bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The music curriculum in Hong Kong secondary schools — intentions and constraints
Authors: Ng Fanny Yuen-Fun , Morris Paul
Published: March 2007

This paper has three purposes: it reviews the official aims of the formal music curriculum as promulgated by the Hong Kong Government, compares them to teachers’ perceptions of those aims and analyses the explanations of teachers for the pedagogic approach they emphasize. The analysis indicates that a balanced music curriculum is promoted which incorporates three components, namely: listening, performance and composition as its key dimensions. However, a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, collected by questionnaires and interviews showed that musical experiences associated closely with listening were perceived by teachers to be more important than the other components. What emerged most clearly from the explanations of the teachers was the extent to which the prevailing ethos of schooling in Hong Kong, which places a premium on the transmission and objective assessment of academic knowledge, was seen to be a powerful influence on the music curriculum. The result is an implemented music curriculum which is constrained by the broader context of schooling and is heavily.oriented to providing students with listening experiences.
Traditional Korean children's songs: Collection, analysis and application
Authors: Kim Young-Youn
Published: March 2007

This study investigates the presence of Korean traditional children's songs in the memories of a selection of elderly people who preserve them. Since there are few collections of traditional Korean children's songs, it was reasoned that by going to human resources for such music, heritage songs might be gathered which could then be adapted to a curriculum in music for young children. During the last century Korean children have more frequently learnt traditional children's songs of Western Europe and North America than they have learnt the songs of their own Korean traditions. To more effectively transmit collected traditional children's songs to new generations of Koreans both at home and abroad, such a study could also recommend teaching applications for these disappearing songs to be used with pre-school and primary children.
Strategies for music education in Africa: Towards a meaningful progression from tradition to modern
Authors: Nzewi Meki
Published: March 2007

There are three stage of music education in traditional Africa. The first stage inducts a new born baby into feeling the sensations of musical pulse and sound as a sympathetic participant till the age of about two years. The second stage focuses on inculcating the sense of rhythm from the ages of about two to eight years. The third stage is music education for life; and starts from the age of eight, by which time gifted children could be recruited into adult groups. Specialists emerge on such specialised aspects of musical creativity and performance as master instruments, master singing, dance, theatre, etc.

The objectives of music education in African cultures are human oriented. Yet modern music education in African countries has not derived from the theoretical content and performance principles of traditional music. Pedagogic models for the teaching of any aspect of African traditional musical practices should be founded on authentic African musical thinking, and based thereon, develop modern techniques while accruing inter-cultural sensibilities that would enhance modern, world interaction.
Can music help to improve parent-child communication? Learning music with parents – an Argentine experience
Authors: Grätzer Dina Poch De
Published: March 2007

How often do parents have the opportunity to share an organised activity with their children throughout the school year? How often do parents have the chance to be part of their children's musical socialisation?

Those were some of the questions that led us to consider the idea of a musical programme for parents to share with their children and called ‘Playing music with mum or dad’.

This paper reports about the consequences of this programme implemented for the first time in Argentina at the Collegium Musicum of Buenos Aires in 1991. Although the initial intention was just to offer a musical experience for parents to share with their children once a week throughout the school term, in the course of time the real benefit of this activity showed up, revealing that through this proposal, parents began to relate to their children in a dimension far beyond music. Communication became one of the most important – although underlying aims – of this programme.

The idea was also to evaluate if this could be a good starting point for parents to understand their educational function, to be aware of the value of music education and the value of educating for freedom and love.
Music Education in Postmodernism About the difficulties to move knowledge into action, theory into practice
Authors: Gruhn Wilfried
Published: March 2007

The reflections start from a general discomfort with the postmodern attitude to sketch a historically and/or philosophically complex situation of music in education by a few terms, randomly picked up from a broader context, which seem to reduce complexity to empty words. Here, we try to throw light on an ontobiological foundation of the human intellectual growth to determine the function of music (as sound or art) in education. Therefore, we call for precision in talking which reflects clarity in thinking.
Language, Goals and Situations
Authors: Forgas Joseph P.
Published: March 2007

The question addressed in this review paper is how our goals and the surrounding social situation influence what we say and how we say it in social interaction. It is proposed that definitional and methodological difficulties in studying social situations constitute the core problem in this domain. Various approaches to conceptualising social situations in linguistics, psychology and sociology are outlined, and recent empirical research on cognitive representations of social episodes is summarised. Selected theories linking goals and situations to language use are reviewed, and empirical research on situational variations in language behaviour is considered. It is concluded that the use of predominantly ad hoc, intuitive classifications of social situations, and the dominance of the ethno graphic method in empirical research have limited progress in this field. A social cognitive paradigm, linking cognitive representations of situations to information processing models predicting the selection of linguistic alternatives is proposed as a suitable future model for research.
Probation and Punishment
Authors: Matthews Barry
Published: March 2007

Social work and punishment are often uncomfortable bed-fellows. In this article, the author argues that the court is fundamentally a place of justice; its first function is to assess the need for punishment then to exercise mercy. The probation officer has a crucial role to play in this process.
Unesco Under Pressure
Authors: Parker J. Stephen
Published: March 2007

The continued existence of Unesco is threatened by the United States' decision to withdraw at the end of 1984, and the British threat to follow suit at the end of 1985, because of alleged mismanagement and politicization. The possible effects on Unesco's information programme are unclear at present. The com munication programme has aroused particular controversy. Britain and the United States can only influence Unesco if they remain as mem bers. Unesco's Medium-Term Plan, 1984—89, includes major programmes in communication and information. It is difficult for Unesco to establish an information programme with a clear identity because the field is constantly expanding, but it is important to try to do so in order to obtain the support of the information professions. General statements of support for Unesco in the present crisis are reproduced.
Developing the Information Workforce
Authors: Moore Nick
Published: March 2007

Human resources are a crucial element in the development of libraries and information sys tems. This is particularly the case in developing countries where labour shortages and acceler ated growth place considerable strains on the development of the workforce. Effective work force management can alleviate some of the problems by developing forecasting and plan ning systems which are sufficiently simple to be integrated with overall development plans. Unesco is assisting this through the develop ment of a basic workforce forecasting system.
Is there a user in the house? Connecting with the user of information services
Authors: Morin-Labatut Gisèle
Published: March 2007

The fifth in a series of articles on the activities of the Information Sciences Division (ISD) of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Discusses some factors affecting the use of information products and services, particularly among the least privileged sectors of society. Argues in favour of developing indigenous capabilities for collecting, processing and disseminating both locally- and externally-generated information. Stresses the importance of socio-cultural factors in the communication of information, especially in societies with an oral tradition, and the pivotal role played by community development workers in disseminating information. Advocates the application of the principles of participatory communication in which people are more directly involved in generating, using and exchanging information suited to the information needs which they have defined themselves.
A regional information network for South Asia
Authors: Mostafa Abdullah H. , Shamsul Islam Khan M.
Published: March 2007

Proposes the creation of an information network for the member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The network should involve the use of computers in developing and sharing databases among the participating countries. The overall approach should be in line with the philosophy of ASTINFO (Regional Network for the Exchange of Information and Experience in Science and Technology in Asia and the Pacific). This suggests that the network should be structured on a cooperative basis. A central database should be created in stages, using 32-bit microcomputers and CD-ROM. National focal points should have telecommunications links with other centres within their own countries.
An interlending network for Turkish university libraries
Authors: Tonta Yasar
Published: March 2007

Begins with a brief introduction to Turkish university libraries and goes on to outline the principal interlending models. Proposes an interlibrary lending network model for sharing of serials collections among university libraries in Turkey. Discusses the various requirements of the proposed network.
Administering and preserving district records in Pakistan
Authors: Moir Martin
Published: March 2007

Report on a survey of the administration, care and accessibility of district records in Pakistan, carried out between December 1986 and March 1987. Analyzes possible solutions to the problems of dealing with these records and makes recommendations for long-term and immediate action by the Pakistan authorities.
Promoting literacy and reading in Malaysia: the role of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
Authors: Rustam Rohani
Published: March 2007

Describes the work of the National Language and Literature Development Agency (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka: DBP) in the promotion of literacy and reading in Malaysia. Although Malaysia has a fairly high literacy rate and a good educational system, the reading habit has not developed as it should. A national reading campaign was launched in 1980 to try to improve the situation. The DBP is involved in publishing, book promotion, book distribution and extension activities aimed at increasing the amount of literature available in Bahasa Malaysia and developing the reading habit among Malaysians. It offers incentives to authors and maintains a special library. There is still a need for a more perceptive understanding of the reasons for the lack of the reading habit in Malaysia.
Educating library users at the Copperbelt University
Authors: Lungu Charles B. M.
Published: March 2007

In 1987 the library of the Copperbelt University in Zambia introduced a library user education programme as a course at the campus. The course was introduced with the objective of improving students' awareness of the available information resources, as well as adjusting them to the university style of learning. Describes the programme in detail, including: establishing the need for the course; planning the project; the course content and structure; and how it was presented. The results achieved are evaluated in relation to the initial objectives and to the fact that the course has so far been offered only for two academic years. Concludes with general observations and recommendations for the improvement of the course.
Feeding hungry minds: grassroots library services in Sri Lanka
Authors: Corea Ishvari
Published: March 2007

Describes attempts made in Sri Lanka to provide library services at the grassroots level. The Book Box Project of the Colombo Public Library provides lending and extension services to children living in slums and shanties in the city. About 10 percent of this group are served at present. The resources required to extend the service to all children living in these areas are outlined. It would be more economical to persuade them to use existing branch libraries. A mobile bullock cart library service and a 'barefoot library service' operating in rural areas of the country are also described.
The Standing Conference of Eastern Central and Southern Librarians: a critical assessment
Authors: Raseroka H. Kay
Published: March 2007

Describes the background to the establishment and development of the Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern African Librarians (SCECSAL) and assesses its effectiveness, particularly in terms of the implementation of conference resolutions by member library associations.
The future of information in Unesco: an assessment of the 26th Unesco General Conference
Authors: Tocatlian Jacques
Published: March 2007

Evaluates the Unesco programmes in communication, information and informatics, as perceived by the Unesco General Conference at its 26th session, assessing the newly-created Sector of Communication, Information and Informatics and the issue of cooperation versus integration of the three programmes. The problems of articulating the Intergovernmental Informatics Programme (IIP) with the General Information Programme (PGI) are discussed. Particular attention is paid to PGI in respect of: the disappearance of scientific and technical information as a visible entity of the programme; the weakening of the archives component of the programme; the implications of the new transverse function of PGI; and the lack of adequate financing.
Paroxetine and the electroencephalogram
Authors: Sedgwick E.M. , Cilasun J. , Edwards J. Guy
Published: March 2007

Electroencephalograms, recorded before and after 4 weeks' treatment with parox etine or placebo, were assessed blind to patient, treatment and treatment interval. No signifi cant differences were found between the paroxetine and the placebo groups. There were no signs of drowsiness or epileptiform activity in the recordings of patients receiving either drug or placebo. The results are discussed in relation to those of pharmacological studies in animals, psychomotor testing and electroencephalographic studies in humans.
Midazolam cue in rats: effects of drugs acting on GABA and 5-hydroxytryptamine systems, anticonvulsants and sedatives
Authors: Rauch R.J. , Stolerman I.P.
Published: March 2007

The discriminative stimulus effect of midazolam, a short-acting benzodiazepine, was used for testing the effects of related drugs including agents thought to act at different sites in the proposed benzodiazepine receptor complex. Rats were trained in a standard two- bar operant conditioning procedure with food reinforcers delivered on a tandem schedule. The 0.4 mg/kg dose of midazolam used for training was well discriminated, typically yielding about 95% correct responding. There was no generalization to the GABA agonists muscimol and THIP, to the 5-HT antagonists cyproheptadine and methergoline, to buspirone, CGS 9896, ethanol, Ro 5-4864, promethazine, phenytoin sodium or sodium valproate. Muscimol and THIP also failed to potentiate the effects of midazolam. The GABA antagonist bicuculline weakly attenuated the discriminative effect of midazolam without impairing generalization to pentobarbitone, whereas the benzodiazepine inverse agonist FG 7142 did not attenuate the effect of midazolam. The results provide additional evidence for the notable specificity of the midazolam cue but do little to link the behavioural effects of benzodiazepines to GABA or 5- HT systems. Perhaps the potency, efficacy or selectivity of the GABA agonists was inadequate to produce the expected results. Only the effects of bicuculline, and those reported previously for picrotoxin, provided some support for the hypothesis that midazolam cue is mediated by the GABA system.
Effects of amphetamine and pimozide on reinforcement and motor parameters in variable-interval performance
Authors: Willner Paul , Towell Anthony , Muscat Richard
Published: March 2007

The effects of amphetamine and pimozide were studied in rats performing on variable-interval (VI) schedules of reinforcement. In experiment 1, a five-component multiple VI schedule was used; in experiments 2 and 3, two VI schedules were presented on alternate days; a fourth experiment was carried out to validate the two VI methods. The Herrnstein matching law was used to distinguish between changes in reinforcer efficacy and changes in motor capacity. In both procedures, amphetamine, at 0.5 mg/kg, caused changes compatible with an increase in reinforcer efficacy with no change in motor capacity; higher doses (only tested in the multiple schedule) appeared further to increase reinforcer efficacy and also to decrease motor capacity. In the multiple schedule, pimozide caused changes compatible with either a decrease in reinforcer efficacy or a decrease in motor capacity, depending on the order of presentation of the schedule components; in the alternating schedule, pimozide had both effects. These discrepancies appeared to be due to changes in the effect of pimozide over time, which could not be explained either by satiation or by a gradual onset of drug action.
Interaction of nicotine with dopaminergic mechanisms assessed through drug discrimination and rotational behaviour in rats
Authors: Reavill C. , Stolerman I.P.
Published: March 2007

Biochemical and electrophysiological studies have suggested that nicotine may interact with dopaminergic systems so as to enhance the release and utilization of dopamine. The functional significance of these effects has been assessed using drug discrimination and rotational behaviour in rats. The dopamine antagonists haloperidol and Sch 23390 attenuated the discriminative stimulus effect of nicotine and reduced overall rates of responding. In contrast, droperidol and pimozide were without significant effect on discrimination of nicotine at doses that reduced response rates. There was partial generalization from nicotine to the dopamine D-1 agonist SKF 38393. In rats with unilateral, 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway, nicotine produced rotation towards the side of the lesion, a characteristic effect of indirectly acting dopamine agonists such as amphetamine. The nico tinic-cholinergic antagonist mecamylamine, and haloperidol, blocked rotation produced by nicotine. A dose of nicotine that was too small to produce amphetamine-like effects itself enhanced both the discriminative stimulus and the rotational behaviour produced by amphetamine. However, mecamylamine did not weaken the discriminative effect of amphetamine. The results suggest that there may be a minor component of the nicotine discriminative stimulus that is mediated, indirectly, through a dopaminergic mechanism. There also appears to be a facilitatory, nicotinic influence on behavioural functions linked to the dopamine system.
Effects of selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade on anxiety associated with flight phobia
Authors: Ekeberg Ø. , Kjeldsen S.E. , Greenwood D.T. , Enger E.
Published: March 2007

The present study is aimed at studying the effects of selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade on anxiety in subjects with flight phobia. Using an incomplete block design subjects received a beta-1 (atenolol 2 x 50 mg), a beta-2 (ICI 118 551 3 x 50 mg) selective blocking drug, or placebo on three occasions over a 16 h period under double-blind conditions prior to a 1/2 h flight. The same procedure was repeated 4 weeks later. Thirty-four subjects completed this double-blind, two-period crossover study. Self-reporting by the Alderley Park State Anxiety Questionnaire, Global Flight Anxiety and Treatment Preference showed a moderate but significant effect of atenolol in alleviating especially somatic symptoms of flight anxiety in addition to an overall effect in the treatment of this entity ( p<0.01). ICI 118 551 was ineffective in alleviating any of the important symptoms of flight phobia. These results may imply that the effect of beta-adrenoceptor blockade in reducing phobic anxiety may be more a result of beta-1 than of beta-2 blockade. Beta-1 adrenoceptor blockade may be an alternative treatment of flight phobia, particularly when the symptoms are of somatic character and when intellectual performance is expected shortly after the flight.
Acute and lasting effects of FG-7142 on defensive and approach-attack behavior in cats—implications for models of anxiety which use response suppression
Authors: Adamec Robert E.
Published: March 2007

The effect of the anxiogenic β-carboline, FG-7142, on defense and approach-attack behavior in the cat was investigated. FG-7142 (10 mg/kg) enhanced defensive responses to rats and mice when tested 10 and 20 min after injection. At the same time, FG-7142 suppressed approach and attack responses to prey. Behavioral effects of FG-7142 were blocked by the specific benzodiazepine receptor blocker RO-15-1788 (10 mg/kg). One or two administrations of FG-7142 were sufficient to produce a lasting (up to 105 days) enhancement of defensive response to rats but not to mice. Defensive response to conspecific threat vocalizations was also lastingly increased. Two injections of FG-7142 produced a lasting suppression of approach-attack on rats only, whereas one injection of FG-7142 did not. The lasting suppression of some measures of approach-attack was found to be independent of the fear-enhancing properties of FG-7142. Tests of the effects of RO-15-1788 on the lasting after-effects of FG-7142 revealed at least two mechanisms which mediate the lasting changes in behavior, one which is dependent upon the benzodiazepine receptor and one which is not. The implications of these findings for rodent models of anxiety which use response suppression to assess fearful 'anxiogenic' effects of drugs are discussed.
Bromocriptine requires D-1 receptor stimulation for the expression of sniffing behaviour in rats
Authors: Zarrindast Mohammad-Reza , Naghashi Hossein
Published: March 2007

The effect of the mixed D-1/D-2 dopamine agonist apomorphine, the D-2 agonist bromocriptine and the D- 1-selective dopamine agonist SKF 38393 on sniffing behaviour in rats was tested in the present experiments. Apomorphine induced a dose-dependent sniffing, which was decreased by either D-2 or D-1 dopamine antagonist pre-treatment. Atropine (antimuscarinic drug) or phenoxybenzamine and propranolol (α and β- adrenergic blockers, respectively) did not alter the apomorphine response. Apomorphine induced a significant increase in sniffing in reserpine-treated animals. Bromocriptine produced sniffing during the 3rd hour after drug injection. The effect was decreased by sulpiride or SCH 23390 pre-treatment. Phenoxybenzamine or propranolol did not change the bromocriptine effect, while atropine increased the drug response. SKF 38393 also induced a slight but significant sniffing. In rats pre-treated with reserpine, neither bromocriptine nor the D-1-selective agonist SKF 38393 produced any sniffing. However, the combination of bromocriptine with SKF 38393 produced an intense sniffing behaviour. It may be concluded that bromocriptine requires D-1 receptor stimulation for the expression of sniffing.
Anxiogenic activity of isatin, a putative biological factor, in rodents
Authors: Bhattacharya Salil K. , Mitra Shankar K. , Acharya Satya B.
Published: March 2007

Isatin (2,3-dioxoindole) has been proposed as a new biological factor, responsible for at least part of the activity of tribulin, an endogenous monoamine oxidase and benzodiazepine receptor binding inhibitory factor, which may serve as an endocoid marker of stress and anxiety. The putative anxiogenic activity of isatin was investigated in rats and mice. The doses chosen for the study, namely 15 mg/kg i.p. in mice and 20 mg/kg i.p. in rats, were based on preliminary behavioural studies. Yohimbine, a well established anxiogenic agent, was used for comparison and used at doses of 2 and 2.5 mg/kg i.p. in mice and rats, respectively. The experimental paradigms chosen have been shown to stand the tests of validity and reliability. Isatin induced significant anxiogenic activity in the open-field and elevated plus-maze tests in mice, and the social interaction test in rats, which were comparable to those induced by yohimbine. In addition, both isatin and yohimbine attenuated the effects of the anxiolytic agent diazepam in the open-field test. The investigations indicate that isatin has significant anxiogenic effect and support the contention that it and/or its biotransformation products may be responsible for at least part of the activity of tribulin demonstrated previously in animal models and in clinical situations of stress and anxiety.
Imipramine and 5HT re-uptake inhibition: a narrative
Authors: Todrick A.
Published: March 2007

In 1960, the first paper on the pharmacology of imipramine, the 'original' antidepressive drug, was published in the British Journal of Pharmacology (Marshall et al. , 1960). It came from the Department of Clinical Research of the Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries, Scotland and not as might have been expected from a university department or the laboratories of a pharmaceutical firm. Under the circumstances, it seems relevant to record for the benefit of scientific historians, the somewhat tortuous chain of events that led to its publication.
Supraspinal and spinal monoamine-modified function and the expression of opioid antinociception
Authors: Sewell Robert D. E.
Published: March 2007

Opioids are highly valuable clinical agents for the treatment of pain which are thought to act both at the spinal and supraspinal level. During the course of their actions, they have complex interactions with monoamine systems. These include 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NA), so this topic is discussed using these two transmitter systems, their locations and receptor sub-types, as prime candidates for modulating nociceptive and antinociceptive processes. Several classes of 5-HT receptors, as well as α2-adrenoceptors, appear to be clearly involved in antinociception and the functions of systems carrying these receptors may be modified using psychotropic agents. In particular, some antidepressants may acutely augment opioid antinociception and this property may be exploited to delay the onset of opioid tolerance in the sub-acute situation.
Midazolam-induced retrieval impairments revealed by the use of flumazenil: a study in surgical dental patients
Authors: File Sandra E. , Skelly A.M. , Girdler N.M.
Published: March 2007

Twenty-one outpatients attending Guy's Dental Hospital received intravenous midazolam prior to the removal of at least one wisdom tooth. The patient's memory for material presented both before and after midazolam was assessed either whilst still in the drug-treated condition (midazolam+placebo) or in the drug-reversed condition (midazolam+flumazenil). There were no differences between the two retrieval conditions in the number of words or pictures correctly recalled or recognized and both groups showed significantly better memory for material presented prior to midazolam administration. In a word completion task both groups showed a significant and equal priming effect, in that they completed more words with those to which they had been previously exposed in a rating task. However, the groups differed significantly in the total number of words correctly completed, with the drug-reversed group completing more. The word completion task is a problem- solving task requiring retrieval from semantic memory. There was further evidence that midazolam might impair retrieval from semantic memory from the number of subjects making spelling errors; this was significantly greater in the midazolam group than in the midazolam+flumazenil group. Finally, free recall of the dental procedures was significantly different in the two retrieval conditions. The midazolam+flumazenil group remembered significantly more items, and this effect was particularly marked for patients who had all four wisdom teeth removed. Flumazenil significantly reversed the midazolam-induced decrease in tapping rate (an objective measure of sedation), significantly attenuated the reduction in self-rated anxiety and significantly increased shaking and trembling.
Effect of monoamine oxidase A and B inhibition on the uptake and metabolism of serotonin within serotonergic neurons of rat brain
Authors: Shim S.S. , Becker R.E.
Published: March 2007

The effects of inhibiting monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B on metabolism and uptake of serotonin (5-HT) in serotonergic synaptosomes were studied. To avoid contamination by extrasynaptosomal MAO, synaptosomes were separated from other components of rat brains by discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Kinetic analysis of 5-HT uptake demonstrated that 5-HT was selectively transported into serotonergic synaptosomes through the high affinity 5-HT uptake process. Selectivity of the uptake and subsequent deamination of 5-HT within serotonergic synaptosomes were confirmed using selective and non-selective 5-HT and norepinephrine (NE) uptake inhibitors. MAO inhibitor analysis of 5-HT deamination occurring within serotonergic synaptosomes indicated that, at physiologically relevant concentrations of 5-HT, MAO A deaminates 5-HT, maintaining a low cytoplasmic concentration of 5-HT. When the cytoplasmic concentration of 5-HT is increased above physiologically relevant levels by the inhibition of MAO A, MAO B becomes active. [ 14C] 5-HT uptake into synaptosomes was reduced by decreasing the V max of [14C] 5-HT uptake. One mechanism for a decrease in the Vmax could be the increase in the cytoplasmic concentration of 5-HT.
The effects of caffeine and evening meals on sleep and performance, mood and cardiovascular functioning the following day
Authors: Smith A.P. , Maben A. , Brockman P.
Published: March 2007

An experiment was carried out to examine the effects of caffeine and evening meals on sleep and performance, mood and cardiovascular functioning in the early morning of the next day. Forty-eight subjects were assigned to one of the four conditions formed by combining caffeine and meal conditions. Subjects in the caffeine condition were given 3 mg/kg caffeine in de-caffeinated coffee. The caffeine manipulation was double blind. Subjects in the meal condition were given a 3-course meal (∼ 1300 calories). Sleep was assessed by subjective ratings and these showed that both caffeine and consumption of the meal influenced sleep, but that there were no interactions between caffeine and meal conditions. Although caffeine disrupted sleep there was no evidence of performance or mood being impaired the next day. However, blood pressure was still higher the next day in subjects given caffeine the previous evening.
Sulpiride-induced tardive dyskinesia in a person with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome
Authors: Eapen V. , Katona C.L.E. , Barnes T.R.E. , Robertson M.M.
Published: March 2007

A 48 year old man who had never been treated with any other major tranquilliser developed tardive dyskinesia (TD) while taking sulpiride for Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS). To our knowledge, this is the first report of TD complicating the use of sulpiride in the treatment of GTS.
Anti-conflict effect of 5-HT1A agonists in rats: a new model for evaluating anxiolytic-like activity
Authors: Hascoët Martine , Bourin Michel , Todd Kathryn G. , Coüetoux du Tertre Anne
Published: March 2007

A new conflict procedure was developed to study the potential anti-punishment effects of 5-HT 1A agonists as compared to diazepam. In this paradigm, the opportunity existed for rats to choose during punished periods between immediate, punished reinforcement and delayed, non-punished reinforcement. The results confirm that, for non-sedative doses (1 mg/kg), diazepam increases the number of punished responses. Furthermore, the present paradigm seems sensitive for the detection of 5-HT1A activity. Buspirone, gepirone, ipsapirone, zalospirone and 8-OH-DPAT increased responding for immediate but punished reinforcement. 1-(2-pyrimidinyl)piperazine, the common metabolite of the azapirones, does not participate in their anti-conflict effect. NAN 190, a 5-HT1A antagonist, was shown to block the 5-HT1A agonists. The findings of the present study suggest that benzodiazepines and 5-HT 1A agonists reduce the capacity to tolerate delays in reward. Abnormality in serotonin systems may be associated with poor impulse control.
The effects of D-fenfluramine on mood and performance, and on neuroendocrine indicators of 5-HT function
Authors: Bond Alyson J. , Feizollah Sabah , Lader Malcolm H.
Published: March 2007

D-fenfluramine has multiple actions which enhance 5-HT transmission and make it a useful neuroendocrine challenge agent, but little is known of its effects on mood or performance. In this study, two doses (15 and 30 mg) and placebo were administered to six male and six female healthy volunteers according to a double blind, cross-over design. Blood was sampled and self-ratings completed pre- and hourly up to 5 h post-challenge. Performance tests were administered pre- and at 2 and 4 h. Plasma concentrations of prolactin and cortisol decreased after all treatments at 1 h and then increased post-drug to a peak at 4 h. Body temperature showed a similar pattern. D-fenfluramine was well tolerated with few side effects. It caused only minor sedation and little psychomotor impairment but there was some decrement in episodic memory. The 30 mg dose produced a mild anxiolytic and anti-aggressive action.
Impairment of performance associated with long-term use of benzodiazepines
Authors: Gorenstein C. , Bernik M.A. , Pompéia S. , Marcourakis T.
Published: March 2007

The long-term effects of benzodiazepines (BDZ) on psychomotor and cognitive functions were assessed in 28 out patients, users of low therapeutic doses of diazepam (13.6 ± 4.9 mg/day, range: 5-20 mg/day) for 5-20 years (10.1 ± 5.0 years). These patients' performance was compared with two control groups: 53 BDZ-free anxious out patients and 56 healthy volunteers. The three groups were similar in sex, age and education. BDZ chronic users were tested before and after short-term (3 weeks) and long-term discontinuation (at an average of 10 months). Performance of chronic users of BDZ was consistently worse than those of the control groups, suggesting an impairment in these patients on both psychomotor and cognitive functions. These were not related to either dose or cumulative exposure to BDZ, and were also independent of diagnosis and levels of anxiety and depression. Moreover, these deficits were persistent as their performance failed to improve after drug discontinuation.
A comparison of age-related deficits in memory and frontal lobe function following oral lorazepam administration
Authors: Kirkby Kenneth C. , Montgomery Iain M. , Badcock Ros , Daniels Brett A.
Published: March 2007

Differential responses on cognitive function of young (18-45 years, n = 17) and elderly (60-75 years, n = 9) subjects were compared before and after a challenge with lorazepam (2 mg oral) or placebo. Tests of memory and frontal lobe function were administered to determine the specificity of the amnesic deficit produced and the interaction of drug and the aging brain. Anterograde amnesia, as assessed by recall of a word list, was noted in both groups and was greater in the elderly. Whereas lorazepam produced only impaired recall in the young group, the elderly group manifested a further range of cognitive impairments, including decreased verbal fluency on the controlled oral word association test and reduced performance on the Wisconsin card-sorting test. These impairments in the elderly group could not be attributed to performance deficits pre-drug. Short-term memory, as evidenced by digit span and the copy trial of the Rey figure, was not impaired by lorazepam. It is concluded that whilst lorazepam produces a relatively `pure' amnesia in young to middle aged adults, in the elderly there is an admixture of deficits in some frontal lobe functions. This is presumed to reflect age-related changes in the brain and may be analogous to the spectrum of results noted in Korsakoff's psychosis as opposed to 'pure' diencephalic amnesia.
Anxiogenic activity of quinolinic acid and kynurenine in the social interaction test in mice
Authors: Lapin Izyaslav P. , Mutovkina Ludmila G. , Ryzov Ivan V. , Mirzaev Said
Published: March 2007

Quinolinic acid, a metabolite of tryptophan on the kynurenine pathway, shortened the duration of social contacts (sniffings) in C57BL/6 mice which had been previously isolated for 24 h. This effect was observed at the following time intervals after i.c.v. administration: 2-6, 22-26 and 32-36 min. Locomotion was significantly less inhibited and only during the first interval. L-Kynurenine sulphate was less active. It shortened the duration of contacts only during the 32-36 min interval after i.c.v. administration. Grooming was significantly reduced by quinolinic acid at 7-11, 12-16 and 17-21 min after administration. These effects of quinolinic acid in the social interaction test are similar to those of standard anxiogens and suggest that quinolinic acid belongs to the putative endogenous anxiogens (and not only to the endogenous convulsants). The same assumption about L-kynurenine based on data in other models of anxiety has been made previously.
Acute psychosis following intravenous abuse of pseudoephedrine: a case report
Authors: Sullivan Gary
Published: March 2007

A case is reported of acute psychosis, including florid visual and tactile hallucinations, in an 18-year-old male after intravenous misuse of 60 mg of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride. The literature is reviewed for other cases of psychosis following pseudoephedrine use.
Dopamine, the prefrontal cortex and schizophrenia
Authors: Knable Michael B. , Weinberger Daniel R.
Published: March 2007

Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in schizophrenia has been suspected based on observations from clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies. Since the PFC receives a dense dopaminergic innervation, abnormalities of the mesocortical dopamine system have been proposed to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In this review, aspects of the anatomy, physiology and pharmacology of the mesencephalic-frontal cortical dopamine system as they may relate to schizophrenia are described, and evidence for altered dopaminergic neurotransmission in the frontal cortex of schizophrenic patients is presented.
What is an atypical antipsychotic?
Authors: Reynolds Gavin P.
Published: March 2007

This is an exciting time for research into the drug treatment of schizophrenia. Modern techniques in imaging and molecular biology have contributed to our understanding of the receptor mechanisms of antipsychotic drug action. Several new antipsychotics are, or will shortly be, available and each of these new drugs promise improvements over classical antipsychotics. This review will discuss the concept of atypicality in antipsychotic drugs, and will describe some of the models for identification of improved antipsychotic action. The various receptor mechanisms proposed to underlie atypical antipsychotic action, several of which have featured in recent debates in this journal, will be considered in the light of the pharmacology of some of the newly- emerging antipsychotic drugs.
Guidelines for the Use of Antipsychotic Drug Studies in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: King David J. , BAP Consensus Group
Published: March 2007

The following article summarizes the background to a British Association for Psychopharmacology Workshop held at the Royal Society, London, on 15 March 1996. It includes abstracts of the papers presented at that meeting and concludes with a list of agreed guidelines for future studies with antipsychotic drugs in healthy volunteer subjects.
Effect of haloperidol on nicotine-induced enhancement of vigilance in human subjects
Authors: Lee C. , Frangou S. , Russell M.A.H. , Gray J.A.
Published: March 2007

We posed the question whether the cognitive enhancement caused by nicotine in human subjects is mediated by dopamine (DA) release. This issue was addressed by testing performance in the Wesnes and Warburton vigilance task after s.c. nicotine with or without concomitant oral haloperidol. The subjects were moderate (10-14 cigarettes/day) smokers after overnight deprivation of smoking. After an initial practice session, each subject participated in four further sessions spread over 2 weeks, after: placebo/placebo, placebo/haloperidol (5mg),placebo/nicotine (0.8 mg) or nicotine/haloperidol, double-blind with a balanced ordering of drug combinations. On each occasion, performance was measured on the vigilance task, a finger tapping test, and digit span forward and backward. Nicotine improved detection sensitivity on the vigilance task, and this effect was unchanged by haloperidol; the latter compound reduced forward digit span. Thus, the improved vigilance caused by nicotine does not appear to be mediated by DA systems.
A role for sensitization in craving and relapse in cocaine addiction
Authors: Kalivas Peter W. , Chris Pierce R. , Cornish Jennifer , Sorg Barbara A.
Published: March 2007

Sensitization to cocaine refers to the behavioral model of cocaine addiction where the motor stimulant effect of cocaine is augmented for months after discontinuing a regimen of repeated cocaine injections. There has been speculation that the neuroadaptations mediating this sensitization phenomenon may, in part, underlie the behavioral changes produced by chronic cocaine abuse, including paranoia, craving and relapse. Criteria are proposed that may assist in determining which neuroadaptations are most relevant in this regard. Using these criteria, a model is presented that endeavors to incorporate neuroadaptations issuing directly from the pharmacological effects of cocaine and those arising from learned associations the organism makes with the cocaine injection procedure and pharmacological actions. It is proposed that the pharmacological neuroadaptations predominate in the manifestation of cocaine-induced paranoia, while the changes derived from learning may provide more critical underpinnings for cocaine craving and relapse.
Historical Concepts of the Body
Authors: Duden Barbara
Published: March 2007

In the perspective of cultural history, "health" is a late 18th century construct. It appears as a term that legitimates the organized concern for the well-being of others. Under the banner of health, institutionalized intervention related to the redefinition and management of women's bodies multiply during the 19th century.

Recent women's studies have amply documented the sexist use to which the new health-related concepts have been put. But the semantic reconstruction of the female body as an implicit result of the new scientific concepts has unfortunately attracted less attention. Because it is precisely in the mirror of gynecology that the insidious new dependence of the citizen's well-being from professional management can be best studied. The historical study of body images and related scientific themes is fundamental to the critique of the now prevalent ideology of "health."
Medical Technology and Critical Decisions: an Interdisciplinary Course in Technological Literacy
Authors: Ducas Theodore W. , Grant James H. , Shuchat Alan
Published: March 2007

This paper describes a new course in Medical Technology and Critical Decisions, part of the Technology Studies Program at Wellesley College, established with the support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's New Liberal Arts Program. The course uses the dramatic new options in medicine presented by technology to individuals and society as a vehicle for promoting general technological literacy in liberal arts students. The course motivates the study of the scientific principles on which the technology rests and the mathematical principles of a methodology for making rational choices. A case in point is the decision of a pregnant woman whether or not to undergo amniocentesis, a procedure used to determine the genetic make-up of a fetus from cells in the amniotic fluid. The course introduces students to the underlying notions of genetics; the physical principles behind the ultrasound imaging technique used to position the needle that draws the fluid; the probability and statistics needed to understand the risks to the woman and fetus both of having and of not having the procedure; and the methodology of decision analysis, increasingly used by genetic counselors to help prospective parents incorporate their personal values into the decision-making process.
Technical Careers for Women: a Perspective From Rural Appalachia
Authors: Bishara Michael N.
Published: March 2007

The onset of the electronics-based information revolution will augur changes in the sociological perceptions of 'suitable careers' for women. This phenomenon is particularly evident in rural Appalachia.

A planned, systematic delivery system was designed, developed, and implemented by Southwest Virginia Community College to introduce women to the challenges and possibilities of technical careers. This was accomplished through a gradualized phase-in to Technological Literacy, followed by in-depth involvement, culminating in an industrial internship experience. A special curriculum was designed to ease the transition of the women, most of whom were homemakers, into the fast-paced mainstream of the academic environment.

Duration of the introductory segment was one academic quarter. All project participants were clustered in a peer group, led by the project director, a trained counselor. In addition to a central course on Career Directions for Women, the program design emphasized Industrial Dynamics, the variety of uses possible with "user-friendly" microcomputers, Computer-Assisted Drafting, Electronics Instrumentation, Mathematics and Communications. Field experiences and visits to area industries were integrated into the program plan, as were visits from women who had achieved success in technical careers. Particular efforts were made to arrange for visits by the limited number of women alumni from the college's technical programs. Students were then mainstreamed into a regular program in Electronics or Computer Aided Drafting in the intermediate segment. Students are given a closer look at the industrial sector in the final segment.

An examination of the social structure in Appalachian Virginia is presented, together with an albeit tentative prediction of the implications for female wage earners in this highly traditional region, so dependent heretofore on coal mining. Finally, the concept of whether this effort will lead to evolution, rather than revolution, is discussed.

While covering a somewhat homogeneous and unique population cluster, the action blueprint outlined can be applied to other population groups in the U.S. and abroad.