Welsh's internalization ratio as a behavioral index.

In the use of the MMPI, how does Welsh's Internalization Ratio (IR), derived by relating the "mood" scales to the "behavior" scales, differentiate between soldiers rated as satisfactory and those rated unsatisfactory? In one study it showed a difference between 13 men honorably discharged and 15 reassigned because of being considered unsatisfactory. In another study, ratings of 5 civilians ranked 17 Ss who were on a 6-week exercise in a subartic region as "satisfactory" and "unsatisfactory" and this agreed with the IRs. "Furthermore, the .87 cut off point again significantly discriminated between satisfactory and unsatisfactory individuals." From Psyc Abstracts 36:01:3LD17F. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The use of open-end data as an aid in writing multiple-choice distracters: An evaluation with arithmetic reasoning and computation items.

Data gathered during the development of the Navy Arithmetic Test were analyzed to evaluate the utility of using distracters derived by administering the items in open-ended (OE) form. For both Computation items and Reasoning items moderately high correlations (about .50-.60) were found between frequency with which responses were written in by Ss in OE format and frequency with which the same responses were chosen in multiple-choice format. That OE-derived responses tend to retain their relative popularity in multiple-choice format appears to provide some support for the use of the relatively expensive OE technique in arithmetic test construction. Caution is urged in applying these findings to other test types. From Psyc Abstracts 36:05:5KJ31R. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

UF resin efficiency of MDF as affected by resin content loss, coverage level and pre-cure

A full-factorial experimental design was used to investigate the effects of three factors on UF resin efficiency. Within the limits of this study, the three factors, namely, resin content loss, resin coverage level and resin pre-cure time for mechanical blended MDF fibres were found to have significant effects on resin efficiency as evaluated by the internal bond strength (IB) of the panels. The most significant factor was resin content loss followed by resin coverage level and resin pre-cure. The resin coverage level had a positive effect on resin efficiency, while the resin content loss, resin pre-cure time at 40 °C conditions, the interactions of resin coverage level and resin content loss as well as resin coverage level with pre-cure had negative effects on resin efficiency. For a given resin content, the resin efficiency could be increased by 35% by increasing the level of resin coverage. The resin efficiency obviously decreased with resin content loss and pre-cure time.

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Beeinflussung der UF-Harzwirksamkeit bei MDF durch Harzverlust, Harzverteilungsgrad und Harzvorhärtung

Zusammenfassung In einem vollständig faktoriell angelegten Versuch wurde die Wirkung der drei Faktoren Harzverlust, Harzverteilungsgrad und Harzvorhärtung auf die UF-Harzwirksamkeit untersucht. Im Rahmen dieser Studie zeigte sich anhand der Bewertung der Querzugfestigkeit (IB) der Platten, dass sich diese drei Faktoren erheblich auf die Harzwirksamkeit bei mechanisch durchmischten MDF-Fasern auswirken. Der bedeutendste Faktor war Harzverlust gefolgt von Harzverteilungsgrad und Harzvorhärtung. Der Harzverteilungsgrad wirkte sich auf die Harzwirksamkeit positiv aus. Dagegen wirkten sich Harzverlust, Harzvorhärtungszeit bei einer Temperatur von 40 °C, sowie die gemischten Glieder aus Harzverteilungsgrad und Harzverlust sowie aus Harzverteilungsgrad und Vorhärtung negativ auf die Harzwirksamkeit aus. Durch eine verbesserte Harzverteilung konnte die Harzwirksamkeit bei gegebenem Harzgehalt um 35% erhöht werden. Die Harzwirksamkeit nimmt offensichtlich mit zunehmendem Harzverlust und Vorhärtungszeit ab.

     

Near‐infrared spectroscopy for the determination of lipid oxidation in cereal food products

The present study was aimed at determining the ability of near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to in situ describe fat oxidation kinetics in three different cereal‐based products: salted crackers (20% saturated palm oil and lauric oil, sprayed on surface); healthy crackers (10% unsaturated rapeseed oil, homogeneously distributed inside the product matrix); and moist pasteurised Asian noodles (1.5% unsaturated rapeseed oil, sprayed on surface). Products were stored under accelerated oxidation conditions at 40 °C. Lipid oxidation rates were determined from peroxide value (PV) measurements. We observed no significant changes in PV for the dry crackers (3 meq/kg after 60 days), a slight linear increase in PV for the healthy crackers (40 meq/kg after 60 days), and a rapid increase for the Asian noodles (80 meq/kg after 20 days). The NIR spectra were recorded between 1000 and 2500 nm by using a Fourier Transform NIR spectrometer, using an external probe. Measurements were done directly in situ on the product, on the ground samples, and on the extracted fat phase. The analysis of NIR spectral data by PLS statistical methods demonstrated some correlation trends (R² = 0.575–0.897; RMSEC = 17–55%) for the products having a significant increase in PV. It was not possible to propose predictive models to calculate the oxidation rate.     

Single-Reference Coupled-Cluster Calculations of the Triplet Ground-State O2 Dissociation Potential

Three single-reference coupled-cluster single and double (CCSD) substitution models, CCSD + T(CCSD), CCSDT-1, and CCSD(T), exact through the fourth order of perturbation theory, are tested on the triplet ground-state dissociation potential of O₂. For the unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) initial approximation, the interatomic distance region R ˜ 2.4–2.7 a.u. is problematic due to large multireference character, and beyond R ˜ 3.0 a.u. spin contamination causes difficulties. To a large extent these deficiencies are cured by the coupled-cluster treatments. Fourth-order triples as well as higher-order singles and doubles play a significant role. A more flexible basis set than DZP is important, too. None of the methods tried reproduce the experimental potential curve to the desired accuracy (2 kcal/mol). However, in a 6–311 + + G(2df, 2p) basis, the CCSD(T) model does give spectroscopic constants that are correct within 0.2 eV for the dissociation energy D_e, 70 cm⁻¹ for the harmonic vibrational frequency v_e, and 0.5 cm⁻¹ for the first anharmonicity constant v_eX_e. This model also reproduces the potential throughout the dissociative region to better than 0.2 eV. Overall CCSD + T(CCSD) is considerably less satisfactory than CCSD(T); CCSDT-1 is similar to CCSD(T) in a DZP basis, but large basis calculations proved to be too time consuming.     

Vertical distribution of fauna in the bed sediment of three running water sites: Influence of physical and trophic factors

Relationships between invertebrates, substrate characteristics and trophic factors were investigated, with special emphasis on the hyporheic habitat, in order to characterize the functioning of different running waters ecosystems. Three contrasting study sites were chosen in catchments exhibiting different features: (1) a meandering reach of the Loire River in its alluvial floodplain, upstream of the ‘Bec d'Allier’; (2) a reach of the Galaure with a fairly developed riparian corridor, a small sinuous foothill river; and (3) a braided reach of the Drac, an alpine torrential stream. Each site was sampled once using the freezing-core technique with previous electro-positioning of the invertebrates. In each site, four 60 cm cores were extracted, each one from different morphodynamic units. In the Loire and Galaure rivers, most invertebrates are found in the first 15 cm of the sediment, with the exception of some particular taxa or morphodynamic units (riffle head). Conversely, in the Drac lotic units, maximum density of invertebrates occurs between 15 and 30 cm and more than 75 per cent of all organisms are found at a depth > 15 cm. The vertical distribution of organisms does not follow a uniform pattern in different streams. In the substrate, the vertical distribution of macroinvertebrates is very closely related to porosity in contrast with trophic parameters that always decrease with depth. The porosity is negatively correlated with the percentage of sand in the sediment and seems to be important in determining the vertical distribution of fauna, and should be integrated in a functional typology of running waters. The trophic parameters and the structure of invertebrate community with its dominant feeding groups allow discrimination of the different sites.     

Phenotype of striatal cells expressing c-Fos following amphetamine treatment of rats with intrastriatal dopaminergic grafts

Activation of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system by psychostimulants such as amphetamine increases c-Fos expression in the striatum, mostly in the striatonigral substance P-ergic pathway. This effect is greatly reduced in the neostriatum deprived of dopaminergic afferents. Dopaminergic grafts implanted into the denervated neostriatum restore the reactivity of the striatum to amphetamine. However, the number of striatal neurons expressing c-Fos is greatly increased in the graft-bearing striatum compared with the normal striatum. We examined whether this increase in the number of c-Fos-expressing neurons corresponds to the recruitment of a new neuron population, or whether it reflects an increase in the proportion of substance P-ergic neurons exhibiting activation of c-Fos. Adult rats received a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion of the ascending dopaminergic mesotelencephalic pathway, and a suspension of embryonic mesencephalic neurons was subsequently implanted into the denervated neostriatum. Three months after implantation, animals were injected with d-amphetamine (5 mg/kg) and killed 2 h later. In the first experiment, striatal sections were processed to visualize both c-Fos protein, by immunohistochemistry, and preproenkephalin A or substance P, by in situ hybridization. In the second experiment, c-Fos and neuropeptide Y were visualized on the same sections. In addition, some sections incubated with anti-c-Fos antibody were counterstained with toluidine blue in order to determine whether cholinergic neurons were expressing c-Fos following amphetamine treatment. The density of neurons expressing c-Fos following amphetamine treatment was three-fold higher in the graft-bearing striata than in the striata of control animals. Approximately 75% of the c-Fos expressing cells were substance P-ergic in control animals whereas 6% were enkephalinergic and only a few were neuropeptide Y-ergic or cholinergic. Similar proportions were found in the graft-bearing striatum, signifying that the pattern of activation of c-fos following amphetamine administration is not changed by the graft. Thus, the increased expression of c-Fos predominantly reflects a graft-induced increase in the proportion of neurons expressing c-Fos within the same population of neurons which normally expresses c-Fos in the striatum, i.e. the striatonigral substance P-ergic neurons; there is no recruitment of a new neuronal population. This increased activation of the striatonigral substance P-ergic pathway may underlie the abnormal behavioural reactions brought about by amphetamine-induced stimulation of the implanted dopaminergic neurons.