Conflict, social support and relationship quality: An observational study of heterosexual, gay male and lesbian couples' communication.

Data from 42 heterosexual, 46 gay male, and 33 lesbian couples were used to assess the contribution of conflict and support discussions to relationship quality. Couples completed questionnaires, and videotaped discussions were coded for levels of negative and positive behaviors. Correlations showed that behaviors were associated with relationship quality in the expected directions. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses assessed the unique contributions of individual and dyadic behaviors to the variability of relationship quality. The findings indicated that, beyond the contribution of individual negative behaviors in the conflict task, the variables of dyadic positive behaviors in the conflict task, individual positive behaviors in the support task, and perceived help accounted for unexplained variance in relationship quality. There were no differences between types of couples on levels of behaviors or on their contributions to relationship quality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Formal languages for integer programming modeling of shift scheduling problems

This paper approaches the problem of modeling optimization problems containing substructures involving constraints on sequences of decision variables. Such constraints can be very complex to express with Mixed Integer Programming (MIP). We suggest an approach inspired by global constraints used in Constraint Programming (CP) to exploit formal languages for the modeling of such substructures with MIP. More precisely, we first suggest a way to use automata, as the CP regular constraint does, to express allowed patterns for the values taken by the constrained sequence of variables. Secondly, we present how context-free grammars can contribute to formulate constraints on sequences of variables in a MIP model. Experimental results on both approaches show that they facilitate the modeling, but also give models easier to solve by MIP solvers compared to compact assignment MIP formulations.     

Application of the artificial memory approach to multicriteria scheduling problems

This paper is devoted to the development of a knowledge-based system (KBS) called Artificial Memory, The goal of this KBS is to solve multicriteria job-shop scheduling problems. Since job-shop scheduling problems are NP-hard, it is extremely difficult to obtain optimal solutions for industrial problems. Thus, a host of heuristic algorithms, most of which are based on priority rules, have been proposed in the literature. The efficiency of these algorithms strongly depends on the criteria to be optimized as well as the values of the parameters associated with the particular instance of the scheduling problem. The basic hypothesis of the artificial memory approach is a continuity assumption: we assume that identical decisions applied to similar instances lead to similar values of the criteria. This assumption is fundamental to validate this knowledge-based system. For each criterion, the artificial memory contains a synthesis of the performances of different algorithms upon sets of similar instances. These performances are acquired using simulation. When the artificial memory is employed, the characteristic values of a new instance are computed and examined by the artificial memory system. The performances of the different algorithms for the considered criterion are estimated for the new instance and an appropriate algorithm is chosen accordingly. In order to build this KBS and to estimate the performances of algorithms upon a new instance, we use a mathematical approach. Some difficulties arose in the development of this KBS and had to be overcome: the corresponding proposed solutions are developed. The paper also presents a number of numerical experimental applications.     

Non-covalent binding of proteins to polyphenols correlates with their amino acid sequence

The present paper describes the assessment of non-covalent binding (NCB) between milk proteins and polyphenols and its correlation with the physicochemical parameters of proteins. A method based on ultrafiltration and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyse free and non-covalently bound polyphenols (ligands) in mixtures with major milk proteins. Binding strength values of individual polyphenols were normalised to those obtained with quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside), used as a reference compound. NCB data acquired by experiments at pH 6.6 without any preliminary protein denaturation were correlated with the physicochemical parameters of ligands and proteins. Unsupervised multivariate analysis revealed that NCB of proteins clustered according to their family (caseins separated from albumins). Based on this model, a predictive relationship was observed between protein-polyphenol binding strength and primary/secondary structure parameters of the proteins e.g. number of charges, proline residues and extended strand. These results confirm that, under the investigated experimental conditions, the NCB between polyphenols and protein mixtures can be predicted and optimised based on the molecular structures.     

Finite sample multivariate tests of asset pricing models with coskewness

Exact inference methods are proposed for asset pricing models with unobservable risk-free rates and coskewness; specifically, the Quadratic Market Model (QMM) which incorporates the effect of asymmetry of return distribution on asset valuation. In this context, exact tests are appealing given (i) the increasing popularity of such models in finance, (ii) the fact that traditional market models (which assume that asset returns move proportionally to the market) have not fared well in empirical tests, (iii) finite sample QMM tests are unavailable even with Gaussian errors. Empirical models are considered where the procedure to assess the significance of coskewness preference is LR-based, and relates to the statistical and econometric literature on dimensionality tests which are interesting in their own right. Exact versions of these tests are obtained, allowing for non-normality of fundamentals. A simulation study documents the size and power properties of asymptotic and finite sample tests. Empirical results with well-known data sets reveal temporal instabilities over the full sampling period, namely 1961-2000, though tests fail to reject the QMM restrictions over 5-year sub-periods.     

Modelling Long-memory Time Series with Finite or Infinite Variance: a General Approach

We present a class of generalized fractional filters which is stable with respect to series and parallel connection. This class extends the so-called fractional ARUMA and fractional ARMA filters previously introduced by e.g. Goncalves (1987) and Robinson (1994) and recently studied by Giraitis and Leipus (1995) and Viano et al. (1995). Conditions for the existence of the induced stationary S α S and L ² processes are given. We describe the asymptotic dependence structure of these processes via the codifference and the covariance sequences respectively. In the L ² case, we prove the weak convergence of the normalized partial sums.     

Mesothelioma: Do asbestos and carbon nanotubes pose the same health risk?

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the product of new technology, may be used in a wide range of applications. Because they present similarities to asbestos fibres in terms of their shape and size, it is legitimate to raise the question of their safety for human health. Recent animal and cellular studies suggest that CNTs elicit tissue and cell responses similar to those observed with asbestos fibres, which increases concern about the adverse biological effects of CNTs. While asbestos fibres' mechanisms of action are not fully understood, sufficient results are available to develop hypotheses about the significant factors underlying their damaging effects. This review will summarize the current state of knowledge about the biological effects of CNTs and will discuss to what extent they present similarities to those of asbestos fibres. Finally, the characteristics of asbestos known to be associated with toxicity will be analyzed to address the possible impact of CNTs.     

A new high-throughput screening method to determine multiple dyes in herbs and spices

The unauthorised addition of colours to herbs and spices is a recurrent issue affecting food business operators. Such a practice aims at improving food visual attractiveness, masking poor product quality, and/or compensating for natural colour variation with the ultimate goal to increase profits. To detect this fraud, a new LC–MS/MS method was developed for screening 58 dyes in both herbs and spices. This extended list of targets was established based on requirements from international spices organisations, past issues identified by web scouting and by notifications from the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). The method is intended to quickly detect fraudulent addition of dyes with Screening Target Concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 mg/kg. Validation was performed according to the European Community Reference Laboratories Residues Guidelines 20/1/2010. False positive and false negative rates were below 5% for all analytes and applicability of the method was further demonstrated by analysing 117 samples collected worldwide. None of the surveyed dyes was found in herbs (n = 28, 16 varieties) whereas 6% of spice samples (n = 89, 21 varieties) was found contaminated with one or two dyes at levels ranging from 0.12 to 255 mg/kg. Four out of the nine detected compounds have never been reported in the RASFF, thus demonstrating the usefulness of this analytical approach.     

Highly organized crystalline monolayer of a semi-fluorinated alkane on a solid substrate obtained by spin-coating

We have obtained a 40 nm parameter crystalline monolayer of a semifluorinated alkane on a silicon wafer using the spin-coating technique. Its structure, analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), is identical to that recently observed at the air-water interface, showing the existence of hexagonal nanodomains, organized on a long range order hexagonal lattice of a few tens of nanometers lateral parameter. Considering AFM images published on films transferred by the usual Langmuir-Blodgett method, one can note that the monolayers form locally ordered rounded domains. With our procedure, the original highly organized large crystalline structure is recovered.