Understanding of the concept of numerically "less" by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

In 2 experiments, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) judged the ordinal relationship between novel numerosities. The dolphins were first trained to choose the exemplar with the fewer number of items when presented with just a few specific comparisons (e.g., 2 vs. 6, 1 vs. 3, and 3 vs. 7). Generalization of this rule was then tested by presenting the dolphins with all possible pairwise comparisons between 1 and 8. The dolphins chose the exemplar with the fewer number of items at levels far above chance, showing that they could recognize and represent numerosities on an ordinal scale. Their pattern of errors was consistent with the idea of an underlying analog magnitude representation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental Evidence for a New State in 2D Bose Gas: Quasi-Condensation in Atomic Hydrogen

We have obtained two-dimensional (2D) Bose gas with the degeneracy parameter (phase-space density) up to 9 compressing magnetically atomic hydrogen adsorbed on liquid ⁴ He at about 0.2 K. We observed this 2D gas to go over to a state where the rate constant K _bbb of three-body recombination of hydrogen atoms decreases with respect to its normal value. A steep decline in K _bbb begins when the degeneracy parameter exceeds 3, i.e., before the criterion for 2D superfluidity is satisfied. The maximum observed suppresion of K _bbb is essentially larger than 3! predicted for a three-body process in a fully (quasi)condensed sample.     

Humidification and perceived indoor air quality in the office environment

The DNA content of 85 ductal breast cancers of different histological grades was evaluated using static cytometry and correlated with immunocytochemical expression of p53 protein in tumour cells in cytological material. A statistically significant difference was observed between p53 protein expression and grade of malignancy (P < 0.001). The percentage of euploid tumours significantly decreased from grade I through grade II to grade III tumours (P < 0.001). Clonal DNA heterogeneity was observed in 26.6% of cases analysed and was correlated with p53 protein expression (P < 0.001). These changes probably reflect genomic alterations which may affect potential malignancy of breast cancer.     

Mechanical Ventilation in Office Buildings and the Sick Building Syndrome. An Experimental and Epidemiological Study

The effects of mechanical ventilation on the sick building syndrome (SBS) were studied in an office building with 2150 employees, where the mechanical ventilation and indoor air quality were commonly blamed for causing symptoms typical of the SBS (nasal, eye, and mucous membrane symptoms, lethargy, skin symptoms and headache). The mechanical ventilation rates in the building were high (mean 26 l/s/person). To test the hypothesis that mechanical ventilation causes the SBS, a controlled experimental study was carried out by shutting off the ventilation in one part of the building and reducing the ventilation rate by 75% and 60% in two areas while leaving one part unaltered as a control. The experimental reduction of the ventilation rate did not alleviate the symptoms. On the contrary, the reduction of the ventilation rate caused a slight but statistically significant relative increase in symptoms (p < 0.05). In the cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data the SBS symptoms did not associate significantly with the ventilation rate (range 7–70 l/s/person). In the linear regression model, a positive correlation was found between temperatures above 22°C and the occurrence of symptoms (p < 0.05). Subjects exposed to environmental tobacco smoke had more symptoms than those not exposed (p < 0.01). Women reported more symptoms than men (p < 0.001). In addition, any prior history of allergic diseases (p < 0.001) and a negative attitude towards the social atmosphere at work (p < 0.001) were significant determinants of the SBS.     

The development of situational interest during a digital mathematics game

The present study focused on 212 fifth graders' situational interest trajectories during an intervention with a digital mathematics game called Number Navigation. Our aims were to explore the development of situational interest whilst playing the game and to investigate the relationship between situational interest and individual math interest. Growth mixture model analyses showed that in the whole sample situational interest was stable within sessions but decreased across sessions. Three different situational interest trajectories were found. Situational interest trajectories were predicted by pre‐test individual interest. In turn, situational interest had an effect on post‐test individual interest. Students whose situational interest trajectories were stable (either high or low) presented no changes in individual interest, yet the individual interest of students whose situational interest was triggered but not maintained markedly decreased from pre‐test to post‐test. Results suggest that it is important to use game‐based learning not because games are believed to be “motivating”; rather, games with proven learning outcomes should be carefully selected.     

Effect of industrial pollution on the distribution of 137Cs in soil and the soil-to-plant transfer in a pine forest in SW Finland

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of industrial pollution on the distribution of radiocaesium in soil and on its transfer from soil to plants. The study was started in September 2000 in four Scots pine stands located at distances of 0.5, 2, 4 and 8 km along a transect running SE from the Cu-Ni smelter at Harjavalta in SW Finland. Annual emissions from the smelter in 1990 were 80 t of Cu, 31 t of Ni and 9000 t of SO(2), and in 1999 these were 5.9, 0.8 and 3400 t, respectively. At each site, soil profiles were sampled with a corer, and samples were separated into litter (L), organic soil layer (O) and mineral soil layers (B, E). Mushrooms, lichens (Cladina spp. and Cetraria islandica), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) plants were collected at each site, except at a distance of 0.5 km, where only mushrooms were available. In the organic soil layer, 137Cs activity decreased from 8000 Bq/m(2) at a distance of 8 km from the smelter to 1500 Bq/m(2) at a distance of 0.5 km; in litter, 137Cs concentration increased from 6300 Bq/m(2) at 8 km to 14000 Bq/m(2) at 0.5 km. 137Cs activity concentration decreased significantly in plants, mushrooms and lichens as the pollution load increased. In lichens, 137Cs activity decreased from 910 Bq/kg at 8 km to 170 Bq/kg at 2 km, while in lingonberry it decreased from 1470 to 20 Bq/kg and in crowberry from 310 to 20 Bq/kg. Aggregated transfer factors for 137Cs decreased in a similar way in lingonberry from 7.6x10(-2) m(2)/kg at 8 km to 7.7x10(-4) m(2)/kg at 2 km and in crowberry from 1.6x10(-2) to 7.9x10(-4) m(2)/kg.     

Radiation resistance of MBE-grown GaInP/GaAs-based solar cells

Proton irradiation-based degradation characteristics for molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown Ga_0·51In_0·49P/GaAs single-junction tandem solar cells of n/p configuration are reported. The cells were irradiated with 3-MeV protons up to fluences of 10¹³ cm⁻². The cells were characterized with current–voltage (I–V) measurements at AMO conditions, and with spectral measurements. The damage coefficient for the GaAs cells was calculated using numerical modelling by the PC-1D program, and the result was compared with the InP damage coefficient. By using the ‘displacement damage dose’ approach, the degradation characteristics were compared with the published data for InP and GaAs/Ge solar cells. In addition, these MBE results were compared with the radiation behavior of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-grown Ga_0·51In_0·49P/GaAs single-, and double-junction solar cells of p/n configuration. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Helsinki Office Environment Study: Air Change in Mechanically Ventilated Buildings

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the magnitude and balance of mechanical ventilation in the rooms of Helsinki metropolitan office buildings with different types of ventilation systems. A random sample of 50 office buildings was selected from the Building Registry. Of these buildings, the 33 that have a mechanical ventilation system were included in this study. Most office buildings in the Helsinki metropolitan area have a ducted supply and exhaust system and hot water radiator heating. Air recirculation is used in about half of the buildings which have a mechanical supply and exhaust system. The average exhaust airflow was 1.2 L/s, m² (SD 0.73) or 17.2 L/s per person (SD 11.6). The variation of the airflows was found to be very high among the buildings, and among the rooms within the buildings. Therefore, even though the ventilation rates on average comply with the Finnish building code, it was found that many people were working in offices with airflows which were either too low or unnecessarily high.     

Information technology and changes in industry

Because of its generic character, information technology (IT) is a key technology in changing the industrial structure and daily routines of companies. The diffusion process of new technologies, including information technology, is a complicated process and difficult to manage. Increasing understanding of this process means increasing management of the technology and its use. The diffusion process of a technology can be described by the form of a S-shaped curve. Such a curve is a function of time giving the penetration level of the particular technology. Because the function itself is dependent on so many variables and arguments, the only way to increase understanding of the existing status and the future improvements is to use modularisation (i.e. finding components whose behaviour can be managed) and thereby achieve an incremental increase in our knowledge of the continuing process. This investigation includes state-of-the-art studies, case-studies and analyses on the diffusion process of specific products. Each of these provides both quantitative and qualitative data to produce a synthesis giving a clear view of the diffusion process. This paper reviews some of the results of two studies (Jaakkola & Mertanen, 1990; Latvala et al., 1990) on the diffusion of information technology in Finnish industry. The experiences and results of a national microelectronics program are reported. Basic principles and the character of the diffusion process are discussed, and in conclusion, certain details of the diffusion process of IT are discussed.     

Significance of humidity and temperature on skin and upper airway symptoms

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of absolute and relative humidity, temperature and humidification on workers' skin and upper airway symptoms, and perceptions in the office environment. Associations between physical factors, and symptoms and perceptions were assessed in logistic regression models. At temperatures between 18 and 26 degrees C, relative humidity of 17-40%, and absolute humidity of 3.3-5.6 g H2O/kg air, skin symptoms and nasal dryness and congestion were alleviated by both kinds of humidity. Pharyngeal dryness increased when temperatures rose and was alleviated with a rise in relative humidity. Eye symptoms showed no dependence on humidity. Any kind of humidity increased odor sensation. Stuffiness increased when the air was humidified. In non-humidified conditions (21.3-22.7 degrees C, 20.0-31.7%, 3.3-5.6 g H2O/kg air), skin and nasal symptoms showed no association with humidity or temperature. Pharyngeal dryness diminished when humidity rose. In addition, the association between humidity and odor disappeared. In humidified conditions (21.5-23.7 degrees C, 26.6-41.2%, 4.2-7.0 g H2O/kg air), nasal dryness and congestion were alleviated by both absolute and relative humidity, and odor perception increased. Skin dryness and rash, pharyngeal dryness, and nasal dryness and congestion are alleviated in higher humidity. Steam humidification results in a risk for increased perception of odor and stuffiness.