Teleconferencing: A Better Way to Meet

As most IS managers know, time is often wasted during most business meetings. As technological advances in the various types of teleconferencing systems continue, teleconferencing will serve as the preferred method of conducting meetings because of the resulting time and cost savings.     

CORPORATE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE Pulblic, Private, or Hybrid?

Designing a geographically extensive corporate network at the lowest cost means dealing with the vagaries of handling multiple carriers and widely varying levels of service. Further complicating matters are tariff structures that often dictate optimum corporate network infrastructures. This column reviews some of the available and emerging services and the best network structure options.     

H2S optimization for lignite liquefaction

Two lignite samples, Beulah No. 3 and Big Brown No. 1, were liquefied at 420 °C using H₂ and synthesis gas to determine the optimum beneficial amount of H₂S in the batch autoclave reactor. Under the conditions employed, 50–100 psi partial pressure of H₂S, nominally 4–10 wt% of daf lignite, was optimum for both samples. Synthesis gas outperformed H₂ with and without H₂S for the liquefaction of the two coals.     

Transmission electron microscopic analysis of kidney glomeruli obtained by fine-needle aspiration

Aspiration biopsy of tumors and transplanted organs is a popular atraumatic method for diagnosis and also for the management of patients. Apart from the cytological analyses, it is clear that large aggregates of cells are obtained and these may be examined by electron microscopy. A study was carried out with dogs to assess the yield of intact glomeruli and tubules, resulting from a standard fine-needle aspiration procedure. Employing a 20-gauge needle, yields of approximately ten intact glomeruli were obtained with a tissue processing protocol that utilized filtration through a nylon mesh and backwashing, to resuspend the trapped aggregates. Processing for electron microscopy was carried out in microcentrifuge tubes. The ultrastructural preservation was excellent and the extension of these studies to investigations of not only renal transplantation, but also for diagnosis in human renal diseases of a broad spectrum, is suggested.     

Boys and violence: A gender-informed analysis.

This article discusses the phenomenon of youth violence from a psychology of gender perspective. Although other factors are discussed--including gun availability, violence-related media influence, family and caretaker factors, and effects of teasing and bullying--the intention is to highlight new thinking on the potential relationship between boys' traditional masculine socialization experiences and violence. In this new perspective, traditional masculine socialization estranges and isolates many boys from their genuine inner lives and vital connections to others, which is theorized to heighten their risk of engaging in acts of violence. The authors identify school and community programs that may be helpful in counteracting damaging socialization experiences and supporting boys' healthier emotional and psychological development. Finally, the article discusses approaches that psychologists and other mental health professionals can use to help address this vital issue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A hybrid wafer-dicing process for GaAs MMIC production

A dicing process for GaAs MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) wafers using spin-on wax for wafer mounting and a hybrid process of wet chemical etching/mechanical sawing for chip dicing is described. This process minimizes ragged chip edges and reduces generation of microcracks in addition to the elimination of the plated gold burrs on the backside of the diced MMIC chips. This process gives a uniformity of -3 μm across a 2-in wafer following the completion of the whole backside process. This GaAs chip dicing technique is amenable to production because it exhibits both a very high chip yield (>90%) and nearly flawless edges     

Reliability‐based estimation of the survival of Listeria monocytogenes in chorizos

Reliability analysis is especially important when critical decisions are to be made involving potentially severe adverse consequences such as foodborne illness. Owing to uncertainty associated with the parameters controlling survival of Listeria monocytogenes in chorizo (a Mexican‐style sausage), the time needed to reduce the count by a certain number (n) of logs (t_nD) is probabilistic. In this paper the first‐order second‐moment (FOSM) method based on Taylor series expansion is used to derive the expected value and standard deviation of t_nD as function of the operating conditions (random variables) affecting survival, namely initial water activity (a_w0) of the sausage batter, storage temperature (T) and airflow velocity (F), along with their uncertainties characterised by their means and coefficients of variation. For any given n the derived t_nD probability distribution enables one to determine an estimate of t_nD for any desired level of reliability or confidence level, such as 50% (median value), 95%, 99%, etc. Among the conclusions drawn were: (i) the variability associated with T and F has a minor effect on estimating uncertainty in t_nD, whereas the reliability of t_nD estimation is greatly influenced by the uncertainty in a_w0; and (ii) the uncertainty in a_w0 has the greatest impact when a_w0 of the sausage formulation exceeds 0.90. The approach used and discussed in this paper can be applied to any survival/inactivation study to incorporate the effect of uncertainty in the various extrinsic and intrinsic parameters on the survival kinetics of the pathogen in a food system under evaluation. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

A multiple objective selection methodology for strategic industryselection analysis

An application of mathematical programming in the industry selection step of strategic acquisition analysis is presented. Specifically, the management information uses of multiple-objective programming in the strategic planning of organization acquisitions are described. The modeling approach has application to all forms of organization-acquisition analysis (i.e. acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, etc.). An illustrative application of the modeling approach is presented using data from a regional conglomerate's actual acquisition study. The benefits of the use of the multiple-objective modeling approach include improvements in the efficacy and specificity of information on which acquisition decision making is based, and types of information that are not methodology     

The challenge of double jeopardy: Toward a mental health agenda for aging women.

The elderly may be considered a group at risk with regard to mental health and the mental health system. Aging women experience a double jeopardy arising from social, economic, and psychological conditions surrounding age and gender—in particular, poverty, widowhood, and the dynamics of family caregiving. This double jeopardy translates into a vulnerability within the mental health system that is seen in issues of service utilization, therapist–client interactions, and diagnosis, most notably in diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease, alcohol and drug misuse, and depression. The failure of the mental health system to consider elderly individuals as psychological survivors further suggests an implicit assumption that mental decline is a normative part of the aging process. Recommendations for change include addressing gender and age interactions in mental health policy and in psychological research, training, and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)