Characterisation of organic-inorganic hybrid coatings deposited on aluminium substrates

Optically transparent silica-based single amorphous phase organic-inorganic hybrid coating materials with differing organic/inorganic ratios have been prepared by a novel patented sol-gel process and deposited using a simple angled flow coating method on commercially pure aluminium substrates. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterise the microstructures of the hybrid materials and the quality of the interfaces between the coatings and the aluminium substrates. The scratch resistance, critical load to failure and failure modes of these hybrid coating materials were studied using a simple scratch test. The coatings produced were all shown to adhere well to the aluminium substrates and exhibit good levels of scratch resistance.     

Sequence‐Specific HCV RNA Quantification Using the Size‐Dependent Nonlinear Optical Properties of Gold Nanoparticles

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single‐stranded (ss) RNA virus that is responsible for chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, end‐stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Driven by the need to detect the presence of the HCV viral sequence, herein it is demonstrated for the first time that the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of gold nanoparticles can be used for screening and quantifying HCV RNA without any modification, with excellent detection limit (80 pM ) and selectivity (single base‐pair mismatch). The hyper‐Rayleigh scattering (HRS) intensity increases 25 times when label‐free, 145‐mer, HCV ss‐RNA is hybridized with 400 pM target RNA. The mechanism of HRS intensity change is discussed with experimental evidence for a higher multipolar contribution to the NLO response of gold nanoparticles.     

The effects of item composition,tag inlay design,reader antenna polarization,power and transponder orientation on the dynamic coupling efficiency of backscatter ultra‐high frequency radio frequency identification

The effects of packaged content, packaging material, transponder inlay design, reader antenna polarization, interrogation power and transponder orientation on the detection rate of ultra‐high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) passive transponders were studied. The influence of individual factors and their interactions were determined using general linear model analysis of variance. Influences originated in order of importance, from sample type, antenna polarization, power and inlay design. Important interactions in decreasing order of significance exist between: power and antenna polarization; sample type and antenna polarization; sample type and inlay design; inlay design and antenna polarization; sample type, power and antenna polarization; sample type and power; inlay design and power; sample type, inlay design and power. It was also observed that random orientation of tags did not cause a statistically significant variation in tag detection rate. It can be concluded that the use of UHF RFID for item level of food requires multi‐parameter assessment before hand. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The discovery of the nonindigenous,mottled fingernail clam, Eupera cubensis (Prime, 1865) (Bivalvia: Sphaeriidae) in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (Illinois River Drainage), Cook County,Illinois

The nonindigenous mottled fingernail clam, Eupera cubensis is reported from the Upper Mississippi River Basin for the first time. This record represents a significant northern range expansion for the species in the United States. It appears to be presently confined to a 35-km stretch of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC), an artificial waterway that connects the Mississippi River drainage to the Great Lakes. Although the introduction of this species to the Great Lakes basin poses uncertain risks to the general aquatic community, the immediate effects of Eupera cubensis on the fauna of the CSSC are expected to be minimal.     

Dissemination and effectiveness of multisystemic treatment in New Zealand: A benchmarking study.

The transportability of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) for the treatment of juvenile offenders in a community-based context was examined in the current study. Results of this New Zealand study showed that significant pre- to posttreatment improvements occurred on most indicators of ultimate (i.e., offending behavior) and instrumental (i.e., youth compliance, family relations) treatment outcomes. Reductions in offending frequency and severity continued to improve across the 6- and 12-month follow-up intervals. In comparison to benchmarked studies, the current study demonstrated a more successful treatment completion rate. Additionally, overall treatment effect sizes were found to be clinically equivalent with the results of previous MST outcome studies with juvenile offenders and significantly greater than the effect sizes found in the control conditions. The findings of this evaluation add to the growing body of evidence that supports MST as an effective treatment for antisocial youth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Efficacy = endowment × efficiency: Revisiting efficacy and endowment effects in a public goods dilemma.

This article reexamines the efficacy and endowment effects in public good (PG) dilemma by conceptualizing that efficacy = endowment × efficiency. Endowment is the resource that a person can contribute. Efficiency is the impact of a unit of endowment. Efficacy is the total impact of contribution. The authors used a group project scenario to simulate a continuous contribution PG dilemma. The 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design manipulated own efficiency and own endowment as within-subject variables and the other persons' efficiency and endowment as between-subject variables. Results indicate that cooperation was mainly affected by one's endowment and others' efficiency. The authors distinguished among 3 types of efficiency effects: (a) an own-absolute-efficiency effect that efficient people put in more effort regardless of others' efficiency, (b) an other-absolute-inefficiency effect that people put in more effort when others are inefficient, and (c) a relative-inefficiency effect that inefficient people put in less effort in the presence of efficient people. Contrasting previous robust findings on efficiency, they identified a situation in which efficiency has no effects--when one has more endowment than do others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term memory for the terrorist attack of September 11: Flashbulb memories, event memories, and the factors that influence their retention.

More than 3,000 individuals from 7 U.S. cities reported on their memories of learning of the terrorist attacks of September 11, as well as details about the attack, 1 week, 11 months, and/or 35 months after the assault. Some studies of flashbulb memories examining long-term retention show slowing in the rate of forgetting after a year, whereas others demonstrate accelerated forgetting. This article indicates that (a) the rate of forgetting for flashbulb memories and event memory (memory for details about the event itself) slows after a year, (b) the strong emotional reactions elicited by flashbulb events are remembered poorly, worse than nonemotional features such as where and from whom one learned of the attack, and (c) the content of flashbulb and event memories stabilizes after a year. The results are discussed in terms of community memory practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The contribution of children’s self-regulation and classroom quality to children’s adaptive behaviors in the kindergarten classroom.

In this study, the authors examined the extent to which children’s self-regulation upon kindergarten entrance and classroom quality in kindergarten contributed to children’s adaptive classroom behavior. Children’s self-regulation was assessed using a direct assessment upon entrance into kindergarten. Classroom quality was measured on the basis of multiple classroom observations during the kindergarten year. Children’s adaptive classroom behavior in kindergarten was assessed through teacher report and classroom observations: Teachers rated children’s cognitive and behavioral self-control and work habits during the spring of the kindergarten year; observers rated children’s engagement and measured off-task behavior at 2-month intervals from November to May. Hierarchical linear models revealed that children’s self-regulation upon school entry in a direct assessment related to teachers’ report of behavioral self-control, cognitive self-control, and work habits in the spring of the kindergarten year. Classroom quality, particularly teachers’ effective classroom management, was linked to children’s greater behavioral and cognitive self-control, children’s higher behavioral engagement, and less time spent off-task in the classroom. Classroom quality did not moderate the relation between children’s self-regulation upon school entry and children’s adaptive classroom behaviors in kindergarten. The discussion considers the implications of classroom management for supporting children’s early development of behavioral skills that are important in school settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology’s role in mathematics and science education.

Improving mathematics and science education in the United States has been a matter of national concern for over half a century. Psychology has a vital role to play in this enterprise. In this article, the authors review the kinds of contributions that psychology can make in four areas: (a) early understanding of mathematics, (b) understanding of science, (c) social and motivational aspects of involvement in mathematics and science, and (d) assessment of learning in mathematics and science. They also examine challenges to psychology’s playing a central and constructive role and make recommendations for overcoming those challenges. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)