Responses of Free-ranging Rhesus Monkeys to a Natural Form of Social Separation. I. Parallels with Mother-Infant Separation in Captivity

Observations of 23 free-ranging rhesus monkey infants on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, indicated that mothers' first postpartum estrous periods were marked by large increases in the amount of time infants were separated from their mothers, by disturbances in mother-infant relationships, and by increases in infant distress behavior. When their mothers resumed mating, most infants showed signs of agitation; a few briefly showed indications of depression. Male infants responded to their mothers' resumption of mating by playing more, whereas females engaged in less play and more allogrooming. The results suggest ( a ) that basic parallels exist between the behavioral responses of rhesus infants to their mothers' resumption of mating in the field and to forcible separation from their mothers in captivity and ( b ) that early separation experiences may play a role in the normal development or manifestation of sex differences in behavior.     

Free kick goals in football: an unlikely success between failure and embarrassment

We develop and use a numerical model to investigate the window of opportunity of free kicks in association football. The planar multibody forward dynamics model comprises a two segment leg model with joint actuations, a football, a wall and the turf. Contact mechanics is defined to model the impact of the foot and the ball’s interaction with the different elements in the environment. The optimum kick is determined using the global optimization algorithm differential evolution, requiring millions of kick simulations. The sensitivity of various solutions to parameter perturbation is investigated. It is concluded that toe kicks are theoretically superior to instep kicks, but are difficult to perform reliably. The results also show that small perturbations in parameters can lead to embarrassingly failed kicks.     

Implementing VuFind: A Public Library Improves Electronic Search Quality and Saves Searcher Time

Web-scale discovery services (WSDs) are a widespread phenomenon sweeping university libraries across the world. In this article the authors discuss this trend and their experience working on a test server with the open source discovery layer VuFind. Developed by Demian Katz of Villanova University, VuFind’s potential to index not only the library’s catalog but also proprietary databases through the integration of application program interfaces (APIs) offers public libraries the opportunity to develop a seamless website-to-catalog experience, thereby building a true virtual branch for their patrons.     

Insecticidal activity of the medicinal plant, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alstonia boonei</Emphasis> De Wild,against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesamia calamistis</Emphasis> Hampson

The bioactivity of the aqueous extracts of the leaf and stem bark of the medicinal plant, Alstonia boonei De Wild (Apocyanaceae), against the pink stalk borer, Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was studied in a laboratory bioassay. The extracts were incorporated into artificial diet at a rate of 0.0% (control), 1.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0% (w/w). Both extracts significantly (P<0.01) reduced larval survival and weight in a dose dependent manner. The concentrations that killed 50% of the larvae (LC50) for the stem bark extract were 2.8% and 2.1% at 10 and 20 DAI (days after introduction), respectively, while those for the leaves extract were 5.6% and 3.5%. The weights of the larvae also varied significantly (P<0.05) between the treatments in a dose dependent manner. We conclude that both leaf and stem bark extracts of A. boonei are toxic, used as growth inhibitors to S. calamistis larvae, and hold good promise for use as alternative crop protectants against S. calamistis.     

Impact and educational outcomes of a small group self‐directed teaching strategy in a clinical neuroscience curriculum

The complexity of the material being taught in clinical neuroscience within the medical school curriculum requires creative pedagogies to teach medical students effectively. Many clinical teaching strategies have been developed and are well described to address these challenges. However, only a few have been evaluated to determine their impact on the performance of students studying clinical neuroscience. Interactive, 2‐hour, self‐directed small‐group interactive clinical case‐based learning sessions were conducted weekly for 4 weeks to integrate concepts learned in the corresponding didactic lectures. Students in the small groups analyzed cases of patients suffering from neurological disease that were based on eight learning objectives that allowed them to evaluate neuroanatomical data and clinical findings before presenting their case analysis to the larger group. Students’ performances on the formative quizzes and summative tests were compared to those of first‐year medical students in the previous year for whom the self‐directed, small‐group interactive clinical sessions were not available. There was a significant improvement in the summative performance of first‐year medical students with self‐directed clinical case learning in the second year (Y2) of teaching clinical neuroscience (P < 0.05) when compared with first‐year students in the first year (Y1) for whom the self‐directed learning approach was not available. Student performance in the formative assessments between Y1 and Y2 was not significantly different (P = 0.803). A target of ≥70% student scoring above 80% in the final summative examination was met. The current study revealed evidence for the impact and educational outcomes of a self‐directed, clinical teaching strategy in a clinical neuroscience curriculum for first‐year medical students. Anat Sci Educ 11: 478–487. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

The academic and psychological benefits of exercise in healthy children and adolescents

This review examines the psychological benefits exercise is connected to in healthy children and adolescents. Studies on the effect of exercise on academic performance, self-esteem, emotions, and mood were examined. Academic performance is found to be maintained when normal academic classes are reduced and replaced by an increase in exercise, physical activity, or physical education. Exercise seems to have a positive effect on several aspects of cognition and self-esteem in healthy children and adolescents. A positive connection between exercise and emotions and moods in children is found in the few studies that have been conducted.     

Beyond gender identity?

This paper focuses on the continuing significance of gender identity as a category of analysis within the field of gender theory and research in education. I begin by considering contemporary discussions of the limitations of research relating to gender theory and research in education. Following on from this, I explore some contemporary theorising on the category of gender within educational research in order to highlight ongoing debates that I perceive in the field. Finally, via a discussion of school toilets and gender performance, I consider how theoretical discourses relating to space and architecture might further develop the utility of gender as a category of analysis within education.     

Recovery of pulmonary diffusing capacity after maximal exercise

Abstract

Pulmonary diffusing capacity (Dl_co), together with spirometric variables, arterial oxygen tension (paO₂) and cardiac output were determined before and at intervals after maximal arm cranking, treadmill running and erogmeter rowing. Independent of the type of exercise, Dl_co increased immediately post‐exercise from a median 13.6 (range 7.3–16.3) to 15.1 (9.3–19.6) mmol min^‐1 kPa^‐1 (P <0.01). However, it decreased to 11.6 (6.9–15.5) mmol min^‐1 kPa^‐1 (P <0.01) after 24 h with cardiac output and paO₂ at resting values, and Dl_co normalized after 20 h. Thoracic electrical impedance at 2.5 and 100 kHz increased slightly post‐exercise, indicating a decrease in thoracic fluid balance, and there were no echocardiographic signs of left ventricular failure at the time of the decrease in Dl_co. Also, active muscle (limb) circumference and volume, and an increase in haematocrit from 43.8 (38.0–47.0) to 47.1 (42.7–49.8) (P <0.01), had normalized at the time of the decrease in Dl_co. Vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, peak and peak mid‐expiratory flows did not change. However, total lung capacity increased from 6.8 (5.0–7.6) to 7.0 (5.1–7.8) litres (P <0.05) immediately after exercise and remained elevated at 6.9 (5.1–8.7) litres (P <0.05) when a decrease in Dl_co was noted. The results demonstrate that independent of the type of maximal exercise, an approximate 15% reduction in Dl_co takes place 2–3 h post‐exercise, which normalizes during the following day of recovery.