Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Observations
Kinds of Observations Terms modified by Observations Selected AbstractsFIELD OBSERVATION, ARCHIVES, AND EXPLANATIONGEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 1-2 2001KARL B. RAITZ First page of article [source] OBSERVATION WELL NETWORK DESIGN FOR PUMPING TESTS IN UNCONFINED AQUIFERS,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 1 2003Xunhong Chen ABSTRACT: This paper presents a method for determining locations of observation wells to be used in conducting pumping tests in unconfined aquifers. Sensitivity coefficients, the distribution of relative errors, and the correlation coefficients between four aquifer parameters (horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivities Kr and Kz, storage coefficient S, and specific yield Sy) are used as the criteria for the design of observation well networks and the interpretation of pumping tests. The contours of the relative errors over a vertical profile are very useful in selecting the "best" location of an observation well. Results from theoretical analyses suggest that a wide range of locations is suitable for the determination of Kr and that good locations for the determination of Kz and S may be poorly suited for the determination of Sy. Consideration must be given to the position and lengths of the pumping well screen in the selection of observation well locations. For a given location, the quality of test data can be improved by using high pumping rates and frequent sampling of drawdowns. We found that a minimum of two and preferably three observation locations are needed along a given transect. Results of the four parameters from a single well analysis may contain higher uncertainties. However, composite analyses of multiple observation wells can reduce the correlation between the four aquifer parameters, particularly between Kr and Sy, thus, improving the quality of parameter estimation. Results from two pumping tests conducted at sites located in Nebraska were examined with regard to the proposed methodology. [source] A PLATFORM FOR CONTINUOUS BEHAVIORAL AND ACOUSTIC OBSERVATION OF FREE-RANGING MARINE MAMMALS: OVERHEAD VIDEO COMBINED WITH UNDERWATER AUDIOMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2001Douglas P. Nowacek [source] ETHICS AND OBSERVATION: DEWEY, THOREAU, AND HARMANMETAPHILOSOPHY, Issue 5 2007ANDREW WARD Abstract: In 1929, John Dewey said that "the problem of restoring integration and cooperation between man's beliefs about the world in which he lives and his beliefs about the values and purposes that should direct his conduct is the deepest problem of human life." Using this as its theme, this article begins with an examination of Gilbert Harman's reasons for denying the existence of moral facts. It then presents an alternative account of the relationship between science and ethics, making use of the writings of Dewey and Henry David Thoreau. For both Dewey and Thoreau, the dichotomy between a scientific approach to the world and an ethical approach to the world is a false one. The article explores the reasons for believing that the dichotomy is a false one, agreeing with Thoreau that there "is no exclusively moral law,there is no exclusively physical law." [source] SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OBSERVATIONS OF DEFORMITIES IN SMALL PENNATE DIATOMS EXPOSED TO HIGH CADMIUM CONCENTRATIONS,JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Soizic Morin Different types of malformations are likely to affect the morphology of diatoms when exposed to particularly unstable environmental conditions, the most easily identifiable being distortion of the whole frustule. In the present study, we investigated, by means of SEM, valve abnormalities induced by high cadmium contamination (100 ,g · L,1) in small pennate diatoms. Changes in the shape of Amphora pediculus (Kütz.) Grunow and anomalous sculpturing of the cell wall of many species, such as Encyonema minutum (Hilse) D. G. Mann, Mayamaea agrestris (Hust.) Lange-Bert., Gomphonema parvulum (Kütz.) Kütz., or Eolimna minima (Grunow) Lange-Bert., were observed, which were not, or almost not, noticeable in the LM. With consideration to current knowledge of diatom morphogenesis, metal uptake by the cell would induce, directly or indirectly, damage to many cytoplasmic components (e.g., microtubules, cytoskeleton, Golgi-derived vesicles) involved in the precisely organized silica deposition. This study confirms that many species, whatever their size, are likely to exhibit morphological abnormalities under cadmium stress, and that this indicator may be valuable for the biomonitoring of metal contamination, even if SEM observations are not necessary for routine studies. [source] KILLER WHALE PREDATION ON SPERM WHALES: OBSERVATIONS AND IMPLICATIONSMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2001Robert L. Pitman Abstract In October 1997 we observed a herd of approximately 35 killer whales (Orcinus orca) attack a pod of nine sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) 130 km off the coast of central California. During the four hours we watched, adult female killer whales, including some with calves, attacked in waves of four to five animals in what was apparently a "wound and withdraw" strategy. Adult male killer whales stood by until the very end when one charged in and quickly killed a seriously wounded sperm whale that had been separated from the group. The sperm whales appeared largely helpless: their main defensive behavior was the formation of a rosette ("marguerite"-heads together, tails out). When the killer whales were successful in pulling an individual out of the rosette, one or two sperm whales exposed themselves to increased attack by leaving the rosette, flanking the isolated individual, and leading it back into the formation. Despite these efforts, one sperm whale was killed and eaten and the rest were seriously, perhaps mortally, wounded. We also present details of two other encounters between sperm whales and killer whales that we observed. Although sperm whales, because of various behavioral and morphological adaptations, were previously thought to be immune to predation, our observations clearly establish their vulnerability to killer whales. We suggest that killer whale predation has potentially been an important, and underrated, selective factor in the evolution of sperm whale ecology, influencing perhaps the development of their complex social behavior and at-sea distribution patterns. [source] OBSERVATIONS AND CASE STUDIESACTA ARCHAEOLOGICA, Issue 1 2009Article first published online: 5 JUL 2010 First page of article [source] NUMBERS OF OBSERVATIONS NEAR ORDER STATISTICSAUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF STATISTICS, Issue 4 2009Anthony G. Pakes Summary Limit theorems are obtained for the numbers of observations in a random sample that fall within a left-hand or right-hand neighbourhood of the,kth order statistic. The index,k,can be fixed, or tend to infinity as the sample size increases unboundedly. In essence, the proofs are applications of the classical Poisson and De Moivre,Laplace theorems. [source] DETECTING INFLUENTIAL OBSERVATIONS IN SLICED INVERSE REGRESSION ANALYSISAUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF STATISTICS, Issue 3 2006Luke A. Prendergast Summary The detection of influential observations on the estimation of the dimension reduction subspace returned by Sliced Inverse Regression (SIR) is considered. Although there are many measures to detect influential observations in related methods such as multiple linear regression, there has been little development in this area with respect to dimension reduction. One particular influence measure for a version of SIR is examined and it is shown, via simulation and example, how this may be used to detect influential observations in practice. [source] OUTLYING OBSERVATIONS AND MISSING VALUES: HOW SHOULD THEY BE HANDLED?CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5-6 2008John Ludbrook SUMMARY 1The problems of, and best solutions for, outlying observations and missing values are very dependent on the sizes of the experimental groups. For original articles published in Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology during 2006,2007, the range of group sizes ranged from three to 44 (,small groups'). In surveys, epidemiological studies and clinical trials, the group sizes range from 100s to 1000s (,large groups'). 2How can one detect outlying (extreme) observations? The best methods are graphical, for instance: (i) a scatterplot, often with mean±2 s; and (ii) a box-and-whisker plot. Even with these, it is a matter of judgement whether observations are truly outlying. 3It is permissable to delete or replace outlying observations if an independent explanation for them can be found. This may be, for instance, failure of a piece of measuring equipment or human error in operating it. If the observation is deleted, it can then be treated as a missing value. Rarely, the appropriate portion of the study can be repeated. 4It is decidedly not permissable to delete unexplained extreme values. Some of the acceptable strategies for handling them are: (i) transform the data and proceed with conventional statistical analyses; (ii) use the mean for location, but use permutation (randomization) tests for comparing means; and (iii) use robust methods for describing location (e.g. median, geometric mean, trimmed mean), for indicating dispersion (range, percentiles), for comparing locations and for regression analysis. 5What can be done about missing values? Some strategies are: (i) ignore them; (ii) replace them by hand if the data set is small; and (iii) use computerized imputation techniques to replace them if the data set is large (e.g. regression or EM (conditional Expectation, Maximum likelihood estimation) methods). 6If the missing values are ignored, or even if they are replaced, it is essential to test whether the individuals with missing values are otherwise indistinguishable from the remainder of the group. If the missing values have not occurred at random, but are associated with some property of the individuals being studied, the subsequent analysis may be biased. [source] REFLEXLY EVOKED COACTIVATION OF CARDIAC VAGAL AND SYMPATHETIC MOTOR OUTFLOWS: OBSERVATIONS AND FUNCTIONAL IMPLICATIONSCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 12 2006Julian FR Paton SUMMARY 1The purpose of the present review is to highlight the pattern of activity in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves innervating the heart during their reflex activation. 2We describe the well-known reciprocal control of cardiac vagal and sympathetic activity during the baroreceptor reflex, but point out that this appears to be the exception rather than the rule and that many other reflexes reviewed herein (e.g. peripheral chemoreceptor, nociceptor, diving response and oculocardiac) involve simultaneous coactivation of both autonomic limbs. 3The heart rate response during simultaneous activation of cardiac autonomic outflows is unpredictable because it does not simply reflect the summation of opposing influences. Indeed, it can result in bradycardia (peripheral chemoreceptor, diving and corneal), tachycardia (nociceptor) and, in some circumstances, can predispose to malignant arrhythmias. 4We propose that this cardiac autonomic coactivation may allow greater cardiac output during bradycardia (increased ventricular filling time and stronger contraction) than activation of the sympathetic limb alone. This may be important when pumping blood into a constricted vascular tree, such as is the case during the peripheral chemoreceptor reflex and the diving response. [source] Observation of Mode like Coherent Structures in Curved Magnetic Fields of a Simple Magnetized TorusCONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 4 2004F. Greiner Abstract The spatio-temporal dynamics of large-scale structures in curved magnetic field of simple magnetized torus (SMT) are presented. The experiments are performed in the SMT BLAAMANN and employ the techniques of conditional averaging (CA) and cross-correlation (CCF) of Langmuir probe data. By means of a detailed comparison of radio-frequency and thermionic discharges, it is shown that general features of the observed large-scale structures are independent of the discharge mechanism. Further, the observed large scale structures have a pronounced spatio-temporal periodicity, which suggests a description as mode-like. The conjectured relationship between the observed coherent structures and the inverse energy cascade is therefore questioned again. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] CPA assessment , the regional assessors' experienceCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2007G. Guthrie With the introduction in January 2006 of the new posts of Regional Assessors, the process and focus of CPA assessment changed to reflect the inclusion in the current standards of Quality Management systems and processes. Regional Assessors, trained in Quality Management Systems and their assessment against international standards, now form a vital part of the CPA assessment teams, looking specifically at this aspect of laboratory service provision. Their role in the new assessment process will be explained. The presentation will cover differences and similarities in the nature and number of non-compliances experienced since April 2006 when the new format of assessment was introduced. It will also look at a new format of timetable for assessment visits and explain the benefits of good two-way communication between all parties involved in the process - the laboratory, the assessors, particularly the Regional Assessor assigned to that site, and CPA Office staff. Understanding what is required by the standards, particularly in terms of evidential material, their interpretation and their classification of status , Critical, Non-Critical or Observation - is an aspect of assessment which is often not well understood. The presentation will seek to clarify these issues. The successful and timely clearance by laboratories of any non-compliances raised during the visits is vital to the achievement of accredited status and the presentation will give guidance as to how this is best achieved. The current standards, based on the international ISO 15189 standards, are considerably more challenging than the old ones. There is now a significant emphasis on Quality Management and its understanding, ethos and implementation within the laboratory, a key element which underpins all aspects of a laboratory's service. The achievement of accredited status assures our users of,the type of client and patient focused service expected of a modern laboratory. [source] Regression of Atypical Nevus: An Anecdotal Dermoscopic ObservationDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 10 2006MARIA A PIZZICHETTA MD BACKGROUND Clark nevi (atypical melanocytic nevi) can be considered as risk markers and potential precursors of melanoma. The authors report on the morphologic changes of an atypical nevus by dermoscopic follow-up examination over a 7-year period. CASE REPORT A 43-year-old man had a brown macule on his back, sized 5 mm, with an irregular shape, clinically and dermoscopically diagnosed as an equivocal melanocytic lesion. Dermoscopically during the initial examination, a predominant reticular pattern with peripheral eccentric hyperpigmentation in the lower portion of the lesion could be seen. After 7 months, the area of peripheral eccentric hyperpigmentation had regressed, and after 4.5 years the atypical pigment network had almost disappeared. After 7 years of follow-up, a diffuse area of hypopigmentation and a residual light brown pigmentation were detectable. The histopathologic diagnosis was consistent with an atypical junctional nevus with regression with features of a Clark nevus. CONCLUSION Based on our observation, even a dermoscopically atypical nevus may undergo regression as documented by long-term dermoscopic follow-up. [source] Mice with mutations in Mahogunin ring finger-1 (Mgrn1) exhibit abnormal patterning of the left,right axisDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 12 2006Christina D. Cota Abstract Mahogunin Ring Finger 1 (Mgrn1) encodes a RING-containing protein with ubiquitin ligase activity that has been implicated in pigment-type switching. In addition to having dark fur, mice lacking MGRN1 develop adult-onset spongy degeneration of the central nervous system and have reduced embryonic viability. Observation of complete situs inversus in a small proportion of adult Mgrn1 mutant mice suggested that embryonic lethality resulted from congenital heart defects due to defective establishment and/or maintenance of the left,right (LR) axis. Here we report that Mgrn1 is expressed in a pattern consistent with a role in LR patterning during early development and that many Mgrn1 mutant embryos show abnormal expression of asymmetrically expressed genes involved in LR patterning. A range of complex heart defects was observed in 20,25% of mid-to-late gestation Mgrn1 mutant embryos and another 20% were dead. This finding was consistent with 46,60% mortality of mutants by weaning age. Our results indicate that Mgrn1 acts early in the LR signaling cascade and is likely to provide new insight into this developmental process as Nodal expression was uncoupled from expression of other Nodal-responsive genes in Mgrn1 mutant embryos. Our work identifies a novel role for MGRN1 in embryonic patterning and suggests that the ubiquitination of MGRN1 target genes is essential for the proper establishment and/or maintenance of the LR axis. Developmental Dynamics 235:3438,3447, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Comparison of Outcomes of Two Skills-teaching Methods on Lay-rescuers' Acquisition of Infant Basic Life Support SkillsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010Itai Shavit MD ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:979,986 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives:, The objective was to determine if lay-rescuers' acquisition of infant basic life support (BLS) skills would be better when skills teaching consisted of videotaping practice and providing feedback on performances, compared to conventional skills-teaching and feedback methods. Methods:, This pilot-exploratory, single-blind, prospective, controlled, randomized study was conducted on November 12, 2007, at the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion,Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. The population under study consisted of all first-year medical students enrolled in the 2007,2008 year. BLS training is part of their mandatory introductory course in emergency medicine. Twenty-three students with previous BLS training were excluded. The remaining 71 were randomized into four and then two groups, with final allocation to an intervention and control group of 18 and 16 students, respectively. All the students participated in infant BLS classroom teaching. Those in the intervention group practiced skills acquisition independently, and four were videotaped while practicing. Tapes were reviewed by the group and feedback was provided. Controls practiced using conventional teaching and feedback methods. After 3 hours, all subjects were videotaped performing an unassisted, lone-rescuer, infant BLS resuscitation scenario. A skills assessment tool was developed. It consisted of 25 checklist items, grouped into four sections: 6 points for "categories" (with specific actions in six categories), 14 points for "scoring" (of accuracy of performance of each action), 4 points for "sequence" (of actions within a category), and 1 point for "order" of resuscitation (complete and well-sequenced categories). Two blinded expert raters were given a workshop on the use of the scoring tool. They further refined it to increase scoring consistency. The main outcome of the study was defined as evidence of better skills acquisition in overall skills in the four sections and in the specific skills sets for actions in any individual category. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics. Results:, Means and mean percentages were greater in the intervention group in all four sections compared to controls: categories (5.72 [95.33%] and 4.69 [92.66%]), scoring (10.57 [75.50%] and 7.41 [43.59%]), sequence (2.28 [57.00%] and 1.66 [41.50%]), and order of resuscitation (0.96 [96.00%] and 0.19 [19.00%]). The means and mean percentages of the actions (skill sets) in the intervention group were also larger than those of controls in five out of six categories: assessing responsiveness (1.69 [84.50%] and 1.13 [56.50%]), breathing technique (1.69 [93.00%] and 1.13 [47.20%]), chest compression technique (3.19 [77.50%] and 1.84 [46.00%]), activating emergency medical services (EMS) (3.00 [100.00%] and 2.81 [84.50%]), and resuming cardiopulmonary resuscitation (0.97 [97.00%] and 0.47 [47.00%]). These results demonstrate better performance in the intervention group. Conclusions:, The use of videotaped practice and feedback for the acquisition of overall infant BLS skills and of specific skill sets is effective. Observation and participation in the feedback and assessment of nonexperts attempting infant BLS skills appeared to improve the ability of this group of students to perform the task. [source] Plant Location and the Advent of Slab Casting by U.S. Steel Minimills: An Observation-Based AnalysisECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2006Frank Giarratani Abstract: The advent of slab casting for steel that is produced in electric furnaces resulted in a wave of new investments in the construction of steel minimills. From 1989 to 2001, 10 new plants were constructed in the United States on the basis of new technologies. Some were built in established steel industry agglomerations, while others were built in greenfield locations,regions that had little or no prior steelmaking activity. This research brings new evidence to bear on location decisions concerning modern steelmaking. The findings are based on direct observation and visits to the plants of all the new mills that were created by these investments. While the analysis reinforces the importance of transfer costs in decision making, it also argues that critical locational elements cannot be fully understood unless analyses take account of the characteristics of specific products, plants, and firms. [source] Visible and FTIR Microscopic Observation of Bisthiourea Ionophore Aggregates in Ion-Selective Electrode MembranesELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 22 2005Katherine Abstract Since conventional response models for ionophore-based ISEs are based on the assumption of a homogeneous membrane phase, they cannot accurately predict the response of membranes containing self-aggregating ionophores. However, meaningful conclusions about the relationship between ionophore structure and potentiometric responses can only be drawn if ionophore aggregation is properly recognized. This study demonstrates that dark field visible microscopy and FTIR microspectroscopy are valuable tools for the observation of such ionophore self-aggregation and, thereby, the development of new ionophore-based ISEs. Sulfate selective electrodes with solvent polymeric membranes containing bisthiourea ionophores that differ only by peripheral nonpolar substituents were shown to exhibit very different interferences from the sample pH. On one hand, optimized electrodes based on an ionophore with a phenyl substituent on each thiourea group (1) do not respond to pH at all and function well as sulfate-selective electrodes. On the other hand, membranes containing a more lipophilic ionophore with two additional hexyl-substituted adamantyl groups (2) exhibit severe pH interference at pH values as low as pH,5. The observation of membranes containing ionophore 2 with dark field visible microscopy and FTIR microspectroscopy shows supramolecular aggregation, and explains the startling difference between the potentiometric responses of the two types of electrodes. [source] Applications of PAT-Process Analytical Technology in Recombinant Protein Processes with Escherichia coliENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2008C. Kaiser Abstract Monitoring of bioprocesses and thus observation and identification of such processes is one of the main aims of bioprocess engineering. It is of vital importance in bioprocess development to improve the overall productivity by avoiding unintentional limitations to ensure not only optimal process conditions but also the observation of established production processes. Furthermore, reproducibility needs to be improved and final product quality and quantity be guaranteed. Therefore, an advanced monitoring and control system has been developed, which is based on different in-line, on-line and at-line measurements for substrates and products. Observation of cell viability applying in-line radio frequency impedance measurement and on-line determination of intracellular recombinant target protein using the reporter protein T-Sapphire GFP based on in-line fluorescence measurement show the ability for the detection of critical process states. In this way, the possibility for the on-line recognition of optimal harvest times arises and disturbances in the scheduled process route can be perceived. [source] Rhetoric and Practice in English TeachingENGLISH IN EDUCATION, Issue 1 2000Mary Bousted Abstract The empirical data collected for this article are derived from an analysis of the ideology and practice of English teachers working in three contrasting secondary schools. The analysis of the data reveals the following findings. The concept of personal growth, expressed in the pedagogy advocated by the London School, retains its ability to provide, for contemporary teachers of English, an underpinning rationale for their work. The pedagogical practices advocated by the London School writers - the use of oracy, the reading of contemporary children's literature and the drafting process - are supported by the respondents. Observation of lessons reveals that the respondents, through their use of mediating practices, are able to ,deliver' the cultural products of standard English and the literary canon in ways which retain elements of the process-based pedagogy advocated by the London School writers. The respondents do not, however, recognise this aspect of their classroom practice in their rhetorical representation of their work. The article concludes with the argument that the demand, by powerful external agencies, for the subject of English to furnish each new generation with icons of cultural stability in the form of spoken and written standard English and a knowledge of the literary heritage, has not declined. A less oppositional response on the part of English teachers to the demand that the subject deliver the cultural products outlined above, based upon a recognition of their use of mediating practices, may, it is argued, provide a means whereby the practitioners of the subject gain more control over its present condition and its future direction. [source] The association between non-biting midges and Vibrio choleraeENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2008Meir Broza Summary Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of aquatic ecosystems, yet its interactions within this habitat are poorly understood. Here we describe the current knowledge on the interaction of V. cholerae with one group of co-inhabitants, the chironomids. Chironomids, non-biting midges (Chironomidae, Diptera), are an abundant macroinvertebrate group encountered in freshwater aquatic habitats. As holometabolous insects, chironomids start life when their larvae hatch from eggs laid at the water/air interface; through various feeding strategies, the larvae grow and pupate to become short-lived, non-feeding, adult flying insects. The discovery of the connection between V. cholerae and chironomids was accidental. While working with Chironomus transavaalensis, we observed the disintegration of its egg masses and searched for a possible microbial agent. We identified V. cholerae as the primary cause of this phenomenon. Haemagglutinin/protease, a secreted extracellular enzyme, degraded the gelatinous matrix surrounding the eggs, enabling bacterial growth. Observation of chironomids in relation to V. cholerae continuously for 7 years in various types of water bodies in Israel, India, and Africa revealed that environmental V. cholerae adhere to egg-mass surfaces of various Chironomini (,bloodworms'). The flying adults' potential to serve as mechanical vectors of V. cholerae from one water body to another was established. This, in turn, suggested that these insects play a role in the ecology of V. cholerae and possibly take part in the dissemination of the pathogenic serogroups during, and especially between, epidemics. [source] Luminescent Gold(I) and Copper(I) Phosphane Complexes Containing the 4-Nitrophenylthiolate Ligand: Observation of ,,,* Charge-Transfer EmissionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 15 2008Cheng-Hui Li Abstract Gold(I) and copper(I) phosphane complexes containing the 4-nitrophenylthiolate ligand, namely [(PCy3)Au(SC6H4NO2 -4)] (1) (PCy3 = tricyclohexylphosphane), [Au2(,-dcpm)(SC6H4NO2 -4)2] (2) [dcpm = bis(dicyclohexylphosphanyl)methane], [Au2(,-dppm)(SC6H4NO2 -4)2] (3) [dppm = bis(diphenylphosphanyl)methane], and [(,2 -SC6H4NO2 -4)2(,3 -SC6H4NO2 -4)2(CuPPh3)4] (4), were prepared and characterized by X-ray crystal analysis. All of these complexes show an intense absorption band with ,max at 396,409 nm attributed to the intraligand (IL) ,(S),,*(C6H4NO2 -4) charge-transfer transition. The assignment is supported by the results of DFT and TDDFT calculations on the model complexes [PH3Au(SC6H4NO2 -4)] and [(,2 -SC6H4NO2 -4)2(,3 -SC6H4NO2 -4)2(CuPH3)4]. The emissions of solid samples and glassy solutions (methanol/ethanol, 1:4, v/v) of 1,4 at 77 K are assigned to the [,(S),,*(C6H4NO2 -4)] charge-transfer excited state. Metallophilic interactions are not observed in both solid state and solutions of complexes 1,3. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008) [source] Bis(fluoromesityl) Palladium Complexes, Archetypes of Steric Crowding and Axial Protection by ortho Effect , Evidence for Dissociative Substitution Processes , Observation of 19F,19F Through-Space CouplingsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2004Camino Bartolomé Abstract Bisarylated complexes trans -[Pd(Fmes)2(SR2)2] [Fmes = 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl (fluoromesityl); SR2 = SMe2, tht; tht = tetrahydrothiophene] are precursors for various bisarylated fluoromesityl palladium(II) complexes by ligand-substitution reactions. Boiling under reflux in acetonitrile gives the mixed complexes trans -[Pd(Fmes)2(NCMe)(SR2)], whereas boiling under reflux in toluene leads to trans -[PdCl2L2] (L = PMe3, tBuNC, pTol-NC, 4-MePy), in the presence of neutral monodentate ligands, or to (NnBu4)[trans -Pd(Fmes)2I(SR2)] when treated with (NnBu4)I. trans -[Pd(Fmes)2(SMe2)2] reacts with bidentate ligands, also boiling under reflux in toluene, to give [Pd(Fmes)2(L,L)] [L,L = Me2bipy, 2,2, - biquinolyl, ,2N,N, -OCPy2, dppm (Ph2PCH2PPh2), dppe (Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2), pte (PhSCH2CH2SPh), ,2S,N -SPPh2Py, ,2O,N -OPPhPy2], or the bimetallic complex [Pd(Fmes)2(,-1,N:1,2,O:2,N -Py2MeCO)Pd(Fmes)(SMe2)] (characterized by X-ray diffractometry) when treated with (OH)(CH3)CPy2. The crowding associated with two Fmes groups produces several interesting features: (1) trans complexes are preferred over cis complexes, against the expected electronic preferences; (2) the low-temperature NMR spectra of several complexes, or the X-ray diffraction structure of [Pd(Fmes)2(2,2, - biquinolyl)], reveal significant structural distortions associated with steric crowding; (3) the need for boiling under reflux in the synthesis suggests a dissociative substitution mechanism, which is unknown so far for Pd; (4) some of the complexes show 19F,19F through-space couplings. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004) [source] In Situ SEM Observation and Analysis of Martensitic Transformation During Short Fatigue Crack Propagation in Metastable Austenitic Steel,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 4 2010Ulrich Krupp Abstract High cycle fatigue (HCF) life of metastable austenitic steels is governed by the ability of the parent austenite phase to transform into ,, martensite via metastable , martensite. The mechanism of this strain-induced transformation is closely related to the grain size, the crystallographic orientation distribution, as well as to amplitude, and cyclic accumulation of plastic strain. Aim of the present study is to identify and to quantitatively describe the basic principles of strain-induced martensite formation by means of in situ cyclic deformation experiments in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in combination with electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) and numerical modeling using a boundary element approach. It was shown that during HCF loading martensite formation is inhomogeneous and not directly linked with crack initiation. Only when the fatigue crack propagates by operating multiple slip systems, the cyclic plastic zone exhibits martensitic transformation. [source] Macrocyclic Cyclo[n]malonates , Synthetic Aspects and Observation of Columnar Arrangements by X-ray CrystallographyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 10 2006Nikos Chronakis Abstract A variety of achiral and chiral macrocyclic oligomalonates were synthesised in a one-step procedure through condensation of malonyl dichloride with ,,,-diols. We have investigated the applicability of this method by varying the length and type of the spacers in the diol. Product distribution analysis revealed that the preferential formation of monomeric, dimeric, or trimeric macrocyclic malonates can be controlled by choosing diols with specific spacers connecting the hydroxy groups. Of special interest are the macrocyclic bismalonates, as they show pronounced crystallisability and arrange into columnar motifs in the solid state. They feature distinctive dihedral angles: all ester moieties adopt anti conformations whereas the planes of the carboxy moieties of each malonate residue arrange in an approximately orthogonal fashion. The latter geometry is enforced by the macrocyclic structures, as revealed by a conformational search in the Cambridge Structural Database. The X-ray diffraction data show that C=O···H,C, and C,O···H,C hydrogen bonds stabilise the columnar arrangement of the dimeric rings with formation of tubular assemblies. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006) [source] In Situ Observation of Dynamic Recrystallization in the Bulk of Zirconium Alloy (Adv. Eng.ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 8 2009Mater. The cover shows the in-situ diffraction setup. A fine synchrotron beam transmits the sample situated in a (heated) load frame and scatters into Debye-Scherrer cones. Large crystallites map onto spots onto the 2D detector rather than continuous rings. In the background, the intensity distribution of one selected reflection - here beta-Zr 110 - is plotted in color scale as a function of azimuthal angle (horizontal axis) and time (vertical axis) revealing the different states during thermo-mechanical processing. More details can be found in the article by K.-D. Liss on page 637. [source] In Situ Observation of Dynamic Recrystallization in the Bulk of Zirconium Alloy,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 8 2009Klaus-Dieter Liss Dynamic recrystallization and related effects have been followed in situ and in real time while a metal undergoes rapid thermo-mechanical processing. Statistics and orientation correlations of embedded/bulk material grains were deduced from two-dimensional X-ray diffraction patterns and give deep insight into the formation of the microstructure. Applications are relevant in materials design, simulation, and in geological systems. [source] A Method for the Real-Time Observation of Endodermal Cell Behavior on Micropatterned Surfaces,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 8 2009David C. Trimbach Surface chemistry and geometry have a strong influence on adhesion and proliferation of various cell types, including human embryonic stem cells (ES). Visceral endoderm like cells (END-2) is an important cell line which induces ES cells to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. In this study, we have investigated the effect of surface chemistry and geometry on the END-2 cell adhesion and proliferation on gold surface. [source] Discussion on ,Personality psychology as a truly behavioural science' by R. Michael FurrEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 5 2009Article first published online: 14 JUL 200 Yes We Can! A Plea for Direct Behavioural Observation in Personality Research MITJA D. BACK and BORIS EGLOFF Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany mback@uni-leipzig.de Furr's target paper (this issue) is thought to enhance the standing of personality psychology as a truly behavioural science. We wholeheartedly agree with this goal. In our comment we argue for more specific and ambitious requirements for behavioural personality research. Specifically, we show why behaviour should be observed directly. Moreover, we illustratively describe potentially interesting approaches in behavioural personality research: lens model analyses, the observation of multiple behaviours in diverse experimentally created situations and the observation of behaviour in real life. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Categories of Behaviour Should be Clearly Defined PETER BORKENAU Department of Psychology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany p.borkenau@psych.uni-halle.de The target paper is helpful by clarifying the terminology as well as the strengths and weaknesses of several approaches to collect behavioural data. Insufficiently considered, however, is the clarity of the categories being used for the coding of behaviour. Evidence is reported showing that interjudge agreement for retrospective and even concurrent codings of behaviour does not execeed interjudge agreement for personality traits if the categories being used for the coding of behaviour are not clearly defined. By contrast, if the behaviour to be registered is unambiguously defined, interjudge agreement may be almost perfect. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Behaviour Functions in Personality Psychology PHILIP J. CORR Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK Philip.Corr@btopenworld.com Furr's target paper highlights the importance, yet under-representation, of behaviour in published articles in personality psychology. Whilst agreeing with most of his points, I remain unclear as to how behaviour (as specifically defined by Furr) relates to other forms of psychological data (e.g. cognitive task performance). In addition, it is not clear how the functions of behaviour are to be decided: different behaviours may serve the same function; and identical behaviours may serve different functions. To clarify these points, methodological and theoretical aspects of Furr's proposal would benefit from delineation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. On the Difference Between Experience-Sampling Self-Reports and Other Self-Reports WILLIAM FLEESON Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA fleesonW@wfu.edu Furr's fair but evaluative consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of behavioural assessment methods is a great service to the field. As part of his consideration, Furr makes a subtle and sophisticated distinction between different self-report methods. It is easy to dismiss all self-reports as poor measures, because some are poor. In contrast, Furr points out that the immediacy of the self-reports of behaviour in experience-sampling make experience-sampling one of the three strongest methods for assessing behaviour. This comment supports his conclusion, by arguing that ESM greatly diminishes one the three major problems afflicting self-reports,lack of knowledge,and because direct observations also suffer from the other two major problems afflicting self-reports. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. What and Where is ,Behaviour' in Personality Psychology? LAURA A. KING and JASON TRENT Department of Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA kingla@missouri.edu Furr is to be lauded for presenting a coherent and persuasive case for the lack of behavioural data in personality psychology. While agreeing wholeheartedly that personality psychology could benefit from greater inclusion of behavioural variables, here we question two aspects of Furr's analysis, first his definition of behaviour and second, his evidence that behaviour is under-appreciated in personality psychology. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Naturalistic Observation of Daily Behaviour in Personality Psychology MATTHIAS R. MEHL Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA mehl@email.arizona.edu This comment highlights naturalistic observation as a specific method within Furr's (this issue) cluster direct behavioural observation and discusses the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) as a naturalistic observation sampling method that can be used in relatively large, nomothetic studies. Naturalistic observation with a method such as the EAR can inform researchers' understanding of personality in its relationship to daily behaviour in two important ways. It can help calibrate personality effects against act-frequencies of real-world behaviour and provide ecological, behavioural personality criteria that are independent of self-report. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Measuring Behaviour D. S. MOSKOWITZ and JENNIFER J. RUSSELL Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada dsm@psych.mcgill.ca Furr (this issue) provides an illuminating comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of various methods for assessing behaviour. In the selection of a method for assessing behaviour, there should be a careful analysis of the definition of the behaviour and the purpose of assessment. This commentary clarifies and expands upon some points concerning the suitability of experience sampling measures, referred to as Intensive Repeated Measurements in Naturalistic Settings (IRM-NS). IRM-NS measures are particularly useful for constructing measures of differing levels of specificity or generality, for providing individual difference measures which can be associated with multiple layers of contextual variables, and for providing measures capable of reflecting variability and distributional features of behaviour. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Behaviours, Non-Behaviours and Self-Reports SAMPO V. PAUNONEN Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada paunonen@uwo.ca Furr's (this issue) thoughtful analysis of the contemporary body of research in personality psychology has led him to two conclusions: our science does not do enough to study real, observable behaviours; and, when it does, too often it relies on ,weak' methods based on retrospective self-reports of behaviour. In reply, I note that many researchers are interested in going beyond the study of individual behaviours to the behaviour trends embodied in personality traits; and the self-report of behaviour, using well-validated personality questionnaires, is often the best measurement option. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. An Ethological Perspective on How to Define and Study Behaviour LARS PENKE Department of Psychology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK lars.penke@ed.ac.uk While Furr (this issue) makes many important contributions to the study of behaviour, his definition of behaviour is somewhat questionable and also lacks a broader theoretical frame. I provide some historical and theoretical background on the study of behaviour in psychology and biology, from which I conclude that a general definition of behaviour might be out of reach. However, psychological research can gain from adding a functional perspective on behaviour in the tradition of Tinbergens's four questions, which takes long-term outcomes and fitness consequences of behaviours into account. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. What is a Behaviour? MARCO PERUGINI Faculty of Psychology, University of Milan,Bicocca, Milan, Italy marco.perugini@unimib.it The target paper proposes an interesting framework to classify behaviour as well as a convincing plea to use it more often in personality research. However, besides some potential issues in the definition of what is a behaviour, the application of the proposed definition to specific cases is at times inconsistent. I argue that this is because Furr attempts to provide a theory-free definition yet he implicitly uses theoretical considerations when applying the definition to specific cases. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Is Personality Really the Study of Behaviour? MICHAEL D. ROBINSON Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA Michael.D.Robinson@ndsu.edu Furr (this issue) contends that behavioural studies of personality are particularly important, have been under-appreciated, and should be privileged in the future. The present commentary instead suggests that personality psychology has more value as an integrative science rather than one that narrowly pursues a behavioural agenda. Cognition, emotion, motivation, the self-concept and the structure of personality are important topics regardless of their possible links to behaviour. Indeed, the ultimate goal of personality psychology is to understanding individual difference functioning broadly considered rather than behaviour narrowly considered. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Linking Personality and Behaviour Based on Theory MANFRED SCHMITT Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany schmittm@uni-landau.de My comments on Furr's (this issue) target paper ,Personality as a Truly Behavioural Science' are meant to complement his behavioural taxonomy and sharpen some of the presumptions and conclusions of his analysis. First, I argue that the relevance of behaviour for our field depends on how we define personality. Second, I propose that every taxonomy of behaviour should be grounded in theory. The quality of behavioural data does not only depend on the validity of the measures we use. It also depends on how well behavioural data reflect theoretical assumptions on the causal factors and mechanisms that shape behaviour. Third, I suggest that the quality of personality theories, personality research and behavioural data will profit from ideas about the psychological processes and mechanisms that link personality and behaviour. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Apparent Objectivity of Behaviour is Illusory RYNE A. SHERMAN, CHRISTOPHER S. NAVE and DAVID C. FUNDER Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA funder@ucr.edu It is often presumed that objective measures of behaviour (e.g. counts of the number of smiles) are more scientific than more subjective measures of behaviour (e.g. ratings of the degree to which a person behaved in a cheerful manner). We contend that the apparent objectivity of any behavioural measure is illusory. First, the reliability of more subjective measures of behaviour is often strikingly similar to the reliabilities of so-called objective measures. Further, a growing body of literature suggests that subjective measures of behaviour provide more valid measures of psychological constructs of interest. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Personality and Behaviour: A Neglected Opportunity? LIAD UZIEL and ROY F. BAUMEISTER Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA Baumeister@psy.fsu.edu Personality psychology has neglected the study of behaviour. Furr's efforts to provide a stricter definition of behaviour will not solve the problem, although they may be helpful in other ways. His articulation of various research strategies for studying behaviour will be more helpful for enabling personality psychology to contribute important insights and principles about behaviour. The neglect of behaviour may have roots in how personality psychologists define the mission of their field, but expanding that mission to encompass behaviour would be a positive step. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The necessity of observing real life situations: Palestinian-Israeli violence as a laboratory for learning about social behaviourEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2004Dr Daniel Bar-Tal Social psychology emerged in the early part of the last century as a distinct discipline that focused on the study of social behaviour of individuals and collectives. Over time, however, social psychology has relatively ignored the ,social' part of the equation and has become mainly concerned with individual behaviour. The major part of social psychological research was carried out in the artificial context of the experimental laboratory. Studying social behaviour in real life contexts is essential, not only to return social psychology to its roots, but also to ensure that our contributions are both theoretically rich and socially valuable. Observation of real life situations is essential if we want to advance our understanding of how individuals and collectives behave. To illustrate the importance of a contextually rich social psychology and the usefulness of natural observations, the recent violent confrontation between the Israelis and the Palestinians is described and analysed, focusing on social behaviours of Israeli Jews. In conclusion, it is argued that social psychology should strive towards equilibrium between natural and experimental approaches, between personal and contextual emphases and between micro and macro perspectives. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||