Trainees' experiences with peers having competence problems: A national survey.

Trainees with problems of professional competence (TPPC) are a significant phenomenon in psychology education and training. Although most faculty and students are able to identify at least one TPPC over a 5-year period (Forrest, Elman, Gizara, & Vacha-Haase, 1999), investigations have typically focused on trainers; trainees' perspectives are relatively unexplored. We used survey research to assess perspectives on TPPC from 321 trainees in counseling, clinical, school, and combined psychology programs from masters' through predoctoral internship training levels. Questions targeted (a) training on TPPC and awareness of program policies, (b) general beliefs about faculty/supervisor/peer awareness and action related to TPPC, (c) specific experience with TPPC, (d) characteristics of the experience with a TPPC, (e) impact of program dynamics, (f) faculty/supervisor/peer actions with specific TPPC instances, (g) making a decision to take action, (h) personal and systemic impact of taking action, and (i) not taking action. Results revealed that 44% of students were aware of a TPPC. Participants were confident that trainers were aware of TPPC, yet less certain that trainers would address TPPC. Similarly, participants held more confidence that their peers were aware of TPPC than they were that peers would take action. Although more than half of participants reported taking action, a majority did not draw on their training when doing so. Common action strategies included consulting with faculty/supervisors and peers, venting with peers, or approaching the TPPC. Implications for training are discussed, including attention to training related to TPPC and understanding faculty and student roles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multifunctional Three‐Dimensional T‐Junction Graphene Micro‐Wells: Energy‐Efficient,Plasma‐Enabled Growth and Instant Water‐Based Transfer for Flexible Device Applications

The “third‐generation” 3D graphene structures, T‐junction graphene micro‐wells (T‐GMWs) are produced on cheap polycrystalline Cu foils in a single‐step, low‐temperature (270 °C), energy‐efficient, and environment‐friendly dry plasma‐enabled process. T‐GMWs comprise vertical graphene (VG) petal‐like sheets that seemlessly integrate with each other and the underlying horizontal graphene sheets by forming T‐junctions. The microwells have the pico‐to‐femto‐liter storage capacity and precipitate compartmentalized PBS crystals. The T‐GMW films are transferred from the Cu substrates, without damage to the both, in de‐ionized or tap water, at room temperature, and without commonly used sacrificial materials or hazardous chemicals. The Cu substrates are then re‐used to produce similar‐quality T‐GMWs after a simple plasma conditioning. The isolated T‐GMW films are transferred to diverse substrates and devices and show remarkable recovery of their electrical, optical, and hazardous NO₂ gas sensing properties upon repeated bending (down to 1 mm radius) and release of flexible trasparent display plastic substrates. The plasma‐enabled mechanism of T‐GMW isolation in water is proposed and supported by the Cu plasma surface modification analysis. Our GMWs are suitable for various optoelectronic, sesning, energy, and biomedical applications while the growth approach is potentially scalable for future pilot‐scale industrial production.     

The Sequence‐Specific Cellular Uptake of Spherical Nucleic Acid Nanoparticle Conjugates

The sequence‐dependent cellular uptake of spherical nucleic acid nanoparticle conjugates (SNAs) is investigated. This process occurs by interaction with class A scavenger receptors (SR‐A) and caveolae‐mediated endocytosis. It is known that linear poly(guanine) (poly G) is a natural ligand for SR‐A, and it has been proposed that interaction of poly G with SR‐A is dependent on the formation of G‐quadruplexes. Since G‐rich oligonucleotides are known to interact strongly with SR‐A, it is hypothesized that SNAs with higher G contents would be able to enter cells in larger amounts than SNAs composed of other nucleotides, and as such, cellular internalization of SNAs is measured as a function of constituent oligonucleotide sequence. Indeed, SNAs with enriched G content show the highest cellular uptake. Using this hypothesis, a small molecule (camptothecin) is chemically conjugated with SNAs to create drug‐SNA conjugates and it is observed that poly G SNAs deliver the most camptothecin to cells and have the highest cytotoxicity in cancer cells. Our data elucidate important design considerations for enhancing the intracellular delivery of spherical nucleic acids.     

Sex Differences in Righting From Supine to Prone in Rats (Rattus norvegicus): A Masculinized Skeletomusculature Is Not Required.

Previous research has shown that sex differences exist in the composition of lateral movements (E. F. Field, I. Q. Whishaw, & S. M. Pellis, 1996, 1997a, 1997b; see also records 1996-06132-009, 1997-05322-015, and 1997-04722-005). An unresolved question is whether sex differences are present in other movements, such as rotation around the longitudinal axis, and whether this difference is dependent on a feminine or masculine skeletomusculature. Female rats (Rattus norvegicus) first rotate their forequarters and then their hindquarters in the same direction. Male rats exhibit rotation of the hindquarters counter to the direction of forequarter rotation. Males with the testicular feminized mutation, who have a feminized skeletomusculature and masculinized central nervous system, are similar to male controls. This study provides evidence that sex differences in movement integration are not restricted to the lateral plane, are not solely due to sex differences in skeletomusculature, and thus are likely mediated by the central nervous system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structural defects in Si-doped III–V nitrides

Transmission electron microscopy has been used to study undoped and Si-doped InGaN/GaN layers. The doped layers show formation of extrinsic dislocation loops. These defects are not formed in the undoped samples. The highly Si-doped layers show failure of selective photoelectrochemical wet-etching used for device fabrication. This loss of etching selectivity is attributed to Si-induced defects evenly distributed in the InGaN layers and their vicinities.     

Software Project Duration and Effort: An Empirical Study

Software projects frequently finish late and over budget. Much of the research to date has characterized this problem in terms of inadequate project estimation or incomplete requirements determination. In this study, we concentrate instead on understanding the relationship between project duration and project effort. Over time, a dynamic environment contributes to the expansion of project requirements, thus increasing the scope and effort required to complete the project, irrespective of initial requirements and anticipated project size. Further, frequent delays and interruptions in a project contribute to greater effort each time work is resumed. We develop and empirically evaluate a two-stage model to relate project duration and effort. Our results indicate a significant and positive relationship between project duration and effort, controlling for anticipated project size and other project characteristics. Our model also provides an estimate for the rate of environmental change while projects are in progress. We demonstrate the practical implications of our model by showing how it can be used in conjunction with time boxing techniques and new development methodologies to better scope software projects.     

The Prediction of Violence and Homicide in Young Men.

In this prospective study, the authors predicted violence and homicide in 3 representative school samples (N = 1,517). Participants were part of a longitudinal, multiple cohort study on the development of delinquency in boys from late childhood to early adulthood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thirty-three participants were convicted of homicide, 193 participants were convicted of serious violence, whereas another 498 participants self-reported serious violence. Predictors of violence included risk factors in the domains of child, family, school, and demographic characteristics. Boys with 4 or more violence risk factors were 6 times more likely to later commit violence in comparison with boys with fewer than 4 risk factors (odds ratio [OR] = 6.05). A subset of risk factors related to violence also predicted homicide among violent offenders. Boys with 4 or more risk factors for homicide were 14 times more likely to later commit homicide than violent individuals with fewer than 4 risk factors (OR = 14.48). Implications for the prevention of violence and homicide are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An After‐School Snack of Raisins Lowers Cumulative Food Intake in Young Children

Snacks are an important part of children's dietary intake, but the role of dried fruit on energy intake in children is unknown. Therefore, the effect of ad libitum consumption of an after‐school snack of raisins, grapes, potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies on appetite and energy intake in twenty‐six 8‐ to 11‐y‐old normal‐weight (15th to 85th percentile) children was examined. On 4 separate weekdays, 1 wk apart, children (11 M, 15 F) were given a standardized breakfast, morning snack (apple), and a standardized lunch. After school, children randomly received 1 of 4 ad libitum snacks and were instructed to eat until “comfortably full.” Appetite was measured before and 15, 30, and 45 min after snack consumption. Children consumed the least calories from raisins and grapes and the most from cookies (P < 0.001). However, weight of raisins consumed was similar to potato chips (about 75 g) and lower compared to grapes and cookies (P < 0.009). Raisins and grapes led to lower cumulative food intake (breakfast + morning snack + lunch + after‐school snack) (P < 0.001), while the cookies increased cumulative food intake (P < 0.001) compared to the other snacks. Grapes lowered appetite compared to all other snacks (P < 0.001) when expressed as a change in appetite per kilocalorie of the snack. Ad libitum consumption of raisins has potential as an after‐school snack to achieve low snack intake prior to dinner, similar to grapes, compared to potato chips, and cookies in children 8 to 11 y old.