Probability Discounting of Lewis and Fischer 344 rats: Strain Comparisons at Baseline and Following Acute Administration of d-Amphetamine

Risky choice can be defined as choice for a larger, uncertain reinforcer over a smaller, certain reinforcer when choosing the smaller alternative maximizes reinforcement. Risky choice is studied using various procedures in the animal laboratory; one such procedure is called probability discounting. There are many variables that contribute to risky decision-making, including biological and pharmacological determinants. The present study assessed both of these variables by evaluating dose-response effects of d-amphetamine on risky choice of Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats. The probability-discounting procedure included discrete-trials choices between one food pellet delivered 100% of the time and three food pellets delivered following one of varying probabilities. The probability of three food pellets being delivered decreased systematically across blocks within each session. At baseline, risky choice did not differ between LEW and F344. However, choice for LEW became significantly less risky throughout extended training while choice for F344 remained relatively stable over time. d-Amphetamine significantly increased risky choice for both rat strains at low-to-moderate doses (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg), although it did so at a lower dose for F344 (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg) than LEW (0.3 mg/kg only), suggesting greater behavioral sensitivity to effects of d-amphetamine for F344. High doses of d-amphetamine (1.0 and 1.8 mg/kg) produced overall disruptions in choice for both strains, indicated by reductions in choice for the larger, uncertain alternative when the probability of delivery was relatively high and increases when the probability was relatively low. Results from the current study stand in contrast to previous reports investigating impulsive choice (i.e., choice involving temporal delays rather than uncertainty) of LEW and F344. Thus, the present work underscores the importance of considering risky and impulsive choice as two separate, but related, behavioral processes

Governing beyond PISA:knowledge, networks and narratives

OECD’s search for a new set of prescriptions for governing education is expressed in their Governing Complex Education Systems project (GCES), which seeks to combine identification of best practices in system organisation, with specific narratives of equity and quality supported by metrics that create a “robust evidence base” for policy. This paper analyses the content and direction of GCES, considers its take up in policy in Scotland, especially as reflected in the aftermath of the 2015 OECD report on improving education there, and of the 2016 PISA results. The paper discusses the content of the recommendations, especially as they relate to the key concepts of knowledge, networks and narratives, and their attempted translation into policy, and concludes by identifying tensions within OECD’s governing project.La búsqueda de la OCDE por un nuevo conjunto de prescripciones para gobernanza de la educación está expresado en su proyecto de Gobernanza de Sistemas Educacionales Complejos (GSEC) que busca combinar la identificación de mejores prácticas de organización de sistemas con narrativas específicas de equidad y calidad basadas en las mediciones que crean una "robusta base de evidencias" para la política. Este artículo analiza el contenido y la dirección del GSEC, considera su reanudación en la política en Escocia, especialmente como reflejado a raíz del informe de la OCDE 2015 sobre mejoras de la educación en ese país y de los resultados del PISA 2016. El texto discute el contenido de las recomendaciones, especialmente en relación con los conceptos clave de conocimiento, redes y narrativas, y sus intentos de traducción a la política, y concluye identificando tensiones en el marco del proyecto de gobernanza de la propia OCDE.A busca da OCDE por um novo conjunto de prescrições para governança da educação está expresso em seu projeto de Governança de Sistemas Educacionais Complexos (GSEC) que procura combinar a identificação de melhores práticas de organização de sistemas com narrativas especificas de equidade e qualidade baseadas em mensurações que criam uma “robusta base de evidencias” para a política. Este artigo analisa o conteúdo e a direção do  GSEC, considera sua retomada na política na Escócia, especialmente como refletido no rescaldo do relatório da OECD 2015 sobre melhoramentos da educação naquele país e dos resultados do PISA 2016. O texto discute o conteúdo das recomendações, especialmente como relacionam com os conceitos chave de conhecimento, redes e narrativas, e suas tentativas de tradução para a política, e conclui identificando tensões no interior do projeto de governança da própria OCDE

Governando para além do PISA: conhecimento, redes e narrativas

OECD’s search for a new set of prescriptions for governing education is expressed in their Governing Complex Education Systems project (GCES), which seeks to combine identification of best practices in system organisation, with specific narratives of equity and quality supported by metrics that create a “robust evidence base” for policy. This paper analyses the content and direction of GCES, considers its take up in policy in Scotland, especially as reflected in the aftermath of the 2015 OECD report on improving education there, and of the 2016 PISA results. The paper discusses the content of the recommendations, especially as they relate to the key concepts of knowledge, networks and narratives, and their attempted translation into policy, and concludes by identifying tensions within OECD’s governing project.La búsqueda de la OCDE por un nuevo conjunto de prescripciones para gobernanza de la educación está expresado en su proyecto de Gobernanza de Sistemas Educacionales Complejos (GSEC) que busca combinar la identificación de mejores prácticas de organización de sistemas con narrativas específicas de equidad y calidad basadas en las mediciones que crean una "robusta base de evidencias" para la política. Este artículo analiza el contenido y la dirección del GSEC, considera su reanudación en la política en Escocia, especialmente como reflejado a raíz del informe de la OCDE 2015 sobre mejoras de la educación en ese país y de los resultados del PISA 2016. El texto discute el contenido de las recomendaciones, especialmente en relación con los conceptos clave de conocimiento, redes y narrativas, y sus intentos de traducción a la política, y concluye identificando tensiones en el marco del proyecto de gobernanza de la propia OCDE.A busca da OCDE por um novo conjunto de prescrições para governança da educação está expresso em seu projeto de Governança de Sistemas Educacionais Complexos (GSEC) que procura combinar a identificação de melhores práticas de organização de sistemas com narrativas especificas de equidade e qualidade baseadas em mensurações que criam uma “robusta base de evidencias” para a política. Este artigo analisa o conteúdo e a direção do  GSEC, considera sua retomada na política na Escócia, especialmente como refletido no rescaldo do relatório da OECD 2015 sobre melhoramentos da educação naquele país e dos resultados do PISA 2016. O texto discute o conteúdo das recomendações, especialmente como relacionam com os conceitos chave de conhecimento, redes e narrativas, e suas tentativas de tradução para a política, e conclui identificando tensões no interior do projeto de governança da própria OCDE

Being a researcher : The return of the native

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Governing by inspection? European inspectorates and the creation of a European education policy space

This paper draws on the first, completed phase of a research project on inspection as governing in three European inspection systems. The data presented here draw attention to the rather under-researched associational activities of European inspectorates and their developing practices of policy learning and exchange, and highlight their significance as contributing to an emergent European Education Policy Space (EEPS). The paper is framed by original approaches to inspection that locate it as a set of governing practices, connected to changing governing forms and the growth of networks of relationships and flows of data across Europe. Comparisons are drawn between the relationships with Europe of inspectorates in Scotland, Sweden and England, drawing on Jacobsson's conceptualisation of regulative, inquisitive and meditative governance as a framing device. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor and Francis

Frameworks of Regulation: Evidence, Knowledge and Judgement in Inspection

This issue of Sisyphus draws on work in the research project ‘Governing By inspection: school inspection and education governance in England, Scotland and Sweden’. That research seeks to fill a gap in the literature on the governing of education by examining the ways in which inspection regimes may be understood as governing education-in this case in the three national education systems of Sweden, England and Scotland. (...

Will d-amphetamine’s effect on impulsive choice be consistent when the environmental context changes by using decreasing delays to reinforcement?

Impulsivity (choosing a smaller, more immediate reward over a larger, more delayed reward) and substance abuse are positively correlated. It is important to understand how factors like delay to reward and drug effects determine impulsive choice, which can be studied using animal models. This study evaluated impulsive choice in rats, where delays to the larger reward (three food pellets) were presented in decreasing order versus one food pellet delivered immediately. Then, effects of d-amphetamine were assessed. It was found that in three of four rats, d-amphetamine increased impulsive choice when the larger option was presented with decreasing delays. This effect is contrary to what has generally been found with increasing delays. Thus, environmental context can influence drug effects on impulsive choice

Inspectorates and Politics: the trajectories of school inspection in England and Scotland

Cet article étudie l’influence des changements de la gouvernance de l’éducation en Europe sur les trajectoires des inspections et se concentre pour cela sur le système d’inspection de l’Ofsted en Angleterre et sur celui de l’inspection de Sa Majesté en Écosse (HMIE). Pour établir cette comparaison, nous analysons d’abord les caractéristiques historiques propres à chaque inspection avant d’envisager les principaux changements du travail et du positionnement de chacune d’elles et de discuter dans quelle mesure ces trajectoires sont déterminées par les changements politiques nationaux. Nous mettons ainsi en évidence un contraste entre le nouveau cadre d’inspection de l’Ofsted, qui cible les écoles aux performances insuffisantes dans un contexte d’accroissement du contrôle du pouvoir central en vue d’améliorer les résultats, et la promotion par l’inspection écossaise de l’auto-évaluation et de l’apprentissage collaboratif dans un contexte où le Parti national écossais (SNP) au gouvernement continue de vouloir affirmer l’indépendance écossaise.This paper looks at the ways in which the changing governing of education in Europe influences the trajectories of inspectorates and discusses changes in systems of inspection relating to Ofsted in England and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) in Scotland. In drawing this comparison, we first consider the historically-embedded characteristics of inspection in the two systems, before looking at key changes in the work and positioning of the two inspectorates, and considering the extent to which these changes are shaped by changing national politics. We highlight Ofsted’s new framework for school inspection and its targeting of underperforming schools in the context of strong political steering towards academisation, and contrast this with HMIE/Education Scotland's promotion of self-evaluation and collaborative learning against the background of the Scottish National Party (SNP) government's pursuit of independence for Scotland

Feminisation/defeminisation: identity‐work; dilemmas in primary school teaching and nursing

The article revisits research in the sociology of health and education undertaken during the nineteen- nineties and the intensification of managerial change agendas. We explore how gendered relations enable the accomplishment of new political economies in education and health. Since the early nineteen-nineties both spheres of work have been subject to increasing managerial scrutiny and professionalising agendas. We explore the effects of these agendas on the redistribution and reprofessionalisation of work in primary schools, hospitals and clinics. We consider the significance of these redistributions for practitioners of nursing and primary teaching. Specifically, both nurses and teachers are pressed to scientise and technologise their discourse and practice in response to managerial imperatives. Science and technology as cultural domains are both strongly associated with the masculine. Yet the masculinisation of nursing and primary teaching has not necessarily led to the elevation of nurses' and primary teachers' status. Drawing together two analytical frameworks (labour process and poststructuralism), the paper presents and examines this anomaly

Executive (dys)function after stroke: special considerations for behavioral pharmacology

Stroke is a world-wide leading cause of death and long-term disability with concurrent secondary consequences that are largely comprised of mood dysfunction, as well as sensory, motor, and cognitive deficits. This review focuses on the cognitive deficits associated with stroke specific to executive dysfunction (including decision making, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) in humans, non-human primates, and additional animal models. Further, we review some of the cellular and molecular underpinnings of the individual components of executive dysfunction and their neuroanatomical substrates after stroke, with an emphasis on the changes that occur during biogenic monoamine neurotransmission. We concentrate primarily on changes in the catecholaminergic (dopaminergic and noradrenergic) and serotonergic systems at the levels of neurotransmitter synthesis, distribution, re-uptake, and degradation. We also discuss potential secondary stroke-related behavioral deficits (specifically, post-stroke depression as well as drug-abuse potential and addiction) and their relationship with stroke-induced deficits in executive function, an especially important consideration given that the average age of the human stroke population is decreasing. In the final sections, we address pharmacological considerations for the treatment of ischemia and the subsequent functional impairment, as well as current limitations in the field of stroke and executive function research