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PubMed1985

Thermoregulatory consequences of long-term microwave exposure at controlled ambient temperatures.

This study was designed to identify and measure changes in thermoregulatory responses, both behavioral and physiological, that may occur when squirrel monkeys are exposed to 2450-MHz continuous wave microwaves 40 hr/week for 15 weeks. Power densities of 1 or 5 mW/cm2 (specific absorption rate = 0.16 W/kg per mW/cm2) were presented at controlled environmental temperatures of 25, 30, or 35 degrees C. Standardized tests, conducted periodically, before, during, and after treatment, assessed changes in thermoregulatory responses. Dependent variables that were measured included body mass, certain blood properties, metabolic heat production, sweating, skin temperatures, deep body temperature, and behavioral responses by which the monkeys selected a preferred environmental temperature. Results showed no reliable alteration of metabolic rate, internal body temperature, blood indices, or thermoregulatory behavior by microwave exposure, although the ambient temperature prevailing during chronic exposure could exert an effect. An increase in sweating rate occurred in the 35 degrees C environment, but sweating was not reliably enhanced by microwave exposure. Skin temperature, reflecting vasomotor state, was reliably influenced by both ambient temperature and microwaves. The most robust consequence of microwave exposure was a reduction in body mass, which appeared to be a function of microwave power density.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Susceptibility to subchronic unpredictable stress is related to individual reactivity to threat stimuli in mice.

As in many complex behavioral responses, inter-individual variability can be observed in the responses to a chronic mild stress. While some subjects exhibit more resilient behaviours, others appear more susceptible to stress. This study hypothesizes that this variability relies on the individual appraisal of the stressful event. To study this assumption, mice were first subjected to a conditioned task occurring in a circular arena. In this task, a mild air-puff (i.e. stressor) in a given quadrant of the arena was coupled with the presence or the absence of a light in the same quadrant. Half of mice were then submitted to a 15-day subchronic stress consisting in various environmental and social mild stressors randomly applied two or three times a day. At the end of this procedure, the occurrence of depressive-like behaviours in stressed mice was assessed using measures of the stress regime (i.e. physical state, choice test, grooming test). The physical state assessed the physical appearance of mice. The grooming test consisted in measuring the time spent in grooming after mice were sprayed upon with a viscous solution. The choice test consisted in measuring the time spent in an uncomfortable place (i.e. whose floor was covered with damp sawdust) versus a more comfortable one (i.e. with dry sawdust) to evaluate the reactivity to a negative stimulus previously encountered during the subchronic stress. Multiple regression analyses revealed a relationship between attention toward salient stressful stimuli in the conditioned task and susceptibility to the subchronic stress procedure. These results are discussed regarding their relevance for the understanding of aetiologies of depressive illnesses.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Firm behavior in a market with addiction: the case of cigarettes.

This paper investigates firm behavior when demand is linked over time. Among other things, the theoretical section shows that if firms are forward-looking, anticipated future events can affect current consumption of an 'addictive' good even when consumers are completely myopic. The empirical part of the paper reports a simulation of the 1983 federal cigarette excise tax increase. Both myopic and rational models of consumer demand give roughly the same predictions for per capita consumption, but neither model does very well predicting actual consumption. The problem appears to lie in the prediction of price, suggesting that supply considerations are important.

Choice Behavior↗
PubMed2006

Cognitive-behavioral interventions for IV insertion pain.

INSERTION OF AN IV CATHETER is a commonly performed and painful procedure. The use of cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBIs) may decrease pain by diverting the patient's attention to stimuli other than pain. THIS RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL examined the effect of three CBIs--music, kaleidoscope, and guided imagery--on IV insertion pain in 324 patients. NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT differences in IV insertion pain were found among the treatment and control groups or between choosing versus being assigned a CBI. Insertion attempts were more difficult in women, and insertion difficulty was correlated with pain intensity and pain distress. Pain intensity was related to insertion site and catheter gauge.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Toward a rodent model of the Iowa gambling task.

The Iowa gambling task in humans is, in principle, suited for the study of the long-term efficiency of behavior in a biologically relevant context. Key features of this task are uncertainty of outcomes and a conflict between the immediate and the long-term payoff options. Animal models allow us to study the underlying neurobiology of decision-making processes and the long-term efficiency of behavior in more detail and at a greater depth than is possible in humans. Therefore, we set out to develop a model of this task in rodents, using the task's key features. In this article, we describe the results of the first series of experiments with rats and mice. The data thus far suggest that mice and rats behave in a way similar to humans; that is, they tend to choose the option with the best long-term payoff more often as the test progresses.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Helping at the bedside: spouses' preferences for helping critically ill patients.

Spouses of patients in intensive care units (ICU) need to be close and helpful to ill partners. According to adult attachment theory, emotional responses may be related to preferences for closeness and helpfulness, and according to control theory optimism also may influence spouses' emotional responses. Spouses' goals and helping behaviors were assessed in 88 spouses of ICU patients. Using a repeated-measures design, the relationships of closeness, helpfulness, and optimism to emotional outcomes were assessed. Preferences for closeness and helpfulness were strongly related, and together with optimism, predicted spouses' mood at some point of the illness trajectory. Spouses who were over-involved with partners' care requirements were at greater risk for emotional distress. Results suggest that closeness and helpfulness are integrated concepts, and that attachment dimensions of a relationship and optimism are useful for understanding spouses' emotional responses to critical illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Evidence for mnemotropic action of cholecystokinin fragments Boc-CCK-4 and CCK-8S.

Memory-modulating and reinforcing effects of the cholecystokinin (CCK) fragments, CCK-8S and Boc-CCK-4, after systemic application in rats were investigated. Habituation to the novelty of environmental stimuli was used to test for mnemonic effects using two different tasks (rearing behavior in an open field; head-dips in a hole-board). Immediate posttrial administration of CCK-8S and Boc-CCK-4 resulted in a reduction of rearing and head-dip behavior during testing, indicative of enhanced habituation and, thus, facilitation of memory. In contrast, administration of CCK-8S and Boc-CCK-4 with a delay of 2.5 or 5 h after training or pretrial injection of CCK-8S did not enhance habituation. No evidence for reinforcing or aversive properties of CCK-8S and Boc-CCK-4 was observed in a conditioned place preference task. In summary, the results indicate memory-enhancing effects of peripherally, posttrial-administered CCK-8S and Boc-CCK-4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1975

Use of traditional Indian medicine among urban native Americans.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic explanation of the use of traditional medicine among the native American population living in the San Francisco Bay area. Several hypotheses concerning the factors associated with this behavior are tested. These include tribal grouping, socioeconomic and sociocultural factors, as well as the relationship between traditional medicine and modern Anglo medicine. The analysis is based on a probability sample of 277 native American families, systematically drawn from a specially prepared list of 5,000 in three Bay area counties with the largest native American population (Alameda, San Francisco, and Santa Clara). Traditional medicine was used by almost one of three families in the sample and it is shown that use of traditional medicine, although related to sociocultural factors, did not detract from the use of modern Anglo medicine.

Acculturation↗
PubMed2005

'She gave it her best shot right away': patient experiences of biomedical and patient-centered communication.

OBJECTIVE: Medical educators and researchers recommend a patient-centered interviewing style, but little empirical data exists regarding what aspects of physician communication patients like and why. We investigated patient responses to videotaped doctor-patient vignettes to ascertain what they liked about patient-centered and biomedical communication. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 230 adult medicine patients who viewed videotapes depicting both patient-centered and biomedical physician communication styles. We used a mixed methods approach to derive a "ground-up" framework of patient communication preferences. RESULTS: Respondents who preferred different communication styles articulated different sets of values, important physician behaviors, and physician-patient role expectations. Participants who preferred the patient-centered physician (69%) liked that she worked with and respected patients and explored what the patient wanted. Participants who preferred the biomedical physician (31%) liked that she prevented harm, demonstrated medical authority, and delivered information clearly. CONCLUSIONS: Patients like (and dislike) patient-centered communication for thoughtful, considered reasons that appear grounded in their values and expectations about physicians, patients, and the clinical encounter. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Better understanding the diversity of patient communication preferences may lead to more effective and individualized care.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The influence of nonremembered affective associations on preference.

An important influence on our preference toward a specific object is its associations with affective information. Here, the authors concentrate on the role of memory on shaping such preferences. Specifically, the authors used a multistage behavioral paradigm that fostered associations between neutral shapes and affective images. Participants that explicitly remembered these affective associations preferred neutral shapes associated with positive images. Counterintuitively, participants who could not explicitly remember the associations preferred neutral shapes that were associated with negative images. Generally, the difference in preference between participants who could and could not remember the affective associations demonstrates a critical link between memory and preference formation. The authors propose that the preference for negatively associated items is a manifestation of a mechanism that produces an inherent incentive for rapidly assessing potentially threatening aspects in the environment.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Human sexual selection, good genes, and special design.

Evolutionary psychology seeks to understand the functional design underlying psychological processes and behavior. Theories of selection pressures developed within evolutionary biology are key components of this understanding. Because past selection pressures responsible for current design cannot be directly observed, theoretical understandings of the psychological processes and behavior must be inferred. The most important epistemological concept within evolutionary psychology is that of special design-evidence that a feature exhibits specificity, efficiency, and economy for producing a particular beneficial effect. A variety of sexual-selection processes have been proposed to account for aspects of human mating. These processes are not mutually exclusive. More than one may account for aspects of human mating. A core task of evolutionary psychology within this domain is to identify which processes account for which phenomena. I have attempted to illustrate how the search for special design is central to this endeavor.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2001

Effects of task goal and personal preference on seated reaching kinematics after stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Current theories of motor control in rehabilitation focus on how the nervous system responds to many types of external and internal constraints to execute motor behavior to accomplish a task. However, the dynamic interplay between these 2 constraints remains unclear. This study examined the impact of some aspects of internal and external constraints on motor performance in persons with stroke. METHODS: Twenty-seven persons with stroke used the uninvolved arms to perform an upper-extremity reaching task under 4 experimental conditions, formed by the crossing of functional goals and personal preferences. For the higher level of a functional goal, subjects took a drink from a can of beverage. For the lower level of a functional goal, subjects brought the can to the mouth without drinking. The level of personal preferences was determined, by interview, by the degree of predilection for particular beverages. RESULTS: Significant and large effects of functional goals and personal preference were found in the variables of movement time and reaction time. However, the data trend of the 4 testing conditions varied according to presence of visuospatial neglect and side of lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Offering choices for the treatment activities and incorporating functional goals to therapeutic tasks might enhance response rate or movement efficiency, depending on the side of the lesion and presence of visuospatial neglect. The findings suggest that the consideration of the neglect phenomenon is a necessity when rehabilitative treatment planning incorporates constraint factors.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Volition and conflict in human medial frontal cortex.

Controversy surrounds the role of human medial frontal cortex in controlling actions. Although damage to this area leads to severe difficulties in spontaneously initiating actions, the precise mechanisms underlying such "volitional" deficits remain to be established. Previous studies have implicated the medial frontal cortex in conflict monitoring and the control of voluntary action, suggesting that these key processes are functionally related or share neural substrates. Here, we combine a novel behavioral paradigm with functional imaging of the oculomotor system to reveal, for the first time, a functional subdivision of the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) into anatomically distinct areas that respond exclusively to either volition or conflict. We also demonstrate that activity in the supplementary eye field (SEF) distinguishes between success and failure in changing voluntary action plans during conflict, suggesting a role for the SEF in implementing the resolution of conflicting actions. We propose a functional architecture of human medial frontal cortex that incorporates the generation of action plans and the resolution of conflict.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Perceived peer influence and peer selection on adolescent smoking.

Despite advances in tobacco control, adolescent smoking remains a problem. The smoking status of friends is one of the highest correlates with adolescent smoking. This homophily (commonality of friends based on a given attribute) may be due to either peer pressure, where adolescents adopt the smoking behaviors of their friends, or peer selection, where adolescents choose friends based on their smoking status. This study used structural equation modeling to test a model of peer influence and peer selection on ever smoking by adolescents. The primary analysis of the model did not reach significance, but post hoc analyses did result in a model with good fit. Results indicated that both peer influence and peer selection were occurring, and that peer influence was more salient in the population than was peer selection. Implications of these results for tobacco prevention programs are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The predictive utility of drinking refusal self-efficacy and alcohol expectancy: a diary-based study of tension reduction.

The potential tension reduction effects of alcohol may be most appropriately tested by examining the role of alcohol related beliefs regarding alcohol's anxiolytic properties. The relationship between affective change drinking refusal self-efficacy, tension reduction alcohol expectancies, and ongoing drinking behavior was examined amongst 57 regular drinkers. Alcohol consumption, antecedent, and consequent mood states were monitored prospectively by diary, Social learning theory hypothesizes that low drinking refusal self-efficacy when experiencing a negative mood state should be associated with more frequent drinking when tense. Strong alcohol expectancies of tension reduction were hypothesized to predict subsequent tension reduction. Contrary to this hypothesis, the present study found that alcohol expectancies were more strongly related to antecedent mood states. Only a weak relationship between drinking refusal self-efficacy and predrinking tension, and between alcohol expectancy and subsequent tension reduction, was evident.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Using the theory of reasoned action to model retention in rural primary care physicians.

CONTEXT: Much research attention has focused on medical students', residents', and physicians' decisions to join a rural practice, but far fewer studies have examined retention of rural primary care physicians. PURPOSE: The current review uses Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to organize the literature on the predictors and correlates of retention of rural practicing physicians. TRA suggests turnover behavior is directly predicted by one's turnover intentions, which are, in turn, predicted by one's attitudes about rural practice and perceptions of salient others' (eg, spouse's) attitudes about rural practice and rural living. METHODS: Narrative literature review of scholarship in predicting and understanding predictors and correlates of rural physician retention. FINDINGS: The TRA model provides a useful conceptual model to organize the literature on rural physician retention. Physicians' subjective norms regarding rural practice are an important source of influence in the decision to remain or leave one's position, and this relation should be more fully examined in future research.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The influence of social isolation on ethanol preference behavior and dopamine release in telencephalon slices in mice.

We examined the relation between the duration of social isolation and alterations in ethanol preference behavior and the dopamine release in telencephalon slices in mice. Ethanol preference developed only after an isolation period of 2 weeks and a further ethanol treatment of 2 weeks. It did not appear after an isolation period of 6 weeks, in mice without ethanol treatment, and in group-housed mice. The dopamine release was lowered in mice isolated for 2 weeks and is normalized in combination with ethanol treatment. The dopamine release inhibition evoked by social isolation of 2 weeks probably reflects a functional state with high sensitivity for induction of an ethanol preference behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Influence of external information in the minority game.

The influence of a fixed number of agents with the same fixed behavior on the dynamics of the minority game is studied. Alternatively, the system studied can be considered the minority game with a change in the comfort threshold away from half filling. Agents in the frustrated, nonergodic phase tend to overreact to the information provided by the fixed agents, leading not only to large fluctuations, but to deviations of the average occupancies from their optimal values. Agents that discount their impact on the market, or that use individual strategies reach equilibrium states, which, unlike in the absence of the external information provided by the fixed agents, do not give the highest payoff to the collective.

Choice Behavior↗