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An NP-complete problem which is not a spin-glass is exhibited. The NP-complete problem 3-satisfiability is also embedded into a continuous analog system with no hills in the energy landscape obstructing solution of the problem. There is, however, a large flat plateau. This shows how sculpting of the energy surfaces of continuous analog systems to remove hills may fail to aid solution of embedded combinatorial optimization problems.
The properties of a temporal language are determined by its constituent elements: the temporal objects which it can represent, the attributes of those objects, the relationships between them, the axioms which define the default relationships, and the rules which define the statements that can be formulated. The methods of inference which can be applied to a temporal language are derived in part from a small number of axioms which define the meaning of equality and order and how those relationships can be propagated. More complex inferences involve detailed analysis of the stated relationships. Perhaps the most challenging area of temporal inference is reasoning over disjunctive temporal constraints. Simple forms of disjunction do not sufficiently increase the expressive power of a language while unrestricted use of disjunction makes the analysis NP-hard. In many cases a set of disjunctive constraints can be converted to disjunctive normal form and familiar methods of inference can be applied to the conjunctive sub-expressions. This process itself is NP-hard but it is made more tractable by careful expansion of a tree-structured search space.
Scheduling is a very complex optimization problem which can be categorized as an NP-complete problem. NP-complete problems are quite diverse, as are the algorithms used in searching for an optimal solution. In most cases, the best solutions that can be derived for these combinatorial explosive problems are near-optimal solutions. Due to the complexity of the scheduling problem, artificial intelligence (AI) can aid in solving these types of problems. Some of the factors are examined which make space application scheduling problems difficult and presents a fairly new AI-based technique called tabu search as applied to a real scheduling application. the specific problem is concerned with scheduling application. The specific problem is concerned with scheduling solar and stellar observations for the SOLar-STellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE) instrument in a constrained environment which produces minimum impact on the other instruments and maximizes target observation times. The SOLSTICE instrument will gly on-board the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) in 1991, and a similar instrument will fly on the earth observing system (Eos).
In this paper, we describe the development of compiler assisted multiple instruction word retry for VLIW architectures. Compiler generated hazard-free code with different degrees of rollback capability is compacted by a trace scheduling algorithm. Performances are compared under three parameters: N, the rollback distance for uni-processors; P, the number of functional units; and Np, the rollback distance for VLIW architectures. In the majority of benchmarks examined, for fixed P and Np, the larger N tends to generate compacted code with better performance.
We have studied six Hawaiian palagonitic tephra samples (PH-1 through PH-6) from a site where a Mauna Loa lava flow has partially embayed a Mauna Kea cinder cone Tephra samples that were not affected by the lava flow (PH-5, PH-6) consist of partially palagonitized coarse-grained glassy Hawaiitic particles whose iron mineralogy is dominated by nanophase ferric oxide (np-Ox) and olivine. Samples closest to the lava flow (PH-1 through PH-4) have been strongly altered and their iron mineralogy is dominated by np-Ox, magnetite, and hematite. This suite of samples has many spectral similarities to Martian bright regions; thus, this localized thermal alteration event may be an analog to similar processes on Mars that lead to the production of small amounts of crystalline ferric oxides within a poorly-crystalline or amorphous palagonitic matrix.
Mapping performed by matrices of transistor switches. Arrays of transistor switches devised for use in forming simultaneous connections from square subarray (window) of n x n pixels within electronic imaging device containing np x np array of pixels to linear array of n(sup2) input terminals of electronic neural network or other parallel-processing circuit. Method helps to realize potential for rapidity in parallel processing for such applications as enhancement of images and recognition of patterns. In providing simultaneous connections, overcomes timing bottleneck or older multiplexing, serial-switching, and sample-and-hold methods.
The oxide mineral hematite alpha-Fe2O3) is present on Mars as evidenced by spectroscopy using visible/near infrared (VNIR) and midinfrared (MIR) wavelengths. The physical nature of this surficial hematite varies from fine-grained, crystalline red hematite (red-Hm) in certain martian bright regions, to coarser-grained, crystalline gray hematite (gray-Hm) in the Sinus Meridiani equatorial site discovered in the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (MGS-TES) data. The VNIR spectra require that the red hematite is present in amounts subordinate to a second ferric pigment, which accounts for the general shape and position of the martian ferric absorption edge. By analogy with palagonitic tephra and synthetic samples, the pigment is a nanophase ferric oxide, possibly nanophase hematite (np-Hm). The purpose of this abstract is to document the physicospectral properties of hematite in the VNIR (0.35 to 2.2 mm) and MIR (5 to 25 mm) with respect to the terms "nanophase" and "crystalline", "red" and "gray", and "fine-grained" and "coarse-grained". We will show that different "types" of hematite (np-, red-, and gray-Hm) have different spectral responses in the VNIR and MIR regions and that these differences are important for inferring the types of hematite and their relative proportions from remotely sensed spectra of Mars. Because hematite is an alteration product that forms through many different geologic processes, determination of the type of hematite provides important clues about the style and diversity of martian weathering processes. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.
We discuss the problem of scheduling tasks that consume a resource with known capacity and where the tasks have varying utility. We consider problems in which the resource consumption and utility of each activity is described by probability distributions. In these circumstances, we would like to find schedules that exceed a lower bound on the expected utility when executed. We first show that while some of these problems are NP-complete, others are only NP-Hard. We then describe various heuristic search algorithms to solve these problems and their drawbacks. Finally, we present empirical results that characterize the behavior of these heuristics over a variety of problem classes.
Visible and near-IR (VNIR) spectra of both Martian bright and dark regions are characterized by a ferric absorption edge extending from approx. 400 to 750 nm, with bright regions having about twice the reflectivity at 750 nm as dark regions. Between 750 nm to beyond 2000 nm, bright and dark regions have nearly constant and slightly negative spectral slopes, respectively. Depending on location, bright regions have shallow reflectivity minima in the range 850-910 nm that are attributed to ferric oxides. Similarly, dark regions have shallow reflectivity minima near approx. 950 and 1700-2000 nm that are attributed to ferrous silicate minerals (pyroxene). Among terrestrial geologic materials, the best spectral analogues for Martian bright regions are certain palagonitic tephras from Mauna Kea Volcano (Hawaii). By definition, palagonite is a "yellow or orange isotropic mineraloid formed by hydration and devitrification of basaltic glass". The ferric pigment in palagonite is nanometer-sized ferric oxide particles (np-Ox) dispersed throughout the hydrated basaltic glass matrix. The hydration state of the np-Ox particles is not known, but the best Martian spectral analogues contain allophane-like materials and not crystalline phyllosilicates.
Visible and near-IR (VNIR) spectral data for Martian bright regions are characterized by a general shape consisting of a ferric absorption edge extending from about 400 to 750 nm and relatively constant reflectivity extending from about 750 nm to beyond 2000 nm . Among terrestrial geologic materials, the best spectral analogues are certain palagonic tephras from Mauna Kea Volcano (Hawaii). By definition, palagonite is a yellow or orange isotropic mineraloid formed by hydration and devitrification of basaltic glass. The ferric pigment in palagonite is nanometer-sized ferric oxide particles (np-Ox) dispersed throughout the hydrated basaltic glass matrix. The hydration state of the np-Ox particles is not known, and the best Martian spectral analogues contain allophane-like materials and not crystalline phyllosilicates. We show here that laboratory VNIR and TES spectra of palagonitic alteration rinds developed on basaltic rocks are spectral endmembers that provide a consistent explanation for both VNIR and TES data of Martian dark regions.
Palagonitic tephra from certain areas on Mauna Kea Volcano (Hawaii) are well-established spectral and magnetic analogues of high-albedo regions on Mars. By definition, palagonite is "a yellow or orange isotropic mineraloid formed by hydration and devitrification of basaltic glass." The yellow to orange pigment is nanometer-sized ferric oxide particles (np-Ox) dispersed throughout the hydrated basaltic glass matrix. The hydration state of the np-Ox particles and the matrix is not known, but the best Martian spectral analogues contain allophane-like materials and not crystalline phyllosilicates. Martian low-albedo regions are also characterized by a palagonite-like ferric absorption edge, but, unlike the highalbedo regions, they also show evidence for absorption by ferrous iron. Thermal emission spectra (TES) obtained by the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer suggest that basaltic (surface Type 1) and andesitic (surface Type 2) volcanic compositions preferentially occur in southern (Syrtis Major) and northern (Acidalia) hemispheres, respectively. The absence of a ferric-bearing component in the modeling of TES spectra is in apparent conflict with VNIR spectra of Martian dark regions, as discussed above. However, the andesitic spectra have also been interpreted as oxidized basalt using phyllosilicates instead of high-SiO2 glass as endmembers in the spectral deconvolution of surface Type 2 TES spectra. We show here that laboratory VNIR and TES spectra of rinds on basaltic rocks are spectral endmembers that provide a consistent explanation for both VNIR and TES data of Martian dark regions.
The problem of determining the minimum cost hypothetical ancestral sequences for a given cladogram is known to be NP-complete (Wang and Jiang, 1994). Traditionally, point estimations of hypothetical ancestral sequences have been used to gain heuristic, upper bounds on cladogram cost. These include procedures with such diverse approaches as non-additive optimization of multiple sequence alignment, direct optimization (Wheeler, 1996), and fixed-state character optimization (Wheeler, 1999). A method is proposed here which, by extending fixed-state character optimization, replaces the estimation process with a search. This form of optimization examines a diversity of potential state solutions for cost-efficient hypothetical ancestral sequences and can result in greatly more parsimonious cladograms. Additionally, such an approach can be applied to other NP-complete phylogenetic optimization problems such as genomic break-point analysis. c2003 The Willi Hennig Society. Published by Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION: Plasma volume, heart rate (HR) variability, and stimulus-response relationships for baroreflex control of forearm vascular resistance (FVR) and HR were studied in eight healthy men after and without performing a bout of maximal exercise to test the hypotheses that acute expansion of plasma volume is associated with 1) reduction in baroreflex-mediated HR response, and 2) altered operational range for central venous pressure (CVP). METHODS: The relationship between stimulus (DeltaCVP) and vasoconstrictive reflex response (DeltaFVR) during unloading of cardiopulmonary baroreceptors was assessed with lower-body negative pressure (LBNP, 0, -5, -10, -15, -20 mm Hg). The relationship between stimulus (Deltamean arterial pressure (MAP)) and cardiac reflex response (DeltaHR) during loading of arterial baroreceptors was assessed with steady-state infusion of phenylephrine (PE) designed to increase MAP by 15 mm Hg alone and during application of LBNP (PE+LBNP) and neck pressure (PE+LBNP+NP). Measurements of vascular volume and autonomic baroreflex responses were conducted on two different test days, each separated by at least 1 wk. On one day, baroreflex response was tested 24 h after graded cycle exercise to volitional exhaustion. On another day, measurement of baroreflex response was repeated with no exercise (control). The order of exercise and control treatments was counterbalanced. RESULTS: Baseline CVP was elevated (P = 0.04) from a control value of 10.5 +/- 0.4 to 12.3 +/- 0.4 mm Hg 24 h after exercise. Average DeltaFVR/DeltaCVP during LBNP was not different (P = 0.942) between the exercise (-1.35 +/- 0.32 pru x mm Hg-1) and control (-1.32 +/- 0.36 pru x mm Hg-1) conditions. However, maximal exercise caused a shift along the reflex response relationship to a higher CVP and lower FVR. HR baroreflex response (DeltaHR/DeltaMAP) to PE+LBNP+NP was lower (P = 0.015) after maximal exercise (-0.43 +/- 0.15 beats x min-1 x mm Hg-1) compared with the control condition (-0.83 +/- 0.14 beats x min-1 x mm Hg-1). CONCLUSION: Expansion of vascular volume after acute exercise is associated with altered operational range for CVP and reduced HR response to arterial baroreceptor stimulation.
In order to characterize the stimulus-response relationships of the arterial, aortic, and carotid baroreflexes in mediating cardiac chronotropic function, we measured heart rate (HR) responses elicited by acute changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and carotid sinus pressure (CSP) in 11 healthy individuals. Arterial (aortic + carotid) baroreflex control of HR was quantified using ramped changes in MAP induced by bolus injection of phenylephrine (PE) and sodium nitroprusside (SN). To assess aortic-cardiac responses, neck pressure (NP) and suction (NS) were applied during PE and SN administration, respectively, to counter alterations in CSP thereby isolating the aortic baroreflex. Graded levels of NP and NS were delivered to the carotid sinus using a customized neck collar device to assess the carotid-cardiac baroreflex, independent of drug infusion. The operating characteristics of each reflex were determined from the logistic function of the elicited HR response to the induced change in MAP. The arterial pressures at which the threshold was located on the stimulus-response curves determined for the arterial, aortic and carotid baroreflexes were not significantly different (72+/-4, 67+/-3, and 72+/-4 mm Hg, respectively, P > 0.05). Similarly, the MAP at which the saturation of the reflex responses were elicited did not differ among the baroreflex arcs examined (98+/-3, 99+/-2, and 102+/-3 mm Hg, respectively). These data suggest that the baroreceptor populations studied operate over the same range of arterial pressures. This finding indicates each baroreflex functions as both an important anti-hypotensive and anti-hypertensive mechanism. In addition, this investigation describes a model of aortic baroreflex function in normal healthy humans, which may prove useful in identifying the origin of baroreflex dysfunction in disease- and training-induced conditions.
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a sustained reduction of physical activity (deconditioning) would alter the cardiovascular regulatory function. METHODS: Nineteen young, healthy volunteers participated in physical deconditioning for a period of 8 wk. Before (pre) and following (post) physical deconditioning, the responses of heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP, measured by Finapres), central venous pressure (CVP), stroke volume (SV, Doppler), and forearm blood flow (FBF, plethysmography) were determined during lower body negative pressure (LBNP). The carotid baroreflex (CBR) function was assessed using a train of pulsatile neck pressure (NP) and suction, and the aortic baroreflex control of HR was assessed during steady-state phenylephrine (PE) infusion superimposed by LBNP and NP to counteract the PE increased CVP and carotid sinus pressure, respectively. RESULTS: Active physical deconditioning significantly decreased maximal oxygen uptake (-7%) and LBNP tolerance (-13%) without a change in baseline hemodynamics. Plasma volume (-3% at P = 0.135), determined by Evans Blue dilution, and blood volume (-4% at P = 0.107) were not significantly altered. During LBNP -20 to -50 torr, there was a significantly greater drop of SV per unit decrease in CVP in the post- (14.7 +/- 1.6%/mm Hg) than predeconditioning (11.2 +/- 0.7%/mm Hg) test accompanied by a greater tachycardia. Deconditioning increased the aortic baroreflex sensitivity (pre vs post: -0.61 +/- 0.12 vs -0.84 +/- 0.14 bpm.mm-1 Hg, P = 0.009) and the slope of forearm vascular resistance (calculated from [MAP-CVP]/FBF) to CVP (-2.75 +/- 0.26 vs -4.94 +/- 0.97 PRU/mm Hg, P = 0.086). However, neither the CBR-HR (-0.28 +/- 0.03 VS -0.39 +/- 0.10 bpm.mm-1 Hg) nor the CBR-MAP (-0.37 +/- 0.16 vs -0.25 +/- 0.07 mm Hg/mm Hg) gains were statistically different between pre- and postdeconditioning. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the functional modification of the cardiac pressure-volume relationship resulted in the reduced LBNP tolerance, despite the accentuated aortic and cardiopulmonary baroreflex function following deconditioning.
We compared the beat-to-beat responses of heart rate (HR) after brief activation of carotid baroreceptors in resting humans with the responses obtained during mild-to-moderate levels of dynamic exercise [25 and 50% of peak O2 uptake (VO2peak)] to investigate the effect of exercise on baroreflex latency. Carotid baroreceptors were activated by a pressure pulse (5 s) of neck suction (NS, -80 Torr) and neck pressure (NP, +40 Torr) during held expiration. At rest the peak change in HR to NS/NP occurred during the first several heartbeats (1st-3rd beat), whereas during mild and moderate exercise peak HR responses occurred near the end of the NS/NP pulse (6th-8th beat). In contrast, time (s) to the peak change in HR was not different between rest and exercise (P > 0.05). Reflex tachycadia to NP progressively decreased during exercise (17 +/- 3, 10 +/- 1, and 4 +/- 1% of control, rest vs. 25% VO2peak, vs. 50% VO2peak, respectively, P < 0.05), and a strong positive correlation was found between the magnitude of the reflex tachycardia and a measure of HR variability (cardiac vagal tone index, r = 0.74, P < 0.0001). Reflex bradycardia to NS gradually increased during exercise (13 +/- 2, 17 +/- 2, and 18 +/- 2% of control, rest vs. 25% VO2peak, vs. 50% VO2peak, respectively, P = 0.10) and was negatively correlated with cardiac vagal tone (r = 0.42, P < 0.06).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).
The Moessbauer spectrometers on the MER rovers have measured the relative abundances of iron with respect to both oxidation state and iron-bearing phase at Gusev Crater (Spirit rover) and Meridiani Planum (Opportunity rover). The assemblage of phases indicates aqueous alteration processes at both landing sites. Although the rock and soil of the Gusev Crater plains are dominated by Fe(2+) in olivine-bearing basalt (approx.Fo60), a Fe(3+)-rich component (nanophase ferric oxide, np-Ox) has significant abundance in surface soils (13-28% of total Fe) and in the surface coatings (rinds) of certain rocks (39%) but not in rock interiors exposed by grinding (5-6%). The mode of occurrence of np-Ox implies that it is the product of oxidative alteration of Fe(2+) silicate and oxide phases in the presence of H2O. The ubiquitous presence of sulfur in soil and in rock coatings, as determined by the MER-A APXS instrument, suggests that the alteration occurred under acid-sulfate conditions, so that both hydrolytic and sulfatic reactions are viable. A possible source for the weathering agents is volcanic emanations rich in H2O and SO2. Generally, rocks in the Columbia Hills are significantly more altered than those in the Gusev plains, with a higher proportion of Fe(3+) oxide phases compared to Fe(2+) silicate phases. This mineralogical dichotomy implies a difference in the timing, rate, duration, and/or mechanism of alteration for basaltic material in the Gusev plains compared to basaltic material in the Columbia Hills. It is possible, for example, that the basaltic material in the Columbia Hills underwent aqueous alteration in a paleoclimate that favored nearly complete alteration and that the basaltic material of the Gusev plains will not achieve the degree of alteration exhibited by the Columbia Hills under current martian surface conditions.
We have analyzed the high-resolution ultraviolet (UV) emission spectrum of molecular deuterium hydride (HD) excited by electron impact at 100 eV under optically thin, single-scattering experimental conditions. The high-resolution spectrum (FWHM=160 mA) spans the wavelength range from 900 to 1650 A and contains the two Rydberg series of HD: (sup 1)Sigma(sub u)(sup +)1s(sigma), np(si n=2, 3, 4) --> X(sup 1)Sigma(sub g)(sup +) and (sup 1)Pi(sub u)(sup +)1s(sigma), np(pi)(C,D,D',D'', n=2, 3, 4, 5) -->X(sup 1)Sigma(sub g)(sup +). A model spectrum of HD, based on newly calculated tra rovibrational coupling for the strongest band systems, B (sup 1)Sigma(sub u)(sup +)-X(sup 1)Sigma(sub g)(sup +),B'(sup 1)Sigma(sub g)(sup +)-X(sup 1)Sigma(sub g)(sup +),C(sup 1)Pi(sub u)-X(sup 1)Sigm sections for direct excitation at 100 eV of the B (sup 1)Sigma(sub u)(sup +), B' (sup 1)Sigma(sub u)(sup +), C(sup 1)Pi(sub u), and D(sup 1)Pi(sub u) states were derived from a model analysis of the state. The absolute cross section values for excitation to the B (sup 1)Sigma(sub u)(sup +), B' (sup 1)Sigma(sub u)(sup +), C(sup 1)Pi(sub u), and D(sup 1)Pi(sub u) states were found to be (2.57+/-0. and (0.17+/-0.04)x10(exp -17) sq cm, respectively. We have also determined the dissociative excitation cross sections at 100 eV for the emission of Ly(alpha) at 1216 A and Ly(Beta) at 1025 A lines, which are (7.98+/-1.12)x10(exp -18) and (0.40+/-0.10)x10(exp -18) sq cm, respectively. The summed excitation function of the closely spaced pair of lines, H Ly(alpha) and D Ly(Beta), resulting from excitation of HD, has been measured from the threshold to 800 eV and is analytically modeled with a semiempirical relation. The model cross sections are in good agreement with the corrected Ly(alpha) cross sections of Mohlmann et al. up to 2 keV. Based on measurements of H, D (2s) production cross section values by Mohlmann et al., the H, D (n=2) cross section is estimated to be 1.6 x 10(exp -17) sq cm at 100 eV.