Revisiting the need for formal education in visualization.

Defining visualization education is still a work in progress. Visualization education is not just a subject within computer science. Computer scientists are not always the appropriate choice to teach visualization courses on their own. Visualization is not just mastering a set of concepts but acquiring skills. Student should learn by doing, either using one tool or a variety of tools, depending on the course's focus.     

Personality and the predisposition to engage in risky or problem behaviors during adolescence.

Longitudinal data from a representative sample of 1,978 Black and White adolescents were used to examine the role of personality in multiple risk or problem behaviors. Results indicate that covariation among diverse behaviors (educational underachievement, delinquent behavior, substance use, sexual behavior) can be adequately modeled by a single higher order factor, and that impulsivity and avoidance coping serve as generalized risk factors for involvement in these behaviors. Whereas none of the personality variables examined explained change in problem behaviors once established, avoidance coping prospectively predicted involvement among a subgroup of adolescents with little or no prior involvement. Results suggest that dysfunctional styles of regulating emotions and emotionally driven behaviors are core features of risky or problem behaviors during adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

衣橱里的烟装小礼服

伊夫圣罗兰（Yves Saint Laurent）曾为永不褪流行的烟装小礼服下过如下注解：流行来来去去，但只有时尚长存不朽；烟装小礼服，是一种时尚，而不是一时的流行。所以，见证着永不逝去的流行经典的烟装小礼服，既是每个男人也是每个女人一定要拥有的服装。[编者按]     

"The association between emotional upset and cardiac arrhythmia during daily life": Correction to Carels et al. (2003).

Reports an error in the original article by R. A. Carels et al (Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 2003[Jun], Vol 71[3], 613-618). On page 615, Lines 18, 20, 22, of Table 1, the data in the rows that read "Tachycardia in min per hr," "Repetitive PVCs per hr," and "PVCs per hr" are incorrectly reported in the n and % columns. They should have been reported in the M and SD columns. The corrected table is provided. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 2003-00756-023.) Ventricular arrhythmia exhibits considerable within-subject variability that cannot be attributed to clinical status alone. This investigation examined the extent to which cardiac arrhythmia was associated with psychological and physical factors assessed during the hour preceding arrhythmic or nonarrhythmic activity. Approximately twice hourly, 46 patients randomly completed a diary assessing mood and physical symptoms during 24-hr electrocardiographic monitoring. Greater negative emotion was associated with increased arrhythmia. Additionally, greater negative emotion was significantly associated with increased arrhythmia among participants in a low left ventricular ejection fraction group (LVEF). However, this relationship between negative emotion and arrhythmia was not... (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of terrain and canopy height products in central African tropical forests

Since the introduction of space-based altimetry data into the science community, global products associated with elevation and vegetation metrics have been heavily utilized for a variety of ecological applications. Satellite remote sensing enables the collection of global (or near-global), standardized data sets, which can be used in their original form or used as inputs along with other data sets in generating new products. Recent effort has focused on using available data to generate maps of tree heights at a global scale in the service of a better understanding of above ground biomass distribution and its effects on global carbon storage. However, global data sets, while validated at a global scale, often display local and regional variations in accuracy which must be quantified before applying those data sets to smaller scale studies. This work addresses the need for a better understanding of the quality of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 90 m digital elevation model and a global 1 km canopy height model in the dense tropical forests of Gabon by using a small-footprint airborne lidar survey and large-footprint, space-based waveform lidar data from teh National Air and Space Administration’s Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) for validation. As expected, the study found SRTM elevations to be heavily biased by vegetation in this biome, with elevations consistently located within the canopy volume. In addition, the global canopy height model consistently underestimates maximum canopy height at both local and regional scales.     

Maternally modulated infant separation responses are regulated by D2-family dopamine receptors.

Although dopamine is necessary for mammalian adult pair-bond formation and maternal behavior, its function in infant social behavior and attachment has been less thoroughly explored. The vocalization rate of an isolated rat pup is influenced by recent social contact. Interactions with the dam potentiate vocalization rate. Interactions with littermates or adult males do not. Systemic administration of the D2-family agonist quinpirole specifically blocked maternal potentiation at doses that did not alter vocalization rate in an isolation prior to dam contact. This result was not explained by quinpirole's effects on body temperature or locomotion. The results are consistent with a role for dopamine in infant social behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Testing a Self-Determination Theory Process Model for Promoting Glycemic Control Through Diabetes Self-Management.

A longitudinal study tested the self-determination theory (SDT) process model of health behavior change for glycemic control within a randomized trial of patient activation versus passive education. Glycosylated hemoglobin for patients with Type 2 diabetes (n=159) was assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Autonomous motivation and perceived competence were assessed at baseline and 6 months, and the autonomy supportiveness of clinical practitioners was assessed at 3 months. Perceptions of autonomy and competence were promoted by perceived autonomy support, and changes in perceptions of autonomy and competence, in turn, predicted change in glycemic control. Self-management behaviors mediated the relation between change in perceived competence and change in glycemic control. The self-determination process model fit the data well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Relapse Crises in Dieting.

Much of the research on relapse crises in dieting has focused on isolated lapse events and relied heavily on retrospective self-report data. The present study sought to overcome these limitations by using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) techniques to examine situations of dietary temptation and lapse with a sample of obese, formerly sedentary, postmenopausal women (N = 37) during the final week of a weight-loss intervention. Mood was associated with reports of dietary lapse. Abstinence-violation effects were more strongly associated with dietary lapses than temptations. Finally, coping responses distinguished dietary temptations from lapses. Education on the factors associated with relapse crises in dieting may be imperative for weight loss success and maintenance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oxidation of p-[125I]Iodobenzoic Acid and p-[211At]Astatobenzoic Acid Derivatives and Evaluation In Vivo

The alpha particle-emitting radionuclide astatine-211 (²¹¹At) is of interest for targeted radiotherapy; however, low in vivo stability of many ²¹¹At-labeled cancer-targeting molecules has limited its potential. As an alternative labeling method, we evaluated whether a specific type of astatinated aryl compound that has the At atom in a higher oxidation state might be stable to in vivo deastatination. In the research effort, para-iodobenzoic acid methyl ester and dPEG₄-amino acid methyl ester derivatives were prepared as HPLC standards. The corresponding para-stannylbenzoic acid derivatives were also prepared and labeled with ¹²⁵I and ²¹¹At. Oxidization of the [¹²⁵I]iodo- and [²¹¹At]astato-benzamidyl-dPEG₄-acid methyl ester derivatives provided materials for in vivo evaluation. A biodistribution was conducted in mice with coinjected oxidized ¹²⁵I- and ²¹¹At-labeled compounds. The oxidized radioiodinated derivative was stable to in vivo deiodination, but unfortunately the oxidized [²¹¹At]astatinated benzamide derivative was found to be unstable under the conditions of isolation by radio-HPLC (post animal injection). Another biodistribution study in mice evaluated the tissue concentrations of coinjected [²¹¹At]NaAtO₃ and [¹²⁵I]NaIO₃. Comparison of the tissue concentrations of the isolated material from the oxidized [²¹¹At]benzamide derivative with those of [²¹¹At]astatate indicated the species obtained after isolation was likely [²¹¹At]astatate.     

The effect of age,gender and attitudes on self-regulation in driving

Self-regulation in driving has primarily been studied as a precursor to driving cessation in older people, who minimise driving risk and compensate for physical and cognitive decline by avoiding driving in challenging circumstances, e.g. poor weather conditions, in the dark and at busy times. This research explores whether other demographic groups of drivers adopt self-regulatory behaviours and examines the effects of affective and instrumental attitudes on self-regulation across the lifespan. Quantitative data were collected from 395 drivers. Women were significantly more likely than men to engage in self-regulation, and to be negatively influenced by their emotions (affective attitude). A quadratic effect of age on self-regulation was determined such that younger and older drivers reported higher scores for self-regulation than middle-years’ drivers. However, this effect was affected by experience such that when experience was controlled for, self-regulation increased with age. Nevertheless, anxious driving style and negative affective attitude were independent predictors of self-regulation behaviours. Results suggest that self-regulation behaviours are present across the driving lifespan and may occur as a result of driving anxiety or low confidence rather than as an effect of ageing.