Biological warfare. A historical perspective

Several modifications of the 3H-tetracycline bone labeling method for measuring whole skeleton bone resorption were tested. Under steady state conditions of whole skeleton resorptive activity, bone labeling for intervals longer than 2 weeks prior to experimentation did not significantly alter the urinary 3H-tetracycline loss curve. The utilization of nonlinear regression analysis showed that the urinary loss of 3H-tetracycline was best described by double exponential equations, indicating the loss of label from two distinct and independent exchangeable bone compartments. This conclusion was supported by the finding that soft tissues were effectively depleted of 3H-tetracycline by 24 hours after the final injection of label. Hence, it was concluded that approximately 40% of the 3H-tetracycline loss from skeletal bone is associated with a "fast" compartment which is depleted within 6 or 7 days after label loading. The size and rate of 3H-tetracycline loss from the fast compartment decreased (40%) with age such that the depletion time remained constant between 8 and 24 weeks of age in both male and female rats. The remaining 60% of 3H-tetracycline loss from a "slow" compartment which was depleted in about 70 days in young (8 week) rats. This compartment, which is believed to reflect cell-mediated resorption of calcified bone; decreased in size with age in both male (50%) and female (30%) rats. The rate of label loss from this compartment, however, remained relatively high so that the depletion time decreased (approximately 35%) between 8 and 24 weeks of age. By determining whole skeletal mass and calculating these parameters on the basis of skeletal mass, we were further able to demonstrate significantly higher resorptive activity in female than in male rats by 24 weeks of age.     

Putting psychology in its place: An introduction from a critical historical perspective.

Review of book: Putting Psychology in its Place: An Introduction from a Critical Historical Perspective by Graham Richards, Routledge, 1996, x + 197 pp. Reviewed by Raymond E. Francher. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and psychopathology: A historical perspective.

The possible links between personality psychology and psychopathology are examined with the goal of understanding the constraints that set boundaries to the possible contributions of one to the other. The reciprocal nature of these contributions is described. The historical survey looks at the early concepts of the humors and temperament; at the concept of a general vulnerability to psychosis and deviance, represented by the 19th-century concept of degeneracy; and at later typologies arising from the work of H. J. Eysenck, Freud, E. Kretschmer, Pavlov, and W. H. Sheldon. The impact of current developments in neuropsychology and in cognitive psychology is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A historical perspective on the dilemmas confronting psychology.

Discusses psychology's growth in terms of volume and range of subject matter, variety of applied sciences, and number of professionals. It is argued that the discipline of psychology still shows a proclivity for its parts to hang together despite strong pressures that could lead to separation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research on reading processes: A historical perspective.

The systematic study of reading dates from the beginnings of experimental psychology in the 1880's. From that time until the publication of E. B. Huey's 1908 test on reading, reading processes were a central focus of experimental psychology. After this period the influence of behaviorism turned experimental psychologists away from the investigation of mental processes, while educational psychologists became preoccupied with testing and measurement. A revival of experimental work began in the 1950's, prompted by both improved funding for education and psychology's renewed interest in cognitive processes. With the current interest in information processing, reading again occupies a central role in psychology. However, it is argued that the research community needs a more convincing justification for continued government support of basic research than one based on potential links to classroom practice. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modern clinical neuropsychology in historical perspective.

The emergence of clinical neuropsychology as a specialized area of knowledge and application has resulted from a convergence of interests and activities in a number of developmental domains. These include basic experimental research in physiological, comparative, and cognitive psychology; the development of quantitative and qualitative neuropsychological principles and procedures for clinical application; and the syndromal analysis of the behavioral consequences of central nervous system (CNS) lesions. Seen in broad historical perspective, these developmental directions appear to account for the increased socialization of this speciality in education, program accreditation, and individual competency credentialing. This process is seen as a natural and productive professionalization of the speciality, based on the considerable expansion of interdisciplinary as well as disciplinary knowledge and practices during the past half century. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Carl Rogers and Heinz Kohut: A historical perspective.

Earlier psychoanalytic thinkers, with their humanistic orientations, anticipated Heinz Kohut's theories and, therefore, contributed to the historical evolution of self psychology. Carl Rogers, a founder of humanistic psychology in the US, was a theorist who struggled with many of the same issues as Kohut. Rogers had new ways of looking at therapy, and especially at the therapeutic ambience, ways that foreshadowed the discoveries of Kohut. This article discusses areas of compatibility of the 2 theorists, such as their focus on empathy and the self, to encourage a rapprochement between humanistic psychotherapy and self psychology. Kohut revolutionized psychoanalysis by making it more humanistic. In that revolution, many of Rogers's empirically tested ideas were incorporated into a comprehensive psychoanalytic theory and clinical method. Because of the areas of mutual concerns and overlap, a fuller appreciation of Rogers's important ideas will be beneficial to self psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interactionism in personality from a historical perspective.

Starting from a distinction between 3 different conceptions of human behavior (personologism, situationism, and interactionism) and between 2 different conceptions of the environment (physical vs psychological environment), the present article focuses on the interactionist position, which has been preferred in some recent conceptions of personality. By reviewing different classical theories of psychology, it is argued that the modern interactionist conceptualization is not new in personality psychology. It can be traced back to the works of J. R. Kantor and K. Lewin and is also advocated in many of the succeeding classical works. By reviewing the previous interactionists' conceptions of the environment, it is argued that their emphasis on the psychological environment in explaining person-situation interactions presents the same main thought as that found in the recent cognitively colored interactionism. By reviewing empirical strategies and results within the interactionist framework, it is argued that the inaptness of previous methods has impeded the development of interactionism and explains why it has not had an impact until now. (4 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavior modification: A perspective on critical issues.

Discusses current behavior modification techniques, such as token economies, desensitization, and aversive therapy, and reviews the evidence on the efficacy of behavior modification. It is argued that the use of behavior modification has caused some individuals to express concern that these methods are manipulative and dehumanizing and that aversive techniques are especially subject to abuse. These issues are reviewed in terms of legitimate areas of concern and possible methods for developing safeguards to protect persons in behavior modification programs. Both the issues and the proposed solutions are applicable to all types of mental health programs. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On learning and development, Piagetian style: II. A critical historical analysis of Geneva's research programme.

To clarify Geneva's research program and evaluate its contradictions in a historical perspective, an idealized reconstruction of its evolution since the 1940s is presented. The program's needs (a) to explicate the developmental decalages, the transition rule, and equilibration; and (b) to focus separately on organismic factors responsible for learning proper and cognitive development proper, are emphasized. Specific theoretical and/or methodological problems which should be confronted are discussed. (54 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A historical perspective and cellular regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis

With the recent accumulation of information about megakaryocyte biochemistry and function, our understanding of the regulatory system controlling megakaryocytopoiesis is becoming more clear. The cloning and the expression of thrombopoietin, the regulator of megakaryocytopoiesis, has been a major breakthrough. This review will discuss megakaryocyte ontogeny, cell-cell interactions between megakaryocytes and the other stromal cells and the signal transduction in megakaryocytes.     

A transactional perspective on critical thinking

The quality of thinking has received much attention within the last decade. The scientific inquiry models introduced by Dewey, Dressel and Mayhew, and Watson-Glaser have been expanded to incorporate such aspects as reflection, development, attitude, skill, and knowledge domain. Dichotomies between critical and creative thinking have been eased. While this scholarship on thinking has been impressive, current pedagogy remains focused on scientific inquiry and on received knowledge. In nursing the learning paradigm has been similarly focused for the past 3 decades on a scientific inquiry model and received knowledge. The major cognitive approach to education and practice has been the nursing process, a linear problem-solving paradigm equivalent to the scientific method. This linear approach does not fully account for how nurses think and make judgments in clinical practice. The Transactional Model of Critical Thinking presented in this paper addresses the complexity of critical thinking in nursing. The model provides an educative and novel vision of thinking based on a transactional view of the individual, personal attributes, and the environment. Components and elements of the model are described and suggestions made for teaching-learning and for evaluation of critical thinking in nursing.     

Open surgical treatment of anterior glenohumeral instability: an historical perspective and review of the literature. Part II

Anterior glenohumeral instability is an undesirable result of trauma to the shoulder. Several surgical treatments for this condition have been developed, beginning in the early years of the twentieth century. Although many of these procedures were popular at their inception, many of them have fallen out of favor as more information has been acquired concerning the long-term results and complications of their use. While often successful in preventing recurrent instability, these earlier procedures also often led to a loss of external rotation, and consequently, function. Newer procedures have been devised that aim to prevent recurrent instability while maintaining full range of motion and function. Part I of this paper, published in the November issue, presented a brief history of the treatment of glenohumeral instability and a review of the literature, including the Bankart and du Toit procedures. Part II includes the Putti-Platt, the Magnuson-Stack, the Bristow, and capsular shift procedures.     

Science of obvious and common sense causes in historical perspective.

In her present stage of development, the science of obvious and common sense causes finds herself at cross roads. This paper provides a brief historical sketch of her actual development as a function of methods, professional identification and units of research employed. Prisoner's dilemma paradigm (PDP) is used as an explanatory model to highlight the implications of earlier choices made by social psychologists and social psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Animal awareness: Current perceptions and historical perspective.

An examination of the writings of 19th and early 20th century comparative psychologists such as G. J. Romanes (1883, 1888) and C. L. Morgan (1903, 1923) indicates that they were well aware of many of the issues raised by the recent "cognitivism" in psychology and ethology. A survey completed by 349 Ss in undergraduate ethology classes, an animal behavior conference, and meetings on creationism on attitudes concerning mental continuity between humans and nonhumans showed that emotional continuity was considered more likely than intellectual continuity and that acceptance of evolution favorably disposed Ss to both. Critical anthropomorphism often aids in formulating testable hypotheses, but cognitive approaches to animals are in danger of suffering a fate similar to the earlier comparative mentalism. (88 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Certification and occupational health nursing. An historical perspective

BACKGROUND: The bronchodilator agent is an important drug for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methacholine is a popular bronchial provocative agent. Although the major acting site of bronchodilator, methacholine and upper respiratory tract infection (URI) has been evaluated in some studies, the sites are still in debate. This study investigated the exact major acting sites. METHODS: Thirty subjects participated in this study. Episodes of URI were identified by a questionnaire. Spirometry, bronchial provocative test with methacholine, and five minutes' inhalation of a mixture of helium and oxygen (HeO2) were done on day one. Spirometry, bronchodilator test, with five minutes' inhalation of HeO2 and expiratory flow-volume (F-V) curve were performed on another day. The change of pre- and post-HeO2 VEMax50 was calculated as delta VEMax50. The pre- and post-bronchodilator VEMax50 and delta VEMax50 differences were counted to decide the acting site of bronchodilator. After bronchial provocative test with methacholine, the volume of isoflow (VisoV) was estimated from pre- and post-HeO2 F-V curve to establish the acting site of methacholine. RESULTS: This study indicated that small airways are the major acting sites of bronchodilators, large airways are the major acting sites of methacholine and URI affects mainly large airways. Although airway hyperresponsiveness is more severe in subjects with positive methacholine response, the recovery of spirometry values is not significantly different between the methacholine-positive and -negative groups. CONCLUSIONS: The major acting sites of the bronchodilator, methacholine, and URI are the small, large and large airways, respectively. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness is not a cause of quick restoration of spirometry values in subjects with positive methacholine response.     

The person–situation debate in historical and current perspective.

Contends that the person–situation debate remained unresolved for many decades because researchers did not realize that behavior can be situationally specific at the item level and cross-situationally general at the aggregate level. Research that supported the specificity position examined single instances of behavior or did not properly aggregate behavior over items as well as occasions and was therefore unable to provide evidence for the existence of broad, stable response dispositions, or traits. Examination of 4 classic studies by H. Hartshorne and M. A. May (1928, 1929), T. M. Newcomb (1929), G. W. Allport and P. E. Vernon (1933), and G. J. Dudycha (1936) and of a more recent study by W. Mischel and P. K. Peake (see record 1983-05642-001), all of which examined multiple items on many occasions, revealed that commitment to a procedural paradigm that emphasized relationships among individual items of behavior resulted either in the use of inappropriate procedures or in the misinterpretation of data. The most common problems concerned inappropriate procedures for item selection and retention, the failure to properly take into account reliability, and the failure to recognize the importance of attending to relationships among aggregates of items. Despite different conclusions by their authors, all studies provided remarkably similar findings, including impressive evidence for stable, broad response dispositions and for considerably stronger cross-situational relationships than had been reported. (108 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)