Generating compact, guaranteed passive reduced-order models of 3-D RLC interconnects

As very large scale integration (VLSI) circuit speeds and density continue to increase, the need to accurately model the effects of three-dimensional (3-D) interconnects has become essential for reliable chip and system design and verification. Since such models are commonly used inside standard circuit simulators for time or frequency domain computations, it is imperative that they be kept compact without compromising accuracy, and also retain relevant physical properties of the original system, such as passivity. In this paper, we describe an approach to generate accurate, compact, and guaranteed passive models of RLC interconnects and packaging structures. The procedure is based on a partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC)-like approach to modeling the impedance of interconnect structures accounting for both the charge accumulation on the surface of conductors and the current traveling in their interior. The resulting formulation, based on nodal or mixed nodal and mesh analysis, enables the application of existing model order reduction techniques. Compactness and passivity of the model are then ensured with a two-step reduction procedure where Krylov-subspace moment-matching methods are followed by a recently proposed, nearly optimal, passive truncated balanced realization-like algorithm. The proposed approach was used for extracting passive models for several industrial examples, whose accuracy was validated both in the frequency domain as well as against measured time-domain data.     

Parent psychopathology, parenting, and child internalizing problems in substance-abusing families.

A structural model accounting for child internalizing problems in substance-abusing families was tested. Parents receiving substance abuse treatment (N = 242) completed forms about children between the ages of 6 and 18 who resided in their home. The effects of parent gender, child gender, and child age were controlled. Negative parenting was examined as a mediator between parent internalizing and externalizing problems and child anxiety and affective problems using path analysis. Negative parenting mediated relations only between parent internalizing problems and child affective problems. High-positive involvement moderated relations between parent externalizing problems and child internalizing problems. Relations between parent externalizing problems and child anxiety and affective problems were significant only among families in which high-positive involvement was present. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Online dynamic measurement of saturation-capillary pressure relation in sandy medium under water level fluctuation

An online dynamic method based on electrical conductivity probe, tensiometer and datataker was presented to measure saturation-capillary pressure (S-p) relation in water-light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) two-phase sandy medium under water level fluctuation. Three-electrode electrical conductivity probe (ECP) was used to measure water saturation. Hydrophobic tensiometer was obtained by spraying waterproof material to the ceramic cup of commercially available hydrophilic tensiometer. A couple of hydrophilic tensiometer and hydrophobic tensiometer were used to measure pore water pressure and pore LNAPL pressure of the sandy medium, respectively. All the signals from ECP and tensiometer were collected by a data taker connected with a computer. The results show that this method can finish the measurement of S-p relation of a complete drainage or imbibition process in less than 60 min. It is much more timesaving compared with 10–40 d of traditional methods. Two cycles of water level fluctuation were produced, and four saturation-capillary pressure relations including two stable residual LNAPL saturations of the sandy medium were obtained during in 350 h. The results show that this method has a good durable performance and feasibility in the porous medium with complicated multiphase flow. Although further studies are needed on the signal stability and accuracy drift of the ECP, this online dynamic method can be used successfully in the rapid characterization of a LNAPL migration in porous media.     

Modeling of combined far-infrared radiation and air drying of a ring shaped-pineapple with/without shrinkage

A ring shape is commonly used for industrial process of pineapple. Unfortunately, there has been no study on modeling of pineapple rings. Therefore we developed the mathematical model of pineapple rings during combined far-infrared radiation and air convection drying to investigate the evolutions of moisture content and qualities. The drying model based on the solution of Fick's law was used to estimate moisture diffusion coefficient (D). The D values with and without taking into account shrinkage phenomenon of dried products were compared. The kinetics of dried pineapple qualities such as color, shear force ratio and shrinkage during drying also were studied. Pineapples were pretreated, cut into rings and dried at far-infrared intensities of 1–5 kW/m² combined with air temperatures of 40–60 °C and air velocities of 0.5–1.5 m/s. The D values were found to increase with increasing intensity and air temperature. The D values with shrinkage consideration were lower than the D values without shrinkage consideration for all drying conditions. The quartic model gave a better fit over the other three polynomial models for describing the color kinetics. The thin layer drying models such as Page, Henderson and Pabis, Logarithmic and Midilli–Kucuk were modified in order to describe shear force ratio (SFR) of dried pineapple. The statistically analyses from this present study indicated that modification of drying models can be used to describe the kinetics of SFR and Midilli–Kucuk's form gave a better fit over the other form. The quadratic model was better than the linear model to predict shrinkage kinetics for all four dimensions (outer radius, inner radius, thickness and volume) of pineapple rings.     

Learning visually guided grasping: a test case in sensorimotorlearning

We present a general scheme for learning sensorimotor tasks, which allows rapid online learning and generalization of the learned knowledge to unfamiliar objects. The scheme consists of two modules, the first generating candidate actions and the second estimating their quality. Both modules work in an alternating fashion until an action which is expected to provide satisfactory performance is generated, at which point the system executes the action. We developed a method for off-line selection of heuristic strategies and quality predicting features, based on statistical analysis. The usefulness of the scheme was demonstrated in the context of learning visually guided grasping. We consider a system that coordinates a parallel-jaw gripper and a fixed camera. The system learns to estimate grasp quality by learning a function from relevant visual features to the quality. An experimental setup using an AdeptOne manipulator was developed to test the scheme     

?/e Separation with Prototype CDF End Plug Gas Calorimeters

Hadron rejection against electron signal of a combined system of electromagnetic and hadron calorimeter has been studied. Data was taken at M4 beam line of Fermilab at energies from 25 GeV to 150 GeV. Hadron rejection of electromagnetic calorimeter is greatly improved by the use of hadron calorimeter information. The details of the results are discussed.     

MSW fly ash stabilized with coal ash for geotechnical application

The solidification and stabilization of municipal solid waste (MSW) fly ash for the purpose of minimizing the geo-environmental impact caused by toxic heavy metals as well as ensuring engineering safety (strength and soaking durability) are experimentally evaluated. The mixtures of MSW fly ash stabilized with cement and fluidized bed combustion coal fly ash (FCA) were used for unconfined compressive strength tests, leachate tests, and soaking tests. The behavior of soluble salts contained in the MSW fly ash significantly affects strength development, soaking durability, and the hardening reaction of the stabilized MSW fly ash mixtures. The cement stabilization of the MSW fly ash does not have enough effect on strength development and soaking durability. The addition of cement only contributes to the containment of heavy metals due to the high level of alkalinity. When using FCA as a stabilizing agent for MSW fly ash, the mixture exhibits high strength and durability. However, the Cd leachate cannot be prevented in the early stages of curing. Using a combination of cement and FCA as a MSW fly ash stabilizer can attain high strength, high soaking durability, and the containment of heavy metals. The stabilized MSW fly ash with cement and FCA can be practically applied to embankments.