Seeing more than we can know: Visual attention and category activation

Extending existing work on the conditional automaticity of category activation, the present research investigated the extent to which category activation is moderated by the resolution of visual attention. As visual attention gates access to material in semantic memory, so too should it regulate the activation of social categories when triggering verbal labels are encountered. Accordingly, only when triggering stimuli fall within the spotlight of attention did we expect category activation to occur. The results of two studies supported this prediction. We consider the implications of our findings for recent treatments of category automaticity

Transmission Expansion Planning Considering Energy Storage

In electricity transmission networks, energy storage systems (ESS) provide a means of upgrade deferral by smoothing supply and matching demand. We develop a mixed integer programming (MIP) extension to the transmission network expansion planning (TEP) problem that considers the installation and operation of ESS as well as additional circuits. The model is demonstrated on the well known Garver's 6-bus and IEEE 25-bus test circuits for two 24 hour operating scenarios; a short peak, and a long peak. We show optimal location and capacity of storage is sensitive not only to cost, but also variability of demand in the network

Structural and thermal response of 30 cm diameter ion thruster optics

Tabular and graphical data are presented which are intended for use in calibrating and validating structural and thermal models of ion thruster optics. A 30 cm diameter, two electrode, mercury ion thruster was operated using two different electrode assembly designs. With no beam extraction, the transient and steady state temperature profiles and center electrode gaps were measured for three discharge powers. The data showed that the electrode mount design had little effect on the temperatures, but significantly impacted the motion of the electrode center. Equilibrium electrode gaps increased with one design and decreased with the other. Equilibrium displacements in excess of 0.5 mm and gap changes of 0.08 mm were measured at 450 W discharge power. Variations in equilibrium gaps were also found among assemblies of the same design. The presented data illustrate the necessity for high fidelity ion optics models and development of experimental techniques to allow their validation

Contributions in the field of palaeopalynology at the Bernard Price Institute, past, present and future

Main articleA brief chronological summary of the palynological research carried out by students and past members of the staff at the Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research is presented. The contribution that each of these studies has made to the understanding of stratigraphic relationships in the southern African region is highlighted. A correlation chart of palynological biozones documented from South African localities is presented (Table 1).Non

Brief Mindfulness Meditation Improves Mental State Attribution and Empathizing

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Experimental studies on cyclic behaviour of steel base plate connections considering anchor bolts post tensioning

This paper presents the experimental tests on cyclic behaviour of the base plate connections that are connected to the foundation with and without fully post tensioned anchor rods. The main aim is to evaluate these connections that are designed with available design procedures from the low damage aspect. Also, the effect of post tensioning on the seismic performance of this type of connection is presented. To characterize the base plate connection damageability, each column base was designed for a particular major inelastic deformation mode such as anchor rod yielding, yielding of the column, or column and base plate yielding. It is shown that considered joints are not able to be categorized as “a low damage”. Also, post tensioning of the base plate increases the rotational stiffness of the base, and results in more ductility of the column with low axial forc

Coherent magnon optics in a ferromagnetic spinor Bose-Einstein condensate

We measure the mass, gap, and magnetic moment of a magnon in the ferromagnetic $F=1$ spinor Bose-Einstein condensate of $^{87}$Rb. We find an unusually heavy magnon mass of $1.038(2)_\mathrm{stat}(8)_\mathrm{sys}$ times the atomic mass, as determined by interfering standing and running coherent magnon waves within the dense and trapped condensed gas. This measurement is shifted significantly from theoretical estimates. The magnon energy gap of $h\times 2.5(1)_\mathrm{stat}(2)_\mathrm{sys}\;\mathrm{Hz}$ and the effective magnetic moment of $-1.04(2)_\mathrm{stat}(8)\,\mu_\textrm{bare}$ times the atomic magnetic moment are consistent with mean-field predictions. The nonzero energy gap arises from magnetic dipole-dipole interactions.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Experience of BRCA1/2 mutation-negative young women from families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the experience of young women who become aware of their parent’s BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA) mutation status as adolescents or young adults. There is also currently a gap in the literature pertaining to those who are found to be negative for their familial mutation. We aimed to investigate the experience of these mutation-negative young women from hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) families. METHODS: Using a semi-structured questionnaire we interviewed 8 women. All of the women were non-carriers of their familial mutation and had learned of the mutation in their family as adolescents or young adults at least 6 months prior to undergoing genetic testing. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and independently analyzed by the investigators. This was followed by an in-depth cross-case analysis, enabling the formulation of emergent themes. RESULTS: The women’s age ranged from 22 to 37 years old and all were of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Prominent emergent themes from the interviews included the impact of how and when the familial mutation status was disclosed, the factors influencing when a young woman chooses to undergo predictive genetic testing, the predictors of post-test adjustment and risk perception, as well as the impact of familial cancer experience versus the familial mutation. CONCLUSIONS: By eliciting detailed patient narratives we have begun to show that this generation of BRCA mutation-negative young women is likely still affected by the degree of cancer history in their family, even with their understanding of the genetic contribution to disease. Larger studies with tightened participant characteristics, as well as studies involving women from different cultural backgrounds, are needed to further define the experience and needs of true negative young women from HBOC families