Repeated immunization with recombinant gp160 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope protein in early HIV-1 infection: evaluation of the T cell proliferative response

This longitudinal study was designed to evaluate cellular immunity in early-stage, asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected persons (CD4 cell count,>400/mm3; median, 625/mm3) who were immunized with either recombinant (r) gp160 or placebo every 2 months for 5 years. Proliferative responses were assessed against rgp160, rp24, and a panel of recall antigens and mitogens. Despite good reactivity to recall antigens, at baseline approximately 33% had proliferative responses to gp160, and approximately 42% showed p24 gag responses. There was no statistical difference between vaccine and placebo groups for antigens or mitogens. After 1 year, approximately 73% of the subjects in the vaccine arm had new or boosted responses to gp160, versus approximately 18% in the placebo arm. Statistical significance was maintained throughout the study. Recurrent vaccination with recombinant gp160 was proven to be persistently immunogenic, increasing significantly the ability of HIV-1-infected persons to mount new proliferative responses to the vaccine.     

From dissonance to disidentification: Selectivity in the self-affirmation process.

Two studies examined the relationship between the content of a self-threat and the attractiveness of available self-affirmations (C. M. Steele, 1988). After self-threat was induced by means of a cognitive dissonance procedure, participants' choices for affirmations were examined in order to explore whether the attractiveness of a given affirmation depends on its relevance to the threatened domain of the self-concept. The authors hypothesized that when faced with a threat to a specific self-conception or standard, individuals may forego affirmations within the threatened self-concept domain in favor of affirmations of unrelated, compensatory domains. Both studies supported this hypothesis and further suggested that such selective self-affirmation can lead individuals to modify their self-concepts by identifying with self-aspects that justify dissonant behavior and by disidentifying with the standards that such behavior violates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In defense of the placebo group in psychotherapy research.

Comments on K. D. O'Leary and T. Borkovec's (see record 1979-24057-001) discussion of conceptual, methodological, and ethical problems with placebo groups in psychotherapy research, focusing on alternatives to placebo groups and differences between psychotherapy and analog research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vocal interruptions in dyadic communication as a function of speech and social anxiety.

The relation between a speaker's personality and his/her propensity to interrupt was examined in 30-min unstructured conversations for 36 dyads of undergraduates (12 male, 12 female, and 12 mixed sex). Two predictions were tested: (a) interruptive behavior is inversely related to speech anxiety and positively related to confidence as a speaker, and (b) interruptive behavior is inversely related to social anxiety (avoidance–distress; fear of negative evaluation). A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed, controlling for the systematic effects of sex, the conversational partner's personality and amount of speech, and the speaker's use of back-channel responses. These hypotheses were confirmed for rate of total interruptions and rate of successful interruptions, for percentage of successful interruptions, and for mean duration of interruptions; the results withstood cross-validation analysis. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selectivity in exposure to information.

2 hypotheses, derived from Festinger's theory of cognitive differences were tested: following a decision, persons tend to seek information that favors the chosen alternative and to avoid information that favors the rejected alternative; and the more important the decision, the greater is the subsequent selectivity in exposure to information. The method involved eliciting attitudes from college students as to various conditions regarding examination procedures. The hypotheses were supported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An efficient method for gene disruption in Neurospora crassa

The frequency with which transforming DNA undergoes homologous recombination at a chromosomal site can be quite low in some fungal systems. In such cases, strategies for gene disruption or gene replacement must either select against ectopic integration events or provide easy screening to identify homologous site, double-crossover insertion events. A protocol is presented for efficient isolation of Neurospora crassa strains carrying a definitive null allele in a target gene. The protocol relies on the presence of a selectable marker flanking a disrupted plasmid-borne copy of the gene, and in the case presented led to a seven-fold enrichment for putative homologous site replacement events. In addition, a polymerase chain reaction assay is utilized for rapid identification of homologous recombinants among the remaining candidates. This protocol was used to identify 3 isolates, out of 129 primary transformants, which have a disruption in the Neurospora ccg-1 gene. The method should be applicable to a variety of fungal systems in which two selectable markers can be expressed, including those in which homologous recombination rates are too low to allow easy identification of homologous site insertions by the more traditional molecular method of Southern analysis. In addition to disrupting target genes for the purpose of generating null mutations, this method is useful for the targeting of reporter gene fusions to a native chromosomal site for the purpose of studying gene regulation.     

Prospective evaluation of prostate-specific antigen density and systematic biopsies for early detection of prostatic carcinoma

Significant controversies persist in regard to the need for systematic biopsies in patients with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels above 4 ng/mL (Hybritech assay), especially if they show no signs of prostatic cancer on digital rectal examination (DRE) or transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). We evaluated 565 consecutive patients referred to us for prostatism, suspicious lesions on DRE, or an elevated serum PSA level. These patients do not represent a purely screened population. A detection rate of 38.4 percent was achieved by performing directed biopsies of suspicious lesions on DRE and/or TRUS, and systematic biopsies of all patients with serum PSA levels above 4 ng/mL. Among 142 patients with serum PSA between 4.1 and 10 ng/mL, but without suspicion for cancer on DRE and TRUS (DRE- TRUS-), a large number of patients (6.2) were subjected to systematic biopsies to detect one cancer. A receiver-operating characteristics curve for PSA density (PSAD) applied to this population confirmed that the best cut-off point for biopsies was a PSAD of 0.15, below which only two of twenty-three cancers would have been missed, sparing biopsies in 77 of 142 patients. A similar approach was applied to DRE- TRUS- patients with serum PSA levels above 10 ng/mL. The number of cancers in those with serum PSA between 10.1 and 14 ng/mL was too low to establish a PSAD cut-off point. In patients with serum PSA above 14 ng/mL, the best PSAD cut-off point for biopsies was 0.3, below which two of thirteen cancers would have been missed, sparing biopsies in 19 of 39 patients. We conclude that PSAD can safely reduce the number of patients subjected to systematic biopsies without significantly compromising cancer detection.     

Perception of the color red enhances the force and velocity of motor output.

The present research examined whether perception of the color red influences basic motor functioning. Prior research on color and motor functioning has been guided by ill-defined theoretical statements, and has been plagued by methodological problems. Drawing on theoretical and empirical work on the threat-behavior link in human and nonhuman animals, we proposed and tested the prediction that perceiving red enhances the force and velocity of motor output. Experiment 1 demonstrated that red, relative to gray (matched to red on lightness), facilitates pinchgrip force. Experiment 2 demonstrated that red, relative to gray (matched to red on lightness) and blue (matched to red on lightness and chroma) facilitates handgrip force and the velocity of that force. These findings clearly establish a link between red and basic motor action, illustrate the importance of rigorous experimental methods when testing color effects, and highlight the need to attend to the functional, as well as aesthetic, value of color. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)