Expressed emotion, social skill, and response to negative affect in schizophrenia.

Examined social skills and social perception of 48 schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder patients (aged 18–55 yrs) in response to negative affect as a function of family expressed emotion (EE). Ss participated in a role-play test, a social perception test, and a problem-solving discussion with a family member and were assessed on several measures of symptomatology. EE of family members was evaluated with the Camberwell Family Interview. On the role-play test, Ss with less critical relatives became more assertive in response to increased negative affect from a confederate portraying either a family member or friend, but Ss with highly critical relatives did not. Ss with highly critical relatives were also less assertive when confronted with negative affect from a confederate portraying a family member rather than a friend. The behaviors of both relatives and Ss during a family problem-solving interaction were related to the EE dimensions of criticism, emotional overinvolvement, and warmth. Patient gender was also related to family problem solving but was independent of EE. S's ratings of affect on a videotaped social perception task were not related to family EE, and there were few differences in psychopathology between Ss with high and low EE relatives.… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Public–Private Partnerships in the Water Sector: The Case of Desalination

Water Resources Management - Public–private partnerships (PPPs) have grown in popularity as a method to leverage private sector actors in the production of government services. With the...     

Optimized excitation energy transfer in a three-dye luminescent solar concentrator

The spectral range of sunlight absorbed by a luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) is increased by using multiple dyes. Absorption, fluorescence, and fluorescence excitation spectra, and relative light output are reported for LSCs made with one, two, or three BODIPY dyes in a thin polymer layer on glass. Losses caused by multiple emission and reabsorption events are minimized by optimizing resonance excitation energy transfer between dyes. Increases in the outputs from the multiple-dye LSCs are directly proportional to increases in the number of photons absorbed. The output of the three-dye LSC is 45–170% higher than those of the single-dye LSCs.     

The effects of run‐of‐river dam spill on Columbia River microplankton

Dams, increasingly common in riverine systems worldwide, are particularly prevalent on the Columbia River (CR) in the United States. Hydroelectric projects, including both storage and run‐of‐river (i.e., minimal storage) structures, on the mainstem CR highly manage water flow, often by releasing water over (rather than through) dams as “spill.” To test the effects of run‐of‐river dam spill on microplankton abundance and composition, we sampled above and below two dams in the lower CR before and during spill conditions in spring 2016 and during and after spill conditions in late summer 2007. We tested the effects of location (i.e., above vs. below dams), spill condition (i.e., before, during, and after spill), and their interaction on microplankton abundance. Generally, diatoms were most abundant during springtime, whereas cyanobacteria were most abundant in late summer. Most taxa were not significantly different in abundance above and below dams, regardless of spill status; although cyanobacteria abundance was marginally higher below dams in summer 2007 (p = .04). Abundances of all taxa were significantly different between pre‐spill and spill periods in spring 2016, whereas only diatom and flagellate abundances were significantly different between spill and post‐spill periods in summer 2007. We conclude that spill conditions may influence microplankton abundance, but are not likely to affect microplankton communities on either side of run‐of‐river dams on the CR. This is important information for dam managers concerned about ecosystem impacts of spill.     

Environmental factors controlling phytoplankton dynamics in a large floodplain river with emphasis on cyanobacteria

Harmful algal blooms are occurring in large river ecosystems and at the mouth of large rivers with increasing frequency. In lentic systems, the chemical and physical conditions that promote harmful algal blooms are somewhat predictable but tracking prevalence and conditions that promote harmful algal blooms in lotic systems is much more difficult. We captured two of the most extreme discharge years within the last 20 years occurring in the Upper Mississippi River, allowing a natural experiment that evaluated how major shifts in discharge drive environmental variation and associated shifts in phytoplankton. Statistical models describing significant environmental covariates for phytoplankton assemblages and specific taxa were developed and used to identify management‐relevant numeric breakpoints at which environmental variables may promote the growth of specific phytoplankton and/or cyanobacteria. Our analyses supported that potentially toxin‐producing cyanobacteria dominate under high phosphorus concentration, low nitrogen concentration, low nitrogen‐to‐phosphorus ratio, low turbulence, low flushing, adequate light and warm temperatures. Cyanobacteria dominated in 2009 when low discharge and low flushing likely led to optimal growth environments for Dolichospermum, Aphanizomenon and Microcystis. Rarely will a single factor lead to the dominance, but multiple positive factors working in concert can lead to cyanobacteria proliferation in large rivers. Certain isolated backwaters with high phosphorus, low nitrogen, warm water temperatures and low potential for flushing could benefit from increased connection to channel inputs to reduce cyanobacterial dominance. Numerous examples of this type of habitat currently exist in the Upper Mississippi River and could benefit from reconnection to channel habitats.     

Multidisciplinary fingerprints: forensic reconstruction of an insect reinvasion

An unexpected outbreak of boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis, an insect pest of cotton, across the Southern Rolling Plains (SRP) eradication zone of west-central Texas, USA, was detected soon after passage of Tropical Storm Erin through the Winter Garden district to the south on 16 August 2007. The synchrony and broad geographic distribution of the captured weevils suggest that long-distance dispersal was responsible for the reinvasion. We integrated three types of assessment to reconstruct the geographic origin of the immigrants: (i) DNA fingerprinting; (ii) pollen fingerprinting; and (iii) atmospheric trajectory analysis. We hypothesized the boll weevils originated in the Southern Blacklands zone near Cameron, or in the Winter Garden district near Uvalde, the nearest regions with substantial populations. Genetic tests broadly agree that the immigrants originated southeast of the SRP zone, probably in regions represented by Uvalde or Weslaco. The SRP pollen profile from weevils matched that of Uvalde better than that of Cameron. Wind trajectories supported daily wind-aided dispersal of weevils from the Uvalde region to the SRP from 17 to 24 August, but failed to support migration from the Cameron region. Taken together the forensic evidence strongly implicates the Winter Garden district near Uvalde as the source of reinvading boll weevils.     

Variation in larval sea lamprey demographics among Great Lakes tributaries: A mixed-effects model analysis of historical survey data

Understanding variation in fish populations is valuable from both a management and an ecological perspective. Great Lakes sea lampreys are controlled primarily by treating tributaries with lampricides that target the larval stage. Great Lakes streams were divided into four categories based on their regularity of parasitic lamprey production inferred from the historic regularity of chemical treatments. This categorization was intended to direct future assessment efforts, but may also reflect differences in early demographics. We analyzed assessment data collected from 1959 to 2005 using mixed-effects models and variance components analyses to test for differences in recruitment and growth to age 1 among stream categories. Recruitment was twice as large in regularly treated streams as in irregularly treated streams, indicating that age-1 year-class strength is correlated with consistent chemical treatments. We found no differences in length at age 1 among stream categories; however, Lake Superior streams with irregular treatment histories exhibit more variation in length at age 1 than streams that are treated regularly. The majority of variation in length at age 1 was due to within-year variation, which was fairly consistent across stream types within each lake. Our results indicate that early life history differs among subsets of the Great Lakes sea lamprey population, and management practices should be modified to account for these differences. Mixed-effects models and variance components analyses are useful tools for analyzing large historical datasets for patterns of demographic variation within and among populations, whether the ultimate goal is pest control, harvesting, or conservation.     

Executive fit rehearsal.

Outlines a psychological procedure aimed at improving the working relationship between a newly hired executive and the executive's reporting official. The "Executive Fit Rehearsal" (EFR) attempts to systematically engage the executive and reporting official in a dialogue designed to anticipate and overcome problems resulting from individual differences in personality, expectations, work styles, and communication patterns. The procedure supports consensus and mutual understanding. To assess the effectiveness of the procedure, evaluation forms were mailed to participants of 15 consecutive Executive Fit sessions. Ss' reactions to the EFR indicate that the process facilitated adjustment to the work setting and improved communications. Comments from subordinates were more uniformly positive, suggesting that the process may be most helpful for new employees. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)