Factor structure of the Counselor Rating Form—Short.

The relative goodness of fit of four competing factor models of the Counselor Rating Form—Short was examined across client (N?=?191) and nonclient (N?=?111) samples by confirmatory factor analysis. The four models tested were (a) the single, general, positive-evaluation factor; (b) the three orthogonal factors (expertness, trustworthiness, and attractiveness); (c) the three oblique factors; and (d) a two-step hierarchical-factor model consisting of the three independent first-order factors and an independent second-order general factor. Results of the confirmatory factor analyses supported the validity of the two-step hierarchical-factor model for both the client and nonclient samples. The factor structure of this two-step hierarchical-factor model was found to be invariant across the two samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reactance in relation to different supervisory environments and counselor development.

The purpose of this study was to examine counselor trainees' preference for structure in supervision as moderated by level of experience, reactance potential, and the content of supervision. Reactions of 78 practicum counselors to two of four audiotaped supervision sessions which varied on (a) amount of supervisor structure and (b) supervision content (suicidal client or client with relationship issues) were assessed. Beginning students preferred the structured supervision. The preference of structure for advanced students was moderated by reactance and content. For the relationship content, advanced students who were high on reactance preferred the low-structure supervision, while those with low reactance preferred the high-structure condition. In suicide content condition, advanced students preferred the structured supervision regardless of their level of reactance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Women's perceptions of personal versus sociocultural counseling interventions.

Two videotaped simulated counseling interventions focusing on weight and body-image concerns were shown to 79 female college students. One of the interventions portrayed the counselor as attributing the weight issues to external, sociocultural causes (i.e., society's unrealistic expectations of women), whereas the other intervention showed the counselor as attributing weight issues to personal causes (i.e., poor eating habits related to a negative self-image). The women's perceptions of and preferences for the intervention were hypothesized to vary as a function of (a) traditionality of sex role attitude, (b) severity of disturbance, and (c) concern for weight and body image. It was hypothesized that women with nontraditional sex role attitudes would prefer the sociocultural intervention, whereas women with traditional sex role attitudes would prefer the personal intervention. The results obtained were opposite those hypothesized. Women with nontraditional sex role attitudes (especially those with highly nontraditional sex role attitudes) preferred the personal intervention. Women with traditional sex role attitudes preferred the sociocultural intervention. This result was more dramatic with those women for whom weight concern was a salient issue. No results were found for severity of disturbance. The results are discussed with respect to feminist counseling and changing sex role expectations in society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adaptive disk spin‐down for mobile computers

We address the problem of deciding when to spin down the disk of a mobile computer in order to extend battery life. One of the most critical resources in mobile computing environments is battery life, and good energy conservation methods increase the utility of mobile systems. We use a simple and efficient algorithm based on machine learning techniques that has excellent performance. Using trace data, the algorithm outperforms several methods that are theoretically optimal under various worstcase assumptions, as well as the best fixed timeout strategy. In particular, the algorithm reduces the power consumption of the disk to about half of the energy consumed by a one minute fixed timeout policy. Furthermore, the algorithm uses as little as 88% of the energy consumed by the best fixed timeout computed in retrospect.     

Short‐Wavelength Lasing‐Spasing and Random Spasing with Deeply Subwavelength Thin‐Film Gain Media

Lasing‐spasers are subwavelength‐sized metal/dielectric structures that emit light via stimulated emission of surface plasmons. Here, it is demonstrated that silver nanoparticles combined with deeply subwavelength, blue‐emitting conjugated polymer thin films can function as room‐temperature lasing‐spasers and random spasers with quality factors up to 250. In contrast to other thin‐film‐based spaser and plasmonic random laser studies, which have used gain films ranging from ≈200 nm to 500 nm in thickness and which monitor emission guided to the sample edges, in this study, the thickness of the thin‐film gain medium ranges from 30 nm to 70 nm and emission is collected normal to the plane of the film. This eliminates effects that arise from optical trapping of scattered emission within the gain medium that is typically associated with plasmonic random lasing. The use of the conjugated polymer thin‐film gain medium allows higher chromophore densities compared to organic dye‐doped layers, which enables spasing using deeply subwavelength gain layers. Samples implementing gold nanoparticles and the conjugated polymer gain medium do not exhibit stimulated emission, demonstrating that it is the spectral overlap between the silver nanoparticle's surface plasmon resonance and the gain medium's emission that is necessary for observation of stimulated emission from this material system.     

Emissions and energy efficiency assessment of baseload wind energy systems

The combination of wind energy generation and energy storage can produce a source of electricity that is functionally equivalent to a baseload coal or nuclear power plant. A model was developed to assess the technical and environmental performance of baseload wind energy systems using compressed air energy storage. The analysis examined several systems that could be operated in the midwestern United States under a variety of operating conditions. The systems can produce substantially more energy than is required from fossil or other primary sources to construct and operate them. By operation at a capacity factor of 80%, each evaluated system achieves an effective primary energy efficiency of at least five times greater than the most efficient fossil combustion technology, with greenhouse gas emission rates less than 20% of the least emitting fossil technology currently available. Life-cycle emission rates of NOx and SO2 are also significantly lower than fossil-based systems.     

The Irish organic food market: shortfalls, opportunities and the need for research

In 2009 the Irish organic food market was forecasted to grow from €120 m to €239 m by 2013; however, recent figures set its value at just €90 m. An estimated 70% of this market is imported. Surveys of Irish consumers reveal that 66% of consumers prefer to buy local produce and most organic consumers are buying organic at supermarkets. This evidence reveals that Irish producers must trade at supermarkets, and promote ‘local produce’ to ensure their produce reach the majority of buyers. Seventy‐eight % of organic rejecters state price and 21% state unawareness of the benefits as reasons for not buying organic. Many Irish consumers are buying organic food on the perceived belief that it is healthier, safer and tastes better; however, a review of studies on organic versus conventional foods in terms of health benefits, safety and sensory quality has shown that existing data is limited in scope and fails to show a clear trend. The review concludes with the need for a comprehensive study of a range of organic and conventional foods available to the Irish consumer in order to determine if differences in organic cultivation result in statistically significant differences in health linked compounds and sensory quality. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry