Building the Infrastructure: The Effects of Role Identification Behaviors on Team Cognition Development and Performance

The primary purpose of this study was to extend theory and research regarding the emergence of mental models and transactive memory in teams. Utilizing Kozlowski et al.’s (1999) model of team compilation, we examine the effect of role identification behaviors and argue that such behaviors represent the initial building blocks of team cognition during the role compilation phase of team development. We then hypothesized that team mental models and transactive memory would convey the effects of these behaviors onto team performance in the team compilation phase of development. Results from 60 teams working on a command and control simulation supported our hypotheses

Routine data linkage to identify and monitor diabetes in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia

No abstract available

Photonic Crystal Cavities and Waveguides

Recently, it has also become possible to microfabricate high reflectivity mirrors by creating two- and three-dimensional periodic structures. These periodic "photonic crystals" can be designed to open up frequency bands within which the propagation of electromagnetic waves is forbidden irrespective of the propagation direction in space and define photonic bandgaps. When combined with high index contrast slabs in which light can be efficiently guided, microfabricated two-dimensional photonic bandgap mirrors provide us with the geometries needed to confine and concentrate light into extremely small volumes and to obtain very high field intensities. Here we show the use of these "artificially" microfabricated crystals in functional nonlinear optical devices, such as lasers, modulators, and waveguides

Slippage in the System: The Effects of Errors in Transactive Memory Behavior on Team Performance

[Excerpt] Although researchers have consistently shown that the implicit coordination provided by transactive memory positively affects team performance, the benefits of transactive memory systems depend heavily on team members’ ability to accurately identify the expertise of their teammates and communicate expertise-specific information with one another. This introduces the opportunity for errors to enter the system, as the expertise of individual team members may be misunderstood or misrepresented, leading to the reliance on information from the wrong source or the loss of information through incorrect assignment. As Hollingshead notes, “information may be transferred or explicitly delegated to the ‘wrong’ individual in the system, e.g., one who does not have responsibility for that type of information or is unlikely to remember it due to a lack of expertise”. While researchers recognize the likelihood of such behavioral errors, little research has examined their potential impact in teams. The current study, therefore, focuses on the effects of errors in transactive memory behavior on the emergence of team cognitive structures and resultant performance in the initial stage of team interaction. To develop our hypotheses, we first discuss the types of behaviors involved in the development and operation of transactive memory systems, identify where errors may arise, and discuss their effects on team performance. Then, we attempt to uncover the cognitive processes underlying those effects. More specifically, we introduce mental model accuracy and transactive memory cognitions and suggest that each mediates the negative relationship between errors in transactive memory behavior and team performance. While the possible risks of faulty transactive memory system development have been acknowledged in prior research, it has also been suggested that transactive memory errors can be easily corrected and their effects on performance subsequently minimized. The current study challenges this assumption and in doing so advances our understanding of not only the relationship between errors in transactive memory behavior and team performance but also the mechanisms that might help explain this relationship

KINEMATIC COMPARISONS BETWEEN FORWARD AND BACKWARD SKATING IN ICE HOCKEY

The purpose of this study was to examine the kinematics of lower body and trunk between forward and backward skating. Seven male collegiate ice hockey players skated both forward and backward (C-cut) four times each. A standard two-dimensional kinematic analysis was conducted to examine the lower body extremity and trunk at the instants of weight acceptance and propulsion. No significant differences in the joint angles were found at the weight acceptance. At the propulsion, significant differences were found in the joint angles of hip, knee, ankle and trunk between forward and backward skating. Hence, these findings indicate the importance of strengthing lower body joints and trunk, particularly for forward skating. Future studies are warranted to examine the mechanics of forward and backward skating using a 3D analysis

Cladding strategies for building-integrated photovoltaics

Photovoltaic cladding on the surfaces of commercial buildings has the potential for considerable reductions in carbon emissions due to embedded renewable power generation displacing conventional power utilization. In this paper, a model is described for the optimization of photovoltaic cladding densities on commercial building surfaces. The model uses a modified form of the ‘fill factor’ method for photovoltaic power supply coupled to new regression-based procedures for power demand estimation. An optimization is included based on a defined ‘mean index of satisfaction’ for matched power supply and demand (i.e., zero power exportation to the grid). The mean index of satisfaction directly translates to the reduction in carbon emission that might be expected over conventional power use. On clear days throughout the year, reductions of conventional power use of at least 60% can be achieved with an optimum cladding pattern targeted to lighting and small power load demands

EFFECTS OF BANKED-CURVES ON ANKLE AND KNEE KINEMATICS DURING RUNNING

The biomechanics of running on level surfaces have been extensively researched, but the knowledge is limited related to the biomechanical adaptations resulting from running on irregular terrain and their potential association with injury. The rate of running injuries has been shown to be greater in indoor versus outdoor track running (Lanese et al. 1990, Lysholm et al. 1987, Beukeboom et al. 2002). The purpose of this study is to estimate the effects of an indoor-banked curve on the knee and ankle kinematics adaptations of running in young healthy individuals

Kinematic Comparisons between Forward and Backward Skating in Ice Hockey

The purpose of this study was to examine the kinematics of lower body and trunk between forward and backward skating. Seven male collegiate ice hockey players skated both forward and backward (C-cut) four times each. A standard two-dimensional kinematic analysis was conducted to examine the lower body extremity and trunk at the instants of weight acceptance and propulsion. No significant differences in the joint angles were found at the weight acceptance. At the propulsion, significant differences were found in the joint angles of hip, knee, ankle and trunk between forward and backward skating. Hence, these findings indicate the importance of strengthening lower body joints and trunk, particularly for forward skating. Future studies are warranted to examine the mechanics of forward and backward skating using a 3D analysis

QUANTIFYING FIT IN ICE HOCKEY SKATE BOOTS

Skates are specifically designed for the hockey game context. It is vital that skates be chosen in relation with proper size and shape, as well as with respect to play style and position (Pearsall et al. 2000). To provide optimal function, they must "fit". Fit infers many traits: to fit snugly around the contours of the bony ankle and foot structures, to provide stability, and to avoid discomfort. Nonetheless, players have often sacrificed "fit for comfort" at the expense of "fit for performance". Comfort and fit are interrelated qualities and important factors for footwear in recreational and physical activities. Increasing interest in footwear comfort resulted in several investigations that associated comfort with plantar pressure distribution (Chen et al.1994). To date, improved ratings for shoes comfort can be done by adding a control condition to the testing protocol and using a visual analog scale (VAS) to assess comfort (Mundermann et al. 2002). Little have been done in assessing fit in ice hockey boots. The purpose of this study is to quantify fit in the ice hockey skate boots by means of pressure distribution measures in conjunction with perceptual VAS ratings