Post-seizure EEG fractal dimension of first ECT predicts antidepressant response at two weeks

Background: Duration of seizure by itself is an insufficient criterion for a therapeutically adequate seizure in ECT. Therefore, measures of seizure EEG other than its duration need to be explored as indices of seizure adequacy and predictors of treatment response. We measured the EEG seizure using a geometrical method-fractal dimension (FD) and examined if this measure predicted remission. Methods: Data from an efficacy study on melancholic depressives (n = 40) is used for the present exploration. They received thrice or once weekly ECTs, each schedule at two energy levels - high or low energy level. FD was computed for early-, mid- and post-seizure phases of the ictal EEG. Average of the two channels was used for analysis. Results: Two-thirds of the patients (n = 25) were remitted at the end of 2 weeks. As expected, a significantly higher proportion of patients receiving thrice weekly ECT remitted than in patients receiving once weekly ECT. Smaller post-seizure FD at first ECT is the only variable which predicted remission status after six ECTs. within the once weekly ECT group too, smaller post-seizure FD was associated with remission status. Conclusions: Post-seizure FD is proposed as a novel measure of seizure adequacy and predictor of treatment response. Clinical implications: Seizure measures at first ECT may guide selection of ECT schedule to optimize ECT. Limitations: The study examined short term antidepressant effects only. The results may not be generalized to medication-resistant depressives. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Chiral synthons from carvone. Part 53. First enantiospecific synthesis of (-)-9-pupukeanone

The first enantiospecific total synthesis of (-)-9-pupukeanone, starting from (R)-carvone employing a combination of Michael-Michael reaction and an intramolecular rhodium carbenoid C H insertion reaction as key steps, is described. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

First-principles electronic structure of the delafossites ABO(2) (A=Cu, Ag, Au; B=Al, Ga, Sc, In, Y): evolution of d(10)-d(10) interactions

While bonding between d(10) atoms and ions in molecular systems has been well studied, less attention has been paid to interactions between such seemingly closed shell species in extended inorganic solids. In this contribution, we present visualizations of the electronic structures of the delafossites ABO(2) (A = Cu, Ag, Au) with particular emphasis on the nature of d(10)-d(10) interactions in the close packed plane of the coinage metal ion. We find that on going from Cu to Ag to Au, the extent of bonding between A and A increases. However, the structures (in terms of distances) of these compounds are largely determined by the strongly ionic 13,11 0 interaction and for the larger B ions Sc, In and Y, the A atoms are sufficiently well-separated that A-A bonding is almost negligible. We also analyze some interesting differences between Ag and Au, including the larger A-O covalency of the Au. The trends in electronic structure suggest that the Ag and Au compounds are not good candidate transparent conducting oxides. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Partial instantiation methods for inference in first-order logic

Satisfiability algorithms for propositional logic have improved enormously in recently years. This improvement increases the attractiveness of satisfiability methods for first-order logic that reduce the problem to a series of ground-level satisfiability problems. R. Jeroslow introduced a partial instantiation method of this kind that differs radically from the standard resolution-based methods. This paper lays the theoretical groundwork for an extension of his method that is general enough and efficient enough for general logic programming with indefinite clauses. In particular we improve Jeroslow's approach by (1) extending it to logic with functions, (2) accelerating it through the use of satisfiers, as introduced by Gallo and Rago, and (3) simplifying it to obtain further speedup. We provide a similar development for a "dual" partial instantiation approach defined by Hooker and suggest a primal-dual strategy. We prove correctness of the primal and dual algorithms for full first-order logic with functions, as well as termination on unsatisfiable formulas. We also report some preliminary computational results.

The first bis(phosphine) monoxide (BPMO) complexes of copper(I)

Copper(l) complexes of bis(phosphine) monoxide ligands, bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane monoxide (dppeo) and bis(diphenylphosphino)methane monoxide (dppmo) have been prepared and characterized. One of the complexes with dppeo was characterized by X-ray crystal structure analysis confirming Cu(I) coordination to hard and soft donors. The stability of these complexes in solution was probed via spectroscopic and electrochemical studies. Copper(I) is more readily oxidized in the presence of the hard 0 donor ligands. In solution, they readily exchange the hard donor O, for soft ligands. Although copper(l) prefers soft ligands and is more stable towards oxidation in their presence, it coordinates to hard donors when there is electrostatic or an entropy driven advantage. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

DNA recognition by the first tail-to-tail linked distamycin-like oligopeptide dimers

Sequence-specific bidentate binding to double-stranded (ds)-DNA by 'tail-to-tail' linked dimeric, distamycin analogues is described; compared to their monomeric analogues, these dimers exhibit greater affinity and longer binding site size and open up a novel avenue in the design of minor groove binders that overcome the phasing problem.

The first copper(I) complex of tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine

The first copper(I) complex of tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine (THP) has been synthesized from a reaction with [Cu(CH3CN)4]ClO4. The crystal structure and spectroscopic properties of this complex showing the tetrahedral coordination around copper and a deprotonated THP coordinated to Cu through P are presented.

Enantiospecific first total synthesis and assignment of absolute configuration of the sesquiterpene (-)-cucumin H

The first total synthesis of the sesquiterpene (-)-cucumin H, a linear triquinane isolated from Macrocystidia cucumis, has been accomplished starting from (R)-limonene employing two different cyclopentannulation methodologies, which in addition to confirming the structure also established the absolute configuration of the natural product.

A Macroscopic Model for First Return Stroke of Lightning

A lightning return stroke model for a downward flash is proposed. The model includes underlying physical phenomena governing return stroke evolution, namely, electric field due to charge distributed along the leader and cloud, transient enhancement of series channel conductance at the bridging regime, and the nonlinear variation of channel conductance, which supports the return stroke current evolution. Thermal effects of free burning arc at the stroke wave front and its impact on channel conductance are studied. A first-order arc model for determining the dynamic channel conductance along with a field-dependent conductivity for corona sheath is used in the model. The model predicts consistent current propagation along the channel with regard to current amplitude and return stroke velocity. The model is also capable of predicting the remote electromagnetic fields that are consistent with the experimental observations.

Enantiospecific first total synthesis of cucumin-H

Enantiospecific first total synthesis of the linear triquinane sesquiterpene cucumin-H has been described. (R)-Limonene has been employed as the chiral starting material and a combination of Claisen rearrangement, intramolecular cyclopropanation and Nazarov reactions are employed for the regio- and stereospecific construction of the triquinane framework.

Surface effects on stacking fault and twin formation in fcc nanofilms: A first-principles study

The free surface effects on stacking fault and twin formation in fcc metals (Al, Cu, and Ni) were examined by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). It is found that the generalized planar fault (GPF) energies of Ni are much larger than bulk Ni with respect to Al and Cu. The discrepancy is attributed to the localized relaxation of Ni nanofilm to accommodate the large expansion of the inter-planar separation induced at the fault plane. The localized relaxation can be coupled to the electronic structure of Ni nanofilms. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First-order structural transition in the magnetically ordered phase of Fe(1.13)Te

Specific heat, resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, linear thermal expansion (LTE), and high-resolution synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction investigations of single crystals Fe(1+y) Te (0.06 <= y <= 0.15) reveal a splitting of a single, first-order transition for y <= 0.11 into two transitions for y >= 0.13. Most strikingly, all measurements on identical samples Fe(1.13)Te consistently indicate that, upon cooling, the magnetic transition at T(N) precedes the first-order structural transition at a lower temperature T(s). The structural transition in turn coincides with a change in the character of the magnetic structure. The LTE measurements along the crystallographic c axis display a small distortion close to T(N) due to a lattice striction as a consequence of magnetic ordering, and a much larger change at T(s). The lattice symmetry changes, however, only below T(s) as indicated by powder x-ray diffraction. This behavior is in stark contrast to the sequence in which the phase transitions occur in Fe pnictides.