Showing papers by "Hofstra University published in 2004"

An Investigation of the Status of Outdoor Play

Abstract: This study discusses the extent to which children in the USA today participate in active, outdoor play, compared with the previous generation. Eight hundred and thirty mothers nationwide were surveyed regarding their active, outdoor play experiences as children, as well as their children's play experiences today. The mother's play experiences, compared with the child's, clearly indicate that children today spend considerably less time playing outdoors than their mothers did as children. The study reveals several fundamental reasons for this decline, including dependence on television and digital media, and concerns about crime and safety. The study also conveys findings related to the frequent use of electronic diversions and discusses several suggestions for early childhood professionals, classroom teachers, and parents for fostering the child's enjoyment for outdoor play.

Risk management, capital structure and lending at banks

Abstract: We test how active management of bank credit risk exposure through the loan sales market affects capital structure, lending, profits, and risk. We find that banks that rebalance their loan portfolio exposures by both buying and selling loans – that is, banks that use the loan sales market for risk management purposes rather than to alter their holdings of loans – hold less capital than other banks; they also make more risky loans (loans to businesses) as a percentage of total assets than other banks. Holding size, leverage and lending activities constant, banks active in the loan sales market have lower risk and higher profits than other banks. Our results suggest that banks that improve their ability to manage credit risk may operate with greater leverage and may lend more of their assets to risky borrowers. Thus, the benefits of advances in risk management in banking may be greater credit availability, rather than reduced risk in the banking system.

First-, Second-, and Third-Generation Family Firms: A Comparison:

Abstract: SAGE wishes to inform readers that the article titled “Bahavioral [sic] Characteristics of Entrepreneurs in the Gujrat, Gujranawala and Slalkot Industrial Clusters of Pakistan: A Comparisn [sic] of First, Second and Third Generation Family Firms,” by Shahid Qureshi, Sarfraz A. Mian, and Arif Iqbal Rana, published in Volume 1, Issue 2 (November 2010) of International Journal of Business and Social Science included substantial excerpts from this article, “First-, Second-, and Third-Generation Family Firms: A Comparison,” by Matthew C. Sonfield and Robert N. Lussier, Volume XVII, Number 3 (September 2004) of Family Business Review, without appropriate attribution to Drs. Sonfield and Lussier or authorization of the authors or SAGE. Numerous requests made by SAGE to the editor of International Journal of Business and Social Science to address the inappropriate use of this article have gone unanswered. SAGE has additionally been informed by the lead author of the IJBSS article, Shahid Qureshi, that Sarfraz A. ...

The SapB morphogen is a lantibiotic-like peptide derived from the product of the developmental gene ramS in Streptomyces coelicolor

Abstract: SapB is a morphogenetic peptide that is important for aerial mycelium formation by the filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor. Production of SapB commences during aerial mycelium formation and depends on most of the genes known to be required for the morphogenesis of aerial hyphae. Furthermore, the application of purified SapB to mutants blocked in morphogenesis restores their capacity to form aerial hyphae. Here, we present evidence that SapB is a lantibiotic-like peptide that is derived by posttranslational modification from the product of a gene (ramS) in the four-gene ram operon, which is under the control of the regulatory gene ramR. We show that the product of another gene in the operon (ramC) contains a region that is similar to enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of lantibiotics, suggesting that it might be involved in the posttranslational processing of RamS. We conclude that SapB is derived from RamS through proteolytic cleavage and the introduction of four dehydroalanine residues and two lanthionine bridges. We provide an example of a morphogenetic role for an antibiotic-like molecule.

Detector description and performance for the first coincidence observations between LIGO and GEO

Abstract: For 17 days in August and September 2002, the LIGO and GEO interferometer gravitational wave detectors were operated in coincidence to produce their first data for scientific analysis. Although the detectors were still far from their design sensitivity levels, the data can be used to place better upper limits on the flux of gravitational waves incident on the earth than previous direct measurements. This paper describes the instruments and the data in some detail, as a companion to analysis papers based on the first data.

Suppression of alternans and conduction blocks despite steep APD restitution: electrotonic, memory, and conduction velocity restitution effects.

Abstract: We examine the utility of the action potential (AP) duration (APD) restitution curve slope in predicting the onset of electrical alternans when electrotonic and memory effects are considered. We de...

A guide to developing and managing a well‐integrated multi‐channel retail strategy

Abstract: A well‐integrated multi‐channel format enables consumers to examine goods at one channel, buy them at another channel, and finally pick them up at a third channel. Multichannel retailing offers synergies, as it can result in an increased customer base, added revenue, and higher market share. Common characteristics of a well‐integrated retail strategy include: highly‐integrated promotions, product consistency across channels, an integrated information system that shares customer, pricing and inventory data across multiple channels, a process that enables store pick‐up for items purchased on the Web or through a catalog, and the search for multi‐channel opportunities with appropriate partners. This article provides a check‐list to enable a retailer to assess its readiness to undertake a multi‐channel strategy.

The relationship between language and social competence: how language impairment affects social growth

Abstract: Given the research that suggests the social use of language is the latest developing aspect of language, it was hypothesized that children with speech/language impairment (SLI) are particularly susceptible to social interaction difficulties, resulting in diminished social competence. This hypothesis was explored with SLI and non-language-impaired (NLI) 4- and 5-year-old children by gathering measures of social problem solving ability (as rated by teachers, parents, and peers), emotion knowledge, and language development. Results provided partial support for the hypothesis above. Speech/language-impaired children were rated significantly lower on parent ratings of self-control and higher in internalizing behaviors, and lower on teacher ratings of assertiveness, than the NLI controls. There were no differences noted on peer sociometric ratings or mutual friendships. However, SLI children scored lower on a stereotypical test of emotional knowledge, while scoring similarly to NLI controls on a nonstereotypical test. A test of language development (TELD-2) differentiated the SLI and NLI groups, both expressively and receptively. In addition, the TELD-2 indicated a significant difference in semantic processing errors, but not syntax errors, between the two groups. The differential effects of speech/language impairment on the development of social competence were explored. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 313–321, 2004.

Determinants of online information search: a critical review and assessment

Abstract: Developments in electronic technology are changing the way business is normally done. This paper investigates how Internet technology reshapes consumer behavior, specifically in online information search. While information search has been a major research stream in the consumer behavior literature, online search for product/service information is a relatively new area. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for studying the determinants of online information search. Since information search online is a precursor to online purchase, an in‐depth understanding of how consumers gather information online is critical to Internet business success.

Freight, gateways and mega-urban regions: the logistical integration of the bostwash corridor1: freight, gateways and mega-urban regions

Abstract: The geography of freight transportation evolves at various scales, but it is increasingly acknowledged that freight flows occurring at the local level are a result of global and regional economic processes. Internationally, distribution networks have expanded, namely through the division of production, manufacturing and consumption. This has been accompanied by a growth of the quantity of freight being shipped as well as by a complication of supply and distribution chains. Most of the geography of freight at this scale is derived from strategic considerations where issues such as production and subcontracting planning and the choice of hubs and routes are considered for implementing global supply chains. Locally, many activities concerned with freight distribution have been modified with new transport terminals and distribution centres in response to growing consumption as well as from the imperatives of fragmented supply chains. From their traditional location around central areas with prevalent port and rail linkages, transport terminals and distribution centres have shifted to peripheral locations where road and airport linkages are more prevalent. The geography of freight at this scale is mainly derived from operational considerations aimed at servicing the requirements of local distribution with well-known strategies such as just-in-time and door-to-door. This paper is concerned about the intermediate, or regional, scale of freight transportation with a specific emphasis on one of the largest urban region in the world; the Boston–Washington corridor (Bostwash). Transport corridors and urban regions represent the geographical scale of freight distribution where global and local distribution systems interact. They are the dominant spheres of production and consumption of freight distribution. Conceptual and empirical evidence to analyse the relationships between the geography of transport terminals, regional freight distribution and urban corridors is provided.

Contemporary Review of Group-Oriented Contingencies for Disruptive Behavior

Abstract: This review clarifies the vaguely defined and perplexing terminology that historically has been used in the descriptions of group contingencies. Group contingencies are reviewed and categorized as independent, interdependent, and dependent based on the seminal work of Litow and Pumroy. Further, group contingencies, based on these categorizations, are discussed in terms of their effectiveness and advantages over behavioral interventions designed for individual students.

Cocaine craving and attentional bias in cocaine-dependent schizophrenic patients

Abstract: Cocaine craving has been implicated as a major factor underlying addiction and drug relapse. From a cognitive viewpoint, craving may reflect, in part, attentional processing biased in favor of drug-related cues and stimuli. Schizophrenic individuals (SZ), however, abuse cocaine in high numbers but typically manifest baseline cognitive deficits that impair their ability to selectively allocate their attentional resources. In this study, we examined the relationship between attentional bias and craving in patients with cocaine dependence (COC; n=20), schizophrenic patients comorbid for cocaine dependence (COC+SZ; n=23), as well as two other comparison groups using a modified version of the Stroop test to include cocaine-relevant words. Results revealed that only the COC patients demonstrated Stroop interference on the cocaine-related words. Moreover, COC patients' attentional processing biases were significantly associated with their cocaine craving severity ratings. COC+SZ patients, in contrast, did not demonstrate Stroop interference and manifested significantly fewer craving symptoms than their COC counterparts. These results suggest that COC+SZ patients' inability to selectively encode their drug-use experience may limit and shape their subjective experience of craving cocaine and motivation for cocaine use.

How Welfare Policies Affect Adolescents' School Outcomes: A Synthesis of Evidence From Experimental Studies

Abstract: Using data from 8 random assignment studies and employing meta-analytic techniques, this article provides systematic evidence that welfare and work policies targeted at low-income parents have small adverse effects on some school outcomes among adolescents ages 12 to 18 years at follow-up. These adverse effects were observed mostly for school performance outcomes and occurred in programs that required mothers to work or participate in employment-related activities and those that encouraged mothers to work voluntarily. The most pronounced negative effects on school outcomes occurred for the group of adolescents who had a younger sibling, possibly because of the increased home and sibling care responsibilities they assumed as their mothers increased their employment.

Location of the Optical Reverse Shock in the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant

Abstract: We use two epochs of Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 images separated by 2 yr to determine the location and propagation of the reverse shock (RS) in the young supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A). The images trace optical line emission from fast-moving knots and filaments of highly processed ejecta as they cross the RS, become heated and compressed, and radiatively cool. At numerous positions around the optical shell, new emission features are seen in the 2002 images that were not yet visible in the 2000 exposures. In a few instances emission features seen in the first epoch have completely disappeared in the second epoch. We concentrate on two regions along the rim of the main emission shell in Cas A for close inspection: one in the northwestern part of the shell and another along the southwestern part of it. In these regions the RS is viewed almost edge-on, and its precise position has been measured. The RS is coherent in these regions over arcminute (~1 pc) scales but is highly distorted perpendicular to the direction of expansion. We find the RS to be generally expanding at 50%-60% of the ~5500 km s-1 bulk velocity of the optical ejecta. We present shock models for the ejecta that are consistent with the high densities and short cooling times observed in the optical knots of the Cas A remnant.

Design and analysis of multiple choice feeding preference data.

Abstract: Traditional analyses of feeding experiments that test consumer preference for an array of foods suffer from several defects. We have modified the experimental design to incorporate into a multivariate analysis the variance due to autogenic change in control replicates. Our design allows the multiple foods to be physically paired with their control counterparts. This physical proximity of the multiple food choices in control/experimental pairs ensures that the variance attributable to external environmental factors jointly affects all combinations within each replicate. Our variance term, therefore, is not a contrived estimate as is the case for the random pairing strategy proposed by previous studies. The statistical analysis then proceeds using standard multivariate statistical tests. We conducted a multiple choice feeding experiment using our experimental design and utilized a Monte Carlo analysis to compare our results with those obtained from an experimental design that employed the random pairing strategy. Our experimental design allowed detection of moderate differences among feeding means when the random design did not.

A historical record of mercury contamination in Southern Florida (USA) as inferred from avian feather tissue

Abstract: During the late 1980s, the upper trophic-level biota of the Everglades (FL, USA) was recognized as being highly contaminated with mercury (Hg) However, the timing and pattern of that increase is poorly known, and no information is available about mercury contamination in Everglades wildlife prior to 1974 We measured methylmercury concentrations in feathers of white ibises (n = 33), great egrets (n = 7), anhingas (n = 21), and great blue herons (n = 12) from museum specimens collected from 1910 through 1980 and combined them with more recent feather samples collected from live birds (1985-2000, n = 98, 37, 49, and 7, respectively) We found no evidence of contamination of museum samples with inorganic mercuric preservatives (001-028% of total Hg in feathers) All species showed relatively low concentrations of mercury through the 1970s (<5 microl/L dry wt for anhingas, ibises, and egrets, <10 microl/L for herons) Samples from all species taken during the 1990s showed a large and significant increase (4-5X) in MeHg concentration This evidence suggests that most of the increase in Hg deposition during the 20th century in south Florida occurred during the last two to three decades, which is consistent with information about local source deposition Contamination levels prior to the 1970s appear to have been associated with normal reproduction in these birds, suggesting partial evidence for a threshold of reproductive impairment

A Comparative Study of Creativity and Cognitive Problem-Solving Strategies of High-IQ and Average Students.

Abstract: This study assessed the creative thinking abilities of high-IQ and average students on fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. Seventeen high-IQ fifth and sixth graders and 20 average f...

The Relationship Between Combat Exposure and the Transfer of Trauma-like Symptoms to Offspring of Veterans

Abstract: This study systematically investigates the relationship between intensity of Vietnam combat exposure and the transfer of trauma symptoms to adult children of veterans Forty male combat veterans who comprised high and low combat intensity groups were administered a series of measures designed to assess PTSD, depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and avoidance responses Veterans also completed an emotional Stroop procedure involving combat relevant and non-relevant stimuli Offspring of veterans (n = 53) completed similar measures It was found that offspring affective responses were impacted by level of combat intensity The most pronounced effects occurred on the emotional Stroop wherein children of high combat veterans showed the longest Stroop response latencies Offspring of veterans were found to be relatively well adjusted despite many of their parent-veterans having PTSD Results support the Stroop paradigm as a valuable research tool for investigating the parent - child transfer of subtle emot

Entanglement entropy in a boundary impurity model.

Abstract: Boundary impurities are known to dramatically alter certain bulk properties of ($1+1$)-dimensional strongly correlated systems. The entanglement entropy of a zero temperature Luttinger liquid bisected by a single impurity is computed using a novel finite size scaling or bosonization scheme. For a Luttinger liquid of length $2L$ and UV cutoff $ϵ$, the boundary impurity correction ($\ensuremath{\delta}{S}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{p}}$) to the logarithmic entanglement entropy (${S}_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{t}}\ensuremath{\propto}\mathrm{ln} L/ϵ$) scales as $\ensuremath{\delta}{S}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{p}}\ensuremath{\sim}{y}_{r}\mathrm{ln} L/ϵ$, where ${y}_{r}$ is the renormalized backscattering coupling constant. In this way, the entanglement entropy within a region is related to scattering through the region's boundary. In the repulsive case ($gl1$), $\ensuremath{\delta}{S}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{p}}$ diverges (negatively) suggesting that the entropy vanishes. Our results are consistent with the recent conjecture that entanglement entropy decreases irreversibly along renormalization group flow.

Children, Courts, and Custody: Interdisciplinary Models for Divorcing Families

Abstract: Preface 1. Overview 2. Kramer vs Kramer revisited: the sole custody/adversary system paradigm 3. Divorce, children and courts: an empirical perspective 4. Parents are forever I: joint custody and parenting plans 5. Parents are forever II: Alternative dispute resolution and mediation 6. Parents are forever III: Court-affiliated educational programs 7. Contrasting child custody court paradigms: New York and California 8. Family violence 9. Differentiated case management 10. Lawyers for parents 11. The voice of the child, the lawyer for the child and child alienation 12. Neutral Mental Health Evaluators 13. The best interests test and its presumption-based competitors 14. Consolidating the new paradigm: the future of the child custody court Acknowledgements Endnotes.

Impact of work teams: a comparison study of assembly cells and assembly line for a variety of operating environments

Abstract: This research compares assembly lines with different cellular, team working environments. Organization of an assembly system using cells requires worker flexibility where each worker is allowed to help his or her co-workers in the same cell and often to undertake a number of different tasks within the cell. We compare two different cellular systems with an unpaced, serial assembly line. The manufacturing systems are initially compared through an exploratory Markovian approach. Subsequently, the relative performance levels of the systems are examined across a variety of operating environments using simulation models. Operating environments vary based on shop size, setup times and processing time variances. The results indicate the general superiority of the cellular systems over the assembly line. However, some interesting observations are drawn for cases where the assembly line outperforms the cells. One of the cases is where workers realize substantial benefits in terms of performing their tasks in less ...

Multiple-length multiple-wavelength optical orthogonal codes for optical CDMA systems supporting multirate multimedia services

Abstract: Multiple-wavelength optical orthogonal codes (MWOOCs) with autocorrelation sidelobes and cross-correlation values of both at most one were recently proposed for wavelength-time optical code-division multiple-access (O-CDMA) systems. The codes have cardinality as a quadratic function of the number of wavelengths and find applications in high bit-rate O-CDMA systems with broadband supercontinuum lasers, in which the number of available wavelengths is larger than the number of time slots. To support multimedia services with different bit-rate and quality-of-service requirements, a new class of multiple-length constant-weight MWOOCs with autocorrelation sidelobes of zero and cross correlations of at most one is constructed algebraically in this paper. The performance of these new codes in an O-CDMA system with double-media services is analyzed. In contrary to conventional single-length codes, our study shows that the performance of these multiple-length codes improves as the code length decreases. This unique property supports "prioritization" in O-CDMA.

Achieving ethnic minority parity in school psychology

Abstract: The article addresses the demographic characteristics of students in school psychology programs nationwide with respect to providing a rationale for the importance of increasing the proportion of minority school psychologists who are underrepresented. Emphasis on training culturally competent psychologists is reviewed within a historical context. Barriers impeding the graduate training of minority students in school psychology are delineated. Feasible strategies to recruit minority students and faculty are presented. The implications for training and practice are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 443–450, 2004.

Project Time in Silicon Valley

Abstract: This article explores the pace of work for highly skilled workers who are employed in the high-tech industry of Silicon Valley. I link the temporal experiences of these workers to systems of domination at work, and to the particular characteristics of flexible specialization in the region. I ask four questions: How can the temporal rhythms of work be described? What factors shape these rhythms? Why do workers comply? How does this pace of work impact on other aspects of individuals' lives? I focus on the organization of work through project cycles, the de-linking of workers and organizations, and the ideology of individualism that constructs workers as entrepreneurs of their own careers as key factors that shape the erratic and quickened pace of work in Silicon Valley. I also show how this pace of work negatively affects other temporal spheres that individuals negotiate, most notably “bodily time” and the “interaction time” of social relationships.

A preventative model of school consultation: Incorporating perspectives from positive psychology

Abstract: Using the principles of mental health and behavioral consultation, combined with concepts from positive psychology, this paper generates a new preventative model of school consultation. This model has two steps: (1) the school psychologist aids the teacher in the development and use of his/her personal positive psychology (e.g., optimism, objective happiness, etc.); and (2) the teacher is then encouraged to utilize positive psychology in the classroom. In support of this model a brief overview of consultation, a discussion of primary prevention in the schools, and a description of positive psychology is presented. It is the authors' belief that teachers who are taught to develop their own personal positive psychology and practice positive psychology in the classroom will (a) provide a more reinforcing classroom environment which may prevent behavior problems from developing; (b) be more accepting of the use of the behavioral principles in the classroom; and (c) implement interventions with greater integrity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 155–162, 2004.