Isolated brain capillary endothelia: Influence of various levels of essential fatty acids on the acyl group composition of glycerophospholipids

On day seven of gestation, Wistar rats were assigned to a high essential fatty acid (EFA), low EFA, or a fat free diet. The same diets were continued during lactation. On weaning, the offspring were fed the same diets as their mother. Rats were killed at 222 days, brain capillary endothelia isolated, and total lipids extracted from the purified capillaries. The composition of the constituent fatty acids of ethanolamine glycerophospholipid (EGP), choline glycerophospholipid (CGP), and the alk-1-eny EGP composition from each diet is reported. A decrease in dietary EFA led to reduced proportions of total saturated acyl groups in EGP with no change observed in the total saturated acyl groups from CGP, and an increase in monoenoic fatty acids, particularly 18∶1n−9 for each phospholipid class. The proportions of 20∶4n−6 in alk-1-enyl EGP were reduced in fat-free fed animals. In addition, the relationship between 20∶3n−9 and 20∶4n−6 fatty acids in brain capillary endothelia were markedly increased with a reduction in dietary fat. Low EFA and fat deficient animals showed a tendency to sequester 22∶6n−3.     

Children's inferences with print and pictures.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in children's ability to answer inferential questions from pictures, print, and print with pictures. A secondary purpose was to determine whether there is a difference between more skilled and less skilled reader's ability to answer inferential questions in the different modes. The participants in the study were 116 fifth- and sixth-grade students. The materials consisted of 15 photographs and 15 passages of 150 to 200 words. Each student participated in each condition by answering 25 inferential questions. The results indicated that the students performed significantly better in the picture-only and the print-with-picture conditions than in the print-only condition. Although the more skilled readers scored significantly better than the less skilled readers in the print-only condition, there were no differences between the two ability groups in the two picture conditions. Qualitative analyses were also conducted on the students' responses for determining possible sources of errors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Voice input/output in inspection data entry

Today's voice technology can provide voice input/output systems that can be used effectively in the factory. This will happen only if the proper technology is connected to suitable applications. Discrete word-dependent speaker recognition in inspection data entry is one such combination.     

Achieving Parity of the Sexes at the Undergraduate Level: A Study of Success

Most research about women in engineering focuses on reasons for their under‐representation. In contrast, we capitalized on an opportunity to study success: the School of Industrial Engineering at the University of Oklahoma had organically achieved parity of the sexes at the undergraduate level. To investigate this success, we adopted an ethnographic perspective, interviewing 185 students who represented four fields and four institutions as well as 12 faculty in Industrial Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. These data pointed to a combination of aspects of the discipline and the department culture as explanatory variables. Emerging from the data was a third explanatory variable: a high number of students, disproportionately many women, who relocated into Industrial Engineering from another major, underscoring the impact of broad recruiting activities. This paper emphasizes ideas that other departments can consider adapting to their own efforts to increase diversity.     

Effects of practice on variability, effects of variability on transfer.

Five experiments examined how practice early in skill acquisition affected variability and accuracy during skill retention (Experiments 1-5) and skill transfer (Experiments 3, 4, 5). Lag constraints required that each path from apex to base of a computer-generated pyramid display differ from some number (the lag) of immediately prior paths. Location constraints specified end points at which paths must exit the pyramid. In all experiments, an early optimal period for acquiring a variability level was identified. Both low and high levels of variability were sustained during retention; high levels facilitated transfer. The results suggest that (a) early practice that requires high variability sensitizes learners to changes in condition and (b) such perception-performance links facilitate transfer by activating appropriate alternative strategies/schema or initiating their construction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

TATB—Strong basic reactions provide soluble derivatives for a simple,qualitative high explosive spot test

Abstract

Reactions of TATB in aqueous, strongly basic solutions gave metal salts of 1,3,5-trihydroxy-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (THTNB) also called trinitrophloroglucinol. Thus, we prepared potassium, sodium, and barium salts. The mono- and diammonium salts were prepared by treating THTNB with ammonia and ammonium hydroxide, respectively. Some explosive properties of the salts were evaluated. From the physical characteristics of the salts in various solvents, a spot test was developed for known high explosives (HE) containing TATB.