bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychopolitical Dimensions of the Middle East Conflict
Authors: Kaplowitz Noel
Published: November 2009

On the basis of in-depth interviews with Arab and Israeli elites, this study delineates political styles and strategies of conflict on both sides of the Middle East dispute, with the aim of understanding their interaction effects. Three conflict orientations emerged for both Arabs and Israelis. Among Arabs, two are straight-forward: total rejection of Israel and unambiguous acceptance. All the acceptors are peripheral in their Arab identity or unusual in their contact with Israel. Through analysis of latent as well as manifest attitudes, a third, more intriguing orientation of “latent acceptance but manifest rejection” also emerges. Among Israelis, the three orientations consist of annexationism (of the occupied territories), hard bargaining, and conciliation. Although there is potential convergence between the crucial Arab “latents” and the important Israeli “hard bargainers,” their political styles and conflict strategies serve to lock the proponents of these orientations into highly competitive, intractable conflict. Exploration of the psychological needs, cultural processes, and political dynamics which give rise to these positions, together with attitudes on the issues, suggest several policies that might be effective in redirecting the process toward cooperative conflict resolution, about which all parties would feel some sense of gain.
Power Parity and Lethal International Violence, 1969–1973
Authors: Garnham David
Published: November 2009

Among students of international politics, there is little consensus concerning the nature of the relationship between dyadic power distributions and the likelihood of interstate violence: there may be no relationship, a positive relationship, or a negative relationship. This study hypothesized that lethal international violence between pairs of contiguous nation-states was more probable if the two states were equally powerful. Using the technique of pattern recognition, the hypothesis was tested—and substantiated—for the period 1969–1973. Furthermore, a discriminant function based on four indicators of national power (area, GNP, military manpower, and defense expenditures) appears to be a potentially useful predictor of lethal interstate violence.
Bargaining Set Theory and Majority Rule
Authors: Buckley James J. , Westen T. Edward
Published: November 2009

The kernel and the bargaining set are employed as predictors of experimental trials for four and five person simple majority rule games. Both concepts are found to be good predictors of game outcomes. A comparison is made between the bargaining set concepts and the von Neumann and Morgenstern solution sets which demonstrates that bargaining theory is the better predictor. The authors statistically manipulated experimental control variables to make point predictions in the kernel.
Prominence as a Determinant of Bargaining Outcomes
Authors: Eisenberg Melvin Aron , Patch Michael E.
Published: November 2009

An experiment designed to test Schelling's notion of prominence in conflict resolution varied the fairness of a mediator's suggestion and the opportunity to communicate. The conflict, drawn from one of Schelling's original examples, involved a hypothetical lost sum of money in which a mediator is called in to help settle the dispute between the loser and finder. It was predicted that the prominence effect would be strongest where the mediator's suggestion fell within accepted standards of fairness and where communication was prevented. Both predictions were generally confirmed as to frequency of specific outcomes, but mean outcomes did not seem to be affected by prominence. In addition, the use and functions of various kinds of norms in bargaining were discussed.
A Return Journey: Richardson, “Frontiers” and Wars in The 1946–1965 Era
Authors: Starr Harvey , Most Benjamin A.
Published: November 2009

In the Statistics of Deadly Quarrels Lewis Richardson presents findings linking frontiers to war. His results constitute the basis for a number of discussions concerning continuity and war, diffusion and war, and geopolitical approaches to war. Given the importance of Richardson's work, this paper investigates the generality of the frontier/ war relationship, by focusing on the post-World War II period using two different war data sets and multiple operationalizations of “borders.” The paper first develops a set of theoretical arguments linking borders and war in various ways. Next it reports an approximate replication of Richardson's analysis. The initial findings generally support Richardson's results (looking at the 1946–1965 period and with a full international system membership), but some qualifications are noted. Two further analytical approaches are then employed. The first of these is a set of cross-national approaches which are similar to Richardson's procedures. This approach provides an important further qualification of the Richardson border/war relationship: colonial borders support the border/war relationship, but noncolonial borders do not. The second approach involves nation-level comparative time-series analyses, the results of which are consistent with the qualifications discovered in the paper's earlier analyses.
Cognitive Effects of Attitude Conflict Resolution
Authors: Judd Charles M.
Published: November 2009

Interpersonal conflict usually involves conflict over attitudes as well as over scarce resources. It is hypothesized that the course of attitude conflicts will influence the subsequent view of the issue under dispute. Specifically, competitively oriented subjects will highly differentiate the opposing attitude positions while cooperatively oriented subjects will emphasize the similarity of the positions. These perceptual changes are expected to be cognitively mediated by differential weighting of the ways in which the position differ. In an experiment to test this hypothesis, pairs of subjects were assigned attitude positions on how National Health Insurance should be organized. Positions within any pair differed a great deal in some ways and less in others. Pairs then discussed the issue under either cooperative or competitive contingencies. The results of the experiment strongly confirmed the hypothesis: competition led to decreased perceived similarity between the positions and an emphasis upon those ways in which the positions differed the most. Cooperation had opposite effects.
Collective Violence: A Research Agenda and Some Strategic Considerations
Authors: Snyder David
Published: November 2009

This paper is based on the premise that current empirical analyses of collective violence are largely inadequate, and takes as its primary objective a detailed specification of alternative methodological strategies. Quantitative research on violence is cited for problems of measurement and causal inference, which stem from attempts to represent important theoretical concepts (relative deprivation, resource mobilization) at levels of analysis other than those at which they are formulated. Alternative strategies for empirical investigation of violence include timeseries analyses of individual perceptions and data on organized groups, as well as studies of crowd dynamics. Methods for linking the latter type of qualitative approach to quantitative ecological analyses are indicated. In general, the conclusions strongly suggest a theoretical and empirical reorientation toward “disaggregated” approaches to collective violence, and away from global conceptual and cross-national methodological efforts. Although consideration is limited to the determinants of domestic violence, the concluding section outlines the potential relevance of international linkages and the outcomes of violence to these central concerns.
Transforming a Nation-Dominant International System
Authors: Zinnes Dina A. , Gillespie John V. , Tahim G. S.
Published: November 2009

This paper investigates the problem of system transformation. Focusing on one attribute of system structure, the distribution of power, it is shown that certain power distributions are incompatible with certain optimizing behaviors. Specifically, it is shown that if a system contains a dominant nation, a nation whose power exceeds the sum of the power of all remaining nations, and if nations optimize using stochastic inputs, then the dominant nation will lose its superiority. It is further shown, through a generalization of the argument, that the application of stochastic inputs also insures against subsystem dominance, thus providing a guarantee against “spheres of influence” by some nations over subsets of nations. The general argument is substantiated by showing that similar results can be obtained by way of two different forms of analysis.
Conflict Actions and Outcomes: Long-Term Impacts
Authors: Lockhart Charles
Published: November 2009

The impact of selected forms of conflict actions and solution characteristics on long-term relations among parties to international conflicts is examined. The analysis is conducted by means of focused comparison. Eight questions drawn from the literature of crisis management and resolution are asked about a series of five conflict episodes from the era preceding World War I. The study indicates that statesmen may contribute to long-term deterioration in relations among nations both by focusing too narrowly on resolving the conflict episode rather than the conflict of interest, and by ignoring diplomatic conventions so that they become increasingly viewed as brigands by their counterparts in other nations. Also, statesmen sometimes fail to take advantage of opportunities to build integrative solutions which might foster better relations among all parties to the conflict. Opportunities for building integrative solutions are sometimes lost even when they could be easily implemented.
Coping with MIRV in a MAD World
Authors: Potter William C.
Published: November 2009

Since 1965 when the problem of verifying a MIRV ban was added to the charge that MIRV was a threat to deterrence stability, the case against MIRV has remained essentially unchanged. Although MIRV was defended alternatively as a cost-effective means to cover increased Soviet targets, a hedge against Soviet ABM designs, a weapon in the domestic battle over ABM, and a bargaining chip in international negotiations, the principal charge against MIRV (counterforce threat) was never seriously disputed. Nevertheless, because of verification obstacles, both critics and supporters of the program have tended to agree that prospects for a future MIRV ban are not promising. A case is made here that MIR Ved systems themselves are not inherently destabilizing. Moreover, a practical method does exist for achieving a ban on the most destabilizing variety of MIRVs—those on land-based ICBMs. This approach, a ban or severe limitation on flight tests of missiles in a MIRVed mode, avoids the substantial verification difficulties of other MIRV reduction schemes and reinforces the principle of mutual deterrence.
Conflict and Coercion in Dependent States
Authors: Jackson Steven , Russett Bruce , Snidal Duncan , Sylvan David
Published: November 2009

This paper puts forward an action-reaction model of the interaction between civil conflict and state coercion in nations undergoing dependent development. Using graphical techniques and dynamic analysis of difference equations, the conflict-coercion relationship is explored analytically and its implications drawn out. The primary findings are twofold: (1) the intensity with which both state and opposition react to each other is of vital importance, and (2) the external system plays a significant role in accounting for differences in national time paths.
The Effects of Precedent on Arbitration
Authors: Schotter Andrew
Published: November 2009

This paper presents a new view of the arbitration process in which the arbitrator is depicted as a random device to generate arbitration decisions. The conflicting parties must decide whether to send their dispute to the arbitrator, based on their subjective probability beliefs concerning the arbitration's outcome. If their beliefs are “sufficiently divergent,” we can expect both to agree to arbitration. As similar disputes are arbitrated and precedent is set, however, these divergent beliefs can be expected to vanish. Using some game theoretical results of Aumann and Rosenthal, we demonstrate that such convergence will ruin the incentive to arbitrate for conflicts that are zero (or constant) sum in nature, and for games that are non-constant sum but “best responsive equivalent” to zero sum games. It will not do so in general for conflicts that are non-zero sum. We then examine the welfare implications of these results and point out a paradox that arises in this context.
On The Unification of Two-Person Bargaining Theory
Authors: Wagner R. Harrison
Published: November 2009

Efforts to develop a deductive theory of bargaining based on the assumption of rational, self-interested behavior have produced serious disagreements among those who have approached the problem from this perspective. This paper argues that when allowance is made for important differences among types of bargaining situations, it is possible to develop a theory that is both coherent and plausible. An effort is also made to contribute to the understanding of the problem of bargaining with incomplete knowledge of the bargainers' utility functions. It is argued that an emphasis on the costs of bargaining provides the basis for a unified theory that covers both complete and incomplete knowledge.
A Competitive Test of the M1(i) and M1(im) Bargaining Sets
Authors: Michener H. Andrew , Sakurai Melvin M. , Yuen Kenneth , Kasen Thomas J.
Published: November 2009

Two game theoretic solution theories, the M1(i) bargaining set and the M1(im) modified bargaining set, were tested competitively in six three-person games with side-payments. Subjects were 90 males who participated in 30 bargaining groups. Results showed that M1(im) is significantly and consistently superior to M1(i) in predicting the distribution of payoffs in these conflicts (p <.01). Results are discussed in terms of the formal differences between the theories.
The Reduction of Cognitive Conflict
Authors: Alexander Elmore R.
Published: November 2009

The effectiveness of training individuals to utilize Rapoport's “region of validity” technique (1960) as well as Gibb's “supportive” types of communication (1961) in reducing cognitive conflict was examined with a sample of 122 students participating in a version of Hammond's cognitive conflict paradigm (1966). Message content analysis was employed to discern the effect of various message types on conflict reduction. Analysis indicates that training in use of the “region of validity” technique and “supportive” types of communication reduces confict and that problem-oriented messages are positively associated with conflict reduction.
Planning Foreign Policy Systematically
Authors: Sylvan Donald A.
Published: November 2009

An approach to planning foreign policy systematically is presented. It is seen as an appropriate planning aid in situations where some form of goals can be stated, the subject matter is “well understood,” and potential disturbances in the patterns of interrelationship between variables are identifiable. After placing this approach in the context of other planning and decision-making arguments and schemes, an example dealing with choosing a foreign assistance policy is offered to illustrate steps involved in mathematical planning. Those steps are goal setting and weighting, establishing normatively set constraints, relating variables, determining initial conditions, and numerical evaluation of alternative policies. In the foreign assistance example, computer simulation is employed to accomplish the final step.
More Effective Choice in the Prisoner's Dilemma
Authors: Axelrod Robert
Published: November 2009

This study reports and analyzes the results of the second round of the computer tournament for the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma. The object is to gain a deeper understanding of how to perform well in such a setting. The 62 entrants were able to draw lessons from the results of the first round and were able to design their entries to take these lessons into account. The results of the second round demonstrate a number of subtle pitfalls which specific types of decision rules can encounter. The winning rule was once again TIT FOR TAT, the rule which cooperates on the first move and then does what the other player did on the previous move. The analysis of the results shows the value of not being the first to defect, of being somewhat forgiving, but also the importance of being provocable. An analysis of hypothetical alternative tournaments demonstrates the robustness of the results.
Factors Affecting Entry into Psychological Traps
Authors: Rubin Jeffrey Z. , Brockner Joel , Small-Weil Susan , Nathanson Sinaia
Published: November 2009

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of two variables on psychological entrapment. Experiment 1 was an incrementing counter paradigm in which subjects could quit at any time. Subjects paid for each tick of their counter hoping that cash might eventually be awarded—either because a computer-generated number was reached or because a presumed adversary chose to quit first. At each of a series of decision points, subjects were to indicate their wish to continue, either by signalling the experimenter or doing nothing. In Experiment 2, subjects solved a crossword puzzle in the presumed presence of a person with whom they were either independent or in competition. Subjects were either stopped periodically and asked if they wished to continue or were not interrupted. In Experiment 1 it was found that entrapment was greater under Social than Nonsocial conditions; in both experiments this difference was more striking for men than women. In addition, in Experiment 2 but not in Experiment 1, entrapment was greater under Passive than Active conditions. Reasons for the similarity and divergence of results across the two studies are discussed and related to prior research.
Nonsymmetry and Core Size in N-Person Sidepayment Games
Authors: Michener H. Andrew , Yuen Kenneth , Geisheker Stephen B.
Published: November 2009

This article presents a procedure for indexing n-person cooperative games in terms of degree of nonsymmetry. This ordinal-level index is limited to sidepayment games, but applies generally to games of three or more players. To validate the index, a laboratory experiment was conducted with four-person games differing in degree of nonsymmetry and in core size. The results show that, while core size had no significant effects, the players' payoffs varied significantly as a function of nonsymmetry. Strong players received increasingly more and weak players received increasingly less as nonsymmetry increased. Tests for goodness of fit of several prominent solution concepts show that, across experimental treatments, the Shapley value predicts better than other solutions. Shapley is followed in order by the disruption nucleolus, the nucleolus, and finally the equality solution. These tests also show that all of the theories decline in predictive accuracy as the degree of nonsymmetry increases. Reasons for this trend are discussed in terms of predictive patterns and payoff variances.
Engineering Craniofacial Structures: Facing the Challenge
Authors: Zaky S.H. , Cancedda R.
Published: November 2009

The human innate regenerative ability is known to be limited by the intensity of the insult together with the availability of progenitor cells, which may cause certain irreparable damage. It is only recently that the paradigm of tissue engineering found its way to the treatment of irreversibly affected body structures with the challenge of reconstructing the lost part. In the current review, we underline recent trials that target engineering of human craniofacial structures, mainly bone, cartilage, and teeth. We analyze the applied engineering strategies relative to the selection of cell types to lay down a specific targeted tissue, together with their association with an escorting scaffold for a particular engineered site, and discuss their necessity to be sustained by growth factors. Challenges and expectations for facial skeletal engineering are discussed in the context of future treatment.
Cyclosporin A and Phenytoin Modulate Inflammatory Responses
Authors: Suzuki A.M.M. , Yoshimura A. , Ozaki Y. , Kaneko T. , Hara Y.
Published: November 2009

Gingival overgrowth is a common side-effect of administration of the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A and the anti-epileptic drug phenytoin. While cyclosporin-induced gingival overgrowth is often accompanied by gingival inflammation, phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth usually forms fibrotic lesions. To determine whether these drugs alter the inflammatory responses of gingival fibroblasts, we investigated the effects of cyclosporin and phenytoin on Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated responses to microbial components. In Chinese hamster ovary reporter cell lines, cyclosporin alone triggered signaling, whereas phenytoin down-regulated signaling induced by the TLR2 or TLR4 ligand. In human gingival fibroblasts, cyclosporin alone did not induce evident inflammatory responses, but augmented the expression of CD54 and the production of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 induced by TLR ligands, whereas phenytoin attenuated those responses. Cyclosporin also augmented CD54 expression in gingiva of mice injected with lipopolysaccharide. These results indicated that cyclosporin positively and phenytoin negatively modulated inflammatory responses of human gingival fibroblasts.
Immunomodulatory Activity of IL-27 in Human Periapical Lesions
Authors: Colić M. , Gazivoda D. , Majstorović I. , Dragicević A. , Vasilijić S. , Rudolf R. , Milosavljević P. , Vucević D.
Published: November 2009

IL-27, a cytokine with pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties, is a new member of the IL-6/IL-12 family, whose function in periapical lesions is unknown. We hypothesized that the production of IL-27 and its effect depend upon the type of immune/inflammatory response and clinical presentation of periapical lesions. We tested this hypothesis by studying the expression and function of IL-27 in human periapical lesions, both in situ and in culture. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the strongest expression of IL-27 by endothelial cells and mononuclear phagocytes. Its production by periapical lesion mononuclear cells (PL-MNC), especially in symptomatic lesions, was significantly higher compared with that in peripheral blood MNC and correlated with the frequency of CD14+ and CD3+ cells. Exogenous IL-27 stimulated Th1 and down-regulated Th17 cytokine production by PL-MNC from symptomatic lesions, but down-regulated Th1 and Th2 responses in asymptomatic lesions. These findings suggest that IL-27 is an immunomodulatory cytokine in periapical lesions, with complex biological effects.
Second Language Learning Difficulties in Chinese Children With Dyslexia: What Are the Reading-Related Cognitive Skills That Contribute to English and Chinese Word Reading?
Authors: Chung Kevin Kien Hoa , Ho Connie Suk-Han
Published: November 2009

This study examined the relations between reading-related cognitive skills and word reading development of Chinese children with dyslexia in their Chinese language (L1) and in English (L2). A total of 84 bilingual children—28 with dyslexia, 28 chronological age (CA) controls, and 28 reading-level (RL) controls—participated and were administered measures of word reading, rapid naming, visual-orthographic skills, and phonological and morphological awareness in both L1 and L2. Children with dyslexia showed weaker performance than CA controls in both languages and had more difficulties in phonological awareness in English but not in Chinese. In addition, reading-related cognitive skills in Chinese contributed significantly to the ability to read English words, suggesting cross-linguistic transfer from L1 to L2. Results found evidence for different phonological units of awareness related to the characteristics of the different languages being learned, supporting the psycholinguistic grain size and linguistic coding differences hypotheses.
School Involvement in Pharmacotherapy for Behavior Disorders
Authors: Gadow Kenneth D.
Published: November 2009

Hyperactivity is one of the most common reasons for chronic drug therapy in exceptional children. Clinicians have long recognized that behavioral evaluations from the teacher are essential in diagnosing this disorder, titrating dosage, and monitoring and terminating treatment. In order to evaluate the adequacy of typical treatment practices, 2 state-wide studies of special education programs were conducted. Teachers completed questionnaires for 232 pupils in their current classroom who were receiving medication for a learning or behavior disorder, and the mothers of 100 of these children participated in a telephone interview. The findings from both studies were remarkably similar. Teachers were often not involved in referral, diagnosis, or the withdrawal of medication. The allegation that school personnel frequently pressure parents into medication for their child was unsupported. Although 60% of the teachers reported drug effects, standardized evaluation instruments were rarely used. Direct communication with the physician was all but nonexistent. There appears to be a considerable disparity between the treatment procedures recommended in the medical literature as being necessary for adequate care and typical practices in everyday situations.
Promise of Relationship-Focused Early Intervention in Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Affleck Glenn , McGrade Betty Jo , McQueeney Maria , Allen Deborah
Published: November 2009

This review compares two approaches to parent-infant intervention in developmental disabilities. The first, a parent training approach, instructs parents to carry out therapeutic and/or curriculum-based procedures under the supervision of an intervention specialist. The second, a relationship-focused approach, attempts to foster adaptive parent-infant and parent-professional relationships and to promote generalized parent competence. Several sources of program validation are consulted to support the promise of relationship-focused early intervention in families of developmentally disabled infants. The review describes the characteristics and preliminary findings of a relationship-focused intervention program for high-risk or developmentally disabled infants under the authors' direction.
Bivariate Normal Distribution Estimates of The Prevalence of Reading Disabilities
Authors: Burns Edward
Published: November 2009

The bivariate normal distribution can be used to determine the prevalence of reading disabilities when the primary variables are reading achievement and IQ and when the correlation between reading and IQ is known or can be estimated. In the case where the reading achievement z score cutoff is <– 1.0 (z scores less than– 1.0) and the IQz score cutoff is > -.7 (z scores greater than -.7), and the correlation between reading and IQ is .65, the proportion of reading-disability cases is .0576. This is in contrast to using only a reading z score cutoff of < −1.0, which would result in a proportion of .1587 based on the normal distribution. Using IQ to limit classification as reading disabled will decrease the proportion of reading-disability cases, depending on the z score cutoff points and the correlation between reading and IQ. As the correlation between reading and IQ increases, for any two cutoff points, the proportion of reading-disability cases decreases. The author discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using the bivariate normal distribution to estimate the prevalence of reading disabilities.
Relationship of Individualized Teaching Strategies to Academic Learning Time for Mainstreamed Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Students
Authors: Knowles Claudia Jane , Aufderheide Susan Kaye , McKenzie Thomas
Published: November 2009

The purpose of the investigation was to study Academic Learning Time (ALT) of mainstreamed handicapped and nonhandicapped students. ALT was obtained on 60 nonhandicapped and 60 mainstreamed handicapped students in elementary school physical education classes. Subjects were selected from the classes of 7 teachers classified as individualized instruction users and 7 teachers classified as nonusers. A 2 × 2 analysis of variance was used in the data analysis. Results indicated that the students in the classes of users of individualized instruction were engaged in a significantly greater amount of ALT than were students of nonusers. There was no significant difference in the amount of ALT engaged in by mainstreamed handicapped and regular students.
A Proposal for The Diagnosis of Emotional Disturbance
Authors: Eaves Ronald C.
Published: November 2009

Although emotional disturbance among children has been acknowledged for over 200 years, services for such children have lagged behind those provided other handicapped groups. This is true even in comparison with recently “discovered” handicaps such as learning disabilities. The author explains this phenomenon in terms of the ambiguity and variety of definitions of emotional disturbance. The underlying reasons for muddled definitions, and their resultant befuddled diagnostic processes, are discussed in terms of 4 factors: (a) the impact of theory, (b) societal diversity, (c) benchmarks for decision making, and (d) instrumentation. It is argued that until we attempt to form operational definitions of the major types of emotional disturbance, we have no choice but to continue to descant about conceptual models that cannot be empirically evaluated. The paper then presents a method for diagnosis that is practicable, functional, and verifiable. It involves the collection of data from the environment via screening devices and from the child via systematic observation schedules. Problems involved in the implementation of the diagnostic process are discussed.
Scale for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students: An Investigation of Factor Structure
Authors: Burke Joy Patricia , Haworth Caroline E. , Ware William B.
Published: November 2009

Teacher selection of gifted children is a frequently used but inadequately evaluated identification method, often appreciated for its apparent relevance to children's educational functioning but criticized for its ineffectiveness in identifying the gifted. As an attempt to improve teachers' identification of giftedness, more objective and empirical instruments such as the Scale for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Children (SRBCSS) (Renzulli, Hartman, & Callahan, 1971) have been developed. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the factor-analytic structure of the SRBCSS to determine whether the factors found are similar to the behavioral dimensions (i.e., Learning, Motivation, Creativity, and Leadership) that the SRBCSS purports to assess. The results suggest that there are 5 dimensions being assessed by the SRBCSS. The significance of these results, descriptions of each factor, and recommended research are discussed.
Preservice Special Education: Practicum Evaluation and Some Concerns
Authors: Newberger Darryl Alan
Published: November 2009

Important issues pertaining to educating the preservice undergraduate special educator are discussed by critically analyzing so-called scholarly literature from a nontraditional, multidisciplinary perspective. Diagnostic-prescriptive teaching methodologies are found to be inadequate once again, and suggestions are provided to expand the field's consciousness level by using new and different information sources that are currently neglected by practicing professionals. A practicum-evaluation form is proffered as a sacrificial lamb to the reality of present day mainline/mainstream special education literature.
Recent Findings on the Nature of g
Authors: Vernon Philip A.
Published: November 2009

This paper describes recent research investigating the relationship between the speed with which individuals can execute a number of basic cognitive processes and their performance on tests of intelligence and mental ability. The results are discussed in terms of 3 properties of the working-memory system, which limit the amount of information that can simultaneously be stored and processed. It is suggested that these limiting properties implicate the speed or efficiency with which a person can process information as an important factor underlying success or failure in solving a problem or performing any other intellectual task. The author discusses other research that indicates that certain personality variables, through their relationship with cortical arousal, may be partly responsible for the relationship between speed of processing and intelligence.
Test Bias and Hispanic Children
Authors: Figueroa Richard A.
Published: November 2009

Although evidence of test bias with Hispanic children is hard to find and often contradictory, many studies on the item structure of tests such as the WISC-R indicate that bias is not present. This study examines the model typically used in item analyses of bias with Hispanics. It is shown that the model fails to demonstrate bias even for children who come from Spanish-speaking homes. The author suggests that the model's implicit assumptions about how cultures interact may be incorrect.
The Pivotal Role of Grammar in Correcting Writing Disabilities
Authors: Giordano Gerard
Published: November 2009

Neurological research supports the hypotheses that (a) there is a critical anatomical area essential to the processing of grammatical information, and (b) the processing of grammatically organized information is distinct from the processing of information that is not grammatically organized. Research on the acquisition of language demonstrates that children can easily learn context-free grammatical structures, and that children universally generate nonoccurring utterances. On the basis of this research, a prototype for instructing writing-disabled students is developed.
Preparation of Polyrotaxane Fibers. Part I: Influence of Dope Solvents on the Physical Properties of Wet-spun Polyrotaxane Fibers
Authors: Katsuyama Naoya , Shimizu Koji , Sato Shunya , Kuroiwa Jun , Teramoto Akira , Abe Koji , Araki Jun , Ito Kohzo
Published: November 2009

The preparation of polyrotaxane fibers by wet spinning of polyrotaxane, consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs), was examined using three different types of dope solvents: dimethylacetamide (DMAc) containing 8 wt% lithium chloride (LiCl), dimethylformamide (DMF) containing 8 wt% LiCl, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). In DMSO, polyrotaxane concentrations of 20 and 30 wt% were favorable for the smooth spinning of fibers with sufficient tenacity, while other polyrotaxane concentrations (10, 15, and 40 wt%) were unsuitable for the wet spinning of durable fibers. All of the fibers had nearly identical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and X-ray diffraction patterns. Although the values for tenacity at break and initial modulus also were similar for all fibers, elongation at break of fibers from DMSO was higher than the values for the other two fibers. The poorer physical properties of the latter two fibers may be affected by the slight amount of lithium salt remaining in the fibers.
Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cotton Fibers: Single-fiber Failure
Authors: Harzallah O. , Benzina H. , Drean J-Y.
Published: November 2009

The fibers for specific textile end-use applications will be selected basically through their mechanical properties. They are key elements in fiber selection for successful applications. The way a single fiber behaves when it breaks is a good indicator of the mechanical properties whereby the results can be correlated to their microstructure. In this respect, our research concerned four types of cotton provided by the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI), Lubbock, TX. Their length and their degree of maturity are different. The thickness and the maturity have first been defined by a microscopic analysis, which is completed by a macroscopic scale analysis. The measurement of characteristics, such as the fiber length distribution, has also been investigated. Two different types of cotton have been chosen for advanced mechanical studies: the single-fiber breakage with both tensile and fatigue testing has been carried out and the fiber morphology has been observed using a scanning electron microscope. The aim of our study is the morphological investigation of the cotton fiber by specifying the breaking mode of a single fiber.
Evaluation of a Digital Image-signal Approach on the Automatic Measurement of Cotton Yarn Snarls
Authors: Bin Gang Xu  , Xiao Ming Tao  , Murrells Charlotte Marion
Published: November 2009

This paper is the second part of a series reporting the recent development of a computerized method for the automatic measurement and recognition of yarn wet snarls from an image of snarled yarn samples captured in a water bath. In our earlier work, a digital image-signal approach for fully computerized yarn-snarl measurement was developed and the effects of various influencing factors on the recognition algorithms were numerically examined. In this paper, the feasibility and accuracy of the fully computerized method on the measurement of actual yarn wet snarls are evaluated through laboratory experiments. One hundred percent cotton ring spun single yarns of 7, 10, 16, and 20 Ne are prepared and used for the evaluation. In addition to the number of snarl turns per unit length, the snarl height and width of the yarn samples are also objectively measured by using the computerized method. The measurement results obtained by the computerized method are analyzed and compared with those measured manually by using a twist tester and an interactive computer method.
Community Power and Policy Outputs
Authors: Lyon Larry , Bonjean Charles M.
Published: November 2009

The concern with the effects of different types of community power structures has produced two prominent research and conceptualization strategies—the separability and community mobilization models. When both models are evaluated using the same methods and sample, their predictive validity is disappointing. Examination of the relationship of various policy outputs to different types of leadership arrangements suggests a more basic conceptualization, routine versus nonroutine outputs, may be more salient than previous classifications. Because the conceptualization was derived from permanent community sample (PCS) data, it is also evaluated using a different community data set. More empirical support is obtained from the routinization model than from the separability or mobilization models.
Fiscal Implications of Class Segregation
Authors: Schneider Mark , Logan John R.
Published: November 2009

Patterns of residential segregation by income are examined for a sample of incorporated suburban municipalities in 31 SMSAs. Using a variety of indicators of community fiscal wealth and government service levels, the observed patterns of residential segregation are linked to patterns of fiscal inequality. Evidence is presented documenting the extent of benefits of the present system of suburban fragmentation to the small number of the very richest communities and families in suburbs. The costs of this system are seen to fall more heavily on the poor and middle-income families.
Freedom and Equality
Authors: Edwards J. Terry , Galloway Thomas D.
Published: November 2009

This article concerns an empirical investigation of the ideological predispositions of city managers and urban planners. Building on recent literature which suggests that a significant degree of value questioning is under way in each field, we seek to uncover the ideological preferences of city planners and managers, the differences between those who hold ideological positions and those who do not, and the differences between managers and planners of differing ideological persuasions. Ideological predisposition is significant for the individual planner's or manager's personal identification as a professional, for the manager's or planner's behavior in a democray, and for the educational process which certifies them.
The Urban Dynamics Model
Authors: Tsai Yung-Mei , Bartos Otomar , Sigelman Lee
Published: November 2009

Forrester's urban dynamics model has had considerable influence on academicians and policymakers. However, the external validity of the model remains unsettled. Four large American cities which meet the initial assumptions of the model are used to test the model's predictive accuracy. Developments in these cities during a 20-year period are compared with the model's predictions. These comparisons indicate substantial deviations from predicted patterns of change. In general, the predictions of the model appear to be too pessimistic: The model fairly consistently understates developmental change and grossly overstates urban decay. The causes and implications of the model's poor performance are discussed.
Measuring Change
Authors: Krivo Lauren J. , Frisbie W. Parker
Published: November 2009

Recently Collxer and Semyonov attempted to link more closely diachronic theory and research by decomposing change scores into four components. They applied their measures to 1960-1970 socioeconomic status change among Long Island suburbs. The present article applies these and other alternative measures to suburban income change between 1970 and 1975 in the suburbs of all the largest U.S. urbanized areas for which data were available and tests propositions about the relationship between the components of change and their determinants. Although Collver and Semyonov's measures are useful for describing the conceptually distinct dimensions of change, in some instances alternative indices may be preferable. Hypotheses specific to certain change components find considerable support.
Housing Price Inequalities
Authors: Krivo Lauren J.
Published: November 2009

This article analyzes data from the Annual Housing Survey on the black and Spanish-origin populations in a sample of U.S. standard metropolitan statistical areas to determine whether these minorities pay more than Anglos for comparable housing. These data demonstrate that both the black and Spanish-origin populations as a whole pay more than Anglos for the same quality housing in the rental market while no group pays significantly more than Anglos in the owners' market. Separate analyses of Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Mexican Americans highlight some differences among the minority groups. Most important is the finding that Cubans are equally or less likely than Anglos to obtain low-quality housing at most levels of rent.
Urban Neighborhood Research
Authors: Olson Philip
Published: November 2009

Recent decades have witnessed the growth of urban America and the transformation of the neighborhood, its smallest form of community. This article is an assessment of the literature on urban neighborhoods that explores (1) the principal themes in the literature, (2) the problems and limitations posed by this literature, and (3) the major contributions of these studies and their bearing on an agenda for future research. This assessment points up the processes of change and differentiation occurring in the local community and its underlying persistence. As a more open system than in the past, the neighborhood mirrors the fluidity, growth, and social class differentiation wrought by the larger society. Generalizations of urban neighborhood conditions are no longer possible, and the newer typologies reflect this diversity. The key issues are the understanding of the persistence of the local community and the factors contributing to its differentiation.
Cities and Jobs and Politics
Authors: Walton John
Published: November 2009

This article describes the origins of the Urban Jobs and Enterprise Zone Act, introduced in Congress in March 1982. Proponents of the legislation argue that it is a remedy for unemployment and urban stagnation. A more critical evaluation indicates that the legislation provides scant benefits for the inner-city poor, but windfall tax advantages for large firms. Jobs that might be provided are the most menial sort and subsidies are heavily weighted in favor of plant and equipment expansion. The proposal is best understood not as a solution to the urban problem but as part of a large redistribution of wealth and income. For the problems that purportedly inspire the legislation, better solutions are available.
The Questionable Promise of Enterprise Zones
Authors: Malone Janet H.
Published: November 2009

This article reviews the origin of enterprise zones in England and recounts the pitfalls anticipated by officials responsible for administering the programs. This enterprise zone approach is contrasted with an unstructured entrepreneurial approach taken by Italians in an effort to solve some of the same economic problems. Implications of enterprise zones for small business in the United States are discussed.
Enterprise Zones
Authors: Clarke Susan E.
Published: November 2009

Using criteria of efficiency, equity, and efficacy to assess enterprise zones reveals several shortcomings. The success of enterprise zones in revitalizing economically distressed areas depends on whether the causes of market failures are correctly identified, whether zone incentives are sufficient to trigger zone investment, and whether the investment and jobs produced in the zones are sufficient to offset additional service costs and lost tax revenues to participating governments. As presently formulated, however, the administration's enterprise zone proposal (March 1982) is insensitive to context-dependent local investment processes. This failure to strengthen the preconditions of neighborhood investment weakens the impact of zone incentives. The economic restructuring processes attendant to zone development raise concerns about equity and efficacy with regard to the promotion of capital-intensive development, displacement of existing businesses and organizations, assistance to small business enterprises, and articulation and representation of neighborhood interests.
Buying Bonds for Business
Authors: Pascarella Thomas A. , Raymond Richard D.
Published: November 2009

Tax-free Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) have become a very popular method of stimulating economic development among local communities. IRBs impose few direct costs upon the issuing jurisdictions while the perceived benefits, to business people and communities, are substantial. However, important social costs are associated with the use of IRBs: reduced federal tax revenues, dilution of the municipal bond market, legal and administrative expenses, and lowered real national output. A study of the use of IRBs in Ohio between 1974 and 1978 showed that few social benefits were generated to offset the real social costs of the program. IRB investments were not directed toward high unemployment areas, and the jobs they created did not appear to yield disproportionately direct benefits to the low-income segments of the issuing jurisdictions. These findings suggest that the federal government should effectively abolish the IRB program by removing I RBs' tax-exempt status. If this proves politically impossible, then IRBs should be directed instead toward severely distressed areas. This form of targeting is consistent with the role envisioned for IRBs in the Reagan administration's enterprise zone concept.
The Effects of Local Government Finances on Community Growth Rates
Authors: Schneider Mark , Logan John R.
Published: November 2009

The Tiebout model of residential choice suggests that people freely shop among communities seeking a "market bundle" of local government services that best fits their preferences. Presumably, the different service/tax preferences of social groups help to explain their residential location. In this research on the suburban community growth of low-and high-income population, we find that differential service levels among communities have no relationship to income specific growth rates. However, we do find that, in contrast to low-income families, high-income families cluster in suburban communities with higher fiscal resources, giving them greater policy options in choosing service levels and tax rates.