Determinants of domain knowledge and independent study learning in an adult sample.

The ability (fluid and crystallized intelligence) and nonability (personality, interests, self-concept, etc.) determinants of domain knowledge before and after an independent learning opportunity were evaluated in the context of a study of 141 adults between the ages of 18 and 69. The domain knowledge under consideration included an array of financial issues, including financial planning, retirement planning, debt management, and educational savings accounts. Crystallized intelligence was a stronger predictor than fluid intelligence of domain knowledge prior to learning, and nonability traits provided significant incremental predictive validity. After learning, fluid intelligence showed a marked increase in the prediction of domain knowledge, but the final correlation did not exceed that of crystallized intelligence. Implications for optimizing the prediction of educational success of adults are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of point mutations on the free energy of transmembrane alpha-helix dimerization

Glycophorin A forms homodimers through interaction of the single, helical transmembrane domains of the monomers. The dimers are stable in sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), permitting a number of studies that have identified a critical motif of residues that mediates dimer formation. We have used analytical ultracentrifugation to measure the energy of dimerization in a non-denaturing detergent solution and have observed the changes in energy arising from two of the mutants previously studied. Use of the detergent pentaoxyethylene octyl ether (C8E5) is a great advantage, since its micelles are neutrally buoyant and the detergent allows a reversible association to occur between monomer and dimer states of the glycophorin A transmembrane helices during the time-scale of sedimentation equilibrium. Use of this detergent in analytical ultracentrifugation may enable a wide range of studies of molecular association events in membrane proteins. We find that the glycophorin A transmembrane helix dimerizes with a dissociation constant of 240(+/-50) nM, corresponding to a free energy of dissociation of 9.0(+/-0.1) kcal mol-1. Point mutants that were found to be disruptive in SDS (L75A, I76A) reduced the dimer affinity in the C8E5 detergent environment (Kd=1.7(+/-0.2) microM and 4.2(+/-0.9) microM, respectively). Thus, the earlier findings are placed on a quantitative, relative energy scale of association by our measurements. Molecular modeling and simulations suggest that the energy differences can be accounted for as changes in van der Waals interactions between helices.     

Organizational Memory as Objects, Processes, and Trajectories: An Examination of Organizational Memory in Use

For proper knowledge management, organizations must consider how knowledge is kept and reused. The term organizational memory is due for an overhaul. Memory appears to be everywhere in organizations; yet, the term has been limited to only a few uses. Based on an ethnographic study of a telephone hotline group, this paper presents a micro-level, distributed cognition analysis of two hotline calls, the work activity surrounding the calls, and the memory used in the work activity. Drawing on the work of Star, Hutchins, and Strauss, the paper focuses on issues of applying past information for current use. Our work extends Strauss' and Hutchins' trajectories to get at the understanding of potential future use by participants and its role in current information storage. We also note the simultaneously shared provenance and governance of multiple memories – human and technical. This analysis and the theoretical framework we construct should be to be useful in further efforts in describing and analyzing organizational memory within the context of knowledge management efforts.     

Characteristics of fluoxetine versus placebo responders in a randomized trial of geriatric depression

Results from placebo-controlled trials of antidepressants can be used to identify patients most likely to benefit from medication. Using data from a randomized clinical trial of fluoxetine versus placebo for 671 elderly outpatients with major depression, we evaluated characteristics of those who improved with and without active medication. We found that the choice of outcome measure made a difference when evaluating the effectiveness of fluoxetine relative to placebo and determining the accuracy of predictive variables in both treatment groups. Generally, less severe depression predicted favorable response (greater than 50% improvement on the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HAM-D-21], less than 3 on the Clinical Global Impressions [CGI] and Patient Global Impressions [PGI] improvement scales) and remission (less than 9 on 6-week HAM-D-21) with both fluoxetine and placebo. Less anxiety/somatization was associated with favorable fluoxetine response, and lower levels of cognitive and sleep disturbance were associated with remission in the placebo group. By contrast, higher levels of psychomotor retardation in the placebo group were associated with clinician and patient ratings of much or very much improved. The similarities among responders in both groups may indicate that some in the fluoxetine group would have improved with placebo.     

Custody evaluation practices: A survey of experienced professionals (revisited).

W. G. Keilin and L. J. Bloom (1986) explored 70 issues related to child custody evaluation practices. The current study replicates Keilin and Bloom's study and looks at an additional 42 items. Two hundred and one psychologists from 39 states were surveyed about 112 aspects of child custody evaluation practices. The analysis was divided into evaluation practices, sole-joint custody decision making, and recommendations. Comparisons between the findings of this study and those of Keilin and Bloom are made. The current practice of child custody evaluations is reported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sectionalized microgrids: The key to regulatory assistance for unbundling reliability?

Are telecom precedents involving the development of premium reliability services transferable to electric utilities? Can electric utilities offer customers premium reliability services through microgrids? We believe sectionalization, a new network design, can preserve customer choice and ensure that incremental costs for premium services are not shifted to customers taking standard service – key objectives necessary to gain regulatory approval. We present three case studies to illustrate how sectionalization can be used.     

Aggressive fibrous dysplasia of the maxillary sinus

Fibrous dysplasia is usually a slowly progressive, benign disease that develops over several years and presents with deformity or mild symptomatology. Five of 34 patients (ages 4-21 years), who were subsequently diagnosed histologically as having fibrous dysplasia of the maxillary sinus, rapidly developed soft tissue masses of the malar region over a period of less than 4 months with accompanying pain (2 patients) and nasal obstruction and exophthalmos (2 patients). Each was clinically suspected of having a sarcoma; two had been thought to have an "osteofibrosarcoma" on initial biopsy at outside hospitals. After resection, all lesions developed regrowth. At histopathologic examination, both initial and recurrent masses proved to be typical fibrous dysplasia with spicules of woven bone in cellular, sometimes vascular, fibrous tissue. No malignant degeneration was found. On conventional radiography, aggressive fibrous dysplasia produced opacification and expansion of the maxillary sinus and apparent disruption of its wall with an associated soft tissue mass. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated voluminous heterogeneous masses with "ground glass appearance", calcifications, areas of enhancement, low attenuation, cystic areas, and a thinned, sometimes interrupted, maxillary wall. Despite the aggressive clinical course for both initial and recurrent lesions, the CT findings of a "ground glass" mass with calcifications surrounded by a maxillary sinus wall, even if incomplete, can suggest the diagnosis of aggressive fibrous dysplasia.     

Energy efficiency of hydrogen sulfide decomposition in a pulsed corona discharge reactor

A novel pulsed corona wire-in-tube reactor with quartz view-ports allowed visual observation of the effect of charge voltage and gas composition on the corona distribution. The H₂S conversion and energy efficiency of H₂S decomposition in this pulsed corona discharge reactor varied at constant power (100 W) due to the selected values of the electrical parameters of pulse forming capacitance (720-2880 pF), charge voltage (11-21 kV), and pulse frequency (157-961 Hz). Low pulse forming capacitance, low charge voltage, and high pulse frequency operation produces the highest energy efficiency for H₂S conversion at constant power. H₂S conversion is more efficient in Ar-N₂ gas mixtures than in Ar or N₂. These results can be explained by corona discharge observations, the electron attachment reactions of H₂S at the streamer energies, and a proposed reaction mechanism of H₂S dissociation in the Ar-N₂ gas mixture. The energy consumption per molecule of converted H₂S in an equimolar mixture of Ar and N₂ (4.9 eV/H₂S) is the lowest that has been reported for any plasma reactor operated at non-vacuum pressures. The results reveal the potential for energy efficient H₂S decomposition in pulsed corona discharge reactors.     

The effect of placement instability on adopted children's inhibitory control abilities and oppositional behavior.

This study assessed relations among placement instability, inhibitory control, and caregiver-rated child behavior. The sample included 33 adopted children who had experienced placement instability, 42 adopted children who had experienced 1 stable placement, and 27 children never placed in foster care. Five- and 6-year-old children completed the day-night task, which requires children to inhibit a prepotent response, and a control task that presents similar memory demands but does not require inhibition (C. L. Gerstadt, Y. J. Hong, & A. Diamond, 1994). Adopted children who had experienced placement instability performed worse on the inhibition task than did both other groups of children, when the authors controlled for age, verbal intelligence (as measured with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence--Revised; D. Wechsler, 1989; or the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test--Third Edition; L. M. Dunn & L. M. Dunn, 1997), and control task performance (p.05). These results suggest that placement instability may adversely affect the social-emotional development of adopted children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Did the Stern Review underestimate US and global climate damages?

The Stern Review received widespread attention for its innovative approach to the economics of climate change when it appeared in 2006, and generated controversies that have continued to this day. One key controversy concerns the magnitude of the expected impacts of climate change. Stern's estimates, based on results from the PAGE2002 model, sounded substantially greater than those produced by many other models, leading several critics to suggest that Stern had inflated his damage figures.