This paper reports recent advances in batch mode micro-electro-discharge machining (μEDM) for high precision micromachining of metal alloys such as stainless steel. High-aspect-ratio silicon microstructures with fine feature sizes formed by deep reactive ion etching are used as cutting tools. To machine workpiece features with widths 10 μm, a silicon dioxide coating is necessary to passivate th...

Flux balance models of metabolism use stoichiometry of metabolic pathways, metabolic demands of growth, and optimality principles to predict metabolic flux distribution and cellular growth under specified environmental conditions. These models have provided a mechanistic interpretation of systemic metabolic physiology, and they are also useful as a quantitative tool for metabolic pathway design...

Interactive and batch tasks typically have aperiodic random demands and arrival patterns. Generally, interactive tasks are assigned high priority for high responsiveness. Batch tasks with less timing criticality are scheduled in background. Unfortunately, most real-time DVS algorithms focus only on the real-time task workload and timing constraints in determining the operating power-optimized c...

This paper highlights the crucial role that modern machine learning techniques can play in the optimization of treatment strategies for patients with chronic disorders. In particular, we focus on the task of optimizing a deep-brain stimulation strategy for the treatment of epilepsy. The challenge is to choose which stimulation action to apply, as a function of the observed EEG signal, so as to ...

The use of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a universal biomass indicator is built on the premise that ATP concentration tracks rather than physiological condition cells. However, reportedly high variability in response to environmental conditions main reason method has not found widespread application. To test possible sources this variability, we used diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii model and...

We introduce the Optimal Sample Selection (OSS) meta-algorithm for solving discrete-time Optimal Control problems. This meta-algorithm maps the problem of finding a near-optimal closed-loop policy to the identification of a small set of one-step system transitions, leading to high-quality policies when used as input of a batch-mode Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithm. We detail a particular i...

The production of value-added chemicals from the bioconversion of lignocellulose biomass has been considered a promising venture. In this study, microwave, alkali-pretreated empty fruit bunch (EFB) was used as the substrate, utilizing pelletized filamentous Rhizopus oryzae NRRL 395 and cellulolytic enzymes for lactic acid production in a fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation ...

Desalination of brackish groundwater (BW) is an effective approach to augment water supply, especially for inland regions that are far from seawater resources. Brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) desalination is still subject to intensive energy consumption compared to the theoretical minimum energy demand. Here, we review some of the BWRO plants with various system arrangements. We look at h...

Investigations were carried out with the aim of producing L-glutamic acid from Brevibacterium sp. by utilizing a locally available starchy substrate, cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). Initial studies were carried out in shake flasks, which showed that even though the yield was high with 85-90 DE (Dextrose Equivalent value), the maximum conversion yield (~34%) was obtained by using only partia...

The mode of action of short, nonhelical antimicrobial peptides is still not well understood. Here we show that these peptides interact with ATP and directly inhibit the actions of certain ATP-dependent enzymes, such as firefly luciferase, DnaK, and DNA polymerase. α-Helical and planar or circular antimicrobial peptides did not show such interaction with ATP.