Defining dimensions of distinctiveness: Group variability makes a difference to differentiation.

We tested the prediction, derived from an integration of social identity and self-categorization principles, that the relation between in-group distinctiveness and positive differentiation is curvilinear. Moderate distinctiveness is argued to provide the critical combination of intergroup difference (self-categorization theory) and intergroup similarity ( social identity theory ) to elicit intergroup differentiation. Intergroup distance (differences in group central tendencies) and group variability were manipulated orthogonally, resulting in different levels of intergroup distinctiveness (low, intermediate, and high). In line with predictions, in-group bias and positive differentiation were greatest, for both minimal and natural groups, when the combination of group variability and intergroup distance produced intermediate levels of group distinctiveness. The potential of this integrative model to account for disparate findings is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Optimization, simulation and multiple criteria in window design

Designing windows in buildings is a multicriteria, multivariable design problem with many constraints. This paper examines the different natures of the window design information that can be provided through mathematical simulation and optimization models and considers some approaches to choosing a solution.     

Facial dynamics as indicators of trustworthiness and cooperative behavior.

Detecting cooperative partners in situations that have financial stakes is crucial to successful social exchange. The authors tested whether humans are sensitive to subtle facial dynamics of counterparts when deciding whether to trust and cooperate. Participants played a 2-person trust game before which the facial dynamics of the other player were manipulated using brief (     

Review of high level fault modeling approaches for mixed-signal systems

In the modern analogue design, Transistor Level Fault Simulation (TLFS) plays the important part since every fault in the whole circuit has to be simulated at that level. Unfortunately, it is a very CPU intensive task even though it maintains the high accuracy. Therefore, High Level Fault Modeling (HLFM) and High Level Fault Simulation (HLFS) are required in order to alleviate the efforts of simulation. In this paper, different HLFM approaches are reviewed at the device level during last two decades. We clarify their domains of application and evaluate their strengths and current limitations. We also analyze causes of faults and introduce various test approaches.     

Road transport energy conservation in Costa Rica

Transportation is typically the largest petroleum-using sector in less developed countries and is generally dominated by road transport. Despite this fact, energy planning and conservation assistance have concentrated on other sectors, partly because of a lack of experience with transport-energy conservation in less developed countries. Studies of short-term energy conservation in taxi and bus fleets under actual operating conditions in San Jose, Costa Rica, have shown that efficiency improvements on the order of 10% are obtainable. Training in fuel-efficient driving strategies reduced taxi-fuel use by 14% and bus-fuel use by 3% on the average. Implementation of fuel-efficient maintenance practices reduced bus-fuel consumption by an average of 6%. Radial tires were ineffective and possibly counter-productive in saving fuel. Because of the complex experimental design, the results were not readily perceived by vehicle operators. Future demonstrations should concentrate on showing monetary savings to vehicle operators.     

Negative priming for obsessive-compulsive checkers and noncheckers.

Negative priming—the slowing of a response to an item that was recently ignored—was investigated in three groups: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) checkers, OCD noncheckers, and nonclinical control participants. All groups performed both a standard negative priming task, selecting targets based on a perceptual feature (i.e., color), and a modified negative priming task, selecting targets based on a semantic feature (i.e., referent size). All three groups demonstrated significant negative priming in both tasks, although the negative priming was much larger in the novel, semantic task than in the common perceptual one. The findings suggest that patients with OCD do not demonstrate impairments in negative priming, contrary to earlier claims (Enright & Beech, 1990, 1993a, 1993b; Enright, Beech, & Claridge, 1995). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autoclave cure simulation of composite structures applying implicit and explicit FE techniques

Simulation of the autoclave manufacturing technique of composites can yield a preliminary estimation of induced residual thermal stresses and deformations that affect component fatigue life, and required tolerances for assembly. In this paper, an approach is proposed to simulate the autoclave manufacturing technique for unidirectional composites. The proposed approach consists of three modules. The first module is a thermo-chemical model to estimate the temperature and the degree of cure distributions in the composite part during the cure cycle. The second and third modules are a sequential stress analysis using FE-implicit and FE-explicit respectively. User-material subroutine is used to model the viscoelastic properties of the material based on theory of micromechanics.     

Empathy in preschool children: The development of the Southampton Test of Empathy for Preschoolers (STEP).

In this study, we investigated a new instrument: the Southampton Test of Empathy for Preschoolers (STEP). The test incorporated 8 video vignettes of children in emotional scenarios, assessing a child's ability to understand (STEP-UND) and share (STEP-SHA) in the emotional experience of a story protagonist. Each vignette included 4 emotions (angry, happy, fearful, sad) that reflected emotion judgments based on the protagonist's facial expression, situation, verbal cues, and desire. The STEP was administered to 39 preschool children, and internal reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity were addressed. The results showed good internal consistency. They also highlighted moderate concurrent validity with parent-rated empathy, a measure of facial indices, and construct validity with teacher-rated prosocial behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Surfactant‐mediated synthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) nanoparticles for sustained drug delivery

In this study, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) nanoparticles were synthesised following nanoprecipitation method having different solvents and surfactant (Tween 80) concentrations. In this study, PHB nanoparticles were encapsulated with curcumin and subjected for sustained curcumin delivery. Both the curcumin loaded and unloaded PHB nanoparticles were characterised using FTIR, SEM, and AFM. Sizes of the particles were found to be between 60 and 300 nm. The drug encapsulation efficiency and in vitro drug release of the nanoparticles were analysed. Antibacterial activity and anticancer activity were also evaluated. The LC₅₀ values of most of the nanoparticles were found to be between 10 and 20 µg/100 µl, anticancer activity of curcumin loaded PHB nanoparticles were further confirmed by AO/PI staining and mitochondrial depolarisation assay.Inspec keywords: encapsulation, cancer, scanning electron microscopy, nanoparticles, surfactants, drugs, nanofabrication, antibacterial activity, biomedical materials, drug delivery systems, polymers, nanomedicine, Fourier transform infrared spectra, precipitation (physical chemistry), atomic force microscopy, particle sizeOther keywords: surfactant‐mediated synthesis, polyhydroxybutyrate nanoparticles, sustained drug delivery, surfactant concentrations, PHB nanoparticles, sustained curcumin delivery, drug encapsulation efficiency, anticancer activity, in vitro drug release, nanoprecipitation method, Tween 80, FTIR spectra, SEM, AFM, particle sizes, antibacterial activity, AO‐PI staining, mitochondrial depolarisation assay     

Experimental study on improving the performance of solar still using air blower

Water is a basic necessity of man. Economical and efficient production or recycling of water is very much needed in today's world. Solar still has emerged as a life-saving technology to distil brackish water and produce drinkable water using solar energy. The aim of this project was to improve the performance of solar still by adding an air blower which creates a bubbling effect in the still due to which the evaporation rate increases. The bubbling effect using the blower makes the raw water to circulate and to distribute heat energy equally. The evaporated raw water was collected in the glass plate as drop particles. The drop condenses due to ambient air and finally distillate output is collected in the jar, which is placed outside the still. The solar still with air blower arrangement gave higher difference in efficiency and higher distilled output when compared with solar still without an air blower.