Scientific Research Institute of Introscopy

In this paper a frequency-correction factor is proposed for Bethe's small-aperture coupling relation for a transverse diaphragm in a waveguide. Experimental data on many shapes and sizes of apertures have shown this factor to be highly accurate up to and somewhat above the resonant frequency of each aperture. Also included are approximate formulas for the resonant Q and the resonant length of an aperture, and for the effect of wall thickness.

We have examined the two types of explanations of the moon illusion-the egocentric, in which the differences in direction of the horizon and the zenith moons are thought of in relation to different angles of regard of the observer, and the objective, in which the presence or absence of the terrain is considered crucial. The former type is exemplified chiefly by the eye-elevation hypothesis in the work of Boring and his colleagues; the latter, by the apparent-distance hypothesis based on the superior cues to distance provided by the terrain. Boring had rejected the apparent-distance hypothesis on the grounds that the horizon moon is reported as nearer, not farther away, by most observers. He then performed experiments which supported the eye-elevation hypothesis.

In this paper it is shown how the electric and magnetic polarizabilities of an aperture may be determined accurately by electrolytic-analog measurements. Measured magnetic-polarizability data are given for rectangular-, rounded-slot-, cross-, rosette-, dumbbell-, and H-shaped apertures.

). This WGS, v1.0, was valuable as the initial reference for sequence information, fine mapping, gene discovery, variant discovery, and tool development. A new, high quality apple WGS, GDDH13 v1.1, was released in 2017 and now serves as the reference genome for apple. Over the past decade, these apple WGSs have had an enormous impact on our understanding of apple biological functioning, trait physiology and inheritance, leading to practical applications for improving this highly valued crop. Causal gene identities for phenotypes of fundamental and practical interest can today be discovered much more rapidly. Genome-wide polymorphisms at high genetic resolution are screened efficiently over hundreds to thousands of individuals with new insights into genetic relationships and pedigrees. High-density genetic maps are constructed efficiently and quantitative trait loci for valuable traits are readily associated with positional candidate genes and/or converted into diagnostic tests for breeders. We understand the species, geographical, and genomic origins of domesticated apple more precisely, as well as its relationship to wild relatives. The WGS has turbo-charged application of these classical research steps to crop improvement and drives innovative methods to achieve more durable, environmentally sound, productive, and consumer-desirable apple production. This review includes examples of basic and practical breakthroughs and challenges in using the apple WGSs. Recommendations for "what's next" focus on necessary upgrades to the genome sequence data pool, as well as for use of the data, to reach new frontiers in genomics-based scientific understanding of apple.

Considering the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating cellular processes, we performed microarray analysis and revealed miR-4324 as one of the most differentially expressed miRNAs in bladder cancer (BCa). Then, we discovered that miR-4324 was a negative regulator of Rac GTPase activating protein 1 (RACGAP1) and that RACGAP1 functioned as an oncogenic protein in BCa. Our studies indicated that ectopic overexpression of miR-4324 in BCa cells significantly suppressed cell proliferation and metastasis and enhanced chemotherapy sensitivity to doxorubicin by repressing RACGAP1 expression. Further studies showed that estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) increased the expression of miR-4324 by binding to its promoter, while the downregulation of ESR1 in BCa was caused by hypermethylation of its promoter. p-STAT3 induced the enrichment of DNMT3B by binding to the ESR1 promoter and then induced methylation of the ESR1 promoter. In turn, RACGAP1 induced STAT3 phosphorylation, increasing p-STAT3 expression and promoting its translocation to the nucleus. Therefore, the miR-4324-RACGAP1-STAT3-ESR1 feedback loop could be a critical regulator of BCa progression.

Abstract The inlet and discharge processes of a reciprocating compressor equipped with spring-loaded valves of the automatic type have been analyzed to determine the effects of the main design variables on performance. The most important criterion is found to be a parameter involving effective flow area through the valves and piston speed. Valve dynamics is a secondary consideration. For optimum valve dynamics, the valve would have no weight and a very small spring constant, giving an infinite natural frequency of the valve system. If certain valve characteristics are known (or measured by static-flow test), the performance of a compressor using these valves can be predicted with fair accuracy.

This paper contains a discussion of the principle of operation of cw doppler search radar systems and an analysis of their performance capabilities, with particular emphasis on the elimination of fixed targets. A comparison of these systems and MTI pulse radar systems is made.

This paper proposes a roadmap for the application of advanced technology (in particular robotics) for the humanitarian demining domain. Based on this roadmap, a portable demining kit to handle urgent situations in remote locations is described. A low-cost four-wheel steering robot with a biologically inspired locomotion control is the base of the kit. On going research on a method for all-terrain piloting, under the morphological computation paradigm is also introduced, along with the behavioural architecture underlying it, the Survival Kit. A multi-agent architecture, the DSAAR architecture, is also proposed as a way of promoting short time-to-market and soft integration of different robots in a given mission. A common denominator for all developments is the quest for sustainability with respect to (re-)engineering and maintainability effort, as well as economical and ecological impact. Failing to cope with these requirements greatly reduces the applicability of a given technology to the humanitarian demining domain. Finally it is concluded that biologically inspired design fits considerably well to support a sustainable demining paradigm.

Amphiphilicity is the most critical parameter in the self-assembly of surfactant-like peptides (SLPs), regulating the way by which hydrophobic attraction holds peptides together. Its effects go beyond supramolecular assembly and may also trigger different cell responses of bioactive peptide-based nanostructures. Herein, we investigate the self-assembly and cellular effects of nanostructures based on isomeric SLPs composed by arginine (R) and phenylalanine (F). Two amphipathic designs were studied: a diblock construct F4R4 and its bolaamphiphile analog R2F4R2. A strong sequence-dependent polymorphism emerges with appearance of globules and vesicle-like assemblies, or flat nanotapes and cylindrical micelles. The diblock construct possesses good cell penetrating capabilities and effectiveness to kill SK-MEL-28 melanoma tumor cells, in contrast to reduced intracellular uptake and low cytotoxicity exhibited by the bolaamphiphilic form. Our findings demonstrate that amphipathic design is a relevant variable for self-assembling SLPs to modulate different cellular responses and may assist in optimizing the production of nanostructures based on arginine-enriched sequences in cell penetrating and antimicrobial peptides.

Abstract A 78–118 GHz synthesizer-driven backward-wave oscillator is used together with klystron sources and frequency doublers to measure the electric-resonance optothermal spectrum of the K a = 1 ← 0 rotation-tunnelling subband of (D2O)2. Transitions are observed originating from each of the six tunnelling states, A+ 1, B+ 1, E+ 1, A- 2, B- 2, and E- 2, allowing an estimate of the largest tunnelling matrix element h 4v, characterizing the separation of the A+ 1, B+ 1, and E+ 1 states from the A- 2, B- 2, and E- 2 states. We find the average of h 4v for the K a = 0 and 1 states to be ∼ -8 943 MHz. A comparison of the K a = 1 ← 0 band origins for the A/B states with the band origin for their E partner gives h 2v ∼ -6·9 MHz, where h 2v is the tunnelling matrix element responsible for the displacement of the E symmetry levels from the center of their interconversion split A/B partners. Values found for the A rotational constant, A ∼ 124 923 MHz, and h 2v are in good agreement with those obtained from the submillimetre measurements of Zwart, E., ter Meulen, J. J., and Meerts, W. L., 1990, Chem. Phys. Lett., 173, 115, on the K a = 2 ← 1 band of the complex. Estimates are presented for the potential barriers to the 1 → 2, 1 → 5 and 1 → 7 tunnelling processes.

Differential error equations are derived for the navigation errors of a local level undamped pure inertial platform that continuously rotates in azimuth. From these, the time response equations for the vector position error produced by a constant level gyro drift error, as a function of platform rotation rate, are computed and evaluated. It is shown that platform rotation attenuates the system position error due to level gyro bias and that this attenuation is a nonlinear function of rotation rate.

New photoluminescent carbon dots with intriguing photoluminescent properties were prepared from carboxylated carbon nanoparticles <italic>via</italic> covalent bonding of <italic>p</italic>-phenylenediamine oligomers.

The problem considered in this paper is the formulation of the equations governing the motion of an electron beam in axially symmetrical magnetic and electric fields. The equations are obtained for the trajectories of the electrons along the outer edge of the beam for the most general case, in which there are both axial and radial components of the fields. It is shown that, as a result of symmetry, the combined effects of the electric and the magnetic fields can be expressed as a single generalized potential function which depends only on the axial and radial space co-ordinates. This permits one to express the axial and radial force components as the axial and radial components of the gradient of this potential function. Numerical solutions have been obtained by numerical integration for the trajectories in a uniform magnetic field. Curves are presented in normalized form, giving the results of these solutions for cases likely to be encountered in practice. It is shown that there exists an equilibrium radius for which the net radial forces acting on the electrons is zero, and that the outer radius of the beam will oscillate about this equilibrium value, the amplitude being nonsymmetrical and depending upon the initial conditions, and the wavelength (distance between successive maxima) depending upon the amplitude.

This paper describes an accuracy performance analysis of a ring laser (RL) strapdown marine gyrocompass. Theoretically derived relationships and covariance analysis results are presented to indicate the effect of ring laser errors on heading accuracy and on settling time. Test results obtained with a pre-production model of the RL strapdown gyrocompass are also shown, and they illustrate the capability of this system to meet U.S. Navy Type I at-sea performance requirements.

The methods of infrared (thermal) tomography are reviewed. Approaches to the dynamic thermal tomography of composite materials are described, which are based on the analysis of changes in the surface temperature with time. Most experimental illustrations refer to thermal testing of fiber reinforced plastic as the typical material used in the air- and spacecraft industry.

Mineral composition and relative deposition rates in the pig's body are used to assess the mineral net requirements for growth and input-output balances. The study aimed to examine the dynamics of changes in mineral composition and deposition rates in the empty body (EB) from birth to 140 kg BW depending on dietary protein supply. In the experiment, 66 entire male, 58 castrated and 66 female Swiss Large White pigs were used to determine body composition at birth, 10, 20 kg and at 20 kg intervals from 40 to 140 kg BW. From 20 kg BW, they had either ad libitum access to a control grower and finisher diet or a grower and finisher diet containing 80% CP, lysine, methione+cystine, threonine and tryptophan of the control diet. Each EB fraction (carcass, organs and empty intestines, blood and bile) was weighed and analyzed for water, ash, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc contents. Allometric relationships between the amount of each mineral in the EB and the EB weight (EBW) were fitted. The R2 of the allometric equations was above 0.92, except for copper and manganese (below 0.33), revealing the EBW as an excellent explanatory variable of the analyzed amounts. The copper and manganese composition in the EB were extremely low and variable which explain the low R2. Except for zinc, all mineral relative deposition rates decreased with increasing EBW. The amount of ash, calcium and phosphorus in the EB was not affected by the diet, but when expressed relative to body protein these minerals were increased when pigs were fed the low protein diet. This suggests an independent protein deposition and bone mineralization when animals are fed diets limiting in protein content. The diet also affected the amount of potassium in the EB which was greater when the low protein diet was fed. The gender only affected the amounts of potassium and sodium in the EB which were greater in entire males. Entire males had also greater amounts of water in the EB, which may explain the observed effect of gender on these two electrolytes. Finally, gender and dietary protein did not affect to a sufficient relevant way the body mineral composition and deposition rates in the EB, suggesting that their distinction may not be necessary to assess, on BW basis, the mineral net requirements for growth and the exported amount of minerals in input-output balances.

The changes in the magnetic properties of low-carbon steels connected with reversible and irreversible magnetization reversal processes under the action of elastic stresses are studied. It is shown that, on the curve of return from the coercive force, the maximal irreversible increment in the magnetization corresponds to the zero values of applied stresses. The application of compressive stresses leads to a sharp decrease in the irreversible component of the magnetization increment. Tensile stresses influence slightly the proportion between reversible and irreversible processes. New possibilities for the multiparametric quasi-static evaluation of stressed-strained states of ferromagnetic objects are revealed.

Design formulas are derived and presented graphically for a wide-band waveguide filter structure analyzed in a previous paper. The design procedure is outlined and a brief example given. Experiments indicate that the design cutoff frequencies and the infinite-attenuation frequency may be relied upon within one or two per cent.

Milk and dairy products are important iodine sources and contribute about 30-40 % of total iodine in the Swiss diet. Information about variation in milk iodine concentration (MIC) in Switzerland is limited. We examined MIC and its potential determinants in milk from organic and conventional farms. We collected bulk milk samples at 3-month intervals over 1 year from thirty-two farms throughout Switzerland and Aosta valley, North-West Italy. We sampled all feed components including tap water, collected information on farm characteristics, feeding and teat disinfection practices by questionnaire and estimated the cows' winter and summer iodine intake. Iodine in milk and feed components was measured using inductively coupled plasma MS. The overall median MIC was 87 (range 5-371) µg/l. In multivariate analysis, predictors of MIC were as follows: (1) farm type: median MIC from organic and conventional farms was 55 and 93 µg/l (P=0·022); (2) season: 53, 97 and 101 µg/l in September, December and March (P<0·002); and (3) teat dipping: 97 µg/l with v. 56 µg/l without (P=0·028). In conclusion, MIC varied widely between farms because of diverse farming practices that result in large differences in dairy cow exposure to iodine via ingestion or skin application. Standardisation of MIC is potentially achievable by controlling these iodine exposures. In order for milk to be a stable iodine source all year round, dietary iodine could be added at a set level to one feed component whose intake is regular and controllable, such as the mineral supplement, and by limiting the use of iodine-containing teat disinfectants.

A rectangular-waveguide structure consisting of a series of constrictions and cavities is analyzed and shown to have the properties of a wide-band filter. The lower cutoff of the lowest-frequency pass band is due to the natural cutoff behavior of the waveguide itself. The upper cutoff of this band is due to the succession of discontinuities. Under the assumption of no dissipation in the filter sections, exact equations for the image parameters of the filter are derived. These equations take full account of the discontinuities and their interaction. As a by-product of this analysis, formulas are obtained for the exact equivalent circuits of three rectangular-waveguide structures: (a) a cavity formed by two changes inheight (Fig. 2(a));(b) an increase of height followed by a short-circuiting wall (Fig. 2 (b));(c) the hypothetical case of an increase of height followed by an open-circuiting wall (Fig. 2 (c)). It is shown how the analysis of structure (b) may be used to obtain an improved solution for ridge waveguide. The writer will cover the more practical problems of filter design and experimental verification in another paper.