Simple model of the optical characteristics of bubbles and sediments in seawater of the surf zone

The development of a simple model of the seawater inherent optical properties (IOPs) associated with bubbles and sediments would represent a great advance in surf zone optics. We present one solution for this problem using a combination of geometrical optics and Fraunhofer diffraction. An analytic model of the IOPs of bubbles and sediments (the extinction and absorption coefficients, and phase function) is developed in terms of the moments of the particle size distribution and the complex refractive index of particles.     

Program greatly improves production cost estimate

During the past few years, IBM San Jose has experienced increasing needs for better ways to model and estimate production costs of products such as magnetic heads, magnetic disks and circuit cards. More precise projections are needed to establish accurate pricing structure, evaluate manufacturing performance and provide an index for evaluating production improvements aimed at reducing costs.

To answer such needs, a unique new process estimating program has been developed and applied successfully. This program represents a major step forward in cost and productivity estimating. It provides data useful in many areas—cost engineering, manufacturing engineering and finance—and is designed to “bridge” to additional systems in the future.     

Longterm Increased S100B Enhances Hippocampal Progenitor Cell Proliferation in a Transgenic Mouse Model

(1) The neurotrophic protein S100B is a marker of brain injury and has been associated with neuroregeneration. In S100Btg mice rendering 12 copies of the murine S100B gene we evaluated whether S100B may serve as a treatment option. (2) In juvenile, adult, and one-year-old S100Btg mice (female and male; n = 8 per group), progenitor cell proliferation was quantified in the subgranular zone (SGZ) and the granular cell layer (GCL) of the dentate gyrus with the proliferative marker Ki67 and BrdU (50 mg/kg). Concomitant signaling was quantified utilizing glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), apolipoprotein E (ApoE), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) immunohistochemistry. (3) Progenitor cell proliferation in the SGZ and migration to the GCL was enhanced. Hippocampal GFAP was reduced in one-year-old S100Btg mice. ApoE in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of male and BDNF in the frontal cortex of female S100Btg mice was reduced. RAGE was not affected. (4) Enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis in S100Btg mice was not accompanied by reactive astrogliosis. Sex- and brain region-specific variations of ApoE and BDNF require further elucidations. Our data reinforce the importance of this S100Btg model in evaluating the role of S100B in neuroregenerative medicine.     

Protective Behavioral Strategies When Drinking Alcohol and Their Relationship to Negative Alcohol-Related Consequences in College Students.

Prior research has examined a number of individual characteristics (e.g., gender, family connectedness) that protect individuals from engaging in heavy drinking and experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences, but less is known about specific behavioral strategies that might also serve as protective factors. In this study, 556 undergraduate students completed the National College Health Assessment (American College Health Association, 2000) and answered questions regarding the use of specific protective behavioral strategies (PBS), alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related consequences. Results indicated that less frequent use of PBS was related to a greater likelihood of experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences, even after accounting for the effects of gender and alcohol consumption. These results suggest that PBS may be an important component of both prevention and treatment programs for college students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Talking Through It: Using Student to Student Interviews and Brainstorming Activities for Facilitating Critical Inquiry

Facilitating student engagement, critical thinking, and strategic research approaches are key goals for many teaching librarians in academia. Librarians generally develop different tools to address these goals, depending on the class, the students, and the research in which students are participating. This paper outlines a peer-to-peer interview method developed as part of a workshop for an advanced chemistry class. The goal of this activity is to improve engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking before upper-level students delve into research literature. The activity iterations as well as outcomes, observations, and overall success are described in detail.     

Nanoarchitecture Control Enabled by Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids have many advantages over traditional aqueous electrosynthesis for fabrication of functional nanoarchitectures, including enabling the integration of nanoparticles into traditional coatings, superhydrophobicity, nanofoams, and other hierarchical structures. Shape and size control through ionic liquid selection and processing conditions can synthesize nanoparticles and nanoarchitectures without the use of capping agents, surfactants, or templates that are often deleterious to the functionality of the resultant system. Here we give a brief overview of some recent and interesting applications of ionic liquids to the synthesis of nanoparticles and nanoarchitectures.     

Flow of groundwater in fractured rocks

A pervasive problem in dealing with fractured rocks is the importance of the flow of ground water through the discontinuities. This paper describes the results of recent work in this laboratory to investigate this problem. A much better understanding of the physics of fluid flow in a natural fracture from a sample of granite has been obtained from metal casts of the complex topography of the surfaces of the fracture as it is subjected to normal stresses up to 85 MPa. Contact area within the deforming aperture increases up to 30 percent and produces a flow regime that cannot be described by the cubic law. An investigation of flow in a network of fractures using a new numerical technique has been carried out to determine the effect of length and density of fractures on permeability. Networks with shorter fracture lengths and higher density will have lower permeabilities and will behave less like porous media than networks with longer fracture lengths and lower density. As fracture length increases, permeability approaches a maximum that can be predicted on the basis of infinite length fractures. A new analytical solution for transient flow to a borehole that penetrates a fracture dominated rock mass is summarized. A new derivative method of analyzing pressure transients from this solution is discussed and enables one to distinguish a fracture dominated system from one that exhibits double-porosity behavior.     

EMET technology for rail launchers

The EMET concept is a marriage of electrothermal plasma jet technology with rail accelerators using plasma armatures. By injecting a structured plasma immediately behind a moving projectile prior to the current pulse, the plasma armature properties can be highly controlled. Parameters of interest are the armature mass and length, molecular weight, specific heat ratio gamma, and temperature. Proper control of these parameters leads to control of problems facing rail launchers such as wall ablation and viscous wall drag. In support of EMET, a Material Test Facility (MTF) has been developed for performing basic physics and materials research on hypervelocity launchers, by making direct measurements of the plasma pressure and jet velocity in a 1 cm bore. These measurements are then compared with theoretical models for various types of plasmas, in order to understand and eliminate barrel ablation. The paper discusses measurement techniques used on MTF, and the approaches being taken to develop EMET in the laboratory.     

Content of an abstract: De jure and de facto.

Comments on the guidelines presented in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (see record 82-03290) for writing abstracts. A brief history is given of abstract guidelines for an empirical article, and data is reported on the degree of compliance with the requirements stated in the Manual, as reflected by actual published abstracts. The percentage of abstracts that adhered to the word limit varied considerably across journals. The following 3 recommendations are given: (1) report participant information if individual differences are the primary concern of the study, (2) ignore the requirement of reporting statistical significance levels because statistical significance levels do not represent the theoretical or practical importance of a research finding, and (3) do not be overly concerned with the word count. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)