bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temporal Variations in the Experience of Custodial Grandparenting: A Short-Term Longitudinal Study
Authors: Hayslip Bert , Emick Michelle A. , Henderson Craig E. , Elias Katherine
Published: January 2003

To explore the experience of custodial grandparenting over time, 54 of 78 grandparents in a previous study of custodial grandparenting were reassessed during a 6-month time frame. Results suggested that grandparent group differences were maintained over time in terms of role strain, satisfaction with the relationship with the grandchild, perceptions of the grandchild, and life disruption, which favored traditional over both groups of custodial grandparents. Those persons raising problem grandchildren continued to be the most negatively affected by the resumption of the parent role. Findings also suggested that there were temporal shifts for all grandparents in the extent to which their relationships with their grandchildren were characterized by mutual respect, fairness, trust, and affection. Despite such changes, however, the overwhelming pattern over time for the grandparents in this study was one of stability. The implications of these data for research and public policy regarding grandparents raising their grandchildren are discussed.
Cybersenior Empowerment: How Some Older Individuals Are Taking Control of Their Lives
Authors: Mcmellon Charles A. , Schiffman Leon G.
Published: January 2003

As individuals age, many begin to perceive a loss of control in their personal and social lives. To regain some of that control, individuals are buying computers and going on the Internet. The authors suggest that individuals who go on the Internet are empowering themselves because they are participating with others in a community and increasing personal control over their lives. They discuss potential empowerment themes developed from a convenience sample of older individuals (i.e., 50 or older) by analyzing their comments on how the Internet has influenced their personal and social lives. Emerging empowerment themes include the power of change, information, guilt, and how the Internet has enriched lives and expanded worldviews. What respondents told the authors has implications for funding and development of public policy including health and quality-of-life issues.
Workplace Discrimination, Prejudice, and Diversity Measurement: A Review of Instrumentation
Authors: Burkard Alan W. , Boticki Michael A. , Madson Michael B.
Published: January 2003

This is a review of five instruments designed to measure workplace discrimination, prejudice, and attitudes toward diversity. Each measure is critically reviewed based on item development, the current psychometric evidence, and the practical utility for career counseling and organizational development efforts. The Discussion section explores future research directions for validation studies, expansion of theory and measurement development, and recommendations for assessment of workplace diversity.
Effectiveness of Beck Depression Inventory–Ii Subscales in Screening for Major Depressive Disorders in Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients
Authors: Kumar Geetha , Steer Robert A. , Teitelman Karen B. , Villacis Lourdes
Published: January 2003

The Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI-II) was administered to 45 male and 55 female psychiatric inpatients who were 12 to 17 years old, and the Mood Module from the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) was used to determine whether these patients met criteria for a diagnosis of a DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD). Binormal receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analyses found that BDI-II total scores, Cognitive subscale scores, Noncognitive subscale scores, and embedded BDI Fast Screen for Medical Patients subscale scores were comparably effective in differentiating inpatients who were and were not diagnosed with a MDD; the areas under the ROC curves were, respectively, .92 (95% confidence interval [CI]: .85-.96), .90 (95% CI: .82-.95), .90 (95% CI: .83-.95), and .90 (95% CI: .83-.95).
The Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (Snap)
Authors: Melley Alison H. , Oltmanns Thomas F. , Turkheimer Eric
Published: January 2003

The authors investigated the test-retest reliability and predictive validity of the diagnostic scales from the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP). Participants were identified from a sample of 240 undergraduates who completed the SNAP and the Social Adjustment Scale (SAS-SR) at Time 1. The authors selected 50 people who met criteria for a personality disorder (PD) based on the SNAP and 50 who did not qualify for a diagnosis. Eighty-three of these people completed the SNAP and the SAS-SR for a second time approximately 9 months after initial screening. SNAP PD scales were relatively stable over time. Test-retest correlation coefficients ranged from .58 to .81. Scores on diagnostic scales for paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal PD were inversely related to self-reported levels of adjustment for social roles concerned with work as a student, leisure activities, and relation-ships with family. The results provide some evidence for the validity of the SNAP.
Understanding the Emotional Experience of Organizational Change: Evidence from a Merger
Authors: Kiefer Tina
Published: January 2003

The problem and the solution. Organizational changes, especially mergers,are very emotive events.Still,in change models, the role of emotion is rarely discussed. Most of the change literature focuses on rational and cognitive aspects and views emotions merely as human frailty or cause for interference with implementing change.This literature portrays a very limited and superficial understanding of emotions. By drawing on psychological literature on emotion theories,more helpful notions can be developed, such as viewing emotions as an essential part of the working experience. These theoretical developments are exemplified and taken a step further by the results of an explorative study, investigating the emotional experiences of a merger.A framework is developed,which allows researchers to map out the emotional experience more comprehensively.
ACOUSTIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL EFFECTS AROUND THE TAIWAN STRAIT: COMPUTATIONAL RESULTS
Authors: CHEN CHI-FANG , LIN JANG-JIA , LEE DING
Published: January 2003

A set of experiments were performed in the offshore area off the coasts of Taiwan and three-dimensional (3-D) measurements recorded. The 3-D effect on underwater propagation due to azimuthal variation of bottom topography is studied for the offshore regions southwest of Taiwan, where submarine canyons exist. A 3-D acoustic propagation model, FOR3D, is used to detect the 3-D effect. Computational results show that the 3-D effect is more prominent along the axis of the canyon than across it. Calculations show a very good agreement with field data, which indicate that the 3-D effect exists in this realistic ocean environment.
PROPAGATION OF LOCALIZED VIBRATION MODES ALONG EDGES OF IMMERSED WEDGE-LIKE STRUCTURES: GEOMETRICAL-ACOUSTICS APPROACH
Authors: KRYLOV VICTOR V.
Published: January 2003

The theory of antisymmetric localized elastic modes propagating along edges of immersed wedge-like structures is developed using the geometrical-acoustics approach to the description of flexural waves in elastic plates of variable thickness. The velocities of these modes, often called wedge acoustic waves, are calculated using solutions of the dispersion equation of the Bohr-Sommerfeld type following from the geometrical-acoustics description of localized wedge modes. In a subsonic regime of wave propagation, i.e. for wedge modes slower than sound in liquid, the influence of liquid loading results in significant decrease of wedge wave velocities in comparison with their values in vacuum. This decrease is a nonlinear function of a wedge apex angle θ and is more pronounced for small values of θ. In a supersonic regime of wedge wave propagation, a smaller decrease in velocities takes place and the waves travel with the attenuation due to radiation of sound into the surrounding liquid. The comparison is given with the recent experimental investigations of wedge waves carried out by independent researchers.
A PHASE-PLANE DESCRIPTION OF NONLINEAR TRAVELING WAVES IN BUBBLY LIQUIDS
Authors: NADIM A. , GOLDMAN D. , CARTMELL J. J. , BARBONE P. E.
Published: January 2003

One-dimensional traveling wave solutions to the fully nonlinear continuity and Euler equations in a bubbly liquid are considered. The elimination of velocity from the two equations leaves a single nonlinear algebraic relation between the pressure and density profiles in the mixture. On assuming the bubbles to have identical size and taking the volume fraction of bubbles in the medium to be small, an equation of state which relates the mixture pressure to the density and its first two material time-derivatives is derived. When this equation of state is linearized and combined with the laws of conservation of mass and momentum, a nonlinear, second-order, ordinary differential equation is obtained for the density as a function of the single traveling wave coordinate. A phase-plane analysis of this equation reveals the existence of two fixed points, one of which is a saddle and the other a node. A single trajectory connects the two fixed points and corresponds to a traveling shock wave solution when the Mach number of the wave, defined as the ratio of traveling wave speed to the low-frequency speed of sound in the bubbly liquid, exceeds unity. The analysis provides a qualitative explanation of the oscillations behind shocks seen in experiments on bubbly liquids.
A FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR THE NUMERICAL SOLUTION OF THE HELMHOLTZ EQUATION IN AXIALLY SYMMETRIC WAVEGUIDES WITH INTERFACES
Authors: KAMPANIS NIKOLAOS A. , DOUGALIS VASSILIOS A.
Published: January 2003

We consider the Helmholtz equation in an axisymmetric cylindrical waveguide consisting of fluid layers overlying a rigid bottom. The medium may have range-dependent speed of sound and interface and bottom topography in the interior nonhomogeneous part of the waveguide, while in the far-field the interfaces and bottom are assumed to be horizontal and the problem separable. A nonlocal boundary condition based on the DtN map of the exterior problem is posed at the far-field artificial boundary. The problem is discretized by a standard Galerkin/finite element method and the resulting numerical scheme is implemented in a Fortran code that is interfaced with general mesh generation programs from the MODULEF finite element library and iterative linear solvers from QMRPACK. The code is tested on several small scale examples of acoustic propagation and scattering in the sea and its results are found to compare well with those of COUPLE.
INVERSE ACOUSTIC SCATTERING PROBLEMS IN OCEAN ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: XU YONGZHI
Published: January 2003

This paper presents theoretical and computational results from our research on inverse scattering problems for acoustic waves in ocean environments. In particular, we discuss the determination of a three-dimensional (3-D) distributed inhomogeneity in a two-layered waveguide from scattered sound and the shape determination of an object in a stratified medium. Numerical examples are presented.
A SPACE MARCHING SCHEME FOR UNDERWATER ACOUSTIC WAVE PROPAGATION IN FLUID-ELASTIC MEDIA
Authors: SHEU TONY W. H. , CHEN S. C. , CHEN C. F. , CHIANG T. P. , LEE DING
Published: January 2003

We present in this paper partial differential equations which govern three-dimensional acoustic wave propagation in fluid-elastic media. Working equations are parabolized so as to allow the analysis to be conducted in a plane-by-plane fashion. This simplification, while permitting only outgoing wave propagation, facilitates the analysis and cuts down on computing time and disk storage. To couple working equations in fluid and elastic layers, we impose physically relevant conditions on the interface. On the horizontal interface we demand continuity of the normal displacement and normal stress. In addition, physical reasoning requires that shear stresses vanish on the interface for the present analysis, which is formulated under the inviscid flow assumption. We approximate spatial derivatives with respect to θ and z using the second-order accurate centered scheme. The resulting ordinary differential equation is solved using the implicit scheme to render also second-order prediction accuracy in r. With a numerical scheme, it is highly desirable to be able to check its prediction against suitable test problems, preferably ones for which an exact solution is available. In this three-dimensional study, test problems were chosen to demonstrate the applicability of the code to the individual fluid and elastic layer. We have also verified that the code is applicable to analysis of wave propagation in water and elastic layers, across which there is an interface.
ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS OF THE PRESSURE FIELD GENERATED BY ACCELERATION OF A TRAIN IN A LONG TUNNEL
Authors: SUGIMOTO NOBUMASA
Published: January 2003

This paper solves the acoustic wave equation for a pressure field generated by acceleration of a train in a circular tunnel of infinite length. The motion of the train is taken into account through the source term of the equation in the form of a pair of positive and negative monopoles, moving along a center axis of the tunnel, whose velocity is given by a step function of time. The solution is presented in the form of the eigenfunction-expansion and is evaluated asymptotically. The pressure field consists of the steady part due to the train moving constantly and of the transient part due to the impulsive acceleration by the step function. The former is simply the subsonic flow field around the train, while the latter is characterized by propagation of singular surfaces which are generated by the initial acceleration in the form of spherical wavefront and are reflected repeatedly at the cylindrical tunnel wall. The singularity is classified into two types, one being the type of a delta function and the other of a cotangent function. Intersections of the singular surfaces with a plane containing the axis exhibit a "diamond pattern". It is shown that this pattern disappears eventually and a distant field settles down to the one-dimensional field calculated simply by the wave equation averaged over the tunnel's cross-section.
A THREE-DIMENSIONAL AZIMUTHAL WIDE-ANGLE MODEL FOR THE PARABOLIC WAVE EQUATION
Authors: CHEN CHIFANG , LIN YING-TSONG , LEE DING
Published: January 2003

In predicting wave propagations in either direction, the size of the angle of propagation plays an important role; thus, the concept of wide-angle is introduced. Most existing acoustic propagation prediction models do have the capability of treating the wide-angle but the treatment, in practice, is vertical. This is desirable for solving two-dimensional (range and depth) problems. In extending the two-dimensional treatment to 3 dimensions, even though the wide-angle capability is maintained in most 3D models, it is still vertical. Owing to the need of a wide-angle capability in the azimuth direction, this paper formulates an azimuthal wide-angle wave equation whose theoretical development is presented. An illustrative example is included to demonstrate the need for such azimuthal wide-angle capability. Also, a comparison is shown between results using narrow-angle and wide-angle equations separately.
PHOTOREACTIVE THIN FILMS OF AZOBENZENE-DERIVATIZED POLY(AMIC ACID) AND POLY(IMIDE) LANGMUIR–BLODGETT–KUHN MULTILAYER ASSEMBLIES
Authors: ZONG YUN , HEES ULRIKE , KNOLL WOLFGANG , RÜHE JÜRGEN
Published: January 2003

Various poly(amic acid)s with azobenzene-chromophore sidegroups have been synthesized and structurally and functionally characterized. Their amphiphilic properties allowed us to prepare stable monomolecular layers at the water/air interface of a Langmuir trough, and to transfer these highly organized monolayers to solid supports via the Langmuir–Blodgett–Kuhn deposition protocol. The resulting multilayer assemblies were investigated by surface plasmon- and waveguide-optical techniques, by X-ray reflectometry, and by UV-vis and IR spectroscopies. Thermal imidization of the assemblies resulted in functional poly(imide) multilayers that still could undergo photoisomerization reactions in their azobenzene sidegroups. The kinetic parameters of this trans-cis and cis-trans isomerization, respectively, as well as, the resulting control of the alignment of a liquid crystal in contact to these "command layers" were evaluated.
NONLINEAR CUSP DIFFRACTION CATASTROPHE AND VORTEX QUADRUPOLES FROM A SMOOTH INITIAL BEAM
Authors: DEYKOON A. M. , SOSKIN M. S. , SWARTZLANDER G. A.
Published: January 2003

Vortex quadrupoles and a nonlinear optical cusp diffraction catastrophe were observed at the output face of a self-defocusing nonlinear medium. The initial beam had a smooth cross-sectional intensity profile, but was elongated to an aspect ratio of 2:1. The power-dependent evolution of the beam is described.
NONLINEAR PROPAGATION OF ULTRASHORT LASER PULSES IN A MICROSTRUCTURED FIBER
Authors: TARTARA LUCA , CRISTIANI ILARIA , DEGIORGIO VITTORIO , CARBONE FABRIZIO , FACCIO DANIELE , ROMAGNOLI MARCO
Published: January 2003

The propagation of ultrashort laser pulses into a microstructured fiber having a large nonlinear coefficient is found to give rise to various nonlinear phenomena. By using an input wavelength in the range 1300–1550 nm, the observed output spectrum presents, besides supercontinuum generation, sharp lines due to third-harmonic generation and four-wave mixing. When the input wavelength is around 800 nm, close to the zero-dispersion wavelength, the solitonic propagation is accompanied by a very intense and narrow-band emission in the blue spectral region.
99m-TECHNETIUM-LABELLED HUMAN IMMUNOGLOBULIN G SCINTIGRAPHY IN PERIPHERAL ENTEROPATHIC ARTHROPATHY
Authors: Borman Pinar , Dinçer Fitnat , Kostakoğlu Lale , Arslan Serap , Parlak Erkan
Published: January 2003

Rheumatic manifestations are the most common extraintestinal features in the inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of99mtechnetium-labelled polyclonal human immunoglobulin G (99mTc-IgG) scintigraphy, to detect peripheral joint inflammation in patients with enteropathic arthropathy. Nineteen patients (Crohn disease: 4, colitis ulcerosa: 15) with either pain and/or swelling of peripheral joints, underwent99mTc-IgG scintigraphy. The results were correlated with clinical, and laboratory activity parameters, as well as with radiological findings. The mean duration of bowel disease was 7.55 ± 6.11 years. In 19 patients 17 peripheral joints were swollen and 58 were tender. Taking tenderness as a potential indicator of joint involvement; 31 (53%) of the joints revealed abnormality on99mTc-IgG scintigraphy. The most frequently affected sites were the knees, ankles and tarsals. The total scintigraphic scores were significantly correlated with tenderness and swelling scores. No correlation was observed between the scores of99mTc-IgG scintigraphy and radiological findings. In conclusion99mTc-IgG scintigraphy can be appropriate for detecting inflammation of peripheral joints and can be used to establish the extent of arthritis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
MEASURING LUMBAR SAGITTAL POSTURE IN SEWAGE WORKERS USING AN ULTRASONIC DEVICE
Authors: Friedrich M.
Published: January 2003

Because the degree and duration of lumbar flexion during sewage work have only been assessed on the basis of subjective reports, the purpose of this study was to investigate the usability of a measurement system for the non-invasive assessment of lumbar sagittal posture during sewage work using ultrasound. The validity of an ultrasonic measurement device was investigated in 16 healthy individuals by comparing the measurements obtained with the device with both Schober and electronic inclinometer measurements. To determine the intra-rater reliability of the ultrasonic device, short-term, medium-term, and long-term test-retest data were collected. Moreover, the percentage of the work time sewage workers spend in each of seven lumbar flexion categories within their individual lumbar flexion range of motion was assessed. Pearson's correlation coefficients of ≥ 0.88 indicate high validity between the methods. The intraclass correlation coefficients between tests and retests (≥ 0.88) demonstrate high reproducibility of the measurement procedures. Sewage workers spend about 25% of their work day in the most extreme of the seven lumbar posture categories. Also, testing did not interfere with the workers' normal work routine. The validity and reliability data as well as the trouble-free technical performance of the ultrasonic device support its usability for the continuous measurement of lumbar posture during sewage work.
A DESIGN OF TREADMILL FOR RATS
Authors: Yildirim Murat , Atalay Ayçe , Onur Rüştü , Kutsal Yeşim Gokce
Published: January 2003

Research related to the effects of exercise on musculoskeletal system has increased significantly in recent years. We designed and constructed a cheap and hand-made treadmill with adjustable speeds that enabled us to exercise our rats with constant speed. We aim to help researchers with limited funding construct their own treadmills they may need for exercise studies.
Interactions of Gender and Race in Workers’ Help Seeking for Personal/Family Problems
Authors: Hopkins Karen M.
Published: January 2003

Most research on supervisor support and intervention with troubled workers has focused on Caucasian male workers and supervisors, with little emphasis on differences in experiences by gender and race. Thus, little is known about how the gender and race of workers and supervisors may interact to affect help seeking and giving. This study examines through questionnaires to 429 manufacturing employees cross-gender and -race worker-supervisor relationships related to workers’ help seeking for personal problems, perceptions of supervisor support, and supervisor intervention. Multivariate analyses show main effects for workers’ and supervisors’ gender on personal problems and help seeking and interaction effects for workers’and supervisors’gender and race on measures related to personal problems and supervisor intervention. African American workers, especially women, appear to experience more formal than informal supervisor intervention. Female supervisors tend to engage in more formal intervention with troubled workers than do male supervisors.
Corporate Health Revisited
Authors: Smith Kenwyn K. , Eldridge David L. , Kaminstein Dana S. , Allison Paul D.
Published: January 2003

This replication study explores the relationship between organizational dynamics and employee health. A previous study by Smith, Kaminstein, and Makadok found that using step-wise multiple regression, 20% of the variance of an aggregated health symptoms index administered to members of ASCORP, a financial services organization employing 13, 000 people, was accounted for by three organizational variables (organization-person balance, organizational treatment, and discrimination) after controlling for demographics. There were several methodological problems with the first study, which meant that the conclusions were cautious. Those problems were overcome in this replication study. This article is confident about the robustness of the findings. The previous study’s reporting of an R2 of. 20 was an overestimation. This replication indicates that. 15 is a more accurate figure. This is still quite high given the number of variables that affect an individual’s health.
No Pain, Yet Gain
Authors: Nathan Maria L. , Kovoor-Misra Sarah
Published: January 2003

This study uses a social learning theory framework to explore how members of an inter-organizational field surrounding the chemical industry learned vicariously from crises. In this context, the article examines the four vicarious learning processes: attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation. The article analyzes strategies used by the American Chemistry Council that correspond with these processes to explain why vicarious learning occurred among multiple organizations in the industry. Finally, the article suggests propositions for future research and discusses implications for practice.
Long-Term Care Models for Dually Eligible Medicare and Medicaid Populations
Authors: Fitzner Karen A. , Bennett Amy Bussian , Weinraub Helene , Heckinger Elizabeth
Published: January 2003

Demand for long-term care (LTC) is increasing. The government is increasingly turning to the private sector to effectively manage the needs of dually eligible (DE) individuals. Some states manage their DE population through creative programs and managed care. However, many states have not identified their DEpopulation and fewer than half of states offer programs specifically for this population. Our analysis found that existing LTC programs are unproven, mostly of small size, and very “localized.” An ideal model would need to be financially acceptable and address access, case management, and quality.
Graph Grammar Based Product Family Modeling
Authors: Du Xuehong , Jiao Jianxin , Tseng Mitchell M.
Published: January 2003

Many industries are shifting from mass production to mass customization, which demands quick response to the needs of individual customers with high quality and low costs. The development of product families has received an increasing interest in recent years because, by sharing components across products, a family of products can be derived to cater variety while maintaining the economy of scale. Aiming at the computerization, and eventual automation, of product family design, this paper tackles the formal representation issue surrounding this economically important class of engineering design problem. Breaking free from conventional understanding of product families, which is limited as shared components, the paper defines a product family as a structured system to create variety of products with shared core product technologies. It not only involves the shared base product, but also encompasses customization modules, standard designs, and primary patterns of variety to generate custom designs. The paper introduces graph grammar formalisms to the modeling of such a product family. Based on Programmed Attributed Graph Grammars (PAGG), the graph language is developed to specify the design space of the product family. The process of customizing the base product through manipulating particular modules is modeled by rewriting the starting graph using a series of productions according to the control diagram. Configuration constraints are dealt with by defining application conditions for production rules. Control diagrams are constructed to capture complex relationships among modules and used to control the application sequence of production rules. A case study of power supplies is presented to demonstrate the potential of the graph grammar based modeling approach.
Towards a Knowledge-Based Model for the Computer Aided Design Process
Authors: Sprumont François , Xirouchakis Paul
Published: January 2003

We propose in this paper a model for an elementary activity of the computer aided design (CAD) process, taking into account the specificity of the utilization of a computer: its capability to manipulate a relatively high volume of data and to explore alternatives quickly and systematically. The CAD activity is defined according to a given expertise domain (functionality, assembly, manufacturing, etc.) which is examined with respect to two inter-related subtasks: knowledge processing and data processing. Knowledge processing manipulates the knowledge model which represents an expert's point of view on the domain. Four things determine the knowledge model: a typology of combinable elements, a typology of possible relations between elements, an expert rule base for the creation of problem models (translation of problem data in elements and relations), and a set of criteria to evaluate the quality of solutions. Data processing manipulates the computational model which represents the computing point of view of the domain. We use the constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) model as the computational model. The relationship between subtasks is done according to the manner in which the knowledge model is translated in to the computational model.

The proposed model of the CAD process allows an adaptive man-machine task sharing by allocating the user interaction to the knowledge model while the computer interacts with the computational model. An example from the assembly planning domain illustrates the model.

Once the different CAD activities are determined, they can be combined to form a CAD process. The activities are coordinated by exchanging partial solutions (which can be done during knowledge processing and/or data processing), rules and evaluation criteria (during knowledge processing). Such kinds of CAD processes can also be used to define recursively the CAD activity of higher levels of abstraction.
An Intelligent, Multi-Agent Environment for Concurrent and Collaborative Configuration of Personal Computers
Authors: Ng Y.C. , Tey K.S. , Subramanian K.R. , Tor S.B. , Khoo L.P. , Lee S.G.
Published: January 2003

Although Concurrent and Collaborative Engineering (CCE) has enjoyed widespread acceptance in industry, many implementation problems remain. With the advent of more powerful artificial intelligence techniques, CCE can be further improved. This paper demonstrates how intelligent software agents may be deployed to facilitate concurrent, collaborative engineering. A system architecture, Java Agent Alive!, is presented as a multi-agent environment. A case study of configuring a personal computer (PC) from its processor, memory and hard disk drive is discussed to highlight the power of software agents in negotiating for the PC configuration with the best price and performance. A software agent is created and assigned to each of the PC components. These agents attend two levels of agent conferences, viz. the bidding conference and the PC component vendor's conference. At both conferences, each agent strives to offer components with the best performance and the lowest price. The agents were ascribed artificial intelligence through the Java Expert System Shell (JESS). At the end of the negotiations, five PC configurations were finalised that met the expectations of the user, who is informed of the outcome via e-mail. The strengths and limitations of the system architecture and the domain application of PC assembly, as well as means to enhance security, are also discussed. Some recommendations to further improve the limitations of Java Agent Alive! and the PC Assembly application are made.
The Utility of Measures of Self-Efficacy for the Holland Themes in African American and European American College Students
Authors: Betz Nancy E. , Gwilliam Laurie R.
Published: January 2003

Three inventories of self-efficacy or confidence with respect to the six Holland themes were compared in samples of European American and African American college students. Results indicated that the reliabilities of all subscales were sufficiently high for use in research and that all subscales were as reliable for African Americans as for European Americans. There were significant gender differences in confidence levels but few race differences. A multitrait-multimethod analysis indicated differential degrees of convergent and discriminant validity and the presence of method variance across the scales examined herein.
Self-Efficacy and College Student Satisfaction
Authors: DeWitz S. Joseph , Walsh W. Bruce
Published: January 2003

Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy has been used extensively for the study of behavior in a variety of settings. Researchers in the areas of vocational and academic behavior have focused primarily on performance and persistence as well as choices and interests. Less has been done looking at the relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and certain affective variables. The present study focused on the relationship between self-efficacy (i.e., college, social, and general) and college student satisfaction. A sample of 312 undergraduates was administered measures of self-efficacy and college satisfaction. All three measures of self-efficacy were significantly associated with college satisfaction. Regression analysis and analyses of variance revealed that college self-efficacy was significantly associated with college satisfaction, whereas the other two measures of self-efficacy (i.e., social and general) did not account for any unique, additional variance. Results are presented and discussed.
The Relationship between the Amount of Face-to-Face Contact and Partners’ Reports of Domestic Violence Frequency
Authors: Fals-Stewart William , Lucente Stephen W. , Birchler Gary R.
Published: January 2003

This investigation examines the relationship between partners’amount of face-to-face contact and partners’frequency of domestic violence. Men entering a domestic violence treatment program (N = 134) and their intimate partners were asked to complete the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) at the beginning of treatment and 12 months after treatment completion concerning partner violence during the previous year. Partners were also asked to identify days during the year before and the year after treatment during which they did not have face-to-face contact. Results indicated that at both baseline and 12-month posttreatment follow-up, the number of days of face-to-face contact was significantly related to verbal aggression and physical violence. However, after controlling for physical violence, the relationship between the number of days of face-to-face contact and verbal aggression was not significant; the relationship between the number of days of face-to-face contact and physical violence remained significant, even after controlling for verbal aggression.
The Roots of the New Urbanism: John Nolen’s Garden City Ethic
Authors: Stephenson Bruce
Published: January 2003

The New Urbanism has invigorated city planning history by invoking the tradition of American civic design to solve the conundrum of suburban sprawl. Studies have documented the similarities between the works of pioneer planner John Nolen and Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, but the ethic connecting past and present remains vague. This research presents the origins of the garden city ethic John Nolen introduced to the United States and its potential to foster a sustainable planning system capable of enlivening American civic culture.
The Texas Exception: San Antonio and Urban Renewal, 1949-1965
Authors: Fairbanks Robert B.
Published: January 2003

Although considerable scholarship documents the failures of urban renewal, little has been written on the challenges cities faced in implementing programs to address local needs. This article explores the political challenges of San Antonio in creating an urban renewal program. It demonstrates the role of the Housing Acts of 1949 and 1954 in stimulating the city’s planning processes in a political atmosphere otherwise hostile to expanded government functions.
Case of Jessie
Authors: Hayes Susanna A.
Published: January 2003

The case study demonstrates social-emotional stresses experienced by a Native American girl enrolled by her parents in an all-Native boarding school in the middle 1960s. Jessie was raised in a remote region of a large reservation in the Pacific Northwest by traditional parents. She struggled with personal and cultural conflicts until her physical illness brought educational and health professionals together to develop an effective treatment program. Her case demonstrates the importance of holistic methods of treatment when evaluating the needs and treatment of Native American children.
Rhomboid ripple marks and their relationship to beach slope [Seagirt, New Jersey]
Authors: Demarest David Franklin
Published: January 2003

Measurements of the acute angles of rhomboid ripple marks and their relationship to beach slope are tabulated and discussed. The motions of the backwash and the subsequent run-off are described with special reference to the mode of origin of rhomboid ripple marks.
Sediments from pre-Cambrian rocks of southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico
Authors: Sidwell Raymond , Haliburton John Leo
Published: January 2003

Pre-Cambrian rocks in the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains consist chiefly of granites, gneisses, and schists. Detritals released by weathering of these source rocks were studied for mineral content and general properties as sediments. Most of the minerals contain inclusions and have physical and optical properties that permit determination of source rocks.
Respiratory Virus Infections in Adults with Hematologic Malignancies: A Prospective Study
Authors: Martino Rodrigo , Rámila Elena , Rabella Núria , Muñoz José Manuel , Peyret Mercé , Portos José Manuel , Laborda Rosario , Sierra Jorge
Published: January 2003

During a 2-year period, 157 consecutive episodes of respiratory virus infections that occurred in 130 patients with upper or lower respiratory tract infection were analyzed for respiratory viruses. A respiratory virus was identified in 75 episodes (48%), and several viruses were found in 13 episodes: there were a total of 56 influenza A virus infections, 14 respiratory syncytial virus infections, 8 adenovirus infections, 8 infections with parainfluenza virus types 1 or 3, and 7 enterovirus infections. On multivariate analysis, the only variable that predicted progression to pneumonia in patients with an upper respiratory tract infection was the presence of respiratory syncytial virus, whereas lymphocytopenia had a nonsignificant trend. Also, among the 38 patients who had pneumonia at any time during the episode, both respiratory syncytial virus and lymphocytopenia were commonly found. For both epidemiological and therapeutic considerations, frequent screening for respiratory viruses should be incorporated into the routine diagnostic study of patients with hematologic malignancies.
PREPARATION OF SOME NANO SIZE COLOSSAL MAGNETO RESISTANCE MATERIALS BY THE SOL-GEL ROUTE
Authors: PADMAVATHI K. , RAJAKUMARI V. , VITHAL M. , PRASD V. , SUBRAMANYAM S. V. , VENUGOPAL REDDY P.
Published: January 2003

A series of colossal magneto resistance materials having compositional formula Re 0.67 Sr 0.33 MnO 3 (Re = Nd, Gd, … etc.) were prepared by the sol-gel method, using Ethylene glycol as a gelating reagent. The materials were characterized by the powder X-ray diffraction technique and are found to be single phase with orthorhombic structure. The particle size of all the materials were calculated using the well known Shearer formula and are found to be in the range of 20–45 nm. In order to determine the transition temperature (T c ), the DC electrical resistivity measurements were also carried out over a temperature range 80–300 K using the four probe method and it has been observed that the T c values are found to increase with increasing ionic size. Finally the magneto resistance measurements were also undertaken in the temperature range 80–300 K and it has been found that the MR values of these materials are better when compared with those prepared by the solid state reaction method.
SPIN-POLARIZATION DEPENDENT SMALL POLARON HOPPING IN MANGANESE PEROVSKITES
Authors: ZHANG NING
Published: January 2003

A model of small polaron hopping being dependent on spin-polarization is suggested to describe the transport and the colossal magnetoresistance behaviors in manganese perovskites R-A-Mn-O (R: rear earth; A: alkali earth or transition metals). Being different from the theory of simple small polarons, the double exchange interaction and some empirical rules related to lattice effect induced by an external magnetic field and changing concentration have been taken into account. Based on this, a simple formula of resistivity versus temperature, concentration and normalized magnetization has been obtained for the hole-doped perovskite. From the formula, most of the transport behaviors including the colossal magnetoresistive observed in the perovskite have been successfully illustrated.
TRANSPORT PROPERTIES IN A SIMPLIFIED DOUBLE-EXCHANGE MODEL
Authors: PHAN VAN-NHAM , TRAN MINH-TIEN
Published: January 2003

Transport properties of the manganites by the double-exchange mechanism are considered. The system is modeled by a simplified double-exchange model, i.e. the Hund coupling of the itinerant electron spins and local spins is simplified to the Ising-type one. The transport quantities such as the electronic resistivity, the thermal conductivity, and the thermal power are calculated by using the dynamical mean-field theory. The transport quantities obtained qualitatively reproduce the ones observed in the manganites. The results suggest that the simplified double exchange model underlies the key properties of the manganites.
PARALLEL ALGORITHMS FOR SPLIT-APERTURE CONVENTIONAL BEAMFORMING
Authors: GEORGE ALAN D. , KIM KEONWOOK
Published: January 2003

Quiet submarine threats and high clutter in the littoral undersea environment increase the processing demands on beamforming arrays, particularly for applications which require in-array autonomous operation. Whereas traditional single-aperture beamforming approaches may falter, the Split-Aperture Conventional Beamforming (SA-CBF) algorithm can be used to meet stringent requirements for more precise bearing estimation. Moreover, by coupling each transducer node with a microprocessor, parallel processing of the split-aperture beamformer on a distributed system can glean advantages in execution speed, fault tolerance, scalability, and cost. In this paper, parallel algorithms for SA-CBF are introduced using coarse-grained and medium-grained forms of decomposition. Performance results from parallel and sequential algorithms are presented using a distributed system testbed comprised of a cluster of workstations connected by a high-speed network. The execution times, parallel efficiencies, and memory requirements of each parallel algorithm are presented and analyzed. The results of these analyses demonstrate that parallel in-array processing holds the potential to meet the needs of future advanced sonar beamforming algorithms in a scalable fashion.
Experiments on the development of tracks in fine cross-bedded sand
Authors: McKee Edwin Dinwiddie
Published: January 2003

Evidence bearing on the type of environment represented by the track-bearing, cross-laminated Coconino sandstone of Permian age in northern Arizona has been obtained through a series of experiments. Using both reptiles and invertebrates an attempt has been made to develop in fine-grained sand, tracks that are comparable to those in the sandstone, thus demonstrating the conditions required for their development. Track variations due to differences in degree of sand slope, in moisture content of sand, and in direction of the animal's movement were observed and noted.
Sedimentary petrography and the oil industry
Authors: Griffiths John Cedric
Published: January 2003

A critical review of the applications of sedimentary petrography to the oil industry indicates that little advance in this field has been made to date. Suggestions are made for improvement by organized research.
The use of peels in carbonate petrology
Authors: Buehler Edward J.
Published: January 2003

Transparent peels provide a useful technique for the study of texture and composition of carbonate rocks. Directions for preparation are given. Advantages of peels over thin sections are discussed with emphasis on the ease of preparation of peels.
Sediments of Oki bank in the Japanese Sea
Authors: Niino Hiroshi
Published: January 2003

"A large number of samples from Oki bank in the Japanese Sea show that it is composed of Tertiary diatomaceous earth mantled by a thin layer of sand and mud in which Tertiary and pre-Tertiary gravels are embedded."
SPECIFIC HEAT JUMP OF QUASI-TWO-DIMENSIONAL SUPERCONDUCTORS IN BCS APPROXIMATION: APPLICATION TO MgB2
Authors: ASKERZADE I. N.
Published: January 2003

An analytical result for the renormalization of the jump of the heat capacity (CS - CN)/CN through the anisotropy of the order parameter is derived in the framework of the simple quasi-two-dimensional BCS model. The graph of (CS - CN)/CN versus the anisotropy of the order parameter allows for a direct determination of the gap anisotropy in MgB 2 using available experimantal data.
THE ELASTIC THEORY OF A SINGLE DNA MOLECULE
Authors: OU-YANG Z.-C. , ZHOU H. , ZHANG Y.
Published: January 2003

We review our recent efforts in understanding the elastic properties of double-stranded (ds) and single-stranded (ss) DNA macromolecules. A simple geometric model of dsDNA was constructed and solved by path integral methods. The good agreement with experiments on dsDNA's entropic elasticity, cooperative extensibility, and supercoiling property suggested that the short-ranged base-pair stacking interaction is crucial for the stability and the high deformability of dsDNA. For ssDNA at high ionic conditions, base-pairing and base-pair stacking interactions cause the polymer to fold into compact hairpin configurations. The force-induced hairpin-coil transition was studied with the generating function method. In accordance with experiment, this transition was found to be highly cooperative when the average stacking potential is higher than some critical level. At low ionic conditions, the electrostatic repulsive interaction along the ssDNA becomes dominant, and ssDNA can be regarded as model polyelectrolytes. Our MC simulation results suggested an exponential relation between external force and the total extension. This prediction was confirmed experimentally.
ERROR BOUNDS IN MATCHED-FIELD INVERSION FOR GEOACOUSTIC PROPERTIES
Authors: CHAPMAN N. R. , OZARD K. S. , YEREMY M. L.
Published: January 2003

The effect of uncertainty in the parameters that define the experimental geometry is investigated to determine the performance of matched-field inversion for geoacoustic properties. The investigation is carried out using simulated data for a vertical line array in a North Pacific environment. The results indicate that there can be significant degradation of inversion performance for small errors (~1/3 wavelength) in source depth, depth and tilt of the array, ocean depth and source/array range. The relatively high sensitivity to mismatch in experimental geometry suggests that uncertainties of this type can be tolerated in the inversion by including the geometrical parameters in the global search algorithm. The simulations show that performance is improved by inverting for both the ocean bottom properties and the geometrical parameters simultaneously.
AN INTRODUCTION TO NONSTANDARD FINITE DIFFERENCE SCHEMES
Authors: MICKENS RONALD E.
Published: January 2003

Nonstandard finite difference schemes offer the potential for either constructing exact discrete models of differential equations or obtaining discrete models that do not have the elementary numerical instabilities. While the general laws for constructing such schemes are not precisely known at the present time, a number of important rules have been discovered. This paper provides an introduction to the nonstandard finite difference rules, explains their significance, and applies them to several model ordinary and partial differential equations. Several major unresolved issues and problems are briefly discussed.