Humanistic psychology: A new breakthrough.

A "major break-through is occurring at the present time in psychology." 8 parameters traditionally accepted as given in psychology but now increasingly questioned are examined: (a) The model of man as a composite of part functions. (b) The model of science taken over from physics. (c) The model of a practitioner taken over from medicine. (d) The pattern of compartmentalized subdivided graduate school faculty and curriculum as the appropriate agency for preparing students for psychological careers. (e) The criterion of statistical frequency as a demonstration of truth or reality. (f) The illusion that research precedes practice. (g) The myth of the "clinical team." (h) The fallacy that diagnosis is basic to treatment. A tremendously exciting development in psychology is its returned to consideration of "the functioning and experience of a whole human being." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A case pf spontaneous deletion in the FMR1 gene in a patient with the Martin-Bell syndrome]

Current models of Cr(VI) carcinogenesis suggest an important role for Cr(IV) as an intermediate, toxic, carcinogenic species, but direct chemical evidence has been lacking. This is because Cr(IV) is a highly reactive oxidation state of Cr and few Cr(IV)-based compounds are known that can be used as a model compound containing a biological ligand. This study reports the isolation of such a stable Cr(IV) complex. The Cr(IV)-GSH complex has been synthesized through the reaction of Cr(VI) with GSH. Its electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum exhibits g = 1.9629 and a peak-to-peak line width of 480 G in aqueous medium as well as in the powder form. Magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that the compound has a magnetic moment of 2.53 Bohr magneton per Cr, establishing that the Cr ion has two unpaired electrons, hence its identity as Cr(IV). The Cr(IV)-GSH complex is able to generate hydroxyl (.OH) radical in the presence of molecular oxygen in aqueous medium. Catalase inhibited the .OH radical generation while H2O2 enhanced it, indicating that the .OH radical was generated via a Fenton-like reaction, H2O2 being generated as an intermediate in the reduction of molecular oxygen. Metal ion chelators, deferoxamine and 1,10-phenanthroline, attenuated the generation of Cr(IV)-mediated .OH radical. In the case of deferoxamine, a deferoxamine-derived free radical was generated as shown by EPR measurements. The results imply that Cr(IV) may play an important role in the mechanism of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis and Cr(IV)-GSH can be used as a model compound to study the role of Cr(IV) in this mechanism.     

Ion imprinted cryogel-based supermacroporous traps for selective separation of cerium(III) in real samples

This study demonstrates the preparation and characterization of a novel ion imprinted cryogel which exhibits high affinity and selectivity towards Ce(III) ions in aqueous solutions and bastnäsite ore samples. 2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and N-methacryloylamido antipyrine (MAAP) were used as functional monomers for the preparation of Ce(III) imprinted cryogel. The effects of various factors such as initial Ce(III) concentration, flow rate, pH, interaction time and ionic strength on the Ce(III) binding to the prepared ion imprinted cryogels were also studied. The binding equilibrium for Ce(III) is obtained in 30 min at the flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The maximum binding capacity of the prepared ion imprinted cryogel towards Ce(III) is obtained as 36.58 mg/g at optimum conditions. The selectivity of the prepared ion imprinted cryogel towards Ce(III) in the presence of other possible interfering lanthanide ions such as La(III) and Nd(III) were also performed. The obtained results showed that the prepared ion imprinted cryogel exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity towards Ce(III) ions. The limit of detection (LOD) was found as 50 μg/L.     

Serological titers of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis associated with gastro-intestinal disorders and serological follow-up on two endemic farms

A sulfate-reducing bacterium using trinitrotoluene (TNT) as the sole nitrogen source was isolated with pyruvate and sulfate as the energy sources. The organism was able to reduce TNT to triaminotoluene (TAT) in growing cultures and cell suspensions and to further transform TAT to still unknown products. Pyruvate, H2, or carbon monoxide served as the electron donors for the reduction of TNT. The limiting step in TNT conversion to TAT was the reduction of 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene (2,4-DANT) to triaminotoluene. The reduction proceeded via 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxylaminotoluene (DAHAT) as an intermediate. The intermediary formation of DAHAT was only observed in the presence of carbon monoxide or hydroxylamine, respectively. The reduction of DAHAT to triaminotoluene was inhibited by both CO and NH2OH. The inhibitors as well as DANT and DAHAT significantly inhibited sulfide formation from sulfite. The data were taken as evidence for the involvement of dissimilatory sulfite reductase in the reduction of DANT and/or DAHAT to triaminotoluene. Hydrogenase purified from Clostridium pasteurianum and carbon monoxide dehydrogenase partially purified from Clostridium thermoaceticum also catalyzed the reduction of DANT in the presence of methyl viologen or ferredoxin, however, as the main reduction product DAHAT rather than triaminotoluene was formed. The findings could explain the function of CO as an electron donor for the DANT reduction (to DAHAT) and the concomitant inhibitory effect of CO on triaminotoluene formation (from DAHAT) by the inhibition of sulfite reductase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Separation of Eu(Ⅲ) with supported dispersion liquid membrane system containing D2EHPA as carrier and HNO_3 solution as stripping solution

The Eu(III) separation in supported dispersion liquid membrane (SDLM),with polyvinylidene fluoride membrane (PVDF) as the support and dispersion solution containing HNO3 solution as the stripping solution and Di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) dis-solved in kerosene as the membrane solution,was studied.The effects of pH value,initial concentration of Eu(III) and different ionic strengths in the feed phase,volume ratio of membrane solution and stripping solution,concentration of HNO3 solution,concentr...     

Prevalence of cholelithiasis in El Real-Gandia

The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of cholelithiasis (C) in the El Real-Gandia (Spain) as well as the degree of the response of the population. Health examinations were performed in 1,803 adults from El Real (2,000 inhabitants) and Gandia (54,000 inhabitants) using abdominal echography as the screening technique. Cholelithiasis was defined as the presence of biliary lithiasis (BL) or previous cholecystectomy (PC). Of 1,268 (70.3%) participants in the study, C was found in 126 cases (BL in 102 and P in 24) representing a standardized prevalence of around 15% in women and 5% in men. Cholelithiasis was more frequent in females (13.8%) than in males (5.7%) (p < 0.001) increasing linearly with age (p < 0.005). The proportion of PC was significantly higher in women (23.9%) than in men (5.9%) (p < 0.05) and in Gandia (34.4%) than in El Real (13.8%) (p < 0.02). The prevalence of biliary mud and polyps was of 0.3% and 1.1%, respectively. Working obligations (35.4%) and fear of hospitals (22.4%) were the most frequent causes for no response (NR). Males with more than primary a school education originating from outside the Valencian community (VC) were significantly associated with NR in multivariant analysis.     

Ionic conductivity, transference numbers, composition and mobility of ions in cross-linked lysozyme crystals

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gene expression as well as its immunoreactivity were studied after partial unilateral hemitransection of the rat brain during a time course of 24 h, 72 h, 7 and 14 days. The mechanical injury resulted in a global increase of bFGF gene expression at the 24-h time interval. This global increase was seen at the ipsilateral site at the level of the lesion as well as rostral to the lesion in the ipsilateral hemisphere. The upregulation in bFGF gene expression was in most of the areas investigated due to an upregulation in glial cells as seen by means of nonradioactive in situ hybridization compared with immunocytochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Basic FGF immunoreactivity (IR) was increased around the lesion in glial cell nuclei 7 days after the injury. This increase was also detected in GFAP positive glial cells surrounding small vessels in the lesioned area. Moreover, in the present paper we demonstrate increased tenascin immunoreactivity in the lesioned area 7 days after injury. The tenascin IR was increased at the edges of the lesion as well as in vessel like structures. The tenascin IR was partially codistributed with GFAP IR in the lesioned area. The lesion was also characterized by an increase in vimentin IR as well as in laminin IR. It is suggested that the observed changes in the expression of bFGF, matrix proteins (laminin, tenascin) and intermediate filaments (vimentin) are involved in (a) tissue repair, (b) protection of neuronal cells from excitotoxic influences and (c) formation of new vessels in the lesioned area.     

Electron affinities of p-benzoquinone, p-benzoquinone imine and p-benzoquinone diimine, and spin densities of their p-benzosemiquinones computed by several quantum chemical models

Restricted and unrestricted (U) Hartree-Fock (HF), second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation (MP2), density functional (DF), hybrid HF/DF and semiempirical (half-electron (HE) method) models have been used to calculate adiabatic electron affinities (EAad values) of p-benzoquinone (I), p-benzoquinone imine (VI) and p-benzoquinone diimine (XI), as well as expectation values () and spin density distributions in the radical anions of I, VI and XI. The AM1/AM1-HE and ab initio calculated structures are found to be in accord with each other. The ROHF/6-31G(d) method gave the poorest EAad result. The UHF and UMP2 wave functions were found to be substantially spin contaminated (for the radicals) and the accuracies of the EAad values calculated were also poor. The use of molecular energies obtained after spin annihilation did not lead to significant improvement of the UHF and UMP2 results. In contrast to the ROHF, UHF and UMP2 results, the DF(USVWN, UBVWN, UBLYP) and hybrid HF/DF(UB3LYP) methods, as well as the AM1-HE, gave much better results. The calculated EAad values decreased, as predicted by most of the models, in the order EAad(I) > EAad(VI) > EAad(XI). The differences in the EAs, EAad(I)-EAad(VI) and EAad(I)-EAad(XI), were consistently predicted to be about 8-9 and 17-18 kcal/mol, respectively, by the DF, B3LYP and AM1-HE models. The performance of the PM3 and SAM1 models was not as good as the AM1 model. Of all the methods tested, the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) model is concluded to give the most accurate quantitative trend (I(42.6) > VI(33.1) > XI(23.7)) in EAad. The predicted trend in EA can satisfactorily be rationalized by the calculated LUMO orbital energies, atomic charges and spin density distributions. Analysis of the spin density data predicts that phenoxyl- and anilino-type radical anions predominate in the p-benzosemiquinones of I and XI, respectively, while both phenoxyl- and anilino-type radicals contribute to the structure of the p-benzosemiquinone of VI, with the anilino-type predominating.     

Epidemiological studies in children of a low-endemic region, a high-endemic region, and dwellers of a leprosy colony: evaluation of anti-ND-BSA antibodies and lepromin response

Children residing in a low-endemic region (LER), a high-endemic region (HER), and a leprosy colony contact population (CP) were evaluated for lepromin response as well as reactivity to the Mycobacterium leprae-specific synthetic antigen, ND-BSA. The mean reactivity to ND-BSA in the LER group (OD 0.03 +/- 0.03, N = 71) was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than that in the contact population (OD 0.14 +/- 0.09, N = 140) as well as the population residing in the HER (OD 0.09 +/- 0.08, N = 1340). ELISA-positive results were the highest (21.4%) with the CP group and lowest (0.0%) in the LER group, suggesting that it was a measure of the extent of exposure of M. leprae. In the contact population, females showed a preponderance for ELISA positivity over males (p < 0.005), a finding not observed with the HER population. The Mitsuda responses showed a Gaussian-type distribution in all of the three populations examined with the mean response being highest in the LER (6.0 mm +/- 2.9) and lowest in the HER (4.5 mm +/- 2.0) groups. The percent positivity for the Mitsuda reaction was found to be highest in the LER (93.0%) and lowest in the HER (88.3%) groups. The Mitsuda response thus appears to be independent of M. leprae exposure, and its interpretation in a given population needs consideration of several factors, such as nutritional, environmental, etc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Determination of tramadol in various dosage forms by capillary isotachophoresis

Cationic capillary isotachophoresis (ITP) with conductometric detection has been used for separating and determining milligram amounts of tramadol [2-dimethylaminomethyl-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-cyclohexanol hydrochloride] (I) in seven commercial mass-produced pharmaceutical preparations. The optimised ITP electrolyte system consisted of 5 mM potassium picolinate + 5 mM picolinic acid (pH 5.25) as the leading electrolyte and 10 mM formic acid as the terminating electrolyte. The driving and detection currents were 50 microA (for 320 s) and 10 microA, respectively (a single analysis took 12-15 min). Under such conditions the effective mobility of I was determined as 24.26 x 10(-9) m2 V(-1) s(-1) (with tetraethylammonium ion as standard); thermodynamic pKa value of I was 9.44 +/- 0.03 (n = 8) as determined by UV spectrophotometry at 25 degrees C and I = 0.01 (NaCl). The calibration graph relating the ITP zone length to the concentration of I was rectilinear (r = 0.99997) in the range 15-180 mg l(-1) of I. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 0.21% (n = 6) when determining 60 mg l(-1) of I in pure test solution. Sample pre-treatment of the dosage forms involved dilution or extraction of I with water (for suppositories the extraction was carried out in an ultrasonic bath at 40 degrees C for 10 min). The method was suitable for determining 50 or 100 mg ml(-1) of I in injections and drops, 50 mg of I in capsules, and 100 mg of I in suppositories with RSD values 0.4 to 1% (n = 6). According to the validation procedure based on the standard addition technique the recoveries were 97.2-100.1% of I.     

The lasting legacy of Sigmund Koch.

Introduces a collection of articles celebrating the work of Sigmund Koch. Although probably best known as the editor of the large, 6-volume study of psychology Psychology: A study of science, Koch also made critical and creative contributions in a variety of other areas. The articles presented in this journal focus on some of the most salient facets of Koch's work: (a) Koch as philosopher; (b) Koch as historian of psychology; (c) Koch as psychological theoretician; (d) Koch as humanist; and (e) Koch as "disciplined connoisseur" of the arts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Presynaptic and postsynaptic localization of GABA(B) receptors in neurons of the rat retina

The recently cloned GABA(B) receptors were localized in rat retina using specific antisera. Immunolabelling was detected in the inner and outer plexiform layers (IPL, OPL), and in a number of cells in the inner nuclear layer and the ganglion cell layer. Double-labelling experiments for GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and GABA(B) receptors, respectively, demonstrated a co-localization in horizontal cells and amacrine cells. Electron microscopy showed that GABA(B) receptors of the OPL were localized presynaptically in horizontal cell processes invaginating into photoreceptor terminals. In the IPL, GABA(B) receptors were present presynaptically in amacrine cells, as well as postsynaptically in amacrine and ganglion cells. The postnatal development of GABA(B) receptors was also studied, and immunoreactivity was observed well before morphological and synaptic differentiation of retinal neurons. The present results suggest a presynaptic (autoreceptor) as well as postsynaptic role for GABA(B) receptors. In addition, the extrasynaptic localization of GABA(B) receptors could indicate a paracrine function of GABA in the retina.     

The (re)discovery of motor development: Learning new things from an old field.

The articles in this special issue reflect a resurgence of interest in motor development. Just as the classic studies of McGraw and Gesell helped to establish the scientific study of human ontogeny, so contemporary studies of motor processes can contribute to our overall understanding of development. The articles in this issue illustrate several general principles: (a) The developing system is the proper unit for study, (b) the task assembles behavior, (c) developmental processes are nonlinear, (d) action and perception form an inseparable loop, and (e) developmental studies should look at variability as well as modal patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment scales: A validation study.

The flexible goal adjustment (FLEX) and tenacious goal pursuit (TEN) scales are used regularly in aging research. The current study examined their validity in a sample of 517 women (30–75 years) in multiple ways. Overall, the findings show that the scales do not clearly distinguish between FLEX and TEN. The direction in which the items were formulated was just as important as what was being measured. Moreover, face validity of the inversely phrased items in particular appeared to be weak. On the basis of these findings, the authors recommend a revision of the concept definitions as well as of the items. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of two hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutations in alpha-tropomyosin, Asp175Asn and Glu180Gly, on Ca2+ regulation of thin filament motility

The biological activity of the Alzheimer's disease amyloid beta protein may be related to modulation of membrane lipid peroxidation. The effect of amyloid beta protein fragment 25-35 [A beta(25-35)] on lipid peroxidation was examined in liposomes enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids. The activity of A beta(25-35) was compared to that of A beta(25-35) with either a scrambled sequence [A beta(25-35)scram] or a peptide sequence in which methionine was replaced with leucine [A beta(25-35) met]. A beta(25-35) inhibited lipid peroxidation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The antioxidant activity of A beta(25-35) was observed at concentrations as low as 10 nM. The relative antioxidant activities of the amyloid beta protein fragments were as follows: A beta(25-35) > A beta(25-35) met > A beta(25-35)scram. The two more potent peptides intercalated into the membrane hydrocarbon core, as determined by small-angle x-ray diffraction approaches. These findings indicate that the amphiphilic A beta(25-35) peptide inhibits lipid peroxidation at low concentrations as a result of physicochemical interactions with the membrane lipid bilayer.     

Identification and characterization of a 14 kDa immunosuppressive protein derived from IIB-MEL-J, a human melanoma cell line

The causes of decreased immune competence in melanoma patients as well as in other cancer patients are incompletely understood. The identification of the factor(s) responsible for this behaviour remains elusive. The present report demonstrates that an immunosuppressive activity (ISA), manifested in vitro as an inhibition of proliferation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) induced both by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or the cytokine IL-2, was exhibited by serum-free conditioned medium (SFCM) from the human melanoma cell line IIB-MEL-J, as well as by two other melanoma cell lines, IIB-MEL-LES and IIB-MEL-IAN, established in our laboratory. The ISA was found to be exerted by a protein, which co-eluted with serum albumin in anionic exchange Mono-Q, gel filtration chromatography and Blue Sepharose columns. It showed a molecular weight (Mw) of 14 kDa when separated from albumin traces by means of a Sephacryl S 200 column. It is not recognized by a pan-specific anti-transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) antibody as determined by Western blots assays performed on the SFCM. The immunosuppressive factor (ISF) is secreted by IIB-MEL-J cell line in soluble from and in very scarce amounts, non-detectable by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). This characteristic difficults its obtention in adequate quantities to sequentiation. Since this inhibitory factor may have a role in protecting melanoma tumors from attack by the host immune system, preparative isolation will be attempted. But we consider these results only as preliminary one's.     

Role of the posterolateral nucleus of the cat thalamus in conducting peripheral and cortical polysensory influences]

The posterior lateral thalamic nucleus (LP) of the cat has separate inputs for ascending signals of different sensory and subcortical origin, as well as for cortifugal activity. With somatic stimuli, only non-specific and reticular signals come to LP. They are not directly involved in the genesis of evoked potentials (EP) in the parietal cortex (P) and the somatic zones I and II (SI and SII). With visual stimuli, specific and reticular impulses directly concerned with the formation of visual EPs in the P and the visual zone (VI) are projected to LP. The cortifugal action of VI, SI and SII influences the same modality in LP. The descending effect of P on visual and somatic signals in LP is actieved along autonomous pathways and consists in dissimilar types of direct (as in VI) and indirect (as in SI and SII) descending influences of different projection zones on impulses of the same modality in the given nucleus.     

L'intervention environnementale: une affaire de compétence.

The concept of environmental competence is defined as a person's motivation to transact optimally with the environment along with a feeling of being in control. The process of developing this competence is described in 5 parts, and the obstacles to it are examined. Such means as the use of F. I. Steele's (1973) functions of the physical settings and participation in the planning process (in consultation with an expert) are suggested as ways to facilitate environmental competence. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

铜(Ⅱ)离子印迹聚合物的吸附行为及其机理研究

在醋酸溶液中,以Cu(Ⅱ)离子为模板,壳聚糖为功能单体,γ-(2,3环氧丙氧)丙基三甲氧基硅烷(KH-560)为偶联剂,利用表面分子印迹技术和溶胶-凝胶法制备了Cu(Ⅱ)离子印迹聚合物。采用傅立叶变换红外光谱、紫外光谱等手段对Cu(Ⅱ)离子印迹聚合物的性质和结构进行了表征。并以其为固相萃取吸附剂,用火焰原子吸收法(FAAS)考察了溶液酸度、吸附时间、吸附剂用量等对聚合物吸附性能的影响。采用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES)研究了聚合物对由Cd(Ⅱ)、Co(Ⅱ)、Cu(Ⅱ)、Hg(Ⅱ)、Mn(Ⅱ)、Ni(Ⅱ)、Pb(Ⅱ)和Zn(Ⅱ)组成的混合溶液中Cu(Ⅱ)的选择性和吸附容量,最后探讨了Cu(Ⅱ)离子印迹聚合物的印迹机理。结果表明,在pH 5的条件下,0.3 g Cu(Ⅱ)离子印迹和非印迹聚合物的饱和吸附容量分别为50.3 mg/g和20.1 mg/g,且Cu(Ⅱ)离子印迹聚合物具有较高的选择性。     

trans-2-Aryl-N,N-dipropylcyclopropylamines: synthesis and interactions with 5-HT(1A) receptors

Twelve N,N-dipropyl-substituted derivatives of trans-2-arylcyclopropylamine have been prepared and assayed for their ability to displace [(3)H]-8-OH-DPAT from rat brain 5-HT(1A) receptors. The new derivatives include phenyl (7a), bromo- (7b) and fluorophenyl (7c-e), 2-methoxy-5-fluorophenyl (7h), and 2-hydroxy-5-fluorophenyl (7l) as well as trifluoromethylphenyl (7f) and 2,3-dichlorophenyl (7g) analogues. In the present series of compounds, electron-withdrawing substituents in the phenyl ring appear to decrease the affinity for 5-HT(1A) receptors. In contrast, electron-rich aryl groups, such as 2- or 3-thienyl (7j and 7k, respectively), provide compounds with high affinity. The additional bulk produced by the aromatic moiety in the 2-benzothienyl derivative 7i appears to be detrimental to 5-HT(1A) receptor affinity. The racemic mixtures of the interesting 7j and 7l were resolved into the enantiomers; 7j and 7l exhibited a high enantiomeric 5-HT(1A) receptor affinity ratio (75-fold and 100-fold, respectively). The enantiomers of 7j and 7l were evaluated in vivo by use of biochemical and behavioral tests in rats. Compound (1R,2R)-7j behaved as a partial agonist whereas (1R,2S)-7l appeared as an efficacious 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist, stimulating both autoreceptors and postsynaptic receptors.