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This paper presents result of QSTR (quantitative structure–toxicity relationship) study obtained using the PRECLAV software. The dependent property is toxicity against rat (Rattus norvegicus), measured by TD₅₀ values. The calibration/training/learning set includes 49 molecules having a very high chemical diversity. There are five outliers in calibration set. In the presence of outliers the predictive power of QSTR is very low (r² = 0.5425, F = 10.4, ). After elimination of outliers the predictive power of QSTR is much higher (r² = 0.9078, F = 44.3, ). All eight predictors are nonlinear functions (parabolic and products) of descriptors. The LogP is not predictor. Presence of C = CH₂ and N–NO molecular fragments increases toxicity. Presence of C₆H₄ molecular fragment decreases toxicity.

Rats possess a rich repertoire of sequentially organized, natural behaviors. It is possible that these natural behaviors may reflect implicit learning or relatively fixed movement patterns. The present study was conducted to determine whether factors known to influence implicit learning produce similar effects on the acquisition of skilled walking. Three groups of rats were trained to cross a horizontal ladder with rungs spaced according to three different levels of complexity. All training and testing were performed under dark conditions to assess the influence of non-visual modalities on skilled walking. Although all groups' performance improved throughout training, pattern complexity influenced the rate of improvement. In addition, performance during a probe session provided further evidence that each group encoded the rung spacing pattern experienced during training to create an internal representation. These observations demonstrate that the engram established during repetitive training represents either the temporal or spatial characteristics of rung spacing. These findings indicate that implicit learning contributes to the acquisition of natural sequential behaviors. Furthermore, serial pattern learning of rung spacing provides a novel task to determine sensory and motor contributions to the consolidation of skilled movement.

The present study examined rats' ability to anticipate undetectable wider gaps between rungs produced when they stepped on and dislodged damaged rungs while they traversed a slightly inclined elevated ladder. Rats in the first of three experiments reduced running speeds when they encountered four evenly spaced damaged rungs either always placed on the first or second half of the ladder (the break-a-way (BW) phase) but quickly recovered to their baseline (BL) levels when damaged rungs where replaced with intact rungs (the recovery phase). Rats previously exposed to damaged rungs over the first half of the ladder increased their speeds above BL on its second "safer" half during the recovery phase, a delayed "relief-like" positive contrast effect. In Experiment 2, other rats decreased their speeds more as they approached a single damaged rung at a fixed location when it occurred before than after the mid-point of the ladder. Although they quickly recovered to BL speeds on the portion of the ladder after the damaged rung or replaced intact rung, they never showed any "relief-like"/escape effects. Rats also reduced their likelihood of dislodging the damaged rung with a fore paw over extended BW training. In the third experiment rats encountered a more easily dislodged damaged rung that was signaled by a closer intact rung on half the trials. Under these conditions rats displayed a more reliable positive contrast "relief-like" effect. We discussed how traditional associative and cognitive theories of aversive conditioning account for these findings and their relationship to normal changes in dopamine production and possible effects of reduced production from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) in the Basal ganglia in rodent models of Parkinson's disease.