And Now a Punch, Kick, and Slap from Our Sponsors: A Content Analysis of Aggression in Network Television Commercials.

While the violent content of television news and entertainment programs has been widely documented, commercials have been rarely scrutinized for aggressive traits. This study sought to improve on this situation and gather additional data about television commercial violence. Because commercials make up 25 percent of each network hour of programming, the potential for exposure to violent content may be even greater than previously believed. To explore this issue, a content analysis was conducted of 2,162 prime-time television commercials on three major networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. The sample was coded with a scheme developed by Anu Mustonen and Lea Pulkkinen to measure and interpret violent acts in television programming. Violent content was depicted in 9.3 percent of the sample with the majority of acts being physical in nature. The research indicated that villain-types and males perpetrated most of the violence and males were most often the victims of violent acts

Grazing by Diadema antillarum (Philippi) and its effects on the benthic algal community

Field observations in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and Discovery Bay, Jamaica reveal that Diadema antillarum Philippi has a strong feeding preference for algal turf. Seasonally reduced abundance of this preferred food item was accompanied by the utilization of an alternate food resource (live coral) in concurrence with optimal foraging theory predictions...

Inventory Investment, Internal-Finance Fluctuation, and the Business Cycle

macroeconomics, inventory investment, internal-finance fluctuation, business cycle

Mobile test fixture system for use in a thermal vacuum facility

A turnkey thermal vacuum facility is discussed. A system is described that integrates five major subsystems including the transporters, multiplexers, a thermal shrouded test fixture, a thermal isolation system and an internal utility distribution system into a mobile test fixture system. This concept allows the spacecraft to be mounted outside of the chamber. Instrumentation and checkout of the spacecraft and its instrumentation is accomplished at this station. The spacecraft, which is still mated to the test fixture, is then moved into the chamber using an air transporter system

Comparison of first pass bolus AIFs extracted from sequential 18F-FDG PET and DSC-MRI of mice.

Accurate kinetic modelling of in vivo physiological function using positron emission tomography (PET) requires determination of the tracer time-activity curve in plasma, known as the arterial input function (AIF). The AIF is usually determined by invasive blood sampling methods, which are prohibitive in murine studies due to low total blood volumes. Extracting AIFs from PET images is also challenging due to large partial volume effects (PVE). We hypothesise that in combined PET with magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MR), a co-injected bolus of MR contrast agent and PET ligand can be tracked using fast MR acquisitions. This protocol would allow extraction of a MR AIF from MR contrast agent concentration-time curves, at higher spatial and temporal resolution than an image-derived PET AIF. A conversion factor could then be applied to the MR AIF for use in PET kinetic analysis. This work has compared AIFs obtained from sequential DSC-MRI and PET with separate injections of gadolinium contrast agent and 18F-FDG respectively to ascertain the technique's validity. An automated voxel selection algorithm was employed to improve MR AIF reproducibility. We found that MR and PET AIFs displayed similar character in the first pass, confirmed by gamma variate fits (p<0.02). MR AIFs displayed reduced PVE compared to PET AIFs, indicating their potential use in PET/MR studies.This work was funded by an MRC studentship and travel to PSMR 2013 was funded by the EU COST action for PET/MR.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2013.08.07

Homeotic genes controlling flower development in Antirrhinum

In order to study genes controlling flower development, we have carried out an extensive transposon-mutagenesis experiment in Antirrhinum majus. More than 15 independent homeotic mutations were obtained, allowing three categories of genes to be defined. The first includes floricaula (flo), a primary gene required for the initiation of the floral developmental pathway. In the absence of the wild-type flo product, proliferating inflorescence meristems arise in place of flowers. The flo gene has been isolated and shown to be expressed transiently in a subset of organ primordia in the floral meristem. The second category includes genes that affect the identity, and also sometimes the number, of whorls of organs in the flower. These genes act in overlapping domains so that each whorl has a distinct combination of gene functions, suggesting a model for the genetic control of whorl identity and number. Genes of the third category control differences between organs in the same whorl and hence the overall symmetry of the flower. We discuss how the basic plan of the flower and inflorescence may arise through the interactions between the three categories of genes

Effects of increasing zinc from zinc sulfate or zinc hydroxychloride on finishing pig growth performance and carcass characteristics

Citation: Carpenter, C. B., Coble, K., Woodworth, J. C., DeRouchey, J. M., Tokach, M. D., Goodband, R. D., . . . Usry, J. L. (2016). Effects of increasing zinc from zinc sulfate or zinc hydroxychloride on finishing pig growth performance and carcass characteristics. Journal of Animal Science, 94, 141-141. doi:10.2527/msasas2016-301A variety of zinc sources are available for use in swine trace mineral premixes. However, more research is needed to compare zinc sources and dietary levels in growing and finishing pigs in a commercial environment. A total of 1008 pigs [TR4 × (Fast Large White × L02 PIC); initially 32.1 kg BW)] were used in a 103-d growth study to determine the effects of Zn source and level on finishing pig growth performance and carcass characteristics. The 6 dietary treatments were arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial with main effects of Zn source (ZnSO4 Agrium Advance Technology, Loveland, CO or Zn Hydroxychloride; IntelliBond Z®; Micronutrients, Indianapolis, IN) or level (50, 100, or 150 ppm added Zn). There was no additional Zn provided from the trace mineral premix. There were 21 pigs per pen and 8 pens per treatment. Overall, there were no Zn source × level interactions observed for ADG or ADFI, however G:F tended (linear, P = 0.069) to be poorer when pigs were fed increasing levels of Zn from ZnSO4. Overall, there were no Zn source effects for growth performance observed. For Zn level main effects, ADG was maximized (quadratic, P = 0.007) and ending BW was heaviest (quadratic, P = 0.011) when diets contained 100 ppm of Zn. Feed efficiency was poorer (linear, P = 0.006) when pigs were fed increasing levels of Zn. For carcass characteristics, pigs fed diets with Zn Hydroxychloride had heavier (P = 0.041) HCW than those fed ZnSO4. Also carcass yield increased (linear, P = 0.027) when pigs were fed increasing levels of Zn and HCW was maximized (quadratic, P = 0.006) when diets contained 100 ppm of Zn. These results suggest that a total of 100 ppm added Zn is enough to maximize ending BW, ADG and HCW, but G:F worsened as Zn level increased. Zn source did not impact growth performance; however, pigs fed Zn Hydroxychloride had increased HCW compared to those fed ZnSO4

Racial Differences in Diffusion of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), an innovative treatment option for prostate cancer, has rapidly diffused over the past decade. To inform our understanding of racial disparities in prostate cancer treatment and outcomes, this study compared diffusion of IMRT in African American (AA) and Caucasian American (CA) prostate cancer patients during the early years of IMRT diffusion using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)–Medicare linked database. A retrospective cohort of 947 AA and 10,028 CA patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer from 2002 through 2006, who were treated with either IMRT or non-IMRT as primary treatment within 1 year of diagnoses was constructed. Logistic regression was used to examine potential differences in diffusion of IMRT in AA and CA patients, while adjusting for socioeconomic and clinical covariates. A significantly smaller proportion of AA compared with CA patients received IMRT for localized prostate cancer (45% vs. 53%, p < .0001). Racial differences were apparent in multivariable analysis though did not achieve statistical significance, as time and factors associated with race (socioeconomic, geographic, and tumor related factors) explained the preponderance of variance in use of IMRT. Further research examining improved access to innovative cancer treatment and technologies is essential to reducing racial disparities in cancer care