A longitudinal study of word processing by first-grade children.

12 1st graders were tested 3 times during the school year on a word-reading task and on a task measuring the automaticity of their letter and word processing. Word-reading speed increased steadily during the year, and by the end of the year most of the Ss were able to extract meaning automatically from familiar printed words. The pattern of performance across tasks suggested that the ability to process letters automatically is acquired prior to the ability to read words rapidly and accurately. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mechanism of a MIC probe

Interaction of bacterial biofilms with stainless steel is expected to alter electrochemical behaviour compared with that obtained under sterile conditions and under non-biological deposits. In principle, electrochemical signals can monitor biofilm formation and microbial activity. In this study, attempts were made to understand the mechanism by which an electrochemical sensor using periodic mutual polarisation of two similar stainless steel electrodes responds to biofilm formation. This probe is believed by others to respond to cathodic depolarisation by the biofilm, but the present study using natural fresh water showed that an increase in the galvanic and applied currents of two similar, coupled AISI Type 304 SS electrodes took place only after biofilms had initiated corrosion on the anodically polarised electrode. Comparison of electrodes with natural biofilms and deposited rust layers showed that both the films showed evidence of crevice action, but with a lower ionic resistance than a conventional crevice, therefore permitting rapid propagation of localized corrosion even in dilute chloride media.     

Review of The Development of Modern Behavioural Psychology.

Reviews the book, The Development of Modern Behavioural Psychology by John McLeish (1981). The title of McLeish's book contains two terms that may be somewhat misleading. Describing his efforts as encompassing the "Development" of ideas suggests that the approach is historical, while the term "Modern Behavioural Psychology" might be taken to mean almost anything depending upon one's restrictive use of the term. McLeish, as it turns out, attaches a very restrictive meaning to "Behavioural Psychology". There will probably always be argument about what constitutes a proper historical approach but the reviewer doubts that the tact McLeish takes will ever satisfy. In his review of the history of radical behaviourism, McLeish highlights the work of some writers who have not been given a prominent place by other historians, and discusses, or notes only in passing, authors who have ordinarily been considered prominent. As a history, then, McLeish's book is a disappointment and often annoying. Perhaps the best that can be said about this book is that McLeish hints at a form of behavioural theory which would expand the present boundaries of our thinking. In his enthusiastic advocacy of an account that would recognize the historical, social and cultural origins of human behaviour as well as its complexity (including language, thinking and consciousness), McLeish points to the biological rather than the physical (or mathematical) sciences as the source of appropriate models to develop a science of behaviour. In this he is to be congratulated. It is too bad he did not devote the book to a full development of these notions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Associative disturbance in schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, and major affective disorders: Comparisons between hospitalization and 1-year follow-up.

Word-association performance of 71 Research Diagnostic Criteria-diagnosed schizophrenic, schizoaffective, and affective disorder patients was assessed shortly after hospital admission to evaluate the diagnostic specificity of associative disturbance. The same Ss were assessed again 1 yr after discharge to investigate the longitudinal course of word-association behavior. Data regarding rehospitalization were included in the analyses of 4 primary word-association indices. Results indicate that thought disorder was not distinctively schizophrenic and that associative thought disorder was more characteristically associated with rehospitalization for affective disorder patients than for other diagnostic groups. Arousal and cognitive control mechanisms are discussed. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relating the food involvement scale to demographic variables, food choice and other constructs

This paper describes recent research with the Food Involvement Scale (FIS), relating it to other constructs and demographics, and its potential influence on food choices. We administered the FIS and other established scales to a sample of undergraduates (n=109) from a UK university. The FIS was found to be associated with many other scales, and a multiple regression suggested that higher levels of food involvement are associated with living with two or more friends, cooking for one's self, having regular meals, and being older. We then administered the FIS along with the Block Food Frequency questionnaire to a sample of military personnel (n=2068) and compared food intake patterns between high and low involvement subjects. The analysis suggests that food involvement, as measured by FIS, appears to mediate differences in food choices and food choice patterns.     

Phase I trial of Marimastat, a novel matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, administered orally to patients with advanced lung cancer

PURPOSE: This phase I study was performed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of escalating doses of Marimastat (British Biotech, Inc, Oxford, United Kingdom) in patients with advanced malignancies and to determine the phase II recommended dose to be used in subsequent studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A standard phase I design was used in this study, in which consecutive groups of three patients were treated with escalating doses of the study drug. Marimastat was administered orally at 25, 50, or 100 mg twice daily to consecutive groups of patients with advanced lung cancer. An additional three patients were added at the highest dose studied (100 mg orally twice daily) to assess whether the inflammatory polyarthitis observed at that dose level can be prevented by a concurrent administration of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and/or low-dose corticosteroids. Blood was drawn for safety monitoring, pharmacokinetic analysis, and plasma levels of metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 (determined by zymography). A total of 12 patients were studied. RESULTS: The most significant toxicity at the highest dose studied (100 mg orally twice daily) was a symptomatic inflammatory polyarthritis that persisted for up to 8 weeks after discontinuation of the study drug and was dose-limiting. The estimated plasma elimination half-life of Marimastat was 4 to 5 hours. The mean maximum concentration (Cmax) at a reasonably well-tolerated dose (50 mg orally twice daily) was 196 ng/mL and was reached within 1 to 2 hours (Tmax) after administration. Areas under the curve (AUC) tended to correlate with the dose of Marimastat. Zymographic analysis of peripheral-blood ratios of activated proenzymatic forms of MMP-2 and -9 did not show any consistent patterns of change in MMP levels or in a degree of their activation during the course of treatment. CONCLUSION: Marimastat was well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, with high levels of the study drug detected in plasma within hours after drug administration. Plasma concentrations of Marimastat achieved at dose levels 2 and 3 (50 mg and 100 mg orally twice daily) were substantially higher than those required for MMP inhibition in vitro. The dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was severe inflammatory polyarthritis, which seemed to be a cumulative toxicity.