Physical modelling of solute transport in porous media: evaluation of an imaging technique using UV excited fluorescent dye

The development and evaluation of a 2-dimensional physical model, which is designed to assist in the characterisation of complex solute transport problems in porous media, is described. The laboratory model is a transparent 2-dimensional porous media of nominal thickness and uses a non-invasive imaging technique in conjunction with a fluorescent dye tracer (sodium fluorescein) to monitor solute movements. Under ultraviolet (UV) illumination the dye emits visible light which is imaged by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera. The image is processed to estimate the 2-dimensional distribution of tracer concentrations. The system can successfully model a simple contaminant plume within a homogenous porous matrix constructed from glass beads (60-100 microm). Experimental results show that transverse dispersion coefficient was 3.9 x 10(-10) m2/s when sodium fluorescein transported in porous matrix with a walter velocity of 5.71 x 10(-6) m/s. The low transverse dispersion coefficient suggests that the molecular diffusion of solute cannot be neglected under low velocity of the water. The advantages of using UV rather than an ordinary light system are a reduction in noise and experimental errors. Errors due to light dispersion within the model are shown to be negligible for the current model. Since contaminant with aromatic rings are usually fluorescent and biological samples can be labelled by fluorescent dye, this imaging technique using UV excited fluorescent dye will be used to investigate biodegradation process in porous media.     

Reconceptualizing feeding and feeding disorders in interpersonal context: The case for a relational disorder.

The feeding of young children is fundamentally a relational and multisystemic process. Successful treatment of clinically significant feeding problems involves careful assessment of the full range of influences on the feeding relationship and integrated treatment approaches. However, current diagnostic approaches to feeding disorders tend to be reductionistic, exclusively focused on the child as an individual, and overly concerned with exclusionary criteria. Criteria are proposed for "Feeding Disorder Between Parent and Child" that address these limitations and embrace the complexity of feeding problems. A multiaxial diagnosis that describes the child (including medical, developmental, and behavioral characteristics); the parent; the parent-child relationship; and the social and nutritional context of feeding will more accurately speak to treatment planning in this population. The proposed diagnostic criteria were developed and refined on the basis of the available literature and many years of treatment experience across the authors of this article. The proposed diagnosis will support the development and evaluation of treatment packages with components specifically targeted to issues of the child, parent, parent-child interaction, and the broader environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sequential vs. Simultaneous Lineups: A Review of Methods, Data, and Theory.

A considerable amount of empirical research has been conducted on ways to improve the eyewitness identification process, with emphasis on the use of lineups. Public policy changes are currently underway with respect to lineup procedures: Sequential lineups are being recommended to police as the best practice. This may be premature because the conditions under which sequential lineups are superior to simultaneous lineups are not well understood given the current literature: Many studies are reported with insufficient detail needed to judge the adequacy of the research design, new data show that the sequential superiority effect may vary as a function of study methodology, theoretical assumptions have not been adequately tested, and important comparisons that may rule out the ostensible superiority of the sequential lineup have not been studied. This review summarizes the literature, presents new data, and identifies the need for further empirical work before appropriately grounded recommendations as to the superiority of sequential lineups can be made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Masked inhibitory priming in English: Evidence for lexical inhibition.

Predictions derived from the interactive activation (IA) model were tested in 3 experiments using the masked priming technique in the lexical decision task. Experiment 1 showed a strong effect of prime lexicality: Classifications of target words were facilitated by orthographically related nonword primes (relative to unrelated nonword primes) but were inhibited by orthographically related word primes (relative to unrelated word primes). Experiment 2 confirmed IA's prediction that inhibitory priming effects are greater when the prime and target share a neighbor. Experiment 3 showed a minimal effect of target word neighborhood size (N) on inhibitory priming but a trend toward greater inhibition when nonword foils were high-N than when they were low-N. Simulations of 3 different versions of the IA model showed that the best fit to the data is produced when lexical inhibition is selective and when masking leads to reset of letter activities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Partnering Mechanism in Construction: An Empirical Study on the Chinese Construction Industry

Partnering and its principles have increasingly been introduced to the construction industry to improve the efficiency of project delivery. However, little research outlines the mechanism behind its application. This paper presents the findings of a study that was conducted to develop and test a partnering model that reveals the relationships between the critical success factors (CSFs) of partnering and demonstrates their importance to construction. With support of data collected from the Chinese construction industry, this study has revealed strong correlations among partnering CSFs, risk management, total quality management (TQM), use of incentives, and project performance. It is concluded that project success is the outcome of the interaction between a variety of techniques, and that partnering, associated with incentives, is a basic management method through which risk management and TQM can be strongly improved.     

Brain potentials implicate temporal lobe abnormalities in criminal psychopaths.

Psychopathy is associated with abnormalities in attention and orienting. However, few studies have examined the neural systems underlying these processes. To address this issue, the authors recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) while 80 incarcerated men, classified as psychopathic or nonpsychopathic via the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (R. D. Hare, 1991, 2003), completed an auditory oddball task. Consistent with hypotheses, processing of targets elicited larger frontocentral negativities (N550) in psychopaths than in nonpsychopaths. Psychopaths also showed an enlarged N2 and reduced P3 during target detection. Similar ERP modulations have been reported in patients with amygdala and temporal lobe damage. The data are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that psychopathy may be related to dysfunction of the paralimbic system--a system that includes parts of the temporal and frontal lobes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)