Using the Hadamard and related transforms for simplifying the spectrum of the quantum baker's map

We rationalize the somewhat surprising efficacy of the Hadamard transform in simplifying the eigenstates of the quantum baker's map, a paradigmatic model of quantum chaos. This allows us to construct closely related, but new, transforms that do significantly better, thus nearly solving for many states of the quantum baker's map. These new transforms, which combine the standard Fourier and Hadamard transforms in an interesting manner, are constructed from eigenvectors of the shift permutation operator that are also simultaneous eigenvectors of bit-flip (parity) and possess bit-reversal (time-reversal) symmetry.Comment: Version to appear in J. Phys. A. Added discussions; modified title; corrected minor error

Factors Influencing Vocal Pitch in Articulatory Speech Synthesis: A Study Using PRAAT

(Abstract to follow

In vivo kinetics of transcription initiation of the lar promoter in Escherichia coli. Evidence for a sequential mechanism with two rate-limiting steps

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In <it>Escherichia coli </it>the mean and cell-to-cell diversity in RNA numbers of different genes vary widely. This is likely due to different kinetics of transcription initiation, a complex process with multiple rate-limiting steps that affect RNA production.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We measured the <it>in vivo </it>kinetics of production of individual RNA molecules under the control of the lar promoter in <it>E. coli</it>. From the analysis of the distributions of intervals between transcription events in the regimes of weak and medium induction, we find that the process of transcription initiation of this promoter involves a sequential mechanism with two main rate-limiting steps, each lasting hundreds of seconds. Both steps become faster with increasing induction by IPTG and Arabinose.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The two rate-limiting steps in initiation are found to be important regulators of the dynamics of RNA production under the control of the lar promoter in the regimes of weak and medium induction. Variability in the intervals between consecutive RNA productions is much lower than if there was only one rate-limiting step with a duration following an exponential distribution. The methodology proposed here to analyze the <it>in vivo </it>dynamics of transcription may be applicable at a genome-wide scale and provide valuable insight into the dynamics of prokaryotic genetic networks.</p

Coastal Aquaculture - Mussel farming; Progress and prospects

During the seventies, the Central Marine Fisheri^ lleseardi Institute gave a lead in researches on mariculture and has carved for itself a pioneering role in the R& D programmes of mariculture in the countiy which has been well recognised. Impressed by the outstanding contributions made during the decade, the infrastructure facilities built up and, above all, the scientific and techni<ial competence it has acquittdi jm UNDP/ICAR Centre of Advanced Studies in Mariculture has been instituted at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute since June 1979. The Centre aims at providing postgraduate education in the new discipline of Mariculture and improvmg the quality of research through doct(»ral and post-doctoral research programmes in identified areas. One of the priority areas of mariculture in India is mussel culture. Although considered a poor relation of the oyster in Europe, mussel has one of the highest potentials in India for increaang production of protein- rich sea food. Mussel gives the highest conversion of primary producera ^hytojrfankton) to human food and culture production in column waters enhances the yield several fold. India has a traditional sustenance fishery for the mmsels at a few centres but the scope for increasing natural production from the existing beds is rather limited

Spawning periodicity of the ribbon fish, Trichiurus lepturus (F.), with a note on its rate of growth

The spawning periodicity of Trichiurus lepturus is briefly re-examined here in tlie light of certain recent observations. It is seen that this species spawns more than once in a year along the Madras coast and the two seasons are roughly around May-June and later in November-December. This fact also leads to a revision in the interpretation of the rate of growth of the fish. It is now estimated that the fish at the end of one year attains an average of 300 mm in length and that those above about 900 mm are just over four years

Cell-to-cell diversity in protein levels of a gene driven by a tetracycline inducible promoter

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene expression in <it>Escherichia coli </it>is regulated by several mechanisms. We measured in single cells the expression level of a single copy gene coding for green fluorescent protein (GFP), integrated into the genome and driven by a tetracycline inducible promoter, for varying induction strengths. Also, we measured the transcriptional activity of a tetracycline inducible promoter controlling the transcription of a RNA with 96 binding sites for MS2-GFP.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The distribution of GFP levels in single cells is found to change significantly as induction reaches high levels, causing the Fano factor of the cells' protein levels to increase with mean level, beyond what would be expected from a Poisson-like process of RNA transcription. In agreement, the Fano factor of the cells' number of RNA molecules target for MS2-GFP follows a similar trend. The results provide evidence that the dynamics of the promoter complex formation, namely, the variability in its duration from one transcription event to the next, explains the change in the distribution of expression levels in the cell population with induction strength.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results suggest that the open complex formation of the tetracycline inducible promoter, in the regime of strong induction, affects significantly the dynamics of RNA production due to the variability of its duration from one event to the next.</p

The present status of ribbonfish fishery in India

The ribbonfishes, of the family TrichiurkJae, an Important group of food fishes in India, registered an average annual catch of 53.475 tonnes during 1970-81. In this period, forming 4.25% of the total marine fish catch, thsy formed the 7th exploited fish group in the order of predominance. There are 8 known ribbonfish species in India (an identification key to the species is given in the beginning of thearticle) The information available on the various aspects of biology of each of these species is summarised, which clearly indicates that while our knowledge on the biology of Trichiurus lepturua, Lepturecanthus savale, Eupleurogrammus nwticus and Eupleurogrammus glossodon is considereble, we know little about the other species. Traditionally, the ribbonfishes are caught by boatseines, shoreseines, bag nets and gill nets, operating from nonpowered country crafts. But, during the last two decades, the small mechanized vessels (10-15 m long, with 15-100 hp engines) that are operating otter trawls, too, are increasingly landing ribbonfish. The fishery is confined to the depth-zone usually shallower than 50 m. T. lepturus, the most widely distributed, forms the mainstay of the ribbonfish fishery, contributing to the bulk of the landings along almost all our coastline. Data on spatial and seasonal variations in abundance, size and age composition in the commercial catches and diurnal movements and depthwise distributions of shoals of this species are therefore reviewed. Stock assessment studies show that, in the shelf region from Ratnagiri on the west coast round to Gulf of Mannar on the east, there had been an average standing stock of 67,200 tonnes of ribbonfish (mostly L Lepturus) in 1972-75, which is about 4 times what was actually landed from the region during the period. It therefore follows that a doubling of the catch will not adversely affect the stock in the region. Studies on the population dynamics of T. lepturus from the Kakinada area during 1967-71 has shown that the fishing mortality and the exploitation rates are low, at 0.3 and 0.17 respectively. The average annual stock and average standing stock along the Andhra and Tamil Nadu coasts are estimated at 85,000 and 48,000 tonnes, respectively, for T. lepturus, against an estimated annual average catch of 14,400 tonnes during 1967-71. It thus appears that the stock of T. lepturus along the east coast also is likewise underfishad, The need for extension of fishing operations into the Exclusive Economic Zone with larger vessels, equipped with suitable gears like bottom and pelagic trawls, is emphasized- Suggestions on future lines of research are given

Modeling Basal Ganglia for understanding Parkinsonian Reaching Movements

We present a computational model that highlights the role of basal ganglia (BG) in generating simple reaching movements. The model is cast within the reinforcement learning (RL) framework with the correspondence between RL components and neuroanatomy as follows: dopamine signal of substantia nigra pars compacta as the Temporal Difference error, striatum as the substrate for the Critic, and the motor cortex as the Actor. A key feature of this neurobiological interpretation is our hypothesis that the indirect pathway is the Explorer. Chaotic activity, originating from the indirect pathway part of the model, drives the wandering, exploratory movements of the arm. Thus the direct pathway subserves exploitation while the indirect pathway subserves exploration. The motor cortex becomes more and more independent of the corrective influence of BG, as training progresses. Reaching trajectories show diminishing variability with training. Reaching movements associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) are simulated by (a) reducing dopamine and (b) degrading the complexity of indirect pathway dynamics by switching it from chaotic to periodic behavior. Under the simulated PD conditions, the arm exhibits PD motor symptoms like tremor, bradykinesia and undershoot. The model echoes the notion that PD is a dynamical disease.Comment: Neural Computation, In Pres

Industrial fisheries off Madras coast based on exploratory surveys during 1973-1980

At the Madras Research Centre of CMFRI, there existed data for areas (Fig. 1) south of 15°40'N Upto the latitude zone of I0°40'N off Velanganni in depths ranging from 10 to 130 m for a eight year period From 1973 to 1980. The results of analysis of these data are presented here with a view to providing information on and extending our knowledge about the spatial and seasonal distribution of various indusirially important fisheries as also their resource potential along the north Tamil Nadu-South Andhra Coast

Nanostructured AgBr loaded TiO2: An efficient sunlight active photocatalyst for degradation of Reactive Red 120

The AgBr loaded TiO2 catalyst was prepared by a feasible approach with AgBr and tetraisopropyl orthotitanate and characterized by BET surface area measurement, diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectra (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis. The results of characterization reveal that AgBr loaded TiO2 has a nanostructure. Formation of the nanostructure in AgBr loaded TiO2 results in substantial shifting of the absorption edge of TiO2 to red and enhancement of visible light absorption. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements reveal that AgBr loaded TiO2 has a higher photoconductivity than prepared TiO2 due to higher separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs. Cyclic voltammetric studies reveal enhanced conductivity in AgBr loaded TiO2, which causes an increase in its photocatalytic activity. AgBr loaded TiO2 exhibited a higher photocatalytic activity than TiO2-P25 and prepared TiO2 in the photodegradation of Reactive Red 120 (RR 120)