Significant predictors of problem-solving appraisal.

Multiple regression was used to determine the unique predictive contributions of several variables to problem-solving appraisal in 2 samples comprising 443 Ss, total. Problem-solving appraisal was the dependent variable, and the following variables were possible predictors: level of problem-solving skill; negative and positive coping strategies; internal-external locus of control; and a composite sum score of depression, trait anxiety, and self-concept. The combined multiple regression (SPSSX) results accounted for 50% and 41% of the variance for Samples 1 and 2, respectively, in problem-solving appraisal. The results revealed 2 consistent significant predictors: (1) positive coping strategies that seem to represent the process of doing something positively to solve problems through cognitive restructuring, focusing on the problem, and effecting interpersonal actions; and (2) global problem-solving self-efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Silicone-polyethylene blends

Polyethylene and reactive, high molecular weight polydimethylsiloxanes have been blended under conditions of shear and elevated temperature in order to form uniform, thermoplastic blends. The materials can be extruded, coated on wire, injection molded, or compression molded. Despite the thermoplastic nature, a high gel fraction is present. A structure is proposed consisting of microgelled and grafted particles of silicone dispersed in polyethylene. When compared to pure polyethylene, the blends show lowered modulus over a temperature range of ?150 to +65°C increased gas permeability, and lowered mixing energies. Electrical properties include corona resistance superior to polyethylene and a resistance to degradation under conditions simulating those experienced by buried cables superior to typical silicone rubber. Other electrical properties are intermediate between the values observed in the component polymers.     

Differential effects of induced mood on retrieval of pleasant and unpleasant events from episodic memory.

Examined the effect of depressed mood on the accessibility of memories of past real-life experiences of a pleasant or unpleasant nature. By means of a mood induction procedure, 30 students (mean age 19.2 yrs) were made happy on one occasion and depressed on another. The 2 mood states differed significantly on self-report, speech-rate, and recall-latency measures. Stimulus words to which Ss had to associate past pleasant or unpleasant experiences were presented in each mood condition, and latency of retrieval was measured. Time to retrieve pleasant memories, relative to time to retrieve unpleasant memories, was significantly longer when Ss were depressed than when they were happy, suggesting a differential effect of mood on the accessibility of these 2 types of memory. Results are considered in relation to state-dependent learning and activation of memories, and their implications for models and treatment of depression are discussed. It is suggested that cognitive models of depression need to be extended to include a reciprocal relation between thought content and depressed mood. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Control of magnetophoretic mobility by susceptibility-modified solutions as evaluated by cell tracking velocimetry and continuous magnetic sorting

With the analytical expression for the magnetophoretic mobility of an ideal, linearly polarizable sphere undergoing creeping motion in viscous medium, we have shown that both attractive and repulsive motions are possible in the magnetic field. We have validated theoretical predictions using magnetic monodisperse microspheres of 5.2-microm diameter and nonmagnetic polystyrene microspheres of 6.99-microm diameter suspended in solutions of paramagnetic ions. The microsphere magnetophoretic mobility was measured using a modified particle tracking velocimetry system, developed in-house and called a cell tracking velocimeter. The product of measured mobility and viscosity agrees well with the theoretical prediction, differing only by approximately 11%. Further, a 26% increase in resolution between magnetic and nonmagnetic particle distributions was evaluated when paramagnetic ion carrier was used instead of water. Continuous particle sorting based on differences in magnetophoretic mobility was performed with another device developed by us, the quadrupole magnetic flow sorter (QMS). In the QMS, the introduction of paramagnetic ions into the carrier was effective in suppressing nonspecific crossover (i.e., the transport of low-mobility particles into the magnetic particle fraction) in particles and in biologically relevant red blood cells and thus showed promise as a means of increasing the purity of the magnetic separation.     

Neural basis of individual differences in impulsivity: Contributions of corticolimbic circuits for behavioral arousal and control.

The objective of the current study was to analyze the neural correlates of behavioral arousal and inhibitory control as they relate to individual differences in impulsivity via well-established functional MRI amygdala reactivity and prefrontal inhibitory control paradigms in healthy adult subjects. Impulsivity correlated positively with activity of the bilateral ventral amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus, dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus (BA 32), and bilateral caudate. Conversely, impulsivity correlated negatively with activity of the dorsal amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortex (BA 47). Together, these findings suggest that dispositional impulsivity is influenced by the functional interplay of corticolimbic behavioral arousal and control circuits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment techniques and outcomes in multidimensional family therapy for adolescent behavior problems.

The link between treatment techniques and long-term treatment outcome was examined in an empirically supported family-based treatment for adolescent drug abuse. Observational ratings of therapist interventions were used to predict outcomes at 6 and 12 months posttreatment for 63 families receiving multidimensional family therapy. Greater use of in-session family-focused techniques predicted reduction in internalizing symptoms and improvement in family cohesion. Greater use of family-focused techniques also predicted reduced externalizing symptoms and family conflict, but only when adolescent focus was also high. In addition, greater use of adolescent-focused techniques predicted improvement in family cohesion and family conflict. Results suggest that both individual and multiperson interventions can exert an influential role in family-based therapy for clinically referred adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Focused and shifting attention in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

Attention deficits are a hallmark of the teratogenic effects of alcohol. However, characterization of these deficits remains inconclusive. Children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and nonexposed controls were evaluated using a paradigm consisting of three conditions: visual focus, auditory focus, and auditory-visual shift of attention. For the focus conditions, participants responded manually to visual or auditory targets. For the shift condition, participants alternated responses between visual targets and auditory targets. For the visual focus condition, alcohol-exposed children had lower accuracy and slower reaction time for all intertarget intervals (ITIs), while on the auditory focus condition, alcohol-exposed children were less accurate but displayed slower reaction time only on the longest ITI. Finally, for the shift condition, the alcohol-exposed group was accurate but had slowed reaction times. These results indicate that children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure have pervasive deficits in visual focused attention and deficits in maintaining auditory attention over time. However, no deficits were noted in the ability to disengage and reengage attention when required to shift attention between visual and auditory stimuli, although reaction times to shift were slower. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapists-in-training who experience a client suicide: Implications for supervision.

Client suicide is often an extraordinarily painful process for clinicians, especially those still in training. Given their training status, supervisees may look to their graduate programs and supervisors for guidance and support when such an event occurs. This study qualitatively examined the experiences of 13 prelicensure doctoral supervisees regarding their client's suicide. Findings suggest that these supervisees received minimal graduate training about suicide and that support from others, including supervisors, helped them cope with their client's death. Supervisors are advised to normalize and process supervisees' experiences of client suicide. Implications for training and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of a single session of large-group meditation and progressive muscle relaxation training on stress reduction, reactivity, and recovery.

Three hundred eighty-seven undergraduate students in a large-group setting were exposed to 20 min of either meditation, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), or a control condition, followed by 1 min of stress induction and another 10 min of each intervention. Participants in the meditation and PMR groups decreased more in cognitive, somatic, and general state anxiety than controls. The PMR group had the greatest decline in somatic anxiety, lending some support to the cognitive/somatic specificity hypothesis. After exposure to a visual stressor, those in the relaxation conditions had higher levels of anxiety and recovered more quickly than controls. Findings demonstrated the effectiveness of brief group training in meditation or PMR in reducing state anxiety after exposure to a transitory stressor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mathematical Mode of Thought in Architecture Design Education: A case study

Integrating mathematics and architecture design curricula has resulted in a positive change in students’ abilities to apply mathematics to architectural design. The authors developed the first-year calculus-with-applications course based on the Realistic Mathematics Education approach. In order to encourage students to use mathematics in design projects, the integration of mathematics and architecture education was continued by developing and evaluating the second-year Mathematical Aspects in Architectural Design course based on the Mathematics as a Service Subject approach. The paper considers three directions of geometrical complexity studied in the course with a focus on the process of project-based learning of curved surfaces.