Does the Incredible Years reduce child externalizing problems through improved parenting? The role of child negative affectivity and serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype.

PubMed

Weeland, Joyce; Chhangur, Rabia R; Jaffee, Sara R; Van Der Giessen, Danielle; Matthys, Walter; Orobio De Castro, Bram; Overbeek, Geertjan

2018-02-01

In a randomized controlled trial, the Observational Randomized Controlled Trial of Childhood Differential Susceptibility (ORCHIDS study), we tested whether observed parental affect and observed and reported parenting behavior are mechanisms of change underlying the effects of the behavioral parent training program the Incredible Years (IY). Furthermore, we tested whether some children are more susceptible to these change mechanisms because of their temperamental negative affectivity and/or serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype. Participants were 387 Dutch children between 4 and 8 years of age (M age = 6.31, SD = 1.33; 55.3% boys) and their parents. Results showed that although IY was successful in improving parenting behavior and increasing parental positive affect, these effects did not explain the significant decreases in child externalizing problems. We therefore found no evidence for changes in parenting behavior or parental affect being the putative mechanisms of IY effectiveness. Furthermore, intervention effects on child externalizing behavior were not moderated by child negative affectivity or 5-HTTLPR genotype. However, child 5-HTTLPR genotype did moderate intervention effects on negative parenting behavior. This suggests that in research on behavioral parent training programs, "what works for which parents" might also be an important question.

Behavioral effects of environmental chemicals in rats exposed in an inhalational behavioral chamber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghosh, T.K.; Copeland, R.L. Jr.; Pradhan, S.N.

1986-03-01

In order to study the behavioral toxicity of environmental chemicals at low concentrations (conc.), effects of inhalation of xylene or toluene were investigated in rats on fixed-ratio (FR24) liquid (5% sucrose) reinforcement (RIF) and intracranial self-stimulation (SS, with electrodes in A10 area) while being exposed to the solvent vapor in an inhalational behavioral chamber designed in the laboratory. While exposed to 3 graded conc. of xylene vapor for 2 hr each during 6 hr sessions, decreases in RIF was observed during 1,3 and 5 hr. Levels of behavioral performance were improved during 2,4 and 6 hr indicating development of tolerance.more » Similar effects were also observed in experiments (expt.) with toluene, which appeared to be somewhat less potent. Exposed to graded conc. of xylene for 2 hr each on separate days, rats also showed similar RIF decreases which appeared to be conc.-dependent. Prolonged (5hr) exposure to the lowest effective conc. of xylene used (139 ppm) which showed slight or no effect in these expt. decreased RIF only at hr 1 and hr 2 following which RIF improved further showing development of tolerance. Similar decreases in RIF was also observed at middle and high xylene conc. in ss expt. Thus, behavioral depression and subsequent development of tolerance were observed in these expt. with the industrial solvents.« less

Gender differences in exercise dependence and eating disorders in young adults: a path analysis of a conceptual model.

PubMed

Meulemans, Shelli; Pribis, Peter; Grajales, Tevni; Krivak, Gretchen

2014-11-05

The purpose of our study was to study the prevalence of exercise dependence (EXD) among college students and to investigate the role of EXD and gender on exercise behavior and eating disorders. Excessive exercise can become an addiction known as exercise dependence. In our population of 517 college students, 3.3% were at risk for EXD and 8% were at risk for an eating disorder. We used Path analysis the simplest case of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the role of EXD and exercise behavior on eating disorders. We observed a small direct effect from gender to eating disorders. In females we observed significant direct effect between exercise behavior (r = -0.17, p = 0.009) and EXD (r = 0.34, p < 0.001) on eating pathology. We also observed an indirect effect of exercise behavior on eating pathology (r = 0.16) through EXD (r = 0.48, r2 = 0.23, p < 0.001). In females the total variance of eating pathology explained by the SEM model was 9%. In males we observed a direct effect between EXD (r = 0.23, p < 0.001) on eating pathology. We also observed indirect effect of exercise behavior on eating pathology (r = 0.11) through EXD (r = 0.49, r2 = 0.24, p < 0.001). In males the total variance of eating pathology explained by the SEM model was 5%.

An application of the theory of planned behavior--a randomized controlled food safety pilot intervention for young adults.

PubMed

Milton, Alyssa C; Mullan, Barbara A

2012-03-01

Approximately 48 million Americans are affected by foodborne illness each year. Evidence suggests that the application of health psychology theory to food safety interventions can increase behaviors that reduce the incidence of illness such as adequately keeping hands, surfaces and equipment clean. This aim of this pilot study was to be the first to explore the effectiveness of a food safety intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Young adult participants (N = 45) were randomly allocated to intervention, general control or mere measurement control conditions. Food safety observations and TPB measures were taken at baseline and at 4-week follow-up. Within and between group differences on target variables were considered and regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between condition, behavior and the TPB intention constructs; attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control (PBC). TPB variables at baseline predicted observed food safety behaviors. At follow-up, the intervention led to significant increases in PBC (p = .024) and observed behaviors (p = .001) compared to both control conditions. Furthermore, correlations were found between observed and self-reported behaviors (p = .008). The pilot intervention supports the utility of the TPB as a method of improving food safety behavior. Changes in TPB cognitions appear to be best translated to behavior via behavioral intentions and PBC. Further research should be conducted to increase effectiveness of translating TPB variables to food safety behaviors. The additional finding of a correlation between self-reported and observed behavior also has implications for future research as it provides evidence toward the construct validity of self-reported behavioral measures.

The Observer Effect and Its Impact on Staff Behavior in an Acquired Brain Injury Neurobehavioral Treatment Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guercio, John M.; Dixon, Mark R.

2011-01-01

Staff in three neurobehavioral residential settings (5 in each residence for a total of 15 staff) were trained on specific positive interaction behaviors in a multiple baseline design. Staff in each of the residences were provided with recommended behaviors for interacting with residents through an observational procedure where they observed and…

Four factors underlying mouse behavior in an open field

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Shoji; Young, Jared W.; Halberstadt, Adam L.; Masten, Virginia L.; Geyer, Mark A.

2012-01-01

The observation of the locomotor and exploratory behaviors of rodents in an open field is one of the most fundamental methods used in the field of behavioral pharmacology. A variety of behaviors can be recorded automatically and can readily generate a multivariate pattern of pharmacological effects. Nevertheless, the optimal ways to characterize observed behaviors and concomitant drug effects are still under development. The aim of this study was to extract meaningful behavioral factors that could explain variations in the observed variables from mouse exploration. Behavioral data were recorded from male C57BL/6J mice (n = 268) using the Behavioral Pattern Monitor (BPM). The BPM data were subjected to the exploratory factor analysis. The factor analysis extracted four factors: activity, sequential organization, diversive exploration, and inspective exploration. The activity factor and the two types of exploration factors correlated positively with one another, while the sequential organization factor negatively correlated with the remaining factors. The extracted factor structure constitutes a behavioral model of mouse exploration. This model will provide a platform on which one can assess the effects of psychoactive drugs and genetic manipulations on mouse exploratory behavior. Further studies are currently underway to examine the factor structure of similar multivariate data sets from humans tested in a human BPM. PMID:22569582

Four factors underlying mouse behavior in an open field.

PubMed

Tanaka, Shoji; Young, Jared W; Halberstadt, Adam L; Masten, Virginia L; Geyer, Mark A

2012-07-15

The observation of the locomotor and exploratory behaviors of rodents in an open field is one of the most fundamental methods used in the field of behavioral pharmacology. A variety of behaviors can be recorded automatically and can readily generate a multivariate pattern of pharmacological effects. Nevertheless, the optimal ways to characterize observed behaviors and concomitant drug effects are still under development. The aim of this study was to extract meaningful behavioral factors that could explain variations in the observed variables from mouse exploration. Behavioral data were recorded from male C57BL/6J mice (n=268) using the Behavioral Pattern Monitor (BPM). The BPM data were subjected to the exploratory factor analysis. The factor analysis extracted four factors: activity, sequential organization, diversive exploration, and inspective exploration. The activity factor and the two types of exploration factors correlated positively with one another, while the sequential organization factor negatively correlated with the remaining factors. The extracted factor structure constitutes a behavioral model of mouse exploration. This model will provide a platform on which one can assess the effects of psychoactive drugs and genetic manipulations on mouse exploratory behavior. Further studies are currently underway to examine the factor structure of similar multivariate data sets from humans tested in a human BPM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Classroom attention in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: the effect of stabilizing serum glucose.

PubMed

Daley, Kelly B; Wodrich, David L; Hasan, Khalid

2006-02-01

To determine whether stabilizing serum glucose, via introduction of an insulin pump, improves classroom attention among children with type-1 diabetes mellitus. Four boys having type-1 diabetes mellitus with unstable serum glucose were observed in their classroom for 10 baseline days. An insulin pump was placed and serum glucose stabilized, and they were then observed again for 10 days. A modified multiple baseline design was used to determine if improved on-task and off-task behavior was associated with better glycemic control. Rating scales and a laboratory measure of attention, measures of secondary interest, were also administered before and after pump introduction, and potential improvement in individuals' scores was evaluated. All boys had apparent improvement in on-task and off-task behavior as observed in their classrooms. Improvements were substantial, averaging 20% in on-task behavior and 34% in off-task behavior. However, no changes were detected on rating scales or laboratory measures. This study offers preliminary evidence that stabilizing serum glucose improves classroom attention, although the effect was detected only by observation of classroom behavior using highly structured techniques. Consequently, use of direct observation techniques may be important in studying the effects of chronic illness on classroom functioning.

Autistic spectrum disorder, epilepsy, and vagus nerve stimulation.

PubMed

Hull, Mariam Mettry; Madhavan, Deepak; Zaroff, Charles M

2015-08-01

In individuals with a comorbid autistic spectrum disorder and medically refractory epilepsy, vagus nerve stimulation may offer the potential of seizure control and a positive behavioral side effect profile. We aimed to examine the behavioral side effect profile using longitudinal and quantitative data and review the potential mechanisms behind behavioral changes. We present a case report of a 10-year-old boy with autistic spectrum disorder and epilepsy, who underwent vagus nerve stimulation subsequent to unsuccessful treatment with antiepileptic medication. Following vagus nerve stimulation implantation, initial, if temporary, improvement was observed in seizure control. Modest improvements were also observed in behavior and development, improvements which were observed independent of seizure control. Vagus nerve stimulation in autistic spectrum disorder is associated with modest behavioral improvement, with unidentified etiology, although several candidates for this improvement are evident.

Objectives and Strategies in the Layperson's Categorization of Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Curt; Mischel, Walter

The effects of observational purpose are thought to impact on such diverse processes as categorization, behavior perception, trait ascription, and memory. The role of observational purpose in the categorization of behavior was explored to determine whether differences between trait and goal concepts affect certain information-processing…

Artificial emotion triggered stochastic behavior transitions with motivational gain effects for multi-objective robot tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dağlarli, Evren; Temeltaş, Hakan

2007-04-01

This paper presents artificial emotional system based autonomous robot control architecture. Hidden Markov model developed as mathematical background for stochastic emotional and behavior transitions. Motivation module of architecture considered as behavioral gain effect generator for achieving multi-objective robot tasks. According to emotional and behavioral state transition probabilities, artificial emotions determine sequences of behaviors. Also motivational gain effects of proposed architecture can be observed on the executing behaviors during simulation.

Fathers' challenging parenting behavior prevents social anxiety development in their 4-year-old children: a longitudinal observational study.

PubMed

Majdandžić, Mirjana; Möller, Eline L; de Vente, Wieke; Bögels, Susan M; van den Boom, Dymphna C

2014-02-01

Recent models on parenting propose different roles for fathers and mothers in the development of child anxiety. Specifically, it is suggested that fathers' challenging parenting behavior, in which the child is playfully encouraged to push her limits, buffers against child anxiety. In this longitudinal study, we explored whether the effect of challenging parenting on children's social anxiety differed between fathers and mothers. Fathers and mothers from 94 families were separately observed with their two children (44 % girls), aged 2 and 4 years at Time 1, in three structured situations involving one puzzle task and two games. Overinvolved and challenging parenting behavior were coded. Child social anxiety was measured by observing the child's response to a stranger at Time 1, and half a year later at Time 2, and by parental ratings. In line with predictions, father's challenging parenting behavior predicted less subsequent observed social anxiety of the 4-year-old child. Mothers' challenging behavior, however, predicted more observed social anxiety of the 4-year-old. Parents' overinvolvement at Time 1 did not predict change in observed social anxiety of the 4-year-old child. For the 2-year-old child, maternal and paternal parenting behavior did not predict subsequent social anxiety, but early social anxiety marginally did. Parent-rated social anxiety was predicted by previous parental ratings of social anxiety, and not by parenting behavior. Challenging parenting behavior appears to have favorable effects on observed 4-year-old's social anxiety when displayed by the father. Challenging parenting behavior emerges as an important focus for future research and interventions.

Effect of an observer's presence on facial behavior during dyadic communication.

PubMed

Yamamoto, K; Suzuki, N

2012-06-01

In everyday life, people communicate not only with another person but also in front of other people. How do people behave during communication when observed by others? Effects of an observer (presence vs absence) and interpersonal relationship (friends vs strangers vs alone) on facial behavior were examined. Participants viewed film clips that elicited positive affect (film presentation) and discussed their impressions about the clips (conversation). Participants rated their subjective emotions and social motives. Durations of smiles, gazes, and utterances of each participant were coded. The presence of an observer did not affect facial behavior during the film presentation, but did affect gazes during conversation. Whereas the presence of an observer seemed to facilitate affiliation in pairs of strangers, communication between friends was exclusive and not affected by an observer.

Peer Observation of Rounds Leads to Collegial Discussion of Teaching.

PubMed

Pierce, J Rush; Rendón, Patrick; Rao, Deepti

2018-01-01

Faculty in the Division of Hospital Medicine provide most of the clinical teaching for learners at our institution. The majority of these faculty are Assistant Professors with limited formal instruction in clinical teaching. Previous Divisional strategies to improve clinical teaching ability included discussion of effective teaching behaviors, developing written expectations for teaching faculty, and instituting seminars on effective clinical teaching. Heretofore, the Division had not utilized a direct observation exercise. We developed a direct observation exercise to encourage discussion of teaching techniques and contemplation of change. Using a social learning model, we developed a peer-to-peer observation followed by a nonevaluative discussion. We created a tool for describing teaching behaviors in 5 domains that were similar to or different from the usual behavior of the observing peer: learner presentations, team leadership, bedside teaching, professionalism, and other. After the observation, the observing and observed faculty met to discuss observed teaching behaviors. Both faculty members discussed and then recorded any teaching behaviors that they planned to adopt or change. We implemented this intervention in a 22-member Academic Division of Hospital Medicine at a tertiary care medical center in the United States. A high proportion were junior faculty and graduates of our residency program. We reviewed records of 28 of 31 observations that were completed during the initial 9-month period of implementation and later surveyed faculty. The exercise resulted in planned changes in teaching behaviors that included instituting new methods to improve teaching team leadership, triaging of patients seen on rounds, faculty behaviors during oral presentations, giving real-time feedback, use of technology and humor, demonstrating physical examination findings, and modeling professional behaviors. Faculty later reported adoption of new teaching behaviors that were important to them. This exercise was easily implemented, resulted in planned changes by both observed and observing peers, and resulted in widespread adoption of some specific teaching behaviors. The most commonly planned change dealt with team leadership or organizational issues. When given the freedom to choose, junior faculty were more likely to observe senior faculty.

Investigation of gender role behaviors in boys with hypospadias: comparative study with unaffected boys and girls.

PubMed

Sung, Ji Yean; Han, Sang Won; Chung, Kyong-Mee; Lee, Hyeyoung; Cho, Sang Hee

2014-10-01

The purpose of the study was (1) to investigate gender role behaviors of boys with hypospadias compared with groups of unaffected boys and girls using parental reports and direct observations; and (2) to directly observe effects of socialization (mothers' presence) on children's gender role behaviors. Ages of 19 children with hypospadias ranged from 3 to 7 years, and each of them were matched to controls of unaffected boys and girls by age. All the children participated with their mothers. Children's gender role behaviors and their mothers' behaviors were evaluated using an observation coding system. Mothers also completed questionnaires regarding their children's gender role behaviors. Results indicated no atypical gender role behavior for the boys with hypospadias and no direct effects of socialization on their gender role behaviors. However, differences were found in negative communicative behaviors between boys with hypospadias and unaffected boys, suggesting a possible role of socialization. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

From Correlates to Causes: Can Quasi-Experimental Studies and Statistical Innovations Bring Us Closer to Identifying the Causes of Antisocial Behavior?

PubMed Central

Jaffee, Sara R.; Strait, Luciana B.; Odgers, Candice L.

2011-01-01

Longitudinal, epidemiological studies have identified robust risk factors for youth antisocial behavior, including harsh and coercive discipline, maltreatment, smoking during pregnancy, divorce, teen parenthood, peer deviance, parental psychopathology, and social disadvantage. Nevertheless, because this literature is largely based on observational studies, it remains unclear whether these risk factors have truly causal effects. Identifying causal risk factors for antisocial behavior would be informative for intervention efforts and for studies that test whether individuals are differentially susceptible to risk exposures. In this paper, we identify the challenges to causal inference posed by observational studies and describe quasi-experimental methods and statistical innovations that may move us beyond discussions of risk factors to allow for stronger causal inference. We then review studies that use these methods and we evaluate whether robust risk factors identified from observational studies are likely to play a causal role in the emergence and development of youth antisocial behavior. For most of the risk factors we review, there is evidence that they have causal effects. However, these effects are typically smaller than those reported in observational studies, suggesting that familial confounding, social selection, and misidentification might also explain some of the association between risk exposures and antisocial behavior. For some risk factors (e.g., smoking during pregnancy, parent alcohol problems) the evidence is weak that they have environmentally mediated effects on youth antisocial behavior. We discuss the implications of these findings for intervention efforts to reduce antisocial behavior and for basic research on the etiology and course of antisocial behavior. PMID:22023141

From correlates to causes: can quasi-experimental studies and statistical innovations bring us closer to identifying the causes of antisocial behavior?

PubMed

Jaffee, Sara R; Strait, Luciana B; Odgers, Candice L

2012-03-01

Longitudinal, epidemiological studies have identified robust risk factors for youth antisocial behavior, including harsh and coercive discipline, maltreatment, smoking during pregnancy, divorce, teen parenthood, peer deviance, parental psychopathology, and social disadvantage. Nevertheless, because this literature is largely based on observational studies, it remains unclear whether these risk factors have truly causal effects. Identifying causal risk factors for antisocial behavior would be informative for intervention efforts and for studies that test whether individuals are differentially susceptible to risk exposures. In this article, we identify the challenges to causal inference posed by observational studies and describe quasi-experimental methods and statistical innovations that may move researchers beyond discussions of risk factors to allow for stronger causal inference. We then review studies that used these methods, and we evaluate whether robust risk factors identified from observational studies are likely to play a causal role in the emergence and development of youth antisocial behavior. There is evidence of causal effects for most of the risk factors we review. However, these effects are typically smaller than those reported in observational studies, suggesting that familial confounding, social selection, and misidentification might also explain some of the association between risk exposures and antisocial behavior. For some risk factors (e.g., smoking during pregnancy, parent alcohol problems), the evidence is weak that they have environmentally mediated effects on youth antisocial behavior. We discuss the implications of these findings for intervention efforts to reduce antisocial behavior and for basic research on the etiology and course of antisocial behavior.

Effects of cigarette smoking on human aggressive behavior.

PubMed

Cherek, D R

1984-01-01

Nicotine administered by smoking experimental cigarettes produced decreases in two types of aggressive responses elicited by low and high frequency subtractions of money which were attributed to another "person". The suppressing effects of smoking different doses of nicotine on aggressive responses was dose-dependent, in that smoking the high dose of nicotine produced more suppression than smoking the low dose. The ostensible subtraction of money from another "person", the more aggressive response option available to research subjects, was generally more sensitive to the suppressing effects of nicotine than aggressive noise delivery responses. Although this effect could be attributed to another constituent of tobacco, the dose-dependent effect observed with these cigarettes which contained the same amount of tar suggest the effects are due to nicotine. The relatively selective suppression of aggressive behavior observed in humans in the present study is highly consistent with the effects of nicotine observed in a number of infrahuman species. Nicotine has been found to suppress aggressive behavior in ants (Kostowski 1968), rats (Silverman 1971), and cats (Berntson et. al. 1976). In addition, nicotine has been observed to suppress shock elicited fighting in rats (Driscoll, Baettig 1981; Rodgers 1979; Waldbillig 1980) as well as shock elicited biting in monkeys (Hutchinson, Emley 1973). The importance of determining specificity of drug action on aggressive behavior has been repeatedly emphasized in the field of behavioral pharmacology (Sidman 1959; Cook, Kelleher 1963; Thompson, Boren 1977; Miczek, Krsiak 1979). One method employed to evaluate drug specificity and identify a general non-specific excitatory or depressant drug effect is to determine the drug effect on more than one response option which is available to the subject (Sidman 1959). In this study, the same doses of nicotine which suppressed aggressive responding increased nonaggressive monetary reinforcement responses. This indicates that the suppressing effects of nicotine on human aggressive responses was not due to a non-specific and generalized depression action. This selective action is similar to that observed by Hutchinson and Emley (1973) when they observed that nicotine decreased shock-elicited biting in monkeys while increasing anticipatory manual responses preceding shock. The highly selective and specific suppressing effect of nicotine on aggressive behavior provides a consistent observation in species ranging from insects to man.

Nocturnal behavior in captive giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)--A pilot study.

PubMed

Duggan, Graham; Burn, Charlotte C; Clauss, Marcus

2016-01-01

Captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are known to perform oral and locomotor stereotypies. However, many studies do not consider the behavioral repertoire of these animals during the time when animals are confined to night quarters. At two zoological institutions, a total of six captive giraffes were observed via camera trap technology throughout six diurnal and nocturnal periods to record feeding, ruminating, and stereotypic behaviors. The effect of browse enrichment was assessed on alternate nights to determine how behaviors may be altered in the presence of natural forage. Results need to be interpreted with caution due to a high proportion of time when animals were out of camera range. For the observed time, stereotypical licking behavior was significantly higher at night compared to daytime at both facilities, while tongue play increased at the same time, but not significantly. The provision of browse enrichment during the night decreased the rate of tongue playing, but not significantly; however, browse did significantly reduce pacing behavior. Across treatments and institutions, observed oral stereotypies tended to correlate negatively with increased feeding behavior. Apart from a short-term effect of enrichment, this study indicates relevant differences in the frequencies of behaviors observed during the day and night, suggesting that assessing nocturnal behavior specifically may be important in many species. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inhibitory action of halothane on rat masculine sexual behavior and sperm motility.

PubMed

Oropeza-Hernández, Luis F; Quintanilla-Vega, Betzabet; Albores, Arnulfo; Fernández-Guasti, Alonso

2002-07-01

Adult male rats were exposed to inhale halothane in the following regime: 15 ppm/4 h/5 days/week/9 weeks. Sexual behavior observations and sperm motility test were made before halothane exposure (0 days) and at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of exposure. Fifteen days after halothane exposure, this anesthetic inhibited the proportion of animals displaying ejaculation. In those animals ejaculating, halothane produced an inhibition of masculine sexual behavior reflected as an increase in the intromission latency, number of mounts and postejaculatory interval. At 30 days after exposure, only an increase in the intromission latency was observed. At 45 and 60 days, the inhibitory effect of halothane on sexual behavior disappeared. Similarly, at 15 and 30 days, but not at 45 or 60 days of halothane exposure, a reduced sperm motility was observed. Such transient effects of halothane suggest the development of tolerance to the inhibitory actions of this anesthetic on sexual behavior and sperm motility. These halothane effects are in line with an inhibition of masculine sexual behavior after stimulation of the GABAergic system.

ADHD and working memory: the impact of central executive deficits and exceeding storage/rehearsal capacity on observed inattentive behavior.

PubMed

Kofler, Michael J; Rapport, Mark D; Bolden, Jennifer; Sarver, Dustin E; Raiker, Joseph S

2010-02-01

Inattentive behavior is considered a core and pervasive feature of ADHD; however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between working memory deficits and inattentive behavior. The current study investigated whether inattentive behavior in children with ADHD is functionally related to the domain-general central executive and/or subsidiary storage/rehearsal components of working memory. Objective observations of children's attentive behavior by independent observers were conducted while children with ADHD (n = 15) and typically developing children (n = 14) completed counterbalanced tasks that differentially manipulated central executive, phonological storage/rehearsal, and visuospatial storage/rehearsal demands. Results of latent variable and effect size confidence interval analyses revealed two conditions that completely accounted for the attentive behavior deficits in children with ADHD: (a) placing demands on central executive processing, the effect of which is evident under even low cognitive loads, and (b) exceeding storage/rehearsal capacity, which has similar effects on children with ADHD and typically developing children but occurs at lower cognitive loads for children with ADHD.

Gender Differences in Exercise Dependence and Eating Disorders in Young Adults: A Path Analysis of a Conceptual Model

PubMed Central

Meulemans, Shelli; Pribis, Peter; Grajales, Tevni; Krivak, Gretchen

2014-01-01

The purpose of our study was to study the prevalence of exercise dependence (EXD) among college students and to investigate the role of EXD and gender on exercise behavior and eating disorders. Excessive exercise can become an addiction known as exercise dependence. In our population of 517 college students, 3.3% were at risk for EXD and 8% were at risk for an eating disorder. We used Path analysis the simplest case of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the role of EXD and exercise behavior on eating disorders. We observed a small direct effect from gender to eating disorders. In females we observed significant direct effect between exercise behavior (r = −0.17, p = 0.009) and EXD (r = 0.34, p < 0.001) on eating pathology. We also observed an indirect effect of exercise behavior on eating pathology (r = 0.16) through EXD (r = 0.48, r2 = 0.23, p < 0.001). In females the total variance of eating pathology explained by the SEM model was 9%. In males we observed a direct effect between EXD (r = 0.23, p < 0.001) on eating pathology. We also observed indirect effect of exercise behavior on eating pathology (r = 0.11) through EXD (r = 0.49, r2 = 0.24, p < 0.001). In males the total variance of eating pathology explained by the SEM model was 5%. PMID:25379689

Agreement among Classroom Observers of Children's Stylistic Learning Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Helen Hamlet; McDermott, Paul A.; Schaefer, Barbara A.

1998-01-01

Investigates the interobserver agreement of the Learning Behavior Scale (LBS) by educators (n=16) observing students in special-education classes (n=72). No significant observer effect was found. Moreover, the LBS produced comparable levels of differential learning styles for assessments of individual children. (Author/MKA)

The role of the dorsolateral tegmentum in the control of male sexual behavior: a reevaluation.

PubMed

Romero-Carbente, J C; Camacho, F J; Paredes, R G

2006-06-30

The medial preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus (MPOA/AH) plays a key role in the control of male sexual behavior. Independently of the type, MPOA/AH lesions permanently eliminate male sexual behavior in the rat. The MPOA/AH projects among other structures to the dorsolateral tegmentum (DLT). Bilateral electrolytic lesions of the DLT or the unilateral electrolytic destruction of the MPOA/HA combined with a contralateral electrolytic lesion of the DLT eliminate male sexual behavior. In the present experiment, we evaluated if neurotoxic lesions of the DLT produce the same behavioral deficits as those observed after electrolytic lesions. This would allow us to evaluate if neurons of the DLT or the fibers passing through this area are important in the control of male sexual behavior. To this aim, sexually experience male rats were tested for socio-sexual behavior, partner preference and motor execution in order to determine if the possible behavioral changes could be attributed to alterations in sexual motivation or motor execution. One week after the bilateral DLT lesions the animals were evaluated in the same behavioral tests. The lesions were identified by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuronal nuclear protein (Neu-N) immunohistochemistry. No significant consistent effects upon sexual behavior were observed in any of the groups, including the group with clear bilateral damage of the DLT. A reduction in the percentage of males displaying ejaculation in the first post-lesion test was observed for all groups injected with quinolinic acid. No effects upon partner preference or motor coordination were observed after the lesion in any of the groups. The lack of effect of DLT neurotoxic lesions upon mating suggests that neurons of this structure are not involved in the control of male sexual behavior.

Behavioral Screening for Toxicology | Science Inventory | US ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Screening for behavioral toxicity, or neurotoxicity, has been in use for decades; however, only in the past 20 years has this become a standard practice in toxicology. Current screening batteries, such as the functional observational battery (FOB), are derived from protocols used in pharmacology, toxicology, and psychology. Although there is a range of protocols in use today, all focus on detailed observations and specific tests of reflexes and responses. Several neurological functions are typically assessed, including autonomic, neuromuscular, and sensory, as well as levels of activity and excitability. The tests have been shown to be valid in detecting expected effects of known neurotoxicants, and reliable and reproducible whn compared across laboratories. Regardless of the specific protocol used, proper conduct and statistical analyses of the data are critical. Interpretation is based on the information from individual end points as well as the profile, or pattern, of effects observed. As long as continual refinements are made, behavioral screening methods will continue to be important tools with which to protect human health in the future.autonomic function; behavior; behavioral phenotypes; behavioral toxicity; excitability; functional observational battery ; motor activity; mouse; neuromuscular function; positive controls; rat; screening battery ; sensory function Screening for behavioral toxicity, or neurotoxicity, has been in use for decades; how

Ethnicity as a Moderator of Treatment Effects on Parent-Child Interaction for Children with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Heather A.; Epstein, Jeffery N.; Hinshaw, Stephen P.; Owens, Elizabeth B.; Chi, Terry C.; Arnold, L. Eugene; Hoza, Betsy; Wells, Karen C.

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine ethnic differences in observed parenting and child behavior and the moderating effects of ethnicity on the relationship between treatment and parent and child behavior. Method: Observations of 508 children with ADHD (ages 7-9) and their caregivers, collected during the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD, were analyzed using…

Effects of piracetam on behavior and memory in adult zebrafish.

PubMed

Grossman, Leah; Stewart, Adam; Gaikwad, Siddharth; Utterback, Eli; Wu, Nadine; Dileo, John; Frank, Kevin; Hart, Peter; Howard, Harry; Kalueff, Allan V

2011-04-25

Piracetam, a derivative of γ-aminobutyric acid, exerts memory-enhancing and mild anxiolytic effects in human and rodent studies. To examine the drug's behavioral profile further, we assessed its effects on behavioral and endocrine (cortisol) responses of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)--a novel model species rapidly gaining popularity in neurobehavioral research. Overall, acute piracetam did not affect zebrafish novel tank and light-dark box behavior at mild doses (25-400mg/L), but produced nonspecific behavioral inhibition at 700mg/L. No effects on cortisol levels or inter-/intra-session habituation in the novel tank test were observed for acute or chronic mild non-sedative dose of 200mg/L. In contrast, fish exposed to chronic piracetam at this dose performed significantly better in the cued learning plus-maze test. This observation parallels clinical and rodent literature on the behavioral profile of piracetam, supporting the utility of zebrafish paradigms for testing nootropic agents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Active Videogames on Underserved Children's Classroom Behaviors, Effort, and Fitness.

PubMed

Gao, Zan; Lee, Jung Eun; Pope, Zachary; Zhang, Dachao

2016-09-30

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of active videogames (AVGs) on underserved minority children's on-task classroom behavior, academic effort, and fitness. A one group pre- and posttest repeated measures design was used. In Fall 2013, 95 fourth grade children (57 boys, 38 girls; 96% of minority) from three classes at an underserved urban elementary school participated in teacher-supervised AVG activities (e.g., Wii Sports, Xbox Just Dance). Specifically, students participated in a 50-minute weekly AVG program at school for 6 weeks. Children's academic effort was evaluated by classroom teachers using a validated scale that assessed activity, attention, conduct, and social/emotional behavior. Moreover, children's classroom behavior was observed immediately before and after each AVG session by trained researchers. Finally, cardiovascular fitness was also measured. A paired t-test was used to assess teacher-rated student effort, while one-way (gender) analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was performed to analyze children's on-task classroom behavior. There was a significant effect on children's effort between the first (mean = 3.24, SD = 0.75) and last week (mean = 3.41, SD = 0.73) assessments, t = 2.42, P = 0.02. In addition, there was a significant effect on classroom behavior, F = 33.103, P < 0.01. In detail, children scored significantly higher on on-task behavior during the post-AVG observation (mean = 81.4, SD = 12.3) than seen during the pre-AVG observation (mean = 69.8, SD = 14.9). However, no main effect was indicated for gender, F = 0.39, P = 0.54. No significant improvement in cardiovascular fitness was observed, although slight improvements were seen. Offering an AVG program at school could improve underserved minority children's classroom on-task behavior and academic effort. Future studies may include a control group to further confirm the effectiveness of AVG activities. Practical implications for educators and other stakeholders are provided.

Advancing the discussion about systematic classroom behavioral observation, a product review of Tenny, J. (2010). eCOVE observation software. Pacific City, OR: eCOVE Software, LLC.

PubMed

Froiland, John Mark; Smith, Liana

2014-05-01

Applied child psychologists and behavioral consultants often use systematic behavioral observations to inform the psychological assessment and intervention development process for children referred for attention and hyperactivity problems. This article provides a review of the 2010 version of the eCOVE classroom observation software in terms of its utility in tracking the progress of children with attention and hyperactive behaviors and its use in evaluating teacher behaviors that may impede or promote children's attention and positive behavior. The eCOVE shows promise as an efficient tool for psychologists and behavioral consultants who want to evaluate the effects of interventions for children with symptoms of ADHD, ODD, mood disorders and learning disorders; however, some research-based improvements for future models are suggested. The reviewers also share their firsthand experience in using eCOVE to evaluate teacher and student behavior exhibited on a television show about teaching urban high school students and during a movie about an eccentric new kindergarten teacher. Rich examples are provided of using strategic behavioral observations to reveal how to improve the classroom environment so as to facilitate attention, motivation and positive behavior among youth. Broader implications for enhancing the use of systematic behavioral observations in the assessment of children and adolescents with attention disorders and related behavioral problems are discussed. Key issues are examined such as the use of behavioral observations during psychological consultation to prevent the previously found gender bias in referrals for ADHD. Using behavioral observations to enhance differential diagnosis is also discussed.

Nurse and Patient Interaction Behaviors Effects on Nursing Care Quality for Mechanically Ventilated, Older Adults in the ICU

PubMed Central

Nilsen, Marci; Sereika, Susan M.; Hoffman, Leslie A.; Barnato, Amber; Donovan, Heidi; Happ, Mary Beth

2014-01-01

The study purposes were to 1) describe interaction behaviors and factors that may impact communication and 2) explore associations between interaction behaviors and nursing care quality indicators between 38 mechanically ventilated patients (≥60 years) and their intensive care unit nurses (n=24). Behaviors were measured by rating videotaped observations from the Study of Patient-Nurse Effectiveness with Communication Strategies (SPEACS). Characteristics and quality indicators were obtained from the SPEACS dataset and medical chart abstraction. All positive behaviors occurred at least once. Significant (p<.05) associations were observed between: 1) positive nurse and positive patient behaviors, 2) patient unaided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies and positive nurse behaviors, 3) individual patient unaided AAC strategies and individual nurse positive behaviors and 4) positive nurse behaviors and pain management, and 5) positive patient behaviors and sedation level. Findings provide evidence that nurse and patient behaviors impact communication and may be associated with nursing care quality. PMID:24496114

Acute ethanol ingestion produces dose-dependent effects on motor behavior in the honey bee (Apis mellifera).

PubMed

Maze, Ian S; Wright, Geraldine A; Mustard, Julie A

2006-01-01

Ethanol consumption produces characteristic behavioral states in animals that include sedation, disorientation, and disruption of motor function. Using individual honey bees, we assessed the effects of ethanol ingestion on motor function via continuous observations of their behavior. Consumption of 1 M sucrose solutions containing a range of ethanol doses led to hemolymph ethanol levels of approximately 40-100 mM. Using ethanol doses in this range, we observed time and dose-dependent effects of ethanol on the percent of time our subjects spent walking, stopped, or upside down, and on the duration and frequency of bouts of behavior. The effects on grooming and flying behavior were more complex. Behavioral recovery from ethanol treatment was both time and ethanol dose dependent, occurring between 12 and 24 h post-ingestion for low doses and at 24-48 h for higher doses. Furthermore, the amount of ethanol measured in honey bee hemolymph appeared to correlate with recovery. We predict that the honey bee will prove to be an excellent model system for studying the influence of ethanol on the neural mechanisms underlying behavior.

Establishing the Feasibility of Direct Observation in the Assessment of Tics in Children with Chronic Tic Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Himle, Michael B.; Chang, Susanna; Woods, Douglas W.; Pearlman, Amanda; Buzzella, Brian; Bunaciu, Liviu; Piacentini, John C.

2006-01-01

Behavior analysis has been at the forefront in establishing effective treatments for children and adults with chronic tic disorders. As is customary in behavior analysis, the efficacy of these treatments has been established using direct-observation assessment methods. Although behavior-analytic treatments have enjoyed acceptance and integration…

Efficacy of the Social Skills Improvement System Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP) primary version.

PubMed

DiPerna, James Clyde; Lei, Puiwa; Bellinger, Jillian; Cheng, Weiyi

2015-03-01

A multisite cluster randomized trial was conducted to examine the effects of the Social Skills Improvement System Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP; Elliott & Gresham, 2007) on students' classroom social behavior. The final sample included 432 students across 38 second grade classrooms. Social skills and problem behaviors were measured via the SSIS rating scale for all participants, and direct observations were completed for a subsample of participants within each classroom. Results indicated that the SSIS-CIP demonstrated positive effects on teacher ratings of participants' social skills and internalizing behaviors, with the greatest changes occurring in classrooms with students who exhibited lower skill proficiency prior to implementation. Statistically significant differences were not observed between treatment and control participants on teacher ratings of externalizing problem behaviors or direct observation.

[Behavior of mice from different strains: modifications produced by noopept].

PubMed

Bel'nik, A P; Ostrovskaia, R U; Poletaeva, I I

2007-01-01

Genotype-dependent behavioral effects were demonstrated in BALB/c, C57BL/6J [Russian character: see text] DBA/2J mice after injections of nootropic drug Noopept. In an elevated plus maze, drug administration induced an increase in the number of enterings into bright arms in BALB/c mice, whereas the opposite effect was observed in C57BL/6J. After the Noopept administration, animals from all the three strains increased the number of active avoidance reactions in stress-inducing slip-funnel test. A significant intensification of exploration behavior was observed in a closed plus-maze in BALB/c and C57BL/6J. The Noopept affected weakly or had no effect on the behavior of DBA/2J mice.

Sex differences in novelty- and psychostimulant-induced behaviors of C57BL/6 mice

PubMed Central

Van Swearingen, Amanda E. D.; Walker, Q. David; Kuhn, Cynthia M.

2012-01-01

Rationale Women are more sensitive than men to psychostimulants and progress from initial use to drug addiction more quickly. The mouse has been an under-utilized model to study sex differences in psychostimulant action. Mice could serve as an ideal genetically-tractable model for mechanistic studies into sex and hormone effects on psychostimulant behavior. Objectives To characterize psychostimulant effects in male and female mice with a combination of automated data collection and behavioral observation. Methods Male and female C57BL/6 mice (Charles River) were given a single dose or sequential ascending binge doses of d-amphetamine (AMPH) or cocaine (COC). Behavior was assessed in open field chambers using both automated photobeam interruptions and behavioral observations. Brain psychostimulant concentrations were determined at the time of maximum behavioral stimulation. Results Psychostimulants induced behavioral activation in mice including both increased locomotion as detected with an automated system and a sequence of behaviors progressing from stereotyped sniffing at low doses to patterned locomotion and rearing at high doses. Females exhibited more patterned locomotion and a shift towards higher behavior scores after either psychostimulant despite having lower AMPH and equivalent COC brain levels as males. Conclusions Female C57BL/6 mice exhibit enhanced psychostimulant-induced behavior compared to males, similar to reports in rats. The combination of automated behavioral measures and behavioral observation was essential for verifying the existence of these differences. These results indicate the importance of testing both sexes when characterizing genetically manipulated mice to control for potential sex-specific effects. PMID:22975726

In-Kennel Behavior Predicts Length of Stay in Shelter Dogs

PubMed Central

Protopopova, Alexandra; Mehrkam, Lindsay Renee; Boggess, May Meredith; Wynne, Clive David Lawrence

2014-01-01

Previous empirical evaluations of training programs aimed at improving dog adoption rates assume that dogs exhibiting certain behaviors are more adoptable. However, no systematic data are available to indicate that the spontaneous behavior of shelter dogs has an effect on adopter preference. The aim of the present study was to determine whether any behaviors that dogs exhibit spontaneously in the presence of potential adopters were associated with the dogs' length of stay in the shelter. A sample of 289 dogs was videotaped for 1 min daily throughout their stay at a county shelter. To account for differences in adopter behavior, experimenters varied from solitary passive observers to pairs of interactive observers. Dogs behaved more attentively to active observers. To account for adopter preference for morphology, dogs were divided into “morphologically preferred” and “non-preferred” groups. Morphologically preferred dogs were small, long coated, ratters, herders, and lap dogs. No theoretically significant differences in behavior were observed between the two different dog morphologies. When accounting for morphological preference, three behaviors were found to have a significant effect on length of stay in all dogs: leaning or rubbing on the enclosure wall (increased median length of stay by 30 days), facing away from the front of the enclosure (increased by 15 days), and standing (increased by 7 days). When combinations of behaviors were assessed, back and forth motion was found to predict a longer stay (increased by 24 days). No consistent behavioral changes were observed due to time spent at the shelter. These findings will allow shelters to focus behavioral modification efforts only on behaviors likely to influence adopters' choices. PMID:25551460

The Effects of the Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) System on Sensitivity in Mother-Infant Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nugent, J. Kevin; Bartlett, Jessica Dym; Von Ende, Adam; Valim, Clarissa

2017-01-01

The Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system is a neurobehavioral observation tool designed to sensitize parents to infants' capacities and individuality and to enhance the parent-infant relationship by strengthening parents' confidence and practical skills in caring for their children. The NBO's focus on relationship building is intended for…

Venlafaxine inhibits apoptosis of hippocampal neurons by up-regulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor in a rat depression model

PubMed Central

Huang, Xiao; Mao, Yue-Shi; Li, Chao; Wang, Hao; Ji, Jian-Lin

2014-01-01

Objective: To study the effect of venlafaxine on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in rat hippocampal neurons, as well as its inhibitory effect on apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Methods: Differences in behavioral ability between the depression model group and the Venlafaxine treatment group were observed using behavioral, sucrose-water and open field tests. The rat hippocampal tissue was sliced, stained and observed for BDNF distribution by immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis of hippocampal neurons was detected by TUNEL. BDNF expression in the hippocampal tissue was detected by Western blot. Injury and apoptosis of the hippocampal tissue were observed by electron microscopy. Results: Behavioral test showed that venlafaxine effectively improved the behavioral abilities of depressed rats. Immunohistochemistry showed that venlafaxine markedly increased the BDNF expression in the rat hippocampus. TUNEL showed that venlafaxine markedly inhibited apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, which was also confirmed by electron microscopic observation of the pathologic sections. Conclusion: Venlafaxine improved the expression of BDNF through working on PI3k/PKB/eNOS pathway and repressed the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. PMID:25197330

Chronic caffeine produces sexually dimorphic effects on amphetamine-induced behavior, anxiety and depressive-like behavior in adolescent rats.

PubMed

Turgeon, Sarah M; Townsend, Shannon E; Dixon, Rushell S; Hickman, Emma T; Lee, Sabrina M

2016-04-01

Caffeine consumption has been increasing rapidly in adolescents; however, most research on the behavioral effects of caffeine has been conducted in adults. Two experiments were conducted in which adolescent male and female rats were treated with a moderate dose of caffeine (0.25 g/l) in their drinking water beginning on P26-28. In the first experiment, animals were maintained on caffeinated drinking water or normal tap water for 14 days and were then tested for behavioral and striatal c-Fos response to amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg). In the second experiment, rats were maintained on caffeinated drinking water or normal tap water beginning on P28 and were tested for novel object recognition, anxiety in the light/dark test (L/D) and elevated plus maze (EPM), and depressive like behavior in the forced swim test (FST) beginning on the 14th day of caffeine exposure. Caffeine decreased amphetamine-induced rearing in males, but had no effect in females; however, this behavioral effect was not accompanied by changes in striatal c-Fos, which was increased by amphetamine but not altered by caffeine. No effects of caffeine were observed on novel object recognition or elevated plus maze behavior. However, in the L/D test, there was a sex by caffeine interaction on time spent in the light driven by a caffeine-induced increase in light time in the males but not the females. On the pretest day of the FST, sex by caffeine interactions were observed for swimming and struggling; caffeine decreased struggling behavior and increased swimming behavior in males and caffeine-treated females demonstrated significantly more struggling and significantly less swimming than caffeine-treated males. A similar pattern was observed on the test day in which caffeine decreased immobility overall and increased swimming. These data reveal sex dependent effects of caffeine on behavior in adolescent rats. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The cultural transmission of cooperative norms

PubMed Central

Zhou, Xinyue; Liu, Yan; Ho, Benjamin

2015-01-01

Cooperative behavior depends on cultural environment, so what happens when people move from to a new culture governed by a new norm? The dynamics of culture-induced cooperation has not been well understood. We expose lab participants to a sequence of different subject pools while playing a constrained Trust Game. We find prior exposure to different subject pools does in fact influence cooperative behavior; first impressions matter—the primacy effect plays a stronger role than the recency effect; and selfish first impressions matter more than cooperative first impressions—observing selfish behavior by others had a longer-lasting and greater influence on behaviors than observing cooperative behavior by others. Moreover, three consecutive exposures to cooperative environments were needed to neutralize one exposure to a selfish environment. PMID:26578993

The Impact of Asking Intention or Self-Prediction Questions on Subsequent Behavior

PubMed Central

Wood, Chantelle; Conner, Mark; Miles, Eleanor; Sandberg, Tracy; Taylor, Natalie; Godin, Gaston; Sheeran, Paschal

2015-01-01

The current meta-analysis estimated the magnitude of the impact of asking intention and self-prediction questions on rates of subsequent behavior, and examined mediators and moderators of this question–behavior effect (QBE). Random-effects meta-analysis on 116 published tests of the effect indicated that intention/prediction questions have a small positive effect on behavior (d+ = 0.24). Little support was observed for attitude accessibility, cognitive dissonance, behavioral simulation, or processing fluency explanations of the QBE. Multivariate analyses indicated significant effects of social desirability of behavior/behavior domain (larger effects for more desirable and less risky behaviors), difficulty of behavior (larger effects for easy-to-perform behaviors), and sample type (larger effects among student samples). Although this review controls for co-occurrence of moderators in multivariate analyses, future primary research should systematically vary moderators in fully factorial designs. Further primary research is also needed to unravel the mechanisms underlying different variants of the QBE. PMID:26162771

Modeling as a Technique for Promoting Classroom Learning and Prosocial Behavior. Theoretical Paper No. 39.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frayer, Dorothy A.; Klausmeier, Herbert J.

Research has shown that a behavior may be acquired through observing and imitating a model. A behavior which has already been acquired may be inhibited, disinhibited, or elicited by observing and imitating. A definition of imitation is given, and the effects of imitation on learning and performance are summarized. Research on factors which affect…

Supportive parenting mediates widening neighborhood socioeconomic disparities in children’s antisocial behavior from ages 5 to 12

PubMed Central

Odgers, Candice L.; Caspi, Avshalom; Russell, Michael A.; Sampson, Robert J.; Arsenault, Louise; Moffitt, Terrie E.

2012-01-01

In this article we report a graded relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and children’s antisocial behavior that (1) can be observed at school entry, (2) widens across childhood, (3) remains after controlling for family-level SES and risk, and (4) is completely mediated by maternal warmth and parental monitoring (defined throughout as supportive parenting). Children were participants in the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study (n=2232), which prospectively tracked the development of children and their neighborhoods across childhood. Direct and independent effects of neighborhood-level SES on children’s antisocial behavior were observed as early as age 5 and the gap between children living in deprived versus more affluent neighborhoods widened as children approached adolescence. By age 12, the effect of neighborhood socioeconomic status on children’s antisocial behavior was as large as the effect observed for our most robust predictor of antisocial behavior – sex! (Cohen’s d = .51 when comparing children growing up in deprived versus more affluent neighborhoods in comparison to Cohen’s d = .53 when comparing antisocial behavior among boys versus girls). However, differences in children’s levels and rate of change in antisocial behavior across deprived versus more affluent neighborhoods were completely mediated by supportive parenting practices. Implications of our findings for studying and reducing socioeconomic disparities in antisocial behavior among children are discussed. PMID:22781850

Effective Leadership of Surgical Teams: A Mixed Methods Study of Surgeon Behaviors and Functions.

PubMed

Stone, Juliana L; Aveling, Emma-Louise; Frean, Molly; Shields, Morgan C; Wright, Cameron; Gino, Francesca; Sundt, Thoralf M; Singer, Sara J

2017-08-01

The importance of effective team leadership for achieving surgical excellence is widely accepted, but we understand less about the behaviors that achieve this goal. We studied cardiac surgical teams to identify leadership behaviors that best support surgical teamwork. We observed, surveyed, and interviewed cardiac surgical teams, including 7 surgeons and 116 team members, from September 2013 to April 2015. We documented 1,926 surgeon/team member interactions during 22 cases, coded them by behavior type and valence (ie, positive/negative/neutral), and characterized them by leadership function (conductor, elucidator, delegator, engagement facilitator, tone setter, being human, and safe space maker) to create a novel framework of surgical leadership derived from direct observation. We surveyed nonsurgeon team members about their perceptions of individual surgeon's leadership effectiveness on a 7-point Likert scale and correlated survey measures with individual surgeon profiles created by calculating percentage of behavior types, leader functions, and valence. Surgeon leadership was rated by nonsurgeons from 4.2 to 6.2 (mean, 5.4). Among the 33 types of behaviors observed, most interactions constituted elucidating (24%) and tone setting (20%). Overall, 66% of interactions (range, 43%-84%) were positive and 11% (range, 1%-45%) were negative. The percentage of positive and negative behaviors correlated strongly (r = 0.85 for positive and r = 0.75 for negative, p < 0.05) with nonsurgeon evaluations of leadership. Facilitating engagement related most positively (r = 0.80; p = 0.03), and negative forms of elucidating, ie, criticism, related most negatively (r = -0.81; p = 0.03). We identified 7 surgeon leadership functions and related behaviors that impact perceptions of leadership. These observations suggest actionable opportunities to improve team leadership behavior. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oscillations in solar jets observed with the SOT of Hinode: viscous effects during reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavabi, E.; Koutchmy, S.

2014-07-01

Transverse oscillatory motions and recurrence behavior in the chromospheric jets observed by Hinode/SOT are studied. A comparison is considered with the behavior that was noticed in coronal X-ray jets observed by Hinode/XRT. A jet like bundle observed at the limb in Ca II H line appears to show a magnetic topology that is similar to X-ray jets (i.e., the Eiffel tower shape). The appearance of such magnetic topology is usually assumed to be caused by magnetic reconnection near a null point. Transverse motions of the jet axis are recorded but no clear evidence of twist is appearing from the highly processed movie. The aim is to investigate the dynamical behavior of an incompressible magnetic X-point occurring during the magnetic reconnection in the jet formation region. The viscous effect is specially considered in the closed line-tied magnetic X-shape nulls. We perform the MHD numerical simulation in 2-D by solving the visco-resistive MHD equations with the tracing of velocity and magnetic field. A qualitative agreement with Hinode observations is found for the oscillatory and non-oscillatory behaviors of the observed solar jets in both the chromosphere and the corona. Our results suggest that the viscous effect contributes to the excitation of the magnetic reconnection by generating oscillations that we observed at least inside this Ca II H line cool solar jet bundle.

A Comparative Laboratory Study of the Effects of Two Teaching Patterns on Certain Aspects of the Behavior of Students in Fifth Grade Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shymansky, James Andrew

Student behaviors associated with two sets of learning conditions in a fifth grade science program were investigated. The effects of student-structured learning of science (SSLS) and teacher-structured learning in science (TSLS) on classroom behaviors of the students were analyzed. Observational data of student behavior were collected daily by a…

Abnormal Behavior in Relation to Cage Size in Rhesus Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulk, H. H.; And Others

1977-01-01

Examines the effects of cage size on stereotyped and normal locomotion and on other abnormal behaviors in singly caged animals, whether observed abnormal behaviors tend to co-occur, and if the development of an abnormal behavior repertoire leads to reduction in the number of normal behavior categories. (Author/RK)

Teacher training as a behavior change process: principles and results from a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Kealey, K A; Peterson, A V; Gaul, M A; Dinh, K T

2000-02-01

For students to realize the benefits of behavior change curricula for disease prevention, programs must be implemented effectively. However, implementation failure is a common problem documented in the literature. In this article, teacher training is conceptualized as a behavior change process with explicit teacher motivation components included to help effect the intended behavior (i.e., implementation). Using this method, the Hutchinson Smoking Prevention Project, a randomized controlled trial in school-based smoking prevention, conducted 65 in-service programs, training nearly 500 teachers (Grades 3-10) from 72 schools. Implementation was monitored by teacher self-report and classroom observations by project staff. The results were favorable. All eligible teachers received training, virtually all trained teachers implemented the research curriculum, and 89% of observed lessons worked as intended. It is concluded that teacher training conceptualized as a behavior change process and including explicit teacher motivation components can promote effective implementation of behavior change curricula in public school classrooms.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Behavioral Parent Training on Infant Language Production

PubMed Central

Bagner, Daniel M.; Garcia, Dainelys; Hill, Ryan

2016-01-01

Given the strong association between early behavior problems and language impairment, we examined the effect of a brief home-based adaptation of Parent–child Interaction Therapy on infant language production. Sixty infants (55% male; mean age 13.47 ± 1.31 months) were recruited at a large urban primary care clinic and were included if their scores exceeded the 75th percentile on a brief screener of early behavior problems. Families were randomly assigned to receive the home-based parenting intervention or standard pediatric primary care. The observed number of infant total (i.e., token) and different (i.e., type) utterances spoken during an observation of an infant-led play and a parent-report measure of infant externalizing behavior problems were examined at pre- and post-intervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Infants receiving the intervention demonstrated a significantly higher number of observed different and total utterances at the 6-month follow-up compared to infants in standard care. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of the intervention on infant language production, such that the intervention led to decreases in infant externalizing behavior problems from pre- to post-intervention, which, in turn, led to increases in infant different utterances at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups and total utterances at the 6-month follow-up. Results provide initial evidence for the effect of this brief and home-based intervention on infant language production, including the indirect effect of the intervention on infant language through improvements in infant behavior, highlighting the importance of targeting behavior problems in early intervention. PMID:26956651

Prenatal exposure to moderate levels of ethanol alters social behavior in adult rats: relationship to structural plasticity and immediate early gene expression in frontal cortex.

PubMed

Hamilton, Derek A; Akers, Katherine G; Rice, James P; Johnson, Travis E; Candelaria-Cook, Felicha T; Maes, Levi I; Rosenberg, Martina; Valenzuela, C Fernando; Savage, Daniel D

2010-03-05

The goals of the present study were to characterize the effects of prenatal exposure to moderate levels of ethanol on adult social behavior, and to evaluate fetal-ethanol-related effects on dendritic morphology, structural plasticity and activity-related immediate early gene (IEG) expression in the agranular insular (AID) and prelimbic (Cg3) regions of frontal cortex. Baseline fetal-ethanol-related alterations in social behavior were limited to reductions in social investigation in males. Repeated experience with novel cage-mates resulted in comparable increases in wrestling and social investigation among saccharin- and ethanol-exposed females, whereas social behavioral effects among males were more evident in ethanol-exposed animals. Male ethanol-exposed rats also displayed profound increases in wrestling when social interaction was motivated by 24h of isolation. Baseline decreases in dendritic length and spine density in AID were observed in ethanol-exposed rats that were always housed with the same cage-mate. Modest experience-related decreases in dendritic length and spine density in AID were observed in saccharin-exposed rats housed with various cage-mates. In contrast, fetal-ethanol-exposed rats displayed experience-related increases in dendritic length in AID, and no experience-related changes in spine density. The only effect observed in Cg3 was a baseline increase in basilar dendritic length among male ethanol-exposed rats. Robust increases in activity-related IEG expression in AID (c-fos and Arc) and Cg3 (c-fos) were observed following social interaction in saccharin-exposed rats, however, activity-related increases in IEG expression were not observed in fetal-ethanol-exposed rats in either region. The results indicate that deficits in social behavior are among the long-lasting behavioral consequences of moderate ethanol exposure during brain development, and implicate AID, and to a lesser degree Cg3, in fetal-ethanol-related social behavior abnormalities. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acute ethanol ingestion produces dose-dependent effects on motor behavior in the honey bee (Apis mellifera)

PubMed Central

Maze, Ian S.; Wright, Geraldine A.; Mustard, Julie A.

2006-01-01

Ethanol consumption produces characteristic behavioral states in animals that include sedation, disorientation, and disruption of motor function. Using individual honey bees, we assessed the effects of ethanol ingestion on motor function via continuous observations of their behavior. Consumption of 1 M sucrose solutions containing a range of ethanol doses lead to hemolymph ethanol levels of approximately 40 to 100 mM. Using ethanol doses in this range, we observed time and dose-dependent effects of ethanol on the percent of time our subjects spent walking, stopped, or upside down, and on the duration and frequency of bouts of behavior. The effects on grooming and flying behavior were more complex. Behavioral recovery from ethanol treatment was both time and ethanol dose dependent, occurring between 12 and 24 hr post-ingestion for low doses and at 24 to 48 hours for higher doses. Furthermore, the amount of ethanol measured in honey bee hemolymph appeared to correlate with recovery. We predict that the honey bee will prove to be an excellent model system for studying the influence of ethanol on the neural mechanisms underlying behavior. PMID:17070538

Parenting behaviors during risky driving by teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Schatz, Nicole K; Fabiano, Gregory A; Morris, Karen L; Shucard, Jennifer M; Leo, Brittany A; Bieniek, Courtney

2014-03-01

Parenting practices for teen drivers with ADHD were observed via a video monitor installed in vehicles. All teens had recently completed a driver education course and were in the driving permit stage of a graduated driver-licensing program. Parent behaviors were coded during drives when teens were driving safely and during drives when teens engaged in risky driving. The overall frequency of positive parenting strategies was low, regardless of whether teens drove safely or engaged in risky driving. Although the rate of negative feedback was also low, parents engaged in significantly more criticism and were rated by an observer to appear angrier when teens were driving in a risky manner. No other differences in parent behaviors associated with the quality of teen driving were observed. The inconsistencies between observed parenting behaviors and those parenting practices recommended as effective with teens with ADHD are discussed. The need for further research addressing effective strategies for teaching teens with ADHD to drive is highlighted. © 2013.

Solar eclipses at high latitudes: ionospheric effects in the lower ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherniakov, S.

2017-12-01

The partial reflection facility of the Polar Geophysical Institute (the Tumanny observatory, 69.0N, 35.7E) has observed behavior of the high-latitude lower ionosphere during the 20 March 2015 total solar eclipse. There were several effects during the eclipse. At the heights of 60-80 km the ionosphere has shown the effect of a "short night", but at the higher altitudes local enhanced electron concentration had a wave-like form. Data received by the riometer of the Tumanny observatory have also shown wave-like behavior. The behavior can be explained by influence of acoustic-gravity waves which originated after cooling of the atmosphere during the lunar shadow supersonic movement, and transport processes during the eclipse. During the 21 August 2017 solar eclipse there was a substorm at the high latitudes. But after the end of the substorm in the region of the Tumanny observatory the observed amplitudes of the reflected waves had wave effects which could be connected with the coming waves from the region of the eclipse. The wave features were also shown in the behavior of the total electron content (TEC) of the lower ionosphere. During several solar eclipses it was implemented observations of lower ionosphere behavior by the partial reflection facility of the Tumanny observatory. The consideration of the lower ionosphere TEC had revealed common features in the TEC behavior during the eclipses. The photochemical theory of processes in the lower ionosphere is very complicated and up to now it is not completely developed. Therefore introduction of the effective coefficients determining the total speed of several important reactions has been widely adopted when modeling the D-region of the ionosphere. However, experimental opportunities for obtaining effective recombination coefficients are rather limited. One of the methods to estimate effective recombination coefficients uses the phenomenon of a solar eclipse. During solar eclipses at the partial reflection facility of the Tumanny observatory observations were carried out. It gave possibility to obtain the behavior of the electron concentration in time at the selected heights. Using the obtained experimental profiles, the effective recombination coefficients at the D-region heights of the ionosphere have been evaluated.

The effects of prompting and reinforcement on safe behavior of bicycle and motorcycle riders.

PubMed

Okinaka, Takeru; Shimazaki, Tsuneo

2011-01-01

A reversal design was used to evaluate the effects of vocal and written prompts as well as reinforcement on safe behavior (dismounting and walking bicycles or motorcycles on a sidewalk) on a university campus. Results indicated that an intervention that consisted of vocal and written prompts and reinforcement delivered by security guards was effective at increasing safe behavior exhibited by bicycle and motorcycle riders. No differences were observed between vehicle type or gender with regard to engagement in safe behavior.

Octopamine and tyramine influence the behavioral profile of locomotor activity in the honey bee (Apis mellifera)

PubMed Central

Fussnecker, Brendon L.; Smith, Brian H.; Mustard, Julie A.

2006-01-01

The biogenic amines octopamine and tyramine are believed to play a number of important roles in the behavior of invertebrates including the regulation of motor function. To investigate the role of octopamine and tyramine in locomotor behavior in honey bees, subjects were injected with a range of concentrations of octopamine, tyramine, mianserin or yohimbine. Continuous observation of freely moving worker bees was used to examine the effects of these treatments on the amount of time honey bees spent engaged in different locomotor behaviors such as walking, grooming, fanning and flying. All treatments produced significant shifts in behavior. Decreases in time spent walking and increases in grooming or stopped behavior were observed for every drug. However, the pattern of the shift depended on drug, time after injection and concentration. Flying behavior was differentially effected with increases in flying seen in octopamine treated bees, whereas those receiving tyramine showed a decrease in flying. Taken together, these data provide evidence that octopamine and tyramine modulate motor function in the honey bee perhaps via interaction with central pattern generators or through effects on sensory perception. PMID:17028016

Ifenprodil infusion in agranular insular cortex alters social behavior and vocalizations in rats exposed to moderate levels of ethanol during prenatal development

PubMed Central

Bird, Clark W.; Barto, Daniel; Magcalas, Christy M.; Rodriguez, Carlos I.; Donaldson, Tia; Davies, Suzy; Savage, Daniel D.; Hamilton, Derek A.

2016-01-01

Moderate exposure to alcohol during development leads to subtle neurobiological and behavioral effects classified under the umbrella term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Alterations in social behaviors are a frequently observed consequence of maternal drinking, as children with FASDs display inappropriate aggressive behaviors and altered responses to social cues. Rodent models of FASDs mimic the behavioral alterations seen in humans, with rats exposed to ethanol during development displaying increased aggressive behaviors, decreased social investigation, and altered play behavior. Work from our laboratory has observed increased wrestling behavior in adult male rats following prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and increased expression of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in the agranular insular cortex (AIC). This study was undertaken to determine if ifenprodil, a GluN2B preferring negative allosteric modulator, has a significant effect on social behaviors in PAE rats. Using a voluntary ethanol exposure paradigm, rat dams were allowed to drink a saccharin-sweetened solution of either 0% or 5% ethanol throughout gestation. Offspring at 6–8 months of age were implanted with cannulae into AIC. Animals were isolated for 24 hours before ifenprodil or vehicle was infused into AIC, and after 15 minutes they were recorded in a social interaction chamber. Ifenprodil treatment altered aspects of wrestling, social investigatory behaviors, and ultrasonic vocalizations in rats exposed to ethanol during development that were not observed in control animals. These data indicate that GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in AIC play a role in social behaviors and may underlie alterations in behavior and vocalizations observed in PAE animals. PMID:27888019

An investigation of the auditory perception of western lowland gorillas in an enrichment study.

PubMed

Brooker, Jake S

2016-09-01

Previous research has highlighted the varied effects of auditory enrichment on different captive animals. This study investigated how manipulating musical components can influence the behavior of a group of captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at Bristol Zoo. The gorillas were observed during exposure to classical music, rock-and-roll music, and rainforest sounds. The two music conditions were modified to create five further conditions: unmanipulated, decreased pitch, increased pitch, decreased tempo, and increased tempo. We compared the prevalence of activity, anxiety, and social behaviors between the standard conditions. We also compared the prevalence of each of these behaviors across the manipulated conditions of each type of music independently and collectively. Control observations with no sound exposure were regularly scheduled between the observations of the 12 auditory conditions. The results suggest that naturalistic rainforest sounds had no influence on the anxiety of captive gorillas, contrary to past research. The tempo of music appears to be significantly associated with activity levels among this group, and social behavior may be affected by pitch. Low tempo music also may be effective at reducing anxiety behavior in captive gorillas. Regulated auditory enrichment may provide effective means of calming gorillas, or for facilitating active behavior. Zoo Biol. 35:398-408, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of Weighted Vests on Classroom Behavior for Children with Autism and Cognitive Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgetts, Sandra; Magill-Evans, Joyce; Misiaszek, John

2011-01-01

This randomized controlled single-case study investigated the effects of weighted vests for 10 children with autism in a classroom setting. Blinded observers rated targeted behaviors through video taken during structured table-top activities typically part of the classroom routine. Blinded teachers rated each child's behavior with the Conners'…

Effects of Presession Satiation on Challenging Behavior and Academic Engagement for Children with Autism during Classroom Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rispoli, Mandy J.; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Sigafoos, Jeff; Lang, Russell; Kang, Soyeon; Lancioni, Giulio; Parker, Richard

2011-01-01

We evaluated the effects of presession satiation on challenging behavior and academic engagement during subsequent classroom activities for three 5-6 year-old children with autism. The percentage of 10-s intervals with challenging behavior and academic engagement during 20-min classroom activity sessions was observed under two conditions. One…

Observed fearlessness and positive parenting interact to predict childhood callous-unemotional behaviors among low-income boys

PubMed Central

Waller, Rebecca; Shaw, Daniel S.; Hyde, Luke W.

2016-01-01

Background Callous-unemotional behaviors identify children at risk for severe and chronic antisocial behavior. Research is needed to establish pathways from temperament and parenting factors that give rise to callous-unemotional behaviors, including interactions of positive versus harsh parenting with child fearlessness. Methods Multi-method data, including parent reports and observations of parent and child behavior, were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal sample of low-income boys (N=310) with assessments at 18, 24, and 42 months, and at ages 10–12 years old. Results Parent-reported callous-unemotional, oppositional, and attention-deficit factors were separable at 42 months. Callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at ages 10–12, accounting for earlier oppositional and attention-deficit behaviors and self-reported child delinquency at ages 10–12. Observations of fearlessness at 24 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months, but only when parents exhibited low observed levels of positive parenting. The interaction of fearlessness and low positive parenting indirectly predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 10–12 via callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months. Conclusions Early fearlessness interacts with low positive parenting to predict early callous-unemotional behaviors, with lasting effects of this person-by-context interaction on callous-unemotional behaviors into late-childhood. PMID:27917472

Effect of Race and Marital Status on Mothers’ Observed Parenting and Adolescent Adjustment in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Young, Mackenzie T.; Gruhn, Meredith A.; Grey, Margaret; Delamater, Alan M.; Jaser, Sarah S.

2015-01-01

Objective To examine demographic differences in parenting behaviors and adjustment in youth with type 1 diabetes. Methods Adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment was assessed via self-reports and parent reports, and clinical data were obtained from adolescents’ medical records. Mother–adolescent dyads (N = 93) engaged in a videotaped discussion task, which was coded for observed parenting behaviors. Results Single and non-White mothers exhibited significantly more overinvolved and less collaborative parenting behaviors. Higher levels of overinvolved parenting and lower levels of collaborative parenting were associated with poorer adolescent adjustment (i.e., higher levels of externalizing problems). Observed parenting was not significantly associated with glycemic control. There was an indirect effect of marital status and race/ethnicity on externalizing behaviors through parenting. Conclusions The current study highlights parenting as a potential target for interventions, especially in single and minority mothers, to improve adjustment in this population. PMID:25248850

Influence of Music on the Behaviors of Crowd in Urban Open Public Spaces

PubMed Central

Meng, Qi; Zhao, Tingting; Kang, Jian

2018-01-01

Sound environment plays an important role in urban open spaces, yet studies on the effects of perception of the sound environment on crowd behaviors have been limited. The aim of this study, therefore, is to explore how music, which is considered an important soundscape element, affects crowd behaviors in urban open spaces. On-site observations were performed at a 100 m × 70 m urban leisure square in Harbin, China. Typical music was used to study the effects of perception of the sound environment on crowd behaviors; then, these behaviors were classified into movement (passing by and walking around) and non-movement behaviors (sitting). The results show that the path of passing by in an urban leisure square with music was more centralized than without music. Without music, 8.3% of people passing by walked near the edge of the square, whereas with music, this percentage was zero. In terms of the speed of passing by behavior, no significant difference was observed with the presence or absence of background music. Regarding the effect of music on walking around behavior in the square, the mean area and perimeter when background music was played were smaller than without background music. The mean speed of those exhibiting walking around behavior with background music in the square was 0.296 m/s slower than when no background music was played. For those exhibiting sitting behavior, when background music was not present, crowd density showed no variation based on the distance from the sound source. When music was present, it was observed that as the distance from the sound source increased, crowd density of those sitting behavior decreased accordingly. PMID:29755390

Influence of Music on the Behaviors of Crowd in Urban Open Public Spaces.

PubMed

Meng, Qi; Zhao, Tingting; Kang, Jian

2018-01-01

Sound environment plays an important role in urban open spaces, yet studies on the effects of perception of the sound environment on crowd behaviors have been limited. The aim of this study, therefore, is to explore how music, which is considered an important soundscape element, affects crowd behaviors in urban open spaces. On-site observations were performed at a 100 m × 70 m urban leisure square in Harbin, China. Typical music was used to study the effects of perception of the sound environment on crowd behaviors; then, these behaviors were classified into movement (passing by and walking around) and non-movement behaviors (sitting). The results show that the path of passing by in an urban leisure square with music was more centralized than without music. Without music, 8.3% of people passing by walked near the edge of the square, whereas with music, this percentage was zero. In terms of the speed of passing by behavior, no significant difference was observed with the presence or absence of background music. Regarding the effect of music on walking around behavior in the square, the mean area and perimeter when background music was played were smaller than without background music. The mean speed of those exhibiting walking around behavior with background music in the square was 0.296 m/s slower than when no background music was played. For those exhibiting sitting behavior, when background music was not present, crowd density showed no variation based on the distance from the sound source. When music was present, it was observed that as the distance from the sound source increased, crowd density of those sitting behavior decreased accordingly.

Building the dental dream team: behavioral styles in the practice.

PubMed

Boswell, S

2000-08-15

There are four different behavioral styles evident in a dental team and in patients. The styles are based on observable behaviors relating to degrees of "assertiveness" and "responsiveness." The Behavioral Style model helps to clarify why some people relate positively with each other and why others may conflict. Using finely tuned observational skills and an understanding of these styles, interpersonal transactions can be more effective, dental teams become more cohesive, and patients will be more satisfied with service provided in the dental practice. Each member of the team should understand his/her own personal style and those of teammates. Once that understanding is gained by all, it may be effectively applied to understanding patients. Behavior modification is at the heart of this concept. Adjusting your own behavior to the needs of others enables a patient to achieve more comfort with the dental team, and they are more likely to hear your verbal messages.

Prenatal Cocaine Disrupts Serotonin Signaling-Dependent Behaviors: Implications for Sex Differences, Early Stress and Prenatal SSRI Exposure

PubMed Central

Williams, Sarah K; Lauder, Jean M; Johns, Josephine M

2011-01-01

Prenatal cocaine (PC) exposure negatively impacts the developing nervous system, including numerous changes in serotonergic signaling. Cocaine, a competitive antagonist of the serotonin transporter, similar to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), also blocks dopamine and norepinephrine transporters, leaving the direct mechanism through which cocaine disrupts the developing serotonin system unclear. In order to understand the role of the serotonin transporter in cocaine’s effect on the serotonergic system, we compare reports concerning PC and prenatal antidepressant exposure and conclude that PC exposure affects many facets of serotonergic signaling (serotonin levels, receptors, transporters) and that these effects differ significantly from what is observed following prenatal SSRI exposure. Alterations in serotonergic signaling are dependent on timing of exposure, test regimens, and sex. Following PC exposure, behavioral disturbances are observed in attention, emotional behavior and stress response, aggression, social behavior, communication, and like changes in serotonergic signaling, these effects depend on sex, age and developmental exposure. Vulnerability to the effects of PC exposure can be mediated by several factors, including allelic variance in serotonergic signaling genes, being male (although fewer studies have investigated female offspring), and experiencing the adverse early environments that are commonly coincident with maternal drug use. Early environmental stress results in disruptions in serotonergic signaling analogous to those observed with PC exposure and these may interact to produce greater behavioral effects observed in children of drug-abusing mothers. We conclude that based on past evidence, future studies should put a greater emphasis on including females and monitoring environmental factors when studying the impact of PC exposure. PMID:22379462

Effect of e-liquid flavor on electronic cigarette topography and consumption behavior in a 2-week natural environment switching study.

PubMed

Robinson, R J; Hensel, E C; Al-Olayan, A A; Nonnemaker, J M; Lee, Y O

2018-01-01

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) offer an alternate means to consume nicotine in a variety of flavored aerosols. Data are needed to better understand the impact of flavors on use behavior. A natural environment observational study was conducted on experienced ENDS users to measure the effect of e-liquid flavor on topography and consumption behavior. The RIT wPUMTM monitor was used to record to record the date and time and puff topography (flow rate, volume, duration) for every puff taken by N = 34 participants over the course of two weeks. All participants used tobacco flavor for one week, and either berry or menthol flavor for one week. Results provide strong evidence that flavor affects the topography behaviors of mean puff flow rate and mean puff volume, and there is insufficient evidence to support an influence of flavor on mean puff duration and mean puff interval. There was insufficient evidence, due to the low power associated with the limited number of observation days, to establish a relationship between flavor and cumulative consumption behavior. While the results indicate that an effect may be evident, additional observation days are required to establish significance.

Effect of e-liquid flavor on electronic cigarette topography and consumption behavior in a 2-week natural environment switching study

PubMed Central

al-Olayan, A. A.; Nonnemaker, J. M.; Lee, Y. O.

2018-01-01

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) offer an alternate means to consume nicotine in a variety of flavored aerosols. Data are needed to better understand the impact of flavors on use behavior. A natural environment observational study was conducted on experienced ENDS users to measure the effect of e-liquid flavor on topography and consumption behavior. The RIT wPUMTM monitor was used to record to record the date and time and puff topography (flow rate, volume, duration) for every puff taken by N = 34 participants over the course of two weeks. All participants used tobacco flavor for one week, and either berry or menthol flavor for one week. Results provide strong evidence that flavor affects the topography behaviors of mean puff flow rate and mean puff volume, and there is insufficient evidence to support an influence of flavor on mean puff duration and mean puff interval. There was insufficient evidence, due to the low power associated with the limited number of observation days, to establish a relationship between flavor and cumulative consumption behavior. While the results indicate that an effect may be evident, additional observation days are required to establish significance. PMID:29718974

You Get What You Get and You Don’t Throw A Fit!: Emotion Socialization and Child Physiology Jointly Predict Early Prosocial Development

PubMed Central

Scrimgeour, Meghan B.; Davis, Elizabeth L.; Buss, Kristin A.

2015-01-01

Prosocial behavior in early childhood is a precursor to later adaptive social functioning. This investigation leveraged mother-reported, physiological, and observational data to examine children’s prosocial development from age 2 to age 4 (N = 125). Maternal emotion socialization (ES) strategies and children’s parasympathetic regulation have each been implicated in prosocial behavior, but are rarely examined together or prospectively. Given the transactional nature of parent-child relationships, the effects of maternal ES strategies on children’s prosocial behavior are likely moderated by children’s individual differences in parasympathetic regulation. As predicted, mothers’ reported use of problem-focused ES strategies predicted prosocial behavior at age 4. Additionally, children who showed parasympathetic reactivity consistent with more effective emotion regulation during a lab-based disappointment task were rated as more prosocial at age 4. Several interactions with maternal ES strategies emerged. Children’s parasympathetic regulation moderated the relations between observed physical comfort or cognitive reframing and prosocial behavior. Observed distraction (either behavioral or cognitive) moderated the link between mothers’ reported use of problem-focused ES strategies and children’s prosocial behavior. Findings suggest that children’s emerging prosocial behavior is shaped by the interactive contributions of inter-personal maternal ES as well as intra-personal intrinsic physiological regulation. PMID:26569566

You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!: Emotion socialization and child physiology jointly predict early prosocial development.

PubMed

Scrimgeour, Meghan B; Davis, Elizabeth L; Buss, Kristin A

2016-01-01

Prosocial behavior in early childhood is a precursor to later adaptive social functioning. This investigation leveraged mother-reported, physiological, and observational data to examine children's prosocial development from age 2 to age 4 (N = 125). Maternal emotion socialization (ES) strategies and children's parasympathetic regulation have each been implicated in prosocial behavior, but are rarely examined together or prospectively. Given the transactional nature of parent-child relationships, the effects of maternal ES strategies on children's prosocial behavior are likely moderated by children's individual differences in parasympathetic regulation. As expected, mothers' reported use of problem-focused ES strategies predicted prosocial behavior at age 4. Additionally, children who showed parasympathetic reactivity consistent with more effective emotion regulation during a lab-based disappointment task were rated as more prosocial at age 4. Several interactions with maternal ES strategies emerged. Children's parasympathetic regulation moderated the relations between observed physical comfort or cognitive reframing and prosocial behavior. Observed distraction (either behavioral or cognitive) moderated the link between mothers' reported use of problem-focused ES strategies and children's prosocial behavior. Findings suggest that children's emerging prosocial behavior is shaped by the interactive contributions of interpersonal maternal ES as well as intrapersonal intrinsic physiological regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Teachable moments for health behavior change and intermediate patient outcomes.

PubMed

Flocke, Susan A; Clark, Elizabeth; Antognoli, Elizabeth; Mason, Mary Jane; Lawson, Peter J; Smith, Samantha; Cohen, Deborah J

2014-07-01

Teachable moments (TM) are opportunities created through physician-patient interaction and used to encourage patients to change unhealthy behaviors. We examine the effectiveness of TMs to increase patients' recall of advice, motivation to modify behavior, and behavior change. A mixed-method observational study of 811 patient visits to 28 primary care clinicians used audio-recordings of visits to identify TMs and other types of advice in health behavior change talk. Patient surveys assessed smoking, exercise, fruit/vegetable consumption, height, weight, and readiness for change prior to the observed visit and 6-weeks post-visit. Compared to other identified categories of advice (i.e. missed opportunities or teachable moment attempts), recall was greatest after TMs occurred (83% vs. 49-74%). TMs had the greatest proportion of patients change in importance and confidence and increase readiness to change; however differences were small. TMs had greater positive behavior change scores than other categories of advice; however, this pattern was statistically non-significant and was not observed for BMI change. TMs have a greater positive influence on several intermediate markers of patient behavior change compared to other categories of advice. TMs show promise as an approach for clinicians to discuss behavior change with patients efficiently and effectively. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

WHY DO THE ACUTE BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OT TOLUENE IN RATS DEPEND ON THE ROUTE OF EXPOSURE?

EPA Science Inventory

Despite evidence suggesting that the acute effects of organic solvents are related to their concentration in the brain, we have observed route-dependent differences in the acute behavioral effects of toluene. Whereas inhaled toluene disrupts the performance of rats on a visual si...

Effects of Prosocial Television Programming on Viewer Self-Perceptions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kyle D.

Moderate amounts of self-disclosure and willingness to let others disclose are considered essential in moving from casual to lasting relationships. Self-disclosure, however, is a private behavior which is seldom observed directly. Television provides a unique opportunity for the observation of otherwise personal behaviors, and may affect viewers'…

Problem behaviors of low-income children with language delays: an observation study.

PubMed

Qi, Cathy Huaqing; Kaiser, Ann P

2004-06-01

Children from low-income families are at increased risk for significant behavioral and language problems. Early identification of these problems is essential for effective intervention. The purpose of the present study was to use multiple behavioral assessments to examine the behavioral profiles of sixty 3- and 4-year-old children from low-income families enrolled in Head Start programs and to compare the behavior characteristics of 32 children with language delays with those of 28 children with typical language development. Teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist/Caregiver-Teacher Report Form/2-5 (CTRF; T. M. Achenbach, 1997) and the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; F. M. Gresham and S. N. Elliott, 1990), and children were observed in the classrooms during structured and unstructured activities. Children with language delays exhibited more problem behaviors and poorer social skills on some of the observational measures than did children with typical language development, as predicted, but not on all.

Maternal treatment with picrotoxin in late pregnancy improved female sexual behavior but did not alter male sexual behavior of offspring.

PubMed

Bernardi, Maria M; Scanzerla, Kayne K; Chamlian, Mayra; Teodorov, Elizabeth; Felicio, Luciano F

2013-08-01

Previous studies from our laboratory investigated the effects of picrotoxin (PT), a γ-aminobutyric acid receptor antagonist administered during several perinatal periods, on the sexual behavior of male and female rats. We observed that the time of perinatal exposure to PT is critical to determine either facilitation or impairment of sexual behavior. The present study evaluated the effects of prenatal administration of a single dose of PT on gestation day 18 of dams (the first critical period of male brain sexual differentiation) on sexual behavior of male and female offspring. Thus, female Wistar rats were mated with males and, on gestation day 18, received 0.6 mg/kg of PT or 0.9% saline solution subcutaneously. On postnatal day 1, the offspring were weighed and several measures of sexual development were assessed. The sexual behaviors and the general activity in the open field of adult male and ovariectomized, hormone-treated female rats were observed. On comparison with the control group, maternal PT treatment: (i) did not alter the maternal weight, pup weight, anogenital distance, or male and female general activity; (ii) increased female sexual behavior, that is, decreased the latencies to first mount, first lordosis, and tenth lordosis, and the percentage of females presenting lordosis; and (iii) did not alter male sexual behavior. It is suggested that prenatal PT exposure interfered with epigenetic mechanisms related to the development of sex differences in the brain, leading to the observed sexually dimorphic effects on sexual behavior.

Behavioral family intervention for children with developmental disabilities and behavioral problems.

PubMed

Roberts, Clare; Mazzucchelli, Trevor; Studman, Lisa; Sanders, Matthew R

2006-06-01

The outcomes of a randomized clinical trial of a new behavioral family intervention, Stepping Stones Triple P, for preschoolers with developmental and behavior problems are presented. Forty-eight children with developmental disabilities participated, 27 randomly allocated to an intervention group and 20 to a wait-list control group. Parents completed measures of parenting style and stress, and independent observers assessed parent-child interactions. The intervention was associated with fewer child behavior problems reported by mothers and independent observers, improved maternal and paternal parenting style, and decreased maternal stress. All effects were maintained at 6-month follow-up.

Stress-related behavioral alterations accompanying cocaine toxicity: the effects of mixed opioid drugs.

PubMed

Hayase, T; Yamamoto, Y; Yamamoto, K

2000-12-01

The present study evaluated the effects of mixed opioid drugs on the severity of cocaine (COCA) toxicity by examining stress-related behavioral alterations in mice. In order to ascertain the strength of the stress, the continuous observation of the behavioral symptoms in the cage and the forced swimming test (Porsolt test) were performed in the COCA (75 mg/kg, i.p.)-treated groups, with or without the mixed mu-kappa receptor-related opioid drugs, buprenorphine (BUP) and pentazocine (PEN). Using the high-sensitivity activity measuring instrument Supermex, both the spontaneous behaviors in the cage and the forced swimming behaviors in the water were assessed as activity counts. The behavioral alterations in the COCA-treated groups were compared with a group of mice given a 10 min immobilization stress (IM group). In the COCA-only group, a prolonged increase in the spontaneous behaviors accompanied by convulsive seizures was observed even in the surviving mice, unlike in the IM group. However, an acceleration of behavioral despair in the Porsolt test similar to that observed in the IM group was observed in the COCA group after the disappearance of the acute toxic symptoms (5 hours after the COCA treatment). Among the opioid-treated groups, the mortality rate was attenuated only in the COCA-BUP (0.25 mg/kg, i.p.) group. In the COCA-BUP group, a prolonged suppression of the morbid hyperactivity in the cage except for the convulsive seizures, and a normalization of the swimming behavior in the Porsolt test were observed in the survivors. On the other hand, in the COCA-PEN (5 mg/kg, i.p.) group, the swimming behavior in the Porsolt test was abnormally increased in addition to the prolonged morbid hyperactivity in the cage. Therefore, the COCA-induced stress-related behaviors were normalized in the group of mice treated with BUP, a group with a good prognosis.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Behavioral Parent Training on Infant Language Production.

PubMed

Bagner, Daniel M; Garcia, Dainelys; Hill, Ryan

2016-03-01

Given the strong association between early behavior problems and language impairment, we examined the effect of a brief home-based adaptation of Parent-child Interaction Therapy on infant language production. Sixty infants (55% male; mean age 13.47±1.31 months) were recruited at a large urban primary care clinic and were included if their scores exceeded the 75th percentile on a brief screener of early behavior problems. Families were randomly assigned to receive the home-based parenting intervention or standard pediatric primary care. The observed number of infant total (i.e., token) and different (i.e., type) utterances spoken during an observation of an infant-led play and a parent-report measure of infant externalizing behavior problems were examined at pre- and post-intervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Infants receiving the intervention demonstrated a significantly higher number of observed different and total utterances at the 6-month follow-up compared to infants in standard care. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of the intervention on infant language production, such that the intervention led to decreases in infant externalizing behavior problems from pre- to post-intervention, which, in turn, led to increases in infant different utterances at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups and total utterances at the 6-month follow-up. Results provide initial evidence for the effect of this brief and home-based intervention on infant language production, including the indirect effect of the intervention on infant language through improvements in infant behavior, highlighting the importance of targeting behavior problems in early intervention. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Behavioral school psychology goes outdoors: the effect of organized games on playground aggression.

PubMed

Murphy, H A; Hutchison, J M; Bailey, J S

1983-01-01

This research focuses on the inappropriate, largely aggressive, behaviors of 344 K-2 children assigned to a playground prior to the beginning of the school day. Initially, a system for observing large numbers of children freely roaming over a large, open area was developed. This observational method was then used to determine the effectiveness of providing organized games for reducing potentially dangerous playground behaviors. Using a reversal (ABAB) design, it was found that the games, rope jumping, and foot racing, along with an infrequently used time-out procedure, significantly reduced the frequency of inappropriate incidents. It is suggested that when dealing with large groups, antecedent environmental manipulations may be more practical than providing consequences for the behaviors exhibited by identified individuals.

Effects of atomoxetine with and without behavior therapy on the school and home functioning of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Waxmonsky, James G; Waschbusch, Daniel A; Pelham, William E; Draganac-Cardona, Lillian; Rotella, Bryan; Ryan, Lynn

2010-11-01

To evaluate the effects of atomoxetine alone and in combination with behavior therapy on the school functioning of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Most atomoxetine studies have not assessed school functioning other than by measuring the change in ADHD symptoms. Combining behavior therapy with atomoxetine may be particularly beneficial for the academic domain as medication has not been found to produce sustained benefits in this realm. However, there is little research examining the effects of combining atomoxetine and behavior therapy. In an 8-week open-label trial, 56 children aged 6-12 years with ADHD diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR were randomly assigned to receive atomoxetine and behavior therapy or atomoxetine alone. Behavior therapy consisted of an 8-week parenting course, a child social skills course, and a teacher-implemented daily report card of classroom behavior. The primary outcome was direct observation of the subject's classroom behavior. Secondary outcomes included change in ADHD symptoms and functioning at home and school. All data were collected between March 2007 and May 2008. Classroom observations showed that atomoxetine decreased rule violations (P < .0001). Moreover, atomoxetine was associated with significant improvements in ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms at home and school and enhanced functioning in both domains (Impairment Rating Scale: all P < .001). Combined treatment led to greater improvements in parent-rated symptoms of inattention (P < .01), problem behaviors (P < .001), and academic impairment (P < .05). However, teachers did not report significant group differences. Atomoxetine improved ADHD symptoms and classroom functioning as measured by parents, teachers, and direct observation. The addition of behavior therapy led to further improvements at home but not at school. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00918567. © Copyright 2010 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Behavioral observation differentiates the effects of an intervention to promote sleep in premature infants: a pilot study.

PubMed

Lacina, Linda; Casper, Tammy; Dixon, Melodie; Harmeyer, Joann; Haberman, Beth; Alberts, Jeffrey R; Simakajornboon, Narong; Visscher, Marty O

2015-02-01

Sleep and ongoing cycling of sleep states are required for neurosensory processing, learning, and brain plasticity. Many aspects of neonatal intensive care environments such as handling for routine and invasive procedures, bright lighting, and noise can create stress, disrupt behavior, and interfere with sleep in prematurely born infants. The study empirically investigated whether a 30-minute observation of infant sleep states and behavior could differentiate an intervention to promote sleep in premature infants with feeding difficulties relative to conventional care (standard positioning, standard crib mattress [SP]). We included an intervention to determine the ability of the method to discriminate treatments and generate a benchmark for future improvements. The intervention, a conformational positioner (CP), is contoured around the infant to provide customized containment and boundaries. To more fully verify the 30-minute observational sleep results, standard polysomnography was conducted simultaneously and sleep outcomes for the 2 modalities were compared. In a randomized crossover clinical trial, 25 infants, 31.5 ± 0.6 weeks' gestational age and 38.4 ± 0.6 weeks at the study, with gastrointestinal conditions or general feeding difficulties used each intervention during an overnight neonatal intensive care unit sleep study. Infant sleep states and behaviors were observed during two 30-minute periods--that is, on the positioner and mattress--using the naturalistic observation of newborn behavior. Two certified developmental care nurses assessed sleep state, self-regulatory, and stress behaviors during 2-minute intervals and summed over 30 minutes. Sleep characteristics from standard polysomnography were measured at the time of behavior observations. Infants on CP spent significantly less time in alert, active awake, or crying states by observation compared with SP. Surgical subjects spent more time awake, active awake, or crying and displayed a higher number of behavior state changes than the nonsurgical infants. The percentage of time in observed deep sleep and quiet sleep was correlated with both percentage sleep efficiency (r = 0.78) and fewer state shifts per hour (r = -0.65) from electroencephalogram (EEG). Sleep efficiency by EEG was greater on CP versus SP. The CP enabled sleep compared with the standard mattress (SP) over 30-minute observation periods. Sleep status from behavioral observation was verified by standard EEG-based sleep techniques. Behavioral observation of sleep states may be a useful strategy for measuring the effectiveness of strategies to facilitate sleep in premature infants. Surgical subjects may benefit from additional interventions to promote sleep.

Prosocial behavior and gender

PubMed Central

Espinosa, María Paz; Kovářík, Jaromír

2015-01-01

This study revisits different experimental data sets that explore social behavior in economic games and uncovers that many treatment effects may be gender-specific. In general, men and women do not differ in “neutral” baselines. However, we find that social framing tends to reinforce prosocial behavior in women but not men, whereas encouraging reflection decreases the prosociality of males but not females. The treatment effects are sometimes statistically different across genders and sometimes not but never go in the opposite direction. These findings suggest that (i) the social behavior of both sexes is malleable but each gender responds to different aspects of the social context; and (ii) gender differences observed in some studies might be the result of particular features of the experimental design. Our results contribute to the literature on prosocial behavior and may improve our understanding of the origins of human prosociality. We discuss the possible link between the observed differential treatment effects across genders and the differing male and female brain network connectivity, documented in recent neural studies. PMID:25926783

One (rating) from many (observations): Factors affecting the individual assessment of voice behavior in groups.

PubMed

Podsakoff, Nathan P; Maynes, Timothy D; Whiting, Steven W; Podsakoff, Philip M

2015-07-01

This article reports an investigation into how individuals form perceptions of overall voice behavior in group contexts. More specifically, the authors examine the effect of the proportion of group members exhibiting voice behavior in the group, the frequency of voice events in the group, and the measurement item referent (group vs. individual) on an individual's ratings of group voice behavior. In addition, the authors examine the effect that measurement item referent has on the magnitude of the relationship observed between an individual's ratings of group voice behavior and perceptions of group performance. Consistent with hypotheses, the results from 1 field study (N = 220) and 1 laboratory experiment (N = 366) indicate that: (a) When group referents were used, raters relied on the frequency of voice events (and not the proportion of group members exhibiting voice) to inform their ratings of voice behavior, whereas the opposite was true when individual-referent items were used, and (b) the magnitude of the relationship between observers' ratings of group voice behavior and their perceptions of group performance was higher when raters used group-referent, as opposed to an individual-referent, items. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for scholars interested in studying behavioral phenomena occurring in teams, groups, and work units in organizational behavior research. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

A randomized controlled trial of the impact of a teacher classroom management program on the classroom behavior of children with and without behavior problems.

PubMed

Hutchings, Judy; Martin-Forbes, Pam; Daley, David; Williams, Margiad Elen

2013-10-01

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the efficacy of the Incredible Years (IY) Teacher Classroom Management (TCM; Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2002) program to assess whether training teachers in IY-TCM principles improve teacher behavior, whether any observed improvements impact pupil behavior classroom-wide, and whether these effects can be demonstrated with children at risk of developing conduct problems. Six intervention and six control classrooms comprising 12 teachers and 107 children (aged 3 to 7years) were recruited. Children were screened for high or low behavior problems using the cut-off points of the teacher-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997). The primary outcome measure was independent classroom observations using the Teacher-Pupil Observation Tool (Martin et al., 2010). Multilevel modeling analyses were conducted to examine the effect of the intervention on teacher, classroom, and child behavior. Results showed a significant reduction in classroom off-task behavior (d=0.53), teacher negatives to target children (d=0.36), target child negatives towards the teacher (d=0.42), and target child off-task behavior (d=0.48). These preliminary results demonstrate the potential impact of IY-TCM on both teacher and child behavior. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The social power of regret: the effect of social appraisal and anticipated emotions on fair and unfair allocations in resource dilemmas.

PubMed

van der Schalk, Job; Kuppens, Toon; Bruder, Martin; Manstead, Antony S R

2015-02-01

We investigated how another person's emotions about resource allocation decisions influence observers' resource allocations by influencing the emotions that observers anticipate feeling if they were to act in the same way. Participants were exposed to an exemplar who made a fair or unfair division in an economic game and expressed pride or regret about this decision. Participants then made their own resource allocation decisions. Exemplar regret about acting fairly decreased the incidence of fair behavior (Studies 1A and 1B). Likewise, exemplar regret about acting unfairly increased the incidence of fair behavior (Study 2). The effect of others' emotions on observers' behavior was mediated by the observers' anticipated emotions. We discuss our findings in light of the view that social appraisal and anticipated emotions are important tools for social learning and may contribute to the formation and maintenance of social norms about greed and fairness.

The Effects of Social Influence on Nurses' Hand Hygiene Behaviors.

PubMed

Piras, Susan E; Minnick, Ann; Lauderdale, Jana; Dietrich, Mary S; Vogus, Timothy J

2018-04-01

The aim of this article is to describe the associations of nurses' hand hygiene (HH) attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control with observed and self-reported HH behavior. Hand hygiene is an essential strategy to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Despite tremendous efforts, nurses' HH adherence rates remain suboptimal. This quantitative descriptive study of ICU nurses in the southeastern United States was guided by the theory of planned behavior. The self-administered Patient Safety Opinion Survey and iScrub application, which facilitates observation, comprised the data set. Nurses' observed HH median was 55%; tendency to self-report was a much higher 90%. Subjective norm and perceived control scores were associated with observed and self-reported HH (P < .05) but not attitude scores or reports of intention. Nurses' subjective norm and perceived control are associated with observed and self-reported HH performance. Healthcare workers overestimate their HH performance. Findings suggest future research to explore manipulators of these variables to change nurses' HH behavior.

[Behavioral pharmacological properties of nicergoline. Effects on gross-behavior in rats and monkeys and on DRL response, CER, and CAR in rats].

PubMed

Yamamura, M; Maeda, K; Nakagawa, H; Ishida, R

1986-02-01

Whether nicergoline has psychotropic-like pharmacological properties was examined through the gross-behavioral and operant behavioral observations in rats and monkeys. In gross-behavioral observations, slight decrement of spontaneous motor activity, lying on the abdomen and relaxation of abdominal tone were observed in rats when nicergoline was administered intravenously (1 mg/kg or more) and intraperitoneally (4 mg/kg or more). However, when it was administered orally, slight decrement of spontaneous motor activity was observed only at large doses of 32 and 128 mg/kg. In monkeys, nicergoline produced decrement of spontaneous motor activity, palpebral ptosis, and lacrimation when administered intraperitoneally at doses of 1 mg/kg or more. Under a differential reinforcement of low rate (DRL) schedule for food reinforcement in rats, nicergoline depressed the response at 4 mg/kg, i.p., or 128 mg/kg, orally. In conditioned emotional response (CER), nicergoline had no effect on the responses during both the alarm and safe periods at doses of 0.25, 1, and 4 mg/kg, i.p., or 8, 32, and 128 mg/kg, p.o. In Sidman continuous avoidance response (CAR), nicergoline (0.25, 1, and 4 mg/kg, i.p., or 8, 32, and 128 mg/kg, p.o.) slightly depressed the response and increased the total shock. These results were compared with those of chlorpromazine, chlordiazepoxide, pentobarbital, and methamphetamine and the following conclusion was drawn: Inhibitory effects of nicergoline on gross and operant behaviors seem to be non-specific, and its behavioral pharmacological properties are qualitatively different from those of anti-psychotics, anti-anxietics, hypnotics, and stimulants.

Efficacy of a family-focused intervention for young drivers with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

PubMed Central

Fabiano, Gregory A.; Schatz, Nicole K.; Morris, Karen L.; Willoughby, Michael T.; Vujnovic, Rebecca K.; Hulme, Kevin F.; Riordan, Jessica; Howard, Marlana; Hennessy, Dwight; Lewis, Kemper; Hawk, Larry; Wylie, Amanda; Pelham, William E.

2016-01-01

Objective Teenage drivers diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at significant risk for negative driving outcomes related to morbidity and mortality. However, there are few viable psychosocial treatments for teens with ADHD and none focus on the key functional area of driving. The Supporting the Effective Entry to the Roadway (STEER) program was evaluated in a clinical trial to determine whether it improved family functioning as a proximal outcome and driving behavior as a distal outcome. Method One hundred seventy-two teenagers with ADHD, combined type, were randomly assigned to STEER or a driver education driver practice program (DEDP). Results Relative to parents in the DEDP condition, parents in STEER were observed to be less negative at post-treatment and 6-month follow-up, but not at 12-month follow-up and there were no significant differences for observed positive parenting. Relative to teens in the DEDP condition, teens in STEER reported lower levels of risky driving behaviors at post-treatment and six-month follow-up, but not at 12-month follow-up. They were not observed to differ on objective observations of risky driving or citations/accidents. Conclusions The STEER program for novice drivers with ADHD was effective in reducing observations of negative parenting behavior and teen self reports of risky driving relative to DEDP; groups did not significantly differ on observations of positive parenting or driving behaviors. Public Health Significance Statement Families with a teenager with ADHD may benefit from engaging in behavioral parent training around the transition to independent driving, especially via reductions in negative parenting. Teenagers with ADHD self-reported fewer risky driving behaviors within the family-focused intervention, but these findings were not replicated on objective observations of driving. PMID:27618640

Observed fearlessness and positive parenting interact to predict childhood callous-unemotional behaviors among low-income boys.

PubMed

Waller, Rebecca; Shaw, Daniel S; Hyde, Luke W

2017-03-01

Callous-unemotional behaviors identify children at risk for severe and chronic antisocial behavior. Research is needed to establish pathways from temperament and parenting factors that give rise to callous-unemotional behaviors, including interactions of positive versus harsh parenting with child fearlessness. Multimethod data, including parent reports and observations of parent and child behavior, were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal sample of low-income boys (N = 310) with assessments at 18, 24, and 42 months, and at ages 10-12 years old. Parent-reported callous-unemotional, oppositional, and attention-deficit factors were separable at 42 months. Callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at ages 10-12, accounting for earlier oppositional and attention-deficit behaviors and self-reported child delinquency at ages 10-12. Observations of fearlessness at 24 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months, but only when parents exhibited low observed levels of positive parenting. The interaction of fearlessness and low positive parenting indirectly predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 10-12 via callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months. Early fearlessness interacts with low positive parenting to predict early callous-unemotional behaviors, with lasting effects of this person-by-context interaction on callous-unemotional behaviors into late childhood. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

The moderating effects of parenting styles on African-American and Caucasian children's suicidal behaviors.

PubMed

Greening, Leilani; Stoppelbein, Laura; Luebbe, Aaron

2010-04-01

Given that parenting practices have been linked to suicidal behavior in adolescence, examining the moderating effect of parenting styles on suicidal behavior early in development could offer potential insight into possible buffers as well as directions for suicide prevention and intervention later in adolescence. Hence, the moderating effects of parenting styles, including authoritarian, permissive, and features of authoritative parenting, on depressed and aggressive children's suicidal behavior, including ideation and attempts, were evaluated with young children (N = 172; 72% male, 28% female) ranging from 6 to 12 years of age. African American (69%) and Caucasian (31%) children admitted for acute psychiatric inpatient care completed standardized measures of suicidal behavior, depressive symptoms, and proactive and reaction aggression. Their parents also completed standardized measures of parental distress and parenting style. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that, while statistically controlling for age and gender, children who endorsed more depressive symptoms or reactive aggression reported more current and past suicidal behavior than children who endorsed fewer depressive or aggressive symptoms. The significant positive relationship observed between depressive symptoms and childhood suicidal behavior, however, was attenuated by parental use of authoritarian parenting practices for African-American and older children but not for younger and Caucasian children. The ethnic/racial difference observed for the buffering effect of authoritarian parenting practices offers potential theoretical and clinical implications for conceptualizing the moderating effects of parenting styles on African-American and Caucasian children's suicidal behavior.

Affective Organizational Commitment and Citizenship Behavior: Linear and Non-linear Moderating Effects of Organizational Tenure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Thomas W. H.; Feldman, Daniel C.

2011-01-01

Utilizing a meta-analytical approach for testing moderating effects, the current study investigated organizational tenure as a moderator in the relation between affective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). We observed that, across 40 studies (N = 11,416 respondents), the effect size for the relation between…

Investigation of surface water behavior during glaze ice accretion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansman, R. John, Jr.; Turnock, Stephen R.

1990-01-01

A series of experimental investigations that focused on isolating the primary factors that control the behavior of unfrozen surface water during glaze ice accretion were conducted. Detailed microvideo observations were made of glaze ice accretions on 2.54 cm diam cylinders in a closed-loop refrigerated wind tunnel. Distinct zones of surface water behavior were observed; a smooth wet zone in the stagnation region with a uniform water film, a rough zone where surface tension effects caused coalescence of surface water into stationary beads, and a zone where surface water ran back as rivulets. The location of the transition from the smooth to the rough zone was found to migrate towards the stagnation point with time. Comparative tests were conducted to study the effect of the substrate thermal and roughness properties on ice accretion. The importance of surface water behavior was evaluated by the addition of a surface tension reducing agent to the icing tunnel water supply, which significantly altered the accreted glaze ice shape. Measurements were made to determine the contact angle behavior of water droplets on ice. A simple multizone modification to current glaze ice accretion models was proposed to include the observed surface roughness behavior.

Further Insight into the Effectiveness of a Behavioral Teacher Program Targeting ADHD Symptoms Using Actigraphy, Classroom Observations and Peer Ratings.

PubMed

Veenman, Betty; Luman, Marjolein; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-01-01

Objective: The Positivity and Rules program (PR program), a low-level behavioral teacher program targeting symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has shown positive effects on teacher-rated ADHD symptoms and social functioning. This study aimed to assess whether program effects could be confirmed by instruments assessing classroom behavior other than teacher-ratings, given teachers' involvement with the training. Methods: Participants were 114 primary school children (age = 6-13) displaying ADHD symptoms in the classroom, who were randomly assigned to the treatment ( n = 58) or control group ( n = 65). ADHD symptoms were measured using classroom observations and actigraphy, and peer acceptance was measured using peer ratings. Intention-to-treat multilevel analyses were conducted to assess program effects. Results: No beneficial program effects were found for any of the measures. Conclusion: The earlier beneficial program effects on both ADHD symptoms and social functioning reported by teachers, may be explained by a change in the perception of teachers rather than changes in the child's behavior. Other methodological explanations are also discussed, such as differences between instruments in the sensitivity to program-related changes. The current study underlines the importance of using different measures of classroom behavior to study program effects. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT02518711.

Further Insight into the Effectiveness of a Behavioral Teacher Program Targeting ADHD Symptoms Using Actigraphy, Classroom Observations and Peer Ratings

PubMed Central

Veenman, Betty; Luman, Marjolein; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-01-01

Objective: The Positivity and Rules program (PR program), a low-level behavioral teacher program targeting symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has shown positive effects on teacher-rated ADHD symptoms and social functioning. This study aimed to assess whether program effects could be confirmed by instruments assessing classroom behavior other than teacher-ratings, given teachers’ involvement with the training. Methods: Participants were 114 primary school children (age = 6–13) displaying ADHD symptoms in the classroom, who were randomly assigned to the treatment (n = 58) or control group (n = 65). ADHD symptoms were measured using classroom observations and actigraphy, and peer acceptance was measured using peer ratings. Intention-to-treat multilevel analyses were conducted to assess program effects. Results: No beneficial program effects were found for any of the measures. Conclusion: The earlier beneficial program effects on both ADHD symptoms and social functioning reported by teachers, may be explained by a change in the perception of teachers rather than changes in the child’s behavior. Other methodological explanations are also discussed, such as differences between instruments in the sensitivity to program-related changes. The current study underlines the importance of using different measures of classroom behavior to study program effects. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT02518711 PMID:28744244

Mothers’ Parenting and Child Sex Differences in Behavior Problems among African American Preschoolers

PubMed Central

Barnett, Melissa A.; Scaramella, Laura V.

2014-01-01

Sex differences in rates of behavior problems, including internalizing and externalizing problems, begin to emerge during early childhood. These sex differences may occur because mothers parent their sons and daughters differently, or because the impact of parenting on behavior problems is different for boys and girls. This study examines whether associations between observations of mothers’ positive and negative parenting and children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviors vary as a function of child sex. The sample consists of 137 African American, low-income families with one sibling approximately two-years-old and the closest aged older sibling who is approximately four-years-old. Results from fixed-effects within-family models indicate clear sex differences regardless of child age. Mothers were observed to use less positive parenting with sons than with daughters. Higher levels of observed negative parenting were linked to more externalizing behaviors for boys, while lower levels of positive parenting were linked to more externalizing behaviors for girls. No child sex differences emerged regarding associations between observed positive and negative parenting and internalizing behaviors. PMID:23937420

Democratic Parenting Beliefs and Observed Parental Sensitivity: Reciprocal Influences Between Coparents

PubMed Central

Schofield, Thomas; Weaver, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Three hundred and sixty-five two-parent families from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were rated by trained observers on their parenting behavior at six assessments ranging from six months after the child's birth to when the child was in fifth grade (M = 10.4 years old at fifth grade). Across assessments, parents reported on their parenting beliefs and mothers reported on the child's externalizing behavior problems. Parenting beliefs predicted change in parenting behavior, and to a lesser degree parenting behavior predicted change in parenting beliefs. Parenting behavior and parenting beliefs both showed reciprocal effects between coparents, after controlling for child externalizing behavior and parent education. PMID:26551656

The Effects of Sex Typing and Sex Appropriateness of Modeled Behavior on Children's Imitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barkley, Russell A.; And Others

1977-01-01

Analysis of the modeled behaviors of 64 children from 4 to 11 years of age indicated that a major factor in sex differences in children's imitation is the sex appropriateness of the modeled behavior relative to the observer when a sex-typed behavior is modeled. (Author/JMB)

Generalizability of Scaling Gradients on Direct Behavior Ratings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chafouleas, Sandra M.; Christ, Theodore J.; Riley-Tillman, T. Chris

2009-01-01

Generalizability theory is used to examine the impact of scaling gradients on a single-item Direct Behavior Rating (DBR). A DBR refers to a type of rating scale used to efficiently record target behavior(s) following an observation occasion. Variance components associated with scale gradients are estimated using a random effects design for persons…

What We Observe Is Biased by What Other People Tell Us: Beliefs about the Reliability of Gaze Behavior Modulate Attentional Orienting to Gaze Cues

PubMed Central

Wiese, Eva; Wykowska, Agnieszka; Müller, Hermann J.

2014-01-01

For effective social interactions with other people, information about the physical environment must be integrated with information about the interaction partner. In order to achieve this, processing of social information is guided by two components: a bottom-up mechanism reflexively triggered by stimulus-related information in the social scene and a top-down mechanism activated by task-related context information. In the present study, we investigated whether these components interact during attentional orienting to gaze direction. In particular, we examined whether the spatial specificity of gaze cueing is modulated by expectations about the reliability of gaze behavior. Expectations were either induced by instruction or could be derived from experience with displayed gaze behavior. Spatially specific cueing effects were observed with highly predictive gaze cues, but also when participants merely believed that actually non-predictive cues were highly predictive. Conversely, cueing effects for the whole gazed-at hemifield were observed with non-predictive gaze cues, and spatially specific cueing effects were attenuated when actually predictive gaze cues were believed to be non-predictive. This pattern indicates that (i) information about cue predictivity gained from sampling gaze behavior across social episodes can be incorporated in the attentional orienting to social cues, and that (ii) beliefs about gaze behavior modulate attentional orienting to gaze direction even when they contradict information available from social episodes. PMID:24722348

Behavioral Effects of Sub-Acute Inhalation of Toluene in Adult Rats

EPA Science Inventory

Reports of behavioral effects of repeated inhalation of toluene in rats have Yielded inconsistent fmdings. A recent study from this laboratory (Beasley et al., 2010) observed that after 13 weeks of inhaled toluene ("sub-chronic" exposure scenario), rats showed mild but persiste...

Genetic variation in GABRA2 moderates peer influence on externalizing behavior in adolescents.

PubMed

Villafuerte, Sandra; Trucco, Elisa M; Heitzeg, Mary M; Burmeister, Margit; Zucker, Robert A

2014-01-01

Genetic predisposition and environmental influences are both important factors in the development of problematic behavior leading to substance use in adolescence. Involvement with delinquent peers also strongly predicts adolescent externalizing behavior. Several lines of evidence support a role of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior related to disinhibition. However, whether this genetic association is influenced by the environment such as peer behavior remains unknown. We examined the moderating role of GABRA2 genetic variation on the socialization model of delinquent peer affiliation (at ages 12-14 years) on externalizing behavior (at ages 15-17 years) in the Michigan Longitudinal Study (MLS) adolescent sample. The sample consisted of 244 adolescents (75 females and 152 with at least one parent with a DSM-IV lifetime alcohol dependence/abuse diagnosis). Peer delinquent activity reported by the participant and teacher-reported adolescent externalizing behavior (Teacher Report Form (TRF) were assessed. No main effect of the GABRA2 SNP rs279826, which tags a large haplotype, on externalizing behavior was observed. However, there was a statistically reliable GABRA2 × peer delinquency interaction. The effect of peer delinquent involvement on externalizing scores and the rule breaking subscale is significantly stronger for those with the GG genotype compared to A-carriers, whereas there was no effect of genotype on externalizing in the absence of peer delinquent involvement. No interaction was observed for the aggression subscale. Our results suggest that the genetic effect of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior, more specifically on rule breaking is, at least in part, due to its effect on susceptibility to environmental exposure (i.e., peer delinquency).

Linalool Ameliorates Memory Loss and Behavioral Impairment Induced by REM-Sleep Deprivation through the Serotonergic Pathway.

PubMed

Lee, Bo Kyung; Jung, An Na; Jung, Yi-Sook

2018-07-01

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep has an essential role in the process of learning and memory in the hippocampus. It has been reported that linalool, a major component of Lavandula angustifolia , has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects, along with other effects. However, the effect of linalool on the cognitive impairment and behavioral alterations that are induced by REM-sleep deprivation has not yet been elucidated. Several studies have reported that REM-sleep deprivation-induced memory deficits provide a well-known model of behavioral alterations. In the present study, we examined whether linalool elicited an anti-stress effect, reversing the behavioral alterations observed following REM-sleep deprivation in mice. Furthermore, we investigated the underlying mechanism of the effect of linalool. Spatial memory and learning memory were assessed through Y maze and passive avoidance tests, respectively, and the forced swimming test was used to evaluate anti-stress activity. The mechanisms through which linalool improves memory loss and behavioral alterations in sleep-deprived mice appeared to be through an increase in the serotonin levels. Linalool significantly ameliorated the spatial and learning memory deficits, and stress activity observed in sleep-deprived animals. Moreover, linalool led to serotonin release, and cortisol level reduction. Our findings suggest that linalool has beneficial effects on the memory loss and behavioral alterations induced by REM-sleep deprivation through the regulation of serotonin levels.

The effects of N-acetylcysteine on cocaine reward and seeking behaviors in a rat model of depression.

PubMed

Frankowska, Małgorzata; Jastrzębska, Joanna; Nowak, Ewa; Białko, Magdalena; Przegaliński, Edmund; Filip, Małgorzata

2014-06-01

Depression and substance-abuse (e.g., cocaine) disorders are common concurrent diagnoses. In the present study, we combined bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) with a variety of procedures of intravenous cocaine self-administration and extinction/reinstatement in rats. We also investigated the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on rewarding and seeking behaviors for cocaine in OBX rats and compared the drug's effects in sham-operated control animals (SHAM). The occurrence of depressive symptoms before introduction to cocaine self-administration enhanced subsequent cocaine-seeking behaviors but did not significantly influence cocaine's rewarding properties or extinction training. NAC (25-100mg/kg) given acutely or repeatedly did not alter the co-occurrence of cocaine reward and depression but effectively reduced the cocaine-seeking behavior observed in both phenotypes. Our results indicate that depression behavior is linked to more pronounced drug craving and a higher propensity to relapse in rats. We also show the lack of efficacy of repeated NAC treatment on SHAM or OBX animals in terms of cocaine self-administration, while the drug was an effective blocker of cocaine-seeking behavior in both studied phenotypes, with a more pronounced drug effect observed in OBX animals. The last finding demonstrates the potential clinical utility of NAC to reduce cocaine seeking enhanced by co-existing depression. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extreme sexual behavior in dementia as a specific manifestation of disinhibition.

PubMed

Bartelet, Marjukka; Waterink, Wim; van Hooren, Susan

2014-01-01

In nursing homes, extreme sexual behavior is one of the most challenging behaviors in dementia. Despite this, however, there is no conformity in the literature regarding how to label and define this type of behavior. Examples of labels used include inappropriate sexual behavior, improper sexual behavior, sexually disinhibited behavior, or hyper sexuality. According to recent theoretical perspectives, extreme sexual behavior may be regarded as a part of disinhibited behavior or could be considered as an independent neuropsychiatric symptom. In this multicenter study, it was investigated whether there is a relationship between extreme sexual behavior and the typical neuropsychiatric symptoms seen in dementia. In 179 residents diagnosed with dementia, extreme sexual behavior was measured using an observation scale. Twelve neuropsychiatric symptoms were measured by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Multivariate analysis of covariance with gender showed that residents with observed extreme sexual behavior (n = 43) only showed a higher score on neuropsychiatric symptom 'disinhibition', as compared to residents with non-observed sexual behavior (n = 136). In addition, the effect size was large. These findings indicate that among residents with dementia, extreme sexual behaviors should not be considered as an independent neuropsychiatric symptom. Instead, disinhibition may be an important underlying mechanism for extreme sexual behavior and thus validates the label 'sexually disinhibited behavior'.

Effects of implanted radio transmitters with percutaneous antennas on the behavior of Canada Geese

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hupp, Jerry W.; Ruhl, G.A.; Pearce, John M.; Mulcahy, Daniel M.; Tomeo, M.A.

2003-01-01

We examined whether surgically-implanted radio transmitters with percutaneous antennas affected behavior of Lesser Canada Geese (Branta canadensis parvipes) in Anchorage, Alaska. We implanted either a 26-g VHF radio transmitter or a larger VHF radio that was the same mass (35 g) and shape as a satellite transmitter in the coelom of adult females captured during molt in 2000. A control group of females was marked with leg bands. We simultaneously observed behavior of radio-marked and control females from 4-62 d following capture. We observed no differences in the proportion of time birds in different treatments allocated among grazing, resting, comfort, walking, and alert behavior. Females in different treatments spent a similar proportion of time in the water. Implantation of radio transmitters did not affect the frequency of agonistic interactions. We conclude that coelomic radio transmitters with percutaneous antennas had minimal effects on the behavior of Canada Geese.

Effect of Grain Scale Properties on Bulk Deformation of Granular Deposits Due to High Speed Projectile Impact

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-08

Details of 1D compression test Material: Florida coastal sand Mean diameter: 0.37(mm) Vessel: Stainless steel Vessel inner diameter 6.0(mm... turned out that the projectile deceleration behavior observed in the experiment is a consequence of the complicated compression behavior of sand...applicability of the proposed EOS into high-speed projectile impact experiment. It turned out that the projectile deceleration behavior observed in the

The Sunk Cost Effect in Pigeons and Humans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Navarro, Anton D.; Fantino, Edmund

2005-01-01

The sunk cost effect is the increased tendency to persist in an endeavor once an investment of money, effort, or time has been made. To date, humans are the only animal in which this effect has been observed unambiguously. We developed a behavior-analytic model of the sunk cost effect to explore the potential for this behavior in pigeons as well…

Combining Parent and Child Training for Young Children with ADHD

PubMed Central

Webster-Stratton, Carolyn

2011-01-01

The efficacy of the Incredible Years parent and child training programs is established in children diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) but not among young children whose primary diagnosis is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We conducted a randomized control trial evaluating the combined parent and child program interventions among 99 children diagnosed with ADHD (ages 4–6). Mother reported significant treatment effects for appropriate and harsh discipline, use of physical punishment, and monitoring, whereas fathers reported no significant parenting changes. Independent observations revealed treatment effects for mothers' praise and coaching, mothers' critical statements, and child total deviant behaviors. Both mothers and fathers reported treatment effects for children's externalizing, hyperactivity, inattentive and oppositional behaviors, and emotion regulation and social competence. There were also significant treatment effects for children's emotion vocabulary and problem-solving ability. At school teachers reported treatment effects for externalizing behaviors and peer observations indicated improvements in treated children's social competence. PMID:21391017

Behavioral and stimulant treatment of hyperactive children: a therapy study with methylphenidate probes in a within-subject design.

PubMed

Pelham, W E; Schnedler, R W; Bologna, N C; Contreras, J A

1980-01-01

Eight hyperactive children were treated with a behavioral intervention focusing on teacher and parent training over a period of 5 months. Three times, before therapy and after 3 weeks and 13 weeks of intervention, children received methylphenidate during 3-week probe periods. Each week in a probe they received either a placebo, .25 mg/kg, or .75 mg/kg methylphenidate. Classroom observation of on-task behavior suggested that effectiveness of the behavioral intervention was between that of the two dosages of medication before therapy. Both dosages resulted in higher levels of on-task behavior when administered after 13 weeks of behavioral intervention than when administered before therapy. Teacher rating data showed equivalent effects of therapy and the low dosage of methylphenidate alone but a stronger effect of the high dose alone; only the high dose resulted in improved behavior after 13 weeks of behavioral intervention. As a group, only when they received the high dose of methylphenidate after 13 weeks of behavioral intervention did children reach the level of appropriate behavior shown by nonhyperactive controls. However, this level was also reached by two children with the low dose and by one child without medication, and it was not reached by one child. The results suggest that the combination of psychostimulant medication and behavior therapy may be more effective in the short-term than either treatment alone for hyperactive children in school settings. In addition, parent ratings and clinic observation of parent-child interactions suggested that children had improved in the home setting, high-lighting the importance of behavioral parent training in the treatment of hyperactivity.

Behavioral monitoring of pharmacological interventions for self-injury.

PubMed

Singh, N N; Winton, A S

1984-01-01

Pharmacological interventions are often the treatment of choice for controlling the maladaptive behavior of institutionalized mentally retarded children. However, the efficacy of various psychotropic drugs for controlling the behavior of given individuals has not been well established. Further, it is not always clear that decisions to alter a drug regimen are based on actual changes in the behavior of interest. The present study illustrates the use of behavioral observation to assess the effects of various drugs prescribed for the self-injurious behavior of a profoundly mentally retarded 15 year old male. The clinical effectiveness of various dosages of carbamazepine (Tegretol), thioridazine (Melleril), and chlorpromazine (Largactil) was assessed. Except for Melleril 100 mg, tid, when a marked downward trend in the daily rate was observed, no significant reduction in self-injury occurred. Subsequently overcorrection (forced arm exercise) made contingent on each response reduced self-injury to near zero, but only when the last prescribed drug, Tegretol 200 mg, tid, had been withdrawn for several days.

Bi-directional effects of depressed mood in the postnatal period on mother-infant non-verbal engagement with picture books.

PubMed

Reissland, Nadja; Burt, Mike

2010-12-01

The purpose of the present study is to examine the bi-directional nature of maternal depressed mood in the postnatal period on maternal and infant non-verbal behaviors while looking at a picture book. Although, it is acknowledged that non-verbal engagement with picture books in infancy plays an important role, the effect of maternal depressed mood on stimulating the interest of infants in books is not known. Sixty-one mothers and their infants, 38 boys and 23 girls, were observed twice approximately 3 months apart (first observation: mean age 6.8 months, range 3-11 months, 32 mothers with depressed mood; second observation: mean age 10.2 months, range 6-16 months, 17 mothers with depressed mood). There was a significant effect for depressed mood on negative behaviors: infants of mothers with depressed mood tended to push away and close books more often. The frequency of negative behaviors (pushing the book away/closing it on the part of the infant and withholding the book and restraining the infant on the part of the mother) were behaviors which if expressed during the first visit were more likely to be expressed during the second visit. Levels of negative behaviors by mother and infant were strongly related during each visit. Additionally, the pattern between visits suggests that maternal negative behavior may be the cause of her infant negative behavior. These results are discussed in terms of the effects of maternal depressed mood on the bi-directional relation of non-verbal engagement of mother and child. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Preparation and effect of a behavioral science-based education program for sleep improvement among medical students].

PubMed

Ueda, Masumi; Adachi, Yoshiko; Hayama, Junko; Yamagami, Toshiko

2008-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate a simple education program that is effective for sleep improvement among medical students who will be medical doctors in the future. The education program applied in the present study was developed for sleep improvement based on behavioral science and changes in knowledge and sleeping habits were observed. Subjects were 6th-year medical students of 2002 and 2003. Students of 2002 attended a program including a 90-minute lecture and a 2-week practice learning session, and students of 2003 attended only the lecture. In the lecture, behavior therapy for chronic insomnia was explained using a booklet. In the practice learning session, students set a target behavior for improvement and conducted self-monitoring of their sleep and the targeted behavior. Changes in knowledge about sleep, attitude toward the therapy, sleep, and sleep-related habits were observed and compared between the 2 groups of subjects immediately and 2-weeks after the lecture. It was found that after both programs subjects had more knowledge about sleep than before. In the program including practice learning session, subjects' attitude for managing patients changed from before the lecture to after the lecture, and after the practice learning session. It was found that more than half of the students thought that they could provide sleep guidance based on the behavior therapy. Regarding the subjects' sleep, significant improvements were observed for "having nightmares upon falling asleep," "sleepiness during daytime," "sense of getting a sound sleep," and "mood upon waking up." Regarding sleep-related habits, significant improvements were observed for "taking a nap," "dozing off," and "eating breakfast." On the other hand, only the lecture subjects improved irregularity of bedtime and sleeping time. Although an increase in knowledge and improvement of sleep were observed among students who attended only the lecture, a further increase in knowledge and improvement of sleeping habits were observed among students who also attended the practice learning session. The results described herein suggest developing and providing a simple and convenient education program for sleep improvement was effective for increasing students' knowledge about sleep, developing improved coping methods regarding sleep, and improving sleep. It is also suggested that behavioral scientific instructive methods, including practice learning, are effective for medical education.

General pharmacological profile of the novel muscarinic receptor agonist SNI-2011, a drug for xerostomia in Sjögren's syndrome. 1st communication: effects on general behavior and central nervous system.

PubMed

Arisawa, Hirohiko; Imai, Eiichi; Fujise, Nobuaki; Fukui, Kenji; Masunaga, Hiroaki

2002-01-01

A novel muscarinic receptor agonist, SNI-2011 ((+/-)-cis-2-methylspiro[1,3-oxathiolane-5,3'-quinuclidine] monohydrochloride hemihydrate, cevimeline, CAS 153504-70-2), is a candidate therapeutic drug for xerostomia in Sjögren's syndrome. The general pharmacological properties of this drug on general behavior and the central nervous system were investigated in mice, rats and cats. 1. General behavior: When SNI-2011 was administered orally to mice at 100 mg/kg, mydriasis, a decrease of spontaneous motor activity, tremor, convulsions, salivation, abnormal posture, abnormal gait, reduced grip strength and reduced response against external stimulating were observed, and 2 out of 6 animals died. At 10 mg/kg or lower, no particular sign was observed except mydriasis, which appeared to be caused via the peripheral muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. 2. Central nervous system: SNI-2011 had no effect on the motor coordination in mice. Hypothermia was observed in rats and reduced spontaneous motor activity, analgesia and enhanced maximum electroshock-induced convulsions were observed in mice after oral administration of 30 mg/kg SNI-2011. Slight increase in the rate of theta-wave band in the hippocampal EEG of rats and spinal multisynaptic reflexes in cats were observed after intravenous injection of 10 mg/kg SNI-2011. At an oral dose of 10 mg/kg, prolongation of thiopental-induced sleeping time in mice was observed. The prolongation of sleeping time was inhibited by a peripheral muscarinic antagonist. These results suggest that SNI-2011 has muscarinic effects on general behavior and the central nervous system at the doses approximately 10-fold higher than the effective doses needed for saliva secretion.

A Large Scale Test of the Effect of Social Class on Prosocial Behavior

PubMed Central

Korndörfer, Martin; Egloff, Boris; Schmukle, Stefan C.

2015-01-01

Does being from a higher social class lead a person to engage in more or less prosocial behavior? Psychological research has recently provided support for a negative effect of social class on prosocial behavior. However, research outside the field of psychology has mainly found evidence for positive or u-shaped relations. In the present research, we therefore thoroughly examined the effect of social class on prosocial behavior. Moreover, we analyzed whether this effect was moderated by the kind of observed prosocial behavior, the observed country, and the measure of social class. Across eight studies with large and representative international samples, we predominantly found positive effects of social class on prosociality: Higher class individuals were more likely to make a charitable donation and contribute a higher percentage of their family income to charity (32,090 ≥ N ≥ 3,957; Studies 1–3), were more likely to volunteer (37,136 ≥N ≥ 3,964; Studies 4–6), were more helpful (N = 3,902; Study 7), and were more trusting and trustworthy in an economic game when interacting with a stranger (N = 1,421; Study 8) than lower social class individuals. Although the effects of social class varied somewhat across the kinds of prosocial behavior, countries, and measures of social class, under no condition did we find the negative effect that would have been expected on the basis of previous results reported in the psychological literature. Possible explanations for this divergence and implications are discussed. PMID:26193099

A Large Scale Test of the Effect of Social Class on Prosocial Behavior.

PubMed

Korndörfer, Martin; Egloff, Boris; Schmukle, Stefan C

2015-01-01

Does being from a higher social class lead a person to engage in more or less prosocial behavior? Psychological research has recently provided support for a negative effect of social class on prosocial behavior. However, research outside the field of psychology has mainly found evidence for positive or u-shaped relations. In the present research, we therefore thoroughly examined the effect of social class on prosocial behavior. Moreover, we analyzed whether this effect was moderated by the kind of observed prosocial behavior, the observed country, and the measure of social class. Across eight studies with large and representative international samples, we predominantly found positive effects of social class on prosociality: Higher class individuals were more likely to make a charitable donation and contribute a higher percentage of their family income to charity (32,090 ≥ N ≥ 3,957; Studies 1-3), were more likely to volunteer (37,136 ≥N ≥ 3,964; Studies 4-6), were more helpful (N = 3,902; Study 7), and were more trusting and trustworthy in an economic game when interacting with a stranger (N = 1,421; Study 8) than lower social class individuals. Although the effects of social class varied somewhat across the kinds of prosocial behavior, countries, and measures of social class, under no condition did we find the negative effect that would have been expected on the basis of previous results reported in the psychological literature. Possible explanations for this divergence and implications are discussed.

Mood and audience effects on video lottery terminal gambling.

PubMed

Mishra, Sandeep; Morgan, Michael; Lalumière, Martin L; Williams, Robert J

2010-09-01

Little is known about the situational factors associated with gambling behavior. We induced 180 male participants (mean age: 21.6) into a positive, negative, or neutral mood prior to gambling on a video lottery terminal (VLT). While gambling, participants were observed by either a male peer, female peer, or no one. Induced mood had no effect on gambling behavior. Participants induced into a negative mood prior to gambling, however, reported more positive moods after gambling, whereas those with positive and neutral moods reported more negative moods after gambling. Participants observed by either a male or female peer spent less time gambling on the VLT compared to those not observed. Participants observed by a female peer lost less money relative to the other observer conditions. Degree of problem gambling in the last year had little influence on these effects. Some practical implications of these findings are discussed.

An Evaluation of the Effects of an Oven Timer Study Behavior and Concurrent Completion and Accuracy of Assignments for a First Grade Repeater: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riegelman, Elizabeth D.; And Others

The effects of an oven timer as an antecedent stimulus on study behavior and concurrent completion and accuracy of reading and writing assignments were investigated for an 8-year-old first grade repeater who lacked motivation. Following baseline observations during which the teacher recorded study behavior and collected assignments with no…

The effects of workstation changes and behavioral interventions on safe typing postures in an office.

PubMed

Gravina, Nicole; Lindstrom-Hazel, Debra; Austin, John

2007-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of an ergonomic and behavioral safety intervention for improving participants' safe typing postures in a library office setting. A single-subject multiple baseline design across five participants was employed to evaluate the effects of the four independent variables (workstation adjustment, equipment trial (rollermouse mouse alternative), peer observations, and graphic feedback). Six participant postures were observed repeatedly while participants worked at their workstations throughout the study. Each of the interventions resulted in improvements in safety for more than one posture compared to the previous phase. Results of the study indicate that a comprehensive ergonomic program that includes a workstation adjustment and a behavioral safety approach may be helpful to produce maximum improvements in employees' safe ergonomic postures.

Electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate) fibrous mat showing piezoelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nobeshima, Taiki; Ishii, Yuya; Sakai, Heisuke; Uemura, Sei; Yoshida, Manabu

2018-05-01

A piezoelectric effect, such as actuation behavior with voltage application, could be observed from a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibrous mat fabricated by electrospinning. This fibrous mat increased or decreased its thickness in accordance with the polarity of the applied voltage, which appears to be an inverse piezoelectric effect. The appearance d T constant was as large as 8.5 nm/V owing to the softness of the fibrous structure, and the coupling constant K T = 0.31 indicated its efficient piezoelectric property. This piezoelectric behavior was repeatedly observed to be stable at room temperature. In addition, the polarization components of the fibrous mat, which are considered to be the origin of its piezoelectric effect, and its relaxation behavior were confirmed from the results of thermally stimulated current measurements.

Effects of Ambient Environmental Factors on the Stereotypic Behaviors of Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

PubMed

Liu, He; Duan, Hejun; Wang, Cheng

2017-01-01

Stereotypies are commonly observed in zoo animals, and it is necessary to better understand whether ambient environmental factors contribute to stereotypy and how to affect animal welfare in zoo settings. This study investigated the relationships between stereotypic behaviors and environmental factors including ambient temperatures, humidity, light intensity, sound intensity and number of visitors. Seven giant pandas were observed in three indoor enclosures and three outdoor enclosures. Environmental factors were measured for both indoor and outdoor enclosures and the effect they had on stereotypical behaviors was investigated. Our research found that light intensity significantly correlated with all stereotypies behaviors. Higher environmental temperature reduced the duration of pacing but increased the frequency of pacing, the duration and frequency of door-directed, meanwhile the duration of head-toss. However, we found no noticeable effect of humidity on stereotypic behaviors except for the frequency of head-toss. We also found that sound intensity was not correlated with stereotypies. Finally, the growth of visitors was negatively associated with the duration of door-directed. These results demonstrated that various environmental factors can have significant effects on stereotypic behaviors causing the expression of various stereotypies. Thus, stereotypies in zoo animals may not simply represent suboptimal welfare, but rather might be adopted as a means of coping with an aversive environment.

Effects of Ambient Environmental Factors on the Stereotypic Behaviors of Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

PubMed Central

Liu, He; Duan, Hejun; Wang, Cheng

2017-01-01

Stereotypies are commonly observed in zoo animals, and it is necessary to better understand whether ambient environmental factors contribute to stereotypy and how to affect animal welfare in zoo settings. This study investigated the relationships between stereotypic behaviors and environmental factors including ambient temperatures, humidity, light intensity, sound intensity and number of visitors. Seven giant pandas were observed in three indoor enclosures and three outdoor enclosures. Environmental factors were measured for both indoor and outdoor enclosures and the effect they had on stereotypical behaviors was investigated. Our research found that light intensity significantly correlated with all stereotypies behaviors. Higher environmental temperature reduced the duration of pacing but increased the frequency of pacing, the duration and frequency of door-directed, meanwhile the duration of head-toss. However, we found no noticeable effect of humidity on stereotypic behaviors except for the frequency of head-toss. We also found that sound intensity was not correlated with stereotypies. Finally, the growth of visitors was negatively associated with the duration of door-directed. These results demonstrated that various environmental factors can have significant effects on stereotypic behaviors causing the expression of various stereotypies. Thus, stereotypies in zoo animals may not simply represent suboptimal welfare, but rather might be adopted as a means of coping with an aversive environment. PMID:28107477

Environmental Enrichment Duration Differentially Affects Behavior and Neuroplasticity in Adult Mice.

PubMed

Leger, Marianne; Paizanis, Eleni; Dzahini, Kwamivi; Quiedeville, Anne; Bouet, Valentine; Cassel, Jean-Christophe; Freret, Thomas; Schumann-Bard, Pascale; Boulouard, Michel

2015-11-01

Environmental enrichment is a powerful way to stimulate brain and behavioral plasticity. However the required exposure duration to reach such changes has not been substantially analyzed. We aimed to assess the time-course of appearance of the beneficial effects of enriched environment. Thus, different behavioral tests and neurobiological parameters (such as neurogenesis, brain monoamines levels, and stress-related hormones) were concomitantly realized after different durations of enriched environment (24 h, 1, 3, or 5 weeks). While short enrichment exposure (24 h) was sufficient to improve object recognition memory performances, a 3-week exposure was required to improve aversive stimulus-based memory performances and to reduce anxiety-like behavior; effects that were not observed with longer duration. The onset of behavioral changes after a 3-week exposure might be supported by higher serotonin levels in the frontal cortex, but seems independent of neurogenesis phenomenon. Additionally, the benefit of 3-week exposure on memory was not observed 3 weeks after cessation of enrichment. Thus, the 3-week exposure appears as an optimal duration in order to induce the most significant behavioral effects and to assess the underlying mechanisms. Altogether, these results suggest that the duration of exposure is a keystone of the beneficial behavioral and neurobiological effects of environmental enrichment. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Effect of Covert Modeling on Communication Apprehension, Communication Confidence, and Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nimocks, Mittie J.; Bromley, Patricia L.; Parsons, Theron E.; Enright, Corinne S.; Gates, Elizabeth A.

This study examined the effect of covert modeling on communication apprehension, public speaking anxiety, and communication competence. Students identified as highly communication apprehensive received covert modeling, a technique in which one first observes a model doing a behavior, then visualizes oneself performing the behavior and obtaining a…

Understanding Managerial Effectiveness: A Chinese Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jia

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study seeks to examine the managerial behavior of Chinese managers, as observed by their superiors, subordinates, and peers in a state-owned enterprise in China. Specifically, this study aims to explore two questions. First, what managerial behaviors are perceived as being effective in the Chinese state-owned enterprise? Second, what…

Using Challenge Course Activities to Teach Organizational Ethics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goltz, Sonia M.; Hietapelto, Amy B.

2006-01-01

Few learning experiences give students immediate feedback on ethical and unethical behaviors and provide opportunities to repeatedly practice effective behaviors. This article describes how the authors have used challenge course activities to stimulate students to observe their own and others' ethical and unethical behaviors. Specifically, these…

The effects of intrinsic enrichment on captive felids.

PubMed

Damasceno, Juliana; Genaro, Gelson; Quirke, Thomas; McCarthy, Shannen; McKeown, Sean; O'Riordan, Ruth

2017-05-01

Environmental enrichment is a well-known technique, which has been used to enhance the welfare of captive animals. The aim of this study is to investigate how three different forms of intrinsic enrichment, namely, a hay ball without scent, a hay ball with catnip, and a hay ball with cinnamon, influenced the behavior of six cheetah and two Sumatran tigers at Fota Wildlife Park, Ireland. Enrichment-directed behaviors, as well as pacing, locomotion, inactive, and exploratory behaviors were investigated. The results indicated that the three forms of enrichment had similar effects, in terms of enrichment-directed behavior, with cinnamon resulting in the highest levels of enrichment-directed behaviors. The cinnamon treatment resulted in a significant decrease in pacing behavior when compared with baseline observations. No evidence of habituation (i.e., a significant reduction in enrichment-directed behaviors) was observed for any of the three enrichments. This means that these low cost, easy to apply, practical forms of enrichment could be frequently applied for these species as part of an enrichment regime. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Octopamine and tyramine influence the behavioral profile of locomotor activity in the honey bee (Apis mellifera).

PubMed

Fussnecker, Brendon L; Smith, Brian H; Mustard, Julie A

2006-10-01

The biogenic amines octopamine and tyramine are believed to play a number of important roles in the behavior of invertebrates including the regulation of motor function. To investigate the role of octopamine and tyramine in locomotor behavior in honey bees, subjects were injected with a range of concentrations of octopamine, tyramine, mianserin or yohimbine. Continuous observation of freely moving worker bees was used to examine the effects of these treatments on the amount of time honey bees spent engaged in different locomotor behaviors such as walking, grooming, fanning and flying. All treatments produced significant shifts in behavior. Decreases in time spent walking and increases in grooming or stopped behavior were observed for every drug. However, the pattern of the shift depended on drug, time after injection and concentration. Flying behavior was differentially affected with increases in flying seen in octopamine treated bees, whereas those receiving tyramine showed a decrease in flying. Taken together, these data provide evidence that octopamine and tyramine modulate motor function in the honey bee perhaps via interaction with central pattern generators or through effects on sensory perception.

Description and effects of sequential behavior practice in teacher education.

PubMed

Sharpe, T; Lounsbery, M; Bahls, V

1997-09-01

This study examined the effects of a sequential behavior feedback protocol on the practice-teaching experiences of undergraduate teacher trainees. The performance competencies of teacher trainees were analyzed using an alternative opportunities for appropriate action measure. Data support the added utility of sequential (Sharpe, 1997a, 1997b) behavior analysis information in systematic observation approaches to teacher education. One field-based undergraduate practicum using sequential behavior (i.e., field systems analysis) principles was monitored. Summarized are the key elements of the (a) classroom instruction provided as a precursor to the practice teaching experience, (b) practice teaching experience, and (c) field systems observation tool used for evaluation and feedback, including multiple-baseline data (N = 4) to support this approach to teacher education. Results point to (a) the strong relationship between sequential behavior feedback and the positive change in four preservice teachers' day-to-day teaching practices in challenging situational contexts, and (b) the relationship between changes in teacher practices and positive changes in the behavioral practices of gymnasium pupils. Sequential behavior feedback was also socially validated by the undergraduate participants and Professional Development School teacher supervisors in the study.

Teaching refusal skills to sexually active adolescents.

PubMed

Warzak, W J; Page, T J

1990-06-01

Refusal skills training was extended to sexually active handicapped female adolescents who lacked an effective refusal strategy. Role-plays for assessment and training were developed using the who, what, when and where of situations which resulted in unwanted intercourse. Refusal skills were trained following the format of rationale, modeling, rehearsal, feedback, and reinforcement. Baseline rates of most target behaviors were quite low. High frequencies of target behaviors were observed as each behavior became the focus of training. Generalization across staff and time was also observed. The skillfulness and effectiveness of the subjects' refusal skills were judged to be improved as a function of training. One-year follow-up showed decreased sexual activity for each girl.

The impact of positive and negative intraoperative surgeons' leadership behaviors on surgical team performance.

PubMed

Barling, Julian; Akers, Amy; Beiko, Darren

2018-01-01

The effects of surgeons' leadership on team performance are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the simultaneous effects of transformational, passive, abusive supervision and over-controlling leadership behaviors by surgeons on surgical team performance. Trained observers attended 150 randomly selected operations at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Observers recorded instances of the four leadership behaviors enacted by the surgeon. Postoperatively, team members completed validated questionnaires rating team cohesion and collective efficacy. Multiple regression analyses were computed. Data were analyzed using the complex modeling function in MPlus. Surgeons' abusive supervision was negatively associated with psychological safety (unstandardized B = -0.352, p < 0.01). Both surgeons' abusive supervision (unstandardized B = -0.237, p < 0.01), and over-controlling leadership (unstandardized B = -0.230, p < 0.05) were negatively associated with collective efficacy. This study is the first to assess the simultaneous effects of surgeons' positive and negative leadership behaviors on intraoperative team performance. Significant effects only surfaced for negative leadership behaviors; transformational leadership did not positively influence team performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolution of the Deformation Behavior of Sn-Rich Solders during Cyclic Fatigue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wentlent, Luke Arthur

Continuous developments in the electronics industry have provided a critical need for a quantitative, fundamental understanding of the behavior of SnAgCu (SAC) solders in both isothermal and thermal fatigue conditions. This study examines the damage behavior of Sn-based solders in a constant amplitude and variable amplitude environment. In addition, damage properties are correlated with crystal orientation and slip behavior. Select solder joints were continuously characterized and tested repeatedly in order to eliminate the joint to joint variation due to the anisotropy of beta-Sn. Characterization was partitioned into three different categories: effective properties and slip behavior, creep mechanisms and crystal morphology development, and atomic behavior and evolution. Active slip systems were correlated with measured properties. Characterization of the mechanical behavior was performed by the calculation and extrapolation of the elastic modulus, work, effective stiffness, Schmid factors, and time-dependent plasticity (creep). Electron microscopy based characterization methods included Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electron Backscattering Diffraction (EBSD), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Testing showed a clear evolution of the steady-state creep mechanism when the cycling amplitudes were varied, from dislocation controlled to diffusion controlled creep. Dislocation behavior was examined and shown to evolve differently in single amplitude vs. variable amplitude testing. Finally, the mechanism of the recrystallization behavior of the beta-Sn was observed. This work fills a gap in the literature, providing a systematic study which identifies how the damage behavior in Sn-alloys depends upon the previous damage. A link is made between the observed creep behavior and the dislocation observations, providing a unified picture. Information developed in this work lays a stepping stone to future fundamental analyses as well as clarifying aspects of the mechanistic behavior of Sn and Sn-based alloys.

The Importance of Demonstratively Restoring Order

PubMed Central

Keizer, Kees; Lindenberg, Siegwart; Steg, Linda

2013-01-01

Contrary to what is often assumed, order is not the strongest context for encouraging normative behavior. The strongest context effect on normative behavior comes from cues that clearly convey other people’s respect for norms. Ironically, this show of respect necessitates some contrasting disrespect that is being restored. Using civic virtues (such as helping behavior) as a prototype of normative behavior, the three field experiments described in this paper reveal the impact of normative cues on civic virtues. Results show that the strongest effect on making people follow prosocial norms in public places emanates from seeing order being restored, rather than just order being present. The robust and surprisingly large effects show that observing other people’s respect for one particular norm (as evidenced in their restoring physical order) makes it more likely that the onlooker follows other norms as well. This implies that prosocial behavior has the highest chance of spreading when people observe order being restored. There are clear policy implications: create low cost “normative respect cues” wherever it is desirable to increase conformity to norms. PMID:23755182

Measures of fish behavior as indicators of sublethal toxicosis during standard toxicity tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Little, E.E.; DeLonay, A.J.

1996-01-01

Behavioral functions essential for growth and survival can be dramatically altered by sublethal exposure to toxicants. Measures of these behavioral responses are effective in detecting adverse effects of sublethal contaminant exposure. Behavioral responses of fishes can be qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated during routine toxicity tests. At selected intervals of exposure, qualitative evaluations are accomplished through direct observations, whereas video recordings are used for quantitative evaluations. Standardized procedures for behavioral evaluation are readily applicable to different fish species and provide rapid, sensitive, and ecologically relevant assessments of sublethal exposure. The methods are readily applied to standardized test protocols.

The behavior of a macroscopic granular material in vortex flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishikawa, Asami

A granular material is defined as a collection of discrete particles such as powder and grain. Granular materials display a large number of complex behaviors. In this project, the behavior of macroscopic granular materials under tornado-like vortex airflow, with varying airflow velocity, was observed and studied. The experimental system was composed of a 9.20-cm inner diameter acrylic pipe with a metal mesh bottom holding the particles, a PVC duct, and an airflow source controlled by a variable auto-transformer, and a power-meter. A fixed fan blade was attached to the duct's inner wall to create a tornado-like vortex airflow from straight flow. As the airflow velocity was increased gradually, the behavior of a set of same-diameter granular materials was observed. The observed behaviors were classified into six phases based on the macroscopic mechanical dynamics. Through this project, we gained insights on the significant parameters for a computer simulation of a similar system by Heath Rice [5]. Comparing computationally and experimentally observed phase diagrams, we can see similar structure. The experimental observations showed the effect of initial arrangement of particles on the phase transitions.

Genetic variation in GABRA2 moderates peer influence on externalizing behavior in adolescents

PubMed Central

Villafuerte, Sandra; Trucco, Elisa M; Heitzeg, Mary M; Burmeister, Margit; Zucker, Robert A

2014-01-01

Background Genetic predisposition and environmental influences are both important factors in the development of problematic behavior leading to substance use in adolescence. Involvement with delinquent peers also strongly predicts adolescent externalizing behavior. Several lines of evidence support a role of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior related to disinhibition. However, whether this genetic association is influenced by the environment such as peer behavior remains unknown. Methods We examined the moderating role of GABRA2 genetic variation on the socialization model of delinquent peer affiliation (at ages 12–14 years) on externalizing behavior (at ages 15–17 years) in the Michigan Longitudinal Study (MLS) adolescent sample. The sample consisted of 244 adolescents (75 females and 152 with at least one parent with a DSM-IV lifetime alcohol dependence/abuse diagnosis). Peer delinquent activity reported by the participant and teacher-reported adolescent externalizing behavior (Teacher Report Form (TRF) were assessed. Results No main effect of the GABRA2 SNP rs279826, which tags a large haplotype, on externalizing behavior was observed. However, there was a statistically reliable GABRA2 × peer delinquency interaction. The effect of peer delinquent involvement on externalizing scores and the rule breaking subscale is significantly stronger for those with the GG genotype compared to A-carriers, whereas there was no effect of genotype on externalizing in the absence of peer delinquent involvement. No interaction was observed for the aggression subscale. Conclusion Our results suggest that the genetic effect of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior, more specifically on rule breaking is, at least in part, due to its effect on susceptibility to environmental exposure (i.e., peer delinquency). PMID:25365806

Ovariectomy results in inbred strain-specific increases in anxiety-like behavior in mice

PubMed Central

Schoenrock, Sarah Adams; Oreper, Daniel; Young, Nancy; Ervin, Robin Betsch; Bogue, Molly A.; Valdar, William; Tarantino, Lisa M.

2017-01-01

Women are at an increased risk for developing affective disorders during times of hormonal flux, including menopause when the ovaries cease production of estrogen. However, while all women undergo menopause, not all develop an affective disorder. Increased vulnerability can result from genetic predisposition, environmental factors and gene by environment interactions. In order to investigate interactions between genetic background and estrogen depletion, we performed bilateral ovariectomy, a surgical procedure that results in estrogen depletion and is thought to model the post-menopausal state, in a genetically defined panel of 37 inbred mouse strains. Seventeen days post-ovariectomy, we assessed behavior in two standard rodent assays of anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, the open field and forced swim tests. We detected a significant interaction between ovariectomy and genetic background on anxiety-like behavior in the open field. No strain specific effects of ovariectomy were observed in the forced swim assay. However, we did observe significant strain effects for all behaviors in both the open field and forced swim tests. This study is the largest to date to look at the effects of ovariectomy on behavior and provides evidence that ovariectomy interacts with genetic background to alter anxiety-like behavior in an animal model of menopause. PMID:27693591

A Comparison of Pharmacological (Amitriptyline HCL) and Nonpharmacological (Cognitive-Behavioral) Therapies for Chronic Tension Headaches.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holroyd, Kenneth A.; And Others

1991-01-01

Randomly assigned 41 recurrent tension headache sufferers to either cognitive-behavioral therapy or to amitriptyline therapy. Both therapies yielded clinically significant improvements in headache activity. In instances where differences in treatment effectiveness were observed, cognitive-behavioral therapy yielded somewhat more positive outcomes…

Analyzing and Modifying Coaching Behaviors by Means of Computer Aided Observation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partridge, David; Franks, Ian M.

1996-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of the Coaching Analysis Instrument (CAI), which collects data and provides feedback on coaches' verbal behaviors as they organize and instruct athletes during practices. Practice sessions were videotaped and analyzed. CAI results helped modify the coaches' behaviors in positive ways. (SM)

The Relationship between Classroom Management Strategies and Student Misbehaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skiba, Russell J.

Because research has determined that specific management techniques can have an effect on the classroom behavior of students, an observational rating scale was developed to assess the type of management techniques six elementary teachers in a program for behaviorally disordered children used to control behavior. Correlational analyses were used to…

Corrosion Behavior of Titanium Grade 7 in Fluoride-Containing NaCl Brines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lian, T; Whalen, M T; Wong, L

2004-10-25

The effects of fluoride on the corrosion behavior of Titanium Grade 7 (0.12-0.25% Pd) have been investigated. Up to 0.1 mol/L fluoride was added to the NaCl brines at 95 C, and three pH values of 4, 8, and 11 were selected for studying pH dependence of fluoride effects. It was observed that fluoride significantly altered the anodic polarization behavior, at all three pH values of 4, 8, and 11. Under acidic condition fluoride caused active corrosion. The corrosion of Titanium grade 7 was increased by three orders of magnitude when a 0.1 mol/L fluoride was added to the NaClmore » brines at pH 4, and the Pd ennoblement effect was not observed in acidic fluoride-containing environments. The effects of fluoride were reduced significantly when pH was increased to 8 and above.« less

The effect of hospital unit layout on nurse walking behavior.

PubMed

Yi, Lu; Seo, Hyun-Bo

2012-01-01

To confirm a new method for the research question, "How do different hospital unit layouts affect nurses' walking behavior and distance?" Concern is renewed regarding nurses' long walking distances because of the trend toward larger patient rooms with family areas inside, resulting in a larger overall unit size. Studies have found unit design characteristics that support nurses' efficient walking, but few have done it in units designed for patient- and family-centered care. To examine the effect of unit design on nurses' walking behavior, the authors propose a new method of observing a specific task. The authors observed nurses during the task of medication administration. Contrary to their hypotheses, results showed: (1) Experienced nurses had more unnecessary stops and longer walking distances than new nurses because of interactions; and (2) nurses in the smaller wing of the unit walked more than those in the larger wing of the same unit. The authors posit that the closeness between the nurses' path to the medication supply room and the central nurses' station affected the frequency of interactions and prompted a deviation from the shortest and most efficient path during medication administration. Observing a specific task to identify the effect of unit layout was effective, determining that overall unit shape or unit layout type might not be a good predictor of nurses' walking behavior; instead the characteristics of the path that connects functional spaces such as patient room and medication area might better predict nurses' walking behavior.

Intrathecal Huperzine A Increases Thermal Escape Latency and Decreases Flinching Behavior in the Formalin Test in Rats

PubMed Central

Park, Paula; Schachter, Steven; Yaksh, Tony

2010-01-01

Huperzine A (HupA) is an alkaloid isolated from the Chinese club moss Huperzia serrata and has been used for improving memory, cognitive and behavioral function in patients with Alzheimer's disease in China. It has NMDA antagonist and anticholinesterase activity and has shown anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects in preliminary studies when administered intraperitoneally to mice. To better characterize the antinociceptive effects of HupA at the spinal level, Holtzman rats were implanted with intrathecal catheters to measure thermal escape latency using Hargreaves thermal escape testing system and flinching behavior using the formalin test. Intrathecal (IT) administration of HupA showed a dose-dependent increase in thermal escape latency with an ED50 of 0.57 μg. Atropine reversed the increase in thermal escape latency produced by 10 μg HupA, indicating an antinociceptive mechanism through muscarinic cholinergic receptors. The formalin test showed that HupA decreased flinching behavior in a dose-dependent manner. Atropine also reversed the decrease in flinching behavior caused by 10 μg HupA. A dose-dependent increase of side effects including scratching, biting, and chewing tails was observed, although antinociceptive effects were observed in doses that did not produce any adverse effects. PMID:20026382

Intrathecal huperzine A increases thermal escape latency and decreases flinching behavior in the formalin test in rats.

PubMed

Park, Paula; Schachter, Steven; Yaksh, Tony

2010-02-05

Huperzine A (HupA) is an alkaloid isolated from the Chinese club moss Huperzia serrata and has been used for improving memory, cognitive and behavioral function in patients with Alzheimer's disease in China. It has NMDA antagonist and anticholinesterase activity and has shown anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects in preliminary studies when administered intraperitoneally to mice. To better characterize the antinociceptive effects of HupA at the spinal level, Holtzman rats were implanted with intrathecal catheters to measure thermal escape latency using Hargreaves thermal escape testing system and flinching behavior using the formalin test. Intrathecal (IT) administration of HupA showed a dose-dependent increase in thermal escape latency with an ED50 of 0.57 microg. Atropine reversed the increase in thermal escape latency produced by 10 microg HupA, indicating an antinociceptive mechanism through muscarinic cholinergic receptors. The formalin test showed that HupA decreased flinching behavior in a dose-dependent manner. Atropine also reversed the decrease in flinching behavior caused by 10 microg HupA. A dose-dependent increase of side effects including scratching, biting, and chewing tails was observed, although antinociceptive effects were observed in doses that did not produce any adverse effects. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clarifying Work-Family Intervention Processes: The Roles of Work-Family Conflict and Family Supportive Supervisor Behaviors

PubMed Central

Hammer, Leslie B.; Kossek, Ellen E.; Anger, W. Kent; Bodner, Todd; Zimmerman, Kristi L.

2010-01-01

Drawing on a conceptual model integrating research on training, work-family interventions, and social support, we conducted a quasi-experimental field study to assess the impact of a supervisory training and self-monitoring intervention designed to increase supervisors' use of family supportive supervisor behaviors. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were completed, nine months apart, by 239 employees at six intervention (N = 117) and six control (N = 122) grocery store sites. Thirty-nine supervisors in the six intervention sites received the training consisting of one hour of self-paced computer-based training, one hour of face-to-face group training, followed by instructions for behavioral self-monitoring (recording the frequency of supportive behaviors) to support on-the-job transfer. Results demonstrated a disordinal interaction for the effect of training and family-to-work conflict on employee job satisfaction, turnover intentions and physical health. In particular, for these outcomes, positive training effects were observed for employees with high family-to-work conflict, while negative training effects were observed for employees with low family-to-work conflict. These moderation effects were mediated by the interactive effect of training and family-to-work conflict on employee perceptions of family-supportive supervisor behaviors. Implications of our findings for future work-family intervention development and evaluation are discussed. PMID:20853943

Neural mechanisms and personality correlates of the sunk cost effect

PubMed Central

Fujino, Junya; Fujimoto, Shinsuke; Kodaka, Fumitoshi; Camerer, Colin F.; Kawada, Ryosaku; Tsurumi, Kosuke; Tei, Shisei; Isobe, Masanori; Miyata, Jun; Sugihara, Genichi; Yamada, Makiko; Fukuyama, Hidenao; Murai, Toshiya; Takahashi, Hidehiko

2016-01-01

The sunk cost effect, an interesting and well-known maladaptive behavior, is pervasive in real life, and thus has been studied in various disciplines, including economics, psychology, organizational behavior, politics, and biology. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the sunk cost effect have not been clearly established, nor have their association with differences in individual susceptibility to the effect. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated neural responses induced by sunk costs along with measures of core human personality. We found that individuals who tend to adhere to social rules and regulations (who are high in measured agreeableness and conscientiousness) are more susceptible to the sunk cost effect. Furthermore, this behavioral observation was strongly mediated by insula activity during sunk cost decision-making. Tight coupling between the insula and lateral prefrontal cortex was also observed during decision-making under sunk costs. Our findings reveal how individual differences can affect decision-making under sunk costs, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the psychological and neural mechanisms of the sunk cost effect. PMID:27611212

Considering Systematic Direct Observation after a Century of Research--Commentary on the Special Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stichter, Janine P.; Riley-Tillman, T. Chris

2014-01-01

Systematic Direct Observation (SDO) has played a pivotal role in the field of Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders (EBD) since its inception as a key part of understanding more about the behaviors, contexts that impact them, and the effective supports necessary for this population. This methodology is an ongoing charge for everyone. The authors…

Effects of departing individuals on collective behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishiyama, Yuta; Okuda, Shoma; Migita, Masao; Murakami, Hisashi; Tomaru, Takenori

2017-07-01

Utilizing living organisms' abilities is an effective approach to realize flexible and unconventional computing. One possible bio-inspired computer might be developed from animal collective research by clarifying collective behaviors. Therefore, it is important to reveal how collective animal behaviors emerge. In many studies, individuals departing from the other individualsare generally ignored. Is it not possible that such departing individuals contribute to the organization of such collectives? To investigate the effects of individuals departing from a collective against collective behaviors, we observed and analyzed the behaviors of 40 soldier crabs in four types of experimental arenas. The recorded behaviors demonstrate a temporally changing pattern and the existence of departing individuals. We analyzed the relationship between global activity and cohesion levels and verified the features of departing individuals. The results imply that departing individuals contribute to collective behaviors.

A Big-Data-based platform of workers' behavior: Observations from the field.

PubMed

Guo, S Y; Ding, L Y; Luo, H B; Jiang, X Y

2016-08-01

Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) has been used in construction to observe, analyze and modify workers' behavior. However, studies have identified that BBS has several limitations, which have hindered its effective implementation. To mitigate the negative impact of BBS, this paper uses a case study approach to develop a Big-Data-based platform to classify, collect and store data about workers' unsafe behavior that is derived from a metro construction project. In developing the platform, three processes were undertaken: (1) a behavioral risk knowledge base was established; (2) images reflecting workers' unsafe behavior were collected from intelligent video surveillance and mobile application; and (3) images with semantic information were stored via a Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). The platform was implemented during the construction of the metro-system and it is demonstrated that it can effectively analyze semantic information contained in images, automatically extract workers' unsafe behavior and quickly retrieve on HDFS as well. The research presented in this paper can enable construction organizations with the ability to visualize unsafe acts in real-time and further identify patterns of behavior that can jeopardize safety outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating peer effects in networks with peer encouragement designs.

PubMed

Eckles, Dean; Kizilcec, René F; Bakshy, Eytan

2016-07-05

Peer effects, in which the behavior of an individual is affected by the behavior of their peers, are central to social science. Because peer effects are often confounded with homophily and common external causes, recent work has used randomized experiments to estimate effects of specific peer behaviors. These experiments have often relied on the experimenter being able to randomly modulate mechanisms by which peer behavior is transmitted to a focal individual. We describe experimental designs that instead randomly assign individuals' peers to encouragements to behaviors that directly affect those individuals. We illustrate this method with a large peer encouragement design on Facebook for estimating the effects of receiving feedback from peers on posts shared by focal individuals. We find evidence for substantial effects of receiving marginal feedback on multiple behaviors, including giving feedback to others and continued posting. These findings provide experimental evidence for the role of behaviors directed at specific individuals in the adoption and continued use of communication technologies. In comparison, observational estimates differ substantially, both underestimating and overestimating effects, suggesting that researchers and policy makers should be cautious in relying on them.

Estimating peer effects in networks with peer encouragement designs

PubMed Central

Eckles, Dean; Kizilcec, René F.; Bakshy, Eytan

2016-01-01

Peer effects, in which the behavior of an individual is affected by the behavior of their peers, are central to social science. Because peer effects are often confounded with homophily and common external causes, recent work has used randomized experiments to estimate effects of specific peer behaviors. These experiments have often relied on the experimenter being able to randomly modulate mechanisms by which peer behavior is transmitted to a focal individual. We describe experimental designs that instead randomly assign individuals’ peers to encouragements to behaviors that directly affect those individuals. We illustrate this method with a large peer encouragement design on Facebook for estimating the effects of receiving feedback from peers on posts shared by focal individuals. We find evidence for substantial effects of receiving marginal feedback on multiple behaviors, including giving feedback to others and continued posting. These findings provide experimental evidence for the role of behaviors directed at specific individuals in the adoption and continued use of communication technologies. In comparison, observational estimates differ substantially, both underestimating and overestimating effects, suggesting that researchers and policy makers should be cautious in relying on them. PMID:27382145

Toxic cocaine- and convulsant-induced modification of forced swimming behaviors and their interaction with ethanol: comparison with immobilization stress

PubMed Central

Hayase, Tamaki; Yamamoto, Yoshiko; Yamamoto, Keiichi

2002-01-01

Background Swimming behaviors in the forced swimming test have been reported to be depressed by stressors. Since toxic convulsion-inducing drugs related to dopamine [cocaine (COC)], benzodiazepine [methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-β-carboline-carboxylate (DMCM)], γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) [bicuculline (BIC)], and glutamate [N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)] receptors can function as stressors, the present study compared their effects on the forced swimming behaviors with the effects of immobilization stress (IM) in rats. Their interactions with ethanol (EtOH), the most frequently coabused drug with COC which also induces convulsions as withdrawal symptoms but interferes with the convulsions caused by other drugs, were also investigated. Results Similar to the IM (10 min) group, depressed swimming behaviors (attenuated time until immobility and activity counts) were observed in the BIC (5 mg/kg IP) and DMCM (10 mg/kg IP) groups at the 5 h time point, after which no toxic behavioral symptoms were observed. However, they were normalized to the control levels at the 12 h point, with or without EtOH (1.5 g/kg IP). In the COC (60 mg/kg IP) and NMDA (200 mg/kg IP) groups, the depression occurred late (12 h point), and was normalized by the EtOH cotreatment. At the 5 h point, the COC treatment enhanced the swimming behaviors above the control level. Conclusions Although the physiological stress (IM), BIC, and DMCM also depressed the swimming behaviors, a delayed occurrence and EtOH-induced recovery of depressed swimming were observed only in the COC and NMDA groups. This might be correlated with the previously-reported delayed responses of DA and NMDA neurons rather than direct effects of the drugs, which could be suppressed by EtOH. Furthermore, the characteristic psychostimulant effects of COC seemed to be correlated with an early enhancement of swimming behaviors. PMID:12425723

The Intersection between Intercultural Competence and Teaching Behaviors: A Case of International Teaching Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeGros, N.; Faez, F.

2012-01-01

What is considered effective teaching varies across cultures, institutions, and disciplines. Concepts of effective teaching reflect the values and expectations of the educational culture and language in which it occurs. This study examines how participation in a course on intercultural communication affects the observable teaching behaviors of…

The Effect of Behavioral Commitment and Ability Discrepancy on Attitudinal Persistence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DasGupta, Bikram; Liang, Ann

1988-01-01

Manipulated behavioral commitment and negative task discrepancy to observe effects on attitudinal persistence on feminist issues and perceived threat of trivia test score. Results indicated that non-active feminists (N=20) perceived greater threat from discrepant test score than did active feminists (N=20) and showed greater agreement to feminist…

Behavioral treatment of chronic aerophagia.

PubMed

Barrett, R P; McGonigle, J J; Ackles, P K; Burkhart, J E

1987-05-01

Effects of various behavioral interventions on stereotyped aerophagic responding by a profoundly mentally retarded, 5-year-old girl were assessed. Aerophagic responding was defined as air swallowing with extreme stomach protrusion, followed by breath-holding. Observations of air swallowing, as well as physiologic measurements related to heart rate and respiratory patterns, were recorded across both baseline and treatment phases of the study. Multiple behavioral interventions were assessed within a laboratory setting using an alternating treatment design format, with the most effective treatment systematically extended to additional settings. Results indicated that a behavior modification treatment package was effective in suppressing the high frequency of this rare stereotyped act to near-zero rates.

The Causal Effect of Education on Health: What is the Role of Health Behaviors?

PubMed

Brunello, Giorgio; Fort, Margherita; Schneeweis, Nicole; Winter-Ebmer, Rudolf

2016-03-01

We investigate the causal effect of education on health and the part of it that is attributable to health behaviors by distinguishing between short-run and long-run mediating effects: whereas, in the former, only behaviors in the immediate past are taken into account, in the latter, we consider the entire history of behaviors. We use two identification strategies: instrumental variables based on compulsory schooling reforms and a combined aggregation, differencing, and selection on an observables technique to address the endogeneity of both education and behaviors in the health production function. Using panel data for European countries, we find that education has a protective effect for European men and women aged 50+. We find that the mediating effects of health behaviors-measured by smoking, drinking, exercising, and the body mass index-account in the short run for around a quarter and in the long run for around a third of the entire effect of education on health. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of antecedents of blood donation behavior and intentions.

PubMed

Bednall, Timothy C; Bove, Liliana L; Cheetham, Ali; Murray, Andrea L

2013-11-01

This meta-analysis sought to identify the strongest antecedents of blood donation behavior and intentions. It synthesized the results of 24 predictive correlational studies of donation behavior and 37 studies of donation intentions. The antecedents were grouped into six research programs: (1) the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and its extensions, (2) prosocial motivation, (3) affective expectations, (4) donor site experience, (5) past donation behavior, and (6) donor demographics. Antecedent categories were cross-validated by multiple coders, and combined effect sizes were analyzed using a random-effects model. For donation behavior, medium positive associations were found with five of the constructs from the extended TPB: intentions to donate, perceived behavioral control, attitude toward donation, self-efficacy and donor role identity. Other antecedents displaying a positive association with donation behavior included anticipated regret for not donating, number of past donations and donor age. Donor experiences at the collection site in the form of temporary deferral or adverse reactions had a medium negative association with behavior. For donation intentions, strong positive associations were observed for perceived behavioral control, attitude, self-efficacy, role identity and anticipated regret. Medium positive associations were observed for personal moral norm, subjective norm, satisfaction, and service quality. All other potential antecedents had weak or non-significant associations with behavior and intentions. Several of these associations were moderated by between-study differences, including donor experience, the period of data collection in which donation behavior was observed, and the use of a nominal (yes/no return) versus a ratio measure of donation behavior. Collectively, the results underscore the importance of enhancing donors' attitudes towards donation and building their perceived behavioral control and self-efficacy to donate. Further, minimizing the risk of adverse reactions and enacting re-recruitment policies for temporarily deferred donors will help protect future donation behavior. Implications of these findings for blood collection agencies and researchers are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal mind-mindedness during infancy, general parenting sensitivity and observed child feeding behavior: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Farrow, Claire; Blissett, Jackie

2014-01-01

Maternal mind-mindedness, or the tendency to view the child as a mental agent, has been shown to predict sensitive and responsive parenting behavior. As yet the role of mind-mindedness has not been explored in the context of feeding interactions. This study evaluates the relations between maternal mind-mindedness at 6 months of infant age and subsequently observed maternal sensitivity and feeding behaviors with children at age 1 year. Maternal mind-mindedness was greater in mothers who had breast-fed compared to formula-fed. Controlling for breast-feeding, mind-mindedness at 6 months was correlated with observations of more sensitive and positive feeding behaviors at 1 year of age. Mind-mindedness was also associated with greater general maternal sensitivity in play and this general parenting sensitivity mediated the effect of mind-mindedness on more sensitive and positive feeding behaviors. Interventions to promote maternal tendency to consider their child's mental states may encourage more adaptive parental feeding behaviors.

Observation of creep behavior of cellulose electro-active paper (EAPap) actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Joo-Hyung; Lee, Sang-Woo; Yun, Gyu-Young; Yang, Chulho; Kim, Heung Soo; Kim, Jaehwan

2009-03-01

Understanding of creep effects on actuating mechanisms is important to precisely figure out the behavior of material. Creep behaviors of cellulose based Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) were studied under different constant loading conditions. We found the structural modification of microfibrils in EAPap after creep test. Structural differences of as-prepared and after creep tested samples were compared by SEM measurements. From the measured creep behaviors by different loading conditions, two different regions of induced strain and current were clearly observed as the measurement time increased. It is consider that local defects may occur and becomes micro-dimple or micro-crack formations in lower load cases as localized deformation proceeds, while the shrinkage of diameter of elongated fibers was observed only at the high level of loading. Therefore, cellulose nanofibers may play a role to be against the creep load and prevent the localized structural deformations. The results provide useful creep behavior and mechanism to understand the mechanical behavior of thin visco-elastic EAPap actuator.

Omissions and Byproducts across Moral Domains

PubMed Central

DeScioli, Peter; Asao, Kelly; Kurzban, Robert

2012-01-01

Research indicates that moral violations are judged less wrong when the violation results from omission as opposed to commission, and when the violation is a byproduct as opposed to a means to an end. Previous work examined these effects mainly for violent offenses such as killing. Here we investigate the generality of these effects across a range of moral violations including sexuality, food, property, and group loyalty. In Experiment 1, we observed omission effects in wrongness ratings for all of the twelve offenses investigated. In Experiments 2 and 3, we observed byproduct effects in wrongness ratings for seven and eight offenses (out of twelve), respectively, and we observed byproduct effects in forced-choice responses for all twelve offenses. Our results address an ongoing debate about whether different cognitive systems compute moral wrongness for different types of behaviors (surrounding violence, sexuality, food, etc.), or, alternatively, a common cognitive architecture computes wrongness for a variety of behaviors. PMID:23071678

Corporal Punishment and Externalizing Behaviors in Toddlers: The Moderating Role of Positive and Harsh Parenting

PubMed Central

Mendez, Marcos; Durtschi, Jared; Neppl, Tricia K.; Stith, Sandra

2016-01-01

This study investigated whether corporal punishment when the child was two years old predicted child externalizing behaviors a year later, and whether or not this association was moderated by parents' observed behavior towards their child. Data came from 218 couples and their first born child. The frequency of fathers' corporal punishment when the child was two years old predicted child externalizing behaviors a year later, while controlling for initial levels of child externalizing behaviors. Also, observed positive and harsh parenting moderated the relationship between corporal punishment and child externalizing behaviors. These results highlight the importance of continuing to examine the effects of a commonly used form of discipline (i.e., corporal punishment) and the parental climate in which it is used. PMID:26866839

Where to look? Automating attending behaviors of virtual human characters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chopra Khullar, S.; Badler, N. I.

2001-01-01

This research proposes a computational framework for generating visual attending behavior in an embodied simulated human agent. Such behaviors directly control eye and head motions, and guide other actions such as locomotion and reach. The implementation of these concepts, referred to as the AVA, draws on empirical and qualitative observations known from psychology, human factors and computer vision. Deliberate behaviors, the analogs of scanpaths in visual psychology, compete with involuntary attention capture and lapses into idling or free viewing. Insights provided by implementing this framework are: a defined set of parameters that impact the observable effects of attention, a defined vocabulary of looking behaviors for certain motor and cognitive activity, a defined hierarchy of three levels of eye behavior (endogenous, exogenous and idling) and a proposed method of how these types interact.

Improving parenting skills for families of young children in pediatric settings: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Perrin, Ellen C; Sheldrick, R Christopher; McMenamy, Jannette M; Henson, Brandi S; Carter, Alice S

2014-01-01

Disruptive behavior disorders, such as attention-deficient/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, are common and stable throughout childhood. These disorders cause long-term morbidity but benefit from early intervention. While symptoms are often evident before preschool, few children receive appropriate treatment during this period. Group parent training, such as the Incredible Years program, has been shown to be effective in improving parenting strategies and reducing children's disruptive behaviors. Because they already monitor young children's behavior and development, primary care pediatricians are in a good position to intervene early when indicated. To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of parent-training groups delivered to parents of toddlers in pediatric primary care settings. This randomized clinical trial was conducted at 11 diverse pediatric practices in the Greater Boston area. A total of 273 parents of children between 2 and 4 years old who acknowledged disruptive behaviors on a 20-item checklist were included. A 10-week Incredible Years parent-training group co-led by a research clinician and a pediatric staff member. Self-reports and structured videotaped observations of parent and child behaviors conducted prior to, immediately after, and 12 months after the intervention. A total of 150 parents were randomly assigned to the intervention or the waiting-list group. An additional 123 parents were assigned to receive intervention without a randomly selected comparison group. Compared with the waiting-list group, greater improvement was observed in both intervention groups (P < .05). No differences were observed between the randomized and the nonrandomized intervention groups. Self-reports and structured observations provided evidence of improvements in parenting practices and child disruptive behaviors that were attributable to participation in the Incredible Years groups. This study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of parent-training groups conducted in pediatric office settings to reduce disruptive behavior in toddlers. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00402857.

Modeling of the self-Q-switching behavior of lasers based on chromium doped active material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fromager, M.; Ameur, K. Aı̈t

2001-05-01

The aim of this paper is to study the influence of the direct coupling of the average lattice strains to the active ions on the behavior of a gain switching laser based on chromium doped active material. It is found that the resulting nonlinear time-dependent lensing effect combined with an internal aperture behaves as a saturable absorber. A resulting self-Q-switching effect is observed from the calculated output laser pulses. The results of our modeling are in agreement with experimental observations already reported in literature.

Experimentally increasing sedentary behavior results in increased anxiety in an active young adult population.

PubMed

Edwards, Meghan K; Loprinzi, Paul D

2016-11-01

Knowledge regarding the effects of sedentary behavior on anxiety has resulted mainly from observational studies. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a free-living, sedentary behavior-inducing randomized controlled intervention on anxiety symptoms. Participants confirmed to be active (i.e., acquiring 150min/week of physical activity) via self-report and accelerometry were randomly assigned into a sedentary behavior intervention group (n=26) or a control group (n=13). For one week, the intervention group eliminated exercise and minimized steps to ≤5000 steps/day whereas the control group continued their normal physical activity levels. Both groups completed the Overall Anxiety Severity Impairment Scale (OASIS) pre- and post-intervention, with higher OASIS scores indicating worse overall anxiety. The intervention group resumed normal physical activity levels for one week post-intervention and then completed the survey once more. A significant group x time interaction effect was observed (F(1,37)=11.13; P=.002), with post-hoc contrast tests indicating increased OASIS scores in the intervention group in Visit 2 compared with Visit 1. That is, we observed an increase in anxiety levels when participants increased their sedentary behavior. OASIS scores significantly decreased from Visit 2 to Visit 3 (P=.001) in the intervention group. A one-week sedentary behavior-inducing intervention has deleterious effects on anxiety in an active, young adult population. To prevent elevated anxiety levels among active individuals, consistent regular physical activity may be necessary. Clinicians treating inactive patients who have anxiety may recommend a physical activity program in addition to any other prescribed treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Classroom Peer Relationships and Behavioral Engagement in Elementary School: The Role of Social Network Equity

PubMed Central

Cappella, Elise; Kim, Ha Yeon; Neal, Jennifer W.; Jackson, Daisy R.

2014-01-01

Applying social capital and systems theories of social processes, we examine the role of the classroom peer context in the behavioral engagement of low-income students (N = 80) in urban elementary school classrooms (N = 22). Systematic child observations were conducted to assess behavioral engagement among second to fifth graders in the fall and spring of the same school year. Classroom observations, teacher and child questionnaires, and social network data were collected in the fall. Confirming prior research, results from multilevel models indicate that students with more behavioral difficulties or less academic motivation in the fall were less behaviorally engaged in the spring. Extending prior research, classrooms with more equitably distributed and interconnected social ties—social network equity—had more behaviorally engaged students in the spring, especially in classrooms with higher levels of observed organization (i.e., effective management of behavior, time, and attention). Moreover, social network equity attenuated the negative relation between student behavioral difficulties and behavioral engagement, suggesting that students with behavioral difficulties were less disengaged in classrooms with more equitably distributed and interconnected social ties. Findings illuminate the need to consider classroom peer contexts in future research and intervention focused on the behavioral engagement of students in urban elementary schools. PMID:24081319

Meeting your match: how attractiveness similarity affects approach behavior in mixed-sex dyads.

PubMed

van Straaten, Ischa; Engels, Rutger C M E; Finkenauer, Catrin; Holland, Rob W

2009-06-01

This experimental study investigated approach behavior toward opposite-sex others of similar versus dissimilar physical attractiveness. Furthermore, it tested the moderating effects of sex. Single participants interacted with confederates of high and low attractiveness. Observers rated their behavior in terms of relational investment (i.e., behavioral efforts related to the improvement of interaction fluency, communication of positive interpersonal affect, and positive self-presentation). As expected, men displayed more relational investment behavior if their own physical attractiveness was similar to that of the confederate. For women, no effects of attractiveness similarity on relational investment behavior were found. Results are discussed in the light of positive assortative mating, preferences for physically attractive mates, and sex differences in attraction-related interpersonal behaviors.

The YORP effect on the GOES 8 and GOES 10 satellites: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albuja, Antonella A.; Scheeres, Daniel J.; Cognion, Rita L.; Ryan, William; Ryan, Eileen V.

2018-01-01

The Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect is a proposed explanation for the observed rotation behavior of inactive satellites in Earth orbit. This paper further explores the YORP effect for highly asymmetric inactive satellites. Satellite models are developed to represent the GOES 8 and GOES 10 satellites, both of which are currently inactive in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). A simple satellite model for the GOES 8 satellite is used to analyze the short period variations of the angular velocity and obliquity as a result of the YORP effect. A more complex model for the rotational dynamics of the GOES 8 and GOES 10 satellites are developed to probe their sensitivity and to match observed spin periods and states of these satellites. The simulated rotation periods are compared to observations for both satellites. The comparison between YORP theory and observed rotation rates for both satellites show that the YORP effect could be the cause for the observed rotational behavior. The YORP model also predicts a novel state for the GOES 8 satellite, namely that it could periodically fall into a tumbling rotation state. Recent observations of this satellite are consistent with this prediction.

Behavioral Characterization of β-Arrestin 1 Knockout Mice in Anxiety-Like and Alcohol Behaviors.

PubMed

Robins, Meridith T; Chiang, Terrance; Berry, Jennifer N; Ko, Mee Jung; Ha, Jiwon E; van Rijn, Richard M

2018-01-01

β-Arrestin 1 and 2 are highly expressed proteins involved in the desensitization of G protein-coupled receptor signaling which also regulate a variety of intracellular signaling pathways. Gene knockout (KO) studies suggest that the two isoforms are not homologous in their effects on baseline and drug-induced behavior; yet, the role of β-arrestin 1 in the central nervous system has been less investigated compared to β-arrestin 2. Here, we investigate how global β-arrestin 1 KO affects anxiety-like and alcohol-related behaviors in male and female C57BL/6 mice. We observed increased baseline locomotor activity in β-arrestin 1 KO animals compared with wild-type (WT) or heterozygous (HET) mice with a sex effect. KO male mice were less anxious in a light/dark transition test, although this effect may have been confounded by increased locomotor activity. No differences in sucrose intake were observed between genotypes or sexes. Female β-arrestin 1 KO mice consumed more 10% alcohol than HET females in a limited 4-h access, two-bottle choice, drinking-in-the-dark model. In a 20% alcohol binge-like access model, female KO animals consumed significantly more alcohol than HET and WT females. A significant sex effect was observed in both alcohol consumption models, with female mice consuming greater amounts of alcohol than males relative to body weight. Increased sensitivity to latency to loss of righting reflex (LORR) was observed in β-arrestin 1 KO mice although no differences were observed in duration of LORR. Overall, our efforts suggest that β-arrestin 1 may be protective against increased alcohol consumption in females and hyperactivity in both sexes.

Maternal Depression and Mother-Child Interaction Patterns: Association with Toddler Problems and Continuity of Effects to Late Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leckman-Westin, Emily; Cohen, Patricia R.; Stueve, Ann

2009-01-01

Objective: Increased behavior problems have been reported in offspring of mothers with depression. In-home observations link maternal depressive symptoms (MDS) and mother-child interaction patterns with toddler behavior problems and examine their persistence into late childhood. Method: Maternal characteristics (N = 153) and behaviors of…

Maternal Depression, Paternal Psychopathology, and Toddlers' Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dietz, Laura J.; Jennings, Kay Donahue; Kelley, Sue A.; Marshal, Michael

2009-01-01

This article examined the effects of maternal depression during the postpartum period (Time 1) on the later behavior problems of toddlers (Time 3) and tested if this relationship was moderated by paternal psychopathology during toddlers' lives and/or mediated by maternal parenting behavior observed during mother-child interaction (Time 2). Of the…

Reducing Covert Self-Injurious Behavior Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement through a Variable Momentary DRO Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toussaint, Karen A.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.

2012-01-01

Covert self-injurious behavior (i.e., behavior that occurs in the absence of other people) can be difficult to treat. Traditional treatments typically have involved sophisticated methods of observation and often have employed positive punishment procedures. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a variable momentary differential…

The Effects of Teacher-Student Small Talk on Out-of-Seat Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Steven T.

2009-01-01

This paper presents the results of a function-based study initiated by a general education teacher to reduce a general education student's out-of-seat behavior. Procedures included direct observation, data collection, functional behavior assessment using a Functional Assessment Protocol (FAP; Schroeder, n.d.), hypothesis development, and creating…

Mapping the structure of animal behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berman, Gordon; Choi, Daniel; Bialek, William; Shaevitz, Joshua

2014-03-01

Most animals possess the ability to actuate a vast diversity of movements, ostensibly constrained only by morphology and physics. In practice, however, a frequent assumption in behavioral science is that most of an animal's activities can be described in terms of a small set of stereotyped motifs. Here we introduce a method for mapping the behavioral space of organisms, relying only upon the underlying structure of postural movement data to organize and classify behaviors. Applying our method to movies of size closely-related species of freely-behaving fruit flies, we find a wide variety of non-stereotyped and stereo-typed behaviors, spanning a wide range of time scales. We observe subtle behavioral differences between these species, identifying the some of the effects of phylogenic history on behavior. Moreover, we find that the transitions between the observed behaviors display a hierarchical syntax, with similar behaviors likely to transition between each other, but with a long time scale of memory. These results suggest potential mechanisms for the evolution of behavior and for the neural control of movements.

Controlled Evaluation of the Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on the Behavior of 16 Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jepson, Bryan; Granpeesheh, Doreen; Tarbox, Jonathan; Olive, Melissa L.; Stott, Carol; Braud, Scott; Yoo, J. Helen; Wakefield, Andrew; Allen, Michael S.

2011-01-01

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been used to treat individuals with autism. However, few studies of its effectiveness have been completed. The current study examined the effects of 40 HBOT sessions at 24% oxygen at 1.3 ATA on 11 topographies of directly observed behavior. Five replications of multiple baselines were completed across a total…

Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Observed Autism Symptom Severity during School Recess: A Preliminary Randomized, Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Jeffrey J.; Fujii, Cori; Renno, Patricia; Van Dyke, Marilyn

2014-01-01

This study compared cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and treatment-as-usual (TAU) in terms of effects on observed social communication-related autism symptom severity during unstructured play time at school for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Thirteen children with ASD (7-11 years old) were randomly assigned to 32 sessions of CBT…

A two-dimensional approach to relationship conflict: meta-analytic findings.

PubMed

Woodin, Erica M

2011-06-01

This meta-analysis of 64 studies (5,071 couples) used a metacoding system to categorize observed couple conflict behaviors into categories differing in terms of valence (positive to negative) and intensity (high to low) and resulting in five behavioral categories: hostility, distress, withdrawal, problem solving, and intimacy. Aggregate effect sizes indicated that women were somewhat more likely to display hostility, distress, and intimacy during conflict, whereas men were somewhat more likely to display withdrawal and problem solving. Gender differences were of a small magnitude. For both men and women, hostility was robustly associated with lower relationship satisfaction (medium effect), distress and withdrawal were somewhat associated (small effect), and intimacy and problem solving were both closely associated with relationship satisfaction (medium effect). Effect sizes were moderated in several cases by study characteristics including year of publication, developmental period of the sample, recruitment design, duration of observed conflict, method used to induce conflict, and type of coding system used. Findings from this meta-analysis suggest that high-intensity conflict behaviors of both a positive and negative nature are important correlates of relationship satisfaction and underscore the relatively small gender differences in many conflict behaviors. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Identifying the educative and suppressive effects of positive practice and restitutional overcorrection.

PubMed Central

Carey, R G; Bucher, B

1981-01-01

Two major features of the overcorrection procedure, restitution and positive practice, were analyzed for their educative and suppressive properties in the treatment of profoundly retarded adults. Positive practice techniques that were topographically similar and dissimilar to the target behavior were studied. Eating behavior and puzzle performance were observed. Restitutional overcorrection and both forms of positive practice were effective for suppressing inappropriate behaviors. Even when appropriate behaviors had been acquired by positive practice, restitution and dissimilar positive practice were generally ineffective for increasing their rate of occurrence. However, topographically similar positive practice was successful as a means of teaching new appropriate behaviors. PMID:7216933

Identifying the educative and suppressive effects of positive practice and restitutional overcorrection.

PubMed

Carey, R G; Bucher, B

1981-01-01

Two major features of the overcorrection procedure, restitution and positive practice, were analyzed for their educative and suppressive properties in the treatment of profoundly retarded adults. Positive practice techniques that were topographically similar and dissimilar to the target behavior were studied. Eating behavior and puzzle performance were observed. Restitutional overcorrection and both forms of positive practice were effective for suppressing inappropriate behaviors. Even when appropriate behaviors had been acquired by positive practice, restitution and dissimilar positive practice were generally ineffective for increasing their rate of occurrence. However, topographically similar positive practice was successful as a means of teaching new appropriate behaviors.

Stereotypic circling behavior in mice with vestibular dysfunction: asymmetrical effects of intrastriatal microinjection of a dopamine agonist.

PubMed

Ishiguro, Akio; Inagaki, Masumi; Kaga, Makiko

2007-07-01

Bronx Waltzer (bv) mouse, which has been used as a model of hearing and vestibular dysfunction, shows remarkable repetitive circling behavior. This study investigated whether the behavior is caused by the asymmetry of striatal function by observing the behavior of the bv mice following microinjection of dopamine D1 agonist, A68930 into the striatum ipsilaterally and contralaterally to the preferred direction of rotation separately. High dose of the drug induced opposite effects on ipsilateral rotations by the side of injections with statistical significance (p = .0026). These results suggested that the stereotypic circling behavior involves striatum and is based on striatal asymmetry.

Bistability in Josephson Junction array resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muppalla, Phani Raja; Alexandre Blais Collaboration; Christian Kraglund Andersen Collaboration; Ioan Pop, Lukas Gruenhaupt Collaboration; Michel Devoret Collaboration; Oscar Garguilo, Gerhard Kirchmair Team

``We present an experimental analysis of the Kerr effect of extended plasma resonances in a 1000 Josephson junction (JJ) chain resonator inside a rectangular waveguide. The Kerr effect manifests itself as a frequency shift that depends linearly on the number of photons in a resonant mode. We study the bistable behavior, using a pump probe scheme on two modes of the JJ array, exploiting the Cross-Kerr effect in our system. In order to understand the behavior of the bi-stability we perform continuous time measurements to observe the switching between the two metastable states. We observe a strong dependence of the switching rates on the photon number and the drive frequency.''

Sex-specific effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the microbiome and behavior of socially-isolated mice.

PubMed

Davis, Daniel J; Hecht, Patrick M; Jasarevic, Eldin; Beversdorf, David Q; Will, Matthew J; Fritsche, Kevin; Gillespie, Catherine H

2017-01-01

Dietary supplementation with the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been shown to have a beneficial effect on reducing the symptoms associated with several neuropsychiatric conditions including anxiety and depression. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect remain largely unknown. Increasing evidence suggests that the vast repertoire of commensal bacteria within the gut plays a critical role in regulating various biological processes in the brain and may contribute to neuropsychiatric disease risk. The present study determined the contribution of DHA on anxiety and depressive-like behaviors through modulation of the gut microbiota in a paradigm of social isolation. Adult male and female mice were subjected to social isolation for 28days and then placed either on a control diet or a diet supplemented with 0.1% or 1.0% DHA. Fecal pellets were collected both 24h and 7days following the introduction of the new diets. Behavioral testing revealed that male mice fed a DHA diet, regardless of dose, exhibited reduced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors compared to control fed mice while no differences were observed in female mice. As the microbiota-brain-axis has been recently implicated in behavior, composition of microbial communities were analyzed to examine if these sex-specific effects of DHA may be associated with changes in the gut microbiota (GM). Clear sex differences were observed with males and females showing distinct microbial compositions prior to DHA supplementation. The introduction of DHA into the diet also induced sex-specific interactions on the GM with the fatty acid producing a significant effect on the microbial profiles in males but not in females. Interestingly, levels of Allobaculum and Ruminococcus were found to significantly correlate with the behavioral changes observed in the male mice. Predictive metagenome analysis using PICRUSt was performed on the fecal samples collected from males and identified enrichment in functional KEGG pathway terms relevant to processes such as the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant metabolism. These results indicate that DHA alters commensal community composition and produces beneficial effects on anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in a sex-specific manner. The present study provides insight into the mechanistic role that gut microbes may play in the regulation of anxiety and depressive-like behaviors and how dietary intervention can modulate these effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Observed and Self-Reported Pesticide Protective Behaviors of Latino Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers

PubMed Central

Walton, AnnMarie Lee; LePrevost, Catherine; Wong, Bob; Linnan, Laura; Sanchez-Birkhead, Ana; Mooney, Kathi

2016-01-01

Agricultural pesticide exposure has potential adverse health effects for farmworkers that may be reduced by pesticide protective behaviors (PPBs). The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Worker Protection Standard (WPS) requires PPBs be taught to farmworkers prior to field work. Studies to date have not utilized observational methods to evaluate the degree to which PPBs are practiced by Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the United States. The purpose of this study was to describe, compare, and contrast observed and self-reported PPBs used by Latino farmworkers; both PPBs that the WPS requires be taught and other PPBs were included. Observed and self-reported data were collected from 71 Latino farmworkers during the 2014 tobacco growing season in North Carolina. Participants were consistent in reporting and using long pants and closed shoes in the field most of the time. In addition, gloves, hats/bandanas, and water-resistant outerwear were frequently observed, although they are not required to be taught by the WPS. Farmworkers reported more long-sleeve (p = .028) and glove use (p = .000) than what was observed. It was uncommon to observe washing behavior before eating or drinking, even when washing supplies were available. Washing behaviors were significantly overreported for hand (p = .000; (p = .000) and face (p = .000; (p = .058) washing before eating and drinking in the field. This study documents that protective clothing behaviors that the WPS requires be taught, plus a few others are commonly practiced by Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers, but washing behaviors in the field are not. Targeted strategies to improve washing behaviors in the field are needed. PMID:26918841

Behavioral characterization of mice deficient in the phosphodiesterase-10A (PDE10A) enzyme on a C57/Bl6N congenic background.

PubMed

Siuciak, Judith A; McCarthy, Sheryl A; Chapin, Douglas S; Martin, Ashley N; Harms, John F; Schmidt, Christopher J

2008-02-01

The phenotype of genetically modified animals is strongly influenced by both the genetic background of the animal as well as environmental factors. We have previously reported the behavioral and neurochemical characterization of PDE10A knockout mice maintained on a DBA1LacJ (PDE10A(DBA)) genetic background. The aim of the present studies was to assess the behavioral and neurochemical phenotype of PDE10A knockout mice on an alternative congenic C57BL/6N (PDE10A(C57)) genetic background. Consistent with our previous results, PDE10A(C57) knockout mice showed a decrease in exploratory locomotor activity and a delay in the acquisition of conditioned avoidance responding. Also consistent with previous studies, the elimination of PDE10A did not alter basal levels of striatal cGMP or cAMP or affect behavior in several other well-characterized behavioral assays. PDE10A(C57) knockout mice showed a blunted response to MK-801, although to a lesser degree than previously observed in the PDE10A(DBA) knockout mice, and no differences were observed following a PCP challenge. PDE10A(C57) knockout mice showed a significant change in striatal dopamine turnover, which was accompanied by an enhanced locomotor response to AMPH, These studies demonstrate that while many of the behavioral effects of the PDE10A gene deletion appear to be independent of genetic background, the impact of the deletion on behavior can vary in magnitude. Furthermore, the effects on the dopaminergic system appear to be background-dependent, with significant effects observed only in knockout mice on the C57BL6N genetic background.

Rate of Conditioned Reinforcement Affects Observing Rate but Not Resistance to Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahan, Timothy A.; Podlesnik, Christopher A.

2005-01-01

The effects of rate of conditioned reinforcement on the resistance to change of operant behavior have not been examined. In addition, the effects of rate of conditioned reinforcement on the rate of observing have not been adequately examined. In two experiments, a multiple schedule of observing-response procedures was used to examine the effects…

Influence of indirect information on interpersonal trust despite direct information.

PubMed

Zarolia, Pareezad; Weisbuch, Max; McRae, Kateri

2017-01-01

Trust is integral to successful relationships. The development of trust stems from how one person treats others, and there are multiple ways to learn about someone's trust-relevant behavior. The present research captures the development of trust to examine if trust-relevant impressions and behavior are influenced by indirect behavioral information (i.e., descriptions of how a person treated another individual)-even in the presence of substantial direct behavioral information (i.e., self-relevant, first-hand experience with a person). Participants had repeated interpersonal exchanges with a partner who was trustworthy or untrustworthy with participants' money. The present studies vary the frequency with which (Studies 1 & 2), the order in which (Study 3) and the number of people for whom (Study 4) indirect information (i.e., brief vignettes describing trustworthy or untrustworthy behavior) were presented. As predicted, across 4 studies, we observed a robust effect of indirect-information despite the presence of substantial direct information. Even after dozens of interactions in which a partner betrayed (or not), a brief behavioral description of a partner influenced participants' willingness to actually trust the partner with money, memory-based estimates of partner-behavior, and impressions of the partner. These effects were observed even though participants were also sensitive to partners' actual trust behavior, and even when indirect behavioral descriptions were only presented a single time. Impressions were identified as a strong candidate mechanism for the effect of indirect-information on behavior. We discuss implications of the persistence of indirect information for impression formation, relationship development, and future studies of trust. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The revival of the Baldwin effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontanari, José F.; Santos, Mauro

2017-10-01

The idea that a genetically fixed behavior evolved from the once differential learning ability of individuals that performed the behavior is known as the Baldwin effect. A highly influential paper [G.E. Hinton, S.J. Nowlan, Complex Syst. 1, 495 (1987)] claimed that this effect can be observed in silico, but here we argue that what was actually shown is that the learning ability is easily selected for. Then we demonstrate the Baldwin effect to happen in the in silico scenario by estimating the probability and waiting times for the learned behavior to become innate. Depending on parameter values, we find that learning can increase the chance of fixation of the learned behavior by several orders of magnitude compared with the non-learning situation.

The Effects of Graphic Feedback, Goal-Setting, and Manager Praise on Customer Service Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loewy, Shannon; Bailey, Jon

2007-01-01

The current study used a multiple baseline design to investigate the effects of graphic feedback, goal setting, and manager praise on customer service behaviors in a large retail setting. Direct observation of customer greeting, eye contact, and smiling was used to collect data. After baseline data were collected feedback graphs were posted twice…

Behavioral and Psychiatric Differences in Medication Side Effects in Adults with Severe Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Fodstad, Jill C.; Rivet, Tessa T.; Rojahn, Johannes

2009-01-01

Participants were 109 adults with severe intellectual disabilities and long histories of psychotropic drug use. Side effect profiles were examined in the context of types of mental health disorders observed using the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-Revised (DASH-II) and the Behavior Problems Inventory-Revised (BPI-01). The best…

Studies of Day Care Center Climate and Its Effect on Children's Social and Emotional Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekholm, Bodil; Hedin, Anna

School climates at 12 day care centers in Sweden were compared to investigate effects of center climates on children's social and emotional behavior. Observations and interviews conducted at the day care centers revealed differences in center climates related to child-rearing patterns, patterns of interaction, the distribution of power, and in…

Uses and Abuses of Progressive Relaxation and Biofeedback in Treating Effects of Stress: The Cognitive vs. Psychophysiological vs. Behavioral Distinction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehrer, Paul M.

Experimental, clinical, and personal observations give some support to the notions that: (1) intensive live training with anxious subjects is required in order to demonstrate that perspective relaxation has physiological effects; (2) physiological, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms of anxiety are separable and may respond differentially to…

A Social-Behavioral Learning Strategy Intervention for a Child with Asperger Syndrome: Brief Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bock, Marjorie A.

2007-01-01

This study examined the effect of a social-behavioral learning strategy intervention (Stop-Observe-Deliberate-Act; SODA) on the social interaction skills of one middle school student with Asperger syndrome (AS). More specifically, the study investigated the effect of SODA training on the ability of one student with AS to participate in cooperative…

Elementary students' evacuation route choice in a classroom: A questionnaire-based method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liang; Tang, Tie-Qiao; Huang, Hai-Jun; Song, Ziqi

2018-02-01

Children evacuation is a critical but challenging issue. Unfortunately, existing researches fail to effectively describe children evacuation, which is likely due to the lack of experimental and empirical data. In this paper, a questionnaire-based experiment was conducted with children aged 8-12 years to study children route choice behavior during evacuation from in a classroom with two exits. 173 effective questionnaires were collected and the corresponding data were analyzed. From the statistical results, we obtained the following findings: (1) position, congestion, group behavior, and backtracking behavior have significant effects on children route choice during evacuation; (2) age only affects children backtracking behavior, and (3) no prominent effects based on gender and guidance were observed. The above findings may help engineers design some effective evacuation strategies for children.

The effect of therapeutic touch on behavioral symptoms of persons with dementia.

PubMed

Woods, Diana Lynn; Craven, Ruth F; Whitney, Joie

2005-01-01

Approximately 80% of nursing home residents who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and related dementia develop behavioral symptoms of dementia. Given the deleterious side effects of pharmacologic therapy in this population there is an urgent need for clinical trials of nonpharmacologic interventions. To examine the effect of therapeutic touch on the frequency and intensity of behavioral symptoms of dementia. A randomized, double-blind, three-group experimental study: experimental (therapeutic touch), placebo (placebo therapeutic touch), and control (usual care). Fifty-seven residents, aged 67 to 93 years, exhibiting behavioral symptoms of dementia, were randomized to one of the three groups within each of three Special Care Units within three Long-Term Care facilities in a western Canadian province. Behavioral observation was completed every 20 minutes from 8:00AM to 6:00PM for three days pre-intervention and for three days post-intervention by trained observers who were blind to group assignment. The intervention consisted of therapeutic touch given twice daily for 5-7 minutes for three days between 10:00AM and 11:30PM and between 3:00PM and 4:30PM (N = 57). The main outcome variable was overall behavioral symptoms of dementia, consisting of six categories of behaviors: manual manipulation (restlessness), escape restraints, searching and wandering, tapping and banging, pacing and walking, and vocalization. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) (F = 3.331, P = .033) and the Kruskal-Wallis test (chi2 = 6.661, P = .036) indicated a significant difference in overall behavioral symptoms of dementia, manual manipulation and vocalization when the experimental group was compared to the placebo and control groups. The experimental (significant) was more effective in decreasing behavioral symptoms of dementia than usual care, while the placebo group indicated a decreasing trend in behavioral symptoms of dementia compared to usual care. Therapeutic touch offers a nonpharmacological, clinically relevant modality that could be used to decrease behavioral symptoms of dementia, specifically manual manipulation (restlessness) and vocalization, two prevalent behaviors.

Mazindol: anorectic and behavioral effects in female rats.

PubMed

Mattei, R; Carlini, E A

1995-01-01

The anorectic and behavioral effects of mazindol (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) were determined. The experiments comprized acute and chronic administration to female rats, and the effects were compared with those produced by 2.5 mg/kg of methamphetamine. The following evaluation parameters were considered: food intake, body weight, motor activity, and stereotyped behavior. Acute administration of the three doses of mazindol, as well as of the methamphetamine dose, decreased food intake. Administered chronically to female rats, mazindol (5 and 10 mg/kg) and methamphetamine induced loss of body weight during the first fifteen days. However, weight was subsequently regained by the animals, indicating development of tolerance. Mazindol (10 mg/kg) and methamphetamine produced an increase in motor activity. This increase was, however, not observed after chronic treatment, suggesting development of tolerance. Additionally, mazindol induced noticeable dose-dependent effects, involving stereotyped behavior (sniffing, continuous licking, false bites), similar to those produced by methamphetamine. Verticalization, however, was only observed after administration of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg of mazindol, and was absent after administration of the higher dose of mazindol as well as of methamphetamine. Finally, it should be stressed that features of stereotyped behavior induced by both drugs, such as licking, false bites, sniffing and verticalization, were very similar.

Acute illness-induced behavioral alterations are similar to those observed during withdrawal from acute alcohol exposure

PubMed Central

Richey, Laura; Doremus-Fitzwater, Tamara L.; Buck, Hollin M.; Deak, Terrence

2012-01-01

Exposure to an immunogen results in a constellation of behavioral changes collectively referred to as “sickness behaviors,” with alterations in cytokine expression previously shown to contribute to this sickness response. Since behaviors observed during ethanol withdrawal are strikingly similar to sickness behaviors, we hypothesized that behavioral manifestations of ethanol withdrawal might be an expression of sickness behaviors induced by ethanol-related changes in peripheral and/or central cytokine expression. Accordingly, behaviors exhibited during a modified social investigation test were first characterized in male rats following an acute injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 μg/kg). Subsequently, behavioral changes after either a high (4-g/kg; Experiment 2) or low dose (0.5 g/kg; Experiment 3) of ethanol were also examined in the same social investigation test, as well as in the forced-swim test (FST; Experiment 4). Results from these experiments demonstrated similar reductions in both exploration and social investigatory behavior during acute illness and ethanol withdrawal, while a seemingly paradoxical decrease in immobility was observed in the FST during acute ethanol withdrawal. In follow-up studies, neither indomethacin (Experiment 5) nor interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (Experiment 6) pre-exposure reversed the ethanol withdrawal-induced behavioral changes observed in this social investigation test. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that the behavioral sequelae of acute illness and ethanol withdrawal are similar in nature, while antagonist studies suggest that these behavioral alterations are not reversed by blockade of IL-1 receptors or inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. Though a direct mechanistic link between cytokines and the expression of acute ethanol withdrawal-related behaviors has yet to be found, future studies examining the involvement of brain cytokines as potential mediators of ethanol effects are greatly needed. PMID:22921768

Child fear reactivity and sex as moderators of links between parenting and preschool behavior problems.

PubMed

Barnett, Melissa A; Scaramella, Laura V

2015-11-01

Reduced supportive parenting and elevated negative parenting behaviors increase risks for maladaptive social adjustment during early childhood (e.g., Campbell, Shaw, & Gilliom, 2000). However, the magnitude of these risks may vary according to children's individual characteristics, such as sex and temperament. The current study examines whether children's sex and fear reactivity moderate the associations between mothers' observed parenting and children's behavior problems 1 year later. The sample consists of 151 predominantly African American, low-income families with one sibling who is approximately 2 years old and the closest aged older sibling who is approximately 4 years old. Results from fixed-effects within-family models indicate that fear distress (i.e., fearfulness) moderated associations between mothers' observed negative parenting and children's increased behavior problems, such that only those children with mean or higher observed fear distress scores showed increased behavior problems when exposed to mother's negative parenting. Child sex moderated associations between fear approach reactivity (i.e., fearlessness) and mothers' observed supportive parenting. Specifically, low fear approach combined with supportive parenting was associated with fewer behavior problems for boys only. Implications of these findings for preventive intervention are discussed.

Does work-to-family conflict really matter for health? Cross-sectional, prospective cohort and fixed-effects analyses.

PubMed

Oshio, Takashi; Inoue, Akiomi; Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2017-02-01

It is well known that work-to-family conflict (WFC) is negatively associated with employees' health outcomes, including mental health and health behavior. However, the associations may be overstated because of insufficient control for unobserved individual attributes. To address this possibility, we compared the associations between WFC and health observed from a cross-sectional, prospective cohort and from fixed-effects regression models. We analyzed data from a Japanese occupational cohort survey of 15,102 observations from 7551 individuals (5947 men and 1604 women), which were collected in two waves with a one-year interval. We constructed a binary variable of high WFC and considered psychological distress measured using the Kessler 6 (K6) score, job and life dissatisfaction, and five types of health behavior (current smoking, problem drinking, leisure-time physical inactivity, sickness absence, and refraining from medical care). Results showed that for men, a high WFC increased the probability of reporting psychological distress (K6 score ≥ 5); this increased by 12.4% in a fixed-effects model. The association was substantially limited, as compared to the increase of 30.9% and 23.2% observed in cross-sectional and prospective cohort models, respectively; however, the association remained significant. Similar patterns were observed for job and life dissatisfaction. In contrast, the associations of WFC with all five types of health behavior were non-significant after controlling for fixed effects. We obtained generally similar results for women and found no substantial gender difference in the fixed-effects models. We concluded that the associations of WFC with employees' mental health and subjective well-being were robust, whereas the association between WFC and health behavior was generally limited. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing integral and incidental emotions: Testing insights from emotions as social information theory and attribution theory.

PubMed

Hillebrandt, Annika; Barclay, Laurie J

2017-05-01

Studies have indicated that observers can infer information about others' behavioral intentions from others' emotions and use this information in making their own decisions. Integrating emotions as social information (EASI) theory and attribution theory, we argue that the interpersonal effects of emotions are not only influenced by the type of discrete emotion (e.g., anger vs. happiness) but also by the target of the emotion (i.e., how the emotion relates to the situation). We compare the interpersonal effects of emotions that are integral (i.e., related to the situation) versus incidental (i.e., lacking a clear target in the situation) in a negotiation context. Results from 4 studies support our general argument that the target of an opponent's emotion influences the degree to which observers attribute the emotion to their own behavior. These attributions influence observers' inferences regarding the perceived threat of an impasse or cooperativeness of an opponent, which can motivate observers to strategically adjust their behavior. Specifically, emotion target influenced concessions for both anger and happiness (Study 1, N = 254), with perceived threat and cooperativeness mediating the effects of anger and happiness, respectively (Study 2, N = 280). Study 3 (N = 314) demonstrated the mediating role of attributions and moderating role of need for closure. Study 4 (N = 193) outlined how observers' need for cognitive closure influences how they attribute incidental anger. We discuss theoretical implications related to the social influence of emotions as well as practical implications related to the impact of personality on negotiators' biases and behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Observe, simplify, titrate, model, and synthesize: A paradigm for analyzing behavior

PubMed Central

Alberts, Jeffrey R.

2013-01-01

Phenomena in behavior and their underlying neural mechanisms are exquisitely complex problems. Infrequently do we reflect on our basic strategies of investigation and analysis, or formally confront the actual challenges of achieving an understanding of the phenomena that inspire research. Philip Teitelbaum is distinct in his elegant approaches to understanding behavioral phenomena and their associated neural processes. He also articulated his views on effective approaches to scientific analyses of brain and behavior, his vision of how behavior and the nervous system are patterned, and what constitutes basic understanding. His rubrics involve careful observation and description of behavior, simplification of the complexity, analysis of elements, and re-integration through different forms of synthesis. Research on the development of huddling behavior by individual and groups of rats is reviewed in a context of Teitelbaum’s rubrics of research, with the goal of appreciating his broad and positive influence on the scientific community. PMID:22481081

Interactive effects of temperature and glyphosate on the behavior of blue ridge two-lined salamanders (Eurycea wilderae).

PubMed

Gandhi, Jaina S; Cecala, Kristen K

2016-09-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential interactive effects of stream temperatures and environmentally relevant glyphosate-based herbicide concentrations on movement and antipredator behaviors of larval Eurycea wilderae (Blue Ridge two-lined salamander). Larval salamanders were exposed to 1 of 4 environmentally relevant glyphosate concentrations (0.00 µg acid equivalent [a.e.]/L, 0.73 µg a.e./L, 1.46 µg a.e./L, and 2.92 µg a.e./L) at either ambient (12 °C) or elevated (23 °C) water temperature. Behaviors observed included the exploration of a novel habitat, use of refuge, habitat selection relative to a potential predator, and burst movement distance. In the absence of glyphosate, temperature consistently affected movement and refuge-use behavior, with individuals moving longer distances more frequently and using refuge less at warm temperatures; however, when glyphosate was added, the authors observed inconsistent effects of temperature that may have resulted from differential toxicity at various temperatures. Larval salamanders made shorter, more frequent movements and demonstrated reduced burst distance at higher glyphosate concentrations. The authors also found that lower glyphosate concentrations sometimes had stronger effects than higher concentrations (i.e., nonmonotonic dose responses), suggesting that standard safety tests conducted only at higher glyphosate concentrations might overlook important sublethal effects on salamander behavior. These data demonstrate that sublethal effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on natural behaviors of amphibians can occur with short-term exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2297-2303. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Mechanisms Underlying the Influence of Disruptive Child Behavior on Interparental Communication

PubMed Central

Wymbs, Brian T.

2012-01-01

Prospective and experimental manipulations of child behavior have demonstrated that disruptive child behavior causes interparental discord. However, research has yet to test for mechanisms underlying this causal pathway. There is reason to suspect parent affect and parenting behavior explain child effects on interparental relations. To investigate this hypothesis, parent couples of 9- to 12-year-old boys and girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n=51) and without ADHD (n=39) were randomly assigned to interact with a confederate child exhibiting “disruptive” or “typical” behavior. Parents rated their own affect as well as the quality of their partner's parenting and communication immediately following the interaction. Observers also coded the quality of parenting and communication behaviors parents exhibited during the interaction. Parents who interacted with disruptive confederates reported lower positive affect and higher negative affect than those who interacted with typical confederates. Parents were also noted by their partners and observers to parent disruptive confederates more negatively than typical confederates. Multilevel mediation models with observational coding and partner ratings both found that negative parenting explained the causal pathway between disruptive child behavior and negative communication. Exploratory analyses revealed that the strength of this pathway did not differ between parents of children with and without ADHD. Parent affect was not found to explain child effects on interparental communication. Though methodological issues limit the generalizability of these findings, results indicate that negative parenting may be one mechanism through which disruptive children cause interparental discord. PMID:21875193

Memantine reduces stealing behavior and impulsivity in kleptomania: a pilot study.

PubMed

Grant, Jon E; Odlaug, Brian L; Schreiber, Liana R N; Chamberlain, Samuel R; Won Kim, Suck

2013-03-01

Kleptomania is characterized by repetitive stealing behavior and has been associated with deleterious unwanted outcomes including forensic contact and increased rates of suicidal behavior. Very few trials have been conducted to investigate pharmacological treatment options for this neglected condition. Memantine is an NMDA-receptor antagonist that has shown promising results in the treatment of other behavioral addictions and substance addictions. Twelve individuals with kleptomania received memantine (10 mg/day, titrated to 30 mg/day maximum depending on clinical response and tolerability) over the course of 8 weeks, in an open-label trial. The effects of treatment were quantified using well-validated measures and select neurocognitive tests (last observation carried forward analyses). Kleptomania disease severity scores decreased across all measures considered, and 11 (91.7%) of the participants met the responder criteria (35% improvement on the primary effectiveness measure plus CGI improved/very much improved; significant improvements were also observed in terms of mood, anxiety, and disability scores along with a significant improvement in stop-signal response inhibition. Memantine was generally well tolerated. This study shows the effectiveness of memantine in reducing urges to shoplift and shoplifting behavior along with improving impulsivity, mood, anxiety, and psychosocial functioning.

Effects of Intranasal Oxytocin on Aggressive Responding in Antisocial Personality Disorder.

PubMed

Alcorn, Joseph L; Rathnayaka, Nuvan; Swann, Alan C; Moeller, F Gerard; Lane, Scott D

2015-12-01

The oxytocin receptor is important in several domains of social behavior, and administration of oxytocin modulates social responding in several mammalian species, including humans. Oxytocin has both therapeutic and scientific potential for elucidating the neural and behavioral mechanisms governing social behavior. In the present study, operationally-defined aggressive behavior of six males with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) was measured following acute intranasal oxytocin dosing (12, 24, and 48 international units) and placebo, using a well-validated laboratory task of human aggression (Point-Subtraction Aggression Paradigm, or PSAP). The PSAP provides participants with concurrently available monetary-earning and operationally-defined aggressive response options, maintained by fixed ratio schedules of consequences. Shifts in response rates and inter-response time (IRT) distributions were observed on the aggressive response option following oxytocin doses, relative to placebo. Few changes were observed in monetary-reinforced responding. However, across participants the direction and magnitude of changes in aggressive responding were not systematically related to dose. No trends were observed between psychometric or physiological data and oxytocin dosing or aggressive behavior. While this report is to our knowledge the first to examine the acute effects of oxytocin in this population at high risk for violence and other forms of antisocial behavior, several limitations in the experimental design and the results cast the study as a preliminary report. Strategies for more extensive future projects are discussed.

Corporal punishment and externalizing behaviors in toddlers: The moderating role of positive and harsh parenting.

PubMed

Mendez, Marcos; Durtschi, Jared; Neppl, Tricia K; Stith, Sandra M

2016-12-01

This study investigated whether corporal punishment when the child was 2 years old predicted child externalizing behaviors a year later, and whether or not this association was moderated by parents' observed behavior toward their child. Data came from 218 couples and their firstborn child. The frequency of fathers' corporal punishment when the child was 2 years old predicted child externalizing behaviors a year later, while controlling for initial levels of child externalizing behaviors. Also, observed positive and harsh parenting moderated the relationship between corporal punishment and child externalizing behaviors. These results highlight the importance of continuing to examine the effects of a commonly used form of discipline (i.e., corporal punishment) and the parental climate in which it is used. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Time course of VMN lesion effects on lordosis and proceptive behavior in female hamsters.

PubMed

Floody, Owen R

2002-06-01

Previous studies suggest that ultrasound production by female hamsters is better able than other reproductive behaviors to recover from an initial drop caused by damage to the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMN). At the same time, few studies have examined the time course of such lesion effects. To remedy this, female hamsters were observed before and after control operations or VMN lesions. The behaviors considered were ultrasound production, lordosis, approach, and vaginal marking. Ultrasound production, lordosis, and approach were affected by lesions, permitting the description of the time course of each of these effects. Only ultrasound rates showed evidence of recovery, which culminated in rates significantly above those observed preoperatively in the same animals. This suggests that ultrasound production is unusual in its response to VMN damage and that the underlying mechanism could be of interest in studies of the processes that determine recovery from brain damage. (c) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Children’s Eating Behavior: The Importance of Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools

PubMed Central

Bevans, Katherine B.; Sanchez, Betty; Teneralli, Rachel; Forrest, Christopher B.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND To enhance the impact of school nutrition programs on children’s health, more information is needed on the associations between healthy and unhealthy food offerings during school lunch periods and children’s eating behavior. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the contributions of food offerings and participation in school lunch programs on children’s overall (both in- and out-of-school) eating behavior. METHODS A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in which 2039 students in 12 elementary and 10 middle schools reported their eating behavior and the frequencies with which they purchased meals and à la carte items in the school cafeteria. Food service managers from each school provided information on the availability of foods and beverages during school lunch periods. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to identify school- and student-level predictors of children’s eating behavior. RESULTS The availability of nutritious foods during school lunch periods was associated with healthier eating behavior among students. However, this effect was observed only among children who infrequently purchased à la carte food items, and not among those who were frequent purchasers. CONCLUSION Increased availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products as components of school meals may be an effective strategy to promote healthy eating behaviors among children. Improving the nutrition standards for foods offered in competition with federally reimbursable school meals may enhance the positive effects of school meal programs on student eating behavior. PMID:21668883

The effects of visitor density and intensity on the behavior of two captive jaguars (Panthera onca).

PubMed

Sellinger, Rebecca L; Ha, James C

2005-01-01

Several researchers have reported significant effects of visitor density and intensity on captive animal behavior. This study determined whether this was the case for 2 captive jaguars housed at the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA. Subjects were monitored for changes in behavior as a function of visitor density and intensity. The jaguars were observed for 8 hr per week for 29 weeks--March 31 until October 11, 1998--for a total of 230 hr. Continuous frequency sampling was used, and visitor density and intensity were recorded every minute. Parametric statistics were used to test for correlations between behavior and density, intensity, or a combination of the two. Both density and intensity were significant for time spent non-visible for both cats, and intensity showed a significant effect on the female's pacing behavior. In addition, the male cat exhibited a trend for increased aggression based on both visitor density and intensity and a trend of intensity affecting his social behavior. In conclusion, both density and intensity had a significant effect on behavior, with intensity showing a larger effect.

Effects of Photoperiod on Behavior and Courtship of the Neosho madtom (Noturus placidus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bulger, Angela G.; Wildhaber, Mark L.; Edds, David R.

2002-01-01

To test effects of long and short day-length on behavior of the Neosho madtom (Noturus placidus), we held six pairs of fish in separate tanks under 16 hr (L): 8 hr (D) (long-day) and six pairs under 12 hr (L): 12 hr (D) (short-day) photoperiods. An ethogram was created and behavior was electronically and continuously recorded. Two-minute intervals for each hour over four 4-day periods were examined, and proportion of time active and performing specific behaviors in each tank was analyzed to compare differences between treatments. Individuals held under 16 L, 8 D were more active during the light cycle than those in 12 L, 12 D. Specific behaviors examined included resting, swimming, feeding, aggression, cavity enhancement, and courtship. A higher proportion of time was spent performing cavity enhancement, cavities were deeper, and gravel size in cavities was smaller for those fish in the long-day treatment. Throughout the experiment various courtship behaviors were observed in male-female pairs held in 16 L, 8 D, but no such behaviors were observed in 12L, 12D. The relationships between a long photoperiod and activity, cavity enhancement, and courtship behaviors illustrate the influence of photoperiod on the Neosho madtom reproductive cycle.

A Comparison of Self-Monitoring with and without Reinforcement to Improve On-Task Classroom Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Tonya N.; Dacus, Sharon; Bankhead, Jenna; Haupert, Megan; Fuentes, Lisa; Zoch, Tamara; Kang, Soyeon; Attai, Shanna; Lang, Russell

2014-01-01

In this study we analyzed the effects of a self-monitoring and self-monitoring plus reinforcement intervention on classroom behavior. A typically-developing high school student demonstrating difficulty staying on-task during classroom instruction was observed in three classroom settings associated with high levels of off-task behavior. During…

Reinforcement and the Organization of Behavior in Golden Hamsters: Pavlovian Conditioning with Food and Shock Unconditioned Stimuli

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shettleworth, Sara J.

1978-01-01

There has been considerable interest lately in cases where instrumental conditionability appears to depend on the reinforcer used. Here the effects of Pavlovian conditioned stimuli (CSs)on golden hamster behaviors was observed. The intent was to see whether previously reported differences among the behaviors produced by food reinforcement and…

Role of Gender, Sex Role Identity, and Type A Behavior in Anger Expression and Mental Health Functioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopper, Beverly A.

1993-01-01

Investigated relationship of gender, sex role identity, Type A behavior to multiple dimensions of anger expression and mental health functioning among 407 female and 222 male college students. Found significant multivariate effects for sex role and behavior pattern type for anger expression. Significant gender differences were not observed.…

Effects of Video Self-Modeling on Inappropriate Behavior in Elementary School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwan, Gerald R.; Holzworth, William A.

This investigation attempts to determine whether or not elementary school student's inappropriate classroom behavior can be altered through the use of a video self-modeling procedure (VSM). The frequency of inappropriate behavior was observed from videotapes and recorded for twenty six subjects, thirteen of whom were placed in a VSM group and…

Attachment and Internalizing Behavior in Early Childhood: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madigan, Sheri; Atkinson, Leslie; Laurin, Kristin; Benoit, Diane

2013-01-01

Empirical research supporting the contention that insecure attachment is related to internalizing behaviors has been inconsistent. Across 60 studies including 5,236 families, we found a significant, small to medium effect size linking insecure attachment and internalizing behavior (observed d = 0.37, 95% CI [0.27, 0.46]; adjusted d = 0.19, 95% CI…

The Dark Side of Emotion in the Classroom: Emotional Processes as Mediators of Teacher Communication Behaviors and Student Negative Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazer, Joseph P.; McKenna-Buchanan, Timothy P.; Quinlan, Margaret M.; Titsworth, Scott

2014-01-01

Based on emotional response theory (ERT), recent researchers have observed connections between teachers' communication behaviors and students' emotional reactions. In the present study, we further elaborated ERT by exploring the effects of teacher communication behaviors and emotional processes on discrete negative emotions, including anger,…

The Connection between Environmental Attitude-Behavior Gap and Other Individual Inconsistencies: A Call for Strengthening Self-Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redondo, Ignacio; Puelles, María

2017-01-01

What is going on with environmental education, which is currently unable to promote pro-environmental behaviors as effectively as it promotes pro-environmental attitudes? A tentative answer is that the environmental attitude-behavior gap observed in some individuals is just one manifestation of their lack of self-control for maintaining…

The Effects of Behavioral Change in Response to Acoustic Disturbance on the Health of the Population of Blainville’s Beaked Whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) in the Tongue of the Ocean

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

acoustic data from detection of Md echolocation clicks and sonar, observational data from expert surface observers for group size, surface behavior...on-axis echolocation click source level is in excess of 200 dB), it is therefore highly likely that a GVP will be detected on more than one

The Brief Classroom Interaction Observation-Revised: An Observation System to Inform and Increase Teacher Use of Universal Classroom Management Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinke, Wendy M.; Stormont, Melissa; Herman, Keith C.; Wachsmuth, Sean; Newcomer, Lori

2015-01-01

Schools are increasingly using multi-tiered prevention models to address the academic and behavior needs of students. The foundation of these models is the implementation of universal, or Tier 1, practices designed to support the academic and behavioral needs of the vast majority of students. To support teachers in the use of effective Tier 1…

Effects of ambient stimuli on measures of behavioral state and microswitch use in adults with profound multiple impairments.

PubMed

Murphy, Kathleen M; Saunders, Muriel D; Saunders, Richard R; Olswang, Lesley B

2004-01-01

The effects of different types and amounts of environmental stimuli (visual and auditory) on microswitch use and behavioral states of three individuals with profound multiple impairments were examined. The individual's switch use and behavioral states were measured under three setting conditions: natural stimuli (typical visual and auditory stimuli in a recreational situation), reduced visual stimuli, and reduced visual and auditory stimuli. Results demonstrated differential switch use in all participants with the varying environmental setting conditions. No consistent effects were observed in behavioral state related to environmental condition. Predominant behavioral state scores and switch use did not systematically covary with any participant. Results suggest the importance of considering environmental stimuli in relationship to switch use when working with individuals with profound multiple impairments.

Effects of electrical stimulation of the lateral aspect of the prefrontal cortex upon attack behavior in cats.

PubMed

Siegel, A; Edinger, H; Dotto, M

1975-08-15

An experiment was performed to determine the role of the lateral aspect of the prefrontal cortex upon quiet biting attack behavior elicited from the hypothalamus in the cat. The results of this experiment indicate that stimulation of 19 of 28 electrode sites sampled in the lateral prefrontal cortex produced a statistically significant inhibition of attack behavior elicited from the hypothalamus of the ipsilateral side. Stimulation of sites in the prefrontal cortex on the side contralateral to the hypothalamus from which attack was elicited had no effect upon this response. No systematic effect of prefrontal stimulation upon flight behavior was observed. Anatomical studies suggest that the lateral prefrontal cortex may inhibit attack behavior by modulating neurons in either the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus or ventral tegmental area.

Effect of DC voltage pulses on memristor behavior.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, Brian R.

2013-10-01

Current knowledge of memristor behavior is limited to a few physical models of which little comprehensive data collection has taken place. The purpose of this research is to collect data in search of exploitable memristor behavior by designing and implementing tests on a HP Labs Rev2 Memristor Test Board. The results are then graphed in their optimal format for conceptualizing behavioral patterns. This series of experiments has concluded the existence of an additional memristor state affecting the behavior of memristors when pulsed with positively polarized DC voltages. This effect has been observed across multiple memristors and data sets. The followingmore » pages outline the process that led to the hypothetical existence and eventual proof of this additional state of memristor behavior.« less

Characterizing Physician Listening Behavior During Hospitalist Handoffs using the HEAR Checklist

PubMed Central

Greenstein, Elizabeth A.; Arora, Vineet M.; Staisiunas, Paul G.; Banerjee, Stacy S.; Farnan, Jeanne M.

2015-01-01

Background The increasing fragmentation of healthcare has resulted in more patient handoffs. Many professional groups, including the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education and the Society of Hospital Medicine, have made recommendations for safe and effective handoffs. Despite the two-way nature of handoff communication, the focus of these efforts has largely been on the person giving information. Objective To observe and characterize the listening behaviors of handoff receivers during hospitalist handoffs. Design Prospective observational study of shift change and service change handoffs on a non-teaching hospitalist service at a single academic tertiary care institution. Measurements The “HEAR Checklist”, a novel tool created based on review of effective listening behaviors, was used by third party observers to characterize active and passive listening behaviors and interruptions during handoffs. Results In 48 handoffs (25 shift change, 23 service change), active listening behaviors (e.g. read-back (17%), note-taking (23%), and reading own copy of the written signout (27%)) occurred less frequently than passive listening behaviors (e.g. affirmatory statements (56%) nodding (50%) and eye contact (58%)) (p<0.01). Read-back occurred only 8 times (17%). In 11 handoffs (23%) receivers took notes. Almost all (98%) handoffs were interrupted at least once, most often by side conversations, pagers going off, or clinicians arriving. Handoffs with more patients, such as service change, were associated with more interruptions (r= 0.46, p<0.01). Conclusions Using the “HEAR Checklist”, we can characterize hospitalist handoff listening behaviors. While passive listening behaviors are common, active listening behaviors that promote memory retention are rare. Handoffs are often interrupted, most commonly by side conversations. Future handoff improvement efforts should focus on augmenting listening and minimizing interruptions. PMID:23258389

Effects of reducing children's television and video game use on aggressive behavior: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Robinson, T N; Wilde, M L; Navracruz, L C; Haydel, K F; Varady, A

2001-01-01

The relationship between exposure to aggression in the media and children's aggressive behavior is well documented. However, few potential solutions have been evaluated. To assess the effects of reducing television, videotape, and video game use on aggressive behavior and perceptions of a mean and scary world. Randomized, controlled, school-based trial. Two sociodemographically and scholastically matched public elementary schools in San Jose, Calif. Third- and fourth-grade students (mean age, 8.9 years) and their parents or guardians. Children in one elementary school received an 18-lesson, 6-month classroom curriculum to reduce television, videotape, and video game use. In September (preintervention) and April (postintervention) of a single school year, children rated their peers' aggressive behavior and reported their perceptions of the world as a mean and scary place. A 60% random sample of children were observed for physical and verbal aggression on the playground. Parents were interviewed by telephone and reported aggressive and delinquent behaviors on the child behavior checklist. The primary outcome measure was peer ratings of aggressive behavior. Compared with controls, children in the intervention group had statistically significant decreases in peer ratings of aggression (adjusted mean difference, -2.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.6 to -0.2; P =.03) and observed verbal aggression (adjusted mean difference, -0.10 act per minute per child; 95% CI, -0.18 to -0.03; P =.01). Differences in observed physical aggression, parent reports of aggressive behavior, and perceptions of a mean and scary world were not statistically significant but favored the intervention group. An intervention to reduce television, videotape, and video game use decreases aggressive behavior in elementary schoolchildren. These findings support the causal influences of these media on aggression and the potential benefits of reducing children's media use.

Gender differences in the behavioral effects of methamphetamine.

PubMed

Schindler, Charles W; Bross, Joshua G; Thorndike, Eric B

2002-05-10

The effects of methamphetamine were tested in male and female rats on two different behavioral tasks. Following habituation to a locomotor activity chamber, female rats were more sensitive to the locomotor activating effect of i.p. methamphetamine (0.1-3.0 mg/kg) than were male rats. A similar effect has been observed for other psychomotor stimulants, including cocaine and amphetamine. However, males and females did not differ on methamphetamine-induced place preference following eight conditioning trials with a wide range of doses (0.1-5.6 mg/kg). These results suggest that males and females differ in their response to methamphetamine for only some behavioral tasks.

Breakdown of the coherence effects and Fermi liquid behavior in YbAl3 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echevarria-Bonet, C.; Rojas, D. P.; Espeso, J. I.; Rodríguez Fernández, J.; Rodríguez Fernández, L.; Bauer, E.; Burdin, S.; Magalhães, S. G.; Fernández Barquín, L.

2018-04-01

A change in the Kondo lattice behavior of bulk YbAl3 has been observed when the alloy is shaped into nanoparticles (≈12 nm). Measurements of the electrical resistivity show inhibited coherence effects and deviation from the standard Fermi liquid behavior (T 2-dependence). These results are interpreted as being due to the effect of the disruption of the periodicity of the array of Kondo ions provoked by the size reduction process. Additionally, the ensemble of randomly placed nanoparticles also triggers an extra source of electronic scattering at very low temperatures (≈15 K) due to quantum interference effects.

The cognitive demands of standardized patients: understanding limitations in attention and working memory with the decoding of nonverbal behavior during improvisations.

PubMed

Newlin-Canzone, Elizabeth T; Scerbo, Mark W; Gliva-McConvey, Gayle; Wallace, Amelia M

2013-08-01

This study was designed to look at the challenges of standardized patients while in role and to use the findings to enhance training methods. The study investigated the effect of improvisations and multiple-task performance on the ability of standardized patients to observe and evaluate another's communication behaviors and its associated mental workload. Twenty standardized patients participated in a 2 types of interview (with and without improvisations)-by-2 types of observation (passive and active) within-groups design. The results indicated that both active observations and improvisations had a negative effect on the standardized patients' ability to observe the learner, missing more than 75% of nonverbal behaviors during active improvisational encounters. Moreover, standardized patients experienced the highest mental demand during active improvisational encounters. The findings suggest that the need to simultaneously portray a character and assess a learner may negatively affect the ability of standardized patients to provide accurate evaluations of a learner, particularly when they are required to improvise responses, underscoring the need for specific and targeted training.

Sex Differences in Social Interaction Behavior Following Social Defeat Stress in the Monogamous California Mouse (Peromyscus californicus)

PubMed Central

Trainor, Brian C.; Pride, Michael C.; Villalon Landeros, Rosalina; Knoblauch, Nicholas W.; Takahashi, Elizabeth Y.; Silva, Andrea L.; Crean, Katie K.

2011-01-01

Stressful life experiences are known to be a precipitating factor for many mental disorders. The social defeat model induces behavioral responses in rodents (e.g. reduced social interaction) that are similar to behavioral patterns associated with mood disorders. The model has contributed to the discovery of novel mechanisms regulating behavioral responses to stress, but its utility has been largely limited to males. This is disadvantageous because most mood disorders have a higher incidence in women versus men. Male and female California mice (Peromyscus californicus) aggressively defend territories, which allowed us to observe the effects of social defeat in both sexes. In two experiments, mice were exposed to three social defeat or control episodes. Mice were then behaviorally phenotyped, and indirect markers of brain activity and corticosterone responses to a novel social stimulus were assessed. Sex differences in behavioral responses to social stress were long lasting (4 wks). Social defeat reduced social interaction responses in females but not males. In females, social defeat induced an increase in the number of phosphorylated CREB positive cells in the nucleus accumbens shell after exposure to a novel social stimulus. This effect of defeat was not observed in males. The effects of defeat in females were limited to social contexts, as there were no differences in exploratory behavior in the open field or light-dark box test. These data suggest that California mice could be a useful model for studying sex differences in behavioral responses to stress, particularly in neurobiological mechanisms that are involved with the regulation of social behavior. PMID:21364768

Improvements in musculoskeletal health and computing behaviors: Effects of a macroergonomics office workplace and training intervention.

PubMed

Robertson, Michelle M; Huang, Yueng Hsiang; Lee, Jin

2017-07-01

Computer use and its association with musculoskeletal and visual symptoms is an escalating concern. Organizations are shifting to a more proactive injury prevention perspective. Accordingly, a macroergonomics intervention consisting of flexible workplace design and office ergonomics training was designed to examine the effects on worker's computing behaviors, postures, and musculoskeletal discomfort, and their relationship to psychosocial factors. Participants were assigned to either group: 1) no-intervention control 2) flexible Workplace-only (WP-only), and 3) flexible Workplace + Training (WP+T). Observational findings indicate both intervention groups experienced positive, significant changes in improved workstation arrangements and computing postures, with the WP+T intervention group exhibiting a higher, significant change of behavioral translation. Also, significant, positive relationships between observed postures and musculoskeletal discomfort/pain were found. The intervention effect was stronger when management was responsive to workers' ergonomics needs. This study suggests that a macroergonomics intervention can produce beneficial effects for office and computer workers and organizations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional Observational Battery Testing for Nervous System Effects of Drugs and Other Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

Screening for behavioral toxicity, or neurotoxicity, has become standard practice in preclinical safety pharmacology and toxicology. Behavior represents the integrated sum of activities mediated by the nervous system. Current screening batteries, such as the functional observat...

Study of EPDM/PP polymeric blends: mechanical behavior and effects of compatibilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchart, Vanessa; Bhatnagar, N.; Brieu, Mathias; Ghosh, A. K.; Kondo, Djimedo

2008-09-01

A blend of Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber reinforced by polypropylene (PP) particles has been processed and its hyperelastic behavior has been characterized under cyclic uni-axial tensile tests. The experimental results show a significant effect of the fraction of polypropylene particles (10%, 25% and 30% by weight). Moreover, from another series of tests conducted on materials containing compatibilizers at different mass concentration, it is observed that the introduction of a compatibilizer increases the rigidity of the blends and affects notably their macroscopic behavior. These observations are interpreted as a consequence of the modification at microlevel of adherence between particles and matrix phases. The use of a nonlinear micromechanical model allows us to confirm this interpretation. To cite this article: V. Bouchart et al., C. R. Mecanique 336 (2008).

Anomalous magnetotransport behavior in Fe-doped MnNiGe alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, P.; Pramanick, S.; Singh, Vijay; Major, Dan Thomas; Das, D.; Chatterjee, S.

2016-04-01

The electrical dc transport properties of hexagonal magnetic equiatomic alloys of nominal composition Mn1 -xFexNiGe (x =0.2 and0.25 ) have been investigated experimentally as well as theoretically using first-principles electronic structure calculations. Thermal hysteresis in the magnetization data indicates that the alloys undergo a first-order martensitic transition. Both the alloys show unusual nonmetallic resistivity behavior and a noticeable amount of training effect in resistivity when thermally cycled through the first-order martensitic transition. We observe moderate negative magnetoresistance (˜-11.5 % for 150 kOe) at 5 K (well below the martensitic transition temperature) associated with clear virgin line effect for both the alloys. We have adapted different flavors of density functional theory approach to understand the experimentally observed nonmetallic transport behavior.

Comparative efficacy of the picture exchange communication system (PECS) versus a speech-generating device: effects on social-communicative skills and speech development.

PubMed

Boesch, Miriam C; Wendt, Oliver; Subramanian, Anu; Hsu, Ning

2013-09-01

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and a speech-generating device (SGD) were compared in a study with a multiple baseline, alternating treatment design. The effectiveness of these methods in increasing social-communicative behavior and natural speech production were assessed with three elementary school-aged children with severe autism who demonstrated extremely limited functional communication skills. Results for social-communicative behavior were mixed for all participants in both treatment conditions. Relatively little difference was observed between PECS and SGD conditions. Although findings were inconclusive, data patterns suggest that Phase II of the PECS training protocol is conducive to encouraging social-communicative behavior. Data for speech outcomes did not reveal any increases across participants, and no differences between treatment conditions were observed.

Chirality, Metallicity, and Transition Dependent Asymmetries in Resonance Raman Excitation Profiles of Chirality-Enriched Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doorn, Stephen; Duque, Juan; Telg, Hagen; Haroz, Erik; Tu, Xiaomin; Zheng, Ming

2014-03-01

Access to carbon nanotube samples enriched in single chiralities allows the observation of new photophysical behaviors obscured or difficult to demonstrate in mixed-chirality ensembles. Recent examples include the observation of strongly asymmetric G-band excitation profiles resulting from non-Condon effects1 and the unambiguous demonstration of Raman interference effects.2 We present here our most recent results demonstrating the generality of the non-Condon behavior to include metallic species (specifically several armchair chiralities). Additionally, the Eii dependence in non-Condon behavior with excitations from E11 thru E44 for both RBM and G modes will be discussed. 1. J.G. Duque, et. al., ACS Nano, 5, 5233 (2011). 2. J.G. Duque, et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 117404 (2012).

Investigation on de-trapping mechanisms related to non-monotonic kink pattern in GaN HEMT devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Chandan; Laishram, Robert; Amit, Rawal, Dipendra Singh; Vinayak, Seema; Singh, Rajendra

2017-08-01

This article reports an experimental approach to analyze the kink effect phenomenon which is usually observed during the GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) operation. De-trapping of charge carriers is one of the prominent reasons behind the kink effect. The commonly observed non-monotonic behavior of kink pattern is analyzed under two different device operating conditions and it is found that two different de-trapping mechanisms are responsible for a particular kink behavior. These different de-trapping mechanisms are investigated through a time delay analysis which shows the presence of traps with different time constants. Further voltage sweep and temperature analysis corroborates the finding that different de-trapping mechanisms play a role in kink behavior under different device operating conditions.

A comparison of the effects of hard rock and easy listening on the frequency of observed inappropriate behaviors: control of environmental antecedents in a large public area.

PubMed

Harris, C S; Bradley, R J; Titus, S K

1992-01-01

Observation of clients at a state mental health hospital by direct care staff indicated that they appeared to act in more inappropriate ways when "hard rock" or "rap" music was played in an open courtyard than when "easy listening" or "country" music was played. A study was conducted to compare the inappropriate behavior of clients when hard rock and rap music were played (21 days), followed by easy listening and country and western music (21 days). This comparison was followed by a reversal phase in which hard rock and rap music were again played (18 days). The behaviors of the clients were observed and recorded via a controlled methodology. The results demonstrated that more inappropriate behavior was observed under conditions in which hard rock and rap music were played than when easy listening and country western music were played. The implications of these findings are discussed.

3D abnormal behavior recognition in power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Zhenhua; Li, Xuesen; Su, Jie; Lin, Jie

2011-06-01

So far most research of human behavior recognition focus on simple individual behavior, such as wave, crouch, jump and bend. This paper will focus on abnormal behavior with objects carrying in power generation. Such as using mobile communication device in main control room, taking helmet off during working and lying down in high place. Taking account of the color and shape are fixed, we adopted edge detecting by color tracking to recognize object in worker. This paper introduces a method, which using geometric character of skeleton and its angle to express sequence of three-dimensional human behavior data. Then adopting Semi-join critical step Hidden Markov Model, weighing probability of critical steps' output to reduce the computational complexity. Training model for every behavior, mean while select some skeleton frames from 3D behavior sample to form a critical step set. This set is a bridge linking 2D observation behavior with 3D human joints feature. The 3D reconstruction is not required during the 2D behavior recognition phase. In the beginning of recognition progress, finding the best match for every frame of 2D observed sample in 3D skeleton set. After that, 2D observed skeleton frames sample will be identified as a specifically 3D behavior by behavior-classifier. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated with experiments in similar power generation environment.

Systematic observation of play behavior in autistic children.

PubMed

Black, M; Freeman, B J; Montgomery, J

1975-12-01

The play behavior, defined as interaction with peers and objects, of five autistic children was systematically observed in four environments, i.e., a stark environment, a theraplay unit, a playroom, and an outside play deck. The preliminary results suggested that (1) with some children environment has little or no effect on their play behavior; (2) with multiple objects, autistic children frequently related to the objects rather than to their peers; (3) object play was most frequently at the manipulative stage and often included repetitive and negative behavior; (4) within a confined space with no objects present, autistic children frequently engaged in solitary repetitive behavior; and (5) within a confined space designed to facilitate a movement flow (theraplay), autistic children modeled and imitated and were involved in gross motor play together.

Birthweight outcomes in Bolivia: the role of maternal height, ethnicity, and behavior.

PubMed

Delajara, Marcelo; Wendelspiess Chávez Juárez, Florian

2013-01-01

We identify maternal behavioral factors associated with birthweight in Bolivia using data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 2003. We estimate birthweight as a function of maternal behavior and the child's sex and gestational age. We control for maternal height, ethnicity, education, and wealth, and for differences observed across Bolivian regions in educational and health outcomes, demographic indicators, and altitude. We find that maternal age, fertility record, and birth spacing behavior are the main observable behavioral factors associated with birthweight, and that maternal height is associated with gestational age, a main determinant of birthweight. We also find that after controlling for gestational age, both ethnicity and altitude have an insignificant effect on birthweight. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of a sportsmanship curriculum intervention on generalized positive social behavior of urban elementary school students

PubMed Central

Sharpe, Tom; Brown, Marty; Crider, Kim

1995-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of an elementary physical education curriculum in which development of positive social skills, including leadership and conflict-resolution behaviors, was the primary focus. A second goal was to determine possible generalization effects beyond the primary intervention setting. Students in two urban elementary physical education classes served as subjects, with a third class used as a comparison. The effects of the curriculum intervention were evaluated in the training setting and in the students' regular education classrooms using a multiple baseline across classrooms design. Results showed (a) an immediate increase in student leadership and independent conflict-resolution behaviors, (b) an increase in percentage of class time devoted to activity participation, and (c) decreases in the frequency of student off-task behavior and percentage of class time that students devoted to organizational tasks. Similar changes in student behavior were also observed in the regular classroom settings. PMID:16795872

Effects of Diet-Induced Obesity on Motivation and Pain Behavior in an Operant Assay

PubMed Central

Rossi, Heather L.; Luu, Anthony K.S.; Kothari, Sunny D.; Kuburas, Adisa; Neubert, John K.; Caudle, Robert M.; Recober, Ana

2013-01-01

Obesity has been associated with multiple chronic pain disorders, including migraine. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity would be associated with a reduced threshold for thermal nociception in the trigeminal system. In this study, we sought to examine the effect of diet-induced obesity on facial pain behavior. Mice of two different strains were fed high-fat or regular diet and tested using a well-established operant facial pain assay. We found that the effects of diet on behavior in this assay were strain and reward dependent. Obesity prone C57BL/6J mice fed high-fat diet display lower number of licks of a caloric, palatable reward (33% sweetened condensed milk or 30% sucrose) than control mice. This occurred at all temperatures, in both sexes, and was evident even before the onset of obesity. This diminished reward-seeking behavior was not observed in obesity resistant SKH1E mice. These findings suggest that diet and strain interact to modulate reward-seeking behavior. Furthermore, we observed a difference between diet groups in operant behavior with caloric, palatable rewards, but not with a non-caloric neutral reward (water). Importantly, we found no effect of diet-induced obesity on acute thermal nociception in the absence of inflammation or injury. This indicates that thermal sensation in the face is not affected by obesity-associated peripheral neuropathy as it occurs when studying pain behaviors in the rodent hindpaw. Future studies using this model may reveal whether obesity facilitates the development of chronic pain after injury or inflammation. PMID:23333672

Can a smart chair improve the sitting behavior of office workers?

PubMed

Roossien, C C; Stegenga, J; Hodselmans, A P; Spook, S M; Koolhaas, W; Brouwer, S; Verkerke, G J; Reneman, M F

2017-11-01

Prolonged sitting can cause health problems and musculoskeletal discomfort. There is a need for objective and non-obstructive means of measuring sitting behavior. A 'smart' office chair can monitor sitting behavior and provide tactile feedback, aiming to improve sitting behavior. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the feedback signal on sitting behavior and musculoskeletal discomfort. In a 12-week prospective cohort study (ABCB design) among office workers (n = 45) was measured sitting duration and posture, feedback signals and musculoskeletal discomfort. Between the study phases, small changes were observed in mean sitting duration, posture and discomfort. After turning off the feedback signal, a slight increase in sitting duration was observed (10 min, p = 0.04), a slight decrease in optimally supported posture (2.8%, p < 0.01), and musculoskeletal discomfort (0.8, p < 0.01) was observed. We conclude that the 'smart' chair is able to monitor the sitting behavior, the feedback signal, however, led to small or insignificant changes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Short-term exposure to gold nanoparticle suspension impairs swimming behavior in a widespread calanoid copepod.

PubMed

Michalec, François-Gaël; Holzner, Markus; Barras, Alexandre; Lacoste, Anne-Sophie; Brunet, Loïc; Lee, Jae-Seong; Slomianny, Christian; Boukherroub, Rabah; Souissi, Sami

2017-09-01

Calanoid copepods play an important role in the functioning of marine and brackish ecosystems. Information is scarce on the behavioral toxicity of engineered nanoparticles to these abundant planktonic organisms. We assessed the effects of short-term exposure to nonfunctionalized gold nanoparticles on the swimming behavior of the widespread estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis. By means of three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry, we reconstructed the trajectories of males, ovigerous and non-ovigerous females. We quantified changes in their swimming activity and in the kinematics and geometrical properties of their motion, three important descriptors of the motility patterns of zooplankters. In females, exposure to gold nanoparticles in suspension (11.4 μg L -1 ) for 30 min caused depressed activity and lower velocity and acceleration, whereas the same exposure caused minimal effects in males. This response differs clearly from the hyperactive behavior that is commonly observed in zooplankters exposed to pollutants, and from the generally lower sensitivity of female copepods to toxicants. Accumulation of gold nanoparticles on the external appendages was not observed, precluding mechanical effects. Only very few nanoparticles appeared sporadically in the inner part of the gut in some samples, either as aggregates or as isolated nanoparticles, which does not suggest systemic toxicity resulting from pronounced ingestion. Hence, the precise mechanisms underlying the behavioral toxicity observed here remain to be elucidated. These results demonstrate that gold nanoparticles can induce marked behavioral alterations at very low concentration and short exposure duration. They illustrate the applicability of swimming behavior as a suitable and sensitive endpoint for investigating the toxicity of nanomaterials present in estuarine and marine environments. Changes in swimming behavior may impair the ability of planktonic copepods to interact with their environment and with other organisms, with possible impacts on population dynamics and community structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estradiol, dopamine and motivation.

PubMed

Yoest, Katie E; Cummings, Jennifer A; Becker, Jill B

2014-01-01

The gonadal hormone estradiol modulates mesolimbic dopamine systems in the female rat. This modulatory effect is thought to be responsible for the observed effects of estradiol on motivated behaviors. Dopamine acting in the nucleus accumbens is thought to be important for the attribution of incentive motivational properties to cues that predict reward delivery, while dopamine in the striatum is associated with the expression of repetitive or stereotyped behaviors. Elevated concentrations of estradiol are associated with increased motivation for sex or cues associated with access to a mate, while simultaneously attenuating motivation for food. This shift in motivational salience is important for adaptive choice behavior in the natural environment. Additionally, estradiol's adaptive effects on motivation can be maladaptive when increasing motivation for non-natural reinforcers, such as drugs of abuse. Here we discuss the effect of estradiol on mesotelencephalic dopamine transmission and subsequent effects on motivated behaviors.

The Effectiveness of Daily Behavior Report Cards for Children With ADHD: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Iznardo, Michelle; Rogers, Maria A; Volpe, Robert J; Labelle, Patrick R; Robaey, Philippe

2017-11-01

This meta-analysis examined group-design studies investigating the effectiveness of Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRC) as a school-based intervention to manage the classroom behavior of students with ADHD. A search of three article databases (PsycINFO, ERIC and Medline) identified seven group design evaluations of DBRC interventions. This meta-analysis included a total of 272 participants, with an average age of 7.9 years old. Three of the studies compared a control group to a treatment group with randomized group assignment, one study compared a control group to three treatment groups, two studies compared pre-and post-treatment scores in the same group, and one study compared pre-and post-treatment results of two intervention groups without random assignment. Dependent measures for these studies were teacher ratings (n = 5) and systematic direct observation of student academic and social behaviour (n = 2). Standardized mean differences ( Hedge's g) were calculated to obtain a pooled effect size using fixed effects. DBRCs were associated with reductions teacher-rated ADHD symptoms, with a Hedge's g of 0.36 (95% CI: 0.12-0.60, z=2.93, p ≤ .005) with low heterogeneity (Q-value: 2.40, I 2 = 0.00). This result excluded two studies that used observational coding instead of standardized tests to evaluate the effects of the intervention. A moderator analysis indicated that the effect size for systematic direct observation was large ( Hedge's G = 1.05[95% CI: 0.66-1.44, z=5.25, p ≤ .00]), with very high heterogeneity (Q-value: 46.34, I 2 : 93.53). A second moderator analysis found differences in the effects of DBRCs for comorbid externalizing symptoms with an overall effect size of 0.34 (95%CI: -0.04-0.72, z=1.76 p =0.08) with high heterogeneity (Q-value: 3.98, I 2 : 74.85). DBRCs effectively reduce the frequency and severity of ADHD symptoms in classroom settings. Additionally, they have a significant effect on co-occuring externalizing behaviors. It appears that systematic direct observation may be a more sensitive measure of treatment effects compared to teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms.

Smooth-muscle-specific gene transfer with the human maxi-k channel improves erectile function and enhances sexual behavior in atherosclerotic cynomolgus monkeys.

PubMed

Christ, George J; Andersson, Karl-Erik; Williams, Koudy; Zhao, Weixin; D'Agostino, Ralph; Kaplan, Jay; Aboushwareb, Tamer; Yoo, James; Calenda, Giulia; Davies, Kelvin P; Sellers, Rani S; Melman, Arnold

2009-12-01

Despite the advent of effective oral therapies for erectile dysfunction (ED), many patients are not successfully treated, and side effects have been documented. To further evaluate the potential utility of naked DNA-based gene transfer as an attractive treatment option for ED. The effects of gene transfer on erectile function and sexual behavior were evaluated in eight male cynomolgus monkeys with ED secondary to moderately severe, diet-induced atherosclerosis. Following establishment of baseline characteristics, animals were subjected to intracavernous injection of a smooth-muscle-specific gene transfer vector (pSMAA-hSlo) encoding the pore-forming subunit of the human large-conductance, calcium-sensitive potassium channel (Maxi-K). For the sexual behavior studies, 2 wk of baseline data were obtained, and then animals were placed in the presence of estrogen-implanted females (n=2) three times per week for 30 min, and sexual behavior was recorded. The intracavernous pressure response to papaverine injection was also monitored. Dramatic changes in erectile function and sexual behavior were observed after intracorporal gene transfer. The frequency of partial (6±2 to 10±2) and full (2±1.5 to 5±1.4) erections were significantly increased, with a parallel 2-3-fold increase in the duration of the observed erections. The frequency and latency of ejaculation were increased and decreased, respectively. Frequency and duration of grooming by the female were increased, and the latency decreased. Increased latency and decreased frequency of body contact was also observed, and this is characteristic of the typical drop in consort intimacy that occurs after mating in most macaque species. In addition, an increased responsiveness to intracavernous papaverine injection was observed. The data indicate that intracorporal Maxi-K-channel gene transfer enhances erectile capacity and sexual behavior; the data imply that increased erectile function per se may lead to increased sexual function.

Tio2-dopamine complex implanted unilaterally in the caudate nucleus improves motor activity and behavior function of rats with induced hemiparkinsonism.

PubMed

Vergara-Aragón, Patricia; Domínguez-Marrufo, Leonardo Eduardo; Ibarra-Guerrero, Patricia; Hernandez-Ramírez, Heidi; Hernández-Téllez, Beatriz; López-Martínez, Irma Elena; Sánchez-Cervantes, Ivonne; Santiago-Jacinto, Patricia; García-Macedo, Jorge Alberto; Valverde-Aguilar, Guadalupe; Santiago, Julio

2011-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by malfunction of dopaminergic systems, and the current symptomatic treatment is to replace lost dopamine. For investigating mechanisms of pathogenesis and alternative treatments to compensate lack of dopamine (DA) activity in PD, the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rat model of PD has been useful, these animals display apomorphine-induced contralateral rotational behavior, when they are examined after lesion. The purpose of this study was to assess Titania-dopamine (TiO2-DA) complexes implanted on the caudate nucleus for diminishing motor behavior alterations of the 6-OHDA rat model. Rats with 6-OHDA unilateral lesions received TiO2 alone or TiO2-DA implants, and were tested for open field (OF) gross motor crossing and rearing behaviors, and apomorphine-induced rotation (G) behavior. TiO2 complex have no effects on rearing OF and G behaviors, and a significant reducing effect on crossing motor behavior of normal rats compared to control non-treated rats throughout 56 days of observation. Interestingly, TiO2-DA treatment significant recovered motor crossing and rearing behaviors in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, and diminished the G behaviors during 56 days of examination. Additionally, in the 6-OHDA-lesioned rats TiO2 treatment had a moderate recovering effect only on crossing behavior compared to lesioned non treated rats. Our results suggest that continuous release of dopamine in the caudate nucleus from TiO2-DA complex is capable of reversing gross motor deficits observed in the 6-OHDA-lesioned rat model of PD. Thistype of delivery system of DA represents a promising therapy for PD in humans.

Stress Ratio Effects on Small Fatigue Crack Growth in Ti-6Al-4V (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

crack effect is observed in this alloy , consistent with previous observations, where small cracks grew at stress intensity factor ranges below the long...high stress intensity factor ranges, ΔK, on the order of 10 MPa√m or greater. A significant small crack effect is observed in this alloy , consistent...the behavior of small cracks under different stress ratios in Ti-6Al-4V, an alloy commonly used for fan airfoils. The effect of stress ratio on

Behavioral effects of ketamine and toxic interactions with psychostimulants

PubMed Central

Hayase, Tamaki; Yamamoto, Yoshiko; Yamamoto, Keiichi

2006-01-01

Background The anesthetic drug ketamine (KT) has been reported to be an abused drug and fatal cases have been observed in polydrug users. In the present study, considering the possibility of KT-enhanced toxic effects of other drugs, and KT-induced promotion of an overdose without making the subject aware of the danger due to the attenuation of several painful subjective symptoms, the intraperitoneal (i.p.) KT-induced alterations in behaviors and toxic interactions with popular co-abused drugs, the psychostimulants cocaine (COC) and methamphetamine (MA), were examined in ICR mice. Results A single dose of KT caused hyperlocomotion in a low (30 mg/kg, i.p.) dose group, and hypolocomotion followed by hyperlocomotion in a high (100 mg/kg, i.p.) dose group. However, no behavioral alterations derived from enhanced stress-related depression or anxiety were observed in the forced swimming or the elevated plus-maze test. A single non-fatal dose of COC (30 mg/kg, i.p.) or MA (4 mg/kg, i.p.) caused hyperlocomotion, stress-related depression in swimming behaviors in the forced swimming test, and anxiety-related behavioral changes (preference for closed arms) in the elevated plus-maze test. For the COC (30 mg/kg) or MA (4 mg/kg) groups of mice simultaneously co-treated with KT, the psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion was suppressed by the high dose KT, and the psychostimulant-induced behavioral alterations in the above tests were reversed by both low and high doses of KT. For the toxic dose COC (70 mg/kg, i.p.)- or MA (15 mg/kg, i.p.)-only group, mortality and severe seizures were observed in some animals. In the toxic dose psychostimulant-KT groups, KT attenuated the severity of seizures dose-dependently. Nevertheless, the mortality rate was significantly increased by co-treatment with the high dose KT. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that, in spite of the absence of stress-related depressive and anxiety-related behavioral alterations following a single dose of KT treatment, and in spite of the KT-induced anticonvulsant effects and attenuation of stress- and anxiety-related behaviors caused by COC or MA, the lethal effects of these psychostimulants were increased by KT. PMID:16542420

LONG-TERM BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF INTRADENTATE ADMINISTRATION OF COLCHICINE IN RATS

EPA Science Inventory

Previous work has shown that the intradentate administration of colchicine produces time-dependent behavioral and neurochemical changes. eficits in learning and memory and alterations In the signal transduction process for the cholinergic muscarinic receptor have been observed up...

The Hawthorne effect and energy awareness

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Daniel; Fischhoff, Baruch; Krishnamurti, Tamar; Sowell, Fallaw

2013-01-01

The feeling of being observed or merely participating in an experiment can affect individuals’ behavior. Referred to as the Hawthorne effect, this inconsistently observed phenomenon can both provide insight into individuals' behavior and confound the interpretation of experimental manipulations. Here, we pursue both topics in examining how the Hawthorne effect emerges in a large field experiment focused on residential consumers’ electricity use. These consumers received five postcards notifying, and then reminding, them of their participation in a study of household electricity use. We found evidence for a Hawthorne (study participation) effect, seen in a reduction of their electricity use—even though they received no information, instruction, or incentives to change. Responses to a follow-up survey suggested that the effect reflected heightened awareness of energy consumption. Consistent with that interpretation, the treatment effect vanished when the intervention ended. PMID:24003110

Moral Attitudes Predict Cheating and Gamesmanship Behaviors Among Competitive Tennis Players

PubMed Central

Lucidi, Fabio; Zelli, Arnaldo; Mallia, Luca; Nicolais, Giampaolo; Lazuras, Lambros; Hagger, Martin S.

2017-01-01

Background: The present study tested Lee et al.’s (2008) model of moral attitudes and cheating behavior in sports in an Italian sample of young tennis players and extended it to predict behavior in actual match play. In the first phase of the study we proposed that moral, competence and status values would predict prosocial and antisocial moral attitudes directly, and indirectly through athletes’ goal orientations. In the second phase, we hypothesized that moral attitudes would directly predict actual cheating behavior observed during match play. Method: Adolescent competitive tennis players (N = 314, 76.75% males, M age = 14.36 years, SD = 1.50) completed measures of values, goal orientations, and moral attitudes. A sub-sample (n = 90) was observed in 45 competitive tennis matches by trained observers who recorded their cheating and gamesmanship behaviors on a validated checklist. Results: Consistent with hypotheses, athletes’ values predicted their moral attitudes through the effects of goal orientations. Anti-social attitudes directly predicted cheating behavior in actual match play providing support for a direct link between moral attitude and actual behavior. Conclusion: The present study findings support key propositions of Lee and colleagues’ model, and extended its application to competitive athletes in actual match play. PMID:28446891

Four Methods for Analyzing Partial Interval Recording Data, with Application to Single-Case Research.

PubMed

Pustejovsky, James E; Swan, Daniel M

2015-01-01

Partial interval recording (PIR) is a procedure for collecting measurements during direct observation of behavior. It is used in several areas of educational and psychological research, particularly in connection with single-case research. Measurements collected using partial interval recording suffer from construct invalidity because they are not readily interpretable in terms of the underlying characteristics of the behavior. Using an alternating renewal process model for the behavior under observation, we demonstrate that ignoring the construct invalidity of PIR data can produce misleading inferences, such as inferring that an intervention reduces the prevalence of an undesirable behavior when in fact it has the opposite effect. We then propose four different methods for analyzing PIR summary measurements, each of which can be used to draw inferences about interpretable behavioral parameters. We demonstrate the methods by applying them to data from two single-case studies of problem behavior.

Fatigue Behavior and the Relationship Between Crack Propagation and the Slit Configuration of C/c Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdous, Md. Shafiul; Setyabudi, Sofyan Arief; Makabe, Chobin; Fujikawa, Masaki

2013-05-01

The fatigue and fracture behavior of C/C composites fabricated using fine-woven carbon fiber laminates with α = 0/90° direction were investigated. Also, the phenomenon of crack growth behavior and the shear damage in the fiber bundle was discussed. Slits of several sizes were cut on both sides of a test section and different sizes of slit length were chosen. The effect of the slit configuration on crack initiation and growth behavior was observed. Specimens with blunt-notches and center-holes were also used to compare the fatigue strength and crack growth behavior. Non-propagating cracks were observed and fatigue limit was defined as the maximum stress at which specimen did not break for N = 107 cycles stress application. The longest fatigue life was obtained in the case of specimens with shorter slits. The relationships between fatigue strengths and specimen shapes were analyzed by stress concentration, Kt, and stress intensity factor, KI. The effect of slit configuration on fatigue strength was then discussed regarding both the experimental and calculated consequences.

Two Oral Midazolam Preparations in Pediatric Dental Patients: A Prospective Randomised Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Kamranzadeh, Shaqayegh; Kousha, Maryam; Shaeghi, Shahnaz; AbdollahGorgi, Fatemeh

2015-01-01

Pharmacological sedation is an alternative behavior management strategy in pediatric dentistry. The aim of this study was to compare the behavioral and physiologic effects of “commercially midazolam syrup” versus “orally administered IV midazolam dosage form (extemporaneous midazolam (EF))” in uncooperative pediatric dental patients. Eighty-eight children between 4 to 7 years of age received 0.2–0.5 mg/kg midazolam in this parallel trial. Physiologic parameters were recorded at baseline and every 15 minutes. Behavior assessment was conducted objectively by Houpt scale throughout the sedation and North Carolina at baseline and during injection and cavity preparation. No significant difference in behavior was noted by Houpt or North Carolina scale. Acceptable behavior (excellent, very good, and good) was observed in 90.9% of syrup and 79.5% of EF subjects, respectively. Physiological parameters remained in normal range without significant difference between groups and no adverse effect was observed. It is concluded that EF midazolam preparation can be used as an acceptable alternative to midazolam syrup. PMID:26120325

Long-term effects of a single exposure to stress in adult rats on behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responsiveness: comparison of two outbred rat strains.

PubMed

Belda, Xavier; Márquez, Cristina; Armario, Antonio

2004-10-05

We have previously observed that a single exposure to immobilization (IMO), a severe stressor, caused long-term (days to weeks) desensitization of the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to the homotypic stressor, with no changes in behavioral reactivity to novel environments. In contrast, other laboratories have reported that a single exposure to footshock induced a long-term sensitization of both HPA and behavioral responses to novel environments. To test whether these apparent discrepancies can be explained by the use of different stressors or different strains of rats, we studied in the present work the long-term effects of a single exposure to two different stressors (footshock or IMO) in two different strains of rats (Sprague-Dawley from Iffa-Credo and Wistar rats from Harlan). We found that both strains showed desensitization of the HPA response to the same (homotypic) stressor after a previous exposure to either shock or IMO. The long-term effects were higher after IMO than shock. No major changes in behavior in two novel environments (circular corridor, CC and elevated plus-maze, EPM) were observed after a single exposure to shock or IMO in neither strain, despite the fact that shocked rats showed a conditioned freezing response to the shock boxes. The present results demonstrate that long-term stress-induced desensitization of the HPA axis is a reliable phenomenon that can be observed with different stressors and strains. However, only behavioral changes related to shock-induced conditioned fear were found, which suggests that so far poorly characterized factors are determining the long-term behavioral consequences of a single exposure to stress.

Maternal Expectations for Toddlers' Reactions to Novelty: Relations of Maternal Internalizing Symptoms and Parenting Dimensions to Expectations and Accuracy of Expectations.

PubMed

Kiel, Elizabeth J; Buss, Kristin A

2010-07-03

OBJECTIVE: Although maternal internalizing symptoms and parenting dimensions have been linked to reports and perceptions of children's behavior, it remains relatively unknown whether these characteristics relate to expectations or the accuracy of expectations for toddlers' responses to novel situations. DESIGN: A community sample of 117 mother-toddler dyads participated in a laboratory visit and questionnaire completion. At the laboratory, mothers were interviewed about their expectations for their toddlers' behaviors in a variety of novel tasks; toddlers then participated in these activities, and trained coders scored their behaviors. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing demographics, depressive and worry symptoms, and parenting dimensions. RESULTS: Mothers who reported more worry expected their toddlers to display more fearful behavior during the laboratory tasks, but worry did not moderate how accurately maternal expectations predicted toddlers' observed behavior. When also reporting a low level of authoritative-responsive parenting, maternal depressive symptoms moderated the association between maternal expectations and observed toddler behavior, such that, as depressive symptoms increased, maternal expectations related less strongly to toddler behavior. CONCLUSIONS: When mothers were asked about their expectations for their toddlers' behavior in the same novel situations from which experimenters observe this behavior, symptoms and parenting had minimal effect on the accuracy of mothers' expectations. When in the context of low authoritative-responsive parenting, however, depressive symptoms related to less accurate predictions of their toddlers' fearful behavior.

Effects of BPA and BPS exposure limited to early embryogenesis persist to impair non-associative learning in adults.

PubMed

Mersha, Mahlet D; Patel, Bansri M; Patel, Dipen; Richardson, Brittany N; Dhillon, Harbinder S

2015-09-17

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a polymerizing agent used in plastic bottles and several routinely used consumer items. It is classified among endocrine disrupting chemicals suspected to cause adverse health effects in mammals ranging from infertility and cancer to behavioral disorders. Work with the invertebrate lab model Caenorhabditis elegans has shown that BPA affects germ cells by disrupting double-stranded DNA break repair mechanisms. The current study utilizes this model organism to provide insight into low-dose and long-term behavioral effects of BPA and bisphenol-S (BPS), a supposed safer replacement for BPA. Experiments presented in our report demonstrate that the effects of embryonic exposure to considerably low levels of BPA persist into adulthood, affecting neural functionality as assayed by measuring habituation to mechano-sensory stimuli in C. elegans. These results are noteworthy in that they are based on low-dose exposures, following the rationale that subtler effects that may not be morphologically apparent are likely to be discernible through behavioral changes. In addition, we report that embryonic exposure to BPS follows a pattern similar to BPA. Building upon previous observations using the C. elegans model, we have shown that exposure of embryos to BPA and BPS affects their behavior as adults. These long-term effects are in line with recommended alternate low-dose chemical safety testing approaches. Our observation that the effects of BPS are similar to BPA is not unexpected, considering their structural similarity. This, to our knowledge, is the first reported behavioral study on low-dose toxicity of any endocrine disrupting chemical in C. elegans.

Leader identity as an antecedent of the frequency and consistency of transformational, consideration, and abusive leadership behaviors.

PubMed

Johnson, Russell E; Venus, Merlijn; Lanaj, Klodiana; Mao, Changguo; Chang, Chu-Hsiang

2012-11-01

Drawing from identity-based theories of leadership, we examined relations of leader identity with leader behavior and perceived effectiveness. To do so, we employed multiwave methodology to examine the differential impact of leaders' chronic collective, relational, and individual identities on the frequency and consistency of their subsequent transformational, consideration, and abusive behaviors over a 3-week period. We also examined the relative importance of these leadership behaviors for predicting perceived leader effectiveness as rated by subordinates and peers. Results indicated that leaders' collective and individual identities were uniquely related to transformational and abusive behaviors, respectively. We also observed a significant collective by individual identity interaction, such that abusive behaviors were most frequent when a strong individual identity was paired with a weak collective identity. Frequency of transformational behaviors accounted for the largest proportion of variance in perceived leader effectiveness, followed by frequency of abusive behaviors and consistency of transformational behaviors. We discuss the implications of these findings for leadership theory and development. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Developmental Timing of the Effects of Maternal Care on Gene Expression and Epigenetic Regulation of Hormone Receptor Levels in Female Rats

PubMed Central

Peña, Catherine Jensen; Neugut, Y. Dana

2013-01-01

Maternal care experienced during postnatal development has enduring effects on neuroendocrine function and behavior. Previous studies in rats have illustrated the effect of maternal licking/grooming (LG) on hormone receptors and maternal behavior of adult female offspring associated with altered DNA methylation. However, the developmental timing of these effects, which provide insight into the cellular and molecular pathways through which early experience alters later behavior, had not been explored. Here, we demonstrate the developmental emergence of these outcomes and use cross-fostering to identify sensitive periods for these effects. Estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ mRNA levels within the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the hypothalamus were increased by postnatal day (PN)21 in female offspring of high LG dams; LG-associated increases in oxytocin receptor mRNA levels were observed beyond the weaning period. Quantification of ERα-immunoreactivity indicated a high degree of neuroanatomical specificity of LG effects within the MPOA that were observed by PN6. Reduced DNA methylation and histone 3 lysine 9 tri-methylation and increased histone 3 lysine 4 tri-methylation at the ERα gene promoter (Esr1) were detected at PN21 in high LG female offspring. Latency to engage in maternal behavior toward donor pups was significantly shorter among high LG females. Cross-fostering revealed that maternal sensitization and MPOA ERα levels are sensitive to maternal care experienced before but not after PN10. Differential windows of plasticity were identified for ERβ and oxytocin receptor mRNA levels. These studies contribute significantly to our understanding of the molecular, neurobiological, and behavioral pathways through which variation in maternal behavior is transmitted from one generation to the next. PMID:24002038

[Epilepsy, cognition and ketogenic diet].

PubMed

Garcia-Penas, J J

2018-03-01

Most individuals with epilepsy will respond to pharmacologic treatment; however, approximately 20-30% will develop medically refractory epilepsy. Cognitive side effects of antiepileptic drugs are common and can negatively affect tolerability, compliance, and long-term retention of the treatment. Ketogenic diet is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for these children with refractory epilepsy without any negative effect on cognition or behavior. To review the current state of experimental and clinical data concerning the neuroprotective and cognitive effects of the ketogenic diet in both humans and animals. In different animal models, with or without epilepsy, the ketogenic diet seems to have neuroprotective and mood-stabilizing effects. In the observational studies in pediatric epilepsy, improvements during treatment with the ketogenic diet are reported in behavior and cognitive function, particularly with respect to attention, alertness, activity level, socialization, and sleep quality. One randomized controlled trial in patients with pediatric refractory epilepsy showed a mood and cognitive activation during ketogenic diet treatment. Ketogenic diet shows a positive impact on behavioral and cognitive functioning in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy. More specifically, an improvement is observed in mood, sustained attention, and social interaction.

Identifying instructional tasks that occasion problem behaviors and assessing the effects of student versus teacher choice among these tasks.

PubMed

Vaughn, B J; Horner, R H

1997-01-01

Levels of problem behavior were assessed when 4 students with severe disabilities received instruction on preferred versus nonpreferred tasks and when tasks of each type were chosen by the teacher rather than by the student. In Phase 1, interview and direct observation assessments were conducted to identify relative preferences for academic tasks. In Phase 2, the effects of these lower preference and higher preference tasks on the rate of problem behavior were evaluated using a multielement design. The results showed that lower preference tasks were associated with higher rates of problem behaviors and that students, when given a choice, consistently selected the tasks that had been identified through interview and direct observation as higher preference. In Phase 3, we assessed whether allowing the students to choose between pairs of lower preference tasks or between pairs of higher preference tasks reduced problem behavior relative to a condition in which the teacher selected the same tasks. For 2 of 4 students, the rates of problem behavior were lower when students (rather than the teacher) selected the lower preference activity. Higher preference tasks for 3 students were associated with relatively low rates of problem behavior regardless of whether the student or the teacher selected the task.

Prorelationship maintenance behaviors: the joint roles of attachment and commitment.

PubMed

Tran, Sisi; Simpson, Jeffry A

2009-10-01

The present research uses a behavioral observation methodology to examine emotional and behavioral reactions to threatening interpersonal situations in married couples. The research shows that although anxious attachment can hinder people's tendencies to react constructively to threatening events, greater relationship commitment may serve as a buffer against the negative effects associated with attachment insecurities, diminishing feelings of rejection, enhancing feelings of acceptance, and promoting more constructive accommodation behaviors. The research also reveals that wives' degree of relationship commitment has stronger effects on emotional outcomes for both partners than does husbands' degree of commitment. Moreover, husbands' and wives' emotional reactions affect their own accommodative behaviors as well as their spouses' behaviors. These dyadic findings are discussed in terms of attachment theory and interdependence theory. 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Increased sensitivity to the acute effects of MDMA ("ecstasy") in female rats.

PubMed

Palenicek, T; Votava, M; Bubenikova, V; Horacek, J

2005-11-15

Behavioral effects of +/-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) are relatively well described in humans as well as in animals. However, little is known about gender differences to the effects of MDMA. The aim of our study was to evaluate gender differences in stimulant effects of MDMA (2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mg/kg subcutaneously (s.c.)) in male and female Wistar rats. We have used three behavioral methods (activity cage, open field, and elevated plus-maze) each describing a different pattern of spontaneous behavior. In the activity cage, 30 min after the MDMA administration, horizontal and vertical locomotor activities were registered for a period of 3 min. In the open field test rats were placed into an arena 15 min after drug treatment and locomotor activity was registered for a period of 30 min. Finally, in the elevated plus-maze test, rats were given MDMA 30 min prior to measurements and subsequently they were tested in the maze for a period of 5 min. In our experiments we observed a dose-dependent locomotion-enhancing effect of MDMA both in male and female rats in both locomotor tests. Female rats were more sensitive to the locomotor-stimulating effect than males in both tests, suggesting higher sensitivity to the stimulatory effect of MDMA. Further on, MDMA increased thigmotaxis in female rats in the open field test and decreased "anxious-like" behavior in the elevated plus-maze in both genders. In conclusion, we observed higher sensitivity of females to the locomotor-stimulant effect of MDMA. Increased sensitivity of females to the behavioral effects of MDMA can be explained by increased reactivity of serotonergic and dopaminergic systems.

Social Enrichment during Postnatal Development Induces Transgenerational Effects on Emotional and Reproductive Behavior in Mice

PubMed Central

Curley, James P.; Davidson, Stephanie; Bateson, Patrick; Champagne, Frances A.

2009-01-01

Across species there is evidence that the quality of the early social environment can have a profound impact on neurobiology and behavior. In the present study we explore the effect of communal rearing conditions (three dams with three litters per cage) during the postnatal period on offspring (F1) and grand-offspring (F2) anxiety-like and maternal behavior in Balb/c mice. Females rearing pups in communal nests exhibited increased levels of postpartum maternal care and communal rearing was found to abolish sex-differences in weaning weights. In adulthood, communally reared offspring were observed to display reduced anxiety-like behavior when placed in a novel environment. When rearing their own offspring under standard conditions, communally reared females demonstrated higher levels of motivation to retrieve pups, built higher quality nests, and exhibited higher levels of postpartum care compared to standard reared females. When exposed to an intruder male, communally reared females were more subordinate and less aggressive. F2 offspring of communally reared females were observed to engage in reduced anxiety-like behavior, have larger litter sizes and an increased frequency of nursing on PND 1. Analysis of neuropeptide receptor levels suggest that a communal rearing environment may exert sustained effects on behavior through modification of oxytocin and vasopressin (V1a) receptor densities. Though Balb-C mice are often considered “socially-incompetent” and high in anxiety-like behavior, our findings suggest that through enrichment of the postnatal environment, these behavioral and neuroendocrine deficits may be attenuated both within and across generations. PMID:19826497

The Effects of a Brief Acceptance-Based Behavioral Treatment Versus Traditional Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Public Speaking Anxiety: An Exploratory Trial Examining Differential Effects on Performance and Neurophysiology.

PubMed

Glassman, Lisa H; Forman, Evan M; Herbert, James D; Bradley, Lauren E; Foster, Elizabeth E; Izzetoglu, Meltem; Ruocco, Anthony C

2016-09-01

Individuals with public speaking anxiety (PSA) experience fear and avoidance that can cause extreme distress, impaired speaking performance, and associated problems in psychosocial functioning. Most extant interventions for PSA emphasize anxiety reduction rather than enhancing behavioral performance. We compared the efficacy of two brief cognitive-behavioral interventions, a traditional cognitive-behavior treatment (tCBT) and an acceptance-based behavior treatment (ABBT), on public speaking performance and anxiety in a clinical sample of persons with PSA. The effects of treatment on prefrontal brain activation were also examined. Participants (n = 21) were randomized to 90 min of an ABBT or a tCBT intervention. Assessments took place at pre- and post-treatment and included self-rated anxiety and observer-rated performance measures, a behavioral assessment, and prefrontal cortical activity measurements using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Exploratory results indicated that participants in the ABBT condition experienced greater improvements in observer-rated performance relative to those in the tCBT condition, while those in the tCBT condition experienced greater reductions in subjective anxiety levels. Individuals in the ABBT condition also exhibited a trend toward greater treatment-related reductions in blood volume in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex relative to those who received tCBT. Overall, these findings preliminarily suggest that acceptance-based treatments may free more cognitive resources in comparison with tCBT, possibly resulting in greater improvements in objectively rated behavioral performances for ABBT interventions. © The Author(s) 2016.

Quantifying ADHD classroom inattentiveness, its moderators, and variability: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Kofler, Michael J; Rapport, Mark D; Alderson, R Matt

2008-01-01

Most classroom observation studies have documented significant deficiencies in the classroom attention of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to their typically developing peers. The magnitude of these differences, however, varies considerably and may be influenced by contextual, sampling, diagnostic, and observational differences. Meta-analysis of 23 between-group classroom observation studies using weighted regression, publication bias, goodness of fit, best case, and original metric analyses. Across studies, a large effect size (ES = .73) was found prior to consideration of potential moderators. Weighted regression, best case, and original metric estimation indicate that this effect may be an underestimation of the classroom visual attention deficits of children with ADHD. Several methodological factors-classroom environment, sample characteristics, diagnostic procedures, and observational coding schema-differentially affect observed rates of classroom attentive behavior for children with ADHD and typically developing children. After accounting for these factors, children with ADHD were on-task approximately 75% of the time compared to 88% for their classroom peers (ES = 1.40). Children with ADHD were also more variable in their attentive behavior across studies. The present study confirmed that children with ADHD exhibit deficient and more variable visual attending to required stimuli in classroom settings and provided an aggregate estimation of the magnitude of these deficits at the group level. It also demonstrated the impact of situational, sampling, diagnostic, and observational variables on observed rates of on-task behavior.

Performance-Based Incentives and the Behavior of Accounting Academics: Responding to Changes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moya, Soledad; Prior, Diego; Rodríguez-Pérez, Gonzalo

2015-01-01

When laws change the rules of the game, it is important to observe the effects on the players' behavior. Some effects can be anticipated while others are difficult to enunciate before the law comes into force. In this paper we have analyzed articles authored by Spanish accounting academics between 1996 and 2005 to assess the impact of a change in…

Relationships Between Selected Teacher Behaviors and Pupil Academic Achievement: Preliminary Observations (Sample Project A). The Effect of Teacher Input on Student Performance (Sample Project B). Technical Report #35.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Au, Kathryn H.

This Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) report describes two studies on the effects of student-teacher interaction on student performance. Study I explored the relationship between three kinds of teacher behaviors (modeling, teacher attention to individual students, and praise-giving to individual students) and the pupil's academic…

The Effect of Television-Mediated Aggression and Real-Life Aggression on the Behavior of Lebanese Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Richard C.; Ghandour, Maryam

1984-01-01

Investigates the effect of television-mediated aggression and real-life aggression on the behavior of Lebanese children. Observations made of 48 boys and 48 girls six to eight years of age revealed that boys as a group were more aggressive than girls and exhibited more imitative aggression. Girls were more violent after viewing real-life violence.…

The effects of blueberries on cognition and neuroplasticity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It has been demonstrated that consuming blueberries can prevent and even reverse the occurrence of neurochemical and behavioral changes associated with aging. Recent research suggests that consuming a high-fat diet (HFD) may result in behavioral deficits similar to those observed in aging animals. T...

Investigation of complex slow slip behavior along the Hikurangi subduction zone with earthquake simulator RSQSim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colella, H.; Ellis, S. M.; Williams, C. A.

2015-12-01

The Hikurangi subduction zone (New Zealand) is one of many subudction zones that exhibit slow slip behavior. Geodetic observations along the Hikurangi subduction zone are unusual in that not only does the subduction zone exhibit periodic slow slip events at "typical" subduction-zone depths of 25-50 km along the southern part of the margin, but also much shallower depths of 8-15 km along the northern part of the margin. Furthermore, there is evidence for interplay between slow slip events at these different depth ranges (between the deep and shallow events) along the central part of the margin, and some of the slow slip behavior is observed along regions of the interface that were previously considered locked, which raises questions about the slip behavior of this region. This study employs the earthquake simulator, RSQSim, to explore variations in the effective normal stress (i.e., stress after the addition of pore fluid pressures) and the frictional instability necessary to generate the complex slow slip events observed along the Hikurangi margin. Preliminary results suggest that to generate slow slip events with similar recurrence intervals to those observed the effective normal stress (MPa) is 3x higher in the south than the north, 6-9MPa versus 2-3MPa, respectively. Results also suggest that, at a minimum, that some overlap along the central margin must exist between the slow slip sections in the north and south to reproduce the types of slip events observed along the Hikurangi subduction zone. To further validate the results from the simulations, Okada solutions for surface displacements will be compared to geodetic solution to more accurately constrain the areas in which slip behavior varies and the cause(s) for the variation(s).

Caregiver Insightfulness and Young Children’s Violence Exposure: Testing a Relational Model of Risk and Resilience

PubMed Central

Gray, Sarah A. O.; Forbes, Danielle; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret; Carter, Alice S.

2016-01-01

This study employed a relational post-traumatic stress frame to explore the co-contribution of young children’s exposure to violence and caregiver insightfulness on child behavioral outcomes in a high-risk, non-referred sample of caregivers and preschoolers (n = 64; mean age 3.83 years, SD = .77). Caregiver insightfulness did not have a main effect on child outcomes but did moderate the relation between violence exposure and child behavior across all observed outcomes. Violence-exposed children with non-insightful caregivers demonstrated higher caregiver-rated internalizing and externalizing behaviors and observer-rated negative affect than all other groups. Among children not exposed to violence, insightfulness was not related to children’s behavior problems or negative affect, suggesting violence-specific processes. Though cross-sectional, results suggest that the effects of violence and caregiver insightfulness on child outcomes are contingent on one another and that caregiver insightfulness may play a protective role in contexts of violence. PMID:26503175

The inhibitory spillover effect: Controlling the bladder makes better liars *

PubMed Central

Fenn, Elise; Blandón-Gitlin, Iris; Coons, Jennifer; Pineda, Catherine; Echon, Reinalyn

2015-01-01

The Inhibitory-Spillover-Effect (ISE) on a deception task was investigated. The ISE occurs when performance in one self-control task facilitates performance in another (simultaneously conducted) self-control task. Deceiving requires increased access to inhibitory control. We hypothesized that inducing liars to control urination urgency (physical inhibition) would facilitate control during deceptive interviews (cognitive inhibition). Participants drank small (low-control) or large (high-control) amounts of water. Next, they lied or told the truth to an interviewer. Third-party observers assessed the presence of behavioral cues and made true/lie judgments. In the high-control, but not the low-control condition, liars displayed significantly fewer behavioral cues to deception, more behavioral cues signaling truth, and provided longer and more complex accounts than truth-tellers. Accuracy detecting liars in the high-control condition was significantly impaired; observers revealed bias toward perceiving liars as truth-tellers. The ISE can operate in complex behaviors. Acts of deception can be facilitated by covert manipulations of self-control. PMID:26366466

Teaching social perception skills to adolescents with autism and intellectual disabilities using video-based group instruction.

PubMed

Stauch, Tiffany A; Plavnick, Joshua B; Sankar, Sudha; Gallagher, Annie C

2018-05-17

Few interventions focus on teaching social skills to adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) that are consistently used during interactions with peers ( Carter et al., 2014). The present study evaluated the effects of video-based group instruction (VGI) on the acquisition of social perception skills of five adolescents with ASD or ID in a public school setting. Social perception involves observing affective behaviors of others, discriminating relevant environmental stimuli, and differentially reinforcing the affective behavior of another person. Typically developing peers supported VGI implementation as social partners for participants. A multiple probe design across behaviors demonstrated the effectiveness of VGI for teaching social perception skills. Four of five participants acquired and maintained the targeted social perception skills, and we observed some transfer to a nontreatment setting. Results of this study suggest VGI may support the acquisition of social perception among adolescents with ASD or ID. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Reentrant behavior in the nearest-neighbor Ising antiferromagnet in a magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neto, Minos A.; de Sousa, J. Ricardo

2004-12-01

Motived by the H-T phase diagram in the bcc Ising antiferromagnetic with nearest-neighbor interactions obtained by Monte Carlo simulation [Landau, Phys. Rev. B 16, 4164 (1977)] that shows a reentrant behavior at low temperature, with two critical temperatures in magnetic field about 2% greater than the critical value Hc=8J , we apply the effective field renormalization group (EFRG) approach in this model on three-dimensional lattices (simple cubic-sc and body centered cubic-bcc). We find that the critical curve TN(H) exhibits a maximum point around of H≃Hc only in the bcc lattice case. We also discuss the critical behavior by the effective field theory in clusters with one (EFT-1) and two (EFT-2) spins, and a reentrant behavior is observed for the sc and bcc lattices. We have compared our results of EFRG in the bcc lattice with Monte Carlo and series expansion, and we observe a good accordance between the methods.

Emotional and behavioral reactions to facially deformed patients before and after craniofacial surgery.

PubMed

Barden, R C; Ford, M E; Wilhelm, W M; Rogers-Salyer, M; Salyer, K E

1988-09-01

The present experiment investigated whether observers' emotional and behavioral reactions to facially deformed patients could be substantially improved by surgical procedures conducted by well-trained specialists in an experienced multidisciplinary team. Also investigated was the hypothesis that emotional states mediate the effects of physical attractiveness and facial deformity on social interaction. Twenty patients between the ages of 3 months and 17 years were randomly selected from over 2000 patients' files of Kenneth E. Salyer of Dallas, Texas. Patient diagnoses included facial clefts, hypertelorism, Treacher Collins syndrome, and craniofacial dysostoses (Crouzon's and Apert's syndromes). Rigorously standardized photographs of patients taken before and after surgery were shown to 22 "naive" raters ranging in age from 18 to 54 years. Raters were asked to predict their emotional and behavioral responses to the patients. These ratings indicated that observers' behavioral reactions to facially deformed children and adolescents would be more positive following craniofacial surgery. Similarly, the ratings indicated that observers' emotional reactions to these patients would be more positive following surgery. The results are discussed in terms of current sociopsychologic theoretical models for the effects of attractiveness on social interaction. A new model is presented that implicates induced emotional states as a mediating process in explaining the effects of attractiveness and facial deformity on the quality of social interactions. Limitations of the current investigation and directions for future research are also discussed.

Reinforcement control of severe dysfunctional behavior of blind, multihandicapped students.

PubMed

Luiselli, J K; Myles, E; Evans, T P; Boyce, D A

1985-11-01

The effectiveness of reinforcement-based programs with blind, multihandicapped students was examined. In Study 1 the aggressive behavior of a deaf/blind adolescent was eliminated through a differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) procedure that was combined with a reinforcer cueing technique and brief time-out. In Study 2 DRO was utilized to reduce stereotypic eye-pressing by a young blind child who was also hearing-impaired. Follow-up observations while treatment procedures remained operative revealed maintenance of intervention effects from 1 to 8 months posttreatment.

Modeling of synchronization behavior of bursting neurons at nonlinearly coupled dynamical networks.

PubMed

Çakir, Yüksel

2016-01-01

Synchronization behaviors of bursting neurons coupled through electrical and dynamic chemical synapses are investigated. The Izhikevich model is used with random and small world network of bursting neurons. Various currents which consist of diffusive electrical and time-delayed dynamic chemical synapses are used in the simulations to investigate the influences of synaptic currents and couplings on synchronization behavior of bursting neurons. The effects of parameters, such as time delay, inhibitory synaptic strengths, and decay time on synchronization behavior are investigated. It is observed that in random networks with no delay, bursting synchrony is established with the electrical synapse alone, single spiking synchrony is observed with hybrid coupling. In small world network with no delay, periodic bursting behavior with multiple spikes is observed when only chemical and only electrical synapse exist. Single-spike and multiple-spike bursting are established with hybrid couplings. A decrease in the synchronization measure is observed with zero time delay, as the decay time is increased in random network. For synaptic delays which are above active phase period, synchronization measure increases with an increase in synaptic strength and time delay in small world network. However, in random network, it increases with only an increase in synaptic strength.

Characterization of behavioral and endocrine effects of LSD on zebrafish.

PubMed

Grossman, Leah; Utterback, Eli; Stewart, Adam; Gaikwad, Siddharth; Chung, Kyung Min; Suciu, Christopher; Wong, Keith; Elegante, Marco; Elkhayat, Salem; Tan, Julia; Gilder, Thomas; Wu, Nadine; Dileo, John; Cachat, Jonathan; Kalueff, Allan V

2010-12-25

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent hallucinogenic drug that strongly affects animal and human behavior. Although adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) are emerging as a promising neurobehavioral model, the effects of LSD on zebrafish have not been investigated previously. Several behavioral paradigms (the novel tank, observation cylinder, light-dark box, open field, T-maze, social preference and shoaling tests), as well as modern video-tracking tools and whole-body cortisol assay were used to characterize the effects of acute LSD in zebrafish. While lower doses (5-100 microg/L) did not affect zebrafish behavior, 250 microg/L LSD increased top dwelling and reduced freezing in the novel tank and observation cylinder tests, also affecting spatiotemporal patterns of activity (as assessed by 3D reconstruction of zebrafish traces and ethograms). LSD evoked mild thigmotaxis in the open field test, increased light behavior in the light-dark test, reduced the number of arm entries and freezing in the T-maze and social preference test, without affecting social preference. In contrast, LSD affected zebrafish shoaling (increasing the inter-fish distance in a group), and elevated whole-body cortisol levels. Overall, our findings show sensitivity of zebrafish to LSD action, and support the use of zebrafish models to study hallucinogenic drugs of abuse. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Behavioral changes and cholinesterase activity of rats acutely treated with propoxur.

PubMed

Thiesen, F V; Barros, H M; Tannhauser, M; Tannhauser, S L

1999-01-01

Early assessment of neurological and behavioral effects is extremely valuable for early identification of intoxications because preventive measures can be taken against more severe or chronic toxic consequences. The time course of the effects of an oral dose of the anticholinesterase agent propoxur (8.3 mg/kg) was determined on behaviors displayed in the open-field and during an active avoidance task by rats and on blood and brain cholinesterase activity. Maximum inhibition of blood cholinesterase was observed within 30 min after administration of propoxur. The half-life of enzyme-activity recovery was estimated to be 208.6 min. Peak brain cholinesterase inhibition was also detected between 5 and 30 min of the pesticide administration, but the half-life for enzyme activity recovery was much shorter, in the range of 85 min. Within this same time interval of the enzyme effects, diminished motor and exploratory activities and decreased performance of animals in the active avoidance task were observed. Likewise, behavioral normalization after propoxur followed a time frame similar to that of brain cholinesterase. These data indicate that behavioral changes that occur during intoxication with low oral doses of propoxur may be dissociated from signs characteristic of cholinergic over-stimulation but accompany brain cholinesterase activity inhibition.

Precipitation Strengthenable NiTiPd High Temperature Shape Memory Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bigelow, Glen; Garg, Anita; Benafan, Othmane; Noebe, Ronald; Gaydosh, Darrell; Padula, Santo, II

2017-01-01

In binary NiTi alloys, it has long been known that Ni-rich alloys can be heat treated to produce precipitates which both strengthen the matrix against dislocations and improve the behavior of the material under thermal and mechanical cycling. Within recent years, the same effect has been observed in Ni-rich NiTiHf high temperature shape memory alloys and heat treatment regimens have been defined which will reliably produce improved properties. In NiTiPd alloys, precipitation has also been observed, but studies are still underway to define reliable heat treatments and compositions which will provide a balance of strengthening and good thermomechanical properties. For this study, a series of NiTi-32 at.Pd alloys was produced to determine the effect of changing nickeltitanium content on the transformation behavior and heat treatability of the material. Samples were aged at temperatures between 350C and 450C for times up to 100 hours. Actuation type behavior was evaluated using uniaxial constant force thermal cycling (UCFTC) to determine the effect of composition and aging on the material behavior. TEMSEM was used to evaluate the microstructure and determine the types of precipitates formed. The correlation between composition, heat treat, microstructure, and thermomechanical behavior will be addressed and discussed.

Ferromagnetic behavior and exchange bias effect in akaganeite nanorods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tadic, Marin, E-mail: marint@vinca.rs; Milosevic, Irena; Motte, Laurence

We report ferromagnetic-like properties and exchange bias effect in akaganeite (β-FeOOH) nanorods. They exhibit a Néel temperature T{sub N} = 259 K and ferromagnetic-like hysteresis behavior both below and above T{sub N}. An exchange bias effect is observed below T{sub N} and represents an interesting behavior for akaganeite nanorods. These results are explained on the basis of a core-shell structure in which the core has bulk akaganeite magnetic properties (i.e., antiferromagnetic ordering) while the shell exhibits a disordered spin state. Thus, the nanorods show ferromagnetic properties and an exchange bias effect at the same time, increasing their potential for use in practical applications.

The detrimental effects of physical restraint as a consequence for inappropriate classroom behavior.

PubMed

Magee, S K; Ellis, J

2001-01-01

Functional analyses produced inconclusive results regarding variables that maintained problem behavior for 2 students with developmental disabilities. Procedures were modified to include a contingent physical restraint condition based on in-class observations. Results indicated that tinder conditions in which physical restraint (i.e., basket-hold timeout) was applied contingent on problem behavior, rates of these behaviors increased across sessions for both subjects. Implications for the use of physical restraint in the classroom are discussed.

VARIATIONS AT A QUANTITATIVE TRAIT LOCUS (QTL) AFFECT DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIOR IN LEAD-EXPOSED DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

PubMed Central

Hirsch, Helmut V. B.; Possidente, Debra; Averill, Sarah; Despain, Tamira Palmetto; Buytkins, Joel; Thomas, Valerie; Goebel, W. Paul; Shipp-Hilts, Asante; Wilson, Diane; Hollocher, Kurt; Possidente, Bernard; Lnenicka, Greg; Ruden, Douglas M.

2009-01-01

We developed Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study correlated behavioral, neuronal and genetic effects of the neurotoxin lead, known to affect cognitive and behavioral development in children. We showed that, as in vertebrates, lead affects both synaptic development and complex behaviors (courtship, fecundity, locomotor activity) in Drosophila. By assessing differential behavioral responses to developmental lead exposure among recombinant inbred Drosophila lines (RI), derived from parental lines Oregon R and Russian 2b, we have now identified a genotype by environment interaction (GEI) for a behavioral trait affected by lead. Drosophila Activity Monitors (TriKinetics, Waltham, MA), which measure activity by counting the number of times a single fly in a small glass tube walks through an infrared beam aimed at the middle of the tube, were used to measure activity of flies, reared from eggs to 4 days of adult age on either control or lead-contaminated medium, from each of 75 RI lines. We observed a significant statistical association between the effect of lead on average daytime activity across lines and one marker locus, 30AB, on chromosome 2; we define this as a Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) associated with behavioral effects of developmental lead exposure. When 30AB was from Russian 2b, lead significantly increased locomotor activity, whereas, when 30AB was from Oregon R, lead decreased it. 30AB contains about 125 genes among which are likely “candidate genes” for the observed lead-dependent behavioral changes. Drosophila are thus a useful, underutilized model for studying behavioral, synaptic and genetic changes following chronic exposure to lead or other neurotoxins during development. PMID:19428504

Collective signaling behavior in a networked-oscillator model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z.-H.; Hui, P. M.

2007-09-01

We propose and study the collective behavior of a model of networked signaling objects that incorporates several ingredients of real-life systems. These ingredients include spatial inhomogeneity with grouping of signaling objects, signal attenuation with distance, and delayed and impulsive coupling between non-identical signaling objects. Depending on the coupling strength and/or time-delay effect, the model exhibits completely, partially, and locally collective signaling behavior. In particular, a correlated signaling (CS) behavior is observed in which there exist time durations when nearly a constant fraction of oscillators in the system are in the signaling state. These time durations are much longer than the duration of a spike when a single oscillator signals, and they are separated by regular intervals in which nearly all oscillators are silent. Such CS behavior is similar to that observed in biological systems such as fireflies, cicadas, crickets, and frogs. The robustness of the CS behavior against noise is also studied. It is found that properly adjusting the coupling strength and noise level could enhance the correlated behavior.

Thermal behavior of horizontally mixed surfaces on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putzig, Nathaniel E.; Mellon, Michael T.

2007-11-01

Current methods for deriving thermal inertia from spacecraft observations of planetary brightness temperature generally assume that surface properties are uniform for any given observation or co-located set of observations. As a result of this assumption and the nonlinear relationship between temperature and thermal inertia, sub-pixel horizontal heterogeneity may yield different apparent thermal inertia at different times of day or seasons. We examine the effects of horizontal heterogeneity on Mars by modeling the thermal behavior of various idealized mixed surfaces containing differing proportions of either dust, sand, duricrust, and rock or slope facets at different angles and azimuths. Latitudinal effects on mixed-surface thermal behavior are also investigated. We find large (several 100 J m -2 K -1 s -1/2) diurnal and seasonal variations in apparent thermal inertia even for small (˜10%) admixtures of materials with moderately contrasting thermal properties or slope angles. Together with similar results for layered surfaces [Mellon, M.T., Putzig, N.E., 2007. Lunar Planet. Sci. XXXVIII. Abstract 2184], this work shows that the effects of heterogeneity on the thermal behavior of the martian surface are substantial and may be expected to result in large variations in apparent thermal inertia as derived from spacecraft instruments. While our results caution against the over-interpretation of thermal inertia taken from median or average maps or derived from single temperature measurements, they also suggest the possibility of using a suite of apparent thermal inertia values derived from single observations over a range of times of day and seasons to constrain the heterogeneity of the martian surface.

The disposition and behavioral effects of methadone in Greyhounds.

PubMed

KuKanich, Butch; Borum, Stacy L

2008-05-01

To determine the behavioral effects and pharmacokinetics of methadone in healthy Greyhounds. Prospective experimental study. Three male and three female healthy Greyhounds. Methadone hydrochloride, 0.5 mg kg(-1) IV (equivalent to 0.45 mg kg(-1) methadone base), was administered as an IV bolus. Trained observers subjectively assessed the behavioral effects of methadone. Blood samples were obtained at predetermined time points and plasma methadone concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic variables were estimated with computer software. Methadone was well tolerated by the dogs with panting and defecation observed as adverse effects. Mild sedation was present, but no vomiting, excitement, or dysphoria was observed. The elimination half-life, volume of distribution, and plasma clearance were 1.53 +/- 0.18 hours, 7.79 +/- 1.87 L kg(-1), and 56.04 +/- 9.36 mL minute(-1) kg(-1), respectively. Methadone was well tolerated by Greyhounds. The volume of distribution was larger than expected, with resultant lower plasma concentrations than expected. Higher doses may need to be administered to Greyhounds in comparison with non-Greyhound dogs in order to achieve similar plasma drug concentrations. A dosage of 1-1.5 mg kg(-1) every 3-4 hours is suggested for future studies of analgesic efficacy of methadone in Greyhounds.

Civility norms, safety climate, and safety outcomes: a preliminary investigation.

PubMed

McGonagle, Alyssa K; Walsh, Benjamin M; Kath, Lisa M; Morrow, Stephanie L

2014-10-01

Working environments that are both civil and safe are good for business and employee well-being. Civility has been empirically linked to such important outcomes as organizational performance and individuals' positive work-related attitudes, yet research relating civility to safety is lacking. In this study, we link perceptions of civility norms to perceptions of safety climate and safety outcomes. Drawing on social exchange theory, we proposed and tested a model in 2 samples wherein civility norms indirectly relate to safety outcomes through associations with various safety climate facets. Our results supported direct relationships between civility and management safety climate and coworker safety climate. Additionally, indirect effects of civility norms on unsafe behaviors and injuries were observed. Indirect effects of civility norms on unsafe behaviors were observed through coworker safety climate and work-safety tension. Indirect effects of civility norms on injuries were observed through management safety climate and work-safety tension for full-time employees, although these effects did not hold for part-time employees. This study provides initial evidence that researchers and practitioners may want to look beyond safety climate to civility norms to more comprehensively understand the origins of unsafe behaviors and injuries and to develop appropriate preventive interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis: The Theory of Planned Behavior's application to understand and predict nutrition-related behaviors in youth.

PubMed

Riebl, Shaun K; Estabrooks, Paul A; Dunsmore, Julie C; Savla, Jyoti; Frisard, Madlyn I; Dietrich, Andrea M; Peng, Yiming; Zhang, Xiang; Davy, Brenda M

2015-08-01

Efforts to reduce unhealthy dietary intake behaviors in youth are urgently needed. Theory-based interventions can be effective in promoting behavior change; one promising model is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The aim of this study was to determine, using a systematic literature review, how the TPB has been applied to investigate dietary behaviors, and to evaluate which constructs are associated with dietary behavioral intentions and behaviors in youth. Publications were identified by searching electronic databases, contacting experts in the field, and examining an evolving Internet-based TPB-specific bibliography. Studies including participants aged 2-18years, all TPB constructs discernible and measured with a description of how the variables were assessed and analyzed, were published in English and peer-reviewed journals, and focused on nutrition-related behaviors in youth were identified. Accompanying a descriptive statistical analysis was the calculation of effect sizes where possible, a two-stage meta-analysis, and a quality assessment using tenants from the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statements. Thirty-four articles, including three intervention studies, were reviewed. The TPB was most often used to evaluate healthy eating and sugary snack and beverage consumption. Attitude had the strongest relationship with dietary behavioral intention (mean r=0.52), while intention was the most common predictor of behavior performance (mean r=0.38; both p<0.001). All three interventions revealed beneficial outcomes when using the TPB (e.g. η(2)=0.51 and ds=0.91, 0.89, and 0.79); extending the Theory with implementation intentions may enhance its effectiveness (e.g. η(2)=0.76). Overall, the TPB may be an effective framework to identify and understand child and adolescent nutrition-related behaviors, allowing for the development of tailored initiatives targeting poor dietary practices in youth. However, support from the literature is primarily from observational studies and a greater effort towards examining these relationships within intervention studies is needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Slow, bursty dynamics as a consequence of quenched network topologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ådor, Géza

2014-04-01

Bursty dynamics of agents is shown to appear at criticality or in extended Griffiths phases, even in case of Poisson processes. I provide numerical evidence for a power-law type of intercommunication time distributions by simulating the contact process and the susceptible-infected-susceptible model. This observation suggests that in the case of nonstationary bursty systems, the observed non-Poissonian behavior can emerge as a consequence of an underlying hidden Poissonian network process, which is either critical or exhibits strong rare-region effects. On the contrary, in time-varying networks, rare-region effects do not cause deviation from the mean-field behavior, and heterogeneity-induced burstyness is absent.

Slow, bursty dynamics as a consequence of quenched network topologies.

PubMed

Ódor, Géza

2014-04-01

Bursty dynamics of agents is shown to appear at criticality or in extended Griffiths phases, even in case of Poisson processes. I provide numerical evidence for a power-law type of intercommunication time distributions by simulating the contact process and the susceptible-infected-susceptible model. This observation suggests that in the case of nonstationary bursty systems, the observed non-Poissonian behavior can emerge as a consequence of an underlying hidden Poissonian network process, which is either critical or exhibits strong rare-region effects. On the contrary, in time-varying networks, rare-region effects do not cause deviation from the mean-field behavior, and heterogeneity-induced burstyness is absent.

The merging of fatigue and fracture mechanics concepts: a historical perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, J. C.

1998-07-01

In this review, some of the technical developments that have occurred during the past 40 years are presented which have led to the merger of fatigue and fracture mechanics concepts. This review is made from the viewpoint of “crack propagation”. As methods to observe the “fatigue” process have improved, the formation of fatigue micro-cracks have been observed earlier in life and the measured crack sizes have become smaller. These observations suggest that fatigue damage can now be characterized by “crack size”. In parallel, the crack-growth analysis methods, using stress-intensity factors, have also improved. But the effects of material inhomogeneities, crack-fracture mechanisms, and nonlinear behavior must now be included in these analyses. The discovery of crack-closure mechanisms, such as plasticity, roughness, and oxide/corrosion/fretting product debris, and the use of the effective stress-intensity factor range, has provided an engineering tool to predict small- and large-crack-growth rate behavior under service loading conditions. These mechanisms have also provided a rationale for developing new, damage-tolerant materials. This review suggests that small-crack growth behavior should be viewed as typical behavior, whereas large-crack threshold behavior should be viewed as the anomaly. Small-crack theory has unified “fatigue” and “fracture mechanics” concepts; and has bridged the gap between safe-life and durability/damage-tolerance design concepts.

The Merging of Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics Concepts: A Historical Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, James C., Jr.

1997-01-01

The seventh Jerry L. Swedlow Memorial Lecture presents a review of some of the technical developments, that have occurred during the past 40 years, which have led to the merger of fatigue and fracture mechanics concepts. This review is made from the viewpoint of 'crack propagation.' As methods to observe the 'fatigue' process have improved, the formation of fatigue micro-cracks have been observed earlier in life and the measured crack sizes have become smaller. These observations suggest that fatigue damage can now be characterized by 'crack size.' In parallel, the crack-growth analysis methods, using stress-intensity factors, have also improved. But the effects of material inhomogeneities, crack-fracture mechanisms, and nonlinear behavior must now be included in these analyses. The discovery of crack-closure mechanisms, such as plasticity, roughness, and oxide/corrosion/fretting product debris, and the use of the effective stress-intensity factor range, has provided an engineering tool to predict small- and large-crack-growth rate behavior under service loading, conditions. These mechanisms have also provided a rationale for developing, new, damage-tolerant materials. This review suggests that small-crack growth behavior should be viewed as typical behavior, whereas large-crack threshold behavior should be viewed as the anomaly. Small-crack theory has unified 'fatigue' and 'fracture mechanics' concepts; and has bridged the cap between safe-life and durability/damage-tolerance design concepts.

Behavioral effects of antiepileptic drugs in rats: Are the effects on mood and behavior detectable in open-field test?

PubMed

Zimcikova, Eva; Simko, Julius; Karesova, Iva; Kremlacek, Jan; Malakova, Jana

2017-11-01

Behavioral side effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are common including both positive and negative effects on mood, anxiety, depression, and psychosis. We aimed to evaluate behavioral patterns in rats after administration of lamotrigine, levetiracetam, phenytoin, topiramate, carbamazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin, and zonisamide. The open-field test was performed and locomotion, rearing, grooming, central latency and defecation were recorded over a 5min interval for each rat (8 rats in each group receiving AED and 16 controls). Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test or ANOVA were used to assess differences among the groups. The experimental groups did not differ in latency to enter the center compartment, neither in the decline of locomotor activity in the 1st and the 5th minute of the observation, nor in number of rears. Significant differences among groups were observed in the total number of lines crossed, grooming, as well in the number of fecal pellets. Locomotor activity was significantly increased in lamotrigine, if compared with gabapentin and pregabalin (ANOVA; p <0.05). Rats exposed to topiramate displayed a significantly increased number of grooming (when compared to pregabalin: p<0.01). Defecation (the number of fecal pellets) significantly increased in the gabapentin and carbamazepine group. There are significant differences between AEDs in terms of their behavioral profile. It is of great importance to evaluate these effects in clinical practice to bring more clear insight into these positive or negative side effects of AEDs. Copyright © 2017 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Reevaluation of Gender Label Effects: Expectant Mothers' Responses to Infants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Nancy J.; Carver, William

1980-01-01

Women pregnant with their first child were observed interacting with an infant labeled as either a boy or a girl. Toy use and other maternal behaviors were examined as a function of gender label, women's attitudes regarding gender differences, and infant behavior. (Author/DB)

Effects of asperity contact on stick-slip dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Tetsuo

2017-04-01

It is believed that asperity contact plays an important role in fricton, in particular in onset of dynamic slip or stick-slip motions. However, there remains very few studies controling asperities and observing their effects on mascoscopic stick-slip behavior or frictional constitutive laws. Here we perform stick-slip friction experiments between compliant gels with well-controlled asperity shape/size/configurations by molding technique. We find that, as curvature radius of the asperity becomes larger and the normal stress becomes smaller, velocity dependence turns from rate-strengthening to rate-weakening and accordingly, frictional behavior transitions from steady sliding, slow slip to fast slip. In this talk, we discuss the asperity size effects based on microscopic/macroscopic observations as well as a theoretical argument.

Effects of diet-induced obesity on motivation and pain behavior in an operant assay.

PubMed

Rossi, H L; Luu, A K S; Kothari, S D; Kuburas, A; Neubert, J K; Caudle, R M; Recober, A

2013-04-03

Obesity has been associated with multiple chronic pain disorders, including migraine. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity would be associated with a reduced threshold for thermal nociception in the trigeminal system. In this study, we sought to examine the effect of diet-induced obesity on facial pain behavior. Mice of two different strains were fed high-fat or regular diet (RD) and tested using a well-established operant facial pain assay. We found that the effects of diet on behavior in this assay were strain and reward dependent. Obesity-prone C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) display lower number of licks of a caloric, palatable reward (33% sweetened condensed milk or 30% sucrose) than control mice. This occurred at all temperatures, in both sexes, and was evident even before the onset of obesity. This diminished reward-seeking behavior was not observed in obesity-resistant SKH1-E (SK) mice. These findings suggest that diet and strain interact to modulate reward-seeking behavior. Furthermore, we observed a difference between diet groups in operant behavior with caloric, palatable rewards, but not with a non-caloric neutral reward (water). Importantly, we found no effect of diet-induced obesity on acute thermal nociception in the absence of inflammation or injury. This indicates that thermal sensation in the face is not affected by obesity-associated peripheral neuropathy as it occurs when studying pain behaviors in the rodent hindpaw. Future studies using this model may reveal whether obesity facilitates the development of chronic pain after injury or inflammation. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vulnerability of the neural circuitry underlying sexual behavior to chronic adult exposure to oral bisphenol a in male mice.

PubMed

Picot, Marie; Naulé, Lydie; Marie-Luce, Clarisse; Martini, Mariangela; Raskin, Kalina; Grange-Messent, Valérie; Franceschini, Isabelle; Keller, Matthieu; Mhaouty-Kodja, Sakina

2014-02-01

There are human reproduction concerns associated with extensive use of bisphenol A (BPA)-containing plastic and, in particular, the leaching of BPA into food and beverages. In this context, it remains unclear whether and how exposure to BPA interferes with the developmental organization and adult activation of male sexual behavior by testosterone. We evaluated the developmental and adult exposure to oral BPA at doses equivalent to the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (5 mg/kg body weight per day) and tolerable daily intake (TDI) (50 μg/kg body weight per day) on mouse sexual behavior and the potential mechanisms underlying BPA effects. Adult exposure to BPA reduced sexual motivation and performance at TDI dose only. Exposed males took longer to initiate mating and reach ejaculation despite normal olfactory chemoinvestigation. This deficiency was not restored by sexual experience and was associated with unchanged circulating levels of testosterone. By contrast, developmental exposure to BPA at TDI or no-observed-adverse-effect-level dose did not reduce sexual behavior or alter the neuroanatomical organization of the preoptic area. Disrupting the neural androgen receptor resulted in behavioral and neuroanatomical effects similar to those induced by adult exposure to TDI dose. Moreover, adult exposure of mutant males to BPA at TDI dose did not trigger additional alteration of sexual behavior, suggesting that BPA and neural androgen receptor mutation share a common mechanism of action. This shows, for the first time, that the neural circuitry underlying male sexual behavior is vulnerable to chronic adult exposure to low dose of BPA and suggests that BPA could act in vivo as an antiandrogenic compound.

Impact of a Resident-as-Teacher Workshop on Teaching Behavior of Interns and Learning Outcomes of Medical Students

PubMed Central

Hill, Andrew G.; Srinivasa, Sanket; Hawken, Susan J.; Barrow, Mark; Farrell, Susan E.; Hattie, John; Yu, Tzu-Chieh

2012-01-01

Background Residents and interns are recognized as important clinical teachers and mentors. Resident-as-teacher training programs are known to improve resident attitudes and perceptions toward teaching, as well as their theoretical knowledge, skills, and teaching behavior. The effect of resident-as-teacher programs on learning outcomes of medical students, however, remains unknown. An intervention cohort study was conducted to prospectively investigate the effects of a teacher-training workshop on teaching behavior of participating interns and on the clerkship learning outcomes of instructed fourth-year medical students. Methods The House Officer-as-Teacher Training Workshop was implemented in November 2009 over 1.5 days and attended by all 34 interns from one teaching hospital. Subsequently, between February and August 2010, 124 fourth-year medical students rated the observable teaching behavior of interns during 6-week general surgery clerkships at this intervention hospital as well as at 2 comparable hospitals serving as control sites. Ratings were collected using an anonymous 15-item Intern Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Instrument. Student achievement of clerkship learning outcomes during this period was evaluated using a validated and centralized objective structured clinical examination. Results Medical students completed 101 intern clinical teaching effectiveness instruments. Intern teaching behavior at the intervention hospital was found to be significantly more positive, compared with observed behavior at the control hospitals. Objective structured clinical examination results, however, did not demonstrate any significant intersite differences in student achievement of general surgery clerkship learning outcomes. Conclusions The House Officer-as-Teacher Training Workshop noticeably improved teaching behavior of surgical interns during general surgery clerkships. This improvement did not, however, translate into improved achievement of clerkship learning outcomes by medical students during the study period. PMID:23451304

Investigation of surface water behavior during glaze ice accretion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansman, R. John, Jr.; Turnock, Stephen R.

1988-01-01

Microvideo observations of glaze ice accretions on 1-in-diameter cylinders in a closed-loop refrigerated wind tunnel were obtained to study factors controlling the behavior of unfrozen surface water during glaze ice accretion. Three zones of surface water behavior were noted, each with a characteristic roughness. The effect of substrate thermal and roughness properties on ice accretions was also studied. The contact angle and hysteresis were found to increase sharply at temperatures just below 0 C, explaining the high resistance to motion of water beads observed on accreting glaze ice surfaces. Based on the results, a simple multizone modification to the current glaze ice accretion model is proposed.

Inter-wall bridging induced peeling of multi-walled carbon nanotubes during tensile failure in aluminum matrix composites.

PubMed

Chen, Biao; Li, Shufeng; Imai, Hisashi; Umeda, Junko; Takahashi, Makoto; Kondoh, Katsuyoshi

2015-02-01

In situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation of a tensile test was performed to investigate the fracturing behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in powder metallurgy Al matrix composites. A multiple peeling phenomenon during MWCNT fracturing was clearly observed. Its formation mechanism and resultant effect on the composite strength were examined. Through transition electron microscopy characterizations, it was observed that defective structures like inter-wall bridges cross-linked adjacent walls of MWCNTs. This structure was helpful to improve the inter-wall bonding conditions, leading to the effective load transfer between walls and resultant peeling behaviors of MWCNTs. These results might provide new understandings of the fracturing mechanisms of carbon nanotube reinforcements for designing high-performance nanocomposites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of attachment disorder: An observational study of teacher sensitivity in special education.

PubMed

Spilt, Jantine L; Vervoort, Eleonora; Koenen, Anne-Katrien; Bosmans, Guy; Verschueren, Karine

2016-09-01

Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) have serious socio-behavioral problems and often rely on socially abnormal, aggressive, and manipulative forms of communication. Little is known, however, about the influence of teachers on the socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of RAD. This longitudinal study examined the influence of teacher sensitivity on the socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of RAD across one school year. The sample included 85 Belgian children and 70 teachers from special education schools. In the previous school year, teachers rated Inhibited and Disinhibited RAD symptoms. In the next school year, teacher Sensitivity was observed in interactions with individual children in the first trimester. Teacher-rated Overt aggression, Relational aggression, and Prosocial behavior was assessed in the first, second, and third trimester. We found no effects of Sensitivity on Prosocial behavior. Also, no effects were found for children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms. For children with Inhibited RAD symptoms, increases in Overt and Relational aggression were observed when Sensitivity was low, whereas decreases were observed when Sensitivity was high. The results suggest that teacher sensitivity is associated with the socio-behavioral development of children with Inhibited RAD symptoms but not with the socio-behavioral development of children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms. Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) exhibit socio-behavioral problems that hinder their school adjustment. These socio-behavioral problems appear relatively stable and it is not known what influence special education teachers might have on the development of these problems across a school year. This study suggests that teacher sensitivity is associated with changes in the socio-behavioral development of children with Inhibited RAD symptoms. Whereas high sensitivity was associated with improvements, low sensitivity appeared to exaggerate the socio-behavioral problems of these children. As children with Inhibited RAD symptoms have difficulties communicating their needs and wishes in socially adaptive ways, it may not be easy for teachers to understand these children. Teachers may misinterpret a child's behavior and consequently will fail to respond to the child's underlying needs. This may reinforce the child's socio-behavioral problems and increase the child's reliance on egocentric and aggressive means in interactions with others. This study therefore highlights the need to support teachers in interactions with children with Inhibited RAD symptoms in order to help them understand how the children's observable behaviors in the classroom may convey their underlying socio-emotional needs and how they can respond to these needs. Importantly, teacher sensitivity was not associated with the socio-behavioral development of children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms (e.g., indiscriminate friendliness). Consistent with previous research, this study suggests that children with Inhibited RAD symptoms are more susceptible to the quality of the caregiving environment than children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms and extends this finding to the school context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origin of Granular Capillarity Revealed by Particle-Based Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Fengxian; Parteli, Eric J. R.; Pöschel, Thorsten

2017-05-01

When a thin tube is dipped into water, the water will ascend to a certain height, against the action of gravity. While this effect, termed capillarity, is well known, recent experiments have shown that agitated granular matter reveals a similar behavior. Namely, when a vertical tube is inserted into a container filled with granular material and is then set into vertical vibration, the particles rise up along the tube. In the present Letter, we investigate the effect of granular capillarity by means of numerical simulations and show that the effect is caused by convection of the granular material in the container. Moreover, we identify two regimes of behavior for the capillary height Hc∞ depending on the tube-to-particle-diameter ratio, D /d . For large D /d , a scaling of Hc∞ with the inverse of the tube diameter, which is reminiscent of liquids, is observed. However, when D /d decreases down to values smaller than a few particle sizes, a uniquely granular behavior is observed where Hc∞ increases linearly with the tube diameter.

CFD-DEM study of effect of bed thickness for bubbling fluidized beds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tingwen, Li; Gopalakrishnan, Pradeep; Garg, Rahul

2011-10-01

The effect of bed thickness in rectangular fluidized beds is investigated through the CFD–DEM simulations of small-scale systems. Numerical results are compared for bubbling fluidized beds of various bed thicknesses with respect to particle packing, bed expansion, bubble behavior, solids velocities, and particle kinetic energy. Good two-dimensional (2D) flow behavior is observed in the bed having a thickness of up to 20 particle diameters. However, a strong three-dimensional (3D) flow behavior is observed in beds with a thickness of 40 particle diameters, indicating the transition from 2D flow to 3D flow within the range of 20–40 particle diameters. Comparison ofmore » velocity profiles near the walls and at the center of the bed shows significant impact of the front and back walls on the flow hydrodynamics of pseudo-2D fluidized beds. Hence, for quantitative comparison with experiments in pseudo-2D columns, the effect of walls has to be accounted for in numerical simulations.« less

Survival, Reproduction, Avoidance Behavior and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in the Earthworm Octolasion cyaneum Exposed to Glyphosate.

PubMed

Salvio, Carla; Menone, Mirta L; Rafael, Sergio; Iturburu, Fernando G; Manetti, Pablo L

2016-03-01

The massive use of glyphosate (GLY) in several countries has increased the interest in investigating its potential adverse effects in non-target organisms. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential effects in survival and reproduction; avoidance behavior and oxidative stress under short-term (48 h) and subchronic exposures (28 days) to GLY in the earthworm Octolasion cyaneum. After 48 h no significant changes in the behavior was observed. In addition, a lower catalase activity at 498 μg GLY kg(-1) dry soil section relative to earthworms from the control section was obtained. After 28 days of exposure inhibition of glutathione S-transferase activity was observed at 535 μg GLY kg(-1) dry soil while no changes in the other endpoints were detected. These results indicate that environmentally relevant concentrations of GLY (up to 996 µg GLY kg(-1) dry soil) did not exert a toxic effect to O. cyaneum.

Comparison of food safety cognitions and self-reported food-handling behaviors with observed food safety behaviors of young adults.

PubMed

Abbot, J M; Byrd-Bredbenner, C; Schaffner, D; Bruhn, C M; Blalock, L

2009-04-01

Developing tailored and effective food safety education for young adults is critical given their future roles as caregivers likely to be preparing food for populations who may be at greater risk for foodborne disease (FBD). The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between food safety self-reported food-handling behaviors and cognitions of young adults to observed food-handling behaviors. Participants were 153 young adults (mean age 20.74+/-1.30 s.d.) attending a major American university. Each prepared a meal under observation in a controlled laboratory setting, permitted researchers to observe their home kitchen and completed an online survey assessing food safety knowledge, behavior and psychosocial measures. Descriptive statistics were generated for participants' self-reported food-handling behaviors, psychosocial characteristics, knowledge, food preparation observations and home kitchen observations. Determinants of compliance with safe food-handling procedures while preparing a meal and home food storage/rotation practices were identified using backward regression models. Participants engaged in less than half of the recommended safe food-handling practices evaluated and correctly answered only two-thirds of the food safety knowledge items. They reported positive food safety beliefs and high food safety self-efficacy. Self-reported compliance with cross-contamination prevention, disinfection procedures and knowledge of groups at greatest risk for FBD were the best measures for predicting compliance with established safe food-handling practices. Food safety education directed toward young adults should focus on increasing awareness of FBD and knowledge of proper cross-contamination prevention procedures to help promote better compliance with actual safe food handling.

Interface-Dependent Effective Mobility in Graphene Field-Effect Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahlberg, Patrik; Hinnemo, Malkolm; Zhang, Shi-Li; Olsson, Jörgen

2018-03-01

By pretreating the substrate of a graphene field-effect transistor (G-FET), a stable unipolar transfer characteristic, instead of the typical V-shape ambipolar behavior, has been demonstrated. This behavior is achieved through functionalization of the SiO2/Si substrate that changes the SiO2 surface from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, in combination with postdeposition of an Al2O3 film by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Consequently, the back-gated G-FET is found to have increased apparent hole mobility and suppressed apparent electron mobility. Furthermore, with addition of a top-gate electrode, the G-FET is in a double-gate configuration with independent top- or back-gate control. The observed difference in mobility is shown to also be dependent on the top-gate bias, with more pronounced effect at higher electric field. Thus, the combination of top and bottom gates allows control of the G-FET's electron and hole mobilities, i.e., of the transfer behavior. Based on these observations, it is proposed that polar ligands are introduced during the ALD step and, depending on their polarization, result in an apparent increase of the effective hole mobility and an apparent suppressed effective electron mobility.

Evaluating psychosocial and behavioral mechanisms of change in a tailored communication intervention.

PubMed

Elder, John P; Ayala, Guadalupe X; Slymen, Donald J; Arredondo, Elva M; Campbell, Nadia R

2009-04-01

This study examined the impact of a tailored nutrition intervention at 3 and 6 months postintervention. In all, 357 Latinas were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) a control condition comprised of previously developed Spanish language targeted materials, (2) tailored print materials, or (3) tailored print materials accompanied by personalized dietary counseling via lay heath advisors (promotoras). At 6 months postintervention, significant group by time interactions were observed on the dietary behavioral strategies scales. The promotora condition resulted in significant behavior change initially; however, receipt of tailored and control materials was instrumental in continued behavior change after intervention activities had ceased. Group main effects suggested that the promotora condition was superior at reducing barriers and improving family interactions supporting healthy behaviors. The promotora model is an effective method for changing important dietary behaviors and psychosocial determinants, but longer term behavior change is achievable with less expensive intervention methods.

Therapeutic touch and agitation in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Hawranik, Pamela; Johnston, Pat; Deatrich, Judith

2008-06-01

Limited effective strategies exist to alleviate or treat disruptive behaviors in people with Alzheimer's disease. Fifty-one residents of a long-term care facility with Alzheimer's disease were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups. A multiple time series, blinded, experimental design was used to compare the effectiveness of therapeutic touch, simulated therapeutic touch, and usual care on disruptive behavior. Three forms of disruptive behavior comprised the dependent variables: physical aggression, physical nonaggression, and verbal agitation. Physical nonaggressive behaviors decreased significantly in those residents who received therapeutic touch compared with those who received the simulated version and the usual care. No significant differences in physically aggressive and verbally agitated behaviors were observed across the three study groups. The study provided preliminary evidence for the potential for therapeutic touch in dealing with agitated behaviors by people with dementia. Researchers and practitioners must consider a broad array of strategies to deal with these behaviors.

Differential effects of reinforcement on the self-monitoring of on-task behavior.

PubMed

Otero, Tiffany L; Haut, Jillian M

2016-03-01

In the current study, the differential effects of reinforcement on a self-monitoring intervention were evaluated. Three students nominated by their teachers for having a marked difficultly maintaining on-task behaviors participated in the study. Using an alternating treatments single-case design to assess self-monitoring with and without reinforcement, students self-monitored their on-task behavior while being prompted by a vibrating timer at 1-min intervals for 20-min sessions. The investigators collected data regarding the students' percentage of intervals on-task and the accuracy of their recordings. Accuracy was measured by calculating the percent of agreement between the observer and student. For half of the self-monitoring sessions, students were provided reinforcement for matching at least 80% of their self-monitored ratings with those of the observer. Results indicated that self-monitoring alone was effective for 2 students in increasing their on-task behaviors in a general education classroom and self-monitoring with reinforcement was effective for all 3. Two students demonstrated an increase in on-task behavior when self-monitoring was paired with the opportunity to receive reinforcement compared to self-monitoring alone. Percentage of nonoverlapping data for self-monitoring without reinforcement ranged from 16.6% to 100%, and self-monitoring with reinforcement ranged from 83% to 100%. Additionally, the opportunity to receive reinforcement impacted students' accuracy in self-monitoring resulting in more accurate self-recording of on-task behavior. Including reinforcement as a component of a self-monitoring intervention package is an important consideration as it may impact the effectiveness of the intervention for students with significant difficulties maintaining attention to tasks. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

An Abrupt Transformation of Phobic Behavior After a Post-Retrieval Amnesic Agent.

PubMed

Soeter, Marieke; Kindt, Merel

2015-12-15

Although disrupting the process of memory reconsolidation has a great potential for clinical practice, the fear-amnesic effects are typically demonstrated through Pavlovian conditioning. Given that older and stronger memories are generally more resistant to change, we tested whether disrupting reconsolidation would also diminish fear in individuals who had developed a persistent spider fear outside the laboratory. Spider-fearful participants received a single dose of 40 mg of the noradrenergic β-blocker propranolol (n = 15), double-blind and placebo-controlled (n = 15), after a short 2-min exposure to a tarantula. To test whether memory reactivation was necessary to observe a fear-reducing effect, one additional group of spider-fearful participants (n = 15) received a single dose of 40 mg propranolol without memory reactivation. Disrupting reconsolidation of fear memory transformed avoidance behavior into approach behavior in a virtual binary fashion-an effect that persisted at least 1 year after treatment. Interestingly the β-adrenergic drug did initially not affect the self-declared fear of spiders but instead these reports followed the instant behavioral transformation several months later. Our findings are in sharp contrast with the currently pharmacological and cognitive behavioral treatments for anxiety and related disorders. The β-adrenergic blocker was only effective when the drug was administered upon memory reactivation, and a modification in cognitive representations was not necessary to observe a change in fear behavior. A new wave of treatments that pharmacologically target the synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory seems to be within reach. Copyright © 2015 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of personal patterns of behavior on the physiological effects of woodland walking.

PubMed

Toda, Masahiro; Takeshita, Tatsuya

2015-01-01

The effects of forest walking are once again being recognized; however, few studies have investigated individual variations in the effects of forest walking. The objective of the current study was to investigate the influence of individual patterns of behavior on the physiological effects of walking through woodland. The study employed a crossover, open-label, single-group, self-controlled design. This study was conducted in the forest on Ikoma Mountain, at the eastern edge of Osaka Prefecture in Japan. Participants were 20 healthy males, selected randomly from a population of members at a nonprofit organization with a mean age of 67.6 y. Moving from the start of a mountain path to an observation platform, participants took a 1000-m walk through the forest. On another day, participants remained in their offices. Patterns of personal behavior were assessed preintervention by written questionnaire, identifying type A and type B behavior patterns. Salivary chromogranin A (CgA) levels were determined immediately before and after the walk as well as at 20 min after and 40 min after its end. On the day when participants sat in their offices, control samples were collected at the same times as on the day of the walk. In the type B-behavior pattern group, a significant increase in the levels of CgA occurred after the walk. No change was observed in the type A-behavior pattern group. The findings suggest that walking in woodland may bring about positive health benefits, particularly to individuals with type B characteristics.

Robust Manipulations of Pest Insect Behavior Using Repellents and Practical Application for Integrated Pest Management.

PubMed

Wallingford, Anna K; Cha, Dong H; Linn, Charles E; Wolfin, Michael S; Loeb, Gregory M

2017-10-01

In agricultural settings, examples of effective control strategies using repellent chemicals in integrated pest management (IPM) are relatively scarce compared to those using attractants. This may be partly due to a poor understanding of how repellents affect insect behavior once they are deployed. Here we attempt to identify potential hallmarks of repellent stimuli that are robust enough for practical use in the field. We explore the literature for success stories using repellents in IPM and we investigate the mechanisms of repellency for two chemical oviposition deterrents for controlling Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, a serious pest of small fruit crops. Drosophila suzukii causes injury by laying her eggs in ripening fruit and resulting larvae make fruit unmarketable. In caged choice tests, reduced oviposition was observed in red raspberry fruit treated with volatile 1-octen-3-ol and geosmin at two initial concentrations (10% and 1%) compared to untreated controls. We used video monitoring to observe fly behavior in these caged choice tests and investigate the mode of action for deterrence through the entire behavioral repertoire leading to oviposition. We observed fewer visitors and more time elapsed before flies first landed on 1-octen-3-ol-treated fruits than control fruits and concluded that this odor primarily inhibits behaviors that occur before D. suzukii comes in contact with a potential oviposition substrate (precontact). We observed some qualitative differences in precontact behavior of flies around geosmin-treated fruits; however, we concluded that this odor primarily inhibits behaviors that occur after D. suzukii comes in contact with treated fruits (postcontact). Field trials found reduced oviposition in red raspberry treated with 1-octen-3-ol and a combination of 1-octen-3-ol and geosmin, but no effect of geosmin alone. Recommendations for further study of repellents for practical use in the field are discussed. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Disclosure of sensitive behaviors across self-administered survey modes: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gnambs, Timo; Kaspar, Kai

2015-12-01

In surveys, individuals tend to misreport behaviors that are in contrast to prevalent social norms or regulations. Several design features of the survey procedure have been suggested to counteract this problem; particularly, computerized surveys are supposed to elicit more truthful responding. This assumption was tested in a meta-analysis of survey experiments reporting 460 effect sizes (total N =125,672). Self-reported prevalence rates of several sensitive behaviors for which motivated misreporting has been frequently observed were compared across self-administered paper-and-pencil versus computerized surveys. The results revealed that computerized surveys led to significantly more reporting of socially undesirable behaviors than comparable surveys administered on paper. This effect was strongest for highly sensitive behaviors and surveys administered individually to respondents. Moderator analyses did not identify interviewer effects or benefits of audio-enhanced computer surveys. The meta-analysis highlighted the advantages of computerized survey modes for the assessment of sensitive topics.

Experimental modification of interpretation bias about animal fear in young children: effects on cognition, avoidance behavior, anxiety vulnerability, and physiological responding.

PubMed

Lester, Kathryn J; Field, Andy P; Muris, Peter

2011-01-01

This study investigated the effects of experimentally modifying interpretation biases for children's cognitions, avoidance behavior, anxiety vulnerability, and physiological responding. Sixty-seven children (6-11 years) were randomly assigned to receive a positive or negative interpretation bias modification procedure to induce interpretation biases toward or away from threat about ambiguous situations involving Australian marsupials. Children rapidly learned to select outcomes of ambiguous situations, which were congruent with their assigned condition. Furthermore, following positive modification, children's threat biases about novel ambiguous situations significantly decreased, whereas threat biases significantly increased after negative modification. In response to a stress-evoking behavioral avoidance test, positive modification attenuated behavioral avoidance compared to negative modification. However, no significant effects of bias modification on anxiety vulnerability or physiological responses to this stress-evoking Behavioral Avoidance Task were observed.

Aging and emotional memory: the co-occurrence of neurophysiological and behavioral positivity effects.

PubMed

Langeslag, Sandra J E; van Strien, Jan W

2009-06-01

The positivity effect is a trend for adults to increasingly process positive and/or decreasingly process negative information compared with other information with advancing age. The positivity effect has been observed with behavioral measures, such as in attention and memory tests, and with measures of neurophysiological activity, such as in amygdala activation and the late positive potential (LPP). In this study, it was investigated whether these behavioral and neurophysiological positivity effects co-occur. The electroencephalogram of younger (19-26 years) and older (65-82 years) adults was recorded while they encoded unpleasant, neutral, and pleasant pictures for retrieval in free and cued recall tests. Positivity effects occurred in the late LPP amplitude (700-1,000 ms) and in the free recall test, with negativity biases in younger adults and no biases in older adults. The occurrence of a valence bias in the LPP was substantially but nonsignificantly correlated with the occurrence of a similar valence bias in memory in the older adults. In conclusion, neurophysiological and behavioral positivity effects appear to co-occur, a finding that awaits expansion using different neurophysiological and behavioral measures.

Developmental Toxic Effects of Exposure to Chemical Warfare Nerve Agents in Rats: Effects on Brain and Behavior

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

stimulation of acetylcholine receptors. Common consequences of this cholinergic crisis include seizure activity, neuronal damage and behavioral deficits. The...recurrent seizures (SRS) were observed. The current results demonstrate the vulnerability of a juvenile population to motor impairments, cognitive deficits...spontaneous recurrent seizures compared to adult rats (data not shown), which may lead to more extensive neuropathology. In addition, a small

A multimethod investigation including direct observation of 3751 patient visits to 120 dental offices

PubMed Central

Wotman, Stephen; Demko, Catherine A; Victoroff, Kristin; Sudano, Joseph J; Lalumandier, James A

2010-01-01

This report defines verbal interactions between practitioners and patients as core activities of dental practice. Trained teams spent four days in 120 Ohio dental practices observing 3751 patient encounters with dentists and hygienists. Direct observation of practice characteristics, procedures performed, and how procedure and nonprocedure time was utilized during patient visits was recorded using a modified Davis Observation Code that classified patient contact time into 24 behavioral categories. Dentist, hygienist, and patient characteristics were gathered by questionnaire. The most common nonprocedure behaviors observed for dentists were chatting, evaluation feedback, history taking, and answering patient questions. Hygienists added preventive counseling. We distinguish between preventive procedures and counseling in actual dental offices that are members of a practice-based research network. Almost a third of the dentist’s and half of the hygienist’s patient contact time is utilized for nonprocedure behaviors during patient encounters. These interactions may be linked to patient and practitioner satisfaction and effectiveness of self-care instruction. PMID:23662080

Toddler Inhibited Temperament, Maternal Cortisol Reactivity and Embarrassment, and Intrusive Parenting

PubMed Central

Kiel, Elizabeth J.; Buss, Kristin A.

2013-01-01

The relevance of parenting behavior to toddlers’ development necessitates a better understanding of the influences on parents during parent-child interactions. Toddlers’ inhibited temperament may relate to parenting behaviors, such as intrusiveness, that predict outcomes later in childhood. The conditions under which inhibited temperament relates to intrusiveness, however, remain understudied. A multi-method approach would acknowledge that several levels of processes determine mothers’ experiences during situations in which they witness their toddlers interacting with novelty. As such, the current study examined maternal cortisol reactivity and embarrassment about shyness as moderators of the relation between toddlers’ inhibited temperament and maternal intrusive behavior. Participants included 92 24-month-olds toddlers and their mothers. Toddlers’ inhibited temperament and maternal intrusiveness were measured observationally in the laboratory. Mothers supplied saliva samples at the beginning of the laboratory visit and 20 minutes after observation. Maternal cortisol reactivity interacted with inhibited temperament in relation to intrusive behavior, such that mothers with higher levels of cortisol reactivity were observed to be more intrusive with more highly inhibited toddlers. Embarrassment related to intrusive behavior as a main effect. These results highlight the importance of considering child characteristics and psychobiological processes in relation to parenting behavior. PMID:23750532

Postnatal cocaine exposure: effects on behavior of rats in forced swim test.

PubMed

Magalhães, Ana; Tavares, Maria Amélia; de Sousa, Liliana

2002-06-01

Exposure to cocaine in early periods of postnatal life has adverse effects on behavior, namely, it induces the display of anxiety and fear-like behaviors that are associated with stress and depression. This study examined the effects of early developmental cocaine exposure in several categories of behavior observed in forced swim test. Male and female Wistar rats were given 15 mg/kg of cocaine hydrochloride/body weight/day, subcutaneously, in two daily doses, from postnatal day (PND) 1 to PND27. Controls were saline injected in the same protocol. In PND26-PND27, rats were placed in a swimming pool during 5 min in two sessions. The categories of behavior studied in this work included horizontal and vertical rotation, vibrissae clean, head clean, fast and slow swim, struggling, floating, sliding, diving, head-diving, and wagging head. Results showed differences in the frequencies of several behavioral categories that allowed the discrimination of the behaviors that may constitute "behavioral despair" indicators, as well as which behaviors are most affected by cocaine exposure. Cocaine groups were less active and more immobile than controls. These results suggest that postnatal exposure to cocaine can produce depression-like effects and affect the ability of these animals to cope with stress situations.

Effects of optical attenuation, heat diffusion, and acoustic coherence in photoacoustic signals produced by nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alba-Rosales, J. E.; Ramos-Ortiz, G.; Escamilla-Herrera, L. F.; Reyes-Ramírez, B.; Polo-Parada, L.; Gutiérrez-Juárez, G.

2018-04-01

The behavior of the photoacoustic signal produced by nanoparticles as a function of their concentration was studied in detail. As the concentration of nanoparticles is increased in a sample, the peak-to-peak photoacoustic amplitude increases linearly up to a certain value, after which an asymptotic saturated behavior is observed. To elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these observations, we evaluate the effects of nanoparticles concentration, the optical attenuation, and the effects of heat propagation from nano-sources to their surroundings. We found that the saturation effect of the photoacoustic signal as a function of the concentration of nanoparticles is explained by a combination of two different mechanisms. As has been suggested previously, but not modeled correctly, the most important mechanism is attributed to optical attenuation. The second mechanism is due to an interference destructive process attributed to the superimposition of the photoacoustic amplitudes generated for each nanoparticle, and this explanation is reinforced through our experimental and simulations results; based on this, it is found that the linear behavior of the photoacoustic amplitude could be restricted to optical densities ≤0.5.

Combustion of two-component miscible droplets in reduced gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaw, Benjamin D.; Aharon, Israel; Gage, James W.; Jenkins, Andrew J.; Kahoe, Thomas J.

1995-01-01

This research focuses on the combustion of binary miscible droplets initially in the mm size range. Experiments are performed using the NASA Lewis 2.2 sec drop tower in Cleveland, Ohio, where mixtures of alkanes and/or alcohols are studied. The fuel components are selected to have significantly different volatilities. Initial oxygen mole fractions from about 0.15-0.5 and initial pressures from 0.2-2 atm are employed. Different inerts are used (He, CO2, Ar, N2) to change burning rates and sooting behaviors. Objectives are to observe the following: (1) Transient droplet diameters (including three-staged combustion behaviors and microexplosion; (2) Transient flow behaviors (sudden flame contraction, luminosity, extinction); and (3) Behaviors of observable soot particles. theoretical and computational research in support of this program has also been undertaken. This research includes analytical studies to determine the effects of small but nonzero gravitational levels on droplet gasification, analytical studies of hydrodynamic stability of spherically-symmetrical droplet gasification (to address the question as to whether spherically-symmetrical droplet gasification may be destabilized from capillary, i.e., Marangoni effects), and computational modeling of effects of capillary stresses on droplet gasification.

Through the Kinesthetic Lens: Observation of Social Attunement in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Samaritter, Rosemarie; Payne, Helen

2017-03-18

This paper will present a movement-informed perspective to social attunement in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Dance movement therapy (DMT) is a psychotherapeutic intervention that is used with participants with ASD in various settings. Regular clinical outcome monitoring in an outpatient setting in the Netherlands had shown positive effects on social attunement capacities in young people with ASD. However, a systematic study of the development of social attunement movement behaviors of participants with ASD throughout a DMT intervention was not yet available. A series of individual cases of DMT with young people with ASD (mean age 12.2 years.) were analyzed for changes in interpersonal movement behaviors employing video-based retrospective observation. The findings were summarized in an observation scale for interpersonal movement behaviors. This scale was then tested for its applicability for the monitoring of social attunement behaviors throughout therapy. A movement-informed perspective may be helpful to inventory changes in social attunement behaviors in participants with ASD. The relevance of a movement-informed perspective for the concept of social attunement in ASD will be discussed.

Through the Kinesthetic Lens: Observation of Social Attunement in Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Samaritter, Rosemarie; Payne, Helen

2017-01-01

This paper will present a movement-informed perspective to social attunement in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Background: Dance movement therapy (DMT) is a psychotherapeutic intervention that is used with participants with ASD in various settings. Regular clinical outcome monitoring in an outpatient setting in the Netherlands had shown positive effects on social attunement capacities in young people with ASD. However, a systematic study of the development of social attunement movement behaviors of participants with ASD throughout a DMT intervention was not yet available. Methods: A series of individual cases of DMT with young people with ASD (mean age 12.2 years.) were analyzed for changes in interpersonal movement behaviors employing video-based retrospective observation. Results: The findings were summarized in an observation scale for interpersonal movement behaviors. This scale was then tested for its applicability for the monitoring of social attunement behaviors throughout therapy. Discussion: A movement-informed perspective may be helpful to inventory changes in social attunement behaviors in participants with ASD. The relevance of a movement-informed perspective for the concept of social attunement in ASD will be discussed. PMID:28335467

The Effects of Auditory Tempo Changes on Rates of Stereotypic Behavior in Handicapped Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christopher, R.; Lewis, B.

1984-01-01

Rates of stereotypic behaviors in six severely/profoundly retarded children (eight to 15 years old) were observed during varying presentations of auditory beats produced by a metronome. Visual and statistical analysis of research results suggested a significant reaction to stimulus presentation. However, additional data following…

Citation Behaviors Observed in Japanese EFL Students' Argumentative Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamimura, Taeko

2014-01-01

Effective use of outside source texts is one of the key components of successful academic writing. This study aims at clarifying Japanese university EFL students' citation behaviors in producing argumentative writing. Twenty-six Japanese university EFL students wrote an argumentative essay. Their essays were analyzed quantitatively by six…

Forage and breed effects on behavior and temperament of pregnant beef heifers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Integration of behavioral observations with traditional selection schemes may lead to enhanced animal well-being and more profitable forage-based cattle production systems. Brahman-influenced (BR; n=64) and Gelbvieh x Angus (GA; n=64) heifers consumed either toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+)...

Parental Power and Behaviors as Antecedents of Adolescent Conformity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Carolyn S.; And Others

Several authorities have observed that a moderate degree of conformity by the young may be necessary for a society to function effectively. In order to examine the relationship between adolescents' perceptions of parental power and behavior and adolescent conformity, adolescents (N=368) in 184 families completed questionnaires concerning aspects…

Effective Instructional Time Use for School Leaders: Longitudinal Evidence from Observations of Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grissom, Jason A.; Loeb, Susanna; Master, Benjamin

2013-01-01

Scholars have long argued that principals should be "instructional leaders," but few studies have empirically linked specific instructional leadership behaviors to school performance. This study examines the associations between leadership behaviors and student achievement gains using a unique data source: in-person, full-day…

Teaching Young Children Effectively

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brophy, Jere E.; Evertson, Carolyn M.

2010-01-01

Process-product research in which the investigator observes in teachers' classrooms and tries to relate process measures of teaching behavior to product measures of student outcome has face validity appeal and common sense logic. This research approach appears to be the simplest and most direct way to identify teaching behaviors which discriminate…

Children's Emotion and Behavior In Painting Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, I-Ju

2013-01-01

This study adopted various methods such as qualitative research, observation, interviews, and document collection to examine the emotional responses, behavior changes, and counseling effects on a single-parent child in a skipped-generation family before or after a series of painting activities. The participant was asked to take part in 50-minute…

Gender-differentiated effects of theory of mind, emotion understanding, and social preference on prosocial behavior development: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Kuhnert, Rebecca-Lee; Begeer, Sander; Fink, Elian; de Rosnay, Marc

2017-02-01

Although key differences have been found in boys' and girls' prosocial behavior toward peers, few studies have systematically examined gender differences in how intrinsic perspective-taking abilities-theory of mind (ToM) and emotion understanding (EU)-and the extrinsic peer environment relate to prosocial behavior. In this prospective longitudinal study, we studied gender differences in the relations between children's observed prosocial behavior and their ToM, EU, and social preference ratings in 114 children (58 boys and 56 girls). We used conventional ToM and EU tasks at 5 and 7years of age. Observed prosocial behavior in triadic peer interactions was assessed at both time points. Controlling for gender, age, verbal ability, and earlier prosocial behavior, ToM at 5years was found to predict prosocial behavior at 7years. Results also revealed gender-differentiated associations at 7years, whereby only girls' prosocial behavior was positively associated with EU. Results are discussed in terms of gender-differentiated patterns of socialization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maternal Expectations for Toddlers’ Reactions to Novelty: Relations of Maternal Internalizing Symptoms and Parenting Dimensions to Expectations and Accuracy of Expectations

PubMed Central

Kiel, Elizabeth J.; Buss, Kristin A.

2010-01-01

SYNOPSIS Objective Although maternal internalizing symptoms and parenting dimensions have been linked to reports and perceptions of children’s behavior, it remains relatively unknown whether these characteristics relate to expectations or the accuracy of expectations for toddlers’ responses to novel situations. Design A community sample of 117 mother-toddler dyads participated in a laboratory visit and questionnaire completion. At the laboratory, mothers were interviewed about their expectations for their toddlers’ behaviors in a variety of novel tasks; toddlers then participated in these activities, and trained coders scored their behaviors. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing demographics, depressive and worry symptoms, and parenting dimensions. Results Mothers who reported more worry expected their toddlers to display more fearful behavior during the laboratory tasks, but worry did not moderate how accurately maternal expectations predicted toddlers’ observed behavior. When also reporting a low level of authoritative-responsive parenting, maternal depressive symptoms moderated the association between maternal expectations and observed toddler behavior, such that, as depressive symptoms increased, maternal expectations related less strongly to toddler behavior. Conclusions When mothers were asked about their expectations for their toddlers’ behavior in the same novel situations from which experimenters observe this behavior, symptoms and parenting had minimal effect on the accuracy of mothers’ expectations. When in the context of low authoritative-responsive parenting, however, depressive symptoms related to less accurate predictions of their toddlers’ fearful behavior. PMID:21037974

A small-fish model for behavioral-toxicological screening of new antimalarial drugs: a comparison between erythro- and threo-mefloquine.

PubMed

Maaswinkel, Hans; Zhu, Liqun; Weng, Wei

2015-04-02

New antimalarial drugs need to be developed because over time resistance against the existing drugs develops. Furthermore, some of the drugs have severe side effects. Here we describe a behavioral small-fish model for early detection of neurotoxic effects of new drugs. As case example we compare the effects of two mefloquine diastereomers on the behavior of goldfish using an automated 3D tracking system. In a preliminary experiment, the overall toxic effects in terms of motor and respiratory impairments were determined during a 3-hour exposure to the drugs at relatively high doses (21.5 and 43 mgL). In the second experiment, behavioral testing was performed 24 h after a 3.5-h drug exposure to a low dose (14.25 mgL) of either drug. For the two high doses, erythro-mefloquine resulted in severe motor problems and respiratory problems occurred. In goldfish treated with threo-mefloquine, at 43 mgL the motor/respiratory impairments were less severe and at 21.5 mgL no such problems were observed. For the lower dose (14.25 mgL), erythro-mefloquine reduced locomotion. There was also a tendency for increased freezing, and the preference for quadrant two of the observation container was increased. No behavioral effects of threo-mefloquine were found. The results demonstrate that in goldfish exposed to the drugs dissolved in the water, threo-mefloquine has less severe toxic effects as compared to erythro-mefloquine. These findings are consistent with other studies and support the usefulness of the small-fish model for predicting adverse effects of new antimalarial drugs during the initial phases of drug development.

Shape, Color and the Other-Race Effect in the Infant Brain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balas, Benjamin; Westerlund, Alissa; Hung, Katherine; Nelson, Charles A., III

2011-01-01

The "other-race" effect describes the phenomenon in which faces are difficult to distinguish from one another if they belong to an ethnic or racial group to which the observer has had little exposure. Adult observers typically display multiple forms of recognition error for other-race faces, and infants exhibit behavioral evidence of a developing…

Play Behavior and Efficacy in Ghetto Four-Year-Olds: Organization and Psychosexual Content of Play.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borowitz, Gene H.; And Others

Effectance, defined as the child's independent, effective interaction with people and things, is studied through observation of the play of 36 preschool low income black children. The children were observed and filmed in semi-structured play sessions, primarily with family dolls, doll furniture, and small baby bottle. Instruments used were: (1)…

Observed child and parent toothbrushing behaviors and child oral health

PubMed Central

COLLETT, BRENT R.; HUEBNER, COLLEEN E.; SEMINARIO, ANA LUCIA; WALLACE, ERIN; GRAY, KRISTEN E.; SPELTZ, MATTHEW L.

2018-01-01

Background Parent-led toothbrushing effectively reduces early childhood caries. Research on the strategies that parents use to promote this behavior is, however, lacking. Aim To examine associations between parent–child toothbrushing interactions and child oral health using a newly developed measure, the Toothbrushing Observation System (TBOS). Design One hundred children ages 18–60 months and their parents were video-recorded during toothbrushing interactions. Using these recordings, six raters coded parent and child behaviors and the duration of toothbrushing. We examined the reliability of the coding system and associations between observed parent and child behaviors and three indices of oral health: caries, gingival health, and history of dental procedures requiring general anesthesia. Results Reliabilities were moderate to strong for TBOS child and parent scores. Parent TBOS scores and longer duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with fewer decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces and lower incidence of gingivitis and procedures requiring general anesthesia. Associations between child TBOS scores and dental outcomes were modest, suggesting the relative importance of parent versus child behaviors at this early age. Conclusions Parents’ child behavior management skills and the duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with better child oral health. These findings suggest that parenting skills are an important target for future behavioral oral health interventions. PMID:26148197

Social class, power, and selfishness: when and why upper and lower class individuals behave unethically.

PubMed

Dubois, David; Rucker, Derek D; Galinsky, Adam D

2015-03-01

Are the rich more unethical than the poor? To answer this question, the current research introduces a key conceptual distinction between selfish and unethical behavior. Based on this distinction, the current article offers 2 novel findings that illuminate the relationship between social class and unethical behavior. First, the effects of social class on unethical behavior are not invariant; rather, the effects of social class are moderated by whether unethical behavior benefits the self or others. Replicating past work, social class positively predicted unethical behavior; however, this relationship was only observed when that behavior was self-beneficial. When unethical behavior was performed to benefit others, social class negatively predicted unethical behavior; lower class individuals were more likely than upper class individuals to engage in unethical behavior. Overall, social class predicts people's tendency to behave selfishly, rather than predicting unethical behavior per se. Second, individuals' sense of power drove the effects of social class on unethical behavior. Evidence for this relationship was provided in three forms. First, income, but not education level, predicted unethical behavior. Second, feelings of power mediated the effect of social class on unethical behavior, but feelings of status did not. Third, two distinct manipulations of power produced the same moderation by self-versus-other beneficiary as was found with social class. The current theoretical framework and data both synthesize and help to explain a range of findings in the social class and power literatures. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Modeling the impact of post-diagnosis behavior change on HIV prevalence in Southern California men who have sex with men (MSM).

PubMed

Khanna, Aditya S; Goodreau, Steven M; Gorbach, Pamina M; Daar, Eric; Little, Susan J

2014-08-01

Our objective here is to demonstrate the population-level effects of individual-level post-diagnosis behavior change (PDBC) in Southern Californian men who have sex with men (MSM), recently diagnosed with HIV. While PDBC has been empirically documented, the population-level effects of such behavior change are largely unknown. To examine these effects, we develop network models derived from the exponential random graph model family. We parameterize our models using behavioral data from the Southern California Acute Infection and Early Disease Research Program, and biological data from a number of published sources. Our models incorporate vital demographic processes, biology, treatment and behavior. We find that without PDBC, HIV prevalence among MSM would be significantly higher at any reasonable frequency of testing. We also demonstrate that higher levels of HIV risk behavior among HIV-positive men relative to HIV-negative men observed in some cross-sectional studies are consistent with individual-level PDBC.

The effects of interstitial content and annealing on the flow and fracture behavior on polycrystalline beta-NiAl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, M. L.; Levit, V.; Kaufman, M. J.; Noebe, R. D.

1994-01-01

The strain behavior of three polycrystalline NiAl alloys has been investigated at temperatures between 300 and 1200 K. Yield stress plateaus, yield stress transients upon a ten-fold increase in strain rate, work hardening peaks, and dips in the strain rate sensitivity (SRS) have been observed between 700 and 800 K. These observations are indicative of dynamic strain aging (DSA) and are discussed in terms of conventional strain aging theories.

SLC6A4 markers modulate platelet 5-HT level and specific behaviors of autism: a study from an Indian population.

PubMed

Jaiswal, Preeti; Guhathakurta, Subhrangshu; Singh, Asem Surindro; Verma, Deepak; Pandey, Mritunjay; Varghese, Merina; Sinha, Swagata; Ghosh, Saurabh; Mohanakumar, Kochupurackal P; Rajamma, Usha

2015-01-02

Presence of platelet hyperserotonemia and effective amelioration of behavioral dysfunctions by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) indicate that irregularities in serotonin (5-HT) reuptake and its homeostasis could be the basis of behavioral impairments in ASD patients. SLC6A4, the gene encoding serotonin transporter (SERT) is considered as a potential susceptibility gene for ASD, since it is a quantitative trait locus for blood 5-HT levels. Three functional polymorphisms, 5-HTTLPR, STin2 and 3'UTR-SNP of SLC6A4 are extensively studied for possible association with the disorder, with inconclusive outcome. In the present study, we investigated association of these polymorphisms with platelet 5-HT content and symptoms severity as revealed by childhood autism rating scale in ASD children from an Indian population. Higher 5-HT level observed in ASD was highly significant in children with heterozygous and homozygous genotypes comprising of minor alleles of the markers. Quantitative transmission disequilibrium test demonstrated significant genetic effect of STin2 allele as well as STin2/3'UTR-SNP and 5-HTTLPR/3'UTR-SNP haplotypes on 5-HT levels, but no direct association with overall CARS score and ASD phenotype. Significant genetic effect of the markers on specific behavioral phenotypes was observed for various sub-phenotypes of CARS in quantitative trait analysis. Even though the 5-HT level was not associated with severity of behavioral CARS score, a significant negative relationship was observed for 5-HT levels and level and consistency of intellectual response and general impression in ASD children. Population-based study revealed higher distribution of the haplotype 10/G of STin2/3'UTR-SNP in male controls, suggesting protective effect of this haplotype in male cases. Overall results of the study suggest that SLC6A4 markers have specific genetic effect on individual ASD behavioral attributes, might be through the modulation of 5-HT content. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple generative model of collective online behavior.

PubMed

Gleeson, James P; Cellai, Davide; Onnela, Jukka-Pekka; Porter, Mason A; Reed-Tsochas, Felix

2014-07-22

Human activities increasingly take place in online environments, providing novel opportunities for relating individual behaviors to population-level outcomes. In this paper, we introduce a simple generative model for the collective behavior of millions of social networking site users who are deciding between different software applications. Our model incorporates two distinct mechanisms: one is associated with recent decisions of users, and the other reflects the cumulative popularity of each application. Importantly, although various combinations of the two mechanisms yield long-time behavior that is consistent with data, the only models that reproduce the observed temporal dynamics are those that strongly emphasize the recent popularity of applications over their cumulative popularity. This demonstrates--even when using purely observational data without experimental design--that temporal data-driven modeling can effectively distinguish between competing microscopic mechanisms, allowing us to uncover previously unidentified aspects of collective online behavior.

A simple generative model of collective online behavior

PubMed Central

Gleeson, James P.; Cellai, Davide; Onnela, Jukka-Pekka; Porter, Mason A.; Reed-Tsochas, Felix

2014-01-01

Human activities increasingly take place in online environments, providing novel opportunities for relating individual behaviors to population-level outcomes. In this paper, we introduce a simple generative model for the collective behavior of millions of social networking site users who are deciding between different software applications. Our model incorporates two distinct mechanisms: one is associated with recent decisions of users, and the other reflects the cumulative popularity of each application. Importantly, although various combinations of the two mechanisms yield long-time behavior that is consistent with data, the only models that reproduce the observed temporal dynamics are those that strongly emphasize the recent popularity of applications over their cumulative popularity. This demonstrates—even when using purely observational data without experimental design—that temporal data-driven modeling can effectively distinguish between competing microscopic mechanisms, allowing us to uncover previously unidentified aspects of collective online behavior. PMID:25002470

Decreasing burned children's pain behavior: impacting the trauma of hydrotherapy.

PubMed Central

Kelley, M L; Jarvie, G J; Middlebrook, J L; McNeer, M F; Drabman, R S

1984-01-01

We evaluated the effects of cartoon viewing with the use of a star feedback chart on two burned children's pain behavior during their physical therapy sessions. In addition, the degree to which the observational data corresponded with physical therapists' and mothers' ratings of the children's pain, fear, and cooperativeness was examined. Using a reversal single-subject design, the results showed that the children's pain behavior substantially decreased during experimental treatment sessions compared to their baseline levels. The rating scale data indicated that the physical therapist's and mother's rating of pain, anxiety, and cooperativeness were all correlated significantly with the observational data (p less than .05). The contributions of respondent and operant conditioning to the occurrence and treatment of pain behavior in burned children are discussed. PMID:6735948

Furnished cage system and hen well-being: Comparative effects of furnished cages and battery cages on behavioral exhibitions in White Leghorn chickens.

PubMed

Pohle, K; Cheng, H-W

2009-08-01

The battery cage system is being banned in the European Union before or by 2012, and the furnished cage system will be the only cage system allowed after 2012. This study was conducted to examine the different effects of caging systems, furnished cages vs. battery cages, on bird behaviors. One hundred ninety-two 1-d-old non-beak-trimmed Hy-Line W-36 White Leghorn chicks were reared using standard management practices in raised wire cages. At 19 wk of age, the birds were randomly assigned into battery cages or furnished cages. The battery cages were commercial wire cages containing 6 birds per cage, providing 645 cm(2) of floor space per birds. The furnished cages had wire floors and solid metal walls, with perches, a dustbathing area, scratch pads, and a nestbox area with a concealment curtain. Based on the company recommendations, 10 birds were housed per cage, providing a stocking density of 610 cm(2) of floor space per bird. Behavioral observations were conducted using the Noldus Observer software package. The birds were observed at 5-min intervals for the entire light period. The birds housed in battery cages had higher posture and behavioral transitions and increased time spent walking and performing exploratory behavior (P < 0.05, 0.01, respectively), which may indicate they were stressed, resulting in restlessness, whereas the birds housed in furnished cages had higher levels of preening (P < 0.05). Preening has been considered as a comfort behavior in birds. These results may suggest that furnished cages may be a favorable alternative system for housing birds by allowing them to perform certain natural behaviors.

Motorist actions at a crosswalk with an in-pavement flashing light system.

PubMed

Karkee, Ganesh J; Nambisan, Shashi S; Pulugurtha, Srinivas S

2010-12-01

An in-pavement flashing light system is used at crosswalks to alert motorists and pedestrians of possible conflicts and to influence their behavior to enhance safety. The relative behaviors of the drivers and the pedestrians affect safety. An evaluation of motorist behavior at a pedestrian crosswalk with an in-pavement flashing light system is presented in this manuscript. Field observations provide the basis to evaluate motorist behavior at a crosswalk with an in-pavement flashing light system. Outcomes of pedestrian and motorists actions were observed to quantify measures of effectiveness (MOEs) such as yielding behavior of motorists, vehicle speeds, and yielding distance from the crosswalk. A before-and-after study design was used. The before condition was prior to the activation of the in-pavement flashing light system and the after condition was after the activation of the in-pavement flashing light system. The study was conducted on a relatively low-volume roadway located in the Henderson, Nevada. The significance of the differences in the MOEs between the 2 study periods was evaluated using statistical analysis tools such as a one-tailed test for proportions and the Welch-Satterthwaite t-test. The results show that the installation of the in-pavement flashing light system increased the yielding behavior of motorists significantly (P < 0.001). The vehicular speeds decreased when pedestrians were waiting at the curb to cross and when they were crossing (P < 0.001). Motorists yielded to pedestrians on an average about 3 m (∼10 feet) upstream from the yield markings and the yielding distances were consistent in both directions. The in-pavement flashing light system is seen to be effective to improve motorists' yielding behavior and the speeds of vehicles were also observed to decrease in the presence of pedestrians.

Functional connectivity experiments reflect routine movement behavior of a tropical hummingbird species.

PubMed

Volpe, Noelia L; Hadley, Adam S; Robinson, W Douglas; Betts, Matthew G

Translocation experiments, in which researchers displace animals and then monitor their movements to return home, are commonly used as tools to assess functional connectivity of fragmented landscapes. Such experiments are purported to have important advantages of being time efficient and of standardizing “motivation” to move across individuals. Yet, we lack tests of whether movement behavior of translocated birds reflects natural behavior of unmanipulated birds. We compared the routine movement behavior of a tropical hummingbird, the Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy), to that of experimentally translocated individuals. We tested for differences in site selection patterns during movement at two spatial scales (point and path levels). We also compared movement rates between treatments. Behaviors documented during translocation experiments reflected those observed during routine movements. At the point level, both translocated and non-translocated birds showed similar levels of preference for mature tropical forest. At the path level, step selection functions showed both translocated and non-translocated hummingbirds avoiding movement across non-forested matrix and selecting streams as movement corridors. Movement rates were generally higher during translocation experiments. However, the negative influence of forest cover on movement rates was proportionately similar in translocation and routine movement treatments. We report the first evidence showing that movement behavior of birds during translocation experiments is similar to their natural movement behavior. Therefore, translocation experiments may be reliable tools to address effects of landscape structure on animal movement. We observed consistent selection of landscape elements between translocated and non-translocated birds, indicating that both routine and translocation movement studies lead to similar conclusions regarding the effect of landscape structure and forest composition on functional connectivity. Our observation that hummingbirds avoid non-forest matrix and select riparian corridors also provides a potential mechanism for pollen limitation in fragmented tropical forest.

Optogenetic activation of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons enhances patience for future rewards.

PubMed

Miyazaki, Kayoko W; Miyazaki, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Kenji F; Yamanaka, Akihiro; Takahashi, Aki; Tabuchi, Sawako; Doya, Kenji

2014-09-08

Serotonin is a neuromodulator that is involved extensively in behavioral, affective, and cognitive functions in the brain. Previous recording studies of the midbrain dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) revealed that the activation of putative serotonin neurons correlates with the levels of behavioral arousal [1], rhythmic motor outputs [2], salient sensory stimuli [3-6], reward, and conditioned cues [5-8]. The classic theory on serotonin states that it opposes dopamine and inhibits behaviors when aversive events are predicted [9-14]. However, the therapeutic effects of serotonin signal-enhancing medications have been difficult to reconcile with this theory [15, 16]. In contrast, a more recent theory states that serotonin facilitates long-term optimal behaviors and suppresses impulsive behaviors [17-21]. To test these theories, we developed optogenetic mice that selectively express channelrhodopsin in serotonin neurons and tested how the activation of serotonergic neurons in the DRN affects animal behavior during a delayed reward task. The activation of serotonin neurons reduced the premature cessation of waiting for conditioned cues and food rewards. In reward omission trials, serotonin neuron stimulation prolonged the time animals spent waiting. This effect was observed specifically when the animal was engaged in deciding whether to keep waiting and was not due to motor inhibition. Control experiments showed that the prolonged waiting times observed with optogenetic stimulation were not due to behavioral inhibition or the reinforcing effects of serotonergic activation. These results show, for the first time, that the timed activation of serotonin neurons during waiting promotes animals' patience to wait for a delayed reward. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of risperidone on attentional functions in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and co-morbid disruptive behavior disorder.

PubMed

Günther, Thomas; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Jolles, Jellemer; Konrad, Kerstin

2006-12-01

This study aims to examine the influence of risperidone on various attentional functions, including intensity and selectivity aspects of attention plus inhibitory control in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with co-morbid Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD) and normal IQ. Children with ADHD and DBD, aged 8-15 years, were treated with risperidone (mean daily dose: 1.5 mg; n = 23) and examined with three attentional paradigms before and after a 4-week treatment period. Age- and IQ-matched normal controls (n = 23) were also tested without medication on the same two occasions. No influence of the medication could be detected for any neuropsychological variable, neither as a positive enhancement nor as adverse side effects. However, clinical symptoms of ADHD and DBD assessed on the IOWA Conners Scale significantly improved after the 4-week treatment period. Divergent behavioral and cognitive effects of risperidone on ADHD symptoms were observed, with a significant reduction in behavioral symptoms, whereas no positive treatment effects were found on laboratory tasks of impulsivity. Thus, the cognitive effects of risperidone seem to differ from the cognitive effects of stimulant treatments in children with ADHD + DBD. However, no negative impact of risperidone was observed on attentional functions either, i.e., there was no slowing of cognitive speed.

Effects of guest feeding programs on captive giraffe behavior.

PubMed

Orban, David A; Siegford, Janice M; Snider, Richard J

2016-01-01

Zoological institutions develop human-animal interaction opportunities for visitors to advance missions of conservation, education, and recreation; however, the animal welfare implications largely have yet to be evaluated. This behavioral study was the first to quantify impacts of guest feeding programs on captive giraffe behavior and welfare, by documenting giraffe time budgets that included both normal and stereotypic behaviors. Thirty giraffes from nine zoos (six zoos with varying guest feeding programs and three without) were observed using both instantaneous scan sampling and continuous behavioral sampling techniques. All data were collected during summer 2012 and analyzed using linear mixed models. The degree of individual giraffe participation in guest feeding programs was positively associated with increased time spent idle and marginally associated with reduced time spent ruminating. Time spent participating in guest feeding programs had no effect on performance of stereotypic behaviors. When time spent eating routine diets was combined with time spent participating in guest feeding programs, individuals that spent more time engaged in total feeding behaviors tended to perform less oral stereotypic behavior such as object-licking and tongue-rolling. By extending foraging time and complexity, guest feeding programs have the potential to act as environmental enrichment and alleviate unfulfilled foraging motivations that may underlie oral stereotypic behaviors observed in many captive giraffes. However, management strategies may need to be adjusted to mitigate idleness and other program consequences. Further studies, especially pre-and-post-program implementation comparisons, are needed to better understand the influence of human-animal interactions on zoo animal behavior and welfare. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A single administration of methamphetamine to mice early in the light period decreases running wheel activity observed during the dark period

PubMed Central

Kitanaka, Nobue; Kitanaka, Junichi; Hall, F. Scott; Uhl, George R.; Watabe, Kaname; Kubo, Hitoshi; Takahashi, Hitoshi; Tatsuta, Tomohiro; Morita, Yoshio; Takemura, Motohiko

2014-01-01

Repeated intermittent administration of amphetamines acutely increases appetitive and consummatory aspects of motivated behaviors as well as general activity and exploratory behavior, including voluntary running wheel activity. Subsequently, if the drug is withdrawn, the frequency of these behaviors decrease, which is thought to be indicative of dysphoric symptoms associated with amphetamine withdrawal. Such decreases may be observed after chronic treatment or even after single drug administrations. In the present study, the effect of acute methamphetamine (METH) on running wheel activity, horizontal locomotion, appetitive behavior (food access), and consummatory behavior (food and water intake) was investigated in mice. A multi-configuration behavior apparatus designed to monitor the five behaviors was developed, where combined measures were recorded simultaneously. In the first experiment, naïve male ICR mice showed gradually increasing running wheel activity over three consecutive days after exposure to a running wheel, while mice without a running wheel showed gradually decreasing horizontal locomotion, consistent with running wheel activity being a positively motivated form of natural motor activity. In experiment 2, increased horizontal locomotion and food access, and decreased food intake, were observed for the initial 3 h after acute METH challenge. Subsequently, during the dark phase period decreased running wheel activity and horizontal locomotion were observed. The reductions in running wheel activity and horizontal locomotion may be indicative of reduced dopaminergic function, although it remains to be seen if these changes may be more pronounced after more prolonged METH treatments. PMID:22079320

Performance of UN Military Observer Teams: Does Victim Proximity Escalate Commitment to Saving Lives?

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

conflict resolution behavior in peacekeeping. VICTIM PROXIMITY AND EFFORT TO INTERVENE The power of seemingly minor situational forces to influence human...fleeting as it was in duration (a mere 15 s on average), had a powerful effect on UNMO teams’ ultimate behavioral response. Consistent with previous...demonstrates the principle that situational forces, fortuitous or otherwise, may exact considerable influence over individual and group behaviors that

A Normative Model of Work Team Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

Hawthc-ne studies at Western Electric Corporation, Harold Leavitt (1975) observed: Far and away the most powerful and beloved tool of applied behavioral ...scientists is the small face-to-face group. Since the Western Electric researches, behavioral scientists have been learning to understand, exploit and...integration of literature on small group behavior , see McGrath and Altman (1966). Current reviews are provided by Hare (1976), MicGrath and Kravitz (1982

The First Pulse of the Extremely Bright GRB 130427A: A Test Lab for Synchrotron Shocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Preece, R.; Burgess, J. Michael; von Kienlin, A.; Bhat, P. N.; Briggs, M. S.; Byrne, D.; Chaplin, V.; Cleveland, W.; Collazzi, A. C.; Goldstein, A.;

Health behavior models and oral health: a review.

PubMed

Hollister, M Catherine; Anema, Marion G

2004-01-01

Dental hygienists help their clients develop health promoting behaviors, by providing essential information about general health, and oral health in particular. Individual health practices such as oral self-care are based on personal choices. The guiding principles found in health behavior models provide useful methods to the oral health care providers in promoting effective individual client behaviors. Theories provide explanations about observable facts in a systematic manner. Research regarding health behavior has explored the effectiveness and applicability of various health models in oral health behavior modification. The Health Belief Model, Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change, Theory of Reasoned Action, Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control, and Sense of Coherence are examples of models that focus on individuals assuming responsibility for their own health. Understanding the strengths of each and their applicability to health behaviors is critical for oral health care providers who work with patients to adopt methods and modify behaviors that contribute to good oral health. This paper describes health behavior models that have been applied to oral health education, presents a critical analysis of the effectiveness of each model in oral health education, and provides examples of application to oral health education.

Effects of radio transmitters on the behavior of Red-headed Woodpeckers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vukovich, Mark; Kilgo, John, C.

2009-05-01

ABSTRACT. Previous studies have revealed that radio-transmitters may affect bird behaviors, including feeding rates, foraging behavior, vigilance, and preening behavior. In addition, depending on the method of attachment, transmitters can potentially affect the ability of cavity-nesting birds to use cavities. Our objective was to evaluate effects of transmitters on the behavior of and use of cavities byRed-headedWoodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus). Using backpack harnesses, we attached 2.1-g transmitter packages that averaged 3.1% of body weight (range = 2.5–3.6%) to Red-headed Woodpeckers. We observed both radio-tagged (N = 23) and nonradio-tagged (N = 28) woodpeckers and determined the percentage of time spent engagedmore » in each of five behaviors: flight, foraging, perching, preening, and territorial behavior. We found no difference between the two groups in the percentage of time engaged in each behavior. In addition, we found that transmitters had no apparent effect on use of cavities for roosting by radio-tagged woodpeckers (N = 25).We conclude that backpack transmitters weighing less than 3.6% of body weight had no impact on either their behavior or their ability to use cavities.« less

Effects of radio transmitters on the behavior of Red-headed Woodpeckers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vukovich, Mark; Kilgo, John, C.

ABSTRACT. Previous studies have revealed that radio-transmitters may affect bird behaviors, including feeding rates, foraging behavior, vigilance, and preening behavior. In addition, depending on the method of attachment, transmitters can potentially affect the ability of cavity-nesting birds to use cavities. Our objective was to evaluate effects of transmitters on the behavior of and use of cavities byRed-headedWoodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus). Using backpack harnesses, we attached 2.1-g transmitter packages that averaged 3.1% of body weight (range = 2.5–3.6%) to Red-headed Woodpeckers. We observed both radio-tagged (N = 23) and nonradio-tagged (N = 28) woodpeckers and determined the percentage of time spent engagedmore » in each of five behaviors: flight, foraging, perching, preening, and territorial behavior. We found no difference between the two groups in the percentage of time engaged in each behavior. In addition, we found that transmitters had no apparent effect on use of cavities for roosting by radio-tagged woodpeckers (N = 25).We conclude that backpack transmitters weighing less than 3.6% of body weight had no impact on either their behavior or their ability to use cavities.« less

Theory of mind as a link between oxytocin and maternal behavior.

PubMed

MacKinnon, Anna L; Carter, C Sue; Feeley, Nancy; Gold, Ian; Hayton, Barbara; Santhakumaran, Sangeetha; Zelkowitz, Phyllis

2018-06-01

Oxytocin is a neuropeptide associated with maternal behavior. However the mechanisms underlying this link remain unclear. In a previous study we observed an indirect effect of increased plasma oxytocin during late pregnancy on early postpartum maternal interactive behavior via theory of mind, as assessed by the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). The current study aimed to extend these findings by testing whether this indirect effect would hold longitudinally for maternal behavior at 2-3 years postpartum, as well as for an additional observational measure of maternal mind-mindedness. The original sample of 316 pregnant women (M age  = 31.92 years) was assessed at 12-14 weeks gestation (T1), 32-34 weeks gestation (T2), and 7-9 weeks postpartum (T3). Follow-up measures were taken at 2-3 years postpartum (T4). Mothers' RMET performance (T3) was associated with more structuring and less intrusive maternal behavior at 2-3 years (T4), while their tendency to use mind-related comments (T3) was associated with greater sensitivity (T4). Bootstrap estimates also revealed a significant indirect effect of plasma oxytocin levels during late pregnancy (T2) on maternal structuring and non-intrusive behavior at 2-3 years postpartum (T4) through RMET performance (T3). Results: of the current study confirm and extend the previous findings, demonstrating that theory of mind may represent a social cognitive mechanism linking endogenous oxytocin and maternal behavior. Important changes in the oxytocinergic system during late pregnancy may help prepare for motherhood by promoting the awareness of social cues, which in turn promote maternal behavior from the early postpartum to the early childhood years. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observation of High School Students' Food Handling Behaviors: Do They Improve following a Food Safety Education Intervention?

PubMed

Diplock, Kenneth J; Dubin, Joel A; Leatherdale, Scott T; Hammond, David; Jones-Bitton, Andria; Majowicz, Shannon E

2018-06-01

Youth are a key audience for food safety education. They often engage in risky food handling behaviors, prepare food for others, and have limited experience and knowledge of safe food handling practices. Our goal was to investigate the effectiveness of an existing food handler training program for improving safe food handling behaviors among high school students in Ontario, Canada. However, because no schools agreed to provide control groups, we evaluated whether behaviors changed following delivery of the intervention program and whether changes were sustained over the school term. We measured 32 food safety behaviors, before the intervention and at 2-week and 3-month follow-up evaluations by in-person observations of students ( n = 119) enrolled in grade 10 and 12 Food and Nutrition classes ( n = 8) and who individually prepared recipes. We examined within-student changes in behaviors across the three time points, using mixed effects regression models to model trends in the total food handling score (of a possible 32 behaviors) and subscores for "clean" (17 behaviors), "separate" (14 behaviors), and "cook" (1 behavior), adjusting for student characteristics. At baseline, students ( n = 108) averaged 49.1% (15.7 of 32 behaviors; standard deviation = 5.8) correct food handling behaviors, and only 5.5% (6) of the 108 students used a food thermometer to check the doneness of the chicken (the "cook" behavior). All four behavior score types increased significantly ∼2 weeks postintervention and remained unchanged ∼3 months later. Student characteristics (e.g., having taken a prior food handling course) were not significant predictors of the total number of correctly performed food handling behaviors or of the "clean" or "separate" behaviors, working or volunteering in a food service establishment was the only characteristic significantly associated with food thermometer use (i.e., "cook"). Despite the significant increase in correct behaviors, students continued to use risky practices postintervention, suggesting that the risk of foodborne disease remained.

Directional change of fluid particles in two-dimensional turbulence and of football players

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadoch, Benjamin; Bos, Wouter J. T.; Schneider, Kai

2017-06-01

Multiscale directional statistics are investigated in two-dimensional incompressible turbulence. It is shown that the short-time behavior of the mean angle of directional change of fluid particles is linearly dependent on the time lag and that no inertial range behavior is observed in the directional change associated with the enstrophy-cascade range. In simulations of the inverse-cascade range, the directional change shows a power law behavior at inertial range time scales. By comparing the directional change in space-periodic and wall-bounded flow, it is shown that the probability density function of the directional change at long times carries the signature of the confinement. The geometrical origin of this effect is validated by Monte Carlo simulations. The same effect is also observed in the directional statistics computed from the trajectories of football players (soccer players in American English).

Long-term Behavioral Tracking of Freely Swimming Weakly Electric Fish

PubMed Central

Jun, James J.; Longtin, André; Maler, Leonard

2014-01-01

Long-term behavioral tracking can capture and quantify natural animal behaviors, including those occurring infrequently. Behaviors such as exploration and social interactions can be best studied by observing unrestrained, freely behaving animals. Weakly electric fish (WEF) display readily observable exploratory and social behaviors by emitting electric organ discharge (EOD). Here, we describe three effective techniques to synchronously measure the EOD, body position, and posture of a free-swimming WEF for an extended period of time. First, we describe the construction of an experimental tank inside of an isolation chamber designed to block external sources of sensory stimuli such as light, sound, and vibration. The aquarium was partitioned to accommodate four test specimens, and automated gates remotely control the animals' access to the central arena. Second, we describe a precise and reliable real-time EOD timing measurement method from freely swimming WEF. Signal distortions caused by the animal's body movements are corrected by spatial averaging and temporal processing stages. Third, we describe an underwater near-infrared imaging setup to observe unperturbed nocturnal animal behaviors. Infrared light pulses were used to synchronize the timing between the video and the physiological signal over a long recording duration. Our automated tracking software measures the animal's body position and posture reliably in an aquatic scene. In combination, these techniques enable long term observation of spontaneous behavior of freely swimming weakly electric fish in a reliable and precise manner. We believe our method can be similarly applied to the study of other aquatic animals by relating their physiological signals with exploratory or social behaviors. PMID:24637642

Postnatal colonization with human "infant-type" Bifidobacterium species alters behavior of adult gnotobiotic mice.

PubMed

Luk, Berkley; Veeraragavan, Surabi; Engevik, Melinda; Balderas, Miriam; Major, Angela; Runge, Jessica; Luna, Ruth Ann; Versalovic, James

2018-01-01

Accumulating studies have defined a role for the intestinal microbiota in modulation of host behavior. Research using gnotobiotic mice emphasizes that early microbial colonization with a complex microbiota (conventionalization) can rescue some of the behavioral abnormalities observed in mice that grow to adulthood completely devoid of bacteria (germ-free mice). However, the human infant and adult microbiomes vary greatly, and effects of the neonatal microbiome on neurodevelopment are currently not well understood. Microbe-mediated modulation of neural circuit patterning in the brain during neurodevelopment may have significant long-term implications that we are only beginning to appreciate. Modulation of the host central nervous system by the early-life microbiota is predicted to have pervasive and lasting effects on brain function and behavior. We sought to replicate this early microbe-host interaction by colonizing gnotobiotic mice at the neonatal stage with a simplified model of the human infant gut microbiota. This model consortium consisted of four "infant-type" Bifidobacterium species known to be commensal members of the human infant microbiota present in high abundance during postnatal development. Germ-free mice and mice neonatally-colonized with a complex, conventional murine microbiota were used for comparison. Motor and non-motor behaviors of the mice were tested at 6-7 weeks of age, and colonization patterns were characterized by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Adult germ-free mice were observed to have abnormal memory, sociability, anxiety-like behaviors, and motor performance. Conventionalization at the neonatal stage rescued these behavioral abnormalities, and mice colonized with Bifidobacterium spp. also exhibited important behavioral differences relative to the germ-free controls. The ability of Bifidobacterium spp. to improve the recognition memory of both male and female germ-free mice was a prominent finding. Together, these data demonstrate that the early-life gut microbiome, and human "infant-type" Bifidobacterium species, affect adult behavior in a strongly sex-dependent manner, and can selectively recapitulate the results observed when mice are colonized with a complex microbiota.

Collision-avoidance behaviors of minimally restrained flying locusts to looming stimuli

PubMed Central

Chan, R. WM.; Gabbiani, F.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Visually guided collision avoidance is of paramount importance in flight, for instance to allow escape from potential predators. Yet, little is known about the types of collision-avoidance behaviors that may be generated by flying animals in response to an impending visual threat. We studied the behavior of minimally restrained locusts flying in a wind tunnel as they were subjected to looming stimuli presented to the side of the animal, simulating the approach of an object on a collision course. Using high-speed movie recordings, we observed a wide variety of collision-avoidance behaviors including climbs and dives away from – but also towards – the stimulus. In a more restrained setting, we were able to relate kinematic parameters of the flapping wings with yaw changes in the trajectory of the animal. Asymmetric wing flapping was most strongly correlated with changes in yaw, but we also observed a substantial effect of wing deformations. Additionally, the effect of wing deformations on yaw was relatively independent of that of wing asymmetries. Thus, flying locusts exhibit a rich range of collision-avoidance behaviors that depend on several distinct aerodynamic characteristics of wing flapping flight. PMID:23364572

Foodservice employees benefit from interventions targeting barriers to food safety.

PubMed

York, Valerie K; Brannon, Laura A; Shanklin, Carol W; Roberts, Kevin R; Howells, Amber D; Barrett, Elizabeth B

2009-09-01

The number of foodborne illnesses traced to improper food handling in restaurants indicates a need for research to improve food safety in these establishments. Therefore, this 2-year longitudinal study investigated the effectiveness of traditional ServSafe (National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, Chicago, IL) food-safety training and a Theory of Planned Behavior intervention program targeting employees' perceived barriers and attitudes toward important food-safety behaviors. The effectiveness of the training and intervention was measured by knowledge scores and observed behavioral compliance rates related to food-safety practices. Employees were observed for handwashing, thermometer usage, and proper handling of work surfaces at baseline, after receiving ServSafe training, and again after exposure to the intervention targeting barriers and negative attitudes about food-safety practices. Repeated-measures analyses of variance indicated training improved handwashing knowledge, but the intervention was necessary to improve overall behavioral compliance and handwashing compliance. Results suggest that registered dietitians; dietetic technicians, registered; and foodservice managers should implement a combination of training and intervention to improve knowledge and compliance with food-safety behaviors, rather than relying on training alone. Challenges encountered while conducting this research are discussed, and recommendations are provided for researchers interested in conducting this type of research in the future.

Effect of social isolation on anxiety-related behaviors, cortisol, and monoamines in adult zebrafish.

PubMed

Shams, Soaleha; Seguin, Diane; Facciol, Amanda; Chatterjee, Diptendu; Gerlai, Robert

2017-12-01

Social isolation can be used to study behavioral, neural, and hormonal mechanisms that regulate interactions in social animals. Although isolation effects have been reported in social mammals and various fish species, systematic studies with isolated zebrafish are rare. Here, the authors examined behavior (social and nonsocial), physiological stress (whole-body cortisol levels), and neurochemicals (serotonin, dopamine, and their metabolites), following acute and chronic social isolation in adult zebrafish. To observe how isolated fish respond behaviorally to social stimuli, they exposed zebrafish to live conspecifics or animated images after acute (24 hr) or chronic (6 months) social isolation. The authors observed that isolation did not affect locomotor activity, but acute isolation had weak nonsignificant anxiogenic effects in adult zebrafish. They also found that all isolated fish responded to both live and animated social stimuli, and the stress hormone, cortisol was lower in chronically isolated fish. Finally, neurochemical analyses showed that serotonin levels increased when fish were exposed to social stimulus after acute isolation, but its metabolite 5HIAA decreased in response to social stimulus following both acute and chronic isolation. Levels of both dopamine and its metabolite DOPAC were also reduced in fish exposed to social stimulus after acute and chronic isolation. Overall, these results show that isolation in zebrafish is an effective tool to study fundamental mechanisms controlling social interaction at behavioral and physiological levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effect of Homogenization on the Corrosion Behavior of Al-Mg Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yin; Hung, Yuanchun; Du, Zhiyong; Xiao, Zhengbing; Jia, Guangze

2018-04-01

The effect of homogenization on the corrosion behavior of 5083-O aluminum alloy is presented in this paper. The intergranular corrosion and exfoliation corrosion were used to characterize the discussed corrosion behavior of 5083-O aluminum alloy. The variations in the morphology, the kind and distribution of the precipitates, and the dislocation configurations in the samples after the homogenization were evaluated using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of the highly active grain boundary character distribution and the types of constituent particles on the corrosion are discussed on the basis of experimental observations. The results indicated that the corrosion behavior of 5083-O alloy was closely related to the microstructure obtained by the heat treatment. Homogenization carried out after casting had the optimal effect on the overall corrosion resistance of the material. Nevertheless, all samples could satisfy the requirements of corrosion resistance in marine applications.

Effects of combination birth control on estrous behavior in captive western lowland gorillas, Gorilla gorilla gorilla.

PubMed

Sarfaty, Anna; Margulis, Susan W; Atsalis, Sylvia

2012-01-01

Combination birth control pills (CBC) are one of the most common birth control methods used for western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) housed in zoos. Since zoos are interested in maintaining as many natural behaviors as possible, it is important to know how contraception may affect social and sexual interactions among group members. Although some data are available regarding the influence of the pill on sexual behavior in human females, no data are available on its effects on gorilla estrous behavior. We examined temporal trends of estrous, aggressive, affiliative, and activity budget data in four females on CBC at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL. Behavioral data were collected using point sampling, all-occurrence records, and one-zero sampling. Estrous behavior occurred in less than 1% of observations. Using all-occurrence and one-zero sampling, estrous behavior occurred more frequently in week one of the cycle than any other week. The focal females exhibited affiliative, aggressive, and activity budget data evenly across their cycles. There were also no temporal trends in proximity to the silverback. Females varied by the types of estrous behavior they exhibited. We give a hormonal explanation for the prevalence of estrous behaviors in week one, and recommendations for effective behavioral sampling of gorilla estrous behavior. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effectiveness of link prediction for face-to-face behavioral networks.

PubMed

Tsugawa, Sho; Ohsaki, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

Research on link prediction for social networks has been actively pursued. In link prediction for a given social network obtained from time-windowed observation, new link formation in the network is predicted from the topology of the obtained network. In contrast, recent advances in sensing technology have made it possible to obtain face-to-face behavioral networks, which are social networks representing face-to-face interactions among people. However, the effectiveness of link prediction techniques for face-to-face behavioral networks has not yet been explored in depth. To clarify this point, here we investigate the accuracy of conventional link prediction techniques for networks obtained from the history of face-to-face interactions among participants at an academic conference. Our findings were (1) that conventional link prediction techniques predict new link formation with a precision of 0.30-0.45 and a recall of 0.10-0.20, (2) that prolonged observation of social networks often degrades the prediction accuracy, (3) that the proposed decaying weight method leads to higher prediction accuracy than can be achieved by observing all records of communication and simply using them unmodified, and (4) that the prediction accuracy for face-to-face behavioral networks is relatively high compared to that for non-social networks, but not as high as for other types of social networks.

Effectiveness of a social robot, "Paro," in a VA long-term care setting.

PubMed

Lane, Geoffrey W; Noronha, Delilah; Rivera, Alexandra; Craig, Kathy; Yee, Christina; Mills, Brent; Villanueva, Eimee

2016-08-01

Interest in animal assisted interventions (AAI) has grown over the years, but acceptance of AAI by the clinical and research community has been hampered by safety, hygiene, and logistical concerns. Advances in the field of social robotics have provided a promising route to deliver AAI while avoiding these aforementioned obstacles. Although there has been promising initial research on social robotics in older adults, to date there has been no such research conducted with a veteran population. The present pilot study followed 23 veteran residents of a Veterans Affairs (VA) geropsychiatric long-term care facility over the span of approximately a year and a half. It was found that use of Paro, a social robot, resulted in increased observed positive affective and behavioral indicators, with concomitant decreases observed in negative affective and behavioral indicators. The authors concluded that Paro is likely an effective nonpharmacological approach for managing dementia-related mood and behavior problems with veterans in VA long term care facilities. They additionally observed that Paro is best presented to residents who are relatively calm and approachable, as opposed to actively exhibiting behavior or mood problems. Future research directions are discussed in light of both the positive results noted and the inherent limitations of our pilot study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Monkeys and Humans Share a Common Computation for Face/Voice Integration

PubMed Central

Chandrasekaran, Chandramouli; Lemus, Luis; Trubanova, Andrea; Gondan, Matthias; Ghazanfar, Asif A.

2011-01-01

Speech production involves the movement of the mouth and other regions of the face resulting in visual motion cues. These visual cues enhance intelligibility and detection of auditory speech. As such, face-to-face speech is fundamentally a multisensory phenomenon. If speech is fundamentally multisensory, it should be reflected in the evolution of vocal communication: similar behavioral effects should be observed in other primates. Old World monkeys share with humans vocal production biomechanics and communicate face-to-face with vocalizations. It is unknown, however, if they, too, combine faces and voices to enhance their perception of vocalizations. We show that they do: monkeys combine faces and voices in noisy environments to enhance their detection of vocalizations. Their behavior parallels that of humans performing an identical task. We explored what common computational mechanism(s) could explain the pattern of results we observed across species. Standard explanations or models such as the principle of inverse effectiveness and a “race” model failed to account for their behavior patterns. Conversely, a “superposition model”, positing the linear summation of activity patterns in response to visual and auditory components of vocalizations, served as a straightforward but powerful explanatory mechanism for the observed behaviors in both species. As such, it represents a putative homologous mechanism for integrating faces and voices across primates. PMID:21998576

Behavioral Reactivity Associated With Electronic Monitoring of Environmental Health Interventions--A Cluster Randomized Trial with Water Filters and Cookstoves.

PubMed

Thomas, Evan A; Tellez-Sanchez, Sarita; Wick, Carson; Kirby, Miles; Zambrano, Laura; Abadie Rosa, Ghislaine; Clasen, Thomas F; Nagel, Corey

2016-04-05

Subject reactivity--when research participants change their behavior in response to being observed--has been documented showing the effect of human observers. Electronics sensors are increasingly used to monitor environmental health interventions, but the effect of sensors on behavior has not been assessed. We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial in Rwanda among 170 households (70 blinded to the presence of the sensor, 100 open) testing whether awareness of an electronic monitor would result in a difference in weekly use of household water filters and improved cookstoves over a four-week surveillance period. A 63% increase in number of uses of the water filter per week between the groups was observed in week 1, an average of 4.4 times in the open group and 2.83 times in the blind group, declining in week 4 to an insignificant 55% difference of 2.82 uses in the open, and 1.93 in the blind. There were no significant differences in the number of stove uses per week between the two groups. For both filters and stoves, use decreased in both groups over four-week installation periods. This study suggests behavioral monitoring should attempt to account for reactivity to awareness of electronic monitors that persists for weeks or more.

Effects of sex and housing on social, spatial, and motor behavior in adult rats exposed to moderate levels of alcohol during prenatal development

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Carlos I.; Magcalas, Christy M.; Barto, Daniel; Fink, Brandi C.; Rice, James P.; Bird, Clark W.; Davies, Suzy; Pentkowski, Nathan S.; Savage, Daniel D.; Hamilton, Derek A.

2016-01-01

Persistent deficits in social behavior, motor behavior, and behavioral flexibility are among the major negative consequences associated with exposure to ethanol during prenatal development. Prior work from our laboratory has linked moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in the rat to deficits in these behavioral domains, which depend upon the ventrolateral frontal cortex [20]. Manipulations of the social environment cause modifications of dendritic morphology and experience-dependent immediate early gene expression in ventrolateral frontal cortex [19], and may yield positive behavioral outcomes following PAE. In the present study we evaluated the effects of housing PAE rats with non-exposed control rats on adult behavior. Rats of both sexes were either paired with a partner from the same prenatal treatment condition (ethanol or saccharin) or from the opposite condition (mixed housing condition). At four months of age (~3 months after the housing manipulation commenced), social behavior, tongue protrusion, and behavioral flexibility in the Morris water task were measured as in [20]. The behavioral effects of moderate PAE were primarily limited to males and were not ameliorated by housing with a non-ethanol exposed partner. Unexpectedly, social behavior, motor behavior, and spatial flexibility were adversely affected in control rats housed with a PAE rat (i.e., in mixed housing), indicating that housing with a PAE rat has broad behavioral consequences beyond the social domain. These observations provide further evidence that moderate PAE negatively affects social behavior, and underscore the importance of considering potential negative effects of housing with PAE animals on the behavior of critical comparison groups. PMID:27424779

Difficult Temperament Moderates Links between Maternal Responsiveness and Children’s Compliance and Behavior Problems in Low-Income Families

PubMed Central

Kochanska, Grazyna; Kim, Sanghag

2012-01-01

Background Research has shown that interactions between young children’s temperament and the quality of care they receive predict the emergence of positive and negative socioemotional developmental outcomes. This multi-method study addresses such interactions, using observed and mother-rated measures of difficult temperament, children’s committed, self-regulated compliance and externalizing problems, and mothers’ responsiveness in a low-income sample. Methods In 186 30-month-old children, difficult temperament was observed in the laboratory (as poor effortful control and high anger proneness), and rated by mothers. Mothers’ responsiveness was observed in lengthy naturalistic interactions at 30 and 33 months. At 40 months, children’s committed compliance and externalizing behavior problems were assessed using observations and several well-established maternal report instruments. Results Parallel significant interactions between child difficult temperament and maternal responsiveness were found across both observed and mother-rated measures of temperament. For difficult children, responsiveness had a significant effect such that those children were more compliant and had fewer externalizing problems when they received responsive care, but were less compliant and had more behavior problems when they received unresponsive care. For children with easy temperaments, maternal responsiveness and developmental outcomes were unrelated. All significant interactions reflected the diathesis-stress model. There was no evidence of differential susceptibility, perhaps due to the pervasive stress present in the ecology of the studied families. Conclusions Those findings add to the growing body of evidence that for temperamentally difficult children, unresponsive parenting exacerbates risks for behavior problems, but responsive parenting can effectively buffer risks conferred by temperament. PMID:23057713

Shear thinning in soft particle suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voudouris, Panayiotis; van der Zanden, Berco; Florea, Daniel; Fahimi, Zahra; Wyss, Hans

2012-02-01

Suspensions of soft deformable particles are encountered in a wide range of food and biological materials. Examples are biological cells, micelles, vesicles or microgel particles. While the behavior of suspenions of hard spheres - the classical model system of colloid science - is reasonably well understood, a full understanding of these soft particle suspensions remains elusive. The relation between single particle properties and macroscopic mechanical behavior still remains poorly understood in these materials. Here we examine the surprising shear thinning behavior that is observed in soft particle suspensions as a function of particle softness. We use poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (p-NIPAM) microgel particles as a model system to study this effect in detail. These soft spheres show significant shear thinning even at very large Peclet numbers, where this would not be observed for hard particles. The degree of shear thinning is directly related to the single particle elastic properties, which we characterize by the recently developed Capillary Micromechanics technique. We present a simple model that qualitatively accounts for the observed behavior.

Jefferson Teamwork Observation Guide (JTOG): An Instrument to Observe Teamwork Behaviors.

PubMed

Lyons, Kevin J; Giordano, Carolyn; Speakman, Elizabeth; Smith, Kellie; Horowitz, June A

2016-01-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) is becoming an integral part of the education of health professions students. However, teaching students to become successful members of interprofessional teams is complex, and it is important for students to learn the combinations of skills necessary for teams to function effectively. There are many instruments available to measure many features related to IPE. However, these instruments are often too cumbersome to use in an observational situation since they tend to be lengthy and contain many abstract characteristics that are difficult to identify. The Jefferson Teamwork Observation Guide (JTOG) is a short tool that was created for students early in their educational program to observe teams in action with a set of guidelines to help them focus their observation on behaviors indicative of good teamwork. The JTOG was developed over a 2-year period based on student and clinician feedback and the input of experts in IPE. While initially developed as a purely educational tool for prelicensure students, it is becoming clear that it is an easy-to-use instrument that assesses the behavior of clinicians in practice.

Observation procedure, observer gender, and behavior valence as determinants of sampling error in a behavior assessment analogue

PubMed Central

Farkas, Gary M.; Tharp, Roland G.

1980-01-01

Several factors thought to influence the representativeness of behavioral assessment data were examined in an analogue study using a multifactorial design. Systematic and unsystematic methods of observing group behavior were investigated using 18 male and 18 female observers. Additionally, valence properties of the observed behaviors were inspected. Observers' assessments of a videotape were compared to a criterion code that defined the population of behaviors. Results indicated that systematic observation procedures were more accurate than unsystematic procedures, though this factor interacted with gender of observer and valence of behavior. Additionally, males tended to sample more representatively than females. A third finding indicated that the negatively valenced behavior was overestimated, whereas the neutral and positively valenced behaviors were accurately assessed. PMID:16795631

Observation of the Dynamic Behavior of Magnetic Domains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkinson, R.

1978-01-01

Explains magneto-optical effects and describes techniques which may be used, in conjunction with certain materials, to reveal domain structures. In addition, simple experiments are described which enable domains to be observed under various conditions of applied fields. (Author/GA)

Sex differences in college students' free drawings and their relationship to 2D:4D ratio and recalled childhood play behavior.

PubMed

Rothkopf, Ian; Turgeon, Sarah M

2014-02-01

In a prior study, we observed that female-typical characteristics in elementary school girls' drawings were correlated with a feminized digit ratio (2D:4D), a marker for prenatal androgen exposure. However, this observation was limited to older girls, suggesting that social factors mediate the relationship between 2D:4D and drawing. To examine the hypothesis that the influence of prenatal androgen on girls' drawing is mediated by an effect of early androgens on sex-typical behavior, we examined 2D:4D, free drawings, and scores on the Recalled Childhood Gender Identity (RCGI) Questionnaire in a population of college students. Characteristics of participants' free drawings were assessed and those that showed sex differences were compared with 2D:4D and RCGI scores. Men had smaller 2D:4D ratios than women, used fewer total colors, used fewer pinks, purples, and blues, and had higher gender-typical scores on the RCGI. Women's drawings were more likely to contain flowers and animals and men's drawings were more likely to represent sports. Within-sex RCGI and 2D:4D scores were not significantly correlated. Significant within-sex relationships between 2D:4D and RCGI and drawing behavior were observed but the effects appeared to be independent; the hypothesis that gender-typical childhood behavior mediates the effect of prenatal androgen on drawing characteristics was not supported.

Simultaneous observation of cavitation bubbles generated in biological tissue by high-speed optical and acoustic imaging methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Kai; Iwasaki, Ryosuke; Takagi, Ryo; Yoshizawa, Shin; Umemura, Shin-ichiro

2017-07-01

Acoustic cavitation bubbles are useful for enhancing the heating effect in high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. Many studies were conducted to investigate the behavior of such bubbles in tissue-mimicking materials, such as a transparent gel phantom; however, the detailed behavior in tissue was still unclear owing to the difficulty in optical observation. In this study, a new biological phantom was developed to observe cavitation bubbles generated in an optically shallow area of tissue. Two imaging methods, high-speed photography using light scattering and high-speed ultrasonic imaging, were used for detecting the behavior of the bubbles simultaneously. The results agreed well with each other for the area of bubble formation and the temporal change in the region of bubbles, suggesting that both methods are useful for visualizing the bubbles.

Dynamic sex roles among men who have sex with men and transmissions from primary HIV infection.

PubMed

Alam, Shah Jamal; Romero-Severson, Ethan; Kim, Jong-Hoon; Emond, Gilbert; Koopman, James S

2010-09-01

Previous studies estimating the fraction of transmissions from persons with primary HIV have not focused on the effects of switching sex role in male homosexual populations. Such behavioral fluctuations can increase the contribution of primary HIV in the overall population. We modeled HIV transmission with 8 compartments defined by 4 behavioral groups, with different anal-insertive and anal-receptive combinations, and 2 stages of infection. We explored the effects of fluctuating behavioral categories on endemic prevalence and the fraction of transmissions from primary HIV. We varied transition rates to develop the theory on how behavioral fluctuation affects infection patterns, and we used the transition rates in a Netherlands cohort to assess overall effects in a real setting. The dynamics of change in behavior-group status over time observed in the Netherlands cohort amplifies the prevalence of infection and the fraction of transmissions from primary HIV, resulting in the highest proportions of transmissions being from people with primary HIV. Fluctuation between dual- or receptive-role periods and no-anal-sex periods mainly determines this amplification. In terms of the total transmissions, the dual-role risk group is dominant. Fluctuation between insertive and receptive roles decreases the fraction of transmissions from primary HIV, but such fluctuation is infrequently observed. The fraction of transmissions from primary HIV is considerably raised by fluctuations in insertive and receptive anal sex behaviors. This increase occurs even when primary HIV or later infection status does not influence risk behavior. Thus, it is not simply biology but also behavior patterns and social contexts that determine the fraction of transmissions from primary HIV. Moreover, each primary HIV transmission has a larger population effect than each later infection transmission because the men to whom one transmits from primary HIV carry on more chains of transmissions than the men to whom one transmits later in infection. Reducing transmissions from primary HIV should be a primary focus of HIV control efforts.

Testing Alternative Explanations for the Associations Between Parenting and Adolescent Suicidal Problems

PubMed Central

Boeninger, Daria K.; Masyn, Katherine E.; Conger, Rand D.

2012-01-01

Although studies have established associations between parenting characteristics and adolescent suicidality, the strength of the evidence for these links remains unclear, largely because of methodological limitations, including lack of accounting for possible child effects on parenting. This study addresses these issues by using autoregressive cross-lag models with data on 802 adolescents and their parents across 5 years. Observed parenting behaviors predicted change in adolescent suicidal problems across one-year intervals even after controlling for adolescents’ effects on parenting. Nurturant-involved parenting continued to demonstrate salutary effects after controlling for adolescent and parent internalizing psychopathology: over time, observed nurturant-involved parenting reduced the likelihood of adolescent suicidal problems. This study increases the empirical support implicating parenting behaviors in the developmental course of adolescent suicidality. PMID:24244079

Water sorption in microfibrillated cellulose (MFC): The effect of temperature and pretreatment.

PubMed

Meriçer, Çağlar; Minelli, Matteo; Giacinti Baschetti, Marco; Lindström, Tom

2017-10-15

Water sorption behavior of two different microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) films, produced by delamination of cellulose pulp after different pretreatment methods, is examined at various temperatures (16-65°C) and up to 70% RH. The effect of drying temperature of MFC films on the water uptake is also investigated. The obtained solubility isotherms showed the typical downward curvature at moderate RH, while no upturn is observed at higher RH; the uptakes are in line with characteristic values for cellulose fibers. Enzymatically pretreated MFC dispersion showed lower solubility than carboxymethylated MFC, likely due to the different material structure, which results from the different preparation methods The experimental results are analyzed by Park and GAB models, which proved suitable to describe the observed behaviors. Interestingly, while no significant thermal effect is detected on water solubility above 35°C, the uptake at 16 and 25°C, at a given RH, is substantially lower than that at higher temperature, indicating that, in such range, sorption process is endothermic. Such unusual behavior for a cellulose-based system seems to be related mainly to the structural characteristics of MFC films, and to relaxation phenomena taking place upon water sorption. The diffusion kinetics, indeed, showed a clear Fickian behavior at low temperature and RH, whereas a secondary process seems to occur at high temperature and higher RH, leading to anomalous diffusion behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Panwar, Ranvir Singh, E-mail: ranvir.panwar@thapar.edu; Pandey, O.P., E-mail: oppandey@thapar.edu

Particulate reinforced aluminum metal matrix composite is in high demand in automobile industry where the operational conditions vary from low to high temperature. In order to understand the wear mode at elevated temperature, this study was planned. For this purpose we developed a metal matrix composite containing aluminum alloy (LM13) as matrix and zircon sand as particulate reinforcement by stir casting process. Different amounts of zircon sand (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt.%) were incorporated in the matrix to study the effect of reinforcement on the wear resistance. Dispersion of zircon sand particles in the matrix was confirmed by usingmore » optical microscopy. Sliding wear tests were done to study the durability of the composite with respect to the base alloy. The effects of load and temperature on wear behavior from room temperature to 300 Degree-Sign C were studied to understand the wear mechanism deeply. Surface morphology of the worn surfaces after the wear tests as well as wear debris was observed under scanning electron microscope. Mild to severe wear transition was noticed in tests at high temperature and high load. However, there is interesting change in wear behavior of the composite near the critical temperature of the composite. All the observed behavior has been explained with reference to the observed microstructure of the wear track and debris. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Good interfacial bonding between zircon sand particles and Al matrix was observed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The effect of temperature on the wear behavior of LM13/Zr composites was studied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Wear resistance of the composite was improved with addition of zircon sand. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Transition temperature from mild to severe wear also improved in composite. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SEM analysis of the tracks and debris was done to establish wear mechanism.« less

Effects of Picture Exchange Communication System on Communication and Behavioral Anomalies in Autism

PubMed Central

Malhotra, Shahzadi; Rajender, Gaurav; Bhatia, Manjeet S.; Singh, Tej B.

2010-01-01

Communication skills deficits and stereotyped behaviors are frequently found among people with pervasive developmental disabilities like autism. These communication and behavioral oddities of autism are often considered to be difficult to treat and are challenging. Picture exchange communication system (PECS) is a six-phase picture system based on applied behavior analysis and is specially designed to overcome these communication difficulties in children with autism by encouraging the child to be the communication initiator. The present paper throws light on the process of using PECS along with other traditional behavioral approaches in managing communication deficits and behavioral stereotypies in a seven-year-old male child diagnosed as having childhood autism. The identified target behaviors of repeated head turning, flapping his hands, poor communication skills were assessed using various rating scales including visual analogue scale as per clinician observation and parental reports and managed using PECS as an adjunct to traditional behavioral techniques of contingency management, differential reinforcement, task direction and reprimand. Outcome was assessed using same tools after thirty-two sessions of interventions spread over three months. Significant improvements of around 60% were observed in the target behaviors. PMID:21716776

Effects of picture exchange communication system on communication and behavioral anomalies in autism.

PubMed

Malhotra, Shahzadi; Rajender, Gaurav; Bhatia, Manjeet S; Singh, Tej B

2010-07-01

Communication skills deficits and stereotyped behaviors are frequently found among people with pervasive developmental disabilities like autism. These communication and behavioral oddities of autism are often considered to be difficult to treat and are challenging. Picture exchange communication system (PECS) is a six-phase picture system based on applied behavior analysis and is specially designed to overcome these communication difficulties in children with autism by encouraging the child to be the communication initiator. The present paper throws light on the process of using PECS along with other traditional behavioral approaches in managing communication deficits and behavioral stereotypies in a seven-year-old male child diagnosed as having childhood autism. The identified target behaviors of repeated head turning, flapping his hands, poor communication skills were assessed using various rating scales including visual analogue scale as per clinician observation and parental reports and managed using PECS as an adjunct to traditional behavioral techniques of contingency management, differential reinforcement, task direction and reprimand. Outcome was assessed using same tools after thirty-two sessions of interventions spread over three months. Significant improvements of around 60% were observed in the target behaviors.

Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) ammocoetes exposed to contaminated Portland Harbor sediments: Method development and effects on survival, growth, and behavior

USGS Publications Warehouse

Unrein, Julia R.; Morris, Jeffrey M.; Chitwood, Rob S.; Lipton, Joshua; Peers, Jennifer; van de Wetering, Stan; Schreck, Carl B.

2016-01-01

Many anthropogenic disturbances have contributed to the decline of Pacific lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus), but potential negative effects of contaminants on lampreys are unclear. Lamprey ammocoetes are the only detritivorous fish in the lower Willamette River, Oregon, USA, and have been observed in Portland Harbor sediments. Their long benthic larval stage places them at risk from the effects of contaminated sediment. The authors developed experimental methods to assess the effects of contaminated sediment on the growth and behavior of field-collected ammocoetes reared in a laboratory. Specifically, they developed methods to assess individual growth and burrowing behavior. Burrowing performance demonstrated high variability among contaminated sediments; however, ammocoetes presented with noncontaminated reference sediment initiated burrowing more rapidly and completed it faster. Ammocoete reemergence from contaminated sediments suggests avoidance of some chemical compounds. The authors conducted long-term exposure experiments on individually held ammocoetes using sediment collected from their native Siletz River, which included the following: contaminated sediments collected from 9 sites within Portland Harbor, 2 uncontaminated reference sediments collected upstream, 1 uncontaminated sediment with characteristics similar to Portland Harbor sediments, and clean sand. They determined that a 24-h depuration period was sufficient to evaluate weight changes and observed no mortality or growth effects in fish exposed to any of the contaminated sediments. However, the effect on burrowing behavior appeared to be a sensitive endpoint, with potentially significant implications for predator avoidance.

Thermodynamics of Meissner effect and flux pinning behavior in the bulk of single-crystal La 2 - x Sr x CuO 4 ( x = 0.09 )

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dhiman, I.; Ziesche, R.; Anand, V. K.

We have studied the magnetic flux pinning behavior and Meissner effect for the high-more » $$T_{\\rm c}$$ single crystal La$$_{2-x}$$Sr$$_{x}$$CuO$$_{4}$$ ($x$ = 0.09) superconductor using the polarized neutron imaging method with varying magnetic field and temperature. In the Meissner state expulsion of magnetic field (switched on during the measurements) is visualized, and the signatures of mixed state with increasing temperature are observed. While, for flux pinning behavior between 5 K $$\\leq$$ $T$ $$\\leq$$ 15 K and $$H_{\\rm ext}$$ = 63.5 mT (switched off during the measurements), the evolution of fringe pattern for both 0$$^{o}$$ and 90$$^{o}$$ sample orientation indicates magnetic flux pinning inside the bulk of the sample. At 25 K $$\\leq$$ $T$ $$\\leq$$ 32 K, a continuous decrease of inhomogeneously distribution pinned magnetic flux is observed, with the sample reaching a normal conducting state at $$T_{\\rm c}$$ ($$\\approx$$ 32 K). The flux pinning behavior is also explored as a function of $$H_{\\rm ext}$$, at $T$ = 5 K. As expected, with increasing $$H_{\\rm ext}$$ an increase in fringe density is observed, indicating an increase in magnetic flux pinning in the bulk of the sample. Therefore, in the present work for the first time we report bulk visualization of Meissner effect and flux pinning behavior in high-$$T_{\\rm c}$$ La$$_{2-x}$$Sr$$_{x}$$CuO$$_{4}$$ ($x$ = 0.09) superconductor. This study clearly demonstrates the potential of real space polarized neutron imaging technique for the visualization of the superconducting mixed state, particularly in the field of high-$$T_{\\rm c}$$ superconductors.« less

Observer Training Manual for the Changing Teacher Practice Study. Revised Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Susan

This observer training manual was developed as a central component of a research effort, Changing Teacher Practice (CTP), which was designed to increase the frequency of effective teaching behaviors and staff development strategies in an ongoing school system. The observations focused on two major aspects of classroom teaching--instruction and…

Conservation of the behavioral and transcriptional response to social experience among Drosophilids.

PubMed

Shultzaberger, Ryan K; Johnson, Sarah J; Wagner, Jenee; Ha, Kim; Markow, Therese A; Greenspan, Ralph J

2018-05-24

While social experience has been shown to significantly alter behaviors in a wide range of species, comparative studies that uniformly measure the impact of a single experience across multiple species have been lacking, limiting our understanding of how plastic traits evolve. To address this, we quantified variations in social feeding behaviors across 10 species of Drosophilids, tested the effect of altering rearing context on these behaviors (reared in groups or in isolation), and correlated observed behavioral shifts to accompanying transcriptional changes in the heads of these flies. We observed significant variability in the extent of aggressiveness, the utilization of social cues during food search, and social space preferences across species. The sensitivity of these behaviors to rearing experience also varied: socially naive flies were more aggressive than their socialized con-specifics in some species, and more reserved or identical in others. Despite these differences, the mechanism of socialization appeared to be conserved within the melanogaster sub-group as species could cross-socialize each other, and the transcriptional response to social exposure was significantly conserved. The expression levels of chemosensory-perception genes often varied between species and rearing conditions, supporting a growing body of evidence that behavioral evolution is driven by the differential regulation of this class of genes. The clear differences in behavioral responses to socialization observed in Drosophilids make this an ideal system for continued studies on the genetic basis and evolution of socialization and behavioral plasticity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The effects of captive rearing on the behavior of newly-released whooping cranes (Grus americana)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreger, M.D.; Hatfield, J.S.; Estevez, I.; Gee, G.F.; Clugston, D.A.

2005-01-01

Rearing treatments used in captivity to prepare animals for reintroduction to the wild may have a profound effect on behavior and, possibly, affect their survival after reintroduction. This study examined the behaviors of captive-reared whooping cranes (Grus americana) upon their release in Florida to determine if rearing treatments may affect the behavior of the birds and how these affect their chances of survival in the wild. Individually tagged birds were observed at the rearing facility, the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, from hatch to 20 weeks of age and at the release site in Central Florida for up to 6 weeks post release. The rearing treatments were parent reared (PR), hand reared (HR), and hand reared with exercise (HRE). Observations at the rearing facility are described in a previous paper. At the release site, each bird was observed for 5 min every morning (0700?1000 h) and late afternoon (1500?1800 h) during the 6-week study period. Our results indicated that most of the time, the n = 34 birds were foraging (46.03 ? 1.48%), followed by nonvigilant (20.89 ? 0.73%), vigilant (19.21 ? 0.72%), or performing comfort behaviors (11.61 ? 1.28%). Data were analyzed using mixed models repeated measures ANOVA. There were no significant behavioral differences between HR and HRE birds. PR birds were found in larger groups than HR birds during the first 2 weeks post release and greater than HR and HRE birds afterwards. This may be interpreted as an antipredator strategy for birds that relied on parental guidance during rearing. HR and HRE birds foraged more than PR birds during the first 2 weeks post release and PR birds were more vigilant during the first 2 weeks post release. Across rearing treatments, the percentages of time spent foraging and engaged in vigilant behaviors during rearing were positively correlated with their behavior upon release. If any of these behaviors can be demonstrated to have relevance for the survival of the whooping cranes after release then it may be possible to establish behavioral interventions to increase the frequencies of such behavior, so that they are perpetuated after release.

"Effects of the novel relatively short-acting kappa opioid receptor antagonist LY2444296 in behaviors observed after chronic extended-access cocaine self-administration in rats".

PubMed

Valenza, Marta; Butelman, Eduardo R; Kreek, Mary Jeanne

2017-08-01

The recruitment of the stress circuitry contributes to a shift from positive to negative reinforcement mechanisms sustaining long-term cocaine addiction. The kappa opioid receptor (KOPr) signaling is upregulated by stress and chronic cocaine exposure. While KOPr agonists induce anhedonia and dysphoria, KOPr antagonists display antidepressant and anxiolytic properties. Most of the knowledge on KOPr antagonism is based on drugs with unusual pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, complicating interpretation of results. Here we characterized in vivo behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of the novel relatively short-acting KOPr antagonist LY2444296. To date, no study has investigated whether systemic KOPr blockade reduced anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors in animals previously exposed to chronic extended access cocaine self-administration. We tested the effect of LY2444296 in blocking KOPr-mediated aversive and neuroendocrine effects. Then, we tested acute systemic LY2444296 in reducing anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, as well as releasing the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT), observed after chronic extended access (18 h/day for 14 days) cocaine self-administration. LY2444296 blocked U69,593-induced place aversion and -reduced motor activity as well as U69,593-induced release of serum CORT, confirming its major site of action, without exerting an effect per se. Acute systemic administration of LY2444296 reduced anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors, as well as CORT release, in rats tested after chronic extended access cocaine self-administration, but not in cocaine-naïve rats. Results suggest that acute blockade of KOPr by a relatively short-acting antagonist produces therapeutic-like effects selectively in rats with a history of chronic extended access cocaine self-administration.

Crystallization behavior of polypropylene and its effect on woodfiber composite properties

Treesearch

Suzhou Yin; Timothy G. Rials; Michael P. Wolcott

1999-01-01

This paper describes an approach where polarizing optical microscopy is used to observe the crystallization process of different polypropylenes in the presence of wood fiber. The crystallization behavior was found to be related to the chemical composition of the polymer systems and the addition of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) to polypropylene...

Depressive symptoms and perceptions of child difficulty are associated with less responsive feeding behaviors in an observational study of low-income mothers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Maternal depressive symptoms and perceptions of child difficulty are associated with negative effects on general development and cognitive functioning in children. The study examined associations between maternal depressive symptoms, perceptions of child difficulty, and maternal feeding behaviors in...

The Relationship between Checklist Scores on a Communication OSCE and Analogue Patients' Perceptions of Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazor, Kathleen M.; Ockene, Judith K.; Rogers, H. Jane; Carlin, Michele M.; Quirk, Mark E.

2005-01-01

Many efforts to teach and evaluate physician-patient communication are based on two assumptions: first, that communication can be conceptualized as consisting of specific observable behaviors, and second, that physicians who exhibit certain behaviors are more effective in communicating with patients. These assumptions are usually implicit, and are…

Effect of Machining Parameters on Oxidation Behavior of Mild Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majumdar, P.; Shekhar, S.; Mondal, K.

2015-01-01

This study aims to find out a correlation between machining parameters, resultant microstructure, and isothermal oxidation behavior of lathe-machined mild steel in the temperature range of 660-710 °C. The tool rake angles "α" used were +20°, 0°, and -20°, and cutting speeds used were 41, 232, and 541 mm/s. Under isothermal conditions, non-machined and machined mild steel samples follow parabolic oxidation kinetics with activation energy of 181 and ~400 kJ/mol, respectively. Exaggerated grain growth of the machined surface was observed, whereas, the center part of the machined sample showed minimal grain growth during oxidation at higher temperatures. Grain growth on the surface was attributed to the reduction of strain energy at high temperature oxidation, which was accumulated on the sub-region of the machined surface during machining. It was also observed that characteristic surface oxide controlled the oxidation behavior of the machined samples. This study clearly demonstrates the effect of equivalent strain, roughness, and grain size due to machining, and subsequent grain growth on the oxidation behavior of the mild steel.

Size effect in the spin glass magnetization of thin AuFe films as studied by polarized neutron reflectometry.

PubMed

Saoudi, M; Fritzsche, H; Nieuwenhuys, G J; Hesselberth, M B S

2008-02-08

We used polarized neutron reflectometry to determine the temperature dependence of the magnetization of thin AuFe films with 3% Fe concentration. We performed the measurements in a large magnetic field of 6 T in a temperature range from 295 to 2 K. For the films in the thickness range from 500 to 20 nm we observed a Brillouin-type behavior from 295 K down to 50 K and a constant magnetization of about 0.9 micro(B) per Fe atom below 30 K. However, for the 10 nm thick film we observed a Brillouin-type behavior down to 20 K and a constant magnetization of about 1.3 micro(B) per Fe atom below 20 K. These experiments are the first to show a finite-size effect in the magnetization of single spin-glass films in large magnetic fields. Furthermore, the ability to measure the deviation from the paramagnetic behavior enables us to prove the existence of the spin-glass state where other methods relying on a cusp-type behavior fail.

Indirect effects of phorid fly parasitoids on the mechanisms of interspecific competition among ants.

PubMed

Morrison, Lloyd W

1999-10-01

Indirect effects, which occur when the impact of one species upon another requires the existence of an intermediary species, are apparently very common and may be of greater magnitude than direct effects. Behaviorally mediated indirect effects occur when one species affects the behavior of a second, which in turn affects how that species interacts with a third. I studied behaviorally mediated indirect effects on the mechanisms of competition in two congeneric fire ant species in the presence and absence of parasitoid phorid flies, which parasitized only one ant species. In observational and experimental field studies, the presence of native Texas phorid flies in the genus Pseudacteon decreased food retrieval by their host, Solenopsis geminata (F.), by as much as 50%. In the presence of phorid flies, many S. geminata workers assumed a stationary, curled defensive posture and did not forage. Although the phorid parasitoids had a relatively large effect on exploitative competition, there was no measurable effect on interference competition. Fierce interspecific aggression was observed between S. geminata and S. invicta Buren, and the presence of phorids had no effect on the outcome of these contests. The indirect effects of Pseudacteon parasitoids on Solenopsis fire ant resource retrieval appear to be larger than the direct effect of mortality. Some aspects of the foraging behavior of these Solenopsis species may be, in part, evolutionary adaptations to phorid parasitoid pressure. Because of the relatively large indirect effects, South American Pseudacteon phorids may be promising biocontrol agents of imported fire ants, S. invicta, in the USA. In a laboratory study, a single South American Pseudacteon female was able to significantly decrease food retrieval rates of a North American population of the imported fire ant, S. invicta.

Rotational Dynamics of Inactive Satellites as a Result of the YORP Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albuja, Antonella A.

Observations of inactive satellites in Earth orbit show that these objects are generally rotating, some with very fast rotation rates. In addition, observations indicate that the rotation rate at which defunct satellites spin tends to evolve over time. However, the cause for this behavior is unknown. The observed secular change in the spin rate and spin axis orientation of asteroids is known to be caused by the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect, which results in a torque that is created from reflected thermal energy and sunlight from the surface of an asteroid. This thesis explores the effect of YORP on defunct satellites in Earth orbit and offers this as a potential cause for the observed rotation states of inactive satellites. In this work, several different satellite models are developed to represent inactive satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). The evolution of the spin rate and obliquity for each satellite is then explored using Euler's equations of motion as well as spin and year averaged dynamics. This results in the dynamics being analyzed to understand the secular changes that occur, as well as the variations that result from short period terms over the course of a year. Some of the model satellites have asymmetric geometries, leading to the classical YORP effect as originally formulated for asteroids. One model satellite is geometrically symmetric, but relies on mass distribution asymmetry to generate the YORP effect. Because the YORP effect is directly dependent on geometric, optical and thermal properties of the satellite, varying these parameters can lead to different long-term rotational behavior. A sensitivity study is done by varying these parameters and analyzing its effect on the long-term dynamics of a satellite. Additionally, available observation data of inactive GEO satellites are used to estimate the YORP torque acting on those bodies. A comparison between this torque and the expected torque on a defunct satellite shows that the two are of the same order of magnitude, demonstrating that YORP could be a cause for the observed behavior.

The Effects of CW (Chemical Warfare)-Related Chemicals on Social Behavior and Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-10-01

Present Mount (no thrusting) Mount (with thrusting) Masturbate .Genital Manipulation (other animal) Genital Sniff (other animal) Other Social Behaviors...battery, although it may not be practical to use it an an everyday basis because of the habituation problem. In September, 1985, a banana pellet dispenser... masturbate , etc.) If two or more animals are observed simultaneously in the open field, the social behaviors listed in Table 2 are also scored for

Reducing covert self-injurious behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement through a variable momentary DRO procedure.

PubMed

Toussaint, Karen A; Tiger, Jeffrey H

2012-01-01

Covert self-injurious behavior (i.e., behavior that occurs in the absence of other people) can be difficult to treat. Traditional treatments typically have involved sophisticated methods of observation and often have employed positive punishment procedures. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a variable momentary differential reinforcement contingency in the treatment of covert self-injury. Neither positive punishment nor extinction was required to produce decreased skin picking.

Ramifications of projectile velocity on the ballistic dart penetration of sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sable, Peter Anthony

With the advent of novel in-situ experimental measurement techniques, highly resolved quantitative observations of dynamic events within granular media can now be made. In particular, high speed imagery and digital analysis now allow for the ballistic behaviors of sand to be examined not only across a range of event velocities but across multiple length scales. In an attempt to further understand the dynamic behavior of granular media, these new experimental developments were implemented utilizing high speed photography coupled with piezo-electric stress gauges to observe visually accessible ballistic events of a dart penetrating Ottawa sand. Projectile velocities ranged from 100 to over 300 meters per second with two distinct chosen fields of view to capture bulk and grain-scale behaviors. Each event was analyzed using the digital image correlation technique, particle image velocimetry from which two dimensional, temporally resolved, velocity fields were extracted, from which bulk granular flow and compaction wave propagation were observed and quantified. By comparing bulk, in situ, velocity field behavior resultant from dart penetration, momentum transfer could be quantified measuring radius of influence or dilatant fluid approximations from which a positive correlation was found across the explored velocity regime, including self similar tendencies. This was, however, not absolute as persistent scatter was observed attributed to granular heterogeneous effects. These were tentatively measured in terms of an irreversible energy amount calculated via energy balance. Grain scale analysis reveals analogous behavior to the bulk response with more chaotic structure, though conclusions were limited by the image processing method to qualitative observations. Even so, critical granular behaviors could be seen, such as densification, pore collapse, and grain fracture from which basic heterogeneous phenomena could be examined. These particularly dominated near nose interactions at high projectile velocities. Resulting empirical models and observations from all approaches provide a baseline from which other studies across may be compared, a metric against which penetrator effectiveness may be evaluated, and an alternative way to validate computationally based analyses. Velocity analysis was further contrasted with piezo-resistive stress gauge data in an effort to pair heterogeneous mechanisms in the bulk stress response. Phenomena such as grain fracture and densification were successfully observed in conjunction with a unique stress signature. Comparing stress responses across the tested velocity spectrum confirm conditional similitude with deviations a low projectile velocities attributed to domination by heterogeneous mechanisms.

Health-promoting behaviors through pregnancy, maternity leave, and return to work: effects of role spillover and other correlates.

PubMed

Grace, Sherry L; Williams, Alysha; Stewart, Donna E; Franche, Renée-Louise

2006-01-01

Women's health-promoting behavior changes and their correlates across the transition to motherhood and return to work are insufficiently understood. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare women's health-promoting behaviors, particularly physical activity (PA), across these transitions. A prospective, observational design was employed to assess 243 female healthcare workers from 3 sites with regard to health-promoting behaviors, and their demographic (e.g., age, parity) and psychosocial (i.e., work-family role spillover) correlates. Forty-two participants were recruited while pregnant and re-assessed during maternity leave and upon return to work, and compared to 201 non-pregnant participants. No significant changes in health-promoting behaviors were observed from pregnancy through the postpartum. Pregnant participants reported better nutrition than comparison participants (p=.001), and were more likely to check their pulse when exercising (p=.004). During pregnancy, health-promoting behaviors were related to parental status, with first-time mothers engaging in more positive behaviors. Correlates of PA during maternity leave and return to work included family income and exercise history. Positive family-to-work spillover was significantly greater among pregnant women than among comparison participants (p<.001), and positive work-to-family spillover was related to greater PA upon return to work (p<.01). This study reveals little variability in health-promoting behaviors from the prenatal to the postpartum period. Both demographic and psychosocial factors have effects on health-promoting behaviors, and we must look to these correlates to promote increased PA.

Naturalistic observation of health-relevant social processes: the electronically activated recorder methodology in psychosomatics.

PubMed

Mehl, Matthias R; Robbins, Megan L; Deters, Fenne Große

2012-05-01

This article introduces a novel observational ambulatory monitoring method called the electronically activated recorder (EAR). The EAR is a digital audio recorder that runs on a handheld computer and periodically and unobtrusively records snippets of ambient sounds from participants' momentary environments. In tracking moment-to-moment ambient sounds, it yields acoustic logs of people's days as they naturally unfold. In sampling only a fraction of the time, it protects participants' privacy and makes large observational studies feasible. As a naturalistic observation method, it provides an observer's account of daily life and is optimized for the objective assessment of audible aspects of social environments, behaviors, and interactions (e.g., habitual preferences for social settings, idiosyncratic interaction styles, subtle emotional expressions). This article discusses the EAR method conceptually and methodologically, reviews prior research with it, and identifies three concrete ways in which it can enrich psychosomatic research. Specifically, it can (a) calibrate psychosocial effects on health against frequencies of real-world behavior; (b) provide ecological observational measures of health-related social processes that are independent of self-report; and (c) help with the assessment of subtle and habitual social behaviors that evade self-report but have important health implications. An important avenue for future research lies in merging traditional self-report-based ambulatory monitoring methods with observational approaches such as the EAR to allow for the simultaneous yet methodologically independent assessment of inner, experiential aspects (e.g., loneliness) and outer, observable aspects (e.g., social isolation) of real-world social processes to reveal their unique effects on health.

Is extraordinary prosocial behavior more valuable than ordinary prosocial behavior?

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This study examined how people evaluate ordinary and extraordinary prosocial behaviors, especially their predictions of the likelihood of future prosocial behaviors of ordinary and extraordinary prosocial actors (Study 1). Further, it examined the individual effects of ordinary and extraordinary prosocial behaviors of an actor on the evaluation of his/her trait by considering the cases where the actor engages in and does not engage in the other behavior (Study 2). Study 1 revealed that the likelihood of future prosocial behaviors of ordinary and extraordinary prosocial actors was perceived asymmetrically. Specifically, while the likelihood of ordinary prosocial actors to engage in ordinary prosocial behaviors was perceived as high, the same perception was not observed for extraordinary prosocial behaviors. On the other hand, extraordinary prosocial actors were perceived as highly likely to engage in both ordinary and extraordinary prosocial behaviors. Study 2 revealed that the evaluation of actors who engaged in extraordinary prosocial behaviors but not ordinary prosocial behaviors did not exceed the evaluation of actors who engaged in ordinary prosocial behaviors but not extraordinary prosocial behaviors. Additionally, the effect of extraordinary prosocial behaviors was more when the actor also engaged in ordinary prosocial behaviors. These results suggest that extraordinary prosocial actors are evaluated highly when they also engage in ordinary prosocial behaviors. PMID:29684088

Is extraordinary prosocial behavior more valuable than ordinary prosocial behavior?

PubMed

Futamura, Ikumi

2018-01-01

This study examined how people evaluate ordinary and extraordinary prosocial behaviors, especially their predictions of the likelihood of future prosocial behaviors of ordinary and extraordinary prosocial actors (Study 1). Further, it examined the individual effects of ordinary and extraordinary prosocial behaviors of an actor on the evaluation of his/her trait by considering the cases where the actor engages in and does not engage in the other behavior (Study 2). Study 1 revealed that the likelihood of future prosocial behaviors of ordinary and extraordinary prosocial actors was perceived asymmetrically. Specifically, while the likelihood of ordinary prosocial actors to engage in ordinary prosocial behaviors was perceived as high, the same perception was not observed for extraordinary prosocial behaviors. On the other hand, extraordinary prosocial actors were perceived as highly likely to engage in both ordinary and extraordinary prosocial behaviors. Study 2 revealed that the evaluation of actors who engaged in extraordinary prosocial behaviors but not ordinary prosocial behaviors did not exceed the evaluation of actors who engaged in ordinary prosocial behaviors but not extraordinary prosocial behaviors. Additionally, the effect of extraordinary prosocial behaviors was more when the actor also engaged in ordinary prosocial behaviors. These results suggest that extraordinary prosocial actors are evaluated highly when they also engage in ordinary prosocial behaviors.

An analysis of music therapy student practicum behaviors and their relationship to clinical effectiveness: an exploratory investigation.

PubMed

Darrow, A A; Johnson, C M; Ghetti, C M; Achey, C A

2001-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate specific clinical behaviors exhibited by music therapy students in their 1st through 4th semesters of practicum. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if a relationship exists between therapy students' behaviors and their assessed clinical success. Participants were instructed to submit 20-minutes of videotape from one practicum session, chosen at random from the current practicum semester. Two trained observers then viewed the videotapes and simultaneously recorded the occurrence and duration of practicum student behaviors using SCRIBE, a data collection computer program. The SCRIBE program was configured to include 5 broad categories of therapist behaviors: musical behaviors (singing, playing, listening), physical behaviors (such as hand-over-hand assistance, cueing, or clapping), verbal behaviors (therapy-related verbal interactions or other), a combination of two of the above, and other nonspecified behaviors. The percentage of time practicum students exhibited behaviors within in each category was calculated for all session segments. These same videotapes were also evaluated by 2 professional board certified music therapists who were unfamiliar with the practicum students. Students were assigned an overall rating for clinical effectiveness. Evaluators were also asked to provide comments related to their ratings. A descriptive analysis of clinical behaviors indicate that students spend nearly 40% of their practicum time engaged in musical behaviors and over 50% of their time engaged in verbal behaviors. No significant differences were found in the behaviors exhibited by students in the various practicum levels; however, behavioral differences were found for individual student therapists. Additionally, no relationship was found between students' behaviors and their clinical effectiveness. An analysis of comments by the evaluators indicates that the quantity of musical behaviors does not affect clinical effectiveness as much as the quality of the musical behaviors. Evaluator comments also indicate that students identified as personable or as having rapport with their clients were also more effective in the practicum setting.

Eating under observation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect that heightened awareness of observation has on laboratory measured energy intake.

PubMed

Robinson, Eric; Hardman, Charlotte A; Halford, Jason C G; Jones, Andrew

2015-08-01

Laboratory paradigms are commonly used to study human energy intake. However, the extent to which participants believe their eating behavior is being measured may affect energy intake and is a methodologic factor that has received little consideration. Our main objective was to examine available evidence for the effect that heightened awareness of observation has on energy intake in a laboratory setting. We systematically reviewed laboratory studies that allowed for experimental examination of the effect that heightened awareness of observation has on energy intake. From these experimental studies we combined effect estimates using inverse variance meta-analysis, calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) in energy intake between heightened-awareness and control conditions and qualitatively synthesized potential moderators of this effect. Nine studies, providing 22 comparisons, were eligible for inclusion. These studies largely sampled young women and examined the energy intake of energy-dense snack foods. Evidence indicated that heightened awareness of observation was associated with reduced energy intake when compared with the control condition (random-effects SMD: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.66; P < 0.0001). We found little evidence that the type of experimental manipulation used to heighten awareness moderated the overall effect. The available evidence to date suggests that heightened awareness of observation reduces energy intake in a laboratory setting. These findings suggest that laboratory studies should attempt to minimize the degree to which participants are aware that their eating behavior is being measured. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Longitudinal effects of contextual and proximal factors on mother-infant interactions among Brazilian adolescent mothers.

PubMed

Diniz, Eva; DeSousa, Diogo; Koller, Silvia H; Volling, Brenda L

2016-05-01

Adolescent mothers often come from vulnerable backgrounds which might impact the quality of both maternal and infant behavior. Despite the negative impact of adolescent motherhood for maternal and infant behavior, social support may decrease the risks and promote maternal behavior toward the infant. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinally the effects of proximal (maternal behavior) and distal (mother's perceived social support) variables on infant development in a sample of Brazilian adolescent mothers and their infants. Thirty-nine adolescent mothers (Mage=17.26years; SD=1.71) were observed interacting with their infants at 3 and 6 months postpartum and reported on social support. Results revealed that maternal and infant behavior were associated within and across times. Mothers' perceived social support at 3 months had an indirect effect on infant behavior at 6 months, totally mediated by maternal behavior at 6 months. Our findings revealed the mutual influence between maternal and infant behavior, revealing a proximal process. The results also underscored the importance of the passage of time in the interplay between mother-infant interactions and their developmental context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visitor effect on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) maintained at an island in Lake Catemaco, Veracruz/Mexico.

PubMed

Pérez-Galicia, Sergio; Miranda-Anaya, Manuel; Canales-Espinosa, Domingo; Muñoz-Delgado, Jairo

2017-12-01

We analyzed the effect of human visitors on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) kept on a small tourist island. Although the spider monkey is a common species in zoos, there are very few specific studies on visitor effects on these monkeys. We conducted behavioral observations on the group of spider monkeys to evaluate the effect of visitors. We also used actimetry devices to measure the variations in the spider monkeys' locomotor activity associated with human presence. With regard to the effect on behavior, we found an increase in self-directed behaviors and a decrease in vocalization, both associated with human presence. Moreover, our results suggest that when people feed monkeys, there is an increase in agonistic behaviors. On the other hand, we found that changes in activity levels in response to human presence vary among individuals. We conclude that changes in spider monkeys' behavior could provide evidence of the negative effect of visitors in our study conditions. Although we discuss the differences in activity levels due to differences in social position, further research is required this topic. Our results can be used to inform management plans for this species in captivity. Improving this relationship between humans and non-human primates through tourism education programs would benefit ecotourism and therefore species conservation programs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The home physical environment and its relationship with physical activity and sedentary behavior: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kaushal, Navin; Rhodes, Ryan E

2014-10-01

Reviews of neighborhood (macro) environment characteristics such as the presence of sidewalks and esthetics have shown significant correlations with resident physical activity (PA) and sedentary (SD) behavior. Currently, no comprehensive review has appraised and collected available evidence on the home (micro) physical environment. The purpose of this review was to examine how the home physical environment relates to adult and child PA and SD behaviors. Articles were searched during May 2014 using Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases which yielded 3265 potential studies. Papers were considered eligible if they investigated the presence of PA (ie. exercise equipment, exergaming devices) or SD (ie. television, videogames) equipment and PA or SD behavior. After, screening and manual cross-referencing, 49 studies (20 experimental and 29 observational designs) were found to meet the eligibility criteria. Interventions that reduced sedentary time by using TV limiting devices were shown to be effective for children but the results were limited for adults. Overall, large exercise equipment (ie. treadmills), and prominent exergaming materials (exergaming bike, dance mats) were found to be more effective than smaller devices. Observational studies revealed that location and quantity of televisions correlated with SD behavior with the latter having a greater effect on girls. This was similarly found for the quantity of PA equipment which also correlated with behavior in females. Given the large market for exercise equipment, videos and exergaming, the limited work performed on its effectiveness in homes is alarming. Future research should focus on developing stronger randomized controlled trials, investigate the location of PA equipment, and examine mediators of the gender discrepancy found in contemporary studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of health promotion model-based educational program on self-care behaviors in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in Iran

PubMed Central

Mohsenipouya, Hossein; Majlessi, Fereshteh; Ghafari, Rahman

2018-01-01

Background and aim Post-operative self-care behaviors, have positive effects on increase in adaptability, and reduce cardiac surgery patients’ disability. The present study is carried out aimed at determining the effect of education based on a health promotion model on the patients’ self-care behaviors after coronary artery bypass surgery. Methods This is a semi-experimental study carried out in Mazandaran (Iran) in 2016. Two hundred and twenty patients who participated in the study were selected using a simple random sampling method from a population of postoperative patients, and divided into control and experimental groups (110 patients in each) using block (AABB) randomization. Self-designed self-care questionnaires based on a health promotion model were distributed among the patients once before and three months after intervention. The data were analyzed by SPSS-22, Chi-Square tests, Mann-Whitney and ANCOVA at the significance level of p<0.05. Results The average score of total self-care behaviors in cardiac surgery patients was not significant between the two groups before education (p=0.065), but after training, a significant difference was observed between the two groups (p<0.001). The analysis of ANOVA with repeated measure indicated that following the intervention, significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of improvement of self-care behaviors after excluding the effect of pre-test and controlling demographic and health-related characteristics. Conclusions Developing and implementing a training program based on the health promotion model can enhance self-care behaviors and reduce the number of admissions in patients after cardiac surgery. PMID:29588828

Reduced vasopressin receptors activation mediates the anti-depressant effects of fluoxetine and venlafaxine in bulbectomy model of depression.

PubMed

Poretti, María Belén; Sawant, Rahul S; Rask-Andersen, Mathias; de Cuneo, Marta Fiol; Schiöth, Helgi B; Perez, Mariela F; Carlini, Valeria Paola

2016-03-01

In response to stress, corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and vasopressin (AVP) are released from the hypothalamus, activate their receptors (CRHR1, CRHR2 or AVPr1b), and synergistically act to induce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release from the anterior pituitary. Overstimulation of this system has been frequently associated with major depression states. The objective of the study is to assess the role of AVP and CRH receptors in fluoxetine and venlafaxine effects on the expression of depression-related behavior. In an animal model of depression (olfactory bulbectomy in mice, OB), we evaluated the effects of fluoxetine or venlafaxine (both 10 mg/kg/day) chronic administration on depression-related behavior in the tail suspension test. Plasma levels of AVP, CRH, and ACTH were determined as well as participation of their receptors in the expression of depression related-behavior and gene expression of AVP and CRH receptors (AVPr1b, CRHR1, and CRHR2) in the pituitary gland. The expression of depressive-like behavior in OB animals was reversed by treatment with both antidepressants. Surprisingly, OB-saline mice exhibited increased AVP and ACTH plasma levels, with no alterations in CRH levels when compared to sham mice. Chronic fluoxetine or venlafaxine reversed these effects. In addition, a significant increase only in AVPr1b gene expression was found in OB-saline. The antidepressant therapy used seems to be more likely related to a reduced activation of AVP rather than CRH receptors, since a positive correlation between AVP levels and depressive-like behavior was observed in OB animals. Furthermore, a full restoration of depressive behavior was observed in OB-fluoxetine- or venlafaxine-treated mice only when AVP was centrally administered but not CRH.

Observable Deviations from Homogeneity in an Inhomogeneous Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giblin, John T., Jr.; Mertens, James B.; Starkman, Glenn D.

2016-12-01

How does inhomogeneity affect our interpretation of cosmological observations? It has long been wondered to what extent the observable properties of an inhomogeneous universe differ from those of a corresponding Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) model, and how the inhomogeneities affect that correspondence. Here, we use numerical relativity to study the behavior of light beams traversing an inhomogeneous universe, and construct the resulting Hubble diagrams. The universe that emerges exhibits an average FLRW behavior, but inhomogeneous structures contribute to deviations in observables across the observer’s sky. We also investigate the relationship between angular diameter distance and the angular extent of a source, finding deviations that grow with source redshift. These departures from FLRW are important path-dependent effects, with implications for using real observables in an inhomogeneous universe such as our own.

Outreach-based HIV prevention for injecting drug users: a review of published outcome data.

PubMed Central

Coyle, S L; Needle, R H; Normand, J

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Over the past decade, a body of observational research has accrued about the effects of outreach-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) interventions for drug users. The authors reviewed the findings related to postintervention behavior changes and integrated findings across studies to provide the best estimate of program impact. METHODS: The authors conducted a computerized literature search to locate published accounts of HIV intervention effects on drug users. Thirty-six publications covered outreach-based HIV risk reduction interventions for out-of-treatment injecting drug users (IDUs) and reported intervention effects on HIV-related behaviors or HIV seroincidence. Two-thirds of the publications reported that participation in street-based outreach interventions was followed with office-based HIV testing and counseling. The authors described the theoretical underpinnings of outreach intervention components, the content of the interventions, and the outcome measures that investigators used most frequently. The authors also described and critiqued the evaluation study designs that were in place. Because most of the evaluations were based on pretest and posttest measures of behavior rather than on controlled studies, results were examined with respect to accepted criteria for attributing intervention causality, that is, the plausibility of cause and effect, correct temporal sequence, consistency of findings across reports, strength of associations observed, specifically of associations, and dose-response relationships between interventions and observed outcomes. RESULTS: The majority of the published evaluations showed that IDUs in a variety of places and time periods changed their baseline drug-related and sex-related risk behaviors following their participation in a outreach-based HIV risk reduction intervention. More specifically, the publications indicated that IDUs regularly reported significant follow-up reductions in drug injection, multiperson reuse of syringes and needles, multiperson reuse of other injection equipment (cookers, cotton, rinse water), and crack use. The studies also showed significant intervention effects in promoting entry into drug treatment and increasing needle disinfection. Although drug users also significantly reduced sex-related risks and increased condom use, the majority still practiced unsafe sex. One quasi-experimental study found that reductions in injection risk led to significantly reduced HIV seroincidence among outreach participants. Few investigators looked at dosage effects, but two reports suggested that the longer the exposure to outreach-based interventions, the greater the reductions in drug injection frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Accumulated evidence from observational and quasi-experimental studies strongly indicate that outreach-based interventions have been effective in reaching out-of-treatment IDUs, providing the means for behavior changes and inducing behavior change in the desired direction. The findings provide sound evidence that participation in outreach-based prevention programs can lead to lower HIV incidence rates among program participants. PMID:9722807

Efficacy of 3 Types of Foraging Enrichment for Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Gottlieb, Daniel H; Ghirardo, Stephanie; Minier, Darren E; Sharpe, Nicole; Tatum, Lindsay; McCowan, Brenda

2011-01-01

Primate facilities provide environmental enrichment to improve animal wellbeing, increase opportunities for expression of species-typical behaviors, and decrease the occurrence of stereotypic behaviors. The current study assessed the efficacy of 3 types of foraging enrichment: puzzle balls, supertubes, and shakers. We assigned 48 rhesus macaques to 3 experimental groups, each of which received (after a 3-wk baseline observation period) 1 of the 3 enrichment devices intermittently for 3 wk. Observations were collected during 10-min sessions by using 1–0 sampling with 15-s intervals (480 h total). Observations were collected at the same 10 specified time points each week during the baseline period and after enrichment. Data were analyzed by using generalized linear mixed-effects modeling under the assumption that the underlying response followed a Poisson distribution. Foraging behavior increased significantly in all 3 groups and remained increased in some groups when enrichment was removed after 43 h. The 3 enrichment devices had different effects on individual expression of stereotypy: supertubes decreased it, shakers increased it, and puzzle balls led to a decrease followed by an increase. We present potential reasons for the changes in stereotypy and postulate a likely balance between the beneficial and negative effects of enrichment in any given environment. PMID:22330782

Anisotropy, size, and aspect ratio effects on micropillar compression of Al-SiC nanolaminate composites

DOE PAGES

Mayer, C. R.; Yang, L. W.; Singh, S. S.; ...

2016-05-20

Metal-ceramic nanolaminate composites show promise as high strength and toughness materials. Micropillar compression was used to characterize the mechanical behavior of AlSiC multilayers in different orientations including loading at 0°, 45° and 90° with respect to the direction of the layers. The 0° orientation showed the highest strength while the 45° orientation showed the lowest strength. Each orientation showed unique deformation behavior. Effects of pillar size and aspect ratio were also studied. Higher compressive strengths were observed in smaller pillars for all orientations. This effect was shown to be due to a lower probability of flaws using Weibull statistics. Additionally,more » changes in the aspect ratio was shown to have no significant effect on the behavior except an increase in the strain to failure in the 0° orientation. In conclusion, finite element analysis (FEA) was used to simulate and understand the effect of these parameters on the deformation behavior.« less

Adolescent opiate exposure in the female rat induces subtle alterations in maternal care and transgenerational effects on play behavior.

PubMed

Johnson, Nicole L; Carini, Lindsay; Schenk, Marian E; Stewart, Michelle; Byrnes, Elizabeth M

2011-01-01

The non-medical use of prescription opiates, such as Vicodin(®) and MSContin(®), has increased dramatically over the past decade. Of particular concern is the rising popularity of these drugs in adolescent female populations. Use during this critical developmental period could have significant long-term consequences for both the female user as well as potential effects on her future offspring. To address this issue, we have begun modeling adolescent opiate exposure in female rats and have observed significant transgenerational effects despite the fact that all drugs are withdrawn several weeks prior to pregnancy. The purpose of the current set of studies was to determine whether adolescent morphine exposure modifies postpartum care. In addition, we also examined juvenile play behavior in both male and female offspring. The choice of the social play paradigm was based on previous findings demonstrating effects of both postpartum care and opioid activity on play behavior. The findings revealed subtle modifications in the maternal behavior of adolescent morphine-exposed females, primarily related to the amount of time females' spend nursing and in non-nursing contact with their young. In addition, male offspring of adolescent morphine-exposed mothers (MOR-F1) demonstrate decreased rough and tumble play behaviors, with no significant differences in general social behaviors (i.e., social grooming and social exploration). Moreover, there was a tendency toward increased rough and tumble play in MOR-F1 females, demonstrating the sex-specific nature of these effects. Given the importance of the postpartum environment on neurodevelopment, it is possible that modifications in maternal-offspring interactions, related to a history of adolescent opiate exposure, plays a role in the observed transgenerational effects. Overall, these studies indicate that the long-term consequences of adolescent opiate exposure can impact both the female and her future offspring.

Confidence and the stock market: an agent-based approach.

PubMed

Bertella, Mario A; Pires, Felipe R; Feng, Ling; Stanley, Harry Eugene

2014-01-01

Using a behavioral finance approach we study the impact of behavioral bias. We construct an artificial market consisting of fundamentalists and chartists to model the decision-making process of various agents. The agents differ in their strategies for evaluating stock prices, and exhibit differing memory lengths and confidence levels. When we increase the heterogeneity of the strategies used by the agents, in particular the memory lengths, we observe excess volatility and kurtosis, in agreement with real market fluctuations--indicating that agents in real-world financial markets exhibit widely differing memory lengths. We incorporate the behavioral traits of adaptive confidence and observe a positive correlation between average confidence and return rate, indicating that market sentiment is an important driver in price fluctuations. The introduction of market confidence increases price volatility, reflecting the negative effect of irrationality in market behavior.

Confidence and the Stock Market: An Agent-Based Approach

PubMed Central

Bertella, Mario A.; Pires, Felipe R.; Feng, Ling; Stanley, Harry Eugene

2014-01-01

Using a behavioral finance approach we study the impact of behavioral bias. We construct an artificial market consisting of fundamentalists and chartists to model the decision-making process of various agents. The agents differ in their strategies for evaluating stock prices, and exhibit differing memory lengths and confidence levels. When we increase the heterogeneity of the strategies used by the agents, in particular the memory lengths, we observe excess volatility and kurtosis, in agreement with real market fluctuations—indicating that agents in real-world financial markets exhibit widely differing memory lengths. We incorporate the behavioral traits of adaptive confidence and observe a positive correlation between average confidence and return rate, indicating that market sentiment is an important driver in price fluctuations. The introduction of market confidence increases price volatility, reflecting the negative effect of irrationality in market behavior. PMID:24421888

Sleep Problems and Their Relationship to Maladaptive Behavior Severity in Psychiatrically Hospitalized Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

PubMed

Sannar, Elise M; Palka, Tamara; Beresford, Carol; Peura, Christine; Kaplan, Desmond; Verdi, Mary; Siegel, Matthew; Kaplan, Shir; Grados, Marco

2017-10-30

We examined the relationship between sleep duration and awakenings to Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community (ABC-C) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) scores in hospitalized youth with ASD and behavioral disturbance. Participants included 106 patients with a stay of at least 10 nights. Sleep in the hospital was recorded by staff observation. Higher scores on the ABC-C (irritability, stereotypy, and hyperactivity subscales) at admission were significantly associated with fewer minutes slept during the last five nights of hospitalization. There was no association between total awakenings and ABC-C scores or ADOS-2 comparison scores. Improved understanding of the relationship between sleep quality and maladaptive behavior in this challenging cohort of patients with ASD is vital to the definition and design of future effective interventions.

The Effects of Psychotherapy Treatment on Outcome in Bulimia Nervosa: Examining Indirect Effects through Emotion Regulation, Self-Directed Behavior, and Self-Discrepancy within the Mediation Model

PubMed Central

Peterson, Carol B.; Berg, Kelly C.; Crosby, Ross D.; Lavender, Jason M.; Accurso, Erin C.; Ciao, Anna C.; Smith, Tracey L.; Klein, Marjorie; Mitchell, James E.; Crow, Scott J.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.

2017-01-01

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to examine the indirect effects of Integrative Cognitive-Affective Therapy (ICAT-BN) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E) on bulimia nervosa (BN) treatment outcome through three hypothesized maintenance variables: emotion regulation, self-directed behavior, and self-discrepancy. Method Eighty adults with BN were randomized to 21 sessions of ICAT-BN or CBT-E. A regression-based bootstrapping approach was used to test the indirect effects of treatment on outcome at end of treatment through emotion regulation and self-directed behavior measured at mid-treatment, as well as the indirect effects of treatment at follow-up through emotion regulation, self-directed behavior, and self-discrepancy measured at end of treatment. Results No significant differences in outcome between treatment conditions were observed, and no significant direct or indirect effects were found. Examination of the individual paths within the indirect effects models revealed comparable treatment effects. Across treatments, improvements in emotion regulation and self-directed behavior between baseline and mid-treatment predicted improvements in global eating disorder scores but not binge eating and purging frequency at end of treatment. Baseline to end of treatment improvements in emotion regulation and self-directed behavior also predicted improvements in global eating disorder scores at follow-up. Baseline to end of treatment improvements in emotion regulation predicted improvements in binge eating and baseline to end of treatment increases in positive self-directed behavior predicted improvements in purging at follow-up. Discussion These findings suggest that emotion regulation and self-directed behavior are important treatment targets and that ICAT-BN and CBT-E are comparable in modifying these psychological processes among individuals with BN. PMID:28117906

The effects of psychotherapy treatment on outcome in bulimia nervosa: Examining indirect effects through emotion regulation, self-directed behavior, and self-discrepancy within the mediation model.

PubMed

Peterson, Carol B; Berg, Kelly C; Crosby, Ross D; Lavender, Jason M; Accurso, Erin C; Ciao, Anna C; Smith, Tracey L; Klein, Marjorie; Mitchell, James E; Crow, Scott J; Wonderlich, Stephen A

2017-06-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the indirect effects of Integrative Cognitive-Affective Therapy (ICAT-BN) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E) on bulimia nervosa (BN) treatment outcome through three hypothesized maintenance variables: emotion regulation, self-directed behavior, and self-discrepancy. Eighty adults with BN were randomized to 21 sessions of ICAT-BN or CBT-E. A regression-based bootstrapping approach was used to test the indirect effects of treatment on outcome at end of treatment through emotion regulation and self-directed behavior measured at mid-treatment, as well as the indirect effects of treatment at follow-up through emotion regulation, self-directed behavior, and self-discrepancy measured at end of treatment. No significant differences in outcome between treatment conditions were observed, and no significant direct or indirect effects were found. Examination of the individual paths within the indirect effects models revealed comparable treatment effects. Across treatments, improvements in emotion regulation and self-directed behavior between baseline and mid-treatment predicted improvements in global eating disorder scores but not binge eating and purging frequency at end of treatment. Baseline to end of treatment improvements in emotion regulation and self-directed behavior also predicted improvements in global eating disorder scores at follow-up. Baseline to end of treatment improvements in emotion regulation predicted improvements in binge eating and baseline to end of treatment increases in positive self-directed behavior predicted improvements in purging at follow-up. These findings suggest that emotion regulation and self-directed behavior are important treatment targets and that ICAT-BN and CBT-E are comparable in modifying these psychological processes among individuals with BN. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nutritional status and social behavior in preschool children: the mediating effects of neurocognitive functioning

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianghong; Raine, Adrian

2017-01-01

Early malnutritional status has been associated with reduced cognitive ability in childhood. However, there are almost no studies on the effect of malnutrition on positive social behavior, and no tests of possible mediating mechanisms. This study tests the hypothesis that poor nutritional status is associated with impaired social functioning in childhood, and that neurocognitive ability mediates this relationship. We assessed 1553 male and female 3-year-olds from a birth cohort on measures of malnutrition, social behavior and verbal and spatial neurocognitive functions. Children with indicators of malnutrition showed impaired social behavior (p <.0001) as compared with children in the control group with adequate nutritional status. These associations even persisted after controlling for social adversity and parental education. Findings were not moderated by gender or ethnicity, and there was no interaction effect with parental education. A dose–response relationship was observed between degree of malnutrition and degree of social behavior, with increased malnutrition associated with more impaired social behavior. Neurocognitive ability was found to mediate the nutrition–social behavior relationship. The mediation effect of neurocognitive functioning suggests that poor nutrition negatively impacts brain areas that play important roles in developing positive social behavior. Findings suggest that reducing poor nutrition, alternatively promoting good nutrition, may help promote positive social behavior in early childhood during a critical period for social and neurocognitive development, with implications for improving positive health in adulthood. PMID:27133006

Role of genetic variants in ADIPOQ in human eating behavior.

PubMed

Rohde, Kerstin; Keller, Maria; Horstmann, Annette; Liu, Xuanshi; Eichelmann, Fabian; Stumvoll, Michael; Villringer, Arno; Kovacs, Peter; Tönjes, Anke; Böttcher, Yvonne

2015-01-01

The beneficial effects of adiponectin and its negative correlation with BMI are well described. Adiponectin serum levels are altered in eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating. Here, we tested the hypothesis that (1) adiponectin serum levels correlate with human eating behavior factors and (2) that genetic variants of the ADIPOQ locus influence both serum levels and eating behavior. We analyzed 11 SNPs within ADIPOQ and in the 5' UTR and measured serum adiponectin levels in 1,036 individuals from the German Sorbs population. The German version of the three-factor eating questionnaire (FEV) was completed by 548 Sorbs. For replication purposes, we included an independent replication cohort from Germany (N = 350). In the Sorbs, we observed positive correlations of restraint with adiponectin serum levels (P = 0.001; r = 0.148) which, however, did not withstand adjustment for covariates (P = 0.083; r = 0.077). In addition, four SNPs were nominally associated with serum adiponectin levels (all P < 0.05). Of these, two variants (rs3774261; rs1501229, all P < 0.05) were also related to disinhibition. Furthermore, three variants were exclusively associated with hunger (rs2036373, P = 0.049) and disinhibition (rs822396; rs864265, all P < 0.05). However, none of these associations withstood Bonferroni corrections for multiple testing (all P > 9.3 × 10(-4)). In our replication cohort, we observed similar effect directions at rs1501229 for disinhibition and hunger. A meta-analysis resulted in nominal statistical significance P = 0.036 (Z score 2.086) and P = 0.017 (Z score 2.366), respectively. Given the observed relationship of the SNPs with adiponectin levels and eating behavior, our data support a potential role of adiponectin in human eating behavior. Whether the relationship with eating behavior is mediated by the effects of circulating adiponectin warrants further investigations.

Effect of high ambient temperature on behavior of sheep under semi-arid tropical environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De, Kalyan; Kumar, Davendra; Saxena, Vijay Kumar; Thirumurugan, Palanisamy; Naqvi, Syed Mohammed Khursheed

2017-07-01

High environmental temperature is a major constraint in sheep production under semi-arid tropical environment. Behavior is the earliest indicator of animal's adaptation and responses to the environmental alteration. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the effects of high ambient temperature on the behavior of sheep under a semi-arid tropical environment. The experiment was conducted for 6 weeks on 16 Malpura cross (Garole × Malpura × Malpura (GMM)) rams. The rams were divided equally into two groups, designated as C and T. The rams of C were kept in comfortable environmental conditions served as control. The rams of T were exposed to a different temperature at different hours of the day in a climatic chamber, to simulate a high environmental temperature of summer in semi-arid tropic. The behavioral observations were taken by direct instantaneous observation at 15-min intervals for each animal individually. The feeding, ruminating, standing, and lying behaviors were recorded twice a week from morning (0800 hours) to afternoon (1700 hours) for 6 weeks. Exposure of rams to high temperature (T) significantly ( P < 0.05) decreased the proportion of time spent in feeding during the observation period in most of the hours of the day as compared to the C. The proportion of time spent in rumination and lying was significantly ( P < 0.05) lower in the T group compared to the C. The animals of T spent significantly ( P < 0.05) more time in rumination in standing position as compared to the C. The overall proportion of time spent in standing, panting in each hour, and total panting time was significantly ( P < 0.05) higher in the T as compared to the C. The result of the study indicates that the exposure of sheep to high ambient temperature severely modulates the behavior of sheep which is directed to circumvent the effect of the stressor.

Effect of high ambient temperature on behavior of sheep under semi-arid tropical environment.

PubMed

De, Kalyan; Kumar, Davendra; Saxena, Vijay Kumar; Thirumurugan, Palanisamy; Naqvi, Syed Mohammed Khursheed

2017-07-01

High environmental temperature is a major constraint in sheep production under semi-arid tropical environment. Behavior is the earliest indicator of animal's adaptation and responses to the environmental alteration. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the effects of high ambient temperature on the behavior of sheep under a semi-arid tropical environment. The experiment was conducted for 6 weeks on 16 Malpura cross (Garole × Malpura × Malpura (GMM)) rams. The rams were divided equally into two groups, designated as C and T. The rams of C were kept in comfortable environmental conditions served as control. The rams of T were exposed to a different temperature at different hours of the day in a climatic chamber, to simulate a high environmental temperature of summer in semi-arid tropic. The behavioral observations were taken by direct instantaneous observation at 15-min intervals for each animal individually. The feeding, ruminating, standing, and lying behaviors were recorded twice a week from morning (0800 hours) to afternoon (1700 hours) for 6 weeks. Exposure of rams to high temperature (T) significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the proportion of time spent in feeding during the observation period in most of the hours of the day as compared to the C. The proportion of time spent in rumination and lying was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the T group compared to the C. The animals of T spent significantly (P < 0.05) more time in rumination in standing position as compared to the C. The overall proportion of time spent in standing, panting in each hour, and total panting time was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the T as compared to the C. The result of the study indicates that the exposure of sheep to high ambient temperature severely modulates the behavior of sheep which is directed to circumvent the effect of the stressor.

The effects of in situ turbulence on the behavior of the predatory ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colin, S.; Bezio, N.; Costello, J.; Jaspers, C.; Gemmell, B.

2016-02-01

Most of our understanding of the feeding mechanics of the lobate ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi is based on laboratory experiments with artificially calm conditions because field conditions are seldom as calm as the laboratory. We conducted both laboratory experiments with artificial turbulence and in situ particle image velocimetry (PIV) analyses to evaluate the effects of natural turbulence on the feeding behavior of M. leidyi. We found that even the lowest levels of natural turbulence degraded the feeding current of M. leidyi beyond the tips of the oral lobes. However, both laboratory and field behavioral analyses indicate that M. leidyi alters its swimming behavior in turbulence and is capable of feeding under most turbulence conditions observed.

The impact of individualized interaction on the quality of life of elderly dependent on care as a result of dementia: a study with a pre-post design.

PubMed

de Vocht, Hilde M; Hoogeboom, A M G Marcella; van Niekerk, Bob; den Ouden, Marjolein E M

2015-01-01

The aim was to assess the impact of a one-to-one 30-min individualized interaction per day on the behavior and quality of life of care-dependent residents with dementia. In a pre-/post-test study, 15 care-dependent residents with dementia (mean age 88.8 years, 86.7% women) were included. Resident behavior was measured using video observation and quality of life using Qualidem. Health care professionals (n = 13) and direct relatives (n = 4) were interviewed about the effect of the intervention. The effect of the intervention was analyzed using the Friedman analysis of variance. The video observation showed that maintaining eye contact, touching, responding to speaking, tracking observable stimuli and asking questions about the activity significantly increased during the intervention. These findings were supported by interviews with nurses who described experiences of making human-to-human contact with the residents. No significant overall changes were found in quality of life. These findings were partially supported by interviews with health care professionals and relatives as some perceived effects beyond the 30-min intervention. Interaction offered on a one-to-one basis tailored to individual preferences significantly improved positive interactive behavior of care-dependent residents with dementia during the intervention. Surveys revealed no significant overall effect of the intervention. The interviews indicated there might be effects beyond the intervention for some residents.

Exploring parameter space effects on structure-property relationships of surfactants at liquid-liquid interfaces.

PubMed

Emborsky, Christopher P; Cox, Kenneth R; Chapman, Walter G

2011-08-28

The ubiquitous use of surfactants in commercial and industrial applications has led to many experimental, theoretical, and simulation based studies. These efforts seek to provide a molecular level understanding of the effects on structuring behavior and the corresponding impacts on observable properties (e.g., interfacial tension). With such physical detail, targeted system design can be improved over typical techniques of observational trends and phenomenological correlations by taking advantage of predictive system response. This research provides a systematic study of part of the broad parameter space effects on equilibrium microstructure and interfacial properties of amphiphiles at a liquid-liquid interface using the interfacial statistical associating fluid theory density functional theory as a molecular model for the system from the bulk to the interface. Insights into the molecular level physics and thermodynamics governing the system behavior are discussed as they relate to both predictions qualitatively consistent with experimental observations and extensions beyond currently available studies. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Systematic social observation of children’s neighborhoods using Google Street View: a reliable and cost-effective method

PubMed Central

Odgers, Candice L.; Caspi, Avshalom; Bates, Christopher J.; Sampson, Robert J.; Moffitt, Terrie E.

2012-01-01

Background Children growing up in poor versus affluent neighborhoods are more likely to spend time in prison, develop health problems and die at an early age. The question of how neighborhood conditions influence our behavior and health has attracted the attention of public health officials and scholars for generations. Online tools are now providing new opportunities to measure neighborhood features and may provide a cost effective way to advance our understanding of neighborhood effects on child health. Method A virtual systematic social observation (SSO) study was conducted to test whether Google Street View could be used to reliably capture the neighborhood conditions of families participating in the Environmental-Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study. Multiple raters coded a subsample of 120 neighborhoods and convergent and discriminant validity was evaluated on the full sample of over 1,000 neighborhoods by linking virtual SSO measures to: (a) consumer based geo-demographic classifications of deprivation and health, (b) local resident surveys of disorder and safety, and (c) parent and teacher assessments of children’s antisocial behavior, prosocial behavior, and body mass index. Results High levels of observed agreement were documented for signs of physical disorder, physical decay, dangerousness and street safety. Inter-rater agreement estimates fell within the moderate to substantial range for all of the scales (ICCs ranged from .48 to .91). Negative neighborhood features, including SSO-rated disorder and decay and dangerousness corresponded with local resident reports, demonstrated a graded relationship with census-defined indices of socioeconomic status, and predicted higher levels of antisocial behavior among local children. In addition, positive neighborhood features, including SSO-rated street safety and the percentage of green space, were associated with higher prosocial behavior and healthy weight status among children. Conclusions Our results support the use of Google Street View as a reliable and cost effective tool for measuring both negative and positive features of local neighborhoods. PMID:22676812

Systematic social observation of children's neighborhoods using Google Street View: a reliable and cost-effective method.

PubMed

Odgers, Candice L; Caspi, Avshalom; Bates, Christopher J; Sampson, Robert J; Moffitt, Terrie E

2012-10-01

Children growing up in poor versus affluent neighborhoods are more likely to spend time in prison, develop health problems and die at an early age. The question of how neighborhood conditions influence our behavior and health has attracted the attention of public health officials and scholars for generations. Online tools are now providing new opportunities to measure neighborhood features and may provide a cost effective way to advance our understanding of neighborhood effects on child health. A virtual systematic social observation (SSO) study was conducted to test whether Google Street View could be used to reliably capture the neighborhood conditions of families participating in the Environmental-Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study. Multiple raters coded a subsample of 120 neighborhoods and convergent and discriminant validity was evaluated on the full sample of over 1,000 neighborhoods by linking virtual SSO measures to: (a) consumer based geo-demographic classifications of deprivation and health, (b) local resident surveys of disorder and safety, and (c) parent and teacher assessments of children's antisocial behavior, prosocial behavior, and body mass index. High levels of observed agreement were documented for signs of physical disorder, physical decay, dangerousness and street safety. Inter-rater agreement estimates fell within the moderate to substantial range for all of the scales (ICCs ranged from .48 to .91). Negative neighborhood features, including SSO-rated disorder and decay and dangerousness corresponded with local resident reports, demonstrated a graded relationship with census-defined indices of socioeconomic status, and predicted higher levels of antisocial behavior among local children. In addition, positive neighborhood features, including SSO-rated street safety and the percentage of green space, were associated with higher prosocial behavior and healthy weight status among children. Our results support the use of Google Street View as a reliable and cost effective tool for measuring both negative and positive features of local neighborhoods. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2012 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Intergenerational Continuity in Depression: The Importance of Time-Varying Effects, Maternal Co-morbid Health Risk Behaviors and Child's Gender.

PubMed

Augustyn, Megan Bears; Fulco, Celia J; Henry, Kimberly L

2018-01-12

Intergenerational continuity in depressive symptoms is well established between mother and child, but there are still important facets of this relationship that are underexplored. We examine intergenerational continuity in depressive symptoms between mother-child dyads as a flexible function of child age and account for the potential moderating role of maternal co-morbid health risk behaviors. Using prospective, self-report data collected yearly from 413 mother-child dyads (210 mother-son dyads and 203 mother-daughter dyads) between child ages 12-17, the results indicate that the effect of maternal depressive symptoms on daughters' depressive symptoms steadily increases throughout adolescence whereas the effect of maternal depressive symptoms on sons' depressive symptoms is relatively small, stable, and non-significant during mid-adolescence before increasing in effect in later adolescence. A positive interactive effect between maternal depressive symptoms and intimate partner violence is observed for sons and maternal depressive symptoms and substance use for daughters. A negative interactive effect of maternal depressive symptoms and substance use is observed among sons. Overall, this study identifies particular subgroups for whom intervention programming is most beneficial and suggests targeting health risk behaviors of mothers to lessen the impact of maternal depressive symptoms on offspring.

The effects of aging on emotion-induced modulations of source retrieval ERPs: evidence for valence biases.

PubMed

Newsome, Rachel N; Dulas, Michael R; Duarte, Audrey

2012-12-01

Many behavioral studies have shown that memory is enhanced for emotionally salient events across the lifespan. It has been suggested that this mnemonic boost may be observed for both age groups, particularly the old, in part because emotional information is retrieved with less effort than neutral information. Neuroimaging evidence suggests that inefficient retrieval processing (temporally delayed and attenuated) may contribute to age-related impairments in episodic memory for neutral events. It is not entirely clear whether emotional salience may reduce these age-related changes in neural activity associated with episodic retrieval for neutral events. Here, we investigated these ideas using event-related potentials (ERPs) to assess the neural correlates of successful source memory retrieval ("old-new effects") for neutral and emotional (negative and positive) images. Behavioral results showed that older adults demonstrated source memory impairments compared to the young but that both groups showed reduced source memory accuracy for negative compared to positive and neutral images; most likely due to an arousal-induced memory tradeoff for the negative images, which were subjectively more arousing than both positive and neutral images. ERP results showed that early onsetting old-new effects, between 100 and 300 ms, were observed for emotional but not neutral images in both age groups. Interestingly, these early effects were observed for negative items in the young and for positive items in the old. These ERP findings offer support for the idea that emotional events may be retrieved more automatically than neutral events across the lifespan. Furthermore, we suggest that very early retrieval mechanisms, possibly perceptual priming or familiarity, may underlie the negativity and positivity effects sometimes observed in the young and old, respectively, for various behavioral measures of attention and memory. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A matter of distance-The effect of oxytocin on social discounting is empathy-dependent.

PubMed

Strang, Sabrina; Gerhardt, Holger; Marsh, Nina; Oroz Artigas, Sergio; Hu, Yang; Hurlemann, René; Park, Soyoung Q

2017-04-01

Generosity is an important behavior enriching human society and can be observed across cultures. However, generosity has been shown to be modulated as a function of social distance, also referred to as social discounting. Oxytocin and empathy are other factors that have been shown to play an important role in generous behavior. However, how exactly oxytocin and empathy impact social discounting is yet unknown. Here, we administered oxytocin or placebo in a double-blind design, and measured social discounting behavior. Additionally, individual differences in empathy were assessed. Our results show that the effect of oxytocin on generous behavior is modulated by trait empathy; only for those subjects who received oxytocin there was a positive correlation between individual trait empathy and their generous behavior towards close others. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Short-term and long-term effects of violent media on aggression in children and adults.

PubMed

Bushman, Brad J; Huesmann, L Rowell

2006-04-01

To test whether the results of the accumulated studies on media violence and aggressive behavior are consistent with the theories that have evolved to explain the effects. We tested for the existence of both short-term and long-term effects for aggressive behavior. We also tested the theory-driven hypothesis that short-term effects should be greater for adults and long-term effects should be greater for children. Meta-analysis. Children younger than 18 years and adults. Violent media, including TV, movies, video games, music, and comic books. Measures of aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal (eg, heart rate, blood pressure), and helping behavior. Effect size estimates were combined using meta-analytic procedures. As expected, the short-term effects of violent media were greater for adults than for children whereas the long-term effects were greater for children than for adults. The results also showed that there were overall modest but significant effect sizes for exposure to media violence on aggressive behaviors, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, arousal levels, and helping behavior. The results are consistent with the theory that short-term effects are mostly due to the priming of existing well-encoded scripts, schemas, or beliefs, which adults have had more time to encode. In contrast, long-term effects require the learning (encoding) of scripts, schemas, or beliefs. Children can encode new scripts, schemas, and beliefs via observational learning with less interference and effort than adults.

Detecting and describing preventive intervention effects in a universal school-based randomized trial targeting delinquent and violent behavior.

PubMed

Stoolmiller, M; Eddy, J M; Reid, J B

2000-04-01

This study examined theoretical, methodological, and statistical problems involved in evaluating the outcome of aggression on the playground for a universal preventive intervention for conduct disorder. Moderately aggressive children were hypothesized most likely to benefit. Aggression was measured on the playground using observers blind to the group status of the children. Behavior was micro-coded in real time to minimize potential expectancy biases. The effectiveness of the intervention was strongly related to initial levels of aggressiveness. The most aggressive children improved the most. Models that incorporated corrections for low reliability (the ratio of variance due to true time-stable individual differences to total variance) and censoring (a floor effect in the rate data due to short periods of observation) obtained effect sizes 5 times larger than models without such corrections with respect to children who were initially 2 SDs above the mean on aggressiveness.

Efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for childhood anxiety and depression.

PubMed

Crowe, Katherine; McKay, Dean

2017-06-01

A review of meta-analyses of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for childhood anxiety and depression was conducted. A total of 36 meta-analyses were identified that met inclusion criteria for this review. In most cases, medium-to-large effect sizes for treatment reduction were observed when CBT was compared to non-active control conditions. Small-to-medium effects were observed when CBT was compared to active control treatments. The available meta-analyses generally did not examine, or data were not sufficient to evaluate, potential moderators of outcome, differential effects for parental involvement, or changes in quality of life or functional outcomes associated with treatment. Accordingly, while CBT should be broadly considered an effective treatment approach for childhood anxiety and depression, additional research is warranted in order to establish guidelines for service delivery for complicating factors in client presentation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prenatal lipopolysaccharide exposure affects sexual dimorphism in different germlines of mice with a depressive phenotype.

PubMed

Reis-Silva, Thiago M; Cohn, Daniel W H; Sandini, Thaísa M; Udo, Mariana S B; Teodorov, Elizabeth; Bernardi, Maria Martha

2016-03-15

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration modifies the expression of depressive and non-depressive-like behavior in male and female mice across two generations. The sexual dimorphism of these mice was also examined in the open-field test. Male and female mice of the parental (F0) generation were selected for depressive- or non-depressive-like behavioral profiles using the tail suspension test (TST). Animals with similar profiles were matched for further mating. On gestation day (GD) 15, pregnant F0 mice received LPS (100μg/kg, i.p.) and were allowed to nurture their offspring freely. Adult male and female of the F1 generation were then selected according to behavioral profiles and observed in the open field. Male and female mice of the two behavioral profiles were then mated to obtain the F2 generation. Adults from the F2 generation were also behaviorally phenotyped, and open field behavior was assessed. Male mice that were selected for depressive- and non-depressive-like behaviors and treated or not with LPS in the parental generation exhibited similar proportions of behavioral profiles in both filial lines, but LPS exposure increased the number of depressive-like behavior. An effect of gender was observed in the F1 and F2 generations, in which male mice were more sensitive to the intergenerational effects of LPS in the TST. These data indicate that prenatal LPS exposure on GD15 in the F0 generation influenced the transmission of depressive- and non-depressive-like behavior across filial lines, with sexual dimorphism between phenotypes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Studying the effects of dietary body weight-adjusted acute tryptophan depletion on punishment-related behavioral inhibition.

PubMed

Gaber, Tilman J; Dingerkus, Vita L S; Crockett, Molly J; Bubenzer-Busch, Sarah; Helmbold, Katrin; Sánchez, Cristina L; Dahmen, Brigitte; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Zepf, Florian D

2015-01-01

Alterations in serotonergic (5-HT) neurotransmission are thought to play a decisive role in affective disorders and impulse control. This study aims to reproduce and extend previous findings on the effects of acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) and subsequently diminished central 5-HT synthesis in a reinforced categorization task using a refined body weight-adjusted depletion protocol. Twenty-four young healthy adults (12 females, mean age [SD]=25.3 [2.1] years) were subjected to a double-blind within-subject crossover design. Each subject was administered both an ATD challenge and a balanced amino acid load (BAL) in two separate sessions in randomized order. Punishment-related behavioral inhibition was assessed using a forced choice go/no-go task that incorporated a variable payoff schedule. Administration of ATD resulted in significant reductions in TRP measured in peripheral blood samples, indicating reductions of TRP influx across the blood-brain barrier and related brain 5-HT synthesis. Overall accuracy and response time performance were improved after ATD administration. The ability to adjust behavioral responses to aversive outcome magnitudes and behavioral adjustments following error contingent punishment remained intact after decreased brain 5-HT synthesis. A previously observed dissociation effect of ATD on punishment-induced inhibition was not observed. Our results suggest that neurodietary challenges with ATD Moja-De have no detrimental effects on task performance and punishment-related inhibition in healthy adults.

Self-Associations Influence Task-Performance through Bayesian Inference

PubMed Central

Bengtsson, Sara L.; Penny, Will D.

2013-01-01

The way we think about ourselves impacts greatly on our behavior. This paper describes a behavioral study and a computational model that shed new light on this important area. Participants were primed “clever” and “stupid” using a scrambled sentence task, and we measured the effect on response time and error-rate on a rule-association task. First, we observed a confirmation bias effect in that associations to being “stupid” led to a gradual decrease in performance, whereas associations to being “clever” did not. Second, we observed that the activated self-concepts selectively modified attention toward one’s performance. There was an early to late double dissociation in RTs in that primed “clever” resulted in RT increase following error responses, whereas primed “stupid” resulted in RT increase following correct responses. We propose a computational model of subjects’ behavior based on the logic of the experimental task that involves two processes; memory for rules and the integration of rules with subsequent visual cues. The model incorporates an adaptive decision threshold based on Bayes rule, whereby decision thresholds are increased if integration was inferred to be faulty. Fitting the computational model to experimental data confirmed our hypothesis that priming affects the memory process. This model explains both the confirmation bias and double dissociation effects and demonstrates that Bayesian inferential principles can be used to study the effect of self-concepts on behavior. PMID:23966937

Inhalation Exposure Method for Illegal Drugs.

PubMed

Inomata, Akiko; Ogata, Akio; Tada, Yukie; Nagasawa, Akemichi; Yuzawa, Katsuhiro; Ando, Hiroshi; Kubo, Yoshikazu; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Kaihoko, Fujifumi; Tanaka, Kazuyoshi; Nakajima, Jun'ichi; Suzuki, Atsuko; Uemura, Nozomi; Moriyasu, Takako; Watanabe, Daisuke; Ishihara, Kei; Usami, Takashi; Kamei, Satoru; Kohno, Yasuaki

2017-01-01

We developed a new inhalation exposure method to evaluate effects of synthetic cannabimimetics that are being distributed as new, unregulated drugs in the Tokyo area. We selected the commercial product "SOUTOU" containing AB-CHMINACA and 5F-AMB as the test drug and dried marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) leaves as the negative control. A half cigarette packed with dried marshmallow leaves or SOUTOU was ignited, then mainstream smoke from each was delivered to five mice in an exposure box. After the cigarettes were fully consumed, neurobehavioral observations and a catalepsy test were performed at 15, 30 and 60 min after exposure. The effluent air from the exposure box was poured into impingers containing acetonitrile (first impinger) and dimethyl sulfoxide (second impinger). The resulting solutions were analyzed to assess decomposition of the synthetic cannabimimetics. Mice exposed to SOUTOU smoke showed many excitement behaviors and some suppressive behaviors at 15, 30 and 60 min. These clearly included cannabimimetic specific pharmacological actions. Negative control mice also showed some suppressive behaviors at 15 min but these were attenuated at later times, nearly disappearing at 60 min. In addition, the behavioral effects observed in controls were less pronounced than those in SOUTOU exposed mice. The inhalation exposure method developed in our study would be effective for determining cannabinoid specific pharmacological effects of illegal drugs, as well as for assessing the presence of active compound(s) by comparing the test substance with a negative control.

An investigation of the effects of interfacial microstructure on the fatigue behavior of a four-ply [75]{sub 4} continuous silicon carbide (SCS-6) fiber-reinforced titanium matrix composite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, O.; Li, Y.; Rabeeh, B.M.

1997-12-01

The effects of interfacial microstructure/thickness on the strength and fatigue behavior of a model four-ply [75]{sub 4} Ti-15V-3Al-3Cr-3Sn/SiC (SCS-6) composite are examined in this article. Interfacial microstructure was controlled by annealing at 815 C for 10, 50, or 100 hours. The reaction layer and coating thickness were observed to increase with increasing annealing duration. Damage initiation/propagation mechanisms were examined in as-received material and composites annealed at 815 C for 10 and 100 hours. Fatigue behavior was observed to be dependent upon the stress amplitude. At high stress amplitudes, the failure was dominated by overload phenomena. However, at all stress levels,more » fatigue crack initiation occurred by early debonding and matrix deformation by stress-induced precipitation. This was followed by matrix crack growth and fiber fracture prior to the onset of catastrophic failure. Matrix shear failure modes were also observed on the fracture surfaces in addition to fatigue striations in the matrix. Correlations were also established between the observed damage modes and acoustic emission signals that were detected under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions.« less

Comparative efficacy of simultaneous versus sequential multiple health behavior change interventions among adults: A systematic review of randomised trials.

PubMed

James, Erica; Freund, Megan; Booth, Angela; Duncan, Mitch J; Johnson, Natalie; Short, Camille E; Wolfenden, Luke; Stacey, Fiona G; Kay-Lambkin, Frances; Vandelanotte, Corneel

2016-08-01

Growing evidence points to the benefits of addressing multiple health behaviors rather than single behaviors. This review evaluates the relative effectiveness of simultaneous and sequentially delivered multiple health behavior change (MHBC) interventions. Secondary aims were to identify: a) the most effective spacing of sequentially delivered components; b) differences in efficacy of MHBC interventions for adoption/cessation behaviors and lifestyle/addictive behaviors, and; c) differences in trial retention between simultaneously and sequentially delivered interventions. MHBC intervention trials published up to October 2015 were identified through a systematic search. Eligible trials were randomised controlled trials that directly compared simultaneous and sequential delivery of a MHBC intervention. A narrative synthesis was undertaken. Six trials met the inclusion criteria and across these trials the behaviors targeted were smoking, diet, physical activity, and alcohol consumption. Three trials reported a difference in intervention effect between a sequential and simultaneous approach in at least one behavioral outcome. Of these, two trials favoured a sequential approach on smoking. One trial favoured a simultaneous approach on fat intake. There was no difference in retention between sequential and simultaneous approaches. There is limited evidence regarding the relative effectiveness of sequential and simultaneous approaches. Given only three of the six trials observed a difference in intervention effectiveness for one health behavior outcome, and the relatively consistent finding that the sequential and simultaneous approaches were more effective than a usual/minimal care control condition, it appears that both approaches should be considered equally efficacious. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42015027876. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Endotracheal Suctioning in Preterm Infants Using Four-Handed versus Routine Care

PubMed Central

Cone, Sharon; Pickler, Rita H.; Grap, Mary Jo; McGrath, Jacqueline; Wiley, Paul M.

2013-01-01

Objective To evaluate the effect of four-handed care on preterm infants’ physiologic and behavioral responses to and recovery from endotracheal suctioning versus routine endotracheal (ETT) suctioning. Design Randomized crossover design with infants as their own controls. Setting Single-family-room newborn intensive care unit in an academic health center. Participants Ten intubated infants on conventional ventilation with inline suctioning who were fewer than 37 weeks gestation at birth, and less than one week of age. Methods Each infant was observed twice on a single day. One observation involved routine ETT suctioning and one involved four-handed care. Physiologic and behavioral response data were collected. Results No differences were noted when comparing baseline heart rate (HR) or oxygen saturation (SpO2) data to those obtained during and after suctioning while in the routine care condition. In the four-handed care condition, mean SpO2 increased from preobservation 95.49 to during observation saturation 97.75 (p = .001). Salivary cortisol levels did not differ between groups at baseline or postsuctioning. No significant difference in behavior state was observed between the two conditions. More stress and defense behaviors occurred postsuctioning when infants received routine care as opposed to four-handed care (p = .001) and more self-regulatory behaviors were exhibited by infants during (p = .019) and after suctioning (p = .016) when receiving four-handed care. No statistical difference was found in the number of monitor call-backs postsuctioning. Conclusions Four-handed care during suctioning was associated with a decrease in stress and defense behaviors and an increase in self-regulatory behaviors. PMID:23316894

Differential effects of an adult observer's presence on sex-typed play behavior: A comparison between gender-schematic and gender-aschematic preschool children.

PubMed

Wilansky-Traynor, Pamela; Lobel, Thalma E

2008-08-01

The present study examined the differential effect of an adult observer's presence on the sex-typed play behavior of gender schematic and aschematic preschoolers. A total of 116 Israeli preschoolers (M age = 64.9 months) participated in the study. Children were classified as either gender schematic or aschematic based upon responses to a computerized measure of different sex stereotype components. Children's play behavior with gender typical and atypical, attractive and unattractive, toys was videotaped. An observer was present for half the children's play and absent for the other half's play. Observation status affected the aschematic, but not the schematic, children's play with gender typical toys. For example, observed aschematic boys spent a greater percent of time playing with the unattractive masculine toys compared to unobserved aschematic boys. This difference was not apparent for schematic boys. Additionally, a difference found for schematic boys was not apparent in schematic girls, i.e., when unobserved, schematic boys tended to spend a greater percent of time playing with the unattractive masculine toy than aschematic boys. Further, some differences were found for unattractive, and not attractive, toys. For instance, observed aschematic boys spent a greater percent of time playing with the unattractive masculine toy than did the unobserved aschematic boys. This gap was not found for the attractive masculine toy. Results are discussed with reference to the accessibility and complexity of gender schemas.

Effective Dual Method Contraceptive Use and HPV Vaccination Among U.S. Adolescent and Young Adult Females

PubMed Central

Vanderpool, Robin C.; Williams, Corrine M.; Klawitter, Amy R.; Eddens, Katherine

2016-01-01

Background Problem Behavior Theory posits that risky behaviors cluster in individuals, implying that protective behaviors may follow a similar pattern. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the protective behavior of effective dual method contraception use at first and most recent sexual intercourse is associated with HPV vaccination among adolescent and young adult females. Methods National Survey of Family Growth (2006–2010) data were used to examine the association between women’s contraception use during first and most recent sexual intercourse and HPV vaccination. Women aged 15 to 24 years (n = 1,820) served as the study sample. Findings At first and last sexual intercourse, effective dual method contraception use was reported by 15.3% and 16.8% women, respectively; 27.8% reported receiving at least one dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Higher HPV vaccination rates were observed among dual method users at first and last sexual intercourse (36.4% and 48.2%, respectively). This trend was also observed across age groups (15–19 year olds vs. 20–24 year olds). In adjusted models, among all respondents, dual users at last sexual intercourse were significantly more likely to be vaccinated, whereas at first sexual intercourse only younger dual users were more likely to report HPV vaccination. Conclusions Findings suggest that the protective behavior of dual method contraceptive use at first and most recent sexual intercourse may serve as a predictor of another complementary health behavior, HPV vaccination, particularly among adolescent females. More research is needed to understand behavioral clustering to design related multi-focused women’s health interventions. PMID:25213746

Effective dual method contraceptive use and HPV vaccination among U.S. adolescent and young adult females.

PubMed

Vanderpool, Robin C; Williams, Corrine M; Klawitter, Amy R; Eddens, Katherine

2014-01-01

Problem Behavior Theory posits that risky behaviors cluster in individuals, implying that protective behaviors may follow a similar pattern. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the protective behavior of effective dual method contraception use at first and most recent sexual intercourse is associated with HPV vaccination among adolescent and young adult females. National Survey of Family Growth (2006-2010) data were used to examine the association between women's contraception use during first and most recent sexual intercourse and HPV vaccination. Women aged 15 to 24 years (n = 1,820) served as the study sample. At first and last sexual intercourse, effective dual method contraception use was reported by 15.3% and 16.8% women, respectively; 27.8% reported receiving at least one dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Higher HPV vaccination rates were observed among dual method users at first and last sexual intercourse (36.4% and 48.2%, respectively). This trend was also observed across age groups (15-19 year olds vs. 20-24 year olds). In adjusted models, among all respondents, dual users at last sexual intercourse were significantly more likely to be vaccinated, whereas at first sexual intercourse only younger dual users were more likely to report HPV vaccination. Findings suggest that the protective behavior of dual method contraceptive use at first and most recent sexual intercourse may serve as a predictor of another complementary health behavior, HPV vaccination, particularly among adolescent females. More research is needed to understand behavioral clustering to design related multi-focused women's health interventions. Copyright © 2014 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor antagonist on psychologically suppressed masculine sexual behavior in rats.

PubMed

Miwa, Yoshiji; Nagase, Keiko; Oyama, Nobuyuki; Akino, Hironobu; Yokoyama, Osamu

2011-03-01

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) coordinates various responses of the body to stress, and CRF receptors are important targets of treatment for stress-related disorders. To investigate the effect of a nonselective CRF receptor antagonist, astressin, on suppression of masculine sexual behavior by psychological stress in rats. First, we investigated the influence of psychological stress, induced 2 hours per day for three consecutive days, on sexual behavior. Then, rats were divided into 4 groups: a control group, an astressin administration group (A), a psychological stress loading group (PS), and a psychological stress loading and astressin administration group (PS + A). The rats were exposed to sham or psychological stress for three consecutive days. After the last stress loading, the rats were injected with vehicle or astressin, and their sexual behavior was observed. We also measured serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The effects of astressin on sexual behavior and serum levels of ACTH in rats affected by psychological stress were determined. Sexual behavior was reduced after psychological stress loading. The PS rats had significantly longer mount, intromission, and ejaculation latencies and lower ejaculation frequency than did the control, A, and PS + A rats. The intromission latency and ejaculation frequency in the PS + A rats did not achieve the level observed in the controls. There was no significant difference in these parameters between the control and A rats. Serum ACTH levels were significantly lower in PS + A rats than in PS rats. Psychologically suppressed masculine sexual behavior could be partially recovered with astressin administration in rats. These data provide a rationale for the further study of CRF receptor antagonists as novel agents for treating psychological sexual disorders. © 2010 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Observed child and parent toothbrushing behaviors and child oral health.

PubMed

Collett, Brent R; Huebner, Colleen E; Seminario, Ana Lucia; Wallace, Erin; Gray, Kristen E; Speltz, Matthew L

2016-05-01

Parent-led toothbrushing effectively reduces early childhood caries. Research on the strategies that parents use to promote this behavior is, however, lacking. To examine associations between parent-child toothbrushing interactions and child oral health using a newly developed measure, the Toothbrushing Observation System (TBOS). One hundred children ages 18-60 months and their parents were video-recorded during toothbrushing interactions. Using these recordings, six raters coded parent and child behaviors and the duration of toothbrushing. We examined the reliability of the coding system and associations between observed parent and child behaviors and three indices of oral health: caries, gingival health, and history of dental procedures requiring general anesthesia. Reliabilities were moderate to strong for TBOS child and parent scores. Parent TBOS scores and longer duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with fewer decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces and lower incidence of gingivitis and procedures requiring general anesthesia. Associations between child TBOS scores and dental outcomes were modest, suggesting the relative importance of parent versus child behaviors at this early age. Parents' child behavior management skills and the duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with better child oral health. These findings suggest that parenting skills are an important target for future behavioral oral health interventions. © 2015 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Efficacy of Noncontingent Escape for Decreasing Children's Disruptive Behavior During Restorative Dental Treatment

PubMed Central

O'Callaghan, Patrick M; Allen, Keith D; Powell, Shawn; Salama, Fouad

2006-01-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of a dentist-implemented behavioral intervention in which brief escape from dental treatment was provided on a regular basis, independent of the child's behavior. Within a multiple baseline design across subjects, 5 children, ages 4 to 7 years, were provided with temporary escape from dental treatment on a fixed-time schedule. The intervals were signaled by an electronic timer worn by the dentist. Clinically significant reductions were observed in physically disruptive behavior across all 5 children with the introduction of noncontingent escape, and verbally disruptive behavior was markedly reduced in 4 of the 5 children. In addition, the dental staff's use of physical restraint was reduced to near zero across all 5 children. The research extends the literature in both clinical dentistry and in applied behavior analysis by demonstrating that a dentist can easily and effectively implement noncontingent reinforcement to produce clinically significant and socially important changes in children's health behavior. PMID:16813038

Diurnal Activity of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Highbush Blueberry and Behavioral Response to Irrigation and Application of Insecticides.

PubMed

Van Timmeren, Steven; Horejsi, Logan; Larson, Shadi; Spink, Katherine; Fanning, Philip; Isaacs, Rufus

2017-10-01

Spotted wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive vinegar fly that has become a primary direct pest of berry crops worldwide. We conducted 2 yr of behavioral studies in blueberry plantings to determine how fly activity varied throughout the day. Observations of diurnal activity of adult D. suzukii found the greatest activity in the morning hours between 0600 and 0800 hours, when the majority of flies were on the berries. Flies were also active in the evening mainly between 1800 and 2000 hours; however, this trend was more prominent in 2015, which had cooler and more humid evenings. Experiments examining the effect of irrigation on D. suzukii behavior showed that flies remained active during and after irrigation. The effect of insecticide treatments alone and in combination with irrigation revealed that treatment with spinosad had limited effects on the number of flies per bush, whereas spinetoram reduced the number flying and on the bushes in some cases. Zeta-cypermethrin caused longer and more consistent reduction in D. suzukii flying and on bushes. In all treatments, we observed surviving flies flying near and on treated bushes, indicating that these insecticides do not completely deter fly activity. Irrigation did not influence the effects of zeta-cypermethrin on fly behavior during daily observations up to 3 d after application. Our results highlight that the diurnal patterns of activity of D. suzukii on host plants are flexible and are relatively unaffected by irrigation or insecticide applications. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Tolerance and sensitization to inhaled 1,1,1-trichloroethane in mice: results from open-field behavior and a functional observational battery.

PubMed

Bowen, Scott E; Balster, Robert L

2006-05-01

1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCE), a representative abused solvent, has well described acute behavioral effects in animals. Much less is known about repeated high-concentration exposures as would be encountered in inhalant abusers. Tolerance has been demonstrated in some, but not all, studies with TCE while sensitization has also been seen with other abused solvents. The present study was designed to further characterize changes in the effects of repeated exposure to TCE on a variety of mouse behaviors. Mice were tested using locomotor activity as well as a functional observational battery (FOB) both before and after a regimen of daily exposures to various concentrations of TCE. The initial locomotor effects of acute 30-min exposures to TCE were biphasic with concentration-dependent increases in activity at lower concentrations and decreases observed at higher concentrations. The profile of acute effects as measured by the FOB included changes in posture, decreased arousal, disturbances in gait, delayed righting reflexes, and decreased sensorimotor reactivity. Animals were then divided into five groups and exposed 30 min/day to either air or one of four concentrations of TCE (2,000, 6,000, 10,000, or 13,300 ppm) for 15 consecutive days. The TCE concentration used primarily affected the magnitude of change, not whether tolerance or sensitization occurred. Tolerance developed on the measures of forelimb grip strength, inverted screen, and number of rears. Conversely, sensitization developed to measures of locomotor activity. Depending on the behavioral measure, both tolerance and sensitization can occur in mice with repeated exposure to TCE. Both of these phenomena are characteristic of drugs of abuse.

Stereotypic behaviors in mice selectively bred for high and low methamphetamine-induced stereotypic chewing.

PubMed

Atkins, A L; Helms, M L; O'Toole, L A; Belknap, J K

2001-08-01

At high doses, methamphetamine produces repetitive stereotypic behaviors, and the degree to which this occurs is heritable. Mice of a B6D2F2 genetic background were selectively bred for four generations for high (HMA) and low (LMA) numbers of stereotyped chewing episodes measured for 1 min at 33 min post-injection following 10 mg/kg methamphetamine (changed to 7 mg/kg for the high line and 15 mg/kg for the low line in the third selected generation to avoid ceiling and floor effects, respectively). We sought to determine whether stereotypic behaviors other than number of repetitive chewing episodes were altered by the selective breeding process. HMA and LMA mice of the third and fourth selected generations were tested for chewing stereotypy, for a number of other stereotypic behaviors previously observed in rodents, and for several other non-stereotypic responses to methamphetamine. Testing in the third selected generation was conducted by observing behaviors on videotape following 7 mg/kg methamphetamine. In the fourth selected generation, mice were also tested in automated activity monitors following 10 mg/kg methamphetamine and in climbing chimneys following 16 mg/kg methamphetamine. Dose-response curves with doses of 1, 2, 3.5, 7, 10, and 15 mg/kg methamphetamine were constructed for the most commonly observed behaviors. LMA mice, which exhibited low stereotyped chewing, exhibited high stereotyped circling and climbing, and the reverse was true for these behaviors for HMA mice. For most of the other behaviors measured, there were drug effects but no differences between selected lines. These results suggest that these three stereotyped behaviors, chewing, circling, and climbing, at least partly share the same mechanisms, and therefore are influenced by at least some of the same genes, since animals selectively bred for low methamphetamine-induced stereotyped chewing exhibited high amounts of circling and climbing when given methamphetamine. This also suggests that the other stereotypic behaviors that we measured do not occur by the same genetically determined mechanisms as stereotypic chewing.

Effect of rare-earth doping on the thermoelectric and electrical transport properties of the transition metal pentatelluride hafnium pentatelluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowhorn, Nathan Dane

The transition metal pentatellurides HfTe5 and ZrTe5 have been observed to possess interesting electrical transport properties. High thermopower and low resistivity values result in high thermoelectric power factors. In addition, they possess anomalous transport behavior. The temperature dependence of the resistivity is semimetallic except for a large resistive peak as a function of temperature at around 75 K for HfTe5 and 145 K for ZrTe5. At a temperature corresponding to this peak, the thermopower crosses zero as it moves from large positive values to large negative values. This behavior has been found to be extremely sensitive to changes in the energetics of the system through influences such as magnetic field, stress, pressure, microwave radiation, and substitutional doping. This behavior has yet to be fully explained. Previous doping studies have shown profound and varied effects on the anomalous transport behavior. In this study we investigate the effect on the electrical resistivity, thermopower, and magnetoresistance of doping HfTe5 with rare-earth elements. We have grown single crystals of nominal Hf0.75RE 0.25Te5 where RE = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho. Electrical resistivity and thermopower data from about 10 K to room temperature are presented and discussed in terms of the thermoelectric properties. Doping with rare-earth elements of increasing atomic number leads to a systematic suppression of the anomalous transport behavior. Rare-earth doping also leads to an enhancement of the thermoelectric power factor over that of previously studied pentatellurides and the commonly used thermoelectric material Bi2Te3. For nominal Hf0.75Nd0.25Te5 and Hf0.75 Sm0.25Te5, values more than a factor of 2 larger than that Bi2Te3 are observed. In addition, suppression of the anomalous transport behavior leads to a suppression of the large magnetoresistive effect observed in the parent compounds. Rare-earth doping of HfTe5 has a profound impact on the anomalous electrical transport properties of the parent pentatellurides and produces enhanced thermoelectric properties.

First laboratory insight on the behavioral rhythms of the bathyal crab Geryon longipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuñez, J. D.; Sbragaglia, V.; García, J. A.; Company, J. B.; Aguzzi, J.

2016-10-01

The deep sea is the largest and at the same time least explored biome on Earth, but quantitative studies on the behavior of bathyal organisms are scarce because of the intrinsic difficulties related to in situ observations and maintaining animals in aquaria. In this study, we reported, for the first time, laboratory observations on locomotor rhythms and other behavioral observations (i.e. feeding, exploring and self-grooming) for the bathyal crab Geryon longipes. Crabs were collected on the middle-lower slope (720-1750 m) off the coast of Blanes (Spain). Inertial (18 h) water currents and monochromatic blue (i.e. 470 nm) light-darkness (24 h) cycles were simulated in two different experiments in flume tanks endowed with burrows. Both cycles were simulated in order to investigate activity rhythms regulation in Mediterranean deep-sea benthos. Crabs showed rhythmic locomotor activity synchronized to both water currents and light-darkness cycles. In general terms, feeding and exploring behaviors also followed the same pattern. Results presented here indicate the importance of local inertial (18 h) periodicity of water currents at the seabed as a temporal cue regulating the behavior of bathyal benthic fauna in all continental margin areas where the effects of tides is negligible.

Effects of exposure to a mobile phone on sexual behavior in adult male rabbit: an observational study.

PubMed

Salama, N; Kishimoto, T; Kanayama, H-o; Kagawa, S

2010-01-01

The accumulating effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by a conventional mobile phone (MP) on male sexual behaviour have not yet been analyzed. Therefore, we studied these effects in 18 male rabbits that were randomly divided into phone and control groups. Six female teasers were taken successively to the male's cage and the copulatory behavior was recorded. Serum total testosterone, dopamine and cortisol were evaluated. The animals of the phone group were exposed to MPs (800 MHz) in a standby position for 8 h daily for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, the copulatory behavior and hormonal assays were re-evaluated. Mounts without ejaculation were the main mounts in the phone group and its duration and frequency increased significantly compared with the controls, whereas the reverse was observed in its mounts with ejaculation. Ejaculation frequency dropped significantly, biting/grasping against teasers increased notably and mounting latency in accumulated means from the first to the fourth teasers were noted in the phone group. The hormonal assays did not show any significant differences between the study groups. Therefore, the pulsed radiofrequency emitted by a conventional MP, which was kept on a standby position, could affect the sexual behavior in the rabbit.

Flower-Visiting Butterflies Avoid Predatory Stimuli and Larger Resident Butterflies: Testing in a Butterfly Pavilion.

PubMed

Fukano, Yuya; Tanaka, Yosuke; Farkhary, Sayed Ibrahim; Kurachi, Takuma

2016-01-01

The flower-visiting behaviors of pollinator species are affected not only by flower traits but also by cues of predators and resident pollinators. There is extensive research into the effects of predator cues and resident pollinators on the flower-visiting behaviors of bee pollinators. However, there is relatively little research into their effects on butterfly pollinators probably because of the difficulty in observing a large number of butterfly pollination events. We conducted a dual choice experiment using artificial flowers under semi-natural conditions in the butterfly pavilion at Tama Zoological Park to examine the effects of the presence of a dead mantis and resident butterflies have on the flower-visiting behavior of several butterfly species. From 173 hours of recorded video, we observed 3235 visitations by 16 butterfly species. Statistical analysis showed that (1) butterflies avoided visiting flowers occupied by a dead mantis, (2) butterflies avoided resident butterflies that were larger than the visitor, and (3) butterflies showed greater avoidance of a predator when the predator was present together with the resident butterfly than when the predator was located on the opposite flower of the resident. Finally, we discuss the similarities and differences in behavioral responses of butterfly pollinators and bees.

Effects of the above the influence brand on adolescent drug use prevention normative beliefs.

PubMed

Evans, W Douglas; Holtz, Kristen; White, Tanya; Snider, Jeremy

2014-01-01

Health brands are based on the relations between individuals and health behaviors and lifestyles. Brands can be measured by the brand equity construct validated in previous studies. The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign brands alternative, non-drug use behaviors as a behavior change strategy. This study goes beyond previous campaign evaluations, which did not include specific brand equity measurements. Using data from a nationally representative media tracking, this study examined the relation between antidrug campaign brand equity and adoption of targeted attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Data were gathered before the relaunch of the campaign, and follow-up data collected 3 months later. On the basis of factor analysis, the authors developed a higher order antidrug brand equity factor and regressed campaign outcomes on that factor in multivariable models. The authors observed significant effects of higher brand equity on higher levels of targeted antidrug attitudes and normative beliefs at follow-up. The authors also observed some counterintuitive relations (i.e., less positive attitudes at follow-up). They interpreted these results in light of the changing messages and campaign strategy. The authors conclude that antidrug brand equity is an important construct for understanding campaign effectiveness. The present campaign shows signs of changing targeted antidrug attitudes and beliefs among youth with brand equity.

Flower-Visiting Butterflies Avoid Predatory Stimuli and Larger Resident Butterflies: Testing in a Butterfly Pavilion

PubMed Central

Fukano, Yuya; Tanaka, Yosuke; Farkhary, Sayed Ibrahim; Kurachi, Takuma

2016-01-01

The flower-visiting behaviors of pollinator species are affected not only by flower traits but also by cues of predators and resident pollinators. There is extensive research into the effects of predator cues and resident pollinators on the flower-visiting behaviors of bee pollinators. However, there is relatively little research into their effects on butterfly pollinators probably because of the difficulty in observing a large number of butterfly pollination events. We conducted a dual choice experiment using artificial flowers under semi-natural conditions in the butterfly pavilion at Tama Zoological Park to examine the effects of the presence of a dead mantis and resident butterflies have on the flower-visiting behavior of several butterfly species. From 173 hours of recorded video, we observed 3235 visitations by 16 butterfly species. Statistical analysis showed that (1) butterflies avoided visiting flowers occupied by a dead mantis, (2) butterflies avoided resident butterflies that were larger than the visitor, and (3) butterflies showed greater avoidance of a predator when the predator was present together with the resident butterfly than when the predator was located on the opposite flower of the resident. Finally, we discuss the similarities and differences in behavioral responses of butterfly pollinators and bees. PMID:27846252

Characterizing Effects of Nitric Oxide Sterilization on tert-Butyl Acrylate Shape Memory Polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillippi, Ben

As research into the potential uses of shape memory polymers (SMPs) as implantable medical devices continues to grow and expand, so does the need for an accurate and reliable sterilization mechanism. The ability of an SMP to precisely undergo a programmed shape change will define its ability to accomplish a therapeutic task. To ensure proper execution of the in vivo shape change, the sterilization process must not negatively affect the shape memory behavior of the material. To address this need, this thesis investigates the effectiveness of a benchtop nitric oxide (NOx) sterilization process and the extent to which the process affects the shape memory behavior of a well-studied tert-Butyl Acrylate (tBA) SMP. Quantifying the effects on shape memory behavior was performed using a two-tiered analysis. A two-tiered study design was used to determine if the sterilization process induced any premature shape recovery and to identify any effects that NOx has on the overall shape memory behavior of the foams. Determining the effectiveness of the NOx system--specially, whether the treated samples are more sterile/less contaminated than untreated--was also performed with a two-tiered analysis. In this case, the two-tiered analysis was employed to have a secondary check for contamination. To elaborate, all of the samples that were deemed not contaminated from the initial test were put through a second sterility test to check for contamination a second time. The results of these tests indicated the NOx system is an effective sterilization mechanism and the current protocol does not negatively impact the shape memory behavior of the tBA SMP. The samples held their compressed shape throughout the entirety of the sterilization process. Additionally, there were no observable impacts on the shape memory behavior induced by NOx. Lastly, the treated samples demonstrated lower contamination than the untreated. This thesis demonstrates the effectiveness of NOx as a laboratory scale sterilization mechanism for heat triggered shape memory polymers. The shape memory analysis indicated that the magnitude of the length changes induced by NOx is small enough that it does not make a statistically significant impact on the shape memory behavior of the foams. Additionally, there were no observable effects on the shape memory behavior induced by NOx. The results further indicated the NOx system is effective at sterilizing porous scaffolds, as none of the sterilized samples showed contamination. Testing methods proved to be effective because the initial sterility test was able to identify all of the contaminated samples and preliminary results indicated that NOx sterilization improves the sterility of the foams.

Effects of pretesting implicit self-determined motivation on behavioral engagement: evidence for the mere measurement effect at the implicit level.

PubMed

Keatley, David A; Clarke, David D; Ferguson, Eamonn; Hagger, Martin S

2014-01-01

Research into individuals' intended behavior and performance has traditionally adopted explicitly measured, self-report constructs, and outcomes. More recently, research has shown that completing explicit self-report measures of constructs may effect subsequent behavior, termed the "mere measurement" effect. The aim of the present experiment was to investigate whether implicit measures of motivation showed a similar mere measurement effect on subsequent behavior. It may be the case that measuring the implicit systems affects subsequent implicit interventions (e.g., priming), observable on subsequent behavior. Priming manipulations were also given to participants in order to investigate the interaction between measurement and priming of motivation. Initially, a 2 [implicit association test (IAT: present vs. absent) ×2 (Prime: autonomous vs. absent) and a 2 (IAT: present vs. absent) × 2 (Prime: controlled vs. absent)] between participants designs were conducted, these were them combined into a 2 (IAT: present vs. absent) ×3 (Prime: autonomous vs. controlled vs. absent) between participants design, with attempts at a novel task taken as the outcome measure. Implicit measure completion significantly decreased behavioral engagement. Priming autonomous motivation significantly facilitated, and controlled motivation significantly inhibited performance. Finally, there was a significant implicit measurement × priming interaction, such that priming autonomous motivation only improved performance in the absence of the implicit measure. Overall, this research provides an insight into the effects of implicit measurement and priming of motivation and the combined effect of completing both tasks on behavior.

Does heightening risk appraisals change people's intentions and behavior? A meta-analysis of experimental studies.

PubMed

Sheeran, Paschal; Harris, Peter R; Epton, Tracy

2014-03-01

Several theories construe risk appraisals as key determinants of decisions and actions, and this idea has been supported in correlational studies. However, correlational data cannot answer the question, "Does heightening risk appraisals change people's intentions and behavior?" The present review meta-analyzed experimental evidence in order to address this issue. We identified 4 elements of risk appraisal-risk perception, anticipatory emotion, anticipated emotion, and perceived severity-and located experiments that (a) engendered a statistically significant increase in risk appraisal among treatment compared to control participants and (b) measured subsequent intention or behavior. Heightening risk appraisals had effects of d+ = .31 (k = 217) and d+ = .23 (k = 93) on intention and behavior, respectively. There was evidence that the elements of risk appraisal combined to influence outcomes. For instance, heightening risk perceptions had larger effects on outcomes when anticipatory emotions or perceived severity was also increased. Crucially, risk appraisal effects were augmented by coping appraisals: Risk appraisals had larger effects on outcomes when response efficacy and self-efficacy were enhanced or when response costs were reduced. The largest effect sizes were observed when risk appraisals, response efficacy, and self-efficacy were simultaneously heightened (d+ = .98 and .45, for intention and behavior, respectively). These findings indicate that heightening risk appraisals changes intentions and behavior. However, the direct effects of risk appraisals were generally small. Exploiting synergies among the elements of risk appraisal, and between risk appraisals and coping appraisals, should make for more effective behavior change interventions.

Dynamical gauge effects in an open quantum network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jianshi; Price, Craig; Liu, Qi; Gemelke, Nathan

2016-05-01

We describe new experimental techniques for simulation of high-energy field theories based on an analogy between open thermodynamic systems and effective dynamical gauge-fields following SU(2) × U(1) Yang-Mills models. By coupling near-resonant laser-modes to atoms moving in a disordered optical environment, we create an open system which exhibits a non-equilibrium phase transition between two steady-state behaviors, exhibiting scale-invariant behavior near the transition. By measuring transport of atoms through the disordered network, we observe two distinct scaling behaviors, corresponding to the classical and quantum limits for the dynamical gauge field. This behavior is loosely analogous to dynamical gauge effects in quantum chromodynamics, and can mapped onto generalized open problems in theoretical understanding of quantized non-Abelian gauge theories. Additional, the scaling behavior can be understood from the geometric structure of the gauge potential and linked to the measure of information in the local disordered potential, reflecting an underlying holographic principle. We acknowledge support from NSF Award No.1068570, and the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation.

Effect of Treating Anxiety Disorders on Cognitive Deficits and Behaviors Associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Denis, Isabelle; Guay, Marie-Claude; Foldes-Busque, Guillaume; BenAmor, Leila

2016-06-01

Twenty-five percent of children with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder (AD). As per Quay and in light of Barkley's model, anxiety may have a protective effect on cognitive deficits and behaviors associated with ADHD. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of treating AD on cognitive deficits and behaviors associated with ADHD in children with both disorders. Twenty-four children with ADHD and AD were divided into two groups: treatment for AD, and wait list. Participants were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up with the ADIS-C, the CBCL, and neuropsychological measures. The results revealed a significant improvement in automatic response inhibition and flexibility, and a decrease in inattention/hyperactivity behaviors following the treatment for AD. No significant differences were observed in motor response inhibition, working memory, or attention deficits. The results do not seem to support Quay's hypothesis: treating AD did not exacerbate cognitive deficits and behaviors associated with ADHD in our sample.

Behavioral Effects and Pharmacokinetics of (±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) after Intragastric Administration to Baboons

PubMed Central

Goodwin, Amy K.; Mueller, Melanie; Shell, Courtney D.; Ricaurte, George A.

2013-01-01

(±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) is a popular drug of abuse. We aimed to characterize the behavioral effects of intragastric MDMA in a species closely related to humans and to relate behavioral effects to plasma MDMA and metabolite concentrations. Single doses of MDMA (0.32–7.8 mg/kg) were administered via an intragastric catheter to adult male baboons (N = 4). Effects of MDMA on food-maintained responding were assessed over a 20-hour period, whereas untrained behaviors and fine-motor coordination were characterized every 30 minutes until 3 hours postadministration. Levels of MDMA and metabolites in plasma were measured in the same animals (n = 3) after dosing on a separate occasion. MDMA decreased food-maintained responding over the 20-hour period, and systematic behavioral observations revealed increased frequency of bruxism as the dose of MDMA was increased. Drug blood level determinations showed no MDMA after the lower doses of MDMA tested (0.32–1.0 mg/kg) and modest levels after higher MDMA doses (3.2–7.8 mg/kg). High levels of 3,4-dihydroxymethamphetamine (HHMA) were detected after all doses of MDMA, suggesting extensive first-pass metabolism of MDMA in the baboon. The present results demonstrate that MDMA administered via an intragastric catheter produced behavioral effects that have also been reported in humans. Similar to humans, blood levels of MDMA after oral administration may not be predictive of the behavioral effects of MDMA. Metabolites, particularly HHMA, may play a significant role in the behavioral effects of MDMA. PMID:23516331

Behavioral effects and pharmacokinetics of (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) after intragastric administration to baboons.

PubMed

Goodwin, Amy K; Mueller, Melanie; Shell, Courtney D; Ricaurte, George A; Ator, Nancy A

2013-06-01

(±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") is a popular drug of abuse. We aimed to characterize the behavioral effects of intragastric MDMA in a species closely related to humans and to relate behavioral effects to plasma MDMA and metabolite concentrations. Single doses of MDMA (0.32-7.8 mg/kg) were administered via an intragastric catheter to adult male baboons (N = 4). Effects of MDMA on food-maintained responding were assessed over a 20-hour period, whereas untrained behaviors and fine-motor coordination were characterized every 30 minutes until 3 hours postadministration. Levels of MDMA and metabolites in plasma were measured in the same animals (n = 3) after dosing on a separate occasion. MDMA decreased food-maintained responding over the 20-hour period, and systematic behavioral observations revealed increased frequency of bruxism as the dose of MDMA was increased. Drug blood level determinations showed no MDMA after the lower doses of MDMA tested (0.32-1.0 mg/kg) and modest levels after higher MDMA doses (3.2-7.8 mg/kg). High levels of 3,4-dihydroxymethamphetamine (HHMA) were detected after all doses of MDMA, suggesting extensive first-pass metabolism of MDMA in the baboon. The present results demonstrate that MDMA administered via an intragastric catheter produced behavioral effects that have also been reported in humans. Similar to humans, blood levels of MDMA after oral administration may not be predictive of the behavioral effects of MDMA. Metabolites, particularly HHMA, may play a significant role in the behavioral effects of MDMA.

Lead exposure, IQ, and behavior in urban 5- to 7-year-olds: does lead affect behavior only by lowering IQ?

PubMed

Chen, Aimin; Cai, Bo; Dietrich, Kim N; Radcliffe, Jerilynn; Rogan, Walter J

2007-03-01

Lead exposure in childhood lowers IQ scores, but its effect on children's behavior is less clear. Because IQ, per se, affects behavior, measuring the direct effect of lead requires measuring and then adjusting for IQ. In addition, either peak blood lead concentration, usually at 2 years old, or the lower blood lead level measured at school age may be the most relevant. Few studies have all of this information. The purpose of this work was to differentiate the direct effect of lead on behavior and the indirect effect through IQ and to examine the strength of the association for peak and concurrent blood lead concentration. Data come from a clinical trial of the chelating drug succimer to prevent cognitive impairment in 780 urban 12- to 33-month-olds with blood lead concentrations of 20 to 44 microg/dL. The children were followed from ages 2 to 7 years. The trial data were analyzed as a prospective observational study. Blood lead concentration at 2 years old was not associated with Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised scores at 5 years of age or Behavioral Assessment Systems for Children scores at 7 years of age. Blood lead level at 7 years of age had direct effects on the Behavioral Assessment Systems for Children behavioral symptoms index, externalizing, and school problems at age 7. Concurrent blood lead concentration was associated with externalizing and school problems scales at 7 years of age, and the effect was not entirely mediated through the effect of lead on IQ.

Effects of low to moderate acute doses of pramipexole on impulsivity and cognition in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Hamidovic, Ajna; Kang, Un Jung; de Wit, Harriet

2008-02-01

The neurotransmitter dopamine is integrally involved in the rewarding effects of drugs, and it has also been thought to mediate impulsive behaviors in animal models. Most of the studies of drug effects on impulsive behaviors in humans have involved drugs with complex actions on different transmitter systems and different receptor subtypes. The present study was designed to characterize the effect of single doses of pramipexole, a D2/D3 agonist, on measures of cognitive and impulsive behavior, as well as on mood in healthy volunteers. Healthy men and women (N = 10) received placebo and 2 doses of pramipexole, 0.25 and 0.50 mg, in a within-subject, double-blinded study. Outcome measures included changes in cognitive performance, assessed by the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, several behavioral measures related to impulsive behavior, including the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, Delay Discounting Task, Go/No-Go Task, Card Perseveration Task, and subjective ratings of mood assessed by Addiction Research Center Inventory, Profile of Mood States, and Drug Effects Questionnaire. Pramipexole decreased positive ratings of mood (euphoria, intellectual efficiency, and energy) and increased both subjectively reported sedation and behavioral sedation indicated by impaired cognitive performance on several measures of the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics. Single low to medium doses of this drug did not produce a decrease in impulsive responding on behavioral measures included in this study. The sedative-like effects observed in this study may reflect presynaptic actions of the drug. Higher doses with postsynaptic actions may be needed to produce either behavioral or subjective stimulant-like effects.

Comparison of Alcohol Impairment of Behavioral and Attentional Inhibition

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica; Fillmore, Mark T.

2012-01-01

Background Despite the wealth of studies demonstrating the impairing effects of alcohol on behavioral inhibition, less is known regarding effects of the drug on attentional inhibition (i.e., the ability to ignore distracting stimuli in the environment in order to focus attention on relevant information). The current study examined alcohol impairment of both behavioral and attentional inhibition, as well as potential associations between the two mechanisms of inhibitory control. Methods Men (n = 27) and women (n = 21) performed a measure of behavioral inhibition (cued go/no-go task) and a measure of attentional inhibition (delayed ocular return task) following three doses of alcohol: 0.65 g/kg, 0.45 g/kg, and 0.0 g/kg (placebo). Results Alcohol impaired both behavioral and attentional inhibition relative to placebo; however, correlational analyses revealed no associations between measures of behavioral and attentional inhibition following any dose. Additionally, men committed more inhibitory failures on the behavioral inhibition task, whereas women committed more inhibitory failures on the attentional inhibition task. Conclusions These findings suggest that behavioral and attentional inhibition are equally sensitive to the impairing effects of alcohol, yet represent distinct components of inhibitory control. Additionally, the observed gender differences in control of behavior and attention could have important implications regarding negative consequences associated with alcohol-induced disinhibition in men and women. PMID:22673197

Modification of severe violent and aggressive behavior among psychiatric inpatients through the use of a short-term token economy.

PubMed

Park, Jae Soon; Lee, Kyunghee

2012-12-01

Meager research has been carried out to determine the effectiveness of the token economy among patients behaving violently in mental hospitals. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Short-Term Token Economy (STTE) on violent behavior among chronic psychiatric in-patients. A nonequivalent control group design method was utilized. Participants in an experimental group (n=22) and control group (n=22) took part in this study from January to April, 2008. Observation on aggressive behavior among male in-patients in one hospital as a baseline was made during the week before the behavior modification program and measurement of aggressive behavior was done using the Overt Aggression Scale (OAS), which includes verbal attacks, property damage and physical attacks. The aggressive behavior scores of the experimental group decreased, those of the control group, scores showed an increase after the eight-week behavior modification program utilizing STTE. The results of the study indicate that STTE is effective in reducing the incidence of aggressive behavior among male in-patients in psychiatric hospitals. The outcome of this study should be helpful in reducing the use of coercive measures or psychoactive medication in controlling the violent behavior among in-patients in hospitals.

Exposure to seismic air gun signals causes physiological harm and alters behavior in the scallop Pecten fumatus

PubMed Central

McCauley, Robert D.; Fitzgibbon, Quinn P.; Hartmann, Klaas; Semmens, Jayson M.

2017-01-01

Seismic surveys map the seabed using intense, low-frequency sound signals that penetrate kilometers into the Earth’s crust. Little is known regarding how invertebrates, including economically and ecologically important bivalves, are affected by exposure to seismic signals. In a series of field-based experiments, we investigate the impact of exposure to seismic surveys on scallops, using measurements of physiological and behavioral parameters to determine whether exposure may cause mass mortality or result in other sublethal effects. Exposure to seismic signals was found to significantly increase mortality, particularly over a chronic (months postexposure) time scale, though not beyond naturally occurring rates of mortality. Exposure did not elicit energetically expensive behaviors, but scallops showed significant changes in behavioral patterns during exposure, through a reduction in classic behaviors and demonstration of a nonclassic “flinch” response to air gun signals. Furthermore, scallops showed persistent alterations in recessing reflex behavior following exposure, with the rate of recessing increasing with repeated exposure. Hemolymph (blood analog) physiology showed a compromised capacity for homeostasis and potential immunodeficiency, as a range of hemolymph biochemistry parameters were altered and the density of circulating hemocytes (blood cell analog) was significantly reduced, with effects observed over acute (hours to days) and chronic (months) scales. The size of the air gun had no effect, but repeated exposure intensified responses. We postulate that the observed impacts resulted from high seabed ground accelerations driven by the air gun signal. Given the scope of physiological disruption, we conclude that seismic exposure can harm scallops. PMID:28923925

Can Universal SEL Programs Benefit Universally? Effects of the Positive Action Program on Multiple Trajectories of Social-Emotional and Misconduct Behaviors.

PubMed

Duncan, Robert; Washburn, Isaac J; Lewis, Kendra M; Bavarian, Niloofar; DuBois, David L; Acock, Alan C; Vuchinich, Samuel; Flay, Brian R

2017-02-01

Behavioral trajectories during middle childhood are predictive of consequential outcomes later in life (e.g., substance abuse, violence). Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are designed to promote trajectories that reflect both growth in positive behaviors and inhibited development of negative behaviors. The current study used growth mixture models to examine effects of the Positive Action (PA) program on behavioral trajectories of social-emotional and character development (SECD) and misconduct using data from a cluster-randomized trial that involved 14 schools and a sample of predominately low-income, urban youth followed from 3rd through 8th grade. For SECD, findings indicated that PA was similarly effective at improving trajectories within latent classes characterized as "high/declining" and "low/stable". Favorable program effects were likewise evident to a comparable degree for misconduct across observed latent classes that reflected "low/rising" and "high/rising" trajectories. These findings suggest that PA and perhaps other school-based universal SEL programs have the potential to yield comparable benefits across subgroups of youth with differing trajectories of positive and negative behaviors, making them promising strategies for achieving the intended goal of school-wide improvements in student outcomes.

Genetic effects on mating success and partner choice in a social mammal

PubMed Central

Tung, Jenny; Charpentier, Marie JE; Mukherjee, Sayan; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C

2012-01-01

Mating behavior has profound consequences for two phenomena – individual reproductive success and the maintenance of species boundaries – that contribute to evolutionary processes. Studies of mating behavior in relation to individual reproductive success are common in many species, but studies of mating behavior in relation to genetic variation and species boundaries are less commonly conducted in socially complex species. Here, we leveraged extensive observations of a wild yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus) population that has experienced recent gene flow from a close sister taxon, the anubis baboon (Papio anubis), to examine how admixture-related genetic background affects mating behavior. We identified novel effects of genetic background on mating patterns, including an advantage accruing to anubis-like males and assortative mating among both yellow-like and anubis-like pairs. These genetic effects acted alongside social dominance rank, inbreeding avoidance, and age to produce highly nonrandom mating patterns. Our results suggest that this population may be undergoing admixture-related evolutionary change, driven in part by nonrandom mating. However, the strength of the genetic effects is mediated by behavioral plasticity and social interactions, emphasizing the strong influence of social context on mating behavior in socially complex species. PMID:22673655

Behavioral Patterns of Children Involved in Bullying Episodes

PubMed Central

Santoyo, Carlos V.; Mendoza, Brenda G.

2018-01-01

This study applied a systematic observation strategy to identify coercive behavioral patterns in school environments. The aim was to describe stability and change in the behavioral patterns of children identified as victims of bullying. To this end, the following specific objectives were defined: (1) to identify episodes of bullying based on the frequency of negative behaviors received and power imbalances between bully and victim; (2) to describe stability and behavioral changes in student victims based on their social and academic conduct and the aggression they receive from peers and teachers; and (3) to describe the functional mechanisms responsible for the process of social organization (i.e., the Social Effectiveness, Social Responsiveness, and Social Reciprocity Indexes). The sample consisted of nine children identified as victims, nine classified as bullies, and nine matched controls, all elementary school students from the study developed at the National Autonomous University of Mexico files. A multidimensional/idiographic/follow-up observational design was used. Observational data describes asymmetry between victims and bullies based on microanalyses of the reciprocity of their behavioral exchanges. In addition, the behavioral patterns of victimized children were identified in relation to their academic activity and social relationships with peers. A model of coercive reciprocity accurately describes the asymmetry found among bullies, victims, and controls. A reduction in victimization was found to be related to: (1) responsiveness to the initiation of social interactions by peers and teachers; and (2) the time allocated to academic behavior during the study. PMID:29755379

Behavioral Patterns of Children Involved in Bullying Episodes.

PubMed

Santoyo, Carlos V; Mendoza, Brenda G

2018-01-01

This study applied a systematic observation strategy to identify coercive behavioral patterns in school environments. The aim was to describe stability and change in the behavioral patterns of children identified as victims of bullying. To this end, the following specific objectives were defined: (1) to identify episodes of bullying based on the frequency of negative behaviors received and power imbalances between bully and victim; (2) to describe stability and behavioral changes in student victims based on their social and academic conduct and the aggression they receive from peers and teachers; and (3) to describe the functional mechanisms responsible for the process of social organization (i.e., the Social Effectiveness, Social Responsiveness, and Social Reciprocity Indexes). The sample consisted of nine children identified as victims, nine classified as bullies, and nine matched controls, all elementary school students from the study developed at the National Autonomous University of Mexico files. A multidimensional/idiographic/follow-up observational design was used. Observational data describes asymmetry between victims and bullies based on microanalyses of the reciprocity of their behavioral exchanges. In addition, the behavioral patterns of victimized children were identified in relation to their academic activity and social relationships with peers. A model of coercive reciprocity accurately describes the asymmetry found among bullies, victims, and controls. A reduction in victimization was found to be related to: (1) responsiveness to the initiation of social interactions by peers and teachers; and (2) the time allocated to academic behavior during the study.

Ketamine and MAG Lipase Inhibitor-Dependent Reversal of Evolving Depressive-Like Behavior During Forced Abstinence From Alcohol Drinking.

PubMed

Holleran, Katherine M; Wilson, Hadley H; Fetterly, Tracy L; Bluett, Rebecca J; Centanni, Samuel W; Gilfarb, Rachel A; Rocco, Lauren E R; Patel, Sachin; Winder, Danny G

2016-07-01

Although alcoholism and depression are highly comorbid, treatment options that take this into account are lacking, and mouse models of alcohol (ethanol (EtOH)) intake-induced depressive-like behavior have not been well established. Recent studies utilizing contingent EtOH administration through prolonged two-bottle choice access have demonstrated depression-like behavior following EtOH abstinence in singly housed female C57BL/6J mice. In the present study, we found that depression-like behavior in the forced swim test (FST) is revealed only after a protracted (2 weeks), but not acute (24 h), abstinence period. No effect on anxiety-like behavior in the EPM was observed. Further, we found that, once established, the affective disturbance is long-lasting, as we observed significantly enhanced latencies to approach food even 35 days after ethanol withdrawal in the novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT). We were able to reverse affective disturbances measured in the NSFT following EtOH abstinence utilizing the N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist and antidepressant ketamine but not memantine, another NMDAR antagonist. Pretreatment with the monoacylglycerol (MAG) lipase inhibitor JZL-184 also reduced affective disturbances in the NSFT in ethanol withdrawn mice, and this effect was prevented by co-administration of the CB1 inverse agonist rimonabant. Endocannabinoid levels were decreased within the BLA during abstinence compared with during drinking. Finally, we demonstrate that the depressive behaviors observed do not require a sucrose fade and that this drinking paradigm may favor the development of habit-like EtOH consumption. These data could set the stage for developing novel treatment approaches for alcohol-withdrawal-induced mood and anxiety disorders.

Fermented soymilk increases voluntary wheel running activity and sexual behavior in male rats.

PubMed

Sato, Takuya; Shinohara, Yasutomo; Kaneko, Daisuke; Nishimura, Ikuko; Matsuyama, Asahi

2010-12-01

Wheel running by rodents is thought to reflect voluntary exercise in humans. The present study examined the effect of fermented soymilk (FSM) on voluntary wheel running in rats. FSM was prepared from soymilk (SM) using the bacteria Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides. The rats were fed a normal diet for 3 weeks followed by a 3-week administration of diet containing FSM or SM (5% w/w), and then the diets were switched back to a normal diet for 3 weeks. The voluntary wheel running activity was increased by FSM administration, although no changes were observed by SM administration. This effect was observed 2 weeks after FSM administration and lasted 1 week after deprivation of FSM. Then we evaluated the effect of FSM on sexual behavior in male rats. FSM administration for 10 days significantly increased the number of mounts. The protein expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) increased in the hippocampus by FSM administration and it is suggested that FSM may change norepinephrine or dopamine signaling in the brain. Our study provides the first evidence that FSM increases voluntary wheel running activity and sexual behavior and suggests that TH may be involved in these effects.

Effects of a brief mindfulness-meditation intervention on neural measures of response inhibition in cigarette smokers

PubMed Central

Cosmelli, Diego; Slagter, Heleen A.; Franken, Ingmar H. A.

2018-01-01

Research suggests that mindfulness-practices may aid smoking cessation. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of mindfulness-practices on smoking are unclear. Response inhibition is a main deficit in addiction, is associated with relapse, and could therefore be a candidate target for mindfulness-based practices. The current study hence investigated the effects of a brief mindfulness-practice on response inhibition in smokers using behavioral and electroencephalography (EEG) measures. Fifty participants (33 females, mean age 20 years old) underwent a protocol of cigarette exposure to induce craving (cue-exposure) and were then randomly assigned to a group receiving mindfulness-instructions or control-instructions (for 15 minutes approximately). Immediately after this, they performed a smoking Go/NoGo task, while their brain activity was recorded. At the behavioral level, no group differences were observed. However, EEG analyses revealed a decrease in P3 amplitude during NoGo vs. Go trials in the mindfulness versus control group. The lower P3 amplitude might indicate less-effortful response inhibition after the mindfulness-practice, and suggest that enhanced response inhibition underlies observed positive effects of mindfulness on smoking behavior. PMID:29370256

Effects of a brief mindfulness-meditation intervention on neural measures of response inhibition in cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Andreu, Catherine I; Cosmelli, Diego; Slagter, Heleen A; Franken, Ingmar H A

2018-01-01

Research suggests that mindfulness-practices may aid smoking cessation. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of mindfulness-practices on smoking are unclear. Response inhibition is a main deficit in addiction, is associated with relapse, and could therefore be a candidate target for mindfulness-based practices. The current study hence investigated the effects of a brief mindfulness-practice on response inhibition in smokers using behavioral and electroencephalography (EEG) measures. Fifty participants (33 females, mean age 20 years old) underwent a protocol of cigarette exposure to induce craving (cue-exposure) and were then randomly assigned to a group receiving mindfulness-instructions or control-instructions (for 15 minutes approximately). Immediately after this, they performed a smoking Go/NoGo task, while their brain activity was recorded. At the behavioral level, no group differences were observed. However, EEG analyses revealed a decrease in P3 amplitude during NoGo vs. Go trials in the mindfulness versus control group. The lower P3 amplitude might indicate less-effortful response inhibition after the mindfulness-practice, and suggest that enhanced response inhibition underlies observed positive effects of mindfulness on smoking behavior.

How to Create Shared Symbols.

PubMed

Fay, Nicolas; Walker, Bradley; Swoboda, Nik; Garrod, Simon

2018-05-01

Human cognition and behavior are dominated by symbol use. This paper examines the social learning strategies that give rise to symbolic communication. Experiment 1 contrasts an individual-level account, based on observational learning and cognitive bias, with an inter-individual account, based on social coordinative learning. Participants played a referential communication game in which they tried to communicate a range of recurring meanings to a partner by drawing, but without using their conventional language. Individual-level learning, via observation and cognitive bias, was sufficient to produce signs that became increasingly effective, efficient, and shared over games. However, breaking a referential precedent eliminated these benefits. The most effective, most efficient, and most shared signs arose when participants could directly interact with their partner, indicating that social coordinative learning is important to the creation of shared symbols. Experiment 2 investigated the contribution of two distinct aspects of social interaction: behavior alignment and concurrent partner feedback. Each played a complementary role in the creation of shared symbols: Behavior alignment primarily drove communication effectiveness, and partner feedback primarily drove the efficiency of the evolved signs. In conclusion, inter-individual social coordinative learning is important to the evolution of effective, efficient, and shared symbols. Copyright © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Improving the interview skills of college students using behavioral skills training.

PubMed

Stocco, Corey S; Thompson, Rachel H; Hart, John M; Soriano, Heidi L

2017-07-01

Obtaining a job as a college graduate is partly dependent on interview performance. We used a multiple baseline design across skills to evaluate the effects of behavioral skills training with self-evaluation for five college students. Training effects were evaluated using simulated interviews as baseline and posttraining assessments. All participants acquired targeted skills, but we observed some individual differences. Participants were satisfied with training outcomes and rated the procedures as acceptable. Furthermore, ratings from university staff who provide interview training indicated that training improved performance across several skills for the majority of participants. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

The Research of the Effect of the Olive Juice on Anxiety and Depression Behavior.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiguo

2015-01-01

In order to evaluate the effect of olive juice on the anxiety and depression behavior, the paper uses olive juice concentrate as experimental material, and uses mice as experimental subjects. Mice are randomly divided into negative, positive, high, medium and low-dose group, administered orally for 7 days. And observe the impact on the mice elevated plus maze test, the opening acts test and forced swim test. The experimental results show that under conditions of the sub-acute administration, olive juice can induce anti-anxiety behavior of mice, but also has the potential to improve depression of mice.