Open-field behavior of wild and domestic Norway rats

The open-field behavior of wild and domestic Norway rats was compared in 15-min tests administered over 5 successive days. Wild rats exhibited more ambulation, jumping, grooming, and time inactive than domestic rats and spent more time along the arena wall. Within- and between-trial changes in behavior were generally greater for wild rats. Factor analyses revealed major loadings on factors identified as “locomotor behavior” and “grooming.” Support was obtained for the hypothesis that domestication has raised the threshold for avoidance-escape behavior in response to a novel environment.     

Numerical discrimination by rats using sequential auditory stimuli

Three rats were trained under a discrimination procedure in which responding was reinforced only following the repeated presentation of three bursts of white noise (S+). S? consisted of presentations of either two or four bursts of noise. All animals responded significantly more in the presence of S+ and, in two cases, showed lower response rates to both “2” and “4” stimuli. Responding by the third animal revealed differentiation between S+ and the stimulus “2,” but no reliable suppression to stimulus “4.” The present instances of discriminative control by the stimulus “3” replicate Fernandes and Church’s (1982) demonstration of control by sequential auditory stimuli in the rat. Moreover, because the present procedure involves adjacent S? values both greater as well as less than S+, these results extend our knowledge of the rat’s abilities with sequential auditory stimuli: Rats are capable of making intermediate numerical discriminations based upon something other than a simple many-versus-few dichotomy.     

The feature-positive effect and sign-tracking behavior during discrimination learning in the rat

Feature-positive (FP) and feature-negative (FN) successive discrimination learning was investigated in the rat. When a discrete, visual element serving to differentiate the discriminanda belonged to S+ (FP), rats acquired the discrimination more rapidly than when it formed a part of S? (FN). During the course of training, FP rats developed a tendency to direct their responding toward the differentiating feature in S+ while FN rats shifted their responding away from this element in S?. These findings were discussed in terms of the conceptions of stimulus-reinforcer relations and “sign-tracking” behavior.     

Transfer of information concerning distant foods in rats: A robust phenomenon

Following interaction with a “demonstrator” rat, an “observer” rat prefers that diet eaten by its demonstrator prior to their interaction (Galef & Wigmore, 1983). The present series of studies demonstrates that such demonstrator influence on observer diet preference can be found in: (1) first-generation laboratory bred wild rats as well as domesticated rats, (2) food-deprived as well as nondeprived observers, (3) unfamiliar as well as familiar demonstrator-observer pairs, (4) both 21-day-old and adult observers, and (5) rats selecting fluids as well as solids for ingestion. These data indicate that the social transmission of information concerning distant diets is a general and robust phenomenon, observable under a wide variety of experimental conditions.     

Social influences on the identification of toxic foods by Norway rats

In the present experiments, a naive “observer” rat first interacted with a “demonstrator” rat previously fed a diet unfamiliar to the observer. The observer then sampled two unfamiliar diets, one of which was the diet its demonstrator had eaten. The observer was then injected with LiCl and, following recovery from toxicosis, was offered a choice between the two diets it sampled prior to toxicosis induction. It was found that: (1) each observer rat formed an aversion to whichever diet its demonstrator had not eaten, (2) effects of demonstrators on aversion learning by observers were present even if there was a 7- or 8-day delay between interaction of a demonstrator and observer and diet sampling by the observer, and (3) observers interacting with 3 demonstrators, each fed a different diet, subsequently exhibited a reduced tendency to form an aversion to each of the diets eaten by their demonstrators. Taken together, the results indicate that information acquired from conspecifics as to the diets they have eaten can play an important role in determining the foods to which otherwise naive rats will learn aversions.     

Generality of the failure-to-escape (helplessness) phenomenon in rats

A series of four experiments investigated a number of parameters reported to produce “helplessness” in rats. Consistent differences in escape behavior were not found between inescapably shocked and restrained rats when a FR 1 shuttling response was used. Escape latencies also did not differ between groups when a reduced shock intensity was employed during escape training in FR 2 procedure or when an increased FR 3 response was employed during escape training. Findings are discussed in terms of the robustness of the failure-to-escape phenomenon from which “helplessness” in the rat is inferred.     

社会主义核心价值观生活化的境遇与构建

高校作为国家人才培养的重要场所和践行社会主义核心价值观的重要阵地,用社会主义核心价值观开展好大学生日常思想政治教育具有重大的战略价值和意义。针对当前高校在推进社会主义核心价值观生活化的过程中面临的现实困境,提出从加强理论“灌输教育”、关注“焦点诉求”和注重“氛围营造”等方面建构大学生社会主义核心价值观生活化的有效路径。     

Some behavioral differences between wild and domestic Norway rats: Gnawing and platform jumping

Thirty-six wild and 36 domestic Norway rats were compared in two experiments that were designed to investigate behaviors associated with gnawing and platform jumping. Domestic rats exhibited more “spontaneous” gnawing than their wild counterparts. Both stocks increased gnawing activity to gain access to a narrow tunnel. When confined in the tunnel, wild rats were more likely to gnaw their way back to the horne cage. Platform jumping was confined almost exclusively to the wild stock. These findings are discussed in terms of domestication and its effect on the behavior of the Norway rat.     

Sex differences in the emotional behavior of three strains of laboratory rat

Sex differences in the emotional behavior of three strains of rats were investigated, using a variety of measures taken during the initial 2 min of open-field exposure and after a loud bell had sounded. Animals were tested either in a clean open field or in one containing the odor of a same-sex conspecific. No general overall sex differences for a variety of measures associated with emotional reactivity were found, so the results did not support the theory that male rats are more “emotional” than females. Sex differences for particular measures associated with emotional responsiveness were found, but these varied with the strain, measure, and odor condition: The latter was found to be particularly important.     

论林纾的文学修为

林纾是闽籍作家,不识英文,却引介“西学”, 而且用的是文言,成为译界奇观。“白话”登台亮相,林纾却对“文言”情有独钟,故有“文白之辩”,因此被文学史疏远。所幸“文言”与“西学”在林纾笔下情投意合,称道者众,为“小说”扶正立下汗马功劳,又与新文学启蒙不期而遇,其文学修为举世瞩目。     

What Young Russians Think about Russia and America

The article provides a comparative analysis of the linguistic and cultural picture of the world of contemporary Russian university students on the basis of surveys of their perceptions of America and the Americans as well as Russia and the Russians. The data that were collected from a free association experiment that was conducted by S.G. Ter-Minasova in 1992, 1995, and 1998 are compared with the data that were obtained by the author during her study in 2015. Respondents were asked to write down one to 10 associations that came to mind for a given concept. By comparing the data between the different surveys, we are able to note how the perceptions of Russian students about Russia and Russians, America and Americans and the reasons prompting these perceptions have changed. The most notable findings are that the following words representing the lexical-semantic group describing financial status were no longer cited in the 2015 survey: “poor,” “rich,” and “dollar,” whereas the following words belonging to the lexical-semantic group describing power appeared on the most recent survey: “war,” “impudent,” “selfish,” “haughty,” “the desire to dominate others,” “cunning,” “powerful,” and “racism.”     

Transfer between Pavlovian facilitators and instrumental discriminative stimuli

Two experiments assessed the degree to which Pavlovian facilitators were interchangeable with instrumental discriminative stimuli (S^ds). In Experiment 1, rats were trained in a Pavlovian paradigm in which one stimulus (i.e., a facilitator) signaled the reinforcement of another stimulus (i.e., a target). Next, the rats were given instrumental discrimination training in which an S^d signaled the reinforcement of barpressing. A transfer test then assessed the capacity of the Pavlovian facilitator to promote barpressing. The results showed that the facilitator promoted significant barpressing, both when it was presented alone and when it was presented in compound with the S^d. Reliable transfer was not obtained with a “pseudofacilitator” control stimulus that, during training, was uninformative about the reinforcement of its target. Experiment 2 showed that a stimulus trained as an instrumental S^d reliably augmented responding to a stimulus previously trained as a target in a Pavlovian facilitation paradigm. A “pseudo-S^d” that, during training, was uninformative about the reinforcement of barpressing failed to promote such transfer. These results show that Pavlovian facilitators and instrumental S^ds are interchangeable to a significant degree, and suggest that facilitators and S^ds may act via similar mechanisms.     

“红花末”色素理化特性及安全性分析

为了研究“红花末”色素的理化特性及食用安全性,采用光谱法分析其吸收图谱及光稳定性和热稳定性,并利用小鼠急性毒性试验、小鼠精子畸变试验等方法进行毒理学研究．结果表明,“红花末”色素溶液在200~800 nm有5个吸收峰,可见区最大吸收峰为540 nm．色素光稳定性较差,热稳定性较好．急性毒性试验表明,“红花末”色素对小鼠的LD50值为1259 mg/kg＆#183;bw,属于低毒级;遗传毒性试验表明：小鼠精子畸变率为8.38%~12.26%,明显高于对照组（0.54%,p＆lt;0.05）．“红花末”色素稳定性较好,属于低毒级,具有一定的致突变性,长期食用可能会对生殖系统产生一定的影响.     

“非零和博弈”——中美贸易

经济贸易问题日益上升到国家战略的高度,有人认为对外贸易总会是一方受损、另一方得益的"零和"关系。随着中美贸易差额近年来逐渐扩大,中美间的贸易摩擦也日益增多,美方也借此问题频频向中国施压。这似乎印证了中美贸易终究逃不脱"零和"的困境。其实,搞清楚中美贸易不平衡的实质才是至关重要的。本文就试图从"非零和"的角度来认识中美贸易方面的有关问题。     

Foraging on the radial-arm maze: Effects of altering the reward at a target location

Thirsty rats were trained to collect small water rewards from the end of each arm of an eight-arm radial maze. During these training trials and subsequent testing trials, the subjects were allowed to choose a maximum of eight arms. “Preference” for a target maze location was studied by noting when, in the sequence of eight choices, the target was selected. During testing, when one maze location was consistently devoid of water, rats decreased their preference for this arm over trials (Experiment 1). Similarly, rats that learned a saccharin-lithium association demonstrated lower preferences for a maze location that consistently held the conditioned saccharin solution. This was true for animals that received saccharin-lithium conditioning on the maze (Experiment 3A) and for animals conditioned to saccharin in a separate context (Experiment 3B). An increase in preference for a target maze location consistently containing a sweet chocolate milk solution was observed in animals that were water- and food-deprived (Experiment 2). These studies demonstrate that animals will modify their responses toward (preferences for) maze locations that predictably contain an altered reward.     

Amount of solution drunk is a factor in the establishment of taste aversion

Experiment I demonstrated that the strength of a rat’s aversion to saccharin is a direct function of the amount of saccharin it consumed prior to poisoning. Using Kalat and Rozin’s (1973) procedure, Experiment II showed that results consistent with a “learned-safety” theory of taste aversion appear to depend on whether rats drink most saccharin on their first or second exposure to the solution prior to poisoning. Experiment III demonstrated that when animals drank equal amounts of saccharin solution on each of two exposures prior to poisoning, evidence strongly confirming the “learned-safety” theory was obtained. These experiments together demonstrate the importance of amount of solution drunk in the determination of taste aversion.     

Defensive behavior of the rat in a shock-prod situation: Effects of the subject’s location preference

Experiment 1 investigated the proposition that rats cover the source of aversive stimulation with the bedding material available to them and sought to determine whether familiarization with this material would affect burying. The results indicated that rats are no more likely to cover an aversive object than they are not to cover it, although they collect a considerable amount of bedding material in the area surrounding the aversive object. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the rat’s defensive “burying” toward an aversive object is affected by the subject’s predisposition to displace material toward the front side of the apparatus. Some theoretical complexities involved in considering the act of “burying” toward an aversive object as a defensive behavior are discussed.     

Discriminative control of interspecific killing in hungry and satiated rats

Hungry and satiated killer Long-Evans rats were exposed to two species of prey, mice and frogs. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the rats learned to discriminate between prey when attacks upon one of the prey were punished by electric shocks and attacks upon the alternative were not punished. Thus, killing of the “dangerous” prey was suppressed, while killing of the alternative, “safe” prey continued. However, in Experiment 2—in which the consequences of killing the prey differed in that one was allowed to be eaten following a kill but the other was not—no evidence of discriminative attack resulted. Hungry and satiated rats did not differ in their responsiveness toward prey as objects of attack, but hungry killers were more responsive to prey as food, thus demonstrating a dissociation of killing and eating control.     

Myths about instrumental discourse: A response to Robert R. Johnson

Abstract of the original article

Robert R. Johnson's “Complicating Technology: Interdesciplinary Method, the Burden of Comprehension, and the Ethical Space of the Technical Communicator,” published in the Winter 1998 issue of TCQ, points out that there is much for technical communicators to learn from the burgeoning field of technology studies. Technical communicators, however, have an obligation to exercise patience as they enter this arena of study. Using interdisciplinary theory, this article argues that technical communication must assume the “burden of comprehension”: the responsibility of understanding the ideologies, contexts, values, and histories of those disciplines from which we borrow before we begin using their methods and research findings. Three disciplines of technology study—history, sociology, and philosophy—are examined to investigate how these disciplines approach technology. The article concludes with speculation on how technical communicators, by virtue of their entrance into this interdisciplinary arena, might refashion both their practical roles and the scope of their ethical responsibilities.