Detecting opportunities for parallel observations on the Hubble Space Telescope

The presence of multiple scientific instruments aboard the Hubble Space Telescope provides opportunities for parallel science, i.e., the simultaneous use of different instruments for different observations. Determining whether candidate observations are suitable for parallel execution depends on numerous criteria (some involving quantitative tradeoffs) that may change frequently. A knowledge based approach is presented for constructing a scoring function to rank candidate pairs of observations for parallel science. In the Parallel Observation Matching System (POMS), spacecraft knowledge and schedulers' preferences are represented using a uniform set of mappings, or knowledge functions. Assessment of parallel science opportunities is achieved via composition of the knowledge functions in a prescribed manner. The knowledge acquisition, and explanation facilities of the system are presented. The methodology is applicable to many other multiple criteria assessment problems

Beam profiles measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters

Beam profilometer, using thermoluminescent dosimeters, gives a quantitative and qualitative representation of the focus of an external protron beam of a synchrotron. The total number of particles in the beam, particle distribution, and the shape of the beam are determined

The Effects of Coverant Control Therapy Under Two Different Conditions on Depression

Twenty seven undergraduate psychology students were randomly assigned to two treatment groups and one no treatment control group to assess the effects of Coverant Control Therapy (CCT) under 2 different conditions on depression. The research was an analogue study. The first treatment group received CCT in a didactic format, while the second treatment group received CCT in an encounter group format. The control group assembled jigsaw puzzles. All subjects were administered the Multiple Affective Adjective Check List (MAACL) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory D scale for pre-, post-, and followup testing. Groups met for 4 sessions. Separate one-way analyses of variance were performed on pre-, post-, and followup scores on both measures. One significance was obtained in post-test MAACL scores. A Least Squares Difference post hoc analysis indicated that CCT in conjunction with a warm therapeutic relationship was more effective than either CCT delivered without the therapeutic relationship or a no treatment control group. It was concluded that CCT with the relationship condition is effective in elevating mood for a college population. Additional research was recommended to assess optimal length of treatment, and to improve generalization of results

The Impact of Self-Control on Investment Decisions

This paper explores how reduced self-control affects individual investment behavior in two laboratory tasks. For this purpose, I exogenously reduce subjects’ self-control using a well-established psychological treatment. In each task, I find no significant main treatment effect, but secondary effects consistent with findings on self-control from other studies and self-control’s potential relevance in financial markets. In experiment 1, I find no significant change in the disposition effect following the manipulation. However, treated participants trade fewer different shares per round. In experiment 2, I look at the effect of self-control on myopic loss aversion by implementing a 2×2 design by varying investment horizon and self-control in a repeated lottery environment. Average behavior suggests that reduced self-control increases framing effects, but I cannot reject the null hypothesis of equal investment levels between the self-control treatments within each investment frame. Analyzing the dynamics of decision making in more detail, self-control depleted participants in the narrow frame reduce their investment levels on average over time which seems to be driven by more intense reactions to investment experiences

The Evolution of Teaching and Testing Aviation English for Brazilian Air Traffic Controllers

This presentation will outline some interesting facts and information about a decade of ATCO training and testing in Brazil, concerning courses offered, people trained on the job, test development and test applications. There will be some information about methodology used in the courses and the Blended Learning Training Program, as well as the creation of a research group to support the practices. It will be possible to see the evolution of the processes through time. The numbers are impressive and reflect a country with the size of a continent

1. Kryptotag - Workshop über Kryptographie

Der Report enthält eine Sammlung aller Beiträge der Teilnehmer des 1. Kryptotages am 1. Dezember 2004 in Mannheim