Conditionals and conditional probability.

The authors report 3 experiments in which participants were invited to judge the probability of statements of the form if p then q given frequency information about the cases pq, p?q, ?pq, and ?p?q (where ? = not). Three hypotheses were compared: (a) that people equate the probability with that of the material conditional, 1 - P(p?q); (b) that people assign the conditional probability, P(q/p); and (c) that people assign the conjunctive probability P(pq). The experimental evidence allowed rejection of the 1st hypothesis but provided some support for the 2nd and 3rd hypotheses. Individual difference analyses showed that half of the participants used conditional probability and that most of the remaining participants used conjunctive probability as the basis of their judgments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conditions for the Acceptance of Deontic Conditionals.

Recent psychological research has investigated how people assess the probability of an indicative conditional. Most people give the conditional probability of q given p as the probability of if p then q. Asking about the probability of an indicative conditional, one is in effect asking about its acceptability. But on what basis are deontic conditionals judged to be acceptable or unacceptable? Using a decision theoretic analysis, we argue that a deontic conditional, of the form if p then must q or if p then may q, will be judged acceptable to the extent that the p & q possibility is preferred to the p & not-q possibility. Two experiments are reported in which this prediction was upheld. There was also evidence that the pragmatic suitability of permission rules is partly determined by evaluations of the not-p & q possibility. Implications of these results for theories of deontic reasoning are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In situ structure–activity correlation experiments of the ruthenium catalyzed CO oxidation reaction

The complex structure–activity correlation of the CO oxidation on ruthenium has been studied in a batch reactor by using in situ surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and on-line mass spectrometry. Two distinct active phases are identified at higher pressures in the mbar range depending on the reaction conditions: a non-oxidic phase and a RuO₂(1 1 0) layer of variable thickness ranging from 1.5 nm to 10 nm. For reaction temperatures lower than 520 K the experimental turnover frequency (TOF) numbers are shown to be almost identical for the two types of active phases. Above 520 K the RuO₂(1 1 0) layer turned out to be much more active than the non-oxidic phase. Kinetic reaction experiments on the RuO₂(1 1 0) phase reveal an activation energy of 78 ± 10 kJ/mol which is in perfect agreement with corresponding reactivity experiments on supported and powder RuO₂ catalyst. Under oxidizing reaction conditions and high concentration of CO₂ in the gas mixture, the RuO₂(1 1 0) model catalyst shows reversible product-poisoning.     

Field experinence of the molluscicide "Frescon" in the control of fascioliasis (author''s transl)

The desipramine-sensitive uptake (neuronal uptake) of 14C-bretylium and 14C-bethanidine into the rabbit aortic adventitial layer from 3 X 10(-6) M solutions increased with time during a 20 min incubation. For both compounds a neuronal uptake of 50 pmol/50 mg wet weight adventitia was associated with 10% block of the contractile response to field stimulation at 16 Hz and 150 pmol/50 mg with 60% block. The concentration of blocking agents inside the neuron at 50% blockade was calculated to be 260 X 10(-6) M, an 87-fold increase over the medium. The bretylium in the neuron decreased by 50% during 20 min washout, and bethanidine by 29%. Desipramine when added to the bath 20 min following the addition of the blocking agents led to a loss of bretylium but not of bethanidine from the adventitia. Desipramine had little or no effect on the uptake, washout or disposition of either blocking agent in the media-intimal layers. The data indicate that bretylium has a greater propensity than bethanidine to be lost from the neurons; however, it appears to be recycled back through the membrane via the amine pump more readily than bethanidine. The fact that conservative calculations indicate that the neuronal membrane slowly established a concentration of the blocking agents within the neuron that is known to produce rapid local anesthesia when topically applied to adrenergic nerve trunks and which approaches a concentration needed to inhibit sensory endings suggests that local anesthesia may play a role in the mechanism of neuron blockade.     

The scholarly impact of articles published by men and women in psychology journals

In considering whether men and women produce research of equal quality, it needs to be asked not whether similar numbers of important contributions come from men and women (since numerically there have been more men than women among researchers), but whether the proportion of women active in research who make important contributions is the same as the proportion of men active in research who make important contributions. A search of entries in the 1985 edition ofSocial Sciences Citation Index located 564 articles from psychology journals which had attracted 15 or more citations. The sex ratio among senior authors of these high-impact articles was compared with the sex-ratio among senior authors of low-impact articles published in the same journals. The majority of high-impact articles had been published by men, but so had most low-impact articles. When allowance was made for the different numerical representation of the two sexes among authors, there was no evidence that men and women differ in terms of the impact of articles they publish. The results are discussed in the context of methodological issues in evaluation of sex differences in scientific performance, as well as with reference to the limited recognition that women so far have gained for research achievement in psychology.     

Latex allergy

During the last 10-15 years allergic reaction to Natural rubber latex (NLR) has become an increasing occupational problem among health-care workers. The allergy is caused by allergenic proteins in the NRL. The diagnosis is achieved through a relevant history, skin prick tests with aquous NRL glove extracts and blood tests. History and prick tests are most important. The most frequent cross-reaction is to banana. Careful instruction on prevention is a must.     

Design values of Inconel 617 for high temperature reactors operating at temperatures above 800°C

For extrapolation of the time-dependent stress values the following two methods are introduced:

• -extrapolation with constitutive equations

• -extrapolation with time-temperature parameters.

The first method is a system of coupled equations with creep and damaging parts (a physical-mathematical method), the second is an extrapolation method which combines three well-known time-temperature parameters (a statistical method). On the basis of the latter method time-dependent stress intensity values for a high temperature reactor material are derived and as an example the time safety against rupture is shown for a heat exchanger tube at a temperature of 950°C.