Affirmation, acknowledgment of in-group responsibility, group-based guilt, and support for reparative measures.

Three studies, 2 conducted in Israel and 1 conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina, demonstrated that affirming a positive aspect of the self can increase one's willingness to acknowledge in-group responsibility for wrongdoing against others, express feelings of group-based guilt, and consequently provide greater support for reparation policies. By contrast, affirming one's group, although similarly boosting feelings of pride, failed to increase willingness to acknowledge and redress in-group wrongdoing. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated the mediating role of group-based guilt. That is, increased acknowledgment of in-group responsibility for out-group victimization produced increased feelings of guilt, which in turn increased support for reparation policies to the victimized group. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Symptom-system fit in couples: Emotion regulation when one or both partners smoke.

In a laboratory smoking experiment, 25 couples in which 1 or both partners continued to smoke despite 1 of them having heart or lung disease discussed a health-related disagreement before and during a period of smoking. Immediately afterward, the partners used independent joysticks to recall their continuous emotional experience during the interaction while watching themselves on video. Participants in dual-smoker couples reported increased positive emotion contingent upon lighting up, whereas those in single-smoker couples reported the opposite. The results highlight the role of smoking in close relationships, particularly in regulating emotional closeness when both partners smoke. Attention to this fit between symptom and system may be useful in helping couples achieve stable cessation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Autoxidation of Tensides I: The Autoxidation,Toxicity and Reclamation of Dianhydro Mannitol Mono-Oleate

Dianhydro mannitol mono-oleate, a surfactant used in the preparation of water-in-oil injectable pharmaceutical preparations was found to autoxidize on storing, with the formation of free acidity and labile peroxides. The autoxidized substance was found to cause peritoneal adhesions when injected intraperitoneally in mice. The autoxidized material could be reclaimed by chromatography through alumina. The eluate was comparable to normal saline in toxicity and the adsorbate was found to be more toxic.     

Attachment style as a predictor of behavior in group counseling with preadolescents.

This study investigated the role that attachment style plays in preadolescent behavior in group counseling. The study population consisted of 77 preadolescents referred to counseling services in their schools in Israel. They were treated in 11 small counseling groups led by novice counselors. Variables included self-disclosure, client behavior in therapy, and responsiveness to other group members--all assessed based on transcribed sessions. Participants also completed attachment questionnaires. The analyses were performed with hierarchical modeling (mixed) nesting individuals within groups. Results indicated differences on all dependent variables among the three attachment styles: secure, preoccupied, and avoidant. Secure adolescents showed the highest rates of self-disclosure, productive client behavior, and responsiveness to others, whereas avoidant participants showed the lowest scores on all measures. Gender, age, and group size showed little effect. The discussion focuses on implications for group therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Latency properties of polyphenol oxidase in two avocado cultivars differing in their rate of browning

Differences in the degree of browning of two cultivars of avocado, Lerman and Fuerte, were investigated by studying the relative activities of buffer-soluble (“soluble”) and detergent-soluble (“bound”) forms of the enzyme polyphenoloxidase (PPO). The soluble form was found to exist in a latent as well as an active state. Different isoenzyme patterns were shown to exist for soluble and bound-PPO as determined by gel electrophoresis and electrofocusing. Sodium dodecylsulphate increased the PPO activity and the protein extracted from the acetone powder without releasing any additional isoenzymes. It did, however, activate latent PPO in the crude and partially purified PPO fractions. The ratios between soluble/bound and between active/latent forms of the PPO enzyme were similar in both avocado cultivars studied. It was therefore concluded that differences in the rate of browning between the two cultivars were accountable more in terms of total and specific activity of PPO rather than in the proportion of the enzyme in bound or latent forms.     

NMR and Mass Spectra of Conformational Isomers of 2-Methylpentane-2,4-Diol Sulfite

From the ester exchange reaction between 2-methylpentane-2.4-diol and dimethyl sulfite, two isomeric cyclic sulfites were isolated in a 3 to 2 ratio. On the basis of IR and NMR data it was concluded that the isomers exist in the rigid chair conformation and the isomerism springs from the pyramidal S?O orientation. An axial S?O is assigned to the liquid isomer (predominant) and an equatorial S?O to the solid compound (minor). The 25 ev mass spectra of the two isomers at room temperature is herein described.     

On the Autoxidation of Vitamin D Preparations II: The Autoxidation of Ergocalciferol

Ergocalciferol was used as a model for the autoxidation studies of vitamins D. It was shown that ergocalciferol is sensitive to light, moisture and heat in the addition of oxygen. The autoxidation proceeds through isomerisation to carbonyl compound formation without the development of peroxidic groups.     

Polyphenol oxidase activity and browning of three avocado varieties

A comparison between the in vitro total and specific activity of polyphenol oxidase of three avocado varieties, Fuerte, Horeshim and Lerman, showed clear differences that were correlated with the in vivo rate of browning of the corresponding freshly cut mature fruit; Fuerte had the highest values, followed by Horeshim and then Lerman. A good correlation existed between the PPO activity in the crude homogenate of the fresh fruit and the crude enzyme extracted from the acetone powder prepared from each variety. The possibility that the relatively low PPO activity in the crude enzyme of the Lerman avocado was due to the presence of an inhibitor and to factor(s) degrading the enzyme, or that the relatively high activity of the Fuerte enzyme was due to an activator, was tested in various ways and ruled out. It was therefore concluded that the differences in the rate of browning of the three avocado varieties studied were directly related to the PPO activities as expressed in the crude enzyme fraction.     

You're changed if you do and changed if you don't: Mechanisms underlying paradoxical interventions.

We examined 2 mechanisms of change under paradoxical interventions: reactance and increased sense of self-efficacy. Procrastinating college students were randomly assigned to either paradoxical or self-control interventions. Effective study time and perceived self-efficacy were measured before and after treatment. In Study 1 nonverbal measure of initial reactance was employed. In Study 2 reactance was experimentally manipulated. Under paradoxical interventions, Ss higher on initial reactance benefited more from therapy than did Ss with low reactance; nonreactant Ss did not increase their effective study time, but they did improve in perceived efficacy to control their procrastination; increased study time was negatively correlated with increased self-efficacy. In self-control treatment, increased study time was accompanied by increased self-efficacy. Paradoxical interventions seem to reduce procrastination through the mechanism of reactance in some clients, whereas in others they lead to a cognitive change, possibly mediating a subsequent behavior change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)