Theoretical and experimental evidence of different wettability classes

In this paper we analyze data from thirteen North Sea sandstone reservoirs that fall into the large group of intermediate wettability. By dividing this group into three sub-classes, fractionally-wet (FW), mixed-wet large (MWL) and mixed-wet small (MWS), we find an improved understanding of the intermediate-wet state. In the fractionally-wet state oil- and water-wet sites are random with respect to size, while in the mixed-wet state water- and oil-wet pores are sorted by size. We assume two classes of mixed wettability; MWL where the large pores are oil-wet and MWS where the small pores are oil-wet. The paper includes both theoretical considerations, pore–scale observations by ESEM, SEM and thin sections, as well as core scale wettability indices that indicate that these wettability states may exist in reservoirs.     

Word priming and recognition memory are both affected by mesial temporal lobe damage.

Amnesic patients with mesial temporal lobe pathology often produce normal priming effects despite severely impaired memory. This is generally interpreted to mean that whereas limbic structures are involved in conscious memory, other structures, comprising a separate memory system, mediate priming effects. Priming and recognition memory measures were correlated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of damage to specific brain structures in a sample of 30 Ss. The results provide evidence that both priming and recognition memory may be adversely affected by mesial temporal lobe damage. Furthermore, the results suggest that striatal damage is associated with lexical or perceptual deficits and larger measured priming effects. Thus, co-existing striatal and limbic damage may lead to normal priming performance in some memory-impaired patients. In these instances, normal priming performance may not be mediated by a separate (implicit) memory processing system in the brain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Whatever happened to scholarly discourse? A reply to B. F. Skinner.

Comments that B. F. Skinner (see record 1988-00027-001) has presented an egregiously inaccurate characterization of humanistic psychology. The authors note that Skinnerian radical behaviorism emphasizes behavior, science, and technology, while humanistic psychologies emphasize human beings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Electrical Response of the Human Eye to Sinusoidal Light Stimulation

In order to extract maximum information from electroretingraphic waveforms obtained under clinical conditions, it is necessary to have reliable quantitative methods to characterize both the amplitude and shape of these waveforms. When sinusoidally modulated light is used to stimulate the retina, the resulting ERG potentials are, in general, not sinusoidal due to the nonlinearities in the system. However, the responses are very reproducible and can easily be characterized by a few parameters based on a Fourier analysis. The more conventional flash ERG, although usually of higher amplitude, is much less reproducible in shape and needs many more parameters to characterize completely. Amplitude and phase characteristics can be understood on the basis of a simple model for the scotopic B-wave system and additive interaction by the photopic system. Changes in amplitude and phase characteristics with various experimental conditions could be predicted and were confirmed by subsequent experiments. The ultimate goal of this work is to improve the quantitative basis for clinical electroretinography and to provide the clinician with additional data which can be useful in the diagnosis of retinal diseases.     

Relationship between trapezius load and the incidence of musculoskeletal illness in the neck and shoulder

A relationship between m. trapezius load measured by electromyography (EMG) and the incidence of musculoskeletal illness in the neck and shoulder regions, was investigated both for assembly workers and VDT operators. For assembly workers, the static trapezius load (probability 0.1 of the amplitude probability distribution function, APDF) was significantly reduced from 4.3% MVC (Maximum Voluntary Contraction) to 1.4% MVC as a group median value after an ergonomic adaptation of their work places. Musculoskeletal sickleave was significantly reduced from 22.9 days to 1.8 days as a medium duration per-man-labour year for the same group.

Three groups of VDT operators were examined in terms of trapezius load and pain intensity and duration before and after an ergonomic intervention. All groups reported significant less intensity or duration of pain either in the neck or in the shoulder regions after the intervention. The trapezius load was reduced for all groups post vs. prior intervention. This reduction was measured in terms of a decrease in the static level of APDF and an increase in the number of periods per minute and total duration of muscle activity below 1% MVC. The results from this study indicate that the trapezius load may be a predictor for development of musculoskeletal illness in the neck and shoulder regions.     

Predicting the availability of contiguous memory

In a memory allocation algorithm with variable-size segments, checkerboarding (external fragmentation) distributes the unused memory space into a number of relatively small fragments, so that the largest fragment is considerably smaller than the total. For some computer architectures, garbage collection is impossible or unfeasible at an arbitrary memory allocation decision. Hence it is necessary to consider the individual sizes of fragments (and, in particular, the largest one) rather than the sum total available. A simulation model is used to develop empirical probability distributions for the size of the largest fragment of available memory at a given instant, conditional only on the number of allocated blocks. A predictor developed from such distributions is presented, and example distributions for a job scheduling system are presented and discussed.The work of T.P. was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant GJ-36711.     

Modelling aspects for finite element analysis of ship vibration

The paper describes the present state-of-the-art in analyses of ship vibration and elaborates on the difficulties regarding the finite element modelling.Some suggestions to enable better modelling of the structure, dependent on the aims of the analyses, the accuracy of input data, time and cost are given.It is shown that the main resonant frequencies of global and local structures may be predicted with sufficient accuracy, and a good indication of the forced response level may be obtained at the design stage.