Effect of normal aging on rate of forgetting.

Used a verbal paired associate paradigm to examine rate of forgetting in 181 normal adults (aged 18–91 yrs). Ss were administered the Expanded Paired Associate Test (EPAT) derived from a related subscale of the Wechsler Memory Scale and which includes both acquisition and delayed-recall tasks. Older Ss performed below the levels obtained by younger Ss on both phases of the EPAT. However, analysis revealed no differences among age groups in rate of forgetting. Lower scores for older Ss on the delayed-recall task appeared to reflect differences in initial learning, not an accelerated rate of forgetting. Normative data for rate of forgetting are provided for Ss in all age groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Image sharpness measurement in the scanning electron-microscope--part III.

Fully automated or semi-automated scanning electron microscopes (SEM) are now commonly used in semiconductor production and other forms of manufacturing. Testing and proving that the instrument is performing at a satisfactory level of sharpness is an important aspect of quality control. The application of Fourier analysis techniques to the analysis of SEM images is a useful methodology for sharpness measurement. In this paper, a statistical measure known as the multivariate kurtosis is proposed as an additional useful measure of the sharpness of SEM images. Kurtosis is designed to be a measure of the degree of departure of a probability distribution. For selected SEM images, the two-dimensional spatial Fourier transforms were computed. Then the bivariate kurtosis of this Fourier transform was calculated as though it were a probability distribution. Kurtosis has the distinct advantage that it is a parametric (i.e., a dimensionless) measure and is sensitive to the presence of the high spatial frequencies necessary for acceptable levels of image sharpness. The applications of this method to SEM metrology will be discussed.     

Do men show more rapid age-associated decline in simulated everyday verbal memory than do women?

Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data suggest that men show more rapid age-associated atrophy of the left hemisphere than do women. To investigate whether a similar pattern occurs for functional decline, the authors tested 417 male–female pairs, aged 17–79 yrs and matched perfectly on age and education, on 3 computer-simulated everyday verbal memory tests: Name–Face Association, First–Last Name Associate Learning, and Grocery List Selective Reminding. Age and gender significantly predicted performance on all 3 tests. By contrast, only 1 of 15 Age?×?Gender interactions was significant, accounting for merely 1% of the test variance. Data suggest that although gender-based differences in rate of left-hemisphere structural decline may occur with normal aging, these apparently do not translate into differential functional decline in simulated everyday verbal memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical and methodological issues in measuring rate of forgetting with the verbal selective reminding test.

Used a verbal selective reminding paradigm to examine rate of forgetting in a sample of 287 normal adults (aged 18–91 yrs). Results reveal that older Ss performed below levels obtained by younger ones on several measures of acquisition and delayed recall. Data also reveal very modest differences in rate of forgetting. However, the pattern of differences in forgetting varied, depending on the index used to measure what was stored during acquisition. Older adults obtained marginally higher forgetting rates using 2 of 3 indexes but exhibited less forgetting when another index was used. Data suggest that using the Trial 12 score for long-term storage (H. Buschke and P. Fuld, 1974) to calculate forgetting may be more valid from a practical and theoretical standpoint than using other learning measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cautions in the use of neuropsychological evaluation in legal settings.

Raises concern over a perceived bias toward diagnosing brain damage when test performance can be accounted for by nonneurologic factors. Psychologic conditions are identified that can impact neurophysiological test performance. Evaluation of consistency of performance and symptom validity testing are discussed as methods of detecting nonneurologic effects on test performance. Indexing of performance to trauma severity is recommended. Suggestions are made for future research on differentiating psychologic from neurologic patterns of neurophysiological performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Flexible Inorganic Ferroelectric Thin Films for Nonvolatile Memory Devices

Next‐generation wearable electronics call for flexible nonvolatile devices for ubiquitous data storage. Thus far, only organic ferroelectric materials have shown intrinsic flexibility and processability on plastic substrates. Here, it is shown that by controlling the heating rate, ferroelectric hafnia films can be grown on plastic substrates. The resulting highly flexible capacitor with a film thickness of 30 nm yields a remnant polarization of 10 µC cm^?2. Bending tests show that the film ferroelectricity can be retained under a bending radius below 8 mm with up to 1000 bending cycles. The excellent flexibility is due to the extremely thin hafnia film thickness. Using the ferroelectric film as a gate insulator, a low voltage nonvolatile vertical organic transistor is demonstrated on a plastic substrate with an extrapolated date retention time of up to 10 years.     

A self-rating scale for evaluating memory in everyday life.

A memory self-rating scale is described that includes 21 ability-to-remember items, 24 items assessing frequency of occurrence of memory failures, and 4 global rating items assessing overall comparison to others, comparison to the best one's memory has ever been, speed of recall, and concern or worry over memory function. Factor analysis yielded 5 orthogonal Ability to Remember and 5 orthogonal Frequency of Occurrence factors. The factor structure was not affected by age or sex, and level of complaint on the factor scores was not strongly associated with age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of everyday memory in age-associated memory impairment.

A battery of tests that uses computer and laser disk technology to simulate learning and memory tasks of everyday life, such as recalling names after introduction and remembering items on a grocery list, is described. The performance of 110 persons suffering Age-Associated Memory Impairment was factor analyzed and yielded everyday memory dimensions of verbal memory, visual memory, psychomotor speed, attention, and vigilance. These computerized performance dimensions are associated with relevant standard clinical measures of memory performance, such as the Benton Visual Retention Test and the Wechsler Memory Scale Paired-Associated Learning and Logical Memory subtests. The clinical and research utility of the computerized measures and the new diagnostic category of Age-Associated Memory Impairment are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)