Dealumination–aging pattern of REUSY zeolites contained in fluid cracking catalysts

The evolution of the properties of a REUSY zeolite contained in a fluid cracking catalyst was investigated under laboratory steam deactivation procedures and in age fractions of the corresponding equilibrium catalyst (Ecat). The aging pattern, defined by the evolution of the zeolite surface area (ZSA) related to the decrease of the unit cell size (UCS), was similar between lab-steamed zeolites and Ecat fractions. A sharp drop in ZSA occurred at ca. 2.430 nm UCS. A study done by FT-IR spectroscopy suggested that zeolite dealumination initially took place more extensively on the sodalite cages and double six-member rings (D6R) of the structure and that the final collapse of the zeolite framework occurred through destruction of the 12-member rings (12M). This can be explained by a crystal fracture and break down process and disassembling of the sodalite cages in the faujasite structure. NH₃ microcalorimetry showed that strong acid sites in faujasites are destroyed by steam aging, but this effect does not lead to a reduction in the cracking activity of the Ecat form. The microactivity test (MAT) showed that the specific activity declined sharply at 2.430 nm UCS. Differences in product selectivity were related to the extent of damage of the zeolite, extra-framework alumina and mesoporosity. While further aging canceled the effect attributed to extra-framework alumina differences attributed to mesoporosity increased.     

Structural simulation of tree growth and response

Published online: 5 February 2003     

Bribery in voting with CP-nets

We investigate the computational complexity of finding optimal bribery schemes in voting domains where the candidate set is the Cartesian product of a set of variables and voters use CP-nets, an expressive and compact way to represent preferences. To do this, we generalize the traditional bribery problem to take into account several issues over which agents vote, and their inter-dependencies. We consider five voting rules, three kinds of bribery actions, and five cost schemes. For most of the combinations of these parameters, we find that bribery in this setting is computationally easy.     

Introduction to the special section on racial and ethnic identity in counseling psychology: Conceptual and methodological challenges and proposed solutions.

Racial and ethnic identity development have been important topics in counseling psychology research for the last four decades. At present, however, there appears to be some confusion and debate regarding the quality of theory and measurement in the topical area. The present article serves as an introduction to this Journal of Counseling Psychology special section on "Racial and Ethnic Identity in Counseling Psychology: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges and Proposed Solutions." A rationale is provided for the special section, the place of racial and ethnic identity scholarship is located within the history of multicultural counseling research, and the invited special section contributions by K. O. Cokley (2007), J. E. Helms (2007), J. E. Trimble (2007), S. M. Quintana (2007), J. S. Phinney and A. D. Ong (2007), and J. G. Ponterotto and J. Park-Taylor (2007) are introduced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Load testing, structural reliability and test evaluation

A brief review of the history and types of load testing is followed by an examination of the effects of load test and other information on structural reliability. Two aspects are studied. (1) Multi-mode proof testing is posed as a system relability problem with one or more inequality conditions on structural performance. After-test reliability can then be found using standard system reliability methods from the reliability of the system augmented in “series” with the test mode, divided by the reliability in the test mode alone. (2) Test evaluation procedures for several applications are analysed using simulation of destructive sample tests, including strength uncertainty discoverable by testing and other non-test uncertainties in strength and loading. Evaluation rules are found to have a significant effect on the achieved reliability of test-based design.     

The effects of cyclic fatty acid monomers on cultured porcine endothelial cells

The popularity of polyunsaturated oils used in food applications and preparation continues to appreciate as a result of positive health claims. With polyunsaturated oils inherently more susceptible to oxidative and thermal degradation, the formation of new fatty acid species increases considerably. The presence of one species known as cyclic fatty acid monomers (CFAM) has been detected as a component of many oils subjected to various thermal processes including deep-fat frying. The effect of CFAM on metabolic processes has not been fully characterized. In this study, confluent porcine aortic endothelial cells incorporated CFAM into their polar and nonpolar lipid fractions following a 48-h exposure to 31 and 62 ppm CFAM in the culture medium. Subsequently, the influence of CFAM incorporation on various membrane-dependent physical properties and biochemical processes was investigated. CFAM decreased the lipid packing order of the membrane bilayer core but did not alter the lipid packing order of lipid chain segments at or near the lipid-water interface of the membrane. CFAM led to significant reductions in Ca²⁺ ATPase activity and monolayer integrity while eliciting a significant increase of prostacyclin synthesis and secretion.     

Influence of a high‐head dam as a dispersal barrier to fish community structure of the Upper Mississippi River

In river systems, high‐head dams may increase the distance‐decay of fish community similarity by creating nearly impermeable dispersal barriers to certain species from upstream reaches. Substantial evidence suggests that migratory species are impacted by dams, and most previous studies in stream/river networks have focused on small streams and headwaters. Here, we assess whether a high‐head dam (Lock and Dam 19; LD 19) on a large river, the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), substantially alters fish community structure relative to variability expected to occur independent of the dam's effect as a fish dispersal barrier. Using fish catch per unit effort data, we modelled the distance‐decay function for the UMR fish community and then estimated the similarity that would be expected to occur across LD19 and compared it with measured similarity. Measured similarity in the fish community above and below LD19 was close to the expected value based on the distance‐decay function, suggesting LD19 does not create an abrupt transition in the fish community. Although some migratory fish species no longer occur above LD19 (e.g., skipjack herring, Alosa chrysochloris), these species do not occur in high abundance below the dam and so do not drive variation in fish community structure. Instead, much of the variation in species structure is driven by the loss/gain of species across the latitudinal gradient. Lock and Dam 19 does not appear to be a clear transition point in the river's fish community, although it may function as a meaningful barrier for particular species (e.g., invasive species) and warrant future attention from a management perspective.     

Who said what? Source memory for narrator and character agents in literary short stories.

One dimension of reading literacy involves the tracking of agents associated with the text. In a literary short story, there is a society of character agents and pragmatic agents. This study investigated the relative salience of different classes of agents in memory. Two experiments measured source memory as an index of agent salience in long-term memory. Patterns of source memory scores supported an invisible third-person narrator hypothesis and an agent amalgamation hypothesis, but not a structural prominence hypothesis: First-person narrator > nonnarrator character > third-person narrator > 0. Statement detection parameters did not significantly differ among the 3 classes of agents, so differences in source memory could not be explained by differences in the content of the speech acts. Source memory scores also could not be explained by surface features of the text, differences among readers, and sophisticated guessing on the basis of a story abstract. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality development across the life span: Longitudinal analyses with a national sample from Germany.

Longitudinal data from a national sample of Germans (N = 20,434) were used to evaluate stability and change in the Big Five personality traits. Participants completed a brief measure of personality twice, 4 years apart. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to establish measurement invariance over time and across age groups. Substantive questions about differential (or rank-order) and mean-level stability and change were then evaluated. Results showed that differential stability was relatively strong among all age groups but that it increased among young adults, peaked in later life, and then declined among the oldest old. Patterns of mean-level change showed that Extraversion and Openness declined over the life span, whereas Agreeableness increased. Mean levels of Conscientiousness increased among young adults and then decreased among older adults. Trajectories for Neuroticism were relatively flat, with slight increases during middle age and a slight decline in late life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Operational characteristics of residential and light-commercial air-conditioning systems in a hot and humid climate zone

Forced-air space-conditioning systems are ubiquitous in U.S. residential and light-commercial buildings, yet gaps exist in our knowledge of how they operate in real environments. This investigation strengthens the knowledge base of smaller air-conditioning systems by characterizing a variety of operational characteristics measured in 17 existing residential and light-commercial air-conditioning systems operating in the cooling mode in Austin, Texas. Some key findings include: measured airflow rates were outside of the range recommended by most manufacturers for almost every system; actual measured cooling capacities were less than two-thirds of rated cooling capacities on average; hourly fractional operation times increased approximately 6% for every °C increase in indoor–outdoor temperature difference; and lower mean indoor surrogate thermostat settings and higher supply duct leakage fractions were most associated with longer operation times. The operational characteristics and parameters detailed herein provide insight into the magnitude of the effects of HVAC systems on both energy consumption and indoor air quality (IAQ) in residential and light-commercial buildings.