State Sentencing Guidelines: Profiles and Continuum

Describes twenty-one state sentencing commissions; highlights key attributes of each state's sentencing guidelines and the composition of each commission; and compares guideline systems along a continuum from "more voluntary" to "more mandatory.

The Robertson v. Princeton Case: Too Important to Be Left to the Lawyers

Offers comments from eleven contributors on the Robertson family's donor rights suit against the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs for violation of donor intent. Explores its effects on and implications for the nonprofit sector

Long-term changes in the water quality of rainfall, cloud water and stream water for moorland, forested and clear-felled catchments at Plynlimon, mid-Wales

Long term changes in the water quality of rainfall, cloud water and stream waters draining acidic and acid sensitive moorland and forested catchments at Plynlimon, mid-Wales, are examined for the period 1983 to 2001. Atmospheric inputs of chloride and sulphate are influenced by the relative inputs of clean maritime and polluted land based air masses. There is no systematic increase or decrease over time for chloride and non-sea-salt sulphate. Rather, there is a decadal scale process possibly representative of the influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation that affects the maritime and pollution climate of the Atlantic seaboard of the UK. Over 17 years of study, there may be a small decrease in non-sea-salt sulphate of about 10 &#956;eq l^-1 and a small improvement in acid neutralising capacity of about 20 to 30 &#956;eq l^-1 in rainfall. There is a clear improvement in cloud water chemistry with respect to pollutant components (ammonium, nitrate, non-sea-salt sulphate) and acidity (acid neutralising capacity improved by about 300 &#956;eq l^-1) through the study period. Many of the changes in cloud water chemistry are similar to rainfall over the same period except the magnitude of change is larger for the cloud water. Within the streams, there is some evidence for reductions in acidity as reflected by acid neutralising capacity becoming less negative. For one stream, deforestation occurred during the sampling period and this led to large increases in nitrate and smaller increases in aluminium midway through the study period. However, the climate and hydrological variability largely masked out other changes. The current analysis provides only a start to identifying trends for such a complex and variable environmental system. The need for strong statistical tools is emphasised to resolve issues of: (a) hydrological induced water quality variability, (b) changing soil and groundwater &quot;endmember&quot; chemistry contribution to the stream and (c) the non-linear patterns of change. Nonetheless, the analysis is enhanced by examining trends in chemistry for yearly averages and yearly average low catch and high catch rainfall and cloud water events as well as low and high flow stream chemistry. This approach allows trends to be examined within the context of endmember mixing.</p> <p style='line-height: 20px;'><b>Keywords: </b>Calcium, aluminium, ammonium, pH, Gran alkalinity, ANC, nitrate, chloride, sulphate, Plynlimon, cloud, mist, rainfall, stream, acidification, North Atlantic Oscillation, trend

Multifrequency EPR Studies of [Cu^(1.5)Cu^(1.5)]+ for Cu_2(μ-NR_2)_2 and Cu_2(μ-PR_2)_2 Diamond Cores

Multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is used to explore the electronic structures of a series of dicopper complexes of the type {(LXL)Cu}_2^+. These complexes contain two four-coordinate copper centers of highly distorted tetrahedral geometries linked by two [LXL]^− ligands featuring bridging amido or phosphido ligands and associated thioether or phosphine chelate donors. Specific chelating [LXL]^− ligands examined in this study include bis(2-tert-butylsulfanylphenyl)amide (SNS), bis(2-di-iso-butylphosphinophenyl)amide (PNP), and bis(2-di-iso-propylphosphinophenyl)phosphide (PPP). To better map the electronic coupling to copper, nitrogen, and phosphorus in these complexes, X-, S-, and Q-band EPR spectra have been obtained for each complex. The resulting EPR parameters implied by computer simulation are unusual for typical dicopper complexes and are largely consistent with previously published X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory data, where a highly covalent {Cu_2(μ-XR_2)_2}^+ diamond core has been assigned in which removal of an electron from the neutral {Cu_2(μ-XR_2)_2} can be viewed as ligand-centered to a substantial degree. To our knowledge, this is the first family of dicopper diamond core model complexes for which the compendium of X-, S-, and Q-band EPR spectra have been collected for comparison to Cu_A

Langmuir-Blodgett films for non-linear optics

In recent years there has been considerable interest in media which display significant non-linear optical properties; the telecommunications industry may exploit chin films of such materials for signal processing applications. The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique provides a means of depositing organic layers of a precisely defined thickness. Moreover, by alternating layers of different materials, supermolecular arrays may be fabricated in which there is no centrosymmetry, and therefore the second-order non-linearity of the constituent molecules may be exploited. An investigation of the properties of water-surface monolayers of a number of novel materials with potentially large non-linearities is described. Several of these compounds are shown to form high quality homogeneous or heterogeneous LB films. The optical and electrical properties of the layers are characterized by optical absorption spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance, and measurements of capacitance, whilst their structure is examined by electron diffraction. Monolayers of a nitrostilbene dye are shown to exhibit: on exceptionally high degree of crystalline order. Data are also given for theoretical calculations of non-linear coefficients and for the relative efficiency of second harmonic generation from bulk samples of various materials. Studies of second harmonic generation from monolayer and alternate multilayer films are reported. Optical non-linearity in an alternating donor-acceptor: inverted donor-acceptor dye system is demonstrated for the first time; the results are analysed in terms of second harmonic surface susceptibilities, and the value of the second-order hyperpolarizability determined for the first bilayer is found to be much superior to that expected by the simple addition of the hyperpolarizabilities of the separate layers. Monolayers containing a mixture of hemicyanine and cadmium arachldate are found to give rise to second harmonic generation which is enhanced relative to that obtained from a pure monolayer of the dye. Corresponding changes in the absorption spectra of the layers can be observed. These findings may have important implications for improving the efficiencies of any non-linear optical device which utilises IB films

STRATEGIC WARFIGHTING READINESS: EVALUATING THE NAVY RESERVE CROSS-ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM

The Navy Reserves augment the active duty with sailors who live away from fleet concentration areas. Thus, they must travel to provide support. Reservists bring civilian expertise that is specific to mission areas of their supported units. To get the right sailors with the right skills to the right command at the right time, this study develops a tool seeking to optimize the cost efficiency of personnel-billet assignments within a defined budget, without sacrificing their readiness. Using a tailored mixed-method approach, this research focuses on the reserve travel component and a series of qualitative matching scales. This thesis develops a prototype to increase qualitative matches between reserve personnel and their billets while also reducing travel costs. The prototype is based on a specific community of officers, and this study finds that optimal personnel-billet matches’ value can be sustained for this community, but for 64 percent of the original cost. Future researchers can apply this prototype and alter the matching scales to the specific needs of each community. Ultimately, the prototype developed in this study seeks to maximize cost-effective use of the reserve labor supply, and ensures reservists bring the critical skills and experience to our strategic warfighting readiness, aligned with the vision of the Chief of Navy Reserve.Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy ReserveApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

The Material Properties of CsSnBr\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e and CsBr:Sn-1% and Their Potential as Scintillator Detector Material

The search for superior nuclear radiation detection materials is ongoing. Current scintillator materials using Thallium doped Sodium Iodide or Cesium Iodide are the benchmarks for ease of use and quick identification of isotope species. This research aims to explore Cesium Bromide doped with 1% molar tin (CsBr:Sn-1%) and Cesium Tin Bromide (CsSnBr3) as candidate materials for a new scintillator. The techniques of Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS), X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) and Cathodoluminescence are used to determine the suit- ability of CsSnBr3 and CsBr:Sn-1% with Sn4+ as a potential scintillator materials and explore their crystal and electronic structures. Comparisons with current published work by Savchyn et al. [2007] on CsSnBr3 and CsBr:Sn-1% with Sn2+ will be made. Cathodoluminescence shows the CsBr:Sn-1% with Sn4+ to luminesce at 2.4-eV and 3.0-eV, green and violet respectively, indicating the strong possibility of using CsBr:Sn-1% as a scintillator

Decreased Peak Muscle Power is Associated with Motor Unit Loss in the Lower Limb of Older Adults

This study investigated the relationship between motor unit (MU) properties and the strength and power of two lower limb muscles in healthy young and old adults. Twelve older adults (mean age, 77 ± 5 yrs) and twelve young adults (mean age, 24 ± 3 yrs) were studied. MU properties of the tibialis anterior (TA) and vastus medialis (VM) muscles were determined using decomposition-enhanced spike-triggered averaging (DE-STA). Motor unit number estimates (MUNE) of the TA were significantly reduced (p\u3e0.05) in older adults (102 ± 76) compared to young adults (234 ± 109), primarily as a result of significantly larger surface-detected motor unit potentials (S-MUP) in older adults. Although VM S-MUP values were larger in older adults (60 ± 31 μV) compared to young (48 ±42), the difference was not significant. Maximal strength and power were significantly larger in both the TA and knee extensors of young adults compared to old. Maximal power output displayed greater deficits than isometric strength in both lower limb muscles of older adults. Results from this study indicate that there are changes in MU properties with age, and that this effect may be greater in the TA muscle. Further, power, especially in the knee extensors, may be a more sensitive measure of neuromuscular health than isometric strength, and should be the focus of exercise programs in elderly subjects