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PubMed2003

Narrative plausibility: the impact of sequence and anchoring.

The perceived plausibility of suspect narratives is hypothesized to be a product of more than logical evaluation. Aspects of the narrative's internal structure, notably the extent to which it follows a canonical (or stereotypical) sequence of events, may influence judged plausibility. Plausibility may also be sensitive to external "anchors" that activate relevant schema. To test these possibilities, variations of two suspect testimonies were created in accordance with the model by Stein and Glenn (1979) of a stereotypical story grammar, and the account by Wagenaar, van Koppen, and Crombag (1993) of narrative anchoring. Subjects rated the narrative account using a perceived plausibility scale developed from pilot work. ANOVA revealed that criminal anchoring in suspect statements, regardless of the crime scenario, has a negative effect on the plausibility level. Similarly, plausibility levels were lower when the statement did not follow a temporal sequence of events. The implications for models of how people judge plausibility are discussed, as are the practical implications for legal contexts.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Differential heritability of eating attitudes and behaviors in prepubertal versus pubertal twins.

OBJECTIVE: Differential heritability of eating pathology in prepubertal, pubertal, and 17-year-old twins was examined using a population-based twin sample. METHOD: Participants included 530 11-year-old (452 prepubertal, 78 pubertal twins) and 602 17-year-old female twins from the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Puberty was assessed with the Pubertal Development Scale, and general eating pathology was assessed with the total score from the Minnesota Eating Disorders Inventory (M-EDI). RESULTS: M-EDI total score intraclass correlations for the pubertal 11-year-old group were more similar to the 17-year-old twins' than the prepubertal 11-year-old twins, suggesting similar levels of genetic influence in the pubertal and older adolescent cohort. Model-fitting corroborated these impressions, indicating that genetic factors accounted for 0% of the variance in 11-year-old prepubertal twins but 54% of the variance in 11-year-old pubertal and 17-year-old twins. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that a portion of the genetic influence on eating pathology may become activated during puberty.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Factors that influence the level of activities in persons with lower extremity amputation.

This study explored the problems of prosthesis use in four dimensions of activity in 122 males and 9 females, aged 24 to 90 years, with lower extremity amputations. Comparisons were made between persons with above-the-knee amputation and those with below-the-knee amputation. A four-dimensional prosthetic problem inventory scale developed by the investigators was used. Results of this study provide a framework for identifying and addressing problematic areas in the use of prostheses.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1987

Development and keratinization of the epidermis in the common lizard, Anolis carolinensis.

Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions play important roles in the development of the vertebrate integument with its diverse appendages. As a result of these interactions, specific morphogenetic events occur which result in the formation of distinct epidermal appendages. Following the early morphogenetic events involving cell proliferation and movement, other developmental events such as stratification, histotypic differentiation, and terminal cytodifferentiation occur in the epidermis. Using the common lizard Anolis carolinensis, we are seeking to obtain a better understanding of the relationship between the various developmental events and the expression of alpha and beta keratins, with the aim of eventually understanding the mechanisms by which tissue-specific keratinization patterns are established in the integument. As a first step, we have used immunoblot analyses and indirect immunofluorescence procedures with antisera specific for either alpha or beta keratins to determine the temporal and spatial appearance of these keratins at specific developmental stages. We have found that: 1) There are relatively low molecular weight alpha keratin polypeptides present in the epidermis early in development as morphogenesis is taking place. 2) After morphogenesis occurs and histogenesis is well under way, the alpha keratins which characterize the adult epidermis appear. 3) Only alpha keratins are found in the basal cells of all regions of the epidermis. 4) beta keratins are found only in the suprabasal layers of well-developed scales and show region-specific distribution in overlapping scales.

Aging↗

PubMed1988

The exercise of self-care agency: an analysis of construct and discriminant validity.

The aim of this investigation was to delineate the concepts contributing to the Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) scale developed by Kearney and Fleischer (1979) and to test its construct and discriminant validity. Using factor analytic techniques upon data generated by 506 subjects, the concepts of Self-Concept, Initiative and Responsibility, Knowledge and Information Seeking, and Passivity emerged. These findings are congruent with the theoretical work of the Nursing Conference Development Group (1973) and Kearney and Fleischer. The factors were found to discriminate these concepts among 3 different samples. Recommendations are made for revision, further research, and use of the instrument in practice.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Cognitive performance on Piagetian tasks by Alzheimer's disease patients.

The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive abilities in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients using Piaget's child developmental theory. Thirty elderly AD patients and 30 elderly control subjects were given two traditional Piagetian measures, the Infant Psychological Development Scale and the Concrete Operations Test. Half of the AD subjects (15) were in Piaget's sensorimotor or preoperational stages, while the remaining half of the AD subjects and all elderly control subjects were in Piaget's concrete operational stage, chi 2 [1, N = 60] = 17.42, p less than .001. If subsequent studies confirm that AD patients' cognitive characteristics are similar to Piaget's theoretical model, nursing care might be individualized based on mental competence, thus minimizing the commonly observed caregiver overestimation and underestimation of the AD patient's ability to understand and cooperate.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

High-precision, automated stable isotope analysis of atmospheric methane and carbon dioxide using continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry.

Small-scale developments have been made to an off-the-shelf continuous-flow gas chromatography/isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (CF-GC/IRMS) system to allow high-precision isotopic analysis of methane (CH(4)) and carbon dioxide (CO(2)) at ambient concentrations. The repeatability (1sigma) obtainable with this system is 0.05 per thousand for delta(13)C of CH(4), 0.03 per thousand for delta(13)C of CO(2), and 0.05 per thousand for delta(18)O of CO(2) for ten consecutive analyses of a standard tank. An automated inlet system, which allows diurnal studies of CO(2) and CH(4) isotopes, is also described. The improved precision for CH(4) analysis was achieved with the use of a palladium powder on quartz wool catalyst in the combustion furnace, which increased the efficiency of oxidation of CH(4) to CO(2). The automated inlet further improved the precision for both CH(4) and CO(2) analysis by keeping the routine constant. The method described provides a fast turn-around in samples, with accurate, reproducible results, and would allow a long-term continuous record of CH(4) or CO(2) isotopes at a site to be made, providing information about changing sources of the gases both seasonally and interannually.

Air Pollution↗

PubMed1998

Hydrophobicities of the nucleic acid bases: distribution coefficients from water to cyclohexane.

To establish an experimental scale of hydrophobicities for the nucleic acid bases, comparable with a scale developed earlier for amino acid side-chains, these bases and their parent compounds (purine and pyrimidin-2-one) were converted to n-butylated and tetrahydrofurylated derivatives that are appreciably soluble in cyclohexane, a truly non-polar solvent that dissolves negligible water at saturation. Distribution measurements between neutral aqueous solution and cyclohexane, at varying solute concentrations, showed no evidence of self-association of the solute in either solvent, and the possibility of specific entrainment of water by solutes entering cyclohexane was ruled out by the results of experiments with tritiated water. In both the n-butyl and tetrahydrofuryl series, the bases span a range of approximately 5.3 kcal mol-1 in their free energies of transfer from water to cyclohexane, and are arranged in the following rank, in order of decreasing hydrophobicity: purine>thymine>adenine>uracil>pyrimidin-2-one>hypoxanthine>/=cytosine >/=guanine. In both series of pyrimidin-2-ones, hydrophobicity decreases with introduction of an amino substituent, but addition of an exocyclic keto group results in a modest enhancement of hydrophobicity; and free energies of transfer are relatively insensitive to the position of N-alkyl substitution. In both series of purines, hydrophobicity decreases with the introduction of exocyclic amino and keto groups, the keto group having the greater effect; and free energies of transfer vary substantially depending on the position of N-alkyl substitution. Several additional compounds were examined to test recent predictions based on SM5.4/A, a quantum mechanical self-consistent-field solvation model; and that model was found to yield values in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.

Adenine↗

PubMed1983

Sequential patterning of emotional interaction in families with a schizophrenic son.

In 30 families with a schizophrenic son conjoint family discussions which had been generated by Strodtbeck's "Revealed Differences Technique" were analyzed on the strength of the "Relationship-Scale" developed by Riskin and Faunce. All three members of the family triad (two parents and son) proved to be more hostile and rejecting than their parallels in a control group of families whose sons had been admitted because of an acute surgical condition. However, no significant difference could be ascertained in the sequential patterning of interaction assessed by means of time-series analysis. In both family groups Bernoulli processes predominated, i.e. there was no dependence between the sequentially recorded speech units. A 2-year follow-up of the schizophrenic patients showed a contradictory pattern of results. In families with re-hospitalized sons there was only a slight and statistically insignificant tendency towards more negative relationships but the sub-groups of families containing a schizophrenic son differed clearly on the level of sequential data; more families with re-hospitalized sons showed autoregressive (morphogenetic) or moving average (morphostatic) processes.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Psychomotor disturbances in psychiatric patients as a possible basis for new attempts at differential diagnosis and therapy. III. Cross validation study on depressed patients: the psychotic motor syndrome as a possible state marker for endogenous depression.

This study investigates the presence and course of motor symptoms in endogenous (n = 42) and non-endogenous (n = 15) depressed patients (both medicated and unmedicated) in comparison to 15 healthy control persons. As in our previous studies on schizophrenic and depressed patients, we used a motor test battery, which consisted of the Motorische Leistungsserie, a modified version of the Lincoln Oseretzky Motor Development Scale and the motor subtest of the Luria Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. Previous findings had suggested the existence of a psychotic motor syndrome (PMS) in endogenous depressed patients (and schizophrenics), involving disturbances of the lips and tongue, fine and gross movements of the dominant right hand and the complex motor coordination of the extremities. We re-confirmed the PMS in acute endogenous depressed patients, both medicated and unmedicated. Such a motor syndrome did not exist in healthy controls, or in non-endogenous depressed patients, irrespective of the severity of the depressive syndrome. This PMS showed a clear improvement with the amelioration of the depressive symptoms in endogenous depressed patients towards the end of the hospital treatment period and disappeared entirely in patients in a symptom free interval. This may be suggestive of a possible role for the PMS as a state marker for endogenous depression, in contrast to the persistence of the PMS in schizophrenics (trait marker), described previously. The results of factorial analyses on motor performance did not reveal differences in the factorial structure between depressives, schizophrenics and normals. However, they indicated disturbances on a general motor factor, which may account for the performance deficits in psychotic patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Social networks of residents in supportive housing.

One goal of supportive housing is to enlarge and improve the functioning of the social support networks of residents. The networks of a convenience sample of 42 residents were assessed using scales developed by Barrera. The size of the networks (11.5) was no larger than that reported for similar clients living in other types of community settings but the composition differed. Staff and co-residents appear to partially replace rather than add to family and friends. This is of concern because friends are uniquely important determinants of satisfaction. An association between perceived need for support and network size was also found. These findings suggest some positive influences but also raise questions about unintended negative consequences of living in artificially constructed social environments.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Social problem solving training: a follow-up study of cognitive and behavioral effects.

The long term effects of Spivack and Shures' social problem-solving training were assessed and compared to an attention-placebo control. Thirty-seven preschool age children were involved in this year's long intervention project and six month follow-up. All subjects received 46 sessions of intervention by specially trained assistants. Support was found for the cognitive effectiveness of social problem-solving training with aberrant children at post test in that they gained significantly in their ability to generate alternative solutions to interpersonal problems. This differential effect was not sustained at follow-up. Blind teacher ratings of behavioral adjustment and independent observers' ratings of behavior (using a naturalistic observation scale developed for this study) revealed no significant behavioral training effects at post test or at follow-up. Findings are discussed with the suggestion that behavior change in young children may not be mediated through a strictly cognitive intervention, and may more logically require an integration of behavioral and cognitive techniques.

Behavior Therapy↗

PubMed1983

Children's perceptions of parental behaviors.

Children's perceptions of positive and negative parental behaviors were assessed using a newly-developed scale, the Parent Perception Inventory (PPI). Reliability and validity were examined across a sample of 75 children aged 5 to 13 using additional measures administered to the children and measures completed by their parents. The scale showed acceptable levels of internal consistency. No effects of children's age were apparent, but effects of the child's and parent's gender were found. Boys reported more positive parental behaviors, particularly for fathers, and children reported more negative (disciplinary) behaviors by mothers. PPI scores were predictably related to child's self-concept and behavior problems (convergent validity) and generally unrelated to measures of child's achievement (discriminant validity). As predicted by family systems theory, children from nondistressed families viewed their parents as behaving more similarly on the PPI than did children from distressed families.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1975

Conners' Teacher Rating Scale for use in drug studies with children--an empirical study.

Their classroom teachers rated 291 schoolchildren, grades kindergarten through 6, on Conners' Teacher Rating Scale, developed for and used widely in drug studies in children. Scores were found to be significantly lower than those reported for a similar group of 92 New York children and considerably less than those of a group of 64 children receiving medication for deviant behavior. Boys generally had higher scores for acting-out-type behavior while girls scored higher on neuroticism. The factor structure in this sample showed some differences from that in Conners' original analysis but they are insufficient for any change in the widely accepted scoring system, except perhaps to add a fifth factor of sociability.

Acting Out↗

PubMed1986

[Expectations concerning physician consultation].

Immediately prior to their consultation of a physician 259 ambulatory patients were interviewed concerning their expectations of the interaction with the physician, the course and results of the consultation. From the responses received to open and closed questions several quasi-scales were developed. These scales showed correlations to variables such as nature of the medical problem, type of practice and socio-economic indicators.

Ambulatory Care↗

PubMed1994

Gender-related assessment of childhood play.

Parent-report based scales for the assessment of sex-dimorphic behavior are an important tool in research on psychosexual differentiation and its disorders. This paper presents the factor analysis and corresponding scale development for the slightly expanded Child Game Participation Questionnaire (Bates & Bentler, 1973), based on the parents of a demographically diverse school sample of 355 girls and 333 boys aged 6 to 10 years. Evidence supporting each of three theoretical positions in gender assessment--unidimensional bipolar, two-dimensional unipolar, and multidimensional--was provided. Effect sizes were unusually large for gender, but small for age, socioeconomic level, and race/ethnicity.

Child↗

PubMed2003

The physical environment affects cyanophage communities in British Columbia inlets.

Little is known about the natural distribution of viruses that infect the photosynthetically important group of marine prokaryotes, the cyanobacteria. The current investigation reveals that the structure of cyanophage communities is dependent on water column structure. PCR was used to amplify a fragment of the cyanomyovirus gene (g) 20, which codes for the portal vertex protein. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR amplified g20 gene fragments was used to examine variations in cyanophage community structure in three inlets in British Columbia, Canada. Qualitative examination of denaturing gradient gels revealed cyanophage community patterns that reflected the physical structure of the water column as indicated by temperature and salinity. Based on mobility of PCR fragments in the DGGE gels, some cyanophages appeared to be widespread, while others were observed only at specific depths. Cyanophage communities within Salmon Inlet were more related to one another than to communities from either Malaspina Inlet or Pendrell Sound. As well, surface communities in Malaspina Inlet and Pendrell Sound were different when compared to communities at depth. In the same two locations, distinct differences in community composition were observed in communities that coincided with depths of high chlorophyll fluorescence. The observed community shifts over small distances (only a few meters in depth or inlets separated by less than 100 km) support the idea that cyanophage communities separated by small spatial scales develop independently of each other as a result isolation by water column stratification or land mass separation, which may ultimately lead to changes in the distribution or composition of the host community.

Bacteriophages↗

PubMed2002

Preparation and implementation of seven ecological compensation plans for Dutch highways.

First-generation compensation plans (CPs) for Dutch highway projects have been evaluated with respect to implementation of the compensation principle (1993), which aims to counterbalance the adverse ecological impacts of large-scale development projects. Decision-making on the seven projects took place between 1993 and 1995. Specifically, we considered: (a) the processes employed to prepare and implement the compensation plans; (b) the methods used to identify, plan, and execute the compensation measures; and (c) the results yielded by these methods. We conclude that the CPs were prepared fairly uniformly, particularly in terms of the processes and methodologies used to derive compensation measures. Five of the seven CPs had become operational by 2001 and initial experience is now being gained on land acquisition and transfer of compensation sites to nature conservation trusts. Further progress of CPs is likely to be seriously hampered by growing demand for land for development in general and associated increases in real estate prices. Several problems are addressed and recommendations made with respect to: (a) developing a legal basis for the compensation principle; (b) the relationship with re-allotment projects; (c) estimation of compensation costs; (d) an annual bias of CP budgets to account for rising costs; (e) contingency measures; and (f) criteria for CP (ex-post) evaluation.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗