A comparison of interview and self-report methods for the assessment of borderline personality disorder criteria.

Interview methods are widely regarded as the standard for the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), whereas self-report methods are considered a time-efficient alternative. However, the relative validity of these methods has not been sufficiently tested. The current study used data from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality disorder Study to compare diagnostic base rates and the relative validity of interview and self-report methods for assessing functional outcome in BPD. Although self-report yielded higher base rates of criteria endorsement, results did not support the common assumption that diagnostic interviews are more valid than self-reports, but instead indicated the combined use of these methods optimally identifies BPD criteria. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Calculation of Shaft Seal Steady State Radial Loads with Non-Uniform Cross-Section and Local Stretch Forces Included

Previous attempts to calculate the amount of force a given shaft seal will exert on a shaft have, in general, considered an oversimplified model. The radial loading was assumed to consist of two separate forces which are additive. A beam force is obtained by considering the seal section as a straight uniform beam, and a stretch force is calculated as a separate unrelated phenomenon. A model is introduced that considers the seal as a cantilever beam of non-uniform cross section with local stretch forces included as local beam loadings. The beam forces and stretch forces are thus seen to be intimately related phenomenon. The resulting differential equation has been solved numerically using a method of invariant embedding. The radial loads and seal deflection curves have been obtained and compared to experimental data.     

Projection Learning

A method of combining learning algorithms is described that preserves attribute-efficiency. It yields learning algorithms that require a number of examples that is polynomial in the number of relevant variables and logarithmic in the number of irrelevant ones. The algorithms are simple to implement and realizable on networks with a number of nodes linear in the total number of variables. They include generalizations of Littlestone's Winnow algorithm, and are, therefore, good candidates for experimentation on domains having very large numbers of attributes but where nonlinear hypotheses are sought.     

Combinatorial Mutasynthesis of Scrambled Beauvericins,Cyclooligomer Depsipeptide Cell Migration Inhibitors from Beauveria bassiana

Fungal cyclooligomer depsipeptides such as beauvericin, bassianolide, and enniatins display antibiotic, antifungal, insecticidal, broad‐spectrum cancer cell antiproliferative, and cell migration inhibitory activities. We have identified a gene encoding a novel enzyme, ketoisovalerate reductase (KIVR), which is the sole provider of D ‐hydroxyisovalerate (D ‐Hiv), a common precursor for cyclooligomer depsipeptide biosynthesis in Beauveria bassiana. KIVR and related hypothetical oxidoreductases encoded in fungal genomes are similar to ketopantoate reductases but not to D ‐hydroxycarboxylate dehydrogenases. We demonstrate that a KIVR knockout B. bassiana strain can be used for the efficient mutasynthesis of unnatural beauvericin congeners. Simultaneous feeding of precursor analogues enabled the combinatorial mutasynthesis of scrambled beauvericins, some assembled entirely from unnatural precursors. The effects of the introduced structural changes on the antiproliferative and cell migration inhibitory activities of these analogues were evaluated.     

Song-note discriminations in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata): Categories and pseudocategories.

Sturdy, Phillmore, and Weisman (1999) developed a simple, reliable procedure for classifying zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) song notes into types using exemplar notes from 4 captive North American laboratory colonies. In the present experiment, zebra finches learned true-category song-note discriminations based on Sturdy et al.'s note-type classification faster than pseudocategory discriminations based on random assortments of the same notes. Also, birds in the true-category discrimination were able to sort notes not heard during training into the same categories as the training notes. This evidence suggests that zebra finches accurately sort conspecific song notes into the same open-ended categories as Sturdy et al.'s human observers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Considering Costs in Networking

A few years ago, the information systems world braced itself for the “year of the network.” Major announcements of networking hardware and systems were anticipated, and generally the trade press agreed that this important technology was about to make its mark on the IS community. Obviously, the reality has not lived up to the expectations. However, its still evident that most organizations using computers will engage in some level of networking technology, and those that do must be aware of the economic implications.     

Stress intensity factors for interface cracks between orthotropic and monoclinic material

Different expressions are used in the literature for the stress intensity factors of interface cracks between anisotropic material. In particular, two of these approaches will be discussed and compared for orthotropic and monoclinic materials. Relations between the stress intensity factors will be found. Expressions for the interface energy release rate G_i{\mathcal{G}_i} are presented. Although the expressions appear different, they are shown to be the same by using the relations between the stress intensity factors. Phase angles are defined which may be used in a fracture criterion.     

Focused microwaves-assisted extraction of theobromine and caffeine from cacao

With the aim of improving the extraction efficiency of Theobromine (TB) and Caffeine (CF) from cacao, a focused microwaves assisted method was developed. To optimize the extraction a 2³ factorial design was used with optimum values: 5 min of irradiation time, 210 W of power and 100 mL of the extractant (water). To quantify TB, a study about the reagents that must be added to the extracts (Carrez reagents: (Zn(CH₃COO)₂ and K₄Fe(CN)₆) and a Pb(CH₃COO)₂ solution) in order to eliminate interferences (molecular weight high compounds) was carried out. The extraction method was applied to cacao seeds, cacao powder and cacao peels. The focused microwave method was more efficient compared with a standard mechanic stirring method: for TB from 15.0% (in cacao seeds) to 72% (in cacao peels) and from 36% (in cacao peels) to 153% (in cacao seeds) for CF.     

Coping with body image changes following a disfiguring burn injury.

The influence of emotion-focused coping on distress following disfiguring injury was examined. Two types of emotion-focused coping (i.e., venting emotions vs. mental disengagement) were assessed in 78 patients with burn injury at baseline during acute hospitalization. Body image dissatisfaction (BID) was assessed 1 week and 2 months following discharge. Use at baseline of both venting emotions and mental disengagement, compared with use of only one or neither of these coping methods, was associated at the 2-month postdischarge follow-up with significantly higher BID related to nonfacial aspects of appearance and with a greater negative social impact of disfigurement. D. M. Wegner's (1994) theoretical model of mental control and a proposed motivational analysis are used to interpret these findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)