bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gênero nas organizações: um estudo no setor bancário
Authors: Andrade Áurea Lúcia Silva , Cappelle Mônica Carvalho Alves , Brito Mozar Jose de , Paula Neto Alcielis de , Vilas Boas Luiz Henrique de Barros
Published: September 2010

Este artigo se insere na área dos estudos organizacionais que trata das questões referentes às relações de gênero no espaço de trabalho, por meio do qual se buscou compreender como as categorias de pensamento sobre essas relações são "construídas" na subjetividade das pessoas e como atuam no desenvolvimento da carreira profissional de homens e mulheres em uma organização bancária. A relevância desta pesquisa se fundamenta na busca de compreender como os conflitos entre gênero são mediados dentro das organizações e de indicar possíveis soluções para potencializar o processo de gestão organizacional. Os resultados da pesquisa permitiram compreender que a hierarquia sexual ainda é imposta como mecanismo de diferenciação no âmbito organizacional, e que a coexistência de ambos os gêneros num contexto social comum pode ser capaz de transformar a realidade social. Estudos desta natureza reforçam a necessidade de as organizações buscarem novas formas de trabalhar a complexidade social sem inibir as diferenças existentes, pois assim cada um, em sua singularidade, pode contribuir efetivamente para o desenvolvimento organizacional.
Segurança do alimento e rastreabilidade: o caso BSE
Authors: Vinholis Marcela de Mello Brandão , Azevedo Paulo Furquim de
Published: September 2010

O evento da BSE, em adição a outros casos de riscos à saúde na indústria de alimentos, aumentou a preocupação e importância dada à segurança dos alimentos, particularmente à possibilidade de rastreamento de informações relevantes sobre os produtos. Este artigo objetiva verificar os custos e benefícios associados à adoção de um sistema de rastreabilidade na cadeia agroindustrial da carne bovina, motivada pela crise da BSE (Encefalopatia Espongiforme Bovina), assim como definir e rever o conceito de rastreabilidade. Dentre os fatores que caracterizam um sistema de rastreabilidade, destacam-se o escopo que se pretende abranger, o curso do produto, a definição da unidade rastreável e a forma de gerenciamento da informação ao longo da cadeia produtiva. Este sistema ainda é influenciado pelo ambiente institucional e pelas ações estratégicas das organizações.
Problemas e métodos decisórios de localização de empresas
Authors: Sato Fábio Ricardo Loureiro
Published: September 2010

A tomada de decisão é certamente a atividades mais freqüente que encontramos dentro das empresas. Algumas dessas decisões são de grande relevância, outras nem tanto. A determinação da localização é certamente uma das escolhas que tem maior impacto nos resultados. Apesar disso, os tomadores de decisões das empresas ainda não utilizam métodos científicos na hora de escolher a localização de suas instalação. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste artigo é apresentar alguns dos problemas enfrentados e os métodos hoje disponíveis que podem ser utilizados nesses momentos nas empresas.
Capital humano e TI gerando vantagem competitiva
Authors: Marques Marcelo , Lazzarini Neto Sylvio
Published: September 2010

Há fortes controvérsias quanto ao uso da tecnologia da informação e os resultados desses investimentos. Resulta ou não em vantagens competitivas? Como tornar convergente o treinamento e a valorização do capital humano com investimentos em tecnologia da informação? É possível gerar vantagens competitivas através da sincronia entre esses dois fatores? Fundamentado nos estudos de Michael E. Porter, este baseado nas idéias originais de Paul Milgrom e John Roberts (1990 e 1995), o presente trabalho propõe uma inovação em gestão administrativa com base nesse contexto, buscando mostrar que investimentos em TI e capital humano devem ser realizados conjuntamente, sob pena de ocorrer perda de eficiência no processo e, conseqüentemente, frustrações com os resultados obtidos.
Freud apresenta o homem dos ratos: imagens sob o prisma psicanalítico
Authors: Martins Cristiane Juguero , Poli Maria Cristina
Published: September 2010

O tema da apresentação de pacientes, dispositivo clínico utilizado tanto pela psiquiatria quanto pela psicanálise é um importante ponto de partida para a discussão sobre as diferenças epistêmicas existentes entre estas duas áreas. Freud presenciou as famosas apresentações de pacientes protagonizadas por Charcot na Salpêtrière, momento imediatamente anterior à criação da psicanálise. Enquanto psicanalista, ele não praticou as apresentações de pacientes, no entanto, seus relatos de caso, entre eles o que ficou conhecido como "O homem dos ratos", funcionam como porta-voz do sujeito do inconsciente, mantendo viva a ruptura que produziu no discurso da ciência. Este núcleo vivo da psicanálise é o que Lacan buscava reeditar a cada apresentação de pacientes que realizava.
Testosterone-induced permanent changes of hepatic gene expression in female mice sustained during Plasmodium chabaudi malaria infection
Authors: Delić Denis , Gailus Nicole , Vohr Hans-Werner , Dkhil Mohamed , Al-Quraishy Saleh , Wunderlich Frank
Published: September 2010

Testosterone has been previously shown to induce persistent susceptibility to Plasmodium chabaudi malaria in otherwise resistant female C57BL/6 mice. Here, we investigate as to whether this conversion coincides with permanent changes of hepatic gene expression profiles. Female mice aged 10–12 weeks were treated with testosterone for 3 weeks; then, testosterone treatment was discontinued for 12 weeks before challenging with 106 P. chabaudi-infected erythrocytes. Hepatic gene expression was examined after 12 weeks of testosterone withdrawal and after subsequent infection with P. chabaudi at peak parasitemia, using Affymetrix microarrays with 22 690 probe sets representing 14 000 genes. The expression of 54 genes was found to be permanently changed by testosterone, which remained changed during malaria infection. Most genes were involved in liver metabolism: the female-prevalent genes Cyp2b9, Cyp2b13, Cyp3a41, Cyp3a44, Fmo3, Sult2a2, Sult3a1, and BC014805 were repressed, while the male-prevalent genes Cyp2d9, Cyp7b1, Cyp4a10, Ugt2b1, Ugt2b38, Hsd3b5, and Slco1a1 were upregulated. Genes encoding different nuclear receptors were not persistently changed. Moreover, testosterone induced persistent upregulation of genes involved in hepatocellular carcinoma such as Lama3 and Nox4, whereas genes involved in immune response such as Ifnγ and Igk-C were significantly decreased. Our data provide evidence that testosterone is able to induce specific and robust long-term changes of gene expression profiles in the female mouse liver. In particular, those changes, which presumably indicate masculinized liver metabolism and impaired immune response, may be critical for the testosterone-induced persistent susceptibility of mice to P. chabaudi malaria.
Different turbulence models for stratified flow and salinity
Authors: Liu W.-C. , Chen W.-B. , Hsu M.-H.
Published: September 2010

This paper documents a numerical modelling study to calculate the residual current and salinity distributions in a partially mixed estuary. A three-dimensional, time-dependent hydrodynamic model, ELCRIC, was performed and applied to the Danshuei River estuarine system and the adjacent coastal sea in Taiwan. The model experiments were conducted with different turbulence closure models and background diffusivities. Little difference was found in the results of the model with four turbulence closure schemes (k−kl, k−ε, k−ω, and UB (i.e. Umlauf and Burchard)). However, the predictive results reveal that the stratification and residual circulation are sensitive to changes in background diffusivity when the value of the background diffusivity is greater than 10−4 m2/s. The model was then verified using data for water surface elevation, tidal current and salinity measured in 2002 with different turbulence closure schemes and background diffusivities. Overall, the model simulation results were in reasonable agreement with time-series observations of water surface elevation and tidal currents. Among the schemes explored, the k−kl scheme with a background diffusivity of 10−5 m2/s provides the best simulations of the salinity time-series. Both the model experiments and the model/data comparisons highlight the importance of providing a more realistic parameterisation for turbulence mixing in the Danshuei River estuary. However, more detailed observations of the salinity time-series in different layers and locations are required to improve turbulence closures and for proper parameterisation.
Briefing: Maritime panel update – April 2010
Authors: Wescott Andrew
Published: September 2010

The intention of this briefing note is to keep readers informed of the activities and interests of the Institution of Civil Engineers' (ICE's) Maritime Expert Panel.
Design of Dual Mode PI Controller for Load Frequency Control
Authors: Chatterjee Kalyan
Published: September 2010

The paper presents a new technique for the automatic generation control of interconnected power systems. The proposed technique is developed for designing the controller using the concept of dual-mode control in the PI controller such that the proportional mode is made active when the rate of change of the error is sufficiently larger than a specified limit otherwise switched to the integral mode. A digital simulation is used in conjunction with the Hooke-Jeeves optimization technique to determine the optimum parameters (individual gain of proportional and integral controller) of the PI controller. The Integrated Square of the Error (ISE) performance index is considered to measure the appropriateness of the designed controller. Case studies justify that dual mode with optimized values of the gains improved the control performance than the commonly used Variable Structure System.
Tutte and Jones polynomials of link families
Authors: Jablan Slavik , Radovic Ljiljana , Sazdanovic Radmila
Published: September 2010

This article contains general formulas for the Tutte and Jones polynomials of families of knots and links given in Conway notation and the corresponding plots of zeroes for the Jones polynomials.
Properties of some families of meromorphic multivalent functions involving certain linear operator
Authors: Aouf M.K. , Frasin B.A.
Published: September 2010

Making use of a linear operator, which is defined here by means of the Hadamard product (or convolution), we introduce two novel subclasses ?a,c (p, A, B, ?) and ?+a,c (p, A, B, ?) of meromorphically multivalent functions. The main object of this paper is to investigate the various important properties and characteristics of those subclasses of meromorphically multivalent functions. We extend the familiar concept of neighborhoods of analytic functions to these subclasses of meromorphically multivalent functions. We also derive many results for the Hadamard products of functions belonging to the class ?+a,c (p, ?, ?, ?, ?).
Weak convergence of product of sums of independent variables with missing values
Authors: Ilic Ivana
Published: September 2010

Let (Xn) be a sequence of independent and non-identically distributed random variables. We assume that only observations of (Xn) at certain points are available. We study limit properties in the sense of weak convergence in the space D[0,1] of certain processes based on an incomplete sample from {X1, X2 ...,Xn }. This is an extension of the results of Matula and Stepien [2009. Weak convergence of products of sums of independent and non-identically distributed random variables. J. Math. Anal. Appl. 353, 49-54].
Local spectral properties for the Helton class of an operator
Authors: Han Min , Lee Eun
Published: September 2010

In this paper we study some local spectral properties of the Helton class of an operator. In particular, we show that the Helton class of an operator preserves the property (Q) under some condition. Also, we prove that if R has SVEP, S ? Heltonk (R), and T ? S then a-Browder's theorem holds for f (T) for each f ? H (?(T )).
A note on warped product submanifolds of cosymplectic manifolds
Authors: Uddin Siraj , Khan V.A. , Khan K.A.
Published: September 2010

In this paper, we study warped product anti-slant submanifolds of cosymplectic manifolds. It is shown that the cosymplectic manifold do not admit non trivial warped product submanifolds in the form N??f N? and then we obtain some results for the existence of warped products of the type N??f N?, where N? and N? are anti-invariant and proper slant submanifolds of a cosymplectic manifold M?, respectively.
Commutator and self-commutator approximants II
Authors: Maher P.J.
Published: September 2010

We minimize the quantities (i) ||T -(AX-X A) ||, (ii) ||T -(X*X-XX*)|| and (iii) ||T -(AX - X B)|| where T is isometric and where in (i) A is paranormal and commutes with T , in (ii) X*(or X ) is paranormal and commutes with T , and in (iii) A and B are paranormal and AT = T B and T A = BT. The upshot is that these quantities are minimized when 0 = AX - XA = X*X - XX*= AX - XB. To prove these results we obtain the power norm equality for paranormal operators: if A is paranormal then ||An|| = ||A||n if n?N.
On the existence of solutions for non-linear functional integral equation
Authors: El-Abd E.M.
Published: September 2010

We have proved the existence of monotonic solutions of a nonlinear functional integeral equation by using Darbo fixed point theorem associated with a measure of noncompactness.
Some counterexamples related to the theory of HQC mappings
Authors: Bozin Vladimir , Mateljevic Miodrag
Published: September 2010

We give examples that show that several of the theorems in the theory of HQC mappings cannot be strenghtened by weakening or omitting some of the conditions. In particular, we study Kellogg type problems and characterizations of HQC condition.
On the generalized Riesz B-difference sequence spaces
Authors: Başarir Metin
Published: September 2010

In this paper, we define the new generalized Riesz B-difference sequence spaces rq? (p, B), rqc (p, B), rq0 (p, B) and rq (p, B) which consist of the sequences whose Rq B-transforms are in the linear spaces l?(p), c (p), c0(p) and l(p), respectively, introduced by I.J. Maddox[8],[9]. We give some topological properties and compute the ?-, ?- and ?-duals of these spaces. Also we determine the necessary and sufficient conditions on the matrix transformations from these spaces into l? and c.
Degree distance of unicyclic graphs
Authors: Du Zhibin , Zhou Bo
Published: September 2010

The degree distance of a connected graph G with vertex set V(G) is defined as D'(G)= ?u?V (G) dG (u)DG (u), where dG (u) denotes the degree of vertex u and DG (u) denotes the sum of distances between u and all vertices of G. We determine the maximum degree distance of n-vertex unicyclic graphs with given maximum degree, and the first seven maximum degree distances of n-vertex unicyclic graphs for n ? 6.
Incentives for and Consequences of Initial Voluntary Asset Write-Downs in the Emerging Chinese Market
Authors: Chen Charles J. P. , Chen Shimin , Su Xijia , Wang Yuetang
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT: Understanding the incentives for and consequences of accounting method choices is important to various constituents of accounting. In 1998, a Chinese accounting regulation allowed listed companies to voluntarily write-down assets through their income statements. The regulation was amended in 1999 to require all companies to write-down assets, with a retroactive adjustment of pre-1998 asset impairment to the beginning equity. These events allow us to unambiguously identify a test sample that voluntarily wrote down assets in 1998, and a control sample that suffered from asset impairment but chose not to write-down. This research setting is free from many problems that have been identified in the asset write-down literature. Overall, we find that the voluntary asset write-downs have a positive valuation effect. While recognizing the possibility of alternative explanations, we believe our results, taken together, are more consistent than others, with the voluntary write-downs being a signal of the potential for performance improvement. We provide evidence consistent with this signaling explanation. This study adds additional evidence to the accounting choice literature by taking advantage of a unique research opportunity in China and adopting a broad approach to examining both the incentives for and consequence of voluntary asset write-downs.
Menarchal Timing in Type 1 Diabetes Through the Last 4 Decades
Authors: Schweiger Bahareh , Klingensmith Georgeanna J. , Snell-Bergeon Janet K.
Published: September 2010

OBJECTIVE

We sought to examine whether age at menarche has changed over the past 4 decades by comparing age at menarche by year of diagnosis with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This work consisted of a cross-sectional study of age at menarche in two cohorts: adolescents (ages 11–24 years, n = 228) and adults (ages 19–55 years, n = 290, enrolled in the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes study).

RESULTS

The adolescent cohort reported a younger age of menarche than the adult women with type 1 diabetes (12.69 ± 0.08 vs. 13.22 ± 0.12 years, mean ± SE, P < 0.001). Age at menarche was later in both adolescent girls and adult women with type 1 diabetes diagnosed before menarche (12.82 ± 1.16 and 13.7 ± 2.23 years) than for individuals diagnosed after menarche (12.12 ± 1.25 and 12.65 ± 1.38 years, P < 0.001 for both). Age at menarche was then examined by decade of type 1 diabetes diagnosis (1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, and 2000–2009). Age at menarche significantly declined over the 4 decades (P = 0.0002). However, the delay in menarche among girls diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before menarche compared with those diagnosed after menarche was also significant across all decades (P < 0.0001) and did not change significantly over time (P = 0.41 for interaction of cohort and diagnosis premenarche).

CONCLUSIONS

Age at menarche has declined over the past 4 decades among girls with type 1 diabetes, but a delay in age at menarche remains among individuals diagnosed before menarche compared with individuals diagnosed after menarche.
Diabetes Preventive Services and Policy Implications in the U.S.
Authors: He Xiaoxing Z.
Published: September 2010

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the patient or physician practice characteristics predict the use of diabetes preventive care services.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of 27,169 adult ambulatory care visits, using the 2007 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. The outcome variable is whether any preventive care services, defined as diagnostic tests (glucose, urinalysis, A1C, and blood pressure) or patient education (diet/nutrition, exercise, and stress management), were ordered/provided. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of diabetes preventive care services, controlling for patient and physician practice characteristics. All analyses were adjusted for the complex survey design and analytic weights.

RESULTS

Compared with people without diabetes, diabetic patients were older (63 vs. 53 years; P < 0.01) and were more likely to be nonwhite and covered by Medicare insurance. In multivariate analyses, younger patients and the availability of primary care physicians, electronic medical records, and on-site laboratory tests were associated with more effective preventive care services (P < 0.05). If physician compensation relied on productivity, preventive care services were less likely (odds ratio 0.4 [95% CI 0.27–0.82 for men and 0.26–0.81 for women]). Although the patterns of patient education and diagnostic testing were similar, the provision of patient education was less likely than that of diagnostic testing.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care physicians and practice features seem to steer diabetes preventive services. Given the time constraints of physicians, strategies to strengthen structural capabilities of primary care practices and enhance partnerships with public health systems on diabetic patient education are recommended.
Clinical Outcomes of Pregnancies Complicated by Mild Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Differ by Combinations of Abnormal Oral Glucose Tolerance Test Values
Authors: Black Mary Helen , Sacks David A. , Xiang Anny H. , Lawrence Jean M.
Published: September 2010

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between levels of hyperglycemia, determined by each prenatal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) value (fasting, 1 and 2 h), and maternal and perinatal outcomes and to determine whether the risk for these outcomes differs for women whose value(s) equaled or exceeded the thresholds for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) established by the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This article discusses a retrospective study of 8,711 women, delivering at ≥20 weeks' gestation, who had a prenatal 2-h 75-g OGTT without a prior 50-g challenge and were not treated with insulin, glyburide, diet, and/or exercise during pregnancy. Associations between adverse outcomes and elevated OGTT values are reported.

RESULTS

After excluding treated women, 19.4% of the remaining women had IADPSG-defined GDM. Continuous fasting, 1- and 2-h OGTT measures, and GDM (yes/no) were significantly associated with most adverse outcomes. However, the magnitude and significance of risk for these outcomes differed by various combinations of abnormal glucose values. Women with normal fasting and elevated postload values were at higher risk for preterm delivery, gestational hypertension, and having an infant with hyperbilirubinema, whereas women with elevated fasting and normal postload values were at higher risk of having a large-for-gestational-age infant, compared with women without GDM.

CONCLUSIONS

Risks for different adverse outcomes vary depending on which single or combined IADPSG-defined OGTT thresholds are equaled or exceeded. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether changing pre- and postprandial glucose targets during pregnancy will more uniformly reduce adverse outcomes.
Quantifying Visual Field Shape for Improving Accuracy of Search Performance Prediction
Authors: Chan Alan H. S. , Yu Rui F. , Courtney Alan J.
Published: September 2010

The current study calculated a set of 16 shape indices of six subjects (4 men and 2 women, 21–28 years old) for easy and precise quantification of visual lobe shapes using Visual Lobe Measurement System (VILOMS) software. The indices can be used in mathematical models of visual search for better understanding of search behaviour and higher accuracy of search performance prediction. General patterns in the shape indices showed that visual lobes of the subjects were slightly irregular, with low sphericity, a moderately rough boundary, horizontally elongated and slightly asymmetric along both axes. Given the complex relationships among visual lobe area, lobe shape, and search strategy, it seems that a more detailed analysis than hitherto attempted will be necessary. Quantifying lobe shape with the 16 shape indexes is a useful step to performing such analysis.
Italian Version of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire
Authors: Bortoli Laura , Robazza Claudio
Published: September 2010

The 1992 Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire developed by Duda and Nicholls was translated into Italian and administered to 802 young athletes, 248 girls and 554 boys aged 8 to 14 years, drawn from a range of individual and team sports, to examine its factor structure. Data sets of a calibration sample (boys 12–14 years) and of four cross-validation samples (boys 8–11 years, girls 8–11 years, boys 12–14 years, and girls 12–14 years) were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis specifying, as in the original questionnaire, an Ego Orientation scale (6 items) and a Task Orientation scale (7 items). Results across sex and age yielded χ/ df ratios ranging from 1.95 to 3.57, GFI indices above .90, AGFI indices ranging from .90 to .92, and RMSEA values not above .10. Findings provided acceptable support for the two-dimension structure of the test. In the whole sample, the Ego factor accounted for the 27.2% of variance and the Task factor accounted for the 33.5% of variance. Acceptable internal consistency of the two scales was also shown, with Cronbach α values ranging from .73 to .85.
Comments on Abrahamsen's (2004) “Linguistic Humor Comprehension in Children with Articulation Impairments”
Authors: Spector Cecile Cyrul
Published: September 2010

This commentary expresses concerns about the validity of the results of Abrahamsen's study of “Linguistic humor comprehension in children with articulation impairments” (2004). Some of the problems noted included overlapping of lexical and phonological humor categories, the nature and placement of several of the stimulus items, lack of demonstrated equivalent difficulty of the stimuli presented to each group, and limited analysis of other factors that may have affected children's responses.
Handedness, Eyedness, and Crossed Hand-Eye Dominance in Male and Female Patients with Migraine with and without Aura: A Pilot Study
Authors: Aygül Recep , Dane Şenol , Ulvi Hizir
Published: September 2010

The possible relationships of migraine to left-handedness and left-eyedness, as well as sex and aura-related differences, were examined. 146 migraine patients ( M age = 32.1 yr., SD = 9.5) and 141 controls ( M age = 30.0 yr., SD=9.3) participated. Hand preference was assessed by the modified version of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Ocular dominance was measured by means of the near-far alignment test. Migraine diagnoses were made on the basis of criteria provided from the International Headache Society. In the overall sample and in women, left-handedness and left-eyedness were not significantly correlated with migraine. In men, the incidence of left-handedness and left-eyedness were significantly higher in patients than in controls. The presence of aura in patients with migraine was significantly associated with the incidence of left-eyedness and crossed hand-eye dominance, but not handedness, for the total sample and women. These results suggest that there may be a tendency towards anomalous dominance, especially left-eyedness, in migraine patients particularly those with aura.
A Study of Hue Identification in the Hue Circle of the Hsb Color Space
Authors: Huang Shih-Miao
Published: September 2010

The purpose of the present research was to explore the relationship between the sensory difference in hues in the hue circle of the HSB color space and their included angles in identification tasks. In the experiment, the two colors were presented separately, and the test subjects judged whether the two colors were the same or different. Five hues, called Standard Stimulus Hues and the most saturated colors in the hue circle of the HSB color space, were discussed. These are hue 0°, hue 72°, hue 216°, and hue 288° in the HSB color space. The Just Identifiable Angle refers to the included angle between a specific standard hue and the hue which cannot be identified separately and which is the furthest from the standard hue in the hue circle of the HSB color space. Analysis gave a significant main effect of standard hue. The Just Identifiable Angles for hue 72° and hue 288° did not differ significantly, but their Just Identifiable Angles were discernibly lower than those for the other three hues. The Just Identifiable Angle of hue 144° was significantly lower than those for hue 0° and hue 216°. In addition, the Just Identifiable Angle for hue 0° was noticeably larger than the one for hue 216°, so the final outcome might show that the Just Identifiable angles of the standard hues are not equal.
Summer Camp and Self-Esteem of School-Age Inner-City Children
Authors: Readdick Christine A. , Schaller G. Robert
Published: September 2010

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that a session of summer camp would increase the self-esteem of economically disadvantaged, school-age children from New York's inner-city neighborhoods. This study was conducted at a small, coeducational residential summer camp in the Pocono Mountains designed for children ages 6–12 years from low-income areas of New York City. During each of four 12-day sessions, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale was administered as a pretest and posttest to a sample of 68 children (36 boys and 32 girls; 33 African American, 34 Hispanic, and 1 Asian) of 742 attending camp for the summer. Children scored significantly higher on the measure of self-esteem at the end of camp than at the beginning. Positive descriptions and ratings of self on popularity increased significantly. Observations and interviews with children suggested physical and social environmental features, such as contact with nature and having the same counselor as a previous year, may support self-esteem. Findings are discussed within a framework for biophilia, an innate urge to affiliate with nature which unfolds from earliest childhood on.
Socialization and Behavioral Problems of Elementary School Pupils with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Authors: Kanioglou Aggelos , Tsorbatzoudis Haralambos , Barkoukis Vassilis
Published: September 2010

The present study examined the role of the developmental coordination disorder in 154 children's socialization and the expression of deviant behaviors in the context of Greek primary education. For assessment of their motor coordination, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children of Henderson and Sugden was used. The peer nomination method (sociogram) was used for the estimation of children's social status, and the expression of deviant behaviors was assessed via Conners' Teacher Questionnaire. Analyses showed that developmental coordination disorder was associated with poor socialization and the expression of deviant behaviors. These findings support the development of educational programs to include children with poor motor coordination.
Cognitive Style and Plebe Turnover at the U.S. Naval Academy
Authors: Mitchell Tom , Cahill Alice M.
Published: September 2010

Students entering ( N = 1,134) the U.S. Naval Academy class of 2000 were administered the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory on the first day of Plebe Summer, a 7-wk. nonacademic training program completed by all entering students in the summer prior to the freshman year. The mean score on Innovation cognitive style for this sample of plebes was approximately a standard deviation lower than those of five other undergraduate student samples from nonmilitary universities. Furthermore, the 98 plebes who voluntarily withdrew before completing the program scored higher on the average on Innovation than those who remained. Findings suggest that, in terms of Person-Organization fit, plebes with a more innovative cognitive style may, perhaps, be less compatible with the regimentation-style climate of the Academy than those with an Adaptive cognitive style. Further research, however, is needed to specify the relationship between Academy students' cognitive style and other important organizational outcomes.
Diagnosing Children's Writing Disabilities: Different Tests Give Different Results
Authors: Mayes Susan D. , Calhoun Susan L. , Lane Susan E.
Published: September 2010

Writing problems are common in children with clinical disorders. However, there are significant intra-individual differences between the ability to spell words, construct sentences, and compose text. Therefore, achievement tests measuring different writing skills may not be consistent in identifying children who have these various writing disabilities. Our study compared scores on the Woodcock-Johnson Written Language subtests (which measure the ability to produce single words and single sentences) with scores on the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test Written Expression subtest (which assesses compositional writing skills) in 54 children referred by their teachers to a school psychologist for writing problems. The Woodcock-Johnson only identified 35% of children as having significant writing problems, whereas the Wechsler test identified 78%. Our study suggests that the latter is more likely than the Woodcock-Johnson to identify students who have problems in compositional writing.
Cross-Cultural Differences for Three Visual Memory Tasks in Brazilian Children
Authors: Santos F. H. , Mello C. B. , Bueno O. F. A. , Dellatolas G.
Published: September 2010

Norms for three visual memory tasks, including Corsi's block tapping test and the BEM 144 complex figures and visual recognition, were developed for neuropsychological assessment in Brazilian children. The tasks were measured in 127 children ages 7 to 10 years from rural and urban areas of the States of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. Analysis indicated age-related but not sex-related differences. A cross-cultural effect was observed in relation to copying and recall of Complex pictures. Different performances between rural and urban children were noted.
Absolutism in the Diary of a Suicide
Authors: Lester David
Published: September 2010

The incidence of three words indicative of irrational thinking (perfect, always, and never) did not increase in the diary of a suicide over the course of the year preceding her suicide.
Awareness of the False Memory Manipulation and False Recall for People's Names as Critical Lures in the Deese-Roediger-Mcdermott Paradigm
Authors: Mukai Akira
Published: September 2010

In the present study, people's names were used as Critical Lures (central concept not on the lists) in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm for studying false recall. Following Mukai, the transparency of false memory manipulation in the paradigm was manipulated to explore its influence on false recall. 80 volunteers (age range 17–30 years, M age = 20.9 yr., SD = 1.6) took part. Analyses showed that making the critical lure inconspicuous did not significantly increase false recall. However, the proportion of falsely recalled Critical Lures was significantly lower and the proportion of critical lures produced on a postrecall test (asking participants to report items that they had thought of but did not recall) was significantly higher when they spontaneously realized the nature of false memory manipulation. However, there was no effect on veridical recall of study items. These results suggest that participants strategically avoided reporting false recall for people's names as Critical Lures even without forewarning about false memory.
Encoding Richness of Self-Generated Elaboration and Spacing Effects on Incidental Memory
Authors: Toyota Hiroshi , Kikuchi Yasuko
Published: September 2010

The present study investigated encoding variability in self-generated elaboration on incidental memory as a function of the type of presentation which was either massed or spaced. The subjects generated different answers to a “why” question for the first and the second presentations of a target sentence in a self-generated elaboration condition. In an experimenter-provided elaboration condition they then rated the appropriateness of the different answers provided by the experimenter for the first and second presentations. This procedure was followed by two free recall tests, one of which was immediate and the other delayed. A self-generated elaboration effect was observed in both the spaced and the massed presentations. These results indicated that the self-generated elaboration effect was facilitated, even in the massed presentation because the different answers to the first and the second presentations led to a richer encoding of each target.
Relations of Perceived Physical Self-Efficacy and Motivational Responses toward Physical Activity by Urban High School Students
Authors: Wright Paul M. , Ding Sheng , Li Weidong
Published: September 2010

To be effective in promoting physical activity among urban, minority adolescents, the factors and psychological processes that motivate them to engage in and maintain a physically active lifestyle should be examined. The relation of physical self-efficacy and motivational responses toward physical activity in 46 urban minority adolescents was explored. As hypothesized, there were significant positive relationships among Percieved Physical Ability, Physical Self-presentation Confidence, Effort, and Enjoyment (coefficients ranged from .29 to .80), suggesting that participants who had higher perceived physical ability were likely to report higher perceptions of self-presentation, more enjoyment of physical activity, and harder work in physical activity. These results indicate specific relationships among Effort, Enjoyment, Perceived Physical Ability, and Physical Self-presentation Confidence in this sample. Physical self-efficacy appears to be a stronger predictor of motivational responses in physical activity. Practical implications for physical educators include incorporating strategies known to develop self-efficacy, such as mastery experiences involving successive trials of increasing difficulty, self-observation, external feedback, peer modeling, and verbal persuasion.
Incremental Exercise in Dynamic Visual Acuity
Authors: Millslagle Duane , DeLarosby Anna , VonBank Sara
Published: September 2010

As research is limited the purpose of this study was to investigate dynamic visual acuity while cycling at different exercise loads. Accuracy of dynamic visual acuity scores of 20 college-age participants was analyzed by a repeated-measures analysis of variance which indicated improved dynamic visual acuity during cycling as the intensity of exercise increased. A retention test conducted two days after testing yielded evidence of trainability of dynamic visual acuity. In the discussion findings were compared to other visual functions associated with exercise.
Influence of Acetaminophen Consumption on Perceived Exertion at the Lactate Concentration Threshold
Authors: Garcin M. , Mille-Hamard L. , Billat V. , Humbert L. , Lhermitte M.
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this investigation was to study effects of acetaminophen consumption on ratings of perceived exertion and estimated time limit responses at the lactate threshold. 98 young regional to national level athletes performed a graded exhausting exercise on an outdoor running track to estimate their maximal aerobic velocity and the velocity associated with their lactate concentration threshold. Urine (30 mL) was collected during this test and analysed for numerous substances. During urinary screening for doping substances, 9 acetaminophen consumers (9.2%) among the 98 included athletes were detected. These acetaminophen consumers have significantly lower perceived exertion at velocity corresponding to the lactate concentration threshold than nonconsumers (11.9 ± 2.1 vs 13.6 ± 2.1, respectively) although they were at the same relative exercise intensity. This result shows that acetaminophen consumption may have mediated the perceived exertion response at the lactate concentration threshold. This may then suggest that the pain induced by training load could be a factor in use of self-prescribed pain relievers. Such consumption must be taken into account by medical staff, trainers, or educators who have to give information on the use and adverse effects of this substance and to propose palliative methods to their athletes.
Effects of Mood States and Anxiety as Induced by the Video-Recorded Stroop Color-Word Interference Test in Simple Response Time Tasks on Reaction Time and Movement Time
Authors: Hainaut J-P. , Bolmont B.
Published: September 2010

Mood states and anxiety might alter performance in complex tasks whereas in more simple tasks such as stimulus-response, high anxiety could provoke bias in mechanisms of attention leading to better performances. We investigated the effects of anxiety, tension, and fatigue induced by the video-recorded Stroop Color-Word Interference Test on either reaction or movement time. 61 subjects performed a visual and an auditory response-time test in Control and Anxiogenic conditions during which heart rate was measured. Tension and anxiety states were assessed using self-evaluation. Analysis showed auditory response time was improved for both reaction and movement times in the Anxiogenic condition. These data suggest that the increased attention underlying anxiety and mood responses could have favored auditory response time by leading subjects to process stimuli more actively. In addition, state-anxiety and tension could have influenced muscular tension, enhancing the movement time in the auditory task.
Temporal Production and Visuospatial Processing
Authors: Benuzzi Francesca , Basso Gianpaolo , Nichelli Paolo
Published: September 2010

Current models of prospective timing hypothesize that estimated duration is influenced either by the attentional load or by the short-term memory requirements of a concurrent nontemporal task. In the present study, we addressed this issue with four dual-task experiments. In Exp. 1, the effect of memory load on both reaction time and temporal production was proportional to the number of items of a visuospatial pattern to hold in memory. In Exps. 2, 3, and 4, a temporal production task was combined with two visual search tasks involving either pre-attentive or attentional processing. Visual tasks interfered with temporal production: produced intervals were lengthened proportionally to the display size. In contrast, reaction times increased with display size only when a serial, effortful search was required. It appears that memory and perceptual set size, rather than nonspecific attentional or short-term memory load, can influence prospective timing.
Evaluation of a School-Based Intervention Programme to Promote Physical Activity: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Tsorbatzoudis Haralambos
Published: September 2010

The Theory of Planned Behavior provides a useful framework to study attitudes toward participation in physical activity. The objective of the study was to test the effectiveness of an intervention in manipulating the variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior and exercise habits with 366 high school students ( M = 14.2 yr., SD = .7; 201 boys and 165 girls). The students were divided into intervention and control groups. A questionnaire to measure components of the theory, and the Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Activity measuring exercise habits, were administered. The intervention lasted 12 wk. and included posters and lectures promoting participation in physical activity. Analyses showed the intervention was effective in improving attitudes towards physical activity, perceived behavioral control, intention, and self-reported actual behavior, but it was ineffective for improving attitude strength, subjective norms, and role identity. The results provide useful information for physical education teachers interested in promoting students' positive attitudes towards physical activity.
Effects of Numbers of Strokes on Chinese Character Recognition during a Normal Reading Condition
Authors: Huang Kuo-Chen , Hsu Sheng-Hsiung
Published: September 2010

Two experiments investigated recognition during a normal reading condition of Chinese characters which had varied numbers of strokes. In Exp. 1 the minimal legible character size necessary for attaining 95% recognition accuracy for various Chinese characters was empirically determined. The number of strokes comprising the characters ranged from 3 to 27. The results of a normal reading condition indicated that characters with more strokes had to be larger. In Exp. 2, recognition error rate and reading time measured in seconds were investigated for one Chinese character string composed of characters of minimally legible size versus conventional equal-size characters presented in a normal reading condition. Recognition error rates for the minimally legible size conditions were lower than those for the conventional size conditions. The reading times for the former were shorter. These results should provide a valuable reference for designing informational formats, literacy teaching, and the study of simplifying Chinese characters.
Influence of Postural Regulation in Male Judokas' Direction of Falls
Authors: Paillard Thierry , Montoya Richard , Dupui Philippe
Published: September 2010

In competitions, judokas tend to have a predominant direction of fall: forwards or backwards. A relationship was hypothesized between the direction of fall and certain parameters of the judokas' postural activities. 20 judokas, 16 to 19 yr. old (17.7 ± 0.4 yr.), had practised judo for at least seven years. They were separated into two groups. The group of forward fallers ( n = 9) and the group of backward fallers ( n = 11) performed posturokinetic tests to assess their static and dynamic balance. One parameter assessed through the analysis of postural activities, the average position of anteroposterior dynamic oscillations, was inversely related to the judokas' direction of fall. Postural activities might not play a direct role but perhaps an indirect one in the direction of falls by expert judokas.
Effect of Loudness on Reaction Time and Response Force in Different Motor Tasks
Authors: Jaśkowskí Piotr , Włodarczyk Dariusz
Published: September 2010

Van der Molen and Keuss, in 1979 and 1981, showed that paradoxically long reaction times occur with extremely strong auditory stimuli when the task is difficult, e.g., choice-by-location or Simon paradigm. It was argued that this paradoxical behavior of RT is due to active inhibition of an arousal-dependent bypassing mechanism to prevent false responses. As the peak force, i.e., maximal force exerted by participants on a response key, is considered to be related to immediate arousal, we predicted that for extremely loud stimuli and for difficult tasks, lengthening of RT should be associated with reduction of peak force. Moreover, these effects should be enhanced when emphasis is on accuracy rather than speed. Although the relation between RT and intensity depended on task difficulty, no increase in RT was found for the loudest tones. Moreover, peak force increased monotonically with loudness, showing no tendency to be suppressed for loudest tones and difficult tasks.
Suicide Attacks in Israel and Suicide Rates
Authors: Lester David
Published: September 2010

In Israel from 1983 to 1999, the frequency and lethality of suicide attacks was negatively associated with the suicide rate.
Contact Sports, Moral Functioning and Planned Behaviour Theory
Authors: Bebetsos Evangelos , Konstantoulas Doukas
Published: September 2010

The goal was to test the psychometric properties of the Moral Functioning Scale in a Greek athletic context, and to investigate any possible relation between moral functioning and planned behaviour. The sample comprised 384 athletes, 103 from the sport of football (soccer), 97 from basketball, and 184 from water polo. To measure moral functioning the researchers used a scale developed by Gibbons, Ebbeck, and Weiss. Planned Behaviour was assessed with a questionnaire based on Planned Behaviour Theory. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated strong association for Attitudes, Intention, Role Identity, and Perceived Behavioural Control with the four dilemmas of the moral functioning scale. The moral reasoning measure is a promising tool for measuring athletes' moral dilemmas in Greece.
Development of Eating Behavior by Japanese Toddlers in a Nursery School: Relation to Independent Walking
Authors: Koda Naoko , Tachibana Yuko , Hirose Toshiya , Yasuda Jun , Hinobayashi Toshihiko , Minami Tetsuhiro
Published: September 2010

The eating behavior of 32 toddlers in a nursery school at 10, 12, and 14 months old was observed in relation to the age at onset of independent walking. With increasing age, the frequency at which the toddlers ate food given by a teacher decreased, and the frequency at which the toddlers ate by themselves increased. The toddlers who started walking earlier also advanced faster in the development of eating behavior. The time when the frequency of eating by oneself surpassed the frequency of passive eating coincided with the time when the toddlers started walking.