The role of attachment style in building social capital from a social networking site: The interplay of anxiety and avoidance

Drawing on attachment theory, the present study examines the attachment styles of individuals relative to two ways of building social capital – bonding social capital and bridging social capital. In trying to relate attachment theory to the use of SNS, the present study argues that bonding social capital is reflected in the use of SNS for forming attachment bonds from trust-based strong ties, while bridging social capital is reflected in the use of SNS for causal affiliations among more socially distant people. The conceptual model was validated through an online survey completed by 368 Facebook users. Two hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated several results. First, avoidance attachment was significant and negatively predictive of both bonding social and bridging social capital. Second, both bonding social capital and bridging social capital reported by respondents appeared to be greatest under conditions of low anxiety attachment coupled with low avoidance attachment. Third, levels of Facebook usage were significant and independently predictive of bridging social capital.     

Gonadal steroids have paradoxical effects on brain oxytocin receptors

Specific brain receptors for oxytocin have been described in several mammalian species. The distribution of these receptors differs greatly across species and in the rat, receptor binding in specific brain regions appears to depend upon gonadal steroids. This study used in vitro receptor autoradiography to examine the effects of testosterone on oxytocin receptor binding in the mouse forebrain. Three groups of male mice were compared: castrates treated with blank capsules, castrates treated with testosterone filled capsules, and intact males. Irrespective of steroid treatment, the distribution of oxytocin receptors in mouse forebrain differed markedly from patterns previously described in the rat. In addition to these species differences in receptor distribution, testosterone had effects in the mouse which differed from the induction of receptors previously reported in the rat. In the mouse ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, binding in the untreated castrate males was approximately double that observed in either the intact or the testosterone-treated castrates. In other regions of the mouse brain, such as the intermediate zone of the lateral septum, binding to oxytocin receptors was increased with testosterone treatment. These results suggest that the brain oxytocin receptor varies across species not only in its distribution but also in its regional regulation by gonadal steroids. These apparently paradoxical changes in oxytocin receptor binding may result from either direct or indirect effects of gonadal steroids in mouse brain.     

Effects of Leuconostoc mesenteroides starter cultures on microbial communities and metabolites during kimchi fermentation

Kimchi fermentation usually relies upon the growth of naturally-occurring various heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This sometimes makes it difficult to produce kimchi with uniform quality. The use of Leuconostoc mesenteroides as a starter has been considered to produce commercial fermented kimchi with uniform and good quality in Korea. In this study, a combination of a barcoded pyrosequencing strategy and a ¹H NMR technique was used to investigate the effects of Leu. mesenteroides strain B1 as a starter culture for kimchi fermentation. Baechu (Chinese cabbage) and Chonggak (radish) kimchi with and without Leu. mesenteroides inoculation were prepared, respectively and their characteristics that included pH, cell number, bacterial community, and metabolites were monitored periodically for 40 days. Barcoded pyrosequencing analysis showed that the numbers of bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTU) in starter kimchi decreased more quickly than that in non-starter kimchi. Members of the genera Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Weissella were dominant LAB regardless of the kimchi type or starter inoculation. Among the three genera, Leuconostoc was the most abundant, followed by Lactobacillus and Weissella. The use of Leu. mesenteroides as a starter increased the Leuconostoc proportions and decreased the Lactobacillus proportions in both type of kimchi during kimchi fermentation. However, interestingly, the use of the kimchi starter more highly maintained the Weissella proportions of starter kimchi compared to that in the non-starter kimchi until fermentation was complete. Metabolite analysis using the ¹H NMR technique showed that both Baechu and Chonggak kimchi with the starter culture began to consume free sugars earlier and produced a little greater amounts of lactic and acetic acids and mannitol. Metabolite analysis demonstrated that kimchi fermentation using Leu. mesenteroides as a starter was completed earlier with more production of kimchi metabolites compared to that not using a starter, which coincided with the decreases in pH and the increases in bacterial cell number. The PCA strategy using all kimchi components including carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, and others also showed that starter kimchi fermented faster with more organic acid and mannitol production. In conclusion, the combination of the barcoded pyrosequencing strategy and the ¹H NMR technique was used to effectively monitor microbial succession and metabolite production and allowed for a greater understanding of the relationships between the microbial community and metabolite production in kimchi fermentation.     

Water surface contacting cover system--the basic study for improving the oxygen transfer coefficient and the BOD removal capacity

In order to construct an environmental aeration basin in a sewage treatment plant, the suggested novel aeration basin was examined for the oxygen transfer coefficient by using tap water on a lab-scale and pilot-scale. We called it water surface contacting cover system (WSCCS) that was installed with a cover plate on the wafer surface and a slant plate in aeration basin, compared to a standard aeration basin (SRAS, spiral roll aeration system). Finally, the novel basin could be compared by adopting the slant and cover plates into the actual sewage treatment plant (W x L x D (m)=5.0 x 2.65 x 4.25, treatment capacity: 600 m3/d). As a result, only by adding a slant plate, the oxygen transfer coefficient (K(L)a) increased approximately by 15% more than that with a SRAS basin. And the slope of slant plate was optimized at 10 degrees . Additionally, in the WSCCS, the increasing efficiency of the oxygen transfer coefficient, affected only by the cover, was proved at about 25% on the lab-scale aeration basin and about 20% on the pilot plant. After all, the increasing effect of the oxygen transfer coefficient on WSCCS that was installed with the water contacting cover and the slant plate on standard aeration basin was proved to be above 35%. The distance between the air diffuser and the slant plate was 20-30 cm in the pilot-scale plant. As an effective factor for increasing the oxygen transfer rate, the width/depth ratio of aeration basin was proved to be 2. Through the short-term results of actual sewage treatment plant, it was known that BOD removal efficiency could be improved by about 3% by adopting tile WSCCS not but SRAS.     

Genetic relationships and additive genetic variation of productive and reproductive traits in Guernsey dairy cattle

Data were first lactation production and reproduction records initiated from 1958 to 1981 in two experiment station Guernsey herds. Heritability estimates using paternal half sib groups were .24 +/- .12 for milk yield, .27 +/- .12 for fat yield, and .77 +/- .15 for fat percentage. Heritability estimates for reproductive traits ranged from .01 to .04 for number of services, service period, conception rate, and days open, but were higher for days in milk at first breeding (.12) and age at first calving (.13). Except for age at first calving, coefficients of additive genetic variation were larger for reproductive traits than for productive traits. Genetic correlations between measures of production and reproduction were moderate to large and antagonistic, except that the relationship between production and age at first calving was favorable. Breeding value estimates for milk yield and reproduction were negatively correlated for sires with above average breeding values for milk yield. Huge phenotypic variances for reproductive traits masked substantial additive genetic variation for these traits. When all things are considered it seems unwise to ignore reproductive performance in selection programs for dairy cattle.     

System analysis study for Korean fusion DEMO reactor

A conceptual design study for a steady-state Korean fusion DEMO reactor (K-DEMO) has been initiated. Two peculiar features need to be noted. First, the major radius is designed to be just below 6.5 m, considering practical engineering feasibilities. But still, high magnetic field at the plasma center around 8 T is expected to be achieved by using current state-of-the-art high performance Nb₃Sn strand technology. Second, a two-stage development plan is being considered. In the first stage, K-DEMO will demonstrate a net electricity generation but will also act as a component test facility. Then, after a major upgrade, K-DEMO is expected to show a net electric generation on the order of 300 MWe and the competitiveness in cost of electricity (COE). Feasibility of such a practical, near-future demonstration reactor is studied in this paper, based on a zero dimensional system analysis code study. It was shown that a net electric generation on the order of 300 MWe can be achieved below the optimistic β_N limit of 5. The elongation of K-DEMO is around 1.8 with single null configuration. Detailed optimization process and the resultant various plasma parameters are described.     

A preliminary conceptual design study for Korean fusion DEMO reactor

As the ITER is being constructed, there is a growing anticipation for an earlier realization of fusion energy, so called fast-track approach. Korean strategy for fusion energy can be regarded as a fast-track approach and one special concept discussed in this paper is a two-stage development plan. At first, a steady-state Korean DEMO Reactor (K-DEMO) is designed not only to demonstrate a net electricity generation and a self-sustained tritium cycle, but also to be used as a component test facility. Then, at its second stage, a major upgrade is carried out by replacing in-vessel components in order to show a net electric generation on the order of 300 MWe and the competitiveness in cost of electricity (COE). The major radius is designed to be just below 6.5 m, considering practical engineering feasibilities. By using high performance Nb₃Sn-based superconducting cable currently available, high magnetic field at the plasma center above 8 T can be achieved. A design concept for TF magnets and radial builds for the K-DEMO considering a vertical maintenance scheme, are presented together with preliminary design parameters.     

Steady flow past an elliptic cylinder inclined to the stream

The properties of steady two-dimensional flow past an elliptic cylinder inclined to the oncoming stream are investigated for small to moderate values of the Reynolds number for which good accuracy can be assured. The solutions are based on a numerical method of solution of the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible fluids which ensures that all the correct conditions of the problem are satisfied. In particular, the solution is carried out in such a way that the vorticity decays rapidly enough at large distances from the cylinder for the lift and drag on the cylinder to be finite. Results are presented for the variation of lift, drag and streamline patterns with inclination and Reynolds number. Two elliptic cylinders (based on their minor-to-major axes ratio) are considered. For an elliptic cylinder with minor-to-major axes ratio 1:5, results are obtained for Reynolds numbers up to 40 and inclination varying from zero to 90°. Streamline plots for these results show a development of the solution from asymmetric flow at zero inclination (with no separation), through asymmetric flows with increasing inclination (with either no separation, separation with a single recirculating region, or separation with two recirculatory regions) to the symmetric flow at 90° incidence (with two counter rotating vortices). Of interest are asymmetric steady-state results which contain two recirculatory regions trailing the cylinder, one attached and one unattached to the cylinder. Results are also obtained for a second elliptic cylinder with minor-to-major axes ratio 1:10 at Reynolds numbers 15 and 30, inclination 45°. These results are found to be in good agreement with corresponding unsteady results taken to long times (which are tending to a steady state).