Context modulation of learned attention deployment

In three experiments, we investigated the contextual control of attention in human discrimination learning. In each experiment, participants initially received discrimination training in which the cues from Dimension A were relevant in Context 1 but irrelevant in Context 2, whereas the cues from Dimension B were irrelevant in Context 1 but relevant in Context 2. In Experiment 1, the same cues from each dimension were used in Contexts 1 and 2, whereas in Experiments 2 and 3, the cues from each dimension were changed across contexts. In each experiment, participants were subsequently shifted to a transfer discrimination involving novel cues from either dimension, to assess the contextual control of attention. In Experiment 1, measures of eye gaze during the transfer discrimination revealed that Dimension A received more attention than Dimension B in Context 1, whereas the reverse occurred in Context 2. Corresponding results indicating the contextual control of attention were found in Experiments 2 and 3, in which we used the speed of learning (associability) as an indirect marker of learned attentional changes. Implications of our results for current theories of learning and attention are discussed.     

Raising the bar on studying cultural evolution

Sasaki and Biro (2017, Nature Communications, 8, 15049) show that pairs of pigeons can increase the efficiency of their homing routes over several ‘generations’ in which pair members are gradually replaced by naïve birds. Their findings show that socially transmitted cumulative alterations of behavior are not unique to humans and suggest a way to examine potential mechanisms of cultural evolution.     

An Investigation of How Culture Shapes Curriculum in Early Care and Education Programs on a Native American Indian Reservation

This article investigates how culture shapes instruction in three early care and education programs on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Interviews with eight early childhood teachers as well as classroom observations were conducted. The investigation is framed by the following research question: How does the culture of the family and community shape curriculum? Data analysis suggested that ongoing communication with parents and community about teaching within a culturally relevant context, building a sense of belongingness and community through ritual, and respecting children, families, and community were essential to defining the Native American Indian culture within these early learning programs.     

An efficacy analysis of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for choroidal neovascularization secondary to multifocal choroiditis and comparison with wet age-related macular degeneration

Objective

To evaluate the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to multifocal choroiditis (MFC) and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: In this retrospective, comparative study, 20 unique eyes with CNV were divided into two groups: 10 patients affected by MFC and 10 patients diagnosed with wet AMD. They all received local intravitreal (IVT) injections of ranibizumab, with 6 months of follow-up. Retreatment injections were performed based on findings suggestive of active neovascularization.

Results

Significant improvements were observed in the juxtafoveal CNV lesions, and average central macular thickness decreased in both groups following the anti-VEGF therapy (P<0.05). The average number of injections used in MFC patients was 1.6, while three injections on average were used in wet AMD patients (Z=?2.844, P=0.009). Best-corrected visual acuity was significantly improved in MFC patients after anti-VEGF therapy (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in wet AMD patients between before anti-VEGF therapy and 6 months later (P>0.05).

Conclusions

IVT ranibizumab resulted in good clinical outcomes for juxtafoveal CNV secondary to MFC and wet AMD, but the average number of injections used in MFC was fewer than that used in wet AMD over a 6-month observation period. Compared with the wet AMD group, visual acuity was obviously improved in the MFC group at 6 months.

     

Effects of Second-Order Difference-Frequency Wave Forces on Floating Wind Turbine Under Survival Condition

In this paper, the effects of second-order difference-frequency wave forces on the global motion of an offshore wind turbine system with a large displacement under the survival condition are studied. In this case, the hydrodynamic force is the main force because the blades are feathered to reduce the lifting force. The first-order hydrodynamic forces are calculated by WADAM, while the second-order wave forces are calculated by a customized MATLAB module. Then the hydrodynamic coefficients are transferred to the wind turbine analytical code FAST. Through the comparisons of dynamic responses between the first- and second-order numerical models, it is found that the second-order wave forces significantly influence the motion of floating wind turbine under the survival condition. Moreover, neglecting the second-order force significantly underestimates the tension forces in the mooring lines.     

Does teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge affect their fluency instruction?

The relation is studied between teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge of reading and the quality of their subsequent classroom behaviour in teaching fluent reading. A confirmatory factor analysis model with two latent variables is tested and shows adequate goodness-of-fit indices. Contrary to our expectations, the results of structural equation modelling reveal a small but significant γ-value of .29, indicating that only 8% of the variance in teachers’ classroom behaviour in teaching fluent reading is accounted for by teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge of reading. Presumably teacher knowledge is not as stable and conclusive as one might think. More research is needed in determining the factors that work restricting for teachers in putting their knowledge into classroom practice. It is recommended that preservice and in-service teacher training should not be limited to transfer of knowledge, but should also assist teachers in designing and performing effective fluent reading instruction.     

Using an Attribution Support Tool to Enhance the Teacher Efficacy of Student Science Teachers

To increase the teacher efficacy of student teachers, they need positive classroom experiences: mastery experiences. These mastery experiences have to be created by the student teachers themselves. Therefore, student teachers need a tool to better understand problematic teaching experiences and help them create positive classroom experiences. Nine student biology teachers used this attribution support tool when reflecting on multiple lessons taught in classes they considered difficult. They scored their lessons and filled in a teacher efficacy questionnaire after each lesson. The results show that teacher efficacy increased and the number of failures during the lessons decreased; on average, the self-awarded marks per teacher per lesson increased, indicating an increase in mastery experiences. Therefore, the attribution tool seems to be a promising tool for student teachers to enhance their teacher efficacy and to support reflection on problematic teaching experiences.     

Pattern design on 3D triangular garment surfaces

This paper focuses on a pattern design method for a 3D triangular garment surface. Firstly, some definitions of 3D style lines are proposed for designing the boundaries of patterns as drawing straight lines or splines on the triangular surface. Additionally some commonly used style lines are automatically generated to enhance design efficiency. Secondly, after style lines are preprocessed, a searching method is presented for quickly obtaining the boundaries and patches of a pattern on the 3D trian- gular surface. Finally a new pattern design reuse method is introduced by encoding/decoding the style line information. After style lines are encoded, the pattern design information can be saved in a pattern template and when decoding this template on a new garment surface, it automates the pattern generation for made-to-measure apparel products.     

WVD的快速计算

The paper proposes a new method for computation of the Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) taking account of the conjugate symmetry of the WVD kernel function and the periodicity and symmetry of the trigonometric function. The method transfers the computation of WVD into real field from complex field to remove the redundancies in the fast Fourier transform(FFT) computation. The realization of fast cosine operation and fast sine operation considerably reduces the computation cost. Theoretical analysis shows that     

That’s Not Something We Have to Discuss: Interrupting Silences About Multiracial Students in Teacher Work

The author asserts that the field of teacher education must begin a critical conversation to better prepare and support teachers in attending to the complexities of racialized identities, experiences, and perspectives of multiracial students in K12 schools. The author offers a review of literature relevant to multiracial students, and draws from the emerging theoretical framework of Multicrit (Harris in Int J Qual Stud Educ 29(6):795–813, 2016) to present monoracism, ahistoricism, colorism and intersectionality to analyze excerpts from three respective research studies. Each excerpt demonstrates an imperative to build a critical understanding of multiracial students within teacher work. The author concludes with implications for future research and practice.