University of Texas at Arlington

About: University of Texas at Arlington is a education organization based out in Arlington, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 11758 authors who have published 28598 publications receiving 801626 citations. The organization is also known as: UT Arlington & University of Texas-Arlington.

Perception of Performance in Group Brainstorming: The Illusion of Group Productivity

Abstract: Research has shown that individuals produce fewer ideas in interactive brainstorming groups than when brainstorming alone. However, group brainstorming remains a popular technique in organizations and industry. One basis for this popularity may be the perceived productivity of group brainstorming. A survey of expected performance in group brainstorming revealed that most individuals believed they would generate more ideas in groups than alone. Individuals who, in a second experiment, actually performed in brainstorming groups also perceived their performance more favorably than individuals who brainstormed alone. The results of a third experiment indicate that the illusion of group productivity may derive in part from the opportunity for social comparison that is available in group brainstorming. It also appears that individuals tend to take credit for a disproportionate amount of the brainstorming activity in groups.

The Burmese python genome reveals the molecular basis for extreme adaptation in snakes

Abstract: Snakes possess many extreme morphological and physiological adaptations. Identification of the molecular basis of these traits can provide novel understanding for vertebrate biology and medicine. Here, we study snake biology using the genome sequence of the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus), a model of extreme physiological and metabolic adaptation. We compare the python and king cobra genomes along with genomic samples from other snakes and perform transcriptome analysis to gain insights into the extreme phenotypes of the python. We discovered rapid and massive transcriptional responses in multiple organ systems that occur on feeding and coordinate major changes in organ size and function. Intriguingly, the homologs of these genes in humans are associated with metabolism, development, and pathology. We also found that many snake metabolic genes have undergone positive selection, which together with the rapid evolution of mitochondrial proteins, provides evidence for extensive adaptive redesign of snake metabolic pathways. Additional evidence for molecular adaptation and gene family expansions and contractions is associated with major physiological and phenotypic adaptations in snakes; genes involved are related to cell cycle, development, lungs, eyes, heart, intestine, and skeletal structure, including GRB2-associated binding protein 1, SSH, WNT16, and bone morphogenetic protein 7. Finally, changes in repetitive DNA content, guanine-cytosine isochore structure, and nucleotide substitution rates indicate major shifts in the structure and evolution of snake genomes compared with other amniotes. Phenotypic and physiological novelty in snakes seems to be driven by system-wide coordination of protein adaptation, gene expression, and changes in the structure of the genome.

Recent advancements in magnetoelectric particulate and laminate composites

Abstract: Recently, the magnetoelectric (ME) effect—dielectric polarization of a material under magnetic field, or induced magnetization under an electric field—has become the focus of significant research interests. The primary requirement for the observance of said effect is the coexistence of magnetic and electric dipoles. Most of the known single phase materials suffer from the drawback that the ME effect is quite small, even at low temperatures limiting their applicability in practical devices. Better alternatives are ME composites, which have large magnitudes of the ME voltage coefficient. Composites exploit the product property of materials; where the ME effect is realized by combining magnetostrictive and piezoelectric phases that independently are not ME, but acting together (i.e., their product) result in a ME effect. In this review article, we survey recently reported results concerning ME composites, focusing on ME particulate (synthesized via a controlled precipitation technique) and laminated composites. The article also provides a survey of the compositions and magnitudes of the ME coefficients reported in the literature; a brief description of the analytical models developed to explain and predict the behavior of composites; and discuss several applications that are made possible by enhanced ME effects.