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I examined the extent to which Bourdieu's field theory applied to the fitness industry through analysis of magazine content and interviews with a variety of field participants. I found that the processes through which people come to understand and define fitness in different ways, and, at times, develop contradictory positions on the importance and benefits of fitness are in concert with Bourdieu's theory. I argue that in addition to the historical macro forces identified by other scholars as shaping the fitness industry, endogenous field dynamics propel the field in new directions. Four broad conceptions of fitness emerged: (1) fitness as health; (2) fitness as functionality; (3) fitness as obligation; and (4) fitness as appearance. Key findings include that fitness magazines' and experts' constructions of fitness relied on gendered biological understandings of the body that promote healthism. Fitness magazines' and experts' discourse equated fitness with gendered versions of personal responsibility, discipline, and moral character and often characterized fitness as a panacea. Magazines (re)produced gendered body ideals and perpetuated the gender binary. Women's magazines' incorporation of feminist empowerment discourse promoted individual-level empowerment while simultaneously perpetuating gender inequality. I identified a few alternative perspectives on fitness that critiqued the mainstream focus on fitness as a weight loss strategy and drew attention to social inequalities that result from idealizing particular body forms. I identified competition within the fitness field among various actors striving to establish legitimacy and secure resources such as social and economic capital. Competition occurred at three levels: the macro (field) level in which the fitness field competed with and against other fields, the mezzo (organizations) level in which institutions competed with each other, and the micro level in which individual experts and practitioners contended for recognition. Magazines and respondents identified various types of "fitness experts" whom I classified into five categories: producing, disseminating, practicing, alternative, and exemplary. I identified seven strategies used by fitness experts to claim expertise and establish legitimacy within the fitness field. These included: (1) social capital; (2) credentialing; (3) name-dropping; (4) using science and referring to scientific research studies; (5) referencing commercial success; (6) referencing personal fitness goal success; and (7) discrediting others. These strategies represent the logic of the fitness field and the struggle to establish associated forms of capital, such as social capital and bodily capital. I observed that because fitness is a commercial field--the industry generates billions of dollars in economic activity annually-- many of these forms of capital can be converted into economic capital. Thus, an appreciation of the economics of fitness provides an important perspective on the competition within the field. I found differences in the fitness habitus among the variety of players and agendas in the fitness field. In other words, people came to fitness with different assumptions about what was "natural" and "desirable"--and indeed, even different definitions of fitness itself. Respondents in the study held different beliefs about how bodies work, the extent to which they can change, the desirability of certain physical forms, whether or not the pursuit of fitness is a morally superior activity, and whether that pursuit is obligatory work or enjoyable leisure. I compared how various experiences and social factors produced differing definitions of fitness and hypothesized that variations in habitus are associated with different desired changes to the fitness industry. As the fitness industry continues to grow, and as public programs increasingly turn to exercise as part of the solution to the "obesity epidemic," more research is needed to understand what messages are available to the public about fitness and which are most important in shaping public perception and debate. Continued attention to how fitness is influenced by and contributes to gendered body ideals is warranted. This project highlights the socially constructed nature of fitness and identifies what factors influence how fitness is understood. / Sociology

PREOP is a medical expert system which is being developed on the expert-system shell NEXPERT. PREOP determines the risk of cardiac complications for a patient about to undergo noncardiac surgery, and recommends a programme of medication intake for the patient. PREOP's final database and hardware requirements are uncertain, and so are its final functionalities. These uncertainties necessitate a database interface which facilitates overall system flexibility, maintainability, modularity, and integration with existing information systems. These objectives are best achieved by a loosely coupled database interface which is not under NEXPERT's control. PREOP-DIS is a loosely coupled database interface system for PREOP. This project uses the relational model to design PREOP' s database and implements the database on the relational DBMS SYBASE. The project implements PREOP-DIS as a C program that communicates data between PREOP and the SYBASE database by dynamically making calls to NEXPERT and to the SYBASE dataserver. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

The National Transportation Safety Board has cited deficiencies in judgement and decision-making as contributing factors in numerous general aviation accidents. Several studies have also indicated that some pilots exhibit <i>hazardous attitudes</i> in their decision-making processes. Although decision-making and judgment training is mentioned by the Federal Aviation Administration as areas that should be taught to aspiring pilots, there are relatively few current guidelines to assist flight or ground school instructors. This study centers on the decision-making characteristics of expert and novice pilots. Four expert and four novice pilots were selected by the researcher. All of the subjects were interviewed about their decision-making processes as they related to four aeronautical decision-making scenarios. Experts exhibited characteristics and themes that differed noticeably from that of the novices. One of the more pertinent differences involved what some writers have referred to as <i>cognitive maps</i>. These mental guides appeared to be used effectively by experts in attempting to cope with problems associated with the scenarios. Novices also appeared to make use of cognitive maps in their decision-making processes. Their maps, however, were primitive in comparison to the experts and resulted in difficulties when attempting to address specific scenarios. The findings regarding the decision-making thought processes of experts were consistent with previous studies (e.g., decisions were based on pertinent mental cues from their experiences). The findings related to novices revealed five themes that included: a. the quantity and quality of information acquired to assess risk was often deficient; b. the interpretation of the risks associated with each scenario reflected a lack of attention to pertinent issues related to the scenarios; c. decision-making was often based on recognition of familiar conditions with which novice subjects could relate; d. decision-making often reflected an emphasis on rules and procedures that novices had been taught or acquired through independent research and e. novices exhibited hazardous attitudes in their decision-making processes. The researcher reviewed significant findings and areas in need of further research. A brief conclusion and recommendations conclude the study. / Ph. D.

Yes

Excess phosphorus (P) that is transported into water bodies can cause water quality problems. A high potential for P delivery occurs when there is a high transport potential from erosion, runoff, and/or leaching coupled with high soil test P and/or high rate of fertilizer P application. A management tool is needed to identify those fields that have a high transport and source potential to deliver P to surface water. The Virginia P-Index is a mass-based tool that estimates the annual risk of delivery of P from a given field to surface water. Guidelines on P application rates are then given based on the level of risk. This is a new tool and additional research and testing are needed to determine the dependability and validity of the index. The overall goal of the research was to contribute to the continued development of the Virginia P-Index as an effective P management tool. A sensitivity analysis was completed to identify the parameters to which the P-Index was most sensitive under a range of conditions. In low erosion and runoff conditions, the P-Index was most sensitive to P management factors including application rate. As erosion and runoff potential increased, the P-Index was most sensitive to the erosion risk factors including soil loss. Under conditions with subsurface leaching, the P-Index was most sensitive to the subsurface leaching factors and Mehlich I soil test P. A stochastic analysis was also conducted to determine the effects of parameter variability. Variability of the P-Index output was greater as the risk of P delivery increased and this could affect management recommendations. A survey was completed to determine expert opinion as to the appropriateness of parameter estimation methods used in the Virginia P-Index. Thirty-eight surveys were returned, representing a diverse range of participants within and outside of Virginia. Comments from the respondents were used to evaluate the appropriateness of the parameter methods. All factors were determined to be appropriate given the state of the science. Estimation methods for the following factors were determined to be less appropriate than the other sub-factors by the survey respondents: soil texture/drainage class, subsurface dissolved reactive orthophosphate (DRP), runoff delivery, and sediment delivery. The Virginia P-Index was determined to be a well thought out management tool and implementation should identify fields with the greatest risk of P delivery to surface water. Recommendations for improvement were identified including a need for additional analysis and studies. / Master of Science

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1987 / Town and Country Hotel, San Diego, California / In an Independent Research and Development (IR&D) effort, the Telemetry Systems Operation (TSO) of Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) sought to determine the feasibility of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques in a real-time processing environment. Specifically, the use of an expert system to assist in telemetry data acquisition processing was studied. A prototype expert system was implemented with the purpose of monitoring F15 Vertical Short Take Off and Landing (VSTOL) aircraft engine tests in order to predict engine stalls. This prototype expert system was implemented on a Symbolics 3670 symbolic processor using Inference Corporation's Artificial Reasoning Tool (ART) expert system compiler/generator. The Symbolics computer was connected to a Gould/SEL 32/6750 real-time processor using a Flavors, Inc. Bus Link for real-time data transfer.

To use others specific competence in a boathouse Interior architects and specialists that cooperate, find more possible choices than the prevailing standardised solutions, and are able to break the norms that dominate their respective fields. Both of us use our specific tools and learn from one another when we meet. This leads to architecture that is more multifaceted as well as a greater understanding of our respective skills. The investigation regarding the power of collaboration will be conducted in the context of a houseboat: a specific building, with specific functions. It is logical to come into contact with scents, lights, sounds, details and functions in that specific building. We will create parts that could be situated in that kind of building. / Att använd andras specifika kunskaper i ett båthus Inredningsarkitekter och specialister som samarbetar hittar fler möjliga val än gängse standardiserade lösningar och får möjlighet att bryta de normer som råder inom respektive fält. Båda använder sina specifika verktyg och i mötet lär vi av varandra. Det leder till en mer mångfacetterad arkitektur och ökad förståelse för våra respektive kompetenser. Undersökningen av samarbetets kraft sker inom ramen av ett båthus. En specifik byggnad, med specifika funktioner. Det finns en logik i att du möter de dofter, ljus, ljud, detaljer och funktioner just där i den specifika byggnaden.

Knowledge acquisition is not only the most important but also most difficult task knowledge engineers face when they begin to develop expert systems. One of the first problems they encounter is the need to identify at least one individual with appropriate expertise who is able and willing to participate in the development project. They must also be able to use a variety of techniques to elicit the knowledge that they require. These include such traditional knowledge acquisition methods as interviewing, thinking-aloud protocol analysis, on-site observation, and repertory grid analysis. As expert system applications have become more complex, knowledge engineers have found that they must work with and tap the domain knowledge of not one but several individuals. They have also discovered that the traditional methods do not work well in eliciting the knowledge residing in a group of individuals. The complexity of the systems, the difficulties inherent in working with multiple experts, and the lack of appropriate tools have combined to make the knowledge acquisition task even more arduous and time consuming. Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) have been proven to be useful tools for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of a multiplicity of group activities. It would appear that by bringing experts together in a GDSS environment and using computer-based tools to facilitate group interaction and information exchange, a knowledge engineer could eliminate many of these problems. This research was designed to explore the possibility of using a GDSS environment to facilitate knowledge acquisition from multiple experts. The primary research question was "Does A GDSS environment facilitate the acquisition of knowledge from multiple experts?" The principle contributions of this research are (1) demonstration of the first use of a GDSS environment to elicit knowledge from multiple experts; (2) establishment of a methodology for knowledge acquisition in a GDSS environment; (3) development of process models for acquiring knowledge; (4) development of guidelines for designing and evaluating group support tools; and (5) recognition of some implications of using a computer-supported cooperative approach to extract knowledge from a group of experts. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)