An Evaluation of the Effects of Fixed-Time Schedules on Response Maintenance

Response-independent schedules of reinforcement (e.g., fixed-time schedules) have typically been shown to decrease the rate of responding. However, researchers have suggested that responses may maintain under response-independent schedules, although it is currently unclear as to what mechanisms are responsible for this maintenance. The purposes of the current study were to (a) replicate previous research showing that responding will maintain under fixed-time (FT) schedules after a history of response-dependent reinforcement, (b) evaluate a simple procedure for promoting response maintenance under FT schedules if this pattern of responding is not observed, and (c) determine possible mechanisms by which response maintenance under FT schedules occurs. We found for several children that responding maintained under FT schedules, both with and without a history of contingent reinforcement. In addition, for those children whose responding did not maintain under FT schedules, a single within-session dependent reinforcer promoted maintenance under FT schedules. Finally, for some children for whom mechanisms were evaluated, stimulus control was likely the factor that was responsible for response maintenance. Implications and considerations for future research are discussed

The Use of Additional Analyses to Clarify the Functions of Problem Behavior

Functional analysis methodology has proven useful for identifying environmental contingencies that influence problem behavior. Extensions of traditional functional analysis methodology have shown that problem behavior may only occur in specific contexts or be influenced by multiple or idiosyncratic sources of reinforcement. When these contexts or sources of influence are not assessed in a functional analysis (FA), further assessment may be necessary to identify the specific antecedents and consequences that influence behavior. In the current study, initial FA results identified a specific source(s) of reinforcement for the problem behavior of two preschool children. Function-based treatments were implemented to increase appropriate behavior and decrease problem behavior; however, treatment did not result in clinically-significant reductions in problem behavior in all cases. Additional within-session analyses and experimental analyses were used to clarify the functions of problem behavior, and modified function-based treatments were used to decrease problem behavior and increase appropriate behavior. Finally, these treatments were taught to the classroom teachers to implement throughout the day

An improved long-wave radiometer

May also be cited as: WHOI-00-13This report describes the development of an improved long-wave radiometer (pyrgeometer) for deployment on ships and buoys. Standard pyrgeometers use a thermopile to measure the temperature gradient between the receiver surface and the instrument case, and thus infer the receiver temperature and incident radiation. The key design change employed in the new radiometer is to remove the thermopile and replace it with a small, glass-encapsulated thermistor to measure the receiver temperature directly. To prove the concept, a prototype radiometer was built and calibrated. It was then deployed outside for a period of a week on the roof of the Clark Laboratory (Quissett Campus, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) to demonstrate the feasability of the new concept. Data from the prototype were compared to those from a pair of standard radiometers. The intercomparison shows that the prototype performed surprisingly well. It was able to capture all the variability observed by the standards with only a small bias. The next step in the design process, which has been funded by the National Science Foundation, is to build a rugged version of the prototype that can be deployed in the field.Funding was provided by the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Technology Innovations Awards Program and the National Science Foundation, Grant OCE98-18470

Getting into the Workflow: Graduate Support Workshops

How can librarians engage with graduate student education and research? Often, graduate student orientations of academic departments include only introductory information about the library and are discipline-focused. To address a need for better library support for graduate students increasingly pursuing interdisciplinary research and study, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries initiated a series of workshops designed to integrate into the workflow of graduate students. Presenters will discuss how the program evolved from a one-library pilot program into a coordinated series of workshops across multiple campus libraries. Details about workshop topics, structure, design, and promotion and series feedback and next steps will be shared

Meditative Movement as a Treatment for Pulmonary Dysfunction in Flight Attendants Exposed to Second-Hand Cigarette Smoke: Study Protocol for a Randomized Trial

A study protocol is presented for the investigation of meditative movement (MM) as a treatment for pulmonary dysfunction in ight attendants (FA) who were exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke while ying before the smoking ban. The study will have three parts, some of which will run concurrently. The rst is a data gathering and screen- ing phase, which will gather data on pulmonary and other aspects of the health of FA, and will also serve to screen participants for the other phases. Second is an exercise selection phase, in which a variety of MM exercises will be taught, over a 16-week period, to a cohort of 20 FA. A subset of these exercises will be selected on the basis of participant feedback on effectiveness and compliance. Third is a 52-week randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a digitally delivered form of the previously selected exercises on a group of 20 FA, as compared with an attention control group. Outcome measures to be used in all three parts of the study include the 6-min walk test as a primary measure, as well as a range of biomarkers, tests, and questionnaires documenting hormonal, cardio-respiratory, autonomic, and affective state

The role of the KCC2 in substance use and abuse: A systematic review [Protocol]

This poster presents the protocol for an ongoing systematic review investigating the role of potassium chloride co-transporter 2 (KCC2) in substance use, abuse, and addiction

The current state of biomarker research for Friedreich's ataxia: a report from the 2018 FARA biomarker meeting

The 2018 FARA Biomarker Meeting highlighted the current state of development of biomarkers for Friedreich's ataxia. A mass spectroscopy assay to sensitively measure mature frataxin (reduction of which is the root cause of disease) is being developed. Biomarkers to monitor neurological disease progression include imaging, electrophysiological measures and measures of nerve function, which may be measured either in serum and/or through imaging-based technologies. Potential pharmacodynamic biomarkers include metabolic and protein biomarkers and markers of nerve damage. Cardiac imaging and serum biomarkers may reflect cardiac disease progression. Considerable progress has been made in the development of biomarkers for various contexts of use, but further work is needed in terms of larger longitudinal multisite studies, and identification of novel biomarkers for additional use cases

Which anthropometric and lower body power variables are predictive of professional and amateur playing status in male rugby union players?

The purpose of this study was to compare anthropometric and lower body power measurements between current professional and amateur male rugby union players. The present study also sought to determine which anthropometric and physical performance variables were predictive of playing standard. Thirty professional and 30 amateur RU players performed Wattbike 6 s maximal effort (WB6S) and countermovement (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ) assessments, anthropometric measures were also taken. Dependant variables recorded and analysed including: body mass, stature, Σ8 site skinfolds, WB6S absolute and relative peak power, CMJ and SJ average concentric force, jump height, peak velocity, time to peak force, rate of force development (RFD) and absolute and relative peak force and power. Professional players were heavier, taller and leaner than their amateur counterparts (p < 0.05). Professional players performed significantly better in all physical performance measures except CMJ and SJ time to peak force, CMJ RFD and SJ relative peak force. Variables which were predictive of playing standard were: Σ8 skinfolds, CMJ peak velocity and WB6S absolute and relative peak power (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that the current body of male professional RU players is anthropometrically and physically superior to their amateur counterparts, although not all variables assessed here were predictive of playing standard. Data presented here indicate that Σ8 skinfolds, WB6S absolute and relative power and CMJ peak velocity are predictive of playing standard, whereas other anthropometric and strength and power variables are not

Finite Mixtures of Multivariate Poisson-Log Normal Factor Analyzers for Clustering Count Data

A mixture of multivariate Poisson-log normal factor analyzers is introduced by imposing constraints on the covariance matrix, which resulted in flexible models for clustering purposes. In particular, a class of eight parsimonious mixture models based on the mixtures of factor analyzers model are introduced. Variational Gaussian approximation is used for parameter estimation, and information criteria are used for model selection. The proposed models are explored in the context of clustering discrete data arising from RNA sequencing studies. Using real and simulated data, the models are shown to give favourable clustering performance. The GitHub R package for this work is available at https://github.com/anjalisilva/mixMPLNFA and is released under the open-source MIT license.Comment: 29 pages, 2 figure