bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relating the Method: Use of the Itinerary Concept in the Analysis of Sport Biographies
Authors: Puig Núria , Morell Sussi , Rees Richard
Published: March 2007

The article "relates" the method (in-depth interviews and content analysis) used for two research projects centred on people's subjective experience in relation to their sport activities. Both projects examine the issue in terms of process and, to this end, make operative the concept of sport itinerary, understood as the context in which events take place and acquire meaning. Nevertheless, due to the fact that the two projects differ greatly from each other from the theoretical and thematic points of view, one being concerned with the socialisation processes undergone by young people in sport and the other with passions in top-level sport, the adaptation of the method and its application are very different in both cases. Hence we stress the fact that the method -and not just the theory- leads us to the obtention of results.
Designing Graduate Programs to Prepare the Communication Leaders of 2000 +
Authors: Meese George P. E. , Wahlstrom Billie J.
Published: March 2007

Recent years have seen extraordinary growth in thefield ofscientificand tech nical communication. Video, computer, electronic-publishing, and telecom munications technologies have challenged traditional print dominance among the media. As schools nationwide attempt to meet the needs of a new generation of technical-communication leaders, it is appropriate that we ex plore what distinguishes a comprehensive graduate program in this new field. By examining leading programs, assessing industry's needs, and sketching a profile of an ideal graduate communicator, we are able to set goals for curricu lum, staff, facilities, resources, support, and administration of a state-of-the- art graduate program in technical communication.
Approaches and Practices
Authors: Kramer Melinda G.
Published: March 2007

Anyone considering industrial or corporate consulting should be aware of two important factors. First, when evaluating the success of a training program, clients typically use one principal measure: employee productivity. Rhetorical concerns aside, instruction must translate directly into increased job effi ciency. Second, clients may hire writing consultants to solve alleged writing problems that are, in fact, disguised management problems. Consultants need to perform their own careful diagnosis and be alert for organizational issues having little to do with writing deficiencies. This article explores these two ca veats in the context of a six-week training program held for engineers and technicians of a manufacturing firm.
Insect-Inspired Robotic Homing
Authors: Weber Keven , Venkatesh Svetha , Srinivasan Mandyam
Published: March 2007

Many animals, including insects, successfully engage in visual homing. We describe a system that allows a mobile robot to home. Specifically, we propose a simple, yet robust, homing scheme that only relies upon the observation of the bearings of visible landmarks. However, this can easily be extended to include other visual cues. The homing algorithm allows a mobile robot to home incrementally by moving in such a way as to gradually reduce the discrepancy between the current view and the view obtained from the home position. Both simulation and mobile robot experi ments are used to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach.
Musical Instruments and Practices of the Tsonga Beer-Drink
Authors: Johnston Thomas F.
Published: March 2007

This article examines the musical and social functions of various instru ments found in the context of the Shangana-Tsonga social beer-drink in Mozambique and the Northern Transvaal. In addition to the usual beaten/ blown distinctions (which are primarily etic), important emic distinctions are noted, such as secular/sacred, privately-owned/communally-owned, professionally-playedlnonprofessionally-played, and ensemble-oriented/solo oriented.
Factor Analysis of a Cross-cultural Sample
Authors: McNett Charles W.
Published: March 2007

Factor analysis (principal components) with both orthogonal and ob lique rotations was applied to gamma coefficients derived from the cross-cultural data used to develop a settlement pattern scale of cul tural complexity. Varying numbers of factors were rotated, using both methods, and it was concluded that the results confirmed the systematic relationships reported earlier. However, the missing data were some what of a problem, and the analysis was repeated with estimated missing values for an augmented set of traits, using both phi and gamma coeffi cients and oblique rotation only. Phi gave a clearer picture, with the same major factors-politics, economics, and religion. In addition, a functional relationship between monogamy, bilateral kinship, and absence of slavery appeared. The other variables were essentially restricted to their own specific factors. Higher order factor analysis was then used to group the initial factors at a second and third level. [Cultural Evolution, Cross- cultural Analysis, Factor Analysis, Comparative Methodology]
Galton's Problem, Autocorrelation, and Diffusion Coefficients
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: March 2007

The linked pair solution to Galton's problem is examined from the per spective of the autocorrelation problem in economics. The estimated de grees of freedom, but not the correlations, are shown to be inflated due to diffusional and historical associations. An alternate form of the linked pair method is derived from the Orcutt-James solution to the autocorrelation problem. This technique permits unrestricted sampling of societies along a diffusion or geographic arc, and then provides a formula for calculating the effective number of nonredundant cases for statistical tests. The advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed.
How Do I Respect Thee? Let Me Count The Ways: Deference Towards Elderly Men and Women
Authors: Silverman Philip , Maxwell Robert J.
Published: March 2007

In our previous work we have suggested that the status of the aged is influenced by the kinds of information they provide to other community members. In this paper we examine the different means by which the appreciation of others is expressed in a sample of 34 societies. The categories of deference described are spatial (e.g., special seats for old people), victual (e.g., given choice foods), linguistic (e.g., addressed in honorifics), presen tational (e.g., special posture assumed in their presence), service (e.g., house keeping performed for them), prestative (e.g., given gifts), and celebrative (e.g., ceremonies held in their honor). We present the frequency distribu tions of these deference categories by sex, and make an initial attempt to interpret the findings in terms of the higher order concepts of custodial and symbolic deference.
The Relationship between Parental Acceptance-Rejection and the Academic Performance of Fourth and Fifth Graders
Authors: Starkey Sandra Lee
Published: March 2007

This study uses a sample of 220 fourth and fifth grade boys and girls in the Washington, D.C. area to explore the relationship between chil dren's perceptions of parental warmth/rejection and their academic per formance. Scores on the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire rep resent children's perception of parental acceptance-rejection. Measures of academic performance include Science Research Associate (SRA) achieve ment test scores and grade point averages. The data demonstrate a direct and positive relationship between children's perception of parental warmth and their SRA scores and grade point average.
National Cultures Revisited
Authors: Hofstede Geert
Published: March 2007

Anthropology can make a holistic contribution to the study of the com plex societies of today's nations, by identifying key issues, relevant to both the in dividual and the social system, on which these nations differ in empirically verifiable ways. This is labelled the "national cultures approach" and can be con sidered an extension, with a broader purpose and more effective research methods, of the "national character" approach of the 1950's. The paper describes a large research project by the author covering over 50 nations, which identified four such "key issues", labelled Power Distance, Uncertainty A voidance, Individualism ver sus Collectivism and Masculinity versus Femininity. It is argued that this type of contribution by anthropologists can make practical sense to policy makers, and of fers an opportunity for new jobs for anthropologists.
A Review of Cross-Cultural Studies on Moral Judgment Development Using the Defining Issues Test
Authors: Moon Yong-Lin
Published: March 2007

Twenty cross-cultural studies on moral judgment development using the Defining Issues Test (DIT) were reviewed with respect to cross- cultural validity, age/education trends, gender difference correlations with other psychological factors, religion, urban-rural, delinquency, and familial/societal factors. By and large, results indicate that the DIT has similar psychometric properties (factor structure, internal consis tency, and reliability) and construct validity in non-American cultures. However, the rate of development and the strength of relationships with other variables were found to differ across cultures. It is suggested that fine-grained research is needed to explain (rather than describe) the differences and similarities in terms of cultural and societal causation.
An Excursion Into Utilitarian Analysis
Authors: Malpass Roy S.
Published: March 2007

Across a wide range of disciplines and phenomena, a particular theoret ical approach is at the center of attempts to understand human behavior. This theoretical approach, roughly characterized as Subjective Expected Utility (SEU) theory, figures prominently in formal and mathematical theo ries of behavior, as well as in intuitive and implicit analyses of behavior deriving from folk theory. A selection of SEU approaches is described. The SEU approach is then used to develop a theoretical analysis of cross-race social experience and its relation to the cross-racial face recognition phe nomenon.
Cassava Production and Processing in a Cross-Cultural Sample of African Societies
Authors: Romanoff Steven , Carter Simon , Lynam John
Published: March 2007

A cross-cultural examination of determinants of cassava production and process ing in Africa considers such cultural variables as kinship and market involvement to complement Boserup's population density model (1965). Expert anthropologists coded societies that they had studied, and a geographic information system added information from diverse maps.
Commentary On Nature-Culture Parallelisms
Authors: Munroe Robert L.
Published: March 2007

The paper begins with a discussion of the concepts of homology and analogy and their relationship to each other and to the phenomenon of parallel outcomes in anzmal and human behavior. I then present a collection of arguments and pieces of evidence concerning the scientific value of a continuing investigation into para llelisms. Examples are given from technology, sexuality, social relationshtps, kin ship, and ethnocentnsm, and from an extensive case study of responses to strong population pressure in East Africa. A brief concluding section treats the question of whether humankind's unusual cognitive capacities are likely to create circumstances in which parallehsms are eradicated.
Societal Isolation, Violent Norms, and Gender Relations: A Reexamination and Extension of Levinson's Model of Wife Beating
Authors: Erchak Gerald M. , Rosenfeld Richard
Published: March 2007

This article reanalyzes cross-cultural data on wife beating using Murdock and White's Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. Geographic isolation, violent norms, and intergender competition over material and intimate resources and rewards emerge as significant sources of cross-cultural variation in spouse abuse. The conclusion, which provides a provocative foundation for future research, is that wife beating is more common in cultures that embrace the use of violence and that promote competition between husbands and wives.
Achievement Motivation and Indigenous Minorities: Can Research Be Psychometric?
Authors: McInerney Dennis M.
Published: March 2007

Educational research among indigenous peoples has often been flawed. Many studies on achievement motivation failed to establish that the behaviors and responses being measured were functionally, conceptually, or metrically equivalent to those from which norms for comparison were drawn and that the constructs and tools used were culturally appropriate. In this article, I report on continuing research with Australian Aboriginal and Navajo communities in which I demonstrate the relevance and applicability of psychomet ric research to indigenous communities. Using an etic-emic model for research drawn from personal investment theory, I describe the design and validation of a psychometric instrument and its useful ness for eliciting information regarding salient aspects of Aboriginal and Navajo achievement motivation in educational settings. Findings from this study are compared with commonly held views regarding indigenous motivation and achievement in schools.
Games in Culture Revisited: A Replication and Extension of Roberts, Arth, and Bush (1959)
Authors: Chick Garry
Published: March 2007

In their classic cross-cultural study "Games in Culture," Roberts, Arth, and Bush (1959) delineated a three-category classification for games (i.e., physical skill, strategy, and chance) as well as a defini tion of games. Both the classification system and the definition have become anthropological standards. Roberts et al. also found that several variables correlated with the presence-absence of different game types. However, the sample that Roberts et al. used was relatively small (50 societies) and nonstandard. The purpose of this study is to replicate the Roberts et al. study using codes for games for the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. In addition, minor exten sions of the results found by Roberts et al. are presented.
REVIEW ■ : Interleukin-1 and Neurodegeneration
Authors: Rothwell Nancy J.
Published: March 2007

The cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been implicated in many forms of neurodegeneration. Expression of IL-1 is increased in the brain (mainly by microglia) of animals and humans in response to acute insults (e.g., stroke and brain injury) and in chronic neurodegenerative conditions. Although IL-1 does not kill otherwise healthy neurons, small quantities of the cytokine dramatically enhance ischemic, traumatic, or excitotoxic damage in animals. Inhibition of the synthesis, release, or action of IL-1 (e.g., by administration of IL-1 receptor antagonist) markedly reduces all of these forms of experimental neurodegeneration, indicating that approaches to block or inhibit IL-1 activity may be of benefit in clinical neurodegenerative disease. NEURO SCIENTIST 4:195-201, 1998
H ∞ Control of Active Constrained Layer Damping
Authors: Crassidis John L. , Baz Amr , Wereley Norman
Published: March 2007

Conventional passive constrained layer damping treatments with viscoelastic cores are provided with built-in sensing and actuation capabilities to actively control and enhance their vibration damping charac teristics. Two configurations of the resulting hybrid treatment are considered in this paper. In the first configuration, the active control and passive operate separately, whereas in the second configuration, the two operate in unison to maximize the energy dissipation characteristics. In this study, three objectives are accomplished. The first objective aims at the design and implementation of robust H∞) controllers for the separated and unified control strategies. In the second, the performance of the H∞ controllers at different operating frequencies and temperatures is compared with that of a conventional proportional/derivative controller to demonstrate robustness. Finally, a control effort study involving the H∞ controllers for the separated and unified control strategies is shown to assess the efficiency of the active control scheme in controlling structural vibration. The results obtained emphasize the potential of the optimally design unified control strategy as an effective means for providing broad-band attenuation capabilities over a wide range of operating temperatures.
Vibrational Analysis of Cracked Rotor in Viscous Medium
Authors: Parhi D.R. , Behera A.K.
Published: March 2007

This paper presents the vibrational analysis of a rotating cracked shaft in viscous medium. Virtual mass effect and damping effect on rotating shaft due to viscous fluid are analyzed with the help of Navier Stoke's equation. Analyses of the cracked portion of the shaft for fundamental frequency are done with the help of influence coefficients, stiffness elements, and boundary conditions at the cracked section. It is observed that, because of the crack and viscous fluid, there is a change in critical speed and amplitude of vibration.
Impact Vibration Control of a Wire Bonder through Damping Treatments
Authors: Ip Kim-Ho , Lau Kwok-Jing , Tse Ping-Cheung
Published: March 2007

A procedure for solving the vibration problems in a wire bonder is established through experimen tation and modeling. During the bonding operation, the impact of the capillary of the bonder on the workpiece generates undesirable dynamic forces that ultimately reduce the bond yield and bond quality. Experiments simulating the bonding process show that the force exerted by the capillary on the workpiece overshoots the desired value with subsequent oscillations. Mode shape measurements indicate that an operating arm actu ally rocks about its pivot and exhibits severe bending near its capillary. This vibration mode leads to the development of a simple model for predicting the arm response and two feasible ways for improving the bon der's performance. Numerical results from the model show that force overshoots can be reduced by adding a damper to the arm and choosing softer materials for the capillary. For a critically damped wire bonder, there is a threshold for the striking speed below which force overshoots are close to the minimum value.
An Inverse Dynamics Algorithm for Multiple Flexible-Link Manipulators
Authors: Qiao Sun  , Nahon Meyer , Sharf Inna
Published: March 2007

It is well known that a system of cooperating manipulators is redundantly actuated. This property can be used to actively distribute the loads within the system to achieve better performance. In this paper, the authors formulate and solve the force distribution problem for multiarm systems with flexible-link arms, with particular attention to the nonminimum phase character of the system. The solution is attained by optimization where objective functions include the weighted norm of actuator torques, weighted norm of elastic acceler ations, and their combinations. The numerical example shows that the proposed force distribution schemes are effective in stabilizing the system vibrations.
The Unbounded Energy Solution for Free Vibration of an Axially Moving String
Authors: Bao Zhu Guo  , Jian Xin Wang
Published: March 2007

The energy for the free response of an axially moving string with periodic velocity profile is studied. An explicit iterative expression of the solution of partial differential equation model is presented. A condition that the solution of the system is periodic is obtained. It is shown that the energy of the system may be unbounded for some periodic velocity although the amplitude is always bounded.
Nonlinear Response of a Weakly Damaged Metal Sample: A Dissipative Modulation Mechanism of Vibro-Acoustic Interaction
Authors: Zaitsev V. , Sas P.
Published: March 2007

The nonlinear vibro-acoustic response of solid samples containing quite a small amount of defects can be anomalously high in magnitude compared to the case of undamaged intact solids. Functional de pendencies of the nonlinear effects exhibit rather interesting behavior. In this paper, experimental results on nonlinearity-induced cross-modulation of a high-frequency (HF) f = 15 — 30 kHz signal by a low-frequency (LF) F = 20 - 60 Hz vibration in an aluminum plate with a small single crack are reported. Comparison with a reference sample (the identical plate without a crack) has proven that the presence of such a small defect can be easily detected due to its nonlinear manifestations. It is demonstrated that under proper choice of the sounding signal parameters, the effect level can be so pronounced that the amplitude of the modulation side-lobes originated due to the nonlinearity exceeds the amplitude of the fundamental harmonic of the HF signal. Main functional features of the observed phenomena are analyzed, and a new physical explana tion is suggested based on a dissipative mechanism of vibro-acoustic interaction. Results of the numerical simulation of the effect are also presented.
Nonlinear Controller Design for Asymmetric Actuators
Authors: Khajepour Amir
Published: March 2007

This paper deals with the development of a nonlinear control strategy for asymmetric actuators. In asymmetric actuators, the generated force/torque is not symmetric in push and pull. Examples of asymmetric actuators are thrusters, shape memory alloy wires, and in general, cables and long rods that cannot be used for compression forces. These actuators are called unidirectional. More complex asymmetric actuators are those that generate uneven push and pull forces. Examples of these actuators are double acting hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders in which the area of the piston is not the same in forward and reverse directions. Since in the existing control techniques the actuator is assumed to be symmetric, the application of asymmetric actuators requires new control schemes. In this paper, we propose a nonlinear control method capable of producing any biased input that can be used by asymmetric actuators. The controller is based on quadratic coupling terms with which positive, negative, and any biased input can be generated. We study the stability of the system along with a method to select the controller gains for tuning the output of the controller to match the actuator type. The normal form method and perturbation techniques are used to study the controller design.
Traveling-Wave Modal Identification Based on Forced or Self-Excited Resonance for Rotating Discs
Authors: JIFANG TIAN  , Hutton Stanley G.
Published: March 2007

Modal testing of rotating systems, such as a rotating disc interacting with a stationary restraint, is considered in this paper. A practical and effective identification method called the artificial damping method (ADM) is proposed to identify the traveling-wave modes for rotating discs based on forced or self-excited resonant responses measured using two displacement probes. The ADM procedure can handle extremely noisy systems and does not require excitation information. The method is suitable for the detection of self- excited modes that may occur during operation. Additionally, this procedure can be effectively used to identify modal parameters for large-scale structures and other rotating systems with a relatively low level of excitation energy
Active Balancing of Turbomachinery: Application to Large Shaft Lines
Authors: Alauze C. , Der Hagopian J. , Gaudiller L. , Voinis Ph.
Published: March 2007

Unbalance defects are inherent to rotating machinery manufacturing and cause important vibra tions that are necessary to decrease. This work, which comes after a bibliographical study, relates to active balancing of rotors. The unbalance correction is carried out in real time, during operation in steady state and transient responses. The concept suggested consists of generating a correction force using two mobile weights situated in the same plane and running at a constant radius of the rotation axis. The balancing process is based on the influence coefficients method and includes specific measurement and control developments. Influence coefficients are determined in a first step and then used to balance the rotor at a specified speed during its transient response to minimize vibrations at critical speeds. A first experimental application is presented. A technological device designed for large-sized machines is described and used to balance a single rotor test bench. The technology and the process efficiencies are shown: vibrations at critical speed are strongly de creased. A simulation of active balancing of the rotor is then carried out to validate the simulation's procedure compared to experimental results. The second application is a numerical simulation of the active balancing of an industrial turbogenerator group passing through multiple critical speeds. Results show the active balancing of a multirotor machine's advantage compared to conventional balancing.
A Robust Design Method of Active Controller for Uncertain Vibration Systems
Authors: Li Y.Y. , Yam L.H.
Published: March 2007

This paper presents a robust design method of active controller for parameter uncertain vibration systems subjected to external unmeasurable disturbances. Based on the combination of complex modal theory, parameter optimization, linear matrix inequality approach, and robust eigenvalue assignment, the control law is reconstructed by adjusting the variable parameter r for robust active vibration control. The design is simple and easy to be implemented in real-time control.
Development and Analysis of a Simplified Nonlinear Model of a Hydraulic Engine Mount
Authors: Golnaraghi M. Farid , Nakhaie Jazar G.
Published: March 2007

This paper concerns nonlinear modeling of a hydraulic engine mount, focusing on the decoupler action. The proposed model is a simple nonlinear function, which describes the flow resistance in terms of the decoupler plate displacement and speed. The flow resistance using this model increases dramatically as the decoupler plate approaches the top or bottom of the decoupler cage. The advantage of the proposed model over the existing ones is its simplicity. Numerical simulation results show the behavior of the model to be realistic. Approximate closed form solutions have been obtained for the system using the multiple scale perturbation method. Perturbation provides a solution for the mount response at resonance. These results match the intuitive and experimental results available in the literature.
Advances in Hybrid Active-Passive Vibration and Noise Control Via Piezoelectric and Viscoelastic Constrained Layer Treatments
Authors: Benjeddou A.
Published: March 2007

A first attempt is made to survey and discuss the recent advances in hybrid active-passive struc tural vibrations control. The survey is illustrated with figures and tables for helpful use by researchers and designers interested in this growing field. Focus is put on the hybrid damping systems that combine active piezoelectric and passive viscoelastic materials. For each contribution, several features are detailed. These include the specific hybrid damping configuration, modeling assumptions, piezoelectric and viscoelastic ef fects modeling, response analysis methods, control strategies, and main results of parametric studies and optimizations. It was found that if the damping performance is the main objective of the designer, hybrid con figurations allowing for separate actions of the piezoelectric and viscoelastic materials are to be preferred. Experimental, theoretical, and numerical analyses of hybrid vibration control of beams, plates, and shells are then reviewed, separately, in detail. It was found that three-quarters of the relative contributions were con cerned with beams only. Hence, greater research efforts are still needed for two-dimensional structures, in particular for shells. Several other guidelines for future research are also outlined in a specific trends and research directions section.
A Novel Measure Method for High-Speed Tire Vibrations
Authors: Schwartz Gustavo A.
Published: March 2007

With the arrival of faster cars, it was necessary to make a considerable improvement on tire perfor mance. At high speed, tire nonuniformities begin to induce vibrations that are perceived by the passengers and finally degrade vehicle ride quality. Nowadays, it is not possible to guarantee through the usual methods uniformity values (longitudinal, radial and lateral force variations, wheel and tire run out), X-ray inspection, and so on, that a given tire will have a good behavior at high speed. This paper presents a new methodology that makes possible the correlation of high-speed tire vibrations with the measured behavior on an instru mented drum wheel (IDW) at a laboratory. Several tires of different sizes and brand names were measured, and the values were compared with subjective evaluations made on different vehicles. The obtained data were analyzed as a generalization of the model proposed by Walker and Reeves in 1974.
Development of a Novel Porous Laminated Composite Material for High Sound Absorption
Authors: Tsung Lung Yang  , Chiang Dar-Ming , Rongshun Chen
Published: March 2007

A novel porous laminated composite material (PLCM), made of polymer, metal, and polymer fibers with low melting point, is developed. Manufactured by the premix, lamination, preheating, and molded tech niques, the proposed PLCM exhibits very high sound absorption coefficient in the frequency range of 500 to 2000 Hz with a relatively thin and light structure. Using a porous rigid body, a mathematical model, charac terized by five macroscopic parameters—fibrous diameter, fibrous density, cross section of fiber, porosity, and frequency—is derived to predict the sound absorption coefficient of the PLCM. This presentation may be use ful for developing a new PLCM with predictable sound characteristics. Computer simulations are performed for predicting the absorption coefficients of the novel PLCM, and experiments are conducted for examining the sound absorption coefficients of the developed PLCM.
Nonlinear Vibrations of a Delaminated Beam
Authors: Lu X. , Lestari W. , Hanagud S.
Published: March 2007

In this paper, dynamic behavior of a delaminated composite beam is studied. In particular, the effects of nonlinearity due to restriction on the axial stretch of the delaminated segments and nonlinearity due to the deflection-amplitude-dependent axial interaction are studied. The restriction to the axial stretch is due to the rest of the beam in which the delaminated segment is embedded. Perturbation methods are used to study nonlinear normal modes. The effects of nonlinearity on the spatial variation of the normal modes and the amplitude-dependent natural frequencies are discussed.
Using Shock Response Spectra to Design Motion Control Profiles for Flexible Structures
Authors: Wells Robert Lindsay
Published: March 2007

Shock response spectra are applied to the problem of controlling flexible structures. It is shown using computer simulations that specific command times in motion specifications will produce a minimum of first mode vibration in a driven flexible member. A simple formula for determining the most favorable positioning command time is derived from response spectra plots generated for commonly used motion com mand profiles. A feed-forward control strategy for conditioning position commands is presented based on the formula, and the approach is demonstrated using a damped single-degree-of-freedom model of a flexible structure.
Observability of a Specially Structured Model
Authors: Ansary Omid
Published: March 2007

The theorems associated with the observability matrices and gramians play a crucial role in both analysis and design of control systems. This paper presents the development of these theorems and their proofs in the context of a computationally attractive system model. This is accomplished by incorpo rating the structural properties of the model into the theorems that are found in the literature. The developed theorems lead to a generalized form of the Liapunov equation. An analytical solution for this equation is also presented. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the application of the proposed theorems.
Damage Evaluation in Cracked Vibrating Beams Using Experimental Frequencies and Finite Element Models
Authors: Vestroni Fabrizio , Capecchi Danilo
Published: March 2007

The paper focuses on the problem of locating and quantifying damage in vibrating beams due to cracks. The problem is shown to have certain peculiarities that, to some extent, make it easier to solve than classical situations of structural identification. The solution of the problem is based on the minimization of the objective function that compares analytical and experimental data. A fairly general automated procedure is developed using a finite element code as a routine to evaluate modal quantities. The data necessary to locate and quantify damage correctly are discussed. General considerations lead to the conclusion that at least one measurement more than the expected number of cracked sections is necessary to obtain a unique solution. The procedures developed are applied to the study cases: a supported beam and a clamped beam with one or two cracks, using both simulated and experimental data. Satisfactory results are obtained. Although only beams were considered, the methodology developed can be extended to any kind of framed structure.
Predicting the Vibration Characteristics of Antivibration Mounts Using the Finite Element Method
Authors: Chan Y.W. , Oyadiji S.O. , Wright J.R. , Tomlinson G.R.
Published: March 2007

The resilient properties of antivibration mounts depend on the dynamic properties of the constituent viscoelastic materials of the mounts. These dynamic properties vary with frequency and temperature. Thus the use of frequency dependent parameters such as the complex Young's modulus is important. Several techniques have been developed to characterize the frequency dependent complex modulus of viscoelastic materials. In this paper, the forced nonresonance method is used to characterize the complex Young's modulus properties of the constituent viscoelastic material within a class of antivibration mounts used in marine vessels. The complex modulus properties are used jointly with the finite element method (FEM) to predict the transmissibility characteristics of the mounts. It is shown that these predictions correlate well with the experimentally determined vibration transmissibility characteristics of the mounts.
Distributed and Boundary Control for a Parallel System of Euler-Bernoulli Beams
Authors: Najafi Mahmoud , Sarhangi Reza , Oloomi Hossein M.
Published: March 2007

A distributed parameter system consisting of two Euler-Bernoulli beams coupled in parallel is considered. It is shown that the system is uniformly exponentially stabilizable by an appropriate application of either distributed or boundary control. Strong stability is also established in both cases, although in the case of boundary control, the strong stability result is only proved for the situation in which both beams have identical dynamics.
A Reduced Basis Approach to the Design of Low-Order Feedback Controllers for Nonlinear Continuous Systems
Authors: Burns John A. , King Belinda B.
Published: March 2007

In this paper, the authors discuss a reduced basis approach to the development of low-order nonlinear feedback controllers for hybrid distributed parameter systems. This approach involves the use of distributed parameter control theory to design "optimal" infinite dimensional feedback control laws and approximation theory to design and compute low-order finite dimensional compensators. The resulting finite dimensional controller combines a nonlinear observer with a linear feedback law to produce a practical design. The authors concentrate on a weakly nonlinear distributed parameter system to illustrate the ideas.
Dynamic Finite Element Model Improvement of a PCB Structure
Authors: Ong J.H. , Lim G.H.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this research is to apply an eigensensitivity-based method to develop an accurate representation of the in-service boundary conditions of structures. By implementing the method on a printed circuit board (PCB) supported on its three edges by two opposite wedge retainers and a plug-in connector, it is shown to be effective in producing an accurate finite element model of the PCB structure. The result shows that the percentage error in the fundamental frequency of the PCB finite element model is substantially reduced from 22.3% to 1.3%. Furthermore, convergence to an accurate finite element model is found to be rapid.
Effect of Stacking Sequence on Free Vibration Frequencies of Laminated Composite Circular Cylindrical Shells
Authors: Kayran Altan , Anlas Günay
Published: March 2007

This study compares the effect of stacking sequence on natural frequencies of cylindrical shells for different end conditions and vibration modes. For this purpose, an analysis of the natural frequencies of lam inated composite cylindrical shells is carried out using linear Reissner shell theory with the transverse shear deformation effects taken into account. The governing equations for the free vibration of laminated cylin drical shells are reduced to 10 first-order differential equations involving 10 unknowns. Natural frequencies and mode shapes are solved by using a combination of modal iteration and frequency trial methods for vari ous circumferential vibration modes, stacking sequences, and end conditions, including the nonconventional ones. The results show the efficient applicability of the combination of the modal iteration and frequency trial method to the solution of the shell vibration problem, and they give valuable information on the effect of the stacking sequence on the stiffness characteristics of composite cylindrical shells under different end conditions.
Robust Control of Two-Link Flexible Manipulators Using the μ-Synthesis Technique
Authors: Karkoub Mansour , Tamma Kumar , Balas Gary
Published: March 2007

Two-link robot manipulators are commonly used in industrial sectors such as manufacturing. Some manipulators are often bulky and their power consumption is relatively high. Others, such as the arm on the space shuttle, are driven slowly to prevent the onset of flexible oscillations. The efficiency of these manipulators can be improved by reducing the weight of some of these arms and/or increasing the speed of others. These modifications complicate the dynamic behavior of the system due to the possible onset of low frequency oscillations. This article addresses the issue of modeling and end-point robust control of two-link flexible manipulators using the μ-synthesis technique. The Timoshenko beam theory along with the assumed modes method are used to derive reference equations of motion for the flexible manipulator. Discrepancies between the control design model and the actual dynamics of the manipulator are attributed to neglected nonlinearities such as cross-coupling, which should be included in the controller design. A linear estimation of these errors will be identified and used in the control design to compensate for the unmodeled dynamics of the flexible arm and parameter uncertainties. The μ-synthesis control design techniques are then employed to synthesize controllers for the two-link flexible robot manipulator.
Newer Antipsychotic Agents: Impact on Quality of Life and Alternative Applications
Authors: Tugrul Karen
Published: March 2007

The introduction of the first antipsychotic drugs in the 1950s revolutionized treatment of mentally ill patients. Patients could be treated in the community and not confined to psychiatric institutions. However, these conventional neuroleptic agents were not ideal. Although effective for the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, they had little effect on the negative symptoms. They also had distressing side effects including extrapyramidal symptoms, anticholinergic effects, and sedation that caused many patients to discontin ue treatment. In the late 1980s the first newer antipsychotic (clozapine) became avail able. Newer antipsychotics, which antagonize both the dopamine and serotonin recep tors, are effective for both the positive and negative symptoms of psychoses and are less likely than conventional neuroleptics to cause extrapyramidal symptoms at recom mended doses. Thus the newer antipsychotics may offer patients an improved quality of life while reducing costs. Clozapine is effective in up to 40% of treatment-refractory patients and may be useful in patients with mood disorders. Risperidone may be benefi cial in some treatment-refractory patients, but results in patients with mood disorders are mixed. Further study is required to explore fully all possible applications of the newer antipsychotic drugs. (Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc [1998]. 4, S35-S41.)
A Historical Review of Business Communication Quarterly
Authors: Lewis Stephen D.
Published: March 2007

Since the inception of its predecessors in the 1930s, Business Communication Quarterly has evolved from a duplicated, newsletter-type publication into a glossy, professional, refereed journal. During this evolution, hundreds of authors and more than a dozen editors have contributed to BCQ's progress. Articles on a broad variety of topics have provided pedagogical support to new and experienced teachers alike. Presented here is a brief history of BCQ, a glimpse at BCQ's most popular manuscript topics, and a listing of its editors and most prolific authors. Frequency of topical coverage by decade is also included. Veteran ABC members and new members alike should find interesting the topical publishing trends throughout the sixty-plus year history of the Association and the Business Communication Quarterly.
converging within Divergence: Overcoming the Disciplinary Fragmentation in Business Communication, Organizational Communication, and Public Relations
Authors: Zorn Theodore E.
Published: March 2007

As researchers, we often overstate the distinction between our own specialties and those fields that are clearly related. thus dismissing or ignoring research outside our specialties. Similarly, we too often fragment our teaching to focus on particular communication processes and competencies that fit our notions of what is appro priate for our chosen subdisciplines. Such fragmentation, however, diminishes our teaching and research. To overcome this problem, we should work toward struc tural realignments in our universities to encourage cross-disciplinary work; design majors around competencies, not departments; encourage coteaching to focus dif ferent perspectives on one case or example; encourage interdepartmental "commu nication dialogues"; read a broad range of literature and work toward expertise in a topic, not just a discipline; attend other than just the usual conferences; and invite students to use a wide range of resources in solving problems.
Self-Imposed Silence and Perceived Listening Effectiveness
Authors: Johnson Iris W. , Pearce C. Glenn , Tuten Tracy L. , Sinclair Lucinda
Published: March 2007

Thus far, listening training has been limited to lectures on the process of listening and experiential exercises designed to provide for practice in listening and for assisting in a person's ability to recognize his or her own beneficial and detrimental listening behaviors. Using a new process—silence—for developing listening skills, this study compared the effects on perceived listening effectiveness of a self- imposed period of silence versus attending a lecture on listening skills versus a combination of a self-imposed period of silence and attending a lecture. While no significant differences were found for either lecture or silence or the combination of the two on measures of perceived listening effectiveness, qualitative data from journals kept by the participants suggest that the act of self-imposed silence greatly improves awareness of one's listening effectiveness and the value of developing beneficial listening skills.
Teaching Company Research: Step-by-Step Instructions for Guiding Students Through a Library Assignment
Authors: Kaiser Paula R. , Levinson Catherine K.
Published: March 2007

The responsibility for teaching students to research compa nies often falls to business communication instructors. While textbooks provide useful information related to company research, some instructors may need more detailed assistance in guiding their students' first efforts in researching compa nies. This article provides a step-by-step guide for research ing public and private companies. A sample assignment provides a context for practicing the research skills.
Enhancing Business Communication with Group Decision Support Systems
Authors: Aiken Milam , Martin Jeanette
Published: March 2007

Group Decision Support Systems are helping many orga nizations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of group meetings. In addition, multilingual Group Decision Support Systems can support groups using many differ ent languages by automatically translating group mem bers' comments. In this paper, we describe this new technology and demonstrate how it can enhance business communication.
Adapting Corporate Presentation Skills Training Practices for Use in a University Classroom
Authors: Kolb Judith A.
Published: March 2007

Both corporate and university sectors are engaged in the teaching of communication courses. As someone who has taught in both settings, I believe that trainers and profes sors have much to gain from pooling ideas. With this in mind, I first observed and then participated in a week- long "Presentation Skills" workshop taught in a Fortune 500 company to determine what aspects of that program might be transplanted to a traditional university public speaking course. I then took ideas gained from the work shop and applied them to the public speaking classes I taught at a western university. This article is an examina tion and discussion of this process.
Meeting Workplace Needs in an Introductory Business Writing Course: A Tale of a Classroom Corporation and a "Boss" Instructor
Authors: Garay Mary Sue
Published: March 2007

This paper shows instructors how playing the role of a boss can lead students to write, speak, and behave more profes sionally. The course accomplishes this transformation by changing the academic mindsets, conventions, and actions of both instructor and students. Instead of academic policies to govern a class, workplace conventions operate. In a reciprocal fashion, instructors assume that students' assignments represent the instructor's competence to upper management, and thus instructors "invest"themselves in student work beyond traditional academic obligations. The paper also critiques the "boss" approach as well as provides assignment topics, evaluation guidelines, and specific descriptions of some assignments.
Applicant Appearance and Selection Decision Making: Revitalizing Employment Interview Education
Authors: Ilkka Richard J.
Published: March 2007

As a topic within the larger corpus of materials on selection interviewing, applicant appearance has been addressed through advice giving, folk wisdom, and other prescrip tions. As presented, such materials tend to undermine opportunities for issue identification and assessment. Through review and interpretation of that employment interview research which addresses the relationship between applicant appearance and interviewer selection decisions, the purpose of this paper is to encourage those who teach, train, and counsel others on employment inter viewing to devote more studied attention to appearance issues and ethics. To that end, five instructional proposi tions are offered. Each proposition is developed through review of related research and then capped by instructional observations.
Adapting Cooperative Learning Strategies to Facilitate Ethics Discus sions Using E-Mail
Authors: Peek George S. , Roxas Maria L. , Peek Lucia E.
Published: March 2007

This paper reports on a project in which students discussed an ethical dilemma using Internet e-mail as the medium of communication. The assignment requires both informal and formal document development in a team environment and uses cooperative learning strategies to assure full participa tion by all students. Students thus have the advantage of discussing an important current business issue, are facili tated in this discussion by the use of structured learning techniques, are required to exercise their thinking and writ ing skills in a variety of ways, and in many cases must acquire new technical and intellectual skills for communi cation across the Internet.