Animal psychology in America as revealed in APA presidential addresses.

The year 1992 marks the centennial of the founding of the American Psychological Association (APA). Through the years, psychologists who were interested in animal behavior processes have actively participated in this organization, and many have been elected president of APA. This article considers some aspects of theory and research in animal psychology during this 100-yr period by examining a selected set of APA presidential addresses. Attention is given to the presidents' evaluations of the state of animal psychology at the time of their presidency and their assessments of its future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oxidation and mineralisation of substituted phenols by Fenton's reagent and catalytic wet oxidation.

Catalytic abatement of solutions of 1,000 mg/L in phenol, ortho and para nitrophenol and ortho and para cresols was acomplished by using two catalytic systems. Fenton's reagent was used at 50 degrees C by adding 10 mg/L of ferrous cation and different dosages of H2O2. The mixture was reacting isothermically in a batch way during 3 hours. Catalytic wet oxidation (CWO) was carried out by using a commercial Activated Carbon, Industrial React FE01606A, CWO runs were carried out in a fixed bed reactor (FBR) with concurrent upflow. Temperature and oxygen pressure of the reactor were set to 160 degrees C and 16 bar, respectively. While phenols are quicky oxidised by the Fenton reagent higher mineralisation was obtained in the CWO process.     

Yeast exo-β-glucanases can be used as efficient and readily detectable reporter genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Yeast exo-1,3-β-glucanases are secretable proteins whose function is basically trophic and may also be involved in cell wall glucan hydrolytic processes. Since fluorescein di(β-D -glucopyranoside) is a fluorogenic substrate detectable and quantifiable by flow cytometry, it was used for testing the ability of the EXG1 gene product of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its homologous gene in Candida albicans to function as reporter genes. These open reading frames were coupled to different promoters in multicopy plasmids, and exoglucanase activity quantified at flow cytometry. Exoglucanases were found to be useful tools for the study of promoter regions in S. cerevisiae. This technique has the advantage over other reporter gene systems—such as β-galactosidase fusions—that it does not require permeabilization of yeast cells and therefore it allows the recovery of viable cells—by sorting—after flow cytometry analysis.     

Progressive ladder network topology combining interferometric and intensity fiber-optic-based sensors

Progressive ladder topology is studied by consideration of its properties of power budget and coupler tailoring. Optimization criteria are addressed for lossless and real systems, and their basic characteristics are compared with other topologies. Numerical results are presented, and an experiment is described for the case in which the network supports interferometric and intensity (with referentiation) fiber-optic-based sensors.     

High-resolution imaging of the immunological synapse and T-cell receptor microclustering through microfabricated substrates

T-cell activation via antigen presentation is associated with the formation of a macromolecular membrane assembly termed the immunological synapse (IS). The genesis of the IS and the onset of juxtacrine signalling is characterized by the formation of cell membrane microclusters and the organization of such into segregated microdomains. A central zone rich in T-cell receptor (TCR)–major histocompatibility complex microclusters termed the central supramolecular activation cluster (cSMAC) forms the bullseye of this structure, while the cellular interface surrounding the cSMAC is characterized by regions enriched in adhesion and co-stimulatory molecules. In vitro, the study of dynamic TCR microcluster coalescence and IS genesis in T-cell populations is hampered by cell migration within the culture system and resolution constraints resulting from lateral cell–cell contact. Here, we detail a novel system describing the fabrication of micropit arrays designed to sequester single T-cell–antigen presenting cell (APC) conjugates and promote IS formation in the horizontal imaging plane for high-resolution studies of microcluster dynamics. We subsequently use this system to describe the formation of the cSMAC in T-cell populations and to investigate the morphology of the interfacial APC membrane.     

Narrowing the gap: Practical strategies for increasing whole‐grain consumption

Overcoming consumer confusion and doubt regarding nutrition recommendations is key to communicating the message to increase whole‐grain foods in the diet. Nutrition communicators may do that more successfully by using four tactics to fashion messages about whole grains: (1) present a positive message; (2) keep it short and simple; (3) keep the message practical and flexible; (4) speak with a united voice. The quantitative recommendation to eat at least three servings of whole‐grain foods daily also must be integrated into national nutrition documents, such as Healthy People 2000, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Food Guide Pyramid, Nutrition Recommendations for Canadians, and Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating, if we are to be truly successful in communicating the need to increase whole‐grain consumption.     

Information and Telecommunications Project for a Digital City: A Brazilian case study

Making information and telecommunications available is a permanent challenge for cities concerned to their social, urban and local planning and development, focused on life quality of their citizens and on the effectiveness of public management. Such a challenge requires the involvement of everyone in the city. The objective is to describe the information and telecommunications project from the planning of a digital city carried out in Vinhedo-SP, Brazil. It was built as a telecommunications infrastructure of the kind of “open access metropolitan area networks” which enables the integration of citizens in a single telecommunications environment. The research methodology was emphasized by a case study which turned to be a research-action, comprising the municipal administration and its local units. The results achieved describe, by means of a methodology, the phases, sub-phases, activities, approval points and resulting products, and formalize their respective challenges and difficulties. The contributions have to do with the practical feasibility of the project and execution of its methodology. The conclusion reiterates the importance of the project, collectively implemented and accepted, as a tool to help the management of cities, in the implementation of Strategic Digital City Projects, in the decisions of public administration managers, and in the quality of life of their citizens.