bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cell-Mediated Effector Molecules and Complicated Malaria
Authors: Nyangoto Evans O.
Published: June 2005

In this review I attempt to advance hypotheses that might help contribute toward understanding the molecular pathogenesis of cerebral malaria (CM) and other complications based on a now widely accepted argument that the illness and pathology occasioned by Plasmodiumfalciparum infection might not necessarily be due to the direct effects of the parasite’s ‘toxins’ and/or exoantigens or even its sequestration and consequent attendant effects in vital organs but rather to the parasite’s mediated production of microbicidal molecules by the host. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is implicated in the pathogenesis of complicated malaria. There is a positive correlation between high levels of TNF-α and severity of malaria. The role of nitric oxide in the pathophysiology of complicated malaria is not clearly understood. Mononuclear phagocytes by virtue of their capacity to secrete toxic intermediates like reactive oxygen intermediates can inhibit the growth of both murine and human plasmodia. The role of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in malaria is also not well characterized to date. IL-10 is a powerful immunosuppressor factor. It acts as a natural dampener of immunoproliferative and inflammatory responses. Although transforming growth factor-β has a crucial role in inflammation and repair, its role in complicated malaria is not too clearly understood. Furthermore, the anatomical source of these microbicidal molecules is not precisely known. The role of immune complexes (IC) in the pathophysiology of complicated malaria has hitherto not been tested. I argue here that IC play a critical role in influencing the outcome of malarial disease; IC-mediated stimulation of leukocytes to produce high levels of both TNF-α and NO and the fact that leukocytes are probably the principal anatomical source of these microbicidal and other pro-inflammatory mediators in complicated malaria provide a much more plausible explanation for the pathogenesis of CM and other complications. I also review the arguments that help contribute to rationalize hypoglycemia and hyperlactatemia in malarial disease and to some extent severe anemia. I am therefore tempted to conclude that CM and other complications are probably immune-mediated diseases or, at least, they present an inflammatory pathogenesis.
The "Secular" as a Tragic Category: On Talal Asad, Religion and Representation
Authors: Craig Brittain Christopher
Published: June 2005

Among current efforts to deconstruct the category "religion" is a tendency to problematize the secular/sacred distinction with the argument that it is simply the product of the distinctive history of post-Reformation Western Europe. The "secular," it is claimed, is a category employed to legitimize the modern state by establishing a boundary between the authority of the public sphere, in opposition to the privatized sphere of the individual religious practitioner. This paper analyses this argument as it is developed by Talal Asad and contrasts his "genealogy" of the secular with Dominique Colas' genealogy of the concept of "civil society". This comparison raises pragmatic and political concerns about Asad's perspective, and problematizes his description of Islamic subjectivity. The paper concludes by furthering Asad's reading of Walter Benjamin's understanding of allegory, in order to argue for the secular as a tragic category that continues to represent a vital theoretical and political concept.
A Look at the Surface-Based Temperature Inversion on the Antarctic Plateau
Authors: Hudson Stephen R. , Brandt Richard E.
Published: June 2005

Data from radiosondes, towers, and a thermistor string are used to characterize the temperature inversion at two stations: the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole, and the somewhat higher and colder Dome C Station at a lower latitude.

Ten years of temperature data from a 22-m tower at the South Pole are analyzed. The data include 2- and 22-m temperatures for the entire period and 13-m temperatures for the last 2 yr. Statistics of the individual temperatures and the differences among the three levels are presented for summer (December and January) and winter (April–September).

The relationships of temperature and inversion strength in the lowest 22 m with wind speed and downward longwave flux are examined for the winter months. Two preferred regimes, one warming and one cooling, are found in the temperature versus longwave flux data, but the physical causes of these regimes have not been determined. The minimum temperatures and the maximum inversions tend to occur not with calm winds, but with winds of 3–5 m s−1, likely due to the inversion wind. This inversion wind also explains why the near-surface winds at South Pole blow almost exclusively from the northeast quadrant.

Temperature data from the surface to 2 m above the surface from South Pole in the winter of 2001 are presented, showing that the steepest temperature gradient in the entire atmosphere is in the lowest 20 cm. The median difference between the temperatures at 2 m and the surface is over 1.0 K in winter; under clear skies this difference increases to about 1.3 K.

Monthly mean temperature profiles of the lowest 30 km of the atmosphere over South Pole are presented, based on 10 yr of radiosonde data. These profiles show large variations in lower-stratospheric temperatures, and in the strength and depth of the surface-based inversion.

The near-destruction of a strong inversion at South Pole during 7 h on 8 September 1992 is examined using a thermal-conductivity model of the snowpack, driven by the measured downward longwave flux. The downward flux increased when a cloud moved over the station, and it seems that this increase in radiation alone can explain the magnitude and timing of the warming near the surface.

Temperature data from the 2003/04 and 2004/05 summers at Dome C Station are presented to show the effects of the diurnal cycle of solar elevation over the Antarctic Plateau. These data include surface temperature and 2- and 30-m air temperatures, as well as radiosonde air temperatures. They show that strong inversions, averaging 10 K between the surface and 30 m, develop quickly at night when the sun is low in the sky, but are destroyed during the middle of the day. The diurnal temperature range at the surface was 13 K, but only 3 K at 30 m.
The Role of Northern Lakes in a Regional Energy Balance
Authors: Rouse Wayne R. , Oswald Claire J. , Binyamin Jacqueline , Spence Christopher , Schertzer William M. , Blanken Peter D. , Bussières Normand , Duguay Claude R.
Published: June 2005

There are many lakes of widely varying morphometry in northern latitudes. For this study region, in the central Mackenzie River valley of western Canada, lakes make up 37% of the landscape. The nonlake components of the landscape are divided into uplands (55%) and wetlands (8%). With such abundance, lakes are important features that can influence the regional climate. This paper examines the role of lakes in the regional surface energy and water balance and evaluates the links to the frequency–size distribution of lakes. The primary purpose is to examine how the surface energy balance may influence regional climate and weather. Lakes are characterized by both the magnitude and temporal behavior of their surface energy balances during the ice-free period. The impacts of combinations of various-size lakes and land–lake distributions on regional energy balances and evaporation cycles are presented. Net radiation is substantially greater over all water-dominated surfaces compared with uplands. The seasonal heat storage increases with lake size. Medium and large lakes are slow to warm in summer. Their large cumulative heat storage, near summer’s end, fuels large convective heat fluxes in fall and early winter. The evaporation season for upland, wetland, and small, medium, and large lakes lasts for 19, 21, 22, 24, and 30 weeks, respectively. The regional effects of combinations of surface types are derived. The region is initially treated as comprising uplands only. The influences of wetland, small, medium, and large lakes are added sequentially, to build up to the energy budget of the actual landscape. The addition of lakes increases the regional net radiation, the maximum regional subsurface heat storage, and evaporation substantially. Evaporation decreases slightly in the first half of the season but experiences a large enhancement in the second half. The sensible heat flux is reduced substantially in the first half of the season, but changes little in the second half. For energy budget modeling the representation of lake size is important. Net radiation is fairly independent of size. An equal area of medium and large lakes, compared with small lakes, yields substantially larger latent heat fluxes and lesser sensible heat fluxes. Lake size also creates large differences in regional flux magnitudes, especially in the spring and fall periods.
The Utility of X-Band Polarimetric Radar for Quantitative Estimates of Rainfall Parameters
Authors: Matrosov Sergey Y. , Kingsmill David E. , Martner Brooks E. , Ralph F. Martin
Published: June 2005

The utility of X-band polarimetric radar for quantitative retrievals of rainfall parameters is analyzed using observations collected along the U.S. west coast near the mouth of the Russian River during the Hydrometeorological Testbed project conducted by NOAA’s Environmental Technology and National Severe Storms Laboratories in December 2003 through March 2004. It is demonstrated that the rain attenuation effects in measurements of reflectivity (Ze) and differential attenuation effects in measurements of differential reflectivity (ZDR) can be efficiently corrected in near–real time using differential phase shift data. A scheme for correcting gaseous attenuation effects that are important at longer ranges is introduced. The use of polarimetric rainfall estimators that utilize specific differential phase and differential reflectivity data often provides results that are superior to estimators that use fixed reflectivity-based relations, even if these relations were derived from the ensemble of drop size distributions collected in a given geographical region. Comparisons of polarimetrically derived rainfall accumulations with data from the high-resolution rain gauges located along the coast indicated deviation between radar and gauge estimates of about 25%. The ZDR measurements corrected for differential attenuation were also used to retrieve median raindrop sizes, D0. Because of uncertainties in differential reflectivity measurements, these retrievals are typically performed only for D0 > 0.75 mm. The D0 estimates from an impact disdrometer located at 25 km from the radar were in good agreement with the radar retrievals. The experience of operating the transportable polarimetric X-band radar in the coastal area that does not have good coverage by the National Weather Service radar network showed the value of such radar in filling the gaps in the network coverage. The NOAA X-band radar was effective in covering an area up to 40–50 km in radius offshore adjacent to a region that is prone to flooding during wintertime landfalling Pacific storms.
Communitarian Realism
Authors: Gvosdev Nikolas K.
Published: June 2005

This article argues that community-building efforts across borders are motivated by traditional realist concerns about security rather than idealistic beliefs in universal principles. The creation of sustainable, cross-border institutions will come about because governments recognize that they are unable to meet basic challenges without increased cooperation. The emergence of common norms comes about through cooperation in coping with global challenges, not via the imposition of political systems or the exercise of hegemonic power.
Emerging Transnational Migration from Romanian Villages
Authors: Sandu Dumitru
Published: June 2005

This article presents the first results of a community census (December 2001) on temporary external migration at the level of all Romanian villages. Local key informants filled in the questionnaire on international temporary migration and its socio-demographic profile. As function of the key destinations, the Romanian villages cluster into six major migration fields: Germany, Hungary, Italy, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Spain. At a more detailed level, considering multiple destinations, those fields break into 15 regions of migration. Village-level analysis of the phenomenon indicates a strong selectivity of migration depending on village characteristics. About 4 percent of the total villages of the country account for more than 60 percent of the total return migration from abroad. These are villages of a high probability of transnationalism. Circular or transnational migration is shown to be connected with the basic characteristics of the migration system of the country: the villages where village to city commuting declined sharply after 1990 and where return migration from cities was high recorded a higher propensity for circular migration abroad. A set of about 2700 villages of high migration prevalence is described as ‘probable transnational communities’.
Refugees as a Particular Form of Transnational Migrations and Social Transformations: Socioanthropological and Gender Aspects
Authors: Binder Susanne , Tošić Jelena
Published: June 2005

Refugee studies represent a special focus for research on migration and globalization. Social and cultural anthropology can provide significant insights in refugee studies by concentrating on local, transnational and cultural interrelations. Social sciences and, in particular, social and cultural anthropology help to deconstruct the image of refugees as helpless and passive aid receivers. Rather they point out refugees’ potential active role and its significance for coping with the consequences of the flight experience. This article shows relevant results of contemporary research focusing on two aspects: the anthropological approach to identity construction and the gendersensitive approach in refugee studies. Gender-specific reasons for flight, as well as the discussion on the recognition of gender-specific forms of persecution, are explained. Finally, gender-specific aspects of refugee studies are exemplified with a case study of Bosnian refugees in Austria.
Transnational Migration and the Transformation of Gender Relations: The Case of Bangladeshi Labour Migrants
Authors: Dannecker Petra
Published: June 2005

The article discusses the transformations of gender relations due to transnational migration between Bangladesh and Malaysia. It is shown that the uneven economic development in Asia during the last decades has not only initiated new migration movements and patterns but has also led to a feminization of migration, which has resulted in transformations of gender relations. It is argued that the increased migration of Bangladeshi women as temporary labour migrants to Malaysia and the transnational discourses and practices these movements have initiated are leading to renegotiations and transformations of the existing gender order. Networks and transnational activities of Bangladeshi male migrants are analysed in order to show, first, that transnational spaces are gendered and, second, how transnational influences are changing power and gender relations. The successful exploitation of global markets by female migrants has not only resulted in new migration patterns and new gendered labour markets but has become an important agent for transformations of gender relations.
Terror as Strategy and Relational Process
Authors: Tilly Charles
Published: June 2005

Common explanations of terrorism, here illustrated by the work of Jessica Stern and of US State Department analysts, have two significant weaknesses. First, they homogenize terror, assuming that one type of person, group, or action accounts for most instances of its use. Second, they focus on dispositions and motives, decision logics, emotions, or cultural templates of terror-producing actors prior to their action. Adequate explanations of terror must repair these defects by a) looking systematically at variation among producers of terror and b) shifting the focus to relations among actors. Terror is a strategy employed by a wide variety of persons and groups, involving a substantial range of actions.
Terror, Media, and Moral Boundaries
Authors: Ben-Yehuda Nachman
Published: June 2005

The relationship between terror and its presentation in the media is examined. The process of presenting terror is characterized as a method of challenging, negotiating, and redrawing moral boundaries. On the one hand, examining the terror-media relationship in this fashion enables us to transcend issues involved in taking a stand regarding the contents of specific acts of terror. On the other hand, making a stand regarding the nature of terror requires a moral decision. Any such stand regarding the content of terror, in terms of its explanation and justification, is thus based on a moral agenda that can be deciphered from the way it is presented. I use the case of political assassinations and executions to illustrate this terror-media connection through the conceptualization of negotiating moral boundaries.
State Terrorism and Globalization
Authors: Jalata Asafa
Published: June 2005

This article compares the essence and effects of Ethiopian and Sudanese state terrorism by focusing on the commonalities between the two states. These peripheral African states have used global and regional connections and state terrorism as political tools for creating and maintaining the confluence of identity, religion, and political power. Ethiopia primarily depends on the West, and Sudan on the Middle East, since Christianity and Islam are the dominant religions in these African states respectively. While the Ethiopian state was formed by the alliance of Abyssinian (Amhara-Tigray) colonialism and European imperialism, the Sudanese state was created by British colonialism known as the Anglo-Egyptian condominium. Massive social and cultural destruction and violence have produced and maintained these colonial political structures. These structures, in turn, have racialized identities by facilitating the processes of Abyssinianization and Christianization in Ethiopia, Arabization and Islamization in Sudan, and Africanization and marginalization of indigenous Africans in both states. Furthermore, each state has been involved in ethnonational cleansing, which has been disguised rhetorically as a move toward national self-determination and democracy. Consequently, the racialization and ethnicization of these states, external dependency, and domestic terrorism have prevented the implementation of national self-determination and the construction of legitimate multinational democracies that could solve the political, social, cultural, and economic crises in Sudan and Ethiopia.
Terrorism as Deviance or Social Control
Authors: Oliverio Annamarie , Lauderdale Pat
Published: June 2005

The political character of terrorism is most clearly manifested when new categories of terrorism are being created or old categories are being transformed. Historical and comparative analyses of terrorism demonstrate its diverse, complex nature. This complexity creates numerous problems for researchers who attempt to examine terrorism as an analytical construct rather than a polemical construct. We suggest that because the state exists in a symbiotic relationship to terrorism, responses to terrorism by any state, particularly at the definitional stage, appear to maintain a fairly consistent pattern. It is important to utilize a political process approach to the definition of terrorism to produce systematic and precise explanations. For future research, we suggest the importance of examining the term’s latent structure of politicality, the role of hegemony, the low participation of one of the largest oppressed groups in the world and the art of statecraft.
Tensile Strength and Fracture Behaviors of Complex GFRP Composites with a Central Hole
Authors: Yao X. F. , Bijlaard F. S.K. , Kolstein M. H. , Yeh H. Y.
Published: June 2005

In this paper, the tensile strength and fracture behaviors of complex (roving + weaving) glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite materials containing a central circular hole are experimentally studied. Strain gradient histories of the notched specimen for different hole diameters during the whole damage and fracture process are recorded. Effects of hole diameters on the strength and fracture of the notched specimen are analyzed. The damage initiation and growth of the notched specimen are described. In comparison with the earlier publications about the strength and fracture of laminate or textile composites in this field, the results of this paper will play an important role in the structural optimization and strength design of the notched composite laminate with a complex reinforcement mat.
Deriving Composite Lamina Properties from Laminate Properties Using Classical Lamination Theory and Failure Criteria
Authors: Ng Yeow-Cheong
Published: June 2005

This paper proposes a method of deriving the engineering and strength properties of unidirectional lamina from laminate properties. Simple straight-sided untabbed tension and compression specimens are used to obtain the laminate properties. The derivation approach is an extension of existing methods that use cross-ply or angle-ply test specimens and back-out factors (also known as cross-ply factors) to derive unidirectional lamina strengths in the fiber direction. This method may reduce the cost of testing and improve the accuracy of strength predictions. It may be used to characterize some newer material forms such as two-dimensional braids.
The Impact of Mood on Persuasion
Authors: Hullett Craig R.
Published: June 2005

A meta-analysis of 14 studies reporting the effect of argument strength on attitude under various mood states was conducted. The analyses included 39 estimates of effect size that were used to test the predictions of the processing deficit perspectives (i.e., motivational or ability deficits) and the hedonic contingency model. The results were most consistent with the hedonic contingency model, indicating that participants’ processing of messages seemedto be motivated toward attaining or maintaining positive moods.
Why Does It Hurt?
Authors: Vangelisti Anita L. , Young Stacy L. , Carpenter-Theune Katy E. , Alexander Alicia L.
Published: June 2005

Research suggests that people’s explanations for their hurt feelings can influence how they feel and how they respond to others. Although the events and behaviors that elicit hurt have been examined, individuals’ beliefs about what made them feel hurt have not been explored. The current study extends existing research by investigating the causes that people associate with their hurt feelings. First, participants’ explanations for why a specific interaction hurt their feelings were examined; then, underlying dimensions characterizing people’s explanations for hurt were identified and associations with theoretically relevant outcomes were assessed. Results yielded eight factors characterizing the perceived causes of hurt feelings. Relational satisfaction and self-esteem were linked to the reasons people felt hurt. Individuals’ perceptions about the causes of their hurt feelings also were associated with the intensity of their feelings, their responses to being hurt, and their tendency to distance themselves from the person who hurt them.
When IQ is Irrelevant to the Definition of Learning Disabilities
Authors: Klassen Robert M. , Neufeld Paul , Munro Fiona
Published: June 2005

School psychologists in North America are facing a transformation of their professional practices brought about by impending changes in operational definitions of learning disabilities (LD). This multimethod study explores the learning disabilities-related beliefs and practices of school psychologists in Western Australia, where these changes have already taken place, and where learning disabilities are not typically defined through IQ-achievement discrepancy models. School psychologists from Western Australia completed individual surveys and participated in focus group sessions that explored their range of practice in schools and their beliefs about the nature of LD. Results from the survey revealed that in contrast to North American practitioners, West Australian school psychologists spend less time on psychometric assessment, and more time on consultation and counselling activities. Surprisingly, most West Australian school psychologists continue to use IQ tests in LD assessment and to hold beliefs about LD that are consistent with ‘traditional’ definitions.
Comparing Judgements of Social, Behavioural, Emotional and School Adjustment Functioning for Korean, Korean American and Caucasian American Children
Authors: Jung Woo Sik , Stinnett Terry A.
Published: June 2005

Social, emotional, behavioural and school adjustment functioning among Korean, Korean American and Caucasian American children was examined with the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) Self-Report of Personality (SRP) and the Parent Rating Scale (PRS). One hundred and twenty Korean, Korean-American and Caucasian-American children, ages 8 to 11, and their parents participated in this study. Generally, the Korean children were perceived as behaving in a more controlled, less self-reliant and internalizing manner than were the American children. The Korean American children were rated to have more adjustment difficulties. The notion of Korean family collectivism versus western individualism and the inherent conflict in these cultural values was used to discuss the results. Practitioners should be aware that ratings with the BASC PRS and SRP scales of Korean and Korean American children can be influenced by culture to a significant degree. Also it appears that the BASC SRP and PRS are sensitive to conflict created in children and families caught between cultures, particularly related to demands for rapid Americanization.
The Perceptions of Adolescents, Parents and Teachers on the Same Adolescent Health Issues
Authors: Wong Joy , Salili Farideh , Ho S. Y. , Mak K. H. , Lai M. K. , Lam T. H.
Published: June 2005

The aim of this study was to explore and compare the views of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents, parents and teachers on the same adolescent health issues. A total of 22 focus groups were conducted with Form 1 students (aged from 11 to 13) who attended the Basic Life Skills Training program organized by the Student Health Service, Department of Health in Hong Kong. The program covered a wide range of topics including emotions, self-image, stress management, drinking, smoking and substance abuse, self-esteem and interpersonal skills. Responses from the three types of participants were somewhat different and inconsistent on the issues of changes during puberty, stress and stress management, smoking, drinking and substance abuse. Compared to the West, Chinese adolescents tended to report more stress from studying and under-report socially undesirable behaviour. The use of focus groups was recommended as an effective method of collecting qualitative data with Chinese populations. Focus groups can help maximize data collection, and sometimes, the groups can also help different individual members to gain more insights or new ideas.
International Trade Unionism in a Globalizing World: A Case Study of New Labour Internationalism
Authors: Ghigliani Pablo
Published: June 2005

In recent years, scholars and activists have identified the development of an emerging new labour internationalism (NLI), and pointed to its impact upon the structures and practices of international trade unionism (ITU). This article addresses this issue through a case study of an international action opposing the labour practices of McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food retailer. The evidence reveals a complex picture. Even though many of the features of the allegedly new labour internationalism are present, they seem to be more a matter of form than substance.
EWCs’ Cross-National Employee Representative Coordination: A Case of Trade Union Cooperation?
Authors: Pulignano Valeria
Published: June 2005

This article argues that, in order to explore the extent to which cross-national union representatives’ cooperation can be achieved within the context of European integration, articulation between the European and the national (local) union levels needs to be examined. Comparative research findings in two European Works Councils (EWCs) reveal that the creation of complementary links of coordination among employee representatives at European level depends on the extent to which European trade union organizations can successfully align their policies to the national and local context. Two combined sets of factors are found to mutually affect the efficacy of such articulation: the ‘voluntary’ context within which EWC agreements are set up; and the national union orientations towards the common European policy issues. Thus, prospects and concerns are raised regarding the use of Europeanization as an essential factor for supranational trade union cooperation.
Specificity and Denaturing of Small Business
Authors: Torrès Olivier , Julien Pierre-André
Published: June 2005

This article is based on a long consideration of the concept of small business after 30 years of conceptual development. Most, if not all, researchers in small business have accepted the idea that small business is specific (the preponderant role of the owner-manager, low level of functional breakdown, intuitive strategy, etc.). However, the somewhat excessive assertion of this idea may suggest that all small firms adopt a specific management method, with the result that management specificity becomes a universal principle. If we allow that small business management can be specific, we must also allow the corollary of this statement, namely the possibility of denaturing (loss of specificity). In other words, a small-sized firm does not necessarily have to adhere to the classical management method. The authors of this article advocate a contingency approach to small business managerial specificity that would allow for the definition of a validity framework for the thesis of small business managerial specificity.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Credit Guarantee Schemes
Authors: Boocock Grahame , Shariff Mohd Noor Mohd
Published: June 2005

Governments across the globe are increasingly utilizing credit guarantee schemes to support SMEs. This article fills a gap in the academic literature for developing countries by reviewing the effectiveness of the New Principal Guarantee Scheme (NPGS) offered by the Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) in Malaysia. Using a variety of research methods, the authors investigate whether the CGC has achieved its objectives of generating finance and economic additionality without placing its financial resources under undue strain or jeopardizing its relationships with participating financial institutions. It is almost impossible to establish ‘definitive’ measures of additionality yet our findings provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the CGC is not meeting all of its objectives. The authors put forward an integrated package of measures designed to enhance the effectiveness of the NPGS.
Cinnarizine has an atypical antipsychotic profile in animal models of psychosis
Authors: Dall’igna Oscar P. , Tort Adriano B.L. , Souza Diogo O. , Lara Diogo R.
Published: June 2005

Cinnarizine, a drug known as a calcium channel blocker, is currently used for the treatment of migraine and vertigo. Induction of extrapyramidal signs by cinnarizine has been reported in the elderly, which is related to its moderate antagonistic properties at dopamine D2 receptors, resembling the mechanism of action of most antipsychotic drugs. Despite this effect, cinnarizine has never been tested as a putative antipsychotic drug. Here we evaluate the potential effect of cinnarizine in two pharmacological models of psychosis, namely amphetamine- and MK-801-induced hyperlocomotion, as well as its ability to induce catalepsy. Cinnarizine significantly counteracted MK-801 (0.25mg/kg) and amphetamine (5mg/kg) locomotor effects at doses as low as 20mg/kg, having no incremental effect at 60 or 180mg/kg. Regarding side-effects, cinnarizine induced no catalepsy in mice at the effective dose of 20mg/kg, inducing only mild catalepsy at the doses of 60 and 180mg/kg. Based on these results and on the antagonist effect of cinnarizine on dopamine D2 receptors, we suggest that it has a potential antipsychotic effect with an atypical profile that should be evaluated clinically.
Diazepam suppresses the acquisition but not the expression of ‘fearpotentiation’ of the acoustic startle response in man
Authors: Scaife J. C. , Langley R. W. , Bradshaw C. M. , Szabadi E.
Published: June 2005

Sudden auditory stimuli elicit a short-latency muscular response (acoustic startle response) which is enhanced during presentation of a Pavlovian conditioned stimulus (CS) that has previously been paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US) (‘fear-potentiation’). In rodents, acute treatment with benzodiazepines blocks both the acquisition of fear-potentiation and the expression of fear-potentiation induced by prior exposure to CS/US pairing. We examined the effect of diazepam on the acquisition and expression of fear-potentiation of the acoustic startle response in man. Forty-six male volunteers (18-30 years) participated in two sessions separated by 7 days. In session 1, they were exposed to 20 2-s presentations of a light (CS), 50% of which terminated with an electric shock to the wrist (1.8mA, 50ms: US). Somatosensory potentials evoked by the US were recorded from the scalp at Cz, and skin conductance responses from electrodes taped to the second and fourth fingers. In session 2, the CS was presented 20 times without the US; a random 50% of CS presentations terminated with a sound pulse (40-ms 115-dB 1-kHz); an equal number of sound pulses was presented without the CS. Electromyographic responses of the orbicularis oculi muscle to the acoustic stimuli were recorded from electrodes placed on the lower eyelid, late-latency auditory evoked potentials were recorded at Cz, and skin conductance responses from electrodes taped to the second and fourth fingers. In each session, alertness was measured using visual analogue self-rating scales and critical flicker fusion frequency. Subjects received placebo or diazepam 10mg in the two sessions in a double-blind protocol: group 1 ( n 12) placebo/placebo; group 2 ( n 11) placebo/diazepam; group 3 ( n 12) diazepam/placebo; group 4 ( n 11) diazepam/diazepam. Diazepam reduced alertness as measured by visual-analogue self-rating scales and critical flicker fusion frequency. In session 1, diazepam reduced the amplitude of the somatosensory potentials and skin conductance responses evoked by the CS. In session 2, the acoustic startle response, the N1/P2 auditory evoked response and the skin conductance response evoked by the sound stimuli were enhanced in the presence of the CS. This fear-potentiation was attenuated in subjects who received diazepam in session 1, but was not affected by the treatment given in session 2. The results indicate that diazepam blocks the acquisition of fear-potentiation of startle responses in man, as in animals, but does not prevent the expression of a previously learned response.
MDMA affects both error-rate dependent and independent aspects of decision-making in a two-choice prediction task
Authors: Vollenweider Franz X. , Liechti Matthias E. , Paulus Martin P.
Published: June 2005

Decision-making, i.e. selecting an action from a number of alternatives when the outcome is uncertain, is a complex process that is important for everyday life. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ‘Ecstasy’, is a widely used recreational drug that is known to increase serotonin (5-HT) and, to a lesser extent, dopamine (DA) in animals. This study examined whether MDMA alters decision-making in a way that depends on the degree of success and outcome.

Forty-two normal, healthy volunteers were given placebo or 1.5mg/kg p.o. MDMA in a randomized crossover design. Subjects completed the two-choice prediction task 120min after administration of the drug. Decision-making characteristics were obtained at 20% error rate, 50% error rate or 80% error rate.

MDMA affected decision-making via a process that is dependent on success or failure. Administration of MDMA increased the degree to which the previous response predicted the current response (mutual information) and the average response sequence predictability (average dynamical entropy) at low error rates. MDMA increased the degree to which the previous stimulus influenced the selection of the current response at 20%, 50% or 80% error rate. MDMA did not significantly alter basic response characteristics such as response latency or switching. Self-assessment of the psychological state induced by MDMA did not predict the MDMA induced decision-making patterns.

These results support the hypothesis that acute administration of MDMA affects success-related response selection during decision-making.
Memory function in women with premenstrual complaints and the effect of serotonergic stimulation by acute administration of an alpha-lactalbumin protein
Authors: Schmitt Jeroen A. J. , Jorissen Brenda L. , Dye Louise , Markus C. Rob , Deutz Nicolaas E.P. , Riedel Wim J.
Published: June 2005

Serotonergic hypofunction may underlie at least part of the symptoms that are experienced by women with premenstrual complaints, including memory deficits. In the current study we investigated changes in memory functions in the premenstrual phase compared to the early postmenstrual phase in 16 women with premenstrual complaints. In addition, the effect of an acute serotonergic stimulation by administration of an alpha-lactalbumin protein on premenstrual memory performance was assessed using a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design. It was found that both short-term and long-term memory for words (30-word learning task) and abstract figures (abstract visual learning task) were mildly impaired in the premenstrual phase. Administration of alpha-lactalbumin during the premenstrual phase could only partially attenuate the memory performance decrements that are seen in the premenstrual phase. Specifically, alphalactalbumin improved long-term memory for abstract figures, but not for words. There were no effects of menstrual phase or alpha-lactalbumin on planning functions (computerized Tower of London). The data suggest that serotonergic hypofunction may play a role in premenstrual memory decline, but serotonergic mechanisms cannot fully account for observed cognitive changes in the premenstrual phase.
Heterogeneity of serum tryptophan concentration and availability to the brain in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: Badawy Abdulla A.-B. , Morgan Christopher J. , Llewelyn Meirion B. , Albuquerque Selwyn R.J. , Farmer Anne
Published: June 2005

We assessed the serotonin status of patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Tryptophan (Trp) availability to the brain, expressed as the ratio of concentration of serum Trp to the sum of those of its five competitors (CAA), and other parameters of Trp disposition were compared in 23 patients with the CFS and 42 healthy controls. The serum [free Trp]/[CAA] ratio was 43% higher in CFS patients, due to a 48% higher [free Trp]. [Total Trp] was also significantly higher (by 19%) in CFS patients, and, although the [total Trp]/[CAA] ratio did not differ significantly between the control and patient groups, the difference became significant when the results were co-varied with age and gender. [CAA] was not significantly different between groups, but was significantly lower in females, compared to males, of the CFS patient group. We have established normal ranges for Trp disposition parameters and propose criteria for defining the serotonin-biosynthetic status in humans. We have provisionally identified two subgroups of CFS patients, one with normal serotonin and the other with a high serotonin status. The relevance of our findings to, and their implications for, the pharmacological and other therapies of the chronic fatigue syndrome are discussed.
Influence of age and gender on risperidone plasma concentrations
Authors: Aichhorn Wolfgang , Weiss Ulrike , Marksteiner Josef , Kemmler Georg , Walch Thomas , Zernig Gerald , Stelzig-Schoeler Renate , Stuppaeck Christoph , Geretsegger Christian
Published: June 2005

There is limited information on gender- and age-specific effects on plasma concentrations of risperidone and its active metabolite, 9-hydroxyrisperidone. The present study investigated dose- and weight-adjusted plasma concentrations of risperidone and its metabolite in three age groups (45 years, 45-60 years, over 60 years). Gender-specific differences were examined in the whole sample and for the premenopausal subgroup. One hundred and twenty-nine patients (18-93 years) were included in the study, 52 (40%) male and 77 (60%) female. Concentrations of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone were measured at steady-state by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED). When total plasma concentrations (risperidone plus 9-hydroxyrisperidone) were adjusted for daily maintenance dose (ng/mL/mg C/D ratio), significant differences between all age groups were found. We found a mean increase of the C/D ratio by 34.8% per decade in patients older than 42 years. No significant sex-related differences in the average plasma concentrations were observed for the whole sample and for the premenopausal subgroup. This study shows clear evidence of higher risperidone total plasma concentrations for patients over 40 years of age. This linear increase (over 30% per decade) may then lead to an increased incidence of adverse effects in elderly patients.
The place of partial agonism in psychiatry: recent developments
Authors: Ohlsen R. I. , Pilowsky L. S.
Published: June 2005

Drugs used to treat psychiatric disorders, although effective, are often restricted by adverse events. The use of partial agonists for treating hypertension was found to limit some of the side-effects in some patients. This led to the investigation of partial agonists as a treatment modality in psychiatric disorders. Partial agonists have a lower intrinsic efficacy than full agonists leading to reduced maximum response. They can act as antagonists by competing for receptor binding with full agonists. The level of activity depends on the level of endogenous receptor activity. Buprenorphine, a partial agonist at the mu-opioid receptor, is used to treat patients with addiction and decreases the symptoms of withdrawal and risks of overdose and intoxication. The anxiolytic buspirone shows partial agonism at 5-HT1A receptors, and this seems to provide anxioselective effects, without inducing extrapyramidal side-effects, convulsions, tolerance or withdrawal reactions. In schizophrenia, partial dopamine agonism results in antagonistic effects at sites activated by high concentrations of dopamine and agonistic effects at sites activated by low concentrations of dopamine. This stabilizes the dopamine system to effect antipsychotic action without inducing adverse motor or hormonal events. Aripiprazole is the first ‘dopamine system stabilizer’, and the data are promising, with efficacy at least equivalent to that with current atypical antipsychotics but fewer of the troublesome side-effects. Partial agonists seem to provide a way to fine-tune the treatment of psychiatric disorders by maximizing the treatment effect while minimizing undesirable adverse events.
Is clonidine useful for treatment of clozapine-induced sialorrhea?
Authors: Praharaj Samir Kumar , Verma Pankaj , Roy Dipayan , Singh Anuradha
Published: June 2005

Clozapine has shown superior efficacy in treatment of refractory schizophrenia, but its use is limited by emergent side-effects. Among other adverse effects, sialorrhea is a troublesome side-effect, its stigmatizing nature results in poor treatment compliance. Several hypotheses have been put forward in the etiology of clozapine-induced sialorrhea. 2 adrenergic antagonism is hypothesized to be involved in its pathophysiology, based on the response to clonidine and lofexidine. Oral clonidine (50 to 100 g/day) was tried on 12 stable outpatients of schizophrenia maintained on clozapine. Wet area over the pillow as reported by the patients was recorded at baseline and at 4 weeks of treatment along with the subjective response after the treatment. Most of the patients reported a decrease in sialorrhea without any adverse events. We describe encouraging results in an open case series of oral clonidine for clozapine-induced sialorrhea.
Evaluating the Effects of Birth Complications on Low Self-Control in a Sample of Twins
Authors: Beaver Kevin M. , Wright John Paul
Published: June 2005

Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory has generated an abundance of research examining the effects of low self-control on crime and analogous behaviors. Less research, however, has focused on the factors that contribute to the development of low self-control. Gottfredson and Hirschi maintain that ineffective parents are the sole cause for the emergence of low self-control. At the same time, they disregard the possibility that low self-control has a biological or genetic component. This article extends prior research and examines the effects of birth complications and parental involvement on low self-control. Using a sample of twin children, the authors find that parental involvement is only weakly and inconsistently related to low self-control. On the other hand, although most of the birth complications had no appreciable effect on low self-control, anoxia (oxygen starvation) emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor of low self-control.