The "hidden observer" phenomenon in hypnosis: Some additional findings.

23 highly hypnotizable undergraduates (Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility) underwent 2 specially constructed 7-item hypnotic inductions. Over the 14 items, the main finding was of a relationship between E. R. Hilgard's (1973, 1977, 1979) "hidden observer" effect and 2 aspects of hypnotic age regression. Ss reporting a hidden observer experienced duality during regression to age 5, in which they were aware of being both adult and child. When asked to write a complex sentence, most did so, usually without spelling errors. The Ss not reporting this effect experienced quasi-lateral age regression in which they had the exclusive feeling of being 5 yrs old, with no sense of an adult identity. Most of these Ss were unable to write the same complex sentence when requested to during age regression. The study replicated Hilgard's finding of the hidden observer phenomenon in terms of its incidence and obtained similar verbal reports from Ss experiencing it. At the same time, the results suggest that a neodissociation account of hypnosis may need some modifications to accommodate these additional findings. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An upgraded high-velocity dust particle accelerator at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota

In 1975, Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota acquired a 2 MeV dust particle accelerator from NASA/GSFC that was used to test the lunar ejecta and micrometeorite (LEAM) experiment flown on Apollo 17. This high-speed dust particle accelerator is still fully functional and is currently being upgraded. Improvements to the electronic detection system have been undertaken including a computer-based, data acquisition system and new particle detection sensor electronics. These sensors have additional amplifiers that extend the range of charge detection to 1×10⁻¹² C allowing for the detection of larger particles. Improvements to the vacuum system have also been made. The accelerator beam line is now pumped with an oil-free, turbomolecular pump reducing possible problems with hydrocarbon contamination. In this work, we describe the facility, and outline some of the recent improvements to the dust particle accelerator and discuss its capabilities and limitations. We also summarize some of the recent experiments conducted using the facility.     

电力系统稳定性研究的方法论思考

文章对电力系统稳定性研究内涵进行了评述，然后从认识论和方法论上加以分析，讨论了认识过程从功角稳定到电压稳定的转变、从线性向非线性的转变、从简单系统到复杂系统的转变、从重视解析方法到重视非解析方法的转变过程，为电力系统稳定性研究提供方法论指导。     

Comparison of Upscaling Methods in Poroelasticity and Its Generalizations

Four methods of upscaling coupled equations at the microscale to equations valid at the mesoscale and/or macroscale for fluid-saturated and partially saturated porous media will be discussed, compared, and contrasted. The four methods are: (1) effective medium theory, (2) mixture theory, (3) two-scale and multiscale homogenization, and (4) volume averaging. All these methods have advantages for some applications and disadvantages for others. For example, effective medium theory, mixture theory, and homogenization methods can all give formulas for coefficients in the up-scaled equations, whereas volume averaging methods give the form of the up-scaled equations but generally must be supplemented with physical arguments and/or data in order to determine the coefficients. Homogenization theory requires a great deal of mathematical insight from the user in order to choose appropriate scalings for use in the resulting power-law expansions, while volume averaging requires more physical insight to motivate the steps needed to find coefficients. Homogenization often is performed on periodic models, while volume averaging does not require any assumption of periodicity and can therefore be related very directly to laboratory and/or field measurements. Validity of the homogenization process is often limited to specific ranges of frequency—in order to justify the scaling hypotheses that must be made—and therefore cannot be used easily over wide ranges of frequency. However, volume averaging methods can quite easily be used for wide band data analysis. So, we learn from these comparisons that a researcher in the theory of poroelasticity and its generalizations needs to be conversant with two or more of these methods to solve problems generally.     

Oxidation behaviour of the near α-titanium alloy IMI 834

Oxidation behaviour of the near α-titanium alloy IMI 834 was investigated over a range of temperatures, from 600–800°C, in air. Specimens were solution-treated in the α + β and β phase fields for 1 h and 1/2 h, respectively and cooled in air to room temperature. The solution treated samples were subjected to stabilization treatment at 700°C for 2 h, followed by cooling in air. Oxidation behaviour of these samples was studied from 600–800°C in air, for 50 h. The morphology of the scales formed was examined by SEM and the phases present in the scales were characterized by X-ray diffraction. While there was little oxidation at 600°C, the rate of oxidation increased at higher temperatures. In general, the rate of oxidation was found to be more in the α + β treated condition than that in the β treated one. The results are discussed in terms of the characteristics of the oxide film formed under different conditions.     

Marine Wastewater Discharges from Multiport Diffusers. II: Unstratified Flowing Water

Laboratory experiments on the near-field mixing of buoyant plumes discharged from multiport diffusers into unstratified flowing water are reported. The spatial variation of dilution was measured by a newly developed three-dimensional laser-induced fluorescence system and a microconductivity probe. The near-field hydrodynamics are complex. The plumes discharged upstream dilute and merge more rapidly than those discharged downstream. Even with wide port spacing, the plumes eventually merge to form a laterally uniform surface wastefield. The density profile in this wastefield becomes gravitationally stable and suppresses mixing, marking the end of the near field. The value of the port spacing ratio, s/H, below which the discharge approximates a line plume is greater for discharge into a flowing current than into a stationary environment, so the port spacing plays a lesser role in a flowing current. The mixing and dilution that occurs in the surface layer is less than for a discharge into a stationary environment, and it decreases as the current speed increases. Semiempirical equations to predict the major near field characteristics are presented.     

Selecting a Cost-Effective Test Case Prioritization Technique

Regression testing is an expensive testing process used to validate modified software and detect whether new faults have been introduced into previously tested code. To reduce the cost of regression testing, software testers may prioritize their test cases so that those which are more important, by some measure, are run earlier in the regression testing process. One goal of prioritization is to increase a test suite's rate of fault detection. Previous empirical studies have shown that several prioritization techniques can significantly improve rate of fault detection, but these studies have also shown that the effectiveness of these techniques varies considerably across various attributes of the program, test suites, and modifications being considered. This variation makes it difficult for a practitioner to choose an appropriate prioritization technique for a given testing scenario. To address this problem, we analyze the fault detection rates that result from applying several different prioritization techniques to several programs and modified versions. The results of our analyses provide insights into which types of prioritization techniques are and are not appropriate under specific testing scenarios, and the conditions under which they are or are not appropriate. Our analysis approach can also be used by other researchers or practitioners to determine the prioritization techniques appropriate to other workloads.     

Microcrystalline silicon: An emerging material for stable thin‐film transistors

Abstract— Top‐gate and bottom‐gate microcrystalline‐silicon thin‐film transistors (TFTs) have been produced at low temperature (150–250°C) by the standard radio‐frequency glow‐discharge technique using three preparation methods: the hydrogen dilution of silane in hydrogen, the layer‐by‐layer technique, and the use of SiF₄‐Ar‐H₂ feedstock. In all cases, a stable top‐gate TFT with mobility values around 1 cm²/V‐sec have been achieved, making them suitable for basic circuit on glass applications. Moreover, the use of SiF₄ gas combined with specific plasma treatments of the a‐SiN:H dielectric produces large columns, even at the interface with the dielectric. This leads to stable bottom‐gate TFTs, fully compatible with today's a‐Si:H production facilities, reaching mobility values up to 3 cm²/V‐sec. These devices are an interesting alternative to laser‐crystallized polysilicon thin films in a growing number of applications.     

Recording concerns in source code using annotations

A concern can be characterized as a developer׳s intent behind a piece of code, often not explicitly captured in it. We discuss a technique of recording concerns using source code annotations (concern annotations). Using two studies and two controlled experiments, we seek to answer the following 3 research questions: (1) Do programmers׳ mental models overlap? (2) How do developers use shared concern annotations when they are available? (3) Does using annotations created by others improve program comprehension and maintenance correctness, time and confidence? The first study shows that developers׳ mental models, recorded using concern annotations, overlap and thus can be shared. The second study shows that shared concern annotations can be used during program comprehension for the following purposes: hypotheses confirmation, feature location, obtaining new knowledge, finding relationships and maintenance notes. The first controlled experiment with students showed that the presence of annotations significantly reduced program comprehension and maintenance time by 34%. The second controlled experiment was a differentiated replication of the first one, focused on industrial developers. It showed a 33% significant improvement in correctness. We conclude that concern annotations are a viable way to share developers׳ thoughts.     

High‐performance electromagnetic interference shielding material based on an effective mixing protocol

A facile and economic method is developed for the fabrication of new lightweight materials with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance, good mechanical properties and low electrical percolation threshold through melt mixing. Electrical properties, DC conductivity, EMI shielding performance and mechanical properties of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites with varying filler loading of MWCNTs were investigated. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to determine the distribution of MWCNTs in the PTT matrix. The newly developed nanocomposites show excellent dielectric and EMI shielding properties. Theoretical electrical percolation threshold was achieved at 0.21 wt% loading of MWCNTs, due to the high aspect ratio and the three‐dimensional network formation of MWCNTs. Experimental DC conductivity values were compared with those of theoretical models such as the Voet, Bueche and Scarisbrick models, which showed good agreement. The PTT/3% MWCNT composite showed an EMI shielding value of ～38 dB (99.99% attenuation) with a sample thickness of 2 mm. Power balance was used to determine the actual contribution of reflection, absorption and transmission loss to the total EMI shielding value. The nanocomposites showed good tensile and impact properties and the composite with 2% MWCNTs exhibited an improvement in tensile strength of as much as 96%. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry