In vitro reinforcement of hippocampal bursting: a search for Skinner's atoms of behavior.

A novel "in vitro reinforcement" paradigm was used to investigate Skinner's (1953) hypotheses (a) that operant behavior is made up of infinitesimal "response elements" or "behavioral atoms" and (b) that these very small units, and not whole responses, are the functional units of reinforcement. Our tests are based on the assumption that behavioral atoms may plausibly be represented at the neural level by individual cellular responses. As a first approach, we attempted to reinforce the bursting responses of hippocampal units in a highly reduced brain-slice preparation with local micropressure applications of behaviorally reinforcing dopaminergic drugs. The same injections were administered independently of bursting to provide a "noncontingent" control for nonspecific stimulation or facilitation of firing. It was found that the bursting responses of individual CA1 pyramidal neurons may be progressively facilitated in a dose-related manner by response-contingent (but not noncontingent) injections of dopamine itself, the dopamine D1-preferring agonist SKF 82958, the D3-preferring agonist quinpirole, and the D2-like selective agonist (+)-4-propyl-9 hydroxynapthoxazine. These findings support the conclusion that unit bursting responses can be reinforced in vitro in hippocampal slices, and they further suggest that the same dopamine receptor subtypes are involved in both cellular and behavioral operant conditioning. The results thus provide indirect support for Skinner's atoms-of-behavior hypothesis.     

Some Thoughts Regarding the Sensitivity of t to Error in Estimated Within-Group Variance

A. J. Riopelle (2003) has eloquently demonstrated that the null hypothesis assessed by the t test involves not only mean differences but also error in the estimation of the within-group standard deviation, s. He is correct in his conclusion that the precision of the interpretation of a significant t and the null hypothesis tested is complex, particularly when sample sizes are small. In this article, the author expands on Riopelle's thoughts by comparing t with some equivalent or closely related tests that make the reliance of t on the accurate estimation of error perhaps more salient and by providing a simulation that may address more directly the magnitude of the interpretational problem.     

Probability-of-coverage tolerance intervals for the beta binomial

True score tolerance intervals, which are designed to cover a chosen proportion of the conditional distribution of true scores given an observed score, are suggested as alternatives to true score confidence intervals. Using large sample theory, a tolerance interval estimator for the beta binomial is derived. An example indicates that with moderate sample sizes, tolerance intervals with high probability of coverage will not be much wider than when the two beta true score parameters are known.The author acknowledges valuable comments from Richard Sawyer.Most work was completed while the author was at the American College Testing Program.     

Melting point depression method for determining the solid–liquid interfacial energy of metal elements: theoretical validation and updated compilation of data

Comparative analyses of the crystal nucleation method and the melting point depression (MPD) method for measuring the solid–liquid interface energy γ_sl are carried out. The MPD method is found more reliable and has several advantages from experiment through data analysis to theoretical generalisation. The MPD data in use, all reported before the 1970s, are updated with the derived γ_sl re-compiled. Finally, by invoking a melting model that we developed recently, an equation for calculating γ_sl is proposed on basis of the melting point depression method.     

肿瘤组织库规范化操作程序的探讨

肿瘤组织是人类直接探讨肿瘤发生、发展和转移机制的研究对象,建立肿瘤组织库(tumor tissue bank,TTB),使用一套规范化操作程序(standard operating procedures,SOPs)来收集高质量的组织标本,避免其浪费势在必行。规范化TTB的建设也将涉及TTB的信息化管理及通用数据元素(common data elements,CDEs)的开发。深入探讨这些方面将有助于我国科研机构建立起自己标准化的TTB。     

Editorial to the special issue Neuronus

Did you visit the Neuronus conferences in the years 2012 and 2013 in Kraków? If not, then you certainly should have a close examination of this special issue including this introduction to at least have a glimpse of an idea of the highly interesting topics in the field of cognitive neuroscience that were presented at these conferences. If you were there, it is for sure a good choice to focus on this special issue as well, first to refresh your minds (we know our memories are far from perfect), but especially to see what happened with research of the presenters at these conferences.     

涧水疗法要义——心理咨询的中国阐释

以周易哲学为基础,采西方咨询理论之精华,建构一套开放的本土心理疗法——涧水疗法。认为每个人都有一个心理调节系统,该系统有六个维度,即时间、意志、身体、爱心、参照和战略,并且每个维度均有阴阳两极。心理咨询可围绕这六个维度展开。咨询的指导思想是“真诚谦卑,镇定安详;以退为进,以柔克刚;因势利导,阴消阳长;惧以终始,笑对无常”。咨询过程分为“望”、“闻”、“问”、“辨”和“导”,五个部分分别与五行的“火”、“水”、“金”、“土”和“木”对应。