Investigation of the new possibility of mathematical processing of Raman spectra for dating documents.

The use of spectral analysis methods to determine the age of writing inks is an important forensic task. However, the use of spectral data for this purpose has a number of limitations and difficulties. This paper considers the application of the Raman spectroscopy method to an urgent forensic task. The known mechanisms of dye degradation are analyzed; Raman bands are identified that are related to the age of the sample. In a sample of 5 randomly selected writing inks, temporary markers were identified. Narrow sections of Raman spectra containing characteristic lines were used for analysis. It was shown that processing narrow sections of the Raman spectra using the PCA chemometric method allowed the separation of writing inks into groups (clusters) corresponding to different creation intervals.

All smiles are positive, but some smiles are more positive than others.

Disagreement as to whether all smiling or specific types of smiling index positive emotion early in life was addressed by examining when infants produced different types of smiling and other facial expressions. Thirteen infants were observed weekly from 1 to 6 months of age. Smiling alone--without cheek raising or mouth opening--was relatively more likely than periods without smiling both when mothers were smiling and when infants were gazing at their mothers' faces. Cheek-raise (Duchenne) smiling was relatively more likely than smiling alone only when mothers were smiling. Open-mouth (play) smiling was relatively more likely than smiling alone only when infants were gazing directly at mothers' faces. Smiling involving both cheek raising and mouth opening was relatively likely both when mothers were smiling and when infants were gazing at mothers' faces and became increasingly likely with age when both conditions co-occurred. The cheek-raise and open-mouth dimensions of smiling appear to be associated with, respectively, the amplification of processes of sharing positive affect and of visual engagement that are present to a lesser degree in smiling alone.

Developmental pathways in close relationships.

Multiple case study developmental pathway research is needed to substantiate the theoretical propositions of the target article.

Suicidality in panic disorder: a comparison with schizophrenic, depressed, and other anxiety disorder outpatients.

Recent findings by Weissman, Klerman, Markowitz, and Ouellette (1989) that subjects with panic disorder, with and without comorbid conditions, may be at increased risk for suicide attempts have been controversial. In an attempt to further investigate this finding, we utilized the original National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiological Catchment Area (ECA) suicide questions in an outpatient psychiatric clinic. We examined patients with panic disorder (n = 101). other anxiety disorders (n = 47), schizophrenia (n = 22). and major depression (n = 19). No significant differences were found among all four groups on any of the ECA suicide ideation questions. Only two (2%) of the panic disorder patients and none of the other groups made a suicide attempt in the past year. While 17% of patients with panic disorder and 9% of patients with other anxiety disorders reported having made a suicide attempt at some other time in their life, the schizophrenic (33%) and depressed groups (40%) reported significantly greater histories of suicide attempts. In a forward stepwise regression analysis for panic disorder patients, a history of substance abuse and comorbid depression predicted suicidality. The actual clinical risk for suicide attempts in panic disorder patients appears to occur when they suffer with comorbid diagnoses. These results highlight the need to aggressively treat panic disorder patients so they do not suffer the all-too-common sequelae of depression and substance abuse.

The integration of laughter and speech in vocal communication: a dynamic systems perspective.

Laughter in infant-directed speech was examined in 13 mother-infant pairs to investigate the possible co-occurrence of speech and laughter. Contrary to previous findings in adult-adult social interaction, all mothers produced speech simultaneously with laughter in up to 50% of laughs. In most of these speech-laughs the onset of laugh and speech was simultaneous. Laughter occurred on both function and content words and was more likely to occur on approximately 2 words and on utterances that were statements rather than questions or exclamations. Laughter and speech are different outcomes produced from a reorganization of the same vocal/anatomical parameters. A 3rd outcome is possible in the form of speech-laughs utilizing features from both laughter and speech. In speech-laughs, the duration of the vocalization was more likely to increase, and the changes in the utterance were likely to include 1 or more of the features of vowel elongation, syllabic pulsation, breathiness, and pitch change. These findings and individual variations in the resulting vocal output are discussed from a dynamic systems perspective. It is argued that neither speech nor laughter is dominant when both are combined, but that this is a more complex vocal outcome produced with idiosyncratic flexibility within stable temporal and physiological constraints.

What's in a smile?

In positive social contexts, both adults and older infants show more Duchenne smiling (which involves high cheek raising) than non-Duchenne smiling (which does not). This study compared Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiles in early infancy for clues to their emotional significance. Infants (N = 13) from 1 to 6 months of age were videotaped weekly for 5 min in 208 face-to-face interactions with their mothers. Levels of Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiling were correlated within interactive sessions, and the 2 smiles had similar developmental trajectories. Duchenne smiles were typically preceded by non-Duchenne smiles. The results suggest these frequently contrasted types of smiles occur in similar situations and are often different temporal phases of a continuous emotional process. In contrast to adults, infant Duchenne smiles had longer durations than non-Duchenne smiles, suggesting infant smiling does not fit adult models of emotional functioning.

The relationship between smile type and play type during parent-infant play.

This study examined the relationship between smile type and play type during parent-infant interactions in the home. Thirty-six mother-infant and father-infant dyads were videotaped playing for 10 min. Smile type (basic, Duchenne, and duplay smiles) and play type (object, physical, vocal, and book reading) were coded. Results of loglinear analysis indicated that different types of smiles occur during different types of play more often than expected if distributed equally. In addition, different smile-type and play-type patterns occurred for father-infant dyads compared with mother-infant dyads. Qualitative analyses were used to generate hypotheses about the reasons why different types of smiles occurred during various play activities.

Subclinical rubella reinfection during pregnancy followed by transmission of virus to the fetus.

We report a documented case of rubella reinfection during pregnancy in a previously vaccinated woman with residual antibody titre to rubella of 15 IU/ml. The reinfection occurred following an exposure to rubella virus (contact with 6-year-old daughter with clinical rubella) between the 7th and 10th week of pregnancy which resulted in transmission of the virus to the fetus. Umbilical cord blood drawn by cordocentesis was found to be strongly positive for rubella IgM antibody. After termination of the pregnancy rubella virus was isolated in cell culture from fetal tissues.

Rubella in pregnancy in Israel: 15 years of follow-up and remaining problems.

Despite extensive vaccination programs introduced in Israel since 1973, rubella virus continues to pose a threat to pregnant women. Screening for antibodies from women of childbearing age between 1980 and 1994 showed a decrease in seronegativity from 15.4% to 7% between the years 1980 and 1988, followed by an increase to 9.6% in 1991-92 due in part to the large wave of immigration from the former USSR, and a decrease back to 6.9% in 1993-94. The morbidity fluctuated, with peaks in 1983, 1987 and 1991, yielding a total of 219 cases in the target population of women of childbearing age. Additional problems encountered were reinfections, vaccine failures, and false positive results in screening. During the study period we confirmed 35 cases of reinfections in pregnancy, 19 of which resulted in delivery of healthy babies. In two of four cases of abortion following reinfection that we could follow, the fetus was infected. Immunization of 15-month-old babies introduced in 1989 and the new policy of two-dose vaccination introduced in 1995 are expected to further reduce the spread of rubella virus in the coming years.

Tratamiento neonatal interdisciplinario en pacientes con fisura labio-alvéolo-palatina / Multidisciplinary treatment of neonates with cleft lip and cleft palate

El propósito del presente estudio fue evaluar los beneficios y las complicaciones que pudieran resultar de la reparación quirúrgica neonatal del labio y la nariz en pacientes portadores de fisura labio-alvéolo-palatina (FLAP) aislada. Con este fin, ingresaron a nuestro protocolo 22 recién nacidos con diferentes tipos de FLAP, los que fueron intervenidos con la técnica de Millard duranteel período Diciembre/93-Diciembre/94. Los neonatos toleraron perfectamente el procedimiento quirúrgico. Las pérdidas sanguíneas registradas resultaron inferiores a las de las intervenciones realizadas entre los 3-6 meses de vida, con el mismo tipo de cirugía. En coincidencia con estudios previos sobre la cicatrizacióny la remodelación de tejidos, los pacientes operados en período neonatal presentaron mejor alineación de sus segmentos maxilares y resultados cosméticos superiores. Ante la ausencia de complicaciones los niños fueron dados de alta el mismodía de la cirugía. La corrección quirúrgica temprana al acortar los plazos del tratamiento y requerir un menor número de operaciones, representa un sensible beneficio social y económico (AU)

Tratamiento neonatal interdisciplinario en pacientes con fisura labio-alvéolo-palatina / Multidisciplinary treatment of neonates with cleft lip and cleft palate

El propósito del presente estudio fue evaluar los beneficios y las complicaciones que pudieran resultar de la reparación quirúrgica neonatal del labio y la nariz en pacientes portadores de fisura labio-alvéolo-palatina (FLAP) aislada. Con este fin, ingresaron a nuestro protocolo 22 recién nacidos con diferentes tipos de FLAP, los que fueron intervenidos con la técnica de Millard duranteel período Diciembre/93-Diciembre/94. Los neonatos toleraron perfectamente el procedimiento quirúrgico. Las pérdidas sanguíneas registradas resultaron inferiores a las de las intervenciones realizadas entre los 3-6 meses de vida, con el mismo tipo de cirugía. En coincidencia con estudios previos sobre la cicatrizacióny la remodelación de tejidos, los pacientes operados en período neonatal presentaron mejor alineación de sus segmentos maxilares y resultados cosméticos superiores. Ante la ausencia de complicaciones los niños fueron dados de alta el mismodía de la cirugía. La corrección quirúrgica temprana al acortar los plazos del tratamiento y requerir un menor número de operaciones, representa un sensible beneficio social y económico (AU)##á

Absence of an association between rubella vaccination and arthritis in underimmune postpartum women.

In a double-blind historical cohort study, 485 underimmune women who received rubella vaccine post-partum during 1985-1990 and 493 controls matched for age, place of residence and date of delivery were queried by phone concerning joint complaints following the pregnancy in question. Those reporting joint symptoms were invited for a personal interview at which joint symptoms and dates of their occurrence were explored in detail. Nineteen women in the vaccinated group (3.9%) and 16 from the control group (3.2%) were judged to have had joint symptoms compatible with the study definition of arthritis. The difference was not statistically significant. Thus, we were unable to find evidence for an association between rubella vaccination of underimmune adult women vaccinated post-partum and the subsequent development of arthritis. Rubella vaccine should continue to be used to immunize susceptible adult women against rubella in order to further the goal of elimination of the congenital rubella syndrome.

Diamine oxidase plasma activity and jejunal mucosa integrity in children with protracted diarrhoea.

The aim of this study was to answer the question whether diamine oxidase (DAO) plasma activity reflects jejunal mucosa integrity in children with protracted diarrhoea. DAO activity was estimated with the radioisotopic method described by Fogel [14]. Postheparin DAO plasma activity was significantly lower in children with jejunal mucosa atrophy compared to control subjects.

Vocal affect in three-year-olds: a quantitative acoustic analysis of child laughter.

Recordings were obtained of the laughter vocalizations of four 3-year-old children during three sessions of spontaneous free-play between mother and child in a laboratory playroom. Acoustic analysis was used to determine laughter durations, laughter events, F0, and harmonic characteristics, and to suggest a taxonomy of laughter types. Melodic contours were assessed from patterns of F0 change during laughter. Mean duration of laughs ranged from 200 ms to 2.0 s, but events within a laugh were usually about 200-ms duration. Laughs were intuitively classified into four major types, and, following the acoustic analyses, were further defined and classified into types and subtypes of exclamatory and dull comment; chuckle; basic, variable, and classical rhythmical; and squeal. Melodic contours included more rising contours than previously reported for cry, but there was great variability in the types of contours produced especially for rhythmical laughs. The results of the acoustic analyses are discussed in relation to (a) the development of a taxonomy of laughter and (b) different features of the vocal affect characteristics of high-intensity emotion.

Maternal speech to three-month-old infants in the United States and Japan.

An American-Japanese comparison of maternal speech to 3-month-old infants is presented. Mother-infant dyads were videotaped in the laboratory, and the maternal speech was analysed by function and syntactic form. US mothers were more information-oriented than were Japanese mothers; they also used more question forms, especially yes/no questions. Japanese mothers were affect-oriented, and they used more nonsense, onomatopoeic sounds, baby talk, and babies' names. The differences between countries in maternal speech addressed to 3-month-olds appear to reflect characteristic culture-specific communicative styles as well as beliefs and values related to childrearing.

Lateral asymmetry in attention for three-month-old human infants during face-to-face interaction with mother.

A soft grip the size of an adult index finger was placed in the palm of 3-month-old human infants during face-to-face interaction with their mothers. In a between-subjects experiment, half the subjects interacted with mother for 3 min with no grip, which was followed by a 3 min interaction with the grip in the left hand; for the other half, the grip was placed in the right hand in the second condition. A within-subjects experiment compared the grip interaction for 3 min first in one hand and then in the other. The grip did not significantly alter the infant's gaze at mother, smiling, or positive vocalizations. The movements of the hand with the grip were suppressed similarly for left and right hands. Lateral asymmetry was found for looking to the left side when the grip was in the left hand, compared to no lateral preference in looking during any other condition. The results support a model of right-side dominance for attention control in infants.

Rubella-specific IgM in reinfection and risk to the fetus.

A case of reinfection with the wild rubella virus in the 8th gestational week is reported. The patient had preexisting hemagglutination inhibition antibodies of low titer following immunization with rubella vaccine. Reinfection was accompanied by clinical symptoms and the presence of rubella-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) of high titer. Following termination of pregnancy no rubella virus could be isolated from the fetal tissues and the fetal blood contained no specific IgM antibodies. These results should encourage the use of cordocentesis before decision on interruption of pregnancy.