bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of poly(1‐oxodimethylene) via oxidation of poly(vinyl alcohol) with a hydrogen peroxide/hydrobromic acid system and metal complexation behavior of poly(1‐oxodimethylene)
Authors: Kinemuchi Haruki , Ochiai Bungo
Published: March 2013

Poly(1‐oxodimethylene) was synthesized via oxidation of poly(vinyl alcohol) with a hydrogen peroxide/hydrobromic acid system. The content of the carbonyl groups in poly(1‐oxodimethylene) depended on the amount of water added, and lower amounts of water were suitable for efficient oxidation due to higher acidity of the reaction system. The highest content of carbonyl groups was estimated to be above 88% by the titration with hydrazine that reacted with the carbonyl groups in poly(1‐oxodimethylene). The obtained poly(1‐oxodimethylene) complexed with Cu and Ni ions under basic conditions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2598–2605
Physical activity and psychosocial benefits among breast cancer patients
Authors: Pinto Bernardine M. , Dunsiger Shira , Waldemore Marissa
Published: March 2013

Objective

Physical activity (PA) has been shown to provide health benefits for breast cancer patients. The effects of augmenting oncology healthcare provider (HCP) advice for PA with 3 months of telephone counseling versus contact control were evaluated in a randomized trial. Our goal in this secondary analysis was to examine the amount of PA (min/week) needed for psychosocial benefits among both groups.

Methods

After receiving brief HCP advice to become physically active, 192 women (age in years: mean = 60.0, SD = 9.9) who had completed treatment for Stage 0–IV breast cancer were randomized to telephone counseling to support PA (n = 106) or contact control (n = 86). Their PA, fatigue, physical functioning, and quality of life were assessed at baseline (before receiving HCP advice), 3, 6, and 12 months. A non‐randomized design was used to examine the dose–response relationship between PA and psychosocial outcomes.

Results

Exercising for at least 150 min/week at moderate intensity was associated with improved physical functioning (b = 5.9, SE = 2.9, p = 0.04) and quality of life (b = 3.6, SE = 1.9, p = 0.05) at 3 months. These relationships were not found at 6 and 12 months (p's > 0.05). However, women who reported at least 150 min/week of PA at both 3 and 6 months had significantly reduced fatigue (b = 1.3, SE = 0.7, p = 0.05) and improved physical functioning (b = 3.1, SE = 1.3, p = 0.02) and quality of life (b = 2.0, SE = 0.9, p = 0.02) compared with women who did not meet this criterion.

Conclusion

Women who exercised at recommended levels (at least 150 min/week) and sustained this level of activity for at least 6 months accrued psychosocial benefits. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study of defect‐related light emission in oxidized silicon nanocrystals
Authors: Falconieri Mauro , Trave Enrico , D'Amato Rosaria , Borsella Elisabetta
Published: March 2013

Luminescence from surface oxidized silicon nanocrystals (Si‐nc) is an intriguing phenomenon with great potential for applications. Full consensus on the source of optical emission is not yet reached despite the huge research effort devoted to this topic. In this paper we report new evidence supporting a defect‐related emission mechanism. In particular we propose a defect‐based model to interpret the photoluminescence (PL) emission from partially oxidized Si‐nc after thermal annealing in air. The PL emission is first studied in the time‐dependent regime, using an approach based on discrete light‐emitters. The results of this analysis are then exploited for elucidation of continuous wave (CW) data. Using our model the dependence of the PL emission spectrum on the excitation power and the shortening of the time decays at increasing pump power can be explained in terms of the different saturation behavior of luminescent defects. Moreover a rate equation approach for the coupled system composed by the Si‐nc core and the associated luminescent defects is used to interpret the luminescence rise‐time data under pulsed excitation. In this way the consistency of our picture is verified. Attribution of luminescent defects to non‐bridging hole centers combined with oxygen vacancies in the oxide layer capping the Si‐nc allows for a preliminary understanding of the increase of luminescence emission intensity and of the variation of its spectral features with the thermal annealing conditions.
Magnetically controllable resonance splitting in a unidirectional waveguide system with coupled cavities
Authors: Tao Keyu
Published: March 2013

A resonance splitting effect is investigated in a system composed of two cavities coupled by two unidirectional waveguides. Both theoretical analysis and numerical calculations demonstrate that the resonance splitting (indicating a coupling between the cavities) is independent of the phase shift between the cavities, which is in contrast to previous research where reciprocal waveguides are used. Moreover, this splitting can be tunable by an external magnetic field. Our findings offer a possibility to realize effective coupling between remote on‐chip resonators, which is highly demanded in the next‐generation photonic circuits.

magnified image

(© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The role of stacking faults for the formation of shunts during potential‐induced degradation of crystalline Si solar cells
Authors: Naumann Volker , Lausch Dominik , Graff Andreas , Werner Martina , Swatek Sina , Bauer Jan , Hähnel Angelika , Breitenstein Otwin , Großer Stephan , Bagdahn Jörg , Hagendorf Christian
Published: March 2013

Mono‐ and multicrystalline solar cells have been stressed by potential‐induced degradation (PID). Cell pieces with PID‐shunts are imaged by SEM using the EBIC technique in plan view as well as after FIB cross‐section preparation. A linear shaped signature is found in plan‐view EBIC images at every potential‐induced shunt position on both mono‐ and multicrystalline solar cells. Cross‐sectional SEM and TEM images reveal stacking faults in a {111} plane. Combined TEM/EDX measurements show that the stacking faults are strongly decorated with sodium. Thus, the electric conductivity of stacking faults is assumed to arise under the influence of sodium ion movement through a high electric field across the SiNx anti‐reflective layer, resulting in PID. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Fluoride ions at the Cu–fluoropolymer interface
Authors: Naujokas A. , Abreu D. G. , Takacs G. A. , Debies T. , Mehan M. , Entenberg A.
Published: March 2013

Nanometer thick films of sputtered and evaporated Cu were deposited on the surfaces of the fluoropolymers poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), poly(tetrafluoroethylene‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (FEP) and poly(tetrafluoroethylene‐co‐perfluoropropyl vinyl ether) (PFA) and studied by both angle‐resolved XPS at takeoff angles of 10°, 45° and 80° and in situ argon ion etching. Higher yields of the fluoride ion to fluoropolymer ratio were detected for sputtered than evaporated Cu. PFA and FEP show enhanced interaction with sputtered Cu to produce fluoride ions relative to the more polycrystalline PTFE. At intermediate depths (takeoff angle of 45°), PFA and FEP exhibit the strongest fluoride F 1s signals compared with the fluoropolymer peaks. The amount of fluoride ion detected reaches a maximum after brief Ar ion etching and then decreases with prolonged etching. Compared with untreated fluoropolymers, improved adhesion of evaporated Cu was observed on the fluoropolymer surfaces that were argon ion etched to expose fluoride ions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In situ SEM and ToF‐SIMS analysis of IgG conjugated gold nanoparticles at aqueous surfaces
Authors: Yang Li , Zhu Zihua , Yu Xiao‐Ying , Rodek Eugene , Saraf Lax , Thevuthasan Theva , Cowin James P.
Published: March 2013

In this study, we report new results of in situ study of 5 nm goat anti‐mouse IgG gold nanoparticles in a novel portable vacuum compatible microfluidic device using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS). The unique feature of the liquid flow cell is that the detection window is open to the vacuum allowing direct probing of the liquid surface. The flow cell is composed of a silicon nitride (SiN) membrane and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and it is fully compatible with vacuum operations for surface analysis. The aperture can be drilled through the 100 nm SiN membrane using a focused ion beam. Characteristic signals of the conjugated gold nanoparticles were successfully observed through the aperture by both energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) in SEM and ToF‐SIMS. Comparison was also made among wet samples, dry samples, and liquid sample in the flow cell using SEM/EDX. Stronger gold signal can be observed in our novel portable device by SEM/EDX compared with the wet or dry samples, respectively. Our results indicate that analyses of the nanoparticle components are better made in their native liquid environment. This is made possible using our unique microfluidic flow cell. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gene Regulatory Networks Mediating Canonical Wnt Signal-Directed Control of Pluripotency and Differentiation in Embryo Stem Cells
Authors: Zhang Xiaoxiao , Peterson Kevin A. , Liu X. Shirley , McMahon Andrew P. , Ohba Shinsuke
Published: March 2013

Canonical Wnt signaling supports the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) but also promotes differentiation of early mammalian cell lineages. To explain these paradoxical observations, we explored the gene regulatory networks at play. Canonical Wnt signaling is intertwined with the pluripotency network comprising Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2 in mouse ESCs. In defined media supporting the derivation and propagation of ESCs, Tcf3 and β-catenin interact with Oct4; Tcf3 binds to Sox motif within Oct-Sox composite motifs that are also bound by Oct4-Sox2 complexes. Furthermore, canonical Wnt signaling upregulates the activity of the Pou5f1 distal enhancer via the Sox motif in ESCs. When viewed in the context of published studies on Tcf3 and β-catenin mutants, our findings suggest Tcf3 counters pluripotency by competition with Sox2 at these sites, and Tcf3 inhibition is blocked by β-catenin entry into this complex. Wnt pathway stimulation also triggers β-catenin association at regulatory elements with classic Lef/Tcf motifs associated with differentiation programs. The failure to activate these targets in the presence of a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor essential for ESC culture suggests MEK/ERK signaling and canonical Wnt signaling combine to promote ESC differentiation. Stem Cells 2013;31:2667–2679
Professional Development of the Faculty: Past and Present
Authors: McKee C. William , Johnson Mitzy , Ritchie William F. , Tew W. Mark
Published: March 2013

It is hard to know where you are going if you are not sure of where you have been. This chapter describes selected research from the past that has positioned higher education to support professional development of the faculty in the days ahead.
Creating a Culture of Appreciation for Faculty Development
Authors: Honan James P. , Westmoreland Andrew , Tew W. Mark
Published: March 2013

Beyond the dean and the faculty senate president, who is responsible for professional development of the faculty? In this chapter, three educational practitioners present a “hands‐on” approach from outside the traditional academic circle and present their views as trustee, president, and financial officer regarding creating a campus‐wide environment that promotes and achieves faculty development.
Inter‐ and intraobserver reliability for diagnosing levator ani changes on magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Lammers K. , Kluivers K. B. , Vierhout M. E. , Prokop M. , Fütterer J. J.
Published: March 2013

Objectives

To assess the inter‐ and intraobserver reliability of the diagnosis of pubovisceral muscle avulsions and measurements of the levator hiatus on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

Women with recurrent pelvic organ prolapse or in whom there was a discrepancy between clinical signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction underwent MRI and were eligible for inclusion. MRI datasets of the pelvic floor of 262 women were obtained and evaluated by two observers, who scored the presence and extent of pubovisceral muscle avulsions on each side using a scale from 0 to 3 and obtained measurements of the anteroposterior and transverse diameters and area of the levator hiatus. A random sample of 100 patients was reviewed a second time by one of the observers. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with their 95% CI were calculated for all measurements. Mean differences with accompanying limits of agreement were calculated to estimate agreement between pairs of measurements and to detect possible systematic bias.

Results

Good interobserver reliability was found for the assessment of pubovisceral muscle avulsions (ICC = 0.76–0.79) and excellent agreement for measurements of the levator hiatus (ICC = 0.85–0.89). The intraobserver reliability for pubovisceral muscle avulsions and other levator hiatus measurements was also excellent (ICC = 0.80–0.97). A significant interobserver systematic bias was observed in the measurement of levator hiatus transverse diameter; however, narrow limits of agreement were observed.

Conclusions

Pubovisceral muscle avulsions and levator hiatus measurements can be assessed with good to excellent reliability on MRI. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Screening for fetal spina bifida at the 11–13‐week scan using three anatomical features of the posterior brain
Authors: Mangione R. , Dhombres F. , Lelong N. , Amat S. , Atoub F. , Friszer S. , Khoshnood B. , Jouannic J.‐M.
Published: March 2013

Objective

To evaluate the contribution of examination of specific anatomical features of the fetal posterior brain on mid‐sagittal first‐trimester ultrasound examination to the early detection of open spina bifida.

Methods

Four independent observers reviewed a series of 260 mid‐sagittal first‐trimester ultrasound images from 52 cases of open spina bifida and 208 normal fetuses. The following analysis was performed by each reviewer for each image: Herman score calculation, intracranial translucency score (CFEF‐IT) calculation and determination of presence or absence of three anatomical criteria: intracranial translucency (IT), caudal displacement of the brainstem and cisterna magna. The sensitivity and the false‐positive rate for spina bifida detection were calculated for each of the latter three criteria. A secondary analysis was performed on the subset of images achieving a Herman score ≥ 7.

Results

The highest detection rate for spina bifida was achieved by non‐visualization of the cisterna magna, with associated sensitivity of 50–73% and 39–76%, respectively, for all images and for the subset of images achieving a Herman score ≥ 7. Posterior shift of the brainstem achieved the highest detection rate (86%), but for a single reviewer only. The level of variation in performance between observers was also greatest for this sign. Absence of IT was associated with a lower detection rate for all observers. Overall, an abnormal posterior brain presenting at least one of these three criteria was associated with a detection rate ranging from 50 to 90%.

Conclusion

In the detection of spina bifida, non‐visualization of the cisterna magna achieved the best screening performance. Both non‐visualization of the IT and posterior shift of the brainstem were associated with acceptable but lower detection rates. A prospective evaluation of changes in the posterior brain is needed to allow assessment of the most pertinent criteria for first‐trimester screening for spina bifida. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Learnability theory
Authors: Fulop Sean A. , Chater Nick
Published: March 2013

Learnability theory is a body of mathematical and computational results concerning questions such as: when is learning possible? What prior information is required to support learning? What computational or other resources are required for learning to be possible? It is therefore complementary both to the computational project of building machine learning systems and to the scientific project of understanding learning in people and animals through observation and experiment. Learnability theory includes work within a variety of theoretical frameworks, including, for example, identification in the limit, and Bayesian learning, which idealize learning in different ways. Learnability theory addresses one of the foundational questions in cognitive science: to what extent can knowledge be derived from experience? WIREs Cogn Sci 2013, 4:299–306. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1228

This article is categorized under:

Linguistics > Language Acquisition
Embryonic and larval neural connectivity: progressive changes in synapse form and function at the neuromuscular junction mediated by cytoskeletal regulation
Authors: Long Jennifer B. , Van Vactor David
Published: March 2013

During development, precise formation of millions of synaptic connections is critical for the formation of a functional nervous system. Synaptogenesis is a complex multistep process in which axons follow gradients of secreted and cell surface guidance cues to reach their target area, at which point they must accurately distinguish their specific target. Upon target recognition, the axonal growth cone undergoes rapid growth and morphological changes, ultimately forming a functional synapse that continues to remodel during activity‐dependent plasticity. Significant evidence suggests that the underlying actin and microtubule (MT) cytoskeletons are key effectors throughout synaptogenesis downstream of numerous receptors and signaling pathways. An increasing number of cytoskeletal‐associated proteins have been shown to influence actin and MT stability and dynamics and many of these regulators have been implicated during synaptic morphogenesis using both mammalian and invertebrate model systems. In this review, we present an overview of the role cytoskeletal regulators play during the formation of the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. WIREs Dev Biol 2013, 2:747–765. doi: 10.1002/wdev.114

This article is categorized under:

Nervous System Development > Flies
pH‐Dependent Self‐Assembly of Complexes with Tripodal Amino Acid Ligand
Authors: Qi Zhao‐Peng , Cheng Xing , Li Pei‐Yu , Zhang Hui , Zhou Hong‐Fei , Zhou Lei
Published: March 2013

Three new metal complexes were synthesized by reactions of [bis(2‐amino‐ethyl)‐amino]‐acetic acid (HL) and different metal salts at different pH values. Their structures were characterized by X‐ray crystallography. Interestingly, under acidic conditions, the dinuclear structure {Cu2[H(L)]2Cl2}(ClO4)2 (1) was obtained, whereas under alkaline conditions, the complexes {[Cu(L)](ClO4)}n (2) and [Cd(L)Cl]n (3), which exhibit distinct one‐dimensional (1D) structures, were obtained. The results indicate that the pH value, metal ions, and anions have remarkable influence on the formation and structure of the complexes.
Intermolecular Interaction and Magnetic Coupling Mechanism of a Mononuclear Nickel(II) Complex
Authors: Pan Ning , Wei Rui‐Zheng , Chi Yan‐Hui , Shi Jing‐Min , Wei Wei , Zhang Yi‐Quan
Published: March 2013

The mononuclear complex [Ni(HOphen)(OSO3)(H2O)3]·5H2O (HOphen = 1, 10‐phenanthrolin‐2‐ol) was prepared and its single structure was determined by X‐ray crystallography. In this complex, the NiII ion has a distorted octahedral arrangement. Crystal structure analysis shows that two kinds of π–π stacking interactions and C–H···O short contact intermolecular interactions exist among the adjacent complexes. Fitting to the variable‐temperature magnetic susceptibility data gave the magnetic coupling constant, 2J = –0.98 cm–1. Theoretical calculations, based on density functional theory (DFT) coupling with the broken‐symmetry approach (BS), revealed that the π–π stacking magnetic coupling pathways resulted in weak ferromagnetic interactions with 2J = 4.86 cm–1 and 2J = 4.16 cm–1, respectively, for the adjacent NiII ions with separations of 8.568(19) Å and 8.749(32) Å, respectively; whereas the magnetic coupling pathway of the C–H···O short contact intermolecular interaction led to a weak antiferromagnetic interaction with 2J = –17.62 cm–1 for the adjacent NiII ions with a separation of 10.291(26) Å. The ferromagnetic coupling sign can be explained by the McConnell I spin‐polarization mechanism.
Chromium(V) Oxide Trichloride, and some Pentachlorido‐­oxido‐chromate(V) Salts: Structures and Spectroscopic ­Characterization
Authors: Hector Andrew L. , Levason William , Light Mark E. , Reid Gillian , Sardar Kripasindhu , Zhang Wenjian
Published: March 2013

Crystalline CrOCl3 contains [Cl2OCr(μ‐Cl)2CrOCl2] molecules with two square pyramidal CrOCl4 units sharing a common edge and with the Cr–O arranged anti, a new structure type for transition metal MOX3 compounds. Crystals are monoclinic with space group P21/c, Z = 4, with a = 5.735(5), b = 13.738(7), c = 11.318(4) Å, α = 90°, β = 98.346(6)°, γ = 90°. Its IR and UV/Vis spectra are reported and compared with those of the C3v monomer found in the gas phase. Structures are also reported for M2[CrOCl5] (M = Cs or Rb) and show a pseudo‐octahedral anion. Cs2[CrOCl5] adopts a K2PtCl6‐type structure with [CrOCl5]2– ions randomly orientated, but Rb2[CrOCl5] is orthorhombic with space group Pnma with a = 13.6471(7), b = 9.9175(5), and c = 6.9562(4) Å. Rietveld refinement of the data on the rubidium salt gave Cr–O = 1.628(1), Cr–CltransO = 2.652(7), Cr–CltransCl = 2.239(8)–2.342(3) Å. Corresponding CrV oxide bromide species do not form.
Heterotic-type II duality in twistor space
Authors: Alexandrov Sergei , Pioline Boris
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Heterotic string theory compactified on a K3 surface times T
2 is believed to beequivalent to type II string theory on a suitable Calabi-Yau threefold. In particular, it must share the same hypermultiplet moduli space. Building on the known twistorial description on the type II side, and on recent progress on the map between type II and heterotic moduli in the limit where both the type II and heterotic strings become classical, we provide a new twistorial construction of the hypermultiplet moduli space in this limit which is adapted to the symmetries of the heterotic string. We also take steps towards understanding the twistorial description for heterotic worldsheet instanton corrections away from the classical limit. As a spin-off, we obtain a twistorial description of a class of automorphic forms of SO(4, n,

$\mathbb{Z}$
) obtained by Borcherds’ lift.
No Evidence Found for Diels–Alder Reaction Products in Soybean Oil Oxidized at the Frying Temperature by NMR Study
Authors: Hwang Hong‐Sik , Doll Kenneth M. , Winkler‐Moser Jill K. , Vermillion Karl , Liu Sean X.
Published: March 2013

It has been generally accepted that the Diels–Alder reaction mechanism is one of the major reaction mechanisms to produce dimers and polymers during heating process of vegetable oil. Soybean oil oxidized at 180 °C for 24 h with 1.45 surface area‐to‐volume ratio showed 36 % polymer peak area in gel permeation chromatogram. However, the NMR DEPT (Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer) 135 spectrum did not show any signals of possible Diels–Alder products. A fraction separated from the oxidized soybean oil by column chromatography contained 98 % polymers, but again, showed no signals of proposed Diels–Alder products in the DEPT 135 spectrum. Methyl oleate and triolein without a diene required for the Diels–Alder reaction produced 27 and 63 % of total polymers, respectively, under the same condition. This indicates that the polymers must be produced by reactions other than the Diels–Alder reaction for these oils. This study shows that the Diels–Alder reaction is not the major reaction to produce polymers during oxidation of soybean oil, within the DEPT 135 spectroscopy sensitivity level, about 5 mol %.
Gelfand type quasilinear elliptic problems with quadratic gradient terms
Authors: Carmona José , Martínez-Aparicio Pedro J. , Arcoya David
Published: March 2013

In this paper, for

0 < m_{1}\leq m(x)\leq m_{2}

and positive parameters

\lambda

and

p

, we study the existence of positive solution for the quasilinear model problem

\begin{cases}
−\mathrm{\Delta }u + m(x)\frac{|\mathrm{∇}u|^{2}}{1 + u} = \lambda (1 + u)^{p} & \text{in }\Omega , \\
u = 0 & \text{on }\partial \Omega .
\end{cases}

We prove that the maximal set of

\lambda

for which the problem has at least one positive solution is an interval

(0,\lambda ^{*}]

, with

\lambda ^{*} > 0

, and there exists a minimal regular positive solution for every

\lambda \in (0,\lambda ^{*})

. We also prove, under suitable conditions depending on the dimension

N

and the parameters

p

,

m_{1}

,

m_{2}

, that for

\lambda = \lambda ^{*}

there exists a minimal regular positive solution. Moreover we characterize minimal solutions as those solutions satisfying a stability condition in the case

m_{1} = m_{2}

.
New conservation laws of helically symmetric, plane and rotationally symmetric viscous and inviscid flows
Authors: Kelbin Olga , Cheviakov Alexei F. , Oberlack Martin
Published: March 2013

Helically invariant reductions due to a reduced set of independent variables $(t, r, \xi )$ with $\xi = az+ b\varphi $ emerging from a cylindrical coordinate system of viscous and inviscid time-dependent fluid flow equations, with all three velocity components generally non-zero, are considered in primitive variables and in the vorticity formulation. Full sets of equations are derived. Local conservation laws of helically invariant systems are systematically sought through the direct construction method. Various new sets of conservation laws for both inviscid and viscous flows, including families that involve arbitrary functions, are derived. For both Euler and Navier–Stokes flows, infinite sets of vorticity-related conservation laws are derived. In particular, for Euler flows, we obtain a family of conserved quantities that generalize helicity. The special case of two-component flows, with zero velocity component in the invariant direction, is additionally considered, and special conserved quantities that hold for such flows are computed. In particular, it is shown that the well-known infinite set of generalized enstrophy conservation laws that holds for plane flows also holds for the general two-component helically invariant flows and for axisymmetric two-component flows.
Empirical Performance of Optimal Bayesian Adaptive Estimation
Authors: García-Pérez Miguel Ángel , Alcalá-Quintana Rocío
Published: March 2013

Simulation studies have shown how Bayesian adaptive estimation methods should be set up for optimal performance. We assessed the extent to which these results hold up for human observers, who are more subject to failure than simulation subjects. Discrimination and detection experiments with two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) tasks were used for that purpose. Forty estimates of the point of subjective equality (PSE, or the 50% correct point on the psychometric function for discrimination) and 32 estimates of detection threshold (the 80% correct point on the psychometric function for detection) were taken for each of four observers with the optimal Bayesian method, while data for fitting the psychometric function Ψ were gathered concurrently with an adaptive method of constant stimuli governed by fixed-step-size staircases. The estimated parameters of the psychometric function served as a criterion for comparison. In the discrimination task, PSEs for each observer were distributed around the independently estimated 50% correct point on Ψ and their variability was occasionally minimally larger than simulation results indicated it should be. In the detection task, the distribution of threshold estimates was consistently above the independently estimated 80% correct point on Ψ and their variability was as expected from simulations. A close analysis of these results suggests that the optimal Bayesian method is affected by growing inattention or fatigue in detection tasks (factors that are not considered in simulations), and limits the practical applicability of Bayesian estimation of detection thresholds.
The Effects of Agonists of Ionotropic GABAAand Metabotropic GABABReceptors on Learning
Authors: Zyablitseva Evgeniya A. , Kositsyn Nikolay S. , Shul'gina Galina I.
Published: March 2013

The research described here investigates the role played by inhibitory processes in the discriminations made by the nervous system of humans and animals between familiar and unfamiliar and significant and nonsignificant events. This research compared the effects of two inhibitory mediators of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA): 1) phenibut, a nonselective agonist of ionotropic GABAAand metabotropic GABABreceptors and 2) gaboxadol a selective agonist of ionotropic GABAAreceptors on the process of developing active defensive and inhibitory conditioned reflexes in alert non-immobilized rabbits. It was found that phenibut, but not gaboxadol, accelerates the development of defensive reflexes at an early stage of conditioning. Both phenibut and gaboxadol facilitate the development of conditioned inhibition, but the effect of gaboxadol occurs at later stages of conditioning and is less stable than that of phenibut. The earlier and more stable effects of phenibut, as compared to gaboxadol, on storage in memory of the inhibitory significance of a stimulus may occur because GABABreceptors play the dominant role in the development of internal inhibition during an early stage of conditioning. On the other hand this may occur because the participation of both GABAAand GABABreceptors are essential to the process. We discuss the polyfunctionality of GABA receptors as a function of their structure and the positions of the relevant neurons in the brain as this factor can affect regulation of various types of psychological processes.
The Role of Connectives in the Comprehension of Spontaneous Spoken Discourse
Authors: Cevasco Jazmín
Published: March 2013

The role of connectives in the comprehension of spontaneous spoken discourse has been investigated by testing the effect of the connective ‘but’ in the realization of causal inferences and the integration of adjacent statements. The role of this connective in the realization of causal inferences has been tested through a judgment task. The role of ‘but’ in the integration of the adjacent statements has been tested through a word monitoring task. The presence of the connective resulted in shorter reaction times for the realization of causal inferences in the judgment task, but it did not result in shorter reaction times for the integration of adjacent statements, as measured by the word monitoring task. These results suggest that listeners are able to make use of connectives to help them create and decide on the existence of causal connections, but not to process and recognize the surface form of the second statement of the pair.
A Longitudinal Research on the Development of Emotional Autonomy During Adolescence
Authors: Parra Agueda , Oliva Alfredo
Published: March 2013

The purpose of the present paper was to study the development of emotional autonomy through adolescence analysing its association with family relationships. The development of emotional autonomy involves an increase in adolescents' subjective sense of his or her independence, especially in relation to parents. From some scholars emotional autonomy is a normative manifestation of the detachment process from parents, however, others point out that detachment from parental ties is not the norm, so high level of adolescent emotional autonomy is the consequence of negative family relationships. In our study a sample of 101 adolescents were followed for 5 years, from early to middle adolescence, and completed questionnaires to measure their emotional autonomy and the quality of their family relationships. Our results showed that over the course of adolescence some dimensions of emotional autonomy increase, meanwhile others decrease, so the global level of emotional autonomy global level remains stable. On the other hand, emotional autonomy is associated with negative family relationships, so emotional autonomy, more than a necessary process to become adult, could be indicating an insecure attachment to parents.
Early Predictors of Reading in Three Groups of Native Spanish Speakers: Spaniards, Gypsies, and Latin Americans
Authors: López-Escribano Carmen , Beltrán Jesús A.
Published: March 2013

The main purpose of the study reported here was to examine the early linguistic predictors of reading (e.g., Knowledge About Print, Listening Comprehension, Receptive Vocabulary, Rapid Naming of Objects and Letters, and Phonological Awareness), for a sample of 77 Spaniards, 48 Latinos, and 30 Gypsies kindergartens (mean age = 5 years 9 months) living in Spain. The relative contribution of ethnic background, neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES), age, and gender was assessed. Findings revealed that ethnic background, neighborhood SES, and age differentially predicted children's pre-literacy skills. The implications of these results for understanding the role played by these demographic and socio-cultural variables in alphabetic literacy acquisition are discussed. The second purpose of this study was to add to the growing literature on the nature of reading challenges in children who are learning to read a transparent orthography-Spanish. Cross-linguistic research between different subtypes of readers will add to understand the impact of language characteristics in reading acquisition. Finally, the present study suggested that early assessment of pre-literacy skills can be a highly effective way to determine the instructional needs of students who are at risk for reading failure before formal reading instruction begins.
Academic Goals and Learning Quality in Higher Education Students
Authors: Valle Antonio , Núñez José C. , Cabanach Ramón G. , González-Pienda Julio A. , Rodríguez Susana , Rosário Pedro , Muñoz-Cadavid María A. , Cerezo Rebeca
Published: March 2013

In this paper, the relations between academic goals and various indicators that define the quality of the learning process are analyzed. The purpose was to determine to what extent high, moderate, or low levels of academic goals were positively or negatively related to effort regulation, the value assigned to academic tasks, meta-cognitive self-regulation, self-efficacy, beliefs about learning control, and management of time and study environment. The investigation was carried out with a sample of 632 university students (70% female and 30% male) and mean age of 21.22 (SD=2.2).The results show that learning goals, or task orientation, are positively related to all the indictors of learning quality considered herein. Although for other kinds of goals—work-avoidance goals, performance-approach goals, and performance-avoidance goals—significant relations were not found with all the indicators, there was a similar tendency of significant results in all cases; the higher the levels of these goals, the lower the levels of the indicators of learning quality.
Academic Procrastination: Associations with Personal, School, and Family Variables
Authors: Rosário Pedro , Costa Marta , Núñez José Carlos , González-Pienda Julio , Solano Paula , Valle Antonio
Published: March 2013

Procrastination is a common behavior, mainly in school settings. Only a few studies have analyzed the associations of academic procrastination with students' personal and family variables. In the present work, we analyzed the impact of socio-personal variables (e.g., parents' education, number of siblings, school grade level, and underachievement) on students' academic procrastination profiles. Two independent samples of 580 and 809 seventh to ninth graders, students attending the last three years of Portuguese Compulsory Education, have been taken. The findings, similar in both studies, reveal that procrastination decreases when the parents' education is higher, but it increases along with the number of siblings, the grade level, and the underachievement. The results are discussed in view of the findings of previous research. The implications for educational practice are also analyzed.
Coach Autonomy Support and Quality of Sport Engagement in Young Soccer Players
Authors: Álvarez María Sol , Balaguer Isabel , Castillo Isabel , Duda Joan L.
Published: March 2013

Based on the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), this study tested a model of the assumed sequential relationships between perceived autonomy support, psychological need satisfaction, self-determined motivation, and enjoyment/boredom. The hypothesized mediational roles of psychological need satisfaction and self-determined motivation were also studied. In a sample of 370 young male soccer players, path analysis results offered support for the proposed model. Total mediation was supported in the case of the psychological need satisfaction in the relationship between autonomy support and self-determined motivation, and partial mediation for self-determined motivation in the links between psychological need satisfaction and enjoyment (positive) and boredom (negative). Implications of autonomy-supportive behaviors provided by coaches for the quality of sport involvement among young athletes are discussed.
Anxiety and Depression in Mothers of Preterm Infants and Psychological Intervention During Hospitalization in Neonatal ICU
Authors: Carvalho Ana Emilia Vita , Linhares Maria Beatriz Martins , Padovani Flávia Helena Pereira , Martinez Francisco Eulógio
Published: March 2013

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare symptoms of anxiety and depression before and after psychological intervention in mothers of babies born preterm with very low birth weight, hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Fifty nine mothers, without psychiatric antecedents, were distributed into two groups according to the type of psychological intervention received. Group G1 included 36 mothers who received routine psychological treatment associated with initial structured intake using support materials (video and guidance manual). Group G2 included 23 mothers who received routine psychological intervention without support material. The STAI and BDI, respectively, were used to evaluate maternal indicators of anxiety and depression. The results revealed that both groups showed a reduction in levels of state or trait anxiety and depression after psychological intervention and discharge of the baby from the hospital. In regard to the emotional symptoms at a clinical level, a statistically significant reduction in the level of state-anxiety was verified in G1. The findings confirmed the need for psychological support for mothers of preterm infants and the use of materials focusing on «prematurity» for reduction of the situational anxiety on a clinical level.
Practice of Biopsychosocial Medicine in Portugal: Perspectives of Professionals Involved
Authors: Pereira M. Graça , Fachado Alfonso Alonso , Smith Thomas Edward
Published: March 2013

Although, recently, the biopsychosocial approach has been emphasized in the practice of family medicine, how psychologists and physicians interact in collaborative family health care practice is still emerging in Portugal. This article describes a qualitative study that focused on the understanding of psychologists and family physicians' perceptions of their role and the collaborative approach in health care.

A questionnaire gathered information regarding collaboration, referral, training and the practice of biopsychosocial medicine. A content analysis on respondents' discourse was performed. Results show that both physicians and psychologists agree on the importance of the biopsychosocial model and interdisciplinary collaboration. However, they also mentioned several difficulties that have to do with the lack of psychologists working full time in health care centers, lack of communication and different expectancies regarding each other roles in health care delivery.

Both physicians and psychologists acknowledge the lack of academic training and consider the need for multidisciplinary teams in their training and practice to improve collaboration and integrative care. Implications for future research and for the practice of biopsychosocial medicine are addressed.
Assesment of Social Support Dimensions in Patients with Eating Disorders
Authors: Marcos Yolanda Quiles , Cantero Mª Carmen Terol
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study is to assess social support dimensions (providers, satisfaction and different support actions) in patients with eating disorders (ED), looking at diagnosis, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, and self-concept. Method: A total of 98 female ED patients were recruited. The ages of participants ranged from 12 to 34 (Mean=20.8 years old, SD=5.61). Patients have a primary DSM-IV-R diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (61.2%), bulimia nervosa (27.6%) or an unspecified eating disorder (11.2%). Social support was assessed using the Escala de Apoyo Social Percibido (EASP). This scale measures social support providers, satisfaction and specific social support actions, which can be grouped into informational, emotional and practical support. Self-concept was assessed using the Cuestionario de Autoconcepto (AF-5). Results: The two most frequent providers for these patients were mothers (86.7%) and partners (73.1%). Patients' satisfaction with social support was high and they reported that they received informational support more frequently than emotional and practical support. Family self-concept showed positive relationships with social support dimensions. Conclusion: These results show the importance of the family network in connection with these disorders and its relation to self-concept.
Preliminary Validation in Spanish of a Scale Designed to Measure Motivation in Physical Education Classes: The Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) Scale
Authors: Murcia Juan Antonio Moreno , Coll David González-Cutre , Garzón Mariana Chillón
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this paper was to validate the Spanish version of the Perceived Locus of Causality Scale (PLOC; Goudas, Biddle, & Fox, 1994). To achieve this, two studies with samples of 1535 and 400 physical education students, of ages 12 to 17 years, were carried out. The psychometric properties of the PLOC were examined through the following analyses: confirmatory factor analysis, factor invariance, correlation among factors, reliability (Cronbach's alpha), temporal stability (test-retest), and criterion validity. The results partially supported the five-factor structure. This structure was invariant across the two study samples. Correlations among the subscales indicated a simplex pattern, supporting construct validity of the scale. Alpha values over .70 (except for introjected regulation) and high temporal stability (intra-class correlation coefficient = .83 to .90) over a four-week period were obtained. The mastery-approach goal positively predicted self-determined motivation, whereas the performance-avoidance goal predicted it negatively. Future studies should continue to analyze the psychometric properties of the PLOC, as the validation of an instrument should be an ongoing process.
Anxiety and Coping Strategies in Sport Contexts: A Look at the Psychometric Properties of Portuguese Instruments for their Assessment
Authors: Dias Cláudia , Cruz José Fernando , Fonseca António Manuel
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Portuguese versions of the Sport Anxiety Scale and of the Brief COPE, as well as of the Cognitive Appraisal Scale in Sport Competition– Threat Perception, namely regarding their factor structure validity and internal consistency. Participants were 550 male and female athletes of several sports, aged 15 to 35 years old (M=19.8; SD=4.5). Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that the instruments demonstrated good psychometric properties. In general, the measurement models provided a good fit to the empirical data and with the exception of some scales of the Brief COPE, the calculated Cronbach's a coefficient of reliability indicated adequate internal consistency for the three instruments. Overall, the results of the present study provided evidence for these instruments' validity and reliability, ultimately supporting their importance for research and psychological intervention in sport contexts.
Construction and Validation of the Brazilian Questionário de Respostas Socialmente Habilidosas Segundo Relato de Professores (QRSH-PR)
Authors: Bolsoni-Silva Alessandra Turini , Marturano Edna Maria , Loureiro Sonia Regina
Published: March 2013

Behavioral problems in preschool children are one of the most frequent motives for seeking psychological care by parents and caregivers. Instruments are considered necessary, created from a Social Skills Training theoretical-practical perspective, which may systematically assist the identification of social skills and behavioral deficits, helping professionals in the prevention and/or reduction of behavioral problems. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric validity and reliability of an instrument for evaluation of Socially Skilled Responses, from a teacher's perspective (QRSH-PR). For this purpose, 260 preschool children were evaluated, differentiated in subgroups without and without behavioral difficulties, based on the Child Behavior Scale (Escala de Comportamento Infantil/ECI-Professor). Studies were conducted for construct, discrimination, concurrent and predictive validity. The Cronbach Alpha was calculated to evaluate internal consistency. The obtained results pointed to positive indicators in reference to construct, discrimination, and predictive validity, and even for good internal consistency, indicating that the items consistently measure the construct of social skills, and differentiated children with and without behavioral problems. The questionnaire is considered to be gauged for evaluation of socially skilled responses from preschool children, and applicable in educational and clinical environments.
Effects of the History of Adoption in the Emotional Adjustment of Adopted Adolescents
Authors: Reppold Caroline Tozzi , Hutz Claudio Simon
Published: March 2013

Since the decade of 1980, the model of stress and coping proposed for the assessment of vulnerability of adoptive families emphasizes that the emotional adjustment of those adopted is moderated by variables such as institutionalization, the manner and age at which the adoption was revealed, the change of first name, and the contact with the biological family. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of these variables to the perceived parenting style, mood, and self-esteem of the adopted adolescents. Participants in the study were 68 adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 15, adopted during infancy through judicial channels. The adolescents responded to a questionnaire about the history of adoption and to scales of Parenting Styles, Depression and Self-esteem. The main results indicated that the late revelation of adoption and the change of the first name are connected to higher levels of depression and low self-esteem and to more frequent perceptions of negligent or authoritarian parenting style. The contact with the biological family was frequently mentioned among those who perceived their parents as authoritative and presented the best indicator of mood and self-esteem. These findings were discussed in light of the necessity for multidisciplinary actions which can improve the psychological adaptation of the adopting families.