Empirical assessment of a threshold model for sylvatic plague.

Plague surveillance programmes established in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, during the previous century, have generated large plague archives that have been used to parameterize an abundance threshold model for sylvatic plague in great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) populations. Here, we assess the model using additional data from the same archives. Throughout the focus, population levels above the threshold were a necessary condition for an epizootic to occur. However, there were large numbers of occasions when an epizootic was not observed even though great gerbils were, and had been, abundant. We examine six hypotheses that could explain the resulting false positive predictions, namely (i) including end-of-outbreak data erroneously lowers the estimated threshold, (ii) too few gerbils were tested, (iii) plague becomes locally extinct, (iv) the abundance of fleas was too low, (v) the climate was unfavourable, and (vi) a high proportion of gerbils were resistant. Of these, separate thresholds, fleas and climate received some support but accounted for few false positives and can be disregarded as serious omissions from the model. Small sample size and local extinction received strong support and can account for most of the false positives. Host resistance received no support here but should be subject to more direct experimental testing.     

Improving Neural Networks for Mechanism Kinematic Chain Isomorphism Identification

Detection of isomorphism among kinematic chains is essential in mechanical design, but difficult and computationally expensive. It has been shown that both traditional methods and previously presented neural networks still have a lot to be desired in aspects such as simplifying procedure of identification and adapting automatic computation. Therefore, a new algorithm based on a competitive Hopfield network is developed for automatic computation in the kinematic chain isomorphism problem. The neural approach provides directly interpretable solutions and does not demand tuning of parameters. We have tested the algorithm by solving problems reported in the recent mechanical literature. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the network that rapidly identifies isomorphic kinematic chains.     

青藏铁路物资储备基地建设

结合青藏铁路建设物资储备基地的实际情况，探讨了铁路线统购统发材料的管理模式及业务流程，总结出在实际工作中应借鉴的经验和注意的问题。     

Fabrication of damascene Cu wirings using solid acidic catalyst

The copper damascene process is one of the most promising technologies for fabricating Cu wirings for electronic devices such as LSIs. In this research, the fabrication of damascene Cu wirings was conducted using solid acidic catalyst. When a Cu-plated wafer, whose oxide is a basic oxide is dipped into a mixture of oxidizing solution and acidic solution, surface atoms are ionized and etched off into the solution. However, because conventional nonelectrolytic etching does not have a reference surface, it is difficult to utilize for planarization. Therefore, a new nonelectrolytic machining method using a cation-exchange fabric instead of an acidic solution was developed. To be more precise, the planarization of a Cu-plated wafer was carried out by rubbing with the cation-exchange fabric in ozone water. Basically, this method exploits chemical reactions so that the physical properties of the workpiece surface are not deteriorated. Furthermore, this method uses no chemicals except for ozone water, which easily dissociates into water and oxygen molecules; thus, this method is a low-cost, environmentally friendly process. In this paper, as a preliminary experiment, the nonelectrolytic etching of a Cu sample using solutions of O₃ and CO₂ was carried out to inspect the dependence of the etching rate on [O₃] and [H⁺]. The results indicate that the etching rate increased as [O₃] and [H⁺] increased. When [H⁺] was high relative to [O₃], a smooth etch-pit-free surface was achieved. Next, nonelectrolytic etching using a cation-exchange fabric was carried out, and properties similar to those in the case of etching using solutions were obtained. Finally, damascene Cu wirings were fabricated using ozone water and a cation-exchange catalyst.     

Lesbian homoerotic transference in dialectic with developmental mourning: On the way to symbolism from the protosymbolic.

This clinical study illustrates the developmental nature of homoerotic transference, when the psychoanalyst is attuned to the evolving dynamics of the mourning process, in this case with a lesbian analysand. The analysand's psychic fantasies of the female analyst as a muse and a demon lover figure are seen to transform into discrete mother and father transferences, as split off feminine and aggressive parts of the self are reintegrated along with heterosexual desires and oedipal desires. Protosymbolic enactments in terms of romantic gift giving and other seductive overtures transform into symbolic expressions of love, concern, regret, and tenderness. A lesbian marriage is preserved, and the loss of intimacy with men is mourned so that desires for intimacy with men can be sublimated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Environment as a first class abstraction in multiagent systems

The current practice in multiagent systems typically associates the environment with resources that are external to agents and their communication infrastructure. Advanced uses of the environment include infrastructures for indirect coordination, such as digital pheromones, or support for governed interaction in electronic institutions. Yet, in general, the notion of environment is not well defined. Functionalities of the environment are often dealt with implicitly or in an ad hoc manner. This is not only poor engineering practice, it also hinders engineers to exploit the full potential of the environment in multiagent systems. In this paper, we put forward the environment as an explicit part of multiagent systems.We give a definition stating that the environment in a multiagent system is a first-class abstraction with dual roles: (1) the environment provides the surrounding conditions for agents to exist, which implies that the environment is an essential part of every multiagent system, and (2) the environment provides an exploitable design abstraction for building multiagent system applications. We discuss the responsibilities of such an environment in multiagent systems and we present a reference model for the environment that can serve as a basis for environment engineering. To illustrate the power of the environment as a design abstraction, we show how the environment is successfully exploited in a real world application. Considering the environment as a first-class abstraction in multiagent systems opens up new horizons for research and development in multiagent systems.     

白云鄂博主矿开拓运输工艺转换有关问题的探讨

本文对白云鄂博主矿采场铁公路联合运输向公路运输转换位置是否确定为1638m水平以及运输工艺转换过程中相关问题进行分析论证，提出主矿采场铁路至少可向下延深一个水平，技术上可行，节约运费千万元以上。     

Relation between microstructure, properties and spark plasma sintering (SPS) parameters of pure ultrafine WC powder

A combined experimental/numerical methodology is developed to fully consolidate pure ultrafine WC powder under a current-control mode. Three applied currents, 1900, 2100 and 2700 A, and a constant pressure of 20 MPa were employed as process conditions. The developed spark plasma sintering (SPS) finite-element model includes a moving-mesh technique to account for the contact resistance change due to sintering shrinkage and punch sliding. The effects of the heating rate on the microstructure and hardness were investigated in detail along the sample radius from both experimental and modeling points of view. The maximum hardness (2700 HV10) was achieved for a current of 1900 A at the core sample, while the maximum densification was achieved for 2100 and 2700 A. A direct relationship between the compact microstructure and both the sintering temperature and the heating rate was established.     

AgWC12C3的粉末粒度对产品密度的影响

粉末粒度对粉末制品的性能具有重要的影响,而这些影响主要通过改善材料的密度来达到。该文根据模拟粉末堆积模型,确定相对合理的粒度组成,并通过试验予以验证。     

Modelling velocity saturation and kink effects in p-channel polysilicon thin-film transistors

Experimental measurements and full-2D numerical simulations show that velocity saturation effects in polysilicon thin-film transistor (TFTs) cannot be neglected in order to obtain a precise modelling of output characteristics. Since full-2D numerical simulations are time consuming and unpractical for circuit simulations, we have developed a new quasi-2D model, that takes into account both velocity saturation effects and the presence of a longitudinal electric field in the Poisson's equation, and includes the effect of parasitic bipolar transistor (PBT) action to reproduce kink effect. The agreement of the quasi-2D model with experimental data from p-channel polysilicon TFTs is very satisfactory even for short channel device, and the presence of a velocity-saturated region with a nearly constant free carrier concentration is reproduced without introducing further assumptions.