An optical roughness sensor for real-time quality measurement

As part of the intelligent processing efforts of the Spray Forming Technology Group at the David Taylor Research Center, a laser stripe sensor has been implemented to monitor preform characteristics. The preform surface roughness is measured in real time and the correlation to preform quality in terms of porosity levels is assessed. The laser stripe method is not a direct indicator of quality, but it can be used with other sensors and advanced control techniques for control of the spray-forming process.     

Prevalence of childhood obesity in northeastern Ontario: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: In Canada, the incidence of childhood obesity has tripled within the past 20 years. The prevalence of obesity in the Timmins, Ontario, student population was studied to gain knowledge for program planning and resource allocation, and to compare Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria with Cole's international criteria for childhood obesity. METHODS: Anthropometric measurements of 801 students were taken. Students were chosen from randomly selected schools for each grade. Data were analyzed according to age, gender, and ethnicity. Data were also compared with other studies. Intragroup comparisons were performed using hypothesis testing for significance with the z table and chi-square test. RESULTS: Overweight and obesity prevalence was 28% according to CDC criteria. No statistical difference was found between genders or among ethnic groups, or between this study and other Canadian studies. In comparison with the CDC criteria, Cole's international criteria indicated less obesity and increased overweight prevalence. These differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that in the northern Ontario community of Timmins, the prevalence of childhood obesity is of epidemic proportions. When the findings are shared with different agencies, this study will help the health unit to take necessary public health measures to curb the epidemic.     

Snowpack albedo and snow density

Because snow is an aggregation of many small particles, its albedo might be expected to be a function of density and grain size. However, Bohren and Barkstrom assumed that snow grains act independently and predicted theoretically that snow albedo will be independent of density for fixed grain size at low densities. Snow albedo was measured before and immediately after compaction by snowmobile. An analysis of variance for the albedo data showed an average decrease of 1 percentage point in the snowpack albedo (from 74.2% to 73.2%) as a result of compaction, a change which is not significant at the 90% level of confidence. Thus, it appears that snowpack albedo is, at most, weakly dependent upon snow density for constant grain size and densities less than about 0.45 Mg/m³. Reciprocal correlation between albedo and density is probably is probably the result of other changes that occur in the aging process.     

Predictive validity of biodata items generated from retrospective life experience essays.

Biographical information was generated from retrospective life-history essays completed in the fall of 1986 by 1st-yr students at the US Naval Academy. Essays were targeted to aspects of 4 generic life experiences (individual accomplishments, group accomplishments, disappointing situations, and stressful situations) that might reflect the processes or outcomes of antecedent developmental episodes. Essays were coded to generate biodata items, which were then given to 917 midshipmen entering the Naval Academy in the summer of 1987. Scales were developed that predicted criteria of military performance, academic performance, and peer ratings of leadership in validation and cross-validation samples. Implications for item development and biodata construct validity are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

De-escalation of commitment in oil exploration: When sunk costs and negative feedback coincide.

Three experiments were conducted to examine the combined effects of sunk costs and negative feedback on decisions to escalate or withdraw from a petroleum-exploration venture. In Exps 1 and 2, petroleum geologists responded to scenarios in which from 1 to 4 dry wells had been drilled. Number of dry wells was manipulated both between Ss (Exp 1) and within Ss (Exp 2). Contrary to earlier research, the higher the sunk cost (i.e., the greater the number of dry wells), the less likely geologists were to authorize funds to continue with the venture and the lower their estimates were of the likelihood that the next well would be productive. In Exp 3, university students responded to our oil-drilling scenarios. Results of this experiment were in the same direction as that found with the geologists but were considerably weaker and were not statistically significant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of packaging materials on the dissolved oxygen content of probiotic yoghurt

The health benefits of probiotic functional foods have been widely reported. However, manufacturers face great challenge in guaranteeing delivering beneficial numbers of viable probiotic bacteria through to the end of the product shelf life. The oxygen toxicity of some probiotic species has been shown to contribute to reduced viable counts. The packaging system favoured by manufacturers may play a negative role, promoting oxygen uptake in the product. The research detailed herein evaluates the performance of current packaging materials and an alternative, oxygen‐barrier material. Commercial stirred‐type probiotic yoghurt was evaluated for dissolved oxygen content over a 6 week period from manufacture to expiry date. The results indicate a rising level of dissolved oxygen in the yoghurts over time. The distribution of oxygen throughout the product was also examined by measuring concentrations in two lateral positions, at three different depths. It was found that oxygen was not distributed homogenously, but was in significantly different concentrations (p < 0.05) at most sampling points. At some locations (near packaging weak spots), readings were approaching saturation, hardly an environment suited to the survival of the anaerobic and probiotic Bifidobacterium species. Yoghurt stored in packaging materials with improved gas‐barrier properties was also tested, displaying a decrease in dissolved oxygen levels during storage. It was concluded that using packaging materials with greater gas‐barrier properties would help remove a hurdle to the viability of the probiotic bacteria within the food. Suggestions for further steps, such as the addition of an oxygen‐scavenging technology, are also made. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The reliability and validity of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) in nonincarcerated adolescent males.

Current knowledge about the validity of the psychopathy syndrome in youth is limited largely to studies relying on parent-teacher rating scales or slight modifications of adult measures. Recently, the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) was designed for use with adolescents. However, most studies that have used this measure examined incarcerated mates and addressed only validity criteria related to antisocial behavior. We investigated the generality and construct validity of the psychopathy syndrome in an adolescent sample by assessing 115 adolescent males on probation with the PCL:YV. Reliability of measurement was high. PCL:YV ratings predicted not only antisocial behavior but also other indices of childhood psychopathology, interpersonal behaviors associated with adult psychopathy, and a lack of attachment to parents. These findings suggest that the PCL:YV identifies a syndrome in adolescence consistent with theory and research on adult males. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conservation of Riparian Forest Remnants, West Coast, New Zealand

Riparian forest is a priority for protection in New Zealand. Data are provided on the spatial extent and distribution of riparian forest and forest remnants within the West Coast region of New Zealand. Despite the West Coast having the bulk of New Zealand's riparian forest, such forests are under-represented in many of the region's Ecological Districts. Lack of other suitable soils meant that, where possible, floodplains were extensively developed for agriculture. Consequently riparian forest remnants within farmland are small and isolated. The implications of ecological processes and land-management practices for the conservation management of the riparian forest remnants are discussed, and three conservation priorities are identified.     

Sliding Scale of Support: Government Intervention in Housing

Public and social housing providers in many countries around the world are trying to solve the problem of how to construct and maintain quality affordable housing at the lowest cost to both the government and tenants. As might be expected, each country has found its own solution to these issues, leading to a sliding scale in the degree of support that different governments give to their housing providers. This study examines developments in the UK, US, Sweden and New Zealand from the perspective of a credit rating agency.     

UF technology contributes to the recycling of dye salt solutions

Working in conjunction with an Indian textile manufacturer situated in the state of Tamil Nadu, the membrane filtration specialist Hydranautics has devised a new system that enables the recycling of the salt solution used in its dyes. The system was successfully tested in July of this year and is now in full operation at the processing plant, where it is helping to cut costs and save unnecessary waste. Hydranautics' role in the project involved designing an ultrafiltration (UF) system for the recycling process. The company selected its HYDRAcap® capillary membranes for the duty, which offers particulate removal down to 0.1 microns in size.