Analysis of Limit Cycles in a Two-Transistor Saturable-Core Parallel Inverter

A familiar two-transistor saturable-core parallel inverter is modeled as a nonlinear negative resistance in parallel with energy-storage elements. The techniques of singular-point analysis are combined with piecewise linear techniques to permit determination of solution trajectories on the phase plane. Clear insight is provided, not only into steady-state oscillation, but also into transient behavior of the circuit. Experimental results confirming the analytical model are included.     

A Minimax Filter for Systems with Large Plant Uncertainties Using Measurements Corrupted by Colored Noise

A minimax filter is derived to estimate the state of a system, using observations corrupted by colored noise, when large uncertainties in the plant dynamics and process noise are present.     

Multiple Target Effects on Monopulse Signal Processing

Analysis of a typical amplitude-comparison monopulse angle-tracking radar shows that gain variation and bias in the radar error signal can occur under certain conditions involving multiple targets. The general behavior depends on the Doppler separation of the targets relative to system bandwidths; for a specific situation, the gain variation and bias are functions of the relative strengths of the targs. The analysis is shown to be consistent with experimental observations.     

Population dynamics of an algal-bacterial cenosis in closed ecological system.

The paper deals with microalgae-bacteria interrelationships in the "autotroph-heterotroph" aquatic biotic cycle. Explanations of why and how algal-bacterial ecosystems are formed still remain controversial. The paper presents results of experimental and theoretical investigations of the functioning of the algal-bacterial cenosis (the microalga Chlorella vulgaris and concomitant microflora). The Chlorella microbial community is dominated by representatives of the genus Pseudomonas. Experiments with non-sterile batch cultures of Chlorella on Tamiya medium showed that the biomass of microorganisms increases simultaneously with the increase in microalgal biomass. The microflora of Chlorella can grow on organic substances released by photosynthesizing Chlorella. Microorganisms can also use dying Chlorella cells, i.e. form a "producer-reducer" biocycle. To get a better insight into the cenosis-forming role of microalgae, a mathematical model of the "autotroph-heterotroph" aquatic biotic cycle has been constructed, taking into account the utilization of Chlorella photosynthates and dead cells by microorganisms and the contribution of the components to the nitrogen cycle. A theoretical study showed that the biomass of concomitant bacteria grown on glucose and detritus is larger than the biomass of bacteria utilizing only microalgal photosynthates, which agrees well with the experimental data.     

Wide-angle polarimetry of the night sky: Measurements of atmospheric glow and zodiacal light

This paper is devoted to the analysis of the results of wide-angle polarimetric observations of the night sky, which has been carried out in December 2002 in the Southern Laboratory of Shternberg State Astronomical Institute (Crimea, Ukraine) in a color band close to the V band (the effective wavelength is 5250 ). We propose a method with the help of which the sky light was separated into basic components: the atmospheric glow, emission of weak stars, and the zodiacal light. The polarization map of extra-atmospheric emission of five sky zones close to the ecliptic is constructed, and it is shown that polarization of the sky background far from the antisolar point is determined, in the main, by the zodiacal light. For each observational period, the time dependence of the atmospheric luminosity and absorption is obtained.Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2005, pp. 19–26.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Ougolnikov, Maslov.     

Communicating bioastronautics research to students, families and the nation

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) is supporting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) education mission through a comprehensive Education and Public Outreach Program (EPOP) that communicates the excitement and significance of space biology to schools, families, and lay audiences. The EPOP is comprised of eight academic institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Rice University, and the University of Washington. This paper describes the programs and products created by the EPOP to promote space life science education in schools and among the general public. To date, these activities have reached thousands of teachers and students around the US and have been rated very highly.     

Application of GFP technique for cytoskeleton visualization onboard the International Space Station

Cytoskeleton recently attracted wide attention of cell and molecular biologists due to its crucial role in gravity sensing and trunsduction. Most of cytoskeletal research is conducted by the means of immunohistochemical reactions, different modifications of which are beneficial for the ground-based experiments. But for the performance onboard the space vehicles, they represent quite complicated technique which requires time and special skills for astronauts. In addition, immunocytochemistry provides only static images of the cytoskeleton arrangement in fixed cells while its localization in living cells is needed for the better understanding of cytoskeletal function. In this connection, we propose a new approach for cytoskeletal visualization onboard the ISS, namely, application of green fluorescent protein (GFP) from Aequorea victoria, which has the unique properties as a marker for protein localization in vivo. The creation of chimerical protein-GFP gene constructs, obtaining the transformed plant cells possessed protein-GFP in their cytoskeletal composition will allow receiving a simple and efficient model for screening of the cytoskeleton functional status in microgravity.