Unique Utilization Research Articles

Safety Control System for Human-Guided Vehicle System.

A simple carriage vehicle carrying a full load is always in danger of colliding with an obstacle due to poor forward visibility. As a solution to this problem, a human-guided vehicle system (HGVS) which enables the vehicle to follow the track of a person proceeding ahead of it, was proposed. We describe the safety control system for such HGVS based on the safety logic to prevent the vehicle from colliding with the guide. This system consists of a means of safety confirmation and a chasing control system. Safety confirmation can stop the tracking operation in the case of failure in confirming the preset adequate distance from the guide. On the other hand, by maintaining the preset adequate distance, the chasing control system can avoid the cessation of operation. This system is realized by the unique utilization of reflecting infrared sensors which are fail-safe in detecting the distance from the guide. The tracking operation of the HGVS installed with this safety control system has experimentally been proven safe.

New fluorescence tools for investigating enzyme activity

Novel fluorescence-based enzyme-substrate probes have been fabricated which incorporate a unique utilization of chemically modified micron-sized particles in conjunction with a single-excitation dual-emission wavelength ratio technique. By chemically modifying micron-sized particles with both an enzyme-specific substrate and a reference fluorophore the effects of source intensity fluctuations, fluorophore diffusion, and variances in substrate loading inherent in in situ biological fluorescence assays can be reduced. Thus these probes have the potential to provide more sensitive and less invasive fluorescence detection of enzyme activity in solution, in microorganisms and in single cells. In addition, proper selection of particle size facilitates selective targeting of microorganisms through natural ingestion processes. Examples of source fluctuation and substrate loading corrections are provided for in in vitro experiments with a common esterase species. The in situ application of these probes in individual microorganisms which are used as biosensors is also discussed.

Order and Disorder in Semiconductors

AbstractThe astounding success of microelectronics rests on a simple materials principle : creating a highly purified and perfected , spatially ordered semiconductor matrix , whose electrical and optical properties may be selectively adjusted by local substitutions of host atoms by dopant atoms. This unique materials utilization differs remarkably from all earlier technologies , because the controlled, almost imperceptibly small disorder by doping (rather than the ordered host ) dominates the relevant properties ! Defect control is thus a major concern for semiconductor technology. Homogeneity is an absolute necessity for this strategy, but only a few of the semiconductors can be made so homogeneous as to suppress the strong deleterious effects of inhomogeneity. Recent advances are summarized : atomic resolution of defect analyses, multiatom reactions and hope for applications,contactless measurements, gettering as well as detailed theory of simulations. The emergence of novel quantum devices, with both reduced dimensions and reduced dimensionalities heralds a paradigm change, since the quantizing small geometries exert stronger influences than defects do; nevertheless, materials perfection and interface control remain prerequisites for these structures.

The Psu protein of bacteriophage P4 is an antitermination factor for rho-dependent transcription termination

A 0.7-kbp DNA fragment from bacteriophage P4 that contained the polarity suppression (psu) gene was cloned in an expression plasmid. Induction of the plasmid-borne psu gene resulted in the overproduction of a protein having the biological properties of the P4-induced polarity suppressor. In vivo, Psu protein acted in trans to suppress rho-dependent polarity in the late genes of an infecting P2 phage, in plasmid operons, and in the host chromosome. Psu action did not require the presence of other P2 or P4 phage genes. Psu caused efficient readthrough (antitermination) by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase at the rho-dependent terminators tR1 and TIS2, individually and in tandem, but did not affect termination at rho-independent sites. Neither the conserved antitermination sequence boxA nor any unique promoter or utilization sequence was required for Psu activity.

Lipid and glucose metabolism in human placental culture

Placental culture models have been used to increase the understanding of endocrinology and pathophysiology in pregnancy. This article describes glucose and lipid metabolism in several of these models. Of special interest is the availability of arachidonic acid for the production of prostanoids. Ten placentas were collected at the time of cesarean section in term pregnancies without labor. Minced villous tissue was incubated for 48 hours in media with a glucose concentration of 100, 200, or 500 mg/dl. Tissue was dispersed in the media or was left as a single clump during the incubation. Glucose levels in the culture media were measured at 8, 20, 32, and 48 hours. Tissue lipid levels were measured before and after incubation in seven placentas. At 8 hours, glucose utilization ranged from 2.38 +/- 0.40 to 9.44 +/- 1.22 mumol/gm tissue/hr (mean +/- SEM). By 48 hours the cumulative glucose utilization ranged from 1.56 +/- 0.09 to 6.87 +/- 0.38 mumol/gm tissue/hr. Tissue lipid analysis showed most of the fatty acids to be in the phospholipids initially (4477 +/- 179 micrograms/gm tissue). Subsequent to incubation for 48 hours, phospholipid levels fell to a range of 2686 +/- 90 to 3466 +/- 157 micrograms/gm tissue in various culture conditions (p less than 0.005 compared with initial values). Whereas phospholipid levels decreased during incubation, levels of triglycerides and nonesterified fatty acids increased significantly in placental tissue. Arachidonic acid, the precursor of prostaglandins, thromboxane, and prostacyclin, makes up about one quarter of the fatty acid in the initial placental phospholipid. Arachidonic acid follows the pattern of total fatty acids during incubation; it is released from phospholipid and is converted to nonesterified fatty acid and triglyceride. We may conclude from this study that each placenta has a unique glucose utilization rate and a unique capacity to produce triglyceride. In tissue culture, arachidonic acid is released to its nonesterified state much more quickly than it can be converted to prostanoids by cyclooxygenase. The choice of initial glucose concentration, tissue preparation (dispersed in media or left as single clump), and time of incubation all may determine the rate of glucose metabolism, the rate of phospholipid breakdown, the rate of triglyceride production, and the quantity of nonesterified arachidonic acid in placental tissue culture.

Comparative processing practices of the world’s major oilseed crops

The major oilseed crops were domesticated primarily as sources of edible oil. However, in all cases, yields of by-products are greater than the oil fraction, and, in reality, all oilseed crops serve dual purposes as sources of oil and of protein for human food, animal feed, and industrial products. Each crop has special requirements for extraction and for processing of oil and meal, and each has limitations as to location and timing of production and as to processibility in oil mills originally designed for other crops. Further, each oilseed has unique cultural, economic and utilization characteristics; for example, rapeseed (Brassica) can be grown in cool climates with short growing seasons. Cottonseed (Gossypium) is a by-product of the more valuable fiber crop, and its availability is dictated by the profitability of growing cotton for the world market. Although peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are used primarily as peanut butter and nuts in the United States, they are almost exclusively pressed for oil in other countries. In this paper, cultural practices and processing requirements of soybean (Glycine max), cottonseed, sunflower (Helianthus annuus), rapeseed, peanut, and sesame (Sesamum indicum) oils and byproducts are compared, as well as compositions of major oilmilling fractions, oils and proteins.

Habitat Patterns in a Small Mammal Community

Microhabitat relationships between four sympatric small mammal species (Peromyscus leucopus, Ochrotomys nuttalli, Blarina brevicauda, and Tamias striatus) were examined to determine if their discriminant analysis of small mammal habitat represented a unique habitat utilization pattern for a specific small mammal community. The authors concluded that habitat is only one of many dimensions to be considered when studying the interactions of sympatric species. Reproductive strategy, activity patterns, and other factors make up the n-dimensional hyperspace of an animal's niche. Thus differences in habitat usage alone cannot be used to determine niche overlap and competition between species. (JMT)

Carbon substrate utilization studies of some cultures of Alcaligenes denitrificans, Alcaligenes faecalis, and Alcaligenes odorans isolated from clinical specimens

One hundred and sixty-two cultures of Alcaligenes species (A. denitrificans, A. faecalis, and A. odorans) of clinical origin were characterized by routine diagnostic and carbon substrate utilization techniques. The microorganisms were tested for their ability to utilize a total of 188 substrates. Substrate utilization was assayed by (i) growth stimulation and (ii) substrate alkalinization. The A. denitrificans and A. odorans cultures had unique substrate utilization profiles for each species. The A. faecalis isolates were redefined by colonial morphology into two biotypes: (i) biotype I, morphologically and biochemically similar to the A. denitrificans cultures and (ii) biotype II, morphologically similar to the A. odorans cultures.

Beam quality of acousto-optic frequency shifters

The beam quality of the diffracted wave from a bulk acousto-optic frequency shifter has been accurately measured. High accuracy in measuring the output-phase profile was achieved by a unique utilization of heterodyne interferometry. Results for glass and PbMoO(4) deflectors show no discernible beam-quality degradation attributible to the acousto-optic interaction to within 0.01 wave rms at 647.1 nm.

Oficina central de Ralston Purina San Luis – (EE. UU.)

The tall building housing these main offices is located on a lot with over 56 hectares; it constitutes the first stage of a complex which will consist of a series of auxiliary buildings for the Company. The building has a total constructed surface of 27,400 m 2 on 15 floors. The top 12 floors are destined for administrative use with work space for about 1,200 employees and the first three floors are reserved for entrance and reception areas, exhibition room, executive offices and indoor garden areas. This unique utilization of the space is clearly evident in the distinct type of planning adopted. A very interesting characteristic of this building, a requisite from the very beginning, is its high degree of organizational flexibility, achieved by using reticular forging of modules of 1.50 x 1.50 m in which the building's different installations are located, which provides service availability anywhere in the building, independent of the organization or departmental divisions adopted.

Multiple Pulse Modulation in Static Inverters Reduces Selected Output Harmonics and Provides Smooth Adjustment of Fundamentals

It is the problem of the inverter designer to design a unit whose cost is low and whose reliability is high, consistent with all other application requirements. This suggests that a minimum of major switching elements be used, that conservatively rated components be employed, and that circuit redundancy be incorporated in the design. Another major problem facing the inverter designer is that of maintaining the output voltage of the inverter within an allowable band of values. This problem arises due to the normal voltage drops within the inverter. It also is aggravated by the voltage drops in the rectifier supplying power to the inverter or by the battery voltage variation. Multiple pulse modulation provides more than one polarity reversal per half-cycle. The amplitude of the input voltage to the inverter is equal to that of the source and is essentially fixed for small intervals of time. The freedom to reverse polarity is the freedom to change the harmonic structure of the output. By selecting the number and location of the reversals in polarity, the fundamental amplitude may be varied while eliminating low-order harmonics. This technique offers a unique utilization of power handling components.

Laboratory Arrangment in a New Perspective

Laboratory experience and the theoretical aspects of physics must merge for a complete and thorough introductory physics program. A new approach to the laboratory experience has been under study and development during the past five years at Orlando Junior College, a private institution with a physics (1966–1967) enrollment of 105 students from a student body of 2361. Obvious trademarks of this laboratory are a diversity of interests, educational excellence, and economy. Thirty permanent experimental stations, seventy other experiments on open shelving, total blackout booths for optics, a single-concept film booth, a director's office in the laboratory, and an adjoining small class or seminar room show the efficiency of this plan. A description of the organization and attractiveness of the laboratory as well as its unique utilization of wall, ceiling, and floor space is given in this paper.

Electric system for the peach bottom atomic power station

Salient features of the electric system for the Peach Bottom nuclear power plant include a variation on the normal unit-transformer scheme, effective application of the principle of duality for enhanced reliability of essential auxiliaries, and a unique utilization of main turbine — generator coastdown power for emergency-shutdown cooling. Peach Bottom is the prototype plant for the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor concept, in which steam conditions of 1,450 psi and 1,000 F are attained

Focal Plane Diffraction Anomalies in Telescopic Systems*

A description is given of an anomaly in the form of the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern which is usually characteristic of a rectangular aperture. The anomaly is created by allowing two plane polarized monochromatic light waves of different amplitudes and phases, with their electric vectors polarized at various azimuth angles with respect to each other, to be incident on the upper and lower halves of the diffracting aperture and then combining these two waves in the usual way with a focusing lens. It was found that the forms and spacings of the diffraction bands parallel to the dividing line of the aperture could be changed quite markedly while those perpendicular to the dividing line were unaffected. The forms of these bands are calculated theoretically, and are also observed experimentally by a unique utilization of the Michelson interferometer. These experiments not only make it possible to change the resolving power of a telescope in directions perpendicular to each other, but also suggest the possibility of measuring linear distances in terms of changes in diffraction patterns instead of the usual shift of interference fringes. The forms of the diffraction bands in unpolarized light were also considered both theoretically and experimentally.