Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes by mesoporous nanocrystalline anatase

Mesoporous nanocrystalline anatase was prepared via EISA employing P123 and CTAB as structure directing agents. The resultant mesoporous crystalline phases exhibited specific surface areas as high as ∼150 m² g⁻¹, average unimodal pore sizes of ∼3 nm and ∼6 nm, and average crystallite size of ∼10 nm; and were used as photocatalysts for the UV degradation of methylene blue, methyl orange, methyl red and rhodamine 6G. The mesoporous anatase phases photodegraded MB, MO and MR ∼2–3 times faster than conventional nanocrystalline anatase and showed limited photocatalytic activity for rhodamine 6G.     

Preliminary measurements with an automated compact differential absorption lidar for the profiling of water vapor

The design and preliminary tests of an automated differential absorption lidar (DIAL) that profiles water vapor in the lower troposphere are presented. The instrument, named CODI (for compact DIAL), has been developed to be eye safe, low cost, weatherproof, and portable. The lidar design and its unattended operation are described. Nighttime intercomparisons with in situ sensors and a radiosonde are shown. Desired improvements to the lidar, including a more powerful laser, are also discussed.     

Effect of TiO2-containing fluxes on the mechanical properties and microstructure in submerged-arc weld steels

This work presents a study of the effect of TiO₂ additions in fluxes on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the weld metal formed during Submerged-Arc Welding (SAW) of ASTM A-36 steel plates. Four fluxes with about 9, 12, 15 and 18% Ti were used with a low-carbon electrode. The welding conditions were kept constant. The microstructure of the weld metal for each flux consisted mainly of equiaxed ferrite and acicular ferrite. The increase in the percentage of acicular ferrite and a decrease in its length were observed with an increase in titanium content. The increase in titanium content in fluxes also improved the toughness and ductility of the welds.     

Choline supplementation following third-trimester-equivalent alcohol exposure attenuates behavioral alterations in rats.

Despite the known adverse consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure, some pregnant women continue to drink alcohol, making it imperative to identify treatments for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. The authors recently reported that perinatal choline supplementation can reduce some fetal alcohol effects (J. D. Thomas, M. Garrison, & T. M. O'Neill, 2004), and the present study examined whether choline supplementation is effective when administered after third-trimester-equivalent ethanol treatment. Rat pups were exposed to 6.0 g/kg/day ethanol during the neonatal brain growth spurt (Postnatal Days [PD] 4-9) and treated with choline chloride (0, 10, 50, or 100 mg/kg) from PD 10-30. Behavioral testing occurred after choline treatment had ceased. Female subjects exposed to ethanol were overactive and exhibited spatial learning deficits, effects that were attenuated with all doses of choline supplementation. These data indicate that choline supplementation can alter brain development following a developmental insult. Moreover, the data suggest that early dietary interventions may reduce the severity of some fetal alcohol effects, even when administered after birth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Control of cleavage site selection during mRNA 3' end formation by a yeast hnRNP

Endonucleolytic cleavage of pre-mRNAs is the first step during eukaryotic mRNA 3' end formation. It has been proposed that cleavage factors CF IA, CF IB and CF II are required for pre-mRNA 3' end cleavage in yeast. CF IB is composed of a single polypeptide, Nab4p/Hrp1p, which is related to the A/B group of metazoan heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) that function as antagonistic regulators of 5' splice site selection. Here, we provide evidence that Nab4p/Hrp1p is not required for pre-mRNA 3' end endonucleolytic cleavage. We show that CF IA and CF II devoid of Nab4p/Hrp1p are sufficient to cleave a variety of RNA substrates but that cleavage occurs at multiple sites. Addition of Nab4p/Hrp1p prevents these alternative cleavages in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting an essential and conserved role for some hnRNPs in pre-mRNA cleavage site selection.     

Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales (SENAS): Further Development and Psychometric Characteristics.

The Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales were devised to be a broad set of psychometrically matched measures with equivalent Spanish and English versions. Study 1 in this report used item response theory methods to refine scales. Results strongly supported psychometric matching across English and Spanish versions and, for most scales, within English and Spanish versions. Study 2 supported in both English and Spanish subsamples the 6-domain model of ability that guided scale construction. Study 3 examined differential item functioning (DIF) of one scale (Object Naming) in relation to education, ethnicity, gender, and age. Effects of DIF on scale-level ability scores were limited. Results demonstrate an empirically guided psychometric approach to test construction for multiethnic and multilingual test applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adaptive control of a CSTR with a neural network model

An adaptive control algorithm with a neural network model, previously proposed in the literature for the control of mechanical manipulators, is applied to a CSTR (Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor). The neural network model uses either radial Gaussian or “Mexican hat” wavelets as basis functions. This work shows that the addition of linear functions to the networks significantly improves the error convergence when the CSTR is operated for long periods of time in a neighborhood of one operating point, a common scenario in chemical process control. Then, a quantitative comparative study based on output errors and control efforts is conducted where adaptive controllers using wavelets or Gaussian basis functions and PID controllers (IMC tuning with fixed parameters and self tuning PID) are compared. From this comparative study, the practicality and advantages of the adaptive controllers over fixed or adaptive PID control is assessed.     

Not supposed to feel this: Traditional masculinity in psychotherapy with male veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Traditional masculine socialization presents challenges in psychotherapy, for example, by decreasing the likelihood of help-seeking and by making emotion-laden content more difficult to address. While this has been established in civilian populations, more intense forms of masculine socialization found in military settings may amplify such issues in male veteran populations. Male veterans returning from and Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF) exhibit strong traditional masculine socialization and generally present in a unique manner. It is posited that OEF/OIF male veterans' unique presentation is in large part because of an interaction between high degrees of endorsement of traditional masculine gender role norms, relative youth, recency of distressing events, and recent experience in the social context of the military where traditional masculinity is reinforced. The impact of these variables on the psychotherapeutic process for male OEF/OIF veterans is significant and likely adds to ambivalence about change and increases dropout from psychotherapy. Modifications of traditional psychotherapeutic approaches designed to address traditional masculine gender role norms and their many interactions with other variables are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial predictors of natural killer cell mobilization during marital conflict.

This study examined how specific emotions relate to autonomic nervous and immune system parameters and whether cynical hostility moderates this relationship. Forty-one married couples participated in a 15-min discussion about a marital problem. Observers recorded spouses' emotional expressions during the discussion, and cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and immunologic parameters were assessed throughout the laboratory session. Among men high in cynical hostility, anger displayed during the conflict was associated with greater elevations in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cortisol, and increases in natural killer cell numbers and cytotoxicity. Among men low in cynical hostility, anger was associated with smaller increases in heart rate and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. These findings suggest that models describing the impact of stress on physiology should be refined to reflect the joint contribution of situational and dispositional variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)