Development of a composite material with high magnetic permeability and low loss factor for high frequency application

A flexible composite suitable for MHz frequency application has been developed by combining Fe3O4 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The loss factor and the permeability have been evaluated. At an optimum weight percentage of Fe3O4 in the PVA matrix, the frequency at which the loss factor gives a minimum shifts to the MHz region. The loss factor has been found to be lower by one order of magnitude at 70 MHz compared to the presently used nickel zinc ferrite. The Henkel plot and the Cole-Cole plot have been obtained for the understanding of the high magnetic permeability and the low loss factor. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. doi:10.1063/1.3672867]

Online Computation of Hysteresis Boundary for Constant Switching Frequency Current-Error Space-Vector-Based Hysteresis Controller for VSI-Fed IM Drives

This paper proposes a current-error space-vector-based hysteresis controller with online computation of boundary for two-level inverter-fed induction motor (IM) drives. The proposed hysteresis controller has got all advantages of conventional current-error space-vector-based hysteresis controllers like quick transient response, simplicity, adjacent voltage vector switching, etc. Major advantage of the proposed controller-based voltage-source-inverters-fed drive is that phase voltage frequency spectrum produced is exactly similar to that of a constant switching frequency space-vector pulsewidth modulated (SVPWM) inverter. In this proposed hysteresis controller, stator voltages along alpha- and beta-axes are estimated during zero and active voltage vector periods using current errors along alpha- and beta-axes and steady-state model of IM. Online computation of hysteresis boundary is carried out using estimated stator voltages in the proposed hysteresis controller. The proposed scheme is simple and capable of taking inverter upto six-step-mode operation, if demanded by drive system. The proposed hysteresis-controller-based inverter-fed drive scheme is experimentally verified. The steady state and transient performance of the proposed scheme is extensively tested. The experimental results are giving constant frequency spectrum for phase voltage similar to that of constant frequency SVPWM inverter-fed drive.

Changing resonator geometry to boost sound power decouples size and song frequency in a small insect

Despite their small size, some insects, such as crickets, can produce high amplitude mating songs by rubbing their wings together. By exploiting structural resonance for sound radiation, crickets broadcast species-specific songs at a sharply tuned frequency. Such songs enhance the range of signal transmission, contain information about the signaler's quality, and allow mate choice. The production of pure tones requires elaborate structural mechanisms that control and sustain resonance at the species-specific frequency. Tree crickets differ sharply from this scheme. Although they use a resonant system to produce sound, tree crickets can produce high amplitude songs at different frequencies, varying by as much as an octave. Based on an investigation of the driving mechanism and the resonant system, using laser Doppler vibrometry and finite element modeling, we show that it is the distinctive geometry of the crickets' forewings (the resonant system) that is responsible for their capacity to vary frequency. The long, enlarged wings enable the production of high amplitude songs; however, as a mechanical consequence of the high aspect ratio, the resonant structures have multiple resonant modes that are similar in frequency. The drive produced by the singing apparatus cannot, therefore, be locked to a single frequency, and different resonant modes can easily be engaged, allowing individual males to vary the carrier frequency of their songs. Such flexibility in sound production, decoupling body size and song frequency, has important implications for conventional views of mate choice, and offers inspiration for the design of miniature, multifrequency, resonant acoustic radiators.

Females of a tree cricket prefer larger males but not the lower frequency male calls that indicate large body size

In the tree cricket Oecanthus henryi, females are attracted by male calls and can choose between males. To make a case for female choice based on male calls, it is necessary to examine male call variation in the field and identify repeatable call features that are reliable indicators of male size or symmetry. Female preference for these reliable call features and the underlying assumption behind this choice, female preference for larger males, also need to be examined. We found that females did prefer larger males during mating, as revealed by the longer mating durations and longer spermatophore retention times. We then examined the correlation between acoustic and morphological features and the repeatability of male calls in the field across two temporal scales, within and across nights. We found that carrier frequency was a reliable indicator of male size, with larger males calling at lower frequencies at a given temperature. Simultaneous playback of male calls differing in frequency, spanning the entire range of natural variation at a given temperature, revealed a lack of female preference for low carrier frequencies. The contrasting results between the phonotaxis and mating experiments may be because females are incapable of discriminating small differences in frequency or because the change in call carrier frequency with temperature renders this cue unreliable in tree crickets. (C) 2012 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Technique to Compute Smooth Amplitude, Phase, and Frequency Modulations From the Analytic Signal

Gabor's analytic signal (AS) is a unique complex signal corresponding to a real signal, but in general, it admits infinitely-many combinations of amplitude and frequency modulations (AM and FM, respectively). The standard approach is to enforce a non-negativity constraint on the AM, but this results in discontinuities in the corresponding phase modulation (PM), and hence, an FM with discontinuities particularly when the underlying AM-FM signal is over-modulated. In this letter, we analyze the phase discontinuities and propose a technique to compute smooth AM and FM from the AS, by relaxing the non-negativity constraint on the AM. The proposed technique is effective at handling over-modulated signals. We present simulation results to support the theoretical calculations.

Zero-crossing approach to high-resolution reconstruction in frequency-domain optical-coherence tomography

We address the problem of high-resolution reconstruction in frequency-domain optical-coherence tomography (FDOCT). The traditional method employed uses the inverse discrete Fourier transform, which is limited in resolution due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. We propose a reconstruction technique based on zero-crossing (ZC) interval analysis. The motivation for our approach lies in the observation that, for a multilayered specimen, the backscattered signal may be expressed as a sum of sinusoids, and each sinusoid manifests as a peak in the FDOCT reconstruction. The successive ZC intervals of a sinusoid exhibit high consistency, with the intervals being inversely related to the frequency of the sinusoid. The statistics of the ZC intervals are used for detecting the frequencies present in the input signal. The noise robustness of the proposed technique is improved by using a cosine-modulated filter bank for separating the input into different frequency bands, and the ZC analysis is carried out on each band separately. The design of the filter bank requires the design of a prototype, which we accomplish using a Kaiser window approach. We show that the proposed method gives good results on synthesized and experimental data. The resolution is enhanced, and noise robustness is higher compared with the standard Fourier reconstruction. (c) 2012 Optical Society of America

Frequency domain turbo equalization for MIMO-CPSC systems with large delay spreads

In this paper, we consider low-complexity turbo equalization for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) cyclic prefixed single carrier (CPSC) systems in MIMO inter-symbol interference (ISI) channels characterized by large delay spreads. A low-complexity graph based equalization is carried out in the frequency domain. Because of the reduction in correlation among the noise samples that happens for large frame sizes and delay spreads in frequency domain processing, improved performance compared to time domain processing is shown to be achieved. This improved performance is attractive for equalization in severely delay spread ISI channels like ultrawideband channels and underwater acoustic channels.

Optical frequency metrology with an Rb-stabilized ring-cavity resonator-study of cavity-dispersion errors

We have developed a technique to measure the absolute frequencies of optical transitions by using an evacuated Rb-stabilized ring-cavity resonator as a transfer cavity. The absolute frequency of the Rb D-2 line (at 780 nm) used to stabilize the cavity is known and allows us to determine the absolute value of the unknown frequency. We study wavelength-dependent errors due to dispersion at the cavity mirrors by measuring the frequency of the same transition in the Cs D-2 line (at 852 nm) at three cavity lengths. The spread in the values shows that dispersion errors are below 30 kHz, corresponding to a relative precision of 10(-10). We give an explanation for reduced dispersion errors in the ring-cavity geometry by calculating errors due to the lateral shift and the phase shift at the mirrors, and show that they are roughly equal but occur with opposite signs. We have earlier shown that diffraction errors (due to Guoy phase) are negligible in the ring-cavity geometry compared to a linear cavity; the reduced dispersion error is another advantage. Our values are consistent with measurements of the same transition using the more expensive frequency-comb technique. Our simpler method is ideally suited for measuring hyperfine structure, fine structure, and isotope shifts, up to several hundreds of gigahertz.

Regulation of S100A2 expression by TGF-beta-induced MEK/ERK signalling and its role in cell migration/invasion

S100A2, an EF hand calcium-binding protein, is a potential biomarker in several cancers and is also a TGF-beta (transforming growth factor-beta)-regulated gene in melanoma and lung cancer cells. However, the mechanism of S100A2 regulation by TGF-beta and its significance in cancer progression remains largely unknown. In the present study we report the mechanism of S100A2 regulation by TGF-beta and its possible role in TGF-beta-mediated tumour promotion. Characterization of the S100A2 promoter revealed an AP-1 (activator protein-1) element at positions -1161 to -1151 as being the most critical factor for the TGF-beta 1 response. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility-shift assays confirmed the functional binding of the AP-1 complex, predominantly JunB, to the S100A2 promoter in response to TGF-beta 1 in HaCaT keratinocytes. JunB overexpression markedly stimulated the S100A2 promoter which was blocked by the dominant-negative JunB and MEK1 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase 1] inhibitor, PD98059. Intriguingly, despite the presence of a putative SMAD-binding element, S100A2 regulation by TGF-beta 1 was found to be SMAD3 independent. Interestingly, p53 protein and TGF-beta 1 show synergistic regulation of the S100A2 promoter. Finally, knockdown of S100A2 expression compromised TGF-beta 1-induced cell migration and invasion of Hep3B cells. Together our findings highlight an important link between the TGF-beta 1-induced MAPK and p53 signalling pathways in the regulation of S100A2 expression and pro-tumorigenic actions.

Optimal sparsifying bases for frequency-domain optical-coherence tomography

We address the reconstruction problem in frequency-domain optical-coherence tomography (FDOCT) from under-sampled measurements within the framework of compressed sensing (CS). Specifically, we propose optimal sparsifying bases for accurate reconstruction by analyzing the backscattered signal model. Although one might expect Fourier bases to be optimal for the FDOCT reconstruction problem, it turns out that the optimal sparsifying bases are windowed cosine functions where the window is the magnitude spectrum of the laser source. Further, the windowed cosine bases can be phase locked, which allows one to obtain higher accuracy in reconstruction. We present experimental validations on real data. The findings reported in this Letter are useful for optimal dictionary design within the framework of CS-FDOCT. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America

Phospholipid Mediated Activation of Calcium Dependent Protein Kinase 1 (CaCDPK1) from Chickpea: A New Paradigm of Regulation

Phospholipids, the major structural components of membranes, can also have functions in regulating signaling pathways in plants under biotic and abiotic stress. The effects of adding phospholipids on the activity of stress-induced calcium dependent protein kinase (CaCDPK1) from chickpea are reported here. Both autophosphorylation as well as phosphorylation of the added substrate were enhanced specifically by phosphatidylcholine and to a lesser extent by phosphatidic acid, but not by phosphatidylethanolamine. Diacylgylerol, the neutral lipid known to activate mammalian PKC, stimulated CaCDPK1 but at higher concentrations. Increase in V-max of the enzyme activity by these phospholipids significantly decreased the K-m indicating that phospholipids enhance the affinity towards its substrate. In the absence of calcium, addition of phospholipids had no effect on the negligible activity of the enzyme. Intrinsic fluorescence intensity of the CaCDPK1 protein was quenched on adding PA and PC. Higher binding affinity was found with PC (K-1/2 = 114 nM) compared to PA (K-1/2 = 335 nM). We also found that the concentration of PA increased in chickpea plants under salt stress. The stimulation by PA and PC suggests regulation of CaCDPK1 by these phospholipids during stress response.

AN ITERATIVE ALGORITHM FOR PHASE RETRIEVAL WITH SPARSITY CONSTRAINTS: APPLICATION TO FREQUENCY DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY

We address the problem of phase retrieval, which is frequently encountered in optical imaging. The measured quantity is the magnitude of the Fourier spectrum of a function (in optics, the function is also referred to as an object). The goal is to recover the object based on the magnitude measurements. In doing so, the standard assumptions are that the object is compactly supported and positive. In this paper, we consider objects that admit a sparse representation in some orthonormal basis. We develop a variant of the Fienup algorithm to incorporate the condition of sparsity and to successively estimate and refine the phase starting from the magnitude measurements. We show that the proposed iterative algorithm possesses Cauchy convergence properties. As far as the modality is concerned, we work with measurements obtained using a frequency-domain optical-coherence tomography experimental setup. The experimental results on real measured data show that the proposed technique exhibits good reconstruction performance even with fewer coefficients taken into account for reconstruction. It also suppresses the autocorrelation artifacts to a significant extent since it estimates the phase accurately.

Nearly constant switching frequency hysteresis current controller for general n-level inverter fed induction motor drive

A current-error space phasor based hysteresis controller with nearly constant switching frequency is proposed for a general n-level voltage source inverter fed three-phase induction motor drive. Like voltage-controlled space vector PWM (SVPWM), the proposed controller can precisely detect sub-sector changes and for switching it selects only the nearest switching voltage vectors using the information of the estimated fundamental stator voltages along α and β axes. It provides smooth transition between voltage levels, including operation in over modulation region. Due to adjacent switching amongst the nearest switching vectors forming a triangular sub-sector, in which tip of the fundamental stator voltage vector of the machine lies, switching loss is reduced while keeping the current-error space phasor within the varying parabolic boundary. Appropriate dimension and orientation of this parabolic boundary ensures similar switching frequency spectrum like constant switching frequency SVPWM-based induction motor (IM) drive. Inherent advantages of multi-level inverter and space phasor based current hysteresis controller are retained. The proposed controller is simulated as well as implemented on a 5-level inverter fed 7.5 kW open-end winding IM drive.

A Space-Vector-Based Hysteresis Current Controller for a General n-Level Inverter-Fed Drive With Nearly Constant Switching Frequency Control

A current-error space-vector-based hysteresis current controller for a general n-level voltage-source inverter (VSI)-fed three-phase induction motor (IM) drive is proposed here, with control of the switching frequency variation for the full linear modulation range. The proposed current controller monitors the space-vector-based current error of an n-level VSI-fed IM to keep the current error within a parabolic boundary, using the information of the current triangular sector in which the tip of the reference vector lies. Information of the reference voltage vector is estimated using the measured current-error space vectors, along the alpha- and beta-axes. Appropriate dimension and orientation of this parabolic boundary ensure a switching frequency spectrum similar to that of a constant-switching-frequency voltage-controlled space vector pulsewidth modulation (PWM) (SVPWM)-based IM drive. Like SVPWM for multilevel inverters, the proposed controller selects inverter switching vectors, forming a triangular sector in which the tip of the reference vector stays, for the hysteresis PWM control. The sector in the n-level inverter space vector diagram, in which the tip of the fundamental stator voltage stays, is precisely detected, using the sampled reference space vector estimated from the instantaneous current-error space vectors. The proposed controller retains all the advantages of a conventional hysteresis controller such as fast current control, with smooth transition to the overmodulation region. The proposed controller is implemented on a five-level VSI-fed 7.5-kW IM drive.