A hybrid Jacobian control for uncalibrated robot visual servoing

This paper focuses on the visual servo control of an uncalibrated robotic arm with an eye-in-hand camera. Without a prior knowledge of the kinematics of the robotic arm or camera calibration, the proposed hybrid Jacobian controller can track a moving object using visual feedback and joint-space velocity feedback. The proposed hybrid control method is a combination of the uncalibrated visual servoing and approximate Jacobian feedback control. First, the Jacobian matrix from joint-space to image-space is estimated by recursive least-squares (RLS) algorithm, and then the approximate Jacobian feedback controller is designed by using visual feedback and joint-space velocity feedback. The performances of the proposed control methods are illustrated by computer simulations.     

Growth ages of ferromanganese crusts from the western and central Pacific： Comparison between nannofossil analysis and ^10Be dating

Based on results of nannofossil analysis and 10Be dating in ferromanganese crusts M1-1 and A1-1 (no nannofossils were found in it),from the western and central Pacific respectively,it is found that the crust growth ages from nannofossil biostrati-graphy agree well with those based on 10Be isotope analysis. Both crusts have three growth layers,and the oldest layer was deposited in Miocene at about 12.80 Ma. The maximum,minimum,and average growth rates of crust A1-1 (from the central Pacific) are 8.11,1.92 and 3.47 mm/Ma,and those of crust M1-1 (from the western Pacific) are 2.93,0.47,and 0.94 mm/Ma.     

'Rejuvenation' protects neurons in mouse models of Parkinson's disease

Why dopamine-containing neurons of the brain's substantia nigra pars compacta die in Parkinson's disease has been an enduring mystery. Our studies suggest that the unusual reliance of these neurons on L-type Ca(v)1.3 Ca2+ channels to drive their maintained, rhythmic pacemaking renders them vulnerable to stressors thought to contribute to disease progression. The reliance on these channels increases with age, as juvenile dopamine-containing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta use pacemaking mechanisms common to neurons not affected in Parkinson's disease. These mechanisms remain latent in adulthood, and blocking Ca(v)1.3 Ca2+ channels in adult neurons induces a reversion to the juvenile form of pacemaking. Such blocking ('rejuvenation') protects these neurons in both in vitro and in vivo models of Parkinson's disease, pointing to a new strategy that could slow or stop the progression of the disease.     

The signature of hot hydrogen in the atmosphere of the extrasolar planet HD 209458b

About ten per cent of the known extrasolar planets are gas giants that orbit very close to their parent stars. The atmospheres of these 'hot Jupiters' are heated by the immense stellar irradiation. In the case of the planet HD 209458b, this energy deposition results in a hydrodynamic state in the upper atmosphere, allowing for sizeable expansion and escape of neutral hydrogen gas. HD 209458b was the first extrasolar planet discovered that transits in front of its parent star. The size of the planet can be measured using the total optical obscuration of the stellar disk during an observed transit, and the structure and composition of the planetary atmosphere can be studied using additional planetary absorption signatures in the stellar spectrum. Here we report the detection of absorption by hot hydrogen in the atmosphere of HD 209458b. Previously, the lower atmosphere and the full extended upper atmosphere of HD 209458b have been observed, whereas here we probe a layer where the escaping gas forms in the upper atmosphere of HD 209458b.     

Exome sequencing of liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma

Opisthorchis viverrini-related cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a fatal bile duct cancer, is a major public health concern in areas endemic for this parasite. We report here whole-exome sequencing of eight O. viverrini-related tumors and matched normal tissue. We identified and validated 206 somatic mutations in 187 genes using Sanger sequencing and selected 15 genes for mutation prevalence screening in an additional 46 individuals with CCA (cases). In addition to the known cancer-related genes TP53 (mutated in 44.4% of cases), KRAS (16.7%) and SMAD4 (16.7%), we identified somatic mutations in 10 newly implicated genes in 14.8-3.7% of cases. These included inactivating mutations in MLL3 (in 14.8% of cases), ROBO2 (9.3%), RNF43 (9.3%) and PEG3 (5.6%), and activating mutations in the GNAS oncogene (9.3%). These genes have functions that can be broadly grouped into three biological classes: (i) deactivation of histone modifiers, (ii) activation of G protein signaling and (iii) loss of genome stability. This study provides insight into the mutational landscape contributing to O. viverrini-related CCA.     

Light on the structure of thromboxane A2 receptor heterodimers

The structure-based design of a mutant form of the thromboxane A(2) prostanoid receptor (TP) was instrumental in characterizing the structural determinants of the hetero-dimerization process of this G protein coupled receptor (GPCR). The results suggest that the hetero-dimeric complexes between the TPα and β isoforms are characterized by contacts between hydrophobic residues in helix 1 from both monomers. Functional characterization confirms that TPα-TPβ hetero-dimerization serves to regulate TPα function through agonist-induced internalization, with important implications in cardiovascular homeostasis. The integrated approach employed in this study can be adopted to gain structural and functional insights into the dimerization/oligomerization process of all GPCRs for which the structural model of the monomer can be achieved at reasonable atomic resolution.     

基于离散正则模型的时变信道盲辨识算法

以CDMA时变信道离散正则模型为基础,提出了基于改进的矩阵外积分解的时变信道盲辨识算法。算法对传统的矩阵外积分解算法进行修正,使其适应离散正则模型两级盲辨识,并引入了精确的时延阶数估计,克服了现有算法需要预先知道信道时延实际阶数的局限,使其在仅知道信道阶数上界的条件下完成盲辨识。仿真结果表明了该算法的有效性。     

一种基于小波的互连线模型自适应约减算法

基于偏微分方程的谱分解理论,针对VLSI中的互连线系统,提出了一种基于小波的自适应模型约减算法,选取逼近空间的一组基函数,通过积分合同变换,从而得到一个能够逼近原无穷维系统的有限低阶无源模型.该算法在不需要对互连线进行离散处理的情况下,能直接对非均匀互连线系统进行约减;利用了小波的多尺度和紧支撑特性,并采用自适应机制来平衡逼近精度和计算效率的矛盾.理论分析和数值仿真说明了该方法的有效性.     

平面波对传输线耦合响应的仿真研究

在Agrawal传输线模型的基础上,以典型信号-电磁脉冲作为干扰源,详细分析了参数变化对传输线终端负载电压和电流响应的影响.仿真结果表明,负载、传输线间距、平面波入射角和平面波极化角等参数变化对负载端响应有不同的影响.在此基础上,又对双线传输线和单导体传输线受干扰特性进行了对比分析.仿真分析结果为实际系统中由于电缆耦合产生的干扰分析提供了理论依据,并具有一定的参考价值.