bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heritage: An Asian Perspective
Authors: Yosihiko Tokumaru
Published: March 2007

The relationship between music and social systems is explored through the lens of Vietnamese court music and its revitalization. The author describes his role as part of a Japanese research group that identified elderly Vietnamese court musicians and helped to establish a university-level course to teach performance practice, old Vietnamese notation, and the contextualization of this music in the broader context of Asian music. Despite initial criticism by the Vietnamese government of cultural intervention, the project is a model of a cooperative network that cuts across cultures to secure a musical style for the world (and not just the local culture where it had once been vital and then had gradually disappeared).
The Effect of an Intergenerational Choir Performance on Audience Members’ Attitudinal Statements Toward Teens and Older Persons
Authors: Darrow Alice-Ann , Johnson Christopher M. , Ollenberger Texanna , Miller Anne Meeker
Published: March 2007

High school students and older persons served as audience subjects in the present study. Subjects were divided into four groups based on age (teen or senior) and gender (male or female). Participants were pretested using the Age Group Evaluation and Description (AGED) Inventory to determine their pre-existing attitudes toward four groups: teen males, teen females, senior males, and senior females. Following the pretest, audience members observed an hour-long live performance of an established intergenerational choir, and then completed a posttest assessment using the same attitudinal scale. Results indicated that the attitudes of male and female teen subjects toward teens and toward seniors, both male and female, moved in a positive direction from pretest to posttest. Male and female seniors’ attitudes toward seniors and teens, both male and female, made significant gains in a positive direction from the pretest to the posttest.
Music in conflict management – a multicultural approach
Authors: Skyllstad Kjell
Published: March 2007

In 1989 the Norwegian Concert Agency (NorConcert) initiated a three-year programme of introducing multicultural music teaching in Norwegian primary schools. Eighteen schools in and around the capital took part in a research project to determine the effects of immigrant musicians introducing the music of their countries of origin to fourth-graders. Remarkable results were found, especially with respect to reduced harassment and ethnic tension. multicultural music is now regularly on the school concert agenda. A total of 3000 such concerts have been presented to an audience of more than a quarter of the total school population in Norway.
A Needs Assessment and Proposed Curriculum for Incorporating Traditional Choro Music Experiences into Brazilian University Music Curricula
Authors: Alvares Sergio
Published: March 2007

The purpose of the research was to survey current opinions regarding the importance of choro courses in the music curriculum of Brazilian universities and determine which content would best meet the needs of music teaching and learning situations in Brazilian universities.

The major findings of the study included the following:

1. Respondents generally were supportive of the inclusion of choro courses in Brazilian university music curricula.

2. Based on data from respondents, important choro experiences were identified and developed as proposed courses: (a) choro history and literature, (b) choro performance, solo and ensemble, and (c) choro theory and improvisation.
How Do Chinese Bilinguals Respond To Variations of Interviewer Language and Ethnicity?
Authors: Pierson Herbert D. , Bond Michael H.
Published: March 2007

Do Chinese bilinguals change their non-verbal behaviours when they are speaking English as opposed to Cantonese and speaking with Americans as opposed to fellow Chinese? In order to answer these questions, 64 female English majors at the Chinese University were video-taped during a standardised interview in either Cantonese or English by an interviewer of American or Chinese ethnicity. Measures of self-perception and perception of the interviewer were also taken to illuminate the meaning of the potential changes in non-verbal behaviour. The language and ethnicity variables had functionally different impacts on the non-verbal behaviours: the higher speed, less frequent use of filled pauses, and increased gazing when using Cantonese are suggestive of its greater redundancy relative to English; the lesser talking combined with increased smiles and torso shifts emitted with the American interviewers were compatible with the higher potency and greater informality with which the Americans were perceived by these bilinguals. The American interviewers were relatively less fluent using Cantonese than were interviewers in the other conditions. Perceiving this lesser skill, the interviewees accommodated by downgrading their self-ratings of second language fluency and by increasing their frequency of filled pauses while answering.
Public Relations for Probation
Authors: Weston Bill
Published: March 2007

This article formed the substance of an address given by invitation to the Central Council of Probation Committees in November 1978. This invitation in itself was a significant recognition that the Probation Service really must do something to improve its public relations. NAPO has clearly led the way-and Bill Weston urges the Service to follow in a determined fashion.
Indexing Nigerian Newspapers for Effective Research
Authors: Okorafor E.E.
Published: March 2007

Surveys newspaper publishing in Nigeria and newspaper indexing in Nigerian libraries and outlines the problems of using the indexes. Proposes indexer characteristics and advocates subject indexes to all newspapers as against indexes to individual newspapers. Discusses indexing techniques and processes, illustrating the adoption of typical Nigerian subjects as a remedy for deficiencies in the Library of Congress Subject Headings, and urges the National Library to formulate indexing standards, compile and publish indexing terms, index newspapers and publish subject indexes.
Support for information technology development
Authors: Browne Peter , Gavin Terry
Published: March 2007

The second in a series of articles on the activities of the Information Sciences Division (ISD) of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Examines the widening scope of ISD projects in response to a broader client base, the increasing diversity of information technology and the greater sophistication and knowledge of Third World information workers. The generalized information management system MINISIS, developed at IDRC and distributed to many countries, is described briefly. Examples of projects indicate that ISD's support of informatics is aimed at providing assistance to developing countries' researchers, planners and decision makers, development practitioners and information professionals to acquire the skills for implementing and making use of diverse information tools from microcomputers to expert systems. Concludes that ISD's informatics programme is concerned not only with producing software for developing countries, but also with filling the need for knowledge to build an indigenous information technology capacity.
Acquisition of scientific literature in developing countries
Authors: Bavakutty M. , Radhamani K.
Published: March 2007

The seventh in a series of articles on the acquisiton of scientific literature by libraries in developing countries. (The first five were published in 1989; the sixth is published in the same issue of Information Development). Describes the historical development and present situation of scientific research and development and the growth of scientific documentation in India, including the work of the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC). Outlines the state of publishing in India. Discusses the problems of collection building in scientific and technical libraries. Deals mainly with the acquisition of journals, through subscription from publishers, agents, government agencies and learned societies, and by exchange and gifts. Describes attempts at library cooperation through interlibrary loan, cooperative acquisition, union catalogues and information networks. Concludes that printed literature remains the dominant medium for the dissemination of scientific research results.
Acquisition of scientific literature in developing countries
Authors: Onadiran R.W. , Onadiran G.T.
Published: March 2007

The eighth in a series of articles on the acquisition of scientific literature by libraries in developing countries. (The first five were published in 1989; the sixth and seventh are published in the same issue of Information Development). Describes the background of scientific and technological development in Nigeria and discusses the demand for scientific materials, the development and present situation of scientific and technological libraries and the supply of scientific materials in the country, including problems of acquisition and bibliographical control, staffing and finance. Proposes measures to alleviate these problems.
Information for small industries in Sri Lanka
Authors: Korale S.R.
Published: March 2007

Edited version of a paper originally published in a volume to commemorate the opening of the National Library of Sri Lanka in 1990. Describes the structure and problems of the small and medium scale industrial sector in Sri Lanka, the various government agencies which have been set up to guide and support the development of the sector, and the need for better industrial data and information services in these institutions.
What library managers know about marketing: a study of Brazilian geoscience and mineral technology libraries
Authors: do Amaral Sueli Angelica
Published: March 2007

Emphasizes the importance of adopting marketing-oriented administration in libraries in order to contribute to the full development of information sector activities. Comments on the results of a survey of marketing in Brazilian geoscience and mineral technology libraries, analyzing the knowledge of marketing possessed by the managers of these libraries. Lack of knowledge of the subject among library managers was verified and some means are suggested for improving the situation.
A brief review of studies of piracetam in dyslexia
Authors: Wilsher C.R.
Published: March 2007

Several double-blind studies of the effects of piracetam in developmental dyslexia are reviewed. There is general agreement among studies that piracetam appears to improve reading performance.
Effects of caffeine on vigilance and other performance tests in normal subjects
Authors: Fagan D. , Swift C.G. , Tiplady B.
Published: March 2007

In two randomized double-blind crossover studies, 8 and 10 healthy volunteers took either 200 mg caffeine or placebo. Objective and subjective measures of caffeine effects were carried out over the following 1-3.5 h. Auditory vigilance, a test lasting 1 h, showed significantly better performance on caffeine than on placebo. In the second study, this effect was only apparent in the second half of the test. Of the shorter objective tests used, only finger tapping showed a significant effect of caffeine, the rate of tapping over 1 min being increased. The subjective assessments showed increased interest and alertness in the caffeine session. Reliable detection of the effects of mild stimulant drugs using objective measures may require the use of tests of long duration.
The scopolamine model of dementia: determination of central cholinomimetic effects of physostigmine on cognition and biochemical markers in man
Authors: Preston G.C. , Brazell C. , Ward C. , Broks P. , Traub M. , Stahl S.M.
Published: March 2007

Administration of the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine has been proposed as a pharmacological model for Alzheimer's disease. We have attempted to characterize the cognitive deficits produced by the administration of scopolamine (0.2 and 0.4 mg intra muscularly) to normal volunteers. We have also demonstrated reversal of these deficits by the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine (1.2 mg intramuscularly). Physostigmine also elevated subjects' plasma ACTH levels, a marker of central cholinergic activity. In the cognitive study, we found that scopolamine impaired subjects' performance on verbal learning, spatial learning and choice reaction time. These changes were associated with subjective sedation as measured by analogue rating scales. Physostigmine attenuated the impairment in verbal learning and reduced subjective sedation. In the biochemical study we examined the effects of the same drug regimes on plasma ACTH levels. Physostigmine administered with a peripherally active cholinergic antagonist (glycopyrrolate 0.2 mg intramuscularly) produced a rise in ACTH level which reached a peak 30 min after drug administration. Such a rise was not apparent when the physostigmine was coadministered with scopolamine. These results suggest that cognitive and neuroendocrine indices of central cholinergic activity such as these may be useful in determining the effectiveness of potential new therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease.
The discriminative stimulus produced by pentylenetetrazol: effects of systemic anxiolytics and anxiogenics, aggressive defeat and midazolam or muscimol infused into the amygdala
Authors: Vellucci Sandra V. , Martin P.J. , Everitt Barry J.
Published: March 2007

Rats were trained to discriminate the interoceptive stimulus generated by systemic administration of pentylenetetrazol. A series of experiments confirmed earlier studies that rats generalized to the pentylenetetrazol cue following treatment with drugs purported to have anxiogenic properties, such as β-carboline carboxylic acid (βCCM) and FG 7142. The benzodiazepine antagonist, Ro 15-1788, did not generalize to the pentylenetetrazol cue. Anxiolytic drugs, such as the benzodiazepines chlordiazepoxide and midazolam, prevented discrimination of the pentylenetetrazol cue and resulted in generalization to the saline vehicle. Ritanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist and putative anxiolytic compound, did not prevent discrimination of the pentylenetetrazol cue. Subjecting the rats to aggressive defeat in a home cage intruder test (following injection of saline) resulted in a significant proportion of them generalizing to the pentylenetetrazol discriminative stimulus. This result is discussed in terms of the suggested anxiogenic nature of the effects of treatment with pentylenetetrazol. Infusion of midazolam bilaterally into the amygdala antagonized, in a dose-dependent manner, dis crimination of the interoceptive stimulus generated by systemic treatment with FG 7142 (which itself generalized to the pentylenetetrazol cue). Furthermore, infusion of the GABA agonist, muscimol, bilaterally into the amygdala antagonized the pentylenetetrazol discri minative stimulus in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that amygdaloid mech anisms may be involved in the generation or discrimination of the distinctive, interoceptive stimuli associated with pentylenetetrazol and the β-carboline, FG 7142. The data are discussed in the context of suggested functions of the amygdaloid complex in fear-motivated behaviour.
Effects of an endogenous anxiolytic adrenal steroid, alpha-THDOC, on non-opioid defeat analgesia in male mice: interaction with Ro15-1788
Authors: Rodgers R.J. , Shepherd J.K.
Published: March 2007

The effects of the putative anxiolytic adrenal steroid, 3α, 5α-tetrahydro deoxycorticosterone (α-THDOC), on non-opioid defeat analgesia in male mice were examined. Although devoid of intrinsic activity on the tail-flick assay, 5 mg/kg α-THDOC was found to significantly attenuate the analgesic consequences of defeat experience; lower (2.5 mg/kg) and higher (10-20 mg/kg) doses were ineffective. The β-isomer of THDOC also significantly reduced defeat analgesia, but only at the highest dose tested (20 mg/kg). Control experiments demonstrated that 5 per cent ethanol, which was employed as a vehicle for the steroids, was without effect per se on basal nociception and, over the limited dose range of 5-10 per cent, did not alter defeat analgesia. Finally, the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, Ro15-1788 (5 mg/kg) failed to influence the inhibitory effects of either THDOC isomer. Results are discussed in relation to the potential modulation of this form of adaptive pain inhibition by adrenal steroids which influence the GABA receptor-coupled chloride ionophore.
Rapid changes in functional responsiveness of the 5-HT system after single-dose and multiple-dose treatment with antidepressants: effects of maprotiline and oxaprotiline and its enantiomers
Authors: Delini-Stula A. , Mogilnicka E.
Published: March 2007

Functional responsiveness to 5-HTP (L-5-hydroxytryptophan) and quipazine 24 h after one single dose and 24 h and 72 h after repeated administration (2.5 and 10 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days) of maprotiline, oxaprotiline and its (+) and (-) enantiomers was tested in the rat. All compounds markedly increased the behavioural effects of 5-HTP 24 h after one single injection. This effect was further enhanced after repeated treatment. The response to quipazine was less consistently affected than the response to 5-HTP. Neither drug increased the response to quipazine 24 h after the last injection. However, maprotiline and oxaprotiline enhanced the quipazine-induced head-twitch 72 h after the withdrawal of subchronic treat ment, enantiomers failed to do so. This differential effect of drugs in respect to the interactions with 5-HTP and quipazine is, however, not understood at present. The results of this study indicate that only one single dose of antidepressants may change the functional respon siveness of the 5-HT system and that such changes occur rapidly. The results also provide a possible rationale for the suggested antidepressant activity of levoprotiline, the (-) enantiomer of oxaprotiline and otherwise biochemically inactive compound.
Modulation of sleep and waking states by D-1 receptors
Authors: Ongini Ennio , Trampus Maria
Published: March 2007

This review describes pharmacological studies showing that the dopamine D-1 receptor subtype is involved in the modulation of states of sleep and wakefulness. Stimulation of D-1 receptors by SKF 38393 produces electro encephalographic (EEG) arousal, enhances duration of wakefulness and markedly reduces the stage of rapid eye movement sleep (REM). Importantly, all these effects occur in the absence of the most typical dopamine- mediated behaviours such as stereotyped movements or hyperactivity. On the contrary, studies with the selective D-1 receptor antagonists, especially with the drug SCH 23390, have shown that these compounds increase duration of total sleep including both components, non-REM and REM. Likewise, they produce sedation in different animal species. An important distinguishing feature of the action of D-1 antagonists, compared with non-selective or D-2-selective antagonists, is their ability to enhance the amount of REM. The effect appears to be specifically mediated by D-1 receptors, whereas the interaction of SCH 23390 or its derivatives with the serotonin receptor subtype 5-HT2 may contribute to an increase of total sleep, but does not seem to influence REM changes. The overall findings indicate that D-1 receptors are involved in mediating the sedation-arousal continuum and the states of sleep-wakefulness. The REM-enhancing action of D-1 antagonists appears to be a unique response, which, considering that sleep disorder is a prominent feature in psychiatric illness, may have clinical relevance. The involvement of D-1 receptors in the modulation of REM stimulates further research aimed at gaining insights into both the complex process of sleep and the function of the D-1 receptor within the central nervous system.
Naloxone and chlordiazepoxide: effects on acquisition of DRL and signalled DRL
Authors: Tripp G. , McNaughton N.
Published: March 2007

The ability of the opiate antagonist, naloxone, to block the anti-conflict effects of the benzodiazepines suggests endogenous opioid involvement in the mechanism of action of these drugs. However naloxone's ability to attenuate the effects of the benzodiazepines in animal conflict paradigms appears to be schedule specific. It is effective in acquisition of a differential reinforcement of low rates of response (DRL) schedule but not in acquisition of a non-reward successive discrimination schedule. We tested the effects of naloxone and chlordiazepoxide on acquisition of DRL and on acquisition of a version of the same schedule (signalled DRL) which was like successive discrimination in having an explicit visual signal of non-reward. Chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg i.p.) impaired DRL responding by increasing burst responding and premature responding close to the criterion interval. Naloxone (3 mg/kg i.p.) alone decreased burst and premature responding, it also blocked the effects of chlordiazepoxide. The signalled DRL schedule produced essentially similar drug effects. Clearly the critical schedule parameter determining whether naloxone will attenuate the anxiolytic actions of the benzodiazepines is not the presence or absence of an explicit signal of conflict.
Acute and chronic antidepressant drug treatments induce opposite effects in the social behaviour of rats
Authors: Mitchell Paul J. , Redfern Peter H.
Published: March 2007

Clinical studies indicate that the behavioural responses/reactions of depressed patients to environmental and social stimulation are modified during remission from depressive illness, and require continuous (at least 3 weeks) drug treatment. In order to determine whether antidepressant drugs modify the behavioural patterns of experimental animals in ways that may be related to their ability to modify human reactive behaviour, we have examined the effects of acute and chronic treatment with clomipramine, fluoxetine, iprindole, mianserin and phenelzine (antidepressants with markedly different acute pharmacology) on the behaviour exhibited by rats during social interaction (SI). Acute treatment of short-term isolated resident rats with non-sedative doses of each antidepressant drug selectively and dose-relatedly reduced aggressive behaviour exhibited during SI. Conversely, haloperidol (antipsychotic) or diazepam (anxiolytic) only reduced aggressive behaviour at sedative doses. In comparison, following chronic treatment, all antidepressants examined, but not haloperidol or diazepam, increased aggressive behaviour exhibited by resident rats during SI which returned to the pre-treatment level by 7 or (after phenelzine) 14 days after the cessation of treatment. It is concluded that the antidepressants examined induce selective, diametrically opposite effects on rodent aggressive behaviour following acute and chronic treatment which is indicative of antidepressant efficacy. Furthermore, it is argued that the increased aggressive behaviour following chronic antidepressant drug treatment may indicate a disinhibition of social behaviour in the rat that mirrors the externalization of emotions associated with the remission of depressive illness.
A pilot study of the effects of flumazenil on symptoms persisting after benzodiazepine withdrawal
Authors: Lader Malcolm H. , Morton Sally V.
Published: March 2007

The potential of the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil (Ro 15-1788) to lessen persisting benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms was demonstrated in 11 patients who had been drug free for between 1 month and 5 years. Doses ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 mg divided into three intravenous injections over a few hours relieved long-standing symptoms to varying extents. These included clouded thinking, tiredness, muscular symptoms such as neck tension, cramps and shaking and the characteristic perceptual symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal, namely, pins and needles, burning skin, pain and subjective sensations of bodily distortion. Mood disorder, when present, also improved but the reduction in anxiety and depression may have reflected relief of physical symptoms. The onset of maximum response was sometimes delayed by as much as a day but was usually prompt. Side effects were reported to be either absent or typically described as lightheadedness or dizziness, lasted only a few minutes and were usually well tolerated. The benefits last between a few hours and several days despite flumazenil's otherwise short duration of action. However, symptoms did return to varying degrees in most cases, suggesting the need for repeated doses.
Reduction of dyskinesias and psychiatric disability with clozapine over different time courses
Authors: Moore Norman C. , LeWitt Peter A. , Gershon Samuel
Published: March 2007

Nine subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were treated with clozapine, 500 mg/day for at least 3 months. Each was affected by tardive dyskinesia whose severity was reduced significantly after 3 months of treatment but not at earlier monthly assessments. In contrast, psychiatric symptoms were lessened significantly after 1 month. The more delayed improvement of dyskinesia as compared to the pace of psychiatric improvement suggests a differential effect of the drug.
Effect of acute tryptophan depletion on mood and appetite in healthy female volunteers
Authors: Oldman A.D. , Walsh A.E.S. , Salkovskis P. , Laver D.A. , Cowen P.J.
Published: March 2007

Twelve healthy female subjects received the following three drinks in a double-blind, semi-balanced, cross over design: (a) 50 g of amino acids without L-tryptophan (LTP); (b) 50 g of amino acid with LTP (balanced); (c) plain water. Compared to both the balanced amino acid mixture and plain water, the LTP drink significantly lowered plasma total and free tryptophan at 4.5 h. However, compared to the two control conditions, there was no effect of the LTP drink on subjective ratings of mood or hunger. Similarly, the LTP drink did not alter significantly either total calorie intake or the macronutrient content of a test meal 5 h after drink ingestion.
Benzodiazepines and GABA hypothesis of schizophrenia
Authors: Delini-Stula A. , Berdah-Tordjman D.
Published: March 2007

Clinical and experimental studies pertinent for demonstrating the antipsychotic potential of benzodiazepines (BDZ) and the involvement of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the origin of schizophrenia are reviewed. It is shown that, due to severe methodological problems and pitfalls, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies do not permit unequivocal conclusions on the efficacy of BDZs, but neither do they completely disprove it. Furthermore, at first glance, confusing and controversial findings in animal models indicate a bi-directionality of effects of full BDZ agonists on dopamine-mediated functions, which may perhaps be explained by (i) anatomical and functional organization of the GABA-dopamine system in the nigro-striatal and ventro tegmental area, and (ii) the regional non-selectivity of action of these drugs. The recent demonstration of structural polymorphism of the GABAA-BDZ receptor complex and heterogeneous distribution of sets of subunits of the GABA A-BDZ receptor in the brain, suggests possibilities for development of partial BDZ agonists showing greater regional selectivity of action and thus potentially more specific antipsychotic action. Initial clinical results with bretazenil (Ro 16-6028), a partial BDZ agonist, in acute schizophrenia are, in this respect, an encouraging lead to be followed further.
Effects of diazepam on encoding processes
Authors: Gorissen M. , Eling P. , van Luijtelaar G. , Coenen A.
Published: March 2007

Benzodiazepines are known to induce amnesic effects. To specify these effects more precisely, 40 healthy volunteers were given 15 mg diazepam or placebo. Effects on a chain of encoding operations were investigated: activation of memory representations, spreading of activation, semantic encoding and organizational processes. The diazepam group performed tasks consistently slower, although spreading of activation and semantic encoding were not affected by diazepam. Rather, diazepam subjects benefited less from opportunities to organize to-be-learned material. It is suggested that cognitive processes are slowed down after diazepam intake. This may also have implications for the organization of to-be-learned material.
The effects of inhaled nitrous oxide on some measures of attention
Authors: Fried M. , Garrioch M. , Tiplady B. , Wildsmith J.A.W.
Published: March 2007

This study compared the sensitivity of various measures of attention to the effects of CNS depression, using a randomised single-blind two-period cross-over study. Nineteen healthy volunteers, 10 males and nine females, aged 20-49 took part in a single session in which they inhaled 15% nitrous oxide in oxygen or 100% oxygen (placebo) through a face-mask for 45 min, followed by a 10-min interval after which they received the other treatment in counterbalanced order. They performed a battery of five attention tasks and completed visual analogue scales starting 10 min after the beginning of each inhalation period. The most sensitive measures of the effects of this dose of nitrous oxide were letter cancellation, which had three target letters to cancel, and an auditory attention task with different stimuli to the two ears. Measures of concentrated attention without distractors (continuous attention task and continuous performance task) were less sensitive, though clear effects were seen at these doses. Tests of differing complexities may involve distinct functions which could be differentially affected by different classes of drug. Thus both simple and more complex tasks should be represented in studies assessing attentional function in detail.
Discriminative stimulus properties of ethoxy idazoxan
Authors: Jordan S. , Jackson H.C. , Nutt D.J. , Handley S.L.
Published: March 2007

The technique of drug discrimination was used to examine the ability of the highly selective α2-adrenoceptor antagonist ethoxy idazoxan, which has negligible affinity for α 1-adrenoceptors or I2 imidazoline receptors, to produce an interoceptive discriminable stimulus or cue in rats. Rats were trained to respond on one lever after receiving α-ethoxy idazoxan (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) and on the opposite lever after saline vehicle. The ethoxy idazoxan cue appeared to be mediated by antagonists of central α2-adrenoceptors, on the basis that dose- related substitution was produced by the highly selective α2-adrenoceptor antagonists idazoxan (imidazoline), fluparoxan and 1-(2-pyrimidinyl) piperazine (1-PP) (both non-imidazoline) but not by clonidine, which acts as an agonist at this receptor, nor by the peripherally acting α2-adrenoceptor antagonist L659,066. However, the α2-adrenoceptor antagonists yohimbine and atipamezole showed partial and non-dose-dependent substitution for ethoxy idazoxan over a wide range of doses. 2-BFI [2-(2-benzfuranyl)-2-imidazoline, RX801077], an imidazoline which is highly selective for I2 imidazoline receptors over α2-adrenoceptors, showed dose- dependent substitution for ethoxy idazoxan, although the maximum effect (73% responding on the ethoxy idazoxan lever) fell short of criteria adopted for full substitution. Among other agents which bind to I2 receptors, only idazoxan and 2-phenyl-2-imidazoline exhibited significant substitution; cirazoline could only be tested at very low doses because it powerfully inhibited responding in general, probably due to its α1-adrenoceptor agonist properties. It is suggested that the ability of 2-BFI to substitute partially for ethoxy idazoxan might be due to the ability of both agents to increase extracellular concentrations of noradrenaline.
Buspirone treatment as an aid to benzodiazepine withdrawal
Authors: Morton S. , Lader M.
Published: March 2007

Twenty four long-term benzodiazepine users were allocated randomly to treatment with either buspirone (mean dose 25 mg/day) or placebo, prior to tapering off the benzodiazepine over 6 weeks. In both groups, six out of 12 patients successfully completed withdrawal. However, buspirone-treated patients tended to have lower anxiety levels than placebo-treated patients. The amount of previous benzodiazepine usage predicted outcome.
Flumazenil-precipitated panic and dysphoria in patients dependent on benzodiazepines: a possible aid to abstinence
Authors: Harrison-Read P.E. , Tyrer P. , Lawson C. , Lack S. , Fernandes C. , File S.E.
Published: March 2007

Ten long-term users of benzodiazepines (average daily dose, 20 mg of diazepam or equivalent) who had experienced problems in withdrawing from the drugs were given an i.v. challenge with either the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil (1 mg injected over 30 s) or placebo (vehicle solution) in a randomized double-blind design. There were no 'pseudo withdrawal' responses to either single-blind or double-blind placebo injections, whereas flumazenil produced dramatic panic reactions in all four subjects tested, followed by characteristic benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. There were also small but significant rises in pulse rate and blood pressure, but no change in serum cortisol. Flumazenil-induced panic could not be entirely accounted for by a past or present diagnosis of panic disorder, and did not seem to be related to previous withdrawal problems, present benzodiazepine dosage, or to the severity of withdrawal symptoms precipitated by flumazenil in the same challenge test. Attempts to reduce benzodiazepine intake over the next 3 weeks tended to be more successful in the flumazenil group. The results are discussed with reference to possible changes in the GABA-benzodiazepine system in long-term benzodiazepine users.
Systemic idazoxan impairs performance in a non-reversal shift test: implications for the role of the central noradrenergic systems in selective attention
Authors: Rowe James B. , Saunders Jason R. , Durantou Francois , Robbins Trevor W.
Published: March 2007

Two experiments examined the effect of pharmacological stimulation of the locus coeruleus in a non-reversal shift paradigm to test predictions concerning the role of the ceruleo-cortical noradrenergic system in processes of selective attention. Food-deprived rats were trained to make either visual (experiment 1) or spatial (experiment 2) discriminations in a parallel alley with both sets of cues being present at all times. Two groups of rats received treatments of either 2 mg/kg i.p. of the selective α2 adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan or saline control injections before each daily block of trials. Following attainment of criterion, the reinforcement contingencies were altered according to a non-reversal shift design, so that the alternative (i.e. either spatial or visual) set of cues now predicted reward. Rats treated with idazoxan were not impaired in the acquisition of either the spatial or visual discrimination task, but they were impaired in both forms of non-reversal shift. These deficits are interpreted as resulting from narrowed attention in idazoxan-treated rats, thus supporting a selective attention hypothesis of locus coeruleus function.
Effect of castration and castration with hormone replacement on the plasma prolactin responses to neuroendocrine challenge with i.v. mCPP in the male rat following a low tryptophan diet
Authors: Franklin M. , Craven R.D. , Cowen P.J.
Published: March 2007

Previous studies have shown that castration increased brain 5-HT synthesis and that sex steroid hormone treatment can reverse this effect. Tryptophan (TRP) depletion has been shown to reduce brain 5-HT synthesis and to cause the post-synaptic 5-HT receptors to up-regulate. We have studied the effects of castration and hormone replacement on the prolactin responses to neuroendocrine challenge with the post-synaptic 5-HT agonist, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) in male rats on a low TRP diet. Intact rats on a low TRP diet for 6 days showed significantly enhanced PRL reponses to mCPP as compared to intact rats on a complementary control diet. Animals castrated 20 days prior to neuroendocrine testing and on a low TRP diet demonstrated a loss of the enhanced PRL response to mCPP. The enhanced PRL response was restored by treatment with 25 mg/ kg of testosterone proprionate (TP) 24 h prior to testing. Rats treated with oestradiol benzoate (OB) from initial castration, showed significantly raised basal PRL concentrations but did not show enhanced PRL responses to mCPP in animals on either a low TRP diet or on a control diet as compared to castrated controls. It is suggested that castration increases brain 5-HT in these animals which leads to a down-regulation of post-synaptic 5-HT receptors. When the animals are then subjected to a low TRP diet for 6 days, a reduction in brain 5-HT synthesis occurs, causing a rebound up-regulation of the 5-HT receptors and therefore the end effect is a stalemate between the two initial effects resulting in the loss of the enhanced response. TP but not OB treatment in these animals restores the enhanced PRL response to mCPP by reducing brain 5 -HT synthesis and returning the post synaptic 5-HT receptors to a state of up-regulation.
The effect of psychotropic medication on seizure duration during bilateral electroconvulsive therapy: a retrospective study
Authors: Serfaty M.A. , Martin L.M. , Lingham R. , Ferrier I.N.
Published: March 2007

A five-year retrospective study investigating the effects of psychotropic medication on first seizure length was undertaken on 109 patients who received 131 courses of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Bilateral ECT was administered under methohexitone anaesthesia. Induction of a seizure was successful in 105 patients. Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that except for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) seizure length was not affected by psychotropic medication, SSRIs were associated with prolonged seizure length (p=0.0012). Less than one-third of the subjects had drugs with anticonvulsant properties omitted before treatment. Drugs with anticonvulsant properties did not shorten seizure length. Though this study suggests that SSRIs may prolong fit length, further clarification of the predictors for seizure duration is required.
Reviews : Antisense oligonucleotides in psychopharmacology and behaviour: promises and pitfalls
Authors: Robinson E.S.J. , Nutt D.J. , Jackson H.C. , Hudson A.L.
Published: March 2007

Antisense oligonucleotides are used to study the expression and function of a diverse range of proteins. Areas for which antisense has been used for pharmacological investigation include receptors, neuropeptides and immediate early genes, particularly when specific ligands or markers are not yet available. Antisense oligonucleotides target a specific mRNA and block the expression of the protein by sequence specific hybridization. This technique has not only been shown to be a valuable pharmacological tool but also to have potential therapeutic applications. In this review we discuss the technology behind the technique including developments in methodology employed in antisense experiments. Although antisense provides a novel and highly specific tool, the reliability of the technique and many of the problems associated with antisense experiments are discussed. The main focus of this article is the use of antisense in psychopharmacology to investigate behavioural changes following antisense-mediated inhibition of the expression of specific brain proteins and receptors.
Competing motivations: drug reinforcement vs non-drug reinforcement
Authors: Bigelow George E. , Brooner Robert K. , Silverman Kenneth
Published: March 2007

A behavioral pharmacological conceptualization of drug abuse is summarized, which views drug abuse as learned operant behavior that is reinforced by positive effects produced by drugs of abuse. In this view drug abuse may be better characterized as involving attraction rather than compulsion. Incentive-based treatments may be useful for overcoming and competing with the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. Illustrative examples of incentive-based treatments for drug abuse, and their results, are described. The efficacy of incentive-based treatments indicates that many substance abusers possess the necessary skills to achieve abstinence and suggests that motivational interventions alone may be sufficient in many cases. Areas for further research are discussed that relate to refining and developing incentive-based therapies and to improving their practical utility and public acceptability
Information processing in anxiety: a pilot study of the effect of manipulating 5-HT function
Authors: Andrews T.M. , Anderson I.M.
Published: March 2007

We gave the indirect 5-HT agonist, D-fenfluramine (30 mg), the 5-HT antagonist methysergide (2 mg) and placebo to 11 patients with an anxiety disorder and 12 controls in a double-blind, balanced-order, cross-over design. Compared to controls, patients had significantly higher anxiety ratings, were slower in naming colours in computerized Stroop tests and showed greater interference for anxiety-related words. Patients tended to have a lower critical flicker fusion threshold (CFFT) than controls and in the subjects taken as a whole there was a significant inverse correlation between CFFT and Spielberger state (r=—0.54, p<0.01) and trait anxiety ( r= - 0.55, p<0.01). Neither drug had significant effects on anxiety ratings or on Stroop interference. D- Fenfluramine significantly increased CFFT (p < 0.02) and methysergide non-significantly reduced CFFT with no significant differences between patients and controls. 5-HT may be involved in lower-level visual information processing but we found no evidence for its direct involvement in the attentional bias for anxiety- related information in the emotional Stroop.
Antipsychotic drugs for non-psychotic patients: assessment of the benefit/risk ratio in generalized anxiety disorder
Authors: El-Khayat Redwan , Baldwin David S.
Published: March 2007

Antipsychotic drugs (neuroleptics, major tranquillizers) are frequently prescribed for the relief of anxiety symptoms. A recent survey of a representative sample of psychiatrists found that these drugs are often given to patients who are not suffering from psychotic disorders, a practice that also appears to be common among general practitioners. Many authors have commented on the value of antipsychotics in relieving anxiety symptoms, both in the short and long term, as an alternative to benzodiazepines (with their associated risk of possible tolerance and dependence), although few recent papers recommend their use in this respect. This paper summarizes the evidence from treatment studies of antipsychotic drugs in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and compares this with the advice given in major psychiatric textbooks. Most of the studies identified on the use of antipsychotic drugs in GADs appear to have major methodological flaws, and no study has considered the benefit/risk ratio carefully.
The Trouble With Authority
Authors: Martin R.N.D.
Published: March 2007

This paper first appeared in Modern Theology, Vol. 6, No. 3, July 1989. Copyright (c) Basil Blackwell Publisher Ltd., Oxford. Reprinted by permission.
Comparison of Five Digital Scintigraphic Display Modes
Authors: Goin James E. , Preston David F. , Gallagher Joe H. , Wegst Audrey V.
Published: March 2007

In the last decade diagnostic imaging departments, even those of moderate size, have experienced unprecedented growth. Much of this expansion can be attributed directly to technological developments, including systems for the acquisition of diagnostic images in digital format. In modern imaging departments, digital-based systems are quite common and are found across the specialities of nuclear medicine, ultrasound, transmission and emission computed tomography, and angiography. Nuclear magnetic resonance is the newest digital-based modality, and it appears destined to achieve its place in the diagnostic arsenal. These systems all have one trait in common, which is the topic of this paper. They offer the potential of increasing diagnostic accuracy by varying the methods used to process and display the acquired imaged data. We present the results of a nuclear medicine study designed to compare observer performance among five digital scintigraphic display modes. The observer's task was to detect artificially created lesions in brain scintigrams. Each mode is defined by a combination of an image processing function and a method of display. Using 40 trained observers, a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed. The results support the use of color displays in nuclear medicine. (Med Decis Making 3:215-227, 1983).
Use of the Hazard Rate to Schedule Follow-Up Exams Efficiently
Authors: Dwyer Andrew J. , Prewitt Judith M. S. , Ecker J.G. , Plunkett J.
Published: March 2007

The problem of surveillance for metastasis in a cancer patient is modeled as an allo cation problem. The hazard rate of metastasis appearing determines the efficient scheduling of follow-up exams. An optimal schedule of follow-up exams is shown to be dependent on the hazard rate, K, and D. K relates the cost of testing to the benefit of early detection. It diminishes as benefit increases or cost diminishes. D is the time by which a metastasis' detection by testing precedes its clinical presentation. Hence it is a direct measure of the effectiveness of testing. The optimal testing frequency = (hazard rate/ 2K)1/2. Testing may be stopped when the hazard rate drops below 2K/ D2. Tests need never be routinely scheduled if the intervals between tests exceed D in length. (Med Decis Making 3:229-244, 1983)
Multiple Test Analyzer (MTA)
Authors: Hershey John C. , Greene Robert A. , Cebul Randall D. , Williams Sankey V.
Published: March 2007

There are ten distinct management strategies in clinical situations that involve two diagnostic tests with dichotomous outcomes. The authors describe a microcomputer program, based on a previously described model, that can be used to identify test and test-treatment thresh olds and to compute preferred strategies. The program provides tables and graphs of the results, which can be viewed or printed, and there is an optimization routine that facilitates comprehensive analysis. It can be used by decision-analytic researchers and policy analysts, medical educators who teach decision analysis, and clinicians who use decision analysis in their practices. Key words: multiple test analyzer; microcomputer program; tests with di chotomous outcomes. (Med Decis Making 6:79-84, 1986)
The Limit of Quantitative Ethics
Authors: Williams Sankey
Published: March 2007

The two papers below are based on a joint presentation by the authors at the Eight Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, October 21, 1986, in Chicago, Illinois.