Self-esteem and self-efficacy: Associations with alcohol consumption in a sample of adolescents in Northern Ireland

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have reported equivocal findings regarding the association between self-esteem, self-efficacy and adolescent alcohol use. Data were collected from a sample of 11-16-year olds in Northern Ireland (n = 4088) over two consecutive academic years measuring global self-esteem, academic, social and emotional self-efficacy and alcohol involvement. Results showed a domain-specific association between alcohol involvement and self-efficacy, with more problematic alcohol use associated with higher social self-efficacy but lower emotional and academic self-efficacy. Additionally, regression analyses revealed that all self-concept measures significantly predicted drinking group membership. The results are discussed in terms of reported drinking behaviour, interventions with adolescent groups and general development.

Trajectory Control of Electro Hydraulic Excavator using Fuzzy Self Tuning Algorithm with Neural Network

This paper presents the trajectory control of a 2DOF mini electro-hydraulic excavator by using fuzzy self tuning with neural network algorithm. First, the mathematical model is derived for the 2DOF mini electro-hydraulic excavator. The fuzzy PID and fuzzy self tuning with neural network are designed for circle trajectory following. Its two links are driven by an electric motor controlled pump system. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed controllers have better control performance than the conventional controller.

Max separation clustering for feature extraction from Optical Emission Spectroscopy Data

This paper proposes max separation clustering (MSC), a new non-hierarchical clustering method used for feature extraction from optical emission spectroscopy (OES) data for plasma etch process control applications. OES data is high dimensional and inherently highly redundant with the result that it is difficult if not impossible to recognize useful features and key variables by direct visualization. MSC is developed for clustering variables with distinctive patterns and providing effective pattern representation by a small number of representative variables. The relationship between signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and clustering performance is highlighted, leading to a requirement that low SNR signals be removed before applying MSC. Experimental results on industrial OES data show that MSC with low SNR signal removal produces effective summarization of the dominant patterns in the data.

Demonstrating the Transferability and the Descriptive Power of Sketch-Map

Increasingly, it is recognized that new automated forms of analysis are required to understand the high-dimensional output obtained from atomistic simulations. Recently, we introduced a new dimensionality reduction algorithm, sketch-map, that was designed specifically to work with data from molecular dynamics trajectories. In what follows, we provide more details on how this algorithm works and on how to set its parameters. We also test it on two well-studied Lennard-Jones clusters and show that the coordinates we extract using this algorithm are extremely robust. In particular, we demonstrate that the coordinates constructed for one particular Lennard-Jones cluster can be used to describe the configurations adopted by a second, different cluster and even to tell apart different phases of bulk Lennard-Jonesium.

Using sketch-map coordinates to analyze and bias molecular dynamics simulations

When examining complex problems, such as the folding of proteins, coarse grained descriptions of the system drive our investigation and help us to rationalize the results. Oftentimes collective variables (CVs), derived through some chemical intuition about the process of interest, serve this purpose. Because finding these CVs is the most difficult part of any investigation, we recently developed a dimensionality reduction algorithm, sketch-map, that can be used to build a low-dimensional map of a phase space of high-dimensionality. In this paper we discuss how these machine-generated CVs can be used to accelerate the exploration of phase space and to reconstruct free-energy landscapes. To do so, we develop a formalism in which high-dimensional configurations are no longer represented by low-dimensional position vectors. Instead, for each configuration we calculate a probability distribution, which has a domain that encompasses the entirety of the low-dimensional space. To construct a biasing potential, we exploit an analogy with metadynamics and use the trajectory to adaptively construct a repulsive, history-dependent bias from the distributions that correspond to the previously visited configurations. This potential forces the system to explore more of phase space by making it desirable to adopt configurations whose distributions do not overlap with the bias. We apply this algorithm to a small model protein and succeed in reproducing the free-energy surface that we obtain from a parallel tempering calculation.

Optimisation of source/drain extension region profile for suppression of short channel effects in sub-50 nm DG SOI MOSFETs with high- k gate dielectrics

Novel technology dependent scaling parameters i.e. spacer to gradient ratio and effective channel length (Leff) are proposed for source/drain engineered DG MOSFET, and their significance in minimizing short channel effects (SCES) in high-k gate dielectrics is discussed in detail. Results show that a high-k dielectric should be associated with a higher spacer to gradient ratio to minimise SCEs The analytical model agrees with simulated data over the entire range of spacer widths, doping gradients, high-k gate dielectrics and effective channel lengths.

Quantum homogenization for continuous variables: Realization with linear optical elements

Recently Ziman et al. [Phys. Rev. A 65, 042105 (2002)] have introduced a concept of a universal quantum homogenizer which is a quantum machine that takes as input a given (system) qubit initially in an arbitrary state rho and a set of N reservoir qubits initially prepared in the state xi. The homogenizer realizes, in the limit sense, the transformation such that at the output each qubit is in an arbitrarily small neighborhood of the state xi irrespective of the initial states of the system and the reservoir qubits. In this paper we generalize the concept of quantum homogenization for qudits, that is, for d-dimensional quantum systems. We prove that the partial-swap operation induces a contractive map with the fixed point which is the original state of the reservoir. We propose an optical realization of the quantum homogenization for Gaussian states. We prove that an incoming state of a photon field is homogenized in an array of beam splitters. Using Simon's criterion, we study entanglement between outgoing beams from beam splitters. We derive an inseparability condition for a pair of output beams as a function of the degree of squeezing in input beams.

A TMA De-Arraying Method for High Throughput Biomarker Discovery in Tissue Research

Background: Tissue MicroArrays (TMAs) represent a potential high-throughput platform for the analysis and discovery of tissue biomarkers. As TMA slides are produced manually and subject to processing and sectioning artefacts, the layout of TMA cores on the final slide and subsequent digital scan (TMA digital slide) is often disturbed making it difficult to associate cores with their original position in the planned TMA map. Additionally, the individual cores can be greatly altered and contain numerous irregularities such as missing cores, grid rotation and stretching. These factors demand the development of a robust method for de-arraying TMAs which identifies each TMA core, and assigns them to their appropriate coordinates on the constructed TMA slide.

Methodology: This study presents a robust TMA de-arraying method consisting of three functional phases: TMA core segmentation, gridding and mapping. The segmentation of TMA cores uses a set of morphological operations to identify each TMA core. Gridding then utilises a Delaunay Triangulation based method to find the row and column indices of each TMA core. Finally, mapping correlates each TMA core from a high resolution TMA whole slide image with its name within a TMAMap.

Conclusion: This study describes a genuine robust TMA de-arraying algorithm for the rapid identification of TMA cores from digital slides. The result of this de-arraying algorithm allows the easy partition of each TMA core for further processing. Based on a test group of 19 TMA slides (3129 cores), 99.84% of cores were segmented successfully, 99.81% of cores were gridded correctly and 99.96% of cores were mapped with their correct names via TMAMaps. The gridding of TMA cores were also extensively tested using a set of 113 pseudo slide (13,536 cores) with a variety of irregular grid layouts including missing cores, rotation and stretching. 100% of the cores were gridded correctly.

Universality and self-similarity of an energy-constrained sandpile model with random neighbors

We study an energy-constrained sandpile model with random neighbors. The critical behavior of the model is in the same universality class as the mean-field self-organized criticality sandpile. The critical energy E-c depends on the number of neighbors n for each site, but the various exponents are independent of n. A self-similar structure with n-1 major peaks is developed for the energy distribution p(E) when the system approaches its stationary state. The avalanche dynamics contributes to the major peaks appearing at E-Pk = 2k/(2n - 1) with k = 1,2,...,n-1, while the fine self-similar structure is a natural result of the way the system is disturbed. [S1063-651X(99)10307-6].

1D-Leaky Wave Antenna Employing Parallel-Plate Waveguide Loaded With PRS and HIS

A new type of one-dimensional leaky-wave antenna (LWA) with independent control of the beam-pointing angle and beamwidth is presented. The antenna is based on a simple structure composed of a bulk parallel-plate waveguide (PPW) loaded with two printed circuit boards (PCBs), each one consisting of an array of printed dipoles. One PCB acts as a partially reflective surface (PRS), and the other grounded PCB behaves as a high impedance surface (HIS). It is shown that an independent control of the leaky-mode phase and leakage rate can be achieved by changing the lengths of the PRS and HIS dipoles, thus resulting in a flexible adjustment of the LWA pointing direction and directivity. The leaky-mode dispersion curves are obtained with a simple Transverse Equivalent Network (TEN), and they are validated with three-dimensional full-wave simulations. Experimental results on fabricated prototypes operating at 15 GHz are reported, demonstrating the versatile and independent control of the LWA performance by changing the PRS and HIS parameters.