The role of information search in creative problem solving

This study investigates the role that information search behavior plays in the process of creative problem solving. Although models of creative processing posit that information search is a necessary stage of creative problem solving, no research has separated and measured information search from earlier processes to determine the nature of the role it plays in the creative problem solving process. Two hundred twenty-one people participated in a study where active engagement in problem construction was manipulated. Participants were allowed to search for additional information that may facilitate the generation of a creative solution. Measures of information search that have been shown to influence performance on decision-making tasks were captured. The results indicated that the length of time spent searching, the quantity of information viewed, and the breadth of information search mediate the relationship between problem construction engagement and creativity across categories. Furthermore, the relationship between the efficiency of information search and creativity depends upon problem construction engagement. For people who engaged in problem construction, the more efficiently they searched for information, the more creative their solution. The efficiency of information search had no impact on creativity for people who did not engage in information search. The implications of these findings as they relate to the overall field of creative problem-solving are discussed

Building capacity for dissemination and implementation research: One university’s experience

Abstract Background While dissemination and implementation (D&I) science has grown rapidly, there is an ongoing need to understand how to build and sustain capacity in individuals and institutions conducting research. There are three inter-related domains for capacity building: people, settings, and activities. Since 2008, Washington University in St. Louis has dedicated significant attention and resources toward building D&I research capacity. This paper describes our process, challenges, and lessons with the goal of informing others who may have similar aims at their own institution. Activities An informal collaborative, the Washington University Network for Dissemination and Implementation Research (WUNDIR), began with a small group and now has 49 regular members. Attendees represent a wide variety of settings and content areas and meet every 6 weeks for half-day sessions. A logic model organizes WUNDIR inputs, activities, and outcomes. A mixed-methods evaluation showed that the network has led to new professional connections and enhanced skills (e.g., grant and publication development). As one of four, ongoing, formal programs, the Dissemination and Implementation Research Core (DIRC) was our first major component of D&I infrastructure. DIRC’s mission is to accelerate the public health impact of clinical and health services research by increasing the engagement of investigators in later stages of translational research. The aims of DIRC are to advance D&I science and to develop and equip researchers with tools for D&I research. As a second formal component, the Washington University Institute for Public Health has provided significant support for D&I research through pilot projects and a small grants program. In a third set of formal programs, two R25 training grants (one in mental health and one in cancer) support post-doctoral scholars for intensive training and mentoring in D&I science. Finally, our team coordinates closely with D&I functions within research centers across the university. We share a series of challenges and potential solutions. Conclusion Our experience in developing D&I research at Washington University in St. Louis shows how significant capacity can be built in a relatively short period of time. Many of our ideas and ingredients for success can be replicated, tailored, and improved upon by others

An environmentally responsive reciprocal replicating network

The financial support for this work was provided by EaStCHEM and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant EP/K503162/1).A reciprocal replication system is constructed from four building blocks, A , B , C , and D , which react in a pairwise manner through either a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition or the condensation reaction between an amine and an aldehyde to create two templates, trans-TAB and TCD. These templates are equipped with complementary recognition sites—two carboxylic acids (trans-TAB) or two 4,6-dimethylamidopyridines (TCD)—that enable each template to direct the formation of its complementary partner through two mutually-reinforcing cross-catalytic pathways, in which the templates trans-TAB or TCD preorganize the appropriate building blocks within two catalytically-active ternary complexes: [C•D•trans-TAB] and [A•B•TCD]. The template-directed processes within these complexes generate a heteroduplex [trans-TAB•TCD], which is shown to possess significant stability through kinetic simulations and fitting. As a consequence, the individual cross-catalytic pathways perform more efficiently in template-directed experiments when the concentration of the template being formed is below that of the template added as instruction. Comprehensive analysis of the system in which A , B , C , and D are mixed together directly, using a series of 1H NMR spectroscopic kinetic experiments, demonstrates that the behavior of the reciprocal system is more than the simple sum of its parts—as part of the interconnected network, the product of each reaction clearly directs the fabrication of its reciprocal partner, facilitating both higher rates of formation for both templates and improved diastereoselectivity for trans-TAB. A simple change in experimental conditions (from dry to "wet" CDCl3) demonstrates the sensitivity of the replication pathways within the network to the reaction environment, which leads to a >10-fold increase in the contribution of a new minimal self-replicator, trans-TAB*, to the replication network.PostprintPeer reviewe

Marital interaction theory: some implications for research

This project examines specific basic areas of marital interaction theory. Individual chapters are developed around the following themes: historical development of the theory of interaction; a theoretical discussion of selected concepts; personality as a determinant of interaction; communication in marriage; marital interaction patterns; methodology pertaining to research findings; and finally some implications for research which became apparent as this project developed. The project lays the conceptual groundwork for a series of empirical studies that will use the interactional approach as a theoretical base. The immediate purpose of this project therefore is to describe the important dimensions of the interactional approach as these pertain to marital interaction. Interaction is defined as a reciprocal relationship in which each person may produce effects upon the other. Here the essence of marriage is interaction; thus marital interaction is critical in its effect on the spouses and the continuity of the marriage. Some of the basic concepts of George Mead are described and it is suggested that they are essential elements of the interactional approach. The major assumptions of this approach are that a) human behavior cannot be derived or inferred from nonhuman forms, b) the social act is the primary analytic unit for an understanding of society and the personality, c) the human infant is potentially social, and d) the human being is actor as well as reactor. Personality is discussed as a determinant of the quality and quantity of marital interaction. The issue of personal competence is explored, particularly in respect to verbal ability. Communication, the process of influence, is defined for marital interaction and the consequent formation of patterns. Identification and classification of marital interaction patterns are limited to a description of selected examples from family research and the observations of clinicians. Patterns tend to be defined in psychological terms although communicative behavior is stressed. The absence of common criteria and terminology is noted. Description of dysfunctional patterns predominates. Two methods frequently used in recent studies of marital interaction are direct observation and analysis of reports from marital partners. It is suggested that a combination of these techniques could increase the quantity of information about marital interaction. Research questions focus on the problem of adult socialization, its implications for the establishment of marital interaction patterns, and the need to determine the relation between the interaction process and the functional or dysfunctional quality of the resultant pattern. An inseparable part of the aforementioned research areas is the function of communication. It is suggested that investigation of verbal communication might yield significant data for the understanding of the interaction process as it affects the personalities of the spouses and the formation of patterns

Relativistic and Binding Energy Corrections to Direct Photon Production In Upsilon Decay

A systematic gauge-invariant method is used to calculate the rate for an upsilon meson to decay inclusively into a prompt photon. An expansion is made in the quark relative velocity v, which is a small natural parameter for heavy quark systems. Inclusion of these O(v^2) corrections tends to increase the photon rate in the middle z range and to lower it for larger z, a feature supported by the data.Comment: 13 pages, LateX, One figure (to be published in Phys. Rev. D, Sept. 1, 1996

Reducing touching eyes, nose and mouth (‘T-zone’) to reduce the spread of infectious disease: A prospective study of motivational, volitional and non-reflective predictors

BACKGROUND: The route into the body for many pathogens is through the eyes, nose and mouth (i.e., the 'T-zone') via inhalation or fomite-based transfer during face touching. It is important to understand factors that are associated with touching the T-zone to inform preventive strategies. PURPOSE: To identify theory-informed predictors of intention to reduce facial 'T-zone' touching and self-reported 'T-zone' touching. METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative prospective questionnaire study of Canadians. Respondents were randomized to answer questions about touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with a questionnaire assessing 11 factors from an augmented Health Action Process Approach at baseline: intention, outcome expectancies, risk perception, individual severity, self-efficacy, action planning, coping planning, social support, automaticity, goal facilitation and stability of context. At 2-week follow-up, we assessed HAPA-based indicators of self-regulatory activities (awareness of standards, effort, self-monitoring) and self-reported behaviour (primary dependent variable). RESULTS: Of 656 Canadian adults recruited, 569 responded to follow-up (87% response rate). Across all areas of the 'T-zone', outcome expectancy was the strongest predictor of intention to reduce facial 'T-zone' touching, while self-efficacy was a significant predictor for only the eyes and mouth. Automaticity was the strongest predictor of behaviour at the 2-week follow-up. No sociodemographic or psychological factors predicted behaviour, with the exception of self-efficacy, which negatively predicted eye touching. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that focusing on reflective processes may increase intention to reduce 'T-zone' touching, while reducing actual 'T-zone' touching may require strategies that address the automatic nature of this behaviour

Who knows best? A Q methodology study to explore perspectives of professional stakeholders and community participants on health in low-income communities

Abstract Background Health inequalities in the UK have proved to be stubborn, and health gaps between best and worst-off are widening. While there is growing understanding of how the main causes of poor health are perceived among different stakeholders, similar insight is lacking regarding what solutions should be prioritised. Furthermore, we do not know the relationship between perceived causes and solutions to health inequalities, whether there is agreement between professional stakeholders and people living in low-income communities or agreement within these groups. Methods Q methodology was used to identify and describe the shared perspectives (‘subjectivities’) that exist on i) why health is worse in low-income communities (‘Causes’) and ii) the ways that health could be improved in these same communities (‘Solutions’). Purposively selected individuals (n = 53) from low-income communities (n = 25) and professional stakeholder groups (n = 28) ranked ordered sets of statements – 34 ‘Causes’ and 39 ‘Solutions’ – onto quasi-normal shaped grids according to their point of view. Factor analysis was used to identify shared points of view. ‘Causes’ and ‘Solutions’ were analysed independently, before examining correlations between perspectives on causes and perspectives on solutions. Results Analysis produced three factor solutions for both the ‘Causes’ and ‘Solutions’. Broadly summarised these accounts for ‘Causes’ are: i) ‘Unfair Society’, ii) ‘Dependent, workless and lazy’, iii) ‘Intergenerational hardships’ and for ‘Solutions’: i) ‘Empower communities’, ii) ‘Paternalism’, iii) ‘Redistribution’. No professionals defined (i.e. had a significant association with one factor only) the ‘Causes’ factor ‘Dependent, workless and lazy’ and the ‘Solutions’ factor ‘Paternalism’. No community participants defined the ‘Solutions’ factor ‘Redistribution’. The direction of correlations between the two sets of factor solutions – ‘Causes’ and ‘Solutions’ – appear to be intuitive, given the accounts identified. Conclusions Despite the plurality of views there was broad agreement across accounts about issues relating to money. This is important as it points a way forward for tackling health inequalities, highlighting areas for policy and future research to focus on

Mutation Symmetries in BPS Quiver Theories: Building the BPS Spectra

We study the basic features of BPS quiver mutations in 4D $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric quantum field theory with $G=ADE$ gauge symmetries.\ We show, for these gauge symmetries, that there is an isotropy group $\mathcal{G}_{Mut}^{G}$ associated to a set of quiver mutations capturing information about the BPS spectra. In the strong coupling limit, it is shown that BPS chambers correspond to finite and closed groupoid orbits with an isotropy symmetry group $\mathcal{G}_{strong}^{G}$ isomorphic to the discrete dihedral groups $Dih_{2h_{G}}$ contained in Coxeter$(G)$ with $$ the Coxeter number of G. These isotropy symmetries allow to determine the BPS spectrum of the strong coupling chamber; and give another way to count the total number of BPS and anti-BPS states of $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories. We also build the matrix realization of these mutation groups $\mathcal{G}_{strong}^{G}$ from which we read directly the electric-magnetic charges of the BPS and anti-BPS states of $\mathcal{N}=2$ QFT$_{4}$ as well as their matrix intersections. We study as well the quiver mutation symmetries in the weak coupling limit and give their links with infinite Coxeter groups. We show amongst others that $\mathcal{G}_{weak}^{su_{2}}$ is contained in ${GL}({2,}\mathbb{Z})$; and isomorphic to the infinite Coxeter ${I_{2}^{\infty}}$. Other issues such as building $\mathcal{G}$ and $\mathcal{G}_{weak}^{su_{3}}$ are also studied.Comment: LaTeX, 98 pages, 18 figures, Appendix I on groupoids adde

Prophylactic methylprednisolone to reduce inflammation and improve outcomes from one lung ventilation in children: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: One lung ventilation (OLV) results in inflammatory and mechanical injury, leading to intraoperative and postoperative complications in children. No interventions have been studied in children to minimize such injury. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that a single 2-mg·kg(-1) dose of methylprednisolone given 45-60 min prior to lung collapse would minimize injury from OLV and improve physiological stability. METHODS: Twenty-eight children scheduled to undergo OLV were randomly assigned to receive 2 mg·kg(-1) methylprednisolone (MP) or normal saline (placebo group) prior to OLV. Anesthetic management was standardized, and data were collected for physiological stability (bronchospasm, respiratory resistance, and compliance). Plasma was assayed for inflammatory markers related to lung injury at timed intervals related to administration of methylprednisolone. RESULTS: Three children in the placebo group experienced clinically significant intraoperative and postoperative respiratory complications. Respiratory resistance was lower (P = 0.04) in the methylprednisolone group. Pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was lower (P = 0.01), and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was higher (P = 0.001) in the methylprednisolone group. Tryptase, measured before and after OLV, was lower (P = 0.03) in the methylprednisolone group while increased levels of tryptase were seen in placebo group after OLV (did not achieve significance). There were no side effects observed that could be attributed to methylprednisolone in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Methylprednisolone at 2 mg·kg(-1) given as a single dose prior to OLV provides physiological stability to children undergoing OLV. In addition, methylprednisolone results in lower pro-inflammatory markers and higher anti-inflammatory markers in the children\u27s plasma