Assessing the expectations associated with pharmaceutical pill colour and shape

Two experiments are reported in which people’s sensory, hedonic, and efficacy expectations associated with pharmaceutical pills of differing colour and shape were assessed. In Experiment 1, 101 participants from the USA viewed online photos of tablets having one of 7 colours and 3 shapes. The participants had to arrange the 21 tablets based on the expectations generated solely by the tablets’ visual properties. The results revealed that the colour of the tablets influenced expected bitterness, expected alertness, and expected efficiency in combating headaches, whereas the shape of the tablets influenced the expected difficulty of swallowing. In Experiment 2, the major findings of Experiment 1 were replicated while using a greater variety of colours, in 358 participants from China, Colombia, and the USA. Importantly, the results revealed some shared expectations across cultures, such as the high expected efficacy of white tablets in combating headaches, or the high expected difficulty of swallowing the diamond-shaped tablets. The results also revealed some differences among the three groups, such as that the colour of the pills influenced how difficult the Chinese participants (but not the other two groups) expected the pills would be to swallow. These findings clearly demonstrate that the differing colours and shapes of pharmaceutical pills set-up significantly different expectations which likely play an important role in terms of people’s subsequent experience.     

On the ontological expressiveness of information systems analysis and design grammars

Abstract. Information systems analysis and design (ISAD) methodologies provide facilities for describing existing or conceived real-world systems. These facilities are ontologically expressive if they are capable of describing all real-world phenomena completely and clearly. In this paper we formally examine the notion of the ontological expressiveness of a grammar and discuss some of its implications for the design and use of ISAD methodologies. We identify some generic ways in which ontological expressiveness may be undermined in a grammar and some potential consequences of these violations. We also examine ontological expressiveness within the context of some other desirable features that might be considered in the design of ISAD methodologies.     

沸石催化剂在甲苯甲基化中的择形催化形用

综述了影响甲苯甲基化择形催化的因素,讨论了沸石的内外表面酸中心及酸强度、沸石的孔道、反应物和产物的吸附等因素对提高对二甲苯选择性的影响。     

MPEG-4自然视频编码技术

对MPEG－4自然视频编码的关键技术作了详细的分析和阐述。首先介绍MPEG－4频语法结构，并对视频编码的框架概要分析。接着分析了自然视频编码中涉及到的关键技术，包括：VOP的产生；二值和灰度级α平面的编码技术；运动估计和补偿方法；纹理编码；基于对象的时间分级和空间分级；MPEG－4提供的再同步和各种错误掩盖，刷新方法，精 编码技术和零树小波基的静止图像编码技术。指出MPEG－4和MPEG－1，MPEG－2等标准的异同，突出MPEG－4的三个主要特点。最后给出MPEG－4技术在网络视频传输中的应用，并给出测试和分析。     

Shapes of Submerged Funicular Arches

In this paper, the analytical forms of the shapes of submerged funicular arches are expressed in terms of elliptic integrals. The initial radius of curvature at the apex is related to the water depth at the apex and the axial compressive force. The shape of the submerged funicular arches depends on the ratio between this initial radius of curvature and the water depth at the apex. Using the analytical expressions, the maximum span and height of the submerged funicular arches can be determined explicitly. Besides, the analytical expressions are useful in determining the design parameters for the submerged funicular arches accurately.     

Structural modelling of coprecipitated VTiO catalysts

A statistical study of the particle shape and size of pure V₂O₅ and TiO₂, and samples of coprecipitated V₂O₅---TiO₂ catalysts with different V/Ti ratios, has been performed. They were also characterized by XRD, EDAX, SEM and XPS. The results showed that pure vanadium pentoxide is compose by large square or needle-shaped particles, while pure titanium dioxide has small and rounded ones. VTiO samples presented an area and shape, depending on the V/Ti ratio.

These results and the spectroscopical characterization conducted to a particle model of the catalysts. Those VOTi samples with high V/Ti ratio would have large V₂O₅ crystals acting as support of a V/TiO₂ solid solution. In contrast, those samples with a low V/Ti ratio, would have the solid solution supporting vanadium pentoxide crystals.     

科技写作与一般写作在语法运用上的比较与分析

科技写作作为写作学的一个分支，有它自身的特点与要求。它同时使用自然语言符号系统和人工语言符号系统。它的语言特点为：①客观纪实性；②抽象精练性；③表达方式规范化。它的语法特点为：①科技术语多而稳定；②句式单一而少变化；③结构严谨而规范。它与文艺写作在语法运用上的不同主要表现在：①科技写作的客观纪实与文艺写作的主观抒情；②科技写作的语言精炼与文艺写作的语言丰富；③科技写作的规范化与文艺写作的个性化。