Model checker aided design of a controller for a wafer scanner

For a case-study of a wafer scanner from the semiconductor industry it is shown how model checking techniques can be used to compute (1) a simple yet optimal deadlock avoidance policy, and (2) an infinite schedule that optimizes throughput. in the absence of errors. Deadlock avoidance is studied based on a simple finite state model using Smv, and for throughput analysis a more detailed timed automaton model has been constructed and analyzed using the Uppaal tool. The Smv and Uppaal models are formally related through the notion of a stuttering bisimulation. The results were obtained within 2 weeks, which confirms once more that model checking techniques may help to improve the design process of realistic, industrial systems. Methodologically, the case study is interesting since two models were used to obtain results that could not have been obtained using only a single model. Supported by the European Community Project IST-2001-35304 (Ametist), http://ametist.cs.utwente.nl/.     

Piroxicam benzoate--synthesis,HPLC determination,and hydrolysis

An improved method of piroxicam benzoate synthesis was described, and an isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for its determination was developed and fully validated. The method was found to be specific, precise (relative standard deviation 0.3%), accurate (mean recovery 99.9%), and robust. Limit of detection was estimated at 0.055 µg mL^-1 and limit of quantification at 0.185 µg mL^-1. The kinetics of piroxicam benzoate hydrolysis in aqueous buffer solutions (pH 1.1 and 10), simulated gastric and intestinal fluids was studied. The hydrolysis followed first-order kinetics. The following rate constants were obtained at pH 10: k = 1.8 × 10^-3 hr^-1 at 37°C and k = 3.4 × 10^-2 hr^-1 at 60°C. In acidic media, no significant hydrolysis was observed after 24 hr. During the 24-hr period in simulated intestinal fluid, only 10.9% of the starting ester was hydrolyzed.     

User requirements for geo-collaborative work with spatio-temporal data in a web-based virtual globe environment

Web-based tools developed in the last couple of years offer unique opportunities to effectively support scientists in their effort to collaborate. Communication among environmental researchers often involves not only work with geographical (spatial), but also with temporal data and information. Literature still provides limited documentation when it comes to user requirements for effective geo-collaborative work with spatio-temporal data. To start filling this gap, our study adopted a User-Centered Design approach and first explored the user requirements of environmental researchers working on distributed research projects for collaborative dissemination, exchange and work with spatio-temporal data. Our results show that system design will be mainly influenced by the nature and type of data users work with. From the end-users' perspective, optimal conversion of huge files of spatio-temporal data for further dissemination, accuracy of conversion, organization of content and security have a key role for effective geo-collaboration.     

西九文化区

正OMA发展西九文化区,必须面对一项挑战:将一个盛载政府极大抱负,以及持分者多元利益的超大型多用途项目,转化成一个既有趣又严肃、既有规划又允许即兴、既中国化又国际化的文化区。这个文化区规模庞大,但不失亲密融洽的感觉;富地标性,但十分谦和;容易理解,却能带来惊喜。为避免造成过分冲击,OMA采纳了一种每个香港市民都熟悉的建筑类型作为方案的发展     

Spectroscopy and structure of bacteriochlorophyll dimers. I. Structural consequences of nonconservative circular dichroism spectra

The origin of the nonconservative nature of the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of bacteriochlorophyll dimers is investigated. It is shown that coupling between the Qy and Qx transitions can, under rather restricting circumstances, lead to an asymmetrical CD spectrum: only for a limited set of relative orientations of the monomers within the dimer is the spectrum found to be asymmetrical. The relation between intensity and asymmetry of the CD spectrum is elucidated. The results are applied to the B820 subunit of the LH1 antenna system and subsequently to the antenna system LH1 itself. Differences in the geometry of the BChls in LH1 versus the LH2 structure are discussed.     

Print Media Coverage of New Religious Movements: A Longitudinal Study

Naws about "cults" in the United States is clearly information by outsiders for outsiders and, although not uniformly negative, can best be described as "a stream of controversies" with little attention to the history or human side of the new, religions.     

设计理念

简介Introduction本项目的主要目标是通过精确、高效、经济的方式设计出三个独立的剧场,既带来城市集约化,又为剧场带来预料之外的可能性与额外裨益。我们把本项目解释为城市现有能量的一种凝聚,车站和夜市的拥挤人流纷纷被引向项目基地。艺术中心的中央方形量体矗立在一连串大排档和夜市生活之中,尽量保持目前热闹的场景。夜市、车站和中央方形量体形成一个由三组城市     

Atmospheric semivolatile organochlorine compounds in European high-mountain areas (central Pyrenees and high Tatras)

Atmospheric samples from two European high-mountain areas showed similar composition of semivolatile organochlorine compounds (SOC), such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), DDTs, endosulfans, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs). Nearly all compounds were predominantly found in the gas phase and only the less volatile such as some PCBs (e.g., 149, 118, 153, 138, and 180) were found in higher abundance in the particulate phase. HCB, 49-85 pg m(-3), is the dominant SOC. This compound is only found in the gas phase exhibiting uniform concentrations irrespective of season and air mass origin. SOC of present use, like HCHs and endosulfans, were found in higher concentrations in the warm periods, 32-46 and 4-10 pg m(-3) in the gas + particulate phases, respectively, reflecting their seasonal pattern of use in many European countries. PCB and 4,4'-DDE, 39-42 and 4-6 pg m(-3) in the gas + particulate phases, respectively, also showed a seasonal trend despite neither the former nor the precursor of the latter (4,4'-DDT) being manufactured with their use drastically restricted since the 1980s. The seasonal differences are mainly due to a higher occurrence of air masses with strong continental inputs in the warm than in the cold periods. In this respect, samples whose air masses traveled at the high troposphere (backward air mass trajectories >6000 m) have been observed to carry considerably smaller PCB and 4,4'-DDE loads (9.3 +/- 2.8 and 0.4 +/- 0.05 pg m(-3), respectively) than overall average.     

Identification,Synthesis, and Field Tests of the Sex Pheromone of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Margarodes prieskaensis</Emphasis> (Jakubski)

Here, we report the identification and synthesis of the sex pheromone of female Margarodes prieskaensis (Jakubski), and the attractiveness of the synthetic pheromone to males in field trapping tests. Volatile organic compounds were collected from virgin females using a sample enrichment probe (SEP). Analyses by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry revealed the presence of only two constituents. By scaling up the SEP, sufficient of the major constituent was collected for ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses and ancillary NMR techniques. The sex attractant was identified as (2R,4R,6R,8R)-2,4,6,8-tetramethylundecan-1-ol. The enantiomerically pure compound was synthesized from octadecyl (2R,4R,6R,8R)-2,4,6,8-tetramethylundecanoate, a minor component of the uropygial (preen) gland secretion of the domestic goose, Anser domesticus. Field trapping experiments, carried out in vineyards in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, showed that the synthetic compound was as attractive to winged males of M. prieskaensis as virgin females. The second compound detected was identified as the corresponding acetate, but addition of this did not affect the attractiveness of the major component. We believe this to be the first identification of a sex attractant of the Margarodidae.     

Leveraging Graph Cut’s Energy Function for Context Aware Facial Recognition in Indoor Environments

Context-aware facial recognition regards the recognition of faces in association with their respective environments. This concept is useful for the domestic robot which interacts with humans when performing specific functions in indoor environments. Deep learning models have been relevant in solving facial and place recognition challenges; however, they require the procurement of training images for optimal performance. Pre-trained models have also been offered to reduce training time significantly. Regardless, for classification tasks, custom data must be acquired to ensure that learning models are developed from other pre-trained models. This paper proposes a place recognition model that is inspired by the graph cut energy function, which is specifically designed for image segmentation. Common objects in the considered environment are identified and thereafter they are passed over to a graph cut inspired model for indoor environment classification. Additionally, faces in the considered environment are extracted and recognised. Finally, the developed model can recognise a face together with its environment. The strength of the proposed model lies in its ability to classify indoor environments without the usual training process(es). This approach differs from what is obtained in traditional deep learning models. The classification capability of the developed model was compared to state-of-the-art models and exhibited promising outcomes.