Automation in urinalysis: evaluation of three urine test strip analysers

A clinical laboratory evaluation was conducted on the Clinitek Auto 2000, the Super Aution Analyzer and the Urotron RL9 for the determination of glucose, protein, pH, blood, ketone-bodies and bilirubin.Precision of the systems was tested using three commercial control urine materials, and reported as the percentage of times the instrument repeats a certain value. Good repeatability was obtained with all the instruments.Accuracy of the systems was evaluated by comparison with quantitative procedures, and to check agreement between methods yielding semi-quantitative and quantitative results, ranges of acceptability were defined, based on the criteria reported in a previous paper [2]. It was then found that 87.5 to 98.9% of results from the Urotron RL9 and the Clinitek Auto 2000 were acceptable. With the Super Aution Analyzer the level of agreement was apparently lower because of the higher number of concentration steps used by this instrument.     

Correspondence between neuropsychological and functional ratings of perceptual neglect.

Examined perceptual neglect in 59 stroke patients (mean age 61.9 yrs) as described by neuropsychological assessment (NP) and by occupational therapists' (OT) functional assessment. Results indicate that NP and OT raters agreed on the presence of neglect in the majority (73–80%) of cases, depending on the scale definitons used. In the remaining cases, most discrepancies existed between ratings of no vs mild neglect. At times, neuropsychological assessment both over- and underestimated the degree of neglect cited by OT raters as functional perceptual impairment due to sources of possible error or bias. The need for and value of efforts to describe the neuropsychological impairments associated with observed functional deficits are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The issue of negative evidence: Adult responses to children's language errors.

This study was designed to assess one of the major assumptions of current language learning theories: Adults ignore children's speech errors. We observed both parents (n?=?16) and nonparent adults (n?=?13) conversing with children and examined the conversations for evidence of adults' differential responding to the children's syntactic, phonological, and semantic errors. Results indicated that adults were more likely to repeat verbatim a well-formed sentence than an ill-formed sentence. In contrast, adults were more likely to repeat with changes, or request clarification of, a sentence containing syntactic or phonological errors than well-formed sentences. Adults also more frequently used the correct syntactic or phonological form in the immediately subsequent sentence if the child's preceding sentence contained only one syntactic or phonological error rather than multiple errors. Overall, the results indicate that all adults tend to respond differentially to children's language mistakes, with parents showing greater sensitivity than adults who are not parents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of pre- and postpubertal social experience on sexual and social behavior in male and female brown lemmings (Lemmus sibiricus).

In 3 studies, male and female brown lemmings were either isolated at weaning (18 days) or then housed with siblings for another 10 days before being isolated. Before testing for sexual behavior at the age of 75–103 days, half of each group of males received a series of exposures to estrous females and half of each group of females was housed with a stud male. The results of mating tests indicate that whereas prior sexual experience facilitated subsequent copulatory behavior in both sexes, prepubertal interactions subsequently facilitated contact social and sexual behavior in males but did not increase the behavioral scores of females, who engaged in high levels of sexual behavior regardless of prepubertal experience. The effect of prior copulatory activity on male sexual performance could not be attributed to increasing age (i.e., maturational processes) because the behavior of males tested once but at different ages did not differ appreciably. Prepubertal social interaction appeared to predispose males to benefit from sexual experience later in life. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive spatial processing and the regulation of posture.

Investigated the interaction between postural regulation and spatial processing by having 24 college students perform L. R. Brooks's (see record 1968-04936-001) spatial and nonspatial memory tasks either while sitting or while maintaining a difficult standing balance position. The balance task disrupted spatial but not nonspatial memory performance. Balance steadiness during spatial and nonspatial memory conditions did not differ. Results suggest that cognitive spatial processing may rely on neural mechanisms that are also required for the regulation of posture. Findings support the idea that spatial processing may rely on phylogenetically older systems. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reaction of Zirconium Fluoride Monohydrate and Ammonium Bifluoride: Its Effect on Fluoride Glass Preparation and Quality

The products obtained from the roomtemperature reaction of ammonium bifluoride and zirconium fluoride monohydrate are ammonium heptafluorozirconate ((NH₄)₃ZrF₂), liquid water, and hydrogen fluoride. Ammonium bifluoride and zirconium fluoride monohydrate were reacted prior to glass batching, producing dry ammonium heptafluorozirconate which was used to prepare a high-quality ZBLAN fluoride glass.     

When self-efficacy negatively relates to motivation and performance in a learning context.

Recent reviews of the training literature have advocated directly manipulating self-efficacy in an attempt to improve the motivation of trainees. However, self-regulation theories conceive of motivation as a function of various goal processes, and assert that the effect of self-efficacy should depend on the process involved. Training contexts may evoke planning processes in which self-efficacy might negatively relate to motivation. Yet the typical between-persons studies in the current literature may obscure the effect. To examine this issue, 63 undergraduate students completed a series of questionnaires measuring self-efficacy and motivation before 5 class exams. Self-efficacy was negatively related to motivation and exam performance at the within-person level of analysis, despite a significant positive relation with performance at the between-persons level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The vanishing landscape of the Campagna Romana

The Campagna Romana, a landscape of unrivalled historical and cultural importance, can be subdivided into three main sectors, characterised by different plant communities, climate, geology and impact of man; these are the west sector, the river Tiber and the east sector. This landscape typology is a striking example of man-environment interaction: its primary source is in different climatic and geological conditions of these three sectors , but it was strongly reinforced by different land use. The western sector has been conserved in a semi-natural state until recent times while the eastern sector, characterised by communities influenced by man and ruins, has been almost completely devoid of woody vegetation probably since the Roman Empire.     

Economic Benefits of Remediating the Sheboygan River,Wisconsin Area of Concern

This study estimates the economic benefits of remediation in the Sheboygan River, WI Area of Concern (AOC) using two distinct empirical methods. The methodology parallels that described by Braden et al. (2008). The results are mixed. Using hedonic analysis of property sales, for owner-occupied homes within a 5-mile radius of the Sheboygan River AOC, the overall estimated loss of value is $158 million (8% of market value). Of this total, only $49 million in losses for homes closest to the upper river segment has strong statistical support. The impacts are greatest proportionally for properties closest to the AOC. A survey-based method yields a mean estimate of $218 million (10% of property value) in willingness to pay for full cleanup of the AOC. If remediation were to induce recovery of property values, then the local communities could benefit through increased property tax revenues.