Depression and memory impairment: A meta-analysis of the association, its pattern, and specificity.

The existing evidence paints an unclear picture of whether an association exists between depression and memory impairment. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether depression is associated with memory impairment, whether moderator variables determine the extent of this association, and whether any obtained association is unique to depression. Meta-analytic techniques were used to synthesize data from 99 studies on recall and 48 studies on recognition in clinically depressed and nondepressed samples. Associations between memory impairment and other psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, dementia) were also examined. A significant, stable association between depression and memory impairment was revealed. Further analyses indicated, however, that it is likely that depression is linked to particular aspects of memory, the linkage is found in particular subsets of depressed individuals, and memory impairment is not unique to depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Postmortem distribution of nicotine and cotinine from a case involving the simultaneous administration of multiple nicotine transdermal systems

A 31-year-old female was found dead with 18 nicotine transdermal system patches taped to her upper body and a plastic bag taped over her nose and mouth (the cause of death was ruled asphyxiation). Nicotine concentrations in biological fluids and tissues were analyzed using a liquid-liquid extraction followed by injection onto and HP-5890 gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. Cotinine was separated from the biological matrices using solid-phase extraction followed by analysis on an HP-5890 GC with flame ionization detection. A variety of specimens were analyzed, including blood, urine, vitreous, brain, liver, and gastric contents. Heart and femoral blood concentrations (1.4 and 0.46 micrograms/mL, respectively) were 175 and 57 times, respectively, the mean C(max) value reported following the proper administration of a single 7-mg/day patch.     

Printing flax/polyester blends—a new approach

Work at the University of Ulster has been carried out to investigate methods of achieving startling print colour effects. It has been realised that by arranging fibre blends and distribution, pleasing aesthetic results are made possible. In this article Brian Hill and George Gray give a brief account of their research.     

Reconsidering the sauce: A comment on Floyd.

Comments on the article Fundamentalism: Sauce for the goose by K. Floyd (see record 2007-09680-001). Floyd reminds us that the application of a little logic to the propositions we claim are true can sometimes show us that our beliefs are untenable, and that such a finding "could turn out to be very freeing indeed". In particular, he uses one of the arguments some of us struggled with the first time we met logic as a discipline: If P is true then Q is true. Q isn't true. Therefore, P isn't true. Floyd applies this principle to religious belief: If I believe that P is true and Q is true when in fact P implies that 0 is false then I am truly inconsistent! He also shows how easily we are willing to use such logic on the beliefs of others but not on our own beliefs. The current authors' attempt to demonstrate that Floyd makes several questionable steps in his reasoning, thereby calling into question the conclusions he draws. Floyd has sought to point out the lack of thought behind numerous religious beliefs. The current authors accept this general observation, but they believe it unfair to attribute this difficulty only to religious beliefs. The difficulty with religious beliefs is not that they are not concerned with truth vs. non-truth, but rather that for a number of reasons, the difference between these two poles is often not obvious. The question of the validity of religious beliefs is a philosophically spiny one that has been addressed, sometimes adequately and sometimes in very illogical, emotional and violent fashions, for thousands of years. It seems obvious to the authors that "three minutes thought" is not sufficient to untangle such an issue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identification of olfactory cues used in host-plant finding by diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Olfactory attraction of female diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella) to odors of intact and homogenized host plants, as well as individual compounds characteristic of host plants, were investigated by behavioral and electrophysiological methods. Moths were attracted to odors ofBrassica juncea andB. napus seedlings in a Y-tube bioassay. Solvent fractions of homogenizedB. juncea leaves were attractive to moths whether or not isothiocyanates (IC) were present. Moths were attracted in Y-tube bioassays and to field traps baited with individual ICs. Volatiles fromB. juncea andB. napus elicited an electroantennogram (EAG) response and were attractive in the Y-tube bioassay. Allyl IC was shown to be the attractive component in homogenized plant volatiles but was found to be virtually absent from intact plant volatiles. Gas chromatographic fractionation of intact plant volatiles revealed a terpene-containing fraction to be most attractive to the moths. We were unable to isolate individual attractive compounds from this fraction. Our results suggest that certain elements of this fraction, possibly in combination, are important olfactory cues for host-plant finding by the diamondback moth with mustard oils playing an important and possibly synergistic role, particularly when plants are damaged.     

Multi-modality mapping of motor cortex: comparing echoplanar BOLD fMRI and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Short communication

Multiple non-invasive methods of imaging brain function are now available for presurgical planning and neurobiological research. As these new methods become available, it is important to understand their relative advantages and liabilities, as well as how the information gained compares across different methods. A current and future trend in neurobiological studies as well as presurgical planning is to combine information from different imaging techniques. Multi-modal integration may perhaps give more powerful information than each modality alone, especially when one of the methods is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), with its ability to non-invasively activate the brain. As an initial venture in cross comparing new imaging methods, we performed the following 2 studies, locating motor cortex with echoplanar BOLD fMRI and TMS. The two methods can be readily integrated, with concurring results, although each have important limitations.