Aperture sampling requirements in planar near-field and patterncalculations

The paper covers a simple idea. If we sample an aperture, we can obtain valid patterns over a limited angular region about the normal to the aperture. The same expression can be used with near-field measurements. I reduced the expression to a nomograph. A nomograph allows one to rapidly test various choices. In the second half of the paper, I answer questions caused by the February column which discussed polarization (Milligan, IEEE Antennas. Propag. Mag., vol.38, no.1, p.56-8, 1996)     

Amplitude aperture-distribution control in displaced-axistwo-reflector antennas

A design method for improving the efficiency and reduction of sidelobes in displaced-axis two-reflector antennas is presented. The method is based on an analysis of the geometrical-optics field transformation in the displaced-axis two-reflector arrangement. The principal difference of the displaced-axis antenna from the Cassegrain/Gregory two-reflector antenna is pointed out. While decreasing the level of illumination of the subreflector edge in the Cassegrain/Gregory antenna leads to decreasing the sidelobe levels, and, respectively, the efficiency of the antenna system, in the displaced-axis antenna, decreasing the level of illumination of the subreflector leads to an increased level of sidelobes and an essentially nonuniform amplitude distribution in the aperture. The aperture-amplitude-distribution dependence of the illumination level of the subreflector edge in displaced-axis antennas is much stronger than in Cassegrain/Gregory antennas     

Relaxin and decidualization in mice: a reappraisal

The nature of the physiological stimulus inducing decidualization in the endometrium is unknown. In this study we attempted to verify a recent report that relaxin can induce decidualization in intact mice primed with a high dose of estradiol valerate (5 micrograms) and a low dose (10 micrograms) of medroxyprogesterone acetate. In our study, neither s.c. nor intrauterine relaxin, nor intraluminal arachis oil, (an established deciduogenic stimulus) were able to induce decidualization. In addition, while oil was able to induce decidualization (increased uterine weight, and positive Pontamine Sky Blue and stromal alkaline phosphatase reactions) in ovariectomized mice treated with a regimen of estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate designed to produce optimum uterine sensitivity, no decidualization occurred in response to either s.c. or intraluminal relaxin. This study fails to provide any support for a role for relaxin as a deciduogenic stimulus.     

Field evaluation of extraction performance

This paper presents 5 methods to evaluate the performance of percolation-type extractors during actual operation by determining the sources of residual oil left in the extracted meal. To determine residual oil left due to poor “flake extractability,” the operator may use either or both the “shaker” and “stain and soak” methods. The “shaker” method first determines the maximum oil that can be removed from the flake and compares this result with the actual amount extracted. The “stain and soak” method involves the microscopic examination of the flakes before extraction. Three methods are described to determine the residual oil due to poor drainage in the extractor. The first involves removing the undrained oil in the laboratory by washing with additional hexane and then comparing the residual oil in the meal with a sample that has not been washed. The second is a colorimetric determination of the final-stage miscella and comparison against known standards, and, finally, a method is presented using a comparison between the design conditions of the extractor and the actual operating conditions to infer the residual oil left due to poor drainage. A combination of any or all of these methods provides a useful means for a field evaluation of the performance of a percolation-type extractor.     

Maternal mental health and integrated programs for mothers with substance abuse issues.

To examine the impact of integrated treatment programs (those with substance use treatment and pregnancy-, parenting-, or child-related services) on maternal mental health, we compiled a database of studies of integrated programs published between 1990 and 2007 with outcome data on maternal mental health. There were 18 cohort studies, 3 randomized trials, and 2 quasi-experimental studies. Of the five studies comparing integrated to nonintegrated programs, three studies provided enough information to allow for them to be combined in a meta-analysis. The average effect size was 0.23 (95% CI = 0.15 to 0.31, SE = 0.04), p Q = 5.66, p = .059. This meta-analysis is the first systematic quantitative review of studies evaluating the impact of integrated programs on maternal mental health. Findings suggest that integrated programs may be associated with a small advantage over nonintegrated programs in improving maternal mental health. This review highlights the need for further research with improved methodology, study quality, and reporting to improve our understanding of how best to meet the mental health needs of mothers with substance abuse issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

System for production of high and low protein dispersibility index edible extracted soybean flakes

A standard flash desolventizing system has been combined with horizontal agitated meal stripping and cooking vessels operating at atmospheric pressure to provide an integrated system for the production of high, intermediate, or low protein dispersability index edible soybean flakes from extracted solvent-wet flakes. Flash desolventizing removes most of the hexane in the wet flakes by evaporation at low temperature in a turbulent stream of superheated hexane vapor. The small remaining hexane quantity is removed in a stripping process capable of producing the full range of protein dispersability index values in the flakes by treating the flash desolventized flakes with either dry superheated steam or wet saturated steam under carefully controlled conditions of steam temperature, pressure, flow rate, and moisture content. The products are light colored, with little production of fine particles. One of seven papers presented at the symposium “Processing Methods for Oilseeds,” AOCS Spring Meeting, April 1973.     

A compact, low profile, transmission line antenna--Tunable over greater than octave bandwidth

Techniques for extending the frequency tuning range of low profile top loaded antennas to greater than one octave are described. The compact antenna is a directly driven resonant radiator (DDRR) which consists of a vertical post radiator, the height of which is less than0.05lambdaat the highest operating frequency, and which is top loaded by a loosely spiraled unbalanced transmission line which employs a multiple-capacitor tuning scheme to achieve a wide-band, tunable resonant antenna. The measured antenna circuitQis of the order of 100 or greater and the radiation efficiency, over a large ground plane, is greater than 50 percent that of a quarter-wave monopole over the full operating range.     

Utility Wind Integration and Operating Impact State of the Art

In only six years, from 2000 to 2006, wind energy has become a significant resource on many electric utility systems, with nearly 74 000 MW of nameplate capacity installed worldwide at the end of 2006. Wind energy is now "utility scale" and can affect utility system planning and operations for both generation and transmission. The utility industry in general, and transmission system operators in particular, are beginning to take note. At the end of 2005, the Power Engineering Society (PES) published a special issue of its Power & Energy Magazine that focused on integrating wind into the power system. This paper provides a summary and update on many of the salient points from that special issue about the current state of knowledge regarding utility wind integration issues.