adaptive controllers has stronger parameter convergence properties in the presence of overparameterization     

High-order neural network structures for identification ofdynamical systems

Several continuous-time and discrete-time recurrent neural network models have been developed and applied to various engineering problems. One of the difficulties encountered in the application of recurrent networks is the derivation of efficient learning algorithms that also guarantee the stability of the overall system. This paper studies the approximation and learning properties of one class of recurrent networks, known as high-order neural networks; and applies these architectures to the identification of dynamical systems. In recurrent high-order neural networks, the dynamic components are distributed throughout the network in the form of dynamic neurons. It is shown that if enough high-order connections are allowed then this network is capable of approximating arbitrary dynamical systems. Identification schemes based on high-order network architectures are designed and analyzed.     

Decentralized indirect adaptive control of interconnected systems

Continuous time decentralized indirect adaptive controllers are proposed for a large-scale system composed of N interconnected linear subsystems with unknown parameters. Each local adaptive law utilizes a normalizing signal which is generated using the local input and the outputs of all the subsystems. This requires the exchange of output signals between the different subsystems, so that the scheme is no longer totally decentralized. Nevertheless, the degree of computational complexity is about the same as that of a totally decentralized scheme and this makes the scheme very attractive.     

Kinetics of inhibition of rabbit reticulocyte peptidyltransferase by anisomycin and sparsomycin

A detailed kinetic study was carried out on the inhibitory mechanisms of two eukaryotic peptidyltransferase drugs (I), anisomycin and sparsomycin. In an in vitro system from rabbit reticulocytes, AcPhe-puromycin is produced in a pseudo-first-order reaction from the preformed AcPhe-tRNA/poly(U)/80S ribosome complex (complex C) and excess puromycin (S). This reaction is inhibited by anisomycin and sparsomycin through different mechanisms. Anisomycin acts as a mixed noncompetitive inhibitor. The product, AcPhe-puromycin, is derived only from C according to the puromycin reaction. On the other hand, sparsomycin reacts with complex C in a two-step reaction, [REACTION; SEE TEXT] An initial rapid binding of the drug produces the encounter complex CI. During this step and before conversion of CI to C*I, sparsomycin behaves as a competitive inhibitor. The rapidly produced CI is isomerized slowly to a conformationally altered species C*I in which I is bound more tightly. The rate constants of this step are k6 = 2.1 min-1 and k7 = 0.095 min-1. Moreover, the low value of the association rate constant k7/Ki' (2 x 10(5) M-1 sec-1), provides insight into the rates of possible conformational changes occurring during protein synthesis and supports the proposal that sparsomycin is the first example of a slow-binding inhibitor of eukaryotic peptidyltransferase. When complex C is preincubated with concentrations of sparsomycin of >8 Ki and then reacts with a mixture of puromycin and sparsomycin, the inhibition becomes linear mixed noncompetitive and involves C*I instead of CI. During this phase, AcPhe-puromycin is produced from a new, modified ribosomal complex with a lower catalytic rate constant. Thus, sparsomycin also acts as a modifier of eukaryotic peptidyltransferase activity.     

Optimizing the QoS of high speed moving terminals in cellular networks

This paper presents a dynamic guard channel assignment technique based on a two‐layer cellular architecture which optimizes the blocking probability performance of high‐speed moving terminals (HSMT) and handoff calls of low‐speed moving terminals (LSMT), in a congested urban area. The lower layer of the proposed architecture is based on a microcellular solution, for absorbing the traffic loads of LSMT. The higher layer is based on a macro‐cell umbrella solution, for absorbing the traffic load of the HSMT. The results show that using the optimum number of channels and adjusting dynamically the number of guard channels in each layer, the blocking probability of the HSMT and the handoff blocking probability of LSMT is optimized having the minimum bad effect on the new call blocking probability of LSMT. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Truck route planning in nonstationary stochastic networks with time windows at customer locations

Most existing methods for truck route planning assume known static data in an environment that is time varying and uncertain by nature, which limits their widespread applicability. The development of intelligent transportation systems such as the use of information technologies reduces the level of uncertainties and makes the use of more appropriate dynamic formulations and solutions feasible. In this paper, a truck route planning problem called stochastic traveling salesman problem with time windows (STSPTW) in which traveling times along roads and service times at customer locations are stochastic processes is investigated. A methodology is developed to estimate the truck arrival time at each customer location. Using estimated arrival times, an approximate solution method based on dynamic programming is proposed. The algorithm finds the best route with minimum expected cost while it guarantees certain levels of service are met. Simulation results are used to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.     

Regulation of rat hepatic 3beta-hydroxysterol delta7-reductase: substrate specificity, competitive and non-competitive inhibition, and phosphorylation/dephosphorylation

The mechanism for the catalytic reduction of the double bond at C-7, 8 in 7-dehydrocholesterol by 3beta-hydroxysterol Delta7-reductase was investigated by testing structurally related sterols as substrates and potential inhibitors. The hepatic smooth endoplasmic reticulum was identified as the site of enzyme activity. All putative substrates contained 27 carbons, but differed from 7-dehydrocholesterol by the addition of either an ethyl substituent at C-24 (7-dehydrositosterol), a double bond at C-22 with a methyl substituent at C-24 (ergosterol), epimerization of the hydroxyl from the 3beta- to 3alpha-configuration (7-dehydroepicholesterol), or a saturated double bond at C-5,6 (lathosterol). Two non-steroidal compounds that inhibit 3beta-hydroxysterol Delta7-reductase in vivo (AY 9944 and BM 15.766) were also tested. Ergosterol, 7-dehydrositosterol, and 7-dehydroepicholesterol were reduced at C-7, 8 to form brassicasterol, sitosterol, and epicholesterol, respectively, but 75% less efficiently than 7-dehydrocholesterol. Increasing concentrations of these sterols competitively inhibited 3beta-hydroxysterol Delta7-reductase activity. The double bond at C-7,8 in lathosterol was not reduced. AY 9944 and BM 15.766 inhibited 3beta-hydroxysterol Delta7-reductase activity non-competitively. 3beta-Hydroxysterol-Delta7-reductase activity declined after microsomes were exposed to alkaline phosphatase, and enzyme activity was increased by phosphorylation with Mg2+, and ATP. These results demonstrate that the reduction of the double bond at C-7,8 requires binding of the enzyme protein with the B-ring of the sterol substrate that contains a double bond at C-5,6. The reaction is hindered by substituents located on the apolar side-chain and epimerization of the hydroxyl group in ring A to a 3alpha-configuration. 3beta-Hydroxysterol Delta7-reductase exists in two forms: an active phosphorylated form and an inactive dephosphorylated form.     

Opposite-channel-based injection of hot-carriers in SOI MOSFET's:physics and applications

An extensive study of the recently observed opposite-channel-based injection (OCBI) of hot-carriers in SOI MOSFET's is carried out by PISCES numerical calculations. The study reveals similar patterns of injection for partially-depleted (PD) and fully-depleted (FD) devices, although there are significant quantitative differences. Important differences also exist when stressing the device with the body floating versus body grounded. The results demonstrate that when stressing one channel, carriers can and are injected into the opposite gate. The results also demonstrate that under appropriate bias conditions pure electron/hole injection takes place, and establish these conditions. The practical significance of this ability to inject only electrons or only holes in any desired sequence is illustrated by exploiting it to investigate the time-power law of interface state generation and to design a SOI EEPROM cell with a back channel based erasing scheme     

Reduced floating body effects in narrow channel SOI MOSFETs

An experimental demonstration is given of the reduction of floating body effects in narrow channel SOI MOSFETs, as manifested by the saturation region subthreshold characteristics, latch-up, and breakdown voltage. The mechanisms responsible for this reduction are explained by original experiments and simulations. These are a deterioration of the carrier lifetime near the channel edges caused by local stress and defects, and a lowering of the source-body built-in potential barrier, resulting from dopant outdiffusion/segregation into the isolation oxide     

Bulk traps in ultrathin SIMOX MOSFET's by current DLTS

Bulk traps in very thin ( ~100-nm) SIMOX films have been studied by applying current deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) to fully depleted, enhancement MOS transistors, fabricated in these films. The effect of states at both the front and back SiO₂-Si interfaces is eliminated by suitable biasing. Using this technique, a bulk trap with energy level 0.44 eV above the valence-band edge, capture cross section ~10^-17 cm², and concentration ~10 ¹⁵ cm^-3, which is believed to be due to iron contamination, has been identified