Liquid zinc embrittlement of a high-manganese-content TWIP steel

The cracking resistance of a twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) steel with high-manganese content has been studied in relation to the liquid metal embrittlement phenomenon. This phenomenon was investigated by hot tensile tests carried out on electrogalvanised specimens using a Gleeble® simulator at temperatures ranging from 600°C to 1000°C. The results show that this steel can be embrittled by liquid zinc within a limited range of temperature depending on strain rate.     

Self-implication and heart rate variability during simulated exposure to flight-related stimuli

In the present study, the relationship between self-implication during simulated exposure to feared stimuli and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was explored within the framework of the dynamical systems model of emotion regulation proposed by Thayer and Lane (Thayer, J.F., and Lane, R.D. (2000). A model of neurovisceral integration in emotion regulation and dysregulation. Journal of Affective Disorders, 61, 201–216.). An analogue sample of flight phobics (n=15) and a matched non-phobic control group (n=15) were presented with flight-related pictures, flight-related sounds or flight-related pictures and sounds. Significant differences on self-implication during exposure to flight-related sounds were found between low and high HRV fearful flyers, the former being more self-implied. However, the expected HRV decreases in the phobic participants exposed to feared stimuli were not found. These results emphasize the need to distinguish between high and low HRV fearful flyers in order to make a better use of the simulated exposure treatments.     

Distinguishing youths at risk for anxiety disorders from self‐reported BIS sensitivity and its psychophysiological concomitants

The aim of the study was to explore the psychophysiological concomitants of self‐reported behavioral inhibition system (BIS) sensitivity in adolescents (12 to 17 years old) supposed to be at risk for anxiety disorders. Twenty participants with high scores in self‐reported BIS sensitivity (at‐risk group) were matched in age and sex to 20 participants scoring in the normal range in BIS sensitivity (control group). Negative affect, negative emotion regulation style, and anxiety symptomatology were assessed by means of self‐reported measures. Cardiac and electrodermal response signals were recorded during baseline, paced breathing, exposure to an attentional task with response cost and fear‐relevant slides conditions. The at‐risk group exhibited higher scores on measures of negative affect, negative emotion regulation style, and anxiety symptomatology than their control counterparts. After controlling for negative styles of emotion regulation, groups did not differ in skin conductance reactivity during the attentional task with response cost, but participants at risk exhibited more nonspecific skin conductance responses than the control group during baseline recording. Regarding the cardiac concomitants, participants at risk presented lower vagal tone at resting conditions as compared to participants in the control group. Additionally, at‐risk participants exhibited lower flexibility across experimental conditions in heart rate and cardiac sample entropy measures than participants in the control group. These findings add knowledge on psychophysiological concomitants of BIS sensitivity and are discussed in light of associations between temperament and development of anxiety disorders in youth. They show how psychophysiological patterns observed in resting conditions could be useful endophenotypes to reliably detect individuals at risk before the disorder onset.     

The role of vision in the development of finger-number interactions: Finger-counting and finger-montring in blind children

Previous research has suggested that the use of the fingers may play a functional role in the development of a mature counting system. However, the role of developmental vision in the elaboration of a finger numeral representation remains unexplored. In the current study, 14 congenitally blind children and 14 matched sighted controls undertook three different test batteries that examined (a) general cognitive abilities, (b) the spontaneous use of finger-counting and finger-montring strategies (where “finger-montring” is a term used to characterize the way people raise their fingers to show numerosities to other people), and (c) the canonicity level of the finger-counting and finger-montring habits. Compared with sighted controls, blind children used their fingers less spontaneously to count and in a less canonical way to count and show quantities. These results demonstrate that the absence of vision precludes the development of a typical finger numeral representation and suggest that the use of canonical finger-counting and finger-montring strategies relies on the visual recognition of particular hand shapes.     

Relation between physical activity and academic performance in 3rd-year secondary education students

The main aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the amount of physical activity and academic performance in 3rd-year secondary education students. The sample was taken from three secondary schools in the area of Barcelona. 284 students (158 girls, 126 boys) with an average age of 14.7 yr. participated. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used by students to self-report their amount of physical activity. Students' academic records were obtained for comparisons. Results showed that there was a linear relationship between academic performance and physical activity; nevertheless, there was a trend to stronger correlation when modeling the relationship between these variables with a quadratic equation. Further research should focus on whether academic performance and physical activity might be better explained with a second-order equation.     

Increased sensitivity to proactive interference in amnestic mild cognitive impairment is independent of associative and semantic impairment

Episodic memory deficit is the hallmark of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). There is, however, an overlap in performance among patients with aMCI and elderly controls (EC). The memory deficit in aMCI therefore needs to be better characterized. Studies have shown that associative memory is selectively impaired in aMCI, and recent work suggested that aMCI may be hypersensitive to semantic proactive interference (PI). It is not known whether this increased PI is related to associative or semantic impairment. EC (n = 44) and patients with aMCI (n = 30) performed two tasks presenting a gradually increasing PI effect across four lists. One task used semantic cueing, the other phonological cueing. We controlled for associative memory by introducing it as a covariate and by matching our subjects for it. Patients with aMCI had a greater PI effect than EC matched for associative memory, regardless of the type of cueing. The increased PI effect in patients with aMCI is independent of their associative and semantic impairment.     

Use of the MMPI-2 With Chicanos: Strategies for Counselors

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2 (MMPI-2) is frequently used by professional counselors to assess Chicano or Mexican American clients in various mental health settings. It is important to understand how ethnic and sociocultural variables (e.g., ethnic identity, acculturation, or racism) may influence the assessment process. This article presents strategies for the culturally competent use of the MMPI-2 with this burgeoning Hispanic subpopulation.     

Epinephrine Effects on Memory Are Not Dependent on Hepatic Glucose Release

Epinephrine released or administered soon after a given training task modulates memory processes. Since epinephrine does not readily cross the blood–brain barrier, studies have suggested that some of the central effects of epinephrine might be mediated by peripheral release of glucose. These experiments examined the involvement of blood glucose levels in the posttraining effects of peripherally administered epinephrine. The effects of the administration of epinephrine (25 and 625 mg/kg) on memory of an inhibitory avoidance task were evaluated in fed and fasted rats (depleted glycogen stores in liver). Blood glucose levels after the task in each group were also measured. Female Wistar rats were divided in two groups. Fed and 48-h-fasted animals were submitted to the inhibitory avoidance task and received ip epinephrine or saline immediately after training. The test session was carried out 48 h after training. Epinephrine (25 or 625 mg/kg) caused an increased glycemia in fed rats, but no effect was observed in fasted animals. Administration of epinephrine 25 mg/kg induced a facilitation of memory, while epinephrine 625 mg/kg impaired retention (either in fasted or in fed animals). There was no relation between increased glycemia induced by epinephrine and its effects on memory, since this drug presented its classical effects independently of the previous state of the animal (fed or fasted). The results of the present study suggest that the effects of systemic released or administered epinephrine on memory processes are not dependent on hepatic glucose release.     

THE REEDUCATION OF APHASICS: THE PROBLEM OF THE REEDUCATION STRATEGIES

Aside from the different schools of therapy in reeducational neuropsychology, an overview of the main strategies used by therapists allows us to distinguish three principal techniques: reestablishing strategies, reorganisation strategies, and the use of mental prothèses. It seems to us less a question of choosing the correct strategy than of carefully considering the different pathological contexts in which they will be applied. The concern with strategies indicates, of course, that there is a certain contradiction in wishing to combine their use in the treatment of the same problem. Reestablishing strategies are undoubtedly adequate in pathological contexts with rapidly evolving semiology and where the qualitative analysis of the recovery seems to indicate that there is in fact a progressive renewal of conditions prior to the cerebral attack. The reorganisation strategies are indicated where it seems possible to circumvent the defective processes in the midst of a functional network with clearly defined contours. Their effectiveness is, it seems, subordinate to the selective nature of the problems. Finally, the strategies involving the use of prothèses should not be attempted except as a last resort where no progress can be expected by direct intervention.