Chronic and temporary distinct expectancies as comparison standards: Automatic contrast in dispositional judgments.

In 4 studies, the authors examined whether making outcome expectancies distinct resulted in their use as comparison standards and, consequently, in contrastive dispositional inferences for a target's behaviors. The expectancies examined were based on either chronic future-event expectancies (Study 1) or temporary, manipulated expectancy standards (Studies 2–4). Analyses revealed that when contextual expectancies were distinct or separable from target information, participants' dispositional judgments were contrasted from them under cognitive load and overcorrected (assimilated to them) under no load. These effects were mediated by participants' behavior categorizations. Evidence suggestive of a proceduralized form of correction for task difficulty and an effortful awareness-based correction for the effects of expectancies also were found. Results are examined in light of recent models of the dispositional inference process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chronic and temporarily activated causal uncertainty beliefs and stereotype usage.

In 3 studies, we examined the hypothesis that the effects of stereotype usage on target judgments are moderated by causal uncertainty beliefs and related accuracy goal structures. In Study 1, we focused on the role of chronically accessible causal uncertainty beliefs as predictors of a target's level of guilt for an alleged academic misconduct offense. In Study 2, we examined the role of chronic causal uncertainty reduction goals and a manipulated accuracy goal; in Study 3, we investigated the role of primed causal uncertainty beliefs on guilt judgments. In all 3 studies, we found that activation of causal uncertainty beliefs and accuracy concerns was related to a reduced usage of stereotypes. Moreover, this reduction was not associated with participants' levels of perceived control, depression, state affect, need for cognition, or personal need for structure. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the model of causal uncertainty and, more generally, in terms of the motivational processes underlying stereotype usage. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Collapsed spring observations in arson investigations: A critical metallurgical evaluation

Observation of collapsed coiled (steel) furniture springs has been utilized for several decades or more by arson investigators as an indicator of whether an accelerant or smoldering source (such as a cigarette) caused a fire. This paper cites the contradictory literature, synopsizes metallurgical phenomena operative when coiled steel springs are subjected to fires, and presents empirical data from U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory testing. It is concluded that observation of the collapsed state of coiled furniture/bedding springs is not a reliable indicator of whether a fire was initiated by a smoldering cigarette or accelerated by the presence of a hydrocarbon.     

Maximum zeros scheduling for satellite switch TDMA

A scheduling technique suitable for preassignment in satellite switched time division multiple access (SS-TDMA) systems is presented. As many uninterrupted bursts as are feasible are transmitted per configuration of the switch matrix. For small switch matrices (up to 6*6) this technique usually requires fewer reconfigurations than previous methods.<>     

Detection of and protection for internal low-current winding faultsin overhead distribution transformers

Changing protection practices for overhead power distribution transformers involves mounting the arrester on the transformer tank and using lightning-surge-tolerant fuses to provide protection. Concerns about protecting transformers against low-magnitude internal winding faults as a result of this practice are addressed in this paper. An analysis of a high-power test involving primary and secondary winding faults is presented. The magnitude, duration, and “signature” of the winding faults are determined and categorized. An analysis of the response of surge-tolerant fuses shows that they often will not detect low-current winding faults before they propagate to the available system fault current. Testing also demonstrated the performance of current-limiters to effectively reduce the available system fault current, thereby minimizing stress to the transformer. The use of current limiters is recommended with surge-tolerant fuses. The pressure rise in the tank for primary winding faults is mainly caused by low-fault current and, when protected with current limiters, the relief device easily vents the gases. The pressure rise for secondary winding faults is more rapid and can exceed the capability of the relief device to limit the overpressure     

Unilateral Cervical Vagotomy Modulates Immune Cell Profiles and the Response to a Traumatic Brain Injury

TBI induces splenic B and T cell expansion that contributes to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The vagus nerve, the longest of the cranial nerves, is the predominant parasympathetic pathway allowing the central nervous system (CNS) control over peripheral organs, including regulation of inflammatory responses. One way this is accomplished is by vagus innervation of the celiac ganglion, from which the splenic nerve innervates the spleen. This splenic innervation enables modulation of the splenic immune response, including splenocyte selection, activation, and downstream signaling. Considering that the left and right vagus nerves have distinct courses, it is possible that they differentially influence the splenic immune response following a CNS injury. To test this possibility, immune cell subsets were profiled and quantified following either a left or a right unilateral vagotomy. Both unilateral vagotomies caused similar effects with respect to the percentage of B cells and in the decreased percentage of macrophages and T cells following vagotomy. We next tested the hypothesis that a left unilateral vagotomy would modulate the splenic immune response to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mice received a left cervical vagotomy or a sham vagotomy 3 days prior to a fluid percussion injury (FPI), a well-characterized mouse model of TBI that consistently elicits an immune and neuroimmune response. Flow cytometric analysis showed that vagotomy prior to FPI resulted in fewer CLIP+ B cells, and CD4+, CD25+, and CD8+ T cells. Vagotomy followed by FPI also resulted in an altered distribution of CD11b^high and CD11b^low macrophages. Thus, transduction of immune signals from the CNS to the periphery via the vagus nerve can be targeted to modulate the immune response following TBI.     

Oxynitride gate dielectric grown in nitric oxide (NO): the effectof reoxidation on dielectric reliability of the active edge

Reoxidation of an oxynitride gate dielectric grown by NO anneal of thermal oxide has been studied. This process has demonstrated ~3-5X improvement of Q_BD of active edge intensive capacitors in comparison to thermal oxide, N₂O and NO oxynitride. This improvement is believed to be due to the reduction of local thinning of the gate dielectric at the field oxide edge which also reduces local build-up of positive charge near the gate electrode at the isolation edges