Android: Google's built-in calendar app is great, but Agenda combines all of your calendars into a single, easy-to-scan view of all your day's appointments. Simple swipe gestures whisk you from your monthly calendar to your weekly and daily views, or from day to day or meeting to meeting. The app offers simple views that help you get up to speed on what you have on your plate today or this week, or drill down to important details about a specific event.
When we covered the launch of Agenda for iOS, many of you asked for an Android version. The developer behind the app came through, and Agenda for Android is just as great as its iOS cousin. Creating events in Agenda is a single-tap operation, and all of the options you need to add an appointment are on a single screen?you don't have to tap a series of menus to set the appointment as recurring, or to set an alarm, or change the date. URLs, dates, phone numbers, and email addresses are all tappable items as well.
Best of all, if you have your calendars already set up in Android via Google Calendar, Agenda doesn't even ask you to set it up?it'll automatically pull in calendar data that your phone already has and display it in its own unique interface. It'll set you back $1.99 (the same price as the iOS version), but if you use your calendar every day, it's worth the price.
Oregon fans cheer against Kansas State during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Collin Klein, Kiko Alonso
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) tries to escape Oregon linebacker Kiko Alonso (47) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Oregon running back Kenjon Barner (24) celebrates his touchdown with Tyler Johnstone (64) and Colt Lyerla (15) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kansas State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Chris Harper, Brian Jackson, Troy Hill
Kansas State wide receiver Chris Harper (3) cannot handle a pass as Oregon's Brian Jackson (12) and Troy Hill (13) defend during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Chris Harper, Brian Jackson
Kansas State wide receiver Chris Harper (3) stiff arms Oregon defensive back Brian Jackson (12) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Brian Jackson, Troy Hill, Chris Harper
Oregon's Brian Jackson (12) and Troy Hill (13) break up a pass intended for Kansas State's Chris Harper during the first half in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz.(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Bill Snyder, Collin Klein
Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder, right, talks with quarterback Collin Klein (7) during the first half in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Chris Harper
Kansas State's Chris Harper sits on the field after dropping a pass during the first half in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Zach Nemechek, Ryan Doerr, Anthony Cantele, Michael Clay
Oregon's Michael Clay (46) celebrates a missed field goal attempt by Kansas State's Anthony Cantele (10) as Ryan Doerr (9) and Zach Nemechek (89) stand by during the first half in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Collin Klein, Keenan Taylor, Kiko Alonso, Dion Jordan
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) eludes Oregon's Dion Jordan, who is blocked by Kansas State's Keenan Taylor (79), as Oregon's Kiko Alonso (47) closes in for the sack during the first half in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Brian Jackson, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Chris Harper, Travis Tannahill
Kansas State's Chris Harper (3) gets tackled out of bounds by Oregon's Brian Jackson (12) and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (14) as Kansas State's Travis Tannahill (80) watches during the first half in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Tavon Rooks
Kansas State's Tavon Rooks (73) is helped off the field after suffering an injury during the first half in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Josh Huff, Randall Evans
Oregon wide receiver Josh Huff (1) cannot handle a pass as Kansas State defensive back Randall Evans (15) pursues during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Marcus Mariota
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) scores a touchdown against Kansas State during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Chip Kelly
Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, right, signals a 1-point safety to the referee during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kansas State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Kenjon Barner, Arthur Brown, Allen Chapman
Oregon running back Kenjon Barner (24) escapes the reach of Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown (4) and Allen Chapman (3) during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Marcus Mariota, Justin Tuggle, Ryan Mueller
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) escapes the reach of Kansas State linebacker Justin Tuggle (2) and Ryan Mueller (44) during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Marcus Mariota
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws against Kansas State during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Colt Lyerla, Jarell Childs
Oregon tight end Colt Lyerla (15) is tackled by Kansas State linebacker Jarell Childs (26) during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Bill Snyder
Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder looks away during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Collin Klein, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) dives for a touchdown as Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (14) defends during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Kansas State band performs during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Michael Clay, Kiko Alonso
Oregon linebacker Michael Clay (46) and Kiko Alonso (47) celebrate a stop against Kansas State during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
De'Anthony Thomas, Randall Evans, Arthur Brown
Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas (6) scores a touchdown as Kansas State defensive back Randall Evans (15 ) and Arthur Brown (4) defend during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Marcus Mariota, Ty Zimmerman
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) tries to avoid Kansas State defensive back Ty Zimmerman (12) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Bralon Addison, Marcus Heit
Oregon wide receiver Bralon Addison (11) pulls in a pass as Kansas State's Marcus Heit (63) defends during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
De'Anthony Thomas, Arthur Brown
Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas, right, is tackled by Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown (4) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Collin Klein
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) throws against Oregon during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Marcus Mariota, Meshak Williams
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) is tackled by Kansas State defensive end Meshak Williams during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Marcus Mariota,Randall Evans
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) tries to escape the reach of Kansas State defensive back Randall Evans (15) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Collin Klein
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) throws against Oregon during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Chris Harper , Michael Clay
Kansas State wide receiver Chris Harper (3) is tackled by Oregon linebacker Michael Clay (46) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
De'Anthony Thomas
Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas (6) returns the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown against Kansas State as the Oregon sideline cheers during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
De'Anthony Thomas
Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas (6) returns the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown against Kansas State during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
An Oregon fan watches warmups before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kansas State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
De'Anthony Thomas
Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas (6) returns the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown against Kansas State during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Dane Ebanez
Oregon wide receiver Dane Ebanez warms up before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kansas State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
An Oregon fan watches warmups before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kansas State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Chip Kelly
Oregon head coach Chip Kelly tosses a football to a Kansas State player during warmups before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Collin Klein
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein warms up before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Marcus Mariota
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota warms up before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kansas State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Bill Snyder, Tyler Lockett
Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder, right, shakes hands with Tyler Lockett (16) before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Marcus Mariota
Oregon quarterback Mrcus Mariota warms up before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kent State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Marcus Mariota
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota warms up before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Kent State, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Collin Klein
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) warms up before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Bill Snyder, Chip Kelly
Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder, left, shakes hands with Oregon head coach Chip Kelly before the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Should Benjamin M. Lawsky, Superintendent of New
York's Department of Financial Services, acting as Receiver for
Executive Life of New York, (Superintendent) receive a "free pass"
for all actions taken by his predecessor Superintendents and their
agents during the past 21 years with respect to Executive Life of New
York (ELNY) rehabilitation and liquidation no matter how egregious and
regardless of whether or not those actions were taken in good faith
and/or constituted illegal conduct under Article 74 of New York's
insurance law?
Motion for Contempt Order
That is the central strategic question posed by attorney Edward Stone and the Christensen & Jensen law firm (ELNY shortfall attorneys) in their Memorandum of Law responding to a Motion filed last month by attorneys representing the Superintendent with the Nassau County New York State Supreme Court to:
Enjoin three ELNY structured settlement shortfall payees and their legal counsel from proceeding with a class action lawsuit filed November 8, 2012 in the United States District Court Southern District of New York;
Hold in contempt of court the shortfall payees' legal counsel; and
Require their payment of the related costs and attorney's fees incurred by the Superintendent.
Characterizing the Superintendent's Motion for a Contempt Order as a "SLAPP" ("strategic lawsuit against public participation"),
the ELNY shortfall attorneys argue in their Memorandum of Law that the
Superintendent's Motion should not be condoned and that the
Superintendent "is presumably wasting estate assets to avoid a
proper inquiry into malfeasance by his predecessors and
agents,continuing a disturbing pattern."
ELNY Class Action
In their class action Complaint, the named ELNY shortfall payees and their attorneys assert
causes of action against the Superintendent and his predecessors, in
their personal capacity: 1) for breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent
concealment in not conducting the rehabilitation of ELNY in good faith;
2) for self-dealing; 3) for material misstatements; and 4) for
fraudulently concealing and failing to disclose material information
regarding ELNY?s financial status. See the ELNY Allegation Timeline for S2KM's re-configuration of selected allegations of malfeasance from the class action complaint.
Superintendent's Contempt Argument
In their Memoradum of Law supporting their Motion for Contempt, the Superintendent's attorneys argue:
The
ELNY class action lawsuit violates an injunction provision in the ELNY
Liquidation Order signed by New York State Supreme Court Judge John M. Galasso on April 16, 2012; and
"It is literally hornbook law that[a] violation of an injunction constitutes a contempt.'?
The ELNY Liquidation Order injunction: ?enjoins
and restrains [all persons] from commencing or further prosecuting any
actions at law or other proceedings against ELNY or its assets, the
Receiver or the New York Liquidation Bureau [NYLB],
or their present or former employees, attorneys, or agents with respect
to this proceeding or the discharge of their duties under Insurance Law
Article 74.?
ELNY Shortfall Payees' Argument - In their Memorandum of Law Responding to the Motion for Contempt
The ELNY class action lawsuit does not violate the ELNY Liquidation Order injunction because:
The ELNY payees' attorneys "tailored
their Complaint specifically and conservatively to avoid any claim
against ELNY or its assets and any claim properly precluded by the
injunction or immunity provisions of the April 16th Order of this Court,
acting within its subject matter jurisdiction."
Their Federal class action lawsuit:
"[I]s not an in rem suit against the ELNY estate or its assets;
"[D]oes not concern how ELNY was run prior to being placed into rehabilitation or seek any damages payable from estate assets;
"[D]oes not affect or even seek to prevent the Court?s Order of Liquidation and Restructuring Agreement from proceeding;
"[D]oes
not seek to hold the Receiver liable for any conduct of administering
the business and assets of ELNY while acting in good faith with
appropriate care in compliance with the Court?s prior Order of
Rehabilitation."
The Superintendent's Motion for a Contempt Order should be denied because:
The ELNY class action lawsuit is outside the scope of the ELNY liquidation.
The ELNY liquidation court's subject matter jurisdiction is limited to administration of the ELNY estate.
The ELNY Liquidation Order's injunction provision cannot be broader than the scope of judicial immunity.
The
injunction provision should be interpreted and enforced consistent with
the purpose and provisions of New York insurance law Article 74.
The
claims made in the ELNY class action lawsuit seek to hold the
Superintendent and his agents liable in their personal capacities for
bad faith conduct.
The ELNY liquidation court should not hold the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit or their attorneys in civil contempt.
The injunction does not clearly and unequivocally bar suits against the Superintendent in his personal capacity.
Positions
taken by the ELNY shortfall payees in the ELNY appeal are not
admissions, but rather the proper way to protect their rights.
ELNY Appeal
The ELNY Order's injunction, and its related grant of immunity, are simultaneously being contested in an ELNY appeal filed May 30, 2012 with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Second Department. Oral arguments for the ELNY appeal occurred November 15, 2012 but no decision has been announced. This S2KM blog post
summarizes the injunction arguments in the Superintendent's appellate
brief and the ELNY shortfall payees' appellate reply brief.
For S2KM's complete and continuing coverage of the ELNY liquidation and related lawsuits, see the structured settlement wiki.
Violent crime in Detroit shadows the landscape like its rows of abandoned buildings, but now the city faces a new precedent, even as gun-related killings decline nationwide: More people were killed here last year than at any time in the past 20 years.
"America has a problem with guns, but the epicenter seems to be here in Detroit," Interim Detroit Police Chief Chester Logan said at a news conference Thursday, as city officials reported 386 criminal homicides in 2012, the highest since 1992.
"As the chief of police in the city of Detroit, I take a certain amount of blame for the spiraling gunplay in the city," he said, "but one of the things you should realize, and everybody here in this room should realize, is that gunplay is a national problem.?
Logan is correct: The United States is in the throes of another cultural self-examination about guns after the horrific deaths of 20 children and six adults at the hands of a 20-year-old gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
Other city officials and urban crime experts say the problem is not just guns.
"At least two-thirds of the homicides in Detroit are related to drug sales, disputes between people selling drugs or disputes between people owing people money about drugs," said David Martin, director of the Urban Safety Program at Wayne State University in Detroit.
Martin has researched police reports in all parts of the city to examine crime patterns. He says Detroit's police have to develop more effective methods of dealing with the city's drug economy and its consequences. "And that's very difficult," Martin told Yahoo News.
Detroit reported 411 homicides in 2012, 25 of them deemed "justifiable" by FBI crime reporting standards. Still, the remaining 386 represent 54.6 homicides per 100,000 residents, according to the Detroit Free Press. In 1993 the rate was 57.6 homicides per 100,000 residents.
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing also pointed toward community-based causes and, potentially, solutions, but he stopped short of singling out drugs or guns. "The release of annual crime statistics reminds us of the senselessness of crime and violence in our community; the challenges facing our police force; and the need to improve conflict resolution and other anti-crime initiatives," he said in a statement.
Statistically, said Martin, Detroit harbors a range of factors that would contribute to a high homicide rate. The city has a high proportion of young men aged 20-29, he said. That age group accounted for 131 homicide victims and has demographic connections to the drug trade. The number of young men in the city who struggle with dysfunctional families and the high number of vacant homes in Detroit make matters worse.
"Groups of thugs have taken over the neighborhoods, and they can do what they please," Martin said. "It's like the Wild West out there."
Possible solutions addressing the homicide problem could be found in working with that age group, Bing said. "We've got to wrap our arms as best we can around these young folks and let them know that when they get into these kinds of situation it doesn't necessitate a gun; it doesn't have to necessitate a fight."
The mayor said he would meet with Detroit public school officials to try to engage young people in the city. He also promised more communication with local media in 2013 to address the problem.
Martin said the dramatic increase appears to have motivated city, county, state and federal officials to address Detroit's violent crime problem.
"There is a full-court press going on," he said. "There's probably going to be a revamping of each of their crime-fighting strategies. The magical number of 400 homicides seems to spur action."
The city reported a 2.6 percent overall decrease in major crimes such as aggravated assault, burglary and rape, officials said. But it also experienced year-over-year increases in car thefts and robberies.
Your brain on Big BirdPublic release date: 3-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Susan Hagen susan.hagen@rochester.edu 585-576-5945 University of Rochester
Sesame Street helps to reveal patterns of neural development
Using brain scans of children and adults watching Sesame Street, cognitive scientists are learning how children's brains change as they develop intellectual abilities like reading and math.
The novel use of brain imaging during everyday activities like watching TV, say the scientists, opens the door to studying other thought processes in naturalistic settings and may one day help to diagnose and treat learning disabilities.
Scientists are just beginning to use brain imaging to understand how humans process thought during real-life experiences. For example, researchers have compared scans of adults watching an entertaining movie to see if neural responses are similar across different individuals. "But this is the first study to use the method as a tool for understanding development," says lead author Jessica Cantlon, a cognitive scientist at the University of Rochester.
Eventually, that understanding may help pinpoint the cause when a child experiences difficulties mastering school work. "Psychologists have behavioral tests for trying to get the bottom of learning impairments, but these new imaging studies provide a totally independent source of information about children's learning based on what's happening in the brain," says Cantlon.
The neuroimaging findings are detailed in a new study published Jan. 3 by the Public Library of Science's open-access journal PLoS Biology, by Cantlon and her former research assistant Rosa Li, now a graduate student at Duke University.
For the investigation, 27 children between the ages of 4 and 11, and 20 adults watched the same 20-minute Sesame Street video. Like the regular program, the recording featured a variety of short clips focused on numbers, words, shapes, and other subjects. The children then took standardized IQ tests for math and verbal ability.
To capture the neural response to the show, the researchers turned to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Unlike X-rays, CAT scans, and other types of brain imaging, fMRI involves no risks, injections, surgery, or exposure to radiation. Using magnetic fields, the scans virtually segment the brain into a three-dimensional grid of about 40,000 pixels, known as voxels, and measure the neural signal intensity in each of those tiny sectors. The study produced 609 scans of each participant, one every two seconds, as they watched Big Bird, the Count, Elmo and other stars of the educational series. Using statistical algorithms, the researchers then created "neural maps" of the thought processes for the children and the adults and compared the groups.
The result? Children whose neural maps more closely resembled the neural maps of adults scored higher on standardized math and verbal tests. In other words, the brain's neural structure, like other parts of the body, develops along predictable pathways as we mature.
The study also confirmed where in the brain these developing abilities are located. For verbal tasks, adult-like neural patterns in the Broca area, which is involved in speech and language, predicted higher verbal test scores in children. For math, better scores were linked to more mature patterns in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), a region of the brain known to be involved in the processing of numbers.
Using normal activities, like TV watching, may provide a more accurate indicator of children's learning and brain development in the real world than the short and simple tasks typical of fMRI studies, the authors argue. Like the Sesame Street video, learning environments in schools are rich in complexity along with the academic lessons, write the authors.
To test that assumption, Cantlon and Li had the children perform traditional fMRI tasks by matching simple pictures of faces, numbers, words, or shapes. During these more limited activities with simple images, the neural responses of the children did not predict their test scores, unlike the more naturalistic task of watching Sesame Street.
Although the study does not advocate TV watching, it does show that "neural patterns during an everyday activity like watching television are related to a person's intellectual maturity," says Cantlon. "It's not the case that if you put a child in front of an educational TV program that nothing is happeningthat the brain just sort of zones out. Instead, what we see is that the patterns of neural activity that children are showing are meaningful and related to their intellectual abilities."
###
Conducted at the Rochester Center for Brain Imaging, the study was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant (R01 HD064636) and by a James S. McDonnell Foundation grant to Cantlon.
About the University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Your brain on Big BirdPublic release date: 3-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Susan Hagen susan.hagen@rochester.edu 585-576-5945 University of Rochester
Sesame Street helps to reveal patterns of neural development
Using brain scans of children and adults watching Sesame Street, cognitive scientists are learning how children's brains change as they develop intellectual abilities like reading and math.
The novel use of brain imaging during everyday activities like watching TV, say the scientists, opens the door to studying other thought processes in naturalistic settings and may one day help to diagnose and treat learning disabilities.
Scientists are just beginning to use brain imaging to understand how humans process thought during real-life experiences. For example, researchers have compared scans of adults watching an entertaining movie to see if neural responses are similar across different individuals. "But this is the first study to use the method as a tool for understanding development," says lead author Jessica Cantlon, a cognitive scientist at the University of Rochester.
Eventually, that understanding may help pinpoint the cause when a child experiences difficulties mastering school work. "Psychologists have behavioral tests for trying to get the bottom of learning impairments, but these new imaging studies provide a totally independent source of information about children's learning based on what's happening in the brain," says Cantlon.
The neuroimaging findings are detailed in a new study published Jan. 3 by the Public Library of Science's open-access journal PLoS Biology, by Cantlon and her former research assistant Rosa Li, now a graduate student at Duke University.
For the investigation, 27 children between the ages of 4 and 11, and 20 adults watched the same 20-minute Sesame Street video. Like the regular program, the recording featured a variety of short clips focused on numbers, words, shapes, and other subjects. The children then took standardized IQ tests for math and verbal ability.
To capture the neural response to the show, the researchers turned to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Unlike X-rays, CAT scans, and other types of brain imaging, fMRI involves no risks, injections, surgery, or exposure to radiation. Using magnetic fields, the scans virtually segment the brain into a three-dimensional grid of about 40,000 pixels, known as voxels, and measure the neural signal intensity in each of those tiny sectors. The study produced 609 scans of each participant, one every two seconds, as they watched Big Bird, the Count, Elmo and other stars of the educational series. Using statistical algorithms, the researchers then created "neural maps" of the thought processes for the children and the adults and compared the groups.
The result? Children whose neural maps more closely resembled the neural maps of adults scored higher on standardized math and verbal tests. In other words, the brain's neural structure, like other parts of the body, develops along predictable pathways as we mature.
The study also confirmed where in the brain these developing abilities are located. For verbal tasks, adult-like neural patterns in the Broca area, which is involved in speech and language, predicted higher verbal test scores in children. For math, better scores were linked to more mature patterns in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), a region of the brain known to be involved in the processing of numbers.
Using normal activities, like TV watching, may provide a more accurate indicator of children's learning and brain development in the real world than the short and simple tasks typical of fMRI studies, the authors argue. Like the Sesame Street video, learning environments in schools are rich in complexity along with the academic lessons, write the authors.
To test that assumption, Cantlon and Li had the children perform traditional fMRI tasks by matching simple pictures of faces, numbers, words, or shapes. During these more limited activities with simple images, the neural responses of the children did not predict their test scores, unlike the more naturalistic task of watching Sesame Street.
Although the study does not advocate TV watching, it does show that "neural patterns during an everyday activity like watching television are related to a person's intellectual maturity," says Cantlon. "It's not the case that if you put a child in front of an educational TV program that nothing is happeningthat the brain just sort of zones out. Instead, what we see is that the patterns of neural activity that children are showing are meaningful and related to their intellectual abilities."
###
Conducted at the Rochester Center for Brain Imaging, the study was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant (R01 HD064636) and by a James S. McDonnell Foundation grant to Cantlon.
About the University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sn8G_yhGQPgOcuoFic1lzBl9iLB-xNxTRwNQh7ABy62q1CmVSdmE0bJGCwbXybVmJDhNMDV3ZLyQyN33A0FMPRWp2qjkHQtQK3jnvSNjA=s0-d){kind=small}
Public release date: 3-Jan-2013
Share ]