Adolescent psychopathology: II. Psychosocial risk factors for depression.

In a prospective study of adolescent depression, adolescents (N?=?1,508) were assessed at Time 1 and after 1 yr (Time 2) on psychosocial variables hypothesized to be associated with depression. Most psychosocial variables were associated with current (n?=?45) depression. Formerly depressed adolescents (n?=?217) continued to differ from never depressed controls on many of the psychosocial variables. Many of the depression-related measures also acted as risk factors for future depression (n?=?112), especially past depression, current other mental disorders, past suicide attempt, internalizing behavior problems, and physical symptoms. Young women were more likely to be, to become, and to have been depressed. Controlling for the psychosocial variables eliminated the gender difference for current and future but not for past depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trade-off analysis on cost and manufacturing technology of an electronic product: Case study

A trade-off analysis on the cost and system packaging metrics of an electronic product aimed at the commercial/retail industry has been carried out. By comparing the system cost and packaging metrics with those of comparable consumer products, we have determined that there is opportunity for significant cost, size, and weight reduction of the overall electronics packaging system. These include the use of fine pitch IC packages, smaller discrete components, denser PCB wiring technology, double sided IC package surface mount, surface mount connectors, and improved plastics for the product housing. The analysis concluded that PCB area reduction of 40%, using a single PCB instead of three boards, reduction in board cost of over 50% and product weight reduction of over 28% are possible using available technologies.     

A Specific Stability Indicating Hplc Method to Determine Diclofenac Sodium in Raw Materials and Pharmaceutical Solid Dosage Forms

A high performance liquid chromatography method is described for the determination of diclofenac sodium, its related compounds and degradation products in commercial sources of raw materials and solid dosage forms. This method is specific, accurate and stability indicating. The method employs a reverse-phase octylsilane (C18) column with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile/methanol/pic B-6 (25:25:50) and detection at 229 nm. The method resolves six principal related compounds with quantitation in the range 0.3-1.5%. Assay recoveries by spiking commercial formulations with diclofenac sodium were 99.64 ± 1.30%. Drug content in several commercial formulations are reported. Accelerated stability tests were conducted on raw materials and drug products and 1-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-2-indolin-2-one was identified for the first time as a degradation product in solid dosage forms which are stressed under humidity and heat.     

B. F. Skinner: Au-delá de la controverse.

Discusses controversies surrounding the work of B. F. Skinner's influence on various theories of human and animal behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of lattice self-heating and hot-carrier transport ondevice performance

As device technologies improve, the traditional drift-diffusion transport model becomes inadequate to predict the performance of state-of-the-art semiconductor devices. The reasons are believed to be the larger field and field gradient inside advanced devices which cause lattice heating and hot carrier nonlocal transport phenomena. For more accurate prediction on device performance, a new device simulator capable of full thermodynamic simulation was developed. The carrier and carrier energy transport equations are directly derived from the Boltzmann transport equation, and the energy transfer among electrons, holes and crystal lattice takes into account most of the possible mechanisms. This simulator was used to simulate the DC behavior of a BJT and a half-micron NMOS. The simulation results show that for advanced devices, not only the drift-diffusion model becomes inadequate, but including only one of the two thermal effects results in error in simulated device characteristics     

A New Variable Diffusion Drying Model for the Second Falling Rate Period of Paddy Dried in a Rapid Bin Dryer

The objectives of this article is to propose a new drying model for the second falling rate period known as the variable diffusion controlled period that follows after the first falling rate period and to propose a new method to determine the second critical moisture content that separates these two periods. Experimental work on paddy drying at minimum fluidization velocity was carried out in a rapid bin dryer. The effects of operating temperatures (60-120°C) and bed depths (2-6 cm) on the paddy drying characteristics were investigated. It was found that the normalized drying rate of paddy was proportional to the normalized moisture content in the first falling rate period but in the second falling rate period, the normalized drying rate of the material varies exponentially with the normalized moisture content. The different relationship between the normalized drying rate and the normalized moisture content in the first and second falling rate periods indicate that two different mechanism of moisture transport are at work. The new exponential model of the second falling rate period and the linear model of the first falling rate period were found to fit the experimental data very well. Derivation from variable diffusion equation shows that the linear model is the result of constant diffusion coefficient whereas the new exponential model is the result of linear diffusion coefficient. This also implies that the first falling rate period is a constant diffusion controlled period and the second falling rate period is a variable diffusion controlled period. In addition, drying kinetics data of a drying process that fits the exponential model over a very slow drying period will show that the drying process is under the effect of a linear diffusion coefficient. It was also found that the proposed new method to determine the second critical moisture content that distinguishes between the first and second falling rate periods by using a sudden change in the value of the drying rate gradient to a much lower value at that point is more rigorous and yet simpler than the method of determining the specific location of the receding drying boundary since it is based on the behavior of the actual drying kinetic data.     

The effects of goal difficulty on physiological arousal, cognition, and task performance.

Conducted 2 laboratory experiments with 117 undergraduates to examine (1) the effect of assigned goal difficulty on arousal (self-report and heart rate), cognition (perceived norm, self-efficacy strength, and personal goal), and behavioral (task performance) measures and (2) the role of heart rate as a mediator of the goal-difficulty–performance relation. All Ss performed a task requiring cognitive and physical responses. Results of both experiments demonstrate that assigned goal difficulty affected heart rate, cognition, and task performance and that heart rate change was positively related to the cognitive and behavioral measures. Regression analyses suggested that a cognitive–affective mechanism may mediate the goal-difficulty–performance relation. Discussion is focused on the theoretical and practical implications of integrating an arousal concept within goal-setting theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A connectionist implementation of the theory of planned behavior: Association of beliefs with exercise intention.

The theory of planned behavior suggests attitudes are a product of salient beliefs. This study examined whether aggregating salient beliefs was plausible within a more biologically centered information-processing environment. A neural network was used to examine associations among beliefs relating to exercise intention. Data on intentions and behavioral, normative, and control beliefs from 114 respondents were used to train (by error backpropagation) a neural network to associate beliefs with intention. The R2 between the network's estimated and self-reported intention was .66. The network's representation comprised 6 belief profiles associated with high, moderate, or low behavioral intention. The neural network accommodated complex relationships among beliefs and belief-intention associations and indicated how high-level constructs such as attitudes may be viewed as the best fit (compromise state) between aroused beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Magnetic circuit modelling of the field regulated reluctancemachine. Part I: model development

A transient magnetic circuit model of a field regulated reluctance machine is presented. The model is based on flux loop equations rather than node equations as have previously been employed. A key feature of this approach is that magnetic circuit models based on loop equations permit an entire machine to be represented by only one equivalent pole