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Global competition results in an overall demand for higher skills. In the competitive world, China has no choice but to adjust themselves to become more efficient, productive, and flexible. Higher education in China has played a key role in achieving socialist economy and modernization. Since the open-door policy in the 1980s, there has been a shift from elite to mass education, practice of corporate managerialism in education governance, privatization of education, and spread of transnational education in the tertiary sector. The author first attempts to explore the strategies that have been adopted in higher education reform in China. Then there are reviews of the roles of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Initiative in higher education reform in China. Higher education reform has allowed mainland China to identify a small group of universities to be measured alongside the best universities in North America and Europe. However, there are also some backwash effects created from these trends of restructuring of higher education in China. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

It is essential to save lives during emergencies not only in hospitals but also in colleges and universities. Failure to identify risks and take prompt action during catastrophes and emergency situations could result in the loss of life and property for the campus community. This research aims to explore the feasibility of using data analytics to mitigate the risks associated with disasters and emergencies on campus. A prototype of an online reporting system was developed using cloud services to collect relevant data, analyze it, and present the information in an online dashboard for stakeholders to make informed decisions. The study shows that the use of dashboards has a high potential for effectively mitigating risks and identifying appropriate intervention strategies. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts to improve emergency response planning and management in higher education institutions and can be applied to other universities and large community groups to enhance their disaster and emergency response preparedness. [For the full proceedings, see ED654100.]

After PISA 2009, Shanghai education has received unprecedented attention from home and aboard. The government in Shanghai summed up the successful experience and launched the New High-Quality Schools (NHQS) project as a response. Under the policy background of promoting high-quality and equitable compulsory education in China, the NHQS project undertook the unique task of creating high-quality educational resources. The project is not only an honorary certification for the project schools, but also an organized small-scale school improvement plan. Compared with the National Blue-Ribbon Schools (NBRS) program in the United States, both projects encourage schools to create high-quality education from a bottom-up approach and provide a platform for excellent schools to share experiences. The distinctive features in the NHQS project are that it emphasizes the indispensable importance of quality with equity, and is more guided by the government. The "Green Indicators" used in the NHQS project go beyond a single criterion of student achievement in the past. However, as the overall assessment system in China has not changed, such small-scale attempts are still facing many difficulties. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

This paper describes how an Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Classroom in a secondary school in Singapore is used to enhance learning through visualization and deepen understanding of science and increase interest and enjoyment in science. The VR Classroom is a futuristic classroom that taps the affordances of VR and AR to enhance HCI (Human-Computer Interactions) through visualization and interactivity, as well as increase engagement and enjoyment in the school curriculum. About the size of a regular classroom, this VR Classroom has three units of Oculus Rifts coupled adorned with life-size wall Augmented Reality posters of the Coronavirus and cells. Drawing from the author's experience in implementing VR lessons as a part of everyday classroom practice, this paper aims to provide practical ideas for educators to leverage on the affordances of virtual reality technologies to plan and design VR lessons. The author will also share sample lesson ideas on how educators can use VR 360 degrees videos to reach out to their students during this COVID-19 pandemic to complement the inquiry learning experience. The immersive and interactive nature of VR makes it an ideal tool for differentiated instruction to cater to diverse learners and learning needs especially during this pandemic. Data from findings using grounded theory and quantitative studies on affective outcomes show that there is significant increase in students' enjoyment in learning science when immersive VR is used and that the use of immersive VR increases students' self-efficacy. These findings have implications on the pedagogical design of lessons that use immersive VR. [For the full proceedings, see ED622227.]

In the last two decade, the Education Bureau has implemented a two-pronged approach to assuring the quality of education in Hong Kong: an external mechanism via inspection and an internal framework via self-evaluation. However, both of which are mainly top-down and not as effective as expected. This paper reports on an investigation into the effectiveness of implementing self-evaluation in Hong Kong schools and the factors that may have hindered and/or facilitated such a movement. In the conclusion, suggestions are made for policy makers and school practitioners' considerations when they strive to maintain sustainable development in schools. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

Teacher leadership is generally accepted as having a critical role in supporting school improvement. However, most knowledge on teacher leadership comes from the West, the roles of teacher leadership in the East, particularly, the most populated country, China, remain largely unexplored. Shanghai students were ranked top in PISA 2009 and PISA 2012 and these successful experiences have set examples to the world. This paper aims to report why and how Shanghai schools have been successful from the perspective of teacher leadership. A qualitative study to explore the roles of teacher leadership in six Shanghai schools was conducted. The findings confirmed the critical contribution of teacher leadership with three specific roles of teacher leadership emerging from leadership practices to support school improvement. The findings from this study may contribute to the literature on how teacher leadership sustains school improvement. [For the complete Volume 15 proceedings, see ED574185.]

The concept of "Assessment-of-Learning" (AoL) has long been the tradition in most school assessment practices in Hong Kong. In view of the deficiencies in the assessment mechanism, the Education Commission (2000) recommended "Assessment-for-Learning" (AfL) as one of the major areas of action in the current education reform. This paper reports the outcomes of a research study designed to investigate the practice of assessment for learning by Hong Kong teachers. The project was a collaborative one, involving the School Development and Evaluation Team (SDET) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and teachers from 20 kindergartens. In the project, central seminars, workshops and meetings were provided to the participating schools for the purpose of enhancing teachers' Assessment for Learning (AfL) competency in their daily teaching. A questionnaire of 60 items was administered twice to teachers from the participating kindergartens at the beginning as well as towards the end of the project in order to assess their uses of the nine AfL strategies, namely, informing teaching objectives, informing success criteria, effective questioning, quality feedback, self-assessment, peer assessment, collecting learning evidence and teacher reflections in their daily teaching. Results indicate that there is a remarkable improvement regarding teachers' habits in utilizing AfL strategies after the intervention. This research has pioneered a quantitative study of the practice of AfL in kindergartens and has validated an instrument for assessing such a practice. The framework, the instrument, the findings and insights generated from the study may have significant contributions to the improvement of classroom teaching in kindergartens. [For the complete Volume 12 proceedings, see ED597979.]

Previous studies on teachers' thinking have usually related to teaching and learning, and concentrated on classroom-level outcomes. In this study, an organizational and administrative perspective was adopted in examining teachers' thinking style. Data collected were from a sample of 268 in-service teachers from 6 primary schools in Beijing, China. An instrument, the Thinking Styles Questionnaire for Teachers (TSQ-T), was developed to assess the teachers' thinking styles. The results of the study showed that (a) the TSQ-T is a reliable and valid inventory for assessing the thinking styles of primary school teachers in Beijing, with the subscales' Cronbach's alphas ranged from 0.60 to 0.84; (b) the dominant thinking styles among the teachers were cooperative, hierarchical, and analytical; and (c) there were significant differences in teachers' thinking styles in terms of gender, teaching experience, rank, discipline background, and executive position. Implications for work design, building school culture, teachers' professional training and development, and the development of professional learning community were discussed in the context of educational reform and the ever changing environment. [For complete volume, see ED567118.]

There is only one world, but it is widely divided. All nations share a common interest in the investment and development of education in their own contexts. The one world has been undergoing tremendous, turbulent changes, due to the recent quick movement in globalization. This paper aims to explore what is meant by globalization, how it has impacted on education and what changes in principle have come about. More specifically, it will explore how school, and higher education have been responding to globalization, and what the implications have been for educational research and development in this unprecedented era of global change. [For complete volume, see ED567118.]

This paper reports an investigation into the strategic thinking skills of school leaders in Hong Kong. By adapting the Strategic Thinking Questionnaire in the school context and based on data self-reported from 543 Hong Kong school leaders, three cognitive capabilities with strategic thinking were identified: reflection, systems thinking and reframing. The study determined that (a) the use of the strategic thinking could distinguish between more and less successful leaders, (b) school leaders' understandings of system dynamics had significant effects leadership effectiveness, and (c) while systems thinking explained much of the variance in the success variable, there was a cumulative impact of the use of all three capabilities. These findings have implications for training, professional development, and selection of aspiring leaders. [For complete volume, see ED567040.]

This paper presents some key findings of a quantitative study which assessed a group of Chinese educational leaders' value orientations. A survey instrument "The Institutional Values Inventory" was used to investigate their perspectives on the values espoused by their institutions in terms of traditional Confucian ethics and values of hierarchical relationship, collectivism, humanism, and self-cultivation. It discusses implications for leadership preparation and practice in an increasingly globalized context. [For complete volume, see ED567040.]

After the government established the Home-School Cooperation Committee in 1993, parent involvement in Hong Kong schools has received increased attention. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the attitudes of various groups toward the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and its role. Specifically, the paper attempts to: (1) provide understanding of the perceptions of the various actors in the school system towards the PTA; (2) discuss the functions of the PTA and to explore its possibilities and limitations with respect to school education; and (3) propose a model to help illustrate and analyze the various PTA functions and networking. Data were derived from a survey of all PTA chairpersons, school supervisors, and principals. Teacher and parent samples were drawn from 99 kindergartens, 112 primary schools, 90 secondary schools, 12 English School Foundations and International Schools, and 13 special schools. Parents, constrained by time, expressed apathetic views about the PTA. Teachers were constrained by heavy workloads; principals in general assigned the PTA as a medium-to-low priority and did not invite parents to participate in school decision making. It is recommended that PTAs improve their home-school communication in order to increase parent involvement and collaborate with schools to develop complementary objectives. A model illustrating the various PTA functions, including networking, is also presented. Eight tables and 3 figures are included. (Contains 38 references.) (LMI)

This paper addresses how teacher educators can prepare teachers and credential candidates to deal with the issues of pluralism and overarching democratic ideals. It examines the tenets of a multicultural education course in teacher education and discusses how teacher education programs should be shaping multicultural education. In classes at San Diego State University in California, teachers are prepared to be critical thinkers, cultural mediators, student advocates, and change agents who are committed to equal education and a socially just nation and world community. In order to accomplish these goals, five phases of instruction have been developed: (1) establish a sense of community; (2) evaluate personal values, assumptions, and biases; (3) examine mainstream culture; (4) strengthen connections between teachers and culturally diverse communities; and (5) support equity and diversity in the curriculum. (Contains 12 references.) (JDD)

School discipline is the foundation of education and ensures a safe and peaceful environment in which to learn and work. Establishing rules and the use of reward and sanction to enforce rules are the primary aspects of school rule formation. Incentive-based rules improve discipline better than punishment-based rules, which hurt the student-teacher relationship. Reward-based discipline also builds trust and fosters a positive environment. Research on school rules has examined the sanction and reward system, implicit or explicit designs, and rule dissemination, formulation, and enforcement. A survey of teachers and principals at 29 secondary schools in Hong Kong revealed that female teachers had a more positive perception of school-discipline climate and use of rewards than did males. Generally, girls' schools had a more positive discipline climate than boys' and coeducational schools. Less academically capable students also experienced more behavioral problems than more able students. Additional findings are as follows: School-discipline climate and teacher's attitudes toward reward and punishment are closely related; no relationship was established between school-discipline climate and the characteristics of school rules; characteristics of school rules do not affect teacher's attitudes toward reward and punishment. (Contains 22 references.) (JPT)

Controlled Digital Lending (CDL) became a popular term in the United States of America (USA) libraries as a result of a white paper authored by Kyle K. Courtney (Harvard University) and David Hansen (Duke University). (Citation?) The white paper gave the legal groundwork to explore the copyright aspect of CDL: Fair Use, First Sale Doctrine and Supreme Court rulings. The white paper also provided guidelines for Library professionals implementing this new technology to fulfill their users' needs. Inspired by the recent CDL guidelines developed by Courtney and Hansen (2018) two librarians from the University of Florida (UF), and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) started a conversation about how to develop strategies to make CDL work possible at each institution. The authors share their stories of piloting and initiating a CDL program to ensure students have reliable, affordable access to course materials they need to be successful. Additionally, the authors discuss the emerging trends of CDL in the USA, and the development of the CDL platforms, policies and implementation plans. Most importantly, the implementation of these programs presents challenges, lessons learned, and plans to sustain the program in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The working condition of the deepwatcr flexible jumper is very complex and its mechanical property analysis is also very complex because of its multi-layer and composite structure. Many researchers had built the finite element models on the flexible pipes, but most of the models are built as the simplified models. Based on our relevant literature review, it shows that this situation still exists. In this paper, we built the detailed FEA model to cover all layers of the flexible jumper, especially we have set up the contact pairs between all layers of the flexible jumper. Based on this, we obtained the stress distribution and the deformation of the deepwatcr flexible jumper under the inner pressure, outer pressure, tensile, bonding and torsional conditions. This research provides a reference basis for the finite element modeling and mechanical property analysis of deepwatcr flexible jumper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Everyone who returns home from war will eventually become a veteran and most will face the challenge of finding a civilian job or pursuing higher education. This study examines veterans' accounts of how they imagine and implement the process of returning to civilian life after serving in the U.S military. Building upon recent sociological research that seeks to clarify how beliefs impact behavior, we investigate how beliefs evolve and inform the numerous decisions involved in planning and enacting the return to civilian life. We conducted semi-structured, longitudinal interviews (pre-separation and post-separation) with 48 transitioning servicemembers to collect their accounts of: how and why they decided to leave, what they plan to do as civilians, and how they implement their plans for life after service. In this working paper, we focus on the factors that shape variation in the early planning and implementation processes, prior to veterans leaving active duty. Findings reveal variation in two primary facets of planning the return to civilian life: (1) the timing of articulating post-service goals and constructing a corresponding plan, and (2) maintaining coherence between plans and goals. We identify three planner types that represent these variations in the pre-separation transition: the detailed planner, the vague planner, and the wanderer. As we incorporate our follow-up interview data in the coming months, we will expand findings on respondents' accounts of accomplishing (or not) their first post-military goal, while considering how planner type, social background, and expectations contribute to variation in goal accomplishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which compared the structural strength of composite materials made of twill and orthogonal woven carbon fiber reinforced for underwater vehicles. Topics discussed include the mechanical testing of carbon fiber material, strength analysis for composite material underwater vehicle and analysis of calculation results.

The article discusses research which provided an overview of the weight monitoring and reporting process of the single piece jacket during the detailed design and construction phase. Topics discussed include the Liwan3-1 (LW3-1) gas field in South China Sea consisting of deep water sub-sea developments and emphasis on the method to accurately generate weight data as part of the weight report process.

Organizational membership involves socialization processes in which individuals interact with institutionally-specific roles and normative expectations. While socialization into organizations has been extensively documented, less is known about whether certain aspects of these experiences leave enduring traces on attitudes and behaviors after organizational exit. Drawing upon 22 semi-structured interviews and five months of participant observation, I argue that the military imprints what I call an "institutional legacy" upon service members. I find that institutional legacies have "residual" and "relational" dimensions, some of which are conditional upon organizational roles held during active duty and others more generally evolving from organizational features of the military as a whole. The concept of an institutional legacy contributes to organizational research by providing a means of orienting and identifying the attitudes and behaviors that manifest themselves during the period of time connecting organizational exit and entry into other spheres of social life. I conclude by discussing possible implications of these legacies and suggest areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that analyzed the properties of numerical simulated freak waves and the ringing response of vertical cylinder in a numerical wave tank through the use of wavelet transform analysis. High frequency components of freak waves as well as the high frequency generated due to wave-wave nonlinear interaction are discussed. Disclosure of the ringing mechanism is through the spatial and temporal transformation of wave energy. A table showing the characteristics of waves at the focus point is presented.

Extending current theories in crisis communication, the authors have developed a more systemic approach to understanding the role of emotions. The Integrated Crisis Mapping (ICM) model is based on a public-based, emotion-driven perspective where different crises are mapped on two continua, the organization's engagement in the crisis and primary public's coping strategy. This third and final stage testing, representing the fifth in the series, found further evidence that anxiety is the default emotion that publics feel in crises. The subsequent emotions felt by the publics in crises involving transport failure, security issues and human resource problems were variations of sadness and anger. As far as coping strategies were concerned, evidence suggests strong merit that conative coping is the external manifestation of the internal cognitive processing that has already taken place. Cognitive coping is thus the antecedent of conative coping. Though both the publics and the organizations agreed that the crises were relevant to the organizations' goals, they differed on who should assume more responsibility. Organizations should still reach out to publics by being seen to be more engaged regardless of whether they felt they were responsible for the crises. The findings, while still very much exploratory, suggest theoretical rigor in the model, with room for further refinements to generate what Yin (2003) termed "analytic generalization" (p. 33) for the ICM model. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a theory of the gendered character of public talk as a way to account for women's variable participation and influence in the multiple settings that make up the public sphere. Public settings for citizen talk such as legislative hearings, radio-call in shows, juries, internet chat rooms, and public deliberative forums are culturally coded female or male. In female-coded sites, where the professionals who organize and facilitate public talk are mainly women with backgrounds in feminized professions and where the favored modes of talk and action emphasize stereotypically feminine values, women are likely to be as active and influential as men. However, women's influence within the setting may be accompanied by diminished influence in the larger field of politics. We test these propositions by way of an examination of gender dynamics in contemporary American public deliberation. Drawing on the most comprehensive study to date, we show that women today truly are equal participants in public deliberation. Rejecting the standard explanations, we account for women's equality by demonstrating the female gendered character of the contemporary field of organized public deliberation. On the other hand, we suggest, the female gendering of organized public deliberation may have contributed to limiting its political influence. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The art of weaving continues to be the most predominantly used method of converting textile fibers into fabrics for various end-use applications, including apparel. In fact, the weaving is by far the largest textile manufacturing sector, worldwide. However, the weaving process is complex and costly. Reliable prediction of weaving performance of a warp yarn without actual weaving can be cost effective and hence beneficial to a weaving mill in negotiating price contracts with their customers (buyers of the mill output). Although the weaving performance or the so-called weavability of a warp yarn depends on many factors, including the warp yarn quality and preparation, fabric construction and structure, type and speed of weaving machine, and quality of filling yarn, the quality of greige warp yarn considerably influences the yarn's endurance in weaving and ultimately determines its weaving performance and hence the weaving productivity, which, in turn, essentially determines the profitability of the textile mill. In an ARS-USDA-supported research project to explore feasibility of size-free weaving of cotton yarns, a prototype Yarn Endurance Tester (YET) was developed in collaboration with the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, to cost effectively expedite the research on size-free weaving of different yarns with minimum actual weaving, since the weaving process, as mentioned previously, is very costly, complex, and, above all, very time consuming in a laboratory scenario. The development of YET basically involves comparative assessment of a greige yarn's relative resistance to attrition (i.e., damage or failure), when subjected to limited weaving-like actions. Since the inherent, basic quality attributes of a greige warp yarn are known to ultimately influence the weavability or performance of its sized/slashed version, it is believed that a yarn's evaluation on YET, coupled with the yarn's basic quality characteristics, will be very useful in predicting weavability of the yarn in actual weaving. Obviously, the YET would be equally useful in predicting weavability of conventionally sized yarns for traditional weaving, as well. A brief description of the YET is the basis of this manuscript for the Cotton Beltwide '08 Conference on Cotton Utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships among education, health, and mortality in the Asian society such as Taiwan have merited more and more attention in the sociological literature. Nevertheless, whether these education-health patterns extend to depression and whether these associations explained by social relationships are much less known. This study hence aims to assess the effects of education and social relationships on depression and mortality by respectively utilizing the latent growth curve model and the Gompertz hazard models on the longitudinal data from the 1989-2003 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan. The preliminary results suggest: First, Taiwanese elderly with higher levels of education tend to have lower levels of initial depression and less depression exacerbation over time. Education also predicts lower risks of dying. Second, social relationships—social support, dissatisfaction toward emotional support, levels of respondents' family be critical, and widowhood—only slightly mediate the impacts of education, though social relationships themselves provide independent effects on depression and mortality. Finally, the effects of education on mortality are not mediated through baseline depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWhat place do emotions have in a democratic public sphere? Traditional theories of public sphere carry suspicion towards emotions due to its assumed asocial, private nature. I problematize this assumption by examining the public discourse of two contentious episodes from the global justice movement where some emotions were represented as democratic while others were not. Drawing on insights from the sociology of emotions, I find that outwardly directed emotions such as hope, shame and pride are used to construct institutional actors while inwardly directed emotions such as anxiety are used to explain anger of the protesters. The media thus subtly construct state actors as publicly oriented and democratic while the protesters are constructed as holding private, inwardly directed emotions that are undemocratic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weaving experiments to produce 1/2-twill fabrics of varied constructions, using a size-free (common) cotton warp, have been conducted under mill-like conditions on a modern, high-speed, flexible-rapier weaving machine. More than 100 yards of fabrics of the same warp density and different pick densities have been produced, for the first time ever, with no warp yarn failure or breakage. The weaving speeds were up to 500 picks per minute. This certainly demonstrated that the size-less weaving of 100% cotton yarns on a modern high-speed weaving machine is at least mechanically feasible for certain types of fabrics. However, as it was reported in a previous conference, the physical appearance (quality) of the fabrics is not satisfactory, mainly due to a random formation of numerous, tiny, unsightly fibrous balls that are formed in the 'reed sweep,' particularly at or near the cloth fell (beat-up), and appear on the fabric surface. Although the greige fabrics were manually inspected to determine the frequency and possible causes and remedies of the stated tiny defects, the fabrics could not be objectively tested for their mechanical properties before the devastating Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The hurricane caused a massive flooding that severely damaged the USDA-ARS research facilities, including the lab where the fabrics were being inspected. However, the fabrics were retrieved from the flooded lab, ordinarily washed, and objectively tested, as much as possible, at the Textile Department of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This paper briefly reviews the previous work and gives the test results of the mechanical properties of the fabrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton historically has been the fiber of choice for many textile applications, especially those for apparel and household fabrics. However, cotton is a relatively weak fiber when compared to today's most commonly used synthetic fibers, such as polyester and nylon. Consequently, beneficial blending of cotton with these strong synthetic fibers for apparel and household fabrics has been in practice for decades now. However, blending of cotton with these common synthetic fibers still has not been quite satisfactory for certain industrial, military and special applications, such as heavy-duty transportation fabrics for "mobile" industry, military tents, and the like. As a result, cotton share in the industrial and military end-use applications has been steeply declining in the past several decades. Research at the Southern Regional Research Center has shown that blending of cotton with only a fraction, say 20%, high-molecular polyethylene staple fiber could double the strength of the blend yarns and fabrics, while still maintaining the underlying benefits of cotton. For example, a military tent fabric used to be an all-cotton fabric. No more! The reasons are simple. A pure cotton tent fabric does not meet the current military requirements of tensile and tear strengths. Furthermore, in order for the fabric to be flame retardant (FR), a heavy coat of FR chemical treatment is essential, which, in addition to exceeding the weight specification, further reduces the tear strength and hence durability of the fabric. Therefore, it really makes sense to further explore the great potential of this unique polyethylene fiber in combination with cotton in predominance. This manuscript reviews some interesting mechanical properties of the yarns and fabrics made with this unique blend, in order to emphasize the need for further research on this cotton-rich blend for different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 100% cotton, size-less common warp was used to study the real-time tensions of single strands of the warp during weaving on a high-speed weaving machine. The machine was operated under almost mill-like conditions. In order to investigate the independent effects of the weaving speed and fabric construction on the tension behavior/fluctuations of individual warp yarns, the speed was varied, in steps, from 250 to 550 picks (the machine's maximum speed possible) per minute and the pick density was varied from 20 to 50 picks per inch, while maintaining the same ½-twill weave structure. Analyses of the single-strand (SS) real-time, dynamic tensions computed online revealed: 1) tension fluctuations within a weaving cycle of 360°; 2) tension variations among different strands of the warp; and 3) overall tension variations and fluctuations caused by the different weaving speeds and fabric constructions (pick densities). Results showed that the SS tension varied from a minimum 20 g (when the shed was level) to almost 100g at the (beat-up) peak. Further, the tension variations among different strands in the body of the warp were not significant, showing that the original, inherited "virgin" tensions of the warp yarns on the loom beam were uniform and consistent. Furthermore, the dynamic yarn tensions were considerably influenced by the basic (set) ground warp tension (∼ 100 kgf) and the pick density. The weaving speed did not have much influence either on the absolute tension value or on its fluctuations within a weaving cycle. This manuscript describes the test results, along with the experimental set-up that included a state-of-the-art yarn tension meter, computer and accessories, and the various on-line yarn tension graphs obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results in using AFLP and GT-AFLP markers to evaluate 88 germplasm lines and accessions representing the five tetraploid cotton species. A gene targeted (GT) AFLP (GT-AFLP) system and TRAP system (GT-TRAP) have been devised and tested using primers designed from gene families encoding for transcription factors. The results demonstrated that clustering of germplasm lines using the new GT-AFLP marker system is highly consistent with that of AFLP markers. High reproducibility of results was obtained with the cDNA GT-TRAP system on a segregating population using degenerate TF primers and a random TRAP primer. Therefore, the two new marker systems, GT-AFLP and GT-TRAP can be used to design degenerate primers in a gene targeted PCR reaction to survey for genetic diversity at the DNA level and for differential gene expression at the RNA level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Disease Resistance Gene Analogues in Cotton: Expression and Sequence Analysis," by Chen Niu, M. Pang, and Jinfa Zhang is presented.

Does information improve deliberation? Champions of online deliberative forums have argued that the internet can solve two longstanding problems of citizen decisionmaking: the fact that preexisting inequalities are reproduced rather than minimized in deliberative forums and that citizen decisionmaking sacrifices the benefits of expertise. Because deliberators online can access information as the deliberation is unfolding, the discussion should be more informed and more equal. We put those claims to the test by analyzing url-link posting in 26 episodes of online public deliberation. Participants, we show, did take advantage of the informational capacities of the web, although not in ways predicted by classical models of deliberation. Still, url-link posting not only generated more interaction than did opinions posted without links but it also responded to what we call the scale and uptake problems of public deliberation. Far from equalizing deliberation, however, the availability of online information gave a further advantage to traditionally advantaged groups. In addition, the difficulty in assessing the credibility of web sites, along with participants' reluctance to do so, led to instances in which online information made for biased rather than informed discussion. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web-based training is a popular and common means of delivering instructional content. Most previous research in the undergraduate community has focused on web-based learning; comparing functionality or assessing pedagogy in instructional strategies. In addition, the literature suggests (Reeves, 2002; Slotte & Herbert, 2006) that there are still issues as to whether there are benefits from e-learning. For example, is the quality of the learning experience the same as in traditional methods, such as face-to-face learning? This current study focused on the use of video-driven, multimedia, web-based training in the corporate environment. The purpose of this study was to assess the pedagogical effectiveness of certain components in web-based training and the pedagogical equivalence between live and web-based training given the real-world constraints of time and economic resources. This experimental study randomly assigned business professionals to either a control group or an experimental group where they either attended a live-instructed professional development program or a video-driven, multimedia, web-based professional development program. Overall, results indicated that the video-driven, multimedia, web-based instruction was pedagogically equivalent to the live training for the delivery of professional development programs and certain components in the web-based environment contributed to its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that cotton fabrics provide desirable properties such as absorbency, breathability and softness. But, their applications often are limited due to their inferior strength, durability, crease resistance, dirt resistance, and flame resistance. On the other hand, fabrics made with synthetic fibers generally are very strong, crease resistant and dirt resistant, but they lack the comfort properties of cotton fabrics. With recent advances in nanotechnology, it is possible to develop next-generation cotton-based fabrics that can complement the advantages of cotton and manmade fibers. Such advanced fabrics can be produced either by blending cotton with special man-made nano-fibers or by treating the yarns or fabrics with various design/material modifications at nano-scale. In this study, we have attempted to summarize the recent advances made in nano-technology and the latter's applications in cotton textiles, along with some ideas about the future research direction in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A weaving trial with a size-less cotton warp was conducted under mill-like conditions on a modern high-speed, flexible-rapier weaving machine. About 150 yards of a 1/2-twill fabric (64 epi and up to 56 ppi - face down) was produced up to 500 picks per minute without any warp yarn failure or breakage. This certainly is a very encouraging achievement, which at least demonstrates for the first time ever the "mechanical feasibility" of size-less weaving of 100% cotton yarns on a modern high-speed weaving machine. However, quality of the fabric produced is less than satisfactory, mainly because of the random formation of tiny unsightly fibrous balls on the fabric surface. The ball formation most likely is partly due to warp yarn abrasion (yarn-against-yarn and yarn-against-weaving machinery components) and partly due to warp yarn disintegration caused by some loss of twist due to repeated yarn extensions and relaxations that cyclically occur at high frequency during weaving. Multi-prong efforts are continuing to eliminate the fabric defects. Description of the weaving trial, weaving performance, and fabric quality will be discussed in a presentation at the 2006 Beltwide Cotton Conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plentiful cotton germplasm with variation traits including yield, fiber quality, and boll weight, lint percentage, resistant to disease, and insects, drought and salt ect. Were gained by use irradiation, transformation foreign DNAs and genes, multiple and interspecific crosses etc. Among them, 510 lines were identificated by using agronomic and economic trait and SSR molecular analysis. The results showed variation rate of different germplasm was significantly different, and diversity of different traits was also different. Multiple crosses combination with irradiation inducement, transformation foreign DNAs and genes etc. were best way to introduce external genetic resources, enhance and preserve the variation. Different exotic DNAs and genes were transferred into different Upland cotton by using pollen tube pathway transformation, and the transformation gene and DNA isogenic lines with significant variation of agronomic traits and molecular biological characters were obtained. Exotic genes and genetic diversity of SSR markers among 155 cotton introgressed lines from interspecific hybridization have been detected, and the results showed specific SSR loci were present among the interspecific lines with different exotic gene sources, and the more specific loci with exotic genes, the better the fiber quality, resistance to Verticillium wilt, tolerance of drought stress etc. This research also showed SSR molecular marker analysis techniques can be use for identification and evaluation of cotton germplasm effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extending current situation-based conceptualizations of crisis response, this paper develops a more generic and systemic approach to understanding the role of emotions in crisis situations. Taking an integrated approach, the authors propose a public-based, emotion-driven perspective to crisis communication modeling, mapping different crisis types, and underpinning them with two continua, the organizationÂ’s involvement with the crisis issue and primary publicÂ’s coping strategy. The paper further argues that the appropriate crisis response and tools to manage a crisis should address the full range of emotions for optimal effectiveness at both strategic and tactical levels. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies suggest that higher level of educational attainment is associated with lower level of depressive symptoms. Prior research also indicates that education may have different impacts on the onset and deterioration of depressive symptoms among elders. As the pattern between education and depression has been well established in the Western societies, this issue is much less known in Taiwan. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of education on depressive symptoms among elders in Taiwan. Using the national representative longitudinal data from "Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan (1989, 93, 96 and 99)" and applying latent growth curve modeling techniques, this study identifies the education impacts on the initial level and change of depression among Taiwanese elders. Empirical results demonstrate that education has both significant direct and indirect effects on the rate of change of depression. The indirect effects on depression slope are mostly mediated by life satisfaction. However, education does not display significant direct effects on the initial level of depression. Economic hardship and life satisfaction mediate most effects. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explicates the concept of threat, its effects and dimensionality, in an organizational crisis. According to the study, cognitive processing of threats is proposed to have the following salient beliefs: severity, vulnerability, efficacy of dealing with the threats, and alternative coping options. It was proposed that public relations stance can be assessed as a relational encounter with emotional forces that conform to a model expressed in three dimensions: emotional tone as the valence of the emotion ranging from negative to positive, emotional temperature as the intensity level of the emotion, and emotional weight regarding the importance of the emotional stimulus in strategic consequences.

To achieve efficient weaving of cotton warp yarns with reduced or no size, exploratory efforts towards comprehensive mechanical analyses of various loom components and mechanisms are presented. Theoretical and experimental studies are suggested which involve: 1) modification of loom components made of composite materials in order to withstand desired dynamic stresses due to fatigue, vibration, and impact; 2) relating the effect of specially coated loom components (mainly the reed) and stress variations on a size-less yarn during high speed weaving-like process; and 3) estimation of abrasion rate of such a yarn subjected to a high speed (weaving-like) travel and attrition through loom components made of modified materials, profiles, and/or coatings. The presented conceptual studies when conducted efficiently and successfully should help in the fundamental understanding of the size-less weaving process and, consequently, in developing improved yarn structures, weaving settings, conditions and design of critical loom components for minimizing warp yarn stresses, abrasion and damage during weaving. Any new knowledge gained would be useful for accomplishing efficient weaving with "reduced warp sizing," "no warp sizing," and even "traditional warp sizing." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a content analysis of SARS news coverage, the contingency theory of conflict management and current crisis management literature are integrated to examine how crisis is communicated and managed at the macro level and what kinds of strategies arise through the various stages of the crisis life cycle. Findings show that an organization can play a predominant role in managing how various publics perceive the crisis when that is extensively communicated through news coverage. To effectively manage the perception and emotion of the publics and for the publics to support the organization, the organization must utilize more accommodative stances. Advocacy can be embedded in accommodation if the organization wants its publics to move in the same direction of stance along a continuum from advocacy to accommodation. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]