Luminescent properties of glassy and crystallized (Li2B4O7 + xB2O3)0.999(MnO2)0.001 (x = 0–16.67 mol %) materials

We have studied the thermoluminescence (TL) and roentgenoluminescence (RL) of glassy and crystallized (Li₂B₄O₇)_0.999(MnO₂)_0.001-(Li₄B₁₀O₁₇)_0.999(MnO₂)_0.001 samples. The results demonstrate that annealing influences the relative TL and RL intensities in the samples owing to crystallization processes. The TL and RL intensities of the crystalline materials are several times higher than those of the thermoluminescent material (Li₂B₄O₇)_0.999(MnO₂)_0.001 and have a maximum at B₂O₃ excesses of 7–11 mol %. Original Russian Text ? V.M. Holovey, V.I. Lyamayev, A.M. Solomon, N.N. Birov, P.P. Puga, V.T. Maslyuk, 2008, published in Neorganicheskie Materialy, 2008, Vol. 44, No. 7, pp. 841–845.     

Evidence for terror management theory II: The effects of mortality salience on reactions to those who threaten or bolster the cultural worldview.

Three experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis, derived from terror management theory, that reminding people of their mortality increases attraction to those who consensually validate their beliefs and decreases attraction to those who threaten their beliefs. In Study 1, subjects with a Christian religious background were asked to form impressions of Christian and Jewish target persons. Before doing so, mortality was made salient to half of the subjects. In support of predictions, mortality salience led to more positive evaluations of the in-group member (the Christian) and more negative evaluations of the out-group member (the Jew). In Study 2, mortality salience led to especially negative evaluations of an attitudinally dissimilar other, but only among subjects high in authoritarianism. In Study 3, mortality salience led to especially positive reactions to someone who directly praised subjects' cultural worldviews and especially negative reactions to someone who criticized them. The implications of these findings for understanding in-group favoritism, prejudice, and intolerance of deviance are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selective attention and control of action: Comparative psychology of an artificial, evolved agent and people.

This study examined the selective attention abilities of a simple, artificial, evolved agent and considered implications of the agent's performance for theories of selective attention and action. The agent processed two targets in continuous time, catching one and then the other. This task required many cognitive operations, including prioritizing the first target (T1) over the second (T2); selectively focusing responses on T1, while preventing T2 from interfering with responses; creating a memory for the unselected T2 item, so that it could be efficiently processed later; and reallocating processing towards T2 after catching T1. The evolved agent demonstrated all these abilities. Analysis shows that the agent used reactive inhibition to selectively focus behavior. That is, the more salient T2, the more strongly responses towards T2 were inhibited and the slower the agent was to subsequently reallocate processing towards T2. Reactive inhibition was also suggested in two experiments with people, performing a virtually identical catch task. The presence of reactive inhibition in the simple agent and in people suggests that it is an important mechanism for selective processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A pilot study of lithium carbonate plus divalproex sodium for the continuation and maintenance treatment of patients with bipolar I disorder

PURPOSE OF STUDY: To assess whether selected periapical radiographs, taken according to High Yield Criteria, can reveal as much intra-osseous pathology as universal panoramic screening. POPULATION STUDIED: The records of 1101 RAF recruits enlisted in 1988-89, average age 19 years (range 16-26). METHODS: The clinical records and bitewing radiographs of the recruits were examined and the requirement for periapical radiographs determined according to high yield criteria. A template, cut out to simulate the area covered by a periapical bitewing radiograph, was placed over the suspect region on the panoramic film and any findings found within the template recorded. The entire dental panoramic tomograph was then examined on a masked screen under 2X magnification and any further findings recorded. FINDINGS: There was a considerable number of findings reported, including three large isolated radiolucent areas, 75 periradicular radiolucent areas, four probable cysts and 1187 unerupted mandibular third molars. However, when the clinical significance of these 'lesions' was assessed only those related to dental causes appeared to have significant clinical implications and the results indicated that these could have been detected by selective radiology. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the only pathology which occurs frequently enough to justify radiographic screening of the jaws in young adults is related to teeth. It seems probable that this type of pathology can be at least as well detected by selective periapical screening, using high yield criteria, as is possible by universal panoramic screening.     

Selectively regrown contacts to field-effect transistors withtwo-dimensional electron-gas channels

The authors have fabricated for the first time heterostructure field-effect transistors where the two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) channel is directly contacted by selectively regrown epitaxial GaAs contacts. Both modulation-doped FETs (MODFETs) and semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor FETs (SISFETs) were fabricated. Contact resistances were low, as evidenced by high transconductances and improvements to the transconductance at low temperatures. The low resistance and shallow nature of the regrown contacts should permit scaling of these structures to very small dimensions     

Characterization and sintering of BaZrO3 nanoparticles synthesized through a single-step combustion process

Barium zirconate (BaZrO₃) nanoparticles synthesized by a self-sustained single-step combustion process is reported in this paper. In this process, a phase pure nanopowder of BaZrO₃ has been obtained by the combustion of an aqueous solution containing Ba and Zr ions by using citric acid as complexing agent and liquor ammonia as fuel, thus giving rise to phase pure BaZrO₃ nanopowder in a single-step combustion without any further calcination. The X-ray diffraction studies have shown that the as-prepared powder was single phase, crystalline, and has a cubic perovskite structure (ABO₃) with a lattice constant a = 4.19 Å. The average particle size calculated from FWHM is 30 nm. The phase purity of BaZrO₃ nanopowder has been examined using differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform of infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The transmission electron microscopic investigation has shown that the particle size of the as-prepared powder was in the range 30–50 nm with a mean size of 40 nm. The nano BaZrO₃ has been sintered to a density of 99% of the theoretical density at 1650 °C in 2 h without the use of any sintering aids. The morphology of the sintered pellets has been studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dielectric constant (_r) and loss factor (tan δ) values obtained at 10 MHz for a well-sintered barium zirconate pellet has been found to be 32.2 and 1 × 10⁻⁴, respectively, at room temperature.     

New Jersey Acts on Energy and Climate Change [Living with Technology]

An unusual aspect of this conference was its focus on state-level energy and climate policies. The lack of federal leadership on these issues within the U.S.A. has opened a window of opportunity at the state level for policy entrepreneurs. California acted in 2005 with an executive order establishing greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, ratified in 2006 by the state legislature. New Jersey acted in 2007, helped along by the fact-finding, target-setting effort leading to this conference. The thoughtful discussions and careful analysis that played out during 2006 and early 2007 played a role in giving policymakers and stake holders the confidence to act decisively. Thus, by February 2007, New Jersey's governor had penned an executive order setting two greenhouse gas targets: reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and reduce emissions to 80% below current levels by 2050.