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A study was conducted to examine the mechanisms behind the formation of global retrospective evaluations of consumers' temporal sequences. Findings indicate that a memory-based framework can provide a parsimonious, comprehensive explanation for retrospective evaluations. Information about the reduced accessibility of final or common instances is also presented.

Consumers with a high brand commitment use a disconfirmatory information processing strategy when faced to competitive brand information while consumers with a low brand commitment focus on the similarities when put in this situation.

Research has been conducted on the cytotoxic marine natural products bengamides B and E. The preparation of these bengamides has been carried out via the amide coupling of a protected polyhydroxylated lactone intermediate with the substituted aminocaprolactam intermediate and the results are presented.

We argue that imaging is a cognitive process that uses the same mental resources as perception. Therefore, when imaging and perception compete for the same resources, message elaboration and learning should be undermined. Two experiments are reported that provide support for this theorizing. In the first experiment, the learning of visual or auditory imagery-provoking information is adversely affected by reading or listening, respectively. In the second experiment, information with high levels of visual imagery is found to be learned better than information with low levels of visual imagery when the information is presented auditorily, but the reverse occurs when information is presented visually. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Two experiments manipulate self-referencing by varying copy writing strategy. It is found that increasing self-referencing increases message elaboration and can increase persuasion when message arguments are strong. However, when self-referencing is increased in the presence of other variables that also enhance elaboration, the favorable effect of self-referencing on persuasion is moderated or reversed. A two-factor explanation is employed to generate predictions and account for results. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Although pictures have been shown to enhance the impact of persuasive communications, little is known about the robustness of such effects. This study examines how involvement moderates the process by which pictures affect brand attitudes and purchase intentions. The results show that involvement's moderating role depends on whether pictures convey product-relevant information. Whereas the impact of affect-laden pictures devoid of product-relevant information declines as involvement increases, involvement exerts the opposite effect for product-relevant pictures. The results also demonstrate that the images evoked by pictures and thoughts about a picture's appropriateness play an important role in the persuasion process underlying peripheral pictures. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Carmustine (BCNU) is a chemotherapy drug that is used against brain tumors, malignant melanoma, lymphomas, and other tumors. A side effect of carmustine therapy is pulmonary fibrosis, the formation of scar tissue in the lungs. The proportion of patients treated with carmustine that develop lung fibrosis has been reported from 1 to 30 percent. A study was conducted to investigate how long after carmustine therapy a patient may develop lung fibrosis as a side effect. A group of 17 children who survived brain tumors and received treatment with carmustine between 1972 and 1976 was studied. Of the 17, six had died from lung fibrosis; two children died within three years of the carmustine treatment, and four died between 8 and 13 years after chemotherapy. Of the 11 children who did not die of either the brain tumor or lung fibrosis, eight were studied intensively for an average of 14 years after carmustine therapy. Imaging studies of their lungs (chest X-rays and computed tomographic scans) showed that six of the eight patients had fibrotic changes. Spirometry testing, which measures the air capacity of the lungs, showed that the vital capacity of the lungs was, on average, only 54 percent of normal. Other tests found evidence of fibrosis as well. Four of the patients reported they had a cough, shortness of breath, or both. It was concluded that children who are given carmustine may have lung fibrosis, which can exist without symptoms for many years, but become symptomatic at any time, sometimes many years after the chemotherapy. Carmustine continues to be used for many cancer patients, and it is suggested that the risks and benefits of the drug be carefully weighed, as the probability of developing chronic lung fibrosis is high. Alternative drugs should be chosen instead whenever possible. Patients who were given carmustine should be monitored carefully for fibrosis over the long term. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

The temporal pattern of experienced regret is investigated and insight is provided into the underlying factors leading to differential cognitive accessibility of actions and inactions over time. Increased cognitive accessibility of inactions is found in the long term with no difference in the accessibility of actions and inactions in the short term and support for the depth of impact, breadth of impact, and frequency of thought are found as explanations for this differential accessibility.

Research is done on the crystal structure and magnetic properties of the NdCo (sub 9.5-x) Fe (sub x) V (sub 2.5) compounds with x=zero--3.5 which have been examined. In conclusion, the experiment can be understood y considering interplay of the volume expansion, enhanced exchange coupling parameter JRT and the T sublattice moment mu (sub T) due to the Fe substitution for Co.

The tendency of subjects to employ a self-referencing strategy when processing messages was manipulated by varying message writing style. Recall of message content was higher in the high self-referencing than the low self-referencing condition. Self-referencing was also found to produce attitude and cognitive response effects similar to effects obtained in other research that employed involvement inductions. When self-referencing and argument strength were manipulated in a factorial design, it was found that arguments had a greater impact on attitude and cognitive responses under high self-referencing than under low self-referencing.