Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of the Weighted Blanket With Adults During an Inpatient Mental Health Hospitalization

The weighted blanket (WB) is a modality used to self-comfort, rest, sleep, and decrease anxiety. This exploratory, pilot study investigates the safety and effectiveness of the standardized use of the 30-pound WB with 30 adults during an acute inpatient mental health hospitalization. Safety measures include blood pressure, pulse rate, and pulse oximetry monitoring, with and without the 30-pound WB. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory-10 (STAI-10), a self-rating 0–10 anxiety scale, and electrodermal activity (EDA) readings measure effectiveness for anxiety reduction. No statistical differences in vital signs indicate WB safety. The STAI-10 and self-ratings indicate 60% had a significant reduction in anxiety using the WB. EDA readings were inconclusive.     

干预胆碱M受体对药物成瘾的影响及其与多巴胺的关系

药物成瘾是一类精神及行为障碍, 涉及到中枢神经系统的病变。毒蕈碱受体(Muscarinic receptor, M受体)属于胆碱能受体, 分5种亚型。行为学研究表明, 干预M受体能有效影响药物成瘾行为, 但其神经机制还亟待探索。阿片类药物与精神活性药物均能激活中枢多巴胺系统, 而M受体与多巴胺系统在多个脑区产生了交互作用。其中激动M2及M4受体抑制了多巴胺系统功能, 而激动M5受体增强了多巴胺系统功能, 与干预M2、M4、M5受体对药物成瘾行为的影响相对应。以上证据提示, 干预M受体可能通过影响多巴胺系统对药物成瘾起作用。     

The life and times of PSI

This paper describes the essential features of the personalized system of instruction (PSI). Results from outcome research examining the effectiveness of PSI-based courses relative to traditional methods provide unequivocal support for the superiority of PSI. Parametric studies, or component analyses, show that the mastery requirement, immediate performance feedback, and review units are the key features underlying high quality student performances in PSI courses. The use of student proctors as peer-tutors, optional lectures, and selfpacing do not, in and of themselves, appear to be vital to student success in PSI courses. Despite its superiority, PSI has not supplanted traditional methods as the dominant pedagogical system in higher education. Difficulties inherent in overcoming the inertia of the lecture within our established instructional system, the implications of PSI for that system, and the Zeitgeist that permeates educational reform are the major obstacles to widespread adoption of PSI.     

Determination of a behavioral transfer function: White-noise analysis of session-to-session response-ratio dynamics on concurrent VI VI schedules

Six pigeons were exposed to concurrent variable-interval schedules in which the programmed reinforcer ratios changed from session to session according to a pseudorandom binary sequence. This procedure corresponded to the stochastic identification paradigm (“white-noise experiment”) of systems theory and enabled the relation between log response ratios in the current session and log reinforcer ratios in all previous sessions to be determined. Such dynamic relations are called linear transfer functions. Both nonparametric and parametric representations of these, in the form of “impulse-response functions,” were determined for each bird. The session-to-session response ratios resulting from the session-to-session pseudorandom binary variations in reinforcer ratios were well predicted by the impulse-response functions identified for each pigeon. The impulse-response functions were well fitted by a second-order dynamic model involving only two parameters: a time constant and a gain. The mean time constant was 0.67 sessions, implying that the effects of abrupt changes in log reinforcer ratios should be 96% complete within about five sessions. The mean gain was 0.53, which was surprisingly low inasmuch as it should equal the sensitivity to reinforcement ratio observed under steady-state conditions. The same six pigeons were subjected to a similar experiment 10 months following the first. Despite individual differences in impulse-response functions between birds within each experiment, the impulse-response functions determined from the two experiments were essentially the same.     

语言伴随性手势是否和语言共享同一交流系统?

语言伴随性手势是人类语言交流的一个普遍的特征, 它可以发挥信息交流的功能。依据产生目的以及适用范围的不同, 手势可以分成表象性手势和非表象性手势。多数研究者认为, 语言和手势动作是“近亲”, 具有“家族相似性”。来自语言发展、认知心理学和认知神经科学的证据均表明, 手势和语言共享同一个交流系统。当手势动作和发音单词意义相同时, 手势动作受到单词发音的干扰, 同时引发发音共振峰2 (F2)的放大。手势和言语之间遵循互相作用理论, 它们作用的基础是语义一致性, 镜像神经系统完成了两者语义一致性的传递。由于语言伴随性手势和语言之间的关系是语言和行为结合良好的特例, 因此, 对语言伴随性手势的研究将有助于对人类心智有一个更深层次的认识和理解。     

孤独症碎镜理论述评

孤独症是泛指一大类在社会交往、沟通方面存在功能缺陷的疾病, 至今病因尚未阐明。“碎镜理论”作为孤独症研究领域的新兴理论, 在神经—认知层面较先前理论更为全面地解释了孤独症的各种临床行为表现, 并为这些异常行为间的相互关系提供了一种统一性的研究视角。文章首先对镜像神经元的发现进行了简介, 在此基础上对碎镜理论的由来及其与孤独症相关功能(包括动作识别与模仿、心理理论、共情以及语言理解)缺陷的关系进行了综述, 最后通过区分主动模仿和自动模仿, 就镜像神经元系统及其调控系统与孤独症关系中存在的问题进行了反思与展望。     

Hand dominance influences the processing of observed bodies

In motor tasks, subgroups of lefthanders have been shown to differ in the distribution of attention about their own bodies. The present experiment examined whether similar attentional biases also apply when processing observed bodies. Sixteen right handers (RHs), 22 consistent left handers (CLHs) and 11 relatively ambidextrous inconsistent left handers (ILHs) performed an own body transformation task in which they were instructed to make speeded left–right judgements about a schematic human figure. Attentional biases associated with handedness were found to extend to observed bodies: CLHs’ judgements were faster to the figure’s left side, while ILHs, like RHs, showed facilitated performance to the figure’s right side. These results demonstrate a novel embodiment effect whereby the processing of a static schematic human figure is modulated by an individual’s personal motor capabilities. This finding suggests that motor simulation may contribute to whole body perception in the absence of actual or implied actions.     

连续性肾脏替代治疗临床应用的拓展与思考

连续性肾脏替代治疗（continuous renal replacement therapy, CRRT）是近30年来在透析技术基础上蓬勃发展起来的一种新的血液净化技术。CRRT最早应用于重症急性肾衰竭（acute renal failure,ARF）的治疗,随着人类对CRRT认识的不断深化和技术的不断发展,CRRT的...     

3～5岁幼儿在主题-规则冲突条件下的类比推理

本研究采用经典类比任务,考察了3～5岁幼儿在主题-规则冲突条件下类比推理发展的水平与特点.结果表明:(1)在无主题联想条件下,幼儿的单维类比推理在3～4岁迅速发展,4～5岁发展较为平缓,而双维类比推理在3～5岁仍处于较低水平.(2)在主题—规则冲突条件下,幼儿在单维类比推理中表现出一定的主题联想优势反应;幼儿在双维类比推理中表现出较强的主题联想优势反应,年龄特点为:3岁幼儿有较强的主题联想优势反应,4岁幼儿的主题联想优势反应明显下降,而5岁幼儿又表现出较强的主题联想优势反应.     

亲子沟通的三层次模型:理论、工具及在小学生中的应用

目前的亲子沟通研究存在测量工具缺乏理论依据、测量层次和内容混乱等问题.本研究在系统论思想的指导下提出亲子沟通的三层次模型,从元素、关系和系统三个层面考察亲子沟通状况,并以此模型为基础编制了相应测量工具.经过文献梳理、理论建构、工具编制等环节,逐步完善了模型和相应测量工具.以371名小学五、六年级儿童为被试,检验了亲子沟通量表的可靠性和有效性,并考察亲子沟通基本状况.结果表明,(1)亲子沟通量表的信、效度指标达到了心理测量学要求,能够用于相关实证研究中;(2)被试家庭中,父母的沟通能力优于儿童,母子沟通质量优于父子沟通,母亲的沟通地位比父亲高;(3)父母的倾听能力能有效预测亲子沟通质量,提高父子沟通质量是让父子和母子两种沟通更协调的主要途径.