Sulfur oxidizing capacity of California desert soils

Sulfur oxidation in desert soils due to bacterial activit

Microorganism study - Bacterial isolants from harsh environments Final report

Soil bacterial isolants from harsh environment

Systematic description and key to isolants from Little Lake volcanic area, California Progress report

Descriptive charts on bacteria isolated from soils of Little Lake volcanic area in Californi

Direct Measurement of Kirkwood-Rihaczek distribution for spatial properties of coherent light beam

We present direct measurement of Kirkwood-Rihaczek (KR) distribution for spatial properties of coherent light beam in terms of position and momentum (angle) coordinates. We employ a two-local oscillator (LO) balanced heterodyne detection (BHD) to simultaneously extract distribution of transverse position and momentum of a light beam. The two-LO BHD could measure KR distribution for any complex wave field (including quantum mechanical wave function) without applying tomography methods (inverse Radon transformation). Transformation of KR distribution to Wigner, Glauber Sudarshan P- and Husimi or Q- distributions in spatial coordinates are illustrated through experimental data. The direct measurement of KR distribution could provide local information of wave field, which is suitable for studying particle properties of a quantum system. While Wigner function is suitable for studying wave properties such as interference, and hence provides nonlocal information of the wave field. The method developed here can be used for exploring spatial quantum state for quantum mapping and computing, optical phase space imaging for biomedical applications.Comment: 27 pages, 14 figure

High-accuracy Penning trap mass measurements with stored and cooled exotic ions

The technique of Penning trap mass spectrometry is briefly reviewed particularly in view of precision experiments on unstable nuclei, performed at different facilities worldwide. Selected examples of recent results emphasize the importance of high-precision mass measurements in various fields of physics

How to Educate Entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurship education has two purposes: To improve students’ entrepreneurial skills and to provide impetus to those suited to entrepreneurship while discouraging the rest. While entrepreneurship education helps students to make a vocational decision its effects may conflict for those not suited to entrepreneurship. This study shows that vocational and the skill formation effects of entrepreneurship education can be identified empirically by drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior. This is embedded in a structural equation model which we estimate and test using a robust 2SLS estimator. We find that the attitudinal factors posited by the Theory of Planned Behavior are positively correlated with students’ entrepreneurial intentions. While conflicting effects of vocational and skill directed course content are observed in some individuals, overall these types of content are complements. This finding contradicts previous results in the literature. We reconcile the conflicting findings and discuss implications for the design of entrepreneurship courses

Involvement of Candida albicans in hyperkeratosis of the Göttingen minipig

At a breeding colony of Göttingen minipigs, 6404 animals born in 1995-1997 were examined for the ocurance of hyperkeratosis. and the percentage of animals with hyperkeratosis was calculated on a monthly base. From 25 animals. skin swabs were taken, and the swabs were inoculated on Saburaud’s agar. pH 4.2 at 20 C for three to seven days. All morphologically distinct colonies were sampled and grown as pure cultures on Sabauraud’s agar after which they were Gram stained. The percentage animals with hyperkeratosis varied from 1.4 to 6.9% monthly, with an average of 3.6%, 4.9% and 4 8% for the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively. Candida albicans infection was not found on the skin at. the back or head of animals with hyperkeratosis. One healthy animal was positive for Candida albicans. Some animals had a brown staining at the periocular regioni of the sampled animals with brown staining at the periocular region, all findings were positive for Candida albicans. Other infections found were Candida humicola and Trichosporon spp. In connection with histological examination Candida parapsilosis was found. The underlying cause of hyperkeratosis remains unknown. Hyperkeratosis is not associated with Candida albicans infection

Irritability and parenting practices as mediational variables between temperament and affective, anxiety, and oppositional defiant problems

Irritability and parenting are potential targets for transdiagnostic studies to identify the common and core dysfunctional characteristics underlying several diagnostic pictures with the goal of addressing these issues in treatment. Our objective was to investigate the different paths from temperament to child psychopathology (affective, anxiety, and oppositional problems) through irritability and parenting using a prospective design from ages 3 to 7. A sample of 614 3-year-old preschoolers was followed at ages 4, 6, and 7. Parents answered questionnaires about temperament (age 3), irritability (age 4), parenting practices (age 6), and psychopathology (age 7). Statistical analyses were carried out through structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the mediation effect of irritability and parenting practices from temperament (negative affectivity and effortful control) through to affective, anxious, and oppositional problems. The proposed model fit the data well. SEM showed (a) an indirect effect from temperament to affective problems, via irritability and positive parenting; (b) a direct effect from negative affectivity to anxiety, plus an indirect effect from both temperament dimensions, via irritability and autonomy parenting practices; and (c) an indirect effect from temperament to oppositional problems, via irritability and punitive parenting. Irritability and parenting are transdiagnostic mediational variables that should be focused on in intervention programs for affective, anxiety, and oppositional problem