Contextualizing the Dynamics of Affective Functioning: Conceptual and Statistical Considerations

Aktuelle Affektforschung betont die Bedeutung mikrolängsschnittlicher Daten für das Verstehen täglichen affektiven Funktionierens, da sie es erlauben affektive Dynamiken und potentiell zugrunde liegende Prozesse zu beschreiben. Dynamische Längsschnittmodelle werden entsprechend attraktiver. In dieser Dissertation komme ich Forderungen nach einer Integration kontextueller Informationen in die Untersuchung täglichen affektiven Funktionierens nach. Speziell modifiziere ich populäre dynamische Modelle so, dass sie kontextuelle Variationen einbeziehen. In einem ersten Beitrag werden Personen als in Kontexte eingebettet begriffen. Der vorgeschlagene Ansatz der festen moderierten Zeitreihenanalyse berücksichtigt systemische Reaktionen auf kontextuelle Veränderungen, indem Veränderungen in allen Parametern eines dynamischen Zeitreihenmodells auf kontextuelle Veränderungen bedingt schätzt werden. Kontextuelle Veränderungen werden als bekannt und assoziierte Parameterveränderungen als deterministisch behandelt. Folglich sind Modellspezifikation und -schätzung erleichtert und in kleineren Stichproben praktikabel. Es sind allerdings Informationen über den Einfluss kontextueller Faktoren erforderlich. Anwendbar auf einzelne Personen erlaubt der Ansatz die uneingeschränkte Exploration interindividueller Unterschiede in kontextualisierten affektiven Dynamiken. In einem zweiten Beitrag werden Personen als mit Kontexten interagierend begriffen. Ich implementiere eine Prozessperspektive auf kontextuelle Schwankungen, die die Dynamiken täglicher Ereignisse über autoregressive Modelle mit Poisson Messfehler abbildet. Die Kombination von Poisson und Gaußscher autoregressiver Modellierung erlaubt eine Formalisierung des dynamischen Zusammenspiels kontextueller und affektiver Prozesse. Die Modelle sind hierarchisch aufgesetzt und erfassen so interindividuelle Unterschiede in intraindividuellen Dynamiken. Die Schätzung erfolgt über simulationsbasierte Verfahren der Bayesschen Statistik.Recent affect research stresses the importance of micro-longitudinal data for understanding daily affective functioning, as they allow describing affective dynamics and potentially underlying processes. Accordingly, dynamic longitudinal models get increasingly promoted. In this dissertation, I address calls for an integration of contextual information into the study of daily affective functioning. Specifically, I modify popular dynamic models so that they incorporate contextual changes. In a first contribution, individuals are characterized as embedded in contexts. The proposed approach of fixed moderated time series analysis accounts for systemic reactions to contextual changes by estimating change in all parameters of a dynamic time series model conditional on contextual changes. It thus treats contextual changes as known and related parameter changes as deterministic. Consequently, model specification and estimation are facilitated and feasible in smaller samples, but information on which and how contextual factors matter is required. Applicable to single individuals, the approach permits an unconstrained exploration of inter-individual differences in contextualized affective dynamics. In a second contribution, individuals are characterized as interacting reciprocally with contexts. Implementing a process perspective on contextual changes, I model the dynamics of daily events using autoregressive models with Poisson measurement error. Combining Poisson and Gaussian autoregressive models can formalize the dynamic interplay between contextual and affective processes. It thereby distinguishes not only unique from joint dynamics, but also affective reactivity from situation selection, evocation, or anticipation. The models are set up as hierarchical to capture inter-individual differences in intra-individual dynamics. Estimation is carried out via simulation-based techniques in the Bayesian framework

The Flux Ratio Method for Determining the Dust Attenuation of Starburst Galaxies

The presence of dust in starburst galaxies complicates the study of their stellar populations as the dust's effects are similar to those associated with changes in the galaxies' stellar age and metallicity. This degeneracy can be overcome for starburst galaxies if UV/optical/near-infrared observations are combined with far-infrared observations. We present the calibration of the flux ratio method for calculating the dust attenuation at a particular wavelength, Att(\lambda), based on the measurement of F(IR)/F(\lambda) flux ratio. Our calibration is based on spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from the PEGASE stellar evolutionary synthesis model and the effects of dust (absorption and scattering) as calculated from our Monte Carlo radiative transfer model. We tested the attenuations predicted from this method for the Balmer emission lines of a sample starburst galaxies against those calculated using radio observations and found good agreement. The UV attenuation curves for a handful of starburst galaxies were calculated using the flux ratio method, and they compare favorably with past work. The relationship between Att(\lambda) and F(IR)/F(\lambda) is almost completely independent of the assumed dust properties (grain type, distribution, and clumpiness). For the UV, the relationship is also independent of the assumed stellar properties (age, metallicity, etc) accept for the case of very old burst populations. However at longer wavelengths, the relationship is dependent on the assumed stellar properties.Comment: accepted by the ApJ, 18 pages, color figures, b/w version at http://mips.as.arizona.edu/~kgordon/papers/fr_method.htm

X-ray Halos and Large Grains in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium

Recent observations with dust detectors on board the interplanetary spacecraft Ulysses and Galileo have recorded a substantial flux of large interstellar grains with radii between 0.25 and 2.0 mu entering the solar system from the local interstellar cloud. The most commonly used interstellar grain size distribution is characterized by a a^-3.5 power law in grain radii a, and extends to a maximum grain radius of 0.25 mu. The extension of the interstellar grain size distribution to such large radii will have a major effect on the median grain size, and on the amount of mass needed to be tied up in dust for a given visual optical depth. It is therefore important to investigate whether this population of larger dust particles prevails in the general interstellar medium, or if it is merely a local phenomenon. The presence of large interstellar grains can be mainly inferred from their effect on the intensity and radial profiles of scattering halos around X-ray sources. In this paper we examine the grain size distribution that gives rise to the X-ray halo around Nova Cygni 1992. The results of our study confirm the need to extend the interstellar grain size distribution in the direction of this source to and possibly beyond 2.0 mu. The model that gives the best fit to the halo data is characterized by: (1) a grain size distribution that follows an a^-3.5 power law up to 0.50 mu, followed by an a^-4.0 extension from 0.50 mu to 2.0 mu; and (2) silicate and graphite (carbon) dust-to-gas mass ratios of 0.0044 and 0.0022, respectively, consistent with solar abundances constraints. Additional observations of X-ray halos probing other spatial directions are badly needed to test the general validity of this result.Comment: 17 pages, incl. 1 figure, accepted for publ. by ApJ Letter

Subclasses Of Multivalent Harmonic Mappings Defined By Convolution.

Harmonic mappings have been recently investigated from the perspective of geometric function theory. These mappings are important in the study of minimal surfaces. Although harmonic mappings need not be analytic, they have been studied as generalizations of conformal mappings. The seminal works of Clunie and Sheil-Small [4] and Sheil-Small [B] showed that while certain classical results for conformal mappings have analogues for harmonic mappings, many other basic questions remain unsolved

Antibacterial Activity of Papaya Leaf Extracts Against Pathogenic Bacteria

It was reported that the extracts of papaya leaves could inhibit the growth of Rhizopus stolonifer. Antibacterial activity of Carica papaya leaf extracts on pathogenic bacteria was observed in this study. Papaya leaves were extracted by using maceration method and three kinds of solvents: ethanol, ethyl acetate, and hexane. Papaya leaf extracts were tested against Bacillus stearothermophilus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas sp., and Escherichia coli by agar diffusion method. The objectives of this study were to determine extract ability against pathogenic bacteria, to observe the influence of pH, NaCl, and heat on extracts ability, and to observe extract ability against B. stearothermophilus spores. The data showed that ethyl acetate extract could inhibit B. stearothermophilus, L. monocytogenes, Pseudomonas sp., and E. coli. The extract activity was influenced by pH, and it was more effective in low pH. The extract activity was influenced by NaCl against B. stearothermophillus and E. coli. However, it was not influenced by NaCl in bioassay against L. monocytogenes and Pseudomonas sp. The extract activity was influenced by heating process against all the bacteria tested. The extracts inhibited B. stearothermophilus spores as well. Papaya leaves are potential natural anti-bacteria, which might be used in certain kinds of food

A model for gelation with explicit solvent effects: Structure and dynamics

We study a two-component model for gelation consisting of $f$-functional monomers (the gel) and inert particles (the solvent). After equilibration as a simple liquid, the gel particles are gradually crosslinked to each other until the desired number of crosslinks has been attained. At a critical crosslink density the largest gel cluster percolates and an amorphous solid forms. This percolation process is different from ordinary lattice or continuum percolation of a single species in the sense that the critical exponents are new. As the crosslink density $p$ approaches its critical value $p_c$, the shear viscosity diverges: $\eta(p)\sim (p_c-p)^{-s}$ with $s$ a nonuniversal concentration-dependent exponent.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figure

Drivers of U.S. toxicological footprints trajectory 1998–2013

By exploiting data from the Toxic Release Inventory of the United States, we have established that the toxicological footprint (TF) increased by 3.3% (88.4 Mt) between 1998 and 1999 and decreased by 39% (1088.5 Mt) between 1999 and 2013. From 1999 to 2006, the decreasing TF was driven by improvements in emissions intensity (i.e. gains in production efficiency) through toxic chemical management options: cleaner production; end of pipe treatment; transfer for further waste management; and production scale. In particular, the mining sector reduced its TF through outsourcing processes. Between 2006 and 2009, decreasing TF was due to decrease in consumption volume triggered by economic recession. Since 2009, the economic recovery increased TF, overwhelming the influence of improved emissions intensity through population growth, consumption and production structures. Accordingly, attaining a less-toxic economy and environment will be influenced by a combination of gains in production efficiency through improvement in emissions mitigation technologies and changes in consumption patterns. Overall, the current analysis highlights the structural dynamics of toxic chemical release and would inform future formulation of effective mitigation standards and management protocols towards the detoxification of the environmen

Quantum Smoluchowski equation: Escape from a metastable state

We develop a quantum Smoluchowski equation in terms of a true probability distribution function to describe quantum Brownian motion in configuration space in large friction limit at arbitrary temperature and derive the rate of barrier crossing and tunneling within an unified scheme. The present treatment is independent of path integral formalism and is based on canonical quantization procedure.Comment: 10 pages, To appear in the Proceedings of Statphys - Kolkata I

The Photophysics of the Carrier of Extended Red Emission

Interstellar dust contains a component which reveals its presence by emitting a broad, unstructured band of light in the 540 to 950 nm wavelength range, referred to as Extended Red Emission (ERE). The presence of interstellar dust and ultraviolet photons are two necessary conditions for ERE to occur. This is the basis for suggestions which attribute ERE to an interstellar dust component capable of photoluminescence. In this study, we have collected all published ERE observations with absolute-calibrated spectra for interstellar environments, where the density of ultraviolet photons can be estimated reliably. In each case, we determined the band-integrated ERE intensity, the wavelength of peak emission in the ERE band, and the efficiency with which absorbed ultraviolet photons are contributing to the ERE. The data show that radiation is not only driving the ERE, as expected for a photoluminescence process, but is modifying the ERE carrier as manifested by a systematic increase in the ERE band's peak wavelength and a general decrease in the photon conversion efficiency with increasing densities of the prevailing exciting radiation. The overall spectral characteristics of the ERE and the observed high quantum efficiency of the ERE process are currently best matched by the recently proposed silicon nanoparticle (SNP) model. Using the experimentally established fact that ionization of semiconductor nanoparticles quenches their photoluminescence, we proceeded to test the SNP model by developing a quantitative model for the excitation and ionization equilibrium of SNPs under interstellar conditions for a wide range of radiation field densities.Comment: 42 p., incl. 8 fig. Accepted for publication by Ap