Scaffolded writing and rewriting in the discipline: A web-based reciprocal peer review system

This paper describes how SWoRD (scaffolded writing and rewriting in the discipline), a web-based reciprocal peer review system, supports writing practice, particularly for large content courses in which writing is considered critical but not feasibly included. To help students gain content knowledge as well as writing and reviewing skills, SWoRD supports the whole cycle of writing, reviews, back-reviews, and rewriting by scaffolding the journal publication process as its authentic practice model. In addition, SWoRD includes algorithms that compute individual reviewer’s review accuracy, which is in turn used to support the various drawbacks of reciprocal peer reviews (e.g., variation in motivation or ability of reviewers). Finally, this paper describes an empirical evaluation showing that the SWoRD approach is effective in improving writing quality in content classes.     

A parametric interpolator with confined chord errors, acceleration and deceleration for NC machining

Parametric interpolation has many advantages over linear interpolation in machining curves. Real time parametric interpolation research so far has addressed achieving a uniform feed rate, confined chord errors and jerk limited trajectory planning. However, simultaneous consideration of confined chord errors that respect the acceleration and deceleration capabilities of the machine has not been attempted. In this paper, the offline detection of feed rate sensitive corners is proposed. The velocity profile in these zones is planned so that chord errors are satisfied while simultaneously accommodating the machine's acceleration and deceleration limits. Outside the zone of the feed rate sensitive corners, the feed rate is planned using the Taylor approximation. Simulation results indicate that the offline detection of feed rate sensitive corners improves parametric interpolation. For real time interpolation, the parametric curve information can be augmented with the detected feed rate sensitive corners that are stored in 2×2 matrices.     

Determination of optimal feedback terminal controllers for general boundary conditions using generating functions

Given a nonlinear system and a performance index to be minimized, we present a general approach to expressing the finite time optimal feedback control law applicable to different types of boundary conditions. Starting from the necessary conditions for optimality represented by a Hamiltonian system, we solve the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for a generating function for a specific canonical transformation. This enables us to obtain the optimal feedback control for fundamentally different sets of boundary conditions only using a series of algebraic manipulations and partial differentiations. Furthermore, the proposed approach reveals an insight that the optimal cost functions for a given dynamical system can be decomposed into a single generating function that is only a function of the dynamics plus a term representing the boundary conditions. This result is formalized as a theorem. The whole procedure provides an advantage over methods rooted in dynamic programming, which require one to solve the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation repetitively for each type of boundary condition. The cost of this favorable versatility is doubling the dimension of the partial differential equation to be solved.     

Synthesis and applications of heterobifunctional poly(ethylene oxide) oligomers

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) oligomers are employed extensively in pharmaceutical and biomedical arenas mainly due to their excellent physical and biological properties, including solubility in water and organic solvents, lack of toxicity, and absence of immunogenicity. PEO can be chemically modified and reacted with, or adsorbed onto, other molecules and surfaces. Sophisticated applications for PEO have increased the demand for PEO oligomers with tailored functionalities, and heterobifunctional PEOs are often needed. This review discusses the synthesis and applications of heterobifunctional PEO oligomers possessing amine, carboxylate, thiol, and maleimide functional groups.     

Stability analysis of network-based cooperative resource allocation strategies

Resource allocation involves deciding how to divide a resource of limited availability among multiple demands in a way that optimizes current objectives. In this brief paper we focus on one type of distributed resource allocation problem where via an imperfect communication network multiple processors can share the load presented by multiple task types. We introduce asynchronous “cooperative” resource allocation strategies, and show that they lead to a bounded cumulative demand.     

Nonpathological Lyapunov functions and discontinuous Carathéodory systems

Differential equations with discontinuous right-hand side and solutions intended in Carathéodory sense are considered. For these equations, sufficient conditions which guarantee both Lyapunov stability and asymptotic stability in terms of nonsmooth Lyapunov functions are given. An invariance principle is also proven.     

Bullwhip reduction for ARMA demand: The proportional order-up-to policy versus the full-state-feedback policy

A ‘proportional’ order-up-to policy reacting to ARMA demand is analyzed using stochastic optimal control theory. This policy is compared with a full-state-feedback order-up-to policy. Necessary conditions for an optimum of a weighted sum of the inventory and the ordering variances for both policies are formulated. Based on this a relatively simple expression for the ‘full-state’ policy is derived. The comparison between the two policies demonstrates that the ‘intuitively’ designed proportional policy does not fulfill the objective of controlling both the inventory and ordering variance for all parameter values of the demand model as well as the full-state-feedback policy. The full-state-feedback policy outperforms the proportional policy in several aspects.