Chemical storage of solar energy—Kinetics of heterogeneous NH3 and H2SO4 reactions I. Analysis of experimental reaction and mass transfer data

The exothermic heterogeneous reaction of ammonia vapor and liquid sulfuric acid (H₂O + SO₃) to produce ammonium hydrogen sulfate and ammonium sulfate is important for the recovery of stored energy in the small molecules, H₂O, SO₃ and NH₃. As the first part of a chemical reaction engineering analysis, literature data on the reaction and mass transfer were analyzed. The reaction rate constant as a function of temperature and the mass transfer coefficient as a function of the dynamical variables in a flow system were determined. The reaction mechanism in concentrated liquid phase is pseudo-second order and the rate is extremely fast. However, for the heterogeneous system with ammonia transferred from the vapor phase the mass transfer is rate controlling. A broad range of mass transfer data, covering packed columns and dispersed phase droplets, was correlated over 15 orders of magnitude by the j_D-factor correlation method.     

Genetic transmission of major affective disorders: Quantitative models and linkage analyses.

We comprehensively reviewed 2 types of studies aimed at specifying the mode of inheritance of major affective disorders: quantitative models and linkage analyses. Quantitative models attempt to represent the genetic mechanism responsible for the familial distribution of a disorder. Despite efforts to refine models by incorporating the bipolar–unipolar distinction or the sex effect, consistent support for a specific mode of transmission has not been found. Some mixed genetic models support single major locus inheritance, but transmission probabilities do not conform to Mendelian expectations. Linkage analysis is a more powerful technique used for testing the single gene hypothesis. Linkage results have also been inconsistent, showing moderate support for an X-linked variant of bipolar-related disorder and equivocal support for linkages to Chromosomes 6 and 11. However, relatively few genetic loci have been examined. Methodological factors, genetic heterogeneity, and phenotypic heterogeneity are discussed as potential explanations for inconsistent findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's deliberateness of planning according to task circumstances.

89 children ages 4 to 9 solved mazes varying in the presumed appropriateness of advance or improvisational planning. Using a between-Ss design, children's performance was compared in a standard condition that stressed accuracy in problem solving (designed to increase the importance of advance planning to avoid errors) and a variation stressing speed (designed to favor improvisational planning). Performance was compared by varying maze structure in terms of whether errors in route choices could be identified from a search of a small portion of the maze (favoring improvisation) or from a search through the entire maze (favoring advance planning). Children's planning strategies were stable over trials and had predictable effects on error rates. Children's usage of deliberate planning strategies was related to the circumstances of the problem, with more advanced planning when the structure of the mazes and instructions favored that strategy. Children used less advance planning when speed was a consideration and when the maze structure allowed avoidance of errors without extensive search. Results show that children's planning strategies are adapted to circumstances, and suggest that older children may be more proficient in this adaptation than are younger children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapists' helpful and unhelpful situations with LGBT clients: An exploratory study.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify a broad range of variables that characterize psychotherapists' perceptions of helpful and unhelpful therapy experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of 14 psychotherapists to identify such variables and patterns among them. Results suggest that a wide range of variables, including the therapeutic relationship, therapist response to the client's sexual orientation/gender identity, type of presenting concern, and the therapy environment, may affect the therapy experiences of this population. The data also suggest that factors such as ethnicity, gender identity, therapy needs, and socioeconomic status should be considered when providing mental health services to this population. Clients dealing with multiple types of marginalization may be particularly challenging for practitioners. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chemical storage of solar energy—The Flood-Förland-Lindemann hypotheses and the decomposition of pyrosulfate ions

The endothermic decomposition of metal pyrosulfate in molten phase to produce metal sulfate and sulfur trioxide gas is an important chemical energy storage reaction. A chemical reaction engineering analysis of certain literature data was carried out to obtain a model for the decomposition and the rate constant as a function of temperature. The analysis indicates that the rate controlling reaction event is the cation-anion interaction of K⁺ and S₂O₇⁻² ions to form KS₂O₇⁻¹, simultaneously polarizing the latter to weaken the S---O---S bridge and release SO₃. Based on this view transition state theory was applied and yielded an expression for the rate constant in essential agreement with experimental data. A preliminary model for a pilot-scale reactor is presented.     

Surface mount digital package reliability

This paper compares the reliability of four surface mount package styles with the standard through-hole package. Three test boards were fabricated and subjected to environmental and electrical stresses. The relative package performances of SOICs, butt-soldered DIPs, surface mounted DIPS, and through-hole DIPs were found to be equal when subjected to stresses exceeding those expected in normal use. PLCC packages were found to be slightly less reliable in humidity environments than the other packages.     

Are animals stuck in time?

People can time travel cognitively because they can remember events having occurred at particular times in the past (episodic memory) and because they can anticipate new events occurring at particular times in the future. The ability to assign points in time to events arises from human development of a sense of time and its accompanying time-keeping technology. The hypothesis is advanced that animals are cognitively stuck in time; that is, they have no sense of time and thus have no episodic memory or ability to anticipate long-range future events. Research on animals' abilities to detect time of day, track short time intervals, remember the order of a sequence of events, and anticipate future events is considered, and it is concluded that the stuck-in-time hypothesis is largely supported by the current evidence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Employee reactions to contextual and session components of performance appraisal.

A neglected area of performance appraisal research concerns the context within which the appraisal process occurs. For a sample of exempt employees, measures were developed that assessed system components of the appraisal context. The contribution of these variables (complexity, implementation, and follow-up) to the prediction of 2 measures of employee reactions to performance appraisal (review session satisfaction and appraisal system satisfaction) was compared with the contribution of a more frequently studied set of variables—supervisory behaviors in the review session. The relationship of a salary linkage variable to the 2 outcome criteria also was assessed. The supervisory session variables were related to session satisfaction, and the system contextual variables were primarily related to system satisfaction. Salary linkage was associated with system satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reasserting the authority of science.

Argues that G. B. Melton (see record 1991-07135-001) misunderstood several aspects of the article by W. Gardner et al (see record 1989-32704-001) concerning the American Psychological Association's amicus briefs on adolescent abortion. The scope of a position presented for legal advocacy should depend on the quality of the empirical support for that stance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genomics of industrial Aspergilli and comparison with toxigenic relatives

Aspergillus oryzae has been used in Japanese fermentation industries for more than a thousand years. The species produces large amounts of various hydrolytic enzymes and has been successfully applied to modern biotechnology. The size of the A. oryzae genome (37.5 Mb) is very close to that of A. flavus and A. niger, and 20-30% larger than that of either A. nidulans or A. fumigatus. A. oryzae and A. flavus have exactly the same number of aspartic proteinase genes, of which each orthologous pair shares highly conserved amino acid sequences. Synteny analysis with A. fumigatus and A. nidulans showed that the A. oryzae genome has a mosaic structure consisting of syntenic and non-syntenic blocks. In the microorganisms to be compared, the density of the genes having homologs was obviously higher on the syntenic than on the non-syntenic blocks. Expression analysis by the DNA microarray supported the significantly lower expression of genes on the non-syntenic than on the syntenic blocks.