Sport Participation Influences Perceptions of Mate Characteristics

Sport provides a context in which mate choice can be facilitated by the display of athletic prowess. Previous work has shown that, for females, team sport athletes are more desirable as mates than individual sport athletes and non-participants. In the present study, the perceptions of males and females were examined regarding potential mates base on sport participation. It was predicted that team sport athletes would be more positively perceived than individual sport athletes and non-participants by both males and females. A questionnaire, a photograph, and manipulated descriptions were used to gauge perceptual differences with respect to team sport athletes, individual sport athletes, and extracurricular club participants for 125 females and 119 males from a Canadian university. Both team and individual sport athletes were perceived as being less lazy, more competitive, and healthier than non-participants by both males and females. Interestingly, females perceived male athletes as more promiscuous than non-athletes, which upholds predictions based on previous research indicating (a) athletes have more sexual partners than non-athletes, and (b) females find athletes more desirable as partners than nonparticipants. Surprisingly, only males perceived female team sport athletes as more dependable than non-participants, and both team and individual sport athletes as more ambitious. This raises questions regarding the initial hypothesis that male team athletes would be perceived positively by females because of qualities such as the ability to cooperate, likeability, and the acceptance of responsibilities necessary for group functioning. Future studies should examine similar questions with a larger sample size that encompasses multiple contexts, taking into account the role of the social profile of sport in relation to mate choice and perception

Application of Alternative Nucleic Acid Extraction Protocols to ProGastro SSCS Assay for Detection of Bacterial Enteric Pathogens

As an alternative to automated extraction, fecal specimens were processed by investigational lysis/heating (i.e., manual) and by chromatography/centrifugation (i.e., column) methods. ProGastro SSC and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (i.e., STEC) indeterminate rates for 101 specimens were 1.0% to 3.0% for automated, 11.9% for manual, and 24.8% to 37.6% for column methods. Following freeze-thaw of 247 specimens, indeterminate rates were 1.6% to 2.4% for manual and 0.8 to 5.3% for column methods. Mean processing times for manual and column methods were 30.5 and 69.2 min, respectively. Concordance of investigational methods with automated extraction was ≥98.8%

Rapid, Brushless Self-assembly of a PS-b-PDMS Block Copolymer for Nanolithography

AbstractBlock copolymers (BCP) are highly promising self-assembling precursors for scalable nanolithography. Very regular BCP nanopatterns can be used as on-chip etch masks. The first step in the processing of BCP thin films is usually the chemical modification of the substrate surface, typically by grafting of a brush layer that renders the surface energy neutral relative to the constituent blocks. We provide here a first study on rapid, low temperature self-assembly of PS-b-PDMS (polystyrene-block-polydimethylsiloxane) on silicon substrates without a brush layer. We show that it forms line and antidot patterns after short solvo-thermal annealing. Unlike previous reports on this system, low temperature and short annealing time provide self-assembly in homogeneous thin films covering large substrate areas. This on-chip mask was then used for pattern transfer to the underlying silicon substrate. SEM (scanning electron microscope) images reveal silicon nanowires relative to the PDMS patterns of the BCP mask

Sub-15nm Silicon Lines Fabrication via PS-b-PDMS Block Copolymer Lithography

This paper describes the fabrication of nanodimensioned silicon structures on silicon wafers from thin films of a poly(styrene)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PS-b-PDMS) block copolymer (BCP) precursor self-assembling into cylindrical morphology in the bulk. The structure alignment of the PS-b-PDMS (33 k–17 k) was conditioned by applying solvent and solvothermal annealing techniques. BCP nanopatterns formed after the annealing process have been confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) after removal of upper PDMS wetting layer by plasma etching. Silicon nanostructures were obtained by subsequent plasma etching to the underlying substrate by an anisotropic dry etching process. SEM images reveal the formation of silicon nanostructures, notably of sub-15 nm dimensions

Can herbage nitrogen fractionation in Lolium perenne be improved by herbage management?

peer-reviewedThe high degradability of grass protein is an important factor in the low nitrogen (N) utilization of grazing bovines in intensive European grassland systems. We tested the hypothesis that protein degradability as measured by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) protein fractionation scheme, can be manipulated by herbage management tools, with the aim to reduce N loss to the environment. A field experiment comprising the factorial combinations of three fertilizer N application rates (0, 90 and 390 kg N ha−1 year−1), three regrowth periods (2–3, 4–5, and 6–7 weeks), two perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars [Aberdart (high sugar content) and Respect (low sugar content)] and two cutting heights (approximately 8 and 12 cm) was conducted at Teagasc, Johnstown Castle Research Centre, Wexford, Ireland. The plots were sampled during four seasons [September/October 2002 (late season), April 2003 (early season), May/June 2003 (mid season) and September 2003 (late season)] and protein fractions were determined in both sheath and lamina material. The protein was highly soluble and on average 19% and 28% of total N was in the form of non-protein N, 16% and 19% in the form of buffer-soluble protein, 52% and 40% in the form of buffer-insoluble protein, and 12% and 13% in the form of potentially available cell wall N for lamina and sheath material, respectively. In both materials only 0.9% of total N was present as unavailable cell wall N. In general the herbage management tools investigated did not have much effect on protein fractionation. The effects of regrowth period, cultivar and cutting height were small and inconsistent. High N application rates significantly increased protein degradability, especially during late season. This is relevant, as it has been shown that enhanced protein degradation increases the potential N loss through urine excretion at a time when urine-N excreted onto pasture is prone to leaching. However, the effect was most evident for sheath material, which forms only a small proportion of the animals' intake. It was concluded that there appears to be little scope for manipulating the herbage-N fractionation through herbage management. The consequences for modelling herbage quality could be positive as there does not seem to be a need to model the individual N fractions; in most cases the N fractions can be expressed as a fixed proportion of total N instead

Regulating the mobility of Cd, Cu and Pb in an acid soil with amendments of phosphogypsum, sugar foam, and phosphoric rock

11 pages, figures, and tables statistics.When acid soil has been contaminated by metals as a result of industrial discharges, accidental spills, or acid mine drainage it may be desirable to retain the metals in the soil rather than allow them to leach away. We have investigated the potential of phosphogypsum (PG), sugar foam (SF), and phosphoric rock (PR) to regulate the availability and mobility of Pb, Cd and Cu. We have also identified changes in attenuation during incubation for 1 year and the effect of aging on metal speciation in amended soils. We studied miscible displacement in columns of undisturbed soil previously treated with solutions of the amendments and soluble metals and, subsequently, single and sequential chemical metal extractions. All amendments increased the soil’s metal retention capacity. This, in turn, increased the amount of metal extractable by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). However, over time the amounts of DTPAextractable metal decreased, particularly for Cu and Pb. Both Cu and Cd were held preferentially within the acetic acid-extractable fraction (operationally defined exchangeable fraction – EX fraction), whereas Pb was associated mainly with the hydroxylammonium-extractable fraction (operationally defined bound to Fe and Al hydroxides – OX fraction). Both Pb and Cu in the oxide and organic fractions increased in the PG- and SF-treated soils. In general, the distribution of metal did not change in the PR-treated columns after the incubation. Finally, scanning electron microscopy in back-scattered electron mode (SEM–BSE) showed the formation of Al-hydroxy polymers which provides the soils with additional cation sorption capacity. In the PG- and PR-treated columns, P and S were associated with these formations. The three metals were associated with the Al polymers, probably through direct coordination or the formation of ternary complexes with the inorganic ligands phosphate and sulphate.This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology within the framework of the research project AGL2002-04545-C03-01. We are especially grateful to Laura Barrios for her assistance in the statistical treatment of the data, to Fertiberia, S.A. and Azucarera Ebro, S.L. for supplying us with samples of phosphogypsum and sugar foam, respectively, and to Guoping Lu, anonymous referees and the Editors for their review and comments.Peer reviewe

Methodological, political and legal issues in the assessment of the effects of nanotechnology on human health

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) raise questions among the scientific community and public health authorities about their potential risks to human health. Studying a prospective cohort of workers exposed to ENMs would be considered the gold standard for identifying potential health effects of nanotechnology and confirming the 'no effect' levels derived from cellular and animal models. However, because only small, cross-sectional studies have been conducted in the past 5 years, questions remain about the health risks of ENMs. This essay addresses the scientific, methodological, political and regulatory issues that make epidemiological research in nanotechnology-exposed communities particularly complex. Scientific challenges include the array of physicochemical parameters and ENM production conditions, the lack of universally accepted definitions of ENMs and nanotechnology workers, and the lack of information about modes of action, target organs and likely dose-response functions of ENMs. Standardisation of data collection and harmonisation of research protocols are needed to eliminate misclassification of exposures and health effects. Forming ENM worker cohorts from a combination of smaller cohorts and overcoming selection bias are also challenges. National or international registries for monitoring the exposures and health of ENM workers would be helpful for epidemiological studies, but the creation of such a registry and ENM worker cohorts will require political support and dedicated funding at the national and international levels. Public authorities and health agencies should consider carrying out an ENM awareness campaign to educate and engage all stakeholders and concerned communities in discussion of such a project