The effects of stand-up and sit-down meeting formats on meeting outcomes.

The effects of meeting format (standing or sitting) on meeting length and the quality of group decision making were investigated by comparing meeting outcomes for 56 five-member groups that conducted meetings in a standing format with 55 five-member groups that conducted meetings in a seated format. Sit-down meetings were 34% longer than stand-up meetings, but they produced no better decisions than stand-up meetings. Significant differences were also obtained for satisfaction with the meeting and task information use during the meeting but not for synergy or commitment to the group's decision. The findings were generally congruent with meeting-management recommendations in the time-management literature, although the lack of a significant difference for decision quality was contrary to theoretical expectations. This contrary finding may have been due to differences between the temporal context in which this study was conducted and those in which other time constraint research has been conducted, thereby revealing a potentially important contingency—temporal context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensory profile,acceptability, and their relationship for diabetic/reduced calorie chocolates

The purpose of this study was to determine the sensory properties and acceptability of lab developed prototypes of conventional, diabetic (with no sugar), and diabetic/reduced calorie milk chocolates (no sugar and 25% calorie reduction) with high-intensity sweeteners, sucralose and stevioside, and partial fat replacement with whey protein concentrate (WPC). PLS was performed in order to relate sensory properties and consumer acceptability and to determine drivers of liking and disliking. There was no difference between conventional, diabetic and diabetic/reduced calorie milk chocolates for brightness, cocoa aroma, cocoa butter aroma, and cocoa flavor (p > 0.05). Acceptability was higher for sucrose substitution by sucralose than by stevioside and partial fat replacement reduced acceptability of flavor even more (p ? 0.05). Crucial attributes which determine consumer acceptability in samples are sweet aroma, melting rate, and sweetness, whereas bitterness, bitter aftertaste, adherence, and sandiness were drivers of disliking.     

Exact vibration frequencies of segmented axisymmetric shells

Axisymmetric shells are commonly used in all fields of engineering and their dynamic characteristics are of great importance in their overall performance. Segmented shells are shells that are built of several pieces that form together an axisymmetric shell with a joint axis. These can be cylindrical, conical or plate segments, which are connected to form a complete shell. In this research, the exact dynamic stiffness matrix for each segment is derived and used in the assembly of the complete structure dynamic stiffness matrix. Then the natural frequencies of vibrations are found as the frequencies that cause this matrix to become singular. Examples are given for the frequencies and modes of segmented shells made of conical, cylindrical, and plate segments.     

A kinetic model for radio frequency plasma-activated chemical vapour deposition

A kinetic model for r.f. plasma-activated chemical vapour deposition is proposed. With this model we are able to explain the deposition profiles of silicon nitride films obtained from a gaseous mixture of SiH₄ and N₂. The plasma reactor is modelled in three zones: a central zone with electron impact dissociation, diffusion and convection and two lateral zones with only diffusion and convection. The mass transfer equation is solved for the case of convective diffusion (Péclet numbers from 0 to 2). The axial concentration of the activated species in the gas phase is correlated with the deposition profile. The model explains why the deposition profile is influenced by the r.f. power and the gas flow rate. The agreement between calculation and the Si₃N₄ mass profile is good for the deposition range investigated.     

Integrating Expert Systems and neural computing for decision support

Expert (or knowledge-based) systems are used today either as stand-alone or in conjunction with other computer-based information systems (CBIS) in thousands of organizations worldwide to provide decision support for solving problems that traditional information systems were unable to solve. Neural computing is an emerging promising technology with few successful applications. By integrating the two technologies one can achieve some improvements in the implementation of each as well as increase the scope of application. We provide a comprehensive framework and examples of such an integration.     

Plasma-enhanced fluorination of YBa2Cu3O7−δ ceramics

The radiofrequency plasma technique involving mixtures of CF₄+O₂ gases has been applied to the surface treatment of high T_c superconducting oxides (YBa₂Cu₃O_7–). Investigation of the various experimental parameters of the process has shown that the improvement of the critical current density, J _c, mainly depends on the inlet precursor composition CF₄+%O₂, on the total pressure and on the reaction time. The presence of fluorine in the bulk of the ceramics has been observed from electron microprobe analysis, together with an increase of the Cu³⁺ content. The plasma-enhanced fluorination (PEF) treatment improves the superconducting properties of the materials: both values of the resistivity in the normal state and of the superconducting transition width are reduced and the critical transition temperature is improved by about 1 K.