Data analysis with ordinal and interval dependent variables: examples from a study of real estate salespeople

This paper re-examines the problems of estimating the parameters of an underlying linear model using survey response data in which the dependent variables are in discrete categories of ascending order (ordinal, as distinct from numerical) or, where they are observed to fall into certain groups on a continuous scale (interval), where the actual values remain unobserved. An ordered probit model is discussed as an appropriate framework for statistical analysis for ordinal dependent variables. Next, a maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) derived from grouped data regression for interval dependent variable is discussed. Using LIMDEP, a packaged statistical program, survey data from an earlier manuscript are analyzed and the findings presented.

Expert system decision support for low-cost launch vehicle operations

Progress in assessing the feasibility, benefits, and risks associated with AI expert systems applied to low cost expendable launch vehicle systems is described. Part one identified potential application areas in vehicle operations and on-board functions, assessed measures of cost benefit, and identified key technologies to aid in the implementation of decision support systems in this environment. Part two of the program began the development of prototypes to demonstrate real-time vehicle checkout with controller and diagnostic/analysis intelligent systems and to gather true measures of cost savings vs. conventional software, verification and validation requirements, and maintainability improvement. The main objective of the expert advanced development projects was to provide a robust intelligent system for control/analysis that must be performed within a specified real-time window in order to meet the demands of the given application. The efforts to develop the two prototypes are described. Prime emphasis was on a controller expert system to show real-time performance in a cryogenic propellant loading application and safety validation implementation of this system experimentally, using commercial-off-the-shelf software tools and object oriented programming techniques. This smart ground support equipment prototype is based in C with imbedded expert system rules written in the CLIPS protocol. The relational database, ORACLE, provides non-real-time data support. The second demonstration develops the vehicle/ground intelligent automation concept, from phase one, to show cooperation between multiple expert systems. This automated test conductor (ATC) prototype utilizes a knowledge-bus approach for intelligent information processing by use of virtual sensors and blackboards to solve complex problems. It incorporates distributed processing of real-time data and object-oriented techniques for command, configuration control, and auto-code generation

Cytological techniques for meiotic chromosomes in Neurospora

Cytological techniques for meiotic chromosome

Laser radiation pressure slowing of a molecular beam

There is substantial interest in producing samples of ultracold molecules for possible applications in quantum computation, quantum simulation of condensed matter systems, precision measurements, controlled chemistry, and high precision spectroscopy. A crucial step to obtaining large samples of ultracold, trapped molecules is developing a means to bridge the gap between typical molecular source velocities (~150-600 m/s) and velocities for which trap loading or confinement is possible (~5-20 m/s). Here we show deceleration of a beam of neutral strontium monofluoride (SrF) molecules using radiative force. Under certain conditions, the deceleration results in a substantial flux of molecules with velocities <50 m/s. The observed slowing, from ~140 m/s, corresponds to scattering ~10000 photons. We also observe longitudinal velocity compression under different conditions. Combined with molecular laser cooling techniques, this lays the groundwork to create slow and cold molecular beams suitable for trap loading.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures. Supplementary material updated

The cost of systemic corticosteroid-induced morbidity in severe asthma : a health economic analysis

The study data-set was supported by the Respiratory Effectiveness Group through their academic partnership with Optimum Patient Care. Ciaran O'Neill was funded under a HRB Research Leader Award (RL/13/16).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Information on chromosome rearrangements

Chromosome rearrangement

An annotated pedigree of Neurospora crassa laboratory wild types, showing the probable origin of the nucleolus satellite and showing that certain stocks are not authentic.

An annotated pedigree of Neurospora crassa laboratory wild types, showing the probable origin of the nucleolus satellite and showing that certain stocks are not authentic

Scanning Electron Microscopy Structure and Firmness of Papain Treated Apple Slices

\u27Mcintosh\u27 apple (Malus domesrica Borkh.) slices were treated with papain. Textural changes were recorded with an Instron Universal Testing Machine. Structural changes and distribution of microorganisms in apple tissues after treatment were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Apple slices submerg ed in a 1% papain solution were significantly firmer than apple slices submerged in the distilled water control for a 24 hour period (P \u3c 0.05). Three and four days after slicing , a significantly smaller decay index was observed on the apple slices submerged in papain solution than on the control slices. Under SEM, less severe cell wall breakdown was observed on the apple tissues treated with papain than on apple tissues without treatment. Less spores were also observed on the papain treated apple slices than apple slices without treatment. Apple tissues treated with papain solution and distilled water also demonstrated noticeable st ru ctural differences. The apple tissues treated with papain solution for 18 hours retained the original cell structure while the cells in the apple tissues treated with distilled water collapsed