Impairment of long-term associative memory in aging snails (Lymnaea stagnalis).

Age-dependent impairment in learning and memory functions occurs in many animal species, including humans. Although cell death contributes to age-related cognitive impairment in pathological forms of aging, learning and memory deficiencies develop with age even without substantial cell death. The molecular and cellular basis of this biological aging process is not well understood but seems to involve a decline in the aging brain's capacity for experience-dependent plasticity. To aid in resolving this issue, we used a simple snail appetitive classical conditioning paradigm in which the underlying molecular, cellular, and neural network functions can be directly linked to age-associated learning and memory performance (i.e., the Lymnaea stagnalis feeding system). Our results indicate that age does not affect the acquisition of appetitive memory but that retention and/or consolidation of long-term memory become progressively impaired with advancing age. The latter phenomenon correlates with declining electrophysiological excitability in key neurons controlling the feeding behavior. Together, these results present the Lymnaea feeding system as a powerful paradigm for investigations of cellular and molecular foundations of biological aging in the brain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Race differences in stress-induced reactivity in young adults.

Studied the cardiovascular response to the stress of mental arithmetic in 121 young Black and White adults. Stress-induced reactivity was studied before and following 14 days of oral sodium loading (10 gm NaCl per day). Marginal hypertensives, both Black and White, had greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels and greater diastolic BP levels in response to stress. Whites had a greater SBP level during mental stress than Blacks and greater reactivity. The prevalence of sodium sensitivity was greater in Blacks (37.3%) than in Whites (18.4%). Sodium loading did not augment the BP reactivity to the mental stress in any of the racial or BP groups. Data demonstrate racial variation in the cardiovascular response to centrally medicated adrenergic stimuli. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation between coping strategies, sex-typed traits, and environmental characteristics: A comparison of male and female managers.

I examined sex-typed traits (instrumentality and expressiveness), the work environment (demands and interpersonal resources), and importance of stressor episodes as predictors of 3 measures of coping (avoidance, problem reappraisal, and active problem solving) derived from a modified Ways of Coping Checklist. The data were collected from 132 managers (60 men and 72 women). Sex-typed trait measures and demographic information were assessed 1 month before the assessment of the work environment, stressful episodes, and coping responses. Women, compared with men, were more likely to use avoidance and problem-reappraisal coping, whereas there were no gender differences with regard to active problem-solving coping. Multiple regression analyses showed that sex-typed traits, the work environment, and episode importance were significant predictors of the coping scores after the effects of sex were removed, and that patterns of effects were different for each type of coping. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In-situ measurement of ethanol tolerance in an operating fuel cell

Ethanol is seen as an attractive option as a fuel for direct ethanol fuel cells and as a source for on-demand production of hydrogen in portable applications. While the effect of ethanol on in-situ electrode behavior has been studied previously, these efforts have mostly been limited to qualitative analysis. In alkaline fuel cells, several cathode catalysts, including Pt, Cu triazole, and Ag can be used. Here, we apply a methodology using a microfluidic fuel cell to analyze in-situ the performance of these cathodes as well as Pt anodes in the presence of ethanol and acetic acid, a common side product from ethanol oxidation. For a given concentration of ethanol (or acetic acid), the best cathode catalyst can be determined and the kinetic losses due to the presence of ethanol (or acetic acid) can be quantified. These experiments also yield information about power density losses from the presence of contaminants such as ethanol or acetic acid in an alkaline fuel cell. The methodology demonstrated in these experiments will enable in-situ screening of new cathodes with respect to contaminant tolerance and determining optimal operational conditions for alkaline ethanol fuel cells.     

Appraisals and coping with workplace interpersonal stress: A model for women managers.

This study extended a previously developed integrative model of workplace stress by focusing specifically on interpersonal stressors. After controlling for negative affect, results of the prospective study of 157 Canadian managerial women indicated that conflicts appraised as threats to self-interest, less perceived control over the stressor, and more upsetting appraisals led to the use of disengagement coping, whereas conflicts appraised as threats to social relationships and greater control were associated with the use of engagement coping. Individual differences were also associated with primary appraisals and perceptions of the work environment. Primary appraisals had both direct and indirect effects on psychosomatic distress and fully mediated the effects of individual differences on distress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of counseling outcomes at a university counseling center: The impact of clinically significant change on problem resolution and academic functioning.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate how receiving personal counseling at a university counseling center helps students deal with their personal problems and facilitates academic functioning. To that end, this study used both clinical and academic outcome measures that are relevant to the practice of counseling provided at a counseling center and its unique function in an institution of higher education. In addition, this study used the clinical significance methodology (N. S. Jacobson & P. Truax, 1991) that takes into account clients' differences in making clinically reliable and significant change. Pre-intake and post-termination surveys, including the Outcome Questionnaire (M. J. Lambert, K. Lunnen, V. Umphress, N. Hansen, & G. Burlingame, 1994), were completed by 78 clients, and the responses were analyzed using clinical significance methodology. The results revealed that those who made clinically reliable and significant change (i.e., the recovered group) reported the highest level of improvement in academic commitment to their educational goals and problem resolution, compared with those who did not make clinically significant change. The implications of the findings on practice for counseling at university counseling centers and for administrators in higher education institutions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of identifier style on effort and comprehension

A family of studies investigating the impact of program identifier style on human comprehension is presented. Two popular identifier styles are examined, namely camel case and underscore. The underlying hypothesis is that identifier style affects the speed and accuracy of comprehending source code. To investigate this hypothesis, five studies were designed and conducted. The first study, which investigates how well humans read identifiers in the two different styles, focuses on low-level readability issues. The remaining four studies build on the first to focus on the semantic implications of identifier style. The studies involve 150 participants with varied demographics from two different universities. A range of experimental methods is used in the studies including timed testing, read aloud, and eye tracking. These methods produce a broad set of measurements and appropriate statistical methods, such as regression models and Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs), are applied to analyze the results. While unexpected, the results demonstrate that the tasks of reading and comprehending source code is fundamentally different from those of reading and comprehending natural language. Furthermore, as the task becomes similar to reading prose, the results become similar to work on reading natural language text. For more “source focused” tasks, experienced software developers appear to be less affected by identifier style; however, beginners benefit from the use of camel casing with respect to accuracy and effort.     

Face-ism: Five studies of sex differences in facial prominence.

Conducted 5 studies on relative facial prominence in depictions of men and women. This hypothesized sex difference may be theoretically important because visual representations presumably contribute to generic conceptions of what is unique about each of the sexes. Three studies assessed the prevalence of "face-ism"—greater facial prominence in depictions of men—in 3 contexts: in American periodicals (1,750 published photographs in 5 magazines and newspapers were analyzed), in publications from 11 cultures (3,500 photographs and pictures were coded), and in artwork over 6 centuries (920 portraits and self-portraits were scored). A 4th study found experimental evidence that this difference also occurs in amateur drawings of men and women; Ss were 40 male and 40 female undergraduates. A final study varied facial prominence experimentally in photographs and found consequent changes in rated intelligence and other characteristics; Ss were 60 university students. Implications for sex differences, particularly for the perceived intellectual qualities of women, are discussed. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The ergonomics of different tyres and tyre pressure during wheelchair propulsion

It is believed that the newer solid tyres on wheelchairs perform as well as pneumatic tyres along with less cost and time for maintenance. The questions are: (1) do solid tyres perform as well as pneumatic tyres and (2) what is the critical level of pneumatic tyre pressure before wheeling efficiency decreases? Part one measured the rolling resistance differences of five commonly used wheelchair tyres (three pneumatic and two solid) under four different tyre pressures (100, 75, 50 and 25 of inflation). Part two measured the oxygen consumption in 15 participants with paraplegia, during wheelchair propulsion, comparing the same four levels of tyre inflation. The solid tyres performed worse than all three pneumatic tyres even when tyres were under-inflated to 25% of tyre pressure. Two of the pneumatic tyres showed significant decreases in rolling between 100 and 50%, but there were no significant differences in rolling distance between 100 and 75% pressure. The physiological study showed that energy expenditure increased significantly at 50% of tyre-inflation. Health care facilities are finding ways to decrease cost by using solid tyres on all wheelchairs. This study shows that benefits to clients and staff using pneumatic tyres far outweigh the minimal cost in time to maintain adequate tyre inflation.     

Canadian counselling psychologists' contributions to applied psychology.

The goal of this paper is to draw attention to the contributions of Canadian counselling psychologists in three key areas central to the discipline: (a) multiculturalism, social justice, and advocacy; (b) health, wellness, and prevention, and (c) career psychology. Accordingly, we have situated our discussion within a historical framework of the discipline followed by a discussion of the Canadian context, definitions, and specific contributions. Finally, we offer a summary of the strengths and current challenges faced by Canadian counselling psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)