scholarly journals Benveniste’s Experiments Explained by a Non-Conventional Experimenter Effect

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Beauvais
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiment ◽  
Biological System ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Experimental Situation ◽  
Probabilistic Modelling ◽  
Classical Approach ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Water Properties ◽  
Experimenter Effect ◽  
System States

Background: Benveniste’s biology experiments suggested the existence of molecular-like effects without molecules (“memory of water”). In this article, it is proposed that these disputed experiments could have been the consequence of a previously unnoticed and non-conventional experimenter effect. Methods: A probabilistic modelling is built in order to describe an elementary laboratory experiment. A biological system is modelled with two possible states (“resting” and “activated”) and exposed to two experimental conditions labelled “control” and “test”, but both biologically inactive. The modelling takes into account not only the biological system, but also the experimenters. In addition, an outsider standpoint is adopted to describe the experimental situation. Results: A classical approach suggests that, after experiment completion, the “control” and “test” labels of biologically-inactive conditions should be both associated with “resting” state (i.e. no significant relationship between labels and system states). However, if the fluctuations of the biological system are also considered, a quantum-like relationship emerges and connects labels and system states (analogous to a biological “effect” without molecules). Conclusions: No hypotheses about water properties or other exotic explanations are needed to describe Benveniste’s experiments, including their unusual features. This modelling could be extended to other experimental situations in biology, medicine and psychology.

scholarly journals “Memory of Water” Experiments Explained with No Role Assigned to Water: Pattern Expectation after Classical Conditioning of the Experimenter

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Beauvais
Keyword(s):  
Classical Conditioning ◽  
Biological System ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
System States ◽  
Forced Return ◽  
Random Fluctuations ◽  
The Relationship

The “memory of water” experiments suggested the existence of molecular-like effects without molecules. Although no convincing evidence of modifications of water – specific of biologically-active molecules – has been reported up to now, consistent changes of biological systems were nevertheless recorded. We propose an alternate explanation based on classical conditioning of the experimenter. Using a probabilistic model, we describe not only the biological system, but also the experimenter engaged in an elementary dose-response experiment. We assume that during conventional experiments involving genuine biologically-active molecules, the experimenter is involuntarily conditioned to expect a pattern, namely a relationship between descriptions (or “labels”) of experimental conditions and corresponding biological system states. The model predicts that the conditioned experimenter could continue to record the learned pattern even in the absence of the initial cause, namely the biologically-active molecules. The phenomenon is self-sustained because the observation of the expected pattern reinforces the initial conditioning. A necessary requirement is the use of a system submitted to random fluctuations with autocorrelated successive states (no forced return to the initial position). The relationship recorded by the conditioned experimenter is, however, not causal in this model because blind experiments with an “outside” supervisor lead to a loss of correlations (i.e., system states randomly associated to “labels”). In conclusion, this psychophysical model allows explaining the results of “memory of water” experiments without referring to water or another local cause. It could be extended to other scientific fields in biology, medicine and psychology when suspecting an experimenter effect.

scholarly journals “Memory of Water” Experiments Explained with No Role Assigned to Water: Pattern Expectation after Classical Conditioning of the Experimenter

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Beauvais
Keyword(s):  
Classical Conditioning ◽  
Biological System ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
System States ◽  
Forced Return ◽  
Random Fluctuations ◽  
The Relationship

Introduction. The “memory of water” experiments suggested the existence of molecular-like effects without molecules. Although no convincing evidence of modifications of water – specific of biologically-active molecules – has been reported, consistent changes of biological systems were nevertheless recorded. We propose an alternate explanation based on classical conditioning of the experimenter.Methods. Using a probabilistic modelling, we describe not only the biological system, but also the experimenter engaged in an elementary dose-response experiment. We assume that during conventional experiments involving genuine biologically-active molecules, the experimenter is involuntarily conditioned to expect a pattern, namely a relationship between the descriptions (or “labels”) of experimental conditions and the corresponding biological system states.Results. The modelling predicts that the conditioned observer could continue to record the learned pattern even in the absence of the initial cause, namely biologically-active molecules. The phenomenon is self-sustained since the observation of the expected pattern reinforces the initial conditioning. A necessary requirement is the use of a system submitted to random fluctuations with autocorrelated successive states (no forced return to the initial position). The relationship observed by the conditioned observer is however not causal and has a quantum-like structure. The modelling predicts also that blind experiments with an “outside” supervisor lead to a loss of correlations (i.e. system states randomly associated to “labels”). Conclusion. This psychophysical modelling allows explaining the results of “memory of water” experiments without referring to water or another local cause. It could be extended to other scientific fields in biology, medicine and psychology when an experimenter effect is suspected.

scholarly journals Effects of methylprednisolone on exercise-induced increases of plasma levels of polymorphonuclear elastase and myeloperoxidase in man. Preliminary results

1993 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Camus ◽  
J. Pincemail ◽  
G. Deby-Dupont ◽  
C. Deby ◽  
A. Juchmès-Ferir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Dose ◽  
Oral Dose ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Oral Absorption ◽  
Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil ◽  
Healthy Male ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Exercise Induced ◽  
Male Subjects

The aim of the present study was to verify whether a single oral dose of methylprednisolone could modulate the exercise-induced release of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) elastase and myeloperoxidase. Four healthy, male subjects were submitted to a 20 min downhill run (−20%) at 60% VO2max, 3 h after oral absorption of a placebo or a single dose of 32 mg methylprednisolone. A marked neutrophilia (+103% of basal PMN count; p < 0.02) was observed 3 h after methylprednisolone ingestion. During both exercise trials, placebo and methylprednisolone, PMN counts were increased by 46% and 19% (p < 0.05), respectively. The running test caused marked and significant (p < 0.05) increases in plasma myeloperoxidase concentration (MPO). The magnitude of MPO changes was the same in the two trials (+110%). Exercise also resulted in significant changes in plasma elastase concentration (EL) in both experimental conditions (placebo: +104%, p < 0.05; methylprednisolone: +338%, p < 0.005). Plasma elastase levels reached at the end of exercise on methylprednisolone were significantly higher than after placebo (p < 0.05). A significant relationship was found between EL and PMN in methylprednisolone trial only (r = 0.72; l0 < 0.005). These results showed that the transient exercise-induced release of elastase and myeloperoxidase were not decreased by methylprednisolone.

Plant Layout Ergonomics: Impact of Problem and Solver Features on Layout Quality

1993 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 468-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill M. Clough ◽  
James R. Buck
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Facility Layout ◽  
The Other ◽  
Significant Feature ◽  
Problem Size ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Empirical Experiment

A study of people solving facility layout problems was made to estimate the effects of problem features on the quality of solutions obtained by novice and experienced subjects. An empirical experiment was conducted. Three features of these problems which were systematically varied in this study were: 1. Problem size, 2. Fraction of strong inter-departmental relationships, and 3. Fraction of departments requiring a non-standard amount of floor space. Both quantitative and subjective layout evaluations were made. It was found that layout quality was not affected by feature 3 for any values of the other features, using either evaluation method, and with either novice or experienced subjects. However, feature 2 proved to be significant for all experimental conditions, both evaluation methods, and with both subject groups. Feature 1 was a significant feature in some situations, but was not significant in others. Some differences in problem solving approaches were observed. There was a significant relationship between the design of higher quality layouts by experienced subjects and the use of a Relationship Diagram. Reducing the problem size and/or percentage of strong inter-departmental relationships in a problem may make a higher quality layout easier to achieve.

scholarly journals Crowdsourcing visual perception experiments: a case of contrast threshold

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e8339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoshiro Sasaki ◽  
Yuki Yamada
Keyword(s):  
Visual Perception ◽  
Laboratory Experiment ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
The Other ◽  
Contrast Threshold ◽  
Repetition Condition ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Online Experiments ◽  
Contrast Thresholds

Crowdsourcing has commonly been used for psychological research but not for studies on sensory perception. A reason is that in online experiments, one cannot ensure that the rigorous settings required for the experimental environment are replicated. The present study examined the suitability of online experiments on basic visual perception, particularly the contrast threshold. We conducted similar visual experiments in the laboratory and online, employing three experimental conditions. The first was a laboratory experiment, where a small sample of participants (n = 24; laboratory condition) completed a task with 10 iterations. The other two conditions were online experiments: participants were either presented with a task without repetition of trials (n = 285; online non-repetition condition) or one with 10 iterations (n = 166; online repetition condition). The results showed significant equivalence in the contrast thresholds between the laboratory and online repetition conditions, although a substantial amount of data needed to be excluded from the analyses in the latter condition. The contrast threshold was significantly higher in the online non-repetition condition compared with the laboratory and online repetition conditions. To make crowdsourcing more suitable for investigating the contrast threshold, ways to reduce data wastage need to be formulated.

Appearance of immunoglobulin G in the plasma of piglets following intake of colostrum, with or without a delay in sucking

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.M. Bland ◽  
J.A. Rooke ◽  
V.C. Bland ◽  
A.G. Sinclair ◽  
S.A. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Immunoglobulin G ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Correction Factors ◽  
Total Plasma ◽  
Experimental Conditions

AbstractThe intake of immunoglobulin G (IgG) by sucking piglets from colostrum was estimated over the first 24 h of sucking by the weigh-suck-weigh technique using experimentally determined correction factors for metabolic and urinary losses and was related to appearance of IgG in piglet plasma. Colostrum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations declined rapidly from 61 mg/ml at the start of sucking to 9·0 mg/ml after 24 h sucking. IgG was first detected in piglet plasma after 4 h sucking, increased to a maximum after 12 to 16 h sucking and thereafter declined. In piglets allowed to suck from birth, there was no significant relationship between estimated IgG intake and plasma IgG concentration suggesting that IgG intake did not limit acquisition of IgG by the piglet. When sucking was delayed by 8 or 12 h, colostrum intakes by piglets were not different from piglets allowed immediate access to the udder but IgG intakes were significantly (P< 0·001) decreased. Total plasma IgG (g/kg live weight) did not decline significantly as a result of delayed sucking. In conclusion, under the experimental conditions employed, the appearance of IgG in piglet plasma was limited by factors other than by colostrum IgG intake.

scholarly journals Experimental Guidelines for Studies Designed to Investigate the Impact of Antioxidant Supplementation on Exercise Performance

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott K. Powers ◽  
Ashley J. Smuder ◽  
Andreas N. Kavazis ◽  
Matthew B. Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Oxidative Damage ◽  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Exercise Performance ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Experimental Situation ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Research interest in the effects of antioxidants on exercise-induced oxidative stress and human performance continues to grow as new scientists enter this field. Consequently, there is a need to establish an acceptable set of criteria for monitoring antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage in tissues. Numerous reports have described a wide range of assays to detect both antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage to biomolecules, but many techniques are not appropriate in all experimental conditions. Here, the authors present guidelines for selecting and interpreting methods that can be used by scientists to investigate the impact of antioxidants on both exercise performance and the redox status of tissues. Moreover, these guidelines will be useful for reviewers who are assigned the task of evaluating studies on this topic. The set of guidelines contained in this report is not designed to be a strict set of rules, because often the appropriate procedures depend on the question being addressed and the experimental model. Furthermore, because no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate in every experimental situation, the authors strongly recommend using multiple assays to verify a change in biomarkers of oxidative stress or redox balance.

Effects of Lying and Conformity on Decision-Making Behavior

1982 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 871-877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Gayle Wardle ◽  
David S. Gloss
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Correct Answer ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Experimental Situation ◽  
Experimental Session ◽  
Standard Deviations ◽  
Decision Making Behavior ◽  
The Relationship

Research on the relationship between conformity and temptation to lie utilized a measure of temptation to lie from 40 subjects by administration of the Machiavellian Scale several weeks prior to the experimental sessions. The first experimental session measured group conformity. Subjects who agreed with a simulated group more than six times were considered conformers. The data showed that the conformers yielded on the average more than three times as much as the independents. In the second experimental situation, stimuli for belief that no correct answer could be objectively obtained were presented. The only way a subject would obtain a significant number of so-called correct answers was to lie. Subjects whose scores were three standard deviations greater than those expected by chance were considered liars. The results showed that lying was not a function of conformity. The Machiavellian Scale, administered again to the same subjects, showed that subjects who cheated were more tempted to lie again, while those who had not succumbed to temptation were less likely now to lie. A significant relationship between conformity and absolute changes in attitude supported the hypothesis that individuals who conform change their attitudes more readily than individuals who remain independent. Implications for decision making are discussed.

scholarly journals PENGARUH SALINITAS TERHADAP PERKEMBANGAN STADIUM AKUATIK Aedes aegypti DI LABORATORIUM

SPIRAKEL ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-69
Author(s):  
Hotnida Sitorus ◽  
Wahyu Hidayat ◽  
Milana Salim ◽  
Marini Marini ◽  
Lasbudi Pertama Ambarita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Laboratory Experiment ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Analysis Of Variance ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Dengue Vector ◽  
Salinity Increase

Aedes aegypti is known as the species of mosquito that breeds in fresh water, but due to the nature of adaptive this species found in habitats containing salt. This laboratory experiment aims to find out how different concentration of salinity will affect aquatic stages of Aedes aegypti. Salinity concentrations or treatment used in this study were 0‰, 2‰, 4‰, 6‰, 8‰ and 10‰ with five replicates. The observed parameters is the number of hatched eggs and number of surviving larvae or pupa after exposed to media containing salt. The results show that salinity influence both the number of hatced eggs and surviving larvae or pupae. There were decrease of number of hatched eggs and also the surviving larva or pupa as salinity increase. Analysis of variance showed significant relationship between salinity and the number of larvae or pupae survived but not with number of hatched eggs. Dengue vector adaptation against salinity become a phenomenon that needs to be examined and related to the spread of vector in habitats containing salt as well as transmission of the virus.

Analysis of the laboratory hydraulic fracturing curves.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Novikova ◽  
Mariia Trimonova
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Laboratory Experiment ◽  
Logarithmic Derivative ◽  
Injection Pressure ◽  
Technical Conference ◽  
Function Technique ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Laboratory Setup ◽  
Fracture Closure ◽  
Reported Study

&lt;p&gt;In this study, the data obtained during a series of laboratory experiments on hydraulic fracturing were analyzed. The main goal was to determine the time of the fracture closure, the pressure of the fracture closure, and the permeability of the sample, where the fracture was formed and propagated.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A special laboratory setup was used to conduct the experiments. The design of this setup allows to provide a three-axis load on the model sample, which makes the conditions of the laboratory experiment on hydraulic fracturing closer to the real conditions in the field. To produce the fracture, viscous fluid was injected under constant rate through the preliminary created cased borehole with perforations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As results of the experiments, the curves of the fluid injection pressure variations with time were obtained. Their analysis was carried out using the G-function technique developed by Nordgren [1] and Nolte [2]. It is based on the plotting and analyzing of the behavior of the following dependencies: the injection pressure, first derivative of the pressure and the semi-logarithmic derivative of the pressure with respect to G-function. The curves processing allows to estimate the time of the fractures closure, with the help of which the fracture closure pressure was determined. The obtained pressure values were compared with the minimum stresses known from the experimental conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, the permeability of the model reservoir sample was calculated using a technique developed by Horner [3] and improved by Nolte et al. [4]. The approach is based on an assumption that the fracture in the formation has been already closed, and a radial regime of fluid flow has been established. The obtained results were compared with the actual permeability, which was determined in the preliminary laboratory experiment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Acknowledgements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-35-80018, and state task 0146-2019-0007.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;References&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;Nordgren, R. P. [1972] Propagation of a vertical Hydraulic Fracture. SPE 45&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; Annual Fall Meeting, Houston, SPE-3009-PA.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Nolte, K. G. [1979] Determination of Fracture Parameters from Fracturing Pressure Decline. The 54&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; Annual Fall Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, Las Vegas, SPE-8341-MS.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Horner, D. R. [1951] Pressure Build-Up in Wells. 3&lt;sup&gt;rd&lt;/sup&gt; World Petroleum Congress, Netherlands, WPC-4135.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Nolte, K. G., Maniere, J. L., Owens, K. A. [1997] After-Closure Analysis of Fracture Calibration Tests. SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, SPE-38676-MS.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ol&gt;

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document