Method and device for providing prepaid 800/900 telecommunications service

A method and device for providing prepaid 800 and/or 900-type caller services. A caller provides a call request to a telecommunications service provider that can include an 800 or 900 telephone number and an account number for a prepaid account associated with the 800 or 900 telephone number. A determination is made if the prepaid account is authorized for the desired 800 or 900-type call, and if the account is authorized, the caller is connected to the called party associated with the 800 or 900 telephone number. When the call is completed, charges associated with the call are determined and charged to the prepaid account or other party, as desired. The prepaid account is then adjusted to reflect the determined charges.Published versio

Knowledge Management Culture Audit: Capturing Tacit Perceptions and Barriers

A firm’s capacity to efficiently create value from knowledge held by employees and embedded in processes is a key strategic resource. Knowledge Management (KM) seeks to systematically improve that capacity. The first critical step for implementing KM in organizations is the Knowledge Audit. Current audit practices use interviews and questionnaires to understand the KM processes that the organization holds and improved KM processes it wishes to implement, and to explore the organizational culture. In this paper we introduce the concept of capturing tacit cultural perceptions to identify cultural barriers that may interfere with a KM initiative. For this purpose, an analysis instrument was developed and used during the KM audit in a large international software development organization

Transaction authorization and alert system

An automated method for alerting a customer that a transaction is being initiated and for authorizing the transaction based on a confirmation/approval by the customer thereto. In accordance with one illustrative embodiment, a request to authorize the transaction is received, wherein the request includes a customer identifier; a determination is made whether to authorize the transaction based on the customer identifier; if the determination is to authorize the transaction, that fact is communicated to the customer; a confirmation that the transaction should, in fact, be authorized is received back from the customer; and the transaction is authorized in response to the customer's confirmation thereof. In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, a transaction initiated by an agent of the customer (i.e., the principal) is authorized by the principal when one or more threshold parameters that may be pre-defined by the principal are exceeded. A preferred method of alerting the customer and receiving a confirmation to authorize the transaction back from the customer is illustratively afforded by conventional two-way pagers.Published versio

Ariel - Volume 8 Number 1

Executive Editor James W. Lockard, Jr. Issue Editor Michael J. Grimes Business Manager Neeraj K. Kanwal Managing Editor Edward H. Jasper University News Richard J. Perry World News William D.B. Hiller Opinions Elizabeth A. McGuire Features Patrick P. Sokas Sports Desk Shahab S. Minassian Managing Associate Brenda Peterson Photography Robert D. Lehman, Jr. Graphics Christine M. Kuhnl

Forcing-dependent dynamics and emergence of helicity in rotating turbulence

The effects of large-scale mechanical forcing on the dynamics of rotating turbulent flows are studied by means of direct numerical simulations, systematically varying the nature of the mechanical force in time. We find that the statistically stationary solutions of these flows depend on the nature of the forcing mechanism. Rapidly enough rotating flows with a forcing that has a persistent direction relative to the axis of rotation bifurcate from a non-helical state to a helical state despite the fact that the forcing is non-helical. We demonstrate that the nature of the mechanical force in time and the emergence of helicity have direct implications for the cascade dynamics of these flows, determining the anisotropy in the flow, the energy condensation at large scales and the power-law energy spectra that are consistent with previous findings and phenomenologies under strong and weak turbulence

Parental Feeding Practices in Mexican American Families: Initial Test of an Expanded Measure

Background: Although obesity rates are high among Latino children, relatively few studies of parental feeding practices have examined Latino families as a separate group. Culturally-based approaches to measurement development can begin to identify parental feeding practices in specific cultural groups. This study used qualitative and quantitative methods to develop and test the Parental Feeding Practices (PFP) Questionnaire for use with Mexican American parents. Items reflected both parent’s use of control over child eating and child-centered feeding practices. Methods: In the qualitative phase of the research, 35 Latino parents participated in focus groups. Items for the PFP were developed from focus group discussions, as well as adapted from existing parent feeding practice measures. Cognitive interviews were conducted with 37 adults to evaluate items. In the quantitative phase, mothers and fathers of 174 Mexican American children ages 8–10 completed the PFP and provided demographic information. Anthropometric measures were obtained on family members. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses identified four parental feeding practice dimensions: positive involvement in child eating, pressure to eat, use of food to control behavior, and restriction of amount of food. Factorial invariance modeling suggested equivalent factor meaning and item response scaling across mothers and fathers. Mothers and fathers differed somewhat in their use of feeding practices. All four feeding practices were related to child body mass index (BMI) percentiles, for one or both parents. Mothers reporting more positive involvement had children with lower BMI percentiles. Parents using more pressure to eat had children with lower BMI percentiles, while parents using more restriction had children with higher BMI percentiles. Fathers using food to control behavior had children with lower BMI percentiles. Conclusions: Results indicate good initial validity and reliability for the PFP. It can be used to increase understanding of parental feeding practices, children’s eating, and obesity among Mexican Americans, a population at high risk of obesity

Effect of core--mantle and tidal torques on Mercury's spin axis orientation

The rotational evolution of Mercury's mantle and its core under conservative and dissipative torques is important for understanding the planet's spin state. Dissipation results from tides and viscous, magnetic and topographic core--mantle interactions. The dissipative core--mantle torques take the system to an equilibrium state wherein both spins are fixed in the frame precessing with the orbit, and in which the mantle and core are differentially rotating. This equilibrium exhibits a mantle spin axis that is offset from the Cassini state by larger amounts for weaker core--mantle coupling for all three dissipative core--mantle coupling mechanisms, and the spin axis of the core is separated farther from that of the mantle, leading to larger differential rotation. The relatively strong core--mantle coupling necessary to bring the mantle spin axis to its observed position close to the Cassini state is not obtained by any of the three dissipative core--mantle coupling mechanisms. For a hydrostatic ellipsoidal core--mantle boundary, pressure coupling dominates the dissipative effects on the mantle and core positions, and dissipation together with pressure coupling brings the mantle spin solidly to the Cassini state. The core spin goes to a position displaced from that of the mantle by about 3.55 arcmin nearly in the plane containing the Cassini state. With the maximum viscosity considered of $\nu\sim 15.0\,{\rm cm^2/s}$ if the coupling is by the circulation through an Ekman boundary layer or $\nu\sim 8.75\times 10^5\,{\rm cm^2/s}$ for purely viscous coupling, the core spin lags the precessing Cassini plane by 23 arcsec, whereas the mantle spin lags by only 0.055 arcsec. Larger, non hydrostatic values of the CMB ellipticity also result in the mantle spin at the Cassini state, but the core spin is moved closer to the mantle spin.Comment: 35 pages, 7 figure

Parental feeding practices and child weight status in Mexican American families: a longitudinal analysis

Parental feeding practices are thought to influence children\u27s weight status, through children\u27s eating behavior and nutritional intake. However, because most studies have been cross-sectional, the direction of influence is unclear. Moreover, although obesity rates are high among Latino children, few studies of parental feeding practices have focused on this population. This 2-year longitudinal study examined mutual influences over time between parental feeding practices and children\u27s weight status, in Mexican American families with children 18 years old at baseline. Mothers (n = 322) and fathers (n = 182) reported on their feeding practices at baseline, 1-year follow-up, and 2-year follow-up. Weight status, defined by waist-height ratio (WHtR) and body mass index (BMI), was ascertained at all assessments. Cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the mutual influences of parental feeding practices and child weight status over time, controlling for covariates. Both mothers\u27 and fathers\u27 restriction of food predicted higher subsequent child weight status at Year 1, and for fathers this effect was also found at Year 2. Mothers\u27 and fathers\u27 pressure to eat predicted lower weight status among boys, but not girls, at Year 1. Child weight status also predicted some parental feeding practices: boys\u27 heavier weight predicted mothers\u27 less pressure to eat at Year 1, less use of food to control behavior at Year 2, and greater restriction at Year 2; and girls\u27 heavier weight at Year 1 predicted fathers\u27 less pressure to eat and less positive involvement in child eating at Year 2. This study provides longitudinal evidence that some parental feeding practices influence Mexican American children\u27s weight status, and that children\u27s weight status also influences some parental feeding practices. Feeding practices of both mothers and fathers were related to children\u27s weight status, underscoring the importance of including fathers in research on parental feeding practices and child obesity

Parental Feeding Practices and Child Weight Status in Mexican American Families: A Longitudinal Analysis

Parental feeding practices are thought to influence children\u27s weight status, through children\u27s eating behavior and nutritional intake. However, because most studies have been cross-sectional, the direction of influence is unclear. Moreover, although obesity rates are high among Latino children, few studies of parental feeding practices have focused on this population. This 2-year longitudinal study examined mutual influences over time between parental feeding practices and children\u27s weight status, in Mexican American families with children 18 years old at baseline. Mothers (n = 322) and fathers (n = 182) reported on their feeding practices at baseline, 1-year follow-up, and 2-year follow-up. Weight status, defined by waist-height ratio (WHtR) and body mass index (BMI), was ascertained at all assessments. Cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the mutual influences of parental feeding practices and child weight status over time, controlling for covariates. Both mothers\u27 and fathers\u27 restriction of food predicted higher subsequent child weight status at Year 1, and for fathers this effect was also found at Year 2. Mothers\u27 and fathers\u27 pressure to eat predicted lower weight status among boys, but not girls, at Year 1. Child weight status also predicted some parental feeding practices: boys\u27 heavier weight predicted mothers\u27 less pressure to eat at Year 1, less use of food to control behavior at Year 2, and greater restriction at Year 2; and girls\u27 heavier weight at Year 1 predicted fathers\u27 less pressure to eat and less positive involvement in child eating at Year 2. This study provides longitudinal evidence that some parental feeding practices influence Mexican American children\u27s weight status, and that children\u27s weight status also influences some parental feeding practices. Feeding practices of both mothers and fathers were related to children\u27s weight status, underscoring the importance of including fathers in research on parental feeding practices and child obesity