Dissociative identity disorder and the sociocognitive model: Recalling the lessons of the past.

In a recent article in this journal, D. H. Gleaves (1996; see record 1996-01403-003) criticized the sociocognitive model (SCM; N. P. Spanos, 1994) of dissociative identity disorder (DID) and argued in favor of a posttraumatic model (PTM) in which DID is conceptualized as a consequence of childhood abuse and other traumatic events. The present authors demonstrate that (a) many of Gleaves's arguments were predicated on misunderstandings of the SCM, (b) scrutiny of the evidence regarding the psychopathology and assessment of DID raises questions concerning the PIM's conceptual and empirical underpinnings, (c) the treatment literature suggests that iatrogenic factors play an important role in the etiology of DID, and (d) the evidence linking child abuse to DID is more problematic than implied by Gleaves. The present authors conclude that Gleaves's analysis underemphasized the cultural manifestations of multiple role enactments and that the history of DID imparts a valuable lesson to contemporary psychotherapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of Active Lengthening and Shortening on Small-Angle X-ray Reflections in Skinned Skeletal Muscle Fibres

Our purpose was to use small-angle X-ray diffraction to investigate the structural changes within sarcomeres at steady-state isometric contraction following active lengthening and shortening, compared to purely isometric contractions performed at the same final lengths. We examined force, stiffness, and the 1,0 and 1,1 equatorial and M3 and M6 meridional reflections in skinned rabbit psoas bundles, at steady-state isometric contraction following active lengthening to a sarcomere length of 3.0 µm (15.4% initial bundle length at 7.7% bundle length/s), and active shortening to a sarcomere length of 2.6 µm (15.4% bundle length at 7.7% bundle length/s), and during purely isometric reference contractions at the corresponding sarcomere lengths. Compared to the reference contraction, the isometric contraction after active lengthening was associated with an increase in force (i.e., residual force enhancement) and M3 spacing, no change in stiffness and the intensity ratio I_1,1/I_1,0, and decreased lattice spacing and M3 intensity. Compared to the reference contraction, the isometric contraction after active shortening resulted in decreased force, stiffness, I_1,1/I_1,0, M3 and M6 spacings, and M3 intensity. This suggests that residual force enhancement is achieved without an increase in the proportion of attached cross-bridges, and that force depression is accompanied by a decrease in the proportion of attached cross-bridges. Furthermore, the steady-state isometric contraction following active lengthening and shortening is accompanied by an increase in cross-bridge dispersion and/or a change in the cross-bridge conformation compared to the reference contractions.     

On-line drug metabolism in capillary electrophoresis. 1. Glucuronidation using rat liver microsomes

A rat liver microsome pseudostationary phase has been used for the on-line capillary electrophoresis monitoring of glucuronidation. Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) containing microsomes was isolated from rat liver and directly injected onto neutrally coated capillary containing polymeric replaceable gels followed by injection of the substrate mixture. On-line glucuronidation was observed within 15 min without any sample preparation. The factors affecting the separation of glucuronides and parent compounds were investigated by varying the applied electric fields and the size (length and internal diameter) of capillary. The Michaelis-Menten parameters (Km and Vmax) for the glucuronidation of 4-methyl-7-hydroxy coumarin and 4-nitrophenol were determined using the CE method and by off-line microsomal incubation. No significant differences were observed for Km and Vmax values for 4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin and 4-nitrophenol between on-line and off-line glucuronidation of these two compounds. This method was also used to determine the inhibition constant (IC50 value) for the competitive inhibition of morphine glucuronidation by codeine, IC50 (on-line) = 170 vs 580 microM (off-line). The results demonstrate that this method can be used to screen for the glucuronidation of test compounds and should reduce the time required for this screening process.     

Meeting modern grid codes with large direct‐drive permanent magnet generator‐based wind turbines—low‐voltage ride‐through

Ambitious offshore wind energy targets continue to drive technological innovation, with the latest direct‐drive permanent magnet generator‐based wind turbines promising higher efficiency and availability. However, these machines have fixed rotor flux, provided by the magnets, which means that their voltage rises with speed. Further, high machine stator reactance leads to significant magnetic energy storage in the stator windings. Both these aspects provide new challenges for the power converter when designing to meet modern low‐voltage ride‐through requirements. This paper therefore proposes a novel control strategy, using a minimally rated chopper and dynamic brake resistor (DBR) integrated with the wind turbine's power converter, to help these systems to meet the demands of modern grid codes. This control method may allow the chopper and DBR to be rated at only 40% of a fully rated version. Despite only partially rating the DBR system, the control method minimizes the torsional oscillations in the drive train, thereby protecting the mechanical system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydraulic and Sedimentological Characterizations of a Reach on the Anaktuvuk River, Alaska

Rivers located on the North Slope of Alaska’s Brooks Range are typically not well characterized with respect to basic hydraulic and sedimentological data. In order to obtain basic hydrosedimentological information on the Anaktuvuk River, a pristine stream located in the Colville River basin, we conducted an extensive field campaign from late May to early June 2009. The study reach was located at N69°27.785′, W151°09.858′, latitude and longitude, respectively. The Anaktuvuk River flows north from the Brooks Range to the Colville River, drains an area of 7,058?km2, and encompasses 2,063 m of vertical relief. During the field campaign, the field crew measured discharge and water-surface slope, collected water samples, and characterized bed sediment. As a result of fieldwork and laboratory work, we present an initial rating curve for the Anaktuvuk River, as well as the calculated roughness coefficient and suspended sediment concentrations. In addition, we compare the observed bankfull discharges with the bankfull discharge predicted by a recently published model.     

The effects of observation and gender on psychogenic symptoms.

Objective: To assess the effects of modeling and its interaction with gender in the production of psychogenic symptoms. Design: Healthy volunteers were asked to inhale an inert substance described as a suspected environmental toxin that had been reported to provoke 4 physical symptoms. Subsequently, half of the participants observed a confederate inhale and display the 4 expected symptoms. To control for the general tendency of women to report more physical symptoms than men, participants were also asked to rate the presence of 4 unexpected symptoms. Main Outcome Measures: Symptom ratings at 10-min intervals over a 1-hr period. Results: With unexpected symptoms controlled, observation of symptom displays increased reports of expected symptoms significantly. In addition, the presence of another person of the same gender as the participant increased the production of expected symptoms, even when symptoms were not modeled by the confederate. There was also a trend for women to show more expected symptoms than men. Conclusion: Although the effect of modeling was independent of gender, the mere presence of a same-gender individual, as opposed to a person of the opposite gender, increased reports of expected symptoms, regardless of whether the second person (i.e., the confederate) displayed symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

THE ROLE OF WATER IN METHANOL SYNTHESIS

Abstract

This work focuses on the influence of water in determining the rate of methanol synthesis over CuO/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalysts. The experimental investigations were conducted in a 1-L slurry reactor based on the novel liquid phase methanol synthesis process. The liquid medium used was a blend of paraffinic and naphthenic mineral oils with a mean molecular mass of 250. It was found that the methanol rates attained a maximum at an optimal water content which was dependent on the reaction temperature. The catalytic activity was found to decline with time at lower temperatures in the presence of a relatively large excess of water. The influence of water was also found to be firmly linked to the corresponding carbon dioxide content in the reactor feed. The experimental data bear additional significance because this was the first such study to be performed on the liquid phase process. Emphasis was therefore placed on the use of a CO-rich syngas in order to simulate anticipated process conditions.     

Differential evolution algorithm for static and multistage transmission expansion planning

A novel differential evolution algorithm (DEA) is applied directly to the DC power flow-based model in order to efficiently solve the problems of static and multistage transmission expansion planning (TEP). The purpose of TEP is to minimise the transmission investment cost associated with the technical operation and economical constraints. Mathematically, long-term TEP using the DC model is a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem that is difficult to solve for large-scale real-world transmission networks. In addition, the static TEP problem is considered both with and without the resizing of power generation in this research. The efficiency of the proposed method is initially demonstrated via the analysis of low, medium and high complexity transmission network test cases. The analysis is performed within the mathematical programming environment of MATLAB using both DEA and conventional genetic algorithm and a detailed comparative study is presented.     

Occlusion and ion exchange in the molten (lithium chloride-potassium chloride-alkali metal chloride) salt + zeolite 4A system with alkali metal chlorides of sodium, rubidium, and cesium

Interaction between molten salts of the type LiCl-KCl-MeCl (Me = Na, Rb, Cs, x _MeCl = 0 to 0.5, x _KCl/x _LiCl = 0.69) and zeolite 4A have been studied at 823 K. The main interactions between these salts and zeolite are molten salt occlusion to form salt-loaded zeolite and ion exchange between the molten salt and salt-loaded zeolite. No chemical reaction has been observed. The extent of occlusion is a function of the concentration of MeCl in the zeolite and is equal to 11±1 Cl⁻ per zeolite unit cell, (AlSiO₄)₁₂, at infinite MeCl dilution. The ion-exchange mole fraction equilibrium constants (separation factors) with respect to Li are decreasing functions of concentration of MeCl in the zeolite. At infinite MeCl dilution, they are equal to 0.84, 0.87, and 2.31 for NaCl, RbCl, and CsCl, respectively, and increase in the order Na<Rb<Cs at identical MeCl concentrations. The standard ion-exchange chemical potentials are equal to −(0.0±0.5) kJ·mol⁻¹, −(0.4±0.3) kJ·mol⁻¹, and −(6.5±0.5) kJ·mol⁻¹ for Na⁻, Rb⁻¹, and Cs⁺, respectively.