bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Combinatorial Benders Decomposition for a Scheduling Problem with Unrelated Parallel Machines
Authors: Gomes Francisco Regis Abreu , Mateus Geraldo Robson
Published: July 2017

This paper addresses the unrelated parallel machines scheduling problem with sequence and machine dependent setup times. Its goal is to minimize the makespan. The problem is solved by a combinatorial Benders decomposition. This method can be slow to converge. Therefore, three procedures are introduced to accelerate its convergence. The first procedure is a new method that consists of terminating the execution of the master problem when a repeated optimal solution is found. The second procedure is based on the multicut technique. The third procedure is based on the warm-start. The improved Benders decomposition scheme is compared to a mathematical formulation and a standard implementation of Benders decomposition algorithm. In the experiments, two test sets from the literature are used, with 240 and 600 instances with up to 60 jobs and 5 machines. For the first set the proposed method performs 21.85% on average faster than the standard implementation of the Benders algorithm. For the second set the proposed method failed to find an optimal solution in only 31 in 600 instances, obtained an average gap of 0.07%, and took an average computational time of 377.86 s, while the best results of the other methods were 57, 0.17%, and 573.89 s, respectively.
MicroRNA Expression in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma and Asbestosis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Mozzoni Paola , Ampollini Luca , Goldoni Matteo , Alinovi Rossella , Tiseo Marcello , Gnetti Letizia , Carbognani Paolo , Rusca Michele , Mutti Antonio , Percesepe Antonio , Corradi Massimo
Published: July 2017

Background. The identification of diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers for asbestos-related diseases is relevant for early diagnosis and patient survival and may contribute to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease development and progression.Aims. To identify a pattern of miRNAs as possible diagnostic biomarkers for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and asbestosis (ASB) and as prognostic biomarkers for MPM patients.Methods. miRNA-16, miRNA-17, miRNA-126, and miRNA-486 were quantified in plasma and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples to evaluate their diagnostic and prognostic roles compared to patients with other noncancerous pulmonary diseases (controls). Results. The expression of all the miRNAs was significantly lower in patients with MPM and ASB than that in controls. miRNA-16, miRNA-17, and miRNA-486 in plasma and tissue of MPM patients were significantly correlated. Furthermore, the expression of miRNA-16 in plasma and tissue, and miRNA-486 only in tissue, was positively related with cumulative survival in MPM patients.Conclusions. All the miRNA levels were decreased in patients with MPM or ASB, supporting the role of circulating miRNAs as a potential tool for diseases associated with exposure to asbestos fibers. miRNA-16 was directly related to MPM patient prognosis, suggesting its possible use as a prognostic marker in MPM patients.
Chitosan Associated with the Extract of Unripe Banana Peel for Potential Wound Dressing Application
Authors: Franco Patrícia Bataglini , Almeida Leiliane Aparecida de , Marques Rodrigo Fernando Costa , da Silva Mariana Altenhofen , Campos Maria Gabriela Nogueira
Published: July 2017

The authors report the preparation of chitosan membranes associated with the extract of unripe banana peel. Extracts were prepared by decoction, using boiling distilled water. The extraction process was repeated three times. First and third extracts served as solvent to prepare chitosan membranes by solvent evaporation technique. The chitosan membranes associated with the first and third extracts of unripe banana peel exhibit good flexibility, transparency, and uniformity. Scanning Electron Microscopy images showed dense membranes. Brownish color of membranes was observed due to the presence of tannins, which was confirmed by Infrared Spectroscopy analysis. Thermal properties of the membranes were evaluated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), which exhibited good thermal stability at physiological temperature (37°C). At this temperature and pH 7.2, membranes were also able to absorb fluids. The hydrophilic character of the membranes was determined by contact angle measurements. The membranes demonstrated their capacity for gaseous exchange and exhibited water-vapor permeability (WVP) rates comparable to injured skin one. Finally, high number of viable dermal fibroblasts was observed by indirect cytotoxicity assay suggesting potential application of these membranes as skin wound dressing.
Design and Simulation of an Antenna-Coupled Microbolometer at 30 THz
Authors: Colin Angel , Pérez-Tijerina Eduardo , Solis-Pomar Francisco
Published: July 2017

We propose a model of antenna-coupled microbolometer to be included in an array for receiving and detecting long wave infrared (LWIR) electromagnetic radiation. The antenna is joined to microstrip bandpass filters thus forming a single metal structure to define the operation frequency band. The antenna and microstrip filters are modeled in aluminum thin film. The microbolometer is modeled with superconducting niobium, all together on a silicon nitride membrane. The squared pixel structure is designed on a support frame of 20 μm in size. Simulation results for this antenna exhibit a frequency range of operation from 27 to 35 THz and is configured for two arrays, one of 10×10 and the other one of 50×50 elements. The device has been simulated by means of the commercial electromagnetic software (HFSS), which is based on the finite elements method. The predicted values for the figures of merit of this microbolometer are as follows: τ=5.8 ns, Rv=5.3×103 V/W, and D⁎ = 2.07×1010 cmHz/W, respectively.
Liberalismo político, não-razoabilidade nativa e democracia pós-liberal
Authors: Ferrara Alessandro
Published: July 2017

As três partes do meu título refletem três facetas de um esforço de longo prazo para atualizar o paradigma rawlsiano de “liberalismo político” para um contexto histórico agora diferente do original. Este texto foca apenas no modo como o liberalismo político pode nos ajudar a compreender o populismo e o que pode ser feito para que a democracia sobreviva ao populismo.
A questão da teleologia: Kant leitor de Rousseau
Authors: Klein Joel Thiago
Published: July 2017

Este artigo analisa a influência da filosofia de Rousseau no desenvolvimento do pensamento kantiano no que se refere à questão do conflito entre natureza e cultura. Sustenta-se que Kant supera aquilo que ele considera como os paradoxos no pensamento de Rousseau através da introdução de uma teoria teleológica no contexto do desenvolvimento histórico da perfectibilidade.
Linguagem, pulsão e atavismo: análise genética e mapeamento conceitual em torno do problema do inconsciente em Nietzsche e sua relação com o transcendental
Authors: Mattioli William
Published: July 2017

O objetivo do presente trabalho é esboçar uma análise do desenvolvimento da noção de inconsciente em momentos importantes do pensamento de Nietzsche. Nosso argumento geral gira em torno de duas hipóteses com as quais pretendemos apresentar uma leitura que vai na contramão da visão comum segundo a qual Nietzsche pertenceria à tradição irracionalista do inconsciente, que tem Schopenhauer como seu mais emblemático representante. Trata-se 1) de uma hipótese histórica, que pretende inserir Nietzsche na tradição do inconsciente cognitivo a partir da noção de “representação inconsciente”, e 2) de uma hipótese genético-sistemática, que pretende esboçar um plano de compreensão no tocante ao desenvolvimento da concepção nietzscheana do inconsciente, distinguindo e mapeando algumas noções ao longo de sua produção intelectual.
Molecular evidence for the assignment of the Cameroonian freshwater crab genus Louisea Cumberlidge, 1994, to the Afrotropical subfamily Potamonautinae Bott, 1970 (Crustacea: Potamoidea: Potamonautidae)
Authors: NDONGO PIERRE A. MVOGO , CUMBERLIDGE NEIL , POETTINGER THEODOR S. , RINTELEN THOMAS VON , TAMESSE JOSEPH L. , SCHUBART CHRISTOPH D.
Published: July 2017

The family Potamonautidae Bott, 1970, currently comprises 19 genera assigned to two subfamilies (Potamonautinae Bott, 1970, and Deckeniinae Hilgendorf, 1869) based on morphological and molecular studies (Cumberlidge 1999; Daniels et al. 2006a, 2015; Cumberlidge et al. 2008; Cumberlidge & Ng 2009). All members of this family are endemic to the Afrotropical zoogeographical region that includes most of continental Africa plus the continental islands of Madagascar, the granitic Seychelles, Socotra, and the southern Arabian Peninsula. Seven genera from sub-Saharan Africa are presently assigned to Potamonautinae (see Cumberlidge et al. 2008; Daniels et al. 2015): Erimetopus Rathbun, 1894, Liberonautes Bott, 1955, Louisea Cumberlidge, 1994, Potamonautes Bott, 1970, Potamonemus Cumberlidge & Clark, 1992, Sudanonautes Bott, 1955, and Platythelphusa A. Milne-Edwards, 1887. Twelve genera from West and East Africa, Seychelles, and Madagascar are assigned to Deckeniinae (see Cumberlidge et al. 2008; Meyer et al. 2014; Daniels et al. 2015): Deckenia Hilgendorf, 1869, Seychellum Ng, Števčić & Pretzmann, 1995, Globonautes Bott, 1959, Afrithelphusa Bott, 1969, Boreas Cumberlidge & Sternberg, 2002, Foza Reed & Cumberlidge, 2006a, Hydrothelphusa A. Milne-Edwards, 1872, Madagapotamon Bott, 1965, Malagasya Cumberlidge & Sternberg, 2002, Marojejy Cumberlidge, Boyko & Harvey, 2000, Skelosophusa Ng & Takeda, 1994, and Glabrithelphusa Meyer, Cumberlidge & Koppin, 2014.
A new species of the genus Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Cu Lao Cham Islands, central Vietnam
Authors: NGUYEN SANG NGOC , NGUYEN LUAN THANH , NGUYEN VU DANG HOANG , PHAN HOA THI , JIANG KE , MURPHY ROBERT W.
Published: July 2017

A new kukri snake, Oligodon culaochamensis sp. nov., is described from Cu Lao Cham Islands, central Vietnam, based on the morphology of six specimens, including two males, three females and one juvenile. The new species belongs to the O. cyclurus group and differs from other congeners in this group by a combination of the following characters: medium size in adults (total length up to 582 mm); 17–19 dorsal scale rows at neck and midbody and 15 or 17 rows before vent; tail length/total length ratio 0.218–0.219 in males and 0.166–0.169 in females; ventrals 167–169 in males and 179–182 in females; subcaudals 63–66 in males and 51–52 in females; head scalation complete with a presubocular; 9–10 maxillary teeth, the posterior three being enlarged; nasal divided; temporal streak absent; long and deeply forked hemipenes extending to 20th subcaudal and without spines and papillae but with prominent diagonal ridge, oblique flounces and distal calyces; cloacal plate undivided; 10–11+3–4 dorsal blotches; and a vertebral stripe on tail and anterior part of body. This is the second species of Oligodon described on islands of Vietnam.
Two species of the conifera-subgroup of Triconia (Copepoda, Oncaeidae)
from the northeastern equatorial Pacific, with a description of the unknown male of T. hirsuta
Authors: CHO KYUHEE , BÖTTGER-SCHNACK RUTH , KIM WOONG-SEO , LEE WONCHOEL
Published: July 2017

We describe two species from the genus Triconia Böttger-Schnack, 1999 in the family Oncaeidae from the northeastern equatorial Pacific, both belonging to the conifera-subgroup. Both sexes of T. derivata (Heron & Bradford-Grieve, 1995) are redescribed, including morphological features not noted in earlier descriptions, such as the posterior face of the labrum. Specimens of T. derivata from the northeastern equatorial Pacific differ slightly from the original descriptions in some morphometric characters, and their differentiation from T. furcula (Farran, 1936), which is closely related, is summarized. The male of T. hirsuta Wi, Böttger-Schnack & Soh, 2010 is described for the first time and the morphology of the female is redescribed. The female holotype of T. hirsuta from Korean waters is reexamined and discrepancies between text and figures in the original description regarding the endopodal spine lengths on swimming leg 2 are clarified. A revised version of the respective part of the original figure is included in the present paper. An indication of the variation in endopodal spine lengths on swimming legs 2 to 4 is provided for both sexes of the two species. It is pointed out that morphometric characters required for unequivocal identification of species of the conifera-subgroup are still not sufficiently well defined. The records of T. derivata and T. hirsuta to date are summarized and indicate a wide zoogeographical distribution of the former species.
Review of the genus Amemboides Polhemus & Andersen, 1984 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) from China, with description of a new species
Authors: YE ZHEN , POLHEMUS DAN A. , BU WENJUN
Published: July 2017

Five species of the genus Amemboides Polhemus & Andersen are now known from China. Of these, A. pilifer (Zettel, Yang & Tran, 2007) and A. yunnanus (Zettel, Yang & Tran, 2007) were previously recorded from the country, while A. perlatus (Polhemus & Andersen, 1984) and A. vasarhelyii (Zettel, 1995) are newly recorded from China herein. In addition, A. fasciculatus sp. nov. is described from Yunnan Province. Photographs of the male and female dorsal habitus and male genitalic structures are provided for all five species of Amemboides known from China, and are accompanied by habitat photos and a distribution map.
Arcturina serrulatus sp. nov. and a new record of Limnoria rhombipunctata (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Isopoda) from South Korea
Authors: SONG JI-HUN , PARK TAESEO , KIM WON , MIN GI-SIK
Published: July 2017

A new benthic isopod species, Arcturina serrulatus sp. nov. (Arcturidae Dana, 1849), is described from South Korea. Additionally, we report Limnoria rhombipunctata Yoshino, Watabe & Ohsawa, 2017 (Limnoriidae White, 1850) from the rhizome of Zostera sp. (seagrass). These are the first records of species belonging to the families Arcturidae and Limnoriidae from South Korea. We provide detailed descriptions of the diagnostic characters of the two species. We also determined their partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) for molecular diagnosis.
Hyleina kaphetea, a new genus and species of clearwing moths from tropical Africa (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae: Sesiini)
Authors: BARTSCH DANIEL
Published: July 2017

A new species and genus of Sesiini, Hyleina kaphetea new gen. & new sp., from tropical Africa is described. The type series comprises twelve male specimens from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. Female specimens and life history are unknown.
The Relation Between the Functional Burdening of Phonemes and the Frequency of Occurrence
Authors: Herdan G.
Published: July 2017

The frequency of occurrence of phonemes in a language may be derived from dictionary material or from continuous texts. This paper deals with the relation between the two sets of values for English. When distributions are plotted for English phonemes, classified according to manner and place of articulation, it is seen that there is a close similarity between the distribution for dictionary material and for continuous texts. The hypothesis is advanced and tested that the phoneme distribution in speech is a random sample of the phoneme distribution in dictionary material (the functional burdening of phonemes).
Age Differences in the Ability to Use Visual Cues in Auditory Communication
Authors: Farrimond Thomas
Published: July 2017

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine whether with age, older workers who suffered from a loss in hearing acuity, developed compensatory skills. Tests of speechreading ability were given to men working in industry and the results examined for any variation in the development of this skill with regard to age, amount of hearing-loss and vocabulary level.

The findings indicate that although hearing losses increase with age, there does not appear to be any incidental acquisition of skill in the use of the visual components of speech as an aid to speech intelligibility. In fact the ability to make use of such cues seems to diminish after the age of about 39, and scores obtained by the over-sixties in a specially constructed speechreading test, fall to approximately half of those made by the thirty to thirty-nine year old subjects.

Vocabulary level appears to influence scores made in the speechreading test. There is also a correlation between vocabulary level and performance on the speech test of hearing ability.
Some Physiological Parameters in Speech
Authors: Ladefoged Peter
Published: July 2017

A series of experiments has shown that: (1) Variations in articulation do not affect the subglottal pressure as long as the vocal cords are vibrating; but in voiceless sounds in which there is a high rate of flow the subglottal pressure is lower than in corresponding phrases with voiced sounds. (2) There is a clear physiological correlate of stress such that nouns of the form insult always have an extra increase in subglottal pressure which occurs earlier than in the corresponding verb forms, irrespective of the intonation pattern. (3) If the set of the vocal cords is not adjusted, an increase of subglottal pressure of about 7 cm. aq. will produce an increase in the frequency of vibration of about half an octave. (4) The variations in the laryngeal factors controlling the frequency of vibration of the vocal cords in utterances are much simpler than the variations in the fundamental frequency; at times the ‘tension of the vocal cords’ may be increasing, although the fundamental frequency is decreasing.
A Multivariate Analysis of Latin Elegiac Verse
Authors: Blackith Robert E.
Published: July 2017

Multivariate analyses offer the possibility of distinguishing the various independent components of style which contrast one sample of text with another. The analysis will show which of the stylistic components is of the greatest importance in any particular contrast. The application of these techniques to the greater part of the extant corpus of Latin elegiac verse shows that the concept of style in this setting can be dissected into at least three independent components. Two of these components, associated previously with the entropy and elision frequency of the text, are under more or less conscious control by the author, but the third, associated previously with the mean syllable number per word, reflects the date at which the verse was written and is apparently refractive to counterfeiting. Severe mental stress in the author is reflected in this component.
Speech Patterns and Personality
Authors: Ramsay R.W.
Published: July 2017

This study briefly reviews the literature on the relation between non-content aspects of speech and personality variables. Data on lengths of sound, silence, units and sound/silence ratio are then presented showing that in general speech patterns of Dutch subjects are similar to those of English-speaking subjects. There is also confirmation of some differences in speech patterns between extraverts and introverts, and some differences were found due to sex and intelligence.
Some Critical Comments on Visual Presentation in Word Matching Studies of Phonetic Symbolism
Authors: Barik Henri C.
Published: July 2017

The visual method of presentation in word matching studies of phonetic symbolism is judged inadequate because it is based on the tenuous assumption that the sound of a foreign word can be approximated from its spelling and because it permits matchings on the basis of factors other than the sound properties of the words. For these reasons, auditory presentation appears preferable. It is also suggested that foreign items should be repeated by the subject in order for articulatory components of the symbolism to be operative.
The Consistency of Temporal Speech Characteristics in a Repetitive Oral Reading Task
Authors: Lass Norman J. , Lutz Dennis R.
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the consistency of subjects' temporal speech characteristics in a repetitive oral reading task. Thirteen subjects read " The Rainbow Passage " fifteen consecutive times in each of three experimental sessions. Analysis of the readings indicates that the subjects' temporal speech characteristics, including overall rate, total time, speech time, total pause time, intra-sentence pause time, inter-sentence pause time, number of intra-sentence pauses, number of inter-sentence pauses, speech-time ratio, and pause-time ratio appear to be highly consistent from reading to reading as well as from session to session. Implications of these findings for future research on oral reading rate are discussed.
New Learning by Geriatric Subjects
Authors: Pettigrew L. Eudora , Keith Lynn T.
Published: July 2017

The research examined the acquisition level of a new verbal response class by geriatric subjects. Four nursing home residents and five members of a Senior Citizens club served as subjects. The experimenter used " very good " as a contingent reinforcement when the subjects emitted the criterion response—alliteration of the letter " s ". The non-institutionalized subjects manifested a significant increase in the frequency of the response whereas institutionalized subjects did not exhibit a significant increase in the frequency of the response.
Effects of Status and Solidarity on Familiarity in Written Communication
Authors: Mcmullen Linda M. , Krahn Ellen E.
Published: July 2017

The present study extended the investigation of the effects of status and solidarity on familiarity in spoken language to an analysis of written communication. Each of 48 upper-year undergraduate psychology students was required to write four letters — one to a university professor (higher status), one to a first-year university student (lower status), one to a friend (high solidarity), and one to an equal-status stranger (low solidarity) — requesting that the recipient complete a questionnaire. Letters were coded for degree of familiarity using Stiles' (1978a) Taxonomy of Verbal Response Modes (VRMs), which requires that the syntax and communicative intent of each clause be coded as one of eight modes. As predicted, letters to friends consisted of a greater number of more familiar modes, primarily at the level of communicative intent, than letters to strangers; however, contrary to prediction, writers did not use a greater number of more familiar modes in their letters to lower-status recipients. Possible problems with the operational definition of lower-status recipient and the possibility that the absence of solidarity may have been a more influential factor than status when writing to strangers of lower status were considered as explanations for the failure to find the expected results for status.
Acoustical Characteristics of Sentential Focus: Narrow vs. Broad and Single vs. Dual Focus Environments
Authors: Eady Stephen J. , Cooper William E. , Klouda Gayle V. , Mueller Pamela R. , Lotts Dan W.
Published: July 2017

Acoustical analyses of speech production were conducted to determine the effects of two types of sentence focus distinction on intonational attributes of fundamental voice frequency ( Fo) and duration. In each of two experiments, analyses were performed on seven speakers who orally read sentences containing variations in focus prompted by preceding questions. In Experiment 1, speakers produced higher Fo peaks and longer word durations for words assigned narrow focus in comparison with the same words in neutral-focus sentences. Sentences bearing broad focus on the verb phrase, however, were produced with a widespread durational increase but no heightening of Fo peaks. In Experiment 2, speakers produced comparable Fo peaks and word durations for narrow-focused words regardless of whether the sentence contained one or two foci. The main difference between the single and dual focus sentences was that the word following an initial focused item in a dual-focus sentence did not exhibit the low Fo value characteristic of words that follow focused items. The lack of a low post-focus Fo in dual-focus sentences represents an anticipatory influence of the additional focus at the end of the sentence.
Common Ground in Asking and Understanding Questions
Authors: Gibbs Raymond W. , Mueller Rachel A.G. , Cox Robert W.
Published: July 2017

An important part of the context speakers and listeners use in conversation is their “common ground” — their mutual knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions. This paper reports the findings of two experiments that investigated the role of common ground information in asking and understanding questions. Subjects read stories containing conversations that depicted different degrees of common ground information between the characters who served as speakers and addressees. The subjects were asked in Experiment 1 to select the question from a set of alternatives that the speaker would most likely say in a given context. Experiment 2 examined the time it took subjects to understand different questions posed by the speaker given the presence of different types of common ground between the speaker and addressee. The results of the first study indicated that subjects preferred to ask questions which adequately specified the degree of common ground between speakers and addressees that was depicted in the story contexts. Experiment 2 demonstrated that people take less time to comprehend questions that are congruent with the common ground information held by speakers and listeners in a discourse situation. These data highlight the importance of common ground as constituting the context for asking and understanding questions. More generally, these studies provide additional, experimental support for collaborative models of language use.
Variant Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondences in Unfamiliar Polysyllabic Words
Authors: Trammell Robert L.
Published: July 2017

Ten college students and ten PhDs read aloud 30 unfamiliar English words, two to five syllables in length, of Greek, Latin, and Germanic origin. The average number of different subject pronunciations per word was five (range one to ten). Each response was compared to the rule-predicted (Venezky, 1970), dictionary-prescribed, and most frequent pronunciation for that word. The subjects agreed more with each other than with the dictionary, and with the latter more than with the rules. However, the rules predicted half of the prescribed pronunciations, which was better than the average number of individual subject's responses agreeing with the dictionary. The most frequent response to each word demonstrated considerably more agreement with both the dictionary and the rules than did the average number of responses for the subjects individually. The etymological source of the test words had no effect. While the PhDs as a group did significantly better than the students on most measures, the differences were small. In view of previous research, the frequent vowel laxing in open third and fourth syllables from the end was unexpected. Several models of reading are examined in the light of these results.
Perception of Prominence by Estonian and English Listeners
Authors: Lehiste Ilse , Fox Robert Allen
Published: July 2017

This study deals with the perception of prominence in speech and nonspeech signals by listeners who are native speakers of Estonian or English. The stimuli consisted of repetitions of the synthetic syllable [ba] at a constant fundamental frequency (F0) or signal-correlated noise tokens whose amplitude envelope matched that of the [ba]. The basic token was 400 msec in duration. Listeners heard sequences of four stimulus tokens separated by 120 msec of silence. One token in the sequence could be lengthened to 425, 450, 475, or 500 msec and/or increased in amplitude by 3 or 6 dB; changes in duration and amplitude were independent. The speech ([ba]) and nonspeech (noise) listening tests were run separately. The listeners' task was to indicate which of the four tokens was “most prominent”. The responses showed that, for English-speaking listeners, amplitude cues overrode duration cues, while Estonian listeners were more responsive to duration cues. For both groups of listeners, smaller increments in duration and/or amplitude sufficed to produce perceived prominence in the noise condition than in the speech condition. This is interpreted as being due to the absence of F0 variation. In spoken language, F0 is a significant component of stress both in production and perception. Thus the absence of F0 variation should have greater effect on the perception of speech-like stimuli than noise stimuli. The results of the experiments show this to be the case.
Word Games and Syllable Structure
Authors: Pierrehumbert Janet , Nair Rami
Published: July 2017

The internal structure of the syllable has been a matter of long-standing debate. Some theories propose a highly articulated tree structure whose topmost constituents are the onset and the rhyme. However, much recent work in phonological theory has adopted a flatter model in which neither the onset nor the rhyme constitutes a constituent.

Experiments using the novel word game paradigm developed in Treiman (1983) have been interpreted as supporting the onset-rhyme model. Here we present new results using this paradigm. Subjects learned to insert infixes into simple monosyllabic words, and then extended the infixation to more complex forms including longer words with variable stress placement. The results are interpreted in the light of findings about morphophonemic processes occurring in natural language. Our model draws on the concept of template mapping, adapted from the literature on prosodic morphology. The patterns observed in the data are better modeled by mapping onto output templates than by any derivational rule referring to onset-rhyme constituency. Though the output templates do include prosodic detail, the level of detail available in flat models of the syllable is sufficient to explain the results. A critical appraisal of these results in relation to other results in the literature leads us to reject the onsetrhyme model.
How “Just” Gets Its Meanings: Polysemy and Context in Psychological Semantics
Authors: Kishner Jeffrey M. , Gibbs Raymond W.
Published: July 2017

The adverb just is polysemous in having several related senses (e.g., It's just a cold; I just notice it at night; or I love cookies, just as you love cake). We present three studies looking at how readers determine the appropriate sense of just in context. The first study analyzed 871 naturalistic sentence contexts containing just, and revealed six senses for the adverb as well as some interesting patterns in which particular classes of words regularly followed particular senses of just. Study 2 experimentally tested the idea that a reader's choice of a sense of just can to a great degree be accounted for by knowing the word following just. Study 3 tested the hypothesis that entire sentence contexts assist people in narrowing down their choices of a sense of just. These findings suggest that people's choice of a sense of just is largely determined by the statistical co-occurrence of just with particular classes of words in one's life experience with language: in the case that co-occurrence information is insufficient to narrow one's decision, the larger context provides what is necessary to choose a sense of just. The implications for how people choose the sense of other types of words are addressed.
Tularemia Outbreak Associated with Outdoor Exposure along the Western Side of Utah Lake, Utah, 2007
Authors: Calanan Renee M. , Rolfs Robert T. , Summers JoDee , Coombs Jana , Amadio John , Holbrook Joy , Mead Paul S.
Published: July 2017

Objectives.

In 2007, a localized outbreak of tularemia occurred among visitors to a lodge on the western side of Utah Lake, Utah. We assessed risk factors for disease and attempted to identify undiagnosed clinically compatible illnesses.

Methods.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study by recruiting all people who had visited the lodge on the western side of Utah Lake from June 3 to July 28, 2007. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a sub-cohort of people who were part of an organized group that had at least one tularemia patient. Questions assessed risk and protective factors and disease symptoms.

Results.

During the outbreak period, 14 cases of tularemia were reported from five of Utah's 12 health districts. The weekly attack rate ranged from 0 to 2.1/100 lodge visitors from June 3 to July 28. Illness onset dates ranged from June 15 to July 8. The median delay between onset of symptoms and laboratory test for tularemia was 14 days (range: 7–34 days). Cohort study respondents who reported deer-fly bites while at the lodge (adjusted risk ratio [ARR] = 7.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4, 22.0) and who reported having worn a hat (ARR=5.6, 95% CI 1.3, 24.6) were more likely to become ill.

Conclusions.

This was Utah's second documented deer-fly-associated human tularemia outbreak. People participating in outdoor activities in endemic areas should be aware of disease risks and take precautions. Educational campaigns can aid in earlier disease recognition, reporting, and, consequently, outbreak detection.
From SARS to 2009 H1N1 Influenza: The Evolution of a Public Health Incident Management System at CDC
Authors: Papagiotas Stephen S. , Frank Mark , Bruce Sherrie , Posid Joseph M.
Published: July 2017

The organization of the response to infectious disease outbreaks by public health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels has historically been based on traditional public health functions (e.g., epidemiology, surveillance, laboratory, infection control, and health communications). Federal guidance has established a framework for the management of domestic incidents, including public health emergencies. Therefore, public health agencies have had to find a way to incorporate traditional public health functions into the common response framework of the National Incident Management System. One solution is the development of a Science Section, containing public health functions, that is equivalent to the traditional incident command system sections. Public health agencies experiencing difficulties in developing incident management systems should consider the feasibility and suitability of creating a Science Section to allow a more seamless and effective coordination of a public health response, while remaining consistent with current federal guidance.
The Colorado Violent Death Reporting System (COVDRS): Validity and Utility of the Veteran Status Variable
Authors: Bahraini Nazanin H. , Gutierrez Peter M. , Harwood Jeri E.F. , Huggins Joe A. , Hedegaard Holly , Chase Mary , Brenner Lisa A.
Published: July 2017

Objective.

Using the Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Identification Record Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) as the criterion database, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the death certificate information in the Colorado Violent Death Reporting System (COVDRS) to determine Veteran status for those who died by suicide.

Methods.

The study sample consisted of 3,820 individuals aged 18 years and older who died by suicide in Colorado from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2008. To determine agreement on Veteran status, COVDRS data were submitted to the Veterans Benefits Administration for linkage to the BIRLS using Social Security numbers.

Results.

Sensitivity and specificity of the Veteran status information on the death certificate were 93.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 90.7, 95.2) and 91.7% (95% CI 90.5, 92.8), respectively. The overall agreement between the death certificate and the BIRLS on Veteran status was very good (kappa = 0.76; 95% CI 0.74, 0.79).

Conclusions.

This study of 3,820 suicide deaths in Colorado demonstrated a high level of agreement between the COVDRS Veteran status variable and the BIRLS. Such findings offer support for using the COVDRS in studying factors associated with suicide in the Veteran population.
Integration of Syndromic Surveillance Data into Public Health Practice at State and Local Levels in North Carolina
Authors: Samoff Erika , Waller Anna , Fleischauer Aaron , Ising Amy , Davis Meredith K. , Park Mike , Haas Stephanie W. , DiBiase Lauren , MacDonald Pia D.M.
Published: July 2017

Objectives.

We sought to describe the integration of syndromic surveillance data into daily surveillance practice at local health departments (LHDs) and make recommendations for the effective integration of syndromic and reportable disease data for public health use.

Methods.

Structured interviews were conducted with local health directors and communicable disease nursing staff from a stratified random sample of LHDs from May through September 2009. Interviews captured information on direct access to the North Carolina syndromic surveillance system and on the use of syndromic surveillance information for outbreak management, program management, and the creation of reports. We analyzed syndromic surveillance system data to assess the number of signals resulting in a public health response.

Results.

Syndromic surveillance data were used for outbreak investigation (19% of respondents) and program management and report writing (43% of respondents); a minority reported use of both syndromic and reportable disease data for these purposes (15% and 23%, respectively). Receiving data from frequent system users was associated with using data for these purposes ( p=0.016 and p=0.033, respectively, for syndromic and reportable disease data). A small proportion of signals (<25%) resulted in a public health response.

Conclusions.

Use of syndromic surveillance data by North Carolina local public health authorities resulted in meaningful public health action, including both case investigation and program management. While useful, the syndromic surveillance data system was oriented toward sensitivity rather than efficiency. Successful incorporation of new surveillance data is likely to require systems that are oriented toward efficiency.
Leading Causes of Unintentional Injury and Suicide Mortality in Canadian Adults across the Urban-Rural Continuum
Authors: Burrows Stephanie , Auger Nathalie , Gamache Philippe , Hamel Denis
Published: July 2017

Objective.

We examined the leading causes of unintentional injury and suicide mortality in adults across the urban-rural continuum.

Methods.

Injury mortality data were drawn from a representative cohort of 2,735,152 Canadians aged ≥25 years at baseline, who were followed for mortality from 1991 to 2001. We estimated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for urban-rural continuum and cause-specific unintentional injury (i.e., motor vehicle, falls, poisoning, drowning, suffocation, and fire/burn) and suicide (i.e., hanging, poisoning, firearm, and jumping) mortality, adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.

Results.

Rates of unintentional injury mortality were elevated in less urbanized areas for both males and females We found an urban-rural gradient for motor vehicle, drowning, and fire/burn deaths, but not for fall, poisoning, or suffocation deaths. Urban-rural differences in suicide risk were observed for males but not females. Declining urbanization was associated with higher risks of firearm suicides and lower risks of jumping suicides, but there was no apparent trend in hanging and poisoning suicides.

Conclusion.

Urban-rural gradients in adults were more pronounced for unintentional motor vehicle, drowning, and fire/burn deaths, as well as for firearm and jumping suicide deaths than for other causes of injury mortality These results suggest that the degree of urbanization may be an important consideration in guiding prevention efforts for many causes of injury fatality.
Simulation in the Service of Society
Authors: McLeod John , McLeod Suzette
Published: July 2017

This month's and next month's issues continue our report, begun last month, on the meeting of the World Simulation Organization, held at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, on February 7-8, 1974.
Becoming a Community Clinical Psychologist: Integration of Community and Clinical Practices in Psychologists' Training
Authors: Gibson Kerry , Sandenbergh Rob , Swartz Leslie
Published: July 2017

It has been recognised that South African clinical psychologists need to be trained in more community-oriented forms of practice. Training in this field however seems to involve particular difficulties for students who often struggle with disillusionment and feelings of incompetence that ultimately may in turn deter them from this important work. This article draws from the experience of a clinical psychology training course at the University of Cape Town. Firstly it describes the many sources of anxiety that may confront students in their initial exposure to community work and which might interfere with their capacity to learn. Students' adjustment to the inherent demands of this difficult work is often further hampered by an unproductive division between community work and more conventional forms of psychological practice. In the second part of the article we describe an approach to training which is designed to contain students' anxieties and increase their ability to manage and learn from their experience. This approach has three basic tenets: Firstly it stresses the need to provide students with a limited and carefully structured exposure to community work which matches their developing capacities; secondly it attempts to build bridges between the skills required in conventional psychological practice and those needed for community-oriented work and finally, it emphasises the need for on-going support for both students and their supervisors.
Evaluation of Body Shape, Eating Disorders and Weight Management Related Parameters in Black Female Students of Rural and Urban Origins
Authors: Senekal Marjanne , Steyn Nelia Patricia , Mashego Teresa-Ann B , Nel Johanna Helena
Published: July 2017

This study examined body shape dissatisfaction, eating disorder and weight management-related parameters as well as assimilation of Western cultural norms regarding body shape in black female students of urban and rural origins. Subjects (n=180; 20 ± 4,4 years old) were weighed, their height was measured and they completed the Body Shape Questionnaire, EAT-26, Eating Inventory (restraint scale), Adolescent Self-Concept Scale and a questionnaire concerning weight management behaviours. Main findings include lower prevalences of overestimation of body weight and body shape dissatisfaction, similar prevalences for dieting and the use of Hazardous weight reduction methods, and higher prevalences for overweight, obesity, disordered eating attitudes and behaviours, and dietary restraint among subjects than among similar white groups. Furthermore, those with urban origins were more likely to be restrained eaters, to have attempted weight reduction, to aim for weight loss and to fear weight gain. These data indicate that there are signs of more realism concerning weight status among black female students. However, there are also signs of assimilation of Western cultural norms concerning body shape, eating attitudes and behaviours and weight management. This diversity in the black student population in South Africa needs to be recognized when planning interventions to address eating related problems.
Relationship between Depression, Anxiety, Sense of Coherence, Social Support and Religious Involvement in a Small Rural Community Affected by Industrial Relations Conflict
Authors: Edwards David , Besseling Elizabeth
Published: July 2017

The paper reports a study of stress responses in workers at a sawmill in a small rural community which had been affected by prolonged industrial relations conflict. Workers went on strike in July 1997 over a dispute over contributions to a provident fund and there was much conflict and hardship in the community in the ensuing months. In December, a large sample of workers completed a set of scales which measured anxiety, depression, specific impacts of the strike and three stress response moderators (social support, sense of coherence [SOC] and religious practice). In a factor analysis, two factors were identified. The first was interpreted as a “response to the strike” factor. The positive pole of this factor was associated with having difficulty coping with the stress of the strike, being sensitive to the negative impact of unfair labour practices, responding positively to trade union activity and having a larger number of social supports. The second factor was interpreted as representing “negative versus positive cognitive set”. The positive pole of this factor was associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms and low levels of SOC and involvement in religious practice. Although the correlational methodology does not allow for the demonstration that particular variables served as stress response moderators, the results suggested that response to the strike was largely independent of the stress response moderators and was probably mediated by other social and interpersonal factors. The inverse relation between anxiety and depression, on the one hand, and SOC, on the other, replicates previous findings and is discussed in terms of incompatibility of competing cognitive sets.
Comment on a Short Communication: An Evaluation of Psychological Reports Considered in the Amnesty Process of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by Lionel Nicholas
Authors: Robbertze J.H.
Published: July 2017

In the above mentioned article the author, inter alia, attempts to evaluate a report written by an expert consultant and submitted to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This commentary will show that the author's evaluation is fraught with inconsistencies and misinterpreted or incorrectly reported facts and that it does nothing to contribute to a debate on either the psychiatric diagnosis of mental illness or the amnesty process. It will also ask why an article of this nature was published in a professional publication such as the South African Journal of Psychology.
The role of preoperative CT scans in staging external auditory meatus carcinoma: Radiologic‐pathologic correlation study
Authors: Arriaga Moises , Curtin Hugh D. , Takahashi Haruo , Kamerer Donald B.
Published: July 2017

Survival is related to the pathologic extent of tumor in external auditory meatus (EAM) carcinoma. This study assesses the validity of preoperative CT scans in staging EAM carcinoma. The accuracy of staging EAM carcinoma with preoperative CT scans was evaluated by comparing radiography and histopathology. Patients who received preoperative CT scan were selected from a retrospective series of 35 temporal bone resections for EAM squamous cell carcinoma. The CT scans were systematically reviewed for tumor involvement in 12 anatomic areas. The histopathology slides for the corresponding patients were reviewed according to the same criteria. CT scan findings accurately diagnosed the extent of tumor involvement identified during histopathologic examination. These tumors demonstrated the capacity to spread along existing anatomic pathways as well as direct bone erosion. We conclude that preoperative CT scans accurately stage EAM squamous cell carcinoma.
Repair of a cerebrospinal fluid perilymph fistula primarily through the middle ear and secondarily by occluding the cochlear aqueduct
Authors: Weider Dudley J. , Saunders Richard L. , Musiek Frank E.
Published: July 2017

A 35‐year‐old man had a 5‐year history of fluctuating hearing loss in his only hearing ear. History and diagnostic tests indicated a perilymph fistula, a diagnosis subsequently confirmed by exploration. Primary and secondary repairs temporarily ameliorated symptoms. A spinal fluid to middle ear fluid pathway was identified by radioactive tracer. A patent cochlear aqueduct indicated on computed tomography scan was found and repaired through a posterior cranial fossa approach. Hearing was preserved, remaining relatively stable during the 2‐year follow‐up period.