Revised Estimates of Dimension and Exercise Variance Components in Assessment Center Postexercise Dimension Ratings.

The authors reanalyzed assessment center (AC) multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices containing correlations among postexercise dimension ratings (PEDRs) reported by F. Lievens and J. M. Conway (2001). Unlike F. Lievens and J. M. Conway, who used a correlated dimension-correlated uniqueness model, we used a different set of confirmatory-factor-analysis-based models (1-dimension-correlated Exercise and 1-dimension-correlated uniqueness models) to estimate dimension and exercise variance components in AC PEDRs. Results of reanalyses suggest that, consistent with previous narrative reviews, exercise variance components dominate over dimension variance components after all. Implications for AC construct validity and possible redirections of research on the validity of ACs are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learning about tools in infancy.

These experiments explored the role of prior experience in 12- to 18-month-old infants' tool-directed actions. In Experiment 1, infants' use of a familiar tool (spoon) to accomplish a novel task (turning on lights inside a box) was examined. Infants tended to grasp the spoon by its handle even when doing so made solving the task impossible (the bowl did not fit through the hole in the box, but the handle did) and even though the experimenter demonstrated a bowl-grasp. In contrast, infants used a novel tool flexibly and grasped both sides equally often. In Experiment 2, infants received training using the novel tool for a particular function; 3 groups of infants were trained to use the tool differently. Later, infants' performance was facilitated on tasks that required infants to grasp the part of the tool they were trained to grasp. The results suggest that (a) infants' prior experiences with tools are important to understanding subsequent tool use, and (b) rather than learning about tool function (e.g., hammering), infants learn about which part of the tool is meant to be held, at least early in their exposure to a novel tool. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implementing software metrics — the critical success factors

This paper reviews the current state of industry with regard to the introduction of software metrics. It discusses the benefits that organizations have derived from metrication, it looks at why organizations have sought to introduce metrics programmes, how they have gone about introducing those programmes and the problems that they have encountered during implementation. The review found that, on the whole, only the sanitized aspects of metrics experiences have actually been published. This seems to be especially the case with respect to practitioner resistance. Very few organizations admit to having encountered resistance during the introduction of a metrics programme. The paper also includes the results of a pilot study, conducted by the first author, which examines the attitudes that developers hold towards the introduction of software metrics. The key findings of this pilot study are that positive attitudes to metrics correlate highly with levels of education and to job satisfaction.     

Postoperative radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin appears to improve locoregional control of advanced, resectable head and neck cancers: RTOG 88-24

PURPOSE: Despite aggressive surgery and postoperative radiation therapy, only 30% of patients who have advanced, potentially resectable carcinomas of the head and neck survive for 5 years. In the hope of improving this situation we studied the effect of postoperative radiotherapy delivered concurrently with cisplatin. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients who had Stage IV tumors and/or involved surgical margins received 60 Gy in 30 fractions over 6 weeks plus 100 mg/m2 of cisplatin on radiotherapy days 1, 23 and 43. Fifty-two patients participated in this trial and 51 were evaluated. Forty-three (84%) patients had pathologic T3 or T4 disease, 43 (84%) had Stage IV disease, and 27 (53%) had histologically involved surgical margins. RESULTS: Severe and life-threatening toxicities occurred in 20% and 12% of patients, respectively; the most common drug-related toxicities were leukopenia, anemia, nausea, and vomiting. Seventeen patients (43%) remain alive with no evidence of disease. Four patients (8%) died with no evidence of neoplastic disease, and one patient has died of a second independent malignancy. By actuarial analysis at 3 years, 48% of patients are alive, 81% have locoregional control of disease, and 57% are free of distant metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Based on comparison with similar patients treated in a prior Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/Intergroup trial (RTOG), we conclude that postoperative radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin may improve locoregional control rates and should be prospectively tested.     

Effect of exercise and dietary restraint on energy intake of reduced-obese women

Self-selected food intake of 15 reduced-obese women living in a metabolic ward was studied for 14 consecutive days to determine the effect of exercise and other metabolic and behavioral variables on energy intake. A choice of prepared food items were offered at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a variety of additional food items were available continuously 24 h/day. Subjects performed either moderate intensity aerobic exercise (A-EX) (n = 8) expending 354 +/- 76 kcal/session or low intensity resistance weight training (R-EX)(n =7) expending 96 +/- kcal/session, 5 days/week. Mean energy intakes (kcal/day, +/- SEM) of the exercise groups were similar: 1867 +/- 275 for A-EX, 1889 +/- 294 for R-EX. Mean energy intakes of individuals ranged from 49 to 157% of the predetermined level required for weight maintenance. Resting metabolic rate per kg 0.75 and the Eating Inventory hunger score contributed significantly to the between subject variance in energy intake, whereas exercise energy expenditure did not. Regardless of exercise, eight women consistently restricted their energy intake (undereaters), and seven other consumed excess energy (overeaters). Overeaters were distinguished by higher Eating Inventory disinhibition (P = 0.023) and hunger (p = 0.004) scores. The overeaters' diet had a higher fat content 34 +/- 1% (p = 0.007). Also, overeaters took a larger percentage of their daily energy, than that of undereaters, 27 +/- 1 energy intake in the evening, 13 +/- 2%, compared to undereaters, 7 +/- 1% (p = 0.005). We conclude that the Eating Inventory is useful for identifying reduced-obese women at risk of overeating, and these individuals may benefit from dietary counseling aimed at reducing fat intake and evening snacking.     

Laparoscopic distal resection of the pancreas with the preservation of the spleen

Management of the pancreatic diseases is still a challenge to the laparoscopic technique. Some experience has been gained in the laparoscopic exploration of the pancreas and staging in cancer. Anatomically the accessibility of the distal pancreas provides the laparoscopic approach technically feasible. Patient and method: A case of insuloma in the tail of the pancreas is presented, where distal pancreatic resection was performed laparoscopically with the preservation of the spleen. In a 55 years old female patient with typical clinical symptoms of hyperinsulinism CT identified a 3 cm large solid tumor in the tail of the pancreas. Complete mobilization of the distal pancreas was enhanced by the use of an ultrasonic dissector (UltraCision). The pancreas is detached from the splenic hilum after dividing the spleen vessels. The pancreas is transected proximally by laparoscopic linear stapler. Preservation of the short gastric vessels provides the necessary blood supply of the spleen following division of the splenic artery and vein. Thus removal of the spleen is not a necessary step in this procedure. The operation was carried out within 4.5 hours. Postoperative course was uneventful, the patient left the hospital on the 5th postoperative day. Advantages of the procedure were the earlier mobilization and shorter recovery time, less postoperative pain. The procedure can be safely performed with a good experience in both pancreatic and laparoscopic surgery.     

Incorporating social support into a community-wide smoking-cessation contest

Exposure to foreign particles sometimes causes inflammatory reactions through production of cytokines and chemoattractants by phagocytic cells. In this study, we focused on macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) to evaluate its pathophysiological role in the phagocytic process. Immunohistochemical analysis of human pseudosynovial tissues retrieved at revision of total hip arthroplasty showed that infiltrating mononuclear and multinuclear cells were positively stained by both an anti-CD68 antibody and anti-human MIF antibody. For in vitro study, MIF was released from murine macrophage-like cells (RAW 264.7) in response to phagocytosis of fluorescent-latex beads in a particle dose-dependent manner. Northern blot analysis showed marked elevation of the MIF mRNA level in the phagocytic macrophage-like cells. Moreover, pretreatment of RAW 264.7 cells with rat recombinant MIF increased the extent of phagocytosis by 1.6-fold compared with the control. Taken together, these results suggest that MIF plays an important role by activating macrophages in autocrine and paracrine fashion to phagocytose foreign particles.     

Innervation of VIP-immunoreactive neurons by the ventroposteromedial thalamic nucleus in the barrel cortex of the rat

We investigated the synaptic terminals of fibers originating in the ventroposteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPM) and projecting to the main input layers (IV/III) of the rat posteromedial barrel subfield. It was our aim to determine whether or not the subpopulation of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-immunoreactive neurons in these layers are directly innervated by the sensory thalamus. Anterograde tracing with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) and immunohistochemistry for VIP were combined for correlated light and electron microscopic examination. Columns of cortical tissue were well defined by barrel-like patches of PHA-L-labeled fibers and boutons in layers IV and III. Within these columns VIP-immunoreactive perikarya were located mainly in supragranular layers. Marked perikarya were also seen in infragranular layers, but their immunoreactivity was often weaker. Granular layer IV, which is the main terminal field for thalamic fibers, contained fewer VIP neurons than supragranular layers. In the light microscope, however, PHA-L-labeled fibers appeared to contact the somata or proximal dendrites of 60-86% of the layer IV VIP neurons . By contrast, only 18-35% of the VIP neurons in the supragranular layers, which receive a moderately dense projection from the VPM, appeared to be contacted. PHA-L-labeled boutons were seen close to 13-25% of infragranular VIP-positive cells. Electron microscopy showed that thalamic fibers formed at most four asymmetric synapses on a single layer IV, VIP-positive neuron. Although the proportion of VIP-positive neurons with labeled synapses was lower in supragranular layers, most of them shared multiple asymmetric synapses with labeled thalamic fibers. Up to six labeled synapses were seen on individual VIP neurons in layer III. We conclude that subpopulations of VIP-immunoreactive neurons, located in layers IV, III, and II are directly innervated by the VPM. These neurons may be involved in the initial stages of cortical processing of sensory information from the large, mystacial vibrissae. Since VIP is known to be colocalized with the inhibitory transmitter GABA, it is likely that VIP neurons participate in the shaping of the receptive fields in the barrel cortex.