Showing papers by "California State University, Long Beach published in 2008"

Does stereotype threat affect test performance of minorities and women? A meta-analysis of experimental evidence.

Abstract: A meta-analysis of stereotype threat effects was conducted and an overall mean effect size of |.26| was found, but true moderator effects existed. A series of hierarchical moderator analyses evidenced differential effects of race- versus gender-based stereotypes. Women experienced smaller performance decrements than did minorities when tests were difficult: mean ds |.36| and |.43|, respectively. For women, subtle threat-activating cues produced the largest effect, followed by blatant and moderately explicit cues: ds |.24|, |.18|, and |.17|, respectively; explicit threat-removal strategies were more effective in reducing stereotype threat effects than subtle ones: ds |.14| and |.33|, respectively. For minorities, moderately explicit stereotype threat-activating cues produced the largest effect, followed by blatant and subtle cues: ds |.64|, |.41|, and |.22|, respectively; explicit removal strategies enhanced stereotype threat effects compared with subtle strategies: ds |.80| and |.34|, respectively. In addition, stereotype threat affected moderately math-identified women more severely than highly math-identified women: ds |.52| and |.29|, respectively; low math-identified women suffered the least from stereotype threat: d |.11|. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Homochiral Crystallization of Microporous Framework Materials from Achiral Precursors by Chiral Catalysis

Abstract: While it is not uncommon to form chiral crystals during crystallization, the formation of bulk porous homochiral materials from achiral building units is rare. Reported here is the homochiral crystallization of microporous materials through the chirality induction effect of natural alkaloids. The resulting material possesses permanent microporosity and has a uniform pore size of 9.3 A.

The Papua New Guinea tsunami of 17 July 1998: anatomy of a catastrophic event

Abstract: . The Papua New Guinea (PNG) tsunami of July 1998 was a seminal event because it demonstrated that relatively small and relatively deepwater Submarine Mass Failures (SMFs) can cause devastating local tsunamis that strike without warning. There is a comprehensive data set that proves this event was caused by a submarine slump. Yet, the source of the tsunami has remained controversial. This controversy is attributed to several causes. Before the PNG event, it was questionable as to whether SMFs could cause devastating tsunamis. As a result, only limited modelling of SMFs as tsunami sources had been undertaken, and these excluded slumps. The results of these models were that SMFs in general were not considered to be a potential source of catastrophic tsunamis. To effectively model a SMF requires fairly detailed geological data, and these too had been lacking. In addition, qualitative data, such as evidence from survivors, tended to be disregarded in assessing alternative tsunami sources. The use of marine geological data to identify areas of recent submarine failure was not widely applied. The disastrous loss of life caused by the PNG tsunami resulted in a major investigation into the area offshore of the devastated coastline, with five marine expeditions taking place. This was the first time that a focussed, large-scale, international programme of marine surveying had taken place so soon after a major tsunami. It was also the first time that such a comprehensive data set became the basis for tsunami simulations. The use of marine mapping subsequently led to a larger involvement of marine geologists in the study of tsunamis, expanding the knowledge base of those studying the threat from SMF hazards. This paper provides an overview of the PNG tsunami and its impact on tsunami science. It presents revised interpretations of the slump architecture based on new seabed relief images and, using these, the most comprehensive tsunami simulation of the PNG event to date. Simulation results explain the measured runups to a high degree. The PNG tsunami has made a major impact on tsunami science. It is one of the most studied SMF tsunamis, yet it remains the only one known of its type: a slump.

Effortful control, explicit processing, and the regulation of human evolved predispositions.

Abstract: This article analyzes the effortful control of automatic processing related to social and emotional behavior, including control over evolved modules designed to solve problems of survival and reproduction that were recurrent over evolutionary time. The inputs to effortful control mechanisms include a wide range of nonrecurrent information--information resulting not from evolutionary regularities but from explicit appraisals of costs and benefits. Effortful control mechanisms are associated with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the ventral anterior cingulated cortex. These mechanisms are largely separate from mechanisms of cognitive control (termed executive function) and working memory, and they enable effortful control of behavior in the service of long range goals. Individual differences in effortful control are associated with measures of conscientiousness in the Five Factor Model of personality. Research in the areas of aggression, ethnocentrism, sexuality, reward seeking, and emotion regulation is reviewed indicating effortful control of automatic, implicit processing based on explicit appraisals of the context. Evidence is reviewed indicating that evolutionary pressure for cooperation may be a critical adaptive function accounting for the evolution of explicit processing.

Integrated Molecular Chirality, Absolute Helicity, and Intrinsic Chiral Topology in Three-Dimensional Open-Framework Materials

Abstract: While chiral materials are common, few are known that integrate molecular chirality, absolute helicity, and 3-D intrinsically chiral topological nets in one material. Such multihomochiral features may lead to enhanced chiral recognition processes that are important for enantioselective catalysis or separation. Reported here are a series of 3-D open-framework materials with unusual integration of various homochiral and homohelical features, even in the bulk sample.

Multiple Functions of Ionic Liquids in the Synthesis of Three‐Dimensional Low‐Connectivity Homochiral and Achiral Frameworks

Abstract: Low-connectivity (4- or 3-connected) of the framework building block is closely associated with the open architecture and porosity in 3-D framework materials. The importance of materials with low-connectivity is highlighted by the large-scale industrial applications of zeolites (4-connected) in catalysis, gas separation etc.[1] The synthetic development of low-connectivity frameworks with new composition and topology continues to attract much attention because applications of such materials depend on the unique composition or framework topology of each individual material.[2–6] Despite tremendous successes in the synthesis of low-connectivity framework materials in the past several decades, 3-D chiral low-connectivity framework materials, particularly those with bulk homochirality are still rare. Traditional zeolites are typically achiral. Even those with chiral topology (e.g., zeolite β) have not been prepared in the enantiopure form. Recent progresses with metal-organic framework materials have opened up new routes toward the synthesis of homochiral solids.[7–9] However, there is a lack of generalized synthetic approach for the preparation of 3-D homochiral low-connectivity framework materials that are stoichiometrically and topologically similar to zeolites. In this research, we seek to develop a generalized method to synthesize homochiral zeolite-like low-connectivity framework materials. While the method is equally successful with the achiral system and in molecular solvents, we focus here on the applicability of this method for the synthesis of homochiral materials and multiple roles of ionic liquids. In this work, the low-connectivity (3 or 4) is generated through the formation of bidentate chelating bonds between metals and dicarboxylates (Scheme 1). Such a bonding mode is well-known in the literature. The simplest example is tin (IV) acetate, Sn(Ac)4, in which each acetate ligand chelates to a central Sn4+.[10] Other metals that exhibit such a bonding pattern include Zr4+, Cd2+, and In3+.[11, 12] However, to serve as a general synthetic method to create homochiral 3-D zeolite-like tetrahedral framework materials, the selection of metals and ligands has to be coupled with the templated synthesis approach, similar to the templated synthesis of zeolites. To this end, few examples exist in which such highly coordinated metal centers are joined into homochiral 3-D tetrahedral frameworks through templated synthesis. Scheme 1 A comparison of the structural building blocks in zeolites (a) with those in this work (b), and two ionic liquids used for synthesis (c). To test our synthetic method and to illustrate the generality of this method for the synthesis of both chiral and achiral materials, we employed enantiopure d-camphoric acid (= d-H2cam), as well as achiral 4,4’-oxybis(benzoic acid) (= H2obb) in two different ionic liquids for the ionothermal synthesis, which resulted in a number of open-framework materials that contain eight-coordinated In3+ sites as the tetrahedral node (Scheme 1, Figure 1, and Table 1). Both 4-connected and less common 3-connected homochiral framework materials have been made. Figure 1 (Top) the basic 4-connected building block (a) and diamond-type framework filled by guest EMIm cations of ALF-1 (b); (bottom) the basic 3-connected building block (c) and ths-type framework filled by guest EMIm cations of ALF-4 (d). Table 1 A Summary of Crystal Data and Refinement Results. Also of interest is the demonstration the triple roles of ionic liquids (Figure 2): (1) solvent and cationic structure-directing agent, (2) solvent only, and (3) solvent and cationic/anionic structure-directing agents. The first role, as observed for ALF-1 (ALF = Anionic Low-connectivity Framework), ALF-4 and ALF-5, is to function as a solvent as well as the cationic structure-directing agent. This dual role, which is well known in the literature, particularly through the seminal work of Morris et al,[3] has the advantage of eliminating competing effects between the solvent and the separate structure-directing agent,[3], [4a] however, it has a limitation in the phase control because a new ionic liquid (can be expensive and limited in selection) would be required to exert different structure-directing effects. It can be advantageous for the ionic liquid to serve just as the solvent and use other compounds as the structure-direct agents, the choice of which would be far less restricted. This second role of the ionic liquid (solvent only) is shown here by ALF-2 and ALF-2r (r denotes racemic) in which tetrapropylammonium cations serve as the cationic structure-directing agent and suppress the structure-directing effect of the ionic liquid. Finally, a very interesting observation found in ALF-3 is the encapsulation of the whole ionic liquid (both cations and anions in the 3:2 ratio) within the cavity of a material with the 4-connected CdSO4-type topology, a feature rarely observed in the synthesis of 4-connected open-framework materials. Figure 2 Three different roles of the EMIm-Es ionic liquids. In (a) and (b), EMIm-Es serves as both solvent and cationic structure-directing agents, leading to 4-connected homochiral ALF-1 with the diamond-type net (shown here is the 6-membered ring.) and 3-connected ... The structures of these anionic low-connectivity frameworks were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. In all ALFs, the negative framework charge is balanced by extra-framework organic cations (tetraalkylammonium cations, immidazolium cations). In all structures, the basic coordination chemistry at the metal site is the same. Each 8-coordinate In3+ site is bonded to four carboxylate ligands (similar to Si4+ or Al3+ in zeolites) and each carboxylate ligand bonds to two In3+ sites (similar to O2− in zeolites) (Scheme 1, Figure 1a, 1c). The framework features of ALF-1 to ALF-3 are characteristic of the 4-connected net with the AX2 formula. The simple 4-connected frameworks of ALF-1 to ALF-3 possess diamond (dia, for ALF-1, ALF-2 and 2r) (Figure 1b) or CdSO4 (cds for ALF-3) topologies. In addition to 4-connected frameworks in ALF-1 to ALF-3, 3-D homochiral frameworks (ALF-4 and ALF-5) based on 3-connected nodes have also been preapred. This is achieved by reducing the amount of organic base, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2] octane (DABCO), in the synthesis and therefore lowering the basicity, which leads to the partial protonation of camphoric acid and decreased connectivity from 4 to 3. This demonstrates that even in the ionothermal synthesis, the acidity-basicity of the synthesis mixture can play a crucial role on the framework formation. Both ALF-4 and ALF-5 exhibit the ths (ThSi2-type) topology. It is worth noting that while 3-connected nodes are common in layered materials (e.g., graphite), templated 3-D framework materials based on only 3-connected nodes are quite rare. In this work, the metal-ligand building block (ML4) could function as the 3-connected node when one of four ligands becomes a dangling ligand. This was achieved by using two different ionic liquids that serve as both solvent and cationic structure-directing agents. The replacement of EMIm+ in ALF-4 by BMIm+ in ALF-5 results in a slightly larger unit cell. The non-interpenetrating ths-type [In2(d-Cam)3(d-HCam) 2]n 2n− framework exhibits large channels along a or b axis that are filled by guest cations (Figure 1d). When a separate structure-direct agent Pr4NBr was added, a new compound ALF-2 was obtained. A prominent structural feature in ALF-2 is that the Pr4N+ cations were selected into the 4-connected diamond framework, while the EMIm-Es ionic liquid only serves as the solvent. In other words, the cationic structure-directing effect of the ionic liquid is suppressed and superseded by the addition of a second structure-directing agent. The diamond net (space group: Fd-3m) is achiral and yet ALF-1 and ALF-2 are homochiral because of the incorporation of enantiopure camphorate ligands. ALF-2r is synthesized from racemic DL-camphoric acid and has essentially the same crystal structure as ALF-2 with the only difference being the opposite handedness in 50% of the chiral ligand. This is also quite unusual because the packing of chiral molecules generally differ for pure enantiomers and for racemates as a consequence of differing symmetry requirements during the crystallization. The reason for the nearly identical packing in ALF-2 and ALF-2r is likely due to the dilution of chirality by achiral species (In3+ and extra-framework Pr4N+ here). The low connectivity, together with the large bridging ligands in the materials reported leads to a low framework density defined as the number of tetrahedral vertices per unit volume. The concept of the framework density was introduced to characterize the openness of the zeolite-type structures. The lowest framework density is 5.2 nm−3 among the tabulated 4-connected structures.[13] The density of these ALFs ranges from 1.44 nm−3 (ALF-4) to 0.73 nm−3 (ALF-3) (Table 1). In summary, we report here a versatile synthetic method that goes beyond the traditional limitation that relies on 4-coordinated elements (e.g., Si4+ and Al3+) to create 4- and 3-connected frameworks. The method makes it possible to create 3-D low-connectivity (3- or 4-connected) and low-density (as low as 0.73 tetrahedral nodes /nm3) frameworks from high-coordination elements (coordination number ≥ 8). Of particular significance is the application of this method for the synthesis of 4- and 3-connected homochiral framework materials. The three different functions of the ionic liquid further extend the applicability of this method and make it possible to create a diversity of homochiral and achiral framework materials with various compositions and topologies.

School Violence: Bullying Behaviors and the Psychosocial School Environment in Middle Schools

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among a school's psychosocial environment and the prevalence and types of bullying behaviors that either lead to or result from that environment. More specifically, this study examined how the frequency of aggressive behaviors (for example, bullying) experienced by students (as perpetrators and as victims) contributed to their interpretation of their school's psychosocial environment and how those environments affected the existence of ongoing aggressive and avoidance behaviors. The data for this study were archival, having originally been collected for a study of school culture, climate, and violence from the Philadelphia School District during the 1993-94 school year. To understand the consequences of bullying in schools, the authors used structural equation modeling analyses to develop a theoretical model of predictive relationships among (1) students' perceptions of bullying behaviors and safety at school, (2) the schools' psychosocial environment as measured by the students, and (3) the students' reactionary behavior to both (1) and (2). Direct practice applications for school social work practice are discussed.

Estrogen Inhibits Cardiac Hypertrophy: Role of Estrogen Receptor-β to Inhibit Calcineurin

Abstract: Estrogen has been reported to prevent development of cardiac hypertrophy in female rodent models and in humans. However, the mechanisms of sex steroid action are incompletely understood. We determined the cellular effects by which 17-estradiol (E2) inhibits angiotensin II (AngII)-induced cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Two weeks of angiotensin infusioninfemalemiceresultedinmarkedhypertrophyofthe left ventricle, exacerbated by the loss of ovarian steroid hormones from oophorectomy. Hypertrophy was 51% reversed by the administration of E2 (insertion of 0.1 mg/21-d-release tablets). The effects of E2 were mainly mediated by the estrogen receptor (ER) -isoform, because E2 had little effect in ERnull mice but comparably inhibited AngII-induced hypertrophy in wild-type or ER-null mice. AngII induced a switch of myosin heavy chain production from to , but this was inhibited by E2 via ER. AngII-induced ERK activation was also inhibited by E2 through the -receptor. E2 stimulated brain natriuretic peptide protein expression and substantially prevented ventricular interstitial cardiac fibrosis (collagen deposition) as induced by AngII. Importantly, E2 inhibited calcineurin activity that was stimulated by AngII, related to E2 stimulating the modulatory calcineurin-interacting protein (MCIP) 1 gene and protein expression. E2 acting mainly through ER mitigates the important signaling by AngII that produces cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in female mice. (Endocrinology 149: 3361–3369, 2008)

Determinants and Consequences of Firm Information Technology Budgets

Abstract: For most firms, the information technology (IT) budget represents a major element in the overall firm budget, and IT budget decisions often have significant operational and strategic impacts on the business processes in the firm’s value chain. In this paper we use a large unique data set to examine the extent to which IT budgets are affected by environmental, organizational, and technological circumstances. We find that our cross-sectional model explains substantial variance in IT budgets, which indicates that contingent environmental, organizational, and technological factors affect managers’ budget decisions. We then examine the extent to which these IT budget levels are related to future firm performance, measured using both broad financial accounting measures, such as operating profit margins and return on assets, and market returns. We find that IT budget levels are positively associated with subsequent firm performance and shareholder returns. We further suggest that IT’s aggregate effect ...

Effect of a Brief Video Intervention on Incident Infection among Patients Attending Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics

Abstract: Funding: This study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where technical assistance was provided through a federal cooperative agreement in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, and approval of the manuscript. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Making the Very Most of Classroom Read-Alouds to Promote Comprehension and Vocabulary

Abstract: Integrating comprehension and vocabulary instruction in read-alouds can help teachers make the very most of class time. The curriculum described illustrates how read-alouds, when implemented with strategic purpose, can boost learners' vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. Specifically, the author presents guidelines for: selecting texts to encourage “text-to-text” and “text-to-self” connections selecting target vocabulary words promoting text-based discussions incorporating comprehension instruction before, during, and after the reading process

Plant peptides and peptidomics.

Abstract: Extracellular plant peptides perform a large variety of functions, including signalling and defence. Intracellular peptides often have physiological functions or may merely be the products of general proteolysis. Plant peptides have been identified and, in part, functionally characterized through biochemical and genetic studies, which are lengthy and in some cases impractical. Peptidomics is a branch of proteomics that has been developed over the last 5 years, and has been used mainly to study neuropeptides in animals and the degradome of proteases. Peptidomics is a fast, efficient methodology that can detect minute and transient amounts of peptides and identify their post-translational modifications. This review describes known plant peptides and introduces the use of peptidomics for the detection of novel plant peptides.

Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Earthquake Response Analysis of a Bridge-Foundation-Ground System

Abstract: This paper presents a two-dimensional advanced nonlinear FE model of an actual bridge, the Humboldt Bay Middle Channel (HBMC) Bridge, and its response to seismic input motions. This computational m...

Experimenting with active learning in geography: Dispelling the myths that perpetuate resistance

Abstract: While some geographers have embraced active learning as a means to engage students in a course, many others stick to conventional teaching methods. They are often deterred by suggestions that it can be difficult to implement active learning where students have no prior knowledge of a subject, that active learning requires too much work of lecturers and students, and that there are significant institutional constraints to implementing active learning. In this article the authors draw on their experiences of utilizing active learning in five different countries before dispelling myths which continue to constrain the uptake of active learning methods. Finally, they provide simple guidelines for successful integration of active learning in geography courses.

Three-dimensional open framework built from Cu-S icosahedral clusters and its photocatalytic property.

Abstract: Reported here is an extraordinary and unprecedented sulfide containing icosahedral [Cu8S12]16− clusters that behave like a pseudo-octahedral unit in the bonding pattern and are linked through two monomeric GeS44− and four dimeric Ge2S64− units into a covalent 3-D open framework. Its large Cu to Ge ratio is highly unusual in 3-D open-framework sulfides and contributes to its low electronic band gap and the visible light photocatalytic activity.

Elementary Teachers’ Understanding of Students’ Science Misconceptions: Implications for Practice and Teacher Education

Abstract: This study sought to determine what elementary teachers know about student science misconceptions and how teachers address student misconceptions in instruction. The sample included 30 teachers from California with at least 1-year of experience teaching grades 3, 4, and 5. A semistructured interview was used. The interview transcripts were transcribed and coded under the following categories: definition of misconceptions, sources of misconceptions, development of misconceptions, and teaching strategies for addressing misconceptions. The results suggest that, although most of the teachers are aware of misconceptions, they do not understand how they develop or fully appreciate their impact on their instruction.

The effects of barotrauma on the catch-and-release survival of southern California nearshore and shelf rockfish (Scorpaenidae, Sebastes spp.)

Abstract: Two experiments were used to assess the effects of barotrauma on initial capture survival and short-term postrecompression survival of line-caught (range 18–225 m) southern California rockfish (Seb...

Three-Dimensional Homochiral Transition-Metal Camphorate Architectures Directed by a Flexible Auxiliary Ligand

Abstract: Reported here are four homochiral and one racemic chiral compounds assembled from transition metals (Fe2+, Co2+, and Ni2+), rigid enantiopure camphoric acid, and flexible 4,4′-trimethylenedipyridine; they feature an unusual homochiral three-dimensional supramolecular assembly (resulting from catenation of 4-connected bilayers) as well as a homochiral 3-fold interpenetrating diamond net and a noninterpenetrating primitive cubic net.

Selective induction of expression of a ligand for the NKG2D receptor by proteasome inhibitors.

Abstract: The interaction of the activating receptor NKG2D with its ligands plays an important role in immunosurveillance of tumors and infectious pathogens, but dysregulation of this system may lead to autoimmunity. The expression of NKG2D ligands is induced by cellular "stress." However, the regulation of expression of these molecules is not well understood. Here, we show that cells treated with proteasome inhibitors can become more susceptible to cytotoxicity mediated by natural killer cells because of the induction of expression of ligands for NKG2D, specifically ULBP2, but not down-regulation of MHC class I. Treatment with proteasome inhibitors led to up-regulation of ULBP2 expression in multiple, but not all, cell lines tested. This increase in expression of ULBP2 at the cell surface correlated with induction of transcription of the ULBP2 gene and synthesis of ULBP2 protein. In contrast, treatment with inhibitors of histone deacetylases led to increased levels of mRNA and protein, for both ULBP2 and MHC class I-related chain A/B molecules. Thus, different types of stress can trigger up-regulated expression of different sets of NKG2D ligands. Proteasome inhibitors are proving to be of significant value in the treatment of hematologic malignancies and these observations may help to better understand the biology of therapy with these compounds.