An L-shaped array for estimating 2-D directions of wave arrival

A simple structured 2-D array, the L-shaped array, is presented. The L-shaped array consists of two uniform linear arrays (ULA) connected orthogonally at one end of each ULA. It is shown that the Cramer-Rao bounds (CRB) of the estimated wave directions based on the L-shaped array are about 37% smaller than those for the cross array. The CRB indicates the accuracy potential because it is the (reachable) lower bound on the variance of any unbiased estimate. An efficient maximum likelihood algorithm is developed utilizing the ULA structure inherent in the L-shaped array     

Specific binding of L-triiodothyronine modulates Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in adult rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes

Interactions of L-triiodothyronine (T3) in adult rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes were studied in vitro. Scatchard plot analysis revealed two sets of T3 binding sites. The degree of saturation of T3 binding sites (putative receptor) correlated well with the dose-dependent inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in synaptosomes. The relative binding affinities and relative inhibition of enzyme activities for different TH analogues were L-T3 > T3-amine > TRIAC = L-T4 > r-T3 > T2 and L-T3 > T3-amine > TRIAC > L-T4 > r-T3 > T2, respectively. The present study demonstrates the nature of inhibition of synaptosomal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity may be as a function of T3 occupancy of synaptosomal receptor sites in adult mammalian brain.     

Evaluation of the suitability of troposcatter prediction techniques over Northern India

The design of any radio communication system requires a suitable prediction technique for calculating the received signal levels. The optimum prediction method helps to reduce the interference problems, and improves reliability of links. In the present study the path loss values deduced from various prediction techniques are compared against observed path loss values over two troposcatter links situated in northern India. The results show that April and May are the worst months and the present space and frequency diversity configuration is not able to effectively overcome the link outages. A comparison of different path loss prediction techniques showed that Yeh’s prediction method and itu-r’s method I comes close to the observed values. The predicted path loss values for worst month using itu-r’s method deviated considerably from the observed values. The present study provides valuable inputs to the itu-r study group from the tropical countries by evaluating the itu-r prediction methods against the experimental data.     

Extraction of coals through dilute alkaline hydrolytic treatment at low temperature and ambient pressure

Assam and Talcher (bituminous) coals have been subjected to batch aqueous alkali treatment followed by extraction. It has been shown that alkali treatment increased extractability and reactivity of coal. Use of 1.4% aqueous sodium hydroxide was found to be capable of rendering about 40–50% coal extractable in ethylene diamine in two alkali treatments followed by extractions. Semibatch operation yielded about 26–33% extractable coal, and extraction data were found to be comparable with those obtained in batch degradation via a single alkali treatment. Of the solvents studied, polar and basic solvents were found to be the most effective.     

Differential regulation by estrogens of growth and prolactin synthesis in pituitary cells suggests that only a small pool of estrogen receptors is required for growth

PR1 cells are a prolactin (PRL)-secreting cell line derived from a pituitary lactotroph tumor found in 17beta-estradiol-treated Fischer 344 rats. We examined the effect of estrogen on cell proliferation and PRL synthesis under various culture conditions. Estrogen, at extremely low concentrations, induces cell proliferation in this cell line, whereas antiestrogen inhibits proliferation. Interestingly, the proliferation response is much more sensitive than the PRL response because 0.01 pM estradiol or diethylstilbestrol induces half-maximal growth induction [ approximately 0.1% estrogen receptor (ER) occupancy is required], whereas 0.01 nM concentration is required for half-maximal PRL induction ( approximately 50% ER occupancy is required). The proliferation response is not as sensitive to antiestrogen as the PRL response, because 10 nM concentration of the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780 could not inhibit 1 nM estradiol- or diethylstilbestrol-induced proliferation. The same concentration of ICI 182,780 decreased PRL secretion to 1% of estradiol- or diethylstilbestrol-induced prolactin secretion suggesting a possible dichotomy of ER control of proliferation and PRL synthesis. The Kd of ER binding in these cells is about 3 x 10(-11) M. These results with the PR1 cells extend previous studies in other estrogen- regulated systems and suggest that only a small pool of ER is required for cell proliferation in contrast with the regulation of expression of specific genes. They also raise questions as to how a dimeric receptor functions when only one ligand site is occupied or when both an estrogen and an antiestrogen occupy one dimer.     

Effect of ash on maximum thickness of plastic layer of coals

A study of the effect of ash yield on the maximum thickness of the plastic layer (MTPL) of some coking coals (as measured by the Sapozhnikov plastometer) has revealed that with an increase in the former the latter in general decre?es. A rectilinear relation approximately exists between the ash percentage (dry basis) and log MTPL values of coals. For the samples studied, a multiple correlation incorporating the rank factor was found to be unnecessary. Higher Fe₂O₃ and SO₃ contents from the coal were found to be associated with higher MTPL values.     

Impact fatigue of an alumina ceramic

A new type of pendulum impact apparatus is described for determining single and repeated impact strength of ceramics, It has been demonstrated that specimens of a Sintox alumina ceramic exhibit fatigue behaviour, having a high stress plateau followed by progressively increasing endurance with decrease in applied impact energy. A fatigue limit, at least from the engineering view point, has been drawn at high endurances (10⁵ impacts). The influence of environment (static fatigue) and/or plastic deformation to explain the fatigue behaviour is suggested.     

Antiredeposition additives face new opportunities

Recent trends in fabric composition, choice of raw materials, and government regulations are placing new demands on the use and utility of antiredeposition additives.     

Generation of Bessel functions of complex order and argument

Recurrence techniques are described for the generation of Bessel functions of the first and second kinds where both the argument and order may be complex. The method is shown to be accurate for several well known forms of functions, including Kelvin and spherical Bessel functions. The accuracy of the general case of complex order and argument is determined by computing the Wronskians and by verifying some addition theorems of the Bessel functions over wide ranges of order and argument. Procedures for the accurate generation of complex-argument gamma functions are also described.     

Algebraic relations between system response and system parameters for linear time-invariant systems

By means of a rational-fraction approximation to the delay function, and through use of a generalised technique for evaluating convolution integrals, it is possible to approximately evaluate the inverse Laplace transform. The time-domain response is approximated by a ratio of polynomials in t, with coefficients which are algebraic functions of the system parameters.