This report examines the structure of similarities underlying the lexicon of personality-trait description, when “similarity” is defined and measured in terms of (a) semantic judgment and (b) covariance in actual use. A lexicon of 60 trait adjectives was examined, using several procedures for collecting semantic judgments. Similarity data of both kinds were analyzed with multidimensional scaling (MDS) to provide a parsimonious representation of underlying structure. The convergence between semantic judgments and covariance within trait-attribution data was substantial; both kinds of data evinced the same structure when collected for subsets of adjectives. Canonical correlation was employed to find the number of dimensions shared across MDS solutions. Interpretation of the results was facilitated by individual-differences MDS, which can select an optimal set of underlying dimensions, and at the same time accommodate the differences between data sets that arise when data-collection procedures differ in the relative emphasis they place upon those dimensions. We interpret the small number and shared nature of the dimensions by arguing that the lexicon's structure relates to trait perception rather than personality structure per se, even when probed with trait-attribution covariance.

The language of personality traits includes single-word trait descriptors, and longer phrases or sentences. Evidence has accumulated that abstract, semantic relationships among single words have the same underlying structure as the empirical relationships when words are applied to individuals. The present study examines whether these two kinds of structure are also isomorphic for longer trait descriptors. Empirical descriptions and judgements of semantic similarity were collected among the descriptors comprising the California Child Q-set, or CCQ, and analysed with multidimensional scaling. Canonical correlation showed the solutions to be closely related to one another, and to independent sets of ratings available for the CCQ items. Informants' similarity judgements were not affected by the context in which they were made. The dominant dimensions of the solutions reproduce dimensions found previously for the single-word personality lexicon, indicating the two trait-descriptive languages to be closely parallel.

The elemental composition and microscopic-level shape of inclusions inside industrial materials are considered important factors in fracture analytical studies. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) microscopic elemental analysis system based on a serial sectioning technique was developed to observe the internal structure of such materials. This 3D elemental mapping system included an X-ray fluorescence analyzer and a high-precision milling machine. Control signals for the X-ray observation process were automatically sent from a data I/O system synchronized with the precision positioning on the milling machine. Composite specimens were used to confirm the resolution and the accuracy of 3D models generated from this system. Each of the two specimens was composed of three metal wires of 0.5 mm diameter braided into a single twisted wire that was placed inside a metal pipe; the pipe was then filled with either epoxy resin or Sn. The milling machine was used to create a mirror-finish cross-sectional surface on these specimens, and elemental analyses were performed. The twisted wire structure was clearly observed in the resulting 3D models. This system enables automated investigation of the 3D internal structure of materials as well as the identification of their elemental components.

The review contains the most recent data on near-Earth objects such as their sizes and densities, rotation and shapes, taxonomy and mineralogy, optical properties and structure of their surfaces, binary systems among the NEOs and internal structure of asteroids and comets constituted the NEO population.

The use of eccentric eclipsing binaries to test stellar internal structure models, as well as the equations of motion provided by General Relativity, is reviewed. Close to 80 years have elapsed since the first ideas were produced in this field and many results have been obtained since then. It appears that, in general, a good understanding of stellar structure within the main sequence is available while the same level of knowledge can not be claimed beyond the termination age. The equations of general relativity could not be disproved with observational data though some systems cannot still be fully explained. In the near future, the analysis of evolved systems, very low mass stars, the effects of tidal resonances and the presence of third bodies has to be further explored. In addition, the analysis of large data bases obtained by means of extensive photometric surveys will certainly change the picture from an observational point of view.