e-Science Infrastructure for Digital Media Broadcasting

Because digital media management and distribution technologies face some of the same challenges that e-Science aims to address, this technology is a viable solution to meet the broadcasting domain's rigorous demands.     

天然裂缝性储层的特征

天然裂缝性储层给开采带来了一个矛盾难题。这类储层包括低油气采收率储层,这些储层最初可能表现出高产,但产能下降得非常快。此外,这类储层还经常出现早期见气或见水等问题。而另一方面,一些天然裂缝性储层也是全球最大、产量最高的储层。这类储层的这种矛盾特性激发业界尽力去深入了解其特征,以便更有把握地对其进行模拟分析。     

From expert-driven to user-oriented communication of infection control guidelines

Currently, infection control guidelines in hospitals and other health care institutions are more expert-driven than user-oriented. In order to enhance the usability of the expert-driven guideline format, we developed a website for the communication of existing guidelines that better fit the practical information needs of health care workers (HCWs). We employed a user-centered design process that involved two studies.In the initial study, 28 HCWs were asked to solve tasks using existing, paper-based infection control guidelines. In order to detect their strategies and problems, the participants were asked to think aloud. Usability problems occurred due to poorly structured information, insufficient quality of information, and a mismatch between experts’ and HCWs’ vocabulary. To overcome these shortcomings, three design principles were applied for communicating infection control guidelines: better navigation (the guidelines should be searchable in several ways); multimodality (the guidelines should not be presented as text only), and action-orientation (the guidelines should be presented as HCWs’ behaviors). A website was developed to meet these principles.In the second study, the same 28 HCWs completed tasks identical to those of the first study while thinking aloud, but this time using the website. The percentage of correctly completed tasks increased and the mean time for task completion decreased significantly. Also, respondents were more satisfied with the website than the paper-based guidelines. The number of problems due to poor information quality and a mismatch in vocabulary declined, although the number of structural problems increased. This can probably be explained by the fact that the navigation structure was user-generated (using Card Sort), in contrast to a standardized answer format based on common usability principles.Overall, we found that involving HCWs in the development process is important to create a sense of ownership and to foster the implementation of the guidelines, which might eventually result in compliance and reduce health care-associated infections. This paper outlines concrete steps for how to involve HCWs in the design process.     

Neural Membrane Signaling Platforms

Throughout much of the history of biology, the cell membrane was functionally defined as a semi-permeable barrier separating aqueous compartments, and an anchoring site for proteins. Little attention was devoted to its possible regulatory role in intracellular molecular processes and neuron electrical signaling. This article reviews the history of membrane studies and the current state of the art. Emphasis is placed on natural and artificial membrane studies of electric field effects on molecular organization, especially as these may relate to impulse propagation in neurons. Implications of these studies for new designs in artificial intelligence are briefly examined.     

1‐Arylsulfonyl‐5‐(N‐hydroxyacrylamide)indolines Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Are Potent Cytokine Release Suppressors

A series of 1‐arylsulfonyl‐5‐(N‐hydroxyacrylamide)indolines ( 7 – 15 ) has been developed; the compounds exhibited potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitory activities. Notably, almost all of this series exhibited better HDAC‐inhibitory and antiproliferative activities than 3‐(1‐benzenesulfonyl‐1H‐indol‐5‐yl)‐N‐hydroxyacrylamide ( 6 ), as reported in a previous study. Among these compounds, 3‐[1‐(4‐methoxybenzenesulfonyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indol‐5‐yl]‐N‐hydroxyacrylamide ( 9 ) showed a two‐ to tenfold increase in activity compared to SAHA ( 1 ) in the suppression of lipopolysaccharide‐induced cytokine production. Compound 9 also caused a marked reduction in carrageenan‐induced acute inflammation in a rat model. Taken together, these data indicated that 1‐arylsulfonyl‐5‐(N‐hydroxyacrylamide)indolines HDAC inhibitors exhibit potent anti‐inflammatory activity.     

Controlled experiments on the web: survey and practical guide

The web provides an unprecedented opportunity to evaluate ideas quickly using controlled experiments, also called randomized experiments, A/B tests (and their generalizations), split tests, Control/Treatment tests, MultiVariable Tests (MVT) and parallel flights. Controlled experiments embody the best scientific design for establishing a causal relationship between changes and their influence on user-observable behavior. We provide a practical guide to conducting online experiments, where end-users can help guide the development of features. Our experience indicates that significant learning and return-on-investment (ROI) are seen when development teams listen to their customers, not to the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion (HiPPO). We provide several examples of controlled experiments with surprising results. We review the important ingredients of running controlled experiments, and discuss their limitations (both technical and organizational). We focus on several areas that are critical to experimentation, including statistical power, sample size, and techniques for variance reduction. We describe common architectures for experimentation systems and analyze their advantages and disadvantages. We evaluate randomization and hashing techniques, which we show are not as simple in practice as is often assumed. Controlled experiments typically generate large amounts of data, which can be analyzed using data mining techniques to gain deeper understanding of the factors influencing the outcome of interest, leading to new hypotheses and creating a virtuous cycle of improvements. Organizations that embrace controlled experiments with clear evaluation criteria can evolve their systems with automated optimizations and real-time analyses. Based on our extensive practical experience with multiple systems and organizations, we share key lessons that will help practitioners in running trustworthy controlled experiments.     

The Perception Of Urban Complexity

The concept of complexity is denned in terms of urban perception. The definition is based on a concept of maximum rate of usable information, which allows for the social and cultural setting as well as for learning. The desirability of complexity and its achievement are suggested in two propositions that may be used as a basis for future environmental research and design applications.     

Fossil Department

In addition to being an executive editor for Rocks and Minerals, Richard S. Mitchell is the author of the books Dictionary of Rocks and Mineral Names: What Do They Mean?, both published by Van Nostrand Reinhold.     

Use of low‐level plasma for enhancing the shrink resistance of wool fabric treated with a silicone polymer

This study examines the effects of an atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) pre‐treatment on the shrink resistance of wool fabric treated subsequently, by the pad/dry method, with an aqueous emulsion of the amino‐functional polydimethylsiloxane, SM 8709. Optimal shrink resistance (with no impairment of fabric handle) was obtained after a low‐level plasma treatment (1–3 s exposure time), using 5% of the polymer emulsion. Higher levels of silicone polymer could be used to achieve shrink resistance in the absence of a plasma pre‐treatment, but the fabric handle would be adversely affected. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies showed that the bulk of the covalently bound surface lipid layer was removed after a plasma exposure time of 30 s. For treatment times of 3 s or less, however, the removal was incomplete, suggesting that optimum shrink resistance (after treatment with the silicone polymer) was associated with the modification of the surface layer rather than its complete destruction. Scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) revealed that the plasma pre‐treatment did not lead to any physical modifications (such as smoothening of the scale edges), even for long exposure times, and had no significant impact on the extent or nature of the inter‐fibre bonding of the polymer. Confocal microscopy showed uniform spread of polymer on single fibres. It is concluded that the main impact of the plasma pre‐treatment was to enhance the distribution of polymer both on and between fibres and to improve adhesion of polymer to the fibre.