The importance of a common in-group identity in ethnically diverse groups.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a common in-group identity in attenuating the negative effects of ethnic dissimilarity. Specifically, it was hypothesized that a common in-group identity would moderate the relationship between ethnic dissimilarity and satisfaction with coworkers. Data were gathered from 87 persons working in groups. Moderated regression analysis provided support for the hypothesis, in that when a common in-group identity was not present, demographic dissimilarity was related to less satisfaction, but when a common in-group identity was present, there was a positive relationship between ethnic dissimilarity and coworker satisfaction. Further, for ethnically dissimilar persons, coworker satisfaction was higher when a common in-group identity was present than when it was not. Results are discussed in relation to the study's contribution to social psychology and diversity management literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

vBNS: not your father's Internet

The very-high-performance Backbone Network Service (vBNS) is an important part of ongoing efforts by government, industry, and academia to push the state of the art in Internet technologies and academic research applications. It is dedicated to serving research and education institutions whose scientific endeavors require networking performance not possible or not practical with commercial network services. Currently, the vBNS is implemented as an IP-over-ATM network-that is, its network layer (layer 3 of the open systems interconnection reference model promulgated by the International Organization for Standardization) runs the Internet Protocol on top of the asynchronous transfer mode protocol. Those protocols, in turn, run on a synchronous optical network (Sonet) OC-12-622.08-Mb/s-infrastructure. Though access was originally limited to five supercomputer centers and four network access points, the National Science Foundation's High-Performance Connections program is now expanding the vBNS to reach over 100 institutions. The vBNS also has connections to other research networks, both within the United States and abroad. Before describing the architecture of the vBNS, the services it provides, and the metrics developed to assess its performance, the article reviews the background against which it came into being. It also briefly discusses how the vBNS relates to the Next Generation Internet (NGI) and Internet2     

On the operational and manufacturing tolerances of GaAs-AlAs MQWmodulators

We approach the question of optimization of surface-normal p-i(multiquantum-well, MQW)-n modulators from the viewpoint of investigating their tolerance to variations in wavelength and temperature and errors in manufacture. The reflection characteristics of two high-quality samples are carefully processed to eliminate Fabry-Perot fringes, and then their spectra at any bias are characterized with six phenomenological parameters which depend on λ₀, the zero-field exciton position. The two GaAs-AlAs samples have λ₀'s of 833.8 and 842.3 nm, and so cover a range useful for modulators designed to operate near 850 nm in the normally reflecting condition, i.e., reflection decreases with field. A linear interpolation of the parameters of these two samples is used to predict the behavior of MQW diodes with λ₀'s around this range, and so a fully comprehensive examination of normally reflecting MQW modulators is performed. The performance aspect that is examined is contrast ratio as a function of nonuniformities in the devices or operating conditions given a voltage swing of 3 V. There are two operational modes discussed. If the voltage offset of the bias is allowed to vary via a feedback circuit, a contrast of 2:1 may be maintained over an operating wavelength change (Δλ) of 17 nm with local variations of wavelength of ±1 nm, which corresponds to a temperature variation of 60°C while allowing for variations of laser driver wavelength of ±1 nm. If feedback Is not permitted, we determine that, given tolerances to manufacturing errors, a contrast of 1.5:1 may be maintained over a wavelength range of ~5 nm by either using stacked diode designs or extremely shallow quantum wells     

Assessing motivation for change: Preliminary development and evaluation of a scale measuring the costs and benefits of changing alcohol or drug use.

This article describes the construction and preliminary evaluation of a scale (the Alcohol and Drug Consequences Questionnaire [ADCQ]) assessing the costs and benefits of changing an alcohol or drug problem. The ADCQ's costs and benefits subscales displayed good internal reliability (Cronbach alphas were .90 for the benefits subscale and .92 for the costs subscale). Furthermore, the ADCQ was significantly related to respondents' ratings of the importance of achieving their alcohol or drug treatment goal and to drinking at a 12-month follow-up. Measures assessing the costs and benefits of change appear to be useful indexes of client motivation and for predicting long-term change within the addictions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral, situational, and temporal effects of treatment of ADHD with methylphenidate

OBJECTIVE: To determine the behavioral, situational, and temporal effects of 4 months of methylphenidate (MPH) treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHOD: Ninety-one children with ADHD were randomly assigned to receive either MPH (titrated to a target dose of 0.7 mg/kg twice a day) or a placebo. Treatment effects were investigated with measures sensitive to various behaviors (core and associated symptoms), situations (home and school), time periods (morning and afternoon, after reaching the target dose, and after 4 months of treatment), and side effects. RESULTS: MPH treatment improved symptoms of ADHD and oppositional behavior at school, both in the morning and afternoon, but not at home. Side effects (increase in physiological and effective symptoms, lack of weight gain) were significantly more frequent with MPH than with placebo treatment. Benefit was evident after titration, but the onset of some side effects was delayed. Side effects were reported by parents but not by teachers. CONCLUSIONS: Positive effects of MPH on behavior are evident in the classroom, but with MPH given twice daily, parents do not report that MPH improves behavior at home. Greater impact on home behavior may require three times daily MPH and combined treatments.     

Characterization of the influence of fabrication methods on microstructure failure

Single-crystal silicon microstructures, of identical design, exhibit different failure rates (following fabrication or mechanical shock testing) due to various processes. The microstructures fabricated with a boron diffusion and subsequent removal of the boron-diffused layer have a higher survival rate to the fabrication process and to mechanical shock. The survival rate (a survivor has an intact proof mass and beam) through the process is increased by 26.5%. At a 3680g shock, the boron-diffused devices have a 2.3% lower failure rate but the difference is not statistically significant. These results have been developed with wafer-level shock testing, which permits bulk testing of many samples in a cost-effective manner.     

The growth and maturation of the National Cancer Data Base

BACKGROUND: The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint project of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society, is a cancer management and outcomes data base for health care organizations. It provides a comparative summary of patient care that is used by communities and participating hospitals for self-assessment. The most current (1994) data are described here. METHODS: Six calls for data have yielded a total of 4,580,000 cases for the years 1985-1994. A total of 1735 hospital cancer registries have each participated in at least one of the calls for data. RESULTS: Summing the last year's report from each of the 1227 hospitals that participated in 1994, the cases represent the equivalent of 57% of the estimated 1994 U.S. cancer cases. These data were received from all six regions of the country, including all 50 states. Ninety-seven percent of patients received all or part of their treatment at the reporting hospital. The four most common cancers are carcinomas of the breast (15.7%), lung (14.3%), prostate (13.1%), and colon (7.7%), and collectively they comprise a majority of new cases. CONCLUSIONS: The NCDB is a cancer management and outcomes data base for health care organizations that currently provides data on 57% of the estimated new cases in the U.S. Past data have been used extensively to assess patterns of care and outcomes.     

移动解读器开启RFID新天地

新一代移动系统的设计出发点,主要在于通过将具有无线收发、坚固耐用、结构紧凑特点的解读器安装在车辆和其他便携设备上,在最大范围内增加RFID的作用距离。这一设计的效果非常明显,就像是一个数据"强光灯"照亮了分销流程的每一个角落,提高了