A Large 16*16 IF Analog Switch Matrix for Personal Communications Satellites

A 16 input and 16 output channels single chip intermediate frequency range (160 MHz) analog switch matrix for personal communication satellites has been designed and processed by using a commercial 1.2 µm BiCMOS technology. The circuit has low power consumption (,2W) and low insertion loss with maximum output power of 0 dBm.     

Transient Electromagnetic Fields Due to Switching Operations in Electric Power Systems

Transient electromagnetic fields are produced when breakers, disconnectors, and switches of various types are operated under varying load conditions. For analysis purposes, a discharge current pulse is assumed during switching operations, which can act as a dipole antenna. The transient electromagnetic fields of this antenna can be calculated for near-and far-field conditions.     

Three-Dimensional Modeling and Effects on Still Images

Designers and creative artists use computer graphics and image processing effects on stall photographs in application areas such as advertising entertainment broadcasting and the arts Most of the effects available in research arid commercial work are two-dimensional in nature, for example image processing filters [blur, edge enhancement) and creative effects (tilings, reflections) There is almost no usage of information taken from the 3-D world in which the objects appearing an the image are located. In this paper we present a novel method for creating 3-D effects on photographs or in general on any image created by rendering a 3-D world The artist interacts with the image using a set of intuitive direct manipulation interface objects These objects let the user define a 3-D model, display at, and manipulate it in a 3-D space which is correlated with that of the input image. The generated model can be an arbitrarily complex 3-D polyhedron Any texture, including texture taken from the input photograph, can be mapped into any of its faces arid used for special effects We discuss and show examples for effects such as copy and paste, motion blur, model editing and deformations lighting effects, and shadows.     

The yeast halotolerance determinant Hal3p is an inhibitory subunit of the Ppz1p Ser/Thr protein phosphatase

Components of cellular stress responses can be identified by correlating changes in stress tolerance with gain or loss of function of defined genes. Previous work has shown that yeast cells deficient in Ppz1 protein phosphatase or overexpressing Hal3p, a novel regulatory protein of unknown function, exhibit increased resistance to sodium and lithium, whereas cells lacking Hal3p display increased sensitivity. These effects are largely a result of changes in expression of ENA1, encoding the major cation extrusion pump of yeast cells. Disruption or overexpression of HAL3 (also known as SIS2) has no effect on salt tolerance in the absence of PPZ1, suggesting that Hal3p might function upstream of Ppz1p in a novel signal transduction pathway. Hal3p is recovered from crude yeast homogenates by using immobilized, bacterially expressed Ppz1p fused to glutathione S-transferase, and it also copurifies with affinity-purified glutathione S-transferase-Ppz1p from yeast extracts. In both cases, the interaction is stronger when only the carboxyl-terminal catalytic phosphatase domain of Ppz1p is expressed. In vitro experiments reveal that the protein phosphatase activity of Ppz1p is inhibited by Hal3p. Overexpression of Hal3p suppresses the reduced growth rate because of the overexpression of Ppz1p and aggravates the lytic phenotype of a slt2/mpk1 mitogen-activated protein kinase mutant (thus mimicking the deletion of PPZ1). Therefore, Hal3p might modulate diverse physiological functions of the Ppz1 phosphatase, such as salt stress tolerance and cell cycle progression, by acting as a inhibitory subunit.     

Polarizability of gyrotropic sphere

The polarizability of gyrotropic spheres is studied in this short article. Gyrotropic media are anisotropic in two respects: the symmetric part of the permittivity dyadic is uniaxial, and furthermore, there is also antisymmetric part in the permittivity. The polarizability is also dyadic with its components depending on the relations of the permittivity components of the material.     

A workbench for distributed production management systems

An end-user oriented workbench approach in the design of distributed production management systems (DPMS) is presented. We shall also deal with models and design of DPMS. Changes anticipated in design processes, roles and professionality required are discussed. In fact, complete structural rearrangements in the design of production management systems (PMS) are expected towards the end of this decade. The ideas presented are based on an on-going research project at Helsinki University of Technology (the so-called HUTDPMS project).     

Performance assessment using a normalized gradient

The paper presents a performance assessment method whose purpose is to make controller maintenance based on adjusting the controller gain, more systematic. A normalized gradient of a quadratic cost function is calculated with regard to the loop gain. It is shown that this statistic is very easy to calculate and that the information can be useful to improve performance. Calculations of the gradient for two loops from a pulp and paper mill that had performance problems show the validity of the method in an industrial setting.     

Efficient photochemical decomposition of long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids by means of an aqueous/liquid CO2 biphasic system

Photochemical decomposition of persistent and bioaccumulative long-chain (C9-C11) perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) with persulfate ion (S2O8(2-)) in an aqueous/liquid CO2 biphasic system was examined to develop a technique to neutralize stationary sources of the long-chain PFCAs. The long-chain PFCAs, namely, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA), which are used as emulsifying agents and as surface treatment agents in industry, are relatively insoluble in water but are soluble in liquid CO2; therefore, introduction of liquid CO2 to the aqueous photoreaction system reduces the interference of colloidal PFCA particles. When the biphasic system was used to decompose these PFCAs, the extent of reaction was 6.4-51 times as high as that achieved in the absence of CO2. In the biphasic system, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUA (33.5-33.6 micromol) in 25.0 mL of water were 100%, 100%, and 77.1% decomposed, respectively, after 12 h of irradiation with a 200-W xenon-mercury lamp; F- ions were produced as a major product, and short-chain PFCAs, which are less bioaccumulative than the original PFCAs, were minor products. All of the initial S2O8(2-) was transformed to SO42-. The system also efficiently decomposed PFCAs at lower concentrations (e.g., 4.28-16.7 micromol of PFDA in 25.0 mL) and was successfully applied to decompose PFNA in floor wax.     

A Bayesian approach to the effect of selection for growth rate on sensory meat quality of rabbit

The effect of selection for growth rate on the sensory characteristics of rabbit meat was assessed by comparing a selected and a control population of rabbits. Embryos belonging to generation 7th were frozen, thawed and implanted in does in order to produce the control group. The control group was formed from the offspring of the embryos belonging to the 7th generation. Selected animals belonging to 21st generation (S) were compared with animals of the control group (C), both were contemporary. Forty animals per group were slaughtered at 9-weeks-old. The sensory analysis was carried out on samples of the Longissimus dorsi muscle. The parameters evaluated were: intensity of rabbit flavour (IRF), aniseed odour (AO), aniseed flavour (AF), liver flavour (LF), tenderness (T), juiciness (J), fibrousness (F). A Bayesian analysis was performed. The ratio of the selection and control effects was analysed. There was a difference between the selected and control groups for IRF, AO, AF and LF. Conversely, no differences were found in T, J and F between groups. Selected group had 3% and 23% higher values of IRF and LF, respectively, than the control group. A relevant effect of selection on AO and AF appeared (probability of relevance P(r)=1), with lower values for selected animals. There was a difference between male and female groups for IRF, but this was not relevant. No differences between sexes were found for the rest of the characteristics evaluated. Selection for growth rate did not affect the main sensory characteristics of meat, like T and J but, it had a negative effect on some flavour characteristics.     

Drying of in situ cast concrete ground slabs and covering criteria

The main objective of this paper was to examine the overall moisture behaviour of an in situ cast concrete ground slab during the initial drying period of the fresh concrete from casting to flooring. This article describes and evaluates various methods to measure moisture levels in concrete slabs in order to decide if flooring can be attached. The most accurate method is verified against measurements and compared with calculations. Many of the methods only consider the surface moisture content of the slab and do not consider the moisture condition deep in the slab. According to performed laboratory tests and FE modelling, moisture content of the slab surface is not a reliable indicator of the overall moisture conditions of the slab. Residual moisture deep in the slab has a major effect on the moisture distribution at the slab cross-section after flooring. The only reliable method to determine the moisture conditions in a new concrete ground slab before flooring is to measure the moisture content at the equivalent depth of the slab. It reliably predicts the ultimate moisture content at slab/flooring interface after flooring. A ground slab is drying in two directions: towards the indoor air by evaporation from the slab surface, and towards the cooler subsoil layers by diffusion. The significance of drying downwards increases after the flooring assembly.