bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Criminal Personality Profiling and Crime Scene Assessment
Authors: DAVIS JOSEPH A.
Published: March 2007

Within the justice system, there appears to be a growing demand for experts in the field of behavioral science who can help law enforcement solve bizarre and unusual cases. There are multiple factors and antecedent events that are involved in a violent crime. These factors and events include the intent, the plan, the type of criminal, the type of victim, the crime scene, and the premortem and postmortem interval. The manner in which a violent crime is performed expresses the psychological pattern, makeup, and expression of the individual performing it. Criminal investigative analysis, or criminal personality profiling, examines and identifies the subtle habits, psychological traits, and personality variables associated with criminal activity. These variables and traits are used to develop personality and behavioral descriptors of an offender who often commits heinous crimes such as serial homicide, sex crimes leading to criminal homicide, arson, bombings, ritualistic crimes that include torture, child abduction, kidnapping, child molestation, and bank robbery.
Drug Supply and Demand
Authors: FUENTES JOSEPH R. , KELLY ROBERT J.
Published: March 2007

The article considers the role of governments and their agencies in controlling and containing cross-border drug trafficking. In essence, government law enforcement stands as an intrusive middleman between suppliers and buyers. Building effective partnerships against drug trafficking and use requires first-rate professional law enforcement, but it also needs remedies that other agencies and institutions can provide. Cooperation with other governments and their law enforcement apparatus is one prescription; another is the internal mobilization of the public to create a problem-solving strategy that neither the police nor the public can produce by themselves.
A Unified Control Strategy for the Active Reduction of Sound and Vibration
Authors: Doelman N.J.
Published: March 2007

The generalized minimum variance (GMV) control strategy is proposed as an effective strategy for active sound and vibration control systems. The GMV strategy is shown to unify well-known adaptive filtering approaches based on LMS-type algorithms and purely feedback strategies as used in other types of control systems. The short comings of the LMS adaptive filtering systems for active sound control are clearly un covered. Pure adaptive filtering emerges from the GMV strategy merely when the extra neous noise at the error sensor is Gaussian noise, the controller complexity is restricted and no fast tracking of system changes is required. The necessary additional identification of the secondary acoustic path is an extra problem of the adaptive filtering approach. Sim ulation experiments with real and synthetic data verify the wide applicability of the GMV control strategy and the limited efficacy of (LMS) adaptive filters for use in active sound reduction systems.
Synthesis of and Insulin Release from Erodible, Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)-Phospholipid Composites
Authors: Xue Shen Wu  , Hoffman Allan S. , Yager Paul
Published: March 2007

Erodible, gel-like, polymer-lipid composites were prepared by employing a ther mally reversible polymer, poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) (polyNIPA Am) that has a lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Composites were synthesized by dissolving N-hydroxysuccinimidyl active-ester-group activated polyNIPAAm and lipids including dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol in chloroform; hydrating with an aqueous drug solu tion ; and then sonicating the aqueous mixture to a temperature above the LCST of polyNIPAAm. Insulin was suspended in the aqueous solution and was then incorporated within the polymer-lipid composites during formation of the composites. These composites erode away in aqueous solution, gradually releasing the insulin. Increasing frequency of phospholipid (PL) along the polyNIPAAm chain decreases the rates of erosion and drug release The freeze-dried composite has a faster ero sion rate and drug release rate than air-dried composite. The composite eroded and released insulin at temperatures both below and above the LCST of polyNIPAAm. As expected, the composite ero sion and insulin release rates were slower at temperatures above the LCST of polyNIPAAm. The polymer-lipid composites could be useful for topical delivery of protein drugs such as in the eye, nose, mouth, or vagina.
Influence of a Locally Applied Electro-Rheological Fluid Layer on Vibration of a Simple Cantilever Beam
Authors: Haiqing Gong , Lim Mong King  , Tan Bee Cher
Published: March 2007

This experimental work is concerned with the vibration characteristics of a canti lever beam locally linked by an electro-rheological fluid layer to ground. Such a novel vibration con trol strategy can drastically change the vibration characteristics of the beam system, owing to the mechanism that the locally applied ER fluid layer serves as a complex spring and thus change the stiffness matrix, or the structural configuration, of the original beam system under the electric field. It is found that the vibration characteristics of the cantilever beam with the locally applied ER fluid layer treatment is more sensitive to the electric field than a sandwich beam. The influence of the non linear deformation of the ER fluid due to the presence of the yield stress on the vibration of the canti lever beam is also investigated.
Stability of the Barto-Sutton Network under Rational Control Orbits
Authors: Jouse Wayne C.
Published: March 2007

The class of networks based on the Barto-Sutton architecture are known to be capable of solving complex, multi-dimensional control problems. In these problems, the objective of the task is the localization of a system within a contiguous region of its state space.

In this work, asymptotic stability criteria are derived for the Adaptive Critical Element (ACE) of the network. Here, the weights of the network are viewed as the state of a linear time-variant state- space learning machine. For system trajectories which can be represented by simple rational polynomials, discrete-time techniques are used to analyze the stability of the learning machine. The advantages of this approach are that it both provides bounds for the learning parameters and characterizes the resultant learning behavior.
A Self-Regulated Insulin Delivery System Using Boronic Acid Gel
Authors: Shiino Daijiro , Kataoka Kazunori , Koyama Yoshiyuki , Yokoyama Masayuki , Okano Teruo , Sakurai Yasuhisa
Published: March 2007

A novel polymer system sensitive to glucose concentration has been studied as a can didate material for chemically regulated insulin release system. Phenylboronic acid is able to form reversible binding to cis-diol substances. A glucose responsive insulin release system has been studied with utilization of phenylboronic acid polymers for the key material in the exchange reaction between gluconic acid modified insulin (G-Ins) and glucose. The released concentration of G-Ins from the polymer was pulsatile in response to the repeated stepwise concentration changes of glu cose. The linearity between glucose concentration and peak height of released G-Ins and the release response demonstrated no lag time to changes in glucose concentration were other important finites. The phenylboronic acid polymer shows considerable promise for use in a self-regulating insulin delivery system.
Chemical Sensing System Using Plasma Polymer Films and Pattern Recognition Algorithm
Authors: Nakamura Masayuki , Sugimoto Iwao , Kuwano Hiroki
Published: March 2007

A chemical sensing system using a sensor array with sensitive but durable plasma polymer films is developed. Plasma polymer films have unsaturated bonds and radical sites which cause several unique characteristics. These films contain high concentrations of unsaturated bonds and radical sites, which act as interactive sites. These sites, scattered throughout an inert fluorocar bon framework, are believed to induce specific interactions with small molecules through π and spin interactions. We have tried to apply our knowledge of these interactions to molecular recognition. For sensing small molecules, these films are deposited on both sides of an AT-cut quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with a resonant frequency of 9 MHz by radio-frequency (rf) sputtering of polymers such as polychlorotrifluoroethylene. The QCM is connected to an oscillator circuit and its resonant shift is proportional to the mass of the adsorbed molecules. The affinity of plasma polymer films can be shifted by changing sputtering conditions such as the target materials, temperature, or rf power. The chemical sensing system studied here uses a sensor array having modified films with various sensitivities. Because the sensor films have an affinity for several kinds of gases, a pattern recognition algorithm is needed to discern unique gas information from sensors that have overlap ping selectivities. The equilibrium mass of adsorbed gas and a time constant are first extracted from the time-dependent sensor outputs, which show that the adsorption process resembles Langmuir ad sorption, and then the parameters are mapped to a classification space and used for classification. The addition of a time constant increases the selectivity of our sensor system for single-gas analysis and mixture analysis.
The Influence of Transformation Kinetics on Stress-Strain Relations of Shape Memory Alloys in Thermomechanical Processes
Authors: Oberaigner E.R. , Tanaka K. , Fischer F.D.
Published: March 2007

The constitutive law which relates stress, temperature, transformed volume fraction and the strain is integrated under consideration of a kinetic law. This law was derived and discussed by the authors just recently. It is a differential equation for the volume fraction of the new phase. The volume fraction is a function of the stress and temperature history.

Merging of the constitutive law and the kinetic law leads to a new relation among the volume frac tion of the new phase, the total strain, the stress and/or temperature. For some parameter configura tions and in the case of a linear stress-temperature relation, analytical solutions are possible which are presented. The results are also compared with those of a statistical simulation.
Polymers Have "Intelligent" Surfaces: Polymer Surface Dynamics
Authors: Andrade J.D.
Published: March 2007

The "intelligence" of synthetic macromolecules is currently a topic of great interest, popularity, and activity. The understanding of macromolecule mechanics and dynamics has reached the stage where unique and novel applications are being developed.

Here I present basic principles of polymer surface science, bulk polymer dynamics, and some selected areas in polymer surface dynamics.

I include a brief treatment of the complexity of highly dynamic, multi-domain, macromolecular surfaces and their interactions with highly dynamic, multi-domain "block copolymer" proteins which are important in biocompatibility and biotechnology.
Mechanism of Redox Reaction on Polypyrrole
Authors: Kim D.Y. , Cho H.N. , Kim C.Y.
Published: March 2007

A concentration of bipolarons in doped polypyrrole (PPy) decreases on elec trochemical reduction at an early stage while that of polarons increases. Further reduction increases the absorption intensity at 800 nm on expense of the peak intensity at 550 nm. Prolonged reduction produces a strong absorption at 400 nm and diminishes the intensities both at 550 nm and 800 nm. The trend of changes in absorption intensity at 800 nm repeats when the reduction system is fixed to pH = 3 by adding acetic acid. However, adding 0.01 mol of hydroquinone in the system lowers monotonically the absorption intensity at 800 nm on reduction. Cyclic voltammograms of the PPy change little after 7,000 cycles if hydroquinone is added to the system. Polarons are so reactive that PPy transforms into irreversible changes in the structure on the reduction process and the reactivity is retarded by adding hydroquinone in the system.
Reliability Studies on Electrostrictive Actuators
Authors: Kumar U. , Randall M. , Hock J. , Ritter A.
Published: March 2007

Multilayer electrostrictive actuators have numerous applications. Frequently these applications involve harsh mechanical and electrical loads. Furthermore, it is typically expected that these loads be incurred for > 108 repetitions (ideally for an infinite number of cycles). This paper describes the electrical and electro-mechanical analyses used at AVX Corporation to assess the performance characteristics of multilayer ceramic actuators, and addresses the effects of electro mechanical cycling on selected device properties.

In this study, lead magnesium niobate based multilayer electrostrictive actuators were subjected to a.c. fields at rated device voltage. Capacitance, dissipation factor, displacement vs. voltage, displace ment hysteresis, electro-mechanical quality factor, and resonant frequency were monitored as a function of electro-mechanical cycling. The actuators exhibited highly stable displacements through out the investigation. Changes observed in other properties indicate a possibility of using them as NDE techniques to assess the actuator reliability.
Shape Memory: A New Concept of Explanation and of Mathematical Modelling
Authors: Kafka V.
Published: March 2007

The mathematical model presented here is formulated in such a way that the two sets of atoms present in a binary alloy with shape memory are modelled as two continuous infrastruc tures. The model is based on the author's general concept elaborated for the description of inelastic processes in heterogeneous materials. For the effect of mechanical loading the application of this concept is straightforward. The effect of temperature changes is modelled by a simple linear relation that reflects the influence of the differing thermal expansions of the two elements constituting the alloy upon the deviatoric stress and strain in the infrastructure that undergoes inelastic deformation. The resulting thermomechanical constitutive equation is very general and the cases of shape memory and pseudoelasticity are described by it as special forms. Quantitative comparisons of theo retical and experimental data prove that this approach is meaningful.
Group Environment Questionnaire and its Applicability in an Exercise Setting
Authors: Blanchard Chris , Poon Pauline , Rodgers Wendy , Pinel Bruce
Published: March 2007

The Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) has recently been modified by Spink and Carron to assess group cohesion in exercise settings. However, as they point out, fitness classes possess a minimum number of criteria necessary to satisfy the requirements of a group. Therefore, applying an instrument developed to measure cohesion in sport teams to exercise classes may produce potential threats to the validity of the modified scale. Hence, the present study administered the modified GEQ to 307 exercise participants in the 3rd week of classes to test the factorial validity of the scale. The overall model was deemed an inadequate fit, and a modified version was suggested that retained the original four-factor structure. A second study administered the modified GEQ to 43 exercise participants at weeks 3 and 7 of typical aerobics classes and found that group cohesion did not develop over time and was not related to exercise adherence.
The Effects of Extroversion on Influence in Ambiguous Group Tasks
Authors: Bonner Bryan L.
Published: March 2007

Although the generic patterns that groups follow in reaching consensus on problem-solving tasks have been examined in detail, little attention has been given to the role of personality in group decision making. One personality variable that would seem to be especially relevant to group decision making is the extroversion levels of the group members. This study examines the effects that member extroversion has on the group decision-making process. As predicted, it was found that participants with the highest level of extroversion in their group were more influential than other group members under certain conditions. Three factors were found to suppress the influence of extroverts: the existence of a dominant faction within the group, a lack of relevant task information, and an excess of task ambiguity. These results indicate that examining groups at a social permutation level may improve our knowledge of the group decision-making process.
Cognitive Entrainment in Engineering Design Teams
Authors: Reid Fraser J. M. , Reed Susan
Published: March 2007

In this article, the authors test the hypothesis that cycles of speaking and turn taking during group design discussions are entrained to rhythmic shifts in group-level modes of reasoning. Video recordings of six teams of engineering students performing realistic design tasks were coded for instances of figural and conceptual reasoning, rates of turn taking, and group participation. Exploratory spectral analysis pointed to rhythmic oscillations every 5 to 10 minutes between periods of predominantly figural or conceptual discussion, whereas structural equations modeling indicated a lead-lag relationship between peaks in figural reasoning and lowered levels of conceptual reasoning, group participation, and turn taking. The authors interpret these results as evidence for cognitive entrainment in group discussion and illustrate the potential of frequency and pooled time series techniques for studying the temporal structure of group interaction.
Muddling With The Mundane
Authors: Gondolf Edward
Published: March 2007

This article discusses the social education derived from a group living community service program. It outhnes the format and philosophy of the program, discusses the house meetmg process, highlights the stages of intensifying tension and release, and defines the role of staff in assuring the group progression. Notably, greater commitment and group awareness are attained through "muddling" over the basic tasks of maintaining the group living situation .
An Analysis of Client-Perceived Curative Factors in a Therapy Group of Former Incest Victims
Authors: Bonney Warren C. , Randall Donald A. , Cleveland J. Dianne
Published: March 2007

This study examines factors regarded as most and least therapeutic by members of a therapy group of women who experienced childhood incest. Client and therapist perceptions are accessed through the administration of individual Q-sorts (Block, 1961), which utilize statements developed by Yalom (1975). Client Q-sorts are correlated with each other and with the sorts of the therapists and are compared with the sorts of other group studies. The differences obtained among these sets are analyzed and the implications discussed. The results suggest that the relative importance of therapeutic factors, and therefore treatment strategies, may differ radically dependent on the composition of the group and the nature of the presenting problems.
Symlog and Behavior Therapy
Authors: Kressel Neil J.
Published: March 2007

During the past 15 years, several prominent behavior therapists have urged practitioners to incorporate useful elements of other therapeutic approaches into their own clinical repertoires. A recently developed sociological method for group study called SYMLOG is suggested as a means for bringing elements of psychoanalytic and humanistic techniques into behavior therapy. Numerous applications of SYMLOG are discussed. The new social psychological system is useful for both individual behavior therapy and behavior therapy in groups. In addition, SYMLOG may be used to facilitate social psychological comparisons between the methodologies of various orientations to therapy.
Sex Differences In Children's Task-Group Performance
Authors: Gigliotti Richard J.
Published: March 2007

It is widely believed that males are more competent at task-group activity. This article critically examines the bases for asserting a sex difference in task-group ability. The argument focuses on the need to separate the effects of ability from the effects of opportunity to perform. A study is then presented that controls for the hypothesized contaminating effects of status and sex-biased activity. Children ages 3 to 8 were randomly assigned to sex, age, and race homogeneous three-person groups and asked to engage in a complex, sex-neutral task. On 13 task performance dimensions there was only one significant difference. The remaining 12 dimensions showed mixed but insignificant differences. The conclusion is that both males and females can manage complex task-group activity.
Self-Monitoring and Leadership Emergence
Authors: Ellis Robert J. , Adamson Raymond S. , Deszca Gene , Cawsey Thomas F.
Published: March 2007

The research described here was directed toward furthering our understanding of the antecedents of leadership emergence in groups. Kenny and Zaccaro (1983) have recently speculated that individuals who emerge as leaders may be able to perceive the needs of their group and pattern their own behavior accordingly. Past research strongly supports the notion that individuals who are high self-monitors possess skills corresponding to both these characteristics. Thus the present research examined the relationship between self-monitoring and leadership emergence in a long-term field study of natural groups. The expectation that high self-monitoring would be associated with leadership emergence received strong support. The implications of these results for furthering our understanding of the nature of self-monitoring and leadership are discussed.
Habitability and Behavioral Issues of Space Flight
Authors: Stewart R.A.
Published: March 2007

Group behavioral issues from past space missions and simulations such as the Skylab Medi cal Experiments Altitude Test, Skylab missions, and Shuttle Spacelab I mission are reviewed. Recommendations for future flights are made about commandership, crew selection, and ground-crew communications. Pre- and in-flight behavioral countermeasures are suggested for crew isolation, mission control stress, groupthink, and interpersonal conflict.
The Supportive and Remedial Interchange in Group Therapy
Authors: Ferencik B. Michael
Published: March 2007

From the dramaturgical perspective of Erving Goffman, there are specific actions in groups that promote self-disclosure, group cohesiveness, and the resolution of conflicts. This article discusses the supportive and remedial interchanges as seemingly trivial, but critical, interactional tools. The supportive interchange is presented as a way of facilitating mutual access among group members. The remedial interchange is discussed as an interactional device by which members confront each other without damaging their relationship to each other:
Gender Composition, Attributional Accounts, and Women's Influence and Likability in Task Groups
Authors: Taps Judith , Martin Patricia Yancey
Published: March 2007

The effect for women in task groups of gender composition (all female; skewed, solo female; and balanced) and type of attributiontal accounts (internal vs. external) are explored in 36 groups with three naive subjects and one confederate. Results show that gender composition affects women's influence and likability more than attributional accounts do. Additionally, getnder composition conditions the impact of attributional accounts so that (a) a solo woman in an otherwise male group is most influential and well liked when she gives external attributional accounts, (b) a woman in an all-female group is most influential and well liked when she gives internal accounts, and (c) a woman in gender-balanced groups is comparably influential and well liked when she gives internal or external accounts. The discussion addresses implications of the findings for women in paid work contexts, particularly in cultures that emphasize independence and individual achievement.
Self-Construction in a Small Group Setting
Authors: Shoemaker Helen J.
Published: March 2007

The interpretive, developmental process of refiguring the ego is examined as it occurs in the perceptions of self, mediated by the cultural milieu of a student group and concretized in the narrations of personal journal writings. Students kept journals for private use; thus the audience for the journal narrative is the self. Narratives were explored for modes or styles of communication. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate not only that self-understandings are concretized through speech acts but that people actively engage in ongoing construction of the self, in the presence of others and through the use of types of communication in everyday language.
Two Multivariate Methods for Analyzing Small Group Interaction
Authors: Jarboe Susan
Published: March 2007

This article compares the advantages and disadvantages of two multivariate methods for the analysis of small grolup communication data, log-linear contingency table analysis and multivariate analysis of variance, in the context of ani experimental design. The independent conditions were discussion procedure, task solution multiplicity, and discussion topic. Participant communication behaviors, the dependent variables, were coded into a mix of 15 task social, and procedural categories. The analyses of communication indicated that log-linzear analyasis produced thle most complex models for various behaviors, including both single-factor and multifactor termns. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) findings at tlte grolup level provided the most parsimonious explanations, with a main effect of discussion procedure. Some MANOVA results at the individual level were similar to loglitnear mnodels in their complexity, whereas others duplicated the results of the group-level MANOVA. The differing outcomes from these methods point to several design considerations that should be taken account when choosing a statistical test for group communication data.
Test of a Model Linking Cognitive Motivation, Assessment of Alternatives, Decision Quality, and Group Process Satisfaction
Authors: Scudder Joseph N. , Herschel Richard T. , Crossland Martin D.
Published: March 2007

The proposed model links cognitive motivation to the assessment of alternatives, decision quality, and group satisfaction in Ventana Corporation's GroupSystemsm environment. The proposed model hypothesized a direct link between cognitive motivation, as operationalized by Petty and Cacioppo's (1986) Need for Cognition (NFC) construct, and assessment of alternatives. This link was confirmed. Group assessment of alternatives was hypothesized to have a direct effect upon the quality of decision and satisfaction with group process. These links were confirmed. The hypothesized link between quality of decision and satisfaction with group process was, however, not supported. The finding that higher quality decisions result from greater member input concerning the value of alternative choices bolsters the importance of establishing a comprehensive survey of the options. Group composition issues are discussed.
Work Pressure as a Determinant of Work Group Behavior
Authors: Klein Stuart M.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the relationship between newly emphasized production pressures and the internal dynamics of ongoing work groups. The focus is on cohesive group behavior and the role that supervisory management may play with respect to that behavior within a group-oriented high-pressure work environment. The data for this study were drawn from a major manufacturing company and collected at two different times; 1 year after a company imposed work pressure system began and I year after that. The results indicate that work pressures tend to disrupt work-group cohesive behavior per se but that the effect is not especially robust. Additionalfindings indicate that supervisory behavior can have a substantial effect on cohesive behavior and how members of work groups respond to pressures in terms of relevant internal dynamics. Especially relevant is the apparent effect of the supervision under especially high work pressure conditions.
Personality in Social Influence Across Tasks and Groups
Authors: Brandstatter Hermann , Farthofer Alois
Published: March 2007

In a study on the person-by-situation interaction on leadership, 9 unacquaintedfemale and male students completed a personality-adjective list before they cooperated in 3 triads on 4 different assessment-center tasks, each time with 2 new partners. The rotation design was run with 4 samples of 9 subjects each, half of them men, half women. Each subject's contribution to the group process was ranked by the team members and by 2 observers. In each of the 4 9-person samples the main effect of persons was much larger than the person-by-task (and group-composition) interaction effect. The personality pattern Low Emotional Stability/Low Independence was clearly a hindrance to influence for men, butnot for women. Social roles modify the influence of personality characteristics on leadership behavio, attenuating the personality influence more with women than with men. Finally, some practical conclusions are drawn.
Information Sampling in Decision-Making Groups
Authors: Wittenbaum Gwen M.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the impact of members 'task-relevant status (i.e., prior task experience) on the bias in decision-making groups to discuss more common (shared) than unique (unshared) information. Subjects reviewed applications for an assistant professor position and, in mixed-sex groups (two femake and two male), chose between two candidates. Either female or male members had prior experience with a similar task Experienced members (regardless of gender) were less predisposed to favor shared information in the mentioning and repetition of information. Consistent with expectation states theory, member gender (a diffuse status cue) failed to qualify task-relevant status effects. Although experienced members were not more successful than inexperienced members at persuading the group to adopt their preference, when they did win, they did so with less effort. Suggestions are offered for using status processes to understand the psychological factors affecting collective information sampling.
System Dynamics and Interactive Learning Environments: Lessons Learned and Implications for the Future
Authors: Spector J. Michael
Published: March 2007

A variety of system dynamics approaches to learning are developing. Consistent with recent advances in learning theory are attempts to provide increasingly meaningful experiences to learners. Such experiences include the ability to construct models in addition to using models for experimentation. In addition, collaboration in reasoning with and about models appears to enhance learning outcomes. These approaches are reviewed briefly in this summary article. An argument for a more rigorous approach to evaluation of learning outcomes is also provided.
A Computerized Simulation for Prostate Needle Biopsy
Authors: Xuan Jianhua , Adali Tulay , Wang Yue , Hayes Wendelin , Lynch John , Freedman Matthew , Mun Seong K.
Published: March 2007

The authors developed an image-guided biopsy simulation system that uses advanced image analysis and computer graphics techniques. First, they reconstruct three-dimensional (3-D) computerized prostate models with accurate 3-D representation of all internal anatomical structures of the prostate. The prostate needle biopsy simulation system is then implemented by an interactive 3-D visualization system with various realistic imaging probes and needles for examination and path planning. They show two specific ways such a simulation system can be used: (a) as a virtual simulation system where a surgeon can sit in front of the computer to plan better needle paths and can practice the actual biopsy procedure before he or she actually performs on a patient and (b) for validating the effectiveness of various biopsy techniques in prostate cancer detection and tumor volume estimation.
The Use of Computerized Management and Business Simulation in the United Kingdom
Authors: Burgess Thomas F.
Published: March 2007

Little is known about the extent to which computerized business and management simulation games (business games) are used in the United Kingdom (UK). This article describes the results of a questionnaire survey conducted in 1987 into the use of computerized business games in the UK by business and academia. The questionnaire was sent to the top 500 companies, universities, polytechnics, and various private providers of training in the UK The survey covers, among other things, the amount of game use (both current and anticipated), the views of users and nonusers on the usefulness of games, the number of games used, and the length of time that games have been used. The findings are compared with a similar survey conducted in the United States by Faria.
Some Comments on Modeling the Human Component in Computer-Based Business Simulations
Authors: Wolfe Joseph
Published: March 2007

The article by Thavikulwat places great emphasis on the creation of valid algorithmic portrayals of the functions being simulated. The reader is cautioned, however, that a simulation 's algorithms are only one part of the experiential learning environment created by the adopter of a game. Learning in these situations comes from not only the game s algorithms but also from the interplay between students, interplay with the instructor through coaching and debriefing skills, and self analysis in reaction to the gestalt of the process.
The Effectiveness of Games for Educational Purposes: A Review of Recent Research
Authors: Randel Josephine M. , Morris Barbara A. , Wetzel C. Douglas , Whitehill Betty V.
Published: March 2007

This article reviews the literature that compares the instructional effectiveness of games to conventional classroom instruction. Studies dealing with empirical research rather than teachers'judgments are reviewed. Published reviews of research in English dating from 1963 to 1984 were examined and the literature was searched for studies from 1984 to 1991. Of the 67 studies considered over a period of 28 years, 38 show no difference between games and conventional instruction; 22 favor games; 5 favor games, but their controls are questionable; and 3 favor conventional instruction. Results for social sciences, math, language arts, logic physics, biology, retention over time, and interest are examined. Math is the subject area with the greatest percentage of results favoring games, but only eight studies have adequate controls. Thirty-three out of 46 social science games/simulations show no difference between games/simulations and classroom instruction. The authors conclude that subject matter areas where very specific content can be targeted are more likely to show beneficial effects for gaming.
The Hostage Crisis Simulation
Authors: Kraus Sarit , Wilkenfeld Jonathan , Harris Michael A. , Blake Elizabeth
Published: March 2007

The HOSTAGE CRISIS SIMULATION was developed as part of a simulated real-world situation in which negotiators can be trained and experiments conducted. The work consists of a strategic model of negotiation and a sophisticated computer-based decision support system. Three central dimensions of negotiation are incorporated into this model: the role of time; the formation by the parties of preference orderings for different negotiated agreements and outcomes; and the availability of information to the parties. An additional feature of this project will be the design of an automated negotiation agent. This article presents the elements of the HOSTAGE CRISIS SIMULATION, based on the hijacking by Palestinians o a passenger plane bound from Europe to Israel and its forced landing at Cairv. It presents preliminary findings based on experimental runs of the model with undergraduate international relations students. Among the reported findings is confirmation that the performance of participants in simulated crisis negotiations improves with their exposure to decision support tools.
Achieving Interactive Variable Modeling through Interpolation: A Response to Gold's Comments
Authors: Goosen Kenneth R. , Kusel Jimie
Published: March 2007

This article, which is prepared in response to a question raised by Gold concerning use of the interpolation approach in modeling, describes how the interpolation approach achieves interaction among variables in a simulation. The theory underlying use of the approach is presented and a five-step algorithm is suggested for implementation. Application of the approach to nonmultiplicative models is also addressed. The article concludes that based on the principle of creating interpolation arrays in terms of percentages and given a starting base quantity, the interpolation methodology can effectively emulate interactions within any type of equation that contains multiple interacting variables.
War Gaming: In Need of Context
Authors: Schwalbe Stephen R.
Published: March 2007

Because of the accelerated pace of change in the world 's political environment since 1985, war game scenarios quickly became obsolete. Rather than rewrite computer programs to accommodate another conflict somewhere else that eventually will become obsolete by the changing nature of world events, it is recommended that computer programmers write software establishing world environments (known as "contexts") in which player-derived scenarios are installed just prior to game execution. Advantages include greater credibility of the war game to its participants, thereby enhancing the quality of participation, and a new source of inputs regarding future paths to war for military intelligence analysis and exploitation. Suggested war game contexts include the Korean Peninsula, the Middle East, the Balkan Peninsula, and border or ethnic wars between republics of the former Soviet Union.
A System-Dynamics-Based Game for New Product Growth
Authors: Mohapatra Pratap K. J. , Saha Barun K.
Published: March 2007

The article describes the features of a system-dynamics-based game for new product growth. The problem situation is discussed in the framework of a system dynamics model. The model is converted into a game form by following certain generalized principles that help in identifying the decision variables for the players, redefining players' decisions to maintain dimensional consistency, storing these decisions in files, invoking game-related equations, selecting the length of the game-simulation run, storing the end-period values of stock variables, deciding on the report structure, and storing the output in the files. This computerized game can accommodate simultaneous play by a maximum of four teams. Each team makes annual decisions on eight variables representing capacity acquisition, production, workforce hiring, borrowing, and profit margin. This article describes in detail the performance and the learning behavior of three teams during a particular play. The ability of a team to estimate the end-period values of performance measures was used as a criterion of learning by the team. The team that achieved the best value of this criterion also achieved the best company performance, corroborating our hypothesis that learning and performance are positively correlated.
Two Integrative Win-Win Negotiating Strategies
Authors: Butler John K.
Published: March 2007

A theoretical foundation is developed for a negotiating role-play. Two integrative (win-win) negotiating strategies, logrolling and bridging, are discussed. The dual concern model provides a conceptual perspective for comparing and contrasting the two strategies. Refocusing on underlying interests is seen as the condition that differentiates bridging from logrolling. Existing role-playing exercises with logrolling or bridging potential are briefly described.
Trappings of Expertise and the Pursuit of Failure
Authors: Ramnarayan S. , Strohschneider Stefan , Schaub Harald
Published: March 2007

This article explores some of the basic shortcomings and fallacies of managerial behavior in dynamic situations. In a laboratory study, 20 groups of three participants each, all with an education in business management, were observed while trying to manage a computer-simulated industrial organization called MANUTEX. This is an interactive simulation of a small garment factory. For most groups, this problem proved to be extremely difficult. The analysis of the problem-solving process and the strategies that the participants employ show that several typical mistakes were responsible for the groups' difficulties. These mistakes are integrated into a number of generic behavior patterns and uncontested basic assumptions that guide action. The participants' difficulties are not due to insufficient managerial knowledge or cognitive limitations. Rather, they stem from an incorrect use of the available knowledge, a tendency to avoid risks and reduce uncertainty, and a motivational process directed at sheltering the subjective sense of competence.
Intergroup Bridging Using the Dynamic Circles Exercise (DCE)
Authors: Kacen Lea
Published: March 2007

Intergroup bridging is aimed at reducing animosity and tension between groups while increasing their understanding and their ability to survive side by side with mutual respect. The DYNAMIC CIRCLES EXERCISE (DCE) is an elaboration on the FISHBOWL technique, based on theoretical principles from the existentialist theory, the gestalt theory, and the learning theory. Four examples of DCE applications are presented: a case involving drug addicts and third-year social work students, a case adding new volunteers to a group of veteran volunteers, confronting mothers and fathers of handicapped children in couple group intervention, and settling a conflict within an interdisciplinary team of workers. The strengths and dangers of the DCE, as well as the nature of the exercise, are discussed.
The Center for the Study of Social Work Practice: A Profile
Authors: Jenkins Shirley , Mattaini Mark A.
Published: March 2007

The Center for the Study of Social Work Practice is a joint endeavor of a major school of social work and a major social agency. Structured around an administrative core and three major research streams, it offers one possible model for establishing the linkages between research and practice so essential to meaningful research on social work practice. This article describes the concept and origin of the center, advantages and limitations of its structure and funding arrangements, and its current programs of research and research dissemination. Despite inevitable difficulties, experience thus far suggests that it is both possible and productive to institutionalize practice-research partnerships on a structural, organizational basis, as well as between social work researchers and practitioners on an individual basis. Organized around a central theme, the development of practice knowledge, the center may thereby contribute to the development of indigenous social work theory as well.
Social Work Practice with a Bulimic Population: A Comparative Evaluation of Purgers and Nonpurgers
Authors: Saunders Ronna I. , Saunders David N.
Published: March 2007

The traditional definition of bulimia has focused on persons who engage in purging behavior. Limited research has been conducted on bulimics, either obese or non-obese, who do not purge. These nonpurging bulimics are often frustrated in their attempts to obtain treatment because their condition is not sufficiently serious to warrant treatment. Because the incidence of bulimia in the general population is high, social workers are likely to see clients who are struggling with this problem. This study compared groups of purging and nonpurging bulimics who had received cognitive-behavioral treatment in a social work practice. It measured change on a number of dimensions related to eating behaviors, feelings, and life functioning. The study found few, if any, significant differences between purging and nonpurging bulimics 2 to 5 years following treatment. Although all groups showed significant improvement at follow-up, some bulimic symptoms remained. In addition, the disordered eating patterns of obese and non-obese bulimics were similar across weight categories. The results suggest that out-of-control eating behavior, not purging, may be the key distinguishing feature of bulimia and that greater attention must be directed at relapse prevention and aftercare once treatment has been completed.
A Validity Study of a Self-Anchored Scale for Measuring Self-Esteem
Authors: Nugent William R.
Published: March 2007

This article describes a study that was conducted to investigate the construct validity of a self-anchored scale for measuring self-esteem. Self-anchored scale ratings of self-esteem were correlated with scores on two self-esteem scales, a depression scale, and demographic variables to provide evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. Results suggest that self-anchored scale scores may indeed reflect level of self-esteem. However, results also suggest that the reliability of the self-anchored scale scores may be unacceptably low and that level of depression may substantially influence a client's rating of self-esteem on a self-anchored scale.
Single-System Research Design Content in the Doctoral Curriculum
Authors: Carrillo Dorothy F. , DeWeaver Kevin L. , Kilpatrick Allie C. , Smith Michael L.
Published: March 2007

Single-system methodology in social work practice has gained momentum in recent years. This article explores the role of this research method in doctoral education. The authors present results of a survey of 47 social work doctoral programs in regard to single-system methodology in doctoral curricula and its use m dissertations.
The State of the Art of Social Work Research: Implications for Mental Health
Authors: Glisson Charles
Published: March 2007

A summary is presented of the findings of a study of the social work research literature conducted for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Task Force on Social Work Research. Implications of those findings are drawn for building social work knowledge in the area of mental health. Arguments are made that building social work knowledge for effective mental health services and policies requires a focus on traditional areas of practice, research that includes higher level systems, an interdisciplinary knowledge base, and a commitment by the profession to improving the quality of its research.
Post-Shelter Services: The Efficacy of Follow-Up Programs for Abused Women
Authors: Tutty Leslie M.
Published: March 2007

Abused women who decide to leave their partners face a number of obstacles, including increased risk of abuse, lack of social support, and difficulty accessing community resources Post-shelter follow-up programs are a new form of intervention designed to provide support and advocacy to women who wish to establish new lives independently from their abusive partner. This article presents evaluations of two such follow-up programs, consisting of both quantitative and qualitative components. Workers provided the demographic characteristics and answered rating scales regarding safety, self-esteem, and use of social supports for 60 women. Standardized measures of social support and perceived stress were completed by a subset of 28 women when they entered the programs and 3 months later. The women significantly improved their amount of appraisal support, although tangible and belonging support and perceived stress levels did not change significantly. Self-esteem improved significantly for another subset of 12 follow-up program clients. In-depth interviews with 31 of the women identified problematic issues with which the clients reported receiving support from the follow-up program. Clients also outlined their views of the strengths and limitations of the programs. The majority of the women perceived the programs as central in their not returning to an abusive relationship.