Use of subjective estimation in motor skill tests of young children: judgment based on observation of behavior in daily life

This study assessed what motor skill tests were appropriate by observing 636 young children's behavior in daily life (low-aged classes, M = 3.7 yr.; middle-aged classes, M = 4.7 yr.; high-aged classes, M = 5.7 yr.). A homeroom teacher and an assistant teacher estimated motor achievement as pass-or-fail, and then judged pass-or-fail based on practical testing. Estimate-re-estimate agreement, interrater agreement, and agreement between estimated values and measured values were examined for 27 items, e.g., skipping, bouncing a ball, and turning on one leg. Estimate-re-estimate agreement was high on the whole. Interrater agreement ranged from 34% to 100% for 3-yr.-olds, 21% to 100% for 4-yr.-olds, and 89% to 100% for 5-yr.-olds. Agreement between estimated values and measured values greater than 80% was found in most items for 5-yr.olds (14 items). After examining the above-mentioned agreements, 26 items were selected as possible tests to judge motor development, using a pass-or-fail, from the observation of young children's behavior in daily life.     

One percent ability and ninety-nine percent perspiration: a study of a Japanese memorist

In 1987, Hideaki Tomoyori, a Japanese memorist, set a world record for reciting the first 40,000 digits of pi. The authors report results from a series of tests that give a view of Tomoyori's memory performance compared with that of a control group, matched for age and educational level. He showed very good scores on tasks with digits, such as digit memory span tasks and 5 x 5 number matrix learning, although some of the control participants were nearly as good. In contrast, his performance was not particularly good for learning word lists and story recall. Overall, his performance on the tasks does not suggest that he has superior cognitive abilities. We believe that his extraordinary memory performance in reciting the digits of pi results from his effective use of a combination of digit-syllable transformations and imagery mnemonics developed from extensive practice. These results are consistent with the skilled memory framework.     

Formation of FeNi with L10-ordered structure using high-pressure torsion

FeNi with the L1₀-ordered structure is formed over an astronomical timescale in meteorites. In this study, severe plastic deformation using high-pressure torsion (HPT) is employed for the production of the L1₀ structure in the laboratory. Its formation is confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Processing of elemental nanopowders by HPT is an effective method for the formation of the L1₀ phase, which is enhanced by the addition of Co to FeNi or annealing after HPT. The formation of the phase must be associated with enhanced diffusion through HPT.     

Hydrogen diffusion in ultrafine-grained iron with the body-centered cubic crystal structure

The role of grain boundaries in Fe on hydrogen diffusion has been investigated by electrochemical permeation tests using ultrafine-grained Fe produced by high-pressure torsion (HPT) processing. Permeation tests were also conducted on cold-rolled and water-quenched Fe to understand the trapping effect of dislocations and vacancies. Hydrogen diffusion was delayed in all these discs. However, the delay mechanism in the HPT-processed disc was different from that in rolled and water-quenched Fe. Grain boundaries do not act as trapping sites but slow the diffusion. The diffusion coefficients of hydrogen were significantly decreased by HPT processing on account of the high activation energy for hydrogen diffusion in grain boundaries.     

Adrenalectomy Causes Oxidative Damage and Monoamine Increase in the Brain of Rats and Enhances Immobilization Stress-Induced Oxidative Damage and Neurotransmitter Changes

The paradox that increased levels of glucocorticoids can either enhance or suppress the organism's defense against stress, has been an obstacle to formulating a unified picture of glucocorticoid function. To clarify the glucocorticoid paradox, we examined male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to immobilization stress and/or bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX), and measured oxidative damage to lipid, protein, and DNA, as well as monoamine neurotransmitter turnover. ADX, which is similar to stress, induces an increase in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, accompanied by increased monoamine neurotransmitter turnover in several regions of the brain of rats. The effect of ADX is greater than that induced by short-term immobilization stress. In addition, ADX enhances stress-induced oxidative damage and increase of monoamine neurotransmitter turnover. These results, together with our previous finding that long-term stress causes oxidative damage to the brain, suggest that stress levels of glucocorticoids, or levels lower than basal, cause oxidative damage. However, basal levels of glucocorticoids appear to buffer against oxidative damage. These findings provide possible mechanisms to understand the glucocorticoid paradox, and support the stress-oxidative hypothesis of aging acceleration.     

The Current State of Genetic Counseling Before and After Amniocentesis for Fetal Karyotyping in Japan: A Survey of Obstetric Hospital Clients of a Prenatal Testing Laboratory

Pregnant women undergoing prenatal genetic testing should receive genetic counseling so they can make informed decisions. We examined the current state of providing genetic counseling in Japan to pregnant women before they elected amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities and after test results were completed, and explored the opportunity for expanding access to certified genetic counselors (CGC) at clinical practices offering amniocentesis. An anonymous survey was mailed to the 298 hospitals that referred amniotic fluid specimens to LabCorp Japan in 2009. Most genetic counseling was provided by the obstetrician alone; 73.8 % (76/103) of pre-amniocentesis, 82.5 % (85/103) if normal results, and 49.4 % (44/89) if abnormal results. Respondents spent limited time in genetic counseling; 57.3 % spent <10 min for pre-amniocentesis, 88.3 % spent <10 min for normal results, and 54.0 % spent <20 min for abnormal results. While 45.8 % indicated that CGC do not have an essential role in clinical practice, responses that supported employment of CGC were more likely to come from hospitals that submitted more than ten specimens annually (p?<?0.0001), university hospitals (p?<?0.0001), and MD geneticists (p?=?0.020). Currently, there is limited genetic counseling available in Japan. This indicates there are opportunities for the employment of CGC to improve the quality of genetic counseling.     

Difference in Cortical Relay Time Between Intrinsic Muscles of Dominant and Nondominant Hands

The authors aimed to calculate and compare cortical relay time (CRT) between intrinsic hand muscles and between homonymous muscles of dominant and nondominant hands. The participants comprised 22 healthy volunteers. The CRT for long-latency reflexes (LLRs) was calculated by subtracting the peak latency of somatosensory evoked potentials of component N20 and the onset latency of motor evoked potentials from the onset latency of LLRs. CRT was significantly shorter for the first dorsal interosseous muscle than for the abductor pollicis brevis muscle, regardless of hand dominance. CRT for the abductor pollicis brevis muscle was significantly shorter in the dominant hand than in the nondominant hand. Evaluation of CRT for intrinsic muscles might be beneficial in the understanding of individuated finger functions.     

Simultaneously cooperative, but serially antagonistic: a neuropsychological study of diagonistic dyspraxia in a case of Marchiafava-Bignami disease

We describe a patient with Marchiafava-Bignami disease who showed, in addition to signs of callosal interruption, a peculiar form of diagonistic dyspraxia. Unlike the typical diagonistic dyspraxia, both of the patient's hands could simultaneously cooperate in a sequence of bimanual actions. More specifically, his right hand could start a commanded action with the cooperation of his left hand. However, once the action was completed, his left hand started an antagonistic action, undoing the result, with the cooperation of his right hand. Once this countermanding action was completed, the original action started again. These antagonistic actions repeated themselves alternately unless he was restrained. The patient's diagonistic dyspraxia was apparent in only some bimanual actions, and he showed no diagonistic dyspraxia when performing voluntary actions; the antagonistic actions occurred in response to oral commands or by imitation. Magnetic resonance imaging showed symmetrical demyelination with partial necrosis in the genu, body, and anterior splenium of the corpus callosum. We speculate that the bimanual coordination is possible because part of the corpus callosum is intact, whereas the antagonistic actions may be caused by conflict between the two hemispheres due to interhemispheric disinhibition elicited by the demyelinated part of the corpus callosum.     

Selection of effective tests of motor ability in preschool children based on pass-or-fail criteria: examination of reliability, objectivity, and rate of passing

The purpose of this study was to select effective tests of motor ability based on pass-or-fail criteria for use with preschool children. 37 items selected by examining theoretical validity and the results of preliminary tests were administered to preschool children (3 yr.: M = 3.7 yr., SD = 0.28; 4 yr.: M = 4.7 yr., SD = 0.28; 5 yr.: M = 5.7 yr., SD = 0.28). A skilled tester and each child's homeroom teacher rated whether the child's performance passed certain criteria or not. With agreement on two trials as an index of test-retest reliability, the mean agreement among the three grades ranged from 69% to 99% for Locomotion, 59% to 95% for Manipulation; and 66% to 100% for Stability. Disagreement on two trials may reflect instability in movement, practice effects, and so on. With agreement between two testers as an index of objectivity for 37 items, 33 showed interrater agreement of 80% or more for all three grades. No significant increase in pass rate with age was found on 10 items. In examining the three conditions mentioned above 27 items were selected as tests of motor ability: 14 items for Locomotion, 7 items for Manipulation, and 6 items for Stability.     

Mediating Role of Memory of Another Person's Choicein Social Influence on Preference

We often tend to fit our subjective preference with those of others after merely being faced with what other people prefer. This is known as social conformity. However, it is still unclear how the impact of such a social influence on subjective preference is modulated by the personal characteristics of the other person (e.g., whether the person is trustworthy) and the explicit memory of those personal characteristics (e.g., remembering who evaluated the objects). To clarify explicit memory's underlying role regarding social influence, we asked participants to evaluate their preference for abstract paintings both before and after observing binary choices made by others whose behaviors could be labeled as trustworthy, neutral, or untrustworthy. The results showed the following: (a) even without explicit memory of who made a choice and which painting was chosen, the participants preferred chosen over unchosen paintings; and (b) such preference changes were modulated by the subjective trustworthiness of others only when they explicitly remembered who made a choice.