Differences and Similarities in Psychological Characteristics between Cultural Groups Circum Mediterranean

We examined differences and similarities between groups sampled from the Mediterranean region in social orientation, cognitive style, self-construal, and honor, face, dignity values and concerns using a large battery of tasks and measures. We did this by conducting secondary data set analyses focusing on comparisons between nine pairs of samples recruited from the Mediterranean region (Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus [Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities], Lebanon [Muslim Lebanese and Christian Lebanese], Egypt) that have overlapping and divergent features in terms of religious, ethnic, national, and linguistic factors as well as various physical and socio-ecological characteristics. Across 38 different psychological characteristics, comparisons between Turkish and Turkish Cypriot samples and between Christian and Muslim samples from Lebanon revealed that they were most similar to each other. In contrast, Greek and Turkish samples were the least similar. Our analyses of intercorrelations between variables, variability and size of differences provide additional insights into the within-region variation in social orientation, cognitive style, self-construal indicators, as well as honor, face, and dignity values and concerns. Our research contributes to the growing literature on regional variation of psychological processes while raising important pointers for the role of background and socio-ecological characteristics in cultural group similarities and differences

Densification, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of ZrC-SiC Ceramics

ZrC-SiC ceramics were fabricated by high-energy ball milling and reactive hot pressing of ZrH2, carbon black, and varying amounts of SiC. The ceramics were composed of nominally pure ZrC containing 0 to 30 vol% SiC particles. The relative density increased as SiC content increased, from 96.8% for nominally pure ZrC to 99.3% for ZrC-30 vol% SiC. As SiC content increased from 0 to 30 vol%, Young\u27s modulus increased from 404 ± 11 to 420 ± 9 GPa and Vickers hardness increased from 18.5 ± 0.7 to 23.0 ± 0.5 GPa due to a combination of the higher relative density of ceramics with higher SiC content and the higher Young\u27s modulus and hardness of SiC compared to ZrC. Flexure strength was 308 ± 11 MPa for pure ZrC, but increased to 576 ± 49 MPa for a SiC content of 30 vol%. Fracture toughness was 2.3 ± 0.2 MPa·m1/2 for pure ZrC and increased to about 3.0 ± 0.1 MPa·m1/2 for compositions containing SiC additions. The combination of high-energy ball milling and reactive hot pressing was able to produce ZrC-SiC ceramics with sub-micron grain sizes and high relative densities with higher strengths than previously reported for similar materials

High temporal resolution monitoring of multiple pollutant responses in drainage from an intensively managed grassland catchment caused by a summer storm

This work presents data on a suite of diffuse pollutants, monitored in a stream draining an intensively managed grassland on a 30 min time step during a period of intense rainfall to better understand their sources and pathways. Nitrite (92 mu g l(-1)), particulate phosphorus (107 mu g l(-1)) and soluble phosphorus (74 mu g l(-1)) exceeded environmental limits during base flow. Concentrations of nitrate and nitrite were decreased during the storm event, whereas all other pollutants generally increased and exceeded environmental limits where specified, especially when associated with a small subsidiary hydrograph on the rising limb of the main hydrograph. Total pollutants loads, when using a 60 min sampling frequency, would have led to significant over and under-estimations depending on which 60 min sample set was used. In the worst case, loads of ammonium could have been under-estimated by 35% or over estimated by 25% with errors being associated with loads on the rising limb of the hydrograph and more specifically a small subsidiary hydrograph. This subsidiary hydrograph may have occurred as a result of runoff from the farm hard standings within the catchment. Incidental transfer of pollutants associate with this runoff have masked the overall grassland pollutant response. To better understand these different source areas and pollutant dynamics, there is a need for novel tracing techniques to elucidate their relative contribution and pathways