Coaxial inverted geometry transistor having buried emitter

The invention relates to an inverted geometry transistor wherein the emitter is buried within the substrate. The transistor can be fabricated as a part of a monolithic integrated circuit and is particularly suited for use in applications where it is desired to employ low actuating voltages. The transistor may employ the same doping levels in the collector and emitter, so these connections can be reversed

Development of an Expert System to Convert Knowledge-based Geological Engineering Systems into Fortran

A knowledge-based geographic information system (KBGIS) for geological engineering map (GEM) production was developed in GoldWorks, an expert system development shell. GoldWorks allows the geological engineer to develop a rule base for a GEM application. Implementation of the resultant rule base produced a valid GEM, but took too much time. This proved that knowledge-based GEM production was possible but in GoldWorks implementation failed as a practical production system. To solve this problem, a Conversion Expert System was developed which accepted, as input, a KBGIS and produced, as output, the equivalent Fortran code. This allowed the engineer to utilize GoldWorks for development of the rule base while implementing the rule base in a more practical manner (as a Fortran program). Testing of the Fortran program generated by this Conversion System confirmed that the GEMs produced were identical to those from the KBGIS, and execution time was significantly reduced. There was an additional benefit; since use of the Fortran program did not require access to the GoldWorks System, a single GoldWorks package could be used with the Conversion System to develop several Fortran production systems. These systems could then be used at remote production sites. However, each Fortran production system still required access to the Earth Resources Data Analysis System (ERDAS) that supplied the GIS input and output files. Thus, this Conversion System achieved two major objectives; it dramatically reduced GEM production time, and it added versatility

An Expert System to Convert Knowledge-Based Geological Engineering Systems into Fortran

A knowledge-based geographic information system (KBGIS) for geological engineering map (GEM) production was developed in GoldWorks, an expert system development shell. Using this shell, the geological engineer is able to develop a rule base for a particular application that results in a valid GEM. However, this implementation failed as a practical production system due to the excessive execution time required to produce a GEM. To solve this problem, a conversion expert system was developed which accepted, as input, a KBGIS and produced, as output, the equivalent Fortran code. Two major objectives are accomplished as a result of this system: GEN production time is dramatically reduced and the versatility of the KBGIS development environment is retained. The conversion expert system was tested by converting the Midwestern KBGIS expert syste

Factor Analysis of the Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale for Children in Head Start Programs

Strength-based assessment of behaviors in preschool children provides evidence of emotional and behavioral skills in children, rather than focusing primarily on weaknesses identified by deficit-based assessments. The Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scales (PreBERS) is a normative assessment of emotional and behavioral strengths in preschool children. The PreBERS has well-established reliability and validity for typically developing children as well as children with identified special education needs, but this has not yet been established for children in Head Start programs, who tend to be at high risk for development of emotional and behavioral concerns. This study explores the factorial validity of the PreBERS scores for a large sample of children participating in Head Start programs around the United States. Results not only confirm the fit of the four-factor model of the PreBERS for this population, but also demonstrate the application of a bifactor model to the structure of the PreBERS which, in turn, allows for the computation of model-based reliability estimates for the four subscales (Emotional Regulation, School Readiness, Social Confidence, Family Involvement) and overall strength index score. The implications suggest that the PreBERS items are reliable scores that can be used to identify behavioral strengths in preschool children in Head Start, and support planning of interventions to selectively address component skills to promote child social and academic success

Subsonic Boundary-Layer Wavefront Spectra for a Range of Reynolds Numbers

Aero-optic measurements of turbulent boundary layers were performed in wind tunnels at the University of Notre Dame and California Institute of Technology for heated walls at a range of Reynolds numbers. Temporally resolved measurements of wavefronts were collected at a range of Mach numbers between 0.03 and 0.4 and the range of Re_θ between 1,700 and 20,000. Wavefront spectra for both heated and un-heated walls were extracted and compared to demonstrate that wall heating does not noticeably alter the shape of wavefront spectra in the boundary layer. The effect of Reynolds number on the normalized spectra was also presented, and an empirical spectral model was modified to account for Reynolds number dependence. Measurements of OPD_(rms) for heated walls were shown to be consistent with results from prior experiments, and a method of estimating OPD_(rms) and other boundary layer statistics from wavefront measurements of heated-wall boundary layers was demonstrated and discussed

Parental Directiveness and Responsivity toward Young Children with Complex Communication Needs

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine if parent responsiveness to their children with complex communication needs (CCN) during naturalistic play changed over an 18-month period and determine if any such changes were influenced by the child’s overall level of receptive and expressive language development, motor development or differing play contexts. This longitudinal information is important for early intervention speech-language pathologists and parents of children with developmental disabilities for whom the use of parent-directed responsivity interventions may be encouraged. Method: Over an 18-month period, 37 parents of young children who had physical and/or neurological disabilities participated in three home-based parent–child play episodes. Videotapes of each play episode were extracted and coded. Result: Results indicated parents who were initially responsive showed a significant tendency to continue to be so. Early on, parents were significantly more likely to be directive during object play than social play and significantly more likely to interact responsively during social play than object play. Conclusion: Parents of children with developmental disabilities were not consistently less responsive to their children based on motor or language capabilities. Previous reports of higher parental directiveness with children who have developmental disabilities may be attributable to object-based play interactions

Factor Analysis of the Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale for Children in Head Start Programs

Strength-based assessment of behaviors in preschool children provides evidence of emotional and behavioral skills in children, rather than focusing primarily on weaknesses identified by deficit-based assessments. The Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scales (PreBERS) is a normative assessment of emotional and behavioral strengths in preschool children. The PreBERS has well-established reliability and validity for typically developing children as well as children with identified special education needs, but this has not yet been established for children in Head Start programs, who tend to be at high risk for development of emotional and behavioral concerns. This study explores the factorial validity of the PreBERS scores for a large sample of children participating in Head Start programs around the United States. Results not only confirm the fit of the four-factor model of the PreBERS for this population, but also demonstrate the application of a bifactor model to the structure of the PreBERS which, in turn, allows for the computation of model-based reliability estimates for the four subscales (Emotional Regulation, School Readiness, Social Confidence, Family Involvement) and overall strength index score. The implications suggest that the PreBERS items are reliable scores that can be used to identify behavioral strengths in preschool children in Head Start, and support planning of interventions to selectively address component skills to promote child social and academic success

Comparison of Two Word Learning Techniques and the Effect of Neighborhood Density for Late Talkers

The investigators compared two techniques for teaching expressive vocabulary to late talkers: modeling with an expectant pause and modeling with an evoked child production. They also explored the influence of neighborhood density on children’s real word learning. Three late talkers (ages 25–33 months) received two alternating vocabulary treatments (expectant pause and evoked production) in the home. Two participants were identified as having an expressive language delay, and one participant was identified as having an expressive and receptive language delay. During the expectant pause treatment, the clinician paused several seconds after each target word model, looking at the child expectantly. In the evoked production condition, after each target word model, a child was prompted to say the word using a cloze procedure of the modeled phrase. Both treatments were effective for all participants; no consistent advantage of one treatment technique over the other was noted. Two participants produced denser words than sparse words, one in early sessions and one in later experimental sessions, but a consistent pattern was not present across all participants. This study provided support for focused vocabulary intervention with late talking toddlers. Receptive language skills and word form characteristics may help explain individual variations in response to treatment for late talkers