Why minority group members perceive or do not perceive the discrimination that confronts them: The role of self-esteem and perceived control.

Self-esteem and perceived control were examined to explain why minority group members sometimes perceive discrimination but, more often, minimize the discrimination. Women (Study 1), and Asians and Blacks (Study 2) reacted to negative feedback after information about the probability for discrimination. Minority group members tended to minimize discrimination and attributed their failure to themselves. By perceiving discrimination as a reason for failure, minority group members protected their performance state self-esteem. In contrast, by minimizing discrimination, they protected their social state self-esteem and maintained the perception of control in the performance and social domains. Results suggest that minority group members minimize discrimination because the consequences of doing so are psychologically beneficial. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Near- to far-infrared tunable Raman laser

The importance of stimulated Raman scattering of tunable laser beams in molecular fluids for generating powerful infrared radiation tunable from the near to the far infrared (FIR) is demonstrated. Main criteria (frequency shift, transparency, and Raman gain) leading to the choice of the best Raman medium for a given tunable laser are discussed. For the high power (400-1000 MW), monochromatic (0.02 cm^-1), and broadly tunable (0.72-1.09 mum) ruby pumped dye laser described here, gaseous hydrogen is chosen for the1-10 mum wavelength region yielding powers ranging from 1 to 200 MW. For mid-infrared (IR) generation (10-18 mum), one more Raman shifting in liquid nitrogen permits one to obtain up to 1.7 mJ in the 16 μm region. For longer wavelengths the use of resonantly enhanced stimulated Raman scattering in hydrogen fluoride gives rise to the generation of powerful radiation (2 times 10^{17}photons per pulse of 2.5 ns duration) tunable over half of the40-250 mum spectral range.     

Partial purification and some properties of wheat (Triticum aestivum) o-diphenolase

o-Diphenolase extracted from Triticum aestivum (cv. Nettuno) and purified in various steps gave a 250-fold purification over the crude extract. This purified enzyme showed maximum relative activity towards 4-methylcatechol, generally high or moderate activity towards di- and polyphenols, and very low activity towards monophenols. Total activity, determined at each step of purification, showed that treatment with ammonium sulphate and calcium phosphate gel gave rise to an activation of o-diphenolase, thus revealing a latency of enzymatic activity. In the pH profile activity towards 4-methylcatechol two optima at pH 5.3 and 6.9 were observed.     

Peptides secondary structure prediction with neural networks: acriterion for building appropriate learning sets

Artificial neural networks have been recently applied with success for protein secondary structure prediction. So far, one of the two main aspects on which neural net performance depends, the topology of the net, has been considered. The present work addresses the other main aspect, the building up of the learning set. The author presents a criterion to build up suitable learning sets based on the α-helix percentage. Starting from a set of several well known proteins, the author formed 7 groups of proteins with similar helix percentages and used them for the learning of the same neural net. The author found that the best secondary structure prediction for each of the tested proteins (not belonging to the initial set) was the one obtained using the learning set whose helix percentage was closest to that of the tested protein. The accuracy of correct prediction of the author's method on 3 types of secondary structure (α-helix, β-sheet and coil), has been compared with the accuracy of other secondary structure prediction methods     

Chemical composition of a soybean cultivar lacking lipoxygenases (LOX2 and LOX3)

The nutrient, phytic acid, oxalate, trypsin inhibitors and isoflavones composition of a whole soy flour produced from a new cultivar (UFV-116), lacking lipoxygenases 2 and 3, compared to a conventional cultivar (OCEPAR-19) were determined. Protein and dietary fibres (total, soluble and insoluble) were similar for both cultivars. OCEPAR-19 was higher in lipids and UFV-116 in ash content (p < 0.05). Indispensable, dispensable and total aminoacid as well as Ca, K and Mg were higher for UFV-116. This cultivar also showed higher levels of phytic acid, oxalate and trypsin inhibitors (p < 0.05). Total saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were similar between them. However, palmitic and linoleic acids were higher for UFV-116 and stearic, α-linolenic and oleic acids for OCEPAR-19 (p < 0.05). The higher concentration of isoflavones in UFV-116 (p < 0.05) could provide better benefit for human health. Experimental studies are necessary to evaluate health effects of this new soybean cultivar.     

饮用水生产设备中纳滤膜化学清洗的评估：联合使用化学组成物分析和荧光显微镜方法

通过联合使用化学组成物分析和荧光显微镜方法评估了Mery sur Oise的饮用水厂中从运行的NF膜表面去除污染沉积物的清洗效果。污染膜的ATR-FTIR光谱显示了在膜表面存在生物物质,主要包括多糖、核酸和蛋白质。与膜材料对应的取波段用于第一阶段的检测,而不是第三阶段。共焦激光扫描显微镜法（CLSM）观察证明了污染沉积的微生物源。化学清洗后,无机污染物的分析说明无机物含量明显下降。改良被污染膜的ATR-FTIR光谱,主要是与多糖和核酸对应的宽的综合区域。氨基化合物波段也因阶段1而改变,清洗后对应于阶段3的清洗膜的一些峰出现。     

Low prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in cull sows and pork

The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in sows slaughtered at a single Midwestern plant on two occasions (trial 1, n = 179 sows; trial 2, n = 160 sows). Fecal samples collected antemortem (trial 1) as well as animal tissues, and carcass swabs collected at the abattoir (trials 1 and 2) were analyzed. Eight isolates of L. monocytogenes were recovered from five samples that represented 0.18% of the total samples (n = 2,775). In trial 1, L. monocytogenes was detected in a tonsil sample (0.6%; 1 positive of 181 tonsils), in a carcass (0.6%; 1 positive of 179 carcasses), which was sampled prior to the organic rinse, and in two chopped meat block samples (1.2%; 2 positive of 165 samples). In trial 2, L. monocytogenes was only detected in a single chopped meat block sample (0.15%; 1 positive of 688 total samples). These data indicate the low prevalence of L. monocytogenes in the cull sow.