ADA: A NEW PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE.

In an attempt to control defense software costs while maintaining system reliability, the DOD (Department of Defense) has sponsored the development of a new programming language, called Ada. While Ada supports many of the features found in Fortran and Pascal, it has additional features making it easier and more reliable to use in large complex engineering software systems. Currently, the DOD is requiring that many new defense software systems be written in Ada. The author reviews the history of Ada\u27s development and examines the primary constructs of the language. The philosophy behind Ada program design is reviewed by designing and coding a simple program to add two matrices. Ada\u27s future prospects are examined as related to both defense and nondefense applications

Roles of Fiscal Policy in New Zealand

Economic growth is one of the objectives of the current government. Fiscal policy, encompassing government expenditure and taxation decisions, can significantly impact on economic growth. This paper proposes a framework which views fiscal policy through three lenses and applies this approach to consider how fiscal policy affects economic growth. The three lenses are: fiscal sustainability, fiscal structure and fiscal stabilisation. The paper reviews international literature pertaining to these three lenses and discusses the extent to which these lenses are incorporated into New Zealand’s current fiscal framework. Contemporary New Zealand fiscal challenges are discussed and, in light of these challenges, the paper concludes with consideration of areas to investigate which may yield improvements to the New Zealand fiscal framework.Fiscal policy, sustainability, stability, structure, taxation, government spending, economic growth

Trajectories of Prosociality from Early to Middle Childhood in Children at Risk of Developmental Language Disorder

Longitudinal research into the development of prosociality during childhood contributes to our understanding of individual differences in social and emotional outcomes. There is a dearth of literature on the development of prosociality in children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Data from the UK based Millennium Cohort Study was used to investigate prosociality from age 5 to 11 years in 738 children at risk of Developmental Language Disorder (r-DLD) and 12,972 children in a general population (GP) comparison group. Multilevel mixed effects regression models were run to investigate the mean change in prosociality and latent class growth analysis was used to identify heterogeneous groups of children who shared similar patterns of development. Overall, children at risk of DLD were less prosocial at age 5 and, although they did become more prosocial by the age of 11, they did not reach the same levels of prosociality as those in the GP group. Subsequent sub group analysis revealed four distinct developmental trajectories: stable high (19%), stable slightly low (36%), decreasing to slightly low (5%), and increasing to high (40%). Children at risk of DLD were less likely than those in the GP group to be in the stable high class and more likely to be in the stable slightly low class. For children at risk of DLD, being prosocial was protective against concurrent social and emotional difficulties. But being prosocial in early childhood was not protective against later social and emotional difficulties nor did the absence of prosociality in early childhood make social and emotional difficulties in middle childhood inevitable. Rather, the presence of prosociality in middle childhood was the key protective factor, regardless of prosociality in early childhood. Prosociality is not a key area of concern for children at risk of DLD. Instead, it is an area of relative strength, which can be nurtured to mitigate social and emotional difficulties in children at risk of DLD, particularly in middle childhood

Solvent resistant copolyimide

A solvent resistant copolyimide was prepared by reacting 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride with a diaimine blend comprising, based on the total amount of the diamine blend, about 75 to 90 mole percent of 3,4'-oxydianiline and about 10 to 25 mole percent p-phenylene diamine. The solvent resistant copolyimide had a higher glass transition temperature when cured at 350.degree. , 371.degree. and 400.degree. C. than LaRC.TM.-IA. The composite prepared from the copolyimide had similar mechanical properties to LaRC.TM.-IA. Films prepared from the copolyimide were resistant to immediate breakage when exposed to solvents such as dimethylacetamide and chloroform. The adhesive properties of the copolyimide were maintained even after testing at 23.degree., 150.degree., 177.degree. and 204.degree. C

Copolyimides prepared from ODPA, BTDA and 3,4'-ODA

A copolyimide was prepared by reacting 3,4'-oxydianiline (3,4'-ODA) with a dianhydride blend comprising, based on the total amount of the dianhydride blend, about 67 to 80 mole percent of 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) and about 20 to 33 mole percent of 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA). The copolyimide may be endcapped with up to about 10 mole percent of a monofunctional aromatic anhydride and has unbalanced stoichiometry such that a molar deficit in the dianhydride blend is compensated with twice the molar amount of the monofunctional aromatic anhydride. The copolyimide was used to prepare composites, films and adhesives. The film and adhesive properties were significantly better than those of LaRC.TM.-IA

Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson of Kentucky: A Political Biography

Fred M. Vinson, the thirteenth Chief Justice of the United States, started his political career as a small-town Kentucky lawyer and rose to positions of power in all three branches of federal government. Born in Louisa, Kentucky, Vinson earned undergraduate and law degrees from Centre College in Danville. He served 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he achieved acclaim as a tax and fiscal expert. President Roosevelt appointed him to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and later named him to key executive-branch positions. President Truman appointed him Secretary of the Treasury and then Chief Justice. The Vinson court was embroiled in critical issues affecting racial discrimination and individual rights during the cold war. Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson of Kentucky: A Political Biography offers a wealth of insight into one of the most significant and highly regarded political figures to emerge from Kentucky. James E. St. Clair is associate professor of journalism at Indiana University Southeast. Linda C. Gugin is professor of political science at Indiana University Southeast. At long last we have a first-rate biography of Fred Vinson that accounts for his significance in a thorough and readable fashion. Students of the U.S. Supreme Court, World War II, and American and Kentucky politics will profit from this book. —Robert M. Ireland This book conveys his life and times effectively. —Appalachian Heritage Presents a memorable portrait of an admirable in unappreciated statesman. —Appellate Practice Journal Provides a sympathetic, easily read portrait of a small-town lawyer who rose to the top levels of all three branches of federal government. —Centrepiece This readable biography of an eminent Kentuckian corrects this oversight to a significant degree and provides the basis for re-examining Vinson’s reputation. . . . An engaging narrative. —David J. Bodenhamer Frederick Moore Vinson (1890-1953) was the thirteenth chief justice of the United States (1946-1953), and, until now, the only one of that number without a full biography. —H-New Reviews A highly readable, balanced biography. . . . A useful addition to all libraries. —Journal of American History Their excellent biography is dedicated largely to showing the Vinson ‘was so much more’ than just head of the American judiciary from 1946 to 1953, for his pubic career prior to that had spanned a quarter-century and was among the most distinguished of his time. . . . A superb and much-needed contribution to political and judicial history. —Journal of Southern History The first in-depth analysis of Fred M. Vinson, Kentucky’s only chief justice of the United States. —Kentucky Monthly Provides a basis for reevaluating Vinson’s reputation as a failure on the Supreme Court. . . . This is a ‘must read’ for anyone who hopes to understand the Vinson court. —Law and Politics Book Review Meticulously assimilates—for the first time in a single source—an erudite yet accessible comparative analysis examining Vinson’s largely overlooked but pioneering roles in developing modern governmental functions. —Leo St. Clair and Gugin provide a sympathetic, easily read portrait of a successful and devoted public servant. Even half a century after his death, Vinson remains a model worthy of emulation. —Lexington Herald-Leader Opens a path for others to tread as the varied career of the most famous Kentuckian you’ve never heard of increasingly comes to light. —Louisville Courier-Journalhttps://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_law/1005/thumbnail.jp

Medial Axis Transform using Ridge Following

The intent of this investigation has been to find a robust algorithm for generation of the medial axis transform (MAT). The MAT is an invertible, object centered, shape representation defined as the collection of the centers of disks contained in the shape but not in any other such disk. Its uses include feature extraction, shape smoothing, and data compression. MAT generating algorithms include brushfire, Voronoi diagrams, and ridge following. An improved implementation of the ridge following algorithm is given. Orders of the MAT generating algorithms are compared. The effects of the number of edges in the polygonal approximation, shape area, number of holes, and number/distribution of concave vertices are shown from test results. Finally, a set of useful extensions to the ridge following algorithm are discussed

Deduction of a Functional Dependency from a Set of Functional Dependencies

This paper describes an algorithm called the Deduction Tracing Algorithm (DTA) which utilizes basic properties of functional dependencies from database systems and a modification of a tree search algorithm from artificial intelligence. The algorithm takes a set of functional dependencies, F, along with a specific functional dependency L → R as input and produces a list of functional dependencies from F that can be used to deduce L → R. The resulting algorithm is easily automated to provide relational database users with a tool for organizing their queries

Intensity Blending of Computer Image Generation-Based Displays

State-of-the-art combat simulators require a 360 degree field of view, allowing the pilot and radar intercept officer to have the same visibility in the simulator that they would experience in the aircraft. The sky/earth display must be computer - generated and displayed with a minimum of two channels to provide the most realistic display possible. The two channels of display come together in the dome, forming an equator, that must be as indiscernible to the aircrew as possible. To accomplish this, an algorithm has been developed for controlling the video output which makes the two separate channel displays appear as one continuous 360 degree display