Learning in multimodal training: Visual guidance can be both appealing and disadvantageous in spatial tasks

Multimodal training involving both visual and auditory information was shown to improve text comprehension and reduce cognitive load. However, it is argued that in spatial tasks visual guidance can impair training effectiveness because it encourages shallow performance strategies and little exploration. Moreover, visual aids are attractive to both trainers as well as trainees, who tend to use them despite their potential disadvantages. To examine this potential training trap, two experimental studies were conducted. In Study 1, each trainer instructed trainees on how to perform a 3-D puzzle in two conditions: vocal guidance (17 trainees), where only vocal instructions were possible, and vocal guidance with mouse pointing (17 trainees), where the trainer could also use a mouse to point out positions on the trainee's screen. The results showed that while the use of the mouse pointer reduced trainees' mental load during training, it also drastically lowered performance level on a non-supervised test. In Study 2, a real-world version of puzzle was trained. A comparison of a vocal guidance group (16 trainees) to a group trained with an additional mouse pointing and drawing option (16 trainees) showed, as well, reduced performance levels with the additional visual aids. The results suggest that the abundant use of multimodal training in Augmented Reality (AR) applications should be re-evaluated.     

Evidence for internalization of Escherichia coli into the aerial parts of maize via the root system

Escherichia coli introduced into the hydroponic growing medium of maize plants was detected 48 h later in the shoot. Decapitation of root tips or severing of the plant root system at the root-shoot junction enhanced bacterial internalization. The density of the bacteria in shoots of plants with damaged roots or removed root systems was 27.8 and 23.9 times higher than that in plants with intact roots, respectively. The concentration of viable cells in the hydroponic solution decreased over time from 9.3 x 10(6) CFU/ml at the time of inoculation to 8.5 x 10(1) CFU/ml 4 days thereafter. The number of E. coli cells associated with the roots also decreased with time, but a significant decline appeared only at 4 days postinoculation. At the time of sampling for E. coli presence in the shoot, 10(2) CFU/ml was present in the nutrient solution and 8 x 10(3) CFU/g was associated with the roots. The present study is the first to demonstrate internalization of E. coli via the root in a monocotyledonous plant.     

Translational Platform for Increasing Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture: Comparative Analysis of Plantation Crops

Water Resources Management - Shortage of water drives efforts to increase water use efficiency in agriculture. However, identification of hot-spots of water use inefficiency in agriculture is...     

Enhancing social communication of children with high-functioning autism through a co-located interface

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 3-week intervention in which a co-located cooperation enforcing interface, called StoryTable, was used to facilitate collaboration and positive social interaction for six children, aged 8–10 years, with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The intervention focused on exposing pairs of children to an enforced collaboration paradigm while they narrated a story. Pre- and post-intervention tasks included a “low technology” version of the storytelling device and a non storytelling play situation using a free construction game. The outcome measure was a structured observation scale of social interaction. Results demonstrated progress in three areas of social behaviors. First, the participants were more likely to initiate positive social interaction with peers after the intervention. Second, the level of shared play of the children increased from the pre-test to the post-test and they all increased the level of collaboration following the intervention. Third, the children with ASD demonstrated lower frequencies of autistic behaviors while using the StoryTable in comparison to the free construction game activity. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of this intervention for higher functioning children with ASD.     

The effect of previous experience when introducing a decision aid in a decision support system for supply chain management

Decision Support Systems (DSSs) in the domain of Industrial Engineering and Management can be very powerful tools, but more knowledge about the way users utilize these systems is required. In the current research, we evaluated the effect of previous experience with a task on users’ willingness to accept a suggested decision aid and their performance in a supply chain management system. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three between-participants groups: the No Aid Group, which did not receive any decision aid during the interaction; the Aid Group, which was offered an algorithm, at the beginning of the first session, to help members improve their decisions; and the Mid-term Aid Group, which received, at the beginning of the second session, the same algorithm that was offered to the Aid Group. Participants were tested separately. The results demonstrated that in the second session, the performance of the Aid Group was significantly better in comparison with the No Aid Group. The Mid-term Aid Group’s performance did not show any gain, although both the Aid and Mid-term Aid Groups made similar use of the aid in this session. We concluded that in a DSS, having previous experience with the task before introducing the decision aid compared to having previous experience with the task and with the decision aid is not recommended.     

Chirality Dependent Charge Transfer Rate in Oligopeptides

It is shown that “spontaneous magnetization” occurs when chiral oligopeptides are attached to ferrocene and are self‐assembled on a gold substrate. As a result, the electron transfer, measured by electrochemistry, shows asymmetry in the reduction and oxidation rate constants; this asymmetry is reversed between the two enantiomers. The results can be explained by the chiral induced spin selectivity of the electron transfer. The measured magnetization shows high anisotropy and the “easy axis” of magnetization is along the molecular axis.     

Daily stress interacts with trait dissociation to predict sleep-related experiences in young adults.

Building on the previously documented effects of stress and dissociation on sleep and dreaming, we examined their interactive role in general sleep-related experiences (GSEs; e.g., nightmares, falling dreams, hypnagogic hallucinations; see Watson, 2001). Stress, sleep quality, and GSEs were assessed daily for 14 days among young adults. Baseline assessment included life stress, sleep quality, psychopathology, dissociation, and related dimensions. Multilevel analyses indicated that daily stress brings about GSEs among highly dissociative young adults. Additionally, baseline trait dissociation predicted within-subject elevation in GSEs when daily stress was high. Flawed sleep–wake transitions, previously linked to dissociation and sleep-related experiences, might account for this effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of contamination potential of lettuce by Salmonella enterica serovar Newport added to the plant growing medium

The capacity of Salmonella enterica serovar Newport to contaminate Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Nogal) via the root system was evaluated in 17-, 20-, and 33-day-old plants. Apparent internalization of Salmonella via the root to the above-ground parts was identified in 33- but not 17- or 20-day-old plants and was stimulated by root decapitation. Leaves of lettuce plants with intact and damaged roots harbored Salmonella at 500 +/- 120 and 5,130 +/- 440 CFU/g of leaf, respectively, at 2 days postinoculation but not 5 days later. These findings are first to suggest that Salmonella Newport can translocate from contaminated roots to the aerial parts of lettuce seedlings and propose that the process is dependent on the developmental stage of the plant.