Extension of caution indices to mixed-format tests

Tatsuoka suggested several extended caution indices and their standardized versions, and these have been used as person-fit statistics by various researchers. However, these indices are only defined for tests with dichotomous items. This paper extends two of the popular standardized extended caution indices for use with polytomous items and mixed-format tests. Two additional new person-fit statistics are obtained by applying the asymptotic standardization of person-fit statistics for mixed-format tests. Detailed simulations are then performed to compute the Type I error rate and power of the four new person-fit statistics. Two real data illustrations follow. The new person-fit statistics appear to be satisfactory tools for assessing person fit for polytomous items and mixed-format tests.     

Poverty,ethnicity, and risk of obesity among low birth weight infants

The independent and joint effects of family and neighborhood poverty and ethnicity upon weight trajectories from age two to six-and-a-half were examined using data from the Infant Health and Development Program (N = 985), an early intervention program for low birth weight children and families. At age two, family poverty was associated with higher body mass index (BMI), whereas neighborhood poverty and ethnicity were not. Over time, the BMI of toddlers from poor and near poor neighborhoods increased nonlinearly, while those from nonpoor neighborhoods remained stable. BMIs of Hispanic-American toddlers increased steadily over time, unlike African-American and Anglo-American toddlers. Although initially similar, over time African-American toddlers' BMIs increased more rapidly than Anglo-American toddlers. Family and neighborhood poverty and ethnicity were associated with BMI. More work is needed on how poverty and ethnicity contribute to differences in early weight gain in conjunction with sociocultural and environmental factors in the home and community.     

不同性．别的非吸烟COPD患者肺功能和疾病严重程度的比较

比较不同性别的非吸烟的COPD患者的肺功能和疾病严重程度。选择承德医学院附属医院门诊就诊的非吸烟的稳定期COPD患者93例,其中男性34例,女性59例。对两组患者的肺通气功能和弥散功能,过去一年的急性加重次数、改良的呼吸困难评分及疾病严重程度进行比较。非吸烟的COPD患者男性组和女性组在FEVl％pred,FVC％pred,PEF％pred,FEF25—75％pred,FEF25％pred,FEF75％pred,DOSE评分方面比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;在DL—CO％pred和Raw％pred方面比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。非吸烟的女性COPD患者较男性COPD患者肺通气功能和小气道功能差,疾病严重程度重,可能与女性患者对生物燃料、空气污染等危险因素易感有关。     

医学科研与医学科学的发展——高校附属医院SCI热的利弊分析

针对当前我国各大医院普遍出现的《科学引文索引》(science citation index,SCI)热,对高等医学院校附属医院进行调查研究,从医学科研与医学科学的发展、医院SCI热的利弊,及未来规划三个方面进行详细分析.客观说明对科研工作者的科研成绩进行公正、合理的评价,反对单纯以发表论文数量评价个人学术水平和贡献的做法.只有这样才可以充分调动科研工作者的科学探索兴趣和热情,还科学研究以本来的面目,促进科研管理水平再上新台阶.     

Body image and personality among British men: Associations between the Big Five personality domains,drive for muscularity,and body appreciation

The present study examined associations between the Big Five personality domains and measures of men's body image. A total of 509 men from the community in London, UK, completed measures of drive for muscularity, body appreciation, the Big Five domains, and subjective social status, and provided their demographic details. The results of a hierarchical regression showed that, once the effects of participant body mass index (BMI) and subjective social status had been accounted for, men's drive for muscularity was significantly predicted by Neuroticism (β = .29). In addition, taking into account the effects of BMI and subjective social status, men's body appreciation was significantly predicted by Neuroticism (β = −.35) and Extraversion (β = .12). These findings highlight potential avenues for the development of intervention approaches based on the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and body image.     

Cognitive function in older adults according to current socioeconomic status

Cognitive function may be influenced by education, socioeconomic status, sex, and health status. Furthermore, aging interacts with these factors to influence cognition and dementia risk in late life. Factors that may increase or decrease successful cognitive aging are of critical importance, particularly if they are modifiable. The purpose of this study was to determine if economic status in late life is associated with cognition independent of socioeconomic status in early life. Cross-sectional demographic, socioeconomic, and cognitive function data were obtained in 2592 older adults (average age 71.6 years) from the Center for Disease Control’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and analyzed with linear regression modeling. Cognitive function, as measured with a test of processing speed, was significantly associated with poverty index scores after adjusting for educational attainment as an estimate of childhood socioeconomic status, ethnic background, age, health status, and sex (P < 0.001). Our findings suggest that current economic status is independently associated with cognitive function in adults over age 60 years.     

Conceptual and measurement issues of the complementarity dimension of the coach–athlete relationship across cultures

ObjectivesGrounded in the 3Cs model of the coach–athlete relationship, this multi-study outlined the development of two scales that measure coaches' dominant behaviors and athletes' submissive behaviors.Method & resultsIn study 1, a pool of items was generated based on relevant literatures and interviews. The item pool was then assessed by an expert panel including academics, athletes and coaches. In Study 2 and Study 3, construct and criterion validity, as wells as internal reliability of the refined items were tested with a sample of elite coaches and athletes. Analyses revealed that Coach Dominant Behavior Scale (CDB-S) and Athlete Submissive Behavior Scale (ASB-S) possessed sound psychometric properties. In Study 4, the measurement invariance of the 10-item ASB-S was assessed across gender and five countries: Britain, China, Greece, Spain, and Sweden. Results supported the full structural invariance of the ASB-S.ConclusionOverall, the items of both CDB-S and ASB-S were found to be psychometrically sound. The discussion highlights the contributions these findings make on both conceptual and measurement levels as well as the opportunities it opens up for research with practical relevance.     

Control of Gait Initiation

The initiation of gait from a standing posture by 6 subjects, who took controlled-length steps, was analyzed. Using an inverted-pendulum model, we found that the duration of gait initiation was independent of gait velocity. This finding suggests that subjects' biomechanical constants are the determining factors for initiating movement. Both the instantaneous velocity of the center of gravity at the end of the first step (resulting in the propulsive forces measured on the ground) and the steady-state velocity (resulting in the step length and frequency) varied with step length, whereas step frequency did not. But step frequency and progression velocity were linked, for step frequency always increased in parallel with increased progression velocity. We interpret the correlation between velocity and frequency variations to be a peripheral expression of the posturodynamic control of the step parameters by the progression forces.     

Behavioral Effects of Chronic Melatonin and Pregnenolone Injections in a Myelin Mutant Rat (taiep)

The taiep (tremor, ataxia, immobility, epilepsy, and paralysis) myelin mutant displays a number of locomotor deficits. Taiep rat gait is characterized by shorter stride and step lengths as well as by larger stride widths. Thirty-day-old taiep mutants were placed under a regimen of daily hormone injections for 60 days. Animals in Condition 1 received melatonin, those in Condition 2 received pregnenolone sulfate, and those in a third control condition received injections of saline. Following the injections, each taiep mutant's gait was analyzed. The animals that received melatonin and pregnenolone displayed significantly larger stride and step lengths than did the controls. In addition, the animals that received hormones displayed shorter stride widths than did the controls. These experimental effects are consistent with a normalization of gait. Possible cellular mechanisms of this behavioral effect are discussed.     

Response Complexity and the Latency of Different Movement Patterns

Two series of experiments are described in which RT of responses of varying complexity is investigated. Complexity of arm movements was manipulated in terms of (a) the amount of force exerted in resisted movements, (b) the distance moved by the limb and the direction of movement, using reversing or continuing movements, and (c) the combining of the arms in reversing and continuing movements. Simple and two-choice RT situations were used. As response complexity increased in terms of the number of sets of response units that have to be organized into a spatio-temporal sequence, the latency correspondingly increased. However latency was not affected by changes in the amount of force exerted, or in simple reversal movements. The implications of these results are discussed.