Packing identical simple polygons is NP-hard

Given a small polygon S, a big simple polygon B and a positive integer k, it is shown to be NP-hard to determine whether k copies of the small polygon (allowing translation and rotation) can be placed in the big polygon without overlap. Previous NP-hardness results were only known in the case where the big polygon is allowed to be non-simple. A novel reduction from Planar-Circuit-SAT is presented where a small polygon is constructed to encode the entire circuit

Patterns of adult sibling role involvement with brothers and sisters with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Adult siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are increasingly involved in family care, yet, adult siblings consistently report needing more information and support to engage in these roles. Knowing more about which roles siblings are likely to assume may help address this need. Thus, we further examined the most common roles assumed by adult siblings (N = 171), the demographic variables related to an increased likelihood of assuming specific roles, and the potential clusters in patterns of role assumption. We transformed qualitative data from an online survey with four open-ended questions about sibling relationships and roles into quantitative presence data for role-related codes in order to examine relationships between assumed roles and demographic variables. The most common roles assumed by adult siblings were friend, advocate, caregiver, and sibling. Key demographic variables related to role assumption included disability severity, emotional closeness, and age of the brother or sister with IDD. Cluster analyses indicated five potential categories of adult sibling role involvement: Companion, Least Involved, Highly Involved, Needs Focused, and Professional. Implications and future areas of research are shared.Accepted manuscrip

Using Artistic Process to Provide Outlets of Communication, Understanding, and Healing to Improve the Well Being of Selected Learners

Public schools in America follow a carefully structured pattern tied directly to the societies and cultures from within. While this structure may create a positive and familiar learning environment for some, others who are unfamiliar with the societal and cultural norms within public school structures, may be left behind. Some learners have simple language barriers that exclude them from activities as well as others during the school day; some choose silence out of fear or embarrassment from unknown circumstances; while others are labeled as Special Education and are not able to speak to others verbally as a normal child would. Whether their reactions to their environments are caused by relocation from overseas, trauma, or a learning disability that has altered reality for a family or child, children find relief in expression, nonverbal communication, and even therapeutic healing through the artistic process (Elbrecht and Antcliff, 2014).;In the United States it is more common than not to have multiples languages spoken in a classroom, and the percentage of students with disabilities, or those suffering from trauma has increased drastically (Dean, Hubbell, Pitler, and Stone, 2012,). Too often we simply remove the child from the general education room, or let them fall into a category of problem children, who are never expected to perform at the same level as the rest of the class. Instead of allowing such students to flounder, the use of artistic process or therapeutic art techniques could provide such students an outlet for communication, expression, healing, and overall well-being. Studying the effects of the artistic process could benefit the Art Education discipline and create a cross curricular path, connecting any subject where a child struggles to communicate. Artistic Process could also provide a therapeutic passage in the classroom for students who are suffering from trauma to assist in the overall well-being of the learner. Lastly it may provide a bridge between cultural and linguistic barriers, allowing the classroom to be fully connected and culturally diverse.;Using case study methodology, this research investigated how artistic process may be used to help individuals verbally communicate with instructors and peers within a selected setting in rural West Virginia. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential of using artistic process or art therapy with selected students suffering from trauma, disabilities, or inability to communicate, and determine whether alternative artistic approaches would aid educators in understanding the dispositions and thought processes of individual learners.;The research questions, which framed my study included: 1. Can artistic process and art therapy approaches improve the well-being of selected learners? a. What are the benefits of using art therapy approaches on non-verbal learners? b. What is talk therapy? c. What are the benefits of talk therapy on non-verbal learners? 2. How is artistic process used to positively communicate with non-verbal learners? a. Does artistic process make communication available for those who are unwilling or unable to communicate verbally? 3. Does artistic process stifle thinking and/or communication? a. Can artistic process help non-verbal learners with metacognitive process? b. Can art process support metacognitive process and thinking

The effect of a flat tax on the individual taxpayer

The 1996 presidential election brought the subject of the U.S. tax system up for debate. Politicians and citizens alike disagree over whether our tax system should be restructured, and if so whether a flat tax is the policy to impose. This paper examines our tax structure, explains the components of a flat tax, and presents support and opposition for a flat tax policy

Kindergarten Transitions: Family Perceptions of a Kindergarten Transition Program

While there is increasing research surrounding kindergarten transitions there is still a need to explore kindergarten transition guides and families perceptions of these particular experiences. This study explores family perceptions of a kindergarten transition program guide. Furthermore, the study examines families’ prior experiences with kindergarten transitions as they relate to being a part of a new specific kindergarten transition program. The researcher implements pre and post meetings with families surrounding an “All About Kindergarten” parent night. Additionally, surveys are distributed to those who participated in aspects of the transition process. An interview takes place to gain further insight. The conclusions comprise of: 1) Transitions are important to consider not only for the child but for the families as well. 2) It is beneficial to speak in person with a preschool and kindergarten teacher during the transition process. 3) Preschool programs should consider a transition guide that links with public schools

Abundance analysis of normal and mercury-manganase type late-B stars from optical spectra

The aim of this project was to perform an abundance analysis of a selection of mercury-manganese and normal A and B-type stars. Observations of thirteen stars were taken using the Hamilton Echelle Spectrograph and coude auxilliary telescope (CAT) situated at Lick Observatory. The high signal-to-noise optical spectra were reduced with the aid of the software packages FIGARO and VISTA. A technique for measuring the parasitic light parallel to the dispersion of the spectrum was devised; none was found (mean P = -1.0±0.8%), which implies that measured equivalent widths should be free of this important systematic error. Measurements were made of the wavelengths and equivalent widths of unblended spectral lines. The spectra were modelled using ATLAS-6 model atmospheres and the synthesis package UCLSYN. Effective temperatures and surface gravities for the programme stars were adopted from Smith and Dworetsky (1993). Abundances were generally determined by comparing synthetic equivalent widths to measured equivalent widths. Where line blends made this impossible, the observed spectra were compared to the synthetic spectra. The instrumental profile was determined from arc calibration lines and was found to be asymmetric; the profile was measured and was convolved with the synthetic spectra to allow a comparison with observations to be made. Microturbulence parameters for these stars were determined according to the method of Magain (1984); stars with effective temperatures below 11000K showed a positive value, but stars above this temperature yielded microturbulences consistent with zero. The abundances generally compare well with the literature and are in many cases an improvement on existing work. Phosphorus showed a positive correlation with effective temperature in HgMn stars and manganese also exhibits a strong correlation, in agreement with previous observations. The strong manganese line at λ4206.367 was found to exhibit a systematic discrepancy with respect to other manganese lines at high abundances; this is probably due to hyperfine structure and it is recommended that this line not be used for abundance analysis in the future unless its structure can be modelled explicitly