bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Second-Order and Advanced Analysis of Structures Allowing for Load and Construction Sequences
Authors: Liu Y.P. , Chan S.L.
Published: August 2011

The advantage of second-order nonlinear analysis lies on its capacity to model actual structural response instead of making assumption on the structural behavior such as the arbitrary assumption of effective length factor. Considering the construction process of a structure, it may become a sway frame from a non-sway frame when a story is added or, on the contrary, to convert to a non-sway frame from a sway frame when bracings or infill walls are constructed and this makes the first-order linear analysis extremely inconvenient to use. Further, the deformation and load distributions of the structures considering the construction sequence can be much different from those obtained by assuming all structural elements share loads simultaneously.

This paper proposes an advanced simulation-based design using an improved second-order analysis for structures accounting for both local and global imperfections, sequential loads and construction process. The technique for such an analysis is described and the error for ignoring the effects of sequential loads and construction procedure is quantified. Both the elastic and the plastic second-order analyses are used for comparison.
Floor Vibration in Lightweight Cold-Formed Steel Framing
Authors: Xu Lei
Published: August 2011

Floor vibration due to walking as a serviceability concern has not been well addressed in design and construction of lightweight floors. The high strength and stiffness of steel provide the advantage of achieving longer floor spans. However, floors with longer span and lighter weight are likely to be susceptible to annoying vibrations induced by normal human activity such as walking. Designing a lightweight floor to control these annoying vibrations can be difficult due to lack of appropriate design guidelines. Presented in this paper is a multi-phase study on the vibration performance of cold-formed steel floors performed at the University of Waterloo. Full-scale floor systems with different framing details were constructed and tested in both laboratory and in situ conditions. The floor framing details that enhance the floor performance against vibrations are discussed. The results of the tests show that cold-formed steel floor systems with appropriate design and construction details can perform well against floor vibration due to human walking.
Novel Steel-Concrete-Steel Sandwich Composite Plates Subject to Impact and Blast Load
Authors: Liew J.Y. Richard , Wang T.Y.
Published: August 2011

This paper investigates the structural performance of steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich composite system subject to impact and blast load. Novel J-hook shear connector was invented to prevent the separation of face plates from the concrete core. SCS sandwich specimens subject to 100 kg TNT blast a 5 m standoff distance were tested. The test results are reported and the factors affecting the blast resistance of SCS sandwich structures are discussed. Finite element analysis was carried out and the numerical results are verified against the blast test results. Parametric study of sandwich core strength and plate thickness is presented. Due to the superior impact performance of the proposed SCS sandwich structures, an ice caisson protective offshore structure is proposed based on the curved sandwich panel. The ultimate strength behavior of curved SCS sandwich panels is tested. The effect of arch effect is studied both experimentally and numerically.
Probability Distributions for Cyclone Key Parameters and Cyclonic Wind Speed for the East Coast of Indian Region
Authors: Goyal Pradeep K. , Datta T.K.
Published: August 2011

This paper presents a study conducted on the probabilistic distribution of key cyclone parameters and the cyclonic wind speed by analyzing the cyclone track records obtained from India meteorological department for east coast region of India. The dataset of historical landfalling storm tracks in India from 1975–2007 with latitude /longitude and landfall locations are used to map the cyclone tracks in a region of study. The statistical tests were performed to find a best fit distribution to the track data for each cyclone parameter. These parameters include central pressure difference, the radius of maximum wind speed, the translation velocity, track angle with site and are used to generate digital simulated cyclones using wind field simulation techniques. For this, different sets of values for all the cyclone key parameters are generated randomly from their probability distributions. Using these simulated values of the cyclone key parameters, the distribution of wind velocity at a particular site is obtained. The same distribution of wind velocity at the site is also obtained from actual track records and using the distributions of the cyclone key parameters as published in the literature. The simulated distribution is compared with the wind speed distributions obtained from actual track records. The findings are useful in cyclone disaster mitigation.
Minimum Safe Burial Depth of Submarine Pipelines in Well Graded and High Hydraulic Conductivity Sand
Authors: Neelamani S. , Al-Banaa K.
Published: August 2011

An important unknown while burying a submarine pipeline is “What is it's minimum safe burial depth?”. It is a function of wave climate, water depth, engineering and hydraulic properties of the seabed soil, etc. To solve this problem, physical model investigations were carried out in a wave flume to assess the change in the horizontal and vertical hydrodynamic forces on a submarine pipeline for different depth of burial. The marine sand is well graded and has hydraulic conductivity of 1.84 mm/s. It is found that the horizontal force reduces non-linearly with increase in depth of burial. 75% of the magnitude of the horizontal force reduces by just burying the pipe, when compared to the one placed on the seabed. The vertical hydrodynamic force is smaller for half buried pipe and increases for just fully buried case due to the significant change in the magnitude as well as the phase difference between the pore water dynamic pressures. For any burial depth and for a constant wave height, increase in wave period has noticeable increase in the vertical wave force than the horizontal wave force. The horizontal wave force dictates the stability of the submarine pipeline, when it is placed on the sea floor. For buried pipeline, the upward wave force dictates. Workout example is presented as a ready reference.
Argonaute protein identity and pairing geometry determine cooperativity in mammalian RNA silencing
Authors: Broderick Jennifer A. , Salomon William E. , Ryder Sean P. , Aronin Neil , Zamore Phillip D.
Published: August 2011

Small RNAs loaded into Argonaute proteins direct silencing of complementary target mRNAs. It has been proposed that multiple, imperfectly complementary small interfering RNAs or microRNAs, when bound to the 3′ untranslated region of a target mRNA, function cooperatively to silence target expression. We report that, in cultured human HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, Argonaute1 (Ago1), Ago3, and Ago4 act cooperatively to silence both perfectly and partially complementary target RNAs bearing multiple small RNA-binding sites. Our data suggest that for Ago1, Ago3, and Ago4, multiple, adjacent small RNA-binding sites facilitate cooperative interactions that stabilize Argonaute binding. In contrast, small RNAs bound to Ago2 and pairing perfectly to an mRNA target act independently to silence expression. Noncooperative silencing by Ago2 does not require the endoribonuclease activity of the protein: A mutant Ago2 that cannot cleave its mRNA target also silences noncooperatively. We propose that Ago2 binds its targets by a mechanism fundamentally distinct from that used by the three other mammalian Argonaute proteins.
The Fixed-Charge Shortest-Path Problem
Authors: Engineer Faramroze G. , Nemhauser George L. , Savelsbergh Martin W. P. , Song Jin-Hwa
Published: August 2011

Consider a network 𝒩 =(N, A) and associate with each arc e ∈ A a fixed cost ce for using arc e, an interval [le, ue] (le, ue ∈ ℤ) specifying the range of allowable resource consumption quantities along arc e, and a per-unit cost [Formula: see text] for resource consumed along e. Furthermore, for each node n ∈ N, let Un ∈ ℤ be the maximum amount of resource consumption a path can accumulate before visiting node n. Given a source node ns ∈ N and sink node nt ∈ N, the fixed-charge shortest-path problem (FCSPP) seeks to find a minimum-cost-feasible path from ns to nt. When resource consumption is simply additive, the resource-constrained shortest-path problem (RCSPP) is a special case of FCSPP. We develop a new dynamic programming algorithm for FCSPP. The algorithm uses solutions from labeling and dominance techniques for standard RCSPPs on slightly modified problems, and it combines these solutions by exploiting the structure provided by certain classes of knapsack problems to efficiently construct an optimal solution to FCSPP. Computational experiments demonstrate that our algorithm is often several orders of magnitude faster than naive dynamic programming procedures.
Measuring the Lifetime Value of Customers Acquired from Google Search Advertising
Authors: Chan Tat Y. , Wu Chunhua , Xie Ying
Published: August 2011

Our main objective in this paper is to measure the value of customers acquired from Google search advertising accounting for two factors that have been overlooked in the conventional method widely adopted in the industry: (1) the spillover effect of search advertising on customer acquisition and sales in off-line channels and (2) the lifetime value of acquired customers. By merging Web traffic and sales data from a small-sized U.S. firm, we create an individual customer-level panel that tracks all repeated purchases, both online and off-line, and tracks whether or not these purchases were referred from Google search advertising.

To estimate the customer lifetime value, we apply the methodology in the customer relationship management literature by developing an integrated model of customer lifetime, transaction rate, and gross profit margin, allowing for individual heterogeneity and a full correlation of the three processes. Results show that customers acquired through Google search advertising in our data have a higher transaction rate than customers acquired from other channels. After accounting for future purchases and spillover to off-line channels, the calculated value of new customers using our approach is much higher than the value obtained using conventional method. The approach used in our study provides a practical framework for firms to evaluate the long-term profit impact of their search advertising investment in a multichannel setting.
The Vernacular Moment
Authors: Murphy Kevin D.
Published: August 2011

Kevin D. Murphy reexamines the introduction of European modern architecture in New England during the late 1920s and 1930s. Emphasizing the importance of regional vernacular forms to the reformulation and popularization of modernism, The Vernacular Moment: Eleanor Raymond, Walter Gropius, and New England Modernism between the Wars also highlights Raymond's pioneering role in this process. A decade before Gropius associated modernism with New England's vernacular building tradition in the choice of materials for his own house in Lincoln, Massachusetts (1938), the design of the Cambridge School of Architecture (1928), to which Raymond contributed, had brought together modernism with both industrial and domestic vernacular idioms. Closely analyzing the architecture and written statements of Gropius and Raymond, the article explores how the architects grounded their modernism in tradition and created well-publicized buildings that served their pedagogic purposes.
Disparities in Underserved White Populations: The Case of Cancer-Related Disparities in Appalachia
Authors: Paskett Electra D. , Fisher James L. , Lengerich Eugene J. , Schoenberg Nancy E. , Kennedy Stephenie K. , Conn Mary Ellen , Roberto Karen A. , Dwyer Sharon K. , Fickle Darla , Dignan Mark
Published: August 2011

There are meaningful cancer-related disparities in the Appalachian region of the U.S. To address these disparities, the Appalachia Community Cancer Network (ACCN), a collaboration of investigators and community partners in five states (Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia), is involved in increasing cancer education and awareness, conducting community-based participatory research (CBPR), and creating mentorship and training opportunities. The primary objective of this paper is to describe cancer-related disparities in the Appalachian region of the U.S. as an example of the disparities experienced by underserved, predominantly white, rural populations, and to describe ACCN activities designed to intervene regarding these disparities. An ACCN overview/history and the diverse activities of ACCN-participating states are presented in an effort to suggest potential useful strategies for working to reduce health-related disparities in underserved white populations. Strengths that have emerged from the ACCN approach (e.g., innovative collaborations, long-standing established networks) and remaining challenges (e.g., difficulties with continually changing communities, scarce resources) are described. Important recommendations that have emerged from the ACCN are also presented, including the value of allowing communities to lead CBPR efforts. Characteristics of the community-based work of the ACCN provide a framework for reducing health-related disparities in Appalachia and in other underserved white and rural populations.
Re: Selective Application of Routine Preoperative Axillary Ultrasonography Reduces Costs for Invasive Breast Cancers
Authors: George Ralph
Published: August 2011

The approach of selective use of axillary ultrasound concentrating on breast cancer patients most likely to benefit from knowing preoperatively that an ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is cytologically positive is examined.
Management of Endometriosis-Related Pain: An Update
Authors: Luciano Danielle E , Luciano Anthony A
Published: August 2011

Endometriosis is a chronic and recurrent condition affecting 6–10% of women of a reproductive age. It results from implantation of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. It is associated with pelvic pain and infertility. Treatment for endometriosis ranges from medical management, to conservative surgery, to definitive surgery with a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and should be based on patient's fertility desires and tolerance. Medical treatment involves hormonal manipulation to induce a hypoestrogenic or antiestrogenic state to induce regression and apoptosis of lesions. Endometriosis can have dire effects on women's lives and productivity; this article will focus on early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of recurrence of the disease.
Weinstein's Noise Sensitivity Scale: Reliability and Construct Validity
Authors: Ekehammar Bo , Dornic Stan
Published: August 2011

Psychometric properties (reliability, internal consistency, factor structure, and construct validity) of the Swedish version of the Noise Sensitivity Scale were satisfactory. Support for the external validity of Weinstein's findings was described.
Learning Style Analysis—A Commentary
Authors: Baker J. David , Conroy Joanne M. , Alpert Calvert C.
Published: August 2011

Analysis of learning style by whatever instrumentation, needs to move toward synthesis in measurement of students' and teachers' styles and actual practice in the classroom. This requires advance beyond the observation of Goc Karp and Walker that college teaching tends to be done in the same style.
Memory in a Mood-Inducing Verbal Learning Task
Authors: Whissell Robert , Marshall Kimberly , Whissell Cynthia
Published: August 2011

81 subjects exposed to 40 words of one of four emotional tones (pleasant-active, pleasant-inactive, unpleasant-active, unpleasant-inactive) were later exposed to new words of a similar emotional tone on a recognition task. In all four groups, reaction time was greater and false recognitions were more frequent for the new words of matched emotional tone when these were compared with new words of an emotional tone opposite to that of the original list. The authors conclude that learning on a connotative (rather than denotative) level is responsible for this effect.
Viewing Position and Eye-Hand Preference Effects upon Anticipation of Coincidence
Authors: Stadulis Robert E. , Eidson Thomas A. , Legant Nancy L.
Published: August 2011

These three experiments investigated the effects of the performer's viewing position (from the side or front) of an apparently approaching stimulus (Bassin Anticipation Timer) upon error (AE, CE, VE) in anticipation of coincidence. Exps. 1 and 2 gave no evidence for the superiority of any viewing position for adults. Exp. 3 assessed ipsilateral (right eye and hand) and contralateral (left eye and right hand) preferences of children (ages 5.5 to 10.1 yr.). No evidence was obtained to support the hypothesized increment in performance for contralaterals when the “lead-eye” was the preferred eye; in fact, the descriptive data suggested the reverse. Those with ipsilateral preferences evidenced less AE and VE than contralaterals. Display speed affected performance so greater accuracy occurred at the fast speed in Exps. 1 and 3 whereas the two slower speeds led to less error in Exp. 2. The differential speed effect was interpreted to represent an experience/skill factor.
Short, Average-Height, Tall, and Big Men: Body-Cathexis, Clothing and Retail Satisfactions, and Clothing Behavior
Authors: Shim Soyeon , Kotsiopulos Antigone , Knoll Diane S.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of the study was to examine the mean differences in body-cathexis, satisfactions, and dissatisfactions with the clothing and retail attributes, and clothing behavior among short, average-height, tall, and big men. Data from a national random sample of 269 male consumers were analyzed. One-way analyses of variance showed that these four groups differed on mean body-cathexis, satisfactions with clothing, and retail attributes, but not on clothing behavior. Managerial implications based on the findings are discussed.
Detection of Simultaneous Visual Stimuli by School-Children
Authors: Radilová Jiřina
Published: August 2011

Significant negative correlation between the recognition correctness of geometric patterns in a 7 ± 2 task and performance on Raven's Progressive Matrices was found in game-like experiments with school-children.
Picture Books, Not Readers! Teachers Use the Wrong Modality in Presentations and Students in Studying
Authors: Westman Alida S.
Published: August 2011

Undergraduate students (26 women and 22 men) were tested for then-visual, auditory, and tactile processing capabilities using a rigorous application of the Swassing-Barbe Modality Index. Visual presentation led to best processing. Only two students processed more information with an auditory presentation and one with a tactile presentation. Only nine students indicated using visualization with any of the presentations. As neither professors nor students optimally use students' visual dominance, research is needed to provide useful strategies to help teachers present materials in a visually-oriented way and to help students develop visualization skills for use with lectures and in studying.
Using the Binomial Model to Evaluate Speech-Discrimination Scores Obtained during Background Noise
Authors: Sever Joseph C.
Published: August 2011

This study was designed to investigate the variability in performance frequently observed when speech discrimination is assessed in the presence of background noise. Using the binomial distribution, analysis suggests variability is substantial, so speech discrimination scores obtained in noise should be interpreted with caution.
Components of Proactive Transfer in Motor Performance
Authors: Blais Christine , Kerr Robert
Published: August 2011

While many variables influence the transfer of learning, it has been suggested that preestablished strategies represent a key factor in intertask transfer. 48 subjects performed trials on a tracking task for which the stimulus conditions were held constant but the response requirements were reversed. Three experimental groups had differing amounts of practice on the original task, and a no-practice group served as a control. The resulting transfer effects were not related to the amount of previous practice, but only to the distinction between practice and no-practice groups. Although there was evidence of both proactive facilitation and interference, the predominant factor affecting performance appeared to be the preestablished response strategies of the experimental groups.
The Prediction of Death from Cancer by Means of Personality/Stress Questionnaire: Too Good to Be True?
Authors: Eysenck H. J.
Published: August 2011

Recent work by Grossarth-Maticek and Eysenck has suggested that there are personality traits which in combination can predict cancer in healthy probands with 81% accuracy. Many critics have considered this result “too good to be true” It is shown that earlier studies have given results not very different in accuracy, suggesting that such a criticism is unwarranted.
Body-Image and Body-Beautification among Female College Students
Authors: Kelson Tamar R. , Kearney-Cooke Ann , Lansky Leonard M.
Published: August 2011

Women's body-image has social and personal implications. Judgments about the body can be based on appearance (public body-consciousness), internal sensations (private body-consciousness) or body-effectiveness (body-competence). The correlates of body-image and beautification were studied in a group of 245 female undergraduates who completed a body-beautification questionnaire, the Body-consciousness Inventory, the Body-cathexis/Self-cathexis Scale, and questions on feminist identification. Significant correlations were found between public body-consciousness and beautification. Body-cathexis was also correlated with body-competence. For feminists, a competent body was correlated with awareness of internal sensations, while nonfeminists connect a competent body with appearance. Results were discussed in relation to the social and cultural pressures for women to focus on appearance.
Lack of Sex Differences with the Baldwin Illusion
Authors: Holland M. , Wilson A. E. , Goddard M.
Published: August 2011

Responses of college students (16 men and 16 women) to the Baldwin illusion showed a significant effect for size of square but not for sex. Findings are consistent with those reported previously by Porac, Coren, Girgus, and Verde for adults and for the oldest group of children tested by Pressey and Wilson.
Bayesian Interpretation of the Expression “Significant at .05”: A Discrete Example
Authors: Johnstone David J.
Published: August 2011

The Bayesian inference based on the information “significant at .05” depends logically on the sample size, n. If n is sufficiently large, the locution “significant at .05,” taken by itself, implies not strong evidence against the null hypothesis but strong evidence in its favor. More particularly, for large n, a report which says merely “significant at .05,” without further information, should be interpreted as evidence against the null only if for some reason peculiar to the test in question it is considered subjectively that the sample observation x is very probably significant not only at 5% but at 1% or lower. This result holds for any “point” (simple) null hypothesis and is demonstrated here in the context of a simple example. Note that for the purpose of interpreting the expression “significant at .05” per se, it is supposed that the exact value of x is unknown.
Somatization Tendencies and Ability to Detect Internal Body Cues
Authors: Gardner Rick M. , Morrell James A. , Ostrowski Therese A.
Published: August 2011

39 subjects performed a task in which they were required to detect the presence of a resistive load during the inhalation phase of breathing. Subjects were also measured on somatization tendencies, using the SCL-90—R test. A signal-detection analysis indicated an inverse relationship between ability to detect the resistive load during breathing and somatization score. Results are discussed relative to possible ramifications for somatoform disorders.
Effect of a Physical Exercise Session on Verbal, Visuospatial, and Numerical Ability
Authors: Zervas Yannis
Published: August 2011

The effect of a physical exercise session on verbal, visuospatial and numerical performance was investigated in 186 men and 188 women, university students who were randomly divided into three experimental and three control groups. All subjects were tested on one of Eysenck's verbal, visuospatial, and numerical ability tests. The experimental groups were examined after a 40-min. intensive exercise session, while controls were tested without any prior fatiguing task. There was no significant difference among the groups, indicating that an intensive physical exercise session does not impair mental performance as measured here.
Preliminary Analysis of Effects of “Normal” Aging on Different Memory Processes and Abilities
Authors: Measso Giovanni , Romani Letizia , Martini Elisabetta , Zappalà Giuseppe
Published: August 2011

Visual recognition-memory span, name-face association, and verbal memory with selective reminding were tested in two groups of 24 normal healthy volunteers (above and below age 50 yr.). The preliminary study suggests differential effects of aging on specific memory components and warrants careful exploration.
Effects of an Emotional Negative Stimulus on the Cardiac, Electrogastrographic, and Respiratory Responses
Authors: Baldaro Bruno , Battacchi Marco Walter , Trombini Giancarlo , Palomba Daniela , Stegagno Luciano
Published: August 2011

The experiment investigated the effects of two film sequences, one neutral and the other emotional, on the cardiac (ECG), electrogastrographic (EGG) and respiratory activities of 24 healthy students during digestion. The physiological activity was recorded before and during the projection of each film sequence. 12 subjects were shown a neutral film sequence and 12 an emotional film sequence. At the end of each viewing period, each subject completed a self-rating questionnaire on the emotional experience. Analysis indicated, with respect to the previewing (baseline) values, an increase in cardiac and respiratory rates and a decrease in electrogastrographic rates during the viewing of the film sequences. Changes in the EGG rate (baseline to viewing) were negatively correlated with the changes in ECG and respiratory rates, whereas the changes in these latter two were positively correlated. In comparing the effects of the neutral and emotional scenes the only significant result was the heart-rate increase in subjects watching the emotional sequence. Also, the self-rating of emotional experience varied with the emotional value of the sequence.
Using a Mnemonic to Aid in the Recall of Unfamiliar Information
Authors: Chazin Sharon , Neuschatz Joseph S.
Published: August 2011

A 2×2 factorial design was used to test the effect of a mnemonic device on the recall of unfamiliar scientific information. Subjects were 26 8-yr.-olds and 20 18- to 21-yr.-olds, who were divided into four different groups: Older Song Group, Older Lecture Group, Younger Song Group, and Younger Lecture Group. Both the lecture and the song presented to the subjects included minerals, colors, and other related information to be recalled. Analysis showed information learned in a song increased recall rate over recall after lecture.
Performance Estimation and Achievement in Introductory Psychology
Authors: Harris L. J.
Published: August 2011

This study concerned the differences in average achievement among 225 college students whose performance estimation (PE) was high or low. A median split (.83) separated low from high (PE). The results indicated that high or more accurate estimators significantly outperformed low or less accurate estimators in average achievement in introductory psychology. There were no significant sex-related differences in achievement or performance estimation. A simple regression analysis of variance showed that (PE) is significantly related to success in introductory psychology.
Relationships among Locus of Control, Type of Task (Visuospatial versus Semantic), and Arousal or Activation by An Unexpected Preparatory Signal
Authors: De Brabander Bert , Gerits Pol , Boone Christophe
Published: August 2011

In this experiment, which is partly a replication of two earlier ones, we tested the hypothesis that the brain self-regulates its own arousal and activation. According to the underlying paradigm, arousal effectuates slower reaction times and depressed EMG activity after an unexpected preparatory signal on a visuospatial choice-reaction task, whereas activation effectuates faster reaction times and elevated EMG activity after an unexpected preparatory signal on a semantic choice-reaction task. The results basically confirm the predictions. The relationship of locus of control scores of the subjects with tonic and phasic EMG activity was also explored. The results clearly and consistently show elevated tonic EMG activity in the left forearm for subjects with an external locus of control. Together the results suggest that the mechanisms involved are partly preconscious and probably related to central catecholaminergic activation systems.
Cardiac-Locomotor Coupling While Finger Tapping
Authors: Kirby R. Lee , Carr Sharon E. , MacLeod Donald A.
Published: August 2011

Coupling between cardiac and locomotor rhythms has been identified while people walk, run, hop and cycle at cadences natural to them. To test the hypothesis that cardiac-locomotor coupling occurs during finger tapping, we studied 20 normal subjects tapping a telegraph key at a comfortable rate for 10 min. 15 subjects (75%) coupled significantly at one or more single-digit integer ratio (heart/tapping rate), the most common of which was 1:2. Such coupling should be considered a potentially confounding variable when studying finger tapping in subjects with disease or medication affecting heart rate. Also, the identification of coupling during the repetitive activity of small upper-extremity muscles suggests that neither increases in cardiac load nor impact-loading, two suggested explanations for why coupling occurs, are necessary for the phenomenon.
Interrelationships among Multidimensional Competitive State Anxiety Components as a Function of the Proximity of Competition
Authors: Swain Austin , Jones Graham , Cale Andrew
Published: August 2011

This study examined whether the relationship between the cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety subscales of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 changes as a function of the proximity of a competition. On five separate occasions during the period prior to an important competition 87 subjects responded to the inventory. Intercorrelations between subscale scores suggested a progressive increase in the magnitude of the relationship between cognitive and somatic anxiety as the event approached. Findings support in a sporting context the hypothesis of covariance at times of high stress.
Reliability of Physical Fitness Tests Administered to Young Children
Authors: Erbaugh Sarah J.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this research was to establish the reliability of physical fitness tests for first- to third-grade children. The 26 subjects were randomly selected from a larger sample from urban public schools and tested individually on two days, one week apart. Tests included the Health-related Physical Fitness Test battery of AAHPERD and the modified pull-up of Baumgartner. Reliability estimates ranged from .83 to .99 for the former items so these items seem to be appropriate for assessing fitness of young children. The modified pull-up test was an unreliable item ( r = .52). Two possible sources of variation in performance scores should be addressed, children's motivation and testing protocol.
A Thought on Procrustes
Authors: Kaiser Henry F.
Published: August 2011

It is argued that Mosier's simple, “approximate” procrustes transformation solution for factor analysis, with the transformation vectors not at first constrained to unit-length, is preferable to a solution for his original much more difficult problem, attacked by many investigators, where the transformation vectors are initially restricted to unit-length.
Short-Term Memory Digit-Span Performances under Auditory and Visual Contexts as a Function of Rate of Digit Presentation
Authors: Vitulli William F. , McNeil Melissa J.
Published: August 2011

This exploratory investigation concerned the effects of both auditory and visual context variations on the immediate recall of a series of digits presented on a computer screen (CRT). 5 intensities of background noise and 5 background hues were presented randomly to 110 undergraduate volunteers as they studied 25 numerals ranging from 1 to 5 at rates of change of either 1 or 3 sec. per numeral timed from the onset of the previous numeral. A 2 × 2 × 5 mixed split-plot factorial analysis of variance gave a significant difference in mean immediate-recall scores between rates of digit presentation with better recall associated with the 3-sec. rate. There was no significant main effect in recall scores for auditory vs color contexts, yet a post hoc analysis of variance for successive stages followed by Scheffé comparisons showed that across auditory intensities, Stages 3 and 4 and 5 (combined) had significantly higher immediate recall scores than Stages 1 and 2 (combined). This improvement across stages was not found under the visual (color) series. There was a three-way interaction for modality-contexts x rates x levels explained by the partitioning of stages which differed for auditory and for visual contexts. Results are discussed in terms of effects of modality.
Effect of a Mirror on Body-Size Estimation
Authors: Ben-Tovim David I. , Walker M. Kay
Published: August 2011

This study investigated the effect of mirror feedback on body-width estimation in 66 normal adolescent girls. The presence of the mirror had no substantive effect on their estimating behaviour. The authors argue that the results cast further doubt on width estimation as a valid method for accessing the internalized image of the self.
Effects of Warming Imagery Aimed at Trigger-Point Sites on Tissue Compliance, Skin Temperature, and Pain Sensitivity in Biofeedback-Trained Patients with Chronic Pain: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Albright Glenn L. , Fischer Andrew A.
Published: August 2011

13 subjects were trained in biofeedback and self-regulation strategies for reducing chronic pain. Upon demonstrating ability to hand warm, subjects were exposed to an imagery exercise designed to increase skin temperature at trigger-point sites, which are small tender irritative foci located in the soft tissue. Skin temperature, tissue compliance, and pressure-pain sensitivity were recorded before and after imagery intervention. Subjects showed significant increases in skin temperature and muscle relaxation at trigger-point sites and decreases in pressure-pain sensitivity. This suggests that localized trigger-point warming may be an effective adjunct in treating chronic pain.
Sensation Seeking among Medium- and Low-Risk Sports Participants
Authors: Potgieter Justus , Bisschoff Fredrick
Published: August 2011

Sensation seeking of 35 participants in a medium-risk sport (rugby) and of 32 in a low-risk sport (marathon running) were compared. The rugby players' estimations of the risk involved in rugby were lower than the marathon runners' perceptions of risk in rugby. Although rugby players scored significantly higher over-all on Sensation Seeking, the only significant difference between the two groups on the four subscales of Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale, was found on the Thrill and Adventure Seeking subscale, on which rugby players scored significantly higher.
Sex Role and Participation in Traditionally Inappropriate Sports
Authors: Salminen Simo
Published: August 2011

392 girls and 447 boys, 10 to 16 yr. old, took Bern's Sex-role Inventory. Androgynous and masculine girls participated in male sports more often than feminine girls. Boys tended to show a similar but nonsignificant pattern. Undifferentiated boys participated in feminine sports more often than any other subgroup of boys. Findings confirm some but not all prior work.
Predicting Normal Age-Related Changes with Intelligence, Projective, and Perceptual-Motor Test Variables
Authors: Maloney Patrick , Wagner Edwin E.
Published: August 2011

From four tests, the WAIS, Rorschach, Hand Test, and Bender-Gestalt, 67 variables were derived and used to predict age for 240 individuals. Ages ranged from 15 to 65 yr., divided into five age intervals, with 48 subjects per group. 36 variables correlating with age were further reduced to 12 by means of a stepwise multiple R. A final R of .73 was obtained, accounting for 53% of the variance. While variables from all four of these tests correlated with the criterion, most of the significant variance could be attributed to intellectual factors.
Lexical Recognition in Sign Language: Effects of Phonetic Structure and Morphology
Authors: Emmorey Karen , Corina David
Published: August 2011

Two experiments are reported which investigate lexical recognition in American Sign Language (ASL). Exp. 1 examined identification of monomorphemic signs and investigated how the manipulation of phonological parameters affected sign identification. Over-all sign identification was much faster than what has been found for spoken language The phonetic structure of sign (the simultaneous availability of Handshape and Location information) and the phonotactics of the ASL lexicon are argued to account for this difference. Exp. 2 compared the time course of recognition for monomorphemic and morphologically complex signs. ASL morphology is largelv nonconcatenative which raises particularly interesting questions for word recognition We found that morphologically complex signs had longer identification times than matched monomorphemic signs. Also, although roots and affixes are often articulated simultaneously in ASL, they were not identified simultaneously. Base forms of morphologically complex signs were identified initially followed by recognition of the morphological inflection. Finally, subjects with deaf parents (Native signers) were able to isolate signs faster than subjects with hearing parents (Late signers). This result suggests that early language experience can influence the initial stages of lexical access and sign identification.
Facilitation Effects with the Order of Presentation of the Necker Cube and Schroeder Staircase
Authors: Beer John
Published: August 2011

Each of 6 men and 23 women, recruited from upper division college classes was assigned to one of two conditions of viewing ambiguous figures. To Group 1 (4 men, 10 women) was presented the Schroeder stair first, then the Necker cube, while to Group 2 (2 men, 13 women) the illusions were presented in the opposite order. During 6 blocks each subject passively viewed the first figure for 3 min., followed by a 3-min. rest, and then viewed the second figure for 3 min. Subjects indicated verbally when they perceived shift. There was no significant facilitation but reversals increased when subjects viewed the same figure for a second time.
An Exploratory Test of Sheldon's Theory of Personality in Neonates
Authors: Lester David , Wosnack Karen
Published: August 2011

For 18 neonates significant correlations of ectomorphy with rated irritability (−.48) and sensitivity (.58) were consistent with Sheldon's proposal that genes that determine physique also affect personality.
Individual Differences in Spatial and Identity Information Processing in Iconic Memory
Authors: Stephens Robert , Runcie Dennis
Published: August 2011

The literature on iconic memory has provided conflicting evidence on the rate of loss of spatial location and identity information from iconic storage in non-retarded individuals. Some studies which have used the partial report technique indicate that information on spatial location is lost more rapidly than information on identity, while others indicate no difference in the rate of loss for the two types of information. The present investigation was a replication and extension of previous studies to help resolve the discrepancies in findings and to provide a more refined definition of what is meant by information on spatial location and identity. Correlations indicate that there may be two distinct subgroups among the borderline to mild mentally retarded population in terms of their iconic processing abilities.
Denatonium Saccharide as an Aversive Stimulus in a Conditioned Taste Aversion Paradigm
Authors: June Harry L. , Hicks Leslie H. , Lewis Michael J. , Ross Sherman
Published: August 2011

The ability of denatonium saccharide (DS) to function as an aversive stimulus for the rat was studied in a conditioned taste-aversion paradigm in two experiments. Exp. 1 assessed the effects of DS during a 30-min. access period when only a saccharin solution was available. Exp. 2 assessed the effects of DS during both a 10-and a 30-min. access period when a saccharin solution and free water were available. The results showed that DS did not attenuate saccharin consumption reliably over all test days. The effect was most apparent during the 10-min. interval when free water was available. These results, together with previous reports, suggest that DS appears to function as a weak aversive stimulus in the rat.
Recovery of Mood Changes Experienced When Running an Ultramarathon
Authors: Tharion William J. , McMenemy Donna J. , Terry Alyssa L. , Rauch Terry M.
Published: August 2011

Psychological mood states have been shown to affect performance of ultramarathoners. To investigate differences between finishers and nonfinishers and mood changes associated with competing in an ultramarathon, mood states of 14 men were examined before and after the competition. The Profile of Mood States was administered pre-, post-, 1 wk., 1 mo., and 3 mo. postrace. Three mood states showed significant differences across time. Tension was higher prerace than at any time postrace. Vigor was lower immediately postrace and showed a gradual return to prerace levels. Fatigue was higher immediately postrace but returned to prerace levels by 1 wk. Changes in mood states may persist for up to one month following sustained physical performance in the ultramarathon. These changes in mood states may adversely influence ability to perform unless adequate recovery time is permitted prior to resuming training and competing.
Teachers' Judgments of Students' Achievement and Students' Actual Achievement
Authors: Follman John
Published: August 2011

For 42 studies is for teachers' estimates of pupils' achievement and students' scores on standardized achievement tests ranged from .10 to .90 ( Mdn ∼ .50), which agrees with work by Hoge and Coladarci in 1989 and represents fair congruence.
On the Accuracy and Reliability of Predictions by Control-System Theory
Authors: Bourbon W. Thomas , Copeland Kimberly E. , Dyer Vick R. , Harman Wade K. , Mosley Barbara L.
Published: August 2011

In three experiments we used control-system theory (CST) to predict the results of tracking tasks on which people held a handle to keep a cursor even with a target on a computer screen. 10 people completed a total of 104 replications of the task. In each experiment, there were two conditions: in one, only the handle affected the position of the cursor; in the other, a random disturbance also affected the cursor. From a person's performance during Condition 1, we derived constants used in the CST model to predict the results of Condition 2. In two experiments, predictions occurred a few minutes before Condition 2; in one experiment, the delay was 1 yr. During a 1-min. experimental run, the positions of handle and cursor, produced by the person, were each sampled 1800 times, once every 1/30 sec. During a modeling run, the model predicted the positions of the handle and target for each of the 1800 intervals sampled in the experimental run. In 104 replications, the mean correlation between predicted and actual positions of the handle was .996; SD = .002.
Type a Personality and Poor Driving Habits
Authors: Decker Jerry J. , Lester David
Published: August 2011

No significant association was found between scores on Bortner's measure of Type A personality and self-reported poor driving habits in a sample of 71 college students, either for the 32 men or 39 women. Findings contrast with those reported in 1986 by Perry who measured Type A personality on the Jenkins Activity Survey.
Students' Involvement as Indicated by Personality and Graphological Factors
Authors: Mandeville Richard G. , Peeples E. Edward , Stutler Douglas L.
Published: August 2011

This research project was designed to examine the relations of students' involvement to personality or graphological factors. A second purpose concerned possible relations between personality and graphology. Subjects were undergraduate students enrolled in a general education course. Each of 244 subjects completed a personality measure, a use of eight services questionnaire, and a handwriting sample. The personality measure provided scores on each of 11 subscales. The handwriting sample was used to make specific measures of 25 graphological characters per subject. Their intercorrelations were factor analyzed and clustered into 12 factors. Statistically significant, extremely small, canonical correlations between involvement and personality and between involvement and graphological factors were noted. Redundancy analyses identified that 08% of the variance of the involvement variables was explained by the personality variates and .08% by the graphological variates, suggesting an extremely low correlation, only slightly above chance. Lack of relations between personality and graphological factors suggests research on students' involvement might focus on sex, ethnicity, and types of institutions.
Self-Esteem and Empathy among Children Actively Involved in Music
Authors: Hietolahti-Ansten Merja , Kalliopuska Mirja
Published: August 2011

In an art project we studied empathy and self-esteem of 25 young musicians who played piano or violin 6 yr. and 30 children from regular school. Mean age of both groups was 12 yr. Methods used are the modified Mehrabian and Epstein Empathy Scale and the Battle Self-esteem Scale, Form B. An active interest in music seems to improve self-esteem (especially total self-esteem, general self-esteem, and social self-esteem scores). The music group had high self-esteem (total score) and the 30 controls moderate self-esteem. An active interest in music seems to promote empathy, too. Self-expression via music encourages students to take more responsibility, to concentrate, and as such to improve an inner self-control although playing an instrument works in the service of the ego.
Alcohol and the Compensation Hypothesis: A Test with Cognitive and Psychomotor Tasks
Authors: Gustafson Roland , Källmén Håkan
Published: August 2011

An experiment tested the hypothesis that moderately intoxicated subjects can compensate for the detrimental effects of alcohol. Subjects were assigned either to a Control group, a Low Incentive group, or a High Incentive group. The dose of alcohol was 1.0 ml of 100% alcohol/kg body weight. The rationale of the experiment was that the High Incentive group would be more inclined to try to compensate than would the Low Incentive group. A psychomotor and two different cognitive tasks were used. Analysis indicated that the psychomotor test was not at all affected by alcohol, so there was no possibility for compensation. On the Color Word Test, intoxicated subjects developed the strategy of taking longer time to complete the test and so keeping the number of errors low. On the Dot Test, men were not affected by alcohol and could not compensate while women were affected and successfully compensated for the detrimental effects of alcohol. The results were interpreted as a partial support of the hypothesis of compensation for alcohol effect.