Visual memory: what do you know about what you saw?

Recent studies of visual perception are bringing us closer to an understanding of what we remember - and what we forget - when we recall a scene.     

Metamemory cues and monitoring accuracy: Judging what you know and what you will know.

Three experiments examined metamemory for categorized lists of items. Judgments of learning (JOLs) were obtained from college students either immediately after study or following a brief (at least 30-s) delay. In contrast to past findings (e.g., T. O. Nelson & J. Dunlosky, 1991), no advantage was found for delayed JOLs in Experiment 1, using a standard, prediction-based metamemory cue. In Experiment 2, knowledge-based judgments were elicited, and delayed JOL accuracy improved significantly. The relative efficacy of 4 different metamemory cues was examined in Experiment 3. An interaction between the timing and phrasing of JOL cues was detected: Delayed JOLs were more accurate than immediate JOLs only when knowledge-based cues were used. These results are interpreted in A. Koriat's (1997) cue-utilization framework for JOL accuracy, and they show that the phrasing of metamemory cues can have a substantial impact on monitoring accuracy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Doctor ... what do you know about ALS?

This paper presents an analysis of the reports of heat casualties to Medical Branch, United Kingdom Land Forces (UKLF) for the period 1986-1994. There was a marked reduction in reports for 1990-1993 compared to the remaining period studied. This may have been the result of improved prevention or under-reporting. This data has been compared to the reports of heat casualties occurring in Cyprus from 1990-1994. Forced marches and military runs were the primary activities causing heat casualties in UK compared to military exercises in Cyprus. There were many more severe casualties in UK than in Cyprus. If it is necessary to reduce the annual rate of heat casualties in the Army then changes in policy should be focused on the problem in UK. This should consider the generation of metabolic heat as the primary cause of heat illness as opposed to environmental factors. In overseas commands (eg Cyprus) the relative effects are reversed.     

"Don''t know" responses in surveys: is what I know what you want to know and do I want you to know it?

The authors present finding from their study of a placement prevention program designed to facilitate addiction treatment for substance-abusing mothers and other primary caregivers reported for child maltreatment. Relationships between involvement in the program, the status of addiction treatment, and the variety of outcomes for caregivers and their children were tested. Findings indicate that nearly half of the participants were able to complete addiction treatment and achieve sobriety. Those who used the program's child day care component were three times more likely to complete treatment. Implications for confronting the problem of substance-abusing caregivers in the child welfare system are drawn.     

Question asking: To know that you do not know is not enough.

Effects of prior knowledge on question asking were examined. Fifth graders with little or much prior knowledge had to indicate the meaning of a set of words. Pupils could (a) not ask a question, (b) ask a global question, or (c) ask a specific question. In Study 1, prior knowledge significantly affected the number of questions asked and the pragmatic significance of the questions. In Study 2, selection was contrasted with production of questions. Pupils with little prior knowledge asked fewer specific questions and more global questions in production. The pragmatic significance of the questions was lower for all pupils in production. The pupils' questions were found wanting in information-gathering and communicative qualities. In Study 2, asking for "provisional answers" in advance of question asking strongly stimulated question asking. It presumably enhances commitment, stimulates monitoring, and alleviates social constraints in asking questions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Noninvasive pacing: what you should know

Noninvasive pacing is a valuable therapy in emergency cardiac care. The more experience clinicians have with the noninvasive pacing procedure, the greater their confidence and the easier the job becomes. Effective troubleshooting during pacing becomes less problematic with increased experience with the therapy. Noninvasive pacing allows rapid initiation of emergency pacing and "buys time" to stabilize the patient and plan further care.     

Pitfalls in diagnosis of Lyme disease. What you need to know about serologic testing

Lyme disease can be difficult to recognize because not all patients have erythema migrans or other classic symptoms. Therefore, laboratory testing has become an important aid to clinical diagnosis. But the story doesn't end there-serologic testing presents another set of problems and concerns. Drs. Still and Ryan explain how aspects of the disease itself and various factors inherent in the available tests can affect laboratory results.     

Diagnostic results and their clinical interpretation--or: what you never wanted to know about diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: To analyze HLA-DR4 alleles in New Zealand Polynesians with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Thirty Polynesians and 30 Caucasians with RA, as well as 65 Polynesian and 60 Caucasian healthy blood donors, were DR4 subtyped using the polymerase chain reaction and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. RESULTS: The frequency of DR4 (DRB1*04) was increased in both Polynesian (P < 0.001) and Caucasian (P < 0.005) RA patients compared with race-matched controls. Dw4 (DRB1*0401) was detected in 15 of 30 Caucasian patients but only 2 of 30 Polynesian patients (P < 0.001). In Polynesians, RA was associated with Dw15 (DRB1*0405), which was present in 11 of 30 patients and 3 of 65 controls (P < 0.001). Dw13 (DRB1*0403) was the most frequent DR4 allele in healthy Polynesians, but was not significantly associated with RA. CONCLUSION: The predominance of the Dw13 subtype in Polynesians may explain in part the low prevalence of RA in this population. The association of Dw15 with RA in Polynesians supports the hypothesis that the third hypervariable region of DR beta determines susceptibility to RA.     

I know what you did: The effects of interpersonal deviance on bystanders.

Using social information processing theory, we explore how interpersonally directed deviance affects work group members who observe or are aware of these insidious behaviors. In a field study, we find that indirect knowledge of work group member interpersonal deviance leads to subsequent interpersonal deviance of a focal individual. We also find that when work group cohesion is high, direct observation of deviance is more likely to result in subsequent bystander deviance. These findings add concretely to theory and research on the bystander effects of workplace deviance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What you need to know: interpreting hepatitis B viral markers

Nutrition has taken on great importance in the health considerations of the general population. To meet expectations many fields have been called to contribute. With his multi-disciplined training the Pharmacist can and should have an important role to play. Upstream, the agro-food industry has many opportunities to offer. Our knowledge of Genetics, Molecular Biology and Botany can be a great advantage. Nutriceuticals are at the interface of nutrition and medicine. They concerns foods which have preventative or curative properties for certain illnesses. Are we going to be able to integrate into this new concept? Administered in pharmacological doses certain nutriments are indeed drugs. The Pharmacist should have a better training in Nutrition in order to be able to do his job properly. In hospitals the Pharmacist dispenses and sometimes prepares solutions for parenteral nutrition, while the biologist participates in denutrition diagnosis.