Surface photoabsorption monitoring of the growth of GaAs and InGaAs at 650°C by MOCVD

By monitoring the cyclic behavior of surface photoabsorption (SPA) reflectance changes during the growth of GaAs at 650°C and with sufficient H₂ purging time between the supply of trimethylgallium and AsH₃, we have been able to achieve controlled growth of GaAs down to a monolayer. Our results show, as confirmed by photoluminescence (PL) measurements, the possibility of growing highly accurate quantum well heterostructures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at conventional growth temperatures. We also present our PL measurements on the InGaAs single quantum wells grown at this temperature by monitoring the SPA signal.     

Caring for a family member with a traumatic brain injury

The responses to a questionnaire on subjective burden are reported for 52 primary caregivers of a group of persons with traumatic brain injuries sustained an average of 6 years previously. The aim of the study was to examine satisfaction with social support, perception of coping skills, and appraisal of symptoms as predictors of strain in the carers. A range of responses, both positive and negative, to the work of caring for a relative with a head injury was reported. A high prevalence rate of emotional and behavioural changes in the persons with head injuries was found and the amount of distress caused by these symptoms was found to be predictive of burden. The other factor important in predicting burden was the carers' ratings of their satisfaction with their ability to cope with the work of caregiving. Social support, injury severity, and the demographic characteristics of the persons with head injury and their carers were not significant predictors. Depression in the carers was also investigated and the variable most predictive of elevated depression scores was coping satisfaction. These findings reinforce the importance of strengthening carers coping resources in rehabilitation work with head injured persons and their families.     

Inhibition of lipid peroxidation,cyclooxygenase enzyme and human tumor cell proliferation by compounds in herbal water

A powdered mixture of dried herbs, “Panamrutham”, is sold in India for the preparation of “herbal drinking water”. The hot water extract of this herbal mixture gave lipid peroxidation (LPO), cyclo‐oxygenase (COX‐1 and ‐2) enzyme and human tumor cell proliferation inhibitory activities between 25 and 250 μg/mL. The bioassay‐guided purification of the water extract afforded a novel compound (1), along with phenolics (2, 4, 6, and 7) and sesquiterpenoids (3 and 5). The isolates were evaluated for LPO, COX‐1 and ‐2 enzyme and human tumor cell proliferation inhibitory activities. At 25 μg/mL, compounds 1–7 inhibited LPO by 22–73% and COX‐1 and ‐2 enzymes by 3–14% and 14–74%, respectively. Compounds 5 and 6 at 25 μg/mL showed growth inhibition of colon, gastric, lung, breast and central nervous system human tumor cell lines by 60 and 67, 43 and 60, 24 and 64, 34 and 65, 6 and 27%, respectively. Compounds 2, 4 and 7 displayed weak or moderate growth inhibition of colon, gastric and breast human tumor cell lines. This is the first report on the LPO inhibitory activities of compounds 1 and 3–7 and the COX and tumor cell proliferation inhibitory activities of compounds 1, 3–5 and 7.     

GENOMIC HARDWIRING AND PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY OF TERPENOID-BASED DEFENSES IN CONIFERS

Over evolutionary history, conifers have faced a myriad of threats from phloem- and xylem-feeding insects, defoliating insects, and fungal pathogens. Among the trees defenses, terpenoids appear to play a major role by harming, disabling, deterring, repelling, or otherwise reducing the fitness of potential invaders. Each of the three classes of terpenoids in conifers, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and diterpenes, are composed of a large number of representative compounds. In most cases, the presence of a particular terpenoid compound in the oleoresin or volatile emissions from a specific conifer can be accounted for by the expression of one of many committed terpene synthase (TPS) genes. However, while each TPS may produce one or a few major products, many produce a variety of minor products with relatively constant component ratios in the product blends. TPS genes exist in conifers in large and functionally diverse, yet monophyletic, gene families. Within these gene families, new biochemical functions of TPS appear to have evolved by gene duplication and changes in the amino acid sequence of the enzymes active site. In addition, TPS genes may be differentially expressed prior to, during, and following attack by insects or pathogens. Thus, while the production of any particular terpenoid is hardwired into a conifers genome, these trees have the capacity to change the mixture of terpenoids in oleoresin secretions and volatile emissions. Anatomical changes may also accompany induced terpenoid production, supplementing the plasticity of the molecular and biochemical events.     

Implicit Bayesian Inference Using Option Prices

Abstract. A Bayesian approach to option pricing is presented in which posterior inference about the underlying returns process is conducted implicitly via observed option prices. A range of models allowing for conditional leptokurtosis, skewness and time‐varying volatility in returns are considered, with posterior parameter distributions and model probabilities backed out from the option prices. Models are ranked according to several criteria, including out‐of‐sample predictive and hedging performance. The methodology accommodates heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation in the option pricing errors, as well as regime shifts across contract groups. The method is applied to intraday option price data on the S&P500 stock index for 1995. While the results provide support for models that accommodate leptokurtosis and skewness, no one model dominates when all criteria are considered.     

The Role of α1-Adrenoceptor Antagonists in the Treatment of Prostate and Other Cancers

This review evaluates the role of α-adrenoceptor antagonists as a potential treatment of prostate cancer (PCa). Cochrane, Google Scholar and Pubmed were accessed to retrieve sixty-two articles for analysis. In vitro studies demonstrate that doxazosin, prazosin and terazosin (quinazoline α-antagonists) induce apoptosis, decrease cell growth, and proliferation in PC-3, LNCaP and DU-145 cell lines. Similarly, the piperazine based naftopidil induced cell cycle arrest and death in LNCaP-E9 cell lines. In contrast, sulphonamide based tamsulosin did not exhibit these effects. In vivo data was consistent with in vitro findings as the quinazoline based α-antagonists prevented angiogenesis and decreased tumour mass in mice models of PCa. Mechanistically the cytotoxic and antitumor effects of the α-antagonists appear largely independent of α 1-blockade. The proposed targets include: VEGF, EGFR, HER2/Neu, caspase 8/3, topoisomerase 1 and other mitochondrial apoptotic inducing factors. These cytotoxic effects could not be evaluated in human studies as prospective trial data is lacking. However, retrospective studies show a decreased incidence of PCa in males exposed to α-antagonists. As human data evaluating the use of α-antagonists as treatments are lacking; well designed, prospective clinical trials are needed to conclusively demonstrate the anticancer properties of quinazoline based α-antagonists in PCa and other cancers.     

Temporal aggregation and spurious instantaneous causality in multiple time series models

Large aggregation interval asymptotics are used to investigate the relation between Granger causality in disaggregated vector autoregressions (VARs) and associated contemporaneous correlation among innovations of the aggregated system. One of our main contributions is that we outline various conditions under which the informational content of error covariance matrices yields insight into the causal structure of the VAR. Monte Carlo results suggest that our asymptotic findings are applicable even when the aggregation interval is small, as long as the time series are not characterized by high levels of persistence.     

No effect of creatine supplementation on oxidative stress and cardiovascular parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Background

Exacerbated oxidative stress is thought to be a mediator of arterial hypertension. It has been postulated that creatine (Cr) could act as an antioxidant agent preventing increased oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nine weeks of Cr or placebo supplementation on oxidative stress and cardiovascular parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Findings

Lipid hydroperoxidation, one important oxidative stress marker, remained unchanged in the coronary artery (Cr: 12.6 ± 1.5 vs. Pl: 12.2 ± 1.7 nmol·mg^-1; p = 0.87), heart (Cr: 11.5 ± 1.8 vs. Pl: 14.6 ± 1.1 nmol·mg^-1; p = 0.15), plasma (Cr: 67.7 ± 9.1 vs. Pl: 56.0 ± 3.2 nmol·mg^-1; p = 0.19), plantaris (Cr: 10.0 ± 0.8 vs. Pl: 9.0 ± 0.8 nmol·mg^-1; p = 0.40), and EDL muscle (Cr: 14.9 ± 1.4 vs. Pl: 17.2 ± 1.5 nmol·mg^-1; p = 0.30). Additionally, Cr supplementation affected neither arterial blood pressure nor heart structure in SHR (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Using a well-known experimental model of systemic arterial hypertension, this study did not confirm the possible therapeutic effects of Cr supplementation on oxidative stress and cardiovascular dysfunction associated with arterial hypertension.     

Modelling and traceability for computationally-intensive precision engineering and metrology

In contrast to measurements of the dimensions of machined parts realized by machine tools and characterized by CMMs, software results are not fully traceable and certified. Indeed, a computer is not a perfect machine and binary encoding of real numbers leads to rounding of successive intermediate calculations that may lead to globally false results. This is the case for poor implementations and poorly conditioned algorithms. Therefore, accurate geometric modelling and implementations will be detailed. Based on the works of National Metrology Institutes, the problem of software traceability will also be discussed. Some prospects for this complex task will finally be suggested.