Aging and memory for words and action events: Effects of item repetition and list length.

We were concerned with the effects of item repetition, list length, and class of item on free recall in elderly as compared with young adults. In Experiment 1, samples of young and elderly adults recalled a list of 27 words and a list of 27 action events (minitasks performed by the subjects). Some items were presented once and some twice. Although the younger subjects showed better recall on both types of lists, the older sample benefited from item repetition as much as did the younger sample. This finding was replicated in Experiment 2. A second finding in Experiment 2 was a significant aging effect in the recall of long but not of short lists of both words and action events. The absence of an Age?×?Repetition Effect interaction was ascribed to the strength nature of the repetition manipulation. The age effects in the recall of the long lists were attributed to possible deficits in retrieval proficiency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of 3-D curved objects: CAD model and fabricatedworkpiece

This paper proposes a new method to describe and identify a 3-D curved object for the purpose of validating a fabricated object to the design specification. Curved 3-D objects are, in general, difficult to represent and identify because they lack distinct properties such as edges, planes, or cylindrical surfaces which are the building blocks in representing objects. In this paper, the authors propose to use principal axes of a 3-D object to establish a reference for the representation. A method of obtaining an inertia matrix from a 3-D range image is developed. The unique set of principal axes is obtained from the inertia matrix of an object with an arbitrary 3-D position and orientation, and the object can be described uniquely on these principal axes. On the principal axes, an object is described by a set of features describing the shape of the object such as spine, section size, section orientation, and section contraction. The features are used for comparing two objects for the validation purpose. The authors also propose a direct measure of similarity between two objects as a mean-squared difference of radii. As an experiment, two 3-D object models are designed through a CAD package, and fabricated objects are compared with the designed models for validation purposes     

Models of the self and other: Fundamental dimensions underlying measures of adult attachment.

Three studies, involving 146 undergraduates and 68 heterosexual couples, assessed the construct validity of the self- and other-model dimensions underlying the 4-category model of adult attachment. Five methods were used to assess the hypothesized dimensions: self-reports, friend-reports, romantic partner reports, trained judges' ratings of peer attachment, and trained judges' ratings of family attachment. Study 2 related the latent attachment dimensions to theoretically relevant outcome latent variables. As predicted, Ss' self models converged with direct measures of the positivity of their self-concepts, and Ss' other models converged with direct measures of the positivity of their interpersonal orientations. Study 3 related the latent attachment dimensions to 3 alternate self-report measures of adult attachment and showed that the 2 dimensions served as an organizing framework for the different measurement approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Micromechanical characterisation of fibre/matrix interfaces

Theoretical analyses for the single fibre pull-out and push-out models under monotonic loading are given which are based on a shear-lag analysis in a fracture mechanics approach considering non-constant friction at the debonded interface as a result of fibre Poisson contraction (or expansion). The solutions allow the determination of typical fibre/matrix interfacial properties such as the interfacial fracture toughness, G_ic, the coefficient of friction, μ, and the residual clamping stress, q₀. Under cyclic loading the interfacial properties are expected to degrade as a result of repetitive abrasion, and a power law function is assumed between μ and the number of elapsed cycles, N. However, G_ic is assumed to be unaffected and a fracture mechanics based debond criterion is derived for the relationship between the external applied stress, the debond length and the reduced friction coefficient for both fibre pull-out and fibre push-out. In addition, the relative displacements between the free fibre end and the matrix top are obtained for cyclic fatigue when the fibre is loaded and unloaded. A relationship obtained for the protrusion (or intrusion) length in fibre pull-out (or push-out) experiments allows the severity of the interface frictional degradation to be evaluated and characterised. Similarities and differences in the frictional degradation behaviour between fibre pull-out and push-out are also identified.     

Controller for digital audio power amplifier with bit stream input

A new controller for a digital audio amplifier with bit stream input is proposed. The proposed controller has excellent features such as wide error correction range and no limitation on the modulation index. The controller is implemented in the half-bridge class-D amplifier and performance is verified through experiments.     

Electron-Impact Cross Sections for Dipole- and Spin-Allowed Excitations of Hydrogen,Helium, and Lithium

Electron-impact excitation cross sections are presented for the dipole- and spin allowed transitions from the ground states to the np ²P states for hydrogen and lithium, and to the 1snp ¹P states for helium, n = 2 through 10. Two scaling formulas developed earlier by Kim [Phys. Rev. A 64, 032713 (2001)] for plane-wave Born cross sections are used. The scaled Born cross sections are in excellent agreement with available theoretical and experimental data.     

Buckling analysis for delaminated composites using plate bending elements based on higher‐order zig‐zag theory

A finite element based on the efficient higher‐order zig‐zag theory with multiple delaminations is developed. The bending part of the formulation is constructed from the concept of DKQ element. Unlike conventional elements, a developed element has its reference in the bottom surface which simplifies zig‐zag terms on formulation. Exact patch solutions are developed on elements which have the bottom reference system. The present element passes proper bending patch tests in the arbitrary mesh configurations in isotropic materials. Zig‐zag formulation is adopted to model laminated plates with multiple delaminations. To assess the accuracy and efficiency of the present element based on higher‐order zig‐zag theory with multiple delaminations, the linear buckling problem of laminated plates with multiple delaminations has been analysed. The results have been compared with three‐dimensional elasticity solutions. The present element works as an efficient tool for analysing the behaviour of the laminated composites with multiple delaminations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cell recognition, signal induction, and symmetrical gene activation at the dorsal-ventral boundary of the developing Drosophila wing

Appendage formation in insects and vertebrates depends upon signals from both the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral (DV) axes. In Drosophila, wing formation is organized symmetrically around the DV boundary of the growing wing imaginal disc and requires interactions between dorsal and ventral cells. Compartmentalization of the wing disc, dorsal cell behavior, and the expression of two dorsally expressed putative signaling molecules, fringe (fng) and Serrate (Ser), are regulated by the apterous selector gene. Here, we demonstrate that fng and Ser have distinct roles in a novel cell recognition and signal induction process. fng serves as a boundary-determining molecule such that Ser is induced wherever cells expressing fng and cells not expressing fng are juxtaposed. Ser in turn triggers the expression of genes involved in wing growth and patterning on both sides of the DV boundary.