Optimisation of puffing naked barley

The expansion of volume (the puffing index) of naked barley was investigated at various operating conditions of the puffing process. The purpose was to optimise the manufacture of expanded grains of the naked barley cultivars that have exceptional nutritional value for humans. The influence of the following parameters on the puffing index was investigated: the mass and the moisture content of the charge of the puffing barrel, pressure and temperature during the puffing process, the cultivar of barley, pre-processing of the grain (grinding and polishing), adding water into the barrel and the sensory quality of the product.

A regression equation was established for the calculation of the puffing index as a function of the operating parameters. The puffing index is influenced especially by the operating temperature and pressure. There was no influence found of mass of the charge, the cultivar of barley, the degree of grinding of barley, washing of the grains and adding water on the puffing index. The puffing index is not the sole indicator of the quality of the expanded product. It is necessary to take into account the sensory evaluation. A quality expanded naked barley was obtained at the operating temperature of 550 °C and pressure from 0.9 to 1.0 MPa with the moisture content of the charge around 16.5%.     

Discrimination in the 21st century: Are science and the law aligned?

Although scholars agree that traditional forms of discrimination have generally been supplanted by subtler interpersonal manifestations of discrimination, it is yet unknown whether targets of these behaviors or the American judicial branch recognize such negative behaviors as violations of extant law. Extending research and theory, we propose that denigrating messages toward women and ethnic minorities (i.e., microaggressions) emerge in workplace interactions and are sometimes interpreted as discrimination. Specifically, this research explores the presence, severity, and frequency of microaggressions that appear in a random sample of race and gender discrimination cases in federal court dockets since the year 2000. The results suggest that microinsults, microinvalidations, and microassaults are reported in a variety of discrimination claims. However, only overt and intentional forms of microaggressions (microassaults) increased the likelihood that decisions favored plaintiffs. Thus, there may be a disconnect between forms of discrimination perceived by claimants and how those forms are evaluated by the legal system that protects victims of discrimination. This potential misalignment of science and practice is discussed, as are directions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Treating traumatized OEF/OIF veterans: How does trauma treament affect the clinician?": Correction to Voss Horrell et al. (2011).

Reports an error in "Treating traumatized OEF/OIF veterans: How does trauma treatment affect the clinician" by Sarah C. Voss Horrell, Dana R. Holohan, Lea M. Didion and G. Todd Vance (Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2011[Feb], Vol 42[1], 79-86). The word “While” was erroneously inserted in the first sentence of the “Clinician Factors” section. The corrected sentence is provided in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2011-04544-011.) The authors of this article describe the rewards and challenges for clinicians treating veterans who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Issues of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout are defined and reviewed, as are compassion satisfaction and posttraumatic growth. Patient, clinician, and organizational characteristics that are likely to affect clinicians working with this clinical population are discussed. Patient factors that may increase strain on clinicians are discussed such as age, likelihood of redeployment, comorbid conditions, attendance issues, and elevated risk for suicide and aggression. Clinician factors, such as theoretical orientation, training, supervision, military affiliation, personal trauma history, spirituality, social support, and self-care, are also discussed as possible risk and protective factors for vicarious trauma and burnout. Organizational influences, such as caseload size and diversity, clinician control and autonomy, use of evidence-based practices, availability of resources, rural isolation, and the philosophy of the clinic, are further discussed. Recommendations for ameliorating risks are discussed relative to each area and include allowing clinicians to plan their own appointments so as to balance their caseload of OEF/OIF veterans, attending to self-care practices, and having a supportive team with thorough training in evidence-based practices. Future empirical research is needed on risk and resiliency factors for clinicians working with traumatized OEF/OIF veterans given that this population is likely to grow. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chemical Solution Deposition of Columnar-Grained Metallic Lanthanum Nitrate Thin Films

Columnar and (100)-oriented LaNiO₃ thin films were prepared on silicon substrates by a chemical solution deposition (CSD) process using a 0.05 M solution. By reducing the individual layer thickness to 10 nm, columnar LaNiO₃ films with a lateral grain size of ∼120 nm were obtained. The success of this approach required restricting the individual layer thickness to a value below the grain size observed for equiaxed films. This change in microstructure resulted in an improvement in conductivity. The columnar LaNiO₃ film with a thickness of 300 nm showed a resistivity of 4.5 × 10⁻⁵Ω·cm, which is lower by one order of magnitude than that of fine-grain equiaxed films that typically result from CSD methods.     

Client-specific counselor self-efficacy in novice counselors: Relation to perceptions of session quality.

Two versions of a counselor self-efficacy (CSE) measure were administered to 110 prepracticum counselors: a general version, assessing perceived capability to perform basic helping skills and manage the session process with clients generally; and a client-specific version, tapping capability to perform the same behaviors with a specific, current client. Client-specific CSE was found to (a) relate moderately to strongly with general CSE over the course of four counseling sessions, (b) increase significantly over sessions, and (c) account for unique variance in counselors' evaluations of the quality of their sessions. Although it was not a useful direct predictor of clients' session ratings, higher client-specific CSE was associated with greater congruence between counselors' and clients' perceptions of session quality. Implications for further research and training are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group structuring techniques and their influence on process involvement in a group counseling training group.

Investigated the role of a group structuring technique developed by G. Egan (1973, 1976) on the amount and depth of process involvement in 2 8-member counseling training groups consisting of graduate students (aged 21–56 yrs). The primary hypothesis was that the structured group would have a higher amount and depth of process involvement scores across time than the no-structure group. Results partly support the conclusion that early structure significantly affects process involvement among group members. Findings also indicate that both groups showed strong gains in depth of process involvement over time. Results are discussed in terms of previous research by R. L. Bednar et al (see record 1974-25973-001) and C. Y. Crews and J. Melnick (see record 1976-21029-001). It is suggested that future research should explore interactions between interpersonal style differences of individual members and various structuring techniques. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Applications of infrared spectroscopy to customer problems in the vinyl industry

Identifying polymers, additives and contaminants presents unique challenges. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) coupled with spectral searching techniques is a very efficient and powerful methodology to answer most identification questions. It is based on the unique IR spectrum characteristic of each compound. This paper outlines procedures employed in the identification of typical PVC formulations, starting with the resin and proceeding to impact modifier, process aids, lubricants, stabilizer system and fillers. The emphasis is on FT-IR microscopy as the most versatile approach requiring small samples and minimal to no sample preparation. Other commonly used FT-IR techniques are also outlined. Wet separation protocols, applicability and limitations as related to FT-IR analysis are discussed. Typical examples include vinyl siding, packaging and bottle formulations as well as contaminants often encountered in these formulations and raw materials.