A longitudinal study of phonological processing skills in children learning to read in a second language.

English-speaking children (N?=?122) in French immersion classes participated in a 1-year longitudinal study of the relation between phonological awareness and reading achievement in both languages. Participants were administered measures of word decoding and of phonological awareness in French and in English as well as measures of cognitive ability, speeded naming, and pseudoword repetition in English only. The relation of phonological awareness in French to reading achievement in each of the languages was equivalent to that in English. These relations remained significant after partialing out the influences of speeded naming and pseudoword repetition. Phonological awareness in both languages was specifically associated with 1-year increments in decoding skill in French. These findings support the transfer of phonological awareness skills across alphabetic languages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When Grades Determine Self-Worth: Consequences of Contingent Self-Worth for Male and Female Engineering and Psychology Majors.

The impact of grades on daily self-esteem, affect, and identification with major was examined in a sample of 122 male and female students majoring in engineering and psychology. Self-esteem, affect, and identification with major increased on days students received good grades and decreased on days they received poor grades: basing self-esteem on academic competence moderated the effect of bad grades. Bad grades led to greater drops in self-esteem but not more disidentification with the major for women in engineering. Instability of self-esteem predicted increases in depressive symptoms for students initially more depressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Military as an Economic Agent in Local Economic Development: The Case of South Africa

Military bases can be important agents for local and regional economic development. This article examines the role of military spending in local economic development in South Africa, a country which, under apartheid, had high levels of military spending. The local economic impacts are analyzed of three operational military bases at Potchefstroom, Louis Trichardt’ and Heidelberg. It is argued that the military assumes a significant role in local economies and should be used by localities as a basis for competitive advantage in planning for local economic development.     

Synthesis and characterization of new fluorine-containing polyethers

A highly fluorinated monomer, 1,3-bis(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-pentafluorophenylmethoxy-2-propyl)benzene (12F-FBE), is obtained by reaction of the sodium salt of 1,3-bis(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-hydroxy-2-propyl)benzene with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. 12F-FBE reacts with diphenols to give soluble, hydrophobic, low dielectric (2.30-2.43 at 10 GHz) polyethers. Thermal stability as measured by TGA (10 wt% loss) is moderate and ranges from 445 to 464 °C in air. Glass transition temperatures are between 89 and 110 °C.     

The role of photon statistics in fluorescence anisotropy imaging.

Anisotropy imaging can be used to image resonance energy transfer between pairs of identical fluorophores and, thus, constitutes a powerful tool for monitoring protein homo-association in living single cells. The requirement for only a single fluorophore significantly simplifies biological preparation and interpretation. We use quantitative methods for the acquisition and image processing of anisotropy data that return the expected error of the anisotropy per pixel based on photon statistics. The analysis methods include calibration procedures and allow for a balance in spatial, anisotropy, and temporal resolution. They are featured here with anisotropy images of fluorescent calibration beads and enhanced green fluorescent protein complexes in live cells.     

Event-related potentials differentiate the effects of aging on word and nonword repetition in explicit and implicit memory tasks.

Explicit memory declines with age while implicit memory remains largely intact. These experiments extended behavioral findings by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) in young and elderly adults during repetition priming and recognition memory paradigms. Words and pronounceable nonwords repeated after 1 of 3 delays. Stimuli were categorized as either word-nonword or old-new. Repeated items elicited more positive-going potentials in both tasks. Hemispheric asymmetries for word and nonword processing were observed during lexical decision: Repetition effects were larger over the left hemisphere for words and over the right hemisphere for nonwords. For the young, ERP repetition effects were larger during recognition memory. For old adults, conversely, repetition produced more positive-going waveforms during lexical decision. The elderly had ERP and behavioral deficits at long recognition delays. ERP repetition effects in the elderly, like behavioral performance, were preserved in an implicit task but impaired in an explicit memory task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing worry in older adults: Confirmatory factor analysis of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire and psychometric properties of an abbreviated model.

The assessment of worry among older adults typically has involved measures designed with younger cohorts. Because of special concerns in assessing older adults, modifications to existing instruments may be necessary. Addressing equivocal factor analytic data on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) among younger adults, the authors conducted confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the generalizability of previous models to older adults with generalized anxiety disorder. Data fit poorly with established single- and two-factor models. The single-factor model was modified, resulting in the elimination of 8 items, strong fit indices, high internal consistency, adequate test-retest reliability, and good convergent and divergent validity. Further psychometric work is required to assess whether the revised model is a more parsimonious method to assess late-life anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Deterioration of intellect among children surviving leukemia: IQ test changes modify estimates of treatment toxicity.

Assessed the association of young age at treatment, cranial irradiation, and time since treatment with intellectual deterioration among 49 long-term survivors of childhood leukemia. Ss had been randomized to receive low-dose cranial radiation therapy or high-dose chemotherapy. Longitudinal assessments of intellect were conducted. No significant effects of treatment group or age at treatment were detected. A small but statistically significant decline in mean full-scale IQ was noted over time (M?=?–3.6). Reanalysis with IQ test version included as a covariate eliminated IQ declines found initially. Results suggest that there has been reduced toxicity of these methods of treatment and that the magnitude and direction of error introduced by changing tests may approximate the magnitude of adverse effects on IQ expected from treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)