There's more to children's spelling than the errors they make: Strategic and automatic processes for one-syllable words.

Researchers have attempted to understand the cognitive processing used in spelling by looking at children's spelling errors. The authors examined 2 other types of data—children's self-reported verbal protocols and on-line measures of spelling latencies. Elementary school children spelled 3 types of common 4-letter words, consonant–consonant–vowel–consonant, consonant–vowel–consonant–consonant, and consonant–vowel–consonant–silent e. Correctly and incorrectly spelled words were analyzed as a function of word type, verbal report, and keystroke latencies. Different typing patterns emerged for strategic and automatic reports and for different word types. Children seemed to use a relatively sequential read-out from long-term memory when directly retrieving a spelling, whereas they used a consonant pair strategy for final consonant clusters when sounding out words. Implications for spelling instruction are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Microstructure and properties of CVD tungsten carbide from tungsten hexafluoride and dimethyl ether

Tungsten carbide was deposited from tungsten hexafluoride, dimethyl ether, and hydrogen using a horizontal, cold-wall reactor. The effects of substrate temperature, reactor pressure, and reagent ratio on the coating growth rate, morphology, composition, and microhardness were studied. Under most conditions, the solid deposit was primarily W₃C with minor amounts of W. The tungsten carbide growth rate data fit an Arrhenius rate expression for temperatures from 425 to 550°C and had an activation energy of 24kcal/mol at 70mmHg total pressure and a WF₆/DME ratio of 6.3. A variety of surface morphologies and microstructures were observed. The microhardness of the coated substrates increased with coating thickness to a maximum value of 2400kg/mm².     

An increased incidence of apolipoprotein E2/E2 and E4/E4 in retinitis pigmentosa

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a family of hereditary retinal degenerations, is often accompanied by abnormal levels of cholesterol or polyunsaturated fatty acids. The requirement of the retina for n−3 fatty acids is well known, and a defect in the supply of these lipids (e.g., by apolipoproteins) could affect the course of the disease. The present study confirms and extends a report on apolipoprotein E (apo E) isoforms in German RP patients [Jahn, Oette, Esser, Bergmann, and Leiss, (1987)Ophthalmic Res. 19, 285–288] which showed a tenfold increased frequency of the E2/E2 phenotype compared to the average German population. In our study, apo E phenotypes were determined in the probands of 100 Scottish RP families. The findings revealed a 4-fold increase in the incidence of E2/E2 and an 8-fold increase in E4/E4 compared to a Scottish control population. These increases were statistically significant at theP<0.05 andP<0.01 levels, respectively. To investigate the possibility that some of these apparent E2/E2 or E4/E4 phenotypes might actually be new apo E mutations, we examined the behavior of the apo E on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels (E2 migrates anomalously) and on isoelectric focusing gels following cysteamine modification of cysteines. These studies showed that two RP patients possibly had new apo E mutations, though amino-terminal sequence analysis revealed no changes in the sequence of the first 19 residues; further sequence analysis is obviously warranted.     

Local-government dependence on information technology: Group discussion report

The problem of vulnerability is an organizational problem that varies with the political, economic, social and legal enveronment. MIS should be a key element in the process of identifying area of vulnerability and developing appropriate responses. Where no other source of initiative exists, MIS should take the responsibility to see that the organization deals with all the aspects fully and responsibly. With a trend toward more formalized information management the responsibility for risk management may and perhaps should be spread throughout the organization.     

Responses of emotionally disturbed and nondisturbed retardates to PPVT items of human versus nonhuman content.

On the basis of scores obtained by the Shipe behavior rating scale, 40 institutionalized, mildly retarded children and adolescents were classified as emotionally disturbed and 20 as nondisturbed. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) was administered to all Ss and relative successes on items with human and nonhuman content determined. All Ss found the items with human content more difficult than those with nonhuman content; however, the disturbed Ss had significantly more difficulty than the nondisturbed on PPVT items with human content relative to items with nonhuman content. It is speculated that a past history of disturbed interpersonal relationships interfered with the efficiency of the disturbed individuals on human items. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A time to reexamine the role of television in our lives.

Discusses the role of psychology in evaluating the impact of TV on children and the family. Cognitive psychology must address not only the issue of how children acquire information about an environment that includes physical motions and social and affective communications from other people, but also the rapid and miniature interactions on TV. To the extent that TV influences beliefs and attitudes, it is of importance to social psychology. There are further implications for community psychology. A brief introduction is presented for papers on the Surgeon General's Report on Television and Social Behavior, the ways psychology is used to study TV, the formal features of TV, and ways in which behavioral scientists can work with network researchers. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intertrial interval effects in classically conditioned fear to a discrete conditioned stimulus and to situational cues.

In Exp I fear was classically conditioned in a total of 240 female hooded and Sprague-Dawley rats with a discrete conditioned stimulus (CS) at intertrial intervals (ITIs) of 15, 45, 75, 105, 165, or 225 sec and in Exp II, with an additional 144 Ss, with or without a discrete CS at ITIs of 165, 225, or 285 sec. The amount of fear conditioned to situational cues and to the discrete CS plus situational cues was then measured by the learning of a hurdle-jumping response which allowed escape from the fear-eliciting stimuli. Results suggest that as ITI was lengthened fear conditioned to situational cues alone and to the discrete CS increased. However, following conditioning with a discrete CS, fear elicited by situational cues increased with ITI but then decreased, presumably because a discrimination had been formed between the situational cues and the compound of CS plus situational cues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Synthesis of dodecanedioic acid fromvernonia galamensis oil

Dodecanedioic acid, currently available from elaborate synthesis utilizing petrochemical feedstock, was synthesized fromVernonia galamensis oil via an efficient, relatively simple three-reaction sequence that involved the room temperature oxidation of 12,13-epoxystearic acid. The first and second steps of the reaction scheme were saponification and hydrogenation, both of which were almost quantitative. The third reaction, involving chromic acid oxidation of the resulting epoxy acid, afforded greater than 50% of the theoretical yield of dodecanedioic acid (>95% purity, m.p. 123–125°C; lit. m.p. 128–130°C).     

The role of IT in crisis response: Lessons from the SARS and Asian Tsunami disasters

Research on crisis management recognizes the important role of information although few studies of crisis response deal explicitly with information systems. In this paper, we present a case study of Singapore’s response to the SARS and Asian Tsunami disasters. Using the resource-based view of the firm as our theoretical lens, we examine three research questions: what IS resources are needed in crisis response, how are these IS resources bundled with other non-IS resources, and how are they effectively coordinated? Our analysis of the case suggests that existing assets such as information technology infrastructure, leadership, and collaborative networks and existing capabilities such as the ability to build and apply IT, the ability to recognize signals and the ability to see the big picture are critical during crisis response. The actions taken using these assets and capabilities include informing resolutely, gaining stakeholder commitment and agile mobilizing of people and IT. Our analysis further suggests that coordination mechanisms, namely the crisis response organizational, informational, and IT structures, are important facilitators of the response actions. The resulting framework of resource deployment during crisis response extends the resource based view of the firm into a cooperative setting, aiming to understand the nature of IS resource value in a cooperative context, and considers not just the resources per se, but the means of coordination the resources.