On the Development of the Mental Number Line: More, Less, or Never Holistic With Increasing Age?

Magnitude is assumed to be represented along a holistic mental number line in adults. However, the authors recently observed a unit-decade compatibility effect for 2-digit numbers that is inconsistent with this "holisticness" assumption (H.-C. Nuerk, U. Weger, & K. Willmes, 2001). This study used the compatibility effect to examine whether the mental number line representation of magnitude changes toward greater or less holisticness in children from Grades 2-5. The results indicate that decades and units of 2-digit numbers are processed separately rather than holistically from Grade 2 on. However, this separate processing seems to develop from a more sequential (left-to-right) to a more parallel processing mode. Moreover, children may use different strategies depending on task demands. The results are interpreted in the framework of Siegler's overlapping waves model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Thai version of the German Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT): description of the test and performance in normal subjects

The Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT), originally developed as a test for aphasia language disorders in Germany, consists of six spontaneous speech rating scales and five subtests: Token Test, Repetition, Written Language, Confronting Naming and Comprehension. The study aimed to describe the linguistic properties of the AAT Thai version and to investigate the test performances of the normal subjects. In this study some problems of linguistic changes in the construction of the Thai version were discussed. The results revealed that the normal subjects' performances on the test were independent of age, sex and education level. Therefore, the Thai version of AAT is applicable to the differential diagnosis of the communicative abilities of Thai aphasic patients.     

High radar-backscatter regions on Antarctic sea-ice and their relation to sea-ice and snow properties and meteorological conditions

The temporal and spatial variability of sea-ice radar signatures in the Southern Ocean during late winter, spring and early summer from QuikSCAT data is presented. We observe a circumpolar and broad band of sea-ice close to the marginal ice zone that is characterized by very high radar backscatter. This feature is explained through detailed in situ observations of snow and sea-ice properties as well as in relation to meteorological conditions, which were derived from US National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis data. Our results indicate that high backscatter regions are caused by metamorphous snow, which forms through re-freezing after short-term melt events. This process is connected with the episodic passes of low-pressure systems entraining warmer air from the north. South of the Antarctic Circumpolar Trough, sea-ice is not affected by this influence and shows spatially homogenous microwave signatures with low backscatter.     

Structure of coatings and rubber linings exposed to operating stress in flue gas scrubbing systems

The flue gas desulphurization plants in the brown coalpower stations of RWE Energie AG operate in accordance with the limestone process. 37 scrubbers with a total of 210 000 m² steel surface are lined with a soft rubberized coating based on chloroprene base, butyl rubber/chloroprene and butyl rubber. The 110 000 m² surface of the outlet ducts is coated with synthetic resin materials based on polyester/glass flake and vinylester/glass flake spray-coatings. This paper reports on the erroneous modifications which have already occurred during a short operating period. With metallographic methods combined with light-optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as X-ray diffraction analysis the structure of the material in the as-received condition is characterized and compared with the changes resulting from the stress due to the exposure during operation.