The Relation Between Television Exposure and Theory of Mind Among Preschoolers

This study explored the relation between preschoolers' television exposure and one important indicator of cognitive processing called theory of mind (ToM). A total of 107 preschoolers and their parents provided data on the preschoolers' television exposure (including both intentional viewing and exposure via background television), parent–child discussion of television, and preschoolers' ToM. The results indicated that preschoolers who were exposed to more background television and who had a television in their bedroom performed more poorly on ToM assessments compared with other children. Parent–child discussion of television was positively related to ToM performance, however. These results have implications for how we understand the effects of television on preschoolers.     

Metacognitive control over the distribution of practice: When is spacing preferred?

The authors clarify the source of a conflict between previous findings related to metacognitive control over the distribution of practice. In a study by L. Son (2004), learners were initially presented pairs of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) vocabulary words and their common synonyms for 1 s, after which they chose to study the pair again immediately (massed practice), later (spaced practice), or not at all (done). Learners chose spaced practice less as pair difficulty increased. A. S. Benjamin and R. D. Bird (2006), using different materials and procedures and a longer presentation duration (5 s), concluded just the opposite. The authors adopted Son’s materials and procedures and replicated her findings with a 1-s stimulus duration. However, the declining choice of spacing as item difficulty increased largely reflected learners’ failure to fully perceive items with brief presentations. With longer presentations, ensuring full perception, the choice of spaced practice increased with greater pair difficulty, in agreement with Benjamin and Bird. Theoretical implications are discussed in the context of discrepancy-reduction and proximal-learning perspectives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review and analysis of literature on self-management interventions to promote appropriate classroom behaviors (1988–2008).

In the late 1980s, J. W. Fantuzzo and colleagues conducted a review of the self-management literature in order to better define the characteristics of this class of interventions. Results indicated that many interventions were minimally student-directed despite the title “self-managed” and that student-managed interventions demonstrated incremental effects above teacher-managed interventions. In the current study, updated information was compiled with regard to how self-management interventions have been described, including the degree to which self-management interventions continue to rely on external (i.e., teacher) contingencies. Review of the literature identified 16 different characterizations of self-management interventions, each of which varied widely in terms of the number of intervention components included as well as the degree to which students were involved in implementation. Although self-observation and recording of a predefined behavior appear to be the cornerstones of self-management interventions, meaningful differences were noted, including whether reinforcement was involved and whether changes in performance were tracked over time. Furthermore, although self-management interventions appear to have undergone a small shift toward increased reliance on internal (i.e., student-managed) contingencies, adults continue to play a large role in the implementation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Next-generation tools for evolutionary invasion analyses

Evolutionary invasion analysis is a powerful technique for modelling in evolutionary biology. The general approach is to derive an expression for the growth rate of a mutant allele encoding some novel phenotype, and then to use this expression to predict long-term evolutionary outcomes. Mathematically, such ‘invasion fitness’ expressions are most often derived using standard linear stability analyses from dynamical systems theory. Interestingly, there is a mathematically equivalent approach to such stability analyses that is often employed in mathematical epidemiology, and that is based on so-called ‘next-generation’ matrices. Although this next-generation matrix approach has sometimes also been used in evolutionary invasion analyses, it is not yet common in this area despite the fact that it can sometimes greatly simplify calculations. The aim of this article is to bring the approach to a wider evolutionary audience in two ways. First, we review the next-generation matrix approach and provide a novel, and easily intuited, interpretation of how this approach relates to more standard techniques. Second, we illustrate next-generation methods in evolutionary invasion analysis through a series of informative examples. Although focusing primarily on evolutionary invasion analysis, we provide several insights that apply to biological modelling in general.     

Alumina foam catalyst supports for industrial steam reforming processes

The manufacture and the characterisation of alumina foams as alternative catalysts supports for industrial steam reforming processes are presented here. The possibility of use of alumina foams as catalysts supports in such processes is evaluated by studying their resistance toward mechanical and chemical stresses. The alumina foams produced are characterised owing to their processing parameters (slurry infiltration, sintering temperature, template pore size). Their ability to work in hydrothermal atmosphere is assessed by characterising the evolution of microstructures and mechanical strengths upon aging. Thermodynamic studies of the stability of alumina in industrial steam reforming working conditions are performed and correlated to the experiments to demonstrate the stability of such a system.     

Application of an alternative contractor selection model

The results described confirm the thorough assessment implemented by the model and an output mechanism able to highlight key contractor characteristics. The exercise also supports the contention, that examination of contractors should aim to establish project performance potential and rely less on estimated project cost (tender sum).     

Wound healing and the immune response in swine treated with a hemostatic bandage composed of salmon thrombin and fibrinogen

We investigated the inflammatory response in pigs exposed to salmon fibrinogen/thrombin dressings. Animals were exposed to the material in 3 ways: (a) thrombin and fibrinogen were injected intravenously, (b) dual full-thickness skin lesions were surgically created on the dorsal aspect of the swine and treated with the fibrinogen/thrombin bandage and a commercial bandage or (c) a fibrinogen/thrombin bandage was inserted through an abdominal incision into the peritoneal cavity. Blood was collected twice weekly and animals were sacrificed at 7, 10 or 28 days. Animals in the 28-day dermal lesion group were given an injection of salmon fibrinogen/thrombin at the 10 day point to simulate a second bandage application. The immune response manifested itself as induction of germinal centers in mesenteric lymph nodes and in the white pulp of the spleen. Examination of the histology of the skin and organs showed a cellular inflammatory response with granulation tissue and signs of edema that resolved by the 28-day stage. Antibodies reactive to salmon and human thrombin and fibrinogen were detected, but fibrinogen levels and coagulation processes were not affected. In conclusion, animals treated with salmon fibrinogen/thrombin bandages demonstrated a smooth recovery course in terms of both tissue healing and the immune response without adverse effects from the exposure to the fish proteins.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of Pseudopterosins by laser doppler blood flow evaluation

IFSCC Magazines , 12 (2009) (1) 25–30
Approximately 40% of the population (all skin categories and phototypes) complain of sensitive skin. Sensitive skin is healthy but overresponsive, meaning it reacts faster and more intensely to several parameters including environmental factors such as temperature changes and the sun, use of cosmetic products, and certain medicines. It experiences discomfort, tingling, burning and intolerance to certain types of products, a condition referred to as neurosensitivity characterized by a lower threshold of tolerance. Currently, all of the causes are not known but an increase in the permeability of the stratum corneum and an exaggeration of the nerve response are considered to be involved in the phenomenon of sensitive skin. Lifestyle factors including tobacco, alcohol, stress, fatigue and emotions also have an effect. A new synthetic tetrapeptide, N -acetyl- L -tyrosyl- L -prolyl- L -phenylalanyl- L -phenylalaninamide (Ac-YPFF-NH2), mimicking a natural opioid peptide was developed with the aim to decrease skin nerve ending stimulation. This tetrapeptide was demonstrated in vitro to reduce cutaneous overreactivity by decreasing release of calcitonin gene-related peptide from sensory neurons via an agonist effect on the μ opioid receptors and in vivo to improve the comfort of sensitive skin by decreasing unpleasant sensations and pain induced by heat and capsaicin. This tetrapeptide targeting an exaggerated nerve response helps to relieve sensitive skin by normalizing the tolerance threshold for environmental factors or certain topically applied uncomfortable products or skincare treatments.
Keywords:  Calcitonin gene-related peptide, μ opioid receptor, nerve endings, peptide, sensitive skin     

Reading in graduate school: A survey of doctoral students in clinical psychology.

To what extent do graduate students in clinical psychology complete assigned readings? A total of 744 graduate students in American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral programs completed an online survey regarding reading in graduate school (67% response rate, of those viewing the survey). The reported amount of assigned reading varied widely, with an average of 330 pages per week. Compliance ratings suggested that about half the assigned reading is completed thoroughly and that thorough reading is more common than skimming or not reading assigned material. Motivating and hindering factors for reading are reported, and implications for faculty are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)