Overrating the X-Rating: The Third-Person Perception and Support for Censorship of Pornography

Research has produced plentiful evidence of the third-person perception—the tendency for people to think others are more influenced by mass media than they are themselves. But until now there has been scant evidence of the effects of that perceptual bias. Consistent with past third-person effect findings, the data in this study indicate that a substantial majority of U.S. adults see others as more adversely influenced by pornography than themselves. In addition, the results show that peoples' support for pornography restrictions parallels the discrepancy they perceive between effect on self and effect on others.     

Programming continuous-system simulation in PASCAL

A complete continuous-system simulation package written in PASCAL graphically exhibits the anatomy and requirements of simulation software in general, and also the very real advantages and disadvantages of programming in PASCAL. To combine PASCAL's neat program/data structures and useful compiler checks with efficient number-crunching, it may be best to call FORTRAN procedures from a PASCAL main program.     

Fill reduction techniques for circuit simulation

We investigate the performance of a combination of sophisticated local symmetric ordering methods with a simple symmetrization step on a test set of Jacobians obtained from modified nodal equations. It is demonstrated that using such ordering heuristics as a replacement for Markowitz’ algorithm may accelerate circuit simulation significantly.     

Combined Bulk and Surface Passivation in Dimensionally Engineered 2D-3D Perovskite Films via Chlorine Diffusion

Dimensional engineering of perovskite films is a promising pathway to improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this context, surface or bulk passivation of defects in 3D perovskite film by careful introduction of 2D perovskite plays a key role. Here the authors demonstrate a 2D perovskite passivation scheme based on octylammonium chloride, and show that it provides both bulk and surface passivation of 1.6 eV bandgap 3D perovskite film for highly efficient (≈23.62%) PSCs with open-circuit voltages up to 1.24 V. Surface and depth-resolved microscopy and spectroscopy analysis reveal that the Cl⁻ anion diffuses into the perovskite bulk, passivating defects, while the octylammonium ligands provide effective, localized surface passivation. The authors find that the Cl⁻ diffusion into the perovskite lattice is independent of the 2D perovskite crystallization process and occurs rapidly during deposition of the 2D precursor solution. The annealing-induced evaporation of Cl from bulk perovskite is also inhibited in 2D–3D perovskite film as compared to pristine 3D perovskite, ensuring effective bulk passivation in the relevant film.     

Obesity-Related Changes in High-Density Lipoprotein Metabolism and Function

In obese individuals, atherogenic dyslipidemia is a very common and important factor in the increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Adiposity-associated dyslipidemia is characterized by low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and an increase in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Several factors and mechanisms are involved in lowering HDL-C levels in the obese state and HDL quantity and quality is closely related to adiponectin levels and the bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate. Recent studies have shown that obesity profoundly alters HDL metabolism, resulting in altered HDL subclass distribution, composition, and function. Importantly, weight loss through gastric bypass surgery and Mediterranean diet, especially when enriched with virgin olive oil, is associated with increased HDL-C levels and significantly improved metrics of HDL function. A thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms is crucial for a better understanding of the impact of obesity on lipoprotein metabolism and for the development of appropriate therapeutic approaches. The objective of this review article was to summarize the newly identified changes in the metabolism, composition, and function of HDL in obesity and to discuss possible pathophysiological consequences.     

Effects of polyphosphate additives on the pH of processed chicken exudates and the survival of Campylobacter

Campylobacter spp. are nutritionally fastidious organisms that are sensitive to normal atmospheric oxygen levels and lack homologues of common cold shock genes. At first glance, these bacteria seem ill equipped to persist within food products under processing and storage conditions; however, they survive in numbers sufficient to cause the largest number of foodborne bacterial disease annually. A mechanism proposed to play a role in Campylobacter survival is the addition of polyphosphate-containing marinades during poultry processing. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains incubated in chicken exudates collected from poultry treated with a marinade demonstrated considerable survival advantages (1 to 4 log CFU/ml) over the same strains incubated in chicken exudate from untreated birds. Polyphosphates, which constitute a large portion of the commercial poultry marinades, were shown to account for a majority of the observed influence of the marinades on Campylobacter survival. When six different food grade polyphosphates (disodium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, pentasodium triphosphate, sodium polyphosphate, monosodium phosphate, and trisodium phosphate) were utilized to compare the survival of Campylobacter strains in chicken exudate, significant differences were observed with regard to Campylobacter survival between the different polyphosphates. It was then determined that the addition of polyphosphates to chicken exudate increased the pH of the exudate, with the more sodiated polyphosphates increasing the pH to a greater degree than the less sodiated polyphosphates. It was confirmed that the change in pH mediated by polyphosphates is responsible for the observed increases in Campylobacter survival.     

Finite-Element Simulation of the Anti-Buckling-Effect of a Shape Memory Alloy Bar

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are characterized by an intricate stress-strain curve modified by temperature, posing thermomechanically coupled problems. A model able to address this feature is the Müller-Achenbach-Seelecke (MAS) model which had been ported into the user material interface in the finite-element (FEM) simulation software ABAQUS. The literature on this model mainly focuses on pseudo-elasticity of SMA at elevated temperature. We address a numerical investigation in the low-temperature pseudo-plastic regime. The present publication deals with the little-known anti-buckling effect which occurs in de-twinned and pre-bent martensitic bars under axial compression. It was experimentally demonstrated by Urushiyama et al. (JSME (The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers) Int. J. Ser. A, Solid Mech. Mater. Eng., 2003, 46(1), p 60-67). This study reveals that the origin of this effect roots in an interplay of inhomogeneous stress states and mechanically induced twin-twin phase transformations. The proper explanation of the anti-buckling effect can be inferred from the explicit knowledge of the martensitic phase composition of the bar during the process. We show that the MAS model is capable to resolve this matter in detail, hence addressing the reliability of this particular model also in the pseudo-plastic regime of SMA. The study thereby implies that the MAS model is an excellent modeling tool for the analysis of complex, thermomechanically coupled processes.