Movement abnormalities and the progression of prodromal symptomatology in adolescents at risk for psychotic disorders.

The link between movement abnormalities and psychotic disorders is presumed to reflect common neural mechanisms that influence both motor functions and vulnerability to psychosis. The prodromal period leading to psychotic disorders represents both a viable point for intervention and a developmental period that, if studied, could shed light on etiology; however, no published studies have examined the temporal progression of this link. A group with high levels of prodromal symptomatology (i.e., adolescents with schizotypal personality disorder [SPD]; n = 42) and both psychiatric controls (with other personality disorders or conduct disorder [OD]; n = 30) and nonpsychiatric controls ([NC]; n = 49) were recruited. Videotapes of structured psychiatric interviews were coded for movement abnormalities by raters blind to participants' diagnostic status, and follow-up assessments were conducted 1 year later. Controlling for psychotropic medications, the authors found that adolescents with SPD exhibited significantly more motor abnormalities in the face and upper body than did OD and NC controls. At baseline, movement abnormalities were positively correlated with the severity of positive, negative, and total prodromal symptoms. Within the SPD group, baseline movement abnormalities predicted symptom severity 1 year later. Movement abnormalities represent an early risk indicator that may be predictive of later symptom severity and potentially of psychosis onset. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Minimizing test-point allocation to improve diagnosability in business process models

Diagnosability analysis aims to determine whether observations available during the execution of a system are sufficient to precisely locate the source of a problem. Previous work deals with the diagnosability problem in contexts such as circuits and systems, but no with the adaptation of the diagnosability problem to business processes. In order to improve the diagnosability, a set of test points needs to be allocated. Therefore, the aim of this contribution is to determine a test-point allocation to obtain sufficient observable data in the dataflow to allow the discrimination of faults for a later diagnosis process. The allocation of test points depends on the strategies of the companies, for this reason we defined two possibilities: to improve the diagnosability of a business process for a fixed number of test points and the minimization of the number of test points for a given level of diagnosability. Both strategies have been implemented in the Test-Point Allocator tool in order to facilitate the integration of the test points in the business process model life cycle. Experimental results indicate that diagnosability of business processes can be improved by allocating test points in an acceptable time.     

Chemical Quality Evaluation of Damaged Jojoba Seeds (Simmondsia chinensis)

The objective of the research was to characterize the quality of damaged and undamaged jojoba seeds. The study was performed on jojoba seeds grown in La Rioja, Argentina. Proximal composition, fatty acid composition, acid value, peroxide value, conjugated dienes and trienes and protein electrophoresis profiles were determined in undamaged (JS) and damaged jojoba seeds (DJS). The fat content (wax) was lower in DJS (39.11%) than in JS (50.82%). The values of acid, peroxide, conjugated dienes and trienes were higher in DJS than in JS. No difference in fatty acid composition was observed between DJS and JS. The protein content was not significantly different between JS and DJS. However, DJS had lower soluble protein values. In the electrophoresis profiles, the band located at 50 kDa disappeared in DJS and the intensity of the band located at 25 kDa decreased. The deterioration process in jojoba kernels significantly affects the chemical quality of their proteins and waxes.     

Housing and Urban Poverty: A Consideration of the Criteria of Affordability,Diversity and Inclusion

This paper considers recent experiences in poverty reduction within urban areas. The discussion draws out emerging lessons for the provision of affordable and inclusive housing and neighbourhood development programmes that also address the diverse needs of urban poor communities. In particular, the discussion emphasises the importance of understanding the livelihoods of the poor and the strategies that lie behind these livelihoods if external interventions are to be successful in addressing the needs of low-income urban residents.     

Influence of oak woods of different geographical origins on quality of wines aged in barriques and using oak chips

Wine ageing in wood barrels is a traditional practice in quality wine-making areas. It is generally believed that the organoleptic characteristics of wines aged in barrels are deeply influenced by wood geographical origin, as well as by age of barrels (new or used).     

Spectral and chemical evidence for the direct formation of carboxylic groups in aerobically oxidised water-soluble fullerenes

The synthesis of oxidised water-soluble fullerenes, prepared by chemically-induced aerobic oxidation, yields functionalised carbon cluster structures, which are oxidised by the covalent insertion of different oxygen units. Their strictly pH-dependent behaviour in aqueous solutions appears to be properly ascribed to the existence of directly attached carboxylic moieties. The presence of these groups, which are usually neglected and underestimated, has been thoroughly investigated. Several concurrent spectral (UV-VIS, XPS, solid-state ¹³C CPMAS NMR, FT-IR, Raman, EDAX, TGA-MS, ESI-MS) and chemical (acid-base behaviour, salt precipitation by metal-complexation, carboxylic functionalisation) methods have provided a definitive set of consistent evidence, indicating for the first time the direct linkage of carboxylic groups on water-soluble fullerenes prepared in this manner.     

Sex-role stereotyping in television commercials: A verbal response mode and content analysis.

Evaluated the degree of sex-role stereotyping in TV commercials using both a verbal response mode and a content analysis. A total of 120 commercials (60 daytime and 60 primetime), each depicting an adult male–female dyad verbally interacting, were drawn from a larger sample of commercials aired between October 1983 and January 1984 on the major North American networks. Results of the 2 analyses reveal a more sex-stereotyped pattern of male–female differences in daytime than in primetime commercials. It is concluded that sex-role stereotyping still exists in TV commercials and is present at subtle as well as obvious levels of analysis. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)