Computing Green's function of the initial-boundary value problem for the wave equation in a layered cylinder

A new analytical method for the approximate computation of the time-dependent Green's function for the initial-boundary value problem of the three-dimensional wave equation on multi-layered bounded cylinder is suggested in this paper. The method is based on the derivation of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for an ordinary differential equation with piecewise constant coefficients, and an approximate computation of Green's function in the form of the Fourier series with a finite number of terms relative to the orthogonal set of the derived eigenfunctions. The computational experiment confirms the robustness of the method.     

Mothers' Affect in the Homework Context: The Importance of Staying Positive.

This research investigated mothers' affect in the context of children's homework. Mothers (N=109) of children 8 to 12 years old were interviewed daily about their affect while interacting with children, their assistance with children's homework, and children's behavior while completing homework. At this time and 6 months later, children's motivational and emotional functioning was assessed. Although mothers' negative affect was lower than their positive affect, it was elevated on days their assistance with homework was high. This was accounted for by mothers' perceptions of children as helpless on days they provided heightened assistance. Mothers' positive affect in the homework context buffered children's motivational and emotional functioning against mothers' negative affect as well as children's helplessness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adherence Across Behavioral Domains in Treatment Promoting Smoking Cessation Plus Weight Control.

The authors tested whether adherence to simultaneous health behavior changes was unitary or domain specific among 76 women who modified smoking, eating, and physical activity to accomplish smoking cessation plus weight control. Random-effects regression analyses showed that adherence to both smoking and diet plans declined linearly and covaried positively; their association tended to grow stronger over time. In contrast, physical activity plan adherence did not change over time and was unrelated to other domains. At the end of treatment, 65%, 30.5%, and 25% adhered well or excellently to smoking, diet, and activity treatments, respectively. Findings support both unitary and domain-specific aspects of adherence and suggest that among smokers, smoking and eating behaviors may have similarities unshared by physical activity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative Optimism About Health and Nonhealth Events in 8- and 9-Year-Old Children.

Comparative optimism has been studied extensively in adults and is a significant component of social- cognitive models about health. In contrast, little is known about comparative optimism in children or about the wider social- cognitive processes that underpin their health-related behavior. This study investigated comparative optimism for health- and nonhealth-related topics in 101 children 8 or 9 years of age, the youngest ages that have been investigated so far. Children were shown to be unrealistically optimistic for health and nonhealth events. The implications of these findings for understanding comparative optimism in children are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Finite element simulations of crack propagation in functionally graded materials under flexural loading

Cracks in stepped and continuously graded material specimens under flexural loading were investigated via finite element analysis. Calculation of mechanical energy release rates and propagation angles with crack-opening displacement correlation and the local symmetry (K_II = 0) criterion, respectively, provided results most efficiently and accurately, as compared with compliance and J-integral approaches and other deflection criteria. A routine was developed for automatic crack extension and remeshing, enabling simulation of incremental crack propagation. Effects of gradient profile and crack geometry on crack-tip stresses and crack propagation path are examined, and implications of these for optimal design of graded components against failure by fast fracture are discussed.     

锆-4合金Masing特性的研究

为了更好地认识锆及其合金的循环变形行为及其机理，用单试样逐级加载法研究了锆-4合金在室温下的Masing特性。结果表明：锆—4合金是否出现Masing特性，取决于应变幅和材料状态。通过用Cottrell方法对滞后回线进行分析，得到了锆4合金具有Masing特性的充分必要条件：对于任何应变幅的循环变形，在某一固定的应变值，其对应的显微组织应该都是不变的。     

The uses of fuzzy logic in autonomous robot navigation

 The development of techniques for autonomous navigation in real-world environments constitutes one of the major trends in the current research on robotics. An important problem in autonomous navigation is the need to cope with the large amount of uncertainty that is inherent of natural environments. Fuzzy logic has features that make it an adequate tool to address this problem. In this paper, we review some of the possible uses of fuzzy logic in the field of autonomous navigation. We focus on four issues: how to design robust behavior-producing modules; how to coordinate the activity of several such modules; how to use data from the sensors; and how to integrate high-level reasoning and low-level execution. For each issue, we review some of the proposals in the literature, and discuss the pros and cons of fuzzy logic solutions. Received: 31 March 1997 / Accepted: 24 September 1997     

行为经济学——一门新兴的学科

进入９０年代以来，经济的发展又一次推动着经济理论的发展和演变．新经济的现象不断出现，使得经济学靠模型和计算机未能找到解决问题的答案，正统经济学再次受到严峻的挑战．与此同时，行为经济学，以人类的行为作为基本研究对象的经济理论，正逐步发展起来．本文将介绍行为经济学的产生和发展、主要理论观点以及一些行为分析对中国社会经济发展的启示．