THE FEDERAL ROLE IN ENERGY R&D

This paper documents and analyzes recent trends in Federal energy research and development programs. In light of the marketplace philosophy of the present Administration, the possible benefits of a strong Federal research program versus the potential advantages of relying on private sector research programs to develop new technology alternatives are analyzed in some detail. The impacts of the Reagan budget cuts and other initiatives on several major energy programs, including nuclear power, photovoltaics, and conservation, are also analyzed. This analysis reveals some of the difficulties inherent in attempting to project the consequences of particular policy decisions in a complex and changing environment, and identifies some of the problems of trying to evaluate the success of particular programs or actions on a limited time scale.     

The economic impact of uncertainties associated with energy-saving technologies

We will analyze the economic sensitivity of new energy-saving technologies to weather, future energy price, and system lifetime uncertainties. Graphical rate of return analysis is employed. A representative residential solar water heating investment is analyzed to illustrate the impact of uncertainties. The wide range of reasonable rates of return found suggests some considerations for policy makers and some areas of future research.     

Psychogenic-organic symptom overlap: Considerations for nonmedical psychotherapists.

Discusses common presenting complaints and those of emergent significance that have an organic etiology. The following categories are discussed: head, eyes, ears, throat, neck, cardiac, respiratory, gastrointestinal, genito-urinary, musculoskeletal, and neurologic complaints. It is suggested that many therapists lack adequate medical information to suspect the presence of organic problems when symptoms are indistinguishable from psychogenic/psychosomatic problems. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of the value of rivers for Otters (Lutra lutra)

The British otter Lutra lutra L. requires good water quality, an adequate supply of fish and certain types of vegetation or cavities (holts) adjacent to water bodies for resting and breeding sites. In the U.K. otters and their holts are legally protected. Trained surveyors are needed to confirm the presence of otters on a river as the animals are rarely seen, but their tracks and droppings (spraints) may be detected. To evaluate a river for otters, information is required on water quality, fish species and biomass, as well as available habitat. Pioneer evaluation work based on the River Corridor Survey techniques has been done on Welsh rivers with good otter populations. Riparian vegetation, especially trees, is shown to be particularly important. This work is now being extended to areas on the margins of otter distribution such as the lower river Wye in England and Wales. Such surveys provide important management information for water authorities and give opportunities for enhancement work to benefit this animal.     

The role of autonomy in adolescent psychotherapy.

Adolescents' desire and need for autonomy may have a significant impact on the therapeutic relationship. The implications of this idea are examined, both theoretically and empirically. First, adolescent autonomy is conceptualized in relational terms, and some of the conditions for the growth of autonomy are outlined. Then, this conceptualization is applied to a study of the therapeutic relationship in adolescent psychotherapy where it is shown how some of therapists' and adolescents' interactions and reactions can be understood by recognizing the influence of adolescent autonomy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Language in the Americas.

Reviews the book, Language in the Americas by Joseph H. Greenberg (1987). Greenberg's work on universals of language has crossed disciplinary boundaries to become known to many psychologists interested in language. His equally important work in language classification, of which Language in the Americas is one part, remains unfamiliar to psychologists. This book is a pioneering work in that it is the first genetic classification of the indigenous languages of both North and South America. Greenberg maintains that all of the languages of the Americas belong to three families: Eskimo-Aleut, Na-Dene, and a family that he has named Amerind. This assertion is both important and controversial; the controversy lies in the grouping of most of the languages including all of those of South and Central America into the Amerind family. Most of Language in the Americas consists of the Amerind etymological dictionary, arranged so that the reader can assess lexical similarities within and between subgroups. Greenberg's discussion is informed, articulate, profound, and to the point. He draws on relevant sources and examples from diverse fields of knowledge. The depth and breadth of his scholarship and the clarity of his presentation create a work that is an intellectual pleasure to read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-efficacy expectations predict survival for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Evaluated the validity of self-efficacy expectations as predictors of mortality for 119 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ss completed 4 physiological measures that represent common clinical indicators of disease severity: forced expiratory volume in 1 s(FEV1.0), arterial blood gas measurement of resting partial pressure of oxygen (PaO?), single-breath diffusing capacity (DLCO), and maximum oxygen uptake (V02max) during exercise. In addition, self-reported self-efficacy expectation for walking on a treadmill was measured. Self-efficacy was a significant univariate predictor of 5-yr survival. However, when controlling for FEV1.0 in multivariate survival analysis, self-efficacy had only a marginal effect. Simple self-report scales may provide significant information about health status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age effects on block design: Qualitative performance features and extended-time effects.

Qualitative performance features and extended-time effects on the Block Design subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R) were examined in 145 healthy Ss (aged 50–95 yrs). Raw scores were calculated at standard and extended time limits; error types and starting points were recorded for a subgroup of Ss. In Ss age 60 yrs and older, there was a consistent decline with age in overall scores at both time limits. Extra time allotments resulted in modest but significant increases in scores. Older and younger Ss benefited equally from the extra time, indicating that the age-related decline on this task cannot be accounted for by general age-related psychomotor slowing. Single- and multiblock rotation errors were relatively common, whereas stimulus boundedness and broken configurations were rare. Despite some potential limitations in generalizability, the results suggest that the incorporation of qualitative scoring procedures in the assessment of visuoconstructional skills may enhance understanding of normal and abnormal brain–behavior relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Different types of signal coupling in the visual cortex related to neural mechanisms of associative Processing and perception

The hypothesis of object representation by synchronization in the visual cortex has been supported by our recent experiments in monkeys. They demonstrated local synchrony among /spl gamma/ activities (30-90 Hz) and their perceptual modulation, according to the rules of figure-ground segregation. However, /spl gamma/-synchrony in primary visual cortex is restricted to few mm, challenging the synchronization hypothesis for larger cortical object representations. The restriction is due to randomly changing phase relations among locally synchronized patches which, however, form continuous waves of /spl gamma/-activity, traveling across object representations. The phase continuity of these waves may support coding of object continuity. Interactions across still larger distances, measured among cortical areas in human data, involve amplitude envelopes of /spl gamma/ signals. Based on models with spiking neurons we discuss potentially underlying mechanisms. Most important for /spl gamma/ synchronization are local facilitatory connections with distance-dependent delays. They also explain the occurrence of /spl gamma/ waves and the restriction of /spl gamma/-synchrony. Fast local feedback inhibition generates /spl gamma/ oscillations and supports local synchrony, while slow shunting inhibitory feedback supports figure-ground segregation. Finally, dispersion in inter-areal far projections destroys coherence of /spl gamma/ signals, but preserves their amplitude modulations. In conclusion, we propose that the hypothesis of associative processing by /spl gamma/ synchronization be extended to more general forms of signal coupling.