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This report uses international benchmarking as a common metric to examine and compare what students are expected to learn in some states with what students are expected to learn in other states. The performance standards in each state were compared with the international benchmarks used in two international assessments, and it was assumed that each state's expectations are embodied in the stringency of the performance standards (also called achievement standards) it uses on its own state accountability tests. The international assessments were the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). The data were obtained through a statistical linking study tying the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to TIMSS and PIRLS (see Appendix A). The international benchmarking not only provided a mechanism for calibrating the difficulty and gauging the global competitiveness of each state standard but also yielded an international common metric with which to compare state expectations. The overall finding in the study is that there is considerable variance in state performance standards, exposing a large gap in expectations between the states with the highest standards and the states with the lowest standards. Although this gap in expectations is large, many policymakers may not be aware of just how large it is. In general, The difference between the standards in the states with the highest standards and the states with the lowest standards is about 2 standard deviations. In many testing programs, a gap this large represents three to four grade levels. This "expectations gap" is so large that it is more than twice the size of the national black-white "achievement" gap. Closing the achievement gap is important, but so is closing the larger expectation gap. Reducing the expectation gap will require consistently high expectations from "all" states. The report also found that success under No Child Left Behind is largely related to using low performance standards. The states reporting the highest numbers of proficient students have the lowest performance standards. More than two-thirds of the variation in state success reported by No Child Left Behind is related to how high or low the states set their performance standards. These results help explain why the United States does poorly in international comparisons. Many states think they have high standards and are doing well, and feel no urgency to improve because almost all their students are proficient. This may be the main reason why less than 40 percent of 12th grade students are academically prepared for college. Furthermore, over a third of students enrolled in college need remedial help. They thought that they were college ready because they passed their high school graduation test, but they were not. To reduce the expectations gap, this report recommends re-engineering the current standard-setting paradigm used by the states. Appended are: (1) Statistically Linking NAEP to TIMSS and PIRLS; Linking Error Variance; (2) State Proficient Standards Expressed in the Metric of TIMSS or PIRLS; (3) Validity of International Benchmarking; and (4) International Benchmarks for TIMSS and PIRLS.

Educators, researchers, and policymakers have considerable interest in how the American educational system compares to those in other countries. One major index for comparison is student academic achievement. This paper links the scale of the "National Assessment of Educational Progress" ("NAEP") to the scale of the "Third International Mathematics and Science Study" ("TIMSS"). Linking is a process that provides a concordance table that expresses scores on one test (e.g., TIMSS) in terms of the metric of another test (e.g., NAEP). This paper uses statistical moderation to link the NAEP achievement levels to TIMSS by extending the process used in the "2000 NAEP-1999 TIMSS Linking Report" (Johnson et al. 2005). The purpose of this linking is to project the NAEP achievement levels onto the TIMSS scale. More specifically, the grade 8 NAEP: 2000 achievement levels in mathematics and science are projected on to the grade 8 TIMSS: 1999 assessment in mathematics and science. The linking equation is also applied to the 2003 TIMSS in mathematics and science. The goal is to project the grade 8 mathematics and science achievement levels in NAEP onto the TIMSS scale and thereby estimate the percent of basic, proficient, and advanced students in each country that participated in the 1999 TIMSS and 2003 TIMSS studies. The analyses in this paper provide a useful application of NAEP achievement levels. By projecting them onto the TIMSS scale, the NAEP achievement levels provide benchmarks for international comparisons. (Contains 30 tables and 6 footnotes.)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as "The Nation's Report Card," is a congressionally mandated survey of educational achievement of American students in a variety of curriculum areas and of changes in that achievement across time. Part 1 of this report consists of the results of NAEP's 1990 national mathematics assessment of nationally representative samples of students in grades 4, 8, and 12. Part 2 consists of the results of NAEP's 1990 "Trial State Assessment Program," a voluntary eighth-grade mathematics assessment administered to representative samples of public school students at grade 8 in 40 participating states and jurisdictions. This is the first time NAEP has provided results by state. The Executive Summary (this volume) is organized as follows: (1) overall mathematics performance in the United States; (2) performance in the mathematics content areas for the nation; (3) mathematics performance by demographic subgroups; (4) home support for school; (5) mathematics performance at grade 8 in the states (based on the State Trial Assessments); (6) curricular emphases in content areas at grade 4 and 8 in the nationa and at grade 8 in the states; (7) curricular emphasis in skill areas at grades 4 and 8 in the nation and at grade 8 in the states; (8) student course taking at grade 12 in the nation; (9) summary of mathematics curriculum and course taking across the grades; (10) mathematics instruction at grades 4 and 8 in the nation and at grade 8 in the states (e.g., ability grouping, instructional materials, calculators and computers, student and teacher attitudes). (For a summary of results, see the abstract for the entire report.) (JJK/WTB)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as "The Nation's Report Card," is a congressionally mandated survey of educational achievement of American students in a variety of curriculum areas and of changes in that achievement across time. Part 1 of this report consists of the results of NAEP's 1990 national mathematics assessment of nationally representative samples of more than 26,000 students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in more than 1,300 schools. Part 2 consists of the results of NAEP's 1990 "Trial State Assessment Program," a voluntary eighth-grade mathematics assessment administered to representative samples of 2,500 public school students at grade 8 in about a 100 schools in each of the 40 participating states and jurisdictions. This is the first time NAEP has provided results by state. The report is organized as follows: (1) executive summary; (2) NAEP history; (3) scope of the assessment; (4) results for grade 4, 8, 12, respectively; (5) results of the Trial State Assessment Program. Appendices include: contextual and background factors; participation rates; procedures; anchoring processes; and tabular data. Overall mathematics performance in the nation at each of the three grade levels tested was characterized as follows: FOURTH GRADE: 72 percent demonstrated the ability to consistently solve third grade level problems (e.g., addition and subtraction with whole numbers); 11 percent demonstrated a grasp of fifth grade level problems (e.g., multiplication). No fourth graders indicated an understanding of fractions, decimals, percents, or simple algebra. EIGHTH GRADE: 98 percent demonstrated a grasp of third grade level problems; 67 percent consistently understood fifth grade content; only 14 percent showed successful performance with seventh grade material (fractions, decimals, percents, simple algebra); no eighth graders showed the breadth of understanding necessary to begin the study of relatively advanced mathematics. TWELFTH GRADE: All high school seniors demonstrated success with third-grade materials; 91 percent showed mastery of fifth-grade material; 46 percent demonstrated a consistent grasp of seventh grade material (decimals, percents, fractions, simple algebra); 5 percent showed an understanding of geometry and algebra. Many students appear to be graduating from high school with little of the mathematics understanding required by the fastest growing occupations or for college work. Approximately half of graduating twelfth graders appear to have an understanding of mathematics that does not extend much beyond simple problem solving with whole numbers. The Trial State Assessment Program showed great variation in student achievement within each state, to the extent that the variation within states tended to exceed the variation in average performance across states. The higher performing states (e.g., North Dakota, Montana, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin) appear to have fewer urban areas, fewer disadvantaged students, and fewer minority students. (JJK/WTB)

BackgroundPrevious epidemiological studies have found positive associations between maternal infections and childhood leukaemia; however, evidence from prospective cohort studies is scarce. We aimed to examine the associations using large-scale prospective data.MethodsData were pooled from six population-based birth cohorts in Australia, Denmark, Israel, Norway, the UK and the USA (recruitment 1950s-2000s). Primary outcomes were any childhood leukaemia and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL); secondary outcomes were acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and any childhood cancer. Exposures included maternal self-reported infections [influenza-like illness, common cold, any respiratory tract infection, vaginal thrush, vaginal infections and urinary tract infection (including cystitis)] and infection-associated symptoms (fever and diarrhoea) during pregnancy. Covariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using multilevel Cox models.ResultsAmong 312 879 children with a median follow-up of 13.6 years, 167 leukaemias, including 129 ALL and 33 AML, were identified. Maternal urinary tract infection was associated with increased risk of any leukaemia [HR (95% CI) 1.68 (1.10-2.58)] and subtypes ALL [1.49 (0.87-2.56)] and AML [2.70 ([0.93-7.86)], but not with any cancer [1.13 (0.85-1.51)]. Respiratory tract infection was associated with increased risk of any leukaemia [1.57 (1.06-2.34)], ALL [1.43 (0.94-2.19)], AML [2.37 (1.10-5.12)] and any cancer [1.33 (1.09-1.63)]; influenza-like illness showed a similar pattern but with less precise estimates. There was no evidence of a link between other infections and any outcomes.ConclusionsUrinary tract and respiratory tract infections during pregnancy may be associated with childhood leukaemia, but the absolute risk is small given the rarity of the outcome.

A trimaculate male of the diplopod genus Apheloria Chamberlin (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae/-inae: Apheloriini) from 1.3 km (0.8 mi) west of McKenney, Dinwiddie County (Co.), Virginia, is designated the Neotype of Julus virginiensis Drury 1770, thereby stabilizing the earliest name for a North American milliped and authenticating its prior assignment to this taxon. The existing concept of Apheloria is accepted in the absence of a revisionary treatment, and a modern description of A. v. virginiensis with gonopod drawings and color photos is provided. Drury’s original account and his letter to the Virginian who sent him the original specimens are quoted verbatim to eliminate future library searches. The specific name has been associated with at least three genera, and its confusing history is clarified by summarizing works in each. Authentic localities, mapped to the extent now possible, reveal a distribution south of the James River in piedmont and coastal Virginia that extends southwestward to the Blue Ridge foothills and at least as far south in North Carolina (NC) as Greensboro, the “Triangle” (Raleigh/Durham/ Chapel Hill region), and Albemarle Sound in the east. Based on the holotypes, A. aspila and A. tigana, both by Chamberlin, are placed in synonymy under A. v. virginiensis (syns. nov.), and although its status is still under review, A. waccamana Chamberlin, whose type locality is Lake Waccamaw, Columbus Co., in southeastern NC, may be the correct name for today’s A. tigana. All samples so labeled must be reexamined for misidentifications of A. v. virginiensis.

Characterized by small body size, apically rounded/lobed anterior gonopod telopodites, long slender posterior gonopod telopodites, and torsion in the cyphopod receptacles, Floridobolus fl oydi, n. sp., is described from the southern sector of the Brooksville Ridge in northwestern peninsular Florida. It inhabits sandy “Big Scrub” environments like F. penneri Causey, 1957, and F. orini Shelley, 2014, and is documented from the sector’s center and northern periphery, in Hernando and Citrus Counties, respectively, with a sight record from the eastern periphery. Its discovery supports the thesis that each sand ridge in peninsular Florida may harbor a unique species of this endemic genus.

INTRODUCTION: Despite evidence demonstrating the value of performance initiatives, marked differences remain between hospitals in the delivery of care for patients with sepsis. The aims of this study were to improve our understanding of how compliance with the 3-h and 6-h Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) bundles are used in different geographic areas, and how this relates to outcome. METHODS: This was a global, prospective, observational, quality improvement study of compliance with the SSC bundles in patients with either severe sepsis or septic shock. RESULTS: A total of 1794 patients from 62 countries were enrolled in the study with either severe sepsis or septic shock. Overall compliance with all the 3-h bundle metrics was 19%. This was associated with lower hospital mortality than non-compliance (20 vs. 31%, p < 0.001). Overall compliance with all the 6-h bundle metrics was 36%. This was associated with lower hospital mortality than non-compliance (22 vs. 32%, p < 0.001). After adjusting the crude mortality differences for ICU admission, sepsis status (severe sepsis or septic shock), location of diagnosis, APACHE II score and country, compliance remained independently associated with improvements in hospital mortality for both the 3-h bundle (OR = 0.64 (95% CI 0.47-0.87), p = 0.004)) and 6-h bundle (OR = 0.71 (95% CI 0.56-0.90), p = 0.005)). DISCUSSION: Compliance with all of the evidence-based bundle metrics was not high. Patients whose care included compliance with all of these metrics had a 40% reduction in the odds of dying in hospital with the 3-h bundle and 36% for the 6-h bundle.

BACKGROUND: Evidence relating childhood cancer to high birthweight is derived primarily from registry and case-control studies. We aimed to investigate this association, exploring the potential modifying roles of age at diagnosis and maternal anthropometrics, using prospectively collected data from the International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium. METHODS: We pooled data on infant and parental characteristics and cancer incidence from six geographically and temporally diverse member cohorts [the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (UK), the Collaborative Perinatal Project (USA), the Danish National Birth Cohort (Denmark), the Jerusalem Perinatal Study (Israel), the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (Norway), and the Tasmanian Infant Health Survey (Australia)]. Birthweight metrics included a continuous measure, deciles, and categories (≥4.0 vs. <4.0 kilogram). Childhood cancer (377 cases diagnosed prior to age 15 years) risk was analysed by type (all sites, leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and non-leukaemia) and age at diagnosis. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from Cox proportional hazards models stratified by cohort. RESULTS: A linear relationship was noted for each kilogram increment in birthweight adjusted for gender and gestational age for all cancers [HR = 1.26; 95% CI 1.02, 1.54]. Similar trends were observed for leukaemia. There were no significant interactions with maternal pre-pregnancy overweight or pregnancy weight gain. Birthweight ≥4.0 kg was associated with non-leukaemia cancer among children diagnosed at age ≥3 years [HR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.06, 2.46], but not at younger ages [HR = 0.7; 95% CI 0.45, 1.24, P for difference = 0.02]. CONCLUSION: Childhood cancer incidence rises with increasing birthweight. In older children, cancers other than leukaemia are particularly related to high

Introduction: Despite evidence demonstrating the value of performance initiatives, marked differences remain between hospitals in the delivery of care for patients with sepsis. The aims of this study were to improve our understanding of how compliance with the 3-h and 6-h Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) bundles are used in different geographic areas, and how this relates to outcome. Methods: This was a global, prospective, observational, quality improvement study of compliance with the SSC bundles in patients with either severe sepsis or septic shock. Results: A total of 1794 patients from 62 countries were enrolled in the study with either severe sepsis or septic shock. Overall compliance with all the 3-h bundle metrics was 19 %. This was associated with lower hospital mortality than non-compliance (20 vs. 31 %, p < 0.001). Overall compliance with all the 6-h bundle metrics was 36 %. This was associated with lower hospital mortality than non-compliance (22 vs. 32 %, p < 0.001). After adjusting the crude mortality differences for ICU admission, sepsis status (severe sepsis or septic shock), location of diagnosis, APACHE II score and country, compliance remained independently associated with improvements in hospital mortality for both the 3-h bundle (OR = 0.64 (95 % CI 0.47−0.87), p = 0.004)) and 6-h bundle (OR = 0.71 (95 % CI 0.56−0.90), p = 0.005)). Discussion: Compliance with all of the evidence-based bundle metrics was not high. Patients whose care included compliance with all of these metrics had a 40 % reduction in the odds of dying in hospital with the 3-h bundle and 36 % for the 6-h bundle., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Characterized by small body size, apically rounded/lobed anterior gonopod telopodites, long slender posterior gonopod telopodites, and torsion in the cyphopod receptacles, Floridobolus floydi, n. sp., is described from the southern sector of the Brooksville Ridge in northwestern peninsular Florida. It inhabits sandy “Big Scrub” environments like F. penneri Causey, 1957, and F. orini Shelley, 2014, and is documented from the sector’s center and northern periphery, in Hernando and Citrus Counties, respectively, with a sight record from the eastern periphery. Its discovery supports the thesis that each sand ridge in peninsular Florida may harbor a unique species of this endemic genus

Mortality from severe sepsis and septic shock differs across continents, countries, and regions. We aimed to use data from the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) to compare models of care and outcomes for patients with severe sepsis and septic shock in the USA and Europe., Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Christopher Burnsides,1,* Jacqueline Corry,1,* Jacob Alexander,1 Catherine Balint,1 David Cosmar,1 Gary Phillips,2 Jeanette I Webster Marketon1,31Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 2Center for Biostatistics, 3Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA*JC and CB have equally contributed to this workPurpose: Glucocorticoids are commonly prescribed to treat a number of diseases including the majority of inflammatory diseases. Despite considerable interpersonal variability in response to glucocorticoids, an insensitivity rate of about 30%, and the risk of adverse side effects of glucocorticoid therapy, currently no assay is performed to determine sensitivity.Patients and methods: Here we propose a whole blood ex vivo stimulation assay to interrogate known glucocorticoid receptor (GR) up- and downregulated genes to indicate glucocorticoid sensitivity. We have chosen to employ real-time PCR in order to provide a relatively fast and inexpensive assay.Results: We show that the GR-regulated genes, GILZ and FKBP51, are upregulated in whole blood by treatment with dexamethasone and that LPS-induction of cytokines (IL-6 and TNFα) are repressed by dexamethasone in a dose responsive manner. There is considerable interpersonal variability in the maximum induction of these genes but little variation in the EC50 and IC50 concentrations. The regulation of the GR-induced genes differs throughout the day whereas the suppression of LPS-induced cytokines is not as sensitive to time of day.Conclusion: In all, this assay would provide a method to determine glucocorticoid receptor responsiveness in whole blood.Keywords: glucocorticoid responsiveness, gene regulation, nuclear receptor, GILZ, FKBP51, cytokines

The Department of Defense (DoD) manages and operates about 577,000 structures worldwide, valued at about $712 billion. DoD has worked for several years to develop models that can reliably estimate the installation support funds needed to sustain these facilities, and plans to spend over $55 billion to support these facilities and operate its bases in fiscal year 2008. Because GAO has identified support infrastructure as a high-risk area that affects DoD's ability to devote funds to other more critical needs, GAO initiated this review under the Comptroller General's authority. This report discusses the following: (1) the reliability of the annual funding estimates produced by the facilities sustainment model, (2) DoD's progress in meeting funding goals for facility sustainment and recapitalization, (3) the extent to which DoD has addressed deferred facility sustainment funding needs, and (4) the status of DoD's efforts to develop a new installation services model. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed the accuracy and support for the model's key inputs, analyzed pertinent documents, and visited eight selected installations. GAO recommends that DoD take several actions to increase the facilities sustainment model's reliability, address deferred facility sustainment funding requirements, and advance progress in implementing the installation services model. DoD generally agreed with the recommendations., Report to Congressional Committees.

Treatment and prevention of hyperglycemia has been advocated for subjects with sepsis. Glucose variability, rather than the glucose level, has also been shown to be an important factor associated with in-hospital mortality, in general, critically ill patients. Our objective was to determine the association between glucose variability and hospital mortality in septic patients and the expression of glucose variability that best reflects this risk., Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H. Extramural, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The following monograph is a circumscribed look at the effects of air power on achieving political objectives. It is no way intended to be a commentary on the relative bravery of airmen compared to soldiers and sailors or an attempt to justify budgetary decisions on defense spending. The nature of the subject implies a competition for primacy between the Army and Air Force. My intent is not to pursue the notion of competition, but to examine the efficacy of an air force using strategic bombing to be decisive in the application of military power to achieve political objectives. To accomplish this I have chosen three examples from history that are often touted by airmen as conclusive proof of the decisive nature of airpower (1) the atomic bombing of Japan, (2) the LINEBACKER air operations over Vietnam, and (3) the air campaign for Operation Desert Storm. By comparing the political objectives, the actions of ground and naval forces, and the results of air operations I believe one can begin to determine the parameters of air power's ability to be a decisive military force. The choice of the U.S. Air Force as the only air force to be examined is driven by several factors. First, my readings indicate that the U.S. Air Force has a long history of doctrine and thought that stresses the importance of strategic attack and the ability to achieve national aims through air power. Second, the United States arguably has the most technologically advanced air force in the world. This overwhelming technological advantage plays to our national penchant for imagining war as a system on system event versus a complex social interaction. We want our air force to be decisive; it provides a clean, long distance method to conduct diplomacy by combat.

The effect of solids retention time (SRT) or sludge age on activated sludge properties and effluent quality was investigated using laboratory scale reactors. It was found that an increase in SRT resulted in an increase in effluent solution polysaccharide, with the < 3,000 daltons (3K) size fraction contributing up to 68 percent of solution polysaccharides. The feed consisted of low molecular weight, readily degradable protein, suggesting that the observed increases in protein and polysaccharide were due to increased release of exocellular microbial product (EMP). The increase in solution protein and polysaccharide resulted in an increase in effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD). The increase in effluent COD was not accompanied by a similar increase in effluent biological oxygen demand (BOD), indicating that the EMPs released were resistant to biodegradation. At the highest SRT, the resistance to shear decreased and the capillary suction time (CST) increased. Following an initial increase, the sludge volume index (SVI) decreased at higher SRT.

This monograph discusses the application of information operations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of peace missions ranging from peacekeeping to peace imposition. Using a variety of models and an examination of the components of information operations this monograph demonstrates the applicability of these operations to peace missions. Examples from recent history provide a backdrop for evaluating previous applications and investigating other potential uses of information operations to support peace missions. Based on the validation of applicability the possible increase in effectiveness and efficiency are postulated and potential resource savings evaluated. The monograph first examines the status of international relations as a result of the demise of the Soviet Union and the rise of information technology. The impact of these two earthshaking events have forever changed the face the world. As the nations of the world seek a new geometry of relationships without the Soviet Union the level of violence continues to rise. Without the unifying ideologies of the Cold War, many nations are seeking identity through ethnicity. This factor in conjunction with a freedom to act completely in promotion of national interests without the specter of a global nuclear war has led to a very unstable world. At the same time that United Nations pleads for resources to enforce peace on the new world disorder, nations are increasingly captured by domestic issues. The question becomes can we afford the expanding resources necessary to keep the peace and still answer domestic problems? The final sections of this monograph address the utility of information operations for peace missions. Information operations, the application of the continued advances in information technology, provides a tool to make peace affordable. Information operations allow cost effective solutions t

The development of acute (HMD) and chronic (BPD) lung disease in premature human neonates is characterised, in part, by pulmonary inflammation. One of the pathophysiological determinants of lung injury includes exposure to high inspired concentrations of oxygen. Due to the practical and ethical problems associated with the study of these diseases a guinea pig (GP) model of prematurity has been developed. In this thesis the role of inflammation, following exposure to oxygen in the development of acute and chronic lung disease was investigated using the GP model of prematurity. Delivery of preterm GP’s (3 days premature) by Caesarian section in to air (21% oxygen), results in lung injury, evidenced by an alteration in the permeability of the lung which leads to an increase in lung wet weight and bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) protein. BALE phospholipase A2 activity was also raised and suggests that pro-inflammatory lipids may be present in the lung. Following an acute period of oxygen exposure, lung injury and mortality increased. The presence of activated neutrophils (PMN’s) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in BALF indicated an on going inflammation which was investigated further. Neutrophils have the potential to cause extensive tissue injury through the generation of superoxide. Although BALF cells from both preterm and term animals exposed to 95% oxygen generated significantly less superoxide than air exposed animals. As it proved difficult to isolate and study alveolar neutrophils, superoxide production from peritoneal PMN’s of term and preterm pups was studied. No significant difference between term and preterm PMN superoxide generation was found. To further study the relationship between PMN’s and lung injury, a specific antisera to GP PMN’s was used to deplete these cells from the circulation. However, PMN depletion did not alter the degree of lung injury or survival. The role of PAF and LTB4 in HMD in oxygen-induced

Research has been performed contributing to the improved description of mesoscale meteorology in regions of complex terrain. The investigation is primarily theoretical with the emphasis being placed on the development of several computer models that balance accuracy against economy of use. A major goal of this program is the selection and formulation of suitable simplified physics models. This has been done through review of recent literature, discussion with mesoscale modeling experts, and a few analytic studies during the first phase of the study. On the basis of these studies, two different classes of models have been identified for development and implementation. A mass-consistent wind-field (or variational analysis) model has been formulated that employs a terrain conformal coordinate system. The technique relies heavily on observational data and is most suited to a data rich region. A computer program, VARMET, has been written, tests of the method have been performed, and several comparisons with field data were carried out. Very satisfactory model performance was found in these comparisons. The second class of model developed adheres more closely to first principles and thereby is applicable to data-poor regions. Based on the linearized steady-state Navier-Stokes equation, model LINMET is written, and the model performance is tested against field data. In addition, the primitive equation hydrostatic code SIGMET, which was developed at SAI for application to a number of meteorological programs, has been adapted to the present program. Enriched with sophisticated model physics, SIGMET simulations form the baseline case for two other simplified physics models.

A fast approximation to the complementary error function has been programmed and tested for use in the peak-shape function for fitting peaks in gamma-ray spectra. The function was compared for speed and accuracy on the NRL ASC 7 computer to the ASC mathematical library version of the complementary error function. The approximation has resulted in a 50% time savings in the computer program HYPERMET which was developed at NRL for automatic analysis of gamma-ray spectra. Source codes for the test progams are given in an Appendix. (Author)

This report describes the results of an experiment to measure the natural gamma radiation emitted from the earth's surface with the aid of radiation detectors mounted in an aircraft. For comparison, two detector systems were used: an array of intrinsic germanium detectors with a total active volume of 0.4 liter and a single NaI(Tl) scintillation detector 30.5 cm diam X 30.5 cm long. Data were recorded on flights at altitudes of 60, 120, 240, 300 and 5100 meters and with average airspeed of 200 knots. A discussion is presented on the application of germanium detectors to the atmospheric radon problem; in particular, on the use of the photons with energy 295, 352 and 609 keV to determine the respective contributions from the air and the surface.

"Editor's Preface" by Tetsumaro Hayashi.; "Dedicatory Messages to Warren French and Carlton A. Sheffield" by John Ditsky and Robert S. Hughes, Jr.; Article: "'Them's Horses—We're Men': Social Tendency and Counter-Tendency in 'The Grapes of Wrath'" by Richard S. Pressman.; Twentieth Anniversary Messages: "An Okie Joins the Steinbeck Society" by Maurice Dunbar, "Twentieth Anniversary of the Steinbeck Society" by Richard F. Peterson.; Bibliographical Articles: "The Joy of Collecting Steinbeck" by Edwin F. Schmitz, "Steinbeck Commemoration at Ball State University on February 6, 1986" by David C. Tambo.; Reviews: "Robert H. Woodward. The Steinbeck Research Center at San Jose State University: A Descriptive Catalogue (1985)" by Norma J. Fultz, "William M. Jones. John Steinbeck: Great American Novelist and Playwright (1982)" by Lee Richard Hayman, "Thomas Fensch. Steinbeck and Covici: The Story of a Friendship (paperback, 1979)" by Robert S. Hughes, Jr., "John Steinbeck. Sweet Thursday, a Japanese translation by Kiyoshi Nakayama, Hiromu Shimizu, and Hiroyuki Kobayashi (1984)" by Mitsuo Kato, "John Steinbeck. The Log from the Sea of Cortez/'About Ed Ricketts' edited by Kenji Inoue (1984)" by Yuji Nakata, "Tetsumaro Hayashi (ed.). Steinbeck's Travel Literature (1980), a Japanese translation by Mikio Inui (1985)" by Akiko Ozawa, "John Ditsky. John Steinbeck: Life, Work, and Criticism (1985)" by Gary Phillips, "John Steinbeck. Once There Was a War, A Theater Review (1985)" by Maxine Rosser, "Carlton A. Sheffield. I Never Met an Anapest I Didn't Like (1985)" by Edwin F. Schmitz, "R. K. Sharma (ed.). Indian Response to Steinbeck: Essays Presented to Warren French (1984)" by Thom Tammaro.; Letter from Salinas/Report from Japan: "A Letter from Salinas, California" by John Gross, "Report of the Ninth Conference of the Steinbeck Society of Japan, May 20, 1985" by Yasuo Hashiguchi.; News Director's Corner: "Honor Roll of Donors (Parts I and II)", "News in Brief" edited by Donald L., This archival material has been provided for educational purposes. Ball State University Libraries recognizes that some historic items may include offensive content. Our statement regarding objectionable content is available at: https://dmr.bsu.edu/digital/about

This is a general purpose routine to unpack data stored in core in packed binary format or to pack binary data stored word for word in an array. The data must be stored in bytes which are a multiple of three bits in length with a minimum length of 3 bits and a maximum of 48 bits. It is useful for unpacking data read in packed binary form and sorting it into an array so as to be convenient for further processing by a FORTRAN program, or for preparing data from an array for writing out in a compact form, or possibly for intermediate storage of large arrays during execution of a program in order to save core space.

Control of stochastic error in a discrete system is analyzed for an error model comprised of zero mean uncorrelated and Markovian processes plus a random bias of known functional form. It is shown that the optimal solution in the sense of minimum mean square error is realized with a Kalman filter, a linear predictor, and a storage-feedback device. The system used to illustrate this application is a gun system, and performance comparisons are given for it. (Author)

Reference stacks

The following monograph is a circumscribed look at the effects of air power on achieving political objectives. It is no way intended to be a commentary on the relative bravery of airmen compared to soldiers and sailors or an attempt to justify budgetary decisions on defense spending. The nature of the subject implies a competition for primacy between the Army and Air Force. My intent is not to pursue the notion of competition, but to examine the efficacy of an air force using strategic bombing to be decisive in the application of military power to achieve political objectives. To accomplish this I have chosen three examples from history that are often touted by airmen as conclusive proof of the decisive nature of airpower (1) the atomic bombing of Japan, (2) the LINEBACKER air operations over Vietnam, and (3) the air campaign for Operation Desert Storm. By comparing the political objectives, the actions of ground and naval forces, and the results of air operations I believe one can begin to determine the parameters of air power's ability to be a decisive military force. The choice of the U.S. Air Force as the only air force to be examined is driven by several factors. First, my readings indicate that the U.S. Air Force has a long history of doctrine and thought that stresses the importance of strategic attack and the ability to achieve national aims through air power. Second, the United States arguably has the most technologically advanced air force in the world. This overwhelming technological advantage plays to our national penchant for imagining war as a system on system event versus a complex social interaction. We want our air force to be decisive - it provides a clean, long distance method to conduct diplomacy by combat. Based on the foregoing considerations, it appeared to me that by examining the employment and results of U.S. Air Force operations in three limited, distinct historical circumstances one can begin to see the silhouette of air power's ability t

This monograph discusses the application of information operations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of peace missions ranging from peacekeeping to peace imposition. Using a variety of models and an examination of the components of information operations this monograph demonstrates the applicability of these operations to peace missions. Examples from recent history provide a backdrop for evaluating previous applications and investigating other potential uses of information operations to support peace missions. Based on the validation of applicability the possible increase in effectiveness and efficiency are postulated and potential resource savings evaluated. The monograph first examines the status of international relations as a result of the demise of the Soviet Union and the rise of information technology. The impact of these two earthshaking events have forever changed the face the world. As the nations of the world seek a new geometry of relationships without the Soviet Union the level of violence continues to rise. Without the unifying ideologies of the Cold War, many nations are seeking identity through ethnicity. This factor in conjunction with a freedom to act completely in promotion of national interests without the specter of a global nuclear war has led to a very unstable world. At the same time that United Nations pleads for resources to enforce peace on the new world disorder, nations are increasingly captured by domestic issues. The question becomes can we afford the expanding resources necessary to keep the peace and still answer domestic problems? The final sections of this monograph address the utility of information operations for peace missions. Information operations, the application of the continued advances in information technology, provides a tool to make peace affordable. Information operations allow cost effective solutions to violence by reducing the resources required to keep the peace. Peace missions can use information opera