Oral corn pollen hypersensitivity in Arizona Native Americans: some sociologic aspects of allergy practice

Thirty-three Navajo patients were seen in a private allergy consultation practice in Flagstaff, Arizona between 1978 and 1990. Sufficient skin test and historical data were available from nine atopic patients to evaluate hypersensitivity reactions to oral corn pollen used in the Navajo ceremonials. Six of the nine patients had positive skin test reactions to corn pollen and four of these six reported symptoms from oral corn pollen. The symptoms included various combinations of oral and ear itching, sneezing, cough, and wheezing. One corn pollen skin test-negative patient reported slight throat itching from the pollen. In no case did the patient or referring primary care physician associate the symptoms with ceremonial oral corn pollen use. This is the first report of hypersensitivity reactions to the ceremonial use of oral corn pollen in native Americans.     

Cross-calibration experiment of JPL AIRSAR and truck-mountedpolarimetric scatterometer

When point calibration targets are used to calibrate a SAR image, the calibration accuracy is governed by two major factors. The first factor stems from the stringent requirement on the radar cross section (RCS) of the point calibration target. To reduce the effect of radar return from the background, the RCS of a point calibration target must be much larger than that of the background. Calibration targets with large RCS require large physical dimensions for passive targets or high amplifier gain for active targets, which in practice leads to uncertainty in the nominal RCS of the targets. The second factor is related to the fact that point calibration targets are used to develop a calibration algorithm which is applied to distributed targets. To this end, accurate knowledge of the impulse response (ambiguity function) of the SAR system is required. To evaluate the accuracy of such a calibration process, a cross-calibration experiment was conducted at a test site near Pellston, MI, using the JPL aircraft SAR and the University of Michigan truck-mounted polarimetric scatterometer. Five different types of distributed surfaces, all in the same area, were chosen: three of these were bare surfaces with varying roughnesses, and the other two were covered with vegetation. Trihedral corner reflectors were used for calibrating the aircraft SAR, and the UM scatterometer was calibrated using a metallic sphere. The scatterometer data were collected at L and C bands immediately after the aircraft flew over the test site. This paper presents results of the cross calibration between the polarimetric SAR and ground-based polarimetric scatterometer measurements at L and C bands. Comparison of the data measured by the two radar systems shows that SAR calibration with trihedrals may lead to unreliable results. A distributed-target calibration technique is introduced and applied to the data with good results     

Set versus perceptual defense: A confirmation.

"Two experiments were performed to determine the influence of sex differences and ego involvement upon the perceptual defense phenomenon. Sixty undergraduate students (30 male and 30 female) served in the experiments which involved the tachistoscopic presentation of taboo and neutral words. The major independent variables differentiating the matched experimental and control groups were the type of instructions received and sex groups. The results were interpreted as being similar to the results of previous studies, with similar explanatory principles involved, and in addition, the factors of sex differences and ego involvement were demonstrated to influence the perceptual defense phenomenon." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MATERNAL ATTITUDES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA.

"This study was undertaken in order to see whether or not mothers of schizophrenic patients are characterized by certain parent-child attitudes which might be assumed to be of significance in the psychogenesis of schizophrenia… What seemed to emerge as characterizing the mothers of schizophrenics were attitudes of self-sacrificing martyrdom, of subtle (rather than frank) domination, and overprotectiveness." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Approach to Frequency Assignment

Frequency assignment should be based on minimization of the unwanted interactions between equipment in an environment. An approach to this problem is developed, based on the operations research technique known as dynamic programming. The basic tools required are an interference prediction model that is capable of providing relative values and a means of deciding which objective function is to be evaluated, i.e., which environmental interference measure is to be used. This concept is not presented as a procedure to be followed but as a logical framework to be modified as desired.     

Particles for multiplexed analysis in solution: detection and identification of striped metallic particles using optical microscopy

In this report, we present data demonstrating that cylindrical metallic particles, with various submicrometer striping patterns, may be readily distinguished in an optical microscope. Accurate particle identification is discussed relative to synthesis reproducibility and the limitations of optical microscopes. Results from a library of these particles, of which over 100 different striping patterns have been produced, are presented. For these particles, made with Au and Ag stripes, more than 70 patterns may be identified with greater than 90% accuracy. The ability to chemically modify the surface of these particles, making them useful for bioanalytical measurements, is also demonstrated. Finally, we discuss improvements in our manufacturing and identification processes that will lead to both larger numbers of striping patterns and improved identification accuracy.