ERTS-1 data collection systems used to predict wheat disease severities

The feasibility of using the data collection system on Earth Technology Satelite-1 to predict wheat leaf rust severity and resulting yield loss was tested. Ground-based data-collection platforms (DCPs), placed in two commercial wheat fields in Riley County, Kansas, transmitted to the satellite such meteorological information as maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, and hours of free moisture. Meteorological data received from the two DCPs from April 23 to 29 were used to estimate the disease progress curve. Values from the curve were used to predict the percentage decrease in wheat yields resulting from leaf rust. Actual decrease in yield was obtained by applying a zinc and maneb spray (5.6 kg/ha) to control leaf rust, and then comparing yields of the controlled (healthy) and the noncontrolled (rusted) areas. In each field, a 9% decrease in yield was predicted by the DCP-derived data; actual decreases were 12% and 9%.     

Temporary extrusion failures in accelerated lifetime tests of copper interconnects

A novel electromigration failure mode was detected in 0.13-/spl mu/m technology, copper dual damascene interconnects. Extrusions formed between the test lead and neighboring monitor lines, resulting in short-circuit failure. However, many of these extrusions were short lived, shrinking within a period of a minute to an hour. These phenomena indicated that a temporary "soft failure" existed in accelerated copper electromigration tests in addition to the traditional permanent failure or "hard failure." These soft failures would be missed unless short sampling intervals (less than a minute) and continuous monitoring of the leakage current between test metal lines and neighboring circuits were carried out. Consistent with our experimental results, physical modeling suggested that capillary forces were able to rupture a long and narrow extrusion and the electric field across the extrusion could accelerate this process.     

Phosphocholine phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase are different enzymes in hamster heart

The CDP-choline pathway is the major pathway for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine in the hamster heart. The formation of phosphocholine from choline was regarded as the first committed reaction in this pathway. We demonstrated earlier that the phosphocholine pool in the heart was substantially less than that found in other tissues, and we observed that a substantial amount of the phosphocholine was hydrolyzed back to choline by a phosphatase. This phosphatase was located in the microsomal fraction of the heart, and unlike alkaline phosphatase, it was not inhibited by amino acids. The pH optima and heat sensitivity of phosphocholine phosphatase were also found to differ from alkaline phosphatase. Phosphocholine did not inhibit the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylphosphate, but a “mixed type” inhibition of the hydrolysis of phosphocholine was observed in the presence of pnitrophenylphosphate. Our data support the hypothesis that these two activities originate from separate and distinct enzymes, and we postulate that the cardiac phosphocholine phosphatase may play a role in the regulation of the phosphocholine pool size in the hamster heart.     

Characterization of 2:1 type layered aluminosilicate via intercalation reaction

The stable intercalation compounds were synthesized by ion exchange reaction of the cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, etc.) existing in the interlayer of the 2:1 type layered natural aluminosilicate with n-decylammonium ion and by successive molecular intercalation reaction of the primary n-alcanol (ROH, R = C₁₀H₂₁, C₁₂ H₂₅, C₁₄H₂₉). The charge densities were calculated from the basal spacings of n-decylammonium derivatives under primary n-alcanol. As the result, the aluminosilicates used in this study have the charge density of 0.25, 0.34 per formula unit and interlayer cation exchange capacity of 69.3, 92.4 meg./l00g, respectively.     

Localizing failures in distributed synchronization

The fault-tolerance of distributed algorithms is investigated in asynchronous message passing systems with undetectable process failures. Two specific synchronization problems are considered, the dining philosophers problem and the binary committee coordination problem. The abstraction of a bounded doorway is introduced as a general mechanism for achieving individual progress and good failure locality. Using it as a building block, optimal fault-tolerant algorithms are constructed for the two problems     

Removal of depleted uranium from contaminated soils

Contamination of soil and water with depleted uranium (DU) has increased public health concerns due to the chemical toxicity of DU at elevated dosages. For this reason, there is great interest in developing methods for DU removal from contaminated sources. Two DU laden soils, taken from U.S. Army sites, were characterized for particle size distribution, total uranium concentration and removable uranium. Soil A was found to be a well graded sand containing a total of 3210 mg/kg DU (3.99 x 10(4) Bq/kg, where a Becquerel (Bq) is a unit of radiation). About 83% of the DU in the fines fraction (particle diameter <0.075 mm, total DU 7732 mg/kg (9.61 x 10(4) Bq/kg)) was associated with the carbonate, iron and manganese oxide and organic matter fractions of the material. Soil B was classified as a sandy silt with total DU of 1560 mg/kg (1.94 x 10(4) Bq/kg). The DU content in the fines fraction was 5171 mg/kg (6.43 x 10(4) Bq/kg). Sequential extraction of the Soil B fines fraction indicated that 64% of the DU was present either as soluble U(VI) minerals or as insoluble U(IV). Citric acid, sodium bicarbonate and hydrogen peroxide were used in batch experiments to extract DU from the fines fraction of both soils. Citric acid and sodium bicarbonate were relatively successful for Soil A (50-60% DU removal), but not for Soil B (20-35% DU removal). Hydrogen peroxide was found to significantly increase DU extraction from both soils, attaining removals up to 60-80%.     

A Fully Differential Band-Selective Low-Noise Amplifier for MB-OFDM UWB Receivers

A band-selective low-noise amplifier (BS-LNA) for multiband orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing ultra-wide-band (UWB) receivers is presented. A switched capacitive network that controls the resonant frequency of the LC load for the band selection is used. It greatly enhances the gain and noise performance of the LNA in each frequency band without increasing power consumption. Moreover, a fully differential configuration is employed to suppress the common-mode switching noise that is generated during the band transition interval. Fabricated in a 0.18-$mu{hbox {m}}$ CMOS process, the BS-LNA achieves a peak power gain of 16 dB, a minimum noise figure of 2.74 dB, and an third-order input intercept point of $-$8.8 dBm at a current consumption of 7.95 mA from a 1.5-V supply. Little performance degradation is observed when the current consumption is reduced by half. The experimental results also show a worst-case band-switching time of less than 3.4 ns, with a peak switching noise voltage of less than 70 $mu hbox{V}$ at the output.      

Microbial Growth in Dry Grain Food (Sunsik) Beverages Prepared with Water,Milk, Soymilk,or Honey-Water

ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to investigate the growth of microorganisms, including pathogenic bacteria such as Cronobacter sakazakii and Bacillus cereus, in Sunsik beverages made of water, milk, soymilk, or honey-water during storage at room temperature. Prepared Sunsik beverages were stored at room temperature and the growth of total aerobic counts, Escherichia coli/coliforms, and yeast and mold were measured. Also, samples inoculated with a cocktail of C. sakazakii or B. cereus spores were stored at room temperature and their growths were determined during storage. Populations of total aerobic counts and coliforms significantly increased with increasing storage time at room temperature, which resulted in higher than 8 log and 7 log after 24 h in all samples except for the honey-water sample, respectively. Levels of total aerobic counts and coliforms were significantly lower in the honey-water sample than in the other samples after 6 and 9 h of storage, respectively. Initial populations of C. sakazakii and B. cereus ranged from 0 to 1 log CFU/mL, respectively, and these populations significantly increased with increasing storage time at room temperature. Therefore, populations of C. sakazakii and B. cereus were approximately 7 to 8 log CFU/mL after 24 h of storage. However, after 12 and 9 h of storage, there were significant differences in levels of C. sakazakii and B. cereus between the honey-water sample and the other samples, respectively. Based on these results, the addition of honey can inhibit microbial growth in Sunsik beverages; however, the best way to avoid pathogen infection would be to consume Sunsik beverages as soon as possible after preparation.     

Isolation of lactic acid bacteria starters from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jeung</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">pyun</Emphasis> for sourdough fermentation

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are key for the fermentation of sourdoughs to improve the quality and nutritive value of bread. The aim of this study was to isolate the LAB starter for sourdough fermentation from Jeung-pyun, a Korean traditional rice cake. Among the twenty two LAB screened, five isolates were selected based on exo-polysaccharide production. Among them, three isolates showed cell growth greater than 8.5 Log CFU/g, maximum increase in the volume of dough, and dextran concentration up to 0.16%. During the sourdough fermentation, pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) were changed, as the three isolates synthesized lactic acid and acetic acid with fermentation quotients less than 2.0. They were identified as Leuconostoc lactis EFEL005, Lactobacillus brevis EFEL004, and Le. citreum EFEL006. They displayed good fermentation properties (growth, dextran production, pH, and TTA) in dough and they are regarded as potential starters to be used in sourdough fermentation.     

Effects of hydrogen concentration on the emission and heat transfer of a premixed LPG-hydrogen flame

This paper describes an experimental study of the effect of hydrogen concentration on the emission and heat transfer characteristics of a laminar premixed LPG-hydrogen flame. The mole fraction of hydrogen in the fuel mixture was varied from 0% to 50%. The equivalence ratio of the fuel/air mixture was kept at stoichiometry and the mixture jet Reynolds number was fixed at Re = 1500 for most of the tests. The results show that upon varying hydrogen content in the fuel mixture, there is a corresponding change in the appearance, pollutant emissions and heat transfer characteristics of the flame.