Verbal processing deficits in schizophrenia.

The authors reported that a subgroup of schizophrenic patients performed well on a tone serial position task but was impaired on an auditory word serial position task (Wexler, Stevens, Bowers, Cerniak, & Goldman-Rakic, 1998). This study assessed 30 schizophrenic and 32 controls (matched for comparable tone discrimination) on 4 versions of the verbal serial position tasks and 2 tone serial position tasks. Patients performed poorly on all verbal tasks but performed comparably to controls when tones served as stimuli. Proactive interference and visual presentation further compounded the verbal deficits. Deficits persisted with pronounceable nonword stimuli. These findings provide evidence of specific deficits in language-related processing, although the authors could not rule out the possibility that the differential effects that were observed between the tone and word tasks, and particularly among the verbal tasks, may result from differing discriminating power of the different tests. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pathways to power: Policy transitions and the reappearance of the nuclear power option in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan, a Canadian prairie province, has recently begun to restructure the provincial energy system. The institutional, technological and social bases of the Saskatchewan power regime have been disrupted by both exogenous pressures and endogenous problems, providing an opportunity for alternative energy options to be considered as possible power alternatives. As the province addresses the long-term socio-technical transition (STR) associated with a regime change in the power sector a number of alternative energy options have been identified. Using a transition management approach, this paper argues that the path taken will depend very much on whether these alternatives can be adopted as modifications of the existing STR – leaving the key actors, institutions and relationships essentially untouched – or whether they will necessitate a wholesale reconstruction of the regime itself. In this paper we analyze how, over time, the socio-technical configurations of the energy system became very durable as existing technologies become embedded in regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, users practices and expert communities. We then consider the potential of several alternative technological trajectories and the likelihood of one of these socio technical regimes emerging in Saskatchewan.     

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked fishery products from different smoking kilns

The levels of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined by an HPLC method with fluorescence and UV detection and by a GC/MS technique in smoked fishery products from modern smoking kilns with external smoke generation and from traditional smoking kilns. The average benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) concentration of all 35 samples from commercial smoking kilns with external smoke generation was 0.1 g/kg (wet weight) and the sum of the carcinogenic compounds determined in the study, i.e. benz(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene and indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene did not exceed 4.5 g/kg (wet weight). The BaP levels of the 27 smoked fish samples from traditional kilns ranged from 0.2 g/kg to 4.1 g/kg, with a mean value of 1.2 g BaP/kg. The average concentration of the sum of the carcinogenic compounds was 9.0 g/kg. Large variations were found in the content of the non-carcinogenic PAHs phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene in all samples from both types of smoking kilns.     

The enzymic oxidative breakdown of linoleic acid in mushrooms (Psalliota bispora)

Summary A homogenate of the mushroomPsalliota bispora was incubated with (U-¹⁴C)linoleic acid. After extraction with ethyl ether and separation by thin-layer chromatography, two labelled products were detected. These were identified as 1-octen-3-ol and 10-oxo-trans-8-decenoic acid by GC, MS, IR and, additionally by derivatisation. During incubation both compounds were formed in a molar ratio of about 1:1.13-L(S)-hydroperoxy-cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid which has been suggested in the literature as the precursor of 1-octen-3-ol was reduced by the mushroom homogenate only to the corresponding 13-hydroxy fatty acid.

---

Enzymatisch-oxidativer Abbau von Linolsäure in Champignons (Psalliota bispora)

Zusammenfassung Ein Homogenat aus Champignons (Psalliota bispora) wurde mit (U-¹⁴C)-Linolsäure inkubiert. Zwei markierte Produkte wurden in einem Ether-Extrakt nach dünnschichtchromatographischer Trennung gefunden. Sie wurden mittels GC-, MS-, IR-Spektroskopie und nach Derivatisierung als 1-Octen-3-ol und 10-Oxo-trans-8-decensäure identifiziert. Beide Verbindungen wurden bei der Inkubation im molaren Verhältnis von annähernd 1:1 gebildet. 13-L(S)-Hydroperoxy-cis-9,trans-11-octadecadiensäure, die in der Literatur als Vorläufer von 1-Octen-3-ol vermutet wird, wurde vom Pilz-Homogenat nur zur entsprechenden 13-Hydroxyfettsäure reduziert.

---

---

Synonym withAgaricus bisporus     

Composite phenolic resin-based carbon molecular sieve membranes for gas separation

Composite carbon molecular sieve membranes (c-CMSM) were prepared from phenolic resin loaded with boehmite by a single dipping–drying–pyrolysis step. The composite membrane was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, mercury porosimetry, CO₂ adsorption and permeation experiments. It was produced a 2 μm thick composite uniform layer on top of a α-Al₂O₃ support. The composite top layer exhibited nanowires of Al₂O₃ 1–2 nm thick and 10–30 nm long well dispersed in a microporous carbon matrix. The micropores network accounted for 63% of the total pore volume (DR isotherm). The c-CMSM exhibited ideal O₂/N₂ and C₃H₆/C₃H₈ permselectivities of 5 and 15, respectively. The performance of the c-CMSM for pair C₃H₆/C₃H₈ was above the upper bound curve for polymeric membranes, making it a promising vehicle for olefin purification.     

Niederdruckumkehrosmose mit modifizierten polyacrylnitril-ultrafiltrationsmembranen

The chemical modification of polyacrylonitrile ultrafiltration (PAN-UF) membranes by hydroxylamine yields low-pressure reverse-osmosis (LP-RO) membranes containing amidoxime and hydroxamic acid groups besides nitrile groups. These membranes are positively charged at pH values of 4.0 to 6.5. The water permeability of the membranes decreases from 400 L h^?1 m^?2 to 15 L h^?1 m^?2 (p = 0.3 MPa) by this modification. A comprehensive characterization was carried out by retention curves, IR and NMR spectra, Hg porosimetry, measurement of membrane potentials and separation performance regarding different metal salts. Due to the Donnan exclusion these membranes have a retention of 88% at a filtrate flux of 8 L h^?1 m^?2(p = 0.3 MPa) regarding bivalent metal ions like Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ which cause the water hardness. Regarding heavy metal ions like Cu²⁺ and In³⁺ much higher filtrate fluxes from 90 to 100 L h^?1 m^?2 (p = 0.3 MPa) are possible. In water medium without any heavy metal ions the amidoxime and hydroxamic acid groups are hydrolysed to carboxylic acid groups which are able to reject multivalentanions. By this the water softening ability remains.     

Temperature effects on tungsten etching

The influence of the substrate temperature (from T_s = +20°C to T_s = −45°C) on the etching characteristics (etch rate and anisotropy) of tungsten material has been investigated using a surface-wave sustained magnetoplasma reactor operated with SF₆. By correlating the F-atom concentration and the ion current density to the etching characteristics, we found that ion-assisted etching becomes more important than spontaneous chemical etching as the substrate temperature and SF₆ gas pressure decrease, ensuring, in absence of external biasing, high etching anisotropy together with high microscopic uniformity for submicrometer features (0.2 to 1 μm). Our results reveal the competitive influence between substrate temperature (which inhibits spontaneous chemical reaction as it is lowered) and gas pressure (which favours spontaneous chemical reaction as it is increased). Obtaining high anisotropy requires, in the present case, a substrate temperature of T_s = −20°C for P = 0.5 mTorr and a temperature as low as T_s = −35°C for P = 1.5 mTorr.     

Riverine discharge of perfluorinated carboxylates from the European continent

The discharge of C6-C9 perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs) from major European rivers was studied and employed to assess European emissions of these compounds. Water samples were collected close to the mouths of 14 major rivers including the Rhine, Danube, Elbe, Oder, Seine, Loire, and Po. PFCA concentrations were determined using LC-MS/MS and used together with the mean annual water flow to estimate the riverine discharge of the PFCAs. The highest concentration measured was 200 ng/L for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in the Po River. The Po accounted for two-thirds of the total PFOA discharge of all the rivers studied, suggesting a major industrial source of PFOA in the Po watershed. All other nonremote rivers showed PFOA concentrations in the lower ng/L range, which indicates that widely distributed sources are also significant contributors to PFOA emissions in Europe. The total discharge of PFOA from the European rivers was estimated to be 14 tonnes/year, which is in reasonable agreement with reported emissions estimates. However, the total riverine discharge of perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) of 2.8 tonnes/year estimated in this study was three times greater than the reported global emissions estimate, suggesting that there are significant, as yet unidentified sources of this compound.     

Development of a new rapid method for mould testing in a climate chamber: preliminary tests

The purpose of this study was to develop fast, simple and robust solid wood mould testing methods for the use in small-scale laboratory tests. The objective was to investigate mould susceptibility of different wood materials within the batches. The proposed method is based on natural contamination of non-sterile surfaces in climates conducive to mould growth. For this purpose, a climate chamber with regulated temperature and relative humidity was used. The conditioning chamber was divided into upper and lower chamber by a thin layer of stainless steel placed horizontally above the fan to minimise air circulation to the sample in the upper compartment. Mould-infected samples from outdoor tests were used as a source of mould inocula, and test trials were conducted on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) sapwood. Samples were suspended from the top of the upper chamber, and the chamber was exposed to different temperature and humidity levels. Severe mould infestation was observed after 12–14 days of incubation. Visual mould rating was then performed. Regardless of some constraints, this test method was very simple, fast, and effective. More importantly, unlike other test methods, it closely models mould infestation as it would occur under natural condition.