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Cognitive performance is affected by an individual's characteristics and the environment, as well as by the nature of the task and the amount of practice at it. Mental performance tests range in complexity and include subjective estimates of mood, simple objective tests (reaction time), and measures of complex performance that require decisions to be made and priorities set. Mental performance tasks show 2 components, a circadian rhythm and the effects of time awake. The circadian rhythm is in phase with the rhythm of core temperature and there is evidence for a causal link. Increasing time awake results in performance deterioration and is attributed to fatigue. The relative contribution of these 2 components depends upon the task under consideration; simple tasks generally show smaller effects due to increasing time awake. These contributions have been assessed by constant routines and forced desynchronization protocols and have formed the basis of several mathematical models that attempt to predict performance in a variety of field conditions. Mental performance is negatively affected by sleep loss; although short naps are beneficial, sleep inertia limits their value immediately after waking. The processes involved in cognition include attention (tonic and phasic alertness, and selective and sustained attention), working memory (phonological, used for speech, reading, and writing; and visuospatial, used for spatial processing, drawing, and mathematics), and executive function (initiative, decision making, and problem solving). These processes are illuminated by analysis of the regions of the brain involved, the presence of circadian rhythmicity, and the effects of sleep loss. The results from such laboratory- and field-based observations are relevant to the issue of learning in schoolchildren and lead to suggestions for improving their performance.

The current experiment investigated the effect of differential training histories on responses to a 5-term linear chain of nonsense syllables (described here with sequential, alphabetical characters; A [is less than] B [is less than] C [is less than] D [is less than] E) across unreinforced probe trials. Participants' responses to nonarbitrary stimulus relations of More-than and Less-than were first brought under contextual control. Participants were then exposed to 1 of 3 training structures, in which each training structure was defined by the trial types that were presented: Less-More (A [is less than] B | B [is less than] C | D>C | E>D), All-Less (A [is less than] B | B [is less than] C | C [is less than] D | D [is less than] E) and All-More (B>A | C>B | D>C | E>D. The contextual cues served as sample stimuli, and 2 nonsense words as comparison stimuli. Twenty unreinforced probe trials were subsequently administered on all possible derived relations: directly trained, mutually entailed, and 1-, 2- and 3-node combinatorially entailed relation types. Comparisons of response latencies among 1-, 2-, and 3-node combinatorially entailed relations, for accurate performances on all 20 test trials, indicated that the former produced significantly longer latencies than the latter 2 relations. Comparisons of response latencies across the 3 training structures indicated that latencies were significantly lower in the All-More condition relative to both the Less-More and the All-Less conditions. The effects of nodal distance are readily predicted by both associative accounts and Relational Frame Theory, but the effect of training structure is readily predicted only by the latter theory. The reported findings are also broadly in accordance with previous studies on relational inferences reported in the literature from mainstream cognitive psychology.

The parent of a murdered daughter (who is also an educator) examines student potential for violence and suicide and stresses the importance of early intervention for violence prevention. Teachers are urged to establish meaningful connections with students to identify students who fit the profile of alienation that typifies those who actually commit murder or suicide. (Contains references.) (DB)

Describes one parent's account of the death of his daughter by a youth suffering from depression. Suggests three levels of prevention (primary, secondary, tertiary) that can be useful in classifying the range of intervention strategies appropriate for preventing or surviving problems of violence. Stresses the importance of connecting with quiet youth. (Author/JDM)

The decision-making process for determining special education eligibility for students who may have behavior disorders is considered biased because of the subjectivity inherent in the process. Assessment procedures should allow for cultural freedom. Certain minority groups are still vulnerable to discriminatory practices within the field of education. (JDD)

To establish the net energy cost of dribbling a soccer ball, eight males ran on a treadmill while dribbling a ball against a rebound box. Oxygen uptake, perceived exertion, and blood lactate levels were measured and compared with results from subjects running without dribbling. Results are discussed. (Author/DF)

Eight classroom communication techniques were ranked by 156 teachers of behavior disordered students who taught in self-contained or alternative settings, and who had either received or lacked formal communication training. Among results were that exclamatory verbal reinforcement was ranked most effective, and "I" messages least effective, by all groups. (JW)

Examined change in women's self-evaluations in maternal role from before to after birth of a couple's first child. Found that a few weeks after delivery, women's average self-ratings dropped from levels during pregnancy, rebounded by one year postpartum. Examined differences between working- and middle-class women. (Author/NB)

One hundred eighty-eight randomly selected case studies of adjudicated adolescents were analyzed to determine their intellectual levels and the scholastic achievement levels in reading and arithmetic. (CL)

The importance of marriage timing for educational attainment is examined for a national sample of young men and women. Schooling obtained prior to marrying is distinguished from that afterward. Concludes that marrying early is detrimental to the educational attainments of women but of little or no consequence for men. (Author/DB)

The relationship between self-concept and academic achievement was examined with 30 educable mentally retarded adolescent residents of a state institution. Results failed to demonstrate a positive relationship between self-concept and academic achievement in the areas of mathematics and reading. (DB)

Structural testing and model verification are necessities in the development of high-value spacecrafts and components. Testing of such items using electrodynamic shaker systems is meticulously planned to avoid any accidental damage. Similarly, the controller and amplifiers used to drive the shakers must be capable of mitigating risk by safely responding to unplanned vibration excursions during a test, as well as to issues with the test system itself, or with facility resources such as electrical power. For example, what happens if the amplifier power source fails, or the network connecting the controller to the command computer goes down? External factors such as these are unpredictable, but careful consideration during vibration test system design makes it is possible for the system to handle such events reliably and minimize risk of damage. Recent advancements in technology have resulted in the design of a complete test system that stresses risk mitigation. The status of building power, safety interlocks, and other critical subsystems are continuously monitored by the controller. A failure on any of the critical subsystems will immediately trigger the controller to ramp down the sine sweep over a prescribed duration. The rate at which the controller reacts to an abort signal is critical. For example, if amplifier power loss is experienced during a sine sweep, the controller must be able to ramp down the drive and stop the test smoothly. Similarly, the amplifier needs stored backup power for the ramp down. These features protect the test article from any transients by preventing the shaker from abruptly stopping. This paper will investigate such safety concerns in structural testing of high value test articles, and the test system considerations associated with these concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On October 24, 2018, the Patient Test Result Information Act, or PA ACT 112, went into effect in the state of Pennsylvania with the objectives of addressing gaps in communication for patients who had a significant abnormality on their radiology imaging studies. The requirements of the mandate state that radiologists must inform patients of a significant abnormality, defined as an imaging finding that would result in "a reasonably prudent person" to seek medical follow-up within 3 months [[1]]. Augmenting patient-radiologist communication through government mandate: initial results from an implementation to address the patient test result information act. [Extracted from the article]

First graders (N=26) completed the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, McCarthy Scales, and Woodcock-Johnson Scales of Cognitive Ability. Two years later, their academic achievement was determined by Wide Range Achievement Test and teacher ratings. Results suggest that all three intellectual measures are appropriate for predicting later academic achievement in young schoolchildren. (Author/NRB)