Illness-induced taste aversion under states of deprivation and satiation

A taste aversion to saccharin was induced under conditions of satiation or deprivation. Subsequent testing occurred under the same or opposite conditions. A preference test yielded significant drug-placebo effects only under similar training and testing conditions. Ss trained and tested under satiation produced the greatest drug-placebo differences. The data are discussed in terms of state dependency and the procedures used to induce and measure the taste aversion.     

Expanding the landscape: developing knowledgeability through communities of practice

Rapid changes in the Higher Education (HE) sector are increasing the pressure on teaching staff to introduce technology-enhanced learning experiences into the curriculum. Institutions therefore need to provide effective means of enabling academics to successfully transition to these new modes of curriculum delivery. This paper reports on an inquiry into the efficacy of a community of practice (CoP) approach trialled at a HE institution to contribute to the design of a renewed, blended curriculum. Analysis indicated that participation in the CoP had a positive impact on academics’ sense of community and their knowledgeability in relation to new teaching approaches.     

Service-learning and the development of student teachers in Singapore

ABSTRACT

Service-learning has been gaining traction in Singapore, with many educational institutions integrating it into their curriculum. In the National Institute of Education (NIE), the Group Endeavours in Service-Learning (GESL) is an experiential learning opportunity for all student teachers (STs) to collaborate with the community to address local needs. GESL endeavours to build character, and develop positive values and social-emotional competencies. Hence the purpose of this study is to explore how GESL enhances pre-service teacher education in relation to teacher training. Eleven GESL groups were selected, with 12 members from each group randomly recruited to participate in the focus group interviews. A total of 15 focus group interviews were held. The interview data was transcribed, coded and presented in themes by using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Overall, there seemed to be a greater level of self-awareness and understanding of the community needs. Participants reported getting to know themselves better, in terms of their strengths and weaknesses and how they can contribute to the community. There was also enhancement of collaboration, communication and people-management skills. These findings suggest that GESL may be an effective channel to imbue attributes that NIE has identified as important for teaching professionals.     

Strategic development of multiplication problem solving: Patterns of students' strategy choices

Low mathematics achievement is a persistent problem in the United States, and multiplication is a fundamental area in which many students manifest learning difficulties. This study examined the strategic developmental levels of multiplication problem solving among 121 elementary school students in Grades 3 through 5. A latent class analysis modeling was used to identify three valid groups representing different patterns of strategy choices for each of three types of multiplication problems. Findings indicated intra-group variability for problem-solving accuracy, for frequency of using different strategies, and for accuracy of executing direct retrieval/algorithm (DR/AG) strategies. Students demonstrated relative consistency in their strategy choices for solving the three problem types. Students who used DR/AG strategies most frequently showed the highest problem-solving accuracy and the highest accuracy of executing the DR/AG strategies. Students who most frequently relied on incorrect operations or who indicated they did not know how to solve problems demonstrated the lowest problem-solving accuracy among the three groups; the number of students in this group increased with problem difficulty levels. Implications are discussed in terms of identifying students' strategic developmental levels and providing differentiated instruction based on the identified levels.     

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Negative Life Events From Late Childhood to Adolescence

This multiwave longitudinal study tested two quantitative genetic developmental models to examine genetic and environmental influences on exposure to negative dependent and independent life events. Participants (N = 457 twin pairs) completed measures of life events annually from ages 9 to 16. The same genetic factors influenced exposure to dependent events across time and increased in magnitude during the transition to adolescence. Independent events were less genetically influenced than dependent events in boys, but not girls. Shared environmental influences decreased in magnitude as youth transitioned into adolescence. Nonshared environmental influences were mostly age specific and contributed significantly to both types of events at all ages. Results provide theoretical implications for developmental risk pathways to stress exposure and stress‐related psychopathology.     

Exploring Survivor Experiences and Emotions Expressed about Loss and Responsibility Following a Thrombosis Event

We explored the experiences and emotions women expressed about having a blood clot, including revelations about family members' decision to avoid disclosing inherited risk for clotting. We do this through analysis of in-depth life reflection interviews (N = 20) of women who experienced a first venous blood clot between the ages of 18 and 50 years. Selective coding reduced the data to an overarching story associated with thrombosis survivorship and loss across multiple life domains. The themes identified include participant revelations about living in the shadow of genetic susceptibility for thrombosis. Participants manage changes associated with lingering health effects, and daily routines for work and life, adapting their lives to manage coagulability. A second theme reveals the fallout linked to the severity of thrombosis encompassed in haunting psychological scenarios, persistent emotional concerns, and social discrimination. Participants assumed responsibility to disclose inherited risk, with the women expressing empowerment in knowing risks and acknowledging possible genetic testing mistakes. The overarching perspective was one of hope through proactive actions in occupational, recreational, and relational realms. We offer our findings as a theoretical depiction of thrombosis survivor identity and the need for public health and clinical communication to support disclosing family history for clotting.     

Young children's number sense in Finland,Hong Kong and Singapore

This study examines young children's number sense in subjects from Finland (n=254), Hong Kong (n=246), and Singapore (n=130). Chinese, English and Finnish versions of the Early Numeracy Test (ENT; Van Luit et al., 1994) were used. Two highly correlated aspects of number sense were measured, one reflecting children's abilities to organize and compare quantities (i.e. relational skills), and the other pertaining to their ability to operate with number-word sequence (i.e. counting skills). The results showed significant age-related gain on the relational and counting scales. No gender or language differences were found. The children in Hong Kong and Singapore outperformed those in Finland in relational and counting tasks starting at the age of four years. The children in Singapore also had better relational and counting skills than those in Hong Kong. Differences in teaching were assumed to explain the findings.     

An electroactive microwell array for trapping and lysing single-bacterial cells

Interest in single-cell analysis has increased because it allows to understand cell metabolism and characterize disease states, cellular adaptation to environmental changes, cell cycles, etc. Here, the authors propose a device to electrically trap and lyse single-bacterial cells in an array format for high-throughput single-cell analysis. The applied electric field is highly deformed and concentrated toward the inside of the microwell structures patterned on the planar electrode. This configuration effectively generates dielectrophoretic force to attract a single cell per well. The microwell has a comparable size to the target bacterial cell making it possible to trap single cells by physically excluding additional cells. Inducing highly concentrated electric potential on the cell membrane can also effectively lyse the trapped single-bacterial cells. The feasibility of the authors' approach was demonstrated by trapping and lysing Escherichia coli cells at the single-cell level. The present microwell array can be used as a basic tool for individual bacterial cell analysis.