Similarity between an unfamiliar human and the owner affects dogs’ preference for human partner when responding to an unsolvable problem

This study investigates whether dogs are able to differentiate between people according to whether or not they show similarities to their owners. We hypothesized that dogs would show a preference for the “similar” partner when interacting with unfamiliar humans. After having familiarized with two experimenters displaying different degrees of similarity to their owners, dogs (N = 36) participated in a situation where the desired toy object was made inaccessible in order to find out whether they initiate interaction with the two partners differently. Two different types of “similarity cues” were used (either alone or combined with each other): (1) persistent behavioral characteristics (i.e., familiar vs. strange motion pattern and language usage) and (2) an unfamiliar arbitrary group marker (i.e., one of the potential helpers was wearing clothing similar to that worn by the owner). Results show that although dogs payed equal attention to the human partners displaying various types of similarity to their owners during familiarization, they exhibited a visual attention preference for the human whose motion pattern and language usage were similar to their owner’s in the inaccessible-toy task. However, there was weak evidence of discrimination based on the arbitrary group marker (clothing). Although dogs’ different tendencies to interact with the potential helpers do not necessarily imply an underlying ability to create social categories based on the degree of similarity between the owner and unfamiliar people, these results suggest that functionally human infant-analogue forms of social categorization may have emerged in dogs.     

Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation

Opinion on the role of protein in promoting athletic performance is divided along the lines of how much aerobic-based versus resistance-based activity the athlete undertakes. Athletes seeking to gain muscle mass and strength are likely to consume higher amounts of dietary protein than their endurance-trained counterparts. The main belief behind the large quantities of dietary protein consumption in resistance-trained athletes is that it is needed to generate more muscle protein. Athletes may require protein for more than just alleviation of the risk for deficiency, inherent in the dietary guidelines, but also to aid in an elevated level of functioning and possibly adaptation to the exercise stimulus. It does appear, however, that there is a good rationale for recommending to athletes protein intakes that are higher than the RDA. Our consensus opinion is that leucine, and possibly the other branched-chain amino acids, occupy a position of prominence in stimulating muscle protein synthesis; that protein intakes in the range of 1.3-1.8 g · kg(-1) · day(-1) consumed as 3-4 isonitrogenous meals will maximize muscle protein synthesis. These recommendations may also be dependent on training status: experienced athletes would require less, while more protein should be consumed during periods of high frequency/intensity training. Elevated protein consumption, as high as 1.8-2.0 g · kg(-1) · day(-1) depending on the caloric deficit, may be advantageous in preventing lean mass losses during periods of energy restriction to promote fat loss.     

History of abuse and neglect in patients with schizophrenia who have a history of violence

Objective

To determine the prevalence of five forms of abuse/neglect during childhood and adolescence in a group of schizophrenic patients with a history of violence.

Methods

Twenty-eight patients hospitalized in a highly secured psychiatric unit were included. Abuse and neglect during patients’ growth were evaluated with the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). History of substance abuse (consumption of cannabis, and/or alcohol, and/or heroin, and/or cocaine during the year that preceded the hospitalization), incarceration, and death of a close parent were also collected.

Results

We found that 46.4% of patients experienced at least 1 form of abuse and/or neglect during childhood and 21.4% of them had experienced more than 2 forms of abuse and/or neglect. The 2 most frequent forms of neglect and abuse were physical abuse (39.3%) and emotional neglect (17.9%). History of substance abuse was found for cannabis (57.1%), alcohol (57.1%), and cocaine and/or heroin (35.7%). We found that 42.8% of patients had 1 close relative who had died during their growth and that 41.6% of these deaths were violent.

Conclusion

It appears important to systematically search for and assess a history of abuse and neglect during growth in schizophrenic patients with a history of violence, in order to offer specific treatments for this group of patients.     

PROMOTING AN INCLUSIVE IMAGE OF SCIENTISTS AMONG STUDENTS: TOWARDS RESEARCH EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

This study aims at investigating the effects of a teaching intervention, the design of which is informed by evidence from educational theories and research data, on students’ images of scientists. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent pre-test–post-test control group (CG) was used to compare the outcomes of the intervention. The subjects of the study were 63 grade 6 (aged 12 and 13) students who were in two different classes and taught by two different teachers. The study was undertaken in ten class hours over a 4-week period, during which the topics related to matter and heat concepts were covered as a part of the regular Turkish Science and Technology Curriculum. Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two classes in terms of their achievements in the Science and Technology course (t(63) = −0.943, p > 0.05). Accordingly, one of the classes was randomly selected as the experimental group (EG). A modified version of the Draw-a-Scientist Test, in conjunction with individual interviews, was used to assess students’ images of scientists at the beginning and end of the study. The results showed that students who had followed evidence-informed instruction had significant gains from the pre-test to the post-test regarding their images of scientists compared to students with traditional instruction. Many students in the EG started to view scientists as realistic people rather than as extraordinary people or mythical creatures. Nevertheless, several students in the CG held images of scientists and their work which fit a stereotype of scientists as male, bald, bespectacled, wearing a laboratory coat, working alone in a laboratory environment and having a limited social life. Some possible implications for teaching and further research are discussed.     

A System of Student Feedback: Considerations of Academic Staff Taken into Account

As a consequence of the suspension of a system of yearly evaluations of individual courses with student questionnaires, the University of Leuven organised a broad consultation of the academic community focussing on what they expect from a system based on student feedback. The study revealed that this community attaches great importance to a clear definition of the goals of student feedback, improvement and accountability, and a logical translation of these goals into a concrete approach. The study also confirmed the need of academic staff for a concrete response to the importance they give to quality improvement and enhancement besides accountability.

     

The effect of eye-like schema on shuttling activity of wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus): Context-dependent threatening aspects of the eyespot patterns

The effects of footshock and various light-spot models on the shuttling activity of mice were examined in a passive avoidance situation. It was found that mild footshocks elicited initial exploration followed by an increased tendency to escape from the compartment in which the shocks were administered. An encounter with models, consisting of various numbers of small yellow lights, without footshock did not cause significant differences in shuttling activity. But if the models were paired with footshock, a tendency to explore during the first trial, high readiness to escape, and avoidance learning were found. These were characterized by a temporary increase in number of gate crossings, a decrease in the time spent in the shocked compartment, and a considerable increase in latency to enter the shocked compartment. The most effective model had two horizontally arranged yellow lights, which may share some characteristics with eye-like patterns.     

Sodium bicarbonate ingestion does not alter the slow component of oxygen uptake kinetics in professional cyclists

We examined the effects of pre-exercise sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion on the slow component of oxygen uptake (VO2) kinetics in seven professional road cyclists during intense exercise. One hour after ingesting either a placebo or NaHCO3 (0.3 g x kg body mass(-1)), each cyclist (age, 25 +/- 2 years; VO2max, 74.7 +/- 5.9 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1); mean +/- s) performed two bouts of 6 min duration at an intensity of 90% VO2max interspersed by 8 min of active recovery. Gas exchange and blood data (pH, blood lactate concentration and [HCO3-]) were collected during the tests. In both bouts, the slow component of VO2 was defined as the difference between end-exercise VO2 and the VO2 at the end of the third minute. No significant difference was found in the slow component of VO2 between conditions in the first (NaHCO3, 210 +/- 69 ml; placebo, 239 +/- 105 ml) or second trial (NaHCO3, 123 +/- 88 ml; placebo, 197 +/- 101 ml). In conclusion, pre-exercise NaHCO3 ingestion did not significantly attenuate the VO2 slow component of professional road cyclists during high-intensity exercise.     

Worldwide variation in the performance of children and adolescents: An analysis of 109 studies of the 20-m shuttle run test in 37 countries

Abstract

This study is a meta-analysis of 109 reports of the performance of children and adolescents on the 20-m shuttle run test (20-mSRT). The studies were performed in 37 countries and included data on 418,026 children, tested between 1981 and 2003. Results were expressed as running speed (km · h^?1) at the final completed stage of the 20-mSRT. Raw data were combined with pseudodata using Monte Carlo simulation. The 20-mSRT performances were expressed as z-scores relative to all children of the same age and sex from all countries. An overall “performance index” was derived for each country as the average of the age- and sex-specific z-scores for all children from that country. Factorial analysis of variance was used to compare scores among countries and regions, and between boys and girls of the same age. There was wide and significant (P < 0.0001) global variability in the performance of children. The best performing children were from the Northern European countries Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania, and Finland (0.6 – 0.9 standard deviations above the global average). The worst performing children were from Singapore, Brazil, USA, Italy, Portugal, and Greece (0.4 – 0.9 standard deviations below the global average). There is evidence that performance was negatively related to being overweight, as well as to a country's average temperature.     

Part and whole practice: chunking and online control in the acquisition of a serial motor task

A four-component aiming movement was used to examine the relative effectiveness of part and whole practice. Following a pretest, participants were assigned to one of three practice groups. Participants in a "Whole" group practiced the four components together as a unit. A "No Overlap" group practiced the first two and last two components of the task, alternating every fifth trial. An "Overlap" group practiced the transition between the second and third components on every trial by alternating practice of the first three and last three components every five trials. Participants in all groups improved significantly from pretest to immediate posttest and maintained their performance over a 24-hr delay. Contrary to the "chunking hypothesis," participants in the No Overlap group improved as much as those in the other two groups. Kinematic data indicated that participants in all three groups learned to use response-produced feedback earlier in the individual movement trajectories. Moreover, participants appeared to acquire a general ability to make transitions between movement components rather than specific transitions. The results suggest that segmented or segmented "overlap" practice regimes may benefit learning movement sequences of short duration.