Olfactory Sensitivity for Aliphatic Esters in Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi).

Using a conditioning paradigm, the authors investigated the olfactory sensitivity of 3 spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) for a homologous series of aliphatic esters (ethyl acetate to n-octyl acetate) and isomeric forms of some of these substances. With all odorants, the monkeys significantly discriminated concentrations below 1 ppm from the odorless solvent, and in several cases, individual monkeys even demonstrated thresholds below 1 ppb. The results showed spider monkeys to have a high olfactory sensitivity for aliphatic esters, which for the majority of substances matches or even is better than that of species such as the rat, the mouse, or the dog. These findings support the assumption that between-species comparisons of neuroanatomical features are poor predictors of olfactory performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Personal Functioning Inventory: A reliable and valid measure of adaptiveness in coping.

This article reports the development and validation of the Personal Functioning Inventory (PFI), a new measure of adaptiveness in coping. In Study 1, two adult samples (Ns of 105 and 101) showed the PFI to be highly reliable and to correlate substantially with a summed rating scale for adaptiveness. Study 2 with 140 undergraduates again showed the PH to be highly reliable and to relate positively to problem-solving confidence and negatively to perceived stress. Study 3, a two-wave longitudinal study with a three-week intersession interval, involved 149 undergraduates at Time 1 and retained 107 at Time 2. It demonstrated strong reliability and stability for the PFI, concurrent and predictive positive relations with selfrated adaptiveness and prolonged state anxiety, and discriminant validity against abstract curiosity. Factor analyses consistently supported a one-factor structure for the PFI. Possible applications for the scale are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Additive interactions in the stabilization of film grade high-density polyethylene. Part I: Stabilization and influence of zinc stearate during melt processing

The melt stabilization activity of some of the most commercially significant phenolic antioxidants and phosphites (alone and in combination), without and with zinc stearate, was studied in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) produced by Phillips catalyst technology. Multiple pass extrusion experiments were used to degrade the polymer melt progressively. The effect of stabilizers was assessed via melt flow rate (MFR) and yellowness index (YI) measurements conducted as a function of the number of passes. The level of the phenolic antioxidant remaining after each extrusion was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phenolic antioxidants and phosphites both improved the melt stability of the polymer in terms of elt viscosity retention; the influence of zinc stearate was found to be almost insignificant. However, phosphites and zinc stearate decreased the discoloration caused by the phenolic antioxidants. A correlation was found between the melt stabilization performance of phosphites and their hydroperoxide decomposition efficiency determind via a model hydroperoxide compound. Steric and electronic effects associated with the phosphorus atom influenced the reactivity towards hydroperoxides. Furthermore, high hydrolytic stability did not automatically result in lower efficiency. Besides phosphite molecular structure, stabilization activity was also influenced by the structure of the primary phenolic antioxidant and the presence of zinc stearate.     

Discrete and continuous planning of hand movements and isometric force trajectories

We have previously demonstrated that, in preparing themselves to aim voluntary impulses of isometric elbow force to unpredictable targets, subjects selected default values for amplitude and direction according the range of targets that they expected. Once a specific target appeared, subjects specified amplitude and direction through parallel processes. Amplitude was specified continuously from an average or central default; direction was specified stochastically from one of the target directions. Using the same timed response paradigm, we now report three experiments to examine how the time available for processing target information influences trajectory characteristics in two-degree-of-freedom forces and multijoint movements. We first sought to determine whether the specification of force direction could also take the form of a discrete stochastic process in pulses of wrist muscle force, where direction can vary continuously. With four equiprobable targets (two force amplitudes in each of two directions separated by 22 degrees or 90 degrees), amplitude was specified from a central default value for both narrow and wide target separations as a continuous variable. Direction, however, remained specified as a discrete variable for wide target separations. For narrow target separations, the directional distribution of default responses suggested the presence of both discrete and central values. We next examined point-to-point movements in a multijoint planar hand movement task with targets at two distances and two directions but at five directional separations (from 30 degrees to 150 degrees separation). We found that extent was again specified continuously from a central default. Direction was specified discretely from alternative default directions when target separation was wide and continuously from a central default when separation was narrow. The specification of both extent and direction evolved over a 200-ms time period beginning about 100 ms after target presentation. As in elbow force pulses, extent was specified progressively in both correct and wrong direction responses through a progressive improvement in the scaling of acceleration and velocity peaks to the target. On the other hand, movement time and hand path straightness did not change significantly in the course of specification. Thus, the specification of movement time and linearity, global features of the trajectories, are given priority over the specific values of extent and direction. In a third experiment, we varied the distances between unidirectional target pairs and found that movement extent is specified discretely, like direction, when the disparity in distances is large. The implications of these findings for contextual effects on trajectory planning are discussed. The independence of extent and direction specification and the prior setting of response duration and straightness provide critical support for the hypothesis that point-to-point movements are planned vectorially.     

Characterization of Cu and K containing Fe/Mn oxide catalysts for fischer-tropsch synthesis

Copper and potassium containing Fe/Mn oxide catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis were investigated by X-ray microprobe technique, scanning electron microscopy, low-temperature argon sorption and carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide chemisorption at ?80°C. The specific surface areas of the catalysts depend on the preparation method, e.g. addition of K or Cu by coprecipitation leads to an increase while impregnation results in a decrease in surface area. The resulting samples are inhomogeneous, as shown by all method. Mn and especially K accumulated on the surface of the catalysts. Addition of Cu and K considerably altered the selectivity and activity of the Fe/Mn oxide catalyst. High potassium contents produced high olefin to paraffin ratios but these catalysts became rapidly deactivated. Copper and a very small addition of potassium led to a very low olefin to paraffin ratio but showed a high and constant activity.     

Modeling individual differences in perceptual and attentional processes related to bulimic symptoms.

Attentional and perceptual differences between women with high and low levels of bulimic symptoms were studied with techniques adapted from cognitive science. Stimuli were pictures of young women varying in body size and facial affect. A multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the high symptom women were significantly more attentive to information about body size and significantly less attentive to information about affect. In prototype classification tasks, the high-symptom women used significantly more information about body size and significantly less information about affect. There were strong associations between individual differences in attention in the similarity task and decision making in the classification tasks. The study shows the potential utility of cognitive science methods for the study of cognitive factors in psychopathology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anaerobic/aerobic sequential treatment of a cotton textile mill wastewater

The treatment of a wastewater taken from a cotton textile mill was investigated using an anaerobic/aerobic sequential system during an operational period of 87 days. The process units consisted of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). Wastewater characterization was performed before feeding the reactor system. Glucose‐COD, and azo dyes were added to the textile wastewater for comparative purposes in the final period of operation. The pH values in the effluent of the UASB reactor were suitable for optimal anaerobic treatment in all runs. The biodegradable part of the COD in wastewater was removed effectively, with the anaerobic stage improving the biodegradability of wastewater entering the aerobic stage. The UASB reactor permitted COD and color removals of 9–51% and 46–55%, respectively, at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 30 h. COD removal efficiencies were between 40 and 85% and color removal efficiencies were 39–81% in normal and artificially‐colored wastewaters at a total HRT of 5.75 days in the UASB/CSTR reactor system. Benzidine produced from the cleavage of azo bond in the anaerobic stage was effectively removed in the aerobic stage, and was identified by comparison of its HPLC spectrum with that of an authentic specimen. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry