Ratchet for energy transport between identical reservoirs

A one-dimensional periodic array of elastically colliding hard points, with a noncentrosymmetric unit cell, connected at its two ends to identical but nonthermal energy reservoirs, is shown to carry a sustained unidirectional energy current.

Theory of polymer breaking under tension

We consider the breaking of a polymer molecule which is fixed at one end and is acted upon by a force at the other. The polymer is assumed to be a linear chain joined together by bonds which satisfy the Morse potential. The applied force is found to modify the Morse potential so that the minimum becomes metastable. Breaking is just the decay of this metastable bond, by causing it to go over the barrier. Increasing the force causes the potential to become more and more distorted and eventually leads to the disappearance of the barrier. The limiting force at which the barrier disappears is D(e)a/2,D-e with a the parameters characterizing the Morse potential. The rate of breaking is first calculated using multidimensional quantum transition state theory. We use the harmonic approximation to account for vibrations of all the units. It includes tunneling contributions to the rate, but is valid only above a certain critical temperature. It is possible to get an analytical expression for the rate of breaking. We have calculated the rate of breaking for a model, which mimics polyethylene. First we calculate the rate of breaking of a single bond, without worrying about the other bonds. Inclusion of other bonds under the harmonic approximation is found to lower this rate by at the most one order of magnitude. Quantum effects are found to increase the rate of breaking and are significant only at temperatures less than 150 K. At 300 K, the calculations predict a bond in polyethylene to have a lifetime of only seconds at a force which is only half the limiting force. Calculations were also done using the Lennard-Jones potential. The results for Lennard-Jones and Morse potentials were rather different, due to the different long-range behaviors of the two potentials. A calculation including friction was carried out, at the classical level, by assuming that each atom of the chain is coupled to its own collection of harmonic oscillators. Comparison of the results with the simulations of Oliveira and Taylor [J. Chem. Phys. 101, 10 118 (1994)] showed the rate to be two to three orders of magnitude higher. As a possible explanation of discrepancy, we consider the translational motion of the ends of the broken chains. Using a continuum approximation for the chain, we find that in the absence of friction, the rate of the process can be limited by the rate at which the two broken ends separate from one another and the lowering of the rate is at the most a factor of 2, for the parameters used in the simulation (for polyethylene). In the presence of friction, we find that the rate can be lowered by one to two orders of magnitude, making our results to be in reasonable agreement with the simulations.

A new type II restriction endonuclease, OfoI from nonheterocystous cyanobacterium Oscillatoria foreaui

Although restriction enzymes are widely distributed in nature, many bacterial genera are yet to be explored for the presence of this important class of enzymes. We have purified and characterized a new type II restriction endonuclease, OfoI from a nonheterocyst cyanobacterium Oscillatoria foreaui. The recognition sequence has been determined by primer extension analysis. The purified enzyme OfoI recognizes and cleaves the palindromic hexanucleotide 5'-Cdown arrowYCGRG-3', generating 5'-protruding ends.

Axially homogeneous, zero mean flow buoyancy-driven turbulence in a vertical pipe

We report an experimental study of a new type of turbulent flow that is driven purely by buoyancy. The flow is due to an unstable density difference, created using brine and water, across the ends of a long (length/diameter=9) vertical pipe. The Schmidt number Sc is 670, and the Rayleigh number (Ra) based on the density gradient and diameter is about 108. Under these conditions the convection is turbulent, and the time-averaged velocity at any point is ‘zero’. The Reynolds number based on the Taylor microscale, Reλ, is about 65. The pipe is long enough for there to be an axially homogeneous region, with a linear density gradient, about 6–7 diameters long in the midlength of the pipe. In the absence of a mean flow and, therefore, mean shear, turbulence is sustained just by buoyancy. The flow can be thus considered to be an axially homogeneous turbulent natural convection driven by a constant (unstable) density gradient. We characterize the flow using flow visualization and particle image velocimetry (PIV). Measurements show that the mean velocities and the Reynolds shear stresses are zero across the cross-section; the root mean squared (r.m.s.) of the vertical velocity is larger than those of the lateral velocities (by about one and half times at the pipe axis). We identify some features of the turbulent flow using velocity correlation maps and the probability density functions of velocities and velocity differences. The flow away from the wall, affected mainly by buoyancy, consists of vertically moving fluid masses continually colliding and interacting, while the flow near the wall appears similar to that in wall-bound shear-free turbulence. The turbulence is anisotropic, with the anisotropy increasing to large values as the wall is approached. A mixing length model with the diameter of the pipe as the length scale predicts well the scalings for velocity fluctuations and the flux. This model implies that the Nusselt number would scale as Ra1/2Sc1/2, and the Reynolds number would scale as Ra1/2Sc−1/2. The velocity and the flux measurements appear to be consistent with the Ra1/2 scaling, although it must be pointed out that the Rayleigh number range was less than 10. The Schmidt number was not varied to check the Sc scaling. The fluxes and the Reynolds numbers obtained in the present configuration are much higher compared to what would be obtained in Rayleigh–Bénard (R–B) convection for similar density differences.

An Improved Compact Compliant Mechanism for an External Pipe-Crawler

An external pipe-crawling device presented in this paper aids the inspection of pipes in hazardous environments and areas inaccessible to humans. The principal component of our design, which uses inchworm type motion, is a compliant ring mechanism actuated using shape memory alloy (SMA) wire. It was fabricated and tested and was reported in our earlier work. But this device had a drawback of low crawling speed (about 1 mm/min) owing to the delay in heating and cooling of the SMA strips in the linear actuation. Additionally, that design also had the difficulties of mounting on pipes with closed ends, large radial span, and the need for housing for electrical insulation and guiding of the SMA wire. In this paper we present a compact design that overcomes the difficulties of the earlier design. In particular, we present a compact compliant mechanism with two halves so as to enable mounting and un-mounting on any closed or open pipe. Another feature is the presence of insulation and guiding of the SMA wire without housing. This design results in a reduction of the radial span of the ring from 22 mm to 12 mm, and the stiffness of the mechanism and the SMA wire are matched. An SMA helical spring is to used in the place of an SMA strip to increase the crawling speed of the device. A microcontroller-based circuitry is also fitted to cyclically.activate the SMA wires and springs.

Dynamics of pulled desorption with effects of excluded-volume interaction: The p-Laplacian diffusion equation and its exact solution

We analyze the dynamics of desorption of a polymer molecule which is pulled at one of its ends with force f, trying to desorb it. We assume a monomer to desorb when the pulling force on it exceeds a critical value f(c). We formulate an equation for the average position of the n-th monomer, which takes into account excluded-volume interaction through the blob-picture of a polymer under external constraints. The approach leads to a diffusion equation with a p-Laplacian for the propagation of the stretching along the chain. This has to be solved subject to a moving boundary condition. Interestingly, within this approach, the problem can be solved exactly in the trumpet, stem-flower and stem regimes. In the trumpet regime, we get tau = tau(0)n(d)(2), where n(d) is the number of monomers that have desorbed at the time tau. tau(0) is known only numerically, but for f close to f(c), it is found to be tau(0) similar to f(c)/(f(2/3) - f(c)(2/3)) If one used simple Rouse dynamics, this result would change to tau similar to f(c)n(d)(2)/(f - f(c)). In the other regimes too, one can find exact solution, and interestingly, in all regimes tau similar to n(d)(2). Copyright (C) EPLA, 2011

Investigation on the Sources of Reflection at the Junction of Tall Grounded Object and Lightning Channel

During lightning strike to a tall grounded object (TGO), reflections of current waves are known to occur at either ends of the TGO. These reflection modify the channel current and hence, the lightning electromagnetic fields. This study aims to identify the possible contributing factors to reflection at a TGO-channel junction for the current waves ascending on the TGO. Possible sources of reflection identified are corona sheath and discontinuity of resistance and radius. For analyzing the contribution of corona sheath and discontinuity of resistance at the junction, a macroscopic physical model for the return stroke developed in our earlier work is employed. NEC-2D is used for assessing the contribution of abrupt change in radii at a TGO-channel junction. The wire-cage model adopted for the same is validated using laboratory experiments. Detailed investigation revealed the following. The main contributor for reflection at a TGO-channel junction is the difference between TGO and channel core radii. Also, the discontinuity of resistance at a TGO-channel junction can be of some relevance only for the first microsecond regime. Further, corona sheath does not play any significant role in the reflection.

The diatom genus Gomphonema Ehrenberg in India: Checklist and description of three new species

We have compiled a checklist of Gomphonema Ehrenberg taxa reported previously from India. From forty-nine references, over 100 Gomphonema taxa have been reported, including 39 new taxon descriptions. In addition to these previous reports of Gomphonema taxa, we describe three new species. G. gandhii Karthick & Kociolek, sp. nov., G. difformum Karthick & Kociolek, sp. nov. and G. diminutum Karthick & Kociolek, sp. nov., all from hill streams of Western Ghats, India. Frustule morphology, as studied in light and scanning electron microscopy, is compared with that of other recently described Gomphonema species from Africa and Asia. All three Indian species have distinctly dilated proximal raphe ends, in addition to differentiated apical pore fields, septa, pseudosepta and a round external stigma! opening. Gomphonema gandhii is linear-lanceolate-clavate, has a wide axial area, and is 19-51 mu m long, 3-7 mu m broad. Gomphonema difformum is smaller than G. gandhii, and has a hyaline area around the headpole. Gomphonema diminuta is much smaller and narrower than the other two species. These species are distinct from their closest congeners by their sizes, shape and structure of the head pole, and striae densities. All these species were described from low nutrient, neutral, low ionic content streams of Western Ghats. As most other species described from tropical region these three species appear to be endemic to India. Moreover, within India they have hitherto only been found in Western Ghats, one of the twelve biodiversity hotspots of the World.

3D Image Reconstruction From Truncated Helical Cone Beam Projection Data - A Linear Prediction Approach

With the introduction of 2D flat-panel X-ray detectors, 3D image reconstruction using helical cone-beam tomography is fast replacing the conventional 2D reconstruction techniques. In 3D image reconstruction, the source orbit or scanning geometry should satisfy the data sufficiency or completeness condition for exact reconstruction. The helical scan geometry satisfies this condition and hence can give exact reconstruction. The theoretically exact helical cone-beam reconstruction algorithm proposed by Katsevich is a breakthrough and has attracted interest in the 3D reconstruction using helical cone-beam Computed Tomography.In many practical situations, the available projection data is incomplete. One such case is where the detector plane does not completely cover the full extent of the object being imaged in lateral direction resulting in truncated projections. This result in artifacts that mask small features near to the periphery of the ROI when reconstructed using the convolution back projection (CBP) method assuming that the projection data is complete. A number of techniques exist which deal with completion of missing data followed by the CBP reconstruction. In 2D, linear prediction (LP)extrapolation has been shown to be efficient for data completion, involving minimal assumptions on the nature of the data, producing smooth extensions of the missing projection data.In this paper, we propose to extend the LP approach for extrapolating helical cone beam truncated data. The projection on the multi row flat panel detectors has missing columns towards either ends in the lateral direction in truncated data situation. The available data from each detector row is modeled using a linear predictor. The available data is extrapolated and this completed projection data is backprojected using the Katsevich algorithm. Simulation results show the efficacy of the proposed method.

Novel Switching Sequences for a Space-Vector-Modulated Three-Level Inverter

A three-level inverter produces six active vectors, each of normalized magnitudes 1, 0.866, and 0.5, besides a zero vector. The vectors of relative length 0.5 are termed pivot vectors.The three nearest voltage vectors are usually used to synthesize the reference vector. In most continuous pulsewidth-modulation(PWM) schemes, the switching sequence begins from a pivot vector and ends with the same pivot vector. Thus, the pivot vector is applied twice in a subcycle or half-carrier cycle. This paper proposes and investigates alternative switching sequences, which use the pivot vector only once but employ one of the other two vectors twice within the subcycle. The total harmonic distortion(THD) in the fundamental line current pertaining to these novel sequences is studied theoretically as well as experimentally over the whole range of modulation. Compared with centered space vector PWM, two of the proposed sequences lead to reduced THD at high modulation indices at a given average switching frequency.

Editorial optical computing circuits, devices and systems

Information forms the basis of modern technology. To meet the ever-increasing demand for information, means have to be devised for a more efficient and better-equipped technology to intelligibly process data. Advances in photonics have made their impact on each of the four key applications in information processing, i.e., acquisition, transmission, storage and processing of information. The inherent advantages of ultrahigh bandwidth, high speed and low-loss transmission has already established fiber-optics as the backbone of communication technology. However, the optics to electronics inter-conversion at the transmitter and receiver ends severely limits both the speed and bit rate of lightwave communication systems. As the trend towards still faster and higher capacity systems continues, it has become increasingly necessary to perform more and more signal-processing operations in the optical domain itself, i.e., with all-optical components and devices that possess a high bandwidth and can perform parallel processing functions to eliminate the electronic bottleneck.

New Concepts for Three-Dimensional Shape Analysis

A new approach to machine representation and analysis of three-dimensional objects is presented. The representation, based on the notion of "skeleton" of an object leads to a scheme for comparing two given object views for shape relations. The objects are composed of long, thin, rectangular prisms joined at their ends. The input picture to the program is the digitized line drawing portraying the three-dimensional object. To compare two object views, two characteristic vertices called "cardinal point" and "end-cardinal point," occurring consistently at the bends and open ends of the object are detected. The skeletons are then obtained as a connected path passing through these points. The shape relationships between the objects are then obtained from the matching characteristics of their skeletons. The method explores the possibility of a more detailed and finer analysis leading to detection of features like symmetry, asymmetry and other shape properties of an object.

Ground-fault-arc suppression on series-and shunt-compensated lines

An extension of Rizk's analysis to cover any type of switching is presented for calculating the residual current and recovery voltage in a singlephase switched transmission system. Equations for the determination of the current and voltage are shown, and the method has been used for the analysis of a series- and shunt-compensated line.Three possible switching methods for the effective control of the recovery voltage and residual current are discussed: normal switching, switching at the ends of the line and switching of the series capacitors.

Interaction of G-Quadruplexes with Nonintercalating Duplex-DNA Minor Groove Binding Ligands

The enzyme telomerase synthesizes the G-rich DNA strands of the telomere and its activity is often associated with cancer. The telomerase may be therefore responsible for the ability of a cancer cell-to escape apoptosis. The G-rich DNA sequences often adopt tetra-stranded structure, known as the G-quadruplex DNA (G4-DNA). The stabilization of the telomeric DNA into the G4-DNA structures by small molecules has been the focus of many researchers for the design and development of new anticancer agents. The compounds which stabilize the G-quadruplex in the telomere inhibit the telomerase activity. Besides telomeres, the G4-DNA forming sequences are present in the genomic regions of biological significance including the transcriptional regulatory and promoter regions of several oncogenes. Inducing a G-quadruplex structure within the G-rich promoter sequences is a potential way of achieving selective gene regulation. Several G-quadruplex stabilizing ligands are known. Minor groove binding ligands (MGBLs) interact with the double-helical DNA through the minor grooves sequence-specifically and interfere with several DNA associated processes. These MGBLs when suitably modified switch their preference sometimes from the duplex DNA to G4-DNA and stabilize the G4-DNA as well. Herein, we focus on the recent advances in understanding the G-quadruplex structures, particularly made by the human telomeric ends, and review the results of various investigations of the interaction of designed organic ligands with the G-quadruplex DNA while highlighting the importance of MGBL-G-quadruplex interactions.

Five-level inverter voltage-space phasor generation for an open-end winding induction motor drive

A topology for voltage-space phasor generation equivalent to a five-level inverter for an open-end winding induction motor is presented. The open-end winding induction motor is fed from both ends by two three-level inverters. The three-level inverters are realised by cascading two two-level inverters. This inverter scheme does not experience neutral-point fluctuations. Of the two three-level inverters only one will be switching at any instant in the lower speed ranges. In the multilevel carrier-based SPWM used for the proposed drive, a progressive discrete DC bias depending on the speed range is given to the reference wave to reduce the inverter switchings. The drive is implemented and tested with a 1 HP open-end winding induction motor and experimental results are presented.