Linguistic techniques and the analysis of emotionality in interviews.

In an attempt to analyze the degree of emotionality in the manner (as opposed to the content) of speech, excerpts from 6 interviews and a recording of a radio program were analyzed with regard to linguistic (junctures, stress, pitch) and paralinguistic phenomena (e.g., characteristic of vocalizations and voice quality). The therapeutic interviews were distinguished from the radio program conversation on the basis of linguistic phenomena only. However, linguistic phenomena were seen to be independent of emotional expressions contentwise. The results were interpreted in terms of the expression of emotion through content nonlanguage vocalizations. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4IF01D. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The concentration of vicine and convicine in Vicia faba and some related species and their distribution within mature seeds

Mature seeds from a range of species from the Vicieae tribe were analysed for vicine and convicine content. Quantifiable amounts of vicine were found in all the Vicia species analysed but neither glucopyranoside was detected in Pisum or Lathyrus. The concentrations of both vicine and convicine were similar for both Vicia faba and V bithynica but in all the other Vicia species glucopyranoside concentrations were significantly lower. Seeds from three faba bean lines and one each from V narbonensis and V bithynica were dissected into their constituent seed parts and these parts analysed. Only trace quantities were found in the seed coat but concentrations of vicine ranging from 39 g kg^?1 to 81 g kg^?1 were detected in the radicle samples. The implications of these results in relation to the role of these compounds in the plant are discussed.     

The case for speech synthesis: An experiment in human engineering

Despite expected widespread use of computer speech synthesis in manufacturing and production applications, no one has yet determined the effects of synthesized speech on task performance. This laboratory study introduced speech synthesis in replicating parts of two previous experiments that had used human-voice feedback. Both instructions and productivity feedback were examined for their effect on arithmetic manipulation tasks. Findings show that there are interaction effects; it appears necessary to develop profiles of persons and conditions which predict how computer speech synthesis may be used most productively. We must attempt to determine the way that speech synthesizers may replace and enhance the communication process, while maintaining high motivation of people who interact with these machines.     

Pigeons' inferences are transitive and the outcome of elementary conditioning principles: A response.

Contrary to H. Markovits and C. Dumas (see record 1992-37986-001), this article maintains that, although semantically questionable, the transitive-inference performance in pigeons demonstrated by L. von Fersen et al (see record 1991-29523-001) was impeccably transitive. Von Fersen et al proposed a local rule to account for performance. P. A. Couvillon and M. E. Bitterman (see record 1992-37970-001) provided a rationale for such a rule by pointing out that the equally reinforced central stimuli, B, C, and D, are unequally unreinforced. This article shows that many models that recognize an effect of nonreinforcement on stimulus value give similar results. Therefore, Couvillon and Bitterman's argument that nothing beyond conventional conditioning principles is necessary to account for the transitive-inference effect in pigeons is supported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The outcomes of couple and family therapy: Findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Building on a special issue of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy that was devoted exclusively to assessing the state of empirical knowledge about the efficacy and effectiveness of Couple and Family Therapy (CFT), this article presents a set of conclusions on the state of scientific knowledge about the outcomes of CFT. The primary conclusion is that there is substantial evidence to suggest that CFT is effective in general, and that it may even be superior to alternative treatments for certain major problems and disorders. Certain methodological and conceptual problems with this body of research are addressed and recommendations for improving CFT research are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterization of immiscibly blended polyurethane coatings part 1: selective staining for enhanced micro-Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy (RS) mapping of the selective infiltration of styrene monomer has been developed as a protocol for polymeric phase identification in resin-blended thermoset powder coatings. Blends of incompatible acrylic polyols, with low and high hydroxyl contents, combined with matting agents and pigments, were crosslinked to produce unique low gloss thermosets. The low reflectance originated from a synergistic effect between the polymeric phase separation and the incorporation of the matting agents and pigments. RS conclusively identified the phases within the blended film using polyester-embedded cross-section samples. Further analysis has revealed that monomeric styrene from the polyester-embedding resin produced the spectroscopic handle necessary for domain identification. Preferential infiltration of styrene was therefore investigated through dip and vapor staining of the blended and individual resin films. The spectroscopic handle had manifested through the consistent infiltration of styrene within the low hydroxyl film. The contamination in the cross-sections was eliminated when an epoxy-embedding resin was utilized, which produced no such marker peak in the ensuing spectra. These observations led to the development of the described selective staining protocol for micro-Raman analysis, which enabled very reproducible results for enhanced chemical mapping of phase-separated coatings.     

Removing Organic Nitrogen Compounds From Middle Distillate Fuels with a Catalyst Used as a Filtering Media

Abstract

Fuel storage instability reactions of middle distillate fuel continue to be of great interest to the Department of Defense. Unlike civilian fuel, military fuel typically remains in storage tanks for one or more years. As fuel is removed from these tanks, the tanks are subsequently filled with more recently purchased fuel. In many cases, the mixed fuel is not compatible, resulting in chemical sediment and sludge formation. This fuel incompatibility can result in chemical degradation reactions that form solids that will plug nozzles and filters and render the entire contents of the storage tank unusable. Previous research has shown that polar organic nitrogen functional groups are involved in fuel instability reactions. These organo-nitrogen compounds are difficult and expensive to completely remove during the refining process; hence, this investigation involved the removal of these compounds employing three heterogeneous catalyst systems and combinations of these systems as filtering media. An unstable fuel was treated separately with Sc₂O₃, Cu/Sc₂O₃, fullerene (F), a 1:1 ratio of Sc₂O₃:(F), and a 1:1 ratio of Cu/Sc₂O₃:(F). The composition of the filtrates after filtering with the different catalytic systems was analyzed by combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results of this study showed that after treating the fuel with the catalyst systems, the organic nitrogen compounds detected in the extract were 0.29% carbazoles, 18.2% indoles, and 1.0% for both pyrroles and tetrahydroquinolines, and neither pyridines nor quinolines were detected. This investigation showed that scandium oxide, which is a recycled catalyst, is capable of removing organic nitrogen compounds from fuels.