Conditional discrimination with conceptual simultaneous and successive cues in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).

Studied conditional discrimination, delayed conditional discrimination, the use of a conceptual cue (triangularity, heptagonality, sameness, and difference), and the hierarchy of learning abilities in 4 wildborn adult male squirrel monkeys. After several stages of training in a modified Wisconsin General Test Apparatus, Ss met an 87% criterion for choosing correctly between examplars of the concept sameness and the concept difference, the simultaneous cues (as a function of having been cued by an examplar either of the concept triangularity [cued sameness] or heptagonality [cued difference]), and the successive cues presented in random order. The best S met criterion when the examplars of sameness and difference were presented 16 sec after the withdrawal of the examplar of triangularity or heptagonality, and the other Ss performed successfully with shorter delays. Results are discussed in terms of (1) working memory, (2) the significance for the evolution of behavior of investigating the conceptual capacities of animals, and (3) implications for language in nonhuman animals. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many faces of character.

This article discusses the many definitions of character in the psychological and nonpsychological literature. A comprehensive, working definition for character is offered that integrates these definitions, the key points of the authors in this issue, and previous treatments of this topic. The major elements of this model include character (a) as a component of personality, (b) as capacities of the self, (c) as the exercise of good judgment, and (d) as the display of moral development. Finally, reasons are provided to underscore the importance for consulting psychologists to have the skills to assess and develop character and to intervene when character-related issues emerge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Infection of human marrow stroma by human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is both required and sufficient for HIV-1-induced hematopoietic suppression in vitro: demonstration by gene modification of primary human stroma

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection often present with bone marrow (BM) failure that may affect all hematopoietic lineages. It is presently unclear whether this failure reflects a direct viral impairment of the CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells or whether the virus affects the BM microenvironment. To study the effects of HIV-1 on the BM microenvironment, we examined the stromal cell monolayers in long-term BM culture (LTBMC), which are the in vitro equivalent of the hematopoietic microenvironment. We assessed the hematopoietic support function (HSF) of human stromal layers by determining the cellular proliferation and colony-forming ability of hematopoietic progenitors from BM cells grown on the stromal layers. We show that the HSF is reduced by in vitro infection of the human stromal cell layer by a monocytotropic isolate of HIV-1 (JR-FL). There is no loss of HSF when the stromal cell layer is resistant to HIV-1 replication, either using murine stromal cell layers that are innately resistant to HIV-1 infection or using human stromal cells genetically modified to express a gene that inhibits HIV-1 replication (an RRE decoy). Decreased HSF was seen using either human or murine hematopoietic cells, if the stromal cells were human cells that were susceptible to HIV-1 infection. These in vitro studies implicate HIV-1 replication in the stroma as the essential component causing decreased hematopoietic cell production in HIV-1 infection.     

Therapist attitudes as influenced by A-B therapist type, patient diagnosis, and social class.

Attempted to clarify a number of inconsistent and contradictory findings regarding interactions between patient diagnosis (schizophrenic vs. neurotic) and the A-B therapist variable. 37 psychiatric residents completed Kemp's version of the A-B scale. The 10 highest and 10 lowest scorers then rated 4 patient vignettes on likability, discomfort, interest in treating, and prognosis. Patient social class as well as diagnosis were systematically controlled. Results support some of the previous research on likability but provided no support for other A-B * Patient Type interactions. A number of main effects for diagnosis and social class indicate that, in general, residents of both types hold more favorable attitudes toward neurotic and middle-class patients than they do toward schizophrenic and lower-class patients. (23 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reactions of peroxides: II. Reaction of carboxylic acids with iodine and peroxides

Aroyl peroxides andt-butylperoxy isopropyl carbonate decarboxylate aliphatic carboxylic acids in the presence of iodine to form iodides in high yields. The aroyl peroxides also abstract carboxylic acid hydrogen from aromatic and perfluorocarbon acids. A proposed scheme is presented for the reaction of aroyl peroxides with carboxylic acids illustrating homolytic decarboxylation as taking place in an equilibrium between a pair of acyloxy radicals. These radicals are derived from the peroxide and acid and maintained in association by hydrogen bonding and iodine complexation. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, Washington, D.C., March 1968. ARS, USDA.     

Role of visual imprinting in the emergence of specific filial attachments in ducklings.

Conducted 2 experiments with a total of 36 1-11 day old Khaki Campbell ducklings, to assess the suppression of distress vocalization by 2 distinctive stimuli before and after Ss were imprinted to 1 of the stimuli. In Exp. I, both stimuli strongly suppressed distress calls initially. At 5 days of age, however, only the stimulus involved in imprinting suppressed the calls. Results suggest that the loss of control by the nonimprinted stimulus was age-related and represented the development of fear to insufficiently-familiar stimuli. In Exp. II, 5-11 day old Ss were permitted lengthy exposure to a novel imprinting-type stimulus. Under these circumstances, distress vocalization eventually came under stimulus control. The overall pattern of results suggests that through imprinting, stimuli that innately evoke filial behavior become familiar and thus are prevented from later evoking novelty-induced fear. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of formal thought disorder to the communication deficit in schizophrenics.

Evaluated 40 schizophrenics and 20 normals on a social communication task and on an individual cognitive task, both designed to reveal decentering deficits. It was hypothesized that the processes underlying the schizophrenic's thought disorder are formally similar to the processes involved in his deviant organization of social situations, specifically social communication, with both deficits to be interpreted in terms of faulty decentering. Schizophrenics manifested a decentering deficit on both the social communication (p     

Determination of Optimum Burn-In Time: A Composite Criterion

The object of this paper is to present a mathematical model capable of determining the optimum amount of time that semiconductor devices, which have specified life characteristics, must be placed on burn-in to obtain maximum performance versus total cost. To make the model operational and realistic, the traditional assumption of an exponential (more recently, Weibull) distribution of life is omitted in favor of the generalized gamma distribution (GGD). This is done because the GGD includes, as special cases, such distributions as the normal, Rayleigh, Maxwell, chi, chi2, Weibull, exponential, ordinary gamma, etc. The use of the greater representational capability of the GGD is justified in the results of the studies showing that (other things being equal) small changes in parametric values of life characteristics can cause vast differences in the optimum burn-in time and maximum system effectiveness. The physical performance sector of the model incorporates system effectiveness that includes such factors as availability, expected time to repair, mission reliability, system use coefficient, storage survival probability, and operational readiness. The costs considered are those due to burn-in operation, production, and sales. The model has been studied by use of computer runs from the standpoint of critical analysis and parametric sensitivity analysis.