Teachers' coaching of learning and its relation to students' strategic learning.

This study examined types and frequency of coaching of learning at the middle school level and its relation to students' strategic learning. Teachers (n?=?11) were videotaped during daily instruction on 3 separate occasions, and students (n?=?235) responded to a self-report questionnaire about learning-strategy use. Consistent with previous research at the elementary level (E. B. Moely et al., 1992), average instances of teachers' coaching of learning (e.g., describing cognitive processes, suggesting strategy use) occurred in only 9% of the instruction segments. Teachers most frequently recommended use of learning aids, engagement in metacognitive activity, and use of elaboration strategies. Results from a multiple regression analysis indicate that students' strategic-learning activity was significantly related to teachers' coaching of learning (R2?=?.18). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inactivation of Bacillus Spores by Ultraviolet or Gamma Radiation

Bacillus anthracis spores represent an important bioterrorism agent that can be dispersed in air or water. Existing decontamination practices based on these spores have focused on chemical disinfectants; however, the basic characteristics of radiation-based disinfectants suggest potential advantages in their application for control of Bacillus spores. Experiments were conducted to examine the effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV254) radiation and γ radiation for inactivation of Bacillus spores. Spores of Bacillus cereus were used for most experiments because of their similarity to B. anthracis. A limited number of experiments were also conducted using B. anthracis Sterne spores. In aqueous suspension, B. anthracis Sterne spores were observed to be slightly more resistant to UV254 than the spores of B. cereus. For the conditions of culture and assay used in these experiments, both spore types were more sensitive to UV254 radiation in aqueous suspension than the spores of B. subtilis, which are commonly used to characterize the performance of UV disinfection systems for water. Dried spores on surfaces were observed to be more resistant to UV254 than the same spores in aqueous suspension; it is likely that the increased resistance to UV of the dried spores was attributable to surface characteristics (porosity and texture) of the solid materials. γ radiation was shown to accomplish similar rates of inactivation for spores in aqueous suspension and for dried spores on surfaces. Collectively, these results suggest that the application of UV or ionizing radiation may hold promise for decontamination following bioterrorism events.     

Improvements in the performance of turbomolecular pumps

A new range of turbomolecular pumps, nEXT, has been developed. This incorporates a new damping mechanism and pumping stage options. A new Siegbahn drag stage in combination with a regenerative mechanism are described in their combination with pure turbomolecular stages. Consequent increased backing pressures, high compression ratios and the facilitation of a boost port being used to create additional pumping capacity in the viscous flow regime will be described.     

Using non-speech sound to overcome information overload

With ever increasing amounts of visual information to take in when interacting with computers, users can become overloaded. One reason is that computers communicate solely by graphical output. This paper suggests the use of non-speech sound output to enhance the graphical display of information to overcome overload. The question is how to integrate the display of sound and graphics to capitalise on the advantages each offers. The approach described here is to integrate sound into the basic components of the human-computer interface. Two experiments are described where non-speech sounds were added to buttons and scrollbars. Results showed sound improved usability by increasing performance and reducing time to recover from errors. Subjective workload measures also showed a significant reduction. Results from this work show that the integrated display of graphical and auditory information can overcome information overload.     

Gene-environment interactions across development: Exploring DRD2 genotype and prenatal smoking effects on self-regulation.

Genetic factors dynamically interact with both pre- and postnatal environmental influences to shape development. Considerable attention has been devoted to gene-environment interactions (G × E) on important outcomes (A. Caspi & T. E. Moffitt, 2006). It is also important to consider the possibility that these G × E effects may vary across development, particularly for constructs like self-regulation that emerge slowly, depend on brain regions that change qualitatively in different developmental periods, and thus may be manifested differently. To illustrate one approach to exploring such developmental patterns, the relation between variation in the TaqIA polymorphism, related to D2 dopamine receptor expression and availability, and prenatal exposure to tobacco was examined in two exploratory studies. First, in 4-week-old neonates, genotype-exposure interactions were observed for attention and irritable reactivity, but not for stress dysregulation. Second, in preschool children, genotype was related to Preschool Trail Making Test (K. A. Espy and M. F. Cwik, 2004) task performance on conditions requiring executive control; children with both the A1+ genotype and a history of prenatal tobacco exposure displayed disproportionately poor performance. Despite study limitations, these results illustrate the importance of examining the interplay between genetic and prenatal environmental factors across development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Drosophila sanpodo gene controls sibling cell fate and encodes a tropomodulin homolog, an actin/tropomyosin-associated protein

Notch signaling is required in many invertebrate and vertebrate cells to promote proper cell fate determination. Mutations in sanpodo cause many different neuronal peripheral nervous system precursor cells to generate two identical daughter neurons, instead of a neuron and sibling cell. This phenotype is similar to that observed when Notch function is lost late in embryonic development and opposite to the numb loss-of-function phenotype. Genetic interaction studies show that sanpodo is epistatic to numb. sanpodo encodes a homolog of tropomodulin, an actin/tropomyosin-associated protein. Loss of sanpodo leads to an aberrant F-actin distribution and causes differentiation defects of actin-containing sensory structures. Our data suggest that an actin-based process is involved in Notch signaling.     

Psychology in the public interest: What have we done? What can we do?

The contributions of the American Psychological Association (APA) to the public interest are assessed. APA has taken an effective leadership role on issues involving justice to the disadvantaged categories of its own membership. On other issues, which have been more controversial, APA has been less effective, partly because APA participates in our culture of self-interest and individualism, and partly because identifying the public interest is inherently political. Psychologists are urged to look beyond self and group interests toward the urgent issues of our time concerning survival and justice. All the same, how APA pursues the guild interests of psychology as a science and as a profession impinges strongly on the public interest in any plausible sense and requires close scrutiny. Because the public interest can only be determined by a political process, open advocacy on public interest issues within APA governance structure is appropriate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Force and motion analysis of the normal, diseased, and prosthetic ankle joint

A 2-dimensional motion and force study of the ankle joint during gait has been carried out on normal subjects and patients with ankle joint disease, before and 1 year following total ankle replacemetn. The methods employed involved the use of high-speed motion picture film, force plate and foot-switch data. The Achilles and anterior tibial tendon forces, the compressive and tangential (shear) forces across the ankle during stance phase of gait were determined, based on a quasi-static analysis. During stance phase of gait normal subjects used a mean of 24.4 degree of sagittal plane ankle motion. Patients with ankle joint disease showed reduced motion which returned to near normal values 1 year following total ankle replacement. Compressive force across the ankle joint rose to about 5 times body weight during the latter part of stance phase. Backward, or aft, shear forces or nearly full body weight were demonstrated during all but the last 20% of stance phase. Patients with ankle joint disease apparently altered their gait to markedly reduce these forces. Following total ankle replacement, shear forces returned toward more normal values, but compressive forces were not significantly changed.     

Editorial note: This anniversary number.

This Editorial Note discusses the Journal's celebration of the dual anniversary of the birth of Sigmund Freud on May 6, 1856, and the issue of the first number of this Journal by Morton Prince on April 1, 1906. The Journal recognizes Freud's centenary with the publication of the greetings of Dr. Ernest Jones, Freud's colleague and eminent biographer, accompanied by a hitherto unpublished photograph of Freud. A memoir of the Journal's founder, Dr. Morton Prince, is contributed by Dr. Henry A. Murray, his colleague and successor at the Harvard Psychological Clinic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)