Estrogen effects on the hyperactivity induced by (+)-MDMA and cocaine in female rats.

This study compared the effects of estrogen (E) on the hyperactivity induced by (+)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) with E effects on cocaine-evoked hyperactivity in female rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized (OVX); half of them received a 17β-estradiol (E?) implant (OVX + E). Three weeks later, rats received saline, (+)-MDMA (1, 2, or 4 mg/kg) or cocaine (5, 10, or 20 mg/kg), and locomotor activity was monitored. OVX + E rats exhibited greater locomotor hyperactivity in response to both psychostimulants than did OVX rats. The enhanced response to cocaine appeared within 5 min following drug injection whereas the enhanced response to (+)-MDMA was delayed for approximately 30 min. The differential effects of E on hyperactivity may be due to the unique profiles of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) in response to (+)-MDMA and cocaine. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Linking of serially ordered lists by macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta): List position influences.

Five monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained on 2 sets of 3 5-item serially ordered lists. Then, each set was either linked or not in a counterbalanced, within-subject design. Linking entailed training on the 2 pairs that ordered the 3 5-item fists into a single overall 15-item series. Choices on novel pairings after linking conditions attempted to define the unique contributions of knowledge of within-list ordinal position and between-lists link training. With linkage, the series was immediately treated as a 15-item ordered list. Without linkage, choices reflected list positions from initial learning, but continued testing with directional reward yielded gradual ordering into a 15-itern list. Apparently, monkeys remembered and used initial list-position information, but linkage allowed inference of an integrated serial relationship among items. Results supported primate list memory as an organizational process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Convoys of social support in childhood and early adolescence: Structure and function.

Little is known about social networks in childhood, and even less is known about the networks of ethnically diverse children. Interviews were conducted with 333 African-American, Anglo/European-American, and Hispanic-American public school children in Grades 1–2, 4–5, and 8–9. The research was based on the social convoy model (R. L. Kahn and T. C. Antonucci, 1980), in which social networks are viewed as dynamic hierarchic structures affording the provision of support across the life span. An adapted convoy mapping procedure evidenced good test–retest reliability at all ages, and convoy support measures were associated with self-concept and teacher-rated sociability and mood. For all ethnic groups, the results reflect the significance of close family relations across age, an increase in involvement with extended family in middle-childhood, and the emergent role of peers as support providers in adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lexical familiarity and processing efficiency: Individual differences in naming, lexical decision, and semantic categorization.

College students were separated into 2 groups (high and low) on the basis of 3 measures: subjective familiarity ratings of words, self-reported language experiences, and a test of vocabulary knowledge. Three experiments were conducted to determine if the groups also differed in visual word naming, lexical decision, and semantic categorization. High Ss were consistently faster than low Ss in naming visually presented words. They were also faster and more accurate in making difficult lexical decisions and in rejecting homophone foils in semantic categorization. Taken together, the results demonstrate that Ss who differ in lexical familiarity also differ in processing efficiency. The relationship between processing efficiency and working memory accounts of individual differences in language processing is also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Laser Induced Liquid Phase Reaction Synthesis Assisted Joining of Metal Matrix Composites

A Laser Induced Liquid Phase Reaction Synthesis Assisted Joining technique is employed for SiC-particulate/Al-alloy composite to produce joints. Joints in SiC/Al-alloy composite are produced by synthesis of suitable material product as a result of interaction between composite and Ti (or Ti-alloy) reactive filler material induced by laser energy in the joint region. Such reaction product minimizes or eliminates the formation of deleterious aluminum carbide phase in the joint region depending upon the type and nature of die interfacial reactive filler material and also the laser processing parameters. A laser beam is utilized to both synthesize the interfacial reactant mixture and to heat the base material adjacent to the joint region to minimize the thermal stresses. The technique along with suitable filler material, further can be extended to a variety of metal matrix composite systems including combinations of Gr/Al, B/Al, B₄C/Mg, Steel/Al, W/Al, Al₂ O₃ and Gr/Cu which are excellent for use in various automotive, aerospace and electronic applications. Preliminary observations describing the proof of concept of laser induced reaction joining of metal matrix composites are reported     

Convergence of the inductive and deductive models in the measurement of reasoning abilities.

Reviews evidence concerning the congruence of the inductive and deductive models in logic and presents support for this congruence in the context of new test items designed to exemplify general-to-particular induction. Data from the Professional and Administrative Career Examination corroborate the logical foundations of deduction and induction as convergent models. Factor analysis of the items demonstrated factorial convergence, which lends additional support to the postulate of convergence. Implications for the understanding of cognitive processes and for psychometric practice are discussed in relation to such issues as the use of verbal and nonverbal test media, redundancy of measurement, and problem-solving strategies. (50 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bending and torsional fatigue of nylon 66 monofilaments

Using newly developed test equipment, the fatigue behavior of nylon 66 monofilaments was studied under two loading conditions, pure bending or simple torsion. For each mode, results are expressed in terms of the measured decay in stiffness with numbers of cycles over a range of maximum applied strain levels. Fatigue lifetimes are presented in S–N format where the log number of cycles of fatigue for a 40% decay in stiffness (N) is plotted as a function of applied strain (S). The failure mechanism for these fibers in each fatigue mode reflects the morphology of semicrystalline-oriented synthetic fibers. In torsion, many longitudinal cracks form around the perimeter of a fiber as the result of cleavage of the relatively weak interfibrillar bonds in nylon 66. In bending, cracks form within kink band boundaries and grow at an oblique angle to the fiber axis. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

MANOVA method for analyzing repeated measures designs: An extensive primer.

Contends that tests in repeated-measures designs based on MANOVA are free of sphericity assumptions, and with modern computing software, MANOVA is straightforward to use, even for complex designs and nontraditional hypotheses. A general strategy for implementing MANOVA within statistical computing packages is presented. Regular (preplanned) tests and simultaneous (post hoc) tests are illustrated for a variety of designs and hypotheses. Optimal contrasts for unbalanced repeated measures designs are appended. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamic proteome in enigmatic preeclampsia: an account of molecular mechanisms and biomarker discovery

The coevolution of genomics and proteomics has led to advancements in the field of diagnosis and molecular mechanisms of disease. Proteomics is now stepping into the field of obstetrics, where early diagnosis of pregnancy complication such as preeclampsia (PE) is imperative. PE is a multifactorial disease characterized by hypertension with proteinuria, which is a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality occurring in 5-7% of pregnancies worldwide. This review discusses the probable molecular mechanisms that lead to PE and summarizes the proteomics research carried out in understanding the pathogenicity of PE, and for identifying the candidate biomarker for diagnosis of the disease.