Best Selling Books by Jae Lee

The ka-tet of Roland, Alain and Cuthbert have returned safely to their home in Gilead. But all is not well. Roland has kept the evil Maerlyn''s Grapefruit and has become obsessed with peering into its pinkish depths despite the deadly toll it''s taken on his health. And what the young gunslinger sees brings him the darkest of nightmares. Meanwhile, Roland''s father has led a posse in search of those who threatened his son''s life in Hambry-John Farson and the Big Coffin Hunters. And in this encounter, Stephen Deschain''s life may be forfeit. Collecting: Dark Tower: Treachery #1-6

Wireline formation testers are widely used to measure in-situ fluid pressure, to retrieve reservoir fluid samples, and to estimate formation mobility. However, formation-tester measurements are invariably influenced by mud-filtrate invasion due to drilling overbalance pressure, thereby affecting the acquisition of uncontaminated fluid samples and the estimation of in-situ petrophysical properties. Moreover, in cases of stress-sensitive formations, rock mechanical deformation may take place due to the combined effects of in-situ stress, wellbore stress imposed by mud overbalance, and wellbore pressure exerted by the formation tester itself. The latter deformation causes near-borehole perturbations of porosity and permeability that are evidenced by pressure transients measured during build-up and shut-in stages of formation testing, especially when using dual-packer pressure probes. If unaccounted for, such perturbations can also bias the estimation of in-situ fluid and petrophysical properties. Conversely, the detection and quantification of elastic mechanical deformation effects on measured pressure transients can be used to infer the underlying rock elastic and petrophysical properties of the stressed formation. The purpose of this dissertation is twofold: (a) to quantify the relative effects of mud-filtrate invasion and geomechanical deformation on pressure-transient measurements acquired with dual-packer formation testers, with special emphasis on the appraisal of near-borehole porosity and permeability enhancement due to elastic mechanical deformation, and (b) to develop a new method to estimate elastic and petrophysical properties of rock formations from dual-packer pressure transients acquired in mechanically deformable rocks. Numerical simulations of mud-filtrate invasion are performed with an axialsymmetric two-phase (water-oil) method that enforces the specific boundary and source conditions of a wellbore that penetrates horizontal layers. Simulations are performed in a cylindrical system of coordinates using finite differences together with an implicit-pressure, explicit-saturation time-marching approach that also incorporates the dynamic conditions of immiscible mudcake growth due to filtration of solids at the wellbore. Laboratory experiments are conducted to further study pressure transients due to formation testing in the presence of invasion with water-base mud. Experiments include the effects of both mud circulation and mudcake on pressure-transient measurements and are performed on a variety of rock-core samples. Measurements are successfully validated with both the developed simulator and a commercial simulator, thereby lending credence to the assumed model of dynamic solid filtration. The developed mud-filtrate fluid-flow simulator is coupled with a finite-element code that assumes 2D axial-symmetric linear elasticity to quantify geomechanical deformation. Coupling of mechanical deformation with variations of porosity and permeability assumes a staggered-in-time, iteratively coupled volumetric model. We assume a dual-packer formation tester to quantify elastic deformation effects in stress-sensitive formations as a preamble to estimating in-situ elastic and petrophysical properties. It is shown that near-wellbore spatial variations of porosity and permeability due to mechanical deformation can bias the corresponding pressure-transient measurements acquired with the dual-packer formation-tester. The degree of biasing depends on the rigidity of the stressed formation. Finally, we develop a method to estimate in-situ petrophysical and elastic rock properties from pressure-transient measurements acquired with formation-testers in mechanically deformable rocks. Petrophysical and elastic properties will change in both time and space depending on the time evolution of the conditions that influence mechanical deformation. We use a commercial reservoir simulator to calculate pressure transients due to fluid pumpout in the presence of both invasion and mechanical deformation. A pre-stressed initial condition due to mud overbalance is assumed with incremental deformation due to surface force applied by the packers or probes, and active flow imposed by the formation-tester. In so doing, we consider pressure data sets acquired with both flow and observation probes during draw-down and build-up periods. For cases where a-priori information can be sufficiently constrained, our estimation method provides reliable and accurate estimates of petrophysical and elastic properties in the presence of moderate levels of random noise.

The Northeast Asia Economic Forum (NEAEF) is a regional nongovernmental organization created in 1991 to sponsor and facilitate research, networking, and dialogue relevant to the economic and social development of Northeast Asia. The Forum is also committed to promoting understanding and relations among the peoples of Northeast Asia, North America, and Europe. NEAEF''s main objective is to conduct research and conference activities aimed at functional economic cooperation such as cross-border energy, transportation and logistics infrastructure development, and capital mobilization. The Forum holds annual conferences, workshops, and seminars for planning, facilitating, coordinating, and implementing international and interdisciplinary solutions to common policy problems. It is the only nongovernmental regional organization in which all the nations of Northeast Asia and the US are consistent and active participants. For the year 2016, NEAEF in collaboration with the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), carried out activities aimed at building a Northeast Asian economic community. NEAEF has established the basis of a strong network for functional cooperation, for example, regular discussions among stakeholders on financing cross border infrastructure development. For the year 2016, the goal was to take more concrete steps toward a Northeast Asian economic community including efforts to increase dialogue with North Korea, with a view to future functional cooperation. NEAEF has continued to maintain a cooperative networking approach and exchanges with North Korea regarding the Tumen River Area and North Korean special economic zones. This year''s volume titled, Consensus Toward a Northeast Asian Economic Community presents the results of a project implemented in 2016 that includes the planning meeting discussions as well as the presentations and summaries of the 2016 NEAEF Annual Conference in Changchun, China.

Seeks to understand the nature of the relationship between non-cognitive skills and labor market success, using military rank as the measure of a quality such as leadership and discipline.

Optimization-based chemical production scheduling allows for efficient utilization of available assets and brings significant operational benefits including reduction in costs. Unfortunately, application of such techniques to industrial settings is challenging due to multiple reasons: (i) the optimization models need to be general to accommodate different production processes, (ii) the solution of such models need to be quick to allow for frequent updates to the schedules, and (iii) the models should be capable of providing multiple alternative schedules for the practitioners to compare and implement. The goal of this work is to address the aforementioned challenges and bring optimization-based scheduling techniques closer to industrial applications. First, we develop mathematical programming models for simultaneous batching and scheduling in general sequential production environment while taking into account various process features including storage policies and limited shared utilities. The models are based on novel modeling approaches which allow for exploitation of instance characteristics, thus leading to solution of large-scale instances. Second, we develop a novel framework for a solution algorithm that harnesses the advantages of discrete- and continuous-time scheduling models. Specifically, we propose an algorithm that has modeling flexibility and computational efficiency of discrete-time models, as well as high solution accuracy of their continuous counterparts. We investigate in detail how the algorithm can be improved and extended to solve real-world industrial instances that are thought to be computationally near impossible if transitional methods were to be used. Finally, we develop systematic methods to generate multiple alternative schedules, specifically to account for modeling simplifications introduced in the scheduling models and plant nervousness when revising schedules. We generate alternative schedules by quantifying specific characteristics of a schedule using explicitly defined metrics, which are favored at different degrees by penalizing them in the objective function with varying penalty weights. We show that, by leveraging penalty weights, schedules with desirable properties can be readily found.

A hardware state-machine circuit is described which efficiently implements the algorithm and outputs a four pixel segment every machine cycle."

The coupling and interactions between ship motion and inner-tank sloshing are investigated by a potential-viscous hybrid method in time domain. For the time domain simulation of vessel motion, the hydrodynamic coefficients and wave forces are obtained by a potential-theory-based 3D diffraction/radiation panel program in frequency domain. Then, the corresponding simulations of motions in time domain are carried out using the convolution-integral method. The liquid sloshing in a tank is simulated in time domain by a Navier-Stokes solver. A finite difference method with SURF scheme, assuming a singlevalued free surface profile, is applied for the direct simulation of liquid sloshing. The computed sloshing forces and moments are then applied as external excitations to the ship motion. The calculated ship motion is in turn inputted as the excitation for liquid sloshing, which is repeated for the ensuing time steps. For comparison, linear inner-fluid motion was calculated using a 3D panel program and it is coupled with the vessel motion program in the frequency domain. The developed computer programs are applied to a barge-type FPSO hull equipped with two partially filled tanks. The time domain simulation results show reasonably good agreement when compared with MARIN''s experimental results. The frequency domain results qualitatively reproduce the trend of coupling effects but the peaks are usually over-predicted. It is seen that the coupling effects on roll motions appreciably change with filling level. The most pronounced coupling effects on roll motions are the shift or split of peak frequencies. The pitch motions are much less influenced by the inner-fluid motion compared to roll motions. A developed program is also applied to a more realistic offloading configuration where a LNG-carrier is moored with a floating terminal in a side-by-side configuration. First, a hydrodynamic interaction problem between two bodies is solved successfully in frequency and time domain. A realistic mooring system, including fender, hawser, and simplified mooring system, is also developed to calculate the nonlinear behavior of two bodies in time domain simulation. Then, the LNG-carrier and sloshing problem are coupled in frequency and time domain, similar to the method in the MARIN-FPSO case. Sloshing effect on LNG-carrier motion is investigated with respect to different tank filling levels including various conditions such as gap distance between two bodies, selection of dolphin mooring system, and different cases of environmental conditions using wave, wind, and current.

This study was developed to identify the dynamics of family decision-making processes when purchasing a youth sport camps. Family decision-making has been an interesting subject in consumer behavior for many years but youth sport programs have not been widely studied. To examine the family decision process, both parents and children were asked to complete a web-based questionnaire in which they reported their perceptions of the relative influence of mother, father and child at each decision stage. Family members'' influence in the purchase decision was analyzed using a three-phase decision stage model; problem initiation stage, information search stage, and final purchase decision. Both parents and children perceived parents to have the most influence at each stage. Parents perceived that between the husband and wife, decisions were mostly made jointly. Children had the most influence at the problem initiation stage which was consistent with previous literature regarding recreation and leisure service. As children''s age increased, so did their relative influence over the purchase decision. The dominance of parents at the overall decision-making process and children''s involvement at the beginning of the decision process indicates that youth sport program marketers should develop dual channel marketing strategies to effectively and efficiently reach decision makers at each stage of the process.

Based on measurement results on a circular button ferrite inductor developed in this study, a prototype un-gapped variable ferrite inductor, which utilizes selected saturation to increase energy storage and can be controlled by an orthogonal current, was proposed in this study. The measurements on an assembled prototype rectagular button ferrite inductor based on the above design confirmed the expected behavior. The measured inductance was observed not only to decrease with increasing orthogonal current, but also with an appropriate choice of orthogonal current the inductance only has a small fluctuation within a designed excitation current range. Finite element method was extensively used to analyze and model problems involved in this study. 2D linear FEM modeling was used to evaluate the internal orthogonal field along a toroid axis and flux line distribution of magnetic devices, while 3D nonlinear FEM modeling was successfully used to study the evolution of the saturation regions of variable inductors and to model the terminal inductance of the variable inductors.

Background: The ankle brachial index (ABI) is a simple, inexpensive diagnostic test for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in type 2 DM(diabetes mellitus) patients. However the diagnostic criterion 0.9 has shown variable accuracy for identification of stenosis. This article studied more specific and sensitive diagnostic criterion of ABI for the diagnosis of PAD in type 2 DM patients.Methods: Among 4006 patients, aged from 19 to 80, who received ABI test with VP2000 (Colin Medical Technology company, Komaki, Japan) from 2010 to 2016 in DAEDONG hospital, 390 patients who had abnormal ABI results (

Purpose - This study examined how service providers effectively respond to consumer complaints in an online shopping environment by applying the fairness theory including distributive, procedural, and interactional fairness.Design/Methodology/Approach - Empirical research was conducted using three independent variables related to a sense of fairness perceived by the customers to test the relationships between the independent variables and customer empathy and trust. University students residing in dormitories in Seoul were surveyed.Findings - After collecting surveys from 200 university students in Seoul, South Korea, it was observed that the perceived sense of distributive, procedural, and interactional fairness positively contributed to customer empathy and trust.Research Implications - In the writing of this paper, this study has significance in indicating that in the case of disputes in an online shopping environment, customer representatives must respond to customer demands in a fair, timely, and professional manner to successfully connect with consumers and have their loyalty retained.

A fundamental kinetic model based upon the Hougen-Watson formalism was derived as a basis not only for a better understanding of the reaction behavior but also for the design and simulation of industrial reactors. Kinetic experiments were carried out using a commercial potassium-promoted iron catalyst in a tubular reactor under atmospheric pressure. Typical reaction conditions were temperature = 620°C, steam to ethylbenzene mole ratio = 11, and partial pressure of N2 diluent = 0.432 bar. Experimental data were obtained for different operating conditions, i.e., temperature, feed molar ratio of steam to ethylbenzene, styrene to ethylbenzene, and hydrogen to ethylbenzene and space time. The effluent of the reactor was analyzed on-line using two GCs. Kinetic experiments for the formation of minor by-products, i.e. phenylacetylene, [alpha]-methylstyrene, [beta]-methylstyrene, etc, were conducted as well. The reaction conditions were: temperature = 600°C ~ 640°C, a molar ratio of steam to ethylbenzene = 6.5, and partial pressure of N2 diluent = 0.43 bar and 0.64 bar. The products were analyzed by off-line GC. The mathematical model developed for the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation consists of nonlinear simultaneous differential equations in multiple dependent variables. The parameters were estimated from the minimization of the multiresponse objective function which was performed by means of the Marquardt algorithm. All the estimated parameters satisfied the statistical tests and physicochemical criteria. The kinetic model yielded an excellent fit of the experimental data. The intrinsic kinetic parameters were used with the heterogeneous fixed bed reactor model which is explicitly accounting for the diffusional limitations inside the porous catalyst. Multi-bed industrial adiabatic reactors with axial flow and radial flow were simulated and the effect of the operating conditions on the reactor performance was investigated. The dynamic equilibrium coke content was calculated using detailed kinetic model for coke formation and gasification, which was coupled to the kinetic model for the main reactions. The calculation of the dynamic equilibrium coke content provided a crucial guideline for the selection of the steam to ethylbenzene ratio leading to optimum operating conditions.

Jitter is defined as timing uncertainties of digital signals at their intended ideal positions in time. While it undermines valuable clock budget and limits the maximum clock frequency in I/O circuitry, it is one of the most difficult parameters to measure accurately due to the small value and randomness. This thesis proposes a random jitter RMS measurement method using AND and OR operations, which targets BIST applications. This thesis is organized as follows. Chapter 1 introduces the motivation of the proposed work. It includes a comparison between two major approaches to jitter measurement. Chapter 2 explains the proposed random jitter estimation method in detail. Chapter 3 describes circuit implementations with design considerations. Chapter 4 demonstrates estimation results from circuit level simulation runs. Chapter 5 discusses the source of error in the jitter estimation and concludes.

In treatment effect analysis, there are many cases where the treatment of interest is ordered (e.g. general-education years or medicine doses) and the control treatment is not zero, but a different type of treatment (a vocational training or a surgery). We develop an approach to find effects of partly ordered treatments, while correcting for possible treatment endogeneity with nearly parametric control functions. We use this control function approach, along with its supplementary version, to estimate effects of military ranks (ordered treatments) on wage relative to non-veteran status (control treatment) with the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study data. In our empirical analysis, the military rank effects differ much: officer has large positive effects, but enlisted ranks have small or no effects.

Factors affecting the in vivo nitrate reductase assay were investigated in order to optimize the assay conditions for various tissues of MM 106 apple trees. Optimum concentrations of nitrate and phosphate for in vivo nitrate reductase activities ranged from 50 to 100 mM and were tissue-specific. The optimum pH of the assay medium was 7.5. Vacuum infiltration and the addition of 2% (v/v) n-propanol to the assay medium resulted in stimulation of nitrate reductase activity. The in vivo nitrate reductase assays for leaves and stems were linear for at least 60 minutes following an initial 30 minute lag, whereas there was no lag phase in root tissues. The effect of nitrate supply in the nutrient solution on nitrogen accumulation and nitrate reductase activity was examined. Increasing nitrate supply resulted in increases in the concentration and amount of reduced nitrogen in leaves and stems. The reduced nitrogen contents of trunk bark and trunk wood were significantly decreased when low nitrate was supplied, whereas that of roots was changes insignificantly. Most organs of MM 106 apple trees contained only a small portion of their total nitrogen as nitrate. The activity of nitrate reductase was measured using in vivo assay either with or without nitrate, namely in vivo +NO$sb3sp-$ and in vivo $-$NO$sb3sp-$ nitrate reductase assay. The in vivo $-$NO$sb3sp-$ assay may be the better way to estimate reduced nitrogen accumulation than the in vivo +NO$sb3sp-$ assay. Increasing nitrate supply resulted in significant increases of in vivo $-$NO$sb3sp-$ nitrate reductase activities of all organs. The proportion of leaf nitrate reductase activity to the total activity increased as the nitrate supply increased. The stems also contributed considerably to the total nitrate reductase activity accounting for as much as 23.5% of the total activity. Therefore, it can be concluded that nitrate reduction can occur in various parts of MM 106 apple trees as long as nitrate is available. Effect of darkness on nitrate reduction was also examined in MM 106 apple leaves. As the period of darkness increased, nitrate reductase activity decreased and the accumulation of nitrate increased. The decrease in nitrate reductase activity with increasing period of darkness may be related to the decrease in soluble sugars.

In addition, various existing policy dialogue channels at the central government, regional government, and business levels are examined.On the basis of assessment of existing policy dialogue channels and comparative studies on existing regional consultative entities such as APEC, ASEAN 3 framework and ASEAN, the main characteristics and expected positive effects of the TEC as well as the gradual strategy to realize it are suggested.Being a regional consultative entity for economic cooperation, the structure of the TEC is likely to be similar to that of APEC. However, since it has only three members, it would be much easier to agree on the agenda and to operate effectively. In addition, the possible areas of cooperation would be more extensive than other regional consultative entities, because the three countries share many commonalities such as strong manufacturing sectors, weak service sectors and agriculture, high external energy dependency, and usage of Chinese characters.