Stability of formal thought disorder and referential communication disturbances in schizophrenia.

This study examined the degree to which different types of communication disturbances in the speech of 48 schizophrenia patients and 28 controls were variable and state related versus stable and traitlike. Clinically rated formal thought disorder and 5 types of referential disturbance showed substantial stability within participants over time. The sixth type of referential disturbance, the vague reference, was not stable over time. Formal thought disorder was associated with the severity of core psychotic symptoms in patients, whereas referential disturbances showed little or no association with positive or negative symptom severity. Furthermore, changes in psychotic symptoms over time were accompanied by corresponding changes in formal thought disorder but not referential disturbances. These results support the idea that some types of referential disturbances are traitlike and may be reflective of vulnerability as well as manifest illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of production of choriogonadotropin inhibitory protein, prolactin and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 by human decidua in vitro

BACKGROUND: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is elevated in cancer patients and is thought to promote tumor angiogenesis by facilitating endothelial cell migration through plasmin-mediated degradation of extracellular matrix. Due to the presence of an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-finger domain in the tPA A-chain and the existence of an endothelial cell (EC) receptor that binds this domain, it was hypothesized that tPA has a direct receptor-mediated effect on EC proliferation, independent of plasmin. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using cultured canine ECs, tPA (7.25 microg/ml, approximately 107 nM) increased proliferation as much as 50 and 170% in the absence and presence of growth factors, respectively. tPA-induced increases in EC proliferation occurred independent of plasmin generation, as the plasmin inhibitor, aprotinin (10 microg/ml) did not inhibit tPA-induced proliferation. However, tPA-induced proliferation was inhibited dose-dependently to a maximum of 78% using a monoclonal antibody against the tPA EGF-finger domain. This antibody, known to inhibit tPA binding to its receptor, did not inhibit tPA-induced plasmin generation. To investigate the role of potential signal transduction pathways, ECs were exposed to lavendustin A, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, at 33.5 microM (IC50 for basic fibroblast growth factor). Lavendustin A did not inhibit tPA-induced EC proliferation. However, Rp-cAMP, an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent kinases, specifically inhibited tPA-induced EC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 50.5 microM). Pertussis toxin at maximal concentrations for this system (0.5 ng/ml) did not inhibit tPA-induced EC proliferation. CONCLUSION: These results lend support to the hypothesis that tPA may have a direct receptor-mediated effect on EC proliferation and that this effect occurs independent of plasmin and may be dependent upon protein kinase A activity.     

The relationship between attachment, psychopathology, and childhood disability.

Analyzes the literature on 3 aspects of attachment—neurobiological influences, interpersonal and intrapersonal factors, and societal factors—in the psychological development of chronically disabled children. Evidence suggests that neurochemical substances such as cortisol and brain biogenic amine systems reciprocally interact with psychological and psychosocial factors to influence attachment. Interpersonal and intrapersonal factors such as temperamental characteristics of children, severity and type of disability, and family influences interact in the process of attachment. Social perceptions and prejudices about the disabled individual increase parental stress, and diminish parental involvement and resources, which are necessary for attachment. These 3 processes are powerful and interrelated forces in child development, with potential to modify social competence, neurological development, and psychosocial adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Electrical pacing of the paralyzed human larynx

This study represents the first attempt to electrically pace the paralyzed human larynx. The goal was to determine if electrical stimulation of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle could produce functional abduction of the vocal fold in pace with inspiration. An external apparatus was used to sense inspiration and reanimate the unilaterally paralyzed larynx of a thyroplasty patient. Stimuli were delivered through a needle electrode to locate and pace the abductor muscle. The magnitude of electrically induced abduction was comparable to spontaneous movement on the normal side. The abduction was appropriately timed with inspiration: this finding demonstrated that this simple pacing system could effectively modulate stimulation with patient respiration.     

Effects of sex and MK-801 on auditory-processing deficits associated with developmental microgyric lesions in rats

Neonatally induced microgyric lesions produce defects in rapid auditory processing in adult male rats. Given that females across species are less susceptible to the deleterious effects of neural injury and that treatment with neuroprotective agents at the time of injury can reduce neural damage, the authors tested the effects of sex and neuroprotectant exposure on the behavioral consequences of microgyric lesions in rats. Results showed that sham but not microgyric males were able to perform the task at the fastest rate of stimulus presentation. Microgyric females, in contrast, discriminated at all stimulus conditions and did not differ from female shams. Microgyric males treated with MK-801 had reduced cortical damage and performed the discrimination at the fastest condition. Results suggest that females are less susceptible to the behavioral effects of neocortical microgyria and that MK-801 may ameliorate the behavioral consequences of these lesions in male rats.     

Being the best: Preliminary results from a national study of the achievement of prominent Black and White women.

Examined the achieving styles, coping strategies, gender roles, and feminist attitudes of 125 prominent, highly achieving Black and White women (mean age 53.5 yrs) in the US. Multivariate analyses of variance were used to examine race differences and similarities; canonical regression analyses (MANOVAs) were used to examine relationships among achieving styles and the other sets of variables. Both similarities and differences between Black and White women were found, and achieving styles were significantly related to the other variables. Strengths, limitations, and implications of the study for counseling are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Moving up the corporate ladder: A longitudinal study of the leadership motive pattern and managerial success in women and men.

Using TAT data collected prior to entering management positions, sex differences in motive patterns related to leadership were examined in a 12-yr longitudinal study of 211 men and 180 women (aged 21–43 yrs at initial assessment) who entered a large utility corporation between 1977 and 1982. Ss were followed up in 1990 and recorded as to how far they had advanced in management level. While the results showed no sex differences in motivational predictors of attained management level, the content analysis revealed 2 distinct styles of power-related themes that distinguished the successful men from the successful women. The successful male managers were more likely to use reactive power themes while the successful female managers were more likely to use resourceful power themes. Differences between the sexes in the power themes were less pronounced among the managers who had remained in lower levels of management. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Why models rather than rules give a better account of propositional reasoning: A reply to Bonatti and to O'Brien, Braine, and Yang.

D. P. O'Brien et al (see record 1995-08272-001) argue that the mental model theory of propositional reasoning is easy to refute, and they report 3 experiments that they believe falsify the theory. In contrast, L. Bonatti (see record 1995-08253-001) argues that the model theory is too flexible to be falsified. It is shown that the experiments by O'Brien et al do not refute the model theory and that Bonatti's claims are ill founded. Formal rule theories of propositional reasoning have 3 major weaknesses in comparison with the model theory: (1) They have no decision procedure; (2) they lack predictive power, providing no account of several robust phenomena (e.g., erroneous conclusions tend to be consistent with the premises); and (3) as a class of theories, they are difficult to refute experimentally. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)