Pyrolysis and combustion of cellulose. VIII. Thermally initiated reactions of phosphonomethyl amide flame retardants

Several N-(phosphonomethyl) amides have previously been reported to act as particularly effective flame retardants for cellulose. It has also been demonstrated previously that the efficiency of a flame retardant on cellulose frequently parallels its ability to phosphorylate cellulosic hydroxyls at elevated temperatures. This study of the hydrolysis and alcoholysis reactions of N-(phosphonomethyl) amides establishes their unique reactivity. An explanation for this high reactivity is proposed on the basis of intramolecular assistance of the attack of water or alcohols at phosphorus by the carbonyl oxygen of the amide moiety.     

Self-monitoring processes and Holland Vocational Preferences among college students.

Examined the association between self-monitoring and occupational preferences. 237 undergraduates completed Snyder and Gangestad's (1986) revised self-monitoring scale and Holland's (1977) Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI). Regression analyses showed that men who valued congruence between their beliefs and behavior (i.e., low self-monitors) preferred social occupations. Men who were inclined to modify their behavior to fit social situations (i.e., high self-monitors) preferred enterprising occupations. In contrast, high self-monitoring women preferred artistic occupations. It is argued that these gender-neutral occupations permit high self-monitoring women to use their social skills but without the constraints found in male dominated enterprising occupations. Results support the assumption that people prefer occupations compatible with their social skills. Implications for career counseling and further research are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Limitations on the uses of multimedia exposure measurements for multipathway exposure assessment--Part II: Effects of missing data and imprecision.

Multimedia data from two probability-based exposure studies were investigated in terms of how missing data and measurement-error imprecision affected estimation of population parameters and associations. Missing data resulted mainly from individuals'refusing to participate in certain measurement activities, rather than from field or laboratory problems; it suggests that future studies should focus on methods for maximizing participation rates. Measurement error variances computed from duplicate-sample data were small relative to the inherent variation in the populations; consequently, adjustments in nonparametric percentile estimates to account for measurement imprecision were small. Methods of adjustment based on lognormality assumptions, however, appeared to perform poorly.     

Differential gastric ulceration in rats receiving shocks on either fixed-time or variable-time schedules.

Research suggests that predictable electric shocks produce less stress than unpredictable shocks. In this experiment, predictability was manipulated by using fixed-time (FT, predictable) and variable-time (VT, unpredictable) schedules of shock delivery. Rats receiving 3-mA, 1-s electric shocks on a FT 45-s schedule developed less gastric pathology than another group that was administered identical shocks on a VT 45-s schedule. It is argued that this finding represents a more subtle effect of predictability than has been obtained heretofore. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Life expectancies of Pb-free SAC solder interconnects in electronic hardware

The transition from lead (Pb) bearing solder to Pb-free solder has arisen in response to government restrictions on the use of lead (Pb) by the European Union. As a result, electronic manufacturers have sought a material comparable to the conventional 63Sn37Pb solder that has been traditionally used to assemble electronic hardware. Based on extensive review of various solder combination, the majority of electronic manufacturers appear to be adopting a tin–silver–copper (SAC) solder as a popular Pb-free solder replacement. Significant investments have been made by many researchers to characterize the material behavior and durability of this solder system. While the exact composition of the SAC solder is still in question, it now appears that the 96.5Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu (SAC305) solder is gaining wider acceptance as the favored Pb-free replacement, for surface mount assemblies that are going to be subjected predominantly to cyclic thermal environments. This paper presents a review of our current understanding of the life expectancy of Pb-free SAC solder interconnects for electronic hardware. To this end, the paper focuses on material characterization of SAC solder, as well as its temperature cycling and vibration fatigue reliability. From this review, SAC solder interconnects are shown to be suitable for providing adequate life expectancies for temperature cycling in electronic hardware. However, it is clear that there are differences between SAC and the conventional Sn37Pb solder, that need to be understood in order to design reliable electronic hardware.     

Measurement of the Timoshenko Shear Stiffness. II: Effect of Transverse Compressibility

This is the second of two papers devoted to the issue of measuring the Timoshenko shear stiffness of thin-walled composite beams. In the first paper, the effect of warping on the effective Timoshenko shear stiffness, as measured through bending tests, was studied. The bending test was simulated using finite-element analysis, and the results indicated that the warping effect was minimal. On the other hand, the evidence suggests that transverse flexibility may have a significant influence on the effective Timoshenko shear stiffness, decreasing the effective shear stiffness at shorter test spans. The purpose of the present study is to further investigate this effect and to explore the use of a sandwich theory to predict the measurement error. A higher-order sandwich theory, which captures the transverse strain at concentrated loads and supports, is applied to a commercially available thin-walled composite beam. The results indicate that the sandwich model does capture the decrease in the effective shear stiffness at short spans, and the dependence of the shear stiffness on span-to-depth ratio is similar to that calculated in the first paper, using the finite-element method.     

A goal-striving life event and the onset of hypomanic and depressive episodes and symptoms: Perspective from the Behavioral Approach System (BAS) dysregulation theory.

On the basis of the behavioral approach system (BAS) dysregulation theory of bipolar disorder, this study examined the relation between occurrence of a BAS activation-relevant life event--goal striving--and onset of hypomanic and depressive episodes and symptoms. In particular, the authors examined the relation between preparing for and completing final exams (a goal-striving event) and onset of bipolar spectrum episodes and symptoms in college students with bipolar II disorder or cyclothymia (i.e., "soft" bipolar spectrum conditions). One hundred fifty-nine individuals with either a bipolar spectrum disorder (n=68) or no major affective psychopathology (controls; n=91) were further classified on the basis of whether they were college students (i.e., completed final exams). Consistent with the BAS dysregulation theory, preparing for and completing final exams was associated with an increase in hypomanic but not depressive episodes and symptoms in individuals with a soft bipolar spectrum diagnosis. Furthermore, self-reported BAS sensitivity moderated the presence of certain hypomanic symptoms during final exams. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrating psychology and politics.

Comments on the article "A house divided? The psychology of red and blue America" by D. C. Seyle and M. L. Newman (see record 2006-11202-001). Seyle and Newman concluded that the red and blue metaphor is inaccurate and proposed a purple America strategy to better convey that the majority of people do not align themselves with political extremes. There is interdisciplinary agreement on this. Although not cited by Seyle and Newman, the findings by Professor Fiorina of Stanford University were reported by the APA Monitor on Psychology in its coverage of the 2005 APA State Leadership Conference (Murray Law, 2005). In contrast to their social psychological analysis, Seyle and Newman were incorrect in concluding that "[a]s psychologists, we are not in a position to change either the elements of the American political system that may spur this conflict or even the decisions made by pundits, politicians, and reporters about the terms they choose to use in political discussion" (p. 579). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of situational demand upon social enjoyment and preference in schizotypy.

The socioemotional functioning of schizophrenic and schizotypic individuals is marked by withdrawal, poor organization, and limited emotional displays. Such behavioral tendencies and lack of social enjoyment in schizotypy could be linked to the relative situational demands or role ambiguity inherent in specific social activities. To determine whether high-schizotypy individuals prefer more clearly role-defined social activities (e.g., visiting relatives) to more ambiguous, novel situations (e.g., going alone to a party), the authors gathered reports from 52 high-schizotypy and 60 low-schizotypy individuals on their enjoyment and frequency of engaging in social situations varying in relative situational demand. Parallel reports were obtained from knowledgeable others. Group × Situational Demand interactions revealed the hypothesized pattern of reduced frequency and enjoyment ratings for ambiguous or novel situations by the high-schizotypy participants in both self and others' reports. Groups were more comparable in their reported frequency and enjoyment of less ambiguous situations. Results suggest the importance of situational demands in the socioemotional experience and behavioral withdrawal in schizotypy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

DILIGENT: integrating digital library and Grid technologies for a new Earth observation research infrastructure

This paper introduces DILIGENT, a digital library infrastructure built by integrating digital library and Grid technologies and resources. This infrastructure allows different communities to dynamically build specialised digital libraries capable to support the entire e-Science knowledge production and consumption life-cycle by using shared computing, storage, content, and application resources. The paper presents some of the main software services that implement the DILIGENT system. Moreover, it exemplifies the provided features by presenting how the DILIGENT infrastructure is being exploited in supporting the activity of user communities working in the Earth Science Environmental sector. This work is partially funded by the European Commission in the context of the DILIGENT project, under the 2nd call of FP6 IST priority.