Homologically arc-homogeneous ENRs

We prove that an arc-homogeneous Euclidean neighborhood retract is a homology manifold.Comment: This is the version published by Geometry & Topology Monographs on 22 April 200

Dilemma elimination for achieving compliance

Drama theory provides a means of modelling pre-play communication: that is the exchanges which take place between parties as they collectively shape the confrontational arena within which they must eventually take decisive action. Participants communicate objects called ‘positions’ and ‘intentions’ and share their ‘doubts’ about each others’ declarations. On the basis of this ‘communicated common knowledge’ those involved, seeking to act rationally, normally experience dilemmas. These prompt them to devise frame-breaking changes that alter the form of the interaction, perhaps placing additional pressure upon some parties whilst relieving that experienced by others. At some point these changes cease and the participants play their actions, possibly using game theory to inform their individual strategies. Within this context, this paper explores the process of dilemma elimination, specifically seeing whether there may be favourable sequences that could be adopted: these would show a commander the most beneficial route for advantageously resolving confrontations with other parties. Such sequences would both reduce or eliminate the commander’s own dilemmas, whilst aggravating or otherwise engineering those facing other parties so as to render them more compliant. The paper uses a new version of drama theory (DT2) that offers a simpler but no less powerful formulation of the dilemmas which has as yet not been widely applied in any field

Electric vehicle chassis dynamometer test methods at JPL and their correlation to track tests

Early in its electric vehicle (EV) test program, JPL recognized that EV test procedures were too vague and too loosely defined to permit much meaningful data to be obtained from the testing. Therefore, JPL adopted more stringent test procedures and chose the chassis dynamometer rather than the track as its principal test technique. Through the years, test procedures continued to evolve towards a methodology based on chassis dynamometers which would exhibit good correlation with track testing. Based on comparative dynamometer and track test results on the ETV-1 vehicle, the test methods discussed in this report demonstrate a means by which excellent track-to-dynamometer correlation can be obtained

An Infrared Study of Centaurus A

We present J, H and K-band images and 0.9-2.5 micron spectra of the nuclear regions of Centaurus A obtained with IRIS on the AAT. While K band has a point source coincident with the nucleus, at H and J we identify diffuse structure extending to the NE as a possible ionisation cone. By considering the NIR colours we show that the point-like K-band emission originates not from the nucleus itself, but from dust which has been shock heated by nuclear outflows. A J-K image reveals a band of high extinction across the nucleus lying perpendicular to the radio jet axis, as suggested by previous authors (Israel et al. 1990, Turner et al. 1992). We model the detailed structure of this extinction image with a circumnuclear torus of diameter 240+/-20 pc, thickness 75+/-4 pc, tilt 80+/-2 degrees to the line of sight and with the torus and radio jet axes aligned.Comment: Submitted to MNRAS on 6th Aug 1998. 12 latex pages including 4 postscript figures. 6 jpg colour figures are attached and can also be found at http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~jbryant/cenapub.htm

Special treatment reduces helium permeation of glass in vacuum systems

Internal surfaces of the glass component of a vacuum system are exposed to cesium in gaseous form to reduce helium permeation. The cesium gas is derived from decomposition of cesium nitrate through heating. Several minutes of exposure of the internal surfaces of the glass vessel are sufficient to complete the treatment

Ways of seeing evaluation

Copyright @ 2011 Brunel UniversityThis report summarises the evaluation of Ways of Seeing, a community arts project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and hosted by the Lightbox, Woking, Surrey from 2008-11. The people involved have had remarkable experiences, choosing how to take part in each stage of preparations for a major public art exhibition. All those involved had disabilities, primarily arising from mental health issues but also including physical disabilities. The project was skilfully designed and led to enable them to make a significant contribution, enhancing their well-being and resulting in the Ways of Seeing exhibition which was widely appreciated. The Lightbox is an award-winning museum, housing a permanent local history exhibition as well as touring major art exhibitions. The Ingram Modern Art collection is on permanent loan, with regular exhibitions of work from the collection. Since the Lightbox opened in 2007, it has had a stated intention to promote local community involvement, successfully obtaining external funding to support this work. Ways of Seeing was the most ambitious project to date, aiming to exhibit selected work from the Ingram Collection alongside art created as part of the project by local disabled people. The emphasis on ways of seeing reflected an interest in their diverse perspectives, especially in relation to long term mental health problems. A steering group was set up, with members from local mental health initiatives and an evaluation team from Brunel University. The project started by orientating participants to how art is created and exhibited, with a series of visits and workshops on major art collections and artists’ studios. This stage successfully attracted a range of people and was followed by taster workshops of different art techniques. Then participants examined every item in the Ingram Collection and agreed a selection to inspire their own artistic responses. All-day workshops were convened, covering the same techniques as before and giving everyone space and time to get started. Curation of the exhibition gathered pace as final selections were made from participants’ art works and the Ingram Collection. The exhibition offered opportunities for everyone to have selections of their work exhibited to the public alongside the selected work from the Ingram Collection. A video artist captured the project in film and an MSc occupational therapy student from Brunel University undertook independent interviews of participants. It is clear that this multi-stage and carefully considered approach was highly successful in engaging people who are often excluded from arts events and venues. It was also successful in engaging the public in an innovative and thought-provoking exhibition, challenging assumptions about mental health and promoting the benefits of participation. The willingness of the Lightbox to host and support the project was essential. Based on tolerance, respect and a sympathetic curiosity, with clear and skilled leadership, the project enabled participants to make significant changes in their own lives.This study was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund

SOTXTSTREAM: Density-based self-organizing clustering of text streams

A streaming data clustering algorithm is presented building upon the density-based selforganizing stream clustering algorithm SOSTREAM. Many density-based clustering algorithms are limited by their inability to identify clusters with heterogeneous density. SOSTREAM addresses this limitation through the use of local (nearest neighbor-based) density determinations. Additionally, many stream clustering algorithms use a two-phase clustering approach. In the first phase, a micro-clustering solution is maintained online, while in the second phase, the micro-clustering solution is clustered offline to produce a macro solution. By performing self-organization techniques on micro-clusters in the online phase, SOSTREAM is able to maintain a macro clustering solution in a single phase. Leveraging concepts from SOSTREAM, a new density-based self-organizing text stream clustering algorithm, SOTXTSTREAM, is presented that addresses several shortcomings of SOSTREAM. Gains in clustering performance of this new algorithm are demonstrated on several real-world text stream datasets

Care 3 phase 2 report, maintenance manual

CARE 3 (Computer-Aided Reliability Estimation, version three) is a computer program designed to help estimate the reliability of complex, redundant systems. Although the program can model a wide variety of redundant structures, it was developed specifically for fault-tolerant avionics systems--systems distinguished by the need for extremely reliable performance since a system failure could well result in the loss of human life. It substantially generalizes the class of redundant configurations that could be accommodated, and includes a coverage model to determine the various coverage probabilities as a function of the applicable fault recovery mechanisms (detection delay, diagnostic scheduling interval, isolation and recovery delay, etc.). CARE 3 further generalizes the class of system structures that can be modeled and greatly expands the coverage model to take into account such effects as intermittent and transient faults, latent faults, error propagation, etc

CARE 3 phase 2 report - mathematical description

CARE III (Computer-Aided Reliability Estimation, version three) a computer program designed to help estimate the reliability of complex, redundant systems is described. Although the program can model a wide variety of redundant structures, it was developed specifically for fault tolerant avionics systems. CARE III generalizes the class of system structures that can be modeled and greatly expands the coverage model to take into account such effects as intermittent and transient faults, latent faults, and error propagation