Long-term outcome maximization and the reduction of interindividual–intergroup discontinuity.

Two experiments demonstrated that different procedures can be used to reduce the tendency for intergroup relations to be more competitive than interindividual relations. Experiment 1 revealed that this tendency was reduced when individual or group participants interacted with individual or group confederates who followed a tit-for-tat strategy as opposed to a Pavlov strategy or a standard control condition that did not involve confederates. Experiment 2 revealed that the tendency for groups to be more competitive than individuals was less pronounced with successive responding than with simultaneous responding. Further results indicated that the higher the total session score on the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale, the less the competition between groups. The results from both experiments were interpreted as indicating that intergroup competitiveness can be reduced by inducing a concern with long-term outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Association between uncoupling protein polymorphisms (UCP2-UCP3) and energy metabolism/obesity in Pima indians

The UCP2-UCP3 gene cluster maps to chromosome 11q13 in humans, and polymorphisms in these genes may contribute to obesity through effects on energy metabolism. DNA sequencing of UCP2 and UCP3 revealed three polymorphisms informative for association studies: an Ala-->Val substitution in exon 4 of UCP2, a 45 bp insertion/deletion in the 3'-untranslated region of exon 8 of UCP2 and a C-->T silent polymorphism in exon 3 of UCP3. Initially, 82 young (mean age = 30 +/- 7 years), unrelated, full-blooded, non-diabetic Pima Indians were typed for these polymorphisms by direct sequencing. The three sites were in linkage disequilibrium ( P < 0.00001). The UCP2 variants were associated with metabolic rate during sleep (exon 4, P = 0.007; exon 8, P = 0.016) and over 24 h (exon 8, P = 0.038). Heterozygotes for UCP2 variants had higher metabolic rates than homozygotes. The UCP3 variant was not significantly associated with metabolic rate or obesity. In a further 790 full-blooded Pima Indians, there was no significant association between the insertion/deletion polymorphism and body mass index (BMI). However, when only individuals >45 years of age were considered, heterozygotes (subjects with the highest sleeping metabolic rate) had the lowest BMI (P = 0.04). The location of the insertion/deletion polymorphism suggested a role in mRNA stability; however, it appeared to have no effect on skeletal muscle UCP2 mRNA levels in a subset of 23 randomly chosen Pima Indians. In conclusion, these results suggest a contribution from UCP2 (or UCP3) to variation in metabolic rate in young Pima Indians which may contribute to overall body fat content later in life.     

Development of a measure of unemployability among restored psychiatric patients.

Examined the tenability of supplementing subjective clinical information concerning a patient's employability with more objective data for formulating specific placement procedures. Analysis revealed that 15 behavioral items differentiated placed successes, placed failures, and nonplaced patients on initial and replication studies of 87 and 129 psychiatric patients. Results indicate that the final items comprise an effective instrument for distinguishing the mentally restored individual who will experience failure in employment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of isothermal and cyclic oxidation behavior of twenty-five commercial sheet alloys at 1150°C

Twenty-five commercial nickel-, iron-, and cobalt-base sheet alloys incorporating chromium or chromium and aluminum additions for oxidation resistance were tested at 1150°C in air for 100 hr in both isothermal and 1-hr cyclic furnace exposures. The alloys were evaluated by sample specific weight change, by type of scale formed, by amount and type of spall, and by sample thickness change and microstructure. In isothermal steady-state oxidation, four types of controlling oxides were observed depending on alloy composition: NiO, Cr₂O₃-chromite spinel, ThO₂-blocked Cr₂O₃, and Al₂O₃-aluminate spinel. The latter three types are considered protective. In the Cr₂O₃-forming alloys, however, scale vaporization is a critical factor in determining the parabolic scaling rate based on paralinear oxidation. In cyclic oxidation the alloys which form Cr₂O₃-chromite spinel scales were degraded severely when sufficient chromite spinel developed to trigger spalling. The cyclic behavior of the other three types of alloys does not differ greatly from their isothermal behavior. If chromite spinel formation is minimal, the thinner the oxide formed, the less the tendency to spall. Factors contributing to a thin scale are low isothermal scaling rates; reactive element additions, such as thorium, lanthanum, and silicon; and scale vaporization. Scale vaporization may, however, lead to catastrophic oxidation at high gas velocities or low pressures or both. A tentative mass-balance approach to scale buildup, scale vaporization, and scale spalling was used to calculate the critical oxidation parameter—the effective metal thickness change. In general, this calculated thickness change agrees with the measured change to within a factor of 3 if a correction is made for grain boundary oxidation. The calculated thickness change parameter was used to rate the oxidation resistance of the various alloys under isothermal or cyclic conditions. The best alloys in cyclic furnace oxidation tests were either Al₂O₃-aluminate spinel formers or Cr₂O₃ formers with ThO₂ blockage.     

An evaluation of the estimates of gross domestic agricultural output as used in input-output studies with particular reference to the western states

One basic task in the construction of an 11 western state multiregional input-output table is the preparation of reliable estimates of the value of gross output for the sectors comprising agriculture.A method which is often employed is to apportion national gross output to each state on the basis of some physical criterion, such as the number in the labor force, the acreage of crops grown, etc. This method has a number of obvious defects and serves only to mask the great regional and state differences in the mix of factors employed in agriculture—a more capital-intensive agriculture employs relatively less labor than a labor-intensive agriculture and productivity can vary greatly (mechanized cotton culture and harvesting in western states versus hand cotton farming in parts of the Southeast).That farm cash receipts are a good indicator of gross agricultural output is the basic assumption in the method presently developed. Cash receipts from farm marketings are readily available for each state, and these data have been published over a long series of years. Inflating farm cash receipts and associated data by a factor offers a simple but as yet unproven method to devise reliable estimates of gross output. Tests are continuing to establish its reliability.This paper is an abridged version of Working Paper No. 1, the first of a series to be undertaken as fulfilling the needs of one phase of a research commitment sponsored by the Western Regional Science Association Ad Hoc Committee on Input-Output. The unabridged Working Paper No. 1 is available from the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of California, Berkeley. Working Paper No. 2, now in preparation, supplements the information in this paper and deals with estimates of gross output of agriculture for four sector in agriculture for each of the 11 western states.Research Assistant, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of California, Berkeley.Postgraduate Agricultural Research Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of California, Berkeley.     

Flux lattice dislocation motion in the mixed state

It is shown that flux lattice dislocations (FLDs) may be investigated by observing the alternating voltage accompanying an alternating current. This method has the advantage that the FLDs are trapped within the sample and the observed ac voltages are constant. In the dc case FLDs may give rise only to transient voltages, because the current sweeps the FLDs out of the sample. Measurement on Nb_0.5 Ta_0.5 strongly suggest that electric fields may arise in this material as a result of FLD motion. The density of FLDs appears to depend on the magnetic history of the sample. It may be increased by applying a pulse of direct current; apparently, a sufficiently large current may operate FLD sources so that the density of FLDs is increased. The FLD sources are probably not all alike, for the results suggest that a large current operates more sources than a small current. The experimental results support the hypothesis that certain peculiarities of the V/I characteristics are due to FLD multiplication.     

Nicotine lozenges for the treatment of smokeless tobacco use.

Nicotine lozenges have been shown to increase tobacco abstinence rates in cigarette smokers, but they have not been evaluated in smokeless tobacco (ST) users. We conducted an open-label, one-arm, phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of the 4-mg nicotine lozenge for the treatment of withdrawal and craving associated with tobacco abstinence among ST users. Eligible subjects received 4-mg nicotine lozenges for 6 weeks followed by a 6-week taper. Subjects completed daily tobacco withdrawal diaries, and data on lozenge use, adverse events, and lozenge acceptability were collected. Urine anabasine was collected at 3 and 6 months for biochemical confirmation of self-reported tobacco abstinence. Participants were 30 ST users with a mean age of 35.4 years (SD=6.5) using an average of 4.2 cans or pouches (SD=3.2) of ST per week for a mean of 15.1 years (SD=6.5). Among subjects continuously tobacco abstinent for the first 2 weeks, no significant increases in composite withdrawal symptoms were observed, compared with baseline symptoms, whereas craving decreased significantly. Biochemically confirmed 7-day point-prevalence tobacco abstinence was 53% (95% CI=34%-72%) at 12 weeks (end of treatment) and 47% (95% CI=28%-66%) at 6 months. Few adverse events attributable to the nicotine lozenge occurred, and the lozenge was perceived as helpful in assisting subjects quit ST. The use of the 4-mg nicotine lozenge appears promising for the clinical treatment of withdrawal symptoms and craving associated with tobacco abstinence in ST users. Future phase III clinical trials investigating the efficacy of nicotine lozenges are warranted.     

Determining selected quadratic coefficients in noncentrosymmetric crystals

We present a systematic theoretical examination concerning the practical possibility of measuring components of the quadratic symmetry tensors for solid materials lacking inversion symmetry. We show that information concerning the quadratic effects in noncentrosymmetrical crystals can be obtained directly by methods that allow for the bypassing of the coexisting dominant linear effects. Here, we deal only with the particular case of the electro-optic effect; however, the results and conclusions are also valid for the elasto-optic effects.     

Detection and classification of sensory information from acute spinal cord recordings

One avenue of research for partial restoration of function following spinal cord injury is the use of neural prostheses, an example of which is functional electrical stimulation (FES) devices for motor functions. Neural prostheses may also be useful for the extraction of sensory information directly from the nervous system. We suggest the spinal cord as a possible site for the detection of peripheral sensory information from neural activity alone. Acute multichannel extracellular recordings were used to extract neural spike activity elicited from peripheral sensations from the spinal cords of rats. To test the recording method and classification potential, eight classes of sensory events were recorded consisting of electrical stimulation of seven locations on rat forepaws, and another class of data during which no stimulus was present. A dual-stage classification scheme using principal component analysis and k-Means clustering was devised to classify the sensory events during single trials. The eight tasks were correctly identified at a mean accuracy of 96%. Thus, we have shown the methodology to detect and classify peripheral sensory information from multichannel recordings of the spinal cord. These methods may be useful, for example, in a closed-loop FES for restoration of hand grasp.