bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consulting Course Design: Theoretical Frameworks and Pedagogical Strategies
Authors: Dallimore Elise J. , Souza Tasha J.
Published: March 2007

Educators need to be more proactive in expanding course offerings to respond to the academic needs of university students. Draum by excellent pay and prospects of gaining valuable experience, more college graduates are pursuing employment in consulting. With consulting skills growing in importance for many of our students in the 21st century, business communication scholars are particularly well posi tioned to help students develop these requisite skills and knowledge. Offering a course dedicated to the topic of consulting, or including consulting experience in a standard business communication course prepares students for engaging in consult ing activities, including research, assessment, training and development, facilita tion, and evaluation. Our course foregrounds instructional frameworks and serv ice learning to assist students in systematically assessing organizational problems and designing and implementing organizational interventions.
On Writing Well: An E-Mail Dialogue
Authors: Dieterich Dan , Bowman Joel
Published: March 2007

Defining "writing well" is a matter of critical importance. We in ABC announce to the academic community and the public that we help students acquire skills they need to "write well" once they leave our campuses. Yet we have not reached consensus on what it means to write business correspon dence well. This article explores the concept of writing well, based on an exchange of opinions on the BIZCOM listserv on the Internet. It also illus trates the influence of electronic mediation on the communication process. We offer it here with the hope of encouraging further discussion of both topics: writing well and electronic mediation.
Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work in the College Classroom
Authors: Scalia Lynne M. , Sackmary Benjamin
Published: March 2007

Groupware is a recent development in the on-going search to improve corpo rate communication and decision-making processes. This study examines a classroom application of groupware for computer-supported cooperative work, consisting of problem solving, decision making, and development of group reports. Survey results indicate that student groupware users are generally sat isfied with member contributions and group output but are less satisfied with software-supported, decision-making processes. The study suggests that group ware is a powerful communication tool for support of work groups but that it may not, in itself, solve the basic problems of getting people to work together effectively and productively.
A Heuristic for Generating and Organizing the Strategy or Policy Report
Authors: Kelly Kathleen , Weaver Natalie Taylor
Published: March 2007

We describe a model organization tree for the typical report expected of stu , dents in the strategy or policy course almost universally required in business programs, whether undergraduate or graduate. By defining the relationships between the various analytical tasks and the overall strategy recommendation, the model helps students not only organize the final report but also under stand the process by which they are to arrive at a strategy recommendation.
From Conflict to Harmony: A Heterogeneous Group in a Business Communication Class in Turkey
Authors: Usluata Ayseli
Published: March 2007

This study documents how the literature on group work supports my goals in the business communication classroom and how my experiment with group works proved to be successful. Students were grouped heterogeneously to expe rience the value of working with others and developing intercultural commu nication skills. Student statements and diaries showed that those who were afraid of being exploited or dominated by others in group work discovered the excitement of collaborative learning while exchanging ideas and helping or teaching each other. It was also observed that cultural and demographic differences tended to be eliminated during the interactions.
Incorporating Performance Reviews into the Business Writing Classroom
Authors: Bergland Bob
Published: March 2007

Some instructors undervalue or ignore such short assignments as peer cri tiques, progress memos, and practice documents when they calculate final grades, while others over-emphasize these documents, assigning each a critique and grade, which results in more work for them and re-emphasizes the impor tance of the grade to the student. One strategy for fairly assessing these docu ments is to incorporate them in a performance review at the middle and end of the course. Such a review also helps prepare studerus for the evaluation process they will face and use in the workplace.
Community Service Learning Increases Communication Skills Across the Business Curriculum
Authors: Tucker Mary L. , McCarthy Anne M. , Hoxmeier John A. , Lenk Margarita M.
Published: March 2007

Community service learning offers a unique and rewarding way for business students to reinforce communication capabilities while developing lifelong career and social skills. This article defines community service learning, dis cusses its importance to business as well as higher education, and describes three community service learning projects. Students in these projects taught elementary students, designed a computer system for a community nonprofit, and developed accounting systems for university divisions. In doing so, they enhanced their understanding of classroom theories and communication skills through service-learning.
Using Team Learning in Business and Organizational Communication Classes
Authors: Roebuck Deborah Britt
Published: March 2007

The past decade has produced a growing body of evidence suggesting small group-based instructional methods can promote the achievement of a variety of desirable higher educational outcomes. Therefore, within college and uni versity settings, group-oriented instruction has increased. Team Learning goes beyond using temporary groups or assigning occasional group activities. With this approach, students spend approximately 80 percent of their in-class time working in permanent and heterogeneous teams. The system, when used prop erly, appears to overcome many of the potential problems with using small groups. The methodology empowers both instructor and students. The instruc tor becomes a facilitator and manager of learning rather than the "spoon feeder" of information. The students become active and responsible partici pants in the learning process rather than passive recipients. The process facili tates effective teamwork in settings where teams gain first-hand experience with the kind of team dynamics they will encounter in high performing teams at work.
How MBA Programs Are Using the GMAT's Analytical Writing Assessment
Authors: Noll Cheryl L. , Stowers Robert H.
Published: March 2007

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) was designed to serve two purposes: assess appli cants' ability to think critically and communicate complex ideas and aid MBA programs in diagnosing any deficiencies in accepted candidates in order to place them in appropriate classes. To determine how programs are using the AWA scores, we surveyed the 121 member schools of the Graduate Manage ment Council. Eighty-six percent of the fifty-nine respondents indicated that they do indeed use the scores to refine their admissions decisions, but only a few schools use the test diagnostically in making such other decisions as plac ing students in writing development courses, waving communication require ments, or granting assistantships.
Correlating Students' Personality Types with Their Rating of Topics Covered in Business Communication Classes
Authors: McPherson Bill
Published: March 2007

For years, students, faculty, and, most important, employers, have recognized the need for improved communication skills. The university business communication curriculum is filled with topics that lead to improving communication skills. A per centage of students find some topics to be boring, unimportant, intimidating, and/or nonessential. However, other students find these same topics to be interest ing, significant, challenging, and vital. For example, college students fear giving oral presentations more than writing papers. Could the preference or the abhor rence of various business communication topics be related to personality type? To answer this question, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), combined with a Likert Scale, was used to study the relationship between business communication students' personality types and their preferred topics in business communication.
Note. Production of shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) on lignocellulosic residues / Nota. Cultivo del hongo shiitake (Lentinus edodes) en residuos lignocelulósicos
Authors: Morais M.H. , Ramos A.C. , Matos N. , Oliveira E J. Santos
Published: March 2007

Fungi, namely white-rot fungi, growing on lignocellulosic substrates such as wood and straw secrete a mixture of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes that depolymerize the substrate components. Biocon version of lignocellulosic agro-residues through mushroom cultivation offers the potential for con verting these residues into protein-rich palatable food, reducing the environmental impact of the wastes. The growth of four strains of the mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. in four different substrates was studied. The mushrooms were cultivated in particulate sawdust substrates enclosed in autoclavable plastic bags. This 'space bag' production of biomass offers foreshortened production cycles. The fructification phase occurred during 10 days after a spawn-run time of 90 days compared with 18 months to two years for traditional methods. Mushroom production depended on strain, varying from 12.5% to 15.0%. Biological efficiency comprised between 42.3% and 59.5%. The fruiting bodies were analyzed to determine their nutritional value. They had high contents of protein and total carbohydrates but low contents of lipids and nucleic acids. L. edodes has low fiber content com pared with other species. Cellulose degradation was similar for all the strains which had produced carpophores. Lignin degradation comprised between 40.7% and 59.10%.
Note. Growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in lobster homogenates at different temperatures / Nota. Crecimiento de Vibrio parahaemolyticus en langosta a diferentes temperaturas
Authors: Magalhães T. Ferreira , dos Fernandes Vieira R.H. Silva , Façanha S.H. Ferreira , Hofer E. , Martin A.M.
Published: March 2007

Due to the illnesses associated with the presence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods, its survival in lobster was studied. Lobster homogenates were prepared, sterilized, inoculated with the bacteria, and incubated at -25 °C, 6 °C and 28 °C, for 60 days. Different viable cell counting methods were employed. The results of the McFarland nephelometric standard method and the direct count of viable bacterial cells, (DVC) were not significantly different (p = 0.5). However, the DVC method was better for detecting viable cells at low numbers for longer times, especially for cultures incubated at -25 °C. Therefore, this method, and the plate count (PC) method for counting colony forming units, were selected for monitoring the survival of V. parahaemolyticus under each temperature of incuba tion. The greatest survival of the bacterium was at ambient (28 °C) temperature. At freezer tempera ture (-25 °C), no viable cells were detected towards the end of the experiments. However, the cultures kept at 6 °C were viable until the end of the incubation period, these results being different from previously published works conducted at refrigeration temperatures.
Food Science & Technology International An Aspen Publication®
Authors: DeLano Cynthia M. , Cervi Dom , Bruggeman Jack
Published: March 2007

FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL (ISSN 1082-0132) is published six times per year by Aspen Publishers, Inc., 7201 McKinney Circle, Frederick, Maryland 21704. Postmaster: Send address changes to Fulfillment, As pen Publishers, Inc., 7201 McKinney Circle, Frederick, MD 21704.
Influence of shear rate and concentration ratio on viscous synergism. Application to xanthan—Iocust bean gum— NaCMC mixtures Influencia de la velocidad de cizalla y la relación de concentraciones en la sinergia viscosa. Aplicación a mezclas de xantana-garrofín-CMCNa
Authors: Pellicer J. , Delegido J. , Dolz J. , Dolz M. , Hernández M.J. , Herráez M.
Published: March 2007

A method is described that allows the development of an empirical approach to quantify synergistic interactions and their variations with shear rate. The approach is based on the definition of a viscous synergism index, Iv. The method is applied to xanthan-locust bean gum gels, and an equation is developed for relating the synergism index to shear rate, γ, and the locust bean gum/xanthan gum concentration ratio, z. The value of at which that function has a maximum, IMV, is calculated. This value of z provided an estimation of the proportion of gums at which maximum synergism occurs. A decreasing exponential dependence of these IMV on γ is shown. The influence of the addition of a fixed proportion of a third gum (NaCMC) is also analyzed. The results obtained for the higher γ values are analogous to those of other authors.
Characterization of Canarian cheeses applying discriminant analysis to physico-chemical variables/Caracterización de quesos canarios mediante la aplicación del análisis discriminante de variables fisicoquímicas
Authors: Millán R. , Sanjuán E. , Saavedra P. , Castelo M.
Published: March 2007

Discriminant analysis was applied to 84 artisan and commercial cheese samples from the seven Canary Islands (Spain), determined by different physico-chemical variables (SNT, NPN, NNH3, aw, pH, moisture, NaCl, fat). All of them were selected to compute discriminant functions according to the method of Fatti and Hawkins. The generalized square distances among classes and the posterior probability for each cheese to belong to a class were calculated. According to discrimi nant analysis three of the seven classes considered had 100% well-classified cheeses, three had 91.67% and one had 83.33%.
Compression characteristics of agglomerated food powders: Effect of agglomerate size and water activity Características de la compresión de alimentos en polvo: Efecto del tamaño del aglomerado y del contenido de humedad
Authors: Yan H. , Barbosa-Cánovas G.V.
Published: March 2007

The stability of food agglomerates is very important for keeping optimal instant properties as well as flow characteristics. Compression tests have been proven not only to be useful tools in char acterizing attrition, but also excellent descriptors for powder flowability. The purpose of this work was to study the effects of particle size and water activity ( a w) on the compression characteristics of selected agglomerated food powders, and then to identify suitable mathematical models by using a non-linear regression program for predicting the compression characteristics of food agglomerates when partial attrition takes place. Three agglomerated food powders - non-fat milk, low fat milk and instant coffee - were classified by size into five or six fractions with a set of RX-29 sieve screens. Each fraction was conditioned at three aw levels, placed in a cylindrical compression cell, and compressed with a piston attached to the crosshead of a TA-XT2 texture analyser. The crosshead speed was 1 mm/s in all tests and the maximum force applied was 245 N. Particle size was found to play a significant role in compression tests in that the greater the particle size, the greater the volume reduction. It was easier to compress the low aw samples, but in all tests changing aw did not significantly affect compression characteristics. Sone's two- parameter model accurately described the combination of compaction and attrition when compres sion pressure did not exceed a certain level, while Peleg's double-exponential model with four parameters best fitted the compression data.
Lateral and vertical pressures in two different full-scale grain bins during loading Presiones laterales y verticales durante el llenado de diferentes silos para granos
Authors: Thompson S.A. , Galili N. , Williams R.A.
Published: March 2007

Lateral and vertical floor pressures were measured in two different corrugated-walled steel grain bins using load cells mounted on the floor and walls of the bin. Bin one was 12.8 m in diameter and 17.1 m tall and bin two was 11.0 m in diameter and 14.0 m tall. Tests were conducted with corn. In the 12.8 m diameter bin the largest average lateral wall pressure was 28.2 kPa at a grain depth of 15.2 m, while in the 11.0 m diameter bin the largest average lateral pressure was 26.9 kPa at a grain depth of 11.9 m. Design standard EP433 produced only slightly more conservative lateral wall pressure values at larger grain heights than design standard DIN1055. In both the 12.8 m and 11.0 m diameter bins a significant decrease in vertical floor pressures was measured near the wall of the bins (> 0.85 r), while at the other load cell locations the vertical floor pressure values were very similar in magnitude. In design, both EP433 and DIN1055 underestimated the vertical floor pressures which were measured in these bins. Based on these results some thought should be given to designing metal bins for both 'initial' conditions in which grain slides along 'virgin' materials and have a high coefficient of friction, and for 'worn' conditions in which oils and waxes have been deposited on the bin walls and thus produce a low coefficient of friction.
Revisión: Los residuos en la inspección de la carne Review: Chemical residues in meat inspection
Authors: García T. , Hernández P.E. , Sanz B. , Martin R.
Published: March 2007

Edible tissues of food animals may contain residues of chemical substances harmful to human health, including animal drugs, mycotoxins and environmental contaminants. Current meat inspec tion activities rely mainly on visual inspection of the carcass and its offals at the slaughterhouse, and fail to detect chemical residues and enteric pathogens that are considered as major health risks associated with meat consumption. In contrast to traditional approaches, application of the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) to meat production and inspection, constitutes the best alternative to reduce the incidence of residues and to improve meat safety. Application of HACCP to meat inspection virtually eliminates the need for finished product testing by identi fying the safety risks inherent in the meat production steps, from farm to table, and devising preventive measures which can be monitored in order to control the process. Accordingly, there is also a need for the development and application of analytical methods of enough sensitivity that allow real-time monitoring of chemical residues in live animals and their tissues.
Estabilidad de las betalaínas extraídas del garambullo (Myrtillocactus geometrizans) / Stability of betalains extracted from garambullo (Myrtillocactus geometrizans)
Authors: Barrera F.A. García , Reynoso C.R. , González de Mejía E.
Published: March 2007

The garambullo is a cactus that grows in arid and semiarid zones; it bears a purple fruit which contains pigments belonging to the betalain family. Several extractions of the pigment were performed using different solvents and its stability was evaluated in the presence of stabilizing agents. The major concentration of betalains was extracted with ethanol-HCl (99:1); however, these pigments were more unstable (ΔE = 14.6) as compared with the pigment obtained by an aqueous extraction (ΔE = 12.3). The results showed that the pigment is stable at pH 4.8-5.2 and low temper atures, this was confirmed by the half-life: at 25 °C the half-life was 11 413.6 min in comparison with 83.5 min at 60 °C. In the presence of 0.1% ascorbic acid the half-life was doubled and the energy of activation was 25.78 kcal/mol compared to 22.07 kcal/mol for the control. Ascorbic acid 0.1% was the best stabilizing agent among the compounds used in the present study of Myrtillocactus geometrizans pigment in aqueous solution at pH 4.8 and 5.2.
Effects of the combination of starters and enzymes in regu lating bread quality and shelf life Effectos de la combinación de iniciadores microbianos y enzimas en la calidad y conservación del pan
Authors: Martínez-Anaya M.A. , Devesa A. , Andreu P. , Escrivá C. , Collar C.
Published: March 2007

The influence of commercial enzymes and starters on white wheat bread quality and keeping proper ties (microbial and physical shelf life) has been studied. Two different quality flours, two enzymes (α- amylase/pentosanase, lipase and their mix), and three microbial starters were used to formulate twenty four breads. The combination of enzymes and starter resulted in beneficial effects greater than those obtained when each technological aid was used in a single way. The effect was mostly stressed when low grade wheat flour was used; in this case, specifically designated combinations facilitated loaves of improved volume and shape, and a crumb texture with initial values and rate of staling close to those found with a high quality flour.
Cambios microestructurales del almidón de Canavalia ensiformis modificado por métodos térmicos / Microstructural changes of Canavalia ensiformis starch modified by thermal methods
Authors: Rincón Carlés A.M. , Pérez Sira E.E. , González Parada Z.M. , Rodríguez González P.J.
Published: March 2007

The aim of this study was to evaluate the structural changes of Canavalia ensiformis starch, which was gelatinized in limited and excess water model systems and modified by dry heat, extrusion-cooking and pregelatinization, as well as to relate the changes caused by extrusion cooking and pregelatinization with some functional properties of this starch. The microscopical observation performed in the model systems showed granular swelling, solubility and lixiviation of intragranular material, while dry heat did not affect the starch microstructure. The extrusion-cooking partially changed the starch mor phology, with some granules affected, while others remained intact; the pregelatinization totally al tered the granular structure and the starch granules showed a coarse and flaky appearance. These changes could be associated with the functional properties of canavalia starch, although the most evident variations were produced by the pregelatinization process.
Effect of storage temperature on the microbial and color stability of banana purée with addition of vanillin or potassium sorbate / Efecto de la temperatura de almacenamiento en la estabilidad microbiológica y en el color del puré de plátano con la adición de vainillina o sorbato de potasio
Authors: Castañón X. , Argaiz A. , López-Malo A.
Published: March 2007

The microbial and color changes during storage at different temperatures (15, 25 and 35 °C) of ba nana purée preserved by the combination of a blanching, reduced pH (3.4) and water activity ( aw, 0.97) and the addition of 1000 or 3000 ppm of vanillin (VA) or 1000 ppm potassium sorbate (PS) were evaluated and compared. The use of 3000 ppm VA or 1000 ppm PS inhibited for at least 60 days of storage the native flora of the banana purée at any of the temperatures studied. The addition of 1000 ppm VA was not enough to stop the microbial growth. However, at 15 °C the growth was delayed 16 days. In the presence of 3000 ppm VA or 1000 ppm PS the banana purée stored at 15, 25 and 35 °C presented several color changes that contributed to browning. The rate of browning was greater in samples with VA than in those formulated with PS, but the activation energy was 10% lower in the former systems. An analysis of the transition state parameters revealed that Gibbs free energy was similar, indicating that the mechanism of browning did not change in the presence of one antimicro bial or the other.
Revision: Percepción del gusto. Aspectos fisicoquímicos y psicofísicos / Review: Perception of taste. Physiochemical and psychophysical aspects
Authors: Durán L. , Costell E.
Published: March 2007

Flavor is perceived through two human senses simultaneously: the sense of taste, operating in the mouth, mainly in the tongue, and the sense of smell in the nostrils, where aromas are detected. The stimuli responsible for aroma perception are volatile compounds; their nature and properties as well as the mechanisms of perception have been widely studied. This is not the case for the taste stimuli, consisting of non-volatile compounds responsible for the accepted four basic taste sensations: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. The available information on taste perception is almost exclusively dedicated to sweet taste for obvious economic and nutritional reasons. In this paper, the present knowledge on the nature of the taste stimuli, on the mechanisms of their perception and on the interactions among them is reviewed. The effects of interactions with other sensory attributes (aroma, color, texture) are also reviewed. Interactions may be due to different causes: physical and chemical interactions among food components, competition at the receptor site, changes in the neurophysiological signal, and changes in the psychological response. Food aromas, as part of the flavor sensation, exert their influ ence on taste perception, as taste compounds affect aroma perception. Color may also modify the perception of a particular taste, but very few studies have been dedicated to this effect. On the other hand, the influence of texture (viscosity, consistency, hardness) mainly on the sweet taste has been extensively studied. Some contradictory results on how texture affects sweet or other tastes are still not satisfactorily explained. The study of these effects has been intensified in the last years, mainly because they are an important aspect of the flavor release phenomenon, so decisive for optimization of formulated foods.
Clinical Nurse Specialists: Key To Improving Outcomes in Home Care
Authors: Dailey Maureen , O'Brien Kerry
Published: March 2007

A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) adds value to home care by improving care outcomes- clinical, quality of life, satisfaction, and costs. A model of CNS implementation in home care is the Center of Excellence model. This model affords a broad scope of influence in roles and programs and is enhanced through the use of electronic charting and forms of telehealth. Data analysis—demographic and clinical— related to high-volume, problem-prone, and high-cost diagnoses, is an excellent way for CNSs to add value in planning for a disease- management, or care-management, approach to home care. Disease-management principles are discussed and examples given in a continuum-of-care context. Ongoing data outcome analysis related to CNS intervention and programs is enhanced by new data available in home care. Data include Outcome Assessment Instrument Set outcome data, improved ease of data access—via data importing/exporting—and data warehousing. Current CNS role benefits are discussed, and the need for quantitative and qualitative data specific to the home care practice setting identified.
Children, Art, and Home Health Care: The Universal Language
Authors: Leeuwenburgh Erika E.
Published: March 2007

Communication with culturally diverse children is challenging for home health care professionals. Art is an integral part of every culture and this article advocates that health care professionals engage children and elicit their perspectives and experiences with art. Specific techniques highlight art interventions that enhance communication and understanding for all children.
Appalachia: The Place, the People, and Home Care
Authors: Kerney Keltie Baker
Published: March 2007

This article describes the home care services provided by a large integrated health care system and shares some of the unique experiences of the staff in this culturally diverse area of the United States. For those born and reared in this area, this article will provide an opportunity to touch base with those times. The geographic area is described to help the reader visualize the home care service setting and give a better understanding of the people being served. It also reflects on the ancestors who can be credited with defining this long heritage. It is a heritage evident only in glimpses today.
Nursing management of urinary incontinence associated with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Smith Diane , Newman Diane Kaschak
Published: March 2007

"Incontinence in the patient with Alzheimer's disease is a multifaceted and complex problem." This article provides information on the management of incontinence through assessment and education of families. Included are causes of incontinence, instructions on toileting, and suggestions for supportive measures when the patient loses the ability to respond to verbal requests. This information will be helpful to many patients receiving home health care services.
Volunteers add excellence to in-home respite services
Authors: Bell Virginia , Cox Nancy
Published: March 2007

The authors share the experience of one of the country's most recognized and respected volunteer programs. They give an overview of the day care and in-home respite model, discussing volunteer recruitment, training, activities, and retention. They make avail able resources for review and utilization.
Alzheimer's families: Decisions for caring
Authors: Nick Susan , Douglas Margaret
Published: March 2007

In this article the authors discuss the complexities involved when the family of a pa tient with AD must make a decision about whether to care for the patient at home or to pursue institutionalization. The definition of behavioral intent is explored, and con crete interventions are discussed so that the home care professional may assist families during and after the decision making process.
Arthritis in women: Social considerations in the clinical management of rheumatoid disease
Authors: Dumas Linda
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on psychosocial issues with which the majority of arthritic patients must cope. Included is a case study with an assessment, home care course and outcome, and a discussion on informal and formal support systems.
Practical guidelines to Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
Authors: Mitchell Philip D.
Published: March 2007

The enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act has brought national attention to the issue of disability-related discrimination in the work place. This article outlines the basic parameters of the act and suggests practical guidelines for monitoring compliance within the home health care field.
The prevalence and incidence of pressure ulcers in home care: Are patients at risk?
Authors: Hanson Darlene , Langemo Diane , Olson Bette , Hunter Susan , Burd Christine , Cathcart-Silberberg Tressa
Published: March 2007

With the earlier discharge from the acute care setting, there may be an increased suscep tibility to the development of pressure ulcers in the home than ever before. A descriptive study was undertaken to determine pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence prior to in stituting prevention and treatment protocols. Study findings are presented in this article.
Stresses on the professional nurse caregiver
Authors: Thobaben Marshelle
Published: March 2007

Staff retention is a goal of all home health care agencies for the obvious reasons—decreased availability of replacements and the cost of the educational/orientation process. Home health care presents very specific stressors. This article describes those stressors found through a very recent survey and suggests ways to minimize them. This is important as home health care grows in this country.
Crisis Prone Versus Crisis Avoiding Organizations Is your company's culture its own worst enemy in creating crises?
Authors: Pauchant Thierry C. , Mitroff Ian I.
Published: March 2007

Organizations are often unaware of some of the most important forces influ encing their actions. This article expands on that general observation for the subject of man-made, organizationally induced crises or disasters. Interviews with 30 executives in 23 organizations revealed that 19 companies saw them selves as being more vulnerable to crises than they were in the past. However, only 10 of them had a relatively integrated crisis management plan; 13 had no or only fragmented efforts in crisis management. The authors identify key cul tural characteristics that explain the discrepancy between the two groups. The 'concept of self' or 'orghanizational identity' appears to be paramount in influ encing strategic actions in crisis management. Many organizations need to be encouraged to examine their basic sense of identity. (Ed.)
Corporate power and the politics of uncertainty: conflicts surrounding major hazard plants at Canvey Island
Authors: Smith Denis
Published: March 2007

The process of risk assessment should allow decision makers to achieve an equitable resolution of risk problems by reference to their probability, conse quences and acceptability. Recent research has suggested that corporate inter ests are able to use such data to gain political advantage over other interested parties. In this respect there are three competing explanations as to the power of corporations to influence decisions, namely pluralism, structural Marxism and elite theory. These perspectives will be reviewed along with the role of science in policy-making. The objective here is to explore some of the problems involved in using probabilistic risk assessment within public sector decision making for major hazard sites, using Canvey Island as a basis for the discussion.
Technocracy revisited: knowledge, power and the crisis in energy decision making
Authors: Laird Frank N.
Published: March 2007

Technocracy is problematic because it disempowers citizens. Previously, scholars worried that technocracy empowered technical elites. When that con tention failed, technocracy was dismissed as not being a serious problem. But the literature was half right. The growing importance of scientific technology in public affairs does have an effect on the power relationships within society. The mistake was assuming that possession of scientific knowledge automati cally enhanced power for the possessors. That error came out of a conceptual confusion about the nature of power relationships and the role of scientific knowledge within them. This paper will review that conceptual ground and reformulate the concept of technocracy. It then presents a case study in energy policy, virtually a critical case, showing the empirical validity of the reformu lation of technocracy.
The Exxon Valdez oil spill in the context of US petroleum politics
Authors: Gramling Robert , Freudenburg William R.
Published: March 2007

The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not merely the result of the actions taken on a single tanker on a single evening; the full range of causal factors included ac tions not just of the tanker crew and the Exxon corporate hierarchy, but also of governmental institutions. Over time, government "ownership" of mineral re sources led to a situation where governmental agencies came effectively to have a profit motive, not vastly different from the profit motives of private firms, in promoting oil extraction. In addition, military interests wished to encourage domestic, rather than international petroleum-extraction activities, further in creasing the attractiveness of Alaskan reserves. As would be predicted by Stone's model of "systemic power" (1980), while powerful pro-development interests faced opposition during the period when pipeline issues were publicly salient, the pro-development interests subsequently eroded the safeguards that had ini tially been implemented, ultimately increasing the probability of an accident of the sort that actually occurred.
Rumors and Crises : a case study in the banking industry
Authors: Roux-Dufort Christophe , Pauchant Thierry C.
Published: March 2007

Based on a case study in the banking industry, we investigate in this paper the expanding effects of rumors during a crisis. We discuss the theoretical nature of rumors and attempt to show their accelerating processes in times of crisis. A stakeholder analysis is conducted to demonstrate how rumors emerge from the conflicts of rationality and the various sensemaking prac tices of the same event. Managerial implications are then identified and a systemic crisis management strategy, based on five interrelated "families" of intervention, is presented to help managers to improve their understanding of rumors and to enhance their ability in managing them.
Legitimacy and Growth in the Balance: The Role of the State in Environmental Remediation
Authors: Gould Kenneth A.
Published: March 2007

This paper is based on data drawn primarily from original field research con ducted at six environmental contamination sites, in the U.S. and Canada. The data includes interviews with members of affected communities, gov ernment and social movement organization documents, and articles from local newspapers (Gould, 1991a; 1993b). This comparative analysis exam ines the ways in which federal and state/provincial government environmen tal agencies/ministries have responded to the identification of site-specific environmental problems within their jurisdictions. The data indicate that, due to the dual responsibilities of government to both promote economic growth and to protect political legitimacy, the environmental arms of govern ment seek to achieve the minimum socially acceptable level of remediation at the least economic cost, and with the least disruption of the industrial "treadmill of production" (Schnaiberg 1980, Schnaiberg and Gould 1994). Conflicting pressures on the state to provide the public with an acceptable living and working environment, while also minimizing the constraints on corporate economic actors, has lead government environmental agencies/ ministries to pursue non-structural "quick fixes" wherever possible. This research demonstrates the role of government as a centrist force in environ mental remediation, characterized by a desire to achieve some environmen tal protection at minimal cost, in order to attain obligatory bi-national envi ronmental standards.
Green for Danger? Environmental Protection and Safety Management in The UK Chemicals Industries
Authors: Tombs Steve
Published: March 2007

Focusing largely upon the UK chemical industry, this paper considers the potentially problematic juxtaposition between protecting employee safety on the one hand, and preventing environmental degradation on the other. The paper begins with a series of observations upon the state of safety manage ment in the UK chemical industry. Common weaknesses in safety manage ment are noted; these revolve around a key contradiction for managements, while this contradiction itself is rooted in the predominance of a technocrat ic managerial paradigm. Turning then to attempts within the UK chemical industry to respond to environmental pressures, the remainder of the paper focuses upon implications of attempts at developng "cleaner" technologies and forms of work organization. Four implications are noted: general resource constraints, pressures on training, problems in the means of intro ducing and implementing change, and the reinforcement of technocracy. It is argued that responding to environmental pressures is likely to take priority over occupational safety in the chemical industry; that there is no necessary complementarity between management efforts in these two areas, and that attempting to accommodate these twin efforts within a technocratic manage rial paradigm is likely to result in some deterioration in occupational safety. Finally, two broad scenarios are noted in terms of the ways in which existent contradictions might work themselves out. In conclusion, it is anticipated that the continued predominance of a technocratic managerial paradigm will prevent managements from addressing both environmental protection and safety management in a coherent and strategic fashion.
Further evidence for the diagnostic continuity between child and adolescent ADHD
Authors: Faraone S. , Biederman J. , Monuteaux M.C.
Published: March 2007

Objective: To determine if there are differences In the clinical expression and correlates of ADHD between children and adolescents.

Method: Subjects were 811 boys and girls aged 6 to 17 with ADHD, and 132 gender- and age-matched controls. Blind raters, using DSM-111-R structured diagnostic interviews and psychometric measures, assessed psychiatric diagnoses, intellectual performance, social disability, and school failure.

Results: Children and adolescents with ADHD had very similar patterns of outcome in multiple domains of assessment, including comorbidity with conduct, mood and anxiety disorders, and school functioning. There was some evidence that the rate of ODD was greater in adolescents compared to children, and that this difference was greater in the control sample.

Conclusions: These findings document the diagnostic continuity of ADHD between childhood and adolescence and support the inclusion of adolescent samples in ADHD research protocols.
Goal Setting as a Strategy for Health Behavior Change
Authors: Strecher Victor J. , Seijts Gerard H. , Kok Gerjo J. , Latham Gary P. , Glasgow Russell , DeVellis Brenda , Meertens Ree M. , Bulger David W.
Published: March 2007

This article discusses the beneficial effects of setting goals in health behavior change and maintenance interventions. Goal setting theory predicts that, under certain conditions, setting specific difficult goals leads to higher performance when compared with no goals or vague, nonquantitative goals, such as "do your best." In contrast to the graduated, easy goals often set in health behavior change programs, goal setting theory asserts a positive linear relationship between degree of goal difficulty and level of performance. Research on goal setting has typically been conducted in organizational and laboratory settings. Although goal setting procedures are used in many health behavior change programs, they rarely have been the focus of systematic research. Therefore, many research questions still need to be answered regarding goal setting in the context of health behavior change. Finally, initial recommendations for the successful integration of goal setting theory in health behavior change programs are offered.
Implementation and Performance of the Large-Scale Finite Element Code Sesam On a Wide Range of Scientific Computers
Authors: Bjørstad Petter E. , Braekhus Jon , Aldag John
Published: March 2007

SESAM is a large, commercial finite ele ment package for structural analysis that includes SESTRA, an analysis portion of approximately 280,000 lines of FORTRAN 77 statements. We discuss the issues of por tability and efficiency in implementing this code on a wide range of computers, in cluding the FPS-164, GRAY X-MP, CDC Cyber 205, Amdahl VP1200, IBM 3090/VF, and NEC SX-2. Performance data are re lated to the different architectures and the degree of code tuning. SESAM requires large amounts of direct access secondary storage. The use of FORTRAN I/O can sig nificantly decrease performance, as mea sured by both CPU time and elapsed time. We discuss how different levels of I/O support on scientific computers affect the potentially large gap between CPU time and elapsed time.
Changing Roles for Supercomputing in Chemical Engineering
Authors: McRae Gregory J. , Milford Jana B. , Slompak Barbara J.
Published: March 2007

Traditionally, supercomputers have been used by the chemical engineering community to provide the power needed to obtain solutions of mathematical models that describe complex physical and chemical processes. That view is changing. Beyond simply increasing the resolu tion of the calculations, or decreasing the elapsed time for a solution, chemical engineers are now beginning to use supercomputers to perform design and optimization of chemical processes, as a way to augment and im prove conventional experimental research, and, most importantly, as a way to open up new problem areas that in the past have only been solved by heuristic tech niques. Several illustrative examples—reacting polymer systems, design of control strategies for photochemical air pollution, solution of stiff differential systems, and batch scheduling—are presented to demonstrate the benefits associated with this new view of how super computers can be used by the chemical engineering profession.
A Molecular Model for the Helicity of Polytetrafluoro Ethylene (Tefloin®)
Authors: Dixon David A. , Van-Cadedge Frederic A.
Published: March 2007

Ab initio molecular orbital theory has been used to model the structure of perfluoro-n-alkane chains. Ex tended basis set calculations on C2F6, C3F8, and n-C4F 10 show that C2F6 and C3F8 have staggered geometries with D3d and C2v symmetry, respectively. The butane n-C4F10 has a helical C 2 structure that is 0.5 kcal/mol more stable than the C2h structure. Smaller basis set calculations on the larger n-alkanes, n-C 6F14 and n-C8F18, also show he lical structures of C2 symmetry. These results demon strate that the helicity observed in polytetrafluoroethy lene (Teflon®) chains is due to inherent electronic prop erties of the isolated chains and not to crystal packing forces. Structural, energetic, and vibration spectral infor mation on the perfluoro-n-alkanes is presented. This study demonstrates the power of modern theoretical chemistry methods, and how computational approaches can complement experimentation in predicting molecular structure and behavior.
Flow Simulations By Parallel Computer MiPax
Authors: Hara Heihachiro , Kodera Yoichi , Kanehiro Kazuhiko
Published: March 2007

We have developed some parallel computer programs to show that the parallel computer MiPAX is suitable to deal with fluid flow simulations. MiPAX is the first com mercially available parallel computer for scientific appli cations in Japan. We describe two typical methods for incompressible viscous flow problems: the MAC method and the third-order upwind scheme in the general curvi linear coordinate system. The techniques of mapping a physical space onto a processing unit array and the pro cedure of data transfer are also presented for MiPAX- 32JFV, which consists of 32 processing units. We con clude that a program for MiPAX is basically identical with one for conventional machines.
Seeing in Parallel: the Vision Machine
Authors: Little James J. , Poggio Tomaso , Gamble Edward B.
Published: March 2007

Computer algorithms have been developed for early vision processes that give separate cues to the distance from the viewer of three-dimensional surfaces, their shape, and their material properties. The MIT Vision Machine is a computer system that integrates several early vision modules to achieve high-performance rec ognition and navigation in unstructured environments. It is also an experimental environment for theoretical progress in early vision algorithms, their parallel imple mentation, and their integration. The Vision Machine consists of a movable, two-camera Eye-Head input de vice and an 8K Connection Machine. We have developed and implemented several parallel early vision algorithms that compute edge detection, stereopsis, motion, texture, and surface color in close to real time. The integration stage, based on coupled Markov random field models, leads to a cartoon-like map of the discontinuities in the scene, with partial labeling of the brightness edges in terms of their physical origin.