Classism in the university setting: Examining student antecedents and outcomes.

To examine the relationship between social class status, experiences of classism, and psychosocial and school-related outcomes, 950 undergraduates at a liberal arts school completed a survey assessing their college experiences. Social class, race, and gender were hypothesized to predict experiences of classism, which were then expected to relate to psychosocial and school outcomes. The multivariate model was tested via path analysis. Lower social class status predicts experiences of classism. Classism is associated with lower levels of school belonging, negative psychosocial outcomes, and greater intentions of leaving school. School belonging mediates the relation between classism and both psychosocial outcomes and intentions to leave school. Additionally, psychosocial outcomes mediate the relation between school belonging and health perceptions, as well as the relation between school belonging and intentions to leave school. Implications include the importance of addressing and stopping classism in higher education. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Polysomnographie, chronobiologie et approche cognitive dans le traitement de la dépression majeure.

Apart from pharmacotherapy and biological conceptualisations, the cognitive theory and its therapeutic approach are likely the most used in the conceptualization and the treatment of major depression. The cognitive model attempts to explain how certain factors activate a dysfunctional cognitive structure. As such, the cognitive therapy focuses on the modification of negative and depressive cognitive distortions. Despite a success rate of approximately 66%, a significant proportion of patients (30%) suffer a relapse within one year of treatment. This suggests that the cognitive approach is not sufficient to explain the development, maintenance, remission and relapse of a major depressive episode. It is proposed here that sleep and chronobiological factors should be taken into consideration in order to improve the understanding of major depression and to maximize the chances of complete remission in those who suffer from this disorder. Indeed, both research and clinical reports have revealed that major depression is accompanied by sleep disruptions. More specifically, three types of problems have been identified: (1) Sleep discontinuity (reduced total sleep time, increased sleep latency, increased awakenings, reduced sleep efficiency); (2) decreases in slow wave sleep (SWS); (3) changes in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep characteristics (decreased REM latency, increased REM density, increase in the length of the first REM period and in the quantity of REM sleep). Of particular interest is the observation that, when the depressive symptoms disappear, sleep improves. Recent research, however reveals that certain sleep abnormalities, namely short REM latency and reduced SWS, are more robust or trait-like and are indicators of an increased risk of relapse. Furthermore, other studies suggest that the presence of these sleep abnormalities may facilitate the onset of depression. Models of sleep-wake regulation which have attempted to explain the sleep characteristics of depression are reviewed. These point to underlying chronobiological factors such as phase advances of circadian rhythms and suggest that such factors are responsible for the manifestation of the sleep disturbances observed in major depression. Fortunately, techniques that improve sleep quality and resynchronize the biological rhythms are available. Sleep hygiene maximizes sleep habits that facilitate normal sleep, particularly sleep initiation, sleep continuity and length of sleep. On the chronobiological side, bright light exposure and sleep schedule manipulations can resynchronize sleep periods with the appropriate circadian phase. It is thus proposed that sleep recordings, namely polysomnography, which have recently become more readily available (particularly with ambulatory devices), be used to select adequate treatment, and to support decisions regarding treatment duration. Similarly, sleep hygiene and chronobiological treatments should be integrated in the treatment of major depression. This article concludes by proposing a hierarchical model of interventions that combine polysomnography and chronobiological techniques with the classic cognitive approach to major depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Residence time distribution measurements and simulation of the flow pattern in a scraped surface heat exchanger during crystallisation of ice cream

Scraped surface heat exchangers are used in the food industry to process highly viscous fluids, and ice-cream in particular, but most of the time, the influence of operating conditions on product quality is poorly understood. The objective of the study is to develop simple tools to help industrials understand, and then optimise their fabrication process. Residence Time Distribution (RTD) has been characterised in an industrial pilot system during real ice cream production, after the method had been validated in an experimental set-up with a simple mixture of water and sucrose. It has been shown that in its dimensionless form, RTD depend slightly on flow rate and scraper rotational speed. A simple model of flow pattern applicable to SSHE during crystallisation was developed to reproduce the observed RTD. It distinguishes two zones: the volume of fluid near the cooling wall where ice is generated and which is swept by the blades and the volume of fluid near to the rotor. Therefore, the model considers two parallel plug flow reactors with axial dispersion, and which exchange fluid by radial mixing. After adjustment of the model parameters, a good agreement was obtained with experimental results. The flow rate is lower in the zone near the cooling wall; this can be due to a higher ice concentration leading to higher viscosity. This approach can contribute to better understand, optimise and control SSHE used for ice cream production.     

Effects of ethnic, sex, and attitude similarity on counselor credibility.

Surveyed 63 male and 64 female Mexican-American community college students to determine their attitude toward acculturation. Ss were then randomly assigned to receive written material describing the sex, ethnicity, and attitude toward acculturation of a counselor they subsequently heard in a tape-recorded excerpt of a counseling session. After reading the written introduction and listening to the counseling excerpt, Ss rated the counselor's credibility and attractiveness on the Counselor-Effectiveness Rating Scale (CERS). A repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between attitude similarity and the repeated factor (CERS subscales). Post hoc analyses indicated that Ss' ratings of their willingness to see the counselor were significantly lower than other credibility ratings for those Ss who were exposed to a counselor with a dissimilar attitude. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensory and quality parameters of raw and processed Chicory-Hindbeh,a commonly consumed dark leafy green in Lebanon (Cichorium intybus L.) during frozen storage

This work aimed at assessing the effect of heat treatment and frozen storage on the sensory and chemical properties of chicory with the goal of optimizing the heat pretreatment-storage condition to best preserve the chemical and sensory properties of chicory. Raw, boiled (10 min), blanched (90 °C for 60 s) and steamed (for 20 s) chicory samples were produced and stored at −6 °C, −12 °C or −18 °C for 4 months. Chemical analyses (moisture, ash, vitamin C, peroxidase activity, chlorophyll and color) and sensory evaluation (QDA and hedonic evaluation) were conducted. Treatment significantly influenced all chemical variables (p < 0.001), except for moisture; and so did freezing temperatures for a-value (p < 0.001), chlorophyll-a, peroxidase activity, vitamin C and ash (p < 0.01), total chlorophyll, moisture and b-value (p < 0.05). Differences were obtained for age for all chemical variables (p < 0.001). Treatments affected consumers' acceptability of chicory and QDA showed that boiled chicory was significantly more tender, less chewy and crunchy and needed less time to disintegrate than other samples. PCA showed that PC1 and PC2 separated attributes based on type and intensity of treatments, respectively. It is recommended to use blanching at 90 °C for 60 s and freezing at −12 °C or −18 °C to best preserve the quality of chicory.     

Factors to consider for trace element deposition biomonitoring surveys with lichen transplants

A trace element deposition biomonitoring experiment with transplants of the fruticose lichen Evernia prunastri was developed, aimed at monitoring the effects of different exposure parameters (exposure orientation and direct rain) and to the elements Ti, V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Cd, Sb and Pb. Accumulations were observed for most of the elements, confirming the ability of Evernia transplants for atmospheric metal deposition monitoring. The accumulation trends were mainly affected by the exposure orientation and slightly less so by the protection from rain. The zonation of the trace elements inside the thallus was also studied. It was concluded that trace element concentrations were not homogeneous in Evernia, thus imposing some cautions on the sampling approach. A nuclear microprobe analysis of an E. prunastri transplanted thallus in thin cross-sections concluded that the trace elements were mainly concentrated on the cortex of the thallus, except Zn, Ca and K which were also present in the internal layers. The size of the particles deposited or entrapped on the cortex surface averaged 7 microm. A list of key parameters to ensure the comparability of surveys aiming at observing temporal or spatial deposition variation is presented.     

Blockchain and artificial intelligence for network security

Annals of Telecommunications -     

Molecular modeling and synthesis of polymers for use in applications requiring a low-k dielectric

As integrated circuits have become more and more complex and with smaller and smaller feature sizes several limitations have become apparent. One of these is the need for low-k dielectric materials as insulating layers. Recent work has reported promising materials for such insulators that include some fluorinated polymers. These dielectric materials were further improved by introducing porosity into the polymer films. One of the key factors in the dielectric constant of a material is its density. As the polarization of the material is related to the number of bonds, the dielectric constant will scale with the density. In this paper a series of molecular modeling calculations were conducted on various fluorine substituted polymers in order to predict their densities. A surprising result of these calculations was the prediction that some of the polymers would have densities less than 1 g/cm³. One of these polymers was synthesized and the density determined. The calculated density was in extremely good agreement with the experimental density. This paper will present the details of the molecular modeling technique as well as the synthesis and characterization of one of the polymers of interest.