University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

About: University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee is a education organization based out in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Gravitational wave. The organization has 11839 authors who have published 28034 publications receiving 936438 citations. The organization is also known as: UWM & University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The influence of Mimulus ringens floral display size on pollinator visitation patterns

Abstract: Summary 1Pollinators visiting large floral displays may probe several flowers in sequence, leading to geitonogamous (among-flower) self-pollination. To investigate the relationship between floral display size and patterns of pollinator movement, we studied foraging by several pollinator species in four replicate arrays of Mimulus ringens (Scrophulariaceae). In each array displays were trimmed to two, four, eight and 16 flowers per plant. 2Bees preferred large displays, and probed more flowers in sequence on large than on small displays. However, the proportion of available flowers probed decreased with display, resulting in nearly equal floral visitation rates across treatments. 3Because pollinators probed more flowers in sequence on large displays, plants with numerous flowers should experience more geitonogamous self-pollination than plants with small displays. 4In all four treatments, pollinators frequently visited only one flower before leaving the plant. As the first flower probed on a plant cannot receive geitonogamous pollen, this potentially reduces selfing rates for those flowers, compared to flowers probed late in a long visitation sequence on a plant. Such differences among flowers in pollination history should increase variation in geitonogamous self-pollination among fruits within plants. 5The three most abundant pollinator species differed significantly in behaviours that could influence plant mating patterns, including number of flowers probed per plant; interplant movement distances; and grooming. Variation in foraging patterns was also evident among individuals within species. These subtle differences in response should affect the pollination services provided to plants.

Competency Assessment Toolkit for Professional Psychology

Abstract: A “toolkit” for professional psychology to assess student and practitioner competence is presented. This toolkit builds on a growing and long history of competency initiatives in professional psychology, as well as those in other health care disciplines. Each tool is a specific method to assess competence, appropriate to professional psychology. The methods are defined and described; information is presented about their best use, psychometrics, strengths and challenges; and future directions are outlined. Finally, the implications of professional psychology’s current shift to a “culture of competency,” including the challenges to implementing ongoing competency assessment, are discussed.

Amygdala and hippocampal activity during acquisition and extinction of human fear conditioning

Abstract: Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have characterized brain systems involved in conditional response acquisition during Pavlovian fear conditioning. However, the functional neuroanatomy underlying the extinction of human conditional fear remains largely undetermined. The present study used fMRI to examine brain activity during acquisition and extinction of fear conditioning. During the acquisition phase, participants were either exposed to light (CS) presentations that signaled a brief electrical stimulation (paired group) or received light presentations that did not serve as a warning signal (control group). During the extinction phase, half of the paired group subjects continued to receive the same treatment, whereas the remainder received light alone. Control subjects also received light alone during the extinction phase. Changes in metabolic activity within the amygdala and hippocampus support the involvement of these regions in each of the procedural phases of fear conditioning. Hippocampal activity developed during acquisition of the fear response. Amygdala activity increased whenever experimental contingencies were altered, suggesting that this region is involved in processing changes in environmental relationships. The present data show learning-related amygdala and hippocampal activity during human Pavlovian fear conditioning and suggest that the amygdala is particularly important for forming new associations as relationships between stimuli change.