Social play soliciting by male and female juvenile rats: Effects of neonatal androgenization and sex of cagemates.

Investigated the behavior of male and female Long-Evans hooded rats during individual exposure to nonplayful juvenile social stimuli in a novel test of play-soliciting behavior in 2 experiments examining hormonal and experiential determinants of sex differences. In Exp I, using 36 female and 18 male Ss, neonatally androgenized females engaged in play soliciting at a level equal to that of male controls and greater than that of nonandrogenized female controls. In Exp II, 52 males and 32 females were reared in unisexual and bisexual groups in order to compare long-term sex-related social experience effects on juvenile play soliciting. Males exposed only to other young males engaged in greater play soliciting than males exposed to both sexes; females, in contrast, were unaffected by sex of cagemates. Within rearing conditions, however, males engaged in greater play soliciting than females. The combined results suggest that perinatal gonadal androgen exposure effects on social play are prepotent and contribute essentially to sex differences in the initiation of social play behavior. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health-Related Evaluation of Building Products based on Climate Chamber Tests

A procedure is developed for assessing the health effects of the emissions from building products. The procedure is based on:

• ? emission rates measured in environment test chambers
• ? a fixed standard room with fixed standard conditions
• ? a maximum acceptable concentration in the indoor air of each of the chemical compounds emitted, I_v a maximum permissible contribution to I_v from building products.

The procedure has two elements: evaluation of the emitted compound alone and evaluation of the compound together with other compounds and indoor air factors. The evaluation includes odour and health effects of the compounds. The procedure has been applied to the emission test results for two building products: a rubber floor covering, and a water-borne acrylic watt paint. Maximum acceptable indoor air concentrations are listed fin-selected chemical compounds emitted by these two materials.     

An analysis of high efficiency stimulated Raman scattering in water with a frequency-doubled pulsed Nd:YAG source

Abstract

Unexpectedly high stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) has been seen with a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG pump laser (532 nm) in water. The pump beam was propagated, both focused and unfocused, through a 4m long tank. Threshold pump irradiance for SRS was measured to be 2 × 10¹³ Wm^?2 and Stokes transitions were identified at approximately 3230 and 3380 cm^?1. The maximum conversion efficiency to the Stokes frequencies seen was 13% of pump input, for a focused beam, 4% for unfocused. SRS from an unfocused beam was seen to arise from high irradiance filaments caused by self-focusing in the water. The term Raman Interaction Function (RIF) has been defined here as the irradiance of the pump beam integrated over the interaction length (distance over which the pump beam irradiance is above threshold). The RIF model was been designed to describe the relationship between pump laser parameters and the output at the dominant Stokes frequencies.     

Autonomous recovery of a fixed‐wing UAV using a net suspended by two multirotor UAVs

This article presents a novel recovery method for fixed‐wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aimed at enabling operations from marine vessels. Instead of using the conventional method of using a fixed net on the ship deck, we propose to suspend a net under two cooperative multirotor UAVs. While keeping their relative formation, the multirotor UAVs are able to intercept the incoming fixed‐wing UAV along a virtual runway over the sea and transport it back to the ship. In addition to discussing the concept and design a control system, this paper also presents experimental validation of the proposed concept for a small‐scale UAV platform.     

Ethyl m-Digallate from Red Maple, Acer rubrum L., as the Major Resistance Factor to Forest Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria Hbn.

An ethanolic extract of red maple (Acer rubrum L.) leaves (RME) applied to trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) leaves reduced feeding in choice test assays with forest tent caterpillar larvae (Malacosoma disstria Hbn.) (FTC), whereas a trembling aspen foliage extract, similarly applied, stimulated feeding. Compounds isolated from the RME were gallic acid, methyl gallate, ethyl gallate, m-digallate, ethyl m-digallate, 1-O-galloyl--D-glucose, 1-O-galloyl--L-rhamnose, kaempferol 3-O--D-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O--D-galactoside, kaempferol 3-O--L-rhamnoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoglucoside, quercetin 3-O--D-glucoside, quercetin 3-O--L-rhamnoside and quercetin 3-O-rhamnoglucoside, (–)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin and ellagic acid. All of the gallates, (–)-epicatechin, and kaempferol 3-O--L-rhamnoside deterred feeding on trembling aspen leaf disks when applied at 0.28 mg/cm². The two digallates deterred feeding by 90% and were the most effective. HPLC analysis indicated that ethyl m-digallate is present in amounts 10–100 × higher in RME (2.5–250 mg/g) than any other compound. Thus, ethyl m-digallate appears to be the major compound protecting red maple from feeding by FTC, with a minor contribution from other gallates.     

Feedback Linearization Control for Systems with Mismatched Uncertainties via Disturbance Observers

This paper focuses on a novel feedback linearization control (FLC) law based on a self‐learning disturbance observer (SLDO) to counteract mismatched uncertainties. The FLC based on BNDO (FLC‐BNDO) demonstrates robust control performance only against mismatched time‐invariant uncertainties while the FLC based on SLDO (FLC‐SLDO) demonstrates robust control performance against mismatched time‐invariant and ‐varying uncertainties, and both of them maintain the nominal control performance in the absence of mismatched uncertainties. In the estimation scheme for the SLDO, the BNDO is used to provide a conventional estimation law, which is used as the learning error for the type‐2 neuro‐fuzzy system (T2NFS), and T2NFS learns mismatched uncertainties. Thus, the T2NFS takes the overall control of the estimation signal entirely in a very short time and gives unbiased estimation results for the disturbance. A novel learning algorithm established on sliding mode control theory is derived for an interval type‐2 fuzzy logic system. The stability of the overall system is proven for a second‐order nonlinear system with mismatched uncertainties. The simulation results show that the FLC‐SLDO demonstrates better control performance than the traditional FLC, FLC with an integral action (FLC‐I), and FLC‐BNDO.     

Fluorinated organic compounds in an eastern Arctic marine food web

An eastern Arctic marine food web was analyzed for perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS, C8F17SO3-), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA, C7F15COO-), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA, C8F17SO2NH2), and N-ethylperfluorooctane sulfonamide (N-EtPFOSA, C8F17SO2NHCH2CH3) to examine the extent of bioaccumulation. PFOS was detected in all species analyzed, and mean concentrations ranged from 0.28 +/- 0.09 ng/g (arithmetic mean +/- 1 standard error, wet wt, whole body) in clams (Mya truncata) to 20.2 +/- 3.9 ng/g (wet wt, liver) in glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus). PFOA was detected in approximately 40% of the samples analyzed at concentrations generally smaller than those found for PFOS; the greatest concentrations were observed in zooplankton (2.6 +/- 0.3 ng/g, wet wt). N-EtPFOSA was detected in all species except redfish with mean concentrations ranging from 0.39 +/- 0.07 ng/g (wet wt) in mixed zooplankton to 92.8 +/- 41.9 ng/g (wet wt) in Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida). This is the first report of N-EtPFOSA in Arctic biota. PFOSA was only detected in livers of beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) (20.9 +/- 7.9 ng/g, wet wt) and narwhal (Monodon monoceros) (6.2 +/- 2.3 ng/g, wet wt), suggesting that N-EtPFOSA and other PFOSA-type precursors are likely present but are being biotransformed to PFOSA. A positive linear relationship was found between PFOS concentrations (wet wt) and trophic level (TL), based on delta15N values, (r2 = 0.51, p < 0.0001) resulting in a trophic magnification factor of 3.1. TL-corrected biomagnification factor estimates for PFOS ranged from 0.4 to 9. Both results indicate that PFOS biomagnifies in the Arctic marine food web when liver concentrations of PFOS are used for seabirds and marine mammals. However, transformation of N-EtPFOSA and PFOSA and potential other perfluorinated compounds to PFOS may contribute to PFOS levels in marine mammals and may inflate estimated biomagnification values. None of the other fluorinated compounds (N-EtPFOSA, PFOSA, and PFOA) were found to have a significant relationship with TL, but BMF(TL) values of these compounds were often >1, suggesting potential for these compounds to biomagnify. The presence of perfluorinated compounds in seabirds and mammals provides evidence that trophic transfer is an important exposure route of these chemicals to Arctic biota.     

Sex and social play in juvenile rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Four experiments were conducted to examine the effects of pretest social isolation, sex of the social stimulus, and test cage familiarity on sex differences in play fighting in 156 juvenile Long-Evans rats. Reliable sex differences were found only when Ss were tested after 6 days of isolation in undisturbed cages (Exp III). In contrast to weak sex effects, pretest isolation and test cage familiarity were robust variables influencing levels of play fighting in juveniles of both sexes. Results are discussed in reference to procedural differences among experimental approaches that have examined sex differences in social play. It is suggested that social investigatory behavior and play behavior appear to be reciprocally related. Hence, the sex difference in social play is accompanied by an apparent reversal in the sex effect seen with social investigation. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

CO2 capture into aqueous solutions of piperazine activated 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol

In this work, experimental data and a simplified vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) model for the absorption of CO₂ into aqueous solutions of piperazine (PZ) activated 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) are reported. The purpose of the work was to find the AMP/PZ system with the highest concentration and cyclic capacity, which could be used in the industry without forming solid precipitations at operational temperatures. The effect of the AMP/PZ ratio and the total concentration level of amine was studied. The highest possible ratio of AMP/PZ, which does not form solid precipitates during the absorption of CO₂ at 40 °C (40 wt% amine), was identified. Considering the maximum loading found in the screening tests for AMP/PZ (3+1.5 M) and for 30 wt% MEA systems, the AMP/PZ system has about 128% higher specific cyclic capacity if operating between 40 and 80 °C, and almost twice the CO₂ partial pressure at 120 °C compared to MEA.     

Effects of Stirring and Cooling on Methane Hydrate Formation in a High-Pressure Isochoric Cell

Higher mixing rates applied to hydrate-forming liquids in laboratory cell systems are commonly assumed to cause a more thorough dispersion of newly formed hydrate nuclei from gas-liquid interface into bulk liquid. There is, however, no simple and direct correlation between stirring rate and nucleation rate. Most experimental studies on hydrate kinetics in literature have been carried out at isobaric conditions. Studies in cooled systems at isochoric conditions （temperature-dependent pressures） are in scarcity. This paper presents an experimental study on effects of varying stirring rates （220-660 rpm） and varying cooling rates （0.5-10 ℃/h） on the point of spontaneous nucleation （PSN） of structure-I methane hydrate. The experiments were conducted in an isochoric system with temperature and pressure both decreasing along with the continuous cooling process. Initial growth rates after nucleation were also monitored. The results suggest that higher stirring rates lead to reduced hydrate induction time and increased hydrate growth rate The nucleation rate appeared to be slightly reduced at the lowest stirring rate （220 rpm）. The degree of sub-cooling at PSN seemed to be of a more stochastic character at cooling rates lower than at 2 ℃/h. Increased cooling rates trend to reduce induction time while the sub-cooling at PSN appeared to first oscillate at lower cooling rates then approach some constant level at higher cooling rates. For higher cooling rates, the nucleation rate decreased faster. Hydrate growth behavior in cooling rate experiments （0.5-10 ℃/h） suggests that the total gas intake and the gas consumption rate increased with increasing cooling rate towards a constant level at 6-10 ℃/h. A careful selection of stirring rate and cooling rate is essential to hydrate study.