Bedding preferences of pregnant laboratory-reared mice

Pregnant ARS Ha (ICR) Swiss mice were allowed to select from 10 commercially available bedding products for parturition and rearing young. Combinations of bedding materials were most often selected. Products of wood origin were overwhelmingly preferred. Rates for the selection of bedding materials from the 20 tests were Aspen Bed 100%, Cedar Shavings 75%, Pinewood Shavings 45%, Ab-Sorb-Dri 5%, and Stop “O” 5%.     

Heart rate variability in a binary choice reaction task: an evaluation of some scoring methods

Several scoring methods of heart rate variability have been investigated in a binary choice task. It was concluded that in this type of task the number of waves in the cardiotachogram and the sum of absolute differences between successive R-R intervals divided by the number of waves are the best indicators of the task levels (20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 binary choices per min). A detailed analysis of these scoring methods in different types of information processing tasks is recommended.     

The availability versus the use of partial information: Multiple levels of selective processing between perception and action

Temporal overlap of cognitive processes occurs when partial information about a stimulus activates associated responses before the stimulus has been fully identified. Recent evidence obtained with psychophysiological measures suggests that such overlap sometimes does, and sometimes does not occur. In this contribution, we argue that in order to understand why, we have to distinguish between selection of partial information for perception and selection of partial information for control over activation of responses. We discuss several mechanisms and factors that may modulate the temporal overlap of mental processes because they selectively influence the perceptual availability or the use of partial information.     

The role of moral identity in the aftermath of dishonesty

People lie on a regular basis. However, lying can pose a threat to the self-view of being an honest and moral person. How do people respond to their previous dishonest acts? A way to deal with psychological discomfort arisen for previous lying is reconfirming oneself to be an honest and moral person, for example, by showing subsequent moral behavior. We hypothesize that people engage in this reconfirmation depending on whether their moral identity is central to their self-concept. This was supported in three studies in which, compared to low moral identifiers, high moral identifiers engaged in more efforts to uphold a moral self-image and were more likely to show a compensatory reaction rather than a consistency reaction to their previous dishonesty. Implications for the topics of moral self-regulation and compensatory ethics and for the concept of moral identity are discussed.     

Coordination Between Arm and Leg Movements During Locomotion

To evaluate the contrasting dynamical and biomechanical interpretations of the 2:1 frequency coordination between arm and leg movements that occurs at low walking velocities and the 1:1 frequency coordination that occurs at higher walking velocities, the authors conducted an experiment in which they quantified the effect of walking velocity on the stability of the frequency and phase coordination between the individual limb movements. Spectral analyses revealed the presence of 2:1 frequency coordination as a consistent feature of the data in only 3 out of 8 participants at walking velocities ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 km/h, in spite of the fact that the eigenfrequencies of the arms were rather similar across participants. The degree of interlimb coupling, as indexed by weighted coherence and variability of relative phase, was lower for the arm movements and for ipsilateral and diagonal combinations of arm and leg movements than for the leg movements. Furthermore, the coupling between all pairs of limb movements was found to increase with walking velocity, whereas no clear signs were observed that the switches from 2:1 to 1:1 frequency coordination and vice versa were preceded by loss of stability. Therefore, neither a purely biomechanical nor a purely dynamical model is optimally suited to explain these results. Instead, an integrative model involving elements of both approaches seems to be required.     

Psychosocial correlates of immune status and disease progression in HIV-1 infected homosexual men: Review of preliminary findings,and commentary

Abstract

Behavioral factors may have an effect on the course of infection in HIV-1 infected individuals. These effects can be mediated by the immune system of the host, which, based on psychoneuroimmunologic findings, can be affected by some psychosocial factors. We present a short review of some putative psychoneuroimmunologic pathways and their possible implications for HIV-1 infected individuals. We next summarize the findings of recent psychoimmunological work with HIV-1 seropositives and discuss the methodological problems in studying the psychoneuroimmunologic aspects of HIV-1 infection. Psychoneuroimmunologic research in HIV-1 seropositives is a rapidly developing field, yielding contradictory findings so far, but which in the long run could provide important knowledge for psychoimmunologic interventions, targeted at improving or preserving immune status and retarding disease progression, as well as optimizing psychosocial functioning.     

Personality Characteristics of BASE Jumpers

BASE jumping is an extreme sport, which is associated with significant risk of injury and death. We aimed to determine whether BASE jumpers have different personality characteristics to an age-matched, normal control population. An international population of BASE jumpers was examined using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Mean age was thirty-four years; fifty-nine (87%) jumpers were male; twenty-eight (41%) jumpers had sustained a significant injury. A substantial proportion of the BASE jumpers presented extremely low scores in the temperament measure of Harm Avoidance (p < 0.001); the extent of which has not been reported in any other population.