A Novel Self-Creating Neural Network for Learning Vector Quantization

This paper presents a novel self-creating neural network scheme which employs two resource counters to record network learning activity. The proposed scheme not only achieves the biologically plausible learning property, but it also harmonizes equi-error and equi-probable criteria. The training process is smooth and incremental: it not only avoids the stability-and-plasticity dilemma, but also overcomes the dead-node problem and the deficiency of local minimum. Comparison studies on learning vector quantization involving stationary and non-stationary, structured and non-structured inputs demonstrate that the proposed scheme outperforms other competitive networks in terms of quantization error, learning speed, and codeword search efficiency.     

Dietary intakes and food sources of fatty acids for Belgian women, focused on n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

The intake of fat, saturated and monounsaturated FA (SFA and MUFA), and omega-6 and omega-3 PUFA has been estimated in 641 Belgian women (age 18-39 y). Their food intake was recorded using a 2-d food diary. The PUFA included were linoleic (LA), alpha-linolenic (LNA), arachidonic (AA), eicosapentaeonoic (EPA), docosapentaenoic (DPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. The mean total fat intake corresponded to 34.3% of total energy intake (E). The mean intake of the FA groups corresponded to 13.7%, 13.1%, and 6.0% of E, for SFA, MUFA, and PUFA, respectively. The mean intake of LA was 5.3% of E and of LNA was 0.6% of E, with a mean LA/LNA ratio of 8.7. The mean intake of AA was 0.03% of E. The mean intake of EPA, DPA, and DHA was 0.4%, 0.01%, and 0.06% of E, respectively. According to the Belgian recommendations, the total fat and SFA intake was too high for about three-quarters of the population. The mean LA and overall n-6 PUFA intake corresponded with the recommendation, with part of the population exceeding the upper level. Conversely, the population showed a large deficit for LNA and n-3 PUFA. The major food source for LA and LNA was fats and oils, followed by cereal products. The main sources of long-chain PUFA were fish and seafood, and meat, poultry, and eggs. From a public health perspective, it seems desirable to tackle the problem of low n-3 PUFA intake.     

Effects of titanium on ferrite continuous cooling transformation curves of high-thickness Cr-Mo steels

The effect of Ti on the ferrite-phase transformation in the middle portion of high-thickness Cr-Mo steel vessels was studied. The phase diagrams and ferrite continuous cooling transformation (CCT) curves were calculated thermodynamically, and dilatometry tests were performed to determine the start and finish times of the ferrite transformation. When the Ti concentration was 0.015 mass%, Δ(F _s -F _f ) of ferrite CCT curve decreased owing to an increase in the concentration of Mn dissolved as a result of (Mn, Ti) oxide formation. When the Ti concentration was 0.03 mass% or greater, the ferrite CCT curves shifted considerably to the right along the time axis owing to an increase in Ti oxide formation and the precipitation of Ti₄C₂S₂, both of which affect the concentration of Mn dissolved in the austenite matrix. As a result, a completely bainitic structure was obtained when the Ti concentration was 0.03 mass% or greater.     

Preliminary Study on Chicken Feather Protein–Based Wood Adhesives

Abstract

The objective of this preliminary study was to partially replace phenol in the synthesis of phenol-formaldehyde resin with feather protein. Feather protein–based resins, which contained one part feather protein and two parts phenol, were formulated under the conditions of two feather protein hydrolysis methods (with and without presence of phenol during hydrolysis), two formaldehyde/phenol molar ratios (1.8 and 2.0), and three pH levels (9.5, 10.5, and 11.5). Southern pine fiberboard bonded with feather protein–based resins was fabricated and bending strength, bending stiffness, internal bonding strength, and percent thickness swell were evaluated. Results indicated that the test parameters all significantly affected resin quality. The resin formulated with feather protein hydrolyzed in the presence of phenol, using a F/P ratio of 2.0, and at a pH of 10.5 performed as well as the neat PF resin. Based on our findings, feather protein is a potential cost-effective material for the production of PF-type adhesive resins.     

A 5-GHz CMOS double-quadrature receiver front-end with single-stage quadrature generator

A 5-GHz CMOS double-quadrature front-end receiver for wireless LAN application is proposed. In the receiver, a one-stage RLC phase shifter is used to generate quadrature RF signals. Implemented in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology, the receiver chip can achieve 50.6-dB image rejection with power dissipation of 22.4 mW at 1.8-V voltage supply.     

Effect of Synthesis Variables on Tack in Urea-Formaldehyde Resin

The degree of tack-the ability of resin to adhere to another surface under light pressure and over short time-in urea-formaldehyde resin varies throughout the particleboard manufacturing process and affects mill maintenance and board quality. A three-part study was conducted to evaluate the effects of certain synthesis variables-molar formaldehyde:urea ratio, ingredient concentration, reaction pH, and reaction catalyst-on tack of urea-formaldehyde resin in particleboard manufacturing. Southern pine particleboard mats were formed and prepressed in the laboratory, and tack was evaluated with the push-off method. Reaction pH significantly affected tack and viscosity, which were highly related. On the average, reducing formaldehyde:urea ratio and ingredient concentration increased tack; these two variables may be significant to tack development and resin morphology. Reaction catalyst did not affect tack or other resin morphology. Reaction catalyst did not affect tack or other resin characteristics, but resin surface tension contributed significantly to tack development. Further study should better define optimum manufacturing time and make tack development in particleboard manufacturing more predictable.     

Characterization of liquefied wood residues from different liquefaction conditions

The amount of wood residue is used as a measurement of the extent of wood liquefaction. Characterization of the residue from wood liquefaction provides a new approach to understand some fundamental aspects of the liquefaction reaction. Residues were characterized by wet chemical analyses, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Klason lignin content of the residues decreased, while the holocellulose and α‐cellulose contents increased as the phenol to wood ratio (P/W) increased. A peak at 1735 cm^?1, which was attributed to the ester carbonyl group in xylan, disappeared in the FTIR spectra of the residues from liquefied wood under a sealed reaction system, indicating significantly different effects of atmospheric versus sealed liquefaction. The crystallinity index of the residues was higher than that of the untreated wood particles and slightly increased with an increase in the P/W ratio. The SEM images of the residues showed that the fiber bundles were reduced to small‐sized bundles or even single fibers as the P/W ratio increased from 1/1 to 3/1, which indicated that the lignin in the middle lamella had been dissolved prior to the cellulose during liquefaction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Flower Sermon: An Interactive Visual Design Using IoTtalk

Mobile Networks and Applications - IoTtalk is a platform for IoT device interaction, which has been used to develop many IoT applications such as home automation. This paper uses Flower Sermon...     

Melamine‐bridged alkyl resorcinol modified urea–formaldehyde resin for bonding hardwood plywood

A powdery product was obtained by the reaction of methylolated melamine with alkyl resorcinols to form melamine‐bridged alkyl resorcinols (MARs). The effects of the addition of this powder on the bonding strength and formaldehyde emission of urea–formaldehyde (UF) resins were investigated. Three types of UF resins with a formaldehyde/urea molar ratio of 1.3 synthesized by condensation at pH 1.0 (UF‐1.0), pH 4.5 (UF‐4.5), and pH 5.0 (UF‐5.0) were fabricated. The addition of MAR to UF‐4.5 and UF‐5.0 for bonding hardwood plywood enhanced the bonding strength and reduced formaldehyde emission. For UF‐1.0, the addition of MAR adversely affected the bonding strength. However, the UF‐1.0 resin yielded the lowest formaldehyde emission of all of the UF resins in the study. The effects of the MAR addition were related to the molecular structures of the UF resins. UF‐1.0 contained a large amount of free urea, a considerable number of urons, and a highly methylene‐linked, ring‐structured higher molecular weight fraction and had a smaller number of methylol groups. Therefore, the addition of MAR was considered to cause a shortage of the methylol groups, which in turn, led to incomplete resin curing. In contrast to UF‐1.0, UF‐5.0 contained a smaller amount of free urea and a linearly structured higher molecular weight fraction and had a larger number of methylol groups. In this case, MAR was considered to effectively react with the methylol groups to develop a three‐dimensional crosslinked polymer network to enhance the bonding strength and suppress the generation of free formaldehyde to reduce formaldehyde emission. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Microstructural developments and precipitate transformation during transient liquid-phase bonding of a duplex stainless steel

Effect of holding time on microstructural developments and transformation of precipitates formed at the interface during transient liquid-phase bonding of a duplex stainless steel using a Ni-based amorphous insert alloy was studied. The experimental results reveal that the microstructure of the adjacent base metal varies clearly as a function of holding time. The migration of Cr and Ni elements and the → transformation seem to play relevant roles in this microstructure evolution. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron prob X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) results indicate the transformation of BN→BN and (N, Mo) boride→BN at the interface with the holding time of 60-1 800 s. N content changes with holding time increasing at locations at the interface might be a controlling factor contributing to this transformation.