Procedural variation in behavioral avoidance tests.

Varied level of demand for approach to a live snake in a behavioral avoidance test by presenting the test either as a measure of degree of avoidance (low demand) or as a measure of physiological components of anxiety which required that Ss handle the target object (high demand). Mode of presentation of instructions was also manipulated; 1/2 of the 50 female undergraduates in each condition heard "1-shot" tape-recorded instructions and were alone in the test room (impersonal mode), while the other 1/2 heard the instructions presented by a "live" E who accompanied the S to the test room and provided sequential instructions for each step in the behavioral avoidance test (personal mode). The main effect of context was significant on latency to touch and overt fear measures (with low-demand Ss displaying more fear), while the main effect of mode was significant for behavior approach score as well as overt fear (the personal mode was associated with less avoidance). Implications for psychotherapy outcome research employing behavioral avoidance tests are discussed. (61 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sustainable Production of Surfactants from Renewable Resources(Online First, Recommended Article)

Surfactants are important chemical products, serving as emulsifiers and interfacial modifiers in the household detergents, personal care products, paints and coatings, foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals industries. This review focuses upon recent advances in research and development to improve the ecological sustainability of surfactants throughout their life cycle, including derivation from renewable resources, production using green manufacturing principles, and improved biocompatibility and biodegradability during their consumer use and disposal stages. Biobased surfactants, derived from vegetable oils, polysaccharides, proteins, phospholipids, and other renewable resources, currently comprise approximately 24% of the surfactant market, and this percentage is expected to increase, especially in Asia. The use of renewables is attractive to consumers because of reduced production of CO2, a greenhouse gas associated with climate change. Enzymes can greatly increase process sustainability, through reduced use of organic solvent, water, and energy, and reduced formation of by-products and waste products. Among the enzymes being investigated for surfactant synthesis, lipases are the most robust, due to their relatively high biocatalytic activity, operational stability and their ability to form or cleave ester, amide, and thioester bonds. For enzymes to be robust catalysts of surfactants, further research and development is needed to improve catalytic productivity, stability and reduce their purchase cost.     

Deployment and demonstration of wide area monitoring system in power system of Great Britain

The creation of a suitable wide area monitoring system（WAMS） is widely recognized as an essential aspect of delivering a power system that will be secure,efficient and sustainable for the foreseeable future. In Great Britain（GB）, the deployment of the first WAMS to monitor the entire power system in real time was the responsibility of the visualization of real time system dynamics using enhanced monitoring（VISOR） project. The core scope of the VISOR project is to deploy this WAMS and demonstrate how WAMS applications can in the near term provide system operators and planners with clear, actionable information. This paper presents the wider scope of the VISOR project and the GB wide WAMS that has been deployed. Furthermore, the paper describes some of the WAMS applications that have been deployed and provides examples of the measurement device performance issues that have been encountered during the project.     

Long‐chain omega‐3 from low‐trophic‐level fish provides value to farmed seafood

Low‐trophic‐level fish are a crucial source of long‐chain (LC) omega‐3 fatty acids for farmed fish and humans. Many farm‐raised fish species have a clear need for these nutrients. Farmed fish deposit the LC omega‐3s in their flesh and transfer them up the food chain. However, the content of LC omega‐3s in farm‐raised seafood continues to decline, while the content of shorter‐chain plant‐sourced omega‐3s, and pro‐inflammtory omega‐6s continue to increase. This reduces its nutritional worth. The value of low‐trophic‐level fish is often viewed merely as its price at the dock. Some reports and metrics steer public attention towards the mass balance between quantities of low‐trophic‐level fish and farmed seafood. However, the the nutritional value of seafood is more important than its mere quantities. The role of low‐trophic‐level fish in human nutrition, health, and wellbeing is a fundamental component of its economic value to society.     

Data Processing for City Planning

In city planning, data-processing machines permit the rapid handling and summarization of data in housing, renewal, land use, transportation, and basic urban research. Electronic computers. specifically, are exciting because they offer a means of solving complex city planning problems, especially in forecasting land use and travel demand.

For most planning operations punched card data processing is superior to other processes. The functions of these machines are described herein and three examples of data processing are elaborated on. In future years, planning techniques may have to be altered considerably to take advantage of the potentials of data processing.     

Efficient shift detection using multivariate exponentially-weighted moving average control charts and principal components

This paper demonstrates the use of principal components in conjunction with the multivariate exponentially-weighted moving average (MEWMA) control procedure for process monitoring. It is demonstrated that the number of variables to be monitored is reduced through this approach, and that the average run length to detect process shifts or upsets is substantially reduced as well. The performance of the MEWMA applied to all the variables may be related to the MEWMA control chart that uses principal components through the non-centrality parameter. An average run length table demonstrates the advantages of the principal components MEWMA over the procedure that uses all of the variables. An illustrative example is provided.     

Short-run statistical process control: Q-Chart enhancements and alternative methods

The first two tables in Reference 1 are incorrect. Corrected tables are provided below. The errors do not affect the conclusions or the discussion in that paper.     

Metallic fast reactor fuel fabrication for the global nuclear energy partnership

Fast reactors are once again being considered for nuclear power generation, in addition to transmutation of long-lived fission products resident in spent nuclear fuels. This re-consideration follows with intense developmental programs for both fuel and reactor design. One of the two leading candidates for next generation fast reactor fuel is metal alloys, resulting primarily from the successes achieved in the 1960s to early 1990s with both the experimental breeding reactor-II and the fast flux test facility. The goal of the current program is to develop and qualify a nuclear fuel system that performs all of the functions of a conventional, fast-spectrum nuclear fuel while destroying recycled actinides, thereby closing the nuclear fuel cycle. In order to meet this goal, the program must develop efficient and safe fuel fabrication processes designed for remote operation. This paper provides an overview of advanced casting processes investigated in the past, and the development of a gaseous diffusion calculation that demonstrates how straightforward process parameter modification can mitigate the loss of volatile minor actinides in the metal alloy melt.