Handedness and behavioural inhibition:left-handed females show most inhibition as measured by BIS/BAS self-report

This study investigated the relationship between handedness, gender and behavioural approach and inhibition using Carver and White’s (1994) BIS/BAS Scale. 112 participants took part: 46 left-handers and 66 right-handers. All participants completed Peters’ (1998) handedness questionnaire followed by the self-report BIS/BAS Scale. Significant effects of both handedness and gender on the BIS scores were found, with left-handers and females scoring significantly higher on inhibition. BIS scores were re-examined to include FFFS scores, which showed a significant effect of gender. Revised BIS scores replicated the original BIS findings. These findings are discussed in relation to handedness research

Calculating the transfer function of noise removal by principal component analysis and application to AzTEC observations

Instruments using arrays of many bolometers have become increasingly common in the past decade. The maps produced by such instruments typically include the filtering effects of the instrument as well as those from subsequent steps performed in the reduction of the data. Therefore interpretation of the maps is dependent upon accurately calculating the transfer function of the chosen reduction technique on the signal of interest. Many of these instruments use non-linear and iterative techniques to reduce their data because such methods can offer improved signal-to-noise over those that are purely linear, particularly for signals at scales comparable to that subtended by the array. We discuss a general approach for measuring the transfer function of principal component analysis (PCA) on point sources that are small compared to the spatial extent seen by any single bolometer within the array. The results are applied to previously released AzTEC catalogues of the COSMOS, Lockman Hole, Subaru XMM-Newton Deep Field, GOODS-North and GOODS-South fields. Source flux density and noise estimates increase by roughly +10 per cent for fields observed while AzTEC was installed at the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment and +15-25 per cent while AzTEC was installed at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. Detection significance is, on average, unaffected by the revised technique. The revised photometry technique will be used in subsequent AzTEC releases.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Superposition of DC voltage and submicrosecond impulses for energization of electrostatic precipitators

This paper discusses the development of an impulsive microelectrostatic precipitation technology, which uses superposition of submicrosecond high-field pulses and dc electric field. Short impulses allow the application of higher voltages to the ionization electrodes of a precipitation system without the initiation of breakdown. These higher levels of electric field generate higher ionic concentrations, resulting in more efficient charging of the airborne particles, and can potentially improve precipitation efficiency. This work is focused on the analysis of the behavior of impulsive positive corona discharges in a coaxial reactor designed for precipitation studies. The efficiency of precipitation of coarse and fine particles has been investigated using different dc and impulse voltage levels in order to establish optimal energization modes

The triggered behavior of a controlled corona stabilised cascade switch

Corona stabilised switches have been shown to have advantages in pulse power switching applications due to their high repetition rates and low jitter. Work performed in recent years by the High Voltage Technologies Group within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde has shown that the operating voltage range of such switches can be extended by using a multi-gap cascade configuration. One particular multi-gap topology was shown to operate under pressure at 100 kV with a switching jitter of 2ns. It has since been shown that by modifying the topology of the corona sources on the electrodes, it is possible to control the grading of the voltage distribution across the gaps in the cascade. The voltages across each gap and the self-break behaviour of the cascade were found to be in close agreement with the values predicted from the corona emission characteristics for the tested electrode topologies. This paper reports on a further examination of the behaviour of the corona controlled switching topology, where triggered operation of the switch has been investigated for different voltage distributions across the cascade gaps

Age, growth, mortality, and radiometric age validation of gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) from Louisiana

The gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) is a temperate and tropical reef fish that is found along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the southeastern United States. The recreational fishery for gray snapper has developed rapidly in south Louisiana with the advent of harvest and seasonal restrictions on the established red snapper (L. campechanus) fishery. We examined the age and growth of gray snapper in Louisiana with the use of cross-sectioned sagittae. A total of 833 specimens, (441 males, 387 females, and 5 of unknown sex) were opportunistically sampled from the recreational fishery from August 1998 to August 2002. Males ranged in size from 222 to 732 mm total length (TL) and from 280 g to 5700 g total weight (TW) and females ranged from 254 to 756 mm TL and from 340 g to 5800 g TW. Both edge analysis and bomb radiocarbon analyses were used to validate otolith-based age estimates. Ages were estimated for 718 individuals; both males and females ranged from 1 to 28 years. The von Bertalanffy growth models derived from TL at age were Lt = 655.4{1–e[–0.23(t)]} for males, Lt = 657.3{1–e[– 0.21(t)]} for females, and L t = 656.4{1–e[– 0.22 (t)]} for all specimens of known sex. Catch curves were used to produce a total mortality (Z) estimate of 0.17. Estimates of M calculated with various methods ranged from 0.15 to 0.50; however we felt that M= 0.15 was the most appropriate estimate based on our estimate of Z. Full recruitment to the gray snapper recreational fishery began at age 4, was completed by age 8, and there was no discernible peak in the catch curve dome

Bayesian model search and multilevel inference for SNP association studies

Technological advances in genotyping have given rise to hypothesis-based association studies of increasing scope. As a result, the scientific hypotheses addressed by these studies have become more complex and more difficult to address using existing analytic methodologies. Obstacles to analysis include inference in the face of multiple comparisons, complications arising from correlations among the SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms), choice of their genetic parametrization and missing data. In this paper we present an efficient Bayesian model search strategy that searches over the space of genetic markers and their genetic parametrization. The resulting method for Multilevel Inference of SNP Associations, MISA, allows computation of multilevel posterior probabilities and Bayes factors at the global, gene and SNP level, with the prior distribution on SNP inclusion in the model providing an intrinsic multiplicity correction. We use simulated data sets to characterize MISA's statistical power, and show that MISA has higher power to detect association than standard procedures. Using data from the North Carolina Ovarian Cancer Study (NCOCS), MISA identifies variants that were not identified by standard methods and have been externally ``validated'' in independent studies. We examine sensitivity of the NCOCS results to prior choice and method for imputing missing data. MISA is available in an R package on CRAN.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/09-AOAS322 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Bactericidal effect of corona discharges in atmospheric air

The present paper explores the possibilities of using impulsive and steady-state corona discharges for bio-decontamination operations. A high tension tubular corona electrode was stressed with positive or negative dc voltage with magnitude up to 26 kV, and a grounded mesh was used as an opposite electrode. Different operational regimes of this corona generator were investigated for the production of ozone in air flow and the inactivation of microorganisms. The test microorganisms used in this work were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, populations of which were seeded onto agar plates. These bacterial plates were located behind the grounded mesh electrode to assess bactericidal efficacy. The results show that corona discharges have a strong bactericidal effect, for example positive flashing corona discharges were able to reduce populations of the test microorganism by 94% within a 30-60 sec time interval. Negative steady-state corona discharges also produce noticeable bactericidal effect, reducing population of E. coli and S. aureus by more than 97% within 120 sec energisation interval. The bactericidal efficiency of different corona discharge modes and its correlation with ozone levels produced by these discharges is discussed. The results obtained in this work will help in the design and development of compact plasma systems for environmental application

The influence of magnetite nano particles on the behavior of insulating oils for pulse power applications

The effects of the addition of magnetite nanoparticles on the breakdown strength of three insulating liquids have been examined. The liquids considered are: a mineral transformer oil; a synthetic ester liquid, Midel 7131, and a specialist high permittivity liquid for pulse power applications THESO. The expected increases in breakdown strength were observed in the mineral oil and synthetic ester liquids. However in the case of the high permittivity liquid no significant changes in the breakdown strength were observed. Possible explanations for the differences in the observed behavior for the THESO insulating liquid are discussed

Recruitment and Retention of Organizational Participants: What\u27s Happening Out There Now?

This is a study on some initial research relating literature to actual practice in social action organizations. Our concern is to learn what are social action organizations of the 198 0s doing to recruit and maintain their membership and how this relates to the literature on recruitment and retention. We will review the literature, describe the methodology and report the findings, and then attempt to connect the findings and the literature