bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immunotherapy of Hematologic Malignancy
Authors: Heslop Helen E. , Stevenson Freda K. , Molldrem Jeffrey J.
Published: November 2003

Over the past few years, improved understanding of the molecular basis of interactions between antigen presenting cells and effector cells and advances in informatics have both led to the identification of many candidate antigens that are targets for immunotherapy. However, while immunotherapy has successfully eradicated relapsed hematologic malignancy after allogeneic transplant as well as virally induced tumors, limitations have been identified in extending immunotherapy to a wider range of hematologic malignancies. This review provides an overview of three immunotherapy strategies and how they may be improved.

In Section I, Dr. Stevenson reviews the clinical experience with genetic vaccines delivered through naked DNA alone or viral vectors, which are showing promise in clinical trials in lymphoma and myeloma patients. She describes efforts to manipulate constructs genetically to enhance immunogenicity and to add additional elements to generate a more sustained immune response.

In Section II, Dr. Molldrem describes clinical experience with peptide vaccines, with a particular focus on myeloid tissue-restricted proteins as GVL target antigens in CML and AML. Proteinase 3 and other azurophil granule proteins may be particularly good targets for both autologous and allogeneic T-cell responses. The potency of peptide vaccines may potentially be increased by genetically modifying peptides to enhance T-cell receptor affinity.

Finally, in Section III, Dr. Heslop reviews clinical experience with adoptive immunotherapy with T cells. Transferred T cells have clinical benefit in treating relapsed malignancy post transplant, and Epstein-Barr virus associated tumors. However, T cells have been less successful in treating other hematologic malignancies due to inadequate persistence or expansion of adoptively transferred cells and the presence of tumor evasion mechanisms. An improved understanding of the interactions of antigen presenting cells with T cells should optimize efforts to manufacture effector T cells, while manipulation of lymphocyte homeostasis in vivo and development of gene therapy approaches may enhance the persistence and function of adoptively transferred T cells.
Consultations on Patients with Venous or Arterial Diseases
Authors: Alving Barbara M. , Francis Charles W. , Hiatt William R. , Jackson Mark R.
Published: November 2003

Advances in vascular biology and drug development, as well as improved interventional techniques, are yielding multiple new treatments for patients with venous and/or arterial thrombosis. Hematologists who are providing consultations for these patients often participate in a multidisciplinary approach to provide optimal care. New anticoagulants, simplified and validated tests for detecting vascular disease, and improved interventional procedures can all reduce the morbidity and mortality that result from venous and arterial thrombosis. In this chapter, different aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders are addressed by a hematologist, an expert in vascular medicine, and a vascular surgeon.

The key to the prevention and treatment of venous and arterial thrombosis is anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy. In Section I, Dr. Charles Francis, a hematologist with expertise in thrombosis and hemostasis, describes the clinical trials that have resulted in the approval of newer anticoagulants such as fondaparinux and the thrombin- specific inhibitors. He also reviews the clinical trials that have shown the efficacy of the new oral anticoagulant ximelagatran. Although currently under study primarily for the prevention and treatment of venous thrombosis, these anticoagulants are likely to undergo evaluation for use in arterial thrombosis.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which affects as many as 12% of individuals over the age of 65 years, provides a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to physicians across multiple subspecialties. Dr. William Hiatt, a specialist in vascular medicine, discusses in Section II the epidemiology and manifestations of PAD, the best ways in which to diagnose this disorder and determine its severity, and the most appropriate pharmacologic treatment.

In Section III, Dr. Mark Jackson, a vascular surgeon, describes interventional procedures that have been developed or are under development to treat arterial thrombosis. He also reviews the status of inferior vena caval filters that are retrievable.
Congenital Bleeding Disorders
Authors: Rick Margaret E. , Walsh Christopher E. , Key Nigel S.
Published: November 2003

Both clinical and basic problems related to the congenital bleeding disorders continue to confront hematologists. On the forefront are efforts to bring genetic correction of the more common bleeding disorders such as hemophilia A to the clinic in a safe and accessible manner. A second issue, particularly for patients with hemophilia, is the development of inhibitors—questions of how they arise and how to prevent and treat these problems that confound otherwise very successful replacement therapy and allow patients to maintain normal lifestyles. A third issue is the continuing question of diagnosis and management of von Willebrand disease, the most common congenital bleeding disorder, especially in individuals who have borderline laboratory values, but have a history of clinical bleeding.

In Section I, Dr. Christopher Walsh discusses general principles of effective gene transfer for the hemophilias, specific information about viral vectors and non-viral gene transfer, and alternative target tissues for factor VIII and factor IX production. He highlights information about the immune response to gene transfer and reviews data from the hemophilia gene transfer trials to date. The future prospects for newer methods of therapy such as RNA repair and the use of gene-modified circulating endothelial progenitors are presented as possible alternatives to the more traditional gene therapy approaches.

In Section II, Dr. Nigel Key focuses on inhibitor development in patients with hemophilia A. He reviews the progress in our understanding of the risk factors and presents newer information about the immunobiology of inhibitor development. He discusses the natural history of these inhibitors and the screening, laboratory diagnosis, and treatment, including the use of different modalities for the treatment of acute bleeding episodes. Dr. Key also presents information about the eradication of inhibitors by immune tolerance induction and reviews recent information from the international registries regarding the status and success of immune tolerance induction.

In Section III, Dr. Margaret Rick discusses the diagnosis, classification, and management of von Willebrand disease. Attention is given to the difficulty of diagnosis in patients with mild bleeding histories and borderline laboratory test results for von Willebrand factor. She presents the value of different laboratory assays for both diagnosis and classification, and she relates the classification of von Willebrand disease to the choice of treatment and to the known genetic mutations. Practical issues of diagnosis and treatment, including clinical cases, will be presented.
New CFSE-based assay to determine susceptibility to lysis by cytotoxic T cells of leukemic precursor cells within a heterogeneous target cell population
Authors: Jedema Inge , van der Werff Nicole M. , Barge Renée M. Y. , Willemze Roel , Falkenburg J. H. Frederik
Published: November 2003

For the clinical evaluation of the efficacy of cellular immunotherapy it is necessary to analyze the effector functions of T cells against primary leukemic target cell populations which are usually considerably heterogeneous caused by differential maturation stages of the leukemic cells. An appropriate assay should not only allow the quantitative analysis of rapid cell death induction as measured by the conventional 51Cr release assay but also of the more slowly executing pathways of T-cell-induced apoptosis occurring within days instead of hours which cannot be measured using this method. Furthermore, it should dissect the differential susceptibility to T-cell-induced cell death of various target cell subpopulations and characterize the malignant precursor cells capable of producing malignant progeny. To fulfill these requirements we developed a new assay based on carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) labeling of the target cell population combined with antibody staining of specific cell populations and addition of fluorescent microbeads to quantitatively monitor target cell death occurring within a longer time frame up to at least 5 days. This new assay facilitates the analysis of differential recognition of distinct cell types within a heterogeneous target cell population and allows simultaneously evaluation of the proliferative status of surviving target cells in response to relevant cytokines. (Blood. 2004;103: 2677-2682)
Coward or braveheart: extreme habitat fidelity through hypoxia tolerance in a coral-dwelling goby
Authors: Nilsson Göran E. , Hobbs Jean-Paul , Munday Philip L. , Östlund-Nilsson Sara
Published: November 2003

Coral reef fishes are not known for their hypoxia tolerance. The coral-dwelling goby, Gobiodon histrio, rarely leaves the shelter of its host coral colony. However, our measurements indicate that this habitat could become hypoxic on calm nights ([O2] minima=2–30% of air saturation) due to respiration by the coral and associated organisms. Moreover, at very low tides, the whole coral colony can be completely air exposed. Using closed respirometry in water, we found that G. histriomaintains O2 uptake down to 18% of air saturation, and that it can tolerate at least 2 h at even lower O2 levels. Furthermore, during air exposure, which was tolerated for more than 3 h, it upheld a rate of O2 consumption that was 60% of that in water. The hypoxia tolerance and air breathing abilities enables this fish to stay in the safety of its coral home even when exposed to severe hypoxia or air. To our knowledge, this is the first report of hypoxia tolerance in a teleost fish intimately associated with coral reefs.
Body temperature and locomotor capacity in a heterothermic rodent
Authors: Wooden K. Mark , Walsberg Glenn E.
Published: November 2003

We quantify the locomotor capacity of the round-tailed ground squirrel(Spermophilus tereticaudus), a mammal that can lower energetic costs by relaxing thermoregulatory limits without becoming inactive. We measured maximum sprint speed, maximum limb cycling frequency and maximum force production in animals at body temperatures ranging from 31°C to 41°C. We found no thermal dependence in any of these parameters of locomotion. Results (means ± s.e.m.) across this range of body temperatures were: sprint speed = 4.73±0.04 m s-1, limb cycling frequency = 19.4±0.1 Hz and maximum force production =0.012±0.0003 N g-1. The neuro-muscular system of this species may thus be less thermally dependent at these temperatures than that of other mammals, allowing for the maintenance of whole-animal performance across a broader range of body temperatures. The absence of any significant loss of locomotor capabilities associated with either a decrease of 7-8°C or a rise of 3-4°C in body temperature from typical mammalian values raises significant questions regarding our understanding of the evolution and physiology of the mammalian mode of thermoregulation.
Visual learning in individually assayedDrosophilalarvae
Authors: Gerber B. , Scherer S. , Neuser K. , Michels B. , Hendel T. , Stocker R. F. , Heisenberg M.
Published: November 2003

An understanding of associative learning is facilitated if it can be analyzed in a simple animal like the fruit fly Drosophila. Here, we introduce the first visual associative learning paradigm for larval Drosophila; this is remarkable as larvae have an order of magnitude fewer neurons than adult flies. Larvae were subjected to either of two reciprocal training regimes: Light+/Dark- or Light-/Dark+. Subsequently, all larvae were individually tested for their preference between Light versus Dark. The difference between training regimes was therefore exclusively which visual situation was associated with which reinforcer;differences observed during the test thus reflected exclusively associative learning. For positive reinforcement (+) we used fructose (FRU), and for negative reinforcement (-) either quinine or sodium chloride (QUI, NaCl). Under these conditions, associative learning could be reproducibly observed in both wild-type strains tested. We then compared the effectiveness of training using differential conditioning, with both positive and negative reinforcement, to that using only positive or only negative reinforcement. We found that FRU only, but neither QUI nor NaCl, was in itself effective as a reinforcer. This is the first demonstration of appetitive learning in larval Drosophila. It is now possible to investigate the behavioral and neuronal organization of appetitive visual learning in this simple and genetically easy-to-manipulate experimental system.
Insect oviposition induces volatile emission in herbaceous plants that attracts egg parasitoids
Authors: Colazza Stefano , Fucarino Alessandro , Peri Ezio , Salerno Gianandrea , Conti Eric , Bin Ferdinando
Published: November 2003

The egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera:Scelionidae) responded to synomones emitted by leguminous plants induced by feeding and oviposition activity of the bug Nezara viridula (L.)(Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). This was shown by laboratory bioassays using a Y-tube olfactometer. Broad bean leaves (Vicia faba L.) damaged by feeding activity of N. viridula and on which host egg mass had been laid produced synomones that attracted T. basalis. By contrast,undamaged leaves or feeding-damaged leaves without eggs did not attract wasp females. French bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) also emitted attractive synomones when they were damaged by host feeding and carrying egg masses. Thus, release of feeding- and oviposition-induced synomones does not seem to be plant-specific. Synomone production was shown to be a systemically induced plant physiological response to feeding damage and oviposition. Also,parts of the plant that were left undamaged and did not carry host eggs emitted attractive synomones when other parts of the plant were damaged by feeding and carrying eggs. Furthermore, wasps were not attracted by N. viridula egg masses offered alone or combined with damaged broad bean leaves. Thus, the attractiveness of feeding-damaged leaves carrying eggs is due to induction by feeding and oviposition rather than due to a combined effect of attractive volatiles released from eggs and damaged leaves. The production of synomones was influenced by the age of the host egg mass,because feeding-damaged leaves bearing egg masses attracted the parasitoid until the eggs were ∼72-96 h old but not once the larvae had hatched from the eggs (∼120 h old). These results show that annual plants are able to produce synomones as a consequence of feeding and egg mass oviposition by a sucking insect.
The Long-Term Effects of Price Promotions on Category Incidence, Brand Choice, and Purchase Quantity
Authors: Pauwels Koen , Hanssens Dominique M. , Siddarth S.
Published: November 2003

To what extent do price promotions have a long-term effect on the components of brand sales, namely, category incidence, brand choice, and purchase quantity? The authors answer this question by using persistence modeling on weekly sales data of a perishable and a storable product derived from a scanner panel. Their analysis reveals, first, that permanent promotion effects are virtually absent for each sales component. Next, the authors develop and apply an impulse response approach to estimate the promotional adjustment period and the total dynamic effects of a price promotion. Specifically, they calculate the long-term equivalent of Gupta's (1988) 14/84/2 breakdown of promotional effects. Because of positive adjustment effects for incidence but negative adjustment effects for choice, the authors find a reversal of the importance of category incidence and brand choice: 66/11/23 for the storable product and 58/39/3 for the perishable product. The authors discuss the implications of the findings and suggest some areas for further research.
Informants in Organizational Marketing Research: Why Use Multiple Informants and how to Aggregate Responses
Authors: Van Bruggen Gerrit H. , Lilien Gary L. , Kacker Manish
Published: November 2003

Organizational research frequently involves seeking judgmental response data from informants within organizations. This article discusses why using multiple informants improves the quality of response data and thereby the validity of research findings. The authors show that when there are multiple informants who disagree, responses aggregated with confidence- or competence-based weights outperform those with response data-based weights, which in turn provide significant gains in estimation accuracy over simply averaging informant reports. The proposed methods are effective, inexpensive, and easy to use in organizational marketing research.
An Empirical Comparison of Logit Choice Models with Discrete versus Continuous Representations of Heterogeneity
Authors: Andrews Rick L. , Ainslie Andrew , Currim Imran S.
Published: November 2003

Currently, there is an important debate about the relative merits of models with discrete and continuous representations of consumer heterogeneity. In a recent JMR study, Andrews, Ansari, and Currim (2002 ; hereafter AAC) compared metric conjoint analysis models with discrete and continuous representations of heterogeneity and found no differences between the two models with respect to parameter recovery and prediction of ratings for holdout profiles. Models with continuous representations of heterogeneity fit the data better than models with discrete representations of heterogeneity. The goal of the current study is to compare the relative performance of logit choice models with discrete versus continuous representations of heterogeneity in terms of the accuracy of household-level parameters, fit, and forecasting accuracy. To accomplish this goal, the authors conduct an extensive simulation experiment with logit models in a scanner data context, using an experimental design based on AAC and other recent simulation studies. One of the main findings is that models with continuous and discrete representations of heterogeneity recover household-level parameter estimates and predict holdout choices about equally well except when the number of purchases per household is small, in which case the models with continuous representations perform very poorly. As in the AAC study, models with continuous representations of heterogeneity fit the data better.
Marketing the Unfamiliar: The Role of Context and Item-Specific Information in Electronic Agent Recommendations
Authors: Cooke Alan D.J. , Sujan Harish , Sujan Mita , Weitz Barton A.
Published: November 2003

Electronic agents have the capacity to help consumers discover new products and generate demand for unfamiliar products. This article explores how consumers respond to recommendations of unfamiliar products made by electronic agents. Two studies using simulated music shopping agents show that (1) additional recommendations of familiar products serve as a context in which unfamiliar recommendations are evaluated; (2) when the presentation of the recommendations makes unfamiliar and familiar products appear similar, evaluative assimilation results; and (3) when additional information about unfamiliar products is given, consumers discriminate them from the familiar products, which produces evaluative contrast. These results establish that information that leads to higher evaluations when context is absent can lead to contrast and lower evaluations in the presence of attractive contextual recommendations.
Does it Make Sense to Use Scents to Enhance Brand Memory?
Authors: Morrin Maureen , Ratneshwar S.
Published: November 2003

Can pleasant ambient scents enhance consumer memory for branded products? If so, why? The authors examine the effects of ambient scent on recall and recognition of brands in two studies. In the first (i.e., encoding) phase of each study, subjects are asked to evaluate familiar and unfamiliar brands while viewing digital photographs of products on a computer screen; stimulus viewing times are measured covertly on the computer. Ambient scent is manipulated in the experiment room through a diffuser. In the second (i.e., retrieval) phase, conducted 24-hours later, brand recall and recognition accuracy are assessed. In both studies, ambient scent improves both recall and recognition of familiar and unfamiliar brands. This pattern emerges whether or not the scent is congruent with the product category (Study 1), and the enhancement in brand memory is due to the presence of ambient scent during encoding rather than retrieval (Study 2). Although ambient scent apparently did not alter subjects' self-assessed mood or arousal levels, it increased their attention in terms of longer stimulus viewing times. Mediation analyses suggest that the attention mechanism most likely explains why ambient scent improves brand memory.
Incommensurate Resources: Not Just More of the Same
Authors: Nunes Joseph C. , Park C. Whan
Published: November 2003

The pricing literature is replete with research that focuses on how consumers respond to sales promotions when both the reference level and the change are expressed in dollar terms (i.e., discounts). The psychophysics of pricing suggests that changes in monetary magnitude are not based on their absolute level, but rather on their deviation from some reference level, or how the change is “framed.” Often, however, a promotion is presented in nonmonetary terms (e.g., a premium). When two resources are delivered simultaneously, but in different currencies (e.g., receive a free razor with the purchase of a can of shaving cream), the marginal value of the nonmonetary, incremental benefit may be difficult to evaluate in relation to the focal product or its price. Therefore, the value of the premium may be less likely than a comparable discount to be viewed in a relative sense and thus less likely to suffer from diminishing marginal returns. This research explores how people often fail to exhibit the same diminishing sensitivity to an incremental benefit, or cost, when it is accrued in a currency other than the referent currency. The authors define two different carriers of wealth or welfare (i.e., resources) that are difficult to convert into any meaningful common unit of measurement as “incommensurate.” This research introduces a novel mechanism for influencing whether people attend to absolute rather than relative differences. This work also offers guidance to managers who might benefit from the strategic use of nonmonetary promotions.
Ein effizienter Algorithmus für die nichtlineare prädiktive Regelung großer Systeme Teil II: Experimentelle Erprobung an einer Destillationskolonne (An Efficient Algorithm for Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of Large-Scale Systems Part II: Experimental Evaluation for a Distillation Column)
Authors: Diehl M. , Findeisen R. , Schwarzkopf S. , Uslu I. , Allgöwer F. , Bock H. G. , Gilles Ernst-Dieter , Schlöder J. P.
Published: November 2003

Im ersten Teil der vorliegenden Arbeit, der in der letzten Ausgabe at 12(2002) erschienen ist, wurde ein effizientes Verfahren für die Echtzeit-Optimierung in der nichtlinearen prädiktiven Regelung (NMPC) vorgestellt, das sogenannte Echtzeit-Iterations-Schema. Im vorliegenden zweiten Teil wird anhand der Regelung einer Destillationskolonne im Pilotanlagenmaßstab experimentell die Effizienz des vorgestellten Verfahrens bestätigt. In den Experimenten wird die Kolonne zur hochreinen Trennung eines binären Gemisches aus Methanol und n-Propanol verwendet. Das zur Regelung verwendete differentiell-algebraische Systemmodell ist steif und besitzt mehr als 200 Systemzustände. Trotz der hohen Systemordnung ist der Algorithmus in der Lage, auf einem Standard PC alle 20 Sekunden neuoptimierte Steuergrößen zur Verfügung zu stellen. Selbst für sehr große Störungen zeigt der geschlossene Kreis gutes Regelungsverhalten und erfüllt die geforderten Beschränkungen, wobei der notwendige Aufwand zur Einstellung der Reglerparameter minimal ist. Die präsentierten Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die nichtlineare prädiktive Regelung bei Verwendung des vorgestellten Verfahrens auch für große Systeme einsetzbar ist und zu guten Regelungsergebnissen führt.
Mobile haptische Schnittstellen für weiträumige Telepräsenz: Idee und Methodik (Mobile Haptic Interfaces for Extended Area Telepresence: Idea and Methodology)
Authors: Nitzsche N. , Hanebeck U. D. , Schmidt Günther
Published: November 2003

Dieser Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit Telepräsenzsystemen zur Interaktion mit weiträumigen realen oder virtuellen Zielumgebungen. Die dafür notwendige Fortbewegung wird durch freie, gehende Fortbewegung des Anwenders erreicht. Um gleichzeitig haptische Interaktion mit einer Zielumgebung zu ermöglichen, wird die haptische Schnittstelle mit dem Anwender mitgeführt. Neuartig ist dabei der Einsatz einer mobilen haptischen Schnittstelle, die der Fortbewegung des Anwenders aktiv folgt. Basierend auf den dargestellten Methoden wurde ein prototypisches Telepräsenzsystem zur haptischen Exploration von ausgedehnten virtuellen Umgebungen entwickelt und getestet.
Site-Covering - Eine Alternative zur Blickregistrierung? (Site-Covering – A Substitute to Eyetracking?)
Authors: Wilhelm Thorsten , Yom Miriam , Beger Dorit
Published: November 2003

Der vorliegende Artikel stellt eine neue Methode zur Erfassung der Informationsaufnahme und des Entscheidungsverhaltens auf Webseiten, das sog. Site-Covering, vor. Die Vorteile dieser Methode sind niedrige Kosten im Vergleich zu klassischen Verfahren der Blickregistrierung, die Möglichkeit zum Einsatz auch außerhalb des Labors und ein Zeitgewinn durch eine computergestützte Auswertung.Um die Zuverlässigkeit, Objektivität und Validität dieser Methode zu belegen, wurden die Daten der Site-Covering-Methode mit Blickregistrierungsdaten in einem Methodentest verglichen. Die Ergebnisse dieses Tests werden im Rahmen dieses Artikels vorgestellt.
Entwurf einer kollaborativen Augmented-Reality-Anwendung für industrielles Training (Designing a Vision-based Collaborative Augmented Reality Application for Industrial Training)
Authors: Zhong X. , Liu P. , Georganas N. D. , Boulanger P.
Published: November 2003

Augmented Reality (AR) stellt eine Variante der Virtuellen Realität dar. Mit AR-Techniken und innovativen Ausgabegeräten werden Benutzer in die Lage versetzt, rechnergenerierte virtuelle Objekte als eine Überlagerung der realen Umgebung wahrzunehmen. Die Benutzer solcher Systeme können mit der wahrgenommenen virtuellen Welt in Interaktion treten und mit zusätzlichen Informationen versorgt werden, wie etwa mit der textuellen Beschreibung physischer Objekte oder Anweisungen für durchzuführende Aufgaben in Form von Annotationen, Sprachinstruktionen, Bildern oder sogar 3D-Modellen. Im vorliegenden Aufsatz wird eine auf AR-Techniken beruhendes prototypisches System für das kollaborative Teletraining im industriellen Umfeld beschrieben. Durch die Anwendung verteilter AR-Techniken können auch Benutzer an entfernten Standorten das vom lokalen Benutzer Wahrgenommene sehen und so die gestellte Trainingsaufgabe kooperativ lösen. Die Benutzer können interaktiv virtuelle Objekte, die einen Ersatz für reale Objekte darstellen, manipulieren, mit ihnen experimentieren und die Trainingsaufgabe gemeinsam diskutieren. Es wird eine neue Technik für die Identifikation realer Objekte und die Bestimmung ihrer Koordinatensysteme vorgestellt. Die vorgeschlagene Methode nutzt sogenannte "Binary Square Marker", die angebracht an realen Objekten die technische Voraussetzung für die Identifikation einer großen Anzahl realer Objekte mittels Techniken der Bilderkennung darstellen.
Harmonic and anharmonic thermal vibrations in cubic ZnSe
Authors: Davaasambuu J. , Daniel A. , Stahn J. , Pietsch U.
Published: November 2003

The parameters of the interatomic one-particle potentials of cubic ZnSe were determined experimentally unsing X-ray diffraction methods. The harmonic force constants α of zinc and selenium were obtained from the temperature dependence of mean square displacements evaluated from the intergrated intensities of selected reflections between 50 K and 300 K at a wavelength of λ = 0.806 Å. Least squares analysis of the experimental data yields the room temperature mean square displacements 〈u
2
Zn〉 = 0.0129(10)Å2 and 〈u2
Se〉 = 0.0115(10)Å2 i.e. harmonic force constants α
Zn = 3.21(1) · 10-19 J Å-2 and α
Se = 3.60(1) · 10-19 J Å-2, respectively. The third order anharmonicity constant β was determined exploiting the energy dependence of the Bijvoet ratio between the reflections 666 and 6̅6̅6̅ near the K-absorption edge of Se. It amounts to β
Zn = 1.48(15) · 10-19 J Å-3 assuming β
Zn = -β
Se. The coefficients of the one-particle potentials of the series Ge, GaAs and ZnSe α and β decreases with rising ionicity.
New phases in the Na3PO4-Mg3(PO4)2 binary quenched from 1000 °C
Authors: Gozel G. , Thompson J. G. , Melnitchenko A.
Published: November 2003

A reinvestigation of the Na3PO4-Mg3(PO4)2 binary at 1000 °C has identified two new ternary oxide phases and confirmed the existence of an orthorhombic solid solution phase in the vicinity of NaMg4(PO4)3. Cubic γ-Na3PO4 shows a solid solution up to ~20 mol. % Mg3(PO4)2. Between ~24 and ~29 mol. % a new γ-Na3PO4-related rhombohedral superstructure phase is observed. At ~44 mol. % Mg3(PO4)2 a new phase with a cristobalite-related structure is observed, which on cooling rapidly to room-temperature transforms to KGaO2-type (Pbca:
a = 10.409(2) Å, b = 14.492(2) Å, c = 5.211(1) Å). The NaMg4(PO4)3 solid-solution phase extends between ~72 and 80 mol. % Mg3(PO4)2. Surprisingly, and contrary to previous investigations, there is no phase at 50 mol. %, i.e. with stoichiometry NaMgPO4. All high-temperature annealing was performed in sealed Pt tubes to prevent loss of components to the atmosphere, which is suspected as the reason for the quite different results reported by some previous workers.
Oxidation of Nicotinate Ion by Heptavalent Manganese: a Kinetic and Mechanistic Approach
Authors: Bilehal D. C. , Kulkarni R. M. , Nandibewoor S. T.
Published: November 2003

The kinetics of oxidation of nicotinate ion by permanganate in alkaline medium at a constant ionic strength has been studied spectrophotometrically. The reaction between permanganate and nicotinate ion in alkaline medium exhibits 2 : 1 stoichiometry KMnO4 : Nicotinate ion). The reaction shows first order dependence of rate on permanganate concentration and less than unit order dependence each in nicotinate ion and alkali concentrations. Reaction rate increases with increase in ionic strength and decrease in solvent polarity of the medium. Initial addition of reaction products did not affect the rate significantly. A mechanism involving the formation of an intermediate complex between oxidant and substrate has been proposed. The rate and the activation parameters for the slow step have been evaluated.
Quetiapine in the elderly with parkinsonism and psychosis
Authors: Wijnen H.H , van der Heijden F.M.M.A , van Schendel F.M.E , Tuinier S , Verhoeven W.M.A
Published: November 2003

In the present open prospective study the effects of quetiapine were investigated in two elderly patients with parkinsonism and psychosis. Treatment induced a marked antipsychotic effect that coincided with an improvement of general motor functioning. These findings support the idea that quetiapine may be preferentially of use in the elderly with parkinson’s disease and psychotic symptoms.
Frequency and impact of patient suicide on psychiatric trainees
Authors: Pieters Guido , De Gucht Véronique , Joos Gustaaf , De Heyn Elke
Published: November 2003

The objective of the present study was to conduct a systematic inquiry into the frequency and impact of patients’ suicide on psychiatric trainees, and the availability and usefulness of training courses. Data were collected from 114 psychiatric trainees of the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, representing a 70% response rate. A self-report questionnaire developed in the UK was adapted to the Flemish situation. A Dutch version of the Impact of Event Scale (IES) inquiring about post-traumatic stress symptoms was also used. The frequency of suicide experience was considerably higher in the present study than in similar studies in the USA and the UK. Thirty percent of first year trainees had been confronted with patient suicide. Personal and professional impact of patient suicide, as well as post-traumatic stress scores were considerably lower in Flemish psychiatric trainees. They considered informal support to be of more value than formal support to come to terms with the event. Finally, postgraduate training in post-suicide management was found to be largely insufficient. The results of the present study show that psychiatric trainees in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium are at a high risk of experiencing patient suicide, whereas the impact of this experience appears to be relatively low. Only a small minority of trainees has received adequate training on procedures to follow after patient suicide.
MINI International Neuropsychiatric Schedule: clinical utility and patient acceptance
Authors: Pinninti Narsimha R , Madison Harry , Musser Erica , Rissmiller David
Published: November 2003

Objective. –

Clinical diagnosis has been shown to be unreliable compared to structured diagnostic schedules. However, clinicians rarely use structured diagnostic schedules due to concerns about the feasibility in clinical practice and about patient acceptance. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Schedule is a short diagnostic instrument validated against SCID and CIDI but its feasibility and patient acceptance has not been studied.

Subjects and methods. –

One hundred and eleven patients admitted to a partial program were administered Mini International Neuropsychiatric Schedule and the interview was timed. A short questionnaire was administered to assess patients’ views about the interview. For a subgroup of patients, diagnoses by both open interviews and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) were available. These were compared to look for agreement in primary diagnoses and co-morbid conditions.

Results. –

MINI took an average of 16.4 min to administer. Patients’ views of MINI were positive. It was considered comprehensive enough to cover all patient symptoms and at the same time not unduly lengthy. Patients were not bothered by the interview format. There was disagreement between MINI primary diagnosis and open diagnosis in 42% cases. In 33% the disagreement was of substantial clinical significance. MINI diagnosed more co-morbid conditions (average 2.05 compared to 0.5 in open interview).

Conclusions. –

MINI is a short diagnostic interview schedule that can be easily incorporated into routine clinical interviews. It has good acceptance by patients.
The dexamethasone suppression test and DSM-III-R diagnoses in suicide attempters
Authors: Westrin Åsa , Frii Karin , Träskman-Bendz Lil
Published: November 2003

Previous research on hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis-activity in suicide attempter research has shown conflicting outcomes. The design of the present study was to test the influence of personality disorders and concominant axis I diagnoses on the dexamethasone suppression diagnostic test by use of multiple regression analyses. The sample consisted of 184 patients with a recent suicide attempt and 42 healthy controls. As expected, the lowest pre- and postdexamethasone cortisol levels were found in patients with personality disorders axis II, cluster B as compared to the other patients. The results remained significant when analysed for covariance with DSM-III-R axis I diagnoses, age or sex. Whether these low cortisol levels are due to previous experience of extreme stressful events or long-lasting burden, or whether they may be a consequence of biogenetic or psychological predisposal of interest, remains to be elucidated. Axis I comorbidity needs to be further examined.
Electron impact dissociative excitation of O2: 1. Kinetic energy distributions of fast oxygen atoms
Authors: Makarov O. P. , Kanik I. , Ajello J. M.
Published: November 2003

The kinetic energy distribution of oxygen atoms resulting from electron impact dissociation of O2 has been measured. A high‐resolution vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer was employed for the measurement of the OI(115.2 nm, 130.4 nm, 135.6 nm) fine‐structure emission line profiles at 35 eV and 100 eV electron impact energies. The deconvolved line profiles of atomic oxygen reveal the existence of a broad line profile (∼30–40 mÅ full width at half maximum) produced from a combination of dissociative excitation and dissociative ionization excitation processes. The atomic oxygen kinetic energy distributions at 100 eV electron impact energy spans the energy range from 1 to 10 eV, with a peak value near 1 eV. The excitation functions of OI(115.2 nm, 130.4 nm, 135.6 nm) were measured in the vicinity of threshold, from 14 to 50 eV. The PACS classification is 34.80.Gs (electron scattering‐molecular dissociation) and 33.50Dq (molecular spectra‐fluorescence).
Electron impact dissociative excitation of O2: 2. Absolute emission cross sections of the OI(130.4 nm) and OI(135.6 nm) lines
Authors: Kanik I. , Noren C. , Makarov O. P. , Vattipalle P. , Ajello J. M. , Shemansky D. E.
Published: November 2003

In this work, we report the OI(135.6 nm) absolute emission cross section resulting from the long‐lived (180 μs) OI(5S → 3P) transition from dissociative excitation of O2. From the ratio of the integrated intensities of the OI(135.6 nm) and OI(130.4 nm) features and from the absolute emission cross section for the OI(130.4 nm) emission feature from electron impact dissociative excitation of O2 at 100 eV, the absolute emission cross section for the OI(135.6 nm) feature was determined to be 6.4 × 10−18 cm2 at 100 eV. Electron impact‐induced optical excitation functions for optically allowed transitions at 115.2 nm and 130.4 nm and for an optically forbidden transition at 135.6 nm were also obtained over the electron impact energy range 0–600 eV. The OI(135.6 nm) emission cross section was measured in the laboratory utilizing a large collision chamber (1.5 m in diameter). Electrons were produced with an electrostatically focusing gun with a large focal length (50 cm). The OI(130.4 nm, 135.6 nm) excitation functions were put on an absolute scale as described in the text, and the OI(135.6 nm)/OI(130.4 nm) ratio was determined for the entire energy range (0–600 eV). The atomic O UV emission cross sections from dissociative excitation of O2 can be used to model the recent Hubble Space Telescope observations of OI(130.4 nm) and OI(135.6 nm) intensities from Ganymede [Feldman et al., 2000] and Europa [Hall et al., 1995, 1998].
A satellite approach for estimating regional land surface energy budget for GCIP/GAPP
Authors: Meng C. Jesse , Pinker Rachel T. , Tarpley J. Dan , Laszlo Istvan
Published: November 2003

Conventional observations cannot provide information on land surface energy fluxes, or information for land surface parameterizations, on a global or regional scale. In this paper, a satellite approach for estimating regional land surface energy budget is developed and implemented to the Mississippi River Basin, which serves as the focus of the World Climate Research Program Global Energy and Water cycles Experiment (GEWEX) Continental Scale International Project (GCIP) and GEWEX Americas Prediction Project (GAPP). The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of using recently available satellite information to advance current capabilities in determining regional land surface energy budget. The primary forcing parameters in this approach, namely, surface shortwave radiation and skin temperature, are derived from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) observations, using inference schemes that are operationally executed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS). Shortwave radiation is used to define the absorbed energy at the surface. Diurnal variation of skin temperature is used to define the surface energy partitioning. The real‐time NESDIS GOES product covers the continental United States (25°–53°N, 67°–125°W), at a 0.5° spatial resolution and an hourly temporal resolution. Atmospheric conditions of near‐surface air temperature, humidity, and wind speed are obtained from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Eta model output. A 1‐year simulation (May 1997 to May 1998) of the Mississippi River Basin surface energy budget is performed. Model inputs of shortwave radiation and skin temperature, and resulting latent and sensible heat fluxes, are evaluated on various spatial and temporal scales. On a local scale, over the 1‐year study period, the RMS difference between estimated and observed monthly shortwave fluxes and latent and sensible heat fluxes are 32, 21, and 20 Wm−2, respectively. On a regional scale the estimated summertime energy fluxes are of similar pattern and same order of magnitude as the corresponding reanalysis results from NCEP and National Center for Atmospheric Research.
High‐resolution 40Ar/39Ar dating of the oldest oceanic basement basalts in the western Pacific basin
Authors: Koppers Anthony A. P. , Staudigel Hubert , Duncan Robert A.
Published: November 2003

We report new 40Ar/39Ar ages for the oldest Pacific oceanic floor at Ocean Drilling Program Site 801C in the Pigafetta basin and Site 1149D close to the Izu‐Bonin subduction zone in the Nadezhda basin. These ages were determined by applying high‐resolution incremental heating experiments (including 15–30 heating steps) to better resolve the primary argon signal from interfering alteration signatures in these low‐potassium ocean crust basalts. Combined with previous results from Pringle [1992] for Site 801B and 801C, we arrive at a multistage history for the formation of the Pigafetta ocean crust. The oldest part of the Pacific plate was formed at the spreading ridges at 167.4 ± 1.4/3.4 Ma (n = 2, 2σ internal/absolute error), offering an important calibration point on the Geological Reversal Timescale (GRTS) since it represents the old end of the Mesozoic magnetic anomalies. This mid‐ocean ridge basalt sequence, however, is overlain by more tholeiites and alkali basalts that were formed 7.3 ± 1.5 Myr later around 160.1 ± 0.6 Ma (n = 7, 2σ internal error). The older age group is confirmed independently by radiolarian ages ranging from Late Bajocian to Middle Bathonian (167–173 Ma [Bartolini and Larson, 2001]) and by profound differences in the structural characteristics of this basement section [Pockalny and Larson, 2003]. Thin layers comprising hydrothermal deposits separate these sequences, which in addition to the difference in isotopic age show distinct major and trace element compositions. This indicates that key volcanic and hydrothermal activity took place 400–600 km away from the spreading ridges, on the basis of a Jurassic ∼66 km/Myr half spreading rate in the Pacific. It remains unclear if these processes were active continuously after the initial formation of the Pacific oceanic crust, but all our observations seem to point to an episodic history. Site 1149D gives another important calibration point on the GRTS of 127.0 ± 1.5/3.6 Ma (n = 1, 2σ internal/absolute error) for anomaly M12 that is slightly younger when compared to current timescale compilations (134.2 ± 2.1 Ma [Gradstein et al., 1995]). This might suggest that the dated basalt from Site 1149D does not represent the age of the ocean crust formed at its ridge axis; it may also be part of the Early Cretaceous intraplate events that have produced dolerite sills in the Pacific crust at Sites 800 and 802 around 114–126 Ma.
The influence of the 11‐year solar cycle on the quasi‐biennial oscillation
Authors: McCormack J. P.
Published: November 2003

The zonally averaged CHEM2D photochemical‐dynamical middle atmosphere model is used to investigate the effect of the 11‐year cycle in solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance on the quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) in equatorial lower stratospheric zonal wind. Model calculations show the duration of the westerly (easterly) phase of the modeled QBO is ∼1 month shorter (longer) at solar maximum than at solar minimum. This effect is most apparent when the modeled QBO period is 28 months, and it is dependent on the magnitude of the imposed solar UV variations. The model results also show that a realistic simulation of the semi‐annual oscillation in equatorial zonal wind is necessary to produce solar cycle changes in QBO behavior. This is the first fully interactive modeling study to show that changes in solar UV can influence the behavior of the QBO, and lends support to the current working theory of sun‐climate connections.
Dynamically balanced absolute sea level of the global ocean derived from near‐surface velocity observations
Authors: Niiler Pearn P. , Maximenko Nikolai A. , McWilliams James C.
Published: November 2003

The 1992–2002 time‐mean absolute sea level distribution of the global ocean is computed for the first time from observations of near‐surface velocity. For this computation, we use the near‐surface horizontal momentum balance. The velocity observed by drifters is used to compute the Coriolis force and the force due to acceleration of water parcels. The anomaly of horizontal pressure gradient is derived from satellite altimetry and corrects the temporal bias in drifter data distribution. NCEP reanalysis winds are used to compute the force due to Ekman currents. The mean sea level gradient force, which closes the momentum balance, is integrated for mean sea level. We find that our computation agrees, within uncertainties, with the sea level computed from the geostrophic, hydrostatic momentum balance using historical mean density, except in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. A consistent horizontally and vertically dynamically balanced, near‐surface, global pressure field has now been derived from observations.
A method to determine atmospheric optical depth using observations of direct solar radiation
Authors: Terez E. I. , Terez G. A.
Published: November 2003

The proposed method of atmospheric total optical depth (TOD) determination is based on the assumption that TOD is an arbitrary smooth function of time. Any small section of this function can be approximated by a linear relationship. A redundant system of Bouguer equations corresponding to n solar observations (where n > 3) can be written for each linear section. This procedure is successively applied to each section of the TOD curve and yields (N − n + 1) systems of Bouguer equations, where N is the total number of solar observations during a day. Solving these systems of Bouguer equations gives an extra‐atmospheric value of the solar flux and TOD curve parameters. The accuracy of the method depends on the accuracy of TOD curve approximation, i.e., on the character of TOD variation with time and a total number of observations during a day. The new method (named approximation by linear sections (APLS)) has been used for TOD investigations in the Crimea (a peninsula in Ukraine) since 1996. In comparison with the classical Bouguer‐Langley method the new method allows us to achieve higher accuracy, when the conditions of astroclimate at the observational site are not very good and especially when the observations are carried out for a half day, i.e., only before noon or after.