Periodic Cellular Structure Technology for Shape Memory Alloys

Shape memory alloys are being considered for a wide variety of adaptive components for engine and airframe applications because they can undergo large amounts of strain and then revert to their original shape upon heating or unloading. Transition45 Technologies, Inc., has developed an innovative periodic cellular structure (PCS) technology for shape memory alloys that enables fabrication of complex bulk configurations, such as lattice block structures. These innovative structures are manufactured using an advanced reactive metal casting technology that offers a relatively low cost and established approach for constructing near-net shape aerospace components. Transition45 is continuing to characterize these structures to determine how best to design a PCS to better exploit the use of shape memory alloys in aerospace applications

Competition policy under laissez-faireism : market power and its treatment in Hong Kong

The paper describes the current competition policy framework in Hong Kong: how it came into existence, what business practices are prohibited, and how the enforcement system works. Recent cases in the telecommunications industry are used to illustrate the sectoral approach, the unique feature of Hong Kong’s competition policy. The paper argues that a sectoral approach faces two fundamental drawbacks. First, due to having different “rules of the game” for different sectors, the allocation of resources may be distorted in the long run. Second, since the relevant regulatory agencies perform dual roles both as competition policy enforcer and as traditional regulator of natural monopolies, the impartiality of their competition decisions may not be credibly conveyed to the general public. We also address other specific problems associated with the current sectoral approach, such as the exclusion of structural issues, narrow coverage of sectors, and the lack of public enforcement. An overall competition law can better promote competition and economic efficiency in Hong Kong

Effect of Steaming on Some Physical and Chemical Properties of Black Walnut Heartwood

The influence of steaming time and temperature on some physical and chemical properties of black walnut heartwood was studied. One-inch cube sample blocks were steamed at two different temperatures and four different times, and the pH, surface tension, and color of the wood fluids, as well as the extractives and area of cell lumina, were determined.The pH and surface tension were not affected enough by steaming to be related to color changes of wood, swelling the wood beyond that normally expected in water at room temperature, or reducing drying defects. Prolonged and high temperature (above 100 C) steaming increased alcohol-benzene extractives of the steamed wood. Prolonged and high temperature steaming caused cell walls to swell beyond that in water at room temperature, especially in earlywood. Steaming temperature and time were highly effective in changing the color of wood fluids

Combustion and Emission Characteristics of Sawdust-Coal Fine Pellets

Pellets made from wood and coal residues at various ratios (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% wood, and 50% wood-plus-limestone) were burned at different underfire/overfire air mixtures (20, 40, 60, and 80%) in a laboratory stationary bed burner to determine the effects of wood/coal ratio and underfire/overfire air mixture on the combustion and emission characteristics of wood-coal pellets.The results indicated: 1) the oxygen depletion periods appeared to increase with increasing percentages of wood in the pellets and also to increase with increasing underfire air (UFA); 2) increasing wood percentages in pellets decreased flame temperature and total run time, and, thus increased the firing rate; 3) increasing percentages of wood in pellets reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2 emissions but increased carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4) emissions; 4) increasing UFA increased the CO, CH4, and SO2 emissions; and 5) adding a small quantity of limestone to wood-coal pellets greatly increased the capture of sulfur in the bottom solids and thus reduced the SO2 emission substantially

EA-CG: An Approximate Second-Order Method for Training Fully-Connected Neural Networks

For training fully-connected neural networks (FCNNs), we propose a practical approximate second-order method including: 1) an approximation of the Hessian matrix and 2) a conjugate gradient (CG) based method. Our proposed approximate Hessian matrix is memory-efficient and can be applied to any FCNNs where the activation and criterion functions are twice differentiable. We devise a CG-based method incorporating one-rank approximation to derive Newton directions for training FCNNs, which significantly reduces both space and time complexity. This CG-based method can be employed to solve any linear equation where the coefficient matrix is Kronecker-factored, symmetric and positive definite. Empirical studies show the efficacy and efficiency of our proposed method.Comment: Change to AAAI-19 Versio

An e-Business Logistic Model in Taiwan

The current article develops a framework for an e-business logistic model in Taiwan. The model includes e-marketplace, logistic, organization, and informational systems factors. Data used for this research come from a survey of business groups, including marine and air carriers, terminal warehousing, custom brokers, shipping centers, and marine information service providers. Our study reveals relationships between essential variables for e-business trading in the logistic industry. These include organizational advantage and information technology, strategy and vision, consumer-directed service and planning, lower cost and high quality customer service, quick merchandise delivery and low inventory, and long-term development plans. Specifically, we found that the logistic industry in Taiwan ignores the details of purchasing procedure in e-marketplace operation, focusing more on actual merchandise delivery, consumer satisfaction, and downstream consumer service. In addition, the logistical industry in Taiwan also involves employee adjustment to the new environment, support from upper management, training and, application of information technology

Joint single-cell DNA accessibility and protein epitope profiling reveals environmental regulation of epigenomic heterogeneity.

Here we introduce Protein-indexed Assay of Transposase Accessible Chromatin with sequencing (Pi-ATAC) that combines single-cell chromatin and proteomic profiling. In conjunction with DNA transposition, the levels of multiple cell surface or intracellular protein epitopes are recorded by index flow cytometry and positions in arrayed microwells, and then subject to molecular barcoding for subsequent pooled analysis. Pi-ATAC simultaneously identifies the epigenomic and proteomic heterogeneity in individual cells. Pi-ATAC reveals a casual link between transcription factor abundance and DNA motif access, and deconvolute cell types and states in the tumor microenvironment in vivo. We identify a dominant role for hypoxia, marked by HIF1α protein, in the tumor microvenvironment for shaping the regulome in a subset of epithelial tumor cells