Postpartum adjustment in first-time mothers: Relations between mood, maternal attitudes, and mother-infant interactions.

Self-report data were obtained from a middle-income sample of first-time mothers during pregnancy and at 1 and 3 months postpartum, and behavioral interactions between the mother and her infant were observed at 3 days and 1, 3, and 16 months postpartum. The main analyses revealed that pregnancy and postpartum mood states together explain a high proportion of the variance in mothers' maternal attitudes during the postpartum, although postpartum mood has the greater predictive power. Additionally, prior experience with children is significantly associated with maternal attitudes at all time points. Moreover, at both 1 and 3 months postpartum, depressed mothers, relative to nondepressed mothers, exhibit fewer affectionate contact behaviors toward their infants and are less likely to respond to infant vocalizations by vocalizing themselves, and, at 3 months, a higher proportion of the depressed mothers had started bottle-feeding their infants. Finally, differences in maternal behavior between depressed and nondepressed mothers during the early postpartum period were no longer apparent at 16 months postpartum. The implications of these findings are discussed with particular reference to the interrelations between prior child-care experience, mood, and maternal responsiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quantum correlations at negative absolute temperatures

We study behavior of quantum discord, a kind of quantum correlation, in systems of dipole–dipole interacting spins in an external magnetic field in the whole temperature range ( \(-\infty ). It was shown that negative temperatures, which are introduced to describe inversions in the population in a finite level system, provide more favorable conditions for emergence of quantum correlations including entanglement. We show that at negative temperature, the correlations become more intense and discord exists between remote spins being in separated states.     

Application of the CALPHAD approach to Mg-alloys design

The CALPHAD method can be applied as a tool for both alloy development and process guideline determination. In this study, two Mg alloys were designed, their process parameters derived and, using the CALPHAD method, the final results simulated. These results were later confirmed using tangible experimental methods. It was found that γ$\gamma$- Mg₁₇Al₁₂ precipitates along the grain boundaries (GB), Mg₂Sn forms both along the GB and as fine precipitates in the α$\alpha$-Mg matrix and the addition of Ce mishmetal (MM) leads to the formation of elongated Al- rare earth (RE) precipitates along the GB. The microstructural stability at 200 ^°C is high, showing no decrease in microhardness for 32 days. It is shown that the CALPHAD method considerably reduces the effort of alloy design and that the reliability of the results is high.     

Spider Silk-CBD-Cellulose Nanocrystal Composites: Mechanism of Assembly

The fabrication of cellulose-spider silk bio-nanocomposites comprised of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and recombinant spider silk protein fused to a cellulose binding domain (CBD) is described. Silk-CBD successfully binds cellulose, and unlike recombinant silk alone, silk-CBD self-assembles into microfibrils even in the absence of CNCs. Silk-CBD-CNC composite sponges and films show changes in internal structure and CNC alignment related to the addition of silk-CBD. The silk-CBD sponges exhibit improved thermal and structural characteristics in comparison to control recombinant spider silk sponges. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the silk-CBD sponge was higher than the control silk sponge and similar to native dragline spider silk fibers. Gel filtration analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that silk-CBD, but not the recombinant silk control, formed a nematic liquid crystalline phase similar to that observed in native spider silk during the silk spinning process. Silk-CBD microfibrils spontaneously formed in solution upon ultrasonication. We suggest a model for silk-CBD assembly that implicates CBD in the central role of driving the dimerization of spider silk monomers, a process essential to the molecular assembly of spider-silk nanofibers and silk-CNC composites.     

Comparison of designs of off-axis Gregorian telescopes for millimeter-wave large focal-plane arrays

We compare the diffraction-limited field of view (FOV) provided by four types of off-axis Gregorian telescopes: the classical Gregorian, the aplanatic Gregorian, and the designs that cancel astigmatism and both astigmatism and coma. The analysis is carried out with telescope parameters that are appropriate for satellite and balloonborne millimeter- and submillimeter-wave astrophysics. We find that the design that cancels both coma and astigmatism provides the largest flat FOV, approximately 21 square deg. We also find that the FOV can be increased by approximately 15% by means of optimizing the shape and location of the focal surface.     

Ductile and brittle behavior of amorphous polymers. Relationship with activation energy for glass transition and mechanical fracture

An equation correlating the activation energy for the glass transition with T_R, a characteristic reference temperature, the fractional free volume, and the rate of change of the fractional free volume was developed. The resultant activation energies for about 30 polymers are given and favorably compare with the literature. The relationship between the activation energy and the bond-rupture energy indicates whether a polymer will fail in a ductile or brittle fashion. More accurate results are shown to be dependent on the stress, the stress concentration, molecular orientation, frequency of load application, and temperature. Equations correlating all these with the activation energies are given. These results are in agreement with the molecular domain model. Experimental observations from the literature seem to corroborate the suggestion that the molecular domain model holds in the amorphous solid, too.     

Optimal seat allocation for flights with one intermediate stop

During the time prior to departure of a flight with an intermediate stop decisions must be made concerning the allocation of reserved seats to passengers requesting space on the full or partial spans of the flight. The paper presents a model for finding the maximum allowable allocation of seats on the various spans at each time prior to departure such that a maximum expected contribution to profit for the flight is obtained.The model utilizes the time distribution of reservations and cancellations for both spans. Consideration is given to the effects of waitlists, standbys and overbookings. A Bayesian reassessment of probabilities is incorporated in a sequential decision procedure. A computer program was written to perform the calculations, and the results of a short sample problem which was run to test the validity of the model are presented.