Adult attachment orientations, self–other boundary regulation, and splitting tendencies in a college sample.

In a sample of 247 college students, the contributions of adult attachment orientations and several other boundary regulation variables to measures of self-splitting (i.e., the tendency to report diffuse and chaotic self-experiences) and other-splitting (i.e., the tendency to acknowledge unstable perceptions of and feelings toward one's friends) were explored. Adult attachment orientations and self-other boundary regulation variables, respectively, explained unique variance in each criterion measure. High levels of attachment anxiety and self-concealment and low levels of self-other differentiation contributed most prominently to self-splitting, whereas high attachment anxiety, low emotional reactivity, and high needs for social approval best predicted other-splitting. Implications of these findings for advancing a more delineated understanding of splitting tendencies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cold fusion experiments using Maxwellian plasmas and sub-atmospheric deuterium gas

Experiments are being performed to initiate the cold fusion process in Maxwellian plasmas and sub-atmospheric deuterium gas. Thus far, apparent neutron counts have been observed using a BF₃ probe and Ludlum model 2200 digital counter, and a broad 8.1 MeV peak has been observed using a 3-inch sodium iodide crystal and a Nucleus PCA II multichannel analyzer. The results appear to be dependent upon the temperature of the palladium sample, deuterium pressure, and the type of palladium sample used. The results are interesting but not sufficient for any conclusions at this point.     

Spontaneous recovery of extinguished fear responses deepens their extinction: A role for error-correction mechanisms.

A series of experiments used a within-subject design to study spontaneous recovery of fear responses (freezing) to an extinguished conditioned stimulus (CS) in rats. Experiments 1, 2, 3, and 4 demonstrated that: a remotely extinguished CS elicited more freezing than a recently extinguished one on a common test; that the CS showing recovery underwent greater response loss across additional extinction than the one lacking recovery; and that spontaneous recovery and deepening of response loss survived reconditioning. Experiment 5 demonstrated that an excitor extinguished in compound with a CS showing recovery suffered greater loss than an excitor extinguished in compound with a CS not showing recovery, implying that the differential change is regulated by a common error term. Experiments 6 and 7 demonstrated that extinction of a compound composed of two CSs, one showing recovery and a second lacking recovery, produced greater loss to the CS that showed recovery, implying that the change is also regulated by individual error term. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Brief Symptom Inventory: Measuring psychological distress in spinal cord injury.

Explored the appropriateness of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) as a measure of psychological distress among 79 traumatic spinal cord injured (SCI) patients (aged 18–70 yrs) and emphasized the limitations of using the BSI as a replacement for the SCL-90—Revised (SCL-90—R). Ss' BSI scores were compared with a nonpatient normative group (N?=?974). Ss were significantly more psychologically distressed in somatization, depression, and phobic anxiety than the normative group. However, several somatization symptoms endorsed by these Ss are common physical effects of SCI rather than psychosomatic complaints. When comparing BSI and SCL-90—R scores of the same Ss, significant statistical differences were found with respect to the level of psychological distress being reported by each test. The BSI may not represent an equivalent abbreviated form of the SCL-90—R for the SCI population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamic processes underlying adult attachment organization: Toward an attachment theoretical perspective on the healthy and effective self.

Contemporary attachment theory is inspiring a burgeoning literature on adult attachment. This literature offers counseling psychology a compelling framework for understanding the healthy and effective self. In this article, the authors review studies probing the cognitive processes, affect self-regulatory dynamics, and relationship behaviors associated with secure (primary) and insecure (secondary) adult attachment strategies. They then offer a portrait of the healthy, effective personality that is consistent with theory and research on adult attachment. Finally, in an effort to understand key characteristics of successful movement toward the healthy and effective self, the authors review empirical extensions of attachment theory to the therapeutic context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex and acculturation differences in occupational values among Chinese-American children.

A study of sex and acculturation differences in occupational values among a group of Chinese-American children (5th and 6th graders) found that money and task satisfaction were very important values, whereas object orientation and solitude were quite unimportant. The high-acculturation children valued self-realization more than the low-acculturation children. Some sex differences in occupational values were also found among this group of children: boys valued object orientation, self-realization, and ideas–data more than did girls, and girls valued altruism more than did boys. The counseling and research implications of the findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing Process Capability: A Bayesian Approach

Quality Control Practitioners often base inferences regarding the capability of a process on a point estimate without examining the distributional qualities of the estimator used. A Bayes solution is proposed that provides good statistical analysis that can be easily used and interpreted on the manufacturing floor.     

Load distribution on highway bridges using ICES-STRUDL finite element analysis

The development of refined finite element models for the analysis of a concrete slab on steel beam highway bridges is presented in this paper. This paper summarizes the process by which a refined finite element analysis was applied to bridge superstructures using ICES-STRUDL. This process will assist bridge engineers and researchers in predicting the actual stress distribution and evaluating the load transfer to beams from designed vehicle loads on highway bridges.     

Membrane technology to prosper under new US water rules

New rules to be introduced over the next several years are expected to stimulate further application of membrane technology for drinking water treatment in the USA. This article briefly outlines the rules and some of the changes that they may bring about.     

Selection of water-dispersible carbon black for fabrication of uranium oxicarbide microspheres

Fabrication of uranium oxicarbide microspheres, a component of TRISO fuel particles for high temperature nuclear power systems, is based on the internal gelation of uranium salts in the presence of carbon black. In order to obtain a high quality product, carbon black should remain dispersed during all phases of the gelation process. In this study, the surface and structural properties of several commercial carbon black materials, and the use of dispersing agents was examined with the goal of finding optimal conditions for stabilizing submicron-sized carbon black dispersions. Traditional methods for stabilizing dispersions, based on the use of dispersing agents, failed to stabilize carbon dispersions against large pH variations, typical for the internal gelation process. An alternate dispersing method was proposed, based on using surface-modified carbons functionalized with strongly ionized surface groups (sodium sulfonate). With a proper choice of surface modifiers, these advanced carbons disperse easily to particles in the range of 0.15-0.20 μm and the dispersions remain stable during the conditions of internal gelation.