Evaluating distributed cognitive resources for wayfinding in a desktop virtual environment.

As 3D interfaces, and in particular virtual environments, become increasingly realistic there is a need to investigate the location and configuration of information resources, as distributed in the humancomputer system, to support any required activities. It is important for the designer of 3D interfaces to be aware of information resource availability and distribution when considering issues such as cognitive load on the user. This paper explores how a model of distributed resources can support the design of alternative aids to virtual environment wayfinding with varying levels of cognitive load. The wayfinding aids have been implemented and evaluated in a desktop virtual environment

The Financial Position of Pennsylvania's Public Sector: Past, Present, and Future

This report is the third of three reports that address the fiscal conditions of other states, explores the factors that explain the conditions, and the likely future trends. FRC Report 15

Coagulation and anticoagulation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an incurable, progressive interstitial lung disease with a prognosis that is worse than that of many cancers. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a link between IPF and thrombotic vascular events. Coagulation and fibrinolytic systems play central roles in wound healing and repair, processes hypothesised to be abnormal within the IPF lung. Animal models of pulmonary fibrosis have demonstrated an imbalance between thrombosis and fibrinolysis within the alveolar compartment, a finding that is also observed in IPF patients. A systemic prothrombotic state also occurs in IPF and is associated with increased mortality, but trials of anticoagulation in IPF have provided conflicting results. Differences in methodology, intervention and study populations may contribute to the inconsistent trial outcomes. The new oral anticoagulants have properties that may prove advantageous in targeting both thrombotic risk and progression of lung fibrosis

Theoretical and experimental studies in support of the geophysical fluid flow experiment

Computer programming was completed for digital acquisition of temperature and velocity data generated by the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) during the upcoming Spacelab 3 mission. A set of scenarios was developed which covers basic electro-hydrodynamic instability, highly supercritical convection with isothermal boundaries, convection with imposed thermal forcing, and some stably stratified runs to look at large-scale thermohaline ocean circulations. The extent to which the GFFC experimental results apply to more complicated circumstances within the Sun or giant planets was assessed

Mixed population Minority Game with generalized strategies

We present a quantitative theory, based on crowd effects, for the market volatility in a Minority Game played by a mixed population. Below a critical concentration of generalized strategy players, we find that the volatility in the crowded regime remains above the random coin-toss value regardless of the "temperature" controlling strategy use. Our theory yields good agreement with numerical simulations.Comment: Revtex file + 3 figure

Two loop renormalization of the magnetic coupling in hot QCD

Well above the critical temperature hot QCD is described by 3d electrostatic QCD with gauge coupling $g_E$ and Debye mass $m_E$. We integrate out the Debye scales to two loop accuracy and find for the gauge coupling in the resulting magnetostatic action $g_M^2=g_E^2(1-{1\over{48}}{g_E^2N\over{\pi m_E}} -{17\over{4608}}({g_E^2N\over{\pi m_E}})^2+O(({g_E^2N\over{\pi m_E}})^3))$.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Cosmetic changes. To be published in Phys. Lett.