Psychological capital development: toward a micro‐intervention

After first providing the meaning of psychological capital (PsyCap), we present a micro‐intervention to develop it. Drawn from hope, optimism, efficacy, and resiliency development, this PsyCap Intervention (PCI) is shown to have preliminary support for not only increasing participants' PsyCap, but also financial impact and high return on investment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Benzo[a]pyrene metabolism in mice exposed to diesel exhaust: I. Uptake and distribution

In this study we examined the effect of diesel exhaust (DE) exposure on the disposition of a typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. DE-exposed and nonexposed A/Jax mice were divided into three groups and each mouse instilled intratracheally with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). One group (A) received ¹⁴C-BaP, and at intervals of 2, 24, and 168 h, three mice from the group were killed and quick frozen for whole body autoradiography. Sagittal sections were cut at 0.5 mm intervals and autoradiograms prepared. Adjacent sections were studied so that radioactive areas were matched to specific organs. The second group (B) received ³H-BaP and at 2, 24, and 168 h these mice were killed. Livers, lungs, and testes were weighed and frozen. From these tissues metabolites were analyzed; these data are reported in the next paper. Histofluorescent examination of tissues from mice instilled with nonradioactive BaP (group C) confirmed that BaP was present in the lung. The autoradiography data are the basis for elucidating the BaP distribution in the mouse. Within 2 h after instillation radioactivity was detected in the entire animal, with most in lungs, liver, and GI tract. By 24 h after instillation considerable radioactivity had redistributed to the GI tract. At 168 h after instillation only a trace of label was found in the GI mucosa.     

The kin recognition system of carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.)

Summary The phenotypic cues that provide for rejection of non-nestmates by workers of the ant genus Camponotus could derive from any or all of four sources: (1) environmental odors; (2) the individual's own genetically-determined recognition pheromones or discriminators; (3) a gestalt or mixture of transferable discriminators, produced by each nestmate and absorbed by all; and/or (4) the discriminators of the queen applied to all nestmates. To test these hypotheses, four series of small experimental colonies were created: inter- and intraspecific mixed colonies containing queens, queenless worker groups, and pairs of worker groups between which a single queen was repeatedly switched. Intraspecific mixed colonies and queenless groups were further divided into groups receiving different diets. Aggression of workers in 165 experimental colonies was assayed in a total of 4064 neutral arena tests. Workers adopted into inter- and intraspecific mixed colonies with queens were highly aggressive to unfamiliar kin from pure colonies, independent of diet and of the proportion of different kin groups in the colony. However, queenless workers exhibited less aggression to unfamiliar kin than to non-kin, demonstrating the existence of worker discriminators. Diet differences slightly enhanced aggression among unfamiliar queenless kin. Non-kin sharing a switched queen were as unaggressive to one another as were sisters. The ability to adopt queenless workers between colonies gradually declined over 1–2 wks following their emergence from pupae. We propose a hierarchy of importance of cue sources in determining nestmate discrimination in small Camponotus colonies: Queen discriminators> worker discriminators>environmental cues. A flow-diagram model of social insect kin recognition, based on the phenotype matching concept of Holmes and Sherman (1983), is discussed.     

Three- versus two-dimensional ultrasound for nuchal translucency thickness measurements: comparison of feasibility and levels of agreement

We have determined feasibility and levels of agreement for visualizing the nuchal translucency within a time limit with three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) transvaginal ultrasound. A total of 213 women of median gestational age 13 weeks (range 11–14 weeks) undergoing first-trimester nuchal translucency (NT) thickness measurements with 2D transabdominal ultrasound were included in the study. Additionally all women underwent 2D and 3D transvaginal NT examination within a time limit of 90 s. These two methods were compared with each other and with our standard method (2D transabdominal ultrasound) with respect to visualization of fetal nuchal fold and to the levels of agreement. The nuchal fold was visualized by 3D and 2D transvaginal ultrasound in 85.9% (95% CI: 80.5%, 90.3%) and 25.8% (95% CI: 20.1%, 32.2%), respectively (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant underestimation of the NT by 2D transabdominal as compared with 3D transvaginal ultrasound of 0.1 mm (p<0.001), and by 3D transvaginal as compared with 2D transvaginal ultrasound of even 0.1 mm (p<0.001). 3D transvaginal ultrasound of the nuchal fold has increased feasibility to 2D transvaginal ultrasound within a short examination time and with minimal, but significant, measurement differences. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Decompression syndrome and the evolution of deep diving physiology in the Cetacea

Whales repetitively dive deep to feed and should be susceptible to decompression syndrome, though they are not known to suffer the associated pathologies. Avascular osteonecrosis has been recognized as an indicator of diving habits of extinct marine amniotes. Vertebrae of 331 individual modern and 996 fossil whales were subjected to macroscopic and radiographic examination. Avascular osteonecrosis was found in the Oligocene basal odontocetes (Xenorophoidea) and in geologically younger mysticetes, such as Aglaocetus [a sister taxon to Balaenopteridae + (Balaenidae + Eschrichtiidae) clade]. These are considered as early "experiments" in repetitive deep diving, indicating that they independently converged on their similar specialized diving physiologies.     

Measurement of flow speed in the channels of novel threadlike structures on the surfaces of mammalian organs

There have been several reports on novel threadlike structures (NTSs) on the surfaces of the internal organs of rats and rabbits since their first observation by Bonghan Kim in 1963. To confirm this novel circulatory function, it is necessary to observe the flow of liquid through the NTS as well as the structurally corroborating channels in the NTS. In this article, we report on the measurement of the flow speed of Alcian blue solution in the NTSs on the organ surfaces of rabbits, and we present electron microscopic images depicting the cribrous cross-section with channels. The speed was measured as 0.3 ± 0.1 mm/s, and the flow distance was up to 12 cm. The flow was unidirectional, and the phase contrast microscopic images showed that the NTSs were strongly stained with Alcian blue. The ultrastructure of the NTSs revealed by cryo-scanning electron microscopy and high-voltage electron microscopy showed that (1) there were cell-like bodies and globular clumps of matter inside the sinus of the channel with thin strands of segregated zones which is a microscopic evidence of the liquid flow, (2) the sinuses have wall structures surrounded with extracellular matrices of collagenous fibers, and (3) there exists a cribriform structure of sinuses. To understand the mechanism for the circulation, a quantitative analysis of the flow speed has been undertaken applying a simplified windkessel model. In this analysis, it was shown that the liquid flow through the NTSs could be due to peristaltic motion of the NTS itself. Baeckkyoung Sung and Min Su Kim contributed equally to this work.     

Application of ferrate（VI） in the treatment of industrial wastes containing metal-complexed cyanides ： A green treatment

Ferrate(VI) was employed for the oxidation of cyanide (CN) and simultaneous removal of copper or nickel in the mixed/complexed systems of CN-Cu, CN-Ni, or CN-Cu-Ni. The degradation of CN (1.00 mmol/L) and removal of Cu (0.095 mmol/L) were investigated as a function of Fe(VI) doses from 0.3–2.00 mmol/L at pH 10.0. It was found that Fe(VI) could readily oxidize CN and the reduction of Fe(VI) into Fe(III) might serve e ciently for the removal of free copper ions. The increase in Fe(VI) dose apparently favoured the CN oxidation as well as Cu removal. Moreover, the pH dependence study (pH 10.0–13.0) revealed that the oxidation of CN was almost una ected in the studied pH range (10.0–13.0), however, the maximum removal e ciency of Cu was obtained at pH 13.0. Similarly, treatment was carried out for CN-Ni system having the initial Ni concentration of 0.170 mmol/L and CN concentration of 1.00 mmol with Fe(VI) dose 2.00 mmol at various pH values (10.0–12.0). Results showed a partial oxidation of CN and partial removal of Ni. It can be observed that Fe(VI) can partially degrade the CN-Ni complex in this pH range. Further, Fe(VI) was applied for the treatment of simulated industrial waste/e uent waters treatment containing CN, Cu, and Ni.