Tales of the unexpected: Executive function and person perception.

The present research investigated the role of executive functioning in person perception. Given the assumption that perceivers' recollective preference for unexpected material relies on the operation of an executive cognitive process (i.e., inconsistency resolution), it was anticipated that only under dual-task conditions in which executive functioning is impaired would one expect inconsistency resolution to be impaired and perceivers' memory bias for unexpected material to be eliminated. When concurrent mental activity impairs the operation of nonexecutive cognitive operations, inconsistency resolution and the related process of individuation were not expected to be impaired. The results of 2 experiments using different memory measures (e.g., free recall and source identification) supported these predictions. The findings are considered in the context of contemporary issues in person perception and executive functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simulation of liquid physical blowing agents for forming rigid urethane foams

A computer‐based simulation for rigid polyurethane foam‐forming reactions was compared with experimental data for six blowing agents including methyl formate and C5‐C6 hydrocarbons. Evaporation of blowing agent was modeled as an overall mass transfer coefficient times the difference in activity of the blowing agent in the gas foam cells versus the resin walls of the cells. Successful modeling hinged upon use of a mass transfer coefficient that decreased to near zero as the foam resin approached its gel point. Modeling on density agreed with experimental measurements. The fitted parameters allowed for interpretations of the final disposition of the blowing agent, especially, if the blowing agent successfully led to larger foam cells versus being entrapped in the resin. The only component‐specific fitted parameters used in the modeling was the activity coefficient that was lower for methyl formate than the value used for hydrocarbons. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42454.     

Reaction modeling of urethane polyols using fraction primary secondary and hindered‐secondary hydroxyl content

The effect of primary, secondary, and hindered‐secondary hydroxyl groups on reactions and temperature profiles of polyurethane gels was investigated and modeled using a computer simulation that simultaneously solves over a dozen differential equations. Using urethane gel reaction temperature profiles of the reference compounds 1‐pentanol, 2‐pentanol, and Voranol 360 reactivity parameters were determined for reference primary, secondary, and hindered‐secondary hydroxyl moieties. The reaction parameters, including Arrhenius constants and heats of reaction, were consistent with previous values reported in literature. The approach of using fractions primary, secondary, and hindered‐secondary hydroxyl content to characterize reactivity sets the basis for a powerful approach to simulating/predicting urethane reaction performance with limited data on new polyols and catalysts. This code can be used for all polyols, as the kinetic parameters are based on the fraction primary, secondary, and hindered‐secondary alcohol moieties, not the type of the polyol. Kinetic parameters are also specific to catalysts where at least one parameter specific to each catalyst is necessary to simulate the impact of that catalyst. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40388.     

Ethical issues facing school psychologists in family therapy: A commentary.

Comments on the article by J. C. Hansen et al (see record 1990-18461-001) on the types of ethical dilemmas school psychologists face and suggests that the ethical issues encountered in family therapy, especially when offered in the public schools, are more complex than those encountered in private, outpatient practice. Ethical issues within an interactional framework focus on fair exchange of value and exchange of information. This emphasis leads to distinctions among various stakeholder dimensions in the process: patient and client, problem and complaint, and syntonic and dystonic behaviors. It also leads to issues of respect by therapists for core values held by family members, and the therapeutic use of such core values to unify families in ways to help them overcome their difficulties. Ethical issues can be clarified only by setting and working toward mutually agreed upon goals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Temporal profiles of physical health in family members of heart transplant recipients: Predictors of health change during caregiving.

Examined patterns of change in the physical health and well-being of 133 family caregivers to heart transplant recipients during the 1st yr after transplant. Ss were assessed at 2, 7, and 12 mo after transplant. Cluster analysis was used to identify temporal profiles reflecting unique patterns of change in the direction and nature of Ss' physical health; their temporal profiles showed either (a) a worsening of general medical condition (MC), with weight gain (14% of Ss); (b) worsening MC with weight loss (15%); (c) weight gain with stable MC (41%); (d) weight loss with slightly improving MC (21%); or (e) worsening health perceptions with relatively little objective evidence of MC change or weight (8%). Subsequent multivariate analyses indicated that Ss' characteristics measured at baseline and reflecting caregiving burden, coping styles, demographics, and health history reliably predicted membership in the pattern-of-health-change groups. Among the findings, Ss who showed a pattern of MC decline with weight loss had a poorer health history and weaker coping styles (lower mastery and higher use of avoidance coping) than other Ss. Ss who experienced MC decline with weight gain had the greatest levels of caregiver burden. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Low-dose aspirin for oocyte donation recipients with a thin endometrium: prospective, randomized study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of low-dose aspirin use in oocyte donation recipients with an endometrial thickness of < 8 mm. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized study. SETTING: An oocyte donation program in a private infertility practice. PATIENT(S): Twenty-eight recipients undergoing oocyte donation who failed to develop an endometrial thickness of at least 8 mm in a previous evaluation cycle. INTERVENTION(S): Fifteen recipients received low-dose aspirin (81 mg/d) in addition to standard hormone replacement for an oocyte donation cycle. The remaining 13 recipients did not receive aspirin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Clinical pregnancy rates, delivery rates, implantation rates, and change in endometrial thickness were compared in the aspirin and nonaspirin groups. RESULT(S): There was no demonstrable increase in endometrial thickness in the aspirin-treated group. However, there was a statistically significant increase in implantation rates in the aspirin-treated group (24% versus 9%) and in implantation rates and clinical pregnancy rates in the aspirin-treated group when the final endometrial thickness was < 8 mm. CONCLUSION(S): Low-dose aspirin therapy improves implantation rates in oocyte donation recipients with a thin endometrium.     

Characteristics of high temperature cementitious lost-circulation control materials for geotherman wells

Materials systems have been formulated for thein situ conversion of water-based bentonite drilling fluids into cementitious lost-circulation control materials (CLCM) for use in geothermal wells at temperatures up to 300° C. The formulations consist of a cement hardener, a borax admixture, and a fibre glass bridging material which are added to the bentonite fluids. Evaluations of the properties of the slurry and the cured CLCMs revealed that the ions supplied by dissociation of the borax in the CLCM slurry awed to suppress the bentonite hydra tion and retarded the hardening ran of the cement et elevated temperatures. The CaO-SiO₂-H₂O (C-S-H) phases formed during curing of the CLCM play essential roles in improving the quality of the hardened CLCMS. It was observed that xonotlite-truscottite transformations resulted in strength reductions and increased water permeability. The plugging ability of fibre glass depends on the concentration and fibre size. The silicate ions dissolved by hot alkaline disintegration of the fibreglass were chemisorbed with Ca²⁺ ions from the cement and led to the precipitation of C-S-H compounds on the fibre surfaces, which improved bond strength at the matrix-fibre interfaces.     

Effects of the rate of discontinuing lithium maintenance treatment in bipolar disorders

BACKGROUND: Gradual discontinuation of lithium may reduce high risk of early morbidity in bipolar disorder patients discontinuing successful long-term maintenance on lithium, but previous small samples have limited analyses of subgroups. METHOD: DSM-IV bipolar disorder patients (N = 161) were pooled from similar samples maintained on lithium for 4.2 +/- 3.1 years. Effects of discontinuing treatment abruptly (1-14 days) or gradually (15-30 days) were compared by survival analysis in clinically closely similar groups. RESULTS: After gradual versus rapid discontinuation, the overall median time to recurrence +/- SE differed by 5.0-fold (20.0 +/- 5.8 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.7 months; p < .0001). After rapid discontinuation, the median time in remission was 2.3 times shorter than the mean cycling interval before lithium (6.3 vs. 14.6 months; p < .0001). The proportion of subjects falling ill/month (recurrence rate) was much higher in the first year after rapid discontinuation (6.5% vs. 2.3%), but similar thereafter (0.4% vs. 0.6%); patients remained stable for 3 years when off lithium treatment 20 times more frequently after gradual than rapid discontinuation (37% vs. 1.8%; p < .0001). Ratios of median survival times after gradual/rapid lithium discontinuation were similar for a first recurrence of mania and depression (4.4 vs. 3.4-fold), insignificantly higher (34%) with rapid or continuous cycling before lithium, and greater in Type II than Type I disorder (9.8- vs. 4.0-fold). The polarity of first off-lithium and first lifetime episodes matched in 70% of cases. CONCLUSION: These pooled results strengthen the concept or a pharmacodynamic stress factor in early relapse after stopping lithium maintenance and support the conclusion that early recurrence risk can be minimized by discontinuing maintenance treatment gradually in both Type I and II bipolar disorders.