This research was designed to assess the effects of contemporary political humor on information processing and persuasion, focusing specifically on two competing processes: processing motivation/counterargument distraction and message discounting. In Study 1, 212 undergraduates read one of four monologues by political comedian Bill Maher. Correlations and path modeling suggested that, in genera...

Fact-related information contained in fictional narratives may induce substantial changes in readers’ real-world beliefs. Current models of persuasion through fiction assume that these effects occur because readers are psychologically transported into the fictional world of the narrative. Contrary to general dual-process models of persuasion, models of persuasion through fiction also imply that...

We present the implementation of a Prolog system composed of interpreter and compiler. The originality of our work consists in the adoption of a new framework to realize the main components of the system. The framework relies on new mechanisms, called sleepers. With their help we have developed a complete Prolog interpreter in which all the control activities, from backtracking up to last-call ...

Korea Train eXpress (KTX) is now being operated, which allows Korea being one of the countries that operates the high-speed rail system. The high-speed rail has its advantage of short time transportation of population and materials, which lead to many researches performed in this matter. In the case of high speed classical trackbed system, the maintenance and usability of gravel ballast system ...

To determine some of the risks and benefits of being a long or short sleeper, psychological adjustment, lifestyle, and sleep parameters were investigated in 239 older adults. Responses of people who slept well and who were either long or short sleepers were studied on 48 variables investigating sleep parameters and sleep-related affect and beliefs; daytime fatigue and sleepiness; demographic fa...

Introduced species represent one of the most serious global threats to biodiversity. In this field-based study, we assessed behavioural responses of brood tending cichlid fish to an invasive predator of their offspring. This was achieved by comparing parental defence responses of the endangered arrow cichlid (Amphilophus zaliosus), a fish species endemic to the crater lake Apoyo in Nicaragua, t...

This paper presents the results of a series of hollow cylinder tests carried out to investigate the role of drainage conditions on the response of railway track foundation materials during cyclic loading. Three sand–clay mixes were tested. It was found that, below a certain cyclic shear stress threshold, and depending on the drainage conditions, changes in principal stress direction should not ...

BACKGROUND Approximately 30% of the U.S. population reports recurrent short sleep; however, perceived sleep need varies widely among individuals. Some "habitual short sleepers" routinely sleep 4-6 hr/night without self-reported adverse consequences. Identifying neural mechanisms underlying individual differences in perceived sleep-related dysfunction has important implications for understanding...

Previous studies have addressed railway turnouts (switches and crossings), but research on the performance of 1000 mm gauge is limited. At present, wooden sleeper structures are used at in Vietnam. However, these many disadvantages operation process. This paper evaluates new prestressed bearer (PSB) for turnouts, designed gauge, to overcome a sleeper. Test samples PSB were manufactured factory,...