The role of expectations in comparisons.

Expectations are proposed as a unifying framework for explaining a variety of findings on comparative judgment. Expectations may pertain to either the features of each separate object or their simultaneous occurrence in all relevant objects. Two experiments demonstrate that inducing expectations by varying the frequency with which a component occurs, as well as the frequency with which it is shared by the compared objects, results in augmented weighting of unexpected components. Expectations can arise not only from experienced frequencies but also from an inferred set of alternatives. Features of cohesive stimuli are shown to be more expected than features of noncohesive stimuli, in the latter sense. The relatively higher weighting of distinctive features in cohesive stimuli, as well as the higher weight assigned to structurally aligned differences, could thus reflect modifications in feature expectedness. Further experiments show how task-dependent weighting interacts with expectations to produce asymmetries between similarity and difference judgments. Finally, it is argued that changes in expectations regarding objects' attributes can explain context effects across different domains, including some types of preference reversals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Catheters coated with Zn-doped CuO nanoparticles delay the onset of catheter-associated urinary tract infections

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections associated with medical devices.In the current study,the synthesis,coating,antibiofilm properties,and biocompatibility of urinary catheters coated with Zn-doped CuO (Zn0.12Cu0.~O) nanoparticles (NPs) were examined.The doped NPs were synthesized and subsequently deposited on the catheter by the sonochemical method.The coated catheters displayed high antibiofilm activity and promising biocompatibility,as indicated by low in vitro cytotoxicity,negligible associated cytokine secretion,and absence of detectable irritation.The biocompatibility and ability of the Zn-doped CuO coating to inhibit biofilm formation were also evaluated in vivo using a rabbit model.Rabbits catheterized with uncoated catheters scored positive for CAUTI by day 4 of the experiment.In contrast,rabbits catheterized with Zn-doped CuO-coated catheters did not exhibit CAUTI until day 7 or remained completely uninfected for the whole duration of the 7-day experiment.Furthermore,.the in vivo biocompatibility assays and examinations supported the biosafety of Zn-doped CuO-coated catheters.Taken together,these data highlight the potential of Zn-doped CuO nanocomposite as effective antibiofilm compound.     

Expression of galectins in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Galectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins thought to be important for cell growth and differentiation, whose expression is altered in some tumors with aggressive phenotype. Our objective was to evaluate the expression of galectins in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: Fourteen HNSCC cell lines and four primary tumor specimens were evaluated using immunoblotting, and immunohistochemical analysis was performed on 35 primary HNSCCs. RESULTS: Galectin-1 and galectin-3 were expressed in most HNSCC cell lines and primary tumor specimens. Galectin-1 was detected in the basal layer of normal adjacent mucosa, in connective tissue stroma, and at the periphery of invasive tumor islands. Galectin-3 localized to superficial mucosal layers, and adjacent to keratin pearls in invasive carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Galectins are manifested in HNSCC tumors and are localized to the cell surface, where they may participate in cellular interactions. The expression pattern of galectins appears to be associated with degree of squamous differentiation, suggesting a potential role for galectins as biologic and differentiation markers in HNSCC.     

Ambivalence over emotional expression and well-being: Nomothetic and idiographic tests of the stress-buffering hypothesis.

Examined nomothetic and idiographic relations between ambivalence over emotional expression (as expressed by the Ambivalence Over Emotional Expression Questionnaire; AEQ) and well-being in a 4-mo study with an interim 2-wk diary component. Ss were 66 undergraduates. Nomothetic and idiographic analyses both revealed that AEQ was related to psychological health but not to physical well-being. The nomothetic test of stress-buffering showed that AEQ was more predictive of depression among Ss who had experienced higher levels of positive life-event stress. In contrast, the idiographic test of stress-buffering revealed that Ss higher in AEQ exhibited less covariation between daily stress and negative affect over time. It is proposed that AEQ may reflect 2 types of emotional vulnerability: emotional reactivity and emotional perseveration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Asymmetric Rolling of Interstitial-Free Steel Using Differential Roll Diameters. Part I: Mechanical Properties and Deformation Textures

IF steel sheets were processed by conventional symmetric and asymmetric rolling (ASR) at ambient temperature. The asymmetry was introduced in a geometric way using differential roll diameters with a number of different ratios. The material strength was measured by tensile testing and the microstructure was analyzed by optical and transmission electron microscopy as well as electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. Texture was also successfully measured by EBSD using large surface areas. Finite element (FE) simulations were carried out for multiple passes to obtain the strain distribution after rolling. From the FE results, the velocity gradient along selected flow lines was extracted and the evolution of the texture was simulated using polycrystal plasticity modeling. The best mechanical properties were obtained after ASR using a roll diameter ratio of 2. The textures appeared to be tilted up to 12 deg around the transverse direction, which were simulated with the FE-combined polycrystal plasticity modeling in good agreement with measurements. The simulation work revealed that the shear component introduced by ASR was about the same magnitude as the normal component of the rolling strain tensor.     

"On the intricacies involved in the study of similarity judgments: Comment on Ritov, Gati, and Tversky": Reply.

G. Keren's (see record 1990-27344-001) alternative interpretation is refuted by the data in Table 14 of I. Ritov et al's (see record 1990-27355-001) article on differential weighting of common and distinctive components. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Euler Spiral for Shape Completion

In this paper we address the curve completion problem, e.g., the geometric continuation of boundaries of objects which are temporarily interrupted by occlusion. Also known as the gap completion or shape completion problem, this problem is a significant element of perceptual grouping of edge elements and has been approached by using cubic splines or biarcs which minimize total curvature squared (elastica), as motivated by a physical analogy. Our approach is motivated by railroad design methods of the early 1900's which connect two rail segments by transition curves, and by the work of Knuth on mathematical typography. We propose that in using an energy minimizing solution completion curves should not penalize curvature as in elastica but curvature variation. The minimization of total curvature variation leads to an Euler Spiral solution, a curve whose curvature varies linearly with arclength. We reduce the construction of this curve from a pair of points and tangents at these points to solving a nonlinear system of equations involving Fresnel Integrals, whose solution relies on optimization from a suitable initial condition constrained to satisfy given boundary conditions. Since the choice of an appropriate initial curve is critical in this optimization, we analytically derive an optimal solution in the class of biarc curves, which is then used as the initial curve. The resulting interpolations yield intuitive interpolation across gaps and occlusions, and are extensible, in contrast to the scale-invariant version of elastica. In addition, Euler Spiral segments can be used in other applications of curve completions, e.g., modeling boundary segments between curvature extrema or modeling skeletal branch geometry.     

Retinoid chemoprevention of aerodigestive cancer: from basic research to the clinic

Epithelial cancers in the lung and head and neck are a devastating group of diseases which account for approximately 35% of cancer deaths in the United States. Chemoprevention is a new strategy to block or reverse the carcinogenic process. Biological concepts including field carcinogenesis and multistep carcinogenesis strongly support the rationale for using chemopreventive approaches. Our group has focused on applications of translational retinoid studies to increase our knowledge of the molecular events in biology and chemoprevention. In this review, we will focus on four issues, biology, retinoids, retinoid clinical trials, and translational research, in the chemoprevention of aerodigestive cancers.