University of Lincoln

About: University of Lincoln is a education organization based out in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2341 authors who have published 7025 publications receiving 124797 citations.

Predictive validity of the PCL-R for offenders with intellectual disability in a high security hospital: treatment progress.

Abstract: Background Among mainstream offenders, the severe personality disorder of psychopathy has considerable importance as a construct. The disorder has long been associated with failure to make treatment progress. Previous work has identified that psychopathy as a disorder occurs in samples of offenders with intellectual disability (ID), and suggests that the Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (PCL‐R: Hare, 1991, 2003) as a measure of the disorder has adequate reliability and validity (Morrissey et al., 2005). The present study aimed to compare the predictive power of the PCL‐R in relation to treatment progress with a more general assessment of violence risk, the HCR‐20 (Webster, Douglas, Eaves, & Hart, 1997).Method A sample of 73 residents in a high security intellectual disability service, who had previously been assessed using the PCL‐R and the HCR‐20, were followed up at 2 years post‐assessment, and their outcome determined in terms of two distinct dichotomous variables reflecting definite positive tr...

What is ‘on’ and ‘under’ for 15-, 18- and 24- month-olds? Typicality effects in early comprehension of spatial prepositions

Abstract: Which spatial prepositions are the first to be comprehended by 15, 18 and 24-month-olds and how are they understood? To address these questions, early comprehension of prepositions was assessed using parental questionnaires and the preferential looking task. Children were shown stimuli depicting objects or animals either on or under a table in a typical (i.e. on or under the centre of the table) or atypical position (on or under the edge of the table). Existing research and parental assessments led to the prediction that children comprehend the prepositions 'on' and 'under' very early. It was also predicted that children's looking behaviour would show typicality effects. The results corroborate that 'on' and 'under' are among those spatial prepositions that are understood early and that children differentiate between typical and atypical 'on' and 'under' situations in their earliest comprehension of these prepositions. As with object words, at 15 months they associate spatial prepositions initially with typical situations. By 18 months they broaden the scope of the spatial prepositions to include atypical situations.

Management of the axilla in women with breast cancer: current clinical practice and a new selective targeted approach.

Abstract: Axillary nodal status is the most important prognostic factor for patients with breast cancer. Clinical assessment and imaging modalities are not always reliable. Surgical removal and histopathological examination of axillary lymph nodes remain essential methods of staging the axilla. However, the optimal management of the axilla remains uncertain. We performed Medline searches to identify relevant systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and nonrandomized and randomized controlled trials for the past 5 years (up to December 2007), as well as important historical articles and clinical guidelines relating to management of the axilla in women with breast cancer. Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been the standard surgical approach for many years. It is, however, associated with marked morbidity; survival benefit remains uncertain. Axillary node sampling, widely practiced in the United Kingdom, is a reliable alternative procedure in staging the axilla, with less morbidity. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become an accurate method for staging the axilla in women with operable, clinically node-negative breast cancer. SLNB alone appears to be a safe and acceptable procedure for patients with uninvolved SLNs. Completion ALND or axillary radiotherapy remains the standard treatment for patients with tumor-involved SLNs. SLNB is associated with less morbidity than ALND. However, long-term follow-up and therapeutic outcomes are being awaited from randomized controlled trials. Several procedures are available for staging and treating the axilla. A tailored surgical approach, with careful assessment of risk-benefit and patient preference, is guiding the evolving modern management of the axilla for women with breast cancer.

Human friendship favours cooperation in the iterated prisoner's dilemma

Abstract: In the last decades, many studies have attempted to analyse the factors that may favour the evolution of cooperation. Among unrelated individuals, cooperation is expected to occur when partners exchange altruistic acts one another (i.e., reciprocity) or when the donor of an altruistic act may obtain secondary benefits from the act (e.g., increased reputation). The iterated prisoner's dilemma (IPD) is frequently used to analyse cooperation between two players. In this game, cooperation is constantly at risk of exploitation. Therefore, previous knowledge of the other player's attitude towards cooperation may positively affect an individual's decision to cooperate during the game. In various social species (including humans), group members may form friendly relationships that reduce uncertainty about the partner response and increase the mutual exchange of benefits. In light of this, we analysed whether humans cooperate more when playing an IPD with a friend than with a stranger. Each subject played an IPD twice, with a friend and a stranger, and had £10 per round to donate or not to the other player. Our results evidenced that humans cooperate more with, and donate more money to the other player when playing with a friend than with a stranger. Moreover, in game two subjects playing with unfamiliar players followed a raise the stakes strategy (RTS), i.e. they donated more money as the game progressed. The sense of trust in the other player's willingness to reciprocate the altruistic act is probably an important pre-requisite favouring cooperation and it may explain the differences between friends and unfamiliar players. The use of a RTS strategy in game two, however, indicates that subjects were attempting to increase the level of cooperation with unfamiliar players. These findings are consistent with the observation that friendship (and the capacity to build cooperative relationships) may be beneficial to individuals in many social animals and in humans.