Allowing for infeasible pairings in the matching paradigm

The objective of research in the matching paradigm is to determine whether a one-to-one pairing configuration between objects in two arrays contains more pairings of a particular kind than expected under the null hypothesis. The presence of infeasible pairings, that is, of particular pairings which can not possibly take place, has the effect of altering the null distribution that would otherwise obtain. To enable researchers to determine the appropriate null distribution, a generalization of classical rook methodology is developed which can accommodate infeasible pairings in the matching paradigm.     

Autonomy,life as an intrinsic value,and the right to die in dignity

This paper examines two models of thinking relating to the issue of the right to die in dignity: one takes into consideration the rights and interests of the individual; the other supposes that human life is inherently valuable. I contend that preference should be given to the first model, and further assert that the second model may be justified in moral terms only as long as it does not resort to paternalism. The view that holds that certain patients are not able to comprehend their own interests in a fully rational manner, and therefore ‘we’ know what is good for these patients better than ‘they’ do, is morally unjustifiable. I proceed by refuting the ‘quality of life’ argument, asserting that each person is entitled to decide for herself when it is worth living and when it is not. In this connection, a caveat will be made regarding the role of the family. The author’s research interests include bioethics, free speech, tolerance and ethics in the media.     

The exact null distribution for radial maze statistics: A FORTRAN 77 program

Performance in the radial-arm maze may be assessed by comparing the number of correct responses or, alternatively, the number of repetition errors with that expected if a subject were simply selecting a location at random on each choice. Previous attempts to estimate the null distribution of correct responses or repetition errors have re-lied on computer simulation. In the present approach, a direct analytic argument is used to derive exact expressions for the probability density functions of these random variables. Knowledge of the exact null distributions provides the researcher with enhanced analytic capabilities. For example, it supplies the means of constructing an exact test of significance to evaluate performance at the level of a single subject A FORTRAN 77 program is provided to compute the null distribution of correct responses and repetition errors as well as their respective expectations and variances. Application of the technique to other situations is described briefly.     

Problems of recall and misclassification with checklist methods of measuring stressful life events

The prevalent use of life event category checklists to facilitate event recall may be one reason that previous studies find that life events play only a small and ambiguous role in the development of health problems. In this study, 136 persons with temporomandibular pain disorder syndrome (TMPDS) and 131 healthy controls reported the occurrence of life events in 10 monthly interviews, using an event category checklist. At the end of the study, they reported retrospectively and in detail about life events over the previous monthly periods. Only one quarter of the event categories appeared in both the monthly interviews and retrospective report for the same period. Detailed analyses revealed problems of inaccuracy inherent in checklists that exacerbate problems of recall. The findings indicate that checklist category approaches should not be used when the goal is to understand the role of stress in adverse health outcomes. Suggestions are made about more adequate methods.     

A modest/immodest proposal: Reciprocal foster families

In this article we describe the concept of reciprocal foster families a strength-based approach to helping families in poverty. This approach focuses on the resources that all families have to offer each other. The goal of reciprocal foster families approach is to restrict the role of professionals and develop trust in the intuitive wisdom of natural networks of people and families as they help each other succeed in times of difficulty.     

The cyclopean eye vs. the sighting-dominant eye as the center of visual direction

In three experiments, competing hypotheses concerning the center of visual direction were examined with the stimuli used in the Card test which requires a subject to position the card with a hole so that a target can be seen. Each experiment used six right- and six left-sighting-eye subjects. In Experiment 1, the aperture and the target were collinear with the sighting eye. The mean apparent locations of the aperture when the target was fixated, and of the target when the aperture was fixated, were consistent with only the cyclopean-eye hypothesis; that is, the 95% confidence intervals of these means contained the predicted values from the cyclopean-eye hypothesis but not those from the sighting-eye hypothesis. In Experiment 2, subjects moved the card from the side of the nonsighting eye, and in 88% of the trials it was stopped when the nonsighting eye viewed the target. In Experiment 3, the target was viewed through the aperture with both the sighting and nonsighting eye in six different stimulus arrangements. The 95% confidence intervals of all 12 mean apparent locations of the targets contained the predicted values from the cyclopean-eye hypothesis but none of those from the sighting-eye hypothesis. These results are compatible with the cyclopean-eye hypothesis, and we therefore conclude that the sighting eye is not the center of visual direction.     

Effects of medical resonance therapy music on patients with psoriasis and neurodermatitis—A pilot study

Stress medicine has shown that emotional disharmony can be a substantial factor for skin diseases. The harmonisation of the emotional status and a corresponding reduction of stress hormones by the Medical Resonance Therapy Music^® (MRT-Music) as shown in other studies (1,2,3,4) inspired us to investigate its benefits for patients with psoriasis vulgaris and neurodermatitis (neurodermatitis constitutionalis atopica). Over a period of 14 days we measured the parameters of blood pressure, heart rate, stimulus to scratch and the degree of sickness in two, respectively four groups of 68 patients in total: two experimental groups (psoriasis/neurodermatitis) and two control gropus. All patients received the normal treatment of our hospital, the experimental groups were additionally treated with 3 × 30 minutes of MTR-Music per day, while the controls were asked to somehow relax during this time. In the experimental groups the measurements showed to somehow relax during this time. In the experimental groups the measurements showed a reduction of blood pressure and heart rate and revealed an enhanced reduction of the stimulus to scratch and an enhanced reduction in the degree of sickness. Interestingly the effects of MRT-Music were stronger with the psoriasis patients than with the neurodermatitis patients. The results of this pilot study convinced us to offer the treatment with the Medical Resonance Therapy Music to all our patients.     

Cannabinoid Agonists and Antagonists Modulate Lithium-induced Conditioned Gaping in Rats

Considerable evidence indicates that conditioned gaping in rats reflects nausea in this species that does not vomit. A series of experiments evaluated the potential of psychoactive cannabinoid agonists, delta-9-THC and HU-210, and non-psychoactive cannabinoids, Cannabidiol (CBD) and its dimethylheptyl homolog (CBD-dmh), to interfere with the establishment and the expression of conditioned gaping in rats. All agents attenuated both the establishment and the expression of conditioned gaping. Furthermore, the CB1 antagonist, SR-141716, reversed the suppressive effect of HU-210 on conditioned gaping. Finally, SR-141716 potentiated lithium-induced conditioned gaping, suggesting that the endogenous cannabinoid system plays a role in the control of nausea.     

Sample size determination for at test given at value from a previous study: A FORTRAN 77 program

When uncertain about the magnitude of an effect, researchers commonly substitute in the standard sample-size-determination formula an estimate of effect size derived from a previous experiment. A problem with this approach is that the traditional sample-size-determination formula was not designed to deal with the uncertainty inherent in an effect-size estimate. Consequently, estimate-substitution in the traditional sample-size-determination formula can lead to a substantial loss of power. A method of sample-size determination designed to handle uncertainty in effect-size estimates is described. The procedure uses thet value and sample size from a previous study, which might be a pilot study or a related study in the same area, to establish a distribution of probable effect sizes. The sample size to be employed in the new study is that which supplies an expected power of the desired amount over the distribution of probable effect sizes. A FORTRAN 77 program is presented that permits swift calculation of sample size for a variety oft tests, including independentt tests, relatedt tests,t tests of correlation coefficients, andt tests of multiple regressionb coefficients.