Evidences of the Cerium Oxide-Catalysed DPF Regeneration in a Real Diesel Engine Exhaust

The active phase Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂ has been loaded on commercial substrates (SiC DPF and cordierite honeycomb monolith) to perform DPF regeneration experiments in the exhaust of a diesel engine. Also, a powder sample has been prepared to carry out soot combustion experiments at laboratory. Experiments performed in the real diesel exhaust demonstrated the catalytic activity of the Ce–Pr mixed oxide for the combustion of soot, lowering the DPF regeneration temperature with regard to a counterpart catalyst-free DPF. The temperature for active regeneration of the Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂-containing DPF when the soot content is low is in the range of 500–550 °C. When the Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂-containing DPF is saturated with a high amount of soot, pressure drop and soot load at the filter reach equilibrium at around 360 °C under steady state engine operation due to passive regeneration. The uncoated DPF reached this equilibrium at around 440 °C. Comparing results at real exhaust with those at laboratory allow concluding that the Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂-catalysed soot combustion in the real exhaust is not based on the NO₂-assisted mechanism but is most likely occurring by the active oxygen-based mechanism.     

The effect of cooking on Brassica vegetables

Assessing antioxidant intake requires a food antioxidant database. However, cooking may affect antioxidant content due to antioxidant release, destruction or creation of redox-active metabolites. Here, effects of boiling, steaming and microwaving of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and choy-sum (Chinese cabbage) were explored by measuring antioxidant contents of raw and cooked vegetables. Cooking water was also tested. For all cooked vegetables, antioxidant content was highest in steamed > boiled > microwaved, and decreased with longer cooking time, regardless of method. All steamed vegetables had higher antioxidant contents than had matching raw vegetables. Effects were variable for boiling and microwaving. Microwaving caused greater antioxidant loss into cooking water than did boiling. Marked losses of anitoxidants occurred in microwaved cabbage and spinach. To assess food antioxidant content/intake accurately, cooking effects need detailed study. Steaming may be the cooking method of choice to release/conserve antioxidants. The cooking water is a potentially rich source of dietary antioxidants.     

Einfluss der Genauigkeit der Reaktionskinetik auf die simulationsgestützte Auslegung von Blasensäulen

For the model‐based dimensioning and design of bubble columns information about fluiddynamics as well as mass transfer and reaction are needed. These data from the literature are subject to uncertainty. The influence of uncertainty of reaction kinetics on the dimensioning and design of bubble columns is investigated by using the radial discretized compartment model. The results are compared to the outcome of an axial dispersion model.     

Traumatic memory characteristics: A cross-validated mediational model of response to rape among employed women.

In a cross-validated mediational model, the authors examined characteristics of memories formed in response to rape and other intense unpleasant and pleasant experiences. Data were responses to a mailed survey of women medical center and university employees. Measurement models of memory and symptom factors and a structural model with pathways among cognitive appraisal, emotional valence, memory characteristics, and health outcomes were developed in Sample I (N?=?1,307) and confirmed in Sample 2 (N?=?2,142). Rape had substantial direct effects on 2 memory factors (Clarity and Affect) and indirect effects through the construal of victimization. Rape was associated with memories described as more emotionally intense but less clear and coherent and less often thought of or talked about. Most effects on physical symptoms were nonsignificant. Implications of findings for neurohormonal and multiple representation models of emotional memory and to cognitive avoidance are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Through a narrow window: Sample size and the perception of correlation.

A theoretical analysis (Y. Kareev, 1995b) of the sampling distribution of correlations led to the surprising conclusion that the use of small samples has a potential advantage for the early detection of a correlation. This is so because the distribution is highly skewed, and the smaller the sample size, the more the distribution is skewed. This article describes 2 experiments that were designed as empirical tests of this conclusion. In Experiment 1 (N?=?112), the authors compared the predictions of participants differing in their working-memory capacity (hence in the size of the samples they were likely to consider). In Experiment 2 (N?=?144), the authors compared the predictions of participants who viewed samples of different sizes, whose size was determined by the authors. The results fully supported Y. Kareev's conclusion: In both experiments, participants with lower capacity (or smaller samples) indeed perceived the correlation as more extreme and were more accurate in their predictions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On program development effort and productivity

Many claims are made in the literature concerning large productivity increases as a result of the introduction of various new programming tools and techniques. Seldom do the researchers substantiate these claims, however. Further, many of the reported studies have been unsuccessful because much of the existing research is methodologically flawed and poorly grounded in theory. This paper investigates the methodological problems of previous studies and reports the results of a field study conducted to assess the feasibility of conducting controlled studies of the programming process. A field study of COBOL programs from three commercial organizations investigated the effects of programming style (i.e., structured programming) and programmer skill on (i) the effort required to develop programs and (ii) programming productivity; program size was used as a control variable. The results of the study support the underlying concept: that use of disciplined approaches and well-defined variables leads to more readily interpretable and more conclusive results.