Raymond J. Corsini (1914–2008).

Presents an obituary for Raymond J. Corsini, one of psychology’s most prolific authors and editors. Ray’s most important contributions include editing an award-winning four-volume encyclopedia of psychology (1994, Wiley), a dictionary of psychology (1999, Brunner/ Mazel), and one of the leading graduate texts on psychotherapy (Corsini & Wedding, 8th ed., 2008, Cengage), which was translated into more than a dozen languages. However, Ray took the greatest pride in the development of the Corsini 4-R system (also known as Individual Education), an innovative approach to school system reform reform based on democratic principles and Adlerian psychology. (The four Rs were responsibility, respect, resourcefulness, and responsiveness.) Corsini died in Honolulu on November 8, 2008. He is survived by his physician wife, Kleona Rigney, and his social worker daughter, Evelyn Anne Corsini. Both share Ray’s passionate commitment to Adlerian social interest. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensitivity of trigate MOSFETs to random dopant induced threshold voltage fluctuations

In this paper, we investigate random doping fluctuation effects in trigate SOI MOSFETs by solving the three-dimensional (3D) Poisson, drift-diffusion and continuity equations numerically. A single doping impurity atom is introduced in the undoped channel region of the device and the resulting shift of threshold voltage is measured from the simulated I–V characteristics. This enables the derivation of the threshold voltage shift (ΔV_TH) for any arbitrary location of the doping atom in the transistor. Based on an analysis of a sub-20 nm trigate MOSFET device, we find that the typical variation of V_TH per doping atom is a few tens of mV. Inversion-mode (IM) trigate devices are more sensitive to the doping fluctuation effects than accumulation-mode (AM) devices. The threshold voltage shift arising from doping fluctuations is maximum when the doping atom is near the center of the channel region, which means the original SOI film doping, the random contamination effects or any other impurity doping in the channel region is more important than atoms introduced in the channel by the S/D implantation process for sub-20 nm transistors.     

Low-Speed Atomistic Simulation of Stick–Slip Friction using Parallel Replica Dynamics

Atomic stick–slip friction has been predicted by molecular dynamics simulation and observed in experiments. However, direct quantitative comparison of the two has thus far not been possible because of the large difference between scanning velocities accessible to simulations and experiments. In general, the slowest sliding speeds in MD simulations are at least five orders of magnitude larger than the upper limit available to experimentalists. To take a step toward bridging this gap, we have applied parallel replica dynamics, an accelerated molecular dynamics method, to the simulation of atomic stick–slip. The method allows molecular simulations to run parallel in time in order to extend their duration, thereby enabling lower scanning velocities. We show here that this method is able to predict atomic stick–slip friction accurately and efficiently at scanning speeds several orders of magnitude slower than standard molecular dynamics simulations. The accuracy and usefulness of this method is illustrated by correct prediction of the logarithmic dependence of friction on velocity.     

Effect of Bilayer Phospholipid Composition and Curvature on Ligand Transfer by the α-Tocopherol Transfer Protein

We report here our preliminary investigations on the mechanism of α-TTP-mediated ligand transfer as assessed using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays. These assays monitor the movement of the model α-tocopherol fluorescent derivative ((R)-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-chroman-2-[9-(7-nitro-benzo[1,2,5]oxadiazol-4-yl amino)-nonyl]-chroman-6-ol; NBD-Toc) from protein to acceptor vesicles containing the fluorescence quencher TRITC-PE. We have found that α-TTP utilizes a collisional mechanism of ligand transfer requiring direct protein–membrane contact, that rates of ligand transfer are greater to more highly curved lipid vesicles, and that such rates are insensitive to the presence of anionic phospholipids in the acceptor membrane. These results point to hydrophobic features of α-TTP dominating the binding energy between protein and membrane. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Choice coordination with limited failure

The Choice Coordination Problem requiresn asynchronous processes to reach a common choice of one out ofk possible alternatives. Processes communicate viak shared variables. Up tot, t, of the processes may fail to operate by suddenly quitting the protocol. Rabin (1982) presented lower and upper bounds for the extreme caset=n–1. We present deterministic and randomized algorithms for arbitraryt using an alphabet of sizeO(t ²). A semi-synchronous model is also studied. A reduction to a consensus problem proves the necessity to assume some powerful atomic shared-memory operations.     

Synchronized External Pulsation for Improved Tolerance to Acceleration Stress: Model Studies and Preliminary Experiments

Synchronized external pulsation is proposed as a method to improve tolerance to acceleration stress. This technique uses a modified anti-G suit which is pressurized and depressurized synchronously with the heart cycle. The feasibility of the procedure has been studied using a computer model of the cardiovascular system which includes the effects of Gz stress, and contains simulations of baroreceptor control of heart rate and venous tone. Model predictions indicate that for unprotected subjects, carotid pressure at eye level (ophthalmic artery pressure) decreases to 20 mmHg (beginning of central light loss) at approximately +3.6 Gz. Applying standard anti-G suit pressure to the model increases this level to 5.3 Gz. When synchronized external pulsation of 2 psi is superimposed on the standard anti-G suit pressure, the tolerance to acceleration stress is further augmented by at least 0.9 G above the protection afforded by the standard anti-G suit alone. A set of preliminary experiments on human subjects to test the feasibility of using the technique in the high-G environment has also been carried out. The results under various protection modes compare favorably to the model predictions. Our results suggest that the computer model presented here is a useful tool for studying cardiovascular responses under +GZ stress. It also indicates that using synchronized external pulsation pressure superimposed on the standard anti-G suit pressure may offer extra protection to acceleration stress.     

The parallel complexity of scheduling with precedence constraints

We study the problem of parallel computation of a schedule for a system of n unit-length tasks on m identical machines, when the tasks are related by a set of precedence constraints. We present NC algorithms for computing an optimal schedule in the case where m, the number of available machines, does not vary with time and the precedence constraints are represented by a collection of outtrees. The algorithms run on an exclusive read, exclusive write (EREW) PRAM. Their complexities are O(log n) and O((log n)²) parallel time using O(n²) and O(n) processors, respectively. The schedule computed by our algorithms is a height-priority schedule. As a complementary result we show that it is very unlikely that computing such a schedule is in NC when any of the above conditions is significantly relaxed. We prove that the problem is P-complete under logspace reductions when the precedence constraints are a collection of intrees and outtrees, or for a collection of outtrees when the number of available machines is allowed to increase with time. The time span of a height-priority schedule for an arbitrary precedence constraints graph is at most 2 − 1/(m − 1) times longer than the optimal (N. E Chen and C. L. Liu, Proc. 1974 Sagamore Computer Conference on Parallel Processing, T. Fend (Ed.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1975, pp. 1–16). Whereas it is P-complete to produce the classical height-priority schedules even for very restricted precedence constraints graphs, we present a simple NC parallel algorithm which produces a different schedule that is only 2 − 1/m times the optimal.     

Some implementation issues associated with multidimensional interval Newton methods

This paper presents the development of an optimal interval Newton method for systems of nonlinear equations. The context of solving such systems of equations is that of optimization of nonlinear mathematical programs. The modifications of the interval Newton method presented in this paper provide computationally effective enhancements to the general interval Newton method. The paper demonstrates the need to compute an optimal step length in the interval Newton method in order to guarantee the generation of a sequence of improving solutions. This method is referred to as the optimal Newton method and is implemented in multiple dimensions. Secondly, the paper demonstrates the use of the optimal interval Newton method as a feasible direction method to deal with non-negativity constraints. Also, included in this implementation is the use of a matrix decomposition technique to reduce the computational effort required to compute the Hessian inverse in the interval Newton method. The methods are demonstrated on several problems. Included in these problems are mathematical programs with perturbations in the problem coefficients. The numerical results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of these approaches.     

Processing of Boron Carbide-Aluminum Composites

The processing problems associated with boron carbide and the limitations of its mechanical properties can be significantly reduced when a metal phase (e.g., aluminum) is added. Lower densification temperatures and higher fracture toughness will result. Based on fundamental capillarity ther modynamics, reaction thermodynamics, and densification kinetics, we have established reliable criteria for fabricating B₄C–Al particulate composites. Because chemical reactions cannot be eliminated, it is necessary to process B₄C–AI by rapidly heating to near 1200°C (to ensure wetting) and subsequently heat-treating below 1200°C (for microstructural development).