Tuning in to psychological change: Linguistic markers of psychological traits and emotions over time in popular U.S. song lyrics.

American culture is filled with cultural products. Yet few studies have investigated how changes in cultural products correspond to changes in psychological traits and emotions. The current research fills this gap by testing the hypothesis that one cultural product—word use in popular song lyrics—changes over time in harmony with cultural changes in individualistic traits. Linguistic analyses of the most popular songs from 1980–2007 demonstrated changes in word use that mirror psychological change. Over time, use of words related to self-focus and antisocial behavior increased, whereas words related to other-focus, social interactions, and positive emotion decreased. These findings offer novel evidence regarding the need to investigate how changes in the tangible artifacts of the sociocultural environment can provide a window into understanding cultural changes in psychological processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The electrochemical recovery of metallic palladium from spent electroless plating solution

Semiconductor bond pads are sometimes coated with palladium for good electrical properties and wire adhesion. The palladium is deposited by immersing the wafers in an electroless plating solution. When the plating solution is depleted and no longer achieves the desired results it is treated as waste. This work investigates the recovery of the remaining palladium in the waste solution by means of electrochemical deposition onto a high surface area cathode. Experiments show that the remaining palladium can be recovered economically and efficiently. This makes the process environmentally friendly and cost effective.     

Mapping Chlorophyll-a Concentrations in West Lake,China using Landsat 7 ETM+

Eutrophication is a persistent problem that affects the ecological health of many shallow lakes in China. An indicator used to monitor trophic status is chlorophyll-a; however, collection and analysis can be spatially limiting and time consuming. In this study we utilized Landsat 7 ETM+ (Path/Row 119/39) imagery for West Lake, Hangzhou, to map chlorophyll-a concentrations. An optimal linear regression model with the band ratio ETM+3/ETM+1 (independent) and concurrent field-collected water quality measurements (dependant) was developed. The resulting model, lnChl.= 5.009 (ETM+3/ETM+1)-1.855, showed a strong (R² = 0.815) ability to accurately map the distribution of chlorophyll-a. The straightforward approach carried out to assess this fresh-water lake in a rapidly developing region increased the level of information required to combat aquatic ecosystem degradation.     

Ultralow Dielectric Constant Tetravinyltetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane Films Deposited by Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD)

Simultaneous improvement of mechanical properties and lowering of the dielectric constant occur when films grown from the cyclic monomer tetravinyltetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (V4D4) via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) are thermally cured in air. Clear signatures from silsesquioxane cage structures in the annealed films appear in the Fourier transform IR (1140 cm^?1) and Raman (1117 cm^?1) spectra. The iCVD method consumes an order of magnitude lower power density than the traditional plasma‐enhanced CVD, thus preserving the precursor's delicate ring structure and organic substituents in the as‐deposited films. The high degree of structural retention in the as‐deposited film allows for the beneficial formation of intrinsically porous silsesquioxane cages upon annealing in air. Complete oxidation of the silicon creates ‘Q’ groups, which impart greater hardness and modulus to the films by increasing the average connectivity number of the film matrix beyond the percolation of rigidity. The removal of labile hydrocarbon moieties allows for the oxidation of the as‐deposited film while simultaneously inducing porosity. This combination of events avoids the typical trade‐off between improved mechanical properties and higher dielectric constants. Films annealed at 410 °C have a dielectric constant of 2.15, and a hardness and modulus of 0.78 and 5.4 GPa, respectively. The solvent‐less and low‐energy nature of iCVD make it attractive from an environmental safety and health perspective.     

Development of regression equations for predicting energy and hygrothermal performance of buildings

Regression equations can be used for predicting indoor air temperature, relative humidity and energy consumption in an easier and more rapid way than building energy simulation tools. The independent variables, that is, the input data, are heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) power, outdoor temperature, relative humidity and total solar radiation. The present methodology for obtaining the regression equations is based on defining a couple of linear Multiple-Input/Single-Output (MISO) models, since two main outputs are involved, that is, indoor temperature and relative humidity. The methodology has been tested for the low- and high-thermal mass cases of the BESTest model (cases 600 and 900) and the output data is generated by using a building hygrothermal simulation tool. Validation procedures have shown very good agreement between the regression equations and the simulation tool for both winter and summer periods.     

Trajectory design and control for aggressive formation flight with quadrotors

In this work we consider the problem of controlling a team of micro-aerial vehicles moving quickly through a three-dimensional environment while maintaining a tight formation. The formation is specified by shape vectors which prescribe the relative separations and bearings between the robots. To maintain the desired shape, each robot plans its trajectory independently based on its local information of other robot plans and estimates of states of other robots in the team. We explore the interaction between nonlinear decentralized controllers, the fourth-order dynamics of the individual robots, time delays in the network, and the effects of communication failures on system performance. Simulations as well as an experimental evaluation of our approach on a team of quadrotors suggests that suitable performance is maintained as the formation motions become increasingly aggressive and as communication degrades.     

Outcomes of treatment for alcohol problems: Current methods, problems, and results.

This overview of current methods, problems, and results of psychological treatment for alcohol abuse, including alcoholism, begins by considering three common and troublesome assumptions about such treatment. A discussion of external and internal validity problems that are specific to alcoholism treatment research follows, and promising solutions are reviewed. Current data are discussed on who is treated for alcohol problems in this country. Next, detailed consideration is given to factors that predict response to alcoholism treatment, including variables associated with treatment type, setting, and intensity; such factors specific to patients as age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and education, psychopathology, marital and occupational status, and motivation for change; and environmental and other extratreatment factors. The article concludes with a review of current data on nonproblem-drinking treatment goals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Small-Signal Dynamic Analysis of Regulated Class E DC/DC Converters

Class E dc/dc converters can operate at high switching frequencies with very low switching power losses. Using commercially available power transistors and diodes, Class E converters can operate at switching frequencies in the low-MHz range, with efficiencies of about 85 percent. Previous papers dealt with the circuit parameter values needed to obtain high-efficiency operation and output-voltage regulation, and with the static control characteristics of the Class E dc/dc converter cell. The analysis is extended to include the dynamic control characteristics and further information about the static characteristics. The theoretical predictions are verified by experimental measurements on a 40-W 1.5-MHz converter.