Development of Individual Differences in Reading: Results From Longitudinal Studies in English and Finnish.

The authors examined individual differences in reading development in English and Finnish. English-speaking Canadian children were assessed once per year in Grades 1-5, and Finnish children were assessed twice per year in Grades 1-2. Results from latent growth curve and simplex analyses showed that initial status was generally negatively associated with subsequent growth and that, although stable, individual differences were more likely to significantly decrease than to increase across the measurement points. Growth mixture models identified multiple groups of children whose reading development followed distinct patterns. The results indicate that it is possible for educational systems to significantly reduce individual differences in basic reading skills during early reading development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relation between cycling time to exhaustion and anaerobic threshold

This study investigated whether the anaerobic threshold (AnT) could be used to predict prolonged work capacity measured as cycling time to exhaustion (= endurance time) and which factors, in addition to relative exercise intensity, could explain variation in endurance time. Theoretical exercise intensities corresponding to certain endurance times were also calculated. The hyperbolic and exponential functions between cycling time and relative work rate (WR[%]), as well as between cycling time and relative oxygen uptake (VO2[%]) were fitted to the pooled data (n = 45) of 17 subjects. The WR(%) and VO2(%) were expressed as a percentage of the subject's own AnT- and maximum-values. At WR corresponding to AnT (i.e., 70% of WRmax) an average subject could cycle 60 min according to both AnT- or maximum-related exponential function. When prediction was done for an endurance time of 4 h, the AnT-related exponential function gave 2.9%-units (= 11 W or approximately 0.15 O2 l.min-1) lower intensity level (51% of WRmax) than the maximum-related function (54% of WRmax). The WR(%) alone explained 54% and 70% of the variation in endurance time of the AnT-related and maximum-related exponential functions, respectively. Muscle fibre composition and initial blood lactate or relative muscle glycogen depletion (change in muscle glycogen as percentage) increased significantly the explanatory power of these models. The differences between the observed and expected exercise times correlated with blood lactate accumulation (r = -0.42; p less than 0.01), muscle fibre composition (r = 0.33; p less than 0.05) and relative muscle glycogen depletion (r = 0.67; p less than 0.01). It was concluded that the capacity for prolonged work measured as cycling time to exhaustion can be estimated by AnT-related power output, and that the exponential function model is the most suitable. Prediction power of the model can be improved by multiple regressions including muscle fibre composition, initial blood lactate level and relative muscle glycogen depletion.     

Maternal Affection Moderates the Impact of Psychological Control on a Child's Mathematical Performance.

This study investigated the extent to which mothers' psychological control predicts their children's mathematical performance during the children's transition from preschool to primary school over and above the impact of maternal affection and behavioral control. Also investigated was the extent to which maternal affection and behavioral control moderate the impact of mothers' psychological control. Children 5-6 years old at baseline (N=196) were followed up 6 times to measure their performance in mathematics over a 3-year period from preschool to 2nd grade. Mothers were asked to fill in a questionnaire measuring their parenting styles once every year over the 3-year period. A high level of psychological control exercised by mothers predicted their children's slow progress in mathematics. However, this impact was particularly evident among those children whose mothers reported a high level of affection. No evidence was found that children's mathematical performance had any effect on their mothers' parenting styles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of PAH‐contaminated soil by combination of Fenton's reaction and biodegradation

A combination of modified Fenton and biological treatment was used to remove polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from creosote oil‐contaminated soil. After modified Fenton reaction the toxicity of column leachate and soil to Vibrio fischeri increased. The number of intact bacterial cells and utilisation of PAHs in PAH utilisation microplate assay decreased after modified Fenton reaction. However, bacteria in chemically treated soil utilised PAHs without addition of other carbon sources. The activity of extracellular esterases increased during incubation of modified Fenton‐treated soil. PAH removal in combined chemical oxidation and incubation (43–59%) was higher than in incubation alone (22–30%). Residual H₂O₂ in soil allowed chemical oxidation of PAHs during incubation. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Developmental Dynamics of Math Performance From Preschool to Grade 2.

This study investigated the developmental dynamics of mathematical performance during children's transition from preschool to Grade 2 and the cognitive antecedents of this development. 194 Finnish children were examined 6 times according to their math performance, twice during each year across a 3-year period. Cognitive antecedents, that is, counting ability, visual attention, metacognitive knowledge, and listening comprehension, were tested at the first measurement point. The results indicated that math performance showed high stability and increasing variance over time. Moreover, the growth of math competence was faster among those who entered preschool with an already high level of mathematical skills. The initial level of math performance, as well as its growth, was best predicted by counting ability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)