Neurophysiological development in premature infants following stimulation.

Tactile kinesthetic stimulation was given to 15 premature infants to determine effects on neurophysiological development. The mothers of the Ss were trained to administer the treatment for 15 min 4 times a day for 1 mo, beginning the day the S arrived home from the hospital. When Ss and 14 control Ss were 4 mo old (CA), they were examined by a pediatrician, a psychologist, and a pediatric nurse who had no knowledge of whether the S was experimental or control. The Ss' neurological development, weight, length, head circumference, and mental and motor development (as determined by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development) were assessed. Results indicate that experimental Ss made significant gains in neurological development, in weight gain, and in mental development. Findings suggest that the early and systematic stimulation provided by the mothers can enhance development of premature infants. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dependence of electrical properties of polycrystalline cvd si films on grain size and impurity doping concentrationa,b

The electrical properties of sets of simultaneously grown p-type polycrystalline Si films, deposited by SiH₄ pyrolysis on polycrystalline high-purity alumina substrates and B-doped during growth, were determined by Hall-effect measurements in the temperature range 77-420K as functions both of impurity doping concentration N (~10^l5 to ~10²⁰cm⁻³) and average grain size (≈1 to ≈125μm) in the film. Room temperature data showed rapidly increasing resistivities and rapidly decreasing free-carrier concentrations for doping below a critical concentration N_m and distinct mobility minima at that concentration, with the value of N_m being larger the smaller the average grain size. Measurements as a function of sample temperature showed the intergrain barrier height E_b, decreasing from a maximum value of ~0.4eV at the critical concentration to very small values (~0.01eV) for concentrations above 10¹⁹cm⁻³, with a functional dependence close to E_b ∝l/N^1/2 and E_b for any given concentration being larger the smaller the average grain size. Results are interpreted in terms of the grain-boundary trapping model. Trapped carrier densities in the grain boundaries were calculated to range from ~5×l0¹¹cm⁻² at N≈N_m to ~5×l0¹²cm⁻² for N>10¹⁹cm⁻³, the density being higher the smaller the grain size, and evidence was found for an energy distribution of traps in the Si bandgap, rather than a fixed density at a single discrete energy level. The observed relationship between N_m and average grain size nearly coincides with that of the model for films with ~lμm grain size but sharply departs from it for larger grain sizes, indicating probable applicability of the model for grain sizes up to that range. ^aThis work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energythrough its San Francisco Operations Office under Contract DE-AC03-79ET23045 and monitored by the Solar Energy Research Institute, Golden, CO. bThese results were first described at the 22nd Electronic Materials Conference, Ithaca, NY, June 21–27, 1980, Paper No. M4.     

Properties of carboxymethylated cotton prepared in nonaqueous media

Mercerized cotton printcloth was converted to sodium cellulosates of various degrees of substitution by reaction with sodium methoxide in methanol. These sodium cellulosates were reacted with sodium monochloroacetate in dimethyl sulfoxide at room temperature. The sodium hydroxide pretreatment affected not only the yield of the sodium cellulosate but also the degree of conversion of cellulosate to carboxymethyl (CM) cellulose. The nonaqueously prepared CM cottons had fabric properties that differed from the properties of CM cottons prepared by conventional aqueous methods. By the nonaqueous method, CM cottons of increased capacity, or degree of substitution (D.S.), were obtained by a one-treatment procedure. These CM cottons in the sodium salt or acid form were insoluble in water and in 23% NaOH. Those of D.S. of about 0.3, when in the acid form, possessed improved wrinkle recovery angles. The salt form of CM cotton acts as a built-in catalyst for the reactions of cotton with methylolated ureas such as dimethylolurea (DMU) and dimethylolethyleneurea (DMEU). However, only DMU was effective in imparting improved conditioned and wet wrinkle recovery to CM cotton. Initial replacement of Na⁺ ions of CM cotton by H⁺ was easily accomplished. After replacement of approximately half of the Na⁺ ions, it was more difficult to replace the remaining half of Na⁺ from CM cottons that had been prepared in nonaqueous media. Affinity of carboxylate ions in CM cottons prepared nonaqueously for cations did not decrease with size of cation even though affinity for H⁺ ions was greatest.     

Model based development of access policies

In this paper we present a novel approach for the specification of user rights in the context of an object oriented use case driven development process. Basically, we extend the specification of methods by a permission section describing the right of some actor to call the method of an object. Our approach is both role based and context based while allowing for permissions to be specified at a fine-grained data-dependent level. We use first-order logic with a built-in notion of objects and classes (provided with an algebraic semantics) as our syntactic and semantic framework. In the second part of the paper, we demonstrate the application of this approach in a model-based context to generate permissions in distributed peer-to-peer networks.     

Asking the right questions about leadership: Discussion and conclusions.

Five questions prompted by the articles in the American Psychologist special issue on leadership (January 2007, Vol. 62, No. 1., see records 2006-23492-001, 2006-23492-002, 2006-23492-003, 2006-23492-004, 2006-23492-005, and 2006-23492-006) suggest some new directions for leadership research: (1) Not do leaders make a difference, but under what conditions does leadership matter? (2) Not what are the traits of leaders, but how do leaders' personal attributes interact with situational properties to shape outcomes? (3) Not do there exist common dimensions on which all leaders can be arrayed, but are good and poor leadership qualitatively different phenomena? (4) Not how do leaders and followers differ, but how can leadership models be reformulated so they treat all system members as both leaders and followers? (5) Not what should be taught in leadership courses, but how can leaders be helped to learn? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Effects of Technological Advancement and Violent Content in Video Games on Players' Feelings of Presence, Involvement, Physiological Arousal, and Aggression

The possible impact of technological advancement on video games' effects—particularly in the case of violent games—has often been discussed but has not been thoroughly explored by empirical research. The present investigation employed a 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial experiment to examine the interplay of technological advancement and violence by exposing participants ( N = 120) to either a newer or older version of a violent or nonviolent game and measuring these factors' effects on players' sense of presence, involvement, physiological arousal (measured by skin conductance), self-reported arousal, and affective and cognitive aggression. The results indicate that technological advancement increased participants' sense of presence, involvement, and physiological and self-reported arousal. Neither advancement nor violence had statistically significant effects on accessibility of players' aggressive thoughts, but there is some tentative evidence that violent game content increased players' state hostility. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research.     

Synthesis and materials characterization of Li2MnO3-LiCrO2 system nanocomposite electrode materials

A series of Li[Cr_xLi_(1−x)/3Mn_2(1−x)/3]O₂, (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) with nanocomposite structures was synthesized by a solution method with subsequent quenching. The sample structures were investigated by X-ray diffraction (Rietveld refinement), electron diffraction and HRTEM. According to co-indexed electron diffraction patterns and HRTEM images, Li[Cr_0.211Li_0.268Mn_0.520]O₂ was found to be composed of solid solution powders and Li[Cr_0.290Li_0.240Mn_0.470]O₂ and Li[Cr_0.338Li_0.225Mn_0.436]O₂ of nanocomposite powders indexed in monoclinic and hexagonal structure. Among the three compounds, the nanocomposite Li[Cr_0.290Li_0.240Mn_0.470]O₂ cathode prevented spinel-like structural transformation during cycling and delivered a good reversible capacity of about 195 mAh/g.     

Leveraging decision‐making tools in capacity building planning: The Indonesian scientific network case

Abstract

The development of investment alternatives for the Government of Indonesia's proposed scientific network forms the background to this case. The goal was to rationalize a structure for developing and sustaining a broad‐based network capable of serving scientists throughout the country, including very remote areas. It became clear that one approach could combine both technological as well as entrepreneurial elements, since the data communications linkages for serving scientists could also be available for private customers. The process of defining and costing out this approach was a textbook example of a bottom‐up analysis, beginning with customer needs and working toward structures to satisfy the needs. The World Bank and the Government of Indonesia are in the process of implementing several features of the recommended system. The proposed approach can ultimately pay for itself through private sector revenues for user services. While the context of the decision is telecommunications, the methodology is appropriate for many decision‐making situations. Samples of actual data and bottom‐line results are discussed.