The effect of estrogens and antiestrogens in a rat model for hot flush

A potent convulsant, trimethylolpropane phosphate (TMPP), was evaluated for long-term effects on measures of social behaviors and anxiety in Long-Evans rats. Animals received three to four daily treatments of TMPP (0.1 mg/kg/ml) beginning at age 23 days in Experiment 1 and 73 days in Experiment 2. Gregariousness was measured in juvenile play and adult social investigation. Anxiousness was measured in the open field and elevated plus-maze. Long-lasting changes in social behaviors were found: play and social investigation were elevated, especially in female rats. Also, an aversive environmental experience associated with TMPP treatment influenced the drug effect on social investigation for males, but not females. In males, TMPP- vs. VEH-treated animals displayed greater social investigation when the treatment was in a positive environment than in an aversive one. In contrast, TMPP- vs. VEH-treated females showed greater social investigation regardless of environmental experience. There were no treatment group differences for measures of anxiety. These results suggest short-term exposure to TMPP may lead to long-lasting changes in specific social behaviors and neural substrates related to them, but not to changes in anxiousness.     

"Cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention decreases the prevalence of depression and enhances benefit finding among women under treatment for early-stage breast cancer": Reply.

Replies to comments offered by J. C. Coyne and A. Kagee (see record 2001-05135-009) on the M. H. Antoni et al (see record 2000-14051-003) study on cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention's role in decreasing the prevalence of depression among women being treated for breast cancer. The authors of this article dispute the claim that patients in need cannot access interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Celebrating the Past, Looking to the Future

The editor in chief reaffirms Computer's continuing commitment to provide timely information about diverse topics in computer science, technology, and applications and outlines plans for editorial coverage during the Computer Society's 60th anniversary year.     

Anger is an approach-related affect: Evidence and implications.

The authors review a range of evidence concerning the motivational underpinnings of anger as an affect, with particular reference to the relationship between anger and anxiety or fear. The evidence supports the view that anger relates to an appetitive or approach motivational system, whereas anxiety relates to an aversive or avoidance motivational system. This evidence appears to have 2 implications. One implication concerns the nature of anterior cortical asymmetry effects. The evidence suggests that such asymmetry reflects direction of motivational engagement (approach vs. withdrawal) rather than affective valence. The other implication concerns the idea that affects form a purely positive dimension and a purely negative dimension, which reflect the operation of appetitive and aversive motivational systems, respectively. The evidence reviewed does not support that view. The evidence is, however, consistent with a discrete-emotions view (which does not rely on dimensionality) and with an alternative dimensional approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral inhibition, behavioral activation, and affective responses to impending reward and punishment: The BIS/BAS Scales.

J. A. Gray (1981, 1982) holds that 2 general motivational systems underlie behavior and affect: a behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and a behavioral activation system (BAS). Self-report scales to assess dispositional BIS and BAS sensitivities were created. Scale development (Study 1) and convergent and discriminant validity in the form of correlations with alternative measures are reported (Study 2). In Study 3, a situation in which Ss anticipated a punishment was created. Controlling for initial nervousness, Ss high in BIS sensitivity (assessed earlier) were more nervous than those low in BIS sensitivity. In Study 4, a situation in which Ss anticipated a reward was created. Controlling for initial happiness, Ss high in BAS sensitivity (Reward Responsiveness and Drive scales) were happier than those low in BAS sensitivity. In each case the new scales predicted better than an alternative measure. Discussion is focused on conceptual implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Challenges and potential payoff for crystalline oxides in wide bandgap semiconductor technology

While growth of wide bandgap semiconductor materials on crystalline oxides (sapphire, lithium gallate, lithium aluminate, zinc oxide and others) has become routine, growth of crystalline oxides on wide bandgap materials remains challenging and minimally explored. The potential payoff in terms of enhanced device performance, increased functionality and reliability warrants examining this option. This presentation aims at targeting key areas, where crystalline oxides could improve wide bandgap semiconductor device performance. Some of these include the use of ferroelectric oxides for power switching applications, oxides with anisotropic dielectric constants for high voltage termination and oxides with large electric flux density near breakdown. Unique polarization engineered structures are described that are enabled by using lithographically defined poled regions in a ferroelectric substrate. The desired crystalline oxide properties, potential implementation challenges and potential pitfalls will be discussed.     

Situational coping and coping dispositions in a stressful transaction.

After reporting dispositional coping styles, 125 undergraduates reported situational coping and 4 classes of affect (from threat, challenge, harm, and benefit appraisals) 2 days before an exam, after the exam but before grades were posted, and after posting of grades. Coping did not predict lower levels of future distress; indeed, some coping seemed to induce feelings of threat. Feelings of harm before the exam induced several kinds of coping after the exam, mostly dysfunctional. Confidence about one's grade was a better predictor of emotions throughout than was coping. Dispositional coping predicted comparable situational coping at low-moderate levels in most cases. Coping dispositions did not reliably predict emotions, however, with these exceptions: Dispositional denial was related to threat, as was dispositional use of social support; dispositional use of alcohol was related to both threat and harm. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structure-toxicity relationships for aminoalkanols: a comparison with alkanols and alkanamines

The relative toxicity (log IGC50(-1)) of 49 selected aliphatic amines and aminoalkanols was evaluated in the static Tetrahymena pyriformis population growth impairment assay. Excess toxicity, indicated by potency greater than predicted for non-polar narcotic alkanols, was associated with both classes of test chemicals. Moreover, the aminoalkanols were found to be more toxic than the corresponding alkanamines. A high quality 1-octanol/water partition coefficient (log K(ow)) dependent quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), logIGC50(-1) = 0.78 (log K(ow)) - 1.42; r2 = 0.934, was developed for alkanamines. This QSAR represented the amine narcosis mechanism of toxic action. No quality QSAR was developed for the aminoalkanols. However, several structure-toxicity features were observed for this class of chemicals. Two-amino-1-hydroxy derivatives being more toxic than the corresponding derivatives, where the amino and hydroxy moieties were separated by methylene groups. Hydrocarbon branching next to the amino moiety resulted in decreased toxicity. Aminoalkanol alters lipid metabolism in T. pyriformis.     

Predicting successful completion of an aftercare program following treatment for alcoholism: The role of dispositional optimism.

In this study we investigated several variables as potential predictors of success in completing a transition program after treatment for alcoholism. Subjects were 54 men who had completed a 30-day treatment program and who were subsequently admitted to a 90-day inpatient aftercare program. The outcome measure was successful completion of this latter program. Predictor variables were dispositional optimism, hassles, uplifts, and several demographic variables. Optimism was positively associated with successful outcome. The simple association between uplifts and outcome also approached significance, but in the opposite to expected direction. Discriminant analyses used both of these variables, as well as age and education level, as predictors of successful outcome. There was no evidence of a role for hassles. Discussion centers on the importance of dispositional optimism as a predictor of successful adaptation in a variety of behavioral domains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)