The ontogeny and significance of infants' facial expressions in the first 9 months of life.

Four studies examined aspects of the differential emotions theory (DET) hypothesis of expressive behavior development. In Study 1, facial-expressive movements of 108 2.5–9-mo-old infants were video recorded in positive and negative mother–infant interactions (conditions). As expected, Max-specified full-face and partial expressions of interest, joy, sadness, and anger were morphologically stable between the 2 ages. Studies 1 and 2 confirmed predicted differential responding to mother sadness and anger expressions and to composite positive and negative conditions. Discrete negative expressions exceeded negative blends, and the amount of both expression types remained stable across ages. Studies 3 and 4 provided varying degrees of support for the social validity of Max-specified infant negative affect expressions. Conclusions include revisions and clarifications of DET. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

2,2′-oxo-1,1′-azobenzene: microbial transformation of rye (Secale cereale L.) allelochemical in field soils byAcinetobacter calcoaceticus: III

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, a gram-negative bacterium isolated from field soil, was found to be responsible for the biotransformation of 2(3H)-benzoxazolinone (BOA) to 2,2-oxo-1,1-azobenzene (AZOB). Experiments were conducted to evaluate the transformation of BOA to AZOB by this microbe in sterile and nonsterile soil. Transformation studies with soils inoculated withA. calcoaceticus indicated that the production of AZOB increased linearly with the concentration of BOA in sterile soil and showed a quadratic trend in nonsterile soils. This also indicated that all soil types studied for the transformation experiments might containA. calcoaceticus capable of the conversion of benzoxazolinones.     

Experimental methodologies to evaluate allelopathic plant interactions

It is difficult to clearly and unambiguously demonstrate an allelopathic mechanism of plant interference. Several types of experimental methodologies such as the additive design, substitutive designs, and several types of plant yield-plant population functions are discussed in terms of their relative merits in terms of providing quantitative and qualitative information in the development of an empirical basis to describe a plant interaction. Additionally, several types of mathematical and graphical representations are presented using data from the velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) and soybean (Glycine max) interaction. The design provides agronomically relevant information about crop yield losses but confounds the separate effects of population density and species proportion in mixtures. The replacement series design separates these two variables by maintaining a constant population of plants while varying the relative proportion of each species in mixtures. The replacement series diagram, relative yield, relative replacement rate, ratio diagram, a scaling test, and the regression of individual yield on the associate yield are discussed in terms of their utility in providing insights into a plant interaction. Individual plant yield-plant population functions such as the “Y-D” and “C-D” effects, the “3/2 power law of self-thinning,” and the “Sakai” test provide a basis to compare plant yield per plant versus plant population responses. Several types of interactions are characterized with this methodology. None of these experimental designs will clearly demonstrate an allelopathic plant interaction alone, but they do provide high-inference experimental methodologies to develop an empirical foundation to describe accurately a plant interaction upon which more specific hypotheses can be developed.     

More of the Same? Understanding Transformation in Tablet-based Academic Library Instruction

Academic librarians have shared their experiences with tablet computers, but few examine how librarians use tablets in their instruction design. While the education literature provides technology integration models, the nature of library instruction requires adapting these models to the library classroom. After reviewing literature related to tablets in library instruction and a number of technology integration frameworks, this article demonstrates an application of the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition framework to analyze observations of an iPad-equipped classroom at a university library. Demonstrating this use of a framework provides an approach to technology integration and continues the discussion about tablets’ potential to promote innovative pedagogy.     

2,2′-OXO-1, 1 ′-azobenzene A microbially transformed allelochemical from 2,3-Benzoxazolinone: I

2,2-Oxo-1,1 -azobenzene (AZOB), a compound with strong herbicidal activity, was isolated and characterized from a soil supplemented with 2,3-benzoxazolinone (BOA). A parallel experiment with 6-methoxy-2,3-benzoxazolinone (MBOA) yielded AZOB as well as its mono-(MAZOB) and dimethoxy-(DIMAZOB) derivatives. These compounds were produced only in the presence of soil microorganisms, via possible intermediates, I and II, which may dimerize or react with the parent molecule to form the final products. In the case of MBOA, it was shown that demethoxylation precedes the oxidation step. Although BOA and 2,4-dihydroxy-1,4(2H)-benzoxazin-3-one (DIBOA) were leached out of rye residues, there were no detectable amounts of the biotransformation products in the soil. When BOA was mixed with soil and rye residue, either under field conditions or in vitro, AZOB was detected. Levels of free BOA in the soil were greatly reduced by incubation with rye residue. AZOB was more toxic to curly cress (Lepidium sativum L.) and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgatti L.) than either DIBOA or BOA.Journal Article No. 12943 of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Combined field integral equation formulation for scattering by dielectrically coated conducting bodies

The combined field integral equation (CFIE) formulation for electromagnetic scattering from perfectly conducting bodies is generalized to treat conductors with layered dielectric coatings. The generalized formulation is proved to provide unique solutions at all frequencies. The method of moments is used to solve the resulting system of integral equations. Solutions in terms of two integral operators are developed for body of revolution configurations. The behavior and properties of the generalized combined field formulation are illustrated with results of calculations for coated spheres, cylinders, and cones.     

In-line fiber etalon (ILFE) fiber-optic strain sensors

This paper describes an optical fiber interferometer that uses a short segment of silica hollow-core fiber spliced between two sections of single-mode fiber to form a mechanically robust in-line optical cavity. The hollow-core fiber is specifically manufactured to have an outer diameter that is equal to the outer diameter of the single mode lead fibers, thereby combining the best qualities of existing intrinsic and extrinsic Fabry-Perot sensors. Uniaxial tension and pure bending strength tests are used to show that the new configuration does not diminish the axial strength of bare fiber and reduces the bending strength by 17% at most. Similar tests confirm that the fiber sensor has 1.96% strain to failure. Axisymmetric finite element analysis is used to investigate the reliability of the in-line etalon when it is embedded in a typical thermoset composite, and parametric studies are performed to determine the mechanically optimal cavity length. The fiber optic sensor is tested using low coherence interferometry with pseudo-heterodyne demodulation under strain and temperature fields. The strain response compares well with resistance strain gages, and the temperature tests confirm the low thermal apparent strain of this sensor     

In-chair movement: validity, reliability and implications for measuring sitting discomfort

Sitting discomfort is traditionally evaluated with subjective rating scales which are referenced to an objective correlate (e.g. sitting posture) measured on a static (i.e. non-continuous) basis. Since sitting discomfort is dynamic in nature, it requires continuous, objective measurement. We therefore adapted an interface pressure mat to continuously record in-chair movement (ICM) as an indirect measurement of sitting discomfort by tracking the center of pressure (COP) at the buttock-chair interface. Here we report on two phases in the development of the COP system: laboratory validity and field reliability. In the laboratory study we confirmed system validity by simultaneously tracking ICM with the mat and a force platform (r2 > 0.80) and by comparing subjects' COP movement with their gross trunk movements (r2 > 0.86). In our field study we used the intraclass correlation coefficient to establish a data sampling (i.e. selection) protocol that was reliable. We collected ICM data on seated telecommunications Directory Assistance operators during 2 h field tests. Results showed that using a minimum sampling time of 5 min and then averaging a series of 5 min samples of ICM was more reliable than single discrete samples. Using the averaging protocol, we also showed that ICM increased significantly over 2 h and that ICM did not differ between trials.     

Continuous-wave laser spectrometer automatically aligned and continuously tuned from 11.8 to 16.1 microm by use of diode-laser-pumped difference-frequency generation in GaSe

We report a fully automated mid-IR difference-frequency spectrometer with a spectral resolution under 70 MHz pumped by a pair of conventional room-temperature 800-900-nm diode lasers. 0.1 muW of tunable cw radiation is produced from incident-diode powers of 120 and 75 mW. The system has computer-controlled beam alignment with compact CCD cameras, motorized mirrors and positioners to obtain 0.01 degrees crystal-angle positioning, 4-mum beam overlap at the nonlinear crystal, and automated diode laser beam collimation. Computer-operated frequency control uses temperature tuning and current tuning of the free-running diode lasers. The system has been demonstrated by successfully scanning, without any human intervention, 64 randomly selected acetylene absorption lines between 12 and 15 mum. Spectral scans of ammonia are also presented. This mid-IR spectrometer is suitable for fully automated spectroscopy of an unlimited list of mid-IR frequencies and has the potential to detect any trace gas that has an acceptable absorption line within the large tuning range.     

Scattering from composite laminate strips

An analytical model is developed for a composite laminate consisting of unidirectional fibers embedded in a dielectric slab on a conducting strip. The physics of the problem is formulated in terms of integral equations solved by the method of moments using an entire-domain Galerkin formulation. The effect of fiber spacing, the proximity of the ground plane, and the properties of the embedding dielectric are examined in relation to the nonspecular scattering characteristics of the laminate. Results of this analysis are presented for various limiting cases and are compared with experimental data