Showing papers by "San Jose State University published in 1997"

Dynamic capabilities and strategic management

Abstract: The dynamic capabilities framework analyzes the sources and methods of wealth creation and capture by private enterprise firms operating in environments of rapid technological change. The competitive advantage of firms is seen as resting on distinctive processes (ways of coordinating and combining), shaped by the firm's (specific) asset positions (such as the firm's portfolio of difftcult-to- trade knowledge assets and complementary assets), and the evolution path(s) it has aflopted or inherited. The importance of path dependencies is amplified where conditions of increasing retums exist. Whether and how a firm's competitive advantage is eroded depends on the stability of market demand, and the ease of replicability (expanding intemally) and imitatability (replication by competitors). If correct, the framework suggests that private wealth creation in regimes of rapid technological change depends in large measure on honing intemal technological, organizational, and managerial processes inside the firm. In short, identifying new opportunities and organizing effectively and efficiently to embrace them are generally more fundamental to private wealth creation than is strategizing, if by strategizing one means engaging in business conduct that keeps competitors off balance, raises rival's costs, and excludes new entrants. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Client/Server Programming with Java and CORBA

Abstract: Client/Server computing is of great importance for corporations trying to improve their company's competitive edge with computer systems CORBA stands for Common Object Request Broker Architecture CORBA objects are chunks of reusable intelligence that can exist anywhere on a network This work combines client/server computing with the architecture and methodologies of CORBA and object-oriented programming It provides programs and technical know-how to implement those concepts and theories into workable everyday business applications Topics covered include: objects and the Web; a CORBA client/server style guide; coding examples in C++, Java and Joe (network Java); products and methodologies like SOM3 and CORBA 20 Programs that can run on Windows 95, Windows NT and OS/2 Warp Software are included on the CD, which include: 10 functional client/server programs that will run on Windows 95, Windows NT and OS/2 Warp; C++ and Java Orbs; and applications written in Joe

Occupational Injury and Illness in the United States: Estimates of Costs, Morbidity, and Mortality

Abstract: Objective: To estimate the annual incidence, the mortality, and the direct and indirect costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses in the United States in 1992. Design: Aggregation and analysis of national and large regional data sets collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the National Center for Health Statistics, the Health Care Financing Administration, and other governmental bureaus and private firms. Methods: To assess incidence of and mortality from occupational injuries and illnesses, we reviewed data from national surveys and applied an attributable risk proportion method. To assess costs, we used the human capital method that decomposes costs into direct categories such as medical and insurance administration expenses as well as indirect categories such as lost earnings, lost home production, and lost fringe benefits. Some cost estimates were drawn from the literature while others were generated within this study. Total costs were calculated by multiplying average costs by the number of injuries and illnesses in each diagnostic category. Results: Approximately 6500 job-related deaths from injury, 13.2 million nonfatal injuries, 60 300 deaths from disease, and 862 200 illnesses are estimated to occur annually in the civilian American workforce. The total direct ($65 billion) plus indirect ($106 billion) costs were estimated to be $171 billion. Injuries cost $145 billion and illnesses $26 billion. These estimates are likely to be low, because they ignore costs associated with pain and suffering as well as those of within-home care provided by family members, and because the numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses are likely to be undercounted. Conclusions: The costs of occupational injuries and illnesses are high, in sharp contrast to the limited public attention and societal resources devoted to their prevention and amelioration. Occupational injuries and illnesses are an insufficiently appreciated contributor to the total burden of health care costs in the United States. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:1557-1568

Faculty/Student Mentor Program: Effects on Academic Performance and Retention.

Abstract: A university faculty/student mentor program was evaluated for its effects on academic performance and retention. A matched pairs design was used in which 339 undergraduates assigned to mentors were paired with nonmentored students based on gender, ethnicity, GPA, and entering enrollment status. The results showed a higher GPA for mentored students (2.45 vs. 2.29), more units completed per semester (9.33 vs. 8.49), and lower dropout rate (14.5% vs. 26.3%). Amount of mentor-protege contact was positively correlated with GPA. Academic achievement and retention were unrelated to gender and ethnicity of the mentor, the protege, or the gender and ethnic match between the two.

In the Name of the Child: A Developmental Approach to Understanding and Helping Children of Conflicted and Violent Divorce

Abstract: PART 1. THE PROBLEM AND THE CHALLENGE 1. The Family Crucible of High-Conflict and Violent Divorce 2. The Prism and Prison of the Child PART II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN HIGH-CONFLICT FAMILIES 3. Infants and Toddlers: Problems in Separation-Individuation 4. Preschoolers: Separation, Gender, and Sexualized Anxiety 5. School-Age Children: the Struggle to Feel Lovable, Good, and Competent.

The economic exposure of u.s. multinational firms

Abstract: In this paper we find that the exchange rate exposure of individual firms increases with the return horizon. Also, the cross-sectional differences in the magnitude of exposure of individual firms are significantly related to firm size but not to the relative portion of foreign sales to total sales. The empirical evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that hedging activities exhibit economies of scale, and, consequently, the magnitude of economic exposure is less for larger firms than for smaller firms.

A Review of Rough Set Models

Abstract: Since introduction of the theory of rough set in early eighties, considerable work has been done on the development and application of this new theory. The paper provides a review of the Pawlak rough set model and its extensions, with emphasis on the formulation, characterization, and interpretation of various rough set models.

Procedures in complex systems: the airline cockpit

Abstract: In complex human-machine systems, successful operations depend on an elaborate set of procedures which are specified by the operational management of the organization. These procedures indicate to the human operator (in this case the pilot) the manner in which operational management intends to have various tasks done. The intent is to provide guidance to the pilots and to ensure a safe, logical, efficient, and predictable (standardized) means of carrying out the objectives of the job. However, procedures can become a hodge-podge. Inconsistent or illogical procedures may lead to noncompliance by operators. Based on a field study with three major airlines, the authors propose a model for procedure development called the "Four P's": philosophy, policies, procedures, and practices. Using this model as a framework, the authors discuss the intricate issue of designing flight-deck procedures, and propose a conceptual approach for designing any set of procedures. The various factors, both external and internal to the cockpit, that must be considered for procedure design are presented. In particular, the paper addresses the development of procedures for automated cockpits-a decade-long, and highly controversial issue in commercial aviation. Although this paper is based on airline operations, we assume that the principles discussed here are also applicable to other high-risk supervisory control systems, such as space flight, manufacturing process control, nuclear power production, and military operations.

Divorce-Related Transitions, Adolescent Development, and the Role of the Parent-Child Relationship: A Review of the Literature.

Abstract: For the adolescent undergoing multiple developmental changes, divorce and its related transitions present additional challenges, promoting growth for some and constituting developmental vulnerabilities for others. A review of the literature on adolescent development, family relationships, and the impact of divorce on adolescents reveals that adolescents experience divorce differently than younger children and that a positive parent-adolescent relationship can ameliorate the negative effects of divorce. Major gaps in the literature, particularly in the areas of differential effects for ethnic and minority youth and families and the effect of diverse family configurations on development, are identified. Specific suggestions for further research are proposed. Key Words: adolescent development, divorce, parent-child relationships. Due to the continuing high rates of divorce, reconstituted families, shared custody, and single-parent homes have become commonplace in the lives of children and adolescents (Cherlin, 1992). In contemporary research, divorce and remarriage are viewed not as single, static events, but as part of a series of transitions, modifying the lives of children (Hetherington, 1989; Wallerstein & Johnston, 1990). In addition to the trauma of divorce itself (i.e., the conflict between parents that often precedes, accompanies, and follows divorce, the possible loss and diminished contact with a parent, the potential of diminished parent effectiveness, and decreases in economic support), divorcerelated transitions often involve geographic moves, the addition of stepsiblings, and a new set of extended family members. Divorce followed by remarriage can involve the introduction of parent figures with multiple roles and overlapping relationships. Taken together, these divorce-related factors have a direct impact on the life courses of children and may be especially challenging for the adolescent who is simultaneously involved in critical developmental transitions (Anderson, Hetherington, & Clingempeel, 1989; Hetherington, Stanley-Hagan, & Anderson, 1989; Springer & Wallerstein, 1983; Wallerstein & Kelly, 1980). For the adolescent undergoing multiple developmental changes, divorce and its related transitions present additional challenges, promoting growth for some and constituting developmental vulnerabilities for others (Hetherington & Anderson, 1987). As a consequence of altered family structure, patterns, and routines, some adolescents acquire certain strengths, notably a sense of responsibility and competence (Demo & Acock, 1988). Another body of research has found that multiple life transitions occurring in a relatively short time place certain adolescents at risk (Rutter, 1981, 1987; Simmons & Blyth, 1989). Studies in this vein reveal that a high percentage of adolescents in residential treatment homes are from families disrupted by separation or divorce (Glick, 1984). Research on antisocial behavior among adolescents has found that adolescents in mother-only households and in conflict-ridden families are more likely to commit delinquent acts (Demo & Acock, 1988). These findings on the negative effect of multiple, stressful events have been corroborated by those from large national surveys that reveal that, compared with youngsters from families with two biological parents, more than twice as many adolescents from divorced families have seen mental health professionals (Zill, 1988; Zill & Peterson,1983). The literature on adolescent development traditionally has emphasized the important role the family plays in negotiating various transitions encountered during this phase, including the formation of a sexual identity (Freud, 1958) and a sense of self (Erikson, 1968), in shaping future life choices and in forming values (Blos, 1979). More recently, the family, especially the parent-child relationship, has been viewed as the main source of support for the adolescent (Feldman & Elliott, 1990), acting as a buffer to help ameliorate some of the stress encountered during this period (Garmezy & Rutter, 1983). …

The Life Cycle of Stratospheric Aerosol Particles

Abstract: This paper describes the life cycle of the background (nonvolcanic) stratospheric sulfate aerosol. The authors assume the particles are formed by homogeneous nucleation near the tropical tropopause and are carried aloft into the stratosphere. The particles remain in the Tropics for most of their life, and during this period of time a size distribution is developed by a combination of coagulation, growth by heteromolecular condensation, and mixing with air parcels containing preexisting sulfate particles. The aerosol eventually migrates to higher latitudes and descends across isentropic surfaces to the lower stratosphere. The aerosol is removed from the stratosphere primarily at mid- and high latitudes through various processes, mainly by isentropic transport across the tropopause from the stratosphere into the troposphere.

Gravity Waves in Jupiter's Thermosphere

Abstract: The Atmosphere Structure Instrument on the Galileo probe detected wavelike temperature fluctuations superimposed on a 700-kelvin temperature increase in Jupiter's thermosphere. These fluctuations are consistent with gravity waves that are viscously damped in the thermosphere. Moreover, heating by these waves can explain the temperature increase measured by the probe. This heating mechanism should be applicable to the thermospheres of the other giant planets and may help solve the long-standing question of the source of their high thermospheric temperatures.

Resistance Training in Children and Youth: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract: This research used meta-analysis to examine the effect of resistance training on children and youth. Studies investigating the effects of various forms of resistance training in participants of ages less than 18 years were analyzed. Effects sizes (ES) were calculated by gender, age group (boys ages ≥ 16 years and girls ages ≥ 14 years were defined as older), training (isokinetic, isometric, isotonic), and design type (pretest-posttest or experimental-control). Similar ESs were obtained for older and younger children; isotonic methods demonstrated larger ESs than isometric or isokinetic. Larger ESs were obtained in studies with cross-sectional (experimental-control) than pre-post designs. Resistance training appears to enhance muscular endurance and strength in children and youth. The magnitude of the effect appears to be a function of gender, training method, and experimental design.

Thermal Structure of Jupiter's Upper Atmosphere Derived from the Galileo Probe

Abstract: Temperatures in Jupiter's atmosphere derived from Galileo Probe deceleration data increase from 109 kelvin at the 175-millibar level to 900 ± 40 kelvin at 1 nanobar, consistent with Voyager remote sensing data. Wavelike oscillations are present at all levels. Vertical wavelengths are 10 to 25 kilometers in the deep isothermal layer, which extends from 12 to 0.003 millibars. Above the 0.003-millibar level, only 90- to 270- kilometer vertical wavelengths survive, suggesting dissipation of wave energy as the probable source of upper atmosphere heating.

The miraculous universal distribution

Abstract: Supported in part by the NSERC Operating Grant OGP0046506, ITRC, a CGAT grant, and the Steacie Fellowship.

Task Familiarity: Effects on the Test Performance of Puerto Rican and African American Children

Abstract: Two studies compared the performance of Puerto Rican and African American Head Start children on presumably familiar (description) and unfamiliar (one-word labeling) test tasks. Results indicated that children performed significantly better on the familiar test task, and that the familiar task was more sensitive in differentiating children who were typically developing from those with low language ability. Implications for the use of standardized tests, local norms, and dynamic assessment with culturally/linguistically diverse children are discussed.

A new parameterization of H2SO4/H2O aerosol composition: Atmospheric implications

Abstract: Recent results from a thermodynamic model of aqueous sulfuric acid are used to derive a new parameterization for the variation of sulfuric acid aerosol composition with temperature and relative humidity. This formulation is valid for relative humidities above 1 % in the temperature range of 185 to 260 K. An expression for calculating the vapor pressure of supercooled liquid water, consistent with the sulfuric acid model, is also presented. We show that the Steele and Hamill [1981] formulation underestimates the water partial pressure over aqueous H2SOI solutions by up to 12% at low temperatures. This difference results in a corresponding underestimate of the H2SO4 concentration in the aerosol by about 6 % of the weight percent at approximately 190 K. In addition, the relation commonly used for estimating the vapor pressure of H2O over supercooled liquid water differs by up to 10 % from our derived expression. The combined error can result in a 20 % underestimation of water activity over a H2SO4 solution droplet in the stratosphere, which has implications for the parameterization of heterogeneous reaction rates in stratospheric sulfuric acid aerosols. The influence of aerosol composition on the rate of homogeneous ice nucleation from a H2SO4 solution droplet is also discussed. This parameterization can also be used for homogeneous gas phase nucleation calculations of H2SO4 solution droplets under various environmental conditions such as in aircraft exhaust or in volcanic plumes.

Review of Models for Thermal Contact Conductance of Metals

Abstract: Thermal contact conductance is a topic of great relevance to such applications as electronics packaging, satellite thermal control, nuclear reactor cooling, aerodynamic heating of supersonic aircraft and missiles, and turbine and internal combustion engine design. A fundamental problem in this discipline concerns the contact of metals in a vacuum environment for which gap and radiative conductance are negligible and only contact (solid spot) conductance is appreciable. A number of conductance models for metals are compiled and compared to experimental data from the literature. Theoretical models have been developed that accurately predict contact conductance for the two bounding cases of flat, rough surfaces and nonflat (spherical), smooth surfaces. However, these do not agree with most results for arbitrarily nonflat, rough surfaces, those usually obtained from common manufacturing processes. Empirical and semiempirical correlations, although many are developed for nonflat, rough surfaces, also suffer from limited applicability. The few theoretical models for nonflat (spherical), rough surfaces are computationally intensive and are not readily applied to design.

Reestablishing "Race" in Anthropological Discourse

Abstract: Anthropology, despite its historic role in both creating and dismantling the American racial worldview, seems barely visible in contemporary scholarly and public discussions of "race." The authors argue that race should once again be central to anthropological inquiry, that cultural and physical anthropologists must jointly develop and publicly disseminate a unified, uniquely anthropological perspective. They suggest ways to proceed and identify internal barriers that must be overcome before the anthropological voice can be heard.

The Nuts and Bolts of Cooperative Learning in Engineering

Abstract: A great number of engineering students work alone most of the time. This is in sharp contrast with industry where most of the work is performed in teams. The ability to work in a team effectively is not acquired automatically. It takes interpersonal and social skills which need to be developed and practiced. In addition, research shows that the student-student interaction, often neglected in traditional ways of teaching, is a most effective way of learning. Thus, it is imperative that we encourage our students to work with each other in their efforts to achieve their educational goals. In this paper I discuss my experience with Cooperative Learning (CL) in a variety of engineering courses during the last four years. The discussion includes benefits and problems along with possible solutions. Lastly, I have made an effort to evaluate the impact of CL on student performance and attitude.

Palaeoepidemiological Patterns of Trauma in a Medieval Nubian Skeletal Population

Abstract: Evidence of trauma was investigated in a well-preserved skeletal sample from the Medieval Sudanese Nubian site of Kulubnarti. The skeletal materials derive from two temporally over-lapping Christian cemeteries, dating from the sixth to circa the sixteenth century. The available sample consisted of the skeletons of 146 adults which were investigated for fractures of the long bones, crania and the hands and feet, as well as for dislocations and muscle pulls. Results showed a high incidence of long bone fractures, seen especially in the forearm, and involving 33.5 per cent of individuals. Many of these lesions indicated quite severe injury, and an unusually high number of affected individuals (27 per cent) showed multiple long bone involvement. Conversely, only one possible cranial fracture was apparent. Fractures were also found in 13 hand and seven foot elements. In addition, one hip dislocation and evidence of pulled tendons in 11 individuals were also observed. Compared to other similarly controlled samples, the Kulubnarti population stands out for its high prevalence of healed fractures, the high proportion of multiple involvement and the severity of numerous lesions. The forbiddingly harsh and uneven terrain of this region of Nubia was most likely a major influence on the unusually high prevalence and pattern of traumatic lesions in this group. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. J. Osteoarchaeol., 7: 103–114 (1997) No. of Figures: 5. No. of Tables: 5. No. of References: 25.

Thermal Contact Conductance of Spherical Rough Metals

Abstract: Junction thermal conductance is an important consideration in such applications as thermally induced stresses in supersonic and hypersonic flight vehicles, nuclear reactor cooling, electronics packaging, spacecraft thermal control, gas turbine and internal combustion engine cooling, and cryogenic liquid storage. A fundamental problem in analyzing and predicting junction thermal conductance is thermal contact conductance of non-flat, rough metals. Workable models have been previously derived for the limiting idealized cases of flat, rough and spherical, smooth surfaces. However, until now, no tractable models have been advanced for non-flat, rough surfaces (so called engineering surfaces) which are much more commonly dealt with in practice. The present investigation details the synthesis of previously derived models for macroscopically non-uniform thermal contact conductance and contact of non-flat, rough spheres, into a thermo-mechanical model, its refinement, and its presentation in an easily applied format. The present model is compared to representative experimental conductance results form the literature for stainless steel 304 with widely varying flatness deviation and roughness. Also included in the comparisons is a previous, often cited model for flat, rough metals to which the present model reduces in the limit of flat surfaces. The present model agrees well with the experimental results over the widemore » ranges of flatness deviation and roughness for which data was available. Conversely, the previous, well known model becomes increasingly overpredictive with increasing flatness deviation.« less

The role of the mutT gene of Escherichia coli in maintaining replication fidelity

Abstract: Spontaneous mutation levels are kept low in most organisms by a variety of error-reducing mechanisms, some of which ensure a high level of fidelity during DNA replication. The mutT gene of Escherichia coli is an important participant in avoiding such replication mistakes. An inactive mutT allele is a strong mutator with strict mutational specificity: only A.T-->C.G transversions are enhanced. The biological role of the MutT protein is thought to be the prevention of A.G mispairs during replication, specifically the mispair involving a template A and an oxidized form of guanine, 8-oxoguanine, which results when the oxidized form of dGTP, 8-oxodGTP, is available as a polymerase substrate. MutT is part of an elaborate defense system that protects against the mutagenic effects of oxidized guanine as a part of substrate dGTP and chromosomal DNA. The A.G mispairings prevented by MutT are not well-recognized and/or repaired by other fidelity mechanisms such as proofreading and mismatch repair, accounting in part for the high mutator activity of mutT. MutT is a nucleoside triphosphatase with a preference for the syn form of dGTP, hydrolyzing it to dGMP and pyrophosphate. 8-oxodGTP is hydrolyzed 10 times faster than dGTP, making it a likely biological substrate for MutT. MutT is assumed to hydrolyze 8-oxodGTP in the nucleotide pool before it can be misincorporated. While the broad role of MutT in error avoidance seems resolved, important details that are still unclear are pointed out in this review.

Information-Seeking Behavior of Multicultural Students: A Case Study at San Jose State University

Abstract: In 1995 a survey was conducted on the campus of San Jose State University where, for the first time, so-called minorities made up 50.7 percent of the total student population. Asian students compose the largest group among other ethnic groups. The study shows that students who use English as their primary language are usually more successful in using the library than those who use English as a second language. Length of stay in the United States also affects how often students use the library, as well as their behavior in asking reference questions. The survey found that Asian students are hindered by a fear of asking stupid questions, a belief that their English is not good enough, an inability to understand answers well, and a lack of familiarity with the library reference desk.

Skeletal Evidence of Trauma in African Apes, with Special Reference to the Gombe Chimpanzees

Abstract: Incidence of cranial and postcranial skeletal trauma was investigated in samples of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes, P. troglodytes schweinfurthii), lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), and bonobos (P. paniscus). The larger (adult) samples of chimpanzees (N=127 crania, 92 postcrania) and gorillas (N=136 crania, 62 postcrania) are curated at the Powell-Cotton Museum, Birchington, U.K. The bonobo collection (N=71 crania, 15 postcrania) is housed the Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale in Tervuren, Belgium. In addition, data were collected on the small but extremely well-documented skeletal sample from Gombe National Park (N=14 crania, 13 postcrania — including adults and adolescents). Cranial injuries, including healed fractures and bite wounds, were fairly frequent in the museum collection of chimpanzees (5.5% of individuals), but were twice as frequent in gorillas (11.0%). In the Gombe sample an even higher incidence was observed (28.6% of individuals). Bonobos, however, showed the lowest incidence of cranial trauma found among any of the African ape samples (1.4% of individuals). Postcranial trauma, documented most clearly by healed fractures, was seen in 21.7% of the Powell-Cotton chimpanzees, 30.8% of Gombe chimpanzees, 17.7% of gorillas, and in 13.3% of bonobos. Most of these lesions were found in the upper appendage. Nevertheless, highly debilitating healed fractures of the femur were also noted, most frequently and severe in female gorillas. The pattern of injuries suggests serious risks of falling in all free-ranging African apes, but also (in chimpanzees and gorillas) considerable risk from interindividual aggression, especially for males.