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)     

Left-associative grammar: The algebraic definitions

This paper presents a formal account of the grammar system described informally in the previous issue of CaT. LA-grammar is proven to generate all and only the recursive languages. The classes of regular, context-free, and context-sensitive languages are reconstructed in LA-grammar. The relation between LA-grammar and associated parsers and generators is shown to be type transparent, and illustrated with examples. Finally, differences between LA-grammar and Finite State Automata, RTNs, ATNs, and Predictive Analyzers are explained.     

Continuity and Discontinuity of Collaboration Behaviour since 1800 — from a Bibliometric Point of View

Time-series of collaboration trends indicated through co-authorships are examined from 1800 to presence in mathematics, logic, and physics. In physics, the share of co-authored papers expands in the second half of the19th century, in mathematics in the first decades of the 20th century, in logic in the second half of the 20th century. Subdisciplines of mathematics, of physics, and areas of logic show large differences in their respective propensities to collaborate. None of the existing explanatory approaches meets this heterogeneity; the most salient feature is a propensitiy to collaborate in fields where theoretical and applied research is combined. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nanobiosensors based on individual olfactory receptors

The animal olfactory system represents the gold standard of biosensors, due to its ability to identify and discriminate thousands of odorant compounds with very low thresholds. Using olfactory receptors (ORs) as sensing elements instead of chemical sensors, biosensors would benefit the naturally optimized molecular recognition of odorants to develop a new generation of bioelectronic noses. The purpose of SPOT-NOSED European project was the development of nanobiosensors based on single ORs anchored between nanoelectrodes, to mimic the performances of natural olfactory system. Nanobiosensors arrays could then increase odorant sensitivity or widen the odorant detection spectrum. ORs were expressed in yeasts plasmic membrane, and their functionality tested in whole yeasts. Then, nanosomes bearing the ORs were prepared from S. cerevisiae, and Surface Plasmon Resonance was performed on nanosomes for quantitative evaluation of OR response to odorant stimulation. ORs retain full activity and discrimination power in immobilized nanosomes, thus allowing their use in the fabrication of the nanobiosensors. Nanoelectrodes were fabricated using conventional photolithography and focused ion beam milling, with sizes in adequation with the nanosomes. ORs borne by nanosomes were specifically immobilized onto conducting substrates via mixed Self Assembled Monolayers, neutravidin and specific antibody to the ORs. The process was optimized by microcontact printing, and the anchored nanovesicles visualized by Atomic Force Microscopy. A transimpedance preamplifier suited for low-noise wide-bandwidth measurements was designed to be directly connected to the nanoelectrodes. Electrochemical Impedancemetric Spectroscopy detected significant changes upon electrodes functionalization, grafting of ORs carried by nanosomes, and ORs conformational change induced by odorant binding.     

Chrome mit Kratzern

Anfang September 2008 hat Google seinen neuen Webbrowser „Chrome“ in einer Testversion auf den Markt gebracht, seit Dezember ist eine fertige Version 1.0 verfügbar. Der neue Browser soll eine bessere Performance als vergleichbare Produkte aufweisen, neue Funktionen beinhalten und zudem stabiler laufen. Er hat daher viele Nutzer von Anfang an begeistert. Allerdings gab es auch kritische Stimmen, insbesondere wegen datenschutzrechtlicher Aspekte einzelner Funktionen. Der Beitrag erl↑tert die wesentlichen neuen Funktionen von Chrome und deren Risiken, bewertet diese datenschutzrechtlich und schlie?t mit einer Empfehlung für den Unternehmenseinsatz.     

Influence of quantum Hall effect on wave refraction in ferrite-semiconductor superlattices

Peculiarities of wave refraction are investigated in periodic structures consisting of alternating layers of ferromagnetic insulator and GaAs–AlGaAs-type semiconductor bilayers. It is shown that in quantum Hall effect conditions, the refractive indices and consequently the refraction angles of the propagating waves are quantized.Two different geometries of the refracting plane are considered: (I) parallel and (II) perpendicular to the quantizing magnetic field. It is shown that in the first case, negative refraction through the lateral surface of the structure is possible. A frequency region is found where the refraction is negative for all angles of incidence and regardless of the sign of permittivity tensor components. Analytical expressions for both phase and group refractive indices are obtained.In the second case, one of the propagating waves (in the birefringent regime) is backward. Despite this, and unlike in the case of non-quantizing magnetic fields, negative refraction is impossible.     

Anisotropically etched silicon fibre-grippers

High precision vacuum grippers for optical fibre components are fabricated by silicon bulk micromachining. Anisotropic etching of (100) and (110) silicon wafers offers high precision and lower fabrication costs than deep reactive ion etching (D-RIE) processes. Two types of grippers are introduced: a vertical, narrow one for chips where space is limited and short fibre elements have to be assembled. For longer fibres and high angular precision a horizontal gripper with multiple gripper ledges is presented.     

High-cycle fatigue and strengthening in polycrystalline silicon

The reliability of MEMS-based sensors for automotive applications critically depends on their high-cycle load-bearing capacity. To investigate the influence of high-frequency cyclic loading on mechanical properties of polycrystalline silicon, a statistically based investigation with the use of novel rotational specimens (90 kHz) has been conduced. Either fatigue fracture (above 3 GPa) or strengthening of the material at cyclic loading below 3 GPa has been observed.