On the Auditory Modality Superiority Effect in Serial Recall: Separating Input and Output Factors.

The modality effect in immediate recall refers to superior recall of the last few items within lists presented in spoken as opposed to printed form. The locus of this well-known effect has been unclear. N. Cowan, J. S. Saults, E. M. Elliott, and M. Moreno (2002) introduced a new method to distinguish between the effects of input serial position, output serial position, and the number of items yet to be recalled and found that large modality effects occurred only in conditions in which delay and interference at output (from items already recalled) was high. The authors replicated that finding, even when the response period included output interference acoustically similar to the spoken stimuli to be recalled. However, the authors found that output delay and interference act only by lowering the level of performance to a more sensitive range. The modality effect thus originates during encoding of the list to be recalled, not during output. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences in children's event memory reports and the narrative elaboration technique.

Children between 7 and 8 years old took pan in a staged event at school and 1 week later were assessed using a short form of the Wechsler Intelligence scale for children (third edition) and measures of metamemory, narrative ability, and socioeconomic status. Two weeks following the event, children either received narrative elaboration training (NET; K.J. Saywitz & L. Snyder, 1996) and were prompted with the four NET cue cards at interview; received verbal prompts corresponding to the cue card categories, but without prior training; or were presented with the cards at interview without prior training. Children given verbal labels as prompts recalled as much information as children who received NET training and cue cards. Measures of intelligence were predictive of amount recalled for cards-only children but not for the other 2 groups, indicating that differences in recall between low- and high-IQ groups were attenuated when recall was supported by NET training or verbal prompting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Molecular studies on kinin receptors

We describe the results of functional studies on DNA clones encoding functional bradykinin receptors derived from human, rat, and mouse sources and including both genomic and complementary DNA clones. In both the Xenopus oocyte and the COS cell expression systems, the receptors from human and rat showed the pharmacological properties of B2 receptors, but receptors from mouse displayed both B1- and B2-like pharmacological properties. We further investigated the molecular relationship between the B1 and B2 receptor subtypes expressed by a human fibroblast cell line, and we demonstrate that these two receptor subtypes are encoded by distinct mRNA species.     

Fabrication and selective surface modification of 3-dimensionally textured biomedical polymers from etched silicon substrates

A new method is described for producing biomedically relevant polymers with precisely defined micron scale surface texture in the x, y, and z planes. Patterned Si templates were fabricated using photolithography to create a relief pattern in photoresist with lateral dimensions as small as 1 micron. Electroless Ni was selectively deposited in the trenches of the patterned substrate. The Ni served as a resilient mask for transferring the patterns onto the Si substrate to depths of up to 8.5 microns by anisotropic reactive ion etching with a fluorine-based plasma. The 3-dimensional (3-D) textured silicon substrates were used as robust, reusable molds for pattern transfer onto poly (dimethyl siloxane), low density poly (ethylene), poly (L-lactide), and poly (glycolide) by either casting or injection molding. The fidelity of the pattern transfer from the silicon substrates to the polymers was 90 to 95% in all three planes for all polymers for more than 60 transfers from a single wafer, as determined by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Further, the 3-D textured polymers were selectively modified to coat proteins either in the trenches or on the mesas by capillary modification or selective coating techniques. These selectively patterned 3-D polymer substrates may be useful for a variety of biomaterial applications.     

Interpretation of chemically created periapical lesions using direct digital imaging

Perchloric acid (70%) was used to create simulated periapical lesions in tooth sockets of 15 dentate cadaver jaw specimens. Using the Trophy USA direct digital radiographic system, linear images were captured at selected time intervals after initial acid application and altered by contrast reversal, pseudocolor enhancement, and two forms of histogram equalization. The 525 total images were randomized for display on a computer monitor for evaluation by five endodontists. Images were evaluated twice by each rater, with viewings 1 to 2 wk apart. Statistical analysis determined interrater variability, intrarater reproducibility, and the relative merits of each enhancement technique. At 8, 12, 16, and 24 h after acid application, both techniques of histogram equalization yielded a statistically significant improvement over reverse contrast in perception of periapical patholais. Linear and pseudocolor-enhanced images were also significantly more diagnostic than reverse contrast at 12, 16, and 24 h. Intrarater reproducibility showed moderate agreement, but analysis showed only a fair level of interrater agreement.     

Activity of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase and optimal glycolytic flux are required for rapid adaptation and growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of the weak-acid preservative sorbic acid

The weak acid sorbic acid transiently inhibited the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in media at low pH. During a lag period, the length of which depended on the severity of this weak-acid stress, yeast cells appeared to adapt to this stress, eventually recovering and growing normally. This adaptation to weak-acid stress was not due to metabolism and removal of the sorbic acid. A pma1-205 mutant, with about half the normal membrane H+-ATPase activity, was shown to be more sensitive to sorbic acid than its parent. Sorbic acid appeared to stimulate plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity in both PMA1 and pma1-205. Consistent with this, cellular ATP levels showed drastic reductions, the extent of which depended on the severity of weak-acid stress. The weak acid did not appear to affect the synthesis of ATP because CO2 production and O2 consumption were not affected significantly in PMA1 and pma1-205 cells. However, a glycolytic mutant, with about one-third the normal pyruvate kinase and phosphofructokinase activity and hence a reduced capacity to generate ATP, was more sensitive to sorbic acid than its isogenic parent. These data are consistent with the idea that adaptation by yeast cells to sorbic acid is dependent on (i) the restoration of internal pH via the export of protons by the membrane H+-ATPase in an energy-demanding process and (ii) the generation of sufficient ATP to drive this process and still allow growth.     

Metrics and mappings: A framework for understanding real-world quantitative estimation.

Estimation is influenced by a variety of processes: application of heuristics, domain-specific reasoning, and intuitive statistical induction among them. In this article, the authors propose the metrics and mapping framework to account for how these processes are integrated to generate estimates. This framework identifies 2 types of information as critical: knowledge of distributional properties (metric knowledge) and knowledge of relative status of individual entities within the distribution (mapping knowledge). Heuristics and domain-specific knowledge are both viewed as cues that contribute to mapping knowledge; intuitive statistical induction is viewed as providing cues to metric properties. Results of 4 experiments illustrate the framework's usefulness for integrating these types of information and for predicting when people emphasize heuristics and when they emphasize domain-specific knowledge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phase I/II study of a short course of weekly cisplatin in patients with advanced solid tumours

Twenty-five patients with advanced solid tumours were entered in a phase I/II study of six, weekly cycles of cisplatin. Nineteen patients were chemonaive and six were previously treated. The starting dose was 50 mg m-2 week-1. This dose could be escalated without major toxicity to 70 mg m-2 week-1. At a dose of 80 mg m-2 myelosuppression grade 3 occurred as well as grade 1 nephro- and neurotoxicity. The maximum tolerated dose was 85 mg m-2 with dose limiting thrombocytopenia. Hypertonic saline was effective in preventing nephrotoxicity. Ondansetron was a very effective antiemetic in the first weeks of treatment but its efficacy waned later on. Responses were observed in head and neck cancer, melanoma and mesothelioma. At the dose level of 80 mg m-2 the optimal dose intensity was reached. This schedule will be tested further in phase II studies.