The influence of nonremembered affective associations on preference.

An important influence on our preference toward a specific object is its associations with affective information. Here, the authors concentrate on the role of memory on shaping such preferences. Specifically, the authors used a multistage behavioral paradigm that fostered associations between neutral shapes and affective images. Participants that explicitly remembered these affective associations preferred neutral shapes associated with positive images. Counterintuitively, participants who could not explicitly remember the associations preferred neutral shapes that were associated with negative images. Generally, the difference in preference between participants who could and could not remember the affective associations demonstrates a critical link between memory and preference formation. The authors propose that the preference for negatively associated items is a manifestation of a mechanism that produces an inherent incentive for rapidly assessing potentially threatening aspects in the environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The radiographic and imaging characteristics of porous tantalum implants within the human cervical spine

STUDY DESIGN: Seven cadaveric cervical spines were implanted with a porous tantalum spacer and a titanium alloy spacer, and their radiographic and imaging characteristics were evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the radiographic characteristics of porous tantalum and titanium implants used as spacers in the cervical spine. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Anterior decompressive surgery of the disc space or the vertebral body creates a defect that frequently is repaired with autologous bone grafts to promote spinal fusion. Donor site morbidity, insufficient donor material, and additional surgical time have spurred the development of biomaterials to replace or supplement existing spinal reconstruction techniques. Although the promotion of a solid bony fusion is critical, the implanted biomaterial should be compatible with modern imaging techniques, should allow visualization of the spinal canal and neural foramina, and should permit radiographic assessment of bony ingrowth. METHODS: Cadaveric spines containing the implants were imaged with plain radiography, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The image distortion produced by the implants was determined qualitatively and quantitatively. RESULTS: The tantalum and titanium spacers were opaque on plain radiographic films. On computed tomographic scans, more streak artifact was associated with the tantalum implants than with the titanium. On magnetic resonance imaging, the porous tantalum implant demonstrated less artifact than did the titanium spacer on T1- and T2-weighted spin echo and on T2*-weighted gradient-echo magnetic resonance images. Overall, the tantalum implant produced less artifact on magnetic resonance imaging than did the titanium spacer and therefore allowed for better visualization of the surrounding bony and neural structures. CONCLUSION: The material properties of titanium and porous tantalum cervical interbody implants contribute to their differential appearance in different imaging methods. The titanium implant appears to image best with computed tomography, whereas the porous tantalum implant produces less artifact than does the titanium implant on several magnetic resonance imaging sequences.     

Pulmonary thrombo-endarterectomy]

Chronic pulmonary thromboembolism is an underdiagnosed condition with major morbidity and mortality. Over the past year and a half, we diagnosed 6 new cases of which 3 underwent successful, pulmonary thrombo-endarterectomy (2 in San Diego, 1 in Jerusalem). All recovered fully and returned to normal, active life. We conclude that pulmonary thrombo-endarterectomy is a viable option for patients with chronic pulmonary thromboembolism.     

A weighted graph embedding technique and its application to automatic circuit Layout

The extension of a known technique for graph embedding is presented for the solution of a class of problems arising in computer aided circuit layout. The embedding of a weighted graphX onto another weighted graphY is studied, with concurrent minimization of a cost function whose value depends on node and are associations. The embedding process is based on a partially enumerative covering technique on a Node Correspondence Table. Two applications are described, namely the placement of electrical components on a card in printed circuit design, and the allocation of a cards in a rack for the optimal design of backboard connections. An example of this latter problem is discussed in detail. The research described in this report was carried out while the authors were visiting the Department of Electrical Engineering, New York University, and was supported by a New York State Post Doctoral Fellowship in Electrical Engineering, Number SSF (8)-23 and a National Science Foundation Senior Foreign Scientist Fellowship.     

Synthesis of N-Alkyl-α-Sulfo-β-Alanines

A number of N-alkyl substituted α-sulfo-β-alanines were synthesized by direct sulfonation of the corresponding N-alkyl-β-alanines.     

IEN-CsF1 accuracy evaluation and two-way frequency comparison

In this paper we report the accuracy evaluation of the Italian primary frequency standard IEN-CsF1. We discuss the shifts the frequency standard is corrected for and the procedure used for the accuracy evaluation. In the last section we report frequency comparisons of our fountain with those of remote laboratories and with International Atomic Time.     

Useful formula for moment computation of normal random variables with nonzero means

It is well known that higher order moments of normal random variables (RV) with zero means can be expressed by terms of second-order moments. In this correspondence an extension will be given for moments of normal RV with nonzero means.     

Morphological stability of copper-silver multilayer thin films at elevated temperatures

The kinetics of breakdown of Cu-Ag polycrystalline multilayers during aging at elevated temperatures was investigated. Microlaminates with Cu:Ag layer thicknesses of 2:2, 1:4, 4:1, and 4:0.1 μm were aged for 10 minutes to 192 hours (t), at temperatures ranging from 700 to 900 K. The asdeposited microlaminates had a fine-grained columnar microstructure with well-defined interfaces. Upon annealing, the morphology evolved over three time regimes. In the first regime, the grains in each phase grew quickly to an apparent terminal size, which depended on both the layer thickness and annealing temperature. Next, grooves formed at the intersections of grain boundaries and layer interfaces and grew with a t ^0.25 dependence. The groove growth appeared to be independent of layer thickness and was approximately equal in Cu and Ag. The microlaminates started to break down in the third regime, as grain-boundary grooves on opposite sides of a layer bridged its thickness. Models for grain growth and grooving in thin films were modified for multilayer microlaminates and were shown to fit the experimental data reasonably well. This suggests that the terminal grain size is reached when groove drag overcomes the capillary forces driving grain growth, and that grooving kinetics are dominated by interfacial diffusion.     

Reduction of the cold collisions frequency shift in a multiple velocity fountain: a new proposal

In this paper, we propose a new scheme for operating an atomic fountain frequency standard. A sequence of time-spaced balls of atoms, launched over non-overlapping trajectories, makes possible a reduction of the atomic density and consequently the cold collision frequency shift by one order of magnitude without significant reduction of the useful signal and of the overall stability of the clock. The ultimate accuracy of a Cs fountain could be improved below the 10(-15) level currently achieved in operating clocks.     

Changes in phenolic compounds and colour in pale Sherry wines subjected to fining treatments

 Changes in the concentrations of hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and their esters, monomeric and dimeric derivatives of flavan-3-ol, and flavonols, as well as in the UV-visible absorbances of pale Sherry wines were studied. The wines were subjected to four different fining treatments: casein + bentonite, casein + bentonite + activated charcoal, casein + bentonite + polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVPP) and casein + bentonite + Riduxhigh. Based on the results, the treatments including activated charcoal and PVPP were the most effective at decreasing the overall concentration phenolic compounds, with no significant difference between them. Likewise, these treatments provided the best results in relation to wine colour in the visible spectral region, and particularly at 420 nm, at which wavelength browning compounds are usually measured. Received: 24 March 1997 / Revised version: 11 June 1997