Psychopathy and Physiological Response to Emotionally Evocative Sounds.

Despite considerable evidence that psychopathic criminals are deviant in their emotional reactions, few studies have examined responses to both pleasurable and aversive stimuli or assessed the role of different facets of psychopathy in affective deviations. This study investigated physiological reactions to emotional sounds in prisoners selected according to scores on the 2 factors of Hare's Psychopathy Checklist--Revised (PCL-R; R. D. Hare, 1991). Offenders high on the PCL-R emotional-interpersonal factor, regardless of scores on the social deviance factor, showed diminished skin conductance responses to both pleasant and unpleasant sounds, suggesting a deficit in the action mobilization component of emotional response. Offenders who scored high only on the social deviance factor showed a delay in heart rate differentiation between affective and neutral sounds. These findings indicate abnormal reactivity to both positive and negative emotional stimuli in psychopathic individuals, and suggest differing roles for the 2 facets of psychopathy in affective processing deviations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in the negative affective priming of aggressive behavior.

The negative affective priming of aggression was examined across different aversive contexts (general stress exposure and frustration) with a laboratory aggression paradigm that measured the intensity of shocks participants delivered to a putative employee. Participants' emotional responses were gauged via startle eyeblink reactions and self-report mood ratings. Aside from gender differences in overall aggression, men but not women exposed to general stress showed significant increases in aggression across blocks. However, frustration produced increases in aggression in both genders. Although both genders showed robust startle increases during stress, startle activation was related to increases in aggression in men and decreases in aggression in women. These findings suggest that general stress and experiences of negative emotion trigger physical aggressive responses more strongly in men than in women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Thin-Film Bulk-Acoustic-Resonator Gas Sensor Functionalized With a Nanocomposite Langmuir–Blodgett Layer of Carbon Nanotubes

A thin-film bulk acoustic resonator (TFBAR) based on a vibrating membrane of AlN/Si₃N₄ has been fabricated onto a silicon substrate and functionally characterized as gas sensor at a resonating frequency of 1.045 GHz. This novel TFBAR-based gas sensor has been functionalized by a sensing nanocomposite layer, prepared by a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) embedded in a host matrix of organic material of cadmium arachidate. High-performance gas detection at room temperature of a SWCNT-coated TFBAR sensor has been reported. The sensing device exhibits high sensitivity (e.g., acetone: 12 kHz/ppm; ethylacetate: 17.3 kHz/ppm), fast response (within 2-3 min), slow reversibility (within 1 h), and good repeatability (les 5% variation) of response toward tested organic vapors of acetone, ethylacetate, and toluene.     

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sour gas effects on the eye. A historical perspective

The toxicology of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and sour gas on the eye has a long history beginning at least with Ramazzini's observations [Ramazzini B. Diseases of Workers—De Morbis Artificum Diatriba—1713. Wright WC (trans). New York, C. Hafner Publishing Co Inc.; 1964. 98-99 pp.]. In contrast, a recent review by Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW Report) concluded that there is little evidence of eye irritation following short-term exposures to H₂S at concentrations up to 100 ppm and that the H₂S literature on the eye is a series of unsubstantiated claims reproduced in review articles dating back to the 1930s [Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW report). Health effects associated with short-term exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide: a technical review, Alberta Health and Wellness, October 2002, 81pp.]. In this paper, we evaluated this claim through a historical review of the toxicology of the eye. Ramazzini noted the effects of sewer gas on the eye [Ramazzini B. Diseases of Workers—De Morbis Artificum Diatriba—1713. Wright WC (trans). New York, C. Hafner Publishing Co Inc. 1964. 98-99 pp.]. Lehmann experimentally showed eye effects in men at 70-90 ppm H₂S and also in animals [Lehmann K. Experimentalle Studien uber den Einfluss technisch und hygienisch wichtiger Gase und Dampfe auf den Organismus. Arch Hyg 1892;14:135-189]. In 1923, Sayers, Mitchell and Yant reported eye effects in animals and men at 50 ppm H₂S. Barthelemy showed eye effects in animals and men at 20 ppm H₂S [Barthelemy HL. Ten years' experience with industrial hygiene in connection with the manufacture of viscose rayon. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 1939;21:141-51]. Masure experimentally showed that H₂S is the causative agent of eye impacts in animals and men [Masure R. La Keratoconjunctivite des filatures de viscose; etude clinique and experiementale. Rev Belge Pathol 1950;20:297-341]. Michal upon microscopic examination of the rat's cornea, found nuclear pyknosis, edema and separation of cells in the eye following exposures for 3 h at 36 ppm H₂S [Michal FV. Eye lesions caused by hydrogen sulfide. Cesk Ophthalmol 1950;6;5-8]. In 1975, in Alberta, irreversible eye damage and photophobia were experimentally produced in calves exposed to 20 ppm H₂S for 1 week [Nordstrom GA. A study of calf response of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide gases. Thesis, University of Alberta, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Edmonton Alberta; 1975, 218 pp.]. Alberta Environmental Centre documented clinical irritation of the eye at 40 ppm H₂S in 6 hours in rats [Alberta Environmental Centre. Morphological observations in rats exposed for six hours to an atmosphere of 0, 56, or 420 mg/m³ hydrogen sulfide. AECV86-A1. Alberta Environmental Centre, Vegreville, Alberta; 1986b. 28 pp.]. In two sour gas blow-outs in Alberta, in the early 1980s, eye injury was documented in humans and animals at 0.5 ppm H₂S. Community studies in the United States, Europe and New Zealand suggest that acute exposure to 25 ppb H₂S is the lowest concentration to irritate the eyes; with chronic exposure, serious eye effects are suggested. In contrast to the conclusion, all of the studies, except one, cited in the AHW Report indicate toxic effects on the eye below 100 ppm H₂S [Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW report). Health effects associated with short-term exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S): a technical review, Alberta Health and Wellness, October 2002, 81pp.]. In addition, the AHW Report (2002) mis-presented two studies as ‘clinical studies’, claiming they reported no evidence of eye effects in humans from 2 and 30 ppm H₂S for 30-40 minutes [Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW report). Health effects associated with short-term exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S): a technical review, Alberta Health and Wellness, October 2002, 81pp.].     

Growth of A1N piezoelectric film on diamond for high-frequency surface acoustic wave devices

Diamond films are very desirable for application to SAW devices because of their high acoustic wave velocity, which allows the extending of the frequency limit of operation at a given interdigital transducer line-width resolution. Use of high-quality AIN as the piezoelectric layer in conjunction with diamond is also desirable because of its high SAW velocity--the highest among all piezoelectric materials--together with its excellent electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties. The problems arising in the growth of A1N films on diamond have prevented, until now, the use of this combination of materials. In this paper we present recent results on the growth of highly oriented, low-stressed A1N films on diamond. SAW propagation on A1N/diamond has been theoretically investigated together with electromechanical coupling for both the Rayleigh and the Sezawa modes. The theoretical calculations show that high SAW velocities are achievable with good coupling efficiencies. Under proper conditions very large piezoelectric couplings are predicted--k2 = 2.2 and 4% for the Rayleigh and the Sezawa wave, respectively--comparable to those observed in strongly piezoelectric single crystals such as LiNbO3, but with SAW velocities approximately two-fold higher. Experiments performed on A1N/diamond/Si SAW test devices have shown good agreement between experimental results and theoretical predictions and demonstrate the feasibility of SAW devices based on this technology.     

Gendered social forces: A review of the impact of institutionalized factors on women and girls' criminal justice trajectories.

Increasing arrest rates for girls and women have been documented both nationally and internationally and have propelled the development of promising theories of female antisocial behavior and crime. Nonetheless, many psychological theories focus exclusively on individual characteristics of women that promote criminality. Fewer theorists incorporate the influence of institutional and social policy factors in models of female antisociality and criminal justice involvement, despite growing evidence supporting the impact of these institutional factors on female crime. The present review expands existing conceptualizations by reviewing evidence about the extent to which the response of the criminal justice system disproportionately affects women across four key institutional domains: (1) processing and sentencing decisions, (2) relabeling and responding to youth status offenses, (3) arrests for drug offenses, and (4) pro and dual arrests for domestic violence incidents. Evidence largely supports the existence of gendered practices in the institutional response of the justice system to female crime, in that institutional changes have disproportionately influenced women's involvement in the justice system or have otherwise resulted in consequences that are different for women than men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)