Invasive group A streptococcal disease in Taiwan is not associated with the presence of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin genes

We reviewed the clinical features of 44 patients with invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) disease who were treated at two teaching hospitals in southern Taiwan from 1991 to 1994. Genes encoding streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin types A (speA), B (speB), C (speC), and F (speF) and serotypes of M1, M6, and M12 were determined by polymerase chain reaction to target specific sequences in the 44 isolates recovered from these patients and in 28 isolates recovered from upper respiratory sites in 28 additional patients during the study period. The protease activity of these isolates was tested by using the casein plate method. Of the 44 patients with invasive diseases, 25 (57%) had no obvious underlying diseases, and 14 (32%) had preexisting neoplastic diseases or had previously used steroids. Twenty-five patients (57%) presented with cellulitis or necrotizing fasciitis, 24 (55%) had bacteremia, and eight (18%) had streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). Eight patients (18%) died of invasive GAS disease; seven had STSS, and seven had underlying diseases. All eight patients died within 48 hours after hospitalization. The presence of speA, speC, or speF was not implicated in any particular clinical syndrome in patients with invasive GAS disease. High-level protease activity and the M1 serotype of the isolates were significantly associated with the clinical signs of STSS and with mortality. M1 serotype and protease activity, as well as host immune status, might play significant roles in the pathogenesis of invasive GAS disease in Taiwan.     

Structural topology optimization using ant colony optimization algorithm

The ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm, a relatively recent bio-inspired approach to solve combinatorial optimization problems mimicking the behavior of real ant colonies, is applied to problems of continuum structural topology design. An overview of the ACO algorithm is first described. A discretized topology design representation and the method for mapping ant's trail into this representation are then detailed. Subsequently, a modified ACO algorithm with elitist ants, niche strategy and memory of multiple colonies is illustrated. Several well-studied examples from structural topology optimization problems of minimum weight and minimum compliance are used to demonstrate its efficiency and versatility. The results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and its ability to find families of multi-modal optimal design.     

基于模函数与像素值差值的高质量双图像可逆信息隐藏

为解决在一些一对二的交流场景中使用信息隐藏技术来传递信息时对载密图像的视觉质量和载体图像的精确度的高要求问题. 在本文中提出了一种基于模函数和像素值差值(pixel value difference , PVD)的双图像可逆信息隐藏方案, 通过模函数和对数函数确定了PVD范围表, 从而确定在单位面积上的信息嵌入位数以及模函数的系数. 所提出的方案可以在信息嵌入位数不断增加的情况下仍然保持像素值的修改量与信息嵌入位数之比不大于0.5, 所以与目前一些基于PVD的方案相比在像素对差值越大的图像中越占有优势. 实验结果表明与现有的一些在载密图像质量方面优质的方案相比, 具有更高的PSNR和SSIM, 此外本方案在抗RS隐写分析和PDH隐写分析的静态攻击方面上具有良好的性能, 并且避免了大多数在基于像素值差值的信息隐藏方案中对溢出问题的解决方案复杂繁琐的情况.     

An innovative framework of collaborative-based workflow in Development Chain Management

Currently, most product development procedures have been characterized as unnecessarily complicated. To maintain a competitive edge and to simplify the procedures, joint efforts from different functional groups play such crucial role. Specifically, information from marketing, sales, engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing should be cross-referenced. In addition, adopting pre-defined workflows contributes to efficient collection of distributed information. Moreover, unlike traditional workflow, a collaborative-based workflow (CWF) in product development process boasts of complicated workflow forms with manifold views for a workflow execution. Traditional workflow solutions, for instance, can only transmit a workflow form through different actors. Such workflow solutions merely offer modeling approval-based workflow (AWF), such as drawing reviews or absence applications.     

Determination Of The Phase Current Waveform For A Disc‐Type Axial‐Flux Wheel Motor

An optimal design of the driving current pattern for a disc‐type axial‐flux brushless DC wheel motor of an electric vehicle is proposed in this paper. The electro‐magnetic dynamic model of the motor is established with magnetic circuits, describing the relationship between the output torque and excitation current. The optimal current pattern, in terms of magnitude and phase angle, is then obtained by maximizing the output torque with respect to the rotor shift. Compared with the traditional three‐phase‐on current pattern of fixed 120–degree phase shift, both the average torque and efficiency with the driving current of an optimal advanced switching angle are seen to be improved under various loading conditions. The motor performance with the optimal driving waveform is simulated and verified by experiments.     

Chemical,biochemical, and biological significance of polyphenols in cereals and legumes

Polyphenols in cereals and legumes have been receiving considerable attention largely because of their adverse influence on color, flavor, and nutritional quality. These compounds belong to the flavonoid and tannin groups and are mostly located in the seed coat or pericarp of the grains. The pearl millet flavonoids have been identified as C‐glycosylflavones by the combined use of paper chromatography and UV spectroscopy. Although nontoxic, physiological and nutritional significance of these compounds occurring in high amounts in the pearl millet grain are still not clearly understood. In view of aesthetic quality, bleaching of the millet grains in acidic solution is recommended. A large proportion of current assays involves spectrophotometry of tannin or its chromogen and tannin‐protein interaction. Sorghum and legume tannins have been characterized as condensed tannins. Several factors such as plant type, age of the plant or plant parts, stage of development, and environmental conditions govern the polyphenol contents in plants. Polyphenols are known to interact with proteins and form tannin‐protein complexes leading to either inactivation of enzymes or making proteins insoluble. These are implicated in decreasing the activities of digestive enzymes, protein and amino acid availabilities, mineral uptake, vitamin metabolism, and depression of growth. Polyphenols are known to cause certain ultrastructural changes in the different parts of experimental animals. A correlation between dietary tannins and occurrence of esophageal cancer has been established. Bird resistance and seed germination in food crops have been correlated to high contents of polyphenols. The antinutritional activity of polyphenols can be reduced by removing polyphenols from the grains by chemical treatments or removing pericarp and testa by pearling. Treatment of alkaline reagents and ammonia can remove 90% of the polyphenols. Supplementation of polyphenols‐rich diet with protein can alleviate the growth‐depressing effect of polyphenols.     

Incremental Value Iteration for Time-Aggregated Markov-Decision Processes

A value iteration algorithm for time-aggregated Markov-decision processes (MDPs) is developed to solve problems with large state spaces. The algorithm is based on a novel approach which solves a time aggregated MDP by incrementally solving a set of standard MDPs. Therefore, the algorithm converges under the same assumption as standard value iteration. Such assumption is much weaker than that required by the existing time aggregated value iteration algorithm. The algorithms developed in this paper are also applicable to MDPs with fractional costs.     

From Overcrowded Polycyclic Aromatic Enes to Semifullerenes

Abstract

Overcrowded polycyclic aromatic enes (1), e.g., bi-9H-fluoren-9-ylidene (2) and bi-4H-cyclopenta[def]-phenanthren-4-ylidene (3) are potential starting materials for the preparation of bowl-shaped fragments of fullerenes. Semiempirical MNDO-PM3 calculations of C₂₆ H_n and C₃₀ H_n (n = 12,14,16) species 2–14 are used to analyze energetic and steric effects on the dehydrocyclization and isomerization reactions of these molecules. the out-of-plane bending and pyramidalization in these species are ascribed to intramolecular overcrowding in the fjord and cove regions and to strain introduced by C5 rings in the PAH skeleton. Oxidative photocyclization reactions on Z-2,2′-bridged derivatives of 2 and 3 are briefly outlined.