Multideductive Logic And The Theoretic-Formal Unification Of Physical Theories

We present a kind of logic named multideductive logic and outline an application of it in the problem of theoretic-formal unification of physical theories dealing with the Bohr atom theory. This is just a preliminary study that will be developed in future papers.     

Verbal mediating responses: effects on generalization of say-do correspondence and noncorrespondence

We analyzed the effects of verbal mediating responses on the acquisition and generalization of say-do correspondence and noncorrespondence. Participants were assigned to groups in which either reinforcers (feedback and tokens) were arranged for say-do correspondence and noncorrespondence, or no reinforcers were programmed. Participants in these groups were further subdivided into groups in which they were required to repeat what was said previously, were required to repeat random numbers, or no verbalizations were required. When correspondence was reinforced, repetition of what was said produced greater acquisition and generalization of correspondence. When noncorrespondence was reinforced, repetition of numbers facilitated acquisition and generalization of noncorrespondence. Verbal mediating responses interacted with contingencies of reinforcement in determining acquisition and generalization of correspondence and noncorrespondence.     

Individual,Interpersonal, and Sociostructural Factors Influencing Partner Nonmonogamy Acceptance among Young African American Women

In 2015 in the United States, the HIV diagnosis rate among African American women was 16 times that of White women, and HIV especially affected young African American women. African American women’s partnerships with nonmonogamous men may be one factor contributing to this disparity. Previous research has not adequately described factors influencing acceptance of partner nonmonogamy among African American women. To better understand this phenomenon, we interviewed 11 African American women aged 18–24 years-old who reported having sex in the past 3 months and reported knowing or suspecting a partner to have another female partner in the past 12 months. We employed a semi-structured interview guide designed to elicit in-depth, narrative responses from women about their partnerships. We used narrative analysis to interpret findings. Participants described factors that encouraged acceptance of partner nonmonogamy. These factors were social (i.e., limited partner availability, gender norms, and cultural norms), interpersonal (i.e., partner-specific comfort, sexual connection and emotional attachment, and casual partnership type), and intrapersonal (i.e., low self-esteem, loneliness, and fatalistic attitudes about nonmonogamy) in nature. The sociocultural context in which young African American women develop sexual partnerships may influence their attitudes, expectations, and behaviors within these partnerships and place them at increased risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.     

Instructional Control with Preschoolers and Stimulus Equivalence

The Psychological Record - The stimulus equivalence paradigm is a behavioral model to study meaning. This study extends work that has used the equivalence paradigm to study the meaning of...     

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Left Temporal Lobe Modulates Insight

Creativity is the ability to come up with new and original solutions to problems. It is characterized along a dipole spectrum, with the opposing ends defined as convergent and divergent thinking. Previous studies have provided evidence that various cognitive functions and insight into non-verbal problems can be enhanced using non-invasive brain stimulation. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether convergent and divergent thinking, as well as insight, can be modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the anterior temporal lobe (ATL). Bilateral tDCS (1.5 mA, 20 minutes) was used to modulate activity of the right (AR tDCS) and the left (AL tDCS) ATL. Twenty-one participants performed a divergent thinking test (DTT) during tDCS, while a Remote Associates Task (RAT) was administered before and after tDCS to assess convergent thinking. A control experiment, using a Simple Reaction Time (SRT) Task, was conducted in 10 subjects before and after ATL tDCS in order to investigate whether its effects reflect attention or motor effects on the dominant hand. Results from this preliminary study showed that AL tDCS reduced RAT reaction times (RTs) by 20%. Both AL and AR tDCS did not change RAT accuracy, or the DTT total or sub-item scores. No differences were found in the SRT task after either AL or AR tDCS. These findings suggest that left but not right ATL is involved in convergent thinking. Conversely, both left and right temporal cortex tDCS-induced excitability changes failed to modulate divergent thinking. Limitations are discussed.     

Perspectives on Increasing Positive Attitudes Toward Larger Members in Fitness Centers

Physical activity (PA) attenuates weight-associated morbidity and mortality but PA-based weight bias dissuades many people from engaging in and enjoying physical activity. Guided by self-determination theory, we implemented concept mapping with current and past members and employees of fitness centers. One hundred ideas were generated, representing the concepts of programming, fitness culture, code of conduct, professional development, and physical environment/amenities. The ideas can help design interventions that increase positive attitudes that are autonomous, shared throughout a fitness center, and promote inclusivity.     

Verbal categories for classification of spinal postures and their respective angular values registered by photographs and electrogoniometry.

The perception of posture may allow workers to discern sensations associated with physical overload and potential tissue damage. In an occupational context, the classification of body postures in ranges of amplitude has been useful for researchers and ergonomists interested in evaluating the exposure of workers to uncomfortable and potentially harmful postures. In this paper we describe measurements, using photographs and electrogoniometry of the angle of flexion of the trunk and of the thoracolumbar segment, respectively, adopted according to the verbal categories of mild, moderate, and severe flexion, as requested by the experimenter. The results showed no differences between the groups of subjects, but significant differences occurred in the classification of the movement amplitude per verbal categories.     

Modulatory influence of dopamine receptors on consolidation of object recognition memory

The role of dopamine receptors in regulating the formation of recognition memory remains poorly understood. Here we show the effects of systemic administration of dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists on the formation of memory for novel object recognition in rats. In Experiment I, rats received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of vehicle, the selective D1 receptor agonist SKF38393 (1.0 and 5.0mg/kg), or the D2 receptor agonist quinpirole (1.0 and 5.0mg/kg) immediately after training. In Experiment II, rats received an injection of vehicle, the dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 (0.1 and 0.05 mg/kg), or the D2 receptor antagonist raclopride (0.5 and 0.1mg/kg) before training, followed by an injection of vehicle or the nonselective dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine (0.05 mg/kg) immediately after training. SKF38393 at 5mg/kg produced an enhancement of novel object recognition memory measured at both 24 and 72 h after training, whereas the dose of 10mg/kg impaired 24-h retention. Posttraining administration of quinpirole did not affect 24-h retention. Apomorphine enhanced memory in rats given pretraining raclopride, suggesting that the effect was mediated by selective activation of D1 receptors. The results indicate that activation of D1 receptors can enhance recognition memory consolidation. Importantly, pharmacological activation of D1 receptors enhanced novel object recognition memory even under conditions in which control rats showed significant retention.