Infants of Depressed Mothers Exhibit Atypical Frontal Electrical Brain Activity during Interactions with Mother and with a Familiar, Nondepressed Adult

Previous studies have shown that infants of depressed mothers exhibit atypical frontal brain electrical activity when they are interacting with their mothers. Whereas typically developing infants exhibit greater left versus right frontal brain activity, infants of depressed mothers have been found to exhibit reduced relative left frontal activity. The left frontal brain region has been associated with the expression of positive emotions. In the present study, the question of whether the atypical pattern of brain activity found in infants of depressed mothers generalizes to situations not involving mother was addressed. Brain electrical activity was recorded from 13- to 15-month-old infants of depressed (N = 59) versus nondepressed (N = 40) mothers during a baseline condition, and during several social conditions that included a playful social interaction with a familiar experiments. Infants of depressed mothers exhibited reduced left relative to right frontal activity during the baseline condition, and during interactions with their mothers and with the familiar experimenter. The present results suggest that the atypical pattern of electrical brain activity found in infants of depressed mothers generalizes to a variety of situations, including positive interactions with nondepressed adults.     

Development and evaluation of a biomechanics concept inventory

To help instructors in evaluating innovations in biomechanics instruction, a standardised test of the key concepts taught in the introductory biomechanics course was developed. The Biomechanics Concept Inventory (BCI) consists of 24 questions that test four prerequisite competencies and eight biomechanics competencies. Three hundred and sixty seven students from ten universities throughout the United States took the test at the beginning and the end of the introductory biomechanics course. Analysis of a sub-sample of the students showed that the BCI was reliable with typical errors in internal consistency and test-retest conditions of 1.4 and 2.0 questions, respectively. Mean pre-test scores (8.5 +/- 2.0) significantly (p < 0.0001) improved to 10.5 +/- 3.2 in the posttest (n = 305). Typical biomechanics students could correctly answer half of the prerequisite questions on the pre-test. Instruction resulted in a mean normalised gain (g) of 13.0% of maximum possible improvement that was consistent with research on traditional instruction in introductory physics courses. It was concluded that the BCI could be an effective tool to evaluate the overall effect of pedagogical strategies on student learning of key biomechanical concepts in the introductory biomechanics course.     

Access to the online evidence base in general practice: a survey of the Northern and Yorkshire Region

Aims: To assess the awareness and use of NHSnet within general practice. To investigate the presence of skills necessary to maximize the benefits of NHSnet connections. Methods: Postal survey of general practice staff in the Northern and Yorkshire Region. Results: At least one completed questionnaire was obtained from 65% of the general practices surveyed, and the individual response rate to the general practice survey was 44%. Ninety per cent of all respondents reported that their practice was connected to the NHSnet, with 59% of respondents reporting that they use NHSnet at least once a week. Although NHSnet was used to search for research information or guidance, all respondents in this survey still reported greater access to and use of paper‐based information resources. Respondents indicated that they still needed further training on how to use NHSnet (42%), how to search the Internet (31%) and how to search electronic databases such as medline (49%). Conclusions: Since our 1999 survey, reported NHSnet connectivity has increased greatly, with a majority of respondents reporting that they use NHSnet at least once a week. Although encouraging, this level of usage suggests that using the Internet/NHSnet to find research has yet to become a core activity in general practice.     

Preventive Conservation on Demand: Developing Tools and Learning Resources for the Next Generation of Collections Professionals

ABSTRACT

The modern learning environment is evolving at a rapid pace. Technology can help developers of preventive conservation tools and learning resources for collections professionals to increase their impact and reach. However, it is crucial to keep the needs of users, and gaps in skills and knowledge at the forefront. This article examines preventive conservation tools and resources developed by the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) over the past 30 years. In light of the results from a recent survey and research in the learning and development field, a set of orientations for future tool development are highlighted; these tools must be: need driven, user centered, emulating everyday experiences, social and informal, concise, mobile friendly, curated and open access.     

Records storage in the cloud: are we modelling the cost?

Cloud services are increasingly seen as a flexible strategy for platform, infrastructure and software. Given the cloud’s claimed economic benefits archives and records professionals are now using cloud services for the storage of digital records and data. However, in determining whether or not to use the cloud for records and/or data storage, what models are available to them for estimating the cost and the medium-to-long-term financial implications for their organisations? This article identifies models available for estimating cloud storage costs and presents the results of an international survey into their use in the decision-making process with a series of real use case examples illustrating their value. The study highlights a series of important implications for archivists and records managers. These include the importance and challenges of using the models, their lack of widespread use, their adequacy, and the multiple players who should be involved in their application and development. Archivists and records managers need greater awareness and understanding of the models so they can play a central role in the cloud storage decision-making process and in the development of more effective costing models.