Compact AM Signals for Maximum Clutter Rejection

The transmitted signal is assumed to consist of a close succession of rectangular pulses of equal width. A matched filter scheme is employed and a theory is developed for a computer-aided optimization of the envelope of monotone compact signals for maximum rejection of dense clutter of any given distribution in range. Specific results are presented and indeterminate cases are discussed.

Fusion of Multisensor Data:Review and Comparative Analysis

Image fusion is a formal framework which is expressed as means and tools for the alliance of multisensor, multitemporal, and multiresolution data. Multisource data vary in spectral, spatial and temporal resolutions necessitating advanced analytical or numerical techniques for enhanced interpretation capabilities. This paper reviews seven pixel based image fusion techniques - intensity-hue-saturation, brovey, high pass filter (HPF), high pass modulation (HPM), principal component analysis, fourier transform and correspondence analysis.Validation of these techniques on IKONOS data (Panchromatic band at I m spatial resolution and Multispectral 4 bands at 4 in spatial resolution) reveal that HPF and HPM methods synthesises the images closest to those the corresponding multisensors would observe at the high resolution level.

Sikiöaikana päihteille altistuneiden lasten kasvuympäristö ja kehitys

Life of children exposed to alcohol or drugs in utero This study focused on the growth environment, physical development and socio-emotional development of children, aged 16 and under, who had been exposed to alcohol (n=78) or drugs (n=15) in utero. The aim of the study was to obtain a comprehensive picture of the living conditions of these children and to examine the role of the growth environment in their development. The study was carried out using questionnaires, written life stories and interviews. Attachment theory was used as a background theory in the study. Over half of the children exposed to alcohol were diagnosed with foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), one quarter was diagnosed with foetal alcohol effects (FAE), and one fifth had no diagnosis. Most of the children exposed to drugs had been exposed to either amphetamines or cannabis, and a smaller number to heroin. Some of the children exposed to alcohol were mentally handicapped or intellectually impaired. The children exposed to drugs did not exhibit any serious learning difficulties but a considerable number of them had socio-emotional development problems. Language and speech problems and attention, concentration and social interaction problems were typical among both the children exposed to alcohol and those exposed to drugs. Only one child had been placed into long-term foster care in a family immediately after leaving the maternity hospital. In biological families there had been neglect, violence, mental health problems, crime and unemployment, and many parents were already dead. Two of the children had been sexually abused and four were suspected of having been abused. From the point of view of the children's development, the three most critical issues were 1) the range of illnesses and handicaps that had impaired their functional capacity as a result of their prenatal exposure to alcohol, 2) child's age at the time of placement on a long-term basis, and 3) the number of their traumatic experiences. The relationship with their biological parents after placement also played a role. Children with symptoms were found in all diagnosis categories and types of exposure. Children with the smallest number of symptoms were found among those who had never lived with their biological parents. Almost all children were exhibiting strong symptoms at the time of placement in foster care. In most cases, they were behaving in a disorderly manner towards others, but some children were withdrawn. The most conspicuous feature among those with the most severe symptoms was their disorganized behaviour. Placement in a foster family enhanced the children's development, but did not solve the problems. The foster parents who brought these children up did not receive as much therapy for the children and support for the upbringing as they appear to have needed. In Finland, transfer to long-term custody is based on strict criteria. The rights of children prescribed in the child protection law are not fulfilled in practice. Key words: FASD, FAS, FAE, alcohol exposure, drugs exposure, illegal drugs, early interaction, child development, attachment

Measurement of air leakage in air-handling units and air conditioning ducts

The purpose of this article is to report the experience of design and testing of orifice plate-based flow measuring systems for evaluation of air leakages in components of air conditioning systems. Two of the flow measuring stations were designed with a beta value of 0.405 and 0.418. The third was a dual path unit with orifice plates of beta value 0.613 and 0.525. The flow rates covered with all the four were from 4-94 l/s and the range of Reynolds numbers is from 5600 to 76,000. The coefficients of discharge were evaluated and compared with the Stolz equation. Measured C-d values are generally higher than those obtained from the equation, the deviations being larger in the low Reynolds number region. Further, it is observed that a second-degree polynomial is inadequate to relate the pressure drop and flow rate. The lower Reynolds number limits set by standards appear to be somewhat conservative.

Pajala–Kolarin ja Soklin kaivoshankkeisiin liittyvien rautatie- ja tieinvestointien ja Kemin satamainvestointien aluetaloudelliset vaikutukset

Lappiin suunnitteilla olevat Pajala–Kolarin rauta- ja Soklin fosforikaivos ovat megaluokan hankkeita. Kaivosten rakentaminen ei voi kuitenkaan toteutua jos niiden tarvitsemia rautatie-, satama- ja tieinvestointeja ei voida toteuttaa. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli arvioida näiden väyläinvestointien aluetaloudellisia vaikutuksia. Tutkimus on jatkoa Ruraliassa juuri valmistuneelle yhdeksää Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomen kaivoshanketta koskevalle tutkimukselle, jossa keskitytään itse kaivosinvestointien vaikutuksiin. Tutkimuksen on rahoittanut Liikenne- ja viestintäministeriö yhdessä Työ- ja elinkeinoministeriön kanssa. Työvälineenä oli Ruraliassa kehitetty RegFinDyn-aluemalli. Simuloinnit suoritettiin vuosille 2008–2030 ja raportoitiin Lapin seutukuntien tasolla. Tulosten mukaan kaikki, mutta erityisesti mittavat rautatieinvestoinnit olisivat merkittäviä seutukuntien taloudelliselle kasvulle. Äkäsjoki–Ajos radan rakentaminen auttaisi Tunturi-Lapin, Torniolaakson ja Kemi–Tornion seutukuntia taantuman yli. Taloudellinen kasvu voisi lisääntyä läntisen Lapin seutukunnissa yhteensä 0,6–2,2% vuoteen 2011 ja yhteensä 1,3–4,3% vuoteen 2016 mennessä. Tämä olisi keskimäärin 0,1–0,5% vuodessa. Soklin kaivoksen tapauksessa Kemijärvi–Kelloselkä–Sokli rautatien vaikutukset Itä- ja Pohjois-Lapin seutukuntiin olisivat merkittäviä. Investointien edetessä Itä-Lapin seutukunnan taloudellinen kasvu voisi vahvistua kumulatiivisesti tarkasteltuna 8,3% vuoteen 2013 mennessä. Vuosikeskiarvona tämä olisi 2,8%. Radan vaikutus Pohjois-Lapin taloudelliseen kasvuun olisi pienempi, vuoteen 2014 mennessä yhteensä 3% eli keskimäärin 0,8% vuodessa. Väyläinvestointien työllisyysvaikutukset olisivat myönteisiä. Pajala–Kolarin kaivoksen rautatieinvestoinnit toisivat läntiseen Lappiin uusia työpaikkoja vuoteen 2015 mennessä yhteensä 418. Tästä Tunturi-Lapin osuus olisi 147, Torniolaakson 114 ja Kemi–Tornion seutukunnan 157. Vastaavat vuosikeskiarvot olisivat 52, 18, 14 ja 20. Soklin kaivoksen rautatieinvestoinnit toisivat jonkun verran enemmän uusia työpaikkoja Pajala–Kolariin verrattuna koska investoinnit olisivat suuremmat. Radan rakentaminen voisi tuoda Itä-Lappiin yhteensä 506 uutta työpaikkaa vuoden 2013 loppuun mennessä. Pohjois-Lapin työllisyys voisi lisääntyä 153 uudella työpaikalla. Yhteensä voisi siten syntyä 660 uutta työpaikkaa. Vastaavat vuosikeskiarvot olisivat 169, 51, 220 uutta työpaikkaa. Kun kaivoksia tarkastellaan yhdessä, työllisyysvaikutukset olisivat suurimmat vuonna 2015, jonka loppuun mennessä väyläinvestoinnit voisivat luoda yhteensä 1288 uutta työpaikkaa. Vastaava vuosikeskiarvo olisi 161. Taloudellisen kasvun ohella työllisyystulokset korostavat analysoitujen väyläinvestointien myönteistä aluetaloudellista merkitystä. Ruralia-instituutin arvioinnin perusteella molempien kaivosten rautatie-, satama- ja tieinvestoinnit olisivat toteuttamiskelpoisia aluetaloudellisin perustein. Ne lisäisivät tuotantoa, työllisyyttä, tuloja, kulutusta ja verotuloja useissa Lapin seutukunnissa.

Technology-related peso problems in stock returns

Although empirical evidence suggests the contrary, many asset pricing models assume stock returns to be symmetrically distributed. In this paper it is argued that the occurrence of negative jumps in a firm's future earnings and, consequently, in its stock price, is positively related to the level of network externalities in the firm's product market. If the ex post frequency of these negative jumps in a sample does not equal the ex ante assessed probability of occurrence, the sample is subject to a peso problem. The hypothesis is tested for by regressing the skewness coefficient of a firm’s realised stock return distribution on the firm’s R&D intensity, i.e. the ratio of the firm’s research and development expenditure to its net sales. The empirical results support the technology-related peso problem hypothesis. In samples subject to such a peso problem, the returns are biased up and the variance is biased down.

An efficient reduction algorithm for computation of interconnect delay variability for statistical timing analysis in clock tree planning

In this paper, we propose a novel and efficient algorithm for modelling sub-65 nm clock interconnect-networks in the presence of process variation. We develop a method for delay analysis of interconnects considering the impact of Gaussian metal process variations. The resistance and capacitance of a distributed RC line are expressed as correlated Gaussian random variables which are then used to compute the standard deviation of delay Probability Distribution Function (PDF) at all nodes in the interconnect network. Main objective is to find delay PDF at a cheaper cost. Convergence of this approach is in probability distribution but not in mean of delay. We validate our approach against SPICE based Monte Carlo simulations while the current method entails significantly lower computational cost.

Thermodynamic properties of RhO2

A solid-state electrochemical cell, with yttria-stabilized zirconia as the electrolyte and pure O-2 gas at 0.1 MPa as the reference electrode, has been used to measure the oxygen chemical potential corresponding to the equilibrium between beta-Rh2O3 and RhO2 in the temperature range from 850 to 1050K. Using standard Gibbs energy of formation of beta-Rh2O3 available in the literature and the measured oxygen potential, the standard Gibbs free energy of formation of RhO2 is derived as a function of temperature: Delta G(f)degrees(RhO2)(+/- 71)/J mol(-1) = 238,418 + 179.89T Using an estimated value of Delta C-p degrees; for the formation reaction of RhO2 from its elements, the standard enthalpy of formation, standard entropy and isobaric heat capacity of RhO2 at 298.15 K are evaluated: Delta H-f degrees (298.15 K)(+/- 164)/kJ mol(-1) = -244.94, S degrees (298.15 K)(+/- 3.00)/J mol(-1) K-1 = 45.11 and C-p degrees(298.15 K)(+/- 2.6)1mol(-1) K-1 =64.28. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and functional studies of Bacillus stearothermophilus serine hydroxymethyl transferase: the role of N341, Y60 and F351 in tetrahydrofolate binding.

SHMT (serine hydoxymethyltransferase), a type I pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme, catalyses the conversion of L-serine and THF (tetrahydrofolate) into glycine and 5,10 -methylene THE SHMT also catalyses several THF-independent side reactions such as cleavage of P-hydroxy amino acids, trans-amination, racemization and decarboxylation. In the present study, the residues Asn(341), Tyr(60) and Phe(351), which are likely to influence THF binding, were mutated to alanine, alanine and glycine respectively, to elucidate the role of these residues in THF-dependent and -independent reactions catalysed by SHMT. The N341A and Y60A bsSHMT (Bacillus stearothermophilus SHMT) mutants were inactive for the THF-dependent activity, while the mutations had no effect on THF-independent activity. However, mutation of Phe(351) to glycine did not have any effect oil either of the activities. The crystal structures of the glycine binary complexes of the mutants showed that N341A bsSHMT forms an external aldimine as in bsSHMT, whereas Y60A and F351G bsSHMTs exist as a Mixture of internal/external aldimine and gem-diamine forms. Crystal structures of all of the three Mutants obtained in the presence of L-allo-threonine were similar to the respective glycine binary complexes. The structure of the ternary complex of F351G bsSHMT with glycine and FTHF (5-formyl THF) showed that the monoglutamate side chain of FTHF is ordered in both the subunits of the asymmetric unit, unlike in the wild-type bsSHMT. The present studies demonstrate that the residues Asn(341) and Tyr(60) are pivotal for the binding of THF/FTHF, whereas Phe(351) is responsible for the asymmetric binding of FTHF in the two subunits of the dimer.

Optimizing simulation model on forest policy.

XVIII IUFRO World Congress, Ljubljana 1986.

Genetic transformation of Brassica nigra by agrobacterium based vector and direct plasmid uptake

Genetic transformation systems have been established for Brassica nigra (cv. IC 257) by using an Agrobacterium binary vector as well as by direct DNA uptake of a plasmid vector. Both the type of vectors carried nptII gene and gus gene. For Agrobacterium mediated transformation, hypocotyl tissue explants were used, and up to 33% of the explants produced calli on selection medium. All of these expressed B-glucuronidase gene on histochemical staining. Protoplasts isolated from hypocotyl tissues of seedlings could be transformed with a plasmid vector by FEG mediated uptake of vector DNA. A number of fertile kanamycin resistant plants were obtained using both the methods, and their transformed nature was confirmed by Southern blot analysis and histochemical staining for GUS. Backcrossed and selfed progenies of these transformed plants showed the presence of npt and gus genes.

Competing peroxidase and oxidase reactions in scopoletin-dependent H2O2-initiated oxidation of NADH by horseradish peroxidase

Addition of NADH inhibited the peroxidative loss of scopoletin in presence of horseradish peroxidase and H2O2 and decreased the ratio of scopoletin (consumed):H2O2 (added). Concomitantly NADH was oxidized and oxygen was consumed with a stoichiometry of NADH: O-2 of 2:1. On step-wise addition of a small concentration of H2O2 a high rate of NADH oxidation was obtained for a progressively decreasing time period followed by termination of the reaction with NADH:H2O2 ratio decreasing from about 40 to 10. The rate of NADH oxidation increased linearly with increase in scopoletin concentration. Other phenolic compounds including p-coumarate also supported this reaction to a variable degree. A 418-nm absorbing compound;d accumulated during oxidation of NADH. The effectiveness of a small concentration of H2O2 in supporting NADH oxidation increased in presence of SOD and decreased in presence of cytochrome c, but the reaction terminated even in their presence. The results indicate that the peroxidase is not continuously generating H2O2 during scopolerin-mediated NADH oxidation and that both peroxidase and oxidase reactions occur simultaneously competing for an active form of the enzyme.

Long-term Accelerated Weathering of Outdoor Silicone Rubber Insulators

Multistress aging/weathering of outdoor composite polymeric insulators has been a topic of interest for power transmission research community in the last few decades. This paper deals with the long-term accelerated weathering of full-scale distribution class silicone rubber composite insulators. To evaluate the long-term synergistic effect of electric stress, temperature and UV radiation on insulators, they were subjected to accelerated weathering in a specially designed multistress-aging chamber for 30,000 h. All the insulators were subjected to the same level of electrical and thermal stresses but different UV radiation levels. Chemical, physical and electrical changes due to degradation have been assessed using various techniques. It was found that there was a monotonous reduction of the content of low molecular weight (LMW) molecules with the duration of the weathering. Further, due to oxidation and weathering there is an appreciable increase in surface roughness and atomic percentage of oxygen. There is no change in the leakage current of new and aged insulators under both wet and dry conditions at the end of the aging. The results also indicate that there is no influence of UV radiation on the silicone rubber for the durations and conditions under which the studies were made.