An n-dimensional Weber Law and the Corresponding Fechner Law

Weber's law of 1834, DeltaS/S=c for the just noticeable difference (jnd), can be written as S+DeltaS=kS, k=1+c. It follows that the stimulus decrement required to elicit one jnd of sensation is S-DeltaS*=k(-1)S. If generalized for two stimulus dimensions and two corresponding response dimensions, Weber's law would have to state such equations for all directions of change in the plane. A two-dimensional Weber law with exactly these properties is realized by [S(x)+DeltaS(x)(straight theta), S(y)+DeltaS(y)(straight theta)]=[k(sin(straight theta))S(x), k(cos(straight theta))S(y)] which determines the stimulus coordinates for all stimuli just noticeably different from the stimulus (S(x), S(y)) in all directions 0R(2)) is [x, y]mapsto[log(k)(x), log(k)(y)]. The solution is generalized to arbitrarily many dimensions by substituting the sin and cos in the generalized Weber law by the standard coordinates of a unit vector. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Semantic Capacities of the Right Hemisphere as Seen in Two Cases of Pure Word Blindness

Two patients with pure alexia were studied with tachistoscopically presented stimuli to examine factors influencing their ability to distinguish words from nonwords and to derive semantic information at exposures too brief for explicit letter identification. Both patients had profound right hemianopia and computerized tomography (CT) evidence of splenial destruction. Both patients were successful in making word/nonword decisions for high-frequency, but not low-frequency, words. They could judge semantic class membership reliably for such common categories as animals and vegetables, but not for arbitrarily selected categories, such as office-related items. Judgments about the gender of people's names and place versus person name distinctions were made with high reliability. Results are interpreted as evidence for limited word recognition and semantic-processing capacity in the right hemisphere.     

Misconduct in science and the german law

In the past, only norms and rules developed for other types of illegal activities could be applied to misconduct in science in Germany. But only particularly blatant cases of misconduct can be dealt with efficiently in this way. Nowadays, a couple of very important funding agencies and research institutions have enacted special procedures that apply in cases of suspected scientific misconduct. A strongly decentralised system of dealing with misconduct in science is being established in Germany. An earlier version of this paper was presented at a symposium, Scientific Misconduct. An International Perspective, organised by The Medical University of Warsaw, 16 November, 1998.     

Safeguarding good scientific practice: New institutional approaches in Germany

After summarising three recent case histories of alleged scientific misconduct in Germany, the efforts of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Council) and the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (German Rectors' Conference) to promote academic and procedural safeguards in favour of professional self-regulation in science and scholarship are described in outline.     

Does working memory load lead to greater impulsivity? Commentary on Hinson, Jameson, and Whitney (2003)

Previous research by J. M. Hinson, T. L. Jameson, and P. Whitney (2003) demonstrated that a secondary task in a delayed discounting paradigm increased subjects' preference for the immediate reward. J. M. Hinson et al. interpreted their findings as evidence that working memory load results in greater impulsivity. The present authors conducted a reanalysis of the data from J. M. Hinson et al.'s Experiment 1 at the individual-subject level. Difference scores were calculated by subtracting the digit memory load condition from the control condition for k (discounting parameter) and a measure of "erroneous" responses. The results indicated that the secondary task increased random responding, which in turn can account for the increased mean estimates of k. Thus, the data do not support the claim that cognitive load affects impulsivity per se.     

Spiritual Beliefs and Barriers Among Managed Care Practitioners

Purpose: Ninety percent of American adults believe in God and 82% pray weekly. A majority wants their physicians to address spirituality during their health care visit. However, clinicians incorporate spiritual discussion in less than 20% of visits. Our objectives were to measure clinician beliefs and identify perceived barriers to integrating spirituality into patient care in a statewide, primary care, managed care group. Methods: Practitioners completed a 30-item survey including demographics and religious involvement (DUREL), spirituality in patient care (SPC), and barriers (BAR). We analyzed data using frequencies, means, standard deviations, and ANOVA. Findings: Clinicians had a range of religious denominations (67% Christian, 14% Jewish, 11% Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist, 8% agnostic), were 57% female and 24% had training in spirituality. Sixty-six percent reported experiencing the divine. Ninety-five percent felt that a patients spiritual outlook was important to handling health difficulties and 68% percent agreed that addressing spirituality was part of the physicians role. Ninety-five percent of our managed care group noted 8lack of time as an important barrier, lack of training was indicated by 69%, and 21% cited fear of response from administration. Conclusions: Managed care practitioners in a time constrained setting were spiritual themselves and believed this to be important to patients. Respondents indicated barriers of time and training to implementing these beliefs. Comparing responses from our group to those in other published surveys on clinician spirituality, we find similar concerns. Clinician education may overcome these barriers and improve ability to more fully meet their patients expressed needs regarding spirituality and beliefs.*This material has previously been presented as an abstract at the Culture and End of Life Conference, Association of Medical Colleges Spirituality, Kansas City, MO, September 12–14, 2002.Project supported by the Foundation for Spirituality in Medicine, Baltimore, MD     

New developments in electroconvulsive therapy and magnetic seizure therapy

New findings regarding the mechanisms of action of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) have led to novel developments in treatment technique to further improve this highly effective treatment for major depression. These new approaches include novel placements, optimization of electrical stimulus parameters, and new methods for inducing more targeted seizures(eg, magnetic seizure therapy [MST]). MST is the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce a seizure. Magnetic fields pass through tissue unimpeded, providing more control over the site and extent of stimulation than can be achieved with ECT. This enhanced control represents a means of focusing the treatment on target cortical structures thought to be essential to antidepressant response and reducing spread to medial temporal regions implicated in the cognitive side effects of ECT. MST is at an early stage of development. Preliminary results suggest that MST may have some advantages over ECT in terms of subjective side effects and acute cognitive functioning. Studies designed to address the antidepressant efficacy of MST are underway. As with all attempts to improve convulsive therapy technique, the clinical value of MST will need to be established through controlled clinical trials. This article reviews the experience to date with MST, and places this work in the broader context of other means of optimizing convulsive therapy in the treatment of depression.