Psychosis reactivity to cannabis use in daily life: an experience sampling study

BackgroundLittle is known about the experiential dynamics of the interaction between cannabis and vulnerability to psychosis.AimsTo examine the effects of cannabis on psychotic symptoms and mood in patients with psychosis and healthy controls.MethodPatients with a psychotic disorder (η = 42) and healthy controls (η = 38) were followed in their daily lives using a structured time-sampling technique.ResultsDaily life cannabis use predicted subsequent increases in positive affect and in patients, but not in controls, decreases in negative affect. In patients, but not in controls, cannabis use predicted increased levels of hallucinatory experiences. Mood-enhancing properties of cannabis were acute, whereas psychosis-inducing effects were sub-acute. There was no direct evidence for self-medication effects in daily life.ConclusionsPatients with psychosis are more sensitive to both the psychosis-inducing and mood-enhancing effects of cannabis. The temporal dissociation between acute rewarding effects and sub-acute toxic influences may be instrumental in explaining the vicious circle of deleterious use in these patients.

Einfluss der intensiven Gruppenhaltung und Geschlecht auf Oral- Stereotypien und einige Verhaltensmerkmale bei Mastlämmern

Title of the paper: Effect of intensive group condition and sex on the oral stereotypes and some behaviour traits in fattening lambs Oral stereotypes are a kind of the forms of behavioural abnormalities and many husbandry factors can cause the development of such behaviours in almost all domestic species. In this study, effects of housing based on group condition and also sex differences on the development of oral stereotypes were investigated in fattening lambs Ten male and ten female Turkgeldi synthetic breed of lambs were used. Animals were assigned to sex groups at the beginning of the study and housed in pens that consisted of metal feed through and water buckets on a straw bedded floor during the experiment. Behavioural observations were taken by two observer and time sampling technique was- used. Activities such as biting, licking and chewing of through, water bucket and also bars of pen were recorded as oral stereotypes. Generally, it was indicated that intensive group condition in fattening lamb. causes the development of behavioural abnormalities related to nutritional origin. Activities towards the bedding material, standing, lying and wool chewing behaviours were significantly affected by sex. The male lambs showed more activities in standing and wool licking and wool chewing behaviours than the females while the lying and activity towards the bedding material observed more frequently in the female group. This finding indicated that general activity was high in the male lambs. There was no significant sex effect on the total oral stereotypes. It was concluded that lack of structural materials have an important role in the development of oral stereotypes. In addition some stressful conditions that caused by group housing may also resulted in the development of such abnormalities especially for the male lambs.

The context of delusional experiences in the daily life of patients with schizophrenia

Background. Global characteristics and psychosocial risk factors related to delusions have been identified. The present study extends these findings to the level of everyday functioning, identifying characteristics of delusional moments (DMs) and contextual risk and protective factors for delusional exacerbations in daily life.Methods. Data were collected using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), a time-sampling technique. Forty-eight chronic patients diagnosed with schizophrenia rated the intensity of pathological symptoms and mood states and described their thoughts and the environmental context during consecutive moments in daily life. Delusions were defined on the basis of self-rated suspicion, preoccupation, feeling controlled, and coded thought pathology. Daily context included current activity, persons present and location. Characteristics of DMs and non-delusional moments (nDMs) were compared, and a multilevel logistic regression model was used to identify contexts that might trigger or prevent DMs.Results. On average, patients experienced delusions less than one-third of the time. DMs were characterized by higher negative affect and lower positive affect. The presence of family or acquaintances decreased the risk of subsequently experiencing a DM, whereas withdrawal from activities increased this risk.Conclusions. Data support the validity of ESM for investigating delusions in schizophrenia. Daily life contexts appear to alter the probability that delusions will occur. Knowledge about such contexts may therefore be useful in helping patients develop better coping strategies and in creating therapeutic interventions that can lessen emotional distress.

Long-term influence of feeding regime and housing on development of stereotypies in sows

Previous work has shown that feeding regime and not physical restraint is a major cause in the development of stereotypies in closely confined sows, (Teriouw et al, 1991). However, this and a previous report on the relationship between feeding regime and stereotypies in sows (Appleby and Lawrence, 1987) have only studied gilts in their first pregnancy. The objective of this present work was to examine longer-term effects of feeding regime and housing on the development of stereotypies in sows.Thirty-two sows (Cotswold Pig Development Co. Ltd, UK) were allocated to either loose (Lo) or tether (Te) housing and to Low (L; 2.5 kg/day) or high (H; 4.0 kg/day) food levels in a balanced design. Apart from social contact and freedom of movement the housing systems were similar including the provision of chains to the loose housed animals. The behavioural response to these treatments was observed over parities 2,3 and 4 using a time sampling technique, and the data analysed by analysis of variance and linear correlation.

Comparing Teaching Behaviors and Student Activity Levels in Classes Taught by P.E. Specialists versus Nonspecialists

This study compared the teaching behaviors of elementary physical education specialists with those of classroom teachers (nonspecialists) while teaching physical education classes. Additionally, data were collected on student activity levels to detect similarities or differences in classes taught by specialists versus nonspecialists. Four specialists and 7 nonspecialists were observed during a 3-month period using the Teacher Observation Schedule (Rushall, 1977). The group time-sampling technique, Placheck recording, was used to gather data on the students’ levels of activity during the observed classes. It was found that specialists had significantly higher values in more effective teaching behaviors such as feedback/reward, questioning, and directing/explaining/informing, and significantly lower values in less effective teaching behaviors such as monitoring/attending. Additionally, there were significantly higher levels of activity for students in classes taught by specialists.

Behavior of triatomines (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) vectors of Chagas' disease. II. Influence of feeding, lighting and time of day on the number of mating, mating speed and duration of copulation of Panstrongylus megistus (Burm, 1835) under laboratory conditions

To determine in influence of feeding, lighting and time of day on the copulating behavior of Panstrongylus megistus, 480 insect pairs were divided into four groups of 120 each and tested in the following respective situations: without food deprivation (F.D.), with five days of F.D., with ten days of F.D., and with 20 days of F. D. The tests were performed between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with light (700-1400 lux) and in the dark (1.4-2.8 lux) and behavior was recorded by the time sampling technique. Mating spped (MS) and duration of copulation (DC) were also calculated for each situation. The maximum frequency of copulation was observed after five days of F.D., at night, in the dark (n = 16), and the minimum was observed for recently-fed pairs, at night, with light (n = 4). Males approached females more often than females approached males. MS was lowest in pairs with twenty days of F.D., at night, with light (X = 23.0 ± 16.0 minutes), and highest in recently-fed pairs, during the day, with light (X = 2.9 ± 2.5 minutes). DC was shortest in recently-fed insects, during the day, in the dark (X = 23.5 ± 6.7 minutes), and longest in recently-fed animals, at night, in the dark (X = 38.3 ± 6.9 minutes).

Resource Teacher Time Utilization: An Observational Study

Lack of adequate descriptive data supporting the operation and efficacy of resource room programs prompted the investigation of resource teacher time utilization. To measure time use, a time sampling technique was employed and compared with teacher estimates of their time use. The teachers were found to spend less time than they estimated for direct instruction, participating in staffings, and working with Individualized Education Programs (IEP's). They spent more time than estimated on preparing for instruction and general school duties. In addition, no differences in the distribution of time use were found for teachers serving larger and smaller numbers of pupils.