Validation of the multiple-choice procedure for investigating drug reinforcement in humans.

Three experiments demonstrated the validity of studying drug reinforcement in humans by using a novel Multiple-Choice Procedure. The distinguishing characteristic of the procedure is that it arranges intermittent reinforcement for choices between pairs of potential reinforcers (e.g., drug vs. money). A series of manipulations was conducted. the outcomes of which were predicted on the basis of a well-established literature on operant behavior maintained by food and drug. Specifically, the experiments manipulated reinforcer availability (i.e., extinction), deprivation versus satiation, and reinforcer magnitude in cigarette smokers and demonstrated the predicted changes in cigarette reinforcement as measured by the Multiple-Choice Procedure. Finally, the reinforcer magnitude manipulation was concurrently studied using a conventional two-option choice procedure and the results were shown to be virtually identical to those with the Multiple-Choice Procedure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exploration, play and habituation in octopuses (Octopus dofleini).

The combination of exploration, habituation, and exploratory play was investigated in octopuses (Octopus dofleini). Eight octopuses were given 10 trials to investigate a floating pill bottle. Exploration consisted of palpation of the object with the arms. Habituation was noticeable in the 1st trial but was more complex across trials. Two octopuses appeared to show exploratory play. This play consisted of aiming water jets through the flexible funnel, which caused regular transport of the object to and return by the aquarium intake current. In this situation, the amount of the 3 activities appeared to be minimally correlated. The results raise questions about the course of habituation, the definition and the extent of play, and the relation of exploratory play to exploration in complex animals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparisons of second-generation holocaust survivors, immigrants, and nonimmigrants on measures of mental health.

Investigated whether a "children-of-Holocaust-survivors syndrome" could more parsimoniously be explained as an "immigration effect," in a comparative study on 25 children of Holocaust survivors, 25 children of immigrants, and 25 children of American-born parents (mean age of all Ss 26.96 yrs). Ss were matched on age and educational level and were assessed with 4 measures of mental health: an alienation scale, an anomie scale, a hostility-guilt inventory, and a brief mental health index. Data indicate no significant differences between children of holocaust survivors and the children of other immigrants. These data suggest an immigration effect that is common to the children of immigrants and not limited to the children of Holocaust survivors, rather than a survivors syndrome. The children of American-born parents showed greater alienation, less religiosity, and a tendency toward feelings of less guilt than the other 2 groups. Results underscore the need to control immigrant status in multiple samples and studies before definitive conclusions can be drawn in this area. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Untersuchungen über Oberflächenerscheinungen,Versetzungsstrukturen und Bruchausbildung bei Ultraschall-Wechselbeanspruchung und Rekristallisation nach Beschallung an weichem Stahl

Vergleichende Untersuchungen über den Einfluß einer 20-kHz-Ultraschallbehandlung verschiedener Intensität bei Temperaturen zwischen 20 und 300 °C auf die Oberfläche, Versetzungsstruktur und Bruchausbildung eines unlegierten Stahles mit 0,036% C. Rekristallisation nach Beschallung auf steigende Rißlänge bzw. bis zum Bruch.     

Anger, hostility, and depression in domestically violent versus generally assaultive men and nonviolent control subjects.

Anger, hostility, and depression were examined across four groups: a clinical sample of domestically violent men, two samples of more generally assaultive men, and a nonviolent control group. All subjects (N?=?129) were assessed using the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory. The domestically violent men and the generally assaultive men evidenced significantly higher levels of anger and hostility than the control subjects. The anger and hostility scores were very similar in the domestically violent and the generally assaultive men. However, the domestically violent men were more likely to be significantly depressed. The findings support the idea that anger dyscontrol is a key issue in the psychological profile of domestically violent men and indicate the need for clinical attention to depression as well as anger. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oscillatory insulin secretion after pancreas transplant

In vivo studies of beta-cell secretory function have demonstrated the existence of rapid insulin oscillations of small amplitude recurring every 8-15 min in normal subjects. This study evaluated the effects of pancreas transplant on rapid insulin oscillations. Samples for glucose, insulin, and C-peptide were drawn during constant glucose infusion at 2-min intervals for 90 min from six successful Px patients with type I diabetes mellitus, from six normal nondiabetic control subjects, and from three Kx subjects. A computerized algorithm (ULTRA) was used for pulse detection. In the Px group, the average insulin pulse period was significantly shorter than in both the control and Kx groups (Px 8.1 +/- 0.5, control 12.5 +/- 0.7, Kx 12.4 +/- 0.5 min, P < 0.0005). By contrast, the C-peptide pulse periods (Px 16.8 +/- 2.3, control 14.7 +/- 1.2, Kx 15.3 +/- 1.5 min) were similar in the three groups. Spectral analysis confirmed that the frequency of the insulin pulses was increased in the Px group. The absolute amplitude of the insulin pulses was greater in the Px group (P < 0.001) while the amplitude of the C-peptide pulses did not differ between the groups. Cross-correlation analysis demonstrated maximal correlation coefficients at a lag of 0 min between insulin and C-peptide (control r = 0.33, P < 0.0001; Kx r = 0.17, P = 0.06) and between insulin and glucose (control r = 0.21, P < 0.001; Kx r = 0.20, P < 0.02) in the control and Kx groups, respectively, whereas no significant correlations were observed at any lag in the Px group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A modified “inside-out” algorithm for simulation of multistage multicomponent separation processes using the UNIFAC group-contribution method

A computational procedure using a modification of Boston and Sullivan's “inside-out” multistage multicomponent separation algorithm (1974) is developed. In order to improve convergence behavior for problems involving mixtures with highly nonideal liquid phases, a two-parameter model is used to describe liquid-phase compositional effects upon the K-factor. The quasi-Newton methods of Mehra et al. (1983) and Nghiem (1983) are applied to solving various sets of solution variables in the proposed algorithm. Activity coefficients are calculated using the UNIQUAC activity-coefficient model (1975) with parameters obtained from the UNIFAC group-contribution method (1975). The computational procedure is applicable to distillation, absorption and reboiled-absorption configurations. The proposed algorithm was implemented in a FORTRAN 77 program and tested on the Honeywell DPS 8/70M computer at the University of Calgary. Inclusion of the liquid-phase model resulted in improved convergence behavior for nonideal systems in which the original “inside-out” method failed to converge.     

Studies on energetic compounds Part 45. Synthesis and crystal structure of disodium azotetrazole pentahydrate

A disodium salt of azotetrazolate (SAZ) has been prepared and characterized by elemental, UV, 13C NMR, FT-IR, and crystallographic analyses. Single crystals of the pentahydrate were grown by slow evaporation of an aqueous solution under reduced pressure. The crystal structure of SAZ has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The crystal lattice is triclinic P1 (no. 2) with lattice parameters a=7.115(1)A, b=7.559(1)A, c=12.025(1)A, alpha=79.75(1) degrees , beta=81.12(1) degrees , gamma=68.16(1) degrees and V=587.97(12)A3. Explosion delay studies have been undertaken using the tube furnace technique. The thermal stability of the compound has been discussed in the light of TG-DSC and explosion delay.     

A comparative study of EMI shielding properties of carbon nanofiber and multi-walled carbon nanotube filled polymer composites

Electromagnetic interference shielding properties of carbon nanofiber- and multi-walled carbon nanotube-filled polystyrene composites were investigated in the frequency range of 8.2-12.4 GHz (X-band). It was observed that the shielding effectiveness of composites was frequency independent, and increased with the increase of carbon nanofiber or nanotube loading. At the same filler loading, multi-walled carbon nanotube-filled polystyrene composites exhibited higher shielding effectiveness compared to those filled with carbon nanofibers. In particular, carbon nanotubes were more effective than nanofibers in providing high EMI shielding at low filler loadings. The experimental data showed that the shielding effectiveness of the composite containing 7 wt% carbon nanotubes could reach more than 26 dB, implying that such a composite can be used as a potential electromagnetic interference shielding material. The dominant shielding mechanism of carbon nanotube-filled polystyrene composites was also discussed.     

Characterisation of PSE zones in semimembranosus pig muscle

Pig semimembranosus muscles, sampled from normal hams or from PSE-zones of defective hams, were analysed by histochemistry and electrophoretic techniques. PSE zones were characterised by a disorganisation of fibre alignment and a significant increase of inter fibre spacing (26.2% vs. 16.9%, p<0.05). Protein solubility was significantly lower in defective muscle (55.4 vs. 91.5mg/g, p<0.001). SDS-PAGE evidenced in such samples a lower abundance of the 97, 40 and 26kDa bands in the sarcoplasmic fraction and a higher abundance of the 97, 58, 34, 31, 15 and 11kDa bands in the myofibrillar fraction. Intensity of the MHC band (200kDa) was lower in PSE zone samples. By 2-D electrophoresis, it was shown that troponin T, MLC 1 and alpha-crystallin were less proteolysed in defective muscles, while creatine kinase fragments were more represented. One form of HSP 27 was absent from PSE zone samples. Overall, meat from PSE-zones and fast pH fall-PSE meat show numerous histological and biochemical similarities, particularly in their protein characteristics.