Data-driven criteria to assess fear remission and phenotypic variability of extinction in rats

Fear conditioning is widely employed to examine the mechanisms that underlie dysregulations of the fear system. Various manipulations are often used following fear acquisition to attenuate fear memories. In rodent studies, freezing is often the main output measure to quantify ‘fear’. Here, we developed data-driven criteria for defining a standard benchmark that indicates remission from conditioned fear and for identifying subgroups with differential treatment responses. These analyses will enable a better understanding of individual differences in treatment responding. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Of mice and mental health: facilitating dialogue between basic and clinical neuroscientists’.

EXPANSIONS AND RECESSIONS IN THE MEXICAN STATES: A CLASSICAL BUSINESS CYCLES APPROACH

This paper aims to document expansions and recessions characteristics for 17 states of Mexico over the period 1993-2006 by using a classical business cycle approach. We use the manufacturing production index for each state as the business cycle indicator since it is the only output measure available on a monthly basis. According to this approach, we analyse asymmetries in mean, volatility and duration as well as synchronisation over the business cycle regimes (expansions and recessions) for each case. Our results indicate that recessions are less persistent and more volatile (in general) than expansions in most Mexican states; yet, there is no clear cut evidence on mean asymmetries. In turn, there seems to be strong links between the business cycle regimes within the Northern and Central regions of the country and between states with similar industrialisation patterns, although it is difficult to claim that a national business cycle exists.

COPY: A new technique for evaluation of biodiversity protection projects

New Zealand, like many other countries, is troubled by introduced animal and plant species which attack, damage, or displace indigenous species. Considerable amounts of taxpayer funds are spent each year attempting to combat these invasive species and some research has been conducted into the "cost effectiveness" and the efficiency of various conservation activities. Research into the cost effectiveness of biodiversity protection projects is hindered by the absence of satisfactory measures of output. A new output measure, Conservation Output Protection Years (COPY) is proposed for use in a cost utility evaluation of biodiversity protection projects. This paper outlines this approach and reports on the use of COPY in evaluation of six New Zealand biodiversity protection projects. The paper demonstrates that COPY provides a practical output measure, and reports on the comparative output per dollar spent on each biodiversity protection project.

The Moderating Effect of Supervisory Support on the Self-Efficacy Work-Performance Relationship

The present study examined the moderating effect of supervisory support on the relationship between self-ratings of self-efficacy and two measures of work performance, namely supervisor-rated performance and a work-output measure. Research was conducted within the South African life insurance industry on a sample of broker consultants (sales promotional staff) ( n = 70 subjects) over a three-month period. Past research found a positive relationship between high self-efficacy and work performance. However, such research did not take account of the influence of leadership factors. It was hypothesised that effective supervisory support would facilitate the attainment of higher levels of performance. Therefore, it was hypothesised that supervisory support should moderate the self-efficacy work performance relationship, particularly in the case of low self-efficacy. As hypothesised, it was found that supervisory support moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and supervisor-rated performance. Performance was highest when low levels of self-efficacy occurred together with high supervisory support. However, supervisory support did not moderate the relationship between self-efficacy and the work-output measure of performance. Limitations of the study, as well as theoretical and practical implications are considered.

The Economic Situation: Chapter I. The Home Economy

The effects of the miners' strike and the associated electricity restrictions make it even more difficult than usual to interpret the data available for estimating the level of activity in the most recent quarter. Industrial production is provisionally estimated to have fallen by about 2¾ per cent in the first quarter and, as we might expect the output measure of GDP to have been more severely affected by the strike than either the income or expenditure estimates, we have interpreted this as implying a fall in ‘compromise’ GDP of about 1¼ per cent. This (after allowing for the strike effects) is broadly consistent with our forecast in February.