On the relationship between lateralized brain function and orienting asymmetries: Correction to Teufel et al. (2010).

Reports an error in On the relationship between lateralized brain function and orienting asymmetries by Christoph Teufel, Asif A. Ghazanfar and Julia Fischer (Behavioral Neuroscience, 2010[Aug], Vol 124[4], 437-445). In the article, we wrote that “the likelihood of obtaining at least one significant result at p n. The probability of obtaining at least one significant result is therefore 1 — (1— α)n. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2010-16138-001.) Hemispheric specializations for language perception constitute one of the classic topic in cognitive neuroscience. Evidence has accumulated to suggest that lateralized acoustic processing is not restricted to humans but is also found in numerous animal species. One of the methods used to track such lateralization is the orienting-asymmetry paradigm, a simple, noninvasive means to study lateralization that has been applied to a range of different species ranging from harpy eagles to humans. Here we summarize and compare the results of studies employing the orienting-asymmetry paradigm, showing that these studies yield largely inconsistent results. We critically discuss the methodology's implicit assumptions and conclude that the empirical inconsistencies produced by the orienting-asymmetry paradigm, and the lack of sufficient evidence supporting the paradigm's underlying assumptions, warrant serious caution when interpreting results obtained by the method. Nontrivial interpretations of orienting-asymmetry results will require a much better understanding of how lateralized brain functions interact with overt behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The ring compression test as simulation test for the investigation of friction in hot metal forming

Forces and flow of material in metal working decisively depend on friction between workpiece and tool, which can be described by the friction factor m. For investigation of the influence of friction in hot forming of steel and for measurement of the friction factor, the ring compression test is used as simulation test. The influences of material, reduction, strain rate, temperature, and lubricant are discussed.     

Front and Side View Image Correlation Measurements on FRP to Concrete Pull-Off Bond Tests

Understanding the transfer of force by bond between externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement and concrete is an important step in formulating good models for predicting debonding failures observed in externally bonded reinforcement strengthened systems. In this paper, a 3D optical displacement measurement system was used to capture the full-field displacements from the front and side view in pull-off bond specimens. The experiments were carried using six specimens with carbon FRP (CFRP) strips having different axial stiffnesses but a constant bond length to the concrete substrate. Using the optical measurements, it was possible to obtain the in-plane displacement or slip and the out-of-plane displacement or separation between the CFRP strip and the concrete. It was demonstrated, that the usual assumption of pure shear stresses in such pull-off tests is not true and that the bond behavior is a two-dimensional problem involving shear and peeling stresses. The bond behavior in CFRP strip to concrete pull-off tests was characterized by three stages: (1) the initiation of the first crack; (2) the initiation of debonding; and (3) failure by complete debonding. Based on the test results it was found that there was a dependency between the maximum bond shear stress, the maximum fracture energy of the FRP-concrete interface, and the stiffness of the FRP. However, the slip values after initiation of debonding (Stage 2) were independent of the FRP stiffness. The measured anchorage force and anchorage length were in good agreement with predictions from existing code equations.     

Entwicklung,Eigenschaften und Anwendung von konventionell erzeugten hochstickstoffhaltigen austenitischen Stählen

Durch legierungstechnische Maßnahmen lassen sich mit konventionellen Verfahren (Elektrolichtbogenofen, AOD-/VOD-Anlage) hochstickstoffhaltige austenitische Stähle erzeugen, die im lösungsgeglühten Zustand beachtliche Eigenschaften aufweisen. Die Wirkungen des Stickstoffs sind eine Erhöhung der Festigkeit durch Mischkristallverfestigung (und Auscheidungshärtung bei Amagnit 3974 (X 3 CrNiMnMoNbN 23 17 5 3)), eine Erhöhung der Austenitstabilität, die Verzögerung von Ausscheidungsvorgängen sowie eine Verbesserung der Loch- und Spaltkorrosionsbeständigkeit. Nach der Entwicklung von hochfesten unmagnetischen Stählen führte die Legierungsoptimierung zu dem Werkstoff Remanit 4565 S (X 2 CrNiMnMoN 24 17 6 4), der bei hoher Festigkeit eine ausgezeichnete Beständigkeit in zahlreichen Medien aufweist. Aufgrund des günstigen Einflusses von Stickstoff weist dieser Stahl mit nur 4,5 % Molybdän eine höhere Wirksumme PRE und eine höhere Beständigkeit gegen Loch- und Spaltkorrosion auf als die gängigen 6%-Mo-Austenite. Das Schweißen der beschriebenen hochstickstoffhaltigen Stähle ist ohne besondere Vorkehrungen mit allen üblichen Verfahren möglich. Porenbildung tritt nicht auf. Mit dem empfohlenen Schweißzusatz Thermanit NimoC (SG-NiCr 20 Mo 15) lassen sich mit dem WIG- und dem UP-Schweißen an Remanit 4565 S (X 2 CrNiMnMoN 24 17 6 4) Verbindungen herstellen, die ebenso beständig gegen Loch- und Spaltkorrosion sind wie der Grundwerkstoff. Somit steht mit Remanit 4565 S (X 2 CrNiMnMoN 24 17 6 4) eine vielseitige wirtschaftliche Alternative zu 6 %-Mo-Stählen und Nickelbasislegierungen zur Verfügung.     

Adaptation in very old age: Exploring the role of resources, beliefs, and attitudes for centenarians' happiness.

When individuals reach very old age, accumulating negative conditions represent a serious challenge to their capacity to adapt and are likely to reduce the quality of life. By examining happiness and its determinants in centenarians, this study investigated the proposal that psychological resilience may come to an end in extremely old age. Data from the population-based Heidelberg Centenarian Study indicated high levels of happiness. Basic resources (i.e., job training, cognition, health, social network, extraversion) explained a substantial proportion of variance in happiness, but some resource effects were mediated through self-referent beliefs (e.g., self-efficacy) and attitudes toward life (e.g., optimistic outlook). Results challenge the view that psychological resilience reaches a critical limit or that the self-regulatory adaptation system loses its efficiency in very advanced age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A new dithienosilole-based oligothiophene with methyldicyanovinyl groups for high performance solution-processed organic solar cells

A new linear dithienosilole-based oligothiophene end-capped with methyl and electron-withdrawing dicyanovinyl groups, DTS(Oct)₂-(2T-DCV-Me)₂, was prepared in good yield. This oligomer exhibited broad absorption spectra in bulk down to the near-IR region with the optical edge at 900 nm, resulting in an initially high power conversion efficiency of 5.44% in solution-processed organic solar cells using PC₇₁BM as an acceptor.     

Diindenoperylene derivatives: A model to investigate the path from molecular structure via morphology to solar cell performance

Efficient organic electronic devices require a detailed understanding of the relation between molecular structure, thin film growth, and device performance, which is only partially understood at present. Here, we show that small changes in molecular structure of a donor absorber material lead to significant changes in the intermolecular arrangement within organic solar cells. For this purpose, phenyl rings and propyl side chains are fused to the diindenoperylene (DIP) molecule. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry turned out to be a powerful combination to gain detailed information about the thin film growth. Planar and bulk heterojunction solar cells with C60 as acceptor and the DIP derivatives as donor are fabricated to investigate the influence of film morphology on the device performance. Due to its planar structure, DIP is found to be highly crystalline in pristine and DIP:C60 blend films while its derivatives grow liquid-like crystalline. This indicates that the molecular arrangement is strongly disturbed by the steric hindrance induced by the phenyl rings. The high fill factor (FF) of more than 75% in planar heterojunction solar cells of the DIP derivatives indicates excellent charge transport in the pristine liquid-like crystalline absorber layers. However, bulk heterojunctions of these materials surprisingly result in a low FF of only 54% caused by a weak phase separation and thus poor charge carrier percolation paths due to the lower ordered thin film growth. In contrast, crystalline DIP:C60 heterojunctions lead to high FF of up to 65% as the crystalline growth induces better percolation for the charge carriers. However, the major drawback of this crystalline growth mode is the nearly upright standing orientation of the DIP molecules in both pristine and blend films. This arrangement results in low absorption and thus a photocurrent which is significantly lower than in the DIP derivative devices, where the liquid-like crystalline growth leads to a more horizontal molecular alignment. Our results underline the complexity of the molecular structure-device performance relation in organic semiconductor devices.