Effectiveness of the ability to form mental images in Müller-Lyer optical illusions.

The purpose of this study was to establish whether wing length and the ability to form spatial mental images and vivid images affected optical illusions obtained in the Müller-Lyer figures, both real and imagined. The study involved a group of 137 fine arts college students who were shown two forms of the Müller-Lyer figures with different wing length (15 and 45 mm). In the imagined situation, a plain horizontal line was presented, and participants were expected to imagine the arrowheads aligned in the same way as in the real situation. Discrepancies in the perception of the horizontal lines in the Müller-Lyer illusion ("Point of Subjective Equality") were measured both in the real and imagined situation. Participants were then asked to complete the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire and the Measure of the Ability to Form Spatial Mental Imagery. It emerged that, in the condition of 45 mm wing length, participants were significantly more susceptible to the illusion than those in the condition of 15 mm wing length. Additionally, in the real situation, participants scoring high in spatial image were significantly more resistant to the illusion than those scoring low.

Mental imagery and anxiety toward death in adolescents.

This study analyzed the influence of the image of death (positive or negative) and gender on death anxiety and assessed several subscales of the Death Attitude Profile-Revised in a sample of 280 compulsory secondary education students. Individuals with a positive image of death were found to exhibit less death anxiety than individuals with a negative image of death, and death anxiety was higher in boys than girls. Students with a positive image of death had greater Approach Acceptance, less Fear of Death, less Death Avoidance, more Escape Acceptance, and more Neutral Acceptance than students with a negative image of death.

Mental imagery rotation and graph comprehension of IS-LM macroeconomic models.

The aim of this study was to determine if the ability to rotate mental imagery influenced the comprehension of graphs in economics. A sample of 140 Business Administration undergraduates familiar with economic analysis using graphs were administered the Measure of the Ability to Rotate Mental Images (MARMI). Moreover, participants completed an ad hoc graph comprehension test consisting of six exercises of increasing difficulty with graphs developing the IS-LM model described in conventional macroeconomic textbooks. Both the ability to rotate mental imagery and graph complexity (the number of quadrants in each graph) were found to significantly influence the number of correct graph comprehension responses.

Probing plasmonic excitation mechanisms and far-field radiation of single-crystalline gold tapers with electrons.

Conical metallic tapers represent an intriguing subclass of metallic nanostructures, as their plasmonic properties show interesting characteristics in strong correlation to their geometrical properties. This is important for possible applications such as in the field of scanning optical microscopy, as favourable plasmonic resonance behaviour can be tailored by optimizing structural parameters like surface roughness or opening angle. Here, we review our recent studies, where single-crystalline gold tapers were investigated experimentally by means of electron energy-loss and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy techniques inside electron microscopes, supported by theoretical finite-difference time-domain calculations. Through the study of tapers with various opening angles, the underlying resonance mechanisms are discussed. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Dynamic in situ microscopy relating structure and function'.

Spanish Version of the Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: The current interest in mental imagery in fields such as sport and physical training, health, education, underscore the need for designing general measures of imagery vividness that include different sensorial modalities such as the Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire (Psi-Q; Andrade et al., 2014). The Psi-Q measures imagery vividness in seven sensorial modalities with a factorial structure of seven factors corresponding to the sensorial modalities, and has good internal consistency. The aim of the present study was to translate the Psi-Q into Spanish and to assess its psychometric properties. METHODS: The questionnaire was back-translated, and administered to 394 fine arts undergraduates. Moreover, this test was compared to other questionnaires measuring different types de imagery. RESULTS: A confirmatory factor analysis found that the Psi-Q had seven factors (vision, sound, smell, taste, touch, bodily sensation, and emotional feeling) with results similar to the original test. Values suggested a better fit for the model of the short version. The internal consistency values were 0.93 for the long and 0.89 for the short test. The Psi-Q subscales correlated significantly (p < 0.01) with the total of the Betts' QMI subscales, and the VVIQ, with the highest significance observed between the Psi-Q Touch and Betts' QMI Cutaneous (r = -0.57), and between the Psi-Q Olfactory and Betts' QMI Smell (r = -0.56). Owing to its novelty, the high correlation and significance (p < 0.01) between Psi-Q Vision and the OSIVQ Object (r = 0.36) is worth noting. CONCLUSION: The Spanish version of the Psi-Q was an adequate measure for evaluating different sensorial modalities of imagery vividness, and exhibited similar psychometric properties to those of the original version. The growing interest in mental imagery in different fields of application justifies the need for adapting the Psi-Q for the Spanish speaking population. This questionnaire is a valuable tool for the understanding of imagery as a psychological process, and as a variable influencing other processes.

Far-Field Radiation of Three-Dimensional Plasmonic Gold Tapers near Apexes.

Three-dimensional plasmonic gold tapers are widely used structures in nano-optics for achieving imaging at the nanometer scale, enhanced spectroscopy, confined light sources, and ultrafast photoelectron emission. To understand their radiation properties further, especially in the proximity of the apex at the nanoscale, we employ cathodoluminescence spectroscopy with high spatial and energy resolution. The plasmon-induced radiation in the visible spectral range from three-dimensional gold tapers with opening angles of 13° and 47° is investigated under local electron excitation. We observe a much weaker radiation from the apex of the 13° taper than from that of the 47° taper. By means of finite-difference time-domain simulations we show that for small opening angles plasmon modes that are created at the apex are efficiently guided along the taper shaft. In contrast for tapers with larger opening angles, generated plasmon polaritons experience larger radiation damping. Interestingly, we find for both tapers that the most intense radiation comes from locations a few hundreds of nanometers behind the apexes, instead of exactly at the apexes. Our findings provide useful details for the design of plasmonic gold tapers as confined light sources or light absorbers.

Radiation of Dynamic Toroidal Moments.

Dynamic toroidal dipoles, a distinguished class of fundamental electromagnetic sources, receive increasing interest and participate in fascinating electrodynamic phenomena and sensing applications. As described in the literature, the radiative nature of dynamic toroidal dipoles is sometimes confounded, intermixing with static toroidal dipoles and plasmonic dark modes. Here, we elucidate this issue and provide proof-of-principle experiments exclusively on the radiation behavior of dynamic toroidal moments. Optical toroidal modes in plasmonic heptamer nanocavities are analyzed by electron energy loss spectroscopy and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy supported by finite-difference time-domain numerical calculations. Additionally, their corresponding radiation behaviors are experimentally investigated by means of cathodoluminescence. The observed contrasting behaviors of a single dynamic toroidal dipole mode and an antiparallel toroidal dipole pair mode are discussed and elucidated. Our findings further clarify the electromagnetic properties of dynamic toroidal dipoles and serve as important guidance for the use of toroidal dipole moments in future applications.

A global reference database of crowdsourced cropland data collected using the Geo-Wiki platform.

A global reference data set on cropland was collected through a crowdsourcing campaign using the Geo-Wiki crowdsourcing tool. The campaign lasted three weeks, with over 80 participants from around the world reviewing almost 36,000 sample units, focussing on cropland identification. For quality assessment purposes, two additional data sets are provided. The first is a control set of 1,793 sample locations validated by students trained in satellite image interpretation. This data set was used to assess the quality of the crowd as the campaign progressed. The second data set contains 60 expert validations for additional evaluation of the quality of the contributions. All data sets are split into two parts: the first part shows all areas classified as cropland and the second part shows cropland average per location and user. After further processing, the data presented here might be suitable to validate and compare medium and high resolution cropland maps generated using remote sensing. These could also be used to train classification algorithms for developing new maps of land cover and cropland extent.

Assessment of the Clinical Performance of Platelet Concentrates Treated by Pathogen Reduction Technology in Santiago de Compostela.

INTRODUCTION: This study assessed the feasibility, performance, and safety of Mirasol®-treated platelet concentrates (M-PC) stored for up to 7 days. METHODS: This prospective observational study was approved by the ethical committee of the University Clinic of Santiago de Compostela. Informed consent was asked from patients receiving M-PC. M-PCs were treated with the Mirasol system according to the manufacturer's instructions. Thrombocytopenic patients were transfused according to the Spanish transfusion guidelines. Post-transfusion platelet counts were measured at 1 h and/or 24 h after transfusion. Post-transfusion surveillance of patients was maintained during the study. RESULTS: Data from 54 evaluable patients and 135 transfusions were analyzed. The mean age of patients was 58 years. The mean age of M-PC at transfusion was 3.6 days. The mean platelet dose was 3.7 × 1011. The transfusion responses measured as mean corrected count increment 1 h after transfusion (CCI1h) and CCI24h were 9,659 and 4,751, respectively. 65% of transfusions resulted in CCI1h values ≥ 7,500. 51% of transfusions resulted in CCI24h values ≥ 4,500. CONCLUSION: The use of M-PC in the supportive treatment proved to be safe and effective for this cohort of thrombocytopenic patients.

Factor structure and reliability of the Spanish version of the Dissociative Ability Scale.

Everybody has dissociative ability to some extent, though this may vary from one individual to another. Several tests have been designed to measure dissociative ability, such as the Dissociative Ability Scale (Fisher, Johnson, & Elkins, 2013). Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of this test in a sample of 204 undergraduates seeking a fine arts degree at the University of Vigo (Spain). The reliability and validity of the Dissociative Ability Scale was found to be satisfactory for measuring dissociative ability. The results are discussed and innovative lines of research are proposed.

Study of radioactive contamination in silts and aerosols at Aldama City, Mexico, due to the operation of a yellow-cake processing plant.

The city of Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico is located 30 km NNE of Chihuahua city. Three high-volume collectors with PM10 heads were placed in specific locations in Aldama during the year 2011 to measure radioisotope concentrations in the air. The city area of 16 km² was divided into 64 squares of 500 × 500 m. At the vertices of the grid, silt samples were taken between January and June 2011, before the rains began. The concentrations of natural, cosmogenic, and anthropogenic radioactive isotopes were calculated in both filters and silts samples. The isotopes selected for the measurement were ²³8U, ²³²Th, (7)Be, ¹³7Cs, and 4°K. Measurements of PM10 and silts were performed during 2011, coinciding with the accident at Fukushima, Japan, on March 11. For this reason, we could see the ¹³7Cs in PM10 increase between April and July; with the arrival of the rains, the ¹³7Cs concentration began to decrease in the air. The concentration of PM10 measured by the equipment located at the Mexican Uranium plant (URAMEX, initials in Spanish) that was processing radioactive ores exceeded the standard values in February and March, when the air velocity increases. At City Hall, the concentration of PM10 surpassed the value of the standard between May and July. This increased concentration is likely due to increased automobile traffic because City Hall is located in the city center. At a private home, the concentration of PM10 surpassed the standard on several days during the year because the home is located on the outskirts of the city, where most of the streets are not paved. Due to the high concentrations of PM10, especially at the collection point located at the private home, it is necessary to start taking steps to mitigate their spread before they cause health problems in the younger population and in older adults.

Mnemotecnia y metamemoria en personas mayores / The Keyword Mnemonic Technique and Metamemory in Elders

En esta investigación, se pretendió averiguar la influencia de la mnemotecnia de la palabra clave en el recuerdo y en los juicios metamnemónicos: juicios de facilidad de aprendizaje (EOL), juicios de aprendizaje (JOL) y juicios de confianza (CL), tanto en una lista corta de 16 palabras latinas (Experimento 1) como en una lista larga de 32 palabras latinas (Experimento 2). Tanto en el Experimento 1 como en el Experimento 2 se efectuó un diseño experimental de dos grupos independientes. En el Experimento 1 participaron 88 mujeres, con una media de edad de 74.34 años. En el 2, participó un grupo de 84 mujeres, de una edad similar al anterior. En ambos experimentos se realizó una prueba t de Student para muestras independientes. En el Experimento 1, se encontró que el método de la palabra clave fue superior al método de repetición en el recuerdo y en los juicios de confianza en la respuesta (CL). En el Experimento 2, se halló que el método de la palabra clave fue significativamente superior al método de repetición en el recuerdo y en todos los juicios metamnemónicos estudiados. El método de la palabra clave fue más eficaz que el método de repetición.

This study consisted of two experiments designed to assess the efficacy of the keyword mnemonic technique on recall and the following mnemonic judgments: ease of learning (EOL), judgments of learning (JOL), and confidence level (CL) using a short word list i.e., 16 Latin words (Experiment 1), or a long word list, 32 Latin words (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1 an experimental design with two independent groups was performed, involving 88 women, mean age 74.34 years, a Student's t-test for independent groups was performed and the keyword method was found to be more efficacious than the rote learning method on recall and confidence level judgments (CL). In Experiment 2 an experimental design with two independent groups was performed, involving 84 women of similar age, a Student's t-test for independent groups was performed, and the keyword method was significantly more efficacious than the rote learning method on recall and all of the mnemonic judgments under study. The keyword method was more effective than the rote learning method.

Metais poluentes e micronutrienes em solos, sob pecuária leiteira em sistema de pastejo direto, no alto da bacia do Rio Paranaíba, Goiás, Brasil / Heavy metals and micronutrients in soils under dairy grazing right on top of the river paranaíba basin in the state of Goiás, Brazil

A preocupação quanto à contaminação do ambiente por meio da atividade leiteira está relacionada ao fato dos dejetos destes bovinos apresentarem metais poluentes em sua constituição; na criação desses animais no sistema de pastejo direto questiona-se a possibilidade da ocorrência de contaminação por estes metais nas aguadas, área onde esses animais se aglomeram em determinados períodos do dia para beberem água e onde defecam. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar os teores dos metais cobre, ferro, manganês, zinco, cádmio, chumbo e cromo em áreas de aguadas e em áreas preservadas (testemunha) de 28 propriedades, agrupadas em seis Ottobacias hidrográficas formadoras do alto da bacia do Rio Paranaíba, no Estado de Goiás. As amostras simples de solos foram coletadas em três profundidades (0-10, 10-20 e 20-30 cm), a partir destas foram obtidas uma amostra composta para cada profundidade nas áreas de aguadas e preservadas. Pela análise de PCA os metais poluentes analisados nos solos de aguada não indicou a ocorrência de contaminação nestes ambientes quando comparados à área preservada. A distribuição aleatória dos teores médios dos metais nas três profundidades estudadas em todos os tratamentos dificulta a definição do potencial de contaminação do solo pelos dejetos originados da atividade leiteira em áreas de aguadas, sob pastejo direto.

In Brazil, the agricultural activity is among the most competitive sectors of national economy, in which milk production has a very significant contribution. Concern about environmental contamination by this activity is related to the fact that dairy cattle manure heavy metals present in the constitution; the creation of such animals in the grazing system directly questions the possibility of any contamination by these metals in the watery, area where these animals congregate at certain times of day for drinking water and where they defecate. This study aimed to evaluate the content of copper, iron, manganese, zinc, cadmium, lead and chromium in watery areas and in conservation areas (control) of 28 properties, grouped into six "otto-basins" forming the upper basin of the Paranaíba River in the State of Goiás. The simple soil samples were collected at three depths (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm) obtained from such a composite sample for each depth in the areas watered and preserved. The analysis of PCA metals pollutants in soils watery areas analyzed did not indicate the occurrence of contamination in these environments when compared to the preserved area. Observed random distribution of average levels of metals in the three studied depths in all treatments, which complicates the definition of the potential for soil contamination by feces of dairy farming originated in watery areas, under rotational grazing.

Measure of the ability to rotate mental images.

The aim of this study was to design an innovative test to measure the ability to rotate mental images. An unfolded cube was designed, which participants had to reassemble mentally, prior to mentally rotating the image, and answering 23 questions concerning the cube. The Measure of the Ability to Rotate Mental Images (MARMI) test was administered to 354 participants. Cronbach alpha was .90, and high correlations between this test and other image rotation and spatial image tests were found. However, poor correlations were observed between test scores and the responses to the visual imagery vividness questionnaire. Both test reliability and validity underscore that it is a good instrument for measuring the ability to rotate mental images.

Internal consistency and construct validity of two versions of the Revised Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire.

The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ; Marks, 1973) is the questionnaire most extensively used to measure imagery vividness, but two newer versions have been developed. In this study, the reliability and construct validity of these two measures were assessed: the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VVIQ-2) and the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire-Revised Version (VVIQ-RV). A total of 206 undergraduate psychology students completed both questionnaires, and to assess construct validity, they also completed the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (OSIVQ), Betts' Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery (Betts' QMI), and the Measure of Ability to Form Spatial Mental Imagery (MASMI). Internal consistency reliability for both was high, with the VVIQ-RV having a Cronbach's alpha of .96, and the VVIQ-2 an alpha of .91. The construct validity of the VVIQ-RV and the VVIQ-2 was supported by the high correlations they had with the other three measures of imagery, which were all close to .50, and the very small correlations (.06-.07) they had with the Verbal scale of the OSIVQ, indicating that they validly measured the imagery construct. Thus, the findings support the two versions as equally valid psychometric instruments for measuring image vividness.

Some psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Clarity of Auditory Imagery Scale.

Few tests have been designed to measure auditory imagery. This study assessed the factor structure and internal consistency of the Spanish version of the Clarity of Auditory Imagery Scale (CAIS). Participants were 234 undergraduate students (M age = 19.6 yr.). Internal consistency reliability estimated by Cronbach's alpha was .82. In a principal components analysis followed by varimax orthogonal rotation, five factors were identified. Scores correlated moderately and positively with ratings on the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire-2 and negatively on the auditory scale of Betts' Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery, but weakly and negatively with scores on the Measure of the Ability to Form Spatial Mental Imagery.

Factor structure of the Spanish version of the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire.

The reliability and factor structure of the Spanish version of the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (OSIVQ) were assessed in a sample of 213 Spanish university graduates. The questionnaire measures three types of processing preferences (verbal, object imagery, and spatial imagery). Principal components analysis with varimax rotation identified three factors, corresponding to the three scales proposed in the original version, explaining 33.1% of the overall variance. Cronbach's alphas were .72, .77, and .81 for the verbal, object imagery, and spatial imagery scales, respectively.

[Efficacy of the keyword mnemonic method in adults]. / Eficacia de la mnemotecnia de la palabra clave en personas adultas.

Two experiments were used to assess the efficacy of the keyword mnemonic method in adults. In Experiment 1, immediate and delayed recall (at a one-day interval) were assessed by comparing the results obtained by a group of adults using the keyword mnemonic method in contrast to a group using the repetition method. The mean age of the sample under study was 59.35 years. Subjects were required to learn a list of 16 words translated from Latin into Spanish. Participants who used keyword mnemonics that had been devised by other experimental participants of the same characteristics, obtained significantly higher immediate and delayed recall scores than participants in the repetition method. In Experiment 2, other participants had to learn a list of 24 Latin words translated into Spanish by using the keyword mnemonic method reinforced with pictures. Immediate and delayed recall were significantly greater in the keyword mnemonic method group than in the repetition method group.

Psychometric quality of a revised version Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire.

In this study, reliability and construct validity of the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) and of a revised version, the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VVIQ-2) were assessed with a total of 279 undergraduate psychology students who were also administered other measures of imagery. Cronbach a reliabilities for both the VVIQ and the VVIQ-2 were high. A Pearson correlation between scores on the two versions of the questionnaire was high and similar to correlations with other measures of imagery. Estimates of internal consistency reliability and construct validity were similar for the two versions. New lines of research involving both imagery questionnaires are proposed.

Experiencia en la mnemotecnia y aprendizaje incidental con imágenes normales y raras / Mnemotechnic experience and incidental learning with normal and bizarre imagery

En nuestra investigación deseábamos saber si la experiencia en la utilización de imágenes mentales y el tipo de imagen utilizada: sin imagen, imagen normal, imagen rara, e imagen mixta, influía en el recuerdo inmediato, al cabo de un día y de una semana. Para ello seleccionamos a 198 sujetos, con una media de edad de 14.4 años, y los distribuimos, al azar en cuatro grupos: el grupo que no utilizó imágenes mentales, el que utilizó imágenes normales, el que utilizó imágenes raras, y el grupo mixto. A los grupos se les presentaron 16 oraciones, cada una con tres palabras en mayúsculas. Los sujetos tenían que puntuar la relación entre las tres palabras (el grupo sin imagen), o la viveza suscitada por cada oración (grupos con imagen). Posteriormente se midió el recuerdo, el reconocimiento, el falso reconocimiento, el acceso a la oración, los ítems por oración recordados, y el número de oraciones totalmente recordadas. También se preguntó a los sujetos por su experiencia en la utilización de imágenes. Encontramos que la experiencia en la utilización de imágenes influyó al cabo de un día y de una semana en el recuerdo, en el reconocimiento, en el número de oraciones totalmente recordadas, y en el acceso a la oración. Los grupos que utilizaron imágenes raras e imágenes mixtas manifestaron, después de una semana, mayor rendimiento en todas las variables dependientes (excepto en ítems por sentencia recordados), que los grupos que utilizaron imágenes normales o no utilizaron imágenes mentales.(AU)

This study sought to evaluate the effects of the use of imagery in immediate recollection, at the end of one day and at the end of the week, according to the type of imagery employed: no images, normal image, unusual image and mixed image. For this test, 198 subjects were selected with an average age of 14.4 years, randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups: 1) group with no mental images, 2) group which used normal mental images, 3) group which used unusual images and 4) mixed group. A set of 16 sentences was shown to the groups, each of which contained three words written in block capitals. The subjects had to indicate the relationship between the three words (in the group without any image), or the intensity of the image provoked by each sentence (groups with images). We subsequently conducted an evaluation of the recollection, recognition, false recognition, access to the sentence, the items recalled by sentence and the number of sentences completely recollected. The subjects were also questioned about their experiences in the use of the images. It was ascertained that the experience in the use of the images influenced, at the end of the day and of the week, the recollection, recognition, the number of sentences completely recalled and the access to the sentence. After a week, the groups which were shown unusual or mixed images demonstrated better results in all the dependent variables (with the exception of the items recollected by sentence) than the groups which were shown normal mental images, or no images at all.(AU)