Aging and semantic integration in sentence processing: Testing the cognitive workload of wrap-up

The current study investigated the cognitive workload of sentence and clause wrap-up in younger and older readers. A large number of studies have demonstrated the presence of wrap-up effects, peaks in processing time at clause and sentence boundaries that some argue reflect attention to organizational and integrative semantic processes. However, the exact nature of these wrap-up effects is still not entirely clear, with some arguing that wrap-up is not related to processing difficulty, but rather is triggered by a low-level oculomotor response or the implicit monitoring of intonational contour. The notion that wrap-up effects are resource-demanding was directly tested by examining the degree to which sentence and clause wrap-up affects the parafoveal preview benefit. Older and younger adults read passages in which a target word N occurred in a sentence-internal, clause-final, or sentence-final position. A gaze-contingent boundary change paradigm was used in which, on some trials, a non-word preview of word N+1 was replaced by a target word once the eyes crossed an invisible boundary located between words N and N+1. All measures of reading time on word N were longer at clause and sentence boundaries than in the sentence-internal position. In the earliest measures of reading time, sentence and clause wrap-up showed evidence of reducing the magnitude of the preview benefit similarly for younger and older adults. However, this effect was moderated by age in gaze duration, such that older adults showed a complete reduction in the preview benefit in the sentence-final condition. Additionally, sentence and clause wrap-up were negatively associated with the preview benefit. Collectively, the findings from the current study suggest that wrap-up is cognitively demanding and may be less efficient with age, thus, resulting in a reduction of the parafoveal preview during normal reading.

Caregivers' experiences and coping strategies relating to patient's subjective treatment-related cognitive impairment following Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT)

The treatments involved in cancers of the blood and bone marrow can be physically and psychologically challenging and be associated with adverse secondary effects, including cognitive impairment. The incidence and severity of treatment-related cognitive impairment varies widely, however it can significantly impact quality of life by interfering with patients’ activities of daily living, relationships and future plans. It can also pose challenges for the patients’ caregivers, an area which has received comparatively less research attention. The aim of this study was to investigate caregivers’ experiences of treatment-related cognitive impairment in patients who have undergone Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT); how they coped, both practically and emotionally, and what supports they believe could help them. Participants were caregivers to individuals who had undergone HSCT within the past 20 years and who had reported cognitive changes at the HSCT Late Effects Clinic, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. Five participants completed a single semi-structured interview. The data was then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results of this analysis illustrated four super-ordinate themes: noticing change; managing expectations, managing personal feelings and commitment. Findings from the current study highlighted the importance of caregiver education regarding post HSCT cognitive and behavioural changes and providing caregiver emotional support. Future research should explore the mutual needs of both care recipient and caregiver.

Time perception in mild cognitive impairment: Interval length and subjective passage of time

Objectives: Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may have difficulties in time perception, which in turn might contribute to some of their symptoms, especially memory deficits. The aim of this study was to evaluate perception of interval length and subjective passage of time in MCI patients as compared to healthy controls. Methods: Fifty-five MCI patients and 57 healthy controls underwent an experimental protocol for time perception on interval length, a questionnaire for the subjective passage of time and a neuropsychological evaluation. Results: MCI patients presented no changes in the perception of interval length. However, for MCI patients, time seemed to pass more slowly than it did for controls. This experience was significantly correlated with memory deficits but not with performance in executive tests, nor with complaints of depression or anxiety. Conclusions: Memory deficits do not affect the perception of interval length, but are associated with alterations in the subjective passage of time.

Too Busy to Be Fair? The Effect of Managers’ Perceived Workload on Their Core Technical Performance and Justice Rule Adherence

Despite the organizational benefits of treating employees fairly, both anecdotal and empirical evidence suggest that managers do not behave fairly towards their employees in a consistent manner. As treating employees fairly takes up personal resources such as time, effort, and attention, I argue that when managers face high workloads (i.e., high amounts of work and time pressure), they are unable to devote such personal resources to effectively meet both core technical task requirements and treat employees fairly. I propose that in general, managers tend to view their core technical task performance as more important than being fair in their dealings with employees; as a result, when faced with high workloads, they tend to prioritize the former at the expense of the latter. I also propose that managerial fairness will suffer more as a result of heightened workloads than will core technical task performance, unless managers perceive their organization to explicitly reward fair treatment of employees. I find support for my hypotheses across three studies: two experimental studies (with online participants and students respectively) and one field study of managers from a variety of organizations. I discuss the implications of studying fairness in the wider context of managers’ complex role in organizations to the fairness and managerial work demands literatures.

Relationship between subjective wellbeing and weight perception in children and adolescents: Gender and age differences

The relation between weight status (Body Mass Index - BMI), weight perception and subjective wellbeing remains unclear. Several studies conclude that discrepancies can be found between weight status and weight perception, among children and adolescents. The present study aims at investigating the associations between subjective wellbeing and individual characteristics, among children and adolescents. The sample included 1200 children and adolescents (51.7 % girls, aged 9 to 17). Their mean age was 12.55 years (SD = 1.61). The questionnaire was completed in school context, asking about the subjective wellbeing, use of self-regulation, eating behavior awareness/care, weight perception and sociodemographic questions such as age, gender and BMI. The study found a strong association between BMI and weight perception, although subjective wellbeing was better explained by weight perception than by BMI. Eating awareness and self-regulation also played an important role in subjective controlling for age and gender. Age and gender interfere in the relation between subjective wellbeing and other variables. The multiple regression model is more robust and explicative for girls and older children. Psychological factors related to weight, such as weight perception, self-regulation and eating awareness have a stronger explicative impact in subjective wellbeing compared to physical aspects, such as Body Mass Index. The relation between subjective wellbeing and weight is influence by age and gender.

Discrimination in the Private Sphere. A subjective Right or a Legal Abuse. An European North American Legal Comparative Study

En el presente trabajo se estudian los límites de la autonomía privada desde la perspectiva del derecho a la igualdad y del principio de no discriminación tanto en el derecho norteamericano como en el europeo, con especial incidencia a la doctrina española. Por un lado se plantea si la piedra angular a la hora de establecer límites a la autonomía privada debe ser el concepto de dignidad o el de igualdad, por otro superando dicho debate se propone un acercamiento al problema entendido como una colisión entre derechos fundamentales en la que en cada concreto supuesto ha de estudiarse cual debe prevalecer. Finalmente se estima conveniente seguir el modelo de la Constitución de Sudáfrica y entender que los derechos fundamentales afectan directamente tanto a las relaciones horizontales como verticales, es decir tanto al ámbito público como privado.

Subjective comparison of consumer television technologies for 3D visualization

This paper presents a comparison among different consumer 3D display technologies by means of a subjective assessment test. Therefore, four 55-in displays have been considered: one autostereoscopic display, one stereoscopic with polarized passive glasses, and two with active shutter glasses. In addition, a high-quality 3D video database has been used to show diverse material with both views in high definition. To carry out the test, standard recommendations have been followed considering also some modifications looking for a test environment more similar to real home viewing conditions, with the objective of obtaining more representative conclusions. Moreover, several perceptual factors have been considered to study the performance of the displays, such as picture quality, depth perception, and visual discomfort. The obtained results show interesting issues, like the performance improvement of active shutter glasses technology, the high performance of the polarized glasses technology in terms of quality and comfort, and the need of improvement of the autostereoscopic displays to complement the visual comfort to reach a global high-quality visual experience.

Poorer subjective sleep quality is related to higher fantasy-induced sexual arousal in women of reproductive age

Lack of sleep enhances erections and lubrication the next day. This raises the possibility that poorer subjective sleep quality is related to sexual arousal. To test this hypothesis, sexual arousal was elicited in 70 Portuguese women of reproductive age by means of fantasy. The level of salivary testosterone before and shortly after fantasy was determined by luminescence immunoassays. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), reported their sexual arousal before and during fantasy, and how anxious they were after the fantasy. The hypothesis was confirmed. Anxiety did not explain the association, but testosterone response (poststimulus minus baseline) had a slight explanatory effect.

Adolescent’s subjective perceptions of chronic disease and related psychosocial factors: Highlights from an outpatient context study

Background: Adolescents with chronic disease (CD) can be more vulnerable to adverse psychosocial outcomes. This study aims: 1) to identify differences in psychosocial variables (health-related quality of life, psychosomatic complaints, resilience, self-regulation and social support) among adolescents who feel that CD affects or does not affect school/peers connectedness (measured by self-reported participation in school and social activities); and 2) to assess the extent to which psychosocial variables are associated with connectedness in school and peer domains. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 135 adolescents with CD (51.9% boys), average age of 14 ± 1. 5 years old (SD = 1.5). Socio-demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables were assessed, using a self-reported questionnaire, which included the Chronic Conditions Short Questionnaire, KIDSCREEN-10 Index, Symptoms Check-List, Healthy Kids Resilience Assessment Module Scale, Adolescent Self-Regulatory Inventory, and Satisfaction with Social Support Scale. Descriptive statistics, GLM-Univariate ANCOVA and Logistic Regression were performed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22.0. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: Thirteen to eighteen percent of the adolescents felt that CD affected participation at school (PSCH) and participation in leisure time with friends (PLTF). These adolescents presented lower results for all psychosocial study variables, when compared with adolescents who did not feel affected in both areas of participation. From the studied psychosocial variables, the most important ones associated with PSCH (after controlling for age, gender, diagnosis, and education level of father/mother) were self-regulation and psychosomatic health. Concerning the PLTF, social support was the sole variable explaining such association. Conclusions: The present study pointed out the association between psychosocial variables; and living with a CD and school/peers connectedness. The need to focus on the assessment of the effects of a CD on adolescents’ lives and contexts is suggested, as well as on the identification of vulnerable adolescents. Such identification could help to facilitate the maximization of social participation of adolescents with CD, and to plan interventions centered on providing support and opportunities for a healthy youth development. For that purpose, a complex and multifactorial approach that includes clinicians, schools, family, and peers may be proposed.

How to Efficiently Control the Title and Registration Mail-in Workload Backlog Processing

The Titles and Registration Mail-In Unit of the Department of Motor Vehicles only processes title and registration work that has been mailed in. During the time periods of May through June and November through January, the mail workload backlog becomes overbearing. This research will attempt to find out the cause of this increase backlog during those periods, determine what procedures or steps are currently in place and unnecessarily creating needless work that has a direct correlation with the backlog and deploy a recommendation that will totally eliminate peak time backlog work loads.

Taux d‘inscription, de rétention et de décrochage dans le programme de gestion du tourisme

Abstract : This paper examines the factors motivating students to enrol in the Tourism Management program at Champlain College, St-Lambert and why a large number of students abandon the program before obtaining their DEC. There is a great deal of literature on student attrition, however there is little consensus on why students withdraw from college programs and the results cannot be easily generalized to this particular set of students at this time. Understanding the factors that influenced the students to choose Tourism Management at Champlain, St-Lambert and why they then leave before completing the six semesters will help with student success and with the marketing of the program. The theoretical framework guiding the study is metacognition, a branch of cognitive psychology that deals with the awareness and understanding of one’s thinking processes. Through a survey, students were asked to rank the general and specific factors that influenced their choice of Tourism Management as a program of study. Exit interviews were carried out with students who abandoned the program within the first year of study to determine the reasons for dropping out. Students who persisted in the program wrote journals describing their first year experience in order to identify any differences in metacognitive abilities with those who abandoned the program. The academic records of all students were also analyzed. The major factors influencing students to choose the Tourism Management program were interest in travel and job opportunities available after graduating. The results from the exit interviews and journals also showed that interest in travel was the primary reason for enrolment. The knowledge that students had of Cegep and the Tourism Management program before enroling however was negligible, particularly among the group that abandoned the program within the first year of study. The analyses of the academic records of the 2007 incoming students showed that the students with the lower high school grades were more likely to abandon the Tourism Management program than those with higher grades. The same is true for first semester and second semester Cegep grades. The major reason why the students abandoned the program during the 2007/2008 academic year was a lack of interest or a dislike of the program, followed by financial difficulties. It is not clear however what the lack of interest can be attributed to and this may be an avenue for future research. As opposed to the students who persisted in the program, those who abandoned their studies had unrealistic expectations of the academic requirements, were unprepared for the workload, had more difficulty analyzing their own performance and had not set concrete goals for themselves. The study shows several problem areas within the program. Of main concern is the lack of knowledge that students have of Cegep life and the Tourism Management program in general and the lack of preparation for Cegep level courses. The scheduling of courses and teaching methods within the program are other areas that need to be addressed. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations to possibly help remedy some of the problems.||Résumé : Ce travail s’intéresse aux facteurs qui motivent les étudiants à s’inscrire au programme de tourisme offert au Collège Champlain de St-Lambert. Il cherche à établir les raisons qui font en sorte qu’un si grand nombre d’étudiants abandonnent le programme avant d’obtenir leur DEC. Plusieurs recherches ont été effectuées sur l’abandon scolaire, mais il n’y a pas de consensus quant aux raisons pour lesquelles les étudiants se retirent du programme collégial. Actuellement, il est difficile d’établir des liens entre les résultats de ces recherches et ce groupe d’étudiants. La compréhension des facteurs qui influencent les étudiants à choisir le tourisme au Collège Champlain et les raisons qui font en sorte qu’ils quittent avant d’avoir complété leur formation, nous permettront d’améliorer le taux de rétention des étudiants dans ce programme. De plus, cela favorisera le marketing du programme. Le cadre théorique de cette recherche est la métacognition, une composante importante de la psychologie cognitive qui examine la connaissance et le contrôle qu’une personne a sur sa façon de penser. La métacognition est une variable qui différencie les étudiants qui réussissent de ceux qui abandonnent (Tardif 1997). La méthodologie de cette recherche comprend : un sondage, des entrevues, des comptes-rendus sous forme de journal et une analyse des résultats scolaires. Le sondage fut complété par tous les étudiants qui ont commencé le programme en tourisme en août 2007. Ce sondage avait pour but d’établir les facteurs qui ont motivé les étudiants à choisir cette discipline. Ceux-ci étaient divisés en deux volets soient : les facteurs généraux et les facteurs spécifiques. Les facteurs généraux comprennent l’intérêt pour les voyages et les informations obtenues auprès des orienteurs, des enseignants, de la publicité faite par les cégeps, des parents et des amis. Les facteurs spécifiques incluent les différents cours offerts tels que la géographie, l’informatique, l’administration, le programme de voyages, le stage en milieu de travail, la réputation du programme et de ses professeurs. Les entrevues ont été effectuées auprès de sept étudiants qui ont abandonné le programme entre décembre 2007 et juin 2008. Le but de ces entrevues était de déterminer les raisons de ces abandons. Les étudiants qui ont poursuivi leur formation en tourisme ont rédigé un journal dans lequel ils décrivaient leur expérience tout au long de leur première année d’études. Dans ce journal, ils devaient répondre à sept questions qui avaient pour but de déterminer les différences entre leurs habiletés métacognitives et celles de ceux qui se sont retirés du programme. L’analyse des dossiers des étudiants tenait compte des résultats scolaires du secondaire ainsi que des résultats académiques de la première année de cégep. Les principaux facteurs qui ont motivé les étudiants à choisir le programme gestion du tourisme étaient l’intérêt pour les voyages et les opportunités d’emploi après l’obtention de leur DEC. La connaissance que les étudiants ont du cégep et du programme de gestion du tourisme avant de s’inscrire était toutefois négligeable, particulièrement parmi le groupe qui a abandonné le programme durant la première année d’études. L’analyse des résultats académiques des étudiants a démontré que les candidats ayant des notes inférieures à l’école secondaire sont plus susceptibles d’abandonner le programme de gestion du tourisme que ceux ayant des notes supérieures. L’analyse arrive aux mêmes conclusions en ce qui concerne les candidats qui ont obtenu de faibles résultats académiques lors de la première et de la deuxième session du cégep. Les raisons principales qui ont fait en sorte que les étudiants ont abandonné le programme durant l’année académique 2007-2008 étaient le manque d’intérêt pour le programme et les difficultés financières. Par ailleurs, nous ne pouvons établir de façon générale les causes de ce manque d’intérêt. Cela pourrait faire l’objet d’une recherche ultérieure. Par opposition aux étudiants qui ont poursuivi le programme, ceux qui ont abandonné leurs études avaient des attentes irréalistes en ce qui a trait aux exigences académiques, ils n’étaient pas préparés pour la charge de travail, ils avaient plus de difficultés à analyser leur propre performance et ils ne s’étaient pas fixé d’objectifs concrets. L’étude a identifié plusieurs secteurs problématiques à l’intérieur du programme. L’une des problématiques principales est le manque de connaissance que les étudiants ont de la vie au cégep et du programme de tourisme en général sans compter le manque de préparation pour des cours de niveau cégep. L’horaire des cours et les méthodes d’enseignement à l’intérieur du programme sont d’autres éléments qui méritent d’être revus. Les limites de cette recherche comprennent le nombre restreint d’étudiants qui ont accepté d’être interviewés et l’effet d’intervieweur. Étant donné que l’intervieweur était le professeur des étudiants et malgré le fait que ceux-ci n’étudient plus en gestion du tourisme, ils peuvent se sentir obligés de répondre à l’intervieweur de façon subjective. Les recherches futures pourront inclure un plus grand nombre d’entrevues menées par des intervieweurs expérimentés n’ayant eu au préalable aucun contact avec les étudiants et ce dans le but de favoriser une plus grande objectivité. Un autre domaine de recherche pourrait être l’analyse du fait que des étudiants très intéressés par les voyages finissent par se désintéresser complètement du programme. Enfin et possiblement l’un des facteurs qui nous semble des plus importants est le besoin pour les étudiants du secondaire d’en connaître plus sur la vie au cégep et sur le programme de gestion du tourisme. Le document se termine par un ensemble de recommandations pour le Collège, le programme et les professeurs pour éventuellement aider à remédier aux problèmes identifiés.

Subjective Aspects of People with Chronic Ulcers: a Qualitative Study in Brazil and Portugal

Introduction: The experience built in the process of living with chronic ulcer is marked by changes such as the inability to work, to relate socially and causes the need to adapt to a routine care. Understanding this network of meanings is important to develop techniques of individual or collective care. Objective: To understand impregnated subjectivities in the everyday experiences of Brazilian and Portuguese patients with chronic ulcers, in the light of the Oral History of life. Method: Comparative study with a qualitative approach, using Oral History as method and technique. The network of collaborators, formed by males and females, aged 39-82 years, was structured into two groups, one consisting of 06 people in Natal/RN, Brazil and another composed of 10 people in Évora/Portugal. In both groups, the narratives were collected through open questions, which were recorded, transcribed and analyzed by the technique of thematic content analysis. Results: Through the analysis, three themes were revealed: Social repercussion in Brazil and in Portugal; Trajectory of theinjured person; and Coping mechanisms. Conclusion: Changes were observed in social life, leading contributors to isolation, in addition to confronting the stigma experienced. There were also identified points as the reinterpretation of chronic wound carrier about their disease and coping strategies of their chroniccondition.

Feasibility And Reproducibility Of Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of The Fetal Brain In Twin-twin Transfusion Syndrome.

The aim of this study is to test the feasibility and reproducibility of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) evaluations of the fetal brains in cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). From May 2011 to June 2012, 24 patients with severe TTTS underwent MRI scans for evaluation of the fetal brains. Datasets were analyzed offline on axial DW images and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps by two radiologists. The subjective evaluation was described as the absence or presence of water diffusion restriction. The objective evaluation was performed by the placement of 20-mm(2) circular regions of interest on the DW image and ADC maps. Subjective interobserver agreement was assessed by the kappa correlation coefficient. Objective intraobserver and interobserver agreements were assessed by proportionate Bland-Altman tests. Seventy-four DW-MRI scans were performed. Sixty of them (81.1%) were considered to be of good quality. Agreement between the radiologists was 100% for the absence or presence of diffusion restriction of water. For both intraobserver and interobserver agreement of ADC measurements, proportionate Bland-Altman tests showed average percentage differences of less than 1.5% and 95% CI of less than 18% for all sites evaluated. Our data demonstrate that DW-MRI evaluation of the fetal brain in TTTS is feasible and reproducible.

The Inadequacy Of The Y-axis Of Growth (sngn) For The Vertical Pattern Assessment In Patients With Sagittal Discrepancies.

The aim of this cephalometric study was to evaluate the influence of the sagittal skeletal pattern on the 'Y-axis of growth' measurement in patients with different malocclusions. Lateral head films from 59 patients (mean age 16y 7m, ranging from 11 to 25 years) were selected after a subjective analysis of 1630 cases. Sample was grouped as follows: Group 1 - class I facial pattern; group 2 - class II facial pattern; and Group 3 - class III facial pattern. Two angular measurements, SNGoGn and SNGn, were taken in order to determine skeletal vertical facial pattern. A logistic regression with errors distributed according to a binomial distribution was used to test the influence of the sagittal relationship (Class I, II, III facial patterns) on vertical diagnostic measurement congruence (SNGoGn and SNGn). RESULTS show that the probability of congruence between the patterns SNGn and SNGoGn was relatively high (70%) for group 1, but for groups II (46%) and III (37%) this congruence was relatively low. The use of SNGn appears to be inappropriate to determine the vertical facial skeletal pattern of patients, due to Gn point shifting throughout sagittal discrepancies. Clinical Significance: Facial pattern determined by SNGn must be considered carefully, especially when severe sagittal discrepancies are present.

Cariology In Curriculum Of Brazilian Dental Schools.

Reasons for the iniquities of caries, globally recognized, may be related to how Cariology has been taught in dental schools. In Brazil, the most important universities, when considering healthcare teaching, are the public ones. The objective of this study was to identify the insertion of the contents of Cariology in the course flowcharts of public dental schools in the country. The survey was conducted in 2013 seeking to identify the realities of different geographical regions, aimed to the census of public dental schools. It was performed a documentary analysis of the menus of disciplines, identifying the following issues: number of dental schools that include content related to Cariology in their curricula; average total workload undergraduate courses and disciplines that contemplate the theme; distribution of disciplines in professional training cycles (basic, clinical and public health); existence of discipline and/or a specific department; verification of bibliographic indication directly related to Cariology. The response rate was 93.6%. All dental schools recommended specific books, and none of them had a Department of Cariology. All dental schools in the country contemplated content related to Cariology in their disciplines, distributed in specific disciplines (except for the Northern region) and disciplines in the three cycles of learning (basic, clinical and public health), with larger workload in the clinical cycle. Although public dental schools in Brazil demonstrated commitment to contemplating the content related to Cariology in their disciplines, the emphasis on the clinical cycle may not be promoting the integrated formation of students, which could be contributing to reflect the inequalities of the disease in the country.