HIV risk reduction for incarcerated women: A comparison of brief interventions based on two theoretical models.

Although female inmates are seropositive at rates that exceed those of male inmates, few studies have evaluated HIV risk reduction interventions for incarcerated women. This demonstration project compared an intervention based on social cognitive theory against a comparison condition based on the theory of gender and power. Incarcerated women (N?=?90) were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and again 6 months later. Both interventions produced increased self efficacy, self-esteem, Attitudes Toward Prevention Scale scores, AIDS knowledge, communication skill, and condom application skills that maintained through the 6-month follow-up period. Participants in the intervention based on social cognitive theory showed greater improvement in condom application skills, and women in the program based on the theory of gender and power evidenced greater commitment to change. The results suggests brief interventions in prison settings are feasible and beneficial. However, it is not yet known whether the changes will generalize into the natural environment after the women' s release into the community. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

NITROGEN COMPOUND DISTRIBUTION AND FUEL INCOMPATIBILITY REACTIONS IN A TAR SAND DERIVED MIDDLE DISTILLATE FUEL

A high paraffin, high nitrogen, low sulfur jet fuel derived from Athabasca tar sands was studied. The organo-nitrogen compounds in the fuel were isolated by mild acid extraction followed by silica-gel adsorption. Three extracts were derived from this fuel: a basic nitrogen compounds extract, BNC, in methylene chloride, a non-basic nitrogen compounds extract, NBNC, in methyl alcohol and an NBNC extract in methylene chloride. The major constituents of each extract were identified and quantitated by combined capillary column GC/MS. Alkyl substituted pyrroles, pyridines, indoles, tetrahydro-quinolines, carbazoles, and quinolines were the prevalent organo-nitrogen compounds present. Incompatibility tests were conducted on this fuel using the oxygen overpressure method with both doped and undoped fuel systems. The dopant of choice was cumene hydroperoxide. Practically no sediment formation was observed for the undoped fuel (0.1 mg/100mL fuel). The doped fuel matrix induced incompatibility behavior in proportion to the quantity of dopant present.     

Characterization of α-carrageenan solution behavior by field-flow fractionation and multiangle light scattering

The salt mediated molecular conformation change of alpha (α)-carrageenan was studied in 0.1 M solutions of NaCl, NaI, and KCl. Asymmetric Field-Flow Fractionation with multiangle laser light scattering (AFFF/MALLS) detection was used to determine the average molecular weight, radius of gyration, and hydrodynamic radius which were in turn used to calculate the molecular density. In the presence of 0.1 M NaCl, an inert salt that does not promote gelation, α-carrageenan has a denser structure compared to κ-carrageenan of a similar molecular weight. A distinct and dramatic increase in the molecular weight (factor of 2) was observed for α-carrageenan in 0.1 M NaI compared to 0.1 M NaCl. This combined with only a slight change in the radius of gyration, suggests intermolecular interaction to a more compact structure (e.g., coaxial helices). A similar increase in molecular weight is observed in 0.1 M KCl, accompanied with an approximate 50% increase in the radius of gyration as well as an increase in polydispersity. This may also be attributed to intermolecular interaction with helix formation (coaxial or lateral) or may be due to K⁺ cations interacting with naturally occurring residual ι-carrageenan in the sample. As previously reported for other carrageenans the random coil to helix transition of α-carrageenan appears to be stabilized by K⁺ cation or I⁻ anion in an aqueous environment.     

Alternative technologies for US residential water heating : Energy savings and economic benefits

This article evaluates the energy savings and direct economic benefits of introducing heat pump and solar water heaters to the US residential market and the effects of a tax credit for solar installations. Energy savings are estimated for ten regions of the USA, as well as for the country as a whole, over the period 1977–2000. Changes in annual fuel bills and capital costs for water heaters are also computed. The results suggest that heat pump water heaters are likely to offer much larger benefits than solar heaters, even with tax credits. This is because heat pumps provide the same electricity savings (about 50%), but at a much lower capital cost.     

Have we run out of oil yet? Oil peaking analysis from an optimist's perspective

This study addresses several questions concerning the peaking of conventional oil production from an optimist's perspective. Is the oil peak imminent? What is the range of uncertainty? What are the key determining factors? Will a transition to unconventional oil undermine or strengthen OPEC's influence over world oil markets?     

Use of gelatin gels as a reference material for performance evaluation of meat shear force measurements

Abstract: Establishing standards for meat tenderness based on Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) is complicated by the lack of methods for certifying WBSF testing among texture systems or laboratories. The objective of this study was to determine the suitability of using gelatin gels as reference materials for performance testing of texture measurement systems. Three replications of 5 gels (15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, and 35% gelatin) were prepared, vacuum packaged, and stored at 4 °C until use. Three randomly selected strips from each gel were subjected to WBSF testing on 4 instruments (A, B, C, or D) on days 1 and 8. Additional strips from each gel were subjected to WBSF testing on instruments A and C on day 29. Regression line estimates for each set of gels were analyzed. Gel WBSF values ranged from 10 to 177 N. The WBSF by gel concentration response was highly linear (P < 0.0001) for all replications, instruments, and days of analysis. R²‐values across all sets of gels ranged from 0.9562 to 0.9998. On days 1 and 8, instruments A and D exhibited higher slope (P < 0.0001) and lower intercept (P < 0.0001) estimates than instruments B and C. Regression line parameters (slope, intercept, and R²‐values) were not influenced (P > 0.05) by length of gel storage (1, 8, and 29 d). Data from this study suggest that gelatin gels can be used for evaluating WBSF values from various instruments and for validating the performance of meat shear force testing. Practical Application: Validating the performance of meat shear force testing is vital to establishing meat tenderness standards. The gelatin gel standards developed in this study exhibited a highly linear, repeatable relationship with shear force and were found to be stable for at least a month. These gel standards would provide a tool for the meat industry to harmonize shear force measurements across laboratories and various texture measuring instruments.     

Preschoolers' perceptions of their mothers' and fathers' reactions to injury-risk behavior

Seventy-eight 3 year-old children participated in structured interviews. Boys reported wanting to engage in higher levels of risk than did girls. Children viewed mothers as allowing boys and girls to engage in similar levels of risk. Conversely, they viewed fathers as permitting higher levels of risk by boys than by girls. These findings are discussed in terms of family socialization.     

Variations of the chemical composition of clonal black tea (Camellia sinensis) due to delayed withering

The chemical composition of black teas (Camellia sinensis L) varies when the green leaf from which they are manufactured is withered physically to the same degree but for different periods. Caffeine contents progressively increase with prolonged withering time whereas theaflavins decrease due to prolonged withering. Although the sums of group I and group II volatile flavour compounds (VFC) decrease with prolonged withering time, the flavour index (expressed as group II VFC/group I VFC) increases due to prolonged withering. No significant changes were noted in the thearubigin levels with variation in withering time, but the tasters' evaluations were at a maximum for teas withered for 14 h. Subsequently the evaluation decreased with longer withering times.     

Priming Prepositional-Phrase Attachment During Comprehension.

Strong evidence suggests that prior syntactic context affects language production (e.g., J. K. Bock, 1986). The authors report 4 experiments that used an expression-picture matching task to investigate whether it also affects ambiguity resolution in comprehension. All experiments examined the interpretation of prepositional phrases that were ambiguous between high and low attachment. After reading a prime expression with a high-attached interpretation, participants tended to interpret an ambiguous prepositional phrase in a target expression as highly attached if it contained the same verb as the prime (Experiment 1), but not if it contained a different verb (Experiment 2). They also tended to adopt the high-attached interpretation after producing a prime with the high-attached interpretation that included the same verb (Experiment 3). Finally, they were faster to adopt a high-attached interpretation after reading an expression containing the same verb that was disambiguated to the high-attached versus the low-attached interpretation (Experiment 4). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)