Are shame, guilt, and embarrassment distinct emotions?

182 undergraduates described personal embarrassment, shame, and guilt experiences and rated these experiences on structural and phenomenological dimensions. Contrary to popular belief, shame was no more likely than guilt to be experienced in "public" situations; all 3 emotions typically occurred in social contexts, but a significant proportion of shame and guilt events occurred when respondents were alone. Analyses of participants' phenomenological ratings clearly demonstrated that shame, guilt, and embarrassment are not merely different terms for the same affective experience. In particular, embarrassment was a relatively distant neighbor of shame and guilt, and the differences among the 3 could not be explained simply by intensity of affect or by degree of moral transgression. Finally, participants generally were their own harshest critics in each type of event, evaluating themselves more negatively than they believed others did. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anisoplanatic deconvolution of adaptive optics images

A modified method for maximum-likelihood deconvolution of astronomical adaptive optics images is presented. By parametrizing the anisoplanatic character of the point-spread function (PSF), a simultaneous optimization of the spatially variant PSF and the deconvolved image can be performed. In the ideal case of perfect information, it is shown that the algorithm is able to perfectly cancel the adverse effects of anisoplanatism down to the level of numerical precision. Exploring two different modes of deconvolution (using object bases of pixel values or stellar field parameters), we then quantify the performance of the algorithm in the presence of Poissonian noise for crowded and noncrowded stellar fields.     

Derivation of power gain for three types of three dimensional photovoltaics cells

In order to quantify the higher power output seen from solar cells with a three‐dimensional (3D) topology due to the increased interactions between photons and the cell surface, we have derived a formula for the average number of interactions, Γ, between a photon and the cell surface for 3D cells with vertical sidewalls and flat tops. We have derived Γ for three different cell morphologies, an infinite trench in the x‐ or y‐direction, an enclosed box, and an infinite two‐dimensional (2D) array of towers. Monte Carlo simulations were carried out in order to compare computational results for Γ with those derived. For varying distance between features, d, and photon azimuthal angle, the data fits the derived expressions quite well for a large range of values. For varying tower height, the data fits theory well for both the trench and box morphologies, however, theory overestimates the value of Γ for the 2D array of towers. This is due to simplifications made when deriving Γ. However, the error associated with Γ is small enough that it propagates to a measured power output error of less than 1% for cells with an absorbance efficiency of at least 25%. Even with simplifications, the derived expression for Γ should be usable for predicting the increased power output for 3D cells with vertical sidewalls and flat tops. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ethnic background, therapeutic alliance, and treatment retention in functional family therapy with adolescents who abuse substances.

In this study, the authors examined the role of balance between adolescent-therapist and parent-therapist alliances in the retention of functional family therapy clients. Therapeutic alliances of mothers, fathers, and adolescents were assessed from videotapes of the 1st treatment session for 43 Hispanic and 43 Anglo families. Hispanic families who dropped out before completing the requisite number of sessions were found to have greater imbalance in alliance (parent-adolescent) than those who did complete therapy. However, this finding was not replicated with Anglo families. Results are interpreted in terms of previous research on family-level balanced alliance effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethnic matching and treatment outcome with Hispanic and Anglo substance-abusing adolescents in family therapy.

This study examined treatment outcomes of 86 highly acculturated Hispanic and Anglo substance-abusing adolescents in functional family therapy, testing the hypothesis that ethnic matching of therapist and client is related to better treatment outcomes for clients. Adolescents reported on their substance use pre- and posttreatment on a timeline follow-back interview. Ethnically matched Hispanic adolescents demonstrated greater decreases in their substance use compared with Hispanic adolescents with Anglo therapists. Ethnic match status was not related to treatment outcome for Anglo clients. Thus, the matching hypothesis was supported for Hispanic clients only. The results underscore the importance of greater ethnic diversity among therapists and better cultural competency training for Anglo therapists. More research is needed on individual differences in the effects of ethnic matching. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Detection and separation of gas-phase carbon-centered radicals from cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust

Carbon-centered radicals were trapped from gas-phase cigarette smoke and diesel engine exhaust by reaction with a nitroxide, 3-amino-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy (3AP). The resulting mixture of stable, diamagnetic adducts was derivatized with naphthalenedicarboxaldehyde (NDA) to produce highly fluorescent products. Derivatives were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which revealed distinctly different suites of radicals present in the two systems. Integration of HPLC peaks gave approximately 22 ± 7 nmol of radicals per cigarette and 3 ± 1 nmol of radicals per liter of diesel engine exhaust. An estimated 8-10 different carbon-centered radical species are present in each system.     

Carbon nanotube arrays for photovoltaic applications

Vertically aligned periodic arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used to create topographically enhanced light-trapping photovoltaic cells. The CNTs form the back contact of the device and serve as a scaffold to support the photoactive heterojunction. Molecular beam epitaxy is used to deposit CdTe and CdS as the p/n-type materials and ion-assisted deposition is used to deposit a conformal coating of indium-tin oxide as the transparent top contact. X-ray diffraction data shows (111) texture of the CdTe. Photocurrent produced “per cm² of footprint” for the CNT-based device is 63 times that of a commercially available planar single crystal silicon device.     

Increased tuning range of Pb1-xSnxSe diode lasers using small magnetic fields

A Pb0.96Sn0.04Se laser diode emitting in the 815-835- cm^-1region with current tuning has been examined with applied magnetic fields at 7 kG and below. With increasing magnetic field the laser gain curve broadens, allowing more laser cavity modes (separated by 1.8 cm^-1) to oscillate at a given current, and yielding a larger tuning range with current for each cavity mode. Using a combination of current tuning and a constant magnetic field, laser emission was achieved from 800 to 850 cm^-1with 90 percent coverage of the spectral interval.     

Texturing of polycrystalline photovoltaic materials using vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays

In order to demonstrate that three‐dimensional carbon nanotube‐based photovoltaic devices show an increase in power output over similar planar cells, we have produced cells with texturing through the use of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays and cells without this texturing. The output power of these cells at varying incident angles of light was measured. The textured cells show an increase in the normalized power output compared with similar planar cells when the solar flux is at off‐normal angles. The power output versus incident angle curve takes an inverted C‐type curve as predicted by the theory developed previously, with very good agreement between experimental results and theoretical predictions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.