Mueller matrix elements that characterize scattering from coatedrandom rough surfaces

The Mueller matrix completely characterizes scattered electromagnetic waves. It relates the incident to the scattered Stokes vectors. The Mueller matrix, which contains intensity and relative phase data, is very useful for remote sensing. The Mueller matrix characterizing scattering from coated two-dimensional (2-D) random rough surfaces is obtained from full-wave solutions for the scattered fields considered in the companion paper. The general bistatic scattering case is considered in the analysis. However, for the numerical simulations presented here, the backscatter case is considered in particular, since backscatter is usually measured in remote sensing. The uniformly coated 2-D random rough surfaces are assumed here to be homogeneous and isotropic, with a Gaussian surface-height joint probability-density function. The diffuse incoherent and coherent contributions to the Mueller matrix elements are evaluated. The computer simulations of realistic models of relevant physical problems related to remote sensing of irregular stratified media can be used to determine the optimum modes of detection involving the selection of polarization, frequency, backscatter angle, and the specific Mueller matrix elements most sensitive to changes in medium parameters     

Carry-Over of Aflatoxins to Fig Molasses from Contaminated Dried Figs

The carry-over of aflatoxins to fig molasses produced by using two different processing techniques from contaminated dried figs (> 1000 ppb of total aflatoxins) were examined by using a HPLC technique. The effects of extraction, bleaching and concentration steps on the reduction of aflatoxin levels were also investigated. The reductions in total aflatoxin levels in fig molasses produced by using the two techniques were detected to be 62 and 38%, respectively. Extraction, bleaching and concentration steps were observed to cause 22% reduction in total aflatoxin levels.     

NBTI-Aware Data Allocation Strategies for Scratchpad Based Embedded Systems

The push to embed reliable and low-power memories architectures into modern systems-on-chip is driving the EDA community to develop new design techniques and circuit solutions that can concurrently optimize aging effects due to Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI), and static power consumption due to leakage mechanisms. While recent works have shown how conventional leakage optimization techniques can help mitigate NBTI-induced aging effects on cache memories, in this paper we focus specifically on scratchpad memory (SPM) and present novel software approaches as a means of alleviating the NBTI-induced aging effects. In particular, we demonstrate how intelligent software directed data allocation strategies can extend the lifetime of partitioned SPMs by means of distributing the idleness across the memory sub-banks.     

Structural learning of the Boltzmann machine and its application to life cycle management

The objective of this research is to realise structural learning within a Boltzmann machine (BM), which enables the effective solution of problems defined as mixed integer quadratic programming. Simulation results show that computation time is reduced by up to one-fifth compared to conventional BMs. The computational efficiency of the resulting double-layer BM is approximately expressed as the ratio n divided by N, where n is the number of selected units (neurons/nodes) and N is the total number of units. The double-layer BM was applied to efficiently solve a mean-variance problem using mathematical programming with two objectives: the minimisation of risk and the maximisation of expected return. Finally, the effectiveness of our method is illustrated by way of a life cycle management example. The double-layer BM was able to more effectively select results with lower computational overhead. The results also enable us to more easily understand the internal structure of the BM. Using our proposed model, decision makers are able to select the best solution based on their risk preference from the alternative solutions provided by the proposed method.     

Stepwise safety trial of a killed Leishmania vaccine in Iran

We retrospectively analyzed 36 patients requiring temporary abdominal wall closure on admission to a level I trauma center from 1988 to 1992. There were 10 deaths (28%) in the study population. Of the 26 survivors, 8 patients (31%) had primary fascial closure at initial hospitalization, whereas 18 patients (69%) required split-thickness skin grafting to visceral granulation tissue. Of these 18 patients, 13 have had ventral herniorrhaphy at subsequent admission. Eight of these patients had primary fascial closure, 4 required primary fascial approximation with prosthetic onlay reinforcement, and 1 required multiple operations including prosthetic reconstruction and eventual complex tissue transfer. Complications occurred in 3 patients (14%) and included two wound seromas, which were drained nonoperatively, and a wound infection necessitating removal of prosthetic material and subsequent reconstruction with complex tissue transfer. Follow-up reveals no recurrent hernia at 24 months. Abdominal wall reconstruction after temporary closure can be done safely and promptly, with good functional and esthetic results.