"What counts in the development of young children's number knowledge?": Correction to Levine et al. (2010).

Reports an error in "What counts in the development of young children's number knowledge" by Susan C. Levine, Linda Whealton Suriyakham, Meredith L. Rowe, Janellen Huttenlocher and Elizabeth A. Gunderson (Developmental Psychology, 2010[Sep], Vol 46[5], 1309-1319). A coding error resulted in incorrect item-level data being reported on the point-to-x task (not the children‘s overall performance on this task) in Table 2 and in the section of the Results headed Point-to-X Task Performance (second column, p. 1314). In the first paragraph in the section, the correct average score for knowledge of cardinal meanings of the number words. In the second paragraph in the section, there is an example illustrating children’s greater performance on items involving a target and a distractor that were one digit apart. An additional adjustment in the second paragraph involves the finding that children performed better when at least one of two choice sets was a small number (1–3) than when both choice sets were greater than or equal to 4. More information for the corrections and the corrected table are given in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2010-17955-026.) Prior studies indicate that children vary widely in their mathematical knowledge by the time they enter preschool and that this variation predicts levels of achievement in elementary school. In a longitudinal study of a diverse sample of 44 preschool children, we examined the extent to which their understanding of the cardinal meanings of the number words (e.g., knowing that the word “four” refers to sets with 4 items) is predicted by the “number talk” they hear from their primary caregiver in the early home environment. Results from 5 visits showed substantial variation in parents' number talk to children between the ages of 14 and 30 months. Moreover, this variation predicted children's knowledge of the cardinal meanings of number words at 46 months, even when socioeconomic status and other measures of parent and child talk were controlled. These findings suggest that encouraging parents to talk about number with their toddlers, and providing them with effective ways to do so, may positively impact children's school achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What is coded into memory in the absence of outcome feedback?

Although people often have to learn from environments with scarce and highly selective outcome feedback, the question of how nonfeedback trials are represented in memory and affect later performance has received little attention in models of learning and decision making. In this article, the authors use the generalized context model (Nosofsky, 1986) as a vehicle to test contrasting hypotheses about the coding of nonfeedback trials. Data across 3 experiments with selective decision-contingent and selective outcome-contingent feedback provide support for the hypothesis of constructivist coding (Elwin, Juslin, Olsson, & Enkvist, 2007), according to which the outcomes on nonfeedback trials are coded with the most likely outcome, as inferred by the individual. The relation to sampling-based approaches to judgment, and the adaptive significance of constructivist coding, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What are the shapes of response time distributions in visual search?

Many visual search experiments measure response time (RT) as their primary dependent variable. Analyses typically focus on mean (or median) RT. However, given enough data, the RT distribution can be a rich source of information. For this paper, we collected about 500 trials per cell per observer for both target-present and target-absent displays in each of three classic search tasks: feature search, with the target defined by color; conjunction search, with the target defined by both color and orientation; and spatial configuration search for a 2 among distractor 5s. This large data set allows us to characterize the RT distributions in detail. We present the raw RT distributions and fit several psychologically motivated functions (ex-Gaussian, ex-Wald, Gamma, and Weibull) to the data. We analyze and interpret parameter trends from these four functions within the context of theories of visual search. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Are estrogens carcinogenic during development of the testes?

Many chemicals in the environment mimic the female sex hormone, estrogen. Exposure to environmental estrogens during early fetal development was proposed by Sharpe & Skakkebaek as a potential risk factor for subsequent testicular disease, including neoplasia and poor semen quality. To understand the mechanisms of action of estrogenic chemicals during differentiation of the male genital tract, we have studied developmental exposure to the synthetic estrogen, diethylstilboestrol (DES). While DES is a much more potent estrogen than most environmental chemicals examined, several of these compounds share some of the same properties as DES, such as a relative lack of binding to serum estrogen carrying proteins. Prenatal exposure to DES is associated with poor semen quality, prostatic disease, cryptorchidism and testicular neoplasia in mice. A rare form of testicular cancer, rete testis carcinoma, was observed in five percent of male mice treated in utero with DES. We also demonstrated altered regulation of an estrogen responsive gene, lactotransferrin (LTF) in the seminal vesicles of treated mice, but not the controls. Likewise, LTF was irreversibly altered in the uteri of developmentally treated females; at the molecular level altered methylation of the gene appears to be involved, thus, providing a potential marker for hormonal effects during development. The induction of permanent or "imprinted" responses during the development of a relatively estrogen-free reproductive tract cell suggests that undifferentiated targets for estrogen action may be sites for subsequent growth and differentiation defects associated with neoplasia.     

The effect of lamotrigine and carbamazepine on the development of the audiogenic seizure reaction in rats of the Krushinski?-Molodkina strain

The effect of Lamotrigine and carbamazepine on the development and character of the epileptiform seizures after strong sonic stimulation were studied on Krushinski?-Molodkina line of rats. Both drugs manifested a dose-dependent increase in the latency of motor reaction Lamotrigine administration in the dose range of 5-40 mg/kg, i.p., resulted in a moderate decrease in the seizure intensity preventing predominantly the tonic component of the seizure and failed to modify the character of convulsive reaction. Carbamazepine administered in doses of 7.5-30 mg/kg effectively prevented the epileptiform seizures. The "two-wave" motor reaction was observed in 15% of carbamazepine-treated rats.     

Is textbook knowledge of ultrasonography also valid in emergency admission?

Textbook knowledge of sonography is not immediately applicable in emergencies where the favourable prerequisites characterizing the standard case are often lacking. The question therefore arises of what textbook knowledge is also viable in the average emergency unit, under what circumstances and for which clinical questions. The answer to this differentiated question is a graded concept with "primary emergency sonography", "extended" and "standard sonography". The indications and advantages of "primary emergency sonography" in contrast to standard procedure are discussed in detail. The key to success depends on meticulous introduction and training, strict compliance with indications and principle, and rigorous surveillance by an experienced ultrasonic specialist. In addition further scientific examination of the concept is necessary.     

A study of hadronic shower development in the ECAL of the alpha magnetic spectrometer Ⅱ

In this paper, we studied the development of hadronic shower in an electromagnetic calorimeter of Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Ⅱ. Two parametrized empirical formulae were proposed to describe the hadronic shower shape in calorimeter. Using 100 GeV proton b     

What is responsible for the emergence of order and pattern in psychological systems?

Order and pattern abound in the natural world. However, whereas the emergence of order and pattern in physical or biological systems is typically explained by means of self-organization and field dynamics, the emergence of order and pattern in psychological systems is typically explained by means of mediating endogenous entities (such as representations or specialized brain areas) or mechanisms (such as motor or genetic programs). I review a self-organization and field-based approach to understanding order and patterns in a variety of physical and biological systems. I then provide a sketch of recent research that has applied such an approach to understanding order and pattern in psychological phenomena (including development, motor control, perception, cognition, and social behavior). Such an approach promises to reduce the explanatory burden associated with psychological phenomena and brings explanations of such phenomena into greater congruence with natural law. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do children's perceptions and attributions mediate the effects of mothers' child-rearing actions?

The authors analyzed whether the relation between maternal child-rearing behaviors and a child's self-regulation was mediated by the accuracy in the child's perceptions of the mother's goals and methods and by the direction of attributions for the mother's intentions. Sixty mothers with children 7–10 years old were asked how and why they would react in 15 hypothetical situations. Children were interviewed to assess the accuracy of their perceptions and the direction of their attributions. To assess the children's self-regulation, mothers and children were observed planning an excursion. LISREL analysis showed that the reported use of both control and demandingness and of responsiveness has a positive influence on the accuracy of children's perceptions and, in turn, on their self-regulation. However, part of the positive impact of control and demandingness on children's self-regulation was due to the effect of positive attributions on the accuracy of perceptions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What is the psychiatrist's role in drugs and alcohol?

OBJECTIVE: This article describes a consensus view of the role of psychiatrists in respect of alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems, in response to the view expressed by Wodak [1]. METHOD: The data were selected on the basis of the knowledge and experience of the authors. RESULTS: Psychiatrists have made major contributions in the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of AOD problems over many years in Australia and New Zealand. In recent years there has been an explosion of new knowledge in the AOD area and a shift from mental health to primary and public health care for these patients. Substance use disorders (SUD) are highly prevalent in all areas of psychiatric practice, requiring treatment in their own right as well as complicating the treatment of coexisting psychiatric illness. CONCLUSION: It is argued that psychiatrists have important roles in harm reduction, prevention and policy development; brief and early intervention in SUD in liaison and child psychiatry; and systematic treatment for those with dependence and other psychiatric comorbidity. A research and collaborative approach to AOD services and patients should be encouraged, rather than engaging in divisive debate over "ownership' of this area of clinical practice.     

What is wrong with the measles vaccine in Mexico? Study of an epidemic outbrake of measles

Chemical and electronic synapses are present in the ocellar synaptic region of the moth, Trichoplusia ni. The chemical synapses all appear to be of "conventional" type. Four different chemical synaptic contacts were observed: Receptor cell axons presynaptic to receptor cell axons, receptor cell axons presynaptic to 1st order interneurons, 1st order interneurons presynaptic to receptor cell axons, and 1st order interneurons presynaptic to 1st order interneurons. Two different types of contact made by electronic synapes were observed: Contacts between receptor cell axons and 1st order interneurons, and contacts between 1st order interneurons. The significance of this synaptic arrangement for the generation of "on" and "off" responses in the 1st order interneurons is discussed.     

What is the character of research on leadership character?

This article examines the theories and research on character and leadership by the authors in the Special Issue on “Defining and Measuring Character in Leadership” (Thompson & Riggio, 2010). It explores the variety of definitions and frameworks and identifies similarities across them. We note that the dominant foundations of the frameworks are transformational leadership and positive psychology. This raises concerns that the models may be too narrowly constructed. On the other hand, important insights are offered in the special issue on the measurement of character in leadership. In addition, the articles offer some tentative interventions for promoting leadership character among managers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of progress of steelmaking technology in the first decade of the new century and outlook in the ＂12th five-year development＂ period

新世纪炼钢科技进步促进了炼钢生产十年持续高速增长,推动了整个钢铁工业的科技进步。十年来炼钢关键共性技术的开发取得了重大进展,最主要的有高效率低成本生产洁净钢系统技术、节能减排优化技术等6方面。“十二五”期间炼钢科技创新总的趋势仍然是推动实现高效、低耗、优质、少排的绿色炼钢生产总体目标,着力加快推进包括转炉预脱磷在内的新铁水“三脱”的洁净钢优化工艺应用,提高能源利用、转化和回收利用水平,大力发展各钢种高效恒速连铸装备与技术,提高智能化炼钢水平,强化炼钢连铸前沿技术的研发。     

Does money really matter? Estimating impacts of family income on young children's achievement with data from random-assignment experiments.

Social scientists do not agree on the size and nature of the causal impacts of parental income on children's achievement. We revisit this issue using a set of welfare and antipoverty experiments conducted in the 1990s. We utilize an instrumental variables strategy to leverage the variation in income and achievement that arises from random assignment to the treatment group to estimate the causal effect of income on child achievement. Our estimates suggest that a $1,000 increase in annual income increases young children's achievement by 5%–6% of a standard deviation. As such, our results suggest that family income has a policy-relevant, positive impact on the eventual school achievement of preschool children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maternal employment and development of the father–infant relationship in the first year.

This study investigated links between maternal employment and fathers' parenting quality when their infants were 4 and 12 months old. Sixty-three fathers were videotaped interacting with their infants and completed questionnaires regarding their involvement in caregiving, parenting stress, and marital quality, and mothers reported on children's temperament. Fathers whose wives either did not work outside the home or worked part time were more sensitive and responsive to their children when they were more involved in caregiving; men whose wives worked full time exhibited more negative affect and behavior when they participated more in child care. Men whose wives were not employed also were more positive in their interactions when they were happier with their marriage, whereas men whose wives worked either part time or full time exhibited a negative relation between parenting behavior and marital quality. Maternal work circumstances were not related to fathers' parenting stress; rather, marital quality and child temperament predicted parenting stress at 4 and 12 months for all fathers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What are the fundamental facts of a comparison of two treatments' outcomes?

Responds to comments by Stefan G. Hofmann (see record 2011-19228-003), Edward A. Wise (see record 2011-19228-004), Michael J. Lambert (see record 2011-19228-005), and William H. Gottdiener (see record 2011-19228-006) on the authors original article "Statistical significance testing and clinical trials" (see record 2011-19228-002). The original article is one very narrowly focused effort at studying the implications of relying on the null hypothesis significance test (NHST) for determining which psychotherapy randomized clinical trial (RCT) findings to take seriously for clinical purposes. Although there are several approaches for faulting the NHST, the matter is important and complicated enough to justify dealing, in detail, with one approach at a time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do sex differences in the brain explain sex differences in the hormonal induction of reproductive behavior? What 25 years of research on the Japanese quail tells us

Early workers interested in the mechanisms mediating sex differences in morphology and behavior assumed that differences in behavior that are commonly observed between males and females result from the sex specificity of androgens and estrogens. Androgens were thought to facilitate male-typical traits, and estrogens were thought to facilitate female-typical traits. By the mid-20th century, however, it was apparent that administering androgens to females or estrogens to males was not always effective in sex-reversing behavior and that in some cases a "female" hormone such as an estrogen could produce male-typical behavior and an androgen could induce female-typical behavior. These conceptual difficulties were resolved to a large extent by the seminal paper of C. H. Phoenix, R. W. Goy, A. A. Gerall, and W. C. Young in (1959, Endocrinology 65, 369-382) that illustrated that several aspects of sexual behavior are different between males and females because the sexes have been exposed during their perinatal life to a different endocrine milieu that has irreversibly modified their response to steroids in adulthood. Phoenix et al. (1959) therefore formalized a clear dichotomy between the organizational and activational effects of sex steroid hormones. Since this paper, a substantial amount of research has been carried out in an attempt to identify the aspects of brain morphology or neurochemistry that differentiate under the embryonic/neonatal effects of steroids and are responsible for the different behavioral response of males and females to the activation by steroids in adulthood. During the past 25 years, research in behavioral neuroendocrinology has identified many sex differences in brain morphology or neurochemistry; however many of these sex differences disappear when male and female subjects are placed in similar endocrine conditions (e.g., are gonadectomized and treated with the same amount of steroids) so that these differences appear to be of an activational nature and cannot therefore explain sex differences in behavior that are still present in gonadectomized steroid-treated adults. This research has also revealed many aspects of brain morphology and chemistry that are markedly affected by steroids in adulthood and are thought to mediate the activation of behavior at the central level. It has been explicitly, or in some cases, implicitly assumed that the sexual differentiation of brain and behavior driven by early exposure to steroids concerns primarily those neuroanatomical/neurochemical characteristics that are altered by steroids in adulthood and presumably mediate the activation of behavior. Extensive efforts to identify these sexually differentiated brain characteristics over the past 20 years has only met with limited success, however. As regards reproductive behavior, in all model species that have been studied it is still impossible to identify satisfactorily brain characteristics that differentiate under early steroid action and explain the sex differences in behavioral activating effects of steroids. This problem is illustrated by research conducted on Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), an avian model system that displays prominent sex differences in the sexual behavioral response to testosterone, and in which the endocrine mechanisms that control sexual differentiation of behavior have been clearly identified so that subjects with a fully sex-reversed behavioral phenotype can be easily produced. In this species, studies of sex differences in the neural substrate mediating the action of steroids in the brain, including the activity of the enzymes that metabolize steroids such as aromatase and the distribution of steroid hormone receptors as well as related neurotransmitter systems, did not result in a satisfactory explanation of sex differences in the behavioral effectiveness of testosterone. Possible explanations for the relative failure to identify the organized brain characteristics responsible for behavio     

What causes the isolation effect?

Events that are incongruent with their prevailing context are usually very well remembered. This fact often is described as the distinctiveness effect in memory, an effect that has served as explanation not only of memory phenomena but also of various other phenomena, including social judgment. The core laboratory paradigm for studying distinctiveness in memory research has long been the isolation paradigm. This paradigm, sometimes attributed to H. von Restorff (1933), yields better memory for an item categorically isolated from surrounding items than for the surrounding items and a proper control item. The authors offer an interpretation of the isolation effect based on the analysis of the processing of similarities and differences among the items. Two experiments provide evidence for this interpretation. The results are discussed in the context of current theories of distinctiveness effects in memory. An appeal is made for a different conceptualization of distinctiveness effects, one that treats distinctiveness as a discriminative process in memory that requires processing of both similarities and differences among items. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What place for endoscopic sphincterotomy in treatment of acute pancreatitis?

STUDY AIM: A prospective study was undertaken in order to evaluate the effects of endoscopic sphincterotomy on the evolution of biliary and idiopathic acute pancreatitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 320 patients with acute pancreatitis observed from 1986 to 1996, 118 were excluded from the study for etiological reasons and 137 were included for an endoscopic sphincterotomy within 72 hours from their admission. There were nine technical failures and 128 endoscopic sphincterotomies were performed. Sixty-five eligible patients were not included for logistic problems or patients' refusal; they can be considered as a "control group". RESULTS: The mortality rate of endoscopic sphincterotomy was 0 and the morbidity rate 2.1%. The mortality rate of acute pancreatitis was 3.1% in the sphincterotomy group vs 7.6% in the control group (P = 0.1) (NS) and the morbidity rate 25% versus 32% (P > or = 0.1) (NS). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that endoscopic sphincterotomy could be beneficial in acute biliary or idiopathic pancreatitis but they are not statistically significant. Endoscopic sphincterotomy does not increase the severity of acute pancreatitis and can be considered particularly in cases of gallstone pancreatitis but it should be performed less than 48 hours after the onset of acute pancreatitis.