Eyewitness Identification Accuracy and Response Latency: The Unruly 10-12-Second Rule.

Data are reported from 3,213 research eyewitnesses confirming that accurate eyewitness identifications from lineups are made faster than are inaccurate identifications. However, consistent with predictions from the recognition and search literatures, the authors did not find support for the "10-12-s rule" in which lineup identifications faster than 10-12 s maximally discriminate between accurate and inaccurate identifications (D. Dunning & S. Perretta, 2002). Instead, the time frame that proved most discriminating was highly variable across experiments, ranging from 5 s to 29 s, and the maximally discriminating time was often unimpressive in its ability to sort accurate from inaccurate identifications. The authors suggest several factors that are likely to moderate the 10-12-s rule. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Associations between evaporative cooling and dust‐mite allergens,endotoxins, and β‐(1 → 3)‐d‐glucans in house dust: A study of low‐income homes

Recent work suggests that evaporative coolers increase the level and diversity of bioaerosols, but this association remains understudied in low‐income homes. We conducted a cross‐sectional study of metropolitan, low‐income homes in Utah with evaporative coolers (n = 20) and central air conditioners (n = 28). Dust samples (N = 147) were collected from four locations in each home and analyzed for dust‐mite allergens Der p1 and Der f1, endotoxins, and β‐(1 → 3)‐d ‐glucans. In all sample locations combined, Der p1 or Der f1 was significantly higher in evaporative cooler versus central air conditioning homes (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.05‐4.98). Endotoxin concentration was significantly higher in evaporative cooler versus central air conditioning homes in furniture (geometric mean (GM) = 8.05 vs 2.85 EU/mg, P < .01) and all samples combined (GM = 3.60 vs 1.29 EU/mg, P = .03). β‐(1 → 3)‐d ‐glucan concentration and surface loads were significantly higher in evaporative cooler versus central air conditioning homes in all four sample locations and all samples combined (P < .01). Our study suggests that low‐income, evaporative cooled homes have higher levels of immunologically important bioaerosols than central air‐conditioned homes in dry climates, warranting studies on health implications and other exposed populations.     

Utility of Multivariate Analysis in Modeling the Effects of Raw Material Properties and Operating Parameters on Granule and Ribbon Properties Prepared in Roller Compaction

This article aimed to model the effects of raw material properties and roller compactor operating parameters (OPs) on the properties of roller compacted ribbons and granules with the aid of principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) projection. A database of raw material properties was established through extensive physical and mechanical characterization of several microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and lactose grades and their blends. A design of experiment (DoE) was used for ribbon production. PLS models constructed with only OP-modeled roller compaction (RC) responded poorly. Inclusion of raw material properties markedly improved the goodness of fit (R²?=?.897) and model predictability (Q²?=?0.72).     

Path to Market for Compact Modular Fusion Power Cores

The benefits of an energy source whose reactants are plentiful and whose products are benign is hard to measure, but at no time in history has this energy source been more needed. Nuclear fusion continues to promise to be this energy source. However, the path to market for fusion systems is still regularly a matter for long-term (20?+?year) plans. This white paper is intended to stimulate discussion of faster commercialization paths, distilling guidance from investors, utilities, and the wider energy research community (including from ARPA-E). There is great interest in a small modular fusion system that can be developed quickly and inexpensively. A simple model shows how compact modular fusion can produce a low cost development path by optimizing traditional systems that burn deuterium and tritium, operating not only at high magnetic field strength, but also by omitting some components that allow for the core to become more compact and easier to maintain. The dominant hurdles to the development of low cost, practical fusion systems are discussed, primarily in terms of the constraints placed on the cost of development stages in the private sector. The main finding presented here is that the bridge from DOE Office of Science to the energy market can come at the Proof of Principle development stage, providing the concept is sufficiently compact and inexpensive that its development allows for a normal technology commercialization path.     

The relative performance of alternative oxygen carriers for liquid chemical looping combustion and gasification

The relative performance of different potential liquid oxygen carriers within a novel system that can be configured for either chemical looping gasification or combustion is assessed. The parameters considered here are the melting temperature, the Gibbs free energy, reaction enthalpy, exergy and energy flows, syngas quality and temperature difference between the two reactors. Results show that lead, copper and antimony oxides are meritorious candidates for the proposed systems. Antimony oxide was found to offer strong potential for high quality syngas production because it has a reasonable oxygen mass ratio for gasification. A sufficiently low operating temperature to be compatible with concentrated solar thermal energy and a propensity to generate methane. In contrast, copper and lead oxides offer greater potential for liquid chemical looping combustion because they have higher oxygen mass ratio and a higher operating temperature, which enables better efficiency from a power plant. For all three metal oxides, the production of methane via the undesirable methanation reaction is less than 2% of the product gasses for all operating temperatures and an order of magnitude lower for lead.     

Electric vehicle energy consumption modelling and estimation—A case study

Electric vehicles (EVs) have a limited driving range compared to conventional vehicles. Accurate estimation of EV's range is therefore a significant need to eliminate “range anxiety” that refers to drivers' fear of running out of energy while driving. However, the range estimators used in the currently available EVs are not sufficiently accurate. To overcome this issue, more accurate range estimation techniques are investigated. Nonetheless, an accurate power‐based EV energy consumption model is crucial to obtain a precise range estimation. This paper describes a study on EV energy consumption modelling. For this purpose, EV modelling is carried out using MATLAB/Simulink software based on a real EV in the market, the BMW i3. The EV model includes vehicle powertrain system and longitudinal vehicle dynamics. The powertrain is modelled using efficiency maps of the electric motor and the power electronics' data available for BMW i3. It also includes a transmission and a battery model (ie, Thevenin equivalent circuit model). A driver model is developed as well to control the vehicle's speed and to represent human driver's behaviour. In addition, a regenerative braking strategy, based on a series brake system, is developed to model the behaviour of a real braking controller. Auxiliary devices are also included in the EV model to improve energy consumption estimation accuracy as they can have a significant impact on that. The vehicle model is validated against published energy consumption values that demonstrates a satisfactory level of accuracy with 2% to 6% error between simulation and experimental results for Environmental Protection Agency and NEDC tests.     

Thiazolidinediones: An In–Depth Study of Their Synthesis and Application to Medicinal Chemistry in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

2,4-Thiazolidinedione (TZD) is a privileged and highly utilised scaffold for the development of pharmaceutically active compounds. This sulfur-containing heterocycle is a versatile pharmacophore that confers a diverse range of pharmacological activities. TZD has been shown to exhibit biological action towards a vast range of targets interesting to medicinal chemists. In this review, we attempt to provide insight into both the historical conventional and the use of novel methodologies to synthesise the TZD core framework. Further to this, synthetic procedures utilised to substitute the TZD molecule at the activated methylene C₅ and N₃ position are reviewed. Finally, research into developing clinical agents, which act as modulators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors gamma (PPARγ), protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and aldose reductase 2 (ALR2), are discussed. These are the three most targeted receptors for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM).     

Vaporization of Protective Oxide Films into Different Gas Atmospheres

Oxidation of Metals - Vaporization often accompanies high-temperature oxidation and corrosion. In this review, vaporization under a vacuum as well as static gas and flowing gas conditions is...