Development of a novel test system for in situ catalytic, electrocatalytic and electrochemical studies of internal fuel reforming in solid oxide fuel cells

A test system based around a thin‐walled extruded solid electrolyte tubular reactor has been developed, which enables the fuel reforming catalysis and surface chemistry occurring within solid oxide fuel cells and the electrochemical performance of the fuel cell to be studied under genuine operating conditions. It permits simultaneous monitoring of the catalytic chemistry and the cell performance, allowing direct correlation between the fuel cell performance and the reforming characteristics of the anode, as well as enabling the influence of drawing current on the catalysis and surface reaction pathways to be studied. Temperature‐programmed reaction measurements can be carried out on anodes in an actual SOFC, and have been used to investigate the reduction characteristics of different anode formulations, methane activation and methane steam reforming, and to evaluate the nature and level of carbon deposition on the anode during reforming. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Family planning knowledge, attitudes and practices in women with schizophrenic spectrum disorders

This study set out to test three hypotheses about family planning in women with schizophrenic spectrum disorders, as compared to demographically comparable non-mentally ill control women: that they (1) report at least as much unprotected intercourse while not desiring pregnancy; (2) have less knowledge about contraception; and (3) perceive more, and different, obstacles to obtaining or using birth control. A semistructured Family Planning Interview was administered to subjects (n = 44) with Research Diagnostic Criteria diagnoses of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and to non-mentally ill control subjects (n = 50). The participants had high rates of unprotected intercourse, as did non-mentally ill controls. They had significantly less reproductive and contraceptive knowledge than the control subjects, and were more likely to perceive birth control as difficult to obtain. The most common reason women with schizophrenic spectrum disorders gave for failing to use birth control was that they did not expect to have sex, while that given by non-mentally ill subjects related to side-effects of birth control. Important obstacles to family planning in women with schizophrenic spectrum disorders include relative lack of knowledge and difficulty planning ahead. Although many women with schizophrenia could benefit from long-acting, reversible contraception, many may be unaware of those options and/or may find them difficult to obtain. Integrating family planning with mental health care might better address the unique needs of this population.     

Differences in the liability to self-administer intravenous cocaine between C57BL/6 x SJL and BALB/cByJ mice

Application of animal models of psychostimulant abuse for experimentation in mice is becoming increasingly important for studying the contribution of genetic differences, as well as the roles of selected (targeted) genes, in specific behaviors. The purpose of this study was to investigate strain differences in cocaine self-administration behavior between C57BL/6 x SJL hybrid mice and BALB/cByJ mice. These two strains were chosen because BALB/cByJ mice have a well-developed behavioral pharmacological profile, and hybrid strains on a C57BL/6 background are commonly used for generating transgenic expressing and knockout mutant mice. C57BL/6 x SJL mice dose-dependently acquired cocaine self-administration (1.0 mg/kg/injection but not 0.25 mg/kg/injection) by responding selectively in the active nose-poke hole and maintaining stable levels of daily drug intake; they also exhibited a characteristic inverted-U-shaped cocaine dose-effect function. BALB/cByJ mice failed to acquire cocaine self-administration at either dose under the same test conditions. The strain differences observed in self-administration did not seem to be attributed to other behavioral differences because the two strains exhibited similar amounts of spontaneous nose-poking in the absence of reinforcers, and BALB/cByJ mice responded more than C57BL/6 x SJL mice in a food-reinforced nose-poke operant task. Importantly, the dose-effect function for the motor stimulating effects of cocaine (3.8-30 mg/kg intraperitoneally) suggests enhanced sensitivity but reduced efficacy of cocaine in stimulating motor activity in BALB/cByJ mice relative to the C57BL/6 x SJL hybrid mice. These results indicate that the decreased liability of BALB/cByJ mice to acquire cocaine self-administration is not the result of differences in spontaneous activity or performance, but may reflect different sensitivities to the reinforcing, or rate-disrupting, properties of cocaine. The data support an influence of genetic background in the liability to self-administer cocaine. Thus, a hypothesis is proposed that the decreased liability of BALB/cByJ mice to acquire cocaine self-administration is related to differences in brain monoamine systems linked to the high "emotionality" profile of BALB/c mice in novel or fearful situations, including perhaps cocaine administration.     

Structural Studies of DNA–Cationic Lipid Complexes Confined in Lithographically Patterned Microchannel Arrays

We have used lithographically patterned microchannel arrays with channel widths ranging from 1 to 20 m, fabricated using electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching, in structural studies of DNA–cationic lipid complexes in confinement. Various techniques have been developed for loading these DNA–membrane complexes into the microchannels or to form the complexes in situ by sequentially depositing DNA and lipid solutions into the microchannels. Optical microscopy studies indicate that such complex formation is strongly influenced by the periodic channel structure even at channel widths much larger than the persistent length of the DNA molecules. Preliminary x-ray diffraction experiments conducted at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) yielded only a weak signal from the lipid bilayers in the complexes. The use of a microfocused x-ray beam produced by the newly developed Bragg–Fresnel optics at a third-generation synchrotron facility may dramatically increase the signal-to-noise ratio and allow observation of orientational as well as positional ordering of DNA molecules induced by the microchannels. Structural control of the DNA–membrane complexes has a broad range of potential applications in gene probe technology and as mesoscopic biomolecular composites.     

The influence of outcomes and procedures on satisfaction with formal leaders.

Tested the hypothesis that the procedures used by leaders to allocate outcomes have an impact on leadership evaluations that is independent of outcome level or outcome fairness. Two studies tested this hypothesis within the context of 132 college students' evaluations of teachers, and two tested it within the context of citizen evaluations of political leaders; Ss in the latter 2 studies were 50 residents of a university town and 156 undergraduates. The procedural justice hypothesis was strongly supported by all 4 studies. In each, strong procedural influences on evaluation were found, influences that were independent of outcome level or outcome fairness. In addition, in both surveys of naturally occurring evaluations, variations in procedural fairness had a much greater impact on leadership endorsement than did variations in outcome level, outcome satisfaction, or outcome fairness. Findings suggest that in experimental settings, Ss can be sensitive to both outcomes and procedures. In natural settings, however, individuals focus on procedures rather than outcomes in forming their evaluations of leaders. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Microwave performance of a digital alloy barrierAl(Sb,As)/AlSb/InAs heterostructure field-effect transistor

High-speed, digital alloy barrier-based, Al(Sb,As)/AlSb/InAs heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) fabricated using a standard mesa process are demonstrated. Current gain cutoff frequencies f_T of 38.5 GHz were extracted from the measured scattering parameters for devices with a 0.6-μm gate length and a 3-μm source-to-drain separation. A significant output conductance depressed f_max to 40 GHz. The results show the feasibility and potential of InAs/AlSb-based HFETs for high-speed electronics applications     

Improved charge control and frequency performance inInAs/AlSb-based heterostructure field-effect transistors

We demonstrate high-speed InAs/AlSb-based heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFET's) displaying greatly improved charge control properties and enhanced high-frequency gate performance. Microwave devices with a 0.5×84 μm² exhibit a peak unity current gain cut-off frequency of f_T=93 GHz. The HFET usable operational range was extended to V_DS=1.5 V (from V _DS=0.4-0.5 V) thus greatly enhancing the applicability of InAs/AlSb-based HFET's for low-power, high-frequency amplification. We also report on the bias dependence of f_T, and demonstrate that InAs/AlSb-based HFET's offer an attractive frequency performance over an adequately wide range of drain biases