Distinctiveness and Correlation in Conceptual Structure: Behavioral and Computational Studies.

Patients with category-specific deficits have motivated a range of hypotheses about the structure of the conceptual system. One class of models claims that apparent category dissociations emerge from the internal structure of concepts rather than fractionation of the system into separate substores. This account claims that distinctive properties of concepts in the living domain are vulnerable because of their weak correlation with other features. Given the assumption that mutual activation among correlated properties produces faster activation in the normal system, the authors predicted a disadvantage for the distinctive features of living things for unimpaired adults. Results of a speeded feature verification study supported this prediction, as did a computational simulation in which networks mapped from orthography to semantics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Working Memory Capacity and the Antisaccade Task: Individual Differences in Voluntary Saccade Control.

Performance on antisaccade trials requires the inhibition of a prepotent response (i.e., don't look at the flashing cue) and the generation and execution of a correct saccade in the opposite direction. The authors attempted to further specify the role of working memory (WM) span differences in the antisaccade task. They tested high- and low-span individuals on variants of prosaccade and antisaccade trials in which an eye movement is the sole requirement. In 3 experiments, they demonstrated the importance of WM span differences in both suppression of a reflexive saccade and generation of a volitional eye movement. The results support the contention that individual differences in WM span are not exclusively due to differences in inhibition but also reflect differences in directing the focus of attention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The economics of energy efficiency for the poor—a South African case study

South Africa’s Reconstruction and Development Programme set ambitious goals for providing basic services to all, including housing and electrification. More efficient use of energy has the potential to socially and politically support these goals, particularly when it is targeted at low-income communities lacking adequate energy services. This paper examines the economics of energy efficiency for the urban poor from the perspective of society, utilities and poor consumers, using five example programmes. While the five energy efficiency programmes generally have significant economic and environmental benefits from a social perspective, they may not be as attractive to utilities and consumers. Also examined are the policy options for overcoming the significant barriers to energy efficiency, and ways government can bridge the gap between what is good for society and what is good for the electricity industry.     

The infrared infiltration and joining of advanced material

JOM - Infrared processing is a newly developed technique for materials processing. Key features include rapid processing, simplicity, and low cost. Because of the rapid processing, very little...     

DRM

Two proposals on digital rights management (DRM) may be broughtinto law in the next couple of years:     

Effects of four maintenance programs on the long-term management of obesity.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of four posttreatment programs designed to enhance the long-term maintenance of weight loss. Mildly and moderately obese adults (N?=?123) were randomly assigned to one of the following five conditions: (a) behavior therapy only; (b) behavior therapy plus a posttreatment therapist-contact maintenance program; (c) behavior therapy plus posttreatment therapist contact plus a social influence maintenance program; (d) behavior therapy plus posttreatment therapist contact plus an aerobic exercise maintenance program; or (e) behavior therapy plus posttreatment therapist contact plus both the aerobic exercise and social influence maintenance programs. All posttreatment programs were conducted in 26 biweekly sessions during the year following behavioral treatment for obesity. At an 18-month follow-up evaluation, all four conditions that combined behavior therapy with a posttreatment maintenance program yielded significantly greater long-term weight losses than behavior therapy alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Infants' predictive reaching for moving objects in the dark.

Infants were presented with a moving object under 2 lighting conditions to investigate the role of vision in early reaching. The motion of the target object also allowed for an analysis of the infants' ability to use a predictive style of reaching. Infants were tested twice, at 5 and 7.5 months of age, with a moving object in the light and the same object painted with luminescent paint in the dark. Infants successfully contacted the glowing object on about half of their attempts at both ages, although 7.5 month-olds reached more often. Infants also took into account the motion of the target object by aiming their reaches ahead of the object and by reaching with their contralateral hand. These results suggest that proprioceptive feedback and sight of the target allow for successful reaching with limited visual information, even in relatively complex reaching tasks. The infants' success also demonstrates their ability to adapt their movements and reaching strategy to the speed and trajectory of the target object in order to reach predictively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Steps towards a consumer-driven ‘concept innovation machine’ for food and drink

Innovation is often left to insight and serendipity. A lot of what researchers call innovation is actually a process by which one can make the individual consumer or practitioner more ‘creative’. Although it is important to work with the creative individual in hopes of coming up with the better ‘idea’ and new product/service opportunity, an equally valid albeit novel and counterintuitive approach systematizes creativity in a ‘research-driven machine’. This paper presents an approach to the systematization, based upon the point of view that creativity and innovation comprise the recombination of components into new blends. Given this point of view, to then spur innovation requires a systematic database that the user can access, with tools to help manipulate that database. The paper shows how such a database can be constructed and then used to create a novel product. The approach provides a general framework for the sensory professional to become more involved in the early stages of product development, where the focus is on the conceptual aspects of food features rather than on their physical manifestations in actual products.     

Antioxidant performance of mixed tocopherols in styrenic block copolymers

Mixed tocopherols (MT) containing a predominance of γ‐tocopherol were evaluated for antioxidant (AO) performance in polybutadiene‐ and polyisoprene‐based styrenic block copolymers (SBS and SIS, respectively) by using oxidative induction time as a measure of AO performance. A conventional hindered phenolic AO and α‐tocopherol (vitamin E) were evaluated in comparison. MT exhibited significantly higher performance than the controls in both SIS and SBS polymers. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 12:73–77, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Master sintering curve concepts as applied to the sintering of molybdenum

Sintering experiments with various molybdenum powders are rationalized using a master sintering curve concept that collapses density, grain size, or other parameters onto a single curve. In this case, the integral work of sintering is developed and customized for different green densities. Construction of the master sintering curve is described to show how the curve can be normalized with respect to green density effects. Various grades of molybdenum for metal injection molding and die compaction are included in the analysis, processed over a range of heating cycles. Die-compacted samples of varying green densities are used to illustrate the efficacy of the new, normalized master sintering curve concept. Sintering cycle optimization is one possible outcome from this analysis.