bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Our Judgments of Justice
Authors: Starr B. James
Published: March 2007

A brief overview of the articles in this special issue of Cross-Cultural Research on understanding the processes of judging justice is presented. Important features and contributions of the separate papers are summarized. In several cases, a critique and/or suggestions for further research are offered.
Descriptive and Prescriptive Beliefs About Justice: A Sino-U.S. Comparison
Authors: Lee Yueh-Ting , Pepitone Albert , Albright Linda
Published: March 2007

The present article focuses on the distinction between descriptive (i.e., what will happen) and prescriptive (i.e., what should happen) beliefs in justice and shows that person valence and belief type had an interactive effect on outcome valence. Specifically, the 2 (Chinese and American culture) x 2 (Good and Bad person) x 2 (Will as descriptive and Should as prescriptive belief) study revealed that both Chinese and Americans believe that good people should receive better outcomes than they will; but Chinese believe that bad people should receive worse outcomes than they will, whereas Americans believe that bad people should receive better outcomes than they will. This may suggest that, in comparison with Chinese, Americans are more tolerant of or lenient toward immoral behavior and are prescriptively less committed to moral justice.
Cultural Complexity: The Concept and Its Measurement
Authors: Chick Garry
Published: March 2007

Cultural complexity is one of the most commonly used variables in cross-cultural research. It has often been used as a measure of cultural evolution and has been shown to correlate with numerous other variables. At least eight measures of cultural complexity have been constructed since the late 1940s. The purpose of this article is to examine three of them, those proposed by Carneiro, Murdock and Provost, and Naroll. Particular attention will be devoted to the validity of these measures. Factor analysis and reliability analysis indicate that Murdock and Provost's index, designed for use with the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample, although reliable, has two dimensions rather than one and may lack content and construct validity. A case is made for the use of the logarithm of the size of the largest settlement in a society as a measure of cultural complexity, as suggested by Naroll.
Making Historical Connections: Galton's Problem and Opportunity
Authors: Hendrix Lewellyn
Published: March 2007

Galton's problem, the issue of the effects of historical connections between societies based on their characteristics, has received much attention from cross-culturalists. The author reviews the three major responses to Galton's problem and points out that each response treats it as a methodological difficulty. I argue that it would be more fruitful to reframe Galton's problem as a substantive issue, for then cross-culturalists could develop a better under standing of the different kinds of connections among societies and their effects. Links between societies are important forces helping to shape life within each society. I support this argument with exam ples on intersocietal trading ofgoods, labor exchanges, warfare, and interbreeding.
Between Compliance and Defiance: Executive Branch Disposition of "Unwanted" Environmental Legislation
Authors: Mitchell George H. , Adcock Patrick
Published: March 2007

In the trade and environment issue area, Congress has been relatively proactive and the Executive Branch relatively reactive. But through the implementation process the Executive retains great influence over the impact of U.S. policy, especially abroad. The Executive adopts different implementa tion styles when dealing with "wanted" (desired) and "unwanted" (undes ired) environmental legislation; while "wanted" legislation tends to elicit compliance, "unwanted" legislation tends to be subjected to administrative delay if not outright nonimplementation or "defiance." However, the Execu tive tends to favor less provocative strategies. One, which we call "shielded compliance," aims to shelter U.S. interests from the legislation's negative international ramifications. Another, "strategic compliance," entails imple mentation without any provisions to mitigate possible negative international consequences in the hope that intense negative foreign and/or domestic reaction to the legislation's impact will move Congress to modify or repeal the legislation. The suggestion that the U.S.-Mexico tuna-dolphin case of 1990- 1992 is an instance of strategic compliance is considered and rejected. Environmentalists are advised to be cognizant of the possibility of a voters' backlash against congressional as well as Executive misuse of the gray area between compliance and defiance.
The Right to Demand: Citizen Activism and Environmental Politics in Japan
Authors: Cole Jonathan A.
Published: March 2007

Growth-oriented government policies in postwar Japan created high levels of domestic pollution. These conditions gave rise in the 1960s and 1970s to widespread public protests, spearheaded by locally based environmental "citizens' movements. "However, decreasing pollution levels, a weak tradi tion of citizen political participation in Japan, and the low environmental awareness of the average Japanese citizen all combined to weaken the in fluence o f thesegroups in the 1980s. Although some groups, especially anti nuclear movements, have had limited success, Japanese grassroots environ mental groups are still considerably smaller and less influential than their Western counterparts.
Bearing Diagnostics Based on Pattern Recognition of Statistical Parameters
Authors: Fengfeng Xi  , Qiao Sun  , Krishnappa Govindappa
Published: March 2007

In this paper, a new bearing defect diagnostic and classification method is proposed based on pattern recognition of statistical parameters. Such a pattern recognition problem can be described as transformation from the pattern space to the feature space and then to the classification space. Based on trend analysis of six commonly used statistical parameters, four parameters, namely, RMS, Kurtosis, Crest Factor, and Impulse Factor, are selected to form a pattern space. A 2-D feature space is formulated by a nonlinear transformation. An intraclass transformation is used to cluster the data of different bearing defects into different regions in the feature space. The classification space is constructed by piecewise linear discriminant functions. Training the classification space is performed, in this paper, by using data of bearings with seeded defects. Diagnosis of the defected bearings in the classification space then becomes straightforward. Numerical experiments show that the proposed method is effective in indicating both the location and the severity of bearing defects.
A New Intelligent 3-D Thin Shell Element and the Optimal Dynamic Shape Control of a Paraboloid Antenna
Authors: Chen Su-Huan , Yao Guo-Feng , Cao Zong-Jie
Published: March 2007

In this paper, a new three-dimensional thin laminated shell element for the structure containing an integrated distributed piezoelectric sensor and actuator is proposed. A finite element formulation is derived for modeling the dynamic as well as static response of laminated shell with piezoelectric sensors/actuators. The performance of the shell elements is improved by reduced integration technique. The optimal shape control of structure is derived. The shell element is verified by calculating piezoelectric polymeric PVDF bimorph beam. The results agreed with those obtained by theoretical analysis fairly well. Finally, the optimal shape control of a paraboloid antenna is studied.
Asymptotic Behavior of the Energy of Vibration of a Moving String with Varying Lengths
Authors: Guo Bao-Zhu
Published: March 2007

In this paper, the author studies the initial-moving boundary value problem of a linear second- order hyperbolic equation describing the vibration of an axially moving string with time-varying lengths. The explicit expression of the solution is presented, and the stability of the system is investigated. It is shown that the amplitude of vibration is uniformly bounded for any given initial conditions; moreover, the energy of the system increases without bound with polynomial growth as the length of the string tends to zero and decreases to zero with polynomial decay when the length tends to infinity.
Passive Damping of Spinning Disks
Authors: Seubert S.L. , Anderson T.J. , Smelser R.E.
Published: March 2007

An investigation of the application of constrained-layer damping to computer disk drives is pre sented. Nine constrained-layer disks were manufactured and tested to determine their modal parameters and variations. The eigenvalue realization algorithm was used to extract the natural frequencies and damping ra tios from the nine constrained-layer damped disks and from four solid aluminum disks. These results provide damping values that will be useful in future stability analyses of spinning disks that include damping. Finite element models were developed and used to calculate natural frequencies and damping ratios for the damped disks. The numerical results are compared to the measured values. The natural frequencies are predicted to within 8%, and the damping ratios are predicted to within 35% of the experimentally determined values. The finite element model provides a method to obtain damping values and natural frequencies for different layer thicknesses for future studies. The results also give an indication of the accuracy expected from the finite el ement results. Finally, the experimental results from spinning the constrained-layer damped disks in a disk drive assembly are presented. The results show that the constrained-layer damping dramatically reduces the transverse vibrations of the spinning disks in the present configuration.
Optimal Bounded Response Control for a Second-Order System Under a White-Noise Excitation
Authors: Bratus A. , Dimentberg M. , Iourtchenko D.
Published: March 2007

A single-degree-of-freedom system is excited by a white-noise random force. The system's re sponse can be reduced by a control force of limited magnitude R, and the problem is to minimize the expected response energy at a given time instant T under this constraint. A "hybrid" solution to the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (or HJB) equation is obtained for the case of a linear controlled system. Specif ically, an exact analytical solution is obtained within a certain outer domain with respect to a "strip" with switching lines, indicating optimality of a "dry-friction," or the simplest version of the "bang-bang" control law within this domain. This explicit solution is matched by a numerical solution within an inner domain, where switching lines are illustrated. In the limiting case of a weak control, or small R, the hybrid solution leads to a simple asymptotically suboptimal "dry-friction" control law, which is well-known for deterministic optimal control problems; more precisely, the difference in expected response energies between cases of opti mal and suboptimal control is shown to be proportional to a small parameter. Numerical results are presented, which illustrate the optimal control law and evolution of the minimized functional. They are used in particular to evaluate convergence rate to the derived analytical results for the suboptimal weak control case. A special case of a nonlinear controlled system is considered also, one with a rigid barrier at the system's equilibrium position. The resulting vibroimpact system is studied for the case of perfectly elastic impacts/rebounds by us ing special piecewise-linear transformation of state variables, which reduces the system to the nonimpacting one. The solution to the HJB equation is shown to be valid for the transformed system as well, resulting in the optimal control law for the vibroimpact system.
Variable Structure Adaptive Force Tracking Control of a Cantilever Beam Using a Piezoelectric Actuator
Authors: Yim Woosoon , Singh Sahjendra N.
Published: March 2007

This paper presents an adaptive force trajectory control of a flexible beam using a piezoceramic actuator. Based on the variable structure model reference adaptive control theory, a new force control system using only force measurement is designed. For the derivation of the control law, it is assumed that parameters of the beam and contact surface stiffness are unknown. It is shown that in the closed-loop system, the contact force tracks a given reference trajectory and the beam vibration is suppressed as well. Digital simulations results show that the closed-loop system has good transient behavior and robust performance in the presence of uncertainties in the parameters of the flexible beam and the contact surface, and unmodeled dynamics as well.
Control and Dynamics of Quarter-Car Models With Dual-Rate Damping
Authors: Verros G. , Natsiavas S. , Stepan G.
Published: March 2007

Dynamics of a controlled quarter-car model is investigated. In this model, the damping coefficient of the car suspension is selected in a way that the resulting semiactive system approximates the performance of an active suspension system designed to produce sky-hook damping. According to this control strategy, the damping coefficient switches between two different values, leading to a piecewise linear dynamical model. For this model, the equation of motion is first presented in a general normalized form. Then, an appropriate methodology is applied for obtaining exact periodic motions for the case of forcing resulting from a road with harmonic profile. This methodology is based on employing the exact solution form within response intervals where the damping coefficient remains constant. The unknowns of the problem are then determined by imposing a set of periodicity and matching conditions. The stability analysis of the located motions is also performed by applying a method that is suitable for piecewise linear systems. Next, this analysis is applied and representative numerical results are presented in the form of response diagrams, illustrating the effect of the important system parameters. Finally, results obtained by direct integration of the equation of motion are also presented for transient road excitation. All the results are compared to those obtained for the conventional suspension systems including passive bilinear shock absorbers.
Control of Wave Propagation in Composite Rods Using Shape Memory Inserts: Theory and Experiments
Authors: Chen T. , Ruzzene M. , Baz A.
Published: March 2007

Longitudinal wave propagation is controlled using shape memory inserts placed along rods. The inserts act as sources of impedance mismatch with tunable characteristics. Such characteristics are attributed to the unique behavior of the shape memory alloy whereby the elastic modulus significantly increases as the alloy undergoes a phase transformation from martensite to austenite. With such controllable capability, the inserts can introduce the proper impedance mismatch necessary to impede the wave propagation along the rods. A spectral finite element model is developed to accurately reproduce the wave propagation phenomena inside the composite rod and to model its dynamic behavior with a significantly reduced number of elements. The theoretical predictions are compared with the experimental performance of rods with one, two, and three shape memory inserts. The behavior of the composite is evaluated at different activation temperatures of the shape memory material. The obtained results indicate significant attenuation of the wave propagation inside the composites with increasing operating temperature. Both experimental and theoretical results demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of composites with tunable impedance mismatch sources in controlling wave propagation in rods.
Effect of Time Delay on the Stability of Flexible Structures with Rate Feedback Control
Authors: Hong Tony , Hughes Peter C.
Published: March 2007

Time delays can be introduced inadvertently into flexible spacecraft control loops by (for example) computer processing delays. The effects of such time delays on the performance, or even the stability, of such closed-loop control systems are especially important for lightly damped vibratory systems. This paper focuses on the time-delayed rate feedback control of a lightly damped single-degree-of-freedom harmonic oscillator. Even though this situation is relatively simple, it possesses many interesting characteristics and must be treated carefully. Root loci are analyzed to provide a basis for stability conditions, and stability boundaries are plotted, correcting the results derived many years ago by Bellman and Cooke. It is briefly explained how to extend these results for one structural mode to an arbitrary number of structural modes, that is, to a complete spacecraft.
Development and Application of a Nonlinear Modal Analysis Technique for MDOF Systems
Authors: Chong Y.H. , Imregun M.
Published: March 2007

This work presents a frequency-domain technique that extends the concept of linear modal super position to nonlinear systems by using the normal nonlinear mode approach so that a generalized parameter identification method can be formulated for MDOF nonlinear systems. The methodology is compatible with existing established vibration analysis techniques such as finite element (FE) modeling and experimental modal analysis. Furthermore, once the nonlinear modal parameters are identified at some reference force level, the nonlinear response can be predicted at any arbitrary excitation level using standard modal sum mation techniques. The numerical study is focused on a 4-DOF system with friction damping nonlinearity, for which both the macro- and microslip representations are considered. Simulated nonlinear frequency re sponse functions, obtained for a given excitation level using a harmonic balance method, were subjected to a nonlinear modal analysis procedure, and the modal parameters were extracted as a function of the vibration amplitude. Micro- and macroslip representations yielded significantly different nonlinear modal parameters, though the findings were consistent with those of other researchers. The nonlinear modal analysis results and the response predictions at arbitrary forcing levels were compared against reference harmonic balance sim ulations, and very good agreement was observed for all cases investigated. It was verified that the friction damper produced highest damping for the vibration amplitude of maximum energy dissipation.
Iteration Perturbation Method for Strongly Nonlinear Oscillations
Authors: He Ji-Huan
Published: March 2007

In this paper, the author proposes a new perturbation technique coupling with iteration method, yielding a powerful mathematical tool for an analytical solution of nonlinear equations. The obtained results are valid not only for weakly nonlinear problems but also for strongly nonlinear ones. Furthermore, the approximate solutions are valid for the whole solution domain, and even the first-step iteration leads to high accuracy Some examples are given to illustrate its effectiveness.
Theoretical Frequency Equation of Bending Vibrations of an Exponentially Tapered Beam Under Rotation
Authors: Sahu Atma R.
Published: March 2007

A modified differential equation for bending vibrations of an exponentially tapered beam under rotation is derived and an upper bound for the natural (ω2) frequency of the nth mode of vibration has been determined. A shape function is used to determine the theoretical frequency equation of bending vibrations. The shape function used in obtaining the solution satisfies geometrical as well as the dynamical boundary conditions of tapered beams that may represent a turbomachinery blade, and therefore the frequency equation obtained in this paper can provide an engineer with some important design information before an expensive prototype turbine blade is made.
Nonlinear Response to Polynomial of Filtered Gaussian Process
Authors: Floris Claudio
Published: March 2007

A method for the evaluation of the response statistical moments of nonlinear second-order dynamic systems with linear damping and polynomial restoring force subjected to non-Gaussian input in the form of a polynomial of a filtered Gaussian process is presented. Itô's stochastic differential equations for the augmented system of the structure and the shaping filter are derived. The solution is looked for by using a moment equation approach. The equations for the response statistical moments are written by applying Itô's differential rule. Because of the nonlinearities in polynomial form, the moment equations form an infinite hierarchy so that a closure scheme is needed. An iterative closure scheme is proposed. First, the system is partially linearized, substituting a linear restoring force for the nonlinear one, while retaining the nonlinear excitation. In this way, the response of the linearized system is non-Gaussian. In the second step, the moment equations of the actual nonlinear system are closed by approximately expressing the hierarchical moments by means of the estimates obtained for the linearized system. The first numerical analysis regards a Duffing oscillator subject to wind pressure: the results compare well with Monte Carlo simulation, and it is shown that the response moments allow the evaluation of other important response statistics. The second example concerns an offshore tower excited by Morison forces approximated by a cubic polynomial. Again, the proposed approach performs well.
Hierarchical Fuzzy Logic Control of a Manipulator With Slewing and Deployable Links
Authors: Goulet Jean-François , De Silva Clarence W , Modi Vinod J. , Misra Arun K.
Published: March 2007

The advantages of combining a conventional controller and a knowledge-based approach are ad dressed in the specific context of regulating a robotic manipulator with deployable and slewing links. A hierarchical structure having a high-speed crisp-algorithmic controller at the bottom layer and an intelligent tuner at an upper layer is developed. The top-level intelligent tuner uses a valid set of linguistic rules for adjusting proportional-integral-derivative servos, based on the theory of fuzzy logic. The behavior of the system is evaluated on the basis of the numerical simulation results as well as experiments with a prototype manipulator system. Results suggest significant improvement in the system performance through the fuzzy logic-based hierarchical control structure.
Quadratic Synthesis of Active Controls for a Quarter-Car Model
Authors: Elmadany M.M. , Al-Majed M.I.
Published: March 2007

The design of active vehicle suspensions with integral constraints to control the response of a vehicle traversing a road is considered. The problem is initially formulated in the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) framework with full-state feedback. Alternate formulations based on optimal output feedback (OOFB) and the minimum norm criterion (MNC) approach in the absence of complete state information are then presented. A general expression for the required optimal value of the control force based on easily measurable feedback quantities is developed. To reduce the effect of the body jerk, the high rate of change of actuator control force is penalized by adding a roll-off prefilter to the control. Results based on LQR, OOFB, and MNC are compared, and it is shown that the OOFB and MNC give performances as effective as the full-state feedback without the need to measure the tire deflection. The effectiveness of the roll-off prefilter in reducing the body jerk is demonstrated in an example problem.
Natural Frequencies of Rectangular Membrane With Boundary Perturbation
Authors: Masad Jamal A.
Published: March 2007

A perturbation approach, coupled with the adjoint concept, is used to derive an analytic expression for the natural frequencies of a nearly rectangular membrane. The method is applied for a rectangular membrane with a semicircle at one of the boundaries. The fundamental natural frequency results for this configuration are presented and compared with results from a finite-element method and results from an approximate Galerkin method. The agreement between the fundamental natural frequencies calculated with the perturbation approach and those calculated with the finite-element method improves as the radius of the semicircle decreases and as the semicircle location becomes more eccentric.
Dynamic Characterization of a Highly Flexible Reticular Structure
Authors: Petrone Francesco , Sinatra Rosario , Tedoldi Giuseppe
Published: March 2007

Structural analysis in the dynamic field appears a particularly valid methodology in evaluating the behavior of the constructional solutions to particularly complex systems. The experimental determination of a structure's dynamic response can allow the development of a mathematical model that is able to simulate, with acceptable accuracy, the dynamic behavior of the real system. The model, which characterizes the structure, can then be used to interpret variations in the dynamic behavior subsequently detected in the real system, or to simulate unusual behavior when the corresponding input parameters can be defined. The present paper gives an example of this experimental methodology, analyzing the dynamic behavior of the cantilever roof of Favorita Stadium in Palermo.
Optimal Boundary Control of the Longitudinal Vibrations of a Rod Using a Maximum Principle
Authors: Sadek I.S. , Sloss J.M. , Adali S. , Bruch J.C.
Published: March 2007

A maximum principle is derived for the determination of the optimal boundary control of the lon gitudinal vibration of a variable cross-section rod in which the index of performance is a quadratic function. The control is expressed explicitly in terms of an adjoint variable and can be applied by displacement or force control, or a combination of both. The adjoint variable and the state variable are related through termi nal conditions. The results are applied to a specific problem, and numerical results are given that reveal the effectiveness of the proposed control mechanism. The numerical results are obtained using MAPLE V.
Vibrostability of a Multidimensional Machine Tool-Workpiece-Tool System, Part II: An Example of Vibrostability Analysis Made on a Vertical Lathe
Authors: Marchelek Krzysztof , Tomków Jan
Published: March 2007

This article predicts the vibrostability of a multidimensional dynamic machine tool-workpiece- tool system in the course of the planning-designing process. Mathematical models of both the machine tool and the cutting process were built according to the principles presented in Part I. The analysis involves a vertical lathe model made out of rigid finite elements. For the chosen variant of cutting, the graphs of absolute values of the vibrostability limit are determined from two different models of the cutting process. A computer-animated film, generated in the course of the analytical work, displays the machine vibration at the vibration stability limit. Also presented is how particular machine elements participate in the vibration of the tool and the workpiece. The analysis allows the authors to indicate a weak (for the sake of the vibrostability) point within the mass-damping-spring system of the machine.
Force Control of a Single-Link Flexible Arm Using Sliding-Mode Theory
Authors: Chang Jeang-Lin , Chen Yon-Ping
Published: March 2007

Motivated by the relation between a force acting on a flexible arm and the resultant bending deflection, this paper presents a force control technique simply via position control. The dynamic equations of a flexible arm with tip position placed on a fixed horizontal plane are modeled by an approach similar to the finite element method. Based on this model, the constraint force on the horizontal plane can be directly estimated from the motor's angle and the bending deflection, and thus the use of force sensor is no longer needed. The controller structure consists of two nested feedback loops in which the inner loop is designed for the motor's angle by a PD control algorithm and the outer loop deals with the constraint force by sliding-mode control. Experimental results are included to demonstrate the success of the developed controller.
Hybrid Inverse Eigenmode Problem for a Shear Building Supporting a Finite Element Subassemblage
Authors: Takewaki Izuru
Published: March 2007

A theory for a new hybrid inverse eigenmode problem is developed such that a set of story stiffnesses of a shear building model supporting a given finite element (FE) subassemblage is found for a specified lowest eigenvalue of the combined system and a specified set of lowest-mode interstory drifts in the shear building model. It is shown that if the lowest eigenvalue is specified so as to be smaller than that of the corresponding rigidly supported model, then the lowest-mode displacements in the FE subassemblage can be expressed uniquely in terms of the given parameters. For a model in which all the lowest-mode horizontal displacements in the FE subassemblage have the same sign as that of the lowest-mode horizontal displacement of the interface, it is shown that if all the lowest-mode interstory drifts in the shear building model have the same sign, then the positive definiteness of the interstory stiffnesses of the shear building model is guaranteed. These facts are demonstrated to be valid through a two-story shear building model supporting a two-story shear system with given stiffnesses. It is further shown that the present theory for a hybrid inverse eigenmode problem can be applied for strengthening or retrofitting a building frame using a base-isolation system.
Microchaotic Motion of Digitally Controlled Machines
Authors: Enikov Eniko , Stepan Gabor
Published: March 2007

Without control, the desired motions of machines do not occur, and the desired equilibria and stationary motions are often unstable. Human operator or computer control may be needed to control and stabilize these machines. An important common feature of both analog and digital controllers is the time delay that is introduced into the system. Even when these delayed systems should be stable, the experiments show small stochastic oscillations around the desired motion, as are often experienced in robotics. In case of the stabilization of an inverted pendulum, the analysis of the equation of motion shows that chaotic vibrations occur around the equilibrium even when stochastic effects related to human control are not present. In advanced design work of digitally controlled machines, it is vital to know the characteristics of this chaotic behavior. The estimation of the distribution of vibration amplitudes and the frequency range should be available at the design stage. This initiates the analysis of the so-called microchaos or μ-chaos.
Vibration Absorption With Linear Active Resonators: Continuous and Discrete Time Design and Analysis
Authors: Filipovic Damir , Schroder Dierk
Published: March 2007

The concept of the linear active resonator (LAR) as a vibration absorber is presented. It is formed of a classical passive absorber with a simple dynamic linear feedback. The LAR is, on one hand, a well-known passive absorber but has, on the other hand, an additional actuator that produces a force (lateral system) or a torque (rotational system). This additional actuator is controlled by a feedback signal that is processed in a linear compensator and the reference value for the actuator is produced. The parameters in the compensator are set to produce a designated resonance frequency in the LAR, that is, the damping of the passive absorber is "removed." As a result, the LAR becomes an ideal resonator that theoretically absorbs vibrations from the point of attachment completely. The resonant frequency of the LAR is variable in real time. It is also shown that with this concept the absorber can have more than one resonant frequency, though it is a single- degree-of-freedom system. This active absorber does not need information from the primary system that it is attached to; it is autonomous in online operation. The signal used for the absorber feedback is either the position, velocity, or acceleration of the absorber mass. Depending on the application and convenience, this signal can be an absolute one, or a signal relative to the point of attachment. The global system characteristics are used only in the off-line analysis, such as for stability and robustness analysis. In this paper, the general concept of the LAR is derived in the continuous and the discrete time domain; the stability analysis of the system with LAR is presented using parameter space analysis.
A Gain Scheduled Robust Controller for a Sliding Flexible Link Manipulator
Authors: Banavar R.N. , Dominic P.
Published: March 2007

The control of a two-link manipulator with a sliding flexible link that traverses inside a rigid link is considered. Since the plant possesses time-varying dynamics that change with the position of the tip, and considerable uncertainty, a fixed controller is unsatisfactory in terms of both performance and robustness. Hence, a controller that schedules with the position is sought and implemented. An H∞ approach is adopted, and the resulting controller provides good performance and stability margins.
Addiction Education Groups for Inpatients With Dual Diagnoses
Authors: Pollack Linda E. , Stuebben Gerald
Published: March 2007

Addiction Education Groups for inpatients with dual diagnoses were developed out of an identified need on the dual diagnosis unit and were so well received by participants and staff that they were made available to adult patients with dual diagnoses through out the facility. The function of the groups was to educate people with substance abuse problems and mental illness about recovery from addiction within the context of having a concomitant mental illness. The session format varied depending on the day's topic. Methods included didactic components, readings, discussions, video cassettes, video tap ing, role playing, and the use of in-group worksheets. (J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc [1998]. 4, 121-127)
The Role of Serotonin and Dopamine in Schizophrenia
Authors: O'Connor Francine L.
Published: March 2007

For many years schizophrenia was attributed to an overabundance of dopamine in the brain, and until recently conventional neuroleptics (dopamine-D2 receptor antagonists) have been the mainstay of pharmacologic treatment for patients with this illness. The dopaminergic mechanism of action makes conventional neuroleptics effective for the positive symptoms of schizophrenia but not for the negative symptoms. It is now recog nized that serotonin also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. By blocking both dopamine and serotonin receptors, the newer antipsychotic agents such as clozapine, risperidone, and olanzapine are effective for both the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and are less likely than conventional neuroleptics to cause extrapyramidal symptoms at prescribed doses. Although the newer antipsy chotics are tolerated better than conventional neuroleptics, each of these newer drugs is associated with some adverse effects, such as hypotension and sedation. Further research into the neurobiology of schizophrenia may lead to the development of even more effective and safe antipsychotic medications for schizophrenia. ( J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc [1998]. 4, S30-S34.)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Authors: Barron Joan , Curtis Mark A. , Grainger Ruth Dailey
Published: March 2007

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic method that was developed in the late 1980s by Shapiro. EMDR is based on specific and repetitive rapid eye movements similar to those experienced naturally in rapid eye movement sleep. When the client holds in cognition the visual images, negative statements, and dis tressing feelings associated with trauma memory and engages in EMDR at the same time, a desensitization spontaneously occurs, with intensive information reprocessing leading to resolution. (J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc [1998]. 4, 140-144)
Instructor and Student Perceptions of What is Learned by Writing the Business Report
Authors: Hiemstra Kathleen M.
Published: March 2007

In many business communication courses students must write a business report. This study compared what business communication instructors believe their stu dents learn and what writing skills they improve by completing the assignment with what students believe they learn and what writing skills they believe are improved. Data were gathered from members of the Association for Business Communica tion and from students who have completed a business report. Instructors see greater improvement in student writing skills than do students. To close this gap, faculty should offer more explicit explanations of the assignment and of the con cepts to be learned and the skills to be improved. They should also explain the cri teria for evaluation and help students assess their writing skills and set personal goals for improvement. Questionnaires are provided so instructors can compare their own perceptions with those of their students as well as with the instructors and students from this study.
How Instructor Immediacy Behaviors Affect Student Satisfaction and Learning in Web-Based Courses
Authors: Arbaugh J.B.
Published: March 2007

In this study I investigated whether instructor classroom behaviors, called "imme diacy behaviors," are significantly associated with student learning and satisfaction in Web-based MBA courses. Immediacy behaviors represent instructors' attempts to reduce the social distance between themselves and their students. While my study found that immediacy behaviors were positive predictors of student learning and course satisfaction, such other factors as student attitudes toward course soft ware, the length of a course, and prior student and instructor experience with Web-based courses were also significant predictors. These findings suggest that both structural characteristics of MBA programs and instructor behavior merit attention for Web-based courses to successfully deliver graduate management education.
Report of the 1977 Teaching Methodology & Concepts Committee
Authors: Gootnick David E.
Published: March 2007

The theme of the 1977 Teaching Methodology & Concepts Committe was, "Freewheeling in Business Communication." Guided by one principle—to contribute to the improvement of instruction in business communication—members of the group were set free to pursue different and interesting areas of concern.

The five papers which resulted cover a variety of subjects: career planning, minutes of meetings, overcoming defensive bar riers to communication with transactional analysis, oral presentations, and business communication in Michigan.

We hope you gain helpful insights from these papers and welcome your comments.
Motivating Business Communication Students: an Introductory Handout
Authors: Skarzenski Donald , Stine Donna
Published: March 2007

The business communication instructor faces some serious motivational problems early each term. Students often are a little fearful of English or writing courses in general, but, worse, sometimes feel any such course is generally abstract, "artsy," and worthless.

We constructed the following handout to break down this resistance, and to show our students that our course is a practical preparation for their careers. This handout—which supplements a de tailed syllabus—not only introduces students to the course and its basic requirements, but also quotes practicing business managers on the real-world value of the skills the course teaches.
The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment: Opportunitw or Threat for Management Communication?
Authors: Rogers Priscilla S. , Rymer Jone
Published: March 2007

Instituted as a regular part of the GMAT in October 1994, the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) has the potential to serve as a diagnostic tool in MBA programs. This article describes the new test and reviews the uses of the AWA scores and essays that have significant ramifications for management communication. It concludes by suggesting why it is vital for communication instructors to become involved in decisions about how to use the A WA results.
Teaching Communication with Ethics-Based Cases
Authors: Stevens Betsy
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on the importance of presenting ethics and communica tion as twin concepts in the management communication class. It underscores the increasing importance and complexity of ethical issues and presents two cases that the instructor can use for analysis and discussion. The cases address two contemporary issues—harassment in the workplace and the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women. Both have implications for business profes sionals and allow students a chance to analyze their views and make decisions about communication strategies.
Surrounded by Predators? Think Fast!
Authors: Merrier Patricia A. , Katz Virginia T.
Published: March 2007

Simulations have been shown to be an effective method of providing students with real-life experiences while in the comfortable, secure setting of the class room. This article describes how a news conference simulation involving stu dents from two collegiate units is being used to prepare business students to "think on their feet."
The Depiction of Female and Male Professionals in Business Communication Textbooks
Authors: Pomerenke Paula , Varner Iris I. , Mallar Suzanne
Published: March 2007

This study of textbooks in business communication focused on the number of times men and women were shown in photographs and the professional roles implied by their appearance and demeanor. While the numbers were in bal ance, the physical appearance and role portrayal perpetuated traditional stereotypes of men and women in the workplace.
Student Perceptions About Business Communication in Their Careers
Authors: McPherson Bill
Published: March 2007

There is little question among educators and business executives that excellent communication skills are requisites for today's jobs. Yet most business teachers realize the difficulty of getting students to take business communication courses seriously. Succcessful teachers know that students learn best when they value what they are learning as relevant. Teachers can often create learning environments that stimulate students' enthusiasm for learning if they can relate topics taught in school to career or life goals of students. This study was conducted to assist students in becoming more aware of business communica tion tasks they will be expected to complete when they enter the business world. The goal is to provide information to help create a learning environ ment where the significance of communication is recognized and appreciated. The study sought to answer this question: What are students' perceptions con cerning their future business communication tasks?
Assessing Competency in Business Writing
Authors: Varner Iris I. , Pomerenke Paula J.
Published: March 2007

Assessing the level of improvement of students' writing competency during a semester is becoming increasingly important for business communication instructors. When conducting an assessment, instructors need to be aware of issues that will affect reliability and validity. They need to develop cleargoals at the beginning; for example, good assessment strives to improve instruction and to develop students' communication skills. Because different schools have different missions and operate in different environments, a custom-made instrument will ensure that the assessment fits the local conditions. Before con ducting the assessment, the instrument needs to be validated for specific use, and scorers must be trained in holistic scoring to reach an overall assessment.
Review: Confocal scanning laser microscopy. A powerful tool in food science Revision: Microscopía láser confocal de barrido. Una potente herramienta en la ciencia de los alimentos
Authors: Ferrando M. , Spiess W.E.L.
Published: March 2007

Confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) is a recently developed light microscopy technique which permits observation of selected levels within thick samples. CSLM improves the resolution along the viewing axis and permits optical sectioning of the sample. Sample preparation is not time consuming and changes the original structure of the specimen only minimally. In this way structures involved in kinetic processes of food materials exposed to external stress situations can be visualized. In this review the contributions of CSLM to improving the understanding of various processes in different fields of food science are discussed. The fundamentals of the operations required are considered, including a discussion of common laser sources and different kinds of fluorescent dyes. Attention is paid to the peculiarities of sample preparation, as well as to the possibilities of image processing in order to improve and analyze the images collected. The quantitative analysis of plant organizations and cellular structures in plant material by CSLM is reported as well as the use of CSLM to image the structure of emulsions of different complexity and to locate microorganisms in a wide range of food products.
Nota. Efecto de la historia térmica en la gelificación de pasta fresca de jurel (T. murphyi) tipo surimi Note. Effect of thermal history on the gelation of horse mackerel (T. murphyi) raw paste surimi-type
Authors: Aguilera J.M. , Ortiz J.
Published: March 2007

Fresh paste from horse mackerel ( T. murphyi) surimi-type, was processed during setting using (2%) KCI. The paste was subjected to different heating and cooling cycles. The salt produced an improve ment in kamaboko-type gel formation. The heating and cooling cycles enhanced the setting process and improved textural quality of the resulting gel, mainly when the heating before cooling was slow. The setting process was characterized by several physical parameters: storage module ( G'), using an oscillatory rheological technique, and apparent Young module ( E), by means of mechanical compres sion tests. The enthalpic changes for gelification of the paste were determined using differential scan ning calorimetry.
Utilization of applesauce in a low-fat bologna-type product Empleo del pure de manzana en la elaboración de productos del tipo mortadela
Authors: Sánchez-Escalante A. , Torrescano G. , Camou J.P. , Ballesteros M.N. , González-Méndez N.F.
Published: March 2007

Apples ( Malus pumila ) such as Anna and Dorsett Golden are varieties with limited fresh commercial usage due to their small size, high acidity and scarce red pigmentation. However, they can be pro cessed to make applesauce that can be used as an ingredient in the elaboration of meat products. A bologna-type product was produced replacing fat with 15% applesauce ( Anna, Dorsett Golden and Golden Delicious varieties) to evaluate chemical, physical and sensory properties. Mechanically deboned turkey meat and pork shoulder was used. Ten and twenty percent of backfat and regular fat were added to products with applesauce and the control sample, respectively. Addition of applesauce to the formulation had no effect on cook yield after thermal processing, which was 96%. A 25% fat reduction was accomplished in the finished product with respect to the control. Moisture increased from 56% in the control to 63% in bologna sausage with applesauce. There were no effects on texture parameters and there was a lowering effect ( p < 0.05) in L value for lightness by applesauce addition. Bologna sausage with Golden Delicious apple sauce was the sweetest as evaluated by panelists. In overall acceptability for all bologna sausages, scores ranged between acceptable and good. It is advis able to use applesauce as an ingredient in emulsion-type products like bologna sausages to replace fat and still produce an acceptable product.