Conflicts and Directions in Proxemic Research

Although research in the field of proxemics is relatively recent, enough research has been done to give rise to some conflicts or potential conflicts in proxemic findings. This paper deals with such sources of conflicts as laboratory observation vs. observation of proxemic behavior in a “naturalistic” setting, and the use of dyads as units of observation vs. larger interactive units. Attention is also given to proxemic behavior as a form of non-verbal communication and expresses the author's views concerning the direction of future research in proxemics.     

Microwave coherent demodulator for phase-shift-keyed signals

A coherent demodulator for p.s.k. signals at microwave-carrier frequencies using an open-squaring phase-locked loop is described and evaluated experimentally. The circuit has been operated at a 50 Mbit data rate, and should operate at much higher data rates. Error measurements in the presence of Gaussian noise confirm that the circuit performs as an ideal coherent detector until the phase-locked-loop threshold is reached.     

The Mobility and Decay Kinetics of Charge Carriers in Discotic Hexabenzocoronenes

The temperature dependence of the mobility and decay kinetics of charge carriers in discotic hexa‐peri‐hexabonzocoronene derivatives has been measured using the pulse‐radiolysis time‐resolved microwave conductivity technique (PR‐TRMC). For both the racemic and chiral dimethyloctyl, and the isomeric n‐decyl substituted derivatives, the mobility decreases at the crystalline solid (K)–liquid crystalline (Col) transition from 0.5±0.1 to 0.30±0.05 cm² V^–1 s^–1 with the transition temperature ca. 30 °C lower for the branched chain compounds. The charge recombination kinetics are similar for the branched chain isomers in the Col phase but a faster decay is found for the racemic compound in the K phase. The fact that the mobility values for an asymmetrically substituted butylanthraquinone (C4 AQ) derivative are a factor of 2–3 lower than for the fully hexakis‐alkyl substituted compounds is attributed to the similar intracore mobilities for holes and electrons in the latter materials and the electron localization on the AQ moiety in the former. Charge recombination is found to be orders of magnitude faster in the Col phase of the C4 AQ derivative than in the K phase, this is attributed to the motional freedom of the AQ^– group in the liquid‐crystalline phase.     

Control of heat transfer and growth uniformity of solidifying copper shells through substrate temperature

To determine the optimal roll temperature in a twin-roll copper-strip caster, copper blocks preheated between 25 °C and 350 °C were immersed in a bath of molten copper for 0.5 seconds. A significant increase in the contact heat-transfer coefficient at the substrate-shell interface was obtained when the substrates were heated above 200 °C and the gain in the solidified shell thickness was 20 pct. The shell growth was also approximately 35 pct more uniform at a high substrate temperature, and micrographic examination showed the dendritic structure to be finer. The contact heat-transfer coefficient was decomposed into two constituents, one for the substrate and the other for the shell. The former was found to be the limiting factor in heat transfer.     

The synthesis of sialylated oligosaccharides using a CMP-Neu5Ac synthetase/sialyltransferase fusion

Large-scale enzymatic synthesis of oligosaccharides, which contain terminal N-acetyl-neuraminic acid residues requires large amounts of the sialyltransferase and the corresponding sugar-nucleotide synthetase, which is required for the synthesis of the sugar-nucleotide donor, CMP-Neu5Ac. Using genes cloned from Neisseria meningitidis, we constructed a fusion protein that has both CMP-Neu5Ac synthetase and alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase activities. The fusion protein was produced in high yields (over 1200 U/L, measured using an alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase assay) in Escherichia coli and functionally pure enzyme could be obtained using a simple protocol. In small-scale enzymatic syntheses, the fusion protein could sialylate various oligosaccharide acceptors (branched and linear) with N-acetyl-neuraminic acid as well as N-glycolyl- and N-propionyl-neuraminic acid in high conversion yield. The fusion protein was also used to produce alpha-2,3-sialyllactose at the 100 g scale using a sugar nucleotide cycle reaction, starting from lactose, sialic acid, phosphoenolpyruvate, and catalytic amounts of ATP and CMP.     

Effect of Calcium Treatment Temperature on Fresh-cut Cantaloupe Melon during Storage

ABSTRACT: The effect of calcium treatment temperature on cut cantaloupe fruit during storage was determined. Fruit dipped in calcium solution at 4°C had lower respiration and moisture loss rates than treated fruit at ambient temperature. Calcium treatment lowered lipase activity at both temperatures, but the effect was more notable in fruit treated at the lower temperature where lipase activity was undetectable in the freshly processed fruit and after storage for 24 h. The ability of calcium to confer rigidity to the tissue components at low temperatures, possibly through improved covalent crosslinking, was indicated by viscosity measurements indicating higher values for pulverized cantaloupe melon with added calcium at 4°C than fruit blended under similar conditions at ambient temperature.     

Photo‐oxidative degradation in polyisoprene: surface characterization and analysis by atomic force microscopy

Surface adhesion and surface mechanical properties of natural rubber cast films have been investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) before and after UV irradiation. Analysis in the force versus distance (F–d) mode probed changes in tip‐to‐surface adhesion. Adhesion was observed to increase as a result of exposure, in accord with the prediction that generation of polar groups in the surface should promote a hydrophilic transition. The hydrophilicity also gives rise to a stronger adhesive contribution from a meniscus force, as demonstrated by comparison of results obtained in air for irradiated and as‐received samples. Calculated values of work of adhesion, based on the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts model, reflected the changes in surface chemistry and the effects of the fluid environment. The outcomes of F–d analyses revealed both tip indentation and polymer extension; the former was fitted to expressions derived from the Snedden formalism, followed by calculation of an effective Young's modulus. Good agreement was obtained for as‐received surfaces with bulk measurements. The photochemistry predicts chain scission events which are likely to account for the observed softening of the polymer. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Impression management ability in psychiatric hospital samples and normals.

As a partial test of the view that schizophrenia is essentially a manipulatory phenomenon, the abilities of normal, neurotic, alcoholic-character disorder, and single and married schizophrenic groups (N = 180) to manage the impressions they make on others were compared. Ss were administered a semistructured interview twice-once each under instructions to make as bad and as good impressions as possible. All groups proved capable of managing the impressions they made to some degree. However, the single schizophrenics produced higher scores than any of the patient samples. Results argue against the hypothesis that schizophrenics are peculiarly capable impression managers. Moreover, the impression management scores of the groups did not change differentially in response to threat, casting some doubt on the view that schizophrenics are peculiarly inclined to produce spurious abnormal behavior to escape painful stress. Results contradict the view that the behaviors characterized as schizophrenic arise from special impression management tendencies rather than cognitive deficits. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)