Stress ulcer and open-field behavior of spontaneously hypertensive,normotensive, and Wistar rats

Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and the normotensive Wistar/Kyoto (WKY) rat were observed, along with Wistar rats (which represent the parent strain), on various open-field behaviors. All three strains were subsequently exposed to the activity-stress (A-S) ulcerogenic procedure. SHR and Wistar rats were very active in most open-field measures as compared with WKY rats, but only SHRs were active during the A-S treatment. WKY rats were very ulcer prone and had significantly more ulcers than SHRs, which in turn had more ulcers than Wistar rats. It was anticipated that Wistar rats would resemble the WKY rats, but in most measures the Wistars resembled the SHRs. The study suggests that although WKY rats function as an appropriate control for hypertension studies, these rats may be inappropriate as controls for other physiological and behavioral studies.     

Worry and obsessional symptoms: a correlational analysis.

Several studies have suggested that worry and obsessional symptoms are systematically associated. In the present study, the relationship between worry and obsessional symptoms was confirmed. Measures included a worry content measure, a worry visual analogue scale, a modification of the everyday checking behaviours scale, and the MOCI. Worry was found to be more consistently associated with checking and doubting, than washing and slowness. It is suggested that worry and obsessional symptoms both occur in response to stress. In addition, it is suggested that worry and checking are functionally similar, and Generalised Anxiety Disorder may represent a 'cognitive' variant of obsessional checking.     

Self-reported cognitive failures and neurotic symptomatology

Three studies examined the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and its psychopathological correlates. In Study 1, the psychometric qualities of the Dutch translation of the CFQ were evaluated in a student sample. Internal consistency and test-retest stability were found to be satisfactory. Furthermore, CFQ was positively correlated with anxiety symptoms, even when the influence of traditional trait variables (i.e., neuroticism and trait anxiety) was partialled out. Study 2 examined the CFQ as a predictor of treatment outcome in spider phobia. No evidence was found to suggest that high CFQ scores are associated with a less favourable treatment outcome. Also, spider phobics had CFQ scores in the normal range. Study 3 evaluated the CFQ in a mixed sample of anxiety disordered and depressive outpatients. Depressive patients, but not anxiety disordered patients, were found to have heightened CFQ scores. Overall, CFQ scores were positively associated with symptom severity. Yet, there were no indications that patients with high CFQ scores profit less from treatment than those with low CFQ scores. Taken together, the results provide support for the view that the CFQ taps daily cognitive routines that are undermined by anxiety and depression. However, the findings do not point to the CFQ being a cognitive vulnerability measure that is related to treatment success.     

Age-Related Hearing Loss: Implications for Counseling

As the U.S. population ages, counseling practitioners are working with increasing numbers of hearing-impaired older adults. Age-related hearing loss affects various dimensions of the counseling process, in which communication is of primary importance. More generally, hearing loss has consequences for the overall lifestyle of the client and for effective functioning in the workplace and in social and family contexts. This article examines adaptation strategies used by hearing-impaired listeners and the implications of age-related hearing loss for counseling, intervention, and self-management.     

Agricultural research networks in sub-Saharan Africa: An analysis of the situation and its consequences

The purpose of this article is to compare the theory and reality of agricultural research networks in sub-Saharan Africa. Networking is a mode of organization that generally suits the new environmental conditions. The analysis of the agricultural research network environment in sub-Saharan Africa shows that when institutional networks started to proliferate, human and institutional conditions were not yet ripe. This explained some of the problems. Nowadays, conditions have improved. Despite all difficulties, networks have contributed to creating a scientific community, have participated in apportioning and even harmonizing research activities, and have made it possible to maintain research activities in countries going through a crisis. Marie de Lattre-Gasquet is a researcher from the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), in France. Within the external relations directorate of CIRAD, she has been responsible for the relationships between CIRAD and international organizations. She has also actively participated in the preparation of CIRAD’s long-term strategy. She worked for the International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) in The Netherlands from 1983 to 1985. She holds a Master in International Management (AGSIM, Thunderbird Campus) and a Doctorate in Economy (Université de Paris X). He is mostly working on the agricultural research networks in sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a diploma from the Institut National d’Agronomie—Paris Grignon.     

The influence of height and key on the perceptual similarity of transposed melodies

In two experiments, the perceptual similarity between a strong tonal melody and various transpositions was investigated using a paradigm in which listeners compared the perceptual similarity of a melody and its transposition with that of the same melody and another transposition. The paradigm has the advantage that it provides a direct judgment regarding the similarity of transposed melodies. The experimental results indicate that the perceptual similarity of a strong tonal melody and its transposition is mainly determined by two factors: (1) the distance on the height dimension between the original melody and its transposition (pitch distance), and (2) the distance between keys as inferred from the circle of fifths (key distance). The major part of the variance is explained by the factor pitch distance, whereas key distance explains only a small part.