Programmable logic construction kits for hyper-real-time neuronal modeling

Programmable logic designs are presented that achieve exact integration of leaky integrate-and-fire soma and dynamical synapse neuronal models and incorporate spike-time dependent plasticity and axonal delays. Highly accurate numerical performance has been achieved by modifying simpler forward-Euler-based circuitry requiring minimal circuit allocation, which, as we show, behaves equivalently to exact integration. These designs have been implemented and simulated at the behavioral and physical device levels, demonstrating close agreement with both numerical and analytical results. By exploiting finely grained parallelism and single clock cycle numerical iteration, these designs achieve simulation speeds at least five orders of magnitude faster than the nervous system, termed here hyper-real-time operation, when deployed on commercially available field-programmable gate array (FPGA) devices. Taken together, our designs form a programmable logic construction kit of commonly used neuronal model elements that supports the building of large and complex architectures of spiking neuron networks for real-time neuromorphic implementation, neurophysiological interfacing, or efficient parameter space investigations.     

Epoxidation of soybean oil by the methyltrioxorhenium-CH2Cl2/H2O2 catalytic biphasic system

We studied the methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)-CH₂Cl₂/H₂O₂ biphasic system for epoxidizing soybean oil. The reactions were optimized (reactant ratio, time, and temperature), which resulted in a better performance (higher conversion and selectivity) than those described in the literature. Total doublebond conversion and 95% selectivity were obtained in 2 h at room temperature. Furthermore, it was possible to reach desired epoxidation degrees by changing the oxidant and MTO amounts. The rhenium-epoxidized soybean oil remained stable in the absence of stabilizers for up to 30 d when stored at mild conditions.     

选择合适的ASP--从ASP托管中全面获取利润

当前采用软件服务供应商（ASP）之风再度复苏显然是事出有因：软件获取成本降低——通过取消购买和管理服务器硬件、操作系统、存储设备和其他一些支持设施，ASP托管能够减少50％，甚至更多的软件生命周期所有权成本。     

以公共结构及语言进行应用系统一体化

介绍了美国佛罗里达电力照明公司对主要业务系统基于公共结构及语言,进行信息集成的工作过程和经验,对企业信息一体化的技术内容和框架结构做了总体介绍,并根据应用实际阐述了公共信息模型的扩展,对其他企业开展信息系统一体化工作具有一定的借鉴作用.     

Design and testing of the Minotaur advanced grid-stiffened fairing

A composite grid-stiffened structure concept was selected for the payload fairing of the Minotaur launch vehicle. Compared to sandwich structures, this concept has an advantage of smaller manufacturing costs and lighter weight. To reduce weight the skin pockets are allowed to buckle visibly up to about 0.5 cm peak displacement.

Various failure modes were examined for the composite grid-stiffened structure. The controlling criterion for this design was a joint failure in tension between the ribs and skin of the structure. The identification of this failure mechanism and the assessment of bounding strains required to control it required extensive test and analysis effort. Increasing skin thickness to control skin buckling resulted in reduced strains between the skin and ribs.

Following the identification of the relevant failure criteria, a final design for the fairing was generated. The resulting 6 m tall fairing was constructed of a tow-placed carbon fiber composite grid structure that was over-wrapped to create a laminated skin. Upon completion of curing and machining, the fairing was cut in half to create the classic “clam-shell” fairing. Static qualification testing demonstrated the structural integrity of the fairing, thereby proving the design and manufacturing process. Loads were applied incrementally in a static loading scenario. The applied load envelope exceeded worst-case dynamic flight conditions with an added safety factor of 25%. At peak load the fairing maintained structural integrity while remaining within the required displacement envelope for payload safety.

Data were collected during the test from a variety of sensors including traditional displacement transducers and strain gages. In addition, full field displacement was monitored at critically loaded fairing sections by means of digital photogrammetry. This paper summarizes the test results, presents the overall performance of the fairing under the test loads, correlates test response and analysis, and identifies lessons learned.

Work continues at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Boeing to identify means of further controlling tensile failure of the un-reinforced polymer bonded joint between the ribs and skin. Stiffening of skin adjacent to the joints and introduction of lightweight foam jackets at the interior of the fairing both show promise of delaying joint failure to higher loads.     

The Effectiveness of Telephone-Based Continuing Care in the Clinical Management of Alcohol and Cocaine Use Disorders: 12-Month Outcomes.

This study of continuing care for substance dependent patients compared a telephone-based monitoring and brief counseling intervention (TEL) with 2 face-to-face interventions, relapse prevention (RP) and standard 12-step group counseling (STND). The participants were graduates of intensive outpatient programs who had current dependence on alcohol and/or cocaine. Self-report, collateral, and biological measures of alcohol and cocaine use were obtained over a 12-month follow-up. The treatment groups did not differ on abstinence-related outcomes in the complete sample (N = 359) or on cocaine use outcomes in participants with cocaine dependence (n = 268). However, in participants with alcohol dependence only (n = 91), TEL produced better alcohol use outcomes than STND on all measures examined and better outcomes than RP on some of the measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of gas velocity, salt type and concentration on transition concentration for bubble coalescence inhibition and gas holdup

The influence of gas velocity (3.5, 10, and 18 mm/s), salt type (NaCl, NaF, NaBr, NaI and CsCl) and salt concentration (0.001-3 M) on bubble coalescence in a small bubble column were studied. The bubble coalescence was determined by the relative change in the measured light intensities passing through the salt solutions and clean deionised water. It was shown that the transition salt concentration for bubble coalescence inhibition (determined at 50% of bubble coalescence) of all investigated salts decreases with increasing superficial gas velocity. The difference in the transition concentration between NaCl, NaF, NaBr and CsCl does not significantly change with the gas velocity. However that difference between NaI and the other salts significantly decreases with increasing the gas velocity. The gas holdup significantly increases with NaCl, NaF, NaBr and CsCl concentrations but does not significantly change with NaI concentration. These new results imply that the transition salt concentration for bubble coalescence and gas holdup depend not only on the salt properties (i.e. the ion type and their combination) as previously reported, but also on the hydrodynamic conditions.