A new series of imidazolones: highly specific and potent nonpeptide AT1 angiotensin II receptor antagonists

Starting from the structure of the novel nonpeptide AT1 receptor antagonist DuP 753 (losartan), a new series of potent antagonists was designed. In these compounds the central imidazole nucleus was replaced by the dihydroimidazol-4-one structure. The most active compounds had a spirocyclopentane or a spirocyclohexane ring in position 5. Like the imidazole series, the best substituents were the linear butyl chain in position 1 and the [2'-(tetrazol-5-yl)biphenylyl]methyl group in position 3. Antagonistic activity was assessed by the ability of the compounds to competitively inhibit [125I]AII binding to the AT1 subtype receptor and to antagonize AII-induced contractions in rabbit aorta rings. The most active compounds had IC50 values in the nanomolar range. In conscious rats, compounds 4 and 21 antagonized the AII pressor response when administered orally. Compound 21 (SR 47436) was the most active; it was recently shown to also be active in cynomolgus monkeys both intravenously and orally. This molecule is now undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of hypertension.     

Self-diffusion of ions in an ethylene oxide oligomer using the gelsectioning technique

The gel-sectioning technique has been used to measure the radiotracer diffusion coefficients of Na⁺ and SCN^? ions in solutions of sodium thiocyanate in tetra(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether (‘tetraglyme’), a liquid system which can be used as a model polymer electrolyte. Measurements were made at 298 K over the molar concentration range tetraglyme-NaSCN between 2.5 and 50. At all concentrations the diffusion coefficients of both ions were virtually identical and decreased markedly at high salt concentrations. Comparison of the diffusion results with conductivity measurements on the same samples gives evidence for the aggregation of ions at low salt concentrations (tetraglyme-NaSCN > 20). At higher salt concentrations aggregation does not need to be invoked to explain the results. The implications for other polyether electrolytes are discussed.     

Correlation of microstrength and industrial drum strength indices of metallurgical cokes

Correlations between microstrength and industrial drum strength indices of metallurgical cokes were obtained using a 230 kg coke oven. Twelve coking coals from different countries, and ranging in ASTM rank from hvA to Iv bituminous, were carbonized singly and in blends. Microstrength, JIS Drum and ASTM Drum tests were performed on the cokes produced. The results indicated that the relationship between the Dl¹⁵⁰₁₅ index and microstrength was non-linear. Correlation coefficients increased when highly fluid US hvA bituminous coals were excluded. The relationship between ASTM hardness and microstrength was less defined. Results of this study indicate that thermoplasticity is an important consideration when correlating microstrengths with industrial drum strengths.     

Role playing, incentive, and dissonance.

Incentive theory is advanced as more satisfactory than dissonance theory in dealing with attitude change induced through role playing. Incentive theory and dissonance theory yield opposite predictions about attitudinal results of role playing which involves different incentive levels. Experimental studies in this area are reviewed, and alternative explanations are discussed. Results which appear to support dissonance theory can generally be attributed to the arousal of interfering negative affect by increasing reward levels. When opportunity for instigation of such interfering reactions is low, increased reward may lead to more effective biased scanning and thus to more attitude change. Complicating factors are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of therapist and patient mood on the therapeutic functioning of high- and low-facilitative therapists.

Determined the effects of presession moods of 12 therapists and their patients on level of therapist empathy, warmth, and genuineness. Results of an intensively designed study indicate that high- and low-facilitative therapists were differentially affected by therapist moods. High-facilitative therapists functioned more facilitatively under dysphoric moods than under positive, while the opposite was true of low-facilitative. There were no differences in tape-rated therapist facilitativeness under different patient moods for either group, yet patients of low-facilitative therapists did perceive such a difference. It is concluded that the therapist feelings preceding the facilitative therapy hour were not the same for high- and low-facilitative therapists. The use of the intensive design in psychotherapy process research is discussed. (44 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A note on measurement scales and statistical tests.

The author defends the use of parametric tests (Boneau, 1960), and has been challenged on more than one occasion to justify the use of the t test in many typical psychological situations where there are measurement considerations. Intelligence is often given as an instance, the point being that intelligence is actually measured by an ordinal scale, that equal differences between scores represent different magnitudes at different places on the underlying continuum. This is seen as somehow invalidating the use of the t test with such scores. Burke (1953) has presented an argument which should have ended further discussion, but, in view of the present concern, a restatement of the argument and the addition of a few comments would seem indicated. The present concern seems to have been stimulated by the publication by psychologists of two texts in the field of statistics (Senders, 1958; Siegel, 1956) both of which are organized around Stevens' (1951) system of classifying measurement scales. Siegel and Senders belabor the point that parametric statistics, specifically the t and F tests should be avoided when the measurement scales are no stronger than ordinal, a state of affairs purportedly typical in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comments on "A general canonical correlation index."

Challenges D. Stewart and W. Love's (see record 1968-18070-001) claims that their proposed general canonical correlation index (a) represents a proportion of overlapping, or redundant, variance; and (b) is the average of certain squared multiple correlations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lighting Controls, Patterns of Lighting Consumption, and Energy Conservation

Some of the important areas of the lighting energy conservation research program currently being carried out at the Division of Building Research, National Research Council of Canada, are described. The major emphasis of the program is to monitor present patterns and levels of lighting consumption in offices and schools and then develop and encourage cost-effective control systems to reduce the hours of use of lighting power loads. A new device to measure lighting energy consumption is described. Tine-lapse photography is being employed to obtain detailed information regarding patterns of lighting use in offices and schools. This information is used to develop cost-effective manual- and automatic- control devices. The savings measured with a daylight-linked automatic system installed in a typical office are discussed.     

Dependence of coal liquefaction behaviour on coal characteristics. 4. Cluster analyses for characteristics of 104 coals

In an extension of earlier work, the conversion of 104 high volatile bituminous coals at 400 °C with tetralin has been determined in duplicate with the aid of a new reactor system. For the whole set of coals, volatile matter and vitrinite reflectance have the highest correlation coefficients with conversion (0.85 and ?0.84, respectively). However, tests showed that the sample set contained more than one population. Cluster analysis partitioned the set into three reasonably homogeneous populations. A factor representing sulphur content was the major contributor from a set of variables in separating the coals into groups, with smaller contributions from factors related to rank and petrographic composition. Each of the groups contained samples mostly from one geological province, but 11 coals of relatively high sulphur content from the Eastern province were clustered in a group that contained also 25 coals from the Interior province. The ranges of conversion are distinctly different for the three groups, and the three regression equations developed for correlating conversion each require a different set of coal properties. The possible general significance of the clustering of coals into groups as a novel basis for classification is discussed.