Flat affect in schizophrenia does not reflect diminished subjective experience of emotion.

Although accorded historical significance, affective features of schizophrenia have only begun to receive systematic empirical attention. Interestingly, both early psychopathology writers and more recent investigators have reported frequent discrepancies between schizophrenics' feelings and outward expressions of emotion. Using a more comprehensive assessment of emotion, the present study examines the relationship between emotional experience and expression in a sample of medication-free schizophrenics. Compared with their normal counterparts, schizophrenics were indeed much less facially expressive of both positive and negative emotions during emotion-eliciting films, yet they reported experiencing as much positive and negative emotion. Therefore, the blunted affect typical of some schizophrenics misrepresents their underlying emotional experience. Future research into an inhibition hypothesis is recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Constraints on benthic algal response to nutrient addition in oligotrophic mountain rivers

Nutrient availability has long been considered one of the most important factors regulating production of benthic algae in oligotrophic rivers; yet, empirical relationships do not have as wide an application as similar models derived for lentic systems. The aim of this research was to derive empirical relationships between nutrient concentrations and benthic algal abundance and to identify commonalities with other studies to improve our understanding of constraints on algae in oligotrophic rivers. Surveys of physical, chemical and biological attributes of oligotrophic mountain rivers in spring, summer and autumn for 2 years confirmed that small amounts of anthropogenic phosphorus (0.1–5.6 µg/L total phosphorus (TP)) resulted in 4‐ to 30‐fold increases in abundance of benthic algae and benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs). Algal accrual along a gradient in nutrient availability was not masked by grazing pressure but was positively correlated with abundance of scrapers. Epilithic abundance was highest downstream of anthropogenic nutrient sources in autumn. We concluded that benthic algal abundance in these mountain rivers was weakly correlated with phosphorus availability if light was not limiting but ultimately controlled by temperature and river discharge. Therefore, we recommend more direct measures of nutrient limitation be used to predict changes in ecological integrity at the lower end of the resource gradient. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An ergonomic evaluation of nursing assistants' job in a nursing home.

Thirty-eight nursing assistants (NAs) in a nursing home ranked and rated 16 different patient handling tasks for perceived stresses to the low back. The nursing assistants were observed for 79 4 h shifts and were videotaped for 14 4 h shifts to describe a typical workday and to determine the number of patient-handling tasks performed per shift, the use of assistive devices, and biomechanical stresses to the low back. In addition, data were collected on nursing assistants' and patients' characteristics. The top eight ranked tasks included transferring patient from toilet to wheelchair (WC), WC to toilet, WC to bed, bed to WC, bathtub to WC, chairlift to WC, weighing patients and lifting patients up in bed. The mean ratings of perceived exertion for these tasks were between 'somewhat hard' and 'hard'. The estimated compressive force on L5/S1 disc for the 50th percentile patient weight ranged from 3.7 to 4.9 KN. Nursing assistants worked in teams of two and performed 24 patient transfers per 8 h shift by manually lifting and carrying patients. Assistive devices (a hydraulic lift and gait belt) were used less than 2% of the time. Patient safety and comfort, lack of accessibility, physical stresses associated with the devices, lack of skill, increased transfer time, and lack of staffing were some of the reasons for not using these assistive devices. Environmental barriers (such as confined workplaces, an uneven floor surface, lack of adjustability of beds, stationary railings around the toilet, etc.) made the job more difficult. Nursing assistants had a high prevalence of low-back pain and 51% of nursing assistants visited a health care provider in the last three years for work related low-back pain.     

The effects of feedback on performance and retention of skill for a natural language interface

This study investigated the effectiveness of different types of on-line feedback following user errors for informing users of the information and functions available in a system with a natural language interface. Twenty-four individuals performed a task based on an industry cost savings program, in which they were given general goals to pursue with regard to the task. Three feedback levels which differed according to the type and amount of feedback provided, along with two levels of system complexity, were examined. In addition, subjects performed the task again after one week to determine the effects of feedback on retention. Results indicated that the subjects in the second level of feedback generally performed better with respect to accessing system functions and information than those in the first level. Although there was some performance improvement from the second to third level, it was not significant. However, the third level of feedback did significantly improve the efficiency with which subjects used information to complete the task during the return condition. Overall, feedback did not affect the errors made, though at certain more limited stages of the tasks this effect was observed.     

Loglinear models: A way to study main effects and interactions for multidimensional contingency tables with categorical data.

Until recently, behavioral researchers failed to examine categorical data based on multidimensional data in a unified whole because of the complex arithmetic such procedures entail. With the appearance of the loglinear model and user-friendly computer software, the problems associated with the analysis of multifaceted contingency tables no longer exist. In this article, we describe the loglinear model and apply it to categorical data cross-tabulated on four dimensions. We define contrasts similar to those of the analysis of variance and describe post hoc and planned comparison strategies. We illustrate hypothesis testing and model building for categorical data, and provide guidelines for performing an analysis on frequency data by using the loglinear model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Designing the MPC105 PCI bridge/memory controller

The MPC105 peripheral component interconnection bridge/memory controller provides a platform-specification-compliant bridge between Power PC microprocessors and the PCI bus. With it, designers can create systems using peripherals already designed for a variety of standard PC interfaces. This bridge chip also integrates a secondary cache controller and high-performance memory controller that supports DRAM or synchronous DRAM and ROM or flash ROM     

Adolescent-centered family integrated philosophy and treatment.

With adolescents and their families, an important approach to use is a combination of psychodynamic underpinnings when evaluating the individual's inner world and a systemic component of looking at the interrelation between members of the family in a multigenerational manner. Differentiation of the individual and system is demonstrated through the use of individual and family sessions. Two clinical cases are presented to demonstrate this treatment approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE GROWTH OF SMALL CORNER FATIGUE CRACKS IN ALUMINIUM 6061-T651

Results of an experimental investigation of the fatigue growth of small corner cracks emanating from small flaws are presented. Growth-arrest behaviour was observed, and increases in crack length during growth periods were of the order of the transverse grain size. For the test material, the corner crack front intersects, on average, only three–six grains in the small crack regime monitored, so only a small number of constrained, interior grains is encountered. It is suggested that the presence of partially constrained surface grains may contribute to the 'anomalous' growth behaviour which has been observed by a number of investigators.
The crack growth histories of the test data presented exhibit considerable scatter. It is shown that a Student's t -test can be used to estimate confidence intervals in order to provide a measure of the observed scatter. The variation in confidence intervals in the transition from small to long fatigue crack growth is discussed.     

Network politics in an educational organization

The electronic mail (EM) network in a large, multi-campus community college district was used by some employees to gain support for positions contrary to those of the leadership. The case study offered an opportunity to look at technology within an organizational setting. It raised questions about the loose coupling of the educational organization's technical and authority systems, about the strength of coupling among employee groups during the incident, about the boundaries of the EM political activists, and about the power manifested within educational organization's technical and authority systems. A variety of research methods (stages of event progression, fantasy types associated with consciousness-building, and evidence of user technical and rhetorical skills) were used to answer questions about the organization's loosely coupled systems during the EM political incident. Notes were taken of conversations and more formal interviews. From this the technical and authority systems of the institution were described and compared. Results indicated that (1) the loose coupling of the technical and the authority systems made the EM political incident possible; (2) employees were more tightly coupled on organizational goals and more loosely coupled on organizational means; (3) political activists did not make full use of the EM's political medium potential; and (4) when the college district's administration refused to limit anyone's use of the EM network, they reinforced the integrity of both the authority and the technical systems.

Implications included: (1) the potential of some of the research methods for EM study, especially fantasy theme analysis; (2) a political interpretation of EM language, especially flaming; (3) the importance of technical and rhetorical skills for mature EM users; and (4) the role of the authority and technical systems in the debate about appropriate EM network use within an organization.