bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Validity of Person Tradeoff Measurements: Randomized Trial of Computer Elicitation Versus Face-to-Face Interview
Authors: Damschroder Laura J. , Baron Jonathan , Hershey John C. , Asch David A. , Jepson Christopher , Ubel Peter A.
Published: April 2004

Can person tradeoff (PTO) value judgments be elicited by a computer, or is a face-to-face interview needed? The authors randomly assigned 95 subjects to interview or computer methods for the PTO, a valuation measure that is often difficult for subjects. They measured relative values of foot numbness, leg paralysis, and quadriplegia (all 3 pairs) at 2 reference group sizes (10 or 100). Relative values did not differ between computer and interview. Overall, 21% of responses were equality responses, 13% were high extreme values, and 5% violated ordinal criteria. The groups did not differ in these measures. The authors also assessed consistency across reference group size (10 v. 100). Although relative values were significantly lower for 100 than for 10, mode did not influence the size of this effect. Subjects made, on average, equally consistent judgments for the 3 comparisons. A computerized PTO elicitation protocol produced results of similar quality to that of a face-to-face interview.
Ignition Properties of Fabrics
Authors: Wanna J. T. , Tewarson A.
Published: April 2004

ASTM E2058 (NFPA 287) Fire Propagation apparatus was used to determine the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) and Thermal Response Parameter (TRPthin) of 10 fabrics by measuring time to ignition at different heat flux values. CHF values were in the range 15–25 kW/m2 and decreased with fabric areal density and cation content. TRPthin values expressed as areal density heat capacity ignition temperature above ambient were in the range 500–2439kW-s/m2. There was a reasonable correlation between the measured TRPthin values and the areal density of the fabrics examined in this study. Light areal density fabrics with low TRPthin values (≤ 1000 kW-s/m2) had high ignitions with the fast smoldering cigarette, while heavy areal density fabrics (≥ 1200 kW-s/m2) had high ignitions with the slow smoldering cigarette.
Influence of Apparent Density during the Burning of Wood Waste Furniture
Authors: Khalfi Azeddine , Trouve Gwenaelle , Delfosse Lucien , Delobel Rene
Published: April 2004

In the near future, in France, new regulations will govern the emissions of gaseous effluents. The furniture industry will be affected. Different wood wastes, from furniture, were burnt in an open cone calorimeter. Several configurations of wood (whole-wood and shredded wood samples) were studied: wood chips, wood fibers, and boards. The efficiency of combustion appears to be well correlated with the apparent density of these materials. Temperature evolution was followed during the combustion of these materials. The temperature histories show that increasing the apparent density of compounds strongly improves the heat transfer into the materials. The maximum rate of heat release (HRR) increased with increasing apparent density. Moreover, gases in the exhaust were analyzed. The combustion becomes complete when waste was compressed to obtain boards. For example, carbon monoxide emissions from wood boards were 45% less than from wood fibers.
The Experience of New Planning Faculty
Authors: Hamin Elisabeth M. , Marcucci Daniel J. , Wenning Mary V.
Published: April 2004

The new faculty experience in planning is a transition and training period in which the new scholar begins to master the many tasks that are required in academic life. The authors investigated the quality and characteristics of the first two years of the new planning faculty experience through review of existing literature and analysis of original research. The findings indicate that many new professors in planning do not know what to expect and are generally not well prepared to assume their new roles. In particular, many new faculty were not trained in pedagogy or experienced in teaching, and so almost all of their first years are taken up with becoming reasonably proficient in their teaching.
Environmental Planning and Cooperative Behavior
Authors: Ali Saleem H.
Published: April 2004

Environmental concerns have been framed in the planning profession as manifestations of resource scarcity, and hence a contributing factor in community conflicts. While mismanaged environmental scarcity can certainly lead to conflict, there is also considerable potential to stimulate cooperation on the basis of environmental scarcity itself. In the language of game theory, the latter outcome can be obtained by converting “dilemmas of common competing interests” to “dilemmas of common aversion.” The cooperation which would result from the use of environmental concerns as a binding element in conflicts among parties, is likely to catalyze a more “sustainable consensus”—a robust contract between erstwhile adversaries.Planners are in a unique position to glean the positive attributes of environmental indicators since they can bridge technical knowledge of environmental impact with an understanding of sociopolitical context at community consultation forums. This paper attempts to provide the theoretical basis for this approach and develop examples of how such a strategy for conflict resolution may be implemented.
Do Distance Learning Efforts in Urban Planning Education Cut Short the Educational Experience?
Authors: Lawhon Larry Lloyd
Published: April 2004

The application of distance learning to urban planning holds promise for reaching a broader planning education audience. While technology can bridge the gap between the classroomand the remote learner, the distance learner may be denied the opportunity of face-to-face communication, collaboration and inter-action when the traditional classroom experience is abandoned. This may not be in the best interest of students nor the clients assisted in the planning process. This article investigates the concern that technology-enhanced distance learning will reduce student experiences in communicating with others, collaborating on projects, and interacting with students, faculty and clients—group processes typically experienced in the classroom setting. It concludes that the pursuit of distance learning may not be in the best interest of the profession if it cuts short essential student experiences.
1H NMR Studies of Alginate Interactions with Amino Acids
Authors: di Cocco Maria Enrica , Bianchetti Cristiano , Chiellini Federica
Published: April 2004

The interactions between alginate and the amino acids, histidine, lysine, phenylalanine, and alanine, were studied by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. The characterization of the amino acids interaction with alginate was performed by 1D and 2D-NOESY experiments. Measurements of 1H NMR nonselective and selective relaxation rates in the absence and presence of alginate were used to calculate interaction constants between each amino acid and alginate. The interaction constants were found to be related to the hydrophobicity of the different amino acid side-chains. The interaction constant between phenylalanine and Ca2+ crosslinked alginate was also determined. There was no apparent differences observed in the crosslinked and the solution amino acid-alginate interactions. On the basis of the experimental results obtained, a model of the interaction between amino acids and alginate was proposed.
Linear Type Azo-Containing Polyurethanes for Colon-Specific Drug Delivery
Authors: Mahkam M. , Assadi M. G. , Zahedifar R. , Ramesh M. , Davaran S.
Published: April 2004

New biodegradable polyurethanes containing azo-linked polymeric prodrugs of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in the main chain were prepared by reacting 1,6-Hexamethylenediisocyanate (HDI) with 3,30-azobis(6-hydroxy benzoic acid) (ABHB) and 5-[4-(hydroxyl phenyl) azo] salicylic acid (HPAS) as azo derivatives of 5-ASA. The polymers were characterized by FTIR and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The hydrolysis of polyurethane containing azoderivatives of 5-ASA was carried out in cellophane membrane dialysis bags containing aqueous buffer solution (pH 1/4 8.5 and pH 1/4 1) at 37 C. Detection of the hydrolysis product by UV spectroscopy showed that ABHB and HPAS were released by the hydrolysis of the urethane bond in the polymer chain.
A Porous Scaffold from Bone-Like Powder Loaded in a Collagen–Chitosan Matrix
Authors: Cui Kai , Zhu Ya , Wang Xiao Hong , Feng Qing Ling , Cui Fu Zhai
Published: April 2004

Porous scaffolds that mimic both the structure and composition of natural bone were prepared. Nano-hydroxyapatite particles were first synthesized through deposition of minerals on self-assembled collagen fibrils. The porous scaffolds were then fabricated by loading the self-assembled nanohydroxyapatite–collagen composite powder into a cross-linked collagen–chitosan matrix. Porosity, mechanical properties, and composition of the scaffolds were studied. Biocompatibility was demonstrated by comparing in vitro osteoblastscultures, MTT assays, and alkaline phosphatase activity between the synthesized scaffolds and the control sample.
Progress or Complacency? Pay Equity for Women Circa 2001
Authors: Gibelman Margaret
Published: April 2004

This article explores the issue of women's pay in social work within a comparative framework of several other service occupations. A secondary analysis of U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, data on wages and earnings revealed that substantial salary discrepancies on the basis of gender continue to exist throughout the service professions. An examination of the relationship between salary and gender for the position of chief executive officer of human-service related nonprofit organizations also revealed significant salary differences between men and women. Several strategic approaches to combat continued inequities are discussed within the context of the generally inhospitable political climate.
Older Homeless Women: Reframing the Stereotype of the Bag Lady
Authors: Kisor Anne J. , Kendal-Wilson Lynne
Published: April 2004

The stereotype of the bag lady sheltering in a bus station is an anachronism because older homeless women are largely invisible. Economic and social factors contribute to the growing number of older homeless women and the risk of their displacement. This article presents a study that developed a profile that reframes the stereotype to allow fruitful analyses of these women’s plight and need for services. The study found that mental health problems, low income, family disputes, and abuse or neglect by family members are the primary factors in homelessness.
Union Contracts and Performance in Nigeria
Authors: Yehudah Yisrael Ben
Published: April 2004

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the proportion with which major types of economic clauses differ in collective bargaining contracts in the private, public and health organizations. The sample comprised 96 randomly drawn union members from the private, public and health organizations who completed a short-structured questionnaire. The results revealed that differences existed among the 96 contracts in the degree to which they contained the four cohort economic contract clauses. The highest percentage of union members ranked “early retirement and noncontributory pension programs” as the most important contract economic clause, and the vast majority of the union members were not satisfied with their unions’ performances. The study concludes that the union members’ low rating of unions’ performances is attributed to the disparity between major economic contract clauses contained in contracts and the items members perceived as important.
Breastfeeding Practices in Colorado Businesses
Authors: Dunn Barrett Flaschar , Zavela Kathleen J. , Cline Alana D. , Cost Patricia A.
Published: April 2004

The Colorado Worksite Infant Feeding Survey was used to examine breastfeeding support policies and practices within Colorado businesses. Only 28.2% of survey respondents reported that their organization provided breastfeeding support services. However, the majority of businesses did offer benefits and services conducive to breastfeeding. There was a low frequency of positive responses related to incentives for increasing the provision of breastfeeding support services. The incentives receiving the highest frequency of positive responses were those related to employer benefits and needs, such as provision of information on successful breastfeeding support programs within similar organizations; provision of information on the benefits of breastfeeding to employers, including cost savings; and availability of tax credits for providing breastfeeding support services. Multiple approaches are indicated for increasing work-site breastfeeding support and for removing barriers to the achievement of Healthy People 2010 breastfeeding objectives for employed mothers.
Mothers Performing In-Home Measurement of Milk Intake During Breastfeeding of their Preterm Infants: Maternal Reactions and Feeding Outcomes
Authors: Hurst Nancy M. , Meier Paula P. , Engstrom Janet L. , Myatt Anne
Published: April 2004

This study compares feeding outcomes and perceptions of mothers using in-home test weights and those who did not use test weights to manage breastfeeding of their preterm infants during the first month after hospital discharge. There were no significant differences in daily weight gain between the 2 groups during the study period. Maternal concerns cited in both groups were similar, namely, knowing how much milk infant is taking, infant gaining adequate weight, and infant getting enough milk. All women in the experimental group and two-thirds in the control group reported that in-home measurement of milk intake by test-weighing had been or would have been helpful. This prospective randomized study demonstrated that mothers of premature infants who performed in-home test-weighing procedures found the technique to be helpful and experienced no increased stress or lower achievement of breastfeeding goals when compared to mothers not performing test weighs.
Constructions of Gender in Sport
Authors: Buysse Jo Ann M. , Embser-Herbert Melissa Sheridan
Published: April 2004

Within the arena of sport, as throughout society, traditional definitions of femininity and masculinity have established and maintained gender differentiation. The authors’research examines this pattern in intercollegiate athletics by analyzing National Collegiate Athletic Association media guide cover photographs. They find gender differentiation in the depiction of women and men athletes. For example, women athletes are less likely to be portrayed as active participants in sport and more likely to be portrayed in passive and traditionally feminine poses. These differences changed little between 1990 and 1997. The findings suggest that while one might expect less gender stereotyping from the teams themselves, the gendered images produced by intercollegiate athletic programs vary little from those produced by the popular press.
Modeling Work
Authors: Massoni Kelley
Published: April 2004

How do adolescent girls envision the world of work and their potential place in it? This article considers teen magazines as a possible source for girls’ perceptions about the work world, including their own career futures. The author explores the occupational landscape embedded with in Seventeen magazinein 1992 in both quantitative and qualitative terms. The labor market in Seventeen- land is heavily skewed toward professional occupations, particularly in the entertainment industry. A close reading of the text reveals four primary messages about the world of work: Entertainment careers are a viable and prestigious option, men are the norm as workers, men hold the power, and fashion modeling is the pinnacle of “women’s work. ” The author argues that Seventeen may be promulgating a distinct set of what Collins called “controlling images” directed at predominantly white girls. The findings suggest gender researchers should attend to the connection between the mass media and girl culture. They also underscore the importance of teaching media literacy.
Women, Genocide, and Memory
Authors: Jacobs Janet Liebman
Published: April 2004

This article explores the ethical dilemmas of doing a feminist ethnography of gender and Holocaust memory. In response to the conflicts the author experienced as both a participant/Jewish woman and an observer/feminist ethnographer, she engaged in a critical examination of her research methods and goals that led to an exploration into the complex moral issues that inform research on women and genocide specifically and feminist ethnographies of violence more generally. Drawing on her fieldwork at Holocaust sites in Eastern Europe, she identified three sources of methodological tension that developed during the research process: Role conflicts in the research setting, gender selectivity in studies of ethnic and racial violence, and the sexual objectification of women in academic discourse on violence and genocide. Each of these ethical tensions is examined from the standpoint of research on gender and the Holocaust.
Joining Composite Materials and Structures: Some Thought-Provoking Possibilities
Authors: Messler Robert W.
Published: April 2004

Custom-engineered functionally-specific properties leading to greatly enhanced design versatility have drawn designers to composites, but will make these materials-of-preference only if better ways can be found for producing better joints. The very micro- and macrostructure that gives rise to the unparalleled properties possible with composites exacerbates the inherent weaknesses virtually always associated with joints. Prevailing methods of mechanical fastening and adhesive or thermal bonding (welding) are nonoptimal, if not inappropriate, extensions of methods used for joining conventional metallic or polymeric structures with little real change in over two millennia. This paper challenges the old paradigm of joining being a pragmatic process performed as a last step in manufacture and proposes that it must increasingly become an enabling technology that is integrated with material and structure synthesis. Four new ways to think about joining composites are proposed, and a possibility for each approach is presented to provoke thinking among design and process engineers.
Expanded Wood Fiber Polystyrene Composites: Processing–Structure–Mechanical Properties Relationships
Authors: Doroudiani Saeed , Kortschot Mark T.
Published: April 2004

In this study, processing–structure–mechanical properties relationships in expanded wood fiber polystyrene composites (EPSC) made with a physical blowing agent were investigated. A systematic investigation was performed based on a statistical experimental design. The samples were saturated with carbon dioxide at high pressure and ambient temperature and the saturated specimens were expanded at elevated temperatures. The relations between impact and tensile properties of EPSC and foaming process and structure were studied. Fiber content was found to be the most important parameter controlling impact strength and tensile modulus. The impact strength of EPSC was increased about three times when the fiber content increased to 20%. Using the Halpin–Tsai equation, a model was developed to relate tensile modulus to the density of EPSC.
Altered Glucose Metabolism in HIV-infected Patients Treated With HAART
Authors: Lee Jean C.
Published: April 2004

The introduction of protease inhibitors (PIs) has revolutionized the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)– positive patients. The consequences of potential long-term metabolic complications have led to the use of PI-sparing regimens. As HIV treatment with PIs is associated with lipodystrophy (fat redistribution, hyperlipidemia, and glucose intolerance), it is essential to effectively manage these long-term toxicities. The impact of PI-induced glucose intolerance has resulted in studies investigating both pathogenesis andmanagement of this side effect. The action of PIs on the glucose transporter, GLUT4, may explain themechanismof action of PI use on glucose tolerance. Insulin-sensitizing agents, such as metformin and thiazolidinediones, may improve glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and lipodystrophy caused by PI therapy.
Parse’s Theory in Practice
Authors: Hansen-Ketchum Patricia
Published: April 2004

Parse’s theory of human becoming provides a foundation for understanding holistic nursing practice. The purpose of this article is to provide a description of Parse’s theory based on an interpretive analysis of the author’s nursing practice experiences. The interpretive analysis is not an outcome of formal study but results from reflective thought and journal writing. Details from reflections on nursing care experiences were analyzed for the concepts, processes, and rhythms inherent to Parse’s theory. Praxis of Parse’s theory creates the opportunity for nurses, patients, and families to reach profound dimensions of the human experience and participate in multidimensional healing. Outcomes of praxis for nurses also include personal and professional growth as well as discernment of holistic nursing practice.
Adaptation of a Wellness Intervention for Women with Chronic Disabling Conditions
Authors: Stuifbergen Alexa K. , Harrison Tracie C. , Becker Heather , Carter Patricia
Published: April 2004

Women with chronic disabling conditions live with multiple symptoms that decrease their ability to function in society, and they may be at elevated risk for further morbidity with age. Despite research indicating that health-promoting behaviors decrease the risk for further morbidity, few interventions have been designed to help women with chronic disabling conditions promote their health. The purpose of this article is to present the results of a pilot study of a wellness intervention adapted for use with women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). First, the development of the original wellness intervention for women with multiple sclerosis (MS) will be described. Next, the steps taken to adapt the intervention to the needs of women with FMS will be described. Finally, it will be argued that commonalities in symptoms and social experiences and the universal need for health-promoting skills make this intervention adaptable to multiple groups of women with chronic disabling conditions.
Typology of Religious Characteristics of Social Service and Educational Organizations and Programs
Authors: Sider Ronald J. , Unruh Heidi Rolland
Published: April 2004

The general term faith-based organizations is inadequate because no clear definition exists of what it means to be faith-based. This article proposes an inductively derived sixfold typology of social service and educational organizations and programs based on their religious characteristics: faith-permeated, faith-centered, faith-affiliated, faith background, faith-secular partnership, and secular. The typology is divided into two sections, organizations and programs, recognizing that the religious characteristics of an organization may differ from the programs it operates. The analysis of religious characteristics focuses on the tangibly expressive ways that religion may be manifest in a nonprofit entity. The article provides examples of each type based on case studies of 15 congregations with active community-serving programs. This framework, once empirically tested, can add clarity and precision to research, public discourse, and funding decisions concerning community-serving organizations.
Non-Standard Employment in the Management and Professional Workforce: Training, Consultation and Gender Implications
Authors: Hoque Kim , Kirkpatrick Ian
Published: April 2004

Over the past decade, important changes have occurred in the occupational mix of the non-standard workforce, with a rising number of professionals and managers entering part-time and temporary forms of employment. However, while this shift is widely acknowledged, there remains some confusion regarding its consequences. One strand in the literature argues that, at higher occupational levels, the tendency for non-standard employees to experience marginalization at work will be far less pronounced or non-existent. A second strand argues that, regardless of occupational level, workers on part-time and temporary contracts will be treated unequally in various ways. In this article our aim is to explore this matter, drawing on data from the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey. The analysis reveals that managers and professionals on non-standard contracts do become marginalized in terms of training opportunities and consultation at work, and that these outcomes are especially strong in the case of women. Finally, the managerial, national-level training policy and legal implications of the findings are discussed.
Back-Office Service Work: Bureaucracy Challenged?
Authors: Korczynski Marek
Published: April 2004

Much of the current literature on service work has focused on front-line, customerfacing jobs. Research and theory suggest that while the way in which this work is organized is to a significant degree underpinned by rationalization, there is also an important customer-oriented strand in the organization of front-line work. This begs the question of how work is organized in back-officeservice work, i.e. service jobs involving work with and for the front-line staff but in which there is no direct interface with customers. Are these jobs also organized as a ‘ customeroriented bureaucracy’ or are they subject to more straightforward bureaucratization? This article reports on case studies of two types of back-office work – staff in the back office to a call centre in an insurance firm, and staff in the back office to a mobile sales force in two financial service firms. The organization of work is examined systematically across the dimensions of work tasks, form of control, affect in relation to the customer and lateral relations with the front-line staff. It is concluded that to a significant degree back-office work in the three firms is organized according to bureaucratic principles.The conclusion argues that these results are likely to be typical for much of back-office service work.
Protest Voting and Abstention Under Plurality Rule Elections
Authors: Kang Won-Taek
Published: April 2004

Voting decisions are influenced by electoral systems, particularly when voters are dissatisfied. Plurality rule electoral systems tend to restrict the number of effective parties. As a consequence, people may often vote for a party not because of its attraction but because of a lack of a genuinely preferred alternative - to wit, protest voting. Similarly people will often confront specific choices between abstaining and an unsatisfactory vote in plurality-rule electoral systems. The purpose of this article is to explore the logic of protest voting and abstaining by employing a public choice approach. Adapting Hirshman's approach for voting behaviour, this article focuses on the variable `quality' provided by political parties, i.e. the quality-satisficing approach. This approach allows us to frame a comprehensive explanation of the choices between protest voting and abstention, which in existing often seem discrete or unrelated.
A Comparative Theory of Electoral Incentives
Authors: Bawn Kathleen , Thies Michael F.
Published: April 2004

We expand Denzau and Munger’s 1986 model of ‘How Unorganized Interests Get Represented’ to address cross-national differences in electoral systems. We look at how individual legislators allocate their efforts to serving unorganized constituents versus organized groups. Our model shows how the optimal allocation of effort is affected by differences in nominating processes and electoral rules. Our findings include the following: (1) Closed-list proportional representation (PR) makes legislators generally more responsive to interest groups and less responsive to unorganized voters than single-member districts (SMD). (2) This difference becomes smaller as the personal component of the SMD vote diminishes. (3) Legislators elected via lists in a mixed system may be even less responsive to the unorganized than legislators in a pure list system.
Rethinking Social Criticism: Rules, Logic and Internal Critique
Authors: Kemp Stephen
Published: April 2004

The ‘cultural turn’ in social thought, and the rise of interpretive modes of social analysis, have raised the issue of how social criticism can legitimately be undertaken given the central role of actors’ understandings in constituting social reality. In this article I examine this issue by exploring debates around Winch’s interpretive approach. I suggest that Winch’s arguments usefully identify problems with external criticism, that is, criticism that attempts to contrast actors’ beliefs with the social world as it really is. However, I also argue that Winch’s Wittgensteinian account of rule-following, on a plausible interpretation, places excessively strong restrictions on the possibility of internal criticism. In order to show the problems with such restrictions, I critically appraise two accounts of social criticism that are compatible with Winch’s arguments, those of Pleasants and Giddens, arguing that neither offers a satisfactory analysis. I then argue that if a viable notion of internal criticism is to be established Winch’s account of rule-following needs to be rejected. Having briefly offered an alternative, I suggest that it allows a more convincing conception of internal criticism, in which the understandings of actors can be criticized on the basis of their internal contradictions. The article then attempts to meet a possible objection to this position: that the logical judgements of contradiction and coherence required for immanent critique are not cross-culturally valid. I claim that such judgements are generally valid, and develop an argument for this position based on a critique of Lukes’s arguments.
G -Values for Scission and Crosslinking on γ — Radiolysis of Ultem at 303 K
Authors: Devasahayam Sheila , Hill David J.T. , Whittaker Andrew K.
Published: April 2004

The radiation chemical yields G( S) and G( X) for H-linking and Y-linking models for Ultem have been calculated from molecular weight analysis by gel permeation chromatography. These G-values have been compared with the G-values obtained from analysis of soluble fractions above the gel dose, which have been reported in previous works. An analysis of the molecular weight data in terms of H-linking and Y-linking mechanisms yielded values of G( S H) = 1.0 × 10−3 and G( H) = 6.0 × 10−3 and G( S Y) = 1.3 × 10−2 and G( Y) = 1.8 × 10−2. The corresponding values obtained from the solubility data were G( S H) = 0.53 × 10−2, G( H) = 1.39 × 10−2, G( S Y) = 4.2 × 10−2 and G( Y) = 4.6 × 10−2. The origin of the disagreement between the molecular weight and solubility values is not clear, but it could arise as a result of observed microgel formation below the reported gel dose of 0.13 MGy. Whether the crosslink mechanism proceeds by an H-linking or Y-linking process is also unclear and will require direct observation of the crosslinking structures.
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Arylidene and Cardo Ester Bismaleimides and Poly(aminoaspartimide)s Therefrom
Authors: Cozan Vasile , Sava Mitica , Marin Luminita , Bruma Maria
Published: April 2004

Six new bismaleimides (BMIs) having arylidene or cardo cycloaliphatic internal moieties were prepared by reacting 4-maleimidobenzoyl chloride with various arylidene or cardo bisphenols. The structures of BMIs were confirmed using elemental analysis data and spectroscopic (IR, 1H-NMR) characterizations. Two poly(aminoaspartimide)s (PAAs) were synthesized to exemplify one of the post-reaction abilities of the BMIs. Thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior was observed by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized light microscopy. The thermal stability of BMIs and PAAs was determined by thermogravimetric analysis and they showed good thermal stability except BMI 10, containing a cyclopentanone unit, which decomposed around 235°C. In this paper, we discuss the synthesis and characterization of these materials.
Processable PMR Poly(Pyrrolone-Imide)s Matrix Resins and their Short Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites
Authors: Shang Y. M. , Fan L. , Gao S. Q. , Hu A. J. , Yang S. Y.
Published: April 2004

Processable poly(pyrrolone-imide)s (PPI) were prepared via PMR process from diethyl ester of 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic acid (6FDE), 3,3′, 4,4′-tetraaminodiphenyl ether (TADPE), p-phenylenediamine ( p-PDA) and monoethyl ester of cis-5-norbornene- endo-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (NE) using methyl alcohol as solvent. The homogenous PPI matrix resin solutions with 32 wt.% solid content had the low absolute viscosities in the range of 80-90 mPa s at 25 °C. The matrix resin solutions were stable for a period of > 2 months at the refrigerator temperature (4 °C) and showed good adhesion on carbon fibers. The matrix resin solutions could be thermally converted to B-stage end-capped prepolymer, which was then thermally processed to yield the fully-cured PPI. Experimental results demonstrated that the fully-cured PPI exhibited good thermal stability with glass transition temperatures of >400 °C and the thermal decomposition temperature of 525-537 °C. The onset temperatures of the DMA storage modulus curve for PPI-20 was as high as 395 °C and the storage modulus retention was 71% at 370 °C. The short carbon fiber-reinforced PPI composites (CF/PPI) were also fabricated. The CF/PPI composites showed excellent thermal stabilities and good mechanical properties, with glass transition temperature in the range of 413-421 °C and the storage modulus retention of 76-87% at 370 °C.
‘Carnage by Computer’: The Blackboard Economics of the 2001 Foot and Mouth Epidemic
Authors: Campbell David , Lee Robert
Published: April 2004

The foot and mouth disease (FMD) epidemic in the UK in 2001 had devastating consequences, including the slaughter of millions of animals and huge losses to the rural economy. The regulatory policies devised to deal with FMD so gravely misconceived the magnitude of the risk that an outbreak was destined to become an epidemic. This article seeks to draw lessons for regulatory policy by examining the nature of the disaster and the chosen methods of control both before and during the epidemic. It rejects the analysis of the epidemic offered by the government agency responsible and argues that the policies adopted provide a classic example of Coase’s notion of ‘black-board economics’. The public interventions, although appearing to work splendidly in the abstract, showed little sensitivity to the conditions actually prevailing in modern livestock rearing, and as a result their consequences were not merely imperfect but actually pernicious. We reach the sad conclusion that few lessons have been learned from the outbreak, as the very practices largely responsible for the epidemic are still prevalent, and as legislation and contingency planning show signs of a preparedness merely to repeat the same mistakes.
International Cooperation in Higher Education: Theory and Practice
Authors: Chan Wendy W. Y.
Published: April 2004

The massification of higher education beginning in the 1960s and increasing market-isation of education have quickened the pace and, in some cases, changed the nature of international university cooperation. Today, universities form linkages with each other for one reason or another, but most important, they strike alliance in order to be able to compete. Massification and marketisation of higher education have led to severe competition, and globalisation has also led to more and more strategic alliances among multiple partners across national borders. Coupled with the advancement of information technology, the forces of globalisation have transformed the concepts of time and space, and universities are now operating across spatio-temporal boundaries. But what are the models and approaches to international university cooperation today? Under what circumstances are institutional linkages most likely to succeed or fail? What are some of the strategies involved? What kinds of organisational structures are needed?
Toward a Strategy for Internationalisation: Lessons and Practice from Four Universities
Authors: Taylor John
Published: April 2004

Internationalisation is one of the most powerful forces for change in contemporary higher education. This article looks first at the motivation of four leading institutions in seeking to develop a strategy for internationalisation. Second, the wide range of activities and initiatives undertaken by these universities is examined covering teaching and learning, research, staffing arrangements, and institutional management together forming a comprehensive strategy for internationalisation. Finally, the article assesses the overall input of internationalisation and its importance as an influence on institutional management.
A Magnetorheological Semi-Active Isolator to Reduce Noise and Vibration Transmissibility in Automobiles
Authors: Stelzer Gregory J. , Schulz Mark J. , Kim Jay , Allemang Randall J.
Published: April 2004

The demand for low cost, quiet operation, and increased operator comfort in automobiles and other applications is requiring that new techniques be developed for noise and vibration isolation. One approach to reduce noise and vibration harshness is to develop a small low cost vibration isolator that can be used to mount components that generate vibration. To develop this isolator, passive, semi-active, and active control methods and different types of smart materials were studied. Based on this study, the most promising approach seems to be a semi-active magnetorheological isolator. An isolator of this type was designed to mount a compressor on an automobile body and to isolate the body from high frequency vibration produced by the compressor. This application is more difficult than the problem of isolating a component from vibration of a base because here vibration is also produced by the component. The new results that this study provides are: (i) a simulation model of a semi-active control system with a magnetorheological isolator, a low pass filter, and base and rotating unbalance excitations, (ii) detailed simulation studies showing the practical trade-offs between passive and semi-active isolator performance, and the effect of phase lag due to low pass filtering, and (iii) an electronically controlled isolator design that can turn filtering on or off to provide durability and isolation performance that cannot be achieved using a passive isolator alone. The isolator design proposed here can have several applications. These include engine mounts, pumps, and fans in automobiles, and the isolation of aviation and naval components where the isolator must be durable enough to withstand low frequency vibration and shock loading through its base, and at the same time prevent transmission of high-frequency vibration from the component to the mounting structure.
Snap-Through of Unsymmetric Cross-Ply Laminates Using Piezoceramic Actuators
Authors: Schultz Marc R. , Hyer Michael W.
Published: April 2004

The paper discusses the concept of using a piezoceramic actuator bonded to one side of a two-layer unsymmetric cross ply [0/90] T laminate to provide the moments necessary to snap the laminate from one stable equilibrium shape to another. The results presented are considered an alternative to existing morphing concepts wherein actuators are used to elastically warp structures into a shape other than their natural and unique equilibrium shape. These existing concepts require the continuous application of power to maintain the warped shape. With the concept discussed here, the actuators are used only to change from one equilibrium shape to another, so continuous power is not needed. The paper discusses several phases of modeling, including bonding the actuator to the laminate and applying voltage to the actuator to effect the shape change, and experimental work. Two models are developed, a simple model and a more refined one. Both are based on the Rayleigh-Ritz technique and the use of energy and variational methods. The experimental phase of the study is discussed, particularly the measurement of the voltage level needed to snap the laminate. The voltage measurements are compared with predictions and the agreement between measurements and the predictions of the refined model are reasonable, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Suggestions for future activities are presented.
Experimental Research and Modeling of Magnetorheological Elastomers
Authors: Shen Y. , Golnaraghi M. F. , Heppler G. R.
Published: April 2004

In this paper, new methods for fabricating magnetorheological (MR) elastomers are introduced. Two different MR elastomers, one made of polyurethane and the other made of natural rubber, are successfully fabricated. The experimental results show that the modulus of polyurethane MR elastomers can increase by 28% under a strong magnetic field. Comparatively, the rubber MR elastomer has low modulus change ability. A mathematical model to represent the stress-strain relationship of MR elastomers is presented. The model takes into account all the dipole interactions in a chain and the nonlinear properties of the host composite. The analytical results of the model are in agreement with experimental data.
Development of a Templated Grain Growth System for Texturing Piezoelectric Ceramics
Authors: Seabaugh Matthew M. , Cheney Gwendolyn L. , Hasinska Katarzyna , Azad Abdul-Maheed , Sabolsky Edward M. , Swartz Scott L. , Dawson William J.
Published: April 2004

High strain actuation can be obtained from crystallographically textured piezoelectric ceramics. Single crystal piezoelectrics demonstrate high strain because crystal orientation can be controlled - the perfect lattice simplifies crystal orientation. Single crystals actuate better than typical ceramics, but are expensive. Highly textured ceramics offer an alternative path to easily aligned crystals. The crystallites in textured ceramics are crystallographically oriented. Textured ceramics are expected to provide improved properties, with lower processing costs. NexTech Materials is developing textured piezoelectrics via Templated Grain Growth. In this process, anisotropic template particles are oriented in a fine matrix. During heat treatment, the templates grow, resulting in a textured polycrystal.
Wide Band Tunable Mechanical Resonator Employing the ΔE Effect of Terfenol-D
Authors: Kellogg Rick , Flatau Alison
Published: April 2004

The control of Terfenol-D’s operational elastic modulus offers opportunities for novel devices and applications capitalizing on real-time changes in material stiffness. This work describes the development and testing of a Terfenol-D transducer employed as a wide-band variable frequency mechanical resonator. The design and construction of such a wide-band mechanical resonator for testing under controlled thermal, magnetic and dynamic mechanical load conditions are described. Changes in Terfenol-D’s elastic modulus, the ΔE effect, approaching 266% are demonstrated in the mechanical resonator utilizing a range of d.c. applied magnetic field levels of less than 61.0 kA/m. The elastic modulus and damping characteristics of Terfenol-D, critical to the successful design of devices employing the ΔE effect, are examined.
A Hybrid Analytical/Numerical Model of Piezoelectric Stack Actuators Using a Macroscopic Nonlinear Theory of Ferroelectricity and a Preisach Model of Hysteresis
Authors: Pasco Y. , Berry A.
Published: April 2004

Hysteretic behavior of polarized piezoelectric materials is of importance in the context of high power electro-mechanical transduction. The main goal of this article is to combine the Tiersten theory of electroelasticity and a Preisach model of hysteresis to model a simple force loaded piezoelectric actuator. The proposed theory of piezo-ferro-elasticity extends the derivation of Tiersten and Huang to the case of an arbitrary polarization direction in the ferroelectric domain. The general model is subsequently reduced to a mono-dimensional stack actuator under low operating voltage; therefore, the modeling focuses on minor loop modeling around the initial state of polarization. The model of hysteresis between polarization and electric field proposed here takes into account the nonlocal (macroscopic) memory of a piezoelectric ceramic by the use of a Preisach model. The Preisach model of hysteresis and the set of new ferro-electro-elastic constants that account for the irreversible relation between electric field and polarization are identified through experiments. The nonlinear model successfully reproduces the nonlinear dependence of generated displacements and forces as a function of applied electric field. Possible applications of this work involve nonlinear actuator behavior in the active control of vibration.
Overview of the DARPA Smart Wing Project
Authors: Kudva J. N.
Published: April 2004

The recently completed DARPA/AFRL/NASA Smart Wing program, performed by a team led by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC), addressed the development and demonstration of smart materials based concepts to improve the aerodynamic and aeroelastic performance of military aircraft. This paper presents an overview of the program. The program was divided into two phases. Under Phase 1 (January 1995 to February 1999), the NGC-led team developed adaptive wing structures with integrated actuation mechanisms to replace standard hinged control surfaces and provide variable, optimal aerodynamic shapes for a variety of flight regimes. An important limitation of the Phase 1 effort, the low bandwidth achievable in Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)-based actuation, was addressed in Phase 2 (January 1997 to November 2001). Under Phase 2, a 30-percent scale full span wind tunnel model of an NGC Uninhabited Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) design was developed. For the Phase 2 first wind tunnel test, completed in March 2000, SMA-actuated, hingeless, smoothly contoured, flexible leading and trailing edge control surfaces were incorporated on one wing of the model and conventional trailing edge control surfaces actuated using electric motors on the other. This test provided baseline steady-state data at Mach numbers ranging from 0.3 to 0.8. The test also demonstrated the benefits of the smart leading edge control surface to compensate for loss of aileron effectiveness with increasing dynamic pressure. The second test, performed in May 2001, demonstrated a hingeless, smoothly contoured, structurally compliant, trailing edge control surface actuated using piezoelectric motors. Spanwise and chordwise shape control was demonstrated for the smart trailing edge control surface at deflection rates of up to 80°/s. Performance improvements in terms of increased rolling and pitching moments and lower control surface deflections were quantified. The work performed under this program has demonstrated the feasibility of developing smart control surface designs to provide optimal aerodynamic performance at a wide range of flight conditions.
A Fair Go for All? The Impact Of Intragroup Diversity and Diversity-Management Skills on Student Experiences and Outcomes in Team-Based Class Projects
Authors: Shaw James B.
Published: April 2004

A longitudinal study of 390 students in 64 Practical Organizational Behavior Education (PROBE) project teams was conducted on the effects of intragroup diversity and student diversity-management skills. The impact of gender, age, and nationality variables on student grades, cognitive processes, perceptions of team effectiveness, and satisfaction were examined. Although the PROBE method places emphasis on the development of teamwork skills, the study found that students were disadvantaged in their grade performance and other outcomes depending on the type of group to which they were assigned and their particular position within the group.