Adulthood age differences in causal attributions for cognitive, physical, and social performance.

42 young (mean age 19.18 yrs) and 39 elderly (mean age 74.90 yrs) men and women made causal attributions for their own or for another person's hypothetical performance in the cognitive, physical, and social domains. When attributions for the same performance by young and elderly adults were compared, the results presented an unflattering view of the elderly, similar to the findings of T. O. Blank (1982) and G. Banziger and J. Drevenstedt (see record 1983-01031-001). In contrast, when attributions for good vs poor performance by the elderly were compared, a more favorable picture emerged: The elderly were more likely to be given credit for their good performance than to be blamed for their poor performance. These findings give reason to question the pervasiveness of the negative view of the elderly that has been presented in previous studies. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality change during the transition to parenthood: The role of perceived infant temperament.

Examined the effects of 70 parents' (mean age 28.69 yrs) perceptions of infant temperament on their own personality during the transition to parenthood. Two assessments were made about 16 wks apart for 22 primiparous couples (mean time prebirth 6.5 wks and mean time postpartum 10.5 wks) and for 13 childless couples. Ss were administered both global/trait and situation-specific/state measures, including the Eight-State Questionnaire and the Perception of Baby Temperament Instrument, in order to assess efficacy expectations, personal control, anxiety, and depression. New parents rated their infant's temperament along 4 dimensions: activity, rhythmicity, adaptability, and positive mood. The parent group showed greater change than the nonparent group on a number of measures. New parents who perceived their infant as having an easier temperament experienced more positive change, whereas new parents who perceived their infant as more difficult experienced more negative change, especially in personal control. Differential results were found for the 4 temperament dimensions, with adaptability and positive mood most frequently related to personality changes. The findings also indicate that fathers showed personality change in relation to their infant's temperament more often than mothers. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ross Stagner (1909–1997): Obituary.

Memorializes Ross Stagner, a major contributor to psychology as a profession and a science. He served on the board of directors of the American Psychological Association (APA) and was president of 2 divisions of APA (Personality and Social Psychology and Industrial Psychology). He was also president of the Illinois Psychological Association and the Midwestern Psychological Association and a member of the executive council and the board of editors of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. Stagner described and conducted the first American research on fascist attitudes and developed a measure of those attitudes. The publication of that research preceded publication of The Authoritarian Personality, in which the California F-Scale is described. These 2 instruments were similar in agreeing on an antidemocratic personality type, on fundamental components of that personality, and in attempting to assess fascist attitudes without appearing to do so. He published more than 90 research and theoretical articles and ore than 25 chapters and sections in books and encyclopedias on topics ranging from personality from a scientific perspective, introductory psychology, union–management relations, and international conflicts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On-line diagnostics of high-voltage bushings and currenttransformers using the sum current method

Experience with the application of the sum current method to on-line diagnostics of high-voltage bushings and current transformers is presented. The method and analysis are described along with field experience obtained at fourteen substations, comprising 56 sets of (three) bushings and current transformers. The influences of temperature, humidity and changes in more than one bushing are discussed     

Tocols of selected spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum L.) and wild emmer (Triticum dicoccum Schuebl [Schrank]) varieties

Wheat contributes significantly worldwide to antioxidant income with beneficial healthy effects. Two varieties of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum L. – Escana and Schwedisches Einkorn), two varieties of wild emmer [Triticum dicoccum Schuebl (Schrank)] (Rudico and Kahler Emmer) and three varieties of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. – Granny, Kärtner Früher and SW Kadrilj) were evaluated for tocols – tocopherols and tocotrienols by high performance liquid chromatography – electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI/MS/MS). Investigated emmer and einkorn wheat varieties have shown minor lower total tocols content in comparison with spring varieties, however significant typical levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols were found in these groups. In einkorn wheat varieties the major abundance of total tocols is represented by tocotrienols (Schwedisches Einkorn 65.0%, Escana 54.9%), in emmer wheat varieties the abundance of tocotrienols and tocopherols were similar (Rudico 48.9% of tocotrienols, Kahler Emmer 47.6%), whereas in spring bread wheat higher tocopherols (SW Kadrilj 54.5%, Kärtner Früher 60.2%, Granny 55.0%) were recorded.     

Exercise--it''s never too late: the strong-for-life program

Design and associated good practices are described for a modular glovebox connector to improve control of radioactive and chemically toxic materials. The connector consists of an anodized aluminum circular port with a mating spacer, gaskets, and retaining rings for joining two parallel ends of commercially available or custom-manufactured glovebox enclosures. Use of the connector allows multiple gloveboxes to be quickly assembled or reconfigured in functional units. Connector dimensions can be scaled to meet operational requirements for access between gloveboxes. Options for construction materials are discussed, along with recommendations for installation of the connector in new or retrofitted systems. Associated good practices include application of surface coatings and caulking, use of disposable glovebags, and proper selection and protection of gasket and glove materials. Use of the connector at an inhalation toxicology research facility has reduced the time and expense required to reconfigure equipment for changing operational requirements, the dispersion of contamination during reconfigurations, and the need for decommissioning and disposal of contaminated enclosures.     

Experience with under-water birth]

Underwater birth is now deemed an acceptable type of delivery. Safety is a recurring consideration, the main concern being that of drowning. But in reports of 19,000 underwater births no untoward events were noted. Also, need for pain relief and of intervention during labor were both reduced. The short term indicators of neonatal outcome were good. A recent review explains 5 different physiological factors which inhibit initiation of fetal breathing under warm water. Many studies have shown no increase in risk of infection of either mother or baby. We report our experience with 26 women, 23 of whom actually delivered in the pool with excellent results. We believe that birth under water is safe and beneficial if done properly for low-risk patients.     

When bad things happen to older people: Age differences in attributional style.

This study expanded on earlier attributional work with the elderly by examining age differences in the generality, as well as the locus and stability, of causes for bad events and the relationship of these attributions to self-reported health. 120 young (mean age?=?18.3 yrs) and elderly (mean age?=?74.39 yrs) adults rated the internality, stability, and globality of causes for good and bad events using the Attributional Style Questionnaire. Older adults were more likely than younger adults to see bad events as being due to stable and specific factors. Older adults who attributed negative outcomes to more internal and global factors also reported their health to be poorer than that of others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transverse honeycomb composite transducers

Composites with 3-1 connectivity were fabricated by impregnating an extruded, sintered honeycomb configuration of PZT with epoxy. The composites had lower density (≈ 3000 Kg/m³) and lower dielectric constant (≈ 400) than that of solid PZT. The maximum piezoelectric d?₃₃ coefficient of the composites was 350 pC/N, and the maximum hydrostatic d?_h 220 pC/N. ?_h and d?_h?_h of the composites were an order of magnitude higher than that of solid PZT. Considering the symmetry and phase connectivity of the individual phases in the composite, an explanation is given for the improved piezoelectric properties of the composites.