bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deducing Ground-to-Air Emissions from Observed Trace Gas Concentrations: A Field Trial with Wind Disturbance
Authors: Flesch T. K. , Wilson J. D. , Harper L. A.
Published: May 2005

Inverse-dispersion techniques allow inference of a gas emission rate Q from measured air concentration. In “ideal surface layer problems,” where Monin–Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) describes the winds transporting the gas, the application of the technique can be straightforward. This study examines the accuracy of an ideal MOST-based inference, but in a nonideal setting. From a 6 m × 6 m synthetic area source surrounded by a 20 m × 20 m square border of a windbreak fence (1.25 m tall), Q is estimated. Open-path lasers gave line-averaged concentration CL at positions downwind of the source, and an idealized backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) dispersion model was used to infer QbLS. Despite the disturbance of the mean wind and turbulence caused by the fence, the QbLS estimates were accurate when ambient winds (measured upwind of the plot) were assumed in the bLS model. In the worst cases, with CL measured adjacent to a plot fence, QbLS overestimated Q by an average of 50%. However, if these near-fence locations are eliminated, QbLS averaged within 2% of the true Q over 61 fifteen-minute observations (with a standard deviation σQ/Q = 0.20). Poorer accuracy occurred when in-plot wind measurements were used in the bLS model. The results show that when an inverse-dispersion technique is applied to disturbed flows without accounting for the disturbance, the outcome may still be of acceptable accuracy if judgment is applied in the placement of the concentration detector.
AMSU-A Land Surface Emissivity Estimation for Numerical Weather Prediction Assimilation Schemes
Authors: Prigent Catherine , Chevallier Frédéric , Karbou Fatima , Bauer Peter , Kelly Graeme
Published: May 2005

This study describes the work performed at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) to estimate the microwave land surface emissivities at Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU)-A frequencies within the specific context and constraint of operational assimilation. The emissivities are directly calculated from the satellite observations in clear-sky conditions using the surface skin temperature derived from ECMWF and the Radiative Transfer for the Television and Infrared Observation Satellite Operational Vertical Sounder (RTTOVS) model, along with the forecast model variables to estimate the atmospheric contributions. The results are analyzed, with special emphasis on the evaluation of the frequency and angular dependencies of the emissivities with respect to the surface characteristics. Possible extrapolation of the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) emissivities to those of the AMSU is considered. Direct calculation results are also compared with emissivity model outputs.
Evaluation of Urban Surface Energy Fluxes Using an Open-Air Scale Model
Authors: Pearlmutter D. , Berliner P. , Shaviv E.
Published: May 2005

The thermal behavior of an urban surface is crucial to understand, but it is difficult to predict using conventional measurement or modeling approaches. In this study, an integrated method is proposed for evaluating urban energy exchanges with an open-air scale model of a building–street canyon surface array. The technique, which potentially combines the flexibility of modeling with the reliability of empirical observation under natural turbulence and radiative loading, is tested in hot, arid summer conditions to gauge its ability for reproducing surface–atmosphere energy fluxes that are representative of diurnal patterns in actual urban settings. After identifying the inertial sublayer, which is created above the scaled roughness array at a point near its downwind edge, roughness parameters utilized in the calculation of turbulent sensible heat flux are determined for two different array configurations of varying frontal area density and compared with existing data from field studies and morphometric models. For each geometric configuration, the relative sharing of radiant energy between storage and turbulent fluxes is compared with published findings obtained by conventional methods, as is the diurnal pattern of each component flux. Roughness parameters that are obtained conform to the expected ranges, as do daytime and overall daily fluxes and flux ratios. Overall, radiation absorption and heat storage are higher in the array with deeper canyons, and in both arrays the share of sensible heat channeled into the atmosphere is both higher in magnitude and later in reaching its peak intensity than that which is stored within the scaled urban fabric. This thermal time lag, when evaluated by fitting data to a published model for parameterizing heat storage from net radiation, shows a high correlation with hysteresis behavior in actual cities.
Use of a Neurovariational Inversion for Retrieving Oceanic and Atmospheric Constituents from Ocean Color Imagery: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Jamet C. , Thiria S. , Moulin C. , Crepon M.
Published: May 2005

This paper presents a neurovariational method for inverting satellite ocean-color signals. The method is based on a combination of neural networks and classical variational inversion. The radiative transfer equations are modeled by neural networks whose inputs are the oceanic and atmospheric parameters, and outputs the top of the atmosphere reflectance at several wavelengths. The procedure consists in minimizing a quadratic cost function that is the distance between the satellite-observed reflectance and the computed neural-network reflectance, the control parameters being the oceanic and atmospheric parameters.

First, a feasibility experiment using synthetic data is presented to show that chlorophyll-a can be retrieved with an error of 19.7% when the atmospheric parameters are known exactly. Then both atmospheric and oceanic parameters are relaxed. A first guess for the atmospheric parameters was provided by a direct inverse neural network whose inputs are at near-infrared wavelengths. Sensitivity experiments showed that these parameters can be retrieved with an adequate accuracy.

An inversion of a composite SeaWiFS image is presented. Optical thickness and chlorophyll-a both give coherent spatial structures when a background term is added to the cost function. Finally, chlorophyll-a retrievals are compared with SeaWiFS product through in situ data. It shows a better estimation of the chlorophyll-a with the neurovariational inversion for the oligotrophic regions.
An Adaptive Moments Estimation Technique Applied to MST Radar Echoes
Authors: Anandan V. K. , Balamuralidhar P. , Rao P. B. , Jain A. R. , Pan C. J.
Published: May 2005

An adaptive spectral moments estimation technique has been developed for analyzing the Doppler spectra of the mesosphere–stratosphere–troposphere (MST) radar signals. The technique, implemented with the MST radar at Gadanki (13.5°N, 79°E), is based on certain criteria, set up for the Doppler window, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and wind shear parameters, which are used to adaptively track the signal in the range–Doppler spectral frame. Two cases of radar data, one for low and the other for high SNR conditions, have been analyzed and the results are compared with those from the conventional method based on the strongest peak detection in each range gate. The results clearly demonstrate that by using the adaptive method the height coverage can be considerably enhanced compared to the conventional method. For the low SNR case, the height coverage for the adaptive and conventional methods is about 22 and 11 km, respectively; the corresponding heights for the high SNR case are 24 and 13 km. To validate the results obtained through the adaptive method, the velocity profile is compared with global positioning system balloon sounding (GPS sonde) observations. The results of the adaptive method show excellent agreement with the GPS sonde measured wind speeds and directions throughout the height profile. To check the robustness and reliability of the adaptive algorithm, data taken over a diurnal cycle at 1-h intervals were analyzed. The results demonstrate the reliability of the algorithm in extracting wind profiles that are self-consistent in time. The adaptive method is thus found to be of considerable advantage over the conventional method in extracting information from the MST radar signal spectrum, particularly under low SNR conditions that are free from interference and ground clutter.
Retrieval of Arbitrarily Shaped Raindrop Size Distributions from Wind Profiler Measurements
Authors: Kobayashi Takahisa , Adachi Ahoro
Published: May 2005

An efficient iterative retrieval method for arbitrarily shaped raindrop size distributions (ITRAN) is developed for Doppler spectra measured with a wind profiler. A measured Doppler spectrum is a convolution of the precipitation spectrum and the turbulent spectrum. Deconvolution of the Doppler spectra is achieved through repeated convolutions. The developed method assumes no prior shape of drop size distributions and automatically obtains raindrop size distributions; additionally, it can be applied to large data volumes. Furthermore, it is insensitive to initial values. The method was applied to both simulated and observed spectra. Derived drop size distributions agree with simulated values. Narrower turbulent spectral widths yield better results. Integral values of median volume diameter (D0), liquid water content (LWC), and radar reflectivity factor are estimated with errors of less than 10%. Accurate vertical profiles of raindrop size distributions result when this method is applied to wind profiler data. The technique performed very well with most observed spectra. Some recovered spectra departed from the corresponding measured spectra, for cases in which a clear-air peak could not be accurately reproduced because of uncertainties in the location of the minimum position between the clear-air echo and the precipitation echo. Statistical relationships between LWC and integral rainfall parameters yield interesting features. The median volume diameter is statistically independent of the LWC and is associated with the large variability of the total number of drops, NT, between events. Vertical profiles from one event show a clear inverse relationship between NT and D0
Test of a Staggered PRT Scheme for the French Radar Network
Authors: Tabary P. , Perier L. , Gagneux J. , Parent-du-Chatelet J.
Published: May 2005

This paper describes the test of a staggered PRT scheme for the French radar network. The design of the staggered scheme has been done in the following context: 1) the scheme is meant to be implemented on existing C-band and S-band radars of the network, the PRF of which cannot, for technical reasons, be increased above their current values (300–400 Hz for C band and 250–300 Hz for S band); 2) the minimum expected Nyquist velocity should be around 30 m s−1; and 3) the Doppler information will essentially be used to retrieve a VAD wind profile and for data assimilation by operational nonhydrostatic numerical prediction models. An operational C-band radar of the network, located in Trappes, near Paris, has been modified in order to allow Doppler processing and a dual-PRT staggered scheme with two low PRFs (PRF1=310 and PRF2=360 Hz corresponding to a ratio of 6/7) has been implemented. Two months of data (July–August 2003) have been analyzed. The performance of the scheme is assessed qualitatively and quantitatively through the computation of the error structure of the various velocities: velocity at PRF1, velocity at PRF2, and combined velocity. The sensitivity of the error structure on the signal-to-noise ratio is documented. A 7 km × 7 km median filter is introduced to reduce dealiasing errors.
Measurement of Low Amounts of Precipitable Water Vapor Using Ground-Based Millimeterwave Radiometry
Authors: Racette Paul E. , Westwater Ed R. , Han Yong , Gasiewski Albin J. , Klein Marian , Cimini Domenico , Jones David C. , Manning Will , Kim Edward J. , Wang James R. , Leuski Vladimir , Kiedron Peter
Published: May 2005

Extremely dry conditions characterized by amounts of precipitable water vapor (PWV) as low as 1–2 mm commonly occur in high-latitude regions during the winter months. While such dry atmospheres carry only a few percent of the latent heat energy compared to tropical atmospheres, the effects of low vapor amounts on the polar radiation budget—both directly through modulation of longwave radiation and indirectly through the formation of clouds—are considerable. Accurate measurements of PWV during such dry conditions are needed to improve polar radiation models for use in understanding and predicting change in the climatically sensitive polar regions. To this end, the strong water-vapor absorption line at 183.310 GHz provides a unique means of measuring low amounts of PWV. Weighting function analysis, forward model calculations based upon a 7-yr radiosonde dataset, and retrieval simulations consistently predict that radiometric measurements made using several millimeter-wavelength (MMW) channels near the 183-GHz line, together with established microwave (MW) measurements near the 22.235-GHz water-vapor line and ∼31-GHz atmospheric absorption window can be used to determine within 5% uncertainty the full range of PWV expected in the Arctic. This combined capability stands in spite of accuracy limitations stemming from uncertainties due to the sensitivity of the vertical distribution of temperature and water vapor at MMW channels.

In this study the potential of MMW radiometry using the 183-GHz line for measuring low amounts of PWV is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. The study uses data obtained during March 1999 as part of an experiment conducted at the Department of Energy’s Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) site near Barrow, Alaska. Several radiometers from both NOAA and NASA were deployed during the experiment to provide the first combined MMW and MW ground-based dataset during dry Arctic conditions. Single-channel retrievals of PWV were performed using the MW and MMW data. Discrepancies in the retrieved values were found to be consistent with differences observed between measured brightness temperatures (TBs) and forward-modeled TBs based on concurrent radiosonde profiles. These discrepancies are greater than can be explained by radiometer measurement error alone; errors in the absorption models and uncertainty in the radiosonde measurements contribute to the discrepancies observed. The measurements, retrieval technique, and line model discrepancies are discussed, along with difficulties and potential of MMW/MW PWV measurement.
Intersatellite Radiance Biases for the High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounders (HIRS) on board NOAA-15, -16, and -17 from Simultaneous Nadir Observations
Authors: Cao Changyong , Xu Hui , Sullivan Jerry , McMillin Larry , Ciren Pubu , Hou Yu-Tai
Published: May 2005

Intersatellite radiance comparisons for the 19 infrared channels of the High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounders (HIRS) on board NOAA-15, -16, and -17 are performed with simultaneous nadir observations at the orbital intersections of the satellites in the polar regions, where each pair of the HIRS views the same earth target within a few seconds. Analysis of such datasets from 2000 to 2003 reveals unambiguous intersatellite radiance differences as well as calibration anomalies.

The results show that in general, the intersatellite relative biases are less than 0.5 K for most HIRS channels. The large biases in different channels differ in both magnitude and sign, and are likely to be caused by the differences and measurement uncertainties in the HIRS spectral response functions. The seasonal bias variation in the stratosphere channels is found to be highly correlated with the lapse rate factor approximated by the channel radiance differences. The method presented in this study works particularly well for channels sensing the stratosphere because of the relative spatial uniformity and stability of the stratosphere, for which the intercalibration accuracy and precision are mostly limited by the instrument noise. This method is simple and robust, and the results are highly repeatable and unambiguous. Intersatellite radiance calibration with this method is very useful for the on-orbit verification and monitoring of instrument performance, and is potentially useful for constructing long-term time series for climate studies.
Social Oppression and Attitudes Toward Sexual Practices
Authors: Gonzales Alicia M. , Rolison Gary
Published: May 2005

This study theoretically frames and supports the view that dominated groups engage in more behavioral self-surveillance and therefore are more restricting of their sexuality. The authors posit that sexual behavior and attitudes in the United States reflect patterns of dominance and inequality and that these structures of sexual inequality are enshrined in taken-for-granted American moral dispositions that are in turn structured by locations in the stratification order. These data find that Black women, Black men, White women, and persons of low socioeconomic status differ in the amount of sexual capital they hold, reflecting their position in a stratified society. Results obtained from this work theoretically frame and find that persons of higher social class and White males have greater access to sexual capital. Women, particularly Black women, appear to be the most affected. Findings implicate the importance of understanding how expressions of intimacy are conditioned by group dominance.
Exploring a Distance Education Partnership Between Historically Black Colleges and Universitiesand African Universities
Authors: Ayadi O. Felix , Adekoya Adeyemi A. , Ikem Fidelis
Published: May 2005

This article proposes the formation of time-honored cooperative and educational partnerships between historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States and universities in Africa using state-of-the art technology. Emerging electronic communication implements and the availability of information driven by the various campus networks should be key resources to support these collaborative efforts. The potential benefits of the information superhighway for the African continent and participating HBCUs can be immense. An advanced information infrastructure will enable the future African labor force to compete and win in the global economy, generating competitive and gainful employment opportunities for the African people as well as economic development and growth for the continent. Moreover, such a joint venture will, in many ways, provide African Americans with additional opportunities to connect to their roots.
A Psychometric Examination of the Africentric Scale
Authors: Cokley Kevin , Williams Wendi
Published: May 2005

The articulation of an African-centered paradigm has increasingly become an important component of the social science research published on people of African descent. Although several instruments exist that operationalize different aspects of an Afrocentric philosophical paradigm, only one instrument, the Africentric Scale, explicitly operationalizes Afrocentric values using what is arguably the most commercial and accessible understanding of Afrocentricity, the seven principles of the Nguzu Saba. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Africentric Scale with a sample of 167 African American students. Results of a factor analysis revealed that the Africentric Scale is best conceptualized as measuring a general dimension of Afrocentrism rather than seven separate principles. The findings suggest that with continued research, the Africentric Scale will be an increasingly viable option among the handful of measures designed to assess some aspect of Afrocentric values, behavioral norms, and an African worldview.
Afritics from Margin to Center
Authors: Rogers Elice E.
Published: May 2005

This article summarizes research that examined the politics of African American political leaders. As part of a larger study, data revealed that afritics more accurately explains the politics of African American women as it relates to their political leadership experiences. This article seeks to theorize the politics of African American women political leaders by providing a discussion of afritics and politics. Second, it explores a history of afritics. Third, it examines the contemporary afritics of former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun, former Chicago Alderwoman Anna Langford, Chicago Commissioner Bobbi Steele, and Chicago Alderwoman Dorothy Tillman. The article concludes with vital implications for scholars of African descent who are developing theories about the politics of African American political leaders.
Afrocentricity, the Adae Festival of the Akan, African American Festivals, and Intergenerational Communication
Authors: Owusu-Frempong Yaw
Published: May 2005

African American communities celebrate different kinds of festivals each year, but little has been published on this subject. This article is intended to fill part of the vacuum, demonstrating the importance and functions of African festivals and their relationship with contemporary African American festivals. African festivals are a tool of community gathering and unity and place us at the center of our culture and social environment. They are also a medium of cultural education and intergenerational communication and play an important role in the preservation of our cultural heritage, transmitting knowledge and our experiences as a people to future generations. The celebration of festivals in the African American communities must not be seen merely as an annual congregation of street and food vendors, marching bands, and musicians but also as a tool of cultural reconstruction and transmission of knowledge to the younger generation.
Examining Anxiety as a Predictor of Homicidality
Authors: Schwartz Robert C. , Wendling Heather M. , Guthrie Heather K.
Published: May 2005

Homicidality rates have been shown to be more prominent among persons diagnosed with mental disorders as compared to the general population. However, the role that anxiety plays in homicidal ideation and intent is poorly understood. This study investigated predictors of homicidal intent, thought, or plan in an adult population of psychiatric inpatients diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Results suggest that the factors most strongly associated with homicidality include male gender, substance abuse, mania, and current legal problems. Multiple regression analyses showed that only male gender predicted homicidality when other variables were taken into account.
Risk Assessment in Offenders With Mental Disorders
Authors: Phillips Helen K. , Gray Nicola S. , MacCulloch Sophie I. , Taylor John , Moore Simon C. , Huckle Phil , MacCulloch Malcolm J.
Published: May 2005

Following the meta-analysis by Bonta, Law, and Hanson, (1998) this study examined the ability of personal demographic, criminal history, and clinical variables to predict reoffending in offenders in the United Kingdom who had mental disorders. The efficacy of each variable in predicting rate of general reoffending and violent reoffending was investigated. Age on admission, number of days hospitalized, and number of previous offenses were the most effective variables in predicting re-offending, with number of previous offenses being the strongest predictor. Clinical diagnosis was not predictive of reoffending when the variance attributable to these other predictors was controlled for. None of the variables were able to discriminate between general offenders and violent offenders indicating that the same variables predict both types of reoffending. The results showed that reconviction in offenders with mental disorders can be predicted using the same criminogenic variables that are predictive in offenders without mental disorders.
Contextualizing Community Violence and Its Effects
Authors: Aisenberg Eugene , Ell Kathleen
Published: May 2005

This article presents an integrated conceptual framework that contextualizes exposure to community violence and the interpersonal and interdependent processes of parent and child response to community violence. This model posits that parental distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, is a significant mediator of child distress symptomatology and behavior problems. The model advances understanding of the impact of community violence in the lives of parents and children through various mechanisms, including social capital. This article underscores the need for a fundamental shift in the study of community violence, in the delivery of mental health services, and in prevention efforts from focusing on the individual child to concentrating on the parent, family, and community-level factors and processes. This article highlights important areas to address in future research, including investigation and specification of the mechanisms and processes by which neighborhoods affect and influence human development outcomes.
Scale of Negative Family Interactions
Authors: Simonelli Catherine J. , Mullis Thomas , Rohde Carlyanne
Published: May 2005

This article examines a measure of received emotional, physical, and sexual aggression within the family: the Scale of Negative Family Interactions (SNFI). Unlike traditional familial violence scales that measure parental aggression alone, the SNFI simultaneously measures sibling violence for a more comprehensive examination of familial aggression. Although a variety of scales may be used in researching parental abuse, the SNFIis uniquely intended for (a)examining sibling violence while controlling for parental aggression, (b) examining parental abuse while controlling for sibling violence, and (c) comprehensively examining family violence to include aggression from both parents and siblings. Test-retest and internal consistency reliability were demonstrated, and evidence for validity is presented. In addition to offering a measure of sibling and parental aggression, the SNFI has the advantages of including everyone in the role of parent or sibling and of measuring a wide variety of emotional, physical, and sexual aggression within the family.
Assessment and Psychological Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Older Adults
Authors: Cook Joan M. , O’Donnell Casey
Published: May 2005

Knowledge regarding the assessment and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in older adults continues to be limited in both psychological research and practice. This article provides a summary of this literature. In particular, the psychometric properties of several posttraumatic stress disorder assessment measures in their use with older individuals are reviewed. Although the evidence base on effective treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder in older adults is virtually nonexistent, this article highlights the innovative clinical endeavors that have been conducted in this regard. Explicit suggestions for best practices are made.
Psychological Interventions for Late-Life Anxiety: A Review and Early Lessons From the CALM Study
Authors: Wetherell Julie Loebach , Sorrell John T. , Thorp Steven R. , Patterson Thomas L.
Published: May 2005

The authors review the literature on psychological treatment for anxiety in older adults, focusing on randomized, controlled trials. Evidence exists for the efficacy of relaxation training for subjective anxiety symptoms and cognitive-behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder and miscellaneous anxiety syndromes, including panic disorder. The authors also present the rationale for the CALM Study (Controlling Anxiety in Later-life Medical Patients), an ongoing randomized trial in which a modular psychotherapeutic intervention for anxiety in older primary care patients is compared with treatment as usual. Data are presented from 2 pilot patients in the CALM Study, and preliminary lessons are discussed.
Mixed Anxiety and Depression in Older Adults: Clinical Characteristics and Management
Authors: Cassidy Erin L. , Lauderdale Sean , Sheikh Javaid I.
Published: May 2005

The frequent comorbidity of anxiety and depression, particularly among elderly, is widely recognized by clinicians, but the debate continues as to whether the combined diagnostic designation is merited. This article reviews the debate over the mixed diagnosis, discusses treatment implications, and reviews a small treatment study undertaken with elderly patients. Ten community-dwelling, older adults diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and subsyndromal depression (n = 6) or generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder (n = 4) were started on a 12-week, open-label trial of nefazodone. Clinicians’ ratings on the Clinical Global Impression of Change and patients’ self-ratings of symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory and the Beck Anxiety Inventory identified statistically significant gains in patients’ overall pre/post functioning. Nefazodone was efficacious in symptom alleviation in patients with comorbid anxiety and depression. Further double-blind, randomized investigations with newer antidepressant medications are required to extend these preliminary findings with nefazodone.
Is There a Trade-Off Between Trade Liberalization and Environmental Quality? A CGE Assessment on Thailand
Authors: Li Jennifer C.
Published: May 2005

This article explores the question of whether there is a trade-off between trade liberalization and environmental quality. Using a computable general equilibrium framework, the author examines the economic, environmental, and welfare impacts of alternative policy scenarios, including a tariff reduction scenario, a carbon tax scenario, and a combined trade and environmental reform scenario. The results of the analysis, in the case of Thailand, show that if the country were to pursue greater trade liberalization alone without a concomitant increase in pollution abatement, there is a modest but real risk that it will become more specialized in dirty activity. If the country pursued pollution abatement without further trade liberalization, the cost in terms of growth does not appear to be significant. When environmental and trade policies are jointly considered, greater substitution away from the polluting energy inputs is observed with the cost on economic growth remaining insignificant.
Transparency in the Grey Box of China’s Environmental Governance: A Case Study of Print Media Coverage of an Environmental Controversy From the Pearl River Delta Region
Authors: Wang Qing-Jie
Published: May 2005

Through a case study of analyzing the print media coverage of an environmental controversy, this article aims to assess the status of transparency in China’s environmental governance. The case study is based on a landmark January 2000 event in relation to the Nanjiang Industrial Park in Sihui, a county city located in the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong Province. The findingsof the case study send discordant and mixed signals, showing that transparency in the process of China’s environmental governance is vulnerable to the extra-media factor—government control of information and the prior consideration of economic imperatives. Although substantial progress has been made in terms of increasing the degree of transparency in environmental protection work, administrative practices have simultaneously enriched the government’s experience in the control of information for governance in the environmental arena, thus presenting an ongoing paradox.
Civilian PTSD Scales
Authors: Shapinsky Alicia C. , Rapport Lisa J. , Henderson Melinda J. , Axelrod Bradley N.
Published: May 2005

Strong associations between civilian posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scales and measures of general psychological distress suggest that the scales are nonspecific to PTSD. Three common PTSD scales were administered to 122 undergraduates who had experienced an emotionally salient, nontraumatic event: a college examination. Results indicated that normal levels of anxiety associated with the examination were positively correlated with scores on the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Revised Civilian Mississippi Scale, and PTSD Checklist-CivilianVersion. Multiple regression analyses indicated that substantial variance in the PTSD scales was accounted for by trait characteristics such as negative and positive affectivity and affect intensity (R2 .29 to .53). Negative affectivity correlated as highly with PTSD measures (r = .46 to .71) as those measures correlated with each other (r = .48 to .65). A high proportion of participants exceeded clinical cutoffs on these measures. The findings suggest that these PTSD scales may be overly sensitive to nontraumatic stressors such as everyday distress and trait characteristics.
Sensitivity and Specificity of Reliable Digit Span in Malingered Pain-Related Disability
Authors: Etherton Joseph L. , Bianchini Kevin J. , Greve Kevin W. , Heinly Matthew T.
Published: May 2005

The reliable digit span (RDS) performance of chronic pain patients with unambiguous spinal injuries and no evidence of exaggeration or response bias (n = 53) was compared to that of chronic pain patients meeting criteria for definite malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (n = 35), and a group of nonmalingering moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients (n = 69). The results demonstrated that scores of 7 or lower were associated with high specificity (> .90) and sensitivity (up to .60) even when moderate to severe TBI are included. Multiple studies have demonstrated that RDS scores of 7 or lower rarely occur in TBI and pain patients who are not intentionally performing poorly on cognitive testing. This study supports the use of the RDS in detecting response bias in neuropsychological patients complaining of pain as well as in the assessment of pain-related cognitive impairment in patients whose primary complaint is pain.
Factor Analysis of the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation With Female Suicide Attempters
Authors: Holden Ronald R. , DeLisle Michelle M.
Published: May 2005

A sample of 119 female suicide attempters completed the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS). Although confirmatory common factor analyses of BSS items failed to support previously hypothesized one-, two-, or three-factor models, confirmatory principal components analyses substantiated hypothesized one- and two-dimensional models. Heuristics for the number of factors converged on two latent dimensions and exploratory principal components analyses verified the presence of two previously hypothesized suicide ideation factors: motivation and preparation. Scales based on this two-dimensional model demonstrated convergent validity with other suicide indices.
Psychometric Properties of the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination
Authors: Lopez Michael N. , Charter Richard A. , Mostafavi Beeta , Nibut Lorraine P. , Smith Whitney E.
Published: May 2005

Criterion-referenced (Livingston) and norm-referenced (Gilmer-Feldt) techniques were used to measure the internal consistency reliability of Folstein’s Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) on a large sample (N = 418) of elderly medical patients. Two administration and scoring variants of the MMSE Attention and Calculation section (Serial 7s only and WORLD only) were investigated. Livingston reliability coefficients (r s) were calculated for a wide range of cutoff scores. As necessary for the calculation of the Gilmer-Feldt r, a factor analysis showed that the MMSE measures three cognitive domains. Livingston’s r for the most widely used MMSE cutoff score of 24 was .803 for Serial 7s and .795 for WORLD. The Gilmer-Feldt internal consistency reliability coefficient was .764 for Serial 7s and .747 for WORLD. Item analysis showed that nearly all of the MMSE items were good discriminators, but 12 were too easy. True score confidence intervals should be applied when interpreting MMSE test scores.
Reliability and Validity Evaluation of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV) in Swedish Correctional and Forensic Psychiatric Samples
Authors: Douglas Kevin S. , Strand Susanne , Belfrage Henrik , Fransson Göran , Levander Sten
Published: May 2005

This study evaluated the structural reliability, construct-related validity, and cultural validity generalization of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV) in a sample of more than 560 male and female Swedish forensic psychiatric treatment patients, forensic evaluation patients, and criminal offenders. Structural reliability was excellent for most indices. PCL:SV scores were higher for males than females for total and Part 1 scores (interpersonal/affective features) but not for Part 2 (behavioral features). With some exceptions, PCL:SV scores were meaningfully related to aggression to others, a measure of risk for violence, substance use problems, personality disorder (positive), and psychosis (negative). Correlations between PCL:SV and aggression were larger for females than males, although the difference was smaller when personality disorder was held constant. The structural reliability and pattern of validity coefficients were comparable in these Swedish samples to other non-North American samples. Implications for the cross-cultural manifestation and correlates of psychopathy are discussed.
Detecting Campaign Effects in Imbalanced Campaigns
Authors: Sheafer Tamir
Published: May 2005

For many years, political communication scholars believed that political campaigns have only minimal effects on the public and subsequently on election results. The main justification for this minimal effects hypothesis was the fact that scholars found it impossible to measure and identify substantial persuasion effects that are the outcome of a campaign. But for more than a decade now, scholars who study political campaigns hypothesize that political campaigns have a strong persuasive effect on the voters. They argue that such persuasive effects could hardly be measured because most major political campaigns are relatively balanced, and therefore have a canceling-out effect. They hypothesize that it would be possible to measure the effects of persuasion in an extremely asymmetric campaign, but they hardly find any such major campaigns in modern times. The campaign over Sharon’s disengagement plan in Israel was extremely imbalanced and is therefore an interesting and important example from a theoretical point of view. The analysis provides evidence for persuasion effects of the campaign.
Compelling Arguments and Attitude Strength
Authors: Kiousis Spiro
Published: May 2005

This study explores the relationship between attribute agenda setting and public opinion of political candidates. Specifically, media salience of presidential candidate attributes across five national elections is compared to public opinion data measuring perceived candidate salience and the strength of public attitudes regarding candidates. Findings suggest that media salience of attributes is strongly linked with strengthened attitudes and is moderately linked with perceived candidate salience. The implications of the findings are also discussed.
The Mediated Congress
Authors: Farnsworth Stephen J. , Lichter S. Robert
Published: May 2005

Content analysis of 6,480 front page stories in the New York Times and the Washington Post that deal with the federal government in 1981, 1993, and 2001 reveals a clear focus on the executive branch at the expense of the legislative branch. Capitol Hill is treated more negatively than the White House during these three years. The content analysis also reveals some evidence of partisan disparities in congressional coverage, particularly for the New York Times.
Mechanism of transient thermal cycle failure in ZrO2 /NiCrAl functionally graded thermal barrier coatings
Authors: Wang F. , Wang L. , Liu G.
Published: May 2005

In this paper, the failure mechanism under transient thermal cycle loading is studied for a functionally graded thermal barrier coating (FGTBC) system consisting of ZrO2 and NiCrAl plasma sprayed on a steel substrate. Controlled experiments and numerical analysis (thermoelastic finite element method) were performed and the results indicate that the surface tensile stress is responsible for the initiation of surface cracks and the tensile stress normal to the interface is large enough to break the interfacial bond (the magnitude of the interfacial bond strength of the ZrO2 layer in the FGTBC is below the strength of the ZrO2, i.e. the interface is weaker than the ZrO2 material). By comparing the mode I stress intensity factor and the fracture toughness, the surface cracks are considered to be arrested, this characteristic is confirmed by SEM studies. The interfacial crack propagation causes a segment of the ZrO2 layer in the FGTBC to spall.
Gas nitriding – process control and nitriding non-ferrous alloys
Authors:   Spies H.-J., Reinhold B. , Wilsdorf K.
Published: May 2005

This paper, based on the Second Lakhtin Memorial Lecture, gives an overview of the developments in the process control of gas nitriding and describes the current status of nitriding of non-ferrous alloys. Control of the nitriding process involves both thermodynamic and kinetic factors. On this basis, Lakhtin developed concepts that provide the foundations for controlled gas nitriding processes. The progress in the development of sensors in the last few years offers new possibilities for gas nitriding and nitrocarburising process control. The control of the reaction gas composition leads to higher quality assurance. Adjusting defined nitriding and oxidation potentials enables surface activation of components which allows, for example, a uniform nitriding of stainless steels at temperatures of 300°C. There are significant differences between the nitriding behaviour of aluminium, titanium, and iron alloys owing to the different solubilities of nitrogen in the base metal, the differences between the nitriding and solidus temperatures, and the different oxygen affinities of the base metals. Considerable progress has been made in the field of plasma nitriding of aluminium alloys in recent years. An essential part of this is the evidence that commercial plants can be used for the plasma nitriding of aluminium alloys. New possibilities for the production of load specific nitrided layers on titanium alloys allow the nitriding process to be intensified and combined with solution treatment and subsequent aging.
Thermochemical heat treatment of steel substrates using borane–amine adducts as precursors
Authors: Küper A. , Kehr G. , Pflug J. ,   Stock H.-R., Sarter C. , Mayr P. , Erker G.
Published: May 2005

A novel approach to gas boronising has been carried out to systematically test organoboranes as precursors for low pressure gas boronising. The precursors of the group of borane–amine adducts were synthesised and subsequently applied to gas boronising of steel 42CrMo4 (AISI 4140). Characterisation of the boride layers was performed using glow discharge opticalemission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, SEM, and metallography. Ultramicrohardness was also determined and the wear behaviour was simulated. With the precursors borane–triethylamine adduct and borane–diethylamine adduct gas boronising was possible. Single phased iron boride layers of type Fe2 B with a thickness of several micrometres were generated. The carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen contamination of the boride layers was low. The boride layers are not completely compact which results in a lower hardness compared with commercial powder pack boronised samples. The wear behaviour is similar to powder pack boronised steels and is significantly better than the untreated samples.
Mechanical characterisation of interface in laser surface engineered composite TiB2 coating on steel
Authors: Agarwal A. , Dahotre N.B.
Published: May 2005

The four point bend test was carried out on a laser surface engineered composite TiB2 coating on AISI 1010 steel to evaluate the interfacial strength of the coating. The strain energy release rate Gss and thestress intensity factor Kc were computed for this particular coating–substrate system. The critical fracture energy release rate Gc and the stress intensity factor of the interface produced in laser surface engineered TiB2 coating/1010 steel substrate were found to be 299 J m-2 and 10·2 MPa m1/2, respectively. Such an energy release rate is indicative of a strong coating/substrate interface. There was no delamination of the coating at the interface. Cracks propagated through the entire thickness of the coating and were blunted by the localised plastic deformation after reaching the steel substrate.
Effect of surface alloyed silver on corrosion behaviour of austenitic stainless steel in sulphuric acid
Authors: van Bennekom A. , Potgieter J.H.
Published: May 2005

This paper describes the results obtained in an investigation into the corrosion behaviour of austenitic stainless steel, surface alloyed with silver and exposed to sulphuric acid. The alloy was silver plated with a conventional electrolytic plating technique and heat treated to diffuse the silver into the material. Exposure of the surface alloyed steel to sulphuric acid solutions of up to 30% concentration at room temperature resulted in spontaneous passivation. The base alloy under the same conditions underwent active corrosion once the concentration of the acid solution was greater than 10%. As the temperature was increased, the surface alloyed steel also displayed active corrosion behaviour under more severe conditions. It was found that the silver surface alloyed steel was more corrosion resistant than the base alloy under all exposure conditions investigated. A comparison with other studies reported in the literature indicated that silver used as a surface alloyed addition is not as effective as the platinum group metals, ruthenium and palladium, in increasing the corrosion resistance of stainless steel under reducing acid conditions.
Shortlisted Particle Erosion Resistance of Laser Nitrided Ti–6Al–4V
Authors: Pieters R. , Liu S.
Published: May 2005

Titanium and its alloys are used extensively in the aerospace industry because of their excellent physical properties. However, the disadvantage of these alloys is their low particle erosion resistance, which can be overcome by using erosion resistant TiN. In the present work, Ti–6Al–4V was nitrided using the laser gas alloying process to melt the top surface in a nitrogen rich atmosphere. By changing the power and travel speed of the laser the coating properties were optimised. These coatings were tested in a particle erosion tester with varying impact angles, which revealed that ductile coatings perform better at large impact angles and brittle coatings are better at low impact angles. The differences observed in the coating behaviour can enable coatings graded in the horizontal direction to be produced. The varying properties are necessary, for example, in a compressor blade were the impact angles of the particles are different for different areas owing to the shape of the blade.
Wear Behaviour of Coloured Stainless Steel
Authors: Staia M.H. , Fragiel A. , Carrasquero E. , Buono V.T.L. , Marques R.G. , Junqueira R.M.R.
Published: May 2005

Interference film deposition is an attractive alternative for the formation of coloured protective layers on the surface of stainless steel for various applications. The process involves the growth of an oxide film (chromium and iron oxide), by chemical or electrochemical methods, on the surface of the stainless steel imparting a colour, which changes from blue to green depending on the thickness of the film. The aim of the present investigation was to assess the wear sliding behaviour of coloured stainless steel, produced by a pulsed electrochemical process. The specimens were obtained by using anodic colouring coupled with cathodic hardening, and some specimens were post-heat treated at 250°C for 200 h. Sliding wear tests were conducted in air, without lubrication, using a pin on disc tribometer for 100 m. AISI 1086 pins were used as the counterpart. It was determined that the heat treated specimens have a better sliding resistance compared with both untreated specimens and the substrate. Wear scar morphologies and wear mechanisms were determined using SEM. There was clear evidence of material transfer from the pin to the coloured steel specimen in every test. The pins presented a mixed abrasion–adhesion mechanism, where the adhesive wear was predominant.