Showing papers by "Mississippi State University published in 2004"

Cultural diversity in management, firm performance, and the moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation dimensions

Abstract: Extending previous theorizing on cultural diversity's organizational effects by integrating value-in-diversity and social identity perspectives with the framework of Blau's (1977) theory of heterog...

Feuding Families: When Conflict Does a Family Firm Good

Abstract: Using the conflict theory lens and insights from the family business literature, we develop a theoretical model concerning the effects of task, process, and relationship conflict in family firms. Family firms are characterized by different control structures and generational involvement. Accordingly, we discuss the expected effect control concentration has on task, process, and relationship conflict, and propose that generational involvement affects the importance of task and process conflict to a family firm's performance. Furthermore, our model suggests that relationship conflict moderates the outcomes of task and process conflict. The degree of relationship conflict in family firms is in turn influenced by altruism, which characterizes interactions among family members.

Dynamic programming for partially observable stochastic games

Abstract: We develop an exact dynamic programming algorithm for partially observable stochastic games (POSGs). The algorithm is a synthesis of dynamic programming for partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) and iterated elimination or dominated strategies in normal form games. We prove that when applied to finite-horizon POSGs, the algorithm iteratively eliminates very weakly dominated strategies without first forming a normal form representation of the game. For the special case in which agents share the same payoffs, the algorithm can be used to find an optimal solution. We present preliminary empirical results and discuss ways to further exploit POMDP theory in solving POSGs.

Effect of information about benefits of biotechnology on consumer acceptance of genetically modified food: evidence from experimental auctions in the United States, England, and France

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of information about potential benefits of biotechnology on consumer acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods. Consumer willingness to accept compensation to consume a GM food was elicited using an incentive compatible auction mechanism in three US states (California, Florida, and Texas) and in two European countries (England and France). Results indicate that information on environmental benefits, health benefits and benefits to the third world significantly decreased the amount of money consumers demanded to consume GM food; however, the effect of information varied by type of information and location. Consistent with prior research, we find that initial attitudes toward biotechnology have a significant effect on how individuals responded to new information.

Artificial Immune Recognition System (AIRS): An Immune-Inspired Supervised Learning Algorithm

Abstract: This paper presents the inception and subsequent revisions of an immune-inspired supervised learning algorithm, Artificial Immune Recognition System (AIRS). It presents the immunological components that inspired the algorithm and describes the initial algorithm in detail. The discussion then moves to revisions of the basic algorithm that remove certain unnecessary complications of the original version. Experimental results for both versions of the algorithm are discussed and these results indicate that the revisions to the algorithm do not sacrifice accuracy while increasing the data reduction capabilities of AIRS.

A Model of Business School Students' Acceptance of a Web-Based Course Management System

Abstract: As business schools increasingly seek to incorporate Web-based information and communication technologies into the instructional process, there is a need for rigorous research into the factors affe...

A revised branch current-based distribution system state estimation algorithm and meter placement impact

Abstract: With the development of automation in distribution systems, distribution supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and many automated meter reading (AMR) systems have been installed on distribution systems. Also distribution management system (DMS) have advanced and include more sophisticated analysis tools. The combination of these developments is providing a platform for development of distribution system state estimation (DSE). A branch-current-based three-phase state estimation algorithm for distribution systems has been developed and tested. This method chooses the magnitude and phase angle of the branch current as the state variables. Because of the limited number of real-time measurements in the distribution system, the state estimator can not acquire enough real-time measurements for convergence, so pseudo-measurements are necessary for distribution system state estimator. The load estimated at every node from the AMR systems is used as a pseudo-measurement for the state estimator. The algorithm has been tested on three IEEE radial test feeders. In addition to this new strategy for DSE, another issue is meter-placement. This topic includes the type of measurement as well as the location of the measurement. Our results show the impact of these two issues on accuracy. Several general meter rules based on this analysis are outlined.

Applications of support vector machines to speech recognition

Abstract: Recent work in machine learning has focused on models, such as the support vector machine (SVM), that automatically control generalization and parameterization as part of the overall optimization process. In this paper, we show that SVMs provide a significant improvement in performance on a static pattern classification task based on the Deterding vowel data. We also describe an application of SVMs to large vocabulary speech recognition and demonstrate an improvement in error rate on a continuous alphadigit task (OGI Alphadigits) and a large vocabulary conversational speech task (Switchboard). Issues related to the development and optimization of an SVM/HMM hybrid system are discussed.

Outsider Assistance as a Knowledge Resource for New Venture Survival

Abstract: An emerging theory of outsider assistance as a knowledge resource suggests that new ventures obtain a unique blend of tacit and explicit knowledge through the judicious use of outside assistance. U...

Disaster, Litigation, and the Corrosive Community

Abstract: Disaster researchers have debated the utility of distinguishing "natural" from "technological" catastrophes. We suggest that litigation serves as a source of chronic stress for victims of human-caused disasters involved in court deliberations for damages. Data from the Exxon Valdez oil spill are used to evaluate a social structural model of disaster impacts three and one-half years after the event. Results suggest that the status of litigant and litigation stress serve as prominent sources of perceived community damage and event-related psychological stress. We conclude that litigation is a critical characteristic of technological disasters that precludes timely community recovery and promotes chronic social and psychological impacts. Suggestions for alternatives to litigation are provided. As we enter the twenty-first century, it is increasingly clear that large-scale disasters will be pervasive features of social life. The impact of disasters, according to the 2002 World Disasters Report, has significantly changed since

Performance comparison of a fuel cell-battery hybrid powertrain and a fuel cell ultracapacitor hybrid powertrain

Abstract: This paper studies two hybrid power systems for vehicle applications: a fuel cell-battery hybrid powertrain and a fuel cell-ultracapacitor hybrid powertrain. First, the characteristics of fuel cell, battery, and ultracapacitor as power sources are summarized. Then the configurations of the two types of hybrid fuel cell powertrains are presented. Finally, example hybrid powertrains are designed and simulated using ADVISOR. The simulation results indicate that ultracapacitors can more effectively assist the fuel cell to meet the vehicle power demand and help achieve a better performance and a higher fuel economy.

Characterization of plastic flow and resulting microtextures in a friction stir weld

Abstract: In friction stir welding (FSW), a rotating threaded pin tool is inserted into a weld seam and literally stirs the edges of the seam together. The dynamically recrystallized zone (DXZ) of a polished and etched FSW cross section exhibits contrasting bands (the “onion-ring” structure), the origins of which are unclear. An orientation image mapping (OIM) study suggests that the bands may correspond, respectively, to a “straight-through” current of metal bypassing the pin tool in a single rotation or less and a “maelstrom” current rotating a number of times around the pin tool.

Breadth-first heuristic search

Abstract: Recent work shows that the memory requirements of best-first heuristic search can be reduced substantially by using a divide-and-conquer method of solution reconstruction. We show that memory requirements can be reduced even further by using a breadth-first instead of a best-first search strategy. We describe optimal and approximate breadth-first heuristic search algorithms that use divide-and-conquer solution reconstruction. Computational results show that they outperform other optimal and approximate heuristic search algorithms in solving domain-independent planning problems.

Are Family Firms Born or Made? An Exploratory Investigation:

Abstract: Do businesses tend to be born as family firms or do they become family firms at a later stage in their development? The question has important implications for family business studies. In this article we examine this question using data extracted from survey responses of small business clients of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program in the United States. The results suggest that most family firms are born that way but that a significant number of firms do arrive there through time. The relationship between age and family involvement appears to be concave—the rate of increase in family involvement slows as family firms become older and at some point family involvement may even decline.

Development of a Novel Biofuel Blend Using Ethanol−Biodiesel−Diesel Microemulsions: EB-Diesel

Abstract: Oxygenated diesel fuel blends have advantages over regular diesel. Oxygenation significantly reduces particulate matter (PM) and reduces toxic gases such as CO, sulfur oxides (SOx), and, at times, nitrogen oxides (NOx) from tailpipe emissions. Ethanol, which is the oxygenate in E-diesel, is a renewable fuel that reduces the dependency of non-oil-producing countries on foreign petroleum. However, a major drawback with E-diesel is that ethanol is immiscible in diesel over a wide range of temperatures. Studies have revealed that biodiesel, which is another renewable fuel, can be used successfully as an amphiphile (a surface-active agent) to stabilize ethanol and diesel. Research also has revealed that ethanol−biodiesel−diesel (EB-diesel) fuel blend microemulsions are stable well below sub-zero temperatures and have shown equal or superior fuel properties to regular diesel fuel. Microemulsions of certain component concentrations have shown substantially increased lubricity without compromising the cetane numb...

Phytoavailability and toxicity of trivalent and hexavalent chromium to Brassica juncea

Abstract: Summary • Brassica juncea is a potential candidate plant for phytoremediation of a number of heavy metals, but little is known about the phytotoxicity of chromium (Cr) for this plant in Cr(III)- and Cr(VI)-contaminated soils. • Chromium distribution and phytotoxicity at the whole plant and cellular levels were studied using chemical, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses. • Bioavailability of Cr in soils was low, but the uptake significantly increased at phytotoxic levels. Chromium from Cr(VI)-contaminated soils was more phytotoxic than from Cr(III)-contaminated soils. Chromium causes growth retardation, reduces the number of palisade and spongy parenchyma cells in leaves, results in clotted depositions in the vascular bundles of stems and roots, and increases the number of vacuoles and electron dense materials along the walls of xylem and phloem vessels. • Our results suggest that B. juncea is not a good candidate for phytoremediation of soils with lower Cr. However, it is able to accumulate significant amounts of Cr in both shoots and roots at higher soil-Cr concentrations despite severe phytotoxic symptoms.

Acute and chronic toxicity of five selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in Ceriodaphnia dubia.

Abstract: Contamination of surface waters by pharmaceutical chemicals has raised concern among environmental scientists because of the potential for negative effects on aquatic organisms. Of particular importance are pharmaceutical compounds that affect the nervous or endocrine systems because effects on aquatic organisms are possible at low environmental concentrations. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are drugs used to treat clinical depression in humans, and have been detected in low concentrations in surface waters. In this investigation, the acute and chronic toxicity of five SSRIs (fluoxetine, Prozac; fluvoxamine, Luvox; paroxetine, Paxil; citalopram, Celexa; and sertraline, Zoloft) were evaluated in the daphnid Ceriodaphnia dubia. For each SSRI, the 48-h median lethal concentration (LC50) was determined in three static tests with neonate C. dubia, and chronic (8-d) tests were conducted to determine no-observable-effect concentrations (NOEC) and lowest-observable-effect concentrations (LOEC) for reproduction endpoints. The 48-h LC50 for the SSRIs ranged from 0.12 to 3.90 mg/L and the order of toxicity of the compounds was (lowest to highest): Citalopram, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, fluoxetine, sertraline. Mortality data for the 8-d chronic tests were similar to the 48-h acute data. The SSRIs negatively affected C. dubia reproduction by reducing the number of neonates per female, and for some SSRIs, by reducing the number of broods per female. For sertraline, the most toxic SSRI, the LOEC for the number of neonates per female was 0.045 mg/L and the NOEC was 0.009 mg/L. Results indicate that SSRIs can impact survival and reproduction of C. dubia; however, only at concentrations that are considerably higher than those expected in the environment.

A bit-map-assisted energy-efficient MAC scheme for wireless sensor networks

Abstract: The low-energy characteristics of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) pose a great design challenge for MAC protocol design. Recent studies have proposed different cluster-based MAC protocols. In this paper, we propose an intra-cluster communication bit-map-assisted (BMA) MAC protocol for large-scale cluster-based WSNs. BMA is intended for event-driven applications, where sensor nodes transmit data to the cluster head only if significant events are observed. In addition, we provide the energy and packet latency analytical models for BMA, conventional TDMA, and energy efficient TDMA (E-TDMA) when used as intra-cluster MAC schemes. Our results show that BMA is superior for the cases of low and medium traffic loads, relatively few sensor nodes per cluster, and relatively large data packet sizes. In addition, BMA performs better than the TDMA-based MAC schemes in terms of average packet latency.

Love Thy Neighbor? Moral Communities, Civic Engagement, and Juvenile Homicide in Rural Areas

Abstract: While juvenile homicide garnered a tremendous amount of attention from the general public, the media, and policymakers around 1990, macro-level research examining intercommunity variations in juvenile homicide is generally sparse. In addition, most studies addressing this topic focus on urban areas, neglecting the equally important issue of juvenile homicide in rural communities. This analysis extends prior research by investigating the structural sources of variation in rural juvenile homicide rates and by examining the influence of religion on this phenomenon. Informing our analyses with theoretical insights drawn from the moral communities and civil society literatures, we investigate the protective effects of civically engaged religious denominations on juvenile family, acquaintance, and stranger homicides in rural counties. For comparative purposes, we also perform parallel analyses on a sample of urban areas. The empirical analyses of county-level data using negative binomial regression estimation techniques indicate that the presence of civically engaged religious adherents is inversely associated with juvenile homicide in rural areas (net of the effects of a range of control variables), but that this protective effect is primarily confined to juvenile family homicides. In contrast, the measure of civically engaged denominations has no effect on juvenile homicide in urban areas. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical importance of these findings and directions for future research.

Dishonesty in academics and business: A cross-cultural evaluation of student attitudes

Abstract: This study presents the findings from aninternational survey of college students whichexamined perceptions and attitudes towarddishonesty in academic and business contexts. Data were collected from undergraduate studentsstudying business and economics in eighttransitional economies of Eastern Europe andCentral Asia and from students in the UnitedStates. The results indicate that academiccheating is a common activity in all of thecountries surveyed. Even though most studentsreported fearing the punishment of beingcaught, substantial numbers of studentsindicated that academic cheating is sociallyacceptable and not ethically wrong. When askedto rate their perceived degree of dishonestywith respect to behavior in an academic settingrelative to analogous behavior in a businesssetting, students in both the United States andthe transitional economies viewed dishonesty ina business context more severely thandishonesty in an academic context. Theevidence also suggests that when compared tostudents in the transitional economies,American students apply a relatively higherstandard of honesty toward behavior in both theacademic and business settings.

Factors affecting seed germination, seedling emergence, and survival of texasweed (Caperonia palustris)

Abstract: Field, laboratory, and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the seed production potential and effect of environmental factors on germination, emergence, and survival of texasweed. Texasweed produced an average of 893 seed per plant, and 90% were viable. Seed exhibited dormancy, and prechilling did not release dormancy. Percent germination ranged from 56% for seed subjected to no prechilling to 1% for seed prechilled at 5 C for 140 d. Seed remained viable during extended prechilling conditions, with 80% of seed viable after 140 d of prechilling. Texasweed seed germinated over a range of 20 to 40 C, with optimum germination (54%) occurring with a fluctuating 40/30 C temperature regime. Seed germinated with fluctuating 12-h light/dark and constant dark conditions. Texasweed seed germinated over a broad range of pH, osmotic potential, and salt concentrations. Seed germination was 31 to 62% over a pH range from 4 to 10. Germination of texasweed ranged from 9 to 56% as osmotic potential d...

Attribution Style and Public Policy Attitudes Toward Gay Rights

Abstract: Objective. This study examines the influence of beliefs about the cause of homo-sexuality on public policy attitudes concerning gay rights. Methods. Using data from the 1995 Oklahoma City Survey, we examine how beliefs about homosexuality as either a lifestyle choice or biological predisposition affect levels of support for gay rights. Results. Consistent with current debates over gay rights, our study reveals a strong positive association between biological attributions of homosexuality and support for gay rights. Opposition to gay rights is most pronounced among political conservatives, fundamentalist Protestants, persons with little or no favorable contact with gays, individuals who embrace negative stereotypes about gays, and persons with high scores on an index of homophobia. Conclusions. Etiological beliefs about homosexuality have a strong influence on public policy attitudes toward gay rights.

Adaptation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to pH alters membrane lipid composition, verotoxin secretion, and resistance to simulated gastric fluid acid.

Abstract: The influence of adaptation to pH (from pH 5.0 to 9.0) on membrane lipid composition, verotoxin concentration, and resistance to acidic conditions in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) (pH 1.5, 37 degrees C) was determined for Escherichia coli O157:H7 (HEC, ATCC 43895), an rpoS-deficient mutant of ATCC 43895 (HEC-RM, FRIK 816-3), and nonpathogenic E. coli (NPEC, ATCC 25922). Regardless of the strain, D values (in SGF) of acid-adapted cells were higher than those of non-acid-adapted cells, with HEC adapted at pH 5.0 having the greatest D value, i.e., 25.6 min. Acid adaptation increased the amounts of palmitic acid (C16:0) and decreased cis-vaccenic acid (C18:1 omega 7c) in the membrane lipids of all strains. The ratio of cis-vaccenic acid to palmitic acid increased at acidic pH, causing a decrease in membrane fluidity. HEC adapted to pH 8.3 and HEC-RM adapted to pH 7.3 exhibited the greatest verotoxin concentrations (2,470 and 1,460 ng/ml, respectively) at approximately 10(8) CFU/ml. In addition, the ratio of extracellular to intracellular verotoxin concentration decreased at acidic pH, possibly due to the decrease of membrane fluidity. These results suggest that while the rpoS gene does not influence acid resistance in acid-adapted cells it does confer decreased membrane fluidity, which may increase acid resistance and decrease verotoxin secretion.

Measurements of electron-proton elastic cross sections for 0.4 < Q(2) < 5.5 (GeV/c)(2)

Abstract: We report on precision measurements of the elastic cross section for electron-proton scattering performed in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. The measurements were made at 28 distinct kinematic settings covering a range in momentum transfer of 0.4