MF Integrator: A Module for Converting METAFONT into Outline Font

METAFONT is a description language that generates TeX-oriented bitmap fonts which are not popular outside the TeX world. The number of fonts prepared with METAFONT are very small compared with outline fonts. Font libraries like FreeType, which are used to render fonts in outline and some bitmap formats doesn’t provide any support for METAFONT. A research, MFCONFIG module added an indirect support of METAFONT inside FreeType rasterizer but it has problems of performance and dependency. In this paper, we have proposed a module named MF Integrator for FreeType rasterizer. The proposed module overcome the problems of performance and dependency of MFCONFIG module. Authors tested proposed module with a client application which is used to display styled text on screen. Users can now take the benefits of METAFONT by using our proposed MF Integrator module

The culture of primary duck endothelial cells for the study of avian influenza

Background: Endothelial cells play a major role in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus pathogenesis in gallinaceous poultry species (e.g. chicken, turkey and quail). Upon infection of gallinaceous poultry with HPAI viruses, endothelial cells throughout the body become rapidly infected, leading to systemic dissemination of the virus, disseminated intravascular coagulation, oedema and haemorrhaging. In contrast, the pathogenesis of HPAI viruses in most wild bird species (e.g. duck, goose and gull species) is not associated with endothelial tropism. Indeed, viral antigen is not found in the endothelial cells of most wild bird species following infection with HPAI viruses. This differential endothelial cell tropism in avian species is poorly understood, mainly due to the absence of appropriate cell culture systems. Results: Here, we describe the isolation and purification of primary duck endothelial cells from the aorta or bone marrow of Pekin duck embryos. Cells were differentiated in the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor and, if needed, enriched via fluorescent-activated cell sorting based on the uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein. The expression of von Willebrand factor, a key marker of endothelial cells, was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Monocultures of duck endothelial cells, either derived from the aorta or the bone marrow, were susceptible to infection with an H5N1 HPAI virus but to a much lesser extent than chicken endothelial cells. Conclusions: The methods described herein to isolate and purify duck endothelial cells from the aorta or bone marrow could also be applied to obtain microvascular endothelial cells from other tissues and organs, such as the lung or the intestine, and represent a valuable tool to study the pathogenesis of avian viruses

Recent advances in the development of nature-derived photocrosslinkable biomaterials for 3D printing in tissue engineering

Abstract Background In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) printing has begun to be widely used in tissue engineering. Natural biomaterials have been employed to overcome the limitations of synthetic polymers. However, their low mechanical strength and poor printability are major disadvantages. Photocrosslinking is the most promising fabrication strategy because it is non-invasive and easy to control light intensity and exposure. In this article, developments of photocrosslinkable natural biomaterials in the field of 3D printing are reviewed. Main body Photocrosslinkable biomaterials can be broadly classified into materials that use ultraviolet (UV) and visible lights. Many natural biomaterials such as gelatin, hydroxyapatite, silk fibroin, and pectin have been modified through acrylation, crosslinked by 365 nm UV light, and 3D printed. Riboflavin could also be used to crosslink and print collagen or decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM). In the case of silk-like aneroin and modified gelatin, crosslinking is possible by forming a dityrosine bond using 452 nm visible light. Conclusion Despite the tremendous researches on the developments of photocrosslinkable 3D printing natural biomaterials, further efforts are necessary to develop source biomaterials with excellent biological functions and sufficient mechanical integrity

Comparative Tests of TVD Schemes for MHD

25.64> 0:5[f (q n i ) + f (q n i+1 ) + 7 X k=1 fi k;i+1=2 r k;i+1=2 ] ; (2) fi k;i+1=2 = ae oe(a k;i+1=2 )(g k;i+1 + g k;i ) \Gamma Q(a k;i+1=2 + fl k;i+1=2 )ff k;i+1=2 (UTVD) \Gammag k;i+1=2 \Gamma Q(a k;i+1=2 )[ff k;i+1=2 \Gamma g k;i+1=2 ] (S

Performance Evaluation of CNFET-Based Logic Gates

As the physical gate length of current devices is reduced to below 65 nm, effects (such as large parametric variations and increase in leakage current) have caused the I-V characteristics to be substantially depart from those commonly associated with traditional MOSFETs, thus impeding the efficient development and manufacturing of devices at deep submicro/nano scales. Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistors (CNFETs) have received widespread attention, as one of the promising technologies for replacing MOSFETs at the end of the Technology Roadmap. This paper presents a detailed simulationbased assessment of circuit performance of this technology and compares it to conventional MOSFETs; the designs of different logic gates and the full adder circuit are simulated under the same minimum gate length and different operational conditions. It is shown that the power-delay product (PDP) and the leakage power for the CNFET based gates are lower than the MOSFET based logic gates by 100 to 150 times, respectively. The CNFET based logic gates demonstrate good functionality even at a 0.3V power supply (while MOSFET based gates fail at 0.5V)

Perioperative cutaneous complications in an elderly patient due to inappropriate use of a forced-air warming device and underbody blanket: a case report

Forced-air warming is commonly utilized to prevent perioperative hypothermia. Underbody warming blankets are often employed to secure a larger area for patient warming. While forced-air warming systems are generally regarded as safe, improper usage poses a risk of cutaneous complications. Additionally, the influence of underbody blankets on cutaneous complications remains uncertain. We present a case of cutaneous complications resulting from the improper utilization of a forced-air warming device and an underbody blanket. A 79-year-old man presented to the hospital for robotic proctectomy under general anesthesia. The surgery lasted for 7 hours, and the forced-air warming device with underbody blanket operated continuously for 5 hours intraoperatively. The surgery was completed without any incidents. However, first-degree burns on the patient’s back, along with superficial decubitus ulcers on his right scapula, were observed after surgery. To prevent cutaneous complications, clinicians must adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines when utilizing a forced-air warming system. Compared to overbody blankets, underbody blankets have limitations in monitoring cutaneous responses. Ensuring patient safety requires selecting an appropriate blanket for scheduled operations

Embolization of Vascular Malformations via In Situ Photocrosslinking of Mechanically Reinforced Alginate Microfibers Using an Optical-fiber-integrated Microfluidic Device

Embolization, which is a minimally invasive endovascular treatment, is a safe and effective procedure for treating vascular malformations (e.g., aneurysms). Hydrogel microfibers obtained via spatiotemporally controllable in situ photocrosslinking exhibit great potential for embolizing aneurysms. However, this process is challenging because of the absence of biocompatible and morphologically stable hydrogels and the difficulty in continuously spinning the microfibers via in situ photocrosslinking in extreme endovascular environments such as those involving a tortuous geometry and high absorbance. A double-crosslinked alginate-based hydrogel with tantalum nanopowder (DAT) that exploits the synergistic effect of covalent crosslinking by visible-light irradiation and ionic crosslinking using Ca2+, which is present in the blood, is developed in this study. Furthermore, an effective strategy to design and produce an optical-fiber-integrated microfluidic device (OFI-MD) that can continuously spin hydrogel microfibers via in situ photocrosslinking in extreme endovascular environments is proposed. As an embolic material, DAT exhibits promising characteristics such as radiopacity, nondissociation, nonswelling, and constant mechanical strength in blood, in addition to excellent cyto- and hemo-compatibilities. Using OFI-MD to spin DAT microfibers continuously can help fill aneurysms safely, uniformly, and completely within the endovascular simulator without generating microscopic fragments, which demonstrates its potential as an effective embolization strategy.11Nsciescopu

Design Optimization of One-Time-Use Leaping Mechanism for Sensor Node Relocation

This paper proposes a design automation method to optimize one-time-use leaping mechanism for relocating energy-constrained sensor nodes. The leaping mechanism is expected to enhance coverage and connectivity of sensor networks initially randomly deployed with minimum energy consumed. Of particular interest is proper relocation of isolatednodes under uncertain environment conditions. Specifically, we consider how the aerodynamic disturbance can be minimizedwith an optimized launch angle of the leaping mechanism. Toconstruct an automated simulation and design environment, the process integration and design optimization (PIDO) approach is employed. We not only obtain an optimum solution satisfying all imposed requirements, but also demonstrate an automated design process for controlled node mobility

Synthesis of N-aryl amines enabled by photocatalytic dehydrogenation

Catalytic dehydrogenation (CD) via visible-light photoredox catalysis provides an efficient route for the synthesis of aromatic compounds. However, access to N-aryl amines, which are widely utilized synthetic moieties, via visible-light-induced CD remains a significant challenge, because of the difficulty in controlling the reactivity of amines under photocatalytic conditions. Here, the visible-light-induced photocatalytic synthesis of N-aryl amines was achieved by the CD of allylic amines. The unusual strategy using C6F5I as an hydrogen-atom acceptor enables the mild and controlled CD of amines bearing various functional groups and activated C-H bonds, suppressing side-reaction of the reactive N-aryl amine products. Thorough mechanistic studies suggest the involvement of single-electron and hydrogen-atom transfers in a well-defined order to provide a synergistic effect in the control of the reactivity. Notably, the back-electron transfer process prevents the desired product from further reacting under oxidative conditions.11Nsciescopu