bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Description of psychiatric outpatient services in the Lazio region in the years 1989-1992
Authors: Stefani Maria , Cerbo Grazia Maria , Mallone Sandra , Lallo Domenico Di
Published: October 2011

RIASSUNTO

Scopo- Scopo dello studio è quello di descrivere nel tempo l'attività delle strutture ambulatoriali psichiatriche del Lazio.Disegno- Studio descrittivo.Setting- Sono stati analizzati 21 Dipartimenti di Salute Mentale del Lazio nel periodo 1989-92. La fonte dei dati è rappresentata da una scheda riassuntiva mensile dell'attivita dell'ambulatorio.Principali misure utilizzate- Distribuzione di frequenze e tassi di prevalenza ed incidenza.Risultati- La prevalenza e l'incidenza dell'utenza in trattamento aumentano nel periodo considerate Il tasso di prevalenza annuale (per 100.000 residenti) era pari a 900 nel 1989 e 1020 nel 1992, con un incremento del 13% . Il tasso di incidenza annuale è aumentato da 517 nel 1989 a 564 nel 1992, quello di prevalenza di punto da 410 nel 1989 a 540 nel 1992. Il tipo di risposta più frequente data dal servizio è quella di accoglimento e colloquio che rappresenta negli ultimi tre anni circa il 55% del totale delle risposte. Sul totale degli utenti in carico nell'anno, circa il 25% concludono il trattamento; di questi circa il 75% interrompe il trattamento per abbandono. Nel 1992, il 28% dei soggetti conclude il trattamento con diagnosi di psicosi, il 69 % con quella di nevrosi ed il 3% con diagnosi di ritardo mentale (oligofrenia); rimane ancora elevata la quota di trattamenti conclusi con diagnosi sconosciuta.Conclusioni- L'aumento osservato dei tassi di incidenza e prevalenza puo essere determinato da numerosi fattori come l'aumento della domanda espressa, la maggiore efficienza dei servizi, e la migliore sensibilita di notifica del Sistema Informativo. Il fenomeno dei trattamenti interrotti necessita di essere ulteriormente approfondito valutando l'interazione esistente tra modalita terapeutiche e caratteristiche individuali dell'utenza.
A three years follow-up of a group of «everyday patients» in a mental health centre
Authors: Chiappelli Marco , Pileggi Francesca , Rosini Giorgio , Neri Giovanni
Published: October 2011

Objective — This research concerns those patients who most attend the community Mental Health Centre (CSM), hereby called «everyday patients». According to a previous research (Pileggi et al., 1992) a sample of patients mostly attending the Centre had been pointed out. Basing on the number of attendances, it emerged that some of those patients (57) had been on the average attending the Centre more than twice a week and, despite being only 10% of the total number of users, they had taken on a large share of the services offered by the Centre (30%). Therefore, those patients were the ones the Centre had been working for more intensely and continuously. Three years later, the object of this research is to check the assistance and clinical destiny of such patients and compare their patterns of attendances to those ones regarding the remainder of the CSM users. The hypothesis is that «everyday patients» are assisted by different and continuous treatments and that such a procedure prevents patients from dropping out and determines a strong reduction in relapses and less frequent attendances. Design — Longitudinal study on a 42 patient sample (19 males, 23 females) on therapy at CSM. Setting — Mental Health Centre, «Saragozza» District, Sanitary Unit of Bologna. Main outcome measures — The following elements have been examined: 1) social and demographic features; 2) duration of psychiatric history; 3) clinical diagnosis according to DSM-HI-R, set by patients personal psychiatrist; 4) global functioning level as examined by two psychiatrists or psychologists from the Centre, using DSM-III-R Global Functioning Scale (GFS); 5) actions carried out and patterns of using the CSM services over the past 12 months. Concordance measures among independent examiners (Cohen K) and non-parametric variability measures for comparison between groups (Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests) have been used. Results and conclusion — Results partially confirm the original hypotheses. In particular, complicated services (psychological and pharmacological therapies and rehabilitation) are carried out for the most of «everyday patients» and much more intensely to them than to the remainder of the users. No drop-out has been found out, the global functioning level of the patients is good in most of cases and the number of necessary admissions to psychiatric wards has been reduced. However, the «attendance share» relevant to the sample of «everyday patients» is still high compared to the total number of the CSM users. Besides, discharge rate is nought.
The parental bonding as predictive factor for the development of adult psychiatric disorders
Authors: Favaretto Ettore , Torresani Stefano
Published: October 2011

Objective— To asses the capacity of theParental Bonding Instrument(PBI) to discriminate between normal subjects and clinical samples and between with different psychiatric diagnosis.Design— The present paper analyzes the studies published between 1979 and 1995, which have used the PBI in normal subjects and clinical samples and have reported the respective means and standard deviations obtained on the two PBI dimensions: affection and control. Multiple comparisons were carried out between the mean scores of affection and control of: 1) samples with the same psychiatric diagnosis (intragroup comparison); 2) samples with different psychiatric diagnoses (intergroup comparison); 3) normal subjects and clinical samples.Results— Of the 46 studies with normal and clinical subjects, 23 studies were selected for the analysis, reporting means and standard deviations and specifying the diagnostic criteria. Samples with the same psychiatric diagnosis had similar affection and control scores. With the exception of bipolar affective disorders and avoidant personality disorders, the prevalent parental style was for all diagnostic groups the affectionless control style. Within the affectionless control style, the PBI discriminated between panic attacks, borderline personality and drug addiction but not between schizophrenia, unipolar depression and anxiety disorder. The PBI discriminated also between normal subjects samples and samples with anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, personality disorder and drug addiction respectively.Conclusion— The results confirm previous suggestions from single studies that the perceived parental style as measured by the PBI can be considered a good predictor for the presence of psychiatric disorders excluding panic attacks, avoidant personality disorders and unipolar affective disorders. Although the different diagnostic groups do not differ in their perceived parental style (affectionless control), significant differences between some diagnostic groups within this category suggest that the PBI might have some specificity as well.
Community attitudes towards mental illness and socio-demographic characteristics: an Italian study
Authors: Buizza Chiara , Pioli Rosaria , Ponteri Marco , Vittorielli Michela , Corradi Angela , Minicuci Nadia , Rossi Giuseppe
Published: October 2011

Aim — To assess the association between socio-demographic characteristics and community attitudes towards mentally ill people. Method — We assessed a sample of 280 subjects, stratified for sex and age, which has identified using the electoral registers of Brescia. A letter was sent to everyone in order to introduce the future potential study participant to the topics of the public attitudes towards mental illness and it included an invitation to take part in the study. After, 280 subjects were contacted by telephone. Finally, 174 persons, who expressed their willingness to collaborate, were visited by a team of four trained interviewers. The instruments used were: a semi-structured interview; the Community Attitudes to the Mentally III (CAMI) inven-tory, which is composed by 40 statements, concerning the degree of acceptance of mental health services and mentally ill patients in the community; and the Fear and Behavioural Intentions (FABI) inventory, which is composed by 10 items, concerning fears and behavioural intentions towards mentally ill people. 106 subjects refused to participate. Results — Factor analysis of the CAMI revealed three components Physical distance and fear, Social isolation and Social responsibility and tolerance. Factor 1 is associated with: people >61 years old; people being divorced/widowed/living separated; people who haven't participated in social or volunteer activities. Factor 2 is associated with: people > 41 years old; people being schooled at a level that's higher than elementary level; unemployed people. Factor 3 doesn't present any associations. Conclusions — The results of this study outline the need to: a) promote interventions focused to improve the general attitude towards people with mental illness; b) to favour specific actions in order to prevent or eliminate prejudices in subgroups of the population.

Declaration of Interest: in the last two years the authors have been paid by the IRCCS Centra San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli in Brescia (Italy), as employees and free professionals.
Distorsioni («bias») in epidemiologia analitica
Authors: Rocca Walter A.
Published: October 2011

Riassunto

Questo articolo descrive i più comuni tipi di distorsione («bias») che si possono incontrare in studi di epidemiologia analitica. Le distorsioni vengono presentate in relazione al disegno degli studi di coorte o caso-controllo. Per questa ragione, nella prima parte dell'articolo, vengono brevemente illustrati i concetti elementari del disegno e la terminologia degli studi di coorte e caso-controllo. Vengono distinti due gruppi principali di distorsioni: le distorsioni df selezione (o di campionamento) e le distorsioni di misura (o di raccolta deirinformazione). Negli studi di coorte, la principale distorsione di selezione è quella dei non partecipanti allo studio; la principale distorsione di misura è quella del sospetto diagnostico. Negli studi caso-controllo, le principali distorsioni di selezione sono: la distorsione prevalenza-incidenza, la distorsione del ricovero ospedaliero e la distorsione dei non partecipanti; le principali distorsioni di misura sono: la distorsione del ricordo, la distorsione deH'informazione familiare e la distorsione del sospetto di esposizione. Alcune di queste distorsioni possono essere prevenute o minimizzate mediante appropriate strategic di disegno dello studio.

Parole chiave

distorsioni, epidemiologia, metodi, studio di coorte, studio caso-controllo.

This article describes the most common types of bias encountered in analytic epidemiologic studies. Bias is presented in relation to the design of cohort and case-control studies. Therefore, in the firstpart of the article, the basic design concepts and the terminology of cohort and case-control studies are briefly illustrated. Two major groups of bias are described: selection (or sampling) bias and measurement (or data collection) bias. In cohort studies, the most important selection bias is the non-respondent bias; the most important measurement bias is the diagnostic suspicion bias. In case-control studies, the most important selection biases are the incidence-prevalence bias, the admission rate (Berksonian) bias, and the non-respondent bias; the most important measurement biases are the recall bias, the family information bias, and theexposure suspicion bias. Some of these biases may be prevented or minimized by appropriate design strategies.
The impact on the international literature of the scientific production of Italian researchers, in the disciplines «psychiatry» and «psychology». A bibliometric evaluation
Authors: Bignami Giorgio , Girolamo Giovanni De , Fava Giovanni A. , Gaston Alberto , Morosini Pier Luigi , Pasquini Paolo , Pastore Vincenzo , Tansella Michele
Published: October 2011

Objective— The aim of the study was to present the results of a citation analysis concerned with the impact of Italian researchers and institutions in psychiatry and psychology upon the international scientific community.Method— The analysis has been performed using a database of theInstitute for Scientific Information(ISI). All scientific papers which were published between 1981 and 1998 in psychiatric and psychological journals included in theScience Citation Index(SCI) and theSocial Sciences Citation Index(SSCI) were considered. The most cited Italian papers, authors and institutions are reported, as well the most frequently utilised journals.Results— Publications concerned with neuropsychology, psychopharmacology and biological psychiatry were the most cited. This prevalence also affected theranking of the most cited authors, even though, in this case, research groups in disciplines such as clinicalpsychology and epidemiological psychiatry appeared to be strong. The four most productive Italian Universities were characterized by the presence of both a School of Medicine and a School of Psychology. TheJournal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry and Psychopharmacologywere the most frequent vehicles of scientific communication.Conclusions— The results entail important implications for Italian research in psychology and psychiatry. On a general level, these analyses appear to be helpful for monitoring scientific production by granting agencies and for comparing different individual researchers. On a more specific level the analysis has identified the leading trends in research of Italian psychiatry and psychology.
Quality of life assessment: validation of the Italian version of the WHOQOL-Brief
Authors: Girolamo Giovanni De , Rucci Paola , Scocco Paolo , Becchi Angela , Coppa Francesco , D'Addario Angela , Daru Elisabetta , Leo Diego De , Galassi Lorella , Mangelli Lara , Marson Chiara , Neri Giovanni , Soldani Linda
Published: October 2011

Objective – To test the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the WHOQOL-BRIEF (e.g., construct and internal validity, concorrent validity with the MOS SF-36 and test-retest reliability). The WHOQOL-BRIEF is a 26-items self-report instrument which assesses four domains assumed to represent the Quality Of Life (QOL) construct: physical domain, psychological domain, social relationships domain and environment domain, plus two facets for assessing overall QOL and general health. Methods – Data have been collected in three sites (Bologna, Modena and Padua), located in the North of Italy, in the framework of the international WHOQOL project. According to the study design, the sample had to include about 50% males and 50% females, 50% of subjects below and 50% above the age of 45, all in contact with various health services. A subsample has been re-interviewed after 2-3 weeks in order to study test-retest reliability. After the WHOQOL-BRIEF, most subjects have also been administered the MOS-SF36 in order to test the concurrent validity between these two instruments. Results – The instrument was administered to 379 subjects (1/6 healthy and 1/6 sick), chosen to be representative of a variety of different medical conditions. Seventy patients, wTio displayed stable health conditions, have been reassessed after 2-3 weeks to study test-retest reliability. The WHOQOL-BRIEF domains has shown good internal consistency, ranging from 0.65 for the social relationships domain to 0.80 for the physical domain; it has been able to discriminate between in- and out-patients and between the two age groups considered in the present study (<45, ≥45 years). Only physical and psychological domains were found to discriminate between healthy and ill subjects. No gender differences in the mean scores for the four domains were found. Concurrent validity between the WHOQOL-Brief and the MOS-SF-36 was satisfactory, and specific for the physical and psychological health domains. Test-retest reliability values were also good, ranging from 0.76 for the environment domain to 0.93 for the psychological domain. Conclusions – This study shows that the WHOQOL-BRIEF is psychometrically valid and reliable, and that it is also potentially useful in discriminating between subjects with different health conditions in clinical settings.
Giving information and involving in treatment: what do psychiatrists think? A review
Authors: Paccaloni Monica , Moretti Francesca , Zimmermann Christa
Published: October 2011

Aims– A narrative review of studies on the psychiatrists’ opinion about the information process and the factors that may influence the extent to which patients are informed and involved in the information process.Methods– A literature review, without restrictions of time, was carried out using Medline and Psychlnfo databases.Results– Twenty three studies of interest were identified. The diagnosis of depression, anxiety and substances abuse are comunicated in a high percentage of cases; while the diagnosis of schizophrenia and other psychotic disordes are often concealed to patients. As far as pharmacological treatment is concerned, psychiatrists are more inclined to communicate those side effects which from their point of view are considered as less stressfull for the patient. No studies refer to the comunication of prognosis. The reasons adduced by psychiatrists for informing or not informing regard the etiology and the validity of some psychiatric diagnoses, the cognitive difficulties of patients, worries about stigmatizing or damaging patients.Conclusions– The choice to involve patients in treatment should be made from the prospective of promoting patient's well being rather than to depend on psychiatrists' communication difficulties, prejudices or on a habit of a paternalistic relationship style.

Declaration of Interest: none of the three authors has had any interest or received any form of support, including that from drug companies and honoraria for lectures and consultancies, potentially in conflict with this scientific work
Nature, niche and nurture: the role of social experience in trasforming genotype into phenotype
Authors: Eisenberg Leon
Published: October 2011

RIASSUNTO

Nature e nurture (genetica ed ambiente) hanno rapporti di reciprocità, non di opposizione. La prole eredita dai genitori, insieme ai geni, i genitori stessi, gli amici, i luoghi dove vivere. La nicchia ontogenica rappresenta un collegamento cruciale tra genitori e figli, un contenitore delle opportunità della vita. Lo sviluppo è allo stesso tempo un processo sociale, psicologico e biologico. Se, come psichiatri, accettassimo di essere solo distributori di pillole, oppure psicoterapeuti che mettono tutti i loro pazienti su di un letto di Procuste, ciascuno ritenendo di seguire l'unica strada che porta alia salute mentale, verremmo meno ai doveri che abbiamo verso i nostri pazienti e perderemmo la nostra integrita di medici.
The use of group cognitive behaviour therapy in a routine acute inpatient setting
Authors: Bazzoni Alessandro , Morosini Pierluigi , Polidori Gabriella , Rosicarelli Maria Laura , Fowler David
Published: October 2011

RIASSUNTO

Scopo– Lo scopo di questo lavoro è di descrivere un modello di intervento di gruppo di tipo cognitivo comportamentale applicato in condizioni di routine a pazienti psicotici acuti durante il ricovero in un Servizio Psichiatrico di Diagnosi e Cura (SPDC) e di riportare le prime valutazioni di efficacia.Disegno– Il disegno dello studio è di tipo pre–post. E'stato fatto un confronto delle variabili in studio tra il 1997 e il 1998, anno in cui è stata introdotta la Terapia Cognitivo Comportamentale (TCC) di gruppo.Setting–SPDC, S. Filippo Neri di Roma, 1998.Principali misure utilizzate– Sono state valutate e confrontate le seguenti variabili: riammissioni, trattamenti sanitari obbligatori, episodi di violenza, contenzioni fisiche, fughe dal reparto. E'stata anche accertata l'opinione dei pazienti nell'ultimo trimestre del 1998.Risultati– Al gruppo di TCC hanno partecipato 385 pazienti (79% dei pazienti ammessi), ognuno dei quali ha partecipato in media a 4 sessioni. Il 59% dei pazienti che ha preso parte al gruppo aveva una diagnosi di schizofrenia o di disturbo paranoideo. Rispetto al 1997 i Trattamenti Sanitari Obbligatori (TSO) complessivi sono diminuiti di 1/3, le riammissioni di 1/3 e i TSO nelle riammissioni di 3/4 (p<0.05), gli episodi di violenza di più della metà (p<0.001), le contenzioni fisiche e gli allontanamenti dal reparto non autorizzati sono praticamente scomparsi. L'opinione dei pazienti sull'utilità dell'intervento di gruppo è stata molto favorevole.Conclusioni– E'probabile, anche se non certo, che i miglioramenti riscontrati siano dovuti all'intervento in esame. La maggior parte dei pazienti ricoverati ha trovato utile partecipare al gruppo e alcuni hanno chiesto di poter continuare a frequentarlo anche dopo la dimissione. Questi risultati preliminari sono molto promettenti e ci auguriamo che costituiscano uno stimolo affinché questo intervento possa essere applicato e valutato in altri SPDC.
Financial literacy around the world: an overview
Authors: LUSARDI ANNAMARIA , MITCHELL OLIVIA S.
Published: October 2011

In an increasingly risky and globalized marketplace, people must be able to make well-informed financial decisions. New international research demonstrates that financial illiteracy is widespread in both well-developed and rapidly changing markets. Women are less financially literate than men, the young and the old are less financially literate than the middle-aged, and more educated people are more financially knowledgeable. Most importantly, the financially literate are more likely to plan for retirement. Instrumental variables estimates show that the effects of financial literacy on retirement planning tend to be underestimated. In sum, around the world, financial literacy is critical to retirement security.
Financial literacy and retirement planning in the United States
Authors: LUSARDI ANNAMARIA , MITCHELL OLIVIA S.
Published: October 2011

We examine financial literacy in the US using the new National Financial Capability Study, wherein we demonstrate that financial literacy is particularly low among the young, women, and the less-educated. Moreover, Hispanics and African-Americans score the least well on financial literacy concepts. Interestingly, all groups rate themselves as rather well-informed about financial matters, notwithstanding their actual performance on the key literacy questions. Finally, we show that people who score higher on the financial literacy questions are much more likely to plan for retirement, which is likely to leave them better positioned for old age. Our results will inform those seeking to target financial literacy programmes to those in most need.
Entwicklung der Fünf-Item-Kurzskala STAI-SKD zur Messung von Zustandsangst
Authors: Englert Chris , Bertrams Alex , Dickhäuser Oliver
Published: October 2011

Zusammenfassung. Das State-Trait-Angstinventar (STAI) ist eines der am häufigsten eingesetzten Erhebungsinstrumente im Bereich der Angstdiagnostik. Die STAI-Skala zur Erfassung von Zustandsangst umfasst 20 Items. Unter bestimmten Erhebungsbedingungen erweist es sich als relativ schwierig, eine große Menge an Items zu bearbeiten oder aber es steht nicht ausreichend Testzeit zur Verfügung. Daher war es das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie, eine Kurzform der State-Version des STAI zu entwickeln. An einer Stichprobe von N = 65 Studierenden wurde aufgrund inhaltlicher und statistischer Kriterien eine Kurzform der State-Version des STAI, das STAI-SKD, mit fünf Items generiert. Eine konfirmatorische Faktorenanalyse an einer zweiten Stichprobe von N = 191 Studierenden zeigte, dass das STAI-SKD die Angstkomponenten Emotionality und Worry abbildet. Die Beziehungen des STAI-SKD zu positivem und negativem Affekt sowie dessen Veränderungssensitivität fielen in einer dritten Stichprobe (N = 80 Studierende) erwartungsgemäß aus. Die neue Kurzform der State-Version des STAI erlaubt eine ökonomische Erfassung der Zustandsangst.
Dehumanized Perception
Authors: Harris Lasana T. , Fiske Susan T.
Published: October 2011

Dehumanized perception, a failure to spontaneously consider the mind of another person, may be a psychological mechanism facilitating inhumane acts like torture. Social cognition – considering someone’s mind – recognizes the other as a human being subject to moral treatment. Social neuroscience has reliably shown that participants normally activate a social-cognition neural network to pictures and thoughts of other people; our previous work shows that parts of this network uniquely fail to engage for traditionally dehumanized targets (homeless persons or drug addicts; see Harris & Fiske, 2009 , for review). This suggests participants may not consider these dehumanized groups’ minds. Study 1 demonstrates that participants do fail to spontaneously think about the contents of these targets’ minds when imagining a day in their life, and rate them differently on a number of human-perception dimensions. Study 2 shows that these human-perception dimension ratings correlate with activation in brain regions beyond the social-cognition network, including areas implicated in disgust, attention, and cognitive control. These results suggest that disengaging social cognition affects a number of other brain processes and hints at some of the complex psychological mechanisms potentially involved in atrocities against humanity.
GARP Conference
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Plans for U.S. participation in the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP), as developed by the U.S. Committee for GARP, and related scientific, technological, and organizational factors will be presented and discussed by members of the GARP Committee and by invited speakers. The meeting is planned mainly to inform atmospheric scientists about plans for GARP, especially those researchers interested in participating in various aspects of GARP. Sponsors include the AGU, the American Meteorological Society, and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Cooperation with the National Academy of Sciences. The National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder will serve as host. Richard J. Reed, National Academy of Sciences, is Program Chairman.
New degree program
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The University of Houston has announced a new degree program of Master of Science with specialization in applied geophysics. Qualified students must have an undergraduate degree in geology, engineering, mathematics, or physics and be able to meet the general requirements of the Graduate School. The new program will be offered by the Department of Geology beginning in September 1969, and will stress aspects of geophysics useful in the exploration for petroleum and metallic ores. Evening courses will be offered for the convenience of students from industry.
International Symposium on the Results of Research on Representative and Experimental Basins
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

An International Symposium on the Results of Research on Representative and Experimental Basins will be held at Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, December 1–8, 1970. The Symposium is sponsored by the International Association of Scientific Hydrology and is supported by Unesco. The Royal Society of New Zealand is the host organization.
The President's Page: Science and the public
Authors: Newell Homer E.
Published: October 2011

Scientific societies today are wrestling with questions of how to convey better to the public the significance and role of science in modern society. The need, which is so strongly felt today, to make clear the practical importance of science arises from widespread questioning and expressed doubts about the kinds and levels of scientific research that public funds should support, doubts that find tangible expression in shrinking budgets for basic research.

This crisis of confidence in science, and in technology as well, comes at a time when their contributions to human progress and welfare have been the most outstanding in human history. There is a wealth of examples from the past to show the tremendous value of science and technology to our country and to the world. A steady increase in health, longevity, and in our standard of living stems directly from the practical use of scientific knowledge. It is confusing, therefore, to scientists who feel justly proud of their work and their substantial contributions to the advancement of mankind, to find their contributions so sorely questioned. There has naturally arisen within the scientific community a series of soulsearching debates and a continuing lament over the sorry plight of science today.
Symposia at AAAS Annual Meeting
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The Section on Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Sciences of the American Association for the Advancement of Science has planned two complementary programs to be held at its annual meeting in Chicago, December 26–31. The first program is a symposium on ‘Water Supply and Water Management Problems of the Great Lakes,’ which will be held December 28. On the following day a symposium on ‘Lake Restoration’ will be held in cooperation with the Committee on Environmental Quality of AGU.
Air Pollution Institute
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The Division of Continuing Engineering Education in cooperation with the Water Resources Center at Louisiana Tech University is sponsoring an Institute on ‘Aspects of Air Pollution Control’ to be held on campus October 8–9, 1970. The purpose of the Institute is to bring together persons from various industries, governmental agencies, consulting firms, municipalities, and universities who are interesting and involved in the program subject as well as those persons affected by air pollution.
Solar power from space
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Four major U.S. corporations are now working together to investigate the feasibility of large‐scale satellite systems that would harness the abundant energy of the sun for use on earth. Such systems would represent a useful alternative to the energy production methods presently being studied to meet our future needs. An agreement to study the concept was signed today by representatives from the consulting firm of Arthur D. Little, Inc. (program planning), Grumman Aerospace Corporation (systems engineering), Raytheon Company (microwave systems), and Spectrolab Division, Textron, Inc. (solar cell arrays).

The four companies have developed a basic concept that envisions a satellite with a large area of solar cells that would convert the sun's radiation into electricity. This energy would be transformed to microwaves and transmitted to earth, where a receiving station would convert the incoming microwaves into dc electricity at a very high efficiency.
International Symposium on Near Space Environment and Radio Communication
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The Radio Science Division of the National Physical Laboratory will conduct an International Symposium on Near Space Environment and Radio Communication on February 14–20, 1973, at the National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi, India. Cosponsors of the symposium will be NOAA and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Boulder, Colorado.
Infrared telescope to scan center of Milky Way
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Last August the largest telescope ever flown above the earth was sent aloft from the National Balloon Launch Facility at Palestine, Texas, to take a long hard look into the heart of our own galaxy.

Carried to an altitude of some 95,000 feet by a 250‐foot‐diameter helium‐filled balloon, the telescope is designed to search out and study the strange, and so far unexplained, sources of far‐infrared radiation at the center of the Milky Way.
Satellite surveys Earth's resources
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The new Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) will make available the experimental data that hopefully will lead to management of the world's resources on a global scale. The data will be used for accurate assessment of earth‐surface characteristics, such as water and snow, detailed features of the terrain, and soil and vegetative types.

The system uses proven technologies in physics and natural science to measure surface phenomena by remote sensing of special infrared heat singularities and by both color and black and white video photography. The results will be a bank of synoptic images of the resources of the earth's surface. These images will provide a basis for the development of resources management techniques by scientists and officials in both industry and government.
Alaskan Science Conference
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The Twenty—Fourth Alaskan Science Conference will be held at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, from August 15 to 17, 1973. The theme of the conference is Climate of the Arctic. The main topics for papers to be presented at the conference are: the climate now; climates of the past; future climates; international climatology; climatic hazards; climate and energy; climate and transportation; climate, cities, and houses; climate and communications; climate, plants, and animals; climate and agriculture; climate and health; and climate and leisure. Deadline for submission of titles for abstracts is June 1 and deadline for abstracts is July 1. For further information write: Director, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701.
Seminar on Heat and Mass Transfer
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The International Center for Heat and Mass Transfer is organizing a seminar on Heat and Mass Transfer in the Environment of Vegetation to be held in Trogir, Yugoslavia, August 26–30, 1974. The seminar will be an opportunity for cross‐disciplinary communication between heat and mass transfer specialists and workers in soil physics, micrometeorology, crop physiology, hydrology and physical ecology.

The timing of the seminar has been planned to follow the International Soil Science Conference to be held in Moscow from August 12–20, to allow interested scientists to combine their attendance of this conference with that of the seminar.
Institute offers advanced study of atmospheres
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Scientists from five European countries, England, Canada, and the United States have organized a Summer Advanced Institute on Physics and Chemistry of Atmospheres to be held July 29–August, 9, 1974, at the University of Liège, Belgium. The institute is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, the Defense Nuclear Agency, and Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory.

The purpose of the institute is to present and adequately discuss experimental and theoretical results of current research and to help educate graduate and postdoctoral students and new researchers in the physical and chemical phenomena of atmospheres. The two‐week institute will offer about 40 one‐hour lecture periods, with adequate time for discussions, in which attention will be focused on multidisciplinary research bearing on important problems of the future and the identification of significant areas of agreement and disagreement. Courses will include structure and composition of the atmosphere, experimental measurements in the atmosphere and interpretation, physical processes, laboratory measurements of relevant rate coefficients, and atmospheres of other planets.
Laser Atmospheric Studies Conference
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The American Meteorological Society and the Optical Society of America will sponsor a conference on Laser Atmospheric Studies (Sixth International Laser Radar Conference) September 2–5, 1974, at Sendai, Japan.

Abstracts of not more than 300 words are being accepted until April 1, 1974, and should be sent to either H. Inaba, Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, or to B.G. Schuster, 109 Norwood Hall, University of Missouri‐Rolla, Rolla, Mo. 65401.
Short course offered on Global Tectonics, California, and Petroleum Exploration
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The San Joaquin Geological Society will sponsor a short course on Global Tectonics, California, and Petroleum Exploration to be held February 22–23, 1974, in Bakersfield, California. Speakers will be Gregory A. Davis, William R. Dickinson, W.G. Ernst, Eldridge Moores, and Eli A. Silver. The topics will include the following: geometry of plate tectonics, geologic implications of plate tectonics, structural development of rifted continental margins, ophiolites and oceanic crust, arcs and subduction zones, basin development along translational continental margins, plate tectonics and orogenic structures, plate tectonics and ore deposits, plate tectonics and sedimentary basins, pre‐Mesozoic history of California and the west, Mesozic framework of California, evolution of the San Andreas fault system, paleogeographic implications of plate tectonics, diagenetic environments along continental margins, and plate tectonics and migration of petroleum.
Call for papers 56th Annual Meeting
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Contributed abstracts are solicited in all areas of interest.
AIP publications at special rate to AGU members
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

As members of a society affiliated with the American Institute of Physics, AGU members are eligible for reduced rates on one subscription per person to each of the AIP publications listed below:

Subscription orders with remittances should be sent directly to the American Institute of Physics, 335 East 45th Street, New York 10017. A statement of membership in AGU should accompany the order.
Lithospheric seismic profile undertaken in Britain
Authors: Bamford David
Published: October 2011

A major deep seismic sounding experiment is being carried out in the British Isles as a cooperative effort of groups in Germany (Geophysikalisches Institut der Universitaet Karlsruhe) and the United Kingdom (I.G.S. Seismology Unit, Edinburgh, and the Department of Geology with Geophysics, University of Birmingham.)

Now known simply as LISPB (Lithospheric Seismic Profile in Britain), the project was first proposed during the 1972 European Seismological Commission (ESC) meeting in Brasov as a result of discussions of recent French, German, and Swiss seismic studies—in particular, the 1000‐km Brest‐Toulon profile (see Zeitschrift Fuer Geophysik, vol. 39, p. 363, 1973). A seven‐member working group was formed from the three participating institutions. This group has since met several times—for example, during the 1973 meeting in Zurich of the European Geophysical Society (EGS)—to organize the experiment. Minor parts of the program were completed during August and December 1973; the main program was carried out in July and August 1974.
Notes and commentary
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Everything you always wanted to know about the Great Lakes but could never find in one place before has been assembled by the Great Lakes Basin Commission (et al.) in the 27‐volume Great Lakes Basin Framework Study.

The set includes an environmental impact statement, a report (summary), and 25 appendixes. Topics include Shore Use and Erosion; Power; Mineral Resources; Fish; Water Quality; Wildlife; Limnology of Lakes and Embayments; Economic and Demographic Studies; and Federal and State Laws, Policies, and Institutional Arrangements.
U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering — 1975 will be held June 18 to 20, 1975, at the Rackham Lecture Hall on the central campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The purposes of the conference are to stimulate national cooperation among engineers, scientists, and other public servants in minimizing the disruptive effect of earthquakes on citizens and to focus attention on the earth quake — resistant design of utilities, transportation systems, and building systems. Basic background as well as the technical (research, design, and construction), social, and political aspects of earthquake problems will be discussed in sixty papers and a panel presentation.
Mineral deposits found by using space images
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Experiments have demontrated that computer‐processed satellite images of the earth's surface can be used successfully to locate underground metallic mineral deposits in arid regions, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

In one of two USGS experiments, five copper‐bearing deposits were found in a remote part of Pakistan. The other experiment resulted in developing characteristic ‘signatures’ on satellite images for known mineral deposits in Nevada and demonstrated that such distinctive signatures on space photographs of other areas can be used to discover new mineral deposits.
Congressional record
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The following notes are intended to provide a guide to material appearing in the Congressional Record that may be of interest to members of AGU. Date and page number are given for those who want to look up the full text.
The status of IFYGL: A view from Canada
Authors: Richards T. L.
Published: October 2011

It is now ten years since the concept of an International Field Year for the Great Lakes was discussed as a possible IHD program. Needless to say, much has taken place in the meantime.

Last February marked the thirty‐sixth meeting of the IFYGL Steering Committee and the nineteenth meeting ot eh Joint Management Team. Reports presented at the meetings indicated that 85‐90% of all the data will be in the data banks by July and that 95% or better will be archived by the year's end. Although some of the large lakewide projects are awaiting more complete data sets, many individual and first‐look studies have been completed. At the latest count, almost 200 IFYGL papers have been published or accepted for publication; of these, 110 have Canadian content.
President's page: Building the AGU
Authors: Spilhaus A. F.
Published: October 2011

Topical meetings permit organized and in‐depth exploration of specialized subjects in a manner seldom possible at the large annual meetings; they encourage interdisciplinary focus on special problems in a way that is inhibited by the multi‐session format of the annual meetings. They also can provide timely encouragement to the development of newly emerging research fields and problem areas. The limited size facilitates informal discussions and subsequent further communication among workers and students in related but separate fields. Recognizing the importance of these topical meetings and the tremendous pervasive contributions of Sydney Chapman to our disciplines, the Council designated that future AGU topical meetings should be called Chapman Conferences.
Underwater acoustics in ocean science
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Sessions on Underwater Acoustics in Ocean Science are being planned for the Spring Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Washington, D.C., April 5–9, 1976. The special sessions, which will be held just prior to the Washington Spring Meeting of AGU, will include invited and contributed papers in the areas of remote acoustical sensing and probing of the ocean volume, surface, bottom, and sub‐bottom. For information about submitting abstracts see “Acoustical News‐USA” in any recent issue of the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
European Geophysical Society's Third Annual Meeting
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The European Geophysical Society will hold its Third Annual Meeting September 7–10, 1976, in Amsterdam. The meeting will be opened in character and will have a few symposia. The abstracts given at the meeting will be published in EOS.
Call for papers for Transport Processes in the Oceans
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

Authors are invited to submit papers for the Eighty‐second National Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers to be held August 29–September 1, 1976, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Papers should deal in the area of transport processes in large water bodies, including lakes as well as oceans.
COSPAR holds Eighteenth Meeting and Symposia in Bulgaria
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The Eighteenth Cospar Meeting and Symposia were held from May 29 to June 7, 1975, in the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria, at the invitation of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The meeting was under the patronage of Stanko Todorov, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Bulgaria.

Accommodations for attendees were in Golden Sands, a seaside resort 17 km from Varna. Shuttle bus transportation was furnished between the hotels and the meeting site. The meeting and symposia were attended by 584 individuals from 36 countries, and more than 400 papers were presented at the open working group sessions, the panels, and the symposia.
Spring Annual Meeting 1975
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The 1975 Spring Annual Meeting was held June 16–19, 1975, at the Sheraton‐Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. During the four‐day meeting approximately 1100 papers were presented, down from over 1400 last year. Total registration was 1939, of whom 1327 were members, 242 were students, and 370 were nonmembers. Last year's registration in April was 2775; however, it is believed that several factors other than the move from April to June influenced the smaller meeting this year: the economic situation, the restrictions on travel by government and industry alike, the upcoming 16th General Assembly of IUGG, and the First Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Region of AGU.
John Adam Fleming Award to Carl E. McIlwain
Authors: Axford W. I. , McIlwain Carl E.
Published: October 2011

Carl E. Mcllwain was born in Houston, Texas, in 1931 and attended elementary and high schools in Texas, Georgia, and Kentucky. In 1949 he auditioned for and won the Phi‐Mu‐Alpha Symphonia Award of a full tuition scholarship at North Texas State College, Denton, Texas, which at the time made him decide that music might offer a more interesting career than science. He studied flute for several years and in 1953 received the degree of B.Mus.Ed. In 1954 he entered graduate school at the State University of Iowa with the hope of studying the physics of music, but as he could not find a suitable advisor, he decided to concentrate on physics. We must be thankful that physics and music were not well integrated at the University of Iowa in 1954, as otherwise we might have had to do without the services of one of our most outstanding experimental space physicists.
AIP special rates
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

As members of a society affiliated with the American Institute of Physics (AIP), AGU members are eligible for reduced rates on one subscription per person to each of the AlP publications listed below:
President's page: Earthquake prediction [Reprinted with permission from the New York Times]
Authors: Willis E. H.
Published: October 2011

Will the United States have enough energy to sustain and prosper its economy beyond 1985? This time frame becomes particularly significant as domestic supplies of oil and natural gas decline while the demand for energy continues to rise. The promise of more abundant energy supplies through controlled thermonuclear reaction processes and breeder reactors may not yet have materialized and indeed might never materialize. The nation will be looking toward a mix of coal, solar, nuclear, and geothermal energy sources to fulfill its needs, which may well have become acute. How well these expectations will be realized depends on preparations made and decisions taken now, 10 years earlier, since the latent period for development for many energy sources is at least that long.
Urban hydrology and sediment control
Authors: Anonymous
Published: October 2011

The National Symposium on Urban Hydrology and Sediment Control was held July 28–31, 1975, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty‐six papers were presented at the symposium. In addition, three minicourses were held on urban hydrographs, design of sediment detention hasins, and storm water detention basins.

The conference was sponsored by the Office of Continuing Education, College of Engineering, at the University of Kentucky in cooperation with the AGU, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, and American Society of Civil Engineers.