bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in muscle strength and pain in response to surgical repair of posterior abdominal wall disruption followed by rehabilitation
Authors: Hemingway A E , Herrington L , Blower A L
Published: January 2003

Background:Posterior abdominal wall deficiency (PAWD) is a tear in the external oblique aponeurosis or the conjoint tendon causing a posterior wall defect at the medial end of the inguinal canal. It is often known as sportsman’s hernia and is believed to be caused by repetitive stress.

Objective:To assess lower limb and abdominal muscle strength of patients with PAWD before intervention compared with matched controls; to evaluate any changes following surgical repair and rehabilitation.

Methods:Sixteen subjects were assessed using a questionnaire, isokinetic testing of the lower limb strength, and pressure biofeedback testing of the abdominals. After surgery and a six week rehabilitation programme, the subjects were re-evaluated. A control group were assessed using the same procedure.

Results:Quadriceps and hamstrings strength was not affected by this condition. A deficit hip muscle strength was found on the affected limb before surgery, which was significant for the hip flexors (p = 0.05). Before surgery, 87% of the patients compared with 20% of the controls failed the abdominal obliques test. Both the injured and non-injured sides had improved significantly in strength after surgery and rehabilitation. The strength of the abdominal obliques showed the most significant improvement over the course of the rehabilitation programme.

Conclusions:Lower limb muscle strength may have been reduced as the result of disuse atrophy or pain inhibition. Abdominal oblique strength was deficient in the injured patients and this compromises rotational control of the pelvis. More sensitive investigations (such as electromyography) are needed to assess the link between abdominal oblique function and groin injury.
Comparison of three different sit and reach tests for measurement of hamstring flexibility in female university students
Authors: Baltaci G , Un N , Tunay V , Besler A , Gerçeker S
Published: January 2003

Background:The sit and reach test is the most common flexibility test used in health related fitness test batteries.

Objective:To examine and compare three different sit and reach tests as a measure of hamstring flexibility in 102 female students.

Method:The traditional sit and reach test, the chair sit and reach test, the back saver sit and reach test, and passive straight leg raise were administered in three trials to all 102 students (mean (SD) age 22 (1) years) on the same day.

Results:A Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was significant (p<0.01) for the traditional sit and reach test with back saver sit and reach test and flexibility of hamstrings (r= 0.45 and 0.65 for left and right legs, and 0.63 and 0.53 for left and right legs respectively). Also, the back saver sit and reach test for the left (p<0.01) and right (p<0.05) leg was significantly associated with hamstring flexibility (r= 0.37 and 0.25 for the left leg and 0.50 and 0.44 for the right leg respectively).

Conclusion:The results indicate that the back saver sit and reach test produces reasonably accurate and stable measures of hamstring flexibility. Moreover, it appears that this test is a safe and acceptable alternative to the traditional and chair sit and reach tests as a measure of hamstring flexibility in young women.
Analysis of the characteristics of competitive badminton
Authors: Cabello Manrique D , González-Badillo J J
Published: January 2003

Objective:To describe the characteristics of badminton in order to determine the energy requirements, temporal structure, and movements in the game that indicate performance level. To use the findings to plan training with greater precision.

Methods:Eleven badminton players (mean (SD) age 21.8 (3.26) years) with international experience from four different countries (France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal) were studied. Two of the Spanish players were monitored in several matches, giving a total of 14 samples, all during the 1999 Spanish International Tournament. Blood lactate concentration was measured with a reflective photometer. Maximum and average heart rates were recorded with a heart rate monitor. Temporal structure and actions during the matches were determined from video recordings. All variables were measured during and after the game and later analysed using a descriptive study.

Results:The results confirmed the high demands of the sport, with a maximum heart rate of 190.5 beats/min and an average of 173.5 beats/min during matches over 28 minutes long and performance intervals of 6.4 seconds and rest time of 12.9 seconds between exchanges.

Conclusions:The results suggest that badminton is characterised by repetitive efforts of alactic nature and great intensity which are continuously performed throughout the match. An awareness of these characteristics, together with data on the correlations between certain actions such as unforced errors and winning shots and the final result of the match, will aid in more appropriate planning and monitoring of specific training.
Physiological factors associated with low bone mineral density in female endurance runners
Authors: Burrows M , Nevill A M , Bird S , Simpson D
Published: January 2003

Objective:To explore potential factors that could be associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) in female endurance runners.

Methods:Fifty two female endurance runners (1500 m to marathon), aged 18–44 years, took part. Body fat percentage, lumbar spine BMD, and femoral neck BMD were measured using the Hologic QDR 4500w bone densitometer. Data on training, menstrual cycle status, osteoporosis, and health related factors were obtained by questionnaire. Dietary variables were assessed from a prospective seven day dietary record of macronutrients and micronutrients.

Results:The mean (SD) lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD were 1.11 (0.11) and 0.89 (0.12) g/cm2respectively. A backward elimination regression analysis showed that age, body mass, body fat, distance run, magnesium, and zinc intake were the variables significantly associated with BMD. Lumbar spine BMD (g/cm2) = −1.90 + (0.0486 × age (years)) + (0.342 × log mass (kg)) − (0.000861 × age2(years)) − (0.00128 × distance (km/week)), with anR2= 30.1% (SEE = 0.089 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.05 to 0.23); p<0.001). Femoral neck BMD (g/cm2) = −2.51 − (0.00989 × age (years)) + (0.720 × log mass (kg)) + (0.000951 × magnesium (mg/day)) −(0.0289 × zinc (mg/day)) − (0.00821 × body fat (%)) − (0.00226 × distance (km/week)), with anR2= 50.2% (SEE = 0.100 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.22); p<0.001). The negative association between skeletal BMD and distance run suggested that participants who ran longer distances had a lower BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Further, the results indicated a positive association between body mass and BMD, and a negative association between body fat and BMD.

Conclusions:The results suggest a negative association between endurance running distance and lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD, with a positive association between body mass and femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD. However, longitudinal studies are required to assess directly the effect of endurance running and body mass on BMD, and to see if the addition of alternative exercise that would increase lean body mass would have a positive effect on BMD and therefore help to prevent osteoporosis.
The effects of massage on delayed onset muscle soreness
Authors: Hilbert J E , Sforzo G A , Swensen T
Published: January 2003

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to investigate the physiological and psychological effects of massage on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Methods:Eighteen volunteers were randomly assigned to either a massage or control group. DOMS was induced with six sets of eight maximal eccentric contractions of the right hamstring, which were followed 2 h later by 20 min of massage or sham massage (control). Peak torque and mood were assessed at 2, 6, 24, and 48 h postexercise. Range of motion (ROM) and intensity and unpleasantness of soreness were assessed at 6, 24, and 48 h postexercise. Neutrophil count was assessed at 6 and 24 h postexercise.

Results:A two factor ANOVA (treatmentvtime) with repeated measures on the second factor showed no significant treatment differences for peak torque, ROM, neutrophils, unpleasantness of soreness, and mood (p > 0.05). The intensity of soreness, however, was significantly lower in the massage group relative to the control group at 48 h postexercise (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:Massage administered 2 h after exercise induced muscle injury did not improve hamstring function but did reduce the intensity of soreness 48 h after muscle insult.
Effects of 12 months of exercise training on salivary secretory IgA levels in elderly subjects
Authors: Akimoto T , Kumai Y , Akama T , Hayashi E , Murakami H , Soma R , Kuno S , Kono I
Published: January 2003

Background:The immune system declines in efficiency with advancing age, making the elderly less resistant to pathogenic microorganisms. Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is a common illness. Recent studies have shown that suppression of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) is associated with increased incidence of URTI.

Objective:To assess the effect of exercise on salivary SIgA in elderly subjects.

Methods:Forty five elderly subjects (18 men, 27 women; mean (SD) age 64.9 (8.4) years) performed both 60 minute resistance and 60 minute moderate endurance training a week for 12 months. Saliva samples were obtained before training, and at four and 12 months during the training period. Salivary SIgA concentrations were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and the SIgA secretion rate was calculated.

Results:SIgA concentrations before training, and at four and 12 months during training were 24.7 (14.4), 27.2 (14.2), and 33.8 (18.5) μg/ml respectively. SIgA secretion rates were 29.5 (26.0), 33.8 (27.2) and 46.5 (35.1) μg/min respectively. The results indicate that both the concentration and secretion rate of SIgA significantly (p<0.01) increased during 12 months of exercise in these elderly subjects.

Conclusion:Regular moderate exercise seems to enhance mucosal immune function in elderly subjects.
Ex-professional association footballers have an increased prevalence of osteoarthritis of the hip compared with age matched controls despite not having sustained notable hip injuries
Authors: Shepard G J , Banks A J , Ryan W G
Published: January 2003

Objective:To compare the prevalence of self reported, physician diagnosed osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip in ex-professional footballers with that in age matched controls in the general public.

Method:A questionnaire was sent to the 92 football league and premiership managers to assess the prevalence of OA of various joints. The prevalence of OA of the hip in those managers that were ex-professional footballers was assessed. Radiographic controls were obtained and used to assess the prevalence of OA of the hip in the general population. The results of the two groups were compared statistically using χ2tabulation.

Results:Seventy four (80%) of the managers responded to the questionnaire. Nine of the 68 ex-professional footballers who replied had OA of the hip, and six of these had undergone a total of eight total hip replacements. Of the 18 managers who did not respond, 12 were known to be ex-professionals. In the control group of 136, two had OA of the hip. The two groups differed significantly (p<0.001). The odds ratio for OA of the hip was 10.2 (95% confidence interval 2.1 to 48.8).

Conclusion:The ex-professional footballers had a significantly higher prevalence of OA of the hip than an age matched group of radiographic controls.
Chronic subdural haematoma after snowboard head injury
Authors: Uzura M , Taguchi Y , Matsuzawa M , Watanabe H , Chiba S
Published: January 2003

Two cases of chronic subdural haematoma following a snowboard head injury are reported. Although such cases are rare in sport, the risk in snowboarders is higher than expected. Evaluation of a snowboarder with a history of head injury, albeit mild, who complains of headaches should include computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging to allow rapid identification of any intracranial pathology.
Tear of the acetabular labrum in an elite athlete
Authors: Binningsley D
Published: January 2003

The case is reported of a professional footballer with a tear of the acetabular labrum. The clinical findings, treatment, and rehabilitation are described as well as a discussion of the difficulties of diagnosis.
Heart rate response to ultraendurance cycling
Authors: Neumayr G , Pfister R , Mitterbauer G , Gaenzer H , Sturm W , Hoertnagl H
Published: January 2003

The heart rate (HR) response to ultraendurance cycling is poorly understood. This case report describes the exercise intensity of ultraendurance cycling by means of HR monitoring in a well trained male amateur cyclist performing the Ötztal Radmarathon twice en bloque in a circuit of two identical laps (distance 460 km; cumulative altitude difference 11 000 m). The overall intensity was moderate (HRmean= 130 beats/min; HRmean/HRmax= 0.71) corresponding to an average individual workload of 47% of Vo2max. Almost the whole race was performed under aerobic conditions (99.6%); high intensity work was negligible (0.4%). The average speed and the HR response also declined in the course of the two laps, average speed by 17.2% (23.8 to 19.7 km/h), HRmeanby 10.1% (138 to 124 beats/min), and HRmean/HRmaxby 10.7% (0.75 to 0.67). This scale of HR decrease corresponds to comparable data gained in the field of triathlon and represents a specific cardiac feature of ultraendurance exercise in general.
PHASE TRANSITION AND HYBRID STAR IN AN SU(2) CHIRAL SIGMA MODEL
Authors: JENA P. K. , SINGH L. P.
Published: January 2003

We use a modified SU(2) chiral sigma model to study nuclear matter at high density using mean field approach. We also study the phase transition of nuclear matter to quark matter in the interior of highly dense neutron stars. Stable solutions of Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff equations representing hybrid stars are obtained with a maximum mass of 1.69M⊙, radii around 9.3 km and a quark matter core constituting nearly 55–85% of the star radii.
COMMENTS ON THE DEPENDENCE BETWEEN ELECTRIC CHARGE AND MAGNETIC CHARGE
Authors: LI KANG
Published: January 2003

By using the two four-dimensional potential formulation of electromagnetic (EM) field theory introduced in Ref. 1, we found that the SO(2) duality symmetric EM field theory can be reduced to the magnetic source-free case by a special choice of SO(2) parameter, we called this special case nature picture of the EM field theory, the reduction condition led to a result, i.e. the electric charge and magnetic charge are no longer independent. Some comments to Ref. 10 are also mentioned.
FERMIONIC ZERO-MODES IN TYPE II FIVE-BRANE BACKGROUNDS
Authors: KITAZAWA NORIAKI
Published: January 2003

The explicit form of the fermionic zero-modes in the five-brane backgrounds of type IIA and IIB supergravity theories is investigated. In type IIA five-brane background there are four zero-modes of gravitinos and dilatinos. In type IIB five-brane background four zero-modes of dilatinos and no zero-modes of gravitinos are found. These zero-modes indicate the four-fermion condensates which have been suggested in a calculation of the tension of the D-brane in five-brane backgrounds.
THE PRESENTATION OF THE QUANTUM ALGEBRA OF OBSERVABLES OF THE CLOSED BOSONIC STRING IN 1+3 DIMENSIONS: THE EXACT QUANTIZED GENERATING RELATIONS OF ORDERS ℏ6 AND ℏ7
Authors: HANDRICH G. , PAUFLER C. , TAUSK J. B. , WALTER M.
Published: January 2003

We proceed with the investigation of a method of quantization of the observable sector of closed bosonic strings. For the presentation of the quantum algebra of observables the construction cycle concerning elements of order ℏ6 has been carried out. We have computed the quantum corrections to the only generating relation of order ℏ6. This relation is of spin-parity JP = 0+. We found that the quantum corrections to this relation break the semidirect splitting of the classical algebra into an Abelian, infinitely generated subalgebra [Formula: see text] and a non-Abelian, finitely generated subalgebra [Formula: see text]. We have established that there are no ("truly independent") generating relations of order ℏ7.
A STATISTICAL MECHANICS FRAMEWORK FOR MULTIPARTICLE PRODUCTION IN HIGH ENERGY HADRON REACTIONS
Authors: BUCCELLA F. , POPOVA L.
Published: January 2003

We deduce the particle distributions in particle collisions with multihadron-production in the framework of mechanical statistics. They are derived as functions of x, [Formula: see text] and the rest mass of different species for a fixed total number of all produced particles, inelasticity and total transverse energy.

For PT larger than the mass of each particle, we have [Formula: see text] Values of π, K and [Formula: see text] in agreement with experiment are found by taking TH = 180 MeV (the Hagedorn temperature).
THE SUPERSYMMETRIC STUECKELBERG MASS AND OVERCOMING THE FAYET–ILIOPOULOS MECHANISM FOR BREAKING SUPERSYMMETRY
Authors: KUZMIN S. V. , McKEON D. G. C.
Published: January 2003

Gauge invariant generation of mass for a supersymmetric U(1) vector field through the use of a chiral Stueckelberg superfield is considered. When a Fayet–Iliopoulos D-term is also present, no breaking of supersymmetry ever occurs so long as the Stueckelberg mass is not zero. A moduli space in which gauge symmetry is spontaneously broken arises if there is no mass term for the matter superfields.
THE ESSENCE OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS
Authors: MIN HONGTAO
Published: January 2003

Current model for circadian rhythms is wrong both theoretically and practically. A new model, called yin yang model, is proposed to explain the mechanism of circadian rhythms. The yin yang model separate circadian activities in a circadian system into yin (night activities) and yang (day activities) and a circadian clock into a day clock and a night clock. The day clock is the product of night activities, but it promotes day activities; the night clock is the product of day activities, but it promotes night activities. The clock maintains redox or energy homeostasis of the internal environment and allows temporal separations between biological processes with opposite impacts on the internal environment of a circadian system.
CREATIVE INFORMATION
Authors: BÓKKON ISTVÁN
Published: January 2003

There are thousands of experiments in the world of science, but we do not have a uniform system, in which different results from the divergent development of science, as well as from our entire world can be connected to each other in a wholistic way. If divergence predominated over convergence, it would favor destructive and self-disastrous processes. Besides, it is indisputable that such a complex theory must involve the matter of consciousness and of the subconscious, as well as laws of physics, similarly to the concept presented here. According to Neumann's reasoning, and because the brain does not use the language of mathematics, any complex theory should think in terms of tendencies and processes instead of formulas. Therefore, the complex theory described in this paper works in processes. In the first part of this article a possible role of the brain's biopiezoelectric crystals is shown as they could take part in the process of storage of conscious information in a holographic way in the brain. The second part describes a concept of quantum vacuum theory of the unconscious implicit background (subconscious) and its connection with consciousness. In the third part, the global role of virtual particles (scalar waves) in the processes of the brain and in the material world is raised.
PERSISTENCE IN A PREY-PREDATOR SYSTEM WITH DISEASE IN THE PREY
Authors: MUKHERJEE DEBASIS
Published: January 2003

This paper deals with a prey-predator system where the prey population is infected by a microparasite. The predator functional response is a function of the weighted sum of prey abundances. This type of functional response reflects the switching mechanism of the predator. We identify the parameters which influence the persistence of all the populations as well as impermanence. The role of delay in the above system is also discussed.
EFFECT OF VIRAL INFECTION ON THE GENERALIZED GAUSE MODEL OF PREDATOR-PREY SYSTEM
Authors: CHATTOPADHYAY J. , MUKHOPADHYAY A. , ROY P. K.
Published: January 2003

The generalized Gause model of predator-prey system is revisited with an introduction of viral infection on prey population. Stability behavior of such modified system is carried out to observe the change of dynamical behavior of the system. To substantiate the analytical results of this generalized susceptible prey, infected prey and predator population, numerical simulations of the model with specific growth and response functions are performed. Our observations suggest that the disease on prey population has a destabilizing or stabilizing effect depending on the level of force of infection and may act as a biological control for the persistence of the species.
A NOTE ON CLASSIFICATION OF GENE EXPRESSION DATA USING SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINES
Authors: FUJAREWICZ KRZYSZTOF , KIMMEL MAREK , RZESZOWSKA-WOLNY JOANNA , SWIERNIAK ANDRZEJ
Published: January 2003

Microarrays provide a new technique of measuring gene expression that attracted a lot of research interest in recent years. It has been suggested that gene expression data from microarrays (biochips) can be utilized in many biomedical areas, for example in cancer classification. Whereas several, new and existing, methods of classification has been tested, a selection of proper (optimal) set of genes, which expression serves during classification, is still an open problem. In this paper we propose a heuristic method of choosing suboptimal set of genes by using support vector machines (SVM). Obtained set of genes optimizes leave-one-out cross-validation error. The method is tested on microarray gene expression data of samples of two cancer types: acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The results show that quality of classification is much better than for sets obtained using other methods of feature selection. In addition, we demonstrate that maximum separation in a training data set may lead to deterioration of performance in an independent validation data set, a phenomenon akin to overfitting.
A MODEL FOR AN INSHORE-OFFSHORE FISHERY
Authors: DUBEY B. , SINHA P. , CHANDRA P.
Published: January 2003

In this paper, a nonlinear mathematical model to study the dynamics of an inshore-offshore fishery under variable harvesting is proposed and analyzed. Criteria for local stability, instability and global stability of the system are derived. The optimal harvesting policy is discussed by considering taxation as a control instrument. It is shown that the fishery resources can be protected from overexploitation by increasing the tax and discount rates.
INFORMATION MODELING OF NEURONAL DYNAMICS
Authors: LERNER VLADIMIR S.
Published: January 2003

The information transformation of neuronal dynamics into a human's built information network that structures and assembles an incoming information is introduced, based on Information Macrodynamics. Formalized functions of this mechanism represent a general attribute of a system's cognition, which is useful in understanding brain functions and artificial design.
UNDERPRICING OF NEW EQUITY OFFERINGS BY PRIVATIZED FIRMS: AN INTERNATIONAL TEST
Authors: HUANG QI , LEVICH RICHARD M.
Published: January 2003

In this paper, we study a large sample of 507 privatization offerings from 39 countries over the period 1979–1996. Our objectives are twofold. First, we document the extent of short-run underpricing of these privatization offerings and measure their variation across countries, industries, and years, as well as drawing comparisons to private company IPOs. Second, we test alternative explanations of the determinants of short-run underpricing drawing on various models of maximizing behavior by underwriters, augmented by variables that proxy for national political objectives. Overall, we find support for elements of asymmetric information theory, investor sentiment theory and the reputation building hypothesis. With the exception of the Gini coefficient, our political proxy variables are typically not significant. Thus to a significant degree, the investment banking strategies believed to characterize IPOs of private companies in industrial countries may also play a role in the IPO strategies of state-owned-enterprises in both industrial and lesser developed economies.
INFORMED OPPORTUNISTIC TRADING AND PRICE OPTIMAL CONTROL
Authors: GAUTHIER LAURENT
Published: January 2003

In this paper we focus on the incentive to invest or disinvest in equity shares to benefit from discrepancies between their real value and their market prices, based on privileged information. Such a situation arises in particular when a manager trades his company's own stock. An existing simple model for the impact of transactions on prices is extended to the case of discrete transactions. This model is used to represent the impact of the informed agent's transactions. A probabilistic approach is proposed to determine the optimal control applied to the market price by the informed agent. Analytical solutions are derived to calculate the value of "realigning the price" for an informed market participant, and the properties of the controlled market price are discussed.
EXPLICIT BOND OPTION FORMULA IN HEATH–JARROW–MORTON ONE FACTOR MODEL
Authors: HENRARD MARC
Published: January 2003

We hereby present an explicit formula for European options on coupon bearing bonds in the Heath–Jarrow–Morton one factor model with non-stochastic volatility. The formula extends the Jamshidian formula for zero-coupon bonds for special form of volatility. Moreover we present a formula for zero-coupon bonds without condition on the volatility. We provide also an explicit way to compute the hedging ratio (Δ) in order to hedge the options individually.
WHY THE RETURN NOTION MATTERS
Authors: DORFLEITNER GREGOR
Published: January 2003

Returns can be defined as log returns or as simple returns. Whereas on a numerical level the difference between these two terms is small as long as the return values are close to zero, there can be non-negligible differences if we look at expected values and (co)variances in a stochastic context. This paper examines the consequences of mixing up the two return terms when variances and convariances are considered. Three applications show that these consequences can be severe in the sense of suboptimal portfolio selection or invalid betas. The paper argues that more awareness of the suited return term is necessary.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE EPPS EFFECT
Authors: RENÒ ROBERTO
Published: January 2003

Epps [17] reported empirical evidence that stock correlations decrease when sampling frequency increases. This phenomenon, named Epps effect, has been observed in several markets. In this paper, the dynamics underlying the Epps effect are investigated. Using Monte Carlo simulations and the analysis of high frequency foreign exchange rate and stock price data, it is shown that the Epps effect can largely be explained by two factors: the non-synchronicity of price observations and the existing lead-lag relationship between asset prices. In order to compute co-volatilities, an original method based upon the Fourier analysis is adopted. This method performs well in estimating correlations precisely, as illustrated by simulated experiments. Being naturally embedded in the frequency domain, this estimator is well suited to the study of the Epps effect.
Electrochemically Deposited Tin-Silver-Copper Ternary Solder Alloys
Authors: Kim Bioh , Ritzdorf Tom
Published: January 2003

A study on film properties of electrochemically deposited tin-silver-copper (SnAgCu) alloys was performed with an alkaline bath. This research focused on the bath and process development for dendrite-free, near-eutectic SnAgCu alloy deposition through the investigation of cathodic polarization, morphological transition, and film composition. Effects of process parameters on surface morphology, film composition, and diffusion-limited current density (LCD) were also examined. Ternary alloys were obtained only when the current density was driven beyond the mass-transfer limitation of noble metals (silver and copper), which seemed to cause the transition of surface morphology and film composition with increasing current density. The morphological transition occurred through four stages (dendrites, suppression of dendrites, nodules, and columns/dendrites), and the content of noble metals in the film tended to drop with increasing current density. With increasing the concentration of noble metals, bath temperature, and agitation, the morphology at low current densities became increasingly dendrite-dominated and the content of noble metals in the film was enhanced at a fixed current density. The morphology of stage four was influenced by the ratio of the applied current density to the LCD, where the LCD was significantly influenced by the metal concentration, bath temperature, and agitation. © 2002 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
Lithium Insertion into Carbonaceous Anode Materials Prepared by Electrolysis of Molten Li-K-Na Carbonates
Authors: Groult H. , Kaplan B. , Komaba S. , Kumagai N. , Gupta V. , Nakajima T. , Simon B.
Published: January 2003

Carbon powders were prepared by electroreduction of molten lithium-sodium-potassium carbonates at 450°C. The influence of the potential and the heat-treatment after washing in HCl solution on their electrochemical performances when they are used as anode in Li-ions battery were studied. Correlation between the presence of surface disordering (Raman spectroscopy) and the presence H, Li, K, and Na on the outermost layer on the powder surface (secondary ion mass spectroscopy), and their electrochemical performances was pointed out: samples having both the higher surface disordering and the lower H, Li, K, and Na content on their surface exhibit the lowest electrochemical performances. The best results were obtained for carbon deposited at

−
2.4
V

vs.

CO

2

­

O

2

and heat-treated at 400°C: the reversible capacity obtained in 1 M

LiPF

6

-ethylene carbonate:diethyl carbonate:dimethyl carbonate is

1080
 

mAh g

−
1

(composition of

Li

2.9

C

6

)
.

This value is 2.9 times higher than the theoretical one observed with graphite

(
372
 

mAh g

−
1

,

composition of

LiC

6

)
.

The potential profile obtained in galvanostatic mode is intermediate between that usually observed for graphite and amorphous carbon, because in the potential range 1.5-0.3 V vs.

Li
/

Li

+

,

the potential profile shows rather continuous charge-discharge curves sloping, and between 0.3 and 0.02 V vs.

Li
/

Li

+

,

phase transformations between different stages occur successively as in the case of pure graphite. © 2002 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
Performance Improvement of Surface-Modified LiCoO2 Cathode Materials: An Infrared Absorption and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Investigation
Authors: Wang Zhaoxiang , Huang Xuejie , Chen Liquan
Published: January 2003

Comparative study has been carried out by Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to understand the electrochemical performance improvement of nanometer-sized magnesium oxide (nano-MgO) modified commercial

LiCoO

2

(
MgO
/

LiCoO

2

)

cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. It is found that the configuration of the solvent molecules of the electrolyte are very sensitive to the disturbance of nano-MgO and commercial

LiCoO

2

.

Modifying the surface of commercial

LiCoO

2

particles with nano-MgO can suppress such chemical reactions on the electrode surface significantly. In addition, by hindering the formation of oxygen with high oxidizing power and by physically separating the electrolyte from direct contact with the active cathode material, surface coating suppresses the interaction between

LiCoO

2

and the electrolyte at the uncharged state and alleviates the electrolyte decomposition at charged states. © 2002 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
Deposition of SiO2 Layers on GaN by Photochemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Chang Shoou-Jinn , Su Yan-Kuin , Chiou Yu-Zung , Chiou Jung-Ran , Huang Bohr-Ran , Chang Chia-Sheng , Chen Jone F.
Published: January 2003

SiO

2

insulating layers were first deposited onto GaN by photochemical vapor deposition (photo-CVD) technology using a deuterium

(

D

2

)

lamp as the excitation source. Physical, chemical, and electrical characteristics of the

Al
/

SiO

2

/
GaN

metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitors are reported for the first time. It was also found that the limiting factor of

SiO

2

growth rate was the number of

SiH

4

and

O

2

molecules available to provide excited Si and O atoms. Furthermore, it was found from high-frequency capacitance-voltage measurements that the photo-CVD

SiO

2

/
n
­
GaN

interface state density,

D

it

,

was estimated to be

8.4
×

10

11

 

cm

−
2

 

eV

−
1

for the photo-CVD

SiO

2

layers prepared at 300°C. With an applied field of 4 MV/cm, the oxide leakage current density was found to be only

6.6
×

10

−
7

A
/

cm

2

.

© 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
ACCESS TO THE SOURCE: CICERO, BEN SIRA, THE SEPTUAGINT AND THEIR AUDIENCES
Authors: Wright Benjamin
Published: January 2003

This article tries to apply some insights from the modern field of Translation Studies to the relationship between translation, source text and audience in Cicero, Sirach and the Septuagint. Cicero's very free translations are possible because his audience is able to read the Greek originals that he translates. Sirach's rather literal translation is the result of adopting an approach to the Hebrew text that the grandson found operative in the Septuagint, but he is not really trying to provide his audience access to the original Hebrew. The Septuagint translators were trying to give access to the Hebrew original by producing an "interlinear" translation, which could have originated in several social contexts.
EIN UNWETTER IN JERUSALEM Beobachtungen zu BJ 4:286-288
Authors: Höffken Peter
Published: January 2003

In BJ 4:286-288 Josephus is presenting an episode of the war: an inner-Jewish conflict between the people of Jerusalem and the Zealots. In this conflict the Idumeans join the party of the rebels. A stormy weather with earthquake is interpreted by both parties as a sign of an imminent action of God, who rescues Jerusalem and beats the enemies outside the city. The article argues for an interpretation of this theme on the background of the Zion-tradition with strong influences from the book of Isaiah (chap. 29 and 30).
REVERSAL, RECIDIVISM AND REWARD IN 3 MACCABEES: STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE
Authors:   Cousland
Published: January 2003

This paper uses the literary phenomenon of reversal (peripeteia) to explore the purpose of 3 Maccabees. The peripeteia and its attendant reversals receive such emphasis that they produce a tableau resembling scenes of final judgement. They have, moreover, functions similar to those of final judgement scenarios, consoling the faithful and threatening the faithless. The presence of these features indicates that the purpose of 3 Maccabees is to promote orthopraxy within the expatriate community.
Water, Air, Fire, and Earth
Authors: Kahn Peter H. , Lourenço Orlando
Published: January 2003

This study contributes to our understanding of the origins and development of the human relationship with nature. The authors interviewed 120 participants (aged approximately 10 years, 5 months; 13 years, 6 months; 16 years, 7 months; and 19 years, 4 months) in Lisbon, Portugal, about environmental moral issues that involved water pollution, air pollution, forest fires, and logging. Results showed that participants conceived of polluting their localwaterway as a violation of a moral obligation. Participants’ justifications for these and other evaluations included both anthropocentric appeals (e.g., to personal interests, human welfare, and aesthetics) and biocentric appeals (e.g., that nature has intrinsic value or rights). Participants’ conceptions of living in harmony with nature showed a developmental trend. Finally, cross-cultural comparisons with studies conducted in the United States and the Brazilian Amazon support theproposition that therearesubstantial similarities in the environmental moral reasoning of young people across diverse cultures.
Environmental Activism as Collective Action
Authors: Lubell Mark
Published: January 2003

The literature on environmental activism has failed to produce a model of individual decision making explicitly linked to the logic of collective action. To remedy this problem, this article adapts the collective interest model developed by Finkel, Muller, and Opp to explain protest behavior and argues environmental activism is a function of citizen beliefs about collective benefits, the ability to influence collective outcomes, and the selective costs/benefits of participation. The author tests the hypotheses of the collective interest model using data from a survey of 460 residents of a coastal watershed and national data on 1,606 respondents from the 1993 General Social Survey Environment Battery. The author’s findings corroborate several central propositions of the collective interest model and provide a theoretical account of environmental activism that synthesizes many previous results.
Environmental Risk Concern and Preferences for Energy-Saving Measures
Authors: Poortinga Wouter , Steg Linda , Vlek Charles
Published: January 2003

It is often assumed that higher environmental concern goes with more positive attitudes toward environmental management strategies and more environmentally friendly behavior. Cultural theory argues this relationship is more complex. Cultural theory distinguishes four ways of life, involving distinct perceptions on environmental risks (so-called myths of nature), which are accompanied by preferences for specific management strategies. The results of this study suggest that environmental concern and myths of nature are overlapping constructs. Moreover, it appeared that respondents differing in environmental concern (as measured by the New Environmental Paradigm Scale and myths of nature) varied substantially in their preferences for environmental management strategies. Respondents with a high environmental risk concern had higher preferences for behavioral change strategies and government regulation, whereas respondents with a low environmental risk concern had higher preferences for market-oriented solutions. There was a tendency of technical strategies being more preferred by respondents with a low environmental concern.
Information Order and Sign Design
Authors: Smith-Jackson Tonya L. , Hall Troy E.
Published: January 2003

Recreation and wilderness areas are frequented by millions of visitors each year. These environments are charged with protection and preservation of resources while supporting visitor involvement and enjoyment. Given these potentially competing demands, the design of visitor communications is critical. Visitor communications should be consistent with users’cognitive capabilities and expectations about the order in which information will be presented. This study employed a cognitive elicitation method to capture shared schemas among participants who examined information communicated through a small panel system in a national park. Quantitativeand qualitativeresults support theexistenceof common schemas for information order. Implications and further methods to support performance-based validation arediscussed.
The Effect of Structural Preferences, Temperature, and Social Factors on Visibility in Western Lowland Gorillas
Authors: Stoinski Tara S. , Hoff Michael P. , Maple Terry L.
Published: January 2003

Postoccupancy evaluations are common in determining successful design elements in the human setting, but they are rarely employed in zoological parks. The current study evaluated how structural preferences, temperature, and social factors affected the visibility of four groups of gorillas to the public. Although the majority of structures were located in visible portions of the exhibit, structures had a negative effect on visibility because of the gorillas’ strong preference for a single typeof structure(buildings) located primarily in nonvisibleparts of theexhibits. Tem perature and visibility were linearly related, with increasing temperatures corresponding with decreasing visibility. The removal of an animal from the group significantly affected the visibility of the remaining group members. The authors’ results reinforce the need for exhibit designers to consider the relationships between animal behavior and environmental variables and to work with captive managers to create exhibits that meet the needs of individual animals.
Cross-Informant Agreement in Reports of Environmental Behavior and the Effect of Cross-Questioning on Report Accuracy
Authors: Lam San-Pui , Cheng Shih-I
Published: January 2003

Two hundred students and their spouses participated in a survey. Accuracy of the spouses’self-reports of environmental behavior was examined by comparing them with the students’ reports of the spouses’ behavior. These two sources of report were moderately correlated ( rs = .44 to .45). Moreover, self-reports could be higher or lower than other-reports, depending on the type of environmental behavior measured. Half of all participants were also cross-questioned about the details of their self-reports. Compared with those who were not cross-questioned, the former gave lower (less socially desirable) ratings for their own behavior. Put together, the present study found no strong evidence of accuracy or inaccuracy of self-reports but suggests that cross-questioning can make people more cautious in their answers. Gender differences in environmental behavior were also found and discussed.
The Morning Rush Hour
Authors: Evans Gary W. , Wener Richard E. , Phillips Donald
Published: January 2003

Although it is obvious that commuting to work is stressful, it is not at all clear why this is so. This study examined the potential role of commute unpredictability in the stressfulness of the daily journey to work among a population of rail commuters. Men and women who perceived their commute to work as more unpredictable felt greater levels of stress and evidenced higher elevations of salivary cortisol. Expected differences in motivation in task performance did not occur. Limitations of these cross-sectional findings are discussed along with future research needs. The possible roles of commute predictability and stress in transportation mode choice are also delineated.
A Structural Model of Proenvironmental Competency
Authors: Corral-Verdugo Victor
Published: January 2003

The notion of proenvironmental competency (PEC) is introduced, specified in a model, and tested. PEC is defined as “a capacity to effectively respond to environmental conservation requirements.” Proenvironmental skills constitute the capacity to act in an environmentally responsible way, whereas environmental perceptions, beliefs, motives, and values constitute environmental conservation requirements. Although skills are necessary elements for a competency, the requirements for conservation should also be present to shape such competency. Therefore, proenvironmental skills and requirements should correlate with each other under the influence of PEC. Using structural equations, a model was specified and tested, in which PEC was a factor emerging from correlations between proenvironmental skills and environmental motives, beliefs, and perceptions. PEC was also specified as covarying with a measure of conservation behavior. The resulting model revealed that PEC can be successfully modeled as proposed and that it saliently and significantly correlates with conservation behavior.
The Performance of Regression-Based Variations of the Visual Scree for Determining the Number of Common Factors
Authors: Nasser Fadia , Benson Jeri , Wisenbaker Joseph
Published: January 2003

The accuracy and consistency of four regression-based variations of the visual scree (Cattell-Nelson-Gorsuch, multiple regression, t-value index, and standard error scree [SEscree]) were examined using artificial data with known characteristics. The results indicated that in general, the SEscree was more accurate than the other three procedures. The observation-to-variable ratio was most influential on the accuracy and the consistency of the number of factors yielded by the SEscree followed by the magnitude of factor structure and pattern coefficients. Unlike the other regression variations of the scree, the SEscree performed equally well whether the factors were correlated or uncorrelated.
Pairwise Multiple Comparison Tests when Data are Nonnormal
Authors: Keselman H. J. , Cribbie Robert A. , Wilcox Rand R.
Published: January 2003

Numerous authors suggest that the data gathered by investigators are not normal in shape. Accordingly, methods for assessing pairwise multiple comparisons of means with traditional statistics will frequently result in biased rates of Type I error and depressed power to detect effects. One solution is to obtain a critical value to assess statistical significance through bootstrap methods. The SAS system can be used to conduct step-down bootstrapped tests. The authors investigated this approach when data were neither normal in form nor equal in variability in balanced and unbalanced designs. They found that the step-down bootstrap method resulted in substantially inflated rates of error when variances and group sizes were negatively paired. Based on their results, and those reported elsewhere, the authors recommend that researchers should use trimmed means and Winsorized variances with a heteroscedastic test statistic. When group sizes are equal, the bootstrap procedure effectively controlled Type I error rates.
Differential Person Functioning
Authors: Johanson George , Alsmadi Abdalla
Published: January 2003

The definitions, methods, and interpretations of differential item functioning are extended to the transpose of the usual person-item matrices. The primary purpose is to enhance diagnostic assessment in which individual differences in scores between content domains are clarified by conditioning the scores on item difficulty. Three examples are used to illustrate this approach with data from the mathematics section of the California Achievement Test using the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. The term differential person functioning is suggested.
Using an Iterative Model to Conceptualize, Pilot Test, and Validate Scores from an Instrument Measuring Teacher Readiness for Educational Reforms
Authors: Chatterji Madhabi , Sentovich Christina , Ferron John , Rendina-Gobioff Gianna
Published: January 2003

Scores from the Teacher Readiness for Educational Reforms (TRER)instrument were validated using a six-phase, iterative model. Initial conceptualization, content validation, and pilot testing yielded a 61-item instrument with seven subdomains (Phases 1-4). Exploratory work (Phase 5) using principal axis factor extraction supported a five-factor structure (Data Set 1, n = 393). Further exploration with a five-factor free-path model and a more constrained structural model yielded satisfactory fit values (Bentler’s comparative fit indexes of .94 and .93, respectively). Deletion or collapsing of items in Phase 5 yielded a refined TRER with 43 items. Confirmatory work (Phase 6) with a new data set ( n = 392) showed little slippage in fit. Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from .78 to .96 in final subdomain scores.