5,640 research outputs found
Integrative priming occurs rapidly and uncontrollably during lexical processing
Lexical priming, whereby a prime word facilitates recognition of a related target word (e.g., nurse ? doctor), is typically attributed to association strength, semantic similarity, or compound familiarity. Here, the authors demonstrate a novel type of lexical priming that occurs among unassociated, dissimilar, and unfamiliar concepts (e.g., horse ? doctor). Specifically, integrative priming occurs when a prime word can be easily integrated with a target word to create a unitary representation. Across several manipulations of timing (stimulus onset asynchrony) and list context (relatedness proportion), lexical decisions for the target word were facilitated when it could be integrated with the prime word. Moreover, integrative priming was dissociated from both associative priming and semantic priming but was comparable in terms of both prevalence (across participants) and magnitude (within participants). This observation of integrative priming challenges present models of lexical priming, such as spreading activation, distributed representation, expectancy, episodic retrieval, and compound cue models. The authors suggest that integrative priming may be explained by a role activation model of relational integration
Peer assessment without assessment criteria
Peer assessment typically requires students to judge peers' work against assessment criteria. We tested an alternative approach in which students judged pairs of scripts against one another in the absence of assessment criteria. First year mathematics undergraduates (N = 194) sat a written test on conceptual understanding of multivariable calculus, then assessed their peers' responses using pairwise comparative judgement. Inter-rater reliability was investigated by randomly assigning the students to two groups and correlating the two groups' assessments. Validity was investigated by correlating the peers' assessments with (i) expert assessments, (ii) novice assessments, and (iii) marks from other module tests. We found high validity and inter-rater reliability, suggesting that the students performed well as peer assessors. We interpret the results in the light of survey and interview feedback, and discuss directions for further research into the benefits and drawbacks of peer assessment without assessment criteria
Kumukumu 1, a hilltop site in the Aird Hills: Implications for occupational trends and dynamics in the Kikori River delta, south coast of Papua New Guinea
We report on archaeological excavations undertaken at Kumukumu 1 atop the dense rainforest-clad Aird Hills of the Kikori river delta islands, south coast of Papua New Guinea. Results indicate exploitation of the nearby environment, including the gathering of some 200 million shellfish from riverine habitats at the base of the hill some 600 years ago, and deposition of shell remains onto hilltop middens. We ask what the implications of such a site in a defensive location on the upper, steep hillslope of Kumukumu hill are for regional occupation and dynamics. We conclude that the hinterland-marine fringe islands of the river deltas that include the site of Kumukumu 1 were especially sensitive to heightened cross-cultural influences and inter-group raids and competition, leading to accelerated processes of centralisation and aggrandisement among some groups, and the subjugation, fragmentation and dispersal of less powerful neighbouring groups
Spectral ageing analysis of the double-double radio galaxy J1453+3308
We present new radio observations at frequencies ranging from 240 to 4860 MHz
of the well-known, double-double radio galaxy (DDRG), J1453+3308, using both
the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and the Very Large Array (VLA).
These observations enable us to determine the spectra of the inner and outer
lobes over a large frequency range and demonstrate that while the spectrum of
the outer lobes exhibits significant curvature, that of the inner lobes appears
practically straight. The break frequency, and hence the inferred synchrotron
age of the outer structure, determined from 16arcsec strips transverse to
the source axis, increases with distance from the heads of the lobes. The
maximum spectral ages for the northern and southern lobes are 47 and 58
Myr respectively. Because of the difference in the lengths of the lobes these
ages imply a mean separation velocity of the heads of the lobes from the
emitting plasma of 0.036c for both the northern and southern lobes. The
synchrotron age of the inner double is about 2 Myr which implies an advance
velocity of 0.1c, but these values have large uncertainties because the
spectrum is practically straight.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA
Adjustments to Social Work Practice during the COVID-19 Adjustments to Social Work Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic in North Carolina: Effects on Burnout and Commitment Pandemic in North Carolina: Effects on Burnout and Commitment
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for social workers in the U.S. and abroad has increased. There is demand for more social workers in North Carolina due to ongoing and increasing mental health, substance use disorder, and child welfare needs. COVID-19 has taken a toll on the personal and professional lives of social workers, and research is needed to understand the pandemic’s effects on burnout and commitment among social workers. The present study sought to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the personal and professional lives of social workers practicing in North Carolina and to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted social worker burnout and organizational and occupational commitment. An online survey was distributed to social workers practicing in North Carolina between February and June of 2022. Social work students recruited 120 eligible participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple regressions. Adjustments to COVID-19 were predictive of work-related burnout and affective commitment when controlling for other factors. Years of practice experience, racial identity, caregiver status, satisfaction with organizational environment, educational attainment, and urbanicity of practice location were also salient predictors across the regression models. North Carolina social workers experienced major adjustments to their personal and professional lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to negative consequences including increased work-related burnout and less organizational commitment. Additional research – particularly qualitative investigations – is needed to better understand the lived experiences of social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Are you handling genital oedema confidently?
Men, women or children can suffer from oedema (swelling) of the genitalia. When differential diagnosis has excluded acute trauma or pathology and swelling remains, the condition may be diagnosed as genital lymphoedema, a chronic condition that increases the relative risk of cellulitis. Diagnosis of genital oedema is often delayed due to problems with patient and health professional behaviour, in terms of embarrassment, lack of confidence or lack of knowledge. Awareness of this condition and knowledge on how to manage it will go a long way in helping both patients and clinicians overcome the challenges of addressing genital oedema. This article describes the authors' experiences in managing genital oedema. It also briefly discusses a new international project that seeks to identify the knowledge and training that health professionals need to manage this condition more confidently
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Temporary microglia-depletion after cosmic radiation modifies phagocytic activity and prevents cognitive deficits.
Microglia are the main immune component in the brain that can regulate neuronal health and synapse function. Exposure to cosmic radiation can cause long-term cognitive impairments in rodent models thereby presenting potential obstacles for astronauts engaged in deep space travel. The mechanism/s for how cosmic radiation induces cognitive deficits are currently unknown. We find that temporary microglia depletion, one week after cosmic radiation, prevents the development of long-term memory deficits. Gene array profiling reveals that acute microglia depletion alters the late neuroinflammatory response to cosmic radiation. The repopulated microglia present a modified functional phenotype with reduced expression of scavenger receptors, lysosome membrane protein and complement receptor, all shown to be involved in microglia-synapses interaction. The lower phagocytic activity observed in the repopulated microglia is paralleled by improved synaptic protein expression. Our data provide mechanistic evidence for the role of microglia in the development of cognitive deficits after cosmic radiation exposure
MRC B0319-454: Probing the large-scale structure with a giant radio galaxy
We present an investigation of the relationships between the radio properties
of a giant radio galaxy MRC B0319-454 and the surrounding galaxy distribution
with the aim of examining the influence of intergalactic gas and gravity
associated with the large-scale structure on the evolution in the radio
morphology. Our new radio continuum observations of the radio source, with high
surface brightness sensitivity, images the asymmetries in the megaparsec-scale
radio structure in total intensity and polarization. We compare these with the
3-D galaxy distribution derived from galaxy redshift surveys. Galaxy density
gradients are observed along and perpendicular to the radio axis: the
large-scale structure is consistent with a model wherein the galaxies trace the
ambient intergalactic gas and the evolution of the radio structures are
ram-pressure limited by this associated gas. Additionally, we have modeled the
off-axis evolution of the south-west radio lobe as deflection of a buoyant jet
backflow by a transverse gravitational field: the model is plausible if
entrainment is small. The case study presented here is a demonstration that
giant radio galaxies may be useful probes of the warm-hot intergalactic medium
believed to be associated with moderately over dense galaxy distributions.Comment: 27 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
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