bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Lie Group Formulation of Robot Dynamics
Authors: Park F.C. , Bobrow J.E. , Ploen S.R.
Published: March 2007

In this article we present a unified geometric treatment of robot dynamics. Using standard ideas from Lie groups and Rieman nian geometry, we formulate the equations of motion for an open chain manipulator both recursively and in closed form. The recursive formulation leads to an O(n) algorithm that ex presses the dynamics entirely in terms of coordinate-free Lie algebraic operations. The Lagrangian formulation also ex presses the dynamics in terms of these Lie algebraic operations and leads to a particularly simple set of closed-form equations, in which the kinematic and inertial parameters appear explic itly and independently of each other. The geometric approach permits a high-level, coordinate-free view of robot dynamics that shows explicitly some of the connections with the larger body of work in mathematics and physics. At the same time the resulting equations are shown to be computationally ef fective and easily differentiated and factored with respect to any of the robot parameters. This latter feature makes the ge ometric formulation attractive for applications such as robot design and calibration, motion optimization, and optimal control, where analytic gradients involving the dynamics are required.
Of Chickens and Guinea Fowl
Authors: Crehan Kate
Published: March 2007

■ The old structural-functionalist obsession with comparisons between patrilineal and matrilineal systems and their respective functionality in a modernizing world, has been extensively and justifiably criticized. One thing this literature did do, however, was to recognize the centrality of kinship to political and economic life in much of rural Africa. In the postcolonial world kinship con tinues to play a central role, and understanding this role is crucial if we want to understand the complex and dynamic realities of contemporary Africa. This article traces out some of the practical realities into which 'matriliny' translated in the lives of those living in the Kaonde-speaking communities of Zambia's North-Western Province in the 1980s. One of the questions it addresses is that perennial one in the context of discussions of matriliny and matrilineal kinship systems: to what extent is matriliny, as opposed to patriliny, associated with greater power and authority for women? In particular I explore the implications of the structural tension between men's authority vis-a-vis women as husbands and as matrilineal kinsmen.
Relocating Class
Authors: Gill Lesley
Published: March 2007

This article examines the changing life circumstances of former Boli vian tin miners, who, following the closure of state-operated tin mines, settled on the periphery of the Bolivian capital, La Paz. It considers the dynamics that shape class formation and struggle in this impoverished setting. The analysis explores a dual process of struggle - one oriented toward the state and dominant insti tutions, the other centered around the daily interactions among working people themselves. These struggles shape the capability of working people to confront the economic violence of the wider society. They also elucidate how tensions among working people, which are rooted in their domination, shape the ways that they perceive the future.
In Search of New Approaches in Pentateuchal Research
Authors: Schmid H.H. , Clines D.J.A.
Published: March 2007

The following lines make an attempt, in general agreement with Rendtorff's critique of Pentateuchal criticism, to carry the search for new approaches to Pentateuchal criticism a stage further. They show that the traditio-historical process, pointed out by Rendtorff, of the redaction of the individual "larger units" in the Pentateuch and of their eventual combination into a whole displays close relationships to the Deuteronom(ist)ic formation of tradition. Inferences, in part distinct from those of Rendtorff, can be drawn for the dating of the O.T. redaction of the old Pentateuchal material, indications for their theological interpretation and new criteria for the methods of future Pentateuchal study.
Chiefs in Israel
Authors: Flanagan James W.
Published: March 2007

This essay examines the transitional period between the time of tribal organization and the emergence of full monarchy in ancient Israel. It studies the stages of development through which the nation's sociopolitical organizations passed as kingship emerged, and it concentrates upon the stage of chiefdom when chiefs provided leadership for familistic but non-egalitarian social groups. Recognizing the presence of chiefdoms aids in explaining the forces and counterforces which maneuvered within Israel during the rise of the monarchy. Accepting the fact that Saul and David served as chiefs contributes toward unravelling one of the nation's most complex and confusing periods /1/.
From the World Brain to the First Transatlantic Information Dialogue: activities in information and documentation in Germany in the first half of the 20 th Century
Authors: Hapke Thomas
Published: March 2007

It is not enough to found libraries. It is necessary, by means of lectures and bibliographic. lists, to instruct those eager for knowledge in the best methods of utilizing their treasures. And this is by no means so easy as it sounds!
IFLA Reports
Authors: Müller Harald
Published: March 2007

The following article continues the series of articles on copyright issues of interest to IFLA members. An article on copyright in Japan will appear in the next issue of IFLA Journal, followed by articles on copyright of audiovisual materials and electronic materials. The IFLA Copyright Committee invites IFLA members to comment on these articles, to offer advice on activities it should undertake, and to share their experiences, interests or questions on this important professional aspect of our work.
New Library - New Measures: A Social Audit of Public Libraries
Authors: Usherwood Bob , Linley Rebecca
Published: March 2007

Bob Usherwood, Professor of Librarianship at Sheffield University's Department of Information Studies,is widely experienced in the practice and teaching of librarianship and information studies. Before joining the Department at Sheffield he was Chief Librarian in the London Borough of Lambeth. He started his career with Devon County Libraries and has also worked for the London Boroughs of Havering and Sutton, and the Polytechnic of North London. Over the years he has presented papers to many conferences and courses in the UK and abroad. His international work has taken him to various parts of the world, including Singapore, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Ethiopia, Poland, Canada, Russian Federation, Scandinavia, Swaziland and Hungary. He served on LISC's predecessor, LACE (the Library Advisory Council for England), the Library Association Council and many professional working parties and committees. He was Chair of the Library Association's Working Party on Ethics that led to the LA adopting a Code of Professional Conduct in 1983. He was presented with an Honorary Fellowship of the Library Association in 1992 and made a Fellow of the Institute of Information Scientists in 1993. He was President of the Library Association in 1998. He obtained his Doctorate as a result of undertaking research into the role of elected members in the operation of public library services. His other research interests include the social impact of library services, public policy issues, interpersonal skills for LIS workers, the role of total quality management in public libraries and public library expenditure in the private sector. He is also responsible for the Centre for the Public Library in the Information Society (CEPLIS), at Sheffield University's Department of Information Studies. Mr Usherwood may be contacted at the Department of Information Studies, Sheffield University, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK (fax: +(44- 114) 2780300; e-mail: r.usherwood@sheffield.ac.uk).

Rebecca Linley received her first degree in politics from Newcastle University. After this she worked for several years in the civil service, most recently in the R&D Directorate of the Department of Health. She completed her MA at Sheffield University in 1996, and since then has worked on two British Library Research and Innovation Centre (BLRIC) projects- the social audit project at Sheffield (October 1996 until January 1998), and from February 1998 until the present at Leeds Metropolitan University on "Education and Training for Information Work in the Voluntary Sector", with four other co-workers. Ms Linley can be contacted at the School of Information Management, Leeds Metropolitan University, the Grange, Beckett Park, Leeds LS6 3QS, UK (e-mail: r.linley@lmu.ac.uk).
The Family Economy and the Market: Wages and Residence of Pennsylvania Women in the 1890s
Authors: Cross Gary , Shergold Peter R.
Published: March 2007

Based on a 1894 government survey of 2,925 Pennsylvanian working women, this article analyzes the differences between daughters who remained at home and thus contributed to their family wage economy and those who boarded away. Choice of board location is explained in terms of wages, hours, location, and national origin. Data on boarding costs and wages are used to make inferences about the patterns of bargaining between parents and daughters within the family economy and their relationship to boarding costs in the market. This article suggests that the boarding behavior of working women was a complex balance of responsiveness to familial values and calculation of individual economic objectives.
From Complex to Simple Family Households: Peasant Households in Northern Coastal Sweden 1700-1900
Authors: Egerbladh Inez
Published: March 2007

The long-term development of the households of landed peasants was investigated longitudinally in one village, and cross-sectionally in several parishes in northern coastal Sweden. The results showed a dominance of complex family households in a stem family system during the 1700s and development toward simpler family households in the 1800s. Demographic, economic, ecological, geographic, and, to some degree, cultural factors and their changes over time were taken into consideration in an explanation of this transition.
Family Economic Strategies in Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century Indianapolis
Authors: Robinson Robert V.
Published: March 2007

Through cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of two samples of families living in Indianapolis from 1860 to 1880 and from 1900 to 1920, I test several hypotheses on how families adjusted their use of three income- generating strategies (wives' employment, children's employment, and taking in boarders) to their social, economic and demographic milieu as well as to their changing needs and opportunities as they moved through the family life cycle. The bulk of families in both periods used at least one of these strategies at some point, relying on strategies of wives early in the life cycle and/or strategies of children later. Relative to families in the post-1860 period, families after the turn of the century relied more on the paid work of wives and daughters and less on boarding and sons' employment as sources of income.
Marriage and Militance in a Working Class District of St. Petersburg, 1896-1913
Authors: Economakis Evel , Brym Robert J.
Published: March 2007

Sharp controversy still exists over whether the Russian proletariat on the eve of the 1917 revolution comprised an urbanized, class-conscious community or a mass of semi-urbanized peasants rebelling against an alien industrial regime. We use published and archival data (church marriage records, county council statistics, and St. Petersburg worker blacklists) to argue against the "peasant" school. Specifically, we demonstrate the existence of an urban, working class community by analyzing the association among ( 1) frequency of urban marriage with spouses coming from different geographical origins, (2) industrial militance, and (3) rural socioeconomic conditions that turned peasants into proletarians.
Adoption as an Heirship Strategy under Demographic Constraints: a Case from Nineteenth-Century Japan
Authors: Kurosu Satomi , Ochiai Emiko
Published: March 2007

This article examines the adoption practices of South-Tama peasants in late nineteenth-century Japan on the basis of an 1870 household register (2,057 households). We find that the institution of adoption was the major heirship strategy for these households. The probability of adoption varied by the differential number of surviving siblings, and by economic status, thereby creating social mobility among them. Adoption was an important way to redistribute sons, benefitting households with and without sons and preventing household extinction.
The Evolution of Soviet Adoption Law
Authors: Bernstein Laurie
Published: March 2007

This article traces the evolution of legislation affecting adoptive relationships in the USSR from the promulgation of adoption law in 1926 until its reform in 1968. The author argues that reforms in adoption law and legal practice mirrored political and ideological developments in Soviet history. Outlawed in 1918, adoption was reintroduced in 1926 as a stopgap response to the overwhelming problem of child homelessness, with the law taking shape in a climate hostile to the family. Consequently, adoption law did not even attempt to replicate biological relationships. Attitudes toward adoption changed in response to post-1936 profa mily policies, as well as in response to problems created by World War II. By the time Soviet lawmakers revised the law in 1968, adoptive and biological families had been given legal equality.
Widows and Reputation in the Diocese of Chester, England, 1560-1650
Authors: Deal Laura K.
Published: March 2007

Widows in the diocese of Chester in early modem England participated in and were subject to gossip in ways that did not differ from the experience of other adult women. Widows used language as a tool of social influence both in cases of sexual defamation and in cases of suspected witchcraft. This article explores widows' participation in theformation of reputation and their vulnerability to stereotyping as witches. Sources include defamation cases from the consistory court of the diocese of Chester and accusations of witchcraft from the palatinate courts of Cheshire and Lancashire.
Firearms and the Distribution of Income: A Neo-Classical Model
Authors: Pettengill John S. , Pettengill John S.
Published: March 2007

I argue that firearms, by reducing the cost of keeping the peasant population under control, allowed the elite groups in Europe to increase their rate of exploitation, 1500-1650, by enserfing peasants in Eastern Europe and by raising taxes in Western Europe, in both areas causing real wages to fall (roughly) by half. Similarly, the improved firearms the French brought to South East Asia allowed the local elites to move to the cities and break the old cooperative jajmani relationship between landlord and peasant.
The Logic of Worker (Non)Participation in Yugoslav Self-Management
Authors: Comisso Ellen T. , Comisso Ellen T.
Published: March 2007

A great deal of research on Yugoslav self-management has docu mented and sought to explain a lack of worker participation and influence in enterprise decision-making. This paper, based on an intensive case study of a Yugoslav plant, examines the kinds of issues over which Yugoslav workers do be come very actively involved in decision-making processes. It finds that workers' implicitly "ideological" values and principles are the key determinant of worker participation. When those values are threatened by a proposed course of action, workers participate vociferously to defend them; when they are not, workers tend to "delegate" decision-making to others At the same time, precisely because of the circumstances leading to heavy worker involvement in decision-making, the decisions in which workers participate most actively are least likely to be those over which they feel they have control, i.e., in conflicts — typically with manage ment — workers' preferences are not likely to be embodied in the final decision. In contrast, on issues where there is no conflict and in which workers as a cohe sive group are not highly involved, the final decision is likely to reflect workers' preferences as much as those of everyone else in the firm. Thus, in the case of blue collar workers, participation in self-management is likely to be inversely cor related with having influence over decisions.
Analysis of Word Finding Disorders on the Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC)
Authors: German Diane , McGaw Foster G.
Published: March 2007

The Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), a new individually administered intelligence and achievement tool which assesses problem-solving styles and information processing, is reviewed with respect to the identification of word finding problems and the usefulness of the simultaneous vs. successive processing dichotomy in the understanding of children's word retrieval disorders. A framework for identifying potential expressive language problems while conducting other comprehensive assessments is recommended. Hypothetical profiles contrasting children's scores on simultaneous vs. successive tasks are discussed with respect to types of word finding problems manifested on the K-ABC. Extension testing is recommended where appropriate.
Validity of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test for Learning-Disabled Children
Authors: Furlong Michael J. , Teuber Jeffrey F.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the concurrent and construct validity of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT) vis-à-vis the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—Revised (PPVT-R), the Similarities and Vocabulary subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), and the Auditory Reception and Auditory Association subtests of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA). The subjects were 97 learning-disabled students (age range = 72-143 months) in the Honolulu area who were administered all tests as part of a multidisciplinary psychoeducational evaluation. The results indicated that the EOWPVT had acceptable concurrent validity, but the construct validity of the test was questionable. The EOWPVT scores were also found to be consistently higher than the PPVT-R scores. Implications for the assessment of learning-disabled children's expressive and receptive semantic skills are discussed.
The Test of Choice for Assessment of Gifted Children: A Comparison of the K-ABC, WISC-R, and Stanford-Binet
Authors: McCallum R. Steve , Karnes Frances A. , Edwards Ron P.
Published: March 2007

Correlational and mean-difference analyses from 41 gifted children were conducted to determine the comparability of mental ability scores from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC-R), Stanford-Binet, and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC). Correlation coefficients ranged from .03 to .74. The three mean K-ABC processing scores were (statistically) significantly lower than the IQs from the WISC-R and the Stanford-Binet for all possible comparisons. The implications of using the three tests for placement in gifted programs are discussed.
New Formulas for Evaluating the Abnormality of Test Score Differences
Authors: Silverstein A. B.
Published: March 2007

Two new formulas are offered for evaluating the abnormality of the difference between a subject's average score and one of the scores included in that average. The use of these formulas is illustrated with a portion of the standardization data for the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Users of the formulas are cautioned that a difference that is abnormal in the statistical sense need not imply pathology.
Comparison of WAIS and WAIS-R IQs from Two Equivalent College Populations
Authors: Lewis Marjorie L. , Johnson James J.
Published: March 2007

The present investigation compared the WAIS (N = 39) and WAIS-R (N = 35) IQs of two groups of college undergraduates (aged 17 to 22) judged to be comparable in aptitude as measured by ACT scores. The WAIS-R IQs were found to be significantly lower than the WAIS IQs and approximate those reported by Wechsler for a group aged 35 to 44. The WAIS/WAIS-R differences have important implications in the use of these tests in school and clinical settings. Correlations of the WAIS and the WAIS-R IQs with the Composite and the subscale scores of the ACT indicate that the WAIS-R IQs are more congruent with ACT test results than WAIS IQs.
Commentary in Response to Braden
Authors: Hayes Frusanna B. , Courtney Audrey S.
Published: March 2007

Braden (this issue) criticizes a recent report by Courtney, Hayes, Couch, and Frick (1984) on administration of the WISC-R Performance Scale to hearing impaired (HI) children with pantomimed instruction. A review of Braden's comments indicates that he neither accurately represents the intent of the study nor accurately represents the conclusions stated in the report. Furthermore, Braden addresses the issue as though all HI children can be most appropriately evaluated through translation to manual communication, a position that is not supported by analysis of communication modes in use with HI children. Clarification of conclusions by Courtney et al., support for their interpretation of possible sampling procedure effects, and discussion of the need for alternative test administration procedures (e.g., pantomine) are presented.
Reliability of the Teacher Rating Scale of the Behavior Rating Profile
Authors: Lupo Janet M. , Forman Susan G.
Published: March 2007

The stability and interrater reliability of the Teacher Rating Scale of the Behavior Rating Profile (Brown & Hammill, 1983) was examined for 37 learning-disabled elementary school students. Test-retest reliability coefficients were high for ratings of regular classroom teachers and resource room teachers over a 3-week interval. However, interrater reliability between these two types of teacher raters was low, with resource room teachers rating student behavior as less deviant than regular classroom teachers.
Cognitive Processing of High-Functioning Autistic Children: Comparing The K-ABC and the WISC-R
Authors: Freeman B. J. , Lucas J. Chapman , Forness Steven R. , Ritvo E. R.
Published: March 2007

The K-ABC was administered to 21 autistic children, and scores were examined both in relation to differences in sequential and simultaneous processing scores and in comparison to the subjects' current IQ scores on the WISC-R. Results are discussed in terms of problems in interpretation of cognitive test scores.
Intrasubject Differences in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised
Authors: Franzen Michael D. , Sharp Brian H.
Published: March 2007

The three different types of standard error of measurement are discussed and tables of appropriate values are reported. These values may be used in setting confidence boundaries around test scores, assessing changes accrued across time as the result of retest, and assessing intrasubject versus intratest scale score differences in order to determine relative strengths and weaknesses. Two important considerations may be reached by comparing two sets of values. First, the use of the values contained in this article will result in more accurate decisions than would use of the values reported in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R). Second, the WISC-R was found to be a slightly more precise measurement technique than was reported in its manual. Additionally, the reliability of verbal versus performance differences was computed, as was the percentage of the normative sample that exhibited reliable differences.
Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Personality Inventory for Children
Authors: Clark Elaine , Kehle Thomas J. , Bullock Donna , Jenson William R.
Published: March 2007

The Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) was compared with measures of cognitive functioning (e.g., WISC-R) and classroom behavior (e.g., WPBIC). The results demonstrated that the PIC can identify salient personality and cognitive features of learning-disabled, emotionally disturbed, and intellectually handicapped children. Furthermore, correlations between the PIC profile scales and the WISC-R showed that the majority of significant correlations clustered around PIC scales intended to identify cognitive deficits, whereas significant correlations with the WPBIC were with PIC scales intended to identify disruptive, acting-out behavior. These relationships provide support for both the construct validity and diagnostic potential of the PIC with children referred for special education services.
Processing Styles, Reading Performance and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children
Authors: Rothlisberg Barbara A.
Published: March 2007

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Prescriptive Reading Performance Test, and a modification of the Analytic Reading Inventory were administered to a sample of nonexceptional, elementary-aged children to determine whether performance on the subscales of the K-ABC was associated with decoding and comprehension scores on the reading measures. While the Sequential Scale was found to be related significantly to decoding and even to comprehension of text written in standard form, the Simultaneous Scale showed no relation to any of the reading tasks. These findings suggested that caution must be exercised in presuming that variations in K-ABC performance, especially on the Simultaneous Scale, will predict reading skills in normal readers.
Clinical Utility of the Selective Reminding Test-Children's Version
Authors: Snow Jeffrey H. , English Richard , Lange Bernadette
Published: March 2007

The clinical utility of the Selective Reminding Test (SRT) children's version was examined in two studies. Study 1 investigated differences among children with learning disabilities (LD), seizure disorders (SD), and normal controls (NC). The results indicated overall significance among the groups; the NC subjects evidenced higher scores. Follow-up comparisons showed differences to be present for measures of initial memory encoding and consistent retrieval. Study 2 examined differences between children with adequate consistent long-term memory abilities (MA) and children with dysfunctional consistent long-term memory skills (MD). The groups were formulated based on performance on the Consistent Long Term Retrieval Scale from the SRT and were compared on other neuropsychological measures. The results indicated the MD children to be significantly below the MA children on measures of visual memory, abstraction ability, and mental flexibility. The results of both studies are discussed in relation to practical and theoretical relevance.
The Interrelationship of Measures of Manifest Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Locus of Control, and Depression in Children with Behavior Problems
Authors: Rawson Have E.
Published: March 2007

The interrelationships among measures of manifest anxiety, self-esteem, locus of control, and depression were studied among children with behavioral and emotional problems. Six random samples were drawn from a population of children referred because of behavioral problems that interfered with their classroom learning. Each subject was individually administered two of the following four tests: the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS); the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory for Children, Form B (SEI); the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (CNS-IE); and the Reynolds Childhood Depression Scale (RCDS). Results indicated that, within this sample, measures of children's depression, external locus of control, and anxiety all were intercorrelated positively to a moderately high level. Measures of self-esteem were correlated significantly and negatively with depression and anxiety, but had little correlation with external locus of control.
Validation of a Clinical Method for the Diagnosis of Two Subtypes of Dyslexia
Authors: Newby Robert F. , Recht Donna R. , Caldwell JoAnne
Published: March 2007

Children with dyslexia were identified and subtyped by two testing methods, word attack and analysis of spelling errors. A phonologically impaired group (n = 54) and an orthographically impaired group (n = 20) were selected from a mid-elementary-school-level referred population for an intervention program. The subtype diagnostic methods were validated by a double dissociation between the groups on a variety of independent measures of phonological and orthographic processing. Phonologically impaired children with dyslexia showed poorer higher-order phonics processing skills, such as sound integration, than did orthographically impaired children with dyslexia. The groups did not differ on lower-order phonics processing skills, such as rhyming or segmentation. Orthographically impaired children showed poorer recognition of nonwords and slower reading speed than did phonologically impaired children. These subtype diagnostic methods can provide clinically important information about dyslexic children's mental processing strengths and weaknesses.
Measurement of Team Decision-Making Through Generalizability Theory
Authors: Suen Hoi K. , Lu Chin-Hsieh , Neisworth John T. , Bagnato Stephen J.
Published: March 2007

The reliabilities and errors of judgmental-based assessment outcomes derived through use of the System to Plan Early Childhood Services (SPECS; Bagnato & Neisworth, 1990) were investigated within the framework of the generalizability theory of measurement (Cronbach, Gleser, Nanda, & Rajaratnam, 1972). The SPECS was designed explicitly to produce collaborative/team decisions with regard to child development status and need and routinely involves more than one rater. Overall (with the exception of the unusual situation in which only one rater was employed), scores from SPECS generally had adequate levels of reliability under the interpretation scenarios investigated.
The Metropolitan Readiness Test as a Descriptor and Predictor of Children's Competence in Kindergarten Through Grade Two
Authors: Clancy Cynthia H. , Pianta Robert C.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the use of the Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT) as a descriptor and predictor of children's abilities and competence in kindergarten through grade two. Four hundred and four children were assessed at kindergarten entry, grade one, and grade two with a variety of academic, cognitive, and social-emotional measures. The MRT demonstrated significant correlations (r = .36 to .68) with these criterion measures and was a strong predictor of children's social competence in early elementary school. The MRT was moderately correlated with and highly predictive of (r = .45 to .76) academic and cognitive tests administered in grades one and two. The results are discussed in terms of an ecological framework and address current issues in the field of early childhood education related to screening for the identification of children at risk for school failure.
Conjoint Effects of Intelligence and Adaptive Behavior on Achievement in a Nonreferred Sample
Authors: diSibio Mary
Published: March 2007

This study examined the conjoint effects of intelligence and adaptive behavior on subsequent achievement in a nonreferred sample. Scores from the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-Classroom Edition (VABS-CE) were collected for 51 kindergarten children. These kindergarten scores subsequently were compared with the children's second-grade achievement in reading, spelling, language, and math. Results indicated a moderate overall relationship between intelligence and adaptive behavior scores (r = .31, p < .05), which corroborates earlier evidence that these are separate, but related constructs. As in previous studies, achievement was predicted best by intelligence (r = .67, p < .001). However, in the areas of reading, language, and math achievement, adaptive behavior contributed significant additional predictive power (117% for total achievement), even after intelligence had been taken into account.
Reliability and Validity of Test-Session Behavior Observations: Putting the Horse Before the Cart
Authors: Kaplan Charles
Published: March 2007

Studies that show marginal generality of test-session behaviors to non-test situations are criticized for addressing the question of validity without first establishing evidence of observational reliability. Internal consistency indices of reliability for observational instruments, while necessary, are insufficient without evidence of interobserver and intraobserver agreement. Data are presented that show that interobserver and intraobserver agreement is inconsistent both in direction and level of ratings when 42 test-session behaviors are rated during each of 21 test sessions in which the WPPSI-R was used as the standardized assessment instrument. A systematic research program on the utility of this clinical practice is needed, with a primary focus on improving observational reliability. Until data that substantiate this clinical practice are accumulated, clinicians are urged to exercise caution when they are drawing inferences from test-session behaviors.
Development of Planning in Relation to Age, Attention, Simultaneous and Successive Processing
Authors: Parrila Rauno K. , Äystö Seija , Das J. P.
Published: March 2007

This study investigated the development of planning and its relationship with age and other cognitive processes taken from the PASS model. Ninety-nine students in grades two, four, and eleven were administered planning, simultaneous processing, successive processing, and attention tasks. MANOVA with grade level and gender as independent variables revealed that grade level had a significant effect on planning, whereas gender did not. All but one planning variable showed a significant main effect of grade in subsequent ANOVAs. Pair-wise comparisons between grade levels indicated that the developmental trajectories were not uniform in different tasks. Regression analyses indicated that the contribution of the other three cognitive processes to planning varied as a function of the specific planning task. The adequacy of different planning measures and the need for collecting verbal protocols while subjects are engaged in solving the problems are discussed.
Stability of the WPPSI-R and WISC-III Factor Structure Using Cross-Validation of Covariance Structure Models
Authors: Allen Stephen R. , Thorndike Robert M.
Published: March 2007

The reliability of the Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Organization factors of the WPPSI-R and WISC-III was examined by use of cross-validation of covariance structure models, a new statistical methodology that employs both unrestricted and restricted factor analyses. Reliability of the factor structure would be indicated if the goodness of fit of restricted factor analytic models generated from unrestricted factor patterns did not degrade when tested on other age groups. If the goodness of fit changed in an inconsistent fashion, that would indicate that the factor structure of one or both of the instruments is unreliable. Finally, if the goodness of fit changed in a systematic fashion, getting worse with greater age differences, then an argument for true intellectual changes could be made. Results revealed general consistency in the goodness of fit across age groups. Therefore, it was concluded that a two-factor model that consists of the Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Organization factors is reliable across age groups and instruments.
Congruence of Test-Behavior Dimensions among Child Groups that Vary in Gender, Race-Ethnicity, and Ses
Authors: Konold Timothy R. , Glutting Joseph J. , Oakland Thomas , O'Donnell Louise
Published: March 2007

The possibility of construct bias was investigated with the Guide to the Assessment of Test Session Behavior for the WISC-III and WIAT (GATSB). Specifically, the study examined whether the three constructs measured by the GATSB (i.e., Avoidance, Inattentiveness, and Uncooperative Mood) share the same factor structure across demographic groups that vary in gender, race-ethnicity (Anglo, African-American, Hispanic), and SES (high, middle, low). Children (N = 969) ranged between the ages of 6 and 16 years and comprised the GATSB's standardization and validity-study samples. Coefficients of factorial congruence/similarity were sufficiently high to warrant the conclusion that the GATSB's three constructs are comparable (i.e., share the same factor structure) for children who differ by gender, race-ethnicity, and SES. The current findings align with previous bias studies conducted with the GATSB (Glutting, Oakland, & Konold, 1994; Nandakumar, Glutting, & Oakland, 1993) and indicate that Anglo examiners can place considerable confidence in using this instrument to measure the test-taking behaviors of children who differ by gender and SES as well as those who are Anglo, African-American, and Hispanic.
Application of the Seven-Subtest Short Form of the WAIS-R in African Americans with Brain Damage
Authors: Ryan Joseph J. , Weilage Mark E. , Lopez Shane J. , Paolo Anthony M. , Miller David M. , Morris Jeri
Published: March 2007

This study examined the accuracy of Ward's (1990) seven-subtest short form for predicting WAIS-R IQs of 54 African Americans with brain damage. Means for age, education, and FSIQ were 47.1 years (SO= 16.6), 10.8 years (SD= 2.4), and 79.3 (SD = 11.6). Short-form VIQs, PIQs, and FSIQs were within ±1 standard error of measurement of the actual WAIS-R scores 81.5%, 83.3%, and 83.3% of the time. This abbreviation may be applied to African Americans with brain damage when general estimates of intellectual functioning are required. However, the shortened scale detected reliable VIQ.PIQ discrepancies on the WAIS-R only 53% of the time. Therefore, interpretation of significant short-form-based VIQ-PIQ discrepancies should be avoided.
Kindergarten Screening for Risk of Reading Failure
Authors: Flynn Jane , Rahbar Mohammad Hossein
Published: March 2007

Despite the effectiveness of early intervention with children at risk for reading failure, few cost-effective, reliable, and valid early screening tests exist for identification of those at risk. This paper discusses the development of the Literacy Screening Battery (LSB). The LSB, a group-administered test for identification of kindergarten children at risk for reading failure, was validated across three cohorts of children in 26 school districts. Based on a model of reading as an interactive process composed of early-developing, lower-level skills (e.g., phonological awareness, logographic ability) and later-developing, higher-level processes (vocabulary, syntactical knowledge), the LSB was designed to be used for instructional planning as children begin formal reading instruction. Psychometric studies support the theoretical basis of the LSB and its usefulness in predicting up to 81% of the children who had poor reading outcomes in first, second, or third grade.
A Model for the Oxygen Index of Plasticized Poly(Vinyl Chloride
Authors: Dickens E.D.
Published: March 2007

Experimental Oxygen Index data taken on plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) systems which consisted of just poly(vinyl chloride) resin, PVC, and plasticizer are shown to obey a simple two-parameter equation for plasticizer loadings above 15 weight percent. The empirical equation is further tested using data for similar plasticized PVC compounds based on large number of commercial plasticizers and plasticizer blends. One parameter used in the equation is the Oxygen Index of the pure plasticizer determined using a simple modification of the standard Oxygen Index test procedure. The other parameter is shown to have essentially the same value for all the plasticizers tested. A detailed deriva tion of the empirical model is provided using published flame spread models adapted for the Oxygen Index test. Predictions of the Oxygen Index for the two-component (ideal) plasticized PVC compounds are within 2-3% of the ex perimentally measured values.
Toxic Hazards of Acrolein and Carbon Monoxide During Combustion
Authors: Morikawa Tokio
Published: March 2007

Low molecular weight flammable liquid materials and sucrose, in place of polymeric materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, cellulose, etc., were combusted in a tube furnace under different burning conditions. Evolution of acrolein and carbon monoxide were determined using gas chromatographic analysis. It was found that acrolein may have a greater lethal role than carbon monoxide under certain burning conditions.
Technique for Measuring the Oxygen Index of Fibrous and Powdered Cellulose Derivatives
Authors: Trask Brenda J. , Beninate John V. , Drake George L.
Published: March 2007

A technique to assess the flame resistance of small quantities of fibrous or powdered derivatives of cotton cellulose was developed. The procedure is an adaptation of the oxygen index (OI) fabric flammability test. Cellulose fibers or powders were pressed into 0.5-g discs, 1 1/4 in. in diameter which were used to measure the OI's in the instrument employed for fabric OI determinations. Comparison of OI's of discs and fabrics representing untreated and conven tionally treated FR cottons resulted in a linear relationship; disc OI values were higher due to higher fiber density and lower accessibility of oxygen to the substrate. Among the experimental treatments of cotton cellulose, OI values of fibrous and powdered celluloses were uniformly low with increasing tritylation, peaked and dropped with increasing tosyl concentration and rose with increas ing mesylation. Some derivatives would be considered flame resistant.
Smoke Accumulation 2. Predictive Parameters for Plywood
Authors: Brenden John J. , Le Van Susan L.
Published: March 2007

In recent years, the Aminco-NBS smoke density chamber (ASTM Method E 662) has been frequently used for measuring the smoke yield of materials. If chamber data could be related to larger scale fire experiments, the test method would contribute to cost-effective fire research.

In this study, a specially modified chamber facilitated smoke sampling at several locations. Sampling at various locations established the smoke distribu tion and made it possible to calculate correlating parameters using 3/8-inch (0.953 cm) thick Douglas-fir plywood. In general, the particulate optical density (POD), the mass optical density (MOD), and the weight fraction (χ) of par ticulates in the smoke showed considerable variability. Particulate mass concen tration could be the most important predictive variable.
Evaluation of Smoke Toxicity Using Concentration-Time Products
Authors: Alexeeff George V. , Puckham Steven C.
Published: March 2007

A variety of protocols and test methods have been developed to examine com bustion product toxicity of building and furnishing materials. To promote com parisons of results among such tests, a standard method for quantifying ex posure intensity as an estimate of dosage was developed. Smoke concentrations (C) were calculated from sample weight-loss data and integrated over the animal exposure time (t), such that Ct products were obtained in units of "mg/L · minutes." Application of the method was demonstrated by calculating Ct prod ucts from data reported in the literature for forty-five materials examined by the University of Pittsburg test (UPT) method.

Smoke concentrations from individual materials tested in the UPT method were not constant and some materials produced smoke for only one third of the 30-minute exposure period. Some smoke exposures calculated using the pro posed method were as low as one-fourth to one-sixth of that implied by the reported LC50 (g) values. Expression of toxic potency in Ct units [L(Ct)50's] changed the relative ranking of some materials. Generically similar materials exhibited similar L(Ct)50's. The range of L(Ct)50's, especially for wood products, was found to be narrow when compared to that of pure gases and vapors.
The Acute Toxicity of the Breakdown Products of the Fire Extinguishant Bromochlorodifluoromethane (BCF®, Halon 1211
Authors: Doe J.E. , Curry A.M. , Robinson M. , Melia B.J.
Published: March 2007

Halogenated fire extinguishants break down during the process of extin guishing flame and the acute toxicity of the breakdown products of halon 1211 has been investigated. Rats were exposed for 5 minutes to breakdown products generated by the partial extinguishment of a propane flame at concentrations of 350 ppm, 1200 ppm and 2900 ppm total halogen acid gas. Apart from sensory irritation during exposure, there were no significant effects at 350 ppm and 1200 ppm. Exposure to 2900 ppm caused sensory irritation, some ophthalmitis and a transient weight loss. A parallel series of experiments was carried out to determine the concentration of breakdown products when halon 1211 extin guishers were used to put out a variety of small fires. Except where a large solvent fuel load caused such a large fire that the operator had to wear protective clothing to approach the fire, the breakdown products did not exceed 100 ppm. It can be concluded that halon 1211 decomposition products do not add significantly to the hazardous conditions caused by fires in the form of smoke, heat, oxygen depletion and toxic gas production.
Thermal and Flammability Characterization of Graphite Composites
Authors: Kourtides D.A.
Published: March 2007

Flammability, thermal, and selected mechanical properties of composites fabricated with epoxy and other thermally stable resin matrices are described. Properties which were measured included limiting-oxygen index, smoke evolu tion, thermal degradation products, total-heat release, heat-release rates, mass loss, flame spread, ignition resistance, thermogravimetric analysis and selected mechanical properties. This paper describes the properties of eight dif ferent graphite composite panels fabricated using four different resin matrices and two types of graphite reinforcement. The resin matrices included: XU71775/H795, a blend of vinylpolystyrylpyridine and bismaleimide; H795, a bismaleimide; Cycom 6162, a phenolic; and PSP 6022M, a polystyrylpyridine. The graphite fiber used was AS-4 in the form of either tape or fabric. The prop erties of these composites were compared with epoxy composites. It was deter mined that the blend of vinylpolystyrylpyridine and bismaleimide (XU71775/ H795) with the graphite tape was the optimum design giving the lowest heat release rate.
Pulmonary Tissue Reactions in Response to Smoke Injury
Authors: Alexeeff George V. , Lee Y. Cherry , Thorning David , Howard Marianne L. , Hudson Leonard D.
Published: March 2007

Rats were exposed for 30 minutes at the approximate LC50 of Douglas fir (DF), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyisocyanurate foam (PI) smokes produced in a radiant furnace at 2.5 w/cm2. They were sacrificed and examined for respira tory tissue changes at 24 hours following exposure. All smokes produced air way injury. The more extensive airway injury produced by PVC smoke and, in some instances, by PI smoke, involved the entire epithelial surface area of the trachea and the surfaces of lobar and first division sublobar bronchi. The injury produced by DF smoke was concentrated in the proximal one-half of the trachea. The injuries are discussed with respect to potential chemical toxicants.
Multi-Directional Flow Probe Assembly for Fire Application
Authors: Newman Jeffrey S.
Published: March 2007

An instrumentation assembly is described consisting of two precisely oriented bi-directional flow probes. This calibrated assembly is capable of ob taining multi-directional velocity data, particularly in fire applications.