Organization of knowledge about a relationship partner: Implications for liking and loving.

In close relationships, the association between negative beliefs about a partner and loving was found to be moderated by how that negative knowledge was organized. In general, evaluatively integrative organization (i.e., categorizing positive and negative beliefs together) was associated with more positive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward the partner when the negative content of beliefs was high and relationships were relatively long. Additional evidence suggests that compartmentalization (i.e., organizing positive and negative beliefs in separate categories) may be an effective strategy for handling negative beliefs about a partner in a new relationship. Findings for behavioral closeness raise the possibility that the nature of shared activities, as well as an individual's cognitive processes, may influence how knowledge about a relationship partner is organized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rheological properties and irreversible dispersion changes in carbon nanotube/epoxy systems

We report on the rheological properties of semidilute carbon nanotube (CNT)/epoxy suspensions with varying filler content prepared with different dispersion methods. We show that dispersion techniques can be distinguished by means of the rheological response. It was found that the suspensions undergo a lasting dispersion changes during the first shear sweep measurement. Shear‐induced changes within the suspension can also be visualized optically. Our results demonstrate that the rheological properties are strongly influenced by the measurement procedure, which has to be known in order to guarantee reproducible and comparable results. Finally, it does not seem possible to completely reset the sample history by shear treatment. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. ©2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Analysis of wind power generation and prediction using ANN: A case study

Many developing nations, such as India have embarked upon wind energy programs for areas experiencing high average wind speeds throughout the year. One of the states in India that is actively pursuing wind power generation programs is Tamil Nadu. Within this state, Muppandal area is one of the identified regions where wind farm concentration is high. Wind energy engineers are interested in studies that aim at assessing the output of wind farms, for which, artificial intelligence techniques can be usefully adapted. The present paper attempts to apply this concept for assessment of the wind energy output of wind farms in Muppandal, Tamil Nadu (India). Field data are collected from seven wind farms at this site over a period of 3 years from April 2002 to March 2005 and used for the analysis and prediction of power generation from wind farms. The model has been developed with the help of neural network methodology. It involves three input variables—wind speed, relative humidity and generation hours and one output variable-energy output of wind farms. The modeling is done using MATLAB toolbox. The model accuracy is evaluated by comparing the simulated results with the actual measured values at the wind farms and is found to be in good agreement.     

Evaluation of Osseointegration of Titanium Alloyed Implants Modified by Plasma Polymerization

By means of plasma polymerization, positively charged, nanometre-thin coatings can be applied to implant surfaces. The aim of the present study was to quantify the adhesion of human bone cells in vitro and to evaluate the bone ongrowth in vivo, on titanium surfaces modified by plasma polymer coatings. Different implant surface configurations were examined: titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) coated with plasma-polymerized allylamine (PPAAm) and plasma-polymerized ethylenediamine (PPEDA) versus uncoated. Shear stress on human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells was investigated in vitro using a spinning disc device. Furthermore, bone-to-implant contact (BIC) was evaluated in vivo. Custom-made conical titanium implants were inserted at the medial tibia of female Sprague-Dawley rats. After a follow-up of six weeks, the BIC was determined by means of histomorphometry. The quantification of cell adhesion showed a significantly higher shear stress for MG-63 cells on PPAAm and PPEDA compared to uncoated Ti6Al4V. Uncoated titanium alloyed implants showed the lowest BIC (40.4%). Implants with PPAAm coating revealed a clear but not significant increase of the BIC (58.5%) and implants with PPEDA a significantly increased BIC (63.7%). In conclusion, plasma polymer coatings demonstrate enhanced cell adhesion and bone ongrowth compared to uncoated titanium surfaces.     

Two Base Pair Duplexes Suffice to Build a Novel Material

Tetrahedral DNA hybrids with tetrakis(p‐hydroxyphenyl)methane cores hybridize in a sequence‐specific fashion at much higher temperatures than isolated linear duplexes. Dinucleotide DNA arms suffice to induce the formation of a solid at room temperature; this demonstrates the strength of multivalent binding. The graphic shows a view of a modeled assembly.

     

Influence of Cu Addition and Microstructural Configuration on the Creep Resistance and Mechanical Properties of an Fe-Based α/α′/α″ Superalloy

Introducing Cu nanoparticles is an effective mechanism for strengthening and toughening Fe-based materials such as ultra-high-strength steels. Herein, the effect of Cu on the mechanical properties of a novel Fe-based α/α′/α″ superalloy is studied. Compared to a Cu-free reference alloy, nanoindentation reveals an increase in hardness, which was associated with the formation of Cu nanoparticles. Both alloys show room temperature (RT) compressive plastic strain at maximum stress greater than 8%, irrespective of the heat-treatment. At RT and at 750 °C, the Cu-containing alloy exhibits a slightly higher strength, but the heat treatment has a more significant impact: A configuration of α-matrix and intermetallic α′/α″-phases forming an interpenetrating network is superior to a state with isolated precipitates. This difference vanishes in monotonic creep experiments, and under the same conditions, the Cu-containing alloy exhibits a twice as high creep rate despite a slightly higher precipitate fraction. This is linked to a higher lattice misfit and faster-coarsening kinetics. Post-mortem transmission electron microscopy analysis of the creep-deformed specimens identifies dislocation bypass as the dominant deformation mechanism. However, the presence of <010>{110} dislocations in the interfacial networks and evidence of dislocation activity within α′/α″ precipitates suggest the occurrence of shearing events.     

Organization of self-knowledge: Implications for recovery from sad mood.

In compartmentalized self-organization, positive and negative self-beliefs are separated into distinct categories (i.e., self-aspects), so that each self-aspect contains primarily positive or primarily negative beliefs. In evaluatively integrative organization, self-aspect categories contain a mixture of positive and negative beliefs. Positive-compartmentalized individuals recovered easily from a sad mood when they could reflect on personally important, pure positive self-aspects. When situational factors maintained the activation of pure negative self-aspects, compartmentalization seemed to perpetuate the negative mood. These studies suggest that people with a positive-compartmentalized self (who usually report high self-esteem and positive mood) have a hidden vulnerability to intense negative states. The advantages of an evaluatively integrated self may require having the opportunity to reflect on (and integrate) positive and negative beliefs about the self. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Symmetric matrix-valued frequency to time transformation for unbounded domains applied to infinite beams

In structural dynamics coupled systems with unbounded deformable members are characterized by radiation damping. Typically, the unbounded subsystem is described in the frequency domain; either numerically or analytically by means of dynamical stiffness matrices. Recent papers describe a matrix-valued rational interpolation of the dynamical stiffness and straightforward transformation into the time-domain. In addition, the asymptotic behaviour has been considered, too, by adding fractional derivatives. However, the matrices involved in this process are unsymmetric even if the original dynamical stiffnesses are symmetric. The approach presented in this paper maintains the symmetry a priori without any numerical operations by simply using a rational approximation with a matrix-valued numerator but a scalar-valued denominator and contains some further numerical advantages. The method is demonstrated by treating an infinite beam on an elastic foundation.