Increasing the difficulty of response selection does not increase the switch cost.

Several theories of task switching assume that basic task processes such as stimulus identification and response selection do not contribute to task-switch costs. This conclusion is mainly based on the finding that stimulus-identification manipulations have no influence on the size of the switch cost. The present study tested the influence of response-selection manipulations on the size of the switch cost. The authors manipulated the difficulty of response selection by using a semantically based response-side effect that is associated with numerical-judgement tasks, namely the Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect. The authors observed a SNARC effect and a switch cost, but no interaction between the two: the task-switch cost did not differ between SNARC-compatible and -incompatible responses. The authors conclude that response selection does not contribute to the switch cost on the current trial, which provides further support for the idea that basic task processes and task-switch processes are separate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Proactive adjustments of response strategies in the stop-signal paradigm.

In the stop-signal paradigm, fast responses are harder to inhibit than slow responses, so subjects must balance speed in the go task with successful stopping in the stop task. In theory, subjects achieve this balance by adjusting response thresholds for the go task, making proactive adjustments in response to instructions that indicate that relevant stop signals are likely to occur. The 5 experiments reported here tested this theoretical claim, presenting cues that indicated whether or not stop signals were relevant for the next few trials. Subjects made proactive response-strategy adjustments in each experiment: Diffusion-model fits showed that response threshold increased when participants expected stop signals to occur, slowing go responses and increasing accuracy. Furthermore, the results show that subjects can make proactive response-strategy adjustments on a trial-by-trial basis, suggesting a flexible cognitive system that can proactively adjust itself in changing environments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hydrotalcite-like anionic clays in catalytic organic reactions

Hydrotalcite-like anionic clays (HTs; or layered double hydroxides, LDHs) can be used as precursors to mixed oxides, but their catalytic potential reaches much further. This review demonstrates that HTs can be successfully applied in a broad spectrum of organic reactions, with advantages such as improved activity, selectivity, metal dispersion, less waste production, and an improved recuperation of immobilized catalysts. HTs can be used in the as-synthesized form or after different pretreatments. The HT as such is a solid base or, depending on the elemental composition of its octahedral layers, may have redox properties. Specific metals can be incorporated either as a cation in the octahedral layer or as an anion via exchange. The anion-exchange strategy is especially successful in the context of heterogenizing homogeneous catalysts. A particular advantage for base catalysis is that the number and strength of the basic sites can be tuned precisely to a specific reaction. HTs are excellent materials to design bifunctional redox-base catalysts or to control the acid-base properties around a heterogenized metal complex. Potential applications of HTs range from the production of large-scale basic chemicals to the synthesis of small-scale specialty chemicals.     

Exploiting Varying Resource Requirements in Wavelet-based Applications in Dynamic Execution Environments

In the context of future dynamic applications, systems will exhibit unpredictably varying platform resource requirements. To deal with this, they will not only need to be programmable in terms of instruction set processors, but also at least partial reconfigurability will be required. In this context, it is important for applications to optimally exploit the memory hierarchy under varying memory availability. This article presents a mapping strategy for wavelet-based applications: depending on the encountered conditions, it switches to different memory optimized instantations or localizations, permitting up to 51% energy gains in memory accesses. Systematic and parameterized mapping guidelines indicate which localization should be selected when, for varying algorithmic wavelet parameters. The results have been formalized and generalized to be applicable to more general wavelet-based applications.     

Changing toddlers' and preschoolers' attachment classifications: The circle of security intervention.

The Circle of Security intervention uses a group treatment modality to provide parent education and psychotherapy that is based on attachment theory. The purpose of this study was to track changes in children's attachment classifications pre- and immediately postintervention. Participants were 65 toddler- or preschooler- caregiver dyads recruited from Head Start and Early Head Start programs. As predicted, there were significant within-subject changes from disorganized to organized attachment classifications, with a majority changing to the secure classification. In addition, only 1 of the 13 preintervention securely attached children shifted to an insecure classification. Results suggest that the Circle of Security protocol is a promising intervention for the reduction of disorganized and insecure attachment in high-risk toddlers and preschoolers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Computational methods for database repair by signed formulae*

We introduce a simple and practical method for repairing inconsistent databases. Given a possibly inconsistent database, the idea is to properly represent the underlying problem, i.e., to describe the possible ways of restoring its consistency. We do so by what we call signed formulae, and show how the ‘signed theory’ that is obtained can be used by a variety of off-the-shelf computational models in order to compute the corresponding solutions, i.e., consistent repairs of the database. *This paper is a revised and extended version of [9].     

Cohort differences in attitudes toward mental health services among older persons.

In order to investigate historical shifts in attitudes toward mental health and mental health services, two independent samples of older adults separated by a 14-year time interval were administered questionnaires. There were 91 in the 1977 sample (mean age 69.91 yrs) and 116 in the 1991 sample (mean age 71.94 yrs). Four newly created, internally consistent scales assessed multiple dimensions of their mental health attitudes (breadth of conceptions, bias, openness to help, range of problems). Analyses suggested that the younger cohorts of older adults held more positive attitudes toward mental health and mental health services than the older cohorts. These cohort differences remained when controlled for age, level of education, self-reported health, and income. These data indicate a positive cohort shift in attitudes toward mental health, a finding with numerous implications for the design and implementation of mental health services for future cohorts of older persons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Novel phthalocyanine/polyol high-solids coatings: Structure—property relationships

A convenient synthetic procedure for preparing nickel carboxylated phthalocyanine is reported. Upon further hydroxylation, such metal phthalocyanine moieties are incorporated into several melamine-based polyester high-solids systems and the structure—property correlations are examined. Molecular level spectroscopic FTIR analysis and mechanical testing are correlated in an effort to establish structure—property relations in these coatings. It is found that the presence of metal phthalocyanine macrocycle as a cross-linking agent enhances such properties as adhesion, hardness, and impact resistance. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.