Reformulation of the family life-cycle concept: implications for residential mobility

The author examines the utility of assuming a traditional life cycle framework in social science theory in view of the diversification of patterns of family and non-family structure and behavior. A more comprehensive life cycle model encompassing varied household types is suggested. The appropriateness of this model is investigated, with particular reference to single-headed family households and primary households in the United States     

Believing is seeing: cultivating radical media innovations

A major challenge to making creative leaps in media innovations is demonstrating the magnitude of human impact that each new media technology will bring. The emerging media of mixed reality - the blending of real and synthetic environments and objects - has melted the boundaries between physical and virtual realities, letting us interweave simulated characters and scenes into real-world experiences. So why do we treat mixed reality as we do more limiting media technology such as virtual reality, television, cinema, radio, or print media? A new vision might borrow from tradition, but by making creative leaps, we can find the magical power that lies within.     

Lack of an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the bovine leptin gene and intramuscular fat in Bos taurus cattle

Leptin contributes to the regulation of adiposity and metabolism, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the leptin gene have been associated with intramuscular fat (IMF) levels in beef. Our objectives were to estimate the frequency of four SNPs in the leptin gene in nine purebred cattle (n = 430), to test for linkage disequilibrium and infer haplotypes, and to determine if individual genotypes or estimated haplotypes were associated with IMF values in crossbred cattle (n = 244). The four SNP loci were found to be in linkage disequilibrium and thus, the frequencies of each of the 16 possible haplotypes were inferred by maximum likelihood. No significant association between any individual SNP and haplotype was found with the divergent IMF values. Our results suggest that these SNPs are not influential on the divergent IMF levels in the crossbred population tested.     

The 40th Physical Society Exhibition

Resolving power, line profile, edge profile and spatial frequency response have been determined for a 10” F/4-5 photographic objective. The results for a series of positions on axis are presented and discussed.     

The Sharpness of Photographic Materials

The sharpness of a film must be estimated for the particular conditions of use: the limiting performance for either high or low contrast objects at high magnifications may be described satisfactorily by the resolution figues; the sharpness of larger images may be expressed conveniently in terms of the image width just showing some loss of density, but because local developer exhaustion effects occur almost universally, it is necessary to use a form of test chart similar to the type of image to be photographed.     

Planar silver nanowire,carbon nanotube and PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite transparent electrodes

Highly conductive, transparent and flexible planar electrodes were fabricated using interwoven silver nanowires and single-walled carbon nanotubes (AgNW:SWCNT) in a PEDOT:PSS matrix via an epoxy transfer method from a silicon template. The planar electrodes achieved a sheet resistance of 6.6 ± 0.0 Ω/□ and an average transmission of 86% between 400 and 800 nm. A high figure of merit of 367 Ω⁻¹ is reported for the electrodes, which is much higher than that measured for indium tin oxide and reported for other AgNW composites. The AgNW:SWCNT:PEDOT:PSS electrode was used to fabricate low temperature (annealing free) devices demonstrating their potential to function with a range of organic semiconducting polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction blend systems.     

Species-specific differences and structure-activity relationships in the debromination of PBDE congeners in three fish species

Previous studies have suggested that there may be species-specific differences in the metabolism of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) among different fish species. In this study, we investigated the in vitro hepatic metabolism of eleven individual PBDE congeners (tri- through decaBDEs) in three different fish species: rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and Chinook salmon (O. tschwatcha). In addition, we evaluated the influence of PBDE structural characteristics (i.e., bromine substitution patterns) on metabolism. Six of the eleven congeners we evaluated, BDEs 99, 153, 183, 203, 208, and 209, were metabolically debrominated to lower brominated congeners. All of the congeners that were metabolized contained at least one meta-substituted bromine. Metabolites were not detected for congeners without one meta-substituted bromine (e.g., BDEs 28, 47, and 100). Metabolite formation rates were generally 10 to 100 times faster in carp than in trout and salmon. BDEs 47, 49, 101, 154, and 183 were the major metabolites observed in all three species with the exception of BDE 47, which was only detected in carp. Carp demonstrated a preference toward meta-debromination, while trout and salmon debrominated meta- and para-bromine atoms to an equal extent. We compared glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and deiodinase (DI) activity among all three species as these enzyme systems have been hypothesized to play a role in PBDE debromination in teleosts. Carp exhibited a preference for meta-deiodination of the thyroid hormone thyroxine, which was consistent with the preference for meta-debromination of PBDEs observed in carp.