Cardiovascular and subjective effects of intravenous cocaine administration in humans

Nine volunteer subjects were tested with intravenously administered cocaine hydrochloride in doses ranging from 4 to 32 mg, as well as 10 mg of dextroamphetamine sulfate. Measures of cardiovascular and subjective effects were made. Generally parallel dose-effect functions were obtained for heart rate, blood pressure, Addiction Research Center Inventory scores, Profile of Mood Scales, and subject ratings. A substantial effect on each of these variables was recorded after 8 mg of cocaine. The increase continued and peaked at approximately 16 mg after which it usually leveled off. Ten milligrams of dextroamphetamine generally had an effect comparable to 8 to 16 mg of cocaine.     

Effects of varying active/passive shock levels in shuttle box avoidance in rats.

Ran 60 male Sprague-Dawley albino rats in a shuttle box with 3 levels of shock intensity-high (H), medium (M), and low (L)-which varied independently on each side. This yielded 6 groups defined by the shock level in the 2 chambers: H-H, M-M, L-L, H-L, H-M, M-L. Results indicate that when active shock level was held constant, avoidance behavior was a function of passive shock level, with lower passive shock level producing higher levels of avoidance. Avoidance was not a function of active shock level when passive shock level was held constant. 10 controls were run using a unidirectional paradigm, and avoidance was not found to be a function of the active shock level. Results are interpreted as emphasizing the role of passive avoidance in bidirectional shuttling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Towards a feminist empowerment model of forgiveness psychotherapy.

In recent years Enright and Fitzgibbon's (2000) process model of forgiveness therapy has received substantial theoretical and empirical attention. However, both the process model of forgiveness therapy and the social-cognitive developmental model on which it is based have received criticism from feminist theorists. The current paper considers feminist criticisms of forgiveness therapy and uses a feminist lens to identify potential areas for growth. Specifically, Worell and Remer's (2003) model of synthesizing feminist ideals into existing theory was consulted, areas of bias within the forgiveness model of psychotherapy were identified, and strategies for restructuring areas of potential bias were introduced. Further, the authors consider unique aspects of forgiveness therapy that can potentially strengthen existing models of feminist therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive decline and human (Homo sapiens) aging: An investigation using a comparative neuropsychological approach.

Using a comparative neuropsychological approach, the authors compared performance of younger and healthy older adults ages 65 and over on tasks originally developed to measure cognition in animals. A battery of 6 tasks was used to evaluate object discrimination, egocentric spatial abilities, visual and spatial working memory, and response shifting. Older adults performed more poorly than younger adults on tasks that evaluate egocentric spatial abilities, response shifting, and to a lesser extent object recognition. The two groups did not differ for tasks that evaluate spatial working memory and object discrimination. The impairments the authors observed in tasks that evaluate response shifting and object recognition are consistent with those found in canines and primates as well as those found in Alzheimer's disease. The results are consistent with the notion that cognitive processes supported by the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex are among the first to decline with increasing age in both humans and animals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bilateral frontal lobe disease and selective delayed response deficits in humans.

Compared the performance of 6 male patients (aged 24–65 yrs) with frontal lobe disease; 17 amnesic male patients (12 with etiology of alcoholic Korsakoff's disease [mean age 53.6 yrs] and 5 with surgically treated ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm [mean age 45.6 yrs]), and 12 male alcoholic controls (mean age 39.7 yrs) with no memory impairment on delayed alternation (DA) and delayed response (DR) tasks, known to be sensitive to frontal lobe damage in nonhuman primates. Ss (except the Korsakoff and alcoholic Ss) completed the Wechsler Memory Scale, and all Ss completed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Results show that bilateral frontal lobe damage was associated with impairment on both tasks. There was no relation between performances on DA and DR and performance on the Wechsler Memory Scale, strengthening the suggestion that the former tasks are not sensitive to anterograde amnesia in humans. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contingent pay and intrinsic task interest: Moderating effects of work values.

Examined the hypothesis that Ss' work value orientations would moderate the effect that contingent extrinsic incentives may have in reducing intrinsic task interest. 74 business undergraduates were administered demographic and work value questionnaires and the Clerical Abilities subtest of the Short Employment Tests. Ss were asked to proofread 2 short stories (high interest) or 2 law review article sections (low interest) under noncontingent, contingent, or no-pay conditions. Analyses showed that under contingent pay conditions, Ss with relatively higher extrinsic than intrinsic work values reported lower task satisfaction than Ss with relatively higher intrinsic work values. In contrast, under no-pay conditions, Ss with relatively higher extrinsic than intrinsic work values were actually more satisfied than their intrinsic counterparts. Results, therefore, support the existence of both an overjustification and an insufficient justification effect for financial incentives. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interaction of L-glutamic acid with human T-lymphocytes

A specific interaction of [3H]Glu with T lymphocytes from the blood of healthy donors (Kd = 0.236 microM) was revealed and described. It was found that unlabeled quisqualate, a structural analogue of L-glutamic acid, and unlabeled dipeptides Ala-Glu, Glu-Ala, and Glu-Glu competitively inhibit the specific binding of [3H]Glu to T lymphocytes (with Ki 0.19, 2.4, 3.4, and 1.2 microM, respectively). Binding experiments with conjugates of labeled and unlabeled glutamic acid with dextran showed that the receptors of [3H]Glu are localized on the outer surface of the plasma membrane of T lymphocytes.