Koffka, Köhler, and the "crisis" in psychology

This paper examines the claims of the Gestalt psychologists that there was a crisis in experimental psychology ca. 1900, which arose because the prevailing sensory atomism excluded meaning from among psychological phenomena. The Gestaltists claim that a primary motivation of their movement was to show, against the speculative psychologists and philosophers and Verstehen historians, that natural scientific psychology can handle meaning. Purportedly, they revealed this motivation in their initial German-language presentations but in English emphasized their scientific accomplishments for an American audience. The paper finds that: there was a recognized crisis in the new experimental psychology ca. 1900 pertaining especially to sensory atomism; that the Gestaltists responded to the crisis with new experimental findings and theoretical concepts (Gestalten) that challenged atomism; in both languages, they raised problems of meaning and discussed the contest with speculative psychology and philosophy only after presenting their scientific case; that they introduced phenomenological observations on meaning and perceptual organization into their psychology but did not develop a theory of meaning or solve philosophical problems; that they argued "philosophically," that is, using abstract, conceptual arguments; and that this aspect of their cognitive style was not received well by some prominent members of their American audience.     

Nipping the Cambrian "explosion" in the bud?

In recent years, two schools of thought have emerged with regard to the Cambrian "explosion". One argues that it was very quick, with phyla tumbling into existence in a virtual geological instant. The other view has a more relaxed temporal perspective. It looks to slow aeons of cryptic metazoan history, which led to a final breakthrough in the Cambrian, not in evolution but of fossilization potential. Yet both views have serious difficulties. Now, in a recent issue of Biological Reviews, Graham Budd and S?ren Jensen(1) argue for a third way. In an intriguing blend of functional morphology, the fossil record and cladistic thinking, they suggest that the assembly of metazoan bodyplans took place in a surprisingly straightforward manner.     

Scientific research at the Laboratoire Arago (Banyuls, France) in the twentieth Century: Edouard Chatton, the "master", and André Lwoff, the "pupil"

Edouard Chatton (1883–1947) began his scientific career in the Pasteur Institute, where he made several important discoveries regarding pathogenic protists (trypanosomids, Plasmodium, toxoplasms, Leishmania). In 1908 he married a "Banyulencque", Marie Herre; from 1920, he focused his research on marine protists. He finished his career as Professor at the Sorbonne (Paris) and director of the Laboratoire Arago in Banyuls-sur-mer, where he died in 1947. André Lwoff (1902–1994) lived several scientific lives in addition to his artistic and family life. But it is the study of protists that filled his first life after he encountered the exceptional Master who was Chatton. Lwoff's father was a psychiatrist and his mother an artist sculptor. He became a Doctor of Medicine in 1927 and then a Doctor of Sciences in 1932, his thesis dealing with biochemical aspects of protozoa nutrition. He met Chatton in 1921 and – until Chatton's death – their meetings, first in Roscoff and then in Banyuls-sur-mer, were numerous and their collaboration very close. Their monograph on apostome ciliates was one of the peaks of this collaboration. In 1938, Lwoff was made director of the Microbial Physiology Department at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, where he began a new life devoted to bacteria, and then to viruses, before pursuing his career as director of the Cancer Research Institute in Villejuif (France). Lwoff was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965. He died in Banyuls in 1994. "Master" and "pupil" had in common perseverance in their scientific work, conception and observation, a critical sense and rigor but also a great artistic sensibility that painting and drawing in the exceptional surroundings of Banyuls-sur-mer had fulfilled. Electronic Publication     

Plakophilins—hard work in the desmosome,recreation in the nucleus?

The linkage of the different types of cytoskeletal proteins to cell adhesion structures at the cytoplasmic membrane and the connection of these contact sites to corresponding sites of adjacent cells is a prerequisite for integrity and stability of cells and tissues. The structurally most prominent types of such cell-cell adhesion complexes are the desmosomes (maculae adhaerentes), which are found in all epithelia and certain non-epithelial tissues. As an element of the cytoskeleton, intermediate filaments are connected to the adhesive desmosomal transmembrane proteins by the cytoplasmic desmosomal plaque proteins. At least three different types of proteins are found in the desmosomal plaque, one of which is represented by the plakophilins, a recently described sub-family of sequence-related armadillo-repeat proteins. Consisting of three isoforms, plakophilins (plakophilin 1 to 3, PKP 1 to 3) are located in all desmosomes in a differentiation-dependent manner. While PKP 2 and PKP 3 are part of almost all desmosome-bearing cell types (PKP 2 except for differentiated cells of stratified epithelia and PKP 3 for hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes), PKP 1 is restricted to desmosomes of cells of stratified and complex epithelia. Besides the architectural function that plakophilins seem to fulfill in the desmosomes, at least PKP 1 and 2 are also localized in the nucleus independently of any differentiation-related processes and with an up to now enigmatic function in this compartment. In the following article we want to summarize the current knowledge concerning structure, function and regulation of the plakophilins that has been achieved during the last decade.     

Nutropioids, hedonism in the gut?

The opioid system plays a pivotal role in how our brain regulates hedonic components of ingestive behavior. Duraffourd et?al. (2012) add the gut to this opioid landscape, demonstrating direct activation of periportal μ-opioid receptors by food-derived opioid peptides (nutropioids), and a gut-brain feedback spiral that culminates in enhanced satiety.     

Mycorrhizal perennials of the "matorral xerófilo" and the "selva baja caducifolia" communities in the semiarid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley,Mexico

We investigated the mycorrhizal status of perennial xeric plant species occurring in the "matorral xerófilo" (arid tropical scrub) and the ecotone of the "selva baja caducifolia" (tropical deciduous forest) communities in the semiarid valley of Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, south-central Mexico. The perennial species examined are dominant/codominant elements within the "matorral xerófilo" and the "selva baja caducifolia", both endangered communities in the Biosphere Reserve Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley. Of the 50 sampled species, 45 were mycorrhizal. To our knowledge, we report arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) for the first time in 37 species, of which 21 are endemic to Mexico and nine are endemic to the Valley. We also report AM for the first time in three genera, Buddleja, Hechtia and Zornia, and in one plant family, Buddlejaceae. Beaucarnea gracilis, a threatened species, and Mimosa purpusii, a potentially rare species, are both mycorrhizal. This is the first study of the mycorrhizal status of plant species within the Valley.     

"Resonances" in the dielectric absorption of DNA?

An attempt was made to confirm previous reports of resonant-like dielectric absorption of plasmid DNA in aqueous solutions at 1-10 GHz. The dielectric properties of the sample were measured using an automatic network analyzer with two different techniques. One technique used an open-ended coaxial probe immersed in the sample; the other employed a coaxial transmission line. No resonances were observed that could be attributed to the sample; however, resonance-type artifacts were prominent in the probe measurements. The coaxial line technique appears to be less susceptible to such artifacts. We note two important sources of error in the calibration of the automatic network analyzer using the probe technique.     

Vegetation changes during the Holocene in the North Ibersá, Corrientes, Argentina

Vegetation changes during the Holocene in the North Iberá, Corrientes, Argentina. Wetlands are very important sites for palynological studies, since they represent one of the most suitable environments for fossil pollen preservation. The aim of this work was to determine, by palynological analysis of lacustrine sediments, the vegetal communities and the predominant environment during the Holocene in NW of Iberá. Two lagoons were studied: San Sebastián and San Juan Poriahú. Sediment samples were obtained with witness using a "Levingstone square-rod sampler", processed with Faegri e Iversen techniques and dated with C14. The palynological graphs were divided in zones using the Tilia program. The palynological analysis allowed visualizing diverse changes in the vegetation: from 6 140 +/- 50 to 5 170 +/- 100 a. C., the NW of Iberá was characterized by marsh-herbaceous vegetation and arboreal vegetation typical of dry vegetation. From 5 170 +/- 100 to 3 460 +/- 60 a. C., a decrease in the species frequency, typical of wet environments, is produced, and the clogging of the waterbody, from 3460 +/- 60 a. C. onwards, while continuing the dominance of herbaceous vegetation typical of these environments, the arboreal pollen, indicates the beginning of a hygrophilous forest development.     

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability on the magnetopause, magnetohydrodynamic waveguide in the outer magnetosphere, and Alfvén resonance deep in the magnetosphere

Oscillations of the “magnetosphere-solar wind” system are studied analytically in the framework of a plane-stratified model of the medium. The properties of oscillations are determined by three phenomena: Kelvin-Helmholtz instability on the tangential discontinuity (magnetopause) separating the magnetosphere and the solar wind, the presence of a waveguide for fast magnetosonic waves in the magnetosphere, and the Alfvén resonance—a sharp increase in the amplitude of oscillations having the properties of Alfvén waves—in the inner magnetosphere. The oscillations of the system form a discrete spectrum of eigenmodes. Analytical expressions are obtained for the frequency and growth rate of instability of each mode, as well as for the functions describing the spatial structure of these modes. All these characteristics of the eigenmodes are shown to depend on the velocity of the solar wind as a parameter. The dependences of the main mode characteristics (such as the instability thresholds, the points of the maximum and minimum growth rate, and the spatial distributions of the oscillation energy) on this parameter are determined for each eigenmode.     

Ethnicity and biodemographic structure in the Arbëreshe of the province of Cosenza, southern Italy, in the XIX century

Cultural and environmental factors interact in determining the genetic structure of human populations. Bio-demographic investigations of ethnic minorities are able to disentangle the influences that these two components have on the evolution of the genetic structure of a population. The ethnic minority of the Arb?reshe of the province of Cosenza (Calabria, southern Italy) is analyzed in this paper and its bio-demographic structure in the early 1800s is compared with that of neighboring Italian populations. The data derive from surnames recorded in the birth registers of the 19 Arbdreshe municipalities of the province of Cosenza and in 5 non-Arb?reshe municipalities of the same province. Isonymy and repeated pairs of surnames are used to analyze the bio-demographic structure of these populations, while analysis of isonymic relationships is used to investigate the variability between populations. Higher values of marital isonymy and subdivision into subpopulations characterize the Arb?reshe populations with respect to their non-Arb?reshe neighbors. However, the high range of variability of these parameters suggests a strong influence of geographic location on the marriage pattern of each community. At the same time, cultural differences linked to group identity had a strong impact in limiting marriage exchanges between the different ethnic groups living in the province of Cosenza in the early 1800s. In fact, the analysis of isonymic relationships demonstrates that geographic location shaped kinship patterns among the Arbereshe communities, but it also shows that the non-Arb?reshe neighbors formed a clearly separate reproductive cluster.     

Children's participation in healthcare in the UK--gesture,rhetoric, or real involvement?

In the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) children and their best interests are protected through a range of best practice initiatives, and legislation and guidance at country, national, European, and global levels. Some of the recent commitment by the government may be the result of enlightened thinking, but some of it has resulted from the aftermath of at least two major healthcare incidents. This article reviews the UK's recent national and international efforts to protect its thirteen million children and ensure that their voices are heard.     

Cell junctions in the cyst envelope in the silkworm testis,Bombyx mori linné

Summary The cell junctions of the cyst envelope in the testes of Bombyx mori were examined by electron microscopy utilizing a thin-sectioning technique following conventional fixation, tannic acid fixation and lanthanum tracer study, and also using a freeze-fracture technique. There are three kinds of junctions; septate junctions, gap junctions and tight junctions. Septate junctions are of the pleated type. Gap junctions are characterized by four electron-dense lines and three electronlucent lines in the reduced intercellular spaces seen by thin-sectioning. They are of the E type, having clusters of intramembraneous particles on the E-fracture face. The most striking finding is the frequent presence of tight junctions on the fracture planes, while focally fused outer leaflets of the junctional unit membranes are rarely detected on thin-sectioned preparations. Tight junctions are characterized by branching zigzag ridges on the P-fracture face and complementary grooves on the E-fracture face. It is proposed that tight junctions are new morphological evidence of blood-germ cell barrier in an insect. Acknowledgements: For helpful assistance the authors are indebted to their colleagues Miss N. Minemoto, Miss H. Kiyotake and Mr. Y. Goto     

Trichophyton simii in a "Caí" monkey (Cebus apella) colony in the province of Corrientes, Argentina.

The objective is to describe an outbreak of Trichophyton simii in a Cebus apella monkey colony in Argentine. During summer, alopecic zones appeared on dorsal regions from head to base of the tail of the animals. The hair and skin of nine animals were streaked onto Sabouraud dextrose with cloramphenicol and incubated at 25 degrees C. By the 10th day, white, filamentous colonies, which turned pale pink, developed from simples of four animals. Microscopical examinations were carried out and, because of colony and macroconidia morphology, were classified as Trichopyton simii. Although infection with T. simii is considered a zoonosis, we did not find human cases.     

Is there anything "autonomous" in the nervous system?

The terms "autonomous" or "vegetative" are currently used to identify one part of the nervous system composed of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and gastrointestinal divisions. However, the concepts that are under the literal meaning of these words can lead to misconceptions about the actual nervous organization. Some clear-cut examples indicate that no element shows "autonomy" in an integrated body. Nor are they solely "passive" or generated "without mental elaboration." In addition, to be "not consciously controlled" is not a unique attribute of these components. Another term that could be proposed is "homeostatic nervous system" for providing conditions to the execution of behaviors and maintenance of the internal milieu within normal ranges. But, not all homeostatic conditions are under the direct influence of these groups of neurons, and some situations clearly impose different ranges for some variables that are adaptative (or hazardous) in the tentative of successfully coping with challenging situations. Finally, the name "nervous system for visceral control" emerges as another possibility. Unfortunately, it is not only "viscera" that represent end targets for this specific innervation. Therefore, it is commented that no quite adequate term for the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and gastrointestinal divisions has already been coined. The basic condition for a new term is that it should clearly imply the whole integrated and collaborative functions that the components have in an indivisible organism, including the neuroendocrine, immunological, and respiratory systems. Until that, we can call these parts simply by their own names and avoid terms that are more "convenient" than appropriate.     

Longer in the tooth,shorter in the record? The evolutionary correlates of hypsodonty in Neogene ruminants

The acquisition of hypsodont molars is often regarded as a key innovation in the history of ruminant ungulates. Hypsodont ruminants diversified rapidly during the later Neogene, circa 15-2 Myr ago, and came to dominate the ruminant fossil record in terms of species diversity. Here we show that hypsodont clades had higher speciation and diversification rates than other clades. Hypsodont species had, on average, shorter stratigraphic durations, smaller range size and lower occupancy than non-hypsodont species. Within hypsodont clades, some species were very common and acquired large geographical ranges, whereas others were quite rare and geographically limited. We argue that hypsodont clades diversified in an adaptive radiation-like fashion, with species often splitting cladogenetically while still in the expansive phase of their occupancy history.