Showing papers by "Purdue University published in 1994"

Effects of human resource systems on manufacturing performance and turnover

Abstract: Using an empirical taxonomy identifying two types of human resource systems, “control” and “commitment,” this study tested the strategic human resource proposition that specific combinations of policies and practices are useful in predicting differences in performance and turnover across steel “minimills.” The mills with commitment systems had higher productivity, lower scrap rates, and lower employee turnover than those with control systems. In addition, human resource system moderated the relationship between turnover and manufacturing performance.

Field-scale variability of soil properties in central iowa soils

Abstract: Spatial distributions of soil properties at the field and watershed scale may affect yield potential, hydrologic responses, and transport of herbicides and NO⁻₃ to surface or groundwater. Our research describes field-scale distributions and spatial trends for 28 different soil parameters at two sites within a watershed in central Iowa. Two of 27 parameters measured at one site and 10 of 14 parameters measured at the second site were normally distributed. Spatial variability was investigated using semivariograms and the ratio of nugget to total semivariance, expressed as a percentage, was used to classify spatial dependence. A ratio of 75% indicated weak spatial dependence. Twelve parameters at Site one, including organic C, total N, pH, and macroaggregation, and four parameters at Site two, including organic C and total N, were strongly spatially dependent. Six parameters at Site one, including biomass C and N, bulk density, and denitrification, and 9 parameters at Site two, including biomass C and N and bulk density, were moderately spatially dependent. Three parameters at Site one, including NO⁻₃ N and ergosterol, and one parameter at Site two, mineral-associated N, were weakly spatially dependent. Distributions of exchangeable Ca and Mg at Site one were not spatially dependent. Spatial distributions for some soil properties were similar for both field sites. We will be able to exploit these similarities to improve our ability to extrapolate information taken from one field to other fields within similar landscapes.

The stationary bootstrap

Abstract: This article introduces a resampling procedure called the stationary bootstrap as a means of calculating standard errors of estimators and constructing confidence regions for parameters based on weakly dependent stationary observations. Previously, a technique based on resampling blocks of consecutive observations was introduced to construct confidence intervals for a parameter of the m-dimensional joint distribution of m consecutive observations, where m is fixed. This procedure has been generalized by constructing a “blocks of blocks” resampling scheme that yields asymptotically valid procedures even for a multivariate parameter of the whole (i.e., infinite-dimensional) joint distribution of the stationary sequence of observations. These methods share the construction of resampling blocks of observations to form a pseudo-time series, so that the statistic of interest may be recalculated based on the resampled data set. But in the context of applying this method to stationary data, it is natural...

New challenges in biomaterials

Abstract: Significant opportunities and challenges exist in the creation and characterization of biomaterials. Materials have been designed for contact with blood, as replacements for soft and hard tissues, as adhesives, and as dental materials. Current methods of synthesis and characterization of these materials are outlined. Approaches for controlling the interface between tissue and biomaterials and ways in which the engineered materials may contribute to medicine are considered.

Conducting Polyaniline Filaments in a Mesoporous Channel Host

Abstract: Conducting filaments of polyaniline have been prepared in the 3-nanometer-wide hexagonal channel system of the aluminosilicate MCM-41. Adsorption of aniline vapor into the dehydrated host, followed by reaction with peroxydisulfate, leads to encapsulated polyaniline filaments. Spectroscopic data show that the filaments are in the protonated emeraldine salt form, and chromatography indicates chain lengths of several hundred aniline rings. The filaments have significant conductivity while encapsulated in the channels, as measured by microwave absorption at 2.6 gigahertz. This demonstration of conjugated polymers with mobile charge carriers in nanometer channels represents a step toward the design of nanometer electronic devices.

Solving forward-backward stochastic differential equations explicitly — a four step scheme

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the nature of the adapted solutions to a class of forward-backward stochastic differential equations (SDEs for short) in which the forward equation is non-degenerate. We prove that in this case the adapted solution can always be sought in an “ordinary” sense over an arbitrarily prescribed time duration, via a direct “Four Step Scheme”. Using this scheme, we further prove that the backward components of the adapted solution are determined explicitly by the forward components via the solution of a certain quasilinear parabolic PDE system. Moreover the uniqueness of the adapted solutions (over an arbitrary time duration), as well as the continuous dependence of the solutions on the parameters, can all be proved within this unified framework. Some special cases are studied separately. In particular, we derive a new form of the integral representation of the Clark-Haussmann-Ocone type for functionals (or functions) of diffusions, in which the conditional expectation is no longer needed.

A multiscale random field model for Bayesian image segmentation

Abstract: Many approaches to Bayesian image segmentation have used maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation in conjunction with Markov random fields (MRF). Although this approach performs well, it has a number of disadvantages. In particular, exact MAP estimates cannot be computed, approximate MAP estimates are computationally expensive to compute, and unsupervised parameter estimation of the MRF is difficult. The authors propose a new approach to Bayesian image segmentation that directly addresses these problems. The new method replaces the MRF model with a novel multiscale random field (MSRF) and replaces the MAP estimator with a sequential MAP (SMAP) estimator derived from a novel estimation criteria. Together, the proposed estimator and model result in a segmentation algorithm that is not iterative and can be computed in time proportional to MN where M is the number of classes and N is the number of pixels. The also develop a computationally efficient method for unsupervised estimation of model parameters. Simulations on synthetic images indicate that the new algorithm performs better and requires much less computation than MAP estimation using simulated annealing. The algorithm is also found to improve classification accuracy when applied to the segmentation of multispectral remotely sensed images with ground truth data. >

Intracellular hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion detection in endothelial cells.

Abstract: One of the objectives of studying endothelial cells in vitro is to evaluate neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions including potential consequences of oxidant-mediated damage to the endothelial cell. Current understanding of endothelial cell oxidative function is derived primarily from the measurement of extracellular products. We utilized 2 dyes, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and hydroethidine (HE), which measure hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anion (O2-) respectively, for their suitability to monitor oxidative mechanisms in endothelial cells and to provide a reliable measure of intracellular oxidants. Endothelial cells stained with DCFH-DA and stimulated with H2O2 exhibited an increase in the fluorescent product 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) (measure of intracellular H2O2) which peaked at 10 min. Endothelial cells stained with HE and stimulated with H2O2 exhibited an increase in the fluorescent product ethidium bromide (EB) (measure of intracellular O2-) which lasted for approximately 60 min. Superoxide dismutase increased DCF fluorescence in endothelial cells stimulated with H2O2 by 158%. Allopurinol (xanthine oxidase inhibitor) reduced DCF and EB fluorescence by 48% and 37% respectively in endothelial cells stimulated with H2O2. Catalase completely inhibited an increase in DCF or EB fluorescence in endothelial cells stimulated with H2O2. There was a direct correlation between mean DCF and EB fluorescence intensity and the concentration of H2O2 or the number of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-activated neutrophils added to endothelial cells. We conclude from these studies that DCFH-DA and HE can be used to measure intracellular H2O2 and O2- in endothelial cells and that the xanthine oxidase pathway for intracellular O2- production accounts for approximately 40% of the total intracellular O2- generated in endothelial cells after stimulation with H2O2. The combination of image cytometry and flow cytometry will be important for future evaluations of endothelial cell function.

Prevalence of traumatic events and post‐traumatic psychological symptoms in a nonclinical sample of college students

Abstract: The lifetime prevalence of traumatic events and their psychological impact were assessed in 440 undergraduate students. Eighty-four percent of the subjects reported experiencing at least one event of sufficient intensity potentially to elicit Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). One-third of the sample had experienced four or more traumatic events. Subjects who had experienced trauma reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptomatology than nontraumatized subjects, and these symptoms were more intense in subjects who experienced multiple traumas. Events that were particularly negative in their impact included unwanted sexual experiences and events that subjects reported were too traumatic to discuss openly. Males and females differed in their probability of experiencing some types of events and in the psychological response to certain events.

The design and implementation of tripwire: a file system integrity checker

Abstract: At the heart of most computer systems is a file system. The file system contains user data, executable programs, configuration and authorization information, and (usually) the base executable version of the operating system itself. The ability to monitor file systems for unauthorized or unexpected changes gives system administrators valuable data for protecting and maintaining their systems. However, in environments of many networked heterogeneous platforms with different policies and software, the task of monitoring changes becomes quite daunting.Tripwire is tool that aids UNIX system administrators and users in monitoring a designated set of files and directories for any changes. Used with system files on a regular (e.g., daily) basis, Tripwire can notify system administrators of corrupted or altered files, so corrective actions may be taken in a timely manner. Tripwire may also be used on user or group files or databases to signal changes.This paper describes the design and implementation of the Tripwire tool. It uses interchangeable “signature” (usually, message digest) routines to identify changes in files, and is highly configurable. Tripwire is no-cost software, available on the Internet, and is currently in use on thousands of machines around the world.

Plant Defense Genes Are Synergistically Induced by Ethylene and Methyl Jasmonate.

Abstract: Combinations of ethylene and methyl jasmonate (E/MeJA) synergistically induced members of both groups 1 and 5 of the pathogenesis-related (PR) superfamily of defense genes. E/MeJA caused a synergistic induction of PR-1b and osmotin (PR-5) mRNA accumulation in tobacco seedlings. E/MeJA also synergistically activated the osmotin promoter fused to a [beta]-glucuronidase marker gene in a tissue-specific manner. The E/MeJA responsiveness of the osmotin promoter was localized on a -248 to +45 fragment that exhibited responsiveness to several other inducers. E/MeJA induction also resulted in osmotin protein accumulation to levels similar to those induced by osmotic stress. Of the several known inducers of the osmotin gene, including salicylic acid (SA), fungal infection is the only other condition known to cause substantial osmotin protein accumulation in Wisconsin 38, a tobacco cultivar that does not respond hypersensitively to tobacco mosaic virus. Based on the ability of the protein kinase C inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine to block ethylene induction of PR-1b mRNA accumulation and its inability to block osmotin mRNA induction by ethylene, these two PR gene groups appeared to have at least partially separate signal transduction pathways. Stimulation of osmotin mRNA accumulation by okadaic acid indicated that another protein kinase system is involved in regulation of the osmotin gene. SA, which is known to induce pathogen resistance in tobacco, could not induce the osmotin gene as much as E/MeJA and neither could it induce PR-1b as much as SA and MeJA combined.

An overview of robust Bayesian analysis

Abstract: Robust Bayesian analysis is the study of the sensitivity of Bayesian answers to uncertain inputs. This paper seeks to provide an overview of the subject, one that is accessible to statisticians outside the field. Recent developments in the area are also reviewed, though with very uneven emphasis.

Three-dimensional structure of a human class II histocompatibility molecule complexed with superantigen.

Abstract: The structure of a bacterial superantigen, Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B, bound to a human class II histocompatibility complex molecule (HLA-DR1) has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The superantigen binds as an intact protein outside the conventional peptide antigen-binding site of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule. No large conformational changes occur upon complex formation in either the DR1 or the enterotoxin B molecules. The structure of the complex helps explain how different class II molecules and superantigens associate and suggests a model for ternary complex formation with the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR), in which unconventional TCR-MHC contacts are possible.

The effect of unlabeled samples in reducing the small sample size problem and mitigating the Hughes phenomenon

Abstract: The authors study the use of unlabeled samples in reducing the problem of small training sample size that can severely affect the recognition rate of classifiers when the dimensionality of the multispectral data is high The authors show that by using additional unlabeled samples that are available at no extra cost, the performance may be improved, and therefore the Hughes phenomenon can be mitigated Furthermore, by experiments, they show that by using additional unlabeled samples more representative estimates can be obtained They also propose a semiparametric method for incorporating the training (ie, labeled) and unlabeled samples simultaneously into the parameter estimation process >

Size-Specific Infrared Spectra of Benzene-(H2O)n Clusters (n = 1 through 7): Evidence for Noncyclic (H2O)n Structures

Abstract: Resonant ion-dip infrared spectroscopy has been used to record size-specific infrared spectra of C(6)H(6)-(H(2)O)n clusters with n = 1 through 7 in the O-H stretch region. The O-H stretch spectra show a dramatic dependence on cluster size. For the n = 3 to 5 clusters, the transitions can be divided into three types-attributable to free, pi hydrogen-bonded, and single donor water-water O-H stretches-consistent with a C(6)H(6)-(H(2)O)n structure in which benzene is on the surface of a cyclic (H(2)O)n cluster. In n = 6 and 7 clusters, the spectra show distinct new transitions in the 3500 to 3600 wave number region. After comparison of these results with the predictions of ab initio calculations on (H(2)O)n clusters, these new transitions have been assigned to double donor O-H stretches associated with the formation of a more compact, noncyclic structure beginning with (H(2)O)(6). This is the same size cluster for which ab initio calculations predict that a changeover to noncyclic (H(2)O)n structures will occur.

Eigenstructure techniques for 2-D angle estimation with uniform circular arrays

Abstract: The problem of 2D angle estimation (azimuth and elevation) of multiple plane waves incident on a uniform circular array (UCA) of antennas is considered. Two eigenstructure-based estimation algorithms that operate in beamspace and employ phase mode excitation-based beamformers have been developed. The first, UCA-RB-MUSIC, is a beamspace version of MUSIC that offers numerous advantages over element space operation, including reduced computation, as subspace estimates are obtained via real-valued eigendecompositions, enhanced performance in correlated source scenarios due to the attendant forward-backward averaging effect, and the applicability of Root-MUSIC. The second, UCA-ESPRIT, represents a significant advance in the area of 2D angle estimation. It is a novel closed-form algorithm that provides automatically paired source azimuth and elevation estimates. With UCA-ESPRIT, the eigenvalues of a matrix have the form /spl mu//sub i/=sin /spl theta//sub i/e/sup j/spl phi/(i/), where /spl theta//sub i/ and /spl phi//sub i/ are the elevation and azimuth angles, respectively. Expensive search procedures being thus avoided, UCA-ESPRIT is superior to existing 2D angle estimation algorithms with respect to computational complexity. Finally, asymptotic expressions for the variances of the element space MUSIC and UCA-RB-MUSIC estimators for the 2D scenario have been derived. Results of simulations that compare UCA-RB-MUSIC and UCA-ESPRIT and also validate the theoretical performance expressions are presented. >

Capitalizing on and coping with daily-life events: Expressive responses to positive events.

Abstract: It is argued that insufficient attention has been paid to the nature and processes underlying positive experiences. An analogy is drawn between coping with negative events and the processes of taking advantage of, or capitalizing on, positive events. It was hypothesized that expressive displays (e.g., communicating the event to others, celebrating, etc.) and perceived control would be effective capitalizing responses after positive events. These responses were predicted to augment the benefits of the events on temporary moods and longer-term well-being. Two daily-diary studies of college undergraduates showed that expressive responses and perceived control were associated with positive affect above and beyond the benefits due to the valence of the positive events themselves

Are People Prejudiced Against Women? Some Answers From Research on Attitudes, Gender Stereotypes, and Judgments of Competence

Abstract: In contemporary research, attitudes toward women appear to be more positive than those toward men in samples of US and Canadian university students, and the evaluative content of the female stereotype is more favorable than the evaluative content of the male stereotype. These research findings on attitudes and stereotypes are compared with the findings of Goldberg-paradigm experiments on judgments of women's and men's competence, which are commonly thought to reflect people's attitudes and stereotypes. Although research on competence judgments has not shown a pervasive tendency to devalue women's work, it has demonstrated prejudice against women in masculine domains (e.g. male-dominated jobs, male-stereotypic behavior). This targeted form of prejudice is consistent with the generally more favorable evaluation of women than men obtained in attitude and stereotype studies because this positive evaluation derives primarily from the ascription to women of nice, nurturant, communal characteristics, which peopl...

Piezoelectricity and Its Use in Disturbance Sensing and Control of Flexible Structures: A Survey

Abstract: Search Applied Mechanics Reviews Purchase this Content $25.00 Purchase Learn about subscription and purchase options Topics: Piezoelectricity , Flexible structures , Piezoelectric materials , Vibration measurement Your Session has timed out. Please sign back in to continue. About ASME Digital Collection Email Alerts Library Service Center ASME Membership Contact Us Publications Permissions /Reprints Privacy Policy Terms of Use © 2018 ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Journals Submit a Paper Announcements Call for Papers Title History Conference Proceedings About ASME Conference Publications Conference Proceedings Author Guidelines Conference Publications Toolbox This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. | Accept Loading [MathJax]/jax/output/HTML-CSS/fonts/TeX/fontdata.js

Magnetization and transport currents in thin superconducting films.

Abstract: The critical-state behavior of an infinitely long type-II superconducting thin-film strip is theoretically analyzed for an arbitrary sequence of applied transport currents and perpendicular magnetic fields. Included are solutions for applied field only, transport current only, transport current applied to a sample initially in the remanent critical state, ac applied field, ac transport current, and simultaneously applied field and transport current. The results are compared side by side with corresponding solutions for the more famililar slab geometry; there are striking differences in behavior.