Which antidepressants have demonstrated superior efficacy? A review of the evidence

A review of published evidence of superior efficacy of a particular antidepressant in major depressive disorder may assist clinicians in making considered treatment choices. To identify such candidates, an international group of experts met to assess published evidence (identified through searches in Medline and Embase databases and discussions with experts in the field) from randomized, controlled trials and meta-analyses comparing two antidepressants under conditions of fair comparison. Criteria were defined to judge the strength of evidence. Two pivotal studies in moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder that demonstrate superiority on the primary efficacy measure, or alternatively one pivotal study supported by consistent results from meta-analyses, was considered to constitute evidence for definite superiority. Three antidepressants met these criteria: clomipramine, venlafaxine, and escitalopram. Three antidepressants were found to have probable superiority: milnacipran, duloxetine, and mirtazapine. Only escitalopram was found to have definite superiority in the treatment of severe depression; probable superiority was identified for venlafaxine and possible superiority for milnacipran and clomipramine. This review of published data found evidence that only a very few antidepressants are shown to be more effective than other

Making things happen : a model of proactive motivation

Being proactive is about making things happen, anticipating and preventing problems, and seizing opportunities. It involves self-initiated efforts to bring about change in the work environment and/or oneself to achieve a different future. The authors develop existing perspectives on this topic by identifying proactivity as a goal-driven process involving both the setting of a proactive goal (proactive goal generation) and striving to achieve that proactive goal (proactive goal striving). The authors identify a range of proactive goals that individuals can pursue in organizations. These vary on two dimensions: the future they aim to bring about (achieving a better personal fit within one’s work environment, improving the organization’s internal functioning, or enhancing the organization’s strategic fit with its environment) and whether the self or situation is being changed. The authors then identify “can do,” “reason to,” and “energized to” motivational states that prompt proactive goal generation and sustain goal striving. Can do motivation arises from perceptions of self-efficacy, control, and (low) cost. Reason to motivation relates to why someone is proactive, including reasons flowing from intrinsic, integrated, and identified motivation. Energized to motivation refers to activated positive affective states that prompt proactive goal processes. The authors suggest more distal antecedents, including individual differences (e.g., personality, values, knowledge and ability) as well as contextual variations in leadership, work design, and interpersonal climate, that influence the proactive motivational states and thereby boost or inhibit proactive goal processes. Finally, the authors summarize priorities for future researc

Direct mass measurements of proton-rich isotopes of Ge, As, Se, and Br

Expérience GANIL, Équipement SISS

The masses of A ≈\approx 60-70 nuclei close to the N=Z line

"Conference on Frontiers of Nuclear Structure" Berkeley, USA 29 july-2 august 2002Editors: Paul Fallon, Rod Clark and Anna M Smith, ISBN: 0-7354-0116-0International audienceThe masses of very neutron‐deficient $^{66}$As, $^{68,70,71}$Se and $^{71}$Br were measured for the first time and those of 64,65Ge and 67As remeasured, with total uncertainties ranging from 200 to 1000 keV, including systematic, extrapolation and statistical errors, using the SPEG direct time‐of‐flight method at GANIL. These new results are discussed and compared to other recent experimental data and mass prediction

Interaction radii of proton-rich radioactive nuclei at A=60-80

International audienceThe interaction radii of proton-rich, radioactive 31Ga, 32Ge, 33As, 34Se, 35Br isotopes were measured using the direct method. The secondary beams were produced using a 78Kr primary beam of 73 MeV/nucleon in conjunction with SISSI and the SPEG spectrometers at GANIL. Most elements show reduced radii which vary with N, with a minimum around N = 36-38. The experimental reduced radii are compared to theoretical values obtained from Glauber reaction cross-section calculations based on Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) nuclear densities