HIGHLY SYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION - CHARACTERIZATION, MODELING AND CONTROL

There exists a class of systems with requirements for real-time data delivery, limits on end-to-end delay, and limits on jitter. These systems can have components distributed across a wide area. In addition, the components distributed across a wide area require that the arrival and departure of data occur synchronously. To support these classes of systems, the communication systems must be able to transmit the required information within a pre-determined window of time. Due to the synchronous nature and requirements of these classes of systems, they are referred to as being Synchronous Dependent (SD). This research models and characterizes a serial communication link for application in a strict time constraint environment. These applications will also have limitations on jitter and delay, relative to the need to synchronize with other components of the system. Additionally, the research provides the modeling of users that utilize applications with relaxed constraints. The communication link will be able to support multiple users with varying requirements, from highly periodic control data to aperiodic general data. The network link is a modified T-channel, with resource reservation applying to both bandwidth and size allocation of a data frame. In contrast to a standard T-channel, the link has adjustable channel sizes, as well as the capability to shift a transmission out of the assigned channel into a channel either earlier or later than the previously assigned channel. In addition, a user may use more than one consecutive channel for the transmission of a single instance of information, i.e., multiple channels can be viewed as concatenated for use by a single user. The purpose of the channel is to provide a dedicated time slot available to the user that needs to transmit at a specific time that is also periodic. Through the modeling of the user's communications across the link, it is possible to examine the potential effects of the various characteristics of the individual user on the other users requesting access to the link. Assuming no adverse affects and to insure that time sensitive data are delivered on time, a method to determine the acceptability of the admission of the given user has been designed to determine which users will have access to the link and those that will not

O/IR Polarimetry for the 2010 Decade (GAN): Science at the Edge, Sharp Tools for All

Science opportunities and recommendations concerning optical/infrared polarimetry for the upcoming decade in the field of Galactic science. Community-based White Paper to Astro2010 in response to the call for such papers.Comment: White Paper to the Galactic Neighborhood (GAN) Science Frontiers Panel of the Astro2010 Decadal Surve

The sweet spot in sustainability: a framework for corporate assessment in sugar manufacturing

The assessment of corporate sustainability has become an increasingly important topic, both within academia and in industry. For manufacturing companies to conform to their commitments to sustainable development, a standard and reliable measurement framework is required. There is, however, a lack of sector-specific and empirical research in many areas, including the sugar industry. This paper presents an empirically developed framework for the assessment of corporate sustainability within the Thai sugar industry. Multiple case studies were conducted, and a survey using questionnaires was also employed to enhance the power of generalisation. The developed framework is an accurate and reliable measurement instrument of corporate sustainability, and guidelines to assess qualitative criteria are put forward. The proposed framework can be used for a company’s self-assessment and for guiding practitioners in performance improvement and policy decision-maki

Observational Evidence of Wave Ducting and Evanescence in the Mesosphere

A collaborative radar and imaging study of gravity waves over the Hawaiian Islands was performed during October 1993 as part of the Airborne Lidar and Observations of Hawaiian Airglow 1993/Coupling and Dynamics of Regions Equatorial (ALOHA-93/CADRE) campaign to investigate the propagation characteristics of short-period (\u3c1 hour) waves at nightglow altitudes. The horizontal wavelengths and apparent phase speeds of quasi-monochromatic wave events were measured in four separate nightglow emissions using data obtained by a high-resolution CCD imager. This information was correlated with simultaneous MF radar wind measurements over the same height interval (∼80–100 km) to infer intrinsic wave parameters in each case. Correlating the two data sets allowed the determination of the local vertical wavenumber for each event, in particular whether it be real (indicative of freely propagating waves) or imaginary (indicative of ducted or evanescent waves). The results of this study indicate a preponderance of ducted or evanescent waves at 80–100 km during the time of the observations, with up to ∼75% of the events recorded exhibiting ducted or evanescent behavior. Also noted was a tendency for ducted behavior to be more prevalent among waves with shorter horizontal wavelengths, in agreement with Doppler ducting theory. These results suggest that ducted waves are relatively common in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere region, at least over the mid-Pacific Ocean. As small-scale waves which are ducted have the potential to travel much longer horizontal distances than freely propagating waves, the frequency of their occurrence should be taken into account in efforts to quantify gravity wave effects at these altitudes

The state of the focus and image quality of the Spitzer Space Telescope as measured in orbit

We describe the process by which the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) Cryogenic Telescope Assembly (CTA) was brought into focus after arrival of the spacecraft in orbit. The ground rules of the mission did not allow us to make a conventional focus sweep. A strategy was developed to determine the focus position through a program of passive imaging during the observatory cool-down time period. A number of analytical diagnostic tools were developed to facilitate evaluation of the state of the CTA focus. Initially, these tools were used to establish the in-orbit focus position. These tools were then used to evaluate the effects of an initial small exploratory move that verified the health and calibration of the secondary mirror focus mechanism. A second large move of the secondary mirror was then commanded to bring the telescope into focus. We present images that show the CTA Point Spread Function (PSF) at different channel wavelengths and demonstrate that the telescope achieved diffraction limited performance at a wavelength of 5.5 μm, somewhat better than the level-one requirement

Recommendations for selecting drug-drug interactions for clinical decision support

To recommend principles for including drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in clinical decision support

O/IR Polarimetry for the 2010 Decade (PSF): Science at the Edge, Sharp Tools for All

Science opportunities and recommendations concerning optical/infrared polarimetry for the upcoming decade in the fields of planetary systems and star formation. Community-based White Paper to Astro2010 in response to the call for such papers.Comment: White Paper to the Planetary Systems and Star Formation (PSF) Science Frontiers Panel of the Astro2010 Decadal Surve

Understanding Polarized Foreground from Dust: Towards Reliable Measurements of CMB Polarization

Science opportunities and recommendations concerning optical/infrared polarimetry for the upcoming decade in the field of cosmology. Community-based White Paper to Astro2010 in response to the call for such papers.Comment: White Paper to the Cosmology and Fundamental Physics (GCT) Science Frontiers Panel of the Astro2010 Decadal Surve

Comparison of the adrenalytic activity of mitotane and a methylated homolog on normal adrenal cortex and adrenal cortical carcinoma

Mitotane is an important adrenalytic drug for the treatment of adrenal cancer whose use is limited by toxicity. Reports from another laboratory indicated that a methylated homolog of Mitotane (Mitometh) tested in guinea pigs possessed comparable adrenalytic activity but was less toxic than Mitotane. This observation prompted us to undertake a comparative study of these two drugs on the basis that Mitometh may be a superior agent for the treatment of adrenal cancer. Preliminary studies in guinea pigs failed to show a significant adrenalytic effect for either Mitotane or Mitometh. Thus, we extended the study to 13 mongrel dogs weighing 12–15 kg that were treated daily with Mitometh or Mitotane (50–100 mg/kg) for 6 or 12 days. Cortisol decreased to undetectable levels and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) rose to 10 times the baseline levels within 72 h in Mitotane-treated animals. Despite the achievement of similar drug levels, Mitometh treatment in dogs failed to suppress cortisol or increase ACTH. To determine whether these differences were due to differences in bioavailability, we measured the relative concentration of Mitotane and Mitometh in homogenates of adrenal cortex obtained from Mitotane- and Mitometh-treated dogs. The adrenal concentration of Mitometh determined in Mitometh-treated dogs was 5 times higher than the concentration of Mitotane measured in Mitotane-treated animals. Whereas the adrenal glands of Mitotane-treated dogs showed hemorrhage and necrosis, the Mitometh-treated animals showed no adrenal damage. Despite the lack of adrenalytic activity, Mitometh maintained its toxicity as demonstrated by microscopic evidence of hepatic necrosis and an increase in hepatic enzymes. The adrenalytic effects of both agents was also studied in vitro using a human functioning adrenal cortical carcinoma cell line. NCI-H295. Whereas Mitotane strongly suppressed cell growth, Mitometh had a weaker effect. We conclude that Mitometh is not likely to be effective in the therapy of adrenal cancer. Moreover, the results of this study are supportive of the view that metabolic transformation of Mitotane is in some way linked to its adrenalytic action.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46925/1/280_2004_Article_BF00685036.pd