Initial thoughts on rapid prototyping techniques

This paper sets some context, raises issues, and provides our initial thinking on the characteristics of effective rapid prototyping techniques.After discussing the role rapid prototyping techniques can play in the software lifecycle, the paper looks at possible technical approaches including: heavily parameterized models, reusable software, rapid prototyping languages, prefabrication techniques for system generation, and reconfigurable test harnesses.The paper concludes that a multi-faceted approach to rapid prototyping techniques is needed if we are to address a broad range of applications successfully -- no single technical approach suffices for all potentially desirable applications

Information Model of Cloud App Scaling with Variable Load Peaks

The information model of cloud app was done. It is a formal description of cloud app infrastructure and possible transitions between them, and cloud app current working state classification criterion. Cloud app current state classification criterion on the basis of Page-Hinckley method and calendar of events related to the cloud app working state considers the current state to one of three classes in order to improve the accuracy of prediction of cloud app workload.Proposed criterion was compared with standard offline criterion that analyzes information about the entire time series of cloud app through a considerable time after the events that lead to the load peak, and therefore can\u27t be used when grading in real time. It is shown that the classification of cloud app state is consistent in 92 % of cases.The resulting information model of cloud app scaling with variable load peaks can be used as a component of information technology for cloud app scaling with variable load peaks

The Angular Intensity Correlation Functions C(1)C^{(1)} and C(10)C^{(10)} for the Scattering of S-Polarized Light from a One-Dimensional Randomly Rough Dielectric Surface

We calculate the short-range contributions $C^{(1)}$ and $C^{(10)}$ to the angular intensity correlation function for the scattering of s-polarized light from a one-dimensional random interface between two dielectric media. The calculations are carried out on the basis of a new approach that separates out explicitly the contributions $C^{(1)}$ a nd $C^{(10)}$ to the angular intensity correlation function. The contribution $C^{(1)}$ displays peaks associated with the memory effect and the reciprocal memory effect. In the case of a dielectric-dielectric interface, which does not support surface electromagnetic surface waves, these peaks arise from the co herent interference of multiply-scattered lateral waves supported by the in terface. The contribution $C^{(10)}$ is a structureless function of its arguments.Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages including 5 figures. To appear SPIE publicatio

The Scattering of Electromagnetic Waves from Two-Dimensional Randomly Rough Perfectly Conducting Surfaces: The Full Angular Intensity Distribution

By a computer simulation approach we study the scattering of $p$- or $s$-polarized light from a two-dimensional, randomly rough, perfectly conducting surface. The pair of coupled inhomogeneous integral equations for two independent tangential components of the magnetic field on the surface are converted into matrix equations by the method of moments, which are then solved by the biconjugate gradient stabilized method. The solutions are used to calculate the mean differential reflection coefficient for given angles of incidence and specified polarizations of the incident and scattered fields. The full angular distribution of the intensity of the scattered light is obtained for strongly randomly rough surfaces by a rigorous computer simulation approach.Comment: 15 pages (RevTeX

Educational Expectations and Attainment

This paper examines the role of educational expectations in the educational attainment process. We utilize data from a variety of datasets to document and analyze the trends in educational expectations between the mid-1970s and the early 2000s. We focus on differences across racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups and examine how young people update their expectations during high school and beyond. The results indicate that expectations rose for all students with the greatest increases among young women. Expectations have become somewhat less predictive of attainment over the past several decades but expectations remain strong predictors of attainment above and beyond other standard determinants of schooling. Interestingly, the data demonstrate that the majority (about 60 percent) of students update their expectations at least once between eighth grade and eight years post-high school. Updating appears to be based, in part, on the acquisition of new information about academic ability.

Formation and evolution of the protoplanetary disk

A disk formation model during collapse of the protosolar nebula, yielding a low-mass protoplanetary disk is presented. The following subject areas are covered: (1) circumstellar disks; (2) conditions for the formation of stars with disks; (3) early evolution of the protoplanetary disk; and (4) temperature conditions and the convection in the protoplanetary disk

Cognitive control and discourse comprehension in schizophrenia.

Cognitive deficits across a wide range of domains have been consistently observed in schizophrenia and are linked to poor functional outcome (Green, 1996; Carter, 2006). Language abnormalities are among the most salient and include disorganized speech as well as deficits in comprehension. In this review, we aim to evaluate impairments of language processing in schizophrenia in relation to a domain-general control deficit. We first provide an overview of language comprehension in the healthy human brain, stressing the role of cognitive control processes, especially during discourse comprehension. We then discuss cognitive control deficits in schizophrenia, before turning to evidence suggesting that schizophrenia patients are particularly impaired at processing meaningful discourse as a result of deficits in control functions. We conclude that domain-general control mechanisms are impaired in schizophrenia and that during language comprehension this is most likely to result in difficulties during the processing of discourse-level context, which involves integrating and maintaining multiple levels of meaning. Finally, we predict that language comprehension in schizophrenia patients will be most impaired during discourse processing. We further suggest that discourse comprehension problems in schizophrenia might be mitigated when conflicting information is absent and strong relations amongst individual words are present in the discourse context."There is no "centre of Speech" in the brain any more than there is a faculty of Speech in the mind.The entire brain, more or less, is at work in a man who uses language"William JamesFrom The Principles of Psychology, 1890"The mind in dementia praecox is like an orchestra without a conductor"Kraepelin, 1919

A Community Conversation on Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Services: Networks of Support, Gatekeepers to Care, and Non-Compulsory Fathering in a Black Urban Community

This study employed Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods to document needs and capacity around adolescent pregnancy and parenting in one predominately Black, low-income urban community. Using an iterative focus group method, we engaged 60 participants in a two-day community conversation. Quantitative data from an enrollment questionnaire and qualitative transcripts of the discussions are analyzed. Our results indicate that the community’s greatest capacity lies in a network of women. Men tend to participate in parenting more holistically once formal paternity is established. Neighborhood women typically introduce adolescents to prenatal care, so delays in revealing the pregnancy to them serves as a barrier to accessing prenatal care. Overall, participants want health agencies to uphold their formal social contracts with the community, but to entrust informal services to community members who have the necessary insight and expertise to deliver support and information that is usable in their social context

Partial Dynamical Symmetry and Anharmonicity in Gamma-Soft Nuclei

Partial dynamical symmetry is shown to be relevant for describing the anharmonicity of excited bands in $^{196}$Pt while retaining solvability and good SO(6) symmetry for the ground band.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, Proc. Int. Conf. on "Nuclear Structure and Dynamics", May 4-8, 2009, Dubrovnik, Croati