Personality constellations in incarcerated psychopathic men.

Advances in the operationalization of psychopathy have led to an increased understanding of the boundaries, structure, and nomological network of this construct, although significant questions remain. The empirical identification of replicable and theoretically meaningful psychopathy subtypes may help to improve the classification and diagnosis of this condition. We conducted a classification study of 91 incarcerated men who met conventional criteria for high levels of psychopathy using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. We expanded on the methodology of previous research on psychopathy subtypes by utilizing a comprehensive personality assessment instrument and a prototype matching approach to classification. The analyses revealed a primary (narcissistic) subtype and a secondary (hostile and dysregulated) subtype that were broadly consistent with the previous literature. External validation analyses, statistical controls, and incremental validity analyses provided substantial support for the primary and secondary subtypes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Highly aligned electrospun nanofibers by elimination of the whipping motion

This work shows how elimination of the whipping motion of electrospinning fibers leads to nearly perfect alignment of fibers collected onto fast-rotating cylindrical collectors. The whipping motion is eliminated by using lower and more uniform electrical fields than are typically used in electrospinning practice and by pulling the fiber mechanically by the collector. Two types of polymeric fibers, solid fibers of poly(ethylene oxide) and porous fibers of polystyrene, are collected at collector surface speeds ranging from 2 to 15 m/s, showing a rapid transition from either nonaligned or wavy fibers, to straight fibers with nearly perfect alignment (over 95% of the fibers within 1° and 100% within 4°). Very high collection speeds lead to worsening of alignment, apparently because of air turbulence created by the cylinder rotation. The degree of fiber stretching is quantified as a function of the collector surface speed. A 50% decrease in average diameter is measured for PEO fibers, while for porous PS fibers; it decreases by <30% over the same range in collection speed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Detoxification and oxidative stress responses along with microcystins accumulation in Japanese quail exposed to cyanobacterial biomass

The cyanobacterial exposure has been implicated in mass mortalities of wild birds, but information on the actual effects of cyanobacteria on birds in controlled studies is missing. Effects on detoxification and antioxidant parameters as well as bioaccumulation of microcystins (MCs) were studied in birds after sub-lethal exposure to natural cyanobacterial biomass. Four treatment groups of model species Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were exposed to controlled doses of cyanobacterial bloom during acute (10 days) and sub-chronic (30 days) experiment. The daily doses of cyanobacterial biomass corresponded to 0.2-224.6 ng MCs/g body weight. Significant accumulation of MCs was observed in the liver for both test durations and slight accumulation also in the muscles of the highest treatment group from acute test. The greatest accumulation was observed in the liver of the highest treatment group in the acute test reaching average concentration of 43.7 ng MCs/g fresh weight. The parameters of detoxification metabolism and oxidative stress were studied in the liver, heart and brain. The cyanobacterial exposure caused an increase of activity of cytochrome P-450-dependent 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase representing the activation phase of detoxification metabolism. Also the conjugation phase of detoxification, namely the activity of glutathione-S-transferase, was altered. Cyanobacterial exposure also modulated oxidative stress responses including the level of glutathione and activities of glutathione-related enzymes and caused increase in lipid peroxidation. The overall pattern of detoxification parameters and oxidative stress responses clearly separated the control and the lowest exposure group from all the higher exposed groups. This is the first controlled study documenting the induction of oxidative stress along with MCs accumulation in birds exposed to natural cyanobacterial biomass. The data also suggest that increased activities of detoxification enzymes could lead to greater biotransformation and elimination of the MCs at the longer exposure time.     

Persistence and prevalence of pathogenic and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in municipal wastewater treatment plant receiving slaughterhouse wastewater

We compared the prevalence of pathogenic and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) – producing Escherichia coli in effluents of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) receiving wastewater from a slaughterhouse. A total of 1248 isolates were screened for the presence of virulence genes associated with enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) (stx₁, stx₂, and eae) and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) (sfa/focDE, kpsMT K1, hlyA, papEF, afa/draBC, clbN, f17A and cnf). The prevalence of atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) was 0.7%, 0.2% and 0.5% in city wastewater, slaughterhouse wastewater and in the treated effluent, respectively. One stx_1a and stx_2b-positive E. coli isolate was detected in city wastewater. The prevalence of ExPEC was significantly higher in city wastewater (8.4%), compared to slaughterhouse wastewater (1.2%). Treatment in the WWTP did not significantly impact the prevalence of ExPEC in the outlet effluent (5.0%) compared to city wastewater. Moreover, the most potentially pathogenic ExPEC were isolated from city wastewater and from the treated effluent. ESBL-producing E. coli was also mainly detected in city wastewater (1.7%), compared to slaughterhouse wastewater (0.2%), and treated effluent (0.2%). One ESBL-producing E. coli, isolated from city wastewater, was eae-β1 positive. These results showed that pathogenic and/or ESBL-producing E. coli were mainly detected in human wastewater, and at a lesser extend in animal wastewater. Treatment failed to eliminate these strains which were discharged into the river, and then these strains could be transmitted to animals and humans via the environment.     

Effect of surface texturing on elastohydrodynamically lubricated contact under transient speed conditions

Effect of surface topography modifications on lubrication film thickness within non-conformal lubricated contact operated under transient speed conditions is observed. Optical test rig is used to observe the lubricant film behaviour between the flat surface of a chromium coated glass disc and a steel ball under simplified operational conditions modelling the cam and tappet contact. Numerical simulation was used to be able to choose the operating conditions suitable for experiments. An array of micro-dents was produced on the ball surface to be able to demonstrate the effect of surface topography on lubrication film formation. Experiments were carried out under elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions. Obtained results have shown that surface texturing could represent the way how to increase lubrication efficiency of rolling/sliding non-conformal contacts under transient operational conditions through the lubricant emitted from micro-dents. It was found that the lubricant emitted from the micro-dents helps to separate rubbing surfaces especially under thin film lubrication conditions where the rubbing surfaces moves in the opposite direction.     

Influence of carbon support on the performance of platinum based oxygen reduction catalysts in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell

Novel carbons from the Sibunit family prepared via pyrolysis of hydrocarbons [Yermakov YI, Surovikin VF, Plaksin GV, Semikolenov VA, Likholobov VA, Chuvilin AL, Bogdanov SV (1987) React Kinet Catal Lett 33:435] possess a number of attractive properties for fuel cell applications. In this work Sibunit carbons with BET surface areas ranging from ca. 20 to 420 m² g⁻¹ were used as supports for platinum and the obtained catalysts were tested as cathodes in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The metal loading per unit surface area of carbon support was kept constant in order to maintain similar metal dispersions (∼0.3). Full cell tests revealed a strong influence of the carbon support texture on cell performance. The highest mass specific activities at 0.85 V were achieved for the 40 and 30 wt.% Pt catalysts prepared on the basis of Sibunit carbons with BET surface areas of 415 and 292 m² g⁻¹. These exceeded the mass specific activities of conventional 20 wt.% Pt/Vulcan XC-72 catalyst by a factor of ca. 4 in oxygen and 6 in air feed. Analysis of the I–U curves revealed that the improved cell performance was related to the improved mass transport in the cathode layers. The mass transport overvoltages were found to depend strongly on the specific surface area and the texture of the support.     

Automated acquisition and processing of multidimensional image data in confocal in vivo microscopy

The successful development of visualization techniques for live cell imaging leads to the development of suitable software for the acquisition and processing of multidimensional image data. This report compares several possible approaches to image acquisition and processing in confocal in vivo microscopy and suggests new alternatives to the published methods. Special attention is paid to spinning disk systems based either on a classical Nipkow disk or on the microlens principle. This study shows how to optimize image acquisition process in live cell studies using camera binning feature and how to perform object tracking using a new fast image registration method based on the graph theory.     

Zur Abschätzung der Sprödbruchsicherheit von Turbinenwellen

Sprödbruchuntersuchungen an Grundwerkstoff und Schweißverbindungen von vier Vergütungsstählen mit rd. 0,2 bis 0,35% C, 0,3% Si, 0,6% Mn, 0,8 bis 2,0% Cr, 0,4 bis 0,7% Mo, bis rd. 2,2% Ni und bis 0,1 % V. Ermittlung kennzeichnender Übergangstemperaturen in Kerbschlagbiegeversuchen sowie der Bruchzähigkeit in Schleuderversuchen an innengekerbten Scheiben mit 600 mm Dmr. und in Bruchmechanikversuchen. Statische Biegeversuche an Kleinproben. Allgemeiner Zusammenhang zwischen Bruchzähigkeit, Kerbschlagzähigkeit und Rißauffangübergangstemperatur (FATT) für ferritische Stähle mit 390 bis 1175 N/mm² Streckgrenze. Errechnung der Sicherheit gegen Sprödbruch bei geschweißten und geschmiedeten Turbinenwellen unter Berücksichtigung der möglichen Anfangsgröße von Fehlstellen und deren Wachstum unter Betriebsbedingungen.     

Knowledge of storybooks as a predictor of young children's vocabulary.

Shared book reading provides a rich source of linguistic stimulation for young children. The authors examined whether variations in knowledge of storybooks (assumed to index factors such as frequency of shared reading) were related to vocabulary scores for 3–6 yr olds. In Exp 1, parents' knowledge of storybooks explained unique variance in children's receptive vocabulary scores after controlling for children's analytic intelligence, parents' exposure to adult reading material, and parents' education. In Exp 2, children's knowledge of storybooks explained unique variance in their receptive and expressive vocabulary scores after controlling for parents' exposure to print and socioeconomic status level. Children's knowledge of storybooks indexed cognitive factors as well as exposure. The findings obtained in the 2 experiments suggest that storybook experiences during the preschool years may be an important influence on the development of children's language skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)