A Coherence-Based Approach for Tracking Waves in the Solar Corona

We consider the problem of automatically (and robustly) isolating and extracting information about waves and oscillations observed in EUV image sequences of the solar corona with a view to near real-time application to data from the Atmospheric Imaging Array (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We find that a simple coherence / travel-time based approach detects and provides a wealth of information on transverse and longitudinal wave phenomena in the test sequences provided by the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE). The results of the search are "pruned" (based on diagnostic errors) to minimize false-detections such that the remainder provides robust measurements of waves in the solar corona, with the calculated propagation speed allowing automated distinction between various wave modes. In this paper we discuss the technique, present results on the TRACE test sequences, and describe how our method can be used to automatically process the enormous flow of data (~1Tb/day) that will be provided by SDO/AIA after launch in late 2008.Comment: 34 pages, 16 figures - in press Solar Physic

Useful Interplay Between Spontaneous ADR Reports and Electronic Healthcare Records in Signal Detection

Background and Objective: Spontaneous reporting systems (SRSs) remain the cornerstone of post-marketing drug safety surveillance despite their well-known limitations. Judicious use of other available data source

Psychosocial Treatment of Children in Foster Care: A Review

A substantial number of children in foster care exhibit psychiatric difficulties. Recent epidemiologi-cal and historical trends in foster care, clinical findings about the adjustment of children in foster care, and adult outcomes are reviewed, followed by a description of current approaches to treatment and extant empirical support. Available interventions for these children can be categorized as either symptom-focused or systemic, with empirical support for specific methods ranging from scant to substantial. Even with treatment, behavioral and emotional problems often persist into adulthood, resulting in poor functional outcomes. We suggest that self-regulation may be an important mediat-ing factor in the appearance of emotional and behavioral disturbance in these children

The Simulated Indian Monsoon: A GCM Sensitivity Study

The authors find that the deficiency of the model precipitation simulation may be attributed to the use of an enhanced orography in the integrations. Replacement of this orography with a mean orography results in a much more realistic simulation of Indian monsoon circulation and rainfall. Experiments with a linear primitive equation model on the sphere suggest that this striking improvement is due to modulations of the orographically forced waves in the lower troposphere. This improvement in the monsoon simulation is due to the kinematic and dynamical effects of changing the topography, rather than the thermal effects, which were minimal. The magnitude of the impact on the Indian monsoon of the other sensitivity experiments varied considerably but was consistently less than the impact of using the mean orography. However, results from the soil moisture sensitivity experiments suggest a possibly important role for soil moisture in simulating tropical precipitation. -from Author

The spread of agriculture in northern Iberia: new archaeobotanical data from El Mirón cave (Cantabria) and the open-air site of Los Cascajos (Navarra)

This paper presents archaeobotanical results from the Neolithic levels (5,300–4,000 b.c.) of two recently excavated sites in northern Iberia: El Mirón cave (Cantabria) and the open-air site of Los Cascajos (Navarra). A cereal grain from El Mirón is currently the earliest domesticated plant remain from this region. Despite the large number of samples examined, plant remains are few. They include basically cereals (Triticum monococcum, T. dicoccum, T. aestivum/durum/turgidum and Hordeum vulgare) and some nuts and fruits (Corylus avellana, Quercus sp., Vitis sp., etc.). The presence of free-threshing wheats at El Mirón opens up an interesting subject for debate, as until now naked wheats have been absent from the early Neolithic archaeobotanical record of the coastal Cantabrian region. Hulled wheat chaff is the main plant component from Los Cascajos, south of the Cantabrian Cordillera in Navarra, indicating waste from processing activities. The association of barley almost exclusively with both a burial and a ritual vase in Los Cascajos could be related specific rituals or ceremonies.Excavations at El Mirón Cave, directed by Straus and González Morales since 1996, have been funded by the Fundación M. Botín, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the L.S.B. Leakey Foundation, the Gobierno de Cantabria and the University of New Mexico. Excavations at Los Cascajos, directed by J. García Gazólaz and J. Sesma Sesma, have been funded by the Gobierno de Navarra. L. Peña-Chocarro has worked with a post-doctoral contract within the I3P Program, funded by the European Social Fund. L. Zapata’s study was done under a postdoctoral research grant from the Basque Government (Ref. BFI01.12) as part of the Research Group of the University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU 9/UPV00155.130-14570/2002.Peer reviewe

Confiabilidade das aferições de estudo sobre violência familiar e desnutrição severa na infância Measurement reliability in a study on family violence and severe acute malnutrition

INTRODUÇÃO: Como parte do programa de investigação sobre violência familiar e desnutrição severa na infância, especificamente um estudo do tipo caso-controle foi avaliada a confiabilidade dos instrumentos utilizados no processo de obtenção de dados. Estudou-se a confiabilidade de quatro componentes do instrumento principal: (a) as Escalas sobre Táticas de Conflitos (Conflicts Tactics Scales - CTS) que medem o grau de conflito/violência familiar; (b) o instrumento CAGE (Cut-down; Annoyed; Guilty & Eye-opener) usado para indicar suspeição de alcoolismo; (c) o NSDUQ (Non-student Drugs Use Questionnaire) que visa aferir o uso de drogas ilícitas; e (d) a medida antropométrica de comprimento. MÉTODO: Para os três primeiros componentes citados foram avaliadas a estabilidade (confiabilidade intra-observador ou teste-reteste) e a equivalência (confiabilidade inter-observador), usando-se os 50 primeiros sujeitos captados no estudo caso-controle de fundo. Para a análise, usou-se o índice Kappa (k) com ajustamento (pseudo-Bayes) para lidar com problemas de estimabilidade. Em relação ao componente "d", foi estudada somente a equivalência (n=73), usando-se o Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse (Intra-class Correlation Coefficient - ICC) como estimador. RESULTADOS: Todos os componentes mostraram estabilidade e equivalência aceitáveis. Quanto à estabilidade das CTS, CAGE e NSDUQ, as estimações de k foram em torno de 0,70, 0,78 e 0,85, respectivamente. Em relação à equivalência, encontrou-se os valores de 1,0 para as CTS e NSDUQ e 0,75 para CAGE. A equivalência estimada através do ICC para comprimento foi de 0,99. Algumas situações desviantes foram observadas. Os resultados apontam para uma adequada padronização dos observadores e refletem a boa qualidade do processo de aferição referente ao estudo de fundo, encorajando a equipe de pesquisa a prosseguir com maior segurança.<br>INTRODUCTION: This study is nested within a research program related to family violence and severe childhood malnutrition. Its aim is to evaluate the reliability of the data collection process in a case-control study. Four components of the main instrument are addressed: (a) CTS (Conflict Tactics Scales) used to measure violence at the family level; (b) CAGE (Cut-down; Annoyed; Guilty & Eye-opener) questionnaire used to gnage suspicion of drinking problems; NSDUQ (Non-student Drugs Use Questionnaire) used to indicate illicit drug consumption; and (d) heigth/lenght measurements. METHOD: Stability (intra-observer or test-retest reliability) and equivalence (inter-observer reliability) were evaluated for the cited components (a), (b) and (c). Information was replicated among the first 50 subjects selected for the underlying case-control study. The Kappa index (k) was used in the analysis. A pseudo-Bayes adjustment was carried out in order to handle estimation problems. Regarding (d), only equivalence was evaluated (n=73), using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient as the estimator. RESULTS: By and large, all components showed acceptable stability and equivalence. Regarding stability, the estimates of k were around 0.70, 0.78 and 0.85, for CTS, CAGE e NSDUQ, respectively. With respect to equivalence, k was 1.0 for CTS and NSDUQ and 0.75 for CAGE. Equivalence for height/length estimated through the ICC was 0.99. Nevertheless, some deviant situations were detected and are further discussed. The results point to an adequate standardization of observers and reflect the good quality of the data collection procedure concerning the main study, encouraging the research team to press forward with greater assurance