Fate of chlorinated fatty acids in migrating sockeye salmon and their transfer to arctic grayling

To investigate whether biotransport constitutes an entry route into pristine ecosystems for nonpersistent, nonvolatile xenobiotic compounds, extractable organically bound halogen in sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) from Alaska was determined before and after spawning migration. The major organohalogen compounds in the salmon were halogenated fatty acids, predominantly chlorinated species that accounted for up to 35% of the extractable, organically bound chlorine (EOCl) in the fish tissues. The amount of chlorinated fatty acids in the salmon muscle decreased as a result of spawning migration. The decrease was correlated with that of triacylglycerols in the salmon muscle, indicating the chlorinated fatty acids to be mobilized and metabolized to approximately the same extent as the other fatty acids. Chlorinated fatty acids were also transferred to the maturing roe in a manner similar to that of the unchlorinated fatty acids. Lipids of the Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), a fish resident to the spawning lake of the salmon, contained higher concentrations of chlorinated fatty acids than grayling in a lake without migratory salmon. This may reflect a food-chain transfer of the chlorinated fatty acids originating from the salmon, demonstrating a long-range transport route for this type of pollutants to pristine areas.     

Geothermal Power Project 2003–2004: European Union Energy Framework Programme—ALTENER

This paper describes the Geothermal Power research project supported by the ALTENER-Energy Framework Programme of the EU. Four Hungarian, one Austrian, one Portuguese, and an Icelandic partner will implement the project starting from spring of 2003. The main objectives of the project are to develop an integrated feasibility study on the installation of small-scale geothermal power plants in Hungary combined with heating applications and balneological use via a cascading system. The intention is to provide a model for extended application throughout the Accession Countries and the EU-15. The envisaged major target is to identify the most feasible group of boreholes for the implementation of mini-power plants. For this purpose detailed financial viability studies will be made, taking into due consideration physical, technical and environmental parameters. More detailed information is available on the project website: www.geothermalpower.net     

Stressful Work, Psychological Job Strain, and Turnover: A 2-Year Prospective Cohort Study of Truck Drivers.

Based on a model that combines existing organizational stress theory and job transition theory, this 2-year longitudinal study examined antecedents and consequences of turnover among Dutch truck drivers. For this purpose, self-reported data on stressful work (job demands and control), psychological strain (need for recovery after work and fatigue), and turnover were obtained from 820 drivers in 1998 and 2000. In agreement with the model, the results showed that strain mediates the influence of stressful work on voluntary turnover. Also in conformity with the model, job movement to any job outside the trucking industry (i.e., interoccupational turnover) resulted in a larger strain reduction as compared to job movement within the trucking industry (intraoccupational turnover). Finally, strain was found to stimulate interoccupational turnover more strongly than it stimulated intraoccupational turnover. These findings provide a thorough validation of existing turnover theory and give new insights into the turnover (decision) process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in the Bergen Child Study: A conceptually and methodically motivated structural analysis.

Objective: To test Goodman’s theoretical 5-factor model of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in an analysis of the Norwegian parent (P) and teacher (T) versions of the questionnaire. Method: The T-SDQ was analyzed for 8,999 (95.4% of all) children in primary school grades 2–4 in Bergen, Norway, whereas the P-SDQ was examined for 6,430 children (68.2%). Main analyses were exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results: The analyses supported a modestly modified version of Goodman’s 5-factor model for both the P-SDQ and the T-SDQ. The correlations between latent factors were high, particularly when the conduct problem factor was involved, reflecting a high level of overlap between the problem areas. Cross-informant correlation between parents and teachers was moderate to high for the problem subscales and considerably higher than the corresponding correlation between subscales that has been found in earlier studies. Conclusions: None of the alternative models derived from the exploratory factor analysis fitted the data better than a slightly modified version of Goodman’s 5-factor model, which showed acceptable goodness of fit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Resistivity mapping as a tool for identification and characterisation of weakness zones in crystalline bedrock: definition and testing of an interpretational model

In recent years, the focus on feasibility studies for tunnels has increased in Norway. Traditionally, the refraction seismic method and the very low-frequency electromagnetic method (VLF-EM) have been used. The Geological Survey of Norway introduced the electrical resistivity traversing method (ERT) in feasibility studies for tunnel construction purposes. Resistivity modelling shows that the method has the potential to characterise fracture zones geometrically; i.e., the thickness, dip, and depth extent. Based on previous studies, a model for mineralogical characterisation is proposed. This model, and the possibility for geometrical characterisation, is critically tested with success on three tunnel projects. The results of the comparison study, with regards to weakness zones, show that VLF-EM is a method that is capable of locating fracture zones, while refraction seismic is capable of locating and indicating the width of the zone, and can be used to imply the thickness of the soil cover above bedrock. The 2D resistivity method is able to locate the weakness zone, indicate the width, depth extent, and the dip of the zone, and in addition, characterise the zone with respect to stability or water problems. The crystalline bedrock characterisation is divided into three groups: resistivity values above 3,000 Ω m indicating good rock quality, values between 3,000 and 500 Ω m indicating bedrock with mainly water problems, while values <500 Ω m indicate clay-bearing, unstable rock with fewer water problems. From our investigations, we conclude that the 2D resistivity method is a very good supplement to traditional methods for feasibility studies on tunnelling purposes in crystalline rock.     

Adjustment and Online Determination of Primary Particle Size in Transferred Arc Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles

Scaling up metal nanoparticle production is a desired goal of much research, the need of the industry due to the growing market of applications increases significantly. However, a scale up of production rate often leads to an increase in particle size and a broadening of size distribution. Particle characterization in terms of size is mostly done after synthesis. In this work, a transferred arc process is optimized to increase the production rate of pure copper nanoparticles economically. The maximum production rate for different particle sizes is determined by TEOM measurements. While the influence of different carrier gases has been investigated before, different mixtures of nitrogen and argon as carrier gas are used to manipulate the primary particle size. Primary particle size determination is performed by a novel analysis method based on parallel online ELPI and SMPS measurement. An equation is found to calculate the mass mobility exponent directly on the basis of the effective density of an agglomerate. Hence, the method is suitable for determining the primary particle sizes directly online.

Copyright 2013 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Gender differences in general academic self-esteem and in success expectations on defined academic problems.

In this study, gender differences in different dimensions of academic self-concept were examined. General academic self-esteem and expectations of being able to master particular math and verbal problems were measured in 231 sixth-grade Norwegian students. The girls had a substantially higher level of achievement and higher success expectations than their male classmates in Norwegian and English tasks, whereas there were no gender differences in achievement or success expectations in mathematics or in general academic self-esteem. A path analysis revealed that the differences in success expectations in English and Norwegian were no larger than could be explained by differences in achievement, and support for a direct effect of sex stereotypes on success expectations was not found. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Studies on α-amylase inhibitors in foods

Different foods have been tested for α-amylase inhibitor activity on human salivary α-amylase. High activity was found in wheat flour (590 units/g), whole wheat flour (351 units/g) and whole rye flour (186 units/g) but oat flour and barley flour had no activity. Bread baking reduced the α-amylase inhibitor activity in white bread and rye bread about 80–90% and no activity was left in whole wheat bread. Spaghetti had high activity (248 units/g) before boiling but less than 2% of the activity remained after 15 min of boiling. Red beans had some activity before boiling (41 units/g) but no activity was left after boiling for $\text{1}\text{1}\text{2}\text{h}$. Split peas, brown rice, potato, carrot and swede did not contain any α-amylase inhibitor activity.     

Description of tokamak discharges in present and future devices at Princeton PPL

The evolution in time and space of plasma temperatures and densities in typical discharges of presently operating tokamak is reviewed. The characteristics of the concomitant bombardment of vacuum walls and aperture limiters by electrons ions, neutral atoms, and photons are described together with the behavior impurities of wall and adsorbed materials in the discharge. The influence of the impurities on the plasma properties is discussed, with special consideration for cumulative effects. The discussion is extended to the extrapolated behavior of the discharges in the next generation of tokamaks at PPL.