bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Standard Metadata Applied to Software Retrieval
Authors: González Rafael , Van Der Meer Kees
Published: September 2004

This paper discusses the use of standardized bibliographic metadata sets for the retrieval of software components. Their proven success, and the assumption that software components are a sort of dynamic document, leads to the assumption that it could be effective to adopt bibliographic metadata element sets for resource discovery of software components. Stemming from four sets, viz. the Dublin Core, EAD, ISAD(G) and MARC, a metadata element set for software components was constructed. The resulting set, an extended Dublin Core set for software components (XDCSC), implemented in XML, can be used for component retrieval and thus supports software reuse. A first test was performed with components of the BETADE research group. It demonstrates that the retrieval of software can be addressed in this way, XDC-SC is useful as a source of metadata for software components. XDC-SC could serve as a basis for a standard.
Internet Search Engines’ Response to Metadata Dublin Core Implementation
Authors: Zhang Jin , Dimitroff Alexandra
Published: September 2004

The research described here examined performance of major search engines with regard to two groups of web pages: those with metadata and those without metadata. Introduction of metadata Dublin Core, especially the Subject element, should improve retrievability of a web page and, subsequently, its visibility. The visibility of a web page in a search engine results list is defined and used in this study to measure retrievability performance of major search engines. Results show there are significant differences among these two groups in most search engines. The reasons for the differences are analyzed.
An Evaluation of the Construction of Information Laws and Regulations in China with Recommendations for Improvement
Authors: Du Jia , Jiang Tingting , Ma Feicheng
Published: September 2004

The Chinese Information Law Database was built in the context of an absence of positive analysis in the field of information law. We analyzed the data in this database from several angles. This article systematically shows the fruits of the research and elaborates on the findings deriving from the research. In particular, the achievements and deficiencies in the construction of Chinese information laws and regulations are disclosed. Rapid development, large quantity and legislation diversity characterize the accomplishment, while the poor quality and lack of systematization, stability and continuity represent most of the drawbacks. In the last chapter of this paper, we propose some constructive countermeasures to improve the information legislation, which are also feasible in China. Establishing specific institutions and reinforcing government leadership and control, improving the process of enactment and execution of information laws and regulations, drawing on the legislative experience of developed countries for reference, and strengthening research into information law and regulating information jurisprudence are the most important measures described.
Licensing Agreements for Information Resources and Copyright Limitations and Exceptions
Authors: Fernández-Molina J. Carlos
Published: September 2004

The development of the digital environment has given way to the generalized online exploitation of intellectual works, so that licensing agreements are replacing sales as the habitual form of procuring access and use. This means that contract law acquires unprecedented relevance in publisher-user relations. The partial displacement of copyright law by contract law is not exempt from problems: through these licensing agreements libraries are being obligated, either by the absence of negotiation or the lack of balanced agreements, to renounce the enjoyment of copyright limitations and exceptions that benefit them, interfering with their important social role of helping citizens obtain information. The solutions to this problem can be found in three different yet complementary approaches: the constitution of consortia, greater information and training for professionals, and finally - and this is the focus of the analysis presented here - the modification of copyright law so that licences that stipulate against the most fundamental limitations and exceptions to copyright might be declared null and void, in the interest of maintaining a copyright equilibrium.
The Influence of Peer Review on the Research Assessment Exercise
Authors: Bence Valerie , Oppenheim Charles
Published: September 2004

The use of peer review within both the scholarly communication system and the UK’s Research Assessment Exercise is reviewed. The common denominator is that of peer-reviewed academic journals, since peer review is used by referees to aid publication decisions and by RAE panel members to evaluate a department’s research performance. We propose that since academic research is now subject to peer review at all stages of evaluation, it is becoming an accepted method of rewarding (by funding) research. The growth of electronic publications (both toll-access and open access) provides possibilities for changes to some of the process of peer review and RAE, but the fundamental model of peer review to reduce the number of poor quality publications will remain. The paper concludes that because of the many criticisms of peer review, it is unwise to base funding decisions on second level peer review of articles that have already undergone peer review.
Challenges in the Delivery of E-Government through Kiosks
Authors: Slack Frances , Rowley Jennifer E.
Published: September 2004

Kiosks are increasingly being heralded as a technology through which governments, government departments and local authorities or municipalities can engage with citizens. In particular, they have attractions in their potential to bridge the digital divide. There is some evidence to suggest that the citizen uptake of kiosks and indeed other channels for e-government, such as web sites, is slow, although studies on the use of kiosks for health information provision offer some interesting perspectives on user behaviour with kiosk technology. This article argues that the delivery of e-government through kiosks presents a number of strategic challenges, which will need to be negotiated over the next few years in order that kiosk applications can be successful in enhancing accessibility to and engagement with e-government. The article suggests that this involves consideration of: the applications to be delivered through a kiosk; one stop shop service and knowledge architectures; mechanisms for citizen identification; and the integration of kiosks within the total interface between public bodies and their communities. The article concludes by outlining development and research agendas in each of these areas.
Metadata? Thesauri? Taxonomies? Topic Maps! Making Sense of it all
Authors: Garshol Lars Marius
Published: September 2004

To be faced with a document collection and not to be able to find the information you know exists somewhere within it is a problem as old as the existence of document collections. Information architecture is the discipline dealing with the modern version of this problem: how to organize web sites so that users can actually find what they are looking for. Information architects have so far applied known and well-tried tools from library science to solve this problem, and now topic maps are sailing up as another potential tool for information architects. This raises the question of how topic maps compare with the traditional solutions, and that is the question this paper attempts to address. The paper argues that topic maps go beyond the traditional solutions in the sense that they provide a framework within which they can be represented as they are, but also extended in ways which significantly improve information retrieval.
Dating Preferences of Women Born between 1945 and 1960
Authors: Levesque Linda M. , Caron Sandra L.
Published: September 2004

The purpose of this study was to explore the dating experiences of older women, specifically heterosexual women between the ages of 35 and 50 years compared to a group of younger women (ages between 20 to 25 years). One finding of this study is that many of the older women chose men who were younger than they. The results of this study highlight the need to revisit the current definition of“suitability”of dating partner criteria for unmarried womenas they age by proposing that older women who are not married may have different criteria for evaluating the desirability of potential partners.
Long-Term Effects of Child Corporal Punishment on Depressive Symptoms in Young Adults
Authors: Turner Heather A. , Muller Paul A.
Published: September 2004

Based on a sample of 649 students from 3 New England colleges, this study examined the long-term effects of childhood corporal punishment on symptoms of depression and considered factors that may moderate or mediate the association. Similar to national studies, approximately 40% of the sample reported experiencing some level of corporal punishment when they were 13 years old. Findings indicated that level of corporal punishment is positively related to depressive symptoms, independent of any history of abuse and the frequency of other forms of punishment. Although parental monitoring and perceived norms regarding corporal punishment had no direct or moderating effects, level of parental anger during corporal punishment was the strongest predictor of depression. The association between “angry corporal punishment” and symptoms of depression in young adulthood is partially mediated by mastery and self-esteem. Implications of these finding are discussed.
The Role of Parental Status and Child Age in the Engagement of Children and Youth with Adults Outside their Families
Authors: Scales Peter C. , Benson Peter L. , Roehlkepartain Eugene C. , Hintz Nicole R. , Sullivan Theresa K. , Mannes Marc
Published: September 2004

The authors report on a telephone poll with a nationally representative sample of 1,425 U.S. adults in which they investigated how parental status and age of child might affect patterns of adult engagement with children and youth outside their own families. Compared to nonparents, parents considered 12 of 20 ways of being involved with young people to be significantly more important for all adults to do. This result suggests that fears of negative parent reaction about other adults’ involvement may be exaggerated. Parents and nonparents alike rated it more important for unrelated adults to engage with children than with adolescents, and adults, in general, actually engaged more with those younger children than with adolescents. Community efforts that raise explicit awareness of how supportive parents are of such relationships may help create new social norms in which positive engagement with other people’s children and especially adolescents is expected and supported.
Parenting in Violent Neighborhoods
Authors: Letiecq Bethany L. , Koblinsky Sally A.
Published: September 2004

This qualitative study represents one of the first efforts to examine how African American fathers protect their children from community violence. Eighteen African American biological and “social” fathers of preschoolersin the Washington, DC, metropolitan area participated in focus groups addressing parentingin violent neighborhoods. Fathers described seven protective strategies reflecting three major themes: monitoring children, educating children about safety, and improving community life. These strategies are discussed within the context of African American values, traditions, and neighborhood contextual factors.
Shifting the Breadwinning Boundary
Authors: Zuo Jiping
Published: September 2004

This study examined the role of men’s breadwinner status and their gender ideologies in shifting the breadwinning boundary. Data come from a 3-wave panel survey of 522 married men in 1980, 1983, and 1988. A strong effect of men’s breadwinner status on their ideologies is foundin 1983 but notin 1988, whereas the reversed pattern holds for the impact of ideology on status. The direction of their impact on each other is consistent with the hypothesis that men with a lower breadwinner status are more likely to embrace egalitarian ideology. Similarly, egalitarian believers are more likely to engage in the equal sharing of breadwinning. The lack of a significant effect of ideology on status in 1983 and status on ideology in 1988 is largely attributable to the changing family stages of childrearing. The study suggests that, although a decline in men’s breadwinning status is likely to promote egalitarian ideology, men’s egalitarian ideology cannot effect a structural change in breadwinning without the diminution of structural constraints elsewhere.
The Legacy of Welfare
Authors: Bartholomae Suzanne , Fox Jonathan J. , McKenry Patrick C.
Published: September 2004

The current study explores the impact of parental welfare history on individuals’ current use of welfare by decomposing intergenerational differences using techniques traditionally employed in the race and sex wage discrimination literature. This research extends Rank and Cheng’s examination of welfare across generations by including various attitudinal, cultural, and community factors. Empirical testing of the the oretical explanations of welfare use— cultural and structural models—found mixed support. Utilizing data from the National Survey of Households and Families, logistic regression and decomposition analysis shows that family endowments and resources, but not family culture, determine welfare use. Differences in education, socioeconomic status, attitudes, and community resources appear to sufficiently explain the influence of intergenerational welfare use. The article concludes with implications of welfare reform in light of the theoretical models and the current study findings.
Family Values as Practiced by Feminist Parents
Authors: Mack-Canty Colleen , Wright Sue
Published: September 2004

The shift from second-wave feminism, with its emphasis on gender equality, to third-wave feminism, whose concern is with oppression more generally, poses intriguing questions about theoretical and social change. We have chosen to explore these issues through the insight and perspectives of families who parent from feminist perspectives. To gain information regarding the dynamics of feminist families we conducted in-depth interviews with all members of 20 self-identified feminist families, including two-parent families, single-parent families, gay and lesbian families, and so on. The families were selected because the parents identify with feminist principles broadly defined, that is, they are raising their children with a sense of equality for women. In exploring common themes, we find these feminist families go beyond nonsexist parenting to parenting that seems to enable their children to become conscious of and to challenge hierarchy and oppression generally. We suggest these parenting practices coincide with third-wave feminism.
Divisions of Domestic Work
Authors: Kroska Amy
Published: September 2004

Using a sample of 101 heterosexual, coresidential couples, the author evaluates four housework theories: gender ideology, relative resources, time availability, and doing gender. Unlike some tests of these theories, the author operationalizes gender ideology as an identity, and the author tests the models on the traditionally feminine chores as well as the traditionally masculine and gender-neutral chores. Using the new operationalization, the author finds that gender ideology is related to the allocation of feminine tasks but generally unrelated to the division of nonfemininechores. Wives’ and husbands’time availability also helps explain the division of feminine and, to a lesser extent, gender-neutral chores. Some socioeconomic resources are related to the allocation of each housework category although absolute and relative resources often have contrasting effects when controlling for both. Regardless of gender ideology, time availability, or resources, however, wives do a significantly greater share of their family’s total and feminine housework, and husbands do a significantly greater share of their family’s masculine chores.
Wives, Husbands, and Hidden Power in Marriage
Authors: Zipp John F. , Prohaska Ariane , Bemiller Michelle
Published: September 2004

A recurrent theme in scholarship on gender and the family is the asymmetry between husbands and wives on decision making, the division of household labor, child care, and so forth. In this article, the authors tested to see if this asymmetry can be explained, in part, by taking into account the invisible power of men. Using data from the third wave of the British Household Panel Survey, the authors tested this by assessing whether agreement between husbands and wives on stereotypical men’s and stereotypical women’s issues increased when one of the spouses heard the other’s responses before answering himself or herself. The authors’ key findings are that (a) wives were much more likely than husbands to agree with their spouses’ known answers and (b) that this remains true even in conditions where wives earn more money or are more interested in politics than their husbands.
Heterosexist Inclusion and Exclusion during Ritual
Authors: Oswald Ramona Faith , Suter Elizabeth A.
Published: September 2004

Oswald (2000) reported the processes by which heterosexual family weddings may undermine gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender(GLBT) people’s family membership. The present study sought to understand whether family membership during ritual was also conditional for heterosexual people. Toward that end, Oswald’s methodology was replicated with heterosexual participants. Although faced with multiple pressures, at no time did these difficulties challenge their sense of belonging to family. On the contrary, they functioned to pull heterosexual family members closer to the core of membership. The fear of gossip or inciting the wrath of loved ones appeared to be primary mechanisms that led heterosexual people to uphold their status as family members through conformity.
Designing and Managing Public Housing Self-Sufficiency Programs
Authors: Kleit Rachel Garshick
Published: September 2004

This article evaluates an experimental public housing self-sufficiency program that encourages home ownership among low-income families. A quasi-experimental design, in combination with focus groups, records review, and key informant interviews, provides data to focus on four questions: (a) Do these programs simply accelerate move-outs for those who would have left without intervention? (b) Are program elements replicable given the importance of the local context in public housing move-outs? (c) How do housing authorities resolve tensions that arise between housing management and social service delivery? (d) What should housing authority response be to those who fail?
Media Coverage on European Governance
Authors: Trenz Hans-Jörg
Published: September 2004

The conditions for the emergence of a European mediated public sphere are tested in this article by analysing news coverage of European governance and policy-making during the year 2000. The sample includes 11 daily newspapers from six EU member states. On the basis of a systematic content analysis, three types of news can be distinguished: first, European news characterized by the shared meaning of European events and issues; second, Europeanized news characterized by the secondary impact of European events and issues on national news coverage; and third, national news on domestic events and issues characterized by evolving forms of European monitoring and rhetorics. By unfolding and comparing these three cases, the article argues that a European public sphere has come into existence and that it has evolved through the mutual observation of institutional actors and their audiences with reference to issues and events of common relevance and through the parallel development of communicative styles and discourses.
Supranational Regulation
Authors: Wheeler Mark
Published: September 2004

This article analyses, assesses and explains the imperatives which have affected the European Union’s (EU) audiovisual policy instruments, with particular emphasis on the Television without Frontiers (TWF) Directive, cross-media ownership regulations and the regulatory frameworks concerning converging communication services. It considers the factors which have led to competition policy becoming more important in the era of convergence and globalization. Finally, it considers whether these regulatory responses and policy interpretations illustrate the extent to which the Commission has been able (or not) to balance the increasingly conflicting imperatives of economic competitiveness with the core values of cultural identity.
Research Note: Tabloidization of News Media
Authors: Bek Mine Gencel
Published: September 2004

This article explores the issue of tabloidization of news in the Turkish context by analysing the news texts of four commercial television channels and one public service channel. The analysis looks at how actors and themes are represented, framed and focused and how language is used, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The article argues that the news personalizes and tabloidizes politics. The two main actors in the news on the commercial channels are the poor and ordinary people - with their tragedies and misfortunes - and the rich - with their wealth, gossip and glamorous lifestyle, while the public service channel mainly represents parliamentary actors, especially those in government.
Gender Differences and the Effects of Ketamine in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Lees Jane , Hallak Jaime E.C. , Deakin John F.W. , Dursun Serdar M.
Published: September 2004

We present a critical perspective of the impact of gender differences on a widely accepted model of ketamine psychosis in healthy volunteers. Male and female patients with schizophrenia present with different symptomatology, disease course and response to pharmacological intervention. Accordingly, it is expected that ketamine psychosis in healthy volunteers fulfils this face validity. Pre-clinical studies in rats indicate a gender difference in response to ketamine administration. However, a review of the literature to date indicates that studies carried out in healthy volunteers have used all male or mixed samples, indicating the need for further studies comparing the psychopathological effects of ketamine in males and females.
Receptor Mechanisms in the treatment of Schizophrenia
Authors: Reynolds Gavin P.
Published: September 2004

There remain many limitations to the treatment of schizophrenia. In addition to the poor response of negative and cognitive symptoms to antipsychotics, and the substantial proportion of poor- or non-responders, there are a variety of unpleasant and restricting side-effects of these drugs. The introduction of several ‘atypical’ drugs, with diminished propensity to cause extrapyramidal motor effects (EPS), has greatly improved the tolerability of antipsychotic treatments. The pharmacology of atypical antipsychotics is varied and, although dopamine D2 receptor antagonism is common to all antipsychotics, the mechanisms of a typicality are complex and not fully understood. Thus, antagonism at 5-HT2 and/or other receptors, weak dopamine receptor affinity and, most recently, partial agonism at dopamine D2 receptors, have been variously implicated. However, because EPS have diminished with improvements in drug treatment, drug-induced weight gain has emerged as a majorconcern, and the pharmacological basis of this problem, involving effects at 5-HT2c and perhaps other receptors, is yielding toinvestigation. Some drugs, notably the D2 partial agonists, can provide antipsychotic effects without the emergence of several of the seproblematic side-effects, which bodes well for future treatment.
A Positron Emission Tomography Study of the 5-Ht1A Receptor in Schizophrenia and during Clozapine Treatment
Authors: Bantick R. Alexander , Montgomery Andrew J. , Bench Christopher J. , Choudhry Tariq , Malek Nina , McKenna Peter J. , Quested Digby J. , Deakin J. F. William , Grasby Paul M.
Published: September 2004

Several post-mortem studies have identified increases of 5-HT1A receptor density in frontal cortical areas in schizophrenic patients, and one has found increases in the cerebellar vermis. Clozapine has moderate affinity at the 5-HT1A receptor, and this may be of therapeutic importance. This positron emission tomography (PET) study attempted to replicate the post-mortem findings in vivo and sought an occupancy effect of clozapine at the 5-HT1A receptor. We recruited healthy controls, and patients with schizophrenia who were divided into those receiving clozapine and those receiving neuroleptics lacking 5-HT1A receptoraffinity. Each volunteer received a PET scan, using the 5-HT1A receptor radioligand [carbonyl-11C]WAY-100635, and a magnetic resonanceimaging scan. The cerebellar vermis was examined by comparing time-activity data between groups. For other brain regions (the raphe and subdivisions of the cerebral cortex), binding potential images weregenerated to reflect receptor density, then analysed using ‘region of interest’ and voxel-by-voxel methods. No significant changes of 5-HT1A receptor density were found in schizophrenic patients compared tocontrols. Two other PET studies, containing drug naïve rather thanmedicated schizophrenic patients, have also reported no increase in 5-HT1A receptor density in the frontal cortex. The results obtained in vivo bring into question the importance of the receptor in thepathophysiology of the illness. Clozapine did not occupy the 5-HT1A receptor at clinical doses. This is consistent with recent related PET results: 5-HT1A agonists do not appear to measurably block the binding of antagonist radiotracers in man at doses that are pharmacologically active but which are limited by tolerability.
Antidepressant-Like Effect of tramadol and its Enantiomers in Reserpinized Mice: Comparativestudy with Desipramine, Fluvoxamine, Venlafaxine and Opiates
Authors: Rojas-Corrales M. Olga , Berrocoso Esther , Gibert-Rahola Juan , Micó Juan Antonio
Published: September 2004

Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic that demonstrates opioid and monoaminergic properties. Several studies have suggested that tramadol could play a role in mood improvement. Moreover, it has previously been shown that tramadol is effective in the forced swimming test in mice and the learned helplessness model in rats, two behavioural modelspredictive of antidepressant activity. The aim of the present study was to test tramadol and its enantiomers in the reserpine test in mice, aclassical observational test widely used in the screening of antidepressant drugs. This test is a non-behavioural method where only objective parameters such as rectal temperature and palprebral ptosis are considered. Moreover, we compared the effects of tramadol and itsenantiomers with those of antidepressants (desipramine, fluvoxamine and venlafaxine) and opiates [morphine (–)-methadone and levorphanol]. Racemic tramadol, (–)-tramadol, desipramine and venlafaxine reversed the reserpine syndrome (rectal temperature and ptosis), whereas(+)-tramadol and fluvoxamine only antagonized the reserpine-induced ptosis, without any effect on temperature. Opiates did not reversereserpine-induced hypothermia. (–)-Methadone showed slight effects regarding reserpine-induced ptosis, morphine and levorphanol had no effect. These results show that tramadol has an effect comparable to clinically effective antidepressants in a test predictive of antidepressant activity, without behavioural implications. Together with other clinical and experimental data, this suggests that tramadol has an inherent antidepressant-like (mood improving) activity, and that this effect could have clinical repercussions on the affective component of pain.
Cerebral D2 and 5-HT2 Receptor occupancy in Schizophrenic Patients Treated with Olanzapine Or Clozapine
Authors: Moresco Rosa Maria , Cavallaro Roberto , Messa Cristina , Bravi Daniele , Gobbo Clara , Galli Laura , Lucignani Giovanni , Colombo Cristina , Rizzo Giovanna , Velonà Isabella , Smeraldi Enrico , Fazio Ferruccio
Published: September 2004

We report the results of a double-blind, randomized prospective trial on D2 and 5-HT2 receptor occupancy and the clinical effects of olanzapine versus clozapine in a sample of neuroleptic-refractory schizophrenic patients. Receptor occupancy was evaluated in different cortical areas and in basal ganglia using [18F] fluoro-ethyl-spiperone ([18F] FESP) and positron emission tomography (PET). A total of 15 neuroleptic-free patients completed the study undergoing a baseline and a post-treatment PET scan (olanzapine, nine patients, one female; clozapine, six patients, three female) 8 weeks after starting treatment. PET data were analysed both by regions of interest and on a voxel-by-voxel basis using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM96). Olanzapine and clozapine induced a similar and significant inhibition of [18F] FESP binding index in the cortex. In the basal ganglia, receptor occupancy was significantly higher with olanzapine than with clozapine ( p = 0.0018). By contrast, no differences in receptor occupancy were detected at the level of the pituitary gland. Clinical outcomes, in particular a full extra pyramidaltolerability, were similar. In this sample of neuroleptic-refractoryschizophrenic patients, olanzapine and clozapine showed a differentpattern of occupancy of D2-like receptor despite a common lack of extrapyramidal side-effects.
The Relationship of Sex Hormones and Cortisol with Cognitive functioning in Schizophrenia
Authors: Halari R. , Kumari V. , Mehrotra R. , Wheeler M. , Hines M. , Sharma T.
Published: September 2004

Gonadal as well as stress hormones have recently been implicated in pathophysiology and sex differences in onset, prognosis and treatment of schizophrenia. The present study investigated the effects of serum levels of oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol on neuropsychological functioning and psychopathology in a group of 37 patients (17 women, 20 men) with schizophrenia. Neuropsychological measures included tests of attention, verbal abilities, language, memory, executive functioning, motor and speed of information processing. The results showed that oestrogen and age was associated with low positive symptom scores, and within gender, cortisol predicted poor performance on the information processing domain in men. These findingsdemonstrate that cortisol, in addition to the commonly reported effects of oestrogen, influences neuropsychological functioning in schizophrenia with differential effects on specific domains of cognitive functioning and underscore the need for further investigation of the modulating role of hormones on neuropsychological functioning in schizophrenia.
Mechanism of Action of Aripiprazole Predicts Clinical Efficacy and a Favourable Side-Effect Profile
Authors: Hirose Tsuyoshi , Uwahodo Yasufumi , Yamada Sakiko , Miwa Takashi , Kikuchi Tetsuro , Kitagawa Hisashi , Burris Kevin D. , Altar C. Anthony , Nabeshima Toshitaka
Published: September 2004

The antipsychotic efficacy of aripiprazole is not generally associated with extrapyramidal symptoms, cardiovascular effects, sedation or elevations in serum prolactin that characterize typical or atypical antipsychotics. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of action of aripiprazole that underlies its favourable clinical profiles. The preclinical efficacy and side-effect profiles of aripiprazole were evaluated usingseveral pharmaco-behavioural test systems in mice and rats, both in vivo and ex vivo, and compared with those of other conventional and atypical antipsychotics. Each of the antipsychotics induced catalepsy and inhibited apomorphine-induced stereotypy. The catalepsy liability ratios for these drugs were 6.5 for aripiprazole, 4.7 for both olanzapine and risperidone. The ptosis liability ratios for aripiprazole, olanzapine and risperidone were 14, 7.2 and 3.3, respectively. Aripiprazole slightly increased DOPA accumulation in the forebrain of reserpinised mice, reduced 5-HTP accumulation at the highest dose and exhibited a weaker inhibition of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine-induced head twitches. Aripiprazole did not inhibit physostigmine- or norepinephrine-induced lethality in rats. In conclusion, aripiprazole shows a favourable preclinical efficacy and side-effect profile compared to a typical antipsychotics. This profile may result from its high affinity partialagonist activity at D2 and 5-HT1A receptors and its antagonism of 5-HT2A receptors.
No Association between Akathisia or Parkinsonism and Suicidality in treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia
Authors: Hansen Lars , Jones Roland Morgan , Kingdon David
Published: September 2004

Akathisia and drug-induced Parkinsonism have traditionally beenassociated with depression and suicidality based on case study evidence. In this subanalysis, patients with treatment resistant schizophrenia were rated on the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale, Barnes Akathisia Scale and Simpson–Angus extrapyramidal side-effect scale at two time points ( n = 86 at first assessment; n = 67 at secondassessment). At no time point was there any significant relationship between akathisia and depression/suicidality or distress associated with akathisia and Parkinsonism with suicidality. These preliminary findings warrant further investigation.
Increasing Dopaminergic Activity: Effects of L-Dopa and Bromocriptine on Human Sensory Gating
Authors: Oranje B. , Gispen-de Wied C. C. , Westenberg H. G. M. , Kemner C. , Verbaten M. N. , Kahn R. S.
Published: September 2004

Schizophrenic patients show a loss of sensory gating, which is reflected in a reduced P50 suppression. Because most of the symptoms inschizophrenia can be reduced by antagonists of the dopaminergic (D2) system, the loss in sensory gating might be related to an increased dopaminergic activity. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of increased dopaminergic neurotransmisson on sensory gating in healthy volunteers were investigated. In a double-blind, balanced, placebo-controlled design, healthy male volunteers were challenged in twoseparate studies with either 300 mg L-dopa (precursor of dopamine) or placebo ( n = 16) and 1.25 mg bromocriptine (D2 agonist) or placebo ( n = 17). Subsequently, they were tested for their sensory gating (P50 suppression). P50 suppression values in the placebo condition werecomparable to those found in literature. Although both L-dopa and bromocriptine reduced P50 amplitude, they did so in an equal ratio for both the response to the conditioning (C) and the testing (T) stimuli, therefore not resulting in a reduction of the P50 suppression ratio (T/C). In the present study, neither L-dopa nor bromocriptine reduced sensory gating in healthy volunteers. This suggests that an increased dopaminergic activity in humans is not responsible for the reduction in sensory gating as seen, for example, in schizophrenia.
The Role of α1- and α2-Adrenoreceptors on Venlafaxineinduced Elevation of Extracellular Serotonin, Noradrenaline and Dopamine Levels in the Rat Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus
Authors: Weikop P. , Kehr J. , Scheel-Krüger J.
Published: September 2004

The role of adrenergic α1- and α2-adrenoreceptors in augmentation of venlafaxine-induced elevation of extracellular serotonin (5-HT),noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA) levels in the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIPP) was studied by in vivo microdialysis in anaesthetized rats. The α1-adrenoreceptor antagonist prazosin given alone (0.3 mg/kg, s.c.) induced only a moderate reduction of hippocampal 5-HT and NA levels. The α2-adrenoreceptor antagonistidazoxan (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.) causes moderate increases in the levels of 5-HT and DA in the PFC. The mixed 5-HT and NA reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the efflux of 5-HT, NA and DA almost equally, to approximately 200% of the control levels in the PFC. The levels of 5-HT increased to 310%, an effect approximately twice the effect on NA in the HIPP. Venlafaxine also produced a moderate increase in DA levels in the PFC but had no effect in the HIPP. Pre-treatment with prazosin caused a significant attenuation of the venlafaxine induced 5-HT effect in the PFC, and a moderate increase in DA levels in the HIPP. Prazosin had no significant effect on the venlafaxine-induced increase of the NA levels in PFC or HIPP. A combined treatment of venlafaxine with idazoxan increased the venlafaxine NA and DA effects in PFC by a factor of two and resulted in a very robust five-foldaugmentation of NA and DA concentrations in the HIPP. In summary, idazoxan was found to produce a potent enhancement of the venlafaxine effect to increase extracellular NA and DA levels in the PFC and, inparticular, in the HIPP. Idazoxan had no effect on venlafaxine-induced elevation of extracellular 5-HT levels in either PFC or HIPP and prazosin induced a decrease of 5-HT in the PFC. The present data suggest that blockade of α2-adrenoreceptors may play an important role inaugmentation of the effects of mixed monoamine reuptake inhibitors.
Effect of Repeated (‘Binge’) Dosing of MDMA to Rats Housed at Normal and High Temperature on Neurotoxicdamage to Cerebral 5-Ht and Dopamine Neurones
Authors: Sanchez Veronica , O’shea Esther , Saadat Kathryn S. , Elliott J. Martin , Colado M. Isabel , Green A. Richard
Published: September 2004

The technique of ‘binge’ dosing (several doses in one session) by recreational users of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) requires evaluation in terms of its consequences on the acute hyperthermic response and long-term neurotoxicity. We examined the neurotoxic effects of this dosing schedule on 5-HT and dopamineneurones in the rat brain. When repeated (three) doses of MDMA (2, 4 and 6 mg/kg i.p.) were given 3 h apart to rats housed at 19 °C, a dose-dependent acute hyperthermia and long-term loss of 5-HT was observed in several brain regions (hippocampus, cortex and striatum), with an approximate 50% loss following 3 × 4mg/kg and 65% decrease following 3 × 6mg/kg. No decrease in striatal dopamine content was detected. When MDMA (4 mg/kg i.p.) was given repeatedly to rats housed at 30 °C, a larger acute hyperthermic response than that observed in rats treated at 19 °C environment was seen (maximum response 2.6 ± 0.1 °C versus 1.3 ± 0.2 °C). A long-term cerebral 5-HT loss of approximately 65% was also detected in both the cortex and hippocampus, but no loss in striatal dopamine content occurred. These data emphasize the increased acute hyperthermic response and neurotoxicity which occurs when MDMA is administered in a hot room environment compared to normal room temperature conditions, and support the view that MDMA is a selective 5-HT neurotoxin, even when a binge dosing schedule is employed and the rats are present in a hot environment.
Effects of Reboxetine on Sleep and Nocturnal Cardiac Autonomic Activity in Patients with Dysthymia
Authors: Ferini-Strambi Luigi , Manconi Mauro , Castronovo Vincenza , Riva Laura , Bianchi Anna
Published: September 2004

Antidepressants may have sleep and autonomic side-effects. The acute and long-term effect of reboxetine (2 mg b.i.d.) on sleep and cardiac autonomic activity was compared with that of placebo in a single-blind study. Twelve patients affected by dysthymia underwent four polysomnographic studies at baseline (placebo); at night 3 (reboxetine; acute effect); at night 9 (reboxetine; intermediate-term effect); and at night 122 (reboxetine; chronic effect). After the first administration, reboxetine increased time awake after sleep onset, number of awakenings, percentage of stages 1 and 2 non-rapid eye movement (REM), and reduced the amount of stages 3–4 non-REM, but all these effects disappeared by continuing treatment. However, reboxetine caused a persistent suppression of REM sleep, which was accompanied by an increase of REM sleep latency. The spectral analysis of heart ratevariability showed a trend towards an increase in sympathetic activity with both acute and intermediate reboxetine use. Long-term treatment with 4 mg reboxetine does not cause significant changes in cardiac autonomic function.
Use of Reboxetine in Bulimia Nervosa: A Pilot Study
Authors: Fassino Secondo , Daga Giovanni Abbate , Boggio Sonia , Garzaro Lorenzo , Pierò Andrea
Published: September 2004

The pharmacological approach to bulimia nervosa is mainly based (BN) on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but many elements suggest the possible involvement of the noradrenergic system in this disorder. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of reboxetine – aselective norepinephrine uptake inhibitor – in a sample of bulimicoutpatients, after 3 months of treatment. Twenty-eight of 77consecutively admitted patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BN (without Axis I comorbidity) received reboxetine. All patients were assessed at baseline (T0), and after 1 month (T1) and 3 months (T3), respectively, of treatment with reboxetine 4 mg/day. The subjects were administered the following questionnaires: Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and for Depression (HAM-D), Global Assessment Functioning (GAF), Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). Sixty percent of the patients were responsive to treatment(evaluated as a 50% decrease of bulimic behaviours). After 3 months of treatment, a significant reduction emerged in the scores of various EDI-2 subscales (Bulimia, Drive for Thinness, Body Dissatisfaction, Social Insecurity, Interpersonal Distrust, etc.) and in the BSQ total score. Moreover, depressive symptoms (HAM-D) and Global Functioning (GAF) scores showed a significant improvement. These data support a fast and favourable effect of reboxetine in the treatment of BN, both onsymptoms and psychopathological features. Moreover, the specific and strong action of reboxetine on improvement of social functioning is also supported in this disorder.
The Effects of Clozapine and High-Dose Olanzapine on Brainfunction in Treatment-Resistantschizophrenia: A Case Study
Authors: Conley Robert R. , Kelly Deanna L. , Beason-Held Lori L. , Holcomb Henry H. , Richardson Charles M.
Published: September 2004

Although demonstrating superior efficacy in people with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, clozapine may cause serious side effects, requires blood monitoring and is costly to administer. Olanzapine is similar to clozapine in molecular structure and pharmacologic action but has not demonstrated as robust results as clozapine at routine doses (10-25 mg). Here we present a case study measuring blood flow by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for a patient treated sequentially with a high dose of olanzapine (50 mg/day) followed by clozapine each for 8 weeks in a double-blind design. During a task, clozapine produced more brain activation patterns than during treatment with olanzapine or during the drug free condition (2 week washout). Clozapine resulted in recruitment of frontal, parietal and cingulate regions that did not appear to be active during olanzapine in this44 year old right handed male. Additionally, a more robust decrease in symptoms was noted on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) score than with olanzapine treatment. These findings suggest that high doses of olanzapine do not produce similar brain activation patterns asclozapine in people with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
Rhabdomyolysis and Compartment Syndrome with Coadministration of Risperidone and Simvastatin
Authors: Webber Michael A. , Mahmud Waqar , Lightfoot Jeffery D. , Shekhar Anantha
Published: September 2004

We report a case of rhabdomyolysis and acute compartment syndrome of the lower extremity in a schizophrenic patient taking risperid one following the addition of simvastatin to treat hyperlipidemia. We suspect that disrupted drug metabolism, resulting from interactions with cytochrome P450 enzymes, rapidly elevated drug plasma levels, which then led to muscle toxicity. Clinicians who pharmacologically treatmedical comorbidities in patients receiving atypical antipsychotics must be proactive in anticipating potential drug–drug interactions.
Diabetic Keto-Acidotic (DKA) Coma following Olanzapine Initiation in a Previously Euglycaemic Woman and Successful Continued Therapy with Olanzapine
Authors: Howes O. D. , Rifkin L.
Published: September 2004

We report the case of a euglycaemic woman whose glucose controlrapidly decompensated following olanzapine initiation leading todiabetic coma. Hyperglycaemia has been associated with chronicpsychotic disorders and antipsychotics for many years. However, it is unusual to see such rapid and life-threatening changes associated with treatment. The case highlights that changes in antipsychotic treatment may be associated with large changes in glucose tolerance, and that it is possible to continue antipsychotic treatment with appropriate diabetic care.
Predictive Robot Programming: Theoretical and Experimental Analysis
Authors: Dixon Kevin R. , Dolan John M. , Khosla Pradeep K.
Published: September 2004

As the capabilities of manipulator robots increase, they are performing more complex tasks. The cumbersome nature of conventional programming methods limits robotic automation due to the lengthy programming time. We present a novel method for reducing the time needed to program a manipulator robot: predictive robot programming (PRP). The PRP system constructs a statistical model of the user by incorporating information from previously completed tasks. Using this model, the PRP system computes predictions about where the user will move the robot. The user can reduce programming time by allowing the PRP system to complete the task automatically. In this paper, we derive a learning algorithm that estimates the structure of continuous-density hidden Markov models from tasks the user has already completed. We analyze the performance of the PRP system on two sets of data. The first set is based on data from complex, real-world robotic tasks. We show that the PRP system is able to compute predictions for about 25% of the waypoints with a median prediction error less than 0.5% of the distance traveled during prediction. We also present laboratory experiments showing that the PRP system results in a significant reduction in programming time, with users completing simple robot-programming tasks over 30% faster when using the PRP system to compute predictions of future positions.
Experimental Analysis and Control of a Chaotic Pendubot
Authors: González-Hernández Hugo G. , Alvarez Joaquín , Alvarez-Gallegos Jaime
Published: September 2004

Applying attractor reconstruction techniques and other chaotic measurements, it is shown that the long-term dynamics of a vertical, underactuated, two-degrees-of-freedom robot called Pendubot may exhibit complex dynamics including chaotic behavior. These techniques use only the measurement of some available variable of the system, and the resulting reconstruction allows us to identify unstable periodic orbits embedded in the chaotic attractor. In this paper, we also propose a parameter-perturbation-like control algorithm to stabilize the behavior of the Pendubot to force its dynamics to be periodic. We control this device using only the measurement of one of its angular position coordinates and consider that the system may be seen as five-dimensional (a non-autonomous, four-dimensional system), taking the amplitude of a sinusoidal external torque as the perturbation parameter. We change this parameter to stabilize one of the equilibrium points in the so-called Lorenz map. The main advantage of the method proposed here is that it can be implemented directly from time series data, irrespective of the overall dimension of the phase space. Also, reconstructions of the attractor based on the measurements are shown, as well as some experimental results of the controlled system.