Role of maternal depression in perceptions of child maladjustment.

We investigated (a) the relation of maternal depression to perceptions of externalizing and internalizing disorders in children and (b) quality of communication in a mother–child interaction task as a function of maternal depression and perceptions of the child. 64 children of unipolar or bipolar mothers, chronic medically ill or normal mothers were studied; clinical diagnoses, children's reports, and teachers' ratings served as objective criteria of children's maladjustment. Maternal depression defined by current symptomatology on the Beck Depression Inventory and by psychiatric status was not associated with misperceptions of psychopathology. Maternal depression interacted with children's actual behaviors to predict mothers' perceptions: nondepressed mothers were less accurate reporters of problems in children than were depressed mothers. Depressed mothers who perceived maladjustment in their disturbed children made more negative comments in interactions than did nondepressed mothers of disturbed children. The apparent mutual impact of mothers' and children's maladjustment requires fuller exploration in offspring studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The time course of plausibility effects on eye movements in reading: Evidence from noun-noun compounds.

Readers' eye movements were monitored as they read sentences containing noun-noun compounds that varied in frequency (e.g., elevator mechanic, mountain lion). The left constituent of the compound was either plausible or implausible as a head noun at the point at which it appeared, whereas the compound as a whole was always plausible. When the head noun analysis of the left constituent was implausible, reading times on this word were inflated, beginning with the first fixation. This finding is consistent with previous demonstrations of very rapid effects of plausibility on eye movements. Compound frequency did not modulate the plausibility effect, and all disruption was resolved by the time readers' eyes moved to the next word. These findings suggest (contra Kennison, 2005) that the parser initially analyzes a singular noun as a head instead of a modifier. In addition, the findings confirm that the very rapid effect of plausibility on eye movements is not due to strategic factors, because in the present experiment, unlike in previous demonstrations, this effect appeared in sentences that were globally plausible. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Engineering Design Curriculum for the Elementary Grades

The United States has historically excelled in the design of products, processes and new technologies. Capitalizing on this historical strength to teach applied mathematics and science has many positive implications on education. First, engineering design can be used as a vehicle for addressing deficiencies in mathematics and science education. Second, as achievement in mathematics and science is enhanced, a greater number of students at an earlier age will be exposed to technical career opportunities. Third, enhancing elementary and secondary curricula with engineering design can attract underrepresented populations, such as minorities and females, to engineering as a profession. This paper describes a new and innovative engineering design curriculum, under development in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) in Austin, TX. The philosophic goals upon which the curriculum is based include: integrating the design problem-solving process into elementary schools, demonstrating the relationship of technical concepts to daily life, availing teachers with instructional strategies for teaching applied (as opposed to purely theoretical) science and mathematics, and teaching teamwork skills that are so greatly needed in industry and everyday life. Based on these goals, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade engineering design lessons have been piloted in AISD, in conjunction with a University of Texas program for teacher enhancement and preparation.     

TTI hydraulics and erosion control laboratory research field performance of erosion-control blankets

Storm water management issues facing the Texas Department of Transportation in the late 1980s led to the development of a coordinated research program with the Texas Transportation Institute. Researchers developed methodologies for evaluating the field performance of various erosion control technologies of the most widely used products within the Department's construction and maintenance operations. From these methodologies, the Hydraulics and Erosion Control Laboratory was designed and constructed. Currently, participants include private industry (manufacturers of erosion control products), transportation researchers (TTI), and the public sector (TxDOT).The results reported in this paper reflect 2 years of erosion-control blanket research. The study objectives were to determine the effectiveness of erosion-control blankets on the growth of warm-season perennial grasses and their ability to prevent sediment loss in a sloped condition.The laboratory simulates the highway environment with the sloped plots (6 m in width) located on an earthen embankment that is 300 m in length and 6.75 m in height (94 ft. by 22 ft., vertically). A randomized experimental design was replicated on two soil types (sand and clay) for each slope condition (3:1 or 2:1) with a control.In general, the results indicate better combined results relating to sediment retention and vegetation establishment performance for erosion-control blankets on sandy soils (noncohesive) regardless of slope condition (3:1 or 2:1) or material type. A minimum of 50% more sediment was retained on the sandy treatment plots and a 45% more vegetation coverage was achieved compared with the control plots. When analyzed by material type related to performance, excelsior, synthetic blends, and straw/coconut blends performed the best. For clay soils (cohesive), regardless of slope condition (3:1 or 2:1), the combined results indicate a minimum of 75% more sediment was retained and a minimum of 5% more vegetation establishment was achieved compared with the control plots. When analyzed by material type related to performance, excelsior, straw, and straw/coconut blends performed the best.     

Cell-Free DNA Fragments as Biomarkers of Islet β-Cell Death in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) typically occurs in the setting of obesity and insulin resistance, where hyperglycemia is associated with decreased pancreatic β-cell mass and function. Loss of β-cell mass has variably been attributed to β-cell dedifferentiation and/or death. In recent years, it has been proposed that circulating epigenetically modified DNA fragments arising from β cells might be able to report on the potential occurrence of β-cell death in diabetes. Here, we review published literature of DNA-based β-cell death biomarkers that have been evaluated in human cohorts of islet transplantation, type 1 diabetes, and obesity and type 2 diabetes. In addition, we provide new data on the applicability of one of these biomarkers (cell free unmethylated INS DNA) in adult cohorts across a spectrum from obesity to T2D, in which no significant differences were observed, and compare these findings to those previously published in youth cohorts where differences were observed. Our analysis of the literature and our own data suggest that β-cell death may occur in subsets of individuals with obesity and T2D, however a more sensitive method or refined study designs are needed to provide better alignment of sampling with disease progression events.     

Isolation of two nitrogen-free toxins from tung kernels

Summary A procedure is described for isolating two nitrogen-free toxins from tung kernels and from press cake. Chick-feeding tests were used to determine which fraction was toxic at every separation. Both substances were highly toxic as 10-mg. doses killed 4-day old chicks. These substances were shown by chromatography on glass paper to be different and chromatography homogeneous, but also unstable. The elementary composition, hydroxyl content, saponification value, and specific rotation for the two toxins are given. One of the laboratories of the Southern Utilization Research and Development Division, Agricultural Research Service, U, S. Department of Agriculture.     

Elimination of the halphen response of cottonseed oils in conjunction with deodorization

Two simple but effective pilot-plant processes were developed to produce Halphen-negative cottonseed oil. Both involve treatment of the oil with cottonseed fatty acids in a conventional batch type of deodorizer in conjunction with deodorization. In one process, in which the acids were added to the oil, the cyclopropenoids were inactivated in as short a time as 5 min after the oil reached the maximum temperature of 450–455 F. In the other, in which the acids were generated in situ, the oil did not become Halphennegative until about an hour and 45 min after it reached maximum temperature. The excess acids produced by both methods were readily removed during conventional deodorization. In contrast, deodorization alone reduced the cyclopropenoid content of the oil to a low level (0.02%) but did not render it Halphen-negative even after 3 hr at maximum temperature. These new processes are directly applicable for use by refineries that have the batch type of deodorizers. For refineries that operate continuous or semicontinuous deodorizers, it should be relatively simple to design preheating vessels or heat exchangers to inactivate partially or completely the cyclopropenoids before deodorization. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, New Orleans, May 1967. So. Utiliz. Res. Dev. Div., ARS, USDA.     

Personality variables and presence

The present study was designed to examine the correlation between five personality traits (empathy, imagination, immersive tendencies, dissociation tendencies and locus of control) and presence. Moreover, this study aimed to identify an optimal virtual reality user’s profile. Eighty-four students (66 women, 18 men) completed personality questionnaires, experienced exposure in a virtual environment and completed a presence questionnaire. Twenty-three women, among them 13 non-Jewish women and no men, neglected to look out the virtual window, and reported lower levels of presence. Presence correlated with immersive tendencies and empathy. However, empathy and internal locus of control were the best predictors for the sense of presence. A correlation between imagination and presence was only found in the group that avoided viewing the virtual window. This study revealed the importance of empathy and internal locus of control in the sense of presence. In addition, our findings suggest that the subject’s imagination has an important role when the virtual environment is restricted and that we must attend to cultural and gender-related factors when investigating therapy using virtual reality technology.     

A comparison of behaviors and play themes over a six-week period: Two case studies in play therapy.

As a method for counseling children, play therapy continues to demonstrate effectiveness through research and to be included in mental health training programs throughout the country. However, like other counseling interventions, capturing the essence of the therapeutic environment is complex and dependent on individual perspectives and experiences. In this article, two case studies are presented to demonstrate the use of quantitative and qualitative measures in comparing the behavioral changes as rated by caregivers on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and play themes observed by play therapists over a 6-week period. For both children in the study, behaviors and themes were related. As the children made changes in their play themes over the 6-week period, they also made changes in their behaviors at home. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)