Recall of Descriptive Information: The Roles of Presentation Format, Annotation Strategy, and Individual Differences

The benefits of using a comprehensive annotation strategy (employing underlining/circling, making connections, asking questions, and making comments) with knowledge maps (spatial/verbal arrays) and traditional, linear text to improve free recall scores for learners with individual differences in vocabulary and comprehension ability were examined. Types and frequencies of annotations generated were also examined for each stimulus format condition. Multiple regression analyses indicate that the frequency of use of two component annotation strategies, asking questions and making connections, were significant predictors of recall scores, while frequency of underlining/circling and generating elaborations failed to predict recall scores. Text users generated more underlining/circling, while knowledge map users generated more connections between ideas, suggesting that knowledge maps may facilitate the application of more productive annotation strategies. Also examined were the interrelationships between vocabulary ability, comprehension ability, and free recall scores. Copyright 1997Academic Press     

Spatial-Semantic Display Processing: The Role of Spatial Structure on Recall

The purpose of the present study was to test a model of spatial-semantic display processing by comparing the aided and unaided recall of information presented in a node-link format (knowledge map) to the aided and unaided recall of information presented in a text format. Structural icons of the knowledge map and text with the verbiage removed were used to aid retrieval in some conditions. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight groups formed by the complete crossing of three factors: knowledge map versus text, structural icon at recall versus no structural icon at recall, and immediate versus delayed recall. Knowledge map groups outperformed text groups on essay tests and they more accurately remembered where information was located within the materials. Both knowledge map and text icon-aided recall groups had significantly better performance than the no icon, unaided recall groups (particularly on main ideas).     

Kinematic modeling for the assessment of wheelchair user'sstability

A computer kinematic model was developed to simulate the lateral and transverse stabilities of wheelchair users in order to compare the effect of different backrests. This model is composed of ellipsoids and parallelepipeds representing the main components of the human body, the seating devices and the wheelchair. A fifteen-segment three-dimensional (3-D) model linked by spherical and revolute joints was created using the ADAMS software (Mechanical Dynamics, Inc.). Torsional springs and dampers are used at the joints to represent four sets of articulation stiffness. Seating devices are represented with 45 rectangular surface patches. The interface between human body and seating devices is modeled by contact elements, which included the specification of stiffness, damping, and deformation of cushions and buttocks. Simulations of a user and his wheelchair moving at 1.4 m/s on a tilted pathway were performed. Different indexes [trunk lateral tilt (TLT) and trunk transverse rotation (TTR)] were measured and compared to those of a similar experimental study on four subjects. The effect of joint stiffness was quantified and a sensitivity study showed the importance of the hip, neck, lumbar, and thoracic joint stiffness on model response (between 16% and 68%). Two backrests (standard and highly contoured) were tested with the kinematic model and their stability compared. Overall, the coherence between the simulations and the experiments shows that this approach is appropriate to compare various seating devices (maximal difference of 1.3° between the simulated and experimental curves for the intermediate joint stiffness sets). The smallest rotations of the highly contoured backrest (6.3° versus 8.9° for TLT and 3.9° versus 6.7° for TTR) suggest that the contouring of the mid torso is more efficient than the lower torso to provide stability to the wheelchair user. This model is an adequate tool to test and improve the design of seating aids     

Control of concentration during academic tasks.

Evaluated 3 strategies for controlling concentration during academic tasks. 82 undergraduates served as Ss. One strategy, self-initiated relaxation (SIR), required Ss to employ a combination of relaxation techniques to set and maintain constructive study and test-taking states. The 2nd strategy, self-coaching (SC), was an extension of the positive self-talk techniques developed by D. Meichenbaum (1972). Ss were taught to coach (talk) themselves into constructive states and to maintain these states during studying and test taking. Finally, a 3rd strategy that combined SIR and SC was created. Results indicate that the 3rd strategy, SIR plus SC, significantly facilitated some aspects of academic performance in comparison to a no-treatment control group. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Biomechanical analysis of legrest support of occupied wheelchairs: comparison between a conventional and a compensatory legrest.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of elevating legrest on posture and pressure distribution in a group of ten able-bodied subjects sitting in a manual wheelchair. Two types of legrest were tested: a conventional elevating legrest with a fixed axis of rotation, and a compensatory elevating legrest with a moving axis of rotation. A three-dimensional (3-D) kinematics analysis was carried out to assess body posture simultaneously with pressure measurement data collected at the back, seat, calf and foot supports. The compensatory legrest enables to lengthen foot support as the legrest proclines. This compensation at the knee joint level has a beneficial effect in minimizing pelvic and thigh motion as well as in reducing pressure distribution under seat and foot supports. In contrast, the use of a conventional legrest modifies significantly the subject's posture and induces a substantial increase of 40% on pressure data under ischial tuberosities in procline position. These findings are important for disabled and elderly people who need to elevate their lower leg frequently.     

Direct comparison of three methods for the determination of radon in well water

Radon concentrations obtained using a bubbler device developed to collect and bubble water samples in the laboratory and field were compared with results from conventional liquid scintillation counting. Measurements from standard solutions with a wide concentration range showed excellent agreement between liquid scintillation and results obtained using the bubbler device in conjunction with alpha-scintillation cells. Measurements of waterborne radon concentrations in 110 community and private wells in New York State ranged from 1 to 4,100 Bq L-1, with arithmetic and geometric means of 200 and 30 Bq L-1, respectively. Excellent agreement between the analytical techniques was obtained for each field site.     

Development of a vertebral endplate 3-D reconstruction technique

The increase of low back problems has stimulated the development of different analysis and evaluation techniques. Among these methods, the direct linear transformation (DLT) technique is commonly used to reconstruct the spine in three dimensions by means of its known image coordinates on radiographs. Despite its efficiency and precision, general reconstruction of some standard anatomical landmarks does not give all the necessary data for a detailed analysis of the intrinsic geometrical characteristics of lumbar vertebrae. Thus, in order to obtain such geometrical information a three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction vertebral endplate contour technique has been developed. This technique involves: (1) iterative optimization and reconstruction processes of the vertebral endplate centroid; and (2) 3-D reconstruction of vertebral endplate contour. Validation based on mathematical simulations demonstrated that two or three iterations are necessary to correct (within 2 mm) the endplate centroid position for simulated error higher than 10 mm. Other validations based on 3-D reconstructions of a chamfered tube and a dry vertebra contours of known dimensions have given mean errors of 2 mm. Application on a healthy subject demonstrated the potential of this 3-D reconstruction technique. Finally, 3-D data obtained on vertebral endplates would allow the development of new clinical measurements that could be used to evaluate the lumbar spine geometrical behavior and orthoses biomechanical effects     

Enhancing the recall of text: Knowledge mapping training promotes implicit transfer.

Spatial–semantic displays, such as knowledge maps, are becoming more prevalent in educational settings (D. R. Dansereau & D. Newbern, 1997). In particular, knowledge maps have been found to be effective communication aids and study devices. Although explicit use of these displays can be effective, it has not been clear whether or not experience with these displays improves the manner in which people interact with other information formats. These experiments were designed to investigate whether mapping training helped people learn from text when not explicitly using a mapping strategy. In Experiment 1, college students trained with knowledge maps recalled more macro-level ideas from two text passages compared with participants who were not given the training. In Experiment 2, training facilitated recall of both macro- and micro-level ideas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Solubilization of Drug and Excipient Into a Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC)-Based Film Coating as a Function for the Coating Parameters in a 24” Accela-Cota®

During the aqueous film coating of tablets, components of tablets tend to migrate to the film coating. This migration is enhanced if a component is soluble in the coating solution and also depends on the spray condition used during the coating operation. In this study, a 2³ orthogonal factorial design was used to study the migration of drug and stearic acid from a tablet to an aqueous-based cellulose coating solution. The independent variables evaluated were atomization air pressure, inlet air temperature, and spray rate. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to quantitate the presence of guaifenesin and stearic acid in the film coating. In the 24' Accela Cota that was used on our experiment, only spray rate and inlet air temperature influenced the migration of drug and stearic acid the film coating.