Moving cultures: The perilous problems of cultural dichotomies in a globalizing society.

The accelerating process of globalization and the increasing interconnections between cultures involve an unprecedented challenge to contemporary psychology. In apparent contrast to these trends, academic mainstream conceptions continue to work in a tradition of cultural dichotomies (e.g., individualistic vs. collectivistic, independent vs. interdependent), reflecting a classificatory approach to culture and self. Three developments are presented that challenge this approach: (a) cultural connections leading to hybridization, (b) the emergence of a heterogeneous global system, and (c) the increasing cultural complexity. By elaborating on these challenges, a basic assumption of cross-cultural psychology is questioned: culture as geographically localized. Finally, 3 themes are described as examples of an alternative approach: a focus on the contact zones of cultures rather than on their center, the complexities of self and identity, and the experience of uncertainty. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Novel internally heated Au/TiO2 carbon-carbon composite structured reactor for low-temperature CO oxidation

A compact, internally heated, catalytic reactor is demonstrated for the low-temperature oxidation of carbon monoxide. Carbon nanofibres were grown on carbon felt and used as a support material for Au/TiO₂ catalysts. The carbon composite plays two roles; as a support material for the catalyst and for providing heat to the reaction by the Joule effect. The internal heating offers a stable reactor system with quick temperature response at relatively low energy input. Comparison between external and internal heating shows higher conversion of CO in the low-temperature range when using internal heating. The Au/TiO₂ catalyst supported on the carbon-carbon composite shows good stability at 250°C.     

Analysis of local composition gradients in the hard-phase grains of cermets using a combination of X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy

Combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for investigation of local composition gradients in the hard-phases of cermets. XRD revealed distribution of lattice parameters in hard-phase grains, from which the composition gradients in the hard-phases were estimated using an appropriate microstructure model. This microstructure model was build with the aid of SEM micrographs, which were taken with back-scattered electrons (BSE) and completed by the registration of the electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns and characteristic X-ray spectra. SEM/BSE yielded the first information about the spatial distribution of elements in individual hard-phase grains, SEM/EBSD about the morphology, the size and the size distribution of these grains. The final interpretation of the distribution of lattice parameters, which was obtained from the X-ray line profile analysis, was done with the aid of the local elemental analysis that was performed using SEM with the energy dispersive analysis of the characteristic X-ray spectra (EDX) and the known dependence of the lattice parameters on concentration.     

Artificial gravity loading increases the effects of the glutamate transporter inhibitors on the glutamate release and uptake in rat brain nerve terminals

The present study evaluated the effect of artificial gravity loading on transporter-mediated uptake and release of L-glutamate using the inhibitors of glutamate transporters as tools. The competitive nontransportable, DL-threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartate (DL-TBOA), and transportable, DL-threo-beta-hydroxyaspartate (DL-THA), inhibitors were demonstrated to better inhibit the L-[¹⁴C]glutamate uptake under centrifuge-induced hypergravity compared with the normal gravity control. The effect of DL-TBOA on depolarization-induced carrier-mediated L-[¹⁴C]glutamate release also increased after hypergravity loading in Na⁺- and low [Na⁺] NMDG- supplemented media. 10 µM DL-TBOA-induced decrease in L-[¹⁴C]glutamate release in Na⁺ — supplemented medium was 15.2±2.2 % in the control experiments and 26.2±3.9 % after centrifuge-induced loading (P≤0,05) and in low [Na⁺] medium was 37.0±2.5 % and 45.0±3.4 %, respectively.     

Effects of training in procedural justice on perceptions of disciplinary fairness by unionized employees and disciplinary subject matter experts.

A training program, based on procedural justice theory, was developed for teaching supervisors to take effective disciplinary action with employees. Canadian supervisors of unionized employees were randomly assigned to the training (n?=?35) or the control group (n?=?36). Analyses of variance revealed that both supervisory self-efficacy and outcome expectancies were significantly higher in the training than in the control conditions. Following simulated role-play exercises derived from organizational incidents, both unionized employees and disciplinary subject matter experts (managers, union officials, and attorneys) rated the trained supervisors higher on disciplinary fairness behavior than the supervisors in the control group. Self-efficacy was found to mediate the relationship between training and perceptions of disciplinary fairness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Large‐Scale Diffusion Barriers from CVD Grown Graphene

Graphene has been long thought of as a perfect barrier material due to its impermeability to all gases as well as mechanical and chemical durability. Moreover, graphene layers are transparent and conductive, significantly widening the field of potential applications beyond simple barrier coatings. However, it is very challenging to realize such barriers on a macro­scopic scale as immaculate large area films are not available. In this work, a highly effective oxygen gas barrier made from multiple layers of chemical vapor deposited graphene is presented. The individual graphene layers are stacked using a modified polymer‐assisted transfer method, avoiding polymer residue yielding an oxygen‐tight arrangement. A stack of three layers of graphene transmitted 6.9 cm³ m⁻² d⁻¹ of O₂ which corresponds to 1.10 × 10⁻¹⁷ cm³ cm/cm² s (cm Hg) when normalized to thickness and pressure. This is several orders of magnitude better than any macroscale graphene coating reported to date and performs on a level that can compete with most modern coatings while being much thinner and conductive.     

Dynamic-MFA examination of Chilean housing stock: long-term changes and earthquake damage

The dynamics and metabolism of the built environment are important for understanding the construction, renovation and demolition activities that characterize its long-term physical development. Previous research on building stock development is limited, particularly for developing countries. As one of the most seismically active countries in the world, Chile's built environment is constantly subjected to losses. This study included earthquake vulnerability and damage in a dynamic material flow analysis (MFA) of the Chilean housing stock. Stock and flows of residential floor area were modelled using population and life style parameters. Demolition was modelled assuming a constant demolition rate. By characterizing the building stock according to vulnerability classes and establishing a mass balance per class, the effects of different typology distributions on the overall damage to the stock caused by earthquakes could be assessed. Scenarios with different trends in typology distribution for new construction and renovation suggest that significant potential exists for reducing future earthquake damage in the Chilean housing stock. This is best achieved by gradually reducing the vulnerability of buildings to earthquakes. Legislation, building standards and financial instruments could be used to ensure such reductions in earthquake damage and thereby provide socio-economic benefits in the future.     

Latent risk and trend models for the evolution of annual fatality numbers in 30 European countries

In this paper a unified methodology is presented for the modelling of the evolution of road safety in 30 European countries. For each country, annual data of the best available exposure indicator and of the number of fatalities were simultaneously analysed with the bivariate latent risk time series model. This model is based on the assumption that the amount of exposure and the number of fatalities are intrinsically related. It captures the dynamic evolution in the fatalities as the product of the dynamic evolution in two latent trends: the trend in the fatality risk and the trend in the exposure to that risk. Before applying the latent risk model to the different countries it was first investigated and tested whether the exposure indicator at hand and the fatalities in each country were in fact related at all. If they were, the latent risk model was applied to that country; if not, a univariate local linear trend model was applied to the fatalities series only, unless the latent risk time series model was found to yield better forecasts than the univariate local linear trend model. In either case, the temporal structure of the unobserved components of the optimal model was established, and structural breaks in the trends related to external events were identified and captured by adding intervention variables to the appropriate components of the model. As a final step, for each country the optimally modelled developments were projected into the future, thus yielding forecasts for the number of fatalities up to and including 2020.